It was a wonderland of sights, sounds, and tastes from around the Philippines – the empanada and longganisa from Ilocos, the Pahiyas Festival from Quezon, Mayon Volcano from Albay, Masskara Festival from Bacolod, the ornate Sto. Nino Shrine and Heritage Museum from Leyte, the sagayan (a war dance) from Maguindanao, an elaborate Maranao feast on a giant golden plate, and more.

Staff in colorful indigenous attire welcomed us guests, and would later perform a medley of traditional dances.

Mayon Volcano and Cagsawa Ruins in Albay. You can even go inside for a “lava walk.”

Staff in indigenous attire welcome guests at Lakbay Museo

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon

This wonderland is Lakbay Museo, an interactive travel and culinary museum at S Maison Mall in Conrad Manila, near SM Mall of Asia. The museum takes you from Luzon to Mindanao through 14 different exhibits, and lets you wear indigenous textiles too!

Aside from exhibits of tourist attractions like Mayon Volcano and heritage sites, Lakbay Museo also has giant versions of the country’s culinary pride, like mangoes, empanada, and more. There are also food art and sculptures that look real!

The delicious and affordable Ilocos empanada. We chose to wear a Cordillera textile as part of the tour experience. Another option is a colorful malong from Mindanao.

A Maranao feast on a giant plate. The food looks real when you take a closer look!

Lakbay Museo also has a collection of indigenous textiles from around the Philippines, as well as collections of different food items like Cordillera rice and coffee.

Indigenous textiles from around the Philippines

The museum also has a social and environmental advocacy – most of its staff are out-of-school youth, with some seniors and persons with disabilities. The exhibits are also made from mostly recycled materials like car tires and mats, rubber slippers, and more. Lakbay Museo has also partnered with micro, small, and medium enterprises and sells their local products at the museum’s souvenir shop at the end of the tour.

Set to open July 12 this year, Lakbay Museo has an entrance fee of P699 if you book online, and can even be discounted to P599 if you book using a promo code on the Lakbay Museo website up to July 2. The experience lasts for two hours. Every hour, staff in indigenous attire perform traditional dances, so you definitely won’t miss it!

Traditional dance in front of Barasoain Church in Malolos, Bulacan

The entrance fee comes with 12 tokens or chips which you can use to buy traditional food inside the museum like arroz caldo, ginataang munggo, halo-halo, puto, fishballs, and more.

The entrance fee comes with 12 chips/tokens which you can use inside to buy traditional Filipino food.

Below are more photos showing the Lakbay Museo experience, from the entrance to the exit.

At the entrance, you have the option to enter the museum via land (jeepney), plane, and boat (vinta).

Aboard Zamboanga’s rainbow vinta

If you take the plane, you go down via slide! On the yellow walls are Baybayin, one of the Philippines’ indigenous writing systems, and mostly used by Tagalogs.

First among the exhibits is Metro Manila, which is basically a marketplace of dried fish and fruits and vegetables. Here in the fruit and vegetable stand, even little-known fruits like chesa and catmon are displayed.

Among the Ilocos region exhibit’s famous stalls is the longganisa stall.

A flower-decorated carabao. After Baguio’s Panagbenga Festival

This giant rice bowl is like a fun sandbox for kids and kids-at-heart. Photo by Franco Ayson

The Philippines has the sweetest mangoes!

Aside from the life-sized food art that looks so real, there is also miniature food art reminiscent of dollhouse furniture.

There are information cards on food with a QR code. Once you scan the QR code, you get the recipe.

Every hour are colorful, traditional performances.

You can join in the dance, too! They will teach you. 

Sitting on and with the colorful banigs (woven mats) of Basey, Samar

Balancing palayoks (clay pots)! The friendly staff will help you do it!

The staff are friendly, and would even invite you to take photos with them!

What you need to know before a Lakbay Museo visit:

• Wear comfortable clothes, especially if you will be taking the slide at the museum entrance and also playing inside in the giant rice bowl!
• Book online and ahead of time. Online fee (P699) is also cheaper by P100 compared to walk-in fee. But for the cheapest rate, book the early bird rate using the promo code BEEPBEEP100 when you buy tickets at the Lakbay Museo website.
• Museum opens July 12. So refer to the above bullet and book ahead of time!
• The museum experience lasts two hours. Maximize each stop!
• Get your camera or phone ready! Almost each spot is perfect for photos.