All around the world

Enchong Dee on Hyderabad, India

23, actor

MANILA, Philippines - Why I was there: Afro-Asian games swimming competition

What I saw: Breathtaking replica of Taj Mahal. A museum.

Best meal I had: Fish curry with roti.

Best place I saw: The public market.

Most beautiful thing I saw: Their infrastructure – detailed and precise from roof to their floorings.

Budget find: A (customizable) 10-year calendar with a picture of my teammates and me on it. It ends this year, unfortunately.

You can’t come here and not see… Ramoji film city.

Tourist trap to avoid: Public toilet.

Myrtle Sarrosa on Legoland, Malaysia

18, singer, actress, PBB Teen Edition Big Winner

What I saw: Amusement rides made out of Lego, movies starring Lego people, art made out of Lego.

Best meal I had: The Malaysian Pitaya Fruit or the Dragon Fruit. The best place to eat there is Market Restaurant inside Lego Land. The entire restaurant is also made of Lego.

Local’s tip: Always be ready for anything. You can never predict the weather.  Bring an umbrella, sunblock and water.

You can’t come here and not see... Lego City.

Nikki Gil on Prague, Czech Republic

25, singer, actress

What I expected: Old architecture, cobblestone streets and laid-back locals.

Best meal I had: “Bohemian Grub.” It had roast duck in rich gravy, sauerkraut, and bread dumplings served with a bit of cranberry sauce. Oh and hot red wine.

Local’s tip: You can purchase tram tickets via text message. How cool is that?!

You can’t come here and not see… the Prague Astronomical Clock

Tourist trap to avoid: We found a flyer in our hotel to a certain “Medieval Torture Instruments” Museum. That turned out to be a waste of time.

Victor Basa on Paris, France

27, actor, blogger

Why I went there: Must one need a reason to go to France, particularly Paris?

What I expected: I was expecting well-dressed people who didn’t seem to care about what they were wearing, beautiful balconies, and Louis XIII’s style mixed in with neo-classical chairs, interiors and exteriors.

What I saw: All that I’ve mentioned above and more. Jardin des Tuileries is a beautiful park fronting our hotel Palaces with impressive gardens. And though clichéd, the Eiffel Tower is still so romantic and quintessentially Paris (after seeing it during the day while picnicking in front of the École Militaire, drop by at night to see the hourly light show which makes the whole structure twinkle a la FTV).

Budget find: Get freshly baked bread in the morning. Make sure you see the Artisan Boulanger sign, which means the bread and the dough is made on site. 

Tourist trap to avoid: Gypsies and aggressive beggars in Paris.

Kate Torralba on Bangkok, Thailand

hobbit age, musician, designer

Why I went there: Sourcing trip and someone’s birthday party. 

Best meal I had: Local fare at Soul Food Mahanakorn. Pretty much everything on the menu is good! Be prepared to wait though. And book in advance — they’re always booked to the brim! 

Best place I saw: It’s a toss-up — my friend’s amazing birthday party at the penthouse of gorgeous Hotel Muse, and then this dive bar called Wong’s. When every club in the city has closed for the day, smelly, cramped Wong’s will still be open, and happening. I got to sing along to some vintage Elton John and Carpenters videos with the too-cool-and-old-skool owner Sam. The most fun to be had in BKK!

Most beautiful thing I saw: The view of the Wat Arun Temple and the Chao Praya River while dining at the Deck of the Arun Residence

Budget find: More like budget finds in Hipsterville — Talad Rot Fai, the weekend vintage market, is a bargain trove!

Local’s tip: The cheaper, faster, and yes, more dangerous way to traverse the city is via motorbike taxi. It was quite a trip seeing the city from such a different point of view! Be careful though — you could get heavily fined for not wearing a helmet!

Patricia Prieto on Santorini, Greece

22, blogger and stylist

Why I went there: My family and I went on a two-week Mediterranean cruise one summer and Santorini was one of the many stops along the way.

Best place I saw: I think it was because I remembered the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants when I visited Santorini so made sure to try and see the spots where they filmed the movie. We drove to the Oia where the Ammoudi Harbor is, so that was a very memorable spot for me.

Budget find: I bought a bunch of Mati pendants and a vintage silk scarf for a couple of Euros at this quaint little boutique shop which I still use up to this day!

You can’t come here and not see… the sunset. You’ll wish it lasted forever.

Tourist trap to avoid: The shops and restaurants right by the cable car station. You can find similar items and restos at a much cheaper price if you walk a little bit more.

Vicky Herrera on Singapore, Singapore

25, host, model, writer (victoriaherrera.com)

Why I went there: To work in the Asian modeling and entertainment scene, to get out of my comfort zone, grow, and meet awesome people.

What I saw: Quaint cafes, beautiful building structures, and yes, clean roads.

Best meal I had: Here’s the three best meals based on a budget: 1) Budget: chicken rice at Maxwell Hawker Center; 2) Saving but can still spend a little: sandwiches at 40 Hands (coffee/cafe shop); and 3) Splurge: pizza at Mozza (a Mario Batali restaurant at Marina Bay Sands)

Most beautiful thing I saw: Marina Bay Sands at both sunrise and sunset. The light glow the sky against the futuristic facade is breathtaking.

J.P. del Mundo on New Jersey, U.S.A.

21, guitarist, Never the Strangers

Why I went there: I was born there but grew up in the Philippines. I go back there every year.

What I expected: Given the state’s notorious reputation (mostly among New Yorkers), I expected the place to be really crappy when I got older.

What I saw: Mostly just the suburban vibe.

Best meal I had: John’s Meat Market’s burgers are to die for. Surf City’s tacos are really good too!

Best place I saw: Atlantic City! It’s the Las Vegas of the East Coast.

Most beautiful thing I saw: The Boardwalk at Pleasant Place, NJ. Everything was so zen and at the same time, not.

You can’t come here and not see: Either Atlantic City, or Six Flags! I always go to Six Flags and enjoy the rides every time I go to NJ. Go to the Boardwalk, too.

Rosanna Aranaz on London, UK

25, blogger, stylist

Why I went there: Got my master’s degree at the University of the Arts London. 

What I expected: Everything that was quintessentially British, I guess—posh accents, afternoon tea, red buses, ascots, bowties, and the Queen.

What I saw: A vibrant city that embraces all cultures. It’s one city where I never felt like a tourist.

Best meal I had: I would love to talk about how much I adored Brit cuisine (and their quirky names!) but while I’ve had amazing Sunday roasts (roasted meat with Yorkshire pudding, gravy, potatoes, etc.), bacon buttys (bacon sandwiches) and the occasional bangers and mash (sausages and potatoes), I’d have to say that my best meals are always Asian. I could never go wrong with crispy pork belly from Four Seasons (even if they have the worst service ever) and a steaming bowl of Udon from Koya.  

Best place I saw: I’ll always have a soft spot for Notting Hill especially Portobello Market. 

Local’s tip: Most tourists often stick to the West for the more traditional sights. Head over to the East for great independent shops, cute cafes, cool markets, and a pretty interesting people. There’s a great street art tour that takes place on Sundays too! 

You can’t come here and not see: All Things Royal. Also take advantage of all the museums. They’re free. I especially love the V&A!

L.A. Ferrions on Reykjavik, Iceland

27, fashion associate, Mega

What I saw: Breathtaking terrain. It was a mix of snow, greens, rock formations and dirt in Technicolor.

Best meal I had: Our first meal was at the Thai Keflavik and they served fresh seafood that tasted amazing. Iceland is known for their seafood.

Best place I saw: I’m torn between two, really. First would have to be Jökulsárlón, which is the largest glacier lagoon in Iceland. And the other would be the frozen lava fields that looked almost like moon craters — fascinating but eerie.

Most beautiful thing I saw: The sky at dusk was literally a rainbow.

Local’s tip: Towns are far from each other so be sure to gas up before driving out.

You can’t come here and not see... The Blue Lagoon!                

Elaine Carag on Seoul, South Korea

25, managing editor, Chalk

Best meal I had: I will never forget the chicken kalbi (barbecue) I had for lunch on my very first day.

Most beautiful thing I saw: The thousands upon thousands of rusting—but still very cute—“Locks of Love” at the base of N Seoul Tower. A lot of young couples in Seoul go there to put a padlock on the fences then throw the key away as a symbol of being “locked in everlasting love.”

Budget find: A pair of kickass combat boots for about P1,500.

You can’t come here and not see... Apart from Nami Island, Gyeong Bok Palace and the Teddy Bear Museum if you want to learn more about South Korea’s heritage; Star Avenue if you want your K-Drama and K-Pop fix; and Myeong Dong if you want to shop for clothes.

Sam Wilson on Sydney, Australia

24, sponsorship manager for an events company

Why I went there: Came here six years ago to go to the University of Sydney. Been working here now for two years.

Best place I saw: We once canoed out at nighttime and sat on a rock in the middle of the Sydney Harbor. It was so calm and serene watching all the boats, houses and ferries in the middle of the night.

Most beautiful thing I saw: The University of Sydney is really breathtaking. The walk up to it is through a park and in the middle is a huge pond with swans and ducks. Then going up the stairs you slowly see a castle unfold with each step you take.

Budget find: Every three months or so, residents clean out their houses and place unwanted items out on the street for anyone else to take home with them, too. I’ve taken desks, closets, TVs, record players and even a queen-sized bed frame all in really good condition.

Local’s tip: Make friends with the local bartender and see the possibilities open up for you. Also, kebabs are the best midnight snack you can have. Keep a costume in your wardrobe, costume parties are a regular part of the weekend schedule.

Dan Matutina on Amsterdam, Netherlands

30, designer and illustrator

Why I went there: It was time for my long vacation. I traveled to different countries, met friends (both old and new) and had awesome conversations over coffee and beer.

Best place I saw: Museumplein. There are three museums in this square: The Van Gogh Museum, Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum. When I was there, the Van Gogh Museum was temporarily moved to the Hermitage because it was under construction.

Most beautiful thing I saw: The city itself. It was a joy to walk/bike along the canals, visit really good museums, eat and hang out at nice cafes, bars and restaurants.

Budget find: i-Amsterdam City Card.

Local’s tip: Amsterdam is best explored with a bicycle. I crashed a number of times (because their bikes only have footbrakes and no handbrakes), but it was worth it. If you’re looking for a good place to hang out and drink, you can ride your bike and go to Kriterion. They also have a cinematheque.

An and En Estrada on Dubrovnik (Split, Zadar, and Zagreb), Crotia

27, real estate directors, photographers

Why I went there: It’s becoming one of the most popular short-haul destinations of travel guides.

Best meal I had: This huge lobster from Dalmatia that we ate by the sea.


Best place I saw: The historical city of Split.


Most beautiful thing I saw: Plitvice Lakes National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site with 16 turquoise lakes all connected by waterfalls and cascades.


Budget find: Sailor hats and outfits in the flea market of Split.


Local’s tip: Take a ferry to the beautiful city of Montenegro. It’s just a few hours away!


You can’t come here and not see: The walls of Dubrovnik which is one of the filming locations of the TV series Game of Thrones.


Tourist trap to avoid: Stay away from Stradun, the main street of Dubrovnik. Do not buy souvenirs there.

Paolo Lorenzana on New York, U.S.A.

28, copywriter at Opening Ceremony and editorial intern at New York Magazine 

Why I went there: Grad school, Columbia Journalism.

What I expected: To make mistakes like Felicity did. 

What I saw: Real Girls and Graydon Carter in the flesh. 

Best meal I had: The tasting menu at Le Bernardin. Or maybe sinigang at my cousin Marnie’s. 

Most beautiful thing I saw: It’s a tie—lobster carpaccio at Le Bernardin, a sample sale at Patrik Ervell, and Washington Square Park on a sunlit snow day. 

Budget find: $4 cocktails at Verlaine in the Lower East Side. 

Local’s tip: Make a day of gallery-hopping in Chelsea, then grab a bite at the Chelsea Market. 

You can’t come here and not see: Momofuku for their pork buns. Duh.  

Tourist trap to avoid: Brooklyn. Ha!

Amado Forés on Tokyo, Japan

22, student


Why I went there: Christmas vacation to Tokyo with the family.


What I expected: A modern city with historical roots. 


What I saw: The most polite people I have ever encountered, passionate about their food, and what they wear.

Best meal I had: Les Créations de Narisawa, Ranked No. 1 best restaurant in Asia. Book in advance!


Best place I saw: Tsukiji Market. It’s a bit of a tourist trap but it’s worth going! Try waking up early and eat at one of the sushi shops with a line. The wait is worth it!


Most beautiful thing I saw: The Tokyo Tower, when illuminated at night, looks like an Asian Eiffel tower.

Budget find: The ramen street at the Tokyo Station! Eight famous ramen shops from all over Japan stationed at the Yaesu Underground Exit of Tokyo Station.

Local’s tip: Do not tip people there. They’d rather you didn’t. Don’t know where to eat? Find a restaurant with the longest line. It’s probably good.


L.A. Aguinaldo on Hong Kong, China

21, model

Why I went there: I did some freelance work. I love the weather and culture.

What I expected: Bustling city life.

What I saw: A mix of old and modern culture packed in one diverse, beautiful place.

Best meal I had: Crispy roast duck with wonton mien and Schweppes cream soda.

Best place I saw: The peak at Victoria Peak at night is just lovely.

Most beautiful thing I saw: Morning tai chi in local parks.

Budget find: The late ferry ride from Kowloon to Central. You’re not paying for the ride; you’re paying for the scenery.

Local’s tip: Try the street food. It won’t hurt.

You can’t come here and not see: Disneyland, duh!

Tourist trap to avoid: Mong Kok Market. Don’t be fooled. Think you’re getting a bargain with that LV wallet? Well you’re not. Go for retail instead!

Local’s tip: Taking the bus and MRT is safe and efficient. Download gothere.sg on your app or check out the website to map your routes in advance.