Gone are the days of luxe travelling: Filipinos previously accustomed to staying at 5-star hotels are now embracing Airbnbs and hostels, swapping their fancy leather shoes for sneakers, and dressing down instead of dressing up. Welcome to the backpacking era marked by independent travel, local immersions, and a YOLO mentality that has inspired today’s travelers to search for adventures they can call one for the books. And it doesn’t hurt to earn more social media likes along the way.
With a multitude of airline companies offering seat sales to some of the world’s exciting destinations, more and more Filipinos are inspired to embark on backpacking adventures to satisfy their travel wanderlust this year.
Check out these cool backpacking destinations, and start planning a truly unforgettable sojourn.
Exciting Europe
Europe’s geography, efficient transport system, and flexible Schengen visa policies make it easy for backpackers to traverse the continent. You can hop on and off a train or a bus, and easily reach another country in a matter of hours. Skip the tourist traps of major cities and explore the vibrant countryside: Chase the Northern Lights in Tromsø, challenge your feet to an energetic ceilidh dance in Orkney, or have an authentic farm-to-table experience in Tuscany.
Europe offers a lot of unique experiences, and backpackers need to pack smart to make the most of their stay. After all, you need to make sure that your bag is light and convenient enough to be stowed just about anywhere. And with notorious pickpockets on the loose in countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Italy, you also need to make sure that your belongings are thief-proof.
Enter the Classic CabinZero 44L, an ultra-light cabin and travel bag that features a large 44-litre capacity, side compression straps, top and side handles, a front-zipped pocket, and mesh pockets with inside zips. This British-designed minimalist bag delivers cabin-sized function and features at zero hassle to travelers. Each CabinZero bag is built with its own Global Luggage Tracker—powered by Okoban—to guarantee peace of mind while switching planes, trains, and buses around Europe. Just register your bag at Okoban.com and feel secured as Okaban’s system is part of the largest network of Lost and Found offices in more than 2200 airports worldwide
You won’t need to worry about your belongings while sharing a hostel room or European train cabin with strangers: CabinZero comes with lockable zippers, which backpackers can fit with their choice of lock.
At only 760 grams, the Classic CabinZero 44L won’t eat into carry-on weight allowance—this means you can pack in more without stressing about additional baggage fees.
Amazing Asia
If there’s anything that Asia got in spades, it would be diversity. With 54 countries, thousands of languages, and a dizzying array of exciting attractions, backpackers will never get tired of the bounty of experiences that Asia can offer. Immerse in the rich dynastic cultures found in Japan, China, Taiwan, and South Korea. One can also sunbathe at the best beaches in the world found at the Philippines and Indonesia.) For a wealth of bold flavors, Thailand and Vietnam’s unique cuisines are sure to leave travelers craving for more, no matter how spicy tom yum can get.
To make the most of the different experiences and locales there are in Asia, travelers can opt for the CabinZero Military 44L, which is specifically designed for a wide variety of travel situations.
At the heart of this ruggedly handsome backpack is Military Spec Nylon, an extra-tough fabric that can withstand walking for hours around Angkor Wat under intense heat to the chilly winter of Hokkaido. The Military 44L boasts of a huge 44-litre capacity, side compression straps, a sturdy top-grab handle, AirMesh padded back and straps, Sternum Straps and Waist Strap. It also features secure zipped pockets inside and at the front providing a peace of mind from pickpockets in jeepneys to bag slashers on buses.
Mountain climbers can also find the Military 44L ideal for their trips as sports extra-tough construction. Plus, its dual-purpose accessory webbing makes up for both functionality and aesthetics.
Sizzling South America
South America is a destination not many Pinoy backpackers dare to explore, mostly because of its distance: A flight from Manila to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil can take a daunting 22 hours. But the breathtaking sight of the Machu Picchu makes the long-haul flight definitely worth it. It’s not that hard to fall in love either with The Iguazu Waterfalls and the Angel Falls, both of which promises #travelgoals. South America’s vast offerings of historical relics, architectural landmarks, natural wonders, Latin and indigenous cultures, and vibrant cities spread across 12 countries and three dependencies.
When embarking on the long journey to magnificent South America, a trusty CabinZero backpack that can be hand-carried without a fuss is a must! Travelers need not worry if one can only afford a budget flight to one of the most expensive destinations for Pinoys, since the CabinZero backpack—in Classic or Military—are so durable yet lightweight that one never has to worry about going over his or her baggage allowance.
Each CabinZero bag also comes with a ten-year warranty—it will be a great investment for a backpacker who goes on trips three to four times a year (but these bags look great even when used in between adventures!).
Take your backpacking goals to the next level with a trusty CabinZero. CabinZero bags are now available in all Urbanize outlets: U.P. Town Center, Gateway, Shangri-La, Glorietta3, Uptown BGC, Venice Grand Canal, Kiss & Fly NAIA Terminal 3, Alabang Town Center, The District-Imus, Solenad and Serin – Tagaytay, Sportmart-Duty Free, Fashion Rack Terminal 3, Rustan’s, the SM Store and Flight 001. Like CabinZero on Facebook to automatically upgrade bag warranty to 25 years. For more information on CabinZero, check out www.cabinzero.com and www.urbanize.com.ph, or follow @cabinzeroph on Instagram.