the viewing deck

unforgettable experience in traveling abroad

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:57:26 PST

the viewing deck 1st year of blogging anniversary special 2nd part
march 11, 2011 - march 11, 2012

best inspiring readers' comment on 1st year

thailand (june 4-8, 2010)
- my 1st solo backpacking abroad
- all do-it-yourself itinerary
- spelunking alone the cave along the kanchanaburi with backpack and mobile phone used as flashlight
- 1st train trip experience

kanchanaburi cave spelunking alone

singapore - malaysia (january 19-22, 2011)
- 2nd solo backpacking abroad
- all do-it-yourself itinerary packed in 2 days only
- experienced the most death-defying thrill ride of my life, the g-max reverse bungee
- best tourist spot of 2 countries of 2 days nonstop adventure
- racing against time on road trip from batu cave, malaysia to changi airport, singapore. arrived 1 hour before the departure. just spent my late dinner while in-line queuing to check-in counter. fortunately, the departure flight was delayed by 1 hour.

g-max reverse bungee ride

south korea (february 23-28, 2011)
- 3rd travel and 1st tour abroad with friends
- my 1st journey on country with winter season
- 1st to experience outdoor ice skiing and feel the snow
- experience one of the best thrill ride (while feeling the winter chill), the most steepest wooden rollercoaster in the world at 77 degrees, T-express.
- i never thought i will be on this country. this was just part of my daydream 3 years ago.

south korea outdoor skiing

vietnam - cambodia - laos (august 24-september 1, 2011)
- 3rd solo backpacking abroad
- all detailed do-it-yourself itinerary and somehow hardcore
- my longest solo leisure travel outside Philippines on 3 countries at 7 days
- most cheapest trip I ever had at php12,000 all-inclusive (roundtrip ticket, accommodation, souvenirs, every expenses I had)
- i lost $200 on 1st day (half of my budget). I have no credit card.
- the most inexpensive cost of living on all the countries I have visited.

angkor archaeological park in cambodia

hongkong - macau (december 4-7, 2011)

- 2nd tour abroad with friends and 2nd also on winter season
- 1st time to travel abroad with itinerary unplanned because i did not expect that this journey will be possible
- my 1st pre-christmas travel outside philippines.

night shot at macau

experience to remember in traveling Philippines

best inspiring readers' comment on 1st year

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:44:41 PST

the viewing deck 1st year of blogging anniversary special 1st part

march 11, 2011 - march 11, 2012

hehe sir, as i've said before, your blog is very useful and informative for newbie solo travelers like me. marami namang ibang pnoy travel blogs pero ung sa inyo po talaga ang pinaka detalyado at sulit ang itinerary. easy to follow pa ang instructions nyo.:) on 2008-2010 budget diy solo backpacking (summarized)

- mikautada on 3/13/11

Nice page Sir. Ang ganda po talaga ng mga photos nio :) Thanks sa info Sir.. on windy province of catanduanes 1st part

- Ylen on 3/29/11

south korea

cagayan

Congratulations, awesome blog! Very informative too. I will be using this entry of yours for Korea as a guide, although sa Juna pa naman ang alis ko. Thanks for this! =) on unstoppable outdoor ice skiing

- ihcahieh on 4/24/11

wow, i totally love your travel escapades, kuya! i'm starting to get envious, jk. my friend spoke so much about your travel trips, sooo cool, indeed!i hope i can visit all the places u posted.u should have an fb fanpage too! u have a very interesting & helpful blogs. thumbs up! on solo backpacking confessions

- lj0211 on 5/26/11

Nicely done... Tagal ko na rin gustong gawin yung ganyan, to travel sana sa asia lang muna, pwede ba kita gawing tutor... Hehe, ask ko nga pala, diba locally di ka na nag checheck-in ng baggage para makatipid? Pano yung mga perfume or any liquid containing handcarried items, ina allow na ba nila ngayon ulit? Im planning to go to my province sa zamboanga particularly pagadian. Promo kasi and it's only for php308 roundtrip! sobrang mura, iniisip ko lang pede pa bang dalin ang isang bag na kasya sa overhead then isang bag na for laptop? Ayoko na magcheckin luggage kc hassle saka additional bayad pa... Hehehe Anyways, saludo ako sa iyo sir, binabasa ko mga articles mo rito and plan to do a singapore-malaysia trip to... hehehe Advice din po or tips ah. Concern ko rin lang kc sa international travel, kahit na walang visa needed yung country na pupuntahan eh baka kung anu ano tanong sa imigration then di ko masagot... balak ko kasi na nde na ipaalam sa family ko... Strict ang parents eh... on solo backpacking confessions

- Anonymous on 6/15/11

macau

manila

Thank you for blogging about your Batanes trip. :) It inspired me to go there someday. I never knew the place was so beautiful. Looking forward to more travel stories from you. Take care! ^_^ on biking marlboro country

- Karla on 7/5/11

Palawan, a shipwreck capital? Wow, that's new to me. Your travel to these islands really captured my heart and inspired me more to travel. If only my paycheck is within my reach. Hahaha! Take good care on your next adventure. =) on calamian islands hopping

- H0KAGE on 7/25/11

when it comes to traveling solo and detailed- the name you can trust is Andie! on vietnam-cambodia-laos 7-days solo journey

- akosimaykgarsiya on 9/4/11

Thank you for this, especially the contact number for your boatman. Much appreciated. on in the islands of calaguas at last !

- Mustachio on 10/21/11

hongkong

lanao del norte

Thank you for visiting. I'm from there (now in the Metro) and I've not written anything about our place as descriptive as you did. One day, I will --- mainly 'cause I'm jealous. Otherwise, I'd write 'cause I'd not want to miss the feel of home as things change while I'm gone. Kudos. on visiting southwestern mindanao (zamboanga city)

- Stephanie Sychuan on 12/22/11

hi! thanks for this very helpful information... :) planning to celebrate my birthday sa Boracay (January 07, 2012)... I have one-way ticket only (Manila-Caticlan - January 05 via Cebu Pac)... waiting ako ng promo para sa pabalik... but it seems na wala na talaga... then, sabi ko next year ko na lang ituloy 'yung plan ko... but buti na lang follower mo ako kaya, tuloy na plan ko! :) bale 'yung pabalik na na lang 'yung gagawin ko... konting research pa! =) and kailangang i-master ko ang way pabalik (baka kasi maligaw ako)... by the way, may contact# ka ba ng forest hill resort? nag-google kasi ako but wala ako makitang website nila... wala pa din kasi accommodation... haizt... go na talaga ito! :) magandang simula for 2012... thanks thanks again... ^_^ on christmas weekend itinerary to boracay

- Annetotz on 12/28/11

I almost surrendered my booking since I only got an hour and a half to pay for it and I couldn't see CEBU PACIFIC in the list of billers for enrollment. Luckily, I found your post (I already saw this before, just had a lost of thought) Million thanks to you. You are the only one who has this guide. on cebu pacific e-ticket online payment via myBDO (new)

- Becky Ignacio on 1/5/12

unforgettable experience in traveling abroad

erawan bangkok gem scam successful refund

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 22:39:42 PST

the epic battle to claim my money back

february 13, 2012

after 17 months of follow-up to Thailand local authorities regarding scam complain during my 2010 solo backpack, my money is 90% refunded..

Thanks to Mr. Edgar Badajos, (Consul-General of Philippine embassy) and to the Department of Internal Trade of Thailand.
I appreciate wholeheartedly the efforts eventhough it lasted this long.

How was the scam and the process of refund undergo, here it is ....

It happened when I was on my 1st solo backpacking Bangkok way back June 5, 2010 around 1000H. I never thought it was scam until after over 2 months while researching the web due out of curiosity that there is something wrong with how I bought this item.

the gem scam from bangkok

LETTER OF COMPLAIN :

DATE      :           September 24, 2010
TO        :           Mr. Suchat Sinrat
            Center of Complaints room 20301
            Department of Internal Trade Building
            Ministry of Commerce
            44/100 sanambinnam Rd Nonthaburi
FROM    :          xxxxxxx
CC         :           Consular Section
                      Embassy of the Philippines
            760 Sukhumvit Road corner Soi Philippines (30/1)
            Klongtoey, Klongtan, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
RE         :           Complain Letter - ERAWAN LAPIDARY GEM SCAM

Dear Mr. Suchat Sinrat,

Good day!
On june 5, 2010, I bought a sapphire ring in yellow gold setting worth THB13,000 at ERAWAN LAPIDARY in Bangkhunprom, Pranakorn, Bangkok. I was a solo backpacker that time then some thai's/foreigners approached me to buy this ring using their very exceptional marketing skills. He really persuades me to go and buy this sapphire at 0% tax and we would be able to sell at Tiffany store at profit of 200%.

Unfortunately, when I went to tiffany store here in my country and ask them if I could sell my ring, they replied the store is not buying any jewelries. Curious about that, I have searched the web about Erawan and found-out that I was victimized by a scam.

To resolve the problem, I would appreciate if you could refund my money 100%. I bought that ring as a precious gift for my loveone, just knowing I was victimize by a jewelry scam. Enclosed are ORIGINAL COPIES of receipts and certificate of guarantee.

I look forward to your reply and a resolution to my complaint, and will wait as long as possible. Please contact me at the above home address or by phone/email below.

I deeply appreciate your kindness in advance for all the efforts and actions you will do.

Sincere Regards,
xxxxxxx

ATTACHMENTS :

gem scam complain attachments

PHILIPPINE EMBASSY SUPPORT LETTER :

Philippine embassy follow-up complain

FOLLOW-UP EMAILS :

part of threaded email follow-up

THE REFUND AND FINAL OUTPUT:

the refund on bangkok gem scam

what did i gain in finishing lakbay-rizal quest

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:38:56 PST

a mind-opener quest for likeminded travelholic pinoys

july 09 - september 25, 2011

Travel is a caprice in childhood, a passion in youth, a necessity in manhood, and an elegy in old age. - dr. jose rizal

manila leg
laguna leg
central luzon leg
dipolog-dapitan leg
daet leg
iloilo-dumaguete-cebu leg
the completion

it all started when i planned another but not new adventure in a travel forum, a budget do-it-yourself day tour. we didn't even know what's with this passport as requested to have a copy in information center inside the fort santiago. i didn't even think that i will be getting hooked to finish the required stamps all-over the philippine archipelago.

lakbay-rizal manila leg

lakbay rizal central luzon leg

José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda (June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896, Bagumbayan), was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era.His execution by the Spanish in 1896, a date marked annually as Rizal Day, a Philippine national holiday, was one of the causes of the Philippine Revolution.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Rizal

this is my part in joining the nation's celebration on Dr. Jose Rizal's 150th birthday... to accomplish all 26 required stamps and be part of top 100 pilgrims. started the interest unintentionally during our day trip last july on binondo-intramuros loop. continued on the upcoming domestic trips i have availed during promo fares which was coincidentally the same place for the other pilgrimages. ending up availing regular round trip tickets just finish as early as possible i can.

lakbay-rizal zamboanga leg

lakbay-rizal visayas leg

what did i gain after finishing the tour ...

1. acknowledging the heroic deeds of our national hero

2. be informed on what are the other things i did not know during school days

3. to be part of top 100 finishers

4. purpose on more fun-filled backpacking/flashpacking journey during my stay in philippines

5. sense of fullfillment as a proud filipino backpacker
6. sense of self-accomplishment

Sir Jose Rizal, you make us proud being Filipino...
Thank you very much !!!

lakbay-rizal fun run

rizal monument in dumaguete city

my lakbay-rizal quest completed

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:01:13 PST

in line to have a sense of reasonable purpose for being travelholic...
in tribute to the viral quest to visit all of Dr. Jose Rizal's remarkable deeds...
in support to DOT's project to relive the heroic memories of our beloved national hero...
july 09 - september 25, 2011

Visit the following 26 rizaliana sites featured and have it stamped as proof of your visit. The first 100 pilgrims who have visited all the Rizal sites with proof of the complete stamps can present it to the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to win a token and an official Kalakbay ni Gat Jose Rizal certificate!
source: http://www.tourism.gov.ph/Pages/LAKBAYJOSERIZAL@150.aspx

lakbay-rizal passport stamps completed

Manila (blue stamps completed on july 09)
01. PRISON CELL AND RIZAL SHRINE (intramuros) - This was where Rizal was incarcerated during his trial from November 3 to December 29, 1896
02. CHAPEL CELL OF RIZAL IN FORT SANTIAGO (intramuros) - In 1896, this room was converted into a chapel-cell where Rizal spent the night prior to his execution in Bagumbayan.
03. SITE OF THE ATENEO MUNICIPAL DE MANILA (intramuros) - Rizal was a student of the Ateneo Municipal de Manila from 1872 to 1877. The original building was destroyed by fire in 1932
04. SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS (intramuros) - Rizal was a student of the University of Santo Tomas in Intramuros from 1877 to 1882. A historical marker is located in the UST Campus in Espana, Sampaloc, Manila
05. SITE OF TRIAL OF RIZAL (intramuros) - This was where Rizal’s trial was held at the Cuartel de España which used to stand in the area. IA installed a historical marker located along Muralla Street
06. RIZAL PARK (luneta) - Also known as Bagumbayan or Luneta, this was the place of execution of Rizal on December 30, 1896
07. RIZAL MONUMENT (luneta) - A National Monument, it houses the remains of Rizal. It was designed by Richard Kissling of Switzerland. It was inaugurated on December 30, 1913.
08. RIZAL EXECUTION SITE (luneta) - Exact location where Dr. Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan. A Rizal Light and Sound Show is now located at the site.
09. PACO PARK (paco) - Rizal's remains were secretly interred in the Paco Cemetery. They were guarded for fifteen days by the Guardia Civil Veterana. His remains were exhumed on August 17, 1898, placed in an urn and deposited in the Rizal Residence in Estraude Street.

lakbay-rizal laguna leg

Region 4 (green stamps completed on july 23)
10. RIZAL SHRINE (laguna) - A National Shrine, it is a replica of the Rizal House by Juan Nakpil. Restored by Executive Order No. 145 of President Elpidio Quirino, it was inaugurated on June 19, 1950.
11. CALAMBA CHURCH (laguna) - A National Historical Landmark, Rizal was baptized in the church by Fr. Rufino Collantes on June 22, 1861.
12. ANTIPOLO CHURCH (rizal) - Rizal with his father took a boat for Manila and Antipolo from Calamba

Region 3 (red stamps completed on july 30)
13. SAN FERNANDO TRAIN STATION (pampanga) - Rizal exited this station on June 27 and 28, 1892 to visit friends in San Fernando and Bacolor as part of his mission to recruit members to his La Liga Filipina. Among the houses he visited were those of Tiburcio Hilario in San Fernando on June 27 and Ceferino Joven in Bacolor on June 28. An NHI marker was installed in the station in 2004.
14. KAMESTISUHAN DISTRICT (bulacan) - The site also known as the Kamestizuan District is the location of a historical marker for the site of the school of the Women of Malolos whom Rizal wrote to on February 22, 1889 from London and the Bautista House where Rizal is said to have visited when he was recruiting members for the La Liga Filipina on June 27, 1892.

lakbay-rizal region 9 leg

Region 9 (black stamps completed on august 14)
15. RIZAL SHRINE AND WATERWORKS (dapitan city) - Rizal's estate during his exile in Dapitan, it houses replicas of structures he built there for himself, his family, pupils and patients including the Casa Residencia, Family Kitchen, Casa Redonda, Casa Quadrada, Casitas de Salud and Casa Redonda Pequena among many others. Dr. Rizal purchased the property with his prize from the Manila Lottery and his earnings as a farmer and merchant during his exile in Dapitan from July 17, 1892 to July 31, 1896. He also built a waterworks system which can still be found in the city.
16. DAPITAN PLAZA (dapitan city) - A National Historical Landmark, the Dapitan Plaza was planned and beautified by Rizal during his exile. Acacia trees which he personally planted can still be found in the plaza.
17. SITE OF THE CASA REAL (dapitan city) - The official residence and administration building of the politico-military governor of the district, Rizal lived there from July 17, 1892 to March 1893 before he was transferred to Talisay, now the Rizal Dapitan Shrine.
18. DAPITAN CHURCH (dapitan city) - Built in 1883, a historical marker can be found in the St. James Church of Dapitan in the exact spot where Rizal stood every Sunday during his exile from 1892 to 1896.
18. RELIEF MAP OF MINDANAO (dapitan city) - A National Cultural Treasure, Rizal created this map as an aid in teaching history and geography to the locals.
20. SANTA CRUZ BEACH (dapitan city) - On July 17, 1892, Rizal landed on Santa Cruz Beach at 7 p.m. with Captain Delgras and three artillery men. They walked through Sta. Cruz Street with a farol de combate to the Casa Real where he was presented to Don Ricardo Carnicero, the Spanish military governor of the area. A tableau was constructed in the site to commemorate Rizal's arrival in Dapitan.
21. DIPOLOG CATHEDRAL (dipolog city) - Rizal is said to have designed the church altars of the Dipolog Cathedral. Although the facade has been extremely renovated, the interior remains relatively intact.
22. RIZAL FARM (zamboanga del norte) - The farm was acquired by Rizal from Calixto Carreon, a blind patient who offered it for free out of gratitude for his successful treatment. Rizal refused and paid him Php200 for the land. He cultivated it every weekend with his pupils.

lakbay-rizal region 5 leg

Region 5 (blue stamp completed on september 10)
23. RIZAL MONUMENT (daet) - This was the first monument erected in the country honoring Dr. Rizal. It was built by voluntary contributions of the people of Camarines Norte and unveiled on December 30, 1898. It is a National Historical Monument.

Region 6 (black stamp completed on september 24)
24. MOLO CHURCH AND ESCOLTA (iloilo city) - Rizal’s boat, the S.S. España arrived at Iloilo where Dr. Rizal had the chance to visit Escolta and the Church of Molo

Region 7 (black stamps completed on september 25)
25. DUMAGUETE (dumaguete city) - Rizal’s boat, the S.S. España arrived in Dumaguete City. Dr. Rizal went ashore, visited Governor Regal of Negros Occidental, visited a classmate Herrero Regidor and operated on the captain of the Civil Guard
26. SAN PEDRO FORT (cebu city) - The S.S. España docked in Cebu on August 2, 1896 for a routine one-day stop over. After breakfast on board, Commander Carcinero took Rizal under custody to the Spanish Military Commander of Cebu, Gen. Adulfo Montero in the Military Headquarters located in Fort San Pedro.

finally, in the airport

submitted my passport to miss joan gomez of National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in kalaw avenue, manila for the verification of the stamps.

my rank among top 100 finishers ....

22nd placer
(rank is official, certificate and token can now be claimed 01-Mar-2012)

what did i gain in completing lakbay-rizal quest

last stamp to cebu city (lakbay rizal final leg)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 21:38:38 PST

2nd flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011
saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only
iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)
ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete
dumaguete city short stroll (lakbay rizal final leg)
going alone to casaroro falls

continued...

ferry and bus trip from dumaguete city (negros oriental) to cebu city (cebu) has estimated travel time of 5.5 hours combined (without side trip). i left dumaguete city at exactly 1120H then arrived to cebu city south terminal at around 1700H. earliest bus trip to depart is 0315H, then, 0500H, 0835H, 1120H and 1400H, at php200 fare. after 40 minutes, we arrived in the dumaguete port, php70 for the ferry fare on 30-minute journey.

dumaguete ceres bus terminal

ferry going to cebu province

arrived at 1700H in cebu city and just infront of the terminal i rode a multicab bound to pier then dropped-off to pier 1 where fort san pedro is located. finally, after over 2 months of navigating the entire required stamp, i am walking slowly with full of smile and joyful flashback towards the 26th and final lakbay-rizal site. fort san pedro opens 0700-2000H, stamp site is the admission desk, located inside the fort. you have to pay for php30 entrance before having the last piece that this quest a fun-filled travel. at 1725H, i obtained the complete lakbay rizal passport with 26 important places on Dr. Jose Rizal's traveling experience in the philippines. from ncr, to regions 4, 3, 9, 5, 6 and 7.

SAN PEDRO FORT - The S.S. España docked in Cebu on August 2, 1896 for a routine one-day stop over. After breakfast on board, Commander Carcinero took Rizal under custody to the Spanish Military Commander of Cebu, Gen. Adulfo Montero in the Military Headquarters located in Fort San Pedro.

fort san pedro, final stamp for lakbay rizal

by the way, fort san pedro is the oldest and smallest fort in the Philippines.

instead of taking an expensive travel mode on taxi which suggested by most of the locals in taking my way to the airport, i still research for a possible cheapest public transportation available. from fort san pedro, i just walked at estimated 500 meters away going to pier 3 where a ferry bound to lapu-lapu city is available, last trip at 2200H and fare at php13 (including php1 terminal fee). then, rode a multicab bound to savemore at php7 fare and then went to multicab terminal going to airport at another php7 trip.

ferry going to lapu-lapu city

sunday itinerary and expenses;
0545H ETD inn
jeep bound to valencia (12)
0630H ETA valencia
habal-habal to casaroro (150)
0800H ETA valencia
jeep bound to dumaguete (12)
0830H ETA dumaguete
breakfast (35)
city stroll
1000H ETD inn
walk to ceres bus terminal
a/c bus to cebu (180)
1120H ETD dumaguete
1200H ETA dumaguete port
ferry ticket (70)
1240H ETD dumaguete port
1310H ETA cebu (bato) port
1400H ETD cebu (bato) port
1700H ETA cebu city south terminal
multicab bound to pier drop-off to pier 1 (7)
fort san pedro - 26th/final lakbay rizal site
fort san pedro admission - stamp site (30)
1745H ETD fort san pedro
walk to pier 3 ferry terminal
ferry bound to lapu-lapu city (11)
1840H ETD cebu
1900H ETA lapu-lapu
multicab bound to savemore (7)
multicab bound to airport (7)
1940H ETA airport
terminal fee (200)
zestair cebu-manila regular fare (1,665)
snacks (45)
2105H ETD cebu (20 mins earlier)
2200H ETA manila domestic terminal

subtotal expenses: PhP 2,471

TOTAL: 3,129 (sat) + 2,471 (sun) = PhP5,600

lakbay rizal update;
26 of 26 done... ncr, regions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9 finished.

go back to main post

going alone to casaroro falls

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:04:19 PST

2nd flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011
saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only
iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)
ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete
dumaguete city short stroll (lakbay rizal final leg)

continued...

woke-up as early as 0545H to have my side trip to this quest in negros oriental. just walking 50 meters away from the hostel, i rode jeep bound to valencia city, fare costs php12 for 20-minute travel. arriving in valencia downtown, took some stroll first then negotiated a habal-habal roundtrip ride to casaroro falls. according to the driver, the standard fare for just a trip going there is php100 per person. since i told him that i will not spent so much time and i am doing it alone, he agreed to my negotiating skill of php150 roundtrip.

valencia city downtown plaza

travel time for a habal-habal took only 15 minutes, crossing valencia city's other tourist spots like the campsite, the japanese shrine and this mountain with 374 steps. with entrance fee of php10 for adult and php5 for young ones, i did not paid due there is no one on duty that time. if i left my payment, most probably it will gone before 60 seconds. so there it goes, another adventure of trailing down the waterfalls by 335 steps of stairway.

Casaroro Waterfalls - as the province’s most photographed body of water, it is relatively enclosed by lush greenery and natural rock formations. The falls' cool water gushes down to a swimming hole.

trailing casaroro falls

i advise everyone to be accompanied by anyone in taking this journey due the trail and the boulders along is very slippery. i was anticipating it to be happen, but its not because of my utmost cautious action to study first the slippery amount before i move my foot. going there alone was like a feeling of exploring a hidden treasure of paradise. i was not frustrated by the scenes along the way. lots of abandoned picnic area, shelters were not so destroyed by the storm. i am so lucky it did not rain during my navigation here.

casaroro falls

i went back upstairs and still no tourist dropping by. at 0800H, i was already in valencia city downtown.

more photos here...

last stamp to cebu city (lakbay rizal final leg)

dumaguete city short stroll (lakbay rizal final leg)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:11:35 PST

2nd flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011
saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only
iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)
ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete

continued...

dumaguete city at night;
i immediately alight the bus after asking the bus conductor if the one i pointed-out was quezon park. again another stamp site unforgetable adventure, at 1830H, of course tourism office inside the park was closed. i asked the guard on duty how can i have the stamp on this night since i have to leave dumaguete early in the morning the next day. this guard couldn't help me out so i decided to seek help to the other guards in the cityhall which is only infront of the park. without hesitation, this 3 security guards on duty moved in haste by texting the employee they know who has the key. at 2130H, i have my lakbay rizal 25th stamp and my first time having at this night time. thanks to this helpful filipino's, mabuhay kayo !

lakbay rizal stamp site

dumaguete belltower at night

quezon park at night

DUMAGUETE - Rizal’s boat, the S.S. España arrived in Dumaguete City. Dr. Rizal went ashore, visited Governor Regal of Negros Occidental, visited a classmate Herrero Regidor and operated on the captain of the Civil Guard

before and after having the stamp, i took some stroll and night shot photo-ops.

dumaguete belltower

dumaguete church

dumaguete city morning walk;
capturing the downtown plaza before my bus trip to cebu city.

campanario de dumaguete (belltower) - was built upon one of the four original massive watchtowers that parish priest built in 1760 to discourage moro's from pillaging the town.

dumaguete church - the oldest stone church built in negros island. originally built in 1754 and reconstructed in 1885.

quezon park - just infront of the belltower and the dumaguete church. where the rizal monument is erected alongside with maria clara.

jose rizal & maria clara at quezon park

quezon park

more photos here...

going alone to casaroro falls

ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:13:44 PST

2nd flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011
saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only
iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)

continued...

ferry and bus trip from iloilo city (iloilo) to dumaguete city (negros oriental) has estimated travel time of 9.5 hours combined (without side trip). i left iloilo city at 0900H then arrived to dumaguete city at around 1830H.

ferry boat from iloilo city to bacolod city;
i arrived in the pier at 0820H. there were 2 open ferry company's that offer nearest departure time, ocean jet (0915H) and supercat (0900H). i am in amazing race type of plan so i availed supercat trip (which is also i think more cheaper than ocean jet) economy class seat costs php200 (student discount from php230). business class worth php330 and a VIP with meal worth php500. earliest supercat departure from iloilo to bacolod id 0730H while the last trip is 1700H at over an hour travel time.

iloilo ferry terminal

aircon bus from bacolod city to dumaguete city;
at 1030H, alight in bacolod pier then rode a multicab bound to ceres bus terminal for only php20. bus to dumaguete city will depart at 1145H so i decided to took lunch in ceres food store, inside the terminal. bus departed at exactly 1145H.

road from negros occidental to negros oriental has a lot of sugarcane plantation, which negros island is being famous of. bus travel took approximately 7 hours to quezon park.

bacolod ceres bus terminal

negros occidental sugar plantation

negros oriental sugar plantation

saturday itinerary and expenses;
0315H ETA NAIA terminal 3 (8)
breakfast (31)
check-in counter terminal fee (200)
cebupac manila-iloilo regular fare (1,567)
0430H ETD NAIA terminal 3 (15 mins earlier)
0535H ETA iloilo airport
a/c van bound to molo terminal (50)
molo church - 24th lakbay rizal site
panaderia de molo - stamp site
multicab bound to timawa drop-off to pier (7)
book ferry to supercat bound to bacolod (200)
0915H ETD iloilo
1030H ETA bacolod
multicab bound to ceres terminal (20)
a/c bus bound to dumaguete (300)
lunch (85)
1145H ETD dumaguete
snacks (35)
1830H ETA dumaguete
belltower
dumaguete church
1930H ETA inn (300)
dinner (126)
quezon park - 25th lakbay rizal site
tourism office - stamp site
massage (200)
2300H sleep time

subtotal expenses: PhP 3,129

dumaguete city short stroll (lakbay rizal final leg)

iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:01 PST

2nd solo flashpacking around the visayas region in 2 days
september 24-25, 2011
saturday-sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: finalizing my lakbay-rizal quest, completing the 26 stamps in 2 months

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only

continued...

i woke-up as early as 0215H for the earliest domestic flight i had. arrived in NAIA terminal 3 around 0300H. took breakfast first in the mezzanine area on the 2nd floor. afterwards, entered the express check-in counter for passengers who don't have check-in luggage. then paid terminal fee of php200. at 0430H, aircraft took-off at 15 minutes early departing time.

boardwalk jogging place by ilongo's

panaderia de molo stamp site

after touchdown, rode an aircon van costs php50 bound to molo transport terminal. after 20 minutes, i just walked around 200 meters for the terminal to the molo church. photo-ops for this part of iloilo city posted in billboard by a local councilor as the "athens of the philippines" due to the architectural design of the church. since the stamp site (panaderia de molo, located 50 meters away from the plaza) will open at 0800H, i have spare time to stroll around. i went to boardwalk which is 100 meters away, the ilongo's place for jogging area and ate hot little "bibingka" costs php20 for 8 pcs. at 0750H, i have my lakbay rizal 24th stamp. infront of panaderia de molo is the multicab (timawa) bound to iloilo pier for bacolod crossing.

molo church

MOLO CHURCH AND ESCOLTA - Rizal’s boat, the S.S. España arrived at Iloilo where Dr. Rizal had the chance to visit Escolta and the Church of Molo

but before i went to pier, i saw another landmark which has rizal monument infront of a catholic church. this place is called plaza libertad infront of san jose church. this plaza was formerly called "plaza alfonso xii". right at the center of iloilo city, it is where the flag of the first philippine republic was raised in triumph after spain surrendered to iloilo.

san jose church

plaza libertad

ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete

iloilo-dumaguete-cebu on weekend only

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:18:29 PST

i made this route (manila to iloilo by plane, iloilo to dumaguete by ferry and bus, then dumaguete to cebu by ferry and bus) just to finalize my quest in finishing off the 3 remaining stamps on lakbay rizal quest. i just know during previous researches in visayas region that these mode of transportation are available from and to the key cities i needed to visit.

lakbay rizal visayas region route (black line)

molo church as lakbay rizal site

panaderia de molo as stamp site

1 region, 3 biggest islands, 4 key cities traveled by plane, bus and ferry, all in 2 days only. aiming to finish this lakbay rizal makes my travelholic illness move to the next level of adventure, which is the flashpacking.

i booked via walk-in to their ticketing office in domestic road these regular tickets 3 days before the preferred dates. cebupac for earliest flight from manila to iloilo (php1,567) and zest air for latest flight from cebu to manila (php1,667), these are airlines provide cheapest fare that time and one of the most expensive domestic fare i purchased.

quezon park night shot

fort san pedro as my last lakbay rizal stop

memorabilia's during my lakbay rizal quest

i divided this wonderful trip into different set of posts to be more specific on its content;

iloilo city morning drive (lakbay rizal final leg)
ferry and bus trip from iloilo to dumaguete
dumaguete city short stroll (lakbay rizal final leg)
going alone to casaroro falls
last stamp to cebu city (lakbay rizal final leg)

a visit to sitio wawa with beban 2 (wawa dam)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:23:21 PST

1st flashpacking and day-tour escapade with my 5-year old nephew
september 17, 2011
saturday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to train my nephew in the aspect of new adventure in his life

a visit to sitio wawa with beban 1 (pamitinan cave)

continued...

Bernardo Carpio is a legendary figure in Philippine Mythology who is said to be the cause of earthquakes. The basic form of the legend is that Bernardo Carpio, a being of great strength, is trapped in between two great rocks in the Mountains of Montalban. Some versions say he is keeping the mountains from crashing into each other, and some versions say he is trapped and trying to break free. When Bernardo Carpio shrugs his shoulder, an earthquake occurs.

bernardo carpio trapped in between this two great rocks

trail going to wawa dam

after trekking, spelunking and eating our lunch, we went back to our next activity which is the wawa dam sight-seeing and photo-ops followed by river bathing. there is no so much data gathered about wawa dam, even the locals i asked what they can say about, they can't even tell me any information might help or might be useful to bring-up the tourism on this place. i just know the area is really peaceful and people there are all nice.

wawa dam

Wawa dam, after all, was the lone supplier of water to Manila from 1908. In 1968, when Angat Dam was finished, Wawa dam was decommissioned. But the supply from Angat is no longer sufficient, so why not harness Wawa again ??? The MWSS said that Wawa is good for at least 50 million liters of water per day (MLD).

river bathing in wawa river

bridge going back from wawa dam

ITINERARY;

0900H - ETD SM City Fairview
jeepney bound to EDSA highway drop-off to batasan hills (php13)
jeepney bound to sta. lucia ikot drop-off to puregold banaba (php16)
jeepney bound to balete (php16)
jeepney bound to wawa (php11)
1130H - ETA sitio wawa
balsa to pamitinan cave (php50)
pamitinan cave (no entrance fee)
1230H - ETD pamitinan cave
lunch (php62)
1300H - ETA wawa dam
photo-ops
skin-dipping
1500H - ETD wawa dam
tricycle bound to san rafael main (php15)
jeep bound to cubao drop-off to puregold banaba (php16)
jeep bound to philcoa drop-off to commonwealth ave. (php8)
jeep bound to SM fairview (php13)

TOTAL EXPENSES: PHP220

more photos here...

a visit to sitio wawa with beban 1 (pamitinan cave)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 04:17:26 PST

1st flashpacking and day-tour escapade with my 5-year old nephew

september 17, 2011
saturday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to train my nephew in the aspect of new adventure in his life

important note (rodriguez, rizal);
Rodriguez, Rizal is a first-class, urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. The town's old name, Montalban, refers to its mountainous topography. It was also the town's official name from 1909. The town's official name is taken from the family name of Eulogio Rodriguez, Sr., one of the most prominent Montalbeños. The legend of Bernardo Carpio is said to have happened in the mountains of the town.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodriguez,_Rizal

along batasan hills overpass

raft for river crossing to pamitinan cave

trekking the pamitinan cave

Andres Bonifacio together with his 8 men fled to the mountains of montalban. It is where the Pamitinan cave located and it becomes their head quarter. It is also said that in this cave an important event happened. The katipuneros wrote something on the wall of the cave, "viva la independecia filipinas" which also means "long live the Philippine independence".

pamitinan cave

And according to the locals, pamitinan cave was also used by the japanese soldiers during the world war 2 as their hide-out.

beban (steven joseph) is the endearment nickname I gave to my 5-year old nephew because he always been admiring how I appreciate nature and travels. I decided to bring him with my journey to experience at a very young age how spelunking and trekking can be tiring but fulfilling for him. Probably one of the most youngest spelunker and trekker in our country, I just thought so, hehehe !!

pamitinan cave

i just made-up this decision the night before while thinking for new adventure this weekend. i asked her mother (my elder sister) to prepare all the things needed for the 1st backpacking of her son like basic clothings, snacks and other needs of a typical 5-yr old boy. so at 0900H, we head our way on budget do-it-yourself rides to sitio wawa.

more photos here...

a visit to sitio wawa with beban 2 (wawa dam)

camarines sur day-tour 2 (church hopping)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:10:41 PST

feeling the new transpo trip for the 1st time
september 09-11, 2011
friday to sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to continue the lakbay rizal quest and explore what this province can offer at limited time

new pnr bicol express train escapade
side trip to daet (lakbay rizal 5th leg)
camarines sur day-tour 1 (kulapnitan caves)

continued...

from libmanan crossing, we arrived in naga bus terminal after an hour. decided to ride a tricycle bound to naga cathedral but instead, detour for a local food trip favorite. after eating started the church hopping in naga city proper. started in naga cathedral, then jeepney to penafrancia shrine. afterwards, just walked to penafrancia basilica then went to centro (downtown) for our final food trip for the day. around 1800H, we went back to PNR terminal for another go back to manila rail trip.

naga metropolitan cathedral

naga cathedral arch

navigating penafrancia churches

PORTA MARIAE - Celebrating the 300 years of the Bicolanos’ devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia a commemorative arch was built and formally opened on September 9, 2010. The arch, 18 meters long, 4 meters wide and 11 meters high, is a symbolic gate which imbues the journey of Marian devotion in Bicol.

NAGA METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL - Considered to be the mother of all cathedrals in Bicol. With an official name of Naga Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, this cathedral is one of the olders cathedrals in the Philippines first built in 1595.

~~PEÑAFRANCIA SHRINE~~ - The original house of the Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia built in 1750. Its bell, donated by a wealthy Chinese trader Don Simon Tuangqui during its reconstruction in 1864, still tolls on its belfry today.

PEÑAFRANCIA BASILICA MINORE - The home of the Nuestra Sra. de Peñafrancia dearly called by her devotees as Ina (Mother) was built in 1985.

penafrancia shrine

penafrancia basilica

plaza rizal

ITINERARY:

SEPT. 09 FRIDAY
1650H - ETA commuter train nichols station (php10)
1730H - ETA PNR tutuban station
ticket reclinable seat (php548)
snacks outside station (php106)
1830H - ETD tutuban station

SEPT. 10 SATURDAY
0450H - ETA naga station
taho (php5)
tricycle to bus terminal (php8)
0515H - ETD naga terminal (php110) minibus
0830H - ETA daet
breakfast (php85)
tricycle to rizal monument (php8)
0930H - rizal landmark
1015H - ETD daet (php120) aircon van
1130H - ETA libmanan crossing
hire habal-habal (php120)
culapnitan caves
1400H - ETD libmanan crossing
minibus bound to naga (php25)
1500H - ETA naga
tricycle for food trip (php8)
kinalas snacks (php52)
1530H - church hopping
naga cathedral (just walk)
penafrancia shrine (php8)
penafrancia basilica (just walk)
jeep bound to centro (php8)
1710H - dinner (php95)
1745H - assembly naga station
ticket reclinable seat (php438) student discount
1830H - ETD naga station

SEPT. 11 SUNDAY
0530H - ETA tutuban station
0620H - ETA commuter train blumentrit station (php10)
0645H - ETD lrt edsa station (php15)

TOTAL EXPENSES: php1,779

PNR bicol express train naga station

more photos here...

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camarines sur day-tour 1 (kulapnitan caves)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:12:37 PST

feeling the new transpo trip for the 1st time
september 09-11, 2011
friday to sunday

objective: to visit the best tourist spots that fits my taste and budget accordingly
additional task: to continue the lakbay rizal quest and explore what this province can offer at limited time

the new pnr bicol express train escapade
side trip to daet (lakbay rizal 5th part)

continued...

important note (camarines sur);
Camarines Sur is a province located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Pili and the largest among the six provinces in the Bicol Region both in terms of population and land area. Its territory encompasses two cities: Naga City, the lone chartered city, is the province's and the region's most progressive city, also commercial, educational, financial, and cultural center, while Iriga City, a component city, is the center of the Rinconada area.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camarines_Sur

kulapnitan caves

after over an hour ride to an aircon van, we dropped-off to libmanan crossing for our 2nd activity for the day. we hired habal-habal for a roundtrip to culapnitan caves. around 1200H, we arrived this series of caves.

kulapnitan caves

Kulapnitan Caves - found in Libmanan town of camarines sur, it contains countless stalactites, stalagmites and massive pillars of extremely delicate designs and formations. Millions of bats emerge wildly from these caves, a rare spectacle but not fearsome. This group of caves is composed of cave that can be navigate through man-made handrails and obvious stairways. no entrance fee at this time but probably in summer season.

kulapnitan caves

went back to libmanan crossing around 1400H after finishing this 7 areas of interest inside the kulapnitan caves.

more photos here...

camarines sur day-tour 2 (church hopping)

side trip to daet (lakbay rizal 5th leg)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:34:44 PST

camarines norte provincial hall

rizal monument lakbay-rizal stamp site

disembarked train around 0500H in PNR bicol express naga station. took a tricycle (php8) bound to naga bus terminal. we immediately rode a departing minibus bound to daet. I thought we were much early on the planned schedule, but due to the very slow movement of bus, the supposedly 2-hours travel time took over 3 hours on the road. thus, our spare time has just wasted. warning, if your itinerary is critical on its planned departure transpo's, do not rode to minibus as this had lots of stop-over and talk shows along the journey. you must take either superlines ordinary bus or aircon van. thought the the fare is much higher, time will not suffer.

arrived in daet bus terminal 0830H. took breakfast first in nearby decent eatery then ask employees there how to go on thi monument. then, went back to terminal for hiring a private tricycle for the quest of my 23rd stamp for lakbay-rizal.

rizal monument in daet

RIZAL MONUMENT - This was the first monument erected in the country honoring Dr. Rizal. It was built by voluntary contributions of the people of Camarines Norte and unveiled on December 30, 1898. It is a National Historical Monument.

stamp site is located around 100 meters away the monument. its in the building of sports complex inside the provincial capitol, just ask the guard-on-duty. after 5 mins of photo-ops, went back to daet bus terminal for our 1st camsur side trip that will start on spelunking adventure.

black stamp lakbay-rizal completed in daet

lakbay rizal update:
23 of 26 done... ncr, regions 3, 4, 5 and 9 finished.

camarines sur day-tour 1 (kulapnitan caves)

new PNR bicol express train escapade

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:47:31 PST

feeling the new transpo trip for the 1st time
september 09-11, 2011
friday to sunday

The Philippine National Railways (Pambansang Daangbakal ng Pilipinas), commonly abbreviated as PNR, is a state-owned railway operating an extensive railway line on the island of Luzon. As of 2010, it operates two commuter rail services in Metro Manila and the Bicol Region. The commuter line in Metro Manila is part of the Strong Republic Transit System and is referred to as the Orange Line.

after resuming its operation last june 09, 2011 and suspended last july due to continuous heavy rains, finally it was officially announced last september 05, 2011 that the PNR bicol express trip (from tutuban station to naga station) will start its operation again. in fact, it will be better than ever, differences tallied as follows;

PNR tutuban station

before (2011 2nd quarter);
- operations is every other day only. this means if the train leaves tutuban on this day, it will be back on the next next day (day after tomorrow).
- train departs 1800H for both tutuban and naga station
- train arrives 0600H for both tutuban and naga station
- travel time of 12 hours
- lots of stop-overs
- sleeper couch costs greater than php950
- reclining seat costs greater than php700

now (september 2011);
- operations is everyday. this means if the train leaves tutuban on this day, there will be another trip for the next day.
- train departs 1830H for both tutuban and naga station
- train arrives 0500H for both tutuban and naga station
- travel time of 10.5 hours
- less stop-overs
- sleeper couch costs php950
- reclining seat costs php548

PNR bicol express route fare

PNR commuter train schedule

PNR bicol express train new schedule (sept. 2011)

there are 3 coasters that composed the entire train, 2 for sleeper and 1 for the reclining. of course, there is still 20% discount for seniors, php760 for sleeper and php438 for recline. both are fully aircon and have dedicated rest rooms. if you cant make it to tutuban station at 1830H, you can request for pick-up to any of this stations;
- espana station
- pasay road station
- alabang station

bicol express main stations consist of the following; Tutuban, España, Pasay Road, Alabang, Lucena, Plaridel, Hondagua, Ragay, Sipocot, Libmanan, Naga.

the experience;
- felt safe and secure, there was on-duty officer (with a gun)
- food and drinks are allowed to bring inside, stop-over to have snacks is not practice.
- train is good but sometimes the motion of the train itself is too shaky as in there were instances that it felt like coaster is separated on its railway.
- rest room is okay, no tissues available. sensor faucet operational on sink.
- don't reserve seats in 1A-1D as you will be disturbed and annoyed by this divider door separating the coaster and the rest room
- jacket is a must, temperature becomes insanely intolerable come early morning.

PNR bicol express train recline seats

PNR bicol express train rest room on recline seats

PNR bicol express route sleeper couch

for reservations and other queries, you can call PNR ticketing office (02)319-0041 local 104 and (02)319-0044

anyways, since the aim is to experience this new train journey, we have planned a side trip afterwards. i divided this wonderful trip into different set of posts to be more specific on its content;

side trip to daet (lakbay rizal 5th leg)
camarines sur day-tour 1 (kulapnitan caves)
camarines sur day-tour 2 (church hopping)

indochina 7-days solo backpacking summary

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:09:26 PST

vietnam, cambodia and laos 11th solo backpacking tour
august 24 - september 1, 2011
wednesday to thursday

day 0: ho chi minh city arrival at night
day 1: ho chi minh to siem reap bus trip
day 2: angkor archaeological park solo day-tour
day 3: siem reap to 4,000 islands bus trip
day 4: champasak province (southern laos) solo day-tour
day 5: pakse to phnom penh bus trip
day 6: phnom penh city solo half-day tour
day 7: ho chi minh solo day tour

continued...

here are some observations and advices that would be helpful just in case you like to do the same.

indochina country maps

1. upon arriving on Tan Son Nhat International Airport (vietnam), copy exactly the local time as reference time for the start of your journey (-0100H from Philippines or UTC +0700H). as for me, i used the flight-mode function of my mobile phone because i didn't use the roam service since i don't have wristwatch. i used it in every alarm, bus departures and tours i planned.

angkor archaeological park route map

phnom penh city route map

ho chi minh city route map

2. don't lower your guard at all times. after that negligence on day 1, from time to time, i double-checked my passport and count the remaining pocket money i have. It made me have a phobia to left my backpack. sometimes i even want to bring it though it is not needed due to gut feeling. remember, atm is only available in the key cities of this countries.

from pakse to 4,000 islands vv (laos)

cambodia bus route map

3. vietnam has the most english-speaking locals while laos has the least, but vietnam has the almost zero visibility of english-translation in every billboards/ads/signage i've seen in public. in regards to pakse city (laos), the only english speakers i encountered were the bus terminal personnels and the travel and tours staff, no one else. thus, it was really hard to negotiate.

4. be systematic to local bills. vietnam dongs, cambodian riels, laos kips and us dollars have almost similar physical looks with each other when joined together. even same currency with different amount is more confusing to count. as for me, if i'm in different country, i kept the previous remaining bills inside my bag. I bring only sufficient amount of dollar and local money to be spend for the day only.

5. if you're really on a tight budget just like this, plan your things to do every night before. even the details of possible expenses. this is one of the best tip i highly recommended.

peso against international bills

6. just chill and relax, feel the moment that you are there. whether you are just walking, waiting for the bus to depart or eating, enjoy the time of the journey. the lost money happened gave me a 200% alertness on all of my senses. it triggered the sleeping fighting spirit within me. i immediately told myself this will not ruin my mindset. things will still go my way, no matter how it takes. though there were things i really want to do but because of the shortage, i just took it as "there will be next time". by the way, i don't have credit card, my savings debit card is just on its maintaining balance.

indochina suvenir items

more photos here ...

click here to download in pdf the detailed itinerary

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ho chi minh city departure at night

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:00:07 PST

ben thanh market

I arrived in the market around 1630H. I did some strategic buying by canvassing 1st the prices of the bags I like which is found along the road then somehow make it as the benchmark or ceiling price for bargaining inside the market. after couple of minutes, I bought this almost looking original sling bag worth 400,000vnd(php800) that i got by 250,000vnd (php500). also, a cheap souvenir items, enough for my remaining money.

Headed-back to my guesthouse in pham ngu lao, estimated 500 meters away only to ben thanh market. rest, then packed my things properly. have my last dinner and around 2130H, decided to go to airport for my 0100H departure the next day. I rode as a backride in a motorbike that costs a negotiated rate of 65,000vnd (php130).

my last dinner meal with local beer

Tan Son Nhat International Airport

goodbye ho chi minh city! goodbye vietnam!
goodbye indochina!
may see you again at the crossroads!

day 7 expenses: (@ php43/usd php0.002/vnd)
* motodup to airport = 65,000vnd = php130
* 1/2 day cu chi tunnel tour = 90,000vnd = php180
* cu chi tunnel entrance fee = 80,000vnd = php160
* breakfast = 30,000vnd = php60
* snacks = 50,000vnd = php100
* sling bag in ben thanh market = 250,000vnd = php500
* souvenir shirt(S) = 45,000vnd = php90
* souvenir display = 15,000vnd = php30
* dinner & snacks = 72,000vnd = php144
TOTAL : php1,394

torturous lane in NAIA T3 @ 0500H

vietnam-cambodia-laos budget souvenirs

indochina 7-days solo backpacking summary
go back to main post

ho chi minh city famous landmarks

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:37:18 PST

vietnam, cambodia and laos 11th solo backpacking tour
august 24 - september 1, 2011
wednesday to thursday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: lost half of my pocket-money in day 1... show must go on for the planned itinerary no matter how it takes

ho chi minh solo day tour
ben dinh cu chi tunnel

continued...

after half-day cu chi tunnel tour, a just-walk tour on ho chi minh city that includes the following;

The War Remnants Museum is a war museum at 28 Vo Van Tan, in District 3. It primarily contains exhibits relating to the American phase of the Vietnam War. Operated by the Vietnamese government, the museum was opened in September 1975 as "The House for Displaying War Crimes of American Imperialism and the Puppet Government [of South Vietnam]." Later it was known as the Museum of American War Crimes, then as the War Crimes Museum until as recently as 1993. Its current name follows liberalization in Vietnam and the normalization of relations with the United States.

war remnants museum

Reunification Palace formerly known as Independence Palace, built on the site of the former Norodom Palace, is a landmark in Ho Chi Minh City. It was designed by architect Ngô Viết Thụ and was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It was the site of the end of the Vietnam War during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, when a North Vietnamese Army tank crashed through its gates.

reunification palace

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica, officially Basilica of Our Lady of The Immaculate Conception, is a cathedral located in the downtown of Ho Chi Minh City. Established by French colonists, the cathedral was constructed between 1863 and 1880. It has two bell towers, reaching a height of 58 meters (190 feet).

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica

ho chi minh departure at night
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ben dinh cu chi tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:40:53 PST

ben dinh cu chi tunnel

the tunnel of cu chi was the holy revolutionary base of military region committee saigon-gia dinh high command of cu chi district party committee and all the cu chi people, where was also a versatile battle formation to front enemy and to contribute signifantly to task of enemy fighting and national unity.

ben dinh cu chi tunnel

The tunnels of Cu Chi are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located in the Củ Chi district of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong's base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968. The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous guerrilla fighters. The tunnel systems were of great importance to the Viet Cong in their resistance to American forces, through which they secured American withdrawal from Vietnam and ultimate military success.

ben dinh cu chi tunnel

ho chi minh city other famous landmarks
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ho chi minh city solo day-tour

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:31:03 PST

vietnam, cambodia and laos 11th solo backpacking tour
august 24 - september 1, 2011
wednesday to thursday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: lost half of my pocket-money in day 1... show must go on for the planned itinerary no matter how it takes

day 0: ho chi minh city arrival at night
day 1: ho chi minh to siem reap bus trip
day 2: angkor archaeological park solo day-tour
day 3: siem reap to 4,000 islands bus trip
day 4: champasak province (southern laos) solo day-tour
day 5: pakse to phnom penh bus trip
day 6: phnom penh city solo half-day tour

continued...

DAY SEVEN:
HO CHI MINH CITY DAY TOUR

ho chi minh city tour route map

Ho Chi Minh City, formerly named Saigon, is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once known as Prey Nokor, an important Khmer sea port prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th century. Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china and later of the independent state of South Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. In 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding Gia Định Province and was officially renamed Hồ Chí Minh City after Hồ Chí Minh (although the name Sài Gòn is still commonly used.)

cu chi tunnel

I have planned the tour for the day as follows;

0800H-1430H: cu chi tunnel half day tour
1430H-1700H: diy city tour
1700H-1900H: ben thanh market

vietnam war remnants museum

notredame cathedral

inside the park near ben thanh market

ben dinh cu chi tunnel
ho chi minh city other famous landmarks
ho chi minh city departure at night

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phnom penh to ho chi minh bus trip

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:57:26 PST

vietnam, cambodia and laos 11th solo backpacking tour
august 24 - september 1, 2011
wednesday to thursday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: lost half of my pocket-money in day 1... show must go on for the planned itinerary no matter how it takes

phnom penh city solo half-day tour
the killing field (choeung ek genocidal center)
tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)
phnom penh city other famous landmarks

continued...

phnom penh city (cambodia) to ho chi minh city (vietnam) bus travel time took approximately 6 hours including the stop-overs and crossborder checkpoint.

I availed the last trip bound to ho chi minh city that costs $12 in travel and tours company. If i bought it directly to the bus operator, it will be $9 only, another budget wasted. 1430H is the last trip for all the bus companies bound to ho chi minh city, the last departing time before that is 1330H but on different bus.

inside the bus with neck pillow

last moments along the cambodia road

From my guesthouse in street 302, i just walked to estimated 4km distance to that bus terminal due the free pick-up service for the day is not available. i was informed that the only landmark I have to bus terminal was the phnom penh olympic stadium but when i arrived there, i wasted almost an hour just to find it. i even asked the police officers to call the number on the receipt but nothing happened. i made it 15 mins before the departure time.

goodbye phnom penh city, goodbye cambodia !

roll-on roll-off barge along mekhong river

CAMBODIA(bavet)-VIETNAM(mocbai) CROSSBORDER IMMIGRATION CHECKPOINT

we arrived in bavet crossborder around 1545H and in a matter of 15mins, i have already my passport with stamps on both crossborder immigration offices. the bus conductor assisted us well. no questions asked, got our bag then left.

coming back to the roads of vietnam

I landed back to pham ngu lao road around 2000H. searched for another guesthouse that is much cheaper, approached again by a fellow backpacker but this time its a japanese so we shared a 2-bed aircon room that costs 105,000 vnd (php210) a night. night-stroll, booked my next day activity then sleep.

vietnam motorcycles at night

day 6 expenses: (@ php43/usd php0.002/vnd)
* bus fare to ho chi minh = $12 = php516
* motodup = $7 = php301
* entrance fees = $5 = php215
* breakfast = $1 = php43
* lunch = $2.5 = php107.5
* snacks = $2 = php86
* guesthouse = 105,000vnd = php210
* dinner = 68,000vnd = php136
TOTAL : php1,614.50

day 7: ho chi minh solo day tour
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phnom penh city other famous landmarks

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:28:00 PST

vietnam, cambodia and laos 11th solo backpacking tour
august 24 - september 1, 2011
wednesday to thursday

objective: to visit the best tourist spot that fits to my budget at limited amount of time.
additional tasks: lost half of my pocket-money in day 1... show must go on for the planned itinerary no matter how it takes

phnom penh city solo half-day tour
the killing field (choeung ek genocidal center)
tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)

continued...

my last stop of having used the transportation of motodup after killing fields and genocide museum. i wanted to do the remaining landmarks on just by walking only.

wat phnom has an entrance fee of $1 for all tourist. Wat Phnom ("Temple of the Mountains" or "Mountain Pagoda") is a Buddhist temple (wat) located in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It was built in 1373, and stands 27 metres above the ground. It is the tallest religious structure in the city.

wat phnom

The Royal Palace was closed during on this day. This was constructed over a century ago to serve as the residence of the King of Cambodia, his family and foreign dignitaries, as a venue for the performance of court ceremony and ritual and as a symbol of the Kingdom. It serves to this day as the Cambodian home of King Norodom Sihamoni and former King Norodom Sihanouk. The Royal Palace complex and attached 'Silver Pagoda' compound consist of several buildings, structures and gardens all located within 500x800 meter walled grounds overlooking a riverfront park.

phnom penh royal palace

The Independence Monument (Vimean Ekareach) was built in 1958. It stands on the intersection of Norodom Boulevard and Sihanouk Boulevard in the centre of the city. It is in the form of a lotus-shaped stupa, of the style seen at the great Khmer temple at Angkor Wat and other Khmer historical sites. The Independence Monument was designed by the influential Cambodian modern architect Vann Molyvann. A ceremonial flame on the interior pedestal is often lit by a royal or high official on these occasions, and floral tributes line the stairs.

independence monument

phnom penh national museum

more photos here...

phnom penh to ho chi minh bus trip
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tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)

noreply@blogger.com (the viewing deck) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:31:29 PST

tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)

Formerly the Chao Ponhea Yat High School, named after a Royal ancestor of King Norodom Sihanouk, the five buildings of the complex were converted in August 1975, four months after the Khmer Rouge won the civil war, into a prison and interrogation center. The Khmer Rouge renamed the complex "Security Prison 21" (S-21) and construction began to adapt the prison to the inmates: the buildings were enclosed in electrified barbed wire, the classrooms converted into tiny prison and torture chambers, and all windows were covered with iron bars and barbed wire to prevent escapes.

tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)

The buildings at Tuol Sleng are preserved as they were left when the Khmer Rouge were driven out in 1979. The regime kept extensive records, including thousands of photographs. Several rooms of the museum are now lined, floor to ceiling, with black and white photographs of some of the estimated 20,000 prisoners who passed through the prison.

tuol sleng genocide museum (S-21)

more photos here..

phnom penh city other famous landmarks
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