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Philippines 2013

It was my first time travelling to the Philippines and I was really excited for it! Literally thousands of shimmering islands make up the Philippines, which – if it were a recipe – would be equal parts Spanish and Mexican, Hollywood and lazy fiestas, pigs blood soup and mad Manila nightlife. There’s so much on offer, and so many different dazzling destinations, a visit is less a question of seeing the country, but picking which part you want to see the most.

We stayed at the Junior Suite at Manila Crown Prince Hotel.

Put aside the sprawling concrete-jungle mass of the whole, and focus instead on the individual districts and you’ll soon start to feel the love. The sights here are invariably astonishingly quirky, like the Coconut Palace, built for the Pope’s visit several decades ago (he refused to stay), which is built entirely out of coconut shells and palm wood, oddly mixed with 24-carat gold bathroom fixtures.

The modern, stone version if Intramuros (Manila’s fortified city) date back to the 16th century, and can be accessed via seven impressive drawbridges, while the Spanish fort of Santiago now lies in ruins, and has become a city park where the Japanese massacred prisoners and drowned them in the flooded dungeons during World War II. 

Malate is the place to go for Manila’s vivacious bar hopping scene. From seedy girlie bars to rooftop beer fests, there’s not much in the way of alcohol-based carnage you can’t find in Manila, and plenty are here just for the party. If you prefer to relax, shop for knock off souvenirs in the bubbly markets, grabbing bargain DVDs and perfume to try and sneak back through customs.