I only have love for this country of which I’ve seen so little, but has wowed me immensely. This is for all the new friends we met at Hualien County in Taiwan. I await the day when we can explore more of your lovely, stunning country.
If you want to read more about our adventures in Hualien County, hop over to my blog post over here.
Song: Peach Plum Pear by Jenifer Avila
How Taiwan isn’t rolling off everyone’s tongues when they speak of adventure trips in Asia is a bit baffling. In the brief time I’ve spent overall in this country, I’ve seen stunning landscapes, met inspiring people, and took part in memorable traditions. Hualien County, around 2-3 hours by train from urban Taipei, is one of such little-known places, but one I would urge all my friends to see.
Continue reading Wow, Hualien!
Before I get to the list, there’s one important thing I need to share — Ferdy. That’s the only name you’ll ever need to know in Bali.
Ours was a serendipitous meeting — we were a group of six stranded in Jimbaran, at the mercy of the overpriced taxis that lurked outside the restaurants. That was, until Ferdy came along in his Bluebird cab to drop off his passengers.
“Six, can?” – Us
“Can!” – Ferdy
And with three words, a bond was formed.
Ferdy had a smiling rest-face, which puts you at ease at once. We liked him so much that we hired him to be our driver/guide for the whole of the next day. He was honest, cheerful, and extremely generous the whole time, as if he were taking long-time friends around to see his home. I can honestly say that our trip wouldn’t have been as memorable if we didn’t get to know Ferdy.
Okay, now that you know the best driver-slash-guide in Bali, it’s time to explore! The island is simply humungous. For the six visits I’ve made to Bali, I’ve barely scratched the surface. It’s uncanny: each time I go, I find around 5 more things to do when I return to the Island of the Gods.
Here are ten suggestions on how you can make your own Balinese adventure unforgettable, based on the knockout experiences that made me come back for more (I’ve listed them in no particular order):
1. Paraglide at Timbis Beach
A sure way to get a Bali high is to paraglide at Timbis Beach. It sounds crazy to jump off a bluff, but once you soar above the hills and the sea, over the ridiculously expensive cliffside mansions, then it will all make sense. If you’re lucky, your tandem instructor may let you take the reins and control the chute for a bit. If you’re extremely lucky, you may even get to literally touch the clouds! This adventure is time-dependent; paragliding season in Timbis Beach is from May to October.
Back in 2010, we paid ~USD100 for a tandem flight; contact Bali Paragliding Adventure for the latest rates.
Continue reading 10 Bali Adventures that Will Make You Keep Coming Back
Some countries have provinces. We have pockets of paradise.
It’s been a long time since I’ve last explored the island gems of the Philippines, that when I first laid eyes on Coron, I was simply stunned. Stunned speechless, even. Coron was gorgeous beyond words! I’ve felt like I’ve searched far and wide around the globe to come upon something grandiose, and yet one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever seen was right at home. Continue reading The Perfect Summer in Coron
This is my tribute to a week-long spell of signing my life away in indemnity forms. Breathtaking, heart-stirring, hair-raising, all at the same time — this trip was definitely epic.
Song: Bad Girlfriend by Theory of a Deadman
Continue reading Queenstown is for the Brave
I haven’t actually started on the proper track yet, and I’m already lost. I backtracked to the last sign I chanced upon for the Ben Lomond trail, and saw the shaded path that I’ve missed. The thick canopy of bare-leafed pines looked ominous, as if I were Little Red Riding Hood who should have known better than to wander alone.
Out of the blue, the trail suddenly opened up to a great vastness of sky, sunshine and meadows. The green horizon met the wild blue yonder of the heavens for almost the whole trail. On every spot you stood upon, you can freely admire the range of the Remarkables, glimpse upon the near green and yellow rows of trees, smile at the intense blue-green of Lake Wakatipu.
Continue reading Meeting Ben Lomond
I have a feeling that boredom’s outlawed in Queenstown. We arrived in QT with no clear plan, yet in a matterof minutes, we were able to come up with a jam-packed itinerary for our next 3 days.
The skies weren’t so clear on Day 1, so even if we were so eager to hop on a plane and hurl ourselves off, we decided to stay grounded — or rather drenched and half-immersed — on a day’s outing in the Shotover River.
Continue reading Paddling Adventures on the Shotover River
Wave after wave after wave, they just keep on coming. I’m gulping in more water than I probably should. As fast as I crashed into the swells, suddenly I’m past the rapids and saying hello to surprising peace and quiet. This is just the first round of river surfing — should I still stay for the second round? Hell yeah! Continue reading Wet, Wild and Wicked: River Surfing in Kawarau
Today, dreams won over nerves.
More often than not, people come here longing for that surge of adrenaline, one great jolt to feel alive. You have to understand that for me, it felt completely different.
Terrified would be the exact word to describe how I felt towards skydiving. I would turn pale from simply looking at videos of people hurling themselves out of planes and into the great void. You can imagine how I felt when I watched Felix Baumgartner jump off from the stratosphere; it was a mix of awe, admiration, and ‘oh-my-god-what-have-you-done-!!!’ hysteria. No matter how much people try to convince me that I’m more likely to meet death by car or cow (?), I was adamant about staying grounded. I’d bungy, I’d go rafting, I’d bungy again — but throw myself off a plane? No-si-ree sir, I’d pass. Even if you offer to pay for it, nope. Even if you throw in Channing Tatum as the diving instructor, no (– well, maybe in that case, yes! Death by Channing isn’t so bad.) Continue reading The Leap of All Leaps: Skydiving in Queenstown
1. Surfing, snorkeling, playing beach volleyball all day — some things are worth the sunburn. The pain of being sun-scorched will eventually go away, but as for regret — that often stings for a lifetime.
2. So you’re loaded. And really smart. And gorgeous to boot. But can you leave the shore and swim? The world belongs to the brave.
We went home with faces a little browner, hearts a little bigger, and memories wealthier. It seems so unfair to take so much and give back so little to a destination that has made you really happy, but Maldives is simply generous like that. Its giving is effortless, even, as natural as a pristine paradise can be.
Okay, so maybe the lavish water villas and mind-blowing infinity pools are a tad over-the-top. But the real opulence lies under the water. Underneath, it’s a busy city that doesn’t care about full-board amenities, service charges and the like. Big fish, little fish, predator, prey — everyone’s bustling to and fro, engrossed with their day to day, oblivious of the man-made spas above them. Here, life is simple — work, eat, exercise, build a house, try not to get eaten. Most of all, have fun. Well, it certainly looks like they’re having hoards of fun, the way their fins are wagging. Continue reading Pinch me, I’m in Maldives!
I feel blessed to have the most adventurous and fun friends around to make dreams like these happen. From them, I’ve learned to take chances, to be unapologetic for being whimsical, to chase after adventure and celebrate life whenever I can. Til our next celebration!
Song: Brighter than the Sun by Colbie Caillat
.: ishcapades 