Malaysia Trip Day 1: Setting foot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Early 2014, I purchased a ticket to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 8 days from October 2 to 9 of the same year. However due to some unforeseen reasons, I was not able to proceed with my planned trip. Several days later, I was still feeling down and disappointed with the cancellation of that trip when an unexpected opportunity came – 5 days trip to Malaysia with my sister and a friend. So with only a few days to prepare, I was able to board the plane and spent 5 days of spontaneous travel around Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

On the morning before our departure, when I am supposed to double check my luggage and review our (unpolished) trip itinerary, I went to Quezon City for an important meeting. Right after that, my sister and I hurriedly hailed a taxi and endured an hour of traffic on our way to the airport. I thought that maybe, just maybe once we’re at the airport everything will be smooth sailing BUT to my dismay it was NOT.

We arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 4 (formerly known as Domestic Airport) an hour and a half before our expected time of departure. Enough time for us to check in for our flight, pay the Philippine travel tax and most importantly clear the Philippine Immigration. Let me tell you the tale of how hard Filipinos can take a vacation abroad. LOL.

My sister and I together with our friend, Anne approached the Philippine Immigration with all smiles. We went to different immigration personnel so I was quite worried about my sister since this was her first time to go out of the country. I just reminded her to answer truthfully and in a respectful manner. We were interviewed with the usual questions. Where are you going? What will you do there? How long are you planning to stay there? And the likes. Our friend cleared the immigration without much of explaining to do but never did I imagine that my sister and I will be detained for further questioning by another Philippine Immigration officer in a separate room. As far as I can remember, we have complete documentations to guarantee that we will be returning to the Philippines and not become some illegal alien on the country of our destination. We have a reserved accommodation in Kuala Lumpur, proof that I can shoulder my sister’s expenses for the duration of the trip, a return ticket back to the Philippines and other necessary documents.

Palaui Island Trip Day 1: Tra-Abel En Route - The Unplanned Trip

Palaui here I come!

Having been to many places around the Philippines and some to its neighboring countries, it was only in 2013 that I became aware of the beautiful and exotic Island of Palaui at Cagayan Valley (Region 2). Coming from the province of Quirino which shares the same region with Cagayan, Palaui is just a stone throw away. So when the opportunity came to travel to Palaui, I immediately boarded a bus to Tuguegarao City. Coming along with me to experience the beauty of this little island is my sister, who did not bother filing a leave from work. LOL.

The trip from Echague (located in Isabela Province where my grandparents live) to Tuguegarao City took around 3-4 hours. We arrived at the city around noon, where we withdrew cash to cover our expenses for the whole trip as there are no or limited ATMs at Santa Ana/Palaui.

After getting lunch and some rest, we hired a trike to get to the terminal where Santa Ana bound Van can be found. The first trip from Tuguegarao City to Santa leaves at 5:00 AM and the last trip leaves at 4:00 PM. The fare is around Php 200.00 and the travel time is around 3 to 4 hours.

We arrived at Santa Ana Poblacion around 5:00 PM. Santa Ana is a small town in Cagayan where both fishing and farming is the main source of income. The recent feature of Palaui Island in the two (2) seasons of Survivor (a television show) added tourism as another source of income for its people. So we were quite happy to help the community with our trip there. 

Tra-Abel Guide on Getting Around Bangkok, Thailand

Finding Your Way From Suvarnabhumi Airport to Khao San Road

I arrived at Suvarnabhumi Airport with little knowledge about the transportation system of Bangkok. Based from the information I gathered from reading different travel blogs and sites, I only had a rough imagination of how I can get to my reserved accommodation near Khao San Road and it goes this way: Airport Rail Link-BTS Sukhumvit Line-BTS Silom Line-Chao Phraya River Express.

Just follow the signs and don't be afraid to ask and ask more!

Finding the Airport Rail Link was easy, there are signboards everywhere leading you to it. It was located two floors down from the arrival floor. Near the entrance of the rail link, there was a Kasikorn Money Changer which rate was a little bit higher than those located elsewhere in the airport (for the complete guide on money changers at Bangkok, click here)

The airport rail link looks deserted early in the morning, but don’t worry because there are guards and personnel roving around the station. I bought a ticket from Airport to Phaya Thai, the trip was really fast and stress free. The BTS Sukhumvit Line was a few walk away from the Phaya Thai Station of Airport Rail Link. I bought a ticket at a vending machine located at the entrance of BTS Phaya Thai Station. I rode the BTS Sukhumvit Line from Phaya Thai Station to Siam. There is an interchange at this station from BTS Sukhumvit line to  BTS Silom Line. From the Siam Station of BTS Silom Line, I bought a ticket to Saphan Taksin Station where the Chao Phraya River Express is located. Using the Chao Phraya River Express, I bought a ticket for the Tourist Boat going to N13 or Phra Arthit Pier where Khao San Area is just a walking distance.

If ever you find yourself lost, don’t hesitate to ask questions. The BTS personnel were really helpful as well as those personnel of Chao Phrya River Express.

Getting around

Bangkok, Thailand is notorious for its traffic especially during rush hours, but fear not because there are different modes of transportation available that can help you get around and visit popular tourist sites in Bangkok without getting stuck in middle of the traffic. 

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao –Siargao (Day 1): Tra-Abel Enroute

Siargao Island is known to many as the surfing capital of the Philippines with a worldwide reputation for its “Cloud 9” waves perfect for surfing competitions.  So why the hell did I go there? To Surf-plang (surfing na may kasamang semplang)? Ahhmm, at first, YES, I want to try it but when I saw how big the waves were, I got scared! (There was a low pressure area (LPA) when I went there, so maybe next time. LOL)

How to get there

Montenegro Fast Craft!

Fast crafts and ferry boats are the most frequent and most affordable means to get there. Here are the trip schedules:

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Surigao City: City of Island Adventure

For the second part of my CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao Tra-Abel trip, I visited Surigao City and Siargao Island, both are part of Surigao del Norte.  Surigao City is located at the Northeastern Tip of Mindanao and dubbed as the 'City of Island Adventures'. 

How to Get There:

By Land – Buses from Pasay City, Metro Manila have trips going to Surigao several times a week via Lipata Ferry Terminal. Daily bus trips from Butuan, Cagayan de Oro City or Davao City to Surigao City are also available at regular intervals.

By Sea – Passenger boats are available every day except Sundays from Cebu. Boats from Manila also have regular trips to Surigao.

By Air – Cebu Pacific Air flies daily from Cebu to Surigao every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday & vice versa. PALExpress (Philippine Airlines) likewise flies from Manila to Surigao every day except Wednesday and vice versa. Skyjet flies to Surigao from Manila every Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday and vice versa.  For more regular trips, you can fly to Butuan City or Davao City and from there take a bus to Surigao City.

Where to Stay:

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Hinatuan Enchanted River (Day 2): Bluer than Blue

Hinatuan’s Enchanted River is a river on the island of Mindanao that flows directly into the Pacific Ocean. When I first heard that this river is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mindanao, I got curious (really, rivers?). Living in the Philippines composing of many islands, we are accustomed to plenty of rivers (during family reunions, barkada trippings, etc).  I browsed the internet out of curiosity, to know why it became a popular place to go.

I was really amazed by the pictures I saw on the net.  The water of the river is crystal clear blue (unlike normal rivers that are either dirty brown or just normal-looking-river.. LOL). At first, I thought the pictures were photoshopped, so to prove me wrong, I included Enchanted River to my itinerary.

How to get there

By Air 

From Manila or Cebu or Davao City as transit point, Philippine Airlines (or its low cost counterpart – PALExpress)  and  Cebu Pacific ply the Manila-Davao-Manila and Cebu-Davao-Cebu several trips daily. From Davao City, there are non air-conditioned buses in Davao Ecoland Terminal directly bound to Mangagoy in Bislig City for a 5-hour trip.  From Mangagoy ride a bus bound to San Francisco/Butuan City – and just tell the driver to drop you in eskina/crossing Enchanted River- that’s more or less an hour travel.

From Manila or Cebu or Butuan City as transit point, Philippine Airlines (or its low cost counterpart – PALExpress)  and  Cebu Pacific also ply these routes three times a week. From the airport take a cab to the City Bus Integrated Terminal where air-conditioned van may be hired for a 4-hour trip to Bislig City (passing the town of Hinatuan) at a reasonable price. Regular trips of Bachelor Express buses also ply the Butuan route as early as 2:00AM daily. Note that Hinatuan is the last stop before Mangagoy/Bislig, so be sure to be awake when the bus stops at Hintuan (or just inform the driver to drop you off at Hinatuan Terminal). From the terminal you can hire a habal/habal (single motorcycle) to the river.  You can also ask the driver to drop you directly in eskina/crossing Enchanted River where single motorcycles are also available (there is a large tarpaulin of Enchanted River in the crossing).

By Sea

Inter-island vessels like the Super-ferry and Sulpicio Lines serves the Manila-Butuan or Cebu Butuan routes on regular schedules with Nasipit Port as transit point. Aircon vans are available at the wharf or take a jeepney to the city terminal for the regular bus trips to Bislig City (passing the town of Hinatuan).

Source: Bislig City Tourism Leaflet

Enchanting Experience! 

If my ride to Tinuy-an Falls was a real pain-in-the-ass, my trip to Hinatuan Enchanted River was a delight. The cool breeze of the morning touches my face as we drove deeper into the forest where the river is located.  We reached the river after a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from Bislig City. There was an entrance fee of Php50.00, stores are located near the entrance of the river, cottages can be rented for those who are planning to stay longer, swimming and diving gears can be rented at a reasonable price. (Entrance fee is 50 pesos per person, life jacket rent is 15 pesos per hour, and cottage rent costs 100.00.)

A little walk from the entrance, you can already see the crystal blue water of Enchanted River. Since, I arrived early in the morning, only a few people were in the vicinity which made my trip to

CARAGA Northeastern Mindanao – Surigao del Sur (Day 1): A Roadtrip to the Unknown

Mindanao has always been perceived as a dangerous location for tourist. However, not all the provinces of Mindanao are code red (tourist unfriendly zone), in fact only a few provinces are considered dangerous. According to the latest advisory dated January 2014, tourists are advised against all travel only to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (consisting of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao). So if you are planning to visit Mindanao, do not worry, just exercise normal security precautions, avoid the provinces enumerated above and be sure to enjoy your stay there!

My first stop for the Caraga Northeastern Mindanao series of Tra-Abel was Bislig City, Surigao del Sur with a short-side-trip to Butuan City of Agusan del Norte. Bislig is the charming city on the eastern coast of Mindanao, facing the Pacific Ocean. According to oral tradition, the city was named after a forest vine of the rattan family which grew in abundance along the river banks. This vine was noted for its strength and was credited for saving a royal couple from drowning when they once crossed the river (Source: Tourism Leaflet of Bislig City).

How to get there:

From Butuan City

From the Bancasi (Butuan) Airport, take a trike/jeepney to the City Bus Terminal where air-conditioned vans may be hired for a 3-hour trip to Bislig City at reasonable rates (a bit more expensive than bus). Regular trips of Bachelor Express (non-aircon buses) also ply the Butuan-Bislig route as early as 2:00AM daily. (Note that “Mangagoy” is the placard used by the buses instead of Bislig)

Super comfy buses of Bachelor Express

From Davao City

From Davao airport, take a taxi to the Ecoland Bus Terminal where air-conditioned vans may be hired for a 5-hour trip to Bislig City at reasonable rates (a bit more expensive than bus). Regular trips of Bachelor Express (aircon and non-aircon buses) also ply the Davao-Bislig route as early as 2:00AM daily.

From Surigao City 

There is no direct bus going to Bislig. Either you take a bus to Butuan or take a bus going to Tandag. If you opted for the Butuan Bus refer to the directions above. Meanwhile, if you chose the Tandag bound bus, you can either take a jeepney, a van or a bus from Tandag Terminal to Bislig. (According to the locals, the route Surigao-Butuan-Bislig is more comfortable since the roads on this route are more concrete and polished(?))

With little knowledge about the place I was about to go, I departed Placer, Surigao del Norte at 4:00 in the afternoon. I boarded a jeepney going to Surigao City Integrated Bus Terminal. From there I immediately took the Butuan bus (lucky for me, the bus did not take long before it departed) and enjoyed the 2-hour trip.

Tra-Abel En Route: Setting Foot in Paradise

Palawan Day 2: Setting Foot in Paradise

The van trip from PPS to El Nido took us exactly 4.5 hours and the driver was kind enough to drop us off in front of the lodge where my friends are staying. He gave us a calling card for future trips and referral to friends, so here it is:

Kimberly Faith Van Rental

Php500.00 per person

CP# +639066027812/+639099274853 

Since I planned on a different itinerary and I’m on a tight budget, I booked my accommodation at Tay Miloy’s Inn (the cheapest accommodation in town I know of).

Tay Miloy’s Inn

Php300.00 per night good for 2 persons

CP# +639297955756

Tay Miloy’s Inn is perfect for those who are on a tight budget; the room consists of 2 beds, a fan and clean beddings. The bathroom is shared but is always clean and the people are friendly so it’s the perfect place to meet new friends especially if you are travelling alone. On the down side, the floor and walls are not concrete so footsteps and noises can easily be heard and it has limited spaces and reception area. My stay with Tay Miloy’s was nothing but satisfactory, and the one thing I’m most pleased at, were the owners, they were so helpful and friendly that made my tours possible and my stay in El Nido a success!

Palawan Day 0: The Long Road - From Mountains to Beaches

4:30 PM July 19, 2013

One of the perks of working in a faraway place is getting home early from the day to day work. Our office hours end at exactly 4:30 PM, way earlier compared to my previous jobs’ 6:00-6:30 PM end of day work. So 15 minutes before 4:30, I am already outside the General Office waiting for a UV Express (van) going to Baguio.

Mankayan to Baguio van route always gives me mixed emotions. I feel refresh from the fresh air and the sceneries that we pass through at the same time I feel burdened and sick due to the endless winding roads. The trip from Mankayan to Baguio took me exactly 3.5 hours of sleep, amusement, sickness and nausea (this is the reason why I seldom go home).

Cloudy afternoon taken along the Mankayan-Baguio Route

Unlimited view of the vegetable terraces at Bugias, Benguet

We arrived in Baguio City at around 8:30PM, ample time for me to shop for the things I needed for my Palawan Tour as follows: Sunglasses; Snorkeling Gear; Sun Block; Dinner and Snacks.

5 minutes after 9:00PM I immediately went to the Victory Liner Baguio Bus Terminal hoping to still catch the bus scheduled at 9:00PM. Unfortunately the bus left exactly at its designated time schedule (Filipino time didn't work this time, LOL). Instead I boarded the bus scheduled to leave at 9:30 PM. I was a little worried because my flight to Puerto Princessa, Palawan will be boarding at 6:00 AM and the trip from Baguio to Manila will approximately take 6 hours, that will only give me 2 hour allowance for unexpected delays and such. 

Thankfully, the bus departed from Baguio at exactly 9:30PM! But briefly after 30 minutes on the road, the bus suddenly stopped on the side of the road and the driver's assistant informed us that we will have to transfer to another bus (Oh great! The 2 hour allowance will be diminished)

Stranded in the middle of nowhere, waiting for the rescue bus. HAHA

After waiting for 30 minutes, the bus scheduled to depart from Baguio City at 10:00 PM finally arrived, but it can only accommodate 4 passengers.  We were informed that passengers with reservations will be given priority. But fortunately, after a teleserye like, dramatic explanation, I was given the privilege of getting one of the four seats available, thanks to kuyang kundoktor, for understanding the situation I'm in.

4:40 AM July 20, 2013

Finally, MANILA! Thankfully, I'm a little bit early so I went to the nearest convenience store to eat my breakfast, hailed a taxi and went to Ninoy Aquino Internal Airport Terminal 3. At exactly 6:40AM PAL Express plane left the ground, to finally take me to the paradise I've always dreamed of.

PAL Express. A low cost airline with great service!

Follow my adventures at Palawan on the succeeding posts:

Palawan Day 0: Tra-Abel En Route - From Mountains to Beaches

Palawan Day 1: Puerto Princessa City - City Tour
Palawan Day 1: Tra-Abel En Route - On My Way to Paradise
Palawan Day 2: El Nido -  Island Hopping Tour A
Palawan Day 3: El Nido - Taraw Cliff Climbing 
Palawan Day 3: El Nido - Island Hopping Tour C