Casa Ibiza Ensogo Package: Deal or No Deal?

As a DIY tour fanatic, I seldom patronize tour packages online. I have this "gut feel" that tour packages will limit your control over your trip/vacation as compared to DIY touring which you can do at your own pace and at your own time.

However, with the emergence of different promo flights comes also the rapid growth of different packages that can be found in the internet. Some are worth your penny, some are not. Well, there are many things to consider before purchasing their tempting offers but one thing is most important: authenticity. Make sure that the website/ source offerring that hard-to-resist voucher is legitimate. This might sound like a common thing to do but we cannot deny the fact that there are lot of people who already sufferred from different online scams.

Here's a personal review of an overnight getaway package we purchased online and I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself if it's a yay or nay.

Source: www. Ensogo.com.ph

Voucher Details: Casa Ibiza Overnight Getaway good for 10 persons. Inclusions: overnight accommodation in a Grand Villa good for 10 persons, breakfast for 10, 1 set menu dinner good for 10 and free use of the swimming pool.

Price : 6799 php

 

My officemates and I met at SM Makati. We hired a van to take us there but unfortunately, Manong Driver was late and wasn't able to fetch us on our agreed time. As a result, we rode the taxi from SM to Casa Ibiza in Antipolo. We didn't use the metre and just agreed to pay the driver a fixed price of 400 php.

 

Upon arrival, we were impressed with the clean and mexican vibe of the resort. Check in was fast and easy ad we headed directly to our villa which will be our home for the night.

The Grand Villa is spacious and has 3 floors, the living room, the kitchen and the balcony which is located at the 2nd floor while the bedrooms and comfort rooms are located at the 3rd floor.

The Villa has a flat screen tv and a dvd player, so you can bring dvds and watch movies. The kitchen has a refrigerator, so you can bring your own drinks for a night long party. Please take note that If you bring alcoholic beverages, it has a corresponding corkage fee. BUT, there's no corkage fee if they didn't see it (wink). So, you can maximize those backpacks and conceal what you have to conceal.

They have two swimming pools and bright colored cottages. Wifi is free but is only available in the swimming pool and dining hall area. The good thing about this resort is that although they are fully booked, it is not crowded and it will give you the privacy, peace and tranquility that you need.

The only drawback in our Casa Ibiza experience was the food. Dinner and breakfast were included in the voucher. The service was slow, the supposedly good for 10 people dinner and breakfast was just actually good for 7 and the food was not so delicious. The big laugh on food was actually the coffee experience of our friend. During breakfast, she asked for the menu and ordered a coffee for 40 php. Imagine our faces when the waiter served her 40-php worth of a coffee: a cup of hot water and a nescafe original 3-in-1 sachet. The fun didn't end with that. Upon check out, my friend paid for her coffee and she was surprised to find out that her bill has an additional 10% service charge. Unbelievable.

To go back to Manila, you can take the tricycle from Casa Ibiza to Antipolo Simbahan. From there, there are already FX going to SM Megamall.

It was indeed a fun night of fun and laughter with friends and I must say that the resort is beautiful and clean. So, if you'll ask me what my verdict was: well, a 679php worth of overnight getaway in a Mexican inspired resort that is not crowded and has impressive ammenities: I'll say DEAL.

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Getting Around the Fine City

Singapore, a member of the four Asian Tigers, is notable for their rapid rise in economy and impressive GDP. According to Wikipedia, Singapore is one of the countries with most number of millionaire residents. It is said that 1 in every 6 households is a millionaire. It is also one of the least corrupt countries in the world.
As a tourist who is visiting Singapore for the first time, I can see that their wealthy way of life is evident in all parts of the city. They have convenient transport system, clean surroundings, effective security, high end shopping malls and ingeniously built skyscrapers. It is amazing how a small country like Singapore can be so competitive when it comes to industrilization and tourism.

On our first day in Singapore, we hopped the bus and headed to our city tour.
First thing on our list is to see the Merlion, Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands.

The merlion is the national symbol of Singapore, a mythical creature with a head of the lion and a body of a fish. It describes Singapore as a lion city and a fishing village. The merlion is never alone as there are many tourists/locals striking creative poses with him, night and day, rain or shine.

The Marina Bay Sands, an elegant intergrated resort, is a host to high end shopping centres, museum, large theatres, a five star hotel with more than a thousand rooms and suites, world's largest casino and a sky park. The big flatform at the top connecting the three buildings is the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park which has a 150m infinity pool! Wow, imagine swimming at the top with a 360 view of Singapore's CBD. Well, it'll be a grand experience with a grand price.

We rode the river taxi to get into the other side and have a closer look of MBS.

We crossed the Helix Bridge to get into the Singapore Flyer. Grabe lang ang sosyal lang ng pedestrian na to!

Singapore Flyer. Through my research, I was surprised to find out that the Singapore Flyer is the tallest ferris wheel in the world, taller than the famous London Eye. Their air conditioned capsule can hold 28 persons at a time.

Ticket price is 33 sgd per person but we were able to book it online for 30 sgd. A ticket is good for one 360 turn of the Singapore Flyer which will lasts for at least 30 minutes. They also sell special tickets for a romantic dinner with a butler inside the capsule.

stunning view inside the Singapore Flyer

emote emote din pag may time..

After our ride, we filled our hungry stomachs with delicious and very affordable local cuisines found in the alley of hawkers at the ground floor of Singapore Flyer.
The best thing about discovering rich cities is opening your mind about the idea that with the right discipline what is possible with other countries can also one day happen in our own.


My Personal Tidbits of Travel Tips

- Getting lost is a part of the journey but you'll save time and effort if you already know where are you going and how to get there. Plan your trip by logging in to gotheresg.com.

This is a website where you can type the place where you're coming from to your point of destination and they will tell you how to get there by taxi, bus and mrt including the price.

- Try booking for a hotel thru booking.com. They have cheaper rates and they have free cancellation in case of change in plans. Before making your reservation, compare the offered rates of the hotel of your choice in their official website, agoda.com and booking.com.

A hotel that offers free wifi is a big help not only for updates in fb and instagram but also for surfing other infos that may be essential in your trip.

- Singapore is an expensive city but you can also get the most out of your SG dollars by eating at the hawker food stalls where you can buy chicken rice for 3-5 SGD and other food as low as 2 SGD. Cheap souvenirs can be purchased in Chinatown. For cheap chocolates and authentic jewelleries, try visiting the Mustafa Mall. I promise you, you will never leave this store empty handed.

- If you plan to commute throughout your stay, make sure to purchase the EZ Pass card that costs 14 SGD. This card can be used as a payment in the mrt, bus and 7-11 stores.

- Always bring your I.D. and your passport wherever you go.

- Singapore is a fine city, literally and figuratively. There are many things that are not allowed in Sngapore. Some of these are littering and spitting on the ground. Once caught, you'll be fined with at least a thousand SGD. Don't ever try violating some rules because there are cctvs all over the city.

You might also like:
How to travel to Singapore for Less
Fun Day in Universal Studio and Sentosa
Lego Land, Let's Go!

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How to travel to Singapore For Less

Traveling is always exciting for everyone. It is always nice to discover a new environment and learn that our world is such a big beautiful place to waste your time whining and being sad.
However, the good memories and fun experience brought by traveling has a price.

Lucky us, gone are the days that traveling is just for the rich and privileged. Nowadays, middle class and ordinary people can also enjoy traveling abroad.

This is my personal tip on how to enjoy more but spend less.

Airfare - In our country, Cebu Pacific is a famous low cost airline that offers promo fares to local and international destinations. Aside from Cebu Pacific, international based low cost airlines have also invested and openned numerous flights in our country. Tiger Airways and Air Asia made Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in Clark as their major hub for their international and local flights.

For our SG Trip, we were able to book a round trip ticket with Air Asia for 6000 php per person (all in fare including the baggage). This can still be booked for less especially during promo fares. Flights departing and arriving in DMIA are often cheaper compared to flights in NAIA. The question is how to travel from Manila to DMIA?

There are two ways based on my experience.
1.) Take a bus going to Dau Terminal. Average fare for aircon bus from Cubao to Dau is 120Php. At the Dau terminal, take the van going to DMIA. Fare is 100 Php per person. The van will not leave until the passengers are complete. So make sure to allot extra hours in your travel time to avoid hassles in your scheduled flight.
2.) Philtranco Bus has direct trips from Pasay to DMIA and vice versa. However, these trips have schedules and it's not on hourly basis like buses departing from Cubao to Dau. When we arrived in DMIA from SG, we took the Philtranco bus going to Pasay. Fare is a whopping 450php per person.

Hotel - I really recommend booking.com for your accommodation needs. They offer the best rates and free cancellation in case of change of plans. You just need to enter your credit card details to confirm reservation but it will not be charged. Actual payment will be done at the hotel. Fragrance Hotel and Hotel 81 chain of hotels are famous budget-friendly hotels that have branches all throughout Singapore.

We were able to book a family room good for 4 persons for 4 days and 3 nights for 14000 php. It's just 3500 php per person.

Tours and Getting around the City - How much one should bring as a pocket money? For a 4-day trip, I think 15000 php is just enough. Taking the bus or mrt as a form of transportation is cheaper compared to riding taxis. Purchasing an EZ link card is a good idea if you plan to use the bus or mrt as your main mode of transportation. This can be bought in mrt stations or any 7-11 branch. This costs 14 SGD (with 14 Sgd worth of value that you can already use) and in case your balance is running low, it can be reloaded with a minimum amount of 10 SGD.

To make the most out of your time, it is important to have a planned interinary before your trip. To know how to commute from your hotel to the tourist attraction of your choice, check gotheresg.com. It is a website where you can get detailed directions via mrt, bus or taxi including the total fare.

can't help not to share.. sorry naman.. pwedeng mgsorry? HB agad eh! lol.

some of the many unusual food that we ate in SG. Infairness, masarap!

Where to Eat - There are lot of hawker food stalls throughout Singapore where you can find cheap and delicious authentic Singaporean cuisines. You can buy the famous chicken rice for 3-5 SGD. Throughout our stay, my personal favorite drink is the Sugar Cane juice that you can buy for 2-3 SGD.

Where to Buy Souvenirs - For souvenir items like T-shirts, pen, bags etc., the best place to go is Chinatown. For merlion chocolates and other imported chocolates and candies, the best place to buy it is in Mustafa Mall. You can also buy here affordable jewelries made of authentic Singaporean gold.

Please also check out these links for our detailed trips throughout the city.

Getting Around Singapore
Fun Day in Universal Studio and Sentosa
Lego Land, Let's Go!

Indeed, traveling is more fun if it costs less.

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Fun Day in Universal Studio and Sentosa

Most people come to Sentosa, an island resort in Singapore, to visit the famous theme park, Universal Studio. Universal Studio Singapore is the 4th installment of Universal theme parks alongside with Universal Studios located in Hollywood, Orlando and Japan.
How to get there:
Alight in Harbourfront mrt station and go inside Vivo City Shopping Centre. At the 3rd floor, take the Sentosa Express train to Universal Studio.
Ticket Price:
One day pass: Adult (13-59 y/o) 74sgd
Child (4-12 y/o) 54 sgd
Senior (60 and above) 36sgd
Two day Pass: Adult (13-59 y/o) 118sgd
Child (4-12 y/o) 88 sgd
Senior (60 and above) 58 sgd

Universal Studio Singapore is comprises of 7 land attractions that will keep you busy and happy throughout your stay.
Hollywood: The Hollywood will welcome you as this is located near the entrance.
We watched the Monster Rock Show where legendary monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy (among others) sang their hearts out with up-to-date and up-beat pop songs.
New York: Inspired by the architecture and street life of the so-called "City that Never Sleeps", "Empire State" and "Big Apple".

Here you can watch (just like what we did) the Lights Camera Action by Steven Spielberg where you can enter the movie scene and experience first hand the intense movie effects like earthquake, heavy rains and hurricane.
Sci-Fi City: The futuristic side of Universal Studio.
We weren't able to watch any shows here, just a picture with Optimus Prime.

Adventure seekers can ride their thrilling roller coaster, Galactica.

The Lost World.
We had our lunch here and I bought this kiddie meal just because of the free lunch box. hehe.

We watched the Waterworld show. If you have extra clothes, you may want to be seated in the bleachers located in the front row or the red zone area and expect to be upclose and personal with the performers as they will splash you with water from time to time.

Ancient Egypt.
We don't want to spend our day in Universal Studio just watching numerous shows so my sister and I decided to take our first ever ride --- Revenge of the Mummy. This is less scary compared to the roller coaster rides located in Sci-Fi City. Nevertheless, the 10-minute ride still made us scream at the top of our lungs.

Far Far Away.
The Kingdom of the most loved ogre in the world --- Shrek.

Don't miss Shrek 4D! Personally, this is the most fun show that I watched in Universal Studio.

Well, there's also the Donkey Live Show. But, sorry Donkey, I like Shrek better.

Madagascar.
Honestly, we weren't able to roam around the Madagascar because it was already late. But, at least we had a picture with them.

After visiting all the attractions, it's time to buy for souvenirs!

The best thing about theme parks is it caters to all ages and no matter who you're with, be it your family, friends or loved-one, everyone will surely have a great time.
After our Universal Studio Day tour, we headed back to Sentosa Express and alight at Beach Station.
Before watching the Songs of the Sea, we had our dinner at Mcdonalds and rode their free shuttle for a tour around the Palawan Beach and Siloso Beach.

Songs of the Sea.
Personally, I'm not that impressed. I find the musical fountain show in Manila Ocean Park better.
However, most tourists in Singapore come to Sentosa to watch it and so we wanted to give it a try.
We went back to Sentosa Express and alight at Imbiah Station. Here, we saw the Sentosa's bigger version of merlion. We took the cable car ride back to the city.

My Personal Tidbits of Travel Tips:
- It is better to visit the Universal Studio on weekdays as it can be extra crowded on weekends.
- Come early and check the schedules of shows you wanted to watch so that you can make the most out of your day pass.
- You can bring your own food and drinks inside the theme park.
- Take the Sentosa express at day and cable car ride at night to see the Singapore's skyline.

You might also like:
Lego Land, Let's Go!
Getting Around Singapore
How to travel to Singapore for Less

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