The Island Explorer

The next day, I woke up with my things packed. I was off to Yangshuo, around 90 km from Guilin. I decided to take the Li River Cruise, which was one of the 100 things I wanted to do in this world. Though costly at RMB 300 (P2,100), the Li River Cruise is known to be a spectacular and unforgettable journey across the river that snakes its way across the majestic limestone rocks that make Guilin and its surroundings magical. The cruise began with a pick up from the inn, and a 30 minute bus ride to the pier. From there, the cruise, that included lunch, is expected to last 4 to 5 hours long. I met a group of Europeans and an American on the boat who became my table buddies for the entire cruise. We were sharing stories of China, and I mostly listened to their experiences. We were off sailing, and our English speaking guide, Danny, invited us to go on the deck to witness the first bends of the river. Since the river was at its lowest level, the boat slowly treaded through the calm waters. I

I arrived in cold Guilin with high energy. I rushed to the immigration and grabbed my backpack on the luggage belt. I looked around for a public bus to the city center, but saw nothing but a small mini bus in front of the airport entrance. I approached a girl beside the bus and asked if this could take me to Guilin. She said, "Yes, Guilin". So I boarded the small bus which looked more like a huge van, and waited for it to fill up. I arrived in Guilin City after an hour, and we were dropped off in front of a hotel. I didn't know where I was, so I called Lakeside Inn for them to instruct the taxi driver to take me to their guesthouse. And this is something I did in every destination. I have listed at least 3 accommodations on my phone with their numbers, and just decided where to stay when I get in the taxi. Call it a random process, that involves luck. The Guilin Lakeside Inn turned out to be a great choice. It was located between the public square and Fir Lake along a maj

As usual, I was asleep in the airplane, and the next thing I saw was the terminal building of Bayun International Airport in Guangzhou. I was groggy, but I managed to wash my face and pick my bag at the fastest time that I could because I needed an internet connection badly. Before taking off, I decided to stay at the Novotel Baiyun Airport, which cost around P4,000 a night based on my research on Agoda.com. I was just tired. I also decided to take a flight to Lijiang, my first destination which was also the furthest. I was going to work my way backwards. I came up to the lobby of the posh Novotel and asked for the cheapest room. They told me the rooms were booked. I only had the choice of a VIP Suite or a Business Room. I was taken aback at first. I decided to take out my laptop and hope that there was wifi in the lobby. There was, but only for check-in guests. The thought of heading onwards to the city center popped out several times, but I leaned towards getting the room. I was rea

It was Feb. 18, the day of my flight early evening to Guangzhou, China. I woke up early at 5:30AM, not because I was excited to embark on my most anticipated backpacking adventure, but because I had to work. Yes, 12 hours before heading off to the vast wilds of China, I find myself in a studio, directing a kid and a secret agent for a video. It was 12 noon and I was getting agitated. I wasn't able to complete my packing, so I decided to leave the studio at 3PM no matter what to catch a 7:20 PM flight on Cebu Pacific (which cost me an unbelievable P1,000 roundtrip, thanks CEBPAC for that wonderful Christmas sale, you made this happen). So, I left at 2PM, shocked to see rain pouring down heavily and cars clogging roads. I was just five minutes away from my condo, but it took me a little over 30 minutes. I finished packing two bags, one 60 liter backpack and my laptop/camera bag. That was it. It took me a while to decide whether I would bring a bigger bag, but I decided to stick with

Located in Vivo City, the National Geographic Store has opened its doors in Asia. Take the MRT to Harbor Front on the North East Line and you'll arrive directly at the new and possibly the biggest mall in Singapore. A sprawling space of museum pieces, artifacts, dazzling photographs and desirable merchandise, the flagship store in Asia looks more like an exhibit of the world, rather than a retail outlet. The space is divided into several themed areas. The stuff they sell there are quite expensive, but part of your purchase goes to efforts in saving the earth. Some of the pieces sold are authentic antiques, costing over 30,000 SGD. If I had the money, I would buy something from the store. The only thing I could afford was a map and their books. So, if you're in SG, pass by this unique and inspiring venue.

I've been bitten by the travel bug when I took a trip for work to 5 destinations in Asia in just one route. I made it to Jakarta, Bali, KL, Saigon and Bangkok all in one direction. I was then carrying a huge suitcase and traveling using the national carriers. I wanted nice hotels and took the taxi to and from the airport. It didn't take long to notice that I was doing something wrong. I just didn't feel right. Trip after trip abroad every month after, I was slowly introduced to the backpacking way of traveling. It was Thailand that brought out the adventurous spirit in me. In the Philippines, I just went to Boracay every year, and that was it. Now, I cannot even stand a weekend without going out of town. Backpacking is a way of travel and life. It's not for everyone. I've asked my friends if they were willing to stay in guesthouses, share bathrooms, talk to strangers, take the bus and go to a trip without any set itinerary. They wouldn't. And I don't blame t

Most Filipinos go to Kota Kinabalu for the beaches. On the mainland, you have Tanjung Aru and Rasa Ria (resort by Shangri-la). But if you want a real beach experience in KK, head for the islands of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, which is composed of five islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu. Getting to these islands are easy. The Jesselton Port towards the north of the town center offers a lot of boats that head for these islands. You can take the public ferries, or charter a boat for your group. Since we were 7, we rented a boat for RM200 for one whole day, to visit 3 islands - Mamutik, Manukan and Sapi. The first island that we visited was Mamutik, which supposedly was the best swimming beach and snorkeling site. As we docked, the island looked like any other Thai island, with powdery white sand and no resorts. There were a lot of sun worshippers and tour groups. Most of the people there were snorkeling, though the corals were dead. You could see more fish in the Philippines

Day 2 in KK, and we rented a minivan (an FX) for me to drive all the way to Mount Kinabalu. The drive took 2 hours, as the vehicle I was driving wasn't fast enough (if you're travelling with a group of 4 or more, consider driving when exploring, it turns out to be cheaper, and more flexible). We stopped over a restaurant called Strawberry Lodge, and had curry for lunch. We then zoomed off to our accommodations in the highlands, the Kinabalu Pine Resort. It turned out that the lodge wasn't far behind our lunch venue. It was situated in the town of Kudasang, just 10 mins. drive after the Kinabalu Park. It had spectacular views of Mount Kinabalu, and the surroundings. Better take a room that's got one. The best thing about this place is its rate. We got three rooms for one night for RM180 each, all with breakfast and dinner. That's around P1,500 per person for the entire time. Great deal. After checking in at the lodge, we headed off straight to Poring Hot Springs, whi