Situated in the core of South Beach’s Art Deco Street, adjoining the stylish Lincoln Road and just four blocks away from Miami Beach Convention Center and Fillmore Theater, Albion South Beach Hotel is an architectural work of art which was erected in 1939 and was recently renovated in 2005. This nautical style, smooth and yet contemporary hotel plays host to business and leisure clients although people hailing from media, fashion and art also prefer to make their temporary lodging in this stunning hotel.

The Albion South Beach Hotel is idyllically located a block away from miles of pristine gold beaches. Its perfect location also proffers the clientele with ample opportunity to savor the pleasure of exquisite dining, first class shopping and effervescent nightlife.

Many of the Florida’s famous attractions including Ocean Drive, Art Deco District, Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, Holocaust Memorial Museum and symphony orchestra are positioned at a walking distance from the hotel. The opus magnum architectural design of the hotel is the reason why many catalogue crews, magazine editors and photographs are intent on framing the backdrop of the hotel in their photo shoots.

Features of the Albion hotel:

The Albion Hotel renders superb amenities and services to its guests and they are meant to make the holiday retreat of the guests an unforgettable experience. Aside from its perfect and peaceful locality, some of the other features which this top notch boutique hotel has to proffer are:

• Full service business center
• 60 foot outdoor pool with a sun deck which is encircled with shady palm trees
• Bar/lounge
• Fitness room and fitness facilities
• Valet parking
• Services of concierge
• Public areas which are fully air-conditioned
• Porter
• Room service
• Meeting space for small crowds
• Laundry and dry cleaning services
• Room service
• Newspapers are available in the lobby
• Wireless internet connection is free throughout the acreage of the hotel
• Lift/elevator
• Garden
• Dogs are allowed inside the hotel
• Conference room
• Staff is multilingual and is available 24 hours 7 days a week

The hotel also maintains a poolside restaurant named Albion Café where visitors can enjoy sumptuous meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner time. The menu includes both Mediterranean and local cuisine which the guests can savor either outdoors or indoors. Many of the foremost and renowned restaurants serving international cuisines at an affordable price are at a walking pace from the Albion hotel. Visitors can also enjoy many other athletic activities within the hotel’s vicinity or near the hotel and some of the popular activities include boating, surfing, parasailing, volleyball, aerobics, water skiing, tennis, golf, bicycling and bowling.

Accommodation:

The Albion hotel prides itself on providing chic accommodation to its guests molding comfort with elegance. There are 100 minimalists guestrooms each embellished with minimalist interior decoration. The rooms are bedecked with bold colors and black wood and stainless steel furniture and every room features a grand king size bed, designer bed throws, oversized pillows, Mediterranean style curtains, luxurious bathrobes, bathrooms that are spick and span, 32 inch LCD TVs, iron board, iron, full length mirror, mini bar, alarm clock, room safe, desks and a telephone. Whether you have planned a family vacation or a romantic getaway with your loved one, Albion Hotel is the perfect dwelling that not only offers opportune access to restaurants, beaches and shopping centers but also is a top notch restaurant that caters to every needs of its guest. There are three types of rooms which the guests can select from according to their demands and these include Petite Double room, Deluxe King room and Deluxe Queen room with two queen beds.

Positive reviews of the guests concerning the Albion Hotel:

Innumerable guests who have resided in this grand boutique hotel were extremely gratified with their choice of hotel and uttered ravishing praises in favor of the hotel. Many said that the price of the rooms was economical and service of the staff was excellent. The bathrooms were quite tidy, the pillows were extremely comfortable and the air conditioning service was first-rate. Many of the guests considered the location of the hotel to be idyllic as the popular tourist destinations are just a walking distance apart. Guests who were allotted the back rooms reflected that the view of the poolside was impressive and outstanding. Guests were also content with the admirable customer and housekeeping service.

Negative comments of the guests:

Some customers who opted to spend their vacation residing in Albion Hotel were not very ecstatic with their preference of hotel. Many remarked that the hotel lacked the look of grandeur and elegance, appeared to be dilapidated and was surely in need of a thorough renovation. Some guests complained that the rooms and the bathrooms were squashy and quite small. Guests who were granted the rooms overlooking the street complained that the noise approaching from the busy avenue beyond prevented them from enjoying a peaceful slumber. The limited choice of cuisines in the café and expensive parking disappointed many of the customers.

Final verdict in favor of the Albion hotel:

The 3.5 star Albion Hotel renders the services and advantages according to the price that it charges its customers. The economical charge of the rooms outbalances any other negative aspect of the hotel as the other hotels in the neighborhood are very expensive. Children younger then 18 years old can stay in their parents or guardian’s room and share the existing bedding free of charge and this additional facility functions as a great advantage for families trying to rein in their finances. Although the rooms of a 5 star hotel are really voluminous and capacious and surpass those existing in Albion Hotel, customers are nevertheless satisfied with the comfy, cozy and pleasant ambience of the rooms prompted by the wooden furniture, spotlessly white linen and Mediterranean style draperies. This hotel has been the ultimate choice of many visitors flocking Miami and will continue to please others with its superlative location near the beachside and other popular landmarks and its unparalleled and quality service.

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My research brought about several travel insurance providers, and on the top of the list is Worldnomads.com. This is based on the reviews that I’ve read, as well as the fact that the company is highly recommended by travel stalwarts Lonely Planet and Nat Geo Adventure.

WorldNomads.com is an Australian company that offers flexible international travel insurance and other travel safety services. The company also has a strong online community where its members can share travel tips and advice through blog and forums.

Underwriter partners

The travel insurance that WorldNomads offers is powered by several travel insurance companies that cover over 150 countries and have proven their mettle over the years. These include companies like underwriters at Lloyd’s, Millstream Underwriting, IHI Bupa International, National Union Fire Insurance Company (Pittsburgh, PA) and Chartis Insurance Company (Canada).

Basic Coverage, Costs and Policies

WorldNomads.com offers the following: Medical emergency coverage and evacuation, trip cancellation due to illness, accident or death of a close relative, baggage and personal baggage insurance, personal liability, coming home early and resumption of a trip. Of course, these are subject to certain conditions, so it’s best that before signing up, you should read the policy wording of WorldNomads very carefully.

The company touts their policies as having competitive rates, which says a lot given what they can cover. Prices and policy wording, as well as the maximum age covered, vary depending on an individual’s country of residence, the site offers a way for you to get an accurate estimate.

Adventure Travel Insurance

One thing that WorldNomads have going for them is their offering of adventure travel insurance. Many travel insurance companies have limited coverage for sports and other potentially dangerous activities including jet skiing, skydiving, white water rafting and so on. You can take a look at the activities that are and are not covered depending on where you go (and your country of residence), and even if your planned activity is not on the list, you can inquire with the company. Again, this is subject to terms and conditions.

What is NOT covered

Of course, there are certain limits. While the company’s coverage is pretty substantial, they do not cover pre-existing medical conditions. This means that you can still purchase insurance but if your illness needs treatment, it will not be covered. Actions resulting from imbibing alcohol or drugs are not covered  either. In most cases, cash theft is also not covered, unless in certain circumstances. Again, the reading of the policy wording  is very important.

Further explanation of what is covered and other topics are tackled with the company’s list of Frequently Asked Questions.

The Verdict

Going through the offerings of WorldNomads, I’m of the opinion that it’s one of the best choices for quality travel insurance. Of course, as someone who has yet to avail of their product, there is not much that I can say about the service. However, I have contacted the company to clarify some of the provisions, and I was happy to get a satisfactory reply within 24 hours.

Various blogs and websites have plenty of good things to say about the service. Of course, there are those who do have some negative feedback, but it seems to be a small percentage compared to the positive ones.

Bottomline, if you’re a simple traveler like me who wants to cover as much bases as you can, this is a good pick. If there’s more that you need, check out the details, get a quote or ask customer service for information.

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Fortunately, there are still a few places in Siquijor that tick all those boxes. Thanks to a tip from a blog, I was able to snag a room for myself for US$3 a day.

But there’s a caveat: The lodge only accepts walk-in guests and may altogether refuse at certain times of the week and month. They also prefer solo travelers than groups to maintain peace and quiet for their other guests who have to wake up really early in the morning to make business rounds. And they are right by the side of the road.

Best Value Place for Transients

Buhisan Lodge in the municipality of Siquijor is known to all locals as the place where traveling salesmen stay for a few nights while they complete delivery of consumer goods in the province. As such, you might find you will be discouraged from checking in at Buhisan Lodge when you inquire about it from locals you run into. You can skip them and go straight to the lodge and inquire for yourself. The savings to be had is significant, especially if you travel alone and paying for that extra space in standard hotels could be spent on something more worthwhile.

Traveling salesmen stay for a few days starting Monday until Friday, and they get busy around the middle and the end of the month. Still, if you are not very particular with amenities and privacy, it’s worth checking at the time of your arrival if there are rooms available before moving on to other options.

Buhisan Lodge is right by the side of the road that leads to the municipality of San Juan. It’s a short walking distance to their open air market and town hall, and just a stone’s throw from the Siquijor port. The 50-year-old structure is within the “poblacion” (populated area) of Siquijor, so it can get quite busy during daylight hours. But as public transport is rather infrequent in this town (as in the rest of the province), “busy” is overstated.

The room rate is P125 a day. Rooms are good for one guest and toilet and bath are shared. You can request for laundry services, or you can wash your own clothes and pay P25 for use of water. The owners of the lodge also operate a small grocery store, so everyday items you may have forgotten to bring with you can be purchased right there.

A Short Hike From Everything

Access to food and Internet connection is not a problem. The lodge is a mere 2 minutes away on foot from their open-air market where street food and local produce abound. The market is also where the public transport converge to pick up passengers, so getting to anywhere in the island from here would not be a problem. The municipality of San Juan which is the beach central of the island is only P15 away via tricycle.

The lodge is also 5 minutes on foot from the ferry port and from St. Francis of Assisi Church should you be inclined to check ferry schedules in person or attend a Catholic service.

Ideal Accommodation For Backpackers

Despite Buhisan Lodge’s intended market to be traveling salesmen and not backpackers, it is an ideal place to crash in for a few nights while you complete your island tour a day at a time. I did not have any problem with personal safety (I was the only female lodger at the time) and security of my valuables, nor did I have any problem getting sufficient sleep despite an odd motorcycle or two in wee hours.

I also managed to use the otherwise common toilet and bath whenever the need arose, and I had privacy and quality alone time even though the rest of the world just seemed to be outside my window.

Click here for next article (Siquijor series) – How to Get to Siquijor>>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Gone are the sleepy days when the only accommodations were thatched native bungalows and the occasional hammock. Big name resorts have made its presence very obvious, and this once unassuming “sitio” (a geographical unit smaller than ‘baranggay,’ which is the smallest political unit in the Philippines) has taken on splashy tourist trappings. But that is not what I came here for in the land of jungle trails and amazing vertical cliffs and awe-inspiring limestone formations that people the world over know as the Puerto Princesa Underground River. I came here to stay the night so I could get into the (reputedly) longest subterranean river that the mountains in here hide somewhere.

Cheapest Accommodation in Sabang (Puerto Princesa Underground River)

I thought I could break the record of finding a cheaper accommodation of P250 a day (this being a ‘sitio’), but the celebrity status of the river just won’t quit and makes it hard for a budget backpacker to find a place cheaper than $5 a day.

After several phone calls, I found a cozy and artsy accommodation that fits snugly in my travel allowance. The dormitory room I found at Sunbird Cottages (more famously known by locals as Blue Bamboo) was at P300 (US$7.50) per night but the room was good for two. Had I shared the room with another, it would indeed have been a lot cheaper than the one I found at Puerto Princesa. In fact, the owner’s son told me that if they happen to be fully booked and someone comes in for accommodation, they offer the sleeping quarters right above the reception area for only P150 a day.

Blue Bamboo has double occupancy native cottages with ensuite toilet and bath that cost P600. The one without costs P400, but it has T&B right in front of it.

Blue Bamboo’s Build-and-Design Philosophy

Blue Bamboo is located on the rockier portion of Sabang Beach and owned and managed by a native who inherited the land from her father. She indicated her desire to keep her accommodations ‘natural’ because it is how she liked it. As a result, she could afford to offer cheap room rates.

The cottages’ designs and the way they are laid out indeed reflect the owner’s nature-compatible philosophy. The cottages accommodate the movement of the wind and take advantage of the natural scenery. Lorena Abanes also utilizes native arts and crafts in her decor, best reflected in the reception and restaurant area where the ambience is airy, cozy and artsy.

Blue Bamboo is right on the rocky beach so it affords an ocean view even for the cheapest lodgers. The dormitory is situated at the foot of a hill and is home to a rich jungle life. I spotted a pair of agile and lightning-quick squirrel which jumped from one tree to another to try to escape from an intruder.

Inconveniences That Are Worth Roughing It

Despite the fact that I shared the dorm room with four other occupants at the time, I managed to enjoy enough alone time at the veranda overlooking the sea. I didn’t mind that I shared T&B with other occupants or that the room had no fan (just pull the curtain aside to let the breeze in) or walked to town for cheaper meals (their meals were quite expensive for my taste). The accommodation I got was definitely a real value for money, and thus far, the cheapest I found in Sabang (if you know of anything cheaper, please let us know in the comments!).

Electricity at Blue Bamboo via generator is only available from 6PM until 11PM. I have not seen electricity lines in this “sitio” and learned that businesses rely on generators for power.

Accommodation Options

There certainly were plush accommodations on the wharf area and on the sandy side (to the right when facing the sea) of Sabang Beach, so if your budget allows it, you can have the option to stay in comfier rooms with all the amenities necessary for a hassle-free holiday. Expect to pay upwards of P1,000 (good for two) to the really high-end P25,000 a night. On the bright side, power is 24 hours in these expensive resorts.

Blue Bamboo was close to capacity at the time of my stay. It would help to keep in touch with them prior to your arrival, but given the fact that there is no Internet connection in their resort and cellular phone signal can be choppy at times, booking ahead may be quite challenging (I had to call so many times to ensure I had a room to stay upon arrival). Still, check if you can book through http://www.bluebamboo-sabang.com/. Or, call Lorena Abanes at 0910-797-0038 (dial 63 for country code and 910-797-0038 for international calls). If she is at the resort, calls may be dropped or hard to hear; if she’s at Port Barton (San Vicente) or Puerto Princesa, she could entertain bookings better.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – Ride Like a Local >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Cheapest Accommodation in El Nido

Magos Cottage was first established in 1994 before El Nido became famous for its majestic limestone karst formations rising out of cerulean waters. The cottage is owned and operated by Victor Magos and is right within his home property. The structure is rather aged and could use some facelift, but it was sufficient for my need.

Upon hearing that the room rate is only P200 (US$5) a day, I did not think twice and paid for my entire stay right away (if you hear of anything cheaper, please let us know in the comments!). The no-fan but well-ventilated room was actually big enough to accommodate two people in bed and another two on the (bamboo) floor. Had I shared the room with one other person, I would have only paid P100 a night! Not bad in a place where basic accommodation for two runs at P500 during peak season (P300 during off-peak).

At this (really cheap) rate, I was willing to embrace all the “discomforts” that came with it. And there were a few (which I was quite used to). What was important to me at the time was that the cottage looked safe enough for a few nights’ stay.

• First, you will have to walk-in for reservation. The owner did not have his cellphone number at the time of my inquiry nor does he maintain a website. He is rather well-known in the area so just ask for the direction of Magos Cottages upon arrival at the bus terminal located in the vicinity of the ‘Pamilihang Bayan ng El Nido” (El Nido Public Market). Or, you can walk back from the bus terminal past an air-conditioned accommodation (you don’t have to cross the street), turn right at the first small junction you see from the terminal and walk to the direction of the bay until you reach the last structure on the right. The signage has faded but if you see a cottage covered in foliage, you have arrived.
• There was no electricity on the first night of my stay. Electricity in El Nido runs from 2PM until 6AM (unlike the Underground River area which did not have electricity altogether, just generator power). Because of the unexpected surge in tourist traffic since the Underground River gained worldwide fame and the consequent growth of businesses that catered to vacationers, power supply on this side of the province has since been “rationed”: one part of the town would have to be outaged so another could have electricity for the day. Thankfully, there was power on the second and final day of my stay in Corong-Corong (although the weather was less cooperative than I would have wanted).
• The town in El Nido has slow Internet connection though fast enough for e-mail and simple uploads. In Corong-Corong (a baranggay or smallest political unit just outside of El Nido Town), there was Internet connection with speed sufficient for e-mails.
• The toilet and bath was shared by four rooms and there was no running water. But the owner was diligent in refilling the water containers so there was no need to draw water from the ground well after someone else has used it up. The flush-type T&B was considerably clean but could use some upgrades.
• The cottage foundation is raised from the ground so the entire structure shakes if someone heavy moves. A big-framed Middle Eastern guest occupied another room, and he quite made his presence felt every time he came and went.
• The cottage is also near the bay where a fishing community lives, so a cacophony of sounds may be heard well into the night and at dawn. The owner of the cottage is also open to his neighbors, so expect to share the ground well with people from the fishing village. The cramped space near the veranda is also used as a sort of garage for motorcycles, so people come and go to leave and retrieve their vehicles. Children also come in unbidden, so you might find yourself in their company when you least expect it.

Magos Cottage A Fair Bargain During Peak Season

Despite these less-than-ideal circumstances, Magos Cottage is right on Corong-Corong Beach which is away from the tourist crowds that throng El Nido Town. The two rooms on one side face the imposing karst monolith that spans El Nido Town and Corong-Corong and offer a glimpse of Bacuit Bay. Even the veranda faces the bay if not for the foliage that block the view.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – Puerto Princesa for One Dollar or Less >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Most rooms – at least in the Philippines – are billed for double occupancy. This makes it doubly challenging to find rooms where you need not pay for that extra bed space.

Knowing that accommodations typically eat a huge chunk of travel budgets, I was determined to stretch my less than US $250 over a 15-day period, or I would have resigned to only one out of my three planned destinations, or pack up home after only five days. But I wasn’t willing to forgo El Nido for the Underground River, nor would I not want to stay long in Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital.

So armed with nothing but online references and information on the ground (and unlimited airtime on cellphone calls), I snagged what I thought to be the cheapest accommodations in a destination fast becoming expensive for its newly-found international celebrity status.

Research, Research, Research

Like any conscientious traveler, I was diligent on research when it came to accommodation. I left my itinerary to luck, but finding a place to stay was something I hunkered down to before the trip.

Weeks before my planned arrival in Palawan, I have been calling and emailing around for room rates. I didn’t care whether the room did not come with cable TV (who needs TV when she would be outdoors most of the time?) or air-conditioning or even ensuite bath. All I looked for in a room was a place to hang my hammock if need be. If it came with a bed and a fan, then I considered it a bonus.

My effort paid off with what I believe to be the cheapest accommodations in Palawan – indoors. (If it were not for the fact that solo women backpackers are prey to wandering “evil spirits”, then I would have strung my hammock wherever there was thick foliage and sturdy branches.) If you find anything cheaper, please let us know in the comments.

Cheapest Accommodation in Puerto Princesa City

Like any rising urban hub that is the center of tourist activity, Puerto Princesa is fast becoming expensive itself if you are not patient enough to scratch deeper. Rooms come at a standard rate of P500 (US$12.50) per night for two persons. But since I was traveling solo, I was hesitant to pay for that extra space. I could spend it instead on activities, and yes, food! So I snooped around some more until I found the figure I had in mind and was willing to spend.

When I validated some of my earlier leads for even cheaper room rates (P180), they turned out to be more expensive (I was quoted P500 for their cheapest) and out of the way, which would have made me spend more on transportation.

At P250 (US$6) a day for single accommodation, I thought I snagged a great deal.

I was lucky to have stumbled upon Duchess Pension (a tip from a travel blog), one of Puerto Princesa’s pioneer in accommodations industry.

I consider my find value for money: I had no fancy expectations of hot showers or utter privacy. All I was hoping for my P250 a day (they have P350 for double occupancy) was some level of security (so I could stash my belongings by day and sleep safely at night), a modicum of cleanliness and some peace and quiet so I could get decent sleep.

Duchess Pension is situated along Valencia Street, a road perpendicular to Rizal Avenue which is the city’s main thoroughfare. It was about 10 minutes away from the airport by tricycle (P20 or US$0.50) and about three to five minutes from other conveniences (stores, eateries and service centers). I was also pleasantly surprised when I discovered by accident (I’m simply lost with maps and my spatial intelligence is below average at best) that Palawan Museum, the main city artery and the local market are just a few blocks away. One of the town’s best eats – chao long or Vietnamese noodles – is a short tricycle ride (P8) from the pension (in the Philippines, pension in accommodation means ‘small scale’).

Some Inconveniences, But You Get What You Pay And Then Some

Because Duchess Pension is located right by the roadside, it can get busy during rush hour which can be heard indoors if you choose a room fronting the street. I had the fortune to have been assigned a room away from the street, but got one right beside a residence. So what I lacked in traffic noise was made up for by household commotion like crying babies, surprise birthday song and dance and the occasional midnight bout of coughing.

I had to share the toilet and bath with others on the same row, but I always found the amenities vacant whenever the need arises, a real bonus considering my no-frills accommodation. The toilet and bath were sufficiently clean and exceeded my (modest) expectations.

I was also delighted to find that the garden downstairs was quite airy and well-lit and rarely filled with guests. It was a pleasant (and quiet!) setting for a simple breakfast of coffee, rice and dried fish and an oasis from the hustle and bustle in the reception area.

Accommodation for Groups and Room Rates

For bigger groups, double occupancy for air-conditioned room is P850 (plus P100 for extra person and another P100 for cable TV); triple sharing is P950 and quad-sharing is P1,300 (P250 for extra person). Air-conditioned accommodation for 6 persons is P1,900. As room rates can change without prior notice, always check with the front desk for the most up-to-date prices.

Duchess Pension also offer tours to Honda Bay, Underground River, El Nido and Puerto Princesa City so you may opt to book directly with them especially if you are doing a group tour and would want to skip the hassle of travel planning.

Cheap in Price But Not in Quality

All in all, I found my experience at Duchess Pension a real delight. I was able to sleep soundly despite the aforementioned residential distractions; I always emerged clean and fresh after a day’s “toil” under the sun; and I managed to enjoy some alone time in a public area to get me ready for the day ahead.

Duchess Pension gets filled fast, so it helps to book way ahead of time especially during peak season which started in December and ends in May. (Room attendants I talked to report that even during the off-peak season, rooms get filled quickly.) Reservations can be done online at http://duchesspensionpalawan.com/. Or, call or text them at 63-48-4332873 or 63-917-553-0605 (for international calls) for further inquiry.

Click here for next article (Palawan series) – Photo Essay: El Nido, Palawan >>

Photos by Cherry Vic Patalita

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Thankfully, technology has made it easier for travelers especially if you have a smartphone with a GPS and Internet access. Applications such as Google Maps make it a breeze to search for places, and more developers are making specialized apps that work not just as a map but as an all-in-one guide.

Singapore Map, developed by StreetDirectory Pte Ltd., is exactly that. It’s a free app for both Android and iOS, and will soon be available for Windows 8. Note that my comments will be based on the Android version, but I feel that the operation on iOS would be similar.

Detailed Map

Singapore Map offers a detailed map of Singapore. Zoom in to see names of streets, buildings, landmarks and more. More details can be seen the closer you zoom in. You will also see the train stations nearby, which is really handy especially for those who are visiting Singapore for the first time.

Maps can be downloaded from the app’s official website, so even if you are offline you can still make use them.

Search Function

The search function allows you to look for a specific item, and the results are pretty accurate. I search for “Takashimaya” and the first item on the results is just what I was looking for. The map appears with a pop-up box showing the name of the establishment. I click on that and more details appear including the address, a list of establishments and buttons for directions, map and tips.

Directions

This feature needs your phone’s GPS enabled and a 3G/Internet connection for it to work properly. It can also be reached by tapping on the menu button on the map screen. Your current location is the green “S” for start, and the red “E” is the place you want to go to, which would be Takashimaya (note that you can change the destination to another location). The current time and date are also listed, but you can change that according to your schedule.

It pulls up four options: Drive, Taxi, Bus and Bus/MRT, all of which will show you the length of time it will take to get to your destination. “Drive” also shows how many kilometers, while the others will show how much is the fare. You also have the option to send or save this information, both of which will require you to log in.

Tips

This feature is pretty much self-explanatory. Fellow Singapore Streetmap users can leave information about the place or establishment. It’s great for travelers who want to maximize their experience and save time. You can also leave your own tip and photo, again which may require you to log in.

Searching Within

The search function goes deeper as it allows you to search within the establishment. If I wanted to know if Takashimaya has a bookstore, I’ll click on “Search Businesses” then type the name I want and it brings up a list.

Categories

Categories list the establishments according to type like Food & Beverage, Beauty Care, Businesses and so on. These lists may be incomplete because Singapore Map is user and community dependent so if a business has not signed up for an account it may not be on the list. Sign-up is free, and businesses do get a free page.

These pages can be viewed by users and have not just the business address but also photos, tips, map locations and so on.

Versatility

Singapore Map is handy not when you’re in Singapore, but also in other places like Malaysia, Kong, Indonesia and the Philippines. Singapore Map gives you the option to change locations and will pull information from those locations using 3G or Wi-Fi connection. But when in Singapore, of course we pick just that.

We’ve barely scratched the surface of what Singapore Map has to offer, but I do hope it’s given you an idea of what to expect. I personally found it very useful, and look forward to contributing my own tips and photos. It’s a great all-in-one app, and will definitely come in handy the next time I’m in Singapore.

Official Site: Singapore Maps Android
App download: Google Play

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