PARADISE ISLANDS PHILIPPINES
Paradise Islands Philippines - Luxury Travel Magazine
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Magical Islands | |||||
| By: Helen McKenzie, Issue 44 – Spring 2010 | |||||
| Philippines) | |||||
| RICH HISTORY, INTERESTING ARCHITECTURE, GOOD FOOD AND SHOPPING HELEN MCKENZIE FINDS ALL THERE IS TO ENJOY ON THE ISLANDS OF THE PHILIPPINES. | |||||
| Here is a simple quiz about the Philippines. All you have to do is tally up the number of facts you know about the country from the list below. If you score 10 or more you are brighter than most of us and there is a strong chance that you are in fact Filipino. If you are able to say “yes I knew that” to only three of the following facts then it would seem you are about average. The Philippines (named after King Philip II) was a Spanish colony for three centuries. In 1898 the Philippines became the first and only US colony. Today it is the third largest English speaking country in the world. The Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands (only 2000 are inhabited). The three largest islands are Luzon, Mindanao and Palawan. The first Catholic mass was held in 1521 and the current population is 90 per cent Catholic. The country has 18 active volcanoes and 900 species of orchid. Metropolitan Manila is home to 9.5million people. The country’s population was 92 million in 2009; 70 per cent are rural dwellers and 53 per cent are under the age of 20. Ferdinand Marcos was President for 23 years. Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino (son of assassinated Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino Jr and former President Corazon Aquino) is the current President of the Philippines. Between the 10th and 13th centuries they produced gob-smackingly beautiful and sophisticated gold jewellery and utensils. Philippine Airlines was Asia’s first airline. The lines marking lanes on the roads are a “mere suggestion” to drivers in Manila. General Douglas MacArthur did return. The Philippines has a rich history, some interesting architecture, good food and luxury shopping. The best way to navigate your way into and around the country’s culture is to get someone else to hand pick the must see and must do; tell you where to be at what time, leaving you with the simple task of taking it all in. The Peninsula hotel in Manila offers such a service; they call it their “Academy.” In two days we: visited historic houses – Spanish influenced architecture, cleverly ventilated, with stunning narra (mahogany) 14 inch floor boards and lattice windows with capiz (shell) inserts - and the Southern Hemisphere’s largest Catholic Church in Taal; watched the sun go down over an active volcano, which has got to be one of the best views in the world; and ate amazing food at a handsome restaurant called Antonio’s, 20 km from Manila. A real treat was the traditional breakfast served in the home of jewellery maker Joyce Makitalo. Joyce takes colourful semi precious stones and turns them into works of art. At Finale Gallery we saw work from the country’s top contemporary artists. We also visited a 1950s American compound of 20 houses in Pasay City which is now home to art galleries and a number of home-ware stores. This area was both architecturally inspiring (we all wanted to rip up the Machuca floor tiles and pack them in our cases) and the wares available were interesting from a design point of view. No second rate folk art here. These special activities for Peninsula Academy guests were teamed with a visit to the Ayala Museum - the gold exhibition is extraordinary - and to Carlos who offers a “history for people with no attention span” tour of the Intramuros inside the walls of the old city of Manila. Carlos’ tour commences with the national anthem, which we are told has “the same notes as La Marseillaise just turned on its head - a wonderful metaphor for Filipino culture.” The two-hour tour – which included a ride on a horse drawn vehicle combined with rapid fire historic facts and humour, such as this line: “Imelda Marcos (or as Carlos prefers to call her “Foxy Lady”) acquired her wealth through mining. Anything she wanted she would simply say – ‘mine, mine, mine!’” Amanpulo on Pamalican Island is an hour’s flight from the hurlyburly and heat of Manila. Warning: there is high-level use of the words pristine, exquisite, spoilt and heavenly ahead. Perhaps it is because most of the staff are from a nearby island that they “get” island life? Perhaps they are schooled in cheerfulness? Whatever the reason - the Amanpulo staff are professional happiness enhancers. Snorkelling, yoga, swimming, scuba diving, fishing, tennis, gym workouts and island circumnavigation on foot, or by kayak, are all available active activities. Then there are a whole host of inactive activities. Lying around can take place in your perfectly private Casita, in a hammock, poolside, beachside, or spa side while having a massage. Then there is the oh so onerous problem of deciding where to eat; Lagoon Club for Vietnamese, Windsurf Hut for pizza, main Clubhouse, private beach barbeque or perhaps – if you happen to have caught a great big fish – the Beach Club chef will turn it in to lunch. A final warning to guests at Amanpulo: there is a very strong danger that you will become overly accustomed to being exquisitely spoilt on this pristine, heavenly island. | |||||
| DETAILS THE PENINSULA MANILA | |||||
| MANILA, PHILIPPINES From the silk rugs and cream upholstery to the original wood panelling, the Peninsula Suite is a prime example of luxury and opulence. Amenities include a complimentary round-trip airport transfer, direct access to the helipad, a baby grand piano, a resident butler who will serve you in the formal dining room for twelve and a marble bathroom complete with whirlpool. | |||||
| Recommended Room: Peninsula Suite | |||||
| Room rates: from A$292-A$2,918 per night | |||||
| Website: www.peninsula.com/Manila | |||||
| AMANPULO | |||||
| PAMALICAN ISLAND, PHILIPPINES Just metres from the water, Amanpulo offers eleven luxurious villas which come with a private chef, butler and buggies to explore the island. The villas also feature private pools, living and dining pavilions, and an outdoor lounge. | |||||
| Recommended Rooms: four-bedroom villas, two-bedroom villas and one-bedroom villa | |||||
| Room rates: from A$830-A$4,759 per night | |||||
| Website: www.amanresorts.com | |||||
| GETTING THERE: Philippine Airlines flies five times a week to Manila direct from Sydney, five flights per week from Melbourne to Manila (via Sydney or Brisbane on the forward leg and non-stop on return), and two flights per week from Brisbane to Manila (stopover in Melbourne on the return leg). www.philippineairlines.com | |||||
| Scheduled charter flights operate daily with Island Aviation to and from Amanpulo. | |||||
| WHEN TO GO: The best time to travel to the Philippines is from March to May when the weather is hot and dry or from November to February when the weather is cooler. June to October is the rainy season and you may experience tropical storms, but with the average temperature range from 25 to 32 degrees Celsius you are guaranteed to have warm weather year round. | |||||
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