Located in Port Dickson, Corus Paradise Resort Port Dickson is a family-friendly resort which features an outdoor pool with water slides. I managed to book a Superior twin room (2 queen beds) including breakfast for two for only RM70 after redeeming RM100 travel voucher! It is truly value for money.
Instagrammable cafés are springing up like mushrooms after rain in Klang Valley in recent years. Here are six cafés that I've visited this year which fill the bill of good food plus nice environment.
If you're looking for a getaway within Klang Valley, you can consider Espira Kinrara, a resort tucked away in the quiet suburbs of Bandar Kinrara. The resort is perfect for a short weekend getaway with family. The swimming pool in front of the villas look really inviting and there is also a small children waterpark with knee-length deep water.
It has been two weeks since I came back from the business trip in Singapore. I didn't expect that my first trip overseas post-Covid would be a business trip and to Singapore! My passport was expired and I had to renew it for this trip. Despite the busy work schedule, I managed to catch up with two of my long-time friends in Singapore and even explored some new places in Singapore. So it was quite worth-while in the end.
The name Jumeirah means beautiful in Arabic. There's plenty to explore in Jumeirah aside from the open beaches including Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Palm Jumeirah and Jumeirah Mosque. It is also known for its proximity to Burj Al Arab.
Since its opening in 1999, Burj Al Arab has been one of the most luxurious and expensive hotels in Dubai. The hotel is famous for its iconic sail-shaped design and it is located on an artificial island which is 280 meters away from Jumeirah Beach. The hotel is operated by Jumeirah Group, which is owned by the ruling family of the Emirate of Dubai.
Otherwise known as Khor Dubai, Dubai Creek is a natural saltwater creek that separates the city from Deira to the north and Bur Dubai to the south. There is plenty to see and do around the Dubai Creek including the traditional souks, Al Seef Dubai, Dubai Museum and Al Fahidi Fort.
Dubai Mall is one the world's largest shopping mall which is located next to the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Opened in 2008, it features over 1,200 retailers, two major department stores and hundreds of food and beverage outlets. The Dubai Mall covers more than 1 million sqm - an area equivalent to 200 football pitches.
At over 828 meters and more than 160 stories, Burj Khalifa holds the record of being the tallest building and the tallest free-standing structure in the world. Prior to its inauguration in 2010, this skyscraper is known as the Burj Dubai. It is certainly not an attraction to be missed in Dubai.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. There are plenty reasons to visit this Emirate. It has the largest and most beautiful mosque in the UAE (Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque), the largest art museum in the Arabian peninsula (Louvre Abu Dhabi), the largest indoor theme park and the first Ferrari-branded theme park in the world (Ferrari World), the most expensive hotel to ever be built (Emirates Palace) and etc. It is also easy to do a day trip from Dubai.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) is an elective monarchy formed from a federation of seven Emirates, consisting Abu Dhabi (the capital), Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain. Many tour agencies offer Six Emirates Tour in one day, either departing from Dubai or Sharjah. The six Emirates in this tour exclude Abu Dhabi. The tour duration was about twelve hours. It is a quick and convenient way to see the highlights of the six Emirates.
Sharjah is the fourth largest of the seven emirates in United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is next to Dubai. Due to its proximity to Dubai and lower cost of living, many expatriates choose to live in Sharjah and travel to Dubai for work daily. Sharjah was where I began my Six Emirates Tour in one day.
Morocco is the second country I visited in North Africa after Egypt. I travelled for about a week in Morocco. Here's how I planned my trip in Morocco.
Hassan II Mosque is an opulent mosque which is the landmark in Casablanca. The mosque was designed by French architect, Michel Pinseau, and took six years to build. Completed in 1993, it is the seventh largest mosque in the world and its minaret is the world's second tallest minaret at 210 meters. It can hold up to 105,000 worshippers - 25,000 inside the mosque hall and another 80,000 on the mosque's outside ground.
Marrakesh, also called the "Red City", is the fourth largest city in Morocco. The medina quarters is a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you only have one day in Marrakesh, this itinerary will work for you. While there is much to see and do, one full day is enough to cover a lot of ground in Marrakesh.
After staying a night in Boumalne Dades, I visited Ouarzazate and Ait Benhaddou on my way to Marrakesh. This is my last day of the desert tour. In my opinion, Ourzazate is a good base for local touring or just passing through. It has two movie studios, a cinema museum and a kasbah. The highlight of my desert tour on day 3 is actually Ait Benhaddou, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1987 which is located 30km away from Ourzazate. It is one of the best preserved Kasbahs in Morocco.
On my 2nd day of Desert Tour, I traveled from Merzouga to Todra Gorges and spent the night in Boumalne Dades. Todra Gorges are a series of deep cliff-sided limestone canyons in the eastern side of High Atlas Mountains, carved out by the Todra River and Dades River. Boumalne Dades, on the other hand, is a quaint town where you will find beautiful red hue traditional houses in Tinghir province. The landscape is equally stunning although vastly different from the desert.
Spending a night in Sahara Desert, the largest hot desert on earth, is on the bucket list of many. Many tour companies in Morocco will offer the so-called "Sahara Desert Tour" but I can assure you that the standard 3-day tours will bring you to Merzouga town and from here, you'll depart to Erg Chebbi where you'll be spending a night. Erg Chebbi is in Saharan Morocco. This area is not to be confused with Moroccan Western Sahara (the real part of Sahara Desert in Morocco) which is further south. Despite this, a journey into the desert is still considered a highlight during my trip in Morocco.
I flew to Kota Kinabalu recently for a 3D2N business trip. I managed to squeeze in some time for some sightseeing in Kota Kinabalu city. This was how I did my self guided walking tour which lasted for about two hours in Kota Kinabalu.
I had the pleasure of staying at The Magellan Sutera Resorts for two nights in Kota Kinabalu during my business trip recently. This 5-star luxurious resort itself is located within the compound of Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club. I must say it was a really satisfying and comfortable stay.
Fez, the medieval capital of Morocco, is home to the world's oldest university, the University of al-Qarawiyyin. This ancient walled city is well worth a visit in Northern Morocco. Its location is also strategic if you plan to visit Chefchaouen in the north or join a tour into the Sahara Desert.
Grand Lexis Port Dickson is another luxury hotel under Lexis Hotel Group which is located besides Lexis Port Dickson. This was my second time staying in Grand Lexis Port Dickson. I chose to stay at the Balinese-inspired garden chalet (Deluxe Suite) with private pool this time.
Port Dickson, which is located an-hour drive away from Kuala Lumpur, is an ideal weekend getaway from the city. If you're looking for more fun and activities besides the beach, you can consider dropping by Segar City, near the Lukut town. It consists of three main attractions: Alive 3D Art Gallery, Wild West Cowboy Theme Park and Segar Recreation Eco Park.
Chefchaouen is the famous blue city in northwest Morocco, which is nestled in the Riff Mountains. I decided to do a day trip to Chechaouen from Fez after seeing the countless beautiful photos taken at Chefchaouen. Although the journey took me four hours one way, it was completely worth it!
Whenever I thought of an outing to Bangsar, great cafes and restaurant, shopping and lively nightlife often came to my mind. Little did I know about this family-friendly community garden and farm up till last weekend. It was such a pleasant surprise to discover this hidden gem. It provided a much-needed break and escape from the hustle and bustle of city.
Here is how I used the hassle-free Lisboa Card to explore Lisbon on my own. The Lisboa Card is a 3-in-1 transport card, museum pass and discount card. It offers free admission to 26 attractions and museum, discount on tours and participating stores, and free unlimited public transport including free travel by train to Sintra and Caicais!
Belem is a district in western Lisbon which is located at the mouth of River Tagus. Belem houses two famous landmarks of Lisbon: Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower (both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites). You can easily spent half day in Belem since it is a bit far from downtown Lisbon.
BookXcess has opened its latest flagship store in RexKL, which is located right in the heart of the city. Its maze-like wooden book shelves and colourful books makes it the new Instagram-worthy bookstore in KL.