Bino

Bohol – Still an Island Paradise

February 5, 2014 by Bino 16 Comments

I arrived in Tagbilaran City, the capital of the central Philippine province of Bohol on a gloomy morning just before a signal #2 typhoon was about to hit the island. Not the coming storm nor the fact that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the island only some 3.5 months back seemed to deter the throngs of people, mostly holiday-goers from coming. Prior to my trip, I had wondered myself whether I could still get a decent experience traveling around Bohol given the pictures I had previously seen of churches lying in rubble, impassable roads and landslides on the famed Chocolate Hills.

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Ten Unknown Towns in Asia You Must Visit Before You Die

January 26, 2014 by Bino 14 Comments

The great thing about living in the world’s largest and most populous continent is that there will never be a shortage of varied things to see. But beyond the likes of Taj Mahal, the pulsating city streets of Tokyo and Singapore or the temple ruins of Angkor Wat; there is a treasure trove of less known locales that are just as worthwhile to visit.

If you’re looking for amazing places to visit in Asia but want something less crowded, consider these places. You won’t regret it.

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Majestic Kuala Kangsar – Royal Town of Perak, Malaysia

January 16, 2014 by Bino 1 Comment

Nestled in a valley with the Perak River meandering its way around it, the royal town of Kuala Kangsar is another one of those classic Malaysian outposts replete with grandeur and serenity. Cities such as Ipoh and Taiping I could consider as laidback, but Kuala Kangsar, despite being the place of residence of the Sultan of Perak, felt empty. It was as if the whole town was a museum showpiece. We were to discover later that this assumption was not so farfetched.

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How to Visit North Korea

January 9, 2014 by Bino 15 Comments

I thought this post is a bit overdue, but better late than never!

To be honest, I was astonished when I received so many questions on how to visit North Korea after writing about the things to do in Pyongyang some months back. I certainly never expected there to be many people interested to visit this notorious place. When I was planning for the trip, many of my friends rejected me outright when I invited them. Are you crazy? – was the most usual response I got. But fortunately, two friends went with me in the end, so I didn’t have to experience the many “pleasures” of the DPRK by my lonesome!

our small tour group plus our guide

Visiting North Korea is not as straightforward as visiting other countries. But let me clear up some myths here – it’s not an overly complicated process. Most of the arranging is actually done by the travel agency so one can just sit back and relax for the most part.

If you have intentions of visiting this mysterious country, here are some things to take note of.

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Bargain Destinations You Need to Visit in 2014

December 29, 2013 by Bino 2 Comments

2014 is set to be another exciting year for traveling. With an ever expanding air network, exchange rates of some key currencies plummeting and pariah countries opening up little by little, there should be no shortage of bargain destinations to choose from when making travel plans for next year. Overall, I see some themes when it comes to traveling to relative value destinations for next year. Europe – particularly the eurozone countries which have been the cheapest to visit for the past 2 years compared to the historical average, will likely lose a bit of the low cost luster next year as these countries recover from the deepest recession in decades. Emerging countries, particularly those in Asia, should offer a lot more value. Japan, which for years have discouraged travelers due to the (unfair) reputation of being expensive, should also offer a lot of value next year due to the plummeting Yen coupled with a more liberal policy for tourists. Here’s a run down of some key bargain destinations to visit in 2014:

Iran

This underrated gem with a terribly unfair reputation, and my favorite destination in Asia, has always been a good value destination as far as I can remember. During my visit some two years ago, I could get a nice traditional hotel room facing a Persian garden for only $28 with breakfast, admission to several impressive attractions (including UNESCO World Heritage Sites) for less than a buck and a 6-hour luxury bus ride for only $6. Last year, the Iranian Rial plummeted by half due to worsening sanctions which made things even cheaper for travelers. I choose Iran as a bargain destination to visit in 2014 due to the new reformist leadership and improving international relations which may make traveling next year to this country a tad more convenient than in the past. There is even talk of easing visa restrictions so this is definitely a destination to keep a look out for in 2014.

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7 Compelling Reasons Why You Should Visit Croatia

December 15, 2013 by Bino 10 Comments

No longer off the beaten path, Croatia is becoming one of the hottest destinations in Europe. Medieval walled cities. Fine food. Turquoise waters. This country is blessed with having a wide variety of things to offer all travelers.

Some twenty years ago, Croatia was a war zone. Many people still remember with horror how the walled city of Dubrovnik was shelled during the depths of the Balkan Wars. Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and there was no tourism industry to speak of. How things have changed! Today, Croatia is the rising star of the peninsula, having gained EU membership this year and attracting the attention of many pleasure seekers from around the world. More than eleven million people each year now visit this country of a population of less than 5 million! I visited earlier this year and was totally bowled over at how this small country punches way above its weight in terms of things to see and do. Here, I give you reasons why you should visit Croatia!

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Simple Tips to Travel in Europe Cheaply

December 8, 2013 by Bino 12 Comments

Traveling to Europe has perhaps never been cheaper than in the last two years. Thanks in part to the plummeting euro and the widening recognition of the Schengen visa, it is now a lot easier to move across the various European countries using just one currency (for the most part) and one visa.

I thought I’d share some simple tips on cheap travel around Europe. I learned these money-saving measures during my visits to the continent during the past few years. To be perfectly frank, none of them are in any way ground breaking. But they are effective, at least for me. Hopefully, to you as well.

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One Day in Tokyo

November 28, 2013 by Bino 1 Comment

With only one day to spend in Tokyo last week, I wanted to make the most out of my short trip. This was my second visit to Tokyo, after an absence of what must have been almost a decade. As I did not have time on my side this time, I thought I could skip the usual tourist sights such as the Sensoji / Asakusa Kannon Temple, the Imperial Palace as well as Odaiba and focus instead on the sheer urbanity of the megalopolis. There are a lot of things to see in Tokyo and I did not want to make the mistake of getting overly ambitious. In the end, I highlighted just four places and stuck to it.

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