Best Baguio Website: GoBaguio.com

September 19, 2010


Best Baguio Website: GoBaguio.com

If you're planning to go to Baguio, go to the website of Go Baguio! This site provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date information on everything relating to Baguio. 

Why I Love This Website

1. It provides the most current information on road conditions of roads leading to Baguio with their Baguio travel advisory.
You don't even get that kind of information from government websites. When we go to Baguio, our only source of information for road conditions used to be the sign at the entrance of Kennon Road or feedback from friends or relatives who recently have been there. Without knowing anyone coming from there, we couldn't get advanced information on road conditions. Well, not until Go Baguio started providing this kind of information.

2. I love the Baguio maps!!!
They have an interactive map, a city road map, an area map, and a highway map. When I travel with my kids I try to make the trip as predictable as I can, meaning not too many surprises for me. So one of the means to do this is to look at all kinds of maps. At one point, I even used Google Earth to actually walk the road just to find out how far the bus stop is from the hotel I wanted to book, just to imagine if my kids can walk that far. So you'd understand how much I love what this website did for Baguio. It made it easier for moms like me who like to plan everything in detail.

3. You can do Baguio for free.
This is one of the unique articles that I don't normally find in guides to Philippine destinations. In Europe and in the United States, they have several articles on how to sight-see for free.

These are only a few of the reasons why I love this website. I can talk about how beautiful the layout is, how easy it is to navigate the site. I can also talk about the depth of the content. The comprehensiveness of this website is truly amazing. Seeing it does not compare to me talking about it so I urge everyone to check it out. It's the only true guide to Baguio City, successfully beating Lonely Planet to the task.

Our Batanes Tour Guide: Roger Doplito

September 17, 2010

Our Batanes Tour Guide: Roger Doplito

Roger Doplito was the guide provided by Fundacion Pacita to conduct our free half-day cultural heritage tour. He's very knowledgeable about Batanes and could answer any question we asked about the life, history and culture of the Ivatans. If you google his name, it will come up at several blogs. They too gave good reviews of him.
  
He's very reliable and replies quickly by text message. But for those outside of the Philippines, you can email him. Here are his contact numbers:

ROGER DOPLITO
cellphone number: +639282476091
email address: rgdoplito@yahoo.com

These are his rates as of September 2010:

Batan Island Tour (8 hours)
1. Van rental with driver:
  • P1600 good for 8 hours 
  •  van has a maximum capacity of 11 passengers
  • there is an overtime fee if you use the van in excess of 8 hours.
2. Tour guide fee: P1500 per day (whole day or half day)
3. Tips (optional)

For the Batan Island van tour for 8 hours, you pay P3100 for one person or for 11 persons. Therefore it can range from P3100 per head or P285 per head

Sabtang Island Tour  
If you have 5 or more people in your group, the rate is P1500 per person. This includes:
  • roundtrip transfers from hotel/inn to port
  • boat fares
  • tourist registration fees
  • jeep around Sabtang
  • tour guide
  • lunch
My tip: 
If you are 5 or more in a group, get all the tours from Roger then tell him the exact number of persons in your group so he can make a more reasonable quotation and perhaps a cheaper rate than the rates given above. The more people in your group taking the tour the better rates he can give.

Batanes Airlines

September 16, 2010

Batanes Airlines

Batanes Airlines flies from Tuguegarao-Basco-Tuguegarao, and Laoag-Basco-Laoag. Currently, there is no flight from Laoag. The customer service of Batanes Airlines predicts that the Laoag flight will resume December, when peak season starts. 

Tuguegarao-Basco-Tuguegarao flight schedules
Departure from Tuguegarao: M,W,F 8:00 AM
Departure from Batanes: M, W, F 10:00 AM

Fare: P4,950 one way
How to book
1. Call the ff contact numbers:


2. Make the reservation by phone.
3. You can pay upon check-in.

My tip:
If you're coming from Manila, I highly recommend you fly SEAIR because the price difference is minimal and you save 12 hours landtrip to Laoag. Of course, if you're already sightseeing in Laoag and would further like to go to Batanes, then this is a flight option starting December. 

How to go Villa Escudero

September 12, 2010


How to go Villa Escudero 

If you have your own car, van or motorcycle , click here to see my article with the location map and instructions on how to go to Villa Escudero. 

This post will address the situation where you don't have your own means of transportation. These are your options:

1. Rent a van or car through Villa Escudero.
Villa Escudero does not own the car or van but will connect you with rental company. The rates are as follows:
  • day rate for car rental, with driver, good for 4 passengers: P3,500
  • day rate for van rental, with driver, good for 11 passengers: P4,700
The payment for the rental can be made at the end of the trip.
My tip: If you're renting a car or van, and the rates are the same with other companies, I suggest you rent the car or van thru Villa Escudero instead because:
  • You won't have to worry about giving directions.  The driver will surely know the directions to Villa Escudero.
  • You are sure of the reliability of the rental company because it comes with the seal of approval of Villa Escudero.
2. Take the public bus to Villa Escudero
  • Go to Jac Liner bus terminal and take the bus going to Lucena, Quezon.  Travel time is 2 1/2 hours. These are the 2 terminals with bus going to Lucena:
LRT - BUENDIA STATION
2052 Donada Street corner
Buendia Street, Pasay City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel. No: 4042073
Current bus schedule: 1st trip is 5am, last trip is at 10pm, every 30 minutes.
To get the latest bus schedule text JACLINER TIME BUENDIA to 2952 for Smart or 2982 for Globe and Sun. 
KAMIAS STATION
2 Mapagmahal Street
Baranggay Pinyahan, Kamias
Quezon City, Philippines
Tel. No.: 9276139
Current bus schedule: 1st trip is 2am, last trip is at 9pm, every 20 minutes.
To get the latest bus schedule text JACLINER TIME KAMIAS to 2952 for Smart or 2982 for Globe and Sun.
FARE: P178.00, aircon bus from Kamias or Buendia to Lucena

  • Make sure to tell the driver or the conductor that you are going to Villa Escudero so they can stop right after the Quezon Arch and drop you off there. The gate of Villa Escudero is just after the Arch and at the left side of the Arch.
  • From the point where the bus drops you off, you cross the road to the other side to walk to the entrance. It's a very long walk. It's better to take a tricycle if you see one and ride it to the entrance of Villa Escudero.

Group Promo Rate at Villa Escudero


Group Promo Rate at Villa Escudero
I had several inquiries on whether or not Villa Escudero gives discounts to big groups so I decided to give them a call. They do give discounts to 40 people or more. These are their terms: 
  1. Their discounted adult day rate for groups of 40 or more people is P850 per person.
  2. The discounted day rate is applicable only for tours taken from Monday to Thursday. 
  3. Discounts are not applicable to children. The regular child rate will apply to children accompanying you. The discount applies only to adults.
  4. This promo runs until October 31, 2010. But I suggest you call even after that date. They may have extended their promo.

How to go to El Nido, Palawan by plane

September 11, 2010


How to Go to El Nido, Palawan by Plane

Updated April 7, 2016

Currently, the only airline flying straight to El Nido is Air Swift. You can book it online via http://air-swift.com/.

Manila - El Nido: 
3x daily
fare: P6,344 one way + 200 = P6,544 + 120 booking fee = P6,664

El Nido - Manila
4x daily
fare: P6,344 one way + 120 booking fee =  P6,464

If booked roundtrip, you only pay the booking fee once.

Online booking is payable via VISA and Mastercard.




---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updated Oct 8, 2010

If you want to visit El Nido, Palawan and you are coming from Manila, you have these options:
1. By plane from Manila to El Nido
2. By plane from Manila to Puerto Princesa City and by land from Puerto Princesa City to El Nido.

All other options going to El Nido is not as reliable or as consistently available as these 2 options so I won't mention it in this post anymore. What I'm actually recommending if you have kids going with you is that you go to El Nido by plane from Manila. But this option is quite expensive. The roundtrip airfare from Manila to El Nido is around P13,500 or P6,750 per way. If you have kids but do not have enough funds for a plane ride, I suggest you wait until they are big enough to rough it out for the long land trip to El Nido.

Why Go to El Nido by Plane
If you go by land, your option is to travel from Puerto Princesa City to El Nido. This is how traveling by land to El Nido looks like:
  • The trip will take 6-8 hours, depending on road conditions, and on whether or not you're taking the shuttle, the public bus or hiring a van for your exclusive use. Of all these options, taking the public bus will take the longest time. They make several stops and pick up passengers along the way.
  • The 6-8 hour trip is mostly rough road so you can imagine how tired the kids will be after this kind of travel.
  • The amount of time lost by taking the land trip will amount to almost 2 days: a day traveling from Puerto Princesa to El Nido, and another day going back to Puerto Princesa to El Nido. I say a day lost each time because the kids become too tired after that trip that they won't be able to do any sightseeing anymore.
Booking the flight 
As I've recently realized, choosing to take the plane to El Nido is not as simple as it seems. It is unlike other destinations where you simply decide to take the plane and immediately there are several options available to you. Why then is it difficult to take the plane to El Nido?

1. There is at present  only ONE airline flying from Manila-El Nido-Manila.
The only airlines operating the whole year is Island Transvoyager(ITI). They have daily flights, and fly 3x a day. You can only book the Manila-El Nido flights thru them. But you can book the El Nido-Manila flights thru El Nido Boutique and Arts Cafe, based in El Nido.

There used to be 2 airlines, Island Transvoyager and SEAIR but SEAIR suspended its flights for the low season of June-November. They expect SEAIR to resume flights by November 2010, but that's just a prediction. I will update this post once SEAIR announces the resumption of these flights.

New: Seair resumes flights to El Nido starting December 10, 2010

2. The only leg you can book in advance is the El Nido to Manila ITI flight. The Manila to El Nido ITI flight can only be booked 5 days before the flight.
Island Transvoyager (ITI) is the exclusive airlines of El Nido Resorts. Since they are the exclusive airlines of El Nido Resorts, the guests of El Nido Resorts are given priority in allocation of seats. They say that the Manila to El Nido leg has less seats available for those who are not guests of El Nido Resorts because the Manila to El Nido flight carries not only passengers but also supplies to the island, unlike the El Nido to Manila route.

For those who are not guests to El Nido, but wish to take the roundtrip flight, see my tip for you below.

3. Even if SEAIR starts operating the Manila-El Nido route, they only do 2-3 flights per week, with flights only once a day.
Given this situation, you may not get the flights and time that you want.

My tip:

1. Book the El Nido to Manila flight of ITI in advance. They immediately confirm the flight. Make sure to book it at El Nido Boutique and Art Cafe because they are the only authorized distributor of the El Nido - Manila tickets. ITI has made a warning and a declaration at their website. See the booking warning of ITI here.

See details of how to book the El Nido to Manila flight here.

2. Book the cheapest Zest Air one way flight to Puerto Princesa City.
Why Zest Air? 
  • They have the cheapest flight to Puerto Princesa City, which is around P1400.
  • Their cheapest flight is refundable. Your penalty is only P672 pesos for canceling the flight.
3. Email ITI so you can go on their Priority Waiting List. 
Email them at csu@itiair.com, RSupilanas@itiair.com, and itiair@yahoo.com ,  then follow up 5 days before the flight for your flight confirmation.

4. If your flight with ITI is confirmed, you can cancel your Zest Air flight to Puerto Princesa and get a refund.

5. If your flight with ITI is not confirmed, you can take the Puerto Princesa flight. 
Why book the Puerto Princesa flight in advance rather than wait for the ITI confirmation?
If you wait for the confirmation of ITI 5 days before your flight and find that you have no seats on your preferred flight, you will be forced to book the flight to Puerto Princesa which is very expensive 5 days before the flight. This may not be so during the low season. But expect this to happen during the peak summer season.
Note: Of course, the simplest thing to do is to just book El Nido Resorts so they can just take care of everything from the plane booking, airport transfers, resort accomodations and meals. But for those who cannot afford that package or for those who would prefer to stay at El Nido town, the tips I've given will help them book their flight.

How to Book the El Nido to Manila Island Transvoyager flight

September 8, 2010

How to Book the El Nido to Manila Island Transvoyager flight

Contact El Nido Boutique and Arts Cafe. El Nido Boutique and Arts Cafe is the only authorized agents to sell the El Nido-Manila tickets. They reply promptly by email. 

Contact numbers

Merla Oliveros
El Nido Boutique & ArtcafĂ©
General Sales Agent ITI
www.elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com 
flights@elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com
+639209026317
+639166286665 Office
 

Terms and conditions:

Departure times of El Nido-Manila Island Transvoyager Flight:
9:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 5:00 PM, daily flights, Sun-Mon.

Fare:
Adult: P6,750 per person one way, taxes and terminal fee included.
Children (2-12 years old) : P4,927.50 per person one way, taxes and terminal fee included.
Infants:  P1,860 per person one way, taxes and terminal fee included.

Cancellation Policy:
  • If  you cancel MORE than 48 hours before flight date, you will be charged 25% of total airfare charge, and you can refund 75% of the total airfare charge.
  • If you cancel WITHIN 48 hours before flight date, you will be charged 50% of total airfare charge, and you can refund 50% of total airfare charge.
Rebooking Policy: 
Php1,680 penalty

No Show Policy:
NO REFUND; airfare is forfeited


Luggage: 10 kilos total for check-in and hand-carry luggage. P70 per kilo for excess luggage.

Procedure for booking:
1. Email to El Nido Boutique and Arts Cafe, the passenger names and preferred time of departure. 
  • You can choose the flight time you want as long as seats are available. 
2. If they were able to book, they will send you:
a. the flight confirmation 
b. payment instruction by bank transfer or paypal.