Returning from a month-long trip to Pakistan, young travel videographer Le Tu shares his exciting journey with Travellive readers. Based on his personal experiences, Tu suggests some new destinations in Southeast Asia that he believes will be very attractive in the summer of 2019.
Philippines: Exploring the paradise island
The Philippines is an extremely large island nation in the region, surrounded on all sides by densely packed islands. Comprising over 7,000 islands of varying sizes, the Palawan and Cebu archipelagos are the two destinations that impressed Le Tu the most, thanks to their stunning beaches, diverse activities, rich culture, and varied local cuisine. You should visit these two archipelagos in May and June, as this season offers calm seas, clear skies, and is ideal for nature-immersing adventures.
Blue Lagoon
In particular, you can't miss El Nido or Coron if you've set foot in Palawan, as they are fantastic destinations for scuba diving, hiking, kayaking, snorkeling, and more. Tours in El Nido and Coron are quite well-developed, so I bought a day tour for convenience. Day tours here often combine visits to multiple locations, such as Tour A and Tour C in El Nido, or the Ultimate tour in Coron. I got to experience the lagoons and beautiful beaches there. Each tour included a hearty lunch.
Corel Town
Besides that, the town of Moalboal in Cebu is an exciting place to experience activities like swimming with sardines, waterfall jumping, or diving with whale sharks… According to Tu, you should buy a Canyoneering tour (a jungle trekking and waterfall jumping activity) to explore Kasawan Falls for about 1,600 pesos, including pick-up and drop-off from your hotel, a guide, and safety equipment. If you want to go on your own, you can rent a motorbike from Moalboal (about 500 pesos) to get to Kasawan Falls in the north. The entrance fee to Kasawan Falls is 45 pesos, renting safety equipment is about 200 pesos, and it's best to go early in the morning to avoid the crowds later.
In Oslob, to go whale shark diving, Tú had to arrive the afternoon before, rent a hotel near the Oslob Whaleshark Watching Center so he could go diving early the next morning. Ideally, he would dive with whale sharks between 6 and 10 a.m.
Additional information
- Move:
From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, there are many direct flights to Manila, followed by a connecting flight to El Nido or Coron. The most economical option is to fly Cebu Pacific Airlines from Manila to Puerto Princesas, then take a van from the airport to El Nido (approximately 6 hours), and from El Nido take a high-speed ferry (approximately 3 hours) to Coron.
From Manila to Cebu City, you can also book a flight, then take a bus to Moalboal and another bus from Moalboal to Oslob and back to Cebu.
- Note:
Summer is peak season, so you need to book your flights and train tickets to El Nido and Coron early to avoid tickets selling out.
The Philippines uses the peso, with the current exchange rate being: 1 peso = 437 Vietnamese dong.
Filipinos generally eat a lot of meat and little vegetables, so if you find it difficult to get used to the local food, you can choose European or South American-style restaurants – many of which are concentrated in tourist centers.
In major cities like Cebu or Manila, you should download the Grab app in advance to book a ride more easily. Manila experiences severe traffic congestion during rush hour, so if you have a flight between 4 and 8 PM, you should arrive at the airport early.
On islands like Palawan or Cebu, there are no taxis, Grab services, or local buses. People usually get around by tricycle (a type of motorbike with an added passenger compartment), costing around 10 pesos per ride; if going further, it's advisable to negotiate the price beforehand.
The Wi-Fi network in the Philippines is very poor, so using a 4G package from Globe or Smart will provide a more stable and better connection.
Indonesia: Volcanoes and the Land of Dragons
When mentioning Indonesia, people easily picture the beautiful island of Bali. However, according to Le Tu's travel experience, there are other islands here with equally interesting activities, scenery, and culture. In particular, one cannot overlook East Java, located at the southern end of the large central island of Jakarta and Flores, with the Komodo Islands to the south – home to the very large and fierce Komodo dragons.
Komodo
From April to September is the dry season in Indonesia, with extremely pleasant weather, perfect for traveling. Many activities are suitable during this time, such as climbing volcanoes, visiting waterfalls, watching the sunrise, or strolling through local markets.
To experience East Java, you should start from Surabaya with a pre-booked tour to Bromo and Ijen, approximately 3 days and 2 nights. If traveling independently, you can take a bus from Surabaya to Probollingo, then another bus from there to Cemoro Lawang village, located at the foot of the Bromo volcano. Here, Tú trekked Mount Bromo from early morning to fully enjoy the majestic scenery from sunrise. Returning to Probollingo, you can choose to take a van or bus to Banyuwangi city – about 40 km from Mount Ijen – and book a tour at any hotel (around 300,000 - 400,000 IDR) to experience Jien. This tour usually includes transportation, breakfast, and overnight stay at the hotel. According to Tú, you should also take time to visit the rainbow village of Malang or majestic waterfalls like Madakaripura Waterfall.
Ijen Volcano
From Labuan Bajo, you can book a 2-day, 1-night tour to the Komodo Dragon Islands and other islands (including meals and entrance fees to Padar, Komodo, and Rince) for approximately 1,000,000 IDR per person. Based on my experience, it's best to go in a group of about 7 people so you can rent a private boat and plan your own exploration of the other islands. Additionally, you'll have a good chance to spot Komodo dragons – the famous reptiles here that can grow up to 3 meters long – and you shouldn't miss the spectacular sunrise on Padar or Pink Island.
Komodo Dragon
Additional information
- Move:
From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, you should book an Air Asia flight with a layover in Kuala Lumpur before flying to Surabaya – Indonesia's second-largest city. If your destination is Komodo, you can fly from Bali or Surabaya to Labuan Bajo, Flores.
- Note:
Indonesian food has a rather unique and spicy flavor. Try some famous dishes like Nasi Goreng (a type of fried rice), satay-grilled chicken, Bakso (a soup with chicken or beef meatballs, the broth is slightly salty and quite easy to eat), or Babi Guling (traditional roasted pig's trotters marinated with various herbs, slightly salty and very delicious)...
The currency of Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupee, with the current exchange rate being 1 IDR = 1.65 VND.
Renting a motorbike to get around the Indonesian islands is quite cheap, only about 70,000-100,000 IDR per day.
In major cities like Bali and Surabaya, the two local ride-hailing apps Grab and Gojek are quite popular, but Flores and the mountainous regions of Bromo/Ijen do not have these services, so transportation is mainly by renting motorbikes or taking buses.
You should buy a Telkomsel SIM card - the largest mobile network in Indonesia, which works well in both Flores and East Java.
AUTHOR'S PROFILE:
- Full name: Le Ngoc Tu
- Year of birth: 1991
- Education: Master of International Business Administration from Coventry University, UK
- Previously worked in IT customer service, partnering with Microsoft.
- I have visited: India, Nepal, Pakistan, and many other Southeast Asian countries.
Plans for 2019: To complete a trip exploring the countries along the ancient Silk Road, primarily Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Xinjiang (China), and Kazakhstan.
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