Source of do-it-yourself travel guides and tips on how to travel anywhere on a budget.
Availing a tour from travel agencies or operators is rare for me because I prefer exploring tourist attractions on my own. Apart from the bigger savings, it’s also great to approach and talk to locals and get to know their stories. But I have to admit, having an agency preparing everything for your trip is more…
Before anything else, if you’re planning to cross the border to Cambodia from Vietnam, book your ticket at least a week prior to your trip. A mistake on my part not to reserve a ticket in advance, Giant Ibis and Mekong Express were already fully-booked. The staff from The Common Room Project was able to…
Half mermaid, half lion. That’s how they describe the Merlion structure in Singapore. The monument is considered as a national symbol of the city-state and commonly used as a personification of Singapore. The first time I saw Merlion was on a photo from my sister’s friend who worked overseas for a decade. On my first…
City of smiles, a branding that permanently marked Bacolod City, Negros Occidental on the Philippine tourism map. Colorful masks, known as maskara, is one of the reasons behind that tagline. This also led to the birth of the annual Masskara Festival. Like some of the famous festivals in the country, Bacolod’s annual celebration has also its own history….
Valencia City surrendered to a heavy downpour after we got a kilo of uncooked rice from a small convenience store, . Thanks to a fellow traveler, Ching, who volunteered to join us on our overnight visit in Lake Apo. Bringing her car spared us from another possible misfortune with the rain. Road to the lake, after the…
Encounter with the immigration officer from my arrival in Changi Airport still haunts me as I waited for the heavy downpour to stop. Winsland House became my shelter as I watched Singaporean kids, accompanied by their nannies, trail the rain-drenched sidewalks. I just ended my art trail at Orchard Road and scheduled to visit landmarks…
Main gate of Chinese Garden is on the west side and coming from the MRT Station, I got inside the garden through the east entrance. Before the wooden bridge, fringed with red fence, are stalls selling sodas and chips. I heard a person warbling an Aegis classic being played on a portable radio. The Filipino in me…
The view of the lush forest on my right wanted to secure my attention but the towering residential buildings and commercial skyscrapers from afar battled for a glance. It was a bit weird to walk on a canopy bridge being bordered by two diverse scenes. I felt sorry for the character on my right as…
For those who will use my Singapore itinerary, please prepare to endure long walks. I brought a pedometer with me and walking throughout the day was never an issue. On my last day in the country, I was able to cover three famous Singapore heritage districts. Little India, Kampong Glam, and Chinatown are believed to influence most…
Universal Studios Singapore visit was originally on the last day of my Singapore itinerary. When a friend knew it was on a Sunday, she reluctantly agreed and just advised me to schedule it on a weekday. Queues are undeniably pathetic on weekends and will limit the attractions you could try. I’ve decided to move it…