Category: Travel

Throwback Thursday Treat: Temple Hopping In Siem Reap

For the past few months, I took you to my previous trips in Ho Chi Minh City, Taipei (flying there again tomorrow!), El Nido (twice) & Koh Lipe, Thailand. I’ve been to relatively a lot of places already but I am a bit struggling with the details so I am doing it one at a time.

This Thursday, I’ll take you to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Siem Reap is not the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia (Phnom Penh is) but it is definitely the most famous tourist destination in the country. It is the gateway to Angkor, the seat of the Khmer Kingdom during the 9th-15th centuries. This place caters to all kinds of travelers all year-round – from the backpackers to the luxury vacation goers. The city is more than just ruins & temples, it also boasts super nice & accommodating locals & very rich history & culture.

With Majo, my Siem Reap buddy, in Bakong Temple (1 hr drive from the center)

Last 16-22 February 2015, Majo & I were fortunate to visit this beautiful place for 5 days & 5 nights. We got our round-trip tickets for ₱4,469.50 in one of Cebu Pacific Air‘s low fare sale. We’ve been to a lot (when I say a lot, I mean, that’s about 15 of them) of temples during the trip. I will give more details about the trip below.

Accommodation

Majo & I treated this trip as sort of a relaxing one so we chose a decent & well-reviewed accommodation. We stayed in The Siem Reap Hostel. It is located about 10 minutes walk from the Pub Street. It is located a few meters walk from Hard Rock Cafe Siem Reap. The hostel has both dormitory & private ensuite rooms. [Update – The Siem Reap Hostel has ceased operations.]

Our room for 5 nights in Siem Reap!

We got the private room for 2/3 people. It features 2 spacious beds, private balcony, shower & toilet & a cable television. We paid $30 per night. The rate also includes free airport pick-up, free Wi-Fi access & buffet breakfast for 2. Buffet choices include bread, jam, coffee, tea, milk & fresh fruits. Breakfast is not included for guests staying in dormitory rooms. The guest can pay only $2 to avail the buffet.

The hostel has an on-site restaurant with delicious & reasonably-priced food. They have one of the best chicken rice, pad thai & lok lak I’ve tasted in my whole trip. It also has a bar where they have the 50-cents draft beer during happy hour. It has a spacious common area & a swimming pool on the ground floor, billiards area & cinema room on the 2nd floor & the yoga area on the 3rd floor. Guests are also allowed to use the computers on the ground floor for research & booking tickets / accommodations for upcoming trips.

Hostel’s bar & restaurant beside the swimming pool

The hostel also has a tour desk where guests can inquire about day trips they can take. If you are looking for friends to share tuktuk for the temple tours, you can just write your name & room number on the board & meet them in the lobby the following day for your tour.

What I really like about this hostel is they give back part of the proceeds to the local Khmer community. They help a group of tuktuk drivers by offering fixed-rate temple tours with these drivers readily available outside the hostel. Note that they give the tour fee drivers & they don’t get anything from it. They also help a local Khmer village by giving them livelihood. One staff told me that the hostel pays for their school & their English classes.

With Quentin, a French solo traveler we met in the waterfall tour. He joined us the following day for the Angkor Wat Sunrise / Small Circuit Tour.

I would highly recommend everyone to stay in The Siem Reap Hostel. It’s not just a hostel, it’s a hostel that helps the local Khmers. For updated room rates, check out this link.

Currency

US Dollars ($) are widely accepted all over Siem Reap, or shall I say all over Cambodia. The conversion rate at the time of writing is $1 = KHR 4,075.64. Make sure your US Dollars are new & crispy; some locals do not accept dilapidated notes. Locals normally use their local currency for small changes like 50 cents.

Temple Pass

Each tourist is required to purchase a temple pass for your to gain access to each temple. During our visit, a day pass costs $20, a 3-day pass costs $40 & a 7-day access costs $60. As of 1 February 2017, the government decided to raise the rates of these temple passes. The new rates as are as follows: $37 for 1 day, $62 for 3 days & $72 for 7 days. Expensive, eh?

Our 3-day temple pass worth $40 that time~

Note that these temple passes are non-transferable because it has your photo in it. You don’t need to use the pass for 3 or 7 consecutive days. The pass is valid for 30 days after your first use. Since we were there for 5 full days, Majo & I decided to get the 3-day temple pass worth $40.

Temple Tours & Places To Visit

As mentioned earlier, The Siem Reap Hostel offered temple tours through the group of tuktuk drivers they help. The rates & temples included in every tour are posted on the board at the ground floor at the back of the restaurant / bar area. Majo & I decided to take the following day tours

Note: These temple tours do not include meals. You can either bring your own food or ask the driver to stop by a restaurant along the way. Make sure to bring a big bottle of water, a cap / umbrella & a towel because it can be really hot during the day.

Grand / Big Circuit ($15)

Preah Khan

Neak Pean

Ta Som

East Mebon

Pre Rup

Small Circuit / Angkor Wat Sunrise ($15)

Angkor Wat was the seat of the Khmer Empire. It is considered as the world’s largest religious complex & is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Bayon Temple is the central temple of Angkor Thom. It is also known as the temple with smiling Buddha.

Baphuon Temple

Ta Prohm is the famous location used in the movie Tomb Raider.

Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre & Rolous Group ($20)

Banteay Srei & Banteay Samre | Banteay Srei is a temple dedicated to Shiva; a temple made of red sandstone.

Bakong Temple

Lolei  was under renovation when visited the temple grounds.

Preah Ko

Phnom Kulen Waterfall Tour ($32)

Visited the reclining Buddha on top of a hill.

The place where the Buddha is located.

Phnom Kulen Waterfall with the tour group turned good friends. The waterfall is located 2 hours & a few minutes hike from the Siem Reap center.

Another photo of the waterfall – this time without the people 😂

We also went to The River of a Thousand Lingas (no photo). It is a series of sand stone carvings in river beds & banks. It is located in the slopes of Phnom Kulen.

Pub Street & Siem Reap Night Market

Pub Street with the gang! Crazy fun night 🍺

If you are into restaurants & bars, then Pub Street in Siem Reap downtown is the place to be. The place is characterized by affordable to a-bit expensive restaurants (for dinner) & bars (for drinks). This is also where you’ll find most of the backpackers & tourists who are up for some fun night life. Majo & I (plus our new-found friends) went here for a few nights to have dinner & drinks (plus some crazy partying). The parties in the bars extend up to the streets at late night. Good times!

On our last night, Majo & I went to Siem Reap’s night market to buy some goodies for our families & friends here. The night market is a few blocks from the Pub Street. The prices of items were somewhat expensive – touristy I guess.

Majo & I were unable to go to most of the places in downtown (museums, halls, etc) because we concentrated on exploring the temples in Angkor & the nearby towns. It believe it was alright, the temples were really beautiful. Siem Reap is a place one should not miss! 🇰🇭

Pre Rup sunset 😍

Have you been to Siem Reap in the past? What was your favorite temple? Anything or place I missed that you want to suggest to the other readers? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading & have a great day ahead. 😎

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC One M8 & HTC Re.

Tuesday Tip: The PATTERN In Getting The Best Travel Accommodation Deals

Looking for the best accommodation normally comes after booking your plane ticket. There are a number of factors to consider (price, location, facilities, etc.) in booking these accommodations. These factors make it hard for you to choose which property to book. Well-reviewed & affordable accommodations usually sell up fast in every destination; so either you book super early or you look for an alternative.

In the my 5 years of travelling from one city / country to the other & from one weekend trip to another, I’ve noticed a pattern in booking my accommodations. I am happy to share that I haven’t been disappointed by the hotels, hostels & guesthouses I’ve stayed with so far. I just hope the trend continues for my upcoming trips.

In the past Tuesday Tip posts, I gave tips on how to book your next affordable plane ticket (with part 2), how to apply for your Japan tourist visa & how to easily pass through PH immigration. Today, I will share with you 7 pointers to check before you book your next travel accommodation. It’s easy, you just need to know the PATTERN.

P – Price & Location

The first & probably the most important factor in booking accommodations is the price. Rates vary from one property to the other so make sure to compare prices. It helps to have a budget solely for accommodation. You will know how to work things around & to choose wisely based on the amount you set & availability. Do not spend too much on accommodation. You’ll be perfectly fine as long as the beds are comfortable & the room is cozy. Take note that you will be out exploring most of the day so you won’t be able to maximize the facilities.

The second important factor to consider is location. Make sure to choose accommodations that are near in some (if not all) means of transportation. It has to be a few meters walk from the nearest train / subway station or bus stop / terminal. It is also helpful to choose a property with a nearby convenience store or supermarket – saves you a lot of time if you immediately need food or drinks in the middle of the night.

A – Advice

There will always be one person who has been to the place you’re going to visit. If that person is your friend, go ask him / her for possible accommodation suggestions. This person has first hand experience in some accommodation choices so he / she can give you more information about the property.

One of the Facebook groups where you can ask for advice. Make sure to head over to the group page & join!

Another way to ask for advice is to join Facebook groups like Philippines Backpacker / Traveler, Couchsurfers & Backpackers Philippines, Southeast Asia Backpacking, South East Asia Backpacking, Backpacking Southeast Asia Alone, Backpacking North & East Asia & the list goes on. These members of these groups have traveled, are currently traveling & will travel different places around the Philippines, Southeast & East Asia. A simple post asking for recommendations can give you numerous suggestions where to stay in a certain place.

T – Theme

It is also important to know the theme of the accommodation you are going to book. If you are into partying & meeting people, then you should book a party hostel. If you are on a shoestring budget & doesn’t mind sharing the room with other people but is not into partying, then you must get a bed in a normal hostel. If you think you need to relax in a luxurious way, then you should stay in a 4-star or 5-star hotel. If you are into relaxation but in a very low budget, then affordable hotels would do. Do you prefer to stay in a place where you have access to your own kitchen & dining area? An apartment / serviced apartment suits you. If you are on a budget but still want access to kitchen & dining facilities, I believe guesthouses are perfect for you. Knowing what to expect in your accommodation helps set the mood of the trip.

T – Travel Accommodation Booking Websites

Agoda’s website

Famous booking websites such as Agoda, Booking.com, Airbnb & Hostelworld help a lot in looking for the best accommodation choice in a certain place. These platforms provide the kind of room to expect, what facilities do the property have & reviews of guests who have previously stayed in the property. These booking portals are user friendly – you can sort the available properties based on review scores (made by people who traveled solo, as couples, with friends or families who previously stayed in the property), price (from most affordable to most expensive), number of stars (for hotels) & distance from city center.

Screenshot of Booking.com while I was searching for accommodation suggestions for my Indonesia trip 2 months from now – I arranged the available properties according to review scores.

Make sure to compare the prices of properties in these different platforms because they tend to vary from one to the other. You might find a hostel which is already affordable in Hostelworld but is ₱200 cheaper in Booking.com.

E – Emails & Facebook Pages

After comparing the prices of a certain property in the above-mentioned travel portals, head over to the property’s website or Facebook page & send an inquiry about your planned stay. Why? It’s because the property might have current promotions or offers which will make the nightly rate cheaper. There will also be times where it will be cheaper if you book directly with the property.

R – Reviews, blogs & vlogs

I mentioned above that booking websites provide reviews made by people who stayed in the specific properties. While those reviews can already help you decide, I believe it’s best to also check & read additional reviews from Tripadvisor. Reviews posted in this website include stays of people who booked directly to the property or through another different booking platform. You can also head to the property’s Facebook page to check on some reviews.

Tripadvisor page of Seahorse Guesthouse Coron – it’s the #1 specialty lodging in Coron based on the users’ reviews | Stayed in this property last May 2017

You can also look for blog reviews & Youtube vlogs made by travel enthusiasts. This will widen your perception of a certain property; you will also get more good & not-so-good information & experiences about these accommodations. It will help you decide where to & not to stay & also have an idea what place to avoid.

Another #1 hostel I’ve stayed with in the past – this time in Krabi, Thailand | Slumber Party Hostel is the best party hostel I’ve been to! Check out the rates!

N – Newsletters & mailing lists

Make sure to subscribe to newsletters & mailing lists of your favorite hotel chain or booking platform. These websites send out regular or weekly emails containing promotions & offers of certain properties in chosen cities or places. You can also check with your respective banks & credit card providers for possible promotions or discount codes. Who’s going to say no to discounted accommodation costs anyway?

Subscribed to Hostelworld’s mailing list so I get e-mails like this weekly.

Booking trip accommodations is not easy as easy as counting 1, 2 & 3. It’s a long, confusing & a mind-boggling process with a number of factors to consider. If you are travelling with friends, make sure to ask for their preferences, comments & suggestions to prevent unwanted rifts & misunderstandings (had one incident in the past 😂😂😂).

If you are not keen on spending on accommodation, you can try Couchsurfing. It is a hospitality & networking website where locals host travelers & visitors in their house & apartments. I haven’t personally tried it, but I have friends who said they had really good experiences with their hosts. I will definitely try this one day; I’ll let you guys know.

That’s it for today. I hope the tips mentioned above will help you decide where you’ll stay for your next trip. If you have any thoughts or questions, feel free to leave a comment below. You can also reach me via email by sending it to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading. Sa uulitin! 😊

CORON – Paradise Beyond Words

A month ago, during the Labor Day long weekend, I flew to Busuanga, Palawan for a quick trip with my backpack, phone, wallet & HTC Re camera. Fine, I went all by myself. I spent 4 days & 3 nights in a paradise called Coron.

View from my airplane seat minutes before landing in Busuanga Airport

I’ve been to Palawan a few times – Puerto Princesa (November 2012), El Nido (March 2014, August 2014 & August 2016) & Port Barton (March 2017) – but I’ve never been to Coron. My friends kept on telling me to visit this beautiful place, but I could not find affordable plane tickets to the island. I don’t know the reason why airfare to Busuanga is always expensive, most of the time more expensive than a round-trip ticket to a nearby international destination.

I was lucky to find a good airfare deal to Busuanga (USU) last February (about 2 months before the trip) so I didn’t hesitate to book it. I will elaborate more on the trip details – ticket, accommodation & tours – below.

Ticket

My super duper cheap plane ticket to Coron!

The good deal I mentioned earlier was using my GetGo Points, Cebu Pacific Air’s lifestyle rewards program. I got my Manila-Busuanga-Manila ticket for 10,140 GetGo points & ₱1,068.12 worth of taxes & airline fees. I know that’s quite a lot of points, but I don’t have anything to use it for anyway so I grabbed the chance. For everyone’s information, the regular round-trip ticket (same flights) costs around ₱13,500+ at the time of booking. I was able to save more than ₱12,000 by using my points. Great deal, right?

Tip: Head over to this post (& this post too) on how you can increase your chances of getting low fare tickets like I did for this Coron trip.

Accommodation

As mentioned in a recent blog post, I’ve been staying in accommodations with dormitory rooms & nice communal areas. I’ve read around different booking & review sites & found Seahorse Guesthouse as the best option.

Seahorse Guesthouse’ reception area

I booked with Agoda & got my 3-night stay for only ₱1,773.13. Rate is a few hundreds cheaper than that on the website (₱750 per night as per the website). I stayed in an air-conditioned dormitory room for 4 people. Each room has its own shower & toilet area. Each guest is given a spacious & a comfy bed with pillow & sheets, reading light & a locker with a padlock (included). For such an affordable price, guests are also given free breakfast (choice between American breakfast & Filipino breakfasts – tocino / corned beef with rice, egg & banana + coffee / tea).

My spacious bed for 3 nights

The hostel has a communal lounge area (also the breakfast area) at the rooftop where you can meet & talk to other travellers. It is also the best place to use the guesthouse’s free Wi-Fi access. Don’t expect the Wi-Fi to work well in your rooms; the facility’s Wi-Fi only depends on the mobile network & not through a wired connection. My favorite perk of being a guest at Seahose Guesthouse is the water refill dispensers in the reception & rooftop areas. You can refill as many times as you can.

4th floor common lounge & breakfast area

The hostel has nice & helpful staff. They arranged my airport transfers (₱150 per way), helped me book my island tours & gave recommendations on which restaurants to have dinner. Shoutout to Lindon & Mark for answering my questions & for helping me when the tour agency messed up with my booked island tour (more details below).

Went to the nearby gelato shop with the people I met in the dorm & island tour

I recommend everyone going to Coron to stay in Seahorse Guesthouse. This accommodation is located in Coron town, a few minutes walk to the public market, wharf, banks, stores & restaurants – pretty much close to everything. You get more than what you pay for! Make sure to book your stay early as they are usually fully-booked.

Day Tours

I only had a few days in Coron & I want to explore / visit as much as I can. First / arrival day is usually allotted for the Coron Town Tour, which will visit the Coron Public Market, Lualhati Park, San Agustin Church, Cashew Farm, Mount Tapyas View Deck & Maquinit Hot Spring. The tour costs ₱700 & it includes all fees & transfers. I sort-of got lazy after check-in & decided to skip this tour. Instead, I walked to & went up Mount Tapyas at around 5:00 in the afternoon also to watch the sunset. Entrance to the view deck is free.

Sunset from Mount Tapyas view deck

Just like El Nido, Coron also has Tours A-D. Each tour has around 4 or 5 stops with a rate of ₱800 to a little over ₱1,000 per tour (lunch included). I only had 2 days for island tours so I decided to pay a higher price to visit more islands / beaches. Locals say Calamian Islands Travel & Tours is the biggest & the best tour agency in town. I booked the 2 island tours with them through the hostel – the Coron Ultimate Island Tour (7 destinations for ₱1,600) & the Island Escapade Tour (3 islands for ₱1,700). The escapade tour is more expensive that the island tour because the 3 islands are about 1.5-2 hours boat ride away from Coron town.

The clearest waters of Coron, Palawan 😍

The initial plan was to take the Island Escapade Tour first & the Ultimate Island Tour the following day, but the agency messed up with some of the bookings. Pick-up for the escapade tour was supposed to be 7:30 am & I waited until 9:00 am. Mark (from the hostel) accompanied me to the agency office & we found out the boat left without me. DISASTER! The agency confirmed they got my booking but, the van driver & tour guide forgot to pick me up from the hostel. I was offered to join the other group of guests (also with booking problems) for the ultimate island tour; I said yes not to waste the day I have in Coron. We were given a speed boat for the tour. The snorkeling gears were given for free (usually for rent at ₱150).

Coron Ultimate Island Tour

Kayangan Lake

Beach 91 – the place where we had lunch

Skeleton Wreck

On the way to Twin Lagoon (no photo inside the Twin Lagoon, sorry!)

Snorkeling at Siete Picados

On our way back to Coron Town

Island Escapade Tour

On our way to the islands~

Malcapuya Island – stunningly beautiful!

Banana Island – the place where we had lunch

Bulog Dos

Verdict: I enjoyed the escapade tour over the ultimate island tour. The latter was jam packed with tourists; maybe because it was a long weekend in the Philippines. The ultimate tour was full of activities like snorkeling, swimming, hiking, etc. while the escapade tour was a little laid-back & relaxing – just sitting in the lying down in the sand, a little of swimming & snorkeling. For me, Kayangan Lake, Siete Picados & Beach 91 were the highlights of the ultimate tour. On the other hand, Malcapuya Island was the best island / beach I’ve been to in Coron – its beauty was beyond words.

Can’t get enough Malcapuya Island’s beauty

This pretty much sums up my 4-day weekend trip in Coron. If only I had more days to spare, I could’ve tried the Reefs & Wrecks Tour as well as the Calauit Safari Tour. I should’ve also rented a scooter to drive up to the inhabited beaches of Busuanga Island. I guess these activities will definitely be the reason to go back to Coron in the future.

Expenses

Beautiful islands, lagoons & beaches. Coron is truly a paradise! 😍

Curious how much I spent for the entire trip? Here’s a breakdown of my expenses.

Thoughts: ₱8,476.25. I believe I spent just the right amount of money for a 4-day trip. The airfare was definitely a bargain; the accommodation was a good deal. It provided everything a guest needs. The tours were a bit expensive, but I think it was all good. The islands & beaches were amazing, one of the best places I’ve been to.

If you haven’t been to Coron, make sure to go there in the next few months / years before it gets super duper busy & crowded. It’s another trip for the books & I couldn’t wait to visit again!

I will definitely visit this paradise again! 😍

HELP! Recent news say that Nickelodeon (Viacom International Media Networks) & Coral World Park Undersea Resorts Inc. are planning to develop an underwater theme park in Coron. Please help stop this plan. Coron is NOT Bikini Bottom. Show your support by signing in this petition created by environmentalist Anna Oposa. I am not in any way related to the organization, but I share the same sentiments & I believe it’s worth-sharing.

Malcapuya Island – Beauty beyond words! 😍

Have you been to Coron? What was your favorite lagoon or island? Are you planning to fly there soon? Do you have any questions about the town or the islands? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Happy weekend! 😎

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.

Friday Thoughts: The Ups & Downs of Staying in Hostels (Plus Tips For Your Next Stay!)

For the past few years, I’ve stayed in different hostels all over the Philippines, Southeast & East Asia. Staying in this kind of accommodation helped me change from being an introvert to the most social person I am now. It also helped me go out of my comfort zone & overcome my anxieties while travelling on my own.

Before anything else, let us see how a hostel is defined in a dictionary. Merriam Webster defines a hostel as an inexpensive lodging facility for usually young travellers that typically has dormitory-style sleeping arrangements & sometimes offers meals & planned activities. Oxford Dictionaries define it as an establishment which provides inexpensive food & lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers, or travellers.

Spin Designer Hostel‘s dormitory beds (El Nido, Palawan) 🛌

Both definitions mentioned inexpensive accommodation where young people / travellers stay while travelling. Yes, hostels cater mostly to young travellers, to people like us. Majority of the hostels offer dormitory or shared accommodation but there are also some who have private rooms at a little higher (but still cheap) rate.

In this post, I will elaborate more on the ups & downs of staying in hostels. I will also give tips when looking for a hostel or when you are already in a hostel. Hopefully after reading this post, you will consider staying in a hostel for your next trip.

Disclaimer: All points & tips below are based on personal experiences.

UPS

Affordable price

Hostel rates are way cheaper than that of hotels & serviced apartments. You only pay around 25% -30% of a hotel’s nightly rate. Imagine paying only ₱400 – ₱600 for a night stay in Coron compared to paying ₱3,500 per night in a fancy hotel both located in the same area.

My dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel | A night’s stay costs ¥3,200 (weekend peak rate) – still cheaper compared to ¥12,000+ per night hotel room rate 🛌

For an affordable price, you get the same basic amenities which hotels provide you – a bed with pillow & sheets, luggage storage, free Wi-Fi, reading light & the list goes on.

You meet new people

Meeting a lot of people is probably my favorite advantage of staying in hostels. You meet these people in your dormitory rooms or in a hostel’s social / common areas. Most of the time, it just starts with a simple, “Hi, how are you?” or “Hi, where are you from?” & ends up having good new friends & awesome memories.

A simple card game turned ‘drinking’ card game with these people from all over the world | Location: NapPark Hostel @ Khao San, Bangkok (September 2016) *Credits to Danielle for the photo*

Most hostels have spacious communal lounges where people can sit down, talk to other people & exchange experiences & recommendations. A significant portion of the travelling population is composed of solo travellers; most of them are up for meeting new people & having good times with these new people.

Fun & cheaper activities

Met these people in a waterfall tour organized by The Siem Reap Hostel

Hostel owners are aware that they cater to people who travel on a budget thus offering cheaper & more fun activities. Day & island tours are sometimes cheaper when you book them through your hostels compared to booking them outside or in a travel agency. If your hostel doesn’t offer these activities, they usually recommend agencies where you can get these tours / activities for a cheaper rate.

You save money on food

Osaka Hana Hostel‘s communal kitchen, dining & lounge area

Some hostels (especially in Japan & Korea) have communal kitchens where you can prepare your food during your stay. It helps save money rather than going out & buy food in the restaurants / cafe. Some hostels also offer free, simple breakfast like coffee or tea plus toast, omelette & cereals. It may not be as fancy as the hotel’s breakfast buffet it sure helps you start your day right.

Local’s recommendations

Hostels employ locals which help the guests from check-in up to checkout. These local employees also help you have the most authentic experiences in a place by providing good food & activity recommendations. Sometimes, they even join you eat in these restaurants & try these activities.

Location

Hostels are centrally located in most cities & places. They are usually located a few minutes walk from train stations, bus stops & bus terminals. You don’t have to worry how to go to the airport to catch your next flight or to the bus terminal to make it to your overnight bus ride.

Security

Just like hotels, hostels have security systems installed throughout the property. This makes security surveillance a lot easier for the owner & staff. One big difference between these 2 accommodations is hostels do not allow outsiders to go inside the dormitory rooms. Visitors (non-guests) are only allowed up to the reception / waiting area.

DOWNS

No / lesser privacy

Staying in a dormitory room with up to 16 or 20 people means lesser or even no privacy. You basically share everything with your roommates. Each room provides lockers for your stuff. If you are a person who loves to leave everything outside of the bag, then hostels aren’t for you. Bathrooms & toilet are also shared with the other guests. There is also a high risk of theft where your belongings a can be stolen by anyone in the hostel.

Backpackers Hostel K’s House Kyoto‘s Common Bathroom

No control over your roommates

Sharing a room with different people means you do not have control over them. Generally, people staying in hostels are respectful to their roommates. There are just a few uncontrollable instances where unsolicited noise is created (for example: talking to another guest or fixing stuff / luggage) thus interrupting your sleep. There will also be people who snore loud or who move a lot while sleeping.

You also do not have control of how the room might smell due to a mixture of scents & body smells. Also, even if you don’t talk a lot, there will always be this one person or two who will engage you in a conversation.

Limited amenities / perks

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay : one of the few hostels I’ve been to that has a swimming pool 🏊

Staying in affordable hostels equates to limited amenities. While most hostels offer free Wi-Fi access, breakfast choices can be really limited – mostly omelette, toasts & jam + coffee or tea. They do not have fancy swimming pools (some hostels have pools though) & fitness areas / gymnasiums which hotels have. They also do not have toiletries included in the rate & towel rental comes with a fee (in most hostels).

TIPS

Read online reviews

Before booking your stay, make sure to read online reviews of the hostels. Websites, such as Tripadvisor, Agoda, Booking.com & Hostelworld show reviews of people who stayed in these hostels. These reviews help a lot, especially in conditioning your mind on what to expect during your stay.

Book beds with privacy curtains

This is a personal preference, but I would still share it with everyone. Booking beds with curtains gives you the privacy you need. Hostels offer dormitory rooms for 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 & sometimes up to 22 people. Book a bed in a dormitory room with a bedroom configuration you are comfortable with.

Nappark Hostel‘s 22-bed dormitory room | Each bed has a pull-down blinds 

Bring padlocks, blindfolds, ear plugs, towels & toiletries

Hostels normally provide lockers without padlocks. Make sure to bring a padlock to safeguard all your stuff inside your locker. This will reduce the risk of having something stolen from you. Also, since you do not have control over your roommates (plus the noise they make), it helps to have ear plugs & blindfolds with you. Some hostels are generous enough to provide ear plugs for free, ask them upon check-in.

Given these hostels provide limited amenities, it helps to bring your own towels & toiletries. It also saves up the cost of renting a towel from reception & buying toiletries outside.

Respect your roommates

You expect your roommates to be quiet while you’re sleeping; make sure to be one when they are the ones asleep. Walk quietly when getting into the room late at night; fix your things quietly & make sure to be considerate enough with the other guests.

Socialize

Spin Designer Hostel‘s common lounge (El Nido, Palawan) 🛋️

Be friendly. It only takes a simple ‘hi’ to gain a new friend in a hostel. Make the most out of your stay by exchanging experiences & stories with fellow travellers. It’s the perfect time to know about other places, cultures & traditions. It’s also a good way to ask for recommendations on where to go next & what else to do. Make sure to share yours too! Who knows, you might just have unforgettable fun times with your new mates from your hostel.

Staying in hostels is fun. If you’re scared to stay in a hostel, I suggest that you go out of your comfort zone & give it a shot. You might just have the best memories while travelling. Forget about the fancy hotel beds & expensive rates, you’re definitely up for good times when you stay in hostels.

Good times in Nappark Hostel, Bangkok | Played beer pong with newfound friends before flying back to Manila 🍺

Have you thought of an additional point you can share to our readers? Have you tried staying in a hostel? How was your experience? Feel free to share some bits about your stay in the comments below. Anything you want to know about staying in hostels? You may send me an send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading & enjoy the weekend. 😃

Going Solo in Japan Series: FUKUOKA

After spending 3 days in Nagoya, 2 days in Hiroshima, 5 days in Kyoto & Osaka (including 2 separate day tours in Nara & Kobe), I took a 9.5-hour overnight bus ride to Fukuoka Prefecture’s capital city, Fukuoka.

Fukuoka is Kyushu Island’s most famous & populated city. This port city is Japan’s gateway & also the closest hub to mainland Asia. Just like any other Japanese city, it is characterized by developed infrastructure, modern transportation system & helpful & accommodating people. The city is also famous for beautiful cherry blossom sightings every spring season.

Beautiful sunny day in Ōhori Park 😍

I didn’t know about Fukuoka until I was searching for an affordable flight back to Manila. The city is not as famous as Tokyo & Osaka in the Philippine tourism market, but it’s definitely starting to gain attention in the past months. I spent the last 3 days of my 13-day Japan journey here. I will give more details below of how my stay went.

Trivia: Fukuoka is the birth place of tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. It is also where my favorite Ichiran Ramen originated.

Accommodation

Just like my previous hostels for this trip, I stayed in Hana Hostel Group‘s local branch, Fukuoka Hana Hostel. The hostel is centrally located within the Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade. It is a 2-3 minute walk to the famous Canal City, 5 minutes walk to Nakasu-Kawabata subway station & about 15 minutes walk to Tenjin’s shopping area. The airport is 4 stops away (about 10 minutes ride) from the nearest subway station. Fukuoka’s main train station, JR Hakata Station, is 1 train stop away or about 15 minutes walk.

I stayed in a 3-bed male dormitory room with private shower & en-suite. Just like any other Hana Hostel branch, each bed includes its own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains, curtains (for privacy), universal plug & a storage box (plus free Wi-Fi). I paid ¥2,800 per night (¥5,600 for 2 nights). It’s one of the cheapest rates I’ve seen during my stay. For those who do not want to stay in a dormitory room, they also have private rooms with affordable rates.

The staff were super nice & accommodating. They speak good English & they are always ready to help. The hostel stored my luggage before check in & after check out for free. It also has a spacious common area on the ground floor where you can meet other travelers. It also has a kitchen where guests can prepare their own food. I will definitely stay here again when I go back to Fukuoka.

Torii gates in Kushida Shrine grounds 😍

Tip: Fukuoka Hana Hostel accepts bookings up to 3 months before your desired stay. Make sure to book early as they as usually fully booked.

Going Around Fukuoka

Going around the city is easy. The subway system is not as confusing as that of Tokyo’s & Osaka’s. Fukuoka has only 3 subway lines – Kuko Line, Nanakuma Line & Hakozaki Line. Kuko Line is the main city line which starts in Fukuoka Airport Station, passes by Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata, Tenjin, Ohorikoen, Nishijin up to Meinohama Station. Nanakuma Line starts in Tenjin-Minami Station & services up to Hashimoto Station while Hakozaki Station starts in Nakasu-Kawabata Station & ends in Kaizouka.

Saw this amazing view when I stepped out of Daizafu Station 😍

The city also has JR Lines connected to these subway stations making it possible to connect to nearby cities & towns. By the way, these subway & JR lines also accept IC cards. You can also go around the city by bus (one thing I didn’t try because I’m fond of subways).

Places to visit in Fukuoka

Fukuoka may not have a long list of places to visit but it definitely has some unique places to see. Let me tell you which places I went to in my short 3-day stay.

Ōhori Park

Ōhori Park’s famous pavilion in the middle of the lake

Locally known as Ōhori-kōen, Ōhori Park is Fukuoka’s most famous park located in the center of the city. It features a large pond with a walking path around it & in the middle. The park is an ideal place for strolling, jogging & relaxing. Entrance to the park is free.

You can also find Fukuoka Art Museum a meters walk from Ōhori Park. However, the museum is closed for renovation & won’t be open until March 2019. Later I found out that the Fukuoka Castle Ruins / Maizuru Park were only a few meters away from the park. Unfortunately, I missed out visiting this place.

Access: Ohorikoen Station

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome from the outside

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome is the home of the locally famous Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball team. The stadium can accommodate close to 40,000 spectators & is the world’s largest geodesic dome. It is also one of the popular places where local & international artists hold their concerts.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Momochihama Seaside Park

This is a 1 kilometer stretch of man-made beach in the Seaside Momochi Waterfront. It is located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. The beach was empty when I went there because it was almost winter & it’s too cold for people to swim.

Empty Momochi Beach on a cold but sunny autumn (almost winter) day

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Fukuoka Tower

View of Fukuoka Tower from the Seaside Momochi Waterfront 🗼

Fukuoka Tower is the city’s tallest building, also Japan’s tallest seaside building. It stands 234 m high & is located by the Momochihama Beach. Entrance to the building’s observatory costs ¥800. They offer 20% discount to foreigners who will show their passports.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Robosquare

Robosqaure is robot showroom located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. It is a place where you can interact & play with robots. I met a few interesting robots acts like humans. I also met a very cute dog robot who knows how to react for every hand gesture you make. There is also a shop where you can purchase & take home these robots.

One of the many robots you can play with in Robosquare 🤖

The showroom is located in the 2nd floor of the TV Nishi Nippon Building. Admission is free. As someone from the Philippines, I really enjoyed interacting / playing with the robots. It’s a must visit for kids & kids-at-heart.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Tenjin

Dubbed as Fukuoka’s downtown, Tenjin is the city’s shopping, dining & entertainment hub. This is the place to go to if you want to shop for new clothes, dine in fancy restaurants, drink in bars & party in clubs.

Bake Cheese Tart is a must-try! 😋

Aside from the upscale department stores & shopping malls, it also has an underground shopping area which connects 2 subway stations & various buildings. This place is called Tenjin Chikagai. I think this underground shopping strip is a must-see place in Fukuoka. This is also where I found Bake Cheese Tart, the famous cheese tart chain that originated in Hokkaido.

Access: Tenjin & Tenjin-Minami Stations

Canal City – Hakata

A not-so-busy street of Fukuoka on my way to Canal City

Canal City is a large shopping & entertainment complex in Hakata. Characterized by more than 200 shops & restaurants, the 5 storey structure has a canal running through the complex premises. It also has 2 hotels in it.

What I found interesting in this shopping complex is Ramen Stadium on its fifth floor. This place has more or less 8 ramen restaurants coming from different places in Japan. If you’re a person who’s into ramen, then you should visit Canal City, particularly the ramen stadium.

Access: 10 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata Station & 15 minutes walk from Hakata Station

Yatai

Yatai is a small mobile food stall found in random streets in Japan. These stalls are set up late afternoon / early evening & are packed up usually after midnight. These mobile restaurants serve almost all kinds of food – from ramen, to hotpots & grilled skewers. They also serve sake & alcholic drinks.

Post-drink snack in a yatai with YS, a friend I met in the hostel 🍢

These stalls are scattered all over Fukuoka, but you can find most of them in Nakasu Area. I went to one of these stalls with YS, the friend I met in the hostel for almost midnight snack. The food we had was really good!

Tōchō-ji Temple

Beautiful colors outside Tōchō-ji Temple🍂

The Tōchō-ji Temple is one of the central attractions in Hakata, Fukuoka. It is the Buddhist temple that houses the great statue called Fukuoka Daibutsu. This 10 m sitting Buddha wooden statue was carved for a few years.

Cameras were not allowed inside the hall so I was not able to take a photo of it. The status was really huge; it’s definitely a must-see when in Hakata & Fukuoka.

Access: 2 minutes walk from Gion Station

Kushida Shrine

Fukuoka’s famous Kushida Shrine ⛩️

Kushida Shrine is a Shinto Shrine located in Hakata Ward. Every July, a big festival called Hakata Gion Yamakasa, is celebrated. All the events & activities held at the festival is centered on this shrine.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata & Gion Stations

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine

Entrance to the main shrine ⛩️

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, an important figure during the Heian Period. The shrine was built over Michizane’s grave. There are other structures & places located in the area; that includes the Dazaifu Tenman-gū Museum, Kanko Historical Museum & the Kyushu National Museum.

Entrance to the shrine grounds is free; but the museums charge a few yens.

Crowded Dazaifu Tenman-gū main shrine ⛩️

Access: From Tenjin Station, take the Nishitetsu-Tenjin-Omuta Line train towards Nishitetsu-Yanagawa. Get off at Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station & transfer to the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line towards Dazaifu. From Dazaifu Station, head right. Follow the crowd & walk for 5-7 minutes to the shrine.

Aaannd this concludes the Going Solo in Japan Series. It’s definitely a trip for the books – solo travelling at its finest. If you haven’t read the previous blogs in this series, just check the following posts: Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kyoto & Osaka & Nara & Kobe. I also blogged about how I managed to overcome the ₱50,000 x 13 days & 7 cities challenge for this trip. Flying to Japan soon? I’ve also blogged about my previous trip to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka & I made a 4-step guide on how to apply for your Japan tourist visa.

One last photo about Fukuoka! Empty Momochi beach 🏖️ 

Japan will always be one of my favorite countries. I have visited the country for 2 years in a row & I am looking forward to my third, fourth & upcoming visits. It’s a country I won’t get tired of coming back. 💗

Is there something you want to know more about Fukuoka or anything you want to ask about the places mentioned above? Is there topic / content you want to see in this blog in the future? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re & HTC One M8.