year-ender – The Wknd Travel

2024 in a Nutshell: Back to Where It All Started

It is now 2025. Happy New Year!

The last three months of 2024 were so busy that I got sick during the holidays. Our relatives from overseas also came home for the New Year. Apologies, I did not have the time to write and post my 2024 recap during the break. Well, it may be a little bit late, but here it is.

Despite being very busy with work, I continued to travel in 2024. I visited different cities, stayed in various hostels, flew with new airlines, and continued to travel on a budget. I did not post much about my trips last year, but I will give you a preview of where I went. After the “revenge travel” year of 2023, I basically returned to the places I first visited about a decade ago.

Kansai, Japan

I flew to Japan with my relatives in February 2024. I toured them around Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara for five full days.

We visited the usual sights like Osaka Castle, Dotonbori, Umeda Sky Building, Universal Studios Japan, Shinsaibashi, Nara Deer Park (in Nara), Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kinkaku-ji, and Fushimi Inari Taisha (in Kyoto). We also spent some time shopping around Shinsaibashi and Namba.

Japan Sakura Trip

I, along with two friends, flew back to Japan a month later to experience the Sakura season for the first time. This was also my 10th trip to Japan in 9 years. Our journey began in the cold and snowy Takayama and Shirakawa-go, followed by a few workdays in Osaka, and some relaxing yet educational days in Hiroshima. The full bloom of the Sakura was delayed by one to two weeks due to extreme cold weather.

We caught the start of the full bloom during our few days in Kyoto and finally experienced it in its full glory during our final days in Nagoya. We traveled around Japan for 20 days, chasing the cherry blossoms, and we were thrilled to catch the best views during our last days.

Cebu, Philippines

In April, my sister and I took our house “ate” of 10+ years on a free weekend vacation trip to Cebu. We enjoyed the beautiful views from the Sirao Flower Farm, the Temple of Leah, and the Taoist Temple. We also had the famous Cebu lechon for lunch, strolled around Magellan’s Cross and the Sto. Niño Basilica, and bought goodies from Tabo-an Market.

The following day, my sister took her to Cebu Ocean Park. I joined them afterward for dessert, arcades, and dinner. We flew back to Legazpi on our third day. Cebu was the first-ever domestic destination I visited as a solo traveler back in February 2012.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Last May, I flew to Kuala Lumpur with my colleagues for a weekend getaway. During our trip, I took them to some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, such as Bukit Bintang, the Petronas Towers, Chinatown, and Genting Highlands.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was the first city I visited outside the Philippines when I traveled there in April 2013. It holds a special place in my memories as my first international adventure.

Hong Kong SAR

I joined my aunt and her family in Hong Kong last July for her birthday trip. We spent a day at Hong Kong Disneyland, where we enjoyed as many rides as we could due to the shorter-than-usual queues (only 40 minutes max, compared to 125 minutes in December 2023).

We also visited The Peak, Lantau Island, Ngong Ping, and Citygate Outlets. Looking back, Hong Kong was the third destination I visited with my Philippine passport back in October 2013.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam

In August, my friend and I flew to Saigon to rediscover the city. We stayed and explored for five full days. We went on day tours to the Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels. We also walked around the city and checked out the War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, Bui Vien Walking Street, Saigon Opera House, the Coffee Apartment, and many more.

The last time I explored the city was back in May 2014, during my fourth international trip out of the Philippines.

Sydney, Australia

I flew to Sydney, Australia, in September for business. After the work portion of the trip, my colleagues and I decided to extend our stay by two days and explore the city. We visited the usual sights, including the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and The University of Sydney. We also made our usual stops at Coles and Chemist Warehouse for some shopping hauls.

Sydney holds a special place for me, as it was my first-ever trip outside of Asia back in August 2018.

Jakarta, Indonesia

I flew to Jakarta for work last November. I visited our local office and attended a trade show. Unfortunately, I did not have the chance to go out and explore the city, as I was there for a full 48 hours and focused solely on work.

It was during this trip that I had the opportunity to fly with our flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, internationally for the first time. I will post about this flight in the coming weeks.

Seoul, South Korea

I flew to Seoul, South Korea, the same day I returned from my Jakarta work trip. I stayed and re-explored the city for a little over a week with my high school friends.

We visited the usual spots like Hongdae, Myeongdong, Nami Island, N Seoul Tower, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, and Hangang Park. We also checked out areas we had not visited during our previous trips—Seonsu-dong, Seoul Forest Park, Starfield Suwon, COEX Starfield, and Dong-myo Flea Market.

South Korea issued my first-ever tourist visa back in 2014. I visited the country twice—once in November 2014 and again in November 2015—but had not been back since. It was great to see Seoul again after 9 years.

Looking back on these trips, it is amazing to see how much travel has shaped my experiences and memories over the years. From rediscovering familiar places like Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur to exploring new districts in Seoul and Saigon, each journey has brought something special.

Whether it was business or leisure, solo adventures or trips with friends and family, I am grateful for the opportunity to see the world and create unforgettable memories. I look forward to more discoveries, new and renewed friendships, and the joy of exploring even more of the world this year.

Wishing everyone a travel-filled 2025! May all your dream trips come true.

2023 Roundup: Revenge Travel At Its Peak

And just like that, another year is about to end. Looking back at this year, I can confidently say it has been a year of peak revenge travel. I started the year without any plans, but I was able to take on more than the usual number of trips I take in a year.

Join me in today’s roundup as I look back on how this year went for this website and my travels, as usual.

Blog Roundup

I am ending 2023 with 36,000+ page visits by over 29,000 unique visitors from all over the world, a big jump from last year’s 16,500+ page visits by almost 13,000 unique people.

Content-wise, I managed to post 38 blogs (including this) that mainly talked about our 2022 trip to France, Italy, and Spain. I also continued sharing my flight experiences with Emirates, Vietnam Airlines, Vueling, Scoot, Air France, and many more. I kept featuring hostels from Europe and Southeast Asia; I also shared itineraries, day trips, and travel tips about the places I visited in the past.

I had a busy but fruitful year maintaining this passion project. I am a little bit behind, but I am keen on finishing a lot of content for you in the next few weeks and months. I want to thank you for sticking by and showing some love to all the posts on this site.

A Dream Come True Part 2: 24 DAYS Around FRANCE, ITALY & SPAIN For Less Than ₱170,000 ALL IN – Airfare, Accommodation, Food, Museum Tickets & Transportation Included

Trips Roundup

VIETNAM

I spent a week in Vietnam before their Tết Holiday last January. I flew into Hanoi, met new friends, and explored the city. I also spent a day in Hạ Long Bay. After Hanoi, I flew down to Ho Chi Minh City on business class with Vietnam Airlines for the first time. I spent a few days around the city and met with old (and new) friends after not seeing them for more than 5 years.

HANOI Weekend Photoblog: 3 Fun-Filled & Spontaneous Days around the Vietnamese Capital City
Flight Report: VIETNAM AIRLINES VN 219 – Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – Wide-Body Business Class Product in One of the World’s Busiest Domestic Routes [January 2023]
Hostel of the Day: LONG HOSTEL SAIGON – Family-Managed Homey & Value Hostel Found in the Heart of Ho Chi Minh City District 1

SINGAPORE

In March, I flew to Singapore with Scoot with my relatives to celebrate my cousins’ birthdays. We went around Marina Bay, Bugis, Kampong Glam, and Orchard. We also spent a day at Universal Studios Singapore and became kids again with the kids.

I also took this time to reconnect with friends from college dormitory days and my previous 2019 Boracay trip.

Flight Report: SCOOT TR 397 – Manila to Singapore – Reasonably-Priced Early Morning Flight to the Lion City [March 2023]
Hostel of the Day: CUBE BOUTIQUE CAPSULE HOTEL @ KAMPONG GLAM – Budget-Friendly Property in the Heart of Singapore’s Muslim Quarter
Hostel of the Day: THE POD BOUTIQUE CAPSULE HOTEL – Dark-Themed, Futuristic & High-Priced Property Along Singapore’s Beach Road
Flight Report: SCOOT TR 390 – Singapore to Manila – Affordable Low-Cost Afternoon Flight Back to Manila [March 2023]

JAPAN – FUKUOKA & KANSAI REGION

For the first time since the pandemic, I flew to Japan for a week. I started my journey in Fukuoka, stayed only around the city, and hopped on a Peach Aviation flight to Osaka. I spent the rest of the week just walking around Dōtonbori, Shinsekai, and Shinsaibashi. I also took trips out of Osaka and went to Kyoto, to Uji for green tea, and Nara for Sakura.

Flight Report: PEACH AVIATION MM 158 – Fukuoka to Osaka Kansai – Future-Proof & Efficient Japanese Domestic Low-Cost Flight [April 2023]
Kansai 2023: OSAKA & NARA Photoblog [April 2023]
Kansai 2023: UJI – Do-It-Yourself Half-Day Tour Around Kyoto’s Green Tea Heaven + Kyoto Side Trip [April 2023]

HOSTED FRIENDS IN BICOL

For the second year in a row, I hosted Manila friends again in Bicol for the Labor Day weekend. Just like last year, we spent two full days on a private coastal beach and spent the rest of our time around Legazpi and nearby towns.

CEBU

Last August, I took a quick hop from Legazpi to Cebu to spend a random food trip weekend with my N9 constants. We went around the city, ate a lot of food, and enjoyed each other’s company for 48 hours. Like my 2022 Cebu trip with high school friends, we also went out of the city to visit the Sirao Garden and Temple of Leah.

AUSTRALIA

Two weeks after Cebu, I flew to Australia with my parents. I took them around Sydney for the first four days. We walked around the city and went to the Sydney Opera House, near the Sydney Harbour Bridge, to Darling Harbour, Chinatown, and within the central business district. We also took an afternoon out to the famous Bondi Beach.

We spent the remaining 5 days in Brisbane with our relatives, my father’s sister, and her family. We went around the city, drove up to the Australia Zoo, and drove down south to Gold Coast. I will post flight reports about our Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia flights taken during this trip, so I hope you can look forward to those.

JAPAN – TOKYO

In October, I flew to Tokyo for a few days with my high school friends. We have been to Tokyo in 2015, but we have not been to many places. We went around the usual places like Shibuya, Ueno, Roppongi, Tsukiji Outer Market, and Tokyo Disneyland. We also went to Shinjuku, Odaiba, Ginza, and the new Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter in Nerima City.

We also took a do-it-yourself day tour to Fujikawaguchiko and saw Mount Fuji in its glory. We were three days early before its first snowcap, but we just found another reason to go back in the future.

I have so much to write about our Tokyo trip. I hope you can look forward to these contents in the future.

DAVAO

Last month (November), my travel and buffet buddy got married in Davao. My friends and I flew to Davao to witness this very important occasion. We went only for the wedding and nothing else. We also took this chance to spend time with friends whom we had not seen in a long time.

HONG KONG

Early this year, my friends and I joined Hong Kong Airport’s World of Winners campaign and luckily won Cathay Pacific tickets to Hong Kong. We used the free tickets early this month and flew to Hong Kong for 4 full days. We went to the usual places like Avenue of the Stars, Mongkok, Ngong Ping Village, City Gate Outlets, and The Peak.

We also spent one whole day in Hong Kong Disneyland, from park opening to closing. We availed of Klook’s early entry tickets and immediately rode the two new rides in the newly-opened Arendelle: World of Frozen. Please look forward to my Hong Kong blog next year.

Bonus – US Tourist Visa

Another achievement I got this year was getting my B1/B2 United States Visa, which is valid for 10 years until December 2023. A day after arriving back from Hong Kong, I showed up at the Embassy of the United States of America in Manila for my visa interview. I got approved eventually and got my visa after four days.

I will write about the do-it-yourself process of getting this visa soon and post it, hopefully next month.

What’s In Store for 2024

You might wonder what plans I have for next year. At this stage, I am unable to disclose until everything is final or the trip has happened. I do not have a lot booked, but I am looking forward to whatever flight deals come my way this coming 2024.

Of course, I will not stop posting details of my previous trips, flights, and hostels. I have a lot of content planned for 2024. I am looking forward to sharing all of them with you.

2023 has been a great travel year for me. Thank you to friends and families who joined me on all these trips. Also, thank you for sticking with me throughout the year. I look forward to taking you with me on my future adventures! Here’s to more in 2024 and beyond.

I wish you, your families, and your friends a fun-filled and prosperous 2024! Happy new year!

Cheers,
Paolo ✈️

2022 Wrap-Up: Reopening, Reunions & Revenge Travel

It’s 2023 – Happy New Year! I hope you had a memorable time welcoming the new year with your families & friends. Before I start planning the year, I’d like to wrap-up the eventful 2022. It was the first year that pandemic-related restrictions had been scrapped, if not relaxed. It was also the first time in a few years that we’ve spent more time physically with our families, friends & colleagues. It was also the first in a long time that we Filipinos were given the hassle-free means of traveling locally & abroad. Join me as I look back on how 2022 went for me & this website.

Flight Reports

The work from home set-up allowed me to pack all my things in the metro & move back to my hometown in Albay. I am currently based here until God knows when. This also meant that I have been flying in & out of Bicol International Airport almost every month. Out of all these flights, 6 of them were featured under the Flight Reports section this year – see list below.

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2922 – Legazpi to Manila – First PAL Flight in 3 Years
Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2919 – Manila to Legazpi – From a Crowded Terminal 2 Experience to a Delayed Flight Back to Albay
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6192 – Legazpi to Manila – Delayed First DG Flight Out of BIA [March 2022]
Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6207 – Legazpi to Cebu – My First-Ever Regional Flight Out of Bicol [May 2022]
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 325 – Manila to Legazpi – Last-Minute Cheap Jet Flight Back to Bicolandia [May 2022]
Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2920 – Daraga (DRP formerly Legazpi LGP) to Manila – Last-Minute Mabuhay Miles Redemption Ticket to the Metro [December 2022]

I also took some flights out of Manila, Davao, Singapore & even Kuala Lumpur. Check out the list of these non-Legazpi flights below.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 971 – Manila to Davao – Excellent ₱872 Domestic Flight on a New Generation Fuel-Efficient Aircraft [March 2022]
Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 982 – Davao to Manila – From a Missing Pre-Booked Seat to a Delayed Late Night Flight Back to the Metro [March 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 915 – Manila to Singapore – First International Flight After 31 Months [June 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 114 – Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – Delayed Short Hop on One of the World’s Busiest International Routes [June 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 107 – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore – First Ever Flight on the Controversial Boeing 737 Max 8 Aircraft [July 2022]
Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 916 – Singapore to Manila – Excellent but Turbulent Flight Back to Manila [July 2022]

These posted flight reports don’t cover all the flights I took in 2022. There are still a lot missing – mostly from Emirates, then Air France & Vueling Airlines. I hope to share them on this website soon!

Hostel of the Day

With travel requirements scrapped & borders now open, I took some trips within the Philippines & even abroad. This meant that I stayed in some hostels & led to these hostels being featured on the website. I wrote about the 2 hostels I stayed with in Kuala Lumpur. I also had my first ever collaboration with our friends at Z Hostel Philippines. They invited me to stay with them for a few days & to experience the Z Hostel vibe.

Hostel of the Day: PODS THE BACKPACKERS HOME & CAFÉ – A True Backpacker’s Home Near Kuala Lumpur’s Central Transportation Hub
Hostel of the Day: THE BED KLCC – Modern & Premium Capsule Hostel in Kuala Lumpur City Center
Hostel of the Day: Z HOSTEL PHILIPPINES – Makati’s Prime & Best Value Hostel in the Heart of Poblacion

I stayed in a few more hostels somewhere far, but I have yet to reveal the details in future posts. Watch out for these 4 hostels! For now, check out the hostel features posted in 2022.

Trips

2022 was another memorable travel year. For the first time since late 2019, I came back to what I love doing the most – traveling. I’ve revisited some local & international destinations & also explored new countries, cities & places I haven’t been to in the past. Let’s look back at the trips I had in 2022.

PS. I will refrain from posting group photos with friends for confidentiality purposes.

HOSTED FRIENDS IN BICOL

After almost 10 years, my college friends (N9) flew back to my hometown in Bicol. I hosted them for 3 days & 2 nights here, took them to a private coastal beach & accompanied them around Legazpi. The last time they visited me in Bicol was back in November 2012.

A few weeks after, my former officemates-turned-friends also paid a visit. I hosted them for 4 days & 3 nights, spent most of the time on the beach & took them around Legazpi on their last day.

It was fun showing my friends around the province. I hope more friends will visit me here soon!

DAVAO

I mentioned in my That No Travel 2020 post that we planned to fly to Davao for a reunion at the same time to celebrate a friend’s birthday. This plan happened after 2 years. Loose inter-regional travel restrictions allowed us to travel from Manila to Davao for 3 full days.

We’ve all been to Davao after our college graduation so we just went around the city & ate. We visited a few restaurants, took a day trip to Samal Island & again eat, eat & eat. We just enjoyed our time together after 2 years of not seeing each other physically.

CEBU CITY & BANTAYAN ISLAND

Last May, my high school friends & I flew to Cebu for a quick weekend getaway. We took the direct regional service from Legazpi to Cebu & immediately went around the Queen City of the South. The following day, we took a 3.5-hour drive up north & rode the ferry to the famous Bantayan Island. We stayed there for 2 full days. We all flew back home from the new Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2.

CEBU-YAS WEEKEND: 4 Days Around Cebu City & Bantayan Island [May 2022]

KUALA LUMPUR

After being on the ground for 31 months, I flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia via Singapore. I used my KrisFlyer miles & got a good return ticket with Singapore Airlines. I stayed in the city for a week, temporarily worked from the hostel & went to meet people from Couchsurfing hangouts.

Friends from the Philippines followed to Kuala Lumpur after a few days. They joined me for 3 full days around the city. I took them around KLCC, Bukit Bintang, Batu Caves, Chinatown, Masjid Jamek & Genting Highlands. Check out the full Kuala Lumpur blog list below.

3-Day Kuala Lumpur Weekend: Do-It-Yourself Below 20K Trip Around Malaysia’s Modern Capital City [July 2022]

EUROPE 2022

In late 2022, my friends & I flew to the other side of the world & spent 2.5 weeks around Paris, Rome, Florence, Milan & Barcelona. I used my Emirates ticket credit that I booked back in January 2022. We spent the first 5 days in Paris, then we flew to Rome & explored the city for another 5 days. The remaining 12 days were spent equally between Florence & Milan in Italy & Barcelona in Spain.

I haven’t posted anything about this Europe 2022 trip on the website, but I will start in the next few weeks. I have over 20 planned blog posts for this trip alone. Watch out for the Emirates flight reports, new hostel of the day features, city itineraries & day trip photoblogs – everything about this trip to Europe – in the next few weeks & months.

Wrap-Up

2022 was definitely a year for the books. The world has reopened & people have started to move around places. People went out & spent quality time with families & friends. The same people also restarted travelling. Revenge travel is real.

Personally, I am thankful for all the times I got to reunite & spend time with my family, friends & colleagues. I am delighted that I got to see most of them in person after numerous times of seeing them virtually. Hopefully, the worst is over for the pandemic. There is no other way for all of us but to learn from & to move on from the lessons of this historical event.

What’s In It for 2023

You might wonder what my plans are for this year. Unfortunately, I am unable to share everything until all plans are finalized or until everything has happened already. It is still risky to plan far ahead given the possible global economic crisis. I do hope that everything pans out well.

One thing is for sure – I will share every detail of my recently-concluded trip to Europe. Please expect more itineraries, budget travel posts, flight reports & hostel of the day features.

Thank you for being with me in 2022. I hope all of you stay & even invite more friends to join us on this journey called 2023.

Wishing you, your family & friends a fruitful & meaningful new year. Take care!

Regards,
Paolo 🙂