If you want a quick and very cheap escape (for only Php 9,000), Taiwan is the best place to be. It is a place to feed your stomach with great food, to feel serenity in your soul and to fill your mind with rich culture and learning. Taiwan might not be on top of your list to visit. Neither I too when I was still starting my backpacking hobby. I just love the laid-back feeling on a bustling metropolis.