Category: Budget Travel

Hostel Of The Day: NEW WORLD INN OSAKA – Simple, Affordable & Modern Property Near Tennoji

UPDATE: New World Inn Osaka has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such excellent accommodation.

Hello & welcome to the newest Hostel Of The Day feature on this website. In my last Japan trip, all my accommodations were hostels. I already shared with you some information about Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel & Dot Hostel Nagano, my hostels in Tokyo & Nagano respectively. I mentioned in my recent Kyoto post that my sisters & I decided to base in Osaka.

We decided to stay in an inn or hostel for 4 days & 3 nights while we explored the Kansai Region – Osaka City (for them), Universal Studios Japan, Kyoto & Nara. This accommodation is called New World Inn Osaka. It is a relatively new property located in the area of Nishinari, near Tennoji. We booked less than 2 months before our stay, but we still found this great accommodation for an affordable price.

Allow me to share with you some details about the hostel plus how my 3-night stay went in this lovely property.

Location & Access

New World Inn is a 3-storey hostel located 1-5-6 Taishi in downtown Nishinari-ku in Osaka. It is located in a quiet neighborhood about 10 minutes away by foot from Tennoji, Osaka’s one of the busiest stations. Popular Osaka attractions such as Tsutenkaku Tower, Kuromon Market & Osaka Tennoji Zoo are near the property. There are nearby restaurants, cafes & bars a few meters away from the hostel. The nearest convenience store is about a minute walk from the hostel’s doorstep. Believe it or not, there is a Don Quijote near the hostel, about 7 minutes walk, just across the Shin-Imamiya Station.

The property is very accessible via subway & JR lines. The hostel is about 3 minutes walk from the east exit of JR Shin-Imamiya Station. It is about 3 minutes walk from exit 4 of the Doubutsuen-Mae Station of the Midosuji Subway Line & also a few minutes walk from exit 8 of the Sakaisuji Subway Line. Namba & Shinsaibashi area are about 4 minutes away by subway. The hostel may not be in the super center of Osaka, but it’s strategic location connects all the guests to pretty much everywhere in the city & even in Kansai Region – Nara, Kyoto & Kawaramachi.

Room Types

New World Inn caters mainly to budget & business travelers. They have both private & dormitory rooms in the property. First, the property has a number of single private rooms. These rooms come with a bed, mattress & pillow, air conditioning & heater, power plugs, a small desk with a chair, mirror & lamp. The 2nd room type the property offers is the twin room. This room has 2 single beds, same features as the single room, but with a bigger space. This room also has a private balcony. Toilets & shower facilities are shared & are available for use on every floor.

The dormitory rooms come in a 4 & 6-bed configuration, all equipped with wooden-framed bunk beds. Each bed features a mattress, pillow, duvet, a reading light & a power outlet. Guests also have access to lockers located in each room. Just like the private rooms, toilets & shower areas are shared unless specified. There is a 6-bed dormitory room that includes a restroom, shower area & a powder area.

I booked my stay in this property via Agoda & Booking.com using credit card & promotional codes. I may not have the fixed rate at this point but rest assured that the room & dormitory bed rates are affordable & competitive enough.

Guest Amenities & Perks

Staying in a Japanese hostel comes with a long list of amenities & perks guests can enjoy. Check out the following offered by New World Inn in Osaka.

Free Wi-Fi

Guests have access to a fast & free Wi-Fi connection. Username & password can be obtained from reception.

Ground Floor Cafe / Bar

There is a cafe / bar in the ground floor. The hostel has partnered with this commercial establishment to check out the place for offers (if there are any).

Communal Lounge & Dining Area

Guests have access to a small communal lounge & dining area in the 2nd floor, right in front of the reception. It is the place where guests can relax & eat after a long day of exploring.

Communal Kitchen With Free Coffee & Tea

The hostel comes with a small kitchen complete with cooking & heating facilities. It also has a refrigerator where you can store food & drinks. Just make sure to put a label on your items. Coffee & tea are free & available any time of the day.

Common Toilets & Shower Facilities

As mentioned earlier, guests have access to clean & well-maintained toilet & shower rooms. These facilities are located in each floor. They even have female-only shower toilets.

Rooftop Space

The property has a communal rooftop terrace where guests can sit, relax & mingle with other guests. The terrace is open daily from 8:00 to 22:00.

Luggage Storage

Luggage storage is free of charge to all arriving & departing guests. Bags can be stored from 10:00 to 22:00.

Reasonable Reception Hours

The hostel has reasonable reception hours. Reception opens at 11:00 & closes at 22:00. Check in time is from 15:00 to 22:00 while check out is up until 11:00 only.

Nice & Helpful Hostel Owner

The owner of the hostel lives in one of the rooms in the 2nd floor. He is a super nice & helpful man. He makes sure that guests have a nice stay in his property. He even gives us suggestions on where to go & what to do.

Coin Laundry

New World Inn has coin laundry facilities. Washing of clothes cost ¥200 while drying costs ¥400 & lasts for 40 minutes. The laundry facility is open from 8:00 to 22:00.

Secured Door Entry

The property has a secured entry area. Everyone needs to key in a entry code to get through the door. The way going up the rooms is well-lighted. The hostel has no curfew.

My Experience

Let me share with you some thoughts about my 3-night stay in New World Inn. I got myself a single private room for around ¥2,700 per night. That pretty much is an equivalent to a dormitory bed in other Japanese hostels. My sisters stayed in a twin room on the 4th floor. My room was located just in the 2nd floor, near the reception & the communal areas. The room was just right for a single person, not much space for big luggages & other stuff. The bed was comfortable. The only problem I had with the room is its location in the building. It is by the main road so guests can hear all the cars & people passing by at any time of the day or night.

The facilities & common areas are modern, clean & well-maintained. The property interiors are simple but very neat to look at. The owner was really nice. The only thing I think of as a challenge to some guests is the absence of lift to the property. The hostel reception is located in the 2nd floor & it is a few steps up. It may be hard to go up with your big luggage but the owner is very much willing to help in bringing your stuff up & down the property. The property’s location is a winner. It’s 10 out of 10 for me & I will definitely stay here again when I fly back to Osaka.

If you want to know more about the property or if you want to check the rooms available for your intended stay, feel free to contact them in the details below.

New World Inn Osaka
Address: 1 Chome-5-6 Taishi, Nishinari Ward, Osaka, 557-0002, Japan
Phone Number: +81 6 6537 9140
Email address: Contact form available via website or Facebook page
Website: www.newworld-inn.jp/en/
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/newworldinnjp

Have you stayed with New World Inn during your Osaka visit? How was your stay? Do you know other interesting or feature-worthy hostels in Osaka or anywhere in Japan? Feel free to share the names of these hostels in the comment section below. Who knows, I might consider that in my next trip to Japan. Do you have any questions about New World Inn or anything about Osaka? Feel free to send an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  Many thanks!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Japan Highlights 2019: KYOTO – Japan’s Ancient Capital In One Day

The whole 9-day Japan trip is starting to take its full shape. My first 36 hours was spent in Tokyo with my family. Then, I took the off-beaten path & spent 48 hours in the mountainous area of Nagano. After my stay in Nagano, I headed to Osaka to be reunited with my sisters for a few days. Our 1st day in Osaka together was spent being ‘kids’ again at Universal Studios Japan.

After spending a fun day in USJ, my sisters & I allotted one day to visit Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. It was their 1st time in the country so a visit to Kyoto (at least the highlights) was on our list. I already wrote a few articles about Kyoto in the past in this website. I’ve been to Kyoto in 2015 & 2016 so I was their tour guide for that day. We only had a day here so we only chose the major sights & carefully planned our route.

Kyoto Route

In my past visits, my friends & I decided to stay in Kyoto during our visit. This time, my sisters & I decided to base in Osaka. From our accommodation, we started our Kyoto journey by taking the train to Hankyu-Arashiyama Station. We walked around Arashiyama & then took the local railway from Randen Arashiyama Station to Kitano Hakubaicho Station. Then we walked for about 15 minutes to reach Kinkaku-ji or the Golden Pavilion. From there, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station for lunch.

After lunch, we went to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. We walked back to Kyoto Station & took the local train to Fushimi Inari Taisha. After going up (or at least half of the mountain), we walked down to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line & took the express train back to Osaka.

We planned our route well up to the point where we won’t go back & forth certain places. We started off in Arashiyama & finished our Kyoto visit in Inari area with a short stop in the center.

Let me share to you the specifics of each area we visited.

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Arashiyama

  • Katsura River
  • Random street in Arashiyama

My recent Arashiyama visit was different from my previous trips. This trip started off in Hankyu-Arashiyama Station where we walked along Arashiyama Park, Togetsukyo Bridge & Katsura River. We then headed to Tenryu-ji, Arashiyama’st most important zen temple. The temple features a landscaped garden with a central pond surrounded by rocks & trees. An entrance fee of ¥600 is collected from each visitor. My sisters & I bailed out knowing there’s an entrance fee.

  • Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

We continued walking to Arashiyama’s main attraction, the Bamboo Forest / Grove. This must-see scenic place stretches through an easy uphill path. We went up to the very end of the way thinking there will be lesser people. Unfortunately, there were even more people in that part. Luckily, we found some spots where there were close to no people.

  • More of the Bamboo Grove
  • Local Randen Railway

Kinkaku-ji

After about 1.5 hours around Arashiyama, my sisters & I went to Kinkaku-ji via the local Randen railway & a few minutes walk. Kinkaku-ji, commonly known as the Golden Pavilion Temple, is Kyoto’s most beautiful & famous temple. This temple is the number 1 attraction in Kyoto & is flocked by millions of tourists every year. It has a pond in front & a garden at the rear. We were there during a cloudy day but we still saw a reflection of the temple in the pond. [Entrance fee: ¥400]

Kyoto Center

Right after a short visit in Kinkaku-ji, we took the local bus to Kyoto Station. We first had lunch at Sukiya, a local restaurant chain in Japan. I got my favorite gyudon dish topped with melting cheese. I ate it with their signature pickled radish & cold Japanese tea.

After lunch, we walked to the nearby Higashihonganji Temple. This temple served as the center of Buddhism in Kyoto. Admission to the temple is free. We leisurely walked back to Kyoto Station & went to our next destination.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

From Kyoto Station, we took the JR Nara Line to Inari Station, then to Fushimi Inari Taisha, the temple famous for the thousands of orange torii gates. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. We went up to half of Mount Inari, to where there were more torii gates & less people & took photos of ourselves. Entry to the shrine & up Mount Inari is free of charge.

We then made our way back down & headed to Fushimi-Inari Station of the Keihan Main Line. We took the next express train back to Osaka, had dinner in Shinsaibashi & went back to our accommodation.

It was a day full of walking & sort-of hiking around Kyoto. We may not have been to as many places as we can but we surely covered the highlights of Japan’s ancient capital.

Have you been to Kyoto in the past? How did you find the city? Are there other places that I need to visit when I go back? I’ve been to this city 3 times & I feel like I still need to go back & to explore more. Don’t be shy & share your suggestions in the comment section below. You can also send those suggestions to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  Arigatou. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Japan Highlights 2019: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN – A Theme Park That Brings You Back To Being A ‘Kid’ Just For A Day

After spending 48 hours in cold Nagano, I made my way to Osaka where I met my sisters. We spent a few days around Osaka & Universal Studios Japan was the 1st in our to-do list. I’ve been to Universal Studios Japan in 2015 but hey, nothing wrong in going back for the 2nd time.

Universal Studios Japan (USJ) is 1 of the 4 Universal theme parks in the world & the only one in East Asia. This theme park has different areas patterned to shows created by NBCUniversal. Two of the most famous ‘lands’ of Universal Studios Japan are Minion Park & The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. USJ has become a popular destination for Filipinos (& other nationalities) coming to Japan for holiday. This is the same reason why my sisters & I decided to visit this theme park during our Japan visit last February.

Access & Operating Hours

Universal Studios Japan is very accessible via public transportation. The nearest station to the theme park is Universal City Station on the Yumesaki Line. This train line can be accessed by changing in Nishikujo Station of the Osaka Loop & Hanshin-Namba Lines. If you are coming to Tokyo, there are express buses that go directly to the theme park. These buses run on a daily basis. The theme park is also connected by buses coming from Kansai & Itami Airports.

The theme park is open everyday from 9:00 in the morning to 8:00 or 9:00 in the evening. The closing times vary depending on season & weather. Feel free to check the Universal Studios Japan official website for the update operating hours on your preferred date.

Park Tickets

Tickets are required for every person to enter the theme park. As of April 2018, an adult day pass which includes access to all rides & attractions cost from ¥7,400 including tax. If you want to spend 2 days in the park, a 2-day adult day pass costs ¥14,700 including tax. Children aged 4 to 11 years old pay ¥5,100 including tax for a day pass & ¥10,000 for a 2-day pass. Senior citizens only pay ¥6,700 for a day pass. 2-day passes are not available for senior citizens. Kids below 4 years old can enter the park for free. These tickets can be purchased in the ticket booths outside the theme park. For the updated ticket prices, feel free to check the official theme park website.

Alternatively, tickets are available for advance purchase via authorized online platforms such as Klook, KKDay, TripAdvisor, Voyagin & Traveloka. These platforms sometimes offer entry tickets for a lower price. These online tickets need not to be exchanged into physical tickets. They offer direct entry to the theme park via a unique printed or digital QR code. We booked our tickets via Traveloka & even got a discount for our ticket.

Universal Express Pass

The Universal Express Pass is a special pass that allows one to skip the long queues & to have a shorter waiting time for selected attractions. This pass also guarantees the pass holder a viewing spot in the parade. The express pass cost varies on the number & selected attractions included in the pass. This pass can be purchased on the day of visit at the park or in selected online platforms. Daily express pass allocations are limited & easily get sold out. For more details & prices about the Universal Express Pass, feel free to check the official theme park website.

My sisters & I didn’t avail the express pass during our visit. We only chose a handful of attractions to try that day.

Rides We Tried & Attractions We Visited

Universal Studios Japan is a very big theme park with different sections – Holywood, New York City, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Minion Park, Universal Wonderland, WaterWorld, Amity Island, The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter & Super Nintendo World. Even with a Universal Express Pass, it is impossible for someone to try all rides or attractions in one day. My sisters & I went to every corner of the theme park but only tried few rides. Most of our time were spent lining up to these attractions.

Hollywood Dream

Hollywood Dream is a steel roller coaster that allows the riders to choose their own music from a pre-selected list. This open air roller coaster goes around the Hollywood section of the theme park.

The Flying Dinosaur

The Flying Dinosaur is another steel roller coaster but is located in Jurrasic Park. This ride puts the guests into a flying position & openly roams around the theme park. This ride is one that must not be missed when visiting Universal Studios Japan. Believe me, it’s worth the wait.

The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter

One unique section that can be found in Universal Studios Japan is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter. This Harry Potter-themed section of the park has its own Hogsmeade, Hogwards Express & Hogwards Castle. This section also has attractions to try & shops to visit. The famous Butterbeer can only be purchased here.

Note that there are days when this section requires a timed-entry ticket. These timed-entry tickets can be redeemed somewhere near the Hollywood section. Make sure to check this as soon as you enter the theme park. We were there on a weekday & the park administration didn’t issue timed-entry tickets to the Harry Potter World.

Harry Potter & The Forbidden Journey

The Harry Potter & Forbidden Journey is Universal Studios Japan’s top attraction. This motion-based ride takes guests to some of the scenes from the movie & the book around Hogwarts Castle. You get to face the dementors & even join a Quidditch match in this attraction. This attraction has one of the longest queues in USJ but I tell you, it’s worth queuing up. Don’t ever miss this ride during your visit.

Minion Park

One of the relatively new sections of Universal Studios Japan is the Minion Park. It is an area dedicated to the Despicable Me movie series, particularly to the world-famous Minions. Everything in this park is so cute & delightful to see. Its main attraction is Minion Mayhem. Unfortunately, we ran out of time in this area. We chose the winter illuminations of the Harry Potter World over this ride.

Food & Souvenir Shops

There are a number of restaurants, canteens & food halls inside the theme park. In fact, every section has a food hall. Food may be a little more expensive than a usual Japanese meal but it’s just alright. There are also food carts located around the theme park for random nibbles & snacks. Don’t forget to try the famous turkey leg. Outside food is not allowed inside the park (at least as per the guidelines) but they really don’t check the guests’ bags.

Souvenir shops & stalls are scattered throughout the theme park. These shops sell anything you can think of that is related to characters under Universal. You can find Harry Potter wands, Minion goodies & candies, Spiderman items in these shops.

This basically made up our day in Universal Studios Japan. We were not able to try a lot of attractions but at least we’ve been to the major & exciting ones. My sister was able to try the Butterbeer for the first time! It was a perfect break from the usual sightseeing day; a perfect day to be like a ‘kid’ again just like the old times.

We left the theme park close to 8:00 in the evening (closing time that day) & dropped by the Gap Factory Outlet (I went shopping) before going to Ichiran Ramen in Tennoji for dinner. Nothing beats having the best ramen in the world after a long, tiring but fun day at Universal Studios Japan.

Have you been to Universal Studios Japan? Were you able to try the Minion Mayhem? Which was your favorite section or attraction? Feel free to share your thoughts & experiences in the comments section below. Do you have questions about the theme park? You can send those questions to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Make sure to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

Thanks for reading today’s post. Watch out for the article about our 1-day Kyoto adventure!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: KHAOSAN WORLD ASAKUSA RYOKAN & HOSTEL – Clean & Affordable Traditional Japanese Accommodation In The Heart Of Tokyo

UPDATE: Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such excellent accommodation.

Hello & welcome to the newest Hostel Of The Day feature. Last time, I shared with you some information about Dot Hostel Nagano, the hostel I stayed with in Nagano. I also narrated my 36-hour adventure around Tokyo with my siblings & relatives. My stay in Tokyo was relatively short but I made the most out of it.

In my previous trips to Tokyo, I’ve always stayed with Oak Hostel Zen – my favorite hostel in Tokyo. Unfortunately, Oak Hostel Zen was already booked out on our dates. I only had 1 night in the city plus I was travelling with a toddler; I had a hard time looking for the best possible accommodation. Bigger room space (bigger than Tokyo standards) & cost were our top 2 factors in looking for the place to stay. I’m happy I came across today’s hostel feature – Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel. Yes, this hostel provides bigger room space at an affordable price. Apparently, this hostel is the biggest Khaosan hostel in Japan.

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is part of the Khaosan Group – a chain of affordable accommodation operating around 3 major cities in Japan. I will talk about this hostel group in a future post. In the meantime, allow me to share with you some information about the former love hotel turned hostel plus let you know how our stay went.

Note: I was with my toddler cousin during this trip. Don’t expect the usual cheap accommodation. We looked for the best affordable accommodation available during our dates.

Location & Access

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is located in the heart of Asakusa in Tokyo. Asakusa is one of the busiest areas in the city – it is where Senso-ji, the famous red temple, & Kaminarimon are located. The hostel is within a very vibrant neighborhood. There are a number of convenience stores, restaurants, bars & cafes nearby. Asakusa’s Don Quijote is less than 5 minutes walk away. Khaosan World’s location is very central – a perfect place to stay in Tokyo.

The hostel is accessible to all modes of public transportation. The nearest station is Asakusa Station on the Tsukuba Express Line. The hostel staff advised me that this train line doesn’t pass by the usual sightseeing places in Tokyo. The nearest station that takes you to most places to visit in Tokyo is Tawaramachi Station on the Tokyo Metro Subway Line. It takes about 8-10 minutes by foot to reach this station from the hostel doors. The JR line & airport link are about 20 minutes walk & you pass by Senso-ji to & from this station.

Ryokans, Double & Dormitory Rooms

Khaosan World Asakusa offers various rooms to choose from. Those who are travelling on a budget can opt to stay in the female or mixed dormitory rooms. Couples travelling can get a double room while families & groups can book Japanese-style rooms perfect for 3 to 6 people. Some rooms have private toilets while the others have access to shared toilets. Bed configuration & rates vary from one room to the other. Feel free to check the hostel’s website for the complete list of rooms & its inclusions.

Our group got the Deluxe Japanese-style Quadruple Room good for 4 people. It is a 30 sq m room which has 4 futon beds. The room includes a separate toilet & shower rooms, a preparation area, an entry foyer, a small storage area with closet & a small dining area. The room is complete with air conditioning / heater, water heater & toiletries. Towels are available for rent in the reception area. The hostel also provided a free phone with mobile internet to use whilst in Tokyo. The hostel adds a small touch by providing free & simple breakfast to all 4 guests. We booked our stay via Booking.com & got our room for ¥16,200 per night. That’s ¥4,050 per person per night; around ₱2,000 per person per night.

It may be a bit expensive but this room fits our requirements mentioned above. Also, experience a Japanese-style accommodation with futon beds at this rate is already a good choice

PerKS OF BEING A KHAOSAN WORLD GUEST

Japan hostels in general provide its guests with a long list of perks to enjoy. I don’t know if it’s a norm in their country; but maybe because of the high rates the visitors pay, they provide as much facilities, amenities & perks to all guests. Check out these perks which guests can enjoy in Khaosan World Asakusa.

Free Wi-Fi – Guests have access to free wireless internet connection. This connection is available throughout the building. Usernames & passwords can be obtained from the receptionist.

Free Breakfast – The hostel provides a simple breakfast of toast, butter & jam plus drinks to all its guests. Breakfast time is from 6:00 am to 10:00 am.

Free Coffee, Regular Tea & Japanese Tea – Guests can make their own coffee or tea 24 hours a day. The hostel provides free coffee & tea for everyone.

Shared Kitchen & Dining Area – Guests are allowed to cook their own food in the shared kitchen. Refrigerator & cooking materials are provided. Don’t forget to wash all the equipment you used. Everyone is also welcome to use the dining area for meals. It’s the perfect place to meet people who are also travelling in Tokyo.

In-house Vending Machines – If you don’t have time to prepare your food or you feel lazy about cooking, the in-house vending machines are perfect for you. These machines are located in the kitchen & dining area.

Communal Lounge & Games Area – Guests have access to a spacious communal lounge & games area on the ground floor. This is another place where you can meet other guests.

Kids Play Room – Khaosan World Asakusa is a kid-friendly accommodation. They have a separate room for kid guests who want to play.

Long Reception Hours – Reception is open from 6:00 am to 2:00 am of the following day. There is always a person in the reception booth. Check-in time is from 3:00 pm to 2:00 am while check-out is until 11:00 am.

Friendly English Speaking Staff – The hostel people are very friendly & accommodating. They even give recommendations on where to go or what to do. They also speak very good English. You won’t have any problems talking to them.

Shared Toilet & Shower Areas – Guests staying in dormitory rooms have access to well-maintained toilets & shower areas. These areas are available per floor & are cleaned every single day.

Free Luggage Storage – The hostel provides free luggage storage to guests on the day of check-in from 6 am to 3pm & check-out up to 10:00 pm.

Lift Access – The hostel building provides lift access to all floors. No need to carry luggage up to the topmost floor; just use the lift.

Laundry Facilities – The hostel has laundry facilities open to all guests. The washing machine can be used for only ¥200. The use of dryer costs ¥100 for every 20 minutes. Don’t worry folks, they provide detergent for free.

Smoking Room – The hostel provides a smoking room for those who want to puff a cigarette whilst in the building. The smoking room is located on the 1st floor & is open to all guests who smoke.

My Experience

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel is not your typical cheap hostel but also not the 5-star type of hotel accommodation. It lies somewhere in between those 2 where guests get to enjoy a long list of perks for an affordable fee. My stay in this accommodation was very pleasant. It was my first time staying in a traditional Japanese tatami room & I’ll definitely say it won’t be the last.

While it may be a bit of a walk from the airport express, the property is still very accessible to everything. Most of the needs of the guests are provided or can be found in the hostel. If not, there’s always a place nearby to get or buy it. The staff were very friendly & always there to help. I have nothing but praises to this hostel.

This ryokan & hostel is budget, family & kid-friendly. It is one the best accommodations to stay when travelling with a toddler or kids in general.

Do you have any questions about Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel? Interested to know if they have rooms on your preferred dates of trip? Feel free to contact them on the details below.

Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel
Address: 3-15-1 Nishi-Asakusa, Taito-ku, Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan 111-0035
Phone Number: +81 3 3843 0153
Email Address: world@khaosan-tokyo.com
Website: world.khaosan-tokyo.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/khaosanworldasakusa
Instagram: www.instagram.com/khaosan_world_asakusa

Have you been to Khaosan World Asakusa Ryokan & Hostel? How was your stay? I am constantly looking for new hostels to try. If you know some, feel free to post them in the comments below. You can also send me an email to contact@thewkndtravel.com if you’re shy enough to comment. Make sure to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Spontaneous BACOLOD Weekend: 48 Hours In The City of Smiles

Hey yo, hey yo! How have you been? I am very sorry for being missing in action for the last few weeks. I’ve been really busy with trips, work & engagements. My siblings & I also moved out of our house of 12 years. Imagine the amount of things we packed! Anyway, I’m super happy I finally have time to write again. I have so many trips & things to share with you. I know I haven’t started posting about my recent Japan trip, but I’ll definitely put up the posts soon.

Last weekend, my current & former colleagues went on a 48-hour spontaneous tito (or tita for my female friends) weekend trip to the City of Smiles, Bacolod. The city is located in the Visayas & is the capital of Negros, Occidental. The city is popular for the annual Masskara Festival (Festival of masks), the abundant sugar cane plantation & the famous piaya snack.

Now back to the trip. Don’t expect this to be an adventure-filled weekend. We flew to Bacolod with no plans at all & our goal was to have a break from the busy life in Makati. Let me share with you the whereabouts this 48-hour relaxing trip to the City of Smiles.

Plane Ticket

The trip started when my friends & I (a group of 7 people) booked a return Bacolod ticket for ₱3,706 each last January 2019. We found the fare deal in one of Philippine Airlines‘ low fare sale. The tickets include in flight snacks, 7 kilograms carry-on baggage allowance & 10 kilograms of check-in baggage allowance. Considering the flight schedule, flight dates & the fare inclusions, the ticket we got was worth it. Plus, it’s Philippine Airlines – our country’s flag carrier. Philippine Airlines’ fares are not as affordable as low cost carriers’ fares, except during seat sales.

Our flight left Manila at 3:55 in the afternoon & arrived Bacolod at 5:15 pm (with a few minutes delay). The flight back left Bacolod after 6:00 pm & arrived Manila before 7:30 in the evening. The schedules were perfect – we only took the Friday afternoon off from work plus we had enough rest time after the trip.

accommodation

Our trip was pretty last minute so the famous accommodations were already booked out. Good thing we found Jay’s property in Booking.com. The units were in CityScapes Bacolod, a relatively new residential building along 6th Avenue, a few meters walk from Lacson Avenue. We booked 2 units (one unit for the ladies & 1 unit for the gents) for 2 nights. It only cost us ₱970+ per person already for 2 nights. Affordable, right? The units were equipped with private shower & toilet, free Wi-Fi, private balconies, small refrigerator & a whole lot more. The units exceeded our expectations.

Click this link to check out Jay’s property at Booking.com. You may also opt to contact him directly for bookings – his number is +639477786688. Book early, his units are always in demand.

around bacolod

We flew to Bacolod without any plans at all. The only thing in our mind was to rest, eat the best chicken inasal & have dessert in Calea. We figured out our itinerary when we arrived. We initially thought of spending a day in Lakawon Island but we got stressed by expected travel time & resort / island fees. We decided to just go to the nearby upland town & go around the city. Check out the following places we went to & the local restaurants we tried.

The Ruins

The Ruins is an ancestral home mansion of Lacsons. It is located in within the family’s plantation in Talisay City. The house was burned down during the World War II. The remains of the mansion after the fire is now Negros Occidental’s most famous tourist attraction.

Aida’s Chicken Inasal

A visit to Bacolod is never complete without having the famous chicken inasal. One of the best places to have this staple Bacolod food is in Manokan Country, right beside SM City Bacolod. One of the most visited restaurants in this place is Aida’s Chicken. We went here for dinner on our 1st night.

Bacolod New Government Center

My friends & I stopped by the Bacolod New Government Center to have a photo with the big BACOLOD signage.

Don Salvador Benedicto

Our driver recommended that we go on a half day tour to Don Salvador Benedicto. It is a small town 45 minutes to an hour away from Bacolod City. This municipality is called Negros’ Little Baguio because of its location in the mountains & its (not so during our visit) chilly weather. We went to different viewpoints & Instagram-worthy places, plus Nami Island-like place full of pine trees. We also saw Malatan-og Falls from afar; we had no more time to hike down to the falls.

Balay Negrense

Balay Negrense is another ancestral house previously owned by the prominent Gaston family of Silay City. The house was abandoned years after the death of Don Victor Fernandez Gaston & was later turned over to the Negros Cultural Foundation & the Philippine Tourism Board. The house was restored into a museum in 1994 & was declared a heritage site by the government.

Seaside Restaurant

We headed to a seaside community in Silay City to have lunch. I forgot the name of the place but it’s a small row of ‘paluto‘ restaurants that offer cheap but fresh seafood. My friends ordered 2 buckets of oysters at ₱65 per bucket. We also had rice, buttered shrimp, pork sisig & liempo & a few more dishes for a very affordable price.

Calea Pastries & Coffee

Calea Pastries & Coffee is Bacolod’s most famous dessert place. They have a large range of cakes & pastries to choose from. They also have a wide variety of coffee & drinks to try. We were a group of 7 so we each got a unique cake of pastry. Their best seller Imported Chocolate Cake was so-so. We liked the pecan apple pie & pistachio cake.

Negros Occidental Provincial Capital Grounds

We dropped by the provincial capitol grounds before going back to our accommodation. We took photos of the building against the sunlight & the partly blue sky.

21 Restaurant

We had hopes of having batchoy for dinner at 21 Restaurant only to find out they only offer it until 5:00 in the afternoon. We had no choice but to order other kinds of food. We still had a good meal even if we felt we were under-dressed (we were in shorts & shirts).

Ted’s La Paz Batchoy

We can’t get over the fact we missed 21 Restaurant’s la paz batchoy so we decided to have lunch at Ted’s. Batchoy is a local noodle soup with round noodles & pork, chicken or beef as flavor. The broth is very rich & tasty. The soup is best paired with pandesal or puto (steamed rice cake). Ted’s la paz batchoy originated in Iloilo (another Visayan city in Panay Island) & fortunately has branches in Bacolod.

Felicia’s Pastry Shop

We spent our last few hours in the city at Felicia’s Pastry Shop. I didn’t try their signature chocolate cake because it didn’t look enticing to me. I got the pecan cheesecake instead. It was okay, nothing special. Their ensaymada with signature hot chocolate was so good!

Pendy’s Napoleones

One of Bacolod’s famous delicacy is napoleones. It is a pastry made of sugar, egg, flour butter & milk topped with white sugar glaze. In my opinion, Pendy’s & Roli’s have the best napoleones in the city. We went to Pendy’s the updated price as of early March 2019 is ₱18 per piece or ₱180 per box of 10. It’s a must buy pasalubong from Bacolod, of course together with the famous piaya.

That basically sums up our quick 48-hour trip to Bacolod last weekend. We basically went there to have food trip. Everything was relaxed & spontaneous, no plans or whatsoever. I look forward to more trips like this.

Any suggestions on where I should go next for 48 hours? Or maybe have you been to Bacolod? How was your visit? Which food or place did you enjoy most? Feel free to start the discussion in the comments below. You can also share your thoughts via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Make sure to follow me & please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Until the next 48-hour weekend trip! I don’t have anything planned or booked yet but let’s see where I’ll go next.

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.