Words can never express how grateful I am to be able to revisit this incredible heaven-on-earth, together with my family.
In this trip, we decided to explore the places that we haven't been or done things we haven't done before. That includes visiting the exotic Nusa Penida island!
And what an amazing island Nusa Penida is!
We took the tour to Nusa Penida operated by Idola Fast Boat and chose the full-day West side tour. We visited Kelingking Beach, Broken Beach, Angel's Billabong and Crystal Bay. We had private tour with local car and guide as well. It was lovely!
Before I spill all the details about our trip there, here are some photos I took at the amazing Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida Bali.
What a lovely place indeed!
Will you visited Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida, Bali as well when you get a chance?
Sunset at Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung, Indonesia
Hi everyone,
Wishing you all a great day wherever you are.
I was traveling to Lampung, my beloved homeland, together with my family last weekend. We had some urgent matters to handle and Alhamdulillah things were under control. We even managed to visit the ocean and the islands we love so much. This time, we visited Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung.
beautiful sunset we have here..
Ma Mija et me..
Sunset at Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung, Indonesia
Sunset at Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung, Indonesia
Pulau Kelagian Besar, Lampung
Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung, Indonesia
Sunset at Kelagian Besar Island, Lampung, Indonesia
As we planned to catch the sunrise, we traveled in the afternoon and stayed there till the sun set. It was simply beautiful.
Check out the photos we took during our visit here.
And the video as well about our little adventure in Lampung.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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Deluxe Pool Villa at the Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali
Traveling back to Bali is just a dream-come-true to me.
After COVID-19 bombarded us and caused tremendous impact in so many aspects of our lives since the beginning of the year, we start making some adjustments to continue our live during the pandemic. Well, we are still fighting it but at this point, with the strict adherence and observation of health protocol and some important norms in 'new normal', we can start doing things we need to do and enjoy. For me, that includes traveling.
welcome to the Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali
Although my first air traveling was related to work, but I have to admit that I was super excited, and a bit anxious at the same time, to actually come back to Bali, the island of paradise. But as we fly, we need to fulfil all the requirements related to our health and safety, such us conducting rapid or swab test before flying, washing hands properly as needed and putting the mask ON every time we are out as well as maintaining physical distance including in the airplane and filling the form at e-Health Alert Card app to ensure the tracking system if necessary. Long story short, those are the new procedures we have to oblige whenever we are flying domestically in Indonesia. I believe foreign visitors have some additional requirements and procedures as deemed necessary, including quarantine.
maintain the physical distance..
But now, in my post, I would like to share my wonderful stay in Ubud on my first trip back to Bali in 2020. The visit was in October 2020 so still in the middle of the pandemic. As you are probably aware of, many hotels and public facilities and places in Bali have implemented CHSE (Clean, Healthy, Safety and Environmentally friendly) approach and principles during the pandemic. this will definitely make us feel safe and comfortable during our visit.
mask and clean wipes at the room
So now, let me invite you to the Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali
This world-class resort is really a place that you should not miss when you come to Bali, particularly UBUD.
the Deluxe Villa with private pool
Situated at the heart of Ubud, which is famous for its incredible and amazing landscapes as well as peaceful greenery and vibrants lives with amazing arts and crafts, the Royal Pita Maha resort will take you to another level in the world of relaxation and five - star resort.
Ayung river and the greeneries near the Resort
I stayed for 3 days and 2 nights at its Deluxe Pool villa. It has many types of rooms including those villas with private individual pool, like the one I had.
Super happy me :)
I really enjoy the beauty of this place as well as the surrounding nature which gave us peace and serenity. The room that I have is very spacious with one king bed and different wings for a bathroom and living room plus private pool. I love it so very, very much. The room is beautifully decorated in Balinese accent and the infinity pool is facing the famous green forest with Ayung river afar. You can even hear the sound of the rumbling sound from the river and its natural dwellers.
the greeneries..
The service is great indeed, as you can feel the sincerity of the staff and how they respect guests’ privacy.
Since I stayed during the pandemic, some services like spa and yoga were not running yet but they tried their best to serve us during our stay.
Breakfast is still limited but delicious and I got a chance to enjoy lunches and dinner here as well which were nice. The restaurant is beautifully located, so you can enjoy the lovely view while enjoying your meals.
breakfast at the Royal Pita Maha Resort
I even got a chance to try the floating breakfast! It was quite an experience for sure and although it was tricky to have breakfast in the pool, I enjoyed it! I basically ordered my regular breakfast tot he room and the floating tray then the staff came to set it up for me. I was super happy indeed!
ready for my floating breakfast
Don't you just love it!
Check out my video on YouTube for this floating breakfast at the Royal Pita Maha Resort!
You have various pools in different parts as well for you to enjoy. You will have to take many stairs up and down to explore this resort and it’s good for the exercise. Let alone the beauty of the surroundings which you can enjoy while exploring the resort area. Besides enjoying the private pool, I really love the Holy Spring Pool they have in the lower part of the resort, close to the river and the temple. It’s an amazing place indeed.
Here's the video I made about the room I enjoyed while staying here at the Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali. You can definitely enjoy that in my YouTube channel.
The price of the rooms vary, but they do give a lot of discounts during the pandemic. Best to check out their website at https://www.royalpitamaha-bali.com/villa.html to see more info about the room and the price. My deluxe pool villa normally costs starting from 3 - 4 million per night or starting around USD 200. But you can get the discount around this time.
As for the exact location of the resort, you can check out the details here:
I am already planning to go back here again soon with my hubby and the kids. Hmm... I bet this will be a perfect place to celebrate our series of December birthdays in the family as well as our 16th wedding anniversary.
What do you think? sounds like a perfect plan, right? Let's go!
Truly a piece of heaven on earth! And I was super lucky I got a chance to actually come, visit and stay in this fantastic place. Wonderfully situated in green, plush Ubud, this Tjampoehan resort is a must-visit place indeed when you are around.
Ubud has long been famous for its amazing greeneries, fresh air, and natural landscapes. The Monkey Forest is located here and the UNESCO World Heritage are, Tegalalang rice field is also here. Not to mention numbers of fascinating tropical forests and waterfalls, cool hiking tracks and paddy fields you can freely explore. And I have to admit I fall in love with all those art shops and galleries. I guess that's why Ubud, with its own unique vibe, has fascinated many.
And the arrays of five-star hotels, resorts and villas in Ubud are to die for. One of them is The Royal Pita Maha, the Tjampoehan relaxation resort.
And let me show you this magnificent place through photos before I share more details about it along the way, okay.
I was privilege to stay in one of the deluxe room (more like a villa I believe) with private pool. The room is spacious indeed and the private pool is uber cool! You know how I love swimming and everything to do with the pool and body of water. The room has its own living room and luxurious bathroom with love-shaped bathtub.
welcome to my room
my own private pool :) at The Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
welcome to my villa :)
even the signs looks beautiful..
the open pool at The Royal Pita Maha Resort, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
So, what do you think about The Royal Pita Maha Resort, ubud, Bali?
Will you visit and enjoy your time here as well? Happy to share on my next post so watch out for that. Meanwhile, stay safe, happy and healthy!
This time, I had a wonderful experience in Cambodia.
Has anyone visited Cambodia before? Did you visit the capital city Phonm Penh? Or you managed to visit Angkor Wat as well?
I decided to republish some of my posts with updates and more photos. Again, I come to realize that I still have tons of photos to share.
Attending a 2-day seminar on Genocide in Phnom Penh ( I will share the photos on another post), I welcomed myself to this fellow ASEAN member states.
Phnom Penh is nice obviously. I did have that familiar warm feelings that I got whenever I visited ASEAN countries. Then, as people say, a visit to Cambodia will never be complete without paying a visit to Angkor Wat. Covering the area of more than 162 hectares, Angkor Wat is without a doubt the largest religious complex in the world. No wonder this temple complex has been proclaimed as the symbol of Cambodia and is proudly appeared on Cambodia's national flag.
So, without further due, I flew to Siem Reap with Angkor Air and plunged myself to the ancient-old mystical Angkor Wat.
It was an amazing journey indeed! One I still cherish until now.
one lovely corner at Angkor Wat Temple
First thing first, I flew to Siem Riep from Phnom Penh. It took around 50 minutes fly and we landed at Siem Reap International Airport. As soon as I arrived at the Siem Riep airport, , I got my tuk-tuk to take me to the hotel, had an appointment with the driver for my early-morning ride, and snuggled to my lovely Wooden Angkor hotel (really recommended for sure and you canread my comments for Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at tripadvisor)
The first thing crossing my mind while stepping my itchy-feet here was Borobudur Temple. Well, it is actually quite different because Borobudur is a Buddhist Temple, while Angkor Wat is the Hindu temple. Excuse my ignorance and simplistic approach.
Borobudur is indeed an amazing artifact as well and visiting Angkor Wat, to some extent, was like paying a pilgrimage to its homeland. Maybe because both are amazing temple complex and both are listed in UNESCO World Heritage.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that Angkor Wat is a combination of Buddhist and Hindu temples. In the beginning, many of the early temples being built here were depicting Hinduism. The original construction of the temple was dedicated to Vishnu, the preserver in Trimurti, Hinduism triad deities. It was first built in the early 12th century by King Suryavarman, the King of Khmer Empire ruled in the 11 - 12th century, for the state temple as well as his mausoleum. the Khmer architecture, during this golden era, is vividly shown by intricate details; the structures, the elements , and the motifs. All of them can be seen through elaborate towers, galleries, bas-relief, and more.
So back to my visit, I started the day very early, I was picked up at 4.30 AM and obviously I was not the only one arranging such early rendezvous. By the time we arrived at the temple, lines of tuk - tuk was already long. And by the way, trying to get a good spot amidst hundreds of people already flocking in Angkor Wat since 5 am was not that easy apparently. it was pitch black dark at that time and I was literally squeezing myself. I raced to the spots where we have the view of the whole temple, with the lake in front of it for its beautiful reflection.. The place was already packed with sunrise-hunter like me and tourists who smart enough to start the day early to avoid the scorching sun later on. Then, after moving at least 3 times, I got my spot. Although I was just an amateur photographer and mainly relying on my no-so-advanced smart phone that I used at that time, I felt like it was such a waste if I didn't immortalise the moment with my gadget.
and the sun kissed the morning....
The temples are amazing and there are so many things to see. As it was a huge complex, I really have to manage my time and make my priorities. I was a bit more ambitious at first, but after reality hits me (plus scorching sun the beginning of March when I visited and still quite early in the morning), then I dragged myself until the very last minute to the main attractions. I was starting with Angkor Wat, enjoying its magnificent sunrise
Reflecting the five peaks of Mount Meru (the home of the Gods in Khmer - Hindu) Architectural masterpiece, Angkor Wat stands majestically until present day. This particular temple was abandoned for quite some times, particularly as Buddhist dominated the later successor of King Suryavarman II.
Then I continued the journey, trying to absorb the ancient vibes in its grandioso form, strolling around walls upon walls of hundred-year-old stories printed on those bas-reliefs. Here are some of the photos I took along the way.
somebody tell me what the story here...
one of the bas-relief in Angkor Wat...
The Apsara Lady...
Then to I went to Bayon temple, famous for its smiling Buddha. Here you will see so many of them.
As the day continued, I walked further to Ta Phrom to see the famous spot of the Lara Croft's Tomb Raider. Remember the movie? The one starred by Angelina Jolie? Ta Phrom has been getting more and more attention because of that movie and because of its unique huge trees growing amidst the temples and becoming inseparable part of it. But I guess I will do so on the next post. I have also visited several other parts of this gigantic complex. So, stay with me as I will get back to you, will you?
Don't forget to dress as required and fully considering the season. Summer can be very hot and humid so get your comfortable cotton dress or t-shirt and hat if necessary.
Get your tumbler and fill it full as you will walk a lot.
Wear you favorite sneakers as without even realizing it, I walked from 5 AM to 5 PM, just occasionally take tuk - tuk to go to different places and have lunch.
Get your tuk-tuk since the very beginning and make sure you make a clear deal with the driver. Tips will be highly appreciated as well. I forget how much I paid for my trip. I guess it was around USD 50 for the whole trip (from hotel, around the complex and to the airport - yes I took tuk-tuk to and from the airport :). But it was back in 2013 and before the pandemic. The price might change already.
As the complex is huge, make your priorities by choosing the places you want to see and explore, especially if you need to catch your plane later that day as well.
And finally, enjoy the trip. It's really worth all the efforts!
Let's continue our adventure. This time, I would like to kindly invite you to join me in my Culinary Adventures in Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia.
As I have shared previously (READ: Kanoman Palace, Cirebon, West Java, Indonesia dan Sunyaragi Cave, Cirebon, West Java) , Cirebon is indeed a special place for me and my family as my late grandpa from my late father was originally coming from Cirebon. While we are here in Indonesia, we take some times to visit this city again and again as we still have many relatives to meet plus lovely attractions that I would like to introduce to my kids as well. That includes the culinary experience here.
Cirebon has ben well known for its delicious cuisine. Empal gentong, empal asem, tahu gejrot and nasi lengko are only few examples of this culinary heaven. Not to mention the munchies, like ketan gurih, rengginang rebon and emping manis. The list can go on and on.
Empal gentong is the traditional beef stew from Cirebon, cooked with coconut milk and a mixture of Idonesian spices such as kemiri or bitter nut, sereh or lemon grass, laos/lengkuas or galangal, and daun salam or bay leaves. While empal asemis similar, but it is cooked withouth coconut milk. Instead, it uses tamarind water and belimbing wuluh, a special starfruit with has unique sour taste. Both stew are served with fried onion and slices of fresh spring onion and celery. Tahu gejrot is a special mixture of fried tofu with a sauce made of garlic, chili, tamarind, palm sugar, and sweet soy sauce. My late dad loved tis so much and we cherish this special dish wholeheartedly. We sometimes cook it at home as well. Then nasi lengko is Cirebonese plate of rice with fried tofu and tempe, sprinkled with generous fresh cut cucumber, steamed bean sprout, fried onion, kucai or chives, with spicy (or not) peanut sauce. Oh my, even as I write this, I am drooling and suddenly hungry.
I might need to write more details about more Cirebonese food at later stage but now, let's see some of those scrumptious palates. Tell me whether it brings out your appetite instantly.
So, what do you think?
Which one is your fave?
Have you tried some of them?
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