Philippines – Page 7 – The Wknd Travel

Flight Report: CEBGO DG 6244 – Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila – Quick Turboprop Flight Back To The Metro

Hello & welcome to another flight report. Today, I will tell you more about my recent flight with Cebu Pacific Air’s subsidiary, Cebgo. I flew with them from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila in September after spending 4 days with my high school friends in paradise. Join me as I share with you some details about Cebgo, the flight, the aircraft used & the flight experience.

In case you missed it, I shared with you last week details of our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. It was an enjoyable, short yet relatively empty flight to paradise island. Know more about that flight report here.

cebgo

Cebgo is a low-cost carrier & is a subsidiary of Cebu Pacific Air. The airline previously operated as South East Asian Airlines (SEAir) & Tigerair Philippines until Cebu Pacific Air acquired the whole company in 2014. Cebgo currently flies to 29 domestic destinations with Manila & Cebu as its main hubs.

The airline used to operate an all-Airbus fleet until its parent company transferred all its turboprop operations to the subsidiary. Now, the airline subsidiary operates an all turboprop fleet of 20 ATR aircraft. It is also the only Philippine-based airline that operates a full cargo ATR turboprop aircraft.

airfare

As mentioned in my Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight report, I only paid ₱1,147.72 & 100 GetGo points for the round-trip ticket. It included seats on both flights & a 7-kilogram carry on baggage per way. We didn’t purchase check in baggage allowance because we were only there for 4 days. Check out the screenshot of our ticket below.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

This Cebgo flight from Caticlan (Boracay) to Manila was operated by a 2.2-year ATR aircraft delivered to the airline in September / October 2017. This turboprop plane can carry 78-passengers in an all-economy seat configuration. The flight took only 52 minutes including taxiing. We left Caticlan Airport 15 minutes early & arrived Manila Airport 58 minutes earlier than the scheduled arrival time.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Just like its parent company Cebu Pacific Air, Cebgo also offers mobile & web check in feature for all their flights. Passengers travelling without check in baggage can skip counter check in & go straight to their respective boarding gates. My friend & I already checked in for the flight days before & we already had our boarding passes in our phones. We didn’t have to go through the normal check in process at Boracay Airport.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass. I presented this with a valid ID during boarding.

Cebgo offers prepaid baggage on all its flights. All tickets come with a free 7-kilogram carry on baggage. Check in baggage is available for purchase at the time of booking the ticket up to 4 hours before the flight schedule. In case you are wondering how much does the check in baggage allowance cost, here are the rates as of today, 1 December 2019 from the Cebu Pacific Air website.

This flight’s boarding process took a bit of time. The people were asked to board 2 buses, depending on their seat number. Those seated from rows 1 to 10 boarded the plane first, while those seated in the last 10 rows boarded the plane last. We utilized the sole passenger door at the back.

Looking for a hostel to stay in Boracay? Check out Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay! It’s the island’s hidden party hostel gem. I wrote a Hostel Of The Day feature on this hostel. Check out the hostel review here.

Seat, In-Flight Meal & Entertainment

Passengers are not allowed to choose or change seats in turboprop flights from check in up to the flight itself. The airline system automatically assigns seats to the passengers a week before the flight while the airline ground staff assign seats to passengers while maintaining the aircraft’s weight stability. Preferred seats are available for purchase up to 4 hours before the flight.

The aircraft has a 2 x 2 seat layout. Each row has 2 window seats & 2 aisle seats. The seat pitch was alright; there was not enough legroom as expected. The seats only have armrests as dividers & no ‘individual’ seat space unlike those from jet planes.

In-flight snacks are available for purchase up to 24 hours before the flight or during the flight. Please take note that meals can be limited only to light snacks because DG flights are not ‘long’ flights. Most of them only take about an hour.

Cebgo’s ATR aircraft do not offer personal entertainment screens. The airline subsidiary, just like its parent company, is a low cost carrier thus only offers the basic flight service. On the good side, they have the in-flight Smile Magazine & an aircraft safety card in every pocket found in front of every seat.

Lavatory

The aircraft’s only lavatory is found at the back of the plane, near the main passenger door. It is clean & well-maintained. The lavatory space is just basic & alright, nothing fancy.

Cabin Crew Service

Cabin crew service in this short flight was good. All passengers were greeted with warm smiles. The crew also helped out the passengers in sorting their bags in the overhead storage spaces. They also finished offering & selling snacks to passengers minutes after the seat belt sign was turned off.

Verdict

It is always a pleasure flying with Cebgo. I prefer flying with Cebgo than its mother company, Cebu Pacific Air, because of their flights arrive on time, if not way earlier than the expected touchdown time. This good practice is evident in this flight when we left Caticlan 15 minutes early & arrived Manila 58 minutes ahead of schedule. Keep it up, Cebgo!

The aircraft used was relatively new & modern. Seat pitch was acceptable; legroom wasn’t that good. Seat comfort was fine, nothing extraordinary. These seats will do for short intercity / region flights. Personally, I still prefer the seats in their Airbus jet aircraft.

Overall, it was a quick but enjoyable flight with Cebgo. There isn’t much difference with the other Cebu Pacific Air flights & service, except the timely performance & the type of aircraft used. I’m happy to say that I am flying Cebgo again in a few weeks to Legazpi for the holidays. I’m already excited for the flight. I’m sure it’ll be great!

If you want to know the technical details of this flight & the aircraft used, check out the information below.

Airline: Cebgo
Flight Date: 16 September 2019
Flight Number: DG 6244
Route: Caticlan (Boracay) (MPH) – Manila
Duration: 52 minutes
Seat Number: 14B
Aircraft: ATR 72-600
Aircraft Registration: RP-C7286
Age: 2.2 years
Year Delivered: 2017

Have you ever flown with Cebgo? How was your experience? How do you like (or dislike) it compared to its parent company, Cebu Pacific Air? Share your good & bad experiences in the comments section below! Do you have any questions about the flight, Cebgo or Cebu Pacific in general? You can send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

I appreciate you reaching this part of this trip report. Thank you for your time. Don’t worry, I’ll take you to Singapore & Europe in the next flight reports!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel Of The Day: MAD MONKEY HOSTEL BORACAY – Paradise Island's Hidden Party Hostel Gem

UPDATE: Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has ceased operations. I am keeping this Hostel of the Day feature to give tribute to such amazing accommodation and also to keep the wonderful Mad Monkey memories alive.

Last September 2019, I flew to Boracay with friends for a short weekend break. My buddy Rick & I stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay in Bulabog Road for 3 nights & we had an awesome time. I’ve stayed in this hostel back in July 2016, when this blog is non-existent. I want to share with you more about this hostel thus featuring it as today’s Hostel Of The Day.

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is part of the Mad Monkey Hostels Group, a famous party hostel chain in Southeast Asia (plus one branch in Australia) which gives people from all over the world the best hostel parties in each of its branches. The hostel group is known for its beach or pool parties at the same time its hourly free shots at the bar. The hostel group employs the locals & actively participates in environmental activities.

The group’s first hostel in the Philippines is Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay, opened in June 2016. Since then, they’ve already opened branches in Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Cebu City & Siargao. They also have hostel branches in Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia & Laos. I started this Hostel Of The Day blog series last year with a feature about Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach.

Let me clarify with you that this post is not in any way sponsored / commissioned by the hostel group. My friend & I paid for our stay. The goal of this post is to share with you the details of this hostel & how our stay went. Allow me to give you some snippets about the hostel

In case you missed it, I posted a blog about our Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) flight with Cebu Pacific Air. Check out this post to read that flight report.

location & access

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay is located in Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag in Boracay Island. It is not located by the beach, but it is located in the quiet neighborhood of Balabag. It is about 10 minutes walk from the White Beach, 10 minutes by foot to D’Mall & about 3-5 minutes from Bulabog Beach, where all water activities are conducted. The hostel is located in the heart of the island, literally minutes away by foot to the main areas.

From Caticlan (Boracay) Airport, one needs to take a tricycle to Caticlan Jetty Port, buy a ferry ticket, pay the environmental fees & then hop on a boat that will take you to Boracay Island. From Boracay Port, one needs to take a tricycle to Mad Monkey Hostel. Alternatively, you can book your hassle-free island transfers with Southwest Tours or Island Star Express. Journey from the airport to the hostel can take about an hour per way, depending on passenger load & weather.

My friend & I booked our island transfers with Klook for a discounted price which turned out to be with Island Star Express. The transfers were fast, well-taken care off & hassle free.

dormitory & private rooms

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay offers both dormitories & private rooms to its guests. The hostel has 3 choices for the dormitory rooms – 8-bed mixed dormitory room, 4-bed mixed dormitory room & 4-bed female dormitory room. Each dormitory bed comes with a large sized mattress with sheets, personal reading light & fan, power outlet & a locker. Each dormitory room comes with a private bathroom with hot shower & air conditioning. If you are lucky enough, your dormitory room might be located by the hostel swimming pool.

As of today, 30 November 2019, a night in the 8-bed dormitory room costs ₱550 (for mid-December 2019 stay) while the nightly rate in the 4-bed dormitory room is at ₱700 (for mid-December 2019 stay). Rates per night vary depending on season.

We got this air-conditioned twin room with private shower for around ₱1,400 per night. Not bad!

The hostel also has private rooms for guests who are travelling in groups or who want some privacy. They have twin rooms, double rooms, triple rooms, quad rooms & a suite room. Nightly rates depend on the room configuration, toilet access (some have shared toilet), privacy level & season. Some of these rooms come with private bathrooms with hot water, cable television, bath towels, air conditioning, dark curtains & shelves. Rooms tend to be cheaper on lean seasons.

If you want to know more about these room choices & see the actual photos, feel free to head to the hostel’s accommodation page.

Hostel Facilities & Perks

It’s time for my favorite part of every Hostel Of The Day feature; it’s the list of hostel facilities & amenities. Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay provides a long list of facilities & perks every guest can enjoy.

Free WiFi Access
Guests can connect to the hostel’s WiFi connection free of charge. The WiFi password can be obtained in reception or in the restaurant. It’s not the best WiFi connection you can get in the island, but it helps you with basic internet & social media use.

Swimming Pool Access
The hostel has a decent-sized swimming pool which all guests can enjoy. Non-hostel guests can also use the pool for a minimal fee.

Daily Hostel Activities
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay hosts daily activities. The hostel is famous for the Booze Cruise happening every Tuesday & Saturday where guests go on a boat party & cliff diving with unlimited drinks. They also host themed events like boodle fight dinners, paint parties, quiz nights, beer pong tournaments & pool parties. The hostel also hosts beach cleanup activities once in a while. These activities are announced daily in the hostel boards near reception or in the events page in their Facebook page.

We were there on a Sunday & there was a scheduled Sunday Session & BBQ Day + DJ ’til midnight

Pool-side Restaurant & Bar
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has an in-house restaurant & bar by the swimming pool. The bar & restaurant offers a wide range of dishes & drinks that caters to all nationalities. Food & drinks are reasonably-priced, pretty much the same with the other restaurants in the island. Food serving sizes are generous & worth the price. They also have daily food deals & happy hour promotions for alcoholic drinks.

Ordered from the Sunday BBQ menu – got a Pork BBQ Stick & Grilled Chicken with Greek Salad. 🙂

Every Mad Monkey Hostel branch has its own signature drink. If Mad Monkey Hostel Nacpan Beach has a Pacquiao Punch, Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has their Boracay Bomb. I don’t know what it’s made of but it’s surely worth trying. It’s sold for ₱200 per drink.

The Boracay Bomb – Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s signature drink offered for ₱200 per glass.

Free Shots At The Bar
Mad Monkey Hostels are known for giving free alcohol shots. The Boracay branch also gives these free shots every day.

Awesome Hostel Parties
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay turns into an awesome party place every night. The hostel guests & visitors have a good time in the hostel premises until 12 midnight every day. After 12, those who want to continue the party go out & party in other places.

Free Luggage Storage
The hostel offers free luggage storage to all incoming & outgoing guests. There is an open storage space by the reception where guests can put their bags & luggage before check in & after check out.

24-Hour Front Desk
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has a 24-hour reception / front desk. No matter what time you arrive or leave the hostel, there will always be someone who is there to man the reception area.

Cozy Lounge Area
The hostel has a cozy lounge area by the reception where guests can chill or relax while waiting for check in, airport transfer or whatever they have planned for the day. The lounge area offers a relaxing view of the swimming pool.

Cheerful, Accommodating & Friendly Staff
Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay has one of the most cheerful & friendliest staff ever. The staff always greets you whenever they come across you outside your rooms or in the common areas. They also speak good English & are responsive to questions & requests.

Tour Desk
The hostel has an in-house tour desk where you can book your Boracay tours or activities. Feel free to ask the person in reception on what activities or bookings they offer.

Secured Hostel Stay
The hostel swimming pool, bar & restaurant may be open to everyone, but the rooms & guest areas are still secured. Guests are given room keys to access their respective rooms. Private rooms also have a secured storage box where valuables can be kept safe. At night when parties turn fun & crazy, the hostel has security guards & bouncers who monitor everyone’s well-being.

hostel experience

Rick & I booked our stay directly with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay’s platform. We took advantage of a random promotion & paid only ₱4,185 for 3 nights for a Superior Twin Room. The room came with 2 comfortable single beds, private bathroom with hot shower, air conditioning & dark curtain for privacy. The room was spacious & the bathroom was alright. Water pressure wasn’t that great during our stay; but that was because the authorities are upgrading the water supply facility nearby. WiFi worked well in our room. The staff were superb. We paid roughly ₱700 per person per night on a private room so not bad at all.

A part of our last 2 days in Boracay were spent in the hostel. We enjoyed the swimming pool, we took advantage of the bar’s happy hour promotions & enjoyed the hostel’s Sunday BBQ meal offering. The food servings were of decent size. We stayed for the Sunday night party, met cool people, played beer pong with the other guests & had a great time. We also tried the Boracay Bomb signature drink. To be honest, I don’t remember how it tasted. I was a bit drunk that night.

Overall, we had a memorable stay with Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay. How I wish my other friends also stayed in this hostel. Will I stay in this hostel again? Y-E-S! Man, I’m a fan of this hostel & I already want to go back. I need to go back to try their booze cruise party & to have a good time. This hostel is indeed a hidden gem in Boracay!

In any case you have questions you want to address the hostel directly, feel free to contact them in the details below:

Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay
Address: Zone 5, Bulabog Beach Rd, Balabag, Boracay, Aklan Philippines 5608
Contact number: +63-966-308-1834
Email address: boracay@madmonkeyhostels.com
Website: www.madmonkeyhostels.com/boracay
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/MadMonkeyBoracay
Instagram: www.instagram.com/madmonkeyhostels

Have you been to Mad Monkey Hostel Boracay? How about Nacpan Beach or in any other location? How was your stay? Did you like the hostel & its amenities? Share your hostel experiences in the comment section below. If you have any question about the hostel & want to remain anonymous to everyone, you can throw it 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 – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thanks for joining me today. See you in next Hostel Of The Day feature!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 905 – Manila to Caticlan (Boracay) – Short & Relatively Empty Flight To Paradise Island

Hello & welcome to another flight report. I’ve been away for a while, but fret not, I am now back & ready to share more with you. I have close to 10 flight reports (from Cebu Pacific Air, Singapore Airlines, Brussels Airlines & Czech Airlines) coming up; so stay tuned for these reviews & posts.

Look at that beautiful wing tip of the Airbus A320 sharklet that flew us from Manila to Boracay.

In the last flight reports, I shared with you details about by Indonesia Air Asia flights from Jakarta to Yogyakarta & back, from Yogyakarta to Jakarta. I also gave some details about my Cebu Pacific Air piso-fare flight from Manila to Jakarta which was booked just 2 months before the trip. Today, we’ll go back to my most-used local airline – Cebu Pacific Air. This time, I’ll take you with me from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay).

Check out the post below as I share with you some information about this short flight to the paradise island of Boracay.

cebu pacific air

As mentioned in my previous flight reports (Legazpi to Manila & Manila to Jakarta), Cebu Pacific Air is the Philippines’ largest low-cost airline that flies to various destinations within the country, across the Asia Pacific & the Middle East. It is wholly-owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. Including its subsidiary Cebgo, the airline operates a fleet of 70+ Airbus & ATR commercial & cargo aircraft with a number of new generation aircraft orders in place.

The airline has opened the opportunity for every Filipino to fly domestic & international at extremely low prices compared to its industry rivals. It is known for its ₱1-base fare promotions offered a few times a year. It has its own loyalty program called GetGo & is a founding member of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers.

airfare

Early this year, my friends booked a September Boracay trip for about ₱4,500 per person. A few weeks after they secured their tickets, I decided to secretly join them & booked my return ticket for ₱1,147.72 & 100 GetGo points. Yes, I paid about 1/4 of what my friends paid & even got better flight times.

By the way, the ticket only included a seat in both flights & a carry-on baggage up to 7 kilograms. Nothing more, nothing less. It only takes about an hour to fly to Boracay & it was only a weekend trip; there was no need to bring a lot of stuff. Check out the screenshot of my ticket below.

flight information

The flight was operated by a 6.4-year old Airbus A320-214 twin jet aircraft sporting the new Cebu Pacific Air livery. The plane was built & delivered from Toulouse, France last July 2013. It operates an all economy class configuration with 180 seats in total. The flight, including taxiing, took about 1 hour & 7 minutes. The plane was only airborne for 42 minutes.

We pushed back a few minutes behind schedule, but we were able to land at Caticlan Airport earlier than the scheduled arrival time. The flight was alright, with a few turbulence experienced.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Cebu Pacific Air offers counter, mobile & web check in for all their domestic flights. Since I was travelling light (no check in baggage), I immediately went to the boarding gate with my mobile boarding pass. There was no need to drop by the check in counters for check in.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass for 5J 905 from Manila to Caticlan (Boracay).

The airline offers prepaid baggage for all its flights. Guests have the option to travel light (7 kilogram carry on baggage only) or to purchase baggage for their flights. The baggage rates depend on when the allocation was purchased. See the updated baggage rates to & from Caticlan (from Manila) from the Cebu Pacific Air Fees Summary page as of 24 November 2019.

The boarding process was fast & efficient. It didn’t take long because the flight was not full. There were many empty seats & available cabin storage space. Take note that the ground staff checks your identification card when you are boarding with your mobile boarding pass. They make sure that the passenger on the ticket & boarding pass is the one taking the flight.

There were many empty seats in this domestic flight to MPH. Seats 16D, 16E & 16F were vacant!!

Seat, In-Flight Meals & Entertainment

Cebu Pacific Air, being a low-cost carrier, offers everything for a fee. Preferred seats are available for purchase up to 4 hours before the flight. If no seat is purchased, the airline’s system automatically assigns seats to all passengers a week before the flight. Each seat has a standard 28-inch pitch & has a basic recline. The seat pitch & recline doesn’t really matter for short flights like this. My friend & I were seated one row apart; it kinda sucks because we had 2 separate booking reference numbers. He eventually moved in the seat beside me since it was not occupied.

Snacks & meals are available for pre-purchase up to 24 hours before the flight. If you missed out booking your meal, you can always buy from the snack trays being rolled out by the cabin crew during the flight. The prices of in-flight snacks are expensive. It’s best to just bring your own snack, which the airline allows by the way.

The airline doesn’t offer in-flight entertainment. The back of the seats in front of each passenger has nothing. Each passenger has a seat pocket in front; the seat pocket contains the aircraft safety card & in-flight magazine.

The crew held a fun game during this flight. They asked 3 questions under a category & gave airline merchandise to the passengers who gave the correct answers. It’s this small touch that gives some passengers something to look forward to flying with the airline.

lavatory

We were only airborne for 42 minutes & I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory. I always go to the toilet before boarding because I want to avoid the hassle of asking my seat neighbor to stand up & make way for me going to the toilet.

cabin crew service

Cabin crew service in this flight has been just alright – it was not outstanding or special. They greeted each passenger entering the aircraft during boarding. One thing I noticed is they finished the meal / snack service just a few minutes after the seat belt sign was turned off. I suppose there were not many people who bought snacks during the flight.

verdict

Overall, it was a usual Cebu Pacific Air flight. I really did not expect so much considering I only paid ₱1,147.72 return; that’s half of that fare for this flight. What I particularly liked about this flight is it being on schedule. We were able to arrive Caticlan Airport earlier than expected & managed to surprise our friends who were already in Boracay that day.

I have a few upcoming Cebu Pacific Air flights on their Airbus A330 & Airbus A321 aircrafts. I wonder if the experience will be different from this flights, but I am already looking forward to that. In case you are wondering about the specifics of this flight & the aircraft used, check out the details listed below.

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 13 September 2019
Flight Number: 5J 905
Route: Manila (MNL) – Caticlan (Boracay) (MPH)
Duration: 1:07 hours
Seat Number: 16A (changed from 16C)
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214 Sharklet
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3275
Age: 6.4 Years Old
Year Delivered: 2013

Have you used Cebu Pacific Air in your recent flight? How was your experience? Do you plan to fly with them again in your future flights? Let’s engage into a discussion in the comments section below. You can also share your experiences, ideas, comments & suggestions via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Don’t forget to turn your notifications on for my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Please also help me promote these pages to your families & friends.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report. Watch out for the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Flight Report: CEBU PACIFIC AIR 5J 328 – Legazpi to Manila – ₱600 ($11.50) Flight Back To Manila

Last month, I introduced a new section in my website called Flight Report. This section will talk about my experiences on the flights I took in the past. My 1st flight report was about our Taipei to Manila flight with EVA Air last June. It was a decent flight for such an affordable fare. Check out the post here to know more about this 5-star airline economy experience.

Weeks after the 1st post, here I am sharing with you another flight report of a recent flight I took. 2 weeks ago, I went home to my hometown to surprise my mom on her birthday. I took the bus from Manila to Bicol & took a flight back from Legazpi to Manila with Cebu Pacific Air. The flight back to Manila will be the subject of this flight report. How did the flight go? What aircraft was used for the flight? Was it on time? Find out in the text below.

Cebu Pacific Air

View from Legazpi Airport’s pre-departure area. Hello to the A320 aircraft & to Mayon Volcano! 🙂

Cebu Pacific Air is the country’s largest low-cost carrier flying to over 60 destinations within the Philippines, across Asia Pacific & the Middle East. This private airline is fully-owned by JG Summit Holdings, led by the Gokongweis. It has a wholly-owned subsidiary called Cebgo which flies to smaller airports in the country. The airline operates a fleet of 70+ planes consisting of Airbus & ATR aircraft & has new-generation aircraft orders in place.

Cebu Pacific Air is known for providing the lowest fares in the Philippine airline sector. They are famous for their ₱1-base fare promotions to all of its routes, being offered a few times a year. They also hold special & regular fare promotions that enable a lot of Filipinos travel to destinations at affordable fares. The airline is one of the founding members of Value Alliance, the world’s largest alliance of low-cost carriers. It also has a loyalty program known as GetGo.

Airfare

Believe it or not, I only paid ₱596.32 ($11.50) for this flight from Legazpi to Manila. The airline had a ₱11.11-base fare sale last 11 November 2018 & offered flights from Legazpi this cheap. The fare only includes 7 kilograms of carry-on baggage. Check in baggage, in-flight snacks & seat selection are offered for additional cost; basically how modern low-cost carriers work. I was only travelling light, so I didn’t need to avail of these additional services. Imagine only paying that much. The fare was cheaper than the usual bus fare from Legazpi to Manila.

Flight

I initially booked a flight for 30 July 2019. The airline changed my original flight schedule & offered change booking, full refund, travel fund storage or rerouting options. I took advantage of this flight change & booked the night flight day before.

The flight was operated by a 6-year old Airbus A320-214 aircraft delivered to the company in December 2012. It operates an all-economy class 3-3 configuration & has 180 on-board seats in total. The flight took about 42 minutes, from the scheduled 1 hour & 20 minutes flying time. It departed Legazpi Airport on time & arrived Manila Airport 30+ minutes ahead of schedule.

Check In, Baggage & Boarding

Cebu Pacific Air provides counter, online & mobile check in for all their flights. Legazpi Airport has a relatively small but efficient check in facility. I already checked in online & have my boarding pass on my phone so I didn’t have to go through the usual counter check in. Passengers also don’t need to print their boarding passes – less paper used plus a good move for the environment.

Here’s a screenshot of my mobile boarding pass; didn’t go through manual check in. I removed the QR code for security purposes. The staff also asked for a government issued ID during boarding 🙂

The airline offers prepaid baggage for all their flights. Passengers have the option to include baggage at the time of booking or in the manage booking section up to 4 hours before the flight. Baggage fees vary per weight allocation & prices change as the day of the flight approaches. If you want to get reasonable baggage fees, include the baggage allocation while booking the flight or add it at least 15 minutes before the day of the flight.

Here are the check in baggage fees from Cebu Pacific Air’s official website as today, 11 August 2019.

The boarding process was alright – the flight started boarding around 20 minutes into the scheduled departure. The passengers rushed up to the gate when the ground staff announced boarding. I waited for the majority of the people to board & decided to board last. The ground staff checked my mobile boarding pass together with a valid identification card to confirm my identity.

Seat, In-flight Meal & Entertainment

Cebu Pacific Air offers in-flight services for additional fees. The airline automatically assigns seats to its passengers days before the flight. If the passenger wants to be seated in front or in exit seats, he / she must pay for the seat. The seats have a 28-inch pitch & a basic recline. The seats don’t have the best legroom but it’s okay for short flights. Each passenger has a seat pocket in front; the seat pocket contains the aircraft safety card & in-flight magazine.

Here’s the amount of legroom that you get when you fly on a Cebu Pacific Air Airbus A320 aircraft.

Preferred seats can also be booked through the website.. Here are the rates as of 11 August 2019.

The airline doesn’t offer free in-flight meal & has no on-board entertainment. Snacks are available for pre-order in the website up to 24 hours before the flight & are also available for purchase on-board. The airline also offers items or souvenirs (blankets, eye shades, neck pillow, etc.) for sale. The full snack menu & brochure of items for sale can also be found in the in-flight Smile Magazine.

No in-flight entertainment or whatsoever. You only get a plain seat with a tray table with an ad.

Here are the meal prices as of 11 August 2019 – meal includes a free drink if you pre-book it online.

I did not avail of any add-on for this flight. It was a short flight back to Manila & I didn’t have many things with me. Basically everything beyond the free 7 kilogram carry-on baggage allowance is offered for additional fees. This is how low-cost carriers operate. They make money out of everything they can charge so they can offer fares at the lowest possible cost.

Lavatory

The flight only took 42 minutes – too short for me to use the lavatory. It didn’t take long when the seat belt sign was switched on again & when we started our descent to Manila. Perhaps, next time on a longer flight?

Cabin Crew Service

Cebu Pacific Air’s cabin crew were nice & very welcoming. They make sure that they greet all passengers upon entering & before leaving the plane. Safety instructions were shown manually by the cabin crew. They performed all necessary security checks before we departed for Manila. While on air, they walked down the aisle & sold snacks & goods to the passengers with smiles on their faces. I’ve been flying with the airline for years now & I can say that they’ve maintained their service through time. The in-flight cabin crew service was great – beyond what I expected from a low-cost airline.

Verdict

My experience with Cebu Pacific Air on 5J 328 last 29 July 2019 was awesome. The cheap ticket was a steal given my only aim was to fly back to Manila. The services were very basic – 7 kilograms free carry-on baggage & a typical low-cost airline seat pitch. Every other add-on (baggage, seat preference & in-flight snack) came with additional fees. Glad I didn’t have to avail of those additional services.

Will I fly them again? OF COURSE! Cebu Pacific Air offers a handful of flights between Manila & Legazpi every day. Having a range of convenient flight schedules to choose from (especially night flights) gives us locals more time to spend with our families in our hometown. I’ve been flying with them between Manila & Legazpi for years now & I don’t mind doing the same thing in the next few years. Thanks to this airline for offering cheap flights to & making hometown within reach.

In case you’re interested with more information about this Legazpi to Manila flight, check out the full details below:

Airline: Cebu Pacific Air
Flight Date: 29 July 2019
Flight Number: 5J 328
Route: Legazpi (LGP) – Manila (MNL)
Duration: 42 minutes
Seat Number: 9B
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C3272
Age: 6 Years
Year Delivered: 2012

One last photo of the Cebu Pacific Air Airbus A320-214 that flew me from Legazpi to Manila. 🙂 🙂

Are you a Cebu Pacific Air frequent flyer? If yes, what is your favorite destination flown by the airline? Can you share the cheapest ticket you got from them? Believe it or not, I got a Manila-Narita-Fukuoka-Manila ticket with them worth ₱1,613.19. I used this ticket last February when I went to Tokyo, Nagano, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara & Fukuoka with my family. What are your ₱1-fare stories with Cebu Pacific Air?

Feel free to share yours in the comment section below. You can also tell me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. I’ll respond as soon as I can. Don’t forget to follow me & please please please also help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Thank you for joining me in this Flight Report! Looks like the next flight report will be about Cebu Pacific Air again but for an international destination. Any guesses where I’m going next?

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.