Not long ago, I visited a local hilot, or medicine man, in Bantayan, Philippines. It all started when a wrong turn on a bike quickly became a leaping, flying dash into a rice paddy. What I had expected to be ‘just’ a tourist trip then offered a few valuable life lessons. There is a moral to this story about the painfully swollen ankle I got: I crashed in a place where doctors and hospitals are rare, and instead found luck and kindness.

The jeepney – pictured here in its natural habitat, the streets of Manila – has come a long way from its roots as a surplus World War 2 Willy’s G.I. Jeep, to the choice mode of transport for the proletariat masses. Depending on length, these vehicles can load as many as 30 lucky passengers.

If you too are still a little peeved by the summer washout and aren’t yet ready to batten down the hatches in preparation for another gruelling winter, fear not! There are still plenty of places to replenish that flagging vitamin D. And better yet, you won’t have to break the bank or fight tooth and nail for your patch of sand. Bliss! Here we check out which whl.travel (www.whl.travel) destinations have the best beach-break ability to blow away those autumn cobwebs.

This photograph was taken during the rainy season along the Nabaoy River, just a stone’s throw by boat from Boracay island in the Philippines. The flower, brought to life along with others of virtually every colour by the seasonal deluges, belongs to the terrestrial family of orchids, one of the many pretty flora planted along the banks of the Nabaoy.

It was only a matter of time before the National Capital Region joined the whl.travel ranks. Unfortunately, while Manila acts as a hub for most international carriers flying to the Philippines and is the leading gateway to the thousands of other islands in the archipelago, most visitors make the mistake of overlooking the city as a rewarding destination in its own right.

On the Philippine island of Boracay – famous as one of the word’s most popular beach destinations – nestled in the hills of the village of Bantud is a surprise. In keeping with its exceptional setting, it’s called Boracay Hills and for anyone who treasures top-quality tropical hospitality, it’s a small (10-room) boutique hotel not to be ignored.