Things to See and Do

The understated other borough, Brooklyn is more like Melbourne in that you need to kind of need to have an idea of what you’re looking for or where you’re going to really appreciate the place. For Melbourne, it’s the laneways. For Brooklyn, it’s places like Cobble Hill and Williamsburg.

Brooklyn Bridge

One of  NYC’s most recognisable icons, Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River to connect Manhattan with Brooklyn. So many music videos and commercials have been filmed on or around this bridge, making it truly a sight to see when you first glimpse it.

My advice is to walk over it from the Brooklyn side, taking in the great views of the Manhattan skyline. It’s totally free and you can also admire the feat of engineering that this bridge is.

Brooklyn Flea

Jayne from Travelling Shopaholic scoped this one out. Brooklyn Flea essentially does what it says on the tin – it’s a flea market offering all kinds of vintage bits and pieces like vinyl records, clothing, jewellery, homeware, artwork and more. Brooklyn Flea isn’t actually just one location. They actually have a few markets dotted around Brooklyn, check out their website for info.

The market we visited covers the entire area of the dramatic old Williamsburg Bank, including inside the old teller offices. Just when you think you’ve seen all that the vendors have to offer, you descend downstairs and find even more wares abound inside the bank’s old vault. Pretty cool use of the space in my opinion.

To find out more about Brooklyn Flea, check out Jayne’s post On The Market: Brooklyn Flea.

DUMBO

DUMBO stands for “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”. Another good example of how New Yorkers abbreviate absolutely everything. It’s an area of Brooklyn down near the river that consists of the land between the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridge approaches. It’s filled with old school cobblestone streets, cafes, restaurants and warehouses turned into art galleries. It’s a short walk from Downtown Brooklyn and makes for a great place to spend the afternoon before having a few drinks and dinner. It’s also where the legendary Grimaldi’s pizza is located, but more on that later.

DUMBO is also home to Brooklyn Bridge Park, where the header photo of this post was taken from. It’s definitely the ideal place to take in the Brooklyn Bridge from.

Cobble Hill

Cobble Hill is the suburb where the best array of cool cafes and restaurants within walking distance of Downtown are. Court St and Smith St are the two main drags where you’ll find great places for brunch, cocktails and artisan eateries. The streets deviating off these two main thoroughfares are also filled with those typical Brooklyn brownstone apartments you see in loads of sitcoms and movies.

Coney Island

I think Coney Island is a name loads of us remember from our childhood in one way or another. I know I recognised it primarily from movies and films, and it was really cool to check out this legendary, nostalgic part of Brooklyn.

Recently battered by Hurricane Sandy, Coney Island is on the mend and back to its former glory of carnival rides, sideshows, hot dogs and of course the seaside.

Also in Coney Island is Cyclone, one of America’s oldest wooden roller-coaster  Riders reach up to 60 mph on this baby, and the rickety instability of it all contributes to the “oh god am I going to die?!” experience.

Food and Drink

Let’s face it, the food is a big reason why people visit NYC. When I think New York, I think pizza, cheesecake, bagels, hot dogs and everything in between. The time I spent in various restaurants and diners in Brooklyn definitely didn’t disappoint, as you’re about to find out.

Junior’s Restaurant

Junior’s is the indisputable home of NYC cheesecake. Every person we asked about cheesecake always recommended us to go to Junior’s and when we went to their original Brooklyn restaurant, we weren’t disappointed. Adventurous Kate summed it up well in her post New in New York: This Time Around when she said their cheesecake was “fabulously delicious”,

We went on a Sunday and found loads of families in their Sunday best enjoying a hearty lunch. It was one of those serendipitous insights into TV show style American family life that I was super excited to witness.

The original Junior’s is in Brooklyn, but they also have restaurants in Times Square and Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan. They also do great sandwiches, macaroni and cheese and well, everything is great. Do yourself a favour and make sure you check it out.

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour

If you’re keen on experiencing the best pizza in NYC, you’ve got to check out the A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour. They start in Manhattan but quickly take the bridge into Brooklyn to tell you all about the NYC pizza wars before hitting up the first of two pizzerias.

Our tour was lead by Paula, the niece of the owner, Tony. Brooklyn born and bred and Jewish catholic by faith, she was super passionate, informative, opinionated and had a crazy number of stories about Brooklyn to share with us. Our first stop was the Brooklyn Bridge Park (as I mentioned above) and DUMBO before we made our way to our first stop for pizza, Grimaldi’s.

Grimaldi’s

Grimaldis is that legendary NYC pizza establishment I was talking about. When you ask someone “where do I go for the best NYC style pizza?” you’ll be told Grimaldi’s at least 50% of the time (the other 50% will tell you Lombardi’s, but that’s for the Manhattan post).

The first thing to say about their pizzas is that they’re big. Their margherita consists of  just three toppings – their own tomato sauce, mozarella (or “mozarel” as our tour guide Paula called it) and fresh basil. That’s it.

You can’t buy by the slice here either, you’ve got to order a whole pie. So queue up, find yourself a seat with a friend and get ready for some special pizza.

Grimaldi’s has a reputation and queues form fast outside. My recommendation is to either get their early, or go as part of the tour like we did. When we arrived, we were guided straight to a reserved table, served our choice of drinks and just waited for the pie.

The thing is, this isn’t the original Grimaldi’s. This Grimaldi’s is some other guy that bought the brand off the original owners. He moved in in the past year to a building he happened to own one door down from the original because he couldn’t pay the rent. The old Grimaldi’s is now Juliana’s down the road, and is run by the original Grimaldi family.

It’s the same pie with a coal oven, and the only difference is the cheese. This my friends, is the pizza wars of NYC. Who knew pizza could be such a contentious business? Only in NYC huh.

As we weaved our way through suburban Brooklyn, we were shown clips from movies featuring the borough like Saturday Night Fever and Goodfellas that featured landmarks we were passing. One which I found memorable because I always get a kick out film and TV locations was passing the Verrazano Narrows Bridge that connects Brooklyn and Staten island as we saw the exact scene from Saturday Night Fever.

L&B Spumoni Gardens

We threaded further through old neighbourhoods, parks and mansions, taking in more of everyday Brooklyn before arriving in Bensonhurst. It was time for another movie clip, this time the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever. As we passed under the iconic overhead railroad, we followed along with the movie, matching up exactly where John Travolta strutted along the sidewalk before picking up two slices for a snack.

For our next pizzeria, we were taken to L&B Spumoni Gardens. Since 1939 the kitchen here has been serving up a very different style of pizza to Grimaldi’s. Rather than standard thin crust NYC pie, they serve Sicilian pizza. This pizza is prepared with the cheese on the dough first before it’s cooked. The sauce is then put on half way through and it’s cooked again. The result is a lighter, taller crust and a very different texture.

Spumoni’s is definitely a real family kind of place. It’s so deep into Brooklyn that there’s no way you’d see any tourists here unless they were on the tour with you. It was absolutely packed with locals and families including a few squads of NYPD and FDNY folks.

The way I look at it, if the cops are coming here, it’s got to be good. Given that we had to triple park the bus on the street to get anywhere near this place shows you how popular it is.

How to get there

NYC is undoubtedly really well connected with the rest of the world. Flying from Europe, you can fly British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and pretty much any other flag carrier airline into either JFK or Newark airports (in New Jersey). If you’re flying from within North America you’ll probably also fly into La Guardia (LGA) airport.

Getting into Brooklyn, you can take the subway or just grab a cab from Manhattan. It’s literally only 5 minutes away over one of the bridges.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Brooklyn. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Brooklyn in a larger map

Get around in Brooklyn

The subway or a taxi is your best bet for getting around Brooklyn. The borough is well connected with public transport both within and to/from Manhattan and a yellow NYC cab is never far away.

You may find some difficulty asking a cabbie to take you from Manhattan to the outer parts of Brooklyn, but anywhere near Downtown should be fine. The fare should be around $20-$30.

Where to stay

We stayed at the Aloft Brooklyn during our visit because I’d checked it out online and it looked like a funky design hotel that really deviated from the stuffy NYC hotels you usually hear about.

It’s a Starwood hotel, a “Vision of W Hotels” in fact. Focused at young professionals; when we arrived we were checked in fast and given vouchers for complimentary coffee/tea each day for being Starwood Preferred Guest members.

The lobby featured lots of lounges to relax in and the wxyz bar, great for a beer after a long day of sightseeing.

The re:fuel snack bar was stocked with fruit, chocolate, breakfast bits and pieces and of course, coffee. It made it really easy to just grab something and go each morning.

I’d definitely recommend it if you’re after somewhere a bit cheaper and a bit more up to date than most hotels. It was kind of no-frills, but still had some coolness about it.

Budget

There’s no skirting around, NYC is not cheap. Brooklyn is slightly cheaper than Manhattan, but don’t expect bargain basement prices. Meals will set you back about $15 a pop and a beer was about $5 for a bottle. Eating from the food trucks on the street was slightly cheaper, with a egg and bacon bagel costing about $4.

Conclusion

Brooklyn is definitely full of surprises. It features the best pizzas in NYC, the best cheesecake and some of the most genuine people in town. The place isn’t chockers with tourists or people trying to sell you stuff and is such a different side of NYC. When you’re over Manhattan, make your way across the bridge and explore Brooklyn.

 Disclosure: I received only the A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour complimentary, and all my views are my own.

I was super keen to check out Hoi An as I’d heard about how it was a former fishing village and shipping port that was essentially frozen in time. The Chinese/Japanese traders exerted heavy influence on Hoi An in the 1600′s, but when Da Nang evolved faster with a deeper harbour, Hoi An faded away out of the trading limelight. What’s left today is a quaint little pedestrian only village that feels like you’ve just stepped into an Oriental hamlet of 400 years ago.

Things to See and Do

Hoi An is all about the UNESCO Heritage listed Old Town with all its characteristic faded yellow townhouses. With no cars allowed, it’s a lot calmer than other Vietnamese towns and the lack of any risk of being cleaned up by a little Daewoo allows you to relax and take it all in a bit more.

The Old Town is only a few blocks wide, perfect for simply wandering around and discovering the galleries, tailors and craftsmen, which I’ll tell you more about soon.

Japanese Covered Bridge

One of the centrepieces of the Hoi An, the Covered Bridge is a remnant of the heavy Japanese influence on Hoi An in the 1600′s. The bridge was originally constructed to connect the Japanese community with the Chinese quarter – separated by a small stream of water as a symbolic gesture of peace.

Roughly 40 years after the the Japanese Bridge was constructed, the Japanese were demanded to return home to Japan under order of Sakoku – the act that officially closed Japan to the rest of the world until the mid 1850′s. Interestingly, the bridge is the only one in the world with a Buddhist temple inside it.

Shopping in Hoi An’s Artisan Tailors and Galleries

Hoi An is known for its fine tailoring, custom leatherwork and bespoke fabrication. They’re so good that many craftsmen can reproduce something you show them in a magazine or catalogue in as little as 2 days. The leatherworkers can spin up replicas of satchels, handbags or backpacks in exactly the right colour, size and configuration you want.

I had a crack at having a bag made for work, and after I forked over the US $100 for it the lady running the shop really took her time to understand everything about the bag. She asked loads of questions like how big I wanted it to be, what kind of pockets and zips I wanted, how wide I wanted the shoulder strap to be and even what kind of fabric I wanted inside it. Unfortunately the shop couldn’t finish it by the time we had to leave, but they gladly refunded my money, which was refreshing in a country like Vietnam that has a reputation for ripping people off.

Away from leather goods, there are loads of shops that can make custom-tailored dresses, suits, shirts and pretty much any garment you can think of. If you need some great fitting clobber for a good price, get it made up here.

Food and Drink

Eating in Hoi An is like everywhere else in Vietnam – it’s all about the street. Food vendors ply the streets selling everything from the local variation of pho to sweet and savoury snacks to have on the go. Get your dong out and eat while you wander.

Morning Glory

For a comfortable and affordable dinner, check out Morning Glory. It’s a really casual place and takes street food into a refined restaurant setting. Set in an old colonial building (like a lot of the rest of Hoi An), it’s one of the more in-demand restaurants in the Old Town (so try and make a booking).

The first thing you notice when you enter is that a kitchen is right in the middle of the restaurant, exposing all the delicious food being prepared by the cooks to everyone dining on the downstairs level.

The first thing we got into was Morning Glory’s speciality of the pork “roll it”. They come as a set on a platter and you take your rice paper, add greens and then a big skewer of pork and wrap it all up into a package of juicy Vietnamese deliciousness. They were so good we got seconds while we waited for our mains.

Speaking of mains, I had the cinnamon beef stew that literally fell apart as I tried to tuck into it. Complimented by big chunks of carrot, the beef was a great change from all the pork I’d had recently throughout the rest of Vietnam.

The owners of Morning Glory also run Cargo Club on the same street, which has a wide selection of pastries and desserts and makes for a great place for coffee after dinner.

How to get there

Getting to Hoi An is a bit more involved than other cities in Vietnam as it doesn’t have its own airport. Your best bet is to fly into the brand new Da Nang airport with AirAsia, Vietnam Airlines or JetStar Pacific and then take a taxi to Hoi An. In standard Asia form, you’ll get bombarded by taxi drivers as soon as you exit the Arrivals hall. A taxi to Hoi An should only be about USD $15, and make sure you be firm on where you want to go as taxi drivers trying to get you to their mate’s hotel is pretty common.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Hoi An. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Hoi An in a larger map

Get around in Hoi An

As Hoi An is pretty compact, you’ll find that most of it is easily walkable. But if you do find yourself with tired feet, grab a green Mai Linh taxi or try your luck with a cyclo (but make sure you agree your price before you get on).

The hotel I’m about to tell you about is a bit far out of town, but luckily they provide a regular, free shuttle into town. Just one of the many amazing services they provide.

Where to stay

When you’re up for indulging yourself, take a look at The Nam Hai Resort. You immediately get the impression of luxury and opulence as you drive through the main gates and along the beautifully manicured garden to the welcome centre. Greeted by the friendly check-in staff by name, you take a seat in what seems like a sumptuous office that has had all four walls taken down, exposing the insides to the warm, breezy ocean air. From here, the experience begun.

We were escorted in a golf buggy to our private villa and toured around the extensive interior that made me feel like I’d just had a couple of zeros added to my yearly salary. This villa was less of a hotel room and more of an extensive opulent oceanside luxury experience. The first thing I noticed was the relaxing ambient music playing from the villa’s sound system. I immediately felt chilled out and like I never wanted to leave this place.

The bed was the central focal point of the villa, propped up on its own stage and surrounded by 6 silk curtains that created a bedroom within a room after dark. The villa descended gradually down 3 levels until you reached the sitting area with 2 plush sofas overlooking the gardens outside.

Making your way around the gradiose bed, you’re met with artistically carved sliding doors that open up into a cavernous his and hers affair of a bathroom, including individual dressing rooms. This place literally kept getting better and better.

Venturing outside, you’re greeted with a private courtyard and an outdoor shower. I’d never stayed anywhere with a shower outside, my jaw was on the marble tiled floor. It was obviously the only choice for cooling off in the afternoon after a warm day exploring Hoi An.

After we got over the amazing interior of our villa, it was time to stroll along the beach and check out more of what the Nam Hai had to offer in the pool department.

The Nam Hai features at least three pools in the main area, each appearing to cascade into the other and then into the waves beyond as they break on the beach. Each pool has a specific purpose including a family pool and a lap pool, allowing everyone to be happy with their water-based activities.

Once the sun went down and we returned from dinner in town, we entered the villa to be greeted with this incredible turn-down service.

The entire place had been turned into an oasis of after-dark tranquility. The music had been set to an even more relaxing soundtrack and all six curtains had been pulled closed to create that room within a room and produce a more intimate vibe within the expansive open-planned villa.

The next morning we called for a pickup by a resort golf buggy and were brought to the breakfast area. If you follow my blog, you’ll know that breakfast is usually my favourite part of any hotel stay, and in this case I was definitely not disappointed.

The buffet area featured an absolute forest of different yogurts, mueslis and pastries to feast on before the main event; which consisted of a selection from the concise yet diverse a la carte menu. I went for a Vietnamese pork char siu, which is a bit unconventional for breakfast, but I wanted to do as the locals do and enjoy something a bit different.

Overlooking the pool area, we enjoyed our delicious breakfast in relative quiet and thought about the once in a lifetime place we’d spent the night in.

Although we weren’t looking forward to checking out, we knew we’d been treated to something special and couldn’t wait to tell our friends when we got home.

Budget

Price wise, Hoi An is about the same as Hanoi. Meals will set you back about 80,000 to 120,000 dong and beers are around 40k dong each. For a taxi back to the Nam Hai from Hoi An (if you need to get back when a shuttle isn’t running), it’ll cost you around $5-$10 USD.

Rates at the Nam Hai start from $650 (£418) excluding taxes per villa per night, including daily buffet breakfast for two people at The Restaurant, daily complimentary shuttle to Hoi An and complimentary non-alcoholic beverages from the minibar. Stay at The Nam Hai for 4 nights and pay for 3 or stay 7 and pay for 5, valid until 20 December 2013.

For more information please visit: www.masonrose.com/namhai or www.thenamhaihoian.com

Conclusion

Hoi An really put the icing on the cake for me in Vietnam, as it had so much individual heritage, character and charm that sets it apart from cities throughout the rest of the country. Seeing how well the old buildings have been preserved and the lack of cars makes it into a great place to relax and just soak up the special vibe of the town.

Disclosure: Our stay at the Nam Hai was provided complimentary and all opinions are my own, as always. I couldn’t write a bad thing about their digs anyway, it was absolutely amazing.

The capital of the Vietnamese socialist republic and nestled on the fabled Red River, Hanoi is a bustling, noisy slice of South East Asia that I didn’t find as in-your-face as other Asian countries and is bursting with tonnes of local character.

Things to See and Do

With loads of tumultuous history, delicious street food and markets to get involved in, 2 days in Vietnam’s traditionally conservative northern metropolis is just the right amount of time to see enough of the city. Especially if you’re interested in historic sites and learning more about the North Vietnam side of the war.

Old Quarter

A mazes of alleyways, lanes, street eateries, bars and local vendors, Hanoi’s old quarter is where you’ll be dodging motorbikes and scooters all the while being led by your nose to find the best bun cha or pho. Street vendors, temples, counterfeit DVDs shops and all manner of other bits and pieces make up this never ending traditional heart of the capital.

The name of the game here is just wandering around, discovering what the city has to offer. Everything north of the Hoam Kiem Lake is the Old Quarter, and just following your inquisitiveness is the best way to experience it. If artwork is your thing, look out for the galleries dotted throughout the old town selling reproduced Communist propaganda posters.

Hoam Kiem Lake

Hoam Kiem Lake is really the focal point of Hanoi. It’s 100% mystical as far as the Vietnamese are concerned. Meaning “Lake of the Returned Sword” in English, the legend is that emperor Le Loi was boating on the lake when his magic sword was grabbed by a turtle.

No one could find the sword or the turtle, so the emperor concluded that the Golden Turtle God had come to take back the sword that it had given him some time earlier during his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty. The emperor then renamed the lake to commemorate the event, and the Turtle Tower standing on a small island near the centre of lake is linked to the legend.

Exploring Ngoc Son Temple on the island is a great introduction to Vietnamese religion, and the vast temple is filled with colourful statues and offerings are dotted throughout.

Military History Museum and Flag Tower

This was something that I was really keen to check out. I’m a big military and history buff, so the two together literally had be frothing at the mouth. It’s filled with Vietnamese war history going back centuries and does harbour a heavy bias towards the regime, but is an incredible insight into the Vietnam War.

The grounds of the museum are littered with old military hardware includes lots of captured American aircraft and old Russian fighters and tanks.

It highlights American imperialism in a big way, but I think that’s to be expected in the heart of what is traditionally the most hardline, conservative, Communist part of Vietnam. And getting to sit in the cockpit of a Chinook helicopter was pretty damn cool.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

For anyone that’s been to Moscow, you’ll recognise what’s going on here straight away. Like the Lenin Mausoleum in Moscow, this one is for the hero of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh. He’s responsible for the uprising against the French after WW2 and is effectively the father of everything Vietnam stands for socialism wise.

Entry is a convoluted affair like in Moscow also, with a long queue with no obvious entrance where you have to surrender all your stuff before they’ll let you in. To be honest, walking around the outside is enough unless you have a real desire to check out Minh’s embalmed body in a glass case.

Hanoi Hilton (Hoa Lo Prison)

The Hoa Lo Prison was a prison used by the French colonists in Vietnam for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for prisoners of war during the Vietnam War when it was sarcastically known to American prisoners of war as the “Hanoi Hilton”. Known as Maison Centrale. the French used the prison to imprison, torture and execute Vietnamese dissidents.

It serves as a dark reminder of political imprisonment and demonstrates how the French treated the Vietnamese and then how the Vietnamese treated their own people and the Americans they captured.

The prison which took up an enormous block of land was demolished during the 1990s, and the gatehouse is the only part that remains as the museum. It’s not a big museum, and you can cover the entire prison in about 2 hours or so.

Food and Drink

Now onto the tasty part – getting your face into some tasty Vietnamese eats. Everybody is familiar with the ubiquitous Pho, and the version you’ll most likely run into is Pho Bo (Pho with beef). You can literally get it everywhere in Hanoi, and each street vendor will have their own way of making it that’s been passed down through their family for generations. Consisting of noodles, green vegetables, beef and a soupy broth, it’s a cheap way to get fed. Make sure you slurp up all of the broth!

You could literally have pho for breakfast, lunch and dinner here, but do save some room for the other amazing meals you’ll find in the city.

New Day Restaurant

Frequented by both locals and tourists, New Day Restaurant is a buzzing place to eat that’s a step up from the plastic stools and bare concrete walls you’ll find out on the street but with the same fantastic quality of food.

Attentive, fast and friendly staff will help you navigate the extensive menu and make sure you order yourself a great selection of the finest North Vietnamese culinary delights available. Like this sweet and sour chicken and spring rolls.

Or bun cha, a Northern staple you’ll only find in and around Hanoi. It’s essentially BBQ pork, greens and rice noodles and it comes with a cup of broth that you drown the contents in before going in with your chopsticks.

Or how about these great little beef ribs I had for a starter? They were definitely different to the BBQ ribs you get from Bodean’s here in London, but just as sticky.

The locals next to us ordered half the menu I reckon; and when it came it was a big share-fest of rice and bowls of meat criss-crossing the table. I love the communal way people eat in Asia.

Located in the heart of the Old Quarter and near some well known hostels and hotels, you shouldn’t have much of a problem finding this place.

How to get there

Hanoi is served by Air Asia (from KL), Vietnam Airlines (from London) and Jetstar Pacific (from other cities in Vietnam) along with other Asian carriers. Noi Bai airport is about 45 km from Hanoi and the drive into the city will take 45-60 minutes (traffic is generally shocking). Try to organise an airport transfer with your hotel before arriving to avoid the rip-off fest with taxis at the airport.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Hanoi. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Hanoi in a larger map

Get around in Hanoi

Hanoi can mostly be covered on foot, especially in the Old Quarter and around Hoam Kiem Lake. For when you find yourself a bit far from where you’re staying, try to flag down a green Mai Linh or Taxigroup taxi only. These taxis have honest meters, and taxis from other companies will try to stiff you. If you do have to take a different taxi, agree on the price before you get in. A trip across Hanoi should cost about 50,000 dong.

You could also opt for for a cyclo, but do beware that these guys peddling around the city have their ways of extorting more money out of you once the journey’s over. This happened to us further down the coast in Hue, and we had to pay 50k dong extra to avoid a bit of a stand-off in a busy market.

Where to stay

Hands down, I reckon your best choice in Hanoi is the Hanoi Elite Hotel. When we arrived, I was blown away by the level of service provided in this gem tucked away in the Old Quarter. The staff are incredibly friendly, and ushered us in from the rain, took our bags off our hands and offered us a cooked breakfast when we arrived off our flight at 10am in the morning.

The hotel is small, with only 4 floors and 2 rooms per floor, but the cosiness really adds to the character. The rooms are of a decent size and are really well appointed with a massive bed, desk and computer, fast, free wifi and complimentary fruit and water. On demand movies are also provided on the big wall-mounted TV.

The bathroom was compact, but had a great big shower and the place was filled with flower petals. This is the kind of treatment you expected in an expensive beach resort, not in a small central city hotel.

The ground floor had a small breakfast area, just enough to accommodate a few guests at a time. It really made you socialise a bit more with the other people staying and with the staff also. The great team of staff can also easily organise any tours or transport you need. When we needed to book train tickets from Da Nang to Hue, the receptionists helped us pick the right train and then took care of everything for us. The also helped us understand Hanoi a bit better, filled us in about who might try to scam us and were generally just genuinely helpful.

Budget

The currency in Vietnam is the Dong (yeah, I know ). I had so many dong jokes going on, it was hilarious. I had so many dongs. £1 converts to about 31,000 dong, so I was literally a dong millionaire the whole time i was there. Beers will generally run you at about 40,000 dong, taxis about 50k (like I said above), and meals are usually 80,000-120,000 dong.

Conclusion

Hanoi is a real mix of everything that Vietnam is about. From the proud Socialist conservative history, to great street food and a bit of dodgy weather, it’s a city that takes a day or so to get your bearings in. Daunting at first, it doesn’t take long to recognise streets you’ve been down, dodgy cyclo drivers or the best place to get some bun cha. From those that have been, I’m told Hanoi is very different to Ho Chi Minh City in the south, which is apparently more tropical and liberal.

Hanoi is very much “old school” Vietnam from what I read and subsequently found, but stay tuned to find out more about what I thought of other cities further south in Vietnam.

When we were researching our visit to Ha Long Bay, there were lots of mixed reviews on how to go about it. Should we do a day trip or an overnight trip? Wing it with a travel agent in Hanoi or pre-book it? We decided in the end that staying overnight on a boat and sailing leisurely around the bay was the best way to see this expansive and ethereal UNESCO World Heritage Site, and we went with the two-day Halong Bay Junk Cruise with Intrepid Travel.

We were picked up from our hotel in Hanoi early in the morning and began the 3 hour bus journey to Ha Long City, where we’d meet our traditional junk to begin sailing. Along the way, we got to know the other people we’d be sharing the trip with and soaked up the Vietnamese countryside along with observing the many roadside places that clearly sold dog meat (thit cho). Stopping off at a local handicrafts workshop, I managed to get my wifi fix and was introduced to the amazing Trung Nguyen coffee, a Vietnamese caffeine staple.

Arriving in Ha Long City, we joined many other travellers either eager to begin their sailing trip or just returning, filled with stories and seeing off the new friends they’d just shared the experience with. After port formalities, we all clambered onto the small tenders above to be transferred to our grand traditional junk which was anchored in the harbour.

Upon boarding, we were greeted by the boat’s crew of beaming, friendly staff who helped us with our bags and seated us in the dining room where we were briefed on everything from safety, our itinerary and what we’d see over the two days to our cabins, when the hot water would work for showers (takes a while to reheat apparently!) and when our meals would be. We knew this wasn’t going to be a rough boat trip. It was going to be a fun, comfortable, amazing two days.

The boats Intrepid use in Ha Long Bay are really well appointed. With a sun-deck up top and a lots of space at the front of the boat, there’s lots of vantage points to take in the majestic beauty of the bay and to get some amazing shots of the epic karst limestone rock formations throughout.

Now onto the important bit, what was the accommodation like? Well I was surprised. Our double cabins were decorated with artistic Oriental detailing and featured a massive queen size bed and plush linen. Each room and its own air conditioner and heater and large windows overlooking the bay. So close you could almost reach out and touch Ha Long Bay from your bed.

Our bathroom was the most surprising part of our cabin. We had come prepared to have to share a communal bathroom with our fellow shipmates, but were instead greeted by a very big shower and everything else you could need for an overnight stay. This is definitely the way to do sailing in Ha Long Bay, folks.

But we didn’t come all this way just to lay around in bed overlooking the water all day, because it was time to get adventurous and see more of this incredible part of Vietnam. First up, we disembarked the junk for smaller boats powered only by a single local man rowing us towards a small opening at the bottom of an enormous cliff.

What lay beyond was a quiet, secluded cove surrounded by cliffs covered in dense jungle with no other access to the outside world. It was the absolute definition of serene. And what else did we find? These little guys!

Next up, we left the secluded cove and sailed to what’s called “Surprise Cave”. Named so because of how much of a “surprise” it is once you get inside. Okay then.  Nevertheless, once we did climb up the stairs and descended into the depths of the cave, we were suitably impressed with how expansive and well kept it was. Our guide pointed out the remarkable rock formations along the way.

We floated away from Surprise Cave and made our way to a collection of pontoons dotted with small huts near one of the limestone islands. Our guide promptly announced that it was time to do some kayaking. Now I’m not the best on the water, so I was a bit dubious at first. But one by one, everyone else in our group accepted the offer and I thought “bugger it” and we jumped precariously into a canoe.

We then spent the next 30 minutes or so paddling our way around the small inlet, observing local families in their floating homes. One was even pumping out Gangnam Style. It just goes to show, you can’t get away from that song, even in Ha Long Bay!

There are entire floating villages out here who survive solely on fishing and tourism. The villages have everything they need including schools and markets, and villagers only ventured to the mainland once a month or so.

Back on the boat, it was time for dinner. Meals were tasty and plentiful throughout the entire trip and we were treated to delicious Vietnamese food prepared fresh on the boat in the kitchen below us. Everything from beef salads for starters, spring rolls as appetisers to the Vietnamese classic of pho noodle soup and chicken, seafood and pork for mains.

All the food was included as part of the tour, and we just had to pay for the beers we drank (of which there were many as we watched the Top Gear Vietnam Special after dinner!). Our tour was made up of lots of other Aussies, so sharing our travel stories and reminiscing about where we grew up was a great way to spend the evening.

Waking up the next morning, I stepped out of our cabin and was promptly greeted with this view. Pretty bloody special if you tell me.

Our last day was spent casually cruising around the rest of Ha Long Bay and taking it all in. The majority of us spent it on the top deck taking photos of literally everything. Ha Long Bay is definitely one of those places you just want to keep taking photos of.

But before we all bid the crew adieu, we were treated to a spring roll cooking class in the dining room. I only managed one decent one I think – it’s surprisingly more difficult than I expected. Getting the right mix of vegetables and pork without the rice paper disintegrating is something I’d need to spend a lot more time in Vietnam to get right I reckon.

The kitchen took away our somewhat questionable spring rolls and fried them up for us, and they became our starters for lunch shortly before we returned to harbour.

Approaching Ha Long City again, the towering limestone cliffs started to fade into the mist and became but a memory. Before we knew it, we were back on the docks and preparing for the journey back to Hanoi. Some of our new mates from the boat were continuing longer journeys through Vietnam, like Intrepid’s 10 day Vietnam Express Soutbound tour (of which the tour we took is a part of) but for us it was back to explore more of the capital.

Seeing Ha Long Bay for myself and taking the time to appreciate it was absolutely a highlight of my trip to Vietnam. It’s something you’d be crazy not to check out in this part of the world, and you owe it to yourself to do it the right way I think.

Disclosure: We were provided with our trip complimentary by Intrepid Travel, but I always tell it like it is and all opinions are my own as usual.

I’d been to Malaysia once before, but only to the southern border city of Johor Bahru on a day trip from Singapore in 2009, so I wanted to see what the capital was like and how it compared to other Asian cities. I soon learnt that Malaysia is a melting pot of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Western cultures, a humid metropolis of chaotic neighbourhoods along with an endless stretch of enormous shopping malls.

Things to See and Do

KL is bursting with street markets, a colourful array of foods to try, lots of places to shop and of course the iconic Petronas Towers. It’s hot, muggy, sticky, dirty and a lot grittier than it’s southern cousin in Singapore. So with that, let’s dive straight in with the big guns.

Petronas Towers

The Petronas Towers are the standout star of KL and dominate the skyline for miles around. Situated in what’s called the “Kuala Lumpur City Centre” (KLCC), it features an observation deck half way up it and the Suria KLCC mall at ground level. Suria isn’t really where you’ll find the shopping KL is known for, as it’s mostly high-end boutiques here.

In my opinion, don’t bother going up the observation deck. Who wants to overlook the city without seeing the landmark iconic building? You’d be better off checking out the view from the Skybar in the Traders Hotel, which I’ll talk about later.

Merdeka Square

It was here in Merdeka (Independence) Square that the British flag was lowered on August 31st 1957 and the Malaysian flag was raised for the first time. It’s a very symbolic place for the nation and a great place to get an initial feel for the colonial history of Malaysia.

Also of interest, the Royal Selangor Club used to play cricket here during the British colonial days.

Chinatown (Jalan Petaling)

Situated smack-bang in the middle of Chinatown, Jalan Petaling is a major street market where you can find vendors peddling clothes, souvenirs, toys, counterfeit DVDs and all manner of other knick-knacks that you can test your haggling skills on.

You’ll also find a load of Malay/Chinese food outlets around here also to have a crack at some local eats and loads of budget accommodation options if you find yourself short on cash and a place to stay.

Central Market

Built in 1888 and rebuilt in the 1930s in Art Deco style, the Central Market was, you guessed it, the central place where trading took place for decades in KL. Now filled with kitschy tourist stalls, the main attraction here I reckon is the food court on the top level with a good selection of treats to try and free wifi. It was pretty underwhelming really.

Berjaya Times Square Mall

Now we get onto something that KL is really known for – it’s epic multi-storey malls. Times Square is in the Bukit Bintang shopping hotspot of KL and is one of the juggernauts when it comes to experiencing the retail craziness this city has to offer.

With over seven levels of all kinds of outlets to explore, this place really is overwhelming. You won’t find any of the high street retailers here, all the shops here are authentic Malaysian places like “Pretty Girl” (size 6 girls clothes) and “Ahmed’s Toys”. If you’re looking for quality, chances are you won’t really find it here.

But on the other hand, THIS PLACE HAS AN INDOOR THEME PARK!

Featuring both a grown-ups and kids area, this theme park covers an absolutely enormous area inside the complex. You pay a flat entrance fee and then all the rides area included. There are all the thrill-ride type rides dotted around the place you’d expect in a decent sized theme park, but then your head cranes upward and definitely the first thing you notice as you hear the roar, is the orange and blue roller coaster that snakes its way around the entire cavernous space. It’s not a slouch when it comes to roller coasters, featuring both a loop and a corkscrew, so you do get some decent airtime on this. It doesn’t last all that long, but you can just queue back up and go again anyway.

The only thing I’ll comment on is that we had to pay 1 RM to store our stuff in the lockers each time we went on a ride, so that added up quickly. The day we went seemed to be quite quiet also, so the place lacked that buzzy atmosphere you’d expect in a place like this and we had to wait a while between rides as the operators waited for enough people to fill up the ride. The Times Square mall is absolutely a must see in KL for anyone with a bit of interest in theme parks though. It’s a great way to spend half a day away from the stifling heat outside and get your scream on.

Food and Drink

Food is another thing people rave about when they talk about Kuala Lumpur. With a mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian available across the city, you’re never really stuck for choice. Whether it’s Nasi Lemak for breakfast, Nasi Goreng for lunch or Chicken Satay for a snack, Malaysian food really has its own unique flavours that you’ll want to widely sample.

Bijan Restaurant

One place in particular that we found not far from KLCC is Bijan, a stylish and unpretentious Malaysian restaurant on Jalan Ceylon.

Featuring high ceilings and both indoor and outdoor tables, Bijan has a diverse all-Malaysian menu on offer and a great selection of international wines also.

It was here that we scoffed a seriously large amount of quality satay and some great curries also. Definitely worth a look.

How to get there

Situated pretty much half way between Europe and Australasia, KL is a regular stopover city for both Malaysia Airlines and Emirates. Malaysia offer direct flights from at least London and Paris; and Emirates fly from Dubai to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

AirAsia are also based in KL, albeit at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) which although is on the same bit of land as KLIA, it’s actually about a 20 km journey by taxi between the two on the highway. You can get super cheap fares with AirAsia to all parts of Asia and Australia and in my opinion, they’re fine for anything under 4 hours, but I wouldn’t want to fly long haul with them. They’re like the easyJet of Asia.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Kuala Lumpur. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur in a larger map

Get around in Kuala Lumpur

Getting around in KL is pretty damn easy. The city is well kitted out with public transport in the form of the LRT and monorail and you can either buy individual tokens for journeys or a pre-paid card that you use to touch on and off as you go in and out of stations. Much like Istanbul, London or Singapore. Check out MyRapid for more info on how to get around.

The taxis in KL are also reasonably cheap, at about 10 RM to get around parts of the city. You can also get easily from the airport to KL Sentral station using the KL Ekspres train

Where to stay

When we stayed in KL, we knew we wanted somewhere iconic, comfortable and well appointed that didn’t break the bank. With this criteria (not hard to please I know!) in mind, we decided on the Traders Hotel in KLCC. Situated right across from the Petronas Towers, the amazing view from our room was the first thing that drew us in when we first opened the door. Check this out for a view!

All the rooms feature a super comfy bed, complimentary bottles of water, and check out that retro clock on the bedside table! Evening brought a great turndown service with slippers placed with care next to the bed and just enough lighting. It’s really the little things like this that make a hotel really great.

The Traders Hotel takes the cake for rooftop pool and bar in KL also. From the Skybar you can cast your eye over the entire KLCC area and beyond, all whilst enjoying some more chicken satay and a Tiger beer by the pool. At night, the Skybar turns into one of KL’s trendiest bars, with the cushioned window-side areas booked out for hours. The parade of Nissan GTRs and Porsches in front of the lobby downstairs assured me that this was definitely where the young and rich kids of KL come to play.

But the highlight of our stay at the Traders was definitely the breakfast. Pretty much everything you could ever think of for breakfast was catered for here. The regular stuff like cereal, fruit, yogurt, pastries and a huge hot buffet were catered for, but you could also get sushi, an Indian curry, Malaysian chicken congee or nasi lemak, Vietnamese noodles and more if you wanted. Breakfast really was an immense affair here.

And to top it off, there was a CHOCOLATE FONDUE FOUNTAIN. I had never seen this anywhere, it was literally the icing on the cake.

It was that, and the takeaway coffee machine as you left that really did it for me. If there’s one thing I can never get enough of in the morning, it’s coffee.

Traders also has this ingenious system that helps both guests and staff work together during breakfast. You’re given a card when you arrive that is red on one side and green on the other, and reads below:

Really smart huh? Allows you to completely make the most of the enormous amount and diverse degree of food on offer.

Many thanks to AsiaRooms.com for providing us with two nights complimentary stay. Rates at The Traders Hotel start from just £80 per night. Visit Asiarooms.com for more information and to book.

Budget

The currency in Malaysia is the Malaysian Ringgit (RM), and at time of writing you could get yourself RM 4.66 per British pound. KL is a relatively cheap city to visit for a few days. Meals will be about4 RM10-15 each, and a beer is about RM 2-3. Taxis as I mentioned are around RM 10 per trip in the city, and our taxi from the airport cost around RM 150.

Conclusion

KL is definitely isn’t the most beautiful city around, I’ll say that. It is rather gritty, incredibly busy and lacking somewhat in major sights, but it’s the kind of place you need to wander around to really appreciate and get a feel for.

It does have some pockets of goodness like the Traders Hotel and Bijan, so it’s not hard to find ways to escape the chaos of the street. Kuala Lumpur is one of those cities where it’s right in your face, straight away. You see real life almost immediately and it makes for a great introduction into South East Asia. It’s not too over the top, but it does give you that first taste that’ll make you want to explore more of this part of the world.

I’ve written about how to spend 48 hours in Melbourne before, but I’d never really stayed in many hotels in the city I grew up in. That all changed when we stayed at The Olsen in Prahran, on Melbourne’s trendy Chapel Street.

This hotel absolutely oozes understated cool. As you walk in the lobby you’re greeted by a giant mural painted by famous Australian artist John Olsen, of which the hotel is named and styled. The Olsen is one of three boutique hotels that make up the Art Series hotels in Melbourne, each in the style of a well known Aussie artist.

When we arrived, we were checked in by incredibly friendly staff who really went the extra mile to make us feel welcome. When I had some questions about where to park our car, one of the staff at reception tried his hardest to get me a free public car park on the street and even went out of his way to call me in our room when it was free. What a top bloke!

The rooms in The Olsen are all about laid back, understated luxury. With plush leather recliners, chic furniture and a very “let’s lounge around and drink cognac all evening” feel to them.

Our Studio suite featured lots of white and chrome detailing, and felt more like a private apartment than a hotel room. The super plush bed really allowed us to relax and take a load off after some hectic days exploring the city.

Each room comes fitted with a subtle yet compact kitchenette; and with a Woolworths supermarket across the road, you’ve got everything you need to cook yourself up an affordable spot of dinner. The mini bar also comes stocked with Little Creatures beers, which is all kinds of awesome in my books.

The bathroom is a cosy yet nicely appointed affair, featuring toiletries with cheeky slogans on them to contribute to the fun yet sophisticated feel this hotel continually gives off.

Venturing out of our room and down onto the rooftop, we discovered the luscious pool that looks out over Chapel St. In the balmy December warmth during our stay, the pool really came in handy to cool off after a long day of exploring the shopping districts in Prahran and South Yarra. Right next to the pool is also a gym and sauna, and above that is a dedicated sun deck complete with cushioned sun loungers and big white umbrellas.

Breakfast is covered in the rustic and homely Spoonbill Restaurant on the ground floor, with Melbourne specials like smashed avocado on sourdough and the “Mister Crunchy” (rare breed ham, gruyere cheese and dijon mustard) to tempt you in the AM hours. Along with serving St Ali coffee (which you can claim on free when you check in on foursquare) and hearty dishes, Spoonbill features regional Australian fare that changes depending on season. If you’re in need of a spot of dinner later on, you can also sample John Olsen’s own paella recipe from his expat days in Spain.

With the Yarra River and Chapel St so close, you’ll want to make the most of the bikes ($5 per hour) and electric cars ($10 per hour) the hotel has on offer to rent. Or perhaps jump on a tram right outside the front door or a train into the city from South Yarra station, right around the corner on Toorak Road.

Rated #8 out of 197 hotels on TripAdvisor, Melbourne’s Olsen and the other Art Series hotels really are a cut away from the norm. They’re individually styled, special places to stay that are a step above what can be an unending landscape of chain hotels throughout the city.

To book, simply check out The Olsen Hotel South Yarra website. To learn more about what’s on offer, check out the Visit Melbourne site.

Disclosure: We received one night complimentary of our two night stay at The Olsen.

It all started on a clear Saturday morning. We took the fast DLR link over to the small airport in the docklands of East London and let me tell you, flying out of LCY is one of the breeziest experiences I’ve ever had in an airport. It’s a small airport, only catering for short-haul flights mostly for business people. Most aircraft are small Fokker turboprops and the largest plane you’ll find on this runway is an Airbus A319 – usually the smallest plane you’d see at airports like Heathrow or Gatwick.

Flying in a small turboprop feels more like a private jet than a regular commercial flight. The cabin is set out in a 2+2 leather upholstered seat configuration and the service from Cityjet is all about complimentary lunch, wine and chocolates. Could there be a better way to get around Europe?

Anyway, onto the destination. We landed in Luxembourg and took a quick 10 minute taxi ride to our hotel for the night, the Sofitel Grand Ducal, perched high on a hill with a commanding view over both the High and Low Cities of Luxembourg.

A Tale of Two Cities

We set out exploring the high parts of the city first, getting our bearings and finding the city’s main central squares, restaurants and shops. It was pretty much what you find in most European city centres, but leaving the well known Place d’Armes and walking in the general direction of the huge valley that the high town overlooks, we found the Low City. Navigating the multi level maze of ramparts, zig-zagging through parks and down stairways, we were met with the lane ways and cobbled streets of the more secluded and quieter Low City of Luxembourg.

The first thing I discovered was this unique intersection of three different streets diverging off into different levels of the town. It was a highlight for me and really showed how special this city – almost nothing is built on flat ground. I’d never seen anything like it.

Venturing further deep into the low city, we found the river that winds its way through the valley that gives Luxembourg its unique topography. The river is lined with quaint medieval buildings of many different shades and hues, shadowed by cliffs that lead up to the high city and Luxembourg’s famous casemates.

Exploring the Casemates

After a brilliant evening in the hotel, which featured a solid serving of steak for dinner and a lavish morning spread for breakfast, we took on Luxembourg’s famous casemates. The casemates are a series of tunnels carved out of the rock that the city stands on that stretch hundreds of metres in all directions. They were built over about 500 years by the many different nations that occupied the city over the centuries. They all saw Luxembourg as strategically valuable within Europe and built defences to ensure it was always secure from invaders.

There are two casemates in the city – the Bock and Petrusse casemates, each of which covers a different part of the city. We explored the Bock casemates, which are easily accessed from a viaduct that juts out from the high city and are mostly of Spanish origin. They include massive turrets, long underground halls and numerous defensive positions that ensured the continued safety of Luxembourg during times of peril in Europe.

A lot of cannons from the era remain, providing a stark reminder of what these fortifications were for and how many men must have been down here in times of crisis. The Bock casemates alone could accommodate up to 10,000 men when the city needed to be evacuated and defended and included everything required to support that number of people over a few days.

Shortly after we exited the casemates, the rain started to fall and the City Museum provided a well needed refuge from the weather. In here we learned of the hundreds of years of history of the medieval city and its numerous different occupiers that shaped the country’s culture. The city’s people, economy and society are also very well illustrated along with the story of how Luxembourg became an important business centre of Europe in recent decades.

As Sunday afternoon approached, we went in search of somewhere for lunch but found many places open in short supply. It seems Luxembourg is a city that takes the ” no trading on Sundays” rule literally, with barely anywhere open at all. A trendy student cafe we had our eye on from Saturday was deserted, and the shady, smoky pubs near the train station didn’t take our fancy, so we unfortunately went hungry. Even the selection of places to eat in the airport was dire, with nothing more than a single bar after security in the entire terminal. Bit of a let down.

But all-in-all, Luxembourg was an intriguing city to explore in a short overnight jaunt. It’s a city that stands on its own in terms of history and geographical uniqueness, with influences from Germany, France and Belgium all shaping the country’s identity. And being less than an hour’s flight from London makes it a great place to visit on a short trip if even for a single night.

Being a native Montrealer, it’s always weird for me to describe my city. How do you describe a place you know so well? Especially somewhere like Montreal – so many things helped influence the city into what it is today that it’s impossible to pinpoint just one word to describe it. It’s the English manners, the French taste, the North American pace, mixed into a truly unique vibe. Welcome to Montreal!

Things to See and Do

When you only have 48 hours to visit Montreal, you should stick to three areas: Old-Montreal, downtown and Plateau Mont-Royal. These places will give you a very complete tour of the main attractions, and give you a good grasp on what the city’s like. And since Montreal is a very walkable city, it means that you can pack in a lot of sights in very little time without feeling rushed. Let’s start from the beginning.

Old-Montreal is probably the most touristic area but for a reason! It dates back 400 years – and in North American standards, that’s very, very old – and holds some of the prettiest architecture in the city.

Place d’Armes

A great place to start your exploration, as it’s home to one of Montreal’s most important churches – Notre-Dame Basilica. For trivia enthusiasts, it’s where Celine Dion got married in 1994. Do go in and marvel at the majestic organ and ceiling of the chapel, which are both quite a sight.

Back outside, the statue in the middle of the square commemorates the foundation of Montreal by the Sieur de Maisonneuve back in 1642. The square recently underwent a multimillion dollar refurbishment and is now is in a glorious state, for the pleasure of tourists and locals alike.

Place Jacques-Cartier

Look out for the many typical New-France low-rise houses with dormer windows on the roof – if you ask me, it doesn’t get more picturesque than that! Rarely will you find so many of them in such great condition than here.

On the top of the square you’ll notice a large Nelson Column – did you know that it was the first of its kind, and was erected a good 33 years before the more famous London one?

Bassin Bonsecours

There isn’t that much to actually do there, but so much to see! From this vantage point, you’ll catch a great view of the entire Old-Montreal and downtown area, engaging you to think about Montreal’s agitated history and how it reflects in its many contrasts today.

Or, for the more laid-back ones, you could simply grab a drink at the fancy lounge bar.

Rue Sainte-Catherine

If I only had to use one word to describe it… shopping. Indeed, Sainte-Catherine Street is a very long street, and filled with shops of all kinds that will make any wallet happy – thick or thin. You’ll find all the popular high-street brands, as well as some more local ones here and there.

The shopping area stretches from de Bleury Street all the way to Guy Street, although I noticed a slight increase in price as you head further west. Also worth noting is the many skyscrapers that populate the area – not quite New York City, but still a very pretty sight for the eyes.

Plateau Mont-Royal

My favourite! In this creative neighbourhood you’ll find the famous twirling staircases and colourful houses you see in so many Montreal photos. It’s the area that feels the homiest, cosiest, and where you’ll definitely picture yourself living.

The Plateau is home to many tiny, local shops, whether you’re looking for a unique piece of clothing, a delicious dessert or a rare French book. There are also several parks, like Parc Lafontaine and Parc Laurier, that are great for meeting locals or just lie down in the sun and take in the atmosphere.

Food and Drink

If there’s one thing Montreal is notorious for abroad, it’s the abundance of quality restaurants and cosy cafes. I could write an entire article about that specific topic! But instead, here are a few of my personal favourites that I strongly recommend you check out.

Usine à spaghetti

One of the most delicious pasta places in the entire city. And one with history, too! Legend has it that Dickens wrote part of his most famous story, A Tale of Two Cities, in the back room of this very restaurant.

I strongly recommend the simple but extremely tasty bolognaise spaghetti – you can’t go wrong with a classic.

Candi Bar

A very popular place for hen nights, it’s a girly place to say the least. Cocktails are all inspired – and often made of – candy, and the bar is actually built out of Lego. Whimsical and extremely sweet!

Pho Bang New York

In the mood for a Vietnamese dish? Head to this amazing little place in Chinatown. Super quick service and delicious soups or vermicelli – over 50 choices available! My favourite, however, will always be #33. Do avoid during lunch hour (12-1:30) because it’s over packed with office workers on their break.

La Banquise

If you’ve read anything about Montreal, you must have heard about this place. It’s the ultimate poutine joint in the city, mostly because it’s excellent, but also because it’s open 24/7.

Poutine is the most iconic dish of the whole province of Quebec so it’s definitely a must do. Don’t be discouraged by its less than appetizing presentation – it’s even better than you can imagine. Insider’s tip: I like mine with hotdog sausages on it.

Burgundy Lion

In search for a bit of British tradition in Montreal? Look no further.

This gastro-pub is located in an up-and-coming neighbourhood, is very easily accessible from downtown, and is owned by a thirthy-something Anglophile. Their breakfasts are particularly delicious.

How to get there

To get to and from the airport, you basically have two options: taxi or bus. The former will set you back from $38, a standardised flat rate from downtown. But I suggest this option only if you are traveling outside of rush hour – Montreal is an island and is prone to major traffic jams, especially around the airport, where there seems to be constant repairs.

Your best bet would be to hop on the 747 bus that leaves from downtown, runs 24/7, and only costs $8 (unlimited travel on the entire network for 24 hours). Note that you can pay cash when boarding the bus, but bank notes are not accepted.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Montreal. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View Montreal in 48 hours in a larger map

Get around in Montreal

The best way to travel around the city is definitely by foot. The distance from the western edge of downtown to north Plateau Mont-Royal, including a stroll in Old-Montreal, isn’t more than a few kilometres long. Walking is definitely the best way to explore the city.

If, however, the weather isn’t on your side, the metro system is very efficient, simple to use and quite cheap. There are only 4 lines, each color-coded and each with only 2 directions (no branches). You simply can’t get lost in the Montreal metro!

For the more adventurous ones, you might want to try out the famous Bixi bikes. They were the inspiration behind London’s Boris bikes, and so many other places on the planet now. They are just about everywhere and very easy to use – and free if you use them for less than 30 minutes!

Where to stay

As much as I hate to say it, Montreal doesn’t have lots of budget accommodation. There aren’t many hostels, but instead loads of mid-scale hotels, and a handful of luxury ones. One thing to know is that accommodation however remains pretty cheap when compared to other cities like New York or London – you can expect to fork out about $100 per night for a decent private room downtown, which is half of what you would pay elsewhere. I suggest having a look at the Travelodge downtown, which offers unbeatable location and great value.

Budget

One of the great upside of Montreal is that it’s pretty cheap in overall. A dinner for two with drinks will cost around $50. A beer at the local pub is around $4, a bit more if it’s one of the delicious local brews. A weekend pass for the public transport is $16. An entry at the Museum of Fine Arts is $15 (an abomination to Londoners, I know!). You can count on spending about $400 for your weekend if you don’t over-indulge on moose t-shirts at the souvenir shop.

Conclusion

Rarely will you find a place with such a varied, intricate culture than Montreal. The unique blend of English and French influences make for a surprising city that visitors around the world enjoy, rave about and always come back to. You’ll find yourself wanting to move there faster than you can say j’aime Montréal!

Header photo by slack12.

Knowing this, I roped in Paul from TravMonkey, and we both headed over to Prague in August to hit it up in a weekend. We drank all the beer, ate all the meat and explored all of the castle. You’re reading this, so I know you’ve got a similar idea. So here’s what I reckon you need to see, where you need to eat and what beer you need to drink in the cosmopolitan Czech capital.

Things to See and Do

Prague is known for it’s historical wonder, beautiful architecture and mammoth medieval castle. The winding cobbled streets of the old town are littered with remnants of fallen empires, revolutions and centuries of trade. It also features a chequered Communist past, one that is unique, laced with stories and differs from a lot of the other former Soviet countries.

As I’ve done in a few other European cities, we took a free SANDEMANs New Europe tour in Prague. This enabled us to get a quick heads up on the city in just 3 hours, and allowed us to make a note of things we wanted to come back and spend more time at.

Prague Old Town

The first stop on most people’s itinerary is the old town and it’s where you’ll find the baroque facades, tall towers (hey, Prague is called the “City of Towers”), cafes, markets and picturesque squares.

Astronomical Clock

This is one of Prague’s biggest attractions, and the huge sprawling crowd that gathers underneath is each hour is a testament to how much hype surrounds this thing.

Essentially the top clock tells the time and the bottom clock is a calendar that shows the month. The story behind it is quite fascinating, but the shitty show each hour that people cram into the square to watch isn’t. It’s pretty lacklustre, you will be utterly disappointed, but at least check it out and then come back and call me a liar if you thought it wasn’t a complete letdown.

Town Hall

The Town Hall is the building on which the Astronomical Clock is perched and looms over the Old Town square like a big authority figure. If you approach the square from the north, it’s probably one of the first towers you’ll see (apart from the twin towers of the cathedral).

A good way to get your bearings is to climb to the top and score a bloody awesome view of the entire old town of Prague. It’s super crammed once you get up there, but you get a great view. All the up-high photos in this post were taken from it.

Charles Bridge

Probably one of, if not the most iconic landmark of Prague – Charles Bridge was built in the 15th century by King Charles IV to span the Vltava River and joins the Prague Castle with the Old Town.

If you go at any other time other than sunrise, be prepared to battle large crowds along with people trying to sell you stuff and paint your portrait. We pretty much just crossed it once to check it out and then went and did something else. It’s definitely not super amazing or anything.

Prague Castle

Check this sucker out, it’s the largest medieval castle in the world. Scene of numerous kingdoms and empires over hundreds of years along with priests and noblemen being thrown out of windows, the Prague Castle absolutely dominates the skyline of the city.

It’s free to enter the castle, but you have to buy a ticket to enter the various buidlings inside. I recommend getting the “short visit” ticket for 250 CZK, which gets you access to the massive St Vitus Cathedral, Old Royal Palace, St George’s Basilica, Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower. More info on tickets here. Following the short visit route shouldn’t take you more than 2-3 hours. Here’s a selection of attractions to see once you’re inside:

St Vitus Cathedral

Golden Lane

Definitely devote half a day to the castle as it’s quite sprawling and there’s lots to see. It’s quite versatile as an attraction actually, as you can choose to only do a lap through it if you’re not keen on seeing what’s inside or buy the “long visit” ticket if you’re a castle aficionado and don’t want to leave a square metre unexplored.

Jewish Quarter

At first I really didn’t have much interest in checking this out, but when our tour passed through the area, I found it more and more intriguing. Most European cities have a Jewish part that used to be a ghetto or something from years of persecution and Prague is no different, but it has some interesting stories to tell.

Old New Synagogue

Built in 1270, it’s the oldest synagogue in Europe. Worth a lap around to appreciate the architecture, its also home to a quirky story about a Golem in the attic that apparently ate a Nazi during World War Two.

Jewish Cemetery

This place is downright macabre. Basically when the jews ran out of room to bury their dead, they asked the city for more space. They said no, and said “use what you’ve got”. The result is this 3 metre high city block surrounded by concrete walls.

What’s behind there isn’t at the same level as the street, the grass and headstones are actually at the level of the top of the wall.  When the Jews couldn’t bury their dead elsewhere, they just buried them on top of the other graves. Yeah, that’s a bit rank.

Wenceslas Square

This kilometre long stretch of wide boulevard was named after Saint Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia (the historic name for the Czech Republic) and forms the focal point of the New Town. It was the scene of many demonstrations and protests over the years against the Nazis and the Soviets, and is of huge national importance.

Once you proceed east out of the old town you will undoubtedly find yourself here. Dodge the shady dudes selling weed and take in one of the more modern parts of Prague. There’s lots of shops and other uninteresting stuff here, but it’s worth checking out to appreciate the immensity of it.

Museum of Communism

When Paul and I found out about this privately operated museum, it definitely piqued our interest. I’ve always had a keen interest in Soviet history and how they ruled half of Europe with an iron fist for over 50 years, so I’m always up for finding out more about Communist influence when I visit a city it directly affected.

The place is setup in a upstairs in a wing off the back of a casino and is filled with kitschy Soviet era bits and pieces to gawk at. There are lots of explanations in English of how the Soviets came to be in Czechoslovakia after WW2 along with descriptions on what conditions were like for families, how hard it was to get food, what work was like, how the West was perceived and other oddities. It actually does a really good job of showing you what it was like to live in the country when an oppressive regime was controlling your every move in life.

Entry is 190 CZK and you can enter next to the McDonalds on one of the streets off Wenceslas Square (don’t worry I’ll show it on the map below).

Food and Drink

Let’s face it, Prague is known for it’s cheap and plentiful beer – lots and lots of beer. You’ll be knocking back many pints of Staropramen, Gambrinus, Pilsner Urquell and my favourite, Kozel. There’s no shortage of cool little beer gardens for you to check out during your visit, but do make sure you get a serve of the stodgy Czech cuisine on offer to soak up some of that lager (that the Czechs invented!).

Prague Beer Museum

Not exactly a museum, more so just a pub with a misleading name. They do have an absolute shitload of beers on tap though, so if you’re a bit of a beer aficionado and want to try the best the Czech’s have to offer, make your way here.

There’s a small but airy beer garden out the back where you can peruse the thick A4 booklet of beers on offer. I recommend getting a taster of 5 beers to get a good cross section of what the Czech’s brew.

Pivnice Stupartska

As you walk in, this place looks quite formal and stuffy with lots of velvet upholstery and old people eating their meals quietly. Proceed downstairs though and you’ll find more of a beer hall atmosphere where you can enjoy some good hearty Czech food. Go for the 1 kg of wings, farmer’s platter or pork knee to really sample some solid Czech meat offerings.

This place has some shitty reviews on Tripadvisor, but we didn’t have any dramas when we went and were thoroughly plied with Gambrinus beer and made to feel quite welcome.

Zahrádka u Kristiána

We randomly stumbled on this place as we were walking to join a pub crawl. We could hear music from below the embankment next to the river, so ventured down the steps to check it out. Lo and behold, we encountered a bloke with his guitar banging out ballads, a roaring BBQ and an expansive beer garden.

As it’s right on the river, you get great views of Prague Castle and Charles Bridge as you tuck into a pint of Staraopramen.

Remember I mentioned that BBQ? For the change of Czech crowns you’ve got in your pocket you can get a bloody good bratwurst. The spring onions with the ketchup and mustard really set this snag off. Brilliant.

Other bars we smashed it at

So yeah, I mentioned that pub crawl. We did hit it pretty hard, mostly because we were guided by an enterprising Canadian chap, and managed to check out Bombay Bar, Chapeau Rouge and Propaganda Bar during our lager fuelled evening. Some bars in Prague can be hard to find, so use these as a starting point.

How to get there

Prague is pretty well serviced by a lot of carriers out of the UK, given that it’s a pretty popular destination. Check out Wizzair, easyJet, British Airways and Czech Airlines from cheapest to most expensive for flights over there.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Prague. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Prague in a larger map

Get around in Prague

The old town is so compact, you’ll have no problems walking it. If you’re staying a bit further out, then taking a tram in and out of town will be your best bet. Prague is served by a metro system, but I doubt you’ll need to use it.

Where to stay

We had our stay covered by the nice folks at Plus Prague Hostel in their huge digs in the Holesevice area north of the old town. It’s a bit further out (you’ll need to take a tram into town), but the hostel has everything you could need. Big, clean rooms, a full restaurant and bar and even a swimming pool.

Ever been to a hostel that provides a welcome kit like this? No need to bring your little carry-on plastic bag of toiletries!

Budget

The currency in Czech Republic is the Koruna and currently sits at about CZK 198 to the GBP. Prague isn’t the uber-cheap mega party destination it used to be unfortunately. Meals will only be slightly cheaper than in the UK, but the beer is still relatively cheap. Expect to pay the equivalent of £1.50 for a pint in a bar.

Conclusion

Prague is actually a pretty magical once you get under its skin a bit. As with all European cities, it’s absolutely teeming with history and character. It has a good half-dozen or so of city attractions to check out during your stay and won’t break the bank.

The combination of former Soviet history along with the struggle the Czechs endured paints an intriguing national picture; and the two days you’ll spend soaking up the architecture, cafes, bars, churches and squares in Prague provides a brief, fascinating insight into the country’s long and rich heritage.

I first visited Paphos on a whim shortly after celebrating the millennium and spent most of my visit shuffling between a beach sun lounger and the string of tavernas lining the coast whilst remaining completely unaware of what lay beyond. Several years later I was the proud (if slightly rash) owner of a property and now spend several months here each year masquerading as a writer in the long, welcome stretch of sunshine from March to December. Two things struck me;

• The abundance of ancient history around every corner – don’t be surprised to step out of a modern store and shortly afterwards stumble upon genuine Roman columns and ancient burial chambers.
• The chance to sunbathe and snow ski on the same day. Where else can you be whizzing down a mountain ski slope in the morning and then head off down to the coast for a spot of sunbathing on the beach in the afternoon?

Paphos has been inhabited since the Neolithic period and lies in the South West of the island of Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The island lies west of Syria and east of Greece with Turkey to the north and Egypt to the south.

Things to See and Do

Walking around Paphos is like stepping into a museum; UNESCO simply sighed and added the whole town to its World Cultural Heritage List. In true Mediterranean style, many ancient monuments and astonishingly well-preserved artefacts were discovered by chance by farmers working the land.

A morning in Kato Paphos

The area of Kato (lower) Paphos, by the sea, is built around the medieval port and contains most of the luxury hotels and is the entertainment hub of the town. A large car park and adjacent bus station make for easy access to this part of town.  Most of the sites of interest here are all within 5-10 minutes walk of each other and entry is often free of charge.

Paphos Fort

The 13th century medieval fort is located at the end of the harbour. There is nothing much to see inside but as the entrance fee is so reasonable it’s worth delving inside and taking the stairs to the roof for some great views of the harbour area.

Nowadays, the fort is the magnificent venue for the Paphos Aphrodite Festival- an opera held every summer.

Operating Hours:
Daily: 08:00 – 17:00 (November – March)
Daily: 08:00 – 18:00 (April – October)
Daily: 08:00 – 19:30 (June – August)
Operating Period: All year round
Entrance Fee: €1.70

Paphos Mosaics

Just a few minutes walk from the fort is the entrance to the archaeological park which houses some of the best Roman mosaics in the Mediterranean. Dating from the 3rd to the 5th century AD, they were discovered by a farmer in 1962 while farming his land. History fans will love this place – there are plaques which give a brief description of the content of the mosaics but if you’re interested in detailed information then it’s worth spending a few euros on a guidebook at the entrance gate.

The scenes are mainly from Greek mythology depicting hunting and wild animals such as tigers, wild boars, wild goats etc. There are also five houses which together would have formed a Roman nobleman’s villa. These are the Houses of Dionysos, Theseus, Aion, Orpheus and Four Seasons. 

Operating hours:
Daily:  08.00 – 17.00 (November – March)
Daily:  08.00 – 18.00 (April – May, September – October)
Daily:  08.00 – 19.30 (June – August)
Operating Period: All year round
Entrance fee: €3.40

Also within the park is the remains of the Saranda Kolones Byzantine castle. Its name means “40 columns” referring to the number of granite columns found in the ruins. Try counting them to check! Don’t forget your camera as the arches and columns backed by the sea make for some great shots.

As with most sightseeing in Paphos there is very little shade so be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen plus a hat and take lots of water.

St Paul’s Pillar     

Just across the road from the mosaics is St Paul’s Pillar. It is widely believed that this is where the apostle was tied in 45 AD and given 39 lashes before he finally converted the Roman governor Sergius Paulus to Christianity.

This plaque is also close by and marks the spot where the king of Denmark died on his way to the Holy land in 1103.

Next to St Paul’s Pillar is the remains of the Frankish baths – one of the few Frankish buildings that has survived earthquakes and Turkish rule in Cyprus.

Agia Solomonis Catacombs

A 5 minute stroll along the nearby Leoforos Apostolou Pavlou road lies the Agia Solomoni Catacomb Church. This tomb complex is the final resting place of the seven local Machabee Brothers, who were martyred and buried here roughly 2,200 years ago. 

The site is small and low key so just a pay a brief visit. At the entrance to the tombs is a huge terebinth tree covered with knotted handkerchiefs and rags as offerings from the faithful. Legend has it that anyone who fastens a piece of his or her clothing to the branches of the tree is cured of chronic illness.

Open: Daily
Admission: Free

Agios Lambrianos Rock-Cut Tomb

Next to the catacombs are two huge underground caves, believed to date from the beginning of the Hellenistic period and a former place of Christian worship.

Just a brief peek inside will suffice and again there is a well-draped terebinth tree marking the entrance. Open daily and admission: free

Tombs of the Kings

A 30 minute walk or 5-10 minute bus ride from the harbour area is the impressive underground Tombs of the Kings, carved out of solid rock and dating back to the 4th century BC. The name is misleading as the tombs contain the remains of Paphos VIPs and not royalty but this doesn’t detract from the overall impression.

Eight tomb complexes are highlighted by numbers and invite a visit. Wander freely through the caves and pillars but watch out for steep drops!

The bodies would have been buried with gifts, ornaments and jewellery but the tombs have been looted extensively over the years. Any finds are now exhibited in the Paphos Archaeological Museum.

Operating hours:
Daily:  08.00 – 17.00 (November – March)
Daily:  08.00 – 18.00 (April – May, September – October)
Daily:  08.00 – 19.30 (June – August)
Operating period: All year round
Entrance fee: €1.70

Aphrodite’s Baths

Around 45-60 minutes drive from Paphos centre is the undeveloped, natural beauty of The Akamas peninsula. This is a great spot for hiking with several well-marked trails. Two such trails start from the Baths of Aphrodite, a crystal clear pool and bubbling spring where legend has it that Aphrodite the Greek goddess of love used to bathe. There is free parking, a restaurant and entry is free of charge.

Both the Aphrodite Trail and the Adonis Trail are around 8km in length and will take around 3-4 hours to complete (with stops). You’ll also need to be fairly fit and sure footed to cope with the occasional steep climbs and hairy descents! If hiking is not your bag then do just stroll the first 10-15 minutes into the Aphrodite Trail for some fabulous photo opportunities along the coastline.

Note: Although it is possible to travel by bus from Paphos to Aphrodite’s Baths the journey is not direct and requires a change. My advice would be to visit the Akamas region if you plan to hire a car for the duration of your stay in Paphos.
However, if you’re still keen to follow Aphrodite then instead take a 45 minute bus ride east from Paphos to Petra Tou Romiou better known as Aphrodite’s Rock, the mythical birthplace of the goddess.

Apparently, if you swim naked around the rock 3 times at midnight you will emerge ten years younger!  The beach is largely shingle with strong sea currents.

Food and Drink

A good way to experience a whole range of Cypriot dishes in one meal is by ordering a Meze. This selection of local dishes ranges from delicious dips such as taramasalata, tzatziki and houmous to vegetables and a variety of fish and meats.

Try loukanika the spicy local sausage and souvlakia, Cypriot kebabs. Other dishes include tasty, slow cooked meat stews such as stifado (beef), afelia (pork) and kleftiko (lamb) and do sample halloumi the famous grilled cheese. Calamari (squid) is popular as are dolmades – vine leaves usually stuffed with minced beef, rice and various spices.

Make sure you’re hungry – a traditional Cypriot meze can comprise of up to 30 dishes and just keeps coming until you beg them to stop! Expect to pay somewhere in the region of €15.00 to €20.00. 

The quality of food in Paphos is excellent and almost every cuisine imaginable is available with vegetarians being well catered for too.

Beer, Bars and Pubs

The local beer is Keo and a pint costs around €2.50, depending on venue. For a lively night out head for Bar Street with its string of pubs and snack bars.

Some very good local wines are available including Agios Onoufrios (dry red) and Vasilikon (dry white).  Local stores charge around €5 per bottle.

How to get there

Cyprus has two airports – Larnaca on the Eastern side and Paphos in the West. Paphos is served by British Airways, KLM, Thomson, easyJet, Jet2 and Monarch. Buses run hourly from Paphos airport into the centre of Paphos and the journey is approximately 40 minutes.

A bit of orientation

Here’s a handy map laying out all the sights mentioned above to give you an idea of where things are in Paphos. Click on the markers to see the sight listed and zoom and pan around to see more of the map.

View 48 hours in Paphos in a larger map

Get around in Paphos

Taking the bus is a convenient method of getting around, and it is certainly inexpensive. Buses from the station usually run every 10, 15 and 30 minutes.

A one way ticket during the day costs €1 and a daily ticket (unlimited journeys) costs €3 (valid until 2300hr). A night-time ticket one way is €2.50. Visit Cyprus By Bus for information on public transport http://www.cyprusbybus.com/

Where to Stay

There is a wide choice of accommodation within walking distance of the harbour to suit most budgets. For keener budgets I have heard positive reviews of The Agapinor Hotel http://www.agapinorhotel.com.cy/ which is just a short bus ride from the harbour. Also check Hostel Bookers http://www.hostelbookers.com

Budget

The currency in Cyprus is the Euro. Accommodation and meal prices vary widely depending on hotel/restaurant but the cost of getting around and entry to most sites of interest is very reasonable. A couple of euros will cover a pitta bread/sandwich snack and a local beer costs from  €2. A single trip bus journey costs €1.

Conclusion

Cyprus offers an exotic mix of sights, tastes and experiences by virtue of its position at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. On occasion, I’ve asked several visitors to Paphos  why they chose to visit and the three top responses are: The history, the guaranteed sunshine and the spring and autumn hiking opportunities with abundant flora and fauna. Additionally, ease of movement around Paphos is good. Traffic problems are a rarity thus offering the possibility to pack lots into a relatively short stay!