Category Archives: Abroad

Trip Expense Report: Budget trip to Vietnam

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It’s only now that I had the time to make an excel file and compute everything that we spent in Vietnam. Would you believe that a trip for four days and three nights only cost me Php 10,977? Yes, you read it right. An international trip has cost me less than Php 15,000. So far, this was my cheapest international trip to date.

How did I do it? First and foremost, I got my roundtrip airfare for only Php 1,800. Whenever there’s a seat sale, I grab the opportunity. The airfare was really a determining factor in the cost. Next was the accommodation. Thank God I found cheap yet comfy accommodations in Saigon. I love Vietnam because the accommodation and the food cost were really wallet-friendly. The tours were unbelievably low too. No wonder why Vietnam’s tourism is booming.

Check out the breakdown of expenses (Cost stated is per person. Accommodation, food & tour expenses were divided to three):

Who said you need millions to travel? You can travel and have an enriching experience even if you don’t have that much money. Nonetheless, if you want to be a millionaire, visit Vietnam. When you exchange your USD or PHP in Vietnam, the value would equate to millions of VND.

Food Trip: Gastronomic delights in Ho Chi Minh City

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In every place you visit, treat your taste buds to new discoveries. It’s part of getting to know the culture of the people and experiencing the destination.

In my visit to Ho Chi Minh City, I didn’t expect that I would love eating Phở (noodle soup) and drinking cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee).

Vietnamese cuisine was a sweet surprise because in the Philippines I didn’t like this caramelized porkloin rice toppings that I ate in one of the Vietnamese food chains. That was my first taste of Vietnamese food. I gave it a second chance. This time, it’s authentic Vietnamese cuisine in Ho Chi Minh City.

Here’s my list of places to eat when you’re in Uncle Ho’s city:

1. QUAN AN NGON (160 Pasteur St., Dist. 1, HCMC)

If you’re looking for great food, ambiance, and value for money, then Quan An Ngon should be on the top of your list. This was recommended by fellow Pinoy Travel Bloggers. Thank you PTB! 

The French colonial-inspired facade of Quan An Ngon might seem intimidating. It looked like an expensive place and you might skip it if you’re on a budget. But don’t let that “rich-ambient-looking” facade fool you.

At the entrance, the staff would readily assist you to a vacant table. We were so happy that we tried eating at Quan An Ngon despite walking, crossing in between motorcycles up to the point of getting lost. The food was worth the sweat!

When the staff handed the menu, we asked about their specialties. The staff recommended the following:

  • Bún cá thì là (Vermicelli in Soup with fish and dill)- sour and spicy taste

Cost: 48,000 VND /Php 100 / $ 2.00

  • Cha gio (Fried spring rolls with vermicelli, fresh herbs and the fish sauce dip)- The fish sauce was soooo delicious! hahaha. I kept on dipping the spring rolls until it absorbed the fish sauce. Their fish sauce (or patis as we call it in the Philippines) was different. It’s not that salty unlike what we have back home.

Cost: 52,000 VND/ Php 109.00 / $2.50

  • It’s also a healthy dish since you eat the spring roll together with herbs and vermicelli. Based on my observations, most Vietnamese prefer eating noodles than rice even if this country is the 2nd world largest exporter of rice.

  • Bánh xèo (Vietnamese rice pancake)- At first glance, I thought that it’s an omelet with shrimp and bean sprout (togue) stuffing. It looked like an omelet and so I ate it like an omelet. I sliced it.

Cost: 50,000 VND/ Php 105.00 / $2.40

  • But then, there’s something wrong. What are the basil and mint leaves for? We then asked the staff and learned that we were eating it the wrong way. hahaha. Blooper of a first-timer. She then showed us how. She picked one leaf and wrapped the pancake.

Total Dine-in cost: Php 400.00 (with the drinks included) for 3 people.

2. PHO 2000 (1-3 Pan Chu Trinh, adjacent to Ben Thanh Market)

-If you’re looking for good-tasting Phở, then Pho 2000 is your best bet. Its location is strategic. It’s adjacent to Ben Thanh Market.

Pho 2000 was again a recommendation by a Filipino friend who lived in Vietnam for a time. Thanks Amiel! This Phở food chain is also popular because former US president Bill Clinton once dined there. Since then, they marketed the place as “Phở for the president.” They displayed photos of Clinton on their walls.

  • Phở bo (beef noodle soup)- After buying souvenirs at the night market, we stuffed our stomachs for dinner. So far, Phở 2000′s Phở bo was the best that I tasted in my pho quests in HCMC. It tasted like the Filipino cuisines, Bulalo and Nilagang Baka. The serving can be good for two.

 Cost: 45,000 VND /Php 94.00 / $ 2.16

  •  Seafood noodle soup- Papa ordered this type of pho, which was hot and spicy.

 Cost: 55,000 VND / Php 115.40 / $ 2.64

  • Cà phê sữa đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)- Their Vietnamese iced coffee has a strong taste compared to the others that I’ve tasted in HCMC.

Cost: 17,000 VND / Php 35.65 / $0.82

Note: The waiter would give you wet wipes along with what you ordered. When you use it, you would have to pay for it as well. Wet wipes here are not for free.

3. Nhà hàng MIMOSA (88 Bui Vien St.)

-Nhà hàng means restaurant. We were so hungry after the Cu chi tunnel tour and was walking along Bui Vien St. to find a place to eat. A staff of the restaurant invited us to try out their food. Because we’re really hungry, we entered the small resto.

  • Stir- fry shrimps (I wasn’t able to take note of the local name due to hunger): Among what we ordered, this was what I liked most. Tasty.

  • Pho bo- Yes we wanted to try and compare the phos. But the Pho bo at Pho 2000 was still the best.

Cost: 35,000 VND / Php 73.40 / $1.68

  • Com chien hai san (Vietnamese Fried Rice) -This was the most expensive among what we ordered. The serving was small. It tasted good but I would still prefer the Chinese’ yang chow. 

Cost: 75,000 VND/ Php 157.32 / $3.60

  • Chicken curry- Not that satisfying. The Indian curry is better.

4. Phở 24 (Ben Thanh Market)

- On our last day in HCMC, we tried Phở 24, a popular fast food chain in Vietnam. Compared to other pho places, this has a more modern look and ambiance. As much as I wanted to try their pho, my taste buds were craving for rice. Yes, rice! Pinoy ako e. Naumay din sa pho. hehe

  • Com tam bi suon (broken rice with shredded pork and porkchop) – Nothing special. It’s just average.

Cost: 50,000 VND /Php 104.88 / $ 2.40

And now after writing this, I miss Vietnam and its food. In the Philippines, I know of three Vietnamese restaurants (Pho hoa, Pho bac, Pho24). Still, the authentic taste is different.

What are your favorite Vietnamese food? What other restaurants would you recommend?

Theater Acts you shouldn’t miss in HK Disneyland

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Golden Mickey Theater by Izah Morales

Going to Hong Kong Disneyland in December was magical. It seemed like yesterday but it has been a year since I lived my childhood wonders of seeing my favorite characters. It’s every child’s fantasy land, especially for those who grew up watching Disney movies. I was one of them.

The popular theme park in Lantau Island, Hong Kong covered hundreds of hectares in land area and a day of roaming was not enough. Hence, Mama and I had to choose what to see and experience. A map would be given to you as soon as you buy your ticket at the park’s ticket counter.

Being art lovers, Mama and I chose to watch the Theater Acts: Golden Mickey and the Lion King. These were two of the attractions that you shouldn’t missed when you’re in Hong Kong Disneyland.

The schedules of the acts can be seen on the map. We chose to watch the Golden Mickey first. The Golden Mickey Theater was huge. It has two screens on the side where English Translations were displayed.

I was surprised when I heard Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse talking in Cantonese. haha. But I know I shouldn’t be, since I’m in the Special Administrative Region of China. It just seemed so weird to hear them speaking in a foreign language. The translations on the side screen somehow helped me understand the conversation.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the production number especially the dance of Beauty and the Beast.

Other Disney characters like Ariel of the Little Mermaid and Quasimodo of Hunchback of Notre Dame also performed in the show. The show ran for almost an hour.

Here’s a slideshow of the Golden Mickey:

Afterwards, we wandered and proceeded to the Festival of the Lion King. Unlike the first one, the Lion King theater has a smaller venue. The stage was enclosed by the benches for the audience. It’s less formal than the Golden Mickey Theater. But when the show began, it did not fail my expectations.

The production number and the props were awesome. The Firedancers and the music were entertaining. This has more audience than the Golden Mickey so be there early. There were different show times throughout the day.

Mama and I enjoyed the show but it would have been a lot better if Papa and my brothers were there with us. Nonetheless, it was fun-filled! Definitely, it’s a must-see for every kid and kids at heart.

Foodtrip: The quest for authentic Chinese cuisine in HK

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Chinese cuisine is one of the best cuisines in the world. Though Chinese restaurants mushroomed in the Philippines, it was my goal to eat authentic Chinese cuisine in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.

The quest for authentic Chinese cuisine began as soon as night fell one cold December in Kowloon. The temperature dropped to 13 degrees celsius. Mama and I braved the chilling weather as we wandered along Woosung Street. A few blocks away from Evergreen Hotel, we found this shabby canteen where a lot of locals dine. The atmosphere was reminiscent of Binondo’s China Town. I didn’t get the name of the canteen. It was written in Chinese characters but it’s between the New Delhi and Indian Food Resto in Woosung.

The ‘Unnamed’ Canteen

At first, Mama was hesitant to give it a try but I said, “Locals eat here. Maybe, they serve delicious food.” And so we sat down at one of the chairs surrounding a round table. The staff handed us the menu–of course everything was written in their language. So we just pointed what we like: Sweet and Sour Pork and Yang Chow.

They first gave us a bowl of tea. I remembered J’s reminder: The tea is for washing the chopsticks and the utensils. It’s not for drinking. And so we rinsed the utensils with tea.

I was surprised when the staff served our orders. Wow! Large servings of Yang Chow and Sweet and Sour pork, which can be eaten by three to four people. It was a good decision to eat at that canteen. Their interiors and surroundings may not be high-class but the food was really good.

And so the bill came (drum roll please!)…70 HKD (1HKD= Php 6.00). It’s Php 420.00 for two viands. We could have just ordered the Yang Chow. Nonetheless, the stomachs were filled. Burp!

Delicious Cafe

The following night, we tried eating at Delicious Cafe beside Evergreen Hotel. Compared to the previous canteen, Delicious Cafe has a better ambiance. It’s also airconditioned. What I like about this restaurant was their set meal. The noodle soup is partnered with a drink. It’s affordable.

Mama ordered noodle soup fish fillet cutlet with scrambled egg and honeyed lemon tea while I ordered noodle soup with porkchop and milk tea. Milk tea is love :) sarap!

The fish fillet cutlet meal costs 25 HKD or Php 150.00 while the Porkchop meal costs 24HKD or Php 144.00

Another Noodle Eatery

During our last night in Kowloon, we decided to still eat noodles. After all, sipping soup in a cold night was satisfying. We went to Saigon St. corner Woosung Street where we found another eatery which signage was written in Chinese characters.

The area was smaller than the previous ones. The set-up of the tables and chairs was the usual that you’d see in an eatery.

Bowl of Noodles with Shrimp Worton- Price 15HKD  or Php 90

Bowl of Noodles with beef brisket- Price: 19 HKD or Php 114.00

Honeyed Lemon tea- Price: 12HKD or Php 72.00

Vegetables (Blanched Green leafy veggies)- Price: 6 HKD or Php 36.00

Red Lemon Tea- Price 10 HKD or Php 60.00

The taste buds and the stomach were satisfied but the wallet was not. Yes, the food in Hong Kong was not cheap. Nonetheless, I enjoyed every bit of our quest for the authentic Chinese cuisine.

Travel Notes: 

  • To save on food, eat as much as you can in your hotel during breakfast. Fortunately, Evergreen Hotel serves buffet breakfast so we made our breakfast as brunch.
  • Hawker Food and cheap eateries can be found at Temple Street, Jordan near the night market.
  • Don’t compute HKD to Philippine Pesos if you don’t want to worry about the prices that you’re eating. Just enjoy the meal.  And when you get home, that’s the time you compute. Just like what I did now. hahaha

The adventure and misadventure of a first-timer in Bangkok

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Photo by Izah Morales

*A story which happened when Trip@dora was still unborn.

Delays happen whenever my travel dates are approaching but these didn’t hinder me to scratch my itchy feet from going places.

In May 2009, Mama and her friends accepted Tita Vi’s invitation to their home in Pattaya, Thailand. Having booked a flight on sale (Php5,017.00 roundtrip–I thought it was cheap back then), I went with them and spent money for a trip for the first time. My previous out of the country trips (Macau and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) were for free.

During that time, Southeast Asian countries have been strict about outgoing and incoming tourists to prevent the spread of the AH1N1 virus. But since there was no travel ban and the invitation has been long overdue, we took the risk and traveled to Bangkok.

Before leaving the Philippines, we wore a mask as a precautionary measure though it was not that strict at the NAIA Terminal 3. After 3 hours, we arrived at the Suvarnabhumi Airport and I was impressed with their international airport. They have a Thermo Scanner. How I wish our airports in the Philippines had it too.

From the airport, we hailed a taxi to Imm Fusion, which took 20 minutes. It’s located along Sukhumvit Road and a few meters away from the On Nut Station.

The Entrance

It was past 1 am yet the Thai receptionists greeted us with warmth, “Sawasdee Ka!”

The pictures which led us to choose this hotel didn’t disappoint us. Its Moroccan-inspired interiors were very eye-candy.

We availed of their promo pay 1 and stay 1 more night for free–all for 1,600 baht (800 Baht/ night= Php 1,113.00). We got a standard room with queen-sized bed connected to another room with twin beds.

The hallway has an ambient lighting. When we opened our room, we’re very much satisfied. The room has a safe. Wifi access is free.

The comfort room was a bit small but it was fine.

In the morning, we ate our breakfast (which was included in the room rate) at their dining area. The design was so cool and relaxing.

The breakfast which consists of pastries were served in buffet style. The drinks were also varied from coffee, soya milk to juices.

We spent our day going to the Grand Palace via the Chao Phraya River (more on this in a separate post).

Fast forward the day after, Tita Vi arrived at the Imm Fusion to fetch us and bring us to their home in Pattaya. Before leaving the hotel, we did some photo-ops. They have a pool but we didn’t have time swimming.

Mama and her friends enjoyed posing in their Moroccan-inspired receiving area across the reception. When we were satisfied, we secured all our things and bid the hotel farewell.

It took around 2.5 hours via a private car until we reached Pattaya. Pattaya was a little laid back than Bangkok. The travel was like Manila going to Subic via the SCTEX.

When I was unpacking my things, I noticed that my black bag was missing. I asked Mama about it. We returned to their vehicle but then, we found none. Oh no! I left it at the couch of Imm Fusion. I was worried. We slept it off and planned to return to Bangkok the following day.

DAY 2- The fun of riding a public transport

From the Pattaya Bus Terminal Station, we bought our tickets at 113 baht each going to Ekamai or the Eastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok.

I was so excited riding a public bus in another country because this would allow me to blend with the locals. We successfully arrived at the station and went on our way to Imm Fusion.

I approached the reception and told them my story. Then after a few minutes, one of the staff returned holding my black bag. Thank God! I checked all my things and everything was intact. We thanked them and left with a sigh of relief.

After buying some things, we returned to the bus terminal for Pattaya. Most of the passengers of the bus were locals. Some may have forgotten to put on a deo and the smell immediately spread in the airconditioned bus. I thought my research was enough but it failed me this time. I wondered why the bus was so slow. It was too late when we learned that the bus that we took was the one that travels along the old road and not on the expressway which we passed by the day before.

We asked the driver but he barely understood English. I looked around the bus and most of them only spoke the Thai language. Oh my. I looked outside and learned that we were in Chon Buri. My bladder was killing me. It would burst anytime. When we saw a home depot, we decided to alight from the bus. I couldn’t take it anymore.

I rushed inside the depot and asked for their comfort room. The staff couldn’t understand what we were talking about. When Mama demonstrated and uttered a urinating sound “swiisshh”. They then understood, “ah toilet.” One of them pointed the direction towards the toilet.

Whew! Relieved.

We thanked them and asked for the directions in riding another bus going to the city center of Pattaya. The staff assisted us and we arrived safely back in Tita Vi’s home after four hours.

What an unforgettable experience that was. Even if two years had passed, the memories still reside in my head. I’ll be back Bangkok. I hope soon. And I hope this time, I’ll have more memorable adventures.

Travel Notes:

  • There are two buses that ply the Bangkok-Pattaya route. Unfortunately, what we rode was the slow bus which took us four hours. The Express bus is operated by Roong Reuang and pass by the tollway. Read more here.
  • Basic Thai Language: Mai Dai (cannot), chai chai (yes), Mai Chai (no), wai (greeting), Sawasdee Ka (greeting referring to female), Sawasdee Kap (greeting referring to male), Koh (island), Khao (mountain)