Hong Kong (香港) - Overview

Disneyland. That's my main reason for visiting Hong Kong this time around. I opted for Ocean Park (part 1 and part 2) on my first visit and now, it's time for Disneyland Hong Kong! Boy, can I just say what a magical adventure we had in the wonderland.

Me with Buzz Lightyear

I was giggly one minute, hyped up the next, watery eyed in another moment, bouncing up and down before getting all giggly again and I am a perfectly sane grown up, not some ADD kid. It says something about this magical world of Disneyland, a realm where you are reliving your childhood memories. Such a thrill seeing Mickey and his awesome gangs in person!

Disneyland Hong Kong grand firework display

Of course, Disneyland Hong Kong cannot be the only place we visited for the 4 days 3 nights trip. Customary landmark such as The Peak cannot be missed. While I may have been to the city before, it was the first time for the rest of the gang, so, The Peak has to be in it. Other than that, we went to Lamma Island as we took the iVenture Card promotion (a fantastic deal if you want to explore Hong Kong - more on that soon!). While just a short visit to the scenic outlying island, it was nonetheless memorable.

At The Peak

And how can shopping not part of the itinerary when Hong Kong is well known to be a shopping paradise? The last day itself was dedicated to splurging and suffice to say, we all came back with bags in hands. In short, it was a bang of a way to start the first trip of the year. I will write more about it once all the pending travel tales of mine are out.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

The First Flight of the Year

This is just an announcement. I'll be flying off tomorrow morning for the first time of the year! Location is some place I've been to before. More on that when I come back from my trip.

The first trip of the year and it is with my sister and a friend of mine and his sister. So, two sets of brothers and sisters exploring the city, with me serving as a pseudo-guide.

Just less than 12 hours away! See you soon!

Vietnam - Danang Easyrider Tour Part 2

Part 1 talks about the start of my Danang Easyrider tour from Hoi An, stopping by Son Tra and Hai Van Pass.

Once we finished our coffee and tea, we continued along with our journey heading to Hue. As I had emphasized too often in Part 1, the views here are to die for. Lush green mountain, clear blue sky, luminescent ocean, what is there not to love about here?

Look at this picture and tell me, don't you agree?

Halfway descending Hai Van Pass, I spotted a fishing village of sort. He pointed it to me and told me that's where we'll stop for lunch. Lang Co Island is the place and here, you can have fresh seafood meals at a low price. At least, that was what I was told.

Lang Co beach, where my lunch will be

When it comes to food, I definitely not the one to tell you if it's fresh or not. But, I can definitely share with you that it was indeed delicious. The clam that I had was juicy and tasty. Superb and it costed my wallet a decent VND 111,000 (about RM 17.00).

Trays of fresh seafood to choose from

Simple fried noodle with seafood

Clams! I have no idea what's called but damn it, it's super good!

A plate of noodle still not enough, have to have another bowl of rice for the clams

When the stomach was satisfied, we continued to move forward. This is a long journey ride which typically shouldn't be associated to the Danang - Hue distance. Normally, you can reach Hue from Danang between 2 to 4 hours, depending your mode of transportation. Plus, with so many pit stops we made along the way, it was a much longer journey. Not that I'm complaining, mind you.

Christian cemetery, something I saw while on the road

Another stop we did before reaching Hue was Suoi Voi, an off-track recreation area about 15 km from Lang Co beach. Hidden deep into the jungle, this natural retreat is not high on everyone's to visit list and only appreciated by the locals. If not for my guide here, I won't even come across such a place and it will be my loss.

Suoi Voi Park

Clear water, lush greenery, fresh air...I want to live here

The adorable local kids

Suoi Voi is well known for its waterfall and when we were there, families were relaxing and playing by the water. It was a rather quiet day, with not that many people hoarding by the waterfall. As I wasn't in the mood for a swim (not that I know how), I just relaxed by the edge of the rock, taking photos. Entrance fee to Suoi Voi is VND 12,000 (RM 2.00, more or less).

Can it be anymore prettier?

This is the last main stop for the trip before reaching Hue. More to come soon.

Last stop of the journey, some small fishing ground

Part 3: The Imperial City of Hue

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Vietnam - Danang Easyrider Tour Part 1

After spending 2 nights in Hoi An, it was time for me to continue with my journey further deep into Central Vietnam to reach the forbidden city of Hue. I really loved this quaint little town of Hoi An, what with its charming yellow houses and shops, beautifully lanterns-lit by nightfall, and its relaxing vibe the town somehow emitted. Leaving this once-vibrant trading port cannot be done without a heavy heart.

Exploring the streets of Hoi An for the last time

My favourite, Cau Lao

Originally, my plan was to enjoy myself in Hoi An until the end of my trip where I will take my flight back to KL from Danang International Airport. However, a chance encounter with a Danang Easyrider when I arrived in the train station introduced me to another city in Central Vietnam, the Imperial City of Hue. At first reluctant (I very much wanted to spend as much time in Hoi An as I can), I was somewhat converted with promises of scenic views along the ride on the cool, Harley-like motorbike to take the 2 days, 1 night tour. Well, I wasn't disappointed.

That morning of my second last day in Vietnam, Chien, my guide for the trip, came by my hotel and off we began our journey. On our way to Hue, we first have to pass by Danang, and boys, aren't the beaches there pristine white. While I didn't get down and have some fun time in the beach (it was freaking hot and the heat was unbearable even around 9 am), from afar, the beach is clean and serene, with umbrellas and coconut trees decorating the stripe of sands. In my opinion, Danang will soon be the to-go-to destination for beaches.

The pristine beach of Danang

This is merely posing only as I can't ride...

In less than an hour drive, we made our first stop of the day at Monkey Island. Known as Son Tra locally, there is one pagoda that offers stunning views of the sea. The ride up to the Linh Ung Pagoda is just an easy motorbike ride up and worth all the efforts for you get to experience magnificent scenery up there. Plus, there is a 67-meter tall statue of Guan Yin made of marble overlooking the sea.

The view of Danang as we're leaving

Son Tra is very famous with the locals as on the day I was there, it was crowded with Vietnamese on tour. They were taking photos of the sea views as well as the grand statue. Vietnamese are really into domestic tourism.

Linh Ung Pagoda

Guan Yin overlooking...

...such a scenery day in, day out

After spending around 20 to 30 minutes in the pagoda, it was time for us to continue with our journey. The saying, it is not the destination but the journey that matters, holds ground here for along the ride, you get to see nothing short of picturesque landscapes.

It must be getting repetitive, but, aren't these views amazing???

Next stop, Hai Van Pass. Well, technically, it is more like a stretch of mountain road that connects Danang with Hue. If you are wondering what so special about this mountain pass, it is its beauty that really captures your heart. As with every scenery along the ride, the views here are simply beautiful. Standing on top of the trail overlooking the South China Sea is a fulfillment itself. And the temperature at the top of the road is much cooler rather than the sweaty heat when in Danang.

Damn, how I wish I'm there now...

We stopped for a cup of coffee and tea while enjoying ourselves with the chilling weather. Something I should probably mention here is that there are a lot of war bunkers along Hai Van Pass left by the Americans during the Vietnam War. Everywhere in Vietnam is a constant reminder of the terrible tragedy of war.

Hai Van Pass

The leftovers of the Vietnam War

Part 2: Lang Co Island for seafood, Suoi Voi Park, and reaching Hue

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Kuala Lumpur - SkyBar, Traders Hotel

One of my resolutions for 2013 is to explore Kuala Lumpur more. Honestly, I have been living in the city for more than a year now and the only places that I have been to the most are the shopping centres in the capital city. Well, not anymore for this year, I'll be exploring KL and see what the city can offer.

SkyBar @ Traders Hotel, KL

The first stop of the year has to be the famous SkyBar. If you are looking for a great spot to enjoy a drink or two with the Petronas Twin Tower serving as your background, look no further for this lounge is the place to be. Located at the 33rd floor of Traders Hotel, SkyBar offers unparallel views of the two maizes.

After many failed attempts last year, finally, I had landed my feet on SkyBar itself together with two of my friends last Saturday. And boys, was I not disappointed.

SkyBar is best described as followed: a narrow stripe of space with one side providing unarguably the best views of the tallest building in the country (the other side offers nothing to be excited about), a shallow-looking pool dominating the central ground, the room beautifully lit by neon colours, the music not too loud, not too soft, just perfect to the ears. In short, just the right spot for chilling out and sipping a cocktail or two.

Window seats, with the pool in the centre

The bar

We made no reservation but still, we managed to secure a window seat rather quick. All you have to do is to  put your name in the waiting list and once there is empty table or a cancelled reservation, you will be called. We waited at most 30 minutes.

The Petronas Twin Tower

The left side

The right side

You can even see the water fountain show in KLCC Park

The drinks that we ordered:

Mai Tai (RM 19++)

Well, all of us had the Mai-Tai (the Happy Hour drink) because, however fancy the place may be or well-dressed we are, we are still very poor, financially speaking. Once we moved to the window seat, we ordered one of their snacks, Sticky Nachos.

Sticky nachos, which according to my friend, addictive...

We took photos, we chatted, we drank (very little, unfortunately), we ate. By the time it was 10.30 pm, we left as we had satisfied our hungers for all things beautiful.

How can there be no group shot???

Well, in my opinion, SkyBar is worth a visit as the drinks are reasonably priced and the atmosphere is amazing. The service is rather good and even though you do not have any reservation made, you still can have window seats. The only drawback is that not everyone adheres to the dress code (if there is one). I saw people wearing shorts and sandals. A shame, though.

All in all, I will definitely come again for nothing but relaxation.

One cocktail is not enough for me X-D

p/s I'm procrastinating, I know, I know. I will end my Vietnam post soon. This statement appears far too often, giving off nothing but hollow ring, but I will wrap it up if it's the last thing I'll do.

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

SkyBar at Traders Hotel is easily accessible even by public transportation. Just take the Kelana Jaya line to KLCC and walk for 5 - 10 minutes to the Traders Hotel which is at the other end of the KLCC Convention Centre, the one furthest from the Suria KLCC. If not, a quick call to the taxi and all your worries will be gone. Their Happy Hour lasts until 9.00 pm everyday and the Happy Hour drinks differ from Mondays to Sundays. Refer to their official website here for more details.

Reviewing 2012

Happy 2013! 2012 had ended its run (that was fast!) and now we are in the brand new year, which means, all new travelling to be done. But, before we rush ahead, let's me count back to my extensive travelling that I had done since the commencement of this travel blog of mine (April 2011).

So, here goes:

Countries I've Visited (number of times):

Thailand (3), Cambodia, Macau (S.A.R. of China), Hong Kong (S.A.R. of China), Singapore (2), Indonesia, Vietnam, Brunei, Myanmar

Cities/Islands I've Been To:

Hat Yai (Thailand); Phnom Penh & Siem Reap (Cambodia); Bangkok (Thailand); Macau; Hong Kong; Kuching (Malaysia); Singapore; Langkawi (Malaysia); Semarang (Indonesia); Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An & Hue (Vietnam); Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei); Labuan (Malaysia); Johor Bharu (Malaysia); Malacca (Malaysia); Yangon, Bagan & Inle Lake (Myanmar)

Cities/Islands that I've Visited Countless Times that it's Almost Like My Home:

Penang & Genting Highland

Numbers of Airports (excluding LCCT and KLIA): 7

Phnom Penh International Airport (Phnom Penh), Suvarnabhumi International Airport (Bangkok), Macau International Airport (Macau), Achmad Yani International Airport (Semarang), Tan Son Nhat International Airport (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang International Airport (Da Nang), Brunei International Airport (Brunei), Yangon International Airport (Yangon)

Numbers of Ferry Terminals: 6

Taipa Ferry Terminal - Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier, Kuala Kedah Ferry Terminal - Langkawi Jetty Point, Serasa Ferry Terminal - Labuan International Ferry Terminal

Numbers of UNESCO World Heritage Sites I've Been To: 7

Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia), Angkor (Cambodia), Historic Centre of Macau (Macau, SAR of China), Borobudur Temple Compounds (Indonesia), Hoi An Ancient Town (Vietnam), My Son Sanctuary (Vietnam) & Complex of Hue Monument (Vietnam)

Top 5 Most Memorable Trips:

5. Wicked in Singapore

My first live musical and it was amazing! Wicked is simply great. Worth every single pennies. Read about it here.

4. Hong Kong (Ocean Park, The Peak, etc)

Growing up with TVB series on regular staples, Hong Kong feels very familiar yet strange to me. It is like you can't believe you are actually in the island for real. Ocean Park, The Peak, Symposium of Light; all these Hong Kong attractions are must-do activities. All I can say is 4 days in Hong Kong is NOT enough. See for yourself what I have to say about Hong Kong.

3. Cycling to My Son Sanctuary from Hoi An

As I had blogged about recently, this adventure of mine is seriously mind blowing for me. 40 - 50 km in distance and I actually cycled to the place itself? In a foreign land with no knowledge of the language itself? Damn, I now know my limit is pretty non-existence.

2. Going to Cambodia with my University coursemates

4D/3N trip with late arrival and morning departure flights, and still manage to cover both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap? That's a feat that can't be defeated. No doubt it was all in a rush (we spent less than 4 hours in Angkor Wat!) but it was nothing but fun, fun, fun! A worthy farewell to our university years. Click here for my entries on Cambodia.

1. Bagan Archaeological Zone, Myanmar

Maybe it was my last trip of the year, hence, making it more memorable, but the vast landscape of Bagan is stunning. I spent 2D/2N there and still wasn't enough. Definitely not to be missed, sunrise and sunset in Bagan. You won't regret waking up super early for the view. More on Myanmar soon.

2012 has been a wonderful year for me with my travel resolution of visiting all ASEAN countries about to be realized comes this July 2013 (last on the list, Laos). For 2013, I'm expanding my Asia coverage to include either North Asia or South Asia into the itinerary. Plus, there will be one epic 2013 trip that I'm planning right now. Details are still fuzzy but one thing for sure, it will be LEGENDARY!