Ozasiatraveller
I have been exploring South-East Asia for over twenty years and have visited some of the best destinations in the region. Through my blog, I want to share some interesting travel tips, my experience of driving across Asian destinations and some of the best places to explore in this region. I have undertaken hundreds of road trips, across Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Most of the information in this blog comes through my own road trips and adventures in the exotic locations I have visited.
I have, in the past followed in Anthony Bourdain's footsteps and visited most of the restaurants his team explored in their shows. Join in on my adventures and follow my trails on Instagram & Facebook Page.
Pangkor Island or Pulau Pangkor is located around 250 km north of Kuala Lumpur in the state of Perak. If you are planning to drive to Pangkor Island from Kuala Lumpur, it will take around 3 hours to reach Lumut, which is the nearest city to Pangkor Island. Pangkor Island is a popular holiday destination from Kuala Lumpur with plenty of quality accommodation and interesting things to do for the entire family.
If you are travelling with family to Pattaya there are great accommodation option available in and around Pattaya. Pattaya has undergone massive development in the last decade and you will observe large housing complexes and buildings along the Pattaya to Jomtien beach which is located around 5 km south of Pattaya CBD.
There are plenty of options to travel to Pattaya from Bangkok. If you are just planning to visit Pattaya catches a taxi costing around 1000 Baht. The prices are fixed for taxis from the airport. A better option is that you can rent a car from Avis or Eurocar at Bangkok Intl.
Restaurants in Bangkok
Visiting Thailand is about shopping, eating, visiting historical and getting a glimpse into a rich culture full of colour and flavours. If you have done your homework before your visit, you must have a list of a couple of nice restaurants to visit to taste authentic the dishes. I try to search for well-reviewed local eat-out and have come across really nice spots with great food.
One of the new places I discovered on my last visit was Bann Kanitha (69 South Sathorn Road, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120) http://www.baan-khanitha.com/.
The restaurant is in spacious located on main Sathorn Road. I was staying at Centrepoint Wireless Road, which is very close to Lumphini Park. Sathorn Road starts from the end of Lumpini Park all the way to Chao Praya River. Other famous restaurants along the way are Blue Elephant, which is quite expensive even by Western standards are along the same road.
Serviced Apartments offer quality family-style accommodation with the comforts of home. Various locations in Kuala Lumpur have world-class apartment complexes. I have had the opportunity to stay at Somerset Ampang on Jalan Ampang, Fraser Suites near Bukit Nanas, and Ambassador Row serviced Apartments near Jalan Ampang. All these locations offer great accommodation with all modern amenities and are quite close to public transport.
Southern Highlands, Fitzroy Falls
Total Diving Distance: 300 km Loop
Areas covered: Sydney to Mittagong, Kangaroo Valley, Berry, Kiama, Wollongong and Sydney
A one or two-day trip is ideal for exploring the southern highlands in NSW. From Sydney drive on M5 towards Canberra. M5 merges into Hume Highway. Exit for Mittagong from Hume Highway. Mittagong is a beautiful town with a couple of nice cafes and restaurants in the main shopping areas. This place gets quite crowded on the weekends as it attracts visitors from nearby areas.
Mittagong has some nice wineries including Artemis Wines, Bou-Saada Wines and Howards Lane Vineyard. A man-made Lake Alexandra feeds into the nearby Nattai river. You can explore a couple of lookouts to have a bird's eye view of the Southern Highlands. Some of the popular spots are Mount Gibraltar Lookout and Bowral Lookout.
Penang offers plenty of accommodation options for visitors. If you want to enjoy Georgetown in the traditional way and take a trip down the history lane, you must stay at Eastern & Oriental Hotels in the heart of the city. This hotel enjoys a unique location and preserves the history of the city with some of the finest architecture including the largest dome in Malaysia.
Majestic Hotel is one of the premier Hotels in Kuala Lumpur with history and tradition to its credit. The Hotel is located quite close to KL Central and provides easy walking access to Little India, Merdeka Square, Masjid Negara and other historic landmarks in the city. As a part of Leading Hotels of the World, Majestic offers quality accommodation and service which makes staying at Majestic a unique experience.
Damai Laut Resort, formerly called Swiss Garden resort is located on the outskirts of Lumut City. The resort is ideally located if you want to explore Pangkor Island and indulge in water sports including scuba diving, island hopping. The resort is stretched over the area of 425 acres. This is a 4-star resort offering a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city life. The general atmosphere is great with rolling hills and plantation surrounding the property. The resort has a golf course as well as a spice garden on the premises.
