Destination Phillipines
Five things to do
1. Go hiking on Mount Pulag. Trekking might not be the first thing you think of when you visit a country with more than 7000 islands, but this mountain in northern Philippines is a must-visit for nature lovers and mountaineers. While popular with tourists, Pulag is considered a sacred place by the locals with strict rules for hikers to preserve the rare flora and fauna along the trails. The sea of clouds at the summit makes it easy to understand why it is called the Playground of the Gods.
2. Enjoy a boodle fight. Filipino chefs take family lunches to another level with a feast of tropical delicacies and seafood served on banana leaves. Common dishes include grilled king prawns, mud crabs, roast pork and spring rolls on a bed of steamed rice. Or you can stick with the grilled vegetables and fruit slices to skip the holiday kilos. Cutlery is optional.
3. Shop till you drop. Mall of Asia or MOA (pronounced mo-wa) in Manila’s Pasay City is a shopper’s mecca. It is the largest shopping mall in the country with more than 400 stores and 200 restaurants. For IKEA fanatics, MOA is home to the world’s largest IKEA store. Strictly for shoppers looking to get their steps count up.
4. Step back in time at Intramuros. There is a walled city in the country’s capital that would look more at home in Europe than it does in Asia. A sunset bike tour is the best way to take in the 16th century Filipino-Spanish architecture and imagine what it would have been like during World War II with battle relics evident in the ruins on this landmark site.
5. Go island-hopping in El Nido, Palawan. Located in southern Philippines, El Nido has earned the title of the world’s number one beach destination in leading travel magazines. One of the island-hopping tours that leaves the main town early in the morning will take you to several islands, including the world-famous Secret Beach, which was the inspiration for the cult movie
The Beach starring a young Leonardo DiCaprio.