The city break
Manila, the capital, is a bit like any other Asian city. Poverty sits metres away from luxury, and the traffic jams are horrendous. But scratch the surface and there’s plenty of fun to be had — from shopping to clubbing to fine dining.
Establish yourself in downtown Makati, where the luxury hotels are situated. Three of the world’s ten biggest malls are situated here, all with more retail area than The Dubai Mall.
As with the UAE, shopping is a national pastime in the Philippines, and malls here offer everything from skating and spas to Christian and Muslim religious services. In contrast to our own sprawling shopping centres, though, there are plenty of bargains to be had: jeans for Dh20 and stilettos at Dh25.
For an up-close encounter with Asia’s sounds and smells, head to the older markets, such as chaotic Divisoria, located just off Chinatown. It’s the best place for toys, textiles, cheap sneakers, even wedding gowns — at prices that are even cheaper than those at the bigger malls. Quiapo Market, adjoining the Church of the Black Nazarene and in the same area as the city’s famous Golden Mosque, is fantastic for traditional handicrafts such as woven totes and shell chandeliers.
As night falls, there’s entertainment for all persuasions — and not just at karaoke bars. Superstar DJs and international chart-toppers stop by often, but it’s the local talent you want to take in. Brush with the indie scene at saGuijo in Makati, sit back and be entertained by the high-octane performers at BED Manila or journey to Quezon City’s Ten 02 jazz bar for its big-band sound. The crowd is usually friendly and welcoming, and you may well be invited to go bar hopping on the hoof.
This can, as you might expect, continue all night. Manila parties hard, often to sunrise and beyond, so don’t be surprised to find yourself and your new friends tucking into chicken inasal (barbecue) or sizzling beef sisig (offal) at 7am.
After you’ve caught up on your beauty sleep, there are two other must-do activities. The Philippines was ruled by the Spanish for nearly 400 years from 1521 to 1898, and a taste of colonial life — and the freedom struggle — can be had at Intramuros, the walled city at the heart of Manila. Periodic religious pageants bring the past alive again, or simply head to Barbara’s Heritage restaurant, which tells the country’s history in dance over a buffet dinner.
Less impressive than one might imagine is what remains a classic stop for fashion fans. The Marikina Shoe Museum, fittingly sited in the country’s shoemaking capital, is home to a selection of former first lady Imelda Marcos’ 3,000 pairs of shoes (many were destroyed by termites and floods). Thankfully, there’s not a set of flip-flops among them.
The resort holiday
Few people head to the Philippines for the city action. When you’ve got 7,107 islands, there’s a lot of lying on the beach to be had. Is land-hopping is a particularly fun day out, with pump boats motoring between sandy beaches and anchoring near coral reefs.
Set course for the Caohagan-Nalusuan-Pandanon route off Cebu’s Mactan island for a variety of different experiences all on the same day. Caohagan offers an insight into rural life and visitors can see firsthand the challenges of development and how ingenious locals are finding solutions. It’s also a great place to buy super-fresh exotic seafood (most of it still alive), which you can then have barbecued under the sun at the next island.
In between, stop for a spot of snorkelling at Hilutungan. The diversity of sea life at this marine sanctuary is fascinating — but for most people the highlight is quite literally, finding clown fish like Nemo from the Disney movie.
More popular with tourists than with locals is the biodiversity hotspot of Palawan, the Western island province just off Malaysia. Home to igneous mountains, sugarwhite beaches, a virgin forest and coral reefs complete with sunken shipwrecks, it’s textbook geography brought to life.
Isolated Tubbataha Reef has been popular with divers from around the world since its discovery in the seventies, and the 8.2km Puerto Princesa underground river, recently named one of the new seven wonders of nature. And when you’re done with geography, set your blood racing by ziplining across the sea. It isn’t just more fun in the Philippines, it’s a whole new adventure.
