Centre Point Wireless Road

We got their Three-Bedroom Suite for two nights. Our stay was awesome! Everything is clean and well-maintained. It felt like we have our own flat unit in the center of Bangkok. We also got spectacular view of the city. Follows are my first-hand experiences:

• Wireless Road is one of Bangkok center business districts so expect to have traffic here especially during peak hours.
• They have ample space for parking and waiting area for vehicles.
• Upon entering the lobby, you can smell the aroma of their special scent. Very soothing! They have huge lobby as well. You may also get maps and guides from the reception. Their staff are well-accommodating too!
• They have ample elevator (about at least six) to service all of their floors. Nice and new elevator too!
• One complaint we have is that their corridor (on the rooms floor) are not air-conditioned so it may be hot during noon time.
• (may I reiterate?) Their room is spectacular and classy and huge! All of us were amazed upon entering the suite.
• Our suite have 3 bedrooms (2 each with queen-size bed and one with single bed), each with ensuite bathroom.
• I got the smallest room (good for one person) but I am still impressed. I want to have a room like that too!
• Their breakfast is pleasing too! Though not really comparable with those from five-star hotels but they are more that enough for me. I got tasted my first macaroons here!

the bathroom of the single room, this one has a door from the living room

the single-bed room, with city view

the kitchen/utilities section, with provided kitchen utensils and appliances

the dining area

the living room with access to the balcony

the room with queen-sized bed

view from the balcony door

city view at night from our balcony

Legacy Express Bangkok

Stayed here for two nights last March 2013. Two major reasons why we chose this hotel is that it is very close to the BTS Station (and is along the main road) and it is very affordable. Well, it didn't failed us! Reviews I've read for this hotel are true and all of my family was impressed with it. Here are some of my insights and observations:

• Taxi drivers might have difficult time understanding the address, just show them the full address and mention that it is at the corner of Soi 1.
• Only about 3 minutes to the BTS Station and is along the Sukhumvit Road (one of the busiest road in Bangkok)
• They just don't have parking and waiting area for your taxi/van pick ups.
• Their staff are very helpful, don't hesitate to ask for assistance especially in getting a cab. Trust me on this!
• Maybe it is not mentioned on their site but they now have buffet breakfast that comes with your accommodation. Not that a lot of choices though but it will keep your stomach full.
• Small and slow elevator though, it only fits around six people without travelling bags.
• First impression upon seeing the hotel is that they are very chic and contemporary. This applies even on the hotel interiors and rooms.
• Rooms are well-kept and simple. You would just have a small window to view the outside. All the basic amenities of five-star hotels are also provided. Great!
• Their WiFi works pretty good anywhere you are in the hotel. Impressive!

hallway facing the back of the hotel

hallway facing the front of the hotel

our standard room

the comfort room

Honda Bay Island Hopping Tour

For this tour, we opted to do it ourselves and not get any group tour packages to save on expenses. We hired a van for pick-up and drop-off the wharf going to the Honda Bay for Php1300. We asked to be picked-up at 9am from our hotel. We passed by a rental shop for snorkeling gears and booties first. I think the booties are Php150 a pair and Php100 for the snorkels. You could also buy hear bread for fish feeding. I saw some also whom encased their cameras for water-proof protection. Arriving at the wharf, you first have to line up to their tourism office and they will give you your boat number. As it was already the peak time, we waited for about 30 mins on this step.

Here are the chronological order of our island tour..

COWRIE ISLAND. Entrance is Php75 per person. Very few people were here when we arrived. It was quiet and I can find solitude here. It has also a bar in the middle of the island were you can order drinks and food.

PANDAN ISLAND. Entrance is Php100 per person. This is the famous spot for eating lunch. Various cottages may be rented out but make sure to be here before noon time as all the cottages gets filled up very fast. We only got an umbrella cottage just enough for four persons for Php300.

PAMBATO REEF. Entrance is Php50 per person. This ain't an island but a station for drop off to their reef. I think this is the main reef sanctuary of the area.

LULI ISLAND. Entrance is Php50 per person. An island with picturesque view and long stretch of sand bar, at least for this Honda Bay islands.

For the complete list of our expenses on this tour, you may go to this link:

Puerto Princesa City Itinerary with Budget

Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour

We booked this tour through our hotel along with our reservation to them. I think you need to reserve and give your names at least one month before your trip as they are accounting the number of visitors per day. It costs us around Php1500 per head with free hotel pick-up and buffet lunch. We were picked by the van at around 7am and we are the last to be picked up before heading to the wharf. It was about 2hrs travel from the city proper to the wharf going to the underground river. We had one stop on the middle of the route. At the wharf we had to queue and wait for the next available boats. I think the earlier you were there the better as many tourists may queue and hinder your fast travel. We waited about more than 30 minutes before plying our route to the underground river which is about 30 mins boat ride. 

the view at the wharf going to the vicinity of the underground river

Arriving at the vicintiy of the underground river, we were awed with the spectacular view of the limestone formations of the area. Another queue is on the main banca that will tour you inside the cave with seating capacity of 8 persons (I think there also a seating configuration bigger than 8 pax). 

nice shore and sand! this is where your boat will dock

the cave that you see is the entrance to the underground river

before going back, make sure to mingle with these friendly "bayawaks", they are huge!

We ate lunch at the resorts along the beach near the wharf. It was buffet and the food is okay but nothing special though. Try tamilok when you got there. It's Php100 per serving and you could share this along with your friends. There are vendors selling these in the area. 

We were back at the hotel at around 5pm since our fellow van-mates did rock climbing which damaged at least 2 hrs of our time. This is just the setback of group tours, you may have conflict with your fellow tourists. We were not properly informed though about this.

Puerto Princesa City 4D/3N Itinerary and Budget