I Am Aileen
Aileen
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  • Aileen Adalid

Aileen
At 21, I quit my corporate job in the Philippines to pursue my dreams of traveling the world and building my own remote business. It all seemed crazy, especially because I was young and broke — but after a few months… I made it all happen!

Today, I am a successful digital nomad (online entrepreneur) and solo female traveler (+blogger and vlogger) who has been to all 7 continents.

MY MISSION? To help show YOU that no matter the odds, it is absolutely possible to create a life of non-stop travel and establish financial independence with remote work. I will help you achieve these through my no-BS experiences and learnings, along with my tried-and-tested working resources, travel tips, hacks, guides, and MORE!

Published : Sep, 2023

When to visit | Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Health
Bamdokkaebi | Dongdaemun Design Plaza | Gapyeong County | Gwangjang | Hanbok | JSA | Myeongdong | Namdaemun | Nanta Show | Noryangjin | Seoul
One of my recent adventures was to the dynamic metropolis of Seoul in South Korea — a bustling city that not only holds a strong presence in Asia but also in the rest of the world. To date, this influence is largely due to Seoul’s cutting-edge technology, a strong economy, and vibrant culture (I’m sure that a majority of you have encountered K-pop, K-dramas, Korean cosmetics, and Korean food among many others at least once in your life!)

Published : Aug, 2023

When to visit | Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Health
Cat Street | Hachiko Statue | Hiroshima | Kawaii Cafe | Kyoto | Meiji Shrine | Omotesando | Osaka | Shibuya Crossing | Takeshita Dori | Tokyo | Yoyogi Park
Home » Blog » Travel & Adventure » Itineraries » Japan Itinerary for First-Time Visitors: 4 to 21 Days or More (Ultimate Travel Guide)

I’ve managed to travel to all 7 continents now, and from all of my adventures, one of the countries that I will never get tired of revisiting multiple times would be Japan! (Japan Itinerary)

As a timeless destination, I am forever enamored by Japan’s ancient traditions that are perfectly fused with its vibrant modernity. Not to mention the lush nature and exquisite cuisine that it has and I’m sure that I’ll still barely ‘scratch the surface‘ even if I spend my life exploring it in its entirety.

With that said, it does seem daunting to whip up a Japan itinerary — but then again, not really! The country may be vast but it’s totally possible to make the most of it with whatever time you have.

Published : Apr, 2023

Sites and attractions | Outdoor Activities
ATV Ride | Bikini Island Club | Chamorro Village | Dolphin Watching | Fort Soledad | Gun Beach | Hiking | Jet Ski | Maurizo | Snorkeling | swimming | Tumon Beach | Ypao Beach
Guam is a small tropical island destination in Micronesia that’s arguably overshadowed by its popular ‘neighbors’ such as that of Hawaii or Indonesia — but what a lot of tourists don’t know is that it’s the closest U.S. soil to Asia and that it is definitely a hidden gem of sorts. (Things to Do in Guam)

From its pristine sandy beaches to its rich Chamorro history, this US territory offers an array of activities, attractions, and cuisines that can cater to just about any kind of traveler. In fact, I have been to this magical island two times now and I still can’t get enough of it!

Spanning about 549 sq. km, it is also a joy to drive through the island as you take it easy to visit various key spots. If you ask me, this is my top favorite must-do when on the island.

Overall, it might seem daunting at first to plan the perfect Guam itinerary but fret not! With the help of this post that’s based on my experiences, you can easily narrow down the top things to do in Guam so that no matter if you’re planning to visit for only a few days (or more), you’ll be making the most of your trip!

Published : Apr, 2023

How to get there | Sites and attractions | Shopping
Duty-free | Hagatna | Latte Stone Park | Plaza de España | Ross | Ruby Tuesday | Tao Tao Tasi | Two Lovers Point
From its pristine sandy beaches to its rich Chamorro history, this US island territory may be small but it offers an array of activities, attractions, and cuisines that can cater to just about any kind of traveler! I spent 3 days here and I definitely fell in love with Guam.

Are you from the Philippines? Flying to Guam takes only 3.5 hours, making it a great getaway that will offer you the joys of traveling to a US destination — but in a tropical setting!

Published : Apr, 2023

Day tour
Free Walking Tour | Kakheti & Sighnaghi Tour | Kazbegi Tour
Based on my previous getaway to Georgia during winter, I have listed the top 3 tours and day trips that you MUST do while in Tbilisi so that you can make the most out of your itinerary — no matter the number of days that you'll be staying!

Published : Mar, 2023

Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities
Bikini Island Club | Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica | Family Beach | Fort Apugan | Gab Gab Beach | Gun Beach | Inarajan Pools | Latte Stone Park | Mangilao Golf Club | Mt. Lamlam | Plaza de España | Ritidian Point | Shark’s Cove Beach | Taotao Tasi | Tumon Beach
Guam is a small tropical island destination in Micronesia that’s arguably overshadowed by its popular ‘neighbors’ such as that of Hawaii or Indonesia — but what a lot of tourists don’t know is that it’s the closest U.S. soil to Asia and that it is definitely a hidden gem of sorts.

(Things to Do in Guam)
From its pristine sandy beaches to its rich Chamorro history, this US territory offers an array of activities, attractions, and cuisines that can cater to just about any kind of traveler. In fact, I have been to this magical island two times now and I still can’t get enough of it!

Published : Nov, 2022

Sites and attractions | Nightlife | Nature and wildlife | Shopping
Cloud Forest | Floral Fantasy | Flower Dome | Green Spaces | Marina Bay Sands | Museums | Parks | Religious Landmarks | Singapore Botanic Gardens | Supertree Grove | Zoo
Singapore is well-known for being a bustling global financial center as well as for being one of the most expensive cities in the world — however, despite these facts, this city-state metropolis remains to be one of Asia’s top travel picks given its array of activities, dining, and shopping options that won’t blow away anyone’s holiday budget!

(Things to do in Singapore)
Some would also say that the reason for Singapore’s allure amongst tourists is on how it’s one of the cleanest and safest destinations in the world. Combine that with its melting pot of cultures and fascinating mix of old and new architecture, there’s sure to be something here for just about anyone.

Published : Oct, 2022

Sites and attractions | Other logistics
Freedom Square | Gamarjoba | Meidan Bazar | Metekhi | Old Tbilisi | Yandex Bolt
Tbilisi is definitely a hidden gem in Europe that you MUST visit! Not only is it one of the cheapest EU destinations, but it also holds a LOT of amazing sights (and food choices, yum — I'm looking at you, khinkali! 😋) that will make the trip worth your while.

Published : Oct, 2022

Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Nightlife | Shopping
Crossing | Don Quijote | Hachiko Statue | Harajuku | Love Hotel Hill | Meiji Shrine | Omotesando | Robot Restaurant | Shibuya | Shimokitazawa | Shinjuku | Takeshita Dori | Yoyogi Park
Japan is one of my top favorite destinations, and if you’ve been following my journey, it’s an obvious fact because I’ve been doing multiple visits there every year — most of which are to the capital city of Tokyo.

(Tokyo Itinerary)
Now of course, who hasn’t heard of this vibrant city full of ancient traditions that are wonderfully contrasted by its bustling modernity? It’s definitely on everyone’s travel bucket list; and I’m sure that much like everyone else, you also want to make the most of this trip minus the stress of planning out your trip.

Published : Oct, 2022

Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities | Photography or video
Art Gallery | Devonport | Goat Island | Great Barrier Island | Harbour Bridge | Mangere Mountain | Mount Eden | Mount Victoria | One Tree Hill | Parnell Village | Queen Street | Rangitoto | Sky Tower | Tiritiri Matangi Island | Waiheke Island
Auckland has over 1.45 million people, and that’s about one-third of New Zealand‘s entire population — with that in mind, it’s no wonder that a lot of people confuse it for the country’s capital (when it’s actually Wellington).

Add the fact that Auckland’s bustling metropolis is coupled with gorgeous surrounding terrains, then it surely isn’t surprising that more and more tourists will be mystified by this fact.

Published : Sep, 2022

How to get there | Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Nature and wildlife
Atomium | Bois de la Cambre | Comic Strip Trail | Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert | Grote Markt | Manneken Pis | Mont des Arts | Parc de Bruxelles | Parc du Cinquantenaire | Place du Petit Sablon | Serres Royales De Laeken
The thing about Brussels is that people would often say that it is ‘underwhelming’… but you know what? When I actually saw and experience this metropolis for myself, I experienced the exact opposite!

(FREE Things to Do in Brussels)
Brussels can be such an exciting cultural and artistic scene, especially when you know where to go. Plus, it’s really NOT all about the Manneken Pis — but such can already be a good start as a distinct way of showing someone the quirky side of this multicultural city. Then again, I believe that more than that, Brussels simply and truly holds a lot of historical beauty and importance.

Published : Sep, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Shopping
Antique Market | Bio Market | Boekenplein | Central Station | Christmas Market | De Keyserlei | De Stadsfeestzaal | De Wilde Zee | Diamond District | Exotic Market | Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen (KMSKA) | Lambermontmartre | Meir | Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekathedraal | Rubens Market | The Fashion District | Vlaeykensgang | Vogelenmarkt | Vrijdagmarkt | Zuid District
Antwerp may be a small metropolis, but it’s definitely a vast treasure trove of sights and experiences! Over the years up to today, people have called it a lot of things: the city of diamonds, the city of fashion, the city on the Scheldt, the city of Rubens, the port city… Yet for me, I call it the city that is my new ‘home‘.

Surely, there is a high chance that I will be moving away soon since I live a nomadic lifestyle; however, I will forever call Antwerp “one of my homes, away from home” since it was fairly easy for me to fall head over heels with it.

Published : Aug, 2022

Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Day tour
Barranca del Cobre | Barrancas de Sinforosa | Barrancas del Cobre Adventure Park | Bioluminescent Night Tour | Callejón del Beso | El Chepe Train | El Sótano de las Golondrinas | Guanajuato | Isla Holbox | La Ciudadela | Media Luna Lagoon | Merida | Minas Viejas | Mineral de Pozos | Morelia Cathedral | Plaza de Amras | San Miguel de Allende | Three Islands Tour | Zocalo
Mexico has been a popular traveling destination for North Americans, and in the past years, it has also become increasingly famous to Europeans and Asians who are seeking places with astonishing sights to see.

(Must See Places in Mexico)
But beyond Mexico’s grand attractions and ancient ruins, the country also has a rich culture that has been built up for years by a mix of native and colonial influences — this is best seen in many aspects such as the local cuisine or its vibrant music and dance traditions. Let’s not forget that Mexico additionally has rich flora and fauna, thanks to its prime geological location across climate zones.

Published : Jul, 2022

Sites and attractions | Local transport | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities
Banje | City Walls | D’vino | Lapad | Lokrum Island | Lovrijenac Fort | Minceta Tower | Mount Srd | Old Town | Pile Bay | Placa | St. Dominika Street | St. John Fortress | Sveti Jakov | Trsteno Arboretum
Dubrovnik is a beautiful UNESCO coastal city in the south of Croatia. It is often known as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic‘ given its famous medieval Old Town, massive stone walls, and stunning landscapes — and well, of course, it is also well known for being the filming location of the HBO hit series: Game of Thrones.

As it towers over the azure Adriatic sea, it’s definitely not hard to see why thousands of travelers flock to this beautiful maritime town every year. No matter the number of days you’ll be staying, there are so many cool things to do in Dubrovnik, as well as beautiful places both in the city and its surroundings that are worthy of being explored for your Croatia itinerary.

Published : Jul, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Health | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities | Nature and wildlife | Shopping
ATV | Doi Inthanon National Park | Elephant Nature Park | Loy Krathong | Mae Sa Waterfall | Night Safari | Rafting | Songkran Festival | Thai Baht | Warorot Market | Wat Chedi Luang | Wat Phra Singh | Wat Phra That Doi Suthep | Wat Sri Suphan | Wats | Zipline
Called the ‘Rose of the North’, Chiang Mai is located 700km north of the capital city of Bangkok (BKK) and it’s also the second (2nd) largest city in Thailand.

(Things to do in Chiang Mai)
However, it only has 200,000 people compared to BKK (which has 9 million) — so, you can imagine how a lot of tourists would prefer to travel here on a holiday especially if they’re looking for a laid-back Thai adventure.

Published : Jul, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Health | Local transport | Cultural Activities | Day tour
Angkor Wat | Bayon | Phnom Bakheng | Rajavihara | Riel | Terrace of the Elephants
Nestled in northwestern Cambodia is the city of Siem Reap (see-em ree-ep; សៀមរាប), a Southeast Asian destination that can be aptly called a mystifying gateway to ancient ruins — after all, it houses the age-old structures of Angkor that a lot of people worldwide seek to witness at least once in their lifetime.

(Siem Reap itinerary)
Apart from its grand temples (including the famous Angkor Wat that is pictured on Cambodia’s flag), there is much to do in and around the city. For instance, as the seat of the Khmer kingdom back in the 9th century, you can bask in its glorious history, its vibrant range of cuisine options, as well as its many other affordable activities and attractions.

Published : Jul, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Local transport | Any price accom | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities | Nature and wildlife
Bhaktapur | Boudhanath | Bungamati | Durbar Square | Garden of Dreams or Swapna Bagaicha | Hiking | Khokana | Kirtipur | Kopan Monastery | Lalitpur | Mountain Biking | Nagarkot | Panauti | Pashupatinath | River rafting | Rock climbing | Swayambhunath | Trekking
Nepal is a historic and natural wonder of sorts, so you could imagine how ecstatic I was when I had the chance to visit this amazing destination last year whilst I did various fun things to do in Kathmandu!

FYI: To best clarify the difference between Kathmandu city and Kathmandu Valley, you must first understand that the Kathmandu Valley is made up of 3 beautiful ancient cities, namely:

- Kathmandu (the largest city and capital),
- Lalitpur (also called as Patan), and
- Bhaktapur

Published : Jun, 2022

Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Nightlife | Outdoor Activities | Photography or video
Cheongsam | Cho Hung Estate | Dragon’s Back Trail | Graham Street | Helicopter Tour | Hiking | Hong Kong Disneyland | Lok Wah South Estate | Madame Tussauds | OceanPark | Photoshoot | Rich View Terrace | Sheung Wang | Tai Chi | Yik Cheong Building
Hong Kong is a treasure trove of sorts given its culinary delights, bustling skyline, dynamic culture, rustic charm, and rich landscape among many others. With that in mind, you would need a lifetime in order to experience just about everything — however, with just this post, I can get you started with the top 10 fun things to do in Hong Kong to help make your stay a memorable one!

Naturally, I won’t be discussing most of the typical must-do’s in the city such as visiting Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbour, Lan Kwai Fong, etc. because you can refer to my Hong Kong itinerary guide for that.

Local creator

Published : Jun, 2022

When to visit | Sites and attractions | Cultural Activities | Outdoor Activities
Alapad Pass | Basco Lighthouse | Chadpidan Beach | Chawa Cave | Diura Village | faluwa | Homoron Blue Lagoon | Ivatan | Mt. Iraya | Naidi Hills | Nakabuang Beach | Nakabuang Cave | Palo-Palo Dance | Ruins of Songsong | San Carlos Borromeo Church | St. Dominic de Guzman Cathedral | Tayid Ligthouse | Valugan Beach
One of the things that always surprises my readers whenever they request a Batanes itinerary or a top list of things to do in Batanes is when they discover the fact that I grew up in this stunning group of Philippine islands.

(Though I was born in Manila, I was raised in Batanes — not to mention the fact that I’m a full-blooded Ivatan local — and I stayed there up until I was 15. So YES, I’m a legit island girl!)

Published : Jun, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Local transport | Nightlife | Shopping
Chiang Kai-Shek (CKS) Memorial Hall | Dalongdong Bao’an Temple | Elephant Mountain | Huahsi | Maokong Gondola | Martyrs’ Shrine | Mengjia Longshan Temple | National Palace Museum | National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall | New Taiwan Dollar | Raohe Street Night Market | Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines | Taipei 101 | Tonghua Night Market | Zhishan Garden
Taiwan is a stunning island nation that is smacked right between the countries of Japan and the Philippines.

In fact, as someone who has grown up in the islands of Batanes (the northernmost place in the Philippines), Taiwan has since been a destination that I’ve wanted to visit.

After all, we are actually closer to its borders so our radios would often pick up their stations; not to mention that our dialect (Ivatan) is even linguistically similar to the Taiwanese aborigine languages — that being said, these were enough reasons to pique my curiosity of Taiwan.

Published : Jun, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Health | Cultural Activities | Day tour | Shopping
Kowloon Park | Mong Kok | Museum of History | Observation Deck | One Dim Sum Chinese Restaurant | Tsim Sha Tsui | Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade | Victoria Harbour
Hong Kong is the first place abroad that I have traveled to; but on that particular trip, what I mainly did was just eat and shop as I accompanied a friend of mine back in university.

So when I was able to finally come back again to do a more proper ‘tour’ of the city, I did my best to cover as many activities and attractions as possible! And today, I am sharing with you my 5-day Hong Kong itinerary, which also includes a day trip to the nearby city of Macau. Plus, it includes an array of other must-dos that you can consider doing in case you have more days to spare or if you have a different travel style.

But before I go on, I think it’s best that I give you a bit of background about the geographical area of Hong Kong because a lot of people actually have this misconception that there’s not much to do there, or that there’s not much green at all — two things that are absolutely NOT true.

Published : May, 2022

Sites and attractions | Outdoor Activities | Nature and wildlife
Albert Cuypmarkt | Amsterdam Museum | Anne Frank House | Biking | Bloemenmarkt | Dam Square | De Wallen | Heineken Experience | Openluchttheater | Rijksmuseum | Stedelijk Museum | The Nine Streets | The Royal Concertgebouw | Van Gogh Museum | Vondelpark
The weather in Europe can get very unpredictable; that’s why, whenever there’s a coming period that’s full of sunny days, a lot of locals take the opportunity to go on a trip — and that’s exactly what I did! With absolutely no prior plans at all, I set out on a spontaneous 2-day getaway to Amsterdam, Netherlands!

(Things to Do in Amsterdam)

Living in Belgium, it took me only less than 2 hours to reach it by train, and of course: traveling to this wondrous capital of the Netherlands has been a great experience overall. My first impression though was that… it’s almost like Belgium.

The architecture, the food, and the customs were all quite similar, and I guess it makes sense because Belgium and the Netherlands used to be one country up until the 1830s. (Though certainly, there are a LOT — quite a lot! — of distinct things that still separate one from the other).

Published : Apr, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Health | Local transport | Any price accom | Nightlife | Outdoor Activities
Boracay Pub Crawl | Bulabog Beach | Cagban Beach | Cliff Diving | Cocomangas Shooters Bar | Crocodile Beach | Diniwid Beach | Fly Fish Ride | Ilig-iligan Beach | island-hopping | Lagutan Beach | Lapus-Lapus Beach | Manoc-Manoc Beach | Marine Walk | Paraw Sailing | Puka Shell Beach | Scuba Diving | Snorkeling | Tambisaan Beach | Tulubhan Beach | Zipline
Whenever someone thinks of a vacation trip in the Philippines, the first destination that most likely comes to mind is Boracay — which comes as no surprise! After all, it’s a dreamy destination that’s known worldwide for its white-sand beaches.

(Things to Do in Boracay)

Of course, it helps to note that there are a LOT of other islands in my home country that are not only equally beautiful but are also recently gaining more recognition (e.g. Siargao, Batanes, and more!).

Published : Mar, 2022

When to visit | How to get there | Sites and attractions | Health | Any price accom | Any food | Day tour | Nature and wildlife
Altezza Travel | Arusha National Park | Lake Manyara National Park | Lake Natron | Serengeti National Park
If there is one destination in Africa that you need to see in this lifetime, it would be Tanzania — the land of safaris!

(Tanzania Safaris)

With wonderful attractions such as that of the Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area (not to mention that of Mt. Kilimanjaro too!), the country is a treasure trove of diverse wildlife, scenic landscapes, captivating cultures, and yes: even idyllic beaches.

Published : Jul, 2020

Sites and attractions | Suggested itinerary | Cultural Activities
Angkor Thom | Angkor Wat | ATV Ride | Phare Circus Show | Ta Prohm | The Mansion
With an extraordinary fusion of splendor and historical elegance, Siem Reap is undeniably one of the most sought-after destinations not only in Cambodia but across Asia. Whether you are looking for things to do in Siem Reap on a budget or you want to indulge yourself and experience its thriving contemporary culture, every corner of this lovely city can satisfy the heart of every traveler.

Among all the Siem Reap tourist attractions you can visit, one thing you shouldn’t forget is the breathtaking collection of UNESCO World Heritage ancient ruins and temples!