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 centerstage 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 hero, Dr. Jose 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 some 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 children’s playground, a skating rink and the Chinese and Japanese gardens.

Intramuros – Intramuros transports the visitor into 16^th 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 (once a prison for revolutionary Filipinos, now a peaceful park-cum-museum), 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 and trompe l’oeil murals).

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. The high chords of Chinese songs and the permeating smell of incense complete the uniquely Chinese ambiance.