🇧🇪 Brussels vs 🇵🇭 Manila

Brussels sits in a broad valley carved by the Senne river, with the city climbing from the low-lying lower town (~15m elevation) to the upper town and surrounding plateaus (~100m). This topographic split creates distinct microclimates: the lower town is prone to fog, temperature inversions, and trapped humidity, while the higher southeastern districts enjoy better ventilation and slightly cooler summers. The city's extensive parks and forested edges — particularly the Sonian Forest to the southeast — provide significant cooling corridors, but the dense 19th-century urban core generates a pronounced heat island effect.

Tropical monsoon — hot and humid year-round, dramatic typhoon season

Manila is one of the world's most typhoon-prone cities, experiencing an average of 20 typhoons per year in the Philippines (8–9 making direct landfall). The dry season (November–April) is the safest and most comfortable window.