Manila

Wander Intramuros, the walled city founded in 1571, where Spanish stone walls tell stories of ancient trade routes between Asia and Europe. The San Agustin Church, worn cobblestones and faded shuttered houses speak of conquistadors and a world before the 1945 bombings. Rising from destruction, Manila spills north into Quezon City – a modern capital – while Binondo, its old Chinese quarter, still oozes cosmopolitan charm. Pause for a sweet halo-halo before exploring the National Museum, a treasure chest of Philippine art and history.

Then escape the urban heat for the cooler climes of Luzon, the largest island in the archipelago. In Anilao, coral gardens bloom beneath the foam, and Corregidor Island stands as a testament to wartime resistance, a souvenir of the courage against Japanese invasion. Heading north, the Hundred Islands scatter like limestone jewels off the coast of Alaminos. Banaue’s terraced rice fields carve enormous green amphitheatres into the landscape. And Vigan, a UNESCO treasure of Hispanic-Filipino heritage, invites you to step into a moment suspended in time.