Where to Stay in Kuching : The LimeTree Hotel

Strategically situated at the busy city center of Kuching and just a few walks away to the nearby Padungan area, there lies a hotel made easily renowned for its name—the LimeTree Hotel, a tribute to the original owner’s passion for limes which are oftentimes dubbed as “green lemons” for the similarity in their taste despite the obvious difference in outward appearances.   

What exactly is the LimeTree Hotel?

As a business of several years in service since having started operation in 2009, the LimeTree Hotel is not outdated when it comes to architectural design for a business of its kind—it is as contemporary as it gets for its time. Yet, for one whose idea of naming was founded in the love of limes, the design, too, is said to be based on the vibes that come from the actually grown plant—the feeling of zest from the trees of limes.

Complimentary fresh lime juice at the rooftop bar

Years prior to 2009, however, the building that is now the LimeTree Hotel was once an office building until its acquisition in 2007.

With a building spanning 50 unique rooms and suites, each of which equipped with the modern-day amenities that keep us comfortable like a free Wi-Fi internet access, LCD TVs, soft beddings, and the like, you get everything you would need in a mid-range boutique hotel as this place.

Superior Twin (No Window)

Deluxe King

Executive Deluxe Twin

Executive Suite 

Family Suite

Trying to set itself apart from the common cookie-cutter approach of many cafes in various hotel, LimeTree Hotel’s Café Sublime and LimeLight Rooftop Lounge feature drinks and foods based on lime-inspired recipes in line with Sarawak delights. The inclusion of limes in those foods and drinks made an obvious difference.

What are there to like with LimeTree Hotel?

As an awardee of the TripAdvisor awards for three consecutive years since 2012, any person will be intrigued enough to know what’s in the place.

For a hotel known to have been established based on the concept inspired on limes, the LimeTree Hotel is unsurprisingly eco-friendly in its approach to business—the green ways. From the choice of opting for more environment-friendly contraption, to energy-efficient means of saving and reusing energy, use of lime’s pulp and peeling for cleaning, as well as the policies—such as the no smoking policy—that made the indoors of the hotel as health-friendly as possible, LimeTree Hotel truly promotes a green environment for its guests to enjoy a healthful stay at the place.

If you are a professional who is always on-the-go and could not afford to stay at home, choosing to stay at the LimeTree Hotel would be just as good as home for the hotel’s almost home-like features like having paid laundry and cleaning as well as ironing which you can manually do yourself upon request.

Flying for outside the country is not a problem either, thanks to the hotel’s airport transfer service which lets you move to the airport using the business unit’s own van upon reservation.

Goodies from the hotel's in-house souvenir shop

#EATinSEA : A Gastronomic Journey in Southeast Asia

So, here I am at Davao International Airport on my way to Singapore for another adventure in some parts of Southeast Asia. This time, I am going to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching, and Miri in Malaysia, Pontianak in Indonesia and Bandar Seri Begawan in Brunei.

I am very excited as this will be my first time to explore Indonesia and Brunei. I am looking forward to visiting its local attractions and even more excited to have a taste of their local cuisines. To me food is happiness so I am drooling now as I write this post. I can't stop thinking of Laksa, Char Koay Teow, Nasi Lemak, and Chicken Rice. The first thing I am going to do when I arrive in Singapore is eat. There's no wasting time. 

Let's #EATinSEA! Can't wait to have an authentic chicken rice, laksa, char koay teow, nasi lemak and more! #escapemanila #yoursingapore #CEBTravels
Posted by Glen Santillan on Saturday, July 9, 2016

This trip is more about food than destinations so follow my journey on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #EATinSEA and #EscapeManila. <3

10 Travel Tips for A Cheap Getaway in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is one of the emerging tourist destinations in the world. It has become a part of most travelers' itinerary in their journey around the world.. From pristine beaches, pagodas, mountains, UNESCO Heritage sites and delicious cuisines, the region has got it all for you.

Traveling across Southeast Asia does not need to be expensive. With careful planning, you can travel around the region cheaply and conveniently. Here are some tips and guidelines for a Cheap Getaway in Southeast Asia.

Plan ahead of time

It is important to plan your vacation at least three to six months before your actual travel. Airline ticket prices are lower when it's far from the travel dates. The closer the date when you book a flight, the more expensive the fare is. The same situation for some accommodations. Some hotels and hostels offer promo rates when you book in advance like GoHotels in the Philippines and Tune Hotels and Red Planet Hotels across Southeast Asia.

Set A Budget

You must set a budget like an estimated amount you can spend for the duration of your trip. I suggest you travel within your means. Meaning, don't go beyond what you can afford. Make sure you include at least 20% buffer in your budget to cover unforeseen expenses.

Draft an itinerary

You have to make a rough itinerary and polish it later on. You have to know when and where you want to go and how many days you will be staying in one place. It's good if you start your travel in a regional hub so you have lots of options to fly across the region. Start your journey in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok. I suggest you use an excel sheet or a google sheet so you can update it anytime. 

Check for Flights at third party websites

If you are not certain where to go next or if you are looking for cheap fares, you can try Skypicker or Adioso. These booking sites let you search for flights for a specific destination or search by radius. This way, you can see which destination has a cheaper fare from where you'll be flying out. I once book my Yangon-Bangkok flight with Skypicker and saved around $10 compared to the airline website's booking system. So, before you book always try the next tip. It's also worth trying Skyscanner, Wego and Expedia. 

Compare prices of flights from third party sites and airline websites

Once you checked the fares at third party websites, go to the airline's website and check their rates. Most of the times, booking directly through the airline's website is much cheaper. Of course, as I mentioned above, sometimes you get lucky too, booking at third party websites. 

Consider flying with the Region's low-cost Carriers (LCC)

There are a number of Low Cost Carriers operating in Southeast Asia and beyond. You have AirAsia in Malaysia; Thai AirAsia and Nok Air in Thailand; Jetstar Asia, Scoot and Tiger Air in Singapore; Indonesia AirAsia and Lion Air in Indonesia; JetStar Asia and VietJetAir in Vietnam; and Philippines Air Asia and Cebu Pacific in the Philippines. These budget airlines often have promo fares so watch out for it regularly. Subscribe to their newsletter or follow their Facebook pages for updates.

Consider traveling by train or bus

If flights are expensive, consider traveling by bus or train. Actually it could save your accommodation cost of you travel an overnight bus or train to your next destination. It can also be fun traveling overland. I once tried traveling by train from Penang to Bangkok for almost 24 hours and I had so much fun. Also tried an overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan in Myanmar and the experience was delightful. Tourist buses are very comfortable.

Checkout Regional Passes

Airasia has ASEAN Pass and Bangkok Airways and Lao Airlines offer Discovery Airpass to explore the region. Check them out and study if you can save on flight costs. These passes do not cover taxes and other fees so you have to be careful. I know some folks who were able to save a lot by using these passes. 

Check for Accommodation

Once you booked your flights or you polished your itinerary, consider booking your accommodation. Booking sites such as Expedia, Wego, Agoda and HostelBookers are great websites to begin your search. Do not book right away, compare prices. Most of the time, Agoda has cheaper rates but from time to time Expedia offers promotions exclusive to its members. I once saved around $20 after booking from Expedia. As mentioned above, try GoHotels, Red Planet Hotels and Tune Hotels as they offer really cheap rates when you book in advance.

Get A Travel Insurance

There are a lot of companies offering travel insurance. You don't know what's going to happen so make sure you spend a portion of your budget to purchase a travel insurance. I suggest you get an insurance from World Nomads. It's easy and it's affordable.

How to Go To KLIA2 From Kuala Lumpur City Center

Flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) can be a little challenging especially if you're flying during wee hours. This is a short guide on how to go to KLIA2 easily and smoothly from KLIA and KL Sentral.

How to get there by Train

Located about two kilometers away from KLIA, KLIA2 is accessible via a 2.2km extension of the existing Express Train Line which is served by 12 high-speed electric trains. Both KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit services will be serving the KL Sentral to klia2 line.

KLIA Ekspres

KLIA Ekspres is an express rail service that operates a non-stop route from KL Sentral to KLIA. With the opening of the klia2 terminal, the route is now extended to klia2 with a brief stop at KLIA, providing the same express service with the same fare for passengers travelling to and from KL Sentral. It remains to be the fastest airport transfer in Kuala Lumpur

With a fee of only RM55/one way (starting Jan 2016) and a 28-minute journey time from KL Sentral to klia2, KLIA Ekspres operates with 15-minute and 20-minute intervals during peak and off-peak hours, respectively. The inter-terminal fare between KLIA and klia2 is an affordable RM2 and the ride only takes 3 minutes. It is located within the Gateway@KLIA2 complex which also accommodates all other public transport serving KLIA2.

Schedule:

Airport (KLIA) to city (KL Sentral)

First train departs 05:00 hrs

Last train departs 01:00 hrs

City (KL Sentral) to airport (KLIA)

First train departs 05:00 hrs

Last train departs 00:40 hrs

Frequency:

Every 15 minutes – peak hours: Mon to Fri 06:00-09:00 hrs, 16:00-22:00 hrs (approximate)

Every 20 minutes – off-peak hours: Mon to Fri 05:00-06:00 hrs, 09:00-16:00 hrs, 22:00-00:00 hrs (approximate); Sat and Sun all day

Every 30 minutes – after midnight

KLIA Transit

KLIA Transit is a commuter rail service that runs with the following stops:

KL Sentral ► Bandar Tasik Selatan ► Putrajaya & Cyberjaya ► Salak Tinggi ► KLIA ► klia2

KLIA Transit operates with 20-minute and 30-minute intervals during peak and off-peak hours, respectively. With 4 stops from KL Sentral to klia2, the journey takes only 39 minutes. Fare is the same with KLIA Expres at RM55 (starting Jan 2016).

Airport (KLIA) to city (KL Sentral)

First train departs 05:52 AM

Last train departs 01:03 AM

City (KL Sentral) to airport (KLIA)

First train departs 04:33 AM

Last train departs 12:03 AM

Getting to KLIA2 By Bus

The cheaper option to go to KLIA2 is by Bus. KL Buses provide comfortable journey from KL Sentral to KLIA2 and vice versa. There are a number of bus companies operating this route but we recommend you take the Skybus. A trip from KL Sentral depending on the traffic situation usually takes an hour and 15 minutes for just RM10. SkyBus departs every 30min from 3:00am till 8:00pm and then every hour until last departure at 10:00pm. Detailed Skybus Schedule.

Schedule:

Airport (KLIA) to city (KL Sentral)

First train departs 05:00 AM

Last train departs 02:45 AM

City (KL Sentral) to airport (KLIA)

First train departs 03:00 AM

Last train departs 12:00 AM

Getting to KLIA2 by Taxi

A taxi ride from KL Sentral to klia2 can cost during the day approximately RM55-75 depending on the traffic load. At night this fare will rise up to RM80-95. The trip usually lasts 45 minutes depending on teh traffic situation.

How To Go To Johor Bahru From Singapore

Planning a short cross country getaway when in Singapore? Johor Bahru (JB) is the easiest place to visit when it comes to crossing border from Singapore. Not to mention, it is home to the famous Legoland Malaysia Resort.

Larkin Bus Station

The cheapest way to go to Johor Bahru from Singapore is by bus. Most people would commence their trip at Queens Street, Bugis. Here are the options you can take and some considerations when crossing the border from Singapore to JB.

There are three bus companies that operate in Queens Street Terminal going to JB: Causeway Link, SBS Transit 170 and Singapore-Johor Express.

SBS Transit 170

Fare: SGD1.93 (With EZ-Link card); SGD2.50 (Cash)

Estimated Travel Time: Around 1.5 hours depending on the traffic situation

First trip at 5:20AM and Last Trip at 12:30AM

This is the most familiar bus company among the three. The good thing about taking this bus is the cheap fare especially if you have an EZ-link card plus it's operated by Singapore-based drivers. 

Disdvantages

Although the fare is cheaper compared to the other two buses, SBS Transit 170 stops at every bus stop in Singapore to pick up and drop-off passengers. The queue hopping back on the bus after clearing the Singapore Immigration can be too long at times.

Causeway Link

Fare SGD3.30

First trip at 4:30AM and Last Trip at 11:00PM

This may not be the most popular choice because it is relatively expensive compared to the two bus companies but surely it is somehow the most recommended since they have frequent trips to JB. There are also less passengers in the queue when you hop in after clearing the Singapore Immigration. They also accpet payment using EZlink aside from cash.

Disavantage? I think it's the price if you're really on a tight budget.

Singapore-Johor Express (SJE)

Fare SGD2.40

First trip at 6:30AM and Last Trip at 11:30PM

SJE goes straight to Larkin Bus Terminal in JB. So, if you have an onward bus journey to KL, Melaka or any other city in Malaysia, this is your best option.They have the most number of buses that goes to Larkin so it will be easier for you to hop in the bus after clearing the Singapore Immigration.

If you plan of going to JB Sentral, I suggest you take the Causeway Link or SBS. Their bus trips from Woodlands to JB is not so frequent.

Arriving at Woodlands Checkpoint

Just sit back and relax or take a nap while in the bus. At the checkpoint make sure you bring your stuff with you as you'll be taking a different bus after clearing the immigration.

Make sure you keep your bus ticket with you as it will be inspected once you hop in to another bus. Queue to the proper line. There are clear signage so you will be guided which area to queue in.

Show your ticket to the driver/conductor and hello Malaysia!

Traveling during rush hours? 

Traffic situation during rush hours has gone worse from bad. Fortunately, a new train service from Woodlands Checkpoint to JB and vice-versa has been launched. It costs RM5 (S$1.79) from JB and S$5 from Woodlands. The departure times from Woodlands station are 6.30am, 8am, 9.30am, 5pm, 6.30pm, 8pm and 11pm. From JB Sentral, the trains leave at 5.30am, 7am, 8.30am, 4pm, 5.30pm, 7pm and 10pm. This is really a good option if you are in a hurry. Five minutes travel time compared to around 45 minutes by bus.