While I’ve made three visits to both Singapore and Bangkok, I somehow hadn’t been to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia until just recently. Friends of Ben and I live there and we went for a 4-day visit. I love seeing a new city with friends that live there (Dom is English and Massy is Malay – you might remember we went to their wedding in Singapore a couple of years ago) so I can see it as a local and not as a tourist.

My Travel Diary from Kuala Lumpur (KL)

Sometimes, that means I miss the “tourist” things to do but it also means I see what it would really be like to live there. In any case, this article is more of a travel diary than my usual “guides” to places. But I will quickly lay out the top things to do in KL here so you know! We got around to some of them. At the end of the post, I’ll also share all the basics you need to know about Kuala Lumpur before you visit.

Top things to do in Kuala Lumpur

1. Check out the famous Petronas Towers (tallest twin towers in the world) and walk across the sky bridge which connects them and shop below at the KLCC mall and park.
2. Go to the top of the KL Tower (the 7th tallest in the world)
3. Visit Batu Caves
4. Visit Sri Mahamariamman Temple
5. Learn about the culture at the National Museum
6. Shop at Central Market
7. Visit the Blue Mosque (and several other beautiful mosques)
8. Wander through China Town
9. Visit the Thean Hou Temple (a stunning Buddhist temple)
10. Zoos, aquariums, eco-parks, theme parks, botanical gardens, butterfly and bird parks, and more museums

Our visit to KL

Dom and Massy live in a condo in Mont Kiara, just outside the city center near Little Korea and Solaris, where we went for some yummy Korean BBQ! We stayed with them and easily could take Grab cabs anywhere – but often didn’t have to since Dom works for Mercedes and has a company car. We were pretty spoiled getting driven around by him most of the time! You might have read as well that Uber is stopped in SE Asia and the Grab app is now the #1 app to use.

We did do many of the tourist items above but skipped just the caves, temples, and mosques. Dom and Massy are both Muslim and to go to a mosque isn’t a tourist activity for them. I have seen probably thousands of temples and didn’t feel the need to make special trips to see more – and the caves are a Hindu site (Ben and I have explored so many caves on our travels). It would be going just to “check it off the list” which I’m not interested in doing.

The best view of the Petronas Towers is probably from the KLCC park below during the day. At night, you can go to Marini’s on 57 and see them literally right behind your table while you have drinks. They aren’t lit up all night and turn off at I think midnight.

If you drive to KL Tower, keep in mind there is hardly any parking! It’s better to take a taxi and get dropped off. You can pay 50 Ringgit to go to the observation deck, which is not quite at the top. We paid 100 Ringgit (around $25) for sky level observation (as high as you can go – and where you see those infamous glass boxes that go out over the city). Sadly, it was raining, so we could only go to the observation deck. They did end up giving us our money back for the sky level since it was closed when we tried to go up.

We spent some time in China Town and I’ll admit, we bought fake Ray-Bans lol. Ben has lost 3 real pairs, so it was about time he got a fake pair. We also got some to give to our security guards at our complex in Goa. There are about $5 and are actually polarized. They have fake Nikes, luxury bags, jerseys, watches, you name it. Some look really real while others are obviously fake. I almost bought a Puma fanny pack but then snapped out of the daze because WTF was I even thinking?

From China Town, you can walk on to Central Market. You can eat street food along the way like cold stone ice cream, fresh coconuts, and meat on a stick.

Go-karting in Kuala Lumpur at Sepang

The BEST thing we did in Kuala Lumpur was go-karting. Ben and I try to go-kart everywhere we travel and had actually even go-karted in Malaysia before, in Langkawi. We went to the famous Sepang track to go-kart next to the F1 track. These cars hit 100 km/hour (62 mph) on the straight-aways and it’s a 1 km track. It was exhilarating! On the first straight away, going that fast, I actually yelled like I was on a rollercoaster. Dom races motorcycles and even he said it’s the fastest go-karting he’s ever done.

Beyond that, in Goa, we drive slow on curving village roads so whenever Ben and I are on a highway in another country going fast we are like “wow we are flying” when in reality it’s not fast. When I go back to the USA, and my dad is going 70mph on the highway, I feel like it’s way faster than I’ve ever been which my speeding tickets would beg to argue with. So, being on a go-kart going 62 mph was seriously fun. If you go to KL, you have to do this! It’s near the airport, not the city center. It was expensive – and you HAVE to do the series 3.

Food & Shopping in KL

We went to the city center for the tourist things and went to some different neighborhoods there like Bangsar, a kind of affluent neighborhood that many expats live in. While in Bangsar, we had the yummiest breakfast at Antipodean which is Dom’s favorite place for an English fry-up. In this area, you’ll also find shops like Lulu Lemon and various restaurants like Panchos (Mexican), Mikey’s NYC pizza, and tapas bars.

Dom and Massy had come to Goa over Christmas and were not impressed by our “best steak in Goa” places. So, they took us for their “best steak in KL” places. THESE were some seriously good steaks. We had dinner one night at Pampas in an area called Old Malaya. Another night we had steak at The Whiskey Bar and Steakhouse. The steak and ribs were really good. Prices in KL are a little all over the place. For example, if you eat really local it’s super cheap (backpacker budget style). If you go to a nice sit-down steak place it’s more like $100 for two people to eat and drink booze. But you could spend even more if you went to a Michelin place or at a roof-top bar. It’s by far cheaper than Singapore, though!

The road that The Whiskey Bar is on is called Changkat Bukit Bintang. It’s a busy road similar (but not as wild as) Khao San Road. For nightlife, it seems like KL is a mix between Singapore (sometimes classy) and Thailand (sometimes a little trashy). There are seedy areas where you might not want to go out alone or might see some hookers – but it’s not like Bangkok with sex shows and all of that. It seems like a very chill nightlife vibe and this road is a good place to start out. Many hostels are near here and a lot of backpackers stay around here so you’re bound to meet other travelers and locals and expats, too.

We did do a little bit of shopping. There is one mall called the Berjaya Times Square which has a theme park inside – we avoided this one. We did go to the Pavilion mall which is quite fancy, but only so we could go to the food court. We had some really nice Teppenyaki and then because I’m me, I got an Auntie Anne’s pretzel with cheese… twice.

We also popped into the mall at the Petronas Towers to grab what Dom and Massy swear is the best Korean chicken wings ever made. It’s a chain fast food restaurant called 4 Fingers and once we started eating, we stopped talking, because they were so damn good. Please get these! They have them in Singapore, too. If you want more street food options, you’ll also want to hit up Alor Street which is known for great food (but used to be the red-light district).

Near our friend’s place is the area called Little Korea and we went for the famous Korean BBQ where you cook it all on the little hot plate in front of you. So tasty!

We also checked out a little tiny electronics shop, which I don’t have the details for (but message me if you want them), to buy a Chinese knock-off of a GoPro. Dom showed us his when they came to visit and my old GoPro 3 is so outdated. I don’t have the budget now to spend $500 on a new one, so this one for $130 that looks the same and comes with everything and has the same specs, I was down for. It’s called the [easyazon_link identifier=”B07527NP46″ locale=”US” tag=”Hipinhee-20″]SJ Cam[/easyazon_link] and it’s quite popular in Asia. I’ll hopefully be making more videos now!

Rafting in KL

If you drive just an hour and some away from the city, you are in the lush jungle. Dom booked us an epic whitewater rafting trip that he had done before. The night before the trip, I got food poisoning which I haven’t had in at least 4 years (and forgot how terrible it is!). I swear it was not the 4 whiskeys I had the night before – definitely food poisoning lol! At first, I thought it was just the booze, but then things got crazy and I was sure it was not the booze – seriously! Someone believe me, haha.

They all went and I was so jealous. Ben called me from the trip and I cried because I had been looking forward to it so much. But, these things happen. The photos look stunning. Ben said it was the best thing he’s done in ages, so I think you should definitely check it out. You can check out some tours here.

Basics to know before visiting KL

Arriving in KL: The airport is about 45 minutes or more from the city center (also called KLCC). You can take a metro or a taxi. A Grab cab will only cost you around $10-15. We flew Malaysia Airlines, which I have flown before twice. They offered us only filtered cups of very warm water and when I asked for a sealed cup of water (those little ones with the aluminum lid you peel back) they said, “okay you can have one but now you cannot have one with your meal”. Umm, okay cheap-asses! Here’s a TIME article about why you shouldn’t drink tap water on planes (even the filtered “drinking” water).

Getting around: They have public transport: Monorail, MRT, and LRT. You can also use oBike to rent bicycles around town and drop them off wherever you are done. To get around, use Grab App. Uber is no longer in SE Asia. Grab is much cheaper and more reliable than using a taxi. Taxis will sometimes rip you off and take you longer routes. From KLCC, you can walk most places.

How long to stay: You can easily see the tourist things in a weekend but if you want to get into the KL vibe, try to stay at least 5 days.

You can visit the tourism office for more information on local tours and to get maps of the city: Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, 27 Jalan Raja, Dataran Merdeka, KL, +60 3-2698 3333

Leaving KL: Make sure know you know which airport you leave from, as there are two.

Pin this KL travel diary for later:

The post My Kuala Lumpur Travel Diary appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I love Malaysia & India… and Malaysia loves Indians. It only takes 10 minutes of watching TV in India to see the many commercials for Malaysia Simply Asia to know how much they value their Indian guests! Of all the countries Indians travel to, Malaysia tops the list! This article shares how to get a visa for Malaysia for Indian citizens. I did deep research for this and also consulted with a visa company to make sure I had all the information up-to-date and correct!

How to Get a Visa for Malaysia for Indian Citizens

Malaysia has made a lot of efforts to simplify the access to Indian tourists. There are mainly two options, which can be a bit confusing, so I will explain both in depth. From what I’ve heard, they often reject applications, not because they want to, but because the images are blurry or the directions were not followed 100% in compliance. 

Two ways for how to get a visa for Malaysia for Indian citizens & how much they cost + an easier way

The first way: Malaysia eNTRI

$20.70

This is a Visa Waiver Program. The Malaysian government is testing this service during 2017 and 2018. Indian nationals need to complete the application online and they can stay for 15 days in the country.

The second way: Malaysia eVisa

$40.70

This is an electronic visa. The process is very similar to the eNTRI, and the main differences are that this option is more expensive but you get a 30-day visa.

First Way: Malaysia eNTRI for Indian citizens details

Since India is part of the Malaysian Visa Waiver Program, Indian nationals can now apply for the eNTRI online. The eNTRI allows Indian travelers to apply online instead of visiting a Malaysian embassy.

The document will be delivered by email and needs to be printed on an A4 sized paper. The traveler then takes the eNTRI paper with them when they travel to Malaysia and will show it at boarding and to immigrations officers upon arrival.

Even though the application is online, we’ve heard from many travelers that the rejection rate is high due to improper form filling. If you want to avoid any issue, you can use iVisa. They offer a zero frustration policy and will help you make the best application. It’s just $25 for them to do this all for you! For the USA/UK they do the same, and it’s what I’ve used in the past for short terms visas like this.

An important restriction to keep in mind is that Indians can apply online from anywhere in the world except for those living in Singapore. With the eNTRI, Indians can stay for a maximum of 15 days inside Malaysia and is valid to be used only once meaning that you must apply every time you plan to travel to Malaysia.

Ad if you arrive by air then you will be required to show proof of a return flight to India, Singapore, Thailand or Brunei. You are also required to have a few documents with you when you arrive in Malaysia, they include: your eNTRI, return flight tickets, proof of sufficient funds, complete travel itinerary and proof of residence in Malaysia (hotel booking, invitation letter to a friend/family home)

Special terms associated with the eNTRI

Indians who have a direct flight from India to Malaysia, or transit via Singapore, Thailand or Brunei by air or land are ONLY permitted to enter and exit Malaysia via the following airports:

1. Kuala Lumpur International Airport , Sepang (KLIA & KLIA 2)

2. Penang International Airport, Pulau Pinang

3. Langkawi International Airport, Kedah

4. Melaka International Airport, Melaka

5. Senai International Airport, Johor

6. Kuching International Airport, Sarawak

7. Miri International Airport, Sarawak

8. Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Sabah

9. Labuan International Airport, Sabah

If the traveller will arrive by land then they can enter/exit Malaysia with the eNTRI via the following 6 entry points:

1. Sultan Iskandar Building Immigration Checkpoint, Johor
2. Sultan Abu Bakar Checkpoint, Johor
3. Padang Besar Checkpoint, Perlis
4. Bukit Kayu Hitam Checkpoint, Kedah
5. Sungai Tujuh Immigration Checkpoint, Sarawak

6. Tedungan Immigration Checkpoint, Sarawak

NOTE: If you want to stay longer than 15 days inside Malaysia AND you will NOT fly in to Malaysia via India, Singapore, Thailand or Brunei then you have to apply for the Malaysian eVisa, NOT the Malaysian eNTRI.

Second way, the Malaysia E-visa

The eVisa to Malaysia is a tourist eVisa that Indians can also apply for online and will be received via email and again you just print this document when you travel to Malaysia.

The eVisa for tourism allows you to stay for a maximum of 30 days inside Malaysia.
Documents that you will need to apply online include; digital passport-sized image of the applicant, a digital scan of your passport main page (the page with all your personal details and photo), proof of your return flight booking, and for minors younger than 18 years – a birth certificate, proof of your accommodation in Malaysia or a invitation letter if you will stay with family/friends.

You can upload all these to the Government website. You can also apply through iVisa which offers a zero frustration policy – they let you apply at any time and then they handle the application when the time is due to ensure you can maximize your time in the country.

Are there any special terms associated with the eVisa?

Although how to get a visa for Malaysia for Indian citizens is pretty simple, it’s not open for everyone. You can only apply for the Malaysia eVisa if you are applying from the following countries (so in case you are reading this and not Indian, now you know!)

China, Taiwan, HK, South Korea, North Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Macau, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives , Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Philippines , Thailand, TimorEste, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Australia, Fiji, French, Polynesia, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia, Croatia, European Union, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey and Alderney, Iceland, New Jersey, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Man, Island of, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Svalbard and Jan Mayen , Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City State (Holy See), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, Sri Lanka, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Monserrat, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands (US), Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, Bermuda, Canada, Greenland, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, USA

I hope this helps for those looking for those wondering how to get a visa for Malaysia for Indian citizens!

I have other visa posts for those looking for how to get a visa to India from the USA and also for those from the UK.

The post Indian Readers: How To Get A Visa for Malaysia For Indian Citizens appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

I have been traveling internationally for 8 years and the “planning” stage is a part that I still love. I don’t get stressed anymore, and I wanted to share with you how to plan a trip from start to finish without getting stressed and touch on all the aspects of planning that will help your trip go off without a hitch.

So, if you want to take a vacation, I hope you can use this checklist to help you plan your trip in 10 easy steps

How to Plan a Trip WITHOUT Stress in 10 Steps

1. Recognize your REAL budget

Don’t try to inflate your budget. It will only cause you a headache later. It’s best to find your budget and then choose a destination so you can go somewhere affordable. It’s best to have a vacation fund set aside, but if you don’t, you’ll want to save money for your trip before you go on to the next step.

If you’re on a lower budget, one the biggest tips I can give is to travel to places off-season. You can save about 50% off your total trip by doing this because not only are flights cheaper but so are hotels and even tours (if you go for a tour, I suggest G Adventures).

If you want to see more tips for saving money while you travel, here are 13 ways that I save money while I tavel.

2. Choose a Destination + Paperwork & Flights

Once you have your budget you’ll want to choose where to go! Sunny? Snowy? Paradise island? Backpacking Europe? Figure out what the dream destination of the moment is. You might feel torn, but that’s because there is so much of this beautiful world to see. You might never feel 100% sure, but you can’t travel without choosing your destination, so pick the one that stands out the most.

Then you’ll have to do the boring things like paperwork and flights

• Book your flights. I am OBSESSED with kiwi.com and use it to book all my flights these days. You can see my review here.
• Get travel insurance. You’ve gotta have it! I use World Nomads. It’s affordable and what Lonely Planet trusts. I wrote out a post about what they cover and what they don’t.
• Get a visa. Check if you need a visa to the place you’re visiting. You can use iVisa to do this easily. They take a fee but it’s so worth it.
• Money. Tell your bank when you’re leaving the country. Here are some tips on how to manage your money while you travel.
• Passport. Make sure your passport has at least 6 months left on it for travel and at least two blank pages or you might not be allowed in.
• Final paperwork. I have a list of 15 documents you should consider taking with you on a trip abroad.

3. Map It Out

I highly suggest that once you have a destination picked out, that you pull up Google Maps and you get an understanding of the place you are going. Check out what the popular areas are and where the tourist attractions are.

You can see an example I did of this in my post for Maui and Istanbul. I try to do this is my big city guide blog post to help out, but you can also do this yourself. You wouldn’t want to pick out lodging or research too much on a destination if you didn’t know where different cities and towns were on the map.

4. Research the Destination (Travel Blogs!)

Now that you have your flights booked, paperwork done, and have looked a map to get an understanding of your destination, you’ll want to RESEARCH the destination very well before you take the next steps.

Of course I’m biased but I think travel blogs are a great way to research. For example of my blog you can go to my “Destinations” page and research by country or you can type in the city to my search box on the homepage.

Other than travel blogs, you can also search food blogs and design blogs to see what other niches are saying about the destination.

You’ll want to really get an idea of what is all of offer before you start your itinerary, that way the itinerary will be a quick thing to do.

5. Make an Itinerary by Area

Now that you really know a lot about the place you are going, you can start to make an itinerary. Note: we still haven’t booked anything!

You’ll want to write out the dates you’ll be there, each day separately like a calendar. Mark the dates you’re flying in and out as you won’t be able to do much those days.

Now, you’ll want to look at the days you can travel and see where you want to be in which areas. For example, in Florida maybe you want to be in Orlando at Universal for 2 days and Disney for two days, then go to Miami for 3 days… etc.

You need to break it down! You could do this too like in Maui where you would decide if you have two weeks there maybe to stay on the West coast for a week then go to Paia for a week where you can be closer to the start of the Road to Hana and going to the mountain view point.

6. Book the lodging & car rental

Itinerary: done!

Next, you’ll book your hotels and set up a car rental if you need one. You can see what rental cars are at the airport you arrive at and compare prices.

If you don’t need a car rental, then you’ll want to figure out what type of transportation you can use (train, metro, buses, taxis) and research the cheapest and easiest way to do that.

I recommend Rome2Rio to search the easiest ways to get from point A to B and using city specific apps such as CityMapper in London to get around the tube. Downloading relevant travel apps like Uber before your trip will be helpful!

Hotels are most fun part! I love researching hotels and I love reviewing them on this blog. You can search on Agoda (my favorite booking site). I’m also big on Airbnb if you are traveling with a group or want to save money by cooking in.

I have a discount code for you: $35 off your stay if you use this airbnb link to sign up to a new account.

Before booking, you can Google “(insert hotel name) review” and see what bloggers are saying about these hotels. Often you’ll find dozens of reviews which are usually more trustworthy than TripAdvisor reviews.

7. Add in activities

You’re really almost to the end now. You’ve done all the hard stuff!

Now, you have those hotels added to that calendar I said you should write out.

Start planning out the biggest activities first. Things like scuba, sightseeing in the city center, theme parks, anything you need to pre-book for, any adventure sports you want to try… etc!

I suggest research “top adventure activities in ____” so that you can see what all your options are. For example, you can see if you went to Langkawi, these are the 11 biggest adventures you can take. You will find blog posts like this all over the internet on nearly every destination!

Once you’ve decided which days you want to do these, go ahead and book them online.

8. Final research: restaurants, epic sunset spots…

Now for the last little fun bit of research: where you want to chill, eat, and party! You can read blogs until you’re blue in the face, check Pinterest, and even a guide book if you are old school like that. You don’t have to schedule this but it’s good to have places in the back of your mind so that you’re not googling good places to eat in the city you’re visiting at 7 pm when you’re hungry!

9. Pack Appropriately

Packing is the best! I love shopping for a new trip and packing for it. I have SO many packing tips on my blog so suggest checking those out.

Here is my packing category with all my posts. I get pretty specific and have these handy graphics on each post!

10. Arrive at the Airport ON time & plan airport transportation

Lastly, make sure you aren’t starting your trip off on the wrong foot by showing up at the airport late. You should get there on time (preferably with snacks lol).

I usually have a hotel send someone to pick me up at the airport, but if not that then you need to have Uber downloaded (assuming there is free WiFi to use it at the airport, unless you have a WiFi device) or a rental car set up so that when you land, you can start your trip without a hitch.

Pin how to plan a trip without stress for later:

The post My Checklist: How to Plan a Trip From Scratch (Without the Stress) appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

Have you ever tried Malaysian food? I hadn’t really before visiting Langkawi but now that I have, I want to share some of the best restaurants in Langkawi and what the food was like. I had some by chance in Singapore, where there is a mix of people and cuisines but I couldn’t really differentiate it from the rest. I thought it’d be like Indonesian food and it kind of was, although spicier.

Most meals come with little sides for extra flavor like herbs, chili vinegar, and sambal. All the meals have some spicy sambal on the side! Think of it like added Tabasco to your pizza.. a little extra kick! We do this in India too with sambar, pickled veg, or adding chili and lime to seafood.

Laksa is one of the most famous dishes but somehow it evaded me!

8 of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi & What Local Langkawi food is like

1. Restaurant Seashells // Cenang

Here you eat on the paddy fields! It is traditional style Malaysian food, due to the rain we ate under a roof. Lunch was fish curry, fish on the grill, chicken, black pepper beef, steamed cabbage and sprouts. The black pepper beef was spicy is a way different way than Indian food – more like Chinese – and I loved it! Lunch was 10 ringgit per person.

2. Naam OMG // Cenang

We ate a “western” lunch here of really nice pizza with pineapple and fake-ish ham along with a plate of the spiciest pasta! Again, black pepper was added heavily.

3. Restaurant HBL Bayas // Bayas

Here you’ll get “mix rice” which is a buffet style restaurant that many locals visit and you pile a little bit of everything on your plate. It’s different pricing for everyone depending on how much food you get. On average a plate is 10 ringgit. We tried cat fish, teriyaki chicken, peanut soy, sea bass, and lots more! A drink is 1 ringgit. “mix rice” is the most popular food in Malaysia.

4. Brasserie Restaurant and Bar // Cenang

On the beach near “yellow café” this little spot was perfect for a fine dining style meal for my birthday! We tried the fried prawns and tempura calamari then Ben got the steak and I got the chicken Milanese. All was good. It was 168 rinngit (about 45 bucks) for us both with drinks. Don’t order bread, as you’ll get a bread basket complimentary after you order.

5. Aseania dinner & show // Cenang

We stayed here a couple of nights and went for the dinner and show which is 3 times a week starting at 730. You’ll need to call them for reservation and to check dates and times.

6. Gelato Cabana // Cenang

Pretty darn good gelato on the street. One scoop is 5 ringgit.

7. Al-Aiman // chain restaurant

This is very scrumptious Indian food. We tried the one in Kuah, but there was one near Berjaya as well. Locals must love it because it is always packed full. Also has free WiFi.

8. Odeys // Kuah

Very yummy burger spot in town! It’s run by the nicest guy, Azmann, and he makes delicious oblong chicken or beef burgers (plus more things) with spicy black pepper sauce or plain like I had. Mmm! Not on google maps so here is address: Taman Intan Langkawi, Kuah

You can also check out the market at Kuah which serves up all kinds of local food like this:

Don’t forget where to eat in Langkawi – pin this guide to the best restaurants in Langkawi for later:

The post YUM! Some of the Best Restaurants in Langkawi appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

The brand new Langkawi 3D museum was such a silly fun way to spend the day. Ben took a little bit of time to get into it, because at first it can feel a bit embarrassing taking weird photos of yourself hanging with painted pandas… but eventually we started acting like kids and had a laugh.

It’s funny that in Asia, to me anyways, it seems people are more apt to take lots of photos. I see more selfie sticks here, more people taking selfies, and so it just seems perfect to have a museum like this. People were having such a laugh!

This place is actually really impressive, the biggest in Malaysia, and was hand-painted by 23 Korean artists who on average are 60 years old and the last of their generation. There are over 100 pieces of 3D art to play around with. We didn’t post with all 100 because how is that even possible?! Here are the silly ones we took!

This is located in Oriental Village and you can spend a whole day here doing the 3D museum, skycab, shopping, and much more I explain over in this post: what to do in Langkawi.

The post Funny Peek Inside Langkawi 3D Museum appeared first on Hippie In Heels.

This post is in partnership with TripAdvisor and their #BookToWin campaign.

My travel plans never end up going exactly how I think they will. I had no idea I would spend the end of 2015 hanging out with the Apatani tribe of Ziro Valley, or that I would have headed off to Langkawi with Ben on a last-minute trip. I have always had my own travel plans lined up, but thanks to having this blog, new plans get added in throughout the year that I would have never seen coming.

I’ll give you a preview of the plans I know I have coming up this year… and then maybe next year I can see if any of them happened (lol) and what ones got added in! I know I’ll at least be in 5 countries for the year of 2016. Hopefully more!

Hippie in Heels Travel Plans 2016

Goa, India

Obviously! Haha, I have spent the start of the year here at home and stayed put in January. I hit up South Goa for a getaway but that was it. For now, Goa is still set as my base for the year.

the swimsuit is from Onepeace Swimwear and it is the most comfortable thing ever!! So soft AND reversible!

Istanbul, Turkey

A last-minute trip, I just got back from Istanbul and was there February 2-13. It is one of my top cities now in the world and I have so much to share about my time there. I really want to travel in Europe more. Last year, we were lucky to go to London, Tunbridge Wells Hastings, and Rye in the UK as well as Vienna and Achau Austria to visit Ben’s family. I love being in Europe!

Galle, Sri Lanka

Although I’ve done my visa run to Turkey, Ben hasn’t left India in 5 months which means he’s got to go! We have 6 month maximums here. It is his 30th birthday so we are combining our mandatory visa run with a surfing celebration somewhere in Galle. About a year ago, we went to Colombo and Unawatuna for a quick 4 day visa run and really loved it there.

We are leaving in a week (from the time I am writing this post) and I have nothing planned, so I”m going to take you through my planning process and how to plan a trip quickly when you don’t have a lot of time to search.

In this case, I’ve already narrowed it down to the Southern coast of Sri Lanka because we’ve been there before and the surf is good. TripAdvisor is a good place to start a search.

I found the best hotels in Galle which is an area in the South. I did a quick search of the best spots to surf in Sri Lanka and was glad to see a few places in Galle in the top slots, as I know the East coast is popular too. I mapped out how far apart the best surf places were to see if I picked a place that sucked, I could get to another beach easily enough by rickshaw. Considering how small Sri Lanka is, I figure it won’t make much of a difference which one I choose… I’ll let you know if I was wrong lol!

I see Cantaloupe Levels at #5 and I’m not surprised since I’ve been there before and loved it. I scroll more and see they have a sister hotel Cantaloupe Aqua at #22. I scroll through the top rest of the top hotels in Galle and am terrible by looking first at the main profile pic and judging the book by it’s cover so to speak (I know, I know…) and see Jetwing Lighthouse as well. A friend has mentioned this place in the past so I bookmark it for later. It’s come up #13 in Galle. I narrow the search to “beach” options and see all 3 I looked at in the top 10.

I know the surf is good near Unawatuna because we stayed there before, and their sister hotel is there, so I narrow the results to best hotels in Unawatuna and see Aqua at #12. It’s newer and only has 87 reviews while the others have hundreds so I take that into account as well, knowing they will soon move up that list. Photos show stunning rooms looking at the beach and a pool! I’m sold. You can compare prices there and book straight through as well.

So, you can tell this isn’t the most in-depth search, but sometimes you don’t have the time. If I did, I would add to my TripAdvisor search by reading reviews on travel blogs, i-escape, and just by googling the area for articles about it.

Now it just comes down to checking the TripAdvisor reviews to see what other travelers say. TA has 320 million reviews on their website across 6.2 million accommodations. The reviews and availability will help you narrow down your search. You can look at traveler photos to see the “real images” rather than the best chosen ones that would be on a website.

Because I travel often, I don’t really look too much past this but if you’ve got less vacation time you would want to check out more places. Now that you can book directly on TripAdvisor, it’s easy to just do it all in one place. They use a compare search engine to check 200 websites for the best price. I’ve actually found a couple activities on TA and will share about this this week while I’m in Sri Lanka!

Himalayas, India

I’m in talks with a really exciting young company about joining them on a trip to the mountains in May. Nothing is confirmed but I’m hoping it will happen. I haven’t been to the Western side of the Himalayas for 3.5 years and remember really loving traveling up there. I hit up Manali which is kind of the “cold Goa” and Rishikesh “the Beatles’ yoga place” as well as other cute towns. I spent about a month there but was new to India so think it’ll be really interesting to go back. I also went in the winter, so May there will be totally different.

Ohio, USA

Sometime in the monsoon I”ll be heading back to Ohio as I do each year for at least a month. I always coincide these trips with friends weddings and my best friend from college Alex, is getting married August 13. I’m a bridesmaid in the wedding and am so excited to see my college friends that I rarely get to see, or even Skype with. If you’ve read my blog a bit, you know that I live in the middle of nowhere and spend my time at home laying out in the backyard, eating all my mom’s good food, and going shopping with her… I don’t have an American phone, health insurance, car, or car insurance so I’m basically 15 again and my friends call the house asking if I can come out and play and I have to beg my mom to take me over their houses… fun stuff!

Las Vegas, USA

Alex’s bachelorette party is July 8-11th so I’m really trying to plan to get home in time for that before the wedding. I’d go home to Ohio first, then fly out to Vegas for her party. I’m not totally sure on this yet and also have to weigh out the costs as I have a lot of flying to do around this time!

New York City, USA

My family takes a summer vacation each year which used to be to Gulf Shores, Alabama or Myrtle Beach. Last year, I planned a trip to Toronto with my mom and dad and we had so much fun. My mom suggested NYC this year and my brother and his wife could come to, as well as Ben since he will be coming out to the US too and has only seen NYC while changing airports during a layover.

London, UK

Ben’s sister gets married September 24th, so we’ll be heading up there sometime in September. I imagine we will go back to India first but really don’t have a clue!

MORE

As an update, I ended up going a lot more places than I thought I would, including a few new countries. Here’s the updated travel plans.

Where will you go in 2016?

So, there we go… some of my upcoming travel plans. I am excited to see what trips come up this year. Istanbul was totally unexpected and I didn’t know about it until a couple of weeks before I went. With some luck, more trips like that will come up this year! I’d love to know what your travel plans are.

We are trying to save up some money this year, and for that reason I don’t have as many trips planned as usual. Although we live in India, we travel a lot and eat out at restaurants, etc so haven’t saved as much as I think more responsible people would have. I’d love to go to Bali this year, but it’s on my “not responsible” list, a list which I may end up burning. We’ll see.

TripAdvisor #BookToWin Trip-A-Day Giveaway

To celebrate the new booking feature, TripAdvisor is giving away 60,000 worth of trip money. If you book any day in March on TripAdvisor, you are automatically entered to win one of the prizes: 31 winners will get 1,500 (one each day) and 1 lucky winner will get 15,000 towards a getaway anywhere in the world.

Even if you want to book from another site, just click-through from the hotel of your choice on TripAdvisor to book somewhere else then fill out the contest entry form to still be able to enter. Make sure to tell this to your friends planning a trip, because who knows maybe if they win they will invite you along!

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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Seeing the endangered one-horned rhinos at UNESCO site Kaziranga National Park in Assam was a part of the Holiday Scout tour I was SO stoked about. Do you remember when I went to Langkawi and saw online about a Rhino Tour… and it turned out to be Rhino was a type of four-wheeler. I asked Sange with hesitation… “are they REAL rhinos?”. He’s like, um yeah? … Okay. Just checking.

What is so special about the Indian one-horned rhino?

Well any endangered animals deserves some attention and conservation efforts. 2/3 of the one-horned rhino population are here in INDIA! I think that’s incredible. It’s an Asian animal, and over-populated India is doing all they can to protect them.

From Wikipedia:

“The Indian rhinoceros once ranged throughout the entire stretch of the Indo-Gangetic Plain, but excessive hunting and agricultural development reduced their range drastically to 11 sites in northern India and southern Nepal. In the early 1990s, between 1,870 and 1,895 rhinos were estimated to have been alive.. In 2015, a total of 3,555 Indian rhinoceros are estimated to live in the wild.“

There are a few types of rhinos in the world, but the India “greater one-horned rhino” is the one I’m talking about here. Recently, you may have seen 3 subspecies of the black rhino are now extinct. India is working hard to keep that from happening to these guys.

These rhinos used to be in Burma and China, but they have been hunted. Chinese medicine says that the horn can cure illnesses. It’s true that they are poached for that reason, but there is another reason these animals are endangered- they also have humans encroaching on their land.

Kaziranga National Park by far has the most rhinos at 1,855 with other parks each having less than 100, and it’s the main thing tourists come to see.

FUN FACTS: Indian rhinos are vegetarians and can run 34 miles per hour!

At one point there were only 12 rhinos in Kaziranga… hundreds were killed by British military officers. They seem to be doing a good job at helping the population grow now.

So, we were up SUPER early to see these things at the park and saw about 6 up close in the stunning sunrise. Later, we went on an afternoon safari through the jungle again to see “all the animals” which would mean seeing things from a little further away.

What else can you see at Kaziranga?

You can see water buffalo, all kinds of unique birds, swamp deer, pythons, cobras, elephants, tigers, leopards, mongoose, and more. It’s rare to see one of the wild cats at this park. The park is tall elephant grassland and marsh and flood park of the year. You need to visit outside June-August when the park is forced to close for the rain due to Brahmaputra river floods.

Me and Anna had a laugh when the safari guide pointed at what we’re pretty sure was an average chicken and said, “jungle fowl!” but what do I know.. maybe jungle chickens are different!

live sharing with your guys about the safari! #bloggerslife

How do you get to Kaziranga National Park?

It was a 10 hour (yes, 10!) drive from Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh and our longest day driving on the tour. If you come from Guwahati luckily it’s only 3 to 4 hours by road. We did have some boys stop us for “road tax” which I found a little annoying (It’s basically extortion on the smallest scale. It’s 7 or 8 boys saying give me money for festival, or roads, or whatever lie, or else you cannot pass).

It’s annoying and I hate that tourists who come from Guwahati to the park will see this in India maybe right away and get a bad taste of the country. Not a good first impression!

Where do you stay at Kaziranga National Park?

We stayed at Jupuri Ghar which I loved! It was cute and probably my favorite accommodation from the tour. Granted, the weather may have had something to do with it! We were nice and cozy here.

You can stay elsewhere. There are 11 places listed on TripAdvisor but there aren’t many reviews. All I can really say for advice is that hotels in NE India aren’t all that (yet… tourism in NE India is growing!) so it’s better to save cash and stay at a B&B or eco resort. Hotels are very basic with just a bed and shower, so why not have a bed and shower in a super cute hut!?

I’m not going to list the prices because they are always changing but you can expect that foreigners will pay a lot more than Indian Nationals. The entrance fee only needs paid once then you can come and go as much as you want but each safari then will cost more. Dress in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty and don’t go off on your own… pythons and tigers remember!?

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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Langkawi is a group of 99 islands off the West coast of Malaysia and is a popular vacation spot for Asian and Middle Eastern people. Two of the biggest things Langkawi is known for is marble (kawi) and eagles (helong), hence the name Langkawi!

Less than 20% of Langkawi is developed, it’s the first UNESCO Geopark in SE Asia, and there is loads of reserve forest and mangroves making it natural and unique. Let’s get started with a little travel guide to Langkawi.

Quick facts about Langkawi

• Money: 1 USD is equal to 3.77 Malaysian ringgits. Some prices for example: you can rent scooters at about 35 rinngits (9.30 USD) and use a public toilet for 1 ringgit (.25 cents USD), while most basic meals come in at 10 ringgits (2.7 USD).
• SIM card: You can get SIM cards easily at little shops. The best for this area is Celcom.
• Tourist Area: 10 minutes from the airport is Cenang (Patai Cenang) which has many hotels, tourists, western fast food along side Malay street food, spas and a nice beach with all kinds of water sports.
• We used Naam tours, which cater to luxury or comfortable travel. We didn’t have any issues with this company and our driver, Azmann, was really cool.
• Duty Free shopping: Langkawi became a duty-free port in 1987. There are many duty-free shops, so you’ll be able to get great deals on imported things you may need. If you’re here on vacation it’s still not cheaper than home but for us, it’s cheaper than India.
• Monsoon season: The rains are in the months of March until November, but it is not a big monsoon like I have in India. It may rain a couple of hours each day or not at all.
• Beaches: You have many options but Datai Bay is a “don’t miss”- ranked #9 of 10 best beaches in the world by National Geographic.
• How to dress: practice what I preach, not what I do. I wore tank tops but really you should probably wear a t-shirt (although most tourists and some younger local girls wore tank tops). It’s mostly a Muslim country and most tourists are from Saudi so you don’t want to wear clothes that look revealing. For swimming, I wore a swimsuit with shorts overtop and kept my lifejacket on to keep covered more.

Where to stay in Langkawi

• For high-end check out Andaman Langkawi which is on the nicest beach in Langkawi & Top 10 beach in the world from Nat Geo. Also, the Vivanta Taj which is on its own island.

Aseania Resort – mid range budget

This is a nice 3 star huge resort with good food and nice pool. We recommend Aseania for those reasons and because it’s in the popular Cenang area and within walking distance to SO much. We stayed 4 nights. There is an awesome show I’ll explain more on later. The rooms have comfy beds and there is a pool and games like pool table, darts, and fooseball.

Berjaya Resort – 4 star

We LOVED our stay at Berjaya. This is a really cool resort and great option if you can’t afford somewhere like the Andaman. It was so relaxing being in the “jungle side” but if we went back I’d go for on the huts on stilts in the water “beach side”. Breakfast was a big ordeal with people dotted around making everything you can image fresh for you. It’s got beach access and a pool.

I have so many blog posts about Langkawi that are linked below. Click through to what interests you – make sure to read all the fun activities!

• Spas in Langkawi
• What to do in Langkawi
• Jet Ski Langkawi
• 3D museum photo post
• Food in Langkawi

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I loved visiting Langkawi! There’s so much to do there. It’s very tourist-friendly, and many locals from Kuala Lumpur come here for vacation. Here are my top things to do in Langkawi!

11 Things to Do in Langkawi

1. Jet Ski Island Tour

This was my favorite part of Langkawi! You can go to 8 islands and see a lot of major natural attractions at once through Mega water sports at Chenang beach. I wrote a whole article about it here: Jet Ski Langkawi

Check here for tours to book and reviews

2. Rhino 4WD Tour Waterfall Stop

No, there aren’t rhinos in Langkawi… Oh wait, was I only one who thought maybe there were? Rhino is the type of 4-wheeler that you can take a tour of the mangroves on. It’s such a blast riding around the rivers, jungle, paddy fields, and is a unique way to sight see. With our tour we got to go to a waterfall during the middle and learn more about the rubber trees that are all around the island. Tip: wear sunblock and mosquito spray.

Location: Naam Paku Pakis Activity Center at Tanjung Rhu beach

3. Parasailing

I hadn’t been parasailing since I was a kid but thought it wouldn’t be that great since it’s not a huge adrenaline rush. It still wasn’t such a rush, except when you first kick off from the boat, BUT the reason this is a must in Langkawi is the view! There are 99 islands making up Langkawi and you can see the islands, white sand, and different shades of blue water from up high. It’s quite a view! Take a goPro up with you around your wrist.

Location: Naam Paku Pakis Activity Center at Tanjung Rhu beach

Go Karting at Morac

Ben and I go-kart whenever we see a new place! We love the one in Goa. This one kicked Goa’s butt though! It’s a professional track (who knew they had those?) and was really long.

Location: Morac International Karting Circuit Sdn. Bhd. Lot 67, Jalan Pantai Cenang, Mukim Kedawang

5. Mangrove Tour

With this tour you’ll go down Tanjung Rhu river and through manmade channels in the mangroves. You’ll start at Kilim river to see the HUGE bat caves which are quite stinky but very cool. You can see the area where all the eagles eat, go in “crocodile cave” which apparently no longer has crocs, and end with lunch at Mangrove Fish Farm. The fish farm has sting rays and you can actually feed them… just by sticking your hand hear their slimy mouths- such as weird ass feeling but loved it! We didn’t have lunch here because it was only 11 am but most people did. Tip: There is a chance to swim at Long beach so pack a swimsuit! 

Location: Naam Paku Pakis Activity Center at Tanjung Rhu beach

6. SkyCab & SkyBridge

The SkyCab is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Langkawi since it’s steepest on earth, 708 meters high on Mt Machincang. It is the longest single robe cable car in the world – 950 meters! At first I wasn’t really sure what the appeal was since the cable cars go slow… but it’s not so much about the ride as it is the view you get from the ride.

The views were 10x as cool as parasailing, and I was bummed Ben was afraid of the height and didn’t come. The water was so blue against the white sand and seeing all the islands spread out was pretty damn cool, plus you can actually see Thailand. I know I sound like Sarah Palin here, but you really could.

I didn’t go across the SkyBridge (which is 100 meters off the ground and the longest curved bridge in the world) because it was about 4 pm and I’d been in the sun all day with a pretty bad burn. Tip: Pay extra for the VIP cab for nice seats, or ones with glass floors. Check out the SkyDome video before hand, which is 3D-ish and really neat. 

Location: Oriental Village, Burau Bay

7. Interactive 3D Museum

Brand new to Langkawi, and the biggest 3D museum in Malaysia this is actually a LOT of fun. I didn’t even know what a 3D museum was. But we went through taking all kinds of silly pictures. I think only the photos can explain what this place is all about. Check out my post on it: Photo Gallery 3D museum

Location: Oriental Village, Burau Bay

8. Mardi Fruit Farm

This is an agrotechnology park where fruits are grown without pesticides. Ben and I had seen much of this in Goa, but I can imagine if you come from somewhere less tropical this would be a big learning experience. You can try new fruits like star fruit, dragon fruit, water apple, and yellow watermelon.

Location: Jalan Padang Gaong, Lubuk Semilang

9. Ayer Hangat Spa Village

This complex has the only salt water hot spring in Langkawi and hosts a spa and private Jacuzzis you can rent out. The hot springs are great for soaking your feet then going for a walk on the “reflexology path”.

I only lasted about 30 seconds because I have such sensitive feet walking on stones. I went for a foot scrub & massage here which was heavenly; read more on my article spas in Langkawi. They also have stingless bees making honey… something I never knew existed.

Location: 16 Jalat Air Hangat, Mukim Air Hangat

10. Sunset Dinner Cruise

I think a lot of companies offer something like this – but not all of them can say Pitbull took their cruise ;)

Really! This was Ben’s favorite part of the trip. The food was great, the boat was really cool and there were only 6 of us on the trip. They treated us great with cold towels, free booze, ponchos at the end when it rained, and lots of laughs. I have to say that the photo above was taken by Ben, or he will feel used as my photographer haha.

Location: boat takes off from main Naam office in Kuah.

11. Night Market

The market can move around, but there are two big ones (Wed. and Sat.) in Kuah that are really nice. It’s half food, half clothing. Most of the food is very unique and not westerinized. Go with an open mind and try new things! I tried a few, but to be totally honest I didn’t love the food- I am not a very adventurous eater. I like lots of the snacks but not the fish ones which are frequent, because I’m not much of a fish eater. Check out my post on what to eat in Langkawi.

Location: Kuah

More fun things to do in Langkawi

You could try aintball, horseback riding, helicopter rides, dirt bikes, zorbing, paintballing, Craft Complex for souvenirs, Eagle square, snorkeling at Pewar island where there are sometimes reef sharks. Just go to Viator and see all the tours they offer. They have tours for every budget – just filter to adventure ones!

And those are all the cool things to do in Langkawi that we got up to! Let me know if you have more tips on what to do. In the meantime, check out my Langkawi travel guide for more information.

Don’t miss nearby Singapore when you come to Malaysia:

• I Wish I’d Had a Singapore Neighborhood Guide Like This One
• Best Food in Singapore: A Foodie’s Heaven
• Luxury Guide to Singapore

Pin for later!

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The streets in Langkawi (Kuah and Cenang especially) are lined with spas! You can get all kinds of treatments at a big variety of price, with hotels and resorts being the highest. They are really big on reflexology here, I saw a lot of Thai massage, and mani/pedi places. Another big thing was the “ear candling” so obviously we HAD to try it.

Ear candling & reflexology @ Terati Patai Cenang

We tried at Teratai on Patai Cenang near Underwater World. The 30 minute foot reflexology was 38 ringgit and the ear candling was 38 ringgit. The total 76 ringgit is equal to 20 USD. A full body massage here is 88 ringgit. The reflexology was great and as always hurts a little. In case you’re unfamiliar, it’s using pressure point that ease problems in relative areas of your body. I know what you really want to know about though, the EAR CANDLING! Lol.

awkward…

What is ear candling?

Ben was the one who volunteered for this. On the way over, he had severe sinus pain on the plane. We’ve both been sick, and his hea is shit so he decided to go for it. I was getting a massage at the time but this is how he described it: They dug around like they wanted to poke his brain, pulled out chunks of gunk with sticks and hooks, then put a candle in his ear, which created a suction and pulled out even more little bits of gunk.

The treatment is meant to relieve sinus pressure and pain. Ben swears it worked. Other than relieving pain, he can hear better as well. It can cure swimmers ear so is good for those in the water a lot. If you’ve ever had any type of ear problems like tubes or perforation, don’t do this! The stick poking reminds me of the ear cleaners on the streets of India.

Contact: They have a free pick up service I noted on flier, so if you want to call it’s 04-9551822.

Bali traditional @ Ratu Maya Spa

This one specializes in “Bali Traditional Treatment”. I know I’m in Malaysia, but each shop has all different types: Swedish, Malay, and Thai… but the Malay was pressure points and I really wanted something a bit more relaxing. The massage here was great. I got a 40 minute neck shoulder massag for 60 ringgit.

Contact: next to Underwater World, call at 012-407 2075.

Foot scrub & massage @ Ayer Hangat Spa Village

This was a nice surprise! We went to Hangat village to see the hot spring, but I didn’t realize there was a spa. They had a special which was 30 minute foot massage and scrub for 35 ringgit (10 bucks).

After soaking your feet in salt water filled with flowers, you got rubbed down with salt and a fruit similar to a lime. The massage was incredible and I highly recommend! They had all the little touches like ice cold towel over your eyes (it was a hot day) and laying down during the foot massage which almost never happens. She massaged me an extra 10 minutes for no reason – nice! A full body, full hour Malay massage is 130.

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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If there’s one thing you do in Langkawi, this should be it! I’d go so far as to say, if you’re on a gap year you should wait until Langkawi to do any jet skiing. All booking information is at the bottom of this post.

The tour is four hours long but you can go a little faster if you are pressed for time by spending less time at each place. There were multiple stops along the way which were all FREE so it’s not just the jet skiing, but the whole tour that is really great.

Dayang Buting Marble Geoforest Park

Our first stop was this UNESCO site. The area is called “pregnant lake” by the locals. Here’s the story/myth:

“There was a beautiful woman who the King really wanted to marry, so of course he did. He went away to war and came back a year later and she was pregnant… so it was NOT his baby. Angry, he turned her into stone and she cries still.”

The rock does look like a pregnant woman lying down, and the sweet water lake in the middle are as they say, her tears. You can go from the jetty up some stairs to the fresh water and take a swim! You can rent little boats as well. In case you don’t like that story there is another one or 10!

“it’s a lovely fairy princess who married an earthly prince and got pregnant from drinking the water in the lake.”

FYI: bathing in this lake bestows fertility to barren women! That is if you believe these things ;)

Some of the rock formations are 550 million years old! You can see as you go around the many islands how the rocks are changing. Actually, Langkawi had more islands once but they fall into the ocean. The marble turns to limestone in the heat (metamorphic rock) and limestone isn’t that strong of a rock so the winds and salt water splashing take out bits from the bottom slowly until it’s gone.

BEST part of the Langkawi jet ski tour

You get 20 or so minutes of “free go crazy time” on the jet ski. We were the only people signed up so got a bit more. We went crazy! You can go over 40 miles/hour… we were going nearly 45 just racing around the ocean and spinning out in circles. I loved driving that fast but just hated being on the back. The noises I was making were unnatural lol and Ben was just cracking up the whole time. I was almost always “about to fall off!” and I’d scream “BEN SULLIVAN STOP IT!!” and of course he wouldn’t. Our guide was laughing at us. We could have done that all day. Man, that was fun!

Eagle feeding & more

You’ll see 8 islands but not get off at all. These are beaches with snorkeling like Beras Basah island, private beaches with great views, areas of water very deep and famous for parties because there are no waves, and areas with high salt concentration you can easily float.

You can go up to the small island rock formations and go up under the protruding rock. I’m not going to lie, this part gave me MAJOR anxiety! You can see the black rock is very old, while the yellow is new where old limestone has fallen from the wind and rain. It’s scary thinking it could fall on your head.

You’ll go to an island were they feed lazy eagles chicken skin! There are 4 kinds of eagles and some are really big!

Near the Eagle feeding island is a closed camp. There was a death of a boy by python something like 10 years ago… it’s very sad but of course there are pythons in these areas and even in my home Goa. I think it’s great that Langkawi actually closed it down as a place to sleep. Some other governments don’t care as much about the people and more about money.

A word on animals: there are snakes and monkeys. Of course you shouldn’t wander into the islands on your own. There are also small komodo dragons! I didn’t get to see one. We were told there are no sharks or crocodiles, but in other areas there are so let’s just assume there are everywhere, right?

Booking information & jet ski tour tips:

• We actually booked through a small company there which was $97. If you want to book ahead, book on Viator. It’s $125 for two people to go one one jet ski. Read other reviews and book it here.
• Wear your swim suit, but girls wear a shorts over (gym shorts that you can swim in) just out of respect & either wear a tank top over bikini top or keep your life jacket on at the stops.
• Don’t take ANYTHING with you except: little cash if you want to snorkel, GoPro, bottle of water. There is a non-waterproof cubby in front of jetski for these things. There is an outdoor shower on the beach for after.
• Check out these 11 adventurous things to do in Langkawi, including this jet ski tour and this article about what to eat in Langkawi.

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Welcome back to This is India! I always have funny/weird stories about India to share with friends or family when I talk to them. This is just meant to be an honest portrayal about my life in India through short anecdotes. I also share here what I’ve been up to online outside Hippie in Heels.

What I was up to other than here:

• I’ve been in Langkawi, Malaysia all week. I’m heading back in a couple days then leave straight away to the US through the end of July. Poor Ben will be stuck in Goa for a month in the monsoon with just our crazy dog and cat.
• Hope you have been following along my instagram for pics from Langkawi!

Now your story,

Our housekeeper (it’s not weird in India to have one!) came into the house smiling ear to ear with a chocolate cake and a bottle of coca-cola. She said “I brought you cake, it’s my birthday!”

I felt HORRIBLE! I wished I’d known it was her Birthday so that I could get her a cake. This was a couple years ago before I knew that in Indian culture, the birthday girl or boy brings snacks and cakes, or takes other people out for a meal. It’s the total opposite in America.

Ben mentioned that in the UK when it’s someone’s birthday, the birthday boy covers the bill at dinner. In the US, the birthday boy is the only one who doesn’t pay and everyone else covers their share as their present. I found that pretty shocking.

It makes me wonder how many other countries have such giving birthday boys and girls! I still give presents here in India, but even this year my housekeeper did that exact same thing and brought a cake and soda, didn’t have a piece until after us (although we insisted), and wouldn’t let us clean the plates.

This is India!

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I really think hard before I start something new… even if it’s watching Friday Night Lights from the beginning on Netflix, mainly because once I start something I have to finish it (even if I don’t like it, like 50 Shade of Grey or Twilight, ugh!). So, I was cautious and staying back when I kept seeing people post online about the new website Trover– the one they call the mix of Pinterest and Tripadvisor.

I wasn’t sure if I wanted to start another social media website with Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest already downloaded to my phone. I realized though I wasn’t really using Pinterest anymore since most of the links led to dead ends. I had an opening and since people say Trover is like a “travel pinterest.. that actually works” I decided to go for it.

searching for Hawaii discoveries on Trover from my room in Lahaina

Basically, you post discoveries. It can be done just with a photo on your phone and a travel tip along with it. The becomes searchable for other people. You can search by place and see what tips people posted about that place. You can take it further by saving other people’s discoveries (and your own) to lists.

I started out by searching for an upcoming trip to Langkawi, Mayalsia. I put in a few discoveries from other people, and will add my own once I get there.

I kind of think of it like Couchsurfing. It’s a group of people who want tips, so they need to reciprocate and give tips. When they click the heart to like a tip it comes to your page saying they’ve said “thank you”. Cute!

I questioned what I knew well and knew right away that was FOOD, particularly in Goa. So I made a Goa food list where I put up photos from my phone with tips on what I like to order. I put almost 40 and it actually didn’t take that long. I plan to update it as I try new places. If you want to follow you can click here.

I searched out to see if other people were posting about “Goa food” and there wasn’t much yet, although what popped up was nice, like Hotel Venite in Panjim which is one that I have yet to try.

The great thing about Trover is that the tip is right there so you don’t have to click over to “find out more”. This means less work for you, and it means that there aren’t companies out there just posting junk to get traffic to their websites. Also, it doesn’t help me as a blogger so I can do it just for fun and to actually get quick tips when I need them. I’m excited to try it out more but have only had it a few weeks. Although lots of about places, some are just really fun and specific like coffees they loved and where they got them.

Also, it seems like they are always giving away money! Right now, they have a Gold Hour Photography contest where you can win $1500. There are some details like what to tag so click over and make sure to follow the rules.

“With summer’s long days, it is the perfect time to add some golden sunlight to your travel photography – and we want to see your best. In fact, to level up the fun, we’re going to give $1500 to the person who can show us the best #goldenhour discovery.”

I think I’ll go ahead and post to Facebook and twitter some of my favorite lists and discoveries so you can see if it interests you. I think this app will only be as good as the people that use it and the more the merrier. What do you think, will you try out a new website?

-I was compensated for my time in writing this review-

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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Welcome back to This is India! I always have funny/weird stories about India to share with friends or family when I talk to them. This is just meant to be an honest portrayal about my life in India through short anecdotes. I also share here what I’ve been up to online outside Hippie in Heels.

What I was up to other than here:

• Check out these 10 UNESCO sites given over by 10 travel bloggers; I wrote about Hampi. I was also quoted in this article on 201 travel tips for people coming to India. Although some of the tips are a little extreme (particularly the food ones, as I eat street food and drink filtered water), they are helpful for those new to India. I also added a little bit to this fun beauty article where some bloggers shared their favorite items.
• Other than that, I think I have the flu or something & India is very hot so we are thankful the power has stayed on and we can be in the A/C. Thinking of the people who aren’t so lucky here AND WE ARE GOING TO LANGKAWI MALAYSIA TOMORROW AM! I am so excited to explore with the people from Natural Langkawi and share with you :)

Now your story,

I ask people all the time what stands out to them when they look back on their trip in India. Britani talked about all the people wanting photos with her at the Taj and my mom and dad also mentioned that type of thing happening at Hampi.

I’m not sure the obsession with taking photos with foreigners, but I’m not bothered by it. While having a tour guide in Karnataka, who translated for me, I learned that after a group took a photo with me the woman said “I can’t wait to show this to my mother when we get back”.

Sometimes, the people haven’t seen a foreigner before other than TV. Other times, it’s boys who just want to collect photos. It’s something that’s bound to happen on your trip to India and I’d love to get the perspective of my Indian readers on why this happens.

One interesting one I get a lot is a family wanting a photo. They usually want me to hold a baby if they have one and sometimes the father of the family wants to shake my hand in the photo. A couple girls I met told me they were on the beach in Goa when a man just plopped his baby down in front of them and took a photo without saying one word, and he was gone.

This is India!

Did you enjoy this post? Let me know in the comments or by sharing it with the social media links! I’d love to keep giving you travel tricks & tips so feel free to subscribe by e-mail in the big purple box below. Don’t forget you can follow me on facebook, twitter, instagram & bloglovin‘.

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This list will be ever-growing & ever-changing as I cross things off and meet new people who inspire me. I am a little obsessed with making lists. When I met my now best friend back in college, she came into my dorm room and saw my academic planner. She started to flip through it. Each day was what tv show I was going to watch and what time it was on. Monday: 90210 and Gossip Girl. I make lists for what I need to do, what my boyfriend needs to do (he really hates that ha ha), and what I want to eat next time I’m back in the U.S. Lists are life, people.

It is only natural I make a list of place I want to go and things I want to see.

PS: I’ve made one specific to India as well: My India Travel Bucket

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