From Taipei city, there are different ways to get to Jiufen. The most convenient one would be to take a bus.
First, go to Songshan metro station at the end of the green line, get out of the station and take bus number 1062.
From Songshan station to Jiufen old street takes approximately 50 minutes.
Heres Jiufen on the map, just click on it and follow Google map’s directions on how to get there.
About Jiufen, Taiwan.
Jiufen is a seaside mountain area in Ruifang District, New Taipei city. During the times of the Qing dynasty, it used to be an isolated village consisting of only nine families.
In 1893 a rich concentration of gold was discovered sending the small village into full town development as everybody wanted to be there to get some of the gold.
Gold mining activities started declining around in the late ’60s and the mine was finally shut off in 1971 and for a while became a forgotten town.
In 1989 a City of Sadness -filmed in Jiufen- put Jiufen back in the spotlight as the film was acclaimed around the world.
Year 2001, spirited away by Ghibli Studio was released, its downtown scenery resembles a lot that of Jiufen, making the old gold mining town a must-visit for Japanese tourists.
At Jiufen you’ll find countless stores selling all sorts of souvenirs, drinks, traditional food, gift boxes, clothes, tea and also many hotels and restaurants.
You’ll also get to see one of the most beautiful sea views in Taiwan. Also many beautiful lanterns all over the place.
Here are some photos that for sure will make you want to visit Jiufen ASAP.
Is Visiting Jiufen Expensive?
Doing a one day trip to Jiufen is not expensive at all. By taking public transportation you’ll spend around 130 NTD going there and 130 NTD coming back to town.
Having something like a mango smoothy will cost around 100 NTD. Having lunch, something like fried rice will cost you between 150 NTD to 300 NTD depending on the restaurant you decide to go into.
As for souvenirs and other products, well, there are so many that it all depends on how much you want to spend. You can spend 50 NTD on a simple fridge magnet or 2,000 NTD on a piece of Jade.
Can I Book a Hotel in Jiufen?
Definitely, and I think is something worth doing. During the day you don’t get to see all the lanterns lit up.
If you ask me which is the best hotel to stay at, I’d say that’s Chiu Chu Dint B&B. The location is perfect, you’ll be right at the center of the old street and you’ll have an amazing view.
Hope you enjoyed this post, below I’ll leave some links that might be of interest to you.
Now, depending on what passport you have, every time you travel you’ll have to apply for a visa or maybe not.
I know that last part wasn’t very helpful, but the thing about whether you need a visa or not depends on what passport you have and what country you’re traveling to.
How to get travel visas? Here’s what all beginner travelers and even some experienced ones need to know.
Visa Requirements are Different for Holders of Different Passports.
The passport you have matters a lot. There are travelers that could go their entire lives traveling without even knowing what a visa application form is.
These are usually the holders of passports of developed nations. According to Economictimes, these are the strongest passports as of 2019.
Country of Passport
Number of Countries Allowing Visa Free Entry
Japan
190
Singapore
189
South Korea
189
France
188
Germany
188
Denmark
187
Sweden
187
Finland
187
Italy
187
Luxembourg
186
So as you can see, anyone who holds a passport from the above nations won’t have to worry too much about visas since there are 180+ destinations where they can enter by just showing their passport.
On the other hand, we have the weakest passports. If you happen to have one the passports in the list below, then most likely, you’ll have to constantly apply for visas if you want to travel internationally.
Country of Passport
Number of Countries Allwoing Visa Free Entry
Afghanistan
30
Iraq
33
Syria
37
Pakistan
39
Somalia
40
Yemen
40
Sudan
43
Eitrea
43
Lybia
44
Ethiophia
46
As you can see, your passport matters a lot when traveling internationally. When somebody asks me if they need a visa to visit X country my answer always is: It depends. What passport do you have?
How to Get a Visa?
There isn’t just one answer for this question, it pretty much depends on which country you want to visit.
The first thing you have to do is find out whether you need a visa for such a country. Go to the official immigration website of the country and look for their visa policies.
They’ll usually have a list of the passport holders of specific countries they let in visa-free. If your country is not there then you’ll have to apply for a visa.
In the government websites -immigration- they usually make it clear on how to apply for a visa and the types of visa you can apply for.
They also let you know the procedure and how much you’ll have to pay for it.
Steps on how to apply for a visa
First. Make sure you need a visa. You usually find this info in the country’s immigration website.
Second. If you need a visa then keep on looking in the website for a visa section.
Third. Select the type of visa you need and follow instructions on how to apply.
Fourth. Make the application and wait for the response.
Maybe the previous steps were very vague. The truth is that the process of how to get a visa varies a lot from country to country.
For example.
As a Nicaraguan passport holder, I need a visa to go to enter Hong Kong. Last time I applied for one I had to mail a lot of papers, along with a bank check to an address in Hong Kong.
Once my visa was approved they mailed back a visa sticker which I had to put in my passport.
I also need a visa to visit Japan. To apply for this one I simply have to go to the nearest embassy, present a bunch of paper and pay for the visa fee in cash.
They tell me right away whether I meet the requirements or not. If I do then I leave my passport there and I can pick it up within one week with the visa sticker on.
To go to Australia I also need a visa. For this one I have to do the whole process online. I have to scan a lot of papers and submit an online application and make an online payment.
If approved, the immigration department of Australia will send me a PDF file stating they will let me visit as a tourist, no sticker.
If I want to go to Vietnam I first need to apply for an approval letter, which I have to pay for. Once I arrive in Vietnam I can apply for a visa on arrival without presenting too many papers and just making a payment.
The point I’m trying to make here is that the process of getting a visa will vary from country to country.
Even if two persons with different passports need a visa to visit the same country, the applying process might be different.
For example, someone with a Japanese passport needs a visa to enter India, someone with a Nicaraguan passport also needs a visa to enter India, but there’s a difference.
The person with the Japanese passport can simply get on a plane and pay for a visa on arrival in India.
The person with the Nicaraguan passport can not do that. This person would need to first apply for an electronic visa.
Common Documents You’ll Need to Apply for a Visa.
Even though is true that visa application procedures and requirements vary from one country to another, there are still a set of documents I believe are quite common to be asked to present when applying for any visa.
Bank statement- with a lot of money to support yourself during your stay.
Accommodation reservation.
Flight tickets showing you’ll get out of the country soon.
Travel Itinerary.
Photocopy of your passport and any other relevant ID.
Passport size photos.
Prove of previous travel such as photocopies of previous tourist visas.
Health check or vaccines certificate, depending on which country you’re coming from. For example, Colombians need a yellow fever vaccine certificate to enter Thailand.
A filled out visa application form.
Once you gather all the documents the country requires, you upload them or mail them to them or simply take them to the nearest embassy and you’ll wait for the results. They might let you know if you get the visa right away of after a couple of weeks.
How to Get a Visa Easily?
After reading all of the above you might start feeling like applying for a visa is a little bit complicated and stressful, and you know what, sometimes it is.
I almost didn’t get my Hong Kong visa and I had already paid for my ticket and hotel, both were non-refundable. So how do you make the process easier?
Well, you can ask for advice from people that have experience processing visas for people that hold the same passport as you and that have traveled to the same destination where you want to go.
If you’re looking for an agency that can help you process a visa this is the one I recommend. They have a nice search engine where you can enter your country (country of passport) and your destination.
They’ll tell you whether you need a visa or not, and if they can help you process one they will let you know.
Common Visa Types
There are 3 visa types I consider to be the most common ones anyone might need to apply for.
Tourist Visas
This is the most common one. You can apply either for single entry or multiple entries depending on the country’s regulations.
Sometimes countries will let you in visa-free for a short period of time and then you’ll have to apply for a tourist visa if you want to stay longer. For example, UK passport holders can enter Vietnam visa-free and remain there for 15 days.
If they want to stay longer then they’ll have to apply for a visa in advance, or before the 15 days are up.
Transit Visas
For anyone with a not so strong passport, it will be possible for you to need a visa only for transiting a country.
This means that if you have one layover before arriving at your final destination. Please make sure you can transit the country in between visa-free.
For example, when I fly from Taiwan to Nicaragua, I have to go through the USA, in order to do so I need a transit visa, otherwise, they wouldn’t even let me get on the plane.
The same thing goes for Hong Kong since I have a Nicaraguan passport I need a transit visa, but if I don’t leave the transit area of the airport then I’m okay, allow me to explain.
A transit visa allows you to go through customs, get your luggage and go out of the airport, maybe your connecting flight departs in 12 hours and you need a hotel while you wait for your next flight right? Well with a transit visa you can do this.
But what if you have a connection that only lasts 4 or 6 hours, one where you don’t even have to get your luggage and check it in again because the airline will send it directly to the final destination?
In this case, I don’t need to apply for a transit visa because I will never leave the airport. I won’t even go through customs. I’ll just get out of the plane and go to another boarding gate to catch my next flight, with a little security check-in between, this is what is known as remaining in an airport’s transit area.
Visa on Arrival
Some countries offer travelers from certain nationalities the possibility of getting visas on arrival. This means that once you land in the country’s airport or you arrive at some border checkpoint.
All you have to do is fill out a form, present some photos and flight ticket to show you’ll get out of the country and pay a fee and you’ll be granted a visa.
Tourist visas durations may also vary depending on your passport. When I applied for a Chinese tourist visa it was granted to me for a period of 20 days, a friend with a USA passport was granted 5 years I think.
Visa fees are nonrefundable, meaning that if your visa is denied you won’t get your money back.
Not all visas are stickers on your passport, in some cases, you’ll just receive a PDF file with your visa information and you’ll show it before boarding and after landing.
Visa durations vary greatly, you can be granted a tourist visa stay of 1 or 3 months or sometimes up to 5 years.
Some countries will let you know right away if you meet the visa requirements, others will tell you in a month or two.
Visas processing time might take 1 day or 1 month.
Conclusion
Applying for a visa can be a little bit overwhelming, there’s a lot of information on the web right now that it becomes so easy to get lost on what to do.
If you invest the time in doing your research and have the patience to deal with bureaucratic processes then there’s no visa you couldn’t apply for on your own.
But if you don’t have the time nor the patience then I’d recommend you to contact someone who can help you process a visa. Nothing sucks more than having your whole trip canceled because you couldn’t get a visa on time or get the right visa.
One more thought.
Be aware of online scams, no one can guarantee you that they will get you a visa, if someone tells you, pay me 500 USD and I’ll get you a USA tourist visa or Australian visa, that’s most likely a scam.
What most travel agencies can do is help you prepare documents, guide you through the process of applying for the visa, make sure all the data you provide is appropriate and also make sure you select the adequate visa type.
All of this increases your chances of getting your visa approved.
Raise your hand if you like JAPAN!!!!! Yeah, me too, who doesn’t right?
If you’re like me and you’re wondering which are the most famous, common or easy to find types of Japanese food then this is a post for you.
Let’s get right into it, this is a Japanese Food Guide
1-Sushi
This could be the most famous Japanese dish in the whole world right? Well at least one of them. They come in different colors and different flavors, and one thing is for sure, you’ll be left asking for more.
The dish is said to have originated in South East Asia. It was until the Edo period in Japan (1603-1868) that the dish was made popular all over Japan. Sushi rice is vinegared rice, with a little bit of salt and sugar.
Sushi ingredients and shapes vary widely, but the most common ingredients are seafood, vegetables and some times tropical fruits.
How healthy is Sushi?
It depends. If you go for the more traditional type then the main ingredients will be raw fish and rice, both are naturally low in fat and high in protein and carbohydrates. The latter is only in the rice.
When vegetables are added to Sushi, vitamins, and minerals are being added. Some seafood is high in omega 3 fatty acids which may have a good effect on cardiovascular health, so yeah Sushi is healthy.
Unless you go for the not so traditional Sushi, you know the ones that are made with fried shrimp and a lot of mayonnaise, that’s not healthy.
The best Sushi restaurants in Japan
I think it would be a Titanic task to go to every single Sushi restaurant in Japan and make the final decision on which are the absolute best. I certainly did not do that.
But here’s a list of the best Sushi restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka, based on public reviews.
2-Sashimi
The cousin of Sushi, it’s similar to Sushi but not quite the same, mainly because there’s no rice. It’s possible to be served Sashimi and rice, but on separate plates.
The most common way to eat Sashimi is by dipping it in soy sauce and putting it in your mouth, it’s that simple. Sashimi is not just seafood, there is also beef Sashimi and even beef liver Sashimi.
Just like in Sushi there are different varieties. What is there in Sashimi? It’s just fresh raw fish or meat, there’s a lot of variety in the way it’s cut. It can be very thin slices, thick or in cube shapes.
Some Sashimi, like octopus Sashimi, is cooked due to its chewy nature.
Is Sashimi Healthy?
Considering that Sashimi is pretty much raw, sometimes it might be slightly boiled to avoid risks of infections, it’s safe to say is healthy as there’s no oil or breading added to it.
This staple dish from Japanese cuisine actually has its roots in northern China. The most accepted theory is that Ramen was introduced to Japan by Chinese immigrants in the late 19th century in Yokohama, China Town.
After the end of world war 2, Japan had one of the worst rice crops ever recorded, and the USA, they were occupying Japan at the moment, introduced a lot of cheap wheat flour to the market to help cope with the lack of food.
It was like this that Ramen became a very popular dish in Japan, and bread too.
The dish is made out of noodles, soup, which is usually made of stock based on chicken or pork, and is also mixed with other ingredients such as onions, baby sardines, tuna flakes, among other things.
There’s also vegetable-based broth for vegetarians
Is Ramen Healthy?
Well, I would say this is a bit more difficult to settle since ramen bowls can be so different from each other in terms of ingredients.
There are a couple of publications out there that have tried to answer this question and they conclude that even though is not easy to make a final conclusion, Ramen tends to be high in sodium, low in protein and high in carbs.
The above doesn’t sound super healthy to me, to anyone who’s trying to build muscles and lose weight you should stay away from carbs and eat protein. Although I don’t think eating Ramen from time to time is bad.
4-Okonomiyaki
Okay, now we’re moving into the not so popular Japanese food, although this one is still fairly renown, Okonomiyaki, or how I call it, the Japanese pancake.
This is yet another type of Japanese food where ingredients can vary greatly from region to region in Japan.
The basic batter for the pancake is made out of flour, grated yam, water, eggs, and shredded cabbage, those are the basic ingredients, after that, it all depends on which style you get to choose from, it could include fish or even noodles.
In Osaka, where the dish is supposed to have originated, the dish is cooked like a pancake. It’s pan-fried and two spatulas are used to flip it and then cut it into pieces before serving.
This is more of Japanese snack, very popular street food as well. This ball shape appetizer is made of wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan.
The filling of Takoyaki is usually minced or diced octopus, pickled ginger and green onions. The balls are brushed on top with Takoyaki sauce
Takoyaki is said to have originated in Osaka, by a street vendor named Tomekichi in 1935. Something that’s very particular about this dish is that it requires a specially shaped pan to cook it.
Is Takoyaki Healthy?
Let’s see, Takoyaki is made out of batter that contains eggs and wheat and in the inside has octopus and a few vegetables, oh and it requires some oiled to be cooked.
The only ingredients you might argue are not healthy is the wheat and the oil, but come on Takoyaki is not a big dish, some small bite-size waffle-like snacks won’t ruin your diet.
6-Ebifurai
Okay let’s make this clear right away, Ebifurai is deep-fried so is not healthy but man they’re good.
This dish is popular in Japan and in many Japanese restaurants around the world, the most common shrimp used for it is the black tiger shrimp and is said to have originated around the year 1900.
Cooking this is easy, some restaurants will straighten the shrimp out and pull the digestive track out, then they coat the shrimp with flour, beaten egg and bread crumbs, then they deep fry the shrimp.
You can find many variations or similar dishes in other Asian countries such as Korea and the Philippines.
7-Oden
This might be one you haven’t heard of if you haven’t been to Asia, is not just popular in Japan, is also popular in Taiwan and China.
Oden consists of different food that’s been boiled in a mildly flavored broth. It’s considered to be a winter food for some, but you can find this food year-round in Japan.
It’s common to find Oden in night markets offered by street sellers. There are also restaurants and pubs selling it, you can even find it in convenience stores.
The way you usually go about ordering or buying this dish is by selecting only the food you’d like and put it in a small bowl or paper cup and add some of the broth, then you’ll be charged based on what you got.
Common ingredients are eggs, radish, konjec, processed seafood cakes, tofu, and corn.
Is Oden healthy?
It really is, first of all, everything is boiled in a broth that is almost water, and the ingredients are eggs, seafood, and vegetables, this is what you call a low in fat and high in nutrients dish.
In Taiwan Oden is also popular and you’ll find it in most convenience stores such as Family Marts and 7-11
8-Yakisoba
I do enjoy eating this one very much. It’s both tasty and cheap, Nomadic Matt recommends it as a budget dish in his Japanese travel guide.
Yakisoba is basically a mixture of ramen style noodles combined with tiny pieces of pork and some chopped vegetables such as cabbage. It’s also mixed with something similar to oyster sauce, that’s how it gets its flavor and color.
This is a very common street food dish and you can also find it in some restaurants.
Interesting fact, Yakisoba can sometimes be served on top of a hot dog.
Is Yakisoba healthy?
A portion of Yakisoba for one person will be around 250 calories. It’ll be heavy on carbs and will contain a bit of protein thanks to the meat in it, some nutrients might be added if you mix it with vegetables.
As part of a balanced diet, eating Yakisoba once or twice per week shouldn’t represent any major health risk.
9-Dango
Aha!!! I bet this is one you don’t hear about every day, or maybe yes I don’t know who you are.
This sweet Japanese food is said to have its origins in Kyoto. Four to five balls are served in a skewer just like in the picture above. Dango is made from mochiko, which is rice flour.
You can find Dango in Japan year-round, although some special flavors can only be found during some seasons. There are different varieties of Dango, they’re mainly differentiated by the main ingredient which provides the flavor.
Some popular ingredients are eggs, green tea, red beans, potatoes, and chestnuts.
Is Dango healthy?
You might be thinking, okay if this is dessert then it must not be good, well think again, desserts in Japan and other Asian nations are not the same as western desserts.
Even though they might be a bit high in calories, there are some options which are very low in fat and high in nutrients, Dango is one of those options, so don’t be afraid to eat it.
10-Sukiyaki
This is also known as hot pot. It’s supposed to be a winter dish but you can find it in many restaurants all year round. Something peculiar about this dish is that you have to cook it yourself.
You will usually be asked what kind of flavored broth you’d like and they’ll put it in a pot in front of you, then they’ll light the fire, you wait for it to start boiling and then you throw the ingredients in.
You will also get to choose what you want to eat, you can choose seafood, different cuts of beef and different types of vegetables.
There is one thing that makes sukiyaki different from a traditional hot pot, like the one you can find in China and Taiwan, which is that, after the food is done cooking, you’ll have a bowl of raw egg next to you where you’re supposed to dip the food a little bit.
Is Sukiyaki healthy?
Well, it is, it’s a bunch of meat, seafood, and vegetables put in a pot and boiled, this is a dish low in calories and fat and high in protein and other nutrients.
Although, in some sukiyaki and hot pot restaurants is common to get free rice and ice cream, so be careful with that.
This is one you either love or hate, or maybe is one that you will definitely hate and only if you eat it many times ( I don’t know why you’d do that) you’ll love.
This is made out of fermented soybeans and is -hear this- a breakfast dish, nothing is better than the taste of fermented soybeans at 7:00 a.m., right? In a 2009 survey, 70% of Japanese people said they enjoy eating it.
And some who said they dislike it said they eat it anyway for its nutritional value. Natto is sticky and slimy, is usually served with rice or green onions.
Is Natto healthy?
I think this might be the healthiest food in the list, Healthline called it super healthy and nutritious, if they did then it’s settled I guess. Natto is high in protein and other nutrients, the fermentation process actually decreases its antinutrients.
12-Onigiri
If you don’t like Onigiri then don’t talk to me ….. It’s one of my favorite Japanese food. Onigiri is also known as rice balls, although they have a triangular shape.
Onigiri is pretty much that, white rice formed into triangular shapes and often wrapped in seaweed, traditionally onigiris were filled with salted salmon, but nowadays you can find them coming with many different fillings.
My favorite one is Tuna. You can find Onigiris all over convenience stores, it’s a very popular food. For Onigiri, white rice is the norm, although it is possible to find, in some restaurants, onigiris made with other types of rice, including fried rice.
Is Onigiri healthy?
Okay, we all know how white rice is not the healthiest of all types of rice right?
There are exceptions though, there are onigiris that are filled with bbq meat and even mayonnaise, I would try to stay away from those.
Now onto the last one in this Japanese food guide.
13- Dorayaki
This is very similar to a pancake, with a sweet red beans paste on the inside, it doesn’t taste bad, but I must say I’m not a fan of its flavor.
According to information found in wikipedia, The original Dorayaki consisted of only one layer. Its current shape was invented in 1914 by Usagiya in the Ueno district of Tokyo.
Is Dorayaki Healthy?
Well, this is a very sweet pastry, there’s a lot of sugar in it, white sugar, since we all know how bad white sugar is for our bodies then the answer to the question would be no.
Although, if you’re in the mood for cooking, here’s a healthy Dorayaki recipe I found online
Whether you like to admit it or not, we all like to take a selfies from time to time. But did you know that there are places where selfies are prohibited?
It’s true, there are several places in the world where it is a criminal act to take a selfie. If the authorities see you doing it, you will get into trouble.
This is a list of 10 places around the world where selfies are not allowed. Not only will I mention each place but I will also show you photos of the place, and the reason why selfies are prohibited.
Mumbai, India
Not in the whole of Mumbai. There are 16 tourist places in Mumbai where it is forbidden to take selfies. Some is the promenade near the beach and the beach of Girgaum Chowpatty.
And it’s because some people have died, literally, for taking a selfie. They climbed on the concrete barriers and then fell into the sea.
There was a case in which three girls fell into the sea for wanting to take a selfie and a passerby tried to save them.
He also died in the attempt.
So now you know, if you visit Mumbai, be careful and do not take a selfie in a place where it is prohibited.
Pamplona, Spain
In Pamplona it is forbidden to take selfies, in fact, you’re not allowed to bring a camera with you during the festivities. A person was stupid enough to want to take a selfie with a bull, he died.
That guy died for being stupid. The authorities will put a fine of 3000 euros to anyone who wants to take a selfie with a bull. But seriously, how idiotic do you have to be to want to do that?
Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Here, selfies are forbidden, not because someone died after falling from a barrier or because an idiot wanted to take a picture with a wild animal.
The ban here has more to do with a religious issue. Many young Muslims decided to make their first pilgrimage an event for their social media, we are all influencers, right?
This was not to the liking of the holy religious authorities of the free world of the Middle East, so they put a ban on the use of cell phones to take selfies during the pilgrimage
Lake Tahoe, California
I mean, what is wrong with people? one might think that, with so many years of evolution, you should automatically know that if you see a bear in its natural habitat, that is walking around, maybe, in search of food you do not go and approach it to take a selfie !!! No, people No!
All it takes is a simple Google search to see all the selfies with bears in Lake Tahoe people are uploading.
The authorities have banned them because they fear that, sooner or later, some bear will rip some idiot’s head off for wanting to take a selfie with it.
Hong Kong
You know something, human stupidity is inclusive, no matter the culture, race or geography, it’s worldwide.
It turns out that during a marathon in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, a marathon runner stopped at the beginning of the race to take a selfie, which caused several runners to stumble and finish one on top of the other.
Hong Kong authorities have banned selfies during marathons, I’m sorry you can no longer share your fitness life from Hong Kong.
Van Gogh Museum
If it irritates you when you go to a museum and see many people running from one place to another to take selfies, you’ll be glad to know that, selfies in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam are prohibited.
In fact, it is forbidden to take any kind of photos in this museum.
Garoupe Beach, South of France
You’re fed up with those hot dog sausage legs photos on the beach that many like to upload to their social media, are you that kind of hater? Well, you’re not the only one.
The authorities of Garoupe Beach are also that type of hater and have banned this type of photos. According to them, too many people come to the beach just to take these types of photos and upload them to their social media.
The beach authorities want to promote an environment where people really enjoy the beach and do not take selfies or other photos just to show off on their social media.
Westminster Abbey
This is one of the most famous churches in London. The authorities have decided to ban selfies to preserve the sacred environment and purity that has always characterized Church.
So if you visit this church you cannot take photos inside of it. But there is no law that prohibits you from taking photographs from outside.
So don’t worry, you can still share a selfie with the church in the background on your social media.
Taking pictures inside the Taj Mahal is completely prohibited. Yes, it’s an incredibly beautiful place, but don’t forget you’re in a mausoleum, it means it’s someone’s grave.
I think it’s a bit tackles to take pictures inside someone’s grave, don’t you think?
Just think about it, you and your friends doing the peace and love sign and smiling in a place that’s supposed to commemorate the death of a person.
The authorities have made it very clear, you can not take photos inside the mausoleum, from the outside it’s fine.
The Sistine Chapel
Well, this is a place of which for sure you have seen several photos on social media, and it is possible that you have friends who have visited this place and have taken photos or you have done it yourself.
But did you know that according to information in CondeNast, since 1980 it is technically illegal to take pictures inside the chapel, including taking pictures of the roof of the chapel
The thing is that the Vatican granted the exclusive rights of photo and video of all the art in the Sistine chapel to a Japanese television network, this in exchange for 3 million dollars for repairs.
In the video above, you’ll find 10 minutes of Shilin Night Market footage that will give you a good sense of what this market is all about, food, drinks, fruits, clothes, souvenirs, games and a lot more.
Even though some stores and cafes in this market open as early as 7 a.m to serve breakfast to people going to the office, the best time to visit Shilin Night Market is after 5:30 p.m.
After 5:30 p.m is when all stores open and people flock the streets to eat and shop with friends or family.
Some Information About Shilin Night Market
The Night Market is composed of many street food vendors and small restaurants and clothes stores
There are also many adjacent businesses such as Samsung stores or massage places.
There is an underground food court. It’s located under the Shilin Night Market neon sign, minute 9:42 in the video B1美食區
The market is the most crowded from 8 to 9 p.m.
Many stores and restaurants close past midnight
There are many fair like games, if you score many points you’ll get a prize.
The origin of the market goes as far back as 1909 when agricultural products from nearby farms were sold here.
The night market was officially opened in 1913 and many food vendors decided to settle here to take advantage of the affluence f people.
Is It Easy to Get Here?
It’s super easy. This is a very popular area in Taipei city, there are many buses that stop nearby and Jiantan metro station is the closest to the market.
Jiantan metro station on the red line is located right across the street, just take exit 1.
Interestingly Shilin metro station, which is the next station after Jiantan (Going from Xiangshan to Tamsui) is not the closest station to Shilin night market.
Some tourists make the mistake to get off at that station and then have to walk 15 minutes to reach the market.
Something I believe people should talk more about when talking about this amazing night market is the temple in it.
Right in the middle of the market, you’ll find Shilin Cixian temple. If you visit the market during the day, you can take some really nice pictures as it will be quite empty.
Once the market starts working at full capacity, this place of apparent peace and tranquility becomes one with the market and its people.
After 4 p.m. food vendors start setting up outside. They also set up chairs and tables for people to eat, and people also use the stairs in the front of the temple to sit down, eat and drink.
Conclusion
Shilin Night market is a must-see place in Taipei. It’s very easy and convenient to get there as there is a metro station right in front of it.
The choices of food and drinks are endless. There is also a really nice temple right in the middle of the market that will add to the cultural experience of visiting one of the healthiest cities in Asia.
If you’re in Taipei and you’re looking for a fun hike near the city then look no further, just make your way towards Elephant Mountain, one of Taipei’s most visited mountains.
Take a look at the 6 minutes video I put together for you.
How to get to Elephant Mountain, Taipei?
Well that’s super easy, just get on the MRT and go to Xiangshan station, is the last stop on the red line opposite to Tamsui station.
Take exit number 2 and as soon as you walk out of it you’ll see signs directing you towards Elephant mountain.
As you can see in the video, the iconic 101 building of Taipei is super close to Elephant Mountain, so if you happen to be staying somewhere near the 101 area then this is perfect, it will take you no time to get there.
No matter in which part of Taipei city you are, if you take the metro it won’t cost you more than 45 NTD.
How Much Do I Have to Pay?
You don’t have to pay a single penny, that’s good right, no one likes to pay to go sweat their heart out, because ….that’s right you’re gonna sweat a lot.
The climb is very steep at points and Taiwan’s weather is usually hot and humid, so yeah you’ll sweat.
You can go up and down as many times as you want and no one will stop you. You can even take your pet with you if you want to, and as you saw in the video, you can even climb in a reverse four legs position and no one will say a word.
Make sure you take a bottle of water with you as water fountains are not present as often as you’ll need them in case you forget to take water with you.
What is the Best Time to Go to Elephant Mountain?
If you want to stay away from the crowds then try going on a day from Monday to Friday. If you want to see the sunset and the city lights coming to life then go on an evening from Monday to Friday.
Why avoid Saturday and Sunday? well because that’s when all the families and rest of people who are not working decide to go to Elephant Mountain, and it can get really crowded.
Once you make it to the top of Elephant mountain, you’ll see some other trails, the longest one is the one leading to Jiuwu peak, it would take you around 2 hours to get there.
Most people just climb to the top of Elephant mountain, they stay at one of the viewing platforms and that’s it. If you decide to do the Jiuwu trail then it will definitely be more of a peaceful hike as there won’t be many people around.
Conclusion
Elephant Mountain is perfect for a half-day trip from anywhere in the city. The mountain is easy to get to by metro and there is no entry fee of any kind.
If you want to avoid the crowds is best to go on a day from Monday to Friday when most people are working.
Once you make it to the top of elephant mountain you can just chill there and then head back down, or you can continue on one the connecting hiking trails such as Jiuwu.
We all like watching movies right? whether they’re super hero movies or horror, drama, comedy or something else, we all have a specific movie genre we look for when we sit on our couches on a weekend night.
Me, I have a thing for alien movies, whether I’m using Netflix or looking for Blue rays to buy on Amazon I always find myself looking for some outer space beings story.
But this post will be about Travel Movies, I’ll list a total of 12 that are related to traveling and I’ll speak my mind on why you should watch them.
Some of them are sad though, let’s begin.
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Go to the office every day, do the same repetitive job over and over again, and to get away from all of it all you can do is daydream, do you relate?
If so then for sure you’ll be interested in this story. The first one in this Travel Movies list is a story about an office worker who is stuck in a repetitive office job until he gets the chance to actually travel the world in the search of the perfect photo.
Now, doesn’t that sound cool? In a way is pretty similar to my life, I have a very boring average routine and from time to time I travel a bit on a search for relaxation and nice pics too.
Here’s the trailer of the movie, starring Ben Stiller
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD6cy4PBQPI
And even though the movie did not get much love from the Rotten tomato critics, the audience did show more love for it.
In my humble opinion, this is a movie you must watch if you like travel adventures, and I don’t think is a bad movie. If you watch and you don’t like it please let me know in the comments.
Under the Tuscan Sun
Have you ever read the following travel quote before?
Well, this movie fits in the second part of the previous quote. If something bad happens, travel to forget it.
When France Mayes finds out her husband is cheating on her, her whole life falls apart and in order to get out of her state of depression she….you guessed it!!! She travels
But she doesn’t just travel. While she is in the Tuscan country side she impulsively buys a house and decides to start her new life there, and well I don’t blame her.
Will France Mayes get over her divorce while living in such a beautiful place? There’s only one way for you to find out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdJGMZDY0-8
Eat Pray Love
What is better than an around the world trip, that’s right Nothing!!!! Seriously I can’t think of anything better than that.
Well, perhaps winning the lottery and doing many around the world trips, yeah that’s better.
In this movie we get to know Liz Gilbert, she has a nice home, a husband and a successful career, but for the sake of drama everything falls apart and she decides she needs to start a journey to reconnect with herself.
Her journey takes here to Italy, India and Bali
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjay5vgIwt4
What a trip, 3 countries with totally different societies, culture, and cuisines. I’m sure we can all agree that we’d love to do the same trip right?
And if you’re wondering about the critic’s reviews about this one, well let me save you the search and tell you that it got a lot of hate in Rotten tomatoes.
This movie is based on a book which many critics claim was way better than the movie, they claim the movie failed by a lot to take the story to the big screen.
I think the movie is not that bad. If you watch and hate it please let me know in the comments.
Beyond Borders
This is not a love story, this is not a happy story, this is not a trip to find yourself or get over depression with a romantic ending.
This is one of those Travel Movies that takes you on a trip through a war-torn country so we, the viewers, have a better understanding of the struggles of what ordinary people in third world countries go through.
And how will this movie inspire you? Well, even though I wouldn’t expect most people to drop their job and go into a war zone to help people.
There are still many touristic places like Thailand, Cambodia, Peru, among others, where there are people living in precarious conditions.
Instead of just passing by the popular tourist landmarks taking photos for our social media, we could all make an effort to research in what way we could help someone while we travel through a certain country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C98QNRlQgZ8
The Bucket List
Have you ever seen a quote on social media about traveling while you’re young, something like the following
Well, I totally agree with that. Actually is one of the things travelers regret the most, not traveling more while they were young.
In this list of Travel Movies, The Bucket List takes us through the journey of two older men who after being in the hospital due to their advanced age and illnesses, realize that there’s still so much they want to see before their time is up.
This movie, beyond being a trip all around the world that any person would kill for, it tries to give us the viewer a moment to reflect on life and death, is what we’re doing with our lives right now really worth it?
Just remember that nothing is more precious than time, it never comes back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc3mkG21ob4
Wild
The real-life story of Cheryl Strayed brought to the screen by Reese Witherspoon. In this inspiring movie, we see Chery trying to get rid of the demons of the past by doing the hike of a lifetime.
She did the Pacific Crest Trail, a hiking trail that expands for 4,270 Km from Mexico to Canada. On the way, she encounters threats of different kinds. She gives us a glance at what loneliness on the road feels like.
The average time it takes to finish the whole trail is 5 months. It’s needless to say that you must be in a decent physical condition and have experience doing long hikes to finish this trail without any major issues.
I wouldn’t even know how to pack for such a trip, should I pack power bars??
But hear this, Rachel Strayed – the real person behind this story- did it with no previous hiking experience at all, isn’t that amazing?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tn2-GSqPyl0
This is one of my favorite Travel Movies. The landscapes are breathtaking and the acting is great, Reese Witherspoon makes one of the best performances of her career.
The best exotic Marigold Hotel
You think it’s gonna be alright?
I Think it’s gonna be extraordinary
A group of retirees decides to live out the rest of their days in an exotic destination. Lured by good advertising they decide to go to India and stay at the beautiful Marigold Hotel.
But here’s the thing, the hotel is actually a shell of what it used to be. Their journey quickly becomes one full of new experiences, new food, new adventures and old feelings they thought they were too old to feel again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzxpbWfCvjk
This is one of those Travel Movies that does a great job at exploiting India’s best cultural side. The music, dance, the colors, the smiles, the food is all there, making you want to get on a plane to India right away.
This movie is definitely more on the dramatic comedy side. It’s colorful and cheerful enough to entertain you for a couple of hours.
One Week
A Canadian movie that will make you realize that life can have bad news for you at any time and sometimes there’s nothing you can do.
A young man receives a dire medical diagnosis, but instead of going into an immediate medical treatment to try and saves his life, he decides to take a motorcycle trip from Toronto to Vancouver.
Along the way, he meets people that will make him reflect upon the current relationship with his fiancée, his job and his dreams.
The amazing Canadian landscapes are prevalent throughout the whole movie.
What would you do If you knew you had one day, one week or one month to live?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL-PbsZKGfw
The Beach
The reason why we all want to go to Maya Bay. Before this movie, the island of Ko Phi Phi and Maya bay were very underdeveloped and it was not common to see tourists.
After the release of The Beach, Maya bay became a huge tourist destination in Thailand and is completely understandable as the place is beautiful a true paradise on earth.
The movie follows a young American backpacker who is in the search for adventure. After arriving in Thailand he decides to go on an adventure to find the secret beach, once he gets there is a story of drama that ends up becoming a thriller.
Unfortunately Maya bay is far from being a secret place. For the past 18 years, tourists have been visiting the island non-stop. All the boats and trash carried by tourists have severely damaged the island’s ecosystem.
Maya Bay has been closed by the Thai government and is expected to open to tourists again in 2021.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqDoxUxpobg
Into The Wild
This one is another classic. This is a movie that makes us reflect on the way we live life.
Commute to work every day, get a mortgage, work non-stop in an office to pay our debts, retire when you’re old and if you’re lucky you’ll have saved some money to live out the rest of your life decently.
But what if it doesn’t have to be that way?
This is the story of a rich boy who graduates top of his class and as a good athlete, but instead of getting a job and become part of the system, or use his money to travel and be a tourist, he decides to leave it all behind.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7ArZ7VD-QQ
He gets rid of all of his possession and donates his money to charity, then he embarks himself on a journey to the Alaskan Wilderness.
Let’s see one more movie in this Travel Movies list
Jungle
This movie is all about survival. A group of 4 travelers goes into the Amazon rain forest looking for adventure, but things go down south and it ends up being a nightmare.
Based on a true story, we see a group of people fighting to stay alive, this story for sure will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Needless to say that the cinematography is amazing, the landscapes of the Amazons are breathtaking making you want to visit ASAP without the getting lost part of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJYJmYQ0AGw
Conclusion
This Travel Movies list has a good variety of movie genres. From drama and romance to comedy and thrillers, all of them revolving around one thing, traveling.
Some of these stories are more fun and romantic. Others are a little darker and raw, those are the ones based on true stories.
So you’re in Bangkok and you’re looking for an adventure outside the city. How about a one day trip to Ayutthaya, How to go there, how expensive it is, how to get around in Ayutthaya?
I’ll answer all of your questions right now, just keep on reading. First, let’s start by talking a little bit about Ayutthaya.
What’s Ayutthaya?
It’s an ancient city, Ayutthaya was founded in 1350. It became a powerful city until 1767.
Ayutthaya used to be a trading port that welcomed merchants from the world, most of them from Europe. It’s said that the city was amazing to the eyes of foreigners, this is because of the many temples and palaces all around the city.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Just like many other cities and towns in the past and present, Ayutthaya fell to the horrors of war. The city was invaded by the Burmese – people from Myanmar- and it was burnt and destroyed.
A lot of Thai people died and the survivors fled the city. There are still many ruins in Ayutthaya, a clear reminder of the old city and a current tourist attraction.
There are about 50 different ruins sites, some of them more popular than others. These are the ones I believe you can’t miss.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
If I had to choose one and only one temple to visit in a one day trip to Ayutthaya this would be the one. The name means, Great Monastery of Auspicious Victory.
In the year 1937 two Ayutthaya princess died of Cholera, the king ordered the cremation of the bodies. He also ordered the creation of a holy stupa and a preaching hall on the cremation site, that’s how this temple came into existence.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
Entry fee: 20 Baht
This temple is more than just a holy stupa and a preaching hall. Around it, you’ll find different beautiful Buddha statues. If you enjoy taking photos for sure you’ll enjoy your time here.
Take a look at more pics of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.
There’s also a reclining Buddha statue on the premises of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram
This is another popular one in Ayutthaya. It was built in 1630 by king Prasat Thong. The name means Temple of Long Reign and Glorious Era.
At the center of the temple, there’s a 35 meter high Prang (Tall tower) and there are 120 sitting Buddha statues around it.
Take a look at more pictures of Wat Chaiwatthanaram
Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit
This temple doesn’t look as ancient as the previous 2 but it’s definitely a site with a lot of history behind it.
Its name means Buddha of the Holy and Supremely Auspicious, the Buddha statue sitting inside the temple was built in 1538.
The statue was originally housed by a mondop ( square-based building or shrine with a pyramidal roof ) that was hit and destroyed by lighting.
The building caught fire and the roof came down and broke Buddha’s head.
They demolished the mondop and built a new preaching hall (Vihara). The statue was also restored.
Just like the rest of Ayutthaya, the Vihara and the Buddha statue were severely damaged when the Burmese invasion took place.
Restoration of the Vihara and the Buddha statue took place between 1920 and 1931.
Entry fee: 50 Baht
Wat Mahathat
Maybe this is the reason why many do a one day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok. Here’s where you find the Buddha’s head.
The meaning of the name is the monastery of the Great Relic. Historians don’t really know when the temple was founded. They think its origin dates back to 1377 approximately.
This temple was used for different religious events and royal celebrations.
The main tourist attraction in this temple is a Buddha head entwined within the roots of a tree.
No one really knows exactly how it got there, but what they do know is that it wasn’t on purpose, as in Buddhist traditions is not a thing to put Buddha head on the ground.
Some theorize that maybe a thief moved the head from the main temple and hid it by the tree and then he simply did not come back for it. After so many years the roots grew around the head.
Entry Fee: 50 Baht
Wat Lokayasutharam
This is the last temple I’ll mention in this one day trip to Ayutthaya post.
The main attraction in these ruins is a huge reclining Buddha statue. The statue is 37 meters long and 8 meters high.
Tourists and locals visit these ruins, it is common to see people leaving offerings to Buddha.
Right outside the premises of these ruins, you’ll find some small souvenir shops and people selling flowers which you can leave as offerings.
Entry fee: Free
More pictures of Wat Lokayasutharam
How to Get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok?
This is very simple and extremely cheap. I went to Hualamphong railway station in Bangkok and bought a third-class ticket to Ayutthaya for 20 baht.
I got there 10 minutes before the train’s departure. It might be a bit chaotic in the station, but don’t worry just ask someone who works there to tell you on which train you’re supposed to get on.
Once they point you the way just get on the train and find a seat.
The train makes many stops, Ayutthaya station is the one after Ban pho station. The train only stops for around 3 minutes so be quick to get out.
Another thing, some people buy third-class tickets with numbered seats, my ticket had no seats, so 1 or 2 stations after we departed from Hualamphong a girl got on the train and I was sitting on her seat so I had to get up.
So I spent most of the ride standing up. It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to get to Ayutthaya from Bangkok.
I took a very early train, at around 8 am, it got very very crowded. Don’t worry if you feel like you have no idea when to get off.
Ayutthaya is the station after Ban Pho, just make sure you’re looking out the window on the left side of the train (stand facing the direction the train is moving towards) and you’ll see the names.
Ayutthaya station is also easy to spot as it has many Thailand flags hanging outside and is quite big compared to the previous ones.
How Much Does it Cost to Go to Ayutthaya?
If you take the third class train is super cheap, 20 baht going there and 20 baht coming back.
Once I was done touring around Ayutthaya I went back to the station and bought a third-class ticket back to Bangkok.
I had lunch at a little restaurant in front of the station, I just crossed over to the other side of the road and found a place selling pad thai and mango shakes.
I paid only 90 baht for my pad thai and a mango shake. Every time I bought bottled water I paid 20baht.
The big expense was the tuk-tuk I had to hire to take me around, 800 Baht for 4 hours. Which takes me to the following.
I went to Ayutthaya as part of my Songkran weekend. If you’d like to know more about Songkran in Bangkok please click below.
This is very simple, you can either hire a tuk tuk driver to take you around the temples and back to the station or you can rent a scooter and do it on your own.
Since I don’t have an international driver’s license I decided to hire a tuk-tuk driver. You won’t have to bother looking for one, they’ll be waiting for you at the station.
The minute they spot a tourist they make their move, they’ll show you all the places they can take you to.
Please don’t ride Elephants, don’t support animal cruelty.
One Day Trip To Ayutthaya Video
Now I just want to finish this post by showing you a little video I put together. You’ll see more of Ayutthaya and hopefully, it’ll make you want to go.
So you’re looking for information on celebrating Songkran in Bangkok. I’ll tell you how to make the best out of this crazy and wet weekend.
Before I go into details let’s talk a little bit about what Songkran is and how to celebrate it.
What is Songkran?
It’s the most important festival in Thailand. It marks the beginning of a new year. At its very core is a Buddhist religious festivity celebrated nationwide.
This water festival takes place every year from April 13th to 15th.
During this festival, people go out to the street to throw water at each other and the most religious ones visit temples and shrines to wash the Buddha statues and make offerings to the monks.
To throw water people use water guns, buckets or hoses, so get ready to get wet.
Songkran means to pass or move into, you can see it as the passing to the new year.
The reason why water is part of the festival is that is supposed to clean you off of bad things from the last year so you can start fresh.
Something else you’ll see is people putting chalk on each other, this derives from the tradition of monks to use chalk for marking blessings.
If you’re in Bangkok celebrating Songkran you will definitely get wet, but is actually pleasant as the weather is hot during this time of the year.
How to Celebrate Songkran in Bangkok?
In this section I’ll share with you places to go to have a water fight, to see a more religious face of Songkran and where to eat.
I’ll also talk about an amazing place which is perfect for a Holiday farewell dinner at the end of your Songkran in Bangkok visit.
Let’s begin now.
Erawan Shrine
If this is your first time in Bangkok you should definitely make a stop here, this is a religious place where locals and tourists come to pray.
And during Songkran, you can observe people using water to wash Buddha and making flower offerings.
There is always a traditional dance performance going up in the background.
I can guarantee you that if you visit this place you’ll find it very interesting, just stand back and let it all unfold.
Getting to Erawan Shrine is super easy, just get off ar Chitlom station on the BTS line, from there you’ll walk for around 7 minutes.
There is no entry fee
Now let’s move on to another fun activity celebrating Songkran in Bangkok
Street Food in Front of Amarin Plaza
Just 2 minutes away from Erawan Shrine, you’ll find Amarin Plaza. This is a mall like many others, but during Songkran celebrations many food stalls are set up outside.
There are always so many food options here, and also drinks, pomegranate, mango, kiwi, passion fruit and other exotic fruits juice.
This is the perfect stop to have some local food like Pad thai, drink some fresh pomegranate or mango juice and have some coconut ice cream.
The price for food here is definitely more expensive than what you would find in traditional markets, but the food is really good so is worth it.
They also set up tables around the food stalls so you can easily sit down and have your meal.
Here’s where you fuel your body to head towards the craziness on Silom Road.
You’ll be right in front of the road, so chances are you’ll start seeing people throwing water at each other, or riding tuk-tuks and carrying big water guns on their way to Silom road.
So, after spending some time in Erawan shrine and having some Thai food, just go back to Chitlom station and head to Sala Daeng station.
Celebrating Songkran in Bangkok, Silom Road
You should arrive here at noon, once you’re in Sala Daeng station you’ll start noticing a big amount of people, this is where the party is.
Silom Road is the gathering place for thousands of people to celebrate Songkran, the police close the whole road so people can enjoy.
The BTS line runs over the city, so once you’re out of Sala Daeng station and still on the skywalk, you can take a look down and see the crazy amount of people gathered here carrying water guns.
Now all you have to do is go down and join the party, what people do here is walk up and down the road soaking each other.
If you feel like taking a break you can simply go to one of the many restaurants or dinners on the sides and grab a bite or a drink.
How do you get water for your gun? On Silom road you’ll find people selling water for your gun, they usually charge 10 or 5 baht, so make sure you take some coins with you.
Drinking alcohol is not allowed in Silom road during Songkran, to get alcohol you have to go to one of the many restaurants on the lanes next to Silom road.
Once I got tired of walking up and down I went to Le Siam hotel, they have some tables outside and they were selling beer and had buckets of water to keep the Songkran party going.
If it’s your first time in Bangkok you should definitely stop by this temple, not just because of Songkran, but because the reclining Buddha statue is impressive.
Here’s a picture
If you made it to the reclining Buddha temple then you might also want to check out the Emerald Buddha temple, only because is nearby and if you haven’t been there before well you should.
To get to the Reclining Buddha temple you’re better off taking a Grab, the metro lines don’t go all the way here.
Khao San Road
This is another popular spot in Bangkok to celebrate Songkran. Beware, here there’s no skywalk like on Silom road.
When you go into Khao San Road is like you’re going into full water war, there’s nowhere to take cover.
Here you’ll find locals and foreigners having fun, using water guns, buckets and hoses to keep the party going.
Here you can just go to any of the bars on the side have some beer and reload your guns and shoot.
To get to Khao San Road you’ll have to take a public bus, taxi, Tuk- Tuk or Grab, no metro line goes near the area.
Songkran goes on all day long and into the night hours, don’t get mad if you’re stepping out of your hotel at around 8 pm all clean to have dinner and someone wets you.
So, if you want to Songkran until late at night is better for you to find a place with many bars nearby.
Where to Stay in Bangkok During Songkran.
Last time I was in Bangkok for Songkran I stayed at Royal Sukhumvit Hotel, the hotel is cheap and the cleanliness is okay, but the location is perfect.
This hotel is located very near to Nana station, all around it there are bars, restaurants, convenience stores, and other different shops.
Right outside the hotel the staff was celebrating Songkran, and down the street people were doing the same, there was even a small concert by the corner.
So if you want to stay in a fun and lively place then get a hotel near Nana station, you’ll still be close to the center of the city.
Is Bangkok Expensive during Songkran?
Well, chances are that Airlines do increase the ticket prices for this weekend since they know a lot of foreigners fly in.
But in my experience of traveling to Bangkok with EVA airlines, I must say the price doesn’t vary that much.
In the following tables, you’ll be able to see all the expenses I had during the Songkran weekend of 2019.
If you’re on a budget you can definitely go cheaper. I spent a total of 328.78 USD in 4 days
As you can see in the chart above. accommodation and food are the greatest expenses.
What comes now is a detailed breakdown of everything I paid for in the 4 days I was there.
I had buffet lunches at Central Food, I recommend it.
Bangkok Songkran 2019, VIDEO
I put together a little video from my visit to Bangkok during Songkran 2019. Kids playing on the streets, people having fun on Silom and more, hope you like it.
There is one final thing I want to mention in this post, this is an activity you will definitely enjoy.
Maybe on your last day in Bangkok, you’ll want to have a nice dinner or a drink somewhere special to say goodbye to Bangkok.
I believe that in Bangkok, there’s no more romantic and dramatic place than Wat Arun, well the view of it with the sun setting in the background.
Take a look.
To see this you need to be in one of the restaurants across the river facing Wat Arum.
Here are some options.
Sala Rattankosin
The Deck by Arun Residence
Eight Sight Story Deck
To get to this side of the city you’ll have to take a taxi, tuk-tuk or Grab.
If you want to go for the longer but more scenic way, you can go to Saphan Taksin station, walk towards Sathorn Pier and get on a boat towards Wat Arun.
What Do I need for Songkran?
Here’s a list of things you’ll want to wear and have while celebrating Songkran in Bangkok.
Some of these items you can get when you land in Bangkok, others is better to buy in advance.
Quick-dry clothes
Since you’re gonna have water coming your way at all time is nice to be wearing clothes that dry fast.
It might be a little uncomfortable to go into a mall or metro, where the AC is on, and you’re soaking wet.
Cheap Goggles or Cheap Glasses
Protect your eyes, there’s always some drunk d**k who thinks is funny to shoot water at peoples’ eyes.
You could get these when you get to Bangkok. You’ll find people selling them on the streets.
Cellphone Waterproof Case
This is a must, you need to protect your cellphone. You can not leave your cellphone behind as you’ll need it to get Grabs or for Google maps.
So make sure it’s got a Cellphone water case, preferably one you can hang around your neck and allows you to use your phone without removing the case.
Water Proof Bag
This is another item that will allow you to have a worry free Songkran. When you’re out on the streets you might want to take an extra t-shirt, shoes, power banks, USB cables, your passport or something else you don’t want to get wet.
Having a waterproof bag is almost essential to go out during Songkran. If you buy one you can also use it whenever you go to the beach, it’s a good investment.
Water friendly Footwear
The most common and logical option is flip flops right, that’s what most people wear.
But I’ve found out that walking in wet flip flops is not comfortable at all. They become slippery and the strap might hurt your foot.
So here are other choices, Crocs, Beach Shoes, or dry fast sneakers.
Beach shoes are not made for the streets so they won’t provide you with a lot of support. The advantage of beach shoes is that they don’t become slippery and there’s no strap to hurt your foot.
What do I mean by dry fast sneakers? Well, I bought a pair of Nike Air Vapormax a while ago. The sole is completely made out of rubber and the upper part of the shoe is as thin as a sock.
They provide great comfort when walking and get dry super fast.
Conclusion, Celebrating Songkran in Bangkok
This is a very fun festival you should try at least once in your lifetime. Bangkok has both sides of Songkran to offer, the religious one and the party one.
The 2 major places in Bangkok where people like to party for Songkran are Silom road and Khao San road.
For a more religious experience, you can visit Erawan Shrine or the temple of the Reclining Buddha.
Make sure you have all your Songkran gear needed so you enjoy Songkran comfortably. Hope you enjoyed this Celebrating Songkran in Bangkok post.
Okay, so before I start telling you about the really nice places you have to visit in Baguio.
Plus where to go for traditional and international cuisine, and also where to stay in Baguio.
Let’s start by talking a little bit about this nice town.
Where is Baguio?
Baguio is situated on Luzon Island, Philippines, it’s only a 4 hours drive away from Manila, if you take public transportation it might be 5 to 6 hours.
The time it’ll take you to get there will also depend on the traffic.
The nearest airport to Baguio is Clark International Airport, from this airport’s location you’d still need to get in a car for another 2 hours.
What is Baguio Famous For?
People call it the city of pine or the summer capital of the Philippines. It definitely has a cool weather that is not normal in the rest of the country.
Some spots people like to visit are
Baguio Cathedral
Burhham Park and Lake
Session Road, full of restaurants and shops
Baguio is also known for the many excellent universities and colleges across the city, here’s an interesting fact, half of the population of Baguio are students.
Places to Visit in Baguio
Mines View Park
One place I think you shouldn’t miss in this town is Mines View Park.
It’s located around 5 km away from the center of the city, and there is a nice view deck from where you can catch a really good view of the city.
On the way from the gates to the viewing deck, you’ll encounter many street vendors selling flowers and food.
You’ll also find people dressed in traditional Filipino costumes and taking pictures.
There is no entry fee, outside the gates of Mines View Park you’ll find many souvenirs, food, and other varieties of street vendors and shops.
Good Shepherd Convent
Here’s another place I think you must visit while you’re in Baguio
This is a convent of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd.
This place is walking distance from Mines View Park, and there are two reasons why you’ll want to visit this place.
The first one is because you can buy strawberry or blueberry jam, and the second one is because you can get another amazing view of Baguio.
Jams and marmalade are not all they make. The nuns also make other preserves and even cookies.
They use the money to sponsor different charities.
The money gathered is also used for the maintenance of the convent, there is no entry fee here.
Wright Park
This is another place where you can get a nice view. Wright Park is quite big, it’s good to go for a run or just chill.
On one of the sides of the park, you’ll find its main attraction, along pool/pond with decorative lamps and big pines on the sides.
You’ll see a lot of people taking pictures here as the scenery is quite fantastic.
If you entered the park through the pool of pines section, then head all the way to the end and you’ll find the park circle, turn to the left and walk straight.
You’ll find a nice spot to see the sunset, and if you go downstairs you’ll find a stable.
There is no entry fee, in this park, you’ll also find people selling souvenirs and other items.
Without a doubt, this is another must-visit place in Baguio
The Mansion
While you’re at wright park, just cross the street -from the pool of pines side- and you’ll find the mansion.
This is simply the summer house of the president of the Philippines, it was built in 1908.
There are times when they’ll let you in, but most of the time you’ll just be allowed to cross the gates and look at it from afar.
Is this worth it? well is just across the street from Wright park, so there’s really no problem with just taking a look at it.
It was amazing for me to see a lot of local tourists taking photos and selfies with the mansion as the background.
I personally thought that the mansion wasn’t a big deal at all, but hey people were having such a good time, I guess we should all learn how to enjoy life more.
Burnham Park and Lake
This is a place that should definitely be on your list, there are a lot of pines, flowers, locals having fun, there’s such a good vibe here.
The main attraction here is the lake, they have different pedal boats you can get on and pedal away.
The rooms were clean and the staff was nice. They have a bar with live music which can be very entertaining.
The buffet breakfast doesn’t have many options though.
Something you might dislike about this hotel is the many animal heads in the restaurant area.
Where to eat in Baguio?
Baguio is a developed city. The restaurant options are endless, from traditional Filipino food to Pizza and Greek food, there’s something for everyone.
Dencios
This restaurant is located inside Camp John Hay and is a good option to get some local food.
I really liked the spicy tofu and their halo halo, food prices are very affordable.
A big meal for 5 was around 2,500 Pesos
Lemon and Grass Greek Restaurant
This restaurant is beautiful. In the entrance you’ll see colorful flowers and pines, when you enter the restaurant you’ll see is nicely decorated.
And the most amazing part is that you can have your meal overlooking the mountains, it’s such a beautiful view.
Since this is not local food it’s a little bit more expensive. A meal for 5, including desserts, was around 3,900 Pesos.
The view is so worth it though.
Cafe by the Ruins
This is a nice cozy cafe where you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner, prices are very affordable.
I loved their curry shrimp with mango sauce, their smoothies are also to dies for.
Is Baguio expensive?
The short answer is: No. Baguio, just like the rest of the Philippines is very affordable in comparison to countries like the USA, western European countries and Asian countries like Taiwan, South Korea or Japan.
Here’s some data about prices for different items in Baguio.
Expenses by Category
For transportation in Baguio, you can use taxis or Jeepneys, walking is also okay as the city is pretty safe.
At the hotel, we got 2 rooms. One family room and one single room, but actually the family room is big enough to fit 5 persons.
But this town has so much to offer. Even though is very well developed by now, you can still enjoy the green of nature and the color of flowers in this city.
If you happen to be in Manila and have some days to spare please visit Baguio, you’ll like it.
