Traveling in South East Asia? Easy peasy -

I love living in South East Asia. Period.

The cultures, the sights, the weather (well, not really for some but hey, I'm a tropical girl) --
In addition to that, it's cheap. And relatively easy to navigate.

No matter what your budget, style and interests are -- I assure you, there's always something for everyone in this part of the world.

I have some personal favourites too. By personal favourites, I meant countries I keep returning to -- without fail. So I thought I'd share with you beautiful people the countries in my Top 3 so you have a rough idea when planning your South East Asia trip.

Cambodia -
I love this country; and it is also one of my favourite place in SEA.
It's cheap. Well, INSANELY cheap to be exact. Not only that, it is so easy to get around in Cambodia -- Siem Reap, especially. There are a lot of things to do depending on your likes / dislikes.

Most people know Cambodia for the famous Angkor Wat. Sure you can go all Tomb Raider there and the other temples; but there are many, many other things to do besides exploring just the temples.

One can explore the other, darker side of Cambodia (the Killing Fields near Phnom Penh) -- it is horrifying, for sure, but at the same time fascinating. Located about 14kms outside Phnom Penh, this Killing Fields has now become a tourist attraction and one of the "must-visit" for those traveling in Cambodia.
For you beach-goers, don't 'fret. The beaches in Cambodia are such hidden gems. Slightly less popular than the neighbouring Thailand -- but still will take your breath away.

Otters Beach, Sihanoukville

Long Set Beach, Koh Rong

Serendipity Beach, Sihanoukville

See. Gorgeous, right? Something I'd definitely enjoy waking up to each morning, for sure.

Visa Requirement: Visa is required and can be obtained upon arrival (both airports and land borders) for USD$30 (single entry). This visa is valid for one month and you're required to present a passport (valid for at least 6-months from date of expiry) and a recent passport-size photo. You can also now apply for this visa online with additional USD$7 processing fee. Nationals from the following countries (Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) do not require a visa and may stay for 21 or 30 days respectively.


Indonesia -
Well, I do visit Indonesia often. Bali (though a little over-rated) is one of my favourite island. Not the usual tourists dig like Kuta, for example. I'm more of Ubud kinda girl. Very peaceful area with lots of greens, various good restaurants and yoga studios.

Yes -- the Eat, Pray, Love filming location. If that rings a bell to you.

Surfing, I can say, is one of the main attraction in Indonesia. If all you've ever wanted is to learn how to ride the waves or already love the waves, this is definitely a place for you. Though you can also explore something more low key like Gili Islands -- besides Ubud (yes, yes, I love Ubud far too much to not mention it again and again), that's for sure.

Rice-terrace in Ubud

Another view I don't mind waking up to every morning ;)

Visa Requirement: Visa exemption for over 90 countries -- you can check your country here.


Thailand -
Famous for its nickname -- Land of the Thousand Smiles; Thailand is one of the most popular countries to travel to in South East Asia. Bangkok, being a huge international hub, is one of the easiest to fly into from, literally, everywhere.

There's plenty to do in this country. Just name it.
Scuba diving in Koh Tao. Island hopping in Koh Phi Phi. Braving the tourists crowd at Khao San Rd in Bangkok. Chilling out in serene city like Chiangmai. And food -- yes, various awesome food to try.

Just between us: some of the best restaurants I've tried are located in Bangkok. You can check out Eatigo -- great app that gives you 50% off selected restaurants ;)

Koh Phi Phi

Bangkok

Visa Requirement: Nationals of most countries are eligible for 30-days visa exemption. Check your eligibility here. If you happen to exceed the 30-days period, expect to pay a fine of THB500 /day at your point of departure (been there, done that!).


So, what do you think? Did I trigger your interest to visit South East Asia yet? :)

How to Effortlessly Survive Long-Haul Flights

I think it is very safe to say that nobody enjoys long-haul flights. Nobody.

Some flights passed by in a blink of an eye (how I wish this happens all the time but ... *wishful thinking*) and some, most of them, drag on forever. Long flights definitely are petrifying especially if you rarely do it; but after the 50th times, well, it's not as bad anymore.

I've also had my fair share of flying long-haul, even the rough route. The worst I've endured (so far) was a 13-hours flight from Tampa to Dusseldorf before hopping on 7-hours flight from Dusseldorf to Abu Dhabi to catch my last leg of 8-hours Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur flight.
Yes -- I should've flown over the Pacific but somehow *stupidly* did it the other way round.

So the advices below are for people like me -- y'know those who occasionally *not so cleverly* booked long journeys on economy class. If you're a frequent business class traveler, well, you might want to skip this entry with your glass of champagne ;)

Wear something comfortable -
The key word is "wear something comfortable but presentable. I'm opposed to looking like a total dummkopf when traveling. Because, my darlings, first impression matters and you never know who you will meet or end up sitting next to on board, right?

Credits to Road Warriorette

I usually opt for Option 2 -- a comfortable, loose long pants paired with non tight-fitting long sleeved tee (awesome to go to sleep in even without blanket) and flats. Still look very much presentable but uber comfortable.

Window or Aisle? -
A good seat is uppermost important especially on the long Europe or transatlantic journey(s). On these flights, trust me, you'd want to have aisle seat -- because there's no way one can avoid a bathroom break on a 13-hours flight.
If you're booked on a plane with 3-3-3 or 2-4-2 configurations; you should opt for (either one of) the aisle seat in the middle section.

Example of a 3-3-3 config. fleet

These seats in the middle have their own advantages, though maybe not in an obvious way. It gives you easy access to the, ahem, lavatories while giving the people seated in between two options to get to the aisles.

Alternatively, check out SeatGuru -- very informative website indeed! :)

Eat. Drink. Sleep. Repeat. -
Though some might suggest skipping the meal service altogether to avoid jet lags, this still depends on the individuals. I do skip the dinner service on board whenever taking the red-eyes.
But generally -- hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Flying long-hauls are exhausting and staying hydrated is a huge part of braving these journeys. You should be chugging water before, during and after your flight.

But, sorry to be a bummer.
Though alcohol and coffee are comfort drinks for some, try to avoid them while on board. Both disrupt your ability to sleep and booze, especially, dehydrates you.

Worse still, they do no good to your skin.

Try to get your "beauty" sleep -
Getting to actually sleep on board is hard to most people. And definitely a torture staring at the plane's current route in silence while others are fast asleep. Prior to the trip, I usually shorten my sleep by a few hours and, well, last-minute packing does wonders sometimes too.

The key is to tire yourself so you'll be able to catch a wink while on the plane.

In Malaysia, we aren't able to get sleeping pills off-the-counter without any prescriptions. Sometimes even clinics don't carry sleeping pills -- or maybe they just don't want to sell them.

So again, it depends on where in the world are you :)

Moving and Stretching -
Sitting in a cramped seat for hours is a pain. Really. It is important that you keep your blood flowing while at your seat.

Some airlines are quite good at demonstrating their in-flight exercise. But 'fret not -- you can find these simple exercises easily online.

Whenever you have to be seated, you can do light exercise like occasionally twisting your torso and looking behind each shoulders. You can also roll your head back and forth to soothe a stiff neck. And when the seat belt sign is off, I usually take this opportunity to stretch my legs by either taking a bathroom break or just by hanging at the galley for a few minutes.

Oh. You can always also walk down the aisle once or twice.

Credits to The Globe and Mail

Well the thing about these tips -- it might work on one person but might not work on another. Over time, and with loads of practice; you'll get use to flying long-haul.

Enjoy your flight!

Five Ways to Fly Business Class for Less -

So what do you think is the airline industry's idea of a cruel, cruel joke?

Oh yes - you got it right. They make passengers walk through first / business class cabin on their way to their smaller seats in the economy cabin. Well, maybe not all the time these days (because at some airports, they do provide different aerobridge entrances) but, say, 80% of the time.

Thai Airways Royal Silk Class
I have to admit (whenever this happens to me -- which is, obviously, rather often) for a brief moment, I caught myself imagining what it's like to have a wider seat with loads of legroom (esp. for long-haul travels) and personalise service from the cabin crews before passing through the curtain to my own seat to tough the next hours in coach.

But 'fret not -- the front cabins aren't out of reach, after all. Many of 'em travellers sitting "in-front" are either (a) business travellers or (b) frequent flyers or even (c) very savvy flyers.

Besides the usual ways of buying (last-minute) upgrades or using your miles, you beautiful people could also give any of the following tips a try ;)

Flexibility is the Key -
Many travel consolidators have flexible date search tools which are helpful in grabbing the lowest available fares (could be on any classes). My personal favourites are Skyscanner and Priceline. Occasionally I do also go on Orbitz or Travelocity -- but not as often as the first two mentioned. Always, always remember to select the "Lowest Fare" option.

Be Willing to get Bumped -
If you can be flexible about getting to your destination, you can volunteer to be bumped from the flight (only if the flight if overbooked, of course -- this happens a lot during busy period). Being bumped means you have a good leverage to ask for a better deal. They might even say yes to putting you on the first cabin ;)

Book in Advance -
Just like on other classes, the front cabin also work on a yield management basis (the earlier you book, the better deal you will get). Last minute bookings usually only offer the higher booking classes -- targeted at business travellers.

The front cabin(s) tickets are changeable (this is FOC) -- the only difference between one booking class to the other is the validity.

Avoid Peak Business Travel Days -
Do not, I repeat, do not book (or at least try to) your journey on Mondays or Fridays. The possibility of getting lower fares are quite slim -- though you may stand a chance. I usually book mine in the middle of the week or sometimes, the "red-eye" on Saturdays. At least the comfortable seat turn flat-bed can be put to good use ;)

Experiment with your Departure and Arrival Airports -
Instead of flying to the main airport, you can also play around with arriving at destination's secondary airport. Or vice versa by playing with your departure point. Some airlines do fly to secondary airports as these arrival points offer less landing / parking fee (a plus for the airlines, for sure). For example, instead of flying to London Heathrow -- there are also options to fly into London Gatwick, etc. Or instead of departing from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, one can opt to fly out of Bangkok Don Mueang.


These require a bit more legwork on the ground before you fly, but once you're relaxing on that comfortable seat with champagne in hand -- it will be well worth it ;)
And please feel free to share your thoughts too.

But oh. Champagne is serve only if the journey is more than an hour. So no champagne on 50-minutes flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, unfortunately (talking from experience here).

Hello, January!

Nothing is predestined.
The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.

- Ralph Blum