Category: Budget Travel

The Wonderful Indonesia Series: KOMODO – The Untouched Dragon’s Paradise

Hey there! Hope 2018 is treating you well. Before we start our 2018 adventures, let us look back on one of the last 2 trips I had in 2017. Just two months after my Ubud & Nusa Penida trip, I flew back to Indonesia to discover a new place called Komodo.

Padar Island – one of my favorite destinations of the overnight boat tour!

Going by the name, Komodo is where you can find the world-famous Komodo dragons. These lizards (yes, they are lizards!) are living freely in several islands like Komodo, Rinca, Padar & Flores. The nearest place where one arrives before going to the Komodo islands is Labuan Bajo. It is a small fishing town in the westernmost portion of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province in Indonesia. This town is the center of Komodo tourism. The majority of the tour boats leave from & arrive in Labuan Bajo.

Why Fly To Komodo?

It all started with a one-way ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Manila. Yes, I was able to book this one-way ticket for around 781.25 pesos in last year’s GetGo Anniversary sale. Just in case you don’t know what GetGo is, it is Cebu Pacific Air‘s lifestyle & loyalty rewards program. They offered seats for 10 GetGo points + taxes last year in all destinations during their second anniversary last March 2017.

Maldives? Nope. This is in Kanawa Island 😍

I started looking up for places to visit where Kuala Lumpur will be the last stop before going home. It all went down to just two places – Luang Prabang, Laos & Komodo, Indonesia. It would be the best time to visit Luang Prabang (also to tick off Laos in my list) but I will lack time because I only have a few days. On the other hand, Komodo has long been in my list of places to visit in Indonesia. Aside from knowing about the Komodo dragons way back in school, I think it would also be great to see them up close in person.

View upon arrival at Padar Island 😍

Airfare to Luang Prabang started to rise. Also, I could not find an affordable ticket out of Manila (because the trip falls near the November 1 & 2 celebrations back home). I was supposed to go to Komodo during my August 2017 trip, but it was mating season for Komodo dragons so lesser chance of seeing them.

Stunning Pink Beach 😍 I made the right decision to go to Komodo.

I also tried watching vlogs online about Luang Prabang & Komodo. The videos of Lost LeBlanc & Thomas Alex Norman helped me decide that I should go to Komodo. Don’t worry, Laos is still on the list. I hope to visit Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane, etc in the future.

To & From Labuan Bajo

Getting to Labuan Bajo isn’t easy. Upon checking online, the fastest way to reach Labuan Bajo is by having transits in Jakarta & Bali. I went for the faster & cheaper option which is via Bali. Low cost airlines, such as Wings Air (under Lion Air Group) & Nam Air (under Sriwijaya Air Group), only fly from Bali (& not from Jakarta) to Labuan Bajo.

Saw this in Ngurah Rai Domestic Airport – beautiful! 🎭

I took the early morning Cebu Pacific Air flight from Manila to Bali, had a 6-hour transit in Bali Airport & took the afternoon Nam Air flight to Labuan Bajo. Manila to Bali took me 3 hours & 50 minutes & Bali to Labuan Bajo took me 1 hour & 20 minutes. Warning: The Nam Air flight to Labuan Bajo was one of my worst flights ever but I was able to arrive at the destination safe & sound. I don’t mind taking short flights like that as long as they’re cheap. (Lol)

While waiting for my flight to Labuan Bajo 🛫

As mentioned above, I flew back to Manila via Kuala Lumpur because I got it really really cheap. From Labuan Bajo Airport, I took the morning Wings Air flight backt to Bali. I had a 4-hour layover in Bali & flew to Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia. I had another 4 hours in Kuala Lumpur International Airport which went by really fast (thanks to the gateway@KLIA2 shopping mall for entertaining me in those 4 hours). I boarded the red-eye flight from Kuala Lumpur to Manila. I made it to Manila after 21 hours.

Flew with Wings Air from Labuan Bajo to Bali 🛩️

Flying to & from Labuan Bajo was long & tiring. You might wonder how much it cost me all in all, flights-wise. Believe it or not, my airfare only cost me ₱10,133.64. See breakdown of flights below.

Bali-Labuan Bajo-Bali return tickets will normally cost you ₱10,000. I booked the tickets early (3 months before), got promotional fares both ways & also got another discount from Traveloka. Sweet!

Labuan Bajo Airport

PS. Another way to go to Komodo is via a 5-day/4-night boat trip from Lombok / The Gilis. I met one in the hostel who took that & he told me the trip was fun but exhausting.

Ciao Hostel Labuan Bajo

Labuan Bajo is only a small town with limited accommodation choices. I searched around the internet & found the best (not the cheapest – but not that expensive as well) choice – Ciao Hostel. [Update – Ciao Hostel has ceased operations.]

View from the Ciao Hostel’s reception area

The hostel is located on top of a hill overlooking the Labuan Bajo town & port. It may not be that accessible to the town because of its uphill & downhill way, but the hostel provides hourly shuttle services to & from the town. It also provides airport pick-up & drop-off (make sure to reserve your slot at least a day before).

Hostel’s reception, common & movie area

The hostel has an on-site restaurant (with so-so but expensive food) & travel desk. The tour agency offers tours & diving tours more expensive that those offered in the town. The hostel also has a common rooftop place where almost all guests go to during sunset for the amazing view. The hostel also shows a movie every night. Make sure to check the notice board every day & vote for the movie you want to watch during the night.

Hostel restaurant’s nasi goreng

I stayed in a 6-bedroom dormitory room. The room has 3 bunk beds & air-conditioning. Each guest has a locker where he/she can keep his/her bags & valuables. Communal toilet & shower areas are located outside of each room. Rooms & facilities are clean & well-maintained. Free Wi-Fi is only available in the lobby & lounge.

Sunset from the rooftop area – one of the reasons why you need to stay in Ciao!

I had a nice stay in Ciao Hostel. It may not be the cheapest hostel in Labuan Bajo but you surely get what you pay for.

Overnight Boat Tour

Apart from exploring the town & chilling in the hostel, the only activity I did in Labuan Bajo was to take the overnight boat tour to the islands. There were other places to go like the waterfalls & caves but I believe I already had too much of those in my past trips so I only did the boat tour.

I met 2 German ladies in the hostel – Kathrin & Nadine. We decided to go together & look for an affordable overnight boat tour. The tour desk at the hostel offered the overnight boat tour for an expensive price so we decided to look for a cheaper option in town. We walked around different agencies & saw one offering it for IDR 750,000. The rate included all meals, water, snacks, mattress & snorkeling gear except Komodo Island entrance fee. The tour group consisted of people from Spain, Australia, Netherlands, Poland, Germany & of course, the Philippines (Asia represent! Lol).

Let’s go to the islands!!!

The slow boat left the harbor at 9:00 am. It took us about an hour to reach the first destination – Kanawa Island. We went there for snorkeling & some beach time. I’ll let the photos show how beautiful this place is.

Kanawa Island 😍

We all went back to the boat to have lunch & head to Manta Point to see manta rays. We went around the sea for around 1 hour before we finally saw a manta ray. Immediately after our boatman shouted there’s one, everyone literally jumped out of the boat to see it. Too bad I didn’t get any photos of the manta ray. It was huuuuge. Our boatmen told us were were quite lucky the manta ray showed up – it’s been days since they showed up to the visitors.

To the next island! 🛥️

After Manta Point, we cruised another 2 hours to reach the “Instagram-famous” Padar Island. We hiked up 30 minutes to the viewpoint to see the spectacular landscape. The view from the top was stunning; it was out-of-this-world. How I wish we went there during sunrise; but nonetheless, we still had a great time there. They gave us a few minutes to soak in the very cold water before proceeding to an area near Komodo Island (the place where we stayed for the night).

Padar Island – the 30-minute hike up was super worth it! 😍

We watched the sunset from the boat’s roof deck while our boatmen prepared our dinner. After a while, we finally had dinner. The sumptuous dinner was followed by a drinking / story session in the roof deck under the clear sky, bright half moon & twinkling stars. Mattresses with pillows & blankets were shortly rolled out & it was the end of day 1.

Watched the sunset from the boat 🌅

Everyone had a nice sleep in cold night; the temperature was at 19 degrees Celsius (if I can remember it right). It felt surreal sleeping under the moon & the stars. I can’t describe how relaxing & magical the feeling was while waiting for my eyes to fall asleep. I want to experience that again!

Good morning Komodo! 🌅 The crew gave us fried banana for breakfast.

Now back to the boat tour. Day 2 started with a lovely sunrise from the roof deck. We woke up really early, had coffee / tea & fried banana for breakfast. We all freshened up before heading to Komodo Island. The visit to the Komodo Dragons is the highlight of every trip to Labuan Bajo. We first headed to the rangers’ office to register our names & pay the Komodo Island National Park fee. The weekday fee costed us around IDR 153,000 each; the fee is valid for visits to other islands with Komodo dragons like Rinca Island. Note: Fees during weekends & Indonesian public holidays are more expensive – it’ll cost one around IDR 250,000.

The Komodo dragons are real!! 😮

The group decided to take the medium trail around the island. It was an hour walk around the island with very few uphill & downhill trails. We spotted a number of Komodo dragons, deers, wild boars & water buffaloes along the way. We even saw 2 Komodo dragons fighting (it was scary & fun watching them fight)! We were the first one to arrive at the island & walk around so we were quite lucky we had the trail for ourselves. Seeing the Komodo dragons in person felt amazing but scary at the same time. They’re freaking real!

Komodo Island’s beach 😍

After spending around 1.5 hours in Komodo Island, we all went back to the boat to have lunch. We then sailed to Pink Beach to swim, snorkel & sunbathe. The water was super clean. The sand also turns pink every time it gets wet. The best view of the Pink Beach can be seen from the top of the hill on its left. The place was as relaxing as Kanawa Island.

Amazing view of the Pink Beach from the viewpoint 😍

After spending good times in Pink Beach, we headed to Rinca Island for some Komodo dragon hunting for the second time that day. The group again decided to take the medium trail. The trail was easier compared to Komodo Islands’ & was mostly flat. The only challenge we encountered was the scorching heat – we walked around the island during lunch time. We saw quite a few Komodo dragons & deer along the way. It was a nice but exhausting walk.

Walked around Rinca Island during noontime. It was so hot!

We talked to our boatmen & asked them if they we can have a quick stop somewhere along the way for a quick swim. They agreed (yay) without additional charge. We stopped in a random snorkeling spot near the main Labuan Bajo island. A friend of mine started jumping off the boat from the deck – everyone (even the scared ones) eventually followed. Fun times!

The random snorkeling point where we dropped by before going back to town.

Minutes before docking at Labuan Bajo port

After having fun snorkeling & jumping off the boat, we all went back to the boat & sailed back to Labuan Bajo harbor. We arrived the port minutes before 5 in the afternoon. The group decided to meet up for dinner that same night. We had dinner in one of the fancy restaurants in town.

Dinner with 1/2 of the overnight boat crew 🤝

Lazy Last Day

I initially planned to take the 3-day boat tour to the islands but I didn’t find any tour company operating it. I opted for the overnight boat tour. That also meant I had a spare day in Labuan Bajo. I thought of taking another island tour but the laziness in me won. I decided to stay & rest the whole day in the hostel. The tour group decided to meet up again for dinner (yay!) & drinks on everyone’s last night in town. It was a good day to get lazy after two tiring & fun days in the islands.

Best way to watch my last sunset in Labuan Bajo – with Prost Beer! 🍺

Trip Verdict

A trip to Komodo will never be complete w/o a photo with a Komodo dragon 

The trip to & from Labuan Bajo might be long & exhausting but the Komodo experience I had is something I will treasure for the rest of my life. The overnight tour was so much fun – met new friends, explored untouched islands, slept under the stars & had a close encounter with the Komodo dragons. The dragons are real!!! The relatively ‘expensive’ airline tickets & the tiring airport (& country) transfers were super worth it.

Padar & Kanawa Islands were my favorites. The islands were stunning. These places also had out-of-this-world views. I’m so happy I got the chance to visit these untouched islands.

Komodo is a place where Filipinos don’t normally go; but I tell you, please visit if you can. Now is the right time to go before the Labuan Bajo gets famous & fully developed.

Clear waters of Kanawa Island 😍

Have you been to Labuan Bajo / Komodo? How was your experience? If not, have you added this place in your bucket list? Is there something you want to know about Labuan Bajo / Komodo? Feel free to ask you questions & share your thoughts 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.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

2018 Plans: What’s In Store For The Readers

2018 is here. Another year has begun. It’s the perfect time to start again & to make new plans for the future.

In 2017, I had the intention to regularly share contents & thoughts on this platform. The first half of the year went well. I posted 3 to 5 blogs per month. Site traffic was consistent & reader interactions were at peak. Everything slowed down towards the second half. Work, personal trips & engagements took majority of my time. I was left with little to no time in updating this blog.

Now that it’s already 2018, I plan to post 3 to 4 blogs per month until the end of the year. Yes, until the end of the year. Here are some of the things you will see on this site for the rest of the year

Promo Fare Alerts

My ultimate goal is for everyone to fly as cheaply as possible. The first step in achieving this goal is to book or secure cheap airfare tickets. Airlines regularly offer promotional fares to domestic & international destinations. I’ve updated you guys with current & upcoming seat sales in the past year. This year, I plan to increase the promo fare alerts in my Facebook page. I hope to cover as many airline promotions as possible. Make sure to like The Wknd Travel Facebook Page to stay updated.

Trip Summaries & Itineraries

I’ve shared summaries & itineraries of my past trips to Japan, Bali, Coron, Port Barton & a whole lot more. Fear not, I still have a backlog of contents to share from my recent trips to Komodo, Indonesia, Kawaguciko & Takayama in Japan. I also have upcoming trips to Sapporo, Japan (next month), Hong Kong (in March), Palawan (again in June – undecided where to go) & some new places (which I can’t disclose as of yet) in August & November. I’m going to places which I haven’t been to in the past. That also means new experiences to share to everyone.

More Travel Tips ~ More Fun

Backpackers & travelers rely on each other’s tips. I’ve given you my secrets on preparing for trips like how to score super cheap airline tickets (with part 2), how to apply for a Japan tourist visa & how to book your trip accommodations. I’ve also helped some of you answer some of their pre-trip questions.

For someone who has been taking short (& sometimes long) trips for 5 years now, I’ve experienced a lot & I’ve noticed some patterns when it comes to planning my trips. Expect for more tips in the coming weeks & months.

Throwback Thursday Treats Continue

I’ve been doing trips for years before I started this blog. I don’t want to put my previous trips to waste that’s why I thought of having the Throwback Thursday Treat feature. For the past months, I brought you to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Taipei, Taiwan, Bangkok, Thailand & a few more. I still have a long list of past trips to share (I hope I can still remember all the details) so make sure to watch out for those.

Travel News & Random Travel Thoughts

In 2017, we’ve read some good news for all Filipino travelers. Philippine passport validity has been extended to 10 years, Taiwan started a visa-free trial scheme last November (until July 31, 2018 only) & December 8 has recently been declared as a special non-working holiday. I plan to continue sharing good news to everyone this year. Let us hope for more.

Sometimes, It comes to a point where you think of random things about travelling. I’ve shared some of these insights in the past year – how do I manage to travel a lot while working full time & the ups & downs of staying in hostels. I hope to encounter these random thoughts in the coming weeks. I will try my best to share them here.

Thank you everyone for the support & website visits last year. Again, happy new year! Let us all hope for a content-filled 2018. 🎆

Do you have any suggestions on what to feature in this website or do you have anything to ask? Feel free to 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.

2017 In Review: Discovering The Known & The Unknown

In less than 2 days, 2017 will come to a close. Another great & memorable year will soon come to an end. Before we welcome 2018, let us look back how this year went. I do not consider this a major travel year because I think every year is a major travel year for me.

My solo travel adventures, which started in 2016, continued this year. I went to most places all by myself & then met amazing people whom I shared good memories with. I also had the chance to reunite & travel with good old friends.

Selfie with Broken Beach in the background 📷

In 2016, I went to places which are known to most of you (perhaps except Koh Lipe). These places gave me unforgettable experiences & different insights. 2017 was a bit different. I’ve been to known places like Coron, Taipei & Ubud, but I’ve also visited unknown places (to many Filipinos) like Port Barton, Nusa Penida & Komodo. 2017 was a year of discovering the known & the unknown.

Let us rediscover the the known & unknown places I visited for 2017.

Port Barton

Port Barton’s village beach

My first solo trip for 2017 happened in March where I spent a weekend in Port Barton. It is a small undeveloped village in the northeast coast of Palawan. It is a more basic version of El Nido.

Enjoyed the tour to untouched islands & pristine beaches 😍

Everything in the village is limited – from accommodation choices, restaurants, electricity to mobile network access. These limitations didn’t hinder me from enjoying a weekend away from the busy city life. I went on an island tour which took me to untouched islands & pristine beaches. I had my first close encounter with a turtle in German Island. I also made good memories with people I met on the tour & in the hostel.

Close encounter with a turtle in German Island 🐢

Blog: PORT BARTON: Palawan’s Secret Paradise

Coron

I had my second Palawan weekend trip for 2017 in Coron. I decided to go there during the Labor Day weekend (to save work leave credits) & booked my round-trip tickets using my GetGo (Cebu Pacific Air‘s loyalty program) points.

Met these amazing people in Coron

I walked around the town & hiked Mount Tapyas on my first day. I took the Ultimate Island Tour on my second day & the Island Escapade Tour on my third day. I flew back to Manila on the fourth day.

Coron’s crystal clear waters 😍

I prefer the escapade tour over the ultimate tour. I think Kayangan Lake, Siete Picados & Twin Lagoon were really beautiful; however, these places were super crowded. I enjoyed the relaxed & laid-back escapade tour to the jaw-dropping Malcapuya, Banana & Bulog Dos Islands.

Malcapuya Island – the highlight of this Coron trip 😍

Blog: CORON – Paradise Beyond Words

Taipei

Taipei was my first international trip for 2017. It was also my first time to use my renewed passport. I’ve been to this city in 2015 with my high school friends. This time, I went on another weekend trip with my work colleagues.

Taipei ’17 buddies – Rona & Shiela 😎

We went to the usual places like Taipei 101, Ximending, Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, Liberty Square, Shilin Night Market & 228 Peace Park. We also went up north to the countryside to visit Shifen & Jiufen.

Colorful vibe of Jiufen 😍

We loosened up a bit by joining TourMeAway‘s Pub Crawl Activity. It was a long fun drinking night with people from all over the world. Our pub crawl photo even made it to the activity’s Klook page. I also got my new HTC U11 during this trip – definitely worth the investment.

Got a new phone in Taipei -the HTC U11

Blog: TAIPEI Revisited: 3-Day Weekend in the Heart of Asia (Less than ₱15,000 all in!!!)

Siquijor

I went on a last-minute weekend Siquijor trip with friends last July. I flew to Dumaguete with a friend & boarded the next ferry to Siquijor. We then met another friend in Siquijor & started exploring the island.

 

Reunion with Geof & JE in Siquijor

We had lunch at Larena Triad Restaurant overlooking the island, went exploring at the Guiwahon Mangrove Park, (they) had fish spa in the century old balete tree, walked around the Lazi Convent & Church, jumped off (a number of times) the famous Cambugahay Falls & enjoyed some lazy (except me who tried the cliff diving) afternoon at Salagdoong Beach.

Cambugahay Falls – the highlight of my Siquijor trip 💦

We had a short Dumaguete side trip; we stayed there for a night before our flight back to Manila. Our friend, who is based there, took us on a late night city tour (?? haha) just to see how it looks like.

Blog: Last-Minute SIQUIJOR Weekend (For Less Than ₱7,000 Including Airfare)

Ubud

Explored Ubud with Mary Ann & Lyza

I spent half of my annual birthday month trip in Ubud in Bali, Indonesia. I’ve been to Ubud in 2014 but I didn’t have enough time to explore the place. I went back for 3 full days to explore different temples, hike up & down the rice terraces, eat the famous crispy duck, walk around the town, tried the luwak coffee in a coffee plantation & go to the waterfall.

World famous Tegallalang Rice Terraces 😍

I also attended a cooking class with Paon Bali. I learned to prepare local dishes & ended up eating them as well after. This Paon Bali Cooking Class was the highlight of my Ubud visit.

Local food we ate after the cooking class 😋

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: UBUD – From Temples To Rice Paddies

Nusa Penida

Instagram-famous Broken Beach 😍

The other half of my week-long birthday trip was spent in a relatively unknown off Bali called Nusa Penida. For 2 straight days, I hopped on a motorcycle & explored this untouched island.

Atuh Beach – a cove between 2 cliffs 😍

I went to ‘Instagram-famous’ places like Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach & Kelingking Secret Point. I also went to the hidden Crystal Bay for swimming & relaxation. On my 2nd & last day, I spent the whole day in Atuh Beach, another ‘Instagram-famous’ cove that is between 2 high cliffs.

Another Instagram-famous – Kelingking Secret Point 😍

I stayed in Kuta for a night before my early flight back to Manila. I’ve been to this place in 2015 but I still walked around the crowded beach & waited for the beautiful Kuta sunset.

Kuta sunset – what a beautiful view to end this week long birthday trip 🌅

Blog: The Wonderful Indonesia Series: NUSA PENIDA – Hidden Paradise Off Bali

Komodo

Kanawa Island 😍

Two months after spending a week in Indonesia, I decided to fly back & sneak out a short weekend trip to Labuan Bajo. This small village / town is the gateway for the more famous Komodo National Park (Komodo Island).

Worth the 30-minute hike up the mountain 😍

I took the shared overnight boat trip to the islands. The islands were hours away from each other by slow boat. On the first day, we went snorkeling on Kanawa Island, swam with the manta rays in Manta Point & hiked up Padar Island for some amazing views. We parked somewhere near Komodo Island & stayed there for the night. The boatmen prepared all our meals while on the boat. We slept under the stars & clear skies.

Ha, once in a lifetime photo with a Komodo dragon 🦎

The following day, we walked around in Komodo Island to spot Komodo dragons, went snorkeling & swimming in Pink Beach & spotted some wildlife on Rinca Island (more Komodo dragons lol). Our boatmen allowed us to snorkel & jump off the boat in a random snorkeling point right before going back to Labuan Bajo.

Met up for dinner with the people I was with in the overnight boat trip

Blog: To Follow

Tokyo & Kawaguchiko

Dinner in Tokyo with Laura & Leon (former HTC people) & Kristin

The week-long trip to Japan was my last trip for 2017. It was not my first time (I’ve been there in 2015 & in 2016) so I decided to explore the not-so-famous areas like Kawaguchiko. I flew to Tokyo in the morning, then I met Laura & Leon (people I met in HTC Elevate years ago) in late afternoon until evening.

Picture-perfect Mount Fuji 🗻😍

The following day, I took the bus to Kawaguchiko where I stayed for 2 full days. I met good friends in the hostel which I went around the place with. We went up to Mt. Fuji 4th Station, walked around Kawaguchiko town & we even went cycling around Lake Kawaguchiko. I saw Mt Fuji at its finest (a lot of times!!) during my short stay in this quiet town.

Cycled around Lake Kawaguchiko with these guys 🚴

Blog: To Follow

Takayama & Shirakawa-go

Takayama Old Town 🏠

After spending 2 days in Kawaguchiko, I took a 5-hour bus ride to Takayama. Takayama is a city that is located in the rural, mountainous Hida region in Gifu Prefecture. Just like any other Japanese rural centers, the city retains traditional character. This is shown in the preserved old town. I walked around the old town & the city for one whole day. I was able to visit various temples & museums along the way. I also tried the famous Hida beef in one of the restaurants near JR Takayama Station.

Hida beef for lunch 😋

I went on a half day side trip to Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage site located at the foot of Mt. Haku-san. Located about an hour away from Takayama, this old village is characterized by gassho-style farmhouses. I spent 3 hours walking around the village, hopping from one house to the other.

Shirakawa-go from the view point 😍

The visits to Takayama Old Town & Shirakawa-go were the highlights of my stay in Gifu Prefecture.

Gassho-style farmhouse in Shirakawa-go 😍

Blog: To Follow

The list above doesn’t account the number of times I went to my hometown in Albay for family functions & random weekends. I plan to continue going home (every few months) to my parents in 2018. There’s definitely no place like home.

Picturesque Mayon Volcano 🌋 There’s no place like home 😍

The trips above pretty much sum up my 2017. It was a year of discovering known places like Coron, Taipei & Ubud, to not-so-known places like Siquijor & Kawaguchiko & to relatively unknown places like Port Barton, Nusa Penida, Komodo & Takayama. It was another year full of memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. I already have a few trips planned for 2018 & I look forward to exploring more of what this beautiful world has to offer.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11. 

The Wonderful Indonesia Series: NUSA PENIDA – Hidden Paradise Off Bali

After spending 3 days in Ubud, I decided to go down & spend the next 2 full days in the islands. There are 3 known islands off Bali – Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan & Nusa Penida. Most tourists & travelers go to the 2 small islands – Nusa Lembongan & Nusa Ceningan because of the beaches. I decided to the less-visited Nusa Penida. Vlogs of Thomas Alex Norman & Christian LeBlanc (Lost LeBlanc) have urged me to visit this beautiful island.

Kelingking Secret Point – one of Nusa Penida’s highlights 😍

Nusa Penida is the southern most & the biggest island off Bali. Part of Klungkung Regency, the island is characterized by beautiful rock formations & untouched nature. The island is slowly becoming popular because of its stunning landscapes but everything about the island is still basic.

Another highlight of the island – Atuh Beach 😍

Nusa Penida may not be a popular destination for Filipinos but I will show you below why you should include this place in your list of go-to places. Believe me, the photos of places you see on Instagram really exist on this island!

How I Went To Nusa Penida

I booked my boat transfers to & from Nusa Penida with Maruti Express. Normal ferry rates from Sanur to Nusa Penida costs 75,000 IDR for locals & 125,000 IDR for foreigners. I don’t know the reason behind the different rates but I guess the locals get a ‘discount’ or maybe that is the actual rate.

Stunning view from Angel’s Billabong 😍

I saw from Maruti Express’ website that they offer a pick-up & drop off service + round-trip tickets to Nusa Penida for 550,000 IDR. However, they have a promotion until 31 December 2017 that sheds 20% of the rate, making it only 440,000 IDR. I took this offer. It still looks expensive if you try to compare it with the usual 125,000 IDR x 2 = 250,000 IDR. If you are to add your taxi / Grab or Uber ride from the hostel to Sanur & back to the hostel from Sanur, you will most likely pay the same amount.

The Maruti fast boat to Nusa Penida

The Maruti Express staff picked me up from Lokal Bali Hostel at 7:00 am & then we went straight to the office to get my tickets then to the waiting area by the beach. The fast boat left late (a little past 9:00 am; supposed to be 8:30 am). The trip to the island took us about an hour. Upon arrival in the port, I waited for my free shuttle to the hostel.

Accommodation

Nusa Penida is an island that is yet to be developed. The island has limited choices of places to stay. I was travelling on budget but then again as mentioned in my Ubud post, I wanted to have a private room for my stays for the trip (well except the 2 nights in Lokal Bali Hostel). A friend recommended that I stay in Full Moon Bungalows. It is one of the few budget accommodations in the island.

My private room in Full Moon Bungalows

View outside my room

Full Moon Bungalows have dormitory rooms for a cheaper price but I opted to stay in a private air-conditioned double room with toilet. I got the room for 300,000 IDR per night (600,000 IDR for 2 nights) on Booking.com. The rate includes a breakfast meal & free shuttle services to & from the ports. The hostel also has free Wi-Fi in the rooms & in the common areas (probably the most decent connection I had on the island). The rooms were made of bamboo walls & aren’t soundproof. You will hear what is happening in the other room & vice versa.

Hostel’s free breakfast – nasi goreng!! 😋

I think the accommodation I got on the island is a bit expensive but I think it was okay. I am in island with very limited choices of accommodations. This is also what you need to pay when you want privacy & an air-conditioned room. C’mon, I’m on vacation. 😉

Hostel’s pet cat – super cute one! 🐱

How I Went Around Nusa Penida

The only means of transportation around Nusa Penida is by car or motorbike. Cars are usually used by tour agencies while backpackers rent out & drive motorcycles. I was not 100% confident about my motorbike skills (plus a friend warned me about the dangerous bumpy roads in the island) so I hired a motorbike with a guide. It cost me 300,000 IDR for the whole day (petrol included). I know it was a bit expensive, but I didn’t want to risk my safety. It’s still way cheaper than paying 700,000 IDR for a car & a driver.

Where I Went In Nusa Penida

With Nusa Penida being untouched & undeveloped, access to the unique places to visit is hard. It usually takes an hour or so from one beautiful beach to the next bay. People also go to the island to go diving with the mantas & snorkeling. I don’t dive & I didn’t feel like snorkeling so I decide to pass on those 2 activities. Instead, I went to the following beautiful scenery:

Angel’s Billabong

Angel’s Billabong is a beautiful rock formation with a natural infinity pool in it. One can go to the infinity pool by climbing down the challenging rocks. Visitors are not advised to go down during high tide as people can be washed away to the sea due to strong water current.

Broken Beach

From its name, this place is a beach that was formed because of a broken part of a cliff. The circular form is about a hundred meters in diameter. What’s nice is you can actually walk around it.

Kelingking Secret Point

Kelingking Beach is my favorite place in Nusa Penida. You won’t believe this place exists until you see it in person. It only looks like a small finger attached to the mainland when you see it in the photos but it’s really huge in person. The limestone cliff & white sand blend well with big waves & blue waters. This stunning view point is out of this world; definitely a must-visit in Nusa Penida.

Crystal Bay Beach

After a long day of going around places, my guide took me to Crystal Bay Beach for some sunbathing & relaxation. It was a perfect sunny afternoon to enjoy the beautiful views of the bay & the rock formations.

Goa Giri Putri

Goa Giri Putri is a holy temple cave located in Suana, Nusa Penida. The entrance to the temple cave can be reached after climbing a hundred steps up. All guests are required to sign up in the guestbook & give a small donation to the temple. Everyone then has to go through a very small hole to make it to the cave temple. The temple has a number of worship areas & shrines inside. You will see a big opening at the end of the temple – this serves as the temple exit.

Atuh Beach

Atuh Beach is a hidden place characterized by scenic cliffs, beautiful but dangerous rock formations, untouched green nature, turquoise waters, white fine sand & big waves. Very few people visit this beach every single day so it’s a perfect place to relax, sunbathe & watch the beach. I spent my entire last day in Nusa Penida in this beach. You don’t need to worry about getting hungry whilst on the beach; there are small shops & restaurants in the beach selling food & drinks.

Most daily tours to Nusa Penida (from Bali) don’t include Atuh Beach in the itinerary so make sure to always check with your guide / tour office. You should not miss this beautiful untouched gem.

Another Day & Night In Kuta

Back in my favorite hostel in Kuta – Lokal Bali Hostel

After spending 48 hours in Nusa Penida, I boarded the same boat back to Sanur in Bali. I went back to Lokal Bali Hostel, stayed & relaxed there for the whole afternoon. I went swimming in the pool & had a quick nap. In the afternoon, I went to Kuta Beach for the sunset & met friends for dinner.

The famous Kuta Sunset 😍

Journey Back To Manila

The following morning, I went to the Ngurah Rai International Airport to fly back to Manila via Kuala Lumpur. I boarded the late morning Malindo Air flight to Kuala Lumpur. Upon arrival in KLIA, I immediately transferred to KLIA2 for my next flight. I dropped by the supermarket in Gateway@KLIA2 to get some treats before boarding my Cebu Pacific Air flight back to Manila.

Stopover in a random beach 🌞

Trip Verdict

That’s me enjoying the superb view of the Broken Beach 😍 Trip was a success!

I had an awesome 7-day (or maybe 6 full days not including the last day) trip around Ubud & Nusa Penida in Bali, Indonesia. It was nice visiting Ubud & rediscovering what this little cultural town has to offer. I didn’t have any regrets taking a side trip to Nusa Penida. The island offered some of the most beautiful & stunning landscapes I’ve seen in my entire life. The Paon Bali Cooking Class, Kelingking Secret Point, Angel’s Billabong, Broken Beach & Atuh Beach were the highlights of this trip. I may not have seen everything Bali has to offer but I am happy with the places I went to this time. I look forward to returning in the returning in the future – I just don’t know yet when will that be.

Jaw-dropping beauty of Angel’s Billabong 😃

Do you have any questions about Nusa Penida? Feel free to ask you questions & share your thoughts 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. Make sure to watch out for my Komodo blog post!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

The Wonderful Indonesia Series: UBUD – From Temples To Rice Paddies

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. 🇮🇩

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.

Tickets

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 ₱4,065.23. 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 ₱3,200++. 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

Transportation

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 ₱1,675. 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 ₱1,463 (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

Accommodation

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.

Where I Went & What I Did

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. 

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

One Night in Kuta

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!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.