References

List of references;

• Perhentian.com.my,. 'Perhentian'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.perhentian.com.my/

• De Nom, P. (2012). Chillout, Soulout & Freakout: Long Beach, Pulau Perhentian Kecil. http://chillout-soulout-freakout.blogspot.com. Retrieved 23 August 2015, from http://chillout-soulout-freakout.blogspot.com/2012/12/long-beach-pulau-perhentian-kecil.html 

• Suziela, Ayie. 'Lalola~: Percutian Budget Ke Pulau Perhentian Kecil 2015'.Lalolaholiday.blogspot.my. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://lalolaholiday.blogspot.my/2015/04/percutian-budget-ke-pulau-perhentian.html 

• Kecil, Percutian. 'Percutian Ke Pulau Perhentian Kecil | Mek Onie'. Letopkeypad.blogspot.my. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://letopkeypad.blogspot.my/2015/03/percutian-ke-pulau-perhentian-kecil.html

• Family Travel Blog - Travel with Kids,. 'Our Guide To Things To Do In Penang With Kids! - Family Travel Blog - Travel With Kids'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.wheressharon.com/asia-with-kids/things-to-do-in-penang-with-kids/ 

• Family Travel Blog - Travel with Kids,. 'Our Guide To Things To Do In Penang With Kids! - Family Travel Blog - Travel With Kids'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://blog.moneysmart.sg/travel/how-to-go-on-a-week-long-holiday-to-penang-for-less-than-350/ 

• Isabella Blog,. 'Short Trip To Penang 2015'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from https://simplyisabella.wordpress.com/2015/03/10/short-trip-to-penang-2015/ 

• Singapore Food & Travel Review Blog @ EatDreamLove,. 'Penang 2014 (3D2N) - Travel Blog @ Eatdreamlove'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.eatdreamlove.com/malaysia-penang-trip-jul-2014-3-days-2-nights/ 

• Jajan, Mrs., Mrs. Jajan, and Mrs. Jajan. 'Jakarta Blog Travel | ANAKJAJAN.COM'.Anakjajan.com. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://anakjajan.com/tag/jakarta-blog-travel/ 

• Nomadicsamuel.com,. 'A Travel Guide To Jakarta Featuring Culture, Shopping And Attractions'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://nomadicsamuel.com/city-guides/jakarta

•  Sgyounginvestment.blogspot.my,. 'SG Young Investment: 5 Days Trip In Jakarta Indonesia'. N.p., 2014. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://sgyounginvestment.blogspot.my/2014/12/5-days-trip-in-jakarta-indonesia.html

•  Tripadvisor.com.my,. 'Bandung Tourism: Best Of Bandung, Indonesia - Tripadvisor'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Tourism-g297704-Bandung_West_Java_Java-Vacations.html 

• Yahoo News Singapore,. '10 Reasons To Visit Bandung, The Paris Of Indonesia'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from https://sg.news.yahoo.com/10-reasons-visit-bandung-paris-082800870.html 

•  Here, Start et al. 'Vietnam Travel Guide'. Nomadic Matt's Travel Site. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-guides/vietnam-travel-tips/ 

•  Travelnation.co.uk,. 'Vietnam: 3 Weeks Backpacking From Ho Chi Minh To Hanoi | Travel Nation Blog'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from https://www.travelnation.co.uk/blog/vietnam-3-weeks-backpacking-from-ho-chi-minh-to-hanoi

•  VickyFlipFlopTravels,. 'The Best Things To Do In Vietnam According To Travel Bloggers'. N.p., 2013. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://vickyflipfloptravels.com/the-best-things-to-do-in-vietnam-according-to-11-travel-bloggers/

•  Tripadvisor.com.my,. 'Top 30 Things To Do In Ho Chi Minh City – 181 Ho Chi Minh City Attractions - Tripadvisor'. N.p., 2015. Web. Sept. 2015. from http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Attractions-g293925-Activities-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html

Saigon Part II

Here are the photos of the activities and explorations we did in Saigon =)

This is the Handicapped Handicrafts place

 We came here right before we reached to Cu Chi Tunnel. this is the place where all the handicapped did some crafts to earn money. Since they can't did any heavy works, they place all the handicapped people here to did some beautiful crafts.

Some of the arts

At Cu Chi Tunnel 

You readers can just google about the place's history =)

On our way to the War Museum

The War Museum

One of the tragedy  that happen during the war. A picture of a handicapped girl.

Outside of the War Museum.

A beautiful scenery =)

Coconut water anyone? 

Night walk

Inside the Benh Thanh Market

With the Vietnamese

Spotted the very famous delicious "Halal Kopi"

Night market

At the airport

Bye - bye time =)


As for the tips, you can refer to "Tips to Jakarta-Bandung". It is quite similar to it. So enjoy your travel to Saigon! =)

Saigon

Familiar with the name of SAIGON?

Ho Chi Minh City is commonly known as Saigon. It is a city in southern Vietnam which are famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam War. Basically, there are lots of food stalls line in the city's streets, especially around bustling Ben Thanh Market and are a shopping paradise =)

My family and I went to Ho Chi Minh City end of December 2014 and it was superb! We start our journey on 29th Dec 2014. Drove our car to a train station at Putrajaya to LCCT to take our flight there. Spend our 5 days 4 nights in Vietnam, we even celebrate our new year there!

We stayed at Saigon Pink 2 hotel and it was pretty nice and comfy actually despite the room was a bit small but it was just perfect for us.

Our small and comfy hotel =)

The Hotel lobby

There are many activities and places you can explore here in Saigon.

So here are the list of places that my family and I went to;

- Cu Chi Tunnel

- War Remnants Museum

- Independence Palace

- Pham Ngu Lao Street

- Museum of Vietnamese History

- Ben Thanh Market

At Train station at Putrajaya

In Air Asia flight

At Vietnam airport

In my next post, I will share some of my photos of the activities and exploration we did at Saigon =)

How to get there?

From Jakarta to Bandung 

There are many options you can find:-

TRAIN

You may take a train from Jakarta to Bandung via many trains and times as this is a very popular route. There are also trains from the other side of Java towards Bandung, mainly places like Yogyakarta and Purwokerto.

BUS

You may also take the many bus from Jakarta to Bandung, again with many choices of operators and time due to its high demand. But the most convenient and comfortable bus is the non-stop air conditioned bus (express bus). Main bus terminal in Bandung is Leuwipanjang, with buses from Jakarta, Bogor and surrounding while the other bus terminal, Cicaheum has buses coming from Cirebon, Banjarm Pangandaran and even Bali Islands.

FLIGHT

If you want to fly into Bandung, the international airport is Husein Sastranegara with several airlines serving this route for international flights- Air Asia, Batavia Air, Garuda Indonesia, Silk Air and also domestic flights like Lion Air or Merpati Nusantara Airlines. Bandung Indonesia airport is close to the city center with taxi fixed at 43,000Rp. 

CAR 

If you would brave the traffic in Jakarta, you may drive from Jakarta to Bandung in just 2 hours.

TAXI

If you do not want to drive but still take the car, it is possible to hire a taxi to take you there, be it with meters or a fix price but beware of being overcharged or scammed. 

Tips to Jakarta-Bandung, Indonesia

So heres' the tips dear travelers;

1. Google all three websites for the best deal - MAS, AIR ASIA, KLM

2. Book hotel rooms through the internet (Agoda) or you can book your room at the Jakarta Airport after immigration - you can bargain for free airport/hotel transfer

3. Make sure you arrive in the morning after rush hour, so that you will not experience Jakarta traffic

4. Exchange rates are better in KL. For a 2D/1N stay, 700,000 rupiah per person is sufficient for your transport, food and airport tax. Hotel accommodation and shopping not included. To make calculations easier, every 10,000Rp = RM 3.70. Every RM1 = 2,725 Rp

5. Please remember to set aside 150,000 rupiah per person for your airport exit tax. But if you're lucky enough you wont be paying your tax ;)

6. Only take taxis that use the meter. we use the 'blue bird' company. 

Bandung, Indonesia

Alright, so here's my favorite place to visit! =D

Bandung is all about being a popular weekend destination for locals and for travelers as it is located just a drive away from Jakarta. The food here is cheap and delicious while there are many cheap fashion shops like factory outlets as well as other tourist attractions. The whola place has evolved among tourism industry and you can be sure to find many things to do and many thing to buy here. 

Why do I go there?

Shopping ofcourse!! Well, who doesn't like shopping? Bandung is well known for as a shopping heaven, locals and travelers alike will go to Bandung for a good bargain and lots of shopping =)

I have been to Bandung for more than 5 times already. I have been to so many places here in Bandung. If you love to shop just like I am, here is the list that I recommend you to go to;

Alun-alun - center of city with many shopping malls

Rumah Mode Factory Outlet

Paris Van Java

One of the shops in Pasar Baru trade Center

 Pasar Dago

Factory Outlet

Factory Outlet

Factory outlets in Jalan Riau and Jalan Dago

Trans Studio Complex for mini theme park, hotel and mall

Dago District for food, shopping and with nice hangout area

Batik Komar

For traditional batik go to Jalan Sumbawa Batik Komar


There are places to go nearby as well. Despite shopping, you can also go and visit Kawah Putih and Tangkuban perahu.

Kawah Putih is only 2 hours from Bandung city center. The lake is stunningly beautiful. This is a sulphuric lake as it is from a volcano. The entire area can be explored in 30 minutes. 
Tangkuban Perahu is about 1.5hours from Bandung, it is yet another craater from volcano of indonesia that is worth the visit for the sheer of the view from the top.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Anyone interested in going for  a travel to Jakarta, Indonesia? =)

I've always love to go to Indonesia. There are many places to visit and explore. Prior to this trip, the only thing I knew about Jakarta is its immensely populated city which causes massive traffic jams. Jakarta itself already has about 9.6 million population. The traffic gets really bad during peak hours. 

 I went there with my mom and 2 of my cousins. This trip was made possible since all of us could speak the local language which makes it easier to communicate. It was solely a trip of exploring the culture there, tasting lots of local food and also 'shopping'. 

I can't remember exactly the places that I went to but will show you some of it so you could try if your're planning a trip there. Total cost for the trip was just slightly more than RM ... for the full 3 days inclusive of airfares and accommodation. It is relatively cheap to take a budget plane there which cost only RM... and accommodation is cheap too. 

There are bound to be places of interest to you. Jakarta is actually filled with sightseeing and tourist attractions, lots of shopping malls, and hidden back streets for nightlife, food and fun. In Jakarta you  will not find it shorts of tourist places to visit or tourist attractions to see or things to do. 

Ancol Dream Park

Ancol is open 24 hours with amusement park :-

Fantasy World (Dufan)

Atlantis Water Adventure

Ocean Dream Samudra (pentas lumba) for animal shows

Seaworld

Beaches

Art Market (pasar seni)

Golf Range

Bowling

Ocean Eco Park

Gondola

Hailai club

Art Academy

Paintball 

etc.. 

National Gallery

National Gallery is a combination of museum and art gallery in Jakarta, where you can enjoy culture, history and visual arts.

National Museum

National Museum is an icon that you must visit. It is located at Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat in center of Jakarta city and it is an archeological, historical, ethnological and geographical museum. It is well known as Elephant Building (Gedung Gajah) because of the elephant statue there. 

National Monument (Monas)

In Jakarta’s city centre of Merdeka Square, stands the National Monument (Monumen Nasional (Monas)) tower. It stands to symbolize the fight for Indonesia and constructed under direction of President Sukarno. It is open daily from 800-1500 everyday except last Monday of the month.

Mangga Dua

If shopping is your thing, Jakarta offers a lot from high end to budget shopping from malls to markets. 

Recommended Shopping malls or shopping centers or markets in Jakarta:

Plaza Indonesia of FX Mall – designer goods
Grand Indonesia
Mangga Dua – cheap yet quality imitation goods
Blok M – shoes, clothes, bags
Pasar Ikan – souvenirs and household items

Gedung Kesenian (Art Gallery)

Gedung Kesenian Jakarta is a concert hall in Jakarta, Indonesia. It is situated close to the Istiqal Mosque and the Jakarta Cathedral.

Pasar Baru

Places where you can find locals here. It is one of the rare streets of Jakarta that is actually pedestrian friendly. There are many vintage fashions here selling as low as RM1 from old to new. Start walking from Metro Anum a Jalan H. Samanhudi and then walk towards near the rear end which is the Jakarta Art Center. 

Tips to Penang, Malaysia

money money money =P

As Penang is quite an expensive place to be, you need to provide extra expenses because trust me you will spend a lot in Penang. Not only on food, but also for places that you wanted to be in.

We start our journey for 3 days 2 nights to Penang. I had spent around RM 800 for the trip. Yes, please provide with you some extra money for a comfortable travel. 

Total money in pocket : RM 800

Hotel = RM 60+ per person ( 1 room for 4 people)

Car fuel + toll = RM 50 ( Kl - Penang - KL )

Food = RM 100 to RM 300+ ( for 3 days)

Shopping = RM 200+ ( trust me you'll buy something there )

Escape themepark  = RM-

Parasailling = RM 80

Again, for a budget trip as we all are still a students do bring breads, maggie, minerals and so on. So you wont spend much money there. I guess thats all for the tips regarding the budget to Penang. I know I use quite an amount of money for this trip but trust me, it's worth every penny!

 I hope I have provided some tips and may help you travelers for your short trip to Penang. =)

What's in Penang? part II

Is there any "Nasi Kandar" lover here? haha.. the best nasi kandar is quite near so you can just wander around and start looking for;

TADAAA!!

It was located at 98 Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, Penang. they only open at 10pm. strange right? but it makes sense as it is one of the few restaurants that stay open late here in Penang. Locals say it is definitely worth teh long wait. It was famously known as "Nasi Kandar Beratur". This Nasi Kandar is the best choice for Penang locals, visiting Malaysians and foreigners.

Besides the delicious food and streets arts, there are more of a beautiful place to visit.

KEK LOK SI TEMPLE

The Kek Lok Si Temple is situated in Air Itam facing the sea and commanding an impressive view. It is one of the ebst known temples here in Penang. It is also said to be the largest Buddhist Temple in Southeast Asia.

DHAMMIKARAMA BURMESE TEMPLE

This is the temple which will makes us enjoy the prestige of being the fist Burmese Buddhist Temple in Malaysia. It is located at Lorong Burma, Penang. 

ESCAPE ADVENTURE PLAY

Who wants some adventure?! This is the exact place to be. This is the most exciting place you should experience. This park is located at Jalan Teluk Bahang, Penang.

PENANG BOTANICAL GARDEN

It is also known as "Waterfall gardens" because of the cascading waterfall nearby. It is located at Jalan Air Terjun, Georgetown, Penang. Magical! 

CAMERA MUSEUM

 To all camera lover like me! Do drop by this museum and explore all types of old cameras. This museum is located at Muntri Street, Georgetown, Penang.  

CAMERA MUSEUM

CHOCOLATE & COFFEE MUSEUM 

Calling for all chocolate and coffee lover!! drop by here at 22 Leith St, Georgetown, Penang.

BEST CENDOL IN GEORGETOWN

BATU FERRINGHI NIGHT MARKET 

THE BEST LAKSA PENANG! 

KAPITAN KELING MOSQUE 

So here are all the great places you can visit in Penang. I will share with you guys the tips for Penang trip on my next post =)