Ireland’s most intrepid traveller, Hector Ó hEochagáin, is embarking on another epic trip on TG4
Hector Ó hEochagáin is no stranger to adventure and for his latest series, 'Hector Ó na Philippines go dtí na Solomons', he's taking Southeast Asia by storm.
The adventurer, banter-er and mischief maker in chief's new adventures will see him travelling deep into Southeast Asia, passing through the Philippines into Malaysia and Singapore, across the Indonesian Islands of Java and Bali, all before crossing into the Pacific islands of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
Here's what you can expect in the first three episodes.
Hector's first stop is the vibrant capital of the Philippines, Manila, where he dives headfirst into the rich Filipino culture, from cruising the streets in his very own jeepney to witnessing grand weddings of over 100 people.
While there, he spends time with the pushcart educators on the city's street and decides to create a balikbayan box to send back to a Filippino lady in Sallynoggin, before entering the thrilling world of Filipino boxing with "The King’s Warrior" Charly Suarez and bringing us deep into the multi-million dollar world of cockfighting.
In the second instalment, Hector lands among the skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, or as the locals call it "KL", in Malaysia.
While there, he meets up with the most famous graffiti artist in the country, Fritilldea, and links in with the female chairperson of the local football club Ombak FC, which is nestled beneath the city's tallest skyscrapers.
He’ll also be out in the paddy fields chatting about rice, meeting some songbirds, going deep into a remote rural jungle village, and meeting the locals before embarking on a boat journey on the Malacca Strait and meeting up with a family who survived the tragic tsunami on St. Stephen’s Day 26th December 2004.
The following week, Hector finds himself in the city-state of Singapore where he delves into the struggles of migrant workers and discovers the staggering financial cost of buying real estate in Singapore.
While there, he learns how the Singaporeans prepare for the next life, visits the only heavy metal store in the city, and witnesses the growth of the next table tennis superstars that will one day represent their country. And finally, before he jets out, Hector doesn’t miss the opportunity to try the only food stall in the world awarded a prestigious Michelin Star.