travel on a budget – Jellybeans in the City

Everyone deserves a break once in a while, so why not plan a trip that you can eagerly anticipate? With a few long weekends still left in the year, it’s the perfect opportunity to schedule that dream destination you’ve been longing to explore. Worried about the hassle and expenses? Fear not! You can rely on some online hacks to reduce costs and make your planning more efficient. Plus, by switching to a reliable yet affordable unlimited broadband internet service like SKY Fiber, you can save even more for your travel budget. Let’s dive into these exciting online hacks and make your getaway dreams a reality!

Save on Flights with Real-Time Alerts

Flight tickets can be elusive when it comes to finding bargain prices. Apart from keeping an eye out for sale periods, it’s crucial to act fast as they sell out quickly. To stay on top of the best deals, make sure to follow airline pages, websites, and apps. By enabling real-time notifications, you’ll receive instant updates on upcoming and ongoing promotions, ensuring that you snag the best possible fares.

Unlock Savings with Travel Agency Newsletters

Packaged tour deals can offer significant savings and alleviate the stress of trip planning. Begin by exploring various travel agencies and subscribe to their email newsletters and social media platforms. By doing so, you’ll gain easy access to the latest offers, promotions, and recommended destinations. Let the travel agencies do the legwork for you, making your journey more affordable and hassle-free.

Seek Inspiration from Travel Vlogs

Immerse yourself in other travelers’ experiences by watching vlogs about your desired destination. These vlogs not only provide valuable insights from those who have already been there but also showcase must-visit tourist spots and activities. By indulging in travel vlogs, you can better prepare yourself for the upcoming adventure and ensure you don’t miss out on any exciting opportunities.

Streamline Planning with Cloud Collaboration

Coordinating with travel buddies can sometimes be a tedious process. Fortunately, the internet offers tools to simplify this task. Utilize apps and websites that allow you to sync calendars, create collaborative itineraries, and store travel documents in shared cloud storage. By leveraging these digital tools, you can seamlessly align with your travel companions and ensure a smooth planning process.

While indulging in that relaxing vacation you’ve always dreamed of, you don’t need to spend a fortune on preparation. By subscribing to the fast and budget-friendly SKY Fiber Super Speed Plan, you can kickstart your travel planning journey. Additionally, take advantage of the free installation offer until July 31 when you present a valid ID.

For more information, visit the official website (mysky.com.ph/skyfiber) or interact with SKY’s 24/7 assistant KYLA (mysky.com.ph/aboutkyla). Stay updated with the latest information and updates by following SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter (@myskyupdates), and Instagram (@myskyupdates). Start planning now and embark on an unforgettable adventure without breaking the bank!

Header image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

Bali, located between the isles of Java and Lombok in Indonesia is said to be the island of gods. From its towering mountains covered with lush forests that give way to verdant rice paddies and glittering shorelines, Bali is definitely blessed with nature’s wonders.

Its populace is no less unique; while most of Indonesians are Muslims, the Balinese are predominantly Hindu, and are expressive of their spirituality, not just through prayer but also in the form of structures and iconography that provide interest their surroundings as well as through other vibrant works of art.

Bali’s premier resort area, Nusa Dua, is located in the southern part of the island. Its name translates to two islands which refer to the two headlands found just off the peninsula’s coast.

Within this 350-hectare upscale enclave are twenty-plus resorts catering to tourists and visitors, one of which is Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort.

This award-winning hotel is one of Courtyard by Marriott’s 1360 properties across 65 countries. This upscale brand caters to business and leisure travelers by providing quality comfort.

This is where Hubby and I stayed during our trip to Bali to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

A luxurious hotel stay

Everything about Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort speaks of luxury in touch with nature.

Upon entering its driveway, we were welcomed with verdant green grass dotted with statues.

Its sprawling lobby is cool, airy and surrounded by water, adding to the relaxing atmosphere hat welcomes the resort’s guests.

Its lagoon-like swimming pool meanders along the outdoor seats of the resort’s on-site restaurant, Momo Cafe. Here, guests can lounge while enjoying their meals or taking a dip in the pool.

Our air-conditioned deluxe room is furnished with a king-size bed topped witu plush pillows and a comfy duvet.

It is also furnished with a sitting area for resting as well as a desk bureau for working (which, thankfully, were few and far between during our vacay).

The marble bathroom is equipped with a shower and toilet, as well as a hairdryer, robe, slippers and Nirvae bath products for our use during our stay.

Our room has a balcony that overlooks the pool area. I found it a perfect spot to read a book or enjoy the Bali evening breeze.

The room is also equipped with high-speed wireless internet, a 32-inch LED TV with cable channels, as well as a radio.

Other amenities provided to make our stay nice and comfy include:

Alarm clock
In-room safe
Iron and ironing board
Complimentary bottled water
Coffee maker and tea service

Should we wish for some work off a few pounds, the hotel’s gym is equipped with treadmills and other exercise machines.

The hotel’s C Spa offers a wide range of Balinese massage and beauty treatments, administered by expert therapists.

Well, Hubby and I didn’t travel all the way to Bali just to stay indoors, right? So off we went to Nusa Dua Beach to enjoy the sand, surf and the sun.

Here, the resort operates a Beach Club that provides beverages and snacks to guests.

With these comfortable and luxurious amenities, as well as the excellent service of its staff, our stay Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort helped make our anniversary sojourn of #BaskingInBali one of the books!

Nearby tourist attractions

Being a resort hub, Nusa Dua is filled with sites and establishments that appeal to tourists which are all within a short and easy walking distance from the hotel (or an even shorter and easier ride in the shuttle!)

Strolling around is no problem for Hubby and myself, thanks to Nusa Dua’s comfortable walkways lined with lush greenery and tastefully graced with Balinese architectural structures and mythic sculptures.

We also got a little dose of retail therapy at the Bali Collection. It is a commercial hub enveloped with touches of nature, housing an extensive collection of outlet stores and local merchants that offer great finds and exciting deals.

We were also pretty lucky that our stay coincided with the Nusa Dua Light Festival.

Organized by the Indonesia Tourism Coincil, it is the biggest lantern festival in Bali, featuring a spectacle of lights and lanterns to be enjoyed by tourists and residents alike.

Good eats in the vicinity

Nusa Dua is also home to great restaurants so epicureans will be able to go on a gastronomic adventure without having to venture far from the hotel.

Momo Cafe

Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort’s on-site restaurant’s offers convenient all-day dining with indoor and al fresco seating.

For the duration of our stay, Hubby and I started our day with a scrumptious fusion continental and local cuisines through our complimentary breakfast buffet.

On our last night, we treated ourselves to a Babi Guling buffet dinner, highlighting Bali’s version of the suckling roast pig, the Babi Guling.

Other Balinese delicacies that we were able to try include the Ayam Betutu (Balinese Spice Chicken), Tambusan Be Pasih (Baked Snapper in Base Genep), Be Sampi Menyayat (Slow Simmer Balinese Spiced Beef), Sate Lilit (Balinese Minced Seafood Sate), Lawar Kacang (Green Bean Salad) and Jujut Urab (Balinese Cold Tossed Vegetables with Coconut Dressing).

While eating, we were also serenaded with live acoustic music.

Spicy Geg Indonesian Kitchen

Hubby and I found a restaurant in a commercial hub just outside the hotel that serves light Indonesian fare.

The tropical feel of Nusa Dua was brought indoors, thanks to the wood and rattan furniture and the vibrant palm print walls and lush hanging plants with a bit of contrast from the restaurant’s marble bar and gold fixtures.

At Spicy Geg, we continued our exploration of local cuisines with our delicious orders of Nasi Goreng Rendang (Beef Rendang with Rice), Ikan Tuna Bakar (Tuna dish from North Sulawesi) and Sate Rembige Lombok (Beef and Chicken Skewers).

Kagura Authentic Japanese Cuisine

Hubby and I also discovered a piece of Tokyo right in the heart of Nusa Dua.

We took a breather from our explorations ny having lunch at the trendy yet cozy Kagura Authentic Japanese Cuisine.

We wasted no time ordering our Japanese food faves such as Tuna Sashimi, Salmon Maki, Katsudon and Ebi Tempura.

Easily go on an Ubud Tour

We took advantage of Nusa Dua’s proximity to many well-known tourist spots by hiring a van to take us on a tour around the Ubud region.

Highlights of this tour include watching the Barong and Keris Dance, a visit to enclaves of batik and jewelry artists in Batuan, lunch overlooking a cliff at Batur Sari Resto, coffee and tea tasting at Alam Bali Agriculture, exploring the Sebatu Temple, viewing the Tegalallang Rice Terraces and, finally, a seaside dinner at Ayu Bali Resto.