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Cebu Pacific Air's midnight flight kisses goodbye to Suvarnabhumi Airport's tarmac and we're on our way to the Philippines. Though this country of 90 million is just a short hop away, most Thais' knowledge of it is limited to the odd Filipino musician you come across playing in Bangkok's hotels. Then we meet them every two years in the SE Asian Games (nobody beats the Filipinos on a basketball court).

But the less we know about a place, the greater the discovery when we get there: as the plane lands at Cebe-Mactan International Airport, I'm anticipating a city full of surprises. The first one comes straight away: it's raining cats and dogs. Welcome to the Philippines, the nation with many islands - and even more rain.

Lined up between Luzon in the North and Mindanao in the South, Cebu is a narrow island stretching about 200 kilometres. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the country.

I'm only halfway through my day in town when I begin to realise that names like Gloria Arroyo - or even Imelda Marcos - are just a blip in history for most of Cebu's residents. For real legends you have to go back to the 16th century and the story of Ferdinand Magellan and "Lapu-Lapu".

When Magellan landed at Cebu, the Portuguese explorer had just become the first person to sail west from Europe to Asia. Not long after - on the morning of April 27, 1521, to be exact - Magellan and his Spanish expeditionary force invaded the nearby island of Mactan, where Lapu-Lapu was a Muslim chieftain.

Magellan was killed, though no one is certain how. Many locals point to arnis, the lethal Filipino martial art that Lapu-Lapu had supposedly mastered.

After admitting he prefers Thai boxing to arnis, my Filipino guide - John Mark, or "JM" for short - gives a more likely explanation.

"Magellan probably slipped on a mossy stone - there are lots around - and got hacked to death by Lapu-Lapu," says JM during our island-hopping boat trip in the area.

Had the explorer not met such an untimely end, he would have found that Cebu Island is an ideal base for exploring these seas, whose 167 neighbouring smaller islands include Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Nalusuan, Olango and the Camotes. Our boat has a full load of tourists, and once in a while the engines are cut, giving us the chance to feed the schools of fish below and even plunge into the water for a closer look.

"Where are you from?" a local guide asks over a barbecue lunch on Nalusuan Island.

"What do you think?" I prod, mischievously.

"Japanese?"

"Not even close. Try again."

"Korean?"

"You're kidding."

"Thailand!" he cries. "Amigo, my friend. Thais and Filipinos are the same. We're so good looking."

It turns out that Thai tourists in the Philippines are a rarity. With all that Cebu has to offer, it's difficult to see why.

Our next destination is just an hour north of Cebu by plane. Boracay Island is the country's most popular beach destination, the Koh Samui or Phuket of the Philippines.

Boracay was a secret well kept by hippies and backpackers through the 1970s, but it's become an international playground for sun worshippers and water-sport enthusiasts since then. Its famous White Beach is now lined with restaurants, bars, Internet cafes, dive shops and bakeries.

The real revelation though is Puka Beach, a quiet stretch of coconut tree-lined paradise discovered next morning on a sailboat trip to the northern tip of the island.

A local sailboat is definitely the place to be in Boracay; take a picnic lunch and a few cold beers and follow Ferdinand Magellan in exploring the coast.

"Three thousand pesos [Bt2,200] a day is all it costs," a Filipino guide tells me.

Maybe next time, when I have more than four days.

Lazing on White Beach I swig my San Miguel, savouring a last taste of the Philippines. The horizon ripens to the colour of mango flesh, teenagers drag their surfboards seawards in search of another break and beach-volleyballers give a yelp and crash in the sand. Atmospheric yet lively, this has to be my best sunset for years.

      way to go

Budget airline Cebu Pacific Air (www.CebuPacificAir) operates between Bangkok and Cebu. A one-way ticket can be as little as Bt2,500 - the earlier you book, the lower the price. The airline also flies daily between Cebu and Boracay.

In Cebu for only a day, we chose the Waterfront Airport Hotel & Casino for its proximity to the airport. The room was just fine, though the smell of new carpet was a little overpowering. If you're staying longer, try Maribago Bluewater Resort (www.Bluewater.com.ph) for its charming tropical design. Or there's the luxury Shangri-La Mactan Island Resort & Spa, and friendly Cebu Hilton Resort & Spa.

In Boracay, we laid our heads at the Boracay Tropics (www.BoracayTropics.com) - a nice resort just a short walk from White Beach. There's a strip of resorts along White Beach where room rates start at 3,000 Philippines pesos (Bt2,300) per night.

See many more Cebu and Boracay photos, visit www.nationmultimedia.com