El Nido | Budget vs Luxury

As a kid, I used to think people named El Nido after my favorite powdered milk, Nido, because the sand there is as white and fine as the powdered milk I love drinking. Its been my dream to go there since then.

Photo Courtesy of El Nido Resorts Website

El Nido is famous for the luxury resort chain, El Nido Resorts. There are currently 4 resorts in the different islands of Palawan under their management. Each are internationally recognized and multi-awarded for its eco-friendly design and luxury. But of course, luxury comes with a price. For more budget conscious tourists, a trip to El Nido could be as equally fun and exciting with the affordable island hopping activities that are available. Bacuit Bay in El Nido features beautiful islands with white sand beaches, lagoons concealed in limestone walls and rich marine life that are perfect for diving and snorkeling. So its just a matter of preference and, of course, budget. 

There's a small domestic airport in El Nido, however, only the charter airline of El Nido Resorts fly there now and they offer guests round trip airfares for about Php13,000++ per person. Seair no longer offers direct flights to El Nido Airport since early this year. A more affordable alternative is to fly to Puerto Princesa airport and ride a bus or a van to El Nido. Another option is to ride a boat. I'm not a fan of long boat rides so I won't even explore that option.  

Thanks to one of Cebu Pacific's promo fares, my friends and I were able to book a round trip flight to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for only Php1115. I was able to contact Fortwally Shuttle Service and they offered us round trip private airport transfers to El Nido for Php 1100 per person. Its a 5-hour ride so I really hope its a comfortable van. 

The next question is whether we'd go for budget traveling or luxury vacation. For easier decision making, I made two itineraries with projected expenses each. 

Luxury El Nido Itinerary

March 2 (Sat): Day 1 – Arrival

4pm        Departure: NAIA Terminal 3 

5:15pm   Arrival: Puerto Prinsesa Airport

               Van to El Nido

               Dinner

1am        Arrival at El Nido

               Check-in at El Nido Town Hotel

March 3 (Sun): Day 2 – El Nido Resort

9am         Check-out El Nido Town Hotel Transfer to El Nido Resort

10am       Check-in at El Nido Resort

                Water Sports Activites (Hobie Cat, Windsurf, Kayak, etc)

                Standard Resort Guided Activities/Tours (snorkeling, island-hopping, etc)

March 4 (Mon): Day 3 – El Nido Resort

               Water Sports Activites (Hobie Cat, Windsurf, Kayak, etc)
               Standard Resort Guided Activities/Tours (snorkeling, island-hopping, etc)

March 5 (Tues): Day 4 - Departure

12pm      Check-out El Nido Resort Lunch

               Transfer to Puerto Princesa 6pm Arrival at Puerto Princesa

               Dinner
8:10pm   Departure: Puerto Princesa Airport

9:25pm   Arrival: NAIA Terminal 3

Budget El Nido Itinerary

March 2 (Sat): Day 1 – Arrival

4pm        Departure: NAIA Terminal 3 

5:15pm   Arrival: Puerto Prinsesa Airport

               Van to El Nido

               Dinner

1am        Arrival at El Nido

               Check-in at El Nido Town Hotel

March 3 (Sun): Day 2 – Island Hopping

9am        Island Hopping (Tour C) 

5pm        Return to El Nido Town Hotel

               Rest, Dinner, Nightlife

March 4 (Mon): Day 3 – Island Hopping

9am        Island Hopping (Tour A) 

5pm       Return to El Nido Town Hotel

              Rest, Dinner, Nightlife

March 5 (Tues): Day 4 - Departure

12pm      Check-out El Nido Town Hotel Lunch

               Transfer to Puerto Princesa 6pm Arrival at Puerto Princesa

               Dinner
8:10pm   Departure: Puerto Princesa Airport

9:25pm   Arrival: NAIA Terminal 3

We still haven't decided on where to go just yet. But its definitely going to be fun either way. 

Till next time ;) 

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Arrival at HK

August had one of my longest vacations this year. Lucky me was able to take a leave from work for 10 days. I spent half of that in Hong Kong and Macau.

We arrived at the HK International Airport at around 8am. I must say, this airport is really huge! The plane had to run on wheels for about 30 more minutes after it has landed as if looking for a parking space. Unlike any other airports that I've been to, the immigration in HK Airport comes first before claiming the baggages. I didn't know this at the time so our group was running around in the airport like little kids looking for the next stop. The immigration and baggage claim went on smoothly after that. As advised by most bloggers, we took a lot of free maps and brochures from the airport. These helped us a lot in our adventure on the days that followed.

Our next challenge in the airport was to find the counter that sells Octopus Cards. Since HK's primary mode of transportation is via trains or MTR, the Octopus Card became very useful especially for travelers like us. It can also be used in buses, 7/11 outlets and others. There are several types of Octopus Cards available. We bought the Airport Express Tourist Octopus card for HK$ 220 which includes the following:

Airport Express One Free Single Journey + 3 days unlimited travel on MTR + $50 deposit + Stored value $20

We also found the China Travel Service (CTS) counter at the airport. This travel agency sells discounted entrance tickets to HK's tourist attractions. We were able to compare the rates before we left for HK so we already know how much we're going to save. Its not much, but when you're out of the country, every penny counts.

Comparison of Original and CTS rates

Once all the purchasing was done, we located the train station for the Airport Express. The Airport Express is a bit more expensive than the regular MTR rides. This line is only dedicated to 3 stations from the airport unlike the other lines with frequent stops. The train is also equipped with its LED lights and screens that indicate the location of the train as it reaches the next station. The seats are more comfortable and new too. After a few minutes, we arrived at Kowloon Station. From there, we had to transfer to the shuttle bus (also free with the Octopus Card) that would bring us our final stop near our hostel at Tsim Sha Tsui.  

Inside the Airport Express 

Hop Inn has made its name in the HK Hostel Industry as one of the best in its league. It has received several awards and praises from the hotel review website: Trip Advisor, as well as in the online booking websites - Hostelworld.com. This hostel is famous for its painted walls and decorations that feature local artists and illustrators. Its a bit more expensive than the regular hostels in TST area but the amenities are at par with 3 star hotels. Check out their website for more info: www.hopinn.hk

It wasn't hard to find the Hop Inn building once we've arrived at our bus stop. The map and directions provided by the hostel admin upon booking was very direct and easy to follow. We arrived at the hostel earlier than the check-in time. There wasn't a vacant room available yet so we just left our luggages by the corridor which the receptionist assured was completely safe. All payments for the rooms were made upon arrival. The reservations didn't ask for any deposits or downpayment upon booking. 

After all the our luggages and payments have been settled, we left the hostel for our next destination: HK Disneyland!

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An Overnight Stay at Chalet Baguio Hotel

A trip to Baguio is never about the hotel. The weather, food and tourist attractions are too good not to explore. So for our overnight stay, we decided not to splurge on some fancy and expensive hotel. Instead, we got a deal from Ensogo for Chalet Baguio Hotel. 

For only Php1500, we got a deluxe room with free breakfast for 2 and unlimited brewed coffee. Not bad, eh? Actually, the free coffee is what got me to purchase this deal. The location is pretty good too. Its near Kennon Road so it was quite easy to find our way there. We didn't want to bring the car around a city where there's an abundance of taxi and a scarcity of parking space. 

Its a chic little boutique. A lot better than I expected. The furnitures and decorations are classic pieces that (from what I've heard) were brought in all the way from Iloilo.  There's a Dulcinea Restaurant in the lobby that is open for all 24/7, even for non-hotel guests. The staff are friendly and helpful. Checking in was no problem at all.

There are a couple of parking spaces available in front of the hotel and also in the basement parking. Though I don't think it can accommodate the vehicles of all the guests in case they all happen to bring their own. 

The room that we got is on the far end corner of the second floor. Its very simple and very cozy. I loved the touch of stones in the interiors. The headboard is designed with a carving of what seems like pine trees with lights at the back to create silhouette figures. So cool. My favorite part of the room is on the corner window where we have a beautiful view of the mountains beyond. 

What I didn't like about the room was the air-conditioning. I can't remember why we opened them in the first place, but it was just wrong. It smelled really nasty after a few minutes. We had to open all the windows and doors in the room to get rid of the scent. We left the windows open for the rest of our stay. The natural cold weather feels a lot better anyway. 

Another plus point for this hotel is that you can avail the breakfast meal at any time of the day. Even after you've checked out of the room. So there's no need to rush in the morning. Honestly, every hotel should do the same. The food isn't anything special. But the coffee is really good. 

Overall, its a good value for the price we paid. There are lots of hotels in Baguio to choose from. It just depends on your budget and needs. And as for us, this one just got it right. I'd recommend this hotel for families, friends or couples who just need a place to crash with a safe parking space where they could leave their cars while they roam around in the city. 

Till next time :) 

Chalet Baguio Hotel 
Upper Military Cutoff Road, Baguio City 
http://www.chaletbaguiohotel.com/

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Our Favorite Places in Baguio

In any occasion or event that brings us to Baguio, there are two places that we visit every time: Halfmoon Cafe and 50's Diner. My boyfriend's birthday trip this year is no exception. 

Halfmoon Cafe is under the same management of the Mines View Park Hotel. Its famous for its signature dish, "bibincrepe" which is available in different yummy flavors. I'll skip the story of how we got here. The important thing is, when it comes to coffee, this is the place to be. This may or may not be the best cafe there is in Baguio, but its the most special one for us. They also have a branch in Timog Avenue, QC. We tried it once but its just not the same. 

Cafe Bonbon

Chocolate Ice Blended

Choco-cheese bibincrepe 

Choco-mallows bibincrepe

After burning a couple of hours (and gaining a lot of calories) in the cafe, we decided to walk our way towards the famous landmarks of Baguio nearby. I hate walking. But the cold weather kinda made it seem okay. 

The walk from Mines View Park to Botanical Garden is already an achievement for me. We could've walked further but its already getting dark and we were both hungry already. Hence, the visit to our other favorite Baguio place - 50's Diner! 

50's Diner is the best restaurant in Baguio. If not for all, at least for us. The theme of the restaurant is, of course, the 1950s. Its ambiance takes you back to the 1950s. I was born in the 80's so I don't really know much about that decade and this place gives you an idea of how it was like back then. There are posters of famous Hollywood stars and movies on every wall. The black and white tiles is a huge addition to the 50s vibe. There's a bar in the corner of the restaurant where they make super yummy milk shakes and fresh fruit juices.

The best part of dining in this restaurant is the food. They have a wide variety of seafood, steaks, sandwiches, burgers, deserts, etc. Servings are in huge portions so be careful in ordering too much. The best part is, its not that expensive at all. But most importantly, the food is delicious! Actually, to say its delicious is actually an understatement. That's how much i love this place.

That sums up our afternoon in Baguio City. We'll probably try to explore new places on our next visit, but there are two places that are sure to remain in the itinerary. ;)

Till next time. :) 

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Thunderbird Resorts | Poro Point | Around and About

Past the reception area and the restaurants are the stairs that leads to the swimming pools. On the right side is an area i'd like to call the "kiddie station". You'll find a kiddie pool, a swing, kiddie slides and a trampoline. Its perfect for parents who would like to bring their kids to this vacation. The kiddie station will keep them busy while mommy and daddy are relaxing as well. On the other side of the kiddie station is a huge infinity pool with the waterfalls, bridge, and mini bar. Its surrounded with coconut trees and chairs. I don't know why but there we were the only guests on the pool that afternoon. We felt so lucky for having the pool all for ourselves.

Swimming Pool in the afternoon

Swimming Pool by night time

"Kiddie Station"

After a while, we took a walk around the resort to check out its other amenities. Its a short walk since there isn't much to see. There's a jogging path at the boardwalk with several sheds where you can just hang out and relax. Beyond the boardwalk is a basketball court and a mini stadium. There's also a badminton court near the pool area but I have no idea if they provide sports equipments for guests. We weren't able to visit The Cliffs Golf and Beach Club where, from what i've heard, you'll a golf course and a beach. Both weren't very appealing so we just decided to stay at the pool. 

mini-stadium 

View of the Resort

Green fields and the Boardwalk

Infinity Pool

There are 3 restaurant options in the resort but all of them have the same menu. Its just a matter of choosing the ambiance you like while eating. If you're having so much fun swimming at the pool and never ever wanna leave, you may request for a menu and have them served at the Pool Bar. If you want a more intimate dining experience, then the Olive Restaurant is your best choice. It claims to be the only fine dining restaurant in Ilocos Region and North Luzon. They also offer a dinner buffet for Php700 per person. But the food choices are very limited and plain so we decided to pass. On the other side of the hotel lobby is the Patio Santorini, our restaurant of choice. Its actually a bar with a live band to entertain the guests. There are additional food choices that are a bit cheaper than those offered in the original menu. 

Pool Bar

For our dinner, we ordered the Blue Cheese & Mozzarella Penne Pasta and the Seafood Medley which consists of shrimp, tuna, salmon and scallops served with mashed potato and vegetables. Whew! Both dishes are good for two persons but the waiters said its only good for one. As a consequence, we had a lot of leftovers. (Sayang!) But we enjoyed the food very much. We were so full already but I still wanted to order a cake because it was still my boyfriend's birthday then. The desserts are served with a choice of tea or coffee. Their black forest cake wasn't anything special, and so is the coffee. Our total bill for this meal was around Php1700++. 

The next day, we had a wake up call from the receptionist to remind us that the breakfast buffet is only until 10am. So we went to the Olive Restaurant and found it half full with hotel guests. The food was surprisingly good, the beef tapas were my favorite. I especially liked the drinks station because they serve cold chocolate milk and watermelon juice. I tried a little bit of everything. We also met the head chef when he visited the restaurant, probably checking the food trays that weren't eaten. Shortly after, we checked out of our room and collected the remains of our deposit. 

Overall, it was a great experience. The resort is easy to locate, rooms look good, food is delicious, pool is huge and most importantly, its not crowded! Though I must admit that I expected a lot more from this resort. But then again, its not really that expensive and based on the constructions everywhere, its still under development stage. It would probably look a lot better once its completed. I'd recommend this place to families, friends or couples who are visiting La Union. Its a great alternative for those who are not into surfing or for those who just want to relax. The beautiful Santorini of the North has made its mark as a must-see place on this side of the country. 

Thunderbird Resorts - Poro Point 
Poro Point Freeport Zone, San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines
http://www.thunderbird-asia.com/resorts/poro-point

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Thunderbird Resorts | Poro Point | Touchdown

Upon arriving at Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point, we were welcomed by the beautiful white structures and luscious green field. We paused for a moment to let the wonderful sight sink in. But that was a very brief pause because we were already very excited to see everything the resort has to offer. 

There are lots of free parking near the main building. There aren't many guests then but i think all that parking space is enough even if the hotel rooms are fully booked. The fact that its just beside the hotel rooms is very convenient too. We were able to sneak-in our own snacks and drinks easily. 

You'll immediately feel the greek vibe once you enter the hotel lobby. They have modern furnitures that might look familiar if you saw the movie "No Other Woman".  The signature painting inside the blue dome looks a lot better in real life than in pictures. There's also an office room that showcases the Athena Villas for sale within the resort.

Our hotel booking was made through Sulit Travel and Tours. All we had to do was give our desired travel dates to them and everything was set. When we arrived at the reception, they immediately confirmed our reservation, made us fill up some papers and then they gave us a key to our room. They also asked for a deposit of Php2000. Then we were given our welcome drinks that had a weird ginger and pandan taste. Definitely not my favorite drink. I was hoping they'd offer us a tour around the resort but they didn't. :( 

The initial room that they gave us is on the first floor of the North Wing, the one nearest to the reception area. I was glad that they gave us that room because I won't have to walk a lot. (Did I mention how much I hate walking?) We were starting to settle down when we realized that the room didn't have a refrigerator (and I really needed that for the drinks that we sneaked in.) So I immediately called the receptionist and in minutes we were assigned to a new room on the 2nd floor. The second room looked exactly the same as the first one except for the paintings on the walls, and of course, this one had a refrigerator. I was glad we were transferred to this room because it has a better view. 

The room is OK. We requested for a queen bed but they gave us a twin bed instead. My favorite part of the room is the balcony where you'll find a fantastic view of the garden and the ocean. There's a garden set by the balcony where you can sit and relax while enjoying the view. There's a 42-inch LCD TV with surround system and cable TV. The Wi-Fi connection is pretty decent for a hotel, just enough for Facebook and internet browsing. The room lighting is complicated as usual. There are lamps and switches everywhere. I'm really not a fan of those. The bathroom is huge. I personally like the huge mirrors and the VMV bath toiletries. There's also a large basket of bath essentials available. You don't need to bring anything else. Once our bags were settled in, we headed down the pool for an afternoon relaxation. 

More details on the resort amenities on my next post. :) 

Thunderbird Resorts - Poro Point 
Poro Point Freeport Zone, San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines
http://www.thunderbird-asia.com/resorts/poro-point

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