I have been recommending Taiwan for first time travelers for as long as I can remember. This is because of many reasons like the convenience (it's so much closer to the Philippines than other countries), the security (I'm not afraid to go out at night in Taiwan) and of course, the cost! You can commute to major tour sites in the city and they have a reliable HSR system that transports you to and from the airport. 

On this article, I'll show you how I was able to plan an all-in 3D 2N Taiwan trip per head. This isn't even a budget trip! Airline is PAL and for the hotel, it's a city hotel with a Taipei 101 view!

MNL-TPE-MNL
Round trip flight -8700php
Eastin Taipei Hotel -5300php/ person for 2N
Yehliu/Shifen/Jiufen -1500php/ person
Yehliu entrance fee -200php
Lantern for Shifen -450php
Round trip airport transfers -500php
MRT load for 3D2N -350php

I recorded my screen at the time of booking so you'll see the rates as I was scrolling for the best rates! Posted the reel on my IG: @rosiedoms.

I was just in Taiwan to see the Cherry Blossoms! By the way, if you're planning to see Cherry Blossoms in other countries, I have curated a store with cherry blossom deals here: bit.ly/rosietours
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When you book, you can use ROSIEKLOOK for more discounts!

I've traveled to Paris 6x in the past and I have more trips planned. I made this guide for first-time Filipino travelers who wish to visit this beautiful city. Paris is not for the rich only. With some research and patience, you can definitely go too. I'm in the process of making a different blog post about the most economical way to make that dream a reality. For a solo trip, I honestly believe that it's possible to go with an all-in budget of only 80,000 pesos. (Update: posted a reel about this on www.instagram.com/rosiedoms)

From passport processing down to the miscellaneous details, I made this post as detailed as possible. So for those who are not going for the first time, feel free to skip to the parts that will be most helpful to you.

Passport – passport requirements are easy to collate as long as you don’t have any concern with your birth certificate and other national IDs like UMID, driver’s license, voter’s ID etc.
 
You’ll find passport information here:
https://dfa-oca.ph/services/passport/
 
Start with travels in Asia:
I highly recommend traveling within Asia prior to going to Europe. This serves as sort of like your break in to traveling. The best teacher is experience so when you’ve traveled in Asia, it’s more likely for your travel to Europe to go smoothly.
 
Considering cost and convenience, I am a big fan of Taiwan. Airport transport has been thought of by the government properly and the famous spots are also accessible by public transport. Hotels and airfare are also less expensive than other Asian destinations so take advantage of their visa free program for Filipinos!
 
Once you have experienced traveling to other Asian countries, not only will you have numerous passport stamps but also experience in traveling.
 
Schengen Visa – my personal experience getting a Schengen visa via the Embassy of France has been smooth from the first time I applied for me and my son until the last application I made when they gave me a 2-year multiple entry Schengen visa.
 
I have experienced applying directly with the French Embassy (Pacific Star Building), thru VFS (Chino Roces) but the most recent process which I went thru last April was via TLS (Proscenium, Rockwell)
 
I submitted on a Tuesday and had my passport on hand by Friday. Yes, it took them that quickly but disclaimer, the experience is different per person. Possible factor for the quick processing time was my past travels. You’ll need two important links for the visa processing:

1. Make an account with the Embassy of France here: https://connect.france-visas.gouv.fr/realms/usager/protocol/openid-connect/auth?response_type=code&client_id=fv-fo-keycloak-web&scope=openid&state=8f6c5dfb-2c19-4ba2-8a93-22e0784be6b6&redirect_uri=http://application-form.france-visas.gouv.fr/fv-fo-dde/login/oauth2/code/keycloak&nonce=ysj6_oHa3zQ47eS57l9YeV50LxwXWzLQKN4FIJkq_jQ

1. Book your document submission with TLS here: https://fr.tlscontact.com/visa/ph/phMNL2fr/home

 
I applied for a short stay visa and wrote a letter of request for a multiple entry with long validity. My last application was the second time that I requested for this. They granted me a visa that was valid for a year last 2023 and granted me 2 years this 2024. Here’s everything that I submitted:
 
TRAVEL DOCS
•Current passport
•Old passports (especially if with stamp from Schengen country)
•All visas including ones from other countries
•Day to day itinerary
*Photocopies of all pages with stamps and biopage

EMPLOYMENT DOCS
•Certificate of employment
•Most recent ITR
*Bring original and photocopies

FINANCIAL DOCS
•Bank statement
•Bank certificate
*Bring original copies

FAMILY TIES DOCS
•Birth certificate (yours)
•Birth certificate of your kids (if any)
•Marriage certificate (if married)
*Bring original and photocopies

TRIP-RELATED DOCS
•Hotel booking
•Ticket or ticket certificate
•Insurance coverage
*Print outs of your policy, ticket, hotel booking

APPLICATION DOCS
•Print out of the TLS confirmed schedule
•Print out of the filled out form from French Embassy

PHOTO (may be taken in TLS since they have a photo booth)
 
Tips to getting a multiple-entry visa with a long validity – if you would like to have a multiple-entry Schengen visa that will allow you to fly to Paris for years, here are a few tips that worked for me:

1. If they give you a single-entry visa, make sure to use it. Embassies receive a lot of applications and if you don’t use yours, the embassy you applied with may think that it was a waste of allocation and would rather give to others instead next time. If cancelling the trip is for good reason though, they’d understand. Make sure to state the reason on your next application because they’ll look for the stamp on your passport of your entry to the Schengen region if they see on the system that they granted you a visa in the past.
2. In case you’ve been to any Schengen country before, state that on your application. Even if it was a long time ago. If you can provide a copy of the passport that you used then, even better. 
3. Sometimes, embassies give a couple of months of visa even for first-timers. If this happens to you, try to use that visa more than once. This will increase your chances of getting a visa with longer validity the next time you apply. 
4. Don’t forget to write a letter of request to the embassy you are applying with. Based on my experience, my applications with French Embassy has been smooth so for this reason, I recommend applying with them. 

 
Booking your flights – currently, there are no direct flights from the Philippines to Paris. The closest where we can take a flight from is Hong Kong. I booked MNL-HKG with Philippine Airlines on my last trip and HKG-CDG with Cathay Pacific. There are other options like thru the Middle East. This is the route that I took last October. Be mindful of transit requirements for Middle East because you may be required to get a transit visa. You can search for other flights connecting with a PAL flight here: www.philippineairlines.com
 
Still praying for a direct flight via PAL soon! Nothing beats flying with the flag carrier for me. If you’d like to try flying in business class, you can try bidding a few days before departure. I once bought a ticket from CDG-MNL for 19k and got the business class upgrade even if I placed only 260usd for my bid! This one was done with Saudia.
 
Booking your hotels – I have tried a budget hotel in the past. Stayed at Pink Hotel with my nanay last 2019. Have tried an airport hotel as well, this is not advisable if you’ll be going to a lot of places in the city. The best experience I’ve had was with Ibis Eiffel (there’s Ibis Styles also which is a building away from Ibis itself) This is less than a kilometer away from the foot of the Eiffel Tower and you can get a room with an Eiffel Tower view minus the price tag of Pullman or the other hotels close to Eiffel Tower. It is located in front of a bus stop and it takes you straight to Avenue Montaige, Champs Elysee, Place Dalida and other famous locations! It is also 100 meters away from Cambronne Metro Station! You won’t need to take taxis, Ubers and Bolts when you’re booked here. Got my room for only 6500 pesos per night but price may vary when it’s super peak like when it’s Paris Fashion Week or The Olympics!
 
Insurance – this is one of the requirements for getting a Schengen visa. I got mine with Standard Insurance and the process was easy. Here’s the link: https://standard-insurance.com/products/TravelProtect
 
You’ll get your policy in no time, and I spent less than 2000 pesos for the coverage I chose during my last application!
 
Lounge – There’s a hack that I learned which allowed me to purchase lounge entries for a standard fee. I made a free Regus account online and that gave me a year of Dragon Pass membership for free. This membership may also be offered by your credit card company. There are also different providers apart from DragonPass. Example is Lounge Key which I’ve had in the past. You may check the benefits of your credit card if these are offered.
 
If you’re interested in the Regus hack, here is the link where you can make an account:
https://www.myregus.com/onboarding/register-with-email
 
When you have secured this, you can make a Dragon Pass account here: 
https://augustus.myregus.com/Account/Login
 
After this, you can start purchasing lounge entries for a standard fee which is so much lower than door price. I don’t advise this for lounge access from Manila since lounge access here are for much less expensive compared to other countries. At the same time, there are other options like the Little Flour located at Terminal 1 where you can purchase coffee and croissant for around 400 pesos. It’s a comfortable place to stay in and also has the wide windows where you can see the planes.
 
Airport Transport – there are three economical ways to reach the city from the airport. There are regular buses that are only for 2 euros and you can get off at a station closest to your hotel. I wouldn’t advise this to those who travel with a luggage. The regular buses do not have space for the rollers. 
 
Another option is the RER. The train station of the RER train line is connected to the airport. One ride is for 11.40 euros. I took the RER and got off at a station connected to the Metro. Be careful planning your route and don’t just rely on Google maps on this as you might get off at a station that does not have any elevators.
 
My favorite public transport to and from CDG is the Roissy Bus. It’s for 16.50 euros per person per way. It leaves from CDG going to the city and the Opera bus station going to the airport. You can tap your credit card before entering the bus but if you have a Navigo card, you can also pre purchase your fare from the metro station and it will come out even less expensive. There are compartments for luggage and the first stop is CDG Terminal 1. A similar bus is also offered from Orly and other main stations.
 
Security – I received a lot of messages from friends asking about theft when I last went to Europe. I think the steps we can take to avoid theft here in Manila and in Europe are similar. Here are a few anti-theft tips I have for when you travel to Paris:

1. Wear a money belt
2. Consider bringing cards instead of cash
3. Don’t put valuables inside your pocket
4. Try to avoid the rush hour
5. Don’t use phone close to the metro door

 
There are other things that I bring as a solo female traveler:

1. Door alarm
2. Portable double lock
3. Portable safe

 
Going to other countries from Paris – back in 2019, I was able to go to 5 different cities in 5 different countries with 110usd only! I didn’t take trains or flights but opted for bus rides also called coach in Europe. You can check out the Omio app where I book all my bus tickets. You may opt to go buy directly from bus companies like FlixBus and BlaBlaBus but I like the feature of Omio where the prices are compared amongst all bus companies available for that leg.
 
If you love museums, I highly suggest booking your tickets ahead of time and if you can afford it, the skip the line packages are helpful in maximizing time in Paris. You can also check out museums that are not super sell out like L’Orangerie or the YSL museum. You can book fashion show tickets too! La Fayette Galeries have them on certain days and you get to experience watching the show in the heart of Paris! 
 
If you are into shopping, check out La Vallee. It’s a bit outside Paris but transportation to this outlet is offered via Klook. You can book your rides here: https://bit.ly/ridetolavallee
 
Rue St. Honore and Avenue Montaigne are my favorite spots for checking out European brands. Love the crowd and the cafes. I go to hotel restaurants here too for days that I’d like to treat myself. These places are not as busy as Champs Elysee but carry the same brands.

You might want to invest on professional photography. Did you know that this can be booked for as low as 1700pesos? This depends on how many minutes of photography you'll avail of. I got one from Klook which was so worth it! I planned it carefully and was photographed wearing 3 outfits with an Eiffel Tower view. It's also possible by the Louvre or by Arc De Triomphe. For discounts when you book via Klook, you may use my code ROSIE5OFF.
 
Other important things to remember: bring a travel adapter, don’t put your bags down in public when you are taking photos because this is a known behavior of tourists and the bags may be taken the moment you are taking the photo.
 
A faux pas not to do if intend to take the metro: if you take the train during rush hour, don’t use the seats that fold up and down. Take the regular seats instead. It is considered inconsiderate (oxymoron?) by the locals to use that since more people can come in when there’s more people standing up. Also, don’t forget to tap your cards or insert your tickets in the train stations or you might get fined.
 
Enjoy! There are so many fun things to do in Paris and some are even free! Read a book in Tuileries or people-watch by the Louvre but if you’re booking your activities via Klook, you can use my code ROSIEKLOOK for discounts!

I originally posted this a couple of years back, right before the pandemic hit. I spent 110 pesos on coach rides around Europe and I was able to go to 5 cities in 5 different countries. I booked FlixBus, BlaBlaBus etc all booked via Omio App.

I posted the video on YouTube: ​https://youtu.be/xUoYdsAIUbY?si=oHNCOpvYjmBmzFiz

I’m sure a few folks will roll their eyes at me. I’m just a momma who wanted at least once in her life to experience how it’s like to be in Paris during fashion week. I was working on a tiny budget at di ako sikat kaya kailangan resourceful tayo! Here’s how I was able to put together this whole trip without hurting my savings.

AIRFARE: Syempre kung may PAL, dun ako but walang Paris flight flag carrier naten as of the moment so had to search kung anong pinakaokay na route: Saudia MNL-CDG-MNL was 19k per way via Jeddah. Not bad na kaso gusto ko parang sila Bryan Boy na nakabusiness class pag traveling from fashion week. Nagbid ako for the flight back home. 14,700 pesos and it was accepted! Haha! Nakapaglounge na ako, nakalipad pa ko ng 787 in business class! So first big gastos: 19k + 19k + 14,700php = 52,700 (with the business class experience na)

HOTEL: I stayed at Premiere Classe in CDG area. Hindi sya sa city. Malapit sya sa airport and Aeroville shopping center. The best thing? 4.60euros lang pamasahe from hotel to fashion districts like Champs Elysee, Rue St. Honore, Vendome… etc. Di kayo maniniwala gaano kamura tong hotel na to so I will link it here. It’s usually for 3200pesos lang per night. But, since it was fashion week, umangat ng konte at 4k per night so I paid for a total of 16k for 4 nights!
Premiere Classe: 
https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=30706&aff_adid=759858&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-PH%2Fhotels%2Fdetail%2F333890-premiere-classe-roissy--aeroport-charles-de-gaulle%2F%3Froom_num%3D1%26adult_num%3D2%26child_num%3D0%26age%3D

AIRPORT TRANSFERS: May shuttle ang Premiere Classe CDG from the airport for only 7euros per way. Actually malapit lang din sya sa airport at pwedeng icommute. You’ll pay 2.50 for the bus. Just take bus 27 from Terminal 2. Pero syempre nagshuttle ako.

FOOD: I did not get the room with breakfast option. Sayang pa yun, haha! Anyway, every morning naman, may free croissant and pan au chocolat sa lobby. So, on the day of my arrival, I walked to Carrefour and bought all items na that I’ll need for breakfast like bread, cereals, milk, coffee. *Please note na walang water boiler sa Premiere Classe Hotel. So, may dala si ate mo gurl. Right beside my hotel, there was Hotel Campanile. May lunch and dinner buffet sila. I dined there para at least buffet na! 16euros lang at masarap ha! If you want to include dessert buffet also, magiging 20euros. That’s what I did, worth it!!!
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PHOTO SHOOT: Dahil fashion week, kailangan may photo session din tayo. Alam nyo ba 2700pesos lang pwede ka na magpaphotography sa Paris! Pili ka kung san mo gusto. Louvre, Eiffel or Arc De Triomphe. For a private photography of 15 minutes, dami na pictures nun! Come prepared, do your own make-up and style yourself. Linked it here para may pictures din kayong ganyan pag punta nyo.
​https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=30706&aff_adid=759858&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-PH%2Factivity%2F88633-private-professional-photoshoot-paris%2F%3Fspm%3DActivity.SearchSuggest_LIST%26clickId%3Dc112cc7701

TRANSPO: Like what I said kanina, 4.60euros lang pamasahe to go to the city area. Bus is for 2.50 (can be paid in cash sa driver) + 2.10 for the metro ticket. Kung ayaw maglakad kase nakaheels, may tip ako. Nasa harap ng Premiere Classe mismo yung bus station so no problem there. But, for example, pag baba mo ng Metro, may 10-minute walk, if you want, you can take Bolt. Mga 10euros lang yun. You’ll arrive pa in style sa mga events. Bolt or Uber gamit ko pag short distance lang pupuntahan like Aeroville. Pag marami bitbit, that’s an option. Like when I bought pasalubong. Speaking of pasalubong, go to the next bullet.

PASALUBONG: (Definitely optional) I got some items from the grocery store in Aeroville. Dumaan ako dun right before my flight back. Don’t worry kase may luggage storage sila for only 3 euros for a big suitcase for 3 hours na!

FASHION WEEK TICKET: I got mine for free because the designer became my IG friend. But one option for you is to book the LaFayette Galeries fashion show for less than 2k, hello!
https://haussmann.galerieslafayette.com/en/events/original-fashion-shows/

Other fashion experiences you can do for less than 2000 pesos are:
•LA VALLEE OUTLET SHOPPING:
https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=30706&aff_adid=759858&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-PH%2Factivity%2F3300-roundtrip-transfers-to-la-vall%25C3%25A9e-village-paris%2F%3Fspm%3DSearchResult.SearchResult_LIST%26clickId%3D2966204480

•YSL MUSEUM:
https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=30706&aff_adid=759858&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-PH%2Factivity%2F7694-yves-saint-laurent-museum-paris%2F%3Fspm%3DSearchResult.SearchSuggest_LIST%26clickId%3Dcf20d93290

•BATEAUX MOUCHES (Seine River Ride 599pesos) AS SEEN ON EMILY IN PARIS:
https://affiliate.klook.com/redirect?aid=30706&aff_adid=761210&k_site=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.klook.com%2Fen-PH%2Factivity%2F18008-seine-river-sightseeing-combo-experience-paris%2F%3Fspm%3DSearchResult.SearchResult_LIST%26clickId%3Dca5c5e3efc
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Will be documenting my experience on IG:
https://instagram.com/rosiedoms
You can also use ROSIEKLOOK on all Klook bookings for 5% discount on hotel stays and 3% discount on activities.