Tuesday Tips: 11 EUROPE THRIFT HACKS You Should Know

Travelling around Europe has always been a dream since I started exploring places in 2012. Every year, I will always plan to make this dream Europe trip for the following year. It took 7 years for this dream trip to happen. Last October 2019, I flew to Europe (via Singapore) alone & explored the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark for 19 days. It was not a cheap trip but not too expensive as well. Every Euro, Czech Koruna & Danish Krone I spent was worth it. You may check out my posts about this Europe trip of a lifetime under the Going Solo in Europe category.

Some of you know that no matter how trips, like this trip to Europe, sound expensive, I always find a way to make it affordable. I shared with you in my past posts how I went to Fukuoka, Japan for a weekend & spent less than ₱12,500 including plane tickets & accommodation, how I booked international return tickets from Manila for as low as ₱1,300+ & so on. I also posted under my Tuesday Tips section how I applied DIY visas for Schengen Territory (Europe), China, Australia & Japan.

Allow me to share with you how I managed to save money & spend lesser than the usual. Here are 11 thrift hacks I found useful in my Euro trip last year.

Take Advantage of Airline & Credit Card Deals

Right before the Covid-19 pandemic, major airlines & banks offered credit card exclusive airfares & deals to the airlines’ network. These promotions happen throughout the year but the best ones are offered in the 1st quarter (January to March) of every year. Some people recommend to book plane tickets after getting your visa. Tickets at these times are already expensive. If you have an extensive travel record & good trip intention, I tell you to risk it.

I booked my plane ticket to Europe from Singapore Airlines & BPI’s Online Travel Fair. I paid US$ 719.23 for a return trip with Singapore Airlines on this route – Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Amsterdam, Copenhagen to Singapore & Singapore to Manila. I paid ₱37,669.40 in peso, including foreign currency transaction charges for a full-service experience on a 5-star premium airline. It was worth the risk.

Book Accommodations Early

Booking accommodations early give you access to the nicer & cheaper options. Booking platforms also offer early bird discounts which you shouldn’t let go of. One thing to note here –always go for the option with flexible booking terms such as free cancellation, no pre-payment or pay at the hotel / hostel. I booked my hostels a bit late for my trip & the cost has almost doubled. If only I booked my hostels earlier, I could’ve saved more. I tried booking for an upcoming / cancelled trip to Europe 9 months away & imagine, I’ll only pay around ₱11,000 for 12 nights around Germany, Austria & Hungary. Yes, it can be that cheap!

I previously wrote a set of Tuesday Tips about the pattern in getting the best accommodation deals – check out the post here. Hope you find it helpful.

Apply For Your Own Visa

It may take some research & a physical appointment with VFS but applying for your own Schengen tourist visa will save you the handling fees charged by travel agencies. Read blogs & posts on how to apply for a Schengen tourist visa. Next thing you’ll know, it’s already your appointment day. Don’t worry about getting the visa on its release. You can arrange delivery by courier for a few hundreds.

I applied for my own Schengen tourist visa & I wrote how I did it. Check out my Tuesday Tip on this DIY Schengen visa application process.

Invest In An Internet Sim Card

Our generation is very dependent on internet connection. I think it’s a good & bad thing – but more of a good thing when you’re travelling around Europe. It’s easier to find places through maps, to book online tickets last-minute, to get online recommendations & to keep contact with loved ones back home at any time of the day. It’ll save you cost because you won’t take unnecessary taxi trips & you won’t get lost. Make sure to always check the sim card features & its coverage. Also, it’s always better to buy a sim card here in the Philippines than in the airport of your arrival. Internet sim cards in Europe area freaking expensive.

I bought my internet sim card from Pinoy Traveler’s Unlimited Data Sim Card on Facebook. I paid ₱1,600 for a plug & play 30-day UK-Europe-World data sim card which had 12 GB of 3G/4G data & unlimited call & text in Europe & UK & 9 GB of 3G/4G data outside Europe & UK. The data sim card worked well throughout the trip – in Singapore, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark. The sim card automatically connected to the network partner in every country. It was a good product with an extensive coverage.

Check For Online Ticket & Tour Discounts

It pays to check the museum or online tour websites for discounted tickets. Most companies offer discounted early bird tickets or last-minute promotions to those who want to join on the spot. Believe it or not, I got my Heineken Experience ticket for €18, from the usual €20 ticket bought on site. I also got a discounted guided day tour trip to Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken from Get Your Guide. The tour was originally priced at €35 to but I only got it for only €28. I booked the tour last-minute, the night before the tour itself.

Here’s the Heineken Experience ticket I bought online for €18, instead of the usual 20.
Got this Zaanse Schans, Edam, Volendam & Marken guided tour for 28 at Get Your Guide website.

My friends told me that some tour companies & museums even have more discounted tickets if you book your tickets earlier. Ultimately, weigh in the cost of doing it by yourself through public transportation or by private guide versus the cost of joining a guided tour. Go for the guided group tour as long as you get a good deal out of it.

Enjoy Hostel Buffet Breakfasts

Food in Europe, in general, is expensive. An affordable meal can cost you around €10 without drinks. One thing I did on this trip is to enjoy hostel buffet breakfasts. Some hostels in Europe offer their buffet spread for affordable rates. These buffet spreads include bread, cereals, cold cuts, cheese, & drinks such as coffee, tea or juice. Generator Amsterdam offered their buffet breakfast for €7,5 while Dream Hostel Prague has them for €4,5. Sleep Well Youth Hostel Brussels guests have access to free buffet breakfast (which was really nice) while Steel House Copenhagen sold breakfast bags (with bun, juice & energy bar) for around €6,5.

Avail of any breakfast promotion or offering your hostel has – it’s way cheaper (unless you have time to cook your own food) than what’s outside. It’ll also help you kick start your day right.

The Supermarket Is Your Best Friend

One of the things I always do when I am in a new place is to go to supermarkets. I mentioned these in my blogs about the things I miss doing in Japan, tips in saving money in Melbourne & going around Singapore on a budget. These groceries sell everything for a better price – cheaper than what you pay in specialty shops, food stalls & restaurants. It is also the best place to buy bottled water & beer.

This bottle of juice + 4 croissants cost me only 2.90-ish in Albert Heijn. Awesome breakfast deal!!

I didn’t avail of the hostel’s breakfast one morning because I left early for a group tour. I dropped by an Albert Heijn supermarket & got myself 4 croissants & 1 big bottle of juice for less than €3. Great deal, right?

Set A Daily Budget

It helps to set a daily budget for long trips like this. It helps you control your day-to-day expenses & stretch your pocket money. Daily budgets vary from one country to the other, depending on how expensive the country is.

I set a daily budget of €40 per day for my 2019 Europe trip. That daily budget doesn’t include the accommodation costs which I already paid days before the trip. Believe it or not, it worked! I usually avail the hostel’s breakfast in the morning, then have late lunch somewhere (mostly local food) and have street food & beers for dinner. The daily budget also included transportation costs & if possible, museum entrance fees. I spent more than €40 on some days, but I was at €30-€35 in most days.

Join Walking Tours

Free, or should I say, tip-based walking tours are popular in Europe. Various companies run daily walking tours around the city through independent & professional tour guides. At the end of every walking tour, the joiner can give any amount (no specific amount required by the guides) on what he / she thinks is the value of the tour. Typical tip is €5 to €10 per tour. Joining these walking tours will save you from joining overpriced private or city group tours priced at €20 to €25 per person.

I joined a number of walking tours on this trip – Amsterdam, Brussels, Bruges, Ghent, Prague, Český Krumlov & Copenhagen. All the guides are friendly & they speak good English. They also give recommendations on where to go & what to do in the city.

Take Buses Instead of Intercity Trains

European cities & countries are well-connected by intercity (IC) trains. One can literally hop on a train in Amsterdam & arrive in Paris after a few hours. One can also board a train in Paris & wake up in Vienna the following day. However, fares on these trains are expensive. A 2-hour IC train trip from Amsterdam to Brussels can cost up to €60 if you buy it last-minute.

Good thing Europe has a wider network of buses that run in between cities. Bus companies such as FlixBus, BlaBlaBus, Eurolines, RegioJet & National Express run trips between cities at affordable cost. The same 2-hour Amsterdam to Brussels trip on FlixBus only cost me €12. It can even be cheaper if you book tickets earlier & not last-minute. These buses guarantee each passenger a seat & even has 20-kilogram allowance for luggage.

Walk & Enjoy The Feeling of Getting Lost

The best way to explore every city in Europe is by walking. Most cities have local tram networks & subways but nothing will beat the feeling of walking around & getting lost in an unknown place. You’ll see many beautiful historic buildings, walk through preserved parks & see the daily lives of locals. You’ll learn to appreciate each place more when you walk around it at your own pace. There’s no need to spend extra euros for these tram, subway & bus rides.

I never walked as much as I did in this trip to Europe. I would usually skip taking the tram, bus & subway rides & instead walk 2-3 kilometres per way at my pace, while enjoying the local scene. The cold weather helped me not get exhausted easily. I got lost a lot of times but I enjoyed it & I let my foot take me to wherever it’ll take me. I ended up seeing hidden beautiful streets, peaceful & preserved reserves & picturesque landmarks.


These hacks helped me a lot throughout my 19 days trip around Europe. It saved me euros, spared me from expensive tour deals & prevented me from spending too much on one thing. At the end of the day, it all falls to extensive research & careful trip planning. Having been to Europe & spending less compared to what a usual tourist still proves my point that no matter how expensive one place is, there will always be ways to make it affordable.

What personal travel hacks can you share to me? Do you also book your tickets & accommodations way in advance? How do you go about planning your itinerary & your modes of transportation? Share some of your travel hacks in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about those mentioned above? You may also post them in the comments below or you can also send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll answer them as soon as I can.

Thank you for joining me in today’s set of Tuesday Tips. I hope you also find time to check my posts about the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark under the Going Solo in Europe category. Keep up-to-date with thrift hacks like this & promotional fares by following me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram. Until the next set of Tuesday Tips!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: Do-It-Yourself CHINESE TOURIST VISA Application with Lesser Than Usual Show Money

Some of you know that before all these Covid-19 happenings around the world, my friend & I had a weekend winter trip to Shanghai, China. We booked our tickets last September 2019 for ₱2,335.63 & 3,050 GetGo points each. Pretty cheap, right? China was never on our list but we gave it a shot considering the affordable tickets & the schedule fell in one of the February EDSA longer weekend. My friend & I applied for & got our own tourist visas. I applied in the Chinese Embassy by myself while she opted for the tourist agency option.

Do you want to know my secret in booking those cheap tickets? I wrote about being a champ in booking low-fare tickets. It comes in 2 posts – this is the first post & here’s the second post. Enjoy!

Then Covid-19 pandemic happened. Our Shanghai trip got cancelled. I don’t know how the current situation will the visa application process. I don’t know how many of you will opt not to visit China in the future. I don’t know how this will change budget travel or travelling in general. To be honest, I was unsure if I should still share my do-it-yourself visa application experience because of what happened but here I am doing it anyway. I still want to show you how I did it before specially for those who still plan to do it in the future. It will take years for travelling to go back to the pre-pandemic demand but it will slowly go back to it anyway.

Let’s take a break from all the Going Solo in Europe posts, flight reports, P’s lists & hostel of the day features & go back to one of the OG sections of this website – Tuesday Tips. Allow me to share with you below how I got my Chinese Tourist Visa with lesser than the usual show money.

In case you missed it, I also wrote about how to get your tourist visas for Japan, The Netherlands (DIY Schengen Visa) & Australia. Check out those posts under the Visa Application category.

1 – Download Tourist Visa Application Form & Get Requirements List

The first step is to go to the website of the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines to download the visa application form & get the list of requirements needed for the visa application.

Here is how the tourist visa application form looks like. It can be downloaded from the website.

2 – Book Plane Tickets & Accommodations

The Embassy of China in the Philippines requires tourist visa applicants to submit confirmed ticket reservations & proof of accommodation. My friend & I booked our tickets before visa application so we didn’t have a problem with this. We also booked a hostel before we applied for the visa.

We paid ₱2,335.63 & 3,050 GetGo points each for return tickets to Shanghai with Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you don’t have a confirmed ticket, you may ‘rent’ a confirmed reservations with your name & details from various travel agencies & online platforms. You may also book accommodation on your own but choose those with free cancellations.

Here’s the accommodation I booked for the trip. It has free cancellation until days before the trip.

3 – Prepare Visa Documents & Requirements

The next step is to prepare all the required documents for the visa. Here are the needed documents for first time tourist visa applicants:

Accomplished Application Form – Applications forms should be filled completely in capital English letters & signed. Make sure to put N/A for those parts not applicable to the applicant.

Passport – Passport must be valid for more than 6 months & has at least 1 or 2 blank pages.

Photocopy of Passport’s Information Page / First Page

Photo – These colored photos should be taken within the last 6 months, has white background & are 48 mm x 33 mm in size.

BIR-stamped Income Tax Return

Bank Certificate & Bank Statement – Please provide 6 months history for the bank statement & include the bank receipt for payment of these documents.

Certificate of Employment (if employed) – It must detail the length of employment & salary.

Photocopy of Company ID / Student ID / Professional ID

Photocopy of Business Registration Certificate (if self-employed / business owner)

Confirmed Ticket Reservations – as detailed in item number 2

Proof of Accommodation – as detailed in item number 2

Detailed Day-to-Day Itinerary – This is not required but worth-adding to add strength to your application.

4 – Visa Application Day

The Embassy of China in the Republic of the Philippines does not need appointments for those who want to apply for tourist visas. In fact, they don’t even need the applicant’s personal appearance. If you are not available, you can ask your relative, colleague or friend apply the visa for you.

The embassy’s consular section office is at 2nd & 3rd floor, The World Center, 330 Sen. Gil Puyat Ave in Makati City. You can arrive any time before 8:00 am, get your entry pass from the guard & line up outside the Gil Puyat Ave entrance. The consular section starts to accept applicants as early as 8:00 am.

When you reach the doors of the consular section, the guards will check your bags. Food & drinks are not allowed inside the visa application center. The staff will then check your application form & documents & give you a number. You can head in, find a seat & wait until your number is called.

Inside the Embassy of the Republic of China in the Philippines Consular Section. Chaotic place, tbh.

The staff in the visa application documents section call batches by 5. Once your batch is called, proceed to the assigned section & submit your documents. Once verified complete, the staff will give you a claim stub with the date of release of your passport. You may go home after that.

Regular visa processing time is 4 working days. If you apply on a Wednesday, you will get back your passport on Monday.

5 – Claim Your Passport & Pay Visa Free

Go back to the embassy consular office on your passport’s scheduled release date. Just like when you applied for your visa, go to the guards & claim your building pass. Queue up outside & wait for turn in the consular office doors. This time, the staff will give you a number & wait for your number to be called. Once called, you will now go to the payment section & pay for the visa fee. Single entry visa fee costs ₱1,4000, double entry visa costs ₱2,100, 6-months multiple entry visa costs ₱2,800 while multiple entry visa over 6 months costs ₱4,200.

After paying for your visa, you can now proceed to the passport claim section where the staff will give your passport back with your tourist visa. Don’t forget to check your visa & make sure all details are correct.

And voilà – you already have your Chinese tourist visa. The embassy usually issues single entry visas for first time applicants. These visas are valid for 3 months from the date of issue & allow for a 14-day stay upon arrival in China.

Important Things To Know

Applying for a Chinese tourist visa is just like applying for other visas. The requirements are pretty the same. However, there are other important things to know when applying for a Chinese tourist visa.

Embassy Consular Section Business Hours – The office is officially open weekdays (excluding holidays) from 9:00 am to 11:00 am only for visa application & passport claims. People arriving after 11:00 am will not be accepted & will be asked to go back the next day. From my experience, they start accepting applications & releasing passports as early as 8:00 am.

Appointments & Personal Appearances Are Not Required – The Chinese embassy does not need appointments for visa applications. In fact, anyone can apply for your visa. You can ask your relative, friend or even an agency to apply for you.

Complete Your Application Documents – Make sure your documents & requirements are complete. The staff do not accept incomplete applications. Those with incomplete documents are advised to go back the following day & queue again. There’s no special lane or fast lane for those returning with now complete documents.

Itinerary That Makes Sense – Create day-to-day itineraries that make sense. The dates must be consistent with the ticket & accommodation reservations. If going to a different city, include domestic tickets in your application.

Show Money – The Chinese Embassy does not specify how much money should one have in his or her account at the time of application. Most, if not all, travel agencies require at least ₱100,000 average daily balance from the visa applicant. That is the safe amount. I applied for my visa with not even ¾ of that amount & I got approved. Just make sure to have enough money in your account that will be enough for your itinerary. I personally believe that one’s travel history is as important as one’s money. If you have a good travel history then you’ll be fine.

Be Early – The consular office opens at 8:00 am – 9:00 am but people queue outside as early as 6:00 am. If you are to submit your documents, you can arrive at least before 8:00 am and finish a little past 9:00 am. Claiming passports is a different story. If you are to claim your passports, be there as early as you can. I arrived before 7:00 am & finished at 9:45 am. Claiming takes longer than the applicant itself, at least during my time.

Limited Services for First Time Applicants – First time tourist visa applicants can only apply for a single-entry tourist visa. The embassy will not accept applications for double or multiple entry visa. Also, first time applicants cannot avail of the rush & express visa services.

Here’s my granted single-entry tourist visa for China. I ended up not using it because of Covid-19.

I was so happy when I got my single-entry tourist visa. I never thought I’ll get it. As mentioned above, China was never my list but the cheap ticket made me give it shot. I was also looking forward to meeting a Shanghai-based friend whom I met in Siem Reap, Cambodia years ago. It was all good until Covid-19 happened. We decided not to push through with our trip. Our visas have lapsed but all good. Health & safety first over anything.

Do you have any questions about the tourist visa application process above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. If you have questions related to other types of visa, you may contact the embassy at +632-8848-23-95 or via e-mail to phchinaembassy@hotmail.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s Tuesday Tip. Please don’t forget to follow me on my social media pages – Facebook & Instagram. Have a nice day & please stay safe.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tips for Filipinos / Philippine Passport Holders: Do-It-Yourself SCHENGEN TOURIST VISA Application With VFS NETHERLANDS

Some of you know that I flew to Europe last October for 19 days across 4 countries & numerous cities. While I won’t discuss my itinerary yet in this post, I’d like to share with everyone how I got my Schengen tourist visa from VFS Netherlands.

Visa application process is the most-feared process of all travelers. Why? It’s because this determines whether one’s well-awaited trip to his / her dream destination with push-through or not. The fate of one’s visa only depends on the consul approving these applications.

JANUARY 2023 UPDATE – I recently lodged & received a Schengen tourist visa from the Embassy of Italy in the Philippines via VIA PAISI Center. Check out the latest do-it-yourself Schengen visa application post here.

Everything you need when applying for a Schengen visa with VFS Netherlands can be found here.

SchengenVisaInfo.com published in their website that in 2018, the embassies approved 91% of all Schengen Visa applications in the Philippines. The Dutch Embassy ranked 1st with 39,572 approved visas out of 42,341 visa applications. The embassy’s rejection rate is only 4%. The French & Italian Embassies had the highest number of rejection rate of 11% with 6,135 applications rejected out of the combined 56,673 visa applications received.

Given the figures above, I made sure that I will start my Europe trip or I will stay the longest in The Netherlands. The Netherlands Embassy in Manila no longer accepts visa applications in their office. All visa applications have to go through VFS Global (Visa Facilitation Services Global), an outsourced company that processes visa applications for Canada & most countries in Europe.

Last September, I applied for a Schengen tourist visa with VFS Netherlands. I’m happy to share that I was able to get my tourist visa a week after. I was given a multiple entry visa valid for 45 days with an allowable stay of 30 days within the Schengen Zone. My world stopped when I saw the visa stamp. I have other approved visas in Australia, Japan, South Korea & Taiwan, but having a Schengen visa is something else.

Did you know that in 2019 I went on a 19-day solo trip around Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic & Denmark for less than ₱120,000 ALL IN? Yes, airfare & accommmodation included. It even included a 12-hour stopover in Singapore. Check out this blog post to know more!

Allow me to share with you my tourist visa application journey with VFS Netherlands. I did the visa application process by myself, without any help of an agency. I’d like to give a shout out to the blogs of Two Monkeys Travel Group & The Poor Traveler for their super helpful Schengen visa application guides. I will also share with you some tips that will help you throughout the process.

Disclaimer: The process below is for those who already have a fixed itinerary, dates, entry & exit points at the time of visa application. Also, this visa process is only for those who are going there as a tourist with no invitation.

TIP: You need to apply to the embassy of the country you’ll stay the longest. If your itinerary has equal several days in all countries, you need to apply to the embassy of the country you’ll first enter in the Schengen zone. If in doubt, contact VFS or the embassy you’re intending to apply to.

1 – Create a VFS Global Log In & Set Your Visa Application Appointment

The first step is to create a VFS Global log in details. Head over to this link to sign up for an account. After signing up for & verifying your account, you can now set your visa application appointment. This appointment is the date & time where you submit all your application form, passport & visa requirements. Make sure to give yourself ample time in completing your requirements.

To set up an appointment, go to the VFS Netherlands web page. Click Schedule An Appointment; log in with your credentials & chooses the necessary details. Usually the visiting country, residing country & the VFS center has already been pre-selected. You just need to choose the purpose of travel. After that, you need to add the name/s of the people applying for the visa, add in some more details, then choose the desired date & time of application & click confirm.

Minutes after confirming your application, you will receive an appointment confirmation e-mail together with your unique reference number & the appointment letter. Keep this appointment letter until the day of your visa applications schedule.

TIP: Apply for your tourist visa at least 1.5-2 months before your trip. It gives you enough time for everything. At least there’s no need to worry if your visa will make it before your flight or not.

ANOTHER TIP: VFS opens appointment dates 1 month before the scheduled date. I applied for my visa last September 4, I set my appointment a month before – August 4. It’s always good to be early in setting an appointment, you can choose the time slot that’s convenient to your schedule. Choose the earliest time slots, there are close to no people during these times.

2 – Book necessary trip accommodations & buy travel insurance

Schengen visa applications need confirmed accommodation bookings. They ask for the details of your accommodation (name of hotel or hostel, address & contact details) during your stay in Europe. Make sure to book accommodation right before you start with the application form.

TIP: Book your accommodation with Agoda & Booking.com & choose those with free cancellation options. You can always cancel these bookings after & choose your accommodation of choice once you get your visa. I booked all my accommodation with these 2 websites & I didn’t have any trouble during the application process.

First part of the travel insurance I bought from Standard Insurance Co, Inc.. Coverage is €37,500!

Another need for Schengen visa application is a confirmed travel insurance for the application. Applicants must secure a travel insurance that will cover the trip & that can cover up to €30,000 in expenses. I booked my travel insurance with Standard Insurance. I got their Schengen Protect Option which covers claims up to €37,500. The insurance cost me ₱1,918 for 19 days coverage, including flight days.

3 – PREPARE the required documents

After booking your trip accommodation & buying your travel insurance, the next step is complete the list of requirements needed for the application. Here are the documents I submitted to VFS.

Cover Letter – A cover letter is not required but is highly encouraged. I still submitted a cover letter detailing the purpose of my trip as well as how long I will in the Schengen territory.

Accomplished Application Form – I will discuss this in the next step.

Passport – Your passport must be valid for more than 6 months at the time of travel. It must also have at least 2 blank pages.

Photocopy of Passport Bio Page – One copy is enough.

Photocopy of All Passport Stamps & Visas – I submitted a copy of all my passport stamps & visas from both my current & previous passports.

Photo – The photo must meet the Dutch passport requirements. Also, the photo must be taken within the last 6 months.

Bank Certificate & Statement – I submitted both my bank certificate & bank statement for the last six months. These bank documents must be original.

Credit Card Statements – I submitted only a month statement of all my credit cards. This is just a supplementary document.

I submitted my confirmed air ticket booking with Singapore Airlines. Also included my Brussels Airlines ticket from Brussels to Prague & Czech Airlines airline ticket from Prague to Copenhagen.

Confirmed Travel Tickets – I took the risk & booked my ticket with Singapore Airlines early this year so I submitted my confirmed ticket. You can make travel reservations with various travel agencies without having to pay for the ticket. The VFS agent also asked how I’ll travel from one country to the other; good thing I also have my confirmed tickets in between countries.

Proof of Accommodation – I submitted all the accommodation bookings I had for the trip. Make sure that all details (including the dates) are consistent with that from the application form.

Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary – I submitted a dummy day-to-day itinerary for my trip. I ended up not following this itinerary. They just need to see where you’ll go & what you’ll do while in the Schengen zone.

Days 1 to 5 of the detailed itinerary I submitted to VFS. I wasn’t able to follow this during the trip.

Certificate of Employment & Certificate of No Objection – I submitted my certificate of employment detailing my position, length of employment & my salary. Our company HR officer also gave me a certificate of no objection where it stated that my employer knows this trip & they are not objecting against the trip. It also stated when I am on leave from work & when they expect me to report back to work.

Income Tax Return – I submitted a copy of my 2018 BIR-stamped income tax return.

Travel Insurance – I submitted a copy of the travel insurance I got from Standard Insurance.

TIP: VFS Netherlands only asks for the photocopy of most these documents. The only documents that they need the original copies are the following: application forms (all pages), bank certificate & bank statements. They also need a photocopy of the passport bio page. Take note that have your documents on A4 size paper only. Some embassies or travel agencies require to photocopy all your requirements. If unsure or in doubt, contact VFS or the embassy.

ANOTHER TIP: You can submit as many financial documents as you can so show your strong ties here in the Philippines. In my case, I submitted statements of all my 4 credit cards & a copy of my life insurance policy. The VFS agents won’t prohibit you from submitting all these documents.

ONE MORE TIP: Make sure your transfers between countries are booked. I took flights from one country to the other so I provided the flight bookings. If you are intending to take the train, mention it in your daily itinerary & tell the visa agent.

For the complete list of requirements for VFS Netherlands Visa Application, check out this link.

4 – Accomplish The Online Application Form & Print

The Netherlands’ Schengen visa application form must be filled out electronically. You can fill out the application form found here. Make sure that all details in your requirements & itinerary are consistent with the one in the application form. After answering all questions, print out the application form in A4 size paper.

TIP: Fill out each question or option slowly & surely. I had to fill out the form 4 times before I got everything correct.

5 – Go to VFS Philippines on your scheduled appointment

After completing all the requirements & printing the application form, make sure to head to the VFS Netherlands Visa Application Center in Makati City. The application center is located in Mezzanine Floor, Ecoplaza Building, Don Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, Philippines. It is one jeepney ride away from Magallanes MRT Station. Upon arrival, proceed to the mezzanine level & look for the visa application center.

TIP: Arrive at the visa application center at least 15 minutes before your schedule. My appointment was at 8:00 am & the guard allowed me to enter the center even if it’s not yet 8 in the morning.

ONE MORE TIP: Bags are not allowed inside the visa center. They only allow the documents, phones & wallets inside the visa center. There is a locker facility in the visa application center for your bags & things. It is can be found at the right side, after the toilets. From memory, locker fee is ₱75 regardless of size.

6 – Submit Your Documents

The first stage of documents submission is the appointment confirmation & documents check. Once confirmed & check, you will now proceed to the visa application area. Once your number is called, proceed to the designated area & submit your documents. The Embassy of The Netherlands in the Philippines doesn’t require an interview with its applicants. The application is purely based on the submitted documents.

You also need to pay an application fee of €60 (to be paid in Philippine pesos). The rate at the time of my application was ₱4,321 (₱3,420 visa fee + ₱901 VFS handling fee). You will also be give the option to claim your visa once issued or have it delivered via courier. I availed the delivery by courier option & paid a minimal fee.

After submitting your documents & getting your visa fee receipt, you will now proceed to the bio metrics section to get records of your fingerprints. Once done, you may now go out of the application center, claim your bags & leave VFS Philippines.

TIP: They only accept payments in cash. Pay in exact amount for faster transaction.

Note: Schengen visa fee per person with The Embassy of The Netherlands will increase from €60 to €80 effective 2 February 2020.

7 – Claim Your Passport / Wait for Your Passport Delivery

The waiting game begins. The standard processing time is 15 calendar days. You can track the progress of your visa application in the VFS Netherlands website by entering your tracking number found at the back of your receipt.

It took my passport about a week until I got it back & voila, I got a multiple entry visa for 45 days with an allowable stay of 30 days. SUCCESS!

I was so happy when I finally got my passport back & when I saw my first ever Schengen visa. I never thought I’ll get one after doing everything by myself. It was an achievement! I recommend applying your first ever Schengen visa with The Netherlands. The process was quick & easy. They don’t ask for other additional documents.

If you have any questions about your visa application or the process in general, feel free to contact VFS Global Netherlands Visa Application Center at + 632 8528 2503 or via e-mail to info.nlph@vfshelpline.com. The phone line is only open from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday.


Have you applied for a Schengen visa on your own? Which embassy / VFS application center did you go to? How was the application process? Do you have any questions about the application process or requirements? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. I will try to answer them as soon as I can. If you’re shy, feel free to send your questions & clarifications via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels –FacebookInstagram or Twitter. Thanks!

Tuesday Tip: 6 WAYS To SAVE MONEY In MELBOURNE

I’ve been to Australia twice (August 2018 to Sydney & Brisbane & April 2019 to Melbourne) in the last 2 years & I can tell you it’s not a cheap country to visit. Everything, including drinking water, has a price tag – not just an affordable price, but an expensive tag on it. A cheapo meal will cost you AU$10 (₱350-ish in our currency) & this meal will probably be a bland or a simple one. A normal meal in a restaurant will cost you about AU$15 – AU$25, drinks not included. A private room in a 2 or 3 star hotel can cost you about AU$100 per night while a room in a branded hotel can cost you double or even triple that price just for a night.

Australia has a high cost of living, this is also supplemented by the high wages & better government services. Filipino tourists like us, with the current cost of living here in the Philippines, will have a hard time coping with the daily expenses when travelling around this country.

Interested to know how I got my Australian tourist visa in 8 working days? Check out this post to know more.

Having been to different expensive countries in the past, I still believe that there are ways on how one can survive & save some money while travelling around these costly places. Today’s Tuesday Tip will be all about ways on how to save some money in Melbourne, Australia. Last April, my friends & I went & explored the city for 8 days & 7 nights. It was not a cheap trip but we managed to save some cash by doing the following:

stay & cook in hostels

Staying in hostels in one way of saving some cash while in Melbourne. Nightly rates range from AU$25 – AU$50, depending on the dormitory room configuration of choice. The more people in one dormitory room, the cheaper it gets. These hostels also provide kitchen & food storage facilities. Guests are allowed to store & cook their own food at any given time the kitchen is open. It is another way of saving money instead of eating outside.

My dormitory bed in Flinders Backpackers Melbourne.. Very basic but I have everything I need! 🙂

Unsure if staying in a hostel is something for you? Check out this article & know the ups & downs of staying in hostels. It might just help you decide.

Staying in hostels is also a perfect time to meet other people travelling around. If you are up for free accommodation & have the courage to stay in a stranger’s place, check out CouchSurfing. It is an application where travelers can find people to host them in their own pads in their city of destination.

Now back to staying in hostels.. Last April, we stayed in Flinders Backpackers Melbourne. It is an affordable hostel with a large kitchen suitable for preparing meals & cooking. The hostel also provided free cook-your-own pancake breakfast, including cereals & bread. I actually made a separate post about our stay in this hostel. Check out the Hostel of the Day feature here.

Go For A Supermarket Haul

Supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths & Aldi have wide variety of food & drinks one can enjoy. My friends & I always drop by these supermarkets before going back to our hostel to buy something that we’ll bring in our tour the following day. It helped us save some money, instead of buying expensive snacks in tour stopovers.

You can also get sandwiches, cookies & even cooked meals in these supermarkets for a very low price. You can never go wrong with these supermarkets. Just a tip, I believe Aldi & Coles are cheaper than Woolworths in most items.

Join Free Walking Tours

The best way to explore & know more about Melbourne is by joining free walking tours. The walking tours are conducted by freelance guides who know about the history of Melbourne & Australia in general. The guides will bring you to different interesting locations & spots that have connection to the history of the city.

Currently, there are 3 companies running these walking tours in Melbourne – I’m Free Walking Tours, Walks 101 & Strawberry Tours. These walking tours operate on a tip-based program, where the guests are not required to pay for the tour, but rather give tips on what they think the worth of the tour is at the end of it. From experience, the usual tip is about AU$10 per person.

We took a walking tour with I’m Free Tours in August 2018 & only gave a tip at the end of the tour.

We joined the I’m Free Walking Tour in Sydney back in August 2018 & decided to skip the Melbourne one. We found out that most (not all) of the tour information / details are the same as that of Sydney’s – basically about Australia’s history & how everything started in the country. I recommend that you take these walking tours. You will know a lot about Australia.

Hop On & Hop Off The Free city Trams

Tram rides within the Melbourne Free Tram Zone do not incur any charge. These includes the city circle trams & all trams that operated within the Spring St, Flinders St, La Trobe St, Victoria St, William St, Elizabeth St & part of Docklands. Anyone can just hop on & hop off in these trams at any time of the day for free as long as you don’t go beyond the free tram zone.

My friends & I used these city trams a lot. We got tired of walking around at some point during the day & decided to just take the trams around the central business district. They’re free of charge anyway.

Explore Places For Free

Melbourne has a long list of places where you can go & explore for free. You can go & walk around Federation Square & continue to the famous mural street of Hosier Lane. You can also walk towards the State Library of Victoria & view the main hall from the topmost floor. You can also go to Queen Victoria Market, Shrine Gallery of Remembrance, Royal Botanic Gardens, Yarra River & Chinatown all for free.

We walked to & through these places several times without even spending a dollar. They were all for free & these buildings, streets / lane ways pretty much make up most of the major places to visit in the city. I recommend going back to these places after the free walking tour to take your time in exploring.

Take Advantage of Lunch Sets & Happy Hours

Restaurants & bars around Melbourne have regular promotions on lunch sets & happy hours (for alcoholic drinks). They offer the meals & drinks for cheaper prices at specific times of the day. Make sure to always ask the waiter or bartender before ordering your food / drink.

Bonus Tip – Share Meals With Friends

Most of the meal size servings in Melbourne are big enough to stuff 2 people. These sizes come with the price – they’re expensive that’s why they’re served big. We, Filipinos, were used to regularly sized meals & we were shocked by the amount of food served to us in some restaurants.

We ordered these dishes in 3 different restaurants. Too much for one person; they’re all for sharing!

I ordered a chicken parmigiana meal worth AU$ 14 that was as bigger than by hand. It came with some chips (we call these fries) & salad. I was not able to finish the whole meal. It looks like a normal meal for the locals but I see it as something I can share with my friends.

If you’re travelling with friends, it pays to share these kinds of meals with them. You save some cash, you can even try more dishes in the menu!


There you go! I hope these tips will help you save some money in your upcoming Melbourne trip. Melbourne or Australia in general may be expensive to explore, but there are ways on how you can get away with these high costs. In case you are wondering about the details of my previous trips o Sydney, Brisbane & Melbourne, I have compiled all posts into a list below:

SYDNEY

N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 1 – Heritage Sites Within The City
N9 In Straya Series: Exploring SYDNEY By Foot Part 2 – City Icons, Alleys & Harbours
N9 In Straya Series – BONDI BEACH & COOGEE BEACH – A Short Trip To Two of Sydney’s Suburban Beaches + BOUNCE SYDNEY HOSTEL Tribute
N9 in Straya Series: HUNTER VALLEY Day Tour – Australian Wine Tasting At Its Finest
N9 in Straya Series: SCENIC WORLD BLUE MOUNTAINS – Nature & Adventure In One Place
Hostel Of The Day: THE POD SYDNEY – Minimalist & Contemporary Hostel In The Middle Of A Busy City

BRISBANE

N9 In Straya Series: BRISBANE Weekend – Quality Family Time In QLD

MELBOURNE

N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 1 – Parks, Gardens & Heritage Sites
N9 In Straya Series: Walking Around MELBOURNE Part 2 – Hipster Laneways, Communal Spaces & Modern Areas
N9 In Straya Series: BRIGHTON BATHING BOXES – Iconic & Photogenic Bathing Boxes Found In A Coastal Melbourne Suburb
N9 in Straya Series: GREAT OCEAN ROAD – A Day Trip To The World’s Largest War Memorial
N9 In Straya Series: PHILLIP ISLAND – A Perfect Day Out With Nature & Australian Wildlife
N9 In Straya Series: PUFFING BILLY RAILWAY & YARRA VALLEY WINE TOUR – Victoria’s Heritage Steam Railway & Wine Region In A Day
Hostel Of The Day: FLINDERS BACKPACKERS MELBOURNE – Budget-Friendly & Extremely Popular Hostel In The Heart Of The City

Can you think of other money-saving tips in Melbourne? Feel free to share your suggestions & experiences in the comments section below. You can also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com & I’ll surely have a look at ’em. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

Thank you very much for joining me in today’s set of Tuesday Tips! Until the next one.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Tuesday Tip: 4 TRUSTED HOSTEL GROUPS To Check When Looking For AFFORDABLE ACCOMMODATION in JAPAN

We can’t deny the fact that Japan accommodation prices are very high compared to those of our neighboring countries. From someone who’s been to a number of countries, I can vouch that it actually has one of the most expensive per night rates (both in hotels & hostels) in Asia.

I’ve been flying to Japan every year since 2015 & believe it or not, I’ve never stayed in a hotel. I always go for the cheaper & comfortable option of staying in hostels. I have the tendency to be very picky on which hostel to choose & what time of room or dormitory configuration to book but so far, I’ve never made a bad decision. All rooms & bed types I got in the past are decent, secured, comfortable, some are a little bit over the usual price but totally worth every yen.

In the last 5 years of flying to & travelling around Japan, I discovered 4 trusted hostel groups that offer affordable & over-the-top services to its guests. Note that I’ve stayed in at least one property of these hostel groups in the past. If you’ve been following my Hostel Of The Day posts in the past, you’ll see some of featured hostels coming from these hostel groups. These hostels are located in places or cities where most foreigners go or visit.

The aim of these hostel groups is to provide the best quality of hospitality in the most affordable price or rate. I can assure you that all hostels under these hostel groups provide the best comfort they can at such low prices. Allow me to share with you which hostel groups you should check for your next Japan trip.

Have you read the article I posted about the pattern in getting the best travel accommodation deals online? If not, better check out this post.

Oak Hotel Group

Oak Hotel Group is a hostel group owned & managed by Oakhouse Co Ltd. The group started in 1992 as living spaces for foreigners in Japan. It has transformed into share houses for both foreigners & locals. A few years after, the hostel is operating in 6 locations in Tokyo & 1 in Nara. The hostel group’s concept is ‘enjoyable living.’ True enough, all their properties are equipped with facilities that provide comfortable & enjoyable experience.

Here are the current Oak Hotel properties: Oak Hostel Sakura in Oshiage, Oak Hotel Edo in Morishita, Oak Hostel Fuji in Asakusa, Oak Hostel Zen in Ueno, Oak Hostel Cabin in Tokyo, Oak Hotel Ikebukuro in Ikebukuro & Oak Hostel Nara in Nara.

Check out these photos of Oak Hostel Zen’s common lounge, wash, kitchen & dining areas. Neat!

My favorite Tokyo hostel is under this hostel group – Oak Hostel Zen. In fact, I already stayed in this property for 3 times (2015, 2017 & 2018) & I am planning to go back in the future. Check out the hostel of the day feature of Oak Hostel Zen.

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group

J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels Group is a combination of 2 smaller hostel groups – J-Hoppers & Hana Hostels. J-Hoppers started in 2002 in Kyoto, Japan in a small building near Kyoto Station. Different branches have been added since then. The owner’s vision in creating this hostel group is to give foreigners a ‘home’ during their ‘Japan-hopping’ trips.

This hostel group also operates J-Stay, a shared-house business for those who want to stay in Kyoto for a longer time, J-Hop Tour, a bus-tour that runs from Osaka or Kyoto to Shirkawa-go & Hida Takayama & hana SAKE bar, a sake bar located on the ground floor of the Osaka property.

The hostel group currently has 12 properties across different locations: J-Hoppers Kyoto, J-Hoppers Hida Takayama, J-Hoppers Lake Biwa, J-Hoppers Kumano Yunomine, J-Hoppers Osaka, J-Hoppers Osaka Universal, J-Hoppers Hiroshima, Kyoto Hana Hostel, Osaka Hana Hostel, Hiroshima Hana Hostel, Fukuoka Hana Hostel & Gion Ryokan Q-Beh.

This is how a bed in a Hana Hostel dormitory bed looks like. It’s spacious, clean & comfortable. 🙂

One of my recent hostel of the day features is that of Fukuoka Hana Hostel where I came back for the second time. I stayed in the same property (& same room) last November 2016 when I went hopping around different cities. I also stayed in Osaka Hana Hostel & Hiroshima Hana Hostel in November 2016.

K’s House Quality Hostels

K’s House Quality Hostels is a multi-awarded hostel chain that started business in 2003 in Kyoto. As per the company’s website, their group’s concept is to provide ‘inexpensive, convenient & comfortable accommodation for travelers.’ They aim to be true to this concept by providing all guests with quality service, spacious communal areas & comfortable bedding be it in private or dormitory rooms. The group currently operates 12 properties & plans to expand to more locations in the coming years.

The hostel group also operates an affordable Mount Fuji One Day Tour & another accommodation branch, K’s Villa which offers affordable vacation rentals in various locations.

The operating hostels of K’s House are the following: K’s House Kyoto, K’s House Tokyo, K’s House Tokyo Oasis, K’s House Hiroshima, K’s House Mt Fuji, K’s House Fuji View, K’s House Hakone, K’s House Ito Onsen, K’s House Takayama, K’s House Takayama Oasis, K’s House Kanazawa & K’s House Hakuba Alps.

K’s House Kyoto’s spacious common area. This area is the best place to meet people traveling Japan.
K’s House Mt Fuji’s 8-bed dormitory room. Stayed in this dormitory room last November 2017.

I’ve always been a fan of K’s House. I stayed in K’s House Kyoto in 2015 when I flew to Japan with my high school friends. I went back to K’s House Kyoto following year with another friend from work. In 2017, I stayed in K’s House Mt Fuji & K’s House Takayama Oasis when I visited Kawaguchiko & Hida Takayama for a few days.

Khaosan Hostel Group

The last of my 4 trusted hostel groups is Japan is Khaosan Hostel Group. The group is owned by Manryo Co Ltd which started business in January 2004. The owners of the group have transformed old buildings, love hotels & restaurants into shared accommodation & now have 9 operating properties in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka. The company’s goal is to create a community of travelers having a great time together regardless of nationality, background & companions.

Khaosan Group currently operates & maintains the following 9 properties: Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Samurai, Khaosan World Ryogoku Hostel, Khaosan Tokyo Laboratory, Khaosan Tokyo Origami, Khaosan Tokyo Kabuki in Tokyo, Khaosan Kyoto Guesthouse in Kyoto & Khaosan World Tennoji Hostel & Khaosan World Namba Hostel in Osaka.

The family deluxe room with tatami-style beds we got at Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel.

I stayed in one of their love hotel turned accommodation in Asakusa – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel – last February with my family. We enjoyed our stay in a Japanese (tatami) style spacious room. My high school friends also had nice reviews about their stay at the Namba property last November 2018.


The hostels may be operating under different hostel groups but bear in mind that their goals are one & the same – to provide comfortable, affordable & quality accommodation when travelling around Japan. I’ve stayed in at least one property of each hostel group & I recommend all of them to you my readers. It will now depend on your room choice, price difference & preferences on which hostel group or property you’ll book your next stay. Good luck in making those decisions.

Look how super spacious & clean this dormitory room. Took this when I stayed with Oak Hostel Zen

Have you stayed in one of the properties mentioned above? How was your stay? Are you planning to go back in one of those accommodations? Are there other Japanese hostel groups that I need to know & try in the future? Feel free to mention those properties or groups in the comments below. You can also send the details to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – FacebookInstagram or Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC Re & HTC U11.