We are travellers, not tourists. A ticket in our future always bubbles our blood in excitement!
Adam needs to renew his visa in September and instead taking the hydrofoil over to Japan like he did last time, I mentioned taking a trip. We have been in Asia now for 6 months and not traveled (I know, can you believe it?!?!)
So, I casually looked through the calendar at work and noticed there are 3 national holidays coming up. I did the math and realized, If I take 5 days off.. then we can take a 11 day vacation! (basically I get one week free due to the holidays) I jumped on it.
My boss approved my vacation and we immediately got to work on a destination.
China was near the top of the list but due to Visa requirements we would have to spend a bit more money then we wanted on the preparations… So, I started exploring Interpark.com (It is a Korean travel site, all in Korean. I have mastered the navigation and even have my own login, even though my Korean is still at survival level.
Then, I checked all of the airlines directly. I included Taiwan (We have only been there for 24 hours), New Zealand, Australia, India and Philippines.
We ended up with a great deal for tickets. We leave at 8 am on Sept. 27th and head to Hong Kong. We will be there for 24 hours, which I have been told is enough time to wander and explore. Then on the 28th, we head to Manila.
We are super excited to explore the not so popular tourist destinations of the Philippines, the untouched beaches, the local villages in the far north etc.
We are openly seeing recommendations from everyone out there in Cyberland. (Anything from lodging to places to food! For both Hong Kong and The Philippines)
At the moment we have:
- Palawan
- Coron
- Ilocos
- Baguio
- Sagada
I will also have you know that I have finally learned how to spell the Philippines and get it right every time (it only took 32 years)
Filed under: News, Travel in Asia Tagged: Asia, China, food, Hong Kong, India, lodging, Manila, New Zealand, Philippines, Taiwan, Travel, Travel Recommendations
Comments
Re: Seeking NON-Touristy Recommendations… Please Help!
hey there. I'm a Filipimo and a traveler too :) You've got great destinations. In Palawan, you could also check out El Nido (6 hrs ride from Puerto Princesa). It's another stretch of white beach. If you dive, check out Tubattaha.
In Ilocos, check out Vigan. It's a small quaint town with Spanish architecture. Visit Paoay Church as well. And if you surf, you might want to check out Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte.
Baguio is a cute place. Colder temperature compared to the rest of the Philippines but I'm a beach person and I get a little lonely in Baguio maybe because of the temperature. Since you're going to Sagada, you might also want to check out the Butbut tribe of Buscalan Kalinga. You will find the tattoo hunters in the mountains but be sure to have a tour guide. Don't go there by yourselves.
There are also nice beaches that are a 3-hour bus ride from Manila. Go to Zambales and check out Anawangin, Capones, Maskara and the other islands.
Are you from Korea? I'm going to Korea and would appreciate if you could recommend non-touristy destinations too :) you may email me [email protected]. Happy and safe travels!