t r i p
j o u r n a l
146
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DIALING CODE
+673 (2)
CURRENCY
BN$1 = PHP33.31/
US$0.80
TOUCHDOWN
The international airport
is approximately 10 minutes (about
10
km) away from the center of Bandar
Seri Begawan (BSB). There are taxis, car
rentals and hotel limousine services that
can take you to and from the airport.
SEE &DO
Go on a walking tour of the
city center. Start at the Omar Ali Saiffudin
Mosque and move to Jalan Sultan to
visit important buildings such as Brunei
History Center, and the circular Royal
Regalia Building. Check out the Brunei
Museum along the Brunei River, too.
SLEEP
Live like a local — stay
at a Water Village Modern House
priced at BN$30 per night.
EAT
Feast on Bruneian food like
satay,
pais, lalap and belutak at Tamu Kianggeh
near the Kianggeh River.
SHOP
The Mall at Gadong is the
shopping haven of Brunei locals.
MUST-TRY
Visit the Ulu Temburong
National Park, go on the canopy walk
and be mesmerized by the scenic view.
DIALING CODE
+62 (21)
CURRENCY
IDR100,000 = PHP430.74/
US$10
TOUCHDOWN
Hire a Bluebird or
Express taxi from the airport to the city,
which costs IDR180,000 (PHP775)
plus toll. Alternatively, the DAMRI bus
goes to any city bus station for a very
manageable IDR15,000 (PHP65).
SEE &DO
Jakarta is a shopaholic’s
dream. The city has a lot of giant malls,
ranging from wholesale centers to
designer luxury arcades. Visit museums
in Jakarta Old Town when you’ve had
your fill of shopping. Check out the
Wayang Museum or Puppet Museum.
SLEEP
Stay in Manhattan Hotel. It is
reasonably priced and centrally located.
No. 1 Jalan Prof. Dr Satiro, Casablanca,
Kuningan, Jakarta
EAT
Try the
sop buntut
(
ox-tail soup) and
soto betawi
(
coconut milk soup with beef
tendons and tripe).
SHOP
Visit Kuningan City Mall
for
moderate to higher-priced goods.
INSIDER TIP
Plan your itinerary and
allot time for the traffic jams. Try to avoid
rush hour whenever possible.
Lyn Aquia
trade specialist
INDONESIA
JAKARTA
Gael Hilotin
travel blogger,
thepinaysoloback
packer.com
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
BANDARSERI BEGAWAN
DIALING CODE
+62 (21)
CURRENCY
IDR100,000 = PHP430.74/
US$10
TOUCHDOWN
From the airport, the best
way to get to the city is by taxi. You may
purchase a fixed fare ticket from the booths
just by the exit gates or you may walk to
the taxi dropoff points to flag down a cab.
Blue Bird taxis are recommended.
SEE &DO
You can’t really say you’ve
been to Bali without visiting Kuta Beach.
Visit the cultural attractions like the
Taman Ayun Temples and the Tanah
Lot rock formations by the sea. End your
evening, which will probably stretch into
the early morning, at Ku De Ta Bar.
SLEEP
I enjoyed the Grand Balisani Suites
Hotel in Seminyak. It looks like a Balinese
village built within lotus ponds and garden
patches.
EAT
I’ll never forget our dining experience
at The Living Room. The food was great!
SHOP
Wood carvings, artworks and batik
fabric are exquisite finds in Bali.
MUST-TRY
If time permits, you must try
to venture north to Ubud, which is about
an hour away from the airport.
Ana P.
Santos
chief
empowerment
officer (CEO)
INDONESIA
DENPASAR(BALI)
LESTER LEDESMA
