I’m on a beach vacation right now with my family here in the southern part the Philippines. Good thing the hotel we are staying has a free WIFI and their internet connection is superb. A friend of mine saw this tweet on my Twitter – ” Thank you Torrent”.  He knew that I’m addicted to movies. He asked me what software that I’m using in playing the movies that I’ve downloaded from the internet.

First, I told him to stay away from the default Windows Media Player. It is one of the most horrible player out there because it only supports few codecs.

Second, download VLC Media Player – one of the best (if not the best) media player that can beat the features of any paid media player software. Did I mention that it’s free?

Yes, it’s FREE!

Well, aside from the fact that it’s free – thanks to open source -,  my most favorite feature of VLC is you can play almost all movies out of the box! Unlike some media players where I used to download and install codec packs, VLC on the other hand let me watch movies without downloading additional codecs. Maybe my laptop has a lot of codecs already installed on it. I really don’t know but one thing for sure, VLC supports almost all  codecs.

So the next time you will be in a paradise like me, don’t forget your vlc player, download,  install and make it your “swiss knife”  media player.

The Philippines has been chosen as the third cheapest tourist destination in Southeast Asia in a survey conducted by FinanceAsia on July 13, 2010.  The poll was conducted to find out which Southeast Asian destination offers the best value.

The Philippines is cheaper than Malaysia but more expensive than Thailand and Indonesia.

The survey used the Mandarin Oriental’s rack rates costs in August for its deluxe room.

If the survey used the The Economist’s Big Mac Index, which uses the price of burgers around the world as a light-hearted measure of relative currency values, the Philippines will easily be on top 1 to be the cheapest place for both burgers and hotel rooms.  The survey conducted also noted that Philippine peso  has the advantage of getting cheaper.

Big Mac Index might be better used as a benchmark for tourists to work out how expensive an unfamiliar country is going to be.

Next week is already the Holy Week in the Philippines. A lot of people have already planned their trips either to go back to their respective provinces to visit their family members, relatives and friends, or simply wants to do some road trips.

Spontaneous road trips are one of the greatest pleasures in life.

However, if you don’t prepare for a road trip, you might end up stranded on the side of the road with no food, no music, no gas, and no hope. If you’re in a hurry to get out and hit the open road, refer to this quick list of essentials to speed up your preparation.

FOOD

Roadtrip food is not about quality. It’s about quantity. Load your car with these classic snack foods and you’ll never go hungry in between highway restaurants:

Potato Chips
This is the best fuel for roadtrippers. Potato chips don’t need to be cooked, and they don’t need to be eaten using utensils. Just open the bag (neatly) and chow down! Pack at least 1-2 large bags per person. If it’s a long trip and you need to stay awake, pack the spicy stuff — the heat in your mouth will keep you up.

Soda
It’s rare that you can justify drinking large quantities of soda; so, when you have the opportunity, seize it! Pack at least one huge bottle (or three cans) for each roadtripper. If you have a cooler, pack the soda in that with a lot of ice. Nothing spoils a road trip faster than having to drink warm soda all day. Yuck.

Donuts
If potato chips and soda don’t contain enough simple carbohydrates for your liking, take along some donuts to give you that extra sugar rush. Pack at least 2-3 donuts per person, and get lots of different kinds — powdered, cream-filled, bars, holes. If you are going on a trip with someone you are interested in, please don’t embarrass yourself by spilling jelly cream or white powder all over yourself. Pack some tissue or paper towels just to be safe.

MUSIC

When it comes to road trip music, it’s definitely all about quality. The following songs Read the rest of this entry

Ready, Jet-set, go!

With the theme “Ready, Jet-Set, Go!” , the Philippine Travel Expo 2010 event features two new segments – lifestyle (which will cover travel accessories, health and wellness products and services, culinary schools, car rentals and the like) and food sellers with lounge areas.

Accompanying Events:
Daily Raffle Draws, Entertainment & Games and  Exhibitors’ Presentations & more surprises

Date:
19 to 21 February 2010

Venue:
SMX Convention Center Halls 2, 3 & 4,
Seashell Drive, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City

Opening Hours:
19 February – Friday
11 AM – 9 PM

20 February – Saturday
10 AM – 9 PM

21 February – Sunday
10 AM – 6 PM

Ticket booths close 30 minutes before end of show hours.

Why join TravelTour Expo 2010?

• TravelTour Expo is the biggest event for the travel and tourism industry
• TravelTour Expo offers you an expanded customer base
• TravelTour Expo is the ultimate destination for the best travel deals
• TravelTour Expo is the prime marketplace for your destinations
• TravelTour Expo is continuously doing its best to bring you a special show every year!

If you are planning for your holidays, you still have at least 10 long weekend for 2010. Most of the long weekends were put into effect by Republic Act 9492, which allows non-religious holidays to be moved to the nearest Monday.

The observance of the Eid’l Adha  as a regional holiday in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is not yet scheduled together with the Eid’l Fitr festival which marks the end of Ramadan.

Based on Proclamation No. 1841 signed by President Gloria Arroyo on July 21, 2009, below are the regular holidays and special holidays for 2010:

• January 1, Friday – New Year’s Day
• February 22, Monday nearest February 25 – EDSA Revolution Anniversary (special holiday for schools)
• April 1 – Maundy Thursday
• April 2 – Good Friday
• April 9, Friday – Araw ng Kagitingan
• May 1, Saturday – Labor Day
• June 14, Monday nearest June 12 – Independence Day
• August 23, Monday nearest August 21 – Ninoy Aquino Day (special non-working day)
• August 30, last Monday of August – National Heroes Day
• November 1, Monday – All Saints’ Day (special non-working day)
• November 29, Monday nearest November 30 – Bonifacio DayDecember 24, Friday (special non-working day)
• December 25, Saturday – Christmas Day
• December 27, Monday nearest December 30 – Rizal Day
• December 31, Friday – Last Day of the Year (special non-working day)

It’s now high time to schedule your calendar. Prepare as early as possible for your travel and vacation leave! Plan and schedule it now.

We are going on a family trip this coming holiday vacation in Pagudpgud, Ilocos Norte. My wife and I decided to bring our car instead of riding on an airplane because we want to drive around the towns of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and the provinces of La Union and Pangasinan.

We already booked a room in a nice, family atmosphere hotel somewhere in Pagudpud. This is not my first time to go there so I know how far the place is – around 12 hours of driving from Manila.  Food is very cheap in that province. The only expenses I’ve been thinking around that will eat most of our budget is the gas.

Gas prices are getting more and more ridiculous. And it’s going to keep increasing with no limit in sight! Gas price went down by 50 centavos for unleaded gasoline last week but still high.

Therefore, it is becoming more and more important to maximize your money and save at the gas station.

Below are the 10 best tips I have compiled to help you get the most out of your money!

Tip 1: Shop Around
This is the advice that you can apply anytime you buy anything not only for Gas. Always shop around specially if there are gasoline stations that are near to each other. They usually try to compete by lowering their prices. Y

Tip 2: Try another brand
You may be loyal to the brand that you are using now but probably you can get yet cheaper price for a different brand.
Tip 3: Buy Gasoline When the Weather is Cool
I actually learned about this tip from my friend. Gasoline is denser in  in the morning or at night. Gas stations measure volume, not density. The gasoline easily evaporates during warmer temperatures.

Tip 4: Avoid Gas Stations That Just Refilled Their Tanks
I’ve experienced this in Baguio City during Typhoon Peping.  The small particles at the bottom of the tank get stirred up when the tanks are refilled, and when these particles get into your gasoline tank, they affect the fuel efficiency of your car.

Tip 5: Don’t Top Off
The gas pump needs some time to draw out the full amount of gas, so when you purchase a bit of gas the station, you get short bursts of fuel that you’ll probably pay extra for. Try to refill your tank when you have less than half a tank left or when you find a price that is so low you cannot afford to miss it.

Read the rest of this entry

If you did not see the  colorful display of lights in the sky last Saturday, November 28 – this is not because it was dark nor there was a massive blackout up in the sky.

The management of the World Pyro Olympics (WPO) 2009 announced the postponement of this year’s event originally set on November 28, December 5, 12 and 19 at the Bonifacio Global City.  The event will continue as soon as the safety issues have been fully addressed.

According to the Executive Committee of the WPO 09, the postponement was due to the incessant rains and flooding during the past months have rendered the firing area almost unfit for the  pyrotechnics launching which have certain international standards to observe. The participating countries have thus agreed to postpone the event.

Tickets purchased will still be honored on the new event dates which is being scheduled to be early next year. Ticket holders are requested to contact WPO hotline at 568-6908 /384-0239 or log on to http://www.worldpyroolympics.com/ for more details and update.

The World Pyro Olympics is still set to deliver The Greatest Show On Earth. Stay posted.

The 777 Arrival Special

To celebrate the arrival of PAL’s new Boeing  777-300 ER, Philippine Airlines brings you the lucky triple sevens! Enjoy the PHP777 and PHP1777 special domestic fares.

Fares as low as P777 ((Base Fare: PHP 693) are available for flights between Manila and :

Laoag, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Kalibo, Tagbilaran, Tacloban, Dumaguete and Roxas.

The P777 low fare is also applicable for flights between Cebu and Davao.

Fares to Mindanao provinces will go as low as P1,777 ((Base Fare: PHP 1586) , such as:

Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Cotabato, Dipolog, General Santos, Zamboanga, Ozamiz and Butuan.

The all-in (inclusive of VAT), one-way fares are on sale from November 19 to 25, 2009. Travel period is between December 1 to 25, 2009 and February 1 to March 25, 2010.

Visit http://www.philippineairlines.com/special_offers/triple_seven/tripleseven.jsp for more details.

Philippine Airlines special promo for the season is what they call “Short Term Economy class promotional fares.”  For sale and ticketing from 25 October to 30 October 2009.

Philippine Airlines Promo

Roundtrip Economy class all-in fares. Prices listed below are Exclusive of government taxes. Inclusive of in-flight meals, beverages, newspapers and on-board entertainment. Read the rest of this entry

20th Philippine Travel Mart is here!

Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) -the single largest association of registered tour operators in the Philippines is staging the 20th Philippines Travel Mart. The country’s biggest travel and tourism trade show will be held at the MegaTrade Hall of SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City this coming September 4-6, 2009.

GRAND VACATION SALE NG BAYAN

This is one of the main highlights of the trade show wherein the exhibitors and participants of this year’s Philippine Travel Mart will give attractive discounts and special offers to visitors during the 3-day event.

No need to shell out a lot of cash during the events because reservations for travel and tour, hotel, transport (sea and air) can be purchased at lower rates and should be availed of or completed on or before November 15, 2009.

PTM will use the Department of Tourism’s Island Getaways as the official banner of Grand Vacation Sale ng Bayan.

The top performing companies, provinces, or regions of Grand Vacation Sale ng Bayan will be given awards during the Closing Ceremonies of the 20th PTM.

SEAIR Special “Buy 1, Take 1″ Offer

Southeast Asian Airlines (SEAIR),  one of the show’s exhibitors, will offer a “Buy 1, Take 1” Batanes round trip promo and almost 75% off on Boracay round trip ticket. Read the rest of this entry