Budget – Page 11 – The Wknd Travel

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 922 – Manila to Fukuoka – ‘Almost-Missed’ Surprise & Free Base Fare International Flight

Hey ho & welcome to another flight report! Let’s take a break from all the Going Solo in Europe content & go back to something related to my 2^nd favorite country after the Philippines – Japan. A few months ago, my friend & I flew to Fukuoka, Japan for 48 hours to surprise our close friend in her 1^st international trip. Believe it or not, my friend & I spent less than ₱12,500 each for that whole trip – flights & hostel included. We flew with Cebu Pacific Air in a super affordable fare & stayed with Nekokura Hostel to save same some cash.

Today’s flight report will talk about that ‘almost-missed’ Manila to Fukuoka Cebu Pacific Air flight we took for that 48-hour Fukuoka trip. I will share with you how we booked the cheap ticket 3 weeks before the trip, how was our ground experience at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 & what can you expect in Cebu Pacific Air’s international in-flight product & cabin crew service.

I’ve covered a few Cebu Pacific Air & Cebgo flights in my previous flight reports – ₱600 Legazpi to Manila flight on 5J 328, $24 Manila to Jakarta flight on 5J 759, short & empty Boracay flight on 5J 905 & the Cebgo Turboprop flight from Boracay to Manila on DG 6244. Let’s add this ‘almost-missed’ & free base fare flight to Fukuoka on 5J 922.

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is not a new airline in this website. As mentioned in my previous flight reports, Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines largest low-cost carrier. It flies to more than 60 domestic & international destinations across the country, Asia-Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.

The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.

Airfare & Inclusions

My friend & I got our return Manila to Fukuoka ticket for only ₱2,873.74. At the time of booking, Cebu Pacific Air’s loyalty program GetGo offered their Fukuoka route for 2,400 points per way plus taxes. At the same time, they had a ‘5,000 points off’ promotional code for selected East Asia routes including Fukuoka. The return ticket to Fukuoka costs 4,800 points plus taxes. Upon check out & using the promotional code, we ended up having our base fare free & paying only the airfare taxes. Note that we booked our tickets 3 weeks before the flight. Flights to Fukuoka take more than 3 hours per way. Having this affordable return ticket was definitely a good deal!

Cebu Pacific Air is a no-frills airline – meaning fares only include 7-kilogram carry on allowance & a guaranteed seat in the flight. Baggage allowance, food, reserved seats & insurance are all available at an extra cost. Fees & charges differ for each flight. You can click this link to more about the add-ons cost for each Cebu Pacific Air route. This trip only last for 48 hours & it wasn’t even cold yet in Japan so I only brought a small backpack me – no add-ons needed.

Want to know how I get these cheap tickets? I revealed my secrets in these blog posts – How to be a champ in booking low fare tickets part 1 & part 2.

Flight & Aircraft Information

This Manila to Fukuoka Flight on Cebu Pacific Air left Manila station a few minutes late because of us (you’ll know why) but arrived Fukuoka International Airport 11 minutes early. We left Manila at 3:27 pm PHT & arrived Japan at 7:49 pm JST. The total flight time was 3 hours & 22 minutes. The flight used a 7-year old (that time) Airbus A320-214 aircraft in an all-economy class configuration. The plane has a total of 180 seats on a 3-3 layout.

Airport Experience

My friend & I arrived at the airport 3 hours before the flight. We had quick lunch & went straight to the travel tax counter. After paying the required travel tax, we went to Cebu Pacific Air’s check in counters. There were 3 lines for check in – one for regular check in, one for mobile & internet check in & the last one for group bookings & senior citizens. My friend & I already checked in online so we headed to the mobile & internet check in line. All 3 check in lines were long, slow & chaotic.

Pamela, one of Cebu Pacific Air’s supervisors, heard & approached me. She apologized for the chaotic check in process & said that particular afternoon was busier than expected. She escorted us to the next available counter for check in. The woman in the check in desk was nice & accommodating. She granted our request of having emergency exit seats for no additional cost. The whole check in process took us about 1 hour & 15 minutes; it used to be less than 10-15 minutes.

After check in, my friend & I went to clear immigration. All immigration counters also had long & slow-moving lines. We asked favors from people in front of us if we can go first since our flight leaves in 35 minutes; thankfully, they agreed. It still took us 25 minutes to clear immigration. We went straight to final security check & cleared the process in less than 5 minutes. While falling in line, I already saw the Cebu Pacific Air ground staff calling Fukuoka-bound passengers. They are about to close the aircraft doors in 5 minutes. After clearing final security, my friend & I literally ran to the boarding gate & went straight to the plane. The cabin crew closed the plane doors after we boarded. Thank God we made it!

In-Flight Product

As a low-cost carrier, Cebu Pacific Air doesn’t offer on-board entertainment screens & complimentary food. All seats have a decently sized tray table & a small pocket with in-flight magazines & safety card. It has 28 inches of seat pitch & a generous recline. My friends & I were seated in the emergency exit seats so we had bigger leg room than the usual but no seat recline. The seats on this airplane were already old & needs a refit.

In-flight meals & snacks are available for purchase from the time of booking the ticket up to 24 hours before the flight. Guests who failed to pre-book snacks or meals can still buy from the items being offered on-board by the cabin crew. Items for sale are found in the Fun Café menu in the seat pockets of every passenger. I purchased a bottle of Gatorade for ₱80 & a bottle of water for ₱40 during this flight.

One unique feature of Cebu Pacific Air flights is the in-flight fun games. Cabin crew members ask 3 questions under a specified category. The first passenger to get the correct answer receives a complimentary airline merchandise. My friends & I joined the game on this flight & we won a Cebu Pacific Air pouch.

I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory on this 3.5-hour flight. From past experiences, there’s nothing spectacular about Cebu Pacific Air lavatories – they’re clean, plain & basic like a usual low-cost carrier lavatory.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew on this Cebu Pacific Air flight to Fukuoka was nice & friendly. They greeted the passenger with their best smiles & served the food right after take-off. The crew assigned to our area even asked me questions how I was before she served my drinks. She even offered a glass of ice which they don’t usually do. I have nothing against the crew on this flight. I was a happy & satisfied customer.

Verdict

Overall, it was another pleasant flight with Cebu Pacific Air. We even got more than what we paid for. Imagine paying only ₱2,873.74 for a return ticket to Fukuoka, Japan & booking it 3 weeks before the flight? You rarely get that kind of airfare deal. It was definitely a steal!

The airport & ground experience was the worst part of this flight. Long & slow check in & immigration queues & last-minute boarding process didn’t make the experience enjoyable. My friend & I were thankful for Pamela, the woman at the check in counter & the people who allowed us to cut the immigration line. We won’t make it to our flight if not for them. All parties (including us) are at fault on what happened. We didn’t imagine that those airport scenes we see in movies would also happen to us. It was our first time running from security check to the boarding gate; it was also our first time being called for boarding. Don’t worry, we already learned our lesson.

The in-flight experience made up for all the mishaps that happened in the ground. The cabin crew assigned to our flight were friendly. The emergency exit seats were relatively comfortable to seat in on this 3.5-hour flight. My friends & I won in the in-flight game. More importantly, we arrived Fukuoka ahead of schedule despite leaving Manila a few minutes late. Sure, the airplane seats, tray tables & pockets needs a refit but these didn’t affect our fun flight to Fukuoka.

I will definitely fly again with Cebu Pacific Air in the future. They are always the best option for flying cheap to destinations here in the Philippines, in Asia Pacific & in the Middle East. I’m gutted my flights with them to Shanghai, China & Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. I am still looking forward to booking future trips with them! I also want to try (again) & this time cover their long-haul economy routes to Dubai, Sydney & Melbourne. For those who want to know the specifics of this flight & the airplane used, check out the details below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 18 October 2019
Flight Number: 5J 922
Route: Manila (MNL) Philippines to Fukuoka (FUK) Japan
Duration: 3:22 hours
Seat Number: 12A
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3237
Aircraft Engine: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 8 years old
Year Delivered: 2012

That’s it for today. Have you ever missed (or almost-missed) a flight because of a mishap in check in, immigration & final security check? What happened & what did you do when that happened? You may share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about the things mentioned above or about Cebu Pacific Air in general? You may also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll get to them soon.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report! My next flight report will be about Czech Airlines on my flight from Prague, Czech Republic to Copenhagen, Denmark. Watch out for that! In the meantime, you may follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

P’s List: 6 Budget-Friendly & Personal Favorite To-Do’s in Japan

It’s week 4 of our enhanced community quarantine in the Philippines. We’re stuck in our homes, working remotely in our desks & distancing from the outside world aiming to contain the spread of the corona virus. I do not want to talk about how the world is at how but I hope you, your families & your friends are healthy & safe. I also hope you’ve done your part in helping out our front liners & extending your help to those in need.

After 4 weeks of staying at home, I realized I have more time to catch-up on my Going Solo in Europe Series content. I’ve finished my posts about The Netherlands & Belgium & I still have tons to share about Czech Republic & Denmark. Now that my 4 trips (China, Vietnam, Davao & Australia) were cancelled / rescheduled due to the virus, I might run out of stuff to post while waiting for my next trip. I brainstormed with my friends the other night (thanks Majo & Junelle!) & I thought of having a new wave of content to share to my dear readers.

In the last few years, I shared with you travel-related contents through my Tuesday Tips, Throwback Thursday Trips, Friday Thoughts, Hostels of the Day & Flight Reports. Today, I will add a new part in this website called P’s List! It is a list-type of travel content purely based on my personal experiences. It will feature lists of things I need to do in a certain place, restaurants I recommended visiting in a city, food which one must & so on. I hope these lists can help people plan out their itineraries & look for places to visit in their upcoming trips.

The first P’s List will be about Japan – my favorite country next to home. I’ve been thinking about my past Japan trips & I can’t help but miss everything about this beautiful country. I’ve been to Japan 6 times in the last 5 years & I still look forward to going back to the same places over & over again. I browsed through my photos & saw my favorites. Let me share my favorite & affordable to-do’s in my past Japan trips in today’s P’s List.

Stay in Hostels

You guys know that I am a fan of hostels over other forms of accommodation. Hostels are cheaper than hotels & serviced apartments allowing you save some cash for other needs like food, transportation, etc. I’ve stayed with hostels around Asia, Europe & Australia & I can 100% say that Japanese hostels have a unique character. These hostel facilities are clean, well-maintained & quiet. The showers & toilet are unique – you know those electric toilets & small shower rooms. The rooms are spotless & the beds are easy to sleep with. Staffs are nice, accommodating & helpful. Everything feels safe if you’re in Japanese hostels.

In fact, I’ve featured several hostels under my Hostel of the Day posts – The Stay Sapporo, Oak Hostel Zen Tokyo, Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Dot Hostel Nagano, New World Inn Osaka, Fukuoka Hana Hostel & Nekokura Hostel Fukuoka. I also wrote about the 4 Trusted Hostel Groups in Japan which one should stay with. Check out these individual reviews & features & you’ll know why I love staying in Japanese hostels.

Enjoy Eating Gyudon

Matsuya’s gyumeshi – my favorite gyudon in Japan. It’s budget-friendly & very tasty!! YUMYUM~

I love eating gyudon; I love having this meal in local restaurants. Gyudon is a Japanese rice bowl topped with flavored beef strips & simmered onions. I love eating this gyudon in my favorite Japanese fast food restaurant – Matsuya Foods. I usually order their extra-large gyumeshi with miso soup for a little over ¥500 yen & enjoy the meal with the variety of Japanese sauces available & finish the meal with a glass or cold tea. I also love Sukiya’s (another fast food restaurant) gyudon with melted cheese perfect with tabasco sauce.

Another favorite – Sukiya’s gyudon with cheese. It’s perfect with Tabasco sauce – cheesy & spicy!

I have this gyudon meal almost every day, if not every other day & I enjoy it every single time. It’s cheap, it’s tasty & it makes me super full. I cannot wait for my next gyudon fix!

Indulge in Authentic Ramen

Japan is the land of authentic ramen. This dish made of pulled noodles with tasty broth & toppings is one thing I don’t miss when in Japan. I always have ramen in Ichiran, the world-famous tonkotsu ramen that originated in Fukuoka. I also love to try local & authentic ramen like that of Takayama Ramen from Takayama, Hakata Ramen also from Fukuoka & miso ramen from Hokkaido. These ramen dishes, except for Ichiran Ramen, costs a less than ¥1,000 & are big enough to fill my stomach. It’s been a while since I had ramen & I am now craving for one.

Hoard Convenience Store Snacks

My friends & I love to get our snacks from convenience stores in Japan. Convenience stores in Japan are everywhere & open 24/7. These one-stop stores have different breads, chips, desserts & drinks. The stores also have rice meals, coffee, magazines & basically anything a human being needs.

Here’s an example of the variety of drinks you’ll find in a Japanese convenience store.. Yaaaaaay!!

My ultimate favorite convenience store haul is tuna mayo onigiri, egg sandwich & a pack or bottle of drink (milk tea, juice or any drink available). It doesn’t even cost me ¥500 to have all of these as snack! And oh, pro-tip! Please choose Family Mart over any other convenience store in Japan. Family mart has better & tastier products.

Breakfast Grocery Shopping

My hobby of getting food from the grocery started when I was in Fujikawaguchiko last November 2017. All restaurants were closed; the nearest place in my hostel to get food was a local supermarket. There I found out that groceries in Japan offer cheaper packed meals prepared daily & even give you the option to prepare your ‘own meal.’

From that time on, I always get my breakfast meals from the supermarket the night before going back to the hostel & reheat them the following day before I eat. These prepackaged meals usually cost ¥300 – ¥400 & already includes rice, a viand & a salad. Sometimes I add a small salad pack & custard for dessert making my meal cost only ¥500.

Food in groceries & supermarkets are cheaper than those from the convenience stores. Some are even on sale around 7:30 pm to make sure the groceries sell all food before closing time. Getting food from the grocery is way of saving money & a way of helping local businesses. Based on the images shown here – I really like going to the groceries for food. 😋

Drown in Milk Tea

We’re down to my ultimate favorite thing to do in Japan. Okay – I’ve been talking about food in the last 4 items & I am very sorry the last one is still something related to that. But this time it’s a drink; a drink I love to have after every meal outside or in the hostel or even every snack from a convenience store. I know this is something famous in Taiwan but guess what? I love drowning myself with Lipton’s milk tea every time I am in Japan. This 900 ml carton of Lipton milk tea is so addicting & it only costs ¥100 – ¥150 per pack in the supermarket. I always drink one every breakfast & another one probably in the afternoon after snack. I know it might be too much but don’t worry, I also drink lots of water after that.

I miss having this milk tea. To be honest, it’s one of the reasons why I want to go back to Japan really soon. This milk tea actually triggered this post so there you go.

More of Lipton Milk Tea! Seriously guys, this is my favorite drink in Japan. I can drink this all day!!

One of my favorite to do’s in Japan is to go grocery shopping. You see a mix variety + it’s cheaper!!

I’m so sorry for letting you drool. I just miss everything in Japan & I want to go back there really soon. Thanks for reading my favorite to-do’s in Japan! Do you have some of your favorites in my list? Which ones do you also do? What else do you do when in Japan? Feel free to share your own list in the comments section below & let’s engage into a conversation. Do you have any questions about the matters mentioned above? If you’re shy enough to post below, you may send your questions to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

By the way, please help me promote my social media platforms – Facebook & Instagram. Thanks for joining me today! Until the next P’s List! Ciao.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL BORACAY – Paradise Island's Hidden Party Hostel Gem

UPDATE: Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such amazing accommodation and also to keep the wonderful Mad Monkey memories alive.

Last September 2019, I flew to Boracay with friends for a short weekend break. My buddy Rick & I stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay in Bulabog Road for 3 nights & we had an awesome time. I’ve stayed in this hostel back in July 2016, when this blog is non-existent. I want to share with you more about this hostel thus featuring it as today’s Hostel Of The Day.

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is part of the Mad Monkey Hostels Group, a famous party hostel chain in Southeast Asia (plus one branch in Australia) which gives people from all over the world the best hostel parties in each of its branches. The hostel group is known for its beach or pool parties at the same time its hourly free shots at the bar. The hostel group employs the locals & actively participates in environmental activities.

The group’s first hostel in the Philippines is Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay, opened in June 2016. Since then, they’ve already opened branches in Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Cebu City & Siargao. They also have hostel branches in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia & Laos. I started this Hostel Of The Day blog series last year with a feature about Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach.

Let me clarify with you that this post is not in any way sponsored / commissioned by the hostel group. My friend & I paid for our stay. The goal of this post is to share with you the details of this hostel & how our stay went. Allow me to give you some snippets about the hostel

In case you missed it, I posted a blog about our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. Check out this post to read that flight report.

location & access

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is located in Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag in Boracay Island. It is not located by the beach, but it is located in the quiet neighborhood of Balabag. It is about 10 minutes walk from the White Beach, 10 minutes by foot to D’Mall & about 3-5 minutes from Bulabog Beach, where all water activities are conducted. The hostel is located in the heart of the island, literally minutes away by foot to the main areas.

From Caticlan (Boracay) Airport, one needs to take a tricycle to Caticlan Jetty Port, buy a ferry ticket, pay the environmental fees & then hop on a boat that will take you to Boracay Island. From Boracay Port, one needs to take a tricycle to Mad Monkey Hostel. Alternatively, you can book your hassle-free island transfers with Southwest Tours or Island Star Express. Journey from the airport to the hostel can take about an hour per way, depending on passenger load & weather.

My friend & I booked our island transfers with Klook for a discounted price which turned out to be with Island Star Express. The transfers were fast, well-taken care off & hassle free.

dormitory & private rooms

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay offers both dormitories & private rooms to its guests. The hostel has 3 choices for the dormitory rooms – 8-bed mixed dormitory room, 4-bed mixed dormitory room & 4-bed female dormitory room. Each dormitory bed comes with a large sized mattress with sheets, personal reading light & fan, power outlet & a locker. Each dormitory room comes with a private bathroom with hot shower & air conditioning. If you are lucky enough, your dormitory room might be located by the hostel swimming pool.

As of today, 30 November 2019, a night in the 8-bed dormitory room costs ₱550 (for mid-December 2019 stay) while the nightly rate in the 4-bed dormitory room is at ₱700 (for mid-December 2019 stay). Rates per night vary depending on season.

We got this air-conditioned twin room with private shower for around ₱1,400 per night. Not bad!

The hostel also has private rooms for guests who are travelling in groups or who want some privacy. They have twin rooms, double rooms, triple rooms, quad rooms & a suite room. Nightly rates depend on the room configuration, toilet access (some have shared toilet), privacy level & season. Some of these rooms come with private bathrooms with hot water, cable television, bath towels, air conditioning, dark curtains & shelves. Rooms tend to be cheaper on lean seasons.

If you want to know more about these room choices & see the actual photos, feel free to head to the hostel’s accommodation page.

Hostel Facilities & Perks

It’s time for my favorite part of every Hostel Of The Day feature; it’s the list of hostel facilities & amenities. Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay provides a long list of facilities & perks every guest can enjoy.

Free WiFi Access
Guests can connect to the hostel’s WiFi connection free of charge. The WiFi password can be obtained in reception or in the restaurant. It’s not the best WiFi connection you can get in the island, but it helps you with basic internet & social media use.

Swimming Pool Access
The hostel has a decent-sized swimming pool which all guests can enjoy. Non-hostel guests can also use the pool for a minimal fee.

Daily Hostel Activities
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay hosts daily activities. The hostel is famous for the Booze Cruise happening every Tuesday & Saturday where guests go on a boat party & cliff diving with unlimited drinks. They also host themed events like boodle fight dinners, paint parties, quiz nights, beer pong tournaments & pool parties. The hostel also hosts beach cleanup activities once in a while. These activities are announced daily in the hostel boards near reception or in the events page in their Facebook page.

We were there on a Sunday & there was a scheduled Sunday Session & BBQ Day + DJ ’til midnight

Pool-side Restaurant & Bar
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has an in-house restaurant & bar by the swimming pool. The bar & restaurant offers a wide range of dishes & drinks that caters to all nationalities. Food & drinks are reasonably-priced, pretty much the same with the other restaurants in the island. Food serving sizes are generous & worth the price. They also have daily food deals & happy hour promotions for alcoholic drinks.

Ordered from the Sunday BBQ menu – got a Pork BBQ Stick & Grilled Chicken with Greek Salad. 🙂

Every Mad Monkey Hostel branch has its own signature drink. If Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach has a Pacquiao Punch, Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has their Boracay Bomb. I don’t know what it’s made of but it’s surely worth trying. It’s sold for ₱200 per drink.

The Boracay Bomb – Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s signature drink offered for ₱200 per glass.

Free Shots At The Bar
Mad Monkey Hostels are known for giving free alcohol shots. The Boracay branch also gives these free shots every day.

Awesome Hostel Parties
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay turns into an awesome party place every night. The hostel guests & visitors have a good time in the hostel premises until 12 midnight every day. After 12, those who want to continue the party go out & party in other places.

Free Luggage Storage
The hostel offers free luggage storage to all incoming & outgoing guests. There is an open storage space by the reception where guests can put their bags & luggage before check in & after check out.

24-Hour Front Desk
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has a 24-hour reception / front desk. No matter what time you arrive or leave the hostel, there will always be someone who is there to man the reception area.

Cozy Lounge Area
The hostel has a cozy lounge area by the reception where guests can chill or relax while waiting for check in, airport transfer or whatever they have planned for the day. The lounge area offers a relaxing view of the swimming pool.

Cheerful, Accommodating & Friendly Staff
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has one of the most cheerful & friendliest staff ever. The staff always greets you whenever they come across you outside your rooms or in the common areas. They also speak good English & are responsive to questions & requests.

Tour Desk
The hostel has an in-house tour desk where you can book your Boracay tours or activities. Feel free to ask the person in reception on what activities or bookings they offer.

Secured Hostel Stay
The hostel swimming pool, bar & restaurant may be open to everyone, but the rooms & guest areas are still secured. Guests are given room keys to access their respective rooms. Private rooms also have a secured storage box where valuables can be kept safe. At night when parties turn fun & crazy, the hostel has security guards & bouncers who monitor everyone’s well-being.

hostel experience

Rick & I booked our stay directly with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s platform. We took advantage of a random promotion & paid only ₱4,185 for 3 nights for a Superior Twin Room. The room came with 2 comfortable single beds, private bathroom with hot shower, air conditioning & dark curtain for privacy. The room was spacious & the bathroom was alright. Water pressure wasn’t that great during our stay; but that was because the authorities are upgrading the water supply facility nearby. WiFi worked well in our room. The staff were superb. We paid roughly ₱700 per person per night on a private room so not bad at all.

A part of our last 2 days in Boracay were spent in the hostel. We enjoyed the swimming pool, we took advantage of the bar’s happy hour promotions & enjoyed the hostel’s Sunday BBQ meal offering. The food servings were of decent size. We stayed for the Sunday night party, met cool people, played beer pong with the other guests & had a great time. We also tried the Boracay Bomb signature drink. To be honest, I don’t remember how it tasted. I was a bit drunk that night.

Overall, we had a memorable stay with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay. How I wish my other friends also stayed in this hostel. Will I stay in this hostel again? Y-E-S! Man, I’m a fan of this hostel & I already want to go back. I need to go back to try their booze cruise party & to have a good time. This hostel is indeed a hidden gem in Boracay!

In any case you have questions you want to address the hostel directly, feel free to contact them in the details below:

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay
Address: Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag, Boracay, Aklan Philippines 5608
Contact number: +63-966-308-1834
Email address: boracay@madmonkeyhostels.com
Website: www.madmonkeyhostels.com/boracay
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MadMonkeyBoracay
Instagram: www.instagram.com/madmonkeyhostels

Have you been to Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay? How about Nacpan Beach or in any other location? How was your stay? Did you like the hostel & its amenities? Share your hostel experiences in the comment section below. If you have any question about the hostel & want to remain anonymous to everyone, you can throw it via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll surely have a look at ’em. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me today. See you in next Hostel Of The Day feature!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: 6 WAYS To SAVE MONEY In MELBOURNE

I’ve been to Australia twice (August 2018 to Sydney & Brisbane & April 2019 to Melbourne) in the last 2 years & I can tell you it’s not a cheap country to visit. Everything, including drinking water, has a price tag – not just an affordable price, but an expensive tag on it. A cheapo meal will cost you AU$10 (₱350-ish in our currency) & this meal will probably be a bland or a simple one. A normal meal in a restaurant will cost you about AU$15 – AU$25, drinks not included. A private room in a 2 or 3 star hotel can cost you about AU$100 per night while a room in a branded hotel can cost you double or even triple that price just for a night.

Australia has a high cost of living, this is also supplemented by the high wages & better government services. Filipino tourists like us, with the current cost of living here in the Philippines, will have a hard time coping with the daily expenses when travelling around this country.

Interested to know how I got my Australian tourist visa in 8 working days? Check out this post to know more.

Having been to different expensive countries in the past, I still believe that there are ways on how one can survive & save some money while travelling around these costly places. Today’s Tuesday Tip will be all about ways on how to save some money in Melbourne, Australia. Last April, my friends & I went & explored the city for 8 days & 7 nights. It was not a cheap trip but we managed to save some cash by doing the following:

stay & cook in hostels

Staying in hostels in one way of saving some cash while in Melbourne. Nightly rates range from AU$25 – AU$50, depending on the dormitory room configuration of choice. The more people in one dormitory room, the cheaper it gets. These hostels also provide kitchen & food storage facilities. Guests are allowed to store & cook their own food at any given time the kitchen is open. It is another way of saving money instead of eating outside.

My dormitory bed in Flinders Backpackers Melbourne.. Very basic but I have everything I need! 🙂

Unsure if staying in a hostel is something for you? Check out this article & know the ups & downs of staying in hostels. It might just help you decide.

Staying in hostels is also a perfect time to meet other people travelling around. If you are up for free accommodation & have the courage to stay in a stranger’s place, check out CouchSurfing. It is an application where travelers can find people to host them in their own pads in their city of destination.

Flinders Backpackers provides cook-your-own pancake breakfast, bread & cereals to all its guests!

Now back to staying in hostels.. Last April, we stayed in Flinders Backpackers Melbourne. It is an affordable hostel with a large kitchen suitable for preparing meals & cooking. The hostel also provided free cook-your-own pancake breakfast, including cereals & bread. I actually made a separate post about our stay in this hostel. Check out the Hostel of the Day feature here.

Go For A Supermarket Haul

Supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths & Aldi have wide variety of food & drinks one can enjoy. My friends & I always drop by these supermarkets before going back to our hostel to buy something that we’ll bring in our tour the following day. It helped us save some money, instead of buying expensive snacks in tour stopovers.

You can also get sandwiches, cookies & even cooked meals in these supermarkets for a very low price. You can never go wrong with these supermarkets. Just a tip, I believe Aldi & Coles are cheaper than Woolworths in most items.

Join Free Walking Tours

The best way to explore & know more about Melbourne is by joining free walking tours. The walking tours are conducted by freelance guides who know about the history of Melbourne & Australia in general. The guides will bring you to different interesting locations & spots that have connection to the history of the city.

Currently, there are 3 companies running these walking tours in Melbourne – I’m Free Walking Tours, Walks 101 & Strawberry Tours. These walking tours operate on a tip-based program, where the guests are not required to pay for the tour, but rather give tips on what they think the worth of the tour is at the end of it. From experience, the usual tip is about AU$10 per person.

We took a walking tour with I’m Free Tours in August 2018 & only gave a tip at the end of the tour.

We joined the I’m Free Walking Tour in Sydney back in August 2018 & decided to skip the Melbourne one. We found out that most (not all) of the tour information / details are the same as that of Sydney’s – basically about Australia’s history & how everything started in the country. I recommend that you take these walking tours. You will know a lot about Australia.

Hop On & Hop Off The Free city Trams

Tram rides within the Melbourne Free Tram Zone do not incur any charge. These includes the city circle trams & all trams that operated within the Spring St, Flinders St, La Trobe St, Victoria St, William St, Elizabeth St & part of Docklands. Anyone can just hop on & hop off in these trams at any time of the day for free as long as you don’t go beyond the free tram zone.

My friends & I used these city trams a lot. We got tired of walking around at some point during the day & decided to just take the trams around the central business district. They’re free of charge anyway.

Explore Places For Free

Melbourne has a long list of places where you can go & explore for free. You can go & walk around Federation Square & continue to the famous mural street of Hosier Lane. You can also walk towards the State Library of Victoria & view the main hall from the topmost floor. You can also go to Queen Victoria Market, Shrine Gallery of Remembrance, Royal Botanic Gardens, Yarra River & Chinatown all for free.

These places found around Melbourne can be visited for free. Yes, no fees & absolutely for free!! 🙂

We walked to & through these places several times without even spending a dollar. They were all for free & these buildings, streets / lane ways pretty much make up most of the major places to visit in the city. I recommend going back to these places after the free walking tour to take your time in exploring.

Take Advantage of Lunch Sets & Happy Hours

Restaurants & bars around Melbourne have regular promotions on lunch sets & happy hours (for alcoholic drinks). They offer the meals & drinks for cheaper prices at specific times of the day. Make sure to always ask the waiter or bartender before ordering your food / drink.

Bonus Tip – Share Meals With Friends

Most of the meal size servings in Melbourne are big enough to stuff 2 people. These sizes come with the price – they’re expensive that’s why they’re served big. We, Filipinos, were used to regularly sized meals & we were shocked by the amount of food served to us in some restaurants.

*We ordered these dishes in 3 different restaurants. Too much for one person; they’re all for sharing!*

I ordered a chicken parmigiana meal worth AU$ 14 that was as bigger than by hand. It came with some chips (we call these fries) & salad. I was not able to finish the whole meal. It looks like a normal meal for the locals but I see it as something I can share with my friends.

If you’re travelling with friends, it pays to share these kinds of meals with them. You save some cash, you can even try more dishes in the menu!

There you go! I hope these tips will help you save some money in your upcoming Melbourne trip. Melbourne or Australia in general may be expensive to explore, but there are ways on how you can get away with these high costs. In case you are wondering about the details of my previous trips o Sydney, Brisbane & Melbourne, I have compiled all posts into a list below:

SYDNEY

N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours
N9 In Straya Series – BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches + BOUNCE SYDNEY HOSTEL Tribute
N9 in Straya Series: HUNTER VALLEY Day Tour – Australian Wine Tasting At Its Finest
N9 in Straya Series: SCENIC WORLD BLUE MOUNTAINS – Nature & Adventure In One Place
Hostel Of The Day: THE POD SYDNEY – Minimalist & Contemporary Hostel In The Middle Of A Busy City

BRISBANE

N9 In Straya Series: BRISBANE Weekend – Quality Family Time In QLD

MELBOURNE

N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 2 – Hipster Laneways, Communal Spaces & Modern Areas
N9 In Straya Series: BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES – Iconic & Photogenic Bathing Boxes Found In A Coastal Melbourne Suburb
N9 in Straya Series: GREAT OCEAN ROAD – A Day Trip To The World’s Largest War Memorial
N9 In Straya Series: PHILLIP ISLAND – A Perfect Day Out With Nature & Australian Wildlife
N9 In Straya Series: PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY & YARRA VALLEY WINE TOUR – Victoria’s Heritage Steam Railway & Wine Region In A Day
Hostel Of The Day: FLINDERS BACKPACKERS MELBOURNE – Budget-Friendly & Extremely Popular Hostel In The Heart Of The City

Can you think of other money-saving tips in Melbourne? Feel free to share your suggestions & experiences in the comments section below. You can also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll surely have a look at ’em. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you very much for joining me in today’s set of Tuesday Tips! Until the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: FUKUOKA HANA HOSTEL – Fukuoka’s In-Demand & Best Valued Tourist Accommodation

After spending 4 days & 3 nights around the Kansai Region (Kyoto, USJ & Nara), I had to fly to Fukuoka for an overnight stop before heading back to Manila. My sisters flew out of Kansai International Airport in Osaka on the same night I flew to Kyushu’s main city. I had to spend a night in Fukuoka & decided to book a stay in today’s Hostel Of The Day feature – Fukuoka Hana Hostel. It was the last of 4 hostels I’ve stayed with in this February 2019 Japan trip. The other 3 hostels I’ve stayed with are Khaosan World Asakusa Hostel & Ryokan, Dot Hostel Nagano & New World Inn Osaka.

I already stayed with Fukuoka Hana Hostel in 2016. In fact, I did a quick feature of the hostel in my Fukuoka 2016 blog post. I remember I mentioned in that post that I’ll stay in this hostel again if I go back to Fukuoka. I just did! I didn’t have the Hostel Of The Day section at that time. Now that I’ve started writing about the hostels I’ve been to, I think it’s the best time to share with you a thorough feature of Fukuoka Hana Hostel. This hostel is a member of the Hana Hostel & J-Hoppers Hostel Group.

Location & Access

Fukuoka Hana Hostel is located along the Nakasu Kawabata Shopping Arcade. It is the only hostel among the row of shops, cafes & restaurants in the arcade. The nearest subway station is Nakasu-Kawabata Station & is about 5 minutes by walk from the property. The famous Canal City Shopping Mall is about 2 to 3 minutes away by walk while the Tenjin area is 15 minutes away by foot. There is also a nearby 24-hour Don Quijote shop located 10 minutes away by foot.

Fukuoka’s main train station, Hakata Station, is a station away from the nearest subway station or around 15 minutes by foot. Fukuoka Airport is 4 stations away (10 minute ride) from Nakasu-Kawabata Station. My flight from Osaka arrived the airport at 9:15 in the evening. I got off the plane, picked up my baggage, walked to the airport station & arrived the hostel at 9:50 in the evening. It was that close! The nearest local supermarket & convenience store is a crossing away from the hostel.

Fukuoka Hana Hostel‘s location is very central & accessible. Everything a visitor or tourist needs can be found a few minutes by foot. The tourist spots can also be reached through the nearest subway station.

Room Types & Pricing

Fukuoka Hana Hostel is a medium-sized hostel that caters to both leisure & business travelers. The property has both dormitory & private rooms. The dormitory rooms (3-bed male, 6-bed female & 8-bed mixed) cost from ¥2,500 a night (seasonal). The rate includes free WiFi, a single bed with curtains, duvet & pillow, air conditioning & exhaust fans in a spacious room, a personal reading light & access to in-room or communal shower & toilet facilities. Towels are not included.

The private rooms (loft bed twin room, double tatami room & loft bed triple room) cost from ¥6,200 per night (seasonal) & has an in-room toilet & bath. Guests also have access to free WiFi & air conditioning just like the ones in the dormitory room.

Guest Perks & Amenities

If you’ve read my previous Japan-based hostel of the day features, you’ll know that these hostels provide a long list of perks & amenities to all of its guests. These hostels cost higher than the usual Asian hostel; it makes sense they give the guests more facilities to enjoy. Check out the following perks, facilities & amenities a Fukuoka Hana Hostel can enjoy.

Free WiFi

The hostel offers free WiFi to all its guests. The password can be obtained from the reception. The WiFi signal is available throughout the building.

Private/Common Toilets & Shower Facilities

The hostel has both private or communal toilet & shower facilities depending on the room configuration you avail. The 3-bed male dormitory room on the 2nd floor has its own toilet & shower area. Other dormitory rooms have access to common facilities in the hallway. These facilities include free shampoo & liquid soap.

Communal Kitchen With Free Coffee & Tea

Fukuoka Hana Hostel has a spacious kitchen area where guests can cook & prepare their meals – may it be breakfast, lunch or dinner. The property also has storage spaces & a refrigerator to store the guests’ food. Coffee & tea are offered for free at any time of the day or night.

Communal Living & Dining Area

The hostel has a spacious living & dining area where guests can mingle with the other guests or with the staff. There are a number of tables & chairs available for use. Guests can also use the desktop computers near the reception for booking flights, planning itineraries or for whatever use it can be. There is also a television in the living area which guests can use to watch news, series & shows.

Rooftop Terrace

The hostel also has a rooftop terrace where guests can relax while having a nice view of the river.

Washing & Drying Facilities

They also have washing machines & drying facilities on the rooftop terrace. Washing clothes cost ¥200 while drying costs ¥100. Check with the reception for the updated rates & times when the machines are available.

Free Luggage Storage

The property offers free luggage storage to all its guests. There is a dedicated luggage storage room right beside the reception area. Guests can leave their bags & luggage in that room on the days of check in & check out only.

Standard Reception Hours

Reception is open daily from 8:00 am up to 10:00 pm with about a 1-hour break from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Check in time starts at 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm while check out is until 11:00 am.

Helpful Staff

Fukuoka Hana Hostel’s people are nice & helpful. They speak good English & make sure that all guests have a good stay. They even give out recommendations on where to go & what to do while in Fukuoka. Ask for tips on where to eat the best Hakata Ramen – they know where to go.

Guest Events

The hostel hosts guest events (or parties as they call it) at least once a week. These events range from takoyaki making activities to meet-up nights. It’s the perfect time to meet people from all the world & enjoy exchanging stories with these people.

Free Use of Board Games & Books

There are shelves full of books & guides which guests can make use of. All guests can pick up a book/guide & read at any time during the stay. Guests can play using the board games stacked near the shelves.

Bicycle Rental

The hostel offers bicycle rental to guests who want to explore the city by bicycle. Feel free to check with reception how much is the rental rate.

Secured Door Entry & Facility

The hostel doors are open every time the reception is open. After 10:00 pm, the hostel door is locked & only guests can access it via a secure code found in the hostel keys. The hostel is also equipped with surveillance cameras.

My Experience

Allow me to share my thoughts on how my stay with Fukuoka Hana Hostel went. I booked a night stay in a 3-bed male dormitory room via Agoda for ¥2,600+. I believe the weekend rate at that time was at ¥2,800 but I got a discount from my BPI Credit Card. The room I booked in 2016 is the same room I got for this year’s trip. I requested to stay in the lower bunk bed upon booking. Voila, the hostel staff reserved the lower bunk bed for me – massive thanks!

I had a pleasant one night stay in Fukuoka Hana Hostel last February. The staff welcomed me with big smiles on their faces. The facilities were clean & well-maintained. Everything looked the same since my 2016 stay. The kitchen, dining & lounge areas were kept clean & tidy. Check in & check out were smooth. Everything fell into place again.

Bought food for dinner in the nearby supermarket & ate it in the communal lounge area. Yum! 🙂

In a growing popular city like Fukuoka where hostels or budget accommodations are limited, Fukuoka Hana Hostel stands out to be the best. The nightly rates, location, service & facilities make the hostel the best-valued property in the city. I will say this for the second time. I will definitely stay again in Fukuoka Hana Hostel if I plan to go back to Fukuoka in the coming months or years.

If you have questions or clarifications with the hostel, feel free to contact them on the details below. Make sure to book your stay as soon as possible – they’re always booked out!

Fukuoka Hana Hostel
Address: 4-213 Kamikawabata-cho, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Japan
Phone Number: +81 9 2282 5353
Email address: fukuoka@hanahostel.com
Website: www.fukuoka.hanahostel.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/FukuokaHanaHostel
Instagram: www.instagram.com/fukuoka_hana_hostel
Twitter: www.twitter.com/hakatahostel

Let’s have a last look at the clean communal lounge & dining spaces of Fukuoka Hana Hostel. 🙂

Have you ever stayed with Fukuoka Hana Hostel? How was your stay? Feel free to share some details of your experience in the comments section below. I am in constant search for hostels to stay with & feature in this site. Do you have a cool or hip hostel in mind or maybe a property you’ve stayed with in the past? Share your suggestions below! You can also send your suggestions via email 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.

Thank you for reading.. Until the next Hostel Of The Day feature! ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.