My tip on how to get an authentic massage at Wat Pho

My tip on 

How to get an authentic Thai massage at Wat Pho 

Wat Pho is an ancient temple in Bangkok and the home of the famous Reclining Buddha. It is also where the first Thai massage school was opened. Knowing this, people who want to experience authentic Thai massage tend to go to Wat Pho. So it's not surprising that the line will be long and waiting time would be an hour. My tip would be to reserve a slot at the massage place when you arrive at Wat Pho, then tour the place and see the Reclining Buddha. By the time you finish touring the place, it will be your turn for the massage

Another alternative is to go to the Wat pho massage school outside the temple area, about 260 meters from the Chetuphon gate of Wat Pho. Its the same service you'll get but waiting time is shorter because the massage school has more therapists and space is bigger. Waiting time is 40 min.

If you've seen the Temple of the Reclining Buddha and would just like to have the massage, head straight to the wat pho massage school near the river instead of going to the temple. You'll save 300 baht entrance fee that you'll have to pay if you have the massage within Wat Pho temple grounds. 

Checkout the photos below for the rates and location. It's interesting to note that they're offering something new: Thai massage with cannabis oil.

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip      My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips

My experience checking in at Suvarnabhumi Airport

MY EXPERIENCE CHECKING IN AT SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT, BANGKOK

If you're flying from Suvarnabhumi Airport to an international destination, make sure to arrive at the airport 3 HOURS BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT. Lines are usually long at the check in counter and at immigration. 

Our family used both Cebu Pacific going to Manila and Scoot Airlines going to Singapore. Both Cebu Pacific and Scoot check in counters at Suvarnabhumi Airport (Bangkok) open only 3 hours before the flight. The check-in counters were closed when we arrived there early and opened exactly 3 hours before the flight. 

We tried using the self check-in kiosk of Cebu Pacific and we were able to print the boarding pass but not the bag tags. So we still needed to line up at the check-in counters for bag drop to get the bag tags. They also reviewed our passports once again and reissued our boarding pass. The line at the check-in counter in took 15 min, whether or not you checked in online. 

Scoot check-in counters had no line at all. I guess 3 hours before the flight is too early to check-in for passengers travelling to Singapore. At Changi Airport, you only need to arrive and check-in 2 hours before the flight, and sometimes

But in our experience at Suvarnabhumi Airport, checking in 3 hours before the flight is just right because the line at immigration and security is long, and the walk to the gate is very long. We just had 30 minutes to take a quick bite of food at the lounge near our gate. Then we had to leave because they were already boarding.

So my advice is to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight, to avoid having to run to the gate,

If you like this post, please  follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip      

My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips

My tip on where to change baht at Suvarnabhumi Airport

MY TIP ON WHERE TO CHANGE BAHT 

AT SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT

It seems that the more remote the location of the money changer, the better the rates. This means that the ones that you won't get good rates at are at the more convenient area at the arrival hall compared to the more remote money changers at the basement level near the airport link that goes to the city.

We changed peso at the orange kiosk of Superrich Thailand at the basement level. You go down 2 floors from the arrival hall, which is at the 2nd floor. Although we chose Superrich, you can also get good rates at the money changers beside it like Happy Rich and Kasikornthai.

The exchange rate I got is 1 peso =0.61 baht. For 10,000 pesos, I got 6100 baht. No hidden fees or other charges. You can see today's rate in the photos below.

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip     

My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips

Food you can buy in 711 Singapore

FOOD YOU CAN BUY IN

711 SINGAPORE 

When you're in Singapore, checkout out the 711 stores. They have very interesting foodstuff in small and individual packs that's great for tasting. If you simply want to taste them, it's better to go to the 711 store rather than the bigger stores because food can be bought in individual packs. For example, the Magnum osmanthus oolong is sold at CS fresh in packs of 4, while it's sold individually at 711.

The photo below was taken at 711 UE Square. 

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip      My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips

How much money should I budget for meals during trips abroad?

HOW MUCH MONEY SHOULD I BUDGET FOR MEALS DURING TRIPS ABROAD? 

Budget for meals are usually the question being asked in travel groups. When computing how much money to alot for meals for family trips abroad, I use www.numbeo.com as reference. If you want detailed information, they provide accurate information of current rates of meals and drinks in several cities and countries in their list. This is shown below in my recent trip to Hong Kong. Their information is fairly accurate compared to the actual receipt I got.

But a quick way for me to do it if I don't have time to go through the details, is to find out how much a McDonald's big mac meal cost in that country and multiply it by the number of meals per day, then the number of days of the trip, to get to the per person cost of meals during the trip. Having enough money to cover the cost of a Big Mac meal is a safe bet you won't go hungry in your vacation destination.

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip      

My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips 

My Tiktok page: https://www.tiktok.com/@pinoyroadtrip

#numbeo #mealbudget #budgetmeals #pinoy #pinoyroadtrip #pinoyroadtrips #pinoyabroad #bigmacmeal #budgetformealsontripsabroad

Cafe de Coral, Hong Kong Must try signature dishes with prices

CAFE DE CORAL, 

HONG KONG: 

MUST TRY SIGNATURE DISHES 

WITH PRICES 

Cafe de Coral is Hong Kong comfort food for us. We've been regularly visiting Hong Kong the past 20 years and we never miss dining at Cafe de Coral. The first time our kids went to Hong Kong with us in 2006, the first summer after Hong Kong Disneyland opened, we introduced them to our favorite meals at Cafe de Coral. Ever since then, Cafe de Coral has been filled with memories for our family.

Sharing with you the favorite meals we order. I'm so happy to note it's still as good as ever even after the pandemic.

These meals are available only from lunch till dinner so make sure to visit 1130am onwards and not earlier, if you want to order these meals. They usually run out fast. If you come in the morning, they serve the breakfast menu and our favorite meals are not available.

Our favorite meals are:

Bbq Pork with rice and bokchoy: 52 HKD

Roast duck leg with rice and bokchoy: 60 HKD

Baked pork chop rice: 62 HKD

The photos below were taken at Cafe de Coral Causeway Bay July 2024.

These used to be budget meals in Hong Kong but prices have gone up. 10 years ago, the bbq pork with rice was only 37 HKD, and the baked porkchop rice was only 41 HKD. 

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip  My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips

#pinoyroadtrip #pinoyroadtrips #pinoytraveler #pinoyabroad #pinoyfoodie #hongkong #hongkongfoodie #HongKongFood #CafedeCoral #bakedporkchoprice #bbqpork #roastduck #pinoyroadtriphongkong2024 #pinoyroadtriphongkong #mustordercafedecoral

Additional Security Screening before vhecking In

ADDITIONAL SECURITY SCREENING BEFORE CHECKING-IN FOR AUSTRALIA FLIGHTS.

This is what happens at Cebu Pacific Air check-in counter:

If you're taking the Manila to Australia flights , make sure to alot additional time for the additional security screening before check-in. You line up twice at check-in: first, for the swab testing of the INSIDE of your check-in luggage for chemical residue, and second, for the checking in of luggage and issuance of boarding pass. YOU CANNOT CHECK-IN YOUR LUGGAGE WITHOUT YOUR LUGGAGE BEING SWABBED FIRST AND CLEARED OF CHEMICAL RESIDUE. 

MY TIPS:

1. Arrive at the check-in counter 4 hours before departure. 

Checking in at the Cebu Pacific counter, from lining up, swabbing and issuance of boarding pass took 1.5 hours.

Good thing the flight is at 1 pm. The immigration line is usually short during late mornings for early afternoon flights.

2. Pack your things in a suitcase rather than a sealed box. 

It will be difficult to put everything back and seal it once they open it to swab the inside of your box. Pack your things in an orderly fashion so nothing gets misplaced once they open the luggage.

3. Make sure that a blue sticker has been placed on your luggage to indicate that your luggage has been inspected and swabbed. 

Sometimes the handlers fail to put a sticker. It happened to us. So we reminded them. So I don't know exactly what will happen to the luggage if it was checked in without the sticker.

Regarding the carry on luggage, they don't inspect it at check-in. But they thoroughly check the contents of the carry-on at the boarding gate, before boarding the plane.

If you like this post, please follow:

My Website: www.pinoyroadtrip. com 

My Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/pinoyroadtrip  

My Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/pinoyroadtrips