Review: La Banane Hostel, El Nido

La Banane Hostel is located at Hama Street, Brgy Masagana, Zone 3, El Nido Palawan. From El Nido Public Market, we rode a tricycle (30 PHP) to get to the hostel. Our room was just right across the road from the main hostel and few walks away to the beach. So we took the stairs when we got there at around 3AM and saw it tagged as "orange room". 

 La Banane Hostel (dorm type rooms) view from our balcony.

 Our room located on the 2nd floor.

"Orange Room"

Inside was very simple, bed just few yards away from the door and the huge fan was attached to the ceiling right above the bed. There was also a small closet where you can put your stuff on. The comfort room was pretty decent too. Our room has a small balcony with 2 chairs and small table-- a perfect place to smoke and you can see people walking by. 

Double bed

 Bathroom

 Balcony

Balcony! =)

The only negative thing I could say is the location itself-- since it was along the road, you could hear people chatting, yelling, horns from motorcycle and other outside noise. In fact, I woke up that Saturday morning because of the noise. 

However, the best part was the room rate. The negotiated amount was 800 PHP per night and we reserved 2 nights. Since we had a late check-in and early check out, they let us pay only 1000 PHP and the receptionist said "Pilipino naman eh," we were very happy because we saved a lot of money from our budget. I would say a little "charm" would help a lot as well.

  

La Banane Hostel also offers budget-friendly dorm-type rooms for backpackers. For more information about their rates and contact number, visit: www.labanane-hostel.com

Yours Truly, 

JM

Read More

El Nido, Palawan

It was a very tiresome 5-hour trip to El Nido, Palawan. From Puerto Princesa airport, we rode a tricycle to San Jose terminal (100PHP). We planned to catch the 9 PM Ro-Ro bus ride but it turned out the reservation was already full. It was already the last trip but there were still more than 20 people waiting for another trip to El Nido so the drivers decided to use one more bus to El Nido.

This space became our bed throughout the trip.

We left San Jose terminal at 10PM and arrived in El Nido at 3AM. We rode a tricycle to the hostel (40PHP).  I was glad that I was able to reserve a room at La Banane Hostel (There's gonna be another blog post for this!).

We woke up at around 7AM and ate our breakfast at The Alternative Restaurant. It was drizzling then, we weren't able to stay at the "bird's nest." :(

My 250PHP breakfast.

His 250PHP breakfast.

No bird's nest for us!

My co-workers Ashley and Rodney were also in El Nido so we decided to join them in the Island Hopping tour. We met them at Lualhatti Cottage (5-minutes tricycle ride from La Banane), where they were staying and paid Ate Rose (owner and chef of Linegueb Paluto Dampa Style Restaurant) for the combination Tour A & C with lunch (PHP 1,200).

Yours truly with very kind Ate Rose

Snorkeling masks are available for 100PHP each. We weren't able to visit all the islands included in the tour because we started past 9AM already. :(

photo from gopalawantravel

1. Helicopter Island

2. Hidden Beach

3. Garbage Beach where we took our lunch (joke lang! according to Kuya Boatman, a foreigner once called this island, "Garbage Beach")

4. What we had for lunch! 

5. Boats outside the Small Lagoon

 6. Big Lagoon

Big Lagoon (inside)

7. Secret Lagoon

 Secret Lagoon (inside)

8. Snake Island

We finished the tour at around 6:30PM and had our dinner at Sea Slugs Bar & Restaurant. The restaurant was jam-packed with customers that I heard some people complaining about their order. Anyway, we still decided to order and waited for about 20 minutes.

Large serving of Grilled Squid with rice. Tasteless. :( (250PHP)

We woke up early the next morning and went to El Nido Public Market where we rode an ordinary bus (400+PHP) back to Puerto Princesa. It was a tiring and dusty 6-hour trip.

It was a very exhausting bus ride because of the dusty road!

Estimated breakdown of expenses (for two, as always):

Tricycle from airport to the terminal - 100

Roro aircon bus to El Nido - 800+ (my partner got a 20% student discount!)

Tricycle from El Nido to Hostel (Bacuit bay) - 40 (special rate daw?!)

Breakfast @ The Alternative Inn - 560

Tricycle to Lualhati Cottages - 20

Island Hopping Tour - 2,400

Snorkeling Mask - 200

Tricycle back to cottage - 20

Dinner @ Sea Slugs - 400+

La Banane Hostel room - 1,000 (discounted, pinoy daw eh! haha!)

Tricycle to El Nido Public Market - 20

Breakfast @ Public Market - 100+

Roro ordinary bus to Puerto Princesa - 700+ (20% student discount for my partner, again)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Cost: PHP 6, 360 for 2

I want to go back to this beautiful place again!! Anyway, have a happy Trip!

*We went over the budget on food, because we really love to eat.

*It was reaally very noisy at night (Hama St., Zone 3) because there were foreigners drinking and you could hear them talking and laughing!

*If you arrive at Puerto Princesa early, I think taking a van to El Nido is much easier.

For more information about the package tour, contact Ate Rose:

Contact number: 09174290620/ 09206008197

Email Add: nilingueb_elnido@yahoo.com

Address: Lualhati Cottage, Brgy. Maligaya, El Nido, Palawan, Philippines 

Read More

Majayjay Experience

Majayjay is a municipality located in the province of Laguna, Philippines. My boyfriend and I went to Majayjay on my 21st birthday (April). It was our first out-of-town trip together.

How to get there:

Bus from Cubao to Sta. Cruz - Less than P200 each- 3 hours
If you're travelling on a weekend, it would be better to leave before 1PM. We left Cubao at around 3PM and we reached Sta. Cruz at 6.30PM.

From Sta. Cruz to Majayjay - P250 - approx. 30 minutes
Since the jeepneys from Sta. Cruz to Majayjay operates until 6 only, we decided to take a tricycle from Sta. Cruz to Majayjay town proper. (Costly, eh?)

From Majayjay town proper to Taytay Falls - P250 - less than 30 minutes
There are tricycles available when you reach Majayjay town. (See, it's really costly. So better leave Manila early!)

Taytay Falls - we have to pay PHP90 in the Barangay Outpost (the tricycle dropped us off at the barangay outpost, walking distance to Taytay Falls) for the tent and the guide to Taytay Falls. There's also a PHP20 environmental fee to pay. According to my bff, there's a small store near the barangay outpost that offers oil lamp rental for PHP20.

Majayjay falls.

another view.

Since we arrived before 10PM and we have no idea where to borrow a lamp or flashlight, my boyfriend bargained and paid the guide PHP100 for him to lend us his flashlight for the whole night.

trekking to the falls

We trekked for about 10-15 minutes going to Taytay Falls. The tour guides were the ones who set up our tents. Mind you, it was really cold there even at night, the water from the falls was "ice" cold.

 the tent.

ice cold water

The place was crowded, since we went there during summer time. The place itself was “rocky” so it was very hard to find a place where we can pitch our tent. The water is very clean but mind you, I noticed that the campers (definitely not us!) don’t really clean their trashes when they leave the place. At night, there’s no electricity so better bring a flashlight or rent a lamp. AND, bring insect repellent! The good thing is, you can set up a bonfire there! Nice!

very clear water.

water from the falls.

Since we didn’t bring any rice or food, we trekked our way outside the camp site just to eat our breakfast.  Rice meals cost around PHP60 to PHP120.

hanging bridge (closed)

for breakfast.

It was easy to go back to Sta. Cruz that morning since the jeepneys were already available. It took us 2 jeepney rides going to Sta. Cruz. From Sta. Cruz, we rode a bus going to Manila. It was a very memorable experience with my loved one.

A budget of 1, 500 each is more than enough for this trip. It was indeed a very "memorable" experience.

Read More

Punta De Fabian

How to get there: If you’re traveling in a group. it would be better to use a van or a private vehicle because there are no public transportations that pass directly through this place. I advise that you travel during the day.

Travel time: 1.5-2.5 hours away from Manila depending on the traffic.

Site: www.puntadefabian.com/

Budget: Not more than 4,500 each (3 days and 2 nights) for a group of 40+

Punta De Fabian is a nice, quiet place located in Baras, Rizal. I went there with my classmates for our final exam in Introduction to Law.

The place is perfect for retreat and team building because it is quiet and it has a good view of Laguna De Bay. The rooms are well-cleaned and the rates are "quite" affordable too.
 

 

View of Laguna Lake from the infinite pool.

The rooms range from 3000(single)-7000php(double-triple occupancy), however, you can get discounts if you're with a group. I guess each student in our class paid for less than 4,500 for 3days and 2nights. We were around 40 in class. Of course, it includes breakfast, lunch, meals and afternoon snacks.

 first bed

2nd bed

It has a game room wherein you can play billiards, chess and other indoor games. I like the Karaoke area. It also has a medium-sized function room that can accommodate 30-50 people. And, it has a place perfect for team building.

  Pool & Reception Area

I really like the rooms because they're spacious, stylish and modern. The foods that they served us were indeed, healthy and delicious although I heard that the foods are a bit pricey.

They have a big and small pool and one infinite pool. You have to be careful though, make sure the pool is clean before you swim. Staff were very accommodating. Just a tip, they “kind of” lack medicines there, so it would be better if you bring your own.

 Infinite Pool

Small & Big Pool

I will never forget this place. This is where I fell in love with him.

*photos from Zola Namoro:)

Read More