Have you been the kind of person that takes home hotel bath essentials right after a stay? Well, I have. But I'm sure that I'm not the only one who does this. I've actually developed this habit of pocketing unused bath products after staying at an inn. I mean, I've already paid for those. I usually just keep those for a future travel. Then again, I never really get to use any as I always bring my own soap, shampoo, toothpaste and so on. So what happens later on is that I keep all these clutter inside my CR cabinet. But all of that has changed when I learned about my cousin's project.
Our third day in SIN was spent just going around SIM LIM Square (I also got myself a mocha ice cream sandwich, which I ate on the way there). And since Rubel wanted to build his own CPU, we went around the entire Sim Lim building looking for potential monitors and computer parts. He didn't get to see any of the stuff that he wanted/needed throughout our 'walk', but I did! I was actually able to buy an extra memory card for my point-and-shoot, a cool 4GB purple Sandisk cruzer USB, a black laptop sleeve, and a purple laptop keyboard protector.
Savoy Hotel Boracay has three dining outlets: Savoy Café, Chambery Pool Bar, and Vienne, Lobby Lounge. Savoy Café, which offers a contemporary cuisine, is open from 6 AM to 11 PM. It can accommodate around 150 people inside, and 98 more by the pool area. Chambery Pool Bar, which is fixed by the main swimming pool, can seat up to 30 diners (open from 10 AM to 11 PM). Vienne, on the other hand, can seat up to 85 guests (open from 9 AM to 12 AM).
I'm very particular when it comes to certain accommodations. And if you've read some of my previous lodging reviews, you'll know what usually puts me off. So I definitely felt a renewed feeling upon entering the GO HOTELS lobby in Tacloban City.
My friend and I arrived in Tacloban after a 2-hour trip from Ormoc City. We left Ormoc around 3, and was able to reach Leyte's capital by 5 PM. The trip was tiring considering that I was seated on the shuttle's side by the door. So I had the small reclining seat, without the full back rest. I had several head banging moments as I tried to catch some sleep during our travel. That's why it was so refreshing to finally arrive in Tacloban, and have such friendly faces welcome us into our new abode.
My boyfriend and I went with a group of couples just this month of March (March 14-17, 2011 to be exact). The highlights of our stay there were the ATV tour, the cold margarita-like shots at Pat’s Creek Bar, the fire-dancers at Beach Bum Bar, the surprising dance sessions at Epic Bar with the European hotties, the fruit shakes at Jonah’s, chilled drinks at Loco Frio, the amazing food at SMOKE Restaurant, dinner by the beach at Calypso with my love, and of course, our lovely stay at Hannah Hotel Station 1.
Yes, there were so many that I had to highlight, and it was a great 4-day vacation. And despite of the consistent morning rain, we were still able to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with our little beach escapades. Now, let some of our photos express the excitement for us.
We arrived really late in Boracay since Zestair had to delay our flight due to the bad weather in the Visayas region. Our supposedly 12pm flight only turned up 8 hours later. We were actually on the plane already, about to land on the Kalibo Airport, up until the plane maneuvered back to MNL. Crazy, right? Nonetheless, it was for everyone's safety.
We got to the island about 10pm. Good thing the owners of Hannah Hotel were really understanding of our situation. I was on the brink of rescheduling our booking for the next day. That's if we still missed getting on the last boat trip to Caticlan. But God was really good to us, as we immediately got a van that would take us straight to the port. The trip on the road took us about a good 1 1/2 hours. Our boat trip only took 10 minutes.
Since we got on the island really late, we were left with the options of getting some late dinner and drinks at the beach. And we ended up partying at Epic Bar right after dinner, whilst meeting the three nice caucasians who danced with our group the entire night.. We had so much fun that night, that we ended up getting back at our hotel past 3 am already.
Ok, so on to the other details of our trip! Since we were 8 in a group, we opted to avail of the ATV package that consisted of the Aviary and Tanawin stop-overs. The ATV ride was a bit slow-moving for us, since there were other tourists that were also driving on our trail. Plus the Aviary stop-over wasn't really that interesting. There were just these different bird species confined in make-shift cages, and a sex-hungry monkey that felt so threatened from one of the guys we were with. But the 'Tanawin' though was a refreshing sight as we were able to see a big portion of the island.
Basically, our trip consisted of drinking and dancing sessions until the wee hours of the morning, binge-eating during lunch and merienda, and sun-basking during the afternoon. Our last day was more laid-back; and a lot of beach strolling and picture-taking were alotted during the morning. Nothing fancy really.
Rubel and I opted to have dinner, just the two of us on our last night in the island. We walked the shores of Boracay, and ended up eating at Calypso by Station 3. The food there was a bit pricey as they were offering international cuisines. The one I ordered was a German dish, I guess. It was bland so I really didn't enjoy what I ate. But what I enjoyed though was the cool breeze and the very sight of my boyfriend, munching on some seafood delight. *wink* =) Anyway, we ended the night at the Beach Bum Bar Station 1, where we watched the Fire-Dancers do their famous dance routine.
Now, time to wrap up my first Boracay trip for this summer. Here’s to another TRAVEL EXPENSE SHEET to help you off with your future trip/s to the island of Boracay.
Explore & Be Free!
Mai
P.S. Stay at Hannah Hotel, as they're affordable and worth your every penny! You'll surely enjoy their homey-rooms, and most especially enjoy the very company of the owners. I'd like to thank Hannah, Paolo, and their parents for being so hospitable, kind, and generous to us during our stay in their beautiful hotel. I will definitely come back!
I’ve been to a majority of Microtel’s hotels in the Philippines. But I’m always left surprised every time I stay in a property that I’ve never tried yet. At first glance, I thought that Microtel Cabanatuan looked simple, just basing on its subtle, orange façade. But as soon as I entered the inn, I found myself uttering the word, “Wow!”. Microtel Cabanatuan instantly became a favorite, as I compared it to all the other properties that I’ve stayed in (though Microtel Baguio still tops my list!). With its warm, tropical-inspired and spacious interiors, I instantly knew that I would have a memorable experience here.
I've become the queen of coupon purchases!
My love affair with all the good deals online made me buy some of the most essential and not-so important goods and services. But these hard to pass up offers also lead me into experiencing one of the best dishes in the metro. Other than my Prestige Cruises encounter, I've also managed to buy an All-You-Can-Eat-Sausage promo from eBay Kuponan. I also got the opportunity to buy a few Midas Buffet vouchers from Metrodeal.com on two separate occasions.
For now, let me start by sharing to you my food affair with Midas Hotel's buffet dinner.
I've been to Midas Hotel twice now. One was in December 2011, and another last February 2012. And compared to what Prestige Cruises offered from their deal, Midas completely came through with their own advertisement. They truly promoted how good a catch their offer was. They were the real deal indeed.
Anyway, here's a peek at what they offered through Metrodeal in 2012:
DISCLAIMER: This is a late post. This was my experience commuting to LCCT, back when it was still operational.
It was our first time to travel to Malaysia. But the city's transportation system was something that we quickly learned about. It's fairly easy to commute to the metropolis when coming from Kuala Lumpur's Low Cost Carrier Terminal. So regardless of the time of your arrival, there will be buses parked right outside the airport, ready to transport you to downtown KL.
It was our first time to travel to Malaysia. But the city's transportation system was something that we quickly learned about. It's fairly easy to commute to the metropolis when coming from Kuala Lumpur's Low Cost Carrier Terminal. So regardless of the time of your arrival, there will be buses parked right outside the airport, ready to transport you to downtown KL.
Life, as they say, throws curveballs. Our actual 8th wedding anniversary was spent supporting family, as my husband's father was in and out of the hospital. It was a challenging time, but family comes first, always. We postponed our celebration, promising ourselves a special trip when the time was right. That time finally came last October, and Boracay, with its famous beaches and breathtaking sunsets, beckoned.
The first half of 2019 was a difficult one. A lot of things kept piling up (physically, emotionally, mentally), that it was already too much to handle. My husband and I needed a breather from all the stress and challenges that OFW life and work threw at us, that we decided on a whim to travel somewhere in Asia. We initially wanted to explore other Asian countries that we haven’t been to yet then realized that we still had to apply for a visa, which might take some time. We had to leave in a few days, so that wasn’t ideal for us. But that’s when the idea of going back to Hong Kong came to us. Asia’s World City has always been a favorite destination of mine (been here twice already). So it just felt right to revisit it after nine long years.
[TRIP from May 6-7, 2011] Choy and I actually had an odd trip schedule. We were scheduled to leave Incheon by 08:00 (MNL time) of May 7. But we had to leave Jeonju by bus by 19:30 of May 6. Ok, so why so early? Well, the last trip from Jeonju going to Incheon airport is at 19:30. The next ride is around 02:00 or 03:00 the next day. Should we have taken the earliest trip, we would have probably missed our flight. And as I've mentioned in my first entry of Jeonju, the bus trip from Incheon to Jeonju took us about 4-5 hours, without traffic.
When departing an international destination, it's always advisable to be at the airport for check-in 2-3 hours before the actual flight. So instead of risking to miss our flight, Choy and I sacrificed by leaving Jeonju early. We already told ourselves that we were in for a very long and tiring stay at the airport. Just imagine sleeping on those cold and metal chairs! But of course, that were better than nothing.
Anyhow, before our anticipated trip back to Incheon, we used the rest of the morning to do a little more souvenir shopping. I also dropped by Jeonju's one and only Starbucks store to buy mugs for me and my friends. We also ate at the Lotteria (can be comparable to McDonald's or Jollibee of the Philippines) before heading back to CORE Hotel. It was also Third World Happy's last screening, but we already skipped that so we could spend more time together. But before heading back to the hotel, we stopped by the SAVE ZONE Mall, which was literally situated beside the CORE hotel, to check-out suit coats that Kuya can wear to the awards later that night. Of course, we were bummed about missing the awards since we had to leave early.
{July 2010} I went to Cebu to apply for my dream job. But much to my dismay, I didn't get that much-awaited callback. So to help ease my disappointment, my friends and I went out for drinks after our 'interview'. And since Marriott Hotel was just beside Ayala Cebu, we walked all the way there with high heels and all.
My friend, Ruth, and I decided to get something to drink at Seattle's Best while we waited for her friend Edz to arrive. And since Ruth and Edz had no prior engagements, we all decided to have lunch at Crown Regency Hotel & Towers. So when my boyfriend arrived at the mall, we immediately left and hopped on the 14A Jeep.
You’ve probably already heard a lot about the island of Boracay and
Boracay beach. After all, it has been consistently named as the top tourist
beach destination of 2013 and among the top beach party destinations of 2012,
it is no wonder why a lot of people consider visiting the island and staying at
one of its many Boracay resorts.
However, some people would not consider it as they think they would
need a lot of money in order to afford and enjoy the beach and all the
activities there. The truth is that it is actually possible to holiday in
Boracay even when you have a low budget.
Getting to Boracay
Since Boracay can be reached by air or sea, the trick is to know how
to get the cheapest mode of transportation.
When the Piso fare was offered by Tiger Airways (in partnership with SEAIR) last February 2013, I didn't think twice about booking a trip with them. And since I wanted to visit Davao this year in time for Kadayawan, I was lucky to find seats that offered P1 for each route (MNL-DVO-MNL). My total was PHP675.04 (fare price + fare fees & taxes + service fee + special services a.k.a. extra baggage allowance). So when I got my booking details, I paid for my ticket at Cebuana Lhuiller that same day. Come 10:22 AM, I was already paid in full. So when I got home, I immediately called SEAIR's hotline to confirm my payment. 2 days later (after following up my trip details a few times), they finally emailed my itinerary. I also asked the CSR if there were hidden charges, which she answered 'no' to. I mean, the rate was unbelievably cheap so I had to ask. It was just too good to be true. Then again, it was.
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And on May 2, I received this unfortunate email from Tiger Airways...
2013 has been a hard year for me. And it truly felt like I was being challenged in more ways than one (physically, emotionally, spiritually, financially). The number of trips that I made this year may have been less compared to 2012. But I still thank God for blessing me with plenty of life-changing experiences.
HOW I GOT THROUGH THE BAD JUJU
My right foot's 5th metatarsal broke in March, which kept me from having to work and to travel (was already bound for Tacloban the next month when this happened). Plus, a nasty skin ailment progressed all over my body during my immobility. I couldn't get myself checked at the time since I could barely walk with my foot cast. So things worsened through those months. And by the time I consulted a dermatologist, a new set of expenses came pouring like rain.
#ThrowbackTravel | In my three years in the UAE, I’ve only set foot in two of its Emirates: Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But last year, I crossed off two more, and these were Sharjah (where we last moved to) and Ras Al Khaimah. And so, a year ago, my friends and I spent the weekend at Ras Al Khaimah. The resort that we went to, which was The Cove Rotana, was like a scene straight out of a breathtaking, romantic movie. I’ve never been to Santorini, but the Rotana hotel exuded the same stunning ambiance.
[NOTE: This was a 5-day trip three years ago] As Philippine passport holders who are traveling to Siem Reap for the first time, my partner and I made sure to prepare for our trip by learning about the country, to best be acquainted with their rules and traditions.
Rubel had to travel back home for a wedding. So I was left alone in the hotel, and in Kuala Lumpur for another 24 hours. But that didn't stop me from wandering around the city on my own. It was actually nice of my friends to invite me again for some girl bonding. So we went around the city's hip and happening shopping centers that morning.
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| Christmas decors at Berjaya Times Square (November 2013) |
It has been more than a year since Rubel and I celebrated our 6th anniversary at Best Western, A.venue Suites (December 2013). I would've blogged about it sooner. But time just got the best of me!
