Uluwatu Bali prides itself for its pristine view of the beaches, breezy air, and warm people. You don’t have a choice but to look forward to your vacation in this place. In our case, we travelled with a kid so we decided to make our trip an “experiential stay-cation” where we get to try things we have not done before.

For a 3D3N trip, here are some of the romantic and cool recommendations from Yellowtravelingboots that you must try!

ROMANTIC THINGS TO DO IN BALI

1. Rent a private villa with an oceanview infinity pool

A wow factor is all it takes to see that must awaited surprise from your partner, family, or loved ones in general. You can definitely do this by renting a private villa with its own infinity pool. With the sprout of private villas in Bali, you can choose from lowest-highest price range places.

We do recommend that you try the Vivo Villas Bali. It is situated far from the bustling sound of the city and its infinity pool is facing the Indian ocean which will give you a breathtaking view of the sea. The family villa has two rooms which makes it ideal if you travel to Bali with kids. Not only this, it has cooking amenities and very spacious dining table and living room area which will invite you to lounge while adoring the magnificent view of the nature outside.

2. Enjoy mornings with floating breakfast or simply take-in the view from your villa

This experience added a wow factor to Bali. In fact, this is one of the things you will look forward to when planning a trip there. At Vivo Villas Bali, they offer this floating breakfast as an option so it is really up to you to have your food inside or at the pool.

2. Do a family or couple spa with an ocean view

Something I very much look forward to in Bali is their massage and spas. But I wanted it to be something special, something we have not tried before. So, before our trip, I booked for a 2-hour treatment for couple called the “Couple Ocean Ritual” package. It includes a 30-minute warm sea salt scrub, 60-minute massage, and 30-minute facial.

For the young man, I got him the “Me Time” package which includes a 45-minute massage.

I’ve documented our entire spa experience at our Youtube Channel, go check it out if you want to see more!

3. Cap the night at Jimbaran

One of the happenings in Bali that you shouldn’t miss is to experience seaside dining. In our case, we went to Jimbaran and had a hearty seafood dinner paired with beer for Mr. Yellow and me and, a soda for the young man.

The ambiance of the place was a mix of romantic and youthful vibe. Store owners adorned the shore area with fairy lights, lamps, and arches with flowers. You can also feel the cold sea breeze touching your skin lightly making the entire dining experience a relaxed one.

Given the time constraint, our activities in Uluwatu were very limited but it did not stop us from having such a memorable time together.

So, if you are someone planning for a trip, whatever it might be: honeymoon, staycation, proposal, family or trip with friends, then, consider it done with these activities you can try!

If you need other inspirations on how to spend a one-of-a kind vacation with family, head to this post.

Please stay tuned for the part 2 of this blog guys. Subscribe now to be notified of new posts, follow us on facebook and IG and subscribe to our newest Youtube channel!

Continuing from my: “Meet Santa Claus and Explore Santa Claus Village” post, I will highlight two of the safari rides I’ve tried. My initial idea was to do it in wilderness with my family, then we’ll do fishing in a frozen lake, and have a hot cup of Lappish coffee. But reality has a different way of fulfilling my dreams the first time around so, I had to make the most of what was available at that time.

Reindeer Safari

I mentioned on my previous post that the snow when I visited Lapland was not enough to do a safari in wilderness. Therefore, I had to resort in doing the reindeer safari using a wheeled sleigh. It was such a good experience but trail was relatively short. I also think that experience and amazement will be way different if you really do it in wilderness. However, for those who have limited time in Lapland, trying this activity in Santa Claus Village is not a bad idea.

Inside the resort, you can just walk-in into the Santa Claus Reindeer Safari booth and pay for the ride that you like. For me, I got the 400-meter ride and it was actually just right. The ride was a one-round tour to the main attractions of the resort. Me and my new friend got one sleigh each but they were connected to each other.

Prices for the reindeer safari are: 18 EUR for 400 meters, 29 EUR for 1000 meters, and 65 EUR for 3000 meters

Husky Safari

Huskies ran fast so the ride was thrilling! The one at Santa Claus Village was a very quick one so don’t expect too much of it. Price wise, you will have to pay 40 EUR. It’s expensive for a short round but really an experience worth trying.

We got the chance to pet the huskies before our turn and explore the area around the husky tour section at the resort.

These two tours is probably one of the most expensive ones in Finland next to Northern Lights hunting especially if you will do it in wilderness. That is why, if you plan to go to Lapland, you allot a huge percentage of your budget on tours (e.g. Northern lights tour, safaris, bike tour, etc). For budget travelers, another tip is to pack instant coffee, bottled water, and probably cup noodles. Euro is a very strong currency guys so instead of paying more on coffee, you can add your budget to the tours.

Again, remember guys that since the reindeer and husky safari tours are inside Santa Claus Village then, you can allot one whole day in this place and enjoy all the attractions inside!

Tired of the ordinary and wanted something special? Visit Santa Claus Village and experience a magical Christmas all year round like no other!

Santa Claus Village will give a different twist to your Christmas celebration. Are you planning for a unique proposal? Why not do a concert with Santa? Wanting to pass on a unique Christmas tradition to your kids? Why not actually spend it in the Arctic and have a white Christmas?

Santa Claus Village is an amusement park in Rovaniemi, Finland. It aims to promote an all year Christmas magical experience.

Entrance to the park is free but, you will have to pay for the activities.like, the safaris, meet and greet with Santa, etc.

These are only a few things that you can do at the Santa Claus Village. There are other more things that I will share with you in the succeeding sections of this post. E

The entire park was covered with snow and it looked like a picture of a white Christmas.

The park started to transform into a moody Christmas vibe at around 3:00 PM in the afternoon. Yellow fairy lights and bulbs lit up the entire village by this time.

My eyes were glowing on this photo. I was beyond happy to finally live the dream that I only imagined before this trip. “I will come back with my family”, that was the thought I uttered while smiling for the camera.

Back-story of this trip

You have only seen a glimpse of my Lapland trip guys, the succeeding sections are far more promising. But, before I spill the attractions in this village, allow me to share with you a back story of this trip.

I researched about Lapland way before I flew here. It was never in my wildest dream that I will experience the Lappish adventure very soon.

I was so inspired to see the place that I collected photos and used it as my wallpaper before actually seeing Lapland. To my surprise, that dream and fascination became a reality very fast. I was in a business trip to Europe and had a vacation after that. So, I used that opportunity to fly to Finland.

Dream as big as you can, it’s crazy how the universe will conspire to make it happen. I had no clue that it will happen very fast for me.

You must read my Guide to Rovaniemi to give you the necessary information about the Santa Claus Village and Rovaniemi. I always try my best to post exhaustive information so that you can get the most out of my posts.

The guide post will give you a clear idea of when is the best time to visit the place, the food prices, accommodation and expenses, etc.

Now, let’s go to the exciting part – the things that you can do and see at the Santa Claus Village!

1. Cross the Arctic Circle

You would not miss this huge entrance going to the main ground of the village. It is not only an entrance but also a line indicating that you will about to cross the Arctic circle.

When I arrived in the city center, I saw the icy road but I did not see snow-covered roads. So I thought, my experience in Lapland would be incomplete. I also had been meaning to do safaris, and well, to see snow for myself so, it would have been a shame if I had not witness it myself in Finland. That is why, I was very happy to see the snowy road as we got closer to Santa Claus Village. How much more when I started to feel speck of snowflakes on my skin right?

2. Meet and Greet with Santa

As I have mentioned earlier, this one is one of the attractions at the park. Photo with Santa Claus costs 20 EUR. You cannot use camera inside so, if you want to document your meet and greet, you will have to pay for the photo. They have an official photographer inside who will take the photo for you. They will then give you a link to their site with the password.

The meet and greet with Santa Claus is very brief by the way, probably around five minutes. It is just a “hi, hello” thing then, photo taking and, that’s it. If you would ask me if it’s worth the 20 EUR, I would say: “definitely not” but, it’s the experience you are paying anyway so I guess, the price is acceptable.

3. Explore Santa Claus Village

You can do a quick round at the entire village and take-in the beauty of nature. Lapland nature in general is spectacular anyway but as you explore the village, you will also see different sights in different parts of the theme park.

Santa Claus Village was very sunny when we arrived. Then, after an hour or two, snowflakes started to fall. My feet started to numb after a while of walking outdoor since I was only wearing rubber shoes. We had to go inside the shops or stand on a platform to warm my feet. Luckily, they also had this fireplace so we were able to get extra warmth while we were outdoor.

4. Visit Santa’s Post Office

Before we left the Santa Clause Village, we dropped by at Santa’s Post Office. It is a shop that sells cards and stamps and some souvenir items. I decided to write a card for my son who was seven that time since it was almost December. He will receive it in time for Christmas.

Sending card to my son was my way of sharing to him my world as a child. I used to collect stamps growing up and I loved receiving physical letters at that time. I wanted to share a memory to my kid that is very precious to me and might be so obscure in his generation.

Inside the shop, you can choose from a variety of options for your cards including the stamp. I actually enjoyed picking the cards that I ended up sending letters not only to my son but, to my husband as well.

After writing on the card, you will have to decide whether to mail it via express or in time for Christmas. Of course, I chose the latter.

5. Do a Reindeer and Husky Safari

I really wanted to try husky and reindeer safaris in Lapland. I inquired from different activity providers before my trip but, almost all of them said that their services will only open in December. This is because, snow in November is not enough for the animals to run safely: the roads are icy and slippery during this time. Hence, animals will slide in that condition. I had to find other options despite knowing that the odds were against me.

Then, I found an article that at Santa Claus village, they offer these activities. And when I inquired, lo and behold, yes indeed! It’s just that, for the husky safari, it was just a very short ride, but I tell you, it was fast and fun! For reindeer safari, they used wheels for the sled. The guide will tour you around the theme park so you will have a better chance of enjoying the ride and the view.

Prices for the reindeer safari are: 18 EUR for 400 meters, 29 EUR for 1000 meters, and 65 EUR for 3000 meters.

Our husky safari cost us 40 EUR. I will be doing a separate post about my safari adventure in the next post, so stay updated guys. Click subscribe to receive the the most recent posts from our blog.

6. Ride a Snowmobile

This is also something that you can try at the theme park. I was not able to try this personally though because day light was very short when I was there and it was already dark when we finished the activities above. But yes, you can also do this activity there.

For a one day visit, I pretty much enjoyed my time at the Santa Claus Village. Dreams do come true indeed!

If you like this post, please share it with your friends, leave us a comment, and subscribe to our blog. Till our next blog post!

Well, we all want to be a moment maker for our dearies but finding ways to do that is also challenging. That is why, spending magical Christmas in the official home of Santa and doing activities in a fairy-tale-like wilderness is a great way to create wonderful memories for the people we love.

This was my first official photo at the city center on the way to our dinner (which was a fast food by the way since it was a cheaper option).

But before the main course which is the: “must see and do in Santa Claus Village”, here are the key information that you need to know about Rovaniemi to prepare for your trip.

Best time to go to Rovaniemi

My vacation in Lapland was just a side-trip while I was in Europe for a business trip. Hence, the timing was okay but was not the best I would say for three reasons:

1. 1st-3rd week of November has little or no snow yet which makes the weather dark and dingy. The month is considered “marraskuu” in Finnish, which translates to a “dead month”. From my own experience, there was approximately only five hours of daylight that you can enjoy from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, after that, is darkness.
2. Because of #1, snow activities are very limited. In fact, tours like reindeer and husky safari don’t open until late November to early December because animals will slide on icy roads due to thin snow.
3. Santa Claus’ secret forest or Joulukka is not open to the public until last week of November. This is an experience that will surely captivate children’s imagination as they journey into the magical forest with the elves towards the fairy tale path of Christmas preparations. Hence, missing this is a bummer.

My recommendation then is to visit Lapland either last week of November to March if you are after the winter experience.

If you look at this photo, you can see that the road is covered with ice and not the fluffy and cotton-like snow yet. If you are not wearing a proper boots, the road can be very slippery.

Transportation

Rovaniemi airport to city center

This guide is helpful to anyone doing a DIY trip so, if you booked through a travel agency, you can already skip reading this part.

There are two ways to get to the city: through an airport taxi shuttle service or a metered taxi.

Metered Taxi. The taxi stand is in front of the airport terminal which costs approximately € 25 from airport to the city center. If you want to book for one, these are the providers indicated on Rovaniemi’s official website. 

Taxi Rovaniemi, tel: +358 16 106 410; email: info@taxirovaniemi.fi

Rovaniemi Taxi Service, tel: +358 60 030 030 / +358 29 009 1090; email: info@rovaniementaksipalvelu.fi

Airport taxi shuttle service. This is your other option which I prefer personally since it is convenient to access and a lot more cheaper. I would rather save a few euros for my transportation and spend it on activities instead. 

Upon arrival in Rovaniemi, go out of the airport (yes, because I am talking about a very small airport) and ask for the shuttle service outside. The thing is, after each plane’s arrival in the airport, this bus is already waiting outside and will depart from airport to the city 1 hr and 10 mins before the next flight’s departure. On the way, it stops at hotels when necessary, therefore, please coordinate with the driver and inform him/her of your location. Fare is € 7 per person.

If you are a group of 3-4 people, it is wise to take a metered taxi or rent a car, otherwise, go for a shuttle bus. Additionally, Santa Claus village is close to the airport and you can inform shuttle bus driver to drop you off here. You can take this into consideration if you are pressed for time and would like to make the most out of your schedule.

Getting around Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is really just a small city so don’t be afraid to be lost. Within the city, hotels, restaurants, bars, and malls are close to each other and pretty much accessible by foot. Unless you are going to places like Ranua Zoo, Santa Claus Village, or Santa Park, there is really no need to use bus or taxi.

Looking closely at the photos, Rovaniemi is a quiet and small city which you can explore leisurely by foot. All establishments are close to each other and most people here either use bike or car. You won’t have to worry about traffic as well.

Rovaniemi to Santa Claus Village

Look for bus no. 8 and check their schedule for your trip to Santa Claus Village. You may visit this site for an accurate timetable. Don’t be confused about Santa Park and Santa Claus Village – they are not the same. Santa Park comes before Santa Claus Village if you are coming from the city. The activities are pretty similar but the attractions are different. Personally, I would prioritize Santa Claus Village over Santa Park if I am pressed for time and money because there are a lot more activities and attractions there than the latter.

Transportation to Santa Claus Village

Ride local bus no. 8 going to Santa Claus Village. You can purchase your ticket from the bus driver at 7.30 EUR (two way). 

Bus Timetable

You may refer to the below timetable to plan for your trip to Santa Claus Village. In our case, we got the 09:15 bus from the city center and left Santa Claus Village at 17:05 since at that time, it was already very dark.

The bus drop-off and pick-up point

At Santa Claus Village, the drop-off point in the morning is the same as your pick-up point in the afternoon.

Clothing and on staying warm

Boots. More than anything, my advice is for you to invest in a durable and comfortable boots. I am talking here as someone coming from a tropical country with no idea how cold it can get during winter. The ideal boots should be one with thick soles, waterproof, and is breathable. This link tackles the things that you should consider in buying winter/snow boots.

Socks. One of the keys to winter survival is keeping your feet warm and that includes choosing the best socks. Use wool instead of cotton socks. Wool, even if wet, does not lose its insulating properties, is relatively thicker, and dry out itself by simply being worn. In addition to this, invest in sock liner which helps prevent blisters and worn in conjunction to a thicker wool socks.

Thermals. Thermal’s main job is to fight cooling due to evaporation. This is an important first layer to your clothes during winter.  Uniqlo is my go-to store for all my thermal wears because I am a big fan of Japanese technology. 

Fleece, coat, scarf, gloves, beanie. Needless to say, you will need all these if you are visiting a winter land.  Spend time researching for your wear and plan your clothing in advance.

Hand warmers. One of the best things I did while in Lapland was having hand warmers handy. This is an air-activated heat pack that you can slip in your gloves or pocket for long lasting comfort. It’s the best ever!

Food price in Rovaniemi

The trick really is to eat heavy during lunch when prices are relatively cheaper than dinner and have light meals during breakfast and dinner.

For €8-€15, you can already have a decent meal in Rovaniemi (low-range budget). This is close to 1,000 PHP/24 SGD/18 USD. I really suggest that you bring some food with you on your trip (e.g. chocolates, instant noodle, snack bar, water, and instant coffee) because, stuff can be very pricey in euro. But of course, if you have sufficient budget for the trip then by all means just buy in the city. Specific for my trip, my average food budget daily was €31 or ~2,000 PHP/50 SGD/38 USD. You can of course go lower or higher than this depending on your preference. If your budget is tight, fast food in Rovaniemi can be a very good option by the way. For a decent burger meal with fries and drink, you just have to pay around 8.00 EUR. 

Coffee is around 2.50 – 3.00 EUR while beer cost me a whooping 16 EUR!

Food recommendation in Rovaniemi

While we are still talking about food, don’t leave Rovaniemi without trying their exotic reindeer dish. I have tried a reindeer burger and I must admit, I still prefer beef over reindeer! Reindeer meat tastes like beef but with chicken texture, that’s why, I still prefer beef over it. Rovaniemi’s official site has a good local food recommendation that you can try, please do visit it.

Here is the Reindeer burger that I tried which I paired with a hefty serving of fries. The burger and fries was at 12.65 EUR. 

Accommodation

If you are a budget traveller, you have the option to book in a hostel and I highly recommend Hostel Cafe Koti because, it is in the city center, very near the bus stop and train station, has direct access to airport bus, very close to all key establishments within the city, and relatively new. However, if you book for the dorm-type space, it won’t be that comfortable since there will be nine more people coming in and out of the room at random hours. If you are okay with it, then go ahead and book.

This is how the lobby inside the hostel looks like. It’s very clean to be fair. At that time, the only challenge I had here was the heater. It was either broken or the temperature was just really low so, our room was very cold.

If you however, have enough time and resources to book for your trip, I really suggest that you get a hotel. It’s comfortable and convenient after all. It’s a bit expensive than hostel but when in Lapland, it’s best to take-in nature at the comfort of your own cozy bed in a hotel.

I covered as much information as I can related to Rovaniemi so, if you have questions, do leave me a message below.

Up next are the things that you must “see and do” in Santa Claus Village. Do subscribe to be the first to receive our updates!

The major theme of my 2019 will be pursuing what I like. I have so many things to try, to experience, and to discover. I wanted to do all these and celebrate it with people I care the most. After all, champagne is best shared with people who are your cheerleaders, your light, and who stick with you through your ups and downs.

TRY SOMETHING NEW

First step to achieving the theme of my 2019 is saying yes to new hobbies! I said yes to three main activities: baking, swimming, and playing an instrument. I already set the environment for my baking goal and bought my first oven. I use Elba oven and I couldn’t be more happier with it. For first time bakers, I really do suggest that you buy this. Elba’s ovens are elegant and the heating system inside is even. This will help your first few attempts in baking to be successful. You will not regret it, I promise. For swimming, this is also a new activity for me. I don’t know how to swim so, I need to start from basic: bubbles, floating, etc. I will need the support of my husband to make this happen. As for musical instrument, I decided to play guitar again. Guitar is very handy instrument and you can bring it anywhere you go.

TESTING MY LIMITS

Over the years, I have anchored my decisions around stability and sure shots. I tried consciously to be risk-averse and as a tangent effect, I became lazy in following-through my plans. This year, I wanted to try the flip side. More than anything, I want to build my untapped adventurous, risk-seeking, creative, and playful personality. I have already started this with our new year’s table. I set it up so that it reflects what I like, what makes me excited, and what my love ones can look forward to.

These cute and very artsy donuts and macarons were created by Raindough Desserts. You can follow their IG and Facebook accounts to see more creative sweets! As with the table set-up, I bought everything I used from Daiso – it is the best place to go where you can find everything you need at a very affordable price.

Creation

Lastly, I wanted to focus more around creation more than consumption. I wanted to create something creative, meaningful, and memorable. I want to work more with talented, smart, and fearless people in 2019. But, I also wanted to give back to the church and the community.

These are my big three in 2019 and indeed, every year is another opportunity to start something new; to build on past experiences, and to open a new chapter. So, I am officially opening the #ytb2019chapter hashtag which I will use to document everything ytb and ytbfamily do in 2019.

Cheers everyone! May you find your own purpose this year too! Till then, let us continue to keep in touch. If you are not following ytb yet, please subscribe to our blog and to our facebook and instagram accounts.

Your life is your message to the world, make sure it’s inspiring – Sady Ali Khan

1. Their food is savory and suits every palate: adults and children alike
2. Their steaming soups are hearty and rich in flavor that you will really be satisfied
3. They have good number of options that you can choose from
4. I have never tasted one dish that I did not like
5. The price is reasonable and the place is clean and bright

In the hopes of finding a Korean restaurant that is near our place and equally good as Warawara, we’ve tried four different ones from different places and, it all ended with disappointment. This is not an exaggeration but that was what I felt. The prices of these restaurants are almost the same as Warawara but the food is, way too behind! Most of the soups lacked the flavor and the richness that it supposedly have. No “wow” factor at all. The banchan tasted like gochujang straight from its container. There was also this restaurant whose fried chicken tasted like chicken coated with hot sauce – the worst! So, after I paid a 100++ RM, I always end up comparing the satisfaction I get from these restaurants to Warawara. My thoughts were: “why would I save for a few RM when I can get the full satisfaction for only a very small difference in price?”

Another factor that really triggered me to recommend this restaurant is the fact that picky children can enjoy their food too! Take our little mister for example, he’s the most picky one in the family and the one who will not choose vegetable over meat. But here, his daddy and I were both surprised when we saw him wrapping the samgyupsal with lettuce. He even had this bright face when he ate it.

I will warn you though that if you like meat over soups and banchan, choose the bbq set instead. As you can see from the photo above, this is how much meat you will get from sets with soups and other dish combination. Either way, you will never regret whatever food you will choose at Warawara!

YTB Tip

Bring along friends when you visit the place and try their soju or rice wine!

Warawara Korean Restaurant, Solaris Mont’ Kiara
Address : 20-1, Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont’ Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Phone : 03-6211 8844

GRAND PALACE

At Hotel Tara, there is a free tuk tuk that they will arrange for their hotel guests going to Grand Palace. So this was me and my friend waiting for our tuk tuk ride.

Grand Palace is absolutely one of the famous and dazzling places in Bangkok that you must visit. Within the massive complex are several impressive buildings including the Temple of Emerald Buddha. One of the characteristics of this place is its colorful, well crafted, and massive architectures within a massive complex.

Things to watch-out

Go straight to the entrance. When we arrived in the place, we saw a tourist booth but at that time, there was no one inside. However, someone who stood nearby approached and told us that the palace was full of tourists and that, it is better to try some nearby attractions and come back once the current batch is done with their tour. Then, he gestured to us that we can take a tuk tuk. I thought at first that he was someone from the tourist booth so, his suggestion made sense especially since we don’t want to go along with a massive crowd inside. However, my friend expressed her doubts that it could be a trick and that we might end up paying for more than what we initially expected. Upon realizing this, we declined the offer and went straight to the entrance. Of course, we found out that the palace was not full.

There is a strict dress code inside. 

Men. Long pants, shirts with sleeves, no bare feet. In short, if you are wearing slippers, you should also wear socks.

Women.  No bare feet, no see-through clothes, no leggings and shorts, and bare shoulders. It is always best to bring shawl just in case you are unsure of your attire.

Opening Hours: Daily 08:30 – 15:30

Location: Na Phra Lan Road, Old City (Rattanakosin)

Entrance Fee: Tickets sold from 8:30 – 15:30 and cost 500 baht

The entire complex is clean and really impressive but please manage your expectations. Thailand is a tropical country so you might visit this place under the heat of 36-40 deg. cel (specially during summer). Another thing is, yes, it can be crowded at specific time so it is better to be mentally prepared for it. Since the palace is massive, please plan a minimum of two hours for your tour inside. 

WAT PHO

Wat Pho is around 15-20 minute walk from the Grand Palace. The place is famed for its reclining giant Buddha that is about 46 meters long and 15 meters tall. Similar to the Grand Palace, proper clothing is also required here. Note that Wat Pho is not as massive as the Grand Palace complex. Spending an hour here is more than enough. 

Opening Hours: Daily 08:00 – 17:00

Location: Maharat Road. Close to the river (about a half mile south of the Grand Palace), Old City (Rattanakosin)

Entrance fee: 100 baht

From Wat Pho, my friend and I decided to take Grab car going to our next destination. Since it was very hot and we’re already starting to feel the tiredness from our walking tour, we found it wise to just take grab instead of pushing ourselves to commute. We paid 90 baht from Wat Pho to Wat Arun.

WAT ARUN

This is indeed one of the stunning temples in Bangkok that I’ve seen. Notice that its design and intricate patterns are very different from most of the temples that you’ve seen on my photos above.

Opening Hours: 08:00 -17:30

Location: West side of Chao Praya River (opposite Tha Thien Pier)

Entrance Fee: 50 Baht

You can visit all these three locations in one day and combine it with some food exploration like what we did here. Then, set aside an entire half day for Ayutthaya or if your budget permits, an entire day.

AYUTTHAYA

Ayutthaya is a historic city which is an hour away from Bangkok, Thailand. The place is a UNESCO heritage and was founded in 1350. Ayutthaya was once the center of diplomacy and commerce but it was attacked and destroyed by Burmese army in 1767 and was burned to the ground. The city was never rebuilt but preserved to be an extensive archaeological sight at present with a total area of 289 ha.

Since the places in Ayutthaya are not close to each other, you would need to rent tuk tuk for 200 baht per hour or a bicycle. But, I would not advice that you do the tour by bicycle unless you have enough time to spare.  If you rent a tuk tuk, also ask you driver to drop you off at the van terminal going back to Bangkok so that it would be easier for you to go back in the city.

Getting Around Ayutthaya

From Bangkok, we took a grab car for 724 baht going to Ayutthaya. Since we left Bangkok late, around 11:00 AM, it was already too hot and we thought it would be convenient for us to just split the fare and take grab.  Once we reached Ayutthaya Park Shopping Mall, we saw that there were tuk tuks parked opposite to it so, we asked a mall personnel to help us find an English-speaking driver who can tour us around. Our driver showed us photos of the places that we wanted to see within the span of two hours and here they are:

Our itinerary was very relaxed and we even had enough time to go back to our hotel, freshen-up, rest a bit, and head to our night exploration after.

Bangkok as a destination is highly recommended since flight, food, and accommodation here are cheap and there’s just so much food and historical sites to explore. For a 3D2N itinerary, my friend and I spent around 10,000 PHP/each (all in) which is equivalent to: 254 SGD/765 MYR/184 USD/158 EUR.

Where do you plan to go next? Here are some of our suggestions that you might want to explore:

See the Northern Lights

Japan Bucket List

Off the beaten path Taiwan

The past months had been crazy for us, a lot of movements happen (literally and figuratively) in different areas of our lives. Those months were full of uncertainties and I would say that the one thing, yes, ONE THING, that I relied on was my faith to God. We made big decisions this year and a lot of it were scary. Not for a second did I put doubt in my heart that it will happen. Together with my family, we tirelessly prayed, declared victory to happen, worked towards our goals, and anchored our faith in God.

Those were months when we exercised our spiritual muscles and fixed our eyes to the prize. Right now, I am very happy to share that GOD made it all happen for us: exceedingly, abundantly, and amazingly! Yes, our prizes surpassed what we initially desired in our hearts.

I often hear people mocking, challenging, and questioning my faith just because they don’t have one (yet) and I totally respect that. But, here is what I personally believe. I intentionally strengthen my faith because that is something very personal and functional to me. Personal because, I can pray, cry, be joyful, and thankful to God in my prayers and quiet time. I can totally be me: unpretentious and human with flaws.  I don’t need to turn to people or other source of gratification just to assure myself that I am doing okay. In my spiritual walk so far, God created those amazing encounter with the right people, circumstances, and resources to make the impossible possible. These all manifested in our family and my life this year. I met people that fulfill God’s promise to make things happen for us, we were granted favors smoothly and very easily, we met amazing friends, and a lot more!  Secondly, my faith is functional because it keeps my sanity, gives me assurance in my down times, hope in uncertainty, and a reason to be joyful in everything. The reason why I don’t go everywhere searching for external validation is because my faith functionally plays an active role in my life to provide that validation to me.

But I am not here to talk about how people view my faith, I’m here to celebrate God’s goodness in our lives. For this, I put all the glory to God. My constant prayer is that God will bless us exceedingly so that we can give back to the community and we can radiate the same blessings to others.

Till next time dearies!

We spent most of our time combining food exploration and sight seeing but as first timers in Thailand, we basically focused on two locations for our food adventures: the Khaosan Road and Rambuttri Soi.  These are the two roads that are popular for radiating so much energy at night.

Visualizing Khaosan Road

This road is a long stretch of food carts, restaurants, bars, shopping stores, flickering neon lights, loud music, drinking, party, Thai massage, and a destination for tourists and budget travellers.  The energy of the place is very vibrant that you would really enjoy the night without noticing the time.

While in Khaosan Road, be sure to check out the shopping stores for a very affordable price of bags, accessories, clothes, and shoes. Of course, if you have enough time, you can always opt to go to Chatuchak Market, which is by the way, a weekend market known to sell wholesale items.

If you are the type who is adventurous, this is the best place for you to meet new people and friendly faces.

Don’t also forget to try different food carts especially:

Mango sticky rice

Coconut Ice Cream

Fresh fruit juices

Exotic Insects

Seafood feast

Visualizing Rambuttri Soi

The street next to Khaosan is also a stretch of food carts, restaurants, shopping stores, budget hotels, night market, etc., except that the vibe here is more mellow than Khaosan Road. Travellers can enjoy food and company of friends without being bothered by too loud music.

In Rambuttri, we highly suggest that you sit down in one of the restaurants here and order any local food, enjoy beer, try finger foods along the way, buy unique Thailand desserts and delicacies, and maybe, stopover for a Thai massage. Again, the keyword in this road is: “calmer than Khaosan”. 

YTB Tips

Allot big portion of your budget on food and shopping

Food in Thailand is affordable, tempting, and very good so there is always this urge to try something new and different or to have some more. A budget of 3000 Baht for 3 days for food is recommended.

On shopping, 3000 Baht is the recommended minimum as well, especially if you’re the type who easily gets lured with discounts.

Tip on shopping: haggle by half the price always, you’ll be thankful if you do because you can really get the most out of your money. When I was there, I got a lot of scarves for my trip, beach wear, magnets, and t-shirts, and oh, you can also buy reasonably priced leather bags here too.

When hesitant in trying exotic food, go for the coconut worm

Since this worm feeds on coconut, it is guaranteed clean and not very gross. The texture is also similar to a fish skin but tastes like coconut-ty.

Visit Thailand not only once

Even before we left Thailand, we were already fantasizing of going back. Why? It is not enough spending three days exploring Bangkok and combining both food adventure and sight seeing. There has to be a specific trip that only aims at trying Thailand’s buzz worthy dishes: from street foods, to restaurants, to food markets.

Grab car is convenient

Okay, depending on what type of traveller are you, feel free to choose your preferred option. But grab car is so convenient friends. A hundred baht or so can bring you to your destination and for me, I would choose that over sweating crazily in 30+ degree Celsius heat, braving the traffic and pollution uncomfortably, and spending additional time on transits and waiting.

Place to stay

I rarely recommend hotels, but choose Tara Hotel, it is affordable, very clean, just walk away to Khaosan Road, located in a very nice neighborhood, and staff are very accommodating. You can book easily here.

I hope you are already full just by browsing the photos and reading this post.

Share with us some of your best Thailand tips for #YTBinthailand adventure part 2!

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Yellowtravelingboots is introducing another bucket list idea to try in 2018: the Lapland winter fatbike adventure!

As a I travel, I realized that I enjoy trips that fulfill my silent dreams: most of it are written on my bucket list. Just recently, I crossed seeing the Northern Lights on my list and it was a mesmerizing moment: me watching natural fireworks in the sky while sipping a hot drink over bonfire. Magical isn’t it?

I wrote a detailed blog about my experience and how you will see the Northern lights in just one step. Read here to know more.

Another activity that was not on my bucket list but I got the chance to really enjoy was trying a fatbike on a snowy Lapland. This was me on the picture trying to capture the beauty of Finnish nature.

So, how did I get to try this activity? It was actually Juno of Beyond Arctic who suggested that I try this fatbike and recommended Roll Outdoors to me. Roll Outdoors is a relatively new company that offers this unique activity in Rovaniemi. You can visit their site to learn more about their services. 

Since I was looking for an additional activity to do in Rovaniemi, I decided to try Juno’s suggestion. I walked into the office of Roll Outdoors (they occupy the same office as Beyond Arctic) and asked details about the tour. I got the easiest option: the fatbike riverside and city tour. This is their easiest trip which only requires one to know how to bike at the very basic level.

THE EXPERIENCE

I must admit, the last time I rode a bike was decade ago. That is why, I had so many questions prior to the tour: is it safe, can I do it even if I haven’t rode a bike for a long time already, how can I take photos, what are the safety measures… and a lot more questions followed. I am impressed that Roll Outdoors was able to answer all my questions with patience. Hence, I decided to avail one of their tours.

As soon as I paid the tour, they got me an e-fatbike (because I imagine it would take a lot of my energy to pedal on a snowy road if I will just use a regular fatbike), gave me my helmet, provided me with a relatively thicker beanie, and gloves. Then, my guide oriented me on the hand signals and what to do before we started hitting the road off with our bikes.

We biked from the city of Rovaniemi first then headed to an easy forest trail and had a quick stop on a beautiful riverside.

I honestly lost count of the times I was captivated by the beauty of nature. I had plenty of breathtaking moments during the tour.

The tour also awakened my childlike wonder, my connection with nature, the trust in myself, and the search for my own ikigai (reason for being).

I couldn’t help but constantly remind myself that I was not dreaming: the city, the lakes, the forests, they were all sensationally real!

We cycled near Arktikum and made a quick stop so that I can capture photos on my phone.

Going back to the city, we passed by the Lumberjack bridge and it was my tour guide who again captured these photos.

While on the bike, the feeling was pure bliss. The cold air touching my skin, the great scenery around me, the thrill of biking different trails, the stories of my tour guide – all of it were new and unique to me.

But just like any other great things and moments, my fatbike adventure was already about to end. However, the end of my tour was equally wonderful as the beginning: I was graced with an incredible view of the sunset on our way back to the city.

I had to request for a quick stop to take-in this moment and watched the sun set before my eyes.

Finland, you are one of a kind! I surely gained a lot of my own fairy tales here which I would so graciously share to the world. Till then…

ABOUT THE TOUR

The fatbike river side and city tour is the easiest one and require basic bike experience.

Difficulty level

It was very easy from my own experience because an e-fatbike has options that will help you not to pedal hard on slopes or rough roads.

Things to bring and consider

Wear thick outdoor clothing. The wind will be very chilly on the bike so you need to wear warm clothing and specifically protect your neck, ears, and hands. But wear something that would allow you to be comfortable on the bike. In my case, I wore three layers of clothing and a bubble jacket. That was enough but I should have worn thicker scarf and warmer gloves because there was a point during the tour when I had to stop to check if my face was still alright: it was so numb from the cold.

I also planned to bring my camera but Roll Outdoors offered that they can take photos of my tour using their camera so, I decided to leave mine in their office. That was a good decision on my part since it’s more comfortable to navigate without it.

Price, time, and duration

Fatbike: 60 EUR inclusive of VAT

e-Fatbike: 75 EUR inclusive of VAT

Time: 1:00 PM

Duration: 1 hour

Contact

For inquiries email: info@rolloutdoors.com or go to their website

Before I end, I would like to thank Roll Outdoors for this experience and for taking all my photos during the tour.

Are you ready for your 2018 travels? PIN and SHARE this bucket list idea to your friends!