Saigon: Manila on Bikes

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Saigon, Vietnam

Vietnam marks a milestone in my travel life. It is the 30th country that I have visited (8th in Asia) and Saigon (now known as Ho Chi Minh City) is the nth city/place that I have been to (I’ve lost count of all the cities, towns, and places that I have seen in all 5 continents that I have set foot on). Vietnam has always been in my radar, but just like Japan, I have no explanation as to why it took me this long to finally book a flight and visit one of its cities. Maybe the proximity to my country made me think that it’s very accessible that I can visit it anytime I want (hence I’ve prioritized travelling to countries that are farther and require plenty of planning and preparation).

Bikes everywhere!

I decided to visit Vietnam last December when I came across an online article that puts the said country in its top ten countries to visit. I’ve been to 7 out of 10 in the list (the other 3 were Iceland, Vietnam, and a South American country I forgot), so I thought why not squeeze in Vietnam in my travel itinerary for the Christmas holidays so that I could claim bragging rights that I have been to 8 out of 10. I have already booked a Thai Airways return flight to Bangkok from Manila using my Krisflyer miles (see my previous article “A Tale of Two Pattayas”) so I thought maybe I could book a return flight to Saigon from Bangkok and just take my return flight to Bangkok hours before my return flight to Manila (so that I don’t need to spend an extra night in Bangkok and will save me airport transfers). I chose Thai Airways as well for the Saigon leg, so that I can have my check-in luggage sent directly to Manila on my return flight (unlike if I took a different airline where I have to pass thru Bangkok’s immigration upon arrival, claim my checked-in luggage from the carousel, and check in at the departure area, and pass thru the immigration again). Though my Thai Airways return fare to Saigon was not cheap (compared to regional budget airlines), I thought it was a hassle free travel and was happy with my decision.

Pullman Saigon Centre

Saigon is not really unfamiliar to me. The name of this place has been planted in the consciousness of Filipinos in the late 80s when the creators of the hit West End and Broadway musical “Miss Saigon” came to Manila to hold auditions for roles in the production including the lead role of Kim, the main and tragic character and center of the story. After a worldwide search for Kim (you can check out the documentary in YouTube), they have finally found not one but two potential Kims in Manila (Grammy nominated artist Lea Salonga, now popularly known as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in the song “A Whole New World” in Disney’s animated movie “Aladdin” and Monique Wilson), where Lea was chosen for the said role (and later claimed a Tony award for Best Actress, probably the first Asian to win such award) and Monique as her understudy. There were other Filipinos who got secondary roles, so it ended up with mostly Filipino cast. If I were a bit older and already living in Manila then, I would have auditioned as well. Yes, I can sing and act, and my musical credentials include auditioning and being cast for a role in a local production of “Joseph, The Dreamer” that ran for 6 nights with full house each night (so I can say it was a hit musical production, from local perspective, which I remember I wasn’t paid because the proceeds went to charity, and I just did it for the love of the arts and philanthrophy) and was a member of my high school choir that won the competition to represent the region in the National Music Competition for Young Artists (NAMCYA). Years later, my sister, brother-in-law, and I were able to catch Miss Saigon at West End during its revival run in London (the lead male character, The Engineer, which role was originated by Oscar nominated actor Jonathan Pryce, was reprised by a Filipino theater actor named Jon Jon Briones in this production, who was splendid by the way in the said role). So going back to Saigon, it also helped that this city is at the center of the Vietnam War as presented in our history books (as well as in the musical), so I thought this is one place rich in history as well as in culture.

My upgraded room (Pullman Saigon Centre)

I booked a room at Pullman Saigon Centre using my Accor card. Though a high-end hotel, it wasn’t really pricey (Saigon is not an expensive city) so I thought why not enjoy a little luxury for a mid-scale hotel price. I was also surprised that my reserved room got upgraded. They gave me not only a bigger room (looks like a junior suite), but a corner room that has a 180 degree view (with floor to ceiling windows, it really gave me a very nice view of the city from my room). Check in was a breeze, and as usual got a free drink voucher (one of the perks of being an Accor member) which I availed at the Rooftop Bar on Christmas eve, enjoying my favorite cocktail for free. The location is also good, where it is just a few minutes walk to the Walking Street, and a few minutes ride to various places of interest.

Saigon skyline at night

What strikes me about Saigon is that it looks and feels like Manila. Some areas remind me of Quiapo, Ermita, and Sampaloc (I live in Makati City, the central business district, and I don’t go and see places outside of Makati anymore). It felt like I never left home. The resemblance is uncanny: hole in the wall business establishments, construction boom, gentle and solicitous people, a mix of the old and the new. Maybe I was in the wrong side of the city, but the abundance of French colonial heritage that I was looking for was not there (or is it in Hanoi?). What I did see a lot though were motorcycles!

Ben Thanh Market

But before I get started on the bikes, I did see some of her tourist spots. First stop was Ben Thanh Market, apparently one of the must-see in Saigon. This one reminds me of the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. Housed in a covered building, rows and rows of stalls selling all kinds of stuff (food, clothing, souvenirs, designer knock offs, coffee beans, etc.) that to a certain saturation point, it starts to feel like a monotony where you see the same stuff all over again (unlike Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar where there is so much variety like gold, jewelry, spices, carpets, art works, etc.). One thing to take note though is that even for a jaded traveler and bargain hunter and expert haggler, sometimes you can still get fooled by sweet talk and sad stories. In my case, this happened when I was eyeing a souvenir item where the seller was telling me about her day (that she hasn’t sold an item yet and has nothing to bring home to her family) and she’s selling the said souvenir at a discounted price. Though I was able to haggle for a much lower price, I realized a day later (after seeing the same item in another location) that I got ripped off. The price is lower in that location compared to what I thought was already a good price (so looks like she upped her retail price by 3x to make her discounted and the final price look like a good buy). Though travelers don’t have the luxury of time to shop for prices for a simple souvenir item, it is still worth being on your guard for vendors who use sad stories as sales talk and try to strike a chord or pull at heartstrings as sales strategy. I may be too naive to know that (in spite of all my travel and life experiences), being an empathic and generous person, but I know that I am still a work-in-progress, and have learned to quickly move on from the feeling of being a victim and just let karma takes its course.

Notre Dame Cathedral (Saigon)

Next stop was Notre Dame Cathedral. Though I wasn’t expecting it to be grand, but still left me underwhelmed. I’ve seen her sister in Paris (before it got razed by fire last year), and she doesn’t come close in terms of beauty, character, and intricateness. Her European sister was very gothic, both exteriors and interiors, where you would even feel the eeriness inside (that’s how goth it was) while hers looks more like Spanish (like the cathedrals in my country) than French heritage. No one was allowed to go inside, so I cannot describe how it is or what’s in it, The gardens outside though are nice, which remind me of the gardens in between Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

A tale of two cathedrals: (left) Notre Dame Cathedral Saigon; (right) Notre Dame Cathedral Paris

Right across the cathedral is the old postal office building where the main attraction is the facade of the building. Nothing spectacular, just another French architectural heritage for you to admire. Inside, it is now full of stalls and kiosks selling all kinds of stuff (like a smaller version of Ben Thanh Market and this is where I found that same souvenir item at a lower price). Another tourist spot is the Independence Palace, which is on the other side of the large park across the cathedral. The architecture is of modern design (like that of the 70s/80s) but I didn’t check out what’s inside (there’s an entrance fee and I wasn’t really in the mood to be reminded of how dreadful wars are). Around the area are nice cafes and restaurants to hang out (particularly on the sides of the large park) and her two biggest malls (Vincom Center and Saigon Centre) are just a few minutes walk away.

Old Central Post Office (Saigon)

You can actually see all these in one day by just walking. You can start from Ben Thanh Market, then walk towards Saigon Center. From there, you can walk to the Independence Palace. You can take a quick detour to Vincom Center, then back to the Palace and have a leisurely walk across the park to get to both Notre Dame Cathedral and the old postal office. So you think that if I’ve known better, I would do all these in one day by walking? Hell no! This is where I get started on the bikes.

Independence Palace (Saigon)

Simply put, there are just too many bikes. They take up every iota of space available including the sidewalks. The worst part is that no one seems to follow road courtesy. I’m not even sure if there are any road safety regulations. In other words, there is just no discipline. You try to cross the street when the pedestrian green light is on, yet you’ll still be cut off by bikes. Some are even counter flowing. The sidewalks are different battlefields (or more like minefields). Here, there are no road lanes and traffic lights (it’s a sidewalk for Pete’s sake) so in their minds, it’s free for all. No rules. Everything’s fair game. I love to walk while exploring a new place, but I’ve never been so scared walking in all my travels.

Walking Street (Saigon). Even this street is not spared by bikes (right).

No wonder I don’t see many locals walking (it’s normally just tourists you see walking). Every local seems to own a bike. Saigon is a good place to walk, but because of the sheer number of bikes on the road, for me it’s one of the most dangerous places for walking. If you dare to walk, you need to further expand your peripheral vision (more than 180 degrees if possible). Coz you’ll know exactly what will hit you. Even the so-called Walking Street is not spared. Unlike its namesake in Pattaya, half of the stretch here is still used by bikes. So it’s pretty ironic that it’s called “walking” street, when you won’t expect that it’s gonna be bike free (as ironic as side “walk”).

Dining at two of my fave restos in Saigon: Dim Tu Tac & Crystal Jade Kitchen (Saigon Centre)

So how did I get by while I was there? I took the Grab (Southeast Asia’s version of Uber) most of the time. It’s not expensive (normally a dollar from my hotel to Saigon Centre during off peaks). I would take Grab even for short distances (which I would normally walk under different circumstances). I would rather pay for a ride than risk walking. That’s how much I value my life.

Would I go back to Saigon? Nah. Probably not. It’s Manila, only on bikes! I just hope Manila doesn’t evolve into another Saigon. A daunting prospect that actually gives me the chills.

Enjoying the rooftop view with my fave cocktail (Rooftop Bar, Pullman Saigon Centre)

A Tale of Two Pattayas

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Pattaya, Thailand

I would normally hie off to beaches during the Christmas season. That has been my yearly practice, not so much because of the cooler weather this time of the year but to just get out of the Philippines where this season can be very stressful. To those who haven’t been to the Philippines this time of the year, this is the worst place to be in given that almost everyone is outside of their homes either to be somewhere to have endless Christmas lunches and dinners. or to do piece meal shopping for gifts and groceries, or to see the Christmas displays and lights in malls and parks. These create the most horrific traffic in the metropolis, worse than any given day (traffic is already horrible on normal days), especially where I live (Makati City which is the central business district) where getting from point A to point B would be an epic journey. Cases in point: just driving to Rockwell Center where I would normally go to watch a movie, dine out, or do my shopping would already take me about an hour when it’s just 1.7km from where I live; getting to see my orthopedic surgeon for my post surgery consult will take me about the same time when it’s only about 2.9km from my place. Not to mention that you have to contend with reckless drivers, both in cars and on motorcycles. So you can imagine my stress and frustrations during this time of the year when you cannot do your usual routine without having to go thru this road ordeal.

Stress-free holiday (Pattaya Beach)

That’s why I have created by own tradition and I am unapologetic about it. I may sound like a Christmas grinch, but I already have so much Christmas memories from the old tradition that I’d rather make a new one that is stress-free. And what better way to stay free from being stressed than the soothing effect of the sun, sea, and sands. This is where Thailand comes to mind, which is one of my favorite Southeast Asian destinations. I have discovered Pattaya for the first time last year, and I thought why not go there again to see the other side.

Dongtan Beach

Yes, there are two sides of Pattaya. Just like Bali (where you have the main beach Kuta and the quiet side that is Nusa Dua), Pattaya has main beach called Pattaya, and the quiet side that are Jomtien and Dongtan beaches. Same as last year, I booked a flight via Bangkok using my Krisflyer miles (Singapore Airlines frequent flyer program). For 40,000 miles, I got a roundtrip business class ticket for Thai Airways (member of Star Alliance along with Singapore Airlines) and only paid about $70 for taxes and surcharges. Not bad given that this is a direct flight, compared last year where one leg of my flight was with Singapore Airlines where I have to spend a few hours layover in Singapore airport. I arrived in Bangkok late in the night, which is fine given that I don’t have to contend with bad traffic if I have arrived earlier in the day.

My hotel room in Bangkok (Novotel Bangkok Silom Road)

Same as last year, I booked a room at Novotel Bangkok Silom Road using my Accor card. What I liked about this hotel is that aside from its location, it offers a value-for-money buffet. For 299 bht and 700 bht for lunch and dinner respectively, I can eat as much fresh shrimps and mussels as I want along with other fares such as salmon and kani sashimi, kebab, pasta dishes, pastries, and fruits. The only difference is that dinner offers unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and frozen desserts. I love the fresh shrimps (red shrimps and river shrimps) that are so delicious (the red shrimps have that sweet taste that makes it different from the ordinary shrimps here in the Philippines; the only time I have tasted shrimps this good in it’s fresh form was in Lisbon, Portugal). So for the price it was worth it. Not only the food was good, but the room was also value for money. For less than a $100 a night, I got a spacious room that came with the basic amenities. My only complaint is that it didn’t come with bathrobes and slippers, the only stuff that I would love to have in a hotel room (I can do without the other amenities as I bring my own bath essentials when I travel).

Eat-all-you-can buffet (river shrimps, red shrimps, mussels, & squid)

I used Klook for the first time for my airport transfers as well as city transfers (Bangkok to/from Pattaya). I find their prices reasonable and it was actually very efficient. Unlike last year where I have to queue outside of the airport arrival area to get a taxi ticket number and wait again for my turn to get a cab (that could take a while especially if there aren’t as much cabs as passengers), with my pre-arranged airport transfer, all I did was to look for the Klook kiosk inside the airport arrival area and the rep called my designated driver and ushered me out of the airport when the car is already on its way to pick me up. So it was less hassle than before, plus the fact that you have to wait inside the airport instead of outside, where you can avoid the heat and the pollution outside.

My room in Pattaya last year (Rabbit Resort Pattaya)

It would take about 2 hours to get to Pattaya from Bangkok by car. That’s why I arranged for a premium car (Klook provided me with Toyota Fortuner) for a smoother ride given that I just had spinal surgery and I wanted to have a more comfortable road trip. Last year, I stayed at Jomtien/Dongtan area, where I booked a room at Rabbit Resort Pattaya. The reason why I chose this non-Accor hotel was because it is one of the few hotels in Pattaya that offers a resort vibe. The rooms are villa-like, where the interiors look like a traditional Thai house. So it’s not your typical hotel room that looks tired and dated. The hotel is owned by a Thai husband and an American wife whom were introduced to me during my stay. If my memory serves me right, the name of the hotel actually came from their surname, and not from that Easter bunny. The wife is actually the one who was around most of the time, meeting and entertaining guests, so the service and hospitality were more personal than casual (similar to my accommodation in Santorini). Since I also booked the Christmas eve dinner in the hotel, she invited me to join her and her husband, along with her two nephews from the US who were visiting Pattaya for the first time, in their dinner table, knowing that I was travelling alone. It was a sweet gesture, but I didn’t want to intrude in a private family affair, so I politely declined.

Jomtien Beach

The reason why this is the quiet side of Pattaya is because the area is less crowded with lesser commercial establishments than the main beach. There is a restaurant row in the commercial center where I reckon the food was good, as well as convenience stores and shops, but other than that, there are no malls or attractions that will keep the crowd in except for the beaches. But the perceived serenity and privacy of the area also attract the wrong kind of people. Not the petty thieves but the sexually obsessed ones. Not sure if it’s because I look like a local, but that doesn’t give foreigners the right to treat locals like sex objects or commodities, particularly in public (unless if you are in sexually charged streets or establishments which are not uncommon in this country). Maybe such behavior is tolerated in this country’s culture (hence the choice of word “obsessed” rather than “perverted” cause that behavior towards locals could be the new normal). Just to give you an idea. I was having lunch al fresco along the beach road when this burly white guy stopped on his track, stood across my table, and made sexual gestures (it seems like he wanted to get off al fresco with matching tongue action). Rather than get offended (I’m already used to guys making sexual and non-sexual overtures in my travels), I actually found it amusing and awkward coz I’m not sure if he was trying to seduce me, harass me, buy/hire me, or just trying to be sexy. Good thing I was wearing shades (so no direct eye contact), so I stared back and gave a smirk (like ‘eh’ or ‘meh’). He just eventually walked away, licking his bruised ego. That incident didn’t happen once, but I have mastered the art of fending off unnecessary attention from these type of guys.

Temple of Truth

On my way back to the resort from Temple of Truth last year, my cab passed by this area that I thought didn’t exist. It was along the promenade of the main beach where there are these hotel and restaurant rows as well as malls and shops. The area reminds me of Gold Coast in Australia (where I spent the Christmas season a couple of years earlier) that has that Miami vibe. That’s why this year, I decided to go back to Pattaya and stay in this area, to experience what this side of Pattaya has to offer. Here, it’s like a melting pot of the world (like NY), where tourists from all corners abound. You know that your city has arrived (from a tourism perspective) when hordes of mainland Chinese tourists are dropped off and picked up by tourist buses. This is true across all popular cities around the world that I have been to lately. Though I try to avoid crowds like this, but I also cannot give up a place that has the right balance that I’m looking for, where you can have the sand and the sea and soak in the sun on one side of the road and the convenience of the malls and your hotel where you can cool off from all the sweating and enjoy some good food, cold drinks, and even movies on the other side of the road.

Relaxing on the lounge by the poolside (Hotel Baraquda Pattaya MGallery by Sofitel)

I booked a room at Hotel Baraquda, which counts among the M Gallery collection of Accor hotels around the world. It’s a boutique hotel, so it’s not massive like other 5-star hotels in the area. But in spite of its smaller scale, the room is spacious with its own balcony that has pool view. It came with bathrobes and slippers among other amenities (as should be) and what makes this room different from the other hotel rooms that I have stayed in was the lighting control that you can set depending on your mood. But just like any hotel room, it looks and feels tired and dated. Even the towels need to go (rough and worn out like those in Novotel Bangkok Silom Road) and should be replaced with new, fluffy sets.

My room in Pattaya this year (Hotel Baraquda Pattaya MGallery by Sofitel)

The area is a far cry from the side of Pattaya that I stayed in last year. One thing I’ve noticed is that there seems to be as much massage parlors as restaurants in the area. Like for every two restaurants, there would be a massage parlor in between, I wonder whether these establishments actually make money given the competition. Then there are the big and small malls. The one I would frequent to was the Central Festival mall, which was not only close to my hotel (there were at least two smaller malls that were nearer), but it has everything that I look for in a mall. I was glad to find an Ippudo branch there (for my favorite Akamaru ramen) as well as new finds such as the Shabu Shi by Oishi, an eat-all-you-can shabu shabu place with a buffet of sushi, sashimi, and tempura, a drink buffet (different soda and green tea variants), and your choice of ice cream and sherbet, all for 419 bht. When you enter the place, they would ask you to choose among the four broths (chicken, tom yum, a black broth that was on the sweet side, and a milky broth that I didn’t try). Then they will usher you to a seat facing a moving belt of raw proteins (the ones I liked were pork belly sliced thinly like bacon, crystal shrimps, clams, and fish fillet) and vegetables for you to pick up and dip into the boiling broth of your choice. It takes about a minute or two for the protein to get cooked (you know when they’re ready once they started floating) and once drained of the excess broth and into the plate, I would dip my chopsticks on the chili sauce provided separately and tap the meat to give it a thin spread of the sauce, just enough not to overpower the taste and heat of the cooked meat. I enjoyed it so much that I went back almost every lunch and had dinner once as well (I would suggest lunch though since it looks like lunch leftovers were the ones being served for dinner). The mall also has cinemas where I got to catch the latest Star Wars franchise (The Rise of Skywalker).

Eat-all-you-can shabu shabu (Shabu Shi by Oishi, Central Festival Mall, Pattaya)

Another thing that I loved about Thailand is the Japanese influence on its food and consumer goods. Aside from those Japanese restos that I have mentioned, a lot of other Japanese restos abound both in Bangkok and Pattaya, There is even a level in Central Festival where Japanese restos mostly occupy the whole floor, aside from the predominantly Japanese kiosks at the basement food court. The supermarket in the mall carries Japanese products (like those in Isetan store in Central World Bangkok which is a specialty department store carrying Japanese products level after level), so if you are fond of anything Japanese or Thai, you only need to be in Bangkok and/or Pattaya to enjoy the best of both worlds.

(Left): Akamaru ramen and spicy gyoza (Ippudo, Central Festival Mall, Pattaya); (Right): Sushi & sashimi (Shabu Shi by Oishi, Central Festival Mall, Pattaya)

The Pattaya that I know now is different from the Pattaya I knew then. The place that I knew then may be quiet and peaceful, even sweet, but has some unexpected dark side to it. The place that I know now is lively, noisy, crowded, and sexually charged environment, yet no surprises, knowing fully well what to expect given its seedy reputation. This is where it gets interesting, where even the sexual undertones of Walking Street hasn’t prevented it from becoming a family destination just like Amsterdam’s Red Light District which has become a major tourist spot in that part of the world. In contrast, the Pattaya I knew last year has become a shadow of the Pattaya that I know now, where from my vantage point, this year’s Pattaya looked wholesome and harmless, in spite of popular belief.

Walking Street (Pattaya)

On my flight back to Manila, the stewardess gave me a local Thai paper (in English) where my horoscope for the day reads something like “Turn away from the old ways…create new traditions…” I thought this is exactly what I have been doing the past few years, and I don’t believe I’d even consider turning back to the old ways anytime soon, unless Christmas season becomes less stressful in my country.

Creating my own Christmas tradition (thru stress-free stuff that I love to do)

Nevertheless, wherever you are, whatever tradition you follow, whenever you’d feel like taking an escape, Christmas is still worth celebrating your own way (and that’s ok). So I’m sending Christmas cheers to everyone. Coz we all deserve it.

Merry Christmas!

Travel In Style (Without Breaking The Bank) – Part 1 of 2

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Not a few of you have been asking how I get to travel in style (business class seats, 3-5 star hotel accomodations, dining out, the whole shebang) particularly now that you’ve seen me in my newly opened Instagram account (columbusbee.gram). As I’ve mentioned in my previous post (Deconstructing A Myth: Travel Is Only For The Rich?), you don’t have to be wealthy to get to travel and you don’t have to be Crazy Rich Asian to travel in style. Truth be told, there are ways to travel in style without breaking the bank. So I’ll let you in to some of my ‘secrets’ so that you too can be stylish jetsetter.

In the last 9 years or so, there has been an advent of promo fares here in Manila and I’m not even referring to a local airline’s one peso fare. These are promotional fares from highly rated airlines, either thru travel expos, tie ups with major credit card companies or their very own flash sale. Looking for good buys is just like shopping for bargains and anticipating mall sale. My first venture into this airfare bargain hunting was going to travel expos. Every year, there is a travel expo around the 2nd weekend of February organized by travel agents association. Multiple airlines would offer marked down prices, especially for business class fares. I remember getting business class fares for $999 to Europe (exclusive of taxes), or something like less than $1100 net. That’s a pretty good deal given that it only costs as much as a regular economy ticket. Of course nowadays, you can’t find that kind of price points anymore. where the good buys would be between $1,600 to $1900 to Europe or US. Anything more than that would already be a rip off in my book (unless you’re flying Emirates or Qatar Airways where a little premium will go a long way).

The second path to a successful hunt is thru airlines tie up with major credit card companies. It is essential then to have a very good credit card for this purpose (you’ll need a credit card anyway when you travel). Personally, there are only two credit cards that in my experience offer the best airline tie ups: Citi and American Express (where the latter is issued by BDO locally). I’ve seen promos from BPI (usually tie ups with Singapore Airlines), Metrobank, Security Bank, etc. but nothing beats these two when it comes to the depth (prices) and breadth (participating airlines). Travel sale for these airlines gives the public the option to get it from their onsite travel sale (similar to travel expos but exclusively for their credit card holders), thru their airline offices, or online. For BDO cards, there are times that there would be pre-sale (usually a day before the actual sale) exclusively for their elite cardholders (ie Amex Platinum, BDO Titanium, etc.) where they can have first dibs on promotional fares. Sorry to say that not all credit cards are created equal. There is a caste system among credit cards but don’t fret, having the right credit card would already get you into this world of low airfares. For example, you don’t need to be an Amex Platinum or a BDO Titanium cardholder. All you need to do is just to have any Amex or BDO card. There’s this Blue Amex that I heard is being widely marketed nowadays (compared to the more exclusive Amex Platinum) and of course your regular BDO credit card. You just need to ensure that you are in their email list where they send announcements of their forthcoming fare sale.

This is how I got my latest promo fare. Oman Air has a promo last April for BDO cardholders (I’m an Amex cardholder). Though the flights to Europe on promo are limited to certain destinations only, Oman Air also launched its maiden flight to Athens starting June, so I decided to make Athens as my port of entry to Europe and booked the promo business class fare for $1,760 inclusive of taxes (so the airfare was about $1,600+). This is a good buy compared to regular business fare of about $2,600 (or about 33% discount) and regular economy fare of about $1,200 for the same airline.

Basking in the sun on infinity pool lounge with the Aegean Sea, beach, and mountains as backdrop (Mykonos Island)

The third path is thru airlines’ flash sale. Here, as long as you have a credit card, you can already purchase promo fares online. Airlines would normally have these flash sales on special occasions (such as airline anniversary, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or any holiday or season that these airlines are celebrating). You just have to watch out for these special occasions during certain times of the year or to regularly check out the websites of your favorite airlines.

Once you have started flying, you can join the airlines frequent flyer programs. I’m currently a member of five (5) programs: Krisflyer (Singapore Airlines), Asia Miles, Miles & More (Lufthansa), Enrich (Malaysia Airlines), and Mabuhay Miles (Philippine Airlines). I’ve flown other airlines as well, but since they are part of airlines’ global alliances (for example, Thai Airways is in the same alliance with Singapore Airlines under Star Alliance) I don’t need to enroll in their own loyalty programs. The miles that I would be entitled to will just be credited to my existing loyalty program (so the miles that I will get from a Thai Airways ticket I will just have it credited to my Krisflyer account). What’s special with frequent flyer program is that aside from getting notified of the airline’s forthcoming promotional fares, they also offer miles sale (where you get free airfare at marked down miles compared to regular miles required to redeem a free flight). I find Krisflyer to be very good at this in terms of depth (miles discount) and breadth (you can have the option to redeem your miles thru another airline that is a member of the global alliance). For example, last December, when I went on vacation to Bangkok and Pattaya, I have an expiring 25,00 miles in my Krisflyer account. I tried checking for the required miles for a business class ticket and there was a business saver promo for 40,000 miles (compared to the regular 80,000 miles). So I transferred 20,000 miles from my Citi Premier Miles (that’s the credit card I would recommend among Citi cards if you like travelling) to meet the required Krisflyer miles for redemption. My business class redemption was confirmed for the Manila – Bangkok leg of the Singapore Airline flight (with layover in Singapore) but was waitlisted for the return flight. So I clicked the Star Alliance button on their website and found that Thai Airways business class was available for my return date. So I flew back (Bangkok – Manila) direct on Thai Airways flight business class for free (ok, not totally free coz only the airfare is free and you still have to pay a minimal amount for the taxes/surcharges). So I got to compare business class experience between these two airlines from these two short haul trips.

(Up next: Accomodations and Incidentals)