Sometimes, the best things happen when unplanned. True enough, this happened to me when I took an unplanned afternoon visit to Utrecht, Netherlands last October. Yesterday, I shared with you details about my few days around Amsterdam. In those 5 days, I took trips to different cities & towns outside the center – Utrecht being one of them.
I messaged my Europe-based friends weeks before the trip & tried to set-up meet-ups during the trip. As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I caught up with my Amsterdam-based friend Tobias on my 2nd day in Amsterdam. I also got a reply from Megan, another Dutch friend I met in Krabi in 2015. Megan & I didn’t plan out where & when we’ll meet until when I was already in the Netherlands. We then decided to meet in Utrecht, the city where she’s based. This resulted into an unplanned afternoon in another canal city; perhaps a more beautiful & authentic one than Amsterdam.
This city wasn’t in the plan – but hey, found myself in Utrecht one afternoon during my stay in NL!
Utrecht a city found in the very center of Netherlands. This populous city used to be the city center of Netherlands during the Middle Ages. The city lost its center to Amsterdam during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. Currently, Utrecht houses Utrecht University, the largest university in the Netherlands. The city has other academic institutions making it an important city for Dutch education. People normally come & live in Utrecht to study & finish school.
Found this uniquely-designed building outside Utrecht Centraal, near Hoog Catharijne in Utrecht.
Utrecht is 25 to 30 minutes away from Amsterdam via train. I took the intercity train from Amsterdam Centraal & arrived at Utrecht’s main station, Utrecht Centraal. Tickets cost €19 return. From there, I walked around the city, went in & out of different shops & passed by the Oudegracht, the city’s old canal. I met up with Megan after 2 hours of exploring & enjoyed some Dutch snacks over beers.
Let me share with you photos I took during the walk around the city & meet-up with my lovely friend, Megan. This entry will be more of a photo blog – don’t forget to check out the captions to know about the sightings.
The view outside Utrecht Centraal – the left side is modern; the right side view is old & traditional.TivoliVredenburg is one of Utrecht’s modern buildings. It is a music complex, concert & events hall.
Oudaen Restaurant
On my way to Oudegracht.
Oudegracht – Utrecht’s old canal which runs through the center of the city. Beautiful sighting!! 🙂
Holland Tulips!!!
View from a random alley.
One of the few favorite photos I took in Utrecht during that afternoon visit to the lovely Dutch city!
St. Martin’s Cathedral, Utrecht is under renovation during my visit last October.
Dom Tower of Utrecht: One of the city’s main sights is also under renovation.
The world’s biggest bicycle parking garage is found in Utrecht under Utrecht Centraal. Cool beans!I love how Utrecht’s weather is different from that of Amsterdam’s. It was a clear sunny afternoon!Tried a Dutch local snack called Olliebollen (translates to oily ball); their local version of doughnut. I also tried other local snacks – bitterballen (deep fried meat balls), cheese sticks & fried shrimp.A photo with my friend Megan – the reason why I visited Utrecht. Had a great afternoon with her!
That ends my short but enjoyable visit to the city of Utrecht. It was not in the plan but I didn’t regret any time or money spent in this beautiful city. Amsterdam’s canals are beautiful; but from what I saw in this brief visit, Utrecht’s canals are way better. The canals give a certain local & unique Dutch vibe than that of Amsterdam’s. For sure there were other nice sightings or places to visit in the city but I had to go back to Amsterdam before the dark.
Have you been to Utrecht before? What do you think of the city & its canals? Which one do you prefer? Share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any question about Utrecht? Feel free to shoot an 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.
One last photo of Utrecht – look at that peaceful canal & the colorful & tall old houses around it. 😍
Thanks for reading up to this part. I hope you enjoyed the beautiful photos of Utrecht. Watch out for the next post on this Going Solo In Europe Series. I’ll take you to the Dutch countryside next time.
The long wait is over! It’s here; it’s time to start my Going Solo in Europe Blog Series! I know most of you are waiting for these blog posts. You guys want to know where I went, what I did in the countries I visited & how I managed to survive this trip by myself. I have a lot of stuff to share; how I wish I can everything done in no time. Please bear with me as I try to write & post one blog after another in between my busy work schedules. Now, let’s get this thing started.
Finally made it to Europe last year!! Started my 19-day Euro trip in Amsterdam in Netherlands! 🇳🇱
Last October-November 2019, I went on 2.5-week trip to Europe all by myself. It was my first time in Europe; first time to be far away from home for so long. I did everything from scratch – booked my own tickets & hostel accommodations, applied for a Schengen tourist visa, researched my route & planned the cities / countries I wanted to visit. It was hard at first but the excitement for the trip helped out carve a rough plan for this 19-day trip to Europe.
PS. I shared a few details about this trip in my 2019 Year In Review post. Check out this post if you are eager to know more about the route I took.
This solo trip of a lifetime started with a return ticket I booked with Singapore Airlines in January 2019. The ticket cost me roughly $720 & it included flights to Amsterdam, Netherlands & back from Copenhagen, Denmark. It was the cheapest ticket & route during that promotion. I read articles & forum posts in the past advising that the Netherlands Embassy is the easiest embassy to obtain a Schengen Visa – thus explains why I got a ticket arriving in Amsterdam. Months of planning passed & about 1.5 months into the trip, I got my tourist visa from VFS Netherlands. Click this link to know how I applied for a visa all by myself, without the help of any tour agency.
In the past posts, I shared with you how my flights went from Manila to Singapore & Singapore to Amsterdam aboard one of the world’s best airlines, Singapore Airlines. Make sure to check out those posts to know how is it flying with such well-regarded airline. After flying 3 hours to Singapore, having 12 hours layover around Singapore & flying another 13 hours to Amsterdam, I finally made it to Europe! Today’s blog will talk about my first destination in Europe – Amsterdam.
amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. This populous city is known for its beautiful canals & it’s unique houses. The city’s history dated back in the 12th century when this reclaimed fishing village around a dam in the Amstel River started to become an important port in the country’s economy. It then developed into one of Europe’s financial & trade center to which it is still like that today. Fun fact: The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is the oldest stock exchange in the world. This also explains the city’s big role in the history of European financial market. The city is also the center of Dutch cultural heritage.
going around amsterdam
Amsterdam’s public transportation system is simple & efficient. There are a number of options available to visitors – trams, trains, buses, ferries, taxis & even bicycles. Majority of the tourist destinations can be reached by riding the tram. There are various ticketing options for these transportation systems depending on the length of validity of the ticket. I tried GVB’s 1-day / 24-hour ticket for €8. This allowed me to have unlimited rides in GVB-operated buses, trams, trains & ferries around Amsterdam. The unlimited pass was not worth it in my opinion.
The Netherlands is a bicycle-friendly country. All roads have bicycle lanes, even up to the smallest roads in the countryside. Dutch people use bicycles in their everyday lives. I caught up with my friend Tobias, whom I met in Kawaguchiko, Japan last November 2017. He brought his bicycle & he asked me to try it & cycle around the city. It was a surreal experience but it was very cold. I never thought I would cycle around Amsterdam!
Caught up with my buddy Tobias who’s based in Amsterdam. We met in Japan in November 2017.
Amsterdam Schipol Airport (AMS), Netherlands’ main international airport is located 17 kilometers away from the city. Trains & shuttle buses connect the airport to the city. I took the intercity train from Amsterdam Schipol Airport Station to Amsterdam Centraal Station for about €7 one-way. The journey took about 20 minutes.
The best way to go around Amsterdam is by foot. I walked to & from my hostel everyday & around the city for the most part. Walking around the whole day was tiring; glad the cold weather made up for it. Walking also saved me some money; it was also a good exercise while on holiday.
free walking tour
One cool thing about travelling around Europe is the presence of free walking tours. These tours run on a tip-based system. The tour guests or joiners walk around the city with a guide through a personalized route (made by the guide) & get more information about the city’s history & culture. At the end of each tour, the joiners give tips to the guide as a ‘fee’ for the tour. The guides receive any amount of tip in these kinds of tours.
There are a number of walking tour companies that run in Amsterdam. I joined SANDEMANs NEW Europe’s Amsterdam walking tour with Karl. He guided us around the city, told stories of how Amsterdam & the Netherlands started & gave recommendations on what else to do & where else to go. Karl’s tour ran for about 3 hours with a 15-minute break in between.
These walking tours run every day. They offer tours in English & Spanish languages. Schedules & bookings are available in Sandemans website. Believe it or not, I had so much fun in this walking tour up to the point where I joined SANDEMANs NEW Europe’s walking tours in Brussels, Prague & Copenhagen. The walking is the best way to know a certain city in Europe.
amsterdam sightseeing
I stayed in Amsterdam & around Netherlands for 5 days. I wanted to go around the country at my pace, visit the countryside & explore more of what the city has to offer apart from all the canals. Believe it or not, I didn’t get the chance to visit all possible spots in those 5 days, I wish I stayed more. I’ve been to a lot of places in those 5 days, check out these places below.
Amsterdam Canals
People go to Amsterdam to see the canals. The city has about 165 canals which makes about 100 kilometers long when combined. The Amsterdam Canal Ring, which comprises most of the canals in the city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognized in 2010. The beautiful old & crooked houses add up to the majestic views – from the hundreds to bridges over the canals.
Damrak
Damrak is the main street that connects Amsterdam Centraal, the city’s main train station, & Dam Square, the city’s town square. This is the “main street” to the center of Amsterdam. This 750-meter street has old buildings, shops, hotels & restaurants.
Dam Square
Dam Square is Amsterdam’s town square. It is the place where the free walking tours start. It is also where the Dutch war memorial dedicated to the fallen Dutch World War II solders is located.
Koninklijk Paleis van Amsterdam
Opposite the Dam Square is Koninklijk Paleis van Amsterdam, commonly known as the Royal Palace Amsterdam. This palace is the king’s official reception palace. The palace is open to visitors on normal days. Tickets cost €8 per person.
Amsterdam Centraal
Amsterdam Centraal is Amsterdam’s biggest & main station. The station has trains that can take you around the Netherlands & even to other countries like France, Belgium, Germany & Switzerland.
Van Gogh Museum
Van Gogh Museum is an art museum dedicated to the works of world-famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. The museum showcases hundreds of paintings made by Vincent Van Gogh during his time. It also has galleries that feature his modern counterparts & modern exhibition spaces. The museum is located in Museum Square in Amsterdam South. Tickets cost €19 & are available for purchase online.
Rijksmuseum is the Dutch national museum dedicated to the country’s arts & history. It showcases the country’s history, art & development from the middle ages to the 21st century. Museum tickets cost €19 & can be bought online before the visit.
Vondelpark
Vondelpark is Amsterdam’s most famous park, located near Museumplein at the south of the city. This park is a popular recreation place for the locals. The park becomes a venue for shows, events & concerts during summer.
Anne Frank House
Anne Frank House is a house & biographical museum dedicated to Anne Frank, a Jewish wartime writer / diarist. Located at Prinsengracht 263, this house is the exact house where Anne & her family lived during the World War II. Anne Frank became famous on the publication of her diary; the diary that documents their life while hiding for more than 2 years during the World War II. Her translated diary, The Diary of a Young Girl, sold millions of copies worldwide.
They sell majority of the tickets online at least 2 months before the date. They also sell limited tickets at the museum doors on the day itself. Tickets get booked fast so make sure to plan out your visit. Tickets are at €10.50 including a booking fee of €0.50.
KINboat Open-Air Canal Boat Tour
Right outside the Anne Frank House is the boarding station of KINboat’s Open Air Canal Boat Tour. This 1-hour open boat canal tour took me around the Amsterdam canals for an hour. Our boat driver / tour guide showed us some interesting houses & important buildings around the city; also gave us some details of the city’s history & culture. We used an electric & environment-friendly open-air boat for the tour; which explains why the tour costs a few more euros than the usual canal boat tour.
I bought the open-air boat ticket about 15 minutes before the tour itself. Tickets cost €16 per person & are available online.
Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas
Basiliek van de Heilige Nicolaas or Basilica of Saint Nicholas is Amsterdam’s main catholic church. Located in the old district, just a few steps outside Amsterdam Centraal, this basilica is a popular tourist attraction to Catholics visiting Amsterdam. The church was built over 130 years ago & still sports the neo-baroque & neo-renaissance style of architecture. Entry to the church is free of charge.
Oosterpark
Oosterpark is the public park located behind the hostel where I stayed with. The massive park has a big pond with birds & different animals. People go here for recreation & relaxation in the morning until late afternoon.
Heineken Experience
One of the famous contributions of Netherlands to the modern world is Heineken Lager Beer. The beer originated in Amsterdam in the 1870s & was made through the efforts of Gerard Heineken. The lager beer has captured the attention of Europe, won several awards & continued its expansion until it became a global brand.
Heineken’s first ever brewery was transformed into an interactive museum called Heineken Experience. This guided tour showcased how the beer started brewing in the past, how it was produced & how it conquered the world. This interactive tour takes about 1.5 to 2 hours & includes 2 glasses of beer. Tours can pre-booked online. I got my ticket about an hour before the tour & it cost me €18.
Red-Light District
De Wallen is Amsterdam’s famous red-light district. This area is composed of hundreds of places offering legal sexual services. The alleys are characterized by transparent glass windows with ladies (legal prostitutes) seating or standing behind under a red light. The area also has cafes & coffee shops selling cannabis & all other stuff you can think of.
Leidseplein
Leidseplein or Leiden Square is a small entertainment square located at the northern tip of Vondelpark. This square has cafes, bars, restaurants, music venues & dance clubs where tourists primarily go to at night. I came to this place & met up with my buddy, Tobias whom I met in Japan in 2017.
Rembrandtplein
Rembrandtplein or Rembrandt Square is another entertainment square found in Amsterdam. Named after Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn, this square used to be a butter & dairy market where local farmers go to & sell their products. Nowadays, this area is known as one of the city’s nightlife spots. The square now has many cafes, bars & restaurants around it. It is also one of the famous areas for hotels in the city.
missed places
I was in Amsterdam for 5 days & I didn’t have the time to go all places. I also went one afternoon to Utrecht & a day up north to the countryside. I missed a few places which I will definitely put on my list when I go back. These places include A’Dam Lookout, MOCO Museum (I missed the Banksy special gallery during my stay), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, NEMO Science Museum, Jordaan & Bloemenmarkt (which I heard was super touristy – need to see it still).
People usually go to Amsterdam for just 1-2 days but I think there’s more to see than just the Dam Square, the Amsterdam Canals & the museums. The city may be too busy, too full of tourists but it has an unexplained impact that would make you think of visiting over & over again. It’s been months since I’ve been to Amsterdam & I am dying to go back. I want to just walk around the city, enjoy the beautiful views from the canals, savor the sights of colorful crooked houses & learn more about the city through the other museums. Amsterdam is & will be always be special. It was my first city to visit in Europe & will always be one of my favorites.
Have you been to Amsterdam in the past? What are your favorite places or sightings in the city? Do you also have that feeling of wanting to go back to the city in the future? If you haven’t been to Amsterdam, is it one of the places where you want to go? Let’s engage into a discussion. Share your thoughts & experiences in the comment section below. Do you have any questions about Amsterdam? Feel free to send the questions to me 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.
Thanks for joining me in Amsterdam, the first installment of my Going Solo In Europe Series. Watch out for the photo blog about the beautiful Utrecht!
Hello & long time no post! After about a month of being quiet, I am back. I just came back from a big trip somewhere far & I cannot wait to share more details about you guys. For now, it’s time to catch up on some backlogs. Today, I will revive my Wonderful Indonesia Series. In the past, I have shared with you details about my trip to Bali, Nusa Penida & Komodo. Today, I will bring you to another amazing place in Indonesia – YOGYAKARTA.
Borobudur Temple – one of the 2 big temples you will see when you go to Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Last August, my friends & I went on a relaxing weekend trip to Yogyakarta in Indonesia. Yogyakarta, in the local terms Jogjakarta or Jogja, is the capital city of the Special Region of Yogyakarta. It is the only Indonesian royal city still ruled by a monarch. The city has a long history in terms of arts & culture. Nowadays, the city is the center of Indonesian education. Many youngsters move to the city to finish their degrees. To the tourists, it is the home of the world-famous Borobudur & Prambanan Temples.
Join me as I share with you the details of this quick but relaxing weekend getaway in one of Indonesia’s most beautiful cities.
Flight Tickets
I didn’t have plans of going to the city & country this year until my Indonesian friend Yudi, whom I met on Its The Ship 2018, invited for a weekend trip in Indonesia. Last June, I managed to book a return Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare ticket to Jakarta for ₱2,471 for an August long weekend. I immediately contacted my friend Yudi & we decided to spend the trip in Yogyakarta. I booked my Jakarta-Yogyakarta-Jakarta ticket with Indonesia Air Asia for only ₱3,155 return.
Yudi & I have been in constant communication about the trip & tried to plan where to go or what to do. About 2 weeks into the trip, Dallin & Lord decided to join us for the trip. Dallin is Yudi’s friend while Lord is a Singapore-based good friend of mine who runs the LordAroundTheWorld blog. Lord was responsible for me joining Its The Ship 2018. He also joined us for a few days in Melbourne last April. Lord & I met in Yogyakarta Airport & we eventually met the other 2 guys in our hotel in the city.
Gallery Prawirotaman Hotel
We took a break from the hostel / dormitory life & decided to stay in a hotel in Yogyakarta. It didn’t hurt much cost-wise since accommodation in Indonesia is cheap compared to other cities in Southeast Asia, way cheaper than Manila hotels. We picked Gallery Prawirotaman Hotel & paid IDR 1,736,836 (₱6,511.39 reflected in my statement) for 3 nights in a 28 sq m superior room for 2 people.
This 4-star hotel is centrally located in Jalan Prawirotaman II where nice hotels & restaurants are located. The nearby Jalan Prawirotaman is the hipster street of Yogyakarta. The hotel is fab & well-designed. It has an inhouse fitness center, swimming pool, spa, art gallery, bar & restaurant. The hotel staff was accommodating, helpful & friendly. The hotel WiFi connection was fast & reliable.
We got a spacious superior room with a private balcony & a view of the city. The room has impressive lighting, lots of space & has an ‘office corner’ where guests can do some work. The hotel is clean & well-maintained. Buffet breakfast is included in the room rate. I am happy to say they have a good variety of dishes in the 3 mornings that I had breakfast.
We had a pleasant stay at Gallery Prawirotaman Hotel; we were able to take advantage of the hotel amenities. Food was good, the service was top notch & the location was perfect. I recommend that you consider this hotel when going to Yogyakarta.
Getting Around Yogyakarta
We used my friend’s car to go around the city. There was no need to hire a private car charter or to take public transportation, Grab, Gojek or rickshaws to go from one place to the other. There are multiple options in going around the city, but the best way in my opinion is to rent a motorcycle for a day or two or to rent a car & drive around for the whole duration of stay. The highlights of the city like Mount Merapi, Borobudur & Prambanan Temples are located far from the city & far from each other.
places visited
Let me warn you. All of us went to Yogyakarta with no plans or anything in mind. I didn’t do any research & I asked my friend to plan out our itinerary. Apparently, they also didn’t plan anything. We ended up going to the places we only feel like visiting. Most of the time was spent eating in nice restaurants (wait for the post about this!) & in our hotel. We were there to take a break & relax. Anyway, check out the places we went to.
JALAN MALIOBORO
Jalan Malioboro, commonly known as Malioboro Street, is Yogyakarta’s major shopping street. This street is the best place to go shopping & have the local street food. At night, the long strip transforms into a busy market with all sorts of stuff you can think of. Both locals & tourists flock this street every night. Warning! Prices can be expensive, especially if know that you are tourists.
TAMAN SARI WATER CASTLE
Taman Sari used to be the garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta. It used to be the sultanate’s hiding place, also his place of rest & meditation. The water castle is now one of the city’s top attractions with only a few buildings left from the old times. Locals also started to reside in some of the castle buildings / grounds.
MERAPI LAVA TRAIL TOUR
My friends & I drove about 1.5 hours away from Yogyakarta center to Mount Merapi & take the lava trail tour on a 4 x 4 jeep. Mount Merapi is an active volcano located in the border of Yogyakarta & Central Java. It is a popular tourist destination because of its lava & boulder trails brought by the volcanic activities.
There were 3 options for the lava trail tour. We opted for the shortest one. The tour & the bumpy ride around the lava trails took about 1.5 hours. I’m sorry I forgot how much we paid for the whole tour. It wasn’t that much. Was it worth the time & effort going to the volcano grounds? It was alright; not much interesting things to see. I won’t do it again in the future.
BOROBUDUR TEMPLE
My main reason of flying to Yogyakarta is to see the world famous Borobudur Temple. This UNESCO World Heritage Listed Site is the world’s largest Buddhist temple built in the 9th century. The temple is also famous for its round stupas containing a unique Buddha structure inside.
Most tourists go to the temple during sunrise / sunset, but we opted to go there during midday. An entrance ticket is required to enter the temple grounds. Lord & I opted for the US$45 combined entrance ticket for Borobudur & Prambanan Temples.
PRAMBANAN TEMPLE
Prambanan Temple is another UNESCO World Heritage Listed Site found in Yogyakarta. This Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 10th century. This, together with Borobudur Temple, are the main attractions for people visiting Yogyakarta.
We got a combined entry ticket worth US$45 per person (for the 2 temples) to access the temple grounds.
This pretty much sums up my Yogyakarta weekend with friends. It felt good seeing them again after a while & spending quality time over good food & drinks & amazing scenery. Nothing much really happened, it was all about taking a break from our daily routines.
Have you been to Yogyakarta? How did you find the city? Is it a place you’d love to go back or maybe a place you’d love to visit? Post your thoughts in the comment section below. Do you have any questions about the information mentioned above? Send them to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll respond as soon as I can. Please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Thank you for taking time to read this post. Watch out for the list of restaurants you shouldn’t miss when in Yogyakarta – that’ll be the next post about this amazing city.
Allow me to share with you the details of our tour around Taipei City. We had a flexible itinerary because we were travelling with our parents, aunt, uncle & a 2-year old baby. We missed a few historical places & parks, but we definitely enjoyed each others company. Check out the trip details below.
ticket
For my past 2 Taiwan trips, I’ve flown with Cebu Pacific Air. Both tickets were at less than ₱3,000 return. Since Taiwan became visa-free to Filipino passport holders, airfare to Taipei & Kaoshiung became expensive. I found a good deal with EVA Air, Taiwan’s 2nd largest airline, last February. Return tickets only cost $127.32 (about ₱6,600+) & the fare already included in-flight meal, baggage & in-flight entertainment. Know more about my EVA Air experience in this flight report.
Accommodation
We stayed in Uinn Travel Hostel for 4 days & 3 nights. We booked 4 spacious double rooms that came with private bath & toilet. The hostel offers a superb breakfast & has modern facilities. They also have dormitory rooms for those who are travelling alone or on a budget. I’ve featured Uinn Travel Hostel as a Hostel Of The Day in this website. Check out this post to know more about the hostel.
Taipei has a very efficient transportation system. All places in the city are connected by either a bus or a train. We used EASY Card, their own version of tap card, in going to different places. We bought the tap cards at the airport train station & just added value / credit when needed. This tap card can also be used in establishments like supermarkets & convenience stores.
HOLY FAMILY CHURCH
We started our day around Taipei with a Sunday English mass at Holy Family Church. It was also Father’s Day that weekend so we decided to attend the mass as a family. The church was packed with people from all over the world. I’ve been to this church in 2015 when I first went to Taiwan with my high school friends.
Access: Daan Park Station – Exit 2
DAAN PARK
After the mass, we decided to have a stroll around Daan Park. The park had a nice pond with ducks & wild birds. My baby cousin enjoyed walking around the park, spotting the animals around. It’s a perfect place to relax & walk around on a cold winter morning or afternoon. Too bad it was sunny & too hot during our visit.
Access: Daan Park Station – Exit 2
TAIPEI 101 MALL
We headed to Taipei 101 Mall for lunch & for sightseeing. The massive Taipei 101 welcomed us upon leaving Exit 4 of the metro station. We went around the different boutiques & shops while we waited for our turn in Din Tai Fung & our Taipei 101 Observatory schedule.
Access: Taipei 101 Station – Exit 4
DIN TAI FUNG
We had our lunch at Din Tai Fung in Taipei 101 Mall. This world-famous restaurant originated in Taipei back in the days. The restaurant is famous for its pork xiao long bao, braised beef noodles & steamed chicken soup. We waited for about an hour before we finally had our table. It was Father’s Day lunch so the family had a feast.
Access: Taipei 101 Station – Exit 4
TAIPEI 101 OBSERVATORY
After lunch, we all headed to the Taipei 101 Observatory. We bought our tickets through Klook on the same day & even got a discount for the large booking. Each ticket only costs about ₱600+ per person after the discount. Ticket redemption was easy; it was through an automated machine located near the ticket booth. We stayed on the 88th floor for about an hour & enjoyed the 360-degree view of the city.
Access: Taipei 101 Station – Exit 4
ELEPHANT MOUNTAIN
My sisters & I decided to hike up the Elephant Mountain after going up the Taipei 101 observatory. We wanted to see the city & Taipei 101 from a different angle. The hike up to the viewpoint took about 30 minutes & another 30 minutes going down. The viewpoint provided stunning images of the city & of the skyscraper. I’ve been to Taiwan twice, but it was only until this trip when I was able to go up the mountain. The best time to go up is either in the morning or during sunset. However, expect more people going up during these times.
Access: Xiangshan Staion – Exit 2
RAOHE NIGHT MARKET
We went to Raohe Night Market to have authentic street food for dinner. We got the famous pork pepper buns, pork sausages, fried milk & a lot more. The market was packed with tourists that Sunday night & we haven’t had the chance to try all the food around.
Access: Songshan Station – Exit 5
HUAXI STREET NIGHT MARKET
I met up with my good friend, Richard, after dinner to catch up & have some drinks. I met Richard in the overnight boat tour in Komodo, Indonesia. We’ve been really good friends since then. He was also in Taipei that weekend, waiting for his flight to Spain to be with his family on his birthday. Richard & I literally just walked everywhere until we reached Huaxi Street Night Market. It is a small local market, practically selling everything. This market catered mostly to the locals. Believe it or not, we had a hard time looking for a place to eat up to the point we ended up having pork dumplings & beer in a restaurant near Longshan Station.
Meeting place: Ximen Station – Exit 4 in front of GaKuDen Bakery
XIMENDING
A trip to Taipei will never be complete without a visit to the city’s shopping hub – Ximending. This area is where there young people go for shopping & food trip. It has also become famous for the tourists because of the shops & stores located in this area. The place is full of colorful lights & billboards at night; making it a vibrant hangout place for everyone.
Access: Ximen Station – Various Exits
CHIANG KAI SHEK MEMORIAL HALL & LIBERTY SQUARE
The last place we visited before we left Taiwan was the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall & Libery Square. This memorial hall was built in memory of former President Chiang Kai-Shek. The hall has different display rooms & galleries where you will know more about the former president. On the other hand, the Liberty Square is Taipei’s largest public square. It is a place used for public gatherings during national holidays & important days in Taiwan.
Richard & I already went to this place the night before our family went. There were no other people there at around 12 midnight. However, the ground gates looked stunning with those lights.
Access: Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Station – Exit 5
This sums up the places my family visited around Taipei during our weekend visit last June. I know we haven’t been to everywhere but we had a great time building memories with each other. Have you been to these places in the past? Which one is your favorite & why? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Alternatively, you can send me anything, as in anything about this post / blog / website, 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.
Just like New South Wales’ Hunter Valley, Victoria also has its own wine region called Yarra Valley.
Back to the last Melbourne post, allow me to share with you the details of this relaxing day tour we had in the Dandenong Ranges. We booked the day tour through an online tour provider & then we were endorsed to another company who actively runs this trip around the area. The trip was divided into 2 parts- the Puffing Billy Railway Experience in the morning & the Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour in the afternoon. Let me give you a quick background of our destinations before we fully go into the details of the day tour.
Puffing Billy Railway is Australia’s heritage steam railway that has been in operation since 1900. This railway used to be the main transporter for the local farming & timber community. This was used to bring goods to & from the Dandenong Ranges & served a vital role in the lives of the Victorians.
The railway used to operate from Upper Fentree Gully to Gembrook. Now, the railway starts operating mostly from Belgrave Station up to the Lakeside. It has also become a popular attraction in Melbourne where thousands of tourists ride the steam train each year.
Yarra Valley Wine Region
Yarra Valley is Victoria’s own wine region that is known for producing world-class Chardonnay, sparkling wine & Pinot Noir. The region’s cool climate makes it a perfect place to have vineyards & wineries all year round. At present, there are over a hundred wineries operating in this region & we were lucky to visit 3 of them on this tour.
Tour Booking
My friends & I found Last Minute Day Tours Australia to be the cheapest tour provider for the Puffing Billy Railway & Yarra Valley Wine Tasting Tour for our planned date. The tour cost AUD 129 per person. The fee included hotel pick-up & drop-off, a luxury tourist coach transport, national park fees, a professional tour guide, railway tickets, morning tea & wine tastings at selected Yarra Valley wineries.
We also decided to upgrade our tour & availed of the AUD 46 lunch set in one of the fine dining restaurants. Each of us paid AUD 175 for the whole day tour – that’s around ₱6,500 per person at that time. Last Minute Day Tours Australia then endorsed us to AAT Kings, the tour provider for this day trip. AAT Kings is one of Australia’s prime tour operators & is known for its upscale tour programs. The company offers this tour for a more expensive rate; glad we got it discounted through Last Minute Day Tours.
The day trip to the Dandenong Ranges may be a little expensive but it was all worth it.
Tour Itinerary
Let me share with you the specific happenings on this luxury day tour. It all started with a scheduled pickup from one of the hotels near Flinders Backpackers Melbourne. We were then brought to the AAT Kings luxury coach somewhere in the CBD. Upon boarding, we were given the menu for lunch. Our orders were taken & was forwarded to the restaurant for early preparation. We left the city a few minutes past 8 in the morning.
MORNING TEA
Our first stop was Grants on Sherbrooke for morning tea. It is a family-run business in the middle of the forest & is a famous stop for those going to the Puffing Billy Railway. We were given hot bread with butter & jam plus coffee or tea for a snack. All these items were unlimited; guests can eat & drink as much as they want. Each AAT Kings guest was also given a free tray of bird seeds to feed the wild birds. I went for both the morning tea & bird feeding session. There were a lot of cockatoos present during our visit. It was fun feeding these cockatoos.
PUFFING BILLY RIDE
After morning tea, we headed to Belgrave Station of the Puffing Billy Railway. AAT Kings had already resereved a number of wooden coaches for our tour group. Our guide brought us to these coaches & then we boarded the steam railway to Menzies Creek Station. The train line was operated by one of the many original steam engines that were used way back in the 1900s. In this modern day & age, one doesn’t get to ride a steam railway a lot of times. This 20-ish minute train ride was a cool experience.
LUNCH AT ISABELLA’S RESTAURANT
After getting off at Menzies Creek Station, we all went back to the bus & headed for lunch at Isabella’s Restaurant. This restaurant is located within Rochford Wines‘ winery & offers a fantastic view of the vineyards.
Our lunch set started with flat bread & butter for appetizer. Our previously-selected main course followed. I went for the 16-hour oyster blade of beef & slow roasted pumpkin tangine with feta & toasted almond. The main course came with a glass of Rochford wine. After the main meal, were were given a slice of cake & macaron with a cup of tea of coffee.
We had a great lunch. I never had a perfectly-cooked beef dish in a while. Honestly, we had more than the amount we paid for this lunch set. The place was also beautiful & classy.
WINE TASTING TOUR
We had our wine tasting tour after lunch. We went to 3 different wineries & tried their best-selling wines. The wineries included in this tour were Rochford Wines, Dominique Portet Winery & Yerring Farm. Each winery had its own unique element, but what I enjoyed most is the laid back & authentic experience with Yerring Farm. Check out the photos of our wine tasting tour below.
After having a few glasses of wine in Yerring Farms, we all headed back to the coach & started the trip back to Melbourne. We arrived back in Melbourne at around 5:30 in the afternoon. My friends & I enjoyed this relaxing & fun Puffing Billy Railway & Yarra Valley Wine Tasting day trip. This day tour is worth trying when in Melbourne!
Have you tried the Puffing Billy Railway? How about the Wine Tasting Tour in Yarra Valley? How was your experience? I am looking at flying back to Melbourne in the coming months. Is there another place which I should visit? Feel free to post your experiences or suggestions in the comment section below. Alternatively, you can send all these messages via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Thank you very much for joining me in this Australia series. I’ve had great times in both Sydney (& Brisbane) & Melbourne trips over the last year. I cannot wait to go back to these cities & explore more! ✌️
