history

Fort San Antonio Abad: The Hidden Spanish Fort of Manila

Posted on April 20, 2023

Fort Santiago, the Spanish-era fortress of Intramuros, is one of the top destinations in the city of Manila. No tour of the Philippine capital is complete without exploring this famous landmark and heritage site. But did you know that Fort Santiago isn’t the only colonial-period fortress in the city? Another one stands in the district of Malate, outside the walls of Intramuros, albeit hidden away within the central bank complex. Fort San Antonio Abad, also known as Fort Malate orRead More→

DIY Walking Tour – Davao City

Posted on June 14, 2014

Location: Poblacion, Davao City Starting Point: Museo Dabawenyo End Point: Magsaysay Park  Distance: 4 km Duration: 7 hours Emerging from a small riverside trading settlement of Bagobo tribes in southeastern Mindanao, the area we now call Davao City was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1844 in opposition to the Sultan of Maguindanao, followed by the official colonization of the region in 1848. In the early 20th century, Japanese settlers thrived in the city working in abaca plantations so muchRead More→

Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala: Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Napier Museum & Padmanabhapuram Palace

Posted on April 1, 2014

Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), Kerala is the world’s richest temple! The Kerala Blog Express by Kerala Tourism kickstarted the two-week bloggers’ tour across “God’s Own Country” in the state capital of Thiruvananthapuram (pronounced tiru-ananta-puram) – still also known by its colonial name of Trivandrum. Besides its golden beaches, historical landmarks are the main draw of Trivandrum.Our tour of the city began at the principal place of worship where the city takes its name, Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. Thiruvananthapuram meansRead More→

Perak, Malaysia: The Royal Town of Kuala Kangsar [SP]

Posted on December 5, 2013

Baitul Anor – one of the royal mansions near Ubudiah Mosque in Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia While the city of Ipoh boasts of British colonial architecture and Chinese shophouses, the former capital of Kuala Kangsar, located 30 km north of Ipoh, impresses visitors with the Malay-Islamic architecture of its royal residences, mansions and mosques. Since the 18th century, this riverside town has been the official seat of the Sultanate of Perak. With its peaceful lanes and gardens, Kuala Kangsar makesRead More→

Perak, Malaysia: Kellie’s Castle & Tanjung Tualang Tin Dredge [SP]

Posted on November 28, 2013

Built in 1915, Kellie’s Castle is an unfinished mansion in Perak, Malaysia believed to be haunted The state of Perak, few hours north of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, is best known for its historic landmarks and tin mining heritage set amidst dramatic limestone hills. One such example is Kellie’s Castle (sometimes also called Kellie’s Folly), located near Batu Gajah and about 20 minutes’ drive from the city of Ipoh. The unfinished, ruined Moorish Revival-style mansion, was built by a ScottishRead More→

Quezon, Palawan: Ramble Across Philippine Prehistory at Tabon Caves Complex

Posted on August 27, 2013

More than 200 caves are honeycombed within the limestone karts of Lipuun Point, Quezon, Palawan It’s always awe-inspiring to see your history books come to life! After spotting the rare Philippine cockatoos of Rasa Island in Narra, I arrived in Quezon to explore at the Tabon Caves Complex.  Over 200 caves are honeycombed into Lipuun Point, a towering limestone promontory in southern Palawan. Upon reaching the western face of the promontory, one is great by towering limestone cliffs draped in greeneryRead More→