2014 has been the best year for me, by far. It's the special moments that were spent with loved ones, budget travels made with friends, and the challenges that I experienced getting into business that have truly helped define my year.
The birth of LAKHAMBINI has given me so much to learn about and reflect on. And because of this exciting venture, I've decided to do something that'll show how grateful I am to those who've continuously showed us love and support since Day 1.
Everyone deserves to feel blessed like I do, especially this Christmas. So what better way to say THANK YOU than to host a giveaway before the year ends, right? That's why I'm throwing one, and you can easily WIN A LOVELY PAIR OF LAKHAMBINIS THIS YULETIDE SEASON!
It all came to me on a hot and humid August day, like a sudden rush of blood to the head. Finally, I had a business plan in mind that I could definitely see through in the long run --- something that I felt I'd be pursuing head on no matter what. I knew there would be a lot of risks, especially on the financial end of things. But I just knew that it was going to be worth chasing after.
Everything just came together. My love for traveling, my interest in meeting different individuals on the road and listening to their stories, discovering cultural treasures, and finding purpose in every trip that I come home from. I've always known that traveling, as one of my passions in life, would always lead me to some of the most fulfilling adventures. And exploring the Philippines, my home country, has led me to a venture that I instantly fell in love with --- LAKHAMBINI.
I really had no plans to travel in the last quarter of this year due to some financial priorities. But Travel Expos happen to have this charm that just seems to attract you into purchasing at least a ticket or two. As for me, I ended up booking a round trip plane ticket that was bound for General Santos via Philippine Airlines. General Santos, which is the southernmost city in the Philippines, is part of the SOCCSKSARGEN region (stands for the region's 4 provinces and one of its cities: South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City). Although governed as an independent city, "GenSan" is geographically located in the province of South Cotabato. It also serves as the gateway to several municipalities such as Maasim, Alabel, and Malungon in Saranggani, as well as Polomolok and T'boli in South Cotabato.
Like everyone else on transit, looking for a place to stay-in is very important. And for a budget traveler like me, I always make it a point to find affordable accommodations that also offer quality spaces. That's when I found Microtel by Wyndham - General Santos.
I loved everything that Microtel General Santos offered us. Everything was impeccable, from the complimentary pick-up at the airport to our smooth hotel checkout. But it doesn't end there. So allow me to count the ways, as to why I loved our accommodations in the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines".
One of my must-do's when traveling to a new destination is to look for a budget accommodation --- a lodging that isn’t too far from where all the action is. That's when I found PEDAL INN via AirBNB. The lovely guesthouse is located just along Lorong Macalister, George Town, Penang.
For first-time travelers in Malaysia, going on a road trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang was quite an adventure. We might have gotten lost along the way. But our modes of transport gave us one heck of an experience!
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.
Rubel was set to leave for work abroad on a September. So we made sure to book a quick getaway to celebrate our advance anniversary, and to also do a sort of despedida for him. We wanted to go the beach, and just have a relaxing time, so going to Boracay was an immediate choice. But since we lacked the time to do any decent research on where to stay, we chose to browse lodging options via Agoda. And after narrowing our selections, we eventually booked LSM Square Residences.
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.
Christmas decors at Berjaya Times Square (November 2013)
On our 4th day in Malaysia, Rubel and I spent the whole morning traveling by bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur. The entire road trip took around 4 hours, since other passengers were picked up at the Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal (plus one stopover). But we were able to arrive in KL just in time for lunch. We also met up with Rubel’s sister-in-law, Melody at KL Sentral (where we alighted), and went directly to Tune Hotel via cab. Yes, we came back to the same hotel since we loved its room and amenities. It was a budget traveler’s haven!
Penang to KL via Alisan Golden Coach (comes with reclining seats, power outlets, Wi-Fi connection)
Melody wanted to show us around the Central Market area, so we left immediately. So when we finally settled in at our hotel, the three of us headed straight to Sultan Ismail LRT (a 5-minute walk from the hotel via footbridge). The single journey ticket from Sultan Ismail to Pasar Seni is 2.20/person.
DIRECTIONS: From Sultan Ismail, get down at Masjid Jamek Station. Then alight at the next train that’s bound for Pasar Seni.
Did you know that Penang is a thriving Malaysian destination? It sure is! Considered as one of the country’s well-developed states (being technologically advanced and highly urbanized), Pulau Pinang (in Malay) is an island state that nurtures an interesting multicultural community. The “Pearl of the Orient” is also known for its remarkable heritage sites, multiracial citizenry, and diverse yet sumptuous cuisines.
When Rubel and I were still planning our trip to Malaysia, we initially included 3 places for us to visit: Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Malacca. Unfortunately, the latter had to be dropped due to time constraints. But we were glad that we pushed through in visiting KL, and most especially Penang. The Guardian actually listed it as part of the "World's Top 10 Best City to visit in 2014". And according to Yahoo, Penang is also part of the "Top 10 Islands to explore before you die".
I fell in love with Penang, as the UNESCO World Heritage Site was just beautiful and exquisite. But what I loved the most about it was how diverse the cultures and races were in the state. And basing it from our observations, a multiracial community existed in harmony despite having different cultures, languages and religions (there are Malays, Indians, Chinese, Arabs just to name a few).
I didn't have any immediate plans to visit Malaysia. But I definitely included it in my travel list, just so I could see the iconic Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur. Yes, I've heard and read about the country and its rich culture. But I didn't give it that much thought. But when my Filipino friends urged for me to visit their second home, I gave it a go and was not left disappointed. Malaysia, let alone its lovely cities and states, have sincerely kept me in awe.
Malaysia, being the melting pot of religions, hosts a cordial, multiracial community. And in my time in Kuala Lumpur and Penang did I see how the society really lived harmoniously despite being so diverse.
Rubel and I were already searching for affordable hotels in Tagaytay for weeks before settling for Tagaytay Haven Hotel in Mendez. We needed an accommodation in the city in time for his friends wedding (last November 2013) --- somewhere near the church and Sonya's Garden. And since I loved Tagaytay Haven's other hotel by Ulat, I assumed that their Mendez branch would be as pleasant. I mean, their photos online (rooms and facilities) looked impressive. Then again, the actual thing disappointed us.
Rubel already went ahead of me since he was part of the wedding entourage. I, on the otherhand, came the day after. The driver had a hard time locating the hotel. So we got lost a few times. It was true when my beau said that the hotel was a bit hard to locate.
I didn't have a hard time searching for a lodging in Biliran Island, especially one that's located by the beach. So when AGTA BEACH RESORT popped into the search engine, I knew it was what I was looking for.
It was the first week of November when my friend and I traveled in some areas of Eastern Visayas. I flew to Tacloban via PAL Express, and went straight to Biliran Island with Coreene. Her father drove us to the Van-Van Tours terminal (straight from the airport), where a shuttle van took us directly to the Municipality of Naval. It took us around 2 1/2 hours on the road before reaching Biliran's capital.
Coreene and I woke up early so that we could get a head start in touring Tacloban City. I still had a lot on my list that I wanted to see, so we went shortly after breakfast. And by 7 AM we were already off to see the Boyscout Monument and MacArthur Park (did a commute via tricycle). Coreene's dad fetched us at McDonalds Downtown a few hours later, to drive us to several more tourist spots.
1) The BOYSCOUNT MONUMENT in Palo was the first ever Boyscout monument that was created in human form. It was put up in 1941. [Read more about it HERE.]
Biliran and Ormoc are amazing places. As both areas made me fall more in love with my country. The waterfalls and the rice terraces in Biliran were remarkable. And the historical structures in Ormoc made me appreciate more of the Philippines' past hardships and achievements. So if you've already explored much of Visayas (or any part of the archipelago for that matter), then you will surely agree that "It's More Fun In The Philippines."
But my 4-day backpacking trip in Eastern Visayas didn't end in Biliran and Ormoc City. I continued to wander through Region VIII, and spent my last two days in Tacloban City --- Coreene's hometown. Cuks randomly asked me about plans on visiting her there. We haven't seen each other for so long since she worked abroad. So I decided to book a plane ticket without hesitation. I did it not just for the sake of traveling to a new Philippine destination, but to also spend time with a friend that I missed dearly. I actually thought that I wouldn't be able to make the trip since I broke my 5th metatarsal 3 weeks before the actual departure. But when I had the chance to rebook my plane ticket without being charged, I moved the trip to November. And in the most inopportune time, I left Tacloban a day before Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines. [You can read my short tribute HERE].
Super Typhoon Yolanda destroyed several areas in Tacloban --- a few of the sites that I will write about here. So allow me to pay tribute to this wonderful place by showing you its beauty before it was ruined by the storm.
Every now and then, Rubel and I would treat each other to a nice food sesh, a spa date or to a hotel staycation (if time and budget permits) whenever we would feel stressed from work, which he has been experiencing more intensely these days. So we decided to make time to reenergize, and booked a weekend stay at the Exchange Regency Residences Hotel in Ortigas.
Every now and then, Rubel and I would treat each other to a nice food sesh, a spa date or to a hotel staycation (if time and budget permits) whenever we would feel stressed from work, which he has been experiencing more intensely these days. So we decided to make time to reenergize, and booked a weekend stay at the Exchange Regency Residences Hotel in Ortigas.
I was never a fan of camping outdoors, so my initial response when my friends invited me to go to Calaguas was, “let me check my schedule first.” I wasn’t too keen on the idea of doing a long road trip, let alone sleep by the beach – devoid of all basic necessities. I've always been the type of traveler who likes comfy accommodations. But my love for my friends was far too great to decline an adventure-packed weekend away from the city. And I’m glad that Calaguas didn’t disappoint.
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.
