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This blog is actually a year late. I, along with my mother and sister, took this Hong Kong tour on November 2008. It was a fine sunny day when we landed at Hong Kong International Airport at about 7:00 AM. We flew with Cebu Pacific and since its terminal is quite far from most of the terminals at the airport, we had to take a short train ride to get to immigration. After that, we bought MTR tickets and had our money changed (you can buy MTR tickets at the Money Changer at the airport). You can also find in the airport free brochures and maps of Hong Kong which guide you on how to get to a certain tourist attraction. We then proceeded to an area where we had to meet with a travel agent to guide us to where our buses are.
We had our hotel booked by a friend who runs a travel agency. The hotel booking came with airport transfers and a half-day Hong Kong city tour. It’s better to book a hotel in advance which offers airport transfers rather than taking a taxi and then finding a hotel on your own since it will save you a lot of money and inconvenience (especially if it’s your first time to go there).
We stayed at BP International House at Kowloon area, which is a three-star hotel. Its location is very convenient since it is just a stone’s throw away from Nathan Road and about a 5-minute walk to the nearest MTR station and McDonald’s. There is also a convenience store in front of the hotel. The hotel staff could speak English fluently, but they seldom smiled. They were very eager to answer inquiries though. We got upgraded from a twin sharing room to a room good for four. Our hotel room is quite small but it was neat. The room had two double deck beds, a small cable TV, a small but nice and clean bathroom with hot and cold shower. Soap, shampoo, toothbrush, shower caps and slippers were provided. We checked in at about 9:00 AM, unpacked and rested for a few minutes then left for our first destination: Ocean Park.
To get to Ocean Park, we followed the instructions on the free brochure we found at the airport. On the bus terminal to Ocean Park, there is a booth where you could already buy your Ocean Park admission tickets. It was about a 40-minute bus ride to get there. Please make sure to ask the driver or the Ocean Park staff about the time of the last ride from Ocean Park back to Kowloon so you won’t have problems on your transportation back to the city proper.
The ticket price to Ocean Park was all worth it. Inside the park are a big oceanarium, dolphin shows, thrilling rides, cable car rides and the best of them all: the pandas. Admission fee for adults at that time was HK$208 and HK$103 for children (ages 3-11). Please visit their website for current prices. Allot one whole day for your tour of the Ocean Park and schedule your activities inside the park accordingly, so as not to miss the animal shows. The cable car ride gave me chills since it has some very steep parts. In the late afternoon, we headed to the Giant Panda Habitat and we were lucky to see at least three pandas eating bamboos! It really made our day!
 The rides at the Ocean Park seen from the Ocean Park Tower Our second day was spent on the half-day city tour, which included Repulse Bay, Sampan Ride and the Jewelry Factory. (Please see the ‘More Photos’ page for pictures). Since the tour didn’t include The Peak, which is a must-see sight in Hong Kong, we decided to go there by ourselves and spent the whole afternoon there. The ride aboard the Peak Tram was scary yet exciting. At The Peak, you will see a breathtaking view of Victoria Harbor, Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. There is a building on top with a wok-like top called The Peak Tower which is practically just like a mall with a lot of restaurants (which are a little expensive, by the way) and souvenir shops. It’s more fun to buy souvenir items here since it’s less crowded than in the night markets. I bought a lot of cell phone trinkets with jade and I also got myself a keychain with my Chinese name written on it. The ride going down the slopes is just as thrilling as the ride going up. It was an unforgettable experience.
Before proceeding back to Kowloon, we decided to take a walking tour around Hong Kong Island. We also rode on a tram while soaking up the lively metropolis. We never failed to also check out the tallest building in Hong Kong, the IFC Tower. After that, we headed back to Kowloon, crossing the Victoria Harbor on a ferry boat. The view at night is spectacular. And oh, you shouldn’t miss ‘A Symphony of Lights’, which is a light and sound show that covers over 40 buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbor. We watched it at Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront, with a view of the buildings at Hong Kong Island. The show starts at 8:00 PM nightly. The show was dazzling and is also a must-see for first-time tourists.
 'A Symphony of Lights' as seen from the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront After the show, we walked through the Avenue of Stars, and then went on to our hotel. We freshened up a bit then began one of the most-awaited parts of our trip: shopping!!! We took the MTR then walked a few meters to be able to arrive at the night markets. There are a lot of choices which are very similar to our very own divisoria. I have to warn you about salesladies: they easily get infuriated if you’re checking out bags and sunglasses too long without a hint that you’re going to buy and most especially if you haggle at a very low price! Since most of the bags are just imitations, I just bought a pair of sunglasses, which continues to be my favorite up to this day. After a long day, we headed back to the hotel to get some much-needed rest.
Day 3 was started with a breakfast at McDonald’s. All of our breakfasts were at McDonald’s, by the way; it’s part of our hotel package. Our last day in Hong Kong was spent in Ngong Ping 360 in Lantau Island. Getting there is just an MTR ride away. Just take the MTR Tung Chung Station then take a short walk to Ngong Ping 360 Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal. Make sure to get there early to avoid the long lines at the Cable Car Terminal. The start of the experience is a 25-minute cable car ride with views of Tung Chung Bay, Tian Tan Buddha Statue and Hong Kong International Airport. If you are going during the cold months, please bring a light sweater with you, since it can get a little chilly during the ride. When you get to Lantau Island, you’ll walk through the Ngong Ping Village, where there are some restaurants that are affordable where you can have your lunch. After walking through the village, you’ll get to see the Tian Tan Buddha Statue up close. This is the world’s tallest, seated, outdoor bronze Buddha statue. It’s a challenge to walk up the steps to the statue – a challenge I wasn’t eager to do. We then strolled for a few more meters to the Po Lin Monastery, where a lot of Buddha statues are inside. After the short tour (by ourselves), we tried the Chinese version of taho and some Chinese street food, they tasted good and were very inexpensive. We also bought souvenirs at the stores near Po Lin Monastery. We stayed at Lantau for approximately 3 hours then took the same cable car ride back to Tung Chung Terminal. Near the Tung Chung MTR Terminal is a mall where you can find sale items of various clothing brands. Be sure to check this mall out when you’re in that area.
 The Tian Tan Buddha seen from the cable car ride Before heading to the airport for our flight back home, we did some last minute shopping. This is one mistake on our trip that we overlooked since we haven’t allocated enough time for shopping. When we were already trying on some clothes at a boutique in Nathan Road, we got very excited that we wanted to buy a lot of items and try on some more but time constraints forced us to cut our shopping time short. I was only able to buy a trench coat that’s exactly my size. For petite women like me, I’m sure you’ll have fun shopping in Hong Kong since most clothes have small sizes and designs are very stylish and are of good quality. One more thing that I failed to do was to buy a pair of boots. Since we came there in November, boots with attractive designs are on sale everywhere. So ladies, don’t make the same mistake that we did. If you want to see the sights AND go shopping, make sure to spend at least 4 days in Hong Kong, with at least one day spent solely for shopping.
It was a short 3-day and 2-night trip which left us overwhelmed and exhausted, but at the same time, exhilarated and extremely happy. My first visit to this place left me fascinated by its diversity. I will be surely coming back to beautiful and enchanting Hong Kong…
Everyone in our family was looking forward to a long weekend since it will be All Saints’ Day. Every year, my mother would always go home to our hometown, Burgos, Pangasinan to visit our loved ones who already passed away. Originally, the plan was just to stay in Manila since a strong typhoon is said to hit Luzon during the weekend. We were very fortunate that Typhoon Santi came and left quickly. Its winds were very intense though. I woke up at 5:00 AM because of a loud banging sound near my window. I later realized that it was the plywood under the roof outside my window that was making that sound. Branches of our acacia tree came off and the pots of my mother’s plants were turned over. At 10:00 AM, the storm was gone and the sun shone a little so we decided to go home to Burgos.
For many years that we’ve been visiting our hometown, this year is a little different since the whole family is going. We were at the cemetery at 11:00 AM and the sun was scorching hot! The next day, All Souls’ Day, we headed to Hundred Islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan. Alaminos is a little city in Western Pangasinan and is just a town away from Burgos. Hundred Islands is just 45 minutes away from our town but believe or not, in my 26 years of existence, this is the first time that I am going to Hundred Islands! We were all very excited since some of my cousins also haven’t been there yet.
Since my grandmother’s house is already very old with little room for more than 10 people, we decided to spend the night at a small inn in Alaminos. We stayed at R & L Transient Rooms which is just about 100 meters from the wharf. Rooms are air conditioned and spacious and is suitable for people going there with their family or barkada. The bathroom is small but looks nice and has a shower. The beds are comfortable with thick mattresses. A family room is good for 4-5 people but if you’re really on a tight budget, you can squeeze in up to 7 persons ( i think) with no extra charge per person. You can also arrange your Hundred Islands tour with the hotel staff the day before. They charged us P1,100 for a boat good for 15 people and P1,000 for a boat good for 10. This rate may vary depending on the season. Supposedly, All Saints’ Day is a peak weekend but since there was a threat of a storm coming a few days before the holiday, they decided to lower down the rates.
We started the island hopping at 6AM. It was a very foggy morning, contrary to what we experienced the day before when we were in the cemetery.
 Governor's Island The boat coursed slowly through the calm waters, with the boatmen taking caution through the thickly-fogged open space in front of us. As the minutes go by, the fog started clearing out, allowing us to see silhouettes of small islands around us. First stop was Governor’s Island. The peak of this island can be reached through 123 steps. It was a challenge but the view at the top is breathtaking! You can see the whole Hundred Islands from there.
In this island there is a little cave…and what else…oh yeah! The Pinoy Big Brother house! It looks small in the outside. We were not allowed to go near it. The boatman said that it’s for rent for P10,000 a night.
You have the option of going snorkeling in an area with big clams but since we’re in a big group, we decided to forgo that part. On our tour around the whole bay, we’ve seen islands shaped like turtles and dinosaurs. There were also a few islands with unique distinctive characteristics like the Cathedral Island and the Imelda Island which has an underground cave.
The next stop was Quezon Island. This is the island where you can swim and snorkel. Picnic tables are for rent for P200 per table. Make sure to bring all the food you need because it’s already expensive when you buy food in the island. Their 1.5 L Coke costs P80! There are bathrooms in the island where you pay P5 per use.
 The view from the peak of Governor's Island We left early (about 10AM) from Hundred Islands because we decided to go to Bolinao since it’s just a town away. Bolinao is known for its beaches and big waves. It is a 45-minute travel from Alaminos. We headed to the lighthouse first in Patar. From the lighthouse, we can see the beach below, with its really big and (a bit) scary waves. From there we checked out a popular resort called Puerto Del Sol. It has nice and neat Mansion Villas, Casitas, Nipa Huts and Bahay Kubos for rent. The resort is on the beachfront and has a nice pool. Oh, and I should not forget to mention that they have wifi! This resort is not for the traveler on a budget, though. Rooms are quite expensive for regular Filipino tourists especially for backpacking barkadas. But if you want to splurge once in a while, then i suggest you stay here because the ambiance is just so relaxing and since it’s really far from Manila, you feel like you’re on vacation in a secluded island with all the comforts of home.
It was a really fun weekend with my family! It was quite a different experience since we were exploring places near our hometown that’s popular with tourists but we’ve never seen before…until now. Before this trip, I was longing to visit an attraction that’s just an hour away from our town…After our Hundred Islands experience, there was a nice feeling inside me that I couldn’t describe…To finally see something you’ve been waiting to visit for 26 years and going there with your loved ones is a truly unique experience.
It was my first trip to Bohol and I had it arranged by a friend who runs a travel and tours agency. We arrived in Tagbilaran after a 1hr and 10-minute flight from Manila. A car (arranged by my friend) picked us up at the airport to transport us to our resort in Panglao Island, which is 20 minutes away. If you don’t have a round trip transfer (from the airport to your resort and vice versa) arranged, you can take a mini bus (P20) from the central terminal at Tagbilaran (near Island City Mall or ICM). You can also hire a tricycle (P200) to Panglao or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can hire a motorcycle which you drive on your own and use it to go to Panglao and around Tagbilaran.
We spent our first day hanging out on the beach, checking out other resorts and restaurants. Most of the resorts look nice. I guess some of the bad reviews on some resorts that I have read from other sites are exaggerated. Food along the beach is a bit expensive but there is one place that offers cheap meals (Trudis’ Place), without the five-star ambiance of course. But it’s still on the beachfront anyway, plus they have free wifi 
 Alona Beach After an hour, we decided to check out Hinagdanan Cave. We rode on a motorcycle (P150) and arrived there in about 30 minutes. Entrance fee is P15. In the area are numerous shopping stalls which sell cheap souvenir shirts and items.
Our second day is spent touring the countryside. First stop: Chocolate hills. The view is spectacular. We spent about an hour taking pictures of ourselves and the hills. Next, we stopped by the road to take pictures of the man-made forest. We then went to the butterfly sanctuary then stopped by a small cottage by the road to look at tarsiers. After that, we went to a hanging bridge then we were off to have lunch at the Loboc River. The buffet lunch was OK, though I expected more delicious food. Anyway, I was hungry so it did not matter that much, especially when the floating restaurant started cruising its way to the river. At some point during the short cruise, we stopped by a group of locals by the riverbank who did a little presentation, playing their guitars, singing and dancing. I’d say that I enjoyed the river cruise as much as I enjoyed seeing the Chocolate Hills. Next stop was the Baclayon Church, the second oldest church in the Philippines (the oldest is San Agustin Church in Intramuros). I was awed by the old relics and how the walls of the church have been preserved. Last on our itinerary is the Blood Compact Site, which was not so impressive. It was included in the tour primarily because of its historical significance but i think the site has to be improved to be worth seeing. Our arranged countryside tour lasted the whole day. We were brought back to our resort at 5PM.
Our third day in Bohol was supposed to be spent island hopping but due to a low pressure area that brought in big waves, our boatman had to cancel the tour. My friend and I were now clueless on what to do. We heard of the zipline adventure in Danao and decided to go.
From Panglao, we rode a mini bus to Tagbilaran. From Tagbilaran, you can take a bus to Danao which will take up to 3-4 hours. But after asking around (asking from the security guard at ICM), we learned that we can take a bus to Sagbayan, which is 1 hour away from Tagbilaran, then take a motorcycle ride to Danao which lasts about 40 minutes. That saved us a lot of time! When we arrived in Sagbayan, we rode a motorcyle (with a driver of course) to a tourist attraction in the area, the Sagbayan Peak. In Sagbayan you can see other hills that look like the Chocolate hills, but they are closer. The Sagbayan Peak is the highest hill in the area.
 The Hills in Sagbayan, Bohol After that, we rode the same motorcyle to Danao. We just made a little deal with the driver, about P500, for the gas and his “services” (aside from being our driver, he also acted as our tour guide)  The road to Danao is mostly rough, with some parts that are cemented (typical of roads in far-flung areas in the country). On our way, rain poured, soaking us wet, so we had to stop in a house along the road until the heavy rain stopped. We reached Danao and was excited to try the zip line adventure (or what they call the “Suislide”). But when I saw how high the steel cable was, I decided to just take pictures and videos of my friend who was very eager to try it. The cable is 480 meters long and the height is 200 meters, with a river full of big rocks below. They said it was much more challenging than the zipline in Davao. There are other adventures to try but we were running out of time. We had to go back to the city because we might miss the last bus. It was an exhausting day but the experience of riding the motorcycle while raining, reaching Danao, riding the small buses and seeing the countryside, were all worth it
On our fourth day, the sky was still cloudy but we insisted to go island hopping. Due to time constraints, we only went to Balicasag Island and did a little snorkeling. The waters were not that clear due to the weather. The sand was white but there were a lot of weeds. We checked out the village, which has an elementary school, a plaza and some sari-sari stores. On our way back to Panglao, we passed by Virgin Island which is smaller but has whiter sand and clearer shores than Balicasag.
 The Zipline at Danao, Bohol It was time to go but we still managed to squeeze in some time for pasalubong shopping. The most famous pasalubong from Bohol is the “peanut kisses”. There’s also the “kalamay” and, depending on the season, you can buy lanzones which come from Camiguin.
Our 4-day trip to Bohol was indeed an unforgettable experience. Some parts of our itinerary were planned while others just came up – you just have to have that adventurous spirit to really experience what the place has to offer.
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