My Welcome Geeting in Thailand; Arrival at Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok) International Airport

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While on the flight from Manila to Bangkok, I was able to get myself to sleep past my pre-trip anxiety, which has always bugged me in each big trip I’ve had. It’s like an anticipatory anxiety mixed with the thrill of adventure and fear of the unknown … more pronounced if I’m traveling solo. The only way I get rid of it is actually setting foot in my destination and shifting my mental thought process into the mode where my sleepless nights of itinerary planning is slowly being realized. When I woke up, the plane was already turning in circles, which means that it’s already preparing for landing.

4600510619 e93362a051 My Welcome Geeting in Thailand; Arrival at Suvarnabhumi (Bangkok) International Airport

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Manila to Bangkok Cebu Pacific Flight

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Siem Reap City in Cambodia was the primary destination for my trip. Since there are no direct flights to Cambodia from the Philippines, I had to choose another nearby country/city to fly into with direct transportation links to Siem Reap. There are quite a number of ways to go at it but I ended up buying a plane ticket from Manila to Bangkok, Thailand and then traveling overland (by bus) to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

4053225402 c33b0542c9 Manila to Bangkok Cebu Pacific Flight

Cebu Pacific International Check-in Counters in NAIA Terminal 3

 

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Thailand Itinerary: Thailand and Cambodia Overland (Part 2 of 2)

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Now for the Thailand Leg (Part 2) of my Thailand and Cambodia Itinerary. If you haven’t checked out the first part yet, I suggest visiting the Cambodia Leg first.

4601207196 2c55ab1dbd Thailand Itinerary: Thailand and Cambodia Overland (Part 2 of 2)
Watching the sunset with the view of Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) at “The Deck” of Arun Residences

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Cambodia Itinerary: Thailand and Cambodia Overland (Part 1 of 2)

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Here is my itinerary journal during my recent trip to Thailand and Cambodia. From Manila, I flew into Bangkok, Thailand first and then traveled over land to Siem Reap,Cambodia by bus via the Aranyaphratet-Poipet Border Gate. I got to visit a lot of the major sights and will be posting more of a general journal rather than a detailed day-to-day itinerary (like my Hong Kong and Macau Tour last year) since my visit was primarily a business trip and I wasn’t in control of my time. I would’ve loved to visit places outside Bangkok and Siem Reap but I guess that would just be reserved for my future visits to Thailand and Cambodia.

4601093858 e7cc023874 Cambodia Itinerary: Thailand and Cambodia Overland (Part 1 of 2)
Monks in formation during an opening presentation for a corporate gala dinner at the East Gate of Angkor Wat

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Air Asia Promotion Free Seats 2010!

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Travel to Asia for FREE! If you’re a frequent traveler, then you’d want to get in on this great promotion by Air Asia, a popular low cost airlines based in Malaysia (Asia’s largest budget airline in fact). Air Asia flies to almost all major airports in South East Asia and because they’re practically giving away flight tickets for free in their latest promotion, booking your flights now will be a great way to explore Asia on a budget. The Air Asia Free Seats Promotion is ongoing from May 18 2010 -  May 23 2010 only with the travel period from January 3 2011 – May 8 2011.

3965168908 b8c4ec135b Air Asia Promotion Free Seats 2010!photo by carworld 

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One Hot and Exciting Week in Boracay

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Just as I thought I would be going back home to get a long rest and start blogging about my trip to Thailand and Cambodia, Aliwan Fiesta 2010, and Banaue, a sudden turn of events came my way and a day after my flight from Manila to Iloilo, I was back on the road again, this time to spend a week in Boracay Island. I was so pumped to visit Boracay again during the summer or peak season. Last time I went there was October last year and although it was also a great trip, visiting Boracay during the summertime is still, in my opinion, the best way to experience this tropical paradise.

4597656487 6e30e0fd8b One Hot and Exciting Week in Boracay

Station 1 in White Beach at Noontime

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Banaue Rice Terraces, Still Breathtaking As Ever!

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The Banaue Rice Terraces should never be missed when traveling in the Philippines since it’s definitely one of the most famous icons of the Philippines. Thailand or Vietnam might be the first place that most people associate with sprawling rice paddies but there isn’t any other place in the world where you can see them built on entire mountainsides forming grand terraces at a scale like the Banaue Rice Terraces. At first, I was quite concerned about visiting Banaue during the dry season due to fears of possibly seeing the damaging results of the worst El Nino the Philippines had ever had especially after discovering the rice terraces being in-scripted  into the List of UNESCO World Heritage sites in danger. I was thinking of documenting how badly the terraces for my trip but as my wish of visiting the Banaue came true, my fears quickly died down. My trip was so worth it and I’m so happy that, despite the negative pressures, the rice terraces of Banaue is still a sight to behold and the people of the town has done a great job at preserving its beauty and allure.

4597656049 5790e0083d Banaue Rice Terraces, Still Breathtaking As Ever!
Elder Igorot Native watching over the Rice Terraces in Banaue

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Aliwan Fiesta, the Second Time Around in 2010

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Every April, a couple of festivals representing provinces and cities from all over the Philippines gather at the nation’s capital to perform their local dances during the Aliwan Fiesta. In my opinion, there aren’t any other time where one can witness a more diverse sense of Philippine culture than the Aliwan Fiesta so I’ve always made it one of my biggest agendas in my travel calendar. It’s now my second time experiencing the Aliwan Fiesta and, sans the almost unbearable summer heat, it was so worth the airfare!

4584154670 3d8458ab3f Aliwan Fiesta, the Second Time Around in 2010
Halamang Dilaw Festival of Bulacan

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My Thailand and Cambodia Tour Overview

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My trip to Thailand and Cambodia is finally over and I’m now back at home skimming through the photos and reminiscing wonderful experiences I’ve had during my stay there. My purpose of travel was primarily for work, hired by a friend as an assistant photographer for a big corporate event in Siem Reap, Cambodia. I only had limited time to see the different sights as a DIY tourist so I won’t be doing a comprehensive guide like my Hong Kong and Macau Tour. Rest Assured, I have a lot of useful info to share about traveling in Thailand and Cambodia that will slowly fill this blog in the coming weeks.

4584470118 ae440d362b My Thailand and Cambodia Tour OverviewLocals buying fresh flowers for the Khmer New Year in Siem Reap, Cambodia

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First time in Thailand and Cambodia

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It’s day 3 of my Thailand – Cambodia trip. I actually arrived in Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi International Airport) on a super late night trip last April 12 like 11:35pm via Cebu Pacific but its was 12:00ish (technically the next day) when I got out of the immigration counters and everything. I then had to go to Silom in Bangkok City Center to meet with two friends (for the first time) and then go to Cambodia overland by bus by 5:00am. It’s actually great to avoid Bangkok at this time since the red shirt riots have gotten really bad the past week.
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