Restless-in-kl's VirtualTourist Home Page

Holidays are bliss and worklife is blah! Here's where I go to escape from it all =)

2009
May - New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine, USA
Apr - Melaka, Malaysia
Feb - Siem Reap, Cambodia
Jan - Koh Lipe, Thailand

HOME BASE - MALAYSIA

Welcome to my "restless" world :-) Born in Penang, I was smitten by the travel bug when I started working in Kuala Lumpur and had the opportunity to see the world.

The foodie in me .....

Food is the shared experience of being a Malaysian, of Malaysianness. For the best foodie haven in Malaysia, head up to Penang.

The spa queen in me .....

The spa queen never fails to visit the spas in all the destinations she has been to and will continue to do so till she remains in absolute bliss!

The waterbaby in me .....

Diving Delights in Malaysia

Lankayan Island, Sandakan, Sabah (Mar 2008) - wonderful macro life
Tenggol Island, Trengganu (2007) - in the spirit of Visit Malaysia Year 2007 -lah!!! Neat little dive island.
Sipadan Island, Sabah (1999 & 2005) - top dive destination (wall dive!) in Sabah and Malaysia
Redang Island, Trengganu (2004) - more accessible & rich marine life
Lang Tengah Island, Trengganu (2000, 2005 & 2008) - nudibranch & nurse sharks!
Perhentian Island, Kelantan (1998, 2001 & 2008) - colourful corals
Pulau Rawa (2005) - interesting shore dives

Dive destinations outside of Malaysia

Koh Lipe, Thailand (Jan 2009)
Nusa Penida, Tulamben and Seraya in Bali (Sept/Oct 2008)
Burma and Similans, Thailand (Feb 2008)
Wakatobi, Sulawesi Tenggara in Indonesia (Dec 2007 - Jan 2008) - hidden gem
Lembeh, Indonesia (May 2007) - critters rule
Puri Jati & Secret Bay, North Bali (Sept 2006) - cold waters muck dive
Tulamben and Amed, Bali (May 2006) - World War 2 wrecks shore dives
Maldives (Mar and Dec 2006, Sept 2007, Aug 2008) - my diving haven Here's to more Maldivian tales which includes a face-off with the manta rays!
Manado (2005) - wall & muck dives
Puerto Galera, Philippines (2005) - a bit of everything
Similan Islands, Thailand (1999) - where the big action is

NEW YORK CITY
(Most recent visit - May 2009)

Finally took a trip to the greatest city on earth - New York City! It's everything I had imagined and more. The best part is there is no sales tax when you shop for clothes and shoes!!! This is a dream come true for a shopaholic like me ;-)

CONNECTICUT & MASSACHUSETTS
(Most recent visit - Oct 2007)

Learnt a new term - LEAF PEEPER. This is my first autumn experience and I'm enjoying being a leaf peeper on a hunt for beautiful fall foliage as we drove from NYC to Connecticut (all the way north from New Haven) right up to Great Barrington, Massachusetts then taking little meandering roads as we make our way down through Rhinebeck to go home.

KANSAS CITY
(Most recent visit - Sept 2007)

This is my 3rd visit to Kansas City and having family here means spending much time with them during your visit.

Also did a little road trip to Eureka Springs in Arkansas. Here's where dreams of getting an 18th century cottage, dinner on a slow train, ghostly encounters were made!

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA
(Most recent visit - Nov 2007)

There is something to be said about San Francisco. It has a magical quality that pulls you in and you would find it hard to get out. I also explored little fun places like Sausalito, Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. In Jan07, I took a trip to Half Moon Bay and Napa Valley. Then in Nov07, I've added Big Sur and Point Reyes National Seashore to my growing list.

COLORADO & SOUTH DAKOTA

My first winter holiday was in Colorado and South Dakota in 2004. Too cold for this tropical gal!

ORLANDO AND TAMPA, FLORIDA
(Most recent visit - Nov 2007)

Orlando was a lot more agreeable with me even in Dec02, though I've definitely outgrown Disneyland haha!

Back again in Nov07 to help out during a dive tradeshow (DEMA). This time, drove out of Orlando and visited areas around Tampa.

Soon-to-come pages are New Mexico, Arizona, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Hawaii.

INDONESIA
(Most recent visit - Bali Dec 2008)

Sometimes escaping underwater is not enough. Need to go where my senses are brought to life and I've found just that place that's near enough and where I can laze around, eat great food, do the spa, shopping and absorb the culture - BALI! However, Bali is actually very different from the other parts of Indonesia as it's very much influenced by its Hindu roots and it's the only island where most of its population are not of the Islamic faith.

Yes, please certify me as crazy over Bali! Spent a lot of time in Ubud, indulged in shopping, spa and diving (it's amazing what you'll find in the muck!) Then there is the amazing story of how I lost a dive computer in the sea and found it again (by God's grace) in Pemuteran/Menjangan.

So far, I've had the opportunity to explore Kuta, Seminyak, Amed, Ubud, Pemuteran/Menjangan areas up north with a side trip to Bedugul and latest trip to Padang Bai and Tulamben.

Pop by Jakarta for a glimpse of modern Indonesia and Manado for a more laidback feel as well as world class diving especially in Lembeh, the muck diving capital of the world.

To truly get away from it all, head out to Wakatobi Dive Resort, an intimate, eco-friendly resort located in the Wakatobi archipelago in remote Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia where it is the only fully licenced dive tourism operator. The resort itself is situated on a small island locally called Onemobaa. You are guaranteed to have the whole beach, the whole island and all the dive sites to yourself. It's that remote and totally unspoiled with fabulous diving!

THAILAND
(Most recent visit - Koh Lipe Jan 2009)

Bangkok - where more spas and shopping await! I have always wanted to take up Thai cooking lessons on all my business trips there but did not have the time.

Well, finally took the time to learn at the Blue Elephant Culinary School and it was a lot of fun.

Thailand is blessed with many beautiful tropical islands. The most famous is of course Phuket. There is one though which is closer to home - Koh Lipe. It's only an hour boat ride from Langkawi Island, Malaysia to enjoy its stunning beaches and wonderful snorkelling.

BURMA/MYANMAR
(Most recent visit - Feb 2008)

Anything that's forbidden or inaccessible creates a shroud of mystery around it. The same can be said about Burma/Myanmar. I had the chance to go on a dive liveaboard boat that sails from Ranong in Thailand right up to Burma waters then back down to Phuket, Thailand. Though we paid a huge visa fee of US$200, we were only allowed to dive but not set foot on land. All in all, it's a beautiful country with friendly people who need to work really hard for a living.

CAMBODIA
(Most recent visit - Siem Reap, Feb 2009)

My French friend got married to a Cambodian girl from Siem Reap this year. When I was invited to the wedding, I took the opportunity of course for a chance to see a Cambodian wedding and to visit Angkor Wat.

JAPAN

Memoirs of a Geisha or perhaps memoirs of the maiko (geisha trainees)? We staked out at Gion, Kyoto for 2 nights before seeing them on the 3rd day! The poor girls must have felt that they have been mobbed by paparazzi as we ran down the streets with our cameras.

Wanna to catch a glimpse of geishas/maikos, things to see/do/eat? Check out my overall Japan page and detailed pages on Kyoto, Himeji, Nara, Takayama and Tokyo.

CHINA

Being a Chinese descendant living in Malaysia, it's expected that some of us in the family will visit China. It's like going back to your roots though I must say that being A 4th generation Chinese, it does not resonate so closely to me as it would for my grandma.

My first stop in China is Beijing, obviously. Rich in ancient history and culture, Beijing was an eye-opener for me. Somewhat restricted and yet somewhat open, it's a place that unfortunately you can't really get comfortable with. It's a shame really as China has so much to offer fellow travellers.

Shanghai is quite the opposite. It's so different from the rest of China that it's almost unreal. I felt that it has lost its warmth and definitely its charm. The sky over Shanghai is always grey, the sun can't seem to penetrate through. So for me, Shanghai is just passing through to Suzhou (which is a far more interesting place with lovely canals and ancient buildings) and for business trips.

Hong Kong, on the other hand, though part of China now, I sometimes forget about this fact. It's again different from Beijing and Shanghai, but you can get comfy with this little island. Especially the fabulous shopping sale in Aug (espcially for luxury labels) and its wonderful food that entice you to come back for more.

INDIA

There are so many myths and misconceptions about India. You need to take your courage and your sense of adventure and explore India.

I've only started and am looking forward to going back there again. For a glimpse of Agra magical places, my favourite restaurant in New Delhi and hotel in Mumbai, visit my travel pages.

MALDIVES
(Most recent visit - Sept 2008)

Whenever Maldives is mentioned, it creates images of sparkling tropical islands in the sun fringed with swaying palm trees, powder soft white sand and clear blue waters. With more than 1000 islands and only 100 or so which are occupied, you can easily find your own little island to play shipwreck for a day.

To me, Maldives is one of the best diving destinations in the world. The best way to get the most of your diving adventure is to go on a safari boat where all you do is dive, eat, sleep and sunbathe on the boat.

The MV Manthiri is my favourite liveaboard boat and I've done 4 trips with them. The local crew knows where the best places to dive are and prepares the tastiest cuisine I've ever had.

Each of this dive trip has been memorable filled with giant manta rays, marble rays, eagle rays, huge schools of swirling snappers, sweetlips and jacks, friendly big Napoleon wrasse that seems to have appeared from an animated cartoon and finally saw my very first whale shark who came and feast with scores of manta rays all in a single dive. Where else can you dive and hear the dolphins singing in the background?

DUBAI

I used to think that beaches, mountains, oceans, lakes, anywhere with water are absolutely fascinating. In fact, one of my past time activity when I was young was to visit hotels just to check out their swimming pools!

Well, that fascination has grown to encompass landscapes without much natural water - the desert, all thanks to a trip to Dubai.

AUSTRALIA
(Most recent visit - self drive Melbourne to Sydney Feb 2007)

Australia is a wonderful country to explore especially with a rented car as roads are easy to navigate and the driving a pleasure especially with a powerful car. I've been there a few times but there are still huge areas that I've never been.

First self-drive adventure happened in 2000 which saw me face-to-face with a mammoth orange coloured rock (depending on time of day) : Ayers Rock . I've always wanted to see this famous rock formation and it's well worth the trip especially in winter months where it's still fairly warm in the day time and cool at night.

Next stop was Darwin, Kakadu National Park and Alice Springs. As these were taken with a conventional camera, my pictures and tips will take some time to be ready. There were also business trips to Brisbane and Gold Coast though they were too touristy for me.

Feb 2007 saw me itching to go back to Australia and continue my exploration. This time I drove 1700km in a week covering Great Ocean Road, Melbourne , Lakes Entrance, Narooma, Central Tilba, Jervis Bay and right up to Sydney using the coastal road. Australia is such a safe place for single women to travel.

I'm definitely coming back for more!

NEW ZEALAND

This is another safe place to travel for women. If you think watching Lord of the Rings is enough to do justice to NZ, wait till you see the country for yourself especially South Island. You will be totally amazed by its spectacular beauty.

Spending 2 weeks in South Island was not enough. Only managed to cover Christchurch, took the alpine rail over to Franz Josef Glacier then drive all the way to Queenstown and Milford Sounds.

Did a 3D/2N backpack trek across the Routeburn Track and truly experienced what NZ wilderness and mountains are all about. Then it's all the way up to Kaikoura for some whale and dophin watching.

GREECE

It's fair to say that I've never witnessed such a scenery that has touched my heart. Hence, Santorini will always remain one of my favourite places which is breathtakingly beautiful, romantic especially in
Oia and peaceful. My dream is to retire here one day.....

Each of these Greek islands and places offer a different charm by itself. Will definitely come back and explore more of this rich and beautiful country.
- Athens : where the old and new stand side by side
- Mykonos : where the parties never stop!
- Crete : where country living, wild landscapes and beautiful beaches can be found
- Rhodes : where you get a dose of Turkish influence