12/01/2025
Affordable trip to try outside of PH, not needing a visa.
Number 1: Hongkong
Coming from an island province of Bohol, I noticed that it took me a long time to realize that we can afford to travel too. In fact with that realization, my desire to share my experience was born.
What happened in the past weeks, definitely sent shivers down our spine. With the news of tragic flights, life can easily be taken in a blink of an eye. Nevertheless, this got me thinking, too. How life can be so unpredictable, that even after your happiest moment of travel, it can end that way. 🥺
You may think, it is untimely and irrelevant after all the fear it gave you.
But if it is something you are longing to do, don't let fear stop you from turning your plans into reality.
One of the places to travel that I can vouch for being affordable if you are a first-time Filipino traveler is Hongkong. Not only was it affordable if you book months before or with PisoSale, it is also easier to convince Immigration Officers that you'll be there for leisure if you have a full-time work in the Philippines.
The travel was not even thought of, like most people do. When my colleague said “Hey Ate, there’s a promo for Hongkong”. I just told her right away, “Okay, book me!” LOL 🤣
I used a colleague's digital camera, my backpack was borrowed from another male colleague and another leather bag was given to me by one of our Kiva Fellow. You see, when I travel, I don't care about OOTD 🤣
One of my angels during the travel was meeting a woman while still at the plane. She's a Filipina too, who has been married to a man from Hongkong and she has been living there for a long time.
Meeting her was such a relief because we talked a lot and she was worried about me, being a woman, a solo traveler, arriving in a foreign place at 4AM.
She orients me on safety and what bus to take in order to reach my Wang Fat Hostel in Causeway Bay. While for most people, being away in such a place will cause them to panic, it has the opposite effect on me - I WAS ECSTATIC! 😍
So I arrived safely at my hostel at almost 4AM, ealier than expected to the surprise of the hostel owner 😅 For affordability, I chose a dormitory-type hostel. There, I met a solo traveler from Malaysia, Poland and India. I even took trips with them to different places.
I was able to check one of my simple dreams: to ride a double-decker bus in Hongkong! Haha! 😆
Though for some people, Hongkong is expensive, I believed it depends on your itinerary. I chose not to go to the usual spots like Disneyland and Oceanpark since I'm not fond of crowded places and I can appreciate those places if I'm with a child. When you are on your own, it is easier to travel, on a budget.
I spent my birthday having lunch at a Prince Building, where a nice restaurant has inviting dishes for lunch. When I seated, I can easily hear the familiar chitchats of our fellow Kababayans. One of those I met was Jubelyn, my sangay from Davao, it was a Sunday, so she decided to join me on my trip. She accompanied me to Victoria’s peak, offering to be my photographer and even told me to have another route on our way back to downtown so we can save. Instead of taking the tram back going down from the mountain, we decided to just take the bus that brought us back to downtown Hongkong. Until this time, the friendship remains. Thanks, Ngay! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
One of the perks of traveling to Hongkong, is the chance to take a ferry to Macau. Thankfully, I have Nang Nita (my mother's friend) who showed me around the Casino area (Casino Lisboa), and that made it more memorable. Sige mig kuha adtong pagkaon na libre bisan wala miy sugal na giapilan. Sige lang kog agik ik ug katawa 😂
One of the foods that I love in Macau was the egg tart. It was soooo good, I'm still dreaming of it, until this time 👍
My round-trip plane ticket to Hongkong (Cebu to Hongkong) was Php5776.38 and my hostel was Php3,202.50.
Do I have plans of going back to Hongkong? Maybe!
With the kids, it would be more fun too.
Or if my sister Dory Lemetares ganahan jud moadto, unya magpa-uban. Pwede ra pod siguro 😉
For this year and the years to come, don't fear rule your hearts.
Who knows, this can be the year that you can make your travel plans come true.
This travel to Hongkong and Macau was many years ago. My
second trip abroad - June 2012.
I am 12 days late, but just the same, "Happy New Year!" 🥳
Carpe Diem ;)
