“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R. Tolkien
We travelled to Thailand in March 2015. Phi-Phi island and Maya beach (on the way to phi phi) was one of the major attractions in that trip. It is a very popular tourist destination in Southern Thailand due to its aqua blue water, white sand beaches and lush mountains. The Phi Phi Island is an island group in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the straits of Malacca coast of Thailand. Many people come to Phi Phi Islands to visit the beach of Maya Bay, renown for being the setting for “The Beach”, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.
There are ferries from both Krabi and Phuket, but the frequency of the ferries and the time varies from season to season. We took a ferry from Phuket to Phi Phi Don. The ferry ride is roughly 1.5 hours long. The boats were nice with comfortable seats. There are also decks outside from where you can enjoy the view of the clear blue water.
We stayed at Novotel resort in Phuket and managed to reach near the boat by around 8 AM.
The tour starts from Phuket in the morning around 8.30 AM and return back to the same place around 4 PM. Tea and other snacks are available within the boat and they also arrange a lunch at the Phi Phi island. We had taken a boat named ‘Sea Angel Cruise’.
They stopped the boat in the middle of the sea near Maya Bay to do some Snorkeling and Swimming. The snorkeling equipment and swimming costumes are available for rent in the boat itself.
“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret” – Oscar Wilde
We visited Noong Nooch Botanical garden in March 2015.
In case if you get a chance to visit Pattaya, never miss this beautiful Garden (obviously it is all your personal taste and preference). It’s worth the money and please ensure that your camera is fully charged before entering this garden. Nong Nooch garden is a strange addition to the nightclub and bar scene we all normally associate with Pattaya.
This is one of the biggest botanical gardens in Southeast Asia. This was actually a private garden that was meant to be a fruit plantation when the land was first purchased in 1954, but the owner, Mrs. Nongnooch Tansacha became inspired by other botanical gardens after traveling the world, and decided to have one of her own on her newly-purchased land instead.
This is a huge garden (500+ acres) and am quite sure you will certainly get tired after reaching mid way. Really this is hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee…. But you have options like ‘rent a bicycle’.
You can see:
1. Tropical garden: The Nong Nooch Tropical Garden has 20,000 tropical trees which is collected from 50 countries around the world. The most distinctive is the collection of more than 600 species of orchids. Orchid Garden is fully green which brings cool air that is comfortable for visitors.
2. Mammoth Gardens: There are massive number of sculptures of animals and insects in the garden.
3. Vintage Car collection
4. Little/Mini Siam-Miniature replica
5. Luxury Resort
6. Selfie with Tiger
Address: Na Jomtien 6 Tambon Na Chom Thian, Amphoe Sattahip, Chang Wat Chon Buri 20250, Thailand
“Live life with no excuses, travel with no regret” – Oscar Wilde
We visited Bangkok in March 2015.
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market (at Ratchaburi):
It is Thailand’s one of the five most popular floating markets. We get a chance to explore Thailand’s oldest and unique traditions in that journey. We move through the narrow canals hunting for exotic fruit and vegetable deals. We can also look for some traditional food, handicrafts etc.
There is enough parking space available near this floating market.
Every day many Thai and foreign tourists travel here to shop, eat, and absorb the atmosphere of Thailand’s water markets that have been like this for many decades.
An early morning start is worth it to avoid the heat. This is one of the lengthiest and straight canal spread across 30+ Kms.
The market is busy in the morning time. Many of the items for sale are overpriced because of the number of tourists visiting this place daily. But Bargains are always possible.
This is around 100+ Kms from the main city centre. It takes around 1.5-2 Hours to reach here.
Damnoen Saduak Tiger Zoo:
This will be a life time opportunity for you. Don’t miss this place. We visited this zoo on our way back to Bangkok from Damnoen Saduak Floating Market.
There are lot of tigers here. Seems all these tigers were born here and are treated well. The place is clean. We really enjoyed our tiger experience, and the staffs were very patient and helped us take our pictures.
At the time of taking the ticket, we were not much scared but when we reached near the tigers, our heart beats increased than normal. You also get a chance to feed the tiger cubs. Really a wonderful experience.
There are also some other animals aswell, in the Zoo Premises.
Enroute you can also notice lot of fields where you can see people busy in ‘Salt Production’.
You also get to see a lot of fried insects ready to eat in the local street markets here.
This trip helped us to complete 2 of my Bucket list items. Really happy.
“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before” – Dalai Lama
Travelled to Bangkok Safari World during March 2015, along with my family.
If you are travelling with your kids to Bangkok, this is one place that you should never miss. Highly recommended. You might need one full day here.
Safari World is located at Northern Bangkok, about 45 minutes-1 hour drive from the city center. Safari World started in the year 1988 and has developed into a popular tourist destination that now consists of two parks – Safari Park and Marine Park. It is open all year round from 9:00am to 5:00pm, so it would be good to plan your visit such that you can arrive early and have the whole day to explore both parks.
I will try to share with you all the sights we saw and fun experiences we had in Safari World.
In the Safari Park area, there is a driveway everywhere, which helps you to go close to the animals! This is something unique here. You can either rent a car and drive in yourself, arrange for a private car transfer, take a taxi and ride in, or go on the coach tours offered at Safari World too. Drive slowly, don’t feed the animals, don’t honk or make loud noises.
The animal shows are one of the highlights at Safari World so if you can, do try to include at least a couple of them during your visit. We went for the ‘Elephant Show’
There are multiple restaurants available within the campus. Of course, the prices would be high.
Never miss the Dolphin show. As soon as you take the tickets, ensure to check the timings of various shows like Dolphin, Elephant and so on.
Major Shows to watch:
Orang Utan Boxing
Sea Lion
Water Ski
Hollywood Cowboy stunt show
Dolphin show
Spy War Actions Stunt Spectacular
Bird show
Safari World claims to have the world’s largest herd of giraffes.
They also have a ‘Eggs World’, which they claim as ‘World’s one and only’. In this area, there are lots of exhibition, explanation, and interaction with eggs, incubators, and the creatures that lay eggs.
“Live your life by a compass not a clock.” –Stephen Covey
I got a chance to sneak in few hours for roaming around in Yangsan and Seoul city centre, during a 2 days Business trip to South Korea in March 2018. Seoul is the capital of South Korea (Republic of Korea) and its biggest city. It is a bustling city that not only holds a strong presence in Asia but also in the rest of the world. To date, this influence is largely due to Seoul’s cutting-edge technology, strong economy and vibrant culture. You would see the Samsung’s, LG’s and Hyundai’s everywhere…
We landed at the Incheon International Airport (ICN) in Seoul and went to Yongsan in Train.
Incheon International Airport is a big airport. The airport is very nice and modern with easy transportation facilities (and there’s free wifi as well). The airport has a golf course, spa, private sleeping rooms, an ice skating rink, a casino, indoor gardens, and a Museum of Korean Culture.
We had taken the KTX (Korea Train Express) to reach Yangsan which travels at a speed of more than 300 Km/hr. Trains here travel normally at very high speed. So you can reach your far away destinations quite easily.
You can take Train (AREX – Airport RailRoad Express) or Private transfers or airports limousine/bus to reach the city center.
March to May is Spring time in Seoul, where the flora starts to bloom and bud. We encountered mild snow in all the places that we visited.
Some attractions in Seoul (most of them doesn’t have an entry fee)
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Deoksugung Palace
Changgyeonggung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace
Jongmyo (Royal Shrine)
N Seoul Tower Observatory
MBC World
Seoul City Tour Double-Decker Bus
COEX Aquarium
TrickEye & Ice Museum
Watch the Changing of the Guard at Changdeokgung and Gyeongbokgung Palaces
Bukchon Hanok Village
Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)
Magical fountains at Banpo bridge at night.
South Korea is said to have one of the fastest internet in the world (believe me!). So you’ll be assured of great connection wherever you go. To add, most places even offer FREE WiFi.
Number four (4) has been deemed unlucky in Korea because it sounds like the Chinese word for “death.” Four is also considered unlucky in China and Japan as well. You won’t see Number 4 in many places in Korea. The hotels I stayed did not have a marked 4th floor.
Ginseng chicken soup (in Korean, Samgyetang) is a hot, steaming, delicious dish that features a small chicken stuffed with rice, ginseng, garlic, and jujube. You have to commit to eat a whole chicken all by yourself when you sit down for a bowl of samgyetang! But it’s totally worth it. In Traditional restaurants, people sit down on the floor and eat the food.
I stayed at ‘Shilla Stay’ in Seoul.
View from ‘Shilla Stay’ is really nice.
I stayed at ‘Benikea Hotel’ in Yangsan..
‘Benikea Hotel’ is a new hotel and is in the middle of the main city.
Make sure to bring in Universal adapters. Some hotels don’t provide you the adapters. Hope I will be able to visit Seoul as a Tourist and cover all the attractions that I missed in my last business trip
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” – Anonymous
We visited Colombo in December 2016.
Srilanka was never in my radar. But I have read a lot of blogs where people have been comparing Srilanka with my native state Kerala. That was one of the major spark for this Srilankan trip.
After visiting, I could easily conclude that there are lot of things that are quite common to Sri Lanka with my native Kerala and there is no surprise that many of the foreign tourists are asking this question again and again – Srilanka or Kerala, Where to go?
Like Kerala, Colombo also have a lot of back waters, the green mountains, long costal line with umpteen number of wonderful beaches and so on. I would personally say that we as Keralite’s should learn a lot from Srilankan’s especially the way they are promoting tourism in their country. Kerala is indeed the ‘God’s own Country’ where god has gifted so many natural attractions, but we fail to maintain them. Cleanliness is a major thing that is to be implemented. The government should also concentrate on building proper infrastructure by constructing wider roads or widening the existing roads.
In Srilanka, it is so easy for me to navigate from one attraction to another where in Kerala if I need to cover 2 districts, I will have to spend so much time on the road.
Sri Lanka might be full of fascinating places to visit, but Colombo isn’t often listed as one of them. Eventhough Sri lanka has 2-3 International airports, Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport is the busiest airport in the country and one of the busiest airports in South Asia. So many tourists land at this airport in Colombo and move ahead to see the other wonders of the country. We also had spend very few hours in Colombo since we planned more days in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in our trip itinerary.
Its true that Colombo doesn’t offer a lot in terms of sights and I would say that Colombo lacks a must see place like we see in other capital cities of Asian countries.
Now a days, Colombo is experiencing quite a building boom of high skyscrapers, new roads, several posh hotels and so on.
English is widely spoken so you won’t find it difficult to get around. There are four main ways to get around Colombo – trains, buses, rickshaws (Tuk-Tuk) and taxis.
Major Attractions within 15 Kms from Colombo City Centre:
Colombo Fort (2.5 Kms)
Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple (2 Kms)
Independence Memorial Hall/Independence Memorial square gardens (3.5 Kms)
Mount Lavinia (12 Kms)
Galle Face Green Promenade (4.5 Kms)
Viharamadevi Park (3 kms)
DiyathaUyana park (8 Kms)
Pettah Market (4 Kms)
Beira Lake (3 Kms)
National Museum (3 kms)
Wellawatte (7.8 Kms)
Following were some of the places that we saw on our way from Nuwara Eliya to Colombo:
Bentota Beach
I wouldn’t say that its in Colombo. Its around 80Kms from Colombo.
The beach is absolutely stunning! Very long and broad strip of sand with warm and beautiful ocean on the one side and beautiful green trees on the other. There are lots of water sports available in this beach.
Captain’s Deck Madu River Boat Cruise: (100 Kms)
If you are a nature lover, you will certainly enjoy this boat ride. Madu lagoon is a very wide and beautiful lagoon in SriLanka. The boat safari is for around 1.5-2 hours. You will also be provided with life jackets during this cruise. The boat ride is through the mangroves and is very pleasant and relaxing. Then you can go for the fish spa and visit cinnamon island, where you learn about how cinnamon sticks are made and the various benefits of cinnamon.
Many species of birds are found in many of the islands around the lagoon. We can also see many migrated birds. In most of these islands there are people who earn their living by peeling cinnamon.
There are around 64 islands in the Madu river.
Bally’s casino (2 Kms)
This is one of the largest Casino’s in Sri Lanka. Personally I have not visited this Casino and also have read a lot of negative comments about this casino in popular sites like Trip advisor.
We also witnessed the Xmas-New year celebration in Colombo:
The Xmas and New year is celebrated quite lavishly in the Colombo city. Almost all the buildings and streets are completely illuminated with lights. A lot of people visit the city to see these lightings and other related events.
Colombo Airport
Even if you are landing here during the early hours or late night, you don’t have to worry. Colombo Airport works in full speed at any hours of the clock.
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – Augustine of Hippo
We travelled to Nuwara Eliya in December 2016. These hills were discovered by the British colonial officer John Davy back in 1819. Nuwara Eliya, which means “City of Light,” soon became a favourite cool-climate escape for the British as well as a “home away from home” where they could grow English vegetables and fruits. Due to its cooler climate, it is the most important area for tea production in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for her impressive lush green tea plantations.
The most scenic way to get to Nuwara Eliya is by train. Nuwara Eliya is located between Kandy and Ella. The nearest railway station is ‘Nanu-Oya’. From there you can take a 3 wheeler vehicle (like Indian Autorickshaws)
However we had taken a car from Kandy to this place. You can include 2-3 days in your itinerary for Nuwara Eliya.
Some places that we visited:
Glenloch Tea Factory:
You get a chance to see the various process involved in the production of tea powder. You can also buy different varieties/grades of tea powder from this factory. Obviously, there are many other tea factories in this area.
Devon Falls:
Devon Falls, known as the ‘Veil of the Valley’, is situated 6 km west of Talawakele (Nuwara Eliya District) on the A7 highway. The falls is named after a pioneer English coffee planter called Devon, whose plantation was situated nearby the falls
Tea Castle, St. Clair:
The tea castle is a beautiful tea shop and a view point at St Clair. It’s built like a castle and you can climb up to the terrace for a nice view.
Pass through Kotagala Tunnel:
Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple:
Sri Bhakta Hanuman Temple is one of the important Hanuman Temples in Sri Lanka located on summit of the very beautiful picturesque mountain in Ramboda 30 KM north to Nuwara Eliya.
Visitors can witness the 18 feet Hanuman statue which is the tallest Hanuman statue in Sri Lanka established inside the Shri Bhakta Hanuman Temple in Ramboda.
Trip to Horton Plains and World’s End:
The Horton Plains National Park is bigger and more famous than Moon Plains and offers some great hiking opportunities over plateaus covered with grass, areas of thick forest, rock landscape, waterfalls, and lakes. The end of the plain, called World`s End, is an 880 m deep ravine and an excellent viewpoint overlooking tea plantation villages down below in the valley. However we couldn’t reach till the World’s end, as there were some restrictions. World’s End is located in the Horton Plains National Park which has a UNESCO status.
Ambewela farm:
The Ambewela farm was started by the British about 80 years ago, while the New Zealand farm was started in 1960. Both farms are managed by Ambewela Farm. In order to maintain the quality of milk from the cows, the farm management takes great concern towards them in order to provide them with a balanced diet and sterilized water. This is becoming a popular destination for visitors of Nuwara Eliya, especially those who love an unusual experience away from frequently-visited tourist destinations.
Seetha Amman Temple, Nuwara Eliya:
Located just 1 km from the Hakgala is the Seetha Amman kovil. This is the only Seetha Amman kovil in the world and is built according to South Indian architecture. Legend has it that Seetha was held captive and hidden in this spot by king Rama to protect her from the demon king Ravana according to the Epic Ramayana.
Some other places worth mentioning here:
Victoria Park
Gregory Lake
Moon Plains
We had stayed in Villa Cassandra. I would personally suggest this place for a stay. It has 4-5 rooms and is very clean. However the Breakfast spread is very limited.
We visited Kandy in December 2016. When we were preparing an itinerary for SriLanka, many people suggested to visit the beautiful old town “ Kandy”. So, we decided to include this place in our trip. Personally, I liked Nuwara Eliya than Kandy or Colombo. Kandy is a very busy city and its true that it’s a city of rich heritage and culture. It’s around 3 hours drive from Colombo.
After the capital Colombo, Kandy is the next big city in SriLanka. Today, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most important places of Buddhist worship in the world due to the Temple of the Tooth.
Places that we visited:
Millennium Elephant Foundation
There are lot of different elephant camps like ‘Millennium Elephant Foundation’ in Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). These places works rather as a touristic attraction where the elephants are kept in chains.
Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such camps. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala. You can save some money here, by avoiding such places.
Kandy Lake
This is the main hangout place for the Locals and the tourists and its in the heart of the Kandy City. Seems it was created by the last ruler of Kandy in 1807. The lake also has a bad history where people who opposed the lake development was thrown to death in this same lake. It is good to stroll around the lake at any point of the day. There’s even an island in the lake, with palm trees! Try to avoid people who come near you with some ticket sale and so on.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
North of the Kandy Lake is the famous temple that houses Sri Lanka`s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha himself. You don’t, however, get to see the real tooth in the temple, as it is hidden in a golden casket shaped like a dagoba. A lot of Buddhists visit this temple throughout the year. Pilgrims gather every morning in the temple to pray and bring offerings of flowers and it’s a beautiful sight to behold. Frangipani, lotus and jasmine flowers are placed in tribute to the relic.
Photography is not allowed in the inner line (the line closest to the tooth) but you can take photographs just behind it.
Shoes must be taken off before entering the temple.
Big Buddha Statue(Bahiravokanda Vihara Buddha Statue)
A beautiful statue which towers over the city is the big white Buddha or locally known as Bahiravokanda Vihara. You can climb up the stairs and get the amazing panoramic views of the whole city!
Some tips while taking photos in front of Buddha Statue:
Do not take photo with your back side facing the statue.
Try to avoid wearing shoes and hats, when you want to go near the statue.
Don’t pose inappropriate ways in front of the statue.
In General, another point to note here is that some(not all) Tuk-Tuk(Autorickshaws) drivers might charge you very high fares. So check with your hotel/resort and have a fair idea about the fares.
New Lucky Land Spice Garden
Sri Lanka is famous for its spices and spice gardens and there are so many in and around Kandy. Your driver will no doubt take you to his favourite (or where he has a business tie up). We went to ‘New Lucky Land Spice garden’ for a short period of time and sampled cinnamon, aloevera and a variety of oils.
Note: If you are from South India (especially from Kerala), please avoid such spice gardens. There is nothing special here that you had not seen in Kerala.
Rajanima Craft
Rajanima Craft make high quality wood products with the help of Kandyan craftsmanship. A nice place to visit if you are around Kandy. We have not purchased anything from here, So not sure about the price and the formalities to take the crafts to the Home country.
Prasanna Gem Centre
Prasanna Gem Center offers you world class exotic Gem and Jewellery with their expertise from generations. You can buy ‘Stones’ from here. If you are planning to buy your birth stone , you can try this place. You can watch a short video about the evolution of certain stones and then see the workshop where the jewellery is made.
Kandy Dance (Drum and Fire Show)
There are three venues for dance/drum shows in Kandy, all located around Kandy lake. You can choose one, according to your wish. Lot of people visit these venues. So, try to reach the venue on time.
Kandyan Art Association & Cultural Centre (Show starts around 5 PM)
Kandy Lake Club (Show starts around 5 PM)
Mahanuwara YMBA (Show starts around 5.30 PM)
This is an nice program, which brings to life ancient heritage through music, drumming, magic and fire walking!
Food: Try out some Sea food.
There are lot of small local vendors in and around the city, so try out some street food aswell.
Other Places worth mentioning here:
Peradeniya/Royal Botanic Gardens (5.5 Kms)
Gadaladeniya temple (13 Kms)
Udawatta Kelle Sanctuary (2.2 Kms)
Kandy Museums
Helga’s Folly
Accommodation:
We stayed in Earl’s Regent Hotel:
Located about 15-20 minutes’ drive from Kandy centre is the Earl’s Regent hotel. This hotel has a nice swimming pool and the friendly staff makes you feel right at home. The stay was comfortable and the service was really good. Our room was in the building which is on the left side of the main reception. Didn’t have an escalator. During checkout, we had to use the steps to bring down the heavy luggage. So if you have any old people in the group, please request for a room in the new building.
Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations. I assure you detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs.
Hope you can understand. Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.”– IBN Battuta
My family and I visited Singapore in December 2008.
Singapore is an amazing country. One of the cleanest country that I had ever visited.
Singapore is a small country, and it’s easy to get around. Thanks to its well-connected network of transportation, ‘The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)’
1. Sentosa Island (Dolphin Show / S.E.A Aquarium)
Sentosa is an island resort located off the coast of Singapore (around 15 min from City Center). It can be easily reached from Singapore city center. There are three main options to get to Sentosa Island apart from driving over in a car or taxi. These are to take the cable car, the monorail or walk over. The Singapore cable car takes you from Mt Faber or Harbour Front on Singapore across to Sentosa Island.
S.E.A. Aquarium – This is one of the largest aquariums in the world which has many tunnels and touch tanks that all will absolutely love.
2. Singapore Zoo
The Singapore Zoo opened in 1973 , is one of Singapore’s biggest attraction. The nice thing about Singapore Zoo is that most of the animals are in “open” exhibits. The zoo takes about 4 to 5 hours to get through.
White Tiger is the major attraction in the zoo. The white tiger is a rare pigmentation variant of the Bengal tiger, which is reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar (states in India).
3. China Town
Singapore’s historic Chinatown is a busy place, filled with a mixture of old and new shops and markets.
4. Mustafa center @ Little India
This is one of the Shops (located in Little India) where you could do a lot of shopping (comparatively cheaper)
5. Merlion
If you are in Singapore, You cannot avoid a photo with this background. Afterall, it’s the evidence that you have visited this beautiful country.
6. Changi Airport
Changi Airport itself is a major attraction.
One Line Summary: This country should always be there in your bucket list and never miss an opportunity to visit this small and beautiful country.
Hello! I traveled here, a long time ago. Never in my wildest dreams, did I think that someday I’d be a travel blogger! Apologies for the quality of the contents (AND/OR) pictures might not meet your expectations. I assure you, detailed contents / pictures in the latest and the upcoming blogs.
Hope you can understand. Enjoy reading and stay connected!!!!
I visited Nepal as a part of the final year tour from my college in 2003.
Nepal, those days were not safe at all, with Curfew (during night time) and explosions around.
Leaving those things apart, Nepal was a beautiful place with lot of greenery.
It was a sweet memory during those college days.
We took a private bus to reach Kathmandu from New Jalpaiguri (Nepal Border). The Roads were really bad and dangerous. Only an experienced Driver can drive through that road.
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