Travel

Manila-Siem Reap Direct Flights via Cebu Pacific Air

Posted by Lui on Jan 26, 2012 | 2 comments

Here’s something we’ve been waiting for quite sometime already, after the two countries have signed flight deals since 2009!  Direct flights from the Philippines to Cambodia is finally here! Philippine budget carrier Cebu Pacific Air will commence flights from Manila-Siem Reap and vice versa from April 19, 2012!

Visiting Angkor Wat is now much easier and much much cheaper for Pinoy folks. And what’s even better is that Cebu Pacific Air is currently holding a seat sale till January 29, 2012, so hurry and grab your really cheap fares on this seat sale. I think booking for Cambodia flights commences tomorrow, January 27th @ Cebu Pacific Air. You can also check out Cebu Pacific’s Facebook Page for promo updates.

I’ve checked the schedules and for now the airline is flying to Siem Reap on Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday. Flight times would 19:50  - 21:30 for Manila-Siem Reap and 22:30 – 02:10 for Siem Reap-Manila. That’s about 2 hrs and 40 mins of flying, (Cambodia being 1 hr behind Manila time)!

This news made my day. Lol. I’ve been wishing for this to happen since… well ever since. And now if only Cebu Pacific flies to direct to Phnom Penh too. I know, tourists are mostly after Angkor Wat in Siem Reap but still, majority of Filipino expats reside here and Phnom Penh is increasingly getting a part  in the tourist trail..so Cebu Pacific, pretty please add Phnom Penh to your destinations soon..

Sleepy, Picturesque Kampot City

Posted by Lui on Dec 3, 2011 | 0 comments

We’ve been to Kampot a year or so before but it was only a passing visit. I didn’t even get to take photos and I had been forever lamenting that little incident and bugging Hi-ace about when we’ll go back there and soak up on the Kampot atmosphere. We finally made the trip three weeks ago during the Water Festival holidays. It was a rather spur of the moment trip with no real itinerary except going to Kep and Kampot and just wandering about. This is a pic heavy post, so be forewarned, it’ll take a bit of time to load up.

Kampot is a leisurely 2-3 hour drive from Phnom Penh. National Road #3 is newly re-built? and is in great shape so the drive is smooth and very very picturesque. I love unspoiled, green landscapes and I was seriously tempted to ask Hi-ace to stop driving and let me get down and take photos but I just had to restrain myself. Lol.

Here’s some gorgeous riverfront snapshots..

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Food Trip Friday: Pasta Mayon @ Small Talk Cafe

Posted by Lui on Nov 17, 2011 | 18 comments

Here’s from one of my favorite resto’s in Legazpi City, Philippines – Small Talk Cafe. I missed the food there so this was one of my stops with some friends during my two-week Pinas vacation.

I had Pasta Mayon. I know it looks like your ordinary lasagna dish but believe me this one is definitely unique. Ravioli pasta stuffed with creamy pinangat (laing leaves cooked with coconut cream) and topped with oh so yummy tuna sauce. I think ‘yummy’ and delicious would be an understatement for this dish.

I also wish I had more room for more food. But I just had heavy lunch and the pasta was the only thing I could accommodate. The Laing/Pinangat Pasta and the Bicol Express Pasta and Pili Pasta, Laing Pizza looked interesting too. I guess, I just have to make sure I’m really hungry when I go there again.

Small Talk cafe has a really cozy ambiance (think vintage-retro!) and features some totally unique food. A lot of the food in their menu are a must try. If you’re ever in Legazpi City, visit this place. Located in Albay District very near Divine Word College.

And oh, thanks Yese for the pics (which makes me think what a lousy blogger I make, I always seem to forget the cam whenever I need it LOL) and Khenn, thanks for the yummy treat ). Miss you guys and see sometime soon again.

Food Trip Friday: Sibid-Sibid Legazpi

Posted by Lui on Nov 13, 2011 | 2 comments

It’s been awhile. But hey, I’m well, alive and blogging from Phnom Penh again. I did plan to update the site while I was in the Philippines but a busy schedule and a crazy slow internet connection made me…well, lazy. I reasoned I was on vacation so I might as well be on full vacation..

I had a really great time there even if the weather was really dark, rainy and moody. I met up and caught up with a lot of friends and also had a great time trying out Legazpi’s new restos. One of the places we tried was Sibid-Sibid Legazpi. We were with my mom’s bestfriend and since my daughter is crazy about seafood, this is the place she recommended we try. So I’m deviating a bit for my Food Trip Friday entry and featuring a ‘Filipino restaurant’ instead of Khmer food.

a miniature sibi-sibid. A wooden banca used by fishermen..

Sibid-Sibid Legazpi has native and traditional Filipino theme with bamboo and wood decor all around the resto. It reminded me much of bahay kubos . Their menu consisted mainly of traditional Filipino favorites like bulalo, sisig, bicol express and more seafoods.

FISH SISIG: i’ll be having some serious cravings with this one. It’s soooo crunchy and delicious. I had to stop myself from ordering a bottle of beer when I tasted this. 

SHRIMP ADOBADO: the sauce. finger lickin’ good. The kiddo went a little nuts with this. She wanted a second helping of rice coz of this. 

A Visit to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Posted by Lui on Oct 5, 2011 | 1 comment

This is a photo heavy post ) Hmm, I’m just too lazy to spread this over several posts. A week ago, we had long holiday because the Khmers were celebrating Pchum Ben. With a few days on our hands we decided to visit Ho Chi Minh City again. Last time we went there we didn’t do much sightseeing, we were just there to eat and shop. We picked the place since its near, just a few hours bus ride. For the PP-HCM leg of our trip we took Mekong Express. Left 8:30 am and before 1:30 pm we were already getting our passports stamped at the Vietnam border. You know you’re in Vietnam when you see this..Heh.

I pre-booked our hotel, picked out Hong Thien Loc Hotel for its proximity to buses going to Phnom Penh and also its right along Pham Ngu Lao street. Very central. The hotel was nice enough, nothing stellar but good enough and I got a really good deal online compared to if we just walked in.

And here’s pic spam of our three day trip.

I actually feel right at home in Ho Chi Minh city. I feel like I’m just in a bigger version of Phnom Penh. What with millions of motorbikes making the city roads their raceways? Well for some, the streaming hordes of motorbikes is a novelty and often scary but I must have gotten immune to it while living in Phnom Penh. I think its pretty ordinary hahaha. And I just found out I’m pretty good at crossing the road and deftly avoiding being side swept by those flying motos..

Above: Backpacker Central – De Tham Street

Tiny alleys packed with mini hotels..

Eats? One of my favorite things to do in Vietnam..We can’t get enough of Pho..

The usual tourist circuit..Hehe we decided to do what the usual tourists do..

Reunification Palace. This place obviously didn’t interest me much. This is the only photo I took of the place.

War Remnants Museum.

Lovely Notre Dame Cathedral

Food Trip Friday: Pho2000

Posted by Lui on Sep 30, 2011 | 6 comments

We had a long holiday this week here in Phnom Penh. The Khmers were celebrating Pchum Ben and most people took the time off and headed elsewhere for some R & R. We were actually planning on going to Battambang, but since my sister was going home to Manila via Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, we decided we’ll all tag along and spend a few days there. What did we do? Nothing much, walked about the city, did a bit of shopping{ really, Ho Chi Minh is a bargain shoppers haven, you’ll find everything in their markets apparel, even hospital scrubs sale, bags, home decor etc} and we also ate a lot. Hubby and I, are big fans of Vietnamese Pho Bo so we decided to eat Pho every night Lol.

The first night we went to our favorite Pho place – Pho2000. Here’s some drool worthy pics..

Hubby ordered a large bowl of Pho Bo {Beef Keuy Teuw Noodles} and I was seriously shocked at how huge the bowl was. I thought at first the waiter was bringing it over for us to wash our hands on, hahahaha. And Hi-ace was embarrassed he was the only one eating a huge bowl of noodles. Lol. But he did finish it all up!

Mine was a really delicious seafood Pho. Clams, squid, fish, prawns and lots of onions. I love the spiciness of this one. Definitely going to my favorite list.

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