A Journey on the Yangon Circular Railway, Myanmar

If you are going to visit Yangon for the first time and want a quick introduction of the city without any tour or local guides, you could simply hop on the Yangon Circular Train for a nostalgic journey around the city, where you can get a close up on the daily life of the Myanmar people and also capture some beautiful images of the changing landscapes.

The Yangon Circular Railway was built by the British during the colonial times back in 1954. The railway track loop consists of 39 stations and it covers a distance of 45.9km; the slow moving train that runs through urban, suburban and rural areas takes about 3 hours to complete a single circuit journey. Today, the railway has about 200 coaches, and it runs 20 times a day with up to 150,000 tickets sold daily. The circular railway is the cheapest way to travel around Yangon and it is mainly used by the lower income passengers to get from one place to another along the course. In recent years, taking a train ride on the Yangon Circular Railway has become one of the top things to do in Yangon.

Mandala Ou Resort: Relax . Recharge . Yoga (Laos)

After exploring the ancient town of Luang Prabang, we made our way to Nong Khiaw, a small beautiful village on the bank of the Nam Ou River in Laos. Nong Khiaw is famous for its amazing limestone karst mountain scenery, unspoiled virgin rainforest and the tranquil river of the Nam Ou. From Luang Prabang, we took a public minibus and we arrived at the Nong Khiaw bus station after 4 hours of journey through the beautiful landscape of Laos. Our first impression of Nong Khiaw was very peaceful and laid-back, and we didn't see any tour buses or tourist crowds like what we saw in Luang Prabang.

The unspoiled virgin rainforest and the tranquil river of the Nam Ou

Limestone karst mountain scenery

The Street of Nong Khiaw Village

Just a short 5 minute walk from the bus station, we arrived at the Mandala Ou Resort, the place where we stayed for 2 nights. We chose Mandala Ou Resort because it was one of the most charming and exclusive accommodation in Nong Khiaw. The Mandala Ou Resort is a boutique accommodation situated along the idyllic Nam Ou river offering 10 spacious and comfy bungalows with an eco-friendly room design and modern conveniences. The main features of this resort are the infinity edge pool, river side Yoga Sala, poolside bar, covered restaurant serving Lao, Thai and Western cuisine, and free Lao herbal steam sauna during the winter months.

Balos Lagoon: The Turquoise Paradise in Crete, Greece

Paradise is a place of great happiness and beauty.
Paradise is a place that has a complete peace of mind.

Paradise is a place where you came, you saw and you loved, 

But no choice have to leave when the time is up.

Paradise is the best word that I could think of to describe the exotic beach lagoon of Balos. Love at first sight, Balos lagoon looked exactly like those beautiful places in the postcards; surrounded by clean turquoise waters, white sandy beach, stunning landscape scenery, and this breathtaking turquoise paradise is absolutely one of the most photogenic beaches in Greece, or even in the whole world.

8 Delicious Local Eateries in Ayutthaya, Thailand

About 80km north of Bangkok, Ayutthaya is renowned for its great number of majestic temple ruins and listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1991. This ancient city with a rich historical and cultural background provides a unique experience for the travellers who love history and architecture of the ancient times. Besides exploring the historical attractions, tasting the Thai cuisines from the locally owned eateries is also one of the activities in Ayutthaya.

When you visit Ayutthaya, do try their famous foods like Kuay Tiaw Reua (Boat Noodles), Roti Sai Mai (Rolled Pancakes with Candy Floss) which can be easily found along the U-Thong Road, Khao Mok Kai which is a Muslim dish consists of yellow rice and also the Grilled Giant River Prawns which can be commonly found in many of the Thai seafood restaurants.

In this post, we would like to share with you the 8 local eating places that we had hunted down during our stay in Ayutthaya.

Lewin Terrace: A Moment of Serenity, Singapore

One year ago, we gathered our families and friends at Lewin Terrace to grace the most important event of our life, our wedding solemnization. I remembered vividly the day we said "I Do" in front of our loved ones at the endearing outdoor terrace, surrounded by blissful nature and greenery; the romantic scene was filled with joy, laughter and happiness. The whole wedding experience at Lewin Terrace was truly magnificent, especially when I could see our guests mingled around joyfully in an intimate and cozy atmosphere. We love our wedding venue so much that we promised ourselves to go back every year to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

iuDia On The River: Experience The Tranquillity Of Old Siam (Thailand)

After years of procrastination, finally I have landed myself in the historic city of Ayutthaya, an ancient capital in the Central region of Thailand. Today, known as the Ayutthaya Historical Park, which was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991, is one of the most remarkable ruined cities in Southeast Asia. Although Ayutthaya is only one hour drive from Bangkok and most of the main attractions can be covered within a day, we chose to stay in this beautiful city for 3 days, so that we can slowly explore the ruined temples and experience the city fully without rushing.

When come to choosing an accommodation, I always find it interesting to look at the boutique hotels, because I like to admire how a boutique hotel is uniquely set up and usually come with a theme and awe-inspiring style. When we were in Ayutthaya, we stayed with iuDia On The River, a cultured, refined and elegantly furnished boutique hotel located in the heart of the ancient Ayutthaya ruins.

:::糸島::: A Day Trip Around Itoshima in Winter, Japan

Itoshima is a beautiful destination surrounded by scenic blue sea and long sandy beaches; and there are plenty of sightseeing spots and stylish cafes that made Itoshima one of the most popular day trips from Fukuoka City. When summer comes, Itoshima is an ideal place for some beach activities or hiking in lush mountain forests. And during the winter season, most of the visitors come to Itoshima for the fresh and delicious oysters, the winter delicacy of Fukuoka.