budget travel – Page 26 – The Wknd Travel

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: TOKYO – 36 Hours In The Land Of The Rising Sun’s Most Famous Metropolis

Last week, I shared with you details of Dot Nagano Hostel – the hostel I stayed with in Nagano. It was antique & unique, small but affordable; it’s the best place to stay in a beautiful city like Nagano.

My 2019 Japan trip started in Tokyo before I went to Nagano. My initial plan was to explore Nagano, Kanazawa, Toyama & Kumamoto for 9 days until my sisters & relatives joined the trip. I had to revise my itinerary to join them most of the time & also to guide them in their first trip to Japan. I joined them for 36 hours in Tokyo before going on my own in Nagano. I met with my sisters in Osaka a few days after.

Saw these empty barrels of sake outside Meiji Jingu Shrine. Felt so good to be back in Tokyo, Japan!

In this post, I will specifically talk about in 36-hour stay in the world’s most populous metropolis, Tokyo. Please note that this is not my 1st time (actually my 4th) in the city. Also, we’re travelling with a 1-year old kid. Our itinerary was relaxed & kid-friendly.

Flight To Tokyo

Will you believe me if I say that I booked my ticket to Tokyo for only ₱850 one way? Yes, it’s true. I booked this flight August 2018, right before all the fuel surcharges & other charges imposed on airfares. I took advantage of GetGo‘s, Cebu Pacific Air‘s lifestyle rewards program, 8,000 points off promotion that time.

I only paid 3,900 GetGo points & ₱850 for this flight to Tokyo. The flight left Manila at 6:15 am & arrived Tokyo ay 11:30 am local time. Flight time took about 4 hours & paying such cheap fare was definitely worth it. I wrote a previous post on how you can score cheap flights like this; check out this link (& this link too) for more information.

Places Visited Within 36 Hours

36 hours may be too short for a trip to Tokyo; but hey, I got the most out of it. Most of the places we went to were the same places I’ve been to in my past Tokyo visits. It’s their 1st time, so they need to see the highlights. Check out these places we went to:

Asakusa

One of Tokyo’s visited areas is Asakusa. This area is known for the Senso-ji Temple, the city’s world famous & oldest red Buddhist temple. We passed by the temple on our way to the hostel. We also walked around the busy streets & even went to one of the biggest Don Quijote stores in Tokyo.

Nearest train station: Asakusa Station (Tobu Railway, Tokyo Metro & Toei Subway Lines)

Roppongi

The main reason we went to Roppongi was to attend the 6:00 pm anticipated Sunday mass at the Franciscan Chapel Center – Roppongi Catholic Church. We also explored the area, walked around different shopping malls & even saw Tokyo Tower from afar.

Nearest train station: Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro & Toei Subway Lines)

Meiji Jingu

Meiji Jingu is Tokyo’s most important Shinto shrine & is dedicated to Emperor Jingu. We went there on a Sunday, so the place was flooded both by locals & visitors. I’ve been to this place in 2015 & again, I witnessed a part of a Japanese wedding.

Nearest train stations: Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line) & Meiji-jingu-mae Station (Tokyo Metro Chiyoda & Fukutoshin Subway Lines)

Takeshita Street

Harajuku’s Takeshita Street is one of the city’s busiest places. It is a short street full of shops, cafes, restaurants & anything fancy. I reckon it is the best place to buy pasalubong. Look for the stall that sells Kitkats for less than ¥200 & chocolates for less than ¥90 per small box. I forgot the name of the place but it’s the one with chocolates displayed along the streets.

Nearest train station: Harajuku Station (JR Yamanote Line)

Omotesando Hills

Right at the other end of Takeshita Street is Omotesando Hills. This area is Tokyo’s special area for shopaholics. Omotesando Hills is a large shopping complex where you can find all local & international luxury & branded stores. It is also a place where you’ll see many boutique & specialty stores.

Nearest train station: Omotesando Station (Toko Metro Chiyoda, Ginza & Hanzomon Lines)

Shibuya

Sushi for lunch!
Scallops Sushi

Shibuya is one of Tokyo’s most famous places to visit. It became famous for the intersection & its busy commercial district. It’s also a good place to go shopping & have good food. We had our late lunch in a sushi (train) restaurant. We went around different stores & buildings afterwards. We also dropped by the famous Hachiko statue.

Nearest train stations: Shibuya Station (JR Yamanote, JR Saikyo & Shonan-Shinjuku Lines, Keio Inokashira Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hanzomon & Fukutoshin Lines)

And that’s a wrap! That’s already 36 hours around Tokyo, Japan. I may not have been to new places but I had a great time visiting these places again – but this time with my family. I left for Nagano afterwards while they went to Tokyo DisneySea Resort, Akihabara & Shinjuku days after.

It’s still in my plan to go back to Tokyo for a few days & go to newer places. I heard there’s quite a list of new & exciting places to go to. The last time I went there to explore was in 2015 & it’s been years. I don’t know when will that be but hopefully soon.

Have you been to Tokyo recently? Any fancy, new or interesting places to go to? Share your suggestions & itineraries below. Feel free to also send them via 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.

Watch out for my post about the beautiful Nagano. Ciao!

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.

Hostel of the Day: DOT HOSTEL NAGANO – Wooden House Turned High-Rated Affordable Hostel

Welcome to newest & also the first Hostel of the Day feature for 2019! Today, I’ll be taking you to Nagano, Japan. Last month, I went on a 9-day trip around Japan & visited Nagano for 3 days & 2 nights. Nagano is a small city & is the center of the Nagano Prefecture in Chubu Region. The city only has few accommodation options at the moment & even has lesser budget hostels available.

I stayed in a hostel named Dot Hostel Nagano. It is a budget-friendly hostel that opened a few years ago. The place used to be a traditional wooden house, was renovated & then converted into a hostel or shared tourist accommodation. I was lucky enough to score a bed in this hostel as most of the places to stay are booked out. Allow me to share with you some details about the hostel & how my stay went.

Location & Access

Dot Hostel Nagano is located less than 5 minutes walk from Nagano’s most important & famous temple – Zenkoji Temple. It’s about 5 to 10 minutes walk from Zenkoji Station of the Nagaden Railway. There are also multiple bus stops near the hostel. Nagano Station, the city’s main station is 1.8 kilometers away but still can be accessed by foot. The nearest convenience store is 5 to 10 minutes away by foot while the nearest supermarket is by the shopping street about 15 minutes walk from the hostel doors.

There isn’t much to do & to go to in Nagano so having an accommodation near the city’s main temple is just perfect. The hostel’s location was also perfect for early morning & late night walks around the temple grounds.

Room Configuration & Rates

Dot Hostel Nagano is a small hostel; they can only accommodate up to 15 guests. The hostel has 1 x 6-bed mixed dormitory room (¥2,600 a bed per night), 1 x 6-bed female dormitory room (¥2,600 a bed per night), a double tatami room (¥6,000 per night) & a single room (¥3,800 per night). All guests have access to the hostel’s common facilities.

I got myself a bed in the 6-bed mixed dormitory room. I paid a little over ¥4,300 for 2 nights from the initial rate of ¥4,800 (¥2,400 per night). Thanks to Traveloka‘s weekly promotion! The dormitory beds feature Japanese style bedding (with duvet covers), privacy curtains, a universal plug & personal reading lights. All rooms have air conditioning & fans. They were of no use during my stay because it was winter. The rooms do not have lockers but are spacious enough to put in your stuff. Just make sure to secure your bags them with padlocks.

Guest Perks

Dot Hostel Nagano may not be a large-scale hostel yet it still provides the usual facilities & amenities. Check out these perks every guest can enjoy.

Free WiFi

All hostel guests have access to free WiFi. Username & password are given to the guests upon check in. The hostel WiFi was fast just like any other internet connection in Japan.

Free Breakfast

The hostel offers free breakfast of toast & jam to all its guests. The food is available as early as 6:30 am until 9:30 am. Coffee & tea are also available & offered for free. These drinks are available 24/7.

Common Toilet & Shower

All guests have access to a communal but separate toilet & shower on the ground floor. Both small areas are clean & well-maintained.

Communal Kitchen & Food Storage Area

Just like any other hostel in Japan, Dot Hostel Nagano also has a communal kitchen open for all. The kitchen has microwave ovens & an oven toaster which can be used to reheat cooked food. Guests can also cook their own meals in the kitchen provided with complete cooking materials. There is also a big fridge where guests’ food can be stored.

Sample meal I bought in the supermarket. I stored these items in the fridge & ate ’em the next day.

Common Dining & Lounge Area

The hostel has a small dining & lounge area right in front of the hostel reception. It is where the guests kill time, eat & interact with other guests. I had 2 great nights in this common area; I met people from all over the world & even shared interesting stories & experiences. The vibe is very social even if it’s only a small hostel.

Free Luggage Storage

The hostel offers free luggage storage to all its guests on the day of check in & check out. Reception opens at 8:30 in the morning & closes around 10:00 in the evening. The luggage storage area is the small space just by the reception.

Exceptional Guest Services

The staff provides exceptional services. They are nice & helpful. They even give out recommendations on where to go, what to do & where to eat. They also speak very good English.

Sake Bar

The hostel reception is also a sake bar. Dot Hostel Nagano offers some local sake variants & other alcoholic drinks. If I remember it right, the price of one order of sake is ¥400. I didn’t have the chance to try it though, maybe when I come back in the future.

Bicycle Rental

Guests can rent bicycles from the hostel. Feel free to check with reception for rates; don’t forget to ask if they have an ongoing promotion on rental fees.

Laundry Services

Guests who need to wash their clothes can take advantage of the laundry machine near the shower room. I forgot if the laundry charge is per use or if the guest pay for the soap. You can always check with the staff if you plan to avail this service.

Verdict

Overall, I had a great stay in Dot Hostel Nagano. I didn’t expect to have this kind of hostel in such a small & relatively unpopular city of Nagano. The hostel may be small in size & capacity but its facilities & amenities are at par with the large hostels I’ve stayed with in Tokyo, Kyoto & Osaka. Location is very central, pretty much close to everywhere. The facility is well-maintained; the staff are super nice & accommodating. You may not have a lot of choices of hotels or hostels to stay in Nagano but make sure to put this on top of your list. Book early. They tend to get booked out in most days.

Do you want to have any questions about the hostel? Do you want to book an upcoming stay in Dot Hostel Nagano? Feel free to contact them on the details below.

Dot Hostel Nagano
Address: 379 Higashinomon, Nagano, 380-0852, Japan
Phone Number: +81 26 219 6769
Email Address: dothostel.nagano@gmail.com
Website: www.dothostel-nagano.com
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/dothostel.nagano
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dot_hostel_nagano

Have you been to Nagano before? Where did you stay? Watch out for my post about my 3-day stay in the city. Believe it or not, I saw some snow monkeys! For the meantime, feel free to post your questions, comments & thoughts in the visitor section 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. Ciao!

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.

PENANG in 36 Hours – A Walk Around Heritage Sites

Happy new year everyone! I hope everyone had a relaxing holiday break. I went home to my hometown & spent the festive season with my family & relatives. It’s also the reason why I’ve been very quiet the past weeks. I’m very happy to be back! I have a long list of stories, tips & content to post. I can’t wait to share all of them with you!

Let’s get down to business. Today, I will bring you to Penang, Malaysia. Last November 2018, I got to explore Penang. I was supposed to stay for a few days but I had to cut short my trip to 36 hours for another exciting engagement in Singapore. I will talk about that experience in an upcoming post. Back to Penang, I spent most of my time around the island’s capital – Georgetown. This colorful & multicultural capital became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Georgetown is like a living museum; the buildings & shop houses have retained their historic form through the years.

I will make this post somewhat informal & basically share my itinerary by date & time. Check out the turnout of events in Penang below.

Day 1 – Hello Penang!

22:00 – I arrived at Penang International Airport from Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines. Flight was delayed for an hour due to bad weather at the airport vicinity. I got some cash from the ATM & booked a Grab ride to my hostel.

23:00 – I arrived at The Frame Guesthouse in Georgetown & checked in to my room. I went to the nearest convenience center & grabbed something to eat & drink. I had freshened up & went to bed.

I wrote about my stay at The Frame Guesthouse. Check out the hostel of the day feature here.

Day 2 – Kek Lok Si Temple & Around Georgetown

07:00 – I woke up & immediately took a shower. I went downstairs to avail the hostel’s free breakfast. I had some toast, fresh fruits & a glass of milk. I went to reception & asked for advice on what to do for the day.

08:00 – I left the hostel & walked to Komtar Bus Terminal. I took Bus 203 or 204 to Ayer Itam. The fare costs RM2 per person & takes about 30 minutes. It is the bus line’s last stop so the driver will advise you to get off the bus. The temple is only a short walk up the hill.

09:00 – I arrived at Kek Lok Si Temple. The Buddhist temple was built way back in the late 19th century. This temple played a big role in building Penang’s religious heritage.

I went around the different temple buildings & pagodas. The complex has millions of Buddha images & hundreds of physical statues. I also took the inclined lift up to the giant Buddha. It took me 2.5 hours to go around the whole temple complex.

11:30 – I went down to Ayer Itam & had lunch. I went to the small hawker center & bought curry mee for lunch. After lunch, I walked around the different shops in the area. I was a bit tired so I booked a Grab car back to the hostel.

12:30 – I arrived back to The Frame Guesthouse & decided to rest for a while.

14:00 – I left the hostel & started my walkathon around Georgetown. I walked around Love Lane & saw some interesting murals.

14:15 – I went to Pinang Peranakan Mansion. Also known as the Mansion of the Babas & Nyonyas, this mansion was once owned by the rich Chinese who migrated to Penang. The Chinese family adopted to the local Malaysian & colonial British cultures & still managed to create a unique lifestyle & customs. This way of life left a big collection of antiques which are on display in the mansion. The mansion has a RM20 entrance fee per person. They also offer English tours (takes about an hour) around the house daily. I joined the 14:30 tour.

15:30 – I left Pinang Peranakan Mansion & continued my walkathon to Penang Town Hall & The Esplanade. This public open space by the sea is a popular recreation area for the locals. People go here for leisure walks & relaxation. I planned to visit the nearby Fort Cornawallis but the fort was closed to the public on that specific day.

16:00 – I went to Padang Kota Lama, a hawker center beside Fort Cornwallis, to try the famous mee sotong goreng. This sweet & spicy noodles are only sold by Hameed Pata Special Mee. I waited in line for a few minutes before it was finally my turn to buy. The regular plate costs RM5 & the big plate costs RM7. You can choose from the goreng (fried noodles) or the rebus (boiled noodles). I also tried the coconut shake in the nearby stall for RM4.

16:45 – I resumed my walkathon around Georgetown. This time, I went back to Lebuh Chulia & continued to Lebuh Armenian to check out the famous Penang murals. I went around the main & small streets to see as many murals as I can. Luckily, there were only few tourists checking out the murals.

17:30 – I went back to the hostel to rest before heading out for dinner.

19:30 – 2 hours after, I went out to have dinner with a Filipino I met in the mansion tour. We ate in a local restaurant along Lebuh Chulia. I had wan tan mee (Malaysian wonton noodles), char koay teow (stir-fried noodles) & hot teh tarik (hot milk tea) for dinner. Yes, I was that hungry.

20:30 – We went to this local liquor store named Antarabangsa Enterprise to have drinks. This shop is located along Lorong Stewart (Stewart Lane). Every day, the store staff sets up tables & chairs in the street for their customers. We stayed for a while here & met interesting people from Penang (locals), Iran & Norway. It was a fun night exchanging stories about anything under the sun.

23:45 – After a few bottles & hours of drinking, I headed back to my hostel to rest. I took a shower & went to bed.

Day 3 – Goodbye Penang!

06:00 – I woke up & fixed my stuff. I took a shower & got ready for check out.

07:15 – I booked a Grab car & went to Penang International Airport for my international flight to Singapore.

07:45 – I arrived at the airport & went straight to check in. I had breakfast at KFC after check in then I headed to the boarding gate.

09:30 – Boarding for Singapore commenced.

10:05 – My Scoot flight to Singapore departed Penang International Airport on time.

This pretty much is all about my quick stop at Penang. I wish I stayed longer but I guess I made the most out of that 36-hour stay. I know I missed a lot of interesting places like Batu Ferringhi, Clan Jetties, Penang Hill & the Blue Mansion. That gives me another reason to go back in visit Penang in the future.

Have you been to Penang? Where else did you go that you find very interesting & unique? Feel free to share these places in the comments below. I’ll check ’em out when I fly back to Penang. You can also send them via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com. Please help me in promoting my social media channels – Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

Watch out for the next post about Penang. You’ll surely love it! Ciao. ✌️

PS. Photos were taken using my HTC U11.