Making weekends count
đ Happy Christmas everyone! đ  I hope you are having a fun-filled day with your families, friends & loved ones. â¤ď¸Â I would like to give a special shout out to those away and working on Christmas Day. đ I hope you still have a good day at work or wherever you may be. God bless! đ
Hey you, I hope you’re having a great day so far. It’s been a while since I talked about my recent trips; I think the last post was about my Siquijor weekend in July. Fret not, I am here again to talk about my recent trips to the wonderful country of Indonesia. I went on a week-long trip to Bali last August & just a few weeks ago, I went on a 5-day trip to Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara Province. I will talk about these trips in 3 posts; these posts will be under a series called The Wonderful Indonesia Series.
This year, I went to Bali, Indonesia for my annual birthday trip!
For the past years, I’ve always celebrated my birthdays in different places, far from the busy metro life. The trips don’t have to fall on my birthday but at least it has to be within the month of August. So far, I’ve celebrated my birthday in Boracay, El Nido (twice) & Krabi, Thailand & recently in Bali, Indonesia. đŽđŠ
I’ve been to Bali in 2015 with N9 (my college blockmates) but the island is so big we only went to the usual touristy places. We didn’t have enough time to explore Ubud (only the Ubud Monkey Forest & our villa); primarily the reason I decided to go back. Ubud is Bali’s center of traditional arts & culture. Located in the mountains, this town features the iconic rice paddies, beautiful traditional shrines & temples & untouched rain forests.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces – one of the places I missed last time I was in Bali
I spent the 1st 3 days going around Ubud area. My colleague, Mary Ann, was also Bali when I arrived. We decided to explore Ubud together for a day before we headed to our respective hotels. I will tell you more about what I did & where I went below.
My plan was to take a 10-day trip from 19 August to 28 August, putting the 2 long weekends in one trip. The ticket prices were super expensive on these dates; thus I had to push it back to 17 August to 23 August (7 days). The ticket I got arrives in Bali but leaves for Manila from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Cebu Pacific Air ticket cost me âą4,065.23. Still affordable, right?
My ticket from Manila to Bali & Kuala Lumpur to Manila
Cebu Pacific Air doesn’t offer Bali to Manila flights during Wednesdays so I had to drop by Kuala Lumpur on my way back home. Normally, I would go with Air Asia or Malaysia Airlines but their flight schedules don’t coincide with my KUL-MNL flight. I decided to try Malindo Air, a Malaysia-based boutique airline which is part of the Lion Air Group. I got my one way ticket for 799,999 IDR which was around âą3,200++. I still got a good deal with Malindo considering it included 30 kg baggage allowance, in flight entertainment & lunch. The check-in process wasn’t that organized (they only had 2 counters for 150++ passengers) but the flight itself was OK. I was so happy we arrived in Kuala Lumpur on time.
Malindo Air flight details from Bali to Kuala Lumpur
I mentioned in my earlier Bali blog that the island does not have an organized public transportation system. It doesn’t have a subway / train system. It’s public buses run only a few times a day. The only convenient way to go around the island is via organized tours, private cars & motorcycles.
Private car hires booked with Klook
On our 1st day, my friends & I decided to rent a car from Klook for âą1,675. This 10-hour car rental included petrol, driver & parking fees. This car took us from Kuta to Ubud & around Ubud that day. On the 3rd day, I also got another car from Klook but this time for only âą1,463 (cheaper because of discounts & vouchers). I used this car to fetch me in Ubud, bring me to different temples & shrines then to Mount Kintamani & back to my hostel in Kuta.
Met up with Mary Ann & Lyza who were also in Bali
It’s been a while since I stayed in a private room during trips. I was on my birthday trip & I thought I deserved a treat; I got myself a private room in Ubud for 2 nights. I booked my stay in The Jero Ubud through Booking.com.
My double bed in The Jeru Ubud
The accommodation is along one of the busy streets in Ubud – Jalan Hanoman. I got the 2 nights for 522,500 IDR; that’s 261,250 IDR per night. The rate includes a double room with a spacious bed, private toilet & own balcony. It also includes breakfast & free Wi-Fi access. Service was top-notch; they may not have a tour desk but they helped me with all the information I need. The staff were super nice as well; they never fail to greet me every time I pass by the reception.
Location was perfect; the surroundings were quiet considering the accommodation is in a very busy street. It is near to almost everything in Ubud Centre. The monkey forest, Ubud temple & market were a few meters walk from The Jero Ubud. There is also a nearby supermarket in case you need some goods / personal stuff.
Beautiful external designs of the rooms in The Jero Ubud
The buildings showcase intricate Balinese architectural designs & the area is surrounded by landscaped grounds. I didn’t stay in a 5-star accommodation but the service & hospitality I got was for a 5-star one. The amount I paid for my 2-night stay was super worth it. I will definitely stay here again when I decide to go back to Ubud.
Ubud is a small town in the heart of Bali. It’s not as big as Denpasar or as developed as Kuta / Seminyak, this town has some unique places to visit & experiences to offer. Let me tell you where I went & what I did in my 3 day stay in Ubud.
Bali Swing
Bali Swing is a small place off Ubud where you get into a swing (of choice) & have an amazing view of the forest, rice fields & mountains in front of you. There is an entrance fee of $2 which includes unlimited drinks (water & soda) & traditional snack (Balinese cake). If you want to try the swing, you need to pay another $20. The facility has 5 swings of different heights. I did not try the swing because I thought it was expensive; I just watched my friends try it. They say the experience was superb! Make sure to go here in the morning; it tends to get crowded in the afternoon. The queue to try the swing could take longer than expected.
Lunch at Bebek Bengil Crispy Duck Restaurant
We ordered the famous crispy duck, some vegetables & rolls
We had lunch at the famous Bebek Bengil Restaurant in Ubud. This place is famous for its dirty duck dish. The food is a little expensive for those travelling on budget but I believe it was worth the try. The crispy duck (& the other dishes we ordered) were really good. Food servings were bigger than we expected. The restaurant has a very relaxing ambiance – with gardens, ponds & rice fields within the place.
Rice plantation at rear of the restaurant
Tegenungan Waterfall
Located 30 minutes from Ubud centre, the Tegenungan Waterfall is a hidden village gem in Tegenungan Kemenuh town in Gianyiar. The first thing you need to do upon arriving is to pay 10,000 IDR entrance fee per person. Then you take a few steps down to a natural stream where you can have a dip (the water is so clear but very cold). You can go down further to see the waterfall.
The water current is strong; people were not advised to go near the waterfall. Many people visit this waterfall so you need to plan the time you’ll go. There was a rainbow in the waterfall during our visit. Cool stuff.
Tegallalang Rice Terraces
There are 2 famous rice terraces off Ubud – Tegallalang Rice Terraces & Jatiluwih Rice Terraces. I wanted to visit both terraces but the latter is about 1.5-2 hours from Ubud (really far!!). I decided to just visit the accessible one. The Tegallalang Rice Terraces offers a panoramic view of the famous rice paddies. Visitors are also allowed to go down, walk around & take pictures of the rice paddies. Entrance to the rice terraces is free.
Paon Bali Cooking Class (includes Ubud Market Tour)
I didn’t have anything planned for my 2nd day in Ubud so I checked TripAdvisor for recommendations. Puspa’s Paon Bali Cooking Class is the number 1 to-do in Ubud. Without hesitations, I booked the morning cooking class including a market tour. The whole cooking class, including pick-up & drop off in the hotel, costs 350,000 IDR. I know it’s a bit expensive but the experience was amazing.
Ubud Market tour
Puspa, the owner of Paon Bali, telling us how they started the cooking class
It all started with the Ubud Market tour. They showed us the ingredients that will be used later in the class. We then took a 30-minute ride to the rice paddies then to Paon Bali’s facility. We were about 20+ in the class. They taught us to cook 6 traditional dishes & 1 dessert. Everyone had the chance to cook portions of each dish. All small portions were then mixed up to make one big dish.Â
Some of the dishes we prepared – tempeh, mixed vegetables & gado-gado
Such a good lunch! Everything was made from scratch.
They organized everything for us. We cooked a lot of food (we even had leftovers). All the dishes were so good. The experience was authentic. Shout out to Puspa for this wonderful experience. I definitely recommend taking this cooking class when in Ubud – you’ll surely have a great time.
Walk Around Ubud Town
One of the many nice Balinese designs you’ll see when you walk around the town
After eating a lot in the cooking class, I decided to go for a walk around the Ubud town. Aside from seeing shops, restaurants & tour agencies, you will see different private temples all over the town. I think almost each house has its own temple. You will meet random locals & visitors along the way. I had a nice walk around the town.
Pura Gunung Kawi
Rock cut shrines surrounding the temple
I decided to go up northeast to Kintamani area on my last day in Ubud. Our first stop was Pura Gunung Kawi. It is an ancient temple located along the Pakerisan River in the town of Tampaksiring. The unique feature of this temple is the 10-rock cut shrines carved in the cliffs. There are also rice paddies at the eastern part of the temeple complex, just before the big shrines.
Pura Tirta Empul
People taking a bath in the natural spring
Natural spring from the mountain
Pura Tirta Empul is a temple complex & holy mountain spring also located along the Pakerisan River. This temple is famous for the purification baths, pools & fish ponds. The water from the mountains flow through this temple then down to Pura Gunun Kawi.
Segara Windhu Coffee Plantation
Free coffee & tea!!
A big portion of Mount Kintamani is used for coffee production. This is why one will see a number of coffee plantations along the main road. I decided to stop by Segara Windhu Coffee Plantation. Upon entering the place, a staff welcomed me & explained the coffee production process in Mount Kintamani. She also showed me different flavors of coffee & tea plus the famous civet coffee. I tried the coffee & tea flavors they produce (for free). After finishing up the free taste, visitors can drop by the shop if they want to buy some homegrown products. Note that these products are expensive.
View from the coffee plantation’s tasting area
Lunch in Mount Kintamani
View of Mount Batur from Mount Kintamani
I didn’t have the time to take the Mount Batur sunrise trek so I told my driver I’d like to see the volcano even from afar. He brought me to a local buffet restaurant overlooking Mount Batur. The buffet lunch cost 110,0000 IDR per person. I was there right before Mount Batur was covered with clouds. The perfect time to visit the area is before lunch up to around 1:00 pm.
Indonesian lunch buffet while watching Mount Batur being covered with clouds
After having lunch in Mount Kintamani, I decided to go to my hostel in Kuta. The long drive took us about 2 hours (including traffic). I stayed in Lokal Bali Hostel, a relatively newly opened hostel near the Ngurah Rai International Airport. I stayed in this hostel because of its outstanding reviews. I also needed a place to stay before I head to Nusa Penida the following day.
The best hostel in Bali. Hands down!
I paid 158,760 IDR for a night’s stay (I know it’s a little expensive) in a 6-bed dormitory room. The rate includes free Wi-Fi access, access to the hostel’s swimming pool, toiletries & a bottle of water. The hostel staff were super nice & helpful. It felt like home when I was there. The hostel owners also hosted a free taco dinner & a bottle of tequila during my stay. I met some amazing people from all over the world & spent some good times with them up until midnight. The following morning, I left the hostel for my next destination, Nusa Penida.
A hostel with a pool? Yes!
Watch out for the next post about my 48-hour stay in the beautiful island of Nusa Penida!
More of Tegallalang Rice Terraces
Have you been to Ubud in Bali? How was your experience? What was your favorite spot or experience? Feel free to share your thoughts & experiences to me & to all the readers by posting a comment below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.
Thank you for reading & see you in Nusa Penida!
South Korea đ°đˇ is one of the best countries to experience autumn here in Asia. From crimson leaves falling from park trees to yellow leaves found in ordinary streets, autumn transforms South Korea into a colorful & jaw-dropping tourist destination.
A random street in Seoul đ
It’s been years since Korean drama & pop music introduced the beauty of South Korea to the Filipinos. Since then, the country, particularly Seoul, became one of the favorite travel / vacation destinations of Filipinos. According to the Korean Tourism Organization website, in 2016 alone, there were 556,745 Filipinos who flew to South Korea. That was a 37.9% increase from arrivals recorded in 2015 (403,622 arrivals). Filipinos take up 3.2% of the visitors who entered South Korea last year.
Came across this place on our way to Namsan Park đ
I may not be one of the 556,745 Filipinos who visited South Korea last year, I can say I was one of the 403,622 Filipinos who visited South Korea in 2015. In 2014 & 2015, I went to Seoul, South Korea for my annual November trip. Yes, I visited Seoul for 2 consecutive years. I fell in love with autumn & Seoul’s autumn spots the first time I went there up to the point I flew back the following year. (Separate 2014 & 2015 Seoul blogs to follow)
Lovely autumn colors in Insa-dong đ
I know for a fact that some of you have plans of visiting Seoul in the coming weeks & months. Let me share to you 8 must-visit places in Seoul during autumn.
Hangang Park is a long & wide park built beside the Hangang River. Running through 12 districts, the Citizen’s Park is the go-to place of locals & visitors for various sports & relaxation activities. This park is characterized by walking & biking trails, seating areas, exercise facilities every few meters & shops where you can grab a snack / drink whilst there. Many people visit this park everyday. Admission to the park is free. It is also open 24/7.
Banpo Hangang Park’s walking trail & biking lane đ´
We went there to see the famous Banpo bridge (one of the famous parts of the park because of the fountain show); we went biking around the park & also tried the free exercise facilities. Unfortunately there was no scheduled rainbow fountain show during our visit. I also went to Yeouido Hangang Park (another part of Hangang Park) to relax & watch the sunset, also to cure my hangover. *wink*
Subway Access: Banpo Hangang Park – Express Bus Terminal Station – Exit 8-1 / 8-2 then follow the directions to the park | Yeouido Hangang Park – Yeouinaru Station – Exit 2 or 3
Autumn plus some frost in Imjingak đ¨ď¸
The visit to North Korea & South Korea border was one of the reasons why I went to Seoul in 2014. Visitors are required to take an organized tour if you want to visit this area of South Korea. There are 3 tours offered – the half day Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Tour, the half day Joint Security Area (JSA) Tour & the whole day Demilitarized Zone & Joint Security Area (DMZ / JSA) Tour.
A glimpse of the Kaesong, North Korea đ°đľ
My friend & I took the DMZ Tour with Cosmojin. The tour company picked us up from our guesthouse & brought us to the bus meet-up place. It took us around an hour to the DMZ area. We went to Imginjak Resort, the Third Infiltration Tunnel (a long tiring walk down to the tunnel), Dora Observatory (you’ll see a glimpse of the nearby North Korean city from here) & Dorasan Station.
To Pyeongyang, anyone? đ
If you want to see Panmunjeom (Joint Security Area), the place where officials from both countries had peace talks in the past, & the Bridge of No Return, you need to further take the JSA tour.
Tip: Make sure to book with a credible tour agency (I highly recommend Cosmojin – head over to their website for rates) at least a week before the tour. Please don’t forget to bring your passport during the tour – the military checks everyone’s passport upon entry to DMZ.
Outside the main Gyeongbokgung Palace Hall
Built during the last dynasty of Korea in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace served as the royal palace during the Joseon Dynasty. It served as the home of the officials as well as the seat of government that time. It is also the biggest among the 5 palaces built by the Joseon Dynasty. The other 4 palaces are Changdeokgung Palace, Gyeonghuigung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace & Deoksugung Palace. (Thank God I still have the palace flyer / information sheet! đ)
During the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony đđť
Admission Fee: 3,000 won per person
Tip: Don’t miss the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony happening every 9:30 am & 1:30 pm. The palace is closed every Tuesday.
Subway Access: Gyeongbokgung Station – Exit 5 or Anguk Station – Exit 1
A random house near Gyeongbokgung Palace đ
Located between the palaces, the Bukchon Hanok Village is a traditional Korean village composed of hundreds of wooden & brick houses located in different alleys. This village shows the ‘old urban’ vibe during the Joseon Dynasty. These structures used to house high-ranking government officials & prominent people during that time. Locals converted these houses to cultural centers, restaurants & tea houses to give visitors a taste & glimpse of traditional Korean culture.
Subway Access: Anguk Station – Exit 1 or Exit 2
Insadong-gil – Insa-dong’s main street đ
Insa-dong is a neighborhood in Jongno-gu district famous for modern galleries, traditional shops & restaurants, tea houses & cafes. The area’s main street, Insadong-gil, connects to smaller streets & alleys that showcases various establishments.
Tip: You can visit Insa-dong, Bukchon Hanok Village & Gyeongbokgung Palace in one day. They are located a few meters walk from each other.
Subway Access: Anguk Station – Exit 3
Namsan Park
Namsam Park is a famous park located on top of Namsam Mountain. This park is famous for its autumn sightings & walking trails. You can also find Palgakjeong (octagon hall), Namsan Library, restaurants, shops & the N Seoul Tower on top of the mountain. Entrance to the park is free.
A cloudy morning in N Seoul Tower grounds
N Seoul Tower is Seoul’s iconic observatory located in Namsan Mountain. The observatory offers a 360-degree view of Seoul. Make sure to go there in the morning or afternoon to avoid the crowd; it gets really busy at night. Entrance fee to the observatory is 10,000 won per person.
View from N Seoul Tower Observatory; Manila is 2,625.7 kms away
Subway Access: Myeong-dong Station – Exit 2 & 3, then walk up to the park. Alternatively, you can walk to the Namsan Cable Car Station & ride up to the park. A round-trip ticket costs 8,500 won.
Myeong-dong Shopping Street is one of my favorite places in Seoul. It may not be the cheapest place to buy all sorts of stuff, but the place offers a wide variety of shops & brands to choose from. If you are a fan of skin care products, this is the place to be. Name the Korean cosmetic brand you’re looking for it’s here. There are also shops for clothing, shoes & souvenirs. The area also boasts hundreds of restaurants & cafes. The Myeong-dong Cathedral & Nanta Theater (which houses the famous Nanta Cooking Show) is also located in this part of the city.
The very busy Myeong-dong Shopping Street đď¸
Aside from shopping, Myeong-dong Shopping Street is also a good place to have Korean street food. You can find pop-up food stalls in the main street at night. If you’re going there in the morning or early afternoon, make sure to head to the left-most street facing the main street & look for the stalls that sell Korean food.
The kinds of Korean street food you’ll find in Myeong-dong
My favorite street food is the Korean egg bread, locally known as gyeran-bbang. It’s basically made of batter & egg (cracked on top of the batter while being cooked). Make sure to try this when you go to Seoul & let me know what you think.
My favorite gyeran-bbang!!! đ
Tip 1: The best time to go shopping is early afternoon to early evening. The shopping street gets super duper busy during dinnertime. If you are looking for cheaper buys, you can go to the nearby Nandaemun Market. It’s a short walk (or 1 train station away) from Myeong-dong area.
Tip 2: If you are into artsy & hippie stuff, head over to Hongdae (Hongik University Street – Hongik University Station – Exit 8 or Exit 9). This area is known for the young ones – those in college & early days of adulthood. It’s also the place to see street performances (only happens during night time) & local festivals. It’s also the best place to drink & party. *wink*
Subway Access: Myeong-dong Station – Exit 2 or Exit 8
Nami Island is probably the most beautiful place to experience autumn in Seoul. This island became famous because it was where parts of the hit Korean drama ‘Winter Sonata’ were shot. The island is near Chunchoen City, the capital of Gang-won Province about 1-1.5 hour away from Seoul.
Somewhere in Nami Island đ
The island has the best autumn view one can image. You can see crimson leaves to yellow autumn leaves all in one place. The place hosts various activities & festivals from time to time. The best way to explore the island is by foot. Make sure to go around the island because you might just miss a stunning view.
Entrance fee to the island is 10,000 won per person. It includes a round-trip ferry transfer (10 minute per trip) from the mainland.
That’s me posing for a photo in Nami đ
Tip 1: Prepare your autumn / winter outfit when visiting Nami Island. It’s a good place to have a ‘mini-photoshoot’ with friends. Also, if it’s already cold in Seoul, it’s colder in Nami. Prepare your winter jackets & coats.
Tip 2: You can go to Petit France & Garden of Morning Calm after visiting Nami Island. These 2 places are just a bus ride away from Nami. I visited Petit France in 2015 & I personally believe it was just okay – perhaps another place to take good photos. I missed out going to the Garden of Morning Calm due to time constraints.
Subway Access: Gapyeong Station – You can either go there from Sangbong Station (Jungang Line) or Yongsan Station (ITX-Chuncheon Train). From Gapyeong Station, you can either take the Gapyeong Tour Bus (& get off at Nami Island bus stop) or take a taxi (around 2,000 won) per way.
Nami Island is at its best during autum đ Definitely a must-visit! đ
There you go! I hope I gave you an idea on the best places to visit in Seoul during autumn season. Do you have any questions regarding these destinations? Is there a beautiful autumn place I missed? Let me know by posting a comment below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.
Gamsahabnida, joh-eun halu doeseyo! ę°ěŹíŠëë¤, ě˘ě í루 ëě¸ě. đ°đˇ
PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC One M8.
Last April 2017, the Taiwan đšđź (ROC) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) announced that they will relax the visa rules for visitors from Philippines under the country’s ‘New Southbound Policy.’ MOFA said they will introduce a 1 year visa exemption trial program for Philippine passport holders. There was no exact date mentioned but rumors say it can start as early as 1 June 2017.
A month after, MOFAÂ advised that they had to delay the visa-free trial program implementation to September 2017 due to internal matters. There was no exact date mentioned when the visa-free entry will start.
You no longer need a visa to see the iconic Taipei 101 in person! đšđź
The long wait is over! Earlier today, the Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in the Philippines announced that Philippine passport holders can enter Taiwan visa-free starting 1 November 2017. Filipino nationals can stay in Taiwan up to 14 days.
According to the TECO website, Filipinos can enter the country visa free provided they meet the following requirements:
⌠An ordinary / regular passport with validity of at least 6 months from date of entry
⌠Return ticket to the Philippines or an onward ticket to a next destination (plus visa if required)
⌠No criminal record in Taiwan
⌠Proof of accommodation (hotel or hostel booking) / sponsor’s contact information / tour arrangements
Those who intend to stay in Taiwan for more than 14 days need to undergo the usual visa application process. TECO has also advised that the “Travel Authorization Certificate” for qualified visa-free travellers & the payable e-visa system will temporarily be suspended from 1 November 2017. Taiwan’s visa-free entry trial program for Filipino passport holders ends on 31 July 2018.
Jiufen is now just a passport stamp away! đ
So what are you waiting for? Book your next trip to Taiwan! I’m 100% sure you’ll love it there. In case you missed it, I’ve been to Taipei, Taiwan twice – first in May 2015 & June this year. Make sure to check out those two posts.
What a great news to start the week! I’m happy that the Taiwan government đšđźÂ has finally announced the details of this visa-free trial program. Taiwan is a beautiful country! I’d love to go back to there soon; hopefully I can squeeze a weekend trip in the coming months. âď¸
PS. Most of the photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.
9-13 September 2016 – I went on a long weekend trip to Bangkok, Thailand with my backpack & passport. I really didn’t have plans of going back until I got a super duper cheap ticket during Cebu Pacific Air‘s anniversary âą1 sale last year.
You probably saw this already – this is a screenshot of my ticket to BKK last year
Bangkok is a big city with beautiful cultural places to visit & fun activities to experience. I had 4 days in the city so I made a rough plan of what to do & where to go. Let me share to you how the 4 days went & how I reunited with old friends, how I met new people & how everything I planned didn’t push through.
There are a lot of nice hostels in Bangkok – most of them offering good amenities for very affordable prices. I was by myself so I had to look for an affordable but social hostel to look for mates to join me in my plans. After reading through different booking websites & asking in different backpacker Facebook groups, I decided to stay in NapPark Hostel @ Khao San. It is a family run hostel in Khao San. Well, the hostel isn’t really in Khao San Road but it’s a few meters away. No issues at all.
Khao San Road in the afternoon – this place gets really busy at night!
Khao San Road is a small street / area in downtown Bangkok where most foreign backpackers go, eat, drink & stay. It’s an area full of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels & hostels that caters mostly to people travelling on budget. Since I was travelling on budget, I decided to stay in this area of Bangkok.
Now back to the hostel – I decided to get a bed (฿460 per night in Hostelword) in a 22-bed dormitory room. I had no issues staying in such big room because each bed has pull down blinds in on the sides. Guests still have the privacy they need. Each guest is also given a locker for their backpacks & valuables. The bed was spacious & comfortable, the room size was just right. Each bed has a reading light & a plug. The common shower & toilet were always clean. WiFi is fast & free of charge.
How NapPark’s 22 dormitory beds fit in a room
The hostel has a small cafe for breakfast (additional charge). They even have a computer area where guests can do research about their next destination & book air tickets & accommodation. They also offer day trips & activities plus tickets to other towns / cities in Thailand. The hostel also features a nice & spacious common area in the ground floor. This is where guests meet other guests & end up having a great time. I, myself, met tons of really nice people here & had good memories with these new friends.
NapPark personnel were super nice & always ready to help. This hostel is a gem! I recommend everyone travelling solo to stay here when you go to Bangkok. Don’t worry about being with 21 other people in a room; it’s completely safe. You’ll definitely have a good time here, I can assure you that.
Inside NapPark’s dormitory room – each guest is given a locker to use.
One of my favorite social hostel chains, Mad Monkey Hostels, has recently opened their branch in Bangkok (also near Khao San Road). Make sure to check them as well. Another favorite social (& party) hostel chain, Slumber Party Hostel, has also announced that they will open a branch in Bangkok soon! I’l keep you posted about the details.
Prior to flying to Bangkok, I made a rough plan of what to do & where to go for the trip. Here are the list of places I want to visit / activities I wanted to do: go back to the Grand Palace, take a river cruise around Chao Phraya River, visit Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha) & Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn), go shopping in Chatuchack Weekend Market & Terminal 21 Shopping Mall, visit Ayutthaya for a day, take a cooking class, go to the floating market & of course, party in Khao San Road.
Democracy Monument – Bangkok
I know it looks ambitious of 4-day trip but I really wanted to cover as much as I can.
Day 1
I arrived NapPark Hostel in the wee hours of the morning (2:30 am) so I woke up really late that same day. I went out for brunch with some people I met in the hostel & went around Khao San after wards. I went back to the hostel to wait for Christina, a Filipina friend working as a teacher in Bangkok. While waiting, I booked an Ayutthaya day tour (฿800) for the next day through the hostel.
How about some pad thai for lunch? đ
My friend finally arrived. We decided to just stay & walk around Khao San area because Saturday traffic is really bad. We had coffee, then went back to the hostel to charge our phones then back to Khao San again to have dinner & drinks. We had dinner in a nice fancy restaurant in Soi Rambuttri. I saw Cath, a friend back in college, having dinner with her boyfriend in the same restaurant where we were. We then spent the rest of the night drinking & partying in Khao San Road.
With my friend Christina! Apologies for my sunburn (lol)
Day 2
I woke up early to prepare for the pre-booked day tour in Ayutthaya. The guide picked me up at 7:30 am & he drove us about 1-hour plus up to the ancient city. We visited the following ancient temples:
Wat Yai Chai Mongkol
Wat Maha That
Wat Lokkayasutharam
Wat Phu Khao Thong
Wat Ratchaburana
We also went to a local Thai restaurant for lunch in between those temples. The last stop of the day tour was a visit to the Ayutthaya Elephant Camp. The guides encouraged us to watch some elephant shows & tricks. Some even offered elephant rides for a fee. This is something I do not support so my tour buddy Daniel & I just went around the area. The tour group left Ayutthaya a little past 3:00 pm & arrived Khao San Road at 4:30 pm-ish. I immediately went back to the hostel to rest & freshen up.
Met up my Thai friend Exe – met him when I went to Koh Lipe last April 2016
At 6:00 pm, I went down to the hostel common area to just relax. One of the guys who just arrived (hi Jordan! Haha) started to talk & gather everyone in the common area. We instantly formed a group there & started drinking. At 7:30 pm, I left the group in the hostel to meet my Thai friend, Exe, for dinner. He was one of the guys who I met way back in Koh Lipe. We had about an hour of catch up over pad thai (my fave!!) and beer (again haha!).
A group of solo travelers who decided to go out on a random Sunday night đş
I went back to the hostel after dinner to meet with the guys again. We all went to Khao San Road, had more drinks & went bar-hopping. Imagine 10 guys & 1 gal from different parts of the world (Canada, India, USA, Netherlands, Singapore & of course the Philippines) all met in a hostel & spent the night like we’ve known each other for so long. It was one crazy & rainy Sunday night in Khao San. We went home at around 2:30 am & still decided to hangout in the hostel common area before deciding to sleep at 4:00 am.
Who cares about the rain? The party must go on!
Day 3
When you try to fit 5 people in 1 small tuktuk đ En route to Siam Paragon & MBK!
The boys (same guys I met the night before) initially planned to go to see the temples for my 3rd day but we all ended up walking around Siam Paragon &Â MBK Centre (probably Bangkok’s most famous shopping center) to go with Destiny, the only girl in the group, in getting some stuff before she leaves. After hours of walking around, buying this & that & eating in a random restaurant, we finally said goodbye to Sam, who left for Singapore that same day.
Inside MBK! Such a biiiig shopping mall đŽ
We all went back to the hostel to rest & sleep. While Dennis & Jordan were sleeping, Aman & I stayed in the common area. We started our pre-game there & joined the group of girls playing cards. The playing group became bigger & bigger with almost every guest joining the game. From a group of less than 10, we ended up this big:
Our hostel group during my last night in Bangkok – photo credits to Danielle!
More of that epic night – this time in Khao San Center!
We all went to Khao San to party (again – 3rd straight night for me). Dennis & Jordan followed us in Khao San & joined the party. We almost occupied 1/2 of Khao San Center (haha). Another epic night in Khao San! We eventually got divided into small groups & went our own ways around the area. We decided to go back to the hostel at 2:00 am & found some people in the common area. Guess what? We stayed in the common area until 3:30 am & eventually everyone went back in batches. Suddenly we became another big group again. Crazy night indeed!
Everyone had fun that night!!~~
Day 4
It was my last day in Bangkok. My friends & I didn’t plan anything for the day aside from the beer pong before I leave for the airport at night. We headed out for breakfast & then went back to the hostel with big bottles of water & Chang (Yes, at 11am!). We stayed in the hostel common area from lunch time until around 5:00 pm; met new people; talked to the other guests & watched a movie. For some strange reasons, convenience stores & supermarkets (that time) do not sell alcohol in the afternoon. I don’t know why.
Lazy afternoon in the hostel common area. We watched Ted 2! đ
At 5:00 pm, we went out of the hostel, got some pad thai near Khao San Road & bought some beer in 7-Eleven. We started to play beer pong. The guys from Chile, Nico & Carlos, even shared to us the brandy they brought from home. I won’t forget the Chilean pisco shots I had!
My last ‘drinking’ day in Bangkok đşÂ Played beer pong before I left for the airport!
9:00 pm – I had to leave for the airport to catch my 12.40 am flight back home. It felt sad leaving while everyone is having fun playing beer pong & enjoying each other’s company. Thank God I made it through check-in, immigration & security even if I’ve had alcohol since morning. My flight bound for Manila left Bangkok & arrived Manila on time.
Now to wrap things up… The airfare was definitely a bargain; it’s not the cheapest international ticket I had (click here to know the cheapest international ticket I booked & where I used it) but it was definitely worth it. I made the right choice of staying in NapPark Hostel – it may be expensive than the usual Bangkok hostels but the experience was superb.
It felt nice to finally meet Christina in person after months & years of talking about EDM, Hardwell & rave stuff on Twitter. That day trip to Ayutthaya was a nice experience – it made me remember the temples we visited in Siem Reap, Cambodia way back in 2015. I also had a good time catching up with my friend Exe; it’s been months since we met & shared amazing stories in Koh Lipe.
Chang was probably my best buddy for this trip! đş
I feel bad for not going to the other places I planned to visit but I am very happy that I met a lot of cool & amazing people in the hostel. Spending time & drinking with these guys made the trip really fun & memorable (ok, I’m getting emotional – LOL). I may not meet most of them again in the future but I know the good memories we had back in Bangkok will stay in us forever. I will never ever forget the crazy & epic times we had in NapPark Hostel & Khao San Road!
I’m looking forward to going back to Bangkok for some unfinished business – to visit the other temples, the floating & weekend market, etc. Oh, one last thing.. I had too much alcohol intake during this trip; but I had no regrets. No regrets at all.
Kob kun krub, Bangkok! See you soon. đ
Have you been to Bangkok in the past? If yes, what are the must-see places aside from the Grand Palace? I don’t have a ticket yet but I am now planning to go back there really soon. Feel free to share your experiences to me & to all the readers by posting a comment below. You can also send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.
Thank you (ŕ¸ŕ¸ŕ¸ŕ¸ŕ¸ŕ¸ŕ¸¸ŕ¸ in Thai language) for reading! See you next time~
PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC One M8 &Â HTC Re.