Hurry, get the cheaper alternative flights to Taiwan while its visa-free!

Entrance to the Temple in Tianxian, Hualien

Why ditch NAIA?

If you live outside Manila, like I do, the extra domestic flight to NAIA is a real pain in the pocket. A flight to Manila from my hometown Iloilo is normally PhP 2,500 (US$ 50), if you're lucky you may get it for a little bit lower than that. But, seriously that's still money out of my pocket and truth be told, NAIA isn't really an airport anyone can be keen about. A few good strides by the government has already been taken to take it off the World's Worst Airports List, but still it's isn't an airport to be excited about.

Last year, I have already written about ditching NAIA, I was then travelling to Northern Thailand via Hong Kong, happily I was able to do that by directly going to Hong Kong from Iloilo. Here's the entry about that trip. NAIA? No Thank You.

This year, I decided to spend half of the Christmas holidays in Taiwan; thank goodness their government has already allowed visa-free entry for Filipinos! Roughly though, a round-trip flight to Taipei from Manila will cost me around PhP 10,000 - 12,500 (US$ 200 - 250), if you add to that the domestic connexion between Iloilo and Manila I would have spent something north of US$ 300. So how did I fly cheaply?

Just like last year, I ditched NAIA and went directly to Hong Kong! I did have a long lay-over there, we're talking something like 14-hrs. But the lay-over was worth it, I had time to explore the essentials of Hong Kong and still got back to my flight. Read my Hong Kong lay-over adventure here.

Board the Hong Kong (HK) Express

MY HK Express Flight bound for Hualien (HUN)

Unknown to a lot travellers like me, Cathay Pacific and its subsidiary Dragon Air are not the only airlines of Hong Kong! It has others like Hong Kong Airlines, this one I was made familiar because my FlyScoot and AirAsia flights to Gold Coast always arrive together with their flight. And, it also has Hong Kong (HK) Express. This last one is Hong Kong's answer to AirAsia. HK Express has flights to minor airports in Mainland China, Japan, Guam (US Territory), Thailand, Viet Nam and yes, Taiwan! After my most recent flight with them, I think I'm going to ride with them more often.

HK Express serves two cities in Taiwan, namely Taichung (2x a day) in the west and Hualien (once a day) in the east. Taichung is Taiwan's second largest industrial city after Taipei meanwhile, Hualien is a major tourism destination.

The Flight Price Tag

So how much was my outbound flight to Taiwan this year? I got my ILO-HKG flight at bargain price of US$ 30, this was because of some promotion back in June. I already know that I am flying around December and June of each year, so when there's a promotion by Cebu Pacific for these months, I normally buy my outbound flights either going to Hong Kong in December or to Singapore in June.

The second leg, going to Hualien cost me around US$ 60. So the total outbound flight cost me only US$ 90! Isn't that a bargain?

Where in the world is Hualien?

A Temple near my AirBnb accommodation.

Hualien is a quaint city, it has all the amenities of one minus the hassle.

The question might be popping in your mind right now, "where in the world is Hualien?" I should say that if there is such a thing as love at first sight, it will be Hualien City for me. It is very quaint, charming and teeming with friendly people! It doesn't have sky scrapers but has wonderful beaches and is the gateway to the famous Taroko Gorge. In fact the gorge is the reason why Hualien is a major tourist destination in Taiwan. I shall be writing a separate entry on the Taroko Gorge. Read it here.

This city is in the East coast of Taiwan. It is primarily a city built right outside an airforce base. The civilian airport with IATA 3-letter code (HUN) is in fact shared with Taiwan's Air Force. When making a flight to Hualien, Taiwan make sure there are no scheduled military exercises, because all civilian flights are grounded during these exercises.

From Hualien, it's an easy 2-3hr train journey to Taipei with plenty of scenic views along the route. 

Where to stay in Hualien?

Hualien, being a tourism destination offers a lot of hotels, motels and hostels. I however booked a homestay via AirBnb. For choices of places to stay in Hualien, feel free to go to your major hotel websites and to AirBnb, ti shouldn't be a problem really.



  

Northern Thai Cuisine (Part 2): The Foods I ate in Chiang Mai

Christmas 2016 for me was spent in Chiang Mai, capital of the ancient kingdom of Lanna. Needless to say, it is also the capital of Northern Thai food. On my first full day in the city, after a 4-hr visit to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and the Bhubing Palace (read the details of the visit here), I immediately went to Tong Tem Toh. It is a very unassuming restaurant viewed from the outside.

Tong Tem Toh (photo credit: Loukafai Blog)

But there was a very long queue! I was there past 1PM but the queue was unbelievably long. It took me another 30-40 minutes of waiting just to get to my table. It sure was worth the wait though, I had my most delicious Northern Thai meal here. Here are the dishes I had there,

Appetizer, Nam Phrik Noom, Roasted Green Chilli Peppers served with Steamed Greens on the Side

Nam Phrik Noom

This dish is made of roasted green chilli peppers spiced and salted. It has a great smokey flavour but refreshing and surprisingly mild heat.

Mains, Kaeng Hang Lay, Burmese Braised Pork

Khaeng Hang Lay

This is an example of Burmese influence on Lanna cuisine. This braised pork uses the same technique we have for the Visayan Humba dish, although it is definitely not on the sweet side, and it has peanuts to add texture of crunchiness to the dish. The meat was melt-in-the-mouth, big hurrah to slow-cooking!

Star of the Meal, Jeen Som Mok Kai, Steamed Fermented Sausage and Egg Wrapped in Banana Leaf

Jeen Som Mok Kai

Boy, this was an absolute stunner for me! Made basically of pork with probably a 60-40 fat to lean meat ratio (goodness my heart was probably screaming with all those fat!), fermented for 3-4 days and then steamed in banana leaf. It tasted with a good balance of salt and sour with the creaminess of what else - pork fat! And if those pork fat weren't enough, the dish has egg! For all heart-healthy people, I strongly recommend this one. But, if you have a history of heart problem, haha, better consult with your doctor first!

As for Christmas Day, I had a meal at Huen Phen, another restaurant specialising on Northern Thai cuisine. Here's what I had there,

Khao Ngiaw, Steamed Rice with Pork Blood

Khao Ngiaw

This is basically white rice mixed with pork blood and then steamed wrapped in banana leaf. It tasted delicious!

Pork Blood Curry Lanna Style

Pork Blood Curry Lanna Style

This is practically a Northern feast staple, blocks of pork blood (we call it betamax in the Philippines) in a mildly spiced curry sauce. It was a bit of a let down for me though because I think I had it cold and a bit on the bland side.

Tam Khanun, Jackfruit Spiced Salad

Tam Khanun

This is the Northern Thai version of Ensaladang Langka, but sans vinegar and coconut milk. Instead it is spiced with chillis and ginger. This one was yummy too!

Gaeng Ho, Mixed Vegetable Stir-fry

 Gaeng Ho

This is just mixed vegetables stir-fried with vermicelli. The mixed greens balances the meaty dishes  I had. But then again, it was served cold, it could have been made better if it was rather kept warm.

Northern Thai Cuisine (Part 1): An Introduction and the Dishes I Ate in Chiang Rai

Ok, I'll take a break from blogging about places to go to here in the North of Thailand. Instead let me blog about the food, which is another of my passion and reason why I went here.

My daily breakfast in Chiang Rai is this congee (evidence of Chinese influence) at โจ๊กนันทกา (chok nanth ka)

Lanna Food

In Northern Thailand, the people still call their place Lanna even though the Kingdom of Lanna has already ceased to exist for nearly a hundred years having been assumed by the Siamese Kingdom of Central Thailand.

Here, up north, the food is unlike the generic Thai food we know back there in the Philippines. Often when we hear Thai Food, we conjure images of pad thai and tom yum. Although those are available here, they are as foreign to the taste of the people here as they are to us.

So what makes up Northern or Lanna cuisine?

Ingredients

The ingredients found in a certain place will affect its cuisine. Generally, the North is landlocked, so seafood is not its strength. Lanna cuisine heavily relies on meat, be that beef, pork or chicken. But they have a preference for pork. Since the climate is already sub-tropical, spices are not as abundant as in the South of Thailand. The prevalent spice in this side of Thailand is no longer chilli, in its place are ginger, galangal, aniseed, dried cottontree flower and long peppers. The heat of Northern cuisine is notably lower by a notch or two compared to the burning hot cuisine of its South and Central cousins. Then of course, coconuts are not native in this area, so coconut milk is missing or is little added to any of the dishes.

Overall, these makes Northern cuisine milder and more subtle.

Then of course, Lanna food is influenced by 3 other nearby civilisations, Burmese, Lane Xang (Laos) and Chinese (way up North), which makes it a curiosity as well as a refinement of a good mix of cultures.

Here is a sampling of the many Northern dishes I was able to taste up here.

Yang Ruam (Mixed Grilled Pork) at Lab Sanam Keela, Chiang Rai

Yang Ruam

This is a very meaty dish, in fact there is nothing else but pork! Yang Ruam is grilled mixed parts of pork, including intestines and liver. It's a bit sweet tasting. But the killer in this dish is the sauce which is called nam jim. Together they made a very wholesome pair. To cool your mouth after each bite, you can occasionally eat the shredded cabbage on the side.

Khao Niew (Sticky Rice)

Photo credit: So What is Sticky Rice Anyway an article by Alison Spiegel of the Huffington post.

Northern food does not heavily rely on regular rice. In fact, people up here prefer Khao Niew (sticky rice). They are usually eaten by hand by forming balls and then dipped into sauces. For example, I ate Khao Niew to pair with the Yang Ruam above, so in between bites of meat, I also eat sticky rice balls dunked in the same nam jim!

Khao Soi Islam, Chiang Rai

The sign that says they have been serving Khao Soi Islam since 1929!

Khao Soi Islam next to the hotel I stayed in Chiang Rai

Khao Soi Islam

A trip to the North of Thailand is not complete without tasting Khao Soi. This is a mild (coconut milk is present but in very diluted form) curry noodle soup which has crispy noodles on top. Khao Soi Islam is, yes you guessed it, the halal version of Khao Soi - therefore either available in Chicken or Beef versions. I was lucky enough to stay next door to the home of the original Khao Soi Islam, so I got to taste the "original" version!

Stir-fried Mushrooms and Vegetables at Phetchaburi

Pla Tod (Fried Fish) also at Phetchaburi

Stir-fried Mushrooms and Vegetables and Pla Tod

After I went to Wat Rong Khun I was raring to have lunch at 2PM, so I went Phetchaburi which is just down the street from the hotel I was staying at. The stir-fried mushrooms and vegetables were really great. The perfectly golden fried fish (I forgot to ask what kind of fish it was), was what can I say, perfect! Especially with the dipping sauce the came with it!

Northern Thailand Adventure: Day 6 Chiang Mai's Must See Wats

Wat Chedi Luang

This is Chiang Mai's iconic wat and home also to the city-pillar. A city pillar is an important fixture in cities throughout the Mekong river delta states. The animistic civilisations in this area believed that the city pillar houses the city's guardian spirit. When Therevada Buddhism came, these animistic beliefs were not entirely replaced, they were instead merged into the new religious system.

The city pillar of Chiang Mai

The pavillion housing the Chiang Mai's city pillar

Wat Chedi Luang is the highest chedi in all of Chiang Mai, however it was destroyed by an earthquake sometime in the 16th century, it has never been reconstructed since then.

One of the guardian naga of the chedi

The viharn of Wat Chedi Luang

Standing Buddha image inside the vijarn of Wat Chedi Luang

200 year old tree, one of three trees planted to help the spirit of the city pillar guard Chiang Mai

Getting There and Attraction Information

Entrance Fee - 40B (for foreigners), free (for Thais)
Time allotment - 30-min (or longer if you want to chat with the monks)

Wat Phra Sing

The chedi in Wat Phra Singh

A few blocks from Wat Chedi Luang is another important wat, the Wat Phra Singh. One of the notable feature of this wat is the murals in the North oboset. They show various scenes from the Jataka and daily life in Lanna, both by nobles and ordinary folks.

Entrance into the vijarn of Wat Phra Singh

Murals inside the north oboset of Wat Phr Singh

Getting There and Attraction Information

Entrance Fee - FREE
Time allotment - 30-min

Wat Suan Dok

Outside and to the west of the walled city is Wat Suan Dok, the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, constructed in the 14th century before the founding of the city of Chiang Mai itself. The chedi of Wat Suan Dok houses the twin relic of the one in Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Read the previous article here.

The vijarn of Wat Suan Dok

The Buddha image inside the vijarn of Wat Suan Dok

The chedi of Wat Suan Dok

Here lies the ashes of Lanna Royals

Getting There and Attraction Information

Entrance Fee - 20B (for foreigners), free (for Thais)
Time allotment - 20-min

Northern Thailand Adventure: Day 5 Chiang Mai, Rose of the North

Happy Boxing Day from Chiang Mai, the Rose of the North!

Chiang Mai is the second largest city of Thailand. It has an eminent past being the capital of the ancient kingdom of Lanna.

First a very brief history because this term will recur in my succeeding posts. Thailand as we know it today is not the same back in the 16-18th century. During that time, there were two not one kingdom, Ayodhya in the South and Lanna in the North. Ayodhya will eventually become Siam. Meanwhile Lanna will weaken, be overtaken by the Burmese, and eventually become a vassal kingdom of Siam. Lanna became a province of Siam in the 1890's and the honorific title Prince of Chiang Mai was abolished at the death of Prince Kaew Nawarat in 1939.

Chiang Mai - Rose of the North, vista from Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

This history of Lanna being at the crossroads of three other kingdoms, Burma in the west, Lane Xang (Louang Phabang) in the East and Ayodhya in the South forms the backdrop of their very rich cultural life. While there is a genuine Lanna culture on its own, it can never be truly understood without referring it to these other cultures. Together, they form one big tapestry and one of the unifying theme in this tapestry is Therevada Bhuddism.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai has so many temples dotting the city scape, walking through it, one could see a different temple at almost every turn. For the traveller with limited time in Chiang Mai, there are 4 must-see temples. One of this is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, located atop Doi Suthep to the west of the city. Apart from being an important pilgrimage site, this temple has a commanding view of the entire Chiang Mai city. So this is worth a visit on your first day in Chiang Mai so you could set your bearings and situate yourself in the city.

300 Steps await to those who want to see the Wat (just kidding, there is a tram for those not fit enough to climb these!)

A green glass Buddha inside the complex

Inside one of the halls within the complex, look at those ivory tusks!

Selfie with the Main Chedi said to contain one of the twin relic from the shoulder bone of the Buddha

A meditation hall inside the complex

And that's me finishing the 300-step climb!

The relic in the chedi of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a twin relic which is believed to be from the shoulder bone of the Buddha. Legend has it that this relic was borne by a white elephant which was set free and went into the deep jungle finally reaching Doi Suthep. There the elephant carrying the relic died, and from that spot, the wat was built. The twin of the relic is reposed at Wat Suan Dok, which is featured here.

Bhubing Palace - Winter Palace in Chiang Mai

A few kilometers further atop of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is situated the Bhubing Palace, or the Winter Palace in Chiang Mai. Thai Royalty reside at the Bhubing Palace during the peak of Thai winter, somewhere between January to March. They have also received state visitors and foreign royalty in this Palace whenever they are in residence, so there is a number of chalets and villas within the complex, not mentioning functional residences for the royal household staff and their close personnel.

The Main Palace at Bhubing

The farthest anyone could go, the palace is closed to the public.

Water Reservoir of the Bhubing Palace, behind it is a chalet for one of the Princesses.

Large Teakwood Outdoor Hall overlooking the reservoir.

Gardens of the Palace

The Princess Mother's (Princess Srinagarindra) Villa

Chalet that doubles as Guest House for State Visitors

Doi Pui-Suthep Hmong Hill Tribe

Further afield on the same road up Doi Suthep is a Hmong hill tribe. However, I did not visit this attraction and so I cannot offer any information about it, other than it can be reached in the same direction as the two already mentioned above.

Getting There and Attraction Information

Of course, there are packaged tours going to all three attractions. However, for the independent traveller, they are quite easy to reach.

1. From your guest house/hotel hail a songthaew to Chiang Mai Zoo - anywhere between 40-80 B.

2. Chiang Mai Zoo is at the foot of Doi Suthep, from here there are songthaews going in the direction of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Bhubing Palace and Doi Pui. The clincher is, they will not go unless (a) you hire them for a set rate or (b) there will be 8-10 passengers. In other words, unless you are thinking of hiring the songthaew for your own use, you have to wait. - Each attraction is 40B each way (one attraction to another). Example, if you begin your day at the wat, you pay 40B, after which you will go to Bhubing, another 40B. If you stop there and decide to head back to Chiang Mai already, then going down will cost 80B.

3. There is no need to worry about your return trip, practically in each attraction there are songthaews waiting outside eager to bring tourists either to the next attraction or going down and back to Chiang Mai zoo.

4. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep - 30B (for foreigners), FREE (for Thais), allotted time - 1hr to 1.5hrs (including the 300 step climb, it's going to take time)

5. Bhubing Palace - 90B (for all), allotted time - 1.5hrs