Unlike a lot of Asian cooking, Filipino cuisine is distinguished by its moderate use of spices. American, Chinese, Japanese, Malay and Spanish influences have all left their mark in a subtle blending of cultures and flavours. All the regional dishes are available in Manila’s excellent restaurants, which, like the restaurants of all the main towns, offer a varied cuisine. For the less adventurous, there are also European-style restaurants and American fast food. Restaurants are generally informal, with table service. Rice is a staple of Filipino cuisine. Fruit is plentiful with mangoes, papayas, bananas, chicos, lanzones, guavas and rambutans. Philippine preserves like atsara (a chutney-like vegetable preserve) and numerous native desserts such as Pili nut brittle bangus (a crunchy sweet made with the luscious pili nuts found only in the Bicol region) can be purchased in local markets.

Things to know: Waiter service is common in bars and there are no strict regulations regarding the sale of alcohol.

National specialities:
• Lechon (roasted whole pig) is prepared for fiestas and family celebrations.
• Kare-kare (an oxtail stew in peanut sauce served with bagoong (fermented shrimp paste).
• Sinigang (meat or fish in a pleasantly sour broth).
• Adobo (braised pork and chicken in a tangy soy sauce with vinegar and garlic).
• Seafoods such as bangus (the bony but prized milkfish), crabs, lobsters, prawns, oysters, tuna, freshwater fish and the sweet maliputo, found in deep-water lakes. It is freshly harvested and often simply grilled, boiled, fried or steamed and served with kalamansi (the local lemon), bagoong (a fish paste) or vinegar with labuyo (the fiery native pepper).

National drinks:
• Locally brewed beer, such as San Miguel.
• Philippine rum.

Tipping: Usually 10% of the bill, unless service charge is included.

The choice of entertainment in Manila displays the Filipino's affinity for music. Top hotels offer everything from high-tech discos to lavish cultural songs and dances, as well as superb pop singers and performers, trios, show bands and classical string ensembles. On most evenings there are cultural performances by local artists or foreign groups at the many other venues for the performing arts. Free concerts are offered by several parks every week, and occasionally by banks and other corporations. The Philippines also have some unusual musical groups like the Pangkat Kawayan bamboo orchestra, which uses bamboo musical instruments, and the Rondalla group, which uses tiny guitars like the ukelele. Casinos are located in Cebu, Davao, Ilocos Norte, Iloilo, Manila, Pampanga and Zamboanga.

The Philippines is a haven for shoppers. Countless bargain opportunities for the handicrafts of the different regions are found in the numerous shopping complexes, which range from sleek air-conditioned department stores and malls to open-air bazaars. Duty Free Philippines near NAIA is the largest in the country. The chain stores offer everything from the famous barong tagalog (hand-embroidered dress shirts for men in delicate jusi material) to Tiffany lamps made with capiz shells.

For local colour, there is nothing like the flea markets where visitors can buy all kinds of cloth weaves, brassware from the south, woodcarvings and other local crafts and souvenirs, like the painted papier-maché horses of Laguna. Some particularly good buys are south-sea pearls, the silver jewellery from Baguio, coral trinket boxes, coral and pearl accessories, rattan furniture, baskets in different designs, woven grass mats (banig), antique wooden figurines of saints, clothes, garments embroidered with the traditional callado technique, Filipino dresses for women (usually made from banana and pineapple fibres), cigars, terracotta, porcelain and abaca placemats. Handicraft stores are found everywhere in the country, especially in cities. Large department stores sell both local and foreign manufactured goods.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 1000-2000, but these can vary. Most department stores and supermarkets are open Sunday and there are some 24-hour convenience stores.