Manila, Modern city.

Varieties of chilli for sale at Quiapo market

Look past the grimy surfaces and you'll find Manila's hidden treasures.

Modern Manila is a teeming metropolis, with huge tower blocks crowding the few examples of colonial architecture that survived the bombing of the city during WWII. Many people use it only as a base for further travel, but the more adventurous will discover its friendliness and charm.

Give the place a chance - it has a lot to offer and those who stop to explore the city on their way to destinations in other parts of Luzon or other islands often find a few treasures hidden among the urban chaos of the capital. Some come to find the city addictive.

Coconut Palace, built by Ferdinand Marcos for visit by Pope John Paul II



Late night traffic in one of most polluted cities in the world



Over 1.5 million people live in Manila's shantytowns



Chinatown: crowded with market stalls, goldsmiths and many, many teahouses

Philippines, English is wide spoken.

Pedicabs and drivers await their next customers

Although overlooked by the world, the Philippines is still cheap and cheerful.

With a reputation for being chaotic and corrupt, the Philippines has something of an image problem. But most who make the journey to the 7000-odd islands that comprise the Philippines are pleasantly surprised by their beauty and by the friendliness of the people.

Most of the Philippines is laidback, stable and relatively safe. The locals are an exceptionally helpful bunch and there are fantastic reefs and fish. On top of this, transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken.

Tropical fruits vie for attention at a stall in Camarines, Sur province



Mt Mayon, one of world's most active volcanoes



Christmas lights twinkle on the Cathedral of St Paul, circa 1641