Kayli King

More details, costs, and ways to get there ✨👇🏼 Apo Whang-Od is currently 107 years old. Her traditional methods of tattooing include using a bamboo stick with a thorn, a charcoal mixture, and another stick to tap the thorn into the skin. She now only tattoos her signature three dots onto anyone travels to see her. The three dots represent Whang-Od and her two apprentice grandnieces. The travel to Buscalan is not the easiest journey. There are many different ways to get there. If you want to take more of a scenic route you can begin in Manila and stop in places like Sagada, Banaue, and Batad. That’s what I did and highly recommend if you have the time! If you’re shorter on time you can take a direct bus from Manila. Either way, once you get to Batad or Tabuk you can take a jeepeny to the Buscalan turning point and then you take a trike to the base of the village. Then you take the final hike up into the village. Now for costs 💰 Transportation will range depending on what route you take. From Manila > Clark > Baguio City > Sagada > Batad > Banaue > Batad > Buscalan it cost me about $70 (including extra transport within some of those towns) The Buscalan tour guide fee for a group of 1-5 people is 1000 php for the day or 1500 php for an overnight tour. The homestay cost is then an additional 400 php/pax. Registration fee is 100 php/pax and your individual needle is 100 php. The cost of the tattoo from Whang-Od is 300 php. My second tattoo was 1200 php. I ended up paying a total of 2850 php or approx $50 for those costs. It sounds like arriving to the village and getting tattooed by Whang-Od so quickly is rare. Usually people report having to wait around to be seen, sometimes having to wait until the next day. Weekends are also very chaotic as the village fills up very fast. I feel so grateful to have been able to meet and get tattooed by such a living legend. The whole experience was absolutely incredible. Seeing the culture of the village and being welcomed into their homes is unlike anything I’ve be apart of before. More than thrilled to have this ink on me for the rest of my life. #whangod #philippinestravel #solofemaletraveler

I’ll be honest I really don’t mind sleeping in situations like this. I do it for the money saving aspect (transportation + accommodation in one) and also for the experience. This overnight ferry ended up being right under $50 and I realized later I could’ve booked it elsewhere for $30. Sooo lesson learned there. But still way cheaper than a flight. I will say, if you book your flights way in advance in the Philippines you can get them for a cheaper cost. I’ve been planning things no more than a week or so in advance, so once I look at the flights they’re spendy. Even with that said I’d probably still have done the ferry regardless because I wanted to see what it was like! #solofemaletraveler #backpacker #seasiatravel #backpackph

I didn’t bring these on my last 2 months in SE Asia, so I made sure they were on the list this time 🫡 The soap bar bags are incredible. I got mine at @REI they’re the @Matador Soap Bar Case. #solofemalebackpacker #solofemaletraveler #seasiatravel #packwithme

items in my 3L @Cotopaxi Kapai bag 👇🏼 @LoopEarplugs (i have the Quiet and Experience ones) eye mask (it’s a really old one from amazon) Kindle Oasis Headphones + aquaphor Snacks!! @Chomps @OtterBox portable power bank + charging cords @Loctote passport holder @paireyewear glasses + case claw clip full backpack packing video coming soon :) #packwithme #seasiabackpacking

perhaps one day cooper and chungi will be friends 🫶🏼 #vanlifecat #lifeontheroad

more thoughts and what I bring for travel experiences like this 👇🏼🚌 Okay let’s start with the packing list for the smaller blue backpack (the one that goes with me in the cabin area). I only use the blue backpack on travel days that involve busses/trains/ferries. For flights I put everything in my red 40L backpack as a carry on and just have my small 3L cotopaxi sling bag as my personal item. I brought: iPad @Sony XM5s @LoopEarplugs quiet earplugs @OtterBox portable chargers + cords @Cabeau Comfort neck pillow eyemask (I have a random one off amazon & it’s falling apart) snacks & water passport + wallet glasses TOWEL AND SOCKS (usually bring these but forgot them on this route) sweatshirt This bus was FREEZING and I had actually forgot my towel and socks in my other backpack, so yeah not making that mistake again. The lights got turned on about every hour so I was very glad to have my eyemask. The bus didn’t stay packed with people standing for the entire route, but every single seat remained taken for majority of the trip. ALSO sleeper busses do exist on certain routes in the Philippines (found that out after the trip hehe haha). Nothing was showing up on 12go.asia and there was some confusion at the counter when booking the ticket…so now I know 🤪 The bus ticket was $20. Yes plane tickets exist for this route but would’ve cost $80-120 for the same type of last minute booking. #solofemaletraveler #backpacker #seasiatravel #backpackph

ok more about how I book hostels and what I look for 👇🏼 ✨booking process✨ I book 99% of my hostels through @Hostelworld . Sometime’s it’s cheaper through @Booking.com or @agoda so I like to check those as well. READ THE REVIEWS BEFORE YOU BOOK (found on Hostelworld) The reviews will tell you a looot of what you need to know. Bed bugs? Is it super loud? Is it nicer that the pictures? Worse? Is it safe? There is a difference between a social hostel and a party hostel. All party hostels are social but not all social hostels are party…ya know? A social hostel can have friendly people, a good vibe, and not have music blaring till 1am. A party hostel will likely have loud music till 12 or 1am. Again, I look to reviews to see what the vibe will be like. ✨what are the bathrooms like?✨ Some have bathrooms attached to the room (one sink, one toilet, one shower that 6 - ? people share). Others have communal bathrooms in common spaces. Some are mixed gender and some are split. All depends on what type of place you book. Usually you get what you pay for on this end. ✨what if I want the vibe of a hostel but really don’t want to sleep in a dorm??✨ Book a private room! LOTS of hostels have private rooms. Granted you’ll be paying more money, but you can get all the benefits of the hostel without sharing a room with strangers. ✨ok but do you really not get woken up throughout the night?✨ I swear by earplugs and an eyemask. I use the @LoopEarplugs Quiet ones and some random eyemask off amazon. I seriously don’t know how people do hostels without the combo. You’re bound to end up with a LOUD snorer in the room who sounds like they’re starting a lawn mover. ✨curtains✨ Hostels without curtains really doesn’t bother me, I just hang up my towel to cover part of it. Check the reviews and pictures if this is a make or break for you!! #hostellife #solofemaletraveler #backpacker #traveltips #solofemalebackpacker

okay so I used the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L for 2+ years, then I used the Gregory Border Carry On 40L for my 2 month SE Asia trip last year… so why the switch? comfort My bag is HEAVY. The gear I have in here made the weight of the bag about 15kg and both of the bags mentioned above are not built for that weight. Yes I know that weight doesn’t make it a “carry on” for all airlines. I kind of just take my chances. The @REI Ruckpack is built way better for heavier loads. So if you don’t have that heavy of a pack, the Cotopaxi or Gregory are still awesome options! The switch from going from a backpack that opens suitcase style to one that opens like this wasn’t bad. One thing I noticed is when this bag is packed full it stays carryon size. Whereas the Gregory and Coropaxi expand to get taller and I’ve had a few situations where I needed to take an item out to get it in the overhead compartment. My favorite parts of the REI ruckpack: Comfort Strong zippers Zips all the way open Stow away the straps Easily organizable Side pockets Usable pockets (sometimes I feel like backpacks have pockets in the worst places and the ones on here are all usable and help organize the bag) Cons: The one con that I mentioned isn’t a huge deal, I can still access the laptop from the top I just have to take an item or two out. It would just make it ✨that✨ much better if it had the access. I mention this because laptop compartments are a big factor for digital nomads! Also I do know it’s technically the water bladder holder 😉 #onebagtravel #solofemalebackpacker #backpackers #travelpacking

Now that I do these 3 things, traveling is just a bit easier 👇🏼✨ AD 1. The best thing about taking two pairs of shoes is that you wear one and then can attach the other pair to the outside of your bag! So you can save even more space in your bag. If you only bring one pair of shoes traveling PLEASE let me know which type. I haven’t done many long-term backpacking trips in colder weather, but for the bits I have done I just wore my Blundstones! 2. I am a big eSIM fan and @Airalo eSIM store makes it SO easy. One trip last year I got absolutely destroyed on roaming charges by my US cell phone carrier and needless to say I learned my lesson. Airlalo is 100% digital, has no roaming charges, a wide range of options, and you can keep your original number. A little more on how to use an Airalo eSIM: - download the app - search the country or region you’re going to - pick the best plan for you (I chose 20GB for 3 weeks in the Philippines, 20GB for 2.5 weeks in Vietnam, 10GB for 10 days in Malaysia, and 5GB for 2 weeks in Thailand) - make sure you’re connected to wifi in order to download the eSIM onto your phone - once you arrive in that country, you’re good to go! You can use code KAYLI3 for $3 off your first eSIM purchase! 3. Unless you’re in a city, most places I’ve been throughout SE Asia only accept cash. I use a bank card and take cash out of ATMs every few weeks or so. I’ve seen and heard stories of people’s cards getting lost, stolen, or not working and then they have no way of getting cash out. It’s always good to have multiple options and a backup stowed away somewhere! #airalo #esim #solofemaletravel #backpackingtips #seasiatravel #solofemalebackpacker #traveltips

entire packing list 👇🏼✨ and why I’m using a different backpack… CLOTHES: hoodie (plane outfit) hiking pants (plane outfit) tank top (plane outfit) flowy pants sun hoodie puffer jacket tank tops (3) yoga shorts flowy shorts hiking socks (2) underwear (14) swimsuit (2) rash guards (2) pjs hat (2) teva sandals (plane outfit) hiking shoes TOILETRIES: soap shampoo bar conditioner bar micellar water reusable makeup pads razor brush face oil retinol sunscreen (2) lotion toothbrush toothpaste floss retainers dry shampoo tweezers nail clippers makeup (mascara, brow gel, blush, bronzer) mini mirror tiny ponytails small face towel ELECTRONICS: camera + extra SD cards camera batteries (4) outlet converter + bits GoPro + bits GoPro batteries (2) camera clip camera light + mics iPad + pencil memory card adaptor flash drive film camera film rolls (6) film flash portable charger (2) all necessary charging cords MEDICINE: ginger chews sea bands pepto dramamine + prescrip anti nausea migraine pens advil magnesium MISC: lock dry bag phone dry sleeve towel (full size) planner + pens plane snacks extra passport pictures copies of documents backup earrings (a few hoops) bandana sunglasses (2) silk pillowcase waterbottle (lifestraw) neck pillow tripod (outside of pack) ITEMS IN 3L SLING BAG: portable charger charging cords kindle eye mask glasses wallet headphones noise cancelling headphones (wear) loop earplugs (2) snacks So why am I not using the Gregory Border or the Cotopaxi Allpa? Short answer is they’re not comfortable when packed this heavy. My backpack weighs just right over 30lbs & both of those backpacks are not structured to carry that weight. I wanted to be as comfortable as possible since this pack will be with me for the next 3-5 months. I’m bringing the @REI 40L ruckpack & it actually wasn’t the pack I intended on bringing. A different company had sent me a pack and I loved it at first, but then realized the quality was very poor, especially the zippers. So I ran to REI the day before I left & grabbed this one 😅 Honestly I love it, my only con is it doesn’t have an easy access zipper for the laptop compartment. #packwithme #seasiabackpacking #seasiapacking

odds chungi and cooper are best friends by the end of her stay? #vanlifecat #adventurecat

ok so here’s how this goes in my brain… I don’t spend money on a tour… so I can go spend money on a tattoo I save $20/night by not drinking… so I can go book a volcano expedition what do we call that?? 😉 and yes, there are going to be some exceptions to these, but overall this is how I’m operating on this trip alsooo I’m not anti-tour. I’ve booked multiple tours on this trip already and loved them. There are just some cases where it’s not required to have a guide and/or the tour is just very overpriced for what you’re getting. Those are the cases where I would rather go do it myself. #seasiatravel #solofemalebackpacker #solofemaletraveler #budgettravel

lots more to say about all of this 💭👇🏼 First, a timeline for context: In 2020 the van was bought Finished the build and moved in in 2021 Started doing more international travel in 2022 Began longer term international travel in 2023/2024 Solo travel started end of 2023 I still have the van and that’s what I live in when I’m back in the states. Once I’m done with the current trip I’m on I’ll move back into the van for some months and then will go back out on another international trip. As of right now, I see myself living nomadically for quite a few more years. A big question amidst all of this information has been how this all even started on a teachers salary?! So let’s talk about that a bit more… • I built the van myself so that in itself is drastically cheaper than hiring someone to do it (shoutout YouTube University) • I lived in Nebraska where the cost of living is significantly cheaper than other parts of the states • I didn’t have any previous debt when the van build began. I lived at home with my mom for 2 years when I was first teaching so that I could use essentially 80% of my income to pay off my remaining college debt and pay for my masters classes. • My teaching income was not the regular base income. The masters degree and additional classes bumped me up multiple levels on the pay scale. • Logan (my ex) and I had two incomes to work with - mine to build the van and his to live off once we moved into the van. Later when the social media took off we then switched to living off that. There is also privilege to be recognized here and where/how I grew up all plays a role in getting me to this place. On the other side, it’s also been a nice chunk of hard work and strategizing. Money is a tricky thing to talk about on the internet and it opens you up to a lot of criticism but I hope this answers some very common questions! #solofemaletraveler #vanlife #lifeontheroad #solofemalebackpacker

information about the journey and more thoughts below 💭👇🏼 It has been so incredible to see another side of the Philippines that I really didn’t even know existed. My original plan was just to do 3 weeks in the south and then leave to Malaysia. After those first 3 weeks ended, I realized I wanted to come back, but I still thought I would just do the south and more beaches. Once the idea of going north was suggested, I realized there’s SO much more to see here. Thanks @mikeybrown.mb 🫡 ✨Here’s how the timeline has been✨ Day One: Bus from Manila to Clark One night in Clark Day Two: Bus from Clark to Capas Trike from Capas to Mount Pinatubo (closed to foreigners unless you have a previous 15-20 day approved military clearance & didn’t know this till we got there) Bus from Capas to Tarlac City Bus from Tarlac City to Baguio City One night in Baguio City Day Three: Bus from Baguio City to Sagada One night in Sagada Day Four: Marlboro Hill, Blue Soil, Hanging Coffins in Sagada Bus from Sagada to Banaue Jeepeny from Banaue to Batad drop off point Hike into Batad One night in Batad Day Five: Hike through Batad rice terraces & Tappiyah Falls Hike out of Batad Van from Batad to Banaue One night in Banaue Day Six: Explore Banaue via bike rental One night in Banaue Day Seven: Begin journey to Buscalan, the tattooing village & home of the world’s oldest tattoo artist!! ✨A few more things to note✨ It is a MISSION to get to some of these places and would be an entirely different experience navigating all this solo. Doable? Yes, just would involve more planning and be more expensive. All of the accom was booked either day of or day prior and majority of the transportation is just a find it, show up and book then situation. You need guides for a lot of the activities up north (even a simple hike) and there’s tourism fees nearly everywhere. There seems to be little to no info on a lot of this online and I think we went 3 days without seeing a single other foreigner? #seasiatravel #solofemaletravel

hi!! i’ve been bad about updates over here so we’re starting fresh!! #solofemalevanlife #vanlifecat #solotravel

other costs and more thoughts below 🧜‍♀️✨💭 This vlog was a day in Siquijor and the entire day cost 2145 PHP or approx $38. Places I went in the vlog: Lagaan Falls Paliton beach Firefly Treehouse Cafe Aron Makmak Thai Mad Monkey Hostel Ok now more talk about other costs of this trip… My travel insurance is $45.08 per month. I have a plan through Saftey Wing. Flights from Denver > LAX > Taiwan > Manila cost $586. I could’ve used points but the conversion wasn’t ideal. Then my flight from Manila > Cebu was $70. The upfront costs of the trip were about $500. This included my @Left On Friday swimsuit, @REI backpack, the swim tops from @Free People , and a few misc items (extra memory cards, film, @GoPro attachments). Everything else I already had or was gifted to me via friends or family. I think the $1500 for mountain summits will be pretty on par. Climbing Mt. Kinabalu with a Via Ferrata route is 2875 RM which is about $610. I was able to book an “add on” spot in a group since I’m joining by myself, otherwise I got quotes above 3000 RM. It looks like most of the Indonesia summits are around $150-300 per trek. Yes, it’s a lot of money but that’s what I came on this trip to do. I want to get as many summits as I can while I’m over here. There are a few summits I’ll do by myself to lower costs (where allowed). My overall mindset is spend little on food, accommodation and transport so I can take that money and put it towards the things I really want to do. Let me know if you have any questions :) #budgetbackpacking #backpackseasia #solofemalebackpacker

more info and where to find each item ✨👇🏼 Not only do I take these items on every international trip, but I also use them when I’m in the van as well. Most of them get year round daily use! The laundry bag is from @Cotopaxi and it came in their accessory pack, but you can really use just any mesh bag! It’s just nice to have something you can put dirty laundry in. I use the Cotopaxi Nido Accessory bag for my camera, extra batteries, charging cords, portable power banks, @GoPro , and all the gopro attachments. The packing cube is also from Cotopaxi 🤪 It came in a pack of 3 and I use the other ones depending on what clothes I’m packing for a trip. (this is not spons by cotopaxi lol I’ve just been a fan of their products for a long time. they have a great company and the products have lasted me years and still are in great shape) Toiletry bag #1 was actually a gift, but it’s a regular square one you can get almost anywhere. Now for the shower roll… it’s from @REI and it’s the Shower Roll in Large. I recently checked their website and it looks like the large is sold out but they have the same exact design in a small. I’ve tried SO many shower bags over the last few years and this is by far my favorite. All of the items are linked in my b!o :) #onebagtravel #solofemalebackpacker #backpackers #travelpacking

the Philippines feels like such a cheat to backpacking 😅 but I’ll take it!! I really love it here. I spent nearly every morning in Siargao like this. Made more of a routine for myself here than I do when I’m in the van lol Hostel: Happiness Siargao Bike rental: through my previous hostel Hiraya , I just kept it the whole time I was there Surf lessons booked through Hiraya hostel Ice bath: Mujo Cafe: Happiness Beach Bar #solofemaletraveler #backpacker #seasiatravel #backpackph #solofemalebackpacker

Technically I have a little cheat code on this trip and am not starting it completely solo. I’m meeting up with my friend @Ciara Dent for a little over a week and then I’ll be back on my own. I actually met her back in Thailand on my October/November trip and we traveled together for the rest of the bit! Just because I’m off on a big trip by myself doesn’t mean that I’m all of a sudden an expert on all things travel and don’t have any stresses or worries about the trip. It’s more so that I’ve gotten to a point where I can manage the stressors and have the mindset that I’ll eventually get it figured out when stuff doesn’t go according to plan. International transportation is one part that really used to give me a lot of anxiety. Not the flights, but the internal transportation of busses, trains, ferries and tuktuks. One of my favorite methods of planning for travel like that is just talking to people at hostels. I’ve learned that throughout SE Asia a lot of people are either doing the same exact route as you, or something similar, and everyone I’ve talked to is more than helpful in letting you know how they got from one place to the next. I also just accepted that issues with transportation may happen and it takes more brain power for me to plan for all the “what ifs” than just deal with it when it happens. Okay now for a few bits on the 48 hour travel day 😅 there was most definitely a route that was shorter than 48 hours…but it wouldn’t have been the cheapest and I booked it only a few weeks in advance. I had access to AMEX lounges for my 7.5 hour layover at LAX and 10 hour layover at Taiwan airport which honestly made the experience 100% better. Both lounges had nap rooms, showers and meals. Can’t say that I would book the same route again, but at least it was cheap and it was quite the experience! #solofemaletraveler #seasiatravel #solofemalebackpacker

I had been in a little travel bubble for most of my first 3 weeks in the philippines. I had friends there that I had met on my last SE Asia trip and wasn’t really by myself for any of it. Arriving to Malaysia on my own definitely gave me a lot of different feelings. It’s been so cool to explore a tiny bit of this country, but I am heading back for more of the Philippines :) This vlog was of my time at Sakua Backpackers on the Kinabatangan River! I spent two nights near the river, did 4 different river cruises getting to see the wildlife and one jungle hike. It’s located in Borneo, Malaysia! #solofemaletraveler #backpacker #seasiatravel #solotravel