Relax and Unwind: Gaya Island

If in need of a warm and short break somewhere far away, we’ve got THE best option for ya, it’s called Gaya Island. A biodiverse jungle and marine wonderland (tho Philippines still remains our favourite), this Borneo island is a little gem minutes away from mainland Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah. The island has no inhabitants other than those staying at the only two resorts in the island, and that’s the only way to access it.

Borneo is in many occasions overlooked by backpackers, who most of the times would be more tempted to vacation in other islands in Thailand or Indonesia. Fools! Malaysia has so much to offer.

We stayed 4 nights at Gaya Island Resort, and we felt like King & Queen. For starters, prices for a westerner are affordable here, but considering you are in a five-star resort, you are in for a treat. A 5-day holiday all-inclusive was about £700/ person.

Rooms are like suites, we had a bathroom with his and hers sinks, a bathtub that fitted at least 4 people (2 sitting next to each other) and a shower that fitted 10. Not to mention a walk-in closet and an extremely comfy extra-big bed…

Coffee could have been better and food at times could get repetitive considering there is nowhere else to go, but the resort has managed to create different atmospheres and you can indulge yourself into a BBQ night one day, immerse yourself into an izakaya evening or pretend you are at a fine dining restaurant on another night. There’s also delicious snack type food (hello fried calamari!) that you can indulge by the pool.

And the poo! An infinity pool overlooking a beautiful calm beach that you can reach straight away, just few steps from the pool. Could we ask for anything else?

There is wifi everywhere and a meeting room/ library and a gym, for those who can’t fully disconnect from the outside world.

In addition, there’s plenty of activities on offer. From snorkel and diving trips to mountain walks and early morning yoga, the options are vast. Not to mention a necessary #treatyoself day at their renowned luxury spa. Something worth your dollah, not to be missed.

24 hours in Singapore

24hrs in Singapore

Renown as a gateway to many other countries in South East Asia, Singapore is a city of abundance, luxury and cleanliness. IIf you are just passing by or starting your trip here, find some recommendations from the TCB team on what to do and where to eat. All in 24 hours!

Start your morning with a Singaporean breakfast. A rather simple brekkie that is perfect for sugar-lovers: coffee, soft boiled eggs and a French toast. It’s not served in fancy hotels but rather in local cafes, where you’ll mostly find local peeps (duh). We ended up at a tiny café near Orchard Road where the owners barely spoke any English, despite the venue being full of silly inappropriate jokes, all in English. It was fun!

Now time to put some sunscreen on and get your airy clothes out of the suitcase: it’s time to explore!

If you are not into getting hot like the weather here, you are in like, cause you can pretty much travel around central Singapore without stepping outside of any building. Most shopping malls connect to public transport and these are also short distance from the main attractions, ta-dah!

Having said that, you’ll have to step your feet out to get to the Gardens by the bay, Singapore’s very own Avatar’s Pandora, where gigantic ‘supertrees’ (50 metre tall tree-like structures!) jut out of a pretty manmade garden. There’s also a Flower Dome (that is, a greenhouse with exotic plants) and an indoor waterfall called Cloud Forest that will pretty much keep you entertained for most part of the day. Around 8ish in the evening, you can return here to enjoy the light & music show, if you are into commercial poppy music and laying in the grass while enjoying some street food and beers, you’ll love this.

Grab lunch at Ding Tai Fung, OF COURSE. Who would travel to this part of the world and not try their delicious suite of dumplings? If you happen to be dining at the Paragon Center, then we suggest you finish up your meal with a dessert at Janine Wong’s little shop, a true delicacy you’ll only find in Singapore or Tokyo, so definitely unique!

Now that you are all sugared up and filled with goodies, why not heading to a museum for some culture? The lotus shaped ArtScience Museum

Lotus shaped ArtScience Museum is one of our faves. It gets the likes of children and adults, that’s a success, surely?

There’s always time for shopping and for that we suggest you browsing around the thousands of shops on Orchard Rd. No trip to Singapore is complete without a walk down Asia’s most famous shopping street.

Woo, that was a tiring day! Unwind with a shower and get ready for dinner. Pre-dinner drinks to be had at Marina Bay Sands with la crème de la crème. We suggest booking as this place gets rather busy. No need to eat here as it’s slightly expensive but definitely worth checking as you can also see the light and music show from here.

Now It’s dinner time and we suggest you try the infamous chilly crab at Jumbo Seafood or head to the old-school satay market Lau Pa Sat for some good ol’ chicken satay, amongst a whole variety of things

Karaoke to round up the night and it’s time to go to bed.

What a banging 24 hours!

TBC xx

Jungle Book

FUN FACT:

Elephants think of humans as "cute," in the same manner that humans think of kittens or puppies

Isn't that the best thing you've heard of? I thought so.

It’s always tricky to know whether you are falling into a tourist trap in Thailand, especially when it comes to cutsie little elephants. It’s been known for years now how bad they were treated, close to animal slavery, just for the amusement of the wanderers.

Thankfully, the locals are trying to put remedy to it. That’s how the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary was created.

It still felt a bit touristy. After all, it’s a bunch of westerners trying to make their dreams come true about seeing and touching elephants in their natural habitat. But at least they weren’t chained, and it was us who followed them, not the other way around.

A day at the Jungle Sanctuary will provide you with plenty: a hike in the beautiful mountains outside of Chiang Mai, a bath in the rather cold river cascade in the middle of the jungle, a super yummy and local lunch (followed by a 20-min siesta!) and a bath with the elephants. You don’t need to get muddy with them, but you get the option.

During your trip, you will also learn about the condition of the elephants, how many are there living with the tribe, and what food and medicines do they usually eat/ take.

All in all, quite an experience. One that you shouldn’t miss.

Stay tuned,

TCB xx

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Thai Lush Life

Phuket is certainly a spot to splash the cash in Thailand. Everything is focused around tourisme, and about indulging into the good life that we all wanted at some point in life. 

We really didn't have in mind a luxurious holidays when we were planning our trip to Thai-Land, but we do love a couple of days of #treatyoself after a lot of sightseeing and moving around. Having said that, we still weren't sure about travelling and staying in Phuket Town, as the reputation it precedes is not the greatest. 

Instead, we looked for a remote spot around the capital, and as I love checking Conde Nast Traveler while I go on holidays, our dream hotel popped up: Keemala.

Very instagram worthy from the moment you step foot at their lobby, I would say Keemala is meant for honey-mooners and retired people; from time to time, also people like us, ready to mess the whole system up. 

A villa meant for 2 was shared by 5, with a private pool and tones of activities to enjoy. We particularly loved the "cocktail masterclass" which involved us getting fed champagne and snacks for a whole hour, while just taking in the sunrise and solving our first-world-problems...

Not that I am a yoga enthusiast (except for HOT yoga) but I particularly enjoyed getting up with the sunrise to do a wholesome yoga class. The teacher was pretty badass and breakfast afterwards felt like heaven on a plate.

If you stay here, there's not much more you'll need to do. Just sit back, relax your private pool, and maybe venture out for a day, if you want to go to the open sea. But this is all about treating yourself to the max. Let go. You are in GREAT hands. 

We stayed for two nights and it was too short. We reckon that the ideal no. of nights is about 3 nights. But prepare your wallet! The Resort includes transportation to the little village (where you can get great deals on thai massage) and breakfast (YUM!), on top of the daily activities that include yoga, photography and few others, depending on the day. A MUST!

Stay tuned for more, 

TCB XX