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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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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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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…
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A trip down under| Margaret River and around
Quick itinerary view : 3 days 2 nights out of Perth Perth – Fremantle – Margaret River – Mandurah – Penguin Island – Airport I personally am a beach bum, so our day trips to wrap up our vacation was without a doubt the easiest to plan. We drove from Perth towards Margaret River, passing through Fremantle market, and back to Mandurah the day after for ease of going back to the airport. We took our own pace, enjoying one beach after another, strolling through vineyards, and do practically nothing at all (the best kind of vacation). On the way from Perth, we drove through Fremantle to the famous Fremantle market.…
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A trip down under | Sand-surfing, Lancelin
Remember when I said I have sand in my hair for the whole week? Here’s why! There are quite a number of sand dunes along our drive from lunch at Lobster Shack. It was definitely a great experience for us, even my parents enjoyed it! If you are sensible, it’s quite a safe sport for anyone (unless falling into soft sand hurts for you). It’s quite a sight, but the climb to the peak for a 10 -15 seconds slide down and lugging a slightly heavy board all the way up the hill is quite a task for someone who’s not as fit (I’m that someone). #FunTips : Rub the wax…
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A trip down under | Pinnacles Desert, Lake Thetis
Day 3: We drove up to the Pinnacles Desert, had some amazing lobsters, got sand in my hair for the next 7 days from the sand dunes, and checked out the wonder of stromatolites – all in a comfortable relaxing full day trip. To start, the Pinnacles Desert was really a sight to behold within Nambung National Park. The drive towards it from the city was rather pleasant with impressive view of the white sand, sea, and Australian bushes (some burnt ones). We stopped at a few viewpoints, and stumble upon a wonderful empty beach as well. *Couldn’t resist the jump shot, mind me* The drive within Pinnacles was amazing.…
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A trip down under | Twilight Hawker’s market
In the evening, we visited the Twilight Hawker’s market. Twilight Hawkers’ market features over 50 stalls (perhaps more?) that does every cuisine and dish imaginable. From Turkish to Thai, Greek to good ol’ burgers and desserts (honey cakes,gourmet marshmallows, gelato, and more!), this place was heavenly! There was live music and the entire space smells incredible with a huge crawl of hungry people. It was definitely worth a visit looking that there is practically nothing to do besides eating out in Perth after 5pm, and we love food (obviously)! #TravelTips : The only issue here is getting a decent place to sit – so be creative (get a mat or something)!…