Showing posts with label central asia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label central asia. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Continent: Charms of Asia (visited 43 of 46 Countries)

exploring the world's best tourist spots on a Filipino-style budget backpacking

"Coming from an Asian culture, I was always taught to respect my elders, to be a better listener than a talker." - Lisa Ling

3 Countries remaining (Iraq, Syria, Yemen) to complete the 46 countries of Asia, traveled as Philippine Passport Holder only Solo Backpacker #livealifeyouwillremember #asia

Interesting Facts about the Continent of Asia;
1. Asia covers a total land area of 44,579,000 sq. km, the largest continent in the world.
2. Asia has the highest population density in the world where cities are densely populated. 
3. Asia has given birth to some of the oldest human civilizations.
4. Nine out of ten of the world’s tallest buildings are in Asia.
5. Asia houses both the highest (Mount Everest, 8,848m) and the lowest (Dead Sea, -395m) points on Earth.

Sightseeing the Continents; the Charms of Asia

CENTRAL
EASTERN
SOUTHEASTERN
SOUTHERN
WESTERN
1
6
11
22
30
2
7
12
23
31
3
8
13
24
32
4
9
14
25
33
5
10
15
26
34
16
27
35
Iraq
17
28
36
18
29
37
19
38
20
39
21
40
XX
41
42
43
Syria
44
45
46
Yemen


Tuesday, August 06, 2019

How to Apply for Central Asia Tourist Visa as Philippine Passport Holder

an adventure of Pinoy backpacker in processing travel documents

general info:
* Central Asia 5 "Stan Countries" are the most challenging to visit due to visa requirement and flight availability
* Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan still requires the Letter of Invitation (LOI)
* Kazakhstan (most beautiful among 5 "Stan Countries") requires Tourist Registration if stay is 5 days or longer.
* Uzbekistan has the cheapest visa fee and has the quickest way to apply
* Kyrgyzstan - visa upon arrival (30/90 days single entry for $50/$100), No LOI required
Tajikistan - eligible to apply for E-Visa (45 days single entry for $50), No LOI required
Uzbekistan - eligible to apply for E-Visa (30 days single entry for $20), No LOI required
Kazakhstan - As of Sept. 2019, visa upon arrival (30 days single entry), No LOI required
* Turkmenistan - applied for Transit Visa only (3 days single entry for $10), No LOI required

Central Asia Countries completed as Philippine Passport Holder (souvenir fridge magnets)

Monday, August 05, 2019

Astana (Nursultan) Self-Guided City Walk Tour

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan
July 05 to 10, 2019 Friday to Wednesday

Almaty Self-Guided Tour; Walking the Streets

If you walk through the capital of Astana, you will feel as though you are in the future, because of all of its futuristic architecture.

Day 5: July 09, 2019 Tuesday
0840H ETA Astana-nurly-zhol; bus #14 to city center 180; McDo meal 2,100
Makenty House Hostel 1,800; Astana city day tour 1st part
bus #10 to The Sphere 180; The Sphere, Arch of Triumph; KFC meal 1,500
Nur Astana Mosque, Lovers Park, Khan Shatyr,; Baiterek Tower, Presidential Palace, 
Palace of Peace, Monument Kazakh Eli; bus #50 to Presidential Palace 180; KFC dinner meal 2,000
2300H ETA Hostel (2145H sunset)
Subtotal: 7,760 KZT

Day 6: July 10, 2019 Wednesday
0800H ETD Hostel; Costa Coffee breskfast 2,050
Astana city day tour last part; Baiterek Tower viewing deck + souvenir 2,200; bus #50 to National Museum 180
1030H ETA National Museum 1,200
1200H ETD National Museum; bus $32 to AsiaPark Mall 180
Souvenir Fridge Magnets 3,000; AsiaPark Lunch 1,360; walk back to hostel
1500H ETD Hostel; bus #10 to Airport 180
1530H ETA Nur Sultan Airport; Frapuccino + Duty Free Chocolate 3,330
1805H ETD Nur Sultan GMT +0600H; flight EY295
2105H ETA Abu Dhabi
Subtotal: 13,680 KZT

Astana (Nursultan) Self-Guided City Walk Tour


Sunday, August 04, 2019

Almaty Self-Guided Tour; Walking the Streets

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan
July 05 to 10, 2019 Friday to Wednesday

Almaty City Tour 1st part; Self-guided Hike to Big Almaty Lake

Day 3: July 07, 2019 Sunday
0900H Almaty city day tour 1st part
Yandex Taxi + vehicle entrance 4,400; Big Almaty Lake (free admission)
1230H ETD Lake; trekked back and hitchhike to 1st President's Park
Alpine Rose sandwich meal (free wifi) 2,850
Bus #127 to Abay 300 (boarded random buses); Starbucks Tumbler 3,950
1730H Kok Tobe Park; cable car roundtrip 2,000
Souvenir shirt and fridge magnets 5,200; dinner + beer 4,000
Subtotal: 22,700 KZT

Day 4: July 08, 2019 Monday
Breakfast 1,050; 1100H ETD Hostel; money exchange $80 = 30,760 KZT
Almaty city day tour last part; Panfilov Park, Zenkov's Cathedral
Mcdo mix box meal 2,300; Arasan Wellness & Spa 15,600
Sultan Restaurant 2,500; snacks for train 650; Overnight Train to Nur Sultan
1852H ETD Alma-ata 2 station
Subtotal: 22,150 KZT

Almaty Self-Guided Tour; Walking the Streets


Saturday, August 03, 2019

Almaty City Tour 1st part; Self-guided Hike to Big Almaty Lake

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan
July 05 to 10, 2019 Friday to Wednesday

Self-guided Solo Trip in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Day 2: July 06, 2019 Saturday
0230H ETA Ashgabat Airport
0420H ETD Ashgabat GMT +0500H; flight FZ732
0600H ETA Dubai GMT +0400H; 6hrs transit; bus to Dubai Youth Hostel; McDo 14 AED; stayed in the lobby for free
1335H ETD Dubai GMT +0400H
2050H ETA Almaty GMT +0600H; money exchange $200 = 76,000 KZT; Yandex Taxi (Uber) 1,000 KZT
2215H ETA Almaty Train Station 2; ticket to Nur Sultan 27,250 KZT; walk to Raiymbek batyr metro station 80
2315H ETA Abay metro station; walk to hostel; My Hostel Almaty 7,400; dinner 4,000
Subtotal: 39,730 KZT

Day 3: July 07, 2019 Sunday
0900H Almaty city day tour 1st part
Yandex Taxi + vehicle entrance 4,400; Big Almaty Lake (free admission)
1230H ETD Lake; trekked back and hitchhike to 1st President's Park
Alpine Rose sandwich meal (free wifi) 2,850
Bus #127 to Abay 300 (boarded random buses); Starbucks Tumbler 3,950
1730H Kok Tobe Park; cable car roundtrip 2,000
Souvenir shirt and fridge magnets 5,200; dinner + beer 4,000
Subtotal: 22,700 KZT

Almaty City Tour 1st part; Self-guided Hike to Big Almaty Lake


Friday, August 02, 2019

Self-guided Solo Trip in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan
July 05 to 10, 2019 Friday to Wednesday

Introduction to Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan and Detailed Itinerary

Turkmenistan is one of the least-visited countries in the world due to a complicated visa regimen

Day 0: July 04, 2019 Thursday
2030H ETA Dubai; Abu Hail Station; Bus #43
2120H ETA Dubai Airport Terminal 2; KFC 26 AED
2355H ETD Dubai GMT +0400H

Day 1: July 05, 2019 Friday
0320H ETA Ashgabat GMT +0500H
0500H Immigration and check-out; $14 airport fee; Money Exchange $36 = 150 TMT
Ashgabat day tour; walk to city center; Ashgabat Train Station, Ertugrul Gazi Mosque
Refreshments + Shawarma 27; Lenin Statue, Museum of Fine Arts
Olympic Village, Independence Square; car colorum to Russian Market (Gulustan) 10
Souvenir Shirt + Fridge Magnets 57; Chicken Meal lunch 22
2145H ETA Ashgabat Airport; Snacks 31
Subtotal: 147 TMT + $14

Day 2: July 06, 2019 Saturday
0230H ETA Ashgabat Airport
0420H ETD Ashgabat GMT +0500H; flight FZ732
0600H ETA Dubai GMT +0400H

Self-guided Solo Trip in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Thursday, August 01, 2019

How to Apply for Kazakhstan B12 Tourist Visa as Philippine Passport Holder

an adventure of Pinoy backpacker in processing travel documents

general info:
* as of Sept. 2019, Philippine passport holders are now eligible for visa on arrival with visa fee free of charge
* single entry with 30 days maximum duration.
* Tourist Registration is needed if will stay 5 days or longer.

APPLYING FOR KAZAKHSTAN B12 TOURIST E-VISA 

1. To acquire electronic visa you must have Letter of Invitation (LOI) with invitation code from Kazakhstan side. I took mine on this website that costs $110, the cheapest I can searched online and the only agency that offers LOI for self-guided DIY tour.
2. After some e-mail discussions and payment per item #2, I received my LOI after 7 working days.
3. Sign up for the e-visa site, select and fill in the e-petition.
4. Enter the Letter of Invitation Registration Number, and other details. Wait for the server as it will take time searching your LOI Registration Number.
5. Once the website found your LOI, it will show the details you have and will ask you to pay $60.
6. After some minutes, your e-visa status is approved. You can now readily download your e-visa.

Kazakhstan Approved E-Visa 2019 

Wednesday, July 31, 2019

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan

completing the 5 countries of Central Asia (Ashgabat, Almaty, Astana)
July 05 to 10, 2019 Friday to Wednesday

My 77th solo backpacking trip38th and 39th country to visit in Asian continent99th and 100th country visited on my journey #lakbay100, 5th continent on my list and of course and usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. I did not research that much for this country due also on limited time and laziness.

2019 Annual Leave 2nd set 1st leg; #lakbay100 level-up... towards #lakbay110
one of the hardest and expensive visa application I ever had, another new e-visa eligibility privilege for Philippine passport holders :) on my way to the largest landlocked country in the world :) #kazakhstan

Turkmenistan is a very unusual regime. The government is in firm control of nearly everything. Officially tourism is welcomed, but the requirement for expensive guided tours may discourage visitors. The presence of police and military personnel which will watch your every move and prohibit photographing of even mundane objects, make Turkmenistan the least friendly of the Stans. Kazakhstan is the world's ninth biggest country by size, also the largest landlocked country and it is more than twice the size of the other Central Asian states combined.

6 Days Solo Trip in Summer Turkmenistan - Kazakhstan (Nursultan / Astana)

Wednesday, June 05, 2019

Budget Solo Week-end Trip in Rainy Uzbekistan

93rd on my continuing saga to accomplish the #lakbay100 journey
May 31 to June 01, 2019

My 74th solo backpacking trip37th country to visit in Asian continent93rd country visited on my journey #lakbay100, 5th continent on my list and of course and usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. I did not research that much for this country due also on limited time and laziness.


Uzbekistan is rich in history. Samarkand was conquered by Alexander the Great. Islam was introduced by Arabs in the 8th-9th century. Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century. Uzbekistan gained independence in 1991, following the break up of the Soviet Union. The country is nominally a democracy, 
https://wikitravel.org/en/Uzbekistan

Budget Solo Week-end Trip in Rainy Uzbekistan (Amir Timur Museum)

Sunday, May 06, 2018

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan

sightseeing the Central Asia's best tourist attraction
April 20 to 25, 2018

"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world."

My 57th solo backpacking trip1st and 2nd country to visit in Central Asia Regiontotal of 66 countries visited so far and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. I did not research that much for this countries as I'm expecting that language barrier will be a huge challenge to make the itinerary successful. 

Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a South-Central Asian Union country of incredible natural beauty and proud nomadic traditions. What would become modern Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1876 and became an independent country with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. It has the most liberal tourist visa policy in Central Asia and one of the more progressive post-Soviet governments in the region.

https://wikitravel.org/en/Kyrgyzstan

timezone - UTC +0600H                       capital - Bishkek      

language - Kyrgyz / Russian              currency - Som (KGS) 1 USD = 67 KGS
visa - Philippine passport holders are visa upon arrival (30/90 days visa issued upon arrival for $50/$100)
http://www.kgembassy.org/en/consular-issues/applying-for-a-visa/general-visa-information/

Tajikistan, Tajik Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia that borders Afghanistan to the south, Xinjiang in China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and Uzbekistan to the west and northwest. The ancient Silk Road passed through it. 

https://wikitravel.org/en/Tajikistan

timezone - UTC +0500H                       capital - Dushanbe    

language - Tajik / Russian              currency - Somoni (TJS) 1 USD = 8.8 KGS
visa - Philippine passport holders are eligible to apply for E-Visa (45 days e-visa for $50)
https://www.evisa.tj/index.evisa.html

5 Days Solo Trip in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan (Glacier on mountains)