Tips for First-time Travelers Abroad

"First-time to travel abroad? Here are some of the things you need to know..."

Merlion Park
Singapore (June 21 and 22, 2018)

Petronas Twin Tower
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (June 20, 23 - 25, 2018)

When I was in College, it was my dream to travel and explore the world. I set a goal that I must travel to at least one (1) country before reaching 25 years old. Fortunately, by the grace of God, I am able to get more than what I asked for. Two countries before my deadline, and I even got to celebrate my silver years in Singapore.

The trip I had recently in Malaysia and Singapore was my first travel abroad. But before the fun, there are questions and queries that I had. I really have no idea on what and how to prepare. All I know is certainly, international flights are not like domestic ones in terms of airport procedures. This gave me an idea to make a blog and give tips to first-time travelers like me on what to know and what to expect on traveling abroad.

Disclaimer: These tips are based from my personal experience.

Excited to travel abroad for the first time!

GETTING READY...

Prepare your passport. It is the very first thing you need to have if you are planning to travel abroad. Unlike in domestic flights, passport will be your passage to other countries so you better guard and protect it with your life... and I mean it. Haha. If you are residing in the Philippines, a passport has now a validity of ten (10) years and application is now made easy.

If you still don't have a passport, schedule an application with Department and Foreign Affairs (DFA) by clicking the link below:

Schedule an Appointment for Passport Application

Philippine Passport

Take note that your passport shall be handled with care. Some of the things prohibited to do in your passport is writing in its pages, crumpling of the pages, designing with stickers, and others. You can personalize it by buying passport cases but never write or put anything on the cover. You can also renew your Philippine passport, 9 months before its expiry.

Book your flight. When you have your passport ready, it's time to select the places to visit. Shout out to my best friend, Gianna, for booking the flight for this trip. In booking a flight, you will need your computer, credit card, passport and a good internet connection. If you are planning to find cheaper fares, that's a different story. You need to have patience and regular monitoring if you want to book a promo flight. Usually promos are way ahead of the travel date. This is actually a good thing, so you can have plenty of time to prepare for your travel. We were able to book this flight, one year ago (June 2017).

Shout out to Air Asia for the cheap fare in this trip. Our roundway ticket cost only Php 4,211.70 (all-in: including GST, processing fees, etc.). If you want to book cheaper flights, book your flight now with Air Asia in the link below:

Book Flights with Air Asia

Plan your itinerary. We wanted to maximize our trip as much as possible. You can read blogs and ask friends and relatives for ideas of must-go tourist attractions, what to try, where to eat or even where to stay. Since it was my first-time to travel and prepare an itinerary, I read a lot of blogs and ask friends. I guess I read around 10 blogs just to prepare this itinerary. With the itinerary made, you will be able to identify the possible cost needed for your trip. Here are some pointers:

• Identify distance and travel time from location to location
• Assess the mode of transportation on your preferred route (the fastest route and/or the cheapest route).
• Be aware of operating schedules of the tourist attractions you will be exploring.
• Estimate how long will you be exploring in a certain destination.
• Where to eat if you are near/exactly in the attraction.
• You can simultaneously search for a place to stay, depending on your itinerary.

Universal Studios Singapore - a must-go theme park in Sentosa Island, Singapore.

Batu Caves - A Hindu temple within the cave, where a giant Lord Muruga statue is standing

For instance, you are planning to go to Singapore for two days and one night. If you decided to visit Universal Studios Singapore, it is recommended to allot the whole day in it due to long waiting lines and the number of rides to try. You can even insert short visit to other attractions near Universal Studios Singapore. Then, plan the second day for city tour. This includes Gardens By The Bay, Merlion Park, etc.

Check out detailed itinerary, guide, and expenses in Singapore:

Singapore in Two Days - Detailed Itinerary, Guide and Expenses


(Detailed Itinerary for our Malaysia trip will be posted soon)

Book your stay. It is highly recommended to book your reservations as early as possible. There are a number of sites were you can book your hotel, inn, etc. Choosing your hotel is actually a challenge. You need to plan and weigh the hotels based on their prices, and location. It will be convenient if you will pick a place near to a bus stop or train stations, and near to a landmark or tourist spot. Also, you can check reviews made by some of their customers for reference. Don't forget to print the booking confirmation before heading to the airport.

Example: We chose 5Footway.inn for our Singapore trip since we can go to Merlion Park by foot from there. Also, it is near to Clarke Quay bus stop and to Clarke Quay station of the North East MRT Line. The price also is reasonable.

Shout out to Agoda for giving us low-cost prices for our stay in Malaysia and Singapore. To give you an idea, we were able to book our stay in 5Footway.inn (Boat Quay, Singapore) for Php 4,389.23 (one-night stay for 3 pax) and M&M Hotel (KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur) for Php 3,985.16 (two-nights stay for 3 pax). We actually booked an additional night for a price of 180 MYR (approximately Php 2,340.00 for 3 pax) so we can rest upon arrival from Singapore. (50 MYR refundable upon check-out). Go book your stay using the app or click the link below:

Book your Reservations with Agoda

Book you reservations with Agoda

Reserve your slot. If you are planning to visit tourist destinations that need passes or tickets like Universal Studios Singapore, you better check if you can buy tickets or passes online. Not only you are able to skip the long lines during on-site booking and secure your pass, but there are chances that you can also have discounts. Don't forget to print the vouchers before heading to the airport.

There are hundreds of apps and sites that you can use to check for promos an reservations. One of them is Klook. Klook gave us discounted passes to destinations such as Universal Studios Singapore and the Singapore Cable Car with complimentary dinner buffet. We also had additional discount by using a promo code. You can download the app or check their website in the link below:

Get Vouchers with Klook

Get vouchers with Klook

Prepare your pocket money. When everything is set, it's time to prepare your pocket money. To have an idea on how much to prepare, you can ask friends and relatives that have been to your target country. You can also read blogs or check the expenses online. It is highly recommended to convert your cash into the currency of your destination before your travel. If possible, convert some of them to low currency value (e.g. instead of having 1 piece of $100, have 10 pieces of $10). The most convenient place to have your cash converted is at the airport. Airports usually have Foreign Exchange on departure and arrival terminals. Also, allot contingencies in your budget (e.g. for shopping, souvenirs, etc).

I was able to convert my pocket money for 801.00 MYR (Malaysian Ringgit) and 130 SGD (Singaporean Dollar). Our trip lasted for almost six (6) days.

(Expenses for our Malaysia and Singapore trip will be posted soon)

GOOD TO KNOW THAT...

Check-in. Every airlines have their check-in procedures. Make sure to be aware of those. Most airlines have online check-in to skip lines inside the airport, which is usually available from 24 hours before departure (Air Asia already opens their web check-in 14 days prior departure time). If you want to check-in manually in the airport, you need to be at least two (2) hours before your departure time (which is different from domestic flights that is usually at least forty-five (45) minutes). In the Philippines, a travel tax is imposed. If your booking does not have travel tax, make sure to pay Php 1,620.00 on the travel tax counter before proceeding to the international flight gate.

Immigration. You gotta pay attention to this one. For first-time travelers like me, I am not much aware of what is happening in immigration. Here are the step-by-step procedure for NAIA Terminal 3 (Philippine airport):

1. Get the departure form and fill up the necessary information. You need to have the receipt of travel tax payment, your passport and boarding pass with you.
2. Proceed to immigration booth. Usually the booths are classified as "Local Passport" and "Foreign Passport". Fall in line to your respective passport booth.
3. Once called, the Immigration officer will ask for your passport and even may ask questions to verify the information in the immigration form. He/she may also ask for your hotel booking and company ID, so better have those with you.
4. There will be a final security check-up where they will scan your baggage for the last time. Remove gadgets and other metal items inside your pocket and on your body. Remember to take note of the items prohibited in international flights, which will be listed on the next topic.

No cameras and video taping is allowed when you're in the immigration. I personally witnessed somebody got detained due to taking a selfie in the immigration (Exiting Malaysia, entering Singapore), and I actually do not have a clue if she and her company were able to go to Singapore.

Upon arrival in the foreign airport, you will go to the Immigration also. The procedure is likewise the same as departure procedure, except you will get an arrival form instead of departure form. Immigration is not only between airports, but even borders in land. You will get down from the bus to enter immigration, and ride on that same bus after immigration procedures.

Pack light. Less is more. It will be much of a hassle if you will bring too much clothes and other stuff in your trip, especially if you are planning a DIY travel. I know that we need the perfect #OOTD for our trip, but if possible, bring just enough for your stay. The allowance for hand-carry baggage is seven kilograms (7 kls). If you exceeded, you will be required to deposit your baggage as check-in, which will incur additional fee.

For your toiletries, put them in a much smaller container and bring just the right amount for the length of your stay. Shop at Watsons for their empty containers for your hygienic needs, which are specifically made for traveling.

Containers from Watsons, perfect for your travel abroad.

There are also items that you cannot bring in your hand-carry luggage. These are:

• Lotions, Toothpaste, Perfume and other fluids exceeding an amount of 100 mL
• Sharp and pointed metal objects (swiss/army knife, nailcutter, etc)
• Hand tools exceeding 18cm long
• Sporting goods (stick and club-typed)
• Rechargeable batteries and powerbanks exceeding 100WH

Of course, items that are obviously not allowed in  your travel such as firearms, explosives, etc., are prohibited.

These are the items that you MUST BRING in your hand-carry at all times:

• Passport
• Valid IDs (company ID is highly recommended because the immigration officers usually ask for this)
• Printed Flight Itinerary and Boarding Pass
• Printed Hotel bookings and Destination vouchers
• Other valuables (money, cards, personal gadgets, etc)

During your travel, it is recommended to do not leave these items in your hotel, rather bring them with you for safety.

One baggage for my Malaysia - Singapore trip. Upon weigh-in, my baggage is 6 kls

Mode of Transportation. It is good to study and learn how to transfer from train to train, bus stop to bus stop ahead, to lessen the hassle during your travel. Unlike Philippines, both Malaysia and Singapore have a wider selection of train system. The set-up of their train station is just like the MRT and LRT system in the country, except there are more lines. Intersecting lines means that there are station interchanges between the train lines.

MRT and LRT System Map of Singapore

Clarke Quay Bus Stop

Train System in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Also, learn how can you save more in your transportation. Example, in Singapore, since our 2nd day is allotted for the city tour, it is more economical to buy the Singapore Tourist Pass than to buy single-pass tickets. This card gives you unlimited access to their buses and trains for one day, with just a tap. Cool, isn't it?

Singapore Tourist Pass. All-day unlimited access to trains and buses.

(Detailed Transportation System for our Malaysia and Singapore trip will be posted soon)


Country Etiquette. Rules and Laws in every country differs. It is recommended to research and read ahead about the etiquette and regulations on your target country. Example, in Malaysia and Singapore, the "stand" and "walk" side on the escalator is the altered/opposite to the sides set in the Philippines. Remember, you are in their territory, be a good citizen.

Altered position of Driver's seat in Malaysia and Singapore, compared to ours in the Philippines

A simple request to support the development of Batu Caves.

Remember, a fun travel will be achieved if you are well-prepared. The last tip I will be giving to you is just enjoy every moment. The travel itself will be exhausting, especially if you got a jam-packed daily itinerary, but it will definitely be worth it. Spend as much as you can, as long as it is within your budget. Get daring and try new stuff, since you are there to explore in the first place. Respect the culture of the country and their citizens. Have an open-mind and try to understand their way of living. Set aside religious, social and political  beliefs so that you can learn and experience the country in the best way possible.

Birthday gift and token for my first travel abroad from my best friend. Thanks Bez! :)

Hope this helps! Have fun guys and I'm excited for you to enjoy the moments, just like I did.

Have fun exploring First-time Travelers!

-pauledwrd-

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