Annyeonghaseyo Seoul, South Korea. Annyeonghaseyo means "Hello" or "Hi" in their language. South Korea is one of the top tourist destination in Asia and in the world with11 million tourist as of 2016. Most of non-Korean tourists were Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese. We, Filipinos are idolizing the Korean culture due to their lovely Koreanovelas and catchy K-POP music. Not to mention the invasion of the Korean foods in the Philippines that makes Korea a dream place to go for the Filipinos.

I am very fortunate to pay a short but memorable visit in Korea last November 2017. Filipinos are required to get their Korean visa (except for Jeju Island). To get a Korean visa for Filipino passport holders, visit this site for info. 

Here are some of the photos that I want to share during my brief but wonderful stay in the land of K-POP and Kimchi. South, Korea!

Gomabseubnida, Korea!

Incheon International Airport and the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic bears

Yummy street foods at Myeong-dong 

It's not always junk at Myeong-dong

Myeong-dong

Namsan

N Seoul Tower

Petite France

Petite France's petite bridge

Petite France must have Eiffel Tower

Nami Island is a poetry

Breath-taking trees of Nami Island

Loveless at Nami Island

The century tree in the Garden of Morning Calm

The Garden of Morning Calm

Ginseng is Korea's greatest import to the world

Cats everywhere at Cafe Cafe Myeong-dong

Cafe Cafe Myeongdong - Godabang

Me as Gyeongbokgung guard

Gyeongbokgung Palace

The walkway tunnel at DMZ

DMZ: Korea Demilitarized Zone

North Korea from horizon

Bukchon Hanok Village's Wall

Hanok Costume

Hanbok Costume Experience

Namsan Park

Namsan Park's lovely leaves on stairs

Gangnam Station Marker

Gangnam Station

Yummy!!!!

Bulgogi

Philstay in Myeong-dong. This is where we stay. 

Amid the Boracay closure, my friends and I decided to visit one island that truly had a great charm that equally (or greater) matched the Boracay Island. Welcome to Hermana Menor in Sta. Cruz, Zambales.

Six hours drive away from Manila, you can see the almost perfect white sand and captivating sand bar will endear your eyes and the 6 hours travel has worth it all. Unlike other famous island destination in the Philippines, Hermana Menor is not crowded and no commercial stores available in the area. Overnight stay is not allowed to preserve its beauty. The photo says it all.

For just a PHP 100 or ~ 2 USD as an entrance fee, you can enjoy these wonderful sight only Hermana Menor can offer. Still unspoiled and you can add to your bucket list this summer. 

Going to a country where you have no idea what to expect is a different feel, especially when you are traveling alone. But somehow, I took all my guts to visit Bali, Indonesia for the first time. This is officially my first time to travel alone. I often go on a travel with my friends and officemates but this time, it's more of having a thrill of exploring a country just you alone.

I decided to avail the 5 days, 4 nights package of Bali Bliss Tour. Since I am a solo traveler, the package is 533 USD including the hotel, tours, drivers, entrance fee and etc. The package is reasonable enough and I'm totally happy with all the itineraries that they prepared. To see the whole package and the itinerary, refer to this link.

I am also fortunate to have Mr. Made Sukanta as my tour guide. He is very much in the know of everything about his country. Plus a good lesson of Indonesian language along our trip. It's interesting to know that Tagalog and Indonesian language share the same words and meaning. Thanks Mr. Made for the trivia. ;-)

Ngurah Rai International Airport is truly a world-class airport despite of its size modest size and capacity. A Garuda statue will greet you once you landed at the arrival area of the airport.

Our first visit was the Bali Museum located in Denpasar, Bali. The museum displays theatrical masks and musical instruments, textiles and important archeological finds. 

Next stop is the Nusa Dua Beach. A public beach with glorious white sand and safe for swimming because of its depth that is good for children. There's a lot of high-end hotels situated along the beach and the place is not crowded compare to Kuta Beach. 

For the surfing enthusiast, Padang Padang beach is for you. Located at the dense urban city of Padang so expect a lot of tourist and surfers in the area.

Sunset @ Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu is a place on the south-western tip of the Bukit Peninsula of Bali, Indonesia. It is home to the Pura Luhur Uluwatu Temple and is the number four surf destination in the world for surfers of all abilities. [Wikipedia]

The breath-taking sunset is the best scene here and the home of Kecak Dance performance performed in Uluwatu Temple at every 5pm on the cliff-side. 

I consider this as the highlight of my wonderful tour in Bali. Bali Elephant Camp is the home of 15+ elephants from Sumatra Island in Indonesia. Located at the sideof Ayung river, Bali Elephant Camp is truly an endearing experience for elephant lovers like me. Their meek nature is truly a charming experience. For pricing and more information, refer to this link.

  

This is the most famous beach destination in Bali just a minutes away from Ngurah Rai International Airport. The nearby resorts of Legian and Seminyak. This is where the party's happening during night time. 

Do not leave Bali without experiencing their authentic Balinese massage courtesy of Orchid Spa Bali. Their relaxing massage and genuine hospitality is truly outstanding. Service includes foot and body scrub, balinese massage, yogurt moisturizer, flower bath and complimentary welcome tea. Visit their site for more information and pricing.

Barong and Kris Dance in action

A glimpse of  Balinese culture in a 1 hour show. Barong and Kris Dance is a 12th century classical tale of good versus evil, Calon Arang, serves as the backdrop for the Barong and Kris dance. The Barong, a benevolent spirit in beast form must protect a kingdom against the vengeful wrath of the widow and witch queen, Rangda. Two male dancers work out the movements of the heavily ornate Barong costume, much in resemblance of the Chinese lion dance, while supporting dancers portray monkeys, priests and village men. More information about this enchanting culture here.

Luwak Coffee is cited as the most expensive coffee in the world. Being made in uncommon  method makes it expensive enough to sell. It has been produced from the coffee beans which have been digested by a certain Indonesian cat-like animal called then palm civet or also civet cat. This is the reason kopi luwak is also called cat poop coffee or civet cat coffee. The feces of this cat will be collected, finished and sold as kopi luwak. More information here.

Mt. Batur is an active volcano in Bali and seen last eruption recorded in 2000. Having a peak of 1717 meters above sea level and it's breathtaking views of Lake Batur and its lava from the last eruption, it's truly a magnificent view while having a satisfying lunch. Lots of tourist take their souvenir photos at the view of volcano. Hiking is also available at Mt. Batur.

 

An important temple complex and holy mountain spring, located in the village of Manukaya in central Bali. Tirta Empul Temple serves as a legendary setting of a traditional tale about good versus evil. It is also a national cultural heritage site.

Tirta Empul, meaning ‘holy water spring’ is actually the name of a water source located within the temple. The spring feeds various purification baths, pools and fish ponds surrounding the outer perimeter, which all flow to the Tukad Pakerisan River. Various sites throughout the region and many other archaeological relics relate to local myths and legends. More info here.

 

The Tegallalang rice terraces offers a scenic outlook that spreads down before you and away to the rice paddies on the slopes across the valley. The high roadside location is cool and breezy and it is a well-known spot for tourists to stop and take photos. The area also offers an exciting swing for tourist who wants to experience a high rush of excitement. My photo says it all and I really enjoyed it. More information of Tegallalang Rice Terraces here.

My stay in Bali is not complete without the great accomodation that Atanaya Hotel in Seminyak has to offer. Their exciting infinity rooftop pool is a great catch. They also offer a buffet breakfast for their visitors and ala carte dining experience that includes native Balinese food. They are located at: Jl. Sunset Road No. 88A, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia.

For those who want Mr. Made Sukanta's contact info, you can contact him at the photo indicated above. His website is www.bagusholidaysbali.com.