My Trip to Bali, Indonesia

Period : 30th August - 3rd September 2017

★ Flight : Malaysia Airlines
Price ￥44,000 (RM) Osaka-KL-Bali
Review : I had a layover in Kuala Lumpur. The flight to Malaysia was quite sparse. I had a whole row to myself, which was great. All of the flights were fine and left on time.
(It is crazy to me that tickets to Bali were cheaper than to KL which would have been the shorter journey. What gives? *shrugs*)

★ Accommodation : Bali Breeze Bungalows

View of our private pool and the lush greenery of the compound from the 2nd floor bedroom

Price : IDR 2,850,000 for 3 nights inclusive of breakfast served at our villa
Review : We stayed for 3 nights in the Main House. It was a beautiful little oasis for us. The beds were comfy and the whole place was very clean. The breakfast each morning of our choice of fruits and various eggs/pancakes was delicious; a great way to start the day. Ketut and the staff were polite and super friendly. The property is only a 5 minute walk to central Ubud where there are tons of restaurants, spas, and money changers. All in all a great place to stay.

Book with my code using this link, and you will get ¥1,800 off!
https://www.booking.com/s/44_6/liyana16

★Tour Guide : Dewa Alit Tours
I booked him for the whole duration of our Bali trip. The MPV was comfortable, clean and they also provide chilled bottled water for everyone. It cost USD55 for a full day, if I remember correctly. He also brought us to halal restaurants for lunch and snacks. I definitely recommend their services.

★ Schedule

31-Aug
10.20 pick up from airport, then visit Uluwatu
3.20 pm Pick the rest from airport then to Tanah Lot for sunset
7.30 pm Drop off in Ubud

1st Sep
11.00 am Ulun danu beratan temple
Twin lake buyan and tamblingan
Jati luwih rice terraces
Taman ayun temple

2nd Sep
Volcano hike(For 2 people)
2.30 am pick up from hotel
4.00 am Arrive starting point
Arrive on top of volcano at 6 am for sunrice
8.30 am Arrive at starting point
10.30 am Arrive at hotel/ rest

1.00pm Tegalalang rice terraces
Tirtha empul, or holy spring water temple
Luwak coffee and fruit plantation
Gunung kawi temple

★ Extras
1. Hiking up Mt. Batur for sunrise
Price USD60/person includes guide
My sister loves to go hiking and she wanted me to experience this with her. It took around 2 hours to get to the top and it starts fairly easily and gets progressively steep so wear proper shoes and have a windbreaker ready because it was quite chilly at the top. The view was amazing! There are a lot of people on the hike so you will not get lost and there is a general upbeat vibe the whole way.

2. Jains Spa
Bali is famous for their spas so the whole family went to this spa which was recommended by our driver. The service was great and we were given delicious snacks afterwards. My body felt so relaxed. Prices range from IDR80,000~300,000.

I love Indonesian food so this whole trip was just beyond amazing for me and I will definitely come back to explore a different part of Bali!

My Trip to Cambodia : Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

Period : 28th April - 5th May 2018

★ Flight : Air Asia
KIX - KUL 11:00 - 16:35 (I slept at my parent's house then went back to the airport the next morning)
KUL - REP 06:45 - 07:50
PNH - KUL 08:20 - 11:10
KUL - KIX 14:00 - 21:25

★ Accommodation : Sign up to booking.com with this link and get JPY1,800 as a reward!

Siem Reap → Nita By Vo Urban Resort
Review : I booked this resort on booking.com 5 months before our trip while I was daydreaming and thank God I did because a few months after that management changed and the prices almost tripled (but still what I'd consider reasonable for the level of comfort and service they provide)! They kept their T&C which stated I would pay the price agreed upon when I actually booked so that was great. We stayed in the Cabana Garden Suite. The room was huge and came with your own little garden. We had a chance to try out their room service menu because I was too lazy to go out and everything was delicious. This resort is pretty secluded and a bit far from the main city area but they have a free tuk tuk service on site.

Phnom Penh → Vacation Boutique Hotel
Review : We stayed in the "Deluxe Double Balcony" because I wanted a room with windows. The room was spacious and I loved the bathroom decor and tiles. For breakfast they have you tick what you want on a form with all kinds of drinks and foods written on it and prepare it fresh so allocate at least 30 minutes for breakfast. The location was good, close to a market and some restaurants. The staff were friendly and always had a smile. 

★ Schedule
Below is the schedule I set up. We managed to see and do almost everything you see there.

I booked a tuk tuk driver + tour guide for the whole duration we were in Cambodia. I highly recommend you do this if you are not great at haggling and want a more wholesome experience. Only licensed tour guides (they have a uniform and card) are allowed on Angkor Wat grounds and the surrounding temples.

Having someone explain to you the significance of the carvings, designs, stories of the temples and area is so much better than just trudging along with no back story whatsoever.  You will appreciate the whole trip a lot more.

Our tour guide while we were in Siem Reap used to be a monk and had also studied so much about other major religions in his youth so the way he explained everything and the depth of knowledge he possessed was just amazing!

Siem Reap driver + tour guide :
Angkor Tuk Tuk Travel
http://www.angkortuktuktravel.com/
I booked the 3 day package with a tour guide(+USD45/day) for 2 days

Phnom Penh :
Sophoarn (he doubles as a tour guide)
Sophoarn Tuk Tuk Phnom Penh Facebook

Both of them replied to my emails within 1-2 days and were very accommodating towards any changes of timing/places.

★ Extras
1. Use USD everywhere. It's used more commonly than the local currency.
2. Leave tips for drivers/ housekeepers/ waiters/ bell boys etc. Just USD1-5 (depending on where you're staying). Everyone we met was super nice and I know that wages are low so I want to help any way I can.
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Weekend at Yuzanso Onsen, Kyoto

Lobby

Room:

The outdoor bath and the view of Lake Biwa (not visible in this photo is the shower area next to the tub)
Don't worry about getting naked outside because nobody can see you due to the height/location of your room

[Accommodation Plan]　Please enjoy Muslim-friendly dinner and breakfast "This plan is for Muslim."
1 "Sanyaso Room (with open-air bath)" Total  49,680JPY    
　　　男性 24840JPY * 1person(s)
　　　女性 24840JPY * 1person(s)
　　　*male 1person(s) female 1person(s)  Total  2 person(s)
[Optional charges total] 300JPY  tax included (1)Bathing tax (02/24)　　300JPYｘ1

Food:
Dinners are served quite early at Ryokans because after dinner you are supposed to relax either by bathing in the onsens/ getting a massage/ having drinks at the bar etc. We chose to have dinner at 6pm. You will need at least 1.5 hours to get through the whole course. Take your time and ask your server if you are not sure how to eat/ prepare certain dishes. They are super friendly and will go out of their way to help you out.

Each guest/group has their own dinner space so you can relax in private in the dining area. Make sure to come to the hall on time as they set the table according to the time you asked for during check-in.

So much food! Really take your time so you can enjoy each course.

Breakfast menu

We liked the furikake (seasoning to sprinkle on rice) so much that we bought a bottle at the ryokan's gift store!

Service:

Service was amazing. As soon as you check-in, a personal greeter will guide you to your room and explain the layout of the ryokan. They will ask you what time you would like dinner and breakfast to be served. Make sure you arrive on time because each room gets their own private dining area but space is limited so they use a timetable to make sure everyone has a place to eat. If you have any questions, ask your greeter and they will happily guide you on everything.

Notes

1. Have your shower before getting into the hot tub/ofuro.
2. You are allowed/expected to wear the provided cotton robes(yukata) while on the ryokan grounds with the provided slippers.
3. You are not allowed to wear anything in the shared onsen bath tubs. No one is looking at you. Everybody is busy relaxing themselves.
4. Yuzanso provides POLA toiletries which I adore! I have facials at POLA's beauty salons and use some of their products as part of my daily regimen. 
5. I booked 3 months in advance. I suggest booking at least 1 month before your date to avoid disappointment. 

Review : I loved our stay and am already planning on coming here again during the winter in 2018!

Yuzanso's official English website : http://yuzanso.co.jp/f/e/
Information on the Halal menu : http://www.yuzanso.co.jp/english/muslim/
Book here http://www2.489ban.net/v4/client/planinbound/list/customer/yuzanso/lang/4

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Transferring money to different countries? Use Transferwise ! Great rates, low fees, fast service. Get JPY500 off your first transaction through my link.