Travel shorts: Gassho-style house, Hong Kong harbourside activities, and more

MANILA -- Here are some of the latest travel-related announcements and promos.

These are not endorsed by ABS-CBN News. 

AGODA'S HACKS FOR FAMILY OUTINGS

Digital travel platform Agoda shares seven travel hacks to help save big on the next family outing.

These include bundling flights with accommodations, getting stays that offer free breakfasts, be on the lookout for special deals, consider flexibility with refundable room rates, including holiday homes as an option for bigger groups, and planning trips ahead of time. 

APPLEONE INKS DEAL WITH JW MARRIOTT FOR PANGLAO HOTEL

Locals and tourists can look forward to the rise of the 5-star hotel JW Marriott Panglao Island Resort and Spa, following the signing of a memorandum between Cebu-based development company AppleOne Group Inc. and JW Marriott.

The upcoming luxury property development in Panglao will be added to its roster of over 100 luxury hotels in more than 35 countries. 

This is AppleOne's third partnership deal with Marriott International, after Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort and Fairfield by Marriott Cebu Mactan. 

 GASSHO-STYLE HOUSE ON AIRBNB

Situated on the shores of the Sho River and surrounded by high, rugged mountains, the nine-home village of Suganuma is one of the most beautiful and charming places in Japan. It is also one of the country’s best-kept secrets.

This summer, Airbnb is offering guests the opportunity to experience this World Heritage Site with an overnight stay in one of its historic homes.

The Nakashima family are proud to invite one group of two guests to see their peaceful valley for themselves for a two-night stay from July 17 to 19. 

During their stay, guests will enjoy a traditional welcome tea and local dishes, learn about local traditions such as the making of washi (paper made of local fiber), enjoy an evening light show and folk song experience, participate in a hands-on workshop crafting thatched roofs emblematic of local Gassho-zukuri building techniques, and a relaxing guided bike ride.

Those interested in exploring one of Japan’s hidden gems like a local can request to book this stay beginning Friday, June 30 at 9 a.m JST (Thursday, June 29 at 8 p.m. ET) at airbnb.com/gassho. Guests are responsible for their own travel to and from Suganuma village.

HONG KONG'S HARBOURSIDE ACTIVITIES

Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour comes alive this season as it hosts an array of things to eat, see, do, and capture in photos right by the water.

This year, two 18-meter-tall rubber ducks created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman and curated by AllRightsReserved, are floating in the harbour until June 23. 

Visitors can also check out the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races from June 24 to 25, featuring 160 teams from around the world paddling through Victoria Harbour. They can also snap a selfie with Line Friends characters at the dragon-themed exhibit. 

Over five consecutive weekends from July 8, the Wan Chai harbourfront welcomes the first-ever Harbour Chill Carnival. Organized by Hong Kong Tourism Board, the family-friendly event features live music performances from on a stage on the water. A special edition of "A Symphony of Lights" multimedia light and pyro show will illuminates the Hong Kong skyline at sundown.

The party comes to Discovery Bay on July 29-30 for NextWave. Hong Kong's first-ever beach carnival features an array of live performances and DJ sets by local and international artists, as well as food trucks, artisan markets and water sports.

The action returns to Central Harbourfront on August 5-6 for the S2O Hong Kong Songkran Music Festival, which brings the energy of Thailand’s famed New Year celebrations to the city for the very first time.

Meanwhile, harbourfront hotel The Peninsula is taking its famed afternoon tea to the lavishly appointed World Star cruise liner every weekend and public holiday until July 2. Guests can hop aboard for an afternoon of sweet and savory bites, teas, cocktails, and live music in front of the iconic harbour and skyline.

For a sweet treat, the Mister Softee truck with its creamy soft serve is a must-find along the harbour. Also available in the area are local favorites such as grass jelly, red bean ice, tofu fa, sugar cane juice, and mango pomelo sago. 

 LUCAS LEPRI HOSTS JIU JITSU GETAWAY

Nine-time world champion and top Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Lucas Lepri recently brought together over 80 jiu-jitsu enthusiasts for a three-day camp at Club Punta Fuego, Nasugbu, Batangas. 

The practitioners got the chance to enjoy the calming, scenic sights of the world-class resort, while learning the "gentle art" of Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the legend himself. 

The three-day seminar included four training sessions led by Lepri and Lucas Lepri Philippines’ instructors such as Philip Alegre, Ali Khatibi, and Chris Luna. 

The event gathered beginners, advanced, and top black belts who share the love for the sport.

MCDONALD'S CELEBRATES WORLD BICYCLE DAY

After the success of its first Tour de McDo, McDonald’s Philippines hosted its second community bike ride in celebration of World Bicycle Day. 

The latest ride brought together several cycling communities and personalities simultaneously in three key areas across the country: Pampanga, Intramuros, and Tagaytay. 

Tour de McDo is a multiple-stage bike challenge introduced under McDonald’s Green and Good campaign. It encourages its customers to explore a healthier lifestyle for themselves and for the environment, while also highlighting various scenic cycling routes that pass through McDonald’s stores equipped with bike-friendly features.

Extending the celebration of World Bicycle Day all throughout the month, McDonald’s Philippines introduces its Cyclists Meal, a special McDonald’s App offer available for all weekends of June 2023. Cyclists who go on weekend rides can pass by any McDonald’s store and present the Cyclists Meal voucher on the McDonald’s app to get a Cheesy Eggdesal with Sausage and a Medium McCafe Iced Coffee Original for P99. 

 PAL BOARDING PASS DEALS AT DUTY FREE

Philippine Airlines (PAL) has teamed up with Duty Free Philippines (DFPC) to bring a new promo for PAL arriving international passengers. 

With “Fly, Shop, Save,” travelers can enjoy discounts until December 31 at select Duty Free locations by presenting their PAL boarding pass.

Upon arrival, international passengers can avail up to a 5% discount on Duty Free outlets located inside NAIA Terminal 1. Within the first 48 hours upon arrival, PAL passengers can enjoy a bigger discount of 10% at the Duty Free outlets located in Fiesta Mall, Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Parañaque, or the main outlet at Luxxe Building, Pacific Drive, Pasay. 

PAL is extending these discounts up to 15 days for overseas Filipino workers, and up to one year for senior citizens. Passengers must present their boarding pass upon registration at FiestaMall, Luxe Duty-Free stores, or during payment at the NAIA arrival stores. 

 RED BULL'S F1 SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX PROMO

Red Bull is giving Filipinos a chance to win an all-expense paid trip for two to the F1 Singapore Grand Prix from September 15 to 17.

Participants can join the contest in two ways. One is by scanning the QR code located in participating stores nationwide or visiting the provided link to gain access to the Red Bull Racers game. They can then play the high-speed racing game and strive to achieve the highest score possible without uploading proof of purchase.

Another is by purchasing a single-receipt can of Red Bull from any participating store nationwide and uploading the receipt after scanning the QR code or visiting the link as proof of purchase to be eligible for the competition. 

At the end of the contest, the Top 10 participants will win Red Bull Racing merch, with the Top 1 winning an all-expense-paid trip for two to the F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2023.

TODDLER-APPROVED ACTIVITIES IN SINGAPORE

Content creator Kryz Uy recently teamed up with Klook for her family’s first trip to Singapore.

Only three hours away from the Philippines, Singapore offers an array of attractions that caters to the needs of young travelers like Uy's kids, Scottie and Sevi. 

Five of these toddler-approved attractions in Singapore include Gardens by the Bay with its lush green spaces, Art Science Museum with its different exhibits, Universal Studios Singapore for themed zones with rides and shows, Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum for dinosaur lovers, and Singapore Zoo, which is home to over 4,200 animals. 

Travelers can book tours and activities via Klook and get up to P5,000 off. More details are available on Klook's social media pages. 

TRAVEL MADNESS EXPO

Travel Madness Expo (TME), now in its 10th year, is happening from June 30-Jul 2, 2023, at the SMX Convention Center Manila in Pasay City. 

Visitors can score deals from travel agencies and tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, hotels and resorts, theme parks, travel insurance agencies, travel-related products and suppliers, and food concessionaires, among others.