Seoul, South Korea Travel on a Budget

Ever wanted to explore Seoul but a bit hesitant because you think everything is expensive? Well, yes, I consider this city as one of the expensive destinations for backpackers like me. For this, I won't be posting a very long narrative; I'll just share with you the breakdown of my total expenses for the benefit of those who plan to do a backpacking adventure in the city on a very limited budget:

If you won't buy ciggies or skip booze sessions then above cost estimate is feasible. It also depends on your country of origin as airfare and other airport taxes plus visa application fees may vary (for Filipinos, visa application is gratis for 1-59 days stay).  

Wanna Go Solo Travel for the First Time?

Walking alone in an unfamiliar place filled with strange faces and eccentric tongues for the very first time  may be daunting to some, but there are also those who find it thrilling. Personally, I felt the same when I had my very first out of the country solo trip. Thoughts like “what will it be like going around as a foreigner in another country without someone who will act as a security blanket?” and “what if I ran out of budget while I'm miles away from home?” made me want to back out a day before my scheduled flight. I admit, it was a bit scary at first, but how would you know if you could also travel solo if you won't give it a shot? 

Here are four tips that can somehow help you decide:       

• Try to do domestic travels first. As mentioned in my previous post, my passion for solo travels didn't come in an instant. Since I was going through a rough situation during those times, I sought for a quick breather (Baguio City on my case) which allowed me to travel by my lonesome. From there, I found solace and yes, I did enjoy walking around at my own pace. If you haven't tried it yet, I suggest to do it first so you can gauge if you could last a day or two in a faraway place without a travel buddy around. It's the easiest course for a first time solo traveler in terms of preparation of itinerary and budget. 

• Set a travel goal. Okay, you aren't convinced by item number one yet. But remember, you wouldn't know what's on the other side of the planet if you won't take the first step. Don't wait for that drive to push you to travel alone. Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and explore the beauty of the world around you! Set a travel goal, or if you already have, include solo backpacking adventures on your bucket list. Make a "travel dream board" -- a photo collage of the places you wanted to visit and look at it everyday. This will somehow awaken your desire to travel abroad, with or without someone to tag along.   

• Ready to travel abroad alone for the first time? Start small. Now, you're already decided to take your very first solo trip. You took your smart phone or laptop to check the lowest airfare (or promo airfares) available only to find yourself confused on where to go. You already wanted to visit your desired country (as shown on your travel dream board) but you are wary that you might not have enough budget for the trip yet. My take on this: start small. If you still can't afford to go to your dream destinations, start from the least expensive places. When I decided to travel solo for the first time, I searched for countries that are backpacker-friendly. I've been to six different cities in Asia and the most budget friendly for me so far are Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in Vietnam (backpacking budget was from PhP 13,000.00 to PhP 16,000.00 or USD 280.00 to USD 337.00 inclusive of promo airfare, airport taxes, accommodation, food and some shopping for four days and three nights), and Bangkok, Thailand (PhP 20,000.00 or USD 426.00). The other three cities: Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Seoul are quite expensive by my standards but backpacking is still possible. Just don't forget to set a travel budget limit and strictly stick to it to avoid overspending (my most expensive backpacking so far was in Seoul, with total budget of PhP 22,000.00 or USD 470.00 inclusive of promo airfare, airport taxes, accommodation, food and a little souvenir shopping for four days and three nights). It made my solo traveling experience possible without hurting my travel funds that much. 

• You've already traveled out of the country with friends before and want to give solo adventure a try. Why not? If you have the chance, go for it! I do enjoy traveling with friends, but sometimes, I prefer traveling alone because it gives me more freedom to explore many places at my own pace (no waiting, no itineraries and schedules to follow). Not only that, it also allows me to discover myself more. Just bring a nice book, your smartphone filled with your favorite music and you're good to go!

If you're still not comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, it's best to give yourself more time to contemplate. No need to rush. For some, emotional preparation is needed. I believe it requires more guts to get out of your comfort zone, but believe me, your worries and fears are just all in your head. Once you go beyond your usual thing, you'll learn to embrace the extraordinary. ^_^     

A Solo Backpacker's Insights

I’ve been persistently urged by some of my friends to create blogs about my adventures and misadventures of all my travels (just a fact: writing is my first love, not traveling, contrary to what most people know). But because of too many distractions (blame it to technology – ugh, rather – too much addiction to social media and mobile games, haha!), I failed to collect all my thoughts and put them in to writing.

Since I instantly got an inspiration after reading an article on the net, I want to give it a shot again – to get back to my first love – writing. I then realized, why not create a write up about solo traveling? But wait! There are already LOTS of blogs and articles about backpacking. But because of the inspiration I earlier mentioned, and despite all related articles already posted on the net, I think I’ll have to take this opportunity while I am still in the mood to write. Being a backpacker and a frequent solo traveler myself, I’ll try to create a blog that is based on a first hand perspective.

People, more often than not, are amazed upon learning that I have this bizarre love for solo travel. This passion did not actually come in an instant. Like most people at my age, I was also afraid to explore unfamiliar places alone (I know my friends won't believe me when I say this. Haha!). But when I once had this unusual urge to go to Baguio all by myself several years back, I discovered a lot of things about me and solo backpack traveling. I may not be an expert on this field yet, but I would like to share with you some of the things I learned and discovered as I explored few places in the past years.

1.   You don't have to be rich to travel well. Yes, you read it right – traveling is not only for those who have fat wallets and lots of budget surplus. You can also travel overseas even if you’re an average income earner like me. Some people think that I have lots of spare budget to spend because of my past Asian travels. What they don’t know is that I don’t spend too much on expensive gadgets and trinkets anymore. Instead of drooling over the latest model of iPhone or Android phones, I just choose to save part of my income for travels, and enjoy simpler stuff.

    

2.   Traveling is also a form of investment. This is somewhat related to item number one. There may be some who would disagree, but hey! You won’t get genuine happiness by just merely putting all your money on your bank accounts. Of course, I’m not telling you to stop saving for your future. It is also a must. What I do right now is, I have separate allocations for personal savings, long-term investments thru stocks, revolving funds for emergencies and for my daily needs and yes – travel fund! To further justify having travel funds, I usually tell people that “wonderful memories last. Material things don’t.” Traveling is not only my source of relaxation, it also gives me fresh learnings and unforgettable experiences that help shape and enrich my personality and my whole being.  

Photo Credits: http://maximindonesia.co.id

3.   Set a cap or limit on your travel spending. For the past nine out-of-the-country backpacking travels in six Asian cities that I had within three years, the maximum amount that I spent so far is around Php 22,000.00 (USD 470) inclusive of two-way promo airfare, airport fees, accommodations and pocket money for a four-day, three-night solo travel. Believe it or not, but yes, it’s doable. Set a travel budget target and strictly stick to it. Stay in hostels or home stays instead of luxury hotels (I’ve actually read about couch surfing but I haven’t tried it yet). Live like a local of that country – fill your tummies with street foods, ride public vehicles (like buses and trains) and as much as possible, avoid riding taxis (except of course when you’re already too tired to commute). And don’t forget – wear a really comfortable footwear, then walk a lot! It is not only good for your health, it will also allow you to fully enjoy the surroundings and yes, exploring places on foot is free of charge and won’t cost you anything!

4.   Make extensive research. Once you know where to go, research for tips on how to travel on a strict budget. Read blogs about backpacking. Engage yourself in travel forums. Read, read and read! Once you’re armed with lots of information, you’ll save a lot of money as you won’t be needing an organized tour to get you around the place. Trust me, it works.   

Photo Credits: http://phocuswright.com

5.   Stick on your travel purpose. You arrive in your country of destination and learned that it’s sale season, what are you going to do? Shop ‘til you drop? Suppress the urge to splurge? It’s up to you. While we all love to get the best deals in terms of shopping, let’s never, ever forget why we traveled two to four hours by plane in the first place (yep, you wanted to invest on lots of wonderful memories, remember?) Go to places of interests and take tons of selfies! Post it away to your social media accounts! But if you have spare budget to spend on souvenir items and some pasalubongs for your loved ones, then go ahead, buy. But control yourself not to overspend.

Photo Credits: http://patersonhabitat.org

6.   Pack light. Do you travel with three large trolleys full of what you think are essential stuff? Go back to item number four. If your research leads you to what weather you’ll expect in your target country of destination, plan what clothes or knickknacks to bring. As a solo traveler, it is normal for me to bring only one backpack for a maximum of four days trip (that’s why I consider myself a backpacker, right?) It already saved me from baggage allowance cost.

Photo Credits: http://comfortade.com

7.   Never be afraid to get lost. Well, this is the most common fear of some people I’ve talked to. Of course it’s somewhat scary, but the experience of not knowing where to go hones your instincts and your interpersonal skills as you will be forced to ask directions from locals and other travelers like you. Isn’t that super exciting?

Photo Credits: http://gomio.com

So there. Here is my list for now. I’ll just update this post once I have new words of wisdom to share. Happy traveling!    

(Disclaimer: I don't own the attached photos. Full credits to the owners)  

Hanoi, Vietnam Three-day Experience

(This was already posted on my FB account last year. Re-posting via this site to centralize all my traveling write ups) 

Sharing with you some tips I personally learned during my three-day backpacking Hanoi tour last February 22-25, 2014:

1. Book your hotel in advance. I personally recommend those that are near Hoan Kiem Lake as these transients are accessible to almost all the attractions (and sumptuous food!) in the city. If you are traveling on a budget but prefer privacy on your lodging, I suggest you get a hostel. If you’re not into much luxury, most of these hostels can already satisfy your basic room requirement (bed, breakfast and bath). There are many hostels near the Hoan Kiem Lake that offer reasonable price. I stayed at Hanoi City Hostel along Hang Ga Road in Old Quarter basically because they got many positive comments from different travel sites and I never went wrong.

2.  Arrange a hotel and airport transfer in advance. If you are already eyeing a hostel to stay, check if they also offer hotel transfers. This will eliminate your stress in getting to the city proper that is many kilometers away from Noi Bai Airport. Rates are generally reasonable, slightly higher than airport taxis but you are assured that you will get to the exact hotel address (there are some stories of bad taxi drivers that bring you in front of your hotel then will tell you that it is already full; then they’ll bring you to other hotels for a commission). This will also spare you from being ripped off by some taxis. Oh, by the way, it is hard to look for a money changer if your arrival is during the wee hours of the night as most establishments within the airport are closed. If you already arranged for an airport transfer, it will as well save you from the hassles of looking for foreign exchange as taxis won’t accept dollars for payment. Airport transfers will be included in your hotel bill and will be charged to you upon check out. :)

3. Walk. Don’t ride. Hanoi is such a beautiful city to explore on foot. For you to fully appreciate its beauty, wear comfortable and lightweight footwear and walk around. I chose to walk many kilometers around the city and it gave me the opportunity to exercise and breathe fresh air along Hoan Kiem Lake! Most of the hostels offer free maps, even hotel receptionists extend extra mile in explaining which sites to visit first, what are the do’s and don’ts, etc. If you’re not fond of walking, or if somewhere in the middle of your walking you felt your feet burning, there are motorcycles and cyclos around every corner of each street but make sure you agree on the price first before hopping in to avoid rip offs. I suggest you get an approximate idea on how far is one point to another point so you’ll get the hint how much to bargain. Being street smart is still the best weapon against rip offs! By the way, there is also an electronic car services within Hoan Kiem Lake that offer city tours at a very minimal cost :)

    

4. Learn the art of declining an offer without casting the word NO. I learned it from our tourist guide during chitchat while waiting for our bus from Halong Bay going back to Hanoi. I personally witnessed how gentle and nice Vietnamese people are to tourists (as I never experienced any harsh treatment from anyone, even from street vendors and cyclo drivers). If they try to sell or offer you something you’re not interested at, simply smile and just say “thank you, I’m good” nicely, then walk away. This will avoid you from hurting their feelings.

5. Never be afraid to try eating on streets. Don’t be too delicate and cynical on street foods! Most of the very tasty yet very affordable bowl of steaming hot pho (noodle soup) can be found along streets and street corners. To make sure that the food is safe (as food handling may sometimes look unhygienic), see if most of the customers eating are locals. That simply means that it is generally patronized and food is okay. A big bowl of pho bo (beef noodles) can cost around 30,000-50,000 VND per serving. If your tummy is slightly reactive, just keep a tablet of loperamide in your pocket. :)

6. If you opt to avail travel packages, check on your hotel first before closing a deal from travel agencies. Some of the hotels offer booking services for travel packages to different tourist destinations in Hanoi and all over Vietnam, even in neighboring cities/countries. Check for the price, package inclusions if they offer great deals. Some offer the cheapest rates yet the inclusions in the package are just so-so. I availed a Halong Bay day tour from the hostel where I stayed and they arranged the booking at my convenience. The experience was really worth my 38 USD (package covered transportation from Hanoi to Halong Bay and vice versa), lunch, cruise around the bay for four hours including entrance fees (but if Fisherman’s Floating Village is included in the itinerary, boat ride and kayaking will cost you 130,000 VND separately as this will be paid directly to the indigent locals of the Village). I enjoyed the entire sightseeing experience and picture taking; the only downside was the bus broke down and made us wait for two long hours before we were transferred to a backup bus. It was such a thrilling incident as I needed to catch a late night flight after that trip but that didn’t spoil my entire experience as I was really in awe at the marvelous view of the Halong Bay. And, oh, I must mention that the tourist guides were commendable because they remained composed and very accommodating despite everyone’s stress :)

7. Motorbikes and traffic in Hanoi. If you’ve ever been in Ho Chi Minh, street traffic in Hanoi is almost the same. Motorbikes are all over the streets; they even pass on sidewalks and beat the traffic lights. Crossing the street may be very challenging to Vietnam first timers but don’t worry :) despite the massive volume of motorbikes, drivers proceed with 60 kph as the fastest and is generally safe. Just walk straight with a constant pace, don’t hold back, as the motorbike drivers will adjust for you.

8. As much as you can, buy your goodies at night market, not during the day. According to the hotel receptionist, most of the good buys and deals can be found during night markets. But be informed that this only opens during weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). Most of the goods being sold in night markets are generally spill overs from day market stalls, with tourist-friendly prices. If you shop in regular stalls during the day, prices may be a bit higher.

9. Vietnam travel is one of the cheapest travels in South East Asia. Don’t be afraid to splurge while you’re anywhere in Vietnam as most of their products and services are not too costly (that is, if you’re not going to avail products and services through high end establishments). Also, if you haggle in markets, don’t bargain way too low as most of the vendors there belong to the indigenous groups. Buy and spend your Dongs wisely. My overall budget during the entire three days, three nights trip? Around 337 USD only (all in, inclusive of expenses in Philippine Airport fees, airfare, food, accommodation, some shopping, and an organized trip).