Get away from Manila!

For an afternoon, to Intramuros, the walled city and prior capital under Spanish rule in the Philippines. The place retains a romantic, old-world charm, with cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carts and dim lanterns all along the way. It is a nice place to walk, bike, sit and chat with friends, or watch a Filipino wedding.

Courtyard of Casa Manila

Old Customs House in Intramuros

Horse-drawn cart for hire

Pretty shops and houses

Fort Santiago

Place where Jose Rizal, Philippine national hero, spent his last night before execution

San Agustin Church

Inside the church

Little Best Man and Maid of Honour

Bamboo bicycles or 'Bambikes'!

Ruins of Sukhothai

Sukhothai, meaning "Dawn of Happiness", was the ancient capital of Thailand in the 13-14th centuries. The Sukhothai Historical Park contains the remains of Thai and Khmer temples, and Buddha statues from this period, and is now a World Heritage Site. Though most of it is broken and ruined, it has been preserved in the state it was found in, without much modern intervention.

The Park is enclosed by three walls and moats, which are often invisible because of forest growth. There is a gate facing each of the four directions. It costs 100 Baht (3$) to enter the Park for a day, and it is easy to get around on a bicycle, which can be hired almost anywhere in Sukhothai.

How to get to Sukhothai: Air Asia's land transfer deal goes from Bangkok Airport right upto the Park entrance! There are buses from Bangkok and Chiang Mai as well.

Where to stay: Lots of hotels, resorts, guesthouses at 5-10 minute cycling distance from the Park. You can see fireflies in some of the rice fields nearby at night!

There are moats and ponds all over the Park, where you can see beautiful reflections at dawn or dusk

Wat Mahathat is the central and biggest temple in Old Sukhothai

Beautiful tree-lined roads for cycling, have tourists and local children from nearby schools

Sunrise and sunset are the best time to visit, to see the light playing on the ruins and to escape the unbearable heat

The central temple, Wat Mahathat and its moat

Sun setting on the Buddha statue at Wat Mahathat

Ruins, statues and ancient trees

Sunset on the western face of Wat Mahathat

Sukhothai's Buddha statues are unique, because of their curved anatomies and postures. According to a local guide, this was reflective of the people's happiness and prosperity of the old Sukhothai kingdom.

Wat Sa Si is situated in the middle of a reservoir. A beautiful, serene place to sit after dusk.

Local dance performance, depicting the rise of King Ramkhamhaeng in the Sukhothai kingdom

Light and sound show at Wat Sa Si

Wat Si Chum has a beautiful, partially hidden statue of Buddha, and is often approached even now for good luck and blessings

The "perfect hand" is flowing, graceful and without visible joints and bones. Little golden leaves are stuck on it to ask for good luck.

Full circle of a rainbow over Sukhothai

Countryside with its rice fields, rich colours, quiet and peaceful

Walk upto Wat Saphan Hin, which has a solemn-faced Buddha statue that overlooked the ancient Kingdom. The statue is in the pose of "stop fighting". It was also used as a viewpoint to spy on approaching armies.

Ancient rice terraces of Philippines

The rice terraces of Banaue in Philippines are 2000 year old terraces that were carved into the mountains, mostly using basic handheld tools. The walls of the Banaue terraces are shaped with mud, but the terraces of nearby Batad and Hapao are walled with stones and concrete. The terraces are immense in size! I could not imagine how much time it would have taken to carve them using the very basic tools and machines!

The Batad rice terraces is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and collects a tourism fee for maintenance of the terraces, when they are damaged during natural disasters. Banaue's terraces are visible from anywhere within the town of Banaue in northern Luzon. I had an amazing view of them from my hotel room. To go to the Batad terraces, you need to trek through a forested mountainside. The Hapao terraces are easier to reach, and the walk through them is just mesmerizing!

I took an overnight bus journey from Manila to Banaue, which seems to be the only way so far to get there. I spent the first day visiting the Batad terraces, with a tricycle driver/guide. Filipino buses have an interesting concept of "centre seats". After the bus has started moving, these tiny seats magically appear in the aisle of the bus! I must say that trekking after spending the night trying to sleep on the baby centre seats is not a great idea! My second day was spent in visiting the Hapao and Banaue terraces.

Traditional costume

Sunrise on the Banaue terraces

View from my Banaue room

View from my room again!

Batad rice terraces on an entire mountainside. The other mountains are of stone and could not be carved.

Beautiful bright colours in June!

The terraces are just immense!

Fairy hut at Hapao terraces!

Eagle - national bird of Philippines

Walking through the Hapao terraces, we saw many local farmers who own the terraces, grow, eat and trade the rice

Hapao is tranquil, beautiful and stunning!

Children playing a "filling the cup" game at a hot pool

Farmers at the Hapao rice terraces

Chocolate hills and emerald rivers of Bohol

Chocolate Hills

Loboc river is transparent in the morning and changes colour to green by afternoon

Kayaking on the river

Local children playing in the river

Resort huts by the river

Dinner place!

Inside a floating restaurant on the Loboc river

Tarsier, small monkey with very big eyes!

Damages from the Bohol earthquake in 2013, which affected many of the old church buildings

Alona beach, Panglao. to the south of Bohol