The capital, Manila, is a bustling city with three broad areas that visitors will come to know - the relaxed Roxas Boulevard bayfront with its government offices, residential buildings and hotels, the evocative old-world ruins and stone facades of Intramuros, and the brisk offices and modern hotels of Makati, where pin-striped businessmen flock.

Makati has recently taken off with new mall developments bristling with gourmet restaurants, bars, pubs and dining establishments.

Intramuros came into being in 1571 as an exclusive Spanish preserve for the well heeled and blue-blooded. Its gardens, walks and buildings reflect that gracious, if upper-crust, ancestry with the centrepiece provided by the imposing San Augustin Church.

Some of the attractions in the area for a weekend jaunt or more, include the charming Las Pinas village with its church famous for its bamboo organ, and Tagaytay on the lip of Taal Lake, an expanse of mirror-smooth blue water within a large volcanic crater. Peeking out of the middle of the lake is Taal Volcano.

Also within a day's reach (about 100km from the capital) is Pagsanjan with its rapids and waterfall. Visitors enjoy shooting the gentle rapids in wooden canoes. Pagsanjan River is fun for the family. North of Manila are the redeveloped Subic Bay and the Clarke Special Economic Zone, both former military bases.

Intramuros came into
being in 1571 as an exclusive Spanish
preserve for the well-
heeled and blue-blooded. Its gardens, walks and evocative old buildings reflect that gracious, if upper-crust, ancestry
with the centrepiece provided by the imposing San Augustin Church