panama-skyline-2

Mini Trip to Panama

Panamá is one of the wealthiest countries in Central America. The gorgeous skyline of its capital, Panama City, reminded me of Singapore. Beyond that, there isn’t much to do in the city. The Panama Canal, in my opinion, is a bit overhyped for tourism. I had a much better experience seeing the locks in Seattle and going through locks in Stockholm. Major areas to visit in Panamá San Blas Islands - gorgeous islands that are equivalent to mini-French Polynesia Boquete - Gorgeous small town in the highlands Bocas Del Toro - Caribbean vibe, I decided to skip this Darien National Park - It is filled with Narcos and human traffickers. I skipped it this time. Day 1 - Panamá City Start the day with a walking tour of the city’s Old Quarter, “Casco Viejo”. It is gorgeous, similar to Antigua. ...

No man's Land

Mini Trip to Trinidad and Tobago

The oil-rich twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost island in the Caribbean. The smaller Tobago island is more beautiful, safe, and worthy of spending time on than the bigger Trinidad island. So, if you are short on time, just visit Tobago island. There are 30 USD one-way flights between Trinidad’s POS airport to Tobago’s TAB airport. Day 1 - Port of Spain Stroll through Queen’s Park area, checking out places like Stollmeyer’s Castle, Free Botanical Garden, 30 TTD Zoo, and Ariapita avenue. ...

Gardens by the Bay

Singapore in 4 days

Singapore is a small country on the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula. Thanks to its visionary leader, Singapore is one of the most prosperous countries in the world. Once you get passed the heat and humidity, it is a wonderful place to visit. I had a short stay in Singapore while taking a Royal Caribbean cruise. Here’s my recommendation on what to see in Singapore. Day 1 - Jewel and Sentosa Island Start with the Jewel Airport area. It is gorgeous with an artificial waterfall and a full-fledged shopping mall. ...

Royal Caribbean cruise in Singapore

Royal Caribbean cruise in Singapore

We did a 3-day Royal Caribbean cruise from Singapore with a stop in Penang, Malaysia. This was my first time cruising in Asia. Unlike the Caribbean and French Polynesia, most passengers were from Chinese and India. And this reflected well in the activities as well as food choices. The quizzes were geekier, e.g., guess the airport from the codename. Food choices were way more vegetarian friendly including a Jain food counter! Day 1 - Check-in We arrived at around 3 PM, 90 minutes before the start of the cruise. We know we are late when we saw absolutely no one in the check-in line! ...

Maipo Canyon

Four days in Santiago, Chile

Chile is one most remote countries in the world to visit. It is far from Europe. It is far from Asia. It is far from North America as well. And the country is deceivingly large. Unlike the USA, Canada, or Brazil, Chile looks small because of its appearance as a narrow strip on the map. Except it is long. The length of Chile is the same as the distance from San Francisco to New York. So, it is hard to visit all of Chile in a few days. ...

Stockholm

Two days in Stockholm, Sweden

Day 1 We started the trip with the Nobel Prize Museum, which comes with access to an interactive Audio Guide. It takes 2-3 hours to fully check it out. Then, we headed to the Swedish History Museum. It has free entry. And is good if you like checking out 1000-year gold jewelry. However, the Danish museum is superior to Nordic history. ...

Copenhagen Skyline

Copenhagen

Day 1 Start the day with a free walking tour to get an idea of the important places and the history of the city. Then, we decided to check out the Gefion Fountain and one of the most disappointing tourist attractions, The Little Mermaid. ...

White Tank

A day at Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park, about a three-hour drive from the city of Los Angeles, is home to Joshua Trees. If you have a day to spend, I would recommend a hike followed by the viewpoints. We started from the south entrance and went northwards, here’s what we did Lost Oasis Trail - An easy ~7.5 miles 3-hour hike close to the south entrance and you see a dead Oasis at the end ...

Colorful vegetarian food

A week in Kenya

This was my first trip to Africa. I have been to Egypt before. But Egypt has a more middle-eastern vibe to it than an African one. Compared to Egypt, in Kenya, almost everyone speaks English. And compared to Egypt, much less touting. Kenya is known for its world-famous Masai Mara reserve. Apart from seeing the big five animals (lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and Cape buffalo), I would recommend a trip to the coastal city of Mombasa. ...

Ħaġar Qim Temple

Malta in winters

We visited Malta in winter. Water activities are not possible in winter, so, this post will tell you what else there is to do in Malta. If you have only one day then go to Mdina. If you have two days, then do Gozo as well. If you have three days, then do the old temples. And if you have four days then do Valletta as well. The island has excellent public transport that you can count on. 1.5 Euro one-way ticket valid for a 2-hours journey in any direction. I would recommend staying in Sliema or St. Julian’s for maximum comfort. If you want a Mediterranean-style stay then go to Valletta or Mdina instead. The Tallinja app gives better suggestions than Google Maps regarding intra-island public transport. Day 1 - Mdina Visit the old capital of Mdina. It has a classy Mediterranean look to it. ...