Singapore Discoveries for January

I promised myself that I will be writing some city discoveries in our new home. Here are my discoveries for the first month of this year! Try them when you come and visit Singapore.

1) Stroll in the Singapore Botanic Gardens
Singapore Botanic Gardens, a 74-hectare garden of different trees and flowers, offers different attractions but the most famous one is the National Orchid Garden. The orchid garden features features 20,000 different varieties of orchids.

(c) Life as Eu Know It

Activities to do:

Family picnic, jogging, strolling and photography sessions.

Entrance Fee: 

FREE to enter Singapore Botanical Garden

National Orchid Garden: $5/person

How to go there: 

MRT Circle Line (Singapore Botanic Gardens) 

Bus #: 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123, 174 (via Holland Road)

Bus #: 48, 66, 67, 151, 153, 154, 156, 170, 171, 186 (via Bukit Timah Road)

2) Jog at the McRitchie Nature Reserve
McRitchie is a favorite spot for joggers and marathoners. The 4.8-kl trail to the Tree Top is also famous for tourists and locals alike. The Tree Top is a narrow hanging bridge where you can watch the forest canopy.

Activities to do:

Hiking, Bird Watching, Exercise and Workouts, Water Sports

No Entrance Fee

How to go there: 

Nearest MRT Station is Caldecott (Circle Line)

Nearest Bus Stop: 51071 (Bus#: 52, 74, 93, 157, 130, 132, 156, 162, 162M, 165, 167, 852, 855, 980)

To know more about McRitchie Park and Reservoir, click this link. 

3) Ride the cable car to Mt. Faber and visit the the Henderson Waves:
The cable car service is available at Vivo City, Sentosa and Mt. Faber. You can start the round trip from any point but make sure to go down at Mt. Faber and explore the place.

Cable Car Fee: $29 for adults, $18 for children 4-12

View at the Cable Car

If you're up for the challenge, you can also continue to stroll at the Mt. Faber area and look for Henderson Waves- the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore (36 meters above ground). If you want to skip the cable car, you might want to start at the Marang Trail near Harbourpoint MRT (NE, CC Line).

At the Henderson Waves

Imagine how high the Bridge is

(c) Life as Eu Know It

Mae Sai and the Thai-Myanmar Border

Summer last year, I was given a chance to visit the Northern part of Thailand with six beautiful ladies. Our first stop was northernmost city of Thailand, Mae Sai. Mae Sai is the home of the "Sleeping Lady Mountain" and a number of interesting places to visit:

1. Doi Tung Garden: Less than an hour away from Mae Sai lies this beautiful garden with different variety of flowers.  This garden is literally at the top of the mountain, overlooking the terrain of Burma/Myanmar. It is a good place to unwind, take pictures and be at one with nature :)

There's a cafe at the heart of the garden

Doi Tung Garden

How to go there: We went there using a private vehicle but I found this direction from Lonely Planet.
Garden Entrance Fee: 80 Baht

2. The Golden Triangle: - a place in the world where three countries are visible and only one river determines their territories. The boat rent is a little bit expensive so it is wise to be with a team.

I went here with a team and we paid 1000 Baht for each person. Usually, the fee is higher.

The Boat Ride / Golden Triangle

Laos Day Market at the Golden Triangle

From the mini-port, you can see a huge Buddha statue, different casino places on the other side. You can view the mountains of Myanmar on the left side, the town of Thailand and the destination is the flea market of Laos where you can buy souvenirs.

How to go there from Mae Sai: Blue Songtheaws in Mae Sai town (45 minutes, 50 Baht fee) 
Source: Wikitravel

3. Thai-Myanmar Border: This is located near the central market of Mae Sai. Thailand and Myanmar are just a small creek away. Even though there's no visa for Southeast Asian people like us, we were asked to pay 1000 Baht to be able to cross. The place in Myanmar is called Tachilek- known for its cheap markets. We wandered through the town, ate Burmese food (tried to!) and bought some authentic Myanmar goods in the market. We visited some sites like the famous Tachilek pagoda. We had a glimpse of Myanmar for a day.

The Bridge that Divides Thailand and Myanmar

My feet in Tachilek! :)

A famous pagoda in Tachilek, Myanmar

4) Mae Sai Temple: This is a Buddhist temple overlooking Mae Sai City and Tachilek, Myanmar. If you are not a Buddhist, it is still interesting to go and see a glimpse of what Buddhism is like.

Statues outside the main temple

One of their altars

Path to the temple (tiring! forgot how many steps the stairs has)

Unfortunately, my list is limited but Mae Sai and neighboring towns have a lot to offer! A compilation is posted by Virtual Tourist (click here).

Vientiane, Laos: A Not-So-Ordinary City in Southeast Asia

Ever been to a laidback city before? Well, that’s the picture of Vientiane, the capital of Laos- a Southeast Asian country landlocked by Thailand in the West, Vietnam in the east, China and Myanmar in the North and Cambodia in the South.

In the past years, Laos has become a common destination for backpackers in South East Asia. The real thrill however lies in its different provinces but Vientiane has its own beautiful places to offer to travelers. I hope my list will encourage you to visit one day.

It is easy to go around Vientiane, especially if you stay near the Mekong. Just use your GPS or ask for a city map at your hotel and you're ready to go :)

Patuxai

Patuxai or the Victory Monument is a similar structure of Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The ceiling has a story to tell too. You can climb Patuxai for less than a dollar  (5000 kip). From the top,you can have a glimpse of the city.

On the second floor, you can find stores selling Lao souvenirs. 

The Patuxai 

National Museum

For 10000 kip,  you can have a tour of their museum. It is one of the places that a tourist must visit in order to understand the country’s history and its people groups.

Pha That Luang

This stupa is the national symbol of Laos- emphasizing their adherence to the Buddhist beliefs. The Buddhists said that  monks buried a holy relic of Buddha here.  It must be interesting to visit during the That Luang Festival every November. 

Entrance Fee: 5000 kip

The Pha That Luang

Near Pha That Luang is a Buddhist temple where you can see the many different faces of their gods and a big statue of the leaning Buddha.

Haw Phra Kaew

The Haw Phra Kaew

It houses different kinds of Buddhas- from the smallest to the biggest. Many Buddhists visit to pray and pay respect to the large Buddha statue. Taking picture inside the museum is prohibited.

Entrance Fee: 3000 kip 

Wat Si Saket

This is a Buddhist wat featuring a large statue of Buddha inside. Buddhist monks spend time here to pray. Silence and modesty is  observed.

Entrance Fee: 3000 kip 

The Presidential Palace

The Presidential Palace is near the Mekong River. It has a modern architecture design and beautiful in the pictures (with a sunset on the background!)

The Presidential Palace

Buddha Park

This park is a little bit far from the city. You need to hire a tuktuk  to go there ( if you are on an arranged tour, definitely you will visit this place). It is an old park housing a huge leaning Buddha, the different kinds of gods in Buddhism and Hinduism and a man-made cave. Entrance Fee: 3000kip

Night Market near Mekong River

From 5pm to 10pm, the flea market is up near the Mekong River. The place is crowded with tourists and locals trying to buy cheap goods in the night market. Local products are also sold here so it is a must to go! A lot of street foods are available and it is a great place to try Lao food without hurting your wallet. The night market closes at 10pm though. 

COPE 

A center that introduces the history of cluster bombing in Laos and an open invitation on how foreigners can help :) They have a mini-museum, a store (proceeds go to the victims of cluster bombing) and an ice cream shop! (Free Entrance)

Inside the mini-museum of COPE

Mekong River J

Go biking in the street near Mekong, you’ll find Buddhist temples in every corner! The rent for bikes is just 10000 kip a day. 

Where to stay? 

Many backpacker hotels are situated near the Mekong River. It is a great place to get your hotel because everything is available there (grocery store, restaurants, street foods). I recommend Vientiane Star Hotel if you’re looking for a cheap but clean place to stay. The staffs are friendly and accommodating. 

Laos is a beautiful country and I can't wait to explore its gems in the future! For now, let's savor the memories of its laidback capital city :) Til next post! 

Palawan’s 3 Beautiful Places in 6 Glorious Days (Palawan Trip 2014)

Underground River, El Nido and Coron in six days: possible? I’d say a big yes to that.

At first, I was skeptical of our plan but YES we did it! We were able to go from Puerto Princesa, El Nido and Coron in six days with a budget of roughly P25000 (for two)!  You may think everything was done in a rush but NO. We were able to do a lot of things and have a chillin’ time in the evening. It only takes careful planning, meticulous budgeting and a "believing" heart (naks!)

Since I've been getting a lot questions about this trip, I'll share with you how we did it:

Day 1: Arrival and Puerto Princesa City Tour

To save time and money, you may just take a tricycle tour

(Cost: P600 for the tricycle; Estimated time: 3-5 hours). 

City Tour includes:

Crocodile Farm: A conservation center not just for crocodiles but also for bear cats, wild boars and other extinct animals. You may also try the crocodile sisig if you want to. Entrance Fee: P40/ person

Baker’s Hill: A restaurant with a park and mini-zoo. You can buy the famous Palawan-made hopia in their bakery. No entrance fee

The Peacock in the Baker's Hill mini zoo

Buttefly Haven and Tribal Village: It is a small garden with different kinds of butterflies. You’ll also have a tour to the Tribal Village where they’ll show how Palaw’an indigenous people live. The Palaw’an men will show how they hunt and get food while the women will show how they weave. Entrance Fee: P100/person

Basket woven by Palaw'an Women

Mintra’s Ranch: It’s more of a private ranch but at the front of the house, you can have a picture overlooking Palawan sea and there’s a zipline also. No entrance fee

Honda Bay: You can just stroll at night and see the sunset.

Option 2: Honda Bay Island Tour (for P1200/person)

Option in the Evening: If you still have the time and energy, you may do the Iwahig Firefly Watching 

(P1200 rental of boat).

Day 2: Underground RiverTour

You’ll need at least a day for you to do this (the underground river is located in Sabang area-around 2 hours from the city)

P1500/person (with buffet lunch and transportation)

For my complete post about this, read Puerto Princesa’s Underground River.

 From Sabang, you can ride a van (P750) directly to El Nido.

Day 3: El Nido Day

In El Nido, we only took  the famous Tour A (7 Commando Beach, Big and Small Lagoon, Secret Lagoon)(See my complete post about El Nido here)

P1200/person with a sumptuous lunch

P100 environmental fee (this is P200 but you can haggle if you’ll only spend one day in El Nido)

The tour will end at around 4 pm so you after resting for a while, you can go and witness the rays of the sun in Bacuit Bay or enjoy coffee in one of the many restaurants in the area. Alternative Restaurant has always been recommended by travel bloggers. 

Note: Remember to secure your ticket to Coron (the boat schedule to Coron is only during Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Your hotel can help you with this so don’t hesitate to ask :)

Day 4: Travel to Coron

8 hours in the sea--I'll tell you, it isn't an easy ride! Remember to buy enough food.

The boat usually leaves at 8:00am, ETA in Busuanga is 5pm. It costs P1500 for Filipinos and P1800 for foreigners.

If you're still okay after the long boat ride, roam around Coron town and look for agencies that offers hiring private boat for P1500. (See my complete post about Coron here)

Day 5: Coron IslandTour

The private island tour usually includes the following:

Kayangan Lake (P200 entrance fee)

Baracuda Lake (P100 entrance fee)

Atwayan Beach (P100 entrance fee)

Twin Lagoon (P100 entrance fee)

CYC Beach (Free entrance)

The private tour costs P1500 (boat, tour guide and boat man). The travel agencies in Coron also offer group tour (P600-P1500/head depending on the destination). 

Usually you'll end at around 4pm (depends on how long you’ll stay swimming). You can try Mt. Tapyas climbing after to see the sunset and then head to the Maquinit Hot Springs to relax your tired body.

Day 6: Chill Time

To witness the sunrise, you may opt to try Mt Tapyas again. Then head to the market to buy some pasalubongs like cashew nuts (Palawan’s local product), pearls and other memorabilia.

Try a sumptuous lunch in one of the famous local restaurants. Get ready for the 45-minute travel to the airport. Hotels’ check out time is usually 11:30am. 

For this trip, you’ll spend P10000-P15000/person, depending on your hotel and food budget. It’s all worth it. Palawan is a paradise.

SECDEA Resort in Samal Island

Summer spells B-E-A-C-H for most Filipinos. Too bad summer is almost over now. 

And for our last summer getaway, my husband and I visited Nems' family in Davao City. 

They brought us to the newest resort in Samal Island: SECDEA Beach Resort.

This area is perfect for kayaking and snorkeling. They take good care of the coral reefs in the area/

Our SECDEA-loving moment :)

Without compromising quality in their amenities and service, they offer cheaper rates compare to the famous resorts in Samal Island. They have a day-tour which includes buffet lunch for P650/ head (adults) and P550 (for kids 7 yr-old and younger). You can rent your own cottage near the beach for P500 or so. Seaside rooms for 2-3 persons cost P3,900 to P4,900. The lodge for 4 persons costs P7,400 and the SECDEA villa which can accommodate 12 people costs P15,900.

Papa and mama in front of one of the villas in SECDEA

Sun, sand, sea with a mountain backdrop- perfect!

Here are the amenities rates (from http://samalbeaches.com/)

Jetskie- P4000 per hour/ P2500 per 30 min

Kayak (Single) - P300 per hour/ P200 per 30 min

Kayak (Double)- P400 per hour/ P250 per 30 min

Paddler Boat- P200 per hour/ P150 per 30 min

Life Vest Rental- P150 per day

Bicycle- P400 per day/ P150 per hour

How to get there:

Since I've never experienced travelling in Samal Island via public transportation, I think this blog post by boylakwatsero can help you. :) The RORO boat ride from Davao City to Samal Island port is not long and lasts for just 30-minutes or less. The fare too is very cheap. From the port, you arrange a van pick-up with the resort for P1000. 

If you have your own vehicle, then things would be a lot easier especially if you're with your whole family. RORO fare for cars costs less than P500. 

Photos by LB

Conquering Coron

Our trip didn't end in El Nido, we went all the way to see Busuanga and Coron. (See the start of our Palawan escapade trip: Puerto Princesa; See our El Nido Trip here)

map from this link

From El Nido to Coron

From El Nido, we took a boat going to Coron. It was a long and rough boat ride- approximately 8 hours. We arrived at around 5 pm. The boat usually leaves El Nido at 8am.

Boat fee: 

P1500- for locals

      P1800- for foreigners

Finally, we can see the Busuanga town from afar!

If you plan to travel to Coron from El Nido, make sure to get a ticket in advance.  The people in El Nido are helpful and honest, you can always ask around. Make sure also that you have enough food with you (bread, fruits, nuts). The boat fee comes with a free lunch but it's not enough (we were given small pieces of adobo chicken with two cups of rice).

Coron Island: Beauty Hidden Inside 

The Tour

Like El Nido, there are many travel agencies in the town. We chose Aquos Travel Center. They offer tours for different destinations in Coron in reasonable prices.

Aquos Travel Center
Bgy. 2 National Highway Coron, Palawan
Telephone Numbers: 0939-912-4918/ 0927-693-1642
Email: aquos_travelandtour@yahoo.com

Budget Package Tour depending on the places to visit,ranges from P650/pax to P2500/pax. This includes licensed tour boat, guide/s, lunch, entrance fees and cottages.

We chose the private tour which costs P1500 (for the boat rental and guide fee). We chose this becase we wanted some privacy and our own choice of destinations to go. But this would mean that we need to buy our own lunch. At 9am, we went to the wet market and shopped for our lunch. We spent around P500 for the lunch (squid, big fish, vegetables and fruits). 

The downside of this choice is the entrance fee for the destinations. Unlike El Nido, they don't charge environmental fee but each destination has a corresponding entrance fee. Here are the places where we went:

Kayangan Lake: the most photographed place in Palawan, according to our tourist guide. In order to see the lake, one has to climb the 300+ steps. At the top, you can take some pictures of the view and the cave nearby. Entrance Fee: P200/ person

The view at the top

The cave 

We enjoyed Kayangan Lake to the fullest!!! Water's clear and perfect for swimming.

Baracuda Lake: famous for scuba diving because of the water's change in temperature (from cold to hot). We were not ready for the "diving" but we went there still. Entrance Fee: P100/person

The path to Baracuda Lake

The divers

Atwayan Beach: this is where we had lunch and enjoyed swimming at the white sand beach. 

Entrance Fee: P100/ person

Twin Lagoon: two lagoons perfect for swimming! The entrance to the other lagoon is a bit challenging especially if it is high tide. Entrance Fee: P100/person

See that little hole with stairs? That's the entrance for the other lagoon. :) Picture from google.

Aerial view of the twin lagoon from travelfoodguru.wordpress.com.

CYC Beach (Free entrance): this was our last stop where we enjoyed swimming in the heat of the sun. We let Mr. Sun kissed us for the last time :)

CYC Beach from afar

Other Sites to see:

Near Atwayan Beach, there’s the famous ship wreck. If you like snorkeling, you can try this and Jal's or CYC Coral Garden. 

The tour usually ends at around 4pm (depends on how long you’ll stay swimming). You can try climbing Mt. Tapyas  to see the sunset and then head to the Maquinit Hot Springs (Entrance Fee: P150/person) to relax your tired body.

To witness the sunrise, you may opt to try Mt Tapyas again. Then head to the market to buy some pasalubongs like cashew nuts (Palawan’s local product), pearls and other memorabilia.

The Busuanga Airport:

Arrange transportation going to the airport. Usually it takes 30-45 minutes to go there. Enjoy the view in the plane :) Cebu Pacific and PAL has regular flights from Coron to Manila and vice versa.

Accommodation

We booked Coron Village Lodge in advanced and they charged us for P1500/night. The room was okay but we just thought P1500 is too expensive for it. I wouldn't recommend this hotel. We also lost some valuable things (although we're not sure if the hotel staff were responsible for it). The welcoming staff were not friendly too. There is also no wifi in the room-- you need to go to their restaurant or garden in order to make use of the internet! 

Find some good hotels in Agoda or read travel blogs for their recommendations. 

Exclusive of air fare, budget travel to Coron could cost P5000+++.

That ends our six days adventure in Palawan :) Indeed, Palawan is a paradise!