Asia
-
Victoria Peak Hong Kong: Complete Visit Guide & Mid-Autumn Fire Dragon Festival
On our first morning in Hong Kong we were awake quite early and were eating breakfast in the hotel’s 2nd floor restaurant soon after it opened. The selection wasn’t as extensive as at the Manila Sofitel but it was quite adequate for our needs. Our first task on leaving the hotel was to purchase two…
-
Visiting the National Bank of the Philippines in Manila: Complete Travel Guide
We woke at 8.00 a.m. and enjoyed our final breakfast in the Sofitel where guests are really spoilt for choice as there are so many dishes to choose from. I started the day with a freshly made honey and oat smoothie which was delicious, then had some fruit and yoghurt before paying my last visit…
-
Where to Shop in Manila – Complete Guide
We enjoyed a long, leisurely Sunday morning breakfast in the Sofitel’s attractive Spiral’s restaurant enjoying glasses of Prosecco alongside our usual cups of coffee. The hotel runs a free shuttle bus service to the nearby Mall of Asia so we took the opportunity to have a look around and boarded the bus at 10.30 a.m.…
-
Review: Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila
Hotel Review Location This five star resort hotel is located on Roxas Boulevard, just a short 15 minute taxi ride from Ninoy Aquino International Airport and close to the Philippine Cultural Centre. Arrival and Check-in As soon as our taxi drew up outside the hotel we were warmly welcomed by one of the concierge team…
-
Guide to Manila sightseeing and why you should dine at Ilustrado restaurant
Breakfast at the Manila Sofitel is absolutely delicious, the only difficulty being deciding what to select from the vast array of dishes on offer. We were shown to a table overlooking the indoor stream and settled down to a long, leisurely breakfast, eating too much as usual! After the previous evening’s fruitless attempt at hiring…
-
Exploring Manila and an evening at the Singing Cooks & Waiters restaurant
We must have slept for at least ten hours as we didn’t wake until 8.00 a.m. It would be wonderful if all mornings could start like this as we drew back the curtains to be greeted with such a beautiful view of Manila bay. After showering in our luxurious bathroom we headed downstairs to the…
-
Manila Bay – the perfect introduction
We had just over two hours to stretch our legs whilst in transit at Hong Kong airport. As it was early morning many of the airside shops and cafes had not yet opened so we settled for McDonalds where we had some hot drinks and took an opportunity to catch up on the news on…
-
Review: Flying Cathay Pacific Manchester to Hong Kong
It was a bright, sunny morning as I left my home to begin the first leg of my holiday. I met up with my son and we enjoyed a leisurely meal together in the centre of Manchester before continuing on to the airport by train from Piccadilly station. We had arranged to stay at the…
-
Travelling from Busan to Seoul by Korail
Our five nights stay in Busan had come to an end and it was time to head back home. As we weren’t in a rush, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s 13th floor restaurant. The Arban Hotel had exceeded expectations and I would recommend it as a good place to stay in Busan.…
-
Korean National Maritime Museum: Explore Busan’s Maritime Heritage
We woke to the sound of heavy rain beating on the bedroom windows so it was fortunate that we still had one museum we wished to visit during our stay in Busan. After a breakfast of dumplings, eggs, fruit and yogurt we set off for the nearby Seomyeon metro station with our umbrellas at the…
-
How to Spend a Day in Busan: Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan Tower & Oryukdo Skywalk
The hotel’s breakfast selection varied from day to day and this morning we started the day with bowls of beef bulgogi, yogurt and fruit. Feeling nourished we set off for the Gamcheon Cultural Village. To get there we took a Line 1 train from Seomyeon station. We then caught a local minibus from outside the…
-
Busan Travel Guide: A Day in Taejongdae Park & Nampo District
I decided to try the Asian option for breakfast in the hotel this morning and started the day with dumplings and sweet and sour pork for a change which tasted good although probably better eaten for dinner. After several cups of coffee, we raised the energy to set off to explore Taejongdae Park in the…
-
Busan Travel Guide: Spend a Day at Haeundae Beach and Nearby Attractions
Opening our curtains we were greeted with clear blue skies for our first full day in Busan. Leaving our room for breakfast it seemed strange taking the lift upwards as the hotel’s restaurant is on the top (13th) floor alongside the reception area. Stepping inside, the breakfast area was very attractive with large, sliding glass…
-
Guide to Taking the Korail Train from Seoul to Busan: Tickets, Tips & Travel Info
It was hard to believe that our stay in Seoul had come to an end. There were so many interesting places to visit that our days sped by all too quickly. We enjoyed one last breakfast in the Holiday Inn Express Euljiro which had been an excellent choice for our stay in Seoul. Well equipped…
-
Seoul Travel Guide: Exploring Olympic Park & Naksan Mountain
I remembered watching the 1988 Olympic Games on television never expecting that almost 30 years later I would be exploring the Seoul Olympic Park. We took the metro to Mongchontoseong station on Line 8 and entered the Olympic Park through the World Peace Gate. This colourful entrance was built as a sign of peace and…
-
How to Spend a Day Visiting Jongmyo Shrine and International Horticulture Goyang
We set off on foot this morning to the Jongmyo Shrine which was located not too far from our hotel. Admission to the shrine is included in the palace combination ticket (10,000 Won / £6.98) which we had purchased earlier in the week. The shrine houses the spirit tablets of the Joseon Dynasty and was…
-
Namsan Seoul Tower & Deoksugung Palace, South Korea
Yet another clear, sunny morning so we thought it was a good opportunity to go up Namsan mountain. We took the metro to Dongguk University station (Line 3, Exit 6) and transferred to one of the circular route buses which go up to the mountain summit (either Numbers 2, 3 or 5 from this stop). …
-
Suwon Hwaseong Fortress
This morning we took the metro to Yongsan from where we transferred onto Korail Line 1 to Suwon, (the brown line). Line 1 splits at Guro so care needs to be taken to ensure you are on the correct train. Express trains only operate after Guro so any train can be taken as far as…
-
Seoul: Gangnam, Temples, Samsung, Taekwondo & The National Assembly
After a delicious hotel breakfast we returned to our room and turned on the television to watch live history being made when the leaders of both North and South Korea met at the DMZ. By 9.45 a.m. we had finished viewing and were ready to take the metro to Samseong in the Gangnam district of…
-
Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Royal Guard Change, Seoul
It was another warm, sunny morning so after breakfast we took the metro to Gyeongbokgung station so that we could visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. As we had purchased a book of tickets the previous day covering all of Seoul’s palaces we did not need to visit the ticket office. We had arrived at 9.20 a.m. in…
-
Seodaemun Prison and Bukhansan National Park, Seoul
We woke to clear blue skies so after our hotel breakfast we took the metro to the Seodaemun Prison History Hall near the Dongnimmun metro station, exit 5. After leaving the station it was just a short walk through Independence Park to the museum entrance, admission is 3,000 Won (£2.00). This former prison stands as…
-
Changdeokgung and Changgyeonggung Palaces, Seoul
We opened the curtains to clear blue skies and sun pouring into our room which was such a contrast from the previous two days. After enjoying a leisurely hotel breakfast we took the metro to Anguk Station, Line 3, Exit 3 so that we could visit the two royal palaces located near there. Soon we…
-
The National Museum of Korea
We woke to the sound of heavy rain beating against the windows and on checking the forecast it seemed to be set in for the day. Breakfast was again tasty with some different hot dishes from the previous morning. I spotted some cream of mushroom soup which isn’t something I would usually have for breakfast…
-
The War Memorial of Korea, Seoul
We slept really well in our comfortable bed, waking early at 6.30 a.m. due to the time change. Breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express Euljiro was served in the basement and we found a varied selection of hot and cold dishes to suit all tastes. Most diners were wearing smart business suits, appearing very formal…
Love Travelling Blog 