Travel
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Elephant Sanctuary, Chiang Mai | Thailand
I’m a huge animal lover, and Chiang Mai is definitely well-known for it’s many rescued elephants. Riding an elephant might seem like a pretty awesome bucket list, but supporting such act is cruel to these amazing animals. We opt for a day giving the elephants a much deserving spa, and get to know them up-close. We were picked up by the driver, who whisk us and 6 others from different hotels and race on our way to the sanctuary. It was about an hour drive up north, and definitely was a pleasant ride. Nothing more. The moment we arrived, we were greeted by some decent hot pad thai, fruits, a…
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Chiang Mai, the hidden gem in Thailand
Hello, I’m back! It’s been a while since I have blogged, maybe I have very little to talk about, or perhaps just too lazy to ‘be in the moment’ and document things a little lesser. Either WAY, I’m back – and fresh from a family vacation to Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai. Traveling from anywhere in Asia, Chiang Mai is a great short weekend destination, and definitely have tons to offer. Here is a short guide on how you can spend 3 days in Chiang Mai at ease. #Traveltips : Do go on a weekend, as I loveeee the Sunday Night Market. 1.5km of markets with very unique, different things to see, buy…
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Pullman Phuket Arcadia , our favourite playground
So we got married at Pullman Phuket Arcadia a few years back, so coming back here was an amazing walk down memory lane (pun intended) along the protected Naithon beach. Firstly, we were welcome back with much love: a platter of fruits ornately arranged in a cubic shape, alongside with an actual cubic. We love the surrounding beaches too, from the Sirinat national park where we did some light snorkeling and Banana beach for some serious waves, and just lazy time in the pool. The breakfast spread in Pullman is amazing, from Bloody Mary stations, proper waffles, Thai noodle soup, ham, and many more. For cheaper food option, right along…
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Matsusaka beef : Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M, Osaka
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a big foodie, and visiting Japan definitely satisfy much of that! Two years back, I have made a trip to Kobe to experience the hyped Kobe beef, and the hype was indeed true. This time around, we set our goals to try out Matsusaka – the Japanese black beef, to see if we need a pitstop to Kobe. Boy, we were not disappointed. In fact, it was so great, that we did it twice! We picked Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M, and picked the platters to share. We chose the platter for tasting with 6 different parts that comes with vegetables as well. Firstly, to grill…
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Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
On the last day of our Japan trip this year, we have a good half day to kill. I have always been a huge fan of Aquarium, and Osaka’s Kaiyukan is something special. We took a short boat ride from Universal Studio via the Captain Line, and the ticket was slightly reduced when purchasing it with the Kaiyukan’s entrance fee. The moment we enter, we were greeted by a beautiful walkway; tunnel-shaped tank with amazing rays and fishes. Next, we took a quick escalator, going all the way up to the top, and move your way down slowly. Firstly, we saw the Japanese forest and see some of the tiny small-clawed otters,…
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Pike place market , Seattle
Pike place is a market with charm from the 80s. Every store around it is a gem, with very authentic and marketplace buzz. I particularly love the Beecher’cheese store, the spice shop, the many fruits and vegetables store, the pasta store, oh my it’s heaven for foodie! I can’t do justice with the amount of things I’ve seen and those that I’ve not had the chance to try out, so I’ll definitely put that on my list for a redo. There are many restaurants and musicians around, enough to make you spend many hours here exploring! #Traveltips : If you really want to go to Starbucks, be sure to…
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Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle
I was fortunate enough to visit Seattle for the second time in 2 years, and this time around, me and my girls bought a City pass and did our very best to maximized it. Chihuly Garden and Glass by Dale Chihuly will always be one of my favorite gallery. I just love the art and emotion, the movement and interpretation on every single piece that is so carefully(or lack of it) put through and I love it all ! You can watch the demonstration of glass art making, and it was really entertaining and informative as well. #Traveltips : Check out their website just in case you may be disappointed…
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Enmaru – The Altitude, Jakarta
Japanese food is one of my favorite cuisine in the world, and so when I was at Jakarta for business, I look frantically for it. Enmaru, at The Altitude was full of surprises to my palate, with a great ambiance and affordable price range. One note-worthy dish is their Foie Gras Chawanmushi (~7SGD). It’s tiny but mighty ( literally the size of a shot). The yakiniku was great, and you can’t really go wrong randomly ordering from their menu (this, I’ve learnt)! #TravelTips : I highly recommend making reservations for window seats, so you can enjoy great food and view at the same time. About Enmaru Location :Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta…
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Wildlife spotting along Kinabatangan | Sandakan
Continuing our experience in Sabah with an amazingly easy and rewarding trip to Sandakan. (Check out Kota Kinabalu too! ) I would say it is one of the best wildlife spotting experience I have ever had, thanks to an amazing group of guides( ours called Lat!) that went above and beyond to ensure we have the most memorable trip. First and foremost, we start our trip at the conservatory for both Orang Utan, learnt a little about Sepilok’s conservation efforts and Orang Utan’s characteristics, and move on to the Sun Bear Conservatory, which was right next door. It was a pleasant ride the whole way with active engagement and funny facts and encounters from the guides. Onward,…
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Kota Kinabalu | Island hopping
My in-laws were in town for about 2 weeks. This time around, Stef and I would liked to show them the beauty of Malaysia. We have decided to do a trip to Kota Kinabalu for the islands, Sandakan for the wildlife, and Kuantan – my home sweet home for a quick stroll. #visitmalaysia First stop: Singapore – Kota Kinabalu It was easy to get around Kota Kinabalu, taxi was cheap – and getting to the islands are super convenient. We walk to the Jetty from our hotel ; and chose Sapi Island for day 1. Sapi Island was beautiful. The boat ride was slightly disappointing looking at the amount of…