Travel Review: Hanoi, Vietnam

Hello folks:

I’m back with another (YES ANOTHER) travel review. This time I had the opportunity to visit Hanoi, Vietnam during an extended weekend holiday here in Korea.

First: The Visa process

If you are an American passport holder (Some other countries as well so please check) you will need a visa to enter Vietnam. The Vietnam visa process is two-fold. You have to first get a letter of approval from an official company or person. I simply googled Vietnam visa on arrival and read a few sites before choosing one. The prices range from $10-$25. The company I went with charged $10 for a one-month single entry. The site is pretty self-explanatory from there. (https://www.vietnam-evisa.org/apply-visa.html) It took about a day and a half for them to email the letter to me. Do not be alarmed if your letter has other people’s name on it with yours. This is pretty standard for the company’s that issue letters. You can pay a fee to have a letter with only your name, but it honestly doesn’t matter. You will need your travel dates before applying for the letter. They can possibly deny entry on your dates so that’s why it’s important. You will also need to complete the visa-on-arrival form to accompany your letter. The company I used sent a link for me to do the form ahead of time. The form will also be available at the airport.

Once I arrived at Hanoi’s airport, I went to the visa on arrival counter before going through immigration. You hand the agent your letter, passport (take off any covers), and the visa application. You then wait in queue for them to approve and issue your visa. Once they are done, you passport picture will pop up on a TV screen and you go to the second agent to pay the visa fee of $25. They only accept cash, so have it available. You should also have a passport sized photo, or you can do like me, and pay $2 for them to take the picture on site. (it’s cheaper that way honestly)

From there you are given a receipt and your passport and you are now able to go through immigration and customs. The process took all of 30 minutes total.

Second: My Hotel

Hotels in the Old Quarter of Hanoi are very inexpensive and are in abundance. They are mostly smaller boutique hotels but are clean, comfortable, and cute. At the recommendation of a friend who travelled a few weeks before, I booked my room with the Hanoi Cristina Hotel. I booked a double room at $25 per night, including a decent breakfast, for 3 nights. I did the book now, pay later option on booking.com which is standard for most hotels in Hanoi. Tip: To avoid a 3% surcharge for using your debit card, bring cash to cover the balance. The hotel instantly sent a follow-up message to let me know they could book tours or even airport transfers for me in advance. I decided a day or two before my trip that I wanted to do an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay during my 3 night stay. The hotel was more than accommodating in cancelling one of my nights in order for me to do this without extra charge. I decided not to use them for the airport transfer since they charged $16, which is pretty expensive compared to other options. (I’ll explain soon)

The hotel turned out to be in a great location, although a little hard to find initially. They gave me a map specifically designed for them which helped me to get around during my entire trip. (I didn’t even get lost. The map was very accurate)

Now, the GOOD STUFF…

I arrived in Hanoi around 9am on a Friday. I had read in advance that there was a local bus that goes from the airport into Hanoi city. The bus is the Express 86 bus. The stop is located just across from the #2 taxi stand once you exit the airport. There will be an attendant on site to ask where you are going and who will tell you which stop to get off. (He speaks fast so I honestly didn’t hear him) The bus comes every 30 minutes or so. Once you are on and settled, the attendant will then come and collect the fee. The ride is 30,000VND or roughly $1.15. Try to exchange a little money to be prepared for this. He will in turn give you a receipt. The ride was about 30 minutes even with a few stops. I still didn’t know which stop I needed but luckily the attendant came around one more time to tell everyone again. ( I think it’s more so because we all looked lost)

The bus drops you along the main street, so it won’t go into the heart of the Old Quarter. You will need to ask the locals to point you in the direction of your accommodation or have a SIM card and map handy.

Once I arrived at the hotel, my room wasn’t ready. They allowed me to leave my luggage while I went out to exchange more money and to find food. This is when I was given my new BFF, the map. The receptionist told me where to go for food and where to find good money exchangers.

It was super hot but I expected it to be.

I first found a money exchange place which was also in a jewelry store. The average rate was $1 = 22,000VND. As I was walking to find food, I was approached by several “city tour” guys on the pedal bikes. One was very “persistent” so I agreed to a tour at 4pm that afternoon. In turn, he suggested a pretty good (and popular) food spot.

I went to New Day restaurant and had the beef with pineapple and an iced strawberry tea. (Strawberry tea is soooo good) My meal was hot and about $5.

After eating, I walked around using my map to get my bearings. (and to kill more time) I finally headed back to the hotel to check in, nap, and shower.

Right at 4pm, I headed back out to meet the tour guide. Before getting into the cart, I asked for a price. He quoted 300,000 ($13) for an hour-long tour around the city. I’m sure I could have bargained but I was honestly tired of him (LOL) He took me all around the main part of Hanoi Old Quarter. He even stopped at times to take pictures of me if I needed or for me to get out and take pictures as well. It did begin to rain while on the tour, but he was prepared with coverings so I didn’t get wet. The tour went for exactly an hour at which point he tried to get me to extend to another part of the city, but I declined. I got out and decided to do more site seeing on foot.

Luckily my tour stopped right near Hoan Kiem Lake. It’s a small lake with a cute red bridge that leads to a temple. The bridge is a popular picture spot. There is a fee to enter the actual temple as well. Most people, including me, just walk the bridge and take pics from the outside.

Just across from Hoan Kiem is a very busy intersection that is seen is most pictures for Hanoi. There were no traffic lights and traffic literally went however people decided to go. It was pure madness but somehow no one crashed. I stood (safely) on a sidewalk and just watched in amazement. From there I continued my journey on foot, going down random roads to see what was there. I eventually stopped at a cute coffee shop to try some of Hanoi’s infamous “egg coffee.” It’s sounds weird, but it was really good. The coffee was around $2 (40,000 VND)

I continued on my walk and stopped to pick up a few souvenirs including some banana pants. (yes pants with bananas all over them!) I eventually stopped at a restaurant to have some fresh spring rolls and chicken pho. I mean who goes to Vietnam and doesn’t eat Pho. The Pho was around $2 and the spring rolls were about $2.50.

Since it was the start of the weekend, there was a large night market taking place a few blocks from my hotel. I decided to go check it out. The market stretched for several blocks and vendors sold almost everything you could imagine. I only picked up some cute shades and tried some passion fruit juice. I was pretty tired by this point, so I made my way back to the hotel. I knew I had an early start the next day.

I woke up pretty early to get breakfast before heading out for my overnight trip along Ha Long bay. Breakfast was served in the neighboring hotel. The options were pretty good. They offered Western breakfast as well as Vietnamese dishes such as noodle soup. From there, I checked out of my first room and waited for the tour guide to come pick me up.

(I’m going to do a separate post on the tour so I will skip over that day and finish up with my last day in Hanoi)

Day 3:

My Ha Long tour bus took me back to my hotel in Hanoi around 4pm. I checked back in to a new room, put my bags down, and set back out to explore. On the list, was to try Banh Mi, which is a Vietnamese sandwich that is similar to a Panini. I went to a more popular shop in the heart of the old quarter. Just like most other Vietnamese food shops, the shop had the small plastic stools and low tables inside and along the sidewalk. The sandwich was about $1.13. (25,000 VND) I had the chicken sandwich and it was pretty good. I could have almost eaten two.

I spent the rest of my afternoon just doing more site seeing. I even caught a ride on a motorbike to see the popular Train Street. Train Street is an actual residential area that has a train track going through it. There is a train that passes through the narrow alley three times a day. When I walked the tracks, there were families outside going on about their everyday life. Kids playing, women prepping dinner, and people just hanging out and talking. I wish I could have seen the train actually pass through because the alley is really not that big so I can only imagine how these families have to prepare each time.

My flight left around 1am. I booked a taxi through one of the travel agents in the Old Quarter. The trip was $10 compared to the $16 at my hotel. I would have taken the same bus back but it stops running around 10pm.

All in all, my trip to Hanoi was fun. The hustle and bustle of Hanoi was quite a site to see. Everything was super cheap and someone like myself definitely appreciated that!

As always, thanks for reading and Happy Traveling!

Tokyo, Japan…in 24 hours.

Hey folks:

I am back with a new review of my recent trip to Tokyo, Japan. Since I’ve been here in Korea, I’ve been wanting to get there but the flights were never cheap enough for me. (Obviously they are still much cheaper than flying from the States though.) I lucked up in early March and picked a random weekend to go for about $200.

Once my flight was all squared away, I started looking for somewhere to stay. I first had to research the different areas of Tokyo to see exactly where I wanted to visit. Since I was limited on time, I needed to be in  a location that was central to the most attractions. I knew for a fact that I wanted to see Harajuku and Shibuya crossing. I typed in both areas on search engines to find accommodations. I came across a pod hotel in the heart of Shibuya. At the time, the hotel had not opened so I was hesitant not having reviews to read first. I knew that staying in a pod or capsule hotel was something that was on my Tokyo bucket list, so I went with my gut and booked.

I then had to research my transportation options into Tokyo since I would be arriving on a really late/early  morning flight. At this time, all trains would have stopped. I found info on an airport bus company (Keiyu Bus Co.) that had a bus into Shibuya during late night hours. The bus was around $16 compared to taking a taxi at that time for around $80. I had a few friends in Japan call for me to inquire as well. Although I wasn’t able to reserve a seat in advance, I still decided to wait and try my luck.

Everything went smooth and I made it to the hotel. When I walked into The Milleanials Shibuya, I was blown away. It was brand spanking new and the location was perfect. Upon check in, I was given my own iPod touch that would serve as the control for my pod and the building elevators. Once I arrived at my pod, a really nice souvenir toiletry bag was waiting for me with towels, slippers, a toothbrush, cotton pads, and ear plugs.

I set my alarm using the iPod touch. You also control your bed position, the lights in the pod, and the theater system with it. After playing around with all of the functions, I finally decided to head to bed. (I was too excited.)

I opted for late check out since I arrived so late. I wanted to give myself a little more time to sleep and then prepare for a non stop day, afterall I literally only had one day.

I checked out of my pod and stored my bag with the hotel and set out. I asked the front desk attendant for a pancake restaurant recommendation. To my surprise, there was one just steps away.

I arrived right when they opened at 11am so I didn’t have a wait. I ordered the strawberry banana pancakes with orange juice. I had missed homemade pancakes since Western style pancakes are hard to find in Korea. The breakfast total was around $14.

After breakfast, I set out to see the infamous Shibuya crossing. Shibuya crossing is known as the world’s busiest intersection. It was amazing to see all of the people crossing from 3 different ways. I wandered around Shibuya for a bit and stumbled upon another famous site, Hachiko statue. Hachiko was a dog that would come to Shibuya train station to greet his owner after work every day. The dog even continued this after his owner died for several years. ( Now that’s loyalty) A statue was erected in the dog’s honor.

After watching the chaos of the crossing a few more times, I set out toward Harajuku. Luckily it was also in walking distance (about 15 minutes) Harajuku is the area that I picture when I think of Tokyo. Here you find all of the girls and guys dressed in Kawaii costumes as well as stores that sell the clothes as well. Harajuku is also home to lots of retail stores and cool restaurants. In the heart of Harajuku is a really cool escalator with a kaleidoscope like mirror.

The only thing I was in search of while in Tokyo was sneakers. Korea doesn’t always get the best selection and if they do, they tend to charge more. Let’s just say Tokyo is a sneaker lovers dream. I browsed in several stores, going down different streets just to see what was out there. I wanted to think my decision through carefully so I waited to purchase until I was able to truly compare the options.

That afternoon, I had reservations at the Kawaii Monster Cafe. I have been eyeing this place since I came to Korea. Kawaii Monster cafe is a restaurant that, as one person describes, is a child’s dream on acid. You are escorted into the doors and you instantly say WOW!!! The colors! The lights! The crazy merry-go-round in the very middle! It’s a sensory overload. I didn’t know which way to look first. Since I was alone, I was able to get a small table that was literally in the middle of all the action. (SWEET!) At this restaurant, you can either pay for the $5 admission in advance online (which I did) or pay in person. (Just be mindful you will have to wait until people with reservations are seated first if you pay in person) Once you enter you must then purchase one food and one drink item from the menu. There are also pre paid menu packages you can opt for. I ordered fries and a coke. (cheapest things on the menu) The fries came with an assortment of colored dips to mimic the theme of the cafe. Other menu items include: colorful pastas, crazy shakes, and desserts. Every hour and a half the “Monster girls” do a live dance show and get guests involved too. It was super cute and the kids loved it. (SO DID I!) After watching the show, eating my fries, and closing out my bill I headed back out to continue my sneaker hunt.

I eventually made my way to Takeshita street in the heart of Harajuku. This is the most popular street in the area filled with street food, restaurants, vintage clothing stores, and souvenir shops. After reading several blogs, I found that crepes and gigantic rainbow cotton candy were must try things. I wasn’t in the mood for that much cotton candy on my own so I chose to try a crepe. I had an apple cinnamon crepe. It was only OK. I also decided to try peach coke from one of the 1 million vending machines found on the street. It reminded me of cherry coke a lot but was still pretty good.

My last mission, outside of my sneakers, was to find as many of the crazy Kit Kat candy bar flavors. Tokyo has been known to produce unique flavors of the candy. I found a small assortment pack in a random souvenir shop. The pack had: strawberry cheesecake, apple, purple sweet potato, matcha green tea, matcha almond, strawberry, and a few other flavors. (I ended up also finding a melon flavor in the airport. I’ve tried a few so far and they are really good)

I finally made my sneaker decision after consulting some friends via text and went to make my purchase. (I did great!)

By this time the sun was setting and I was a little hungry since I had only had light meals all day. Another Tokyo bucket list item was to have ramen from Ichiran. This is a small ramen shop that always has a wait outisde. You first stop at the “vending machine” outside to place your basic order and pay. (cash only) You are then seated at a personal cubby where you are given a checklist on how you want your ramen to taste. Your ramen is then served through the small window at your cubby and the window flap closed once you receive it. You have a small water tap and cups at your cubby as well so you can truly eat in peace. The ramen was around $8.

After enjoying my delicious ramen I started to make my way back toward Shibuya to check on my bags and rest my legs a bit. Although I was checked out, the hotel allowed me to relax in the lobby area. I charged my phone up a bit and decided I had one last must-do…SUSHI IN JAPAN!

I once again asked for a recommendation from the front desk. The initial place that was recommended had a crazy line and I was short on time. I decided to just walk around Shibuya some more to see it come alive at night. I was able to see a flash dance performance, street rappers, and even people racing in the human Mario Kart. I eventually came across another sushi place (Genki Sushi) that looked really fun. I only had one hour left to get in, eat, and get out. There was a short wait but I made it in just in time.

This place was SOOOOOO COOL. Once again you are seated at a personal stool in front of a small tablet. You order your food via the tablet and it is whisked directly to your seat on a conveyor belt that goes around the whole restaurant. You then notify the belt that you have your food by tablet, and the mini cart is sent back to the kitchen. You can order however you want but you have a 45 minute limit to ensure other guests can get in and eat too. The sushi was really fresh and pretty inexpensive too. I was happy to have stumbled upon that place.

After chowing down, I made my way back to the hotel one more time to grab my bags. My full day in Tokyo was coming to a close and I needed to catch the subway to the airport.

The station was only a 5-7 minutes walk from the hotel. ( I literally didn’t have to pay for transportation that day except to and from the airport. Once I arrived at Shibuya station, I had to ask several people to point me in the right direction for the airport train. There are so many different lines so it was kinda confusing. However, I made my way to the airport with time to spare!

As you can see I had a fun and busy day in Tokyo. It’s a somewhat expensive city compared to other Asian cities. (But about the same as a major city in the USA) It is such a cool vibe and I saw people of all races there too. I didn’t get the weird stares that I expected from an Asian city. I could see myself living in Tokyo if the cost of living wasn’t so high. Hopefully I can get back one more time before I leave this side of the world. There is still so much for me to see!

Thanks for reading and happy traveling.

 

Travel Review: Siem Reap, Cambodia

Hi folks:

I’m back to bring you the review of destination 2 of my 3 country trip recently. I had the opportunity to travel to Seim Reap, Cambodia after leaving Kuala Lumpur.

Now I will admit, Siem Reap was not somewhere initially on my radar. After speaking to a fellow travel enthusiast, she convinced me it was somewhere that I had to see.

I flew into Siem Reap airport from Kuala Lumpur. The flight was super short, less than 2 hours. Once I arrived into Cambodia, I had to apply for the on-the-spot visa. The visa is $30 for tourists and an additional $2 if you don’t bring a passport sized photo too. The visa is required and you can pay for it online in advance. (Most people just get it on arrival) The process took maybe 30 minutes total and I was out to meet the driver from my guesthouse. Also, although they have their own currency American currency is preferred most everywhere in Siem Reap so keep that in mind.

Most, if not all, accommodations in Siem Reap come to the airport to pick you up for free. Just make sure you communicate the times ahead of your arrival. My driver had a sign waiting for me and off we went to the guesthouses’s Tuk Tuk. (a carriage like cart powered my motorcycle or scooter.) The ride from the airport to my guesthouse was only about 20 minutes. There is lots of dust in Siem Reap so keep this in mind and pack either a mask or scarf to cover your mouth or eyes while in a Tuk Tuk.

 

I was staying at the Blossoming Romduol Lodge just off the main road in Siem Reap. I booked a private double room through booking.com and my total was $54 for 3 nights. (Yes $18 per night!) It was a nice sized room with a large (and SUPER comfortable) double bed. It had a TV, wardrobe, and small table too. I also had a private bathroom. The bathroom was a little outdated and was more so of a traditional Asian bathroom. (Meaning no separate shower. It’s a shower room so there’s a shower head on the wall next to the sink and the water drains in the middle of the floor. My apartment is the same here in Korea so I’m actually used to it. It dries pretty fast too) The property provided free breakfast daily and had a really cute pool and pool bar as well. (The picture shows the fish spa in the front of the property. They were cleaning it during my stay.)

I was welcomed with a cool towel and some refreshing tea. I headed to my room to settle in for a while and rest. A few hours later, I decided to head out to the main area where the markets and restaurants were located. It was a short 7-10 minute walk to the main area so I didn’t see the need to pay for a tuk tuk. I was surprised at how cheap things were there. My first meal was fried noodles with chicken and vegetables, a fresh banana shake, and bottled water. The total for that was $3.50. There were souvenir shops that had T-shirts for $1!! ( I got a few actually) After eating my meal, I walked around the markets and explored Pub Street before the crowds came out. (It’s a famous road full of bars that comes alive at night) I also stopped by one of the local travel stands to book my transportation for the Angkor Wat temple tour. It was $13 for all day transportation around the “small tour.” (mostly the four main temples that people know of) My last stop for the night was to get a foot and leg massage. ( I told you in my last post I got one literally every night after that first one. I was serious.) In Siem Reap, the 30 minute massages were anywhere from $3-$4!!!! After an oh so relaxing massage, I headed in for the night since my tour would start early the next day.

Day 2:

I woke up to have breakfast before I was picked up for my tour. I had a plain omelet, baked bread, fruit (dragonfruit and watermelon), and hot tea. (It’s very easy to be a vegan or vegetarian here. The fruits are in abundance and sooo fresh. They have so many things that we don’t have in the states.)

I packed up my backpack and then headed out with my guide. The first stop was to the main building for the Angkor Wat temple tours. You have to first purchase an ID card to enter the various temples. You have the option of a 1-day, 3-day, or 7-day pass. The prices were $37, $62, or $72 respectively. I only wanted to do the one-day tour. You can pay by cash or credit card and they also take your photo for your ID.

After I received my ID, I loaded up into a different van to start my tour. Our first stop was to the infamous Angkor Wat temple. This is the temple that is the symbol of Cambodia as evidenced from the country’s flag. Our guide allowed us to follow him or to freely explore for two hours. I started with him to get the general history and then took off on my own to get in some pictures. It was pretty crowded and super hot! Yet, we still had a long day ahead.

Our second stop of the tour was to the temple where the movie Tomb Raider was filmed. Most of the temple was being repaired but you could still see the most famous part where the movie was shot. By this point I was super sweaty and pretty hungry. Luckily, lunch was our next stop.

 

We were taken to a pretty touristy restaurant where the prices are more than double what they would be in the main area. It’s like this because tours brings loads of people here daily and it’s one of the only options to people on the tours, so you either eat or starve. For lunch I had Cambodian curry with chicken and a banana shake. The total was $10!

We loaded back up and went to our third temple, Bayon. (which was my favorite) This temple is known for the many carvings of the face of the King who built it. His face is literally everywhere. It was pretty cool and very detailed.

After Bayon, we went to one last temple where we would stay to watch the sunset. There wasn’t much to do around this temple so most people literally sat on the ground for two hours to wait for sunset. After watching the sunset I headed back down the mountain (we had to climb a mountain for about 10 minutes to reach the peak to watch the sunset) and toward my van. Around the parking area was many food vendors and souvenir carts. A big thing in Cambodia is young kids hustling tourists instead of going to school. Our guide warned us early so I knew not to give in. They want to encourage the kids to not beg and to hopefully enroll in school instead.

It was a super LONG day and I was so ready to head back to shower. I did just that and then headed back out to the main road for another cheap dinner (chicken lok lak) and my daily massage. (it was soooo needed on this day)

Day 3:

This day I decided to sleep in. I didn’t have any real plans and I was perfectly fine with that. Siem Reap is a super laid-back place anyway so it’s very easy to just chill out. Just like Day 2, I had my breakfast of eggs, bread, fruit, and tea. I decided to then go check out the pool for a little while too.

Around noon, I finally decided to get dressed and explore for the day. The guesthouse has free bicycles for guests to use, so I checked one out. It was the cutest old school bike with a basket on the front. Before I left I also asked about cooking classes offered in the area. I decided to book one for later that afternoon.

I took off on my bike and it was one of the most carefree feelings I have had in a very long time. It was so fun and I felt like a kid again.

My cooking class was scheduled for late afternoon, so I went back to my guesthouse to take the Tuk Tuk there. The class took place in a cozy cottage tucked behind Pub Street. Once everyone arrived, we walked over to a local market where our instructor explained some of the main ingredients used in Cambodian dishes. We spent about 30 minutes at the market then went back to the cooking cottage.

We had three courses to make and we also got to eat them all. Our starter was veggie spring rolls. We went step by step including cutting our vegetables and wetting our rice paper to make the casing. Once we made them we were able to eat them and talk about them with the other people in class.

Next up was our main dish: fish amok. (It’s another native dish of Cambodia). It was very delicious. I was amazed that I was able to actually create something that good. Our final dish was dessert which was a fried banana and passion fruit dish. (YUUUUUMMMMM) The cooking class was really fun and I was able to sit and talk with people from all over the world too. (so that was a double win) As part of the class we were given certificates, sample spices to take home, and a recipe book as well. It was well worth the $27. (I’ll add more pictures of my dishes later)

Since the class was so close to the action, I decided to head out and explore more and of course get my $3 massage. Pub street and the surrounding markets really come alive once the sun sets. I decided to even try a fish spa. They are everywhere and are also pretty cheap. It felt really weird at first but after I while I didn’t mind it since I was in deep convo with a guy from Greece who was also at the spa. (This is why I love traveling, you meet so many different people)

It was pretty packed around the markets so I just took in the sites and sounds for a few hours before heading in for the night. It was my last official night in Siem Reap and I would fly out the next evening.

On my last day, I slept in, had breakfast, and sat by the pool to read most of the day. The guesthouse allowed me to store my luggage after the check out time and I was able to still hang around the property. I even went back out on bike to just kill time. I stumbled upon a really cool Buddhist shrine. The day honestly flew by. My tuk tuk driver promptly took me to the airport to catch my flight. Next stop…Bangkok, Thailand.

Siem Reap was such a laid back and carefree place. I literally wore no makeup, workout leggings, and $1 Cambodia t-shirts the entire trip. Siem Reap is known as a hippy town and is very popular for backpackers. (people who travel with only a large back pack for extended periods) Everything was so cheap and I loved it. I would recommend maybe two-nights stay unless you plan to see more of the temples while there. It is very safe and aside from the kids who hustle, you don’t find too many beggars.

As always, thanks for reading and happy traveling!

Travel Review: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Hey folks!

In this post I will review country one, of my three country trip recently. During my first stop I had the chance to visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I will tell you everything from where I stayed to what I did. So if this is something you want to know, then continue reading.

One of the perks to teaching in Korea is the two weeks of paid vacation that we get in the winter and then in summer. I decided to take advantage of that two weeks and travel to warmer places. (It’s freezing here!!!) I booked my flights well in advance and did one-ways tickets from each place. After playing around with routes, I decided it was best financially to fly to Kuala Lumpur or “KL” from Korea.

After getting the flights locked down, I had to then search for accommodations. Since I was traveling alone I had to make a budget for what I wanted to pay for each country. I would only be staying in KL for two nights and I knew that staying in a central location was key to maximizing my time there. My first stop for searching is always booking.com for accommodations. I wasn’t really feeling what they had so I headed to airbnb.com. Lately I’ve found that airbnb is featuring more upscale places especially here in Asia, and for way less. I stumbled upon several postings for The Face Suites. I read several reviews and couldn’t believe that such a gorgeous place was so cheap. According to the posts, they were fully furnished two bedroom apartments with an amazing rooftop infinity pool on the 51st floor. You have the option to choose the smaller room for $26 a night or the master for $40 ish a night. I decided to swing for the master room in one of the apartments. So my total for the two nights was only $82. (Still kinda expensive for SE Asia)

I flew into KL from Korea late on a Saturday night and arrived after 11pm. Prior to coming to KL, I learned about a popular ride share app similar to Uber called Grab. I downloaded it before I took off to ensure it would be ready for me to use once I landed. I landed, went through customs, and ordered my car with no issues. (With grab you have the option to pay cash.) I arrived at The Face Suites and followed the instructions for obtaining my key as provided by the owner. Everything was super simple. The place was AMAZING!!! I walked in and was in awe.

After doing a quick tour, I decided to change and head out to a popular entertainment venue in the area that I knew would be closed the next night of my trip. TREC KL is a large two-story entertainment plaza  filled with bars, clubs, and restaurants. Most of the places stay open until at least 2am. Once again, I called a Grab and headed out.

The main reason for me going to TREC that night was to experience a “ball-pit” bar. (Yes, these exist and are becoming popular overseas) The ball pit bar in TREC is called Boogy Boo KL. It’s a small bar but super cute. You basically pay about $2 to get a shot of your choice and then you are allowed to enter the pit.

I walked around TREC for a little longer before deciding to catch a Grab back to the apartment. It was after 2am at this point so I was exhausted.

DAY 2:

The next morning, well a few hours later, I got up to get to the rooftop infinity pool before the crowd came. (and yes it gets crowded up there.) I went up around 8 am to get in my perfect shot! The view was amazing and it’s definitely a selling point for the place.

I didn’t stay in long because I wanted to get in a quick workout in the rooftop gym and then start my full day of exploring. I was on a tight schedule so I had to get moving.

My first stop was to get food and exchange some currency. At the advice of the apartment owner, I headed to a popular area called Bukit Bintang. He also informed me of a free bus that runs around the main parts of the city, including Bukit Bintang. After a short 5-7 minute walk I arrived at the stop for the free bus.

I hopped on for the short 7-10 minute ride (with traffic) to the area. After exchanging currency at one of the stalls, I searched for cheap eats. I came across a cute little outdoor restaurant and took a chance. After glancing the menu, I decided on chicken rice. (which is literally roasted chicken, steamed rice, and clear soup) The total for the meal was about $3.00.

I didn’t stay around to explore much of Bukit Bintang beacuse I was focused on getting to the infamous Batu Caves. Lucky for me the subway station was right across the road from the food place. I entered the station and bought the coin to head to Batu caves. I had previously studied the KL subway map so I knew the directions I needed to go in. I had to take one train to KL Sentral station and then transfer to a train that goes straight to Batu Caves. I had to buy two different tickets for the trains, but they were both fairly cheap. (about $1 or less)

The train to the Batu caves only runs every 30 minutes from KL Sentral so keep that in mind. (all other intercity trains run every 5-7 minutes)

The train ride to Batu was pretty smooth. I had a very interesting encounter while on the train as well. I was sitting next to a younger Malaysian girl when I noticed her humming along to a popular song from my church. I tapped her on the shoulder and let her know that I attend that church back in the states. She was so amazed. We struck up a conversation for the rest of the ride. It was pretty cool to see how God is literally everywhere. (Thanks Elevation Church)

The Batu stop is the last one on that line so it was easy to figure out. The train literally lets you off right in front of the caves. Since it’s a major attraction, you will likely always find it pretty crowded unless you head out super early.  I stayed around for quite awhile literally exploring all there was to explore. I walked the famous steps, stopped and watched the wild monkeys steal food from tourists, and even went inside the public part of the caves.

I made my way back onto the train and back to my apartment for a quick shower and change. I was scheduled to do something I wanted to do for a while!!!

I ordered my grab and set out for this special event. It was something I had seen done in other countries and was surprised to know it was offered in KL too. Thanks to a special friend I was finally able to take part. What is this thing you ask? It’s DINNER IN THE SKY!!! Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. You are seated at a special table and suspended in the air by a crane, all while eating a 3-course meal. Words can’t really explain how awesome it was. Just look at my pictures. (BTW the food was amazing as well)

After dinner, the night was still young so I decided to head back to Bukit Bintang to explore the shopping. In this area you will find everything from high end stores to street vendors ready to bargain. There are even street performers and a night market that comes alive too. The night market is a long road full of street food vendors. You can find a little bit of every taste from southeast Asia for super cheap. The food market stays open from 4:30pm until 3 am!!! WHOA.

I had a few more things on my list before I turned in for the night. First was to get a cheap SE Asian foot massage. There was a really nice looking spa right across from the food market. They offered massages for about $6 for 30 minutes. OMG…that foot and leg massage was so heavenly I asked for a shoulder and back one too for a few more dollars. IT WAS SO WORTH IT!! I was hooked and would end up getting one in every stop of my trip!!

After that massage I was feeling quite relaxed and honestly just wanted to go home and go to bed, but I knew I flew out the next day so I had to get in this last stop!

My last to-do item in KL was to get a shot in front of the Petronas Towers at night. I set out on foot(bad idea after that massage) to find the perfect spot. After some searching and watching others get that perfect angle, I got my picture! YAY!

Now I could officially say I did everything on my list for KL in the short time that I had. I headed back to the apartment to pack and go to bed.

The next morning I was able to get in another workout before taking a quick trip back to Bukit Bitang on the free bus for food from the same place I went the day before. It is a 24 hour restaurant so it was one of my only options at 9 am. This time I opted for the Malay fried rice and a lemon tea. DELICIOUS!

It was back to the apartments one last time to grab my bags and head to the airport. NEXT STOP…SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA! Wheels up!!

 

I hope this review of KL has been helpful although my time was pretty short there. It’s a great city that gives you modern with the perfect balance of traditional Asia. You can opt for cheap eats or even break the bank in one of its fancier establishments. Overall, KL was a pretty fun city. I would definitely go back!

 

As always, thanks for reading and Happy Traveling!!!

Tips for the aspiring (and frugal) solo traveler!

Hey folks!

It’s been quite a while since my last post but don’t fret, the travels are still going strong. I just came back from an amazing two-week solo trip around 3 southeast Asian countries. (I’ll blog about them soon) So often people ask, how do you travel solo? Well, I’m here to give some tips to those looking to do more solo traveling and for those who also don’t like to break the bank while doing so.

1. Hostels and Guesthouses are your best friends: I know what you’re thinking, a hostel??? Contrary to popular belief, hostels are no longer the grungy run down places they once were. Since more and more millennials are backpacking and taking sabbatical to travel the world for extended periods of time, hotels just aren’t economically feasible. Sure, if you are going on a short trip and maybe for a special occasion, then break the bank. Hostels and guesthouses provide safe and clean accommodations for super low prices. In southeast Asia, you can find hostels for as low as $6 per night. Another perk of hostels and guesthouses for the solo traveler is that they give you the chance to meet other solo travelers and to make friends while on your journey. A large percentage of hostels provide the same services as a regular hotel such as housekeeping, pools, and free breakfast. The only con, and honestly it’s not that bad, is that in order to get cheaper prices you will likely be staying in a dormitory style room. The rooms can have bunk beds, pods, or even single beds that you share with other guests. The same goes for the bathrooms. However, there are some hostels and guesthouses that offer private rooms for a little more money. So when planning your solo trip, don’t shy away from hostels or guesthouses. I tend to use booking.com or agoda.com. (airbnb is also an option) Once I find a place, I usually look up the REAL reviews on tripadvisor.com.
2. Pack comfortable shoes for walking: As a solo traveler, another way that I save money is by using public transportation and also by walking. (I know, I know walking sucks!) Depending on where you travel to, public transportation may not be a real thing, so you have to set out on your own two feet or risk getting overcharged by money hungry (and shady) cab drivers. If you take my advice in point one, your hostel will likely be located in a central area for tourists so walking won’t be terrible.  Just remember it’s free to walk. The only con to this is if you are in a place that may not be as safe, then by all means take what is best for your safety.
3. Public transportation? Yes please! : On my last few trips (and even living in Korea) public transportation has become my best friend. (It also helps that I have a great sense of direction and that I don’t panic too fast if I get lost.) My personal trick to navigating public transportation in foreign places is to screenshot a clear picture of the transportation maps that I plan to use. (they can easily be found with quick google searches) This is helpful because you may not always have phone service where you are and having a picture version of the maps is clutch. I also do some research ahead of time to map out some of the places or things I want to see. I may even write notes in my phone with directions to places as well to have just in case. Now there will be times that you may take a wrong turn or get off on the wrong stop, but don’t panic. Just try to ask someone at a nearby store the correct directions or if you find another foreigner (a person not native to that country) you can try to ask them. Public transportation is usually super cheap and very efficient in other countries. Also since its “public” you don’t run the risk of getting in a  private car with a shady person. The con: You have to have the patience to wait to get from point A to point B. There can always be delays with public transportation so just keep this in mind when planning activities.
4. Don’t be afraid of street food/local restaurants: We as Americans and even some in the UK, have been trained to only eat certain foods that are prepared in certain ways. When you get to 3rd world countries, they may not have the same standards as us so we shy away from the foods. However, you’d be surprised how good street food is. After all, if you are traveling for the culture then what better way to get acquainted than by eating how the locals eat. Yes, there will be restaurants that cater to tourists and serve the local dishes, but the prices will be at least double. The good thing with street food is you can watch the food being cooked right in front of you. This also gives you a chance to try to talk to the locals and learn more about that place and where else to go. Did I mention it’s usually super cheap!
5. Research the safety of the place: Another myth is that all places outside of the U.S. are not safe. Actually, southeast Asia is one of the safest parts of the world. (literally not even pickpocketing) However, don’t be totally naïve into thinking nothing can happen. You should always be aware of your surroundings. Try not to keep a lot of cash on you. Only take a little with you each day while you explore, and keep the rest locked up or hidden in a safe place in your room. Try not to act like you are alone. This is why researching and mapping things out ahead of time is helpful. You will look like you know where you are going and you won’t set off the lonely gullible tourist alarm. (Hustlers can sense this a mile away and will try to get ya by offering help and later try to charge you for it) Finally, if needed, carry a small thing of pepper spray with you. (Just make sure it’s not illegal in that country.)
6. Book tours and activities once you arrive: While planning my trips, I tend to write out a list of things I want to do in that place before I get there. However, I try to wait until I actually arrive to book. I do this for two reasons: 1. things can change and you don’t want to lose out and waste money. 2. The local tour companies usually charge less than online companies and you may be able to bargain. The only time bargaining doesn’t work is when it is a super popular tour that has a set schedule, like boat tours. Most companies usually keep the same prices but may compete by offering other perks in their price. (so just compare a few companies first before you settle on one) Another way I found to get cheap (or free tours) was by doing travel club or timeshare presentations. These aren’t as popular overseas but I lucked out in Thailand when I was approached to do one. The presentation literally only lasted the 90 minutes like they promised, and in return I received a voucher that paid for almost two days worth of activities including food. (SWEET)
7. Invest in a backpack: It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. Just get something that can hold your essentials while you are out. This is especially important for women. I normally keep bottled water, my big camera, phone charger, and wallet in mine. It’s also harder for someone to snatch it off of you too.

 

These are the things that I feel are important for the solo traveler. Of course, this isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. However, I hope this has been helpful and even encouraged someone who has been thinking about trying solo travel. Traveling solo is actually very peaceful at times and you learn so much in the process. Don’t get me wrong, I love traveling with my girls but everyone needs a solo trip to just explore on their own and in the way they want to. If you have any questions about solo traveling, please comment and I will respond. As always happy traveling!