travel – Page 3 – The Wknd Travel

Sakura 2024: HIDA TAKAYAMA & SHIRAKAWA-GO – Unexpected Snowy Mountain Scenery in Early Spring [March 2024]

A few months ago, my friends and I flew to Japan for Sakura. We started our long but memorable journey at Nagoya. Immediately after landing at Nagoya Airport, we took the train to the city to catch our onward bus to Takayama. We explored Hida Takayama (or simply Takayama) and Shirakawa-go for a good 48 hours. We did not expect to see and experience winter (in what was supposed to be early spring) in these two places.

I visited Takayama and Shirakawa-go back in autumn 2017. I was happy I got the chance to go back to these places after seven years. Join me in today’s blog as I share with you what we did for 48 hours around Takayama and Shirakawa-go.

Takayama & Shirakawa-go

Takayama is a small Japanese city in the mountainous Hida Region. Also known as Hida Takayama, the city has preserved its traditional elements, particularly in its famous old town.

Shirakawa-go is a traditional village famous for its gassho-style or thatched-roof farmhouses. Located in the remote mountains of Gifu, this UNESCO world heritage site became a favorite day trip destination of people visiting Takayama and Nagoya.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I flew in to Chubu Centrair International Airport, the nearest main international airport to these 2 places. We booked two one-way tickets and flew with Cebu Pacific Air on both flights. We paid ₱13,759.49 for both flights. These tickets were not the most wallet-friendly, but these were during the peak of the peak seasons in Japan.

I wrote about our 5J 5038 Manila to Nagoya and 5J 5039 Nagoya to Manila flights in the previous flight reports. I hope you can check these posts.

Nagoya to Takayama

The JR Hida Limited Express and multiple highway buses link Nagoya and Takayama daily.

My friends and I opted for the cheaper option, the highway bus. We got the 4:30 p.m. Nohi Bus service departing from Meitetsu Bus Center near Nagoya Station. We arrived at Takayama Bus Terminal a few minutes past 7:00 p.m.

This one-way bus ticket cost us ¥3,345 (around ₱1,284.44 at the time of posting) after discounts. It’s almost half the price of the one-way ¥6,000 train ticket.

Accommodation

My friends and I stayed with Country Hotel Takayama for 2 nights. We booked this hotel because of its location and price. We got an economy twin room with private bathroom and only paid ¥11,934 (booked 9 months in advance) for the whole stay.

Country Hotel Takayama is in front of the Takayama Bus Terminal and a few meters away from the JR Takayama Station. It is 800 meters, or 10-12 minutes, away by foot to Takayama Old Town. It has an in-house restaurant and a convenience store on the ground floor. The hotel offers a Japanese breakfast buffet for only ¥1,000 per person.

Going Around Takayama & Shirakawa-go

Going around Takayama and Shirakawa-go is easy. Both places can be explored by foot. Takayama’s city center is small to the point where you can walk around it in a few hours. Most of the attractions and shops are located near Takayama Old Town.

Traveling to Shirakawa-go from Takayama is easy. Buses depart every 30 minutes or every hour from Takayama Station. Visitors can choose between reserved and non-reserved buses. Reserved buses fill up quickly, so one needs to consider getting tickets from the bus terminal ahead of time. Bus tickets cost ¥2,600 per way and take around 50 minutes. You may check the Nohi Bus website for the updated schedules and ticket prices.

Shirakawa-go is a small village that can also be explored by foot. The gassho-style houses and the other houses are located near each other and are all surrounded by rice fields. The only challenging area in Shirakawa-go is going up and down from the view deck. Alternatively, visitors can take the bus up to and down from the view deck.

Around Takayama

Takayama Old Town

Hida Kokubun-ji

Miyagawa River

Nakatsubo – Nakatsubo is a family-owned local restaurant known for its Takayama Ramen.

Hida Takuma – Hida Takuma is a specialty restaurant that serves Hida beef.

Around Shirakawa-go

Ogimachi Village

Three Houses

Shō River

Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck

Ochūdo Café – Ochūdo Café is a local restaurant that serves curry rice and sweet egg bean soup.

Hida Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream

This sums up our quick, fun, and unexpectedly beautiful snowy visit to Takayama and Shirakawa-go. My friends and I expected to see these places during spring, but we ended up seeing them full of snow!

Have you been to Takayama and Shirakawa-go? What do you think of these places? Share your experiences and visits in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about these two? You may send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

This is the start of many Sakura 2024 content. I hope you watch out for more trip details in the future. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 5039 – Nagoya to Manila – Unexpected Inflight Treats on our Expensive Flight Back to Manila [April 2024]

A few months ago, my friends and I flew to Japan for the cherry blossom season. We flew in and out of Nagoya, but we mostly went around the Kansai Region. We flew with Cebu Pacific Air on both flights to and from Nagoya.

Previously, I shared with you how our 5J 5038 Manila to Nagoya went. Today, I will share details about our outbound flight on Cebu Pacific Air’s flight 5J 5039 from Nagoya to Manila. Join me in today’s flight report to know how my friends and I got unexpected inflight treats on this flight back to Manila.

Cebu Pacific Air

Cebu Pacific Air is not a new airline in this website; it is actually my most-reviewed airline here. Cebu Pacific Air is the country’s largest low-cost carrier. The airline is owned by Cebu Air, Inc. which is part of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates, JG Summit Holdings.

The airline commenced its first flight in 1996 and has been flying for over 28 years. Together with its subsidiary, Cebgo (previously Tiger Air Philippines), the airline flies to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. It operates over 70 young and fuel-efficient jet and propeller aircraft. Cebu Pacific Air operates the narrow-body and wide-body aircraft while its subsidiary operates the propeller passenger and cargo aircraft.

The airline has a lifestyle and loyalty program called Go Rewards. The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic and 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.

In case you missed it, I post reviews and features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, and Philippine Airlines. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare & Inclusions

Promotional fares are nonexistent for peak seasons like Sakura or Golden Week in Japan. In fact, airfares are priced double or triple compared to regular day fares.

My friends and I had no choice but to book regular fares on our flight back to Manila. We booked our return ticket with Cebu Pacific Air and paid ₱10,691.49 one-way. We booked this in Japanese Yen, so the final ticket price includes foreign currency transaction fees charged by my local bank.

This expensive one-way outbound ticket included 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 2 x 20 kilograms (40 kilograms in total) of checked baggage allowance, and a standard seat of choice. This ticket is on the higher end of the price range because it falls during the peak Sakura time in Nagoya and during a public holiday in the Philippines. The tickets on competing airlines are priced 1.5 times, if not double, the price we got.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Philippine passport holders are only required to present their valid passports and the E-Travel QR code when entering the country’s borders. Non-Philippine passport holders may be required to present other requirements, such as a valid visa or onward departure ticket. These requirements vary from one nationality to the next. It is always best to check with the relevant authorities regarding the updated entry requirements.

A few years ago, I wrote about how to apply for a Japan tourist visa. Click here to learn more about getting one for yourself.

BEFORE THE FLIGHT

Cebu Pacific Air sends three email reminders to all its passengers for every upcoming flight.

72 hours before the flight, the airline sent an email reminder about the luggage allowance and the travel requirements for the Philippines. 48 hours before the flight, the airline sent us an email informing us that online check-in is now available for our flight. The airline also included a step-by-step process on how to check in online.

24 hours before the flight, Cebu Pacific Air sent another email detailing the airport check-in process as well as reminding us about the required online departure card. The airline does a good job of keeping their passengers informed about everything that is needed for an upcoming flight. Kudos, CEB!

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Nagoya-to-Manila Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J 5039 was operated by a 3.4-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A321neo aircraft. The plane was delivered to the airline in November 2020. Features a single economy class cabin with 235 pre-reclined seats.

Flight 5J 5039 took off from Chubu Centrair International Airport at 1:29 p.m. local time, cruised an altitude of 36,000 feet, and touched down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila at 4:42 p.m. local time. The flight took 4 hours and 13 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

Cebu Pacific Air operates out of Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 2, the terminal where many low-cost airlines are assigned to.

Terminal 2 is deserted compared to Terminal 1, with only a handful of flights operating daily. During our flight, only 5 international flights (including our flight) were expected to fly out of the terminal for the rest of the day. This makes the ground and airport experience quick and efficient.

CHECK IN & BAG DROP

Passengers flying Cebu Pacific Air must check-in and print their boarding passes and bag tags using the kiosks. Those with checked baggage then proceed to the bag drop counters, where their carry-on and hold luggage are weighed and checked.

My friends and I arrived at Terminal 2 at 10:00 a.m., did our check-in, and finished the whole process by 10:07 a.m. Everything happened in 7 minutes. There were no queues everywhere.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, my friends and I cleared immigration and airport security. We walked to our assigned Gate 71, where we will board our flight to Manila.

Airside shops and restaurants do not open until around 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. Upon opening, we did our last-minute chocolate shopping. We also had lunch in one of the restaurants while waiting for boarding. The airport terminal does not have a lounge. All lounges are in Terminal 1.

BOARDING

The ground staff commenced boarding at 12:15 p.m. First, they called passengers flying with kids and persons with disabilities to board the airline. Then, the staff implemented a ‘by row’ boarding process.

They asked passengers assigned at rows 31 to 41 to board the plane next. After a few minutes, they asked those seated in rows 21 to 41 to board the plane, then those seated from rows 11 to 20. They called the passengers seated in rows 1 to 10 to board the plane last.

At 12:48 p.m., the cabin crew closed the airplane doors. The whole boarding process took 33 minutes.

The plane was pushed back at 1:07 p.m. and headed over to the runway for takeoff. It took off at 1:29 p.m. local time.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Nagoya to Manila Cebu Pacific Air flight was operated by 3.4-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft features 236 pre-reclined Recaro seats in a 3-3 economy class configuration. According to SeatMaps, each regular economy seat has a seat width of 17 inches and a seat pitch of 28 inches.

Each seat features decent legroom with no recline. It also has a seat pocket, which contains the aircraft safety card, inflight magazine, onboard café menu, and air sickness bag. Each seat has an assigned individual air vent and reading light. Each row has two cabin crew call buttons, two USB-C ports, and two regular USB charging ports. These charging ports can be used for free after takeoff. The cabin also features the old overhead cabins, which can only fit limited luggage.

I exchanged seats with my friend and got seat 12D (aisle) for this short-haul flight to Manila. I believe the airline has comfortable seats for short international flights like this. I do not know if I will survive the pre-reclined set-up on a long-haul flight.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

Cebu Pacific Air does not offer complimentary snacks or meals on all their flights. Instead, the airline offers pre-purchased meals and snacks at the time of booking or up to 48 hours before the flight. The airline also offers buy-on-board snack and drink service for those who get hungry during the flight.

The cabin crew went around twice to offer snacks and drinks to those who wanted to purchase. The first snack service happened immediately after takeoff, while the second one happened an hour before landing.

The head cabin crew was luckily my friend’s cousin-in-law. She gave us complimentary snacks and drinks, which we enjoyed even if we were still full from our lunch. The rice meal had the right portions and tasted great! It came with a bottle of fruit tea and small chips. If you are reading this, thank you, Ate, for the snacks! 😊

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Cebu Pacific Air does not feature personal entertainment screens on their planes. They only provide inflight magazines named Smile Magazine, which passengers can read through during the flight. Also, the airline is known for conducting inflight games in exchange for airline-branded items.

The cabin crew conducted an inflight game during this flight. My friend won one of three prizes. They also went around to offer airline merchandise after the game.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

The airline does not offer inflight Wi-Fi services on all its flights.

LAVATORY

I used the front lavatory midway through the flight and found it clean and fragrant. The cabin crew made sure the lavatory was clean throughout the flight by checking and cleaning it occasionally.

Cabin Crew Encounters

It may be a special situation, but it was evident that the team took care of us during the flight. Aside from the usual greetings and complimentary meals, they made sure we had a fun flight with them. The crew also occasionally checked on us and asked us if we needed anything or if we were okay.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

We touched down at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 4:42 p.m. local time. We disembarked from the plane, cleared immigration, and claimed our baggage. Our bags went out of the conveyor belt shortly after we arrived at the arrival hall.

Flight Experience

It was an unexpected but fun flight with Cebu Pacific Air. The complimentary inflight meals and the special service my friends and I got made this flight special and memorable.

This flight was excellent in many ways. First, my friends and I received complimentary inflight meals and tailored service because my friend’s cousin-in-law was the head cabin crew. Second, the airline’s flight schedule is perfect for an afternoon flight back home. It gives the passengers time to rest before going back to their daily schedules the next day.

Third, the airline sent out multiple reminders via email days before the flight. They sent emails about the passenger processes, entry requirements, and even check-in or bag-drop instructions. Fourth, the check-in and bag-drop process at Chubu International Airport Terminal 2 was easy, quick, and efficient. My friends and I finished everything in 7 minutes.

Fifth, the airline offered complimentary gadget charging to passengers. The seats were equipped with USB charging outlets, which can be used free of charge. Lastly, my friends and I experienced an unusual but quick arrival process upon landing at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. We got our checked luggage immediately; we did not wait a long time for it to come out of the conveyor belts.

This homebound flight also had its drawbacks. First, the one-way fare was expensive. It was probably the most expensive one-way Cebu Pacific Air ticket I bought. The flight was on a local public holiday and a peak season in Japan. My friends and I could have saved a few thousands if we booked our return flight immediately after getting our onward flight.

Second, I am not a fan, and I will continue to go against the pre-reclined seats on Cebu Pacific Air’s new planes. I miss the old recline function, which aids in better inflight sleeping experiences. Nevertheless, my friends and I still had a great flight with Cebu Pacific Air. We will continue to fly them as long as their fares remain affordable and reasonable.

Here is a summary of our flight and the aircraft used for this flight from Nagoya to Manila:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 9 April 2024
Flight Number: 5J 5039
Route: Nagoya, Japan (NGO) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 4 hours and 13 minutes
Seat Number: Seat 12D
Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX
Aircraft Registration: RP-C4124
Engines: 2 x Pratt and Whitney 1133G Engines
Age: 3.4-years-old
Delivered: November 2020

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Cebu Pacific Air on their Nagoya to Manila route.

Have you flown with Cebu Pacific Air in the past? How was your flight experience? Are you looking to book a ticket with the airline soon? If yes, let me know if you have questions so I can respond to them. post your questions in the comments section below. You may also send them via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

I hope you can check out my previous flight reports with Singapore Airlines and other airlines like Emirates, EVA Air, Air France, Vietnam Airlines, and Philippine Airlines. I hope you also look forward to more flight reports in the future.

Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next flight report!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 5038 – Manila to Nagoya – Perfectly-Timed Low-Cost Flight to Central Japan [March 2024]

Early this year, my friends and I flew to Japan for the Sakura season. We flew in and out of Nagoya, but we mostly went around the Kansai Region. We flew with our favorite local low-cost airline, Cebu Pacific Air, on our inbound flight to Japan on flight 5J 5038. This Manila-Nagoya flight will be the subject of today’s flight report.

Read on below as I share with you the details of this perfectly timed, low-cost flight to Central Japan. In the latter part of this flight report, I will also share how the flight went and what I liked and disliked about it.

Cebu Pacific Air

The airline commenced its first flight in 1996 and has been flying for over 28 years. Together with its subsidiary, Cebgo (previously Tiger Air Philippines), the airline flies to over 60 destinations across the country, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. It operates close to 70 young and fuel-efficient jet and propeller aircraft. Cebu Pacific Air operates the narrow-body and wide-body aircraft while its subsidiary operates the propeller passenger and cargo aircraft.

Airfare & Inclusions

Affordable plane fares are rare during the anticipated Sakura season. My friends and I decided to book two one-way tickets instead of a return ticket. We booked our inbound ticket nine months before the intended schedule during an ₱88 base fare sale. We paid for only ₱3,068 per person.

This one-way inbound ticket included 7 kilograms of carry-on allowance, 20 kilograms of checked baggage allowance, and a standard seat of choice. This ticket is a steal considering it was booked during a time of very high fuel surcharges and it is booked for a peak season like Sakura season.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Regular Philippine passport holders are required to get a tourist visa to enter Japan for leisure purposes. Those who plan to enter Japan for tourism are required to apply for a tourist visa through the embassy’s accredited travel agencies. The embassy does not accept direct tourist visa applications.

A few years ago, I wrote about how to apply for a Japan tourist visa. Click here to learn more about getting one for yourself.

Additionally, the Japanese government requires all incoming passengers to perform immigration and customs arrival procedures via the Visit Japan website. Upon arrival, all passengers are required to present the issued QR codes at immigration and customs for scanning. Incoming tourists can get their QR codes up to 2 weeks before the intended arrival date.

Locally, the Philippine government requires all departing passengers to fill out the online departure cards and obtain a departure QR code from the eTravel website.

Before The Flight

Cebu Pacific Air sends three email reminders to all its passengers for every upcoming flight.

72 hours before the flight, the airline sent an email reminder about the luggage allowance and the travel requirements for both the Philippines and Japan. 48 hours before the flight, the airline sent us an email informing us that online check-in is now available for our flight. The airline also included a step-by-step process on how to check in online.

Aircraft & Flight Information

This Manila-to-Nagoya Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J 5038 was operated by a 2.8-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A321neo aircraft. The plane, delivered to the airline in May 2021, features a single economy class cabin with 236 pre-reclined seats.

Flight 5J 5038 took off from Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 7:34 a.m. local time, cruised to an altitude of 38,000 feet, and touched down at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya at 11:50 a.m. local time. The flight took 3 hours and 16 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

All international Cebu Pacific Air flights depart from Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

CHECK IN & BAG DROP

I checked in online a day before our flight. Upon arrival at the airport, I went to Counter E, the designated check-in counter for guests who checked in online. I printed the bag luggage tag and lined up for bag drop.

I lined up for bag drop at 3:12 a.m. and finished the process at 4:11 a.m. The bag drop process at the counter took less than 5 minutes, but the queue for it took almost an hour. The online check-in did not really help speed up the bag drop process. It became the usual check-in process.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went ahead of my friends and cleared immigration and security. I immediately went to the PAGGS Lounge and met my friends for breakfast. I used my RCBC JCB Platinum credit card, which allows unlimited access, including a companion.

My friends and I stayed in the lounge for about an hour and waited for our scheduled boarding time.

BOARDING

A little past 6:00 a.m., my friends and I left the lounge and walked towards Gate 115. At 6:35 a.m., the staff announced priority boarding for our flight. They asked passengers flying infants, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and those who availed of priority boarding to board the plane first.

Passengers assigned to the rear cabin seats boarded the plane next. Passengers seated in the middle and front parts of the cabin came in last. At 7:08 a.m., the cabin crew closed the airplane doors. The entire boarding process took 33 minutes.

The plane was pushed back at 7:18 a.m. and headed over to the runway for take-off. It took off at 7:34 a.m.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Manila to Nagoya-Cebu Pacific Air flight was operated by 2.8-year-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A321neo aircraft. The aircraft features 236 pre-reclined Recaro seats in a 3-3 economy class configuration. According to SeatMaps, each regular economy seat has a seat width of 17 inches and a seat pitch of 28 inches.

Each seat features decent legroom with no recline. It also has a seat pocket, which contains the aircraft safety card, inflight magazine, onboard café menu, and air sickness bag. Each seat has an assigned individual air vent and reading light. Each row has two cabin crew call buttons, two USB-C ports, and two regular USB charging ports. These charging ports can be used for free after take-off. The cabin also features the old overhead cabins, which can only fit limited luggage.

I got seat 11B on this short-haul flight. I believe the seat comfort and features are just right for short-haul flights to Japan. Even if the USB-C ports near me did not work during the flight, I find it nice that the airline provides complimentary charging features on their newer aircraft.

INFLIGHT SNACKS

The cabin crew served inflight snacks 10 minutes after take-off. They served the pre-booked first before offering the buy-on-board service.

My friends and I skipped the inflight snack service because we were still full from our PAGGS lounge visit. We slept through the snack service and woke up about 1-2 hours later.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

My friends and I slept through after take-off, and we did not notice if the crew conducted a fun game.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

The airline does not offer inflight Wi-Fi services on all its flights.

LAVATORY

I visited the front lavatory midway through the flight, and I found it spot-clean. It has toilet paper and a small bottle of hand soap for those who need to use them.

The cabin crew made sure the cleanliness was maintained throughout the flight.

Cabin Crew Encounters

I only encountered the cabin crew during boarding and disembarkation. I can tell they welcomed and sent off the guests with their best smiles.

Disembarkation & Luggage Claim

After landing, our plane taxied to Chubu Centrair International Airport Terminal 2 (LCC Terminal) Gate 71 for disembarkation. The whole disembarkation process, from the plane door to immigration, baggage claim, customs check, and arrivals area, only took us less than 30 minutes.

Japan’s airports are known to be efficient. Chubu Centrair International Airport in Nagoya is one of these airports that upholds a high standard of efficiency.

Flight Experience

It was another great flight with Cebu Pacific Air from Manila, Philippines to Nagoya, Japan on flight 5J 5038. This flight stood out in so many ways. Allow me to elaborate on them one by one.

Cebu Pacific Air is my go-to airline for my trips because of its affordable and reasonable fares. This flight to Nagoya was not an exception. My friends and I paid only ₱3,068 one-way for a 3.25-hour international flight to Japan during Sakura season. On top of that, the fare bundle already included a standard seat and 20 kilograms of checked luggage allowance. It was definitely a steal.

Second, the flight schedule to Nagoya is perfect for tourists. The flight leaves Manila in the morning and arrives in Japan at noon. It is perfect for the afternoon accommodation check-ins in Nagoya. It also gives the passengers time to explore the city in the afternoon.

Third, Cebu Pacific Air never failed to keep their passengers informed. The airline sent multiple email reminders about the flight add-ons, travel requirements, online check-in, and counter check-in processes. Fourth, the airline deployed a modern aircraft on this flight to Japan. It is nice to see the airline using their modern aircraft for short-haul international destinations like Nagoya.

Fifth, the airline offered complimentary charging onboard with their USB power outlets. I hope they continue to provide this amenity or feature in the many years to come. Lastly, the arrival process at Chubu Centrair International Airport was fast and efficient. Everything, from disembarkation to luggage claim and customs, happened in less than 30 minutes.

This flight was not all good. It also had its misses. First, I had a horrible bag drop experience at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3. I already checked in online and hoped for a quicker bag drop process. Lo and behold, I queued for almost an hour only to drop my bag. I hope the airline does something about this.

Second, I am not a fan of the airline’s pre-reclined seats. While it is acceptable on short-haul flights like this to Nagoya, I still prefer the reclining seats for better comfort and sleeping posture. Lastly, both USB-C charting ports on our row did not work throughout the flight. Good thing I brought my regular USB adapter, and I was still able to charge my phone.

Overall, it was still a fun flight with Cebu Pacific Air. I do not think an airline comes close to how Cebu Pacific Air offers their affordable and reasonably priced flights across their network. I will continue to fly the airline as long as they keep on offering inexpensive flights to every Juan.

For those who want to know more about the flight and the aircraft used, I have prepared some details for you below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 21 March 2024
Flight Number: 5J 5038
Route: Manila, Philippines (MNL) to Nagoya, Japan (NGO)
Duration: 3 hours and 16 minutes
Seat Number: 11B
Aircraft: Airbus A321-271NX
Aircraft Registration: RP-C4126
Engines: 2 x Pratt and Whitney 1133G Engines
Age: 2.8 years old
Delivered: May 2021

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. I hope I gave you a comprehensive review of how it is flying with Cebu Pacific Air on their Manila to Nagoya route.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Rediscovering Post-Pandemic HONG KONG: 4 Days & 4 Nights Around Asia’s Dynamic World City for Less Than 30,000 All-In [December 2023]

In December 2023, my friends and I flew to Hong Kong for 4 days after winning free base fare tickets with Cathay Pacific. We joined the Hong Kong International Airport Authority’s World of Winners campaign in the Philippines, and we each got one roundtrip free base fare ticket valid until December 2023. My friends and I chose December as our travel month to avoid the heat (which we did not), and to have better weather in general.

Today, I will share with you what happened in these 4 days and 4 nights around Hong Kong. My friends and I have all been to Hong Kong in the past, but we still went for the usual sightings. Read on below to learn which places we visited and how we managed to fit everything in for less than ₱30,000 per person all-in.

Hong Kong SAR

Hong Kong is a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China. The autonomous territory has its own government, economy, and currency. This highly developed territory is one of Asia’s financial and economic hubs; it is the center or base of many multi-national companies and corporations.

Hong Kong is one of the Philippines’ biggest travel markets. Many Filipinos fly between Hong Kong and the Philippines daily. It is also one of the favorite and first-time go-to destinations of Filipino families and tourists. Hong Kong grants Philippine passport holders a 14-day visa-free entry to the territory.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I won complimentary return base fare tickets with Cathay Pacific from the Hong Kong International Airport Authority’s World of Winners campaign. The HKIAA gave out thousands of roundtrip plane tickets to Hong Kong to people from around the world to lure travelers back to and revive Hong Kong’s post-pandemic tourism industry.

I only paid US$66.30 (₱3,638.99 charged by my local bank) each for taxes and fees for the return Cathay Pacific flights. I wrote about these Cathay Pacific flights in my previous flight reports: CX 912 Manila to Hong Kong and CX 901 Hong Kong to Manila. I hope you can check out these reports.

Accommodation

My friends and I went around Hong Kong for 4 days and 4 nights and chose Yesinn Youth Hostel @ Yau Ma Tei as our accommodation. It is a no-frills hostel with Hong Kong-standard-sized private rooms and private toilets. We paid ₱4,988.64 each for 4 nights in 2 standard bunk rooms.

I wrote about the property and our 4-night stay in this affordable accommodation. I hope you can check out the hostel of the day feature on Yesinn Youth Hostel @ Yau Ma Tei here.

Going Around Hong Kong

Hong Kong has an efficient transportation system. Everything is accessible by trains, subways, buses, and trams. The country’s transportation system is also synced with Google. It is easy to search and navigate your way around the territory if you have a working internet connection.

My friends and I bought and used the country’s Octopus Card for all types of transportation during the trip. The Octopus Card is a reusable contactless smart stored value card widely used around Hong Kong. It is also a widely accepted alternative mode of payment in the territory. We bought Octopus Cards for HKD200 each with HKD150 stored value and HKD50 refundable card deposit.

Internet Sim Card

My friends and I bought this internet sim card from Klook, paid ₱400.60 after discounts, and plugged it into one of our spare phones. We accessed and shared the mobile data through the phone’s mobile hotspot.

The internet sim card came with 80 GB of LTE high-speed data and 1,000 local voice minutes. The four of us did not even use up 25% of the sim card’s data allocation.

Travel Insurance

One of my non-negotiables when going on a trip is getting travel insurance. This insurance protects me from any happenings, delays, cancellations, or unexpected circumstances during a trip.

For this Hong Kong trip, I bought my travel insurance from Standard Insurance. I paid ₱350 for the Asia Protect Peso 500K insurance plan.

Places Visited in Hong Kong

As mentioned above, my friends and I are not first-timers in Hong Kong. We carefully chose the places we visited and took our time going around these places. Here are the places we have been on this four-day trip.

YAU MA TEI

We walked around our hostel neighborhood, Yau Ma Tei, while waiting for check-in. We came across a small local café, had a nice lunch, and immediately had our egg tart fix.

K11 MUSEA

K11 Musea is a modern, artsy, and beautifully designed shopping mall near Victoria Harbour. This uniquely designed shopping mall has hundreds of retail shops, restaurants, and entertainment spaces for all its visitors.

VICTORIA HARBOUR & AVENUE OF THE STARS

We visited Victoria Harbour and Avenue of the Stars for the nightly “A Symphony of Lights” at 8:00 p.m. light show.

NGONG PING 360 CABLE CAR

My friends and I took the 25-minute Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car to Ngong Ping Village. We took the glass cabin to the village and rode in the standard cabin on the way back. We got our tickets from Klook and paid ₱1,803.20 each.

NGONG PING VILLAGE, TIAN TAN BUDDHA & PO LIN MONASTERY

Upon arrival, we walked around Ngong Village and checked out the different shops. We also had our photos taken with the Tian Tan Buddha. We went up to the big Buddha structure and explored the museum inside. We also checked out the Po Lin Monastery before going back to Tung Chung.

CITYGATE OUTLETS

After Ngong Ping, we went to CityGate Outlets and had lunch. We spent the rest of the day shopping and finding the best footwear and wardrobe deals.

VICTORIA PEAK TRAM & SKY TERRACE 428

We took the iconic tram to Victoria Peak and enjoyed the beautiful panoramic Hong Kong skyline from Sky Terrace 428. We got our Sky Terrace 428 and return tram tickets from Klook and paid ₱725.55 each after discounts.

CENTRAL

We walked around Central, checked out some shops, and had lunch at Five Guys.

MONGKOK

We visited the bustling and busy area of Mongkok on our second to last night. We met a friend for dinner and spent the rest of the night around the busy Ladies Market and Mongkok shopping district.

HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

My friends and I spent our last day at Hong Kong Disneyland. We got early entry tickets from Klook and paid ₱6,394.03 each. We got into the theme park an hour before the official opening time and enjoyed the new rides at the recently opened (at the time of our visit) World of Frozen. We rode multiple rides throughout the day and stayed until the iconic fireworks display and the theme park closed.

Also, we availed of Klook’s Hong Kong Disneyland Dining Voucher, which included a lunch meal and a dinner meal in selected restaurants. We also got free ice cream (or caramel popcorn) from this voucher. We paid ₱1,836.35 each after discounts.

Summary of Expenses

On top of all these expenses, I exchanged the Philippine Peso for Hong Kong Dollars prior to leaving Manila for this trip. I exchanged HKD940 for ₱6,956 in a money changer in Makati Central Square.

Here is a list of all my expenses for this 4-day and 4-night trip to Hong Kong in December 2023:

Disclaimer: The expenses above do not include personal shopping (from CityGate Outlets), chocolates, and other ‘pasalubongs’.

I spent ₱28,412.91 for a 4-day and 4-night trip to Hong Kong — plane tickets, accommodation, entry tickets, food, and pocket money included. Not bad, eh?

My friends and I got lucky by winning free base fare tickets with Cathay Pacific. If, by any chance, we get our tickets for ₱1 base fare, the whole trip will pretty much be in the same cost range.

This 2023 Hong Kong trip summary shows that traveling on a budget is still possible given the elevated prices of everything. One needs to carefully plan and choose the places to visit.

Have you been to Hong Kong recently? How was your trip? I hope you had fun! Which place do you want to visit again? I hope you can share your experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about anything mentioned above? You may send them to me via email at contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s 2023 Hong Kong trip recap. I hope to visit more and more places on a budget and share how I did it with everyone. Before you go, I hope you can like, follow and share my social media pages – Facebook and Instagram. This will help me increase my reach; it will also keep you up-to-date with the latest blog posts, itineraries and flight reports on this website. Thank you and see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Tokyo 2023: WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR TOKYO – THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER, HIE SHRINE, HARAJUKU & OMOTESANDŌ Photoblog [October 2023]

Last year, my friends and I flew to Tokyo for a little over a week. We went around the city and visited the usual and not-so-usual places. We have been to Tokyo in 2015 and individually in the following years, so we did not aim to see everything this time. We carefully planned our itinerary, but we also kept it open and flexible.

In the last few weeks, I shared with you under the Tokyo 2023 blogs the places we visited for this trip: Roppongi, Yokohama, Shibuya, Tsukiji, Gotokuji, Ginza, Asakusa, Ueno, Shinjuku, Odaiba, and Tokyo Disneyland. I also shared with you how we completed a do-it-yourself day trip to Fujikawaguchiko to see Mount Fuji from Chureito Pagoda, Kawaguchiko Station, and Lake Kawaguchiko.

Today, I will share with you details and photos of the remaining places we have been to on this trip to Tokyo. I hope you can look forward to photos of the Harry Potter Studio Tour, Hie Shrine, Harajuku, and Omotesandō.

Plane Tickets

My friends and I scored ₱1 base fare ticket to Tokyo during Cebu Pacific Air’s anniversary sale in March 2023. We got our tickets for ₱7,116.72 roundtrip each. We got the fare bundle, including a complimentary standard seat and 20 kilograms of checked luggage.

I wrote about our Cebu Pacific Air flights to and from Tokyo: 5J 5056 Manila to Tokyo Narita and 5J 5055 Tokyo Narita to Manila. I hope you can find time to read these flight posts.

Accommodation

My friends and I stayed for all 10 nights at Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel. We got a private twin room with toilet and bath for the first night and eventually transferred to a 6-bed mixed dormitory when another friend joined us.

I elaborated on Imano Tokyo Ginza Hostel in one of the recent hostel of the day features. I hope you can check out that hostel feature and find out why this instantly became my new favorite Tokyo hostel.

Going Around Tokyo

Going around Tokyo can be intimidating and challenging, given its complicated metro and subway system. Subway and train lines normally overlap, and train stations have an unending number of exits. My friends and I overcame the city’s confusing train system and managed to reach our planned destinations and go back to our hostel every single day.

We did not avail of any subway or metro passes. Instead, we used our IC cards on every train ride. With the help of Google Maps, we took either the fastest or the most economical route on every journey.

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter

Opened in June 2023, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo: The Making of Harry Potter walks you through behind the scenes of the Harry Potter series. It features iconic movie sets like those of The Great Hall, Platform 9 ¾, Diagon Alley, The Forbidden Forest, and The Ministry of Magic. It also has interactive areas like the Quidditch, the moving stairs, the living portraits, and the spell areas. Lastly, the tour also features real props and materials used, as well as original costumes worn by the cast during filming.

My friends and I got our tickets three months in advance from Klook and paid ₱2,270.25 each after discounts. We took our time and finished the whole walkthrough experience in a little over 4 hours.

Nearest Train Station: Toshimaen Station (Seibu Ikebukuro Line and Oedo Subway Line)

Hie Shrine

Hie Shrine is a tree-covered Shinto shrine located on top of a hill in Nagatachō district. The shrine is the starting point of Sannō Matsuri, a famous summer festival in Tokyo.

Nearest Train Stations: Tameike-sannō Station (Ginza and Namboku Subway Lines) and Akasaka-mitsuke Station (Ginza and Marunouchi Subway Lines)

Harajuku

Harajuku is a famous fashion and colorful youth shopping and entertainment area in Shibuya Ward. The area’s main street, Takeshita Street, is full of vintage shops, unique cafes and stores, cosplay shops, and dessert places.

Nearest Train Stations: Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line) and Meiji-jingumae ‘Harajuku’ Station (Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Subway Lines)

Omotesandō

Omotesandō is one of Tokyo’s upscale and luxury shopping districts. The area has several fashion flagship stores and beautifully designed architectural buildings. It is also a vintage shopping hotspot where you can find small local vintage and artisan shops. The area also has small bars, restaurants, and cafes. Omotesandō is one of the best places for retail therapy when in Tokyo.

Nearest Train Stations: Omote-sando Station (Chiyoda, Ginza, and Hanzomon Subway Lines) and Meiji-jingumae ‘Harajuku’ Station (Chiyoda and Fukutoshin Subway Lines)

This wraps up our Tokyo 2023 trip! It was all good memories, tired feet and crying wallets. Nevertheless, my friends and I will never get tired of visiting Tokyo.

Have you been to Tokyo or to the places shown above? How was your trip or experience? Do you see yourself going back to Tokyo in the future? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about Tokyo or anything mentioned above? You may send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in this Tokyo 2023 series. We have been to a lot in this trip and we still have a lot left to see! I hope you can look forward to more Japan content in this website in the future.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.