[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/

Origin Mattress' Pillow: My new travel buddy and solution to sleep problems.

Hi, all. Taking a short break from my travel journal, I would like to share about one of The Best 8 Pillows in Singapore in my latest blog post. I always had issues with stiff neck and backaches after a tiring day including during my travels. Waking up with a stiff neck can affect your mood for the rest of the day. Thanks to Origin Mattress' pillow for solving my sleep issues. Origin Superior Coolmax Pillow is made of a combination of natural latex and cooling gel ensuring a quality sleep. 

When I am on a budget travel, I have issues with my sleep due to the quality of the pillow provided in the hotels and now I can bring along my Origin Mattress' Pillow during my travels with an easy carry box provided. The pillow is contoured in a manner it aligns the posture of my neck appropriately and that prevents muscle spasm over the neck and shoulder region. The pillow also comes with a Tencel cover that activates touch senses to promote a relaxed state of mind during sleep. A quality sleep is the key to a productive day. So, goodbye to stiff necks with Origin Superior Coolmax Pillow. 

Credits to Express Photography

The founders, Shaun and Gee knew buying a mattress is bank busting business. They understood that mattresses were a long term investment and that shopping for one brought endless unfamiliar terminologies.

So, hurry up. Place your orders via online now! 

Best in Singapore: 

Website  I  Facebook  I  Instagram

Origin Mattress Malaysia: 

Website  I  Facebook  I  Instagram

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

https://www.instagram.com/theroytravels/

The Shorea, Seremban (Malaysia)

The Shorea Retreats

Did you plan to visit Bali this year? Are you disappointed that  the Covid 19 pandemic has disrupted your plans to stay in a private tropical villa in Bali? Well, don't worry then. There is a resort here in Malaysia that is able to give you similar vibes in terms of the villa stay, if not the entire journey as compared to Bali. It is called The Shorea. But there are few things that you need to know before booking a villa here.

1. Location.

Located in Shorea estate, nearby to Seremban which takes about an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur city. (available in Waze and Google Maps; GPS coordinates: 2.805886, 102.024019).

As you reach the estate, the roads are bumpy and you may not have phone lines. So, when you make a direct booking, please confirm your arrival time with the villa staff, so that they send a staff to guide you to the villa from the main gate at Kampung Pantai (see the picture below).

2. Booking.

You can do direct booking with the villa via Whatsapp (No. +60173005600). It is easier to make pre-arrangements including choosing the suitable villa according to your budget and number of guests.

3. Types of Villa.

There are few types of villas and the price ranges from RM 600 and above. Let them know how many people you want to accommodate and preference of villa/ pool. Mostly are shared pool (as the one I stayed) but you may book a villa with a stand alone pool. The one I stayed is called Villa Kemboja and comes with the shared pool. Some villas seem to be a little old and needs proper maintenance, which I have already highlighted to the respective team. I am sharing this so that you will know what to expect from your stay.

4. The ambience and activity.

I personally liked the tropical feel with the buzzing sounds of the insects all day long and the infinity pool. Otherwise, there is no much activities to do. Recommended for just a peaceful stay in the midst of rain-forest, away from the city. You may rent the BBQ set from the villa if you wish to have a BBQ party with your travel partners. I brought my own mini Bluetooth speakers and laptop to keep me entertained at night as there is no radio or television in the villa. 

5. Food.

There is no restaurant inside the villa and hence you need to pre-book food so that they will prepare in their kitchen for you accordingly. The booking comes with free Asian breakfast and you can rent the floating basket (RM 50) for photography purpose. I wished to have my breakfast at the pool but unfortunately they prohibit guest from doing so. The staffs will set up the floating basket for you with some decorations. For other meals, you have to book in advance and they will send you the menu options prior to your stay. Honestly, I feel the food is quite pricey for a 3 star villa. So, bring a lot of snacks and own food if you want to cut cost. There is a kitchen in every villa with a stove for you to cook (which I didn't know initially). Thankfully, I brought a lot of snacks to munch all day long.  

I hope the information above is precise and helps you to set the right expectation while staying in The Shorea. Sometimes, it's not about going to the perfect place, but extracting the best out if it knowing the pros and cons before deciding on the trip. If you need a rustic stay, then why not give The Shorea a try.

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

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

https://www.instagram.com/theroytravels/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZ5tPd0tM_4Ukwz7EBPMCQ

Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Terengganu.

While adapting to the 'new norm', I have realized how much we have taken Malaysia for granted all this while. Traveling to some only means going abroad, but the Covid-19 pandemic has made travelers like me to appreciate local tourism much in depth and I am thankful for this fulfilling experience. Coming from a tropical country with diverse people and culture,  I can proudly say that Malaysia has so much to offer complying to the trendy slogan 'Malaysia Truly Asia'.

During the last long Raya Haji (Eid-Al Adha) weekend, I decided to explore a place that was running on my mind for quite sometime. The main reason I wanted to visit this place is because of its location in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia bordering the South China Sea, which many Malaysians from other regions of the country seldom visit due to the long journey. Unlike other parts in Malaysia, this state is homogenous in terms of it's people, with Malay ethnicity being the majority. Yes, it is none other than Terengganu. 

Although it was a long weekend, I didn't want to cramp my holidays with so many places and hence I managed to visit the coastal city, Kuala Terengganu and some nearby places.  We all know that Terengganu is famous for it's offshore idyllic islands and I didn't want to miss that opportunity as well. So, I drafted an itinerary (just on my mind) and decided to drive on my own all the way from Kuala Lumpur (K.L.) to Kuala Terengganu (K.T.) like a road trip and to do a quick island getaway as well. I have shared my journey on my Instagram story precisely and I only get the chance to write my detailed experience via my blog space and hence this post.

1. Driving from K.L. to Marang.

I started my journey from Kuala Lumpur at 4 a.m. by car to avoid the weekend jams. I was anticipating a massive jam during wee hours of the day as many would be heading back to their hometown (balik kampung) for the Haji celebrations.

Route: Karak Highway connecting to East Coast Expressway- Journey about 5 hours.

I decided to stop at Marang Jetty (a 20 minutes drive away from Kuala Terengganu) as I decided on a island trip to Pulau Kapas, a least visited island by Malaysians not from Terengganu. 

2. Pulau Kapas.

There are boats availabe almost every 1-2 hours from 9 a.m. from Marang Jetty to Pulau Kapas, which was pre-arranged by the hotel I booked in Pulau Kapas. You can directly arrange with the boat company as well, MGH Boat Service, contact number: 016-9226565.

It only takes about 20 minutes to reach Pulau Kapas and as soon as I arrived I quickly checked-in to the chalet I booked. There are few chalets to stay, which you can find at Agoda as well. I stayed in Kapas Coral Beach Resort. Remember, this is a small off shore island, so do not expect for luxurious resorts here. I didn't expect much from my hotel stay, it was just a like an Air B&B kind of room with basic amenities. 

Then I decided to explore the island. I started off with Bukit Singa (Lions' Hill) hiking, which is located at the north end of the island. I started walking along the sea shore towards the north. There are trail of stairs provided at the common beaches to surpass the rocks. Along the way, you will notice beautiful turquoise-blue waters surrounding the island. When you walk further passing by the white sandy beaches, you will come to a point where you have to climb on the rocks. Luckily, I had a good pair of Nike shoes with me. I was almost lost initially as I was on my own and the people at the hotel did not mention about walking across the rocks and sea shore. Later on my way, I met some Indonesians, and one of them who is a regular visitor to this island guided me up to the foothill. We made friends instantly; well, one of the many benefits of traveling. He wanted to explore the small lagoons around the hill with his friends and I continued hiking. From the foothill, it only takes about 10 minutes to reach the top.  I was fascinated by the spectacular view from the cliff and this is definitely a love at first sight. The scene here reminded me of Kelingking beach, Bali. It was so windy up there but that did not stop me from taking photos using my tripod. Well, it was a solo trip. 

On the way back, I reunited with my impromptu friends that I met just now and we decided to stop halfway at the white sandy beaches; the enviroment was serene by late evening . The clear waters will surely tempt you to snorkel, and for the first time I did it without life jackets, and that's how tranquil the water is. I was able to catch the beautiful sunset across the South China Sea too.

My night stay was solely to give some time for me to rest after the long drive and hiking. It was quite peaceful after the day trip guests left the island. I had nasi goreng kampung (village fried rice) for dinner while listening to the music band and then I decided to hit the bed around 10 p.m.

The next morning, I had my props and food for a pleasant picnic. I wanted to view the sunrise but unfortunately the weather was fairly cloudy. I found a perfect picnic spot with a combination of sea, sand and shades of rainforest in the background. Always walk along the seashore away from your hotel to find places least explored and with no much people around. 

After the indulgent picnic, I left Pulau Kapas to Marang Jetty around 1 p.m.

3. Rusila Marang

Before reaching Kuala Terengganu, I stopped by in a small village, called Rusila Marang. It only takes about 10 minutes drive from Marang Jetty to this kampung. I just wanted to stop here as this village is located nearby the Rusila beach surrounded by extremely tall coconut trees. There is this one particular crooked tall coconut tree that went viral in local social media platforms after Apple decided to share one of the blogger's picture on their Instagram feed. There is no specific GPS location to this spot but I was lucky enough to identify the tall trees from the main road while driving. I spent here about 30 minutes taking crazy pictures of the specified tree with the surrounding scene and then continued the road trip to Kuala Terengganu.

4. Kuala Terengganu (K.T.)

I reached K.T. around 5 p.m., and decided to check in to Arena Boutique Hotel at Jalan Sultan Ismail. I was quite astounded by this simple yet elegant looking hotel which cost me MYR85 per night only. The room's interior is themed black and white and everything looked new. And the best part is the hotel is located very near to local attractions and restaurants in the city center. 

After a nap and shower, I drove to the new Terengganu Drawbridge. I was quite lucky to be there on time for sunset enabling me to record a time lapse from the waterfront; a transition from an unlighted tall and steady drawbridge to a vivid looking colorful bridge at night. This new drawbridge crosses the Terengganu river and the architecture will remind you of the London Tower Bridge.

And then I strolled along 'Dataran Shahbandar', the waterfront with lots of local restaurants and flea market. Recommend you all to try the famous Malaysian food, nasi goreng pattaya (fried rice and stir fried chicken with local flavours) here.

5. Terengganu River Cruise 

Day 3 was quite interesting as I took the river cruise, which is the easiest way to appreciate the sightseeings along the Terengganu River. There is water taxi service available at Pesisir Payang, and you need to be there on time for the river cruise which starts at 10 in the morning. You will pass by the iconic drawbridge as you listen to the guide's narration. Another major attraction here is the Crystal Mosque or better known as 'Masjid Kristal'. This mosque is made of glass and crystal material and to me it is a reminiscence of the mausoleum from Aladdin.

After the river cruise, I decided to quickly stop at the Chinatown which is just nearby the waterfront. Had my lunch at a nearby restaurant called "Uncle Chuah Signature'. While walking along the street, I discovered a long narrow alley connecting to the Chinatown. And I was amused that this lane is a dedication to Terengganu's iconic mascot, sea turtles and is named The Turtle Alley. The entire lane is decorated with mosaic art resembling sea turtles and informative boards to educate the public on turtle conservation. Hats off to the local university students for this effortless work.

6. Kampung Jambu Bongkok.

After leaving Kuala Terengganu, I drove back towards the south so that I can take the highway back to Kuala Lumpur via Kuantan. I have seen pictures of this typical Malay village called Jambu Bongkok before and I wanted to stop by as it is on my way. It took about 50 minutes drive from the capital city. I was feeling a little reluctant at first as my adrenaline levels were declining but once I reached there around 5 o'clock in the evening, I had no regrets. Basically, I was child-like, getting on the wooden swing, climbing onto the old wrecked ship, taking photos around the coconut trees and admiring the kids playing kites by the beach with strong waves hitting the coastline. Honestly, this was truly the 'kampung' feel that I wanted to experience in the east coast. 

Around 6.30 p.m., I left to Kuantan and it was such a last minute decision to stop by in Kuantan, Pahang, a state that covers the middle and east coast region on Malaysia. I stayed a night there before heading back to Kuala Lumpur the next day. Thanks to the tiring yet fulfilling Terengganu trip.

To sum it up all, this short trip to Terengganu was such a Malaysian experience in terms of the tropical ambience, a visit to the idyllic Pulau Kapas, fabulous local food and meeting the Malay people from the rural area. Throughout my journey in the east coast, people were warm and welcoming. There are so much more to explore in Terengganu especially the beautiful off shore islands with pristine waters like Perhentian and Redang Islands and I promise to myself to come back to Terengganu very soon since time was limited this time. 

This pandemic has really opened my eyes to realize that I don't have to travel far to appreciate beautiful destinations and also not to give up on my travel spree despite the international travel restrictions. This blog writing is to share my experience to my readers instead of only posting Instagram pictures and travel itineraries so that one can be convinced not to give up on traveling amid the current climate and to formulate customized travel plans. Thank you very much for your time.

"Before You Run Out of Time"

Powell Roy Louis @ theroytravels

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

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theroytravels/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMZ5tPd0tM_4Ukwz7EBPMCQ