Anyone who has been to Tioman Island, Malaysia well knows the challenges of getting there. My own first-time efforts were flat out embarrassing, due to (at the time) lack of consistent how-to-get-there information, bus and ferry schedules, and me being geographically challenged to begin with. I was elated to discover that SKS Airways had recently […]
Pulau Tioman, Just an Island Hop Away
Pulau Tioman Island is a photo essay in idyllic island bliss. It’s rare to find an online photo showing anything but. And for the most part it’s true. However, getting to this tropical wonderland has a few challenges that first-time visitors should be prepared for. Is it worth the effort? Yes! And if you’re smart […]
Blissfully Easy Perhentian Island Day Trip
The thought of taking a Perhentian Island Day Trip had never crossed my mind before. Being an all or nothing kind of gal, when I head to a beach vacation I usually pack for a few solid days of sun, sand and sea. But my recent return trip to Kelantan, Malaysia was already a full […]
Penang War Museum, Where the Fort Comes Alive!
Penang War Museum had been on my to-do list for a few years now, yet it was a quick post-lockdown, last-minute excursion to Penang that finally brought me to its doors. To be honest, I had never realized how close it is to the Penang International Airport. With that realization and limited time in Penang, […]
Haunting Beauty of Georgetown’s Old Protestant Cemetery
En route to a lunch date, the last thing I expected to see as I shuffled along busy Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah was a historic cemetery. Surrounded by busy streets and buildings short and tall, sat a fenced in patch of green grass, statuesque leafy trees and a lot of very old looking gravestones. Seemingly […]
8 Cool (and Ethical) Things to Do in Phuket
The list of things to do in Phuket, Thailand can include a lot of oh-so-typical as well as not-so-ethical options. My brief introduction, years ago, left me unimpressed and certainly in no hurry to return. Pretty much just another over-developed touristy island. But I did eventually return and discovered that there are things to do […]
First Time Visitor’s Guide to Pulau Tuba
Ever hear of Pulau Tuba Island? Unless you are familiar with the northwest coast of Peninsula Malaysia, you probably have not. Unbeknown to many, Pulau Tuba (Tuba Island) is one of the four populated islands of Langkawi’s 99-island Archipelago. The others being Pulau Dayang Bunting, Pulau Rebak and Pulau Langkawi itself. Located 5-kilometers southwest of […]