Philippines + Tokyo (CX F, NH F, Marco Polo, Conrad, El Nido)
Mar 1, 2015, 9:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 343
Philippines + Tokyo (CX F, NH F, Marco Polo, Conrad, El Nido)
Hi All. Looking forward to sharing an amazing adventure with you all.
These were my first ultra long haul flights in first. I booked these award flights in August and the trip was still 6 months away, just enough time to let the anxiety really steep and set it nicely. I would sit around and think "Will I actually make these flights?", "will this trip actually happen?". I convinced myself that something was going to happen to stop this trip from getting off the ground, but low and behold, the trip was amazingly successful, effortless, and it couldn't have been smoother.
Trip flight map:
January 13, 2015
Cathay Pacific Flight 841
Departs: JFK @ 9:00AM
Arrives: HKG @ 1:50PM
Flight time: 15.5 hours
Seat: 1K
Aircraft: B777
So this was really happening. I got a lift to JFK and was dropped off around 6:30am. Cold and crisp morning to get this trip started. Walked into Terminal 7 at JFK, which is nothing amazing and don't have much to share about it.
Check in was smooth and I couldn't wait to get my hands on these boarding passes:
Proceeded to the BA Galleries lounge in T7. Not much going on there, spent some time people watching, thinking who might be in the cabin with me. The lounge started to fill up so I spent about an hour there and headed to Gate 6, where I encountered the ever present "gate lice". After looking at duty free goods I don't need, checking my watch one too many times, untying and tying my shoe laces for no apparent reason, a call for boarding finally happened. A massive rush of people headed for the one CX employee standing there. He looked at the boarding passes and turned them away. I gleefully smiled internally, walked past the line, handed him my boarding pass and was waved through.
Terminal 7:
BA Galleries Lounge:
Gate 6:
My ride:
Walked down the jetway and was greeted by a gaggle of CX cabin crew. One of them looked at my boarding pass, smiled at me and said "you're mine!". I smiled back and was shown to my seat, 1K. Elaine helped me with my bag and asked if I'd like a drink, she suggested champagne and I obliged.
I was finally here. All of the trip reports, youtube videos, etc, do not do it justice. The seat is quite wide, comfortable, and obviously has plenty of legroom. I'm 6'4'' and had trouble reaching the ottoman.
Elaine came by and presented a hot towel and an amuse bouche of lobster, avocado, and lime. Tasty but nothing memorable.
Lucas, another crew member, came by and offered another glass of Krug and within a few minutes was back again. I then realized how empty the cabin was. Only one other passenger had boarded and was seated in 1A.
Take off was smooth and we cruised up to 35K feet with ease.
Pajamas/slippers and Aesop amenity kit were distributed. Bose headphones were in one of the compartments and I took advantage of them
I thought about changing into pajamas but I was already wearing quite comfortable clothing, so I kicked off my sneakers and put on the slippers, which fit a size 13! Menus were also distributed
I started with some fresh fruit and a bread basket
Then some muesli and yogurt
Omelette
Lounged for many hours, slept in and out for a few, woke up and decided I needed to eat. I wasn't really hungry but i just figured i'd try as much as I can and take advantage of this experience.
Wonton noodle soup was great
Shrimp Quesadilla
Caviar - this was tasty (smooth, not too fishy, slightly sweet tasting).
White Asparagus Soup - very good, would recommend.
Lobster Salad - nice portion of meat, tasty.
Stir-Fried Lobster with Scallion and Ginger - this was pretty much the highlight of the onboard dining.
Slightly uninspired cheese plate with port
Dessert - pistachio cake with ice cream, chocolates and coffee
We touched down in Hong Kong at 1:52pm
I cruised around the terminal for a bit, people watched, got a massage at a spa there. Not amazing, but helped work out some kinks. Interesting food options at HKG.
Peking Duck at HKG
Made my way to the CX F lounge and requested a shower cabana, which was immediately available. This is exactly what you need after a 15.5 hour flight. Spacious, nicely lit, and comfortable, this was a great way to kill an hour and refresh.
Food selection at the lounge was plentiful. Soups, salads, a la carte options courtesy of the Peninsula, desserts, fish, meats, etc.
View from the lounge
Somewhat refreshed, I left the lounge and headed to Gate 49 for my flight to Manila.
January 14th, 2015
Cathay Pacific Flight 913
Departs: HKG @ 8:05pm
Arrives: MNL @ 10:10pm
Aircraft: A330-300 (Regional/2 class)
Seat: 15K
Flight time: 2 Hours 5 mins
Boarding commenced on time and I found my seat, 15K
Cabin was about 50% full. Service started immediately after take-off. Everything was fine but I was not interested in the food much. Leg room was roomy and pitch was great. I lounged for a good hour or so and we began our descent into Manila.
From the airport we caught a ride with some friends to the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, which would be our hotel for the next 4 nights. This is a relatively new hotel in Manila, but it seems to have opened well and worked out some early kinks. I believe this is the only hotel in Manila with a "sky-lobby". The one negative about this place was the waiting time for the elevators. We checked into a lovely room on the 42nd floor.
Room 4205
"Mini bar"
upon entrance
Living Room
Bedroom
Bedroom facing the en suite bathroom
Marble overdose
Hallway at Marco Polo
Pool on the 22nd floor
"Flow" gym on the 22nd floor. Very nicely equipped. Had towels, fruit infused water, fresh fruit and lockers available.
We had access to the Continental Club on the 44th floor and had breakfast there for two mornings instead of dining out. Selection was amazing, food was great and service was very helpful.
Interesting selection at the library upstairs.
My time in Manila was spent meeting and seeing family and friends. We did not really do any sight seeing. We only had a short time to see as many of the hundreds or thousands of cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. Manila has a vibrant night life, culinary scene, and a variety of neighborhoods.
We took a day trip to Tagaytay
We got hooked up with 2nd row tickets to the PBA Finals. The complete drum lines that accompany each team to the game, provide a constant cheer. The energy and excitement was amazing. The passion that the fans have was undeniable.
We got drunk here:
Late night snack: Sisig at iDOL's Fried in Greenwood
We helped our hangover with some tapsilog from Kanto in Kapitolyo. A must try if you are in Manila.
After spending a quick 4 nights in Manila, we checked out of the Marco Polo and made our way to NAIA to board a flight to Cebu.
Cebu is about an hour flight from Manila. We were booked on Air Asia Zest and it cost 1968 Philippine Peso or about $43 one way.
Leg room was not part of the deal:
Cloud porn was complimentary:
We landed at Cebu's Mactan International Airport, made our way via taxi to Cebu City, stopped at Rico's Lechon, filled up on that, haggled with the taxi driver from the airport to drive us 2 hours south to Moalboal, a small town on the southwest coast of Cebu. He agreed to 2000 pesos, about $44usd. I thought that was too cheap and almost offered more, but was told that he was making a nights worth of money in that ride alone and he was happy to do so.
We woke up and I stepped outside into this lush, tropical garden. This was my first taste as to what I was anticipating the Philippines had to offer in terms of tropical getaway.
We met up with about 10 other friends, and made our way to start a day of canyoneering and cliff jumping that ended at Kawasan Falls
After a long day, we all hopped into a multi-cab, that fit all 14 of us and rode to Oslob, on the southeastern coast of Cebu.
Stopped at a road side bbq on the way:
We had booked 3 nights at a b&b called Villa on a Cliff. It was literally a villa on a cliff. Had a main house and then two guest houses. It had a great pool and view, amazing staff of 3, direct access to the water, snorkeling gear, wifi.
Woke up to this:
Local fisherman cruising by
We stayed in Oslob so we could go swimming with the whale sharks that frequent the area. Initially, I assumed the whale sharks were being kept in some sort of loose captivity and my feelings were of shame and I did not really want to participate. Then it was explained that they are being fed by "conservationists" who are looking to maintain the whale shark population after many have been killed off. I will take their word for it, but I couldn't grasp if the conservationist label was slapped on to this business to make it seem sustainable and that the whale sharks are not being lured here to feed and in turn, line the pockets of the business owner. At the end of the day, it was an amazing experience and something that I would do again. These massive, gentle creatures are a sight to see.
Everything was a-ok:
The next day we took a ferry to Dumaguete, which was about an hour ride and cost 65 pesos, about $1.50
Dumaguete has a vibrant college town vibe to it. It is the home of Silliman University. We cruised around the campus for a bit, stopped by a mall (one of the top things to do all over the Philippines), picked up some Sans Rival (a Filipino dessert made of layers of buttercream, meringue, and cashews)
Our ride to the mall
Sans Rival
Being silly at Silliman U.
Headed back to Oslob, spent one more day lounging around and enjoying the scenery. The girls particularly enjoyed snorkeling down below the villa.
I enjoyed taking some panoselfies
We had to take a 3 hour bus ride back to Cebu City to catch out flight to Manila
The bus was 65 pesos, had a/c, wifi, a club vibe, and screened the latest in martial arts movies. It would also allow local vendors to hop on at stops and sell their goods. It ranged from rice cakes to chicharron.
We stopped for a quick bite at ZubuChon, noted by A. Bourdain as the best pig ever.
It was good, but not certain it was the best. I can't seem to find a pic of the pig right now, but will shortly.
We caught a Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila. This was a brand new plane. I'm not certain of the registration but it smelled and looked like the wrappers were just taken off. Leg room was not great, but it was a quick hop back to Manila.
Interesting ad in the inflight magazine:
All in all, a great flight. Spent a night in Manila at a friends place.
Up next: El Nido (El Nido Resorts - Lagen Island), Tokyo (Conrad and NH F)
These were my first ultra long haul flights in first. I booked these award flights in August and the trip was still 6 months away, just enough time to let the anxiety really steep and set it nicely. I would sit around and think "Will I actually make these flights?", "will this trip actually happen?". I convinced myself that something was going to happen to stop this trip from getting off the ground, but low and behold, the trip was amazingly successful, effortless, and it couldn't have been smoother.
Trip flight map:
January 13, 2015
Cathay Pacific Flight 841
Departs: JFK @ 9:00AM
Arrives: HKG @ 1:50PM
Flight time: 15.5 hours
Seat: 1K
Aircraft: B777
So this was really happening. I got a lift to JFK and was dropped off around 6:30am. Cold and crisp morning to get this trip started. Walked into Terminal 7 at JFK, which is nothing amazing and don't have much to share about it.
Check in was smooth and I couldn't wait to get my hands on these boarding passes:
Proceeded to the BA Galleries lounge in T7. Not much going on there, spent some time people watching, thinking who might be in the cabin with me. The lounge started to fill up so I spent about an hour there and headed to Gate 6, where I encountered the ever present "gate lice". After looking at duty free goods I don't need, checking my watch one too many times, untying and tying my shoe laces for no apparent reason, a call for boarding finally happened. A massive rush of people headed for the one CX employee standing there. He looked at the boarding passes and turned them away. I gleefully smiled internally, walked past the line, handed him my boarding pass and was waved through.
Terminal 7:
BA Galleries Lounge:
Gate 6:
My ride:
Walked down the jetway and was greeted by a gaggle of CX cabin crew. One of them looked at my boarding pass, smiled at me and said "you're mine!". I smiled back and was shown to my seat, 1K. Elaine helped me with my bag and asked if I'd like a drink, she suggested champagne and I obliged.
I was finally here. All of the trip reports, youtube videos, etc, do not do it justice. The seat is quite wide, comfortable, and obviously has plenty of legroom. I'm 6'4'' and had trouble reaching the ottoman.
Elaine came by and presented a hot towel and an amuse bouche of lobster, avocado, and lime. Tasty but nothing memorable.
Lucas, another crew member, came by and offered another glass of Krug and within a few minutes was back again. I then realized how empty the cabin was. Only one other passenger had boarded and was seated in 1A.
Take off was smooth and we cruised up to 35K feet with ease.
Pajamas/slippers and Aesop amenity kit were distributed. Bose headphones were in one of the compartments and I took advantage of them
I thought about changing into pajamas but I was already wearing quite comfortable clothing, so I kicked off my sneakers and put on the slippers, which fit a size 13! Menus were also distributed
I started with some fresh fruit and a bread basket
Then some muesli and yogurt
Omelette
Lounged for many hours, slept in and out for a few, woke up and decided I needed to eat. I wasn't really hungry but i just figured i'd try as much as I can and take advantage of this experience.
Wonton noodle soup was great
Shrimp Quesadilla
Caviar - this was tasty (smooth, not too fishy, slightly sweet tasting).
White Asparagus Soup - very good, would recommend.
Lobster Salad - nice portion of meat, tasty.
Stir-Fried Lobster with Scallion and Ginger - this was pretty much the highlight of the onboard dining.
Slightly uninspired cheese plate with port
Dessert - pistachio cake with ice cream, chocolates and coffee
We touched down in Hong Kong at 1:52pm
I cruised around the terminal for a bit, people watched, got a massage at a spa there. Not amazing, but helped work out some kinks. Interesting food options at HKG.
Peking Duck at HKG
Made my way to the CX F lounge and requested a shower cabana, which was immediately available. This is exactly what you need after a 15.5 hour flight. Spacious, nicely lit, and comfortable, this was a great way to kill an hour and refresh.
Food selection at the lounge was plentiful. Soups, salads, a la carte options courtesy of the Peninsula, desserts, fish, meats, etc.
View from the lounge
Somewhat refreshed, I left the lounge and headed to Gate 49 for my flight to Manila.
January 14th, 2015
Cathay Pacific Flight 913
Departs: HKG @ 8:05pm
Arrives: MNL @ 10:10pm
Aircraft: A330-300 (Regional/2 class)
Seat: 15K
Flight time: 2 Hours 5 mins
Boarding commenced on time and I found my seat, 15K
Cabin was about 50% full. Service started immediately after take-off. Everything was fine but I was not interested in the food much. Leg room was roomy and pitch was great. I lounged for a good hour or so and we began our descent into Manila.
From the airport we caught a ride with some friends to the Marco Polo Ortigas Manila, which would be our hotel for the next 4 nights. This is a relatively new hotel in Manila, but it seems to have opened well and worked out some early kinks. I believe this is the only hotel in Manila with a "sky-lobby". The one negative about this place was the waiting time for the elevators. We checked into a lovely room on the 42nd floor.
Room 4205
"Mini bar"
upon entranceLiving Room
Bedroom
Bedroom facing the en suite bathroom
Marble overdose
Hallway at Marco Polo
Pool on the 22nd floor
"Flow" gym on the 22nd floor. Very nicely equipped. Had towels, fruit infused water, fresh fruit and lockers available.
We had access to the Continental Club on the 44th floor and had breakfast there for two mornings instead of dining out. Selection was amazing, food was great and service was very helpful.
Interesting selection at the library upstairs.
My time in Manila was spent meeting and seeing family and friends. We did not really do any sight seeing. We only had a short time to see as many of the hundreds or thousands of cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, etc. Manila has a vibrant night life, culinary scene, and a variety of neighborhoods.
We took a day trip to Tagaytay
We got hooked up with 2nd row tickets to the PBA Finals. The complete drum lines that accompany each team to the game, provide a constant cheer. The energy and excitement was amazing. The passion that the fans have was undeniable.
We got drunk here:
Late night snack: Sisig at iDOL's Fried in Greenwood
We helped our hangover with some tapsilog from Kanto in Kapitolyo. A must try if you are in Manila.
After spending a quick 4 nights in Manila, we checked out of the Marco Polo and made our way to NAIA to board a flight to Cebu.
Cebu is about an hour flight from Manila. We were booked on Air Asia Zest and it cost 1968 Philippine Peso or about $43 one way.
Leg room was not part of the deal:
Cloud porn was complimentary:
We landed at Cebu's Mactan International Airport, made our way via taxi to Cebu City, stopped at Rico's Lechon, filled up on that, haggled with the taxi driver from the airport to drive us 2 hours south to Moalboal, a small town on the southwest coast of Cebu. He agreed to 2000 pesos, about $44usd. I thought that was too cheap and almost offered more, but was told that he was making a nights worth of money in that ride alone and he was happy to do so.
We woke up and I stepped outside into this lush, tropical garden. This was my first taste as to what I was anticipating the Philippines had to offer in terms of tropical getaway.
We met up with about 10 other friends, and made our way to start a day of canyoneering and cliff jumping that ended at Kawasan Falls
After a long day, we all hopped into a multi-cab, that fit all 14 of us and rode to Oslob, on the southeastern coast of Cebu.
Stopped at a road side bbq on the way:
We had booked 3 nights at a b&b called Villa on a Cliff. It was literally a villa on a cliff. Had a main house and then two guest houses. It had a great pool and view, amazing staff of 3, direct access to the water, snorkeling gear, wifi.
Woke up to this:
Local fisherman cruising by
We stayed in Oslob so we could go swimming with the whale sharks that frequent the area. Initially, I assumed the whale sharks were being kept in some sort of loose captivity and my feelings were of shame and I did not really want to participate. Then it was explained that they are being fed by "conservationists" who are looking to maintain the whale shark population after many have been killed off. I will take their word for it, but I couldn't grasp if the conservationist label was slapped on to this business to make it seem sustainable and that the whale sharks are not being lured here to feed and in turn, line the pockets of the business owner. At the end of the day, it was an amazing experience and something that I would do again. These massive, gentle creatures are a sight to see.
Everything was a-ok:
The next day we took a ferry to Dumaguete, which was about an hour ride and cost 65 pesos, about $1.50
Dumaguete has a vibrant college town vibe to it. It is the home of Silliman University. We cruised around the campus for a bit, stopped by a mall (one of the top things to do all over the Philippines), picked up some Sans Rival (a Filipino dessert made of layers of buttercream, meringue, and cashews)
Our ride to the mall
Sans Rival
Being silly at Silliman U.
Headed back to Oslob, spent one more day lounging around and enjoying the scenery. The girls particularly enjoyed snorkeling down below the villa.
I enjoyed taking some panoselfies
We had to take a 3 hour bus ride back to Cebu City to catch out flight to Manila
The bus was 65 pesos, had a/c, wifi, a club vibe, and screened the latest in martial arts movies. It would also allow local vendors to hop on at stops and sell their goods. It ranged from rice cakes to chicharron.
We stopped for a quick bite at ZubuChon, noted by A. Bourdain as the best pig ever.
It was good, but not certain it was the best. I can't seem to find a pic of the pig right now, but will shortly.
We caught a Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila. This was a brand new plane. I'm not certain of the registration but it smelled and looked like the wrappers were just taken off. Leg room was not great, but it was a quick hop back to Manila.
Interesting ad in the inflight magazine:
All in all, a great flight. Spent a night in Manila at a friends place.
Up next: El Nido (El Nido Resorts - Lagen Island), Tokyo (Conrad and NH F)
Last edited by benjahman; Jun 14, 2016 at 8:05 pm
Mar 2, 2015, 8:52 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 343
Mar 3, 2015, 9:41 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Fantastic report! CX F may lack some of the glitz and glamour found on EK, SQ, EY, etc. but it's still my personal favorite.
Can't wait to see more!
Can't wait to see more!
Mar 3, 2015, 5:20 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Some hole
Posts: 2,783
Born and raised in the U.S. but been back to the Philippines numerous times throughout my life. Monsoon season or Typhoon season is from June-December.
Mar 3, 2015, 5:36 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Some hole
Posts: 2,783
UptownEastside,
Great report man. Looks like you had tons of fun in the Philippines! Despite me being Filipino, I have never been to Cebu or El Nido although I would love to go. Cebu is well known for their Lechon or roasted pig and its one of the most delicious foods in the world according to CNN. How'd you like the Sisig? I'm actually craving that right now!
Sisig is best serve sizzling hot on sizzling plate with an egg on top with some local lime (calamansi).
The falls look gorgeous especially the water. How was that?
Hope to read more. I've booked marked this report on my browser.
P.s. From looking at the overhead bins on your flight to MNL on CX 913, that is a 777 not an A330. Can't tell if its either a 772, or a 773. Definitely not a 77W.
Cheers
Great report man. Looks like you had tons of fun in the Philippines! Despite me being Filipino, I have never been to Cebu or El Nido although I would love to go. Cebu is well known for their Lechon or roasted pig and its one of the most delicious foods in the world according to CNN. How'd you like the Sisig? I'm actually craving that right now!
Sisig is best serve sizzling hot on sizzling plate with an egg on top with some local lime (calamansi).The falls look gorgeous especially the water. How was that?
Hope to read more. I've booked marked this report on my browser.
P.s. From looking at the overhead bins on your flight to MNL on CX 913, that is a 777 not an A330. Can't tell if its either a 772, or a 773. Definitely not a 77W.
Cheers