When it comes to sports and entertainment venues in the Philippines, the ultra-modern and world-class SM Mall of Asia Arena or MOA Arena is a top choice. This conveniently located and flexible indoor venue within the SM Mall of Asia complex in Bay City, Pasay, has a seating capacity of 15,000 and a full-house capacity of 20,000.
International acts such as Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Sam Smith, and Harry Styles have all performed here, with the sold-out Alanis Morissette 2023 World Tour recently held at the MOA Arena last August. K-pop groups like BTS, Blackpink, Twice, EXO, and Red Velvet have also graced the arena’s stage.
Aside from concerts, the iconic eye-shaped stadium is a top choice for sporting events, such as the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 preliminaries and finals games running from August 25 to September 10, 2023.
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Planning to attend an event in the MOA Arena soon? Here’s all you need to know about getting and from this popular event venue.
General location
The MOA Arena is located within the SM Mall of Asia complex in Bay City, Pasay. It is conveniently located right beside the SM Mall of Asia at the southern tip of EDSA, just beyond Macapagal Avenue and the Blue Wave Mall and right beside MOA Square, which houses the largest IKEA in the world.
1) Traveling to the SM Mall of Asia Arena by private vehicle
Getting to SM Mall of Asia Arena is fairly straightforward. Chances are, you’re already familiar with driving to and from SM Mall of Asia at the very end of EDSA. From the north, just make your way along EDSA to its southern end until you see the globe rotonda. You can also get here via Roxas Boulevard. If you’re coming from the north and Makati area, just try to leave early as the area can get congested during during rush hours.
Parking and access
The arena itself has a capacity for 2,000 vehicles in their carpark building. According to SM Supermalls, you can also park in other accessible parking areas around the vicinity. Apart from the Mall of Asia parking facility (South Wing), the neighboring Mall of Asia Arena Annex building can accommodate up to 1,400 parking slots. With the opening of the new NU Mall of Asia (NUMA) Building, another 720 parking slots have been added for those looking for alternative parking.
Here’s the latest parking and access map for the Mall of Asia Arena shared for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
The parking areas in and near the SM Mall of Asia Arena include:
- North (SM Hypermarket) and South (SM Store) Parking Buildings
- NU MOA Parking Building
- MAAX Parking Building
- SM by the BAY
- S Maison
- North Open Parking
- One E-Com, Two E-Com & Five E-Com Open Parkings
- Esplanade Seaside Terminal
2) Traveling to SM Mall of Asia Arena by public transport
Unlike the Philippine Arena, it’s relatively easy to get to the MOA Arena even without a private car. For those coming from the north, the fastest way to get to here by commuting is to take the MRT-3 southbound, get down at the Taft Avenue Station, and then either ride a bus bound for SM Mall of Asia or Baclaran, or take a jeepney bound for SM Mall of Asia at the intersection below the terminal.
From EDSA, you can also just take any bus going to the EDSA Carousel SM Mall of Asia Station. The station is located by the South Parking Area at the corner of J.W. Diokno Boulevard and Pacific Drive, about a five-minute walk away from the SM MOA Arena.
Those coming from Alabang or any area from the south can take the jeepney going to Pasay Rotonda and then take the jeepney or bus under the Taft Avenue MRT station.
Those coming from the Manila/Caloocan area or near the LRT-1 stations can take the LRT-1 southbound and and go down at the EDSA–Taft Avenue station, use the footbridge that connects the LRT station to the MRT, and then ride a jeepney or bus going to SM MOA. Look out for jeeps with signboards to SM Mall of Asia, of course. There are jeepneys via Taft Avenue that go straight to MOA.
From Roxas Boulevard, Baclaran, Paranaque area, Macapagal Boulevard, and Pasay, there are jeepneys that have terminals in the MOA area as well.
Accommodation options
In case you don’t want to drive home the same night of the event, there are numerous hotels and airbnb options for every budget near the MOA complex for overnight stays. Hotels nearby include Lime Resort Manila, Microtel by Wyndham, Hop Inn Hotel ASEANA, Golden Phoenix Hotel, Hotel 101, Sea Residences Condotel, and RedDoorz near Pasay Rotonda, to name a few.
To save on costs, book a hotel with a promo. You can find decent hotels that cost less than P3,000 a night if you book early and budget rooms for around P1,500 if you’re not too picky.
Food and beverages
Satisfy your pre-concert and pre-game cravings by heading to fueling up at one of the many restaurants in the Mall of Asia near the arena.
There are a lot of dining options within the SM Mall of Asia complex, including international fast food chains, local eateries, and restaurants. Commuters can grab a quick bite at fast food chains like McDonald’s, KFC, Jollibee, and Wendy’s, or sit down for a full meal at popular restaurants like Gerry’s Grill, Shakey’s, and Max’s Restaurant. You can also combine your concertgoing experience with a meal at IKEA for their famous Swedish meatballs, smoked salmon, Daim cake, and other good eats.
Take note that outside food and drinks are not allowed inside the venue so get your fill before heading in.
SM Mall of Asia Arena survival tips
1) Arrive early at the venue.
If you’re taking your own car, you’ll want to get to the venue early to find proper parking. Expect heavy traffic all over Manila during concert nights and major tournaments, so have a backup plan with friends. Try and carpool with your fellow event-goers to avoid finding parking spots. You can also park elsewhere in the mall complex or in a hotel if you’re staying overnight and just walk to the venue.
2) Reserve a parking slot beforehand.
Want to ensure that you have a hassle-free parking experience come concert night? You might want to try using apps like Dibz, which allows motorists to search, prebook, and pay for a mall parking slot. The service has been rolled out for valet parking in several Ayala and SM Malls, including SM Mall of Asia near the MOA Arena.
Drop-off points for Dibz valet parking in SM Mall of Asia are Ocean drive in front of 8 Cuts burger and Seaside Blvd in front of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Dibz is available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
3) Book a rideshare instead.
In case you don’t want to drive, the MOA Arena is accessible to taxis, ridesharing services, and motorcycle taxis. While surge prices can be much higher during events or hard to book during rainy nights, opting to take a cab or Grab might be less stressful than driving in traffic late at night especially after hours of standing up and dancing.
4) Wear comfortable clothing.
As with any concert, you will be standing and queuing a lot, so be sure to wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
5) Bring only the essentials.
Bring only a small bag or fanny pack with your tickets, smartphone, tissues, sanitizer, and other concert essentials. Bags should only be 12 x 12 inches. Don’t forget to bring a powerbank with you so that you’ll have extra juice in case you need to book a ride going home.
6) Refrain from bringing prohibited items.
Research beforehand what kind of items are allowed inside the venue. Items such as professional cameras, large umbrellas, water jugs, huge posters, inflatables, unofficial merch, flammable materials, chairs, flashlights, etc. are generally not allowed for all types of events.
Other event guidelines may be issued and specific items may be prohibited depending on the nature of the event, such as that of FIBA or other concerts to ensure a world-class experience for all attendees.
