Best of Bali, Indonesia; things to do at least once.

Bali is a well-known Indonesian island rich in culture, tradition and nature sight-seeing. I had a splendid trip to Bali recently in February 2023  and this was my second visit to this sophisticated island. Bali is not alien to most travelers and there are numerous flights available from various destinations. I took the AirAsia flight from Kuala Lumpur to Denpasar Airport. I would not like to essay on the entire journey and minute details as information for Bali and tour agencies are vastly available on the net. However, I will pen down major interesting things to do when you are in Bali and what to expect during your visitation. The best season to visit Bali is from April to October, which are the non-monsoon season.

1. Tirta Empul Temple

As most of us are aware that Bali is famous for its Balinese Hindu temples and this is one of the famous water temples there. This is an unique temple as there is a holy water bathing section for self-cleansing and purification. I was sceptical on trying this ritual but it seemed those who had experienced it had a pleasant time there. The large pond with numerous Koi fishes at the center of the temple ground becomes a photography spot to visitors. This temple takes about 1 hour drive from Kuta town. 

2. Tegalalang Rice Terraces + Luwak coffee tasting.

Eventhough I come from a tropical contry, Malaysia, I personally feel that the rice terraces in Bali are pretty much attractive especially in Ubud area, Bali.  Alas Harum Bali is an one-stop spot for everything one can do with the pretty views of the rice terraces. We spent only about 3 hours there due to time constraint but I would suggest to allocate one full day to experience all the fun-loving activities such as luwak coffee tasting, giant swings, a walk across the rice terraces, swimming at the infinity pool and having a meal at the restaurant facing the paddy fields. Trust me, the photography scene here is definitely Instaworthy. After this, we stopped by at Bebek Joni for lunch with serene views of the paddy field. 

Instagram reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Coj2uSgBKbv/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

3. Garuda-Wishnu-Kenchana Cultura Park & Kecak Dance

This is one of my favourite places to visit in Bali, which is located not far from Uluwatu area. There are gigantic statues of the two iconic goddess of Balinese Hindu devotees, Vishnu and Garuda. Visitors also get to see the newly built 122-meter tall GWK statue, which is the tallest in Indonesia. Another must-see activity at this place is the 'Kecak' performance. The repetitive chanting of 'Kecak' whilst narrating the Garuda -Wishnu plot is the highlight of the performance. This performance takes places in the late evening around 6pm at the open auditorium (check the GWK website for the latest timing).

4. Uluwatu

Uluwatu sits in the southern tip of Bali island , looking over the Indian Ocean from several clifftops. It only takes about 30 minutes drive from GWK and Denpasar Airport to Uluwatu. There are many things to see in Uluwatu including the Pura Luhur Temple, panaromic clifftop views and Kecak dance show during sunset. This place can be very crowded and hot during mid-day and therefore I skipped during my recent trip. 

5. Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

Undeniably, this is one of the most picturesique temples in Bali which is dedicated to the Balinese lake goddess, Dewi Danu. This is my favourite temple because of its unique location in the middle of Lake Bratan giving a floating effect with a cool environment due to the higher ground of this area. 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Corrpk7h1pl/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

6. Tanah Lot Temple

Another must see temple in Bali is the Pura Tanah Lot, an ancient Hindu temple located on a large rock (like a tiny island) in Tabanan. I skipped this temple during this trip but all I could recall from my previous visit was the iconic view of the temple from the cliff, the short walk across the shores, towards the temple and partaking in the local Balinese Hindu rituals with the placement of the holy grain of rice (like a bindi) as sign of purification. I have also read reviews about visiting this temple for the beautiful sunset view from the cliff.

7. Legian Street and Hard Rock Cafe Bali

One of the highlights of Bali is its happening night life in Legian street. There is an array of eateries, bars, night-clubs and souvenir shops opened until late night. However, I could clearly see now that the businesess are pretty much affected after the Covid-19 pandemic and several shops had been closed down. My Balinese friend said that the nightlife is now focused in other parts of Bali like Ubud and Seminyak since the reopening of travels with many tourists and content creators prefering other parts of Bali as the mainstay of their visitation. I would also like to recommend a visit to Hard Rock Bali as they host live performances daily with good services and many seatings available. Something that I don't often see in HRC of other countries. 

8. Tranquil villa stay in Ubud

As mentioned earlier, Ubud is home to the beautiful rice terraces. It is worth to stay in a villa atleast for a night or two in between of your trip just to relax, unwind and connect with the greenery of Bali. There are plenty of options to choose, just Google search.  I would like to share my little experience of staying in Black Penny Ubud which costs about MYR 1000 per night (we got a discounted rate as we customized our tour with a friend). The villa is quite spacious equipped with wooden interior, a large private infinity pool with a stunning view of rice terraces and the Ayung river. You can even walk-down the valley to appreciate better.  Make sure you get the right villa for the perfect view. 

9. Handara Gate

This is an iconic traditional Hindu gate which makes your photography in Bali complete. I prefer this place as the crowd during my visit was still acceptable as compared to Pura Lempuyang and there is a staff who promptly aids tourists with the photo-taking including the reflective pictures.

This is gate is located near to the Bedegul temple and Banyumala waterfall, so you can make a quick visit on the way. Surely, Instaworthy. 

10. Banyumala Twin Waterfalls

These spectacular twin waterfalls surrounded by lush greenery and a pool of swimming hole makes it ideal for a perfect rejuvenation spot after the tiresome journey. One can rent a transport or scooter to Munduk area and then further drive about 30 minutes further in from the local sigboard up to the parking area. Later on, you need to hike about 30-45 minutes to reach the waterfalls. The entrace fee to this waterfall is USD2. Definitely, one of the most beautiful sights of Northern Bali. 

11. Pura Lempuyang @ The Gate of Heaven - Not a pleasant experience though. 

This temple is also an extraordinary one because of the gigantic traditional Balinese gate with the view of Mount Agong in the background. This is where the triple sanctrums of the Pura Penataran Agung temple is situated. However, this place is comercialised now with tourist flooding from early hours of the day. Just for a Instagram photo, people queue up to 7-8 hours and the temple authorities refuse to simplify the number of shots per group or individual despite the long queue. The view of Mount Agong is obliterated by the clouds at most of the time. There aren't much shops available beside the temple for you to eat and relax before your number is called. We waited for about 4 hours and left the place because we were rushing for the night flight. If you are in a rush, I would rather asked you to skip this. Alternatively, you can also take pictures of the sanctrums, the back view of the gate (like we did) or at the huge lotus structure at the base of the hill which also has a similar Mt. Agong view. Another option is to make this as an early morning activity with visits to Tirta Ganga on the way back, which is also located in the eastern Bali region.

12. Day trip to Nusa Penida Island

This is an island located near the southeastern side of Bali. There are numerous stunning view points, beaches and rainforest for one to explore in this island. Honestly, the Indian ocean view from the cliffs are breathtaking. We were also lucky enough to spot far from the cliff several Mantarays swimming swiftly. I would actually recommend to stay atleast one night here to be able to visit various sights of the island namely Kelingking Beach view point, Broken Beach, Diamond Beach and Rumah Pohon. Due to time constraint we took a day visit and selected 1 major view point from each of the eastern and western parts of the island respectively.  You can easily take a ferry from Bali (may request your agent to arrange it) or buy it from the jetty at Sanur, Bali (about 10 kilometers from Denpasar).

View points from cliffs at Diamond Beach (left) and Kelingking Beach (right)

These are some of the highlights of the many things I did in Bali. One should also visit the Mount Kintamani viewpoint where you can have lunch with the view of the stunning volcano. I heard now they have built some nice spots for photography too. I hope to repeat my trip to Bali in the future with Seminyak in my itinerary for the water activities. I also love exploring various cafes and bars with a scenic view of the Balinese seashore. Rockbar Bali is tempting. 

If you are hiring a private agent, you can list the places mentioned above with a customized itinerary. You can also rent a private car to further distanced places once in Bali and rent a bike to explore the nearby places like the Legian street. By writing this blog, I was able to understand Bali better besides recollecting the fond memories. Hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I did writing it.  

"Before you run out of time"

www.instagram.com/theroytravels

[Q&A]: Planning a trip to Europe, from a Malaysian point of view.

After the long break from travels due to the pandemic, many of you must have been waiting to visit Europe, particularly the common cities like Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Brussels and London. 

Since we have easy access to the internet and there are so many travel pages for references, I decided to write this blog in regards to all the questions you guys have asked me recently after my 3rd Europe trip on Instagram. This post will be permanent here and hope it will help to clear your doubts in planning a Europe trip soon. 

Q1: How did you plan your trip? Was it by your own or tour group?

A: The recent trip in April 2022 was a solo trip, which I only decided 3 weeks before flying. It's doable. Book your flights first and you can draft the itinerary later (which is not compulsory). Decide your flights based on the price and length of the journey (check the layover duration). 

There are many reliable Malaysian travel agencies for Europe trip from Malaysia (eg. Sedunia Travels, HelloHolidays) in which some packages are worth the price charged because you can save in hotels and transportation costs. However, sometimes you can't spend much time at major attractions due to strict itinerary and hotels located far from the city. Be careful of 'touch and go' kind of itineraries by travel agencies.

Advantage of self-planned tours: more time to spend at preferred locations, able to explore locations with good places to eat, best views and more time for photos and strolling. And of course, you will gradually become an expert traveller. 

Q2: What is the cost of your recent trip? How did you arrange the trip?

As mentioned above, this a self-planned trip. The trip costs me RM8k (flights, hotels, major intercity train, tickets to major attractions) excluding personal expenses.  You can actually save a little more if the hotels are shared by two and if you choose 2-3 star hotels, backpacker hostels or hotels further from the city center. I booked nicer hotels in the city center this time because of Covid-19 concerns and to spend lesser travelling time to the city. You can also remove places that are not a must to see like amusement parks (I removed Disneyland this time).

A summary on getting your trip planned in a sequentially manner:

i) Decide the duration of your trip, dates and book the major flights from your location. Some of the recommended flights from Kuala Lumpur to Europe: Emirates, Qatar, Etihad, and Saudia Airline. 

ii) Book the hotels based on your preference and budget. (recommended sites: Agoda, Booking.com, Traveloka, AirBnB). If you love to spend time at a major location during the day and night, try booking a hotel nearby to the attraction or a train station connecting to the desired location. 

iii) Decide the major activities- some of you do not prefer to pre-plan activities, however you must know that some tickets are cheaper if purchased via online or in-advanced. Google search to guide you on the activities or places to visit. For an example, type "things to do in Paris" and a list of places of interest will appear as a summary in Google. 

Some apps to book activities: Tripadvisor, Klook, Viator, Traveloka. 

iv) Finalise other important things weeks ahead of your traveling date: passports, visa- if required, travel insurance, medicines, suitable clothings according to the travelling season, etc.

Q3: Do you like to travel alone or with friends?

Eventhough I travel solo quite oftenly, I like to travel with a small group of friends. Both have pros and cons.

i) Travelling with friends: fun, cost-effective, shared burden on planning the trip, personal photographer ;-). But you need friends who are adaptable and willing to accommodate to the changes in plans and budget along the trip. 

ii) Solo trip: No hassle of waiting for confirmation from travel partners, no dramas 😂, more time focused on the travelling experience, you learn to appreciate your inner strength.

Q4: The cameras you are using to capture your picture.

Almost 90% of my contents are created with mobile phones only. This is much practical and time-saving. I do have an Olympus digital camera but it is sleeping in the cupboard for almost 2 years. I agree the work of a professional photographer is exceptional but for Instagram purposes, latest mobile phones do produce tremendous videos and photos. 

Regarding my recent trip, I used Samsung Note 20 Ultra and Iphone 12 Pro Max. Some photos from Paris were shot by a professional photographer. You can contact him for some amazing shots in Paris city, https://instagram.com/maxrumeau.photography

Q5: Please share the places you went.

I don't believe in listing out places to visit like a travel book especially when you want to plan it out yourself. However, I know that some of you guys are looking forward to suggestions and inspiration before deciding on a trip. Since this trip was surreal to me (post-pandemic), I shared almost all the places with location tags/ captions along the trip in my Instagram stories and feed. I have highlighted the major stories. So, use it as a guide to plan your trip but it is not mandatory to follow my places of interest. Check my Instagram page for some ideas: www.instagram.com/theroytravels

Q6: Where did you stay?

Cornelisz Hotel Amsterdam, Ibis Hotel Paris (left), Hyde Park Executive Apartment London (right).

                             

Q7: How many days will you recommend to spend in London and Amsterdam?

I would say 4-5 days in each city.. You can do more things if you stay longer and appreciate the local culture. I have been to both of these places before and hence 4-5 days each was fine. Wish I had more time in London to visit the nearby castles and stonehenge, or even trip to Scotland but I could not take long leaves due to my gazettement. 

Q8: Covid-19 related travel requirements.

1. PCR test is not required in most of the European countries now and therefore you need not to do one in Malaysia before leaving KL.  Also Malaysia has removed negative PCR results requirement prior to arrival to fully vaccinated individuals. Basically, I did not do any Covid-19 testing for this trip. However, you need to check the latest updates on the visiting country's requirements via airlines or official embassy websites before travelling.

2. Health declaration form and Covid-19 apps. As for now, all of these are no longer required in the 3 countries I visited lately. Netherlands has a travel ban to non-vaccinated individuals except for certain circumstances (please check https://www.government.nl on the latest updates). No longer travel ban is applied to fully vaccinated travellers from non-EU countries*.

* Definition of fully vaccinated: Completed 2 doses of EU approved vaccine or single dose of Janssen with second dose taken less than 270 days prior to arrival. If second dose is taken >270 days before arrival, a booster shot is needed and does not have an end date for validity.

(criterias are subjected to change from time to time)

Q9: Did you purchase any insurance for your travel? And do they cover for Covid test?

Good question. Even before Covid-19 pandemic, travel insurance is essential. One can claim even when his or her bag is lost or stolen. I took Tune protect for the current trip which covered Covid related hospital admission at a reasonable price. Covid test is not covered because it is a screening test, and not part of the treatment. 

Q10: How was the weather over there?

This depends on the season as Europe has four seasons around the year. I went during spring (my favourite) which is known as the 'flower season' and right after winter. So, you can expect weather around 10-14 degrees during the daytime and around 8-10 degrees at night. Everything may look nice in the pictures but it was quite cold for me on certain days. Bring jackets, coats or wear double layered when needed. And use moisturizers and drink plenty of water to avoid dry skin issues. These are essential if you are not used to cold weather especially during winter. 

Q11: Planning a flight to Paris and then Eurostar to London in July. Any advice?

You must be familiar with the flight protocols. Just would like to remind you to be early to arrive at Gare Du Nord train station for your Eurostar train as you need to pass through immigration and customs clearance. I thought there would be no strict checking like Eu-to-Eu contries (by train) and almost missed my train the other day. 

Q12: How do you get mobile data? In case you need to use Google map.

Well, you really need good internet connection while on a self planned trip. Google map is amazing when it comes to searching routes within the city; it will show the exact metro lines, platforms and the stops. You have 3 options for internet connection:

i) Purchase roaming plans from your existing telco services. Eg. Digi offers 3 days roaming pass for RM25 for most European countries. This is the most convenient way to subscribe at a discounted rate. Call your telco customer service or check their websites.

ii) Buy a local sim card upon arrival. This is quite expensive for Europe but will be easy for those who are not tech savvy. One can consider in Asian countries too.

iii) Rent a pocket wifi device which is available at KLIA (example: TravelRecommends). But you have to take care of the device, otherwise your deposit will be forfeited 

I hope that this Q&A on my recent Europe trip will be helpful as it is written based on all the questions that were highlight by all of you. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to drop a DM via my Instagram page 'theroytravels' and I will try my best to reply. Kindly be aware that this article is written from a Malaysian point of view and may not be applicable if you are not from Malaysia. 

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

www.instagram.com/theroytravels

Whatsapp for collaboration: https://wa.me/message/B5AJLXA5MRC5P1 

A trip to The Taaras Resort, Redang Island (Terengganu, Malaysia)

I celebrated my birthday recently in an exclusive manner at The Taaras Beach & Spa Resort in Pulau Redang. I would like to keep this blog short and sweet so that you guys too can make a trip to the beautiful Redang Island soon. The best time to visit this island is from mid-March to October (which is after the monsoon season).

1. Why Redang Island?

Redang is one of the many islands in Terengganu known for its crystal clear waters and white sandy beaches, which are ideal for snorkeling and diving. Who wouldn't want to swim with the century-aged turtles while appreciating the corals of the east coast of Malaysia.

2. How to go to Redang Island?

There are two main routes to Redang Island:

a) Air transfer- you can now fly to Redang Island by Berjaya's Jojo flight from Subang Airport to Redang Island in an hour. Check the flight timing and price in this link, https://flight.berjayahotel.com/. However, if the ticket price is not within your budget, then you can opt for plan B.

    Jojo flight by Berjaya (Picture from https://flight.berjayahotel.com/)

b) Land and sea- you can drive or take a bus to Kuala Terengganu and then to Merang Jetty (do not confuse with Marang Jetty where boats to Kapas Island departs). The road towards the east coast is indeed challenging especially from the northern states where you have to drive along either the Gerik road or the Cameron Highlands- Gua Musang route. Please check in Google Maps which route suites you the best. If you are driving, you can park at the Merang Jetty for a rate of MYR 10 per day.

From Merang Jetty you can take speedboats to the island which only takes about 45 minutes. The link to book your speedboat tickets: https://www.merangjetty.com/.

View from Pulau Redang Jetty

3. The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort.

There are many chalets and simpler hotels around Redang, so choose according to your preference and budget. I choose The Taaras, a 5-star beach resort in view of my birthday trip. Here are the highlights of The Taaras:

• warm and friendly staffs. 
• spectacular cliff view from the Bayview Suite especially from the bathtub.
• private beach with crystal clear waters by the shores covered with soft white sand, whch you can't see in the west coast of Malaysia.
• water activities can be arranged via the hotel.
• The Bayu Beach Bar- just loved spending the nights watching the sea under the moon while sipping in my favourite cocktails. 

The one thing that I felt was a let down is the food, particularly those from the room-service menu, most of the dishes that I ordered were bland. I will give a honest feedback via email after my stay and hope they will work on this.

Overall, I would recommend to stay at The Taaras for the mesmerizing views and the hospitable service. You can check the rates and make your booking via https://www.thetaaras.com/.

4. Things to do at The Taaras/ Redang Island.

• walk around the resort which has many plants and landscapes with a view, totally an eye candy.
• swim at the clean pristine beach of the island.
• exercise by the beach at The Jungle Gym by The Taaras. The equipment are all made of pure wood. 
• dip yourself in the pool besides the Taaras beach. 
• snorkeling and sandbank tour.
• visit the turtle sanctuary and swim with the turtles (I was not able to do this due to the weather).
• ride ATV bike by the beach. 
• scuba diving- you must have obtained a license to dive, looks like I need to work on this soon. 

   

Left: Sand bank tour- unable to appreciate the full stretch due to high tides.

Right: Snorkeling in the Redang waters 

These are some of the important things you have to know before planning a trip to Redang Island which is just as easy as it looks. However, go and see the beauty of the east coast of Malaysia by yourself than to hear it from others and let me know how it was. Feel free to comment below or send a direct message to my Instagram if you have any questions. Thank you for reading.

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @theroytravels

powellroylouis@gmail.com

www.instagram.com/theroytravels

Two 'MUST STAY' English-themed hotels in Malaysia

This time I would like to write on two hotels in Malaysia that guarantees to give you the English aesthetic vibes. Something one would not resist with limited options to travel these days, right? Furthermore, my TikTok videos on these two hotels received good responses and questions. These hotels are also known for their diligent service and good food. Well, I am talking about The Majestic Hotel Kuala Lumpur and The Lakehouse Cameron Highlands.

1. The Majestic Hotel: Autograph Collection, Kuala Lumpur

(5 star hotel)

This hotel consists of the old wing, which is a colonial structure listed as a national heritage site and the new wing which consist of accommodation rooms and restaurants. This hotel is part of the Autograph Collection of historic hotels which is an intersection of national heritage and modern luxuries.

Highlights:

• room with entire KL city view- I stayed in room 1405.
• strategic location; 5 min. drive to old town and 10 min. drive to KLCC. 
• affordable and spacious  Deluxe rooms with complete amenities and bath tub.
• White colonial old wing and adjacent to other heritage sites of Kuala Lumpur- KTM.
• picturesque hotel - both interior and exterior.
• beautiful Orchid Conservatory- perfect for evening teatime, advanced booking required.
• two pools, large one at the new wing, smaller one at the old wing which is Insta-worthy.
• breakfast buffet.

Booking:

• Agoda/ Booking.com
• Marriott Bonvoy - https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/kulak-the-majestic-hotel-kuala-lumpur-autograph-collection/

Saving tips/ Budget:

• Book via Marriott Membership
• Choose Deluxe room on a weekday: Around RM300 per night.

Video:

My personal video from my stay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2HYQ_5Q_vM

Overall Rating (based on location/ price/ room & cleanliness/food/service):

4.5/5

2. The Lakehouse Cameron Highlands

(4 star hotel)

This is a cottage-styled resort located on the hill side of Ringlet. This resort is isolated from the busy town of Cameron Highlands enabling guests to appreciate the fresh air of the tropical rainforest and the cold weather of Cameron. 

Highlights:

• olden English interior of the hotel rooms and common areas.
• cold and quiet in the evenings/ night.
• teatime here is a must- try the freshly baked scones and to feel the breeze.
• picturesque hotel - both interior and exterior, walk up to a small hill on the left for the perfect photo spot. 
• English breakfast.
• nearby to Bharat Tea Plantation.
• complimentary car wash and jungle trekking guide.

Booking:

• Agoda/ Booking.com
• Hotel website: https://lakehouse-cameron.com/

Saving tips/ Budget:

• Book Deluxe room on a weekend: Around RM550 per night.

Video:

My personal video from my stay:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVlNC3IZSTE

Overall Rating (based on location/ price/ room & cleanliness/food/service):

4/5

The information above is adequate to make your way to these beautiful hotels. Please drop a comment below or a message on my social platforms if you have any questions. Thank you so much for reading. 

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

www.instagram.com/theroytravels

https://www.tiktok.com/@theroytravels?lang=en

https://blog.feedspot.com/solo_male_travel_blogs/

Email: powellroylouis@gmail.com 

How to earn more AirAsia BIG points and fly at cheaper rates?

 

 

1. What is Air Asia BIG?

BIG is Air Asia's Loyalty programme for customers to collect points or air miles and redeem in-flight services, free tickets, discounted air fares or to exchange points with other loyalty programmes. AirAsia Big as renamed their loyalty programme as Big rewards recently (the logo on the right).

2. Why need to save BIG points?

If you want to book AirAsia flight tickets at discounted rates, this is one of the feasible ways. I booked flights to Sydney, Tokyo and many local destinations in Malaysia for almost 50-60% cheaper than the normal rates using my BIG points. Would you believe that I got my return air tickets to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur for MYR 29 only? In this blog post, I would like to explain on several methods to earn more BIG points.

3. How to earn more BIG points?

a) Register as a BIG member

Your first step is to register as a BIG member at no additional cost via www.airasiabig.com or BIG loyalty app. You will automatically earn air miles whenever you book a flight via AirAsia app or when you manually key in your BIG ID while doing your booking on the website. However,  MYR 1 spent is equivalent to 1 or 2 BIG points only. So, I will explain what are the other methods to collect more points. You can apply this to many other air miles of different flights too.

b)  Credit Card Points

Apply for credit cards that offer points collection for every transaction made. Some credit cards offer points conversion to BIG points, depending on the cards' perks. For an example, Citibank Rewards card offers 2000 Citi points to be converted to 500 BIG points. There are also dedicated travel credit cards linked to certain flight companies for extra points collection. As for Air Asia, the latest travel card is offered by Hong Leong Bank (https://www.hlb.com.my/en/personal-banking/credit-cards/travel/airasia-credit-card.html).

If you are a disciplined pay master, try cashless payment for most of your daily transactions to allow more points redemption. Well, it is good to go cashless at this very point of time.

c) Samsung Pay

Be a Samsung Galaxy user and install Samsung Pay (cashless payment app) by linking your preferred credit card to your device. This application is secured by Knox security platform. You may use at any merchants with 'pay wave' facility. For every transaction, not only you earn your credit card points, you will also collect Samsung points depending on your user level. Gold members are entitled for 40 points for every transaction. And you may export your points to Air Asia BIG with a minimum of 1000 Samsung points in your account. 

d) Big Pay Card

Big Pay by Air Asia is a payment feature, or better known in a lay man's term as money card. You card use it like a Mastercard at many merchants like a credit card but the difference is you have to top up the card to enable transactions. This card auto-syncs with your BIG ID and you will earn BIG points for every transaction made via this card. Big Pay offers lower exchange fees for foreign currency exchange and therefore this is a suitable card if you are a frequent traveler and do not prefer to carry a big sum of cash in hand. This card is also recommended to those not confident in using credit cards worrying of debts.

e) Other partnership

Air Asia also allow points conversion from other partners such as Maybank Treats, Petronas Mesra, Agoda PointsMAX, etc. Please check their partner listing in their official webpage.

Air Asia Big offers redemption promotion in their app to selected destinations every now and then. Use your points to book during the promo period to enjoy cheap flights or free flights to your preferred destinations.  Points used to book a flight cannot be refunded in case of flight cancellations but you can opt to change the date and time of the same flight routes. I know it is the pandemic season now, but why not collect as many points as you can and travel once the outbreak settles down. You can direct message to me on Instagram 'theroytravels' or please leave a comment below if you have any questions. Hope this information will prove Air Asia's motto right, "Now Everyone Can Fly".

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

www.instagram.com/theroytravels

Email: powellroylouis@gmail.com 

https://blog.feedspot.com/solo_male_travel_blogs/