Visa On Arrival Shenzhen (Dari Hongkong)

HALOOO SEMUAAA..!

Ok, jadi ini blog pertama gw pake Bahasa Indonesia dan kali ini gw mau sharing pengalaman gw bikin visa untuk masuk ke Shenzhen dari Hongkong! 

Jadi, berbeda dengan Hongkong, Macau dan negara-negara yang tergabung dalam ASEAN, untuk masuk ke China (People's Republic of China (PRC)), pemegang paspor Indonesia diharuskan untuk memiliki visa. Nah, Shenzhen ini juga salah satu bagian dari PRC!

Nah, untuk mendapatkan visa ini - seperti visa lainnya - kita bisa apply dari kedutaan besar PRC di negara tempat kita tinggal, misal: Indonesia - Jakarta. Dan bisa pilih mau prosesnya agak lama, atau bayar lebih! info lebih lengkapnya bisa cek disini: http://www.visaforchina.org/. 

Jadi kalau kita bikin visa di Indonesia - apply sendiri, tanpa lewat tour agent - untuk regular applications, single entry, total biayanya Rp540.000,-. Nah, kalau saya bikin di Singapore, visa yang sama, harganya S$85! Ini belum ngitung trnasport ke sana untuk drop berkas dan ambil visa, harus cuti, nguber kerjaan, dll. 

Berita baiknya adalah untuk pemegang paspor Indonesia, kita bisa juga apply visa-on-arrival kalau kita masuk ke Shenzhen dari Hongkong! Prosesnya jauh lebih cepat dan jauh lebih murah! Dengan catatan: Visa ini cuma berlaku selama 5 hari untuk di Shenzhen [tidak bisa ke kota lain]. Dari hasil baca sharing2 di internet si katanya ada yang ditolak juga, tapi waktu saudara saya telpon tanya ke bordernya, kayanya si paspor Indonesia bisa ya.. Puji Tuhan, saya si waktu itu dapet visanya.

Jadi untuk apply visa ini, kita harus 'nyebrang' lewat Lo Wu Border. Border ini cuma bisa dijangkau lewat MTR [Lo Wu Station]. Begitu sampe di Lo Wu, ikutin aja petunjuk arah Exit - Shenzhen. jalan terus sampai keluar imigrasi Hongkong.

Keluar MTR di Lo Wu Station dan ikuti arah ini

Ikutin terus lagi jalan nya, cari tulisan "Port Visa" dan naik eskalator ke atas!

TADAAA! disanalah kantor visa nya. Buka dari jam 07.00 sampai 23.30! Ok ternyata disini ga boleh foto2 gaes.. jadi yah ga bisa di share gimana bentuknya, tapi kalo pas ke sono, pasti keliatan kok! pintu kaca dan banyak loket sama tempat duduk! Nah di depan pintu kaca ini akan ada meja dan formulir [kaya meja bank yang tempat isi form itu]. Jadi urutan untuk apply nya begini:

1. Isi Formulir

2. Masuk ke ruangan, ambil nomer urut di mesin deket pintu

3. Tunggu giliran, pas dipanggil, kasih papor sama formulir yang kita isi tadi ke petugas di loket

4. Biasanya disuruh duduk lagi buat tunggu prosesnya.

5. Pas dipanggil, ke loket tempat bayar, bayar RMB168! [cuma Rp300.000an gaes!]

6. TADAA!! Udah ada visa nempel di paspor! lanjut ke imigrasi shenzhen!

Total prosesnya ga sampe setengah jam! Ga perlu repot bolak balik kedutaan dan hampir 1/3 harga bikin di Singapore! Oh my... Tapi inget, bayarnya harus CASH dan harus pake RMB [atau Yuan, mata uang China]. Setelah keluar imigrasi Shenzhen, ini sudah langsung di metro station! semacam MRT nya shenzhen, jadi kemana2 gampang!

Stasiun Metro Luohu - Shenzhen

Tadinya sih jujur gw agak ragu untuk visa-on-arrival, takut kalo ditolak gimana dong? Kalo sendiri si gapapa, lah gw perginya sama bonyok. Mereka ga mau ambil resiko dan udah apply di indo! Tapi kalo buat kalian yang travel sama temen ato sendiri, apalagi kalau jadwalnya flexible. Menurut gw sih ini solusi banget. Kalo dapet, lanjut! Ga dapet [which is very unlikely, i think], yaudah main lg di Hongkong.

Major tips kalo ke china: DOWNLOAD OFFLINE TRANSLATION DI GOOGLE TRANSLATE sebelom masuk China. Kenapa? 1. Google di blok di china, imagine life w/o google guys! 2. Gw buta huruf cina! I literally said "thank you for speaking English" sama salah satu karyawan di salah satu resto di mall. jadi inget, download ini! Apps ini bisa live translate dari kamera! *mindblown*

Ok, ini sedikit sharing gw tentang visa-on-arrival di Shenzhen! Ohya, gw bikin post ini pake Bahasa Indonesia karena ini berkaitan dengan paspor Indonesia, dan yah yang punya paspor Indonesia kan orang2 Indo lah ya.. semoga bermanfaat!

Ohya, aku jaaauhhh lebih aktif di Instagram daripada blog ini, jadi untuk update yang lebih cepet atau kalau ada yang mau nanya2, monggo contact saya di @anthony.ali

GOD Bless~~

TWINS Korean Restaurant

닭집 이다....!!!

I and some of my friends were exploring a little bit of Tanjong Pagar the other day and maaannn...! there really are Korean restaurants EVERYWHERE. From K-BBQ, Bars to 치킨 집. No wonder some call this area "Little Korea".

After wandering for a good 2 hours [or so], the sun was setting and it's time for dinner! We were standing in front of this place deciding what to eat when a random stranger told us "they serve really good fried chicken, we just finished 20 of them." WHUT? Coming from a random ang-moh who obviously did not get paid to say this, it's pretty much decided.

The Place was quite busy, but Thank God there was no queue, so we went right in and find ourself an empty table. After scanning through the menu, Here's our order:

• Black-bean Noodle [짜장면],
• Spicy seafood noodle soup [짬뽕],
• Garlic-Soy boneless Chicken, and
• Seafood Pancake. [해물파전]

our dinner sans jjampong cos it's taking longer to prepare [i guess] and my mates waz hangry

Black-bean Noodle - S$16.90++

Honestly, I was most excited for this one when we placed out order. You know... Jjajangmyon - Korean culture - Korean TV shows. They always have this, don't they? Besides, I've tried jjajangmyon from a few different place here in Singapore, so my expectation was kinda high.

Not bad! In fact, I enjoyed it. so much so I kinda refused to eat the jjampong at first. I like how the noodles are thick and chewy. The sauce was a beautiful mix of sweet and savory with pork chunks and onions. just take a slice of their kimchi for each bite, and you're good to go.

Jjampong - S$16.90++

This was definitely the star of the night. I was quite skeptical at first, thinking it'll be like any spicy noodle. Then as I was trying to taking a few snaps, the aromatic wok-hei surprised me. Thought I smell it wrongly but maaaannn t'was really coming from this bowl, And I LOVE it.
They must've stir fried the ingredients before turning them into a flavorful soup. Not to mention they're quite generous with the portion.

Being a kampong-noob [have never been to Korea - #sob], I was told that this is how it's normally cooked in Korea. Ah~ at least I got a taste of it already. #lol

Garlic-Soy boneless Chicken - S$20++ [half]

Crispy, Well-seasoned, Flavorful plate of fried chicken never fails. Especially the one labeled as "Best Seller" on the menu. This particular one comes with especially strong garlic flavor. So if you enjoy garlic as much as I do, this is a good thing. Otherwise, you might want to choose something else.

Seafood Pancake - S$20++

I have not much to say about this, just imagine a huge not so crispy veggie fritters, filled with leek and chunks of seafoods. that is exactly how it taste like.

Kimchi

So on my way to the toilet I, saw this box of korean-goodness. diz iz awesome guys!

PSA: you need to ASK for their kimchi because it's SO GOOD but they don't serve it by default like other korean restaurants. and yes, it's FREE.

We spent a total of S$81.20 for 4 pax.

The aftermath.

And oh! I'm not much of a drinker, but if you fancy alcohol, might wanna try their ice cream beer and Twins also serve range of soju like...

Ambience:

Table-set with free wet towel. Yes, free. not the kind of place that trap you into paying for these.

Twins Korean Restaurant – Fried Chicken
7 Craig Rd, 089667
Monday – Saturday: 11:30AM-3PM, 5PM-12AM
Sunday: 5pm – 11pm
Phone: +65 6221 5205/ +65 90063875
http://twins.sg/
https://www.facebook.com/Twins.Korean.Restaurant

Say Hi and follow me on Instagram @anthony.ali for more recent updates!

Palembang Food Trail - Part 2

Hi there!

Here's the part 2 of Palembang food trail! I know it's late, but.. better than never, ya? :)
If you're new here, check out the 1st post here.

Basically it's me sharing some of the eateries I’d recommend you to visit if – by any chance – you are visiting Palembang. So without further due, check this out~~~

Ps: This list is not in particular order. 🤓

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Beringin

Pempek [left], Nasi Goreng Samin [Right]

One of the original pempek shop which survived through years, and evolved into a one-stop Palembang food restaurant and souvenir shop. Selling [almost if not all] kinds of Palembang delicacies from meals, dishes, snacks, crackers, desserts, even frozen ones - ready to be taken wherever you go next! So if you're into convenient, here you go.

Amongst all their pempek, I'd say I fancy their 'pempek kulit' and 'pempek pistel' the most. Meal-wise, Nasi Goreng Samin have got to be my favorite. Red fried rice, topped with flavourful minced beef, some pickled vegs, 'emping', and sambal. Wouldn't recommend the 'celimpungan' tho, tried it one time, #meh.

There are a few branches throughout the town, but the most convenient one got to be this relatively-new one at Jl. Rajawali.

Price Range: idr.40-60K/pax

Beringin Rajawali
Address: Jalan Rajawali No.14, 9 Ilir, Ilir Timur II, 9 Ilir, Ilir Tim. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30113, Indonesia
Phone: +62 887-7383-241
Hours: 7AM–11PM

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Martabak Manis

Half corn-cheese, Half Choco-cheese Martabak

Popular. Loved my many. Calorie bomb!
This is probably the most popular street food x dessert from Indonesia. Similar to Peanut pancake we have here in Singapore, but the more bold, oily, sweet, flavourful, calorie packed one.

In Palembang, there are 2 highly popular street-vendors for this. Martabak Pulau Mas, and Martabak Atet. Some people treating this 2 somewhat like apple - samsung thing. One side keep saying the other ones are less nice. But me being me, I enjoy 'em both. #lol.

Nowadays, a lot of new 'hip' toppings - like nutella / kitkat / cream cheese / oreo -  are bombarding the martabak world but for me, a good ol-day classics like Chocolate, peanuts, cheese, corn, raisins, and sesame will always hold a special place in my heart. Good thing you don;t really have to choose only 1 topping, yeap! you can personalise your martabak, your way. Personally, my ultra-favourite topping combinations are cheese-corn, followed by choco-cheese and choco-peanut. But the last time I had it, it was half cheese-corn and half choco-cheese. BEST!

Price Range: idr.30-80K/box depending on the topping(s)

Martabak Pulau Mas
Address: Jl Kol. Atmo, samping ex hotel king, Palembang
Hours: around 5PM–12AM

Martabak Atet
Address: Jl. Dempo Luar, 15 Ilir, Ilir Tim. I, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30111, Indonesia
Hours: 5PM–12AM

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Kwetiau Ali

Kwetiau Siram

Kwetiau Goreng

For me, this one is more like a trip down the memory lane than a fantastic eatery. Been eating this since I was little, and a plate of these foods sure taste comforting. A humble by-the-road shop, no aircon, no fancy cutleries or table setting, yet loved by many. Also,  The Kwetiau they serve here is a typical Jambi Kwetiau. One-of-a-kind: thick and less-springy.

They're specialising in kwetiau [DUH!] but fret not cause they sell rice, noodle, and bee-hoon as well! All cooked using a huge wok, resulting in the fragrant smell. Mainly their menus are -goreng [stir-fried], and -siram [stir-fried with gravy]. So there you have it! just combine the main ingredient and the way of cooking - eg: Kwetiau Goreng / Kwetiau Siram / Mee Goreng / Mee Siram / etc. By default, everything you order will contain shrimp, meatball, sliced fishball, some green veggies and beansprout.

Personally, I like their kwetiau goreng and i'll order the gravy [we call it "Liao"] separately. Why not order kwetiau siram instead? cause with kwetiau goreng, they stir-fried it longer, thus it's more fragrant and flavourful! top it with the gravy? YUMZ!

ps. my brother is also one of a kind, he eats the nasi goreng with gravy.
pps. it's not my family's. 

Price Range: idr.35-50K/pax

Kwetiau Ali
Address: Jl. Bangau, Duku, Ilir Tim. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30114, Indonesia
Phone: +62 821-7833-5007
Hours: 4PM–10:30PM

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Lomie Taksam

One of the most popular breakfast shop in town!
Ask any of your Chinese-Indonesian friends who are from Palembang, chances are they've tried this. multiple times. This stall has grown from a humble old-house shop to a more restaurant-like now! 
Serving thick yellow noodle with super thick gravy topped with GENEROUS amount of sliced pork, shrimps, mushrooms and garlic. One liao-full noodle indeed! [Apparently now they serve wanton noodle as well]

Honestly, this is probably my least favorite noodle in town, but when i posted this on my Instagram, it's like a magnet to A LOT of my hometown buddies who lives out of town. Apparently it's loved by many. Thus included in this list.


Price Range: idr.35-50K/pax

Lomie Taksam
Address: Jl. Letda Abdul Rozak No.23, Duku, Ilir Tim. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30114, Indonesia
Phone: +62 711 714103
Hours: 6AM–1PM

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Ayam Kalasan Puspa Sari

Ayam Kalasan + Tempe Bacem + Lalapan + Sayur Asem set, Orange Juice.

Another old-time fav of mine! Javanese 'ayam kalasan' at it's best. Sweet fried chicken, those tempeh 'bacem' and sambal... YUM! a little bit pricier side but... worth every cent! Also, while you're at it, try their 'Tahu Telor' as well.

Price Range: idr.50-70K/pax

Ayam Kalasan Puspa Sari
Address: Jl. Jend. Sudirman No.403, Sungai Pangeran, Ilir Tim. I, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30126, Indonesia
Phone: +62 711 312235
Hours: 8AM–10PM


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Sour Sally

Black Sakura Riche

Black Sakura Lykone [left], Black Sakura Medium w/ Mochi and Longan [right]

Not exactly indonesian food nor it is only available in Palembang. But I'm glad they're in town! Fell in love with the Bblack sakura froyo [with active charcoal] the first time I tried it back in Jakarta and I gotta say this is my fav froyo to date. [YES - if you're wondering - I tried Llao Llao]

Black sakura is available in 4 sizes, small [1 topping], medium [2 toppings], Lykone [in cone] and riche [like llao llao's Sanum!] I personally prefer to have the medium sized topped with longan and their signature mochi!


Price Range: idr.55-60K/pax

Sour Sally Palembang Icon
Address: Jl. Angkatan 45 Kios 51 Lt. LG No. 21, Palembang, Indonesia

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El’s Coffee

Calling all coffee-addicts, Get your caffeine fix here! #betterthanstarbucks. A proper cafe, convenient parking, nice, spacious place, proper and affordable coffee, with beautiful latte art! not a coffee person? well, they have bunch of other drinks for you to enjoy! That's not all, meals, snacks, desserts [including cakes] are available too!

Personally, I enjoy their latte, be it cafe latte or Latte Macchiato. Might or might not be because of the latte art #smirk.

Price Range: idr.50-60K/pax

El's Coffee
Address: Jl. Rajawali, 9 Ilir, Ilir Tim. II, Kota Palembang, Sumatera Selatan 30114, Indonesia

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There you go..! those up there are some of my recommendations on where to eat in Palembang. There are still a few old-time popular eateries in town that are not in the list [yet], not bcs they're not good, more cause I didn't manage to visit 'em this few times round. lol. Probably I'll cover more of them at other time!

Till next time...

Say Hi and follow me on Instagram @anthony.ali for more recent updates!