Family Holiday Fun at 678 Kang Ha Dong and SM by the Bay

For those of us who do not live in Manila, as in literally that side where the Bay is, we often get too comfortable in our own enclaves that the thought of driving all the way to Mall of Asia is considered too daunting.

But if you're tired of your usual hangouts, I'd say, reconsider. It may sound counterintuitive, with the traffic and all that, but SM by the Bay might be just the place to celebrate Christmas and the New Year with family and friends.

Dada and I took the kids for an authentic Korean experience at 678 Kang Ha Dong at SM by the Bay in the Mall of Asia complex a few days ago, and the experience was nothing short of spectacular!

Unlimited kimchi, check. Fresh greens and delicious side dishes, check. Melt in your mouth, oh so tasty beef, check. Food cooked right in front of us, check. Each dish is a stand out, it's hard to play favorites.

Did I say the beef is spectacular?

Let me put it this way. The second trimester of my pregnancy with Berry, I wanted to eat nothing but Korean BBQ ribs and soft tofu stew. If I wasn't craving for Korean fried chicken. I know good Korean food like my life depended on it, and the food at 678 I dare say, is the best in the whole country. No joke.

An extra treat from eating at the SM by the Bay area? Instead of our standard routine where the kids walk around the mall after we have our meal, they got to enjoy the outdoors at the boardwalk, with the salty sea breeze, and if we stayed longer, the famous Manila Bay sunset.

In fact, if we really wanted to take it further, and I mean farther, a step into Esplanade Seaside Terminal is already a step towards getting a more intimate view of the sunset onboard the Prestige Cruises, Sun Cruises or Orient Craft which dock there. These cruises offer a tour of the famous Manila Bay, they can even go as far as taking us to the history-rich and scenic island of Corregidor.

Where and what is SM by the Bay? It's a 1.5 km entertainment strip, right on Seaside Boulevard behind the main mall of MOA building where all members of the family, or your entire barkada has plenty to enjoy. For starters, there's a wide range of dining options from the biggest buffet restaurants in town such as Vikings, Four Seasons, Buffet 101, La Fiesta, Banzai & Charaptor to unique concepts like the Dinner Theater: Movie Stars Café, The RoadHouse Manila Bay, Bikers’ Café, Kang Ho Dong 678 and so much more.

There's also a section with amusement rides, near the iconic MOA Eye, as well as Sands, the beach themed, multipurpose sand court ideal for beach volleyball or football. In fact, I was told that it's where  the UAAP beach volleyball games are played.

But what makes SM by the Bay all the more special this holiday season are the Light Park, the festive Christmas Decorations along the entire strip, a 75 ft Christmas Tree in partnership with Firefly LED, Holidays by the Bay Hollywood signages located at Central Park and Christmas lights installed along the entire stretch of SM by the Bay, which all together create a cozy, Christmas ambiance like no other.

Bring the entire family, your friends, heck invite the whole barangay for all to see. There's enough space and amusement for everybody!

SM by the Bay is open everyday, especially so in Christmas and the New Year, making it perfect for holiday celebrations. It operates from 6am to 2am, with restaurants open at 11am to 1 am. Catch some music and fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm.