Bali, Indonesia
We stayed at The Legian in Seminyak, (+62 361730622) worth going to especially for a romantic holiday. The rooms have a balcony facing the ocean with a daybed and sitting area, a bath area for 2, a canopy covered bed, dining & living area, sound system for the room as well as BOSE iPod speakers you can take out to the beach. The service is superb, the grounds have an eternity pool, gym and spa, and the hotel is walking distance from popular chill out bar Ku De Ta which is a perfect place to unwind at sunset or late at night.
For surfing beginners, a trip down to Kuta Beach is a must. The beach area is lined up with friendly locals willing to instruct and a surplus of surfboards to rent. Don’t bother to sign up for the “formal” US$40 lessons at the Hard Rock Hotel because the local instructors can go as low as US$20. Just bargain bargain bargain…and don’t buy anything on your first day from the insistent henna tattoo artists, masseuses, manicurists and bead jewelry sellers. The prices they give you will go down as the days go by. Kuta is also a shopping haven of surfing brands (Roxy, Billabong, Quicksilver every few stores), local souvenirs (I love Bali décor!) and beach wear.
It’s a shame we spent so much time surfing that we never did make it to Ubud, but other good stops is for the beach-side seafood dinner at Jimbaran Bay (slightly overpriced though), Babi Guling (roast baby pig) at Denpasar, clubbing at Skylounge in Legian and Déjà Vu at Seminyak, and a massage at the Prana Spa.
Renting a scooter or jeep is very cheap and a great way to get around…so go for it!
Penang and Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia
On my second trip to Penang, most of the time was spent at the Police Station due to an idiot driver ramming into my car from behind (even if I was at a full stop in broad daylight), and buying pirated DVDs in Batu Ferringhi. Good thing I drive a long-term lease car which means the rental company was able to replace it within a few hours with a Proton Wira. Now I’ve truly had the full Malaysian driving experience--- the Wira is not as bad as everyone claims it is, kind of clunky on the road and heavy on the steering but it can move pretty fast. Of course since we were with some first timers, we went up to the Kek Lok Si temple again and had some excellent hawker food at the Air Itam market and Gurney Drive.
One of the big surprises on the way back was our detour into Kuala Kangsar which features 4 “palaces” (a mosque, museum, the Sultan’s palace and…I can’t remember the last one). Hardly any tourists at all but the signs are well posted and each landmark has a description of the place’s origin and use.
Koh Samui, Thailand
It was a work trip that took me to party island Koh Samui (a contradiction in terms). The airport itself already looks like a classy hotel lobby and that goes to show you how seriously they take tourism in the island. We stayed at the Chaweng Regent Beach Resort which was gorgeous and quite peaceful although next time I go back I would choose a resort with younger residents. Partying at Soi Green Mango is the nightly fare although after 2 nights of going back it got a bit old…which is why I would just recommend a short stay in Koh Samui unless you plan to hop over to Koh Pangan for the Full Moon parties. Other notables --- Thai massages by the beach for 300 Baht and interesting beach wear shopping along the main road.
Kolkata, India
An 18-year absence from my father’s native country led me to eagerly anticipate my trip to visit my family. I didn’t know what to expect…I remember my last trip when I was young to be a visit to a hot country with bad toilets, dusty streets and beggars on every corner. Lo and behold, Kolkata has come far in the last 2 decades! Better roads, better plumbing and I arrived during the start of winter where the temperature drops down to 15 degrees celcius at night so it was a refereshing (and even chilly) experience.
Truly, a visit to a foreign and exotic land can be better appreciated through more mature eyes. The small winding roads, the amazing guts of Indian drivers (all that honking and no side mirrors!), the cobblestone streets, the sepia sunsets, the leisurely walks at The Strand by the Ganga River with hot tea and Pavbaji bread, the Sandesh sweets after every meal, the slow rickshaw rides and busy train rides made me appreciate the unwavering spirit of India. But the best part of it all were the relatives I met, who so eagerly welcomed me into their homes, showed me how highly educated they are, told me about my father with great warmth and related stories from their past set against the rich Indian history. Those stories certainly deserve another entry….and India deserves another trip.
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