When you successfully mix history, culture, and food-tripping, that’s another level of wanderlust high. Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, is the ideal place to take your wanderings into another height of discovery, learning, and fun.

As the southernmost province in the Philippines, Tawi-Tawi boasts a wealth of destinations still firmly considered to belong along the off-the-beaten path. Home to deep biological diversity and a colorful culture that has flourished and been preserved for hundreds of years, visitors to this province are guaranteed a memorable experience. Previously overlooked and unreasonably associated with security concerns, Tawi-Tawi is quickly becoming a favorite option for travelers in search of a place teeming with cultural wonders and unforgettable sights. To the lucky and adventurous traveler willing to explore Tawi-Tawi, here are just some of the many places worth visiting.

Whenever I think of Siargao Island, I imagine myself waiting for a decent swell to roll in. When it finally does, I follow through by paddling my way to meet the forming waves head-on—the first step in a notoriously difficult process culminating in trying to stand up on my surfboard right before crashing hard and being swallowed by the white water. It is a failure of catastrophic embarrassment, ending with my head emerging from the ocean almost short of breath and struggling to swim back to safety.

Arms outstretched, channeling Edmond Dantès staring at freedom following his escape from his dungeon, I regaled at the sight of the Pacific Ocean—while listening to its crashing waves mimicking a melodic environmental symphony. In this southernmost tip of Aurora Province, I stood awestruck on a rocky precipice fronting a stunning landscape of rolling terrain fringed with cliff-side hills. I wanted to scream, but instead, I reckoned the hissing winds sounded far better in lieu of a sudden yell of exuberance.

Malolos Heritage Town in Bulacan is one of the most historically significant destinations in the Philippines. Home to Barasoain Church, the Kamestisuhan District, the Malolos Cathedral and dozens of ancestral houses, the city served as the capital of the First Philippine Republic and remains one of the country's finest heritage destinations. Growing up in a time when a ten-peso bill was enough to buy me a bowl of arroz caldo and a bottle of soda, I always found myself being reminded of the historic significance of Malolos’s Barasoain Church, whose image was printed on one side of the currency. Coined from the term baras ng suwail, meaning “dungeon of the defiant,” the walls and four corners of this church were once the rendezvous point of anti-colonial Ilustrados.

Conversely, as history is told in a myriad of ways, it is also forgotten in innumerable ways. Eventually, the story of Malolos took a backseat among other places of historic importance across the country.

Chasing waves and nature tripping in Siargao feeds one’s adventurous soul. Undertaking it can be wearing and will leave you famished, craving a satisfying grub. A great thing about this island, though, is that one will never run out of gastronomic spaces to have a feast, re-energize, and enjoy a good chill-out time with friends at the same time. With a thriving culinary sphere that mirrors the growth of the local arts scene, Siargao is fast becoming known as a premier foodie destination to go along with its reputation as a surfer’s paradise.

A line from a Moby song, “As I wake its kaleidoscopic mind,” hummed inside my head as we entered arguably the most unique fine dining restaurant in the Dashu District of Kaohsiung. Porcelain-filled ceilings, chandeliers, tables, walls, bowls, cups, and statues adorn the interiors. Doubling as a museum displaying porcelain figurines priced from ten thousand NT to as high as four million five hundred thousand NT, 1300 Only Porcelain also lavishes guests with mouth-watering fusion cuisines.

The coming of summer spells dipping into cool waters, trying outdoor activities under the scorching heat of the sun, and spending quality time with the people who matter most. This is most likely what Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park had in mind when it decided to boost and update its plethora of offerings for the benefit of its clientele—the Filipino family (and their pets, too!).

At Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park, nothing beats the memories created and the bonds made stronger by families enjoying its fun-filled activities and resort amenities.