A film guide to the Philippines

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As Insider's travel reporter in Singapore, I've backpacked in four countries across Asia and have stayed in a dozen hostels.

In Willemstad, the capital city on the island of Curaçao, the waterfront is dotted with buildings the color of tropical fruit: mango orange, banana yellow, kiwi green. Paired with the bright blue water in nearby bays, it’s almost a full kaleidoscope of color. Originally, the structures were limestone white, but an 1817 law forbade white facades on buildings to protect islanders’ eyesight from the bright reflections of the Caribbean sun – but locals joke that it was a money-making bid on behalf of the island’s only paint supplier.

Few lodging situations can beat the coolness of a houseboat. There’s just something about falling asleep on the gentle undulation of water that makes for a more relaxing experience than even the most luxurious hotels. That’s why the Paolyn Houseboat on Coron Island, Philippines, is a must.

Ticked off New York City’s big sights and wondering where to go next? From sinking a pint in Brooklyn's Red Hook to sampling Italian delicacies in The Bronx, Stephen Keeling picks the city’s off-the-beaten track highlights.

The Banaue rice terraces were once a colourful collage of winding fields that clung onto a mountain-side in Ifugao province in the Philippines . After being almost completely abandoned by the locals, these plantations are now being revived as young farmers return to work on the paddies. While researching the new Rough Guide to the Philippines , Kiki Deere was awestruck by the sheer beauty and functionality of the Banaue rice terraces.

Graced by dazzling beaches, year-round sun and numerous opportunities for diving, island-hopping and surfing, the Philippines has long attracted a steady stream of foreign visitors. Yet there’s far more to these islands than sand and snorkelling. These are a few of our favourite islands in the Philippines.

El Salvador’s Mayan ruins can’t be compared with the great Mayan centres in Guatemala , Honduras and Mexico , but they have their own powerful charm – and on most days you’ll have the sites completely to yourself. Stephen Keeling went to explore El Salvador’s rich but oft ignored Mayan heritage.

A sprawling capital which is home to almost 13 million people, Manila can be more than a little overwhelming for first-time visitors. But once you find your bearings, you’ll discover a buzzing, vibrant city which has a great bar scene (three of its bars were nominated in 2019’s Asia’s 50 Best Bars awards), some of the region’s best museums and quite possibly one of the warmest welcomes in the world. Here is our guide to Manila.

Tim Chester, Web Editor: From the Turner Contemporary gallery to the proliferation of other indie art spaces, retro shops and cute cafés in the Old Town, Margate now offers much more than its beautifully dilapidated seafront. Dubbed “romantic, sexy and weird” by local girl Tracey Emin, this gem on the Isle of Thanet constitutes one of the highlights of the forthcoming Rough Guide to Kent, Sussex and Surrey for many good reasons.

Hong Kong floats between old China and the West; its futuristic harbour has become one of Asia's most famous views but you'll also find pockets of traditional culture dotted between the skyscrapers.

No longer the grey city of Eastern European stereotype, the Polish capital Warsaw is a forward-looking, ebullient and multi-layered kind of place, where gleaming corporate skyscrapers rub up against time-capsule neighbourhoods that have remained unchanged for decades.