LetzTravel

Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - The Hot Springs

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Thu, 24 May 2012 04:28:00 +0000

The Banjaran HotSpring - Ipoh, Malaysia

Set against a background of natural limestone hills, The Banjaran HotSpring Retreat offers a peaceful wellness retreat with its geothermal hot springs.

Breathtaking views at The Banjaran HotSprings Retreat Ipoh

According to Wiki, a hot spring is a spring that is produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater from the Earth's crust. Geothermal hot springs can be found in various locations on earth and one of them is in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Signboards regarding the goethermal hotspring lake

Developed by Sunway Hotels, the geothermal springs at The Banjaran are a natural phenomenon. Everyone who visits The Banjaran will definitely try out the various facilities especially taking a dip in the geothermal hotspring pools or what they term as hot dipping pots. The water is supposed to be very high in minerals and possess therapeutic properties.

View of the thermal lake with the Pomelo (restaurant) hut in the background

View of the geothermal lake with the hot dipping pots in the background

HotSpring in the foreground and man made steam cave in the background

This explanation of The Banjaran geothermal springs was taken from the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat's website:-

"Groundwater flows naturally at the base of the hills at a temperature of 65 to 70°, at a rate of about 3 millions liters per day (approximately 2,000 liters/minute). The water comes from a deep underground reservoir fed by rainwater that has slowly percolated downwards through the limestone hills and the underlying granite. As it makes its way down through the rocks, the water picks up minerals and dissolved ions.

The core of the geothermal spring lake - feel the heat just standing here

Deep and hot... geothermal spring core

The water also warms up on its way downwards. Because of the heat radiation from the earth’s mantle, temperature increases with depth at a rate of about 3 to 4° per 100 meters, referred to as the geothermal gradient. Taking into consideration an average surface temperature of 25° and the fact that the water would have cooled down by about 10° on its way back upwards, groundwater would have reached a temperature of 80° at about 1,500 meters below the surface. Buoyed by dissolved gases and the higher pressure in the subsurface, groundwater eventually travels back to the surface as it encounters a fault or fractures in the rocks and comes out bubbling as a hot spring at the surface."

Steam Cave

Inside the steam cave, you can find seats... in the background which is dark, is the hotspring lake

Barricade erected over the area where the steam risees from the hot lake

A clearer picture of the interior of the steam cave..

For even more heat, try the Thermal Steam Cave above -- a natural sauna to help you sweat your way to a full-body detox.

Interestingly, this hot water is captured at The Banjaran to feed the steam room to provide a natural sauna, fill the hot lake as well as warm up the swimming pool. At the same time, being eco-friendly is the name of the game as the amount of carbon dioxide not produced by capturing and using naturally hot water at The Banjaran is roughly equivalent to the carbon sequestered by about 110,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years.

Hot Dipping Pot filled with geothermal springs water

One of the hot dipping pots

A few hot dipping pots with water from the hot springs with varying temperature

Enjoying a dip in the hot spring with a breathtaking view in the background

One of the hot dipping pots

Turn on the shower if you find the water in the dipping pot too hot

The hot spring lake in the foreground with the hot dipping pots towards the far end of the hot spring

Hot spring lake in the foreground with the free form swimming pool in the back ground

Bookmark & Share

Banjaran Hotspring Retreat, Garden Villa

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Fri, 18 May 2012 01:42:00 +0000

With just 25 villas in this exclusive hotspring resort in Ipoh, Malaysia, the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat is a great place to escape from the concrete jungle that we are used to.

We had a wonderfully memorable experience at the Banjaran Hotspring Retreat where we spent two nights at the Garden Villa.

As we arrived around noon, and the rooms were not available for check-in, we explored the retreat before having lunch at the only restaurant in the retreat, The Pomelo. After our lunch, the butler came by in a buggy to pick us up and bring us to our room. Great service! And our luggages were already placed neatly in our villa. WOW!

The bracelet that all guests are given... is actually the key to our villa

We were impressed not only by the service provided by the staff in going to the restaurant to pick up us, but we were also intrigued by the above bracelet that was put on our wrist. The above is actually the key to our villa. Without us ever having to worry about bringing the villa key with us or losing it.

Water in the barrel to wash your feet before entering the villa

Villa 7 out of 25

At the entrance of the garden villa looking into the villa

The open area featuring the living room and dining area

Very spacious villa with lots of privacy...

Open living room with sofa seating

Lazy chair

An outdoor patio for dining

Note the secluded tropical garden next to the living and dining area.

A mini Labu Sayong that was given to us upon checking out from the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat

The Labu Sayong, a carafe filled with water that is believed to cure certain ailments

More information about the Labu Sayong

Outdoor lighting

Dining area

Daily newspapers hung on our villa door

CD Player attached to 5 Bose speakers

Mobile phone that can be used throughout the resort

Total number of villas:- 25
16 units of Garden Villa:- 261 sqm/ 2,808 sq ft
9 units of Water Villa:- 155 sqm/ 1,667 sq ft

An outdoor terrace with deck chairs

Our very own plunge pool

Enjoying our private plunge pool

View of the plunge pool from our bedroom

40” high-definition LED-screen television comes with satellite channels

Cozy & luxurious oversized king bed with 10-cm “feather-bed” topped mattress, feathered- down duvet, cotton-rich linens and hypo-allergenic pillows

High speed wireless internet access point at the writing desk

A popular treat from Ipoh, the pomelo

Extensive list of movie DVDs to loan

His & Hers vanity counters, with a little garden view

Vanity area

Natural Brown Rice Soap

Bathroom amenities

Insect repellent

Walk-in closet

Aromatherapy body care amenities

Lemon grass scented showergel

Indoor shower area

Outdoor jacuzzi with geothermal hot spring water piped directly from the source

Selelction of geothermal hot springs water, or normal hot and cold water for the jacuzzi

Sunken jacuzzi

Private outdoor rain shower

Additionally, each villa is equipped with individually controlled air-conditioning and ceiling fans.

We had a wonderful time in our garden villa at the Banjaran HotSpring Resort in Ipoh, Malaysia and hope to visit again sometime in the near future. :-)

Bookmark & Share

Banjaran HotSpring Retreat - Herbal Garden

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:35:00 +0000

Whilst spending a few days at the Banjaran Hot Spring Retreat in Ipoh, Malaysia, we not only enjoyed the beautifully serene landscape and rejuvenating meditative activities, we also took the time to experience the retreat by exploring the caverns and hotspring as well as the herbal garden.

Herbal Garden in Banjaran HotSpring Retreat

The herbal garden was an eye opener as there were many plants that we are familiar with, yet without knowing that these were herbs with medicinal properties.

Downstream products of medicinal herbs

We had a very interesting and informative time exploring the herbal garden and learning about the various therapeutic uses of the plants.

Complaya

Part of the Sunway Hotels group, the Banjaran HotSpring Retreat is a must-visit retreat if you wish to get away from the concrete jungle and hustle and bustle of city life.

Roselle

Opuntia

Many of these plants are grown as medicinal herbs by the village folks who still believe very much in the curative properties.

Spurge

Queen-of-the-Night

Wild sage (Lantana)

Madagascar periwinkle

LOL... I have lots of this in my little 'garden'... :D

Polycias

Bisa ular

Janda kaya

Temu merah

Flower of the pinecone ginger

Pinecone ginger

White rhodoodendron

Pomelo

Interestingly, the pomelo is a citrus fruit and Ipoh is well known for its pomelos. We had one pomelo waiting for us in our villa and it was nice and juicy. We ended up craving for more...

The pomelo in our room

Information about the Pomelo

Aloe vera

Nenas batu

Nenas Batu

Indian borage

Seed-on-the-leaf

Costus

This is yet another very common plant that we are familiar with especially for its fragrance and used in cooking and baking. However, we were not aware that it has a therapeutic use for sore throat, measles and rheumatism.

Pandan

Crinum lily

Another very common fruit for us...

Limau kesturi

Jari lipan

An eye-opener indeed! The herbal garden in Banjaran HotSpring Retreat was well thought out and very informative. We walked away from it with tons of new knowledge and in awe of the therapeutic uses of some of these common plants.

Bookmark & Share

Banjaran Hot Spring Retreat - Flora

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Sat, 12 May 2012 07:44:00 +0000

Banjaran Hotspring Retreat Ipoh

Enjoyed our time at the wonderful Banjaran Hotspring Retreat in Ipoh. Not only was the view and the experience spectacular, we also enjoyed going back to nature. With its natural limestone and caverns, we would not hesitate going back to this luxury resort run by Sunway Hotels and close in proximity to the Lost World of Tambun in Ipoh, Malaysia.

Here are some beautiful pictures of the flora taken during out two nights stay at the Banjaran Hotsprings Ipoh.

Though we are not sure of the names of most of the flowers but thoroughly enjoyed the wondrous beauty and hope you do too...

Beautiful unique water plant

Dainty flowers of the water plant

Close up of the flowers of the water plant above

Hibiscus - bright red

A different species of the red hibiscus

Bee pollinating the lotus flower

Pond filled with lotus

Allamanda

Cat's Whiskers, a plant with medicinal uses

Interestingly, the following four pictures come from the same plant.

Here is the flower bud of the torch ginger, commonly known as the rojak flower as it is a common ingredient indispensable in the making of rojak and laksa, popular dishes in Malaysia as well as Singapore.

Torch ginger flower bud

Torch ginger flower in full bloom

In addition to the above flora at the Banjaran Hot Spring Retreat in Ipoh, we were also wowed by the Herbal Garden. Never knew that some of the very common plants that we know have medicinal properties... A real eye-opener especially with the informational signages. Do check out the Banjaran Hot Spring Retreat - Herbal Garden

Bookmark & Share

Flamingo Hotel Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:26:00 +0000

Flamingo by the Lake, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Flamingo by the Lake, Kuala Lumpur, is a pleasant natural retreat near the heart of the city, promising tranquil surroundings and comfortable accommodation.

Flamingo Hotel, Kuala Lumpur


Flamingo by the Lake, Kuala Lumpur

This KL hotel is located along the Embassy Row and is within close proximity to major shopping complexes, offices, banks, embassies, entertainment centers and restaurants.

Reception area with artwork of Flamingoes

The Flamingo Hotel by the Lake also offers easy access to many tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur. It is also connected by major highways to enable travelling around the Klang Valley with ease.

In addition, this Kuala Lumpur accommodation is only 6.4km(11 minutes) from KLCC, 7.5km(13 minutes) from Pavilion KL and 2.3km(4 minutes) from Great Eastern Mall. It is also close to the Klang Valley Expressway leading to the North, South and East of Peninsular Malaysia.

Function room area

Dining area

A little corner

Looking bright and cheerful... with Delifrance in the background

Game to play in the water?

Love this picturesque view

Need a buggy service?

The hotel is located within a serene environment, beside a tranquil lake in Ampang.

View from the hotel

Swimming pool area

Another view of the swimming pool

Beautiful view...

Scenic...

Grand lobby

Near the lift lobby

Artwork

Along the corridor

Potted plants

The deluxe rooms were simplistic in design...

Balcony in the guestroom

Some of the amenities

Bathroom area

In the bedroom

All rooms at the Flamingo Hotel by the Lake are equipped with internet wifi.

Working desk with TV

Bedroom

Facing the highway

Restaurant and Lounge

Another view of the lobby with its unique ceiling

Nice and cozy shop in the hotel grounds

Bali Vacation - Pura Taman Ayun

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 12:07:00 +0000

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun Temple

Whilst on our Bali vacation in March 2011, we hired a driver cum guide to bring us to some of the Bali attractions, one of which was the Pura Taman Ayun Temple.

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun Temple

Close-up of the entrance

As we started walking in to Taman Ayun, it started to pour heavily. We had to take shelter at this courtyard close to the entrance.

Courtyard

Taman Ayun Temple is the Royal Temple of the Mengwi Empire. Located in Mengwi Village, 18 km from Denpasar, Taman Ayun is one of the Bali tourist attractions that you simply must visit.

Admiring the architecture

Here, you will be greeted with Balinese architecture and beautiful landscape garden with a fish pond filled with pretty lotus flowers as well.

Taman Ayun Water Fountain

Taman Ayun pond

Balinese architecture

Artworks...

Artist at work

In the groumds

Resting area

Surrounded by a moat, Pura Taman Ayun literally means "Garden Temple In The Water".

Beautiful lotus

Moat filled with lotus flowers

What is interesting about the Taman Ayun Temple is that the temple was built in the 17th century and served as the family temple of the Mengwi dynasty, whose kingdom survived until the late 1800s. Pictured below are the famous multi-storied temples or wooden merus which are pagodalike shrines.

Multi-storied roof temples

Inside Taman Ayun compound

Close up of Taman Ayun temple

Wooden merus

Inside Taman Ayun compound with the multi-storied roof temples in the background

Merus

If you love admiring architecture, Pura Taman Ayun is a must visit whilst on any Bali vacation. The merus or multi-storied temples are an interesting sight.

Bali Vacation - Ubud Monkey Forest Bali

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:03:00 +0000

Whilst on a Bali vacation, we had a free and easy sightseeing and our driver cum guide brought us not only to Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant for us to get a spectacular view of the Kintamani Volcano and Mt Batur, he also brought us to the Ubud Monkey Forest Bali, also known as the Mandala Wisata Wenara Wana Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

Sacred Monkey Forest Ubud Sanctuary

Entrance fee...

Being an animal as well as a nature lover, visiting the monkey forest in Ubud was one of the highlights of my Bali vacation! :D

In the grounds of the Monkey Forest Bali

Cheeky guy showing his butt

The monkeys that are seen in this monkey forest sanctuary in Ubud are the long-tail macaques.

Love this picture below as it looks just like Sun Wu Kong, the Monkey King, in the novel Journey To The West.

Long tail macaques

Looking for food

Food...

The presence of sacred forest is a demonstration of the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature.

Map of the Monkey Forest Bali

Information on the Monkey Forest Ubud in Bali

More about the Balinese Macaques

If you want a safe and smooth visit to the Monkey Sanctuary Forest, check out the dos and don'ts on the notice below.

Notice

The Monkey Forest of Padangtegal represents a sacred Balinese Hindu site. Information on the temples in the Monkey Forest Ubud.

Information on the temples

Funeral or Cremation Temple in the grounds of the Monkey Forest Ubud

The doctrine

Welcome...

Here is a notice at the entrance of the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary in Ubud Bali.

Notice at the entrance

Mother and baby

Pregnant

Some antics by the monkeys... :P

Baby monkey trying to use the video... :)

Monkey trying to get the banana from her pocket

Looking out for each other

We had a fun time at the Monkey Forest Ubud Bali where the long tailed macaques entertained us with their antics. If you are an animal and nature lover, this would be a great place to visit.

Bali Vacation -

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:07:00 +0000

During our Bali vacation, on a day tour, we stopped at the Grand Puncak Sari restaurant to have lunch.

Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant
Penelokan - Kintamani Bangli 80652
Contact:- 0366 51073

Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant

Grand Puncak Sari is a very large restaurant on two floors. The upstairs section has an open terrace as well as glassed-in area, whilst downstairs is all glassed-in. You can get spectacular views of the Kintamani volcano and Mt Batur as well as Batur Lake.

Kintamani is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bali. At the Grand Puncak Sari Restaurant, you can have a leisurely view of the active volcano of Mt Batur as well as the beautiful lake as seen in the pictures below.

Mt Batur

Mount Batur, also known as Kintamani Volcanao, is located at Kintamani and it has erupted about 24 times since year 1800 and still active up to now.

Beautiful lake

With the magnificent view of its caldera, and also the beauty of Lake Batur which fills the large part of the caldera, the crater of Mount Batur is the central interest of the place which is estimated to have 13 square km size. The view is the main reason many tourists come here.

View of Mt Batur from Grand Puncak Sari restaurant

Buffet menu

Buffet section

Various kinds of Balinese food

Gaily decorated

Fruits

Satay

Balinese food

Another view of Mt Batur

More food

Clear vegetable soup

We had a nice meal there whilst enjoying the spectacular view of Mt Batur and the Batur Lake from afar. It was also nice and windy out on the terrace where we managed to snap beautiful pictures to keep as fond memories of our Bali vacation and Kintamani Volcano.

Bali Vacation - Kopi Luwak

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 10:23:00 +0000

During our Bali vacation, we had the opportunity to visit the Wedang Sari coffee plantation. Here, besides the numerous plants and coffee they produce, Wedang Sari manufactures Kopi Luwak, also known as the Pea Berry Coffee or Coffee Luwak.

Wedang Sari Plantation’s Contact and Address:
Ds. Dekaan, Kintamani, Bali
Contact: +62 81 2395 5152
Email: wedang_sari@yahoo.com

Kopi Luwak

Kopi Luwak is not only the most expensive coffee in the world, it is also the only coffee to be made by the luwak or Palm Civet's poop.

The Asian Palm Civet, a weasel or raccoon-like creature, eats coffee bean pods, known as cherries, seen below.

Food for the civet

The fruit of the cherry is broken down inside the Civet. The coffee beans, however, pass through the animal’s digestive tract intact. These are then excreted into sought-after droppings.

Asian Palm Civet at Wedang Sari

Research has shown that the stomach acids and enzymes in the Civets digest the beans’ covering and actually ferment the bean. This process breaks down the acidic flavor that is found in traditional coffee.

The beans after being washed and dried

Roasting the beans

Pounding the beans

Luwak coffee

At Wedang Sari, we were graciously treated to an array of complimentary coffee and tea, except for the Kopi Luwak, which we had to pay for if we wanted to try it.

Various coffee and tea to sample

Not being a coffee drinker, I was not able to see why the Luwak Coffee should command such a high price tag.

Kopi Luwak packed, ready for sale

For those who love the taste of the kopi luwak or any of the coffee or tea they tasted, they could purchase them from the souvenir shop located in Wedang Sari.

Wedang Sari coffee plantation

Spices on sale besides coffee

Bali Vacation - Goa Gajah

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:03:00 +0000

Whilst on our Bali vacation, we had the opportunity to visit one of the Bali tourist attractions, the Goa Gajah, also known as Elephant Cave Bali, which is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. This is located in Bali, near Ubud.

Goa Gajah

Entry charges...

Entry charges

As this is the site of a temple, there is a dress code. As you can see from the picture below, a general rule of thumb is that you are required to wear a 'sarong' if your knee can be seen. This is a sign of respect as this is a religious site.

In sarong if your knees are showing

Size of the trunk of a tree on the site

Beautiful view from the top

Inside the cave are various gods to whom the locals worship

At the facade of the cave is a relief of various menacing creatures and demons carved right into the rock at the cave entrance. The primary figure was once thought to be an elephant, hence the nickname Elephant Cave. This is also the entrance to the cave.

Facade of Elephant Cave

Various Gods

Sunk into the courtyard is a pair of bathing pools. This extensive bathing temple was not excavated until the 1950s. Water trickles into the pools through water jars held by maidens carved into the rock wall. Legend has it that the pools were considered a sort of fountain of youth. Bathing in them was supposed to keep you young.

Bathing Temple

Relics arranged neatly

Goa Gajah (the Elephant Cave), is located in a steep valley just outside of Ubud near the town of Bedulu. Built at least 700 years ago, the cave was rediscovered in the 1920s and fully excavated 30 years later.

Bali Dance - Barong and Kris Dance

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:52:00 +0000

Bali Dance

During our Bali vacation, we went to watch the Bali Dance at CV. Catur Eka Buddhi. The Barong and Kris Dance performance starts at 1000 hrs.

The Barong (mythological animal) play represents an eternal fight between good and Rangda the evil spirit. Entrance fee:- Rp80,000 per person (USD8.80)

Holiday Travel Tips:-

Before entering the performance area, be sure to take the synopsis of the dance and read it so as to understand what it is all about. That way, you will be able to appreciate the Barong and Kris dance more.

Here are some pictures taken from the Barong and Kris Dance performance...

Ngong Ping 360 Shaolin Kung Fu 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:18:00 +0000

We were fortunate to be able to catch the Shaolin Kung Fu masters when we visited Ngong Ping 360 on HongKong Lantau Island.

Here is the performance by the Shaolin Kung Fu masters...

Part 1:-

The Rani Hotel & Spa

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:18:00 +0000

The Rani Hotel and Spa

The Rani is a private, modern sanctuary situated just minutes away from the vibrant beach and shopping heart of South Kuta, a cozy Bali Kuta resort that we stayed in.

Address:-
Jl. Kartika Plaza , Kuta, Bali 80361 - Indonesia,
P.O.BOX 1034 Tuban
Phone : 62 361 752732
Fax : 62 361 752212
E-mail : therani@dps.centrin.net.id

The stylish lobby with the koi pond in the foreground, just at the entrance.

The koi pond with the lobby area

Happy Koi

A very comfortable Bali resort hotel, The Rani Hotel and Spa exudes an elegant hospitality with their Balinese ambience.

The Rani Hotel and Spa

Stylish bathroom

Bathroom amenitiees

Modern interior design

A special relaxation area

The spacious bedroom

Seats in the balcony overlooking the landscaped pool area

To rejuvenate and relax, try the traditional kneading-style massage with essential oils extracted from plants, flowers, fruits that have various specialized effects on the body and mind through both the skin and inhalation.

Other services include the Aroma massage and spa, Balinese massage and aromatherapy, Facial and Body treatment as well as body scrub, body mask and foot reflexology.

Choice of spa packages available

Lobby area

As seen from the second floor

Seating area near the lift lobby on the various floors

Four stories set within tropical landscaping as seen in the picture below, surrounding the swimming pool.

Swimming pool as seen from the balcony of our room

Swimming pool

The hotel Kenanga Cafe and Bar is where you can have your breakfast before setting off for the day.
Though it is open for lunch and dinner, it is normally quite empty as there as so many other food establishments within walking distance.

Kenanga Cafe and Bar

Buffet breakfast

Seating area

Omelette

Porridge

Breakfast variety

Egg station

Eggs...

The hotel also has free wifi, though for an hour only and upon patronising the Kenanga Cafe and Bar, out of breakfast hours.

Free Wifi ad

The Hotel Rani and Spa is a wonderful Bali Kuta resort to stay in due to its very strategic location and is good for both leisure or business.

Below are some establishments which are within walking distance from The Hotel Rani and Spa.

Spa

Tattoo and internet

South Kuta area

Mini Mart

Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel

Chinese Kitchen and Bar

Familiar fast food outlets

If you have a strong heart, you can try this...

Bali Slingshot

Not for the faint-hearted

Discovery Mall

Having snacks in Starbucks

The beach by night...

Bookmark & Share

Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:35:00 +0000

Ngurah Rai Internationa Airport

Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport is also known as Denpasar International Airport. Located in Tuban in Southern Bali, Ngurah Rai Airport is Indonesia's third-busiest international airport, after Jakarta and Surabaya.

Ngurah Rai International Airport - Arrival Hall

Welcome to Bali

Balinese display

Holiday Travel Tips:
You can find lots of brochures at Ngurah Rai Airport to plan your Bali vacation.

Brochures to plan your Bali vacation

Greeted by this traditional Balinese umbrella...

A traditional 3-tier Balinese umbrella

Interesting water dispenser

Water to quench your thirst

The taxi service counter is available just outside the Arrival Hall and passengers are advised to use the Airport Taxi Service, as prices are fixed.

Queue for the taxi service

Ngurah Rai International Airport - Departure Hall

Huge wall mural

Holiday Travel Tips:-
Do keep aside sufficient Rupiah to pay for your Passenger Service Charge before departing Bali

Counters to pay the Passenger Service Charge

Passenger Service Charge cost per person

Passenger Service Charge receipt

After checking in and whilst waiting for our flight departure, we had some time to spare and went to The Coffee Bean to have some snacks as well as access the internet. However, the internet speed was really slow and it was not fruitful at all...

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Cheesecakes...

Cozy corner

Last minute shopping can be done at Ngurah Rai Airport...

World Time

Below are some of the Balinese architectural designs and decorations at the departure hall of Ngurah Rai International Airport.

Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport

That was our short experience of Bali Ngurah Rai International Airport and we could see how busy it was...

Bookmark & Share

KLM Business Class

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:41:00 +0000

To Bali on KLM Business Class

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines

Our Bali vacation was a result of our Europe Vacation Package in December last year. As we were given a complimentary ticket to Bali via KLM Royal Dutch Airlines to be used by March latest, this resulted in our trip today.

At Singapore Changi International Airport KLM counter, we were told that we needed to do the check-in ourselves at the nearby self service kiosks.

Self service check-in at Singapore Changi Airport

We noticed that quite a number of passengers had trouble with the self service check-in and worst of all, there were no staff around to assist.

Fortunately for us, we managed to clear the check-in for our group of four with no major hiccups. The only setback was that one person in our group was seated away from the others.

Approaching the staff at the KLM counter where we had to check-in our luggage to change our seats so that we could be together, we were told to check with the staff at the boarding gate.

When we were at the boarding area, we once again approached the KLM airlines staff and waited for them to make the necessary changes. To our surprise and delight, our group of four were all upgraded to the KLM Business Class.

WOW! That made our day! :D

KLM Business Class section

Enjoying the unexpected upgrade

Nice and spacious

Nice little amenity bag for every business class passenger

The journey was smooth on the whole and we enjoyed the time in our business class seats though we had problems locating the point for attaching the earpiece.

Our menu:-

The Menu

A napkin was placed on the table before the appetiser and dessert were served on a tray with warm bread rolls. Later, the main course was served. We enjoyed our meal and if we had known that we were going to be upgraded, we would not have eaten anything before boarding the flight.

As for the meal, here is the appetiser and dessert served together...

Spicy Smoked Lamb and Chocolate Mocha Cake

Main course:-

Roasted Garoupa Fillet

The food somehow tasted better here in the business class section. :P

Roasted Chicken Forestiere

Towards the end of the journey, the flight stewardess came around with a tray of porcelain Dutch souvenir and we could select the design we liked.

Dutch souvenir given to all KLM Business Class passengers

Overall, though it was a short journey from Singapore to Bali, we enjoyed the sleeper seat with the 150 degree incline at the KLM Business Class. It was definitely a great start to our Bali vacation.

Bookmark & Share

Udders Ice Cream Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Udders Ice Cream

Udders Ice Cream

An odd name but according to the Udders Ice Cream website, the name was specially selected to show that the ice cream is so very fresh, as in coming straight from the udder to the customer - US... :D

With a good variety of ice cream flavours including liquer ice cream as well as unusual flavours such as the famous durian ice cream and even a special Mao Shan Wang Durian ice cream, Udders Ice Cream is a true delight.

Serving counter where you can try out some samples if not sure what to order

We ordered the peanut butter ice cream which was a sinful surprise as well as the chocolate kit kat which was awesomely rich and yummy tasting.

Peanut butter and Chocolate kit kat ice cream

The smell of the waffles filled the air and it smelled real good! We definitely have to try this the next time we are there... :D

Wall decor

Simple seating and you can write on the black board with coloured markers provided

Prices depends on the type of ice-cream which goes by classic, premium and connoisseur.

Udders Ice Cream

Steps leading to the upper area where you can enjoy the ice cream as well

Currently there are 5 Udders Ice Cream outlets in Singapore at the following locations:-

Open till 1am on Fri, Sat & eve of PH at Upper East Coast Road

Address: 87 Upper East Coast Road, Singapore 455223
Tel / Fax: 64488732
Milking hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12 noon to 11pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of PH: 12 noon to 1am!

Address: #01-11, MyVillage Mall, 1 Maju Ave, Singapore 556679
Tel/Fax: 66345839
Milking hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12 noon to 11pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of PH: 12 noon to 12 midnight

Address: 155 Thomson Road, Singapore 307608
Tel/Fax: 62546629
Milking hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12 noon to 11pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of PH: 12 noon to 12 midnight

Address: 17 Lorong Kilat, #01-08 Kilat Court, Singapore 598139
Telephone: 64661055 Fax: 64665707
Milking hours: Sunday to Thursday: 12 noon to 11pm
Friday, Saturday and eve of PH: 12 noon to 12 midnight

Address: 1 Bukit Batok Central Link, #02-10 West Mall, Singapore 658713
Tel/Fax: 68622192
Milking hours: 11am to 10.30pm daily Bookmark & Share

Ice Cream Singapore - Ice Cream Frenzy

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:58:00 +0000

Ice Cream Frenzy

Ice Cream Frenzy

Address of Ice Cream Frenzy

A recently opened ice cream outlet in Singapore, Ice Cream Frenzy in the West has a really cozy ambience and spick and span. Love the cute decor.

Operating hours

Ice Cream Frenzy's tagline... one scoop is never enough!

We had an extremely pleasant experience having our 'healthy' ice cream and the staff were friendly allowing us to sample the various ice cream flavours when they saw that we had a difficult time making our choice of ice cream.

You can also rent the premise for your private functions

Health benefits of home-made ice cream

Ice cream as part of a healthy diet...

Intrinsic dairy values of ice cream

The ice cream is not as sweet as some others that we have tried, and if this is a healthier choice, we would definitely go for this as it had a great taste, plus an affordable price.

Our Singapore ice cream order - coffee and milo

Decor

Floats, waffles, brownies, milkshakes, etc are also available... all at reasonable prices

Tempting picture...

Daily specials...

Beautiful wall decor

Cute teddy...

Nicely decorated

Beautiful

Lovely greens

Love this little corner... Very bright and cheery

What we liked about Ice Cream Frenzy is that you can get a free scoop of ice cream on your birthday with any purchase. Just like a little birthday present... :D

Free ice cream scoop on your birthday

And a chance to get 'free scoop' of ice cream according to the number of stamps...

Exterior of Ice Cream Frenzy

Different ice cream flavours available

Family of dogs guarding the entrance... :D

And what impressed most was this little room...

Nice plants and decoration

More plants and interesting decor

Small artwork

None other than the restroom......

In fact, this is the first outlet that I can say I am totally impressed with the restroom. Never have I seen a food outlet with such a nicely decorated restroom which looks more like the restroom in a country home.

Bookmark & Share

Hong Kong Tourism 25 - 28 Aug 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:48:00 +0000

Hong Kong tourism is booming and during our recent visit to Hong Kong from 25th to 28th August 2011, we found Hong Kong to be an exciting place for shopping, dining as well as sightseeing.

The short 4 days 3 nights trip was too short for us even though we left on the 0115 hrs flight, thereby giving us effectively a full day there on our very first day in Hong Kong.

Arriving there before 0600hrs, we were brought to our hotel Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees in Kowloon. As it was so early in the morning and before the check in time, there was no more standard rooms available. We were offered an upgrade to the deluxe room at HKD250++ (USD32) which we accepted so that we could have a short nap before starting on our Hong Kong sightseeing.

Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees hotel

Visited The 9^th Natural Products Expo Asia 2011 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Great for those who are interested in increasing health consciousness and with heightened attention to product safety to fuel the growth of natural and organic products.

Natural Products Expo Asia 2011

Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

Check out some of the must-see Hong Kong tourist attractions and sightseeing spots to visit...

Avenue of the Stars

Repulse Bay Hong Kong

Visit the islands as well for a different experience.

If you are the more adventurous type, you can go trekking from one village in Lamma to the next and end the day with a seafood dinner.

Lamma Island

Lamma seafood

Lantau island is where you can visit Disneyland or visit Ngong Ping 360 Village as well as various other attractions including the Tai O Fishing Village.

Ngong Ping 360

Tai O Fishing Village

Overall, if you intend to explore Hong Kong to the fullest, three days is simply not enough. We did not even have much time for shopping which Hong Kong is well-known for.

Bookmark & Share

Hong Kong Egg Tarts

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:14:00 +0000

Hong Kong Egg Tarts - King Bakery

King Bakery

G/F., Shop 22, Jubilant Garden, 33 Ma Tau Kok Road, To Kwa Wan

Just a short distance away from our hotel in Kowloon, Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees, King Bakery has different varieties of the Hong Kong egg tarts.

Yummy Hong Kong egg tarts

Holiday travel tips:-
These Hong Kong egg tarts make a tasty breakfast as well

Supreme Crispy egg tart

King Bakery produces the normal shortcrust pastry as well as the fluffy pastry for the egg tarts. Plus a variety including durian egg tarts.

Cookies crisp fresh milk egg tart

Portuguese style egg tart

After buying a few egg tarts to try out, we were tempted to buy some to bring home but did not want to have to be carrying it by hand all over, thus we aborted the idea.

Bookmark & Share

Hong Kong Dining - Breakfast Dim Sum Food

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:39:00 +0000

On our last day in Hong Kong, instead of going far from our hotel in Kowloon, we decided to explore the area around Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees hotel on foot.

Walking past various shops, we managed to find an outlet serving breakfast dim sum food which looked quite packed.

Menu posted on the wall

Operating hours: - 0600 hrs - 1300 hrs

Good range of dim sum breakfast food

Freshly made dim sum breakfast food

Kitchen preparation in the open

All tables taken up by the breakfast crowd

Porridge with pork blood

Chinese crullers

Rice noodle roll

Bookmark & Share

Hong Kong Dining - 'Piggy' Dessert House

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 21:08:00 +0000

With no English name to this Hong Kong Dining spot, I have decided to call it Piggy Dessert House Hong Kong.

Piggy Dessert House

Just a short walk away from our hotel in Kowloon, Harbour Plaza 8 Degrees, we were there after 2200 hrs and it was pretty crowded with the young crowd and we had to wait for seats.

Best seller dessert

Green tea shaved ice

Green tea dessert

Check out the crowd

Interesting variety of desserts can be found in the menu.

Serving only desserts, Piggy dessert house has 2 branches in Kowloon.

G/F, 27 Pine Street Tai Kok Tsui Kowloon
Tel: 2333 1993
Opening hours: 1500 hrs - 0130 hrs

G/F, 31 Pai Toi Street To Kwa Wan Kowloon
Tel: 2331 3994
Opening hours: 1400 hrs - 0030 hrs

Bookmark & Share

Hong Kong Tourist Attractions

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:38:00 +0000

Here are some Hong Kong Tourist Attractions which we had the pleasure to visit on our short visit to Hong Kong. These interesting places for Hong Kong sightseeing made our trip a memorable one, not to forgotten in the near future.

According to DiscoverHongKong.com, Hong Kong Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbour and the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island Hong Kong are among the most awe-inspiring sights, not to be missed! :)

The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) located in Wan Chai North, Hong Kong, is one of two major convention and exhibition venues in Hong Kong. Built along the Victoria harbour, it is linked by covered walkways to nearby hotels and commercial buildings.

Hong Kong Convention And Exhibition Centre as seen from Victoria Harbour

Hong Kong Convention And Exhibition Centre

The Golden Bauhinia Square, one of the Hong Kong tourist attractions, is just outside the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This is where the handover of Hong Kong ceremonies were held in July 1997. The sculpture, a gilded flower bauhinia, 6 metres high, is deemed an important symbol for the Hong Kong people after reunification and the square, a tourist attraction, is lit up by fireworks on the second day of Chinese New Year and National Day of the People's Republic of China.

Golden Bauhinia

At the Golden Bauhinia Square

The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong where its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. With 70,000 passengers a day, or 26 million a year, the Star Ferry is an inexpensive mode to cross the harbour.

The Star Ferry has been rated first in the "Top 10 Most Exciting Ferry Rides" poll by the Society of American Travel Writers in February 2009. Thus a ride on the Star Ferry would be highly recommended if you have never been on one before.

A colourful Star Ferry at the Terminal

On board the Star Ferry

Leaving the Star Ferry Terminal in Kowloon

Passing by another Star Ferry

Hong Kong Victoria Peak at 552 m (1,811 ft) is the highest mountain on Hong Kong Island, though not in Hong Kong. Fondly known as The Peak to the locals, Victoria Peak is a highly popular tourist attraction which offers fabulous views over Central, Victoria Harbour as well as the surrounding islands.

View from Victoria Peak mid level Stubbs Road Lookout

The view from Victoria Peak mid level Stubbs Road Lookout is narrower than from the Peak, but you can see the buildings clearly.

For those who would like to visit the upper levels of Victoria Peak, the Peak Tramway, a funicular railway in Hong Kong, provides the most direct route and offers wonderful views of the harbour and skyscrapers of Hong Kong.

Victoria Peak Tram, courtesy of Wiki

Repulse Bay Hong Kong is a beautiful beach located in the south of Hong Kong Island. Known as the Shallow Water Bay, Repulse Bay has a long and broad sandy beach.

Repulse Bay Hong Kong

Another popular Hong Kong tourist attraction is the Aberdeen Fishing Village Hong Kong. Here we went on an optional sampan ride to take a closer look at the floating village as well as the boat people.

Jumbo floating restaurant - another top tourist attraction in Aberdeen

Here's a visit to the Hong Kong jewelry shop. This shop is known for its unique fortune fan diamond pendants.

Fortune fan diamond pendant

Lucky Chinese Zodiac diamond pendant

Hong Kong Jewelry shop

Located at the busy junction of Leighton Road, Morrison Hill Road and Wong Nai Chung Road, this giant golden dragon guards the entrance to Causeway Bay. The presence of the golden dragon brings prosperity and fortune.

Golden Dragon Sculpture

Hong Kong Lamma Island, the third largest island, is a great place to visit and experience some laid back village life, great beaches, hiking as well as delicious seafood.

Welcome to Lamma Island

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a visit to Lantau Island, the second largest island, where Hong Kong Disneyland is located. Or even if you are not the Disneyland going type, the bronze Giant Buddha, Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping Village and Tai O village is enough reason for you to make a trip to Lantau Island.

Giant Buddha

Po Lin Monastery

Tai O Fishing Village

We even had a chance to view the Tsing Ma Bridge whist we were in Sham Tseng enjoying their specialty roast goose.

The Tsing Ma Bridge, lighted up at night

Bookmark & Share

HongKong Lantau Island - Tai O Fishing Village Hong Kong

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:25:00 +0000

Tai O Hong Kong

If you are in Lantau Island HongKong, do visit the Tai O Fishing Village for a rare sight of a stilt-house community. Most famous for its wooden stilt houses along the waterfront, this traditional fishing village is a mosaic of surprises with its tiny shops, shrines, local market and fishing junks.

Catch bus number 11 from Tung Chung and it takes approximately an hour to reach Tai O which is the last stop. Here, you will feel as if you have wandered back in time.

Bus 11 from Tung Chung brings you to Tai O

View the beautiful sunset from Tai o Promenade.

Tai O Promenade

Check out the sunset images taken from the Tai O Promenade

Sunset

Sun looking like a UFO

Sunset view from the Promenade

Sunset

Catch also these muddy wrestler fiddler crabs in the mangrove swamp by the Promenade.

A fiddler crab - check its claws

Closer look at the fiddler crabs

Scuttling into its home

Fiddler crabs, also known as mud wrestlers

Mangrove swamp

Swampy area

You can take a dolphin tour for just HKD20 per adult. If you are lucky, you will see the dolphin, though we did not manage to see any. We felt that it was worth the price as we managed to get a great view of the village on stilts.

Dolphin tour signage

Fishing trawler

View of fishing trawler from another angle

The ripples in the water is where the fishing net is

The buoy marks the end of the fishing net from the trawler

Surrounded by uneven terrain

Old Man Rock

View of the fishing village

Close up of the house on stilts

Closer look at the fishing community

Most homes are built on stilts along the scenic waterfront, giving the village the nickname “Venice of the East”.

View of the fishing village

View of people crossing the bridge from our dolphin boat tour

Silhouette of a bridge

A bird perched on the oar of this motor boat

Canoes

Nice scenery

Sun Kei Bridge

Another view of Tai O Hong Kong

Back on land, Welcome to Tai O

Leading to the main street of Tai O

Tai O Market where you can buy its popular dried seafood.

Dried seafood on sale

Try this purple passion tea specialty of Tai O, a good thirst quencher

Nice and cold drink - purple passion tea

We stopped by one of the shops to have dinner.

Live seafood kept in these containers

Window display of the restaurant

Name of the restaurant that we had dinner at

As we were not too hungry, we only ordered two dishes.

Vegetable with prawn and pork

Fish cake, dumpling and jellyfish which we enjoyed

Built during the Ming dynasty, 1488 - 1505 A.D., Kwan Tai Temple honours Kwan Tai, the God of War and Righteousness.

Kwan Tai Temple

Another bridge

Yet another bridge

If you have some time, do explore the fishing village and meander along the narrow walkways. Find yourself in another era of time gone by.

Bookmark & Share

Uniquely Singapore - Chinese and Japanese Gardens Singapore Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:54:00 +0000

Uniquely Singapore

Chinese Garden

Formerly known as the Jurong Gardens and located at No. 1 Chinese Garden Road, the Chinese Garden was built in 1975, Designed by Prof. Yuen-chen Yu, a Taiwanese architect, the Chinese Garden’s concept is based on Chinese gardening art. The main characteristic is the integration of splendid architectural features with the natural environment. The Chinese Garden is modelled along the northern Chinese imperial style of architecture and landscaping.

Opening hours for the Chinese Garden

Holiday Travel Tips:-
There is no entrance fee to either the Chinese or Japanese Gardens Singapore though there may be charges to some of the attractions within.

Chinese name for the Bridge of Double Beauty

Bridge of Double Beauty joining the Japanese Garden with the Chinese Garden

The Stone Boat is a famous traditional feature of Chinese architecture. Based on the Peking style, its

unique design and splendid architectural beauty is a fine art which has long been praised by people throughout the world.

Stone Boat

Be amazed at the spectacular exhibit of different turtles and tortoises at the Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum!

Opened from 1000 hrs - 1900 hrs daily, there is an admission charge of SGD5.00 per adult and SGD3.00 per child/senior citizen to the museum.

Live Turtle and Tortoise Museum

One of the four pavilions at the Chinese Garden pictured below. The design is based on the style of Northern Chinese Pavilions, and decorated to blend harmoniously with the Garden.

A pavilion, linked with plants, rocks and a footpath to create a poetical scene

The 7-storey pagoda can be seen from the Japanese Garden as it is situated on a small hill in the Chinese Garden. Its typical pagoda design follows the style of Ling Ku Temple Pagoda at Nanking.

7-storey pagoda

7-storey pagoda standing tall above the trees

7-storey pagoda from afar

Twin pagodas

Fishes swimming all in one direction, following the leader

Map of the Chinese Garden Singapore

Garden of Abundance

The most noticeable feature of the Garden of Abundance are the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals sculpture. Here you will also see a sundial as well as stone bridges.

Horse

Goat

Snake

Dragon

Tiger

Rat

Pig

Dog

Rooster

Monkey

3-Step Bridge

Bridge of Romance

Sundial

A bench held by one of the zodiac animals

The statue of Confucius, the well known philosopher, can also be found here in the Chinese Gardens as well as the Confucius Terrace.

Confucius

Lin Zexu

Zheng He

Wen TianXiang

Yue Fei

Hua MuLan

Guan Yu

Qu Yuan

The 5,800 square metres Bonsai Garden comes complete with Suzhou-style buildings and landscape. With a collection of more than 2,000 bonsais imported from China and other parts of the world, the Suzhou-style Bonsai Garden is the largest of its kind out of China. Admission charges apply.

Bonsai lion guarding the entrance

With its partner

Holiday Travel Tips:-
If you wish to explore all the areas in the Chinese and Japanese Gardens Singapore, do give yourself at least two to three hours for a slow and leisurely walk with photo stops along the way.

Bookmark & Share

Uniquely Singapore - Chinese and Japanese Gardens Singapore Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (ViP) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:08:00 +0000

Uniquely Singapore

Seiwaen - Japanese Gardens Singapore

Japanese Gardens Singapore

Clean air...

Operating hours

Entrance of Japanese Gardens Singapore

The Japanese Garden in Singapore is located in Jurong East, thus commonly known as the Jurong Gardens. Built on an artificial island in the Jurong Lake area, the Japanese Garden is connected to the adjacent Chinese Garden by the Bridge of Double Beauty.

Holiday Travel Tips:-
If you would like a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of the city, visit the Chinese and Japanese Gardens Singapore. Here you will find a lovely oasis of greenery, nature and architecture.

Part of the beautiful gardens

Gateway

Stone Garden

Stone Sculpture

Japanese Gardens

Nice and serene

Peaceful

Great and scenic view

Japanese bamboo

Japanese pine trees

Rock garden

If you are fortunate, you will be able to catch sight of the squirrels. Here, we saw a squirrel hanging upside down from the tree with just its hind legs and using its front legs to hold the banana, it started to peel off the banana skin before eating the banana. Interesting...

Squirrel

Part of the lake

Sunset view

The cattle egret can be found returning in the evenings to their nesting area on the other side of the lake.

Cattle egret returning for the night

Bookmark & Share