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Whether you’re an urban explorer or more of a beach bum, there’s a hotel in the Philippines for your type of trip. While business travelers tend to stay near Manila, many will fly through the hub to hit the famous beaches of the Philippine islands, where there are five-star resorts and plenty of sunshine. Here’s where to find everything from a historic hotel with views of Manila Bay and a luxury property near Makati’s best shopping to a private island resort surrounded by coral reefs.

Filipino food is a grand stew of flavors and styles developed across the Southeast Asian country’s 7,000 islands. Flavors often lean toward sour in savory dishes (the country is a vinegar fan’s delight) and, on the dessert front, the sweet relief from the heat that halo halo and ice cream treats provide. But you’ll also see the influence of many other countries’ flavors in the mix, from Spanish cuisine to Chinese. The restaurant scene ranges from relaxed open air spots that focus on local food to high-end dining at resorts. If food is your top reason to travel, consider sticking around the capital for several days. Many restaurants in Manila are becoming household names around the world.

On this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, hotel expert Jennifer Flowers reveals the 31 hotels we should all be staying in this year.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, we meet the tour company that’s uniting travel and homelessness.

The undisputed grande dame of Filipino hospitality, the Manila Hotel has so many tales to tell that even Hemingway was impressed. “If the story’s any good,” he’s reported to have said, “it’s like Manila Hotel.” The Nobel laureate was but one in a series of visiting dignitaries, from military brass (General MacArthur took up residence in 1935 and left shortly before Japanese troops occupied the property in the ’40s) to Hollywood A-listers (including Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Sammy Davis, Jr.) to rock stars (when the Beatles notoriously snubbed Imelda Marcos by accident in 1966, they stayed here). The hotel has had plenty of cosmetic work done as well, including a dramatic renovation for the 2012 centennial festivities. So while you can still stay in, say, MacArthur’s quarters (known as the MacArthur Suite), the bathrooms now come with Bulgari toiletries and the bedrooms with HDTV. There was little the hotel could do to improve upon the already amazing bay views, as you’ll see from the suite’s dining room windows.

A city within a city, Makati is Manila’s poshest shopping, business, and nightlife district. At the Makati Shangri-La, guests have amazing access to—and respite from—all of the above, including the malls that have made the neighborhood a retail pilgrimage site. After settling in, walk over to Glorietta, where you’ll find everything from high-end beauty boutiques to a family-run pawn shop and multiple Starbucks for good measure. Some of Manila’s best restaurants are also located in Makati, but the Shangri-La’s own Shang Palace is so beautiful and beloved, you won’t want to miss the experience if you have even the slightest interest in Cantonese food. As for the aforementioned breathing space on the guest floors, it starts with the waterfall you’ll pass en route to your room and ends with the custom-appointed bed in your plush, spacious surroundings. Go for one of the Deluxe Suites and you’ll also enjoy panoramic views of the bustle you’ve just left behind.

One of Intramuros’s main tourist attractions, Fort Santiago and its beautifully landscaped grounds on the bank of the Pasig River make for a wonderful escape from the bustle of the big city. Originally built by the Spanish in 1590, the citadel today includes gardens, plazas, fountains and a lily pond. The Rizal Shrine museum features displays of memorabilia relating to national hero Dr. José Rizal, executed by the Spanish in 1896 for being one of the leaders of the Philippine Revolution. The fort includes a re-creation of his cell and the courtroom where his trial was held.

Intramuros plays an important part to our country’s history and it is one of the popular destinations for a visitor to our hometown. It is the oldest district and is called the Walled City. Historically, it is the seat of the Spanish government when they colonized the Philippines. You will still see the original wall structure and gates. If you wondered why our local language and other local dialects include words that sound like Spanish, you will understand it after getting a short overview of our history. Visit the Walled City, and find the popular old churches, Manila Cathedral and San Agustin. The other area in Intramuros to visit is Fort Santiago where you will find the old fort and Rizal Shrine, a small museum which features the life and works of Jose Rizal, our national hero. Along the way, you’ll find a lot more smaller attractions like museums, plazas, and old buildings. In fact, walking along the streets of Intramuros, you’ll feel like you are back in time, as you find yourself in the midst of old historical structures which are still in place.

Makati houses most of the big hotels like Makati Shangri-la, The Peninsula, Mandarin Hotel, New World Renaissance Hotel. It is the largest and most central business district where most major companies and banks are situated. It’s a relatively safe place to stay too, especially for visitors to the country. If you stay in the Makati hotels, you will also be quite near the big shopping malls, so it’s very easy access to restaurants, night life and of course, shopping. While Makati is a nice and comfortable area to stay in, your visit to Manila won’t be complete unless you go out and explore the other cities and municipalities which are quite near each other within the Metropolitan Manila. The city of Manila for example offers a lot of our historical attractions and museums. San Juan, you’ll find our famous bazaar shopping. Pasay, you’ll find the largest mall and a place along the bay to see the sunset. And Taguig, you’ll find a newly developed commercial area called The Fort for restaurants, nightlife, and shopping too. This used to be an old military base. Enjoy your stay :-)

Makati’s Salcedo Village is abuzz with the energy of Manila’s creative circle. The coffee at Commune, undoubtedly, fuels this buzz. The community-minded café is a hub of activity at all times: Mornings see neighbors schlepping in for their sleepy breakfast fix, lunch hour is packed with multi-taskers having a meeting while tucking into the local Filipino menu. By mid-afternoon, the space fills with freelancers typing away, rewarding themselves with custom cupcakes while in the background, fashionistas pose for selfies with Commune’s popular 3D latte art. The post-dinner crowd saunters in for a second caffeinated wind paired with warm, homemade apple pie and conversation. The vibe here is casual and friendly. But most importantly, the coffee is potent. Commune salutes its community by using locally sourced and roasted coffee beans. Meanwhile, their drinks are served up in beautifully handcrafted pottery mugs. (I wanted to smuggle one home. In every color!) When in Manila, get to know Salcedo Village, starting at Commune. Because when you’re here, though you may just be a visitor, you’ll feel right at home.

This is a must-see attraction for anyone in or near Manila. Take an early morning ferry ride (about an hour) and then, through the ferry company, join the tram tour of the island, which lasts much of the day, not returning to Manila until around 4:00 p.m. Corregidor served as the headquarters of the Allied Forces while the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and important battles were fought here and nearby during the latter part of WWII.A statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur stands on the spot where he famously uttered, “I shall return.” Highlights include the ruins of the American barracks, bunkers, gun batteries, and infrastructure, as well as the memorials to the war dead (Filipino, American, and Japanese), the Malinta Tunnel, the lighthouse, and the Japanese cemetery. The tram has large umbrellas to use in case of rain. You can stay there and also do some kayaking, ziplining, and other outdoor activities.

A cultural immersion at its finest is what you’ll find as you make your way from Manila south toward Batangas, Taal Volcano, or the outer islands. It’s amazing how you’ll stumble upon view like this one on the way. And don’t forget to stop for mangoes on the way.

One of the interesting shopping experiences that my friends and family from other countries would be at the Tiangge. Tiangge means bazaar or market. Traditionally, tiangges would consist of temporary stalls selling all sort of goods, and sometimes even unique finds or surplus or overruns at really good prices. That is why even the locals love to go to the Tiangge every so often. One of the most popular tiangge’s in Manila is Greenhills Shopping Center where you can find a rather large all-year round tiangge with airconditioning :-) The tiangge is set up in the middle plaza as well as in the hallways leading to it. You can find all sorts of things like sports shoes, ladies bags, wallets, clothes, shirts, watches, hair accessories, native clothes like the local Barong tops, souvenirs, native home decors, wooden furnitures, local delicacies and snacks from the provinces, and of course, rows and rows of our famous pearls. Everyday, the tiangge is really crowded so it would be advisable to go in the morning when it opens, around 10 to 11am for most stalls. If you come in late November to December, you’ll also find a very large 3D moving holiday display in the main entrance. This is set up every year during the holiday season. The photo above that I captured during a visit to the tiangge, shows a funny label from a stall selling scarves, what it meant to say was “pashmina” :-)

Amanpulo occupies its own island in the Cyuo Archipelago, where members of the animal kingdom outnumber humans by some comical order of magnitude. Adding to the resort’s castaway cred is the private airstrip, where guests land after a quick flight from Manila. When not communing with the islet’s dozens of resident bird species or carefully avoiding nesting sea turtles, visitors can dive among the countless colorful denizens in the adjacent marine park, sail to neighboring islands, or hide out under the seashell-tiled ceilings at the spa (don’t miss the Hilot massage, which features warm banana leaves and cold-pressed coconut oil). Those interested in the local cuisine can even pick their own ingredients in the resort’s organic garden and have the chef whip up a feast. Don’t leave without at least one peek through the island’s refracting telescope, which makes the epic night sky look hallucinatory.

If you drive three hours outside of Manila, and take a boat from Batangas Bay, there are hundreds of islands to choose from. We chose an uninhabited, lush island of Sepoc Island. Four footpaths line and cut through the island. Bring your snorkel gear from Eagle Rock Resort and snorkel from each of the 3 beaches.