All posts filed under: Places Travelled

How To Travel From Kuala Lumpur To Penang Island

Published by Dev

Penang is one of those rare frozen-in-time places which connects centuries old history with today’s modern lifestyle. It caters for the history buff and travel photographer but also nature-lovers. It’s one of those offbeat, yet popular places in southeast Asia, and Malaysia in particular, that despite growing number of visitors has still maintained its laid back vibe and an old town charm. During my two week travel in Malaysia, I ended up staying in Penang for more than 5 nights. Though my initial plan was to explore the town for only two days, before moving towards the eastern coast of Malaysia, but Penang felt so enjoyable and was so laden with experiences ot try, that leaving it in two days would have been a shame. Read my recommended Top Things To Do In Penang, but first thing first… How to travel to Penang Island, from Kuala Lumpur. For a most convenient, quickest and not-so-expensive deal… Fly! Yes, you heard that right, flying is the most convenient and (of course) the quickest option to get to Penang. And the good thing is, flights are …

My First Bungy Jumping Experience: A Few Seconds Of Insane Courage

Published by Dev

I don’t think I can do this. What if I collapsed amidst air — a nervous breakdown, a heart attack, or something far worse. My mind was constantly pleading me to reconsider. Fear had almost overpowered me. All excitement had momentarily turned into an undeniable panic. Things became far worse, when someone else jumped before me and screamed their guts out. I was going to be next! I remember my instructor constantly asking me to stop shaking my legs as he performed the safety checks and tied a harness above my ankles. His motivation counseling felt no useful either. “just don’t look down. Look up. Look up,” he repeated at least half a dozen times. “And how are you supposed to look up while you’re falling upside down,” I asked myself. But that was all I had. It felt like the best advice and sounded like an assurance. JUST DON’T LOOK DOWN! And then the moment came. With both legs bound together, I started walking like a helpless penguin. As I stood on the edge the instructor asked …

Looking For An Offbeat Motorbiking Trail In Himalayas? Try Jammu To Killar

Published by Dev

During the past few months, and particularly after writing a few blogposts about my motorbiking trip in Spiti Valley last year, if there was one question I was repeatedly being questioned, it was “how commercialized Spiti Valley is.” And innocently, I always only answered, “not at all”. I mean if you compare the Buddha Circuit, that, in reality, takes you to some of the most untapped and isolated corners of Indian Himalayas, with the much commercialized and beaten Leh-Laddakh, what else would you anyway say. Though in reality, Spiti Valley is actually pretty untapped, and there are times when you are driving in there for hours without spotting any trace of life, the fact is, with soaring popularity that reality is changing every minute. Finding tourist driving your way isn’t rare in Spiti Valley anymore, but not so in parts I ended up exploring with Jammu Tourism recently. During my recent motorbiking tour with Jammu tourism, with 60 plus riders from across the country, we explored places like none other. Our route-map took us to exactly …

How To See Penang In Three Days: An Ideal Travel Guide

Published by Dev

Penang Island is one of those rare-places in the world that I would like to revisit, at least twice. There are beaches, laid-back towns, delicious street food, all with a beautiful mix of Malay, Indian and Chinese culture, and speaking of the tourist attractions in number, don’t even ask. I stayed in Georgetown, one of the many small towns in Penang and also a UNESCO heritage city, which, in itself, had over 80 street art murals, temples, a Clan Jetty area and everything else you can think of! One can stay in Penang for more than a month, and still not need to repeat the same spot they explored yesterday. But if you’ve only 3 days to uncover Penang, and want to make the most of your visit follow this Penang travel guide. I expect you to be an urban backpacker with a good taste in travel. But first thing first… Where To Stay If you only have about three days in Penang, I’d suggest you make Georgetown your base. Though tucked to a side, this is the center of attraction in the entire island. Other areas of interest like …

Things To Do In Selangor: An Ideal Travel Guide

Published by Dev

Looking for a peaceful holiday & away from the crowds of Kuala Lumpur? Consider Selangor! After staying in downtown Kuala Lumpur for a few nights, and comparing it with my time in the neighboring state of Selangor, I realized that Kuala Lumpur was, after all, never meant for me. And if given a chance to revisit the Peninsular Malaysia, I’d like to uncover a bit more or Selangor, or perhaps the southwestern coast and the comparatively offbeat northeast. But for those who happen to be in Malaysia for just a few days and are bound to stay close to the Kuala Lumpur Airport, the state of Selangor provides many great and offbeat locations. Away from the urban centers, while still not very far, Selangor offers convenient travel options and a far refreshing scene of rural villages. Its serene coastline towards the west moreover quickly unfolds for a pleasant and relaxing holiday. Fondly known as the “Gateway of Malaysia” Selangor moreover offers many adventure experiences like rock climbing, paragliding, river rafting and bungy jumping, among others. …

Zen Retreats In Selangor, Near Kuala Lumpur

Published by Dev

Kuala Lumpur can be a great city for a first timer, but if you’ve been there before, or are going to be staying in the town for a few days, be well informed that the town may appear as one chaotic mess. It is one of those cities in the world that never sleeps. Its energy hits you in the face and the madness grows on you over time. Everywhere you turn in Kuala Lumpur there is blocked traffic, crowded sidewalks, annoying taxi-drivers and smoggy air. But the good thing is, Kuala Lumpur is not short of quick and accessible getaways or, of Zen Retreats! Drive an hour or two, in any direction and you’re either going to end up in a thick rainforest, or somewhere closer to the musical sound of the ocean, a kind of setting perfect for a quiet holiday experience. During my recent 5-day blogtrip with Selangor Tourism and Malindo Air, I happened to explore a peaceful forest reserve in the north of Kuala Lumpur, and an idyllic beach resort in its south — two …

Tips On Travelling Through Western Australia If You Aren’t Driving

Published by Dev

Western Australia is a road trip hot spot. There is something for everybody, especially if you opt to take a self-drive through the regions spanning the biggest state down under. Here you can find moving sand-dunes, white sand beaches, some 100,000-year-old sandstone formations, massive gorges, mountain ranges, vineyards, historical towns, indigenous communities and everything else you can think about. One thing for sure, the roads and highways are really great and you’re going to have the best time of your life driving. But hey, wait, what about those who are not driving, and wanted to travel across Western Australia, the country’s biggest and the least populated state, using public transport? Is it even possible for someone to travel here, should they decide not to drive? Well, I’d give a Yes and a No, at the same time. If you’re going to and from the main cities, like Perth or Albany or Broome, you should be fine, though the frequency of buses and train connecting different cities will always remain poor. Moreover, the cost of transport is so heavily …

What To See And Do In Bunbury

Published by Dev

There are some towns that you instantly build a liking for, and Bunbury, for me, turned out to be one among them. As I left Perth and traveled south to Bunbury, on a chilly Monday morning in August, the time of the year when tourism in Southwest of Australia is at its all time low, I found a city unlike any other. It was quiet yet not dead, urban yet bucolic. Western Australia’s third largest city Bunbury, has something for everyone — from beaches to wildlife to wineries. But one thing that makes it wonderful to a next level is a peaceful locale it offers! You’ll arrive for only a few days, but you’ll want to stay forever, as was the case with me. When I initially arrived in Bunbury, I’d planned to stay for only 2 nights, rather I ended up staying four. It was wet and cold when I visited Bunbury, and had I arrived a couple of weeks later, I’d have explored a completely different side of the city. As soon as the winter goes weak, after the month of August, Bunbury, just like most of …

Finding My Love For Astrophotography And Stargazing In Australia

Published by Dev

As I grabbed myself in the middle of a pitch-dark forest with nothing but a cosmic diffusion of blackness spread all around and looked above, the sky glittered in the distance. It felt like a fairy tale with a million stars twinkling in my eyes. I couldn’t recall when did I last saw something as beautiful and surreal. They say that the Southern Hemisphere holds all the good stuff, with most of the largest and brightest galaxies visible directly through a naked-eye. I couldn’t agree more. Here the central parts of the Milky Way are always directly over your head, stretching from the horizon to horizon, like an open, brilliant bruise. As the night grew darker, and any sort of artificial light disappeared, the many diffused nebulas and a hazy Milky Way took over the reality, giving an unbelievably strong bright light, casting dramatic shadows of anything and everything that stood tall on the ground. At about 3-hour drive, in the east of Perth, The Space Place Observatory (the place I was volunteering at) offered …

9 Best Spots For Photography In Perth

Published by Dev

With a constant green of a surrounding forest, a saturated yellow tropical sand, and some periodic rain coming my way, as the train journeyed towards Toodyay, from Perth, in Western Australia, I felt a sudden nostalgia towards the city I’d just left behind. “What a cute little city Perth was,” said a wistful voice inside me. But alas! I had left it behind. A part of me still wanted to return and enjoy a bit more of the beauty that ‘little Perth’ had to offer. If you know exactly what you’re looking for, and where, Perth can be quite promising, at least for photographers. With its never-ending charm, no matter how many days you stay there, the city constantly appears like a series of beautiful pictures seemingly shot at the first morning light, or right before the sunset, when the entire world changes itself from a bright white to a soothing pink, or a dissolving yellow. Not to mention, there’s much more to explore in Perth, than the obvious — a series of beautiful beaches and …