Experiencing a liveaboard trip had always been on my bucket list, and I finally had the chance to do one in Komodo last December. Although the weather wasn’t ideal due to the rainy season, with occasional choppy seas, we were still lucky enough to enjoy beautiful sunshine during the mornings and afternoons.
Despite the unpredictable conditions, the experience was unforgettable — waking up to stunning island views, spending days out at sea, and exploring the beauty of Komodo was truly special. I would absolutely do another liveaboard in the future, and next time, I’d love to experience diving in Komodo as well!
We were also lucky enough to spot majestic manta rays, baby sharks, and the famous pink beaches that Komodo is known for. Seeing these incredible marine creatures up close and relaxing on the stunning blush-coloured shores made the entire experience even more unforgettable.
Namibia, known as the Land of the Brave, has a powerful history — and breathtaking landscapes to match. Huge thanks to @NamibiaTours&Safaris for helping us curate the perfect itinerary, including car rental and hotel bookings. The package cost us around SGD 3,500 per person. Honestly, Namibia has become one of my absolute favourite places to visit.
Driving in Namibia was surprisingly easy. We used our Singapore driving licenses (since they’re in English) and didn’t get asked for an international driving permit, even by the rental company. That said, we were stopped by the police once — no fine, but a good reminder that it’s safer to bring an international driving permit just in case.
Day 1 – Arrival in Windhoek and car rental collection
Upon arrival at the airport, we were warmly greeted by Namibia Tours, who then brought us to their office to collect our car. We were pleased with the vehicle provided — a Fortuner SUV — which was perfect for our road trip. The staff gave us a thorough briefing to ensure we were well-prepared. Unlike driving in the city, it’s crucial to know how to check tyre pressure and change a tyre if needed, especially since we’d be heading to remote areas where help might not be readily available.
Check in at Olive Grove Guesthouse
Day 2 – Driving to Sossuvlei[6 hours drive]
The drive to Sossusvlei was incredibly scenic — we even spotted a few animals along the way! Desert Hills Lodge was one of the few places that truly lived up to expectations. What you see in the pictures is exactly what you get. I was in awe watching the sunset and gazing at a sky full of stars at night. It does get quite cold in the evenings and early mornings, with strong winds blowing through — so pack warm!
Check in at Desert Hills Lodge
Day 3 – Day tour in Sossusvlei
Be prepared to walk a lot on this day! We visited the famous dunes — though I didn’t manage to complete the hike as it was an especially windy day. Climbing the dunes with your feet sinking into the sand was incredibly exhausting. Still, the Deadvlei (Dead Pan) is one of the absolute highlights of Namibia that you must experience — it’s surreal and unforgettable.
Day 4 – Driving to Swakopmund[6 hours drive]
Upon arriving in Swakopmund, we geared up for an ATV ride through the dunes. While it wasn’t the most thrilling ATV experience I’ve had, it’s a great option for beginners or anyone trying it for the first time. The views made up for the mellow ride — vast sand dunes as far as the eye can see, with the ocean on the horizon. Truly a unique landscape!
Check in at Brigadoon Boutique Guesthouse
Day 5 – Exploring Swakopmundin the dunes and sea
I was really looking forward to visiting Swakopmund to see the flamingos — and there were plenty of them! We also joined a boat tour to spot marine life, followed by a thrilling 4×4 adventure exploring the towering dunes. It was the perfect mix of wildlife and adrenaline in one day!
Day 6 – Driving to Etosha National Park[6 hours drive]
While waiting for our night game drive, we spotted giraffes and impalas right from our lodge — which was pretty cool! The night game drive itself, however, wasn’t as exciting as we had hoped… to be honest, I even dozed off for a little while.
Check in at Epacha Game Lodge & Spa
Day 7 – Game Drive at Etosha National Park
Etosha National Park is home to a massive salt pan so large it can be seen from space! The Etosha Pan spans over 4,800 km² and transforms into a shallow lake during the rainy season, attracting flamingos and other birdlife in huge numbers.
Day 8 – Driving back to Windhoek[6 hours drive]
Driving back to the city with a heavy heart, but so grateful for the incredible memories we’ve made on this trip. I’d love to do it all over again someday!
Victoria Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world, standing at an impressive 108 metres tall and stretching 1,708 metres wide. The falls were formed through the gradual erosion of land by the powerful flow of the Zambezi River over thousands of years. Visitors can experience the falls from both Zambia and Zimbabwe, and we chose to fly into Zimbabwe as it was more accessible from Tanzania.
Visiting Victoria Falls had been on my bucket list for years. I first wanted to go during my previous trip to South Africa, but we simply didn’t have enough time to fit it into the itinerary. Fast forward two years later, and we finally made it to Zimbabwe!
Victoria Falls tour in Zambia and Zimbabwe
Sunrise at the Bamba Tram, Helicopter flight over Victoria Falls, Sunset river cruise
It has been 2 years since I last went to a Safari trip. I wanted to see the great migration, hence we have decided to experience it in Serengeti, Tanzania. The package cost us $3500 per person for 4 days 3 nights, including transport, accommodation and meals. I have arranged the tour with Amshar Serengeti, and honestly I couldn’t say I enjoyed it 100% because we did not have enough time exploring. Our time were mostly spent on travelling, which is a bummer, and the vehicle broke down each day which consumed our time. Nonetheless, I am still grateful for this experience! We didn’t manage to see the big 5 this time round, but we did see the lion, elephant and african buffalo! Our guide spotted a leopard but it was too far for us to capture it. Also, I have learnt from my previous experience that I should bring a zoom lens camera and I am so glad I did! Loved capturing every moment in the Safari with my new toy!
Day 1 – Travelling from Arusha to Central Serengeti (6 hrs)
We were quite lucky to see the king of Tanzania (lion) up close! The sunset that day were stunning too. The camp experience were wild. There were african buffalos around the compound so we were not allowed to exit the tent without an escort.
Day 2 – Pure Migration Camp
It was one of the day we were anticipating for because we wanted to witness the great wildebeest crossing over the Mara River to Kenya! Unfortunately this does not happen every day hence seeing them crossing the river is totally by pure luck! Although we did not see them crossing the river, we did witness a huge group of them running across our vehicle and that was exhilarating!
Day 3 – Tanzania Bush Camp
Another day, another chance upon seeing wildebeest crossing the river however it did not happen. Did you know? The reason why wildebeest migrate over to Kenya is because their source of food is running low in Tanzania due to the dry weather. Highlight of the day is definitely going on a hot air balloon safari and looking for animals from above!
Day 4 – Drive back to the airport
We were supposed to do safari in Ngorongoro Crater but since our flight were scheduled at 3 pm that day, we had to rush back to the airport which was kinda a bummer. I felt like it was the tour’s agency fault for its bad planning, as they could have advised us to schedule our flight at a later timing. We were told that we could have seen the rhino at Ngorongoro!
Overall, I felt that the first safari trip I did in National Kruger was more relax as compared to Serengeti. If I could re-do the trip, I would definitely plan to stay longer in Tanzania and stay in a private reserve for a few days.
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!
It was a 2 week immersion programme with Nanyang Polytechnic and the reason I chose this destination was because I wanted to skip general studies module for the following semester. I did not exactly enjoy my time in Guang Zhou but it was definitely a huge learning experience for me. The main thing that made the trip bearable was the company that I had. Let’s just conclude what actually happened while I was there. One thing to highlight is that you are going to have a hard time travelling around Guang Zhou if you do not have a Chinese speaking companion. Also, finding good halal restaurants here are not easy!
Lingnan Impression
📍 Waihuan West Road, University City, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510006, China Opens daily: 9am – 6pm
Cultural Exchange Programme
📍 China, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Panyu
School of IT showcasing our Malay culture
Leather making module
📍 China, Guangdong, Guangzhou, Panyu
Huaisheng Mosque
📍 56 Guangta Rd, Zhong Shan Liu Lu, Yuexiu Qu, Guangzhou Shi, Guangdong Sheng, China
Shangxiajiu (Shopping Streets)
Pearl River Beer Museum
📍 No.118 Muodiesha Street, Xingang East Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou, China
Hi everyone! I’m Atiqah, currently based in Singapore. I’ve always had a passion for travelling, and whenever I explore a new destination, I love documenting my experiences through video blogs and writing.
One of the things I enjoy most about capturing my travels is being able to look back on all the little moments and details that might otherwise be forgotten. Whether it’s rereading an old blog post or rewatching my travel vlogs on YouTube, it allows me to relive those memories all over again.
At the same time, I hope that the experiences and information I share can inspire others to travel more confidently or even help with planning their own adventures. My goal is to continue exploring as much of the world as possible, keep creating travel vlogs, and constantly improve my storytelling and video-making along the way.create better videos.
Memories in the making 
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