The Return in Singapore

I decided to come back in Singapore on October 2011 so I could visit the place I have not been to.

It was my first time travelling alone and I spent my 3-day and 2 nights stay in Hilton Hotel.

My first itinerary after checked in is to eat breakfast, visit Singapore Zoo and experience night Safari at its best. I rode the MTR to Ang Mo Kio. On my way to the terminal, I stop over to Popeye’s to eat lunch. Then continued walking to the bus terminal going to my destination and waited for bus number 138 going to Mandai. My only guide is a map I got from the airport. Upon arrival, I bought my tickets (SGD 64) for the two attractions. I took a lot of souvenir pictures in the Singapore Zoo. I witnessed a death defying fire dance exhibition and also watched some animals which serve as the main actors and actress in a show at the amphitheatre. I waited for the sunset to come so I could move to my next agenda which is the Night Safari. It was a great experience to witness the Wild life in such an awesome tour.  Next, I head back to the hotel via same route & on my way; I have met a friend from Hong Kong as well as some fellow Filipinos who worked there.  

The next day, I started my morning right with a delicious buffet breakfast. After some preparation, I headed to Resorts World Sentosa for a one day tour. I went to the Universal Studios as I loved to go to the theme parks which give me a feeling of freedom and excitement.  The price of the ticket is SGD 74. My first ride got me wet, it was the Steven Spielberg Special Effects and the Mummy made me scream like hell. I ate a Thai cuisine for lunch at Madagascar area. I moved to the next Sentosa attraction which is the Skyline Luge. I enjoyed the breath taking view in the sky ride plus the thrilling go cart experience and had a cone of a frozen yogurt to complete my afternoon delight. I went back to the hotel for some freshening up before eating a heavy dinner at Ion Orchard basement 4.

The last day has come. I woke up early and had an early breakfast too. Savoring the buffet meals Hilton Hotel has to offer.  At first, I chose to stay at the hotel and checked the hotel’s roof top where the pool is located. Then, I headed over to the Lucky Plaza Mall to buy some “pasalubong”, eat lunch at Wendy’s and checked out of the hotel. At the airport, after baggage check in and the immigration process, I did a window shopping and ate shrimp dumpling noodle for merienda while waiting for the boarding time of CebuPacificAir. 

"How to Apply for a Korean Visa in the Philippines for First Timer"

Ever since I become addicted to Korean dramas, I looked forward on visiting South Korea.  After watching the concert of CNBlue last June 2013 in the Philippines my eagerness to visit Seoul has been extremely exaggerated.  I was chatting with my cousin a few months later and she told me that one of our cousin and relatives are planning to go to Korea by April 2014.  At first, I had some hesitations because it is my first time to go to a country that requires a Visa.  But after a few weeks my excitement became so obvious that I had to check Airasia’s website from time to time, in order to book the best price for the airline ticket I could possibly have. Luckily, I was able to get a good deal amounting to 8,300 PHP after the New Year.

Furthermore, the next step after that is to secure a valid Korean Visa.  I felt very nervous thinking about the process I need to go through. During my spare time, I would read travel blogs via google.com and I can say it was a big help. Based on my experience, I can say that applying for a Tourist Visa in South Korea is truly easy.

Here are the steps in Applying for a Korean Tourist Visa:

1.  Complete all the necessary requirements for the Application.

(Here is a direct link to the Korean Embassy Website in the Philippines     

                click here )

-         Original Passport (valid for more than 6 months)

-         Photocopy of Passport front page (2^nd Page)

-         Old Passport (if any)

-     One Passport sized colored picture (3.5 cm x 4.5 cm) with white    background

-          Fully accomplished Application Form

 Here is the link: click here

-    For Employees: Original Certificate of Employment (COE); For    Business owner: Business Registration issued by SEC or DTI; For  Students: School Certificate/Registration Form, Birth Certificate and  Parent’s documents (COE, bank certificate and ITR)

-          Bank Certificate (requested to applicant’s bank)

-          Photocopy of Income Tax Return (ITR)

-         Supporting documents (Roundtrip Airline Ticket, Hotel Reservation)

Reminders:

• Bank Certificate is not required for applicants with valid visa or who have been to any OECD Nations (Except Korea) within the last 5 years.
• Application form must be neat and completely filled out (put N/A for not applicable and never leave blank space).
• Birth Certificate is for student applicants only.
• The Visa is free if you are going to stay for 59 days or less for Philippine Passport Holders. For a 60 to 90 days stay in Korea the fee is 1,350 PHP.

2.   Once all the requirements are complete, you may head to Korean Embassy 

       located a few blocks from SM Aura. The exact address is below:

         Republic of Korea Embassy in the Philippines

         122 Upper McKinley Road

         McKinley Town Center

         Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1634

         Telephone Number : +632-856-9210

Notes:

• Filing of Visa is open from Mondays to Fridays, except Holidays, 9am to 11 am only.
• First come, first served basis. No appointment is needed.
• First time applicants and those who do not have previous or valid visa from OECD countries (Korea, Japan, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand) must present their documents at Windows 1 or 2. While, frequent travelers, seamen and those who have visa from OECD countries should apply at Windows 3.
• Make sure to bring at least 2 valid ID’s because before entering the Embassy, you will need to surrender an ID and they will give you a pass so you can enter the premises.
• Near the front door, at your right side, there is a policeman or officer who will check your documents and give you an applicant number.  
• There is a screen in front which will show the number of the next applicant. Once, you see your number flashed, go to the designated window and passed all your requirements.
• The Embassy personnel will give you a claiming stub which includes the date of passport release.
• The Processing Time for first time applicant is 5 business days, and for frequent travelers or with OECD countries stamp the processing time is 3 business days.
• The pickup time for visa release is from 2pm to 4pm only.
• The visa application validity is for 3 months from the date of issuance.
• Hope everyone will get a positive result and be able to enjoy a tour in South Korea.

Discovering Puerto Prinsesa City…

On September 2013, we spend a 3 days vacation in Puerto Prinsesa City, Palawan plus an overnight side trip to El Nido. We paid for our Package Tour + Accommodation upon arrival which cost us PHP 5,200 per person all in.

After we left El Nido late in the afternoon, we went back to Puerto Prinsesa to explore the City and its history.

We arrived in Puerto Prinsesa probably 11 PM. We had to knock and shout in order for us to check in at Sotera’s Mansion because it’s already late. The place was serene and nice to leave in. They also have a fast Wi-Fi connection. I can still remember, it was the night Miss Philippines won as Miss World.

Our first Agenda the following day is to visit one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature which is the Puerto Prinsesa Underground. We woke up early and ate our breakfast while waiting for our early call time for our tour guide pick up. Together with other tourist from all around the world we had a quick stop over to the South China Sea view deck and head to The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park. We ride a van to Sabang, Palawan and road a boat from there.  It was a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the longest navigable underground rivers in the world.  We were able to see different kinds of rock formation (Stalactites & Stalagmites), and large bats.  After our trip to the underground we ate a buffet lunch in Sabang, Palawan. It was a scrumptious meal and I even tried their exotic food “tamilok” which is not included on our free buffet lunch so I had to pay for it PHP 100- 120. After finishing our food, we had a quick stroll and picture taking along the Sabang, beach. Then, on our way back to the town we stop off to Ugong Rock Adventures for a thrilling afternoon delight. We tried Spelunking and Zip lining on that community-based tourism project for a good cause.  At night, we went to the Baywalk Park of Puerto Prinsesa to wander and have our dinner at the same time. We also dropped by the LRC Pasalubong Center for some goodies to take home.

On our last day, we were fetched by the owner of the travel and tours we closed a deal with. We ride a private car and visited Binuatan Weaving Creations, Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral, Baker's Hill, Crocodile Farm and Wildlife Center, Mitra's Ranch, and Baywalk of Palawan. We took our souvenir pictures before going back to Manila. On our way to the airport, we drop by to taste another exotic food of Palawan which is the “Crocodile Sisig” for PHP 250. 

It was very pleasant and memorable to visit the City of the leaving God, Puerto Prinsesa via TigerAirways.

El Nido at its Finest

It was on the last week of September 2013 when I and two of my girl friends decided to go on vacation. We chose to visit Puerto Princesa, Palawan and spend an overnight in El Nido.

When we arrived in Puerto Princesa International Airport at around 11 AM, we saw a couple of travel package deals booth near the exit door. At first, we inquire from one booth to another because we are looking for the best deal we could possibly have.

Luckily, we were able to get a good deal. We paid PHP 5,200/pax for our 3 nights stay, which consist of 2 nights in PPS and an overnight in El Nido. On top of our accommodation with free breakfast, our roundtrip van transfer is included, El Nido Island Hopping Tour, and Puerto Prinsesa Tour.

It was a long journey but very worth it of our time.  We arrived in El Nido Terminal at around 6 PM; we ride a tricycle going to our hostel which cost us PHP 25.00 per person.

We stayed at Nido’s Friendly Inn. It was not located at beach front but is a few minutes’ walk to the beach side. It was a comfortable, clean and peaceful place to spend the rest of the night. After we checked in, we strolled at the beach to search for a place to eat. We ate in Sea Slugs Beach Bar & Restaurant.  We ordered grilled stuff squid & fish and the meal includes a slice of watermelon for dessert. The food cost 150-250 PHP.

El Nido is a “paradise”.  We witness the beauty of each island together with some other fortunate local and foreign tourist.  We decided to avail the Tour A island hopping package which includes visiting the Small lagoon, Big lagoon, Simizu Island, Secret Lagoon, and the Seven Commando plus a lunch buffet for us to enjoy. I checked the internet for the actual cost of the package and it shows PHP 700 per person.

El Nido is a hidden paradise waiting for travelers to enjoy.  The magnificent sparkling water that will make you realize how grateful Philippines should be. It was beauty beyond words can describe.  

Admiring Bohol's Unlimited Attraction...

Bohol, Beauty of Hills on its Land. 

Does my phonetics make sense? Anyway, during those times when we visited Bohol, I realized that the Philippines was really beyond blessed to have such a wonderful place that people can enjoy and leave with. It was a land of full potential and pure beauty for me.

It was on September 2011 when I and my two friends went to Bohol for a vacation and to visit my friend's boyfriend who is assigned there for work. We arrived at Tagbilaran Airport at around 3 PM. From the airport we head to Panglao Island on our First day via a service pick up used by my friend's partner. I had checked other blogs and found out that the taxi fare from the Tagbilaran Airport to Panglao Island cost around 300 to 500 PHP while a tricycle ride cost 150 to 250 PHP.

Upon arrival at Alona Beach resort, we booked two rooms which cost 1000 PHP each. Our location is a few steps from the beach. The room is small and has a bathroom inside. A few blocks from where we stayed, there is a variety of restaurants where tourist can eat. At night, we had a few drinks and watched a performance by the Bol-anon (people of Bohol). There were live bands, fire dancers, etc. It was an awesome groovy night. After a few drinks, we walked on the beach, soaked our feet in the pool, took our picture, had a henna tattoo, and call it a night.

Our Second Day started with an early meet up by the shore. We reserved a day activity which cost us around 2,000 PHP for 4 pax. Kuya, our guide and the boatman are waiting for us. We had a 20 to 30 minutes boat ride for our island hopping tour, snorkeling and dolphin watching. Luckily, we saw a few dolphins on our way to our destination. How fortunate can we be? Next, we went to Balicasag Island for our snorkeling session. It was an awesome experience. It was so nice seeing a variety of water species and fed them with our crushed crackers. Next, we went back to the resort and checked out; we head over to our next temporary home in Bohol if I am not mistaken around Tagbilaran, the price of the room is 900 PHP per night. The location of the hostel is very near the highway. After a quick rest, we continued our journey to the man made forest, ship haus, the hanging bridge, butterfly conservation center, met the tarsier, admired the wonderful ever famous chocolate hills, plus we took a souvenir picture, too. We also went to The Blood Compact Site, Loboc Museum and Church and we ate a buffet lunch at Rio Verde Floating Resto (400 PHP) while crossing the river via our boat cruise and met the Ati Tribe. In the evening, I and my friend wanted to have a body massage, so we asked the staff if they offer a masseuse service. Fortunately, they have it, so a girl knocked on our door and gave us a relaxing night. The price of the massage cost 200 PHP per person and a tip if you want to.

Lastly, on our Third Day, we stopped over to San Pedro Apostol Church, Tagbilaran Park, Baclayon Church, Tagbilaran Church, met the biggest phyton, and tried the combo ride (zipline+cable car) in the Loboc Eco Tourism Adventure Park (550 PHP) which is the longest and highest zipline I ever tried (height: 120 m; length: 520 m). It was a blissful day for me; it feels like I am a super hero. I also tasted one of the Southern Philippines dishes which they call "Balbacua". Our trip is over and we head back to the Airport so we can catch our afternoon flight back to Manila via AirphilExpress.

Her First Time and My Second Time in Hong Kong...

From Macau, we went to Hong Kong via ferry boat which will take about an hour. It was a giddy kind of ride. I had to sleep so that I won't feel my head burst and I took several candies so I won't vomit. The ferry cost around 800 to 1,000 PHP. It was clean and organized, we had comfortable seat and there is a television in front so we can watch.

We arrived in Hong Kong between 7 PM or 8 PM. The usual immigration procedure took place while leaving and arriving both countries. We took a train and a bus going to New Territories where we were supposed to stay at my friend's aunt home in The Beverly Hills, HK. It was a very cozy and nice three-storey house. She was so welcoming and she even prepared dinner for us. We met her two lovely children and her cousin. It was a home, away from home.

The following day, my friend's aunts toured us around the village and accompanied us from New Territories to HongKong to Kowloon side via train and ferry ride. Basically, we jumped from one island to another. Our first stop is the World Wide House or World Wide Plaza Central where most Filipino and its delicacies can be found. Our Second stop is the Avenue of Stars, where we should be... read between the lines "Stars", fallen stars... And oh, I remember seeing Jacob... yes, Jacob from twilight, just kidding, maybe he has a body like Jacob that I had to document. Furthermore, I and my friend had to separate with her aunts because we need to visit a lot of places in each of the 3 Islands. Next, we went to The Peak, we had to ride in the tram, enjoyed the view at the Peak and took our souvenir pictures. We also entered the Madame Tussauds (310 HKD) attractions so we could meet our friends like President Obama, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, etc. Then, we went back to our temporary home.

The Next Day, we woke up early, headed to the Hongkong Disneyland for a glimpse of it and some picture taking. Afterwards, we went to the Kowloon side for some shopping and food tripping. We ate street foods along Mongkok area, shopped in Esprit, Giordano and in the night market. We went back to the avenue of stars, tried experiencing sunset until dawn plus the colorful lights it can offer. Then, we grabbed a cup of coffee on our favorite coffee shop "Starbucks" and of course, our endless photo shoots.

And it is our Last Day, we headed to Ngong Ping 360 (Ngong Ping Village)- Lantau, Island (168 HKD) early in the morning via train and bus. We rode a cable car from the other side so we could witness an astonishing bird's eye view of the beautiful Village. We had to walk a couple of miles, climbed a hundred of stairs from one attraction to another. We visited the Po Lin Monastery, Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), souvenir shop, tea house and pigged out for lunch there. Time check, oh no! We had to hurry up because we need to catch our ferry ride back to Macau for our flight back to Manila in the evening. Luckily, we made it on time and we arrived just in time for our flight from Macau International Airport to Clark International Airport via CebuPacificAir.

Mars in Macau...

It was on March 2011 when my good friend and I went on our first trip together. We choose to go to Macau so we could experience a Vegas like atmosphere.

We are not so ready for the climate we had experienced. It was a cool kind of weather and we are both not into cold breeze of air. 

We arrived in Macau, passed 8 in the evening. The air was so cool and we were so happy that there is a free shuttle going to the main airport and we do not need to walk from where we landed. We had booked an accommodation via www.agoda.com, we choose The Victoria Hotel ($166.97 per 2 nights) as our temporary shelter while away from home. The wi-fi connection at the hotel was good. After some rest and freshening up, we took a walk and searched for something to eat for our late dinner. Afterwards, we roamed around the city of lights. There were many people who are still awake during the nights, casinos can be found from left to right and lights all over the area are visible especially at night.

Our Second day seems very productive. We visited several tourist spots, namely: Senado Square, Ruins of St. Paul, Fisherman's Wharf, Macau Tower, City of Dreams, The Venetian Macau, Grand Lisboa, Hard Rock, Wynn hotel, and etc. We personally experienced a Gandola Ride. Most of the employees who sing songs were Filipino as per our Gondolier who came from a European descent. She had shared to us the Filipino foods she liked to eat and how it feels like to work with Filipinos, which she claims as her friends. She had a very lovely voice and a pretty face too. We also went shopping from one place to another and met some friends along the road. We even shared a taxi with 2 Korean nationals and they also helped us with our picture taking.

On our Third day, we wandered around the city, grabbed a cup of coffee from Starbucks and bought a pair of boots as temperature drops to 8 degrees Celsius which we can no longer bear as our feet are freezing to death. During the late afternoon, we packed our things and headed to the ferry terminal as we planned to spend our next few days in Hong Kong.

Malaysia, Truly Asia...

Our Third out of the Country Trip is an overnight or 2 days/1 night trip to KL on October 2010.

At around 11 PM, we had to check out of our hostel in SG for our 5 to 6 hours bus ride to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The bus is nice and huge, up and down type of bus, with recliner chair and comfort room inside. Our journey went smoothly and comfortably. We arrived in Malaysia around passed 5 AM. We rode 2 to 3 train lines going to Kuala Lumpur, at Double Tree Hilton Hotel where we stayed for a night for free. The bus ride cost around 700 PHP to 1,000 PHP, one way if I'm not mistaken.

We experienced riding, on almost all the transportation Malaysia has to offer, because we need to find someone we had to visit from one point to another. Shortly, after lunch, we headed back to Double Tree and checked in. We ate lunch at a restaurant somewhere near the hotel and LRT Ampang Park station. It was oh so delicious... We went shopping at Ampang Park Shopping Centre which is located nearby. At night, we visited the Petronas Tower and took a picture with it. On our way to the Petronas there was a motorcycle exhibition and we checked that out.

The Double Tree breakfast and sweets was delectable and they offered good service too. Oh, and I also loved the interior design of Double tree compare to Hilton Singapore because of the lights and glasses design in each room.

At early morning, we had to go back to SG via bus. If I am not mistaken, we left around 7 AM to 8 AM and left KL via train. We had to go to the usual immigration process while leaving Malaysia and entering Singapore (vice versa). Luckily, it was not a long queue, everything went smoothly. 

Next Stop... "Singapura"

A few days after we head back to Manila on October 2010, my brother and I went to Singapore for our Second Trip. 

If I were to describe the country in two words, that will be "Peaceful" and "Cleanliness". I booked my flight for 6 days and my brother for 19 days, I think.

On our first day, we do not have an accommodation booked beforehand. Thus, we decided to search for a one night accommodation upon arrival to SG. From the Airport, we took a taxi going to Geylang. We stayed for a few hours on one of the hostel around the area, the exact, name of the hostel, I can no longer remember. On our first day, we roam around of course and look for something cheap to eat. A few blocks from where we stayed, we saw a cheap "carinderia" and it was delicious, I ordered a "peking duck" dish if I remembered correctly. Afterwards, we bought tickets to Malaysia for our midnight trip which cost around 700 to 1,000 PHP.

I have to skip, the Overnight Malaysia Trip for now. I will put it on another post.

Second Day, after a bus ride from Malaysia to Singapore, we head straight to Hilton Hotel Singapore where we need to stay for quite some time. I had to commend their service and scrumptious breakfast.  At early morning, we went to the Lucky Plaza Mall to shop for some souvenirs and found out that Giordano, Esprit and Hang Ten are cheap here too. I also bought The Body Shop cosmetics here which I find cheap too compared to the prices in the Philippines and I was given The Body shop members Card which is only applicable in SG. I planned to visit Sentosa. However, I ran out of time, so I decided to visit it another time. During the night, we visited Merlion Park, Marina Bay Sands Resort, The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore Flyer, and Art Science Museum. We also went clubbing along Orchard Road and I saw some Pinoys and Pinays as well as other foreigners. 

Third Day, We had our early breakfast at McDonalds. Afterwards, I and my brother went to the airport early for my 8:45 AM flight via TigerAirways. During my check in, I had an excess baggage because of too much shopping, so I need to pay for it.

My First Ever Airplane Ride... "The Escape to Hong Kong"

I initially planned my first trip with my best friend. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, she had to cancel it and I had to find an alternative travel partner. Good thing, my older brother accompanied me on our first travel. It was on the 1st week of October 2010 when we visited Hong Kong. I wore a thick jacket because I thought it's a little bit cold there not knowing, that it is warm and dry. We booked an accommodation for 3 nights around Mongkok, Kowloon area. If I remember it correctly it was Dragon Hostel. We had to book two separate rooms which cost us around 250 HKD per room, for a total of 1500 HKD for 3 nights. Our rooms, are small, looks good for a single person, there is a flat screen tv with cable, comfortable bed, a small table, cute little shower room and a very good working a/c. There is a small lobby just a few steps from where my room is located. There is a free use of personal computer and very friendly staff who can speak English quite well. 

The area, where we stayed, was a great area, near shopping center like night market, shopping malls and their train station. We love eating street foods and delicious noodles (mami) which is located a few blocks from the hostel. 

On our first day, we decided to roam around and shop around the area. The Giordano, Hang Ten and Esprit brands were very cheap there plus the night market of course.

Second Day, we went to Hong Kong Disneyland (450 HKD) to unleash our Child-like spirit within us. It was probably every child's dream to visit Disneyland. We really enjoyed almost everything most specially the lights and fireworks display. I personally recommend this theme park for children and child like individuals.

Third Day, my brother and I decided to have our own plans for the day. I went to the Ocean Park (320 HKD) via train and bus alone and rode only one ride which is the "Dragon Roller Coaster" which I surpassed but will never try again. I was like shouting my lungs out. It was a very fast ride and I'm scared to death. Anyway, because of that I refused to ride anymore. I decided to roam around the theme park and took a picture of each ride and the beautiful surroundings. I enjoyed the Birds Park, Sea life and Zoo as well as the Elevator overlooking the whole surroundings plus the Cable Car Ride. During the late afternoon, my brother and I met at the hostel and we ate early dinner and had a little chit chat while roaming around. 

Last Day, we went to Causeway Bay for mall hopping and food tripping. I remember; we ate at Haagen Dazs for desserts and smoothies to satisfy our sweet tooth. At night, we went to the HK airport and said our goodbyes to our first trip and head back to Manila via CebuPacificAir.