RIYADH, 12 June 2006 — The Philippines is a veritable tourist destination. It offers sun, sand and scenery. With this impression etched in the mind of the traveler, the city famed for its sunset welcomes him with warmth.

Says Kathryn Clark in an article: “The aircraft descends smoothly through colored vaults of cloud and into a glorious sunset dancing across the waters of Manila Bay.”

She says that as the runway approaches, Manila shimmers to life: “ City lights start to twinkle at the water’s edge and palm trees turn black against a magenta sky. It is an unforgettable welcome to what has been called ‘one of the last great frontiers in Southeast Asian travel’.”

The country is also located at the crossroads of Asia. It is flanked to the west by Vietnam and Cambodia, to the northwest by Hong Kong and China and to the south by Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. The influence of its neighbors and centuries of foreign occupation have resulted in a nation that offers one of the richest and most varied cultural tapestries in Southeast Asia.

The Philippines is divided into three main island groups: Luzon in the north, where the capital city of Manila is; Visayas at the center; and Mindanao in the south. Of course, various tourism adventures await the traveler in the country’s various provinces like Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Palawan, Calabarzon, among others.

But the traveler looking for something different need not go far. In Manila alone, he’ll find most of what’s he’s looking for. This does not mean that he has to confine himself in Manila alone. Having traveled far to reach the Pearl of the Orient, he might as well explore the whole country.

Manila is a city of many striking contrasts. Glass and steel skyscrapers stand alongside the concrete images of heroes past. Ancestral churches are a stone’s throw away from the poshest of shopping malls. It is a city plunging head-on toward the 21st century with a healthy respect for the past.

Manila took its name from a white-flowered mangrove plant, called the nilad. A small tribal settlement along the Pasig River, Manila was then ruled by Rajah Sulayman. By the 16th century, the Spaniards invaded Manila, built a wall around it, and claimed it as their own. Spain ruled the walled city of Intramuros, and the Philippines, for the next 300 years. Afterward, it was the Americans’ turn to conquer the islands. But above it all, Manila thrived and survived.

Today, Manila is a fast-growing metropolis with countless possibilities for the enterprising tourist. Apart from this bustling city, 12 cities and 5 municipalities were developed and annexed for the new Metro Manila.

Cuisine Art

Once in Manila, the first thing to do is to rest before exploring the city and other travel destinations. After that, one can try Filipino cuisine, which is a blend of Spanish, Malay, Chinese and American influences. Manila is a perfect place to go for culinary adventures.

The Filipino cuisine, with its many regional flavors and specialties, should appeal to the most discriminating palates. Pinakbet, a sautéed mixture of fresh vegetables in bagoong (cooked shrimp paste) is an Ilocano favorite. From Pampanga comes sisig.

The Bicolanos love using lots of coco cream, spices and chilis on their dishes. With the Filipino’s love for food, restaurants are all over the place. Try out the ones along Adriatico Street and Roxas Boulevard in Manila; Tomas Morato, Timog and Quezon Avenue in Quezon City; and Makati Avenue, Pasay Road and Jupiter Street in Makati City.

Leisurely Strolls

If your aim is to shop for souvenirs or to feel the pulse of the city, there are many walking destinations. Start off with a visit to the Ayala Museum in Makati, where historical dioramas take you down the country’s memory lane. Or take a sun cruise around Manila Bay. Open air cultural performances are aplenty. Include Friday evenings at Paco Park, Friday and Saturday at Intramuros and Sunday afternoons at Rizal Park for a cultural interlude.

Flea Market Bargains

Haggling is the operative word when shopping at Manila’s frenzied, frantic flea markets. Bargain hunters will fall head over heels in love with the bargain basement prices of fabrics, ready-to-wear clothes, shoes and slippers, houseware and home decors and fresh produce. Best bets are Quiapo, Baclaran, and Divisoria. Hunt down lovely wood carvings, capiz shell items, buri bags, and embroidered napkins under Quezon Bridge in Quiapo.

Baclaran, at the southern tip of Roxas Boulevard, is the place to go for practical ready-to-wear.

Antiques

The most popular antique pieces in Manila are the icons. Other articles are also available at antique shops along Padre Faura.

Chinese ceramic and jars, which date back from the era of barter trade, can be found in antique shops in Ermita (like V.M. Antiques and Aquinas) and Chang Rong Antique Gallery in Intramuros. Other pieces include prints, furniture, and ethnic art.

Places to Visit

Corregidor — Called “The Rock”, Corregidor Island was the last bastion of the Allied forces in the Pacific during Word War 11. Approximately 3 kilometers long, Corregidor’s ruined barracks and artilleries attest to the fierce fighting between the Fil-Am forces and the Japanese. Today, “The Rock” is a Memorial to Peace, Valor, and International Understanding. The island’s various historical landmarks can be explored by foot. And for those staying overnight, there is a 31-room hotel and a 15 cottage beach resort complex with excellent amenities. Picnic grounds are ideal for camp outs, Outrigger canoes explore the neighboring fortress of Fort Drum, El Fraile, Caballo and La Monja. Corregidor Island is only a one hour trip via cruiser boat from the CCP Complex in Roxas Boulevard.

Las Pinas Bamboo Organ — The world’s only pipe organ made of bamboo rests on the fast-growing town of Las Pinas. Housed in an old church made of cobbled stones, this beautiful piece of musical instrument takes center stage every year in the Bamboo Organ Festival. Local and international artists have shared spotlight with Las Pinas pride over the years.

Rizal Park — In the midst of Manila’s hustle and bustle stands a refreshing patch of blues and greens, the Rizal Park. A tribute to the country’s national her, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Luneta (as it is commonly called) is a refuge for early morning jogger and tai-chi practitioners. Mothers walk their babies out to Luneta for the sun. Afternoons find even the most harried person pausing in awe at the best sunset in the world. At night, the park is transformed into a romantic rendezvous for lovers. Apart from its grassy expanse, Luneta also features a planetarium, dozens of fountains, an amphitheater, a light and sound cultural show, a children’s playground and the Chinese and Japanese gardens.

Intramuros — It transports the visitor into the 16th century Manila. Walk through cobbled streets paved with Spanish colonial buildings and old church plazas. Puertas (gates) and baluartes (battlements) have been heroically restored to preserve the charm and historicity of this once-upon-a-time bastion of Spanish culture. Within Intramuros complex lies the Fort Santiago (one of the oldest fortifications within the walls), the Manila Cathedral (a magnificent architectural feat with its intricate stone carvings, stained glass mosaics, and rosette windows), and the San Agustin Church (the oldest structure in the country with its baroque interiors).

Chinatown — Like anywhere else in the world, the Chinese have found a comfortable niche in Philippine society and nowhere is this more apparent than in Chinatown. Situated in bustling Binondo, Chinatown is filled with all things Chinese from Peking duck and Buddhist temples to gold watches, snake soup, and wonder herbs.