Ever since I visited Bali for the first time (and loved it), I was looking for a smaller, less developed and generally less busy version of Bali – trying to keep all the good things without some of the bad things that come with development. I had high hopes for Lombok, but while I enjoyed […]
Lombok has been on my travel list for a long time: When I first visited Bali 15 years ago, Lombok saw some tragic events with local mobs, stirred up by muslim agitators, looting Hindu and Chinese businesses and homes, sending tourism on Lombok into a long decline. I was looking for an “unspoiled Bali”, something
Now, that I’ve completed my ASEAN Explorer trip, courtesy of the AirAsia ASEAN Pass+, I want to share the numbers – costs of flights, fees, taxes and add-ons, and compare it to what it would have cost me otherwise. How much did I actually save and was it all worth it? In short – it
I recently traveled on my ASEAN Explorer trip, courtesy of the AirAsia ASEAN pass, through the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. I purchased 11 flights for the pass at $250, plus taxes and fees, getting the cheapest set of flights in over 20 years of travel (details coming soon). With the pass (of 10 or 20
On my trip to Medan (read Snapshot Medan), the JW Marriott was my calm oasis in the busy city in Northern Sumatra, courtesy of Marriott Rewards! It is the highest ranked hotel in Medan on Tripadvisor and is also the most expensive one (even though still below $100 or only 10,000 Marriott points/night) was a
Few foreigners travel to Medan, Indonesia, and the ones who do, seem to leave quickly to see the sights of Northern Sumatra, like Lake Toba or the wildlife in the remote national parks. It even got a bad reputation among travelers for being “the worst” – but I disagree! While it is a fast growing
For my return visit, I wanted to stay again in the historic part of Georgetown, with it’s narrow alleys, many restaurants and sights and public transport around the island. I chose the Chulia Mansion, a new addition with favorable reviews online – and I enjoyed it! Location: The Chulia Mansion is on – you guessed
This is the first post in the “Snapshot” series, a combination of destination description and travel tips (see more details about the kind of posts here). And Penang is a great candidate: While it might not be a dream destination for me, it has a lot to offer and makes a good weekend destination. Good
Bangkok has a lot of shopping, entertainment and dining to offer – but one of the most fun places to find all of it, with a beautiful setting on the river Chao Phraya no less, is Asiatique. A while back, the old night market at Lumpini Park near the Silom/Sathorn area, was shut down and
For a short, one-night stop-over in Bangkok with my parents, I was looking for a hotel that is conveniently located for a quick shopping or dining trip by foot or BTS and also show cased traditional Thai hospitality at its best. Compared to my usual mid-scale or budget hotel choices in Bangkok, I wanted something
As you can read in my other reviews, I’m a big fan of Club Carlson and their hotels. Having staid at the Park Plaza Sukhumvit Soi 18 before, I wanted to try another property on my recent trip to Bangkok and booked the Radisson Suites Bangkok on Soi 13. It didn’t hurt that Club Carlson
My first visit to Ko Samui was a bit of a last-minute change of plans and I had to find a hotel on Chaweng beach quickly. As this was part of the ASEAN Explorer budget-y trip, I settled on the Mercure Chaweng Tana Resort, and it was a good choice.