Coconut Palace

Coconut Palace is a government building and cultural landmark in the CCP Complex, Pasay City, located near Star City.

• Exact Barangay/City: CCP Complex, Pasay City
• Best For: Architecture sightseeing (exterior), history walks
• Average Spend: Free (exterior viewing only)
• Power Outlets & Wi-Fi: No public access inside the palace gates.

Coconut Wood and Extravagant Design

The Coconut Palace, also known as Tahanang Pilipino, was built in 1978 during the Marcos regime to showcase the versatility of the coconut tree as a building material. It is said that 70% of the structure is made of coconut wood, coconut shells, and coconut fiber. Interestingly, it was built in anticipation of Pope John Paul II's visit to Manila in 1981, but he famously refused to stay there because of the extreme extravagance of the palace while the country was in poverty.

The architecture is genuinely unique, featuring a coconut-shaped roof and columns made of inverted coconut trunks. Inside, the palace houses seven suites, each representing a different region of the Philippines. While it used to host tours and was even the official office of the Vice President of the Philippines for a time, access is currently restricted, and you can usually only view it from the outside or through security gates. It sits along the Manila Bay waterfront, offering nice sunset views from the perimeter.

Commuting to the CCP Complex

Getting to the CCP Complex is fairly straightforward. You can take the LRT-1 to Vito Cruz Station, then ride one of the orange jeepneys that ply the loop to the CCP grounds. Commuting by jeepney is cheap, but during afternoon rush hours, Vito Cruz is a congested bottleneck. If you're coming by car, there is ample paid parking space around the CCP complex, though the area is highly exposed to the afternoon sun, so expect your car to be a sauna when you return.

Updated on Jun 19, 2026 by George Gemson