About Me

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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I am married to my loving husband for more than 40 years now. I am a mother to 3 beautiful children, until years ago when I lost my youngest son. Since then my life is forever altered but yet unbroken....

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Wednesday 29 August 2018

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – From beaches to mountains

"Sometimes you need to step outside, get some air and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be..."

(Gunung Jerai Viewpoint)

Date: 29 August 2018
Route: Pak Bara Beach Satun - KL
Attractions: Wang Kealian View points/Gunung Jerai

Today after breakfast we started driving to Wang Prachan/Wang Klian border and enter Malaysia. On the way we stopped at two viewpoints. One in Wang Kelian and another in Gunung Jerai.

(The way to Wang Kelian viewpoint)
(A gazebo mid- point to the top)
(Taking a hike uphill  to the summit)
(A view mid-way to the top)
(Yeah! Nearly teaching the top)
(The viewpoint info unreadable)
(Panoramic view from the top)
(The Bigfoot at the summit)

From the Wang Kelian viewpoint we drove on the trunk road and up three winding road to Gunung Jerai. At Gunung Jerai Resort we had our lunch at the Punchak Jerai Restaurant and performed our prayers before we drove back to KL.

(Information of Gunung Jerai)
(At the base of Gunung Jerai)
(Chalets on Gunung Jerai)
(The Royal Suite)
(Beautiful ambiance of the resort)
(The view of the valley)
(Lunch at the Punchak Restaurant)

Tuesday 28 August 2018

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – Pak Bara Beach, Satun

“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right…” - Henry Ford

(Langka Beach Resort Pak Bara)

Date: 28 August 2018
Route: Thung Bu Lang – Pak Bara Beach Satun
Hotel: Langka Beach Resort

Pak Bara is a half an hour or so on from the southern-most port town of Satun. Pak Bara Pier is where you go to catch a boat to one of the nearby islands, Koh Lipe or Koh Tarutao. If you are not going to the islands you can stay the night at one of the many chalets or guesthouses along the beach.

Pak Bara Beach is suitable for tourists who need privacy and serenity. The nearby islands can be seen from this beach. There are viewpoints for the tourists as well as a location for viewing the beautiful sunset from Satun Geopark. Pak Bara is quiet and peaceful but can get busy during Muslim festive season.

Lining the main road to Pak Barra Pier are many Muslim seafood restaurants where you can have your lunch or dinner in the small huts by the beach.


(Staying a night in this resort)
(The view of the beach)
(The view of nearby islands)
(Our chalet on the beach front)
(Watching the sunset from our chalet)
(Pak Bara viewpoint on the way to the pier)
(One of the many Muslim Restaurants in Pak Bara)
(Seafood dishes for lunch)

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – Tambon Thung Bu Lang Satun

“Today is a new beginning, a chance to turn your failures into achievements & your sorrows into goods. No room for excuses…”- Joel Brown

(Thung Bu Lang Sunflower field)

Date: 27 August 2018
Route: Panga Bay - Tambon Thung Bu Lang Satun
Attraction: Sunflower Field

Other than the famous Lopburi and Saraburi Sunflower fields, there is a smaller version of the Sunflower field in Satun. On the way from Krabi to Pak Bara, we stopped to visit the sunflower field at Thung Bu Lang.

We were not expecting to find any flowers from the sunflower field because it is not in season. Normally flowering starts around November and goes on until February, depending on the weather. The blooms in the sunflower field may last to about 10 days.

When we reached the Sunflower bed in Thung Bu Lang, we were quite impressed with the scenery. The Khao Tanan limestone hill and the lake surrounding it provide impressive backdrop for the vast landscape. In addition to the sunflower garden, visitors will visit Khao Tanan caves which has a small monastery. During peak season, the 10-acre lake provides water recreation facilities such as boating and kayaking.

Khao Tanan was once an island like any other island around the nearby ocean. Thousands of years ago the island was once surrounded by 4 - 5 meters of sea. The waves from the sea eroded the limestone hills and created caves with beautiful stalagmites and stalactites in the limestone hill. There is a steep staircase that allows visitors to climb the edge of the hill as high as 80 meters to a viewpoint. There is a small hut for visitors to rest and enjoy the view of the surrounding area from the top.

(Khao Tanan with a lake surrouding it)
(The sunflower bed is filled with yellow flowering plants)
(Two sunflower mascots)
(The Bigfoot with Khao Tanan as backdrop)
(The view from the other side of Khao Tanan)
(Cows grazing near the cave)
(A wishing well near Khao Tanan)

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – Ao Nang Beach Krabi

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order..." - John Burroughs

(Limestones of Krabi)

Date: 27 August 2018
Route: Phang Nga Bay -  Krabi
Attraction: Ao Nang Beach

After our heavy lunch at the beautiful Samet Nangshe Viewpoint at Phang Nga Bay, we drove leisurely to Ao Nang Beach in Krabi. We checked in at J Mansion Inn, a cosy lodging and a short walking distance to the beach. There are many halal restaurants in the vicinity.

(Favorite hotel in Krabi)
(Large dining and resting area)
(One cheeky signage at the parking area) 

The next morning we checked-out and drove towards the grand mosque to look for the Malaysian restaurant for breakfast. The restaurant is situated opposite the mosque and very popular to Malaysian tourists.

(The grand mosques is still under construction)
(Breakfast port for Malaysians)
(Patiently waiting for our orders)
(Nasi lemak, eggs and toasts for breakfast)

This morning we drove towards Satun and will visit a few attractions along the way. On the way we stopped at one of the road-side stalls selling salted fish and eggs and bought our supply.

(Driving out of Krabi)

Monday 27 August 2018

2018 Bigfoot Beaches of Thailand II – Samet Nangshe Phang Nga Bay

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same…” - Francesca Reigler

(The view of Phang Nga Bay)

Date: 27 August 2018
Route: Ranong – Phang Nga Bay
Attraction: Samet Nangshe Viewpoint


From Bang Ben Beach we drove towards Krabi and detoured to visit the Samet Nangshe Viewpoint just 30-minute drive from Phuket.

Samet Nangshe Viewpoint is one of the few destinations that is not yet overrun with tourists. It is one of the most beautiful viewpoints in southern Thailand overlooking the Phang Nga Bay National Park. This breath-taking spot boasts 180-degree views of islands in the distance and lush mangrove forest below. Samet Nangshe Viewpoint has very quickly gone from being practically unheard of to one of the most popular panoramas in Phang Nga.

Getting there is a bit of a challenge. Aside from the drive, you then need to pay Baht30 to board a tuk-tuk at the small ticket hut at the car park at the foot of the hill. The ascent is quite a long and steep one. While the hill itself is covered in rainforest, the top is home to the elegant Sumet Nangshe Boutique Resort and Restaurant. There is a small campsite with tents costing Baht400, if you want to include a simple breakfast.

Another way of getting to the summit is to hike using another path for roughly 15-20 minutes, but it is well worth the effort. There are benches at intervals along the way for you to stop for a break. There is a small campsite once you reach the top and the views are particularly gorgeous in the early morning as the sun rises behind the towering limestone karsts. 

If you visit the site at sunset, it’s possible to see the Milky Way on certain nights throughout the year.

(A car park at the foot of the hill)
(Phang Nga Bay with  limestone and rock formations)
(A panoramic view from the balcony)
(Relaxing way of absorbing the beautiful scenery)
(The entrance to Samet Nangshe Resort & Restaurant)
(Many vantage viewpoints from the upper floor)

(A posh restaurant at the summit)
(Reasonably priced Nasi Goreng lunch)