Italy: How Thou I Love Thee? (Let Me Count The Ways) – Part 2 of 2

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Amalfi Coast (Italy)

I mentioned in the first part of this article that I’ll be going on my 3rd trip to Italy in spring. Unfortunately, both Italy and the Philippines (as well as anywhere else in the world) are going thru health crisis from the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Just a couple of nights ago, Metro Manila (a cluster of cities that include the capital Manila and the central business district Makati where I live) has been declared under what they call “community quarantine” for 30 days to contain the spread of the infection. In other words, lock down. We cannot fly out of Metro Manila to any destination in the country. Though we are still allowed to fly out internationally, thing is, with the rising incidence of COVID-19 cases in the country, the Philippines is now one of the countries banned by Qatar from entering their territory. Since I’ll be flying Qatar Airways with layover in Doha, that means I have to wait and see how this crisis pans out.

Stunning landscapes (Amalfi Coast)

Italy is the current epicenter of the pandemic in Europe where some of the European countries have banned travel to and from the said country. This means that flying there would compromise the other legs of my scheduled Europe trip. I don’t want to spend my holidays on quarantine in another country (I’d rather stay at home then), so would likely forgo the trip to Italy this year. I suppose my wish on Trevi fountain (to return someday) will not happen this year, so I have to find other destinations where I could regain my good spirits. As shared earlier, my feng shui says that my spirit essence is weak this year, which explains why I’ve been feeling down at the start of the year. My feng shui also says that more travels will help uplift my spirit essence, but under this worldwide pandemic scenario, not sure really which place is safe to go (can’t travel domestic as well under this community quarantine). Maybe one of those eastern European countries like the underrated Slovenia or see again Croatia and Montenegro. At this point in time, I honestly don’t know. I even haven’t thought of what to do with my flight bookings.

Short stops for stunning views (Amalfi Coast)

So while pondering on where to go next, why don’t I take you thru the second time I went to Italy. This happened two years after my first trip. If I remember it right, at that time I was contemplating of going to Turkey, Israel, and Jordan. However, that was the time when the crisis then was terrorism particularly in that region, so I have to change my travel plans. It was my sister who broached the idea of Amalfi Coast. I haven’t heard of that place before, so when I checked it out online, I knew right away where I want to go.

View from my hotel terrace (Naples)

So I booked a flight (via Frankfurt) with Malaysia Airlines. At that time, it wasn’t really a popular airline given the mystery around the disappearance of one of its airlines, but fact is, it has a very good safety track record prior to that incident. So I wasn’t that concerned about their safety record when they went on promo where I got a business class seat for $1,600 only (before taxes and surcharges) which is a good buy in a time when the prevailing rates for the same seat class are more than $3,000 for roundtrip fares from Manila. Since it’s one of the Southeast Asian carriers, I knew that topnotch hospitality service is expected which is common among airlines in the region (sorry to say but the best service that I have experienced among airlines that I’ve flown with regardless of seat class are those that are from the region like Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and even our very own Philippine Airlines). Regardless whether you are flying in a Boeing or Airbus, business or coach, it’s really the staff that counts, people who try to make a difference and in this case, Southeast Asians are arguably the best.

The City of Naples and Mount Vesuvius

My first stop was Naples (you can pronounce it the way American English would pronounce it where the first syllable is pronounced as nay, since Italians or specifically Neapolitans are already getting used to it, but you can please your host city by just saying Napoli pronouncing the first syllable as nah). From the airport to the city, my first impression was the place is filthy. This became more apparent when I started walking around the city. What crossed my mind then was that Neapolitans have no concept of a waste/garbage can. There were litters everywhere! It seems that it’s cool to just drop your trash and just move on, expecting that someone will follow thru and clean it up for you. Not cool at all. I’m not a clean freak, but I still have the decency to respect my environment, and when I say environment, that includes people around me. Apparently, there’s a prevailing notion there that the farther you go south (of Italy), the dirtier it gets (Naples is on the southern part of the country).

National Archaeological Museum (Naples)

One of the things that I love to do when visiting a place for the first time is to check out its museums. So I did just that in Naples where I went to its National Archaeological Museum. I can’t remember whether I enjoyed it the same way I would enjoy other museums in my past travels, or whether it has vast collections of artifacts. But just like any museum, my takeaways would always be that sense of history and ancestral way of life and the important gift that every visit to a museum would give which are lessons of humanity.

The castles of Naples: (left) Castel Nuovo (right) Castel Dell’Ovo

The city itself is like an open museum. There’s the Piazza del Plebiscito with its massive square where the church of St. Francis of Paola is on one side and the Royal Palace on the other. Around the city are numerous remnants of its past, from castles to churches, from old architectural heritage to various squares (piazza). To give this city a postcard perfect scenery, there’s Mount Vesuvius as backdrop to an already beautiful landscape and seascape, a fitting and dramatic addition to a place that’s very rich in history. I will give you a closer look to this majestic volcano later on when I take you thru Pompeii.

Piazza del Plebiscito (top left) and other city sights

The city coastlines are a marvel to watch. I love the leisure walk on the long promenade along the coastline, enjoying the view of the sleeping volcano and the tranquility of the Mediterranean sea. I don’t know what magic or spell this body of water has on me, but every time I’m in a place within its reach (such as Barcelona, Malta, Dubrovnik, Budva, Mykonos, and Santorini), it always gives me that feeling of joy, awe, mystery, and serenity. Though it doesn’t surprise me knowing that my feng shui element is water, which may explain why I’m always drawn to it. It’s like my own unicorn. Stopping for some gelato during these walks is just icing on the cake. One thing I noticed is that the farther you go along the coastline away from the city, the cleaner it gets.

City coastline and promenade (Naples)

Next stop is Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. Speaking of open museum, nothing would probably beat Pompeii. If you’ve skipped your history class, you’ve probably missed out on one of history’s events of monumental scale that teaches and leaves every generation a lesson. This is when the whole city of Pompeii was buried by lava and thick volcanic ashes and other debris instantly when Mount Vesuvius erupted. Known as an ancient sin city, it was preoccupied by human frailty that it has lost any sense of safety. Long before I read about Pompeii in history books, as a young kid, I’ve watched a biblical movie that showed what happened to this ancient Roman city and its people. Every now and then, it feels like history’s repeating itself. This health crisis that we are facing now particularly in my country is nothing different than Pompeii. We’ve been preoccupied by power (as they say, power corrupts) and greed that our leaders, decision makers, security and safety agents have essentially failed us. As a people though, there’s still hope. I think that’s the only difference between Pompeii then and our country now. People got buried then and didn’t get the chance to escape. We still have a chance to escape from this vicious cycle of power and greed. It’s not the virus that will change our ways. It’s the lesson we get in every adversity as a result of our own frailty. That is if we as people are willing to take heed the lessons of history.

(Left) Ancient city of Pompeii (whole city escavated from thick volcanic debris; (right) on top of Mount Vesuvius crater

So to show how strong I was (mind, body, and spirit), I started climbing the sleeping volcano. Mounting the volcano thru its rocky trail can be tiresome, to the point that my whole body almost gave up. At that point, I was already muttering “what the hell was I thinking?” I still have other places to visit and it’s not worth being adventurous at this leg of the trip if I break my back (that was long before my spinal surgery, but was already suffering from slipped disk condition). Then I saw two elderly couple in canes climbing down on their way back to the slope. I thought if this lovely couple was able to make it to the top, then why can’t I? After my newfound inspiration and strength (mind and spirit, body is still weak), I decided to go all the way, knowing fully well that the trip back would be more perilous than the way up, with more chances of rolling down the slope with a single misstep.

Sorrento (Italy)

On to what I have been looking forward to all trip: Amalfi Coast. It’s one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world, where a series of quaint towns sit along it. First of the towns is Sorrento. It is popularly known as the home of limoncello, a native liqueur from Sorrento lemons. Every time I would dine in Italy, it would almost always come with a shot of limoncello at the end of each meal and now I know where it comes from. It has this strong acidic (like concentrated lemon juice) yet sweet taste that is soothing to the throat and kind of have a cleansing effect on the palate. Along the way, you can see lemon trees lining up the road. The town proper is scenic at the very least, where narrow avenues are lined up with colorful buildings.

Positano (Italy)

Next town is Positano. One of my favorite places in the world, this town is perched on a cliff (like Santorini), so it is hilly with steep and narrow alleyways lined up with shops that sell anything from clothes, arts and crafts to items made from lemons (perfumes, essential oils, liqueurs). It’s a very picturesque town, where colorful buildings adorn the cliff that meets the sea. There is a small beach, which adds an essential element to an already postcard perfect landscape and seascape. Its beauty is mesmerizing, that you’d be captivated enough you wouldn’t want to leave.

Amalfi (Italy)

Then there’s the town of Amalfi (where the coastline is named after). It has a bigger beach than Positano, but doesn’t have the same wow factor. Don’t get me wrong, it has its own charm, where anyone who comes here would still be captivated by its resort-like vibe and the mountain backdrop filled with houses. Plenty of dining options to choose from, more than probably what Positano can offer.

Ravello (Italy)

The last town is Ravello. It probably has the most rustic charm among the towns, where it has able to preserve a few remnants of its heritage. It’s the smallest among the four towns, yet endearing enough to make you linger a little bit longer than you would normally give places like this. Since it is on the farther end of the coastline, the calming sea views on one side and the mountainous terrain on the other side are some of its highlights.

Island of Capri (Italy)

A trip to Naples won’t be complete without taking a side trip to the island of Capri. Known as the playground of the rich and famous, I know now why some of the world’s biggest celebrities are drawn to it. Though not blessed with nice beaches like those in Mykonos and Santorini, this island has a certain charm that kind of cast a spell on you. The whole time you’re there, you’re kind of spellbound, The island is divided into two towns, one called Anacapri on one side of the island and Capri on the other side. Anacapri is steeper, which makes it more difficult for walking. There’s a small cluster of shops and restos at the town proper. This is where I had lunch with a friend named Matthew who I met in the trip. A Korean-Canadian IT guy based in Canada who is off from work for two months to traverse the whole Mediterranean coastline starting from Barcelona to Marseille to Monaco to Amalfi Coast and onward to Venice. What an adventure! But what I was more amazed at was how he was able to take time off from work for two months! How I wish I can travel for two months as well. So now I have that same itinerary in my bucket list and hopefully can cross it out in the near future.

(Left) A south american lady asked to have a photo with me (not sure if it’s because she learned I am from the Philippines or I am just naturally charming lol; (right) who says only Japan and Korea have cherry blossoms?

Funny though that in spite of all his travels, Matthew hasn’t heard of tiramisu. Each of us had one and he can’t stop raving about how good it was that I ended up giving him my own plate. Tiramisu is pretty common in the Philippines, so I thought since this guy just discovered how delightful the said dessert was, he might as well go crazy on it. After lunch, we went to the other town (Capri) and this is where most of the shops and restos are, selling anything from clothes to ceramics to souvenir items. We also went to see the Blue Grotto, a cave on the other side of the island where we have to take a speedboat to get near the entrance then transfer to a smaller boat that could fit into the cave. Once inside, you’ll probably be awed with the most beautiful shade of blue water that’s very sharp up close and piercing thru your senses. The last time I’ve experienced that wicked blue color was in Malta’s own Blue Grotto.

Blue Grotto with Matthew (Capri)

On the trip back to Naples, we met this German couple who struck a conversation with us. They shared stories about their own travels, how they love South of France (another dream destination of mine) where roads and parking lots are filled with luxury cars (of course, Germans love their cars). They said it’s everywhere. Matthew has just been there (where he mentioned that you can actually see the sea floor with corals, that’s how crystal clear the waters are which actually explains why I fell in love with Mediterranean sea in the first place), so they told me that I should also visit. Yeah, cool. Then the guy shared how he and his wife can afford all their travels, by taking us thru their investment strategies. See, who says travel is all leisure?

Capri cabs and speedboat

Looking back, that’s one of the trips that I truly enjoyed. Though I have already counted the ways I love Italy in the first part of the article, yet there are still so much more why I keep coming back. The country is a complete package. Its natural beauty is already worth a visit, the harmony between the land and Mediterranean sea is just enticing to feel and see. The magical effect of the sea on me is why I love to be anywhere near it, and Italy’s coastlines are just perfect spots to commune with the sea. But again, more than its beauty, I love Italy because of what it offers for the mind, the body (did I mention that Naples is the home of Neapolitan pizza and ice cream?), and the soul, which makes it, hands down my favorite country.

I love Italy!

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)