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 Day 1: Land in Hanoi International Airport – Explore Old Quarter

After checking into our hotel in Hanoi we take a walk to explore Hoàn Kiếm Lake there is also a small temple in the middle of the lake you may pay entrance fee to see (30,000 VND per person).

After exploring the lake we bought tickets to Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (100,000 VND per person) the show is about an hour long and is a good way to kill time.

We took the afternoon to have the hotel arrange the bookings for a one night cruise in Ha Long Bay (pick up and drop of at hotel). We booked with Cristina Cruise Ha Long Bay and had a great time (130 USD per person) and also to book a bus ticket from Hanoi to Ninh Binh.  It’s best to arrange these things early and give some flexibility in changes of schedule in case something needs to be moved around.

Day 2: Explore more of Hanoi 

We wanted to see Ho Chi Minh Museum but after arriving via taxi and seeing the long long never ending line we decided to skip it (and had no regrets).  The line wraps around the museum and we walked for about 10 minutes with no end in site.

Instead we took another cab to the Temple of Literature which was a really nice break from the hustle and bustle and craziness of Hanoi.  We spent about an hour in the temple taking our time to walk around and enjoy the gardens.

  From there we took another taxi to St. Joseph’s Cathedral and enjoyed the ancient church and surrounding architecture.

We spend the rest of the afternoon walking around and window shopping in Old Quarter.

Day 2: Cruise along the tranquil waters of Ha Long Bay

8:00 AM pick up from hotel to Ha Long Bay.  Everything in the cruise is set and planned you just pay and show up.  Ha Long Bay is beautiful and scenic and the landscape is totally unique to anything I’ve seen before.  My fondest memory is the early morning in Ha Long Bay where the waters are still, the song birds are chirping and my mom is enjoying a class of Tai Chi while the boat sails amongst the limestone cliffs.

The view from the top deck!

By noon we arrive and have lunch onboard the ship.  The first “activity” the cruise plans is taking a bamboo boat through a floating village.  It’s super touristy but the boat is relaxing and even goes underneath a sea cave.  At the end of the bamboo boat ride they will drop you off at a pearl factory.

The next stop is a beach where normally you can go kayaking around Ha Long Bay, but the time we went (May) is Jellyfish season so they don’t allow the kayaks to go out on the water.  For about an hour we chill at the beach. Check out the cool dragon boats below!

After the beach it’s back to the boat for dinner and a nice sunset.  I wish it could have been a little less cloudy but still a really beautiful view.

After the sun goes down we had a chance to go squid fishing.  To fish for squid, all you need is a really bright light to attract the squid and you don’t even need to use bait! We didn’t catch any but the other passengers caught a few! We also saw a football sized jellyfish in the water and at that moment were glad we didn’t swim.

Day 3: Continue cruising…

The mornings in Halong Bay are especially beautiful.

After breakfast we stop off to visit a cave and after the cave, we attend a cooking class to learn how to make traditional Vietnamese spring rolls.

After lunch, it’s a 2.5 hour bus ride back to Hanoi.  We check into our hostel and check out the view from the balcony.

Day 4: Play amongst the rice patties

8:00 AM bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh.  The bus is roughly 2.5-3 hours including pick up from hotel to hotel.

Walking distance from the homestay, we bought tickets for Tom Coc Boat Tour (390,000 VND for two people). Warning: Ninh Binh main town area is very touristy.  There are buses that drop tour groups off all at once and send 3-4 boats out at a time.  Our host recommended we take the tour around 3 pm when it was less crowded. You can buy the tickets at the operator and then wait until the crowds are gone before setting off.

The boat tour takes around 2 hours and travels under 3 caves.  At the end of the tour there are ladies selling food and drinks.  They have a very clever tactic of asking you to buy drinks/food for your boat driver.  We ended up buying her a drink which she happily accepted.  I read travel blogs that mentioned the boat drivers are very pushy and demand tips.  At the end we tipped her about $2 USD but she demanded $5. Anyways the tip plus the drink equaled just about $5 so we didn’t feel bad about walking away from that.

Day 5: Cave Explorers and Pagoda Climbers

For 100,000 VND per day, we can rent a motobike. This is my favorite way to get around Vietnam because it gives you the freedom and flexibility to go where and when you want.

Our first stop is Bich Dong Pagoda. No entrance fee but parking cost us 20,000 VND.  This pagoda is very unique and worth a stop over.  The temple goes through a cave and you’ll need a flashlight or your phone for parts of it.  The view at the top is just okay, if you want you can climb the limestone cliffs at the top to get a better view.

Bich Dong Entrance

First temple

Temple cave

View from the top

Next we motobike to Hung Mui Pagoda. Entrance fee is 100,000 VND per person.  This is my favorite pagoda on our entire Vietnam trip and if you come to Ninh Binh, you should not miss.  Luckily, it had just rained so the weather was cool and refreshing.  About 500 steps (34 floors) to reach the top of the pagoda and the views are incredible.

Around 4:00 PM we started heading towards Bird Valley – entrance fee is 100,000 VND per person.  This is a really big park with a resort inside, many walking trials, a few lakes and caves.  Given our time constraint we skipped all of that and headed directly for the main attraction sanctuary for the birds.  Allow 35-40 minutes to reach the viewing platform.  Aim to get to the viewing platform right before sunset.  Ex, the sun set around 6 pm so we arrived between 5:15-5:45 pm.  Many native birds fly home for the day and rest in the lake. It’s awesome to see them all cluster and circle around before finally landing.  We left around 5:30 pm before it got too dark.

Day 6: Cuc Phuong National Park

For our 2nd full day we decided to take the motobike a bit further and go to Cuc Phuong National Park (1.5 hours from Tam Coc, 65 km).  We were there during the butterfly season and if the weather is hot enough, the butterflies would come out to play.  To be honest the hiking in the park is just okay.  We enjoyed watching the butterflies and a visit to the monkey rehabilitation and rescue center where we saw many of Vietnam’s nearly extinct species.   With 4 days and 3 nights in Ninh Binh I would say a day trip to the park would be nice, but it’s certainly okay to skip if you’re in a time crunch.

Day 7: Bai Dinh Pagoda and back to Hanoi

With a half day in Ninh Binh we wake up for an early morning stroll from Tam Coc Mountain View Homestay to Thai Vi Temple.  Nothing that special about the temple but the walk there is peaceful and during the morning hours, the animals are most active.

After breakfast we hop on the motobike again and in about 40 minutes arrive at Bai Dinh Temple.  First of all we followed the directions given by Google maps and found the parking lot is actually another 1500 meters down from the main road to the right.  Park there and they will have an electric car that takes you to the base of the temple (30,000 VND for one way per person).  When you arrive inside the amount of buddha statues is kinda amazing. This place is huge so allow lots of time to climb the stairs and reach the pagoda.  While we could have still gone on, at this point mom was pretty tired so after we reached the main pagoda we decided to turn back.  I read in other blogs that instead of walking all the way back from the pagoda it is only another 5 minute walk or so to the parking lot.

Day 8: Relaxing in Hanoi

Our final day in Vietnam we took it easy and relaxed at our hotel till checkout.  We ate lunch then headed for the airport back to Singapore!

How we went camping in Australia for one week using checkin luggage only (30 kg allowance)

A week trip in Australia? Sure – we told ourselves, it will be easy to rent a camper for a week and do exactly what we did in Perth and New Zealand.  However, when we looked closer at the flight timings and campervan operating hours, it turned out to be not so easy.  Unable to really plan ahead since we are subject to seat loading and availability of tickets just a few hours before a flight, we…

Here’s our greatest money saving tips:

1) Book the Airbnb in advance. We got the best selection, and the best prices by booking early.

2) Hit the grocery store to buy items for breakfast. Pack lunch everyday if you’re planning on hiking.

3) Opt in and research for tours you can do for free (or nearly free)

USS Arizona

Koko Head Crater Hike

4) Eating the local food is a must when you travel.  In countries where it’s more expensive to eat out, plan where to go ahead of time so that you don’t miss out on local dishes!

5)   Brings things with you that you will need ahead of time.  I always bring: refillable water bottle and snacks to eat on the plane or whenever you’re hungry.  It sounds minimal, but imagine the amount of money we save at the airport when we’re hungry and don’t buy that $10 sandwich.  In Asia, tours will always include snorkel gear.  For Hanauma Bay, we saved 30 bucks by brining our own gear.  But even in Asia we’ve snorkeled off the beach countless times and saved $$ on snorkel tours this way.

This is a graph of our daily spend and itinerary:

  And a pie chart of our overall spend by category.  Surprising accommodation could have been way more if we stayed at the nicer resorts by Waikiki and because we stayed in an Airbnb, we also got to cook at home.

Where to find the endangered monk seals and get really nice views at the same time.

The eastern most tip of Oahu can be visited in two ways via foot paths from the East (via Oʻahu’s North Shore)  or or Southeast side of the island (via Ka’ena State Park).  We visit from the East side after snorkeling with sharks in North Shore.  The tip of this area is a protected Nature Reserve to many of Hawaii’s endangered species of birds and wildlife. The trail begins at the end of the…

Lush rain forrest waterfall hike - good for escaping the afternoon heat!

This hike is a good side trip if you have a few hours to spare and want to escape the crowds of Waikiki.  The hike is shady nearly the whole way through so it’s a good option as as afternoon hike to avoid the strong sun. A short hike out and the forrest opens into an amphitheater of trees.  The site is so inspiring! Because we’re hiking through a rain forest, the trail is damp, so brining hike…

At Pearl Harbor, a sunken battleship USS Arizona still remains as it was resting peacefully now at the bottom of the harbor.  Perpendicular to the ship, a white open aired atrium suspends over the remains marked with the names of those who lost their lives on Dec 7th, 1941.

This post is a tribute to those fallen victims and their families.

USS Arizona Memorial

Hiroshima Memorial

To visit the USS Arizona is free but tickets are handed out on a first come first serve basis.  You may book tickets online for a $1.5 convenience fee.  After watching a 10 minute video, you’ll get to board a boat operated by US Navy and it’s a short trip our to the memorial. There are also a few galleries and exhibits that you can view free of charge upon visiting the memorial. Plan to spend about 1 hour if you only visit the USS Arizona without purchasing additional museum tickets.

The hike starts from a paved path leading from the parking lot.  Koko Head Crater Railway was originally build to haul supplies and troops up to the summit during World War II.

The hike up is vertical all the way so take breaks when you need to.  About 2/3s of the way up the railway leaves the mountain side for a bit.  If you’re scared of open spaces you can take the dirt trail on the right which leads back up the main tracks.

Once you’re at the top you are instantly rewarded with breathtaking views of the valley and bay.

At the very tip top is the remains of the bunker.  My 70 year old Mom made it, I’m so proud of her! Doug’s in the background being a dork. :)

The remains of the machinery used to haul the supplies up to the summit.

A view from the other side of the crater – just amazing.

On the way down Mom and I took some time to sit back, relax and enjoy the accomplishments.

Difficulty: Hawaii blogs say this is moderate, but I think it’s hard and especially taxing on the cardio because it’s a straight and vertical path all the way up Parking: Free Time: 2 hours if you rush, 3 if you want to laze around the top Distance: 1.5 mi return (seriously? it felt way longer) How to get there: Park here. The trail head and obvious from the parking lot and once you reach the railway theres no way to get lost Why we love it: Because the hike is more intense, it’s less crowded than Diamond Head and offers similiar views.

How you can snorkel with sharks without a cage.

Sharks are often misunderstood because of Hollywood’s interpretation of them – think Jaws and Snarknado.  One Ocean Diving is a research facility who is trying to change the perception of these gentle giants.  If dolphins are like the dogs of the ocean, sharks would be cats.  Their personality is curious by nature, inquisitive and intelligent, silent, graceful and a bit mysterious. It’s 7:00 AM…

5 Tips and Tricks for Beginner Watercolor

I was always attracted to acrylics for the consistency, quick drying and versatility of medium – and up until now, it’s been my go-to preference.  There was a point in time when I tried out oil, but the messy clean up and the amount of time it takes for the paint to dry tested my patience.  I have to admit I stayed away from watercolor for a long time because I was always under the impression…

Belitung is a island in Indonesia known mainly for the export of tin, clay, and palm oil.  It’s an island which is blessed or cursed for it’s natural resources.  Flying over the island reveals pools of white clay sediment and water which collects after the rains – making many “lakes” from above seem unrealistically blue water. My first impressions of Belitung were the clean, well kept roads and…

Swing with me And let the wind Pick us up to new heights Where we go No limits we know On a simple rope swing See the full post on Belitung Island, Indonesia

Belitung can be reached by 1 hr boat from Harbour Front, Singapore to Batam Center, Indonesia.  20 minute taxi gets you to the airport and then 2.5 hour flight will touch down on Belitung island.  The flight will have one stop to main Belitung Island in between, but you don’t need to get off the plane.

2) Enjoy a private natural pool

Hire a boat for the day (500,000 IDR) to take you island hopping to 5 different locations.  The limestone rocks nearby the islands form pool for oh so instagramable shots.

3) The sea is your aquarium and you get to feed the fish

On the boat tour you will get the opportunity for snorkeling in a few areas.  The water is teeming with tropical fish and they don’t mind getting up close and personal!

4) 365 degree view of tropical paradise

Climb 20 stories of stairs to the top of Lengkuas Island Lighthouse for a bird’s eye view of paradise.

5) Mie Belitung – Belitung Noodles

Indulge in the local food by trying their specialty seafood noodles.  The taste is mildly sweet, soupy and crunchy all in one.  If you’re staying in town, try Mie Belitung Atep

6) Pay the local, non-tourist inflated prices

We love Belitung because it’s not super touristy yet.  There are no four star resorts, no english menus, no cookie cutter cafes, and no restaurants serving ‘international food’.  We pay the local prices and enjoy the landmarks with little crowds – it is  amazing.

7) Reconnect with nature

In the early morning take a moment to witness the stillness of the ocean and calm breeze.  The lack of traffic, people and distractions is peaceful and relaxing.  Enjoy every sun soaked moment.

8) Starfish live here

Beautiful spiky starfish hangout in the tropical waters.

9) Fried banana heaven

Take some dough and roll it out with a pasta press.  Wrap a banana with it. Fry. I’m sold. :)

10) Be the captain of your own ship

Anything goes in Indonesia, including driving a boat without a license.  Is that the tour guide or Douglas?

Have I convinced you yet?  Great! Read on for more details:

How to get there from Singapore:

Take a Sindo Ferry from Harbour Front to Batam Center (1 hr) – 50 SGD Taxi from Batam Center to Batam Batu Besar (BTH) – 10 SGD Take Lion Air from BTH to H.A.S. Hanandjoeddin Airport (TJQ) – 150 SGD

Where to stay:

It’s nothing fancy and reception spoke little english, but they were really helpful and the hotel is centrally located. Belitung Inn – 30 SGD / night

Where to eat: 

A list of places we ate at that I would highly recommend. Cafe Gorong Gorong Mie Belitung Atep Rumah Makan Belitong

What to do:

Rent a boat for the whole day from Tanjong Kelayang Beach.  Ask the hotel to book for you in advance and agree to a price (we paid 500,000 IDR during low season). Visit nearby Tanjung Tinggi Beach Visit a old clay mine Danau Kaolin Belitung

My 5 Favorite Temples in Bali, Indonesia

Bali is a magical place unlike any other in South East Asia.  From it’s stunning beaches boasting some of the best surfing spots in the world, to mystical temples surrounded by lush gardens, delectable and creative cuisine to it’s local artists working across all types of mediums it’s no wonder that many who travel here instantly fall in love.  Bali has a feeling of non-pretentiousness, warm…

Alms ceremony in Luang Prabang is a Laos tradition and something not to miss when in Laos!

Luang Prabang, a UNESCO world heritage site, the only land locked country in South East Asia, and virtually unknown to me before moving to Singapore.   Laos is shrouded in mystery and unlike it’s metropolitan neighbors, Laos has largely remained wild, protected, and sacred. It’s 4:00 AM on any given day and the first sound that breaks the silence is a single drumbeat.  Seconds pass and then…

The truth is that wild animals should never be taught to suppress their need to hunt and if you want to see tigers in their true environment, go on a Safari rather than watching them at the Zoo.  I remember a tiger throwing up at the tiger park and not thinking much of it. In your next trip to Thailand; if you’re thinking about going to one of these Tiger parks; think again about how your money is going to support the continuation of mistreatment, malnourishment, and underground trade of these beautiful animals.  Travel responsibly and protect mother nature.

Day 1-3: Tokyo

It’s a good thing Japan makes it easy for tourists (and locals) to plan their trips – their websites give you suggested itineraries to the detail of how many days you plan to stay in each city.  I worked out of the Tokyo office for the 3 days so I was limited to mostly evenings and nights to explore Tokyo. A good coworker of mine spent the past 10 years in Japan so as far as Tokyo goes, I feel like I got the vibe of the city in the short 3 days.

Restaurants in Tokyo

For a cool and interesting dining experience we literally got to “catch our fish and eat it too” at ZAUO.

Sushi it’s the BOMB and also affordable at Numazukou.  My favorite was the Ebi nigiri which literally melted in your mouth and put american sushi joints to shame.

With a morning to spend in Tokyo we decided to check out famous Harajuku Takeshita-dori Street.  Street shopping and snacking is the name of the game.  Don’t forget to stop by and take cutesy photos at the photo booths.  When in Japan – you will have white flush skin and big buggy eyes.  A quick train ride over takes us to the busiest intersection in the world, Shibuya crossing.  We stop by the Starbucks across the street to watch the people cross in masses. By now we’ve built up the hunger to grab some ramen.  Dining is always an experience in Japan and today we chose a ramen shop where you order by a machine and served your ramen behind a curtain in your own individual booth.  This is so that busy working men and women won’t fear being caught eating lunch alone or ordering more food than they should.

Day 4-5: Hakone

Escaping the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, we hop on a train for a relaxing and rejuvenating weekend in Hakone.  There are many onsens in Hakone and we chose to go with one which was more traditional and authentic.  While the first day was all about rest, the second day I spent hiking and enjoying all the nature Japan had to offer.  A 2 hour hike up Mt. Kintoki left us with fantastic views of Hakone valley and partial views of Mt. Fuji. Another day I hiked around Lake Ashi in Hakone.

Viewpoint from Mt. Kintoki

Day 5-6: Kyoto

Starting with Kiyomizu-dera Temple because it is close to my hostel.  After Kiyomizu-dera, explore the streets of Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka which are beautifully preserved and also full of treats to satisfy your morning munchies.

Taking the train to Inari Shrine – this is literally my favorite template in Japan.  Although the stairs seem like they go on forever, it’s well worth the hike through seemingly endless rows of red gates.

In the evening we take a stroll through Kyoto night garden; located above the main Kyoto station.

On the second day, we explored the Tenryu-ji Temple followed by the famed bamboo forrest.  Honestly I found the bamboo forrest to be a bit disappointing, especially since accidentally wandering down a corridor at Inari Shrine I actually felt was more impressive than the bamboo forrest.

Bamboo forrest in Inari

Following Tenryu-ji we make our way over to Kinkaku-ji Temple – a golden pavilion temples which stands majestically in the middle of a clam lake, golden walls reflecting into the water.

Day 7: Nara

Visit Todai-ji Temple and Daibutsu-den.  Hike the hill behind Tamukeyama Hachiman-gu Shrine for panoramic views of Nara.

Day 8: Himeji

Visit Himeji castle (half day).  This is my favorite castle in Japan.  It’s not possible to take a photo of this castle from a bad angle.  It’s a structural piece of artwork.

Day 9: Hiroshima and Miyajima

A visit to the Hiroshima War Museum is a must.  Luckily, the museum was under construction and I only saw a small portion of it.  What I saw would break your heart.  While visiting, groups of children fell into silence by the content of the museum.  The atmosphere is heavy and visiting ground zero is eerie.   War is tragic, and I’m greatly humbled to live in a time of relative peace.

Another quick train ride takes me to Miyajima.  You can choose to take a cable car to the top – but there’s no fun in that; so I decided to take all the way up.  It took me around 1 hour and although I was there on a slightly cloudy day, the view from the top is misty and breathtaking.

Day 10: Osaka

I only spent a half day/evening in Osaka.  I was pleasantly surprised when a local offered to take me to eat chicken sashimi, a delicacy in Japan. I probably wouldn’t eat it again and most Americans would be put off by it but I definitely checked that one off my bucket list!