tips

Friday Thoughts: The Ups & Downs of Staying in Hostels (Plus Tips For Your Next Stay!)

For the past few years, I’ve stayed in different hostels all over the Philippines, Southeast & East Asia. Staying in this kind of accommodation helped me change from being an introvert to the most social person I am now. It also helped me go out of my comfort zone & overcome my anxieties while travelling on my own.

Before anything else, let us see how a hostel is defined in a dictionary. Merriam Webster defines a hostel as an inexpensive lodging facility for usually young travellers that typically has dormitory-style sleeping arrangements & sometimes offers meals & planned activities. Oxford Dictionaries define it as an establishment which provides inexpensive food & lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers, or travellers.

Spin Designer Hostel‘s dormitory beds (El Nido, Palawan) 🛌

Both definitions mentioned inexpensive accommodation where young people / travellers stay while travelling. Yes, hostels cater mostly to young travellers, to people like us. Majority of the hostels offer dormitory or shared accommodation but there are also some who have private rooms at a little higher (but still cheap) rate.

In this post, I will elaborate more on the ups & downs of staying in hostels. I will also give tips when looking for a hostel or when you are already in a hostel. Hopefully after reading this post, you will consider staying in a hostel for your next trip.

Disclaimer: All points & tips below are based on personal experiences.

UPS

Affordable price

Hostel rates are way cheaper than that of hotels & serviced apartments. You only pay around 25% -30% of a hotel’s nightly rate. Imagine paying only ₱400 – ₱600 for a night stay in Coron compared to paying ₱3,500 per night in a fancy hotel both located in the same area.

My dormitory room in Glocal Nagoya Backpackers Hostel | A night’s stay costs ¥3,200 (weekend peak rate) – still cheaper compared to ¥12,000+ per night hotel room rate 🛌

For an affordable price, you get the same basic amenities which hotels provide you – a bed with pillow & sheets, luggage storage, free Wi-Fi, reading light & the list goes on.

You meet new people

Meeting a lot of people is probably my favorite advantage of staying in hostels. You meet these people in your dormitory rooms or in a hostel’s social / common areas. Most of the time, it just starts with a simple, “Hi, how are you?” or “Hi, where are you from?” & ends up having good new friends & awesome memories.

A simple card game turned ‘drinking’ card game with these people from all over the world | Location: NapPark Hostel @ Khao San, Bangkok (September 2016) *Credits to Danielle for the photo*

Most hostels have spacious communal lounges where people can sit down, talk to other people & exchange experiences & recommendations. A significant portion of the travelling population is composed of solo travellers; most of them are up for meeting new people & having good times with these new people.

Fun & cheaper activities

Met these people in a waterfall tour organized by The Siem Reap Hostel

Hostel owners are aware that they cater to people who travel on a budget thus offering cheaper & more fun activities. Day & island tours are sometimes cheaper when you book them through your hostels compared to booking them outside or in a travel agency. If your hostel doesn’t offer these activities, they usually recommend agencies where you can get these tours / activities for a cheaper rate.

You save money on food

Osaka Hana Hostel‘s communal kitchen, dining & lounge area

Some hostels (especially in Japan & Korea) have communal kitchens where you can prepare your food during your stay. It helps save money rather than going out & buy food in the restaurants / cafe. Some hostels also offer free, simple breakfast like coffee or tea plus toast, omelette & cereals. It may not be as fancy as the hotel’s breakfast buffet it sure helps you start your day right.

Local’s recommendations

Hostels employ locals which help the guests from check-in up to checkout. These local employees also help you have the most authentic experiences in a place by providing good food & activity recommendations. Sometimes, they even join you eat in these restaurants & try these activities.

Location

Hostels are centrally located in most cities & places. They are usually located a few minutes walk from train stations, bus stops & bus terminals. You don’t have to worry how to go to the airport to catch your next flight or to the bus terminal to make it to your overnight bus ride.

Security

Just like hotels, hostels have security systems installed throughout the property. This makes security surveillance a lot easier for the owner & staff. One big difference between these 2 accommodations is hostels do not allow outsiders to go inside the dormitory rooms. Visitors (non-guests) are only allowed up to the reception / waiting area.

DOWNS

No / lesser privacy

Staying in a dormitory room with up to 16 or 20 people means lesser or even no privacy. You basically share everything with your roommates. Each room provides lockers for your stuff. If you are a person who loves to leave everything outside of the bag, then hostels aren’t for you. Bathrooms & toilet are also shared with the other guests. There is also a high risk of theft where your belongings a can be stolen by anyone in the hostel.

Backpackers Hostel K’s House Kyoto‘s Common Bathroom

No control over your roommates

Sharing a room with different people means you do not have control over them. Generally, people staying in hostels are respectful to their roommates. There are just a few uncontrollable instances where unsolicited noise is created (for example: talking to another guest or fixing stuff / luggage) thus interrupting your sleep. There will also be people who snore loud or who move a lot while sleeping.

You also do not have control of how the room might smell due to a mixture of scents & body smells. Also, even if you don’t talk a lot, there will always be this one person or two who will engage you in a conversation.

Limited amenities / perks

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay : one of the few hostels I’ve been to that has a swimming pool 🏊

Staying in affordable hostels equates to limited amenities. While most hostels offer free Wi-Fi access, breakfast choices can be really limited – mostly omelette, toasts & jam + coffee or tea. They do not have fancy swimming pools (some hostels have pools though) & fitness areas / gymnasiums which hotels have. They also do not have toiletries included in the rate & towel rental comes with a fee (in most hostels).

Read online reviews

Before booking your stay, make sure to read online reviews of the hostels. Websites, such as Tripadvisor, Agoda, Booking.com & Hostelworld show reviews of people who stayed in these hostels. These reviews help a lot, especially in conditioning your mind on what to expect during your stay.

Book beds with privacy curtains

This is a personal preference, but I would still share it with everyone. Booking beds with curtains gives you the privacy you need. Hostels offer dormitory rooms for 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 & sometimes up to 22 people. Book a bed in a dormitory room with a bedroom configuration you are comfortable with.

Nappark Hostel‘s 22-bed dormitory room | Each bed has a pull-down blinds

Bring padlocks, blindfolds, ear plugs, towels & toiletries

Hostels normally provide lockers without padlocks. Make sure to bring a padlock to safeguard all your stuff inside your locker. This will reduce the risk of having something stolen from you. Also, since you do not have control over your roommates (plus the noise they make), it helps to have ear plugs & blindfolds with you. Some hostels are generous enough to provide ear plugs for free, ask them upon check-in.

Given these hostels provide limited amenities, it helps to bring your own towels & toiletries. It also saves up the cost of renting a towel from reception & buying toiletries outside.

Respect your roommates

You expect your roommates to be quiet while you’re sleeping; make sure to be one when they are the ones asleep. Walk quietly when getting into the room late at night; fix your things quietly & make sure to be considerate enough with the other guests.

Socialize

Spin Designer Hostel‘s common lounge (El Nido, Palawan) 🛋️

Be friendly. It only takes a simple ‘hi’ to gain a new friend in a hostel. Make the most out of your stay by exchanging experiences & stories with fellow travellers. It’s the perfect time to know about other places, cultures & traditions. It’s also a good way to ask for recommendations on where to go next & what else to do. Make sure to share yours too! Who knows, you might just have unforgettable fun times with your new mates from your hostel.

Staying in hostels is fun. If you’re scared to stay in a hostel, I suggest that you go out of your comfort zone & give it a shot. You might just have the best memories while travelling. Forget about the fancy hotel beds & expensive rates, you’re definitely up for good times when you stay in hostels.

Good times in Nappark Hostel, Bangkok | Played beer pong with newfound friends before flying back to Manila 🍺

Have you thought of an additional point you can share to our readers? Have you tried staying in a hostel? How was your experience? Feel free to share some bits about your stay in the comments below. Anything you want to know about staying in hostels? You may send me an send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading & enjoy the weekend. 😃

Going Solo in Japan Series: FUKUOKA

After spending 3 days in Nagoya, 2 days in Hiroshima, 5 days in Kyoto & Osaka (including 2 separate day tours in Nara & Kobe), I took a 9.5-hour overnight bus ride to Fukuoka Prefecture’s capital city, Fukuoka.

Fukuoka is Kyushu Island’s most famous & populated city. This port city is Japan’s gateway & also the closest hub to mainland Asia. Just like any other Japanese city, it is characterized by developed infrastructure, modern transportation system & helpful & accommodating people. The city is also famous for beautiful cherry blossom sightings every spring season.

Beautiful sunny day in Ōhori Park 😍

I didn’t know about Fukuoka until I was searching for an affordable flight back to Manila. The city is not as famous as Tokyo & Osaka in the Philippine tourism market, but it’s definitely starting to gain attention in the past months. I spent the last 3 days of my 13-day Japan journey here. I will give more details below of how my stay went.

Trivia: Fukuoka is the birth place of tonkotsu (pork broth) ramen. It is also where my favorite Ichiran Ramen originated.

Accommodation

Just like my previous hostels for this trip, I stayed in Hana Hostel Group‘s local branch, Fukuoka Hana Hostel. The hostel is centrally located within the Nakasu-Kawabata Shopping Arcade. It is a 2-3 minute walk to the famous Canal City, 5 minutes walk to Nakasu-Kawabata subway station & about 15 minutes walk to Tenjin’s shopping area. The airport is 4 stops away (about 10 minutes ride) from the nearest subway station. Fukuoka’s main train station, JR Hakata Station, is 1 train stop away or about 15 minutes walk.

I stayed in a 3-bed male dormitory room with private shower & en-suite. Just like any other Hana Hostel branch, each bed includes its own reading light, pillow & sheets, curtains, curtains (for privacy), universal plug & a storage box (plus free Wi-Fi). I paid ¥2,800 per night (¥5,600 for 2 nights). It’s one of the cheapest rates I’ve seen during my stay. For those who do not want to stay in a dormitory room, they also have private rooms with affordable rates.

The staff were super nice & accommodating. They speak good English & they are always ready to help. The hostel stored my luggage before check in & after check out for free. It also has a spacious common area on the ground floor where you can meet other travelers. It also has a kitchen where guests can prepare their own food. I will definitely stay here again when I go back to Fukuoka.

Torii gates in Kushida Shrine grounds 😍

Tip: Fukuoka Hana Hostel accepts bookings up to 3 months before your desired stay. Make sure to book early as they as usually fully booked.

Going Around Fukuoka

Going around the city is easy. The subway system is not as confusing as that of Tokyo’s & Osaka’s. Fukuoka has only 3 subway lines – Kuko Line, Nanakuma Line & Hakozaki Line. Kuko Line is the main city line which starts in Fukuoka Airport Station, passes by Hakata, Nakasu-Kawabata, Tenjin, Ohorikoen, Nishijin up to Meinohama Station. Nanakuma Line starts in Tenjin-Minami Station & services up to Hashimoto Station while Hakozaki Station starts in Nakasu-Kawabata Station & ends in Kaizouka.

Saw this amazing view when I stepped out of Daizafu Station 😍

The city also has JR Lines connected to these subway stations making it possible to connect to nearby cities & towns. By the way, these subway & JR lines also accept IC cards. You can also go around the city by bus (one thing I didn’t try because I’m fond of subways).

Places to visit in Fukuoka

Fukuoka may not have a long list of places to visit but it definitely has some unique places to see. Let me tell you which places I went to in my short 3-day stay.

Ōhori Park

Ōhori Park’s famous pavilion in the middle of the lake

Locally known as Ōhori-kōen, Ōhori Park is Fukuoka’s most famous park located in the center of the city. It features a large pond with a walking path around it & in the middle. The park is an ideal place for strolling, jogging & relaxing. Entrance to the park is free.

You can also find Fukuoka Art Museum a meters walk from Ōhori Park. However, the museum is closed for renovation & won’t be open until March 2019. Later I found out that the Fukuoka Castle Ruins / Maizuru Park were only a few meters away from the park. Unfortunately, I missed out visiting this place.

Access: Ohorikoen Station

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome from the outside

Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome is the home of the locally famous Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks baseball team. The stadium can accommodate close to 40,000 spectators & is the world’s largest geodesic dome. It is also one of the popular places where local & international artists hold their concerts.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Momochihama Seaside Park

This is a 1 kilometer stretch of man-made beach in the Seaside Momochi Waterfront. It is located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. The beach was empty when I went there because it was almost winter & it’s too cold for people to swim.

Empty Momochi Beach on a cold but sunny autumn (almost winter) day

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Fukuoka Tower

View of Fukuoka Tower from the Seaside Momochi Waterfront 🗼

Fukuoka Tower is the city’s tallest building, also Japan’s tallest seaside building. It stands 234 m high & is located by the Momochihama Beach. Entrance to the building’s observatory costs ¥800. They offer 20% discount to foreigners who will show their passports.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Robosquare

Robosqaure is robot showroom located a few meters walk from Fukuoka Tower. It is a place where you can interact & play with robots. I met a few interesting robots acts like humans. I also met a very cute dog robot who knows how to react for every hand gesture you make. There is also a shop where you can purchase & take home these robots.

One of the many robots you can play with in Robosquare 🤖

The showroom is located in the 2nd floor of the TV Nishi Nippon Building. Admission is free. As someone from the Philippines, I really enjoyed interacting / playing with the robots. It’s a must visit for kids & kids-at-heart.

Access: 15 minutes walk from Tojinmachi & Nishijin Stations

Tenjin

Dubbed as Fukuoka’s downtown, Tenjin is the city’s shopping, dining & entertainment hub. This is the place to go to if you want to shop for new clothes, dine in fancy restaurants, drink in bars & party in clubs.

Bake Cheese Tart is a must-try! 😋

Aside from the upscale department stores & shopping malls, it also has an underground shopping area which connects 2 subway stations & various buildings. This place is called Tenjin Chikagai. I think this underground shopping strip is a must-see place in Fukuoka. This is also where I found Bake Cheese Tart, the famous cheese tart chain that originated in Hokkaido.

Access: Tenjin & Tenjin-Minami Stations

Canal City – Hakata

A not-so-busy street of Fukuoka on my way to Canal City

Canal City is a large shopping & entertainment complex in Hakata. Characterized by more than 200 shops & restaurants, the 5 storey structure has a canal running through the complex premises. It also has 2 hotels in it.

What I found interesting in this shopping complex is Ramen Stadium on its fifth floor. This place has more or less 8 ramen restaurants coming from different places in Japan. If you’re a person who’s into ramen, then you should visit Canal City, particularly the ramen stadium.

Access: 10 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata Station & 15 minutes walk from Hakata Station

Yatai

Yatai is a small mobile food stall found in random streets in Japan. These stalls are set up late afternoon / early evening & are packed up usually after midnight. These mobile restaurants serve almost all kinds of food – from ramen, to hotpots & grilled skewers. They also serve sake & alcholic drinks.

Post-drink snack in a yatai with YS, a friend I met in the hostel 🍢

These stalls are scattered all over Fukuoka, but you can find most of them in Nakasu Area. I went to one of these stalls with YS, the friend I met in the hostel for almost midnight snack. The food we had was really good!

Tōchō-ji Temple

Beautiful colors outside Tōchō-ji Temple🍂

The Tōchō-ji Temple is one of the central attractions in Hakata, Fukuoka. It is the Buddhist temple that houses the great statue called Fukuoka Daibutsu. This 10 m sitting Buddha wooden statue was carved for a few years.

Cameras were not allowed inside the hall so I was not able to take a photo of it. The status was really huge; it’s definitely a must-see when in Hakata & Fukuoka.

Access: 2 minutes walk from Gion Station

Kushida Shrine

Fukuoka’s famous Kushida Shrine ⛩️

Kushida Shrine is a Shinto Shrine located in Hakata Ward. Every July, a big festival called Hakata Gion Yamakasa, is celebrated. All the events & activities held at the festival is centered on this shrine.

Access: 5 minutes walk from Nakasu-Kawabata & Gion Stations

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine

Entrance to the main shrine ⛩️

Dazaifu Tenman-gū Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, an important figure during the Heian Period. The shrine was built over Michizane’s grave. There are other structures & places located in the area; that includes the Dazaifu Tenman-gū Museum, Kanko Historical Museum & the Kyushu National Museum.

Entrance to the shrine grounds is free; but the museums charge a few yens.

Crowded Dazaifu Tenman-gū main shrine ⛩️

Access: From Tenjin Station, take the Nishitetsu-Tenjin-Omuta Line train towards Nishitetsu-Yanagawa. Get off at Nishitetsu-Futsukaichi Station & transfer to the Nishitetsu-Dazaifu Line towards Dazaifu. From Dazaifu Station, head right. Follow the crowd & walk for 5-7 minutes to the shrine.

Aaannd this concludes the Going Solo in Japan Series. It’s definitely a trip for the books – solo travelling at its finest. If you haven’t read the previous blogs in this series, just check the following posts: Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kyoto & Osaka & Nara & Kobe. I also blogged about how I managed to overcome the ₱50,000 x 13 days & 7 cities challenge for this trip. Flying to Japan soon? I’ve also blogged about my previous trip to Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka & I made a 4-step guide on how to apply for your Japan tourist visa.

One last photo about Fukuoka! Empty Momochi beach 🏖️

Japan will always be one of my favorite countries. I have visited the country for 2 years in a row & I am looking forward to my third, fourth & upcoming visits. It’s a country I won’t get tired of coming back. 💗

Is there something you want to know more about Fukuoka or anything you want to ask about the places mentioned above? Is there topic / content you want to see in this blog in the future? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Arigatou gozaimasu (ありがとうございます) 🇯🇵 😃

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re & HTC One M8.

Throwback Thursday Treat: 2014 Birthday in El Nido Photoblog

About a month ago, I showed you how my first El Nido trip in 2014 went. My friends & I visited paradise for 4 days & 3 nights – enjoyed the sunset in Las Cabanas, swam in different beaches & lagoons, visited different caves & coves & relaxed in the beautiful & quiet islands in Bacuit Bay.

I had so much fun in El Nido that time up to the point I decided to spend my birthday there. August 2014, I flew to Puerto Princesa with my friend Julie, then took a 5-hour trip to El Nido. We went to Nacpan Beach on our first day, then took Tour A (Lagoons & Beaches) ~~again~~ the following day & Tour B (Caves & Coves) ~~again~~ on our third day.

We stayed in Casa Cecilia & I asked them to arrange all our tours & transfers. I will not talk much in this post (~~because everything was almost the same as that of the first El Nido trip~~) but I will let the photos speak for themselves.

Enjoy the photos! 😎

Flying over Metro Manila ✈️

Stopover in Roxas, Palawan

Hello El Nido! 😍

Our first time in Nacpan Beach! 😍

More of Nacpan Beach! We loved how deserted this place when we were there.

El Nido Bay in the morning – before Tour A

Seven Commando Beach – we were the only tour group in the beach that time

The world-famous Big Lagoon in Miniloc Island 😍

Inside Big Lagoon. Such a beautiful place 😍

With my travel buddy / companion – Julie

Perfect weather during my birthday 😍

With our new friend Dianne who also celebrated her birthday that day! 😎

Tour B – Snake Island

View from the other side of Snake Island

Para-paradise 😍 Definitely my favorite island!

Can’t get enough of Pinagbuyutan Island 😍

Goodbye El Nido! Thanks for the fun birthday weekend. 😍

After 2 visits, El Nido easily became one of top 3 places I’ve been to. The beaches & islands are really beautiful. The town is just small but simple & laid back. The people are super duper nice. I’m glad that the place is getting so much attention now but I hope the locals do their best to preserve the cleanliness & the beauty of the place.

Have you been to El Nido? How did you find the town, the beaches & the islands? Is it a place which you’ll recommend to your friends? Do you want to know something about El Nido? Make sure to leave a comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC One M8.

Tuesday Tip: How to be a CHAMP in booking low-fare tickets – PART 2!

A few months ago, I gave you 5 CHAMP tips on how you can book your super duper low fare tickets. Let’s try to remember what these 5 pointers are. First, you must check & subscribe to airline newsletters. You should also book your tickets during holidays & special occasions because these airlines usually have promo fares during these days. Third, make sure to download the airline’s mobile applications. Websites become busy during these seat sales. The best way to secure your low fare ticket is by booking using the mobile applications. Fourth, make sure to sign up for airline memberships & loyalty programs. These memberships allow you to save your personal & companion details plus your credit card information thus making bookings faster. You are also given access to priority seat sales & sometimes, free flights. Lastly, you must plan your travel dates as soon as possible.

Were you able to book affordable tickets after reading the previous blog post? If yes, feel free to share in the comments below where you’re going & how much did you pay for the ticket.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who read & shared the post to their families & friends. The CHAMP post is the most visited & most read content on my website to date.

Now back to business. For those who are yet to book your tickets, I thought of additional 5 CHAMP tips which can help you secure your cheapest airline ticket. I noticed that the previous tips I gave were all for planning your next trip, meaning prior to booking your tickets. I thought it would also be nice to share some tips on how to book these affordable tickets in the airlines’ websites.

Disclaimer: These tips mostly apply only to low-cost carriers like Cebu Pacific Air, Air Asia, Jetstar Asia et al. The tips below are purely based on actual observations & past personal experiences; they did not come from any airline insider or connection. I don’t intend to endorse any airline / carrier; I am not affiliated in any of the mentioned companies above.

C – CHOOSE red-eye flights

Red-eye flights are flights that leave late at night & arrive in the wee hours of the morning. These flights are inconvenient for most, thus lesser people taking it. Lesser demand means cheaper fare. There is always a higher chance of you getting a low fare seat going to Bangkok if you choose the 9:30 pm flight than the 6:00 am flight.

Chose a red-eye flight to Bangkok & got my ticket for only ₱1,800++ round-trip

H – HAVE all stuff in CARRY-ON baggage

Most low cost airlines now have prepaid baggage. It means that every ticket only includes 7 kilograms carry-on baggage. If you are travelling with heavy luggage, you need to pre-book or buy baggage allowance for a fee.

If you are traveling to a city, island or country for only 3 to 5 days, you only need to bring just the right number of clothes. You also don’t need to bring all those fancy stuff & accessories. People in your destination of choice won’t bother look at your clothes anyway.

If you think you need to bring a luggage last minute, you can always pre-book it 4 hours before your flight. It is available both via phone call to the airline customer service or via manage booking section of your account. Make sure to book baggage before you go to the airport as baggage fees during check-in are expensive.

Flew to Caticlan last July 2016 for only ₱684 pesos with only carry-on baggage

Traveling with carry-on baggage also saves time. You don’t need to wait for your luggage in the baggage claiming area; just go straight to wherever you’re going upon arrival.

A – A big NO to airplane food

Another cost cutting measure practiced by low cost carriers is the removal of free in-flight food. They now offer prepaid meals as early as booking your plane ticket. They also changed the game by selling food during the flight. The bad news is these in-flight treats are priced twice or even thrice than their regular price in the stores. Airplane food is so expensive you should avoid it. Imagine paying ₱100 for a can of fruit juice; it’s overpriced.

You can always bring a sandwich or any snack with you to avoid paying for expensive airplane food.

M – MAKE sure to SKIP seat selector

Low cost airlines offer regular & premium seats for a fee. Yes, it’s another unnecessary add-on. I advise you to skip it. You can always request for a window seat, an aisle or exit seat upon check-in.

I requested window seats (at no additional cost) for both flights during check-in. I was given a window exit seat on my way to Nagoya. Good stuff!

P – PURCHASE travel insurance.. OR NOT?

I’ll be honest with you. I am on 50/50 on this last tip. You will definitely save some money if you do not buy travel insurance; but the thing is, we do not have control of what is going to happen during the flight.

Having travel insurance will keep your mind sane if something bad happens; but bear in mind that these occurrences only happen once in a blue moon. I suggest skipping travel insurance if you are leaving for only 3 to 5 days; but if it’s a 2 weeks to 1 month trip, it’s best to get one. Make sure to read the terms & conditions of the insurance offered by the airline; sometimes it’s a lot better to buy insurance for the whole trip than only for the flight.

You can also check with your banks if they offer travel insurance. The independent travel insurance companies I know are Pacific Cross Philippines (formerly Blus Cross) & the Lonely Planet-recommended World Nomads.

The tips above will save you thousands of pesos when booking a flight. Basically the technique is to SKIP ALL ADD-ONS offered by your carrier. Please take note of these options are pre-selected most of the time, so you really need to remove all of them.

BONUS TIP: You have higher chances of getting a low-fare seat if you choose flights that leave on Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays.

Make sure to remember these 5 tips (plus the first 5 pointers I shared last January) in booking your next airplane ticket. You might just get your cheapest plane ticket to your dream destination / country! 😉

Do you have any questions in booking air tickets? Is there topic / content you want to see in this blog in the future? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter.

Thank you for reading & have a nice day! 😎

PORT BARTON: Palawan’s Secret Paradise

A few weeks ago, I went on a weekend trip to Port Barton, Palawan. This remote place is still unknown to the local tourism scene, but is starting to gain attention from foreign travelers & backpackers. Let me share with you how my 3 days & 3 nights in Port Barton went.

Disclaimer: My goal when I went to Port Barton was to relax from the busy city life. I got lazy most of the time & I didn’t go around much to explore.

In case you missed it, I went back to Port Barton in June 2018. Check out the latest Port Barton blog post here. Enjoy!

Where is Port Barton?

When I first mentioned Port Barton to my friends, they were like, “In what country is that?” They don’t believe me when I told them it is located here in the Philippines. Well, yes it is.

Port Barton is a small coastal village in San Vicente, Province of Palawan. It is 23 kilometers away from the town of Roxas, about 3 hours land trip from Puerto Princesa City & about 4.5 to 5 land trip hours from El Nido. The peaceful village is characterized by simple lives of the locals, beautiful beaches & unspoiled nature.

Crystal clear waters between Maxima Island & Exotic Island 😍

How to go to Port Barton

The nearest airport to Port Barton is Puerto Princesa International Airport. From Puerto Princesa City, one needs to take a van to Port Barton. There are several van companies operating between the 2 places, with a few scheduled trips leaving every day. The first trip from PPC leaves at 7:00 in the morning & the last trip is at 5:00 in the afternoon. A cheaper option is to take the local bus from San Jose Terminal.

I did not make it to the last van trip because my flight arrived a little past 5:00. I decided to stay in the city for a night & got a bed in Sheebang Hostel. The hostel is located a little bit far from the center, but it has everything you need. There is an on site restaurant & a 24 hour bar. Yes, the bar operates 24/7. I spent hours of eating & drinking in the bar with new-found friends from some parts of the world.

The following day, the van picked me up at the hostel at 8:30 in the morning. We dropped by for a while in San Jose Terminal to pick up more passengers then headed straight to Port Barton. The first 2 hours of the trip were normal, but the last hour was through rough unpaved roads.

Sheebang Hostel’s Bar

Environmental Fee

Upon arrival in Port Barton, the van dropped us off at the tourism center. All guests are required to register & pay the ₱50 environmental fee. The local staff gave me an environmental card which is needed every island hopping or boat trip. The card is valid for 10 days.

Accommodation

Port Barton has a limited number of accommodation choices. Most of these hostels, inns & homestays are not available online & can only be secured via text message, phone call or most of the time upon arrival.

I’ve read some online reviews & blogs about possible accommodations & found out that Princesa Michaella Guesthouse is the best place to stay. The hostel is 2-minutes walk from the beach, but is centrally located. A private room with toilet costs ₱600 – ₱800 while a bed in a 4-bed dormitory room costs ₱300. Since I was on a “vacation mode,” I got myself a private room for 3 nights.

The guesthouse has a spacious communal area where you can meet & talk with the other guests. What’s nice is almost all guests know each other. People also drink almost every night (or literally every night) in the common area. I’ve met a lot of amazing people during my stay. I definitely had good times with awesome people.

My private room for 3 nights in Port Barton

The guesthouse also has free Wi-Fi, but don’t expect it to be that fast. They only rely on a broadband & the area’s mobile data network isn’t as fast as Puerto Princesa’s or El Nido’s. The staff were super nice & accommodating. I also met Mama Lucy, the super duper nice owner of Princesa Michaella Guesthouse. She makes sure that all guests have a great stay in Port Barton. She greets everyone in the morning & even shares food to everyone. I personally met her during my first day. The planned brief encounter became 3 hours of non-stop storytelling.

I definitely loved my stay in Princesa Michaella played a big part in it. I recommend everyone going to Port Barton to stay in this amazing guesthouse. Make sure to send my regards to Mama Lucy for me!

Contact details: Princesa Michaella Guesthouse – 0948 236 1099 (Mama Lucy)

What to do / where to go in Port Barton

Port Barton may be a small village, but it still offers a lot of things to do & places to visit. Here are a few things you can do or places where you can go while in Port Barton:

Village Beach

The village is located by the beach. If you are into just relaxing & sunbathing, this area is perfect for you. The beachfront isn’t that busy with very few establishments & people around.

Port Barton’s beach 😍

Island Hopping

Just like El Nido, Port Barton also offers island hopping day tours but with a cheaper rate. The boatmen offer Tours A to D visiting various beaches, islands & reefs. Mama Lucy from Princesa Michaella helped me book my island tour. It costed me ₱700; the rate includes picnic lunch & all other fees. The tour started at 9:00 am & ended at 5:00 pm. We went to the following islands & reefs:

Twin Reef

Exotic Island

Maxima Island

Forgot-the-name-of-this-island-&-reef

German Island

Luli Island

I really enjoyed the island hopping tour. The islands & reefs were beautiful! It was also my first time to swim with a turtle!~ 🐢

Sunset Watching

Port Barton sunset is something one should not miss whilst there. It is one of the most dramatic sunsets I’ve ever seen. The combination of the sky colors makes it so beautiful to watch. Make sure to stay for a few minutes after the ‘official’ sunset time to witness its full glory.

Port Barton’s amazing sunset 🌅

Jungle Bar

All roads to the Jungle Bar every Wednesday & Saturday night. It is a bar situated in a top of a hill, about 30 minutes away from the village center. Around 8:00 in the evening, you will hear van drivers looking for tourists / visitors who want to go to Jungle Bar. All you have to do is pay ₱150 (round-trip fare). What’s also good is the van driver will wait for you, up to what time you want to go back. The bar has reasonably-priced food & drinks. The live music is a plus!

I went to the Jungle Bar with a friend from the guesthouse. We met 4 French people in the van & decided to spend good times in the bar. Initial plan was to go home at 11:00 or 12:00 but we ended up going home at 3:00 am.

Long Beach Day Tour

The Long Beach is a 14.1 km undeveloped white beach in San Vicente. A day trip to Long Beach costs ₱2,500 for 3-4 people (doesn’t include food.) The trip takes about 2 hours per way. I was not able to go to this place because I couldn’t find anyone to share the boat with. I will probably go back to Palawan soon & will stay near the Long Beach before this becomes a busy tourist destination.

White Beach & Pamuayan Falls

This is the famous land trip taken by almost every visitor in Port Barton. The white beach is about 30 minutes walk from the village beach. There is an entrance fee of ₱25 when going to the White Beach. On the other hand, the falls is about 4 kilometer walk from the center. An easier way to visit these 2 places is by motorbike. Ask the people from your hostel / guesthouse for motorbike rentals.

Unfortunately, I missed our visiting these 2 places. I planned to visit this during my last day in Port Barton but the rain started to fall & I also got lazy to go there.

There are still few more beaches, falls & islands to visit if you have the luxury of time. I believe 3 or 4 full days in Port Barton would be enough.

Found Nemo somewhere near German Island 🐟

Facts about Port Barton

There are a few things about Port Barton that you need to know before going there.

⦁ Daily power supply only runs from little past 5:00 in the afternoon to around 1:00 in the morning. That is the only time where you can charge your phones, laptops & cameras. Make sure to bring power banks to help extend your gadgets’ lives during the day. Extension cords would also help charge many gadgets at the same time.

⦁ There are no ATMs or banks in the area. Make sure to withdraw enough cash in Puerto Princesa, San Vicente, Roxas or El Nido before going to Port Barton. Also, do not have high hopes of using your credit card. I haven’t heard of any establishment accepting card payments. It may be also hard to exchange foreign currency to Philippine peso so make sure to do that before going there.

⦁ There are no doctors or hospitals in the village. The nearest can be found in Roxas which is about an hour away. Be very careful in everything that you do. Bringing a small pouch of medicines would be good.

⦁ The village has access to limited internet speed. Yes, both Smart Communications & Globe Telecoms have networks, but the mobile data coverage is not that fast. For Globe subscribers, you can have fast (not like the metro speed though but bearable) internet if you are by the beach.

⦁ Restaurant choices are also limited. If you are heading out for dinner, make sure to go to Gacayan Restaurant early as it is always full. The price of a meal is really affordable but note that food orders take a while to be served. You can also check out the famous Jambalaya Cafe & the other restaurants nearby.

Couldn’t believe I was this close to the turtle! 🐢

I fell in love with Port Barton up to the point I want to go back there as soon as possible. It has one of the most relaxing beach fronts I’ve been to, one of the clearest waters I’ve seen & one of the most quiet islands I’ve visited. I suggest that you go to this place as soon as you can. I have a strong feeling this will be developed in 2-3 years time.

Do you have any questions about Port Barton? Is there anything you want to know about the place? Feel free to comment below or send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. You can also send me a message on Facebook, drop a comment on Instagram or send me a tweet on Twitter. Suggestions for future topics are also welcome.

PS. All photos above were shot using my HTC Re.