Reila Travels

New Blog!!!!

2017-03-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

https://wanderingbubu.wordpress.com/

Please follow our new blog.

Reila is Getting Married!

2016-04-19T08:38:00.003-07:00

We are getting married.

We did not have any trip for the last few months because we were busy planning for our wedding.

In about 3 weeks, we are finally tying the knot.

Here's to more travel together!

New Yiu Fai Guesthouse Review

2015-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.newyiufai.com/

If you’re going to Hong Kong for shopping and leisure, there’s no need to stay at an expensive hotel, well, unless you are on you're honeymoon.

New Yiu Fai Guesthouse is located at 66-70 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. We recommend this guesthouse since it has affordable rates and the feeling is if you’re in your room, it is like staying in a hotel as well. They have programmed televisions, free drinking water (a water dispenser is placed outside the room) and the receptionist was friendly and knows English and a little Filipino. He will even give you a map of the city and will answer all your questions. There are Filipino staff too so it’s not difficult to adapt. The guesthouse also has excellent experience rating at Trip Advisor. They sell cheaper tickets too! This is where bought ours.

Another point is it is very near the MTR Station. Just cross the road and you’re there. It is also surrounded by chain shops, fast food chains, restaurants, convenience stores and a walking distance to the China Ferry Terminal. The place is also easy to remember since the Bus Stop is also across the street. Just take the A21 bus and it has a stop a stone throw away from the hotel.

Click here to get detailed information about the guesthouse's location

How to Book a room:

You can reserve rooms thru their website at www.newyiufai.com, you will only be required to pay a deposit equivalent to 1 night cost. They accept major credit cards and Paypal.

Pros:

Affordable. We paid $750 per night for 5 pax.

Clean. The guesthouse is well maintained. A staff cleans the room and refills toiletries everyday

Accessible. It is a minute walk away from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station, 5 minute walk to China Ferry Terminal. A block away from the A21 bus stop from the Airport.

Discounted tickets. The hotel offers discounted tickets to HK Disneyland, Madame Tussauds, The Peak and many others.

Cons:

Small. The room is small, has no place to eat, you get what you pay for, but we did not mind at all.

A Day Trip to Macau

2015-05-25T21:13:00.001-07:00

Macau is just an hour ferry trip from Hong Kong so why not go there when you are already in Hong Kong, right? When you’re going to Macau via ferry, just go to the China Ferry Terminal at 33 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The terminal is just four blocks away from our guesthouse in Tsim Sha Tsui. Remember that the ferry departs from China Ferry Terminal not the Start Ferry Terminal near The Avenue of the Stars. We initially went there, got so disappointed that the correct terminal was still a few blocks away. We did not want to ride a cab so we walked for about 20-30 minutes to the China Ferry Terminal.

The ticket costs HK$350 rountrip. When you arrive in Macau, there are a lot of free shuttle buses going to different hotels. We only had 5 hours in Macau so we went to Venetian Hotel first because it is the most famous hotel there.

Venetian Hotel is a work of art. It truly brings you to Venice, Italy. Don’t forget to check out their ceilings, it is like visiting St. Peter’s Basilica because it was inspired by the church’s design. The ceilings were composed of paintings of the famous artist Michelangelo. You will be warmly welcomed by the staff and the ambiance and the smell inside the hotel? Wow! Even their washrooms were pretty cool. You will feel like you are inside a fairy tale castle. Hell, I can even sleep in their comfort rooms! Kidding aside, if you’re travelling with a kid, you won’t be able to enter the casino. During that time, we were with Lala’s niece so I split up with them so I can enter the casino. Taking pictures inside the casino is strictly prohibited but I managed to take a selfie inside. (Sneaky me) People inside the casino were very serious at that time based on my observation. There were security officers who were in disguise roaming around. I’m also familiar with the operations of the hotel/casino because I used to work for Caesars Entertainment, a big hotel/casino empire and a competitor of The Venetian.

The hotel is like a mall as well, almost all of the stalls that are in the hotel are the famous signature brands like Louis Vitton, Jimmy Choo, Davidoff, Uniq Lo, H&M and more. We had lunch at Mc Donald’s and tried the black and white burger which is offered only in China, Hong Kong and Japan. It was good like a typical Quarter Pounder. Some staff is also playing Italian music that adds and spices up the ambience and experience.

The Venetian also has a souvenir shop where we bought some fine goodies. Also, there is a theater, a coliseum for sporting events where the great Manny Pacquiao fought twice and won over Brandon Rios and Chris Algieri, and some cinemas plus a pretty cool chandelier at the middle of the hotel which is like a waiting area because the hotel has several lobbies, exits and waypoints that connects them to another hotel which is The Sands. We also managed to check out the famous indoor river, inspired by the Italian ambience. We never had a chance to ride the boat since the line queue is pretty long and we still have some places to visit in Macau. So as per James “Rhodey” Rhodes aka War Machine, “next time, maybe next time.

After enjoying our stay at The Venetian, we decided to go to the city proper of Macau. At first, you’d thought that Macau is only known for its hotels and casinos but it has a city view too. We took The Venetian Shuttle to Macau Ferry Terminal.One thing we noticed is, almost all of their signs have Portuguese translation.

Can you tell what they're making?

We’re on our way to the Senado Square and we were about to take the free shuttle of the Grand Lisboa Hotel since it was the nearest hotel to the Senado Square when suddenly, a Filipina staff of the Grand Lisboa bus told us to take another shuttle since our niece is with us. They only allow people who are 18 years old and above to ride their shuttle since it is a casino and we understood the situation immediately. She advised us to take the shuttle of the Star World Hotel instead since it is allowing kids and just cross the street from the hotel and the Grand Lisboa will be there.

The Macau Tower

We did what she told us and walked a few blocks from Grand Lisboa to reach the Senado Square. The place looks like your typical Antipolo church or the Sto Nino church in Cebu. There were these old school buildings which were refurbished with signature brand stalls, tiangge, fast food chains and a Filipino Catholic church. We went to Senado Square for one reason, to reach the ruins of St. Paul’s. On our way to the ruins, we went inside our church, say grace and checked what’s inside. The security officer of the church was also a Filipino who knows how to speak Mandarin and Portuguese fluently.

After visiting the church, while on our way to the ruins, there are a lot of food stores in place, as in, everywhere. There are a lot of free taste food like Jerky, Almond Polvoron, Nuts and many more. We always get the beef jerky because it tastes good. We thought that, we should’ve brought rice with us. Kidding aside, we reached the ruins and took pictures. The Ruins of St. Paul’swas a Portuguese Catholic church that was destroyed by fire during a typhoon in 1835.

On our way back to Hong Kong, we took a bus and make sure the number of the bus is M22. That leads to the Macau International Airport. Beside it is the port of the Cotai Jet. Go through the immigration and ride the ferry.

It was a good and fun experience in Macau. We wish we spent more time in there. We really enjoyed doing it and we’ve been to two countries in one day.

Hong Kong Disneyland: Indeed, the Happiest Place on Earth

2015-05-25T02:41:00.000-07:00

The main purpose of our trip to Hong Kong was to celebrate my niece’s 7^th birthday at Disneyland. We planned to go on the second day so we can have enough rest before facing yet another tiring day.

Disneyland is located on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. We were staying at Tsim Sha Tsui, which is a bit far from Lantau, so we took the train. We suggest that you buy an Octopus Card at the Airport by the time you arrive because you can use the card anywhere, that includes convenience stores, fast food chains, riding a cab, coffee shops, taking the MTR (train) or Bus. Some restaurants also accept Octopus Cards as payment. All you need to do is tap and you’re good to go. It’s like a debit card.

We bought the tickets from our hotel and got discounted rates of HK$465 for adults instead of HK$539.

Minnie kissed my niece after we said that it's her birthday

MTR (train)

• Take MTR to Lai King then change to Tung Chung Line. Take Tung Chung Line to Sunny Bay then change to Disneyland Resort Line.

Bus

• Take the R21 bus. It costs $48 return using the Octopus card. There are only 2 or 3 departures in the morning. You need to wait for it or else you’ll miss it. We suggest you take the train because it runs all day and of course, you’ll be able to ride the Disney train.

Going back, after taking the Disneyland train, you will alight at the Disneyland station. If you've seen or read Harry Potter films/books, the place looks like that. You can feel the excitement already. Outside the station is the entrance to Disneyland. If you took the bus, they will stop at the entrance itself.

Flights of Fantasy Parade

Entering Disneyland ticks an item on our Bucket List. You will feel happiness everywhere. The ambiance is very positive. The Cast members will welcome you and all of them are very active and very approachable. They will make sure that you are not bored because being sad is a no-no inside the theme park.

Tomorrowland

Disneyland is composed of 7 parks: The Adventureland, Fantasyland, Grizzly Gulch, Main Street USA, Mystic Point, Tomorrowland and the Toy Story Land. There are a lot of rides, souvenir shops, theaters, restaurants and attractions inside the park. There’s even a hotel where you can stay since you won’t be able to check the whole park 100% in one day since it is composed of an island.

The Adventureland

We stopped by Main Street USA where the souvenir and jewelry shops were located and since you will pass by it once you enter the park. All Disney toys, plates, shirts and merchandise, they have it all. We arrived there at lunch time so we stopped by the Royal Banquet Hall in Fantasyland. Foods were a little pricey but it’s worth it. If you want the more affordable ones like burgers or fries, go to the Comet Café in Tomorrowland. Trust me; there are lots of choices there so it’s up to you! Ice cream and pop corn/cotton candy stall are everywhere too!

The Golden Mickey Show, a must-see!

We rode Cinderella’s Carousel, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups; it’s a Small World, and the Slinky Dog Spin. If you are more of a daredevil type, go to the Toy Story land and take the RC Car and the Toy Soldier Parachute Drop.

Don’t forget to watch Mickey’s PhilHar Magic. It’s like watching a 3D movie plus a unique experience. Trust us! You can also check out Tarzan’s Treehouse and ride Jungle River Cruise (bring extra shirt since you might get wet from the water splash effects) and the Raft to Tarzan’s Treehouse.

There are also shows in theaters. We watched The Golden Mickey’s presented in Disney’s Storybook. The show is composed of a musical about the stories of Disney characters. It was also a good experience because the cast members were very good.

Dolls representing the Philippines inside the It's a Small World Castle

Lastly, don’t miss out on the Flights of Fantasy Parade. It features all of Disney’s famous characters plus people dancing and singing. You can take pictures with Mickey and friends at the Main Street after the parade. We wanted to wait for the Disney in the Stars Fireworks but it was cancelled since it rained that night. On our way home, we met Filipino families who said it was their third try to watch the Disney int the Stars Fireworks, sad. Maybe on their fourth try they were able to see it.

The Peak, Sky Terrace and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

2015-05-24T17:53:00.000-07:00

Most of us have visited a museum once, twice or even a dozen times in our lives right? I remember during field trips way back in Elementary and High School days, visiting a museum is part of the itinerary to learn history or to know what happened during the previous era, checking out some famous paintings or antiques etc.

But this time, since we are in Hong Kong, we decided to visit one of the famous attractions and as they say, you weren't in Hong Kong if you missed the chance to visit this place. So, while we were at The Peak, we visited Madame TussaudsWax Museum. You can buy your tickets at the venue itself but we suggest you buy it in the guesthouse or hotel that you are staying or online because it’s cheaper. We got our 3-in-1 tickets for HD$220 each.

How to get to The Peak:

You can easily reach the hill by bus, minibus or by the Peak Tram. We chose the Peak Tram because it's the fastest and most convenient way to get to The Peak. We boarded the Tsuen Wan Line MTR, alighted at Central Station and exited at J2. We then walked for about 5 minutes and rode a tram from the Peak Terminus to the top.

Follow the street sign on your way to the Peak Tram Terminus

At first, we were scared while in the tram because it feels like in a very slow roller coaster ride like the one in Enchanted Kingdom and as it goes up, the feeling is like the gravity is pulling you down. The Peak Tram is controlled at the tower, located at the Peak using electricity. But we think the descend is more challenging, every moment felt like the tram will run off the rails.

Going back to Madame Tussauds, just a reminder, some staff will prohibit you from taking pictures using your mobile phone and with flash on some selected wax figures. They prefer a camera instead. By the time you enter, you will be greeted by the staff and will get the ticket stubs. The first wax figure in there will be the famous and one of the funniest actors ever, the “Drunken Master” Jackie Chan. At first, it was scary because some of them look real. If you watch the film “House of Wax”, you will imagine the scenes from that horror movie even though I think the film was horrible (sorry Paris Hilton).

By the time you enter, the museum is categorized. You will find Hollywood stars such as Lady Gaga, Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie to name a few. Others were famous political leaders like Barrack Obama, Adolf Hitler, Queen Elizabeth, Mahatma Gandhi and many more. They also have Chinese actors (yes, they have their own category even though we’re only familiar with Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh, and Li Bingbing). Singers were also there with names like Lady Gaga and The Beatles. Even K-Pop Stars were there. Sports figures like Maria Sharapova, Muhammad Ali, David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo were also at the museum. Of course, comic book characters were also included like The Avengers, Spiderman, Wolverine, Doraemon and Hello Kitty to name a few.

The exit contains the Souvenir Shop. They can even make a wax hand figurine for you.

The Sky Terrace is located at the roof top of the Peak. From there, you can see most of Hong Kong. I think the building is so called the Peak because it is located at the highest altitude in Hong Kong.

Putting our names in here for everlasting love, hehe

Overall, it was a great and fun experience. If you’re in Hong Kong, this place is a must-see.

Preparing for a Hong Kong-Macau Trip

2015-05-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Taken at The Avenue of Stars

After many years of traveling in our home country, the Philippines, this is officially our first trip abroad (finally!). This is to celebrate my niece's 7th birthday, rather than throwing the usual children's party, we fulfilled our niece's dream (and ours, too) to go to Hong Kong Disneyland.

We waited and took advantage of Cebu Pacific's Promo. Our airfare costed only for P20k for 5 pax, now that's a steal. We departed from Clark Airport because our relatives are coming from Tarlac. The airport is small so finding your gate is easier.

We exchanged currencies through Sanry's at Greenbelt 1, we got a good rate of Php5.82 for every HK$. I think they offer one of the best rates in the country. My brother in law brought US$ with him, he exchanged $1000 and got $7000 HK$ at HK Airport, compared to the rate at that time, he lost almost $750 HK$. HK$ is also accepted in Macau.

We sent our hotel a message if they provide travel adapters but they never replied, so, we brought our own. You have to use Type G adapters, as shown above, in Hong Kong. We initially went to a lot of ACE Hardware branches but they did not have stock. Finally, we were able to buy travel adapters at Landmark, they have a small hardware store at the 5th floor.

We booked our hotel online at www.newyiufai.com. We reserved 3 nights paying only a deposit of $750, equivalent to a 1 night stay at their family room (hotel review coming soon).

We planned to spend 4 days and 3 nights in Hong Kong including a short day trip to Macau via ferry.

	Day 1
Time	Destination/Activity
7:05 AM	Departure from Clark Airport, Pay Terminal Fee P600 and International Tax P1620
8:55 AM	Arrival at HK Airport: Buy Octopus Card at Airport Express Counter
11:00 AM	LUNCH
2:00 PM	Check in at New Yiu Fai Guesthouse
3:00 PM	The Peak, Sky Terrace and Madame Tussauds
7:00 PM	DINNER
	Day 2
8:00AM	BREAKFAST
9:00 AM	Go to Disneyland
12:00 NN	LUNCH
3:00 PM	Flights of Fantasy Parade
	Disney Show 1:30 PM, 3:45 PM, 4:45 PM, 6:00 PM
8:30 PM	Fireworks Display
9:00 PM	DINNER
	Day 3
8:00 AM	Avenue of Stars
9:00 AM	China Ferry Terminal
11:00 AM	Macau Ferry Terminal
11:30 AM	Board a free shuttle to Venetian Hotel
12:00 NN	LUNCH (Venetian Hotel Food Court)
3:00PM	Senado Square to St. Paul Ruins
7:00 PM	DINNER
10:00 PM	Ferry back to Hong Kong
	Day 4
9:00 AM	BREAKFAST
10:00 NN	Check out from the hotel
12:00 NN	LUNCH
	Ladies Market at Mong Kok
3:00 PM	Back to hotel to get things and ride bus A21 going to Airport
	Early Dinner at the Airport
8:00 PM	ETD

The original itinerary had more activities but we weren't able to do them due to time constraint.

Puting Buhangin and Borawan in Quezon, Philippines

2014-05-07T00:19:00.000-07:00

We love the beach so we decided to go swimming again, this time, beach camping in Quezon. During this trip, we needed to bring our own tent since we will sleep on the beach. Just like any camping, we also brought mini cooking materials and our own food.

This time, together with our officemates, we took a bus going to Lucena. The terminal that we went to was the Jacq Liner Terminal near LRT Gil Puyat Station. We alighted at Lucena City Grand Terminal and boarded a mini bus going to Padre Burgos. After 2 long bus trips, we rode a tricycle to reach our contracted boatman. From there, we took a boat (with machine like the one in Puerto Galera) up to Puting Buhangin and set camp in there.

Kwebang Lampas in Puting Buhangin

Lala got stung by a Jellyfish; thank God we were able to burn the sting immediately since we had tequila and calamansi. Just avoid one place in the beach that has no net.

There’ also a nipa hut food stall in which you can buy food from breakfast to dinner at anytime of the day. A little bit pricey but the food is good. We took a shower in one of the rentals in Borawan, you can take a bath for just 20php!

We enjoyed a lot during our stay in there not just because of the camping, but also the beach. The sand is powdery white like the one in Boracay and in El Nido, Palawan. Maybe that’s the reason why they named the place, Borawan.

Summer Fun in Subic

2014-04-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since we last posted here in our travel blog. We took a time out most from traveling last 2014 since we did a switch in our careers. But hey, it didn’t stop us from traveling in a light way. Together with Lala’s family, we went to a beach resort in Subic. Lala’s been in Subic for a swim before but it’s my first time.

We went to the resort and rented a room not far from the beach. We brought our own food since we know it would be a little too pricey if we buy our food in the resort. We also made the right decision since they don’t sell food that much in there. They had sari-sari stores but sodas, beers, liquor and ice are the top-sellers.

We didn’t expect much when it comes to the quality of the sand but its still good and it was a memorable experience. Two best parts were, when I gave Lala, the ring she most awaited for. Haha! And of course, the bonding and the banana boat! I rode a banana boat before way back in college during our trip to Boracay but it was Lala’s first. We were with her relatives and at first, they have jitters but I reminded them, it will be fun! Usually, they don’t throw people anymore because a man died in Boracay a few years ago but us, “Kuya-in-the-Jetski” threw us! Once again it was a good experience.

If you want to try some places in the North when it comes to beaches, try Subic, we recommend it especially when you’re bringing your family.

The 4th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition: Italy vs The Netherlands

2013-03-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

It's our first time to watch the Pyromusical International Competition held at SM Mall of Asia. First time because it's the only time when we both have a Saturday off. And as expected, the show was amazing. We were blown away by the beauty of the colorful and gigantic fireworks, we did more of watching than taking pictures.

The Netherland's colorful fireworks

Italy vs. The Netherlands. Italy's fireworks are big and loud but not as colorful as The Netherlands. Italy used mostly neutral colors like gold and silver, a little of green, purple and pink towards the end ,but their finale was awesome. The Netherlands, on the other hand, used a lot of colors and the big fireworks kept coming consistently until the end, like 15-minute of jaw-dropping amazing display of colored lights in the sky.

Italy

The Netherlands

I recommend for you to choose either the Gold Seaside or Silver Seaside ticket if you can't afford VIP tickets so you can capture the reflection of the fireworks on Manila Bay rather than trees and lamp posts. As of this writing, the pyromusical competition is still on going, below is the schedule:

February 16 Japan Tamaya Kitahara vs Finland Oy Pyroman Finland LtdFebruary 23 Taiwan Yung Feng Fireworks vs Spain Pyro ExperienceMarch 2 United Kingdom Jubilee Fireworks Ltd vs South Korea Hwarang Fireworks IncMarch 9 Italy Ipon Fireworks vs The Netherland Royal FireworksMarch 16 China Liuyang New Year Fireworks vs Australia Fireworkx Inc.March 23 Canada Fireworks Spectacular vs Philippines Platinum Fireworks Inc.

For Tickets:

Caleruega: Closer to Nature, Closer to God

2013-03-04T19:14:00.000-08:00

Caleruega Church or Caleruega Park is actually located in Nasugbu, Batangas, it's also very near to Tagaytay that's why most Tagaytay itineraries include this beautiful place. It's a church in the sky because it's literally on top of a mountain, yet it's very accesible.

Transfiguration Church

From Picnic Grove, we rode a jeepney going back to Olivarez Terminal, Php12 fare, then rode another jeepney going to Nasugbu, Batangas,Php25 fare. From Metro Manila you can ride a bus going to Nasugbu then alight at Evercrest Golf Club Resort. Then ride a tricycle going to Caleruega. The tricycle ride costs Php50 per way, the driver will give you his number so you can call or text him to pick you up on your way home.

Free brochures

You will be guided by an angel

Entrance to the lobby

What to see inside the park:

Station of the cross

Wooden Swings

Koi fish

Hanging bridge

Worm Farm

Mini waterfalls

Garden Cafe, you can dine and buy souvenir items here

Statue of Santo Domingo de Guzman

Statue of Mama Mary

Awesome view

Inside the church

Different kinds of flowers inside the park

Picnic Grove, Tagaytay City

2013-03-03T19:18:00.002-08:00

We've always wanted to visit Tagaytay but every time we planned to go there it was always raining. Well, guess what, it rained when we were there. The weather was crazy, rain and shine actually, and it was very foggy. Despite that, we still had fun, there were a lot of things you can do in Tagaytay.

Getting there. From Metro Manila, there are many public utility vans going to Tagaytay, we rode one in Alabang Terminal then dropped off at Olivarez Terminal, the travel time was around 1 hour and the fare was Php75 per person. Then, we rode a jeepney with People's Park signage going to Picnic Grove, the fare was Php12. There's an entrance fee of Php50 per person.

What to do in Picnic Grove:

1. Have a picnic. It wouldn't be called Picnic Grove for nothing. There were a lot of huts you can rent, from Php150-Php350.

2. Fly a kite. You can bring your own or buy one there.

4. Ride a horse. You can ride a horse if you're lucky to go there on a sunny weather, price varies, it depends who you talk to, we were offered Php150 per hour.

5. Ride a cable car or zipline. The one way rate on a weekday is Php200, Php300 on a weekend, add Php100 for a 2-way ride, prices come with a free souvenir photo.

6. Visit Adventure Jungle and have your picture taken with a big snake or with butterflies.

7. Enjoy a serene walk on the walkway inside the park.

8. Photo op. Take lots of pictures!

No Visa Required for Filipinos

2013-02-24T16:12:00.002-08:00

We, Filipinos, do love to travel but we do not want to go through the hassle of acquiring a tourist visa. Good thing that there are over 70 countries and territories which allow Philippine passport holders visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival access. We can visit the world's famous tourist destinations like Machu Picchu in Peru, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Jeju Island in South Korea, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Taj Mahal in India and many more.

Photo from wikitravel.org

Asia

ASEAN
Brunei	14 days
Cambodia	21 days
Indonesia	30 days
Laos	30 days
Malaysia	30 days
Myanmar	28 day visa issued upon arrival for US$40
Singapore	30 days
Thailand	30 days
Vietnam	21 days

Non-ASEAN
Azerbaijan	30 day visa issued upon arrival
Georgia	90 days visa issued upon arrival for GEL 50 - for a 90 day, single entry visa; GEL 100- for a 360 day, multiple entry visa
Hong Kong	14 days
India	30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$60
Iran	30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Israel	90 days
Macau	30 days
Maldives	30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Mongolia	21 days
Nepal	15/30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25/40/100
Palestine	21 days
South Korea	30 days visa free (Jeju Island only)
Sri Lanka	30 days
Taiwan	30 days if holding a valid visa for Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Schengen countries, United Kingdom or United States
Taiwan	online registration required
Timor-Leste	30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$30

Africa

Burundi	Visa issued upon arrival
Cape Verde	Visa issued upon arrival for EUR25
Central African Republic	7 days
Comoros	A free 24hours transit visa issued upon arrival at the airport. Within 24 hours this must be converted into a full visa at the immigration office in Moroni (fee payable)
Djibouti	10 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF3,000; 30 days visa issued upon arrival for DJF5,000
Eritrea	30 days
Ethiopia	Visa can be issued upon arrival
Gambia	At port of entry passport 24-72hours transit pass is issued. This must be converted into a full visa valid up to 1 month at the immigration department in Banjul (fee payable)
Kenya	90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25
Madagascar	90 days visa issued upon arrival for MGA140,000
Mali	Visa issued upon arrival
Mauritius	60 days
Morocco	90 days
Mozambique	30 days visa issued upon arrival for US$25
Saint Helena	Visa issued upon arrival
Seychelles	30 days
Somalia	21 days
Tanzania	Visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Togo	7 days visa issued upon arrival
Uganda	180 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Zambia	90 days visa issued upon arrival for US$50

Europe

Andorra	Not required but only accessible through France and Spain that needs a valid Schengen visa
Kosovo	90 days
Liechtenstein	90 days
San Marino	21 days

Oceania

Cook Islands	31 days
Fiji	120 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Kiribati	Tourist visa can be obtained on arrival
Marshall Islands	30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Federated States of Micronesia	30 days
Nauru	Visa issued upon arrival
Niue	30 days
Palau	30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Pitcairn Islands	14 days
Samoa	60 days Visitor's Permit issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Tuvalu	30 days visa issued upon arrival (free of charge)
Vanuatu	30 days

North America

Costa Rica	30 days
Dominica	21 days
Grenada	Visa can be obtained upon arrival
Haiti	90 days
Montserrat	90 days
Nicaragua	30 day visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Saint Kitts and Nevis	14 days
Saint Lucia	6 weeks visa issued upon arrival for US$50
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	30 days
Turks and Caicos Islands	30 days
Trinidad and Tobago	90 days

South America

Bolivia	90 days
Brazil	90 days
Colombia	90 days
Ecuador	90 days
Peru	183 days
Suriname	90 days

Resource: Wikipedia.org

It's SHOWTIME!

2013-02-23T20:40:00.000-08:00

It's Showtime is a popular noontime variety show in the Philippines. We're lucky that my sister's best-friend work there as a writer so reserving a seat is hassle-free. There are 3 ways on how to watch the show live in the studio, 1) you can book a studio tour with a free entrance to the show at abs-cbn.com, I suggest you book months ahead specially if you're going in a big group, 2) you can have an ABS-CBN employee list you as a guest like what we did and 3) you can go to Audience Entrance early in the morning and hope to get a chance to get a pass.

Show crews teach the Madlang People the steps to the opening number

How to commute to ABC-CBN Studio:

The easiest and quickest is to take the MRT an alight at Quezon Avenue Station then take a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off at Audience Entrance, fare is around Php20.

We arrived around 10 AM which is considered late even if the show starts at 12:15 AM, if you want a good seat, you must arrive early, around 8AM. We were assigned seats near the left side of the stage, which is not good. If there's a chance try getting seats at the front row, you'll have a lot of TV exposure and you can take great pictures of the show hosts.

Anne Curtis and Vice Ganda

The beautful and sexy Anne Curtis

Behind the Scene

Contestant, member of The BlackJack family

Kuya Kim

The Hurados (Judges)

Sambokojin Yakiniku Smokeless Grill

2013-02-15T20:47:00.000-08:00

The restaurant offers a a variety of Japanese and Korean food. It's famous for its built-in smokeless grill on each table. You will experience the fun of having to grill your own food and eat it while it's hot. I suggest you call for reservation especially if you're in a big group and going on weekends and holidays. Visit their website for the most updated prices http://sambokojin.com/menu.html changes every now and then.

Rei putting raw meat on the grill

We went to their branch at SM Southmall which is a few steps away from where we live. We didn't have to call for reservation because it was only the 2 of us and it was off-peak. We went on a weekday and paid Php619 each for a buffet dinner.

Drinks are paid separately

Desserts!

Sambo Kojin, japanese kitchen god

Tamaraw Falls, Puerto Galera

2012-10-05T22:14:00.002-07:00

If you go to Puerto Galera, you may want to do a side-trip to Tamaraw Falls. Going there is easy, you don't need to hike a mountain to find it, it's right beside the road. It's actually our first time to see a falls in real life, we were amazed and wondered where the water is coming from.

How to get there:

Click to>>check out our article on how to get to White Beach, Puerto Galera.

1) From White Beach, you can hire a tricycle that will take you there for P400-500 or take a tricycle going to Poblacion (Bayan), tell the driver to drop you off at the Calapan Jeepney Terminal. Beware of tricycle drivers who will try to extort money from you, the fare should be P25 per person, the first tricycle driver we talked to offered to take us to Poblacion for P100, we talked to another driver who let us pay P60 one way.

2) Board a jeepney going to Calapan City and tell the driver to drop you off at Tamaraw falls, the fare is P35 per person.

There are several stores across the road where you can buy snacks and souvenir items. I wouldn't recommend you buying "pasalubong" there because prices are higher compared to the stores in White Beach. When you look down, from the bridge, you can see a pool, sort of a catch basin of the waters from the falls. You can enter this underground mini-resort for P30. There are cottages where you can place your things if you decide to swim or go picnic.

To go back to White Beach, you can wait for a jeepney going to Poblacion, they come evey hour. Then ride a trike to go back to your hotel. Weird is we paid less going back, P30 per person for the jeepney ride and P50 for the tricycle.

Hotel Review: VM Beach Resort, Puerto Galera

2012-10-05T20:21:00.001-07:00

During our 3D2N-stay in Puerto Galera we booked at VM Beach Resort. It's located at White Beach, Puerto Galera. We did not book in advance because it's off peak season. When we were at Batangas Pier, we were offered a rate of P1500 per night, that's little expensive for super lean season. We did not book at the pier, we were welcomed by one of the staff of the hotel when we arrived at White Beach and we were given a price of P800 per night for a standard room with AC, add P200 if we want the one with hot shower. Well, I thought, who needs hot shower when you're at the beach so we opted to get the less expensive room, P800 per night, we paid P1600 for 2 nights.

PROS:

1) Affordable Price. P800/night for a room for 4 was a steal.

2) Clean private bathroom.

3) Clean beddings.

4) Great location, beach front.

5) Big spacious room with veranda.

CONS:

1) No free breakfast.

2) No telephone, if you want something, you need to go out and get it.

3) No refrigerator, if you want cold drinks, buy it outside.

4) No trash bin in the bathroom, we put our trash in a plastic bag then threw them in the trash bin outside of the room.

5) The television is super small.

But we did not mind all these CONS because of the super affordable price. Overall, we loved our stay at the hotel, and we are definitely coming back.

Address:

White Beach, Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

Manila Landline Numbers.:
  (+63 2) 710.0160
(+63 2) 710.0180

Mobile No.:
(+63 917) 523.4945
(+63 917) 523.4945

E-mail Address:

inquiry@vmbeachresort.com

www.vmbeachresort.com

Celebrate @ Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro

2012-10-05T19:39:00.003-07:00

Where else is a better place to celebrate my birthday than the beach? We chose Puerto Galera because, first, I haven't been there and second, it's just couple of hours away from our place, no need to book for a flight.

It was really cloudy that day

How we got there:

1. Board a bus to Batangas Pier. There are several buses going there like JAM or Dela Rosa bus. We went to the Bus Terminal in Alabang, Muntinlupa City since we're from the south but there Bus Terminal in EDSA as well. Travel time from Alabang to Batangas Pier is almost 2 hours.

2. Ride a boat to White Beach. We chose Minolo Shipping Lines because their boats are bigger, bigger boat means smoother ride. Travel time is about 1 hour.

After a one-hour boat ride, a free shuttle ride provided by Minolo Shipping Lines brought us to White Beach. Fortunately, the arriving area was infront of the hotel that we stayed in. We chose VM Beach Resort,click>>to check out our review for this hotel.

The boat can hold up to 70 persons

At Batangas Pier, waiting for the boat.

The Gate

After arranging our things and a little rest, we decided to take our lunch because we're so hungry after a long trip. We took our lunch in a restaurant named Food Trip sa Galera. What's good in this resto? Unlimited garlic rice! Their food was great too and costs from P99-P149 per meal.

After lunch, we decided to take a look on the beach and wait for the sunset. We went to the most western part of the island (facing the beach) and saw some pretty good rocks that can be awesome background on pictures. Although we failed to see the sunset due to cloudy skies, we still had a lot of fun. Took some more pictures, swim a little, and then we decided to rest after a long day. We got really tired so we just had a take-out and have dinner in our room.

If you're living in Metro Manila or nearby places, try celebrating your birthday at this simple paradise, bring family and friends if you have more resources.

Let's Play @ Yexel's Toy Museum

2012-09-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

There'll always be a child in us that's why toys are not only for kids but for grown ups as well. We were surfing the net when we saw a post on Facebook about a cool toy museum in Las Pinas. We checked other websites about this and saw that it was already featured in one of the news channels here in the Philippines. We also found out that it’s very near to our place so we decided to check it out.

How to get there:

Yexel’s Toy Museum is located along Sampaguita St, Pilar Village, Las Pinas City, Philippines. The village is just 4 blocks away from our place and just 2 blocks away from SM Southmall. We took a jeepney along Alabang-Zapote Road and dropped off at Pilar Village. Landmarks will be a 7 Eleven store and a popular fast food chain Jollibee. From there, ride a tricycle and just tell the driver to take you to Yexel’s toy museum.

The museum showcases almost all toys there is, from Disney characters, Marvel Characters to Anime heroes. You can also see Alvin & the Chipmunks, Super Mario Bros, Final Fantasy, Star Wars, Doraemon, the list is endless. What’s cool about the attraction is there are the life-size statues like Optimus Prime and Lightning McQueen.

The museum opens from 2pm up to 8pm. Entrance fee is for 300 pesos and you can stay there as long as you like with unlimited picture taking but no touching of the equipment of course. There are several guys there, including Yexel, the owner himself that will guide you where you will go next because there are some secret walls there.

We also learned that Yexel spent 20 million pesos to put up this amazing collection. I also had a little chat with him and convinced the former member of the popular dance group “Street Boys” to add a life size Gundam in his museum and I was surprised when he told me that he’s already working on it.

Lala with Yexel

Overall, the 300 peso entrance fee was worth it. So if you have time, come to the place and bring your family and kids-they’ll surely love it there.

Rei's 24th Birthday at Rack's

2012-07-30T02:32:00.000-07:00

We were supposed to go to Tagaytay, but as always, it was raining so we stayed in the Metro. We just had a simple lunch out at Rack's in our neighbor mall, SM Southmall :)).

From Bellevue Bakeshop

1/2 of the gift

Sweet 'n Spicy Ribs

Blueberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Milkshake

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

The birthday boy :)

First Climb: Mt. Manabu

2012-07-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

We finally decided to face our fears of heights and climbed Mt. Manabu (or Manabo) which is located in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. We did not expect it to be that hard because we read on the internet that it's one of the easiest mountains to climb in the Philippines. Maybe it's due to the bad weather the night before, the trail was really muddy, and the lack of trekking gears that made it difficult, each step is a possibility to trip.

The Cross at the Summit of Mt. Manabu

From Alabang, we hopped on a bus going to Lipa City and dropped off at the end of the Star Tollway. The fare was Php 94 and travel time was around 45 minutes. Then we boarded 2 jeepneys to reach Fiesta Mall where we ate breakfast. After breakfast, we rode a tricycle and asked the driver to drop us at the jump-off point, which is located at Brgy. Sta. Cruz, Sto. Tomas, Batangas.

The famous Batangas Lomi, yum!

Bihon. P30

Registration at the Jump-off. P20

Pretty flowers everywhere

Reila

It was a total adventure, we did not have any guide or map, we only followed the signs and our instincts. Going up was the hardest, being the novice that we are, it took us 4 hours to climb a 1-2 hour trek. We took the longer Grotto trail because the other one (the Mang Perying's trail), though shorter, is steeper. The feeling of getting to the peak and looking down was so surreal. It's nature tripping at its finest. On our descend we took the Mang Perying's trail which is more challenging, most of us tripped along the way.

You'll meet a lot of these signs

The ten-peso Buko

The Grotto

wohoo!

The descend

The survival sticks :))

Trek food

Extra Challenge

It was one of the most challenging trips we had but we definitely enjoyed it. One of our buddies said that it's kinda traumatic to fall and hit your back real hard but it's part of the experience. We are thankful that we made it out unscathed. We might rest for a while though and save up to buy trekking gears before the next climb.

Renewing my Philippine Driver’s License

2012-06-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

At last, I got my driver’s license renewed. Since we’re busy, it took me 10 months before I processed it since the expiration date. It was easy though. No hassle. All you have to do is wait and be patient. Let me tell you how it went.

I went to LTO Driver’s License Renewal Center Alabang branch (Near Alabang Town Center) since it’s the nearest and where I first renewed my license also 4 years ago.

Most important, the evaluator will ask some stuff from you before going thru. So, bring the following requirements:

1. Old Driver’s License w/ official receipt.

2. TIN Card

3. Any Government valid ID (I didn’t present any but just in case)

I arrived at LTO at around 8:15 am and there were a bunch of guys already. First, proceed to Window 1 (Evaluation) and the evaluator there will be asking for your old Driver’s License and official receipt. After that, they will give you the LTO application form to fill out some information and you will be asked to get a number at the Drug Test Clinic and wait for your turn. I have number 46 that time.

After filling out the LTO form, your number will be called (they have speakers everywhere so don’t worry you won’t miss it) and will be asked to go to the drug test clinic. They call out numbers by batch (ex: 31-40, 41-50)At the clinic, the cashier will collect your payment for the Drug Test and Medical Exam for the amount of 400 pesos (300 for Drug Test and 10 for Medical Exam). After the payment they will give you the Drug Test and Medical Exam form which you need to fill out before proceeding with the Drug Test itself. After filling out, keep the Medical Exam form, give the drug test from to the staff near the comfort room (where you will have your drug test) so you will be on queue.

While in queue, the other staff will call your name for the picture taking (all drug test requires this) and when you’re finished with the drug test, you will proceed to the other clinic for the medical exam. Give the medical form exam to the staff outside the clinic before proceeding to the doctor inside the clinic. The doctor will only ask if you have history of ailment in your family and will weigh you in and of course, your height as well. After the medical exam, just wait for your name to be called for the drug test results

After your name is called, proceed to Window 6 (Picture Taking) and after that, wait for your name to be called again and proceed to Window 5 (Payment) and I paid 492 pesos since I have a penalty of 75 pesos because I wasn’t able to renew my license on time. But the original fee will be 417 pesos. All you have to do is wait for your name to be called again for the releasing of your new license (Window 4) and that’s it!

What’s good in that branch is they work fast. It only took me 2 hours and that’s a lot of people in queue already

And that’s it. I hope it gave you some tips. Thank you for your time!

SM Mall of Asia Bowling Center

2012-05-21T22:24:00.000-07:00

Are you worried that you cannot do anything fun anymore once summer is over? Worry no more. There are a lot of indoor activities that you can try that you'll surely enjoy. We tried bowling at SM Mall of Asia Bowling Center. They have state-of-the-art bowling facilities that you'll love and will keep coming back for.

When you go there, do not forget to bring or wear a pair of socks, they will not allow you to play without them. Also, you will be required to rent bowling shoes for Php 30. The rate per game at Mall of Asia is Php 140, if you want to check the nearest bowling center to your area, you can visit http://www.smbowling.com

Rei strikes

This is how Lala sell a bowling ball

Our scores

Enchanted Kingdom: Let the Magic Begins

2012-05-05T00:18:00.000-07:00

We are kids at heart, we play, eat candies, watch cartoons and go to amusement parks like Enchanted Kingdom. They live up to their theme song that goes, "everyday, everyday the Magic is here..." It was a truly magical experience, like being a kid again.

Getting There: From our place in Las Pinas City, we rode a jeep to Festival Mall, then we hopped on a van going to Sta. Rosa, Laguna, we asked the driver to drop us at Walter Mart, Sta. Rosa. From there we rode a tricycle going to Enchanted Kingdom. Travel time was less than an hour.

(from www.enchantedkingdom.ph)

By Public Bus

Local buses are available to take you to and from Enchanted Kingdom.

Bus Company: Jam Liner Transit
Location: Pasay City near Buendia LRT Station
Contact Number: N/A
Bus Route: Balibago (Waltermart: Sta. Rosa Laguna)
Fare: Php 57.00
Travel Time: 45 Minutes to 1 Hour

Bus Company: JAC Liner
Location: Pasay City near Buendia LRT Station
Contact Number: N/A
Bus Route: Balibago (Waltermart: Sta. Rosa Laguna)
Fare: Php 57.00
Travel Time: 45 Minutes to 1 Hour

By Public FX/Van

Location: Edsa Crossing (in front of STARMALL EDSA)
Contact Number:
VAN/FX Route: Balibago (Waltermart: Sta. Rosa Laguna)
Fare: Php 60.00
Travel Time: 45 Minutes to 1 Hour
By Car
(Private Buses)
Parking facilities are available for private vehicles.

Parking Fees:
Private Cars: Php 50.00 (Fixed rate)
Private Buses: Php 35.00 (Fixed Rate)

I recommend you go there during off peak season because long queues will be annoying. Also, you may want to check the weather to avoid getting wet, not all rides are covered, so it will not be fun if it's raining.

We bought ride-all-you-can passes which costed Php500 each. If you're more on sightseeing and doesn't really want try the rides you can buy a regular pass for Php150, you can still ride the Carousel, Bumbling Boulders and Boulderville Express.

We have a souvenir picture printed from one of the photo-booths inside the park.

Diving into the Waters of Imelda Cave, Hundred Islands

2012-04-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Imelda cave is a must-see if you're going to Hundred Islands, Alaminos, Pangasinan. It is located at Marcos Island which is named after a former president of the Philippines. The waters from the cave will take you back to the shore.

To know how to get to Hundred Island check Island Hopping in Hundred Islands, Pangasinan. Marcos Island is a couple of minutes away from Quezon Island, where we stayed overnight. The Marcos Island has the whitest and most powdery sands and the clearest waters among all the islands

Touchdown!

Colorful boats parked at the shore

The sign said it all

From the shore, there's a few minutes of climbing to the cave. The islands has stairs made of stones and soil. You can enjoy the amazing view of greens and blues of the sea while walking.

Waters? Better wear our life-vests on

The water was really deep. We did not dive in because it's a bit dark, we did not know what lies beneath. We just climbed down the bamboo stairs into the waters. I remember the scene in the movie 127 hours where they dove into Blue John in Grand Canyon, the experience could've been like that if we jumped into the water. Then we fought our way back to the shore and took a souvenir shot, "We survived!"

whew!