Airport Buses

Where to board: The Terminal 1 bus platform is located on the southwest side of the first-floor arrival lobby. The Terminal 2 platform is located on the northeast side of the first-floor arrival lobby. Ticket counters are located in the arrival lobbies.

Ticket Prices: NT $100 – 140 per person (around Php 150 – 225)

Travel Time: 1 hour

Hours of operation: Approximately 05:00 – 24:00

Stops: Most buses stop at the Taipei Main Station and Songshan Airport, as well as near Metro stations and major hotels. However, the routes by the bus companies are not identical. Please double-check the map at the ticket counter.

Airport Taxis

Where to board: Taxis queue outside the north side of Terminal 1 and the south side of Terminal 2. Airport taxis charge a 15% surcharge to the figure on the meter, and highway tolls represent an additional charge.

Typical fare to Taipei: around NT$ 1,200.

Hours of operation: 24 hours

Telephone inquiries:
Terminal 1 Taxi Service Center: (03) 398-2832
Terminal 2 Taxi Service Center: (03) 398-3599

High-speed Rail

Unfortunately, I’ve never tried the train but I heard it is really convenient too.

Where to board: You can catch the 705 bus to the Taoyuan high-speed rail station from either Terminal 1 or 2.

Bus fare: NT$30

Time interval: 10 – 15 minutes during peak times

Hours of operation: 06:15 – 22:45

Inquiries: 0800-241-560

AirAsia flies to Taiwan four times a week, with fights departing Clark at 12:05 p.m. and arriving at Taoyuan airport at 2:00 p.m.

You can book your flights via AirAsia.com
Follow AirAsia on Twitter: @AirAsiaPH
Follow AirAsia on Facebook: facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines

For tours and hotel accommodations visit AirAsiaGo.com.
Follow AirAsiaGo on Twitter: @AirAsiaGoPH
Follow AirAsiaGo on Facebook: facebook.com/AirAsiaGo.ph

There are different kinds of transportation from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back.  Depending on which mode of transportation you pick, it will definitely be an experience.

For the different transportations, feel free to book them on your own but for hassle-free, safe and convenient booking do it through a trusted and registered travel agency.  This will make sure you don’t waste precious time while in Nepal and have the agency take care of logistics for you.

Again, I would recommend Himalayan Encounters travel agency. I don’t gain any commission promoting them, I just had a great experience with them and I felt safe and at ease. Also, they have offices in different parts of Nepal. Plus, they are environment conscious and practice eco-socio-tourism   That just means they take care of the environment and at the same time, teach the locals in different areas how to be tour-guides and provide jobs as well as training young volunteers to get them ready while they’re in school.

A few things to have in mind:

• Traveling from Kathmandu to Pokhara (Pokhara and Kathmandu) takes about 200 km
• By land, it would take you 6-8 hrs depending on road conditions and your mode of transportation
• By air, it would take you 20 mins
• Nepal doesn’t have the best roadworks
• If you travel by car, or bus – enjoy the view!
• Drink anti-dizzy tabs if you are prone to motion sickness as some areas are zigzags
• The roads are dusty, bring masks
• If you have a bladder the size of a peanut like me, don’t drink too much water
• Most transportation stop at cheap restaurants by the side of the road, it will be your chance to “release” nature, but their toilets  aren’t the best

Different modes of transportation

1. By Air

If you want the best experience, I suggest you fly

• There are different airlines you can choose from
• Fares vary from USD $45 to $100
• Kathmandu to Pokhara by air takes about 20 minutes
• We flew via Buddha Air
• Be early for queuing in the domemestic airport, you need to get the right seats first
• get the right side seats when flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara
• get the left side seats when flying from Pokhara to Kathmandu

Buddha Air can also take you around the mountains for 1 hour

This is a bigger plane for a small plane The smaller one only has 2 seats in a row for mountain flight, guaranteed window view so you can see the mountains

Thank goodness I brought my 70-300mm zoom lens with me! I got a nearer shot of the Annapurna range and caught this Blizzard happenin’

If you can afford P4,000 (around USD 100), go ahead and do it! IT’S WORTH IT!

*fares might change

2. Car Rental

I inquired about car rentals and for 5 days, the rate would be at around USD 300.  This included land trip to Pokhara, use of car for 5 days.  It also includes gas and driver’s accommodations.  It is a great choice when there’s 2-4 of you in a trip.  It’s the most convenient way to go around Kathmandu and Pokhara, and other neighboring towns like Banipur, Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) and Chitwan. 

With this option, you can drop by any nice place you want.  The driver also acts as your tour guide sometimes.

For car rentals, you can book via Travel agencies just to make sure you’re safe.  We had ours taken cared of by Himalayan Encounters.  We had a good driver who also took us on a side trip to Bandipur and Trusili River.  Say you know about them through Flaircandy.com and WhenInManila.com and maybe ask for discount

Nepal sample itinerary with car rental cost

Going around Nepal, here’s a sample itinerary and cost if you book a car rental.

Kathmandu – Pokhara – Palpa – Lumbini – Chitwan route for 4 nights, 5 days road trip will cost USD284 for a 5 seater Sedan (4 passengers + 1 driver) 4 passengers max

IF there’s more of you, you can pay in addition and they will book vans or microbuses for you.

3. By Bus

You have different options:

1. Local Bus – It’s what the locals ride.  It stops at almost everywhere and picks up everyone. 
2. Micro / Mini Bus – best option if you are traveling in a big group
3. Tourist buses – if you’re on a budget and can’t afford Airfare or Car rental, take this.  It is still best to book it via travel agency, again, I suggest Himalayan Encounters. 

This is a micro bus (kinda like the jeep in Manila)

For more information on the different transportation option you can take going around Nepal, you can read my following sources:

• Lonely Planet http://www.lonelyplanet.com/nepal/pokhara/transport/getting-there-away
• My Secret Planet http://www.mysecretplanet.com/Kathmandu-Pokhara-Bus

4. In the City

Whether you are in Pokhara or in Kathmandu or wherever else in Nepal, you can usually rent bikes, scooters or even horses to go around the city

Book at Nepal Hotels via Agoda.com

Hotel Booking through Agoda.com

You can book through Agoda.com via FlairCandy.com! Book just right below the title post 🙂

Registered tour guides for hassle-free trip

Tour Guides: Himalayan Encounters

PO Box 21218(Courtyard Kathmandu Guest House), Thamel, Kathmandu, NEPAL
Tel: +977-1-4700426, 4700335

Fax: +977-1-4700354

info@himalayanencounters.com

himalayanencounters.com

Til the next blog post…

Namaste.

Flair Candy

Read more about Nepal

Nepal Visa on Arrival Requirements and Application

Touchdown Nepal: Important Reminders

Boudha Stupa Kathmandu Nepal

Dwarika’s Hotel in Kathmandu, Nepal – Indulging in the Nepali Culture

Insights in Nepal

More Photos

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When in Hong Kong, don’t forget to ride the bus and sit at the front row of the top deck (their buses are double deck – two levels).

It’s like a cheap way to tour Hong Kong at night.  The information desk at the airport was very helpful and they assisted us how to get to our hotel easily.  The moment I mentioned my hotel, they just printed out something and voiala – instructions on how to go to our hotel via bus was automatically printed out.

On the paper instruction said:

Island Pacific Hotel

Address: 152 Connaught Road West, Hong Kong

Tel 2131 1188

Transportation from Airport to Island Pacific Hotel:

1. Take Bus A10

2. Alight at Bus Stop No. 4 – Centre street, Connaught Road West (this bus stop is around 50 meters away from the hotel only – very near!

Island Pacific Hotel Review

This hotel is fab!  I booked it through Agoda.com early in July.  It cost around Php 16,000 per night, but I got the reservation at 70% off.  We only had to pay Php 3,000++ per night :)  When I saw the hotel at night, it amazed me.  It was so tall, and decorated with fantastic lights.

I originally booked a regular hotel room (facing the city).  I was so surprised and HAPPY that they upgraded my booking to a Deluxe Room – King size bed, top floor (25th) and overlooking the Victoria Harbor!!!  The view is amazing with the window glass from floor to ceiling!  I actually saw a big bird flying outside my window.  I was too late to grab my camera though. I would book here again if I come here to Hong Kong (again).  Most people on tripadvisor and other hotel review sites say that the hotel rooms are quite small and there is not enough space for closet and stuff.  While it might be true, it’s nt as very spacious as other hotels, it still (for me) is big enough for two people.

I noticed right away that our hotel is in the residential area.  People say it’s far from everywhere, but really, it’s just two stations away from Hong Kong Central Station.  The bus stop is very near our place and the tramway at a walkable distance too (around 50 meters away from the hotel).

On the streets near our hotel, you will find Mannings, Watson’s, 7/11, McDonald’s, Chinese restaurants and a mall beside our hotel!  Sweet!

Chinese Restaurants

Our area is quite residential and I don’t see a lot of tourists here.  I like it that way because this is how you will feel the locals with you around and you will see more of their culture.  I had an appreciation for staying in the residential area when I first stayed in a residential area in Singapore.  I really felt like I lived like one of them in 3 days.

Like I said, most people around this area are locals.  Therefore, the Chinese local restaurants are all in Chinese!  I still asked for an English menu and thank goodness they had one!  The translations are very simple though.  You will find, Rice with meat, Rice with salty fish and meat, rice with chicken and duck feet etc…

Their dimsum is very nice though! Both their siew mai (siomai) and char siew pao (asado siopao)

That’s about it for today.  Tomorrow, we’ll just go around Central and go to Victoria Peak 🙂 I love that it’s cold, not humid and not raining! I’m so excited to go out!

See yah later!