Top 3 Travel Apps for Traveling to The Philippines or Asia

Our Two Most-Used Phone Apps for Philippines Travel

We traveled to the Philippines for a month. We used many smartphone apps, travel and non-travel, on a regular basis. However, some of the apps helped us so much that we wanted to share here and in this video: Top 5 Travel Accessories & Apps For Month-Long Philippines Trip

Kayak Mobile App – Kayak, the online travel company, owned by Priceline (who also owns Booking.com, Agoda). Kayak Mobile, which is free and truly incredible, can do a lot more than search for hotels and flights.

The Kayak Mobile App can track flights and the best feature which many do not know about is that it can create an itinerary of your trips automatically when you email your hotel or flight bookings to trips@kayak.com. You can visualize your trip day-by-day in chronological order, so you will have a clear idea of your entire trip without double booking or overbooking anything.

We had hotel change every 1 or 2 days for our month-long trip, so the Kayak Mobile App helped us a lot in organising all our bookings together. Also, at the airport the Kayak Mobile App alerted us about flight delays, gate changes, and even our airport baggage carousel numbers long before they became available on the display board.

Grab – Many Asian countries don’t have Uber, but they have Grab. It’s a very handy app to call a taxi or bike if you don’t want to get scammed and avoid any hassle. We used Grab almost every day in the Philippines and it saved us a lot of time also.

Airalo – This is an eSIM provider that will save you a lot of time and hassle. You can install your destination country’s SIM before even leaving your home country and you will have the network when you land. We also installed a local physical SIM on our phones, but the pain and hassle will make me think twice before installing a physical SIM again.

How to Go to Boracay from Manila (Philippines)

Easy Way to Get to Boracay from Manila

If you want to go to the paradise island Boracay in the Philippines, this is your easy guide. You can also watch the video linked here: How To Go To Boracay From Manila

There are 2 ways to get to Boracay:

1. Taking the Ferry – This involves going to the Batangas (3 or so hours) and then ferry from the Batangas ferry port to the Boracay ferry port. This ferry could take 12 to 13 hours. As you can see, this whole trip is too long and not recommended unless you really want to enjoy the ferry ride across the ocean.

2. Taking A Flight from Manila – This can be done 2 different ways.

A. From Manila Airport Kalibo Airport: About an hour flight. Then take an hour-and-a-half tricycle (or other vehicle) ride to the Caticlan Jerry Port. From Caticlan Jerry Port it’s a 15-minute boat ride to Cagban Port on Boracay Island. Your hotel will be a 15-minute ride from Cagban Boracay Port.

B. From Manila Airport to Caticlan Airport: About an hour flight. Then take a 10-minute tricycle (or other vehicle) ride to the Caticlan Jerry Port. The rest is the same as Option A – going to the Kalibo Airport.

As you can see, Option A and B are very similar, except that from the Kalibo airport you have to take an hour-and-a-half ride, whereas from the Caticlan Airport you have a 10-minute ride.

Obviously, going to the Caticlan Airport can save you a lot of time and make your Boracay trip a lot better.

One thing to keep in mind is that you will save a bit of money in airfares by choosing the Kalibo airport, but this may be a viable decision if you think it’s worth it.

Top 10 Things You Need to Know Before Flying Lynx Air

Lynx Air – What You Must Know

I flew with Canadian ultra-low-cost carrier Lynx Air from Halifax to Toronto and learned these top FAQs you must need to know before flying with Lynx Air next time.

1. Lynx Air doesn’t provide free carry-on luggage; you have to pay for it. However, they do provide 1 free personal item. I found their personal item size (6x13x17) to be slightly smaller than many other airlines.

2. If you need to, you can purchase checked or carry-on bags before you arrive at the airport to save money.

3. Always check-in online to make sure you have the flight and you may be able to get better seats for free.

4. No food, snacks, or drinks will be provided. You will only get a sad little cup of water.

5. There is no entertainment or anything like that whatsoever. Arrange your own.

6. There is no charging outlets. Bring your own power banks.

7. Lynx Air seats do not recline and don’t expect them to be comfortable like international flights.

8. Expect delays and cancellations. This is because Lynx Air does not have an abundance of planes.

9. I found their pre-boarding and on-board flight services to be not too bad. Lynx Air is a no-frill airline but I have to give their employees and flight attendants credit for being nice and providing good service. This is based on my own experience; your experience may vary.

10. Based on the facts I mentioned above, I would still fly with Lynx Air in the future to save money.

The Philippines. Manila and Boracay Basics: Top Things to Know Before You Go

What You Need to Know About the Philippines, Manila and Boracay

My month-long Philippines trip is just around the corner and I wanted to put together a short intro to the Philippines, Manila and Boracay.

The Philippines: What You Need to Know

The Philippines is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia, in the Pacific Ocean. The Philippines is made up of 7,640 islands, 2,000 of which are inhabited. The country is broadly categorized in three main geographical divisions:

Luzon - This is the largest, northernmost island. Manila is a part of it.

Visayas - The major islands Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and Masbate.

Mindanao – In the south. This is the second largest island.

Manila: What You Need to Know

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a densely-populated metropolis located on a bay of Luzon (one of over 7,000 Philippine islands). Manila has a population of about 15 million in a 240 sq mi area, making it the most or one of the most densely-populated cities in the world.

The City of Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is made up of 16 administrative districts like Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Quiapo, and more.

The greater Metropolitan Manila area or Metro Manila is officially called the National Capital Region (NCR). Metro Manila made up of cities like the City of Manila, Makati, Quezon City, Parañaque, Pasay, Taguig, and more.

Boracay: What You Need to Know

With its powdery white-sand beaches and tranquil turquoise water, Boracay is a paradise on Earth. Boracay covers only 10km and the narrowest point is only 1km. Boracay is located in the western region of Visayas, in the Aklan province, under the jurisdiction of Malay.

Boracay has received various recognitions from top travel magazines such as the Best Island in Asia award from Travel + Leisure and the Top Island in the World from Condé Nast Traveler.

The most popular beach in Boracay is the White Beach (it’s also the biggest), but there are many other world-class beaches exist such as Puka Shell Beach, Bulabog Beach, Diniwid Beach and Ilig-Iligan Beach.  All these beaches have white sand and they are unique their own ways.

Boracay White Beach is divided into 3 sections: Station 1, 2 and 3. These stations are essentially the north, middle and south parts of the beach.

Station 1: Wider Beach & Luxury Resorts

Boracay’s famous visual landmark Willy’s Rock is in Station 1. Here you will find most of the luxurious hotels and resorts. Station 1 is comparatively quieter than Station 2. 

The water is shallow and the beach is wider here with no separate walking path. Station 1 has the finest stretch of white sand.

Only a few clubs are in the same proximity within a short walking distance if you want to enjoy the Boracay nightlife.

Station 2: The Centre

This is the middle part of Boracay and the most crowded, with an assortment of shops and restaurants. You will find many mid-range hotels and resorts. The water is still shallow but not as much like Station 1.

The biggest D’mall sits right in the middle of Station 2. There is a seafood market, D’Talipapa, located in the south. You will find lots of bars, live music, and 3 clubs where you can experience the Boracay Nightlife.

Station 3: Nature and Tranquility

This is the quietest station with lots of greenery and lots of budget-friendly hotels. The beach is a lot steeper here. There are only a handful of laid-back bars and one club for nightlife.

Merino Wool T-Shirt – My First Impressions of a Merino Tech T-Shirt

First Time Buying A Merino T-Shirt

After waiting for many tears, I finally bought a Merino wool T-shirt. Merino wool clothes are expensive. The are made from a specific type of Merino sheep wool and offer some unique characteristics.

Some of the benefits Merino clothes offer include:

- Super Soft & Comfortable

- Moisture Wicking & Odor Resistant

- Naturally regulates body temperature to keep you comfortable all year round

- Perfect for travel

What I have heard is that you can wear Merino clothes for a few days without any odour. Also, its natural heat-regulating property keeps you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The big disadvantage of Merino wool clothes is that they are very expensive. For example, a t-shirt can cost around $100. This is what kept me from buying a Merino t-shirt for a long time.

The t-shirt I bought is made by a brand called Merino Tech. It is made of 100% organic Merino sheep wool from New Zealand. When I first opened it, I was impressed right away.

The fabric feels very smooth and soft. It also looks high quality. I found a few Merino socks included as a gift. My main reason to buy a Merino wool t-shirt is for travel. I am going on a trip to the Philippines next week for almost a month and this will be a good opportunity to put my Merino wool t-shirt to the test.

I have a video review which can be viewed here:

Merino T-Shirt First Impressions