Location: Boracay, Western Visayas Region, The Philippines
Halo-halo is the everything-but-the-kitchen-sink of Filipino desserts and one of my favorite treats. The bottom layers are a mix of macapuno (slivers of coconut), langka (a sweet, soft, tangy yellow fruit), munggo (burgundy mung beans), mango chunks, kaong (sweet palm fruit), saba (plantain), nata de coco (coconut jellies), pinipig (crispy rice, like the stuff Rice Krispie treats are made of), and sago (jelly bubbles). This is topped by shaved ice, leche flan (a creamy dish similar to creme brulee) and lastly (the best part) a fat scoop of ube (purple yam) ice cream.
On my second day in Boracay, I treated myself to one of these colorful desserts and plopped down on the sand to watch one of the island's famous sunsets. It was pretty much perfect; the sky glowed a hundred shades of the rainbow, mirroring the bright flavors of my snack.