Tambayan Capsule Hostel: Your Best Hostel in Manila, Philippines

2:00:00 PM Pinoy Boy Journals 2 Comments

Maybe, it comes with age. I feel that hostels are for the young ones. When i was in my 20's, i always had a fascination for hostels. My first hostel experience was in Singapore back in 2008. Years later, slowly, i wanted more space for myself. I already yearn for peace at night, and privacy became a bigger issue to me. I think it does come with age. When Tambayan Capsule Hostel invited me during their soft launch to experience the grandness of another hostel in Manila, i said yes. One, I've never tried hostels in Manila. Two, i am quite picky with my accommodations, hostels included. Three, i am sleeping in a bunk bed with my closest friends in a dorm room.

I arrived quite late that Saturday. I was in a rush, since coming from Quezon City to Manila probably took me almost two hours because of traffic. Mind you, it's a Saturday. I kinda missed Manila. I've always believed that this city has a charm no other city has. Its history is unforgettable, and the old world feel is so elusive.

I was escorted to the bedroom where seven of my closest travel buddies are already waiting. As i go up the stairs, i realize how different this hostel is from the others i see in photographs. More funky, the design is eclectic. More modern, the vibe is old world. I immediately went up and found myself surrounded by memorabilia of Manila in the olden days. Manila has such a rich history. To design about it is but right. Tambayan Capsule Hostel does it right.

At its soft opening, i already see a couple of tourists staying at Tambayan Capsule Hostel. Most of them, by this time at 3PM, where probably on their second bottle of San Miguel Beer. Watching the city pass you by is such a rewarding experience. As i type this, i couldn't help but wonder why i suddenly become excited to visit again. If they invite me again, i would probably stay for another time. And since half of my Facebook friends are non-Filipinos, i would probably recommend this place for them to stay in when they're in Manila.

It's not a party hostel. I don't think it will ever be. I once visited a party hostel in Makati, this is definitely not like it. But i like the solace this place evokes. I like that it's quiet, and a few steps away is madness. That is what staying in Manila is all about. A chill out music was the perfect soundtrack to this state of nonchalance.

Like all hostels should be, there's a gastro pub where one could enjoy light snacks and cold beverage. Of course, when i mean cold beverage it's definitely beer. Because it's located at the roof top, one could have a good view of the bohemian streets of Malate where a lot of people are a fan of.

At Tambayan Capsule Hostel, one can choose all-female or mixed dorm rooms. There's private rooms for 2, 4, 6 and 8 people. I don't have to write the prices. Trust me, it's cheap.

This huge dorm room where i stayed together with my friends features a balcony overlooking the city just beside the gastro pub. Fantastic!

Oh, these kids. The real reason why hostels are delightful is because one can be crazy, and yes, you don't have to be young to do that. I remember my hostel friends at Inn Crowd. I guess it's time to let them know how much i miss our wacky moments back then.

Even if it's a hostel, Tambayan provides hotel experience with luggage keep service, transportation inquiries to the best places around the Philippines and so much more. When i was there, the lovely concierge where helping out two Swedish girls how to get to Banaue from the hostel. Great service!

If you're looking a for convenient hostel to sleep and relax for a couple of days in Manila. More, i dare you. Book your stay at Tambayan Capsule Hostel if you don't like house music playing on the roof top. Get some sleep! ha

Tambayan Capsule Hostel
Address: 1607 Bocobo St. Malate, Manila, 1004 Metro Manila
Telephone Number: +6325218850
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/tambayanhostel/

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A Beautiful Staycation at B Hotel, Quezon City, Philippines

1:30:00 PM Pinoy Boy Journals 0 Comments

I always find it nice whenever news about a new hotel in Quezon City is opening. I've always believed that future is right here in this city. For one, i was born and raised here. I went to school and spent my youth here. There's so much space, and convenience is unquestionable. In short, i love Quezon City forever.

With new hotels opening every year, i reckoned my instincts were spot on.

When i was invited for the soft opening of B Hotel in Quezon City, i said yes right away. As the sister company of Bellevue Manila, i knew i would be stupid to let this one pass. I knew i would be experiencing affordable five star treatment. Who doesn't want that?

B Hotel is about 8 kilometers away from my home, and i paid my driver about a hundred pesos to get here. Very cheap, indeed. When i arrived, i was amazed by its interiors. QC is really keeping up with its popular city sisters like Makati and Ortigas. The design of the hotel is New York industrial with pebbled flooring, unfinished walls and the beautiful bricks interior of the rooms. It's nothing like I've ever seen in Manila, at least. After a week of stressful meetings and haggard mornings, one thing's for sure, a luxurious treatment is just what i need.

I also got excited with the rooms, as they are indeed, amazingly beautiful. I've been quite picky now with my accommodations whenever i travel. After suffering from bed bugs at a hostel in Kuala Lumpur to experiencing perfectly lighted rooms in Maldives, i have decided that a trip to a destination should always include where you sleep. Yes, I've matured also as a traveler. That is what 9 years of traveling did to me.

The staff of B Hotel kindly prepared for us a lovely dinner by their restaurant called Lobby Cafe. The breaded fish fillet, beef salpicao and chopsuey were all excellent. This hotel doesn't really want me to leave, eh? Again, the interiors are wonderfully designed. It has a feel of a quaint Cuban bar, which is consistent to the over-all aesthetic design of the hotel. I seriously felt like Don Creole, enjoying a hard liquor, by the bar. Only missing was a cigar.

Since B Hotel is a short stroll away from the happening place of Timog area, it's definitely a perfect balance of "solitude" within the compounds as it's tucked in a quiet side street, and excitement from bars and pubs available for your visit right in the next alley.

Since i work in the marketing industry and i happen to oversee a team, i feel that a two-day lock in would be perfect for us to come up with a brilliant campaign. I am seriously thinking about it now. I think i should call now to reserve.

If you happen to drive your own car, don't worry. The hotel provides free parking space for all its guests. With a good massage and spa within reach, a weekend stay would definitely be one for the books. I think i forgot to mention that azure pool. The wooden planks were spot on. I could literally see myself dipping quite soon.

I could go on and on in convincing you to stay, but i also want to leave that element of surprise when you come visit. Easy on the clicks, you might fill up your camera SD card quick. B Hotel may not be huge in size, but its quaint and boutique size makes up for a very relaxing weekend. Don't you think?

B Hotel Quezon City

Address: 14 Scout Rallos Street, Bgy Laging Handa, Quezon City 1103

Phone Number: +632 990 5000

E-mail Address: info@thebhotelqc.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bhotelqc

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Travel Notes from Kampong Phluk, Cambodia

11:00:00 AM Pinoy Boy Journals 0 Comments

Why do i feel so lazy around Siem Reap all the time? I joked how maybe too much iron in the water makes one just so damn sleepy all the time. It didn't help that out of six people in my dorm room, five loved sleeping so much. Maybe, that's why we bonded a lot. ha ha

Every single morning when we wake up, we would always tell each other, "the best part about waking up is you can sleep again."

But thankfully, i was able to bring up my lazy ass back on the road. Bun Nak was there to pick me up from the Siem Reap Hostel where I've been staying for days now. He asked me where i wanted to go. Of course, i had the same response. I said, "no idea".

As we scoot his Yamaha towards Road 6, i saw how a few minutes away from Siem Reap and the surroundings already look more rural. This is the kind of trip i was looking forward to doing. I told Bun Nak that i don't want tourists in sight because i wanted to immerse myself to the local culture of Khmers. I have the hostel to hang out with fellow travelers, anyway. I am also a fan of hiring a guide or driver to take me around so i get first dibs on where local people go, what they love, etc.

As we approached towards the end of the road, the potholes become even more apparent, and i had once trouble finding my seat on his back because i was constantly moving from left to right. But the scenery made up for it. The rice paddies were so green, you want to touch the grass. Be careful though as some parts are still not cleared of land mines. There were old farmers tending their lots, and lots of little kiddos jumping around as we rip the side road.

We got lucky, as during this time of the day, novice monks would often chant and meditate to where the sun is showing. We approached them by the green mossy rice paddies and watched from afar how such difference there is with their culture and traditions as compared to mine.

After which, we headed straight to the great unknown where the roads become narrower, and people more shy. They would often smile in excitement when they hear the sound of a motorcycle approaching, and with a GoPro toting dude who happens to look like Khmer pass them by.

At one point, i saw the mighty Cambodian hot air balloon, and how sensitive happy kids play around as the big balloon floats in the air. By this time, Bun Nak and I stopped over for a quick ciggie break and just admire how these people are able to shell out $100 for the ride. If i am not mistaken, we passed by about five quiet little villages, one of which is even older than Angkor Wat. That made me even more excited, and i feel so happy that Bun Nak was there to give me a glimpse of how two local Khmer friends get excited ripping the enigmatic highways of Cambodia.

The sun was about to set, and so off we go to supposedly to the stilt houses. Unfortunately, the river water was too low and so boats cannot operate at this time of the year. We continued our cruise and found a lone pagoda sitting by the hill in another village. What's fortunate is that there's nobody there but a few monks after prayer. It's a lovely pagoda with multi-colored Buddhas surrounding the extreme points of moat. Bun Nak said it's an oldie but being renovated now by the local government.

The Road 6 at dawn was a mess. Construction on the roads were happening, and every time a large car or bus passes us by, the thick smog mixed with suffocating smell of unfinished road envelopes the air.

But this is Cambodia. I didn't go back here to be amazed of their fine high rise buildings, because there's none. Neither did i go back to experience luxury through their air conditioned cafes. Cambodia is a third world country with heaps of 1st rate adventurous things to do. And it's probably the reason why i came back second time around.

Lo and behold, i extended my stay in Siem Reap where i finally got to visit Kampong Phluk where locals live by the Tonle Sap Lake in their awesome stilt houses.

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Travel Notes from Beng Mealea, Cambodia

7:11:00 PM Pinoy Boy Journals 0 Comments

Koh Ker was supposedly where i will go. I cannot be too honest with Bun Nak when he's been endorsing me this temple since day one. He said that if didn't want too many tourists in a temple, i have to go to Preah Vihear province, close to the border with Thailand. I didn't go even if there was a Unesco World Heritage sight waiting for me to explore.

Amidst what Bun Nak is saying that land mines are cleared, i just read that it's not fully cleared at all. But, the government, together with a foreign outfit, are doing their best to clear the temples and even the surrounding areas with land mines.

It appears that Koh Ker is an Angkor Wat in the making; more vibrant, more atmospheric and less commercialized. Malaria is super prevalent in the area near Thailand, that everyone is advised to take anti-malaria pills at all cost. And because i didn't expect my adventurous side to overcome my fear, i was literally on the road on a motorbike every single day, looking for places left untouched by tourists. Which means, i was always nearby the red zone. :(

And thirdly, it's 120 kilometers away from Siem Reap. The road is fine at some point but it gets rough toward the jungle, and i am not kidding, with potholes from every corner of the half-built road. So, there.

Bun Nak was supposed to pick m up at 5AM so we can leave early for Koh Ker. With not much sleep, i went downstairs and told him that my plans have changed. Of course, he was a bit disappointed having to wake up at quarter to five in the morning for a lazy and disorganized backpacker named Jerik. But i explaind to him that i have all the afternoon to roam around, and do absolutely non-touristy stuff except for Bang Malea.

At half past 11 in the morning, this fellow Bun Nak who has now turned from a driver/guide to my good friend turned up at the hostel excited to take me around so i can explore some more. The heat was unbearable, and i haven't eaten anything so anything with rice and soda would probably help me out become more energetic for the long day ahead of me. We stopped by a fancy restaurant where i had a so so chicken fried rice. Of course, it was getting warmer at about 33 degrees Celsius.

As we were racing for Bun Nak's best time from Siem Reap to Beng Maalea at 65 kilometers, i reckoned this is probably the longest motorbike trip of my life. The road was good mostly, on the way to Phnom Penh, but the extreme heat was making the trip awful. At about 1 hour and 1 minute, we arrived at the ticket counter where had to pay $5 to get inside this popular temple in Siem Reap.

Beng Mealea is probably the most beautiful temple of all temples in Siem Reap. That is after visiting all the Angkor Wat temples the last time i was there. And now, Beng Mealea is absolutely one of a kind. Like what everyone says, it's worth your 5 dollars to be there. I wished i could have shown him more my enthusiasm but i was already dripping in sweat, and it doesn't help knowing i still have again almost a hundred kilometers of road race, back to my hotel.

After about an hour of pure excitement, it was time for us to depart. But where to? I told Bun Nak if we could actually roam around some more villages so i could have a deeper understanding of the people's way of lives.