Aisa’s rating of destinations - Perhentian

Diving & Snorkeling

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The Perhentian Islands are a small group of islands off the coast of northeastern Malaysia, close to the Thai border. It belongs to Pulau Redang National Marine Park.

Perhentian are known for the white and soft sand beaches, and the reefs and crystalline water which host to a wide variety of coral, sea-turtles, sharks, etc. There are no roads and not many paths and relatively difficult to access, thus still peaceful and somewhat unexplored.

There are two main islands, Perhentian Besar (”Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (”Small Perhentian”). Besar means big and Kecil means small in Malay. Perhentitan Kecil is more popular with backpackers and younger tourists with cheaper accommodation.

Teluk Pauh is the main beach in north Perhentian Besar, and Teluk Dalam is in the south-east.

The most popular beach in Perhentian Kecil is Pasir Panjang, also called Long Beach. Teluk Aur, also known as Coral Bay, is smaller and quieter than Long Beach.

Perhentian is great for diving and snorkeling. Many came to take the diving course in Perhentian. Perhentian is a great place to see sea turtle or shark, particularly blacktip shark. The sharks are harmless unless provoked. The best place to see sharks is between Shark Point and the Teluk Dalam large beach. Sharks are usually seen cruising the bottom of the reef. For turtles, best place is the middle of the beach in front of Perhentian Island Resort, where the sandy bottom is covered with algae.

Most of the Perhentian is covered by virgin tropical jungle. Hiking and trekking are popular activities here. Long Beach and Coral Bay are connected through a 20 minutes’ jungle path.

Read more about Malay Seafood at Seafood

Did you know Perhentian means stop over in Malay.

Seasons The tourist season in Perhentian are limited to April to October. The sea in Perhentian can be rough during the rest of the year, due to eastern monsoon. The peak tourist season is July & August.

Beware of jellyfish. They are not deadly but they can sting!

Official website http://www.perhentian-island.com/

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Tioman

Beaches | Diving & Snorkeling | Wildlife & Nature

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Tioman is an island located 32 km off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and it’s only 200 km north of Singapore. It’s the biggest island at the east coast of Malaysia.

Tioman is densely forested and is still sparsely inhabited. It’s scenic, peaceful and inexpensive although still somewhat primitive. The local are very nice and friendly.

Tioman boasts long white sandy beaches. Juara is a very quite beach at the east coast. Air Batang (ABC among locals) is at the west coast. The sand is not as nice as Redang or Phuket though.

Tioman is a water sport heaven. It is surrounded by numerous coral reefs with diverse marine life great for diving and snorkeling. The water is so clean, it’s almost pristine! There are large turtles, different marine lives, a few shipwrecks and some massive boulders underwater. Visibility is about 30 meters.

The interesting attractions include Marine Parks, Tulai Island, Monkey Bay, Renggis Island and Malang Rock.

The soft-shell turtle and the Tioman walking catfish are unique to Tioman island. And there are several protected species of mammals on the island.

There is not much nightlife in Tioman, especially in the east coast.

Did you know Tioman is a duty free zone and offers a good selection of alcohol and cigarettes at very cheap prices.

Tioman is already the most developed among Malaysia’s eastern island. And the government is speeding up the pace of development by building a cargo jetty there. Go there before it’s too late.

Seasons The monsoon season is from late October to mid/later Feburary, which makes March to October is the best tourist season.

Beware of the sandflies in both Juara & Air Batang. The road on the island is bumpy. Be careful with the sea urchin, Aisa once stepped on one, and it hurt!

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Pattaya

SPA & Massage
Nightlife | Shopping

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Pattaya is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 165 km southeast of Bangkok. It’s the closest beach from Bangkok. Pattaya is no longer one of Aisa’s favorite beaches mainly because of its crowdness, but Pattaya certainly has its charm and is worth a visit.

Jomtien beach is a long and 6km stretch of sandy beaches. It’s a popular spot for family vocationers and water sports fans. Naklua and Wong Amat are quiet. Pattaya beach is close to Pattaya’s abundant nightlife area. Dongtan beach is known as the gay beach.

You can also take a boat or ferry and head to Ko Lan, a small island around 8 km west of Pattaya. Ko Lan beaches are quieter, clean with soft white sand crystal clear water.

The popular sightseeing attractions include Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden, Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, and the Wat Kha Phra Bat temple featuring a Budda Statue of more than 18 meter tall.

There also heaps of fun in Pattaya: sight seeing, water sporting, shopping, clubbing…

Pattaya is renowned for its raucous nightlife. The famous walking street is the center of Pattaya’s nightlife. There is almost everything there: from beer bar to go-go bars, restaurants, disco, massage parlors, etc. The activities include nightly concerts, cabaret shows, discotheque dance music and Thai boxing.

Jomtien, Naklua and Beach road are also home to many clubs and bars. The famous discos include Marine Disco, Xzyte, Palladium and Hollywood. Pattaya is known for its cabaret shows featuring ladyboys (kathoeys). Alcazar and Tiffany are the two most famous nightclubs for the ladyboy show.

Pattaya is a major sex tourism destination in Thailand and nightlife is male oriented.

Shopping is good in Pattaya. Many came here for cheap electronic gears and computer accessories.

Seasons Pattaya has 3 season, warm and dry (from November to February), hot and humid (from March to May), and hot and raining (from June to October).

Christmas and New Year period from December to early February are the peak tourist seasons.

Beware of prostitution and the heavy tourist crowd, which is probably why Pattaya is called “an amazing place spoiled”. Be prepared to see some old Caucasian guys with young Thai girls. Bugs are considered a local delicacy!

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Goa

Beaches | Culture & Sightseeing | Nightlife | Shopping | SPA & Massage | Wildlife & Nature
Diving & Snorkeling | Surfing

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Goa is a state in India near Arbian Sea. It’s on the west coast of India and south of Mumbai. It’s a tropical destination renowned for the beaches, temples and world heritage architecture with Portuguese influence. It’s great place to enjoy the beach and experience the mosaic Indo-Portuguese culture!

There is a long and smooth coastline of 125 km and over 40 beaches in Goa. The famous Beaches in the north are Candolim Beach, Sinquerim Beach, Baga Beach, Bambolim Beach, Arambol Beach and Vagator Beach. In the South there are Benaulim Beach, Palolem Beach, Agonda Beach, Mobor & Cavelossim Beaches.

Palolem Beach is also known as Paradise Beach. It’s a idyllic beach with golden sand, warm turquoise water and bushy palm trees. It’s a fishing beach popular for dolphin cruise and fishing trips. It’s the most famour beach in Goa but can be overcrowded and commercialized. Arambol Beach is known for its rocky and sandy terrain. It’s also the place for wild parties.

Agonda Beach is more serene. Watching the dolphin swimming in the sea is a daily ritual in Agonda. There is also a Turtle Protection Center in Agonda, and If you are around during the hatching season from October to March, don’t miss it. There can be dozens of turtles nesting on the beach, and each can have 100-150 turtle eggs. It’s a wonderful experience watching a tiny turtle hatching, and seeing hundred of baby turtles, just hatched, making their way towards the sea.

Goa is studded with temples, churches and forts, which gives Goa its culture depth and make Goa a superb place for sightseeing.  Read more about Goa at Culture & Sightseeing

The Marine life in the Goa is abundant. The best diving season Goa is from October to May, when water is calm and skies are cloudless. The visibility ranges from five meters to ten meters. There are Spanish and Portuguese shipwrecks in Goa underwater world. Goa is not often associated with surfing. There are waves at Patnem beach and sometimes Palolem Beach, but they are small, mellow, and not very consistent. The surfing seasons are from September to February.

Goa has a fun nightlife, despite being a conservative religious society (Catholic and traditional Hindu). Nightlife in Goa is influenced by Portuguese culture and tradition. The atmosphere is very relaxed.  Goa Trance is a type of electronic music, developed by local music bands. A popular bar & restaurant on the Beach is called Tilos. Lidos and the Beachotheque are popular discos. There are also a few casinos in Goa.  There are rave parties during high season with dance and live band performing, e.g.,  big rave parties at Anjuna and Pernem starting on Christmas afternoon and ended two days later.

Alcohol is notably cheap in Goa due to very low exercise duty on alcohol. There are also a few casinos in Goa. However, the law is strict against drink driving, nudity and drugs.

The popular fairs and festivals of Goa include Feast of Three Kings, Christmas Carnivals, Goa Carnival, and Bonderam Festival.

Read more about Goa Seafood at Seafood

Goa has great shopping. Read more about Goa Seafood at Shopping

Read more about Ayurvedic massage at SPA & Massage

Goa is a biodiversity hotspot with rich flora and fauna. Goa has many famous national parks & Sanctuaries. Read more about Goa at Wildlife & Nature

Did you know Goa was a Portuguese colony since early 16th century till 1962. The Portuguese colony existed for about 450 years, and it’s one of longest held colonial possessions in the world.

Seasons the monsoon season starts from early June and ends by late September. In winter, there are more overseas tourists, especially Europeans. In summer, there are more Indian tourists.

Beware of overcharging, and be careful with traffic, food safety and hygiene. Besides, It may take you some time to get used to the local food and water, especially if you have a weak stomach. Even for Aisa, a curry lover, some Indian food can be too spicy.

Official Website http://www.goatourism.org/

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Koh Phi Phi

Beaches
Diving & Snorkeling

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Koh Phi Phi (pronounced as pee pee) is a small island between the Thai mainland and Phuket island. It’s only less an hour by ferry from Phuket, and less than two hours from Railay.

Phi Phi is an amazing island with pristine and calm water, silky soft white sand beach and magnificent views. It’s a true haven!

There are two islands, Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Leh. Phi Phi Don is the larger island. Phi Phi Lee lies 1.5 km of the southernmost tip of Phi Phi Don, is smaller and still uninhabited. There is no road on Phi Phi Don, only footpath. However, Aisa loved it for its rare sense of remoteness!

The transports available are boat, longtail and speed boat. Longtail boat is a traditional long wooden boat, and it’s a great beach-to-beach water taxi. Comparing to a speed boat, it’s less crowded, more catered to individual needs, and it’s slower, giving your enough time to take in the scenery.

The popular beaches & village in Phi Phi Don are Loh Dalum Bay, Laem Tong Beach, Long Beach, Maya Beach and Tonsai village. Long Beach is famous for it’s soft fine white sand. Maya Beach is sheltered by cliffs with exceptionally clear water. The whole bay is in fact a big reef.

In Phi Phi Leh there are Loh Bagao Bay, Bamboo island, Pi Leh bay, and Monkey Bay. Phi Phi Leh is a national marine park and the ticket costs 400 Bahts.

Diving and snorkeling are great in Phi Phi. There are abundant coral reefs and great marine life. Visibility ranges from 10 to 25 meters.

Although Railay is more famous for rock climbing and offers a more scenic view, Phi Phi is considered a better place to learn how to climb.

Phi Phi is at its best during high tide. During low tide, you might have to walk for miles to the water’s edge.

Comparing to Phuket, Phi Phi is more enclosed and exclusive, there are not as many activities available on Phi Phi, but less touristy and expensive.

Did you know The Beach (2000), starring Leonardo Di Caprio, was filmed in Maya Bay of Phi-Phi Don.

Like some beaches in Malaysia, the local islanders in Phi Phi Don are mainly Muslim. Tourist are advised to wear modest clothing.

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Halong Bay

Culture & Sightseeing
Wildlife & Nature

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Halong Bay lies in the Gulf of Tonkin in northeastern Vietnam. The bay has a 120 km long coastline and is approximately 1,553 square km in size with 1969 islets. It features thousands of limestone Karsts in various sizes and shapes. It’s a legendary world of stone islands!

Halong Bay is 165 kms east of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. The journey is about 3 hours and a half as traffic can be bad in Hanoi. It is probably the most popular travel destination of the country.

Halong bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed by UNESCO on December 1994 for its outstanding universal aesthetic value. Sightseeing in Halong bay is a feast to the eye - beautiful limestone formation, rock arches, clear turquoise water, scenic lagoons, caves, coves, cliffs and thousand of limestone islets…Among thousands of caves, Hang Dau Go (Grotto of Wooden Stakes) is one of the largest consisting of three chambers. Other big caves include Grotto of Bo Nau and 2 km long Hang Hanh Cave.

A trip to Halong bay usually includes a tour of the limestone cave, and a kayake around the caves and karsts to enjoy the spectacular scenery. The view is simply breath taking and Aisa found it difficult to describe in words - you have to see it for yourself! Imagine thousands of stunning islands rising from the turquoise water…It’s geographical art work! The landscape resembles Gulin in China. But Halong bay is of much larger scale. Sunrise in Halong Bay is amazing too.

Many take a traditional Chinese junk for the cruise. It’s a small boat with a high poop, lugsails and nice wooden floors.

There are hotels and a few quiet beaches in a Cat Ba Island. It’s a small island, although the biggest in Halong Bay.

Halong Bay is one of the most visited and recognized of the Vietnam tourist attractions. It houses a great diversity of ecosystems including coral reefs, freshwater swamp forests, mangrove forest, small freshwater lakes.

Seafood in Halong Bay is great.Read more about Vietnamese seafood at Seafood

Did you know There are two types of islands, limestone and schist. They are concentrated in two bays: Halong bay in the southwest and Bai Tu Long Bai in the southeast.

Ha long means descending dragons in a local myth.

Part of the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun” was filmed in Halong Bay.

Seasons There are two main seasons in Halong Bay: hot and moist summer from May to October, dry and cold winter from November to April. November to March is considered low season because the weather is foggy, cold and drizzly . Visibility is reduced.

Beware of over charging and prostitution.

Official website
http://www.halongbay.net.vn/

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Sentosa

Nightlife | SPA & Massage
Wildlife

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Sentosa is a small island to the south of Singapore. It lies just half a kilometer (a quarter of a mile) away from the southern coast of the main island. It can be easily accessed via train, bus or cable car from Harbour Front if you are in Singapore. The cable car ride offers a scenic view of the city and the island.

70% of the island is covered by secondary rainforest. The island also has 3.2 kilometers stretch of white sand beach. They are divided into three beaches: Siloso Beach, Palawan Beach, and Tanjong Beach, from west to east respectively. These beaches are artificial, reclaimed using sand bought from Indonesia and Malaysia. But as a beach lover, Aisa doesn’t think it really matters for a one-day simple beach getaway.

There are a few attractions worth visiting. Underwater World is an oceanarium located on the western part of Sentosa. The living museum has more than 2,500 marine and fresh-water animals of 250 species from different regions of the world. The Underwater World also includes a Dolphin Lagoon, which homes the pink dolphins. You can swim with the Pink Dolphins, and learn how to get the dolphins to do tricks!

Girls will like a foot massage at Fish Reflexology, Underwater World. A school of Turkish spa fish or African spa fish will nibble on the dead skin of your feet, making the skin smooth. The therapy is completed with a foot massage.

The Butterfly Park is a landscape garden with over 15,000 live butterflies, representing more than fifty species. It’s housed in a cool outdoor conservatory.

There is some nightlife in Sentosa, but you are better off going back to town after dark for more nightlife options. Singapore is famous for it pubbing and clubbing scene. Drinks are more expensive than other Asian countries; however Singapore is probably the safest country to hit streets at night. It’s a fun yet civilized party atmosphere - there are no go-go bars or ladyboy shows which some might find offensive.

Boat Quay and Clarke Quay are probably the most popular places for party-goers, and bars, pubs, restaurant and discos are dotted along Singapore River. Bar-hopping is easy! There are many other hot spots in town, e.g., Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. This is where the famous local cocktail, Singapore Sling, was invented. New Asia Bar on level 71 of Swissôtel The Stamford in Raffle City offers a great view of the city. Wednesday night is ladies night at many bars.

Read more about Singapore Seafood at Seafood

Sentosa Flowers event is held at the Fountain Gardens, exhibiting a variety of flora and herbs. The annual festival is held during Chinese New Year.

The Butterfly Park is a landscape garden with over 15,000 live butterflies, representing more than fifty species. It’s housed in a cool outdoor conservatory.

Did you know Sentosa is a Malay word, meaning “peace and tranquility”. However Singaporeans like to quip that “Sentosa” stands for “So Expensive and Nothing To See Actually”.

Fort Siloso guarded the western approaches to Singapore during World War II in the west of the island.

A casino and Universal Studio will be built by 2010 in Sentosa.

Comparing to other Asian cities, Singapore is a world-class destination in every respect. It’s a more expensive, modern and westernized city with English as its main language, yet very Asian.

Official website http://www.sentosa.com.sg/

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

A Fast-rising “Cool” Paradise

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Sanya

Beaches | Wildlife
Culture & Sightseeing | Shopping | SPA & Massage | Surfing
Diving & Snorkeling

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Aisa votes Sanya one of the Top 10 Tropical Paradises in Asia. Comparing to other Asian tropical destinations, Sanya is cooler, with a 25 degree average temperature. In January and February, it can be chilly to below 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). In hot season temperatures rarely go above 34 degrees. Besides, Sanya does not have the same long heavy rainy seasons found in most other southeast Asian destinations.

Sanya is almost directly opposite Vietnam.It’s so little like the rest of China and so much like what we expect of the rest of South East Asia!

Sanya is a resort city on the southern coast of the Hainan province of China, and a tropical getaway to China. Hainan is the largest ocean island in China. Originally a fishing village, Sanya comes to life and is now becoming a fast-rising tropical hot spot.

Yalong beach on Yalong bay is the most popular attraction. Yalong beach is gorgeous- blinding white sand, brilliant blue water, prompt and dedicated fruit drink service. Yalong Bay is a popular spot for divers. It costs US$30-50 per dive.

Sanya also offers fairly consistent tropical surf most of the year. Dadonghai beach is the place for surfing. The surfing season is from May to November.

Sanya has many attractions. Lady Buddha (Goddess of Mercy) Park is located in the Nanshan area of Sanya. The park features a stunning 108-meter statue of the Goddess of Mercy, standing in a man-made island of the South China sea. It’s one of the top scenic spots in China. Read more about Sanya at Culture & Sightseeing,  Shopping, SPA & Massage

Nanwan Monkey Island located in Lingshui County to the east of Sanya. It’s the world’s only tropical island reserve for wild monkeys. There are about 2,000 monkeys on the island living in their natural habitat. It’s also the home to the pink-faced and wide-eyed macaque monkey. Here you get see free roaming monkeys and can get up close & personal with them! There are almost 400 species of tropical plants and over 100 different kinds of animal, including the famous rhesus monkeys.

Xinglong Tropical Botanical Garden boasts over 1,200 tropical plants. Daxiao-Dongtian Park has 30,000 Dragon Blood trees. Many of them are about 2,000 years old. There are also indigenous flora, fauna and fruits. Read more about Sanya at Wildlife & Nature.

Did you know Sanya held Miss World contest since 2001 except for 2006; Mister World 2007 contest; World’s Strongest Man contest in 2006.

Don’t be surprised to see many Russian - Sanya is a popular place among Russian tourists!

Seasons The best seasons to visit is from October to May. It can be hot and humid from June to September. The peak season among Chinese tourists is during Chinese New Year (based on lunar calendar, can be late January to early February)

Beware of prostitution, beggaring, phony pearl items and overcharging. And be careful with malaria!Official Website http://www.sanyatour.com

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

A “Rugged” Paradise for Both Beach Going and Rock Climbing

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Railay

Rock Climbing
Beaches
Culture & Sightseeing

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Aisa votes Railay one of the Top 10 Tropical Paradises in Asia for its breathtaking beaches and sceneries, the rocky cliffs rising out of the ocean, amazing sunsets, and the world class rock climbing!

Railay is a peninsular of Southeast Thailand only accessible by boat. You can easily get to Phuket or Phi Phi Island from Railay via ferry. Comparing other beaches in Thailand, Railay is not as crowded and much quieter.

Railay is primarily known as a rock climbing hot spot. It attracts climbers from all over the world to its towering limestone. It’s perhaps the best winter sport rock climbing area in the world, with over a thousand bolted routes up limestone. And best of all, it faces a stunning sea view. Tourists can sign up a rock climbing courses for the unique rock climbing experience. It can be exhausting but Aisa felt immediately rewarded the moment when I reached the top and took in the view!

There are four beaches in Railay: Phra Nang (or Phra Nang Cave beach), Railay West, Railay East and Tonsai. There are fine white sand beach with shallow water in Phra Nang of South Railay and west Railay. Phra Nang is the most popular beach. It has all the element of a perfect beach with picturesque limstone clieff, soft sand and clear shallow water. While West Railay is more popular with tourists, East Railay is fuller with local Thais. Tonsai is a quiter beach than other. The beaches in Railay are separated by short hikes through the jungle. The hike can be rigorous but inspiring, and you are completely isolated at each beach. Aisa watched one of the most amazing and orgasmic sunsets on the west beach!

Diving or snorkeling is not a major draw for Railay as the coral and sea life is not as diverse or spectacular as other places in Thailand.

Phra Nang Cave, a.k.a. Diamond Cave, is a beautiful sight-seeing destination at Railay. As you walk into the cave, you can hear the sound of bat screeching and birding flapping. In the center of the cave there is a huge gold lime stone waterfall.

Read more about Thai Massage at SPA & Massage, and Thai Seafood at Seafood

Did you know Accommodation is dominated by expensive resorts comparing to other beach destinations.

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel

A Beautifully Island with Bay View Beaches

Aisa’s rating of destinations - Nha Trang

SPA & Massage
Diving & Snorkeling

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Aisa votes Nha Trang one of the Top 10 Tropical Paradises in Asia for its pristine beaches and excellent scuba diving sites! Nha Trang is the best municipal beach in Vietnam, and Nha Trang Bay is one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

Nha Trang is a coastal town on the South Central Coast of Vietnam, with beautiful islands off shore. It is becoming a popular destination for international tourists. Many take a day trip from Ho Chi Minh City (formerly know as Saigon).

Nha Trang Bay was chosen by Travel and Leisure in two succeeding years as one of 29 most beautiful bays in the world. It’s a stunning place with clear ocean, rocky shorelines, and mountainous islands.

Na Trang is good for diving from mid-January to mid-October, and there are nearly ten diving spots. The cost is probably the lowest in Asia. It can be roughly US$20 per dive.

Na Trang would not be complete without a boat trip through its turquoise waters to view the abundant coral reefs and numerous surrounding islands. The Mama Linh boat offers trip to Monkeys Island. Sightseeing includes Long Son Pagoda and Giant Seated Buddha.

Na Trang is famous for its fresh seafood. The area’s Bird’s nest soup is deemed one of the best in Vietnam. Bird’s nests are collected naturally and in bird’s farms in the islands off the city coast and in some houses in the inner city. As a seaside city, its cuisine is characterized by several seafood dishes. Aisa had one of the best seafood meals here!

Nightlife in Nha Trang is limited comparing to destinations in Thailand.

Did you know Nha Trang is a well kept secret of Vietnam but the world will be in on the secret very soon - Miss Universe 2008 Pageant will be held in Nha Trang on July 14, 2008.

Tourists can participate in Sea Festival and August- Nha Trang Rendezvous Festival every 2 years.

As a coastal city, Nha Trang is developed in marine science with Nha Trang Oceanography Institution. There’s also Hon Mun marine protected area - one of four first marine protected areas in the world admitted by IUCN.

Seasons Monsoon season is from October to mid December. It is usually the busiest around the New Year period.

Text partly derived from Wikipedia and Wikitravel