abroad Archives • langyaw

The Capsule Malioboro: budget place to stay in Yogyakarta

Looking for a cheap stay in Yogyakarta? The Capsule Malioboro Hotel & Cafe is a good budget option to stay and just a few minutes walk to the main tourist road. I like capsule hotels and have stayed in several cities abroad. But unlike the traditional pods that started in Japan, I do prefer the so called space capsules. These are plastic pods, airconditioned with amenities inside with privacy to boot. It’s also secure with a sliding door that can be accessed via a keycard….Continue Reading “The Capsule Malioboro: budget place to stay in Yogyakarta” →

Space Capsule Hotel in Kota Kinabalu

abroad, hotels

It’s clean and affords you the privacy you need at a budget, this space capsule hotel in Kota Kinabalu is highly recommended. I have to confess. I don’t like staying in hostels. I’m not just comfortable sleeping in a dorm room with complete strangers. That’s why, I always go for a hotel room. But if budget or time is scarce, then I will go for a capsule hotel. Not just any other capsule hotel like the one I first tried in Tokyo, for that matter,…Continue Reading “Space Capsule Hotel in Kota Kinabalu” →

Khao Rang Phuket for great panoramic views

abroad, Places

I really didn’t plan to go up Khao Rang Phuket the last time I visited this island. But since I was doing Ingress missions wherein I need to hack portals at the summit, I flagged a taxi and went up it’s winding road a few minutes from the center of Phuket Old Town. It was a little past noon, very hot and humid that I bought overpriced durian flavored popsicle and a bottle of mineral water to cool down. So close to the town Khao…Continue Reading “Khao Rang Phuket for great panoramic views” →

A 2.5 hour trip from Yeongwol to Seoul by train

abroad, In Transit

The day was rather dreary, a slight drizzle has soaked wet the earth and cement flooring when we arrived at Yeongwol Station for our trip back to Seoul. The past few days were rather hectic with the opening of the Donggang International Photo Festival where I was one of the featured photographers. But the station was beautiful, done in traditional Korean architecture which at least brightened us up. It was rather small with a ticket office inside. Just behind the structure is the rail track…Continue Reading “A 2.5 hour trip from Yeongwol to Seoul by train” →

From Kaohsiung to Taoyuan by train. Slow train, that is.

abroad, In Transit

I love long rides while traveling. So it wasn’t really hard to decide to just take the slower journey from Kaohsiung to Taoyuan by train. Not the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), the fastest and far more expensive option. But took the Tze-chiang Limited Express of Taiwan Railways (TRA) via the mountain line. It’s still a fast option, at around four hours compared to less than two hours for the former. But then, I wasn’t in a rush. First time in Kaohsiung I traveled to…Continue Reading “From Kaohsiung to Taoyuan by train. Slow train, that is.” →