CRUISE TO NOWHERE (COVID’19)

OTHERS

Bored of staycays? Yes. Need a break? Also yes. My friend & I had booked for a cruise trip in November. I have been to cruise once when I was younger, but I was too young to remember how the experience was like. We decided to go with Dream cruise because they offers halal friendly food options. I guess one thing to take note from the cruise trip is that, apart from your booking payment, you still have to pay a gratuity fee of $24 per night/per person. All the other activities and food are pretty much paid off (some activities are not free).

Few weeks before your trip, you will receive an email from the cruise company for online check-in. Once done you will receive your ART test appointment timing. I was allocated to the 11am slot, which is for the first group. Test results were out in 30 minutes. It was a pretty smooth process. The immigration gate opens around 12:30 (I had to wait longer since I am in the first group) and the ship was ready for boarding by 2 PM. Checking out was really smooth as well, it was all done in about 30 minutes. We stayed in deck 10 and they have cleared the floor around 10:30 AM.

Food options was just average to me. You can never go hungry in the cruise as there are 24/7 snacks bar. On my first night the snack choices were not the best though. It can be better, but it is not the worst!

Our balcony stateroom was on the east side of the ship so we managed to catch the beautiful sunrise on the first morning. The bed is so comfortable, and the room is SO cold. It is quite spacious for 2 pax. There was nothing new to watch on the TV, but good thing is I brought my Nintendo Switch games just in case we have some free time to play.

Shows: there are 2 free shows which is available for booking once you are onboard. The slots run out pretty fast so it is advised to have the app handy before you board. If you did not manage to book any slots, I believe they do accept walk ins based on the availability. I’d totally recommend going for Jolly Holly, their performances are exceptional.

Free activities: Rock climbing, table tennis and mini golf are available for booking upon walk in (on the same day itself), swimming/jacuzzi slots are open for 1 hr per day upon availability, ropes courses & zip-line are available on walk in, waterslides operates for 2 sessions per day and it is available upon walk in as well; we went there around 12pm and there were no queue at all!

Staycation in Singapore during Pandemic (Covid’19)

OTHERS

It has been 2 years since Covid started. Infection rates in Singapore had increased ever since the measures were lighten as we slowly transition to ‘endemic’ phase. A couple of my friends were tested positive once. I was once or twice, were in contact with a Covid patient but thankfully, I was not infected. Not too sure how this virus spreads honestly. If you get it, you get it. Sooner or later this is going to be a norm, and eventually everyone will get it. It is a good thing though that almost everyone in Singapore are vaccinated – though we are not sure how much longer can the vaccine sustain. I feel like the best we can do now is to take safety precautions; especially if you are going to have a group gathering and such – it is better to get ART tested first. At times like this, it is so SO important to be responsible. Enough of the covid rant, let’s get started on the topic of this post: staycation.

Of course, I had a couple of staycations during this tough times (it is the most we can do to unwind from our stressful busy life). Honestly I am tired of staycations by now, lol. Can’t wait till we can actually start travelling again, well as a matter of fact we can now travel with the vaccinated travel lanes options open – but it is still rather early a.k.a risky to travel hence I shall wait a little longer and observe the situation. Below are the list of hotels I have been to during this Covid period. Try to make a guess which is my ultimate favourite hotel based on my list below :’)

1. ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Singapore

📍 11 Cove Drive, #01-01, Sentosa Cove, Singapore 098497
Cost: About $200 per night

Pros: Spacious room and toilet, amazing swimming pool, peaceful hotel surroundings
Cons: Maybe food options are pretty limited in the area, but food delivery is the answer

2. Sofitel City Centre Singapore

📍 9 Wallich St, Singapore 078885
Cost: About $150 per night

Pros: Spacious hotel room, early check in, great service, speaker in the room
Cons: Swimming pool were rather dirty, breakfast options

3. Yotel Air Orchard

📍 366 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238904
Cost: About $150 per night

Pros: Smart bed, pillows were too soft but can request for change upon request, nicely design compartments for a small space, really affordable rates, HDMI is just next to the bed (which is pretty convenient to connect your laptop to the tv)
Cons: Room size is rather small, small pool, choice of breakfast is really limited

4. The Fullerton Bay, Singapore

📍 80 Collyer Quay, Singapore 049326
Cost: About $500 per night

Pros: The view is amazing, SMART TV option available, nice jacuzzi (they even serve you a glass of water during your pool session), free bath salts, speaker in the room
Cons: Our check in time were delayed but they gave us late check out (can be considered as a pros), Quite pricey

5. Andaz Singapore

📍 5 Fraser St, Singapore 189354
Cost: About $150 per night

Pros: 36 hours in Andaz (just nice for a short getaway - 9am to 9pm next day), room is beautiful, great service, bidet in the toilet (rare), speaker in the room
Cons: Can't think of anything really

6. Dusit Thani Singapore

📍 11 Laguna Golf Green, Singapore 488047
Cost: About $150 per night

Pros: Peaceful surroundings, gorgeous restaurant, amazing pool
Cons: Golf club nearby is for members only, floats were not allowed, our room window were dirty (we were just unlucky)

7. Shangri-La Sentosa

📍 101 Siloso Rd, 098970
Cost: About $150 per night

Pros: Holiday resort vibes, spacious room, amazing beach facilities, pool view, 2 hours of booking per day for beach/pool, good variety of breakfast selection
Cons: Maybe not having toilet bidet

8. Marina Bay Sands

📍 10 Bayfront Avenue
Cost: About $350 per night

Pros: Nice views, spacious room, can be pricey, infamous amazing pool and jacuzzi
Cons: Can be spooky, room access can be inconvenient, guest needs to be registered and restricted no of guest allowed per day

9. The list ended at #8

But if I happen to go for another, I will update it here. Stay tuned. Thanks for dropping by!

Protected: Covid19: Nowhere to go, but home.

OTHERS

Last trip of 2019: Going back to Bangkok!

THAILAND

Bangkok, it was nice seeing you again! The first time I went here was the first time I attempted at ‘vlogging’ and looking back, damn I was and am still cringey! Not to worry, those videos are now set to private. Good times though! This time, it was less of a sight-seeing trip but more to shopping and eating. We stayed in Hotel Tranz which is located at Phaya Thai BTS Station. What I loved about the hotel was the location – it is very accessible from BKK airport. It is just 1 train ride away hence super convenient when travelling with luggages around.

I think Bangkok is one of the places where by you walk till you can’t anymore, literally. I walked as much as 25k steps daily while in Bangkok. My legs were dying. Thank goodness for the amazing thai massage at Relax Spa appointment that was booked for my last day. It was amazing! They even served mango sticky rice after my session. It is SO THAI! Here is a list of what I did in Bangkok, in just 4 days!

1. Hotel Tranz

📍 53 Phaya Thai Road, Ratchatewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Cost: About $150 per night
Website: http://www.hoteltranz.com/

2. ICON SIAM

📍 299 Charoen Nakhon Rd, Khlong Ton Sai, Khlong San, Bangkok 10600, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 10 pm daily
Website: https://www.iconsiam.com/en

3. The Gardens of Dinsor Palace

📍 1217 2 Sukhumvit Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 11 pm daily
Website: http://thegardenspalace.com/

4. Chao Phraya Princess (with Buffet Dinner)

📍 River City Charoen Krung 24, Sampantawong, Bangkok 10100, Thailand
Opening Hours: 7 pm – 9 pm daily
Website: Purchase on Klook for $45!

5. YANA Restaurant @ MBK

📍 5th มาบุญครอง 444 ศูนย์การค้า, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10.30 am – 9 pm daily
Website: yanarestaurant.com

6. Chatuchak Market / MIXT Chatuchak Mall

📍 8 Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

7. Hollys Coffee Union Mall

📍 5th มาบุญครอง 4 54 Lat Phrao Rd, Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Opening Hours: 11 am – 9 pm daily

8. Talad Rod Fai Train Night Market

📍 1 4 ถนน ศรีนครินทร์ Nong Bon, Prawet, Bangkok 10250, Thailand
Opening Hours: 5 pm – 1 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only
Website: yanarestaurant.com

9. Chibi Chibi

📍 Rang Nam Alley, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 8 pm, Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday
Website: https://www.facebook.com/chibichibicafe/

10. Mister Lobster @ Siam Square One

📍 Unit #OS 2008, 388 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 9 pm daily
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Misterlobsterusa

11. Gram Cafe & Pancakes @ Siam Paragon

📍 991 Rama I Rd, Pathum Wan, Pathum Wan District, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 10 pm daily
Website: https://www.facebook.com/grampancakesthailand/

12. Ratchada Rot Fai Train Night Market

📍 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Din Daeng, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 5 pm – 1 am daily
Website: https://sg.hotels.com/go/thailand/rot-fai-market-ratchada

12. Talad Neon

📍 1087, 167 Phetchaburi Rd, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 4 pm – 12 am daily
Website: https://sg.hotels.com/go/thailand/neon-night-market

13. Terminal 21

📍 88 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Khlong Toei Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 10 am daily
Website: https://www.terminal21.co.th/

14. Let’s Relax

📍 47/3-6 Phayathai Rd, Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Opening Hours: 10 am – 12 am daily
Website: https://letsrelaxspa.com/branch/phayathai/

15. BIG C Supermarket

Honestly, a great place to shop for food souvenirs back home! Recommended items for grab:

Thai Milk Tea
Unique flavors of Lays Potato Chips
Dried Mangoes
Mango/Banana Pocky

⬇ MY VIDEO BLOG ⬇

♥ ♥ ♥

Road trippin’ in Melbourne via a Caravan

AUSTRALIA

Flying to Australia for the first time. When my family asked whether or not I would like to join them to Melbourne for a road trip, I hesitated. Don’t get me wrong, I do love to visit Australia at some point of my life but I did not consider it to be in my top bucketlist. Nonetheless, upon researching more about Melbourne and knowing that we will be travelling with a motor-home, I agreed upon this adventure! It turned out to be the best decision ever – just because I am not the driver! Haha, just kidding. We were travelling with 2 caravans, hence we communicated with each other via walkie talkie and I had to be the commander for the trip; leading the way in case our GPS was not working well. So yeah, that was “fun“.

The idea of travelling via a caravan is so exciting yet in actual fact, it can be ultra exhausting. First, you need to plan where you will be parking your caravan for the night and it is of course not free! Secondly, you have to be in charge of the battery – making sure that your caravan is connected to the power for the night! Thirdly, you need to clean your toilet everyday – topping up water and throwing waste away. Next, you also have to top up your kitchen gas if you do cook frequently. Also most importantly, like any other vehicle, do not forget to top up your petrol too! Another thing to be cautious of when travelling on a caravan is making sure that all your items are not left on the counter because …it can get messy when you are driving on the road. Hence, you MUST lock all the drawers before driving off. Mind you, sometimes the drawer may still get out of hand even when you have already locked them – this usually happens when you are driving at a sharp turn junction. Alright, enough of the Dos and Don’ts, let’s get on the itinerary.

Singapore ➡ Melbourne

I flew to Melbourne with Emirates at noon Singapore time and had arrived in Melbourne at Midnight. The best seats to choose on the flight at this timing was to definitely sit on the right side, which I did not. A blunder, I know. I did get to see a peek of the gorgeous sunset though! Since our flight landed late at night, it was a little too late to collect our motor home hence we checked in at the Park Royal Hotel to rest for the night.

Day 1 – Collecting our Motorhome

It took us about 2 hours to go through the check in process. It was so busy when we arrived at the Britz office. The rental cost us $1633.35 for 6 days with Britz Inclusive package. For more information, you can visit Britz website.

Address: Central West Business Park, 9 Ashley St, Braybrook VIC 3019, Australia

Stocking up the pantry

📍 324/328 Hampshire Rd, Sunshine VIC 3020, Australia

Head to Sunshine Plaza to stock up on your halal meats and other kitchen necessities. Make sure to stock up enough meats for the road trip because finding halal meats outside of the city may not be easy. It was not easy for us at the very least.

Parking at Discovery Holiday Park Melbourne

📍 129 Ashley St, Braybrook VIC 3019, Australia
Cost per night for Powered Site: $80 (3 pax) / $125.24 (6 pax)

Day 2 – The start of Great Ocean Road

Melbourne City ➡ Bells Beach, Torquay (104 km)

📍 Bells Beach, Victoria 3228, Australia
🕒 About 1 hr mins drive

Bells Beach, Torquay ➡ Memorial Arch at Eastern View (27.8 km)

📍 689/721 Great Ocean Rd, Eastern View VIC 3231, Australia
🕒 About 30 mins drive

Memorial Arch at Eastern View ➡ Marriner’s Lookout (57.6 km)

📍 155 Marriners Lookout Rd, Apollo Bay VIC 3233, Australia
🕒 About 1 hr 10 mins drive

Marriner’s Lookout ➡ Apollo Recreation Reserve (4.8 km)

📍 Bells Beach, Victoria 3228, Australia
🕒 About 11 mins drive
Cost per night for Powered Site: $47 (3 pax) / $94 (6 pax)

Day 3 – Finishing off Great Ocean Road

Meeting Koala on route to Cape Otway

Apollo Recreation Reserve ➡ Cape Otway (31.9 km)

📍 Otway Lighthouse Rd, Cape Otway VIC 3233, Australia
🕒 About 35 mins drive
Ticket price: $30 (Adult)

Cape Otway ➡ Twelve Apostles (77.2 km)

📍 Great Ocean Rd, Princetown VIC 3269, Australia
🕒 About 1hr 15 mins drive

Twelve Apostles ➡ Loch Ard Gorge (4.2 km)

📍 Great Ocean Road Port, Campbell VIC 3269, Australia
🕒 About 10 mins drive

Loch Ard Gorge ➡ London Bridge (15 km)

📍 Great Ocean Rd, Peterborough VIC 3270, Australia
🕒 About 15 mins drive

London Bridge ➡ Bay of Islands (11.3 km)

📍 Bay Of Islands, Peterborough VIC 3270, Australia
🕒 About 13 mins drive

Bay of Islands ➡ Big4 Port Fairy Holiday Park (74.5 km)

📍 115 Princes Hwy, Port Fairy VIC 3284, Australia
🕒 About 1 hr drive
Cost per night for Powered Site: $55 (3 pax) / $88 (6 pax)

Day 4 – Exploring Grampians

Port Fairy Holiday Park ➡ Reed Lookout/The Balconies (164 km)

📍 Glenelg River Rd, Victoria, Australia
🕒 About 2 hr drive

⚠️ We wanted to drive to Mackenzie Waterfalls which is 7 km away but was not sure if the road was caravan friendly. Do check out at your own risk! Do let me know if it is safe to drive with caravan.

Reed Lookout ➡ Pyrenees Caravan Park (62.1 km)

📍 6003 Pyrenees Hwy, Ararat VIC 3377, Australia
🕒 About 1 hr drive
Cost per night for Powered Site: $35 (3 pax) / $65 (6 pax)

Day 5 – Ballarat Zoo and back to Melbourne City

Pyrenees Caravan Park ➡ Ballarat Wildlife Park (98.2 km)

📍 Ballarat Wildlife Park, 250 Fussell St, Ballarat East VIC 3350
🕒 About 1 hr drive
Ticket: $35 (Adult) / $30 on Groupon

Ballarat Wildlife Park ➡ Brighton Bathing Boxes (122 km)

📍 Brighton Bathing Boxes, Esplanade, Brighton VIC 3186, Australia
🕒 About 1 hr 30 mins drive

Brighton Beach ➡ Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park (24.8 km)

📍 265 Elizabeth St, Coburg VIC 3058, Australia
🕒 About 35 mins drive
Cost for 2 nights – Powered Site: $144 (3 pax) / $180 (6 pax)

Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park ➡ Eureka Skydeck (19.6 km)

📍 7 Riverside Quay, Southbank VIC 3006, Australia
🕒 About 30 mins drive
Ticket: $12.80 (Adult) on ChangiRecommends

⚠️ We took Uber back to the city as it was not convenient to travel in the city with Caravan. There are a lot of low bridges resulting us to detour which will eventually takes a longer time to reach destination.

Day 6 – Exploring Melbourne City

Taking the public transport day

Get the Myki card for $15 at the Big4 Melbourne Holiday Park reception and it will cover your transport cost for the day.

⬇ MY VIDEO BLOG ⬇

♥ ♥ ♥

5 Days in Bali, Indonesia

INDONESIA

Bali, it is definitely one of the most overrated holiday destinations I know. I finally had the chance to visit this paradise everyone was raving about last October. Not going to lie though, it was not the best beach vacay I have ever had. I guess this is the aftermath of experiencing an epic trip in Cebu – it is hard to beat that experience. You know what I would love to do in Bali next time? Experience living in the sea for a couple of days. Anyone up for the adventure, let me know. Anyway, here is what I did in Bali in 5 days!

Day 1 – Exploring Nusa Ceningan

We had book a return pick up service from Airport to the hotel and it cost us $53 SGD per person. At the island itself, we explore the land by foot. Blue lagoon and secret beach is about 15 minutes walk away from the hotel. Le Pirate is definitely a cute and simple hotel, with an outdoor shower. It was a decent stay other than the fact that the roosters were making noise all night. I would not mind coming back here just to get away from the bustling life.

1. Le Pirate Hotel

📍 Nusa Ceningan, 80361 Lembongan, Bali, Indonesia
Cost: About $50 for 2 nights (Per pax)
Website: https://lepirate.com/

2. Blue Lagoon

📍 Jl. Nusa Ceningan, Lembongan, Kec. Klungkung, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80871, Indonesia

3. Secret beach

📍 Jalan secret beach, nusa ceningan, Lembongan, Nusapenida, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80771, Indonesia

4. Dream Point Ceningan

📍 Jl. Nusa Ceningan, Lembongan, Nusapenida, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80771, Indonesia

Day 2 – Exploring Nusa Penida

We have made a booking to Nusa Penida from our hotel, and it cost us about $100 SGD which includes land transport at Nusa Penida and snorkeling. I was most excited about today, over the fact that I get to swim with manta rays which is my bucket list but ended up getting disappointed because it was not manta season. I would definitely recommend getting a driver to explore Nusa Penida because the roads are very bumpy, also this island is huge!

5. Snorkelling at Gamat Bay, Crystal Bay

6. Kelingking Beach

📍 Bunga Mekar, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

7. Angel Billabong

📍 Sakti, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

8. Broken Beach

📍 Bunga Mekar, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

9. Crystal Bay Beach

📍 Unnamed Road, Sakti, Nusapenida, Kabupaten Klungkung, Bali 80771, Indonesia

10. Paluang Cliff

📍 Bunga Mekar, Nusapenida, Klungkung Regency, Bali 80771, Indonesia

Day 3 – Exploring Ubud

We had booked 1 day private chauffeur with Klook which cost us $42 per car. I was looking forward to visit the rice terrace however was kinda disappointed upon arrival. I think I have seen way too many pinterest worthy pictures of this place that I have high expectations. Maybe I didn’t had the best experience because to be fair, we did not explore the whole place due to the heat. I do recommend trying out their teas and coffees at Uma Pakel!

11. Uma Pakel

📍 Jalan Raya Tegallalang, Tegallalang, Kec. Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80561, Indonesia

12. Tegalalang Rice Terraces

📍 Jl. Raya Tegallalang, Tegallalang, Kec. Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80561, Indonesia

13. Ubud Market

📍 Jl. Raya Ubud No.35, Ubud, Kecamatan Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia

14. Llyod’s Inn Hotel

📍 Jl. Arjuna, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Cost: About $88 for 2 nights (Per pax)
Website: https://lloydsinn.com/bali

Day 4 – Exploring Uluwatu and dinner at Jimbaran Beach

15. Garuda Wisnu Kencana

📍 Uluwatu St, Ungasan, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80364, Indonesia
Cost: $15

16. Uluwatu Temple

📍 Uluwatu St, Ungasan, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80364, Indonesia
Cost: $15

17. Dinner at Jimbaran Beach

📍 Uluwatu St, Ungasan, South Kuta, Badung Regency, Bali 80364, Indonesia
Cost: $20 per pax

Day 5 – Cafe hopping and shopping at Seminyak

18. KYND Community

📍 Jalan Petitenget No.12 Kerobokan Kelod, Seminyak, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia

19. Cafe Organik

📍 Jalan Pantai Batu Bolong No. 58, Canggu, Kuta Utara, Canggu, Kec. Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80351, Indonesia

20. Ending the trip with a good sunset at Double Six beach

📍 Legian, Jl. Double Six, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia

⬇ MY VIDEO BLOG ⬇

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What to do in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

MALAYSIA

Craving for a short get away but don’t want to splurge on flights? Just book a $60 bus ride from Singapore to KL! Staying in serviced apartment via Airbnb is affordable too! But, the concern is, what to do in KL besides cafe hopping and eating to your heart’s content? Thankfully, my friend did some research and have discovered a few interesting places to go to up your Instagram game (just kidding). Little did I know, there are a couple of places in KL that is perfect for photography purposes!

1. Selfie Museum (NOW CLOSED)

📍 2.28, Level 2, Fahrenheit 88, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opens daily: 10 am – 10 pm
Ticket price: RM20 (Adult) / RM10 (Child)
Website: https://www.selfie.com.my/

It was indeed the selfiest place on earth! There were a total of 9 dessert-themed rooms full of interactive exhibits created for a mini photo-shoots.

2. French Village at Berjaya Hills

📍 KM 48 Persimpangan Bertingkat, Karak Expy, Bukit Tinggi, 28750 Bentong, Pahang, Malaysia

No driving license? No problem! Just head to Berjaya Times Square one day in advanced to get your shuttle bus tickets to Colmar Tropicale! Head over to the hotel lobby to inquire at the reception counter on where you can get the tickets. For more info, please visit their website at http://www.colmartropicale.com.my/contact-us/shuttle-service/ In my opinion, a day trip to Berjaya Hills is enough because there is not much activity to do.

3. Astaka Morocco

📍 Presint 1, 62000 Putrajaya, Malaysia
Opens daily: 9 am – 12 pm, 2 pm – 5 pm (Closed on Tuesday)
Ticket price: RM3

Want to go to Morocco but could not afford it? Fret not! You can now pay a visit to Astaka Morocco museum to see Moroccan architecture. It is just a 40 minutes ride away from the city. Travelling via Grab from the city centre cost us about RM40 per trip. Honestly, it is such a beautiful place to do photo-shoot! Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take pictures in the museum unless special arrangements were made. It is still worth the visit though, because there are many potential scenic places outside the museum for your pictures!

4. Skydeck KL Tower

📍 Kuala Lumpur, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Opens daily: 9 am – 10 pm
Ticket price: Get it via Klook for cheaper price!

The best time to spend time in the tower is just before sun goes down – which is around 6 pm until 8 pm. You get to take pictures when it is still bright outside, followed by watching the sun goes down, followed by gazing at the night city lights. My favorite part was when the sky turns from pink to purple; simply breathtaking.

So that concludes what I did during my 5 days visit to Kuala Lumpur. Who’d knew that there are many interesting places in KL to be explored?

♥ ♥ ♥

Adventures in Cebu, Philippines

PHILIPPINES

It all started with a casual conversation with my colleagues at lunch, “I want to go to Cebu.” My Filipino colleague who has been there before said, “You should.” We started asking around and six of us had actually agreed to proceed with the plan. What are the odds! Fun fact, we were promised that there is a company bonding trip held each year before we joined the company but that never happen to us so instead, we plan our own trip at our own expenses.

We had booked a 2 days tour via my colleague’s acquaintance (I wish I had the contacts so I could share the info – but not to worry, you can easily find tours via Klook). This 2 days tour cost us $158 SGD and the package includes:

1 night accommodation
Transportation
Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
Snorkeling at Pescador Island
Sardine Run
Swimming with sea turtles
Swimming with whale sharks in Oslob
Tumalog Falls
Sumilon Island

FYI, the bigger your group is, the cheaper the price of each pax will be. Thus, it is recommended to go in a bigger group. Else, you can always join a non private tour for cheaper options. I did not know what to expect of the tour at first, but now that I know, let me share with you my experience.

Day 1 – Moalboal & Badian

Got ready as early as 5 am in the morning for the tour to pick us up at the hotel in Cebu City. We thought that we could take a nap in the van but boy, were we wrong! The ride to Moalboal was so SO bumpy – it was as if we were on a roller-coaster ride throughout. We had arrived at Moalboal around 6:30 am and we were already up and about for our snorkeling session. I had my GoPro with me but the tour guide was so kind to help us take videos and pictures throughout the tour. The corals at Pescador Island looks healthy and they are breathtaking, as expected. Next up, we got to swim with MILLIONS of sardines. You have no idea how epic it was to get so close to them. Watching them dancing in the water was thrilling! Last stop was swimming with the sea turtles! This was quite an appealing yet painful experience because there were so many jellyfish – too many. It was all worth it though, because how cute are those sea turtles! You guys, I am not even an animal lover so if I say they are cute, it means they ARE cute.

Right after the swimming session, we head back to the van all wet, drove to a fast food restaurant to grab a quick brunch, before heading to Badian for our canyoneering session. I have never done canyoneering before, nor have I done cliff jumping. I was terrified – but willing to give it a try. There was a 15 – 20 minutes hike before reaching the falls. First stop at the falls was that 4 meter jump; my first jump. I was wearing my contact lens but that first jump shook me till I forgot to close my eyes. L-O-L. All in all, canyoneering was so much fun. It is a perfect activity to do during summer especially, because the water is so damn refreshing. Our activity ended around 4 – 5 pm, and we drove back to Moalboal for the night. I did not actually take a picture of our accommodation, but it was rather pleasant. Not a 5 star kind of stay yet comfortable.

Day 2 – Oslob

The next morning, we had to meet our driver at 3 am in the morning for our ride to Oslob which took us about 2 hours to get there. We were told to arrive in Oslob earlier as it was a Sunday and it can get very crowded. When we arrived at Oslob, I was most excited about swimming with the whale sharks! On top of it all, we managed to watch the beautiful sunrise while waiting for our number to be called. In case you did not already know, whale sharks are the largest fish on the planet! I believe we had about 30 minutes to swim with the whale sharks, just enough time to admire them in the wild. I loved that experience, and I would definitely do it again! After swimming with the whale sharks, we head over to Sumilon Island for its white sandbar. Spent around 1 – 2 hours here taking pictures and snorkeling. Honestly, at this rate we were knackered. Plus the amount of sea water we drank by accident is unaccountable for, L-O-L. Right after that trip, we were given some time to freshened up, changed to our dry clothes before heading to Tumalog falls. It is a nice place to take pictures but not so recommended for swimming.

So that sums up the 2 days tour! It is totally recommended and save the hassle. On top of it all, you get to enjoy your own private tour with your buddies. What a better way to enjoy the tour! I LOVE CEBU and I would definitely come back again. Shout out to my colleagues (now ex-colleagues) for making this trip happen!

Extra info for tourist

Tourist are required to pay a terminal fee of 850 Peso ($23 SGD) at departure hall of Mactan Airport *for international flights only. This is something new for me as I have never been asked to pay for terminal fee at any other airport, so, good to know! Also, if you want to buy souvenirs back to your hometown, please get it at the city markets. The goods at Mactan airport are way TOO overpriced.

♥ ♥ ♥

2 days in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

MALAYSIA

Long weekend? No idea where to go? Kota Kinabalu may be your perfect destination to fly from Singapore! I had booked for my trip a week prior to my departure and it cost me about $180 SGD (for a return trip on a public holiday weekend). It could have been cheaper if I had book my trip in advanced but for my case, you can say that it was a pretty impromptu trip. Nonetheless, no regrets because I had the best time there. You can get the best of both worlds – beautiful greenery mountains or the clear blue sea. On a side note, it was my first time flying with Malindo Airlines and all I can say is, if you have limited time at your holiday destination, do NOT fly with Malindo. They are pretty famous for flight delays. Moving on, here is what you can do in Kota Kinabalu!

Island Hopping Day

Get your boat tickets at Jesselton Point at 8am in the morning! There are many counters available everyday at 8am to 5pm. Do note that last boat service ends at 4pm. Price varies depending on the number of islands you are visiting. Here is the price breakdown:

	Adult (RM)	Child (RM)
Two Islands	33	28
Three Islands	43	38
Four Islands	53	48

There is also an additional terminal fee and conservation fee at RM8 (Adult), RM4 (Child) and RM10 (Adult), RM6 (Child) respectively. You may also rent snorkelling gears at the counter (it will be cheaper as compared to renting at the island itself). I went for the two island package hence we visited Sapi Island and Manukan Island. At Sapi Island, you can go for Coral Ziplining at RM86. Based on my research, Sapi Island is the best place to snorkel. Unfortunately, we could not swim near the corals due to low tide. Instead, we took the boat to Manukan Island to have our lunch before going for a 2 hour snorkelling session with our guide. The sea water was cold but it was the best snorkelling session I ever had at that point of time. Clear water, swimming with the fishies – so much fun.

**Coral Ziplining**
Opens daily: *10 am – 3.30pm*
📍 Sapi Island

Road Trip Day

You can easily rent a car in the city. Once you have exited the airport from the arrival hall, keep an eye out at the car rental companies. Make an arrangement in advanced or get their contacts so you can make a booking arrangement with them easily. You can even arrange for a pick up location at your convenience (that depends on their availability too). My friend and I had rented Perodua Myvi at RM150 for a day and paid an additional of RM50 for the petrol.

We drove to Desa Dairy Farm which took us about a 2 hour drive. Mind you, it was not easy to get a parking lot. It is recommended to arrive early if you want to see Mount Kinabalu clearly. The view can get pretty foggy by noon. You HAVE to get the gelato, milk and yoghurt! The queue may be long, but I think it is worth the queue. Once you are done spending some time at the farm, you may take another 1 and a half hour drive to Le’ One – Kokol Elf if you are up to taking insta-worthy pictures! It cost us RM40 per pax. By the time we head back to the city, it was already 6pm therefore we took a quick drive to the beautiful Kota Kinabalu mosque.

**Desa Dairy Farm**
Opens daily: 8 am – 5 pm
📍 89308 Kundasang, Sabah, Malaysia

**Le’ One Kokol Elf**
*Opens daily: 9 am – 7.30 pm*
📍 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

**Masjid Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu**
📍 Jalan Pasir, Jalan Teluk Likas, Kampung Likas, 88400 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

So that sums up my 2 days adventure trip in Kota Kinabalu! I am pretty sure there are more places/island to explore, hence I would love to come back if given the opportunity. Shout out to my friend for being spontaneous about this trip! ;)

♥ ♥ ♥

3 days in Amsterdam

NETHERLANDS

Amsterdam was my last stop of my Fall in Europe 2018. I love Amsterdam so much (I think I said that for every city I visited oops)! My Airbnb host were so lovely and I definitely do recommend their place! We had a private room for 2 that comes with an en-suite bathroom! It was one of the best Airbnb’s I have ever been to. Location wise, it is close to the tram station and it is just 20 minutes away to Central Station via tram. For convenience sake, you can get their 3 days travel ticket which cost €26 that includes going to the airport!

Day 1 – Get lost in the city

Literally. We planned to rent a bike but ended up strolling in the streets with no sense of direction. I love how quiet the streets are – so calming. Admiring the street houses – how they are built differently. So beautiful. PS: Do try out The Pancake Factory when you are in Amsterdam! Before it gets dark, we head over to Amsterdam Lookout Swing to see a 360 view of the city! Watching over the city from the swing can be quite a terrifying experience if you think of the worst, but it can actually be relaxing if you just forget about the height for awhile and jam to the songs they are blasting.

Day 2 – Exploring Zaanse Schans & Red Light District

It took us about 1 hour to travel to Zaanse Schans from the city. It was actually pretty convenient to get there via train. It was pretty cool to see the how cheese were made, seeing the windmills, cows, and also tasting the best hot chocolate in Zaanse Schans ever. We head back to the city by lunch and spent our day shopping in the city. Before ending the day, we head over to the red light district just to get an insight of how it is like. Growing up as a Muslim, it is actually pretty crazy to see how one can actually watch live sex performance as if they are watching a movie. PS: You can’t take pictures of woman in sexy outfits standing behind the glass door as you like else they will catch you!

Day 3 – Exploring Zaandam and De Foodhallen

It was our last day in Amsterdam and our flight was not until in the evening hence we had our day free. Not knowing what to do, we decided to take the train to Zaandam (which was just 20 minutes away from the city). The first outlet I spotted when in Zaandam was Primark! I have so much love for Primark; if only they do world wide shipping, then I’ll foresee myself spending some time in the home-ware section on the net. Zaandam is such a cute place – felt like in a fairy-tale. Since our host had recommended us to explore De Foodhallen, we decided to try it out for lunch! It is like a food expo. Thankfully there are some seafood options for us halal eaters! We ended our day in Amsterdam by visiting the Body Worlds museum. It is actually surreal to think that the figures in the museum were actually from real body donors. How absurd. Nonetheless, it was a good experience learning about human body. Before leaving Amsterdam, do not forget to grab some stoop waffles back home! Honestly, they are amazing.