Bustling Manila is the second largest city in Southeast Asia, with its towering skyscrapers and remarkable joie de vivre. Yet amid the big-city turmoil are oases of calm: lush tropical parks, magnificent cathedrals, dramatic Spanish forts. Choose from the cultural riches of the Metropolitan Museum and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Intramuros, Manila's famous walled city, was founded by the Spanish in the 16th century. A "must see" is the Malacanang Palace with its opulent displays of Ferdinand and Imelda's decadent indulgences.
Across the Formosa Strait from mainland China is the bustling port of Keelung, on the island of Taiwan. Just 20 miles inland is Taipei, the national capital, one of the most prosperous cities in Asia. Marvel at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, the Grand Hotel, and the National Palace Museum, with its art treasures from Beijing''s Forbidden City.