Cebu Pacific uncovers Asia’s quirky attractions

MANILA, Philippines - More than just a vast melting pot of cultures teeming with rich history and traditions, Asia is home to plenty of destinations that offer delightfully unexpected pleasures, from the fresh and eccentric to the artistic and eclectic. Cebu Pacific, the Philippines’ leading airline, invites traveling Juans to take the quirky route in exploring some of Asia’s most exciting cities.

Manila’s Chaotic Beauty

Manila may often be overlooked by tourists who can’t wait to head straight to the Philippines’ more famous beaches. But the bustling capital is more than just huge malls, business districts, and notorious traffic. In the old walled city of Intramuros, the country’s colorful past — from the pre-colonial period to the Spanish and World War II era—can be traced through a historic but fun walking tour made more pleasurable by kalesa and pedicab rides. Several walking tours take guests around the city’s original Kilometer 0, where packs of tourists and locals alike are led along old churches and historic buildings.

A jeepney ride away from Intramuros is Binondo, the world’s oldest Chinatown, where many of the city’s best teahouses and dim-sum diners can be found in between temples and charm shops. However, if one truly knows where to look, Binondo’s best feature doesn’t come from tea cups or wrapped kuchay but a more infamous offering: exotic food.

Known as the sanctuary for unusually palatable cuisine, Binondo attracts visitors with Estero’s buttered frog legs and Golden Fortune’s ostrich and crocodile meat dishes as well as rabbit stew and turtle soup, among others. On Ongpin Street, there’s also Café Mezzanine’s bestselling Soup No.5 (bull’s testicles). For added ambience, Wah Sun Restaurant does the trick with its indoor mini-zoo. And before departure, make sure to cleanse the palate with Eng Bee Tin’s traditional hopia, custard, and other sweet delights.

Singapore’s artistic happenings

Singapore may be known for its fast-rising skyscrapers and modern architectural wonders, but it is no longer just about the high-end and expensive.

For those who want to skip the usual commercial attractions, Haw Par Villa is an unusual theme park where one can learn about the country’s history and culture. Built in the 1930s by two Burmese brothers, the park displays a thousand statues depicting Chinese mythology, folklore, legends and history. Its most famous attraction is the Ten Courts of Hell, which shows gruesome and eerie scenes of hell according to Chinese mythology.

Travelers will feel they are no longer in Singapore when they arrive at the Bollywood Veggies, a 10-acre countryside organic farm that serves organic home-cooked meals. Located in the beautiful Kranji countryside, it is a refreshing treat for those who want a change of scenery from the city-state’s high-end, fancy restaurants.

Young Singaporeans with a taste for the hip and cool are adding more character to the city-state as an upbeat hub for shopping and the arts.  A few blocks from the Bugis shopping area are the narrow streets of Haji Lane and Arab Street. Littered with colorful street art, the area is lined with bars, cafés, and tiny picturesque shops that sell everything from unique fashion finds to stationery and art pieces.

Taiwan’s eclectic attractions

In Taipei, young people stay up late not to party in clubs but to hang out till the wee hours inside a 24-hour bookstore. Eslite, Taiwan’s biggest bookstore chain, has redefined the nightlife and made reading one of the hippest pastimes in the country. Here, the busiest hours are 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., when customers of all ages fill the bookstore, seated in corners or leaning by the bookshelves, all absorbed in their books.

Foodies and concept restaurant hunters will love Taipei’s abundance of themed cafes and restos such as the A380 In-Flight Kitchen, Modern Toilet, Hello Kitty Sweets Cafe, and Barbie Cafe. For outdoorsy types, Yehliu Geopark, just 40 minutes from the capital, is an awe-inspiring natural marvel of rocks resembling figures such as the Queen’s Head, the Fairy’s Shoe, the Mushroom Rocks, Tofu Rocks, and Elephant Rocks.

For a more interesting and memorable trip, discover these cities’ quirky attractions via Cebu Pacific. For the latest seat sales and to book a ticket, visit www.cebupacificair.com.