From stunning beaches and paddy fields to rip-roaring good times, it’s all on offer here. Manila is not the most picturesque of cities (Japanese occupation during WWII left the capital in ruins and today it is a hotchpotch of jaded, modern architecture), but it has a distinctly vibrant feel and some of the best nightlife in South-East Asia. But don’t waste too much time in the city when there are thousands of the world’s most picturesque islands still to be explored.