Seoul...Changdeokgung Palace, Secret Garden, National Folk Museum, Myeongdong (Part 1)

Seoul:  The 4 K's & More Reasons to Go

Kimchi. K-Pop. Koreanovelas.  Korean War.  These 4 K's were pretty much all I knew about Korea prior to my visit.  Kimchi is the Korean staple food found in Korean restaurants everywhere.  Who doesn't know the names Psy, Rain, Girls Generation and Bae Yong Jun?  They are some of the products of Korean media that are fast gaining an international fanbase.  Then there's the never ending tension between North and South Korea, an almost monthly headline at CNN.

On the travel scene, Korea has been in the shadows of other Asian countries and probably won't make it to the top of the list of must visits in the continent.  I wanted to know if there was more to Korea than the 4 K's and if I could find a legitimate travel reason  for visiting.  Fast forward to the next piso fare,  and soon, I was about to get answers as I got to explore Korea's capital and surrounding areas for almost a week.

Seoul is one of the major league cities in Asia and although it hasn't been as widely covered like neighbors Tokyo or Beijing, it has been steadily on the rise and fast gaining serious tourist attention.  Seoul has been one of those lesser known travel cities just waiting for everyone to unveil her secrets. The city packs quite a punch offering many things like a tour of the 5 grand palaces, endless shopping in Myeongdong and Dongdaemun, burning hot Korean cuisine, the world's fastest internet and of course, meeting the Koreans themselves who are fashion conscious yet deeply rooted in tradition, who proudly welcome guests to their city and have been a huge influence on the world's social culture.  I come to Seoul searching for the familiar, not really knowing what to expect but open for everything she throws my way.

My Reasons to go to Korea

Corregidor Sunrise, Japanese Tunnels, The Rocket, ATV, & A Hike off the Beaten Path (Part 2)

Despite lack of sleep due to tiny, four-legged uninvited visitors, my adrenaline kept me full of energy for the early morning tour.  We left the inn around 5:30 am and were taken back to Topside where the Eternal Flame was located to witness sunrise.  Perched on the highest point of the island, the views of Bataan and the bay were amazing.  It was a windy morning, and the sun hadn’t shown itself yet.  Sadly, when the sun started to come out, our views were either obstructed by dark clouds or covered by the surrounding greens.  Nevertheless, a peaceful morning with such beautiful scenery is always a good start to a day.

Orange dressed sky to wake up to

Corregidor...Historical Day Tour, Sunset Viewing, Army Post Hospital & Night Lateral Tour (Part 1)

Corregidor: Remnants of War & An Island of Peace

"Take a look at what Iraq would look like in the future..." said VG the tour guide.  I remember this line well; I was here 10 years ago right at the time the Iraq War was starting.  Still a kid then, I had forgotten most of what I'd seen in Corregidor but I did vaguely remember a few things like the ruined barracks, the Japanese cemetery, an old tunnel and the eerie feel I got when it got dark.

Enter the present and my travel addiction has never been stronger and I've been on the prowl for nearby weekend destinations to quench my thirst for adventure.  With it's proximity to Manila, Corregidor became one of my destinations, but I wanted to fully explore the island without restrictions, a short day tour just wouldn't suffice.  The problem was, only Sun Cruises offered overnight packages to Corregidor and the prices were steep.  Luckily, they released a promo through Deal Grocer and I wasted no time in getting my tickets!

Island Museum

Mall Madness, Manga Dua, Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Terima Kasih Indonesia! (Day 3)

I only had a few hours left in Indonesia so I decided to check-out early and get a head start on the day.  Fittingly, the first mall I visited was Sarinah Department Store, the oldest mall in Jakarta.  Despite being a little long in the tooth, Sarinah is still a favorite among Indonesian mall goers.  It is a good place to buy souvenirs as there are floors dedicated to goods like batik, handicrafts and jewelry from all parts of the country.  The prices are a bit high compared to street vendors but the products sold in Sarinah are of better quality and guaranteed authentic.  There's also also a Mcdonalds & Chilis restaurant if you're hungry.  Across the street is a Lotus Department Store selling clothes and footwear.

To get here, take the BRT to the Sarinah stop, the mall is conveniently linked to the station.  From here, the bigger malls are an easy 7 minute walk away.

Jakarta...Monas, Kota, the Business District & Shopping Malls (Day 2)

Jakarta: A Society of Extreme Contrast and a City on the Rise

"Now where has it been?

I mean the good old wild days

...Forward....

...There something in the air..."

Pogo by Digitalism

For some reason, this song was stuck in my head throughout my entire stay in Indonesia.  The Big Durian, as Jakarta is fondly called, isn't a popular tourist destination, not even to the locals, but I was here to give it a shot and try to find reasons for you guys to visit.  A place I like to call the Muslim Manila, it is infamous for traffic, over-population, high pollution levels, corruption and making international headlines for all the wrong reasons.  But like Manila, the shopping malls are first rate and if you muster up enough courage to walk it's historic streets and seldom visited tourist sights, you just might enjoy your trip, like I did!

Despite the freezing aircon in the train, I managed to get a good sleep and woke up an hour before we reached Jakarta.  The train stopped at Gambir Station, Jakarta's main rail terminal located in the city center; an adequate fully functioning transportation hub connecting Jakarta to all of Indonesia's major provinces.  It has shops & restaurants as well as reliable transportation options to wherever you're going in Jakarta in the form of Blue Bird Taxis.  Taxi drivers in the city have a bad reputation but one company (Blue Bird) has been well recommended by locals and previous visitors as honest and reputable.  I've stuck to taking Blue Bird Taxis during my stay in Jakarta and I can tell from experience that their drivers use the meter, take you to anywhere you want to go without refusing and are courteous and professional despite difficulties in communication.

From Gambir station to your hotel, your best bet is to hail a Blue Bird cab depositing passengers in the station.  Don't worry there's a lot of them in Jakarta and trips to anywhere around the city won't take more than 30 minutes (normal traffic) and won't cost you more than IDR 50,000.  There's also a Damri bus from Gambir Station which goes directly to the airport for IDR 20,000, leaving every 15-30 minutes.

For travelers looking for a more comfortable option, you may pre-arrange a private car transfer with Jakarta Airport Transfer.

Business class on the sleeper train

Java...Prambanan, Borobudur, and Yogyakarta (Day 1)

Java: My First Solo Adventure / Spectacular Sights All Around

Spontaneous, not part of the plan, unexpected yet somehow ends in amazement.  The Piso Sale had me in a panicked frenzy as I swiped my credit card away to my target destinations.  The craziness resulted in one random moment (which I still I can't explain), where I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to go to Indonesia, alone, without any prior research, and so I made it happen and arranged my one-on-one appointment with Southeast Asia's Sleeping Giant!

After reading a bit about the country, I arranged an itinerary that would maximize my sightseeing and included the highlights of Java, the region of my fascination.  The plan was to fly early from Jakarta to see the magnificent sights of Borobudur & Prambanan then experience Yogyakarta's rich culture and finally get back to Jakarta in the morning via overnight train, all within 24 hours.  And if everything goes right (or wrong), my first solo backpacking experience will be something I'd never forget!

Highlights of Java

Dolphin Watching, Balicasag Island, Virgin Island & Tagbilaran City (Day 3)

I grew up with the sea just behind my house and with a grandfather who used to sail but for some reason (overprotective parents), I never once did venture out into the open waters.  Today was my chance, and a chance for my Lolo to return to the familiar environment  he used to tread.  

We were up early on a Tuesday for our Sea Tour costing P 1,800.  If you'll be arriving from Tagbilaran City, there is an additional P 1,000 round trip fee for land transfers because it's quite far.  We left the hotel around 5:00 am and were now headed to Panglao Island, this time for some sun, sand and splash!

After a long walk to the docks, we finally got to our motorized boat and on our way to the middle of the sea for Dolphin Watching near Pamilacan Island.  Dolphins are most commonly seen around 6:00 to 7:00 am which is the reason for the early start of the tour.  Despite being a weekday, there were a lot of bancas on dolphin watch, which according to our guide causes disturbance to dolphins and reduces the chances of seeing them.  After about 20 minutes of wait with no sighting, we decided to end the pursuit because my grandmother was feeling sea sick.  I was starting to feel bad and disappointed when two minutes into our retreat, we lucked out on seeing a gang of dolphins pop right across our boat!  They hoped, dived and dazzled in front of us for about a minute until  the other boats caught up and the dolphins disappeared for good.

Seeing the dolphins roam free in their natural habitat up close makes rising early worth it.  There is just more fun in seeing them unpredictable and in the wild compared to being in controlled environments like marine parks.

Early morning, lost at sea