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 =) 

What's in Penang?

Besides went for a travel outside Malaysia, why not we discover the uniqueness of our own country :) It's cheaper! and suits with a student like me :)

Let's plan and explore Georgetown,Penang and discover why the place is famous with tourists local and foreigner a like.

What I adore about this place is, Georgetown is the capital state of Penang and is also listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008 together with Melacca. Life is nearly the same here as it was decades ago and perhaps that is why it's considered the most tourist-visited destination in Malaysia. 

The inner city itself is pretty small and the streets are very navigable just by walking or riding on a rickshaw. There were so many things to do here and a llittle corners to explore.

Took off to Penang with my backpack early morning. Just so you know, this is actually one of those "long awaited trips" of mine. I've always wanted to visit the streets of Penang ever since I saw one of my friend's photos about the mural paintings. =D

Went there by car with a group of my cousins and it took us around 4 hours of driving from KL to Penang. As soon as we reached at our apartment, we put our things and checked-in. 

Flamingo by the beach Hotel.

yupp. We stayed at Flamingo Hotel at Tanjung Bungah. It was pretty near Georgetown so it will not be a problem for us. The price for the hotel is quite pricy. But, there are more of a cheaper hotel at Georetown. So you travelers can just google it for a place to stay =)

The first mural painting we saw

There are plenty more art paintings that you can found here in Penang. These are just some of the street arts that we found. It was pretty amazing right? :)

What's in Penang? part II

Tips to Perhentian Island, Malaysia

Assalamualaikum

Hey Travelers!

So here I'm going to share with you guys some tips regarding the budget, hotels, activities and so on. 

My friends and I, we didn't plan on going for a short vacation here. With a little money in our pocket, we set a date and boom! we're in Perhentian :D 

We start our journey on 24th July till 26th July 2015. I spent my money around RM300 plus for the trip. Including transportation, fuel, tolls, boat, chalet, snorkeling and food. 

Total money in pocket : RM 350 

Car fuel + toll = RM 30 (Kuantan - Kuala Besut jetty - Kuantan)

Return boat = RM 70 - we get discount from a very nice 'pakcik' =P cut down to RM 50 haha!

Chalet = RM 70/room - 5 people in a room. So, RM14/person

Snorkelling = RM 30 (6 check-points) Coral Bay, Shark point, Turtle point, Romantic Beach, Lighthouse, Fisherman Village.

Food = RM 100 to RM 150 (damn expensive)

It's pretty cheap right? 

Since me and friends are still studying, we bring meggie cups, gardenia breads, sardines, and also mineral water along so that we can cut down some costs. If you have extra money with you guys, you can just eat there. There are plenty of places to eat. But, I have remind you guys many times already that the foods are not cheap at all. Trust me. I had my english breakfast for like RM18 (breads, sausage, green tea) So, if you want to use less money, do follow the tips that I had provided :) 

Thats all regarding the budget to Perhentian Island. I hope I have helped a bit for your short trip to Perhentian  :) 

Perhentian Island, Malaysia

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment - Hillaire Belloc

Assalamualaikum

Hey travelers :) 

Many more beautiful places here in Malaysia. But, I would like to share with you guys some tips and informations for Perhentian Island.

I have to share my experience here with you. I certainly did not hate the Perhentian Islands. I liked them enough said. I guess what I'm getting at is I went there expecting paradise and lft with a little underwhelmed. Allow me to explain!

I have so much to talk about my previous trip a 3D2N trip to Long Beach, Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Me and my friends, 8 of us went there by car from Kuantan to Kuala Besut, Kelantan. It was around 5 hours of driving. We took a speedboat to Long Beach and I have to tell you it was AMAZING :) The sea water there was blue and it wasn't like an algae color. It was so clear, the sky was clear, and it was just breathtaking view :)

The Perhentian Islands are a popular destination among divers, snorkelers and beach-dwellers. The Perhentian Islands are in fact two islands. Pulau Perhentian Kecil and Pulau Perhentian Besar. The big island has more resort-style accommodation and is known to be more expensive and family-oriented, whereas the small island has a reputation of being cheaper and is more popular among budet travellers and backpackers. So, as a student like me, I decided to save a few dollars and stay on Kecil.

As we arrived there, it was about 10am, we decided to checked out our rooms and put our stuff and get change to a more suitable clothing. We had our basic room with fan, mosquito net, cold shower, dim lighting and a rather rusty toilet we paid only RM70 a night. With electricity only available in the evenings and nights.

We slept for like 3 to 4 hours and woke up around 3pm. Wander around the beach, Find something to eat (do keep in mind that this is a tourist area so prices of everything are marked up by quite a lot) and we spent a couple of hours lazying on the beach, indispersed with dips into the warm water.

Second day, we went snorkelling for 6 points and it's only RM 30.  Our snorkelling trip was absolutely incredible. I'm thanking myslef for having an underwater camera (my gopro camera). I can capture pictures and also videos of us while we're in the water!

On our way to Kuala Besut Jetty

At Coral Bay

Clear water!!!

Snoekeling time =)

To our next checkpoint!

Here are some of the my photos when I was in Perhentian Island. Our 3days 2nights here in Perhentian Island was epicly fun and memorable!

Money Problem?

Assalamualaikum :)
Hey travelers!

Let's face it. As for a students, like me, myself, it is impossible for us to save any amount of money for our adventure. I always have this thinking, that it is a very hard thing to do which is saving money. But then, if you really want to travel, you will realized that saving money isn't that hard actually if you are willing to sacrifice, reduce your expenses, and put your heart into it, and of course practice good money management. Some even did a part time job in order to make extra money.

We as a students, try to use maximum RM10 per day for your meals. Sounds impossible huh? But believe me, you can. Do not always feel like eating at an expensive restaurants. BE A STUDENTS. Try to learn how to cut your cost down. Use less money on meals and don't buy any unnecessary things. I am currently following these tips and I am ahead of my budget. If I can, you can too! :)

Girls love to shop. Well, who doesn't? Me myself love to go shopping. I love new clothes, new shoes, bags, jeans, gadgets, etc.
Stop. Never walk into a store and buy something. If you really want something, just wait and see if something are on sale before you buy it. Or just do a little of comparative shopping. Who knows you might cut from RM 150 to RM 90 ?

Saving for a trip doesn't have to leave you on a verge of a heart attack. Once I discovereed this tips, there is an encreasing on my savings. The important thing is to stay focused, challenge yourself and always remember why you are saving. These will drive you to be more dedicated in saving money.

No harm on trying :)

Travel tips II

CLOTHES

Hey travelers! So, here's the next tips =D

As for me, I don't pack a tremendous amount of clothing at first. I will always try to reduce the weight of my pack. Try to have a little money set aside to buy a few items along the way. I will wait until i get to affordable place to buy new clothes to wear. Try cutting the cost down, be eco friendly and just buy something that is not too expensive. Buy clothes that will make you look clean all the time :)

7 pairs of lingeries - make sure it's clean!

2 pairs of shorts

1 pair of sleeping pants

1 pair of jeans

3 or 4 T-shirts

1 long sleeve shirt

1 hoodie

1 pair of sandals

1 pair of shoes / socks  - for places that aren't sandal friendly

Depending on where do you plan on going and for how long. Like what I have mentioned earlier, I will buy new clothes a long the way. But, when I do buy clothes, I will limit myself to only having a maximum if 1 pair of jeans and 5 shirts. All the other items on the list remain the same.


PERSONAL HYGIENE

1 towel

1 toothbrush

1 tube of toothpaste

Shaver - PS. Ladies. Very important =P

deodorant - make everyone else happy will ya? I'm begging!

Small bottle of shampoo and body wash

Medicine - you know what medication to bring. If you have and allergic on something, please bring your own medication. However, my advice is, please do not overdo it.


MISCELLANEOUS 


Please dear travelers, do keep all your valuable documents organized and safe in one place. try to have a small beg or use money belt. I know it's more suitable for men. For girls, you know where to keep it safe as girls are more organize than you guys. Haha sorry =P

Play safe. Please do bring a tiny flashlight. Who knew you might need to use it one day.

Lock -  to lock you backpack

Bring a deck or cards or UNO cards - If you get bored. So play it with your friends! Or if you're travelling alone, it is a great ice breaker to make friends. :)

Journal or books. Well who doesn't love to read?


So, that's it! It it pretty much of my Travel Packing List. I have condensed my life to fit into a backpack and have worked hard to keep my backpack as light as possible. Some of these items might be optional to you but it is a necessity for me :)

If you want more advice, please do leave a comment down here. I'll try my best to help you travelers :)

Travel tips

"All journey have secrets destinations of which the traveler is unaware" - Martin Buber

Hey travelers! Assalamualaikum :) 

Let me provide you readers with my travel planning services and my gear. So that you guys will travel better and further. Pssttt.. At the same time help me to support my blog! =P Haha It's a win win !! 

Choosing your destinations, making an itinerary, deciding what to pack, finding cheap flights and hotels, yada yada. the list of what to do before heading on a trip can seem a bit, well daunting. 

All right. So first, I might be a bit odd but this is what exactly i would think of packing first. My ELECTRONIC GADGETS. 

Laptop 
I'm using Lenovo Flex 10 notebook. So it is ultra portable. It's small and is very easy to bring it to everywhere. well the reason i brought my laptop is because, I will used it for transferring all my photos from both of my cameras and of course to use the internet. 

Canon EOS 50D
I just bring it to everywhere. It never leave my side. My pride and joy <3 

Gopro Hero 3 
My favorite play toy - currently the coolest grown up toy on planet

Iphone 5  
Please put it in unlocked mode in order to use international sim cards

Charger (phone / laptop / cameras) 
Very important !!! 

Powerbank 
You might thank your powerbank very much. It might safe your life. trust me ;) 

So dear travelers, these are 'my' electronic gadgets that I will bring to whenever I want to start my adventure. It is okay if you don't have one of the things that i had listed. I'm not saying that it is necessary for a traveler to bring these sort of gadgets. I'm just listing my things just to help you guys 'see' a brief of it. I'm sharing my tips don't I? oh! and yes, i do plan on upgrading my cameras. I'm a big fan of canon. Soon enough I'll change my camera to Canon eos 5D and Gopro Hero 4. Insya Allah :) 

Next, I'm using my old "The North Face" backpack. This backpack comes with lockable compartments. It's quite large and can put in so many things and the beg itself, it is not that heavy i can say. Not to promote, you can use any backpack you want. But if you'd like me to recommend any backpack that is suitable and user friendly, there is this one backpack, the "Osprey Farpoint 70L. This backpack is highly rated among the travelers. Go and check it out! :)