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.
Trip@dora will celebrate another year of sharing her travel adventures and misadventures this coming March 4, 2012.
And as this site turns two, I’d like to thank my readers who appreciate the stories that I’ve written here. This birthday won’t be complete without gifts. But this time, I’d like to give back to my readers through a contest. Yes, this is the first time that I’ll be giving away something. It’s not a trip yet. But nonetheless, it’s magical.
Get a chance to win VIP Tickets to the 3rd Philippine International Pyromusical Competition at the SM Mall of Asia. How? Just follow these steps:
1. If you’re not a fan yet of my Facebook page, then click this link and click LIKE.
2. Now, among the stories that you’ve read on my site, pick your favorite story. Post the link on my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/Tripadora and tell me why it was your favorite.
3. For your entry to be valid, have at least 3 Friends to like your entry.
THE WINNER (1): The most creative and compelling answer would win two (2) tickets to the Pyromusical competition this March 3, 2012 (Competing Countries: China & The Netherlands)
The Winner will be announced on February 29, 2012 at 12pm. The winner should be able to meet-up with me in Makati or Manila area to claim the prize on or before March 1, 2012.
Are you looking for travel deals? Cheap airfares? Packages for summer? Here are things you should expect when visiting the Travel & Tour Expo this weekend.
My calendar reminded me that February 17-19, 2012 are the dates for the PTAA Travel & Tour Expo 2012 at the SMX Convention Center. I’ve attended previous travel marts but this was the first time to attend PTAA’s hosted travel expo.
At around 10:30 am, we saw a long queue of people outside the SMX on the first day of the expo. I was not alone in marking that day. It’s a day to hunt for travel deals. For an entrance fee of Php 50.00, I got to roam around the booths offering international and domestic deals. But among the booths, the real winners were the airlines. People really lined up to buy fares from Cebu Pacific,AirphilExpress, PAL, Zest Air, and SEAIR.
Let’s start with the Philippines first. Here were deals that I found worth sharing:
2GO Travel- 2Go consolidates shipping lines such as Negros Navigation, SuperFerry, SuperCat, and CEBU Ferries. They offer fares to Boracay from Batangas Port for Php 460.00 per way. When you visit their booth, you get a souvenir photo via their photobooth.
BATANES – Airfare: SEAIR offers Php 6,800 per way while SkyPasada offers Php 5,100 per way. A roundtrip ticket will cost you Php 13,600 for SEAIR and Php 10,200 for SkyPasada. But between the two, SEAIR has faster & safer flights. Travel Period is from June-October 2012.
BELLAROCCA- For high-end travelers, Bellarocca offers a 5Days, 4 Nights accommodation for Php 70,000. Travel Period: June- December 2012.
CORON- For barkada trips, lowest that I found was that of Coron Tours and Travel for Php 4,380 per person for a group of 6.
EL NIDO- Php 3,125 per person for a 3day-2 nights stay via Coron Tours and Travel.
MISIBIS BAY- Php 20,888 for a 3days 2nights Junior Suite Deluxe accommodation (June-December 2012).
PUERTO PRINCESA- One Rover’s Place offers a package for Php 3,750 per person for a 3day 2 nights accommodation with Underground River and City Tour. A twin sharing room costs Php 850 /night.
The International Deals were worth checking out too. Their booth set-ups were also for photo-ops’ sake. Korea, Turkey, Malaysia, Macau, Guam, and Russia were some of the most eye-catching displays.
AEROMEXICO- offers a package of $486/person (Php 20,412) for a group of 4 for a 6days/5 nights pilgrimage to the Church of Chimalistac, Barrio de San Angel, Convento del Carmen, Churrch of Santa Catarina, San Juan Bautista, Quarter Coyoacan, Basilica of Guadalupe, Church of San Miguel del Milagro, and the Basilica of our Lady of Ocotlan.
GUAM-When you visit their booth, don’t forget to have your photo taken. They have a contest via their Facebook.
INDIA- I visited their booth to get a free map for future reference.
JETSTAR- This low-cost airline offers Manila to Singapore for $49/way (Php 2,058). It also flies to direct Manila to Darwin, Australia for $149/way (Php 6,258).
KOREA- Jeju Air offers a package to Korea for 4days, 3 nights worth $888/person (Php 37,296). Korea is actively campaigning for tourists to visit its Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea from May 12- August 12 ,2012 with the theme, “The Living Ocean and the Coast.”
MALDIVES- This is one of my dream beach destinations. But going to Kuramathi Island has a whooping price tag package of $ 1, 899/ per person (Php 79,758) for a 5days, 4 nights stay with airfare.
RUSSIA- While roaming around, I found this booth worth taking a picture. It’s part of visualizing that someday, I’ll have my photo taken in Saint Petersburg with the real backdrop of The Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood or the Resurrection of Christ Church.
TIBET- Another interesting place worth exploring but it comes with an expensive price tag of $ 1,850/per person (Php 77,700) for an 11-day expedition. It includes a climb to Mt. Everest.
TURKEY- You get free maps here.
Did I book? No. It’s one of those days that I wanted to do a window shopping. Nonetheless, I didn’t go empty-handed but got free maps. haha.
So if you’re visiting the travel expo, bring a large canvas bag, where you can put all the brochures and flyers. Or you can find free bags at SkyPasada, Resorts World booth or at the Malaysia booth.
You’ve heard how sweet their mangoes are and now, you wanted to visit Guimaras, the “island that fits your taste.”
Traveling to Guimaras from Iloilo was the easiest and fastest way that I’ve ever experienced. There are two points of entry to Guimaras. One is through the Buenavista Port via the Parola Wharf in Iloilo while the other is through Jordan Wharf via Ortiz Wharf in Iloilo.
Between the two, Ortiz Wharf is nearer. From Ortiz, one can see how close Guimaras is. The Ave Maria Shrine with the Cross can be seen from this point.
First, you should decide whether you’ll take the Buenavista point of entry or the Jordan point of entry. If you’re going to the Navalas Church, then get to Buenavista and hire a vehicle from there to get you to your destinations. But if you prioritize island hopping, then your entry point should be Jordan Wharf.
Here’s my actual itinerary from Iloilo International Airport all the way to Guisi Beach in Brgy. Dolores, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras.
How to get there (in details):
1. As soon as you exit the arrival area of ILO airport, personnel in uniforms would approach you and offer van or metered taxi rides. Choose the van for cheaper option. Fare is Php 50.00. However, you have to wait for other passengers. I’ve waited for around 35 minutes. If you have limited time, then choose the metered taxi instead. Flag down rate is similar to Manila rate (Php 40.00).
2. The driver would ask you where you want to be dropped. If you’re going to La Paz Public Market just like what I did, then choose Jaro as your drop-off point. The driver would stop the van at SM Jaro.
3. From SM Jaro, you would pass by Jollibee. Cross the street. Don’t hesitate to ask the traffic enforcers in blue. They’re very helpful and approachable. They told me to ride a multicab with the CPU signage in front. Fare is Php 7.00 from Jaro to La Paz. Travel time: 10 minutes.
4. Tell the driver that you’re going to the La Paz Public Market. He would then tell you when to alight the multicab. You know it’s time to bid him goodbye when you see the intersection. Cross the streets and walk along the market. There are numerous eateries offering La Paz Batchoy. If you want to be adventurous, then go for the not-so-well-known eateries. But as for me, I wanted to be sure as so as not to spoil my trip. One of the locals, who heard me asking for La Paz Batchoy eateries, pointed me to Ted’s Old Timer Batchoy.
5. After having a hearty breakfast, cross the street and ride a multicab with a La Paz signage. This would pass by Ortiz Street. Alight at that street where the Eagle’s Mansion or Celso Ledesma Mansion is. It’s one of the many grandeur ancestral homes in Iloilo.
6. From that point, walk for five minutes to the Wharf. You would see a ticket booth that looked like a Lotto outlet.
The FARE & Schedule Notice
7. Pay Php 14.00 then register your name and age. You would be given a card bearing the name of the boat that you’d be boarding. I got Pamela Faith.
8. Pamela Faith has a capacity of 48 pax. Even motorcycles ride the boat as well. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenic ride for about 15 minutes.
9. As soon as the boat docks, leave the boat and you’re now ready for your adventure in Guimaras.
10. If you don’t have a plan on where to go and what to do, then approach the Tourism Desk. You would also be asked to log in your name. They would gladly assist you and give you options of transportation. BUT word of caution, HIRING a tricycle or a multicab is so EXPENSIVE. This is not advisable especially when you’re alone. Do it only if you’re traveling with two or three companions or more. Hiring a trike for a day would cost you around Php 900-1,200. Multicabs for hire also cost Php 1,200 per day.
If you’re traveling soloflight like me, I rode a jeepney to Nueva Valencia. It’s just Php 45.00. Travel time from Jordan to Nueva Valencia is around an hour and a half.
Enjoy Guimaras!
Travel Notes:
Guimaras Tourism- (033) 237-1134
Motorcycle driver (Singol/ Single Motorcycle to Guisi)- Minfredo Deza- 0947 294 0992
“Love is in the air. To watch it together, we declare. The experience will surely be beyond compare.”
In less than 140 characters, I typed these words on Twitter which won me two free tickets to the 17th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta and a free lunch courtesy of Air Asia.
Prior to that, I was able to secure a photographer’s pass courtesy of Digital Photographer Philippines and Caltex. Thanks to Christian Sangoyo of Lakad Pilipinas who mentioned about the pass.
Watching the hot air balloon festival was not new to me. I’ve covered the sky festivity in 2009 and 2010 for Inquirer.net, where I worked as a multimedia reporter.
Though it was my third time to be part of this event, I still found it exciting. There’s always something new–and that was capturing the balloons for passion’s sake and watching it together with J. It was his first time to watch the balloons fly up in the air. My brother and his girlfriend also joined us. They’re also first-timers.
At around 1:40 am, we arrived at the Five Star Terminal in Pasay City. The airconditioned bus bound for Dagupan, which also passes Dau Terminal, was about to leave. There were only few seats left. Fortunately, we got them. After five minutes, the neat and seemingly new bus of Five Star left the terminal.
The ride, covering 88 kilometers, was fast and smooth. We arrived safely at the Dau Terminal in Pampanga at around 3:12 in the morning. The rooster was still sleeping. Passengers going to the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta alighted from the bus.
We filled our stomachs with rice and longganisa at the Jollibee beside the terminal. Sipping hot chocolate completed the breakfast. Since only portalets were available at the venue, we did a toilet break.
From Jollibee, we walked to the Caltex gas station and crossed the street. During that time, there were no multicabs going directly to the main gate of Clark. The driver told us that it’s still early and we should just ride his multicab and alight at the Shell Station. This would be nearer to the Bayanihan Terminal, where jeepneys with the Clark main gate route are stationed.
The driver then dropped us at the Shell station and pointed us to ride the multicab waiting at Shell. But it was a mistake to listen to him because the ride from Shell to the Bayanihan Terminal only took around three minutes. The terminal was just nearby and we should have walked instead. But we were tricked. Hmm… Talk about taking advantage of the event at the expense of the visitors.
And so, we took our third multicab. Finally, the driver stopped at the entrance of the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta. The ride from Bayanihan terminal to the venue itself was Php 10.00. Total fare for the three multicabs summed up to Php 26.00. It should have been Php 18.00, had we not heeded the advice of the first multicab driver.
We arrived seeing long queue of excited attendees who haven’t purchased their tickets yet.
At around 5:15 am, I got in after getting my photographer’s pass from DPP. I met fellow PTB members, Kevin, Ian, and Elal who also got their passes. Music was filling up the atmosphere during that early hour. Spectators secured their places infront of the fenced area.
We first passed by the booth of Caltex, which was one of the major sponsors of the event. Their booth was a replica of their gas station. One of the cool things in their booth was the ZERO price of gasoline. (How I wish this was a real gas station. No Kidding. hehe)
Streaks of orange and indigo hues started to paint the sky. The sun was about to wake up and stretch its rays but the security personnel won’t allow us yet to enter the grounds.
The silhouette of Mt. Arayat with the stratus clouds was already inviting me to capture the moment but the security personnel insisted that the pilots should set up first. I already voiced out that we should also capture the moments of setting up the balloons. They allowed to enter the VIPs first. Since we were on the right line, where the VIPs were, we got in. hahaha.
So I was one happy kid in the big playground, taking pictures of the big balloons. I hopped from one balloon to another with the hope of not missing a moment.
The Philippine Flag jump by the Army kicked off the event. Thousands of spectators then witnessed 28 balloons soar high in the sky.
I was very grateful to watch the balloons fly up close. Next time, I would want to ride the balloon. To ride the balloon, one should pay $200 (approximately, Php 8,400). Whew! I would just travel somewhere with that budget. hehe. Here were my shots:
I thought the “Panda” would fly too but apparently, it was just for photo-op’s sake. Nonetheless, it was my favorite.
All of the photographers were then asked to vacate the grounds for safety measures. We then roamed around the area and walked from one exhibit to another. My brother was so fascinated with the military battle gears. I took photos of him.
Then we walked to the booth of the Department of Tourism. I held my camera close to my face and was about to shoot. I peeked at the view finder and saw some mist.
When I checked on the lens, I was shocked. My Kenko polarizer was gone. GONE. My heart broke into pieces. I saved up for that polarizer. I couldn’t contain my tears. My precious polarizer, which was just three-months old, was lost amid the thousands of attendees. I cried. I almost wanted to go home already because I was upset with what happened.
But J was there, comforting me. Thank you Lord, I have someone to cry on. He wiped my tears away. Then, I realized that some people had lost lives, homes, and dreams. I lost a polarizer worth Php 2,600. Though it came from hard-earned money, it was just a thing. Nonetheless, I reviewed my photos and the polarizer left me with good memories.
I may have lost it but I gained some valuable lessons. You would only know the value of a thing or a person if you have lost it. So never take anything or anyone for granted. Next time, I would be more careful. I tried to bring back my composure and smile.
At around 10:00 o’clock in the morning, we went to the Air Asia booth and waited for the briefing. After an hour, Air Asia Philippines team gathered us and told us about the safety and security measures while on the plane. Then the guard opened the gates.
The flight attendants in red welcomed us to the new airbus A320. It really looked and smelled new. I was surprised with their seats. It didn’t look like a low-cost plane at all.
It was my first time to board an Air Asia plane. My previous booking with them was cancelled due to conflicting schedules. I really hope that I can fly with them soon.
We were given an actual boarding pass, which said that we’re designated at row 17. After their inflight games, the flight attendants gave us our lunch: Nasi Lemak and Adobo.
Malaysian food- Nasi Lemak
Pinoy food- Adobo
Since I like spicy food, I chose the Nasi Lemak. J had the adobo.
Photo courtesy of AirAsia Philippines Facebook fanpage
I felt like the plane’s going to fly. haha. But it was indeed fun to ride the airbus even for lunch. I hope next time it would be for real.
We then disembarked the plane. We were about to leave when I saw the Close Up booth. I told J that we should check it out. I asked the staff what the challenge was about. She told me, “Mag-to-toothbrush lang po kayo.” Perfect! We just had our lunch and I wanted to remove the after taste of the Nasi Lemak.
But then, the challenge was not just to brush our teeth but to withstand the air. It was sort of proving the fire-freeze effect of their new variant of toothpaste.
Though something bad happened, I did not let it overshadow the good memories that we had. We went home sleepy after being wide-eyed for more than 12 hours.
It was my third time to watch the Hot Air Balloon Fiesta but it felt like the first time. Love was indeed in the air.
****
How to get to Clark from Manila by bus
Dau Route- Ride a bus bound for Dagupan or Dau in Pasay or in Cubao / Bus Lines: Victory Liner or Five Star (both in Pasay or Cubao),Philippine Rabbit (Avenida)
Fare: Php 140-150
From Dau Terminal, ride a multicab across the Caltex gas station. Make sure that the multicab is going to the main gate. Don’t hesitate to ask the driver.
Clark- Philtranco buses in Pasay Terminal have a direct MNL-Clark route. But it would cost you around Php 450.
Travel time: 1 hour and 15 minutes (during the wee hours of the morning)
