Tuesday Tips – Page 3 – The Wknd Travel

Tuesday Tip: 4 TRUSTED HOSTEL GROUPS To Check When Looking For AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION in JAPAN

We can’t deny the fact that Japan accommodation prices are very high compared to those of our neighboring countries. From someone who’s been to a number of countries, I can vouch that it actually has one of the most expensive per night rates (both in hotels & hostels) in Asia.

I’ve been flying to Japan every year since 2015 & believe it or not, I’ve never stayed in a hotel. I always go for the cheaper & comfortable option of staying in hostels. I have the tendency to be very picky on which hostel to choose & what time of room or dormitory configuration to book but so far, I’ve never made a bad decision. All rooms & bed types I got in the past are decent, secured, comfortable, some are a little bit over the usual price but totally worth every yen.

In the last 5 years of flying to & travelling around Japan, I discovered 4 trusted hostel groups that offer affordable & over-the-top services to its guests. Note that I’ve stayed in at least one property of these hostel groups in the past. If you’ve been following my Hostel Of The Day posts in the past, you’ll see some of featured hostels coming from these hostel groups. These hostels are located in places or cities where most foreigners go or visit.

The aim of these hostel groups is to provide the best quality of hospitality in the most affordable price or rate. I can assure you that all hostels under these hostel groups provide the best comfort they can at such low prices. Allow me to share with you which hostel groups you should check for your next Japan trip.

Have you read the article I posted about the pattern in getting the best travel accommodation deals online? If not, better check out this post.

Oak Hotel Group

Oak Hotel Group is a hostel group owned & managed by Oakhouse Co Ltd. The group started in 1992 as living spaces for foreigners in Japan. It has transformed into share houses for both foreigners & locals. A few years after, the hostel is operating in 6 locations in Tokyo & 1 in Nara. The hostel group’s concept is ‘enjoyable living.’ True enough, all their properties are equipped with facilities that provide comfortable & enjoyable experience.

Here are the current Oak Hotel properties: Oak Hostel Sakura in Oshiage, Oak Hotel Edo in Morishita, Oak Hostel Fuji in Asakusa, Oak Hostel Zen in Ueno, Oak Hostel Cabin in Tokyo, Oak Hotel Ikebukuro in Ikebukuro & Oak Hostel Nara in Nara.

Check out these photos of Oak Hostel Zen’s common lounge, wash, kitchen & dining areas. Neat!

My favorite Tokyo hostel is under this hostel group – Oak Hostel Zen. In fact, I already stayed in this property for 3 times (2015, 2017 & 2018) & I am planning to go back in the future. Check out the hostel of the day feature of Oak Hostel Zen.

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group is a combination of 2 smaller hostel groups – J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels. J-Hoppers started in 2002 in Kyoto, Japan in a small building near Kyoto Station. Different branches have been added since then. The owner’s vision in creating this hostel group is to give foreigners a ‘home’ during their ‘Japan-hopping’ trips.

This hostel group also operates J-Stay, a shared-house business for those who want to stay in Kyoto for a longer time, J-Hop Tour, a bus-tour that runs from Osaka or Kyoto to Shirkawa-go & Hida Takayama & hana SAKE bar, a sake bar located on the ground floor of the Osaka property.

The hostel group currently has 12 properties across different locations: J-Hoppers Kyoto, J-Hoppers Hida Takayama, J-Hoppers Lake Biwa, J-Hoppers Kumano Yunomine, J-Hoppers Osaka, J-Hoppers Osaka Universal, J-Hoppers Hiroshima, Kyoto Hana Hostel, Osaka Hana Hostel, Hiroshima Hana Hostel, Fukuoka Hana Hostel & Gion Ryokan Q-Beh.

This is how a bed in a Hana Hostel dormitory bed looks like. It’s spacious, clean & comfortable. 🙂

One of my recent hostel of the day features is that of Fukuoka Hana Hostel where I came back for the second time. I stayed in the same property (& same room) last November 2016 when I went hopping around different cities. I also stayed in Osaka Hana Hostel & Hiroshima Hana Hostel in November 2016.

K’s House Quality Hostels

K’s House Quality Hostels is a multi-awarded hostel chain that started business in 2003 in Kyoto. As per the company’s website, their group’s concept is to provide ‘inexpensive, convenient & comfortable accommodation for travelers.’ They aim to be true to this concept by providing all guests with quality service, spacious communal areas & comfortable bedding be it in private or dormitory rooms. The group currently operates 12 properties & plans to expand to more locations in the coming years.

The hostel group also operates an affordable Mount Fuji One Day Tour & another accommodation branch, K’s Villa which offers affordable vacation rentals in various locations.

The operating hostels of K’s House are the following: K’s House Kyoto, K’s House Tokyo, K’s House Tokyo Oasis, K’s House Hiroshima, K’s House Mt Fuji, K’s House Fuji View, K’s House Hakone, K’s House Ito Onsen, K’s House Takayama, K’s House Takayama Oasis, K’s House Kanazawa & K’s House Hakuba Alps.

K’s House Kyoto’s spacious common area. This area is the best place to meet people traveling Japan.

K’s House Mt Fuji’s 8-bed dormitory room. Stayed in this dormitory room last November 2017.

I’ve always been a fan of K’s House. I stayed in K’s House Kyoto in 2015 when I flew to Japan with my high school friends. I went back to K’s House Kyoto following year with another friend from work. In 2017, I stayed in K’s House Mt Fuji & K’s House Takayama Oasis when I visited Kawaguchiko & Hida Takayama for a few days.

Khaosan Hostel Group

The last of my 4 trusted hostel groups is Japan is Khaosan Hostel Group. The group is owned by Manryo Co Ltd which started business in January 2004. The owners of the group have transformed old buildings, love hotels & restaurants into shared accommodation & now have 9 operating properties in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka. The company’s goal is to create a community of travelers having a great time together regardless of nationality, background & companions.

Khaosan Group currently operates & maintains the following 9 properties: Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Samurai, Khaosan World Ryogoku Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Laboratory, Khaosan Tokyo Origami, Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki in Tokyo, Khaosan Kyoto Guesthouse in Kyoto & Khaosan World Tennoji Hostel & Khaosan World Namba Hostel in Osaka.

The family deluxe room with tatami-style beds we got at Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel.

I stayed in one of their love hotel turned accommodation in Asakusa – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel – last February with my family. We enjoyed our stay in a Japanese (tatami) style spacious room. My high school friends also had nice reviews about their stay at the Namba property last November 2018.

The hostels may be operating under different hostel groups but bear in mind that their goals are one & the same – to provide comfortable, affordable & quality accommodation when travelling around Japan. I’ve stayed in at least one property of each hostel group & I recommend all of them to you my readers. It will now depend on your room choice, price difference & preferences on which hostel group or property you’ll book your next stay. Good luck in making those decisions.

Look how super spacious & clean this dormitory room. Took this when I stayed with Oak Hostel Zen

Have you stayed in one of the properties mentioned above? How was your stay? Are you planning to go back in one of those accommodations? Are there other Japanese hostel groups that I need to know & try in the future? Feel free to mention those properties or groups in the comments below. You can also send the details to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

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

Tuesday Tip: 7 SAPPORO Eats You Shouldn’t Miss

It’s December & it’s winter time. It only means one thing – it’s one of the best times to visit Sapporo, Japan. Random snowfalls, extremely cold temperature, longer nights & powdery snow sums up winter in this area of Japan. The Hokkaido snow season is one of the most visited season of the region. The Sapporo Snow Festival, which happens to be the biggest festival in the city, also happens every winter – normally in the 1st or 2nd week of February.

Early this year, my friend & I flew to Sapporo for 6 days to experience what it’s like in Hokkaido during winter. We went to different places & tried a lot of activities. We first walked around Sapporo for our 1st few days, then we went to the nearby port city of Otaru. We also went to Sapporo Teine Ski Resort to try skiing & Hoheikyo Onsen to try a Japanese onsen during winter. It was a trip of many firsts; it was a trip for the books. Believe it or not, Shane & I only spent less than ₱45,000 all in – including return flights from Manila & hostel accommodations. We definitely had a winter trip of a lifetime!

Aside from experiencing winter in Sapporo, we also went there for the food. Our goal was to try as many unique eats as we can. Shane, who is a certified foodie, & I kind of splurged on food during our trip. Let me share with you these 7 eats we had which you should not miss when in Sapporo.

Soup Curry

Dinner at Rojiura Curry Samurai – our first meal in Sapporo!

Soup curry is a famous dish in Sapporo. A soup curry is a curry with more soup. Quite weird, eh? Yeah. The dish is basically a curry flavored soup with little meat & different kinds of vegetables. There are a number of soup curry chains in Sapporo. The hostel staff recommended that we try Rojiura Curry Samurai. Shane & I went there for our 1st dinner in Sapporo.

I ordered vegetable soup curry & a cup of rice. The soup was tasty, thick & slightly sweet. The vegetables were fresh. It was the perfect meal for a very cold night. An order of soup curry with a bowl of rice costs a little over ¥1,000.

Jingisukan

Jingisukan is Hokkaido’s famous grilled mutton dish. This dish is basically lamb meat grilled on Mongolian helmet-shaped skillet. The lamb fat is placed in the center of the skillet pan, then slides to all the sides where the vegetables are being cooked. The meat will then be grilled / cooked once the pan is hot.

Lamb meat being grilled in a helmet-shaped skillet. Yum!

Meal comes with unlimited draft Sapporo beer only served in this restaurant.

Shane & I went to the famous Sapporo Beer Garden to have unlimited lamb barbecue & drinks. Drink selection includes a draft Sapporo Beer only served in this restaurant. Buffet cost us ¥4,212 each including taxes. For more information about the buffet & restaurant, head over to Sapporo Beer Garden’s website. It was a bit more expensive than a normal lunch meal, but it was worth the try! Everyone should try this when visiting Sapporo.

King Crab & Fresh Seafood

Look at the variety of fresh seafood available at Nijo Market.

Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost major island, is famous for its king crab & fresh seafood. Shane & I went to Nijo Market in Sapporo to have brunch. We came across a stall where the man offered us a free taste of the fresh king crab. We then bought 800 grams of Hokkaido king crab (for sharing) for ¥10,000 & had it cooked in the nearby restaurant. Yes, it was that expensive. A kilogram of Hokkaido king crab costs ¥13,000.. We also ordered chirashi sushi bowls & a bottle of soft drink to complete the meal.

Shane & I bought 800 grams of king crab legs & had it cooked in a nearby restaurant! YUUUUUM~

Shane’s meal with the king crab legs. Fresh seafood at its best in Nijo Market!

It was another ‘worth-it’ but expensive meal. The price of king crab in Sapporo is way cheaper than the price in local Japanese restaurants. This meal was one of the highlights of the trip. The crab meat was very fresh & tasty.

Miso Ramen

A visit to Japan is never complete without having ramen for at least one meal. Each area / region usually have its own ramen flavor. If Fukuoka & Kyushu are famous for their tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen, Hokkaido (especially Northern Hokkaido) is famous for miso ramen. The broth is based on miso paste / seasoning & then served with either pork, chicken, seafood & other add-ons.

Entry to Sapporo Ramen Republic. You’ll definitely have a hard time choosing where to eat.

There are a number of miso ramen shops around Sapporo & Hokkaido. Shane & I went to Sapporo Ramen Republic on the 10th floor of ESTA Complex. Sapporo Ramen Republic has 8 of the top ramen restaurants in Hokkaido. We chose to dine at Misono & tried their miso ramen with pork & grated ginger. The miso broth was different from the other ones I’ve tried, but still very rich in taste. That bowl of ramen cost us ¥700 – ¥800 per bowl. A local advised us there’s another ramen alley somewhere in Susukino – I’ll check that out in my next visit.

Indian Curry & Naan

One of the recommended to-do’s in Hoheikyo Onsen, aside from relaxing in the natural hot spring, is to have a meal in the on-site Indian restaurant. This restaurant is famous for their genuine Indian curry & homemade naan. Shane & I had our late lunch here & ordered their famous curry (forgot if it was pork, lamb or chicken) & naan paired with cold tea & a strawberry yogurt drink. The food was authentic, good & one-of-a-kind. Glad we stopped by the restaurant before leaving the onsen. I am very sorry I forgot how much paid for the meal.

Check out the on-site restaurant’s page for more information.

Soft-Serve Ice Cream

Soft-serve lavender ice cream on a cold winter day? No problem!

Another must-try in Sapporo is the soft-serve ice cream. Shane & I tried the ice cream even if it was below 0 & snowing. Flavors & prices vary from one shop to the other. We saw 2 unique flavors only offered in Hokkaido – Lavender & Yubari Melon. Shane went for the mixed chocolate & lavender flavor while I got the lavender only variant. Each cone cost ¥320. I’ll try the Yubari melon flavored ice cream next time!

Check out the available ice cream flavors in this random Otaru shop. Which one will you choose?

Cheese Tarts

Hokkaido is also known for its distinct, rich & tasty dairy products. These dairy products gave birth to the raved baked cheese tarts. The snack first became famous in Sapporo & then became known around Japan & now all over the world. Famous cheese tart shops include Kinotoya, BAKE, Hokkaido, & Pablo. These shops have branched out of Japan & are now present in countries like the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Australia & many more.

Shane & I bought cheese tarts from the Sapporo-born shop called Kinotoya in JR Sapporo Station. The tart shell was buttery & tasty while the cheese mousse (filling) was sweet & salty at the same time. A piece of cheese tart costs around ¥200. What I loved about this shop is there was no queue / line to buy the tart unlike other cheese tart shops in Tokyo & Sapporo. Make sure to drop by any cheese tart shop when in Sapporo. It’s the perfect snack to pair with your hot coffee or green tea.

BONUS – Royce’ Chocolates

Do you know that Sapporo-born Royce’ chocolates can be bought everywhere in the city? Yes. Royce’ chocolates are found in local stores & tourist shops around Sapporo. This phenomenon is not present in other Japan cities (Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka, Nagoya, etc.) where Royce’ chocolates are only sold in major airports. Prices are almost the same, if not cheaper, in Sapporo. Don’t forget to hoard Royce’ chocolates before leaving Sapporo. There’s also a big chance you’ll find limited edition flavors like the Sakuraberry variant I got last time.

This long list pretty much sums up the major eats we had in Sapporo last February. Have you tried some of them? Planning to fly to Sapporo in the future? Don’t forget to put these 7 treats in your list. You’ll surely enjoy them! Do you still have other Sapporo treats in mind? Feel free to share them in the comments below. You can also send your thoughts & comments via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also connect me via the following social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Like & share my Facebook page too!

Thanks for joining me in today’s Tuesday Tip! See you in the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: SINGAPORE Tipid Hits – 9 Ways to Explore On A Budget

It’s not a secret that Singapore is a very expensive country to visit. I visited the country two weeks ago & I can clearly say that most of the things in this country (food, accommodation, transportation) are expensive. However, no matter how expensive this place is, there are still ways on how you can explore this country on a shoestring budget.

Don’t miss Haji Lane! It’s free to go around & take photos of area.

It’s been a while since I posted a Tuesday Tip article; I’m very happy to revive this section of the blog. Today, I’ll share with you 9 ways on how you can explore Singapore the cheapest way possible. These tips are based on my previous visits to Singapore so some points may not be applicable to everyone.

Book Tickets Early

There are more than 15 daily flights from the Philippines to Singapore – 12 of them from Manila. The technique is to take advantage of various airline promotional fares & offers. Return tickets to Singapore used to cost a little over ₱2,000. With the recent inclusion of fuel surcharges to airfares, a cheap return ticket should cost you around ₱4,000. Airport fees in Singapore are very expensive (but you get what you pay for – Changi Airport is the world’s best airport) that’s why fares are these high.

Here’s where your high airport fees to go – to the world-class Changi Airport!

Book your tickets at least 6-9 months before your planned trip, I’m sure you’ll get a good fare deal. I’ve posted two blogs with tips on how to score cheap flights – check the articles here & here.

Stay In Hostels

Hotel accommodations in Singapore are expensive. If you want to have your own privacy, there are budget hotels & guesthouses but take note that spaces are very limited & amenities are very basic. If you don’t mind sharing a room with another person, book your stay in a hostel. Singapore has a lot of nice & high-rated hostels which offer better amenities than some hotels. Check out reviews online before booking your stay.

My dormitory bed two weeks ago in Five Stones Hostel

I previously wrote an article about the ups & downs of staying in hostels. Check the article to see if staying in this kind of accommodation is something for you or not. Also, I wrote a set of tips on how to get the best accommodation deals – make sure to also check that!

Book Attraction Tickets Online

Singapore is a country with a lot of attractions to visit. This equates to spending more money on attraction passes & entrance fees. The best way to save some cash is to book your attraction tickets online. There are online platforms such as Klook & KKDay which offer discounted tickets to almost all attractions in Singapore. Check out your attraction of choice & book them before flying to the country. Booking these tickets / passes in advance also help you skip the long queue at the venue.

Going outside the Philippines for the first time? Check out these 5 steps in order to easily pass through PH immigration!

Eat In Hawker Centres

This is how a hawker centre looks like – this one is in Little India

Food in Singapore isn’t really cheap. A normal meal with a drink in a restaurant or in a shopping mall food court can cost from SGD 7 up to SGD 20. Not practical at all. Singapore has what you call ‘hawker centres,’ these are open air food courts where you get affordable local food. These hawker centres can be found everywhere in Singapore. A hearty meal will only cost you around SGD 3. You still have some extra cash for dessert or for a drink. See the difference?

Get An EZ-Link Card

EZ-Link is Singapore’s reloadable transportation card. Instead of paying for each bus ride or topping up for every train ride, you can use this tap card to pay for your fare. You don’t need to queue in every train station, thus saves you a lot of time. Also, you only pay for the distance traveled & not the usual flat fare when you pay in cash.

How an EZ-Link card looks like. Thanks to Junelle for letting me use the photo.

EZ-Link Cards are sold at most train stations for SGD 12 with SGD 7 top up value (card value at SGD 5). Also, don’t buy the Singapore Tourist Pass if you won’t ride the train very often. You need at least five to six rides a day to break even the daily pass cost.

Walk, Walk & Walk

Singapore is a very tourist-friendly country. All the signs are in English, so you won’t get lost. The best way to explore the country is by foot. Remember that the country has a very hot climate so make sure to bring your bottled water & umbrella with you, plus wear comfortable footwear. Places to visit in this country are grouped into locations.

6 attractions in a photo – you can visit all these places in a day by walking around the area!

For example, you can walk from Boat Quay, to Raffles Place, then to the Merlion Park, to Helix Bridge, Singapore Arts & Science Museum, Marina Bay Sands & last to Gardens By The Bay all in one day. You can also easily spend an afternoon walking around Little India, then to Bugis, then to Haji Lane & Arab Street at night. The secret is to plan where to spend the day so you don’t need to transfer from one area to the other.

Take Advantage of Free Attractions / Places

Singapore may be an expensive country but hey, it also has a number of free attractions or places. These clean & well-maintained places don’t need an entrance fee for you to enjoy or take a photo. These places include Merlion Park, Gardens By The Bay (entrance fees required only for the Flower Dome, Cloud Forest & OCBC Skyway), Singapore Botanic Gardens, Helix Bridge, Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands, Mustafa Centre, Singapore National Library & a whole lot more. See? You don’t have to spend even a dollar to explore & enjoy these places.

Gardens By The Bay’s Supertree Grove is a beautiful free attraction in Singapore!

Bring Water Container

Water in Singapore establishments like cafes & restaurants are not free. It usually costs 50-cents per glass (₱18-ish like really? Yeah!) so the best way to save some cash is to bring your own water container. Singapore tap water is safe to drink so you can refill it anywhere. The country also has drinking water stations found in touristy areas.

Note that smaller water bottles (SGD2-ish) cost more than bigger bottles (SGD1). If I were you, always go for the big bottle.

Look For The Best Place To Shop

Singapore has a lot of shopping centers & malls – more than you can imagine. Almost each neighborhood has a shopping center or a leisure mall. The best places to buy souvenirs are Bugis Street Market, Little India’s Mustafa Center & Chinatown. Some shops allow you to haggle or to ask for a discount; but make sure to ask for a reasonable discount.

If you’re looking for normal day goodies like snacks, drinks & toiletries, buy them from bigger supermarkets located in the basement of every shopping mall. Don’t buy them elsewhere.

In case you missed it, I posted an article about my 24-hour quick stopover in Singapore about 2 weeks ago. That part of the trip inspired me to share my tipid tips in Singapore. This short list saved me a lot of Singapore dollars during my visit in Singapore.

Do you have other tips to add? Feel free to post them in the comment sections below. If you want to share some experiences, tips & suggestions but you want to remain anonymous, send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Connect with me via my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Don’t forget to like & share my Facebook page!

Thanks for your time. Until next time! 🙂

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

Tuesday Tip: How To Survive Low Cost Long Haul Economy Flights

Low cost airlines are starting to infiltrate the long haul flights market. These airlines offer basic & affordable fares to long haul destinations. Imagine paying ₱6,500 for a return flight from Manila to Sydney or paying around ₱2,800 for a return flight from Manila to Dubai. Super cheap, right? Yes, these fares are real. But as they say, you always get what you pay for. These tickets only include carry-on baggage & a pre-assigned seat. It doesn’t include check-in baggage, flight meal/s, insurance & in-flight entertainment. These options are always available for an additional cost; these can be availed up to few hours before the flight.

Recently flew with a low cost airline from Manila to Sydney

Recently, I had my first low cost long haul economy flight to & from Sydney, Australia. I paid ₱6,455.92 for a return flight from Manila (booked 8 months before the flight). I availed a few add-ons such as baggage, a flight meal & a comfortable front seat. I bought a seat because I initially don’t have an idea on how I will survive this close to 8-hour flight to Sydney with the seat assigned to me by the airline. The ticket with add-ons cost me ₱11,455.92. The flights surprisingly went well, even with the absence of in-flight entertainment. Legroom was alright; the service was also good.

Apart from my personal experiences, I also observed the people on the flights how they managed to conquer the 8-hour flight to & from Sydney. Here are some tips on how you can survive low cost long haul economy flights.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by a certain brand or company. I just used the photos I took in my recent low cost long haul flight.

Choose a red-eye flight

Flying a low cost long haul flight can be very difficult for first timers. Imagine doing nothing for 7 or 8 hours straight – no inflight entertainment, no food whatsoever. A tip to survive a low cost long haul flight is to choose a red-eye flight. Red-eye flights are those who leave late at night or wee hours in the morning. You won’t have any problems on how to endure the long flight because you will only sleep most of the time. Don’t forget to bring your own neck pillow, eye mask & blanket for a more comfortable sleep.

If the flight is a not full – you can always get the whole row of seats & sleep

Bring Personal Entertainment

What is there to do in the absence of in-flight entertainment? Simple. Bring a book to read throughout the flight. You can also stock up on movies in your personal electronic devices (laptops, tablets & phones). If you’re not into watching movies or reading books, make sure to have enough songs in your music player. Having these forms of distraction will help you kill time during the flight. Next thing you’ll know, you’re already on your final descent towards your destination.

Have Cash On Hand

Always make sure to bring cash when flying. There will be times when you want to buy something like a bottle of water or a cup of hot coffee. These items are always available for purchase during the flight. Also, please note that most airlines only accept cash payments of currencies from the country of origin & the country of destination. For example, the crew from Manila to Sydney flight will only accept Philippine Peso & Australian Dollar as the currencies of payment. Don’t expect the staff to accept Japanese Yen & Malaysian Ringgit.

Bring Your Own Food

Majority of low cost carriers in the world offer pre-paid in-flight meal. This means that passengers need to pre-order their meals at least 24 hours before the flight. Limited food options are available during the flight. However, the prices of these food are beyond the usual price. A good tip to get away with these expensive airplane food is to bring your own food. You can always bring a sandwich or two for your flight. Other options include chips, nuts & biscuits. Having these food on hand will save you loads of cash, plus you get to eat what you want or prefer.

Airline’s in-flight meal – bought this when I flew from Manila to Sydney; Brought my own food (sandwiches) when I flew from Sydney to Manila 😋

Bring Your Own Amenity Kit

Flying economy & flying low cost airlines give passengers limited facilities & services. Unlike full service airlines, low cost airlines do not provide amenity kits to fliers of low cost long haul routes. One thing you can do is to bring a small pouch with the necessary items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, face wash, small towel, skin moisturizer & hand sanitizer. Nothing beats the refreshed feeling after a long & tiring fight.

Move Around

Sitting for 7-12 hours in a plane can be very difficult. Also, the passengers’ bodies don’t have enough movement for a long time due to limited legroom & space. Passengers are allowed to walk around the plane as long as the other passengers are not disturbed. The simplest exercise one can do is to stand up in the aisle & do some stretching. Remember that the blood in our bodies needs to circulate – a few minutes of movement won’t hurt.

Boarding pass & passport for my recent low cost long haul flight; sorry I had to cover the name & bar code

Be Friendly

The last tip I can give on how to survive a long haul low cost economy flight is to be friendly to your co-passengers. There is a big chance that you will be seated next to a stranger inside the aircraft. You can always start a conversation by saying ‘hi’ or ‘hello.’ The next thing you’ll know, you already have someone to share ideas & experiences throughout the flight. I’ve heard stories of people who talked to their seatmates during the flight & ended up traveling together in a certain place.

This sums up the list of tips on how to conquer a low cost long haul economy flight. It may sound hard at first but I believe that the experience all boils down to how a person prepares for the flight. Regardless of ticket price & flight class, all passengers on board the flight (may it be from a low cost or full service airline) will reach the destination at the same time.

One advantages of flying a red-eye flight – you witness the beautiful sunrise from your airplane seat 🌅

Have you tried flying a low cost long haul economy flight? How was your experience? Are there other tips you can share with the other readers? Feel free to share them in the comments below. You can also send those tips via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also connect with me via my social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.. If you haven’t liked or followed my Facebook page, check this link. You know what to do!

If you want to know about the past Tuesday Tips I posted, check them out here. Thank you for reading & until the next set of Tuesday Tips!

Tuesday Tips for Filipinos / Philippine Passport Holders: 6 Steps On How To Apply For An Australian Tourist Visa

A few hours from now, I will be flying to Sydney & Brisbane, Australia for a week long trip with my college friends. It will be my first trip to this country & also my first trip outside Asia. Right before I leave, I want to share with everyone how I applied for my Australian Tourist Visa & also to share some tips regarding the visa application process.

Philippine passport holders are required to secure a visa before flying to Australia. The country’s Department of Home Affairs offers a wide range of visas a visitor can apply for. For this specific post, I will talk about how I applied for the Visitor Visa Subclass 600. Filipinos need this visa to visit Australia as a tourist, to visit relatives living in the country & to engage in business visitor activities. This visa allows visitors to stay up to 3, 6 or even 12 months.

More details about the Visitor Visa Subclass 600 from the AU Gov’t website

If you are unsure of what visa you need for your visit to Australia, head over to this page to see the list of visas one can apply for.

Unlike any other usual visa, Australian visas are applied online via the Department of Home Affairs website. This means that you don’t need to go to a travel agency to submit your requirements or go to the embassy to line up & lodge your documents. Everything is done online. Let me now tell you what I did & what you need to do to get your Australian tourist visa.

Step 1 – Create An Immi Account

The first step is to create an Immi Account. This is your account in the Australian government’s immigration portal. The visa application process will be through this portal. All you need is a working email address & a password (must include an upper case & a lower case letter, a number & a symbol). You will receive an email notifying that you have successfully created your account plus you need to verify it with the link provided in your email.

First step – create an Immi Account

Step 2 – Start The Application & Fill Out The Form

After creating your Immi Account, you should now start your application. The website will ask you to fill out about 20 pages of questions – mainly asking for personal details, travel plans, family & travel background. Not that you can stop & save your details at any time. Please do not submit your application until all questions are answered & all documents are uploaded. Take note of your visa reference number throughout the application process.

Step 3 – Prepare & Gather Documents

Before uploading your documents in the immigration portal. You first need to gather the documents you need to submit. The portal divides the documents into 2 parts – the required documents (passport details, passport photo, travel history & financial documents) & the recommended documents (ticket & hostel bookings, evidence of family composition). You can submit the following ‘usual’ visa application requirements:

⦁ Philippine Passport – Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months during your trip.
⦁  Passport-Size Photo (Front & Back – with Full Name at the back)
⦁  Travel History (Old & Current Passports)
⦁  Personal Bank Certificate
⦁  Personal Bank Statement (3 months recommended)
⦁  Certificate of Employment & Income Tax Return Form
⦁  Payslips & Company ID Details
⦁  NSO Birth Certificate
⦁  Confirmed Airline Ticket
⦁  Itinerary in Australia (Day to day plans when in Australia)

You can add more documents such as evidence of leave from work, marriage certificate (for those who are married), cover letter, title deeds, credit card statements & anything that will prove your financial capabilities & your strong ties here in the Philippines.

The Department of Home Affairs doesn’t specify any requirement (amount balance, average daily balance, etc.) on bank statements & bank certificates. Make sure to have enough money in your accounts before having your papers printed.

Step 4 – Scan & Upload Documents

You always start by logging in to your Immi Account

After gathering all the requirements & documents, you need to scan & upload them in the application portal. As per the Home Affairs website, only files with these extensions are accepted: bmp, dcm, doc, docx, dot, gif, jpg, pdf, png, ppt, pptx, rtf, txt, xls & xlsx. Each file should not exceed 5 MB & should not be compressed & encrypted. Documents which are not in English need to be translated into the English Language. Each applicant can upload up to 60 documents.

You can upload your documents by batch; just don’t forget to save your application before you close the page. An application is stored in the portal for 30 days. All incomplete applications & uploaded documents will be deleted after the prescribed time.

Step 5 – Submit Application & Pay Application Fee

After completing the 20-page application form & uploading the necessary requirements & documents, you can now formally submit your visa application. After submission, you will be directed to the payment page where you need to pay the visa application fee of AUD 140 per person [2024 update – visa application fee has increased to AUD 190 per person]. Only PayPal, credit & debit card form of payments are accepted. These modes of payments also have surcharges. You can refer to this page for the updated surcharges for all types of payments.

After payment, you will receive an acknowledgement email confirming that your visa application has been submitted and that your biometrics need to be collected in the visa collection center.

[2024 Update] Step 5.5 – Biometrics Collection

Since the pandemic, the Department of Home Affairs has required all visa applicants to have their biometrics collected within two weeks of online visa application submission.

The VFS Global Australian Visa Collection Centre in Manila is located at 6^th Floor, Tower Two, Makati Circuit Corporate Center, AP Reyes Street and Theater Drive, Circuit Makati, Barangay Carmona, Makati City, Philippines 1630.

Biometrics collection appointments can be scheduled here. Applicants need to bring the documents mentioned in the biometrics email request and the biometrics collection service fee of PHP 557. The center only accepts cash payments as of this writing.

The waiting game begins after biometrics collection.

Step 6 – Wait For Your Visa

Visa application processing times vary per person. As per the Australian government website & as of 30 June 2018, 75% of all the tourist visa applications are processed after 19 days while 90% of tourist visa applications are decided after 24 days. Take note that your visa application can be decided sometime between 48 hours from application to more than 20 days depending on internal factors.

I got my Australian Tourist Visa after 8 calendar days. I can very well remember I was on the boat back to Siargao Island when I got my Visa Grant Notification via email. The Australian government granted me a 1-year multiple entry tourist visa. This visa allows me to stay in Australia for 3 months from the date of each arrival.

Bear in mind that Australian Visas are not glued to your passports. It’s simply a grant letter which you will show upon check-in & in the immigration counter. How does the grant letter look like? Check out my grant letter below:

Have you applied for an Australian Tourist Visa in the past? Are there other tips you can share to your fellow readers? Feel free to post these tips below. If you want to be anonymous, you can send it via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com for suggestions. Feel free to also contact me via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

That’s it for now. I need to go & pack my things for my Australia trip. Thank you for reading & until the next Tuesday Tip! 😊