It had been a year since this backpacking trip that was very special for me. It had been a year since I wrote a three-part post about the trip, one for each country. I was supposed to write a fourth part but never wrote it. My sister hasn’t finished our travel video yet.

But anyway, I decided to write a 3-part post again. This post, as the first of the three, will be a summary of our itinerary for three countries. Click the respective links to read details of my adventures in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia.

FYI: This trip was not purely solo. I was with my sister in Malaysia, with my family in Singapore (4 of us), and solo in Bali, Indonesia with occasional travel buddies. The itinerary expenses that I have listed, the P48K budget, was a calculation of my own expenses which includes my parents’ flight tickets because it’s part of our deal (me for the flight, sister pays for accommodation, parents for food and others).

MALAYSIA

Currency exchange

12.7 PHP approx. = 1 RM as of November 2018

Transportation

Flight ILO-MNL-KL including SG-ILO: P2,491.84 booked through Cebu Pacific during the Piso Fare Seat Sale

Flight Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru: RM 18.02 (P220+) booked during Air Asia sale

Bus from KLIA to Pudu Raya: RM 12 (P150+)

Bus Senai Airport to JB Sentral: RM 8 (P100)

Bus TBS to Malacca and vice versa: RM 10+ to RM 12+ (P120 – P150+)

Bus at Johor Bahru: RM 2 (P24)

Bus Larkin Street (MY) to Queen Street (SG): RM 3.3 (P40+); advisable to buy a return ticket from Malaysia ’cause it’s more expensive to buy in Singapore

LRT and Monorail: Ranges from RM 1+ to RM 3+ (P12 – P40+)

FOOD

Drinks: Starts at about RM 1.5 at the streets up to RM 2+ in restaurants and malls; flavored tea for RM 6+; bottled water RM 1 (P12+)

Food: RM 4 to RM 15+, see post or itinerary below for detailed pricing

ACCOMMODATION

Hostel dorm room: Cheapest I booked RM 23 (P290+)

Hotel room for two: Cheapest we booked RM 50 (P630+)

PLACES VISITED and/or activities

Batu Caves: Free entrance

KL Chinatown

Sunway Pyramid (mall): We did ice skating for RM 25 (P 310+)

Sunway Lagoon (amusement park): P1,597 booked via Klook – Sunway Lagoon

DIY City Tour: KLCC, Petronas, Jalan Alor Food Market

Malacca: Dutch Square, St. Paul’s Church, Christ Church, Jonker Street, some street wall paintings

Johor Bahru

OTHERS

Sim Card: Digi for RM 20 (P250++with internet for 5 days

Use of public toilet: RM 0.50+ (P6+)

A pack of green tea or coffee: RM 15+ (P190+)

Estimated budget per head if with a travel buddy for 5 days except return flights: P 7,500+

SINGAPORE

Currency exchange

38.73 PHP approx. = 1 SGD as of November 2018

Transportation

Flight ILO-MNL-KL including SG-ILO: P2,491.84 booked through Cebu Pacific during the Piso Fare Seat Sale

Bus Golden Mile (SG) to TBS (MY): SGD 10 (P370+)

Train: SGD 1.5 to SGD 2+ (P68 – P77+); cheaper with E-Z link card, you may borrow from someone you know

Sentosa Express: SGD 4 (P150+)

FOOD

Drinks: SGD 1 (P37+) at streets, SGD 2+ (P75+) bottled drinks, SGD 1.9+ flavored tea/milk teas

Food: Snacks from SGD 1.5 (P58+); meals from SGD 4 (P150+), see post or itinerary below for detailed pricing

ACCOMMODATION

Hostel dorm room: Stayed at Shophouse Hostel for SGD 15/night/person (P580+), but that’s because we booked late

Family room at Sentosa: Stayed at Costa Sands Resort at their Kampong Hut for P5,400 for 2 nights for the 4 of us

Accommodation at a friend’s house: Free

PLACES VISITED and/or activities

Arab Street

Little India

Bugis

Changi Airport 

Sentosa Island: SGD 4 to enter the island via Sentosa Express; Universal Studios, Sentosa Merlion, beaches, etc.

Chinatown: souvenirs, hawker center

Marina Bay Sands: no pool use unless checked in guest; free light show

Gardens by the Bay: free light show, follows about 15 minutes after the Marina Bay Sands light show

Merlion (with the fountain)

Helix bridge

Singapore Botanic Garden: Free entrance

Haw Par Villa: Free entrance

Makansutra Gluttons Bay

OTHERS

Sim Card: SGD 15 (P580+) internet for 5 days

Estimated budget per head for a group of 4 for 3 days except return flights (with USS): P 6,000+

Estimated budget as solo traveler except return flights for 7 days (with USS): P 10,000+

Bali, Indonesia

Currency exchange

1 PHP approx. = 280.82 IDR as of November 2018

Transportation

Flight KL to BALI: P1,685 booked through Air Asia

Grab bike: depends, please see post or download itinerary for details; SAMPLE: airport to my hostel within Kuta beach at IDR 11,000  (P40+)

Taxi: depends, please see post or download itinerary for details; SAMPLE: somewhere in Kuta to somewhere in Seminyak IDR 80,000 – IDR 100,000 (P280 –  P350)

Bus Ubung Terminal to Sangket Terminal (Singaraja): IDR 30,000 (P106+)

FOOD

Bottled drinks: water IDR 5,000 (P17+); juice/softdrinks IDR 8,000+ (P28+)

Bintang: at  restaurants IDR 40,000+ (P140+); at convenience stores IDR 19,000 (P67+)

Meal (food + drinks): at warungs and fast food restaurants IDR 12,000 to IDR 30,000+ (P40 – P100+); at fancier restaurants and beach side food service IDR 50,000+ (P180+)

Free breakfast as part of your stay: the hostel I stayed at offers free tea, nasi goreng, or bread sometime; the hotels we booked through AirBnB had breakfast included, a buffet breakfast on one, and a very delicious breakfast in a villa-type one

ACCOMMODATION

Hostel bunk bed: I booked mine for IDR 50,000 a night (P170+) with free simple breakfast; a hostel friend told me he stayed in Canggu for a lesser price, discounted even further if staying long term

Hotel room for 4 for 4 nights at Kuta: P1,915 per person (includes buffet breakfast and swimming pool)

BNB with Bali feels for 4 for 2 nights at Jimbaran: P1,330 per person (with swimming pool)

Couchsurfing: I found many hosts in different areas of Bali

PLACES VISITED and/or activities

Kuta beach

Nusa Penida: Angel’s Billabong, Crystal beach, Broken beach, Kelingking  beach

Motel Mexicola

La Favela

Tanah Lot (passed by)

Singaraja falls

Double Six beach

Dreamland beach

La Plancha (a good place to chill by the beach watching the sunset)

OTHERS

Group Tours: IDR 2,400,000 from Kuta to Nusa Penida minimum of 4 guests (IDR 600,000 each or P2,100+)

Adapter: IDR 8,000 (P28+)

Pasalubong: keychains 10s in a pack IDR 11,000+ (P39+); souvenir bags IDR 40,000+ (P140+)

Surfboard rental: IDR 50,000 (P170+)

Beach lounge rental: IDR 100,000 (P355+)

Estimated budget as solo traveler except return flights for 2 weeks: P 14,000+

See the more detailed list of my own expenses below or download the PDF file here.