Maldives

Up next on my trip through Asia I will travel to Maldives. The Maldives are a group of small islands located in the Indian Ocean right below India. This collection of islands is perfect for going snorkeling because there are an exceptional amount of coral reefs below the surface, so I will be spending most of my time underwater when visiting this destination.

The Tsunami Monument, Image by, Flickr

First, I will stay on the island of Boduthankurufaanu Magu. Yes, it is quite the mouthful, but an amazing place to start off my Maldives experience.  Boduthankurufaanu Magu is located in the Malé part of the Maldives, which can sometimes be hard to navigate since there are so many different islands, but this is a unique part of the country. I will start my adventure by going to the Tsunami Monument on the island that remembers those who were lost in the 2004 Tsunami from the earthquake in the Indian Ocean. It will be an interesting monument to go visit because it is this large wire structure that represents the tsunami and how tall it was. I will visit this monument during the day, but when you go visit it at night they can light it up in all different colors, to make it look amazing against the dark night sky. The monument will be right next to the beach, so I will spend the rest of the day relaxing on the beach.

For my second day in the Maldives, I will go to a place called Secret Paradise. It is about an hour from the island Boduthankurufaanu Magu, so it will be easy to travel to. At Secret Paradise there are many different types of day tours that visitors can go on to explore the Maldives even more. I will choose to go on a tour that involves island hopping, to really get the full cultural aspect of the Maldives. When going from island to island on the boat, the tour guides will allow me to go snorkeling, and discover all of the gems the Indian Ocean has to offer. The first island that we will stop at is called Himmurfushi, and we will stop and go through some of their shops to get any souvenirs that spark are interest. At the next island called Huraa, we will talk to some of the locals of the island to see how they make a living by selling the fish that they catch. We will also learn about the eco-system of the island, and how it is such a big factor in the fishermen’s lives. While snorkeling between islands, I will be able to see some sea turtles, which has been a life-long dream of mine. I will be a little scared because the animals are so large, but they are also so graceful.

Huraa Island, Image by, Huraa Island

On the last island, I will have the opportunity to visit a locals home and have them cook dinner for me. A true meal to fully dive into the culture of these wonderful islands. I will have the kindest couple to take my into their home and cook me a traditional meal called Garudhiya. Garudhiya consists of fish served over rice, lime, chili, and onion. It will be a delicious meal, and I will ask for the recipe to take back to the United States with me. To end the night we will all venture back on the boat underneath the stars. It will be an amazing way to end the night and the little time I got to spend in the Maldives. I will never forget how beautiful the islands are. I will try to come back as soon as I can to spend a whole week on the amazing beaches, and feel like royalty.

March 19, 2018 1 Comment

Dubai

On my next journey, I will travel to the amazing Dubai to explore this up and coming city. With how many people talk about Dubai, you would think it is its own country, but it is just a city-state located in United Arab Emirates. The United Arab Emirates are located right below Iran, and next to Saudi Arabia. Dubai is located on the northern tip, surrounded by the Persian Gulf. I will not be able to contain my excitement when I get off the plane because I will be so excited to go adventuring around the city!

My adventure will start at Ski Dubai, the indoor skiing complex they have right downtown. Yes, you heard that right, they have an INDOOR ski complex in the middle of the city for anyone to enjoy. Once I will get inside I will be amazed at how they fit an entire ski resort under one roof, and make it feel like I am outside, getting the full experience. I will purchase the Polar Pass for the day which includes all kinds of fun things to do with friends, and it will not be too expensive.  I am not very good at skiing, so this pass will be perfect for me because I will be able to do fun things like ride a toboggan, or go on a bobsled, to have my own fun. This resort also has scheduled snow falls, which will make everything seem more realistic. When I get tired of all the bobsledding fun, I will venture up into one of the towers, and overlook the entire ski resort, and even catch the March of the Penguins show, which is when they get the real penguins to walk around the snow, right next to you. For a moment, I will feel like I am actually on top a huge mountain outside because that is how amazing this resort will be.

Inside Ski Dubai, Image by, Atlas Obscura

Next up, in the Dubai Mall, there is the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo that I will be itching to go to. On this trip through Asia, I believe have visited a zoo or some sorts at every destination I have been too, which is crazy. When I venture into the underwater zoo, I will be able to see one of the largest reptiles in the whole world called the King Croc. This croc weighs about as much as 15 fully grown men! Unbelievable! This King Croc will be amazing to watch, but weird at the same time because this will be all happening inside a mall, but I guess this is no regular mall. Also located in the underwater zoo, there is a virtual shark tank! This is a basically a long tunnel, with LED screens that can show your favorite sharks to make it seem like you are swimming with them! I will choose to swim with the great white sharks, and it will be a little scary at first because the screens are so life-like, but once I realize that I will be ok, I will enjoy my time in the tunnel.

Dubai Aquarium, Image by, Oddviser

Last, I will go to a must-see tourist spot Dubai, and that is at the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa. It is about 160 stories tall. This building breaks so many world records in that it is the tallest building, has the tallest elevator service, the longest elevator travel distance, and the list could go on. This building is a architectural master piece, and I will be so excited to see it in person. It will feel like I am in a futuristic movie when I walk up to the building because everything seems so updated and new. When I will get into the building, I will have a room reserved for me at top! Well, not exactly the top floor because I will not have the money for that, but I will be high enough to fear for my life a little bit. The view will be mind blowing and leave me speechless. I will be so glad I made the journey all the way up to experience it for myself. Dubai will be a place that I will never forget!

Burj Khalifa, Image by, Groupon

February 22, 2018 2 Comments

Goa, India

Next up in my tour of Asia, I will travel to the west of India to a state called Goa. This is a perfect destination for tourists who come to visit the white sand beaches, or come to experience the night life. There are plenty of great reasons to visit Goa, which will be why I will choose this Indian state to be my next destination.

I will start my journey off at the Dudhsagar Waterfall. This magical place is filled with a waterfall about 600 meters high. What makes it magical is that it has a tale behind the way it was created. The locals say that there was once a princess who used to bathe in the streams, and one day she spilled her milk that she would drink every day into the stream, and thus a waterfall was created. I do not know if I believe it, but many of the locals stand by it. Anyways, this waterfall will be amazing to look at. I will stand a few feet back from the bottom of the waterfall and feel the mist hit my face as it will cool me down from the extreme heat. There will be many different ways that you can reach the top of the mountain and one of them is taking a train to the top. There are only two trains a day, so we will take the morning train up, and then follow the trains back down to the bottom. Seeing everything from the top of the mountain will be an amazing view, and I will be happy I made the trek all the way up to the top because it was worth it. When I will go back down to the bottom, I will see many people swimming in the lake at the bottom of the falls. It will be a nice way to cool off from the trek down the mountain!

Dudhsagar Falls, Image by, Voyager

Up next after the falls, I will make my way to the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. This sanctuary is a place you can go if you want to see some wildlife and stay in some wood cottages to get the full experience. Some of the wildlife you can see there include anything from giant squirrels and spotted deer, to cobras and jungle cats. You are sure to get the whole experience when staying here. I will decide to stay the night in the cottage, so I can spend the rest of my day exploring the forest. I will choose to get a jeep tour through the forest. It will be a rough and exciting ride, as I will have to hold on tight, bracing myself from abrupt turns and bumps, and also be on the watch for all of the different types of animals I could see. Surprisingly enough, I will catch glimpses of some elephants, and wild deer roaming the area. There will also be some leopards here and there that will make me scared for my life, but it will be an exciting rush of energy. After the long, adventurous tour, I will head back to my cabin and fall asleep to the noises of the forest, hoping no cobras will sneak up to my door. In the morning, I will drink some coffee on my porch, and enjoy the peacefulness of the nature around me. I will be so glad I chose to spend the night there in the middle of the sanctuary because it will have made me feel apart of the nature around me.

The Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary entrance, Image by, TripAdvisor

That will be it for my time in Goa, and what a magical time it will be. I will be sad to leave, but as always I cannot wait to see the next place I will get to go to.

February 15, 2018 1 Comment

Agra, India

Once I leave Vietnam, I will go straight to a country I have been very excited for. Off too India I will go, and I will have so many fun things planned to get the most out of my experience there. I will start off the trip in Agra, home to the famous Taj Mahal because how could I come to India and not visit one of the seven world wonders! Of course there is plenty more to explore when visiting this amazing country, and I cannot wait to get to it.

First off, Agra is in the northern part of India, in the center of the country. This will be more first destination in Asia that will keep me far from the beach, which will be a little sad, but I think I will be able to find plenty of things to do. I will start my journey through Agra by going to Mehtab Bagh. This is a park that surrounds the Taj Mahal, and it is like a large garden that protects the building. It was built a long time ago to protect the Taj Mahal from the sand that would be blown around, so the leader at the time built this surrounding garden to make sure the building would go unharmed. It is a beautiful place to walk around and admire the amazing Taj Mahal. Pictures will not do this structure justice, I will be in awe at the beauty of the building and surrounding flowers. It will be a very relaxing experience to free my mind from the stress of traveling.

Taj Mahal from Mehtab Bagh, Image by, What In India

Next, I will head straight to the Taj Mahal for a special tour of the inside. I will have picked the perfect time to tour because I will be going at night and be able to see a great view of the full moon that night! The inside will blow my mind, every decoration has an intricate detail to it that will leave me wondering how long it took to create this master piece, and how many different people worked on it. When I will walk through this world wonder, everyone will be silent just trying to wrap their heads around the sights of the ceilings, and artwork all around. The only bad thing about this building is that the smell will be very interesting, to say the least. It is quite hard to explain, but since there are not to many windows on our tour letting in the fresh air, the smell of the Taj Mahal will clear the ones nostrils for sure. But, the beauty of the building will be worth enduring the stench of the air for.

Inside the Taj Mahal, Image by, Top World Resort

After the long day of trekking through the Taj Mahal, and exploring the surrounding gardens I will need sometime to relax. I will make my way to this funky little restaurant called Bob Marley Restaurant. I think the name says it all, but this little restaurant is very relaxing, and has a lot of unique designs on the wall. Almost a complete turnaround from looking inside the the Taj Mahal, but this restaurant will amaze me with all of the funky wall art. The menu will serve up some traditional Indian food that will not be too outlandish for my tastebuds. This restaurant will have a great atmosphere where friends and family can come together, play games, and eat great food, without at worry in the world. A perfect place for me to end my time in Agra, India, and it will leave me more excited for what else this amazing country has to offer.

Inside Bob Marley Restaurant, Image by, TripAdvisor

February 9, 2018 Leave a Comment

Ho Chi Minh City

After Singapore, I will travel a little more to the East because I will be going to one of Vietnam’s premier cities, Ho Chi Minh City! This city may seem familiar to you because it played a large role in the Vietnam war. This city has many cool aspects to it including some French cathedrals, and some open air markets that are very popular.  I will not have much time to spend in Ho Chi Minh, but I will be excited to visit as many places as I can, and get the most out of my day.

I will first start off at Tao Dan Park, which is a quaint little park, that many locals will go to do their daily exercising routines, and I will find out it is a very popular place for bird watching! Bird watching is so popular there that they even have a special Bird Cafe, where you can eat among the birds. I will go through the park a little more to discover all of the beautiful landscape there is. There will be a mix of  beautiful flowers among old relics that make this place a perfect sanctuary for some of the locals to just come sit and reflect on their day. I will sit there and admire the scenery, as the birds chirp in my ear, and will briefly be reminded of being home. When my time comes to an end in the “Central Park of Ho Chi Minh” I will make my way to Independence Palace, a 15 minute walk from Tao Dan Park.

Tao Dan Park, Image by, City Pass Guide

I will make my way to Independence Palace, a landmark from the Vietnam war. It was the site of where the Northern Vietnamese soldiers crashed through at the end of the war, resulting in the fall of Saigon. It will be an amazing piece of history to go and experience for myself, and to see the way the natives treat this landmark. It will have a dark feel to it, as this site marks the fall of their very own city during the war. It is a very intricately designed building in that when looking at the outside it is a perfectly white structure, with bright flags flowing on top of the building. Outside there are even the two tanks that overtook the city, parked on the lawn. Inside the building there are even some artifacts that were used during the war, that visitors can look at. I will be amazed at all the little things that the Vietnamese have kept around to remind us of this war that happened, not too long ago.

Picture of the tanks coming through the gates that are still up today, Image by, Saigoneer

Independence Palace, Image by, The Independence Palace

My last stop for the day will be at the Bitexco Financial Tower. This is one of the few skyscrapers in Ho Chi Minh, and one of the tallest in the city as well! So, I will make my way to the top of the tower to get some eye-catching views of the city as the sun sets. I will have planned my timing perfectly to catch the sunset. It will be a perfect way to end my time in this beautiful city, under the stars and seeing what some of the nightlife looks like from up above. First, I will have to climb the 68 floors to the top though (it is making me tired just writing it), so it will really give my legs a workout. As I climb the floors, I will realize that the windows on the building are incredible, as each one is different from another because of the odd shape of the building. It is not just a skyscraper, but also a masterpiece! The tower has its own sky deck, that I will reach with very tired legs, but it will all be worth it when I see the view. Once I reach the top, it will be amazing, seeing all of the lights of the buildings start to turn on as the sun goes down. It will also be such a peaceful ending to my busy day, navigating my way through the city, but what a spectacular time I will have spent in Ho Chi Minh City!

Bitexco Financial Tower, Image by, TripAdvisor

January 31, 2018 Leave a Comment

Singapore

Leaving the beautiful country of Thailand will be sad, but I will be super excited to go a little further south to the city of Singapore! Singapore is a small city island just south of Malaysia, filled with many great sights to see and fun things to do. As I sit on the plane to get there, I will be super excited, as I have heard that Singapore is a little city filled with a lot of great people to meet, so it will be very cool to learn about their culture.

As soon as I put my belongings down in the hotel room, I will be out and on the road to my first tourist destination. I will be making my way towards the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. And yes, housed inside is Buddha’s very own tooth! It sounds very odd, but the people here treat that tooth as something very sacred to them, and their faith. Now, this museum is not just a big building with a single tooth in it (that would be a little scary), but it is also a Buddhist Temple, where people can get daily tours and see a museum with other Buddhist relics. They also have special events for guests that come for the Chinese New Year! All around, it will be super cool to go inside one of Singapore’s most sacred places and experience the lengths they will go to for their beliefs. The different artifacts that are covered in intricate designs will just blow my mind. The most surprising part is that they keep the tooth relic inside a large stupa made of 320 kilograms of gold! That will be unreal for me to see, and really help me understand the culture even more than I thought I did.

The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Image by, Singapore N Beyond

Next up on the list of things to do in Singapore is go to a place called Gardens by the Bay. This is a really unique place because it is not your typical garden. Art structures fill the pathways, and there is so much detail put into every single place I will look, when exploring the Gardens by the Bay. One place in particular that will be amazing is there attraction called Cloud Forest. It is basically like walking through a rainforest, in the clouds. I will climb to the top through twisting walkways, almost making it seem like I am walking through the clouds, until I reach the top of this mountain to see this crazy waterfall. The best part yet is that this place is all indoors, so that makes it even more incredible to experience. This place is so large that I will almost get lost trying to reach the top of the mountain! Also all of the tropical, water flowers will be pleasing to look, making this Cloud Forest the most beautiful places I will have been to. I will want to spend my whole entire day there, but I have one last stop to make for my stay in Singapore!

Cloud Forest, Image by, TripAdvisor

To end my night in Singapore, I will head over to the Singapore Zoo, for a nighttime safari through the rainforest! This is one of Singapore’s most popular tourist destinations, in that it is a nocturnal zoo, so we will get into these little carts and journey through some of the animals homes, to see what they are up to at night! Some of the animals I will get to see include elephants, tigers, and leopards. It will be exhilarating as these animals will come right up to our vehicles, trying to observe us as close as we are observing them! This experience will last with me for a lifetime, as I will never forget the warm, humid air, and the experience to see these native animals up close and personal.

If I could spend another 30 days in Singapore, I would have, but I will have to be up early in the morning to travel to my next destination in Asia!

January 26, 2018 Leave a Comment
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