Over the years, and after many visits to Boracay’s white-sand shores, I’ve stayed in a variety of accommodations: from beachfront luxury to modest guesthouses hidden into inner alleys. But of all these stays, one property has become my island constant: Azalea Hotels & Residences. On my most recent trip, I checked in here for the third time, making it the hotel I’ve returned to more than any other on the island.

 In this town in Quezon Province, residents transform their homes into dazzling tributes to faith, harvest, and heritage.

Growing up, the word bayanihan reminded me of a painting of neighbors carrying a wooden house on their shoulders. It was a scene representative of a time when homes were built light enough to carry and communities close enough to do so together. But beyond the literal meaning of bayanihan, the term has since signified something greater, a collective effort, of people coming together to help one another in times of need.

Tagay sa Tagumpay

For many Filipino travelers and weekend warriors, the usual stops in Quezon province tend to circle around the well-worn routes of Lucena, Tayabas, Lucban, and Gumaca, places already familiar to motorists en route to Batangas or Bicol.

Top view of Balagbag Falls in Real, Quezon

They say the third time’s the charm. But in Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines, each of my three visits has carried its own distinct magic. My first trip, over a decade ago, involved pedaling halfway across Batan Island on a rented bicycle. It happened to coincide with a town fiesta, and my friends and I were warmly welcomed into local homes, where we feasted on traditional Ivatan dishes and experienced generous hospitality.

Postcard-images at every turn of the head