I never expected that as soon as we touched down at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport we would be witnessing the Loi Krathong, which is the festival of lights. It literally means “to float a basket”. During this day, Thais, and even foreigners, release their krathong, a decorated banana trunk with candle and incense, to the river to …
It was a first time for me to be picked as a finalist in a blogging competition. I must say that I’m pretty new in this field as I only started with this blog in 2009. Yet, I’ve made several attempts but never had the chance to really build up a blog until First-Time Travel …
I admit, we, Filipinos, love to sing. If you’re visiting the Philippines for the first time, do not be surprised to find karaoke and videoke machines along the seaside or by the narrow streets in a remote town. An American colleague, who was assigned in the quiet city of Dumaguete, once asked me how come …
As we are on the topic of guest post, I contributed to A Dangerous Business some tips for those planning to travel to the Philippines for the first time. So, you are planning for that vacation which you haven’t taken for years. Or, you are looking for an affordable, yet romantic place for your honeymoon. …
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The First-Time Travels of Lonely Planet Blogsherpas – Carnival #9 Jetsetters and seasoned travelers may be “experts on the road” but they also started out learning the ropes of traveling. They now have something to advice on the subject because they have a rich resource of firsthand travel experiences. Some of them, when they were …
I always visit the Philippine Travel Expo which is held every February. But when March kicks in, I feel like it’s a long wait for February to come so when I learned of the Philippine Travel Mart, which occurred in September, I immediately grabbed the opportunity to visit the event. Organized by the Philippine Tour …
The advent of technology has kept people on the go to be in touch with the rest of the world wherever they may be. It’s now an added bonus but it can also be a distraction to your journey. For first-time travelers wanting to be constantly connected, you will not only concern yourself with your …
Welcome SITSahs! It is not everyday that I travel. It is not also everyday that I get featured in SITS. My SITSahs are those that travel with me in the intricate world of the internet, sharing passions and exchanging a sisterly pat on the back with our comments on blog posts. I enjoyed visiting sites …
I was a kid when I first stepped into the urban jungle of Makati. At that time, I gazed at the towering buildings that loomed along its paved avenues. Fast forward to my adult years, when I’m no longer a traveler to this place, but had to make it my home (before I moved back …
I was browsing through the internet about Philippine sights and came upon a section about Vigan, known for its old houses. I became nostalgic of my trip many years back to this northern, quiet Philippine city. (Check www.vigancity.gov.ph for more info). But I’m glad to have been given the opportunity to return I later to …
It was like some secret waiting to be discovered, Zao Yuan Ju Hotel, or Hutong Inn, is located in the narrow hutong of Zhang Wang, surrounded by old houses, some of which has been transformed into a store or a small eatery. Without any much signage, you wouldn’t think a hotel is found a few walks …
Shanghai, being a metropolitan city, is not always a cheap place to visit. If you know how to strike a bargain, then you’d probably hit a gold mine. That’s what happened to our accommodations. We stayed in a hotel with services that made us extra comfortable, yet got a discounted rate. Meilong Holiday Inn Express …
As we touched down at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, everything was World Expo mode. Even the expressways had special directional signs to the expo site. We were fortunate to have our visit timed during the World Expo, an internationally registered event (major expo) which happens every five years only and the venue held in …
If you want to see the more modern face of China, Shanghai is the place to be. Everything seems to be on a rush in this metropolis. So, all we did was go with the flow of human traffic until our feet led us to the many highlights of Shanghai. Sightseeing Despite its modern structures, …
The morning was gray and gloomy with the drizzling rain seem to be stopping our great adventure to the outskirts of Beijing. We were to climb the Great Wall of China and we didn’t allow the weather to be an impediment to this important endeavor. We were thankful that our hostel provided a cheaper Great …