When I was preparing for my trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Rubel and I discussed the simple conversion of Vietnam Dong (VND) to Philippine Peso (PHP). A friend of his actually taught him how to do the math.
Let's say that you're eyeing a Class A "The North Face" Rucksack for 800,000 VND. It may look very expensive with all the zero's to it. But it's actually quite affordable. You'll just need to take the last three zero's, and then multiply the remaining three digits to 2. This will then be your estimate. So 800 x 2 is PHP1,600! That's your estimated value in pesos. Simple, right?
Since Rubel and I weren't able to see the rest of the sites from the previous City tour, we opted to do a DIY trip the following day. So after a good recharge, we started our evening walk towards the Bitexco Financial Tower (the 124th tallest building in the world according to Wikipedia). We didn't get to see it up close. But we managed to take a few photos of it while traversing the street of Hàm Nghi.
After a quick photo op, we continued on with our evening stroll. We were supposed to take a cab from Pham Ngu Lao all the way to Tôn Đức Thắng. But we decided to just walk all the way. And with our efforts, we were able to reach the Saigon river after 30 minutes.
There are plenty of beautiful and picturesque places where you can bring your loved one/s to. And these aren't just perfect for Valentine's Day! So if you're thinking about taking your relationship up a notch, consider these Philippine towns as a way of saying "I love you dear. You deserve to be treated to a romantic getaway!" Here's to sharing 8 romantic destinations that I've already been to with my 'honey'.
BAGUIO
Baguio's weather never fails. More so, the lush beauty that surrounds it. It may be a 6-7 hour trip from Manila. But the smell of the pine trees, the whiff of the cold breeze and the aroma of a hot cup of chocolate never fails to ignite the souls of two people in-love. Baguio is a destination that you wouldn't want to miss seeing and experiencing!
TIP: Bring your beau to Mines View. Sit by the rocks and enjoy the overlooking view while drinking your hot, Strawberry Taho. It's the perfect combination, just like you!
Rubel and I initially planned a DIY City Tour, so we asked our hotel receptionist, Ms Thu for a city map. As soon as she handed a copy, my beau and I immediately looked for the major sites nearby. Since most of the areas were a bit far from each other, we eventually decided to book a guided travel. Nguyen Khang Hotel was also offering different kinds of excursions. But we only availed of their USD 9/pax DAILY CITY TOUR, which was operated by Youth Tourist Joint-Stock Co.
We were going to be picked up at the hotel at around 8:30 AM, so we still had time to eat our complimentary breakfast while waiting for the guide.
Our guide was a nice, Vietnamese local named Taó. He immediately escorted us to an airconditioned shuttle right after greeting us that morning. A couple of Australians, Europeans, Malaysians and a Filipino were already on-board the van.
When a challenging yet fulfilling year is about to end, I would make it a point to cap-off things by treating myself to a post-birthday trip abroad. I've successfully done this for the last two years. So last November 2012, I flew myself to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Statue of General Tran Nguyen Han
Visiting Vietnam, let alone Saigon was a part of my bucket list. Rubel and I have already planned on going to several tourist sites. But we just ended up trimming our list after consulting friends who've already been there. HOW COME? Well, most of them just warned us that most of the places that we wanted to see weren't that interesting. So, what did we do in Ho Chi Minh? Well, Rubel and I just wandered around at our own steady pace. Here's how our first day went.
Were you able to partake in National Museum's "Museums & Galleries Month" last October 2012? If you did, then you probably enjoyed exploring the grounds since the entry to the official repository of the Philippines was offered for FREE. Yes, we got in for FREE! When I found out about this, it gave me and Rubel the opportunity to revisit the rich history of our country. I know that it's been years since I last stepped foot in this building in Manila. So I gathered all my museum-wandering-self just so I could taste what the 1900's edifice has to offer.
Joanne, Ced and I have been friends for almost three years now. We've always had the same dream of someday exploring the world. But it was only last year did we all get to travel together.
It was only hours ago when I discovered Ed Sheeran's "Kiss Me" being played on Grey's Anatomy's latest episode. The love songs lyrics suddenly had me remembering my friend's recent wedding by the beach. She and her husband just turned one month today, after getting married in Boracay. I've been to the island three times now. But my fourth time to step foot on this pristine and beautiful place felt like a different journey on its own. Not only did I get to travel with two of my closest friends Joanne and Ced, I was able to witness an intimate and one-of-a-kind union.
Around the time when people all over the world were getting ready for the 'end of the world', Rubel and I celebrated the 21st of December in one of Manila's prestigious hotels. He happened to book a Bayview Room for our late anniversary getaway, which made me feel mixed emotions --- like what if the world really ended that day? It would be a quick one for us since we were by the bay. A Tsunami could easily wash us over! But thankfully, our staycation in the metro went on smoothly. When we woke up the next day, Manila greeted us with a warm and sunny 'hello'. It was a new beginning. It was a new day that we were so grateful to have.
Looking back, I realized that this year has been very challenging yet fruitful in a sense. 2012 must have given me the most trips in a 12-month span.
Five years have gone by. But it seemed like it was only yesterday when we first laid eyes on each other. Starting out with an impromptu date with a group of people, which eventually lead to just us two -- sharing sentiments and crazy ideas over hot cups of Caramel Macchiato drinks. I will never forget that official first date. It was a mark of a new and blessed beginning.
We all know that Christmas is fast approaching (7 more sleeps to go!). Everyone's already rushing to the nearest mall or traveling all the way to Divisoria just to get their last minute yuletide hauls. But for those who may want to save on both time and energy, online shops are always the best go-to alternatives. Just consider Lazada Philippines for example --- one of the fastest-growing online shopping sites in the country today.
Lazada offers a lot of cool and affordable products, which ranges from the latest gadgets, best deals on books, unique home & living items, child-friendly toys, hip fashion accessories, travel gears and more.
So when I found out that Lazada hosted an array of travel goodies, I immediately browsed through their hundreds of items. And lo and behold! I found some of the nicest gift ideas for travel aficionado family and friends.
I went inside the Immigration area after paying the Php 550 Philippine Terminal Tax. Since I didn't get to write on a Disembarkation Form yet, I went straight to the counter where the loose copies were. And right after filling up a form, I lined up. There weren't many people in the airport then since it was already late in the evening. So when I waited for my turn at the Immigration booth of NAIA 3, I was already the next one in line.
There are plenty of public schools in the Philippines that still lack the necessary educational tools and resources. That's why I truly commend those independent entities and personalities who really goes out of their way to help young students in reaching their dreams.
Rubel and I were working on a certain budget, so when I found Ong Bun Pension House's website, I knew that it was the perfect place -- or so I thought. Anyway, prior to our trip and booking, I read up on several of Ong Bun's reviews online. I was able to see that several noted bloggers have already stayed in their accommodations. So I told myself that if they liked it there, we would probably do too. But I later on realized that certain lodgings weren't always fit for everybody's preferences.
Ong Bun was just a P70 cab ride from the Parola Wharf. So you can say that it was nearby. But other than the old and unkept look of the buildings exterior, you will also get to see different types of guests coming in and out of the pension house (from senior citizens to very young couples).
If you decide to stay by Alubihod beach, then you should definitely stay at Raymen Beach Resort. I highly recommend their resort mainly for their courteous staff and readily available facilities. To help convince you more, let me show you how we found Raymen as a nice and well-equipped resort.
I already tried reaching the cellphone number of Raymen Beach Resort, months prior to our trip to Guimaras. But since I wasn't getting any response from them, I tried looking for an alternative. That's when I found Alobijod Cove on Facebook. I sent them a message on both Facebook and through SMS, and was able to get a response on the latter. There weren't many photos to convince me to book. But I felt like I had no other option since we really wanted to stay by Alubihod beach. Anyway, the booking was settled after a few days. I was able to reserve 2 nights, and wasn't required to put in a downpayment. Great, right?
When we arrived in Alobijod Cove, we went straight to the resort's small tindahan (store). There we met this lady (probably in her 50's) who we introduced ourselves to. Odd as it was, she still had to ask me what room I had reserved. Although she read from the guest list that I was to be expected that day. Anyway, I told her that what we got was a Fan Room (Php1,000/night).
I've clearly miscalculated the time that should be allotted for our day tour in Iloilo (this was just last week), as I didn't put in any time to research on all of the towns and tourist spots that we wanted to visit. Other than the fact that it was raining most of the time in Iloilo city, we we're basically left to just visit the nearby towns. But since we booked our stay at Ong Bun Pension House, Rubel and I were able to visit 4 out of 7 districts that were close by: Mandurriao, La Paz, Jaro and Molo. How to leave Iloilo airport There are 2 modes of transportation at the airport that leave every few minutes -- via cab or shuttle van. You can choose to ride the cab at your convenience. But prepare to pay a hefty price for it (P500 for a fixed price!). But if you have time to spare, you can always choose the latter. Plenty of shuttle vans can be seen just across the parking lot. A ride to SM Mandurriao (the van's last stop) will only cost you P50. As soon as you reach SM Mandurriao, you can now ride any cab that you want since these will run on normal meters now.
According to Discover Guimaras, "Iloilo city is the gateway to Guimaras". From Iloilo airport, we took the airport shuttle to SM Mandurriao (30 minutes with no traffic) and then rode a cab towards Parola Wharf (10-15 minutes). From Parola Wharf, we rode a pumpboat that was bound for the City of Golden Mangoes. The boat trip only took 15 minutes.
For 5 seconds, my life and the future that I have envisioned for myself flashed right before my eyes. I didn't know near-death experiences (which felt like it) could feel like that. And I didn't know I'd soon be tasting its violent reaction last night, on my way home.
What better way to say thank you to all of my readers than to host another giveaway, right? It's been months since I hosted my first ever giveaway. And since Budget Biyahera has been blessed with so many awesome surprises from then on, I would like to give back by surprising my readers with my own set of travel goodies! =)
So what's in Budget Biyahera's Goodie Bag? Let's see!
Budget Biyahera as a blog has been up for several years now. Although still young in age, I am very much grateful for all the little (yet super big deal) recognitions that I've been getting throughout the years, especially at present.
During the 2nd quarter of 2012, Meet Manila (the Philippines newest and most comprehensive travel portal wherein #ThoughtfulTourism is promoted) invited me to one of their 'Tertulia Night' events. From there, I was awarded as one of the Empowered Travelers after sharing my views on 'What it means to be an empowered traveler'. On top of that, I was also gifted with a new Lenovo Q350 phone --- a very handy device that could certainly help the wanderluster in me.
Along with the perks of being an Empowered Traveler, I was also given the chance to contribute for the POSTCARDS section on one of the Philippines travel magazines: TRAVEL.
I just wanted to share my love of collecting Starbucks City Mugs! ♥
Yes! These babies makes me smile each and every time I see them. I've actually been to each one of these destinations except for NYC, Florida, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (gift from family and friends) -- all of which are also listed on my must-see-places!
I'm actually missing a few more city mugs (mugs from Baguio, Batangas, Boracay, Naga, Pampanga, Tagaytay, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Pattaya, Thailand). So whoever wants to surprise me on my birthday this November, those missing destination mugs will surely make me the happiest girl! :)
When it comes to annual summer vacations, I would usually be one of my family's go-to persons when it comes to:
*Doing research on prospective vacation spots
*Coordinating with the resort representatives
*Coordinating the schedules of each family members vacation leaves
*Making accommodation bookings
*Making a feasible itinerary
*Finalizing and managing of our budget
*Paying lodging and transportation costs
*Huddling the whole group when the next adventure awaits
Me at the Zestair check-in counter -- Double checking everyone's ticket!
These are my usual tasks when my BIG FAMILY goes out of town. It has never been an easy job but I've always found a sense of fulfillment when I get to lead this "big group". And since I've always considered myself to be a really organized and OC person, I've always managed to get things (and people) going on schedule. So if there was an epic trip that I would like to share, it would have to be our Boracay escapade(s).
It was my first time to fly to the Visayas area in 2010. I flew all the way to Cebu to pursue my dream job. But when things didn't go the way that I've hoped for, Rubel and I just distracted ourselves with a DIY tour around Cebu --- Plus a side trip to Bohol.
So what did we see in Metro Cebu that was worth seeing? Here's our top choices:
TRYING OUT THE FAMOUS SKY EXPERIENCE ADVENTURE
Sky Experience Adventure with mis amigas Yen and Ruth -- and Rubel! :P
Balay Da Blas in Laoag city is a gem. It was truly comforting to have found a place where we could rest our weary bodies. Sure, going around the different towns of Ilocos for 4 straight days (1 night in Vigan, 2 nights in Pagudpud) was a lot of fun. But finding a place where we could really stay for some R&R can also give a different high when traveling non-stop.
I've always had a soft spot for enthusiastic, generous and hardworking people, as I've always found them very admirable. They seem to be the ones who persevere despite the changing times, and of course, despite social status. That's why it wasn't hard for me to really like Mrs. Cathy Respicio -- part-owner of Cathy's Homestay at Saud, Pagudpud.
The room at the back was our haven for 2 nights. :] (Please pardon my 'bagong gising' look! Lol)
I fell in love with Vigan immediately after setting my eyes on this particular inn -- one that exuded an old-fashioned attractiveness to it. On a cultural perspective, this beautiful lodge displayed classic and antique exteriors, and of decades old yet well-preserved items. It also had that vintage-y smell that was very welcoming to the senses. Rubel and I truly felt like we were being transported back in the 15th century (Spanish time), as we were witnessing all of these remarkable pieces that surrounded us. Grandpa's Inn instantly became our "home away from home."
Just wanted to share what Budget Biyahera did over the weekend, as Ms. Ysobel, Aix and the rest of the Meet Manila team invited me once again to another awesome event. It was actually a collaboration of Writing Manila with 4 university organizations -- and I was oh-so humbled to be asked to share about traveling and blogging (eventhough I really sucked in public speaking!) with a very fun crowd. =P The venue was set at Conspiracy Garden Cafe.
I already heard about the #7SUPERSHOTS trendinga few months ago. So this made me want to join right after seeing the compilations from some of the blogs that I followed. But in order to participate in this super fun activity, one must actually be tagged first. Well, as for me.. no one was tagging me! *LOL* But when a fellow travel blogger (Francis of PALA-LAGAW) finally asked if I wanted to join, of course, I immediately said "YES"! Oh, and if I may add.. fellow blogger Edmar of Edmaration.com also tagged me sometime ago! So thank you Edmar! :P
Anyhow, to continue on with my excitement to finally be a part of this game, let's start with...
Makes Me Think...
Window of the World, Shenzhen, China (April 2010)
A few months ago, I wrote something about 'turning my rejections into a positive'.
It was about getting rejected for the third time. If you must know, I
applied countless times for a US Visa, yet I got denied over and over. I actually thought about visiting Canada instead, since friends advised that it was easier to get a visa from that country.
Just maybe, it can be my first time to fly via Air Canada when given the chance to travel in North America. Anyway, this specific photo made me think if I'll ever get the opportunity to
see this part of the world. I was already excited when I saw this
miniature structure of the Statue of Liberty in Shenzhen's Window of the World park. But of course, I wanted to see the actual one in New York City!
My father has instilled in me his passion for traveling, as he loved exploring on his own. He has been to different places, and has always felt contentment from every travel.
Most of the buses in Pagudpud usually leave town in 15-minute intervals. So you won't have a hard time getting a ride to Laoag, if ever you're heading there. Anyway, Kuya Raphie picked us up at Cathy's Homestay and dropped us off at the terminal. He waited until our bus left, which was at 9:50 in the morning.
It’s a must to take both the North and South tours when visiting Ilocos Norte. So with that in mind, book early on the services of a tricycle driver/tour guide. They should be able to offer you one tour for only PHP600 (this is already a fixed rate for 2-3 people). And for a great recommendation, stay at Cathy’s Homestay by Saud Beach, and hire Raphie Respicio for his day tours. You can read my recommendation of Kuya Raphie here.
Day 1
Due to unfortunate events, Rubel and I arrived late in the area of Saud. So for our first afternoon there, we just decided to eat our late lunch/dinner at Evangeline’s Beach Resort. It was still drizzling when we finished eating our meals. But we’ve managed to squeeze in some down time by swimming by the beach. We initially thought that the water was going to be cold since it was raining. Surprisingly, it was warm at that time so we stayed for a few more hours before heading back to our lodging.
It's been three weeks since our 5-day trip around Ilocos, and still I miss the places that we visited and the people that we've met a long the way. Truly, Ilocos is an enchanting place -- one filled with lots of surprises! So in memory of our trip, let me share to you what transpired on our first few days there by starting out with Vigan City.
WHAT TO DO IN VIGAN
If you’re strapped on time like we were, try to put aside at least 2-3 hours for a city tour around Vigan. With us, we were able to arrange a tour with a nice tricycle driver named Roy, right after getting off the bus. We asked him to take us around town, wherein we arranged a 3PM pick-up at our lodging that same afternoon.
With Kuya Roy -- our nice tour guide/tricycle driver. :)
I've truly grasped the meaning of 'Thoughtful Tourism' after meeting a humble tricycle driver/tour guide from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte...
The Journey
Rubel and I just came home from our Ilocos trip (June 5-9), where we spent 2 full days in Pagudpud during this travel. When we checked-in at Cathy's Homestay by Saud Beach (co-owned by Mrs. Cathy Respicio), we were introduced to the tour services of Kuya Raphie Respicio. Kuya Raphie is Ate Cathy's brother-in-law.
A Customized Ride
Kuya Raphie, a father of four, was an exceptional tour guide. Compared to other tricycles, his was customized so that his guests would not feel constricted inside the vehicle. It had a lot of headroom even for Rubel who was 5'9 in height, and was also fixed with cushioned seats. And unlike other small and tight-spaced tricycles, his was very spacious and comfortable to ride in (take that from us since we toured for over 8 hours!). And when it rained during our tours, he made sure to protect us with appropriate plastic covers, which were easily attached on the vehicle.
Are you guilty of overpacking? Fret no more! TRAVEL Magazine's Deputy Editor Monique Buensalido shared her awesome tips on HOW TO PACK LIGHT on GMA News's News to Go!
I recently came from a 5-day trip -- touring around the majestic provinces of Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. For 5 days, 1 day was spent in Vigan, 2 days in Pagudpud and 1 day in Laoag.
Rubel and I had to start our trip early (to the airport that is) since the car was held captive at home due to coding. So we took the MRT, and then went to take the cab from Taft to NAIA Terminal 2. We were flying Philippines Airlines then, so I was super giddy about flying PAL once again.
Rubel and I just got back from Ilocos --- and is very much thrilled about sharing our travel posts real soon. For now, here's an awesome photo from one of our South tour destinations in Burgos, Ilocos Norte --- the famous Kapurpurawan Rock Formation! :)
I've previously posted my first batch of Starbucks Global Icon Series Mugs, from which the following mugs are already sitting pretty on my display shelf: Korea, Seoul, China and Macau.
But as of May, more mini-mugs (and one big mug) have been added to my collection! Here's my latest additions:
So happy with my new mugs especially with my MANILA addition! Thank you also to my GF Clarice for bringing home Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur, to Juneee for my Thailand and Bangkok, Rick and Robin for my New York Mug, and to my honey for bringing me my Cebu and Philippines mini-mugs! :)
I haven't been to both Malaysia and New York, but I requested for these anyway. Here's to hoping that I get to visit both destinations soon, especially NYC! :)
Meeting the awesome team behind Meet Manila was an enriching and humbling experience. Getting invited to their launch party was to me, by a long shot. I've never considered myself to be well-known in the travel blogging community just yet so I was surprised. But I owe it to my amazing followers who've been supportive of every journey that I've made.
Meet Manila's Launch Party - 'Tertulia Night'
The launch of Meet Manila introduced the 'Tertulia Night'. I actually had no clue as to what a Tertulia meant, all the more what transpired from such an event. And as I've been enlightened of its true meaning later on, I suddenly felt real excitement for this 'upcoming social gathering'. Now, it wasn't your typical 'party'. The 'Tertulia' itself meant more like an evening affair or a soiree of sorts. So you can just imagine a festive occasion where some of the most inspiring Filipino individuals come together to share their personal views and to meet for the same causes.
Budget Biyahera is truly honored to have been invited to Meet Manila's awesome launch party, and to be picked as one of the Empowered Travelers! Cheers to #ThoughtfulTourism!! :)
My family (well most of us) went on a 3D/2N beach getaway just this week -- a trip that was bound for Laiya, Batangas. Now, I've heard about the hype when it came to the well-maintained shores of Laiya, and how most resorts don't usually allow any cooking to be done within their premises. But since we were a BIG family, my cousin and I went ahead of ourselves to find that distinct resort that would accommodate both our quantity and our need to cook our own food. This was the only way that we could really save and stay within our budget. Soon enough, Kabayan Resort resurfaced from our endless google searching. And as early as February, we were already booked.
Three weeks ago, I was invited to this awesome travel website launch party (the country’s newest and most comprehensive travel portal wherein #ThoughtfulTourism is promoted) via Twitter. I honestly didn't know anything about Meet Manila nor the meaning of the word 'Tertulia' then. But I felt truly overwhelmed to be invited as a traveler blogger. Being recognized just that tiny bit made feel so honored! :) So I RSVP'd and got really excited thereafter.
My family and I recently went on a swimming escapade a few days ago, and it was set as a whole day affair. The venue was also just a short walk from our house so everybody was thrilled about that. It was also recently when the private pool was discovered. So my Kuya had it reserved right away (from 10 am to 6 pm).
I wasn't supposed to join them since I had so much work to do. But when I dropped-by to check out the pool, I was almost ready to jump into this enchanting abyss! The 6-feet deep pool was so inviting considering that it was sweltering that day. I went home right away to change into my swimsuit!
Oh, before I forget --- each of us, regardless if we were swimming or not were charged Php150 each. It was a bit pricey since we were 16 inside the premises. So we just made sure to make the most out of the place.
The little kids, trying out the deepest part of the pool.
My brother and I weren't supposed to go to Nido Fortified's Science Discovery Center in Mall of Asia. But since we were already in the area (coming from PAL's Rally to Bali event last Saturday), we opted to meet with my cousins. My niece and nephews also came along so that was actually more fun for everyone.
Anyway, my Kuya treated all of us to free passes (tickets were sold at Php330 for adults and Php300 for kids). We were about 11 people who came into the center. Now, our tickets also came with free popcorn and a Milo drink, plus two Planetarium shows -- one was about the universe, and the other was the One World One Sky: Big Bird‘s Adventure.
YES! A short travel within the solar system for only Php330! How cool is that?!
Anyhow, since we came in a bit late in the afternoon, we opted to start our tour by watching the Planetarium presentations. The first projected show was actually more interesting compared to Big Bird's adventure. But the latter was a more obvious hit for the kids since they enjoyed interacting with 'Elmo' and "Big Bird' all throughout the show.
After the Planetarium, we checked out the Grossology and Smart Media City -- both of which can be accessed on the first floor.
Budget Biyahera is about finding fun and distinct food and destinations, accommodations, products/gears and activities that people can enjoy on a ‘regular’ person’s budget and schedule.
