Tag: budget travel

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

Last May 2015, my high school friends & I had a short weekend in Taipei. We got our tickets for less than ₱3,000 & spent less than ₱15,000 for the whole trip. Click here to know more about our previous trip. We were not able to visit a few places so I told myself I will go back for another weekend in the so-called Heart of Asia.

Taipei 2017 crew while having breakfast (R-L: Rona, Shiela & yours truly)

Fast forward to June 2017, my colleagues & I were able to book another batch of tickets less than ₱3,000; ₱2,877.48 to be exact. That’s roughly ₱100 pesos more than our ticket in 2015. Tickets were booked 2.5 months before the trip. Pretty good deal, right? We scheduled our 3-day trip during the Eid Muslim Holiday, where it was declared a special non-working holiday in the Philippines.

₱5,754.96 for 2 round trip tickets to Taipei. Super cheap, right?

Note: The Office of the Philippine President has just declared the regular & special non-working holidays for 2018. Click here to have an idea on the 2018 long weekends. You can now start planning your trips for next year.

Note 2: I previously blogged about travelling with your full-time job. Check out this link to help you plan out your trips & your vacation leaves.

Going back to our 3-day weekend trip, let me elaborate below how it went. I will also discuss our entry permits & accommodation, pre-trip bookings, the places we visited & some random stuff.

Entry Permit

Last year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that they will ease the visa application scheme for Filipino passport holders. In addition to that, those with valid & expired visas (for the last 10 years) for certain countries like Japan, South Korea & the like can enter Taiwan visa free but with a valid entry permit. You can apply for the entry permit here.

A few months ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Republic of China (Taiwan) announced that they will try a 1-year visa-free entry scheme for Filipino passport holders. Due to some internal matters, the visa-free entry scheme was postponed to a later date, possibly September 2017. Watch out for the official announcement soon.

My friends & I all have valid/expired Japan & South Korea tourist visas so we only needed an entry permit to enter Taiwan. To be fair, the application process & the approval of the entry permit took us less than 5 minutes. Make sure to bring your valid / expired visas + the printed entry permit with you during your trip.

Accommodation

Taipei has a wide range of accommodation choices; from affordable & top-rated hostels, simple & beautiful guesthouses, modern-themed boutique hotels to the luxurious branded hotels. Just like every trip, I searched & read through different platforms where is the best place to stay in the city.

We decided to stay in Hostelworld‘s 4th Best Large Hostel for 2016 – Star Hostel Taipei Main Station. Going by the name, the hostel is located a few minutes walk from the Taipei Main Station & also to Taipei’s central bus terminal. The hostel has both private & dormitory rooms. Since we are traveling on budget plus we don’t mind sharing the room with other travelers, we each got a dormitory bed for NTD 620 a night.

My dormitory bed for 2 nights

Each bed includes a comfortable bed & pillow with sheets (plus comforter), curtains for privacy, a reading light & plug & access to a fast Wi-Fi. Each guest is given an electronic locker & a security key card (no need for padlocks). All rooms are air-conditioned & fitted really well. Common shower areas & toilets are clean & well-maintained. Luggage storage is free before check in & after check out (before 11:00 pm).

Taiwanese burger, hard-boiled egg, fruits & a cup of milk tea for breakfast!

Free breakfast is offered to all guests. Breakfast set differs per day; but it always has fruits & eggs plus coffee (or tea), toast with butter & jam. Guests also have access to a common kitchen & spacious lounge areas.

Star Hostel Taipei Main Stations spacious common area 😍

The hostel rates in Taipei are very close to that of rates in Japan & South Korea. Yes, it may be a little expensive than the hostel rates here in Southeast Asia, but you definitely get more than you pay for. For someone who has stayed in a number of hostels around Southeast & East Asia, the rates of Star Hostel Taipei Main Station are reasonable & super affordable. Make sure to check this hostel when you’re flying to Taipei soon. They are fully booked most of the time; make sure to secure your dormitory bed early.

Things To Book Before Leaving The Philippines

Have you ever heard of Klook? It is a website that offers discounted travel activities & itineraries, attraction tickets, airport transfers & pocket Wi-Fi rentals in major tourist destinations all over the world. We decided to avail some offers prior to our trip to Taipei.

List of pre-trip bookings we made with Klook.

Pocket Wi-Fi

We got out pocket Wi-Fi for only ₱91 per day, a total of ₱273 for 3 days. Pick-up & drop off was super fast & easy. You just need to present your voucher (either printed or via the mobile application) & your passport to the attendant & you will be given your pocket Wi-Fi package.

Jiufen & Shifen Bus Tour

We initially thought of getting the Yehliu Geopark – Shifen – Jiufen Tourist Bus (costs a little over ₱1,000 per person) but we ran out of slots on our preferred date; we opted to get the Shifen & Jiufen Tourist Bus worth ₱763 each. The pick-up & drop-offs were on time. The guide spoke very basic English, but he could still understand us. The bus seats were comfortable. We were given enough time to explore & walk around the Shifen Old Street & Jiufen.

Taipei 101 Observatory Tickets

Observatory tickets cost a little over ₱1,000 each if you buy them in the ticket counters. Klook offers the admission ticket at a discounted price; we got ours for ₱846 each. Ticket redemption is as easy as 1, 2 & 3. You just need to show your voucher (either printed or via the mobile application) to the attendant at the ticket counter.

It doesn’t end there, Klook offers promo codes on top of these discounted rates. We saved ₱500+ each because of a promo code that only valid at the time of booking. Make sure to look for Klook promo codes before booking your next activity & attraction ticket.

Places Visited

I’ve been to most of these places way back in 2015 so I won’t talk about them anymore; instead I will show more photos of these beautiful places. There will be minor details about the places I’ve been to for the first time.

Taipei 101

Outside Taipei 101, on a hot cloudy day. ☁

Taipei City Hall Public Square

The Taipei City Hall Public Square is located at the back of Taipei 101. You will pass by this square if you decide to walk from Taipei 101 to Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall. The square is located in front of the City Hall Building.

Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

My friend, Shiela & her rainbow flag outside the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall

The Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall was built in memory of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the founder of the Republic of China. The hall shows the life & achievements of Dr. Sun Yat Sen. The nearest train station is the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall Station on the Blue Line.

National Theater

Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall

Trivia: This iconic gate of the Liberty Square & Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall is called Dahzongmen.

Liberty Square

228 Peace Park

Located a few minutes walk from the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, the 228 Peace Park is a memorial park dedicated to the victims of the February 28, 1947 massacre in Taiwan where thousands of people were killed during an uprising. The park can also be accessed by going down the National Taiwan University Hospital Station of the Tamsui Line (Red Line).

Shilin Night Market

Crowded market on a Sunday late afternoon

Shilin Night Market is Taipei’s biggest & most famous night market. We went here for street food. Yes, the market has so many kinds of street food to try – from stinky tofu, oyster mee sua, oyster omelette, pork knuckles to fried milk, xiao long bao & flame grilled steak cubes. Make sure to go there with an empty stomach, you’ll definitely eat a lot.

One of the hundreds (if not thousands) of stalls in Shilin Night Market

The Shilin Night Market can be accessed via Jintian & Shilin Stations of the Tamsui (Red Line).

Ximending

Shifen Old Street

Flying lanterns & people taking photos

View from the local Shifen Station

Jiufen

Came across this small restaurant in Jiufen which serves 8 pieces of really good xiao long bao for only NTD 120. I finished 2 servings! 🐷🐷🐷

Vibrant colors of Jiufen 😍

Tour Me Away Pub Crawl*

Tour Me Away is one of the well-recommended Taipei ‘things-to-do’ in TripAdvisor. This organization is a group of adventure-seeking & easy-going Taiwanese locals who want to meet people & show their beautiful city to visitors. They offer various walking tours & activities, depending on your interest.

Pub Crawl group! Thanks to Rona for the photo. 🤳

My friends & I took their Saturday night pub crawl activity. For only NTD 700, we had different kinds of drinks (Taiwanese beer, gauliang & the 81-shot roulette) in 3 different bars. We also met a bunch of amazing people whom we spent the night (& early morning until around 3:30 am) with. The pub crawl fee also includes a free entry to Triangle, a bar / club in Zhongshan District. It was a fun fun night!

Check out the TourMeAway website for all available tours during your trip to Taipei. You’ll definitely enjoy it!

*We went home from the Pub Crawl minutes before 4:00 am & decided to stay in the hostel common area until around 5:00 in the morning. We were so tired we woke up super late that morning. We were supposed to go to Yehliu Geopark; but we thought sleep was far more important that those rock formations. I promise to go back to Taiwan for the Yehliu Geopark day trip!

Trip Agenda

One of the reasons why I flew to Taipei was to try my luck in buying the new HTC U11 smartphone. I’ve been an HTC user for some years now & it’s been a while since I changed my phone. I thought the HTC U11 will be a great upgrade from the HTC One M8.

My new phone!!!! 📱😍

I bought my new phone in the HTC store in Guanghua Digital Plaza. The 6 GB RAM x 128 GB Blue variant cost me NTD 21,990 or ₱36,856.85 (amount reflected in my credit card statement) minus ₱1,488.14 tax refund = ₱35,368.71. For a phone with such high end specs + super big memory, the price is super worth it.

Breakdown of Expenses

Curious how much I spent for this trip? Let’s have a look below (doesn’t include the phone). Note that we exchanged a few NTD here before we left. Exchange rate that time was NTD 1 = ₱1.85.

Note: We set a daily budget of NTD 1,000 for lunch & dinner plus transportation, possible entrance fees & beers. This daily budget was just right; we even had some extra dollars in our pockets at the end of each day.

Thoughts: Spending less than ₱15,000 for a 3-day overseas trip (airfare included) is such a great deal. We visited a number of beautiful places, stayed in a high-rated hostel, drank enough dose of alcohol, walked around while having a constant Wi-Fi connection for such a low cost. Taipei isn’t as expensive as you think. If given the chance, I would add a little more in the budget & stay for a few more days.

This basically sums up my recent Taipei trip. It was nice to go back & explore this beautiful city for the 2nd time. I’ve been to the city both during summer or ‘almost’ summer; so for the next trip, I want to check it out during winter season. I wonder when would that be?

Have you been to Taipei recently? What do you think of the city? Were there other places I need to put in my list when I go back for the 3rd time? Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Drop me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Curious how I book these super duper low fare tickets? I’ve just shared by secret. Head over to this post (and this post too) to know more.

PS. Most of the photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.

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. 😃