by Steward John

Opis Co-working space at Toojou Social Hostel – Fun and exciting space

September 13, 2019

Looking for co-working space while travelling to Sabah? Introducing Opis co-working space, a product by Toojou Social Hostel – Best Social Hotel in Kota Kinabalu.

You’ll definitely be pampered by the Opis co-working space featuring best contemporary design and very comfortable working space. Passes (Daily, weekly and monthly pass based on your need) including access to the kitchen and some entertainment center. Best of all, the complementary coffee and snacks, and use of entertainment center are unlimited. Ya you heard it, free flow of coffee and snacks.

It is located at 1st floor of the hotel and if you need to refuel yourself with some carbo, all you need is some gut to slide down via the slider to tamaha cafe. Case if you need to recharge your soul, there are two big bean bag waiting for you.

Opis co-working space @ Toojou Social Hostel rates — Opis co-working space @ Toojou Social Hostel’s rates

Opis co-working space at Toojou Social Hostel

Some of the personal cubicle at Opis co-working space

You do not have any restriction as to where you can do your work. If you feel kind of tired, you can just sit on the sofa

Opis co-working space comes with access to their kitchen and coffee machine

Touch of a button, you will get a nice coffee.

Copy, printing and scanning are easy here

Workstation if you need more light too ensure you are wide awake (especially after your lunch)

Need to get someone to play with you. So that is the overall concept of the hotel - Socialize, who knows you might get big network after you came back from your vacation — Need to get someone to play with you. So that is the overall concept of the hotel – Socialize, who knows you might get big network after you came back from your vacation

Opis co-working space at Toojou Hostel. I can guarantee that you wont find any co-working space in Sabah that as glorious as this one

Excuse the pun but I found it is interesting.. You can see it almost everywhere is this hotel..

Toojou Social Hostel’s Address
12, Jalan Masjid Lama,
Bandaran Berjaya,
88000 Kota Kinabalu,
Sabah
Telephone: +60 88-488657
Facebook Toojou Social Space
Instagram Toojou Instagram
Website: https://www.toojou.com

Toojou Social Hostel’s Location – The Best Social Hotel South East Asia

Read our Top 10 things to do in Sabah

Note: This is not sponsored content

best hotel in sabah best social hotel south east asia best social hotel southeast asia co-working space in kota kinabalu hostel in sabah Opis Co-working space toojou hostel toojou social hostel Toojou social hotel

8 Days 7 Nights travel itinerary to Manila, Philippines

December 1, 2018

Day 1: Arrival

We arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) quite late and upon check-out from the airport, it was like 9.00pm. Headed straight to our hotel in Makati area using Grab, check-in at our hotel (Nest Nano Suite @ RedDoorz Poblacion) and went straight to A.Venue outdoor market for dinner.

Food at A Venue outdoor market. They have liveband too. Perfect place to enjoy your food and some entertainment

The place that we stayed at, for about 8 days and 7 nights are located in Plobacion, Makati area which is few kilometres away from the city center. It is known as RedDoorz Plus @ Poblacion Makati and same building as Nest Nano Suite Makati. If you are looking for affordable place to stay in Makati, you might want to check that place.

RedDoorz Plus @ Poblacion Makati. Sharing same building with Nest Nano Suite. Stay tuned for RedDoorz review

Day 2: Shopping in Makati, Manila

For day 2, since it was nearly end of the year and Christmas sale and bazaar happens every weekends, we decided to spend the whole day strolling and window shopping in Glorietta Mall 1 to Glorietta Mall 5.

Glorietta Mall, Makati — Shopping at Glorietta Mall

Yes it is probably wonderful time of the year and our wallet admit it too. Sale almost everywhere and ended up spending our pesos to unnecessary things such as new sunglasses and so on.

Shopping time — Shopping and more shopping at Glorietta Mall

Glorietta is the best place to visit during your first day in Manila so you can spend some pesos for souvenirs. If you are looking for souvenir for your family and friends, then Kultura Filipina is the place to be. It is located at SM Mall which is connected to Glorietta Mall 1. They have variety of items and souvenirs ranging from cheap to premium price to choose from.

Time to get some souvenirs, too many things to choose from – Kultura Filipino

After completed our list, we went to the basement floor for a quick shopping for essential things and dinner before return back to our hotel.

Goldilocks Cake — Oh my, how can you resist those cakes?

Spend most of our second day by shopping.

Day 3: The Old Manila (Intramuros)

There is no perfect way to learn the rich history of phillipines, other than experience it your own by visiting the walled city or known as Intramuros. The moment you step into Intramuros, you will feel like you have been transported back to Spanish colonial period, with the baroque style of architecture, cobblestone paving and kalesas passing by.

Intramuros houses The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Manila’s 8th Cathedral), Fort Santiago (a museum dedicated to Jose Rizal, philippines’ freedom fighter), San Agustin Church (a UNESCO World Heritage site), Casa Manila (museum depicting colonial lifestyle during Spanish colonization of the Philippines), defense structures and few old universities.

Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception or Manila Cathedral

Cannon in Intramuros — Look at the Cannon

You can explore intramuros half a day but be sure to start early. There are lot ways to explore intramuros. You can either rent a bamboo bike (bambike), tour with segway, rent an e-trike, walk on foot or even ride a kalesa.

For our case, since most of friends would love you explore intramuros and at the same time would love to experience kalesa ride, so we went to book with Castillan Tours as they offer quite affordable price, they are reliable (based on other reviews) and the tour guide is knowledgable.

After we have done with our Intramuros tour, we went to Mananzan Handicrafts which is just outside Fort Santiago to have a look if they have other things that Kultura doesnt have.

At the end of our tour we took grab to the SM Mall of Asia and pamper ourselves with a little bit of shopping, great food and some fun at the amusement park just few steps aways from the mall.

Day 4: Hunting for religious items and bargain

We spent our 3rd day in Manila by visiting some churches, bargain in Chinatown and hunting for cheap religious articles in Tayuman street.

After fuelling overselves with load of bangus, we went straight to Minor Basilica of San Sebastian (Our Lady of Mount Carmel Shrine), the only all steel church in Asia. Spent few moments to appreciate the beauty of the church (Of course selfies and more wefies) and few minutes praying.

The Minor Basilica of San Sebastian – All steel church in Asia

Continued our journey by visiting Minor Basilica and National Shrine of San Lorenzo Ruiz (Binondo Church) which is just few kilometres away. What is so special about Binondo church is that, it was founded in 1596 by a group of Dominican priests to serve the Chinese converts to Christianity, and San Lorenzo Ruiz – first Filipino saint, served as a sacristan in Binondo Church.

Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz and Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish or Binondo Church

The details and design of the main altar resemble the famous St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican

Binondo church is located in Chinatown just a stone’s throw away from 168 Mall, 11/88 Mall and 99 Mall. You may try your bargaining skills here.

After exhausted bargaining and got ourselves barong, we took grab to Tayuman street and hunt for cheap religious articles. Not bargaining this time but the items are cheap.

A short walk from Tayuman street will lead you to SM Storyland (SM City San Lazaro), grab dinner here do a little shopping and transfer back to our hotel.

Day 5: More Bargain at Greenhills

We love to bargain and Greenhills Shopping Center was our target for day 5. It is just similar to 168 mall just that this place is quite comfortable and less hassle.

Greenhills shopping mall — Spend few minutes to pray – Chapel inside Greenhills mall

After spending half of your day in Greenhills, we took the Grab to Fort Bonifacio Global City (Financial and Lifestyle district) and visit Venice Piazza, a Venice style shopping mall.

Venice Gondola — I’m in Venice and ready to ride a gondola

Day 6:Workshops

For day 6, we spent at least a day for some art classes. There are few classes that you can join such as Jewellery Making, Leather crafting, Soap making, Shoe Making and so on, and unleash your hidden creativity. Beginner class normally will take about half day and you will surprise how easy it is to make things that you might use everyday.

Marikina City — Our Lady of the Abandoned Parish – Sourcing for few items from next project

Day 7: Shopping for sports items

Well, if you are into sports, I suggest you Take Grab to SM Pasig and make your way to Decathlon for some sports items. We spent like half of our day in SM Pasig and Decathlon before Grab to Glorietta Mall for last minute shopping.

Decathlon Manila — For sport enthusiast, Decathlon which is next to SM Pasig is definitely for you

I really encourage you to buy some souvenirs especially snacks and so on from Kultura Filipino or just at the basement floor, as you will not get cheap price at the Airport (which is one of the mistakes that I regretted, but I did).

Day 8: Departure

Check out and transfer to NAIA terminal 3.

Philippines Airlines to begin flying from Zamboanga to Kota Kinabalu

November 5, 2019

Well this an exciting news, people. Philippines Airlines (PAL) will begin offering thrice-weekly flights between Zamboanga (Philippines) and Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) starting 31st of March 2020.

Philippines Airlines will be using the 86-seater Bombardier Q400 aircraft for the route and the introduction of the route is seen as a good news for the business community, trading fraternity and leisure travellers.

Bombardier Q400 Image credit to Bombardier

Facts about Zamboanga

Zamboanga City is the 3rd largest city in the Philippines and 2nd most populous in Mindanao after Davao City with estimated population of 861,799.
The origin of the name Zamboanga came from the early Malay settlers. They called the region “Jambangan” which means “land of flowers.”
Zamboanga is the sardines capital of the Philippines and 70 percent of the sardines company in the Philippines are operating in Zamboanga.
Zamboanga is also Known for its Hispanic influences in its culture, it bears the nickname “Asia’s Latin City”.

Asia's Latin City City Hall and Plaza Rizal (Ayuntamiento y Plaza Rizal) — Asia’s Latin City City Hall and Plaza Rizal (Ayuntamiento y Plaza Rizal). Image credit to Wikipedia

Santa Barbara Mosque. Image Credit to Wikipedia

Modern Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Zamboanga. Image Credit to Wikipedia

1 Comment

Toojou Social Hostel – Best Social Hotel in Kota Kinabalu Sabah says: Reply

September 13th 2019, 4:13 am

[…] desk while travelling. Coming Toojou Social Space, you’ll definitely be pampered by the Opis co-working space featuring best contemporary design, comfortable working space and open for houseguest and […]