Here's a thing nobody tells you about Makati: you're probably going to end up at One Ayala whether you plan to or not. Coming from the airport, coming from a bus, coming off the MRT — a huge chunk of Makati funnels through this one building first. So instead of treating it as "just a mall," treat it as your landing pad. This guide covers everything worth knowing for a first-timer figuring out one ayala things to do, starting with the part most guides skip: how the place actually works.
One Ayala Things to Do 2026: A First-Timer's Guide to Makati
New to Makati? One Ayala is probably your first stop anyway — here's the transit hub, a floor-by-floor cheat sheet, games, food, and family tips for a first visit.
Start Here If It's Your First Time in Makati
One Ayala opened in July 2022 as a ₱15-billion project from Ayala Land, and it's not a normal mall — there's a full transport terminal built into it. It sits right where Ayala Avenue meets EDSA, inside the larger Ayala Center strip, with Glorietta and SM Makati close enough that a footbridge does the walking for you.
What makes it different from every other mall in the metro is that it wasn't built around shopping first. It was built around getting somewhere first, and shopping, eating, and playing got stacked on top. That's why it works so well as a first stop — you arrive by bus, train, or jeep, and you're already standing in the middle of things to do.
Getting Here (and Why That's the Point)
The One Ayala Terminal is a three-level transport hub built into the mall — Upper Ground down to Level 2 — and it's often described as running with the kind of order you'd expect from an airport, not a jeepney stop. That comparison is doing a lot of work, and it's earned.
Here's what actually connects here:
- EDSA Carousel — the southbound bus rapid transit line has its station built right in.
- Intercity and provincial buses — if you're arriving from outside Metro Manila, there's a real chance this is your drop-off.
- P2P buses, including the UBE Express — this one's the headline for anyone flying in. There's a point-to-point route straight to NAIA, so "airport to One Ayala" (or the reverse) can be a single bus, no transfers.
- UV Express and jeepneys — the Lower Ground level has nine dedicated gates for these, which is more organization than most transport terminals in the city get credit for.
- MRT-3 Ayala Station — a Level 2 footbridge takes you straight from the train platform into the mall. No crossing EDSA, no dodging traffic.
And once you're inside, the footbridges keep going: one connects to SM Makati, and another links over toward Glorietta, so you can hop between three malls without ever touching street level. There's also an EV fast-charging station if you drove, a convenience store, ATMs, food stalls scattered through the terminal levels, and Tripko/Beep top-up counters if your card's running low. Basically — however you're arriving in Makati, there's a solid chance One Ayala is either your first stop or the easiest way through it.
One Ayala Things to Do, Floor by Floor
One Ayala stacks its personality by floor, and once you know the pattern, hunting down things to do at One Ayala stops feeling like guesswork.
- Lower Ground — the transport engine room: nine gates for jeepneys and UV Express, plus Robinsons Supermarket, which opened here in August 2023 as the chain's first-ever Makati branch. Handy if you're stocking up before heading anywhere else.
- Upper Ground — the EDSA Carousel platform, intercity and provincial bus bays, P2P counters, the EV charging station, and a scattering of food stalls for anyone who just got off a long ride and needs food immediately.
- Level 2 — where the MRT-3 footbridge drops you, plus an event plaza, the footbridges out to SM Makati and Glorietta, alfresco dining, and NeNe Chicken, the Korean fried chicken chain's very first Philippine branch.
- Level 3 — the fashion floor, anchored by Corso Como 88, the Italian-European boutique concept's largest branch in the country, alongside the rest of the retail lineup.
- Level 4 — Tech Central for gadgets and electronics, more alfresco dining, KMC Proworking's coworking space for anyone who brought a laptop, and INMERS.
- Level 5 — SPACE at One Ayala, Ayala Malls' own head office floor, and Activate One, which runs an indoor pickleball club and a table tennis academy.
What's Actually Worth Going Out of Your Way For
Not every floor needs a dedicated trip, but when people ask what makes the things to do here different from any other mall, this is the short list — the stuff genuinely not replicated anywhere else nearby.
- Corso Como 88 (Level 3) — the country's largest branch of this Italian-European boutique concept. Worth a browse even if you're not buying, just for the scale of it.
- NeNe Chicken (Level 2) — the Korean chain's first store in the Philippines. If you've been curious, this is the original local branch.
- Tech Central (Level 4) — a whole floor pocket dedicated to gadgets, if your trip has a "need a charger cable" or "want to compare phones" errand attached.
- Activate One (Level 5) — an indoor pickleball club and a table tennis academy, tucked upstairs where you wouldn't expect a court to fit. If racket sports are your thing, it's there.
- SPACE at One Ayala (Level 5) — a 2,700-square-meter venue that bills itself as Makati's first trade hall, built with four column-free exhibition halls plus function rooms and a banquet hall with its own kitchen. It's a bookable event venue rather than a permanent attraction, so what's happening there depends entirely on what's booked — check what's on if you're curious, but don't expect a walk-in exhibit every weekend.
- INMERS (Level 4) — Interactive Digital Gaming, which is a fancier way of saying LED floor games you play with your whole body, no controller required. More on this below.
Play a Round While You're There
If you're already on Level 4 for Tech Central or grabbing a bite, INMERS is worth the five-minute detour. It's not an arcade full of screens — it's glowing floor panels that react to how you move, so a group can jump in without anyone needing prior gaming experience. Floor Is Lava is the reflex one, dodging tiles that light up under your feet. Devil's Eyes turns into an oddly intense staring match. Line Line is fast, a little chaotic, and usually the one people want to replay immediately. Rounds run 15–20 minutes, short enough to squeeze in without derailing the rest of your day.
Where to Eat
Food at One Ayala is spread across three floors, and the range is bigger than most first-timers expect. Level 4 has NYX for the full buffet-celebration meal. Level 3 covers Tong Yang's hotpot-and-grill, Krazy Garlik's sharing plates, and Bom Gosto's slower European menu for a date or a work lunch. Level 2 rounds it out with Mesa and Crisostomo for a proper Filipino meal, plus Panco Cafe and Secret Recipe if you just want coffee, brunch, or cake.
Trying to pick a restaurant on the spot is where most groups stall out. We already broke all eight down by cuisine, budget, and occasion in our One Ayala food guide for first-timers — worth a scroll before you arrive so "saan tayo kakain" doesn't eat into your actual hangout time.
If You're With Kids, a Barkada, or the Office
Whoever you're dragging along, One Ayala tends to hold up. With kids, the games are simple enough for a six-year-old and a grandparent to play the same round, kids under 5 play free with every two paying adults, and a two-adults-two-kids trip gets 15% off with the Family Bundle. Birthday in the mix? The birthday promo knocks 25% off for the celebrant, once during their birth month. Planning the actual party instead of a casual visit? Our birthday party venues in Makati guide covers that separately.
With a barkada, the appeal is that nobody has to agree on one plan — split off, play a round, eat, regroup, repeat. And for the office, whether it's a proper team-building day or just an outing that needs to not feel like a meeting, our team building activities guide covers what works for a mixed group of coworkers. Groups of 10 to 35 can also request a private event quote for exclusive arena access.
Practical Stuff
Mall-wide, the retail and dining floors generally run somewhere around 10:00am to 9:00pm on weekdays and 10:00am to 10:00pm on weekends — but that's a general pattern, not a guarantee, since individual stores can open later or close earlier. INMERS keeps to the same rhythm, and its hours below are the ones we can confirm outright.
INMERS hours & rates
- Hours: Mon–Thu 10:00am–9:00pm · Fri–Sun 10:00am–10:00pm
- Floor Is Lava: ₱450 weekdays / ₱550 weekends & holidays (20 min, 2–8 players, ages 6+)
- Devil's Eyes: ₱400 weekdays / ₱500 weekends & holidays (15 min, 2–8 players, ages 6+)
- Line Line: ₱350 weekdays / ₱450 weekends & holidays (15 min, 2–8 players, ages 6+)
Rates approximate as of August 2026 — check the official site before booking, since promos and pricing can shift.
Parking: there are four basement levels — B1–B2 for mall visitors, B3–B4 for the office tower — with entrances on both the Ayala Avenue side and the East Street side, open 24 hours. As of a 2026 report, rates ran around ₱60 for the first two hours and ₱20 per hour after that. Parking rates move, though, so treat that as a ballpark and confirm at the gate rather than budgeting off it exactly.
How much time should I set aside?
An hour and a half covers arriving, one game, and a meal without rushing. A full afternoon lets you add Tech Central, a second game, or just more time sitting around — which is usually where the day actually gets good.
Is One Ayala a good first stop for someone new to Makati?
Honestly, yes, and mostly by accident of geography — if you're arriving by bus, P2P, MRT, or jeep, there's a decent chance you're passing through here anyway. Might as well make it your starting point instead of just a stopover.
Do I need to book anything ahead?
Walk-ins work for games and most restaurants, but booking a slot ahead of time is the safer move on weekends and holidays when both fill up fast.
What if my group can't agree on a single plan?
That's fine here — nobody has to. Split up, play a round, eat, regroup, and let the afternoon sort itself out.
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