Navotas
Philippines · Asia
About Navotas
Navotas, officially the City of Navotas (Filipino: Lungsod ng Navotas), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 252,878 people.
It was formerly part of the Province of Rizal in southern Luzon. It comprises what is known as the CAMANAVA area along with the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela.
It is known as the Commercial Fishing Hub of the Philippines, for the city has the third largest fish port in Asia and the largest in Southeast Asia. Although it was established on February 16, 1859, Navotas celebrates its foundation day every January 16, the day in 1906 when it finally separated from Malabon. Navotas became a highly urbanized city on June 24, 2007.
Navotas was once part of Malabon. According to one legend, the long and narrow delta extended unbroken from north to south along the seashore. The strip of land between the former district of Tondo, Manila and this town was eaten away by the sea until an opening was made. Water began to flow through the opening. The geographical change prompted the people to refer to the place as "butas", "nayon ng butas", or "nabutas",...
Navotas travel guide
Understand
Formerly part of Malabon, Navotas is situated on a spit jutting into Manila Bay and the estuaries of the Marilao, Meycauayan and Obando Rivers. It is home to Metro Manila's main seaport, which forms the city's main livelihood. Navotas has the reputation of being a rough area thanks to its industrial complexes.
Getting there
There is frequent bus service to Navotas from the rest of the metro. All city bus services end at the government-maintained terminal at the end of Radial Road 10.
Getting around
If you need to use public transportation try sakay.ph, it will show you the right type to your destination.
See
1 Navotas Centennial Park, C-4 Road. Open 24 hours. Free. (updated Dec 2020) 2 Diocesan Shrine and Parish of San Jose de Navotas (Navotas Church), M. Naval Street, San Jose (alternate entrance at Los Martires Street). Navotas' main Roman Catholic church, built in the 1890s. (updated Apr 2026)
Buy
Unlike the rest of Metro Manila, there are no major shopping complexes in Navotas. The nearest such malls are in Malabon and Manila.
1 Navotas Fisheries Port Complex, C-4 Road corner Lapu-Lapu Avenue. Open 24 hours. Seafood market. (updated Sep 2023) 2 Agora Market, North Bay Boulevard. 5AM–8PM. Wet & Dry goods. (updated Sep 2023) 3 Puregold Navotas, M. Naval Street, Sipac-Almacen. (updated Apr 2026)
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.