Travel tips for first-time visitors

Are you a novice at taking trips? Here are some tips from Microtel Inn & Suites, a franchise of the world-renowned Microtel Development Corp., to get you going while also helping make your first experience extra special and memorable.

• Choose your destination and plan accordingly. Knowing where you are going will help you plan your budget, your activities, and even your baggage. Nueva Ecija, for example, is one of the new destinations you may want to consider if you want a rustic vacation in a historical place.

Nueva Ecija was one of the first eight provinces that revolted against the Spanish government in 1896, and is immortalized as one of the eight rays of the sun in the Philippine flag.

Cabanatuan, the province’s economic hub, is a first-class, partially urban city and is highly accessible by hassle-free deluxe bus ride. Also known as the country’s “tricycle capital” because of its 30,000 registered tricycles, this city was first thrust into the limelight when Emilio Aguinaldo moved the capital of the First Philippine Republic from Malolos to Cabanatuan in 1899. Cabanatuan is also home to the historical Plaza Lucero, and the Cabanatuan Cathedral where Gen. Antonio Luna was ambushed on his way to Palanan.

• Know your destination. Once you have chosen your destination, it would be to your advantage to do a simple research on the place. This will help you know the kind of activities the place offers, and thus the kind of clothing, equipment and even gadgets you might need to bring with you.

• Travel light. When you make inquiries into your destination, try to look into the availability of some equipment you might want to use. Some paraphernalia may be offered for rent at reasonable prices. You may not need to lug your own gear around, after all.

• Make a checklist of what to bring. This will ensure that you do not leave important equipment behind, especially in the excitement of the trip preparation. The checklist will also help check your enthusiasm so that you don’t bring too much stuff you won’t actually use later. Also, don’t forget to update your checklist since this same list will serve as your reference in packing for your trip home.

• Arrange hotel lodgings ahead of time. Make your trip as smooth as possible by ensuring your lodgings. This will make for less hassle and frustration. Choose a hotel that is accessible and gives you quality service at affordable prices, like the Microtel Inn & Suites. This chain of hotels is a franchise of the Microtel Inn that’s known all over the world for comfortable and reliable travel and lodging services that are reasonably priced.

• Choose a hotel that’s not too far from the bus terminal. This would be convenient for you as you transport your baggage from the terminal to the hotel and vice versa. The Microtel Inn & Suites in Cabanatuan City, for example, lies at the very heart of Nueva Ecija’s economic capital and is very near the main bus terminals in the city.

• Choose a reliable bus company. A stress-free, enjoyable bus ride will do wonders for you and help ensure a promising start to an unforgettable and terrific holiday. Victory Liner has been plying Cabanatuan and other northern Luzon routes for about six decades now and has been doing so with excellent, dependable service.

• Purchase bus tickets ahead of time. If at all possible, this will assure you of seats in the bus at the travel time of your choice. For those who don’t have the luxury of time to go to bus terminals to personally buy tickets, you can contact a ticket reservations agent in any Victory Liner bus terminal nearest you — up to 30 days prior to your desired trip schedule — and book for an early or advanced seat reservations. 

• Plan to arrive in your destination at a convenient time. For example, arriving just before lunchtime, with all the hassles of hauling luggage and checking in at the hotel, might cause tensions to rise as hunger takes over and cool heads give way to hot tempers.

For more information on Microtel Inn & Suites and their commitment to “great hotel service, consistently clean and comfortable as well as secure accommodations at reasonable rates,” visit its website at www.microtelphilippines.com.