8 days in magical paradise - BALI! (8 Mins Read)

Bali is No 1 destination for holiday planners in the World. But everyone has a different reason and liking for varied choices that Bali has to offer as holiday destination. From Adventure to Yoga, From serenity to  party, from family trip to honeymoon trips to just solo trip and from backpackers to extra luxury holidays,  there is something for everybody alike in Bali! 

Extending its borders from Asia to all the way till Australia, Bali is Indonesian province with 17,500 islands. Being closer to equator, gives it an edge of having stable climate throughout the year. Bali is located on Bali Sea which forms the south-west part of Flores Sea. Its home to many marine species. And hence, one enjoys great surfing, scuba and snorkeling activities around Bali.

Closer Map of Bali. Image courtesy: Google

There is so much to see and do in Bali that even a week is certainly not enough. Bali trip is so far my best memorable trip in South East Asia. I just loved it for its diversity. From scenic volcanoes to lush green rice terraces to pristine beaches and water underneath to mesmerizing coastlines. Bali is Paradise on Earth. Period. 

Planning a trip to Bali?

It really depends on your interest that where would you like to be and for how many days? We went for 8Nights and for us it was perfect plan. So I will share my itinerary here and the logic to build one!

Firstly, one has to decide what is it that they want from this holiday? 

Relaxing, adventure, yoga trip, surfing trip, exploration trip? If you are like us and want bit of everything then go for the itinerary below as we like diverse experiences. 

Once you know what you want from your holidays decide about the accomodation. Most of Bali happens in Southern part where there are most famous beaches located starting from Kuta, Seminyak, Jimbaran, Nusa Duaa and Sanur. Rest of the Bali trip happens in Central part around Ubud which is cultural capital of Bali.

So we came across this interesting place called Mara River Safari Lodge which is located in Gianyar region and we had to visit this place for love of nature and animals! I wouldn't vouch for their Safari park much but the concept of Mara safari lodge is beautiful. Its like Mini Kenya! Its worth an experience. And definitely must visit for families with kids.

So here I begin my itinerary for Bali trip!

Day 1: Gianyar

We landed at Ngurah Rai International Denpasar airport and started our day by visiting the Tegenungan waterfalls which is just one hour drive from airport. Its a beautiful drive and you will be greeted throughout the journey with Hindu Gods and its depictions across the roads of Bali followed by most eye catching landscapes.

P.S. Please change your currency and take SIM card from airport itself. USD is widely used in Bali but its better to have IDR as they charge insanely in USD. Also for Indian passport holders, Bali is Visa free.

One will need an hour at waterfalls (depending on how much adventure you want to do there) post which we proceeded to Mara river Safari Lodge which was half hour drive away. This themed Safari resort gives unique holiday experience with African safari inspired ambiance and accommodation. It is located within grounds of Bali Safari Park, the stay offers exclusive opportunity to observe and be amongst some of the beautiful animals in close range. 

Imagine waking up to view of Zebras and giraffes having their breakfast :) , riding to the dining hall on elephant (p.s. we didn't do this, remember no harming animals!), having brakfast while Lions are roaring just outside your windows. Its like you are jailed around animals to view them :p But its beautiful to see them so close! Its must must GO place in short!

Anyway, apart from stay the package includes free visit to Zoo for one time.  

Click here for finding stay packages at Mara River Safari Lodge - Book Mara River Hotel

Key takeaway:  The Safari is small and if you plan bit smartly one can finish it off in half a day or sooner. For vegetarian food, they had lot of options. So be rest assured about it. Don't forget to reach on time for check in. there is lot to do in less than 24 hours in this wonderful place!

Day 2: Ubud

We spent morning hours surrounded by these beautiful views of animals and swimming with hippo literally! By 11 we checked out and kept bags on luggage counter and proceed to Safari. Its a small safari and should not take more than  half a day to see everything. Its way smaller then one in Singapore. Later proceed to Ubud by Car and check in at most beautiful stay I have ever been to. 

Ubud is spiritual and cultural capital of Bali. However its also known for its lush green sceneries. We had booked Villa Nirvana in Ubud which was in middle of nowhere yet 10 mins walk away to city Centre. we were 2 couples and stayed in Villa Maya which had 2 bedroom villa. It was splendid with bath tub right in mid of nature and private pool all for yourself, this villa was like dream come true for writer inside me! They spoiled us with breakfast on bed. Especially getting served fresh yum Dosa early morning with masala chai just  around your own pool was perfect!

Still if you prefer to be in utmost quietness then this is your place! But if you want to see people around then book something in city Centre. Most of families with kids may prefer to be surrounded by people so please book a hotel near city Centre. there are ample of options there.

Link to Book Villa Nirvana - Click here to book

Key takeaway: Unlike other destinations, in Bali boking hotels directly from their website gave an edge over boking from other sites like Agoda since their website had packages which were more economical to book. 

Please note Bali sleeps early :p We left hotel around 8 pm thinking about shopping and we felt we were in haunted place. All the markets and shops close by 6 pm max. So please follow Early to bed, early to rise rhyme here quite sincerly!

This day we just enjoyed the private pool and relaxed in our villa reading and chit chatting. Then took a troll in market area to figure our next two days itinerary. You will find lot of tour and travel companies in market and generally all are more or less good. You can compare cost and select whichever tour you like. However we were travelling with one more couple and so we opted to hire a car and make our itinerary. 

Jain Food option in Ubud: We tried two Indian restaurant there for Jain food and both were quite good. One Ganesh restaurant was 10 mins walk away from Villa nirvana and other Queens of India was in market area. Both served Jain food. Our villa made yummy Jain breakfast for us every morning. We were surprised to get hot Dosa and Masala tea ready in our private lawn daily morning.

For more Indian restaurant option, click here!

Day 3: Base - Ubud (Tegallalng rice terrace, Bedugul Temple, Coffee terrace, Tanah Lot)

We stretched the day and covered most of the places within a day. So we started early in morning and reached the coffee terrace which was decent but not must see also because we are not coffee fan it didn't make sense. 

Later we visited Tegallalang rice terrace and enjoyed the giant swings and some of the insta favorite picture taking booths!

From there we headed straight to Bedugul temple and Lake Ulun Danu Beratan Temple. This is very very picturesque and beautiful place which holds its place on Indonesian currency. Its serene and wonderful enough not to be missed. 

And lastly we headed to Tanah Lot temple during sunset. It was magnificent and beautiful temple. We enjoyed the Seaside on the rocks while sun was setting. There are Eight sea temples in Bali and Tanah lot is most visited and postcard picture perfect scenic temple. We took the blessings of sea temple and returned to Villa to finally have peaceful dinner and rest for the day. 

Tanah Lot Temple

Tegallalang Rice terrace and coffee terrace

Ullun Batan Temple

How to travel: We hired the car for a day which cost approx. 45 USD per day (for 10 hours) for 4 people. Their best price is 40 USD and sometimes if the driver is good they may extend an hour or so. 

If you want cost effective way to travel then you can book the tour with local travel agents on SIC coach basis. 

Key Takeaway: Be aware of the local scams here and there. Like the cab driver took us to coffee place which wasn't that great but we thought he was getting commission on our entry tickets and if we would have bought the coffee from there. So do your research well. Don't trust blindly. Also near some temples you will find people asking for money and there are few pick pocket cases there so please be very vigilant.

Day 4: Base - Ubud ( Campuhan Ridge walk, Saraswati Temple, Goa Gajah, Ubud Palace)

Today we planned to wake up peacefully and enjoy grand breakfast and have pool time after a hectic day. We were open to go for white water rafting or Mount Batur but that day it was raining and volcanoes were very active so both the activities were not possible and so we decided to just stay put around Ubud and explore local markets and went to some of the famous local temples there like Saraswati temple and Goa Gajah temple followed by Ubud Palace and then heading for a small hike to Campuhagan ridge walk. It was beautiful hike of 2 hours. Lastly we booked for a ferry trip to Nusa Lembongan to head towards the pristine beauty of this heaven on Earth!

Glimpses from our stay at Villa Nirvana, few temples and Campuhan ridge walk

Key takeaways: The fun part about the tropical islands are it can rain anytime but the rains are not so severe and may settle down in couple of hours unless its typhoon or storm. So we got little scared to do white water rafting in rains and cancelled the plan but if you happen to make plans, stick to it. In matter of no time the rains would disappear. However you cant take risk of going till volcanoes when they are active so that one got to be real careful!

Day 5: Base - Nusa Lembongan (Nusa lembongan island tour on bike)

We fancied blue waters and pristine white beaches like many others and so we headed straight to Nusa Lembongan. It was fairly easy to travel. You will be picked by coach early morning from Ubud and head to harbor of Sanur from where the ferry to Nusa Lembongan will start. We started from Ubud at 8 am and reached lembongan by 11 am. 

You will be fairly surprised to arrive at the most pristine beaches. At least this was one of the finest beach I have ever seen after Similan island in Thailand. We checked in at hotel, booked our bikes and left for exploration of island. Nusa Lembongan and Nusa ceningan are two small islands and one can fairly see all the major attractions within 4 hours of bike ride here. Arrive at any hill top restaurant to enjoy the sunset and be done for the day at your resort. We had amazing romantic dinner planned by the beach and the resort helped us at their best to cook and give our Maggi packets and also made Jain fried rice.

We stayed the D Dusa Resort and Spa but that seems to have vanished now however here is the link to book  -  Nusa Lembongan hotels. 

Day full of holding breath and enjoying nature's most pristine sites.  Most stunning sunset to insanely vast sea giving beautiful views to riding across small island and talking with locals to having our 1st ever candle light dinner by the sea on the beach! 

Key takeaway: One has to certainly book beach front resort if you are in nusa Lembongan. It is family friendly location to stay with young kids. But if you do not wish to travel with luggage and kids one can also enjoy one day tour from Bali. There are lot of tour operators who would bring you here for one day trip. In Lembongan there were many beautiful sights to enjoy underwater but back then we were not prepared which i would definitely go back to. So you need good 3 days in lembongan. 

The day you arrive just chill and next day go for snorkeling trip and 3rd day for Nusa Penida island tour. All 3 are must do.  

Day 6 : Base - Nusa Lembongan (Nusa Penida tour, swim in the sea)

We hired the tour operator from Nusa lembongan for a day trip to Nusa Penida. We started with car journey followed by boat journey and again car ride (which was very rough and bit scary) to reach the Kelingking beach point and from there visited the broken beach. These ae most dangerous points to travel with kids as there is no safety standard. But the adventure is worth for the kind of scenic beauty it beholds! 

Key takeaway: We made terrible mistake of wearing chappals thinking we will spend time on the beach but rather we should have worn sports shoes or at least sneakers for this adventure trip. Also for people like me, I have terrible motion sickness. This was journey which I couldn't enjoy despite of being at one of the most beautiful spot of Bali. So consider taking some medicines or travelling empty stomach. 

Also one should pack slippers and beach wear to enjoy amazing waters around these places. Not to forget lot of food for vegetarians!     

Day 7: Base - Nusa Dua (Beach Day, shopping, family time)

We enjoyed Nusa Dua beach upon arrival in late afternoon and had our day off for shopping and chilling by the beach. For Jain Vegetarian Dinner we headed to Queens of India and then tried The Royal kitchen for our lunch next day. The royal kitchen was anytime much more better and cleaner and served nice and good food. Offcourse when in island, go for SPA retreat. there are many many here. Just opt for any good one as per google reviews and head in!

Enjoying the Nusa Lembongan resort for some time in the morning before heading to Nusa Dua.

Click here to book - The Nest Hotel - Nusa Dua

Click here to see more Indian Restaurant in nusa Dua

Key learning: Nusa Dua is a silent beach. Because we wanted to skip whole lot of people during this journey we opted for Nusa Dua. One can rather be near Semniyak or Kuta beach and enjoy the clubs like potato beach club, Finn's beach club, Omnia dayclub, etc. Though all the beaches n south are not far away but please note that traffic around this area is horrible and to travel from one place to another may take some time. 

Day 8: Base - Nusa Dua (Uluwatu temple tour, Jimbaran beach sunset) 

Today was last day of our trip and we hired the car for full day until drop at Bali airport at 7 PM. So after our breakfast we headed to Uluwatu temple which is again on magnificent sea shores. You will be treated with best beauty around this temple. Before we left for our flight we enjoyed the sunset at Jimbaran beach and reminisced our beautiful 8 days spent in this nature's paradise named - BALI!

Key takeaway: we started our journey from Jimbaran for airport 4 hours in advance but the traffic was so horrible on the way that we could reach only 2 hours later. So please have time to reach airport. The best part of the day was we booked car for whole day and could just glance through lot of cultural depictions and also sea shores and beaches just being on wheels. Also since we had some time we could head to nearest Indian restaurant from airport and pick our dinner before we reach airport.

Most important things to note for a trip to Bali: 

1. For couple who can ride bike, its super cheap (Rs 300 per day) here and roads are ok enough if we abide by rules. 

2. Or you can hire car with driver for approx. 20 - 25 USD per day (10 hours)

3. Carry lot of sunscreens, hats and extra beach wears. (You can offcourse buy beach wear locally)

4. Road accidents are not common but can happen so ensure to keep first aid kit.

5. With children, plan to stay at hotels near market area in Ubud.

6. Day trip to Nusa Penida is both way too dangerous and hectic so can avoid with kids.

7. Day trip to Nusa lembongan is must must must GO with families, kids, elders, everyone!

8. Last and most important - Even in your tight itinerary don't forget to go to SPA, chill by the beach, enjoy the sun rises and sun sets and unwind yourself before you end this holidays. 

At the end, “Bali is more than a place. It’s a mood, it’s magical. It’s a tropical state of mind.

So have you booked your trip to Bali, yet?

Enjoy Tulips Bloom right in Hong Kong!

When you see tulips blossoming in nature, its magical and soul stirring. Amsterdam or Holland is offcourse go to place for seeing tulip farms. But isn't it too far away? What if I tell you that there are beautiful tulip blooms in Hong Kong to see and enjoy!

Yes, very much in Hong Kong within our reach!      

Tulip blooms can be enjoyed near Lake house on Lake Egret in Tai Po. It is expected to remain until April or May.

How to reach Lake Egret: 

Address: 2 Hung Lam Road, Tai Po Kau, New Territories Hong Kong. There is a free shuttle bus between Tai Po MTR Nanyun Road to Lake House. The Tulip blossoms are next to Lake House. 

Schedule for free shuttle bus is as follows. You cannot book the spot and queue can be liltte too much on weekend. So one can opt for Green cab from MTR which costs approx. 35 HKD only.

What to do there:

There is beautiful Florist who does wonderful job of blooming these tulips and many other flowers. You can also by tulips from here. So enjoy some picture taking opportunities followed by a walk surrounding the lake. You will be treated with postcard perfect picture of Lake house.

Lake house is beautiful restaurant on the lap of nature. Enjoy the views of Lake and Green lush gardens while having your lunch is most ideal and romantic setup.

 

P.S. there are very few vegan and vegetarian options there and absolutely no Jain food option. However you can enjoy some drinks! From around 12 noon the place is extremely full for lunch time and you may end up waiting for an hour so if you want good spot, please try to reach by 11 AM.

 

For Jain diet followers, please pack your lunches! there is absolutely nothing around so you may land up remaining hungry and tired :p and some staff at Lake House were very very rude to let us even use empty tables for baby's sake!!! 

How long will it take:

Enjoying the tulips will take not take more than half hour but you can just sit around the lake Egret and enjoy the surrounding later. Its a good half day trip before it gets too hot and humid. 

What else is there in Tai Po: 

This we can cover sometime else in detail but its good to know that Taipo waterfront park is also a beautiful picnic spot where half a day or longer can be spent. Just around the spiral tower, one can hire the cycle and enjoy the cycling around waterfront. Its best possible thing to do in spring! 

Also there is Tsz Shan Monastery but you need to book way in advance.

In all one can have a day trip in Tai Po -  cycling and enjoying the waterfront and blooms! 

P.s. There is Starbucks on Tai PO MTR, so if one is too tired and want to sip a cup of coffee or rest your legs after long travel and cycle this is easy grab!

Is it kids friendly activity?: 

Absolutely, my toddler loved to see so many tulips and was in awe of all colorful blooms. 

More pics from our short visit to see blooms!

The Florist Shop Near Lake House

In the background is Lake Egret

Beautiful Colorful Tulip Blooms!

To Summarize, its bit far away but thankfully its not so crowded and its absolutely beautiful to give it a miss. So one must go!

Tropical Holiday - Koh Samui in October with Toddler - Thailand Diaries - Part 3 (10Mins Read)

Most memorable highlight of our stay in Samui

Imagine waking up to vast ocean views as far as eyes could see and seeing perfect sun rise right from outside your villa whilst sipping coffee by the pool is highlight of our 7 days trip to Koh Samui in Oct 2022. 

Koh Samui or often called as Samui is an small island off the east coast of Thailand. It is second largest island after Phuket. Though its small in size, given its popularity in recent years it has excellent connectivity by land, air and sea. It is paradise for nature lovers, backpackers, party animals and adventure seekers equally. Though its small, it has lot to offer. It is an hilly island which gives best of both mountain and water delights equally!   

In Thailand, Where is Samui? In Samui, Major beaches!

Travel to Koh Samui: Koh Samui is well connected by Air, Sea, and road. Air being expensive then other options is also quickest way to reach. Its a small 1 hour ride from either Bangkok or Phuket. As an Indian passport holder, please note that on arrival at Bangkok airport you will have to go for taking your Visa on Arrival  and then only one can proceed to connecting flight to Samui. Visa on Arrival is explained in my earlier blog : Thailand - Land of Smiles - Part 1. 

p.s. Visa on Arrival takes at least 1 hour so have safe time in between flights.

Once you land Samui, be ready to be surprised to arrive at island full of happy and hospitable people, pristine beaches, luxurious resorts (at affordable price) and most importantly divine surroundings. 

Travel with Toddler: Just go for it, they love exploring much more than you can imagine. Sleep, food, entertainment all take its due course. But just hit those roads and give them best memories to built. They are super adoptive. Trust them! Just one advise from a wise friend helped us travel length and breadth with our infant and now toddler is : ensure you don't mess around their nap and bed times and you are sorted throughout journey.

As, Pamela Chandler says, and we strongly believe -  When you travel with your children you are giving them something that can never be taken away – experience, exposure, and a way of life.

Climate: Its very important to note, that Samui's weather is bit different then rest of Thailand. Here, the rainy season is October and November. Rest of the months are pretty dry. Its a tropical island so little bit rainfall is expected but it would not be too severe and humidity will be lesser. Best season to visit Koh Samui is between December and April. April to June is mix of good weather and best prices. In Oct-Nov it wont rain daily literally so if you want to be put up in good resort at best price and okayish weather then these are the best months.  

How many Days are enough to holiday in Samui? This really depends on type of vacation one prefers. If you want laid back holidays wherein you want to chill by the beach and lay around infinity pool with pizza and drinks then 8 days is must spend time. If you feel like checking bucket list and have a quick run through island then 3 days are also good and if you have ample of time and work from home opportunity then even a month is less! Its love at first sight island with lot of treat to your eyes and soul. 

p.s. we travelled with 14 month old Toddler and preferred 8 days stay at same resort near Indian restaurant where Jain Food was easy to grab. This was our fourth visit to Thailand and every time we fall in love with it bit more. 

Where to stay?: This is the question which takes maximum time for any holiday planners. Samui is hilly island so first decide what you want from your holiday? Just ocean view is good enough or you want to be next to the beach? 

Also, its just 10-15 kms wide island so at any point of time, you cant be too far away from the beach! But we travelled with toddler so we preferred villa on the beach wherein we don't have to travel even a mile for reaching beach. 

So first I suggest to see in general the five star resorts and see if any good deal available. If not, then move to the boutique resorts in which you can find their best room category in prices which are most basic ones in five stars. p.s. this is our hack of staying in luxury within budget in a decent property.

So in case of Samui, there are bunch of ultra luxurious five star properties which have made their mark across the island. Best ones being like Four seasons, W Koh Samui, Centara, Melia, and many more which can cost approx. 3-4k HKD per night in peak season. Then there are trdational beautiful thai culture rich boutique resorts in mid budget.

Understand the map of Samui to see the beach you wish to be on!

Checkout the beach you like, one can select Bophut beach which was not too crowded , not much party scene there but yet not too much secluded either. Then there are places like Chwaeng Beach area which is for party people, there is fisherman's village around which has lots of pubs and clubs and party scenes going on. Then there are other beaches like Lamai, Cheong Mon Beach, Bang Po beach, Hua Thanon, etc which has lot of properties to offer from highest range to mid to low budget ones. But it depends on your budget and criteria of holiday where you would like to be.

Our search had ended at the Prana Resort on Bophut beach which offered beautiful beach villa. At one end, they have hotel rooms with pool access and then across the street on the beach they have these beautiful villas. They are huge, well maintained, with very good service, smiling faces and helpful staff close to Tropikkana Beach club. 

With toddler we were carrying mini kitchen to address his diet needs and they helped in best possible way to accommodate all our needs and demands. The room size was excellent and the view was breathtaking. The Infinity pool was just step outside the villa was book readers paradise. 

The breakfast buffet was mouth watering even for vegetarians but they accommodated our special meal request (Jain breakfast) with 2 to 3 options available daily.  

The only shortcoming if at all its important to anyone is, we asked for  breakfast basket on the pool for which they had agreed upon our arrival but denied when we actually asked for it in name of covid. It was weird. But anyway apart from my disappointment for breakfast on pool, we loved every bit of being there.

Beach Clubs  There is very interesting concept of beach clubs in Samui. You just pack your swim wear, grab a book and be ready to enjoy best infinity pool and eat while you are reading getting sun soaked! You just have to order some food and beverage by the pool to enjoy all this!  Mind it, Samui is very cheap compared to Phuket!

some of the best beach clubs in Samui are Nikki Beach bar Ark club, Chi Samui, zenzibar to name few. One can click on the link to find : 10 Best Beach Clubs Koh Samui. We stayed at Prana resort which had its own Beach club named Tropikana and I would vote it  9/10 for its ambience, food, service and smiling servers. And next to Prana resort is very happening, well known but crowded Chi Beach Club. For us they denied serving anything Jain in food. In Prana they accommodated all our food demands very very satisfyingly including arranging a romantic evening around the beach.   

What to do in Samui: Since we were with Kiaan, our to do list was limited. Also we wanted laid back holiday where in we spent maximum time in the pool and beach. Majorly we didnt plan too much in advance, we just headed reception - picked up few touristy things -- picked up bike and just hit the road. So few things which we enjoyed are:

Innovatively made local Map by Prana Resort. It highlights all touristy places with pin marks.

    1. Exploring varied beaches: we went to 2 to 3 different beaches like Chaweng, lamai and bophut. Lamai is the pristine white sand beach where you can hire umbrellas and sit around from dawn to dusk. Chaweng is happening beach where all party scenes happen and bophut is quitest of all

    2. Fisherman's night market: it has some amazing stuff to take back home as souvenirs and food lovers paradise. Its lively place where a lot is happening. p.s. you can also convert your $$$ here for very good rates

    3. Visiting some famous beach clubs: Kiaan is fan of water and his momma loves to explore different places so we went few beach clubs and for breakfast we went once ot W Koh Samui. It has lovely indian spread and amazing photo worthy spots. W Samui had many Indian guests which later we came to know due to fact that its owned by an Indian. 

    4. Exploring Thai temples and culture: There are some magnificent Thai temples in Koh Samui which includes Big Buddha temple , Wat Ratchathammaram temple, Wat plai laem temple, Wat Khunaram, Khao Hua cook chedi temple to name few of many other small temples. 

Glimpse from our visit to Thai Temples

    5. Day trip to South of Samui Island: Visit places like Lam Sor Pagoda, it was unique and amazing silent retreat out there, then headed to Rescued Elephant sanctuary (where you don't get to do elephant riding or anything you can just buy bananas for 150THB and feed elephants). This was most sane place for sake of elephants where they were not tortured.  Later you can visit one of the waterfalls and then head to Hin Tai Hin Yai rocks and final stop over at coconut farms and lastly just hit the white sand Lamai beach and relax over sunset. In all it was 5 hours trip. 

 We were disappointed by extreme rain then, but it disappeared in 1 hour and we were treated with beautiful blue clear skies. Thanks to tropical region, don't expect rains to last very long. 

P.S. Some of the elephants we saw near the falls were so so much in poorly health and still they were being forced to ride 4 people at a time. KIND REQUEST : please don't encourage such practices.

There are lot of Elephant Kingdoms and Elephant bathing and feeding sessions, etc. which takes place in many sanctuary. So if you are Someone like us who do not wish to torture animals please visit the places where animals are in their natural surroundings and not forced to do anything.

    6. One can plan a diving and view point trip to Koh Tao and Koh Nangyuan but offcourse not advisable with small toddlers. 

    7. We also didn't go to Koh Phangan because it was off peak season and also it wasn't safe to take speed boat ride with toddler of 14 months! Koh phangan is well known for its Full moon parties and Ang thong national park which provides best views of Koh samui. 

A day trip to Koh Samui!

    8. Thai shopping: Well we found the area around Chaweng beach to be best for shopping also there are many many places to shop white cottons from big buddha to fisherman's village to lamai beach and everywhere. But personally i loved the white cotton shops around Big Buddha. They are too good!

    9. Thai Massage: Visit to Thailand is totally incomplete without enjoying the massages! There are ample of massage parlors across the Samui and also within resorts so just pick any one and be rest assured you will be taken for relax ride of an hour here! Most of them are very hygienic, professional and above all divine to satisfy your soul :p   

How to commute in Samui: So for short visits here and there within 5 kms area we hired bike which costs approx. 150-200 THB + petrol of 40 THB to be toped up and is very easy to drive on safe road of Samui. For bit far off journey we preferred to hire Car. You can either hire car with driver which costs 2000 THB for 4 hours or rent a car for self drive for around 800 THB you get cars like Honda CRV.

Jain Food in Samui: We are always in luck to find good Jain food anywhere in the World! So in Samui, our Go to place was Haveli Restaurant which was just 300 metres away from Prana Resort. Then we also got lot of options within Prana Resort for Jain Pizza, Jain friend rice, tofu noodles, soups and also many toddler friendly Jain food. 

We headed to W Koh samui for breakfast and even they accommodated all the jain food requirements. Their staff is well trained to understand the importance of special diets. 

At the end, Samui is wonderful wonderful island to definitely plan a visit. You will love to even come back again and again. But most of all when you plan holidays to relax, its the resort which plays important role and in our case Prana Resort was just way too perfect with its location being just 15 minutes away from airport, to enchanting beach villas with infinity pools to customized Jain food provision to smiling faces and ever helpful staffs. Special thanks to F&B manager whose name I forgot and Aalok from Sales team who helped us in best way possible to have happy and healthy stay in Samui. 

Wrapping up with lot of fond memories! 

#LoveForTravel #TravelWithToddler #YouLiveToTravel #toExplore #toRejuvenate

Pool-Cation - Have you tried ? (3 Mins Read)

They say "Life is better when you're swimming." It indeed is!

We love traveling, and off-late we love stay-cations. But what we discovered this time around is Pool-Cation!!! The occasion was - Truly yours Birthday!!! 

 

Keeping it simple and quick :) Pool-cation is all about spending some great time in great pool from day till night ;) It was special because we took Kiaan (Our 10 month old)  to pool for very first time and he loved it!And it was in month of May of 2022 so weather was perfect for pool time!

Many might wonder what is this Pool-Cation now? 

Pool-Cation is going to hotel which offers the best pools. We planned for something which would excite both kids and adults  alike. The Lagoon Pool of - Ocean Park Marriott in Hong Kong did its job well! This concept is not new just that it has been titled recently. The whole idea for pool-cation is something similar to stay-cation but your criteria of hotel selection in this case is hotel which offers best pool either with good views or good good interiors or great kids pool.

Off course there are beaches for dips and some amazing LCSD pools and clubhouse pools but sometimes you just want luxury and something beyond routine :) And after tiring day playing in pool, all you need is good ready to eat food and some amazing room just around. Hence this combination of stay-cation + great pool makes Pool-cation a great experience.A must must try at least for once!

Review about Mariott Ocean Park hotel:

Its a wonderful brand new property with beautifully developed landscapes. As mentioned our central point for selection of this property was for it Lagoon Pool which is very well made with lot of fun for both adults and kiddies. P.s. Kids get very cute bathrobes and soap hamper, so ask for it! Rooms are big and thanks to birthday we got upgraded to Big size tub rooms. They were tall and spacious and real fun.

Food wise there are three restaurants and we couldnt find any Jain Vegetarian meal there, not even pizza without egg so no comments on food. Well, we could arrange for local Maharaj to send us delivery for food and that was certainly yum. Children play area is small but definitely lot of fun. Its clean adn wel maintained with interesting activities to keep them busy. Overall a great experience to spend birthday day in this beautiful place!

 Where can one go for pool-cation?    

Many in Hong Kong would go to the Infinity pools of Kerry Hotel or W Hotel or Kowloon harbour hotel to enjoy  pools with harbour views. Some prefers indoor pools of Ritz Carlton or Peninsula or even Disneyland. Many may prefer pools with jacuzzi offered by W hotel or Cordis or Island shangrila. The list is endless. Well for some of these hotels you got to really splurge but there are many which offer great budget deals too. So log-on to your agoda and get your best deals!

Well, one can also consider budgeted Pool-cation in luxury hotels by availing day passes. Some of the hotels in Hong Kong gives day passes for its visitors to enjoy their pool and few other facilities . The famous ones being Cordis hotel, W Hong Kong, Mira Kowloon, Ritz Carlton, etc. Find some more details in the link below :DAY PASSES - POOL-CATION HK

When can infant start to swim?

As per babycentre.com, It's important for kids to learn how to swim – and learn about basic water safety – early in life to help prevent drowning. Babies can start learning to swim around age 1, though they won't master swimming skills until they're at least 4 years old.

Even though your baby can't swim yet, you can bring them into the water with you once they're about 6 months old. Some babies really enjoy getting in the water, so feel free to make playing in the pool or splashing in a lake or river a family affair. Just make sure to put your baby in a well-fitting infant life jacket anytime they're near water or on a boat. 

Did my infant Enjoy pool-cation?

Just before our Pool-cation, we planned to do trial run :p so we took Kiaan to the beach to test the waters first ;) He had loved being around and in the water. He is total nature and travel lover.. so far :) So it was not surprising to see Kiaan loving it being in water in pool as well... He ended up being in pool for 2 hours straight and enjoying every bit of it.

What to carry for your infant during pool-time? 

We went with some great safety gears for first time experience -  

1. Water tubes,  

2. Banana Boat sunscreens, 

3. Full sleeved swim clothes from NEXT, 

4. Huggies swim diapers for baby

5. Bath / Water toys

6. Bathrobe (Infant body temperatures can vary significantly while in water so this is highly recomendd if they feel shivering first time)

7. small backpack with little food (I highly vouch on slice of cheese, fruits, or any fav snack like rice puffs) extra pair of clothes, water, sunscreen 

 

But my infant is scared of water, How can we help?

 

 

Quick pointers for this situation is to follow some or all of above ways. Also, as a parent one needs to accept this situation first and try every opportunity you get to make baby feel more and more comfortable with water around. Like 

1. you can consider (if time permits) making bath time little longer 

2. buy all fancy swim equipment like fancy goggles, different colorful tubie, trendy clothes and some funky bath toys,   

3. always be around them, ensuring they you are just here and they are in safe place.

Lastly after few months of Covid when we took Kiaan in pool, he seemed too much bothered by vastness of it but after trying few things said above, in our next quick visit he seemed super happy again and enjoying quite a lot!

 

Happy Pool-Cations for Biggies and Kiddies alike! 

 

Remember, life is always cool by the pool!    

Follow my blog for Stay-cations below:

1. Blog on Why Staycation at Beach Resort with Infant

 

2. Click here for Blog on inspiration for staycations

 

Staycation with Infant at Mui wo's Silvermine Beach Resort (3 Mins Read)

As we got promoted from being couple to Family :)

Hello All,

After really long long time! Hold on! I have a valid reason for being away! I am not only globetrotter now but a MomGlobetrotter. Mother of sweetheart Kiaan who is going to be 10Months already! 

Thanks to many readers for their wishes in advance :) 

 Being son of globetrotter isn't easy but definitely fun, Kiaan says :p   

Our first journey with him began when he was 65 Days old only! That experience we shall keep for sometime else. For now, as Hong Kong relaxes its Draconian lock down measures, we decided to go on well deserved vacation even if it meant for 2 Days!

We love Staycations, as known from my earlier blog : https://globetrotterandbeyond.blogspot.com/2020/09/blog-post.html . This time around, we did our 2Days staycation at Silvermine Beach Resort, Mui wo in Lantau Island.

Beautiful scenic area near corridor rof resort

Mui Wo is located in southeast of Lantau island. It is ideal location with scenic hill and seashores around. There are plenty of cycling and hiking trails at Mui Wo. Its most beautiful highlight being Silvermine Beach with its fine sand and clear water is perfect for swim and sunbath. Silvermine beach resort which is just across the street of beach is perfect base to explore Mui Wo and enjoy its fun. Especially with infant it was convenient to be located at one place and explore many activities around just in two days!

With Kiaan who was just 9 month old then was our priority, our priorities and activities did change! So his priorities are our command :) 

Before we head towards all the fun part of this resort and Mui Wo, would like to mention about traveling with infant - what to do and why and how and blahh :)

How did we decide for staycation with infant?

Well, one fine beautiful evening we decided to go to beach with Kiaan and we realized that he loves to play in sand and beach toys are his favorite toys suddenly. So the bored 'Us' decided to try on staycation. (It was our first vacation after September 2019!) Hence why i call it well deserved one!

Beach Loving Baby - Discovered his love for sand at Upper Chueng sha beach!

P.s. Once you plan or staycation, its best to keep describing them about hotels and beaches and gardens. I have noticed they do remain calm when we keep saying things vs just giving them surprise.

How did we select location?

Since we knew now that our boy loves sand, we decided to try staycation near beach area. Also since we stay in Tung Chung, the proximity to Mui wo was ideal. We had kept in account that if he is not going to like the place then we may have to return home and hence the hotel should be not too far away from home.   

P.s. To begin with always be around their comfort level. If you have explored beach earlier then just go for beach vacation.

Activities to do with Infant at staycation?

There are plenty of things to do when you are near beach resorts. To begin with Mui Wo has lot of activities to do. Will list them at the end of blog. Specifically for children 

1. There is small but very very beautiful garden with couple of car toys, see saws and cycles.

2. Cycling: So  there is concept of family cycle! Though Kiaan didnt really enjoy too much as we think he was getting squeezed between both of us :p But when he was alone on family cycle, he did seem to enjoy a lot!

3. Swimming: We haven't explored this enough but we did try to introduce Kiaan to water at Beach and bath tubs and he seems to be enjoying. So soon in our upcoming staycation we will ensure to have lot of Swim time considering from May 5th, 22 all the pools would be open.

4. Beach Time: As mentioned, Kiaan loves his Sand time and this is top rated activity to do with infant. Buy a beautiful beach set, grab your mats, take few balls, ensure to keep some of their finger foods along and you are set to spend good hour or even two by the sea.

5. Walk by the local areas: We just took a small walk around the Mui wo area and he seemed to be really enjoy that time

P.s. I feel kids tend to be greatest observers, as much as we enjo new things, they do it too. Just dont be embarrassed if they are cranky at first. They need time to settle but once they like it, they are all set to party hard!

Summarising our Staycation experience!

How to travel with infant?

We tend to give Kiaan overall experience of traveling. So we prefer combination of Bus and Cab. Kiaan at 10 Months have experienced Flight, Train, Bus, and Cab experience. Infants are quite adaptive. They will explore with you best only if their certain schedules are honored well. One is food schedule and other most important is sleep schedule. 

P.s. I had read somewhere, all you want to try, try before they turn 1! So we always believe in this principle and don't give him only cab option.

What to do for their Food?

As Jain Vegetarians so we do not get much of option but we do manage and manage well thanks to existence of Rice Cooker! For Kiaan however, we carried simple food like Ragi Porridge Mix, Blueberries (His favorite), Kiwis, Vegetable soup and offcourse there is always backup of Milk until they turn 1. And for Day 2, we carried Cereals and fruits. It was very very simple to make cereals in rice cooker and thankfully he loves his cerelac (Home made) and Oats porridge. So his lunch schedule has always been my top priority especially while traveling. And it does keep them calm and less cranky.   

P.s. Food is their most comfort part.  no experiments here at all. If he likes blueberries and kiwis for snacks. Just stick to it!

Where do Kid's sleep?

Most of the hotels do provide Baby Crib/Cot. But again we do combination of Co-sleep and cot depending on Kiaan's mood.  

P.s. Kiaan has big time strangers anxiety, so for someone like him at very new place we let him co-sleep. Remember, Sleep and food schedule are their basic comfort not to be compromised at all! Overall, Kids would be really supportive and enjoy at their best if we are considerate about their little comforts.

Finally about :-

Silvermine Beach Resort:

Silvermine beach resort is sitting right on lap of nature. One can embrace the beautiful sea view in one side and mountain view on other. There are plenty of activities for couples and families alike of all genre. From Their beautiful Garden with Photo stops to SPA and playrooms and beach just by the side where one can explore kayaking, surfing and island hopping , this resort gives complete package of fun and frolic staycation. It has big restaurant but i cant comment much as we could not try anything here.

Food at resort: The rooms provide with black tea and ready to drink Nescafe packets but they do not have milk tea options! So if you are one who enjoys milk tea please carry for yourself tea, sugar and milk. Also the bottled water has to be bought by yourself or you can get empty bottles and there are water fountains on each floor from where you have to fill the water. 

For Food, there is a restaurant within resort ,but it does not have many vegetarian options. There is beautiful french cafe named Pause cafe just nearby which has few salad options one can try!

Activities Near Reosrt: There are many activities to do near Resort and especially in Mui. Many hikes, cycling tracks, kayaking, boating, Island hoping, just to name few. More detailed list is as below:

Place of interest near resort

 

Cycling and Jogging Tracks around resort

Hiking routes around the resort

 Best way to book resort: We are VIP members of Agoda so we got some good deals there. But if you prefer to book resort with breakfast option then its best to book from their website online. 

p.s. we are loyal to one booking website as much as possible. So, we get good deals on those websites.

Location of resort:

D.D.2 Lot 648, Silvermine Bay, Mui Wo, Lantau Island, Hong Kong, Mui Wo Lantau Island 

Other ways to reach resort are: 

By Bus: Local buses are available to take you to and from Silvermine Beach Resort, Mui Wo. Between Tung Chung and Mui Wo: Bus Route 3M and take off at the stop Mui Wo Market. Duration is around 30 minutes.

By Lantau Taxi (Blue Cab): You can take Lantau Taxi from Hong Kong International Airport, AsiaWorld Expo, Hong Kong Disneyland and Tung Chung to our resort. Duration is around 25 – 30 minutes.

By Ferry: You could also take a ferry to reach Mui Wo easily from Central Piers no. 6 and enjoy an amazing voyage on the sea. Video of the routes: http://bit.ly/2DrEzmE

Ferry and Bus Schedule: http://bit.ly/2RG4109 

(Source: https://www.silvermineresort.com)

Overall, Silvermine beach resort is a beautiful place but its pretty old and one should not expect luxury here. Its bit outdated in terms of its room decor and feel. Please note, there are no elevators so if you are going with infants or old family member please call before hand and ensure that you get lower floor rooms. 

Towards the tail end, Lantau Island is blessed with vast green land and beautiful beaches. There are endless things to explore around Lantau. Just a synopsis of famous things are mapped in here by resort which is easy to reckon. 

 

 

Nan Lian Garden & Chi Lin Nunnery - Jewel in Heart of HongKong! (2 Mins Read)

 

A collage of Chi Lin Nuunery and Nan Lian Garden!

Hong Kong is land full of surprises. Be it nature and its galore or be it being among top Financial hub or even following diversity of religions. Hong Kong has over One Million Buddhism following population (i.e. almost 28% of total population) as per Wikipedia. There are many monasteries in Hong Kong, but Four main ones which are famous are  - 

1) Po Lin Monastery at Lantau Island where beautiful tallest ever outside Sitting Tian Tan Buddha is situated, it is also famously called - The Big Buddha which is very renowned tourist destination and must visit for travelers to HK.

2) Tsz Shan Monastery - This is very unique monastery with limited guests allowed per slot and you have to make at least 1 month advance booking to  visit this beautiful place. It is located at Tai Po. (More information on upcoming blog)

3)Ten Thousands Buddha Monastery - Its located near Sha tin and boasts beautiful ambience and lovely monastery. and

4) Chi Lin Nunnery (志蓮淨苑) at Diamond Hill area in Kowloon is not so famous but one must must must visit location for its serenity, simplicity, calmness, that feel of life coming to standstill and mind stopping the swing between past and future right there in midst of 3.5 hectare full of nature surprise. This is our personal favorite place that we go to when just want to be in eternal peace. No visitors visiting us, can leave without visiting this place :p but trust me they love it. This is made in Japanese pagoda style and boasts a beautiful Nan Lian Garden in surrounding. More details with pictures to justify every word comes here -

Who should visit Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden?    

Literally everyone, no matter if you are religious or atheist but at some point everyone loves to attain that peace of mind and here it is! right in middle of hustle bustle and famous malls of Hong Kong, lies this place which is extra -ordinaire and closest to my heart personally.

How to visit Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden?    

The address for Chi Lin Nunnery is - 60 Fung Tak Road, Diamond Hill, Wong Tai Sin, Kowloon. There are couple of ways to reach the place as follows:

1. By MTR - This is the most easiest and convenient way we always follow. Just take Exit C2 of the Diamond Hill MTR Station and turn your left and cross the road -- There you are!
   


2. By Bus:
   3B, 10, 11, 11C, 38, 42C, 61X, 62X, 70X, 74A, 74X, 75X, 80, 82X, 84M, 85C, 85M, 89, 89B, 89C, 91, 91M, 92, 258D, 259D, 286M, 671, 796B, 906R, E22, E22A


3. By Public Light Bus:
   19, 19M, 70, 72

P.S. As soon as you enter the gate, don't forget to take small pamphlet about the place and information.

What are the timings and how much is this entrance?    

The Nan Lian Garden opens at 7.00 AM and closes till 7.00 PM. But the Main nunnery which is located in same premises upstairs is open only between 9.00 AM to 4.30 PM. 

So one must plan to visit accordingly. The nunnery which is made in pagoda style are uniquely designed beautiful premises and boasts lotus garden. 

The Admission to both nunnery and garden are absolutely free.

P.S. given the current situation please check their website or call and confirm its timings. Details at the end.

What is the there to do in this place and how much time will i need to plan?    

So there are two unique places to visit under in one area. First is The Chin Nunnery and then secondly you can follow circular one way that will lead to picturesque Nan Lian Garden. One can spend good 2 to 3 hours in both the nunnery and the garden. However if you wish to go with children then you can also spend time having lunch and going around and enjoying fish ponds and falls at ease which can also take good 4-5 hours. But if you are tight on time as tourist and just by visitor then even an hour is enough.

The Chi Lin Nunnery:  This was built in 1930's under Tang dynasty but re-built in 1998 and the uniqueness of this place is that it was built without single nail. It was re-built as such to show harmony between people and environment.The Chinese belief is that if houses are built from wood, the life of the trees is much longer. The sections of wood are locked together in the same manner as a jigsaw puzzle. Three different gates, each with its own representation, are at the entrance of the complex. The first gate represents compassion, the second wisdom, and the third, the skills of people. (source: hongkongnet) 

On nunnery grounds are a lotus pond, sculpted bushes and bonsai, and statues of the goddess of mercy, god of medicine, and others (The pictures of God /Godess is prohibited and hence not part of this blog) 

Nan Lian Garden: One of striking feature I love about this place is the architecture of  Tang Dynasty style. Every piece of land, rocks, trees and water is placed according to rules of Tang style. This garden is made in a way that one completes the circle by following the route.Many details are on the map and much more beautifully explained by pictures.

Pavillion outside Chi Lin Nunnery!

Lotus Bloom in Lotus Pond

Beautifully carved water fountains in Lotus Pond

Water Lillies at its best!

Another Lotus Ponds bloom

Lamps on the Chi Lin Nunnery pavillion.

Photo Courtesy: Urvi Kothari

Very lovely architecture imprint of Tang Dynasty!

Loved this piece on the pavilions!

Nan Lian Garden - Map (P.S. Do not forget to pick it map from Entrance)

This is our must have pic in this backdrop with Familia!

Beautiful street to walk with wonderful landscape

Getting merged with this beauty!

The 180 Deg Panoramic view of this beautiful place

Trying Photography skills!

The Golden Pavilion

Shops for souvenirs and small snack place. there is also a wonderful Chinese vegetarian restaurant just behind the waterfall. It has Buffet Lunch and has few options for Jain food.

Flowing with noise in the ears but calmness in Heart!

One of the Monk place

Posing with the Golden Pavilion!

Key Points to note:   

1) This place is stroller and Wheelchair friendly.

2) They can be contacted at : +852 2354 1888 / +852 3658 9366 

3) Visit their website for more information : http://www.chilin.org/

 4) Its a beautiful scenic landscape, please do not litter and do not sit anywhere and eat. There are guards across the garden to keep a check. One can use the Snacks shop and Restaurant.

5) Please be considerate and respectful towards monks, who will be present especially in nunnery. Don't make noise and observe silence

6) Please do not click pictures where it is explicitly mentioned : Photography Prohibited.