The Novotel Araneta in Manila is a brand-new, upscale Accor Group hotel a little away from the main business and tourist areas. Thanks to another Accor Promotion, I was only two stays away from reaching Accor LeClub Platinum status and its many perks, so we planned a weekend staycation – and were pleasantly surprised what […]
On my recent trip “Bali on a Budget” I was looking for an affordable hotel under $50/night in Ubud that is a reflection of the town: a small, independent guest house near the center of town, with typical Bali decor, friendly service and modern amenities. Based on online and a site inspection, I picked the
On my “Bali on a Budget” trip I visited Ubud and Lovina Beach and to stay on budget, I wanted to take the bus to get there! Perama Tours runs a number of scheduled bus routes criss-crossing the island to many of the places visitors might want to go. Read my review to see if
I love good coffee and breakfast is my favorite meal – fortunately, Manila seems to agree with that and has lots of coffee shops. In addition to all the big chains, you also find a number of great independent stores, like Single Origin, or mini-chains with a few outlets, like Wildflour Cafe & Bakery. Wildflour
As part of my “Bali on a budget” trip, I visited Lovina Beach on the North Shore of Bali to get away from the crowds of Southern Bali and explore the quieter side of Bali. I was looking for a hotel close to the beach for under $50/night and found Hotel Melamun from online reviews – and it is
Most visitors to Bali head to the beaches of Southern Bali, like Kuta, Legian, Seminyak or Nusa Dua or the forests and rice paddies of Ubud. If you are looking for a quieter beach to relax on Bali, there are lots of choices and on my most recent trip, i visited Lovina Beach in the
The Philippines’ Spanish, Chinese and Filipino roots all have influenced its cuisine – and 50 years of American influence have left the locals with a love of burgers that gives you a better choice than anywhere else outside the US! One of my favorite places to eat in Manila and to still my occasional cravings for
China was the country with the most international departures world wide at over 84 Million, making Chinese travelers an ever-growing presence, especially in Asia. Now, that the Philippine government under President Duterte is making a “pivot” towards China, what will that mean for travel to the Philippines? The Department of Tourism is looking to grow
If you are looking for a place to stay in Ubud, you will find many small independent hotels around town – or beautiful resorts among the rice paddies. If you are looking for a thoroughly modern hotel that can handle larger groups in the center of town, your choices are few. The evitel is addressing
If you are visiting Manila and want Filipino food, there are plenty of options. My favorite Filipino restaurant in Manila is Cafe Romulo – it offers excellent food in great ambiance and with friendly service at reasonable prices, making it an all around winner.
There are two things that any visitor to the Philippines raves about, regardless of where they go: The incredible warmth and friendliness of the Filipino people and the amazing food! And while most countries in Asia claim amazing, local food, the Philippines is the only one where the expression for “hello” is “have you eaten?”!
Welcome to TBEX Asia 2016 in Manila, Philippines! The Philippines are a great country to visit in South East Asia – and one of the most underrated. Here you won’t have to wonder, wether you should have come years ago – the best time to visit is now! I have lived in Manila for three