Indonesia: Sunrise on top of Borobudur

When I arrived in Jakarta, the city had several greeting arches which read "Hari Raya Waisak." It was obviously a big festival. Little did I know that it was a holiday the day before I arrived. Although majority of its citizens are Muslim, Indonesia also declares holidays on important Christian, Hindu, Chinese and Buddhist days.

June 1st this year was Waisak in Indonesia, a festival which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and demise of Buddha. The celebrations center around the largest man-made structure in the Southern Hemisphere, the Buddhist temple of Borobudur in Central Java.

After a nine-hour train ride from Jakarta, I arrived in Yogyakarta (pronounced Jogjakarta) at about 6 a.m. I'll write more about Yoyga when I get back and continue exploring this Javanese city. But I'll go fast forward and talk about my surreal experience in Borobudur, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Friends in Manila had tipped me that there was a hotel within the grounds of the park itself and that by staying there, I would be able to explore the temple long before the crowds were allowed in. So after doing some research, I finally found the Manohara Hotel's contact numbers and asked my friends in Jakarta to book a room for me. It was good that the Waisak was over since that meant rooms would be easily available.

I took a one-hour bus from the Jombor Bus Station to Borobudur which cost me Rp10,000 (US$1.15). The good thing about booking in Manohara was that the entrance to the park was free for two days. That meant close to Rp200,000 (US$24) in savings since foreigners paid hefty amounts to enter. All I had to say at the gate was that I was booked at Manohara and my reservation number.

Manohara Hotel was a sprawling complex of guest rooms, conference rooms and restaurants that followed a distinctly Javanese architectural style which blended well with the surroundings. From the hotel, I could see Borobudur perched on top of a hill. Before climbing up the temple, I checked-in to drop off my bags. The room was Rp351,000 (US$41) a night. While you had to pay an extra Rp102,500 (US$12) per person to be able to enter the temple at 4:45 a.m. the next day. It was most definitely worth it. I didn't take too long in the room since I was raring to climb up this gargantuan structure which, together with Angkor Wat and Bagan, ranks among the great monuments of Southeast Asia.

Sometimes, I ponder how man was able to construct these masterpieces with the little technology they had at that time. Decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 statues of Buddha, this great temple, when viewed from the top, takes the form of a tantric Buddhist mandala, and is thus said to be the biggest mandala in the world. If we Catholics have the Fourteen Stations of the Cross, Buddhists who made the pilgrimage to Borobudur were said to reflect on each of the 1,460 narrative panels which depicted various scenes from the life of Buddha and his teachings. I finally reached the top after several rounds appreciating the reliefs at various levels.

Since Borobudur is the only temple inside the park, I decided to make my way back to the hotel to take a nap, waking up just in time for an early dinner. This was one of the few legs of my journey where I really made sure I maximized my vacation. Later in the evening, I watched an educational video about Borobudur in the hotel audio-visual room. I guess I was just too excited to climb up early the next morning so I had a difficult time sleeping. But I was able to get up thanks to the 4 a.m. wake-up call.

A van took me and two other hotel guests to the back entrance. It was still dark when we got there and the entire temple was lit by strong spotlights on every side. I first took some photos from below then made my way up the stairs to the top of the temple to wait for the arrival of the sun.

It finally made its way up, slowly enveloping the sky and the surrounding mountains with its radiance. The experience was indeed one of a kind. As I absorbed this heavenly scene, the silence around me was broken as I heard the noise of school kids down below. The first regular visitors for the day were making their way up the temple. I had it all to myself, well almost. But it was now time to give way to the droves of tourists which were climbing up the stairs.

I started to walk back to the hotel for my complimentary breakfast. After a quick meal, I was back to bed to get more sleep. By 11 a.m., I was on my way back to the bus station to rush over to Prambanan, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. More photos in Central Java Indonesia 06/06 and Central Java, Indonesia 06/05.

Technorati Tags: yogyakarta, magelang, central java, indonesia, travel, travel blog, heritage, historical structures, architecture, unesco, borobudur

Indonesia: Walking around old Jakarta in Kota

Kota Tua Jakarta (Jakarta Old Town) or Old Batavia is a 130-hectare special region in the province of Jakarta (contained in the cities on North Jakarta and West Jakarta) that was declared a heritage zone by Jakarta's governor in 1972. It stands today as a legacy of Indonesia's Dutch colonial past. Although a bit neglected, what's important is that the buildings were not demolished and there are concerted efforts from both government and private groups to restore the area and rejuvenate Old Jakarta. Kota was therefore on top of my places to visit in Jakarta.

I arrived in Jakarta close to 9 p.m. My AirAsia flight was an hour delayed. But it wasn't too much a bother considering I paid so little for it. From the airport, I took a Damri bus to Blok M for Rp15,000. Taxis would most definitely cost you a fortune so ask around which Damri bus stops closest to your destination.

The plan was for me to meet up with my SSEAYP batchmate Wira at his office and I was instructed to take a cab from Blok M. I didn't take much notice to the detail which said I should take a Blue Bird Taxi. I would later learn that in Jakarta, taxis are branded and it's the passenger who refuses the taxi and not the other way around as is the case in Metro Manila. And they stick to safe names such as the Blue Bird Group (be careful because not all blue taxis are Blue Bird taxis) and Express. It turns out, there have been a spate of taxi holdups where drivers are in cahoots with the crooks, picking them up at designated places to rob their hapless passengers. Good thing nothing happened to me. Here's a detailed safety guide to taxis in Jakarta.

I met up with my other batchmates the next day. After a late lunch, we trooped to Kota. On the way there, we passed by the business district and I was impressed by the wide and well-landscaped avenues, grand fountains and monuments which one can find all over Jakarta. And there were so many trees... many, many trees! It seems Manila is the only Southeast Asian capital without tree-lined roads, aggravated further by MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando who declared an all-out war on trees in Metro Manila, with an Inquirer article once saying "MMDA chief Fernando: We'll cut more trees." Add to the fact that he churns out some of the ugliest infrastructure in the world (same goes for the DPWH). Those pink and blue pedestrian overpasses are plain and simple ugly! And he expects the Metro to look nice? He should fire his designers and consultants for lack of taste!

As we neared, there were already a significant number of grand colonial buildings. And I was quite happy to see an entire area of Dutch colonial architecture, many abandoned or dilapidated, but still standing. How I had wished the Americans had not carpet bombed Intramuros during the liberation.

Anyway, we walked towards the Taman Fatahillah, which was the old town square. The focal point of the square is the old city hall (stadthuys) of Batavia built in 1710 which stands on one side of the square. On the opposite side is one of Jakarta's chic bars, Cafe Batavia, named one of the world's best bars by Newsweek in 1994 and 1996. The bar is housed in an 18th century building, the second oldest in Fatahillah Square. As they say, the bar's authentic decor, celebrity visitors, fun parties and fine food have become world famous and it had thus become a must visit when in Jakarta.

All over the cafe, bathroom included, is an impressive collection of photographs and paintings of movie stars and celebrities, generals, royalty, and world leaders from days gone by to the present. And despite its celebrity status, prices are not as expensive as most 5-star hotels. Their best drinks include award winning cocktails Borneo Sunset and Marry Me.

From Kota, we took a bajaj (pronounced bajay) to another historic area known as Sunda Kelapa, which is Jakarta's picturesque 17th century harbor. It was getting dark when we arrived so I was not able to check out up close the magnificent Makassarese schooners which still dock in the port. Although the watchtower was locked, we were able to request the caretaker to open it for us. And we climbed up several wooden flights of stairs to the top of the tower which gave us a great view of the port.

We then took a cab to the 450-foot Monumen Nasional, or Monas for short, which was built to symbolize the fight for Indonesia's independence. Jakarta has a plentiful supply of monuments left by Sukarno, most in the Russian "heroes of socialism" style. Many of them have acquired funny and descriptive nicknames. And the Monas is called "Sukarno's last erection" (check out the photo to find out why) since he was overthrown before it was completed.

For dinner, we headed to Jalan Sabang, Jakarta's street food haven and sate center. There may be sate (satay) all over the Malay region. But none of them can match the heavenly delicious peanut sauce which accompanies the sate ayam we ate in Sabang. I want to try making peanut sauce to partner the pork barbeque we have here.

Anyway, the next day was mostly rest since I took a two-hour motorcycle ride from North Jakarta to South Jakarta early in the morning and got a feel of Jakarta's rush hour traffic. But it also gave me a window to check out Jakarta, the landmarks and the city's daily life. I'm off to the Gambir Train Station for my trip to Yogyakarta which is about nine hours away. I spent Rp190,000 (US$21) for an eksekutif class ticket. More photos in Jakarta, Indonesia 06/03

Technorati Tags: jakarta, indonesia, travel, travel blog, backpacking, historical sites, heritage, architecture, food

Malaysia: Transit in Kuala Lumpur

I was able to get those "free" AirAsia tickets a few months back so I'm on the backpack trail again. As always, I have to transit in Kuala Lumpur. So from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport Low Cost Carrier Terminal (KLIA-LCCT), I took the SkyBus to KL Sentral for RM9. The airport is about an hour away from town and it's good they have these shuttle buses since taking a taxi will make a dent in your budget big time!

From KL Sentral, I took an LRT to the Pasar Seni Station in Chinatown and after finding a place to stay for the night, I walked around. I had some Indian food (roti canai and Horlicks ais) for early dinner and then went back to the hotel to take a nap while waiting for my SSEAYP friends. I met up with Mariam from Singapore at about 11:30 p.m. Then we met up with the Malaysian PYs (Paktam, Az and Dayang) for some late night drinks.

The next day, I passed by KLCC to take photos of Petronas Towers. Then I was off to the airport again for my flight to Jakarta, Indonesia. I had my favorite nasi lemak at the airport as well as on the plane. Check out more photos in Multiply.

Technorati Tags: kuala lumpur, malaysia, travel, travel blog, backpacking

Macau: Heritage is alive in Macau!

I won't write about the Hong Kong and Shenzhen leg of my trip since you've already read about the forgettable stuff below. But Macau was definitely a breath of fresh air. We arrived at the border close to 7 p.m. of May 27 and were brought straight to the Hotel Taipa Best Western where we stayed for our last night. Then we were on our own.

For dinner, we just got some take out food next door and ate in our hotel room. My family slept early that night but I went out for some drinks with my brods around old Taipa. I really like the way other Asian countries treat their colonial heritage. Taipa was an old fishing town and they were able to preserve the historic core. Walking the narrow streets gave one a feel of its rich history and age. We chilled out at this place called Taverna which looked like an old shop house that was reused as a bar.

The next day, after breakfast at the hotel, we took a cab to Plaza Senado and strolled around the charming colonial buildings, many of which were reused as shops and restaurants. Indeed, heritage is alive in Macau. It's historic core is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But the old buildings continue to suit the needs of the current generation with this wonderfully implemented adaptive reuse. One should not miss the Ruins of St. Paul which are the iconic symbol of old Macau.

We weren't able to do much since we had to be at the airport by 1 p.m. Add to the fact that it rained. But it was fun exploring on our own, with no tour guide ramming down compulsory shopping tours down our throats.

Check out my latest albums:
Seremban, Malaysia 06/13
Singapore 06/12
Singapore 06/11
Jakarta, Indonesia 06/09
Bandung, Indonesia 06/08
Yogyakarta, Indonesia 06/07
Yogyakarta, Indonesia 06/06
Central Java Indonesia 06/06
Central Java, Indonesia 06/05
Yogyakarta, Indonesia 06/05
Jakarta, Indonesia 06/04
Jakarta, Indonesia 06/03
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 06/02
Macau 5/28
Shenzhen, China 5/27
Hong Kong 5/26

Technorati Tags: macau, taipa, china, travel, travel blog

Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macau: making the right choices for your trip

I just came from a family trip to Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Macau. We took my niece to Hong Kong Disneyland for her birthday and tried to find the cheapest package not realizing its hidden costs and problems. There were thus many forgettable experiences. Here are the top 10 things to remember to help you pick the right package tour to these Chinese cities:

1. You get what you pay for
If it's too cheap, be wary since these tour organizers will definitely make money from you some other way. You'll find out how as you read on. We wanted to save but the hassle and hidden costs were not worth the savings. Trust me!

2. Go for the tried and tested travel agencies
Although I've seen tried and tested travel agencies advertising in newspapers, many others could be in the category of fly-by-night. Don't be fooled by the rates they publish since there are more hidden charges. Our tour was a little over US$150 in the newspapers but ended up close to US$350 when all the costs were added in. It's best that you get recognized names or ask referrals from friends before booking.

3. Low-fare carriers are book and buy
Another modus operandi of travel agencies is delaying the release of the ticket. For Tiger Air, Air Asia and Cebu Pacific, these airlines are book and buy. So if your travel agency says it can't release the tickets as soon as you pay, that's bullshit! We were set to leave on the 18th, but a few days before, the agency said they were not able to book our tickets reasoning out that the organizer in Hong Kong canceled that date. So we ended up leaving a week later.

4. Make sure you have travel tax receipts
If you pay your travel tax through the agency, make sure they give you a Philippine government receipt amounting to PHP1,620 per person. We paid for the travel tax through the agency but they didn't give us a receipt. So when questioned about it, they could not answer. We therefore demanded that they return the money to us. You could easily pay the travel tax at Terminal 3 or DMIA. So to be safe, just pay it there.

5. Ask for a detailed itinerary
Travel agencies usually have standard itineraries which they fax. Details are scarce: half-day city tour, shopping tour in the morning, free time in the afternoon but no approximate times. Don't be content with that. Make sure to get more details. Will we get to go around on our own? What sights will we visit? What hotel will we be staying in? If the agency can't give you more details, find another one.

6. Watch out for "shopping tours"
These shopping tours are often compulsory and a waste of time. In a good tour package, there should be no compulsory items in it. The reason why some tour packages are cheap is because of these compulsory tours. These are traps for tourists. Instead of seeing the sights, the group is brought to select outlets such as jewelry stores, souvenir stores in office buildings, and other shops. The organizer or tour guide usually earns commissions from the purchases of the group which is why they can afford to make the tour package cheap. In really bad tours, you don't have a choice but to buy since they will not take you to any other place to buy souvenirs where you could choose stores or bargain for items.

If there are compulsory shopping tours, find another agency, since in the end, you'll end up seeing nothing. You should be given an option to choose not to join the shopping tour and meet up with the group at a designated place and time.

We wasted half a day in Hong Kong because of the shopping tour. The only attraction we saw was Victoria Harbour. And it was just a ten-minute stopover so they could take our photos. They say it's for the China group visa which was bullshit since they could easily scan our passport photos. Later in the morning, our photos appeared on souvenir plates which they tried to sell to us at outrageously high prices - HK$150 for a medium plate!

Our guide also said the Hong Kong Disneyland tickets were still on the way but I'm sure they were with her already. If I had my way, I would have gotten the Disneyland tickets from the guide, taken my family to Kowloon or Hong Kong Island for some quality sightseeing first, or slept a bit more and gone straight to Disneyland in time for the 10 a.m. opening, meeting the group at 6:30 p.m. for our trip to Shenzhen.

In Shenzhen, it was worse. We literally saw nothing except the jade and pearl outlet stores. We had 10 minutes for photos at the entrance of Windows of the World, obviously so they could put them on plates again.

7. Watch out for "free time" or "optional tours"
This was really bad. In the faxed itinerary, it said our afternoon in Shenzhen was free time. But lo and behold, our tour guide, knowing Filipinos can be easily fooled by the word shopping, tells us that there was an optional tour to the Divisoria of Shezhen in the afternoon, and that we had to pay RMB100 per head since it was far and they had to do overtime. The other option was she could take us straight to Macau. She almost got the group to say yes but when others like myself said no knowing that it was all free time in Macau, she reasoned out that we will arrive in Macau at 1:30 p.m. and had to wait for the Macau guide to arrive at 7 p.m. So the "optional" tour wasn't optional at all.

When we demanded she call the Macau guide to come earlier, she said they had other appointments. Yeah right! She then made another offer, RMB80 includes lunch and free time to shop at a mall. We were all tired and said yes. But on hindsight, I should have forced the issue that we be taken to place where we could pick where to eat.

The Shenzhen leg was very forgettable since the guide didn't care less whether we enjoyed or not. She was after the amount of money she could earn from the group. When we thought it was all over, we were roused from our sleep in Zhuhai City thinking we were about to go down the bus to enter Immigration. But then, the guide says, there was one last stop, a Chinese medicine store!

Prices were as always, exorbitantly high! They tried to invite my family to a VIP room for "consultation" but we refused. Others who went in were being pressured to buy. The answers from the consultations of the "professors" were so generic. And the medicine they recommended were from a select list of products. So I sensed it was a scam.

8. Selling on the bus
I already mentioned the souvenir plates and the "optional" tours which aren't optional at all. But there could be more such as souvenir items. The guides are blatant when they say it's for them or the bus drivers. First they will start by saying that the drivers are paid low and to help ends meet, they have to sell souvenir items such as key chains on the bus. They add to their appeal to pity that to show your appreciation to the driver, you could buy from them. Our guide went as far as saying no tawad (bargaining) since the price was already good. Talk about sales talk! And you had no choice since you had no other opportunity to buy key chains for pasalubong.

9. Each city has a different tour organizer
The bad part about this is that the guide in one city plays dumb that they do not know the plans of the other guide. So you are left clueless as to where you will stay, what you will do, etc. in the next city. This doesn't give you enough time to detect their modus operandi if any. You would later realize that they know each other and are constantly in contact.

10. Border crossings and group visas
If you think border crossings are made convenient in these package tours, think again. From Hong Kong to Shenzen, we had to change buses three times with all our luggage! We got off our Hong Kong bus and boarded a shuttle to Hong Kong Immigration. After that, we board another bus which took us to China Immigration. We waited for over for an hour for our Shenzhen guide to arrive since she had our group visas.

Then it was a long walk to the Shenzhen bus. We even had to cross the street via a pedestrian overpass. Aside from our luggage being heavy, we had my five-year old niece and 84-year old grandmother with us. I had to push her wheelchair up the pedestrian overpass. And we had to walk her down the other side! Our guide could have made it more convenient by asking the bus to pick us up in front of the exit.

If you are entering on a group visa to China, your passport will not be stamped when you enter and when you exit. In other words, there's no proof on your passport that you entered China. You will also have to enter as a group and leave as a group which means, you're stuck!

Conclusion
It was a good thing it was all free time in Macau. And the hotel accommodations were great! So the tour ended on a happy note. But I hope this experience of mine helps you pick the right tour package for you or at least prepare for it. I personally hate tour groups since you have to deal with different personalities. If someone is late for example, the whole group waits. My parents know better now and we'll travel on our own next time, which is my kind of travel. I'll talk about our trip highlights in my next post.

Technorati Tags: hong kong, shenzhen, macau, travel, package tours, travel advisory, travel blog