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Home » Places We Visited » Asia

May 26, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Dreamy Nusa Lembongan Island – What to See and Do

Nusa Lembongan Island. Photo: Eeva Routio
Nusa Lembongan. Photo: Eeva Routio

I simply adore Bali. So imagine my delight when we discovered Nusa Lembongan Island, a kind of a quiet mini-version of Bali, just a 30-minute speed boat ride away. Lembongan is a super-chilled out small island with gorgeous blue-turquoise water, dreamy white sand beaches and boutique-y bungalows. There are no cars around; just motorbikes, bicycles, small converted pick-ups (for moving people and goods around the island) and golf carts.

Nusa Lembongan is a perfect little getaway for a couple days if you want a little change of scenery from the main island of Bali. There’s some awesome surfing (not that we attempted but so we were told); superb snorkeling and scuba diving – including the possibility of seeing some manta rays; stand-up paddle boarding; kayaking in the mangroves; and even some cliff jumping (if you are slightly insane – see below).

It’s easy and cheap to rent a scooter and ride around the island. The roads are in pretty bad condition so expect a slow and bone-jarring ride. But it doesn’t really matter as distances are short – the whole island is only a few kilometers long. From Nusa Lembongan you can easily get to [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Indonesia Tagged With: bali, blue lagoon, cliff jump, devil's tear, dream beach, indonesia, jungutbatu, lembongan island, mushroom beach, nusa ceningan, nusa lembongan, nusa lembongan island, paradise island, scoot fast boat, snorkeling, tamarind beach

April 24, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Is Thailand Expensive for Travelers? Sample Koh Samui Prices for 2

Is Thailand expensive

Is Thailand expensive as a travel destination? The short answer is no – however it certainly can be. While Thailand in general is still a budget-friendly destination, you can definitely spend some serious cash if you choose to do so. It all depends on what kind of holiday you’re after, which part of Thailand you’re holidaying in, and in particular what type of accommodation you want to stay in.

During our recent stay on popular Koh Samui we found that the island, just like the rest of the country, fits many budgets. We stayed in a beautiful Airbnb apartment in the Bo Phut area of Samui. The apartment had a very well equipped kitchen and there was a great veg & fruit market nearby, so we ended up cooking at home quite a bit. When we felt like eating out, the fun & fabulous ‘walking street’ evening market in Bo Phut Fisherman’s Village offered many very cheap and tasty treats (hello amazing grilled chicken & veggie skewers for $2!). You can eat out very cheaply on Samui if you stick to humble street food and local eateries.

To give you an idea of Koh Samui prices, below is a sample daily budget for us. We didn’t [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Thailand Tagged With: bo phut, bophut, is thailand expensive, koh samui, koh samui prices, living cost thailand, Sixt car rental

April 23, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

Indonesia – Pictures

Some pictures from the tropical perfection of Bali and the Gili Islands, Lombok.

Sunset Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Sunset in Ketewel, Bali. Photo: Eeva Routio
Monkey Forest Ubud Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Monkey Forest Ubud, Bali. Photo: Eeva Routio
Traditional Balinese dance, Ubud Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Traditional Balinese dancer, Ubud, Bali. Photo: Eeva Routio
Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Gorgeous Gili Trawangan, Lombok. Photo: Eeva Routio
Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Sunset in Gili Trawangan, Lombok. Photo: Eeva Routio
Gili Trawangan, Lombok, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Gili Trawangan, Lombok. Photo: Eeva Routio
Bali, Indonesia. Photo: Eeva Routio.
Bali bliss. Photo: Eeva Routio
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Filed Under: Indonesia

April 11, 2015 by Eeva Routio Leave a Comment

What to Do in Hoi An, Vietnam – 11 Amazing Travel Experiences for $2 or Less

What to do in Hoi An, Vietnam
A treasure trove of budget-friendly experiences awaits in Hoi An

Hoi An‚ Vietnam is a spectacular travel destination for many reasons. Not only is Hoi An gorgeous and versatile, but it’s also a fantastic town for budget-conscious travelers. Where else can you stroll along streets of a UNESCO World Heritage listed town, ride a bicycle through rice paddies to gorgeous palm-tree fringed beaches, and get a glass of fresh Vietnamese beer for $0.15? Not to mention food, glorious, knocks-your-socks-off-delicious food, at ridiculously low prices?

We stayed in Hoi An for almost a month and were able to do so many fun things and enjoy some of the best food anywhere in the world at amazingly low prices. It was very easy to make this month one of the cheapest since we’ve [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Vietnam Tagged With: bia hoi, bicycle in hoi an, budget-friendly, budget-friendly travel, fresh coconut, Hoi An, hoi an lantern festival, hoi an vietnam, hoian vietnam, karaoke in vietnam, rice paddies, things to do in hoi an, vietnamese beer, vietnamese coffee, vietnamese dessert, vietnamese folk music, vietnamese food, what to do in hoi an

April 4, 2015 by Eeva Routio 1 Comment

Where to Stay on Koh Samui, Thailand – The 3 Personalities of Koh Samui

Where to stay on Koh Samui?

From Extrovert to Introvert: There’s Something for Everyone on Samui

No doubt Koh Samui in Thailand is one of the most popular holiday destinations in South East Asia, and for a good reason – it is an absolutely gorgeous island. But be prepared to share your tropical island with thousands of others. Samui has well and truly been discovered years ago, and large parts of the island are very developed, and well, pretty packed with tourists. However, there are some quieter corners on Samui, if you know where to look. If you’re struggling to decide where to stay on Samui, read on.

We recently visited Samui, and whilst we were aware [Read more…]

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Filed Under: Thailand Tagged With: best samui beaches, koh samui, koh samui thailand, samui accommodation, thailand, where to stay in ko samui, where to stay in samui, where to stay on samui

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Albanian Alps. Photo: Eeva Routio.

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