It’s that time of month once again for Travel Massive Singapore, and this month’s event is a special event. Travel Massive Singapore will be a part of Social Media Week, a global event that “offer[s] a series of interconnected activities and conversations around the world on emerging trends in social and mobile media across all major industries.”

For the uninitiated, “Travel Massive is a global initiative to connect people in the travel industry locally, bringing together travel brands, startups, bloggers and socially engaged travelers.” Previous editions of Travel Massive Singapore have attracted travel writers and bloggers, photographers, agents, businesspeople, and startups (such as Flocations and RoadHop).

This month’s Travel Massive Singapore will be on 13 February 2012, 7-10pm, at RedDot BrewHouse Boat Quay, located at 34 Boat Quay (closest metro station is Raffles Place MRT). If you’re coming, or at least interested in coming, then register your attendance for the event. On the day itself, look for the guy in the hat and say hi!

For a quick look at what happens at Travel Massive, take a look at the short video I took at last month’s edition:

That may not seem like a big deal, but it is when you consider that i have yet to exhaust my Southeast Asian destinations since moving to Singapore in November 2009. For example, I have yet to make a return trip to either Vietnam or Cambodia. So why do I keep going back to Bangkok?

For sure there are practical reasons, such as flight schedules and costs. But one can also use those same arguments for, say Bali (which I’ve been to twice) or Kuala Lumpur (once before moving to Singapore, and only once after the move). There must be other reasons for revisiting the city. Here are some of them.

1. Alcohol is Cheap

Alcohol is heavily taxed here in Singapore (based on information here, S$3.50 of import duty would have to be paid per liter of 5% beer, while S$28 of import duty would have to be paid per liter of 40% vodka), so drinks tend to be on the expensive side. In contrast, Thailand is generally a hedonist’s (or alcoholic’s) paradise, with alcohol sold on the cheap. Plus compared to other Southeast Asian nations, Thailand’s cheap beers (Chang and Leo) are (arguably) pretty good. A shallow reason, perhaps, but sometimes one wants to get sloshed without breaking the bank, y’know?

2. Bangkok’s Got Grit

Let’s be honest: Almost every other major city in the region is “grittier” than Singapore. On the downside, that means more traffic (both vehicular and pedestrian), more people (locals and tourists alike), and a more hectic public transport system (Jakarta doesn’t even have a metro). Bangkok can also be sleazier than Singapore, with (fake) Viagra peddled on the streets, as well as ladyboys openly grabbing men’s crotches on Khao San Road. But all of that is part of the fun. Singapore’s cleanliness and order are great when it comes to daily life, but if you just wanna let loose and go a bit crazy, then Bangkok is great for that.

3. There’s So Much to See and Do

After four trips to the city, I’ve yet to exhaust all that there is to do. I did most of the major tourist spots (like the Grand Palace and the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho) on my first trip there. For my second go, I tried the nightlife, watched a tennis tournament, and visited nearby Ayutthaya. On my third trip, I visited the Arab district and smoked some shisha. During my last trip, I experienced Songkran, shopped at MBK, and saw the newly-opened Madame Tussaud’s. (And yes, I’ve seen a ping pong show, and no, I don’t ever wanna see one again.) I still have a few tourist things I can do for this short trip (like Jim Thompson’s House or Wat Arun), and I’m pretty sure I won’t be running out of things to do in Bangkok anytime soon.

4. Thai Food is HOT

I’ve always liked Thai food, but I fell in love with it when I tried some authentic off-the-streets Thai food during my first visit to Bangkok. Thanks to Migrationology Mark, I had a greater appreciation of what Thai food eaten by locals actually tastes like. A cooking course I took in the town of Pai in northern Thailand also helped me learn more about what makes Thai cuisine special. Although there are places in Singapore to get authentic Thai food, nothing beats having it at the source.

5. In a Word: Friends

I’ve made quite a few friends on my previous trips to Bangkok, from former CouchSurfing hosts to people I’d met here in Singapore. Also, because it’s quite a popular tourist and backpacker destination, a lot of travelers I’ve met and CouchSurfers I’ve hosted end up at least passing through the city. It definitely adds a more personal dimension to my trips to Bangkok. It’s a great opportunity to catch up on people I very rarely see face-to-face. Besides, it’s more fun to get sloshed on cheap alcohol when you’re doing it with friends! (See: The Hangover, Part 2.)

Bavarian State Chancellery - Click to View Hi-Res Image

The Bavarian State Chancellery (in German: Bayerische Staatskanzlei) is located on the eastern side of the Hofgarten in Munich. The central part of the building, including the dome, was part of the Bavarian Army Museum which was built in 1905 by Ludwig Mellinger. The rest of the building was destroyed during World War II, but the central dome part was restored in 1982. Modern glass wings were attached to each side and the building was completed in 1992.

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What is Travel Massive? “Travel Massive is a global initiative to connect people in the travel industry locally, bringing together travel bloggers, brands, startups and socially engaged travelers.” In past events, I’ve met writers, travel agencies, travel-related startups, and other travelers, giving me a more complete look at what makes the travel sphere go round.

So come on down on Monday and say hi. I’ll be wearing my ubiquitous straw hat with the pins. You can register your attendance here but surprise attendees are also welcome!

Here is the “best” of 2011, as determined by traffic statistics through to 30 November 2011 (it would be unfair to include this month’s posts, as they probably wouldn’t get as much total traffic as older posts).

POST OF THE YEAR: How to Make Visa Application Hassle-Free

My most popular post from this year, though just barely. I guess travel tips are usually popular, as last year’s Post of the Year was a travel tip as well. Perhaps I should write more of those. Anyway, the goal of the post was to show people – particularly those from countries with generally crappy passports, like the Philippines – that applying for visas doesn’t have to be a stressful affair. Hopefully it did just that!

TRAVEL TIP OF THE YEAR: How to Make Visa Application Hassle-Free

TRAVEL TALE OF THE YEAR: Backpacker in Business Class

I guess a lot of people wanted to find out how or why a budget traveler like myself ended up in business class. You’ll have to read the post for yourself to find out how that happened!

TRAVELTUESDAY PICTURE OF THE YEAR: Singapore National Day at Marina Bay Sands

Singapore National Day at Marina Bay Sands - Click to View Hi-Res Image

Special Mention: Singapore Nationalism

Two pictures from Singapore National Day were the most popular TravelTuesday Picture of the Week selections. The most popular one posted this year was a shot of the Marina Bay Sands during National Day celebrations last year; the most popular one overall was a shot of HDB flats displaying the Singapore flag.

PERSONAL FAVORITE: Watching Theatre in Foreign Languages

This was perhaps my most personal post from 2011, which may also be why it’s a hard sell. I talked about my love for theatre and the arts, and tried my best to relate watching shows in foreign languages to traveling in countries where you don’t speak the language. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea (it’s barely among the Top 100 pages visited on the site), but I like it, so I’m featuring it here again!

TEN MOST POPULAR POSTS OF 2011

8 of last year’s most popular posts are again on the list, though the San Fernando series has been bumped off the top by my Bangkok food trip. Only one post from this year made it to the Top 10: How to Make Visa Application Hassle-Free.

1. Bangkok Delicious: A Thai Food Adventure
2. San Fernando, Pampanga: Part Two – Heritage Sites and Buildings
3. San Fernando, Pampanga: Part One – Food Tripping
4. 7 Tips to Save Money in Singapore
5. VIGAN! Day Two
6. San Fernando, Pampanga: Part Three – Giant Lantern Festival 2008
7. SM Mall of Asia Grand Festival of Lights Parade and Firefly Singing Christmas Tree
8. Day Three (02-Apr-09): Goodnight Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam)
9. VIGAN! Day One
10. How to Make Visa Application Hassle-Free

FIVE MOST POPULAR POSTS FROM 2011

1. How to Make Visa Application Hassle-Free
2. Backpacker in Business Class
3. Wet Wet Wet: Songkran 2011 in Bangkok, Thailand
4. The Last Train Into Tanjong Pagar
5. Should You Get a City Card?

1. A-Mei Zhang Hui Mei AMeiZING World Tour

6-7 January 2012 at Singapore Indoor Stadium
“Asia’s reigning Queen of Mandopop” A-Mei comes to Singapore for two nights on her AMeiZING World Tour. The “Pride of Taiwan” made her music debut in 1996, and in celebration of 15 years in the business, she is embarking on a world tour, naturally with a stop on the Little Red Dot.

2. Goldie

7 January 2012 at Home Club
Drum and bass pioneer Goldie returns to Home Club to kick off 2012 in a big way. Goldie made a name for himself with the 1995 album Timeless, which was the first drum and bass album to make the UK charts. Also playing that night are Zul Othman, Twinhed, loopinmotion, and Darren Dubwise. Entry is $20, including one free drink.

3. Scissor Sisters

9 January 2012 at Fort Canning Park
Jake Shears and the rest of the Scissor Sisters will be playing a live concert at Fort Canning Park. They burst onto the scene with a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb,” then topped the charts with “I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’.” Expect a fun and energetic show from this flamboyant group.

4. Art Stage Singapore

12-15 January 2012 at Marina Bay Sands
“Art Stage Singapore is Asia’s premier international art fair.” Over 100 galleries from around the world will be exhibiting at the Marina Bay Sands Convention and Exhibition Centre. In addition, there will be lectures, fringe programmes, and various other art-related events during the four days of the exhibition.

5. Foster the People

14 January 2012 at Fort Canning Park, Fort Gate
It was impossible to go through 2011 without hearing “Pumped Up Kicks,” the ubiquitous debut single from Foster the People. Now this band from Los Angeles, California will be kicking off the new year with songs from their debut album Torches. Hipsters trying to boost their cred are more than welcome to join and sing along to songs other than “Pumped Up Kicks.”

6. Simple Plan

15 January 2012 at Fort Canning Park, Fort Gate
Fort Canning Park is a busy venue this month, as we’ve got a third concert happening this month at that venue. Canadian band Simple Plan first gained popularity with their 2002 debut album No Pads, No Helmets… Just Balls, which spawned the singles “I’m Just a Kid,” “I’d Do Anything,” “Addicted,” and “Perfect.” They now return to Singapore after making an appearance here in 2008. It could be interesting if only to see who they perform “Jet Lag” with… or if they do it by themselves, as they do in the above video.

7. Giselle

19-21 January 2012 at Esplanade Theater
If rock music and drum and bass are not your thing, then here’s something more “classy.” The Ballet de l’Opéra national de Paris (Paris Opera ballet) presents the classical French opera Giselle, a piece that was first performed in 1841. The ballet will be performed with live orchestral accompaniment by the Singapore Lyrics Orchestra.

BONUS: Travel Massive Singapore

16 January 2012 at La Viva Tapas Bar, CHIJMES
Okay, this one’s definitely a self-serving announcement. This month’s Travel Massive Singapore event, co-hosted by yours truly, will be held at La Viva Tapas Bar in CHIJMES. If you’d like to meet other people in the travel sphere, including bloggers, writers, entrepreneurs, start-ups, and agencies, then come on down for a chat. Just look for the guy in the hat.

Still Running

From the November 2011 list, Dreams & Reality: Masterpieces of Painting, Drawing & Photography from the Musée d’Orsay, Paris runs at the National Museum of Singapore until 4 February, while Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition runs at the ArtScience Museum until 29 April. From last month’s list, Wicked is currently scheduled to continue playing at the Marina Bay Sands Grand Theater until 26 February.

Coming Soon

It’s never too early to plan ahead, especially when ticketed events in Singapore frequently have “early bird” prices months before the event. This February, look out for the Chingay Parade, M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, and the Laneway Festival. For theater fans, the Broadway hit musical Spring Awakening will be making its debut with a Singapore cast. Music fans can also look forward to concerts by Kasabian, The Vaccines, Judas Priest, Lamb of God, and Dashboard Confessional. For those coming in March, grab your tickets now for the Mosaic Music Festival and a concert by Death Cab for Cutie (tickets available on 3 January 2012).

New Year’s Wish Balls at Marina Bay - Click to View Hi-Res Image

I’m not quite sure if it’s something rooted in tradition, or simply a gimmick created by the Singapore tourism board, but for the past three New Years that I’ve been here, wish balls have been floating in the Marina Bay area. These large, white, buoyant balls can be seen around Singapore, and people can write their New Year’s wishes on them before they are sent floating into the sea. As I have not been to a New Year’s Eve celebration at Marina Bay, I’m not quite sure what happens to them when the clock strikes midnight. Here’s a photo of these balls floating right in front of the Merlion and the Fullerton Hotel.

Here is a collection of twelve photographs – one for each month – that captured what my 2011 in travel was like.

January: Surfer Dude in Kuta Beach, Bali

My first trip of the year was to Bali, Indonesia, where I met with a few old friends. It was a short trip, and while there, I visited the infamous Kuta Beach. It wasn’t a spectacular beach, but because of the waves, it was very popular among surfers, like the one in this photo.

February: Golden Map of Indonesia at the MONAS in Jakarta

February saw me return to Indonesia, this time to the capital, Jakarta. Another short visit, much of my stay was centered around the area near the National Monument, or MONAS, where this golden map of Indonesia can be found. Also notable: My flight from Jakarta getting cancelled.

March: The Whitest Boy Alive, Live in Singapore

No traveling in March, but I tried to make the most out of my stay in Singapore. Some friends came to visit, plus I watched the musical The Lion King at the Marina Bay Sands. Also on that month was the twin-bill concert of The Whitest Boy Alive (featuring Erlend Øye of Kings of Convenience) and MGMT.

April: Wet and Wild at Songkran in Bangkok, Thailand

I took a short trip to Bangkok, Thailand in April specifically to experience Songkran, the Thai New Year. It was a fun and crazy experience, and I’d met a few other travel bloggers there, too (like Adam from Travels of Adam and Poi and Kirsty from No Place to Be). On the downside, I missed my flight out of Bangkok and had to get a much more expensive one back to Singapore.

May: At Brandenburger Tor in Berlin, Germany

May was the month of Eurotrip 2011! I had so many wonderful experiences visiting Germany and the Netherlands (and Salzburg, Austria). Those were probably the best two weeks of the past year. I got to visit a lot of friends while I was there, and saw a lot of awesome stuff. I think nothing captures those moments better than posing in front of one of Berlin’s famous landmarks, Brandenburger Tor.

June: The Last Train from Malaysia to Tanjong Pagar, Singapore

I was once again “grounded” in June, but I took the time to take the last train into Tanjong Pagar Railway Station from Malaysia. It was a historic moment that drew a lot of attention not just from the public but from the press as well. I even got a glimpse of the Sultan of Johor, who would be driving the last train out of the railway station.

July: Terracotta Warriors at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

Another month “grounded” means another month to explore what Singapore has to offer. In July, I visited the Asian Civilisations Museum to check out the Terracotta Warriors exhibit. This would probably be the closest I would get to actually seeing these wonders first-hand, so it was great to have that opportunity.

August: Coming Home to Jollibee in Manila, Philippines

August started out with a trip to George Town, Penang, Malaysia. It was a nice little trip filled with great food, but that wasn’t the most significant trip that month. No, that honor belongs to my brief trip back home to Manila. It was nice to see friends and family again, and to experience the few comforts from home. Top on the list is a local fastfood chain, Jollibee. I demanded that my mother take me there straight from the airport; having dinner there really made me feel like I was home at last.

September: At the Great Wall of China in Beijing

The original plan was to go to Beijing and Shanghai and watch some tennis, but due to work commitments, I could not go on holiday in October. So I moved up the dates, and ended up having a good time there. I got to see a lot of sights and do a lot of awesome things, including walk on the Great Wall of China. This would end up being my last trip of the year, and I would remain grounded for the next three months.

October: My Hospital Room at Singapore General Hospital

Speaking of grounded, few things are more effective at preventing you from traveling more than illness. October was basically a full month of sickness for me, as I seemed to go from one ailment to the next, culminating in a swollen left leg caused by vasculitis. Still, my stay at Singapore General Hospital wasn’t that bad.

November: Travel Massive Singapore

Not traveling doesn’t mean not being exposed to travel. In October, I attended my first Travel Massive Singapore event; in November, I was suddenly one of the co-organizers. It’s a great way of meeting people from different areas of travel, from writing to travel agencies to internet start-ups like Flocations. The next Travel Massive Singapore is on 16 January 2012 at La Viva in CHIJMES.

December: Meeting Cyrill, the Swiss Hitchhiker, in Singapore

Even though I haven’t been traveling, it’s important to meet people who can inspire you to continue traveling. This month alone, I’ve met with two other travel bloggers, Matt from Nomadic Matt and Lauren from Never-Ending Footsteps. But the most inspiring meet-up I had was with Cyrill Burch, who had traveled overland from his home in Switzerland to Papua, mostly hitchhiking along the way. I attended one of his talks, and was rewarded with a renewed vigor to keep traveling in the new year and beyond.

Marina Bay Sands Christmas Trees - Click to View Hi-Res Image

It’s Christmastime once again, and just like last year, Singapore is all lit up. Here is the iconic Marina Bay Sands with some Christmas trees all lit up at the bottom level. Happy Holidays!

Giant Lantern - Click to View Hi-Res Image

The Giant Lantern Festival is an annual festival held in the city of San Fernando, Pampanga in the Philippines. It features large, 20 feet high Christmas lanterns all crafted by residents of San Fernando. The festival kicks off with a competition as the lanterns are all lit up and “dance” to some music, and remain on display for the rest of the Christmas season. You can read up on my experience at the Giant Lantern Festival in 2008 here. This year, the Giant Lantern Festival Competition will be held this Saturday, December 17, at 6pm at Robinsons Starmills. The giant lanterns will be on display until January 3, 2012; you can take a look at the calendar of events here.