Even before Hong Kong Disneyland opened its doors to the public, there was one theme park that both locals and foreigners can visit for a full day of fun and adventure. I am referring to none other than Ocean Park Hong Kong. This particular theme park is considered as one of the world’s best theme parks that provide entertainment and promote education.

Ocean Park is located in Aberdeen towards the Southern part of the Hong Kong island and quite near to a number of discount hotels in Hong Kong. The park opens at 9:00 am and closes at 6:30pm. Those who would like to spend half a day or a full day at Ocean Park can purchase General Admission tickets at the park’s main entrance and at the Tai Shue Wan entrance. Alternatively, tickets are also available at the Citybus Bus Route 629 Terminal which can be found near the Admiralty MTR station (exit B) and also via the Ocean Park Online Ticketing System.

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Posted in Attractions, Hong Kong, Things to do |

Maldives is an archipelago of 1,190 islands in the Indian Ocean, whose beautiful beaches have made an impact for centuries of visitors (Marco Polo once called the islands, “The flower of the Indies”). This predominantly Muslim nation has the smallest population in Asia, and is divided into 26 coral atolls.  As tourism is one of the major industries in Maldives, visitors are very much invited, even given a free 30-day visa upon arrival.

Here are a few things to do during your stay in Maldives:

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Posted in Beaches, Maldives, Things to do |

Intramuros is a walled city that served as the Spanish bastion of the Philippines back during its Spanish colonial days. Located along Manila Bay at the southern bank of the Pasig River,  Intramuros has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A fortress city which successfully defended against Dutch, Chinese and Sulu raiders at the time, the walls surrounding it measure 6 meters high and 3 kilometers long, enclosing 51 blocks of churches, hospitals, military housing, the Governor’s Palace and schools.

Here are several things to do while visiting Intramuros:

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |

After visiting the Royal Palace, I asked our tuk tuk driver if I can have a souvenir photo taken while riding his tuk tuk.  He chuckled but gamely allowed me to give it a try.

Then in a few minutes, Giva, our tuk tuk driver immediate drove us back to our hotel to help us collect our bags from the concierge.  In less than ten minutes, we found ourselves on the road again and on the way to the international airport of Phnom Penh.  We were in a bit of a hurry as we were left with only two hours before our estimated departure time from Phnom Penh.

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Posted in Cambodia, Thailand, Things to do |

Designated by UNESCO as Southeast Asia’s first Global Geopark, Langkawi is a source of pride in Malaysia. This cluster of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea has lovely beaches, mangroves, rainforests, and natural wonders, each possessing its own legends.

Skim the mountainside on a cable-car ride: A Swiss-made cable car takes passengers all the way up to Mat Cinang, Langkawi’s second-highest mountain. At 700 meters above sea level, even neighboring Southern Thailand is visible from the mountaintops.

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Posted in Malaysia, Things to do |

Though not as well known as the glitzy and glamorous city of Shanghai or the historical sight filled capital city of Beijing, Chengdu which is the capital city of the Sichuan province has its many special attractions which qualify it as a must-do on any visit to China.

Photo Credit:avlxyz

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Posted in China, Things to do |

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – After an early wake-up call by our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at 3:00 am, we found ourselves riding a cab to Kuala Lumpur Central which was the designated pick up point of the Sky Bus.  We were going around for a couple of minutes that we missed our 4:30am bus and had to wait for another thirty minutes for the next bus.  Since the airport was roughly an hour away, I was getting worried that we might not be able to make it on time for our 7:00 am flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Since we were lucky, the dependable Sky Bus arrived ten minutes early so we were already at the check-in counter by 5:50 am.  After grabbing a dozen doughnuts from a doughnuts stall, we were already comfortably seated at the boarding gate waiting for the ground crew of Air Asia to give the go signal for boarding.  Great thing, the plane sashayed down the runway at exactly 7:00 am.  In no time at all, the in-flight crew started rolling the food cart.  My partner and I took advantage of being able to choose our meals online when we bought our Air Asia tickets.  By doing so, we were able to purchase our meals in advance and at discounted prices.  I chose to have Roti Canai while my partner chose Nasi Lemak.  The meals were served piping hot.  Not bad at all for in-flight food.

In less than an hour, the captain announced that the plane has started its descent to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  Oooh, I couldn’t contain my excitement!!!

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia, Malaysia, Things to do |

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT, BANGKOK, THAILAND - I will be embarking on a BIG adventure!  My partner and I thought that it would be difficult to go on a trip this year because of the global financial crisis.  It did not help that there have been cases of pandemics and other viruses that seem to be circulating the globe.  But if traveling is really your passion then I guess nothing can stop you from seeing the world.

So for this year, my partner and I decided to book a trip that will take us to three different countries in one week.  Thanks to budget airlines and not so expensive hotels, we felt that we can fit everything in what little budget that we have set for the trip.  About three months ago, we came across airline ticket promotions from one local airline in the Philippines.  We got excited as we were able to book a trip from Manila (Philippines) to Bangkok (Thailand) for only about US$ 100.  After booking our tickets, we figured that if we have ten days to spare on this trip then we might as well cross over to other countries and start ticking off items in our bucket list.

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Posted in Malaysia, Thailand, Things to do |

Known as the Times Square of Tokyo, Shinjuku is a major transit hub for Japan’s capital, servicing 3.6 million passengers every day. Containing the busiest train stations in the world has turned this district into an after-work entertainment and dining zone, a travelers can expect plenty of things to do in this must-visit section of the mega-city.

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Posted in Japan, Things to do |

“There is heaven in the sky, and Suzhou on earth.”

- old Chinese proverb

It is the famous explorer Marco Polo who once said that Suzhou is the Eastern Venice. A city 100 kilometers south of Shanghai, Suzhou is one of the oldest towns in the Yangtze basin and the cradle of Wu culture. The city greatly benefited when the Grand Canal of China was completed, placing it along a major trade route in the empire. Known for its spider-web of canals, picturesque gardens (several of which are UNESCÒ World Heritage sites) and its relevance in the silk trade, the city is an example of millennia of urban development which result in a harmony of beauty, commerce, and culture. As the economy rapidly developed, the city committed itself to the major demolition and reconstruction of its central areas, converting narrow streets, alleys and canals to multi-lane highways and shopping malls.

Here are some of the things you can do during your visit to Suzhou.

Stroll through the gardens - Built according to the style of Chinese paintings, there are a hundred private gardens, some of which are open to the public. The Humble Administrator’s Garden is the largest private garden in the city and has a tour starting every 5-10 minutes. Blue Wave Pavilion, the Garden of the Master of the Nets and Lion Grove are other gardens worth visiting, and all exemplify the beauty of Chinese refinement.

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Posted in China, Things to do |