Hello friends! Since I am stuck inside quarantining from the COVID-19 virus, what better way to spend the time than catching up on blogging? I have now been back in the States for almost a week since I got back from my most recent trip and I’m excited to share my experiences with you! As some of you may know, I were supposed to go to Beijing, China on the 72 hour visa-free transit program. Unfortunately I had to change plans due to the virus, (as China was the epicenter at the time) and decided to re-purpose those first three days between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia instead, and kept Cambodia and India as originally planned. Even with this change of plans, I am happy with how the trip turned out and would definitely recommend a visit to these 4 places. Read on to find out how I spent my amazing 17 days in Asia!
After a long journey from New York, I finally arrived in Singapore in the evening after almost 2 days of flying (yikes!). I had just one evening and the next morning to spend in this fantastic city, so I wanted to see and do as much as I could with the short time we had.
Day 1: Singapore
After I dropped my bags off at the hotel, I headed over to one of Singapore’s famous Hawker Centres, Lau Pa Sat Food Court. I was famished after many many hours of flying and I knew Singapore was famous for its food! Some of the must haves are Fish Ball Soup, Satay (chicken, beef, pork, and prawn), and most famously, Chilli Crab. The Hawker Centres are a great way to try a lot of really high quality foods in one sitting and the centres are everywhere, so no matter where you are staying, you can find one nearby! Each stall at the Hawker Centre perfects a few dishes and serves only that, so the food is top notch. I also found it to be really clean and safe to eat from, even with a virus going on, so if that’s a concern for anyone, hopefully this eases your mind. (Singapore is a really clean city in general!).
After my delicious meal, I headed over to Gardens By The Bay to see the famous light show. The times for this light show are 7:45pm and 8:45pm and it is 15 minutes in length – do not miss it, it’s really quite spectacular! After the light show at the gardens, I headed over to Marina Bay to try and catch THEIR light show. Unfortunately due to the Coronavirus, that light show had been canceled :(. The Marina Bay light show is best seen on the other side of the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, so if you are lucky enough to catch it, that is where to do it. The times for that show are 8pm, 9pm, and 11pm. I wish I could have seen it but the show at the gardens was amazing, in lieu.
After the lights show(s), I went back to the hotel and changed clothes for a night of partying at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel. At the top of the hotel, there is an infinity pool which overlooks the entire city (only open to hotel guests) as well as a restaurant, and a couple bars. The bar I decided to go to is called Ce La Vi Rooftop Bar/Club on the 57th floor. I had only planned to go up for a drink or two, but I was pleasantly surprised they actually had a party with a live DJ that night, and so a couple drinks turned into partying all night long! SO MUCH FUN. I had a great time and definitely recommend a visit, a bit of warning though the drinks and cover charge were a bit steep, but for me, it was my only night on the trip to party and indulge, so I partook. If you do not want to spend the cash, you can just go up and take a couple pics of the view without actually going into the club. And while there is a cover charge, it does go toward your first drink.
Day 2: Singapore / Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The next morning I had a few hours before an afternoon flight, so decided to explore Singapore’s Chinatown. Luckily, too, this was very close to the hotel. Chinatown during the day was very quiet at first, but started to pick up as the day wore on. Chinatown was filled with shops and food stalls, many of which you can (& should!) try Singapore’s national dish, Chicken Rice. If you have time I recommend visiting at night, but if you only have the morning/afternoon, it is still worth a visit.
After wandering around Chinatown, it was finally time for my flight to Malaysia!
Where I Stayed:
Southbridge Hotel
210 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058759
http://www.thesouthbridgehotel.com
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I arrived in Malaysia in the late afternoon. After settling in, I decided to check out the infinity pool atop the hotel, which was pretty much the whole reason I booked that hotel. The pool was just as beautiful in person as it was in the pictures! It was breathtaking how it appeared, like the pool just went on forever over the edge of the hotel. The views of the Petronas Towers didn’t suck too much either 😉
After a couple hours of lounging by the pool, I headed over to Little India for dinner. I heard about this place called Vishal Food and Catering, where they serve you your meal on a banana leaf. I walked in to this little hole in the wall place with no other tourists in sight, I sat down unsure of what to do. It was pretty confusing at first, but eventually a staff member came over and started serving me. There was definitely a language barrier, but once I had my meal in front of me, I have to say it was one of the best Indian meals I have ever had! (and that speaks volumes, considering I was actually in India on this trip!) When finished with your meal, you just fold your banana leaf over and, they know you are finished.
Last stop of the night was the famous Petronas Towers. The towers from the outside were breathtaking! Inside the towers was a mall with familiar stores like Tiffany’s, Sunglass Hut, etc. You can go up the towers to the skybridge for about $20 pp, but I skipped out on that, as I thought the towers looked way better from the ground.
Day 3: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Day 2)
The next morning I woke up super early and took an uber to the Batu Caves. The Batu Caves are an extremely popular tourist attraction, although you would not know by the lack of tourists that were there (probably because of the virus and also because I was there right as it opened). The caves themselves are said to be some 400 million years old! The caves are open from 7am-7pm. To get to the caves you walk up 272 colorful steps. Inside the caves you see some temples, as well as the limestone walls that make up the cave. The caves were beautiful and the best part, is that they are free to visit! There is, however, a part of the cave you can visit (at the base) which does require an entry fee. I chose to just visit the main caves and for me it was enough. It was cool to see the little monkeys walking around too, but make sure to safeguard your stuff. While they’re seemingly very cute, they can be quite the little thieves!
After a few hours at the caves, I headed over to the Central Market, which was on the way to my ultimate destination, Chinatown. At the market you will find shops and food. While at the market, I noticed that there was a shop that had Kopi Luwak Coffee. Kopi Luwak Coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world oz per oz. The coffee is famous for its delicious flavor. A small single shot espresso set me back over $10. What gives the coffee its amazing flavor is that the coffee beans are eaten, digested by the Kopi Luwak animal and then pooped out (yes it sounds gross, but it was actually very good!).
After the market I made my way to Petaling Street (Chinatown) for lunch. Just like the Chinatown in Singapore, the streets were lined with shops and delicious food, however it was much more lively and bigger than its Singaporean counterpart. Although I originally planned to eat in Chinatown, I ended up saving my appetite for traditional Malay food instead, which I found wandering the streets near the hotel. I ate Beef Rendang and Chicken Tomato Sauce at Nasi Lemak Wanjo. The food was great and this was more of a locals joint, than for tourists, so that’s how you know the food is pretty legit!
For dinner, I heard about a street called Jalan Alor which was an extremely popular food street. The popular foods to try here are Roti Canai, Wings (I recommend getting them at Wong Ah Wah), Dim Sum, Satay, Char Kuey Teow noodle dish, and Ice Cream in a coconut shell.
Where I Stayed:
Ibis Hotel City Centre
32 Jalan Yep Kwan Seng, Kampang Baru, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
http://www.ibis.accor.com (for all Ibis Hotels – we LOVED this hotel!)
Day 4: Siem Reap, Cambodia
Early the next morning, I had a flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. Upon landing, I met my Tuk Tuk Driver, Mr. Sokthear, who was sent by the hotel to pick me up. I spent most of the first day eating and lounging at the hotel. I ate some popular favorites like Khmer Noodles and Beef Lok Lak (Shaking Beef). I also spent time poolside; the cold water was very refreshing in the hot weather! The hotel had an amazing pool with elephant jets and a pool bar. It was a great way to relax and take in the amazing Cambodian hospitality.
That first day I also spent some time touring Pub Street. Pub Street is the main drag in Siem Reap, with bars, restaurants, shops etc. While I did enjoy the ambience here, one thing I did not like was being asked if I wanted a tuk tuk every couple minutes. Simply just be polite and say ‘no tuk tuk today’ and sometimes you have to say ‘no tuk tuk tomorrow’ as many drivers know you are there for Angkor Wat, which is really only seeable with a tuk tuk, so they’ll try and get you to make the journey with them. Also on Pub Street, there are inexpensive massage parlors. Lower end massage parlors (like Master Feet) can cost $6-$8 for a 1 hour full body/oil massage. Higher end massage parlors run around $18-$20 for a full body/oil massage. I had both done one at Master Feet, which I thought was excellent and then I did of the higher end ones as well, which I booked through the hotel. Both massages did the trick, but the higher end ones afford more privacy and a more relaxing/intimate environment. In addition to human massage parlors, they also have fish massage tanks, in which the Garra Ruffa fish eat the dead skin off your feet; I did this in Thailand – it tickles a lot but leaves your feet feeling baby smooth. This is definitely an experience you should do at least once while in Southeast Asia.
Day 5 – Siem Reap – Angkor Wat
The next morning was what I was excited to see the most, Angkor Wat! Though I got up at 3:30am, it was so incredible to see the sunrise here! This was a bucket list item for me so I was also excited to finally get this crossed off my list. I was able to book this experience right through the hotel and again have Mr. Sokthear take us around the complex. The hotel offered 2 Angkor Wat packages – one was a smaller one where you saw a bit less of the complex and the other was a larger one where you saw more. I opted for the smaller package and found it to be perfect for the kind of experience I was looking for. I paid $22 USD for this package (+ $36 for Angkor Wat entrance ticket), which took me to the main temples, as well as the famous one from ‘Tomb Raider” and as a pleasant surprise, the hotel also packed me breakfast. If you are in Cambodia and looking for a driver, Mr. Sokthear is amazing!. His email is (sokthear_san@yahoo.com). He drove me around for the entire day and we even stopped along the way to eat the breakfast the hotel packed and have some coffee and tea. Mr. Sokthear was very accommodating throughout everything.
It is recommended to get your Angkor Wat ticket beforehand, otherwise the morning of the excursion, the driver can take you to the booth. We went the morning of and the wait wasn’t bad. It is $36 USD for the entrance ticket and they do take credit card. See below for some amazing shots from the day! (These really do not do it any justice, so I definitely recommend going to see this for yourself!)
Where I Stayed:
Le Chanthou Boutique Hotel
Bakheng Road, Krong Siem Reap
Day 6: Full Travel Day – Cambodia / India
Not much to post about on this day. I had a long day of flying and layovers. I arrived in Delhi at Night and made my way to the hotel via metro. Delhi has an easy and convenient metro system. I found it pretty seamless to navigate and arrived at the hotel with no problems. They were also super accommodating and were able to book our tickets to Agra for us 2 days later.
Word about train tickets: I have heard it is difficult to book any train tickets from outside India. Many people use an agent to book it for them, but I do not know how reputable that is. I recommend staying at a hostel, which are typically very accommodating to travelers and having them do it for you. Because I traveled during Holi, the trains were pretty booked so I didn’t really have too much of a choice as to which train I could take. I was able to get 2 seats in the sleeper car of the Samta Express but unfortunately all trains from Mathura going back to Delhi were booked. (I ended up taking the bus – more on that later).
Day 7 – India (Delhi)
This was my first full day in India, which is where I spent the rest of the trip. Since I only had one day in Delhi, I decided to make the most of it. The first stop was to Akshardham Temple. In the spirit of conserving time, I took our picture of the temple and kept moving. If you have more time than I did I am sure the inside is worth a visit as well.
Next stop was Bangla Sahib Sikh Temple. The temple was beautiful. They are also extremely generous, as they provide meals at no cost to anyone who shows up. Everyone eats together in a large room, where you sit on the floor. They feed hundreds of thousands of people each day. The meal consists of chapati (bread), dhal (lentils), and rice. This was an awesome experience to be a part of. I was also able to go back into the kitchen and help prepare some of the food. Everyone who serves the food or cooks here is a volunteer.
Next I made my way to India Gate, which was very cool. Not much to do here but take a couple of shots. Also the weather turned out to be not so good, so I didn’t spend too much time here. All in all, a nice thing to see while in Delhi.
After India Gate, I headed over to Raj Ghat which is the burial place of Mahatma Gandhi. Raj Ghat is a beautiful park built around his memorial – a very beautiful and peaceful place filled with many of his powerful quotes.
After Raj Ghat I went over to Red Fort, just like I did with Akshardham Temple, I took pictures and moved on. If you have more time then I did, I am sure the inside is worth a visit as well.
Last stop of the day was Chandi Chowk which is in the heart of Old Delhi. Chandi Chowk is teaming with street food, shops, stores, hustlers, pretty much anything you can think of! I was also able to pick up a couple of kurtas to wear for Holi (as I didn’t want to ruin any of my clothes. I bought the kurtas cheap here, with the intention of leaving them in India when I was done).
Day 8 – India (Delhi / Agra)
Next morning I made my way to the train station to catch the train to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. The hostel I stayed at was able to get me a ticket on the aforementioned Samta Express. The train ride took about 2.5 -3 hours, which was not too bad, but the train was really crowded.
Where I Stayed:
Joey’s Hostel
1/49 Lalita Park, Laxmi Nagar, Main Vikas, New Delhi 110092
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Once I got to Agra, I made our way to the hotel, settled in, then ventured out to see the famous Taj Mahal. The Taj Mahal was just as impressive as it was hyped to be, this is a definite must visit if ever in India! Also another bucket list item for me, so I was excited to have been able to check this one off as well!
Where I Stayed:
Taj Resorts
538, Taj East Gate Road, Near Shilp Gram, Forest Colony, Tajgani, Agra, Uttar Pradesh 2822001
http://www.hoteltajresorts.com
Day 9: India (Vridavan)
The next morning, I got an uber and headed over to Vrindivan, where the Holi celebration is a major deal. I was supposed to do 2 days in Agra, but while incredible, I didn’t find a whole lot to do there other than the Taj Mahal. I decided to add on Vrindavan and found a last minute hotel, so I checked out of the Agra hotel a day early and headed there. The main place to experience Holi in Vrindivan (other than the streets) is at Banke Bihari temple. There are many events in the days leading up to the main Holi Day in Vrindivan. Vrindivan is thought to be the birthplace of the Hindu god Lord Krishna. Banke Bihari temple is dedicated to him. It is recommended to tourists to visit the temple the morning before Holi, but I was here and the locals also told me that the evenings were good to visit, so since I was there a day early I decided to check it out. Some words of advice when visiting this temple during Holi:
NUMBER 1: Do NOT wear shoes or sandals into the temple. It might sound gross, but seriously, barefoot is the way to go. They make you take your shoes off outside the temple and with the sheer number of shoes being left outside, this leads me to …
NUMBER 2: Do NOT count on finding your shoes once you leave the temple (my sandals were nowhere to be found when I left the temple). It’s just a mass chaos of people trying to locate shoes, shoes being stepped on … it’s just better off forgoing shoes altogether. I saw most people just walking around the streets of Vrindavan barefoot … well, now I know why!
NUMBER 3: It can get pretty rowdy and “pushy” trying to get into the temple; if this is too much for you it may not be wise to visit this temple.
NUMBER 4: Cover your mouth and eyes, or you will be eating the powder. It’s non-toxic but can hurt if it gets in your eyes and is unpleasant to eat.
Once you are inside it is an amazing experience to share and worship this holiday with the Indian people. It can be a bit overwhelming, but the locals are very welcoming in sharing the experience with them.
Where I Stayed:
Hotel Shubham Holidays
Gandhi Road, Vrindavan Vidyapeeth Crosing, Vrindavan Uttar Pradesh 281121
Booked through Goibibo
Day 10: India (Mathura)
After the first day of Holi experiences, I headed to Mathura for day 2 of Holi. This day, which is the last day of Holi in Vridivan, concludes at the temple in the morning. I skipped this as I was at the temple the night before. In the afternoon, around 2pm, Holi proceeds to Mathura, where a procession begins at Vishram Ghat and ends just after Holi Gate. I met up with the procession somewhere in between the two landmarks and partied in the streets with the people, throwing colored powder around and dancing. The procession was wild, crazy and fun, and in my opinion, more enjoyable than Holi at Banke Bihari, however I have some more words of caution:
NUMBER 1: Cover your mouth and eyes, or you will be eating the powder. It’s non-toxic but can hurt if it gets in your eyes and is unpleasant to eat.
NUMBER 2: As a white person in India celebrating Holi, you are seen as a celebrity to the locals. Many of the locals will ask you to take a selfie with them. This can seem harmless at first, however after a while it can get overwhelming.
In the evening is Holika Dahan, a celebration where they burn the evil “Aunty” Holika throughout the town. Holika who was a woman who apparently tried to kill a young prince by burning him. The Aunty had a spell that prevented her from getting burnt, but somehow the tables turned and she was burnt instead of the prince, who was spared and saved. This was the story told to us by the locals and could be inaccurate, but it seems legit, lol.
There were many effigies for the burning around town, most beginning around 10pm or 11pm. I was able to catch the burning right outside of the hotel.
Day 11: India (Mathura – ‘Official Day of Holi’)
On this morning, most tourists went to Dwarkadeesh Temple. I however decided I was holi’d out and instead decided I wanted to visit Vishram Ghat. I decided to walk to the Ghat from the hotel. Vishram Ghat was beautiful, calm and safe.
One thing to keep in mind if you are a women in India during Holi. Some women report being targeted and groped in the streets. I suggest having a tuk tuk or uber bring you from your hotel to wherever you want to go and avoid walking on the streets.
After Vishram Ghat, I made my way back to the hotel at this moment some of the female tourists shared their unfortunate experience. They did share with me however that they went to the temple and inside the temple it was much safer and it was only in the street that they had such experiences. With that Irecommend the following for the Day of Holi:
NUMBER 1: If you are a woman and you wish to visit the temple or even the ghat take a tuk tuk to your destination to avoid time in the street.
NUMBER 2: Avoid interacting with groups of adolescent boys as much as possible, it was those groups that I noticed and heard were the main culprits.
NUMBER 3: If you are a woman who is alone I recommend avoiding Holi altogether unless you can find local women, families or some other trustworthy group to celebrate with.
I spent the rest of the day inside the hotel. I don’t regret celebrating Holi in India, it can be an amazing experience, but I definitely recommend taking precautions so that you can ensure you have safe and positive experience.
Where I Stayed:
Madhav Muskin Residency
58/169 Krishna Puri Road, Sadar Bazar Mathura Uttar Pradesh 281001
Day 12: India (Mathura / Delhi)
The next morning I had to get from Mathura to Delhi but since I could not get train tickets, I went to the bus station and took a bus to Delhi. The bus was very cheap but also very crowded. Unlike the train, you don’t need any tickets ahead of time. Just show up and get on the bus and go. There was a bit of confusion which bus was the one going to Delhi, but when I got to the bus station, helpful locals pointed me to the right bus.
I booked my hotel next to the airport since I had a flight the next morning to Varanasi. Once back in Delhi, I spent my time hanging out at a local “secured” mall. The mall gave me a much needed break from the loud and crazy atmosphere of the streets of India. Sometimes when you are traveling for long periods of time you need to experience some of the comforts that remind you of home and that is exactly what I did that day. It was great to just sit in a coffee shop, order tea & coffee and be in a relaxing quiet space. I was also able to find Subway for lunch, which was nice since I was a bit ‘over’ Indian food.
Where I Stayed:
Airway Palace
Street Number 10A, Block RZ, Mahipalpur Village, Mahipalpur New Delhi Delhi 110076
Day 13: India (Varanasi)
The next morning I arrived in Varanasi. The first thing I did was walk around the Ghat which is where my hotel was conveniently located.
I heard that one of the popular things to do in Varanasi is to bathe in the spiritual Ganges River, so I dipped my feet in. I was not brave enough to fully bathe in the river. With all the cremation ashes that are thrown in the river on a daily basis, I just couldn’t bring myself to fully immerse in the water. All in all, it was refreshing and beautiful.
Later that evening I booked a boat tour which went up and down the Ganges and visited the two cremation sites. It was very spiritual. Varanasi was definitely what I needed to lift my spirits. After the boat ride was over, I went back to the main Ghat to watch the candle ceremony, which is performed nightly. The ceremony is 45 minutes long from 6:45 pm to 7:30pm. It was enjoyable to watch and consisted of singing and dancing and drew large crowds.
Day 14: India (Varanasi)
I spent this day walking around Varanasi and spending time on the balcony which overlooked the Ganges. While on the balcony, an angry little monkey desided to square off with me. Like the ones in Malaysia, these guys are pretty sneaky! this monkey proceeded to show his fangs to show he was the alpha. I decided it was better to give him the win that day, so that I may live to see another day :).
Where I Stayed:
Hotel Sita
22/16 Chausatthi Ghat Dashaswedmedh Varanasi 221001
Day 15: India (Varanasi)
Since my flight back to Delhi was not until 7pm, I had the entire day before I had to be at the airport, but with the Coronavirus news getting more and more dreary with India suspending Visas, and the US beginning to suspend overseas travel (like flights from Europe), I went to the airport early, as I was anxious to get home. I was able to get on an earlier flight, which was nice, but that meant sitting in Delhi Airport for many hours. I just wanted to know I was underway and not having the uncertainty looming on me for many hours, plus there was more to eat and drink at Delhi Airport, Varanasi Airport was very small with limited food and drink options. I finally made it back home the next morning. Arriving back home was very weird as the roads which were usually packed with traffic were desolate. I am home, but not the home I recognized.
Days To Follow:
The next week New York began shutting down and I was self-quarantining at home to help flatten the curve and just incase I was exposed to anything while traveling, but so far I feel good.
My trip to Asia was bittersweet in many ways. The trip was amazing for the most part except for a few instances, but mainly it was bitter sweet because usually I come home and share stories with friends and family, but with this pandemic engulfing our lives it seems odd to share our exciting stories of my travels, so I decided to just leave it all hear in the blog so that our friends, family, and followers can decide when they want to hear my travel stories.
I wish everyone the best of health in this difficult time for our country and know that we are all in this together, in support of eachother.
Have you been to any of the places I talked about in this blog? If so I would love to hear about your experienced. I love you guys and as always Saif-Travels!
Saif Travels 