Continuing from Gifu Day 2 Okuhida is the mecca for onsen pilgrimage in the Northern Alps of Gifu. Nestled deep in the mountains, there are 170 open-air hot spring baths across five onsen villages, namely Hirayu, Fukuji, Tochio, Shinhotaka and Shinhirayu where we stayed overnight at Nakadaya onsen ryokan. Shinhotaka Ropeway Besides onsen, another must-do…
Unesco
Korea Day 3: Gyeongju & Andong
. Gyeongju Gyeongju is known as ‘the museum without walls’. The capital of the ancient Silla dynasty is home to 4 UNSECO World Heritage Sites – Seokguram Grotto, Bulguksa Temple, Gyeongju Historic Areas and Yangdong Folk Village. Historically rich, it’s of little wonder Gyeongju is one of Korea’s top tourist destinations. On the second day…
Penang Street Art
Murals are popping up across the old streets and back alleys of Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Penang island. The street art trend in Georgetown was started by Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. It’s always great to catch up with friends when overseas, so that they can tour us around! Meet Valyn (the pretty…
Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe Trip (part 4)
Continuing from Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe Trip (part 3) … Arashiyama A day after Kobe trip, we took Hankyu Railway again out of Osaka to Kyoto, using the 2-day Hankyu Tourist Pass (rail.hankyu.co.jp/en/hankyu_tourist_pass.html) which costs ¥1,200 for unlimited train rides between Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. En route to Kyoto, we stopped by Arashiyama, a scenic spot popularly known for cherry…
The Taj Mahal & Agra Fort
One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is the epitome of undying love and Mughal art, a masterpiece of perfect symmetry, balance and geometrical patterns. Overwhelmed with the grief of losing his beloved empress who died during the birth of their 14th child, Emperor Shah Jahan ordered the construction of the…
Komodo National Park: World’s top diving & snorkeling sites
By far, this is the best snorkeling experience in my life! Komodo National Park is not only notable as the natural habitat for the endangered Komodo dragons, it has an amazing underwater scenery so awe-inspiring that, in my opinion, no world-class oceanarium can rival. It’s a bliss that we are living in the tropics of…
Komodo National Park: Up Close with the Dragons
Komodo National Park is officially the ‘New 7 Wonders of Nature‘. The pristine beaches and crystal clear waters teeming with an abundance of colourful marine life top the list of my favourite snorkeling sites anytime. Not to forget the world’s largest lizards roaming on the islands – Komodo Dragons! The near-extinct species can only be found…
Discover Yogyakarta
Yogyakarta is the second most popular destination after Bali in Indonesia. Also known as Jogjakarta, the beautiful city never fails to amaze with its old world charm and natural beauty. Steep in history, Yogya is the centre of Javanese art and culture, the cradle of civilization on Java where a few world heritage sites are…
The Wonders of Borobudur Temple
Been there twice in a year. On my recent trip to Central Java, I visited Borobudur Temple in the early hours to catch the sunrise. Without many tourists around in the morning, the whole atmosphere was calm and surreal. I could count with my fingers how many times I really got up very early for…
The Mystic World of Orangutans
When I learnt that we had to overnight on a river boat in the jungle of Central Kalimantan, eight persons sharing one bathroom, that put up a bit of struggle in me. Voice inside: You are there to see the endangered orangutans that are only found in Borneo and Sumatra! Yeah, I saw those in…