Taipei to Abha Philippine Flights

  About Taipei

Taipei City is the capital of Taiwan and a city that has been developing fast. Taipei has a very welcoming feel, and the city embraces its tourists with open arms. The city will instantly make you fall in love with it. The locals here are quite helpful and very friendly. The city has a lot of historical monuments, museums, gardens and age-old temples that are worth visiting. It might not be exactly adventurous, but it is definitely worth visiting. You get to learn a lot about the lifestyle and culture that the locals here lead. The city has also quite adapted to the party scenes and makes sure you get a party if you are looking for one. Shilin Night Market and Ximending are some of the popular places in the city to shop. Taipei also boasts of housing the world's eighth tallest building which is about 508 metres tall called Taipei 101. Needless to say, the view from up there is simply breathtaking and one that you are definitely not going to forget. The city also has lush greenery and hot springs so tourists can get rid of all their stress and just relax.

Best Time to Visit Taipei City

Taipei experiences the spring season from March to May which is also the peak tourist season. You can go for a hike to the Elephant Mountain and be amazed at how beautiful the trails look, thanks to spring. The temperature ranges from 20 to 25 degree Celsius, and it even rains a little bit during spring. If you vacation clashes with The Tomb Sweeping Day, which is a public holiday celebrated in April, you will find most streets deserted at this time. Since this is peak travel season, make sure you book your hotel in Taipei several weeks in advance because availability might become an issue at the last moment. Not to mention, the hotel prices also see a surge during this season, so you will end up paying more money on accommodation that you otherwise might. You will also have to book your flight tickets to Taipei in advance.

September to November is autumn season in Taipei, and there are fewer tourists in the city. If you don't like crowds, this is the right time for you to head to Taipei. The temperature ranges from 23 to 30 degree Celsius and is quite comfortable. Hotel and flight prices also drop considerably during this time. You might get a good deal on a flight ticket to Taipei in autumn. You can take a stroll by the lakes or head to the beach, and you can enjoy exploring the city without being hassled by tourists. The locals also prefer and love this season better than the rest. While the days are warm and sunny, the nights are comparatively cool. The Moon Festival and Double Ten Day are some of the popular events that are celebrated during this time.

The city experiences summer from June to August, and the temperature reaches a maximum of 30 degree Celsius. This is a low tourist season since there is also a threat of typhoons hitting the city in summer. Though you might be able to get cheap flight tickets to Taipei and cheaper accommodations, this is not the best time to plan your vacation to Taipei. However, if you are in the city during early summer, you might be able to catch the Dragon Boat Festival. December to February is the winter season and the temperature drops to a minimum of 10 degree Celsius. It is not too cold, and a lot of tourists actually love planning a winter trip to Taipei.

Places to Visit in Taipei City

Taipei 101 is an important landmark in Taipei and one you must definitely not miss. It is the eighth tallest building in the world and is an architectural marvel. National Palace Museum is yet another major tourist spot that houses artworks and artefacts from more than 10,000 years ago. Ximending is a popular neighbourhood in Taipei and quite the party destination, too. You can also head to Shilin Night Market for some delicious street food and a satisfying shopping spree. Though you will also find a lot of fancy restaurants at the market, travellers recommend that you give the local street food stalls a shot. The Longshan Temple is one of the oldest temples in Taiwan and is mainly popular because of its markets. Xinbeitou Hot Springs is the best getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city. You can also head to the National Taiwan Museum, which is one of the oldest museums in all of Taiwan. If you are an animal lover, you have got to visit the Taipei Zoo. It is a very popular tourist attraction for families with kids.

If you are a history buff, you are going to love a visit to the National History Museum. It was built in 1955 and showcased a lot of important collections that depict Taiwan's history. Dadaocheng Wharf has become a tourist attraction today along the Tamsui River. It used to be a major trade location before it transformed.

Things to do in Taipei City

Visiting Taipei 101 and going all the way up to the observatory must be on your itinerary. You will have to pay a nominal tariff to get up there, but it's all worth it. You can sign up for a guided sightseeing tour of the city or explore the city on your own, whichever suits you. Head over to Shilin Night Market to let your hair down, and party or you can just spend the night dining and shopping. Both are great ways to end the vacation. Sign up for a food tour of the city, if you find one. Right from the local street food to the fancy restaurants, you can pick your favourite once you've tried everything you felt like trying. In fact, you can also enrol yourself in a cooking class and learn to cook at least one Taiwanese cuisine. You can head back home after your holiday and show off your skills to your friends and family. It would be best if you headed to the Xinbeitou Hot Springs and this place will get rid of all the stress that you are going through. You can indulge in massage therapy or just enjoy the warm water and other healing therapies. You can also participate in any one of the festivals here that will help you socialise and learn more about the Taiwanese culture. The people here are very warm and welcoming so that you can feel safe here.

Foods and Restaurants in Taipei

Taipei is one city where you will find all sorts of cuisine. It is a modern city and caters to all kinds of taste buds. Though there are quite a few dishes here that are inspired by Chinese cuisine, the locals have managed to make Taiwanese food stand out. Gua bao is a popular pork belly dish that is quite popular in Taiwan; so is the oyster omelette. Taipei also has a lot of Indian restaurants like Mayur Indian Kitchen, Saffron Fine Indian Restaurant, Balle Balle Indian Restaurant and Ali Baba's Indian Kitchen. However, it is not very easy to find vegetarian food in the city. Mik-4ever Indian Restaurant is a popular restaurant that has quite a few options for vegetarian and vegan dishes. Hotpot and beef noodle soup are some of the other popularly ordered foods at restaurants here. The local street food at the night markets here are delightful, and you must try it. Ay-Chung Flour Rice Noodles is a very popular restaurant that you must try. The mee sua with braised pork intestine is a highly recommended dish at the restaurant. Fuhang Soy Milk is yet another popular restaurant in the city that serves traditional Taiwanese breakfast. You can also head to the Tao-Yuan Street Beef Noodle Shop for more variety in Taiwanese cuisine.

How to reach Taipei City

Taoyuan International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Taiwan. The flight connectivity to Taipei City from India is excellent. Cathay Pacific Airways, Dragonair and Singapore Airlines have frequent flights to Taipei City with layovers at Hong Kong and Singapore. If you book several weeks in advance, you will come across exciting flight deals to Taipei City online. During the offseason, you might even get cheap flight tickets to Taipei City. The Taoyuan airport is connected really well to other cities by road and rail. You can either book a cab from the airport or board a bus. You can also commute by train near the airport. The airport has premium lounges, WiFi, ATMs, currency exchange, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, massage services, information desks and so on. If you have to wait for a long time to board your flight, be assured that you will not get bored here. You can also book a hotel in Taipei City near the hotel for the last couple of days of your vacation, so you reach on time.

  About Abha

Located in the Aseer Province is the lush green city of Abha in Saudi Arabia. The city's proximity to the Red Sea and other intriguing geographical features give it a canvas, unlike the rest of Saudi Arabia. The city's Aseer National Park is famously known for being home to some of the exotic birds. It also houses dense juniper forests. The city is famed for its mild temperatures and is hence, a prominent tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.

Best time to visit Abha

Unlike some parts of Saudi Arabia, Abha actually enjoys some pleasant weather with equal summers and winters. In fact, it is one of the colder parts of Saudi, which enjoys a mild climate all year long. The temperatures go as high as 34 degree Celsius during summers and are surprisingly quite low during winters. In fact, there was a time when the recorded temperature crossed the negatives. While this might have happened in the past, the temperatures don't cross negatives anymore. However, it is one of the pleasant cities in Saudi Arabia with a lovely weather that makes travelling ideal for every season. The winter season in Abha is from December to February. During these months, the temperature could touch a staggering low, and you might need to carry enough parkas to ensure that you don't have trouble breathing. The city's rough climate does make it unfavourable to travel and engage in touristy activities. The season does see a drop in the hotel prices as well. If you are okay with the excessively cold winters in Abha, then you should book your tickets and hotels too.

June to September is considered to be the best season for a tourist excursion in Abha. The summers are quite decent as the temperatures don't touch beyond 34 degree Celsius. While it might seem too much for some people, it is actually quite convenient as there is less humidity in the air during this time. The hot and dry summers are tolerable as long as you carry proper bottles of water and hydrate yourself at all times. Out of the summer months, August is recognised as the best month to visit Abha. The city has perfect temperatures and doesn't require you to go beyond your limits to enjoy the vibe. The hotel prices in Abha during the peak season does see a surge though. Since many folks from around Saudi Arabia also flock over to Abha for a summer vacation, it could be a little crowded with a spike in the hotel prices. You might want to make prior bookings of flights and hotels in Abha if you want to evade the tourist crowd. Or you can avoid the tourist crowd altogether by visiting the city during spring, which is from March to May.

Places to visit in Abha

Abha's pride comes from the exquisite Green Mountain, which is located at the heart of the city. It is basically a mountain that has been lined up with green lights to complement the name. Abha Dam is another place that you should visit. The water body is surrounded by lovely land on all sides. There are many restaurants too around the dam that would add to the quaint vibe of the place. Do not miss the Art Street in Abha. It is more of a park laced with well-maintained streets and has shrubs on either side of the track. The place is beautiful, and you will have a good time hanging out here. You should also visit the Aseer National Park. Connected to the Jabal mountains, the coastal park has many cold spots. You would find the best air and vibe in the national park. Al Sahab Park is another such place that would keep you engaged. You will have to rent a car out and drive up to the amusement park. It is actually one of the first amusement parks that were constructed in Abha. The park is second to the Al Saudah Park, which is about 15 km away.

Things to do in Abha

Do not be surprised by the greenery that you will find in the desert city of Abha. As part of your excursion in Abha, you can visit Jabal Sawda by trekking up the peak. Aside from the Sawda, you should also trek up the trails of Jabal Ferwa. The two Saudi Arabian mountains would be cold, so make sure to carry a light jacket and lots of water. If trekking is not your thing, then you should visit Abu Kheyal Park. It is relaxing and has lovely floral trees lined up that adds to the beauty of the place. As the city has many parks and green spaces, you should also check out the Andalus Park. This place is especially perfect if you are travelling with kids. They can have fun on the slides while you can relax and enjoy the breeze while lying on the grass. As the city is surrounded by many parks and mountains, you will always be up for something to do.

Food and restaurants in Abha

Jalamah is a famous dish that you will find in the city. It is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish which is made from lamb. The meat is blended perfectly with Arabic spices consisting of cinnamon, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander. The aromatic stew certainly brings a lot of flavour on the plate that you would enjoy. Saleeg is another famous dish of the Saudis which is basically rice porridge topped with a marinated and roasted piece of meat. It could be lamb or chicken or any meat of your choice. The lovely dish is comforting and would be a nice indulgence. Another dish that you would find in Abha, a common Saudi meal is the Martabak. A roti-like bread is stuffed with ground meat, garlic, eggs, curry, peppers and onions. It is basically a Saudi version of a paratha. You can actually eat this when you are not in the mood to eat excessively. Do leave some room for dessert as the famous Saudi savour Ma'amoul is a must-have. It is basically a dome-shaped tasty sweet made with fillings of fruits, walnuts, dates and more.

The options of indulgence in Abha is minimal. The city does not have a plethora of food joints with international or fusion cuisine. The place is humble and serves most of Saudi-inspired menu at their restaurants. Most of their restaurants are for a family setting. You can find some tasty Saudi dishes along with plates of mezze meals. Some of the main restaurants include Al-Tahy, N Lounge, Maharaj Indian Restaurant, to name a few. The Green Mountain Restaurant is actually a good place for you to hang out with your family or friends. The place is perched atop a lovely hill and illuminates the scintillating lights of the city. The breath-taking view interspersed with tasty food is definitely unmissable. You can also get coffee and cake as the establishment serves a lot of things.

How to reach Abha

The flight connectivity to Abha is quite decent. Although there are no direct flights to Abha from Indian cities, there are flights connecting to the Saudi city. The most popular route to Abha is from Jeddah and Riyadh. Both the cities are located in Saudi Arabia, and this domestic route to Abha is perfect and well-connected. Airlines such as Air Arabia, Flynas, Saudia, flydubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, to name a few, have immaculate flight connectivity to Abha. A majority of these flights have layovers in Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai. These cities offer enough options to reach Abha and hence, are more popular. It is imperative that you get a transit visa as it is required in Saudi cities. Interestingly, Jeddah and Riyadh are the only cities where you will need a transit visa. You can either get it from the embassy, or you can apply for the same online. Saudi Arabia's embassy website has the form that you need to fill out to apply for the transit visa. The flight duration to Abha ranges from 11 hours to 13 hours approximately.

The domestic route from Jeddah is considered to reach Abha. Since flight connectivity to Jeddah is much better than Abha, it is often a better way to reach the Saudi city. The flight tickets to Abha are quite reasonable. The ticket price to Abha ranges from INR 19,000 to INR 25,000. You can actually get tickets to Abha for cheap, provided you spend time on the internet and get hold of some flight deals. A little snooping around on the internet will help you find the best flight deals to Abha online. Along with the flight tickets, you can also book your hotel in Abha. This will actually enable you to receive more discounts and offers. You will have to check for peak season as the flight tickets will be expensive during this time.

About Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines which was previously referred to as Philippine AirLines, is the national flag carrier of the Philippines. The airline's headquarters is located at the PNB (Philippine National Bank) Financial Centre in Pasay. Philippine Airlines came into existence in 1941 and is recognised as the first and oldest commercial airline across Asia which continues to operate under its original name. Out of the several secondary hubs that Philippine Airlines operates from, its main hub is at Ninoy Aquino International Airport of Manila. Meanwhile, the other important hubs include Francisco Bangoy International Airport of Davao, Mactan-Cebu International Airport of Cebu and Clark International Airport of Angeles. The airline serves about 31 top destinations that are spread across 54 overseas cities in Southeast Asia, East Asia, North America, Middle East, Europe and Oceania. Basically, Philippine Airlines has a strong domestic route and international route connectivity with a slew of destinations across major hubs. The airline also operates a mixed fleet which comprises of Airbus and Boeing aircraft.

The airline initially called Philippine Air Lines in the time of its genesis, suffered from some serious losses during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. The financial concerns gave rise to complications in the operations of Philippine Airlines, leading to the airline being regarded as the biggest corporate. Due to this incident, the airline's management had to further downsize much of its international operations and completely cut off international routes such as the Middle East and Europe. Eventually, they also had to shut down several domestic routes and flights, except for the flights that were en-route Manila. The fleet size was also drastically reduced as thousands of employees were laid off. The inability to meet with the financial obligations, Philippine Airlines was eventually placed under receivership in 1998. Gradually, the airline started to restore its operations and eventually gain its momentum. By 2007, Philippine Airlines finally managed to get out of the receivership. New management came into existence, following exit from receivership and the airline's operations were further revamped and enhanced.

Philippine Airlines' main vision is to become a premier carrier across Asia and regain its position as one of the top airlines. The airline is owned by PAL Holdings which is a holding company that was established specifically to handle management and operations of Philippine Airlines. The company is basically owned by a bunch of companies that are owned by entrepreneur Lucio Tan. All Nippon Airways' holding company, ANA Holdings, also has a 9.5 percent of shares in Philippine Airlines' holding company. In terms of gross revenue, Philippine Airlines is the ninth-largest corporation prevalent in the Philippines. The same was stated in 2017's Philippines' Top 100 Largest Corporations list. As of 2018, Philippine Airlines' staff strength stands at 6,689, which also includes about 999 pilots and 2,647 cabin crew. In terms of revenue passenger kilometres that is flown, Philippine Airlines stands at the sixty-first spot in the world. As of 2016, the airline has recorded passenger traffic of about 16 million. In its 76-year history, Philippine Airlines showed a net profit of USD 140.3 million for the first time in the year 2007. The airline has been recognised as one of the Most Improved Airlines of 2019, as on the airlineratings.com.

Fleet size of Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines' fleet size stands at 72 aircraft. The airline accommodates a mix of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft that have been acquired from five variants of the Airbus family along with a Boeing aircraft. These include Airbus A320, Airbus A321neo, Airbus A330, the wide-body aircraft and Airbus' flagship Airbus A3350 and the Boeing 777. Philippine Airlines' liveries have undergone some massive changes ever since its inception. When it started as Philippine Air Lines (PAL) with the livery stating the same. With many changes in the airline's branding and management, it further went through some noticeable alterations with its liveries too. The most recent livery which is used on all Philippine Airlines flights is a Eurowhite livery. It was established in 1986, following a corporate rebranding of the airline. This specific livery simply has the name Philippines superimposed on the front part of the fuselage and is written in italics. The tail of the aircraft is painted with Philippine Airlines' logo, and the rear of the aircraft has also painted the country's flag. Logo of Philippine Airlines has also been painted on the aircraft's winglets.

Baggage Allowance

Philippine Airlines has reserved some special baggage allowance that depends on the international destinations chosen by the traveller. On the baggage allowance page of the airline's official website, travellers can find a detailed list of categories and the baggage allowance reserved accordingly. For passengers from Asia, the airline allows about 25 kg weight which is incorporated for passengers with the ticket types Economy Supersave, Economy Saver, Economy Value and Economy Flex. As for passengers who are travelling by Premium Economy, the maximum weight for checked baggage that Philippines Airlines allows is 30 kg. The business class passengers receive better baggage allowance as the airline has reserved 35 kg per for checked baggage. Philippine Airlines has mentioned that the passenger cannot exceed the weight of the baggage beyond 32 kg. In case the baggage does exceed the said weight, the airline would ask the passenger to repack and accommodate items that fall within the baggage allowance bracket. Along with the baggage allowance, the dimension of the baggage is also very important and should not exceed 158 cm.

In-flight services

Philippines Airlines might have had to compromise with their crew due to the financial crisis. However, they have since brought back their employees and worked towards upgrading their in-flight services. The airline has enhanced the seating of their fleet with the best reclining seats. Further, they have also accommodated comfortable legroom and armrest. Other perks of Philippines Airlines' in-flight services also include their entertainment systems that have been attached in their long-haul flights. Not to mention how the airline caters to some lip-smacking in-flight meals.

Popular routes and top cities of Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines has an extensive international route and domestic route connectivity across several destinations in the world. They are presently serving none domestic destinations along with 53 international destinations. These destinations are spread across 24 countries across a majority of continents. Although many of their operations to a bunch of cities have been suspended for now. Europe and Middle East operations have been suspended for now and might be revoked, depending on the position of the airline. As of 2020, Philippine Airlines has services to cities namely Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Phnom Penh, Toronto, Vancouver, Beijing, Quanzhou, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guam, Hong Kong, Denpasar, Jakarta, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo (Haneda and Narita), Macau, Auckland, Bacolod, General Santos, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Doha, Dammam, Riyadh, Singapore, Busan, Jeju, Seoul, Taipei, Bangkok, Dubai, London, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Hanoi, Seattle and Ho Chi Minh City. Further, the airline also has codeshare agreements with airlines such as Air Macau, Cathay Pacific, Hawaiian Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines, WestJet, All Nippon Airways, China Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Turkish Airlines, XiamenAir, Bangkok Airways, Garuda Indonesia, PAL Express and Vietnam Airlines. With these codeshare agreements, the airline's connectivity has been enhanced with more destinations under its wing. However, they are the main destinations present in the Pacific Ocean and Asia.

Why travel by Philippine Airlines?

Philippine Airlines offers a mileage plan called Mabuhay Miles. The plan basically enables the member to avail several exquisite offers ranging from birthday discounts to freebies and discounts when shopping at some of their affiliated brands. In fact, they also have other offers with respect to travel and accommodation that is sure to attract the attention of prospective members. The miles accumulated can also be converted into flight tickets as one of the offers.

While their mileage plan is quite exciting, some of their other benefits with respect to international route destinations and connectivity within the Philippines is just as excellent. Travellers can book Philippine Airlines flight tickets and pick from some of their destinations which range from Hawaii to Dubai. They basically have a worldwide presence which makes it easier for passengers who wish to visit places that are not well-connected by bigger airlines.

Further, to enhance the passenger's experience with Philippine Airlines, the airline has also worked on improving the user interface of their website. It has introduced several new features online such as web check-in options, updates on flight status and a detailed note on baggage allowance. To know more about the flights, you can check out Philippines Airlines' flight schedule on their website. Passengers can also book a Philippines Airlines flight ticket with the utmost ease. Following the booking of a ticket, the traveller will receive all details regarding their flight, the baggage allowance, the in-flight services and whether they are eligible for airport lounge access. Travellers do not need to be members of the airline's mileage plan to receive some of the benefits and discounts. The same can be availed by booking flight tickets of Philippines Airlines online.