Asia – Page 2 – Maz On The Road

From the Tranquil to the Tacky (the other side of Okinawa)

February 9, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

In one week I experienced two very different faces to Okinawa. There is the wild beauty of the coast and the nearby islands, some uninhabited. The serenity of the gardens and palaces. But then there is the holiday park concrete jungle.

I didn’t want to leave Okinawa without seeing the north of the island. Without a car the only option is an organised bus tour, given the lack of much public transport outside of Naha. There are a few companies running trips but only one stops at both the Nakijin castle ruins and Cape Manzamo without including entrance to the aquarium. I didn’t want to visit anywhere that claims to house a whaleshark in a tank, having swum with these magnificent creatures in the wild.

All of the northern trips seem to be called the Blue route. You’re supposed to book before 15.30 the day before but I turned up at 8.00 and they were happy for me to join as there were only about 8 other guests, already on the bus. The tour is only in Japanese but they provide ample written material in English. Our very enthusiastic guide gave us stickers to wear and made sure I went to the toilet before we left (I didn’t even want to go but felt obligated and everyone smiled and nodded when I got back on the bus). At every stop she handed me written instructions on the meeting point.

The guide talked non stop in rapid Japanese for the full hour to Cape Manzamo. The name of this place means “all the people” and it got the name because all the people could sit together outside and enjoy the Cape’s beauty. Legend has it that in the 18th century when the King of the Ryukyu Kingdom visited he was told “it is wide enough to sit all thousands of people” and hence he gave it the name.

The other people on the tour were friendly and we again managed a conversation via Google translate. One woman in her 70s spoke some limited English which comically included saying to her husband “come on Grandad” when he lagged behind. As well as non stop commentary our guide broke into spontaneous song every now and then. I had no idea what she was saying of course but clapped politely when everyone else did. I asked a man from Singapore who spoke Japanese why she was singing and he said “I don’t know. I guess she’s keeping us entertained.”

Singing along

Next stop was an early buffet lunch at a monster of a hotel, the Orion. My new friends the Japanese couple and Singaporean man had made a little group by now so we ate together. There was a full 3 hours at this stop as it was the Ocean Expo Park which is absolutely huge. Aside from the aquarium there is an ocean themed museum, botanical gardens and reconstruction of a traditional village.

With clear instruments to be at the hotel lobby by the pickup time, I went to have a look at the ‘Manatee Pool’ and turtles outside to see how bad it was. It was bad. The large manatees were in small tanks for their size and the turtles were swimming round the edges of what I’d describe as a paddling pool, over and over again. No rocks or any sign of a natural environment. It made me very sad to see the huge crowds jostling for photos of large marine life without questioning if they should be kept in there or not. I can only imagine the whale sharks.

The aquarium itself is a monstrosity of a concrete building with multiple escalators transporting the masses inside.

I actually quite enjoyed having a look at the traditional village and walking along by the coast although the highlight for me was probably finding a new snack – hot, very sweet, sweet potato in a tube out of a vending machine.

I had found Mr Singapore again by then and he insisted I eat my potato sitting down in the designated eating area. He said he was sure of the way back and we had plenty of time. As we set off for the hotel, however, he said “actually we have to run”. Given he was tall he ran twice the pace of me. They won’t leave without us both I said. This is Japan, he said, they will leave without us on the dot. It was when we got to the hotel it became apparent he only knew the way to the hotel, not the way through it and we could not in fact cut through.

This led to my frantically chasing him through the manicured gardens and around the swimming pool thinking we must be on their CCTV. When we eventually got into the building we couldn’t activate the lifts without a hotel key. Luckily he flagged down a staff member who escorted us to the lobby where our guide was anxiously waiting. She ran with us to the bus – technically we weren’t even late as it was the exact departure time. Everyone on the bus found it very funny when I explained the situation via Google translate.

The final stop on the tour is the Nakijin castle ruins. The ruins are very much ruins but it’s beautiful to see the old walls with the early Japanese cherry blossom. There is a museum with 3 floors of exhibitions but there wasn’t time to investigate – we were taking no chances with the departure time.

The drive back was full of more commentary and a mandatory toilet stop, plus snacks given to me by the Japanese woman and Grandad. When we arrived in the city the driver dropped me off close to the Monorail and everyone waved goodbye through the window which was lovely.

It was time to leave Okinawa, after some more sushi (they were very happy I went back!). Next destination, and the main reason for this trip – Taiwan.

Palaces, Beaches and Cabin Hotels (Okinawa)

February 8, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

To get away from the hustle of Kokusai-dori street I took the bus to the Shikina-en Royal Gardens. Here you’ll find quiet, tranquil gardens surrounding the old royal palace and lake. It’s all very orderly, no eating or drinking outside of the designated spaces and a signposted route to follow.

The gardens were created in 1799 under the Ryukyu Kingdom and used for the reception of an envoy from China. Totally destroyed in the Battle of Okinawa, restoration took 20 years starting in 1975. If you take your shoes off you can go inside – the rooms are open and bare but it’s interesting to see the use of each space. For example a “place to warm tea, liquor and foods”, and the room where tea was served to Chinese delegates in 1800.

Although the numerous warnings about the local poisonous snake made it slightly less relaxing as I only had the cartoon like drawing to go by with no idea how big or small or aggressive it was. Aside from seeing no snakes, I only saw a couple of other people and had the inside of the palace to myself. There is a sweet little bakery right outside, if you can find a place to eat.

Ready for a change of scenery I wanted to visit one of the smaller islands. I was advised by the tourist information that given the weather (boats can be cancelled and not everything is open) it was best to choose the closest one, Tokashiki. This gave me the option of a shorter more reliable car ferry across. It’s 100% worth the trip. In winter the options are more limited with both the faster more expensive speed boat and the ferry each running once per day (there and back). The risk is that if they are cancelled you’d have to stay the night, which wouldn’t be all that bad!

I got off the ferry after about a hour and a half and jumped straight on the local bus to Aharen beach on the other side of the island. It’s helpfully timed with the ferry schedule. Aharen is a bit of a one horse town with a main road running down to the beach – it literally opens up onto the shore. There are a handful of cafes and snack bars dotted around but most were closed.

I found myself on the most stunning natural beach with crystal clear water and could imagine how amazing it would be to swim here in summer. The contrast with the thick forest is even more beautiful. The advantage of going in winter is that I again counted just 5 or 6 other people. I spent a few hours just chilling on the beach, climbing up to a viewpoint and enjoying sweet potato fritters and Okinawan lemonade.

For my last few nights I paid £19 per night for a cabin room at the Grand Cabin Hotel. This is the best hotel I have ever stayed in. I could live there. You enter into a huge lobby and cafe area where the complimentary Okinawan breakfast and free lemonade or shot of local spirit are served. You can also pick up something from the Manga collection to read or buy souvenirs at the shop.

Going through to the women only floor, you get a decent sized bed in a lockable room with ample space for your luggage. But that’s not all – in your basket you’ll find two fresh towels, changed daily, and around the corner you go to the pillow bar and select from at least 10 different types of pillows and pickup a comfy pair of pyjamas and slippers.

And that’s still not all – enter the powder room of all powder rooms. Several individual stations with hair dryers and straighteners, all the toiletries you could ever need and a SHAMPOO BAR. At least 10 different luxury shampoos and conditioners to choose from. In the UK people would be stuffing their pockets and stealing everything that’s not nailed down.

It may have only cost £19 but the sheer joy of returning to this hotel in the evening, after picking up some freshly made cucumber sushi from across the road, was priceless.

The Hawaii of Japan (Naha, Okinawa)

February 4, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Japan, TravelLeave a comment

There is a lot more to Japan than the mainland. Looking at the map, the Okinawan islands were only a short flight from both Hong Kong and Taiwan so it was too good a chance to miss. It’s winter in Jan/Feb so I went for the larger of the islands, basing myself in Naha which is described by some as the Japanese Hawaii. I can see why. Arriving at the airport there are strict rules on bringing in any type of food and sniffer dogs on patrol. My peanut butter snack bar was totally fine though. And the lady who searched my bag was the most polite customs officer I’ve come across, giggling and quickly closing the bag when she came across my underwear.

Straight onto the Yui Rail Monorail that connects the city of Naha and less than 15 mins to my accommodation! I loved the Monorail with the orderly queue to board, strictly no eating or drinking onboard and the smart driver in his pristine cap and white gloves. Again just tap your contactless and you’re automatically charged, no need for a ticket.

Welcome to the world of Japanese capsule hostels, the answer to no longer in their 20s solo female backpacker’s prayers! My accommodation for the first three nights was Hotel Minimumms. Entirely women only, you get a private pod style bed with your own air-con, light and shelf, two towels changed daily, plus slippers and cosy pyjamas to lounge around in. The price of around £20 per night includes a simple but decent enough (dietary preferences aside!) breakfast of tea/coffee, bread rolls, croissants and boiled eggs. Given it’s women only, you just roll out of your pod in your PJs, have breakfast, chill out for a bit then get ready in the powder room full of free toiletries. Strictly no talking and phones on silence rules mean you get a great nights sleep – I admit I broke these rules with my morning alarm.

Walking around at night the streets have a holiday buzz about them, with Japanese and other Asian families on vacation. I didn’t see a single other Westerner for at least a day. The only thing I had pre-booked before leaving the UK was a spot on a morning whale watching trip which are likely to sell out with it being peak season for spotting humpback whales as they return to mate. Otherwise I rely on tourist information and local advice on what to see which usually works out.

I lucked out on dinner as I found a tiny one-man-band vegan restaurant called Tamatebako tucked down one of the side streets. It was full but they squeezed me in at the bar and I enjoyed an ice cold Okinawan beer while the chef cooked the most delicious laksa and Okinawan tofu which is a speciality. This is not the place to eat in a hurry – it’s all freshly cooked.

*Vegan dumplings, fried peanut tofu, fresh peanut tofu and coffee in cup of choice*

On my first day I headed to the Shuri castle, which served as the royal residence of the Ryukyu Kingdom for over 450 years between 1429 and 1879. It’s in a beautiful area with cute little streets away from the hustle of the main strip. The castle itself is under reconstruction but it’s still well worth a visit. An interesting fact about Shuri is that it had a water clock (“Rokoku”) – the volume of dripping water was used to measure time.

The best spot for lunch was actually the onsite restaurant which serves very reasonable set lunches including vegan options. I tried another local specialty of “bitter melon” stir fry – the bitter part is accurate, the melon not so much.

Keen to learn some more about the history of these islands, I paid the Prefecture museum a visit. It takes you literally year by year through the fairly turbulent history from the independent Ryukyu Kingdom in the 15th-19th centuries who traded with China under the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Ryukyu Kingdom was a thriving nation which connected Southeast Asia, China, Korea and Japan. The islands had a very strategic location for trading and therefore developed a unique culture. The museum takes you through to Japanese rule in 1879 after the Satsuma Invasion of 1609, then US military occupation from 1945-1972 before going back to Japan. The British had their own impact with the British Opium War in the 1800s.

The museum also educates on the early history – these islands have the most well-preserved fossils in Japan, with each set of islands having their own fossil fauna. Something interesting is the islander’s belief that Gods come from across the sea and bring blessings. The people have a very close relationship with the sea, and in Okinawan spiritual culture, the sea has multiple layers that are the source of all life, a home for deities and final resting place for spirits.

There is a huge “American Village” on the island which is where lots of people base themselves, but I didn’t come to Okinawa to be surrounded by fake American scenes. The airbases are visible enough from the road heading north.

*Shurijo castle through the scaffolding*

I had another great dinner experience, when I walked past a restaurant just outside my hotel with a big Vegan sign outside. It was again full, but after some smiling discussions between a family sitting at one of the tables and the owner, I was invited to join the family. With the help of Google translate we established that they were Mikki and her husband (who was fully blind which I would not have know until she told me) and Yuna, who had also met the couple in this restaurant some time before and became friends. It’s times like this where travelling alone is actually a better way to meet local people, which is one of the best things about travelling. I tried another Okinawan speciality of peanut tofu. I learned that deep fried is not the best way to have it as it turns to mush, but since I was with the family who were friends with the chef I had to eat it.

The next day I left early for my boat trip at 8.30. Pickup was at 7.40 at a nearby hotel. I was very nearly late then remembered that in Japan they leave on the dot. I finally found the other Westerners on the island (all three of us) and we spent the boat ride chatting about life.

*Shisa guarding the castle and figure from the Prefecture museum*

The whale watching boats are big enough for a top and bottom deck, toilet and can hold about 30-40 people. Despite them wanting to keep the English speakers downstairs we managed to nab a spot up the top for a more exhilarating (windy) experience. After an hour I was starting to doubt we would see any whales then we were all instructed to sit down on the front of the boat. Suddenly out of nowhere a gigantic Humpback whale jumped out of the water and flipped right in front of us, possibly 10m away but none of us were very good at guessing distances and by then we had lost the English speaking guide. It was far too quick to catch on camera unless like a lot of the group you had your camera held above your head videoing the entire 3 hour trip. After that we saw a few more in the distance, but nothing could beat that experience.

I made a hasty exit after the trip ended as the fellow Brit and I had already covered all conversation topics and his jokes were becoming annoying so I went for a more chilled afternoon of wandering the pottery district. The main Kokusai-dori street (International street) in Naha was already getting tiring with its flashy neon, fast food and crowds. On Pottery street you can find beautiful tea rooms (I was asked to go to the display cabinet and select which cup I would like my coffee to be served in, which made the experience) and shops with truly the most exquisite Okinawan blue pottery you can imagine. It’s not even expensive. But travelling with pottery isn’t practical so I could only dream of taking a pair of huge statues of Shisa, the traditional Okinawan lion-dog guardian, home with me. I settled for a key ring.

There is enough to do on the main island for a few days in winter season. It’s warm for winter (around 20c) but a bit rainy and too cold to swim, plus the ferries to other islands are on a reduced winter schedule. It’s also much easier if you have your own transport. I decided to take a trip to a nearby smaller island anyway and join a tour bus to explore the north …

24 hours in Hong Kong

February 1, 2026March 20, 2026Posted in Hong Kong, TravelLeave a comment

Two places that have long been on my travel wish list are Hong Kong and Taiwan. Perfect for a 4 week trip along with a last minute addition of the Okinawa islands off of Japan due to their surprisingly close proximity to Taiwan. I was pretty sceptical of the £350 return flight I booked from London to Hong Kong via booking.com with China Eastern Airlines five days before travelling. Were they really as bad as some reviews suggest? As it turned out, no! They were excellent and everything had gone through – aisle seat and special meal all sorted out (it even included a vegan chocolate bar) and comfortable enough for the 11.5 hour flight to Shanghai followed by a short connection in Hong Kong. When we were an approaching Shanghai there was a muffled announcement over the audio system about scanning a QR code to fill out a landing card that EVERYONE must do. Cue all the westerners onboard asking each other what was all that about and a mad scramble to connect to the onboard WiFi which buckled under the pressure. The air stewards walked around causing total panic presenting a QR code that nobody could use. Of course it turned out totally unnecessary for those transiting i.e. ALL of us. It did break the ice so I had people to hang out with during the layover, although they were also panicking over where their luggage was headed. I took a punt on the flight price but didn’t trust it enough to check my bag in.

It has been almost 20 years since I’ve been to China and I had forgotten just how big the airport is and how many rules there are. I sat charging my phone next to the escalators listening to a relentlessly repetitive voice over warning of the dangers of letting an elderly person set foot on it.

*Bus to Tsim Sha Tsui, just tap your contactless card*

Finally arriving at Hong Kong International Airport I was amazed how easy everything was. As soon as I passed through customs I reached the information desk who directed me to the buses and idiot proof signposting. Less than an hour and a £3.90 fare later I found my hostel. Accommodation in Hong Kong is both tiny and expensive and booking in advance would be recommended rather than the day before arriving. I stayed at the strangely named Pillows Co-Living which is a collection of tiny ensuite rooms at the top of a tall building in the East Tsim Sha Tsui area. I can’t imagine anyone could actually live there. The location made up for paying 400 HK dollars (around £37) a night for a box. Any thought of catching up on sleep went out the window (although for that price you don’t get a window) due to the building work taking over the entire building. The lift under renovation was the most worrying part as I was up on the 8th floor.

I love Asian big cities at night as they come to life. It’s safe and you can get food and walk around until late with all the other people who are out and about. Hong Kong is actually made up of over 250 islands, with Victoria Harbour dividing Hong Kong Island from Kowloon (where most budget accommodation is). Every night at 20.00 there is a free light show over the harbour where all the buildings across the water are lit up in time to the sound of the philharmonic orchestra which is well worth a visit and makes for an lovely evening walk.

*Boats leave just before the show starts*

With just one day before flying to Okinawa, after breakfast at the trendy N1 cafe in the same building – everything being so high rise and crammed in, it’s common that the place you’re looking for is several floors up or down and not visible from the outside – I walked just ten minutes to the wharf and found an extremely helpful tourist information. They even have an app to show you the current view at the various viewpoints so you can wait for a clear day.

*Even the transport appears squashed in*

My tips for a fairly relaxed 24 hours in Hong Long are as follows:

Take the Star Ferry across the harbour: it runs every 10 mins or so and takes the same amount of time, costing about 35p.
Ride the Mid Town Elevator all the way to the top. The longest reversible outdoor elevator in the world takes commuters up or down depending on time of day and gives a wonderful glimpse into each neighbourhood it passes through.
Stop by the Man Mo Temple crammed in between buildings. It’s free to enter.
Spend a couple of hours exploring Tai Kwun, the site of the old prison and join the free Architecture tour every hour.
Have tea and snack at a tea room. Madame Fu-Grand inside Tai Kwun is on the pricier side but worth it for the atmosphere.
Grab dinners in a shopping centre food hall for a cheap and quick meal with plenty of choice.
Join the crowd to watch the light show for 15 mins or so on the harbour at 20.00.
Indulge in the dessert culture, take a number and queue for a seat at one of the very popular tofu based dessert cafes open late.

My favourite parts … I really enjoyed the Mid Town escalator because it gave me a view of each neighbourhood and a glimpse into Hong Kong life, seeing people sitting at cafes or going to work or about their day. Take it all the way up to the residential area with mansion blocks and a lot more greenery. Just remember you’ll have to walk down.

The British effect is clear to see – M&S food departments and happy hour pubs are dotted around. I found Hong Kong to have a really interesting, cool sort of vibe with its mix of Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and British history amongst others and will have to visit some museums on my return trip.

Tai Kwun prison was a surprising highlight for me. This is the former Central Police Station Compound and includes three main sites: the old Central Police Station, the former Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison. The government partnered with the Hong Kong Jockey Club to turn it into a heritage site including art gallerys and cafes in 2018. The British influence is especially clear here as it’s in between Chancery Lane and Old Bailey Street.

I happened to arrive just as the free architectural tour was starting and the over enthusiastic guides did a good job of haranguing myself and two other women into joining. The women tried saying they might have to leave but it didn’t work. What followed was an hour’s architecture lesson, covering in EXCRUCIATING detail the five types of material used to construct the buildings (there are some key differences which we were quizzed on) – namely brick, granite, wood, iron and aluminium (I think).

The guide was excited he had someone from Britain in the group but disappointed I didn’t know the origin of the original highest quality bricks. It’s Leicester. To be fair it was actually really interesting and a good way to see some areas that are usually closed off. Plus if I ever need to tell if some bricks are hand or machine made or if a railing is wrought or cast iron, I’ll be all set.

I spent a few hours there in total as it’s worth looking inside the old cells as well. The guide asked me what I thought about the “overcrowded cells” and I stopped myself from pointing out it was the same size as my hotel room. I also failed the test of guessing the toilet system, i.e which bucket in the cell was for number one or number two, which he said would have got me killed.

Food wise, vegetarian food is everywhere but not always in English. Finding a tiny restaurant hidden away inside a office block, where locals are eating is great until you really don’t like what you’ve ordered (not knowing what it was) and have to try and sneak out without appearing rude and wasteful.

*Cashew and tofu dessert with sweet rice balls*

That concludes one full day in the city. I plan to return to Hong Kong in a few weeks to see a few more places, go up to The Peak and visit Macau. Next stop Okinawa…

Glimpse into the North (South Korea Part Two)

January 21, 2025January 21, 2025Posted in Asia, South Korea, TravelTagged Asia, backpacking, solo travel, South Korea, travel blog1 Comment

Let’s start by that saying as far as strange tours go, this was up there with the best of them. The Demilitarised Zone is a strip of land cutting the Korean peninsula in half, forming a ‘buffer zone’ approximately 2km wide on either side of the Military Demarcation Line, the divider between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). The zone itself may be ‘demilitarised’ but the areas on either side are very heavily militarised indeed. Within the DMZ is the Joint Security Area (JSA) where negotiations take place and until recently it was possible to visit the spot where North and South Korean soldiers face off. This is important to know before booking, because the JSA closed to tourists in July 2023 after an American soldier attempted to cross the border from South to North without authorisation. Tours to the DMZ continued, with a couple of options that generally include a walk through one of the infiltration tunnels, a visit to an ‘observatory’ / visitor’s centre with telescopic viewing platforms set up to provide the coveted glimpse into North Korea and a stop at one of the suspension bridges, which are a fun way to stagger the group arrivals to the DMZ. The other thing to know (which I didn’t) is that various bridges and tunnels are closed on different days. As it turned out, the tour I initially booked was closed on Mondays so I ended up on this one, which I actually would recommend as the guides were great and it wasn’t too crowded – ‘2nd Tunnel and Y-Shaped Suspension Bridge‘ via the GetYourGuide platform. I set off at 6.30am for the meeting point at Myeondong subway station, a 20 min walk from my hostel.

*Map of the DMZ and 2nd infiltration tunnel*

The roads were dark and quiet other than some office workers starting their day but Seoul is a very safe city. Finding anywhere open for breakfast at that time was impossible so I settled for a coffee and and a bread roll filled with sweet red beans from the 7/11 convenience store, a good way to use up some of my T-Card balance. I arrived at the subway station and spotted a group of blank looking tourists sitting on some benches. A guide with a clipboard introduced herself as Lucy, gave me a tag to hang around my neck with her name on it and sent me over to join the others. There’s always an annoying person or two in group trips (as the saying goes if there isn’t one, then it’s you) and sure enough two middle aged Australian men joined the group after unnecessarily loudly having a go at Lucy for changing the meeting point (she didn’t) and asking us all if we had received the location details on time (we had).

Video from the bus, entering the DMZ

Bus tours are a very popular way to see South Korea and in fact the only way to see the DMZ, which needs to be booked in advance with your passport details. Lucy and her fellow tour guide Joey didn’t believe in any rest on the bus – this theme continued on all of the bus tours I took in South Korea. Sitting up front meant I had no choice but to listen to the non-stop commentary aside from a 20 min break where Joey announced ‘ok you can take a rest now, sleep well’. It was actually very informative, and if I’m not forced to listen then I will switch off. Meanwhile our suit and sunglasses wearing driver Mr Sony provided a cheerful hello and thank you each time we embarked and disembarked the purple bus. Interestingly, Joey said that until she became a tour guide a few years ago, when she was living in London and working in Pret, she hadn’t given much thought to the question of unification between the North and South. Her father recalls North Korean citizens being referred to as animals during his own school days and her mother still considers them ‘the enemy’. It’s only now that she’s working in tourism that her view has shifted and she has come to view them as normal people mostly working as farmers and living below the poverty line, and she now sees unification as a good thing.

*Y-Shaped Suspension bridge, taken from the observation deck*

Our first stop was the ‘Y-Shaped Pocheon Suspension Bridge’, which at 410m is the longest suspension bridge in Korea, as the name suggests forming a Y shape over the Hantangang River. The advantage of starting the tour so early is that you’re the first group to arrive – the observatory and cafe were just opening up and the bridge was quite literally empty. The real reason there are multiple suspension bridges in this area is because they were once used as a defence line, but nowadays they are fun to walk over and provide some lovely views of the autumn colours.

Perhaps the most unsettling thing about this tour compared to other war memorials and places of historical interest, is that usually the conflicts, or at least the wars, are in the past. Whereas this conflict is most definitely in the present. It was also disconcerting to hear the ‘rivalry’ referred to in a lighthearted manner, i.e the raising of flagpoles higher than the other one, and the blasting of K-Pop and Gangnam Style music – both sides broadcast various music / messages / material into the area over loud speakers. It was only recently in the news that thousands of balloons filled with rubbish (according to news reports, possibly also containing human waste) were sent over from the North and dropped on the South.

Back on the bus and off to our second stop, the “2nd Infiltration Tunnel” and, unexpectedly, a Crane centre (the bird variety) which we had a look around whilst Lucy sorted out some admin. The tunnel is one of four constructed by North Korea, intended for a surprise attack. The information in the visitors centre explained that some South Korean soldiers heard banging noises leading to the discovery of the tunnel in 1975, which had already been abandoned. It’s about 2m by 2m and could apparently accommodate up to 30,000 armed soldiers per hour, along with vehicles, artillery and tanks. I’m not so sure about the tanks – I soon understood why helmets were mandatory, as the ceiling is really low in places and the only sound was that of people bumping their heads every minute or so.

Strictly no photos were allowed inside the tunnel, but it’s fairly well lit (the artificial lights allowed plants to grow despite the dampness). Our guide said there was some type of mineral on the ceiling – I forgot exactly what, but it’s meant to be lucky to touch it – but all I touched was slime. There are some benches for weary tourists at the deepest point, after which the tunnel is barricaded off and you need to turn back. It’s a bit surreal to consider that if you did continue on, you’d surface somewhere in North Korea, which presumably wouldn’t be a tourist attraction. Or would it?

This day trip was 10 hours long (another common theme with the bus trips) and included a basic buffet lunch. Eventually we made it to the highlight of the trip and main reason for coming, the Peace Observatory. Lucy and Joey warned us not to take any photos of the South Korean guards, who would apparently all look very young (this was true). After a short train/cable car ride up, we all filed into a cinema style room (no photos inside either) and watched a short video which could itself be described as propaganda with it’s horror music style soundtrack. Positioned around the floor to ceiling glass windows were telescopes, some with digital screens trained on the DMZ and beyond into North Korea. We were told that whilst no photos were allowed outside either, nobody would check our phones which could be taken as encouragement. The adolescent looking soldiers helped focus the lenses on what was described as Propaganda Village – a village on the North Korea side which they say is fake. I did spot a moving truck, and Joey got very excited at a blob she said was “a North Korean”. She said this like it was some type of rare exotic species. I wondered were there lenses trained on us from the other side? Outside was even more surreal as over the wind I could hear a message being broadcast very loudly from the speakers, which the soldiers said was a message of peace. I have no idea what it was, as it was in Korean. But I found it fascinating wandering around the terrace, using the telescopes to look past nomads land. I would be slightly wary of posting any footage on social media, even if I had taken any.

*Tanks outside the visitor’s centre (spot the name tag)*

After some photos with the tanks and a visit to the shop selling 10kg bags of rice – also free green tea and samples of purple rice cake (this is prime rice growing territory) – off we went to yet another stop, the abandoned Woljeongri station. This is the now dilapidated last train stop before the border. It was a great photo opportunity and fairly eery with the remains of a carriage just rusting away on the tracks, which now lead to nowhere and the distant sound of K-Pop being broadcast from the South Korean speakers.

Korean K-Pop music in the background

Not far from here, and the final stop on the tour, is the last building constructed in North Korean architectural style, the Korean Workers Party Headquarters. Constructed in 1946, the three story building is falling down but there was still a a team of gardeners tending to the bushes. I didn’t get any more information on this, but imagine it’s an influencer’s dream photo spot in the Spring.

*Cheorwon Korean Workers’ Party Headquarters*

Finally it was back on the bus and a couple of hours drive back to Seoul. It was certainly an eye opening day, and once more it was too late to find a proper meal. These long days are tiring – I managed a walk around the night market in Myendong and a cheap veggie spring roll before retreating to my pod for some sleep before my morning flight to the South Korea’s answer to Hawaii, Jeju Island…

Mad Dash to Seoul (South Korea Part One)

November 8, 2024November 25, 2024Posted in Asia, South Korea, TravelTagged backpacking, Seoul, solotravel, South Korea, Travel, travelblogLeave a comment

The idea of a two week trip to South Korea was a last minute one, even by my standards. I have wanted to visit South Korea for a long time and imagined I’d spend at least a few weeks exploring this relatively small country as part of a bigger trip to Asia – but with two weeks to wait before starting a new job, staying at home was never an option. I have never planned a trip so quickly, booking a flight that departed just a few days later.

I got myself an old fashioned guide book and did some very quick research on the main areas in Seoul. Next was accommodation – budget wise I didn’t want to spend more than £40 per night as I ended up spending more than expected on flights (who knew the £350 return flights on Skyscanner didn’t actually exist 🤦🏻‍♀️). What was available within that budget at three days notice over the weekend was a dorm bed in the Seoul Cube Jongno, located in the prime area of Jongno-Gu meaning I could walk to a lot of places on foot.

On that note, this blog is usually just for friends and family to keep track of what I’ve been up to but in my rapid research I came across a lot of information that might actually be useful, so I have decided to make it a bit more informative this time! Scroll down if you have no intention of visiting ever. Things to be aware of:

There is a name in South Korea for hidden cameras and miniature spy cameras in women’s toilets, changing rooms and hotels and it’s called “molka”! Probably best not to go for one of the cheap “love motels”.
Google Maps does not work properly in Korea for navigation – you need to download the “Naver Maps” app and register as a user before you can save places to favourites. This often means using Google maps to find the Korean name then entering that into Naver to get directions.
Get an eSIM so you can navigate on the go – “Saily” is working well for me. I’m all for going old school and having a break from being online but otherwise it’s going to be very hard to get around in South Korea.
Uber does in fact work but it’s worth downloading the Korean taxi hailing app “Kakao-T” as well.
Travelling on buses is easy but you need to buy a “T-card” at a convenience store and top it up with cash also at the convenience store before you can tap on and off the buses. The average ride costs ₩1500 – I messed up the money and put on 70,000 instead of 7,000 so I can travel for a very long time. Or I can spend it on weird and wonderful items in the 7/11 or failing that apparently you can get a refund of the balance at the end of your trip.
Flying to Jeju Island is surprisingly cheap and worth it if you don’t want to spend a day travelling down by bus and ferry (£30 including checked baggage), but flights do actually get booked up particularly over the weekend.
Download Korean into Google translate so you can use it offline. Waking up to a Public Safety Alert message on your phone is a lot less scary when you can immediately translate it and understand that the earthquake was a long way away!

Welcome to Seoul

After leaving home on Friday morning, after a couple of hours stopover in the ultra modern Qatar airport and two long haul flights, I arrived on Saturday evening at Incheon International Airport. There are LOTS of buses and trains from the airport to the city. I was just too tired after 24 hours of no sleep to figure it out so I took the easy option of an Uber, well worth the £30 at night for over an hours drive and no hassle.

*If someone managed to fit a spycam in here, so be it!*

The driver dropped me at the address but I couldn’t see the hostel anywhere. Then I realised you need to look up in Seoul – everything is multi story. I still needed help to find the entrance, which was through a 7/11 shop.

The Seoul Cube hostel was very clean and very quiet, with women only dorms – much appreciated when powering through jet lag means going to bed at 9pm. I was so tired I had a packet of crisps for dinner and managed a bit of polite conversation with some other travellers before going to my pod.

This hostel has A LOT of rules. The most annoying one is that you can’t take your luggage into the bedroom so everyone unpacks on the kitchen floor. You’re also under CCTV in the common area and at constant risk of having the police called on you – strictly no alcohol here, no opening the fridge after before 07.00 or after 10.00 and definitely NO fraternising with the opposite sex. All of this contributes to a general lack of atmosphere but I didn’t have time to hang around the hostel anyway so it made no difference to me.

On my first morning after a great nights sleep in my pod I headed straight to the closest Tourist Information – there was no point asking any questions in the hostel as they had another sign on the wall essentially stating that they are not tourist information so don’t ask. The real Tourist Information were extremely helpful – they gave me a map and sent me off down the “stream” in the direction of somewhere open to get coffee (most of the coffee shops in the area close for a “break” mid morning).

The Cheonggyecheon stream runs 11km through the city and comes alive in the evening, conveniently passing by my hostel. It’s actually a restoration of the stream from the Joseon Dynasty spanning 1392-1910. On Sunday morning it was home to the Seoul Outdoor Library, with lots of chairs set up with a stack of books ready for people to enjoy, which looked extremely inviting.

At the end of the stream is a huge bear like figure – this is Hechi, the mascot of Seoul. Mascots are popular here and this is one aspect that reminded me of Japan. Hechi sits overlooking the stream, infront of a huge speaker. There was some kind of rally going on with music blasting out and I couldn’t be sure where it was coming from.

A short walk away from Cheonggyecheon is Gyeongbokgung Palace, meaning “The Palace Greatly Blessed By Heaven” and the largest of the five Grand Palaces. On my way there, Hechi and the outdoor library popped up again, this time with the Bugaksan mountain looming in the background.

My first impression of Seoul in the daylight was the merging of nature and urban. Mountains tower over crosswalks and skyscrapers loom in the distance behind palaces. Even when you’re in the midst of the city, a temple appears.

And the first thing that hit me when I entered the palace grounds through the Gwanghwamun Gate was the number of people in costume. This is positively encouraged in Seoul – you get in for free if you don the traditional costume known as Hanbok. Meanwhile I wandered around in my jeans and failed to get a good photo from anyone that I asked. Probably they make more effort for the Hanbok.

It’s a big complex of temple buildings, historically it acted as a small city, including separate King’s and Queen’s residences. The original palace dates back to 1395 and was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. As well as the home of the royal family it was also the seat of government.

A brief history; All of the royal palaces were burned down during the Japanese Invasion of 1592-1598. In fact Gyeongbokgung Palace was left derelict for over 270 years and reconstruction began in 1867 with over 500 buildings. It was then torn down again in the Japanese Occupation and replaced by a huge Japanese Government building. Further restoration has been ongoing again since 1900 with the Gate and the residences of the King, Queen and Crown Prince being restored to their original state. That’s most of the history I gleaned from the signs around the palace – anything more is best found on Wikipedia.

I can’t take in too much information at once so I usually resort to taking photos of signs in the hope I’ll come back and read them at some point – here is one of them.

It’s definitely a good idea to learn some basic words in Korean and it’s much appreciated by the local people. Unfortunately this trip was so hurried that I only managed to half remember “thank you”. Something I regretted when I accidentally stepped on an old Korean man’s (full) coffee cup at the lake and was unable to even apologise properly. He did not see the funny side.

Coincidentally autumn is one of the best times to visit South Korea as the fall foliage is in full swing. Everything is orange and green and brown which only adds to the beauty of the temples.

*The animals on the roof are placed there to protect the building*

There are some free tours of the palace in English but I had just missed one and didn’t want to wait. It would probably be useful as there are so many corners to explore. A couple of hours wandering around was enough for me before I got hungry – many restaurants in Seoul also “take a break” between 15.00-17.00 so I went in search of a vegan friendly lunch while I could. I didn’t actually end up in the vegetarian restaurant I was aiming for (still a bit confused as to what happened), but the place I found myself in had a vegan menu with the biggest pancake I’ve ever seen.

Apparently it can be hard to eat alone as restaurants here don’t like serving single portions but this seems to apply to the meat based Korean BBQs. A win for the veggies.

*Spring onion style pancake* – *meant for sharing*

There is so much to do, see and experience in Seoul you could easily spend a couple of weeks here. My aim in the afternoon was to make the most of my limited time and visit the cultural Bukchon Hanok Village. I should have paid more attention to the Tourist Helpers who were handing out leaflets on the street – this place is a residential area and “closes” to tourists at 17.00. I had just got there when I was met by people holding sandwich board style placards, encouraging us all to leave in a very smiley and nice manner. Bukchon Hanok will just have to go on the list for when I come back to Seoul at the end of this trip.

*Resemblance to the real life helpers is uncanny*

In the evening I took a walk over to Myeongdong with it’s neon signs and late night shops and street market. This felt like the Seoul I had imagined in my head. I’ll need to dedicate some time for shopping at the end of the trip as there is a whole K-Culture that I’ve not been aware of – K-Pop (Gangnam Style is just the beginning), K-Drama, K-Beauty…

Seoul at night is beautiful and it’s a safe city. I could have walked for miles but I had to be up at 5.30am the next day for my DMZ tour. I will be breaking the hostel rule of “no alarms in the dormitory” for this one. Visiting the DMZ area – the “De-Militarised Zone” – was something I really wanted to do, where you walk through one of the infiltration tunnels and then look at North Korea through binoculars, with a suspension bridge visit thrown in for some light relief.

Next stop, as close to North Korea as it’s possible to get…

A Paradise Island : More Filthy Hippies and a Movie Star’s Residence

April 29, 2019November 19, 2024Posted in Philippines1 Comment

It’s 1am and I’m on the deck of a Filipino movie star’s beachside mansion, belting out Bon Jovi’s ‘I’ll Be There For You’ with my new friend Bernie, our voices echoing out across the ocean and half the island. The speakers are turned up to 11. Anyone who knows me knows that I do not sing! But karaoke is a national sport in The Philippines and they take it very seriously. Saying no is as pointless as saying you’re not hungry when invited to join dinner – a chair will be pulled out and a plate put in front of you, so you might as well just eat . Bernie has just turned off the CCTV camera that his movie star wife and former Miss Philippines had installed to keep the peace and quiet in this stunning residence 🙊. The 70 year old ‘Governor’, as they call her, is out of town and he’s cut me a deal to stay at a quarter of the price. They don’t need the money but apparently she’s one tough lady.

And I discovered that I loved it! There is something quite liberating about singing as loud as you can and not caring that most of the 2km x 1km island can hear you. Because nobody else cares. And we scored 99%.

Declining drinks is also impossible but since my request for less coke in my drink resulted in A PINT glass of neat rum being placed before me, I politely sipped it before sharing it round. To drink Filipino style means you down a shot of rum and coke, poured from a jug and garnished with tiny green limes, then the glass is refilled for the next person. Again, pointless to resist (just cross your fingers nobody has a coldsore).

Backtracking a few days, I wanted a even quieter island than Siquijor for the last few days of my trip and the chance to do absolutely nothing, other than swim in the ocean and laze in a hammock. The Philippines has so many possibilities it actually takes some effort to just stop. The place to relax is the tiny island of Malapascua, where there are no roads and no cars, just sandy paths and motorbikes. No doctor either but let’s not worry about that.

To enjoy travelling here is to accept the fact that it takes one day to get anywhere. There is no point trying to rush. The one ferry a day left Siquijor Island at 12.30, called in at Bohol Island and reached Cebu City about 17.00. I ended up spending 3 nights in Cebu City but didn’t really see much – when you ask where to get food and the hostel staff recommend that you just order takeout then that gives you an idea of the area you’re in!

The next day I set off on the five hour bus journey to Maya port at the Northern tip of Cebu island. They told me that the bus runs every hour so I was prepared for a bit of a wait, but as soon as I arrived at the station a bus driver grabbed my bag, threw it in the storage compartment and said ‘Maya? Leaving now!’ 😎

After 5 hours and hundreds of stops a few of us tourists were dropped off at the New Port where some local men were dozing on plastic chairs. We each paid 100 pesos (about $2) and jumped on a tiny speedboat that took us out to where a slightly bigger boat was waiting off shore. Very different to the super ferries!

An hour later I arrived in paradise. I jumped on the back of a motorbike, wearing my 12kg backpack and hanging on to the driver as we crossed the length of the island in under 10 minutes to where I would be staying – the Neverland camp near the North Beach.

To enjoy Neverland you have to get the concept. Half the people here are ‘volunteers’, although I’m not really sure what they were doing other than arts and crafts with local kids who hangout here. (Note to Helen – Flashback to the Filthy Hippies of Hawaii! At least I didn’t turn up in a sports car). I’ve also never seen people eat as much at mealtimes. But anywhere that makes a wooden sign with my name on it and provides me with a home cooked vegan dinner (including chocolate dessert) and kittens to cuddle gets my vote. I loved my little hut and outdoor bamboo shower. I did not love so much the ‘active meditation’. I thought it was going to be a yoga class. For half an hour we walked around in circles, stopping when the ‘instructor’ clapped her hands, at which point we had to find the nearest person and stare into their eyes for a good few minutes, whilst thinking about how that made us feel. This is surprisingly hard and very, very awkward. But not as awkward as then hugging that person and breathing three deep breaths in unison.

It turns out that the Northern beaches are in fact the most beautiful on the island. A few minutes walk away is the ‘secret beach’ by the Lighthouse Bar. A few minutes the other way is North Beach with it’s single beach cafe and couple of stalls selling cold beer and coconut bread. There is absolutely zero hassle from vendors here. They don’t try to sell you anything until you explicitly ask to buy it.

A few minutes past North Beach, over some barbed wire, is ‘Hidden Beach’. This is the site of a former holiday resort, torn down by Typhoon Yolanda. Some of the buildings remain in the form of half standing bathrooms and derelict rooms. It is a little bit eery. The damage is evident in the shanty town where many people are now living. Everybody I encountered was incredibly friendly but I do wonder what they think about the rich tourists wandering through their village to get to the beach.

The north beaches have crystal clear, warm, turquoise water, corals and fish. Once you’ve experienced beaches like this you become somewhat spoilt. I spent four days hopping between beaches, sunbathing and swimming with other people who were staying at Neverland. When you stay somewhere like this it’s easier to make friends to hangout with than spend the day alone – when you’re travelling it’s perfectly acceptable to swap numbers and invite a stranger along for the day whereas at home you’d be considered a nutter or chatting someone up 😬

Sunset from Secret Beach – I went there every day

*Derelict hotel complex – that’s the bathroom*

I wanted to spend my last night as close to the beach as possible. Cue my new friend Joker arranging my stay at the stunning beach residence below. It needs a bit of TLC – I leant on the banister of the steep stairs up to my room and the whole thing gave way – but the view from my room was unbeatable.

This is the view from my private balcony.

There was the added bonus of pet dog Marley who kept me company on the hammock. Malapascua is a lovely, safe place where everyone knows everyone. I had planned to walk around the island as it’s so small, but it was far too hot. No problem though as you can stop any man on a bike and get a lift for about 30p. It’s even more fun when you ride Filipino style, with at least 3 of you on the bike at once. I wish I had taken a photo.

There are actually day trips you can do to other islands, and most people come to dive with the Thresher Sharks. I was content to just be here. Sadly after 4 nights it was time to say goodbye to Malapascua and The Philippines. I had an incredible time here and could have spent several more weeks exploring the other islands on my wish list. As always, I need to come back. Two lasting memories of the amazing Philippines are below …

Stuck on The Voodoo Island… with Giant Turtles and Mystical Healers

April 29, 2019November 19, 2024Posted in Philippines1 Comment

Known to the Spanish as the Island of Fire, Siquijor is just 340 square kilometres, all palm fringed beaches with a mountain in the middle. The Spanish called it la Isla de Fuego because of the eerie glow from the fireflies around the island at night. The Filipinos called it the Voodoo Island, or Island of Witches. It’s said that many Filipino people won’t come here due to it’s reputation for black magic, shamans and magic potions. Nowadays visitors seek out these mystical mountain healers for good, but some still fear the dark side.

Usually if you want to see the healers you have to hire a guide to find them. But my visit coincided with the Healing Festival when they congregate for 3 days on the mountain. More on that later!

I booked into the wonderful Tagbalayon hostel / guesthouse for one night before I had to move – I had arrived at Easter and everywhere half decent was fully booked. On the pickup from the port I met Shae from Australia and we headed straight out to go snorkeling on the beach opposite, a marine park. It’s actually very difficult to get into the water and swim when it’s only a foot deep when you’re wearing flippers and you don’t want to tread on the coral or get stabbed in the foot by a sea urchin 😂 I was centimetres away from squishing a beautiful blue starfish when Shae screamed STOP! I saw more beautiful colourful fishes on this free outing than on that rubbish day trip on Bohol.

There are no buses on Siquijor Island. Transport is by motorbike or tricycle. I opted for a local guide to take me around on his bike with Shae following on hers – she actually knew how to ride one. This is a really fun way to see the island and gives you the opportunity to check out all the sites without getting lost, then you can return later on your own if you want to.

*Probably the bluest water I’ve ever seen – no filter!*

My favourite stop was the cliff jump – although personally I don’t enjoy jumping into deep water our guide had a great time. Video below! After that he was keen to chill on a secret beach for a while 😂 Payment is on a donation basis – after asking around 800 pesos was apparently the going rate but this works out just £5 each for an entire day which didn’t feel enough to me.

Eveyone on the island seemed to be at the Old Tree, which is also a natural fish spa. I also don’t particularly enjoy having fish nibbling my feet 🤷🏻‍♀️

Siquijor turned into girls on tour when we met more solo female travellers and formed a little group, making plans each day to zip around the beaches on scooters and try different places for dinner. Some things are more fun with other people 😎 Siquijor is so small that every day one of us would run into someone we’d met before.

Naturally we decided to go to the Healing Festival, bringing along Alexandra from Finland on her pink scooter.

After we filled up the bikes with gas from glass Coke bottles we realised our paper map was useless and we didn’t actually know where the festival was or what it would look like. A man told us turn around, take the first left and ask for San Antonio… I love days like this!

We made it to San Antonio after accidently driving past it (it’s just a tiny cluster of little houses) and after several more stops to ask directions we learned the festival was at the Bandilaan Mountain. One more false start when we recognised the name of a cave (some healers hang out in mountain caves) and only after queuing up for a while did we realise we were in the line to go caving, unrelated to the festival 😂

Eventually we arrived at an extremely well organised festival with staff wearing official tshirts directing us to parking spots. After a steep climb up through the national park we reached the mountain top with its Easter Cross – still no healers in sight.

Next clue was a ‘band’ providing entertainment, cue bad singing and reading the words from an iPhone over a sound system which everyone seemed to love. After asking a few more times ‘WHERE ARE THE HEALERS??’ finally we found some little areas under the shade perched high up, with signs for various treatments and long queues of locals and a few tourists. Here we met Nathalia from Poland in the queue for the Bolo Bolo healing. We’d come this far so decided to stick it out and queue for all of them, not that we really knew what they entailed 😂

First up Bolo Bolo. The healer, a man probably in his 40s or 50s, took a jar filled with a clear liquid, with a stone at the bottom, and started blowing into the jar through a straw while moving the jar around my body. If the water becomes brown, you have a problem. Thankfully it remained clear and the healer simply said ‘your body is clean’. Phew. Payment is on a donation basis – we probably over paid for fear of upsetting the healers and being cursed.

Next, Hilot Massage and Palm Reading. Four ladies were doing slightly different massages with the most amazing scented oil any of us had ever smelt. I don’t know what it was, maybe a coconut base, but the glass bottle was full of unrecognisable herbs. Alexandra said her head was bruised after but I loved mine. They spoke only a few English words so the palm reading was interesting…. no privacy here either as the people in the queue jumped in to helpfully translate our readings. I have a feeling a lot was lost in translation as many people received the same fortune. Apparently I’ll be rich by the time I’m 50 👏 cue somebody in the line to offer to marry me at 49 😂

I really enjoyed this festival, it was great to experience something totally different with mostly Filipinos. The drive was also incredibly scenic. I wanted to buy the scented oil but the following was a little bit more than I was looking for – if I bought this and it started bubbling I think I would die of panic.

The fun didn’t stop there as the next day Alexander and I had signed up for a trip to the miniscule Apo Island, the most expensive outing so far at about £30 for the day. Only one company runs these trips, the most expensive resort on Siquijor, Coco Grove. It was also possibly the best day trip I’ve ever taken. Prepared for a rickety old row boat, we were amazed to board a huge luxury boat with comfy airplane style seats, towels and banana cake which won everyone over. We ran into Nathalia again and also picked up Amelia from England.

After an hours cruise we transferred to speed boats to reach the shore where we got two guides for our group of four. There were 65 people in total and I thought it was going to be chaos – but the ocean is big and the individual groups are small. Straight away we encounted giant turtles, wider than me and well over 1m in length. It was almost as good as the whale sharks, especially when you’re swimming along side these graceful creatures and they come up to the surface for air, sticking their cute little heads out next to you. Luckily Nathalia took some photos! The water was so clear I could see the divers below me.

Again it’s hard to keep your distance as sometimes they turn and swim towards you. We all screamed when that happened. I even saw their tiny little teeth 😂

The day continued with buffet lunch (beer and chips!!!) on a gorgeous beach.

I ended up spending 5 nights on Siquijor as I hadn’t booked my ferry ticket in advance and discovered all the seats were sold out until after Easter weekend. There are worse places to be stuck! 😎

I did have to spend two nights in my worst accommodation yet, John Lhea Beach Cottages. Let’s just say that I did not have a beach cottage, I had a windowless room in a building away from the beach, unless you count the two windows (just a fly shield in place of glass) into my next door neighbours room, including a window into their bathroom!

The flimsy blind was on their side so I had to shout out to them to please close it as I could see them and hear EVERYTHING. It also meant I couldn’t sleep until they did as their light was essentially my light. I couldn’t even tell the owner / staff as there was never anybody around who was not sleeping 🤷🏻‍♀️

*What does this weather mean? We saw it every night*

Eventually I got a ticket off this island by paying a man £3 to go and queue up at the port at 5am and buy it for me 🙈 There is always a way in The Philippines! Next stop, the even smaller Malapascalua Island…

Bohol : Benidorm, Suicidal Monkeys and Chocolate Hills

April 28, 2019November 19, 2024Posted in Asia, Philippines, TravelLeave a comment

I arrived at Pier 1 in Cebu City a sweaty mess after walking around in circles for half an hour with a dodgy ankle in 100F heat. I didn’t take a taxi as it was supposed to be just 5 minutes walk in a straight line. For people with a moderate sense of direction maybe. Why are the Pier buildings visible from all directions but only actually accessible from one side?!

I wasn’t expecting the airport style security and baggage checkin desks or to have an assigned seat – Filipinos know how to do ferries in style! After a couple of hours I arrived on the island of Bohol, famous for two things – the world’s smallest primate and the Chocolate Hills. Both sounded intriguing.

With even more disorganisation than usual, I only booked my accommodation the night before and picked Alona Beach as I was ready for some sand. Almost as soon as I checked into my £7 a night Moon Falls hostel and stepped outside, I realised that this was mistake. I hated it. Like Benidorm in extreme heat, if beach security carried rifles and pistols. And packed with people as it was Holy Week. As for the people, the girls on my snorkeling trip were wearing eyeliner which says it all. Although one of them, actually in my eyes the most beautiful, confided that she was ‘not a real girl’ so I’ll let her off the false lashes. On the walk to the beach I was bombarded with offers of island hopping trips and souvenirs 😬

Against my better judgement but after making friends with a lovely Filipina girl from Manila when we shared a table in the next door vegan cafe Shaka (which is amazing but pricey), I booked myself onto a snorkeling trip for tomorrow that she had really enjoyed. I had already read terrible one star reviews of these snorkeling trips yet for some reason I had a temporary memory lapse when I signed up to a 05.55 am start the next day 🤷🏻‍♀️

*I was happy to discuss where my husband is to sit under this umbrella and drink coconut water*

Lesson learned : Always heed the reviews!! Whilst I take many hotel reviews with a pinch of salt (‘there was no toilet paper in the bathroom but when I asked for some they were happy to provide it’ – was that even worth writing?!) a succession of negative comments on a tour IS worth taking note of.

I only wanted to snorkel so I didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the itinerary. Had I realised I’d spend two hours on a boat where the engine noise drowned out any notion of a peaceful morning, to chase a small pod of dolphins around with 50 other boats I would not have set foot onboard. All I could see was boatloads of Chinese tourists jumping up and down and squealing, selfie sticks everywhere. My group had a particularly annoying French guy who repeatedly asked the crew if he could get in and swim with the dolphins despite the fact they kept saying NO. I was very tempted to push him overboard and see how he fared amongst all of the boats. Sadly many of these tourists are the ones who sign up for the Oslob whale shark ‘tours’.

When we eventually reached the first island, I ended up in a ridiculous comedy argument with the guide… He said we could leave our bags on a table before we go to different site far away for snorkeling. I said I’d rather bring my bag with me. It contains my asthma inhaler, which I’m 99.99% not going to need but I’d like to have it in the near vicinity if we are going to a different site. The guide thinks I want to go snorkeling carrying my backpack because I think it will be stolen. Him: ‘don’t worry it’s safe here’. Me: ‘I know, I just need to bring my inhaler’. After about ten minutes of this, I show him the inhaler. Him: ‘don’t worry we’ll take you in a boat’. Me: ‘??!’. As he’s getting a canoe ready I realise he thinks I’m not fit enough to walk to the snorkel site and need to be specially transported. After I finally convince him that I can actually walk unaided, we set off on the THREE MINUTE walk across the island where everyone else is happily snorkeling away with turtles. After he hid my inhaler in a boat on the shore and gave me a life jacket because he clearly thinks I can’t swim either, we got in the water and I realised he’s not going to leave my side in case I have an asthma attack and die 🤦🏻‍♀️ To make it worse I couldn’t actually swim because the two sizes too big life jacket was floating up around my ears and my crappy mask was filling with water. I’m trying not to flip over whilst the concerned guide is diving down to tie the threadbare life jacket between my thighs to stop it riding up over my head, whilst trying to stay afloat himself, and he picks that moment to ask ‘are you married? Where’s your boyfriend?’ 🤦🏻‍♀️

After 15 mins chaperoning me around the water both the guide and me had enough. We walked the 3 mins back to where the rest of the group was sitting miserably under a canopy refusing offers of overpriced breakfast. We waited there for an hour while the annoying French guy (it had to be him obviously) to go for ‘a quick look’ at the corals before we were transported back to the mainland £10 lighter. We did stop a beautiful sand bank on the way back where I had a fried banana and a another chat with the vendor about where my husband is. I realise that I was still on a very nice island but always do your research!! 😂

I made the snap decision to forfeit the cost of my already paid for bed for the night and get a taxi straight out of there up to the town of Loboc. Sometimes you have to change your plans! Loboc sits on the river and according to the Lonely Planet is where eveyone bases themselves for the Chocolate Hills. I was expecting a backpacker hub. I got the only room left in the town which felt inexplicably empty…

As I looked over the fields from my odd little guesthouse where nobody spoke English I knew I had made the right decision. Even when I wandered around the tiny smoky ghost town (they burn leaves to keep the mosqitoes at bay) to find everything closed and didn’t see a single other traveller.

The next morning I had to move accommodation as everywhere was fully booked – where these mythical guests were hanging out I have no idea. But it was a good thing, as my new place, Stefanie Grace Paradise Inn was just beautiful. On the banks of the river, with steps leading down into the water and even a slide for the kids or braver adults, I had my own little room for about £10.

The lovely people there organised for next door neighbour Michael to take me on a private trip in his tricycle as there were no tour companies in town. I was all set to brave the jeepney but it was so worth it – instead of being herded around tourist spots in a big group I got to choose where I wanted to go, stop when I wanted and enjoy the lush green scenery whilst chatting to Michael.

We passed through the ‘manmade forest’ of Mahogany trees which I didn’t really understand, but his father apparently helped to plant. The seat in the tricycle was made from one of those trees but now it’s prohibited to cut them down. I was actually sitting on a travel neck cushion which Michael keeps for his passengers, asking ‘would you like that for your ass?’ 😂

*Apparently you must have a pic standing in the road*

I made sure we went to the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella to see the world’s smallest primate – not the ‘conservation area’ where most of the day trips take you. Michael agreed that this is the right way to see these tiny animals.

*Disclaimer : it’s not actually a monkey*

At the centre a guide took three of us to see a few of these tiny, tiny creatures with their huge eyes (which are bigger than their brain), only the size of my hand. They are probably the cutest things I’ve ever seen and I wanted to pick them up and never let go.

Here is a cute video :

Sadly they are endangered and if stressed, they commit suicide by holding their breath. Solitary and nocturnal, they need peace and quiet during the day. You’re reminded to whisper and not get too close.

*Prince Charles should not have been touching that*

Next stop, the second most famous attraction in Bohol, the bizzare Chocolate Hills.

Unfortunately no chocolate in sight, but after climbing some steps to the viewpoint (they told me it was a steep hike, really far – it’s really not!) I could see hundreds of identical, perfectly dome shaped chocolate brown mounds in all directions. Parched from the heat they became a national landmark.

There are no trees on top. Actually there are about 2,000 of these hills, which started off underwater and gradually formed over the years. These are another thing I didn’t really understand – why are they only found on this tiny island?!

If I had more time I could have stayed longer in Loboc simply to lounge by the river and admire the views and the wonderfully dated common area with it’s green decor and family photos. Or laze in a hammock at the guesthouse by day and be seranaded by the aging long haired manager and his guitar in the evening. I was enjoying the Beatles renditions, resident dog and free San Miguel and didn’t even mind the ‘are you married’ chat until he asked if I had a spare passport photo he could keep in his wallet to remember me – at which point I made a swift exit for an early night 😂

But a couple of days is sufficient to see the main sites. Itching to get to the real beaches, I took another lovely ferry further south to the mystical island of Siquijor, known to the locals for it’s mountain top black magic healers…

Face to Face with the Whale Shark

April 23, 2019November 19, 2024Posted in Asia, Philippines, TravelLeave a comment

Top of my bucket list for years has been to swim with the mighty Whale Sharks. I have tried in The Honduras and Belize and it’s always been the wrong time of year or bad weather conditions. This time around, with April being peak season for whale sharks to migrate to Donsol, Luzon I had a good feeling about my chances.

Donsol was a small fishing village until word of these giant visitors got out, placing it on the tourist map. I could have taken a 14 hour bus from Manila and saved the £££ but I couldn’t face it straight off the 10.5 hour bus back from the rice terraces. Plus I had tripped down the bunk bed steps at my hostel in Manila and sprained my ankle 😬One minute I’m stepping down, next minute I’m flying across the dorm room head first into someone else’s bed, dropping my things everywhere and waking everyone up. To finish my ankle off, I tripped again on the same step immediately after 🤦🏻‍♀️

So I spent the money on the flight from Manila to Legazpi airport, which is right next to a perfectly cone shaped active volcano. I sat next to a beautiful 90 year old local woman wearing a denim mini dress who told me of her 12 children with a wry smile, admitting that one or two would have been enough but there was no birth control back then 😂 Atleast they are all still alive she said, and she knows most of her grandchildren’s names but understandably not their birthdays.

*That white cloud is not a cloud, it’s a smoking volcano*

I stayed at the Agaluz Homestay in Donsol and the lovely Marion came to pick me up from the airport. Marion and family live in a nice house with one room for each of their grown up children who never actually come to stay so they decided to open it up to visitors instead. ‘Welcome home’ said Host Dad when I arrived. Also staying were two cute and very well behaved grandchildren. Rooms here are very basic but you get home cooked food and the personal touch.

The next morning I went straight to register at the Whale Shark (locally known as Butanding) Interaction Centre – a swollen ankle was not going to stop me even if I did have to hobble up the steps onto the boat. It’s very well organised – no prebooking required but you must register when the centre opens at 7.15 and pay a small fee plus boat and guides, in total about £10. They place you into groups (maximum 6 people) and ensure that you watch a video detailing the rules. Absolutely no touching and don’t get too close. Whale sharks are an endangered species with only 1000 identified world wide. Some whale shark facts – on average they are 5-10 metres long and weigh 20 tons. To put it in perspective they are the size of a bus.

There were 5 crew members on my boat – a spotter who I didn’t notice perched up top until later on, driver and general crew, and the Butanding Interaction Officer (BIO) who gets in the water with you.

I deliberately made the trip to Donsol instead of the more easily accessible Oslob (on the island of Cebu) as I did some research and listened to many warnings of how the whale sharks in Oslob are fed to attract them. I heard tales of the whale sharks having cuts on their heads from bumping the boats for food and it being a free for all with dozens of tourists in the water. I only wanted to see a whale shark if was possible without harming or disrupting them, and if this meant not seeing one at all then so be it.

Our boat set off and the BIO, probably in his 50s who chain smoked in between swimming, said they already had a sighting and to get ready. What this actually means is you have about 5 seconds to get your snorkel mask and fins on and sit on the edge of the moving boat, while he shouts ‘Faster! Faster!!’ then when he shouts ‘JUMP!!’ you all leap into the water and swim as fast as you can to catch him up. I wore a lifejacket thinking that if my ankle gave way then I wouldn’t drown but soon realised that being extra buoyant combined with holding a hired GoPro and only kicking with one leg really limits your speed. I was soon left behind after a fleeting glimpse of huge grey fin through slightly murky water.

Eveyone got back on the boat and as soon we sat down the guide shouted ‘GET READY!!!’ again. The next time I was just watching the fin go out of sight again when I was suddenly propelled forwards at a speed far greater than I can swim even using both my arms and legs. The little guide was pulling me by one arm – I have absolutely no idea how he did this (he didn’t even have flippers) but I have never moved so fast in the water in my life. All of sudden I looked down and I was swimming above the head of the biggest fish on earth. This one was about 7 metres long. The water had cleared completely and I could see every detail on it’s beautiful spotted blue / grey skin. Even the little fish attached to its sides and eating off of it. I cannot describe the feeling of entering the world of this gentle giant for a few moments, until it outswims you and you watch it’s long body pass by. These are not my own photos as I can’t access my memory stick until I get home but new friend Steve kindly provided them from his trip (credit to his friend Li) to give you an idea of what a Whale Shark looks like!

From then on, the guide, my new hero, took me under his wing. I ditched the life jacket and he took charge of my camera – now I could swim at a normal pace 😂 For the next 10 sightings or so, he and I would jump together and he would position me in the water. Suddenly a shark would be approaching, swimming directly towards me with it’s huge mouth half open (which can be up to 2 metres) lined with thousands of tiny teeth. They filter feed, meaning they swim with their mouth open to scoop up plankton (not humans!). I admit to feeling a tiny bit scared the first time, as everyone else onboard also confessed, and coming up for air just to see where the other people in the group were. I probably did get too close by accident a few times because if it decides to move closer to you there isn’t much you can do!

Thanks to the BIO, I had several moments where I was the only person around, swimming alone alongside one of these huge creatures who weren’t at all interested in my presence. It was an absolutely incredible experience.

That evening I went to see the fireflies on a river cruise, the only other thing there is to do in Donsol. My Host Dad took me and waited while I went in a tiny boat with some of the same people from this morning’s trip, run by his cousin. Everybody is related in Donsol. We had to watch another rather bizzare video, starring the same presenters as the whale sharks version, who were comparing the fireflies to Disney World.

The guide explained that tourists were complaining that there was nothing to do at night, so they started taking visitors out on these sunset cruises to see these insects that light up the trees along the river.

To be honest it was nice, and I’ve never actually seen a firefly before, but it can never match the morning activities. After viewing four trees filled with the tiny shining insects, the guide asked if we wanted to visit another tree and it was a unanimous ‘thank you we have seen enough’ all round 😂

Marion had also called somebody to come and look at my ankle – apparently here they do an ancient massage treatment. Bizarrely I was supposed to meet this person at the entrance to the firefly cruise, which I thought was a bit strange, but they didn’t turn up. In the end a kind masseuse turned up at the house at 8pm to treat me on a donation basis. I was a little apprehensive about her waving my bruised foot around in circles but she worked miracles – so much so that I booked her for an hours massage the following day (for a few pounds, which even then she didn’t want to charge me for).

I had fun playing with the kids in the house and hanging out with 16 year housekeeper Rhea. I can’t quite get used to being called Miss Marianne though. After two days of delicious vegetable dinners and my hosts saying ‘wow you really are pure vegetarian’, I asked what spices were used. ‘We put fish sauce instead of salt’ was the answer. I give up! 🤦🏻‍♀️ The green jackfruit cooked in coconut milk was delicious though.

I went out again with the Whale Sharks the next day – Marion had told me about a guest who stayed for two weeks and went everyday, which I now understand. This time I didn’t get such an amazing guide although he did have a Filipino couple to deal with who could not swim – after a few goes hanging off a float they conceded defeat and watched from the boat. You do have be a reasonably confident swimmer as you will be jumping from a moving boat (cue massive bruise on my arm!) and you’ll be swimming in seriously deep water. Thank you parents for swimming lessons when I was a kid!! 🙏

Second time around the whole thing was much more rushed – one time I didn’t jump in time and got left behind on the boat. At least I didn’t get left in the water like one girl when our boat took off a bit too early.

Having swam with at least 15 whale sharks from baby sized to absolutely huge, I doubted that I could top my experience so I booked a last minute flight to the next destination, Cebu. The cost of booking a flight the day before you travel is extortionate but it was worth every penny to fulfill a dream which had become a bit of an obsession 😎 Next stop, in search of the World’s Smallest Primate…