Showing all Fitness Blogs for Singapore

Thanks to the huge Indian population in Singapore, there are numerous ways that you can celebrate the Festival of Light in the city. So if you want to celebrate this Indian tradition (it falls on 14th November this year), head on down to Little India and take part in some of the fun.  

Enjoy the lights

Simply taking a walk along the streets of Little India is enough to see some beautiful displays of lights. The real focal point are the peacocks at the beginning of Serangoon Road, and if you want to see the lights at their best, hang around until 7pm when the sun goes down and the whole street becomes electrified. The lights will be on until midnight and will last for a little longer than the five days of the festival of light.

Enjoy some authentic Indian food

The Song Of India is offering a special menu for Diwali and you will be able to see why they have earned a Michelin star. The tasting menu has four courses, including an ‘art palette’ that has seven different tastings. If that is out of your budget, then head to any of the Indian restaurants that dot the streets in Little India for some deliciously authentic food. 

 

Eat sweets until you feel sick

Indian sweets are addictive, sticky and sugary and once you start, you won’t be able to stop. Head over to Punjab Grill at Marina Bay Sands to buy their special Diwali sweet boxes. Look out for mango with white chocolate as well as green tea and pistachio. They also have plenty of dates and figs to celebrate without going into a sugar coma.  

Kampong Lorong Buangkok remains untouched by Singapore’s rapid expansion. Visiting this village shows just how much the city has changed over the last few years, and it can be seen as the last surviving link to Singapore’s past. Here is the story of the last kampong of Singapore. The land was first acquired by Sng Teow Hoon, a Chinese medicine seller, who rented out the land for people to build homes. The land later passed to his children, one of whom still lives there in the kampong to this day. The families that live there pay a small sum of S$30 in rent.
 

The kampong

Coming from the Malay, kampong etymologizes the English word ‘compound’, symbolizing a group of small houses that live together in close quarters to form a community. Singapore had plenty of kampongs until they were unilaterally destroyed to form high-rises to cope with the rising population. The survival of Lorong Buangkok really has been against the odds, even considering that it now rests on a swamp. The kampong as it stands today is home to 30 families, a mix of Malay and Chinese. Modern life has not infiltrated the community so much, amazingly. Families all know one another and take part in activities together, displaying the best example of ‘kampong spirit’ where people live together and survive together, without petty fallouts and consternation.
 

Visiting the kampong

There is not an awful lot here, so you can take your time to walk the streets. Rural life here has been beautifully preserved, and visitors can see plant life all around, encompassing shops, houses and even the local mosque. Take your time to walk around, but remember to be respectful. This is not a museum, and people still live here so be careful not to peer into too many windows. The houses are situated on dirt paths and are made of wood with zinc roofs that are distinctly weathered. There are no gates or barriers protecting the homes and if there are gates, they will usually be open. A rare sight indeed in Singapore. This is another representation of the kampong spirit that exemplifies this community. You will be greeted by dusty fake flowers, abandoned TV sets, ancient postal code signs and wooden clogs lined up outside the door. This perfectly exemplifies the olde worlde feel of the kampong. There are rumours that the kampong’s days are numbered much like the Bukit Brown cemetery in order to make way for new high-rises, so visit now whilst you still have the chance to appreciate a more rustic style of life.

 

How to get there

Take buses 70 or 103 from Serangoon MRT and ride 10 stops down the line to Church of St Vincent de Paul. Cross the road and walk towards the Shell petrol station. There is a flight of stairs next to the petrol station, which you need to walk down, cross the canal and walk straight. The kampong can be found on the left.  

Have you visited the last remaining kampong in Singapore? Comment below with your experiences!

Travelling to far-flung destinations can be exciting or daunting, depending on your frame of mind. But one thing is for sure, taking a little time to plan can make all the difference once the novelty wears off and the boredom sets in...

First of all, what a long-haul flight is requires some definition; technically, it is any flight that is over four hours, however, just to add to matters, it then falls into two different categories; medium long haul and ultra-long haul, the latter being a flight over eight hours. For example, a flight from London to Hong Kong totals around twelve hours making it ultra-long-haul. But it is not just the length of the actual flight that needs to be planned for, there is the journey to the airport, check in, security, boarding, immigration checks at your destination, reclaiming baggage and then your transfer to your final destination all adding hours to your total door to door time. We’ve put together some of our best tips to help you survive your long-haul trip! 

 Charity begins at home.

Be kind to yourself. Reducing  your stress levels the day before your trip can make a huge difference to your experience on the big day. Make sure you plan ahead and get everything ready in plenty of time to avoid those last-minute panics that stress everybody out; make sure you have located and checked all your documents in good time, why not treat yourself to a nice folder to keep your tickets, passports, visa information, insurance, emergency contact numbers, your travel itinerary and other relevant articles in. Then the day before you travel you will be able to do pleasant activities that relax you; don’t pull a 12-hour shift and leave your packing until the small hours of the morning.

Hand luggage and essentials ‘flight pack’.

Well thought out hand luggage can be a real gamechanger on a long-haul flight. Having the right items within easy reach can reduce stress and add to your comfort. Make sure you pack some extra layers of clothes to wear; cabin climate control can sometimes be on the chilly side and having spare clothes, or at least fresh underwear, to change into when you arrive will help you feel less dishevelled. Packing a little bag with essentials such as, comfort eye drops, toothbrush and toothpaste, tissues, flight stockings, painkillers, ear plugs, an eye mask, a small mirror, some make up, small pack of ‘freshen up’ wipes, hand cream, and antibacterial hand gel can go a long way to make your journey more comfortable, just pop it on top and everything will be within easy reach. Don’t forget to pack headphones, your phone, iPad or android tablet, (even in ‘flight mode’ these can help while away the hours). Don’t forget to install apps such as FlightAware which  gives you updates on airport delays and flight delays, it can be set to send you notifications, weather updates, and maps your journey so you can see the route you will be taking. Being able to reduce boredom, stress, and anxiety is really useful, try using apps that use meditation techniques such as Calm, The Mindfulness App, Headspace, and Omvana are particularly useful when you're trying to sleep but find yourself distracted by noise, other people, or just the general goings on, alternatively, listen to music  on  Spotify, Google Play Music, or Apple Music apps to dull the drone of the plane engines. Downloading the kindle app on your phone or tablet means you can have a wide choice of reading material without adding bulk, or weight, to  your hand luggage. Always download a few movies that you love because sometimes you just want to be brain dead and not have to follow a plot that requires any concentration, the movies may not be to your taste, and airplane screens can dry your eyes (hence the comfort eye drops in your essentials pack).  

Thailand is not all full moon parties, backpackers and island hopping. There are plenty of places for a family to don their swimming costumes and relax on golden sands. Since you might be thinking about where to go for your next family vacation, we have compiled a list of the best kid friendly beaches in Thailand.

Phuket

It might sound obvious or nothing special, but Phuket is actually a great place to take kids. There are a multitude of resorts, where you will find creches, kids clubs and plenty of light-hearted entertainment. There are also great beaches that remain popular with tourists. If your family enjoy watersports, then you will be able to find packages catering to your needs. Snorkeling is particularly excellent around Phuket, but you can also try diving, kayaking and boat rides. For the first time traveller, it might be a wise idea to stay in Phuket before exploring the other islands close by. Many are only a short boat trip away, so you will never be far paradise. Remember to do your research before you go, however. There are plenty of places in Phuket that are not safe for children.

Krabi

The coastal town of Krabi is becoming quite the tourist destination. Popular with backpackers for quite some time, it is also geared towards families with plenty of activities to do. It also goes without saying that Krabi has one of the most beautiful backdrops in Thailand. Thanks to its location, Krabi has plenty of options for diving, snorkeling, as well as kayaking to see prehistoric cave art in the caves around Krabi. The best beaches are Railay and Ao Nang, although you are only a stone’s throw from the Phi Phi islands. Krabi is becoming increasingly popular so try to visit before peak season, if at all possible to avoid the crowds.
 

Koh Samui

Despite being probably the most popular place to visit in Thailand, Koh Samui still has plenty of charm and much to offer for families. Beaches are never in short supply, but there are also jungles and hills to explore inland. In order to do this, you might want to rent a car or hire a guide. Koh Samui has some glorious waterfalls and natural swimming pools, as well as Ang Thong Marine Park. Whilst sounding like a Mediterranean theme park, it is actually a series of islands that have excellent opportunities for diving and snorkeling.

Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta is a wonderful place to visit with children. Klaong Dao beach is the best on the island by far for little ones, as the water is shallow and the waves are gentle. There are also rock pools in the rock formations around the edge of the beach, which make great exploring opportunities. Moreover, Ko Lanta has quite the concentration of child-friendly bars and restaurants. Many of them even offer toys for the kids to play with, whilst you enjoy a cocktail and watch the sun set.

Koh Chang

Koh Chang has been popular with young families and honeymooners for quite some time, and the popularity of White Sands beach for young families has been a closely guarded secret. The beaches here are clean, calm, and without any bars pumping out music 24/7. There are also plenty of family friendly restaurants on the island that serve food better suited to tiny taste buds. As in Ko Lanta, the water is warm, shallow and the waves are small, so perfectly safe for little ones.

 

Which is your favourite family-friendly place in Thailand? Comment below!

Vietnam and Cambodia have shaken off their past and are now emerging as two of the hot holiday destinations of the East. Apart from bustling cities, great people, and delicious food, there are many temples that give you an insight into the history and culture of these two countries. Here is a list of the best!
 

Tran Quoc Pagoda, Vietnam

This is the oldest in Hanoi and is a perfect example of Buddhism in Vietnam. The temple has eleven levels, and a beautiful courtyard where you can burn incense. There is also a museum of relics related to the temple. Tran Quoc is also one of the temples of Vietnam that displays stunning carved statues. These are from the 17th century and each one is unique. The river surrounding the temple is also incredibly peaceful. This temple is one of the most famous temples in Vietnam for it’s status among the elite and show it shows it’s royal privilege.

 

Cao Dai, Vietnam

This temple is located outside of Ho Chi Minh and boasts vibrant colours and festivity. It is slightly more modern than its counterparts, being built in the 1930’s. This temple is also not one of the Buddhist temples most commonly found in Vietnam, it is Cao Dai, which is a combination of Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism. If this leaves you a little confused, you can always watch a ceremony taking in the traditional dress. If you would like to become a little more familiar with the ways of Vietnamese culture, a visit to this temple is a must.

 

Temple of Literature

This is one of the most famous temples in Vietnam, located in Hanoi. The temple is also from the 11th century and features a much more typical style of architecture. The gardens, pavilions, passageways and lake all combine to make this temple a place of tranquility. It is most commonly associated with university graduates from Hanoi and symbolises their path of academic achievement. The temple itself was built in honor of Confucius, and it is a monument to Vietnamese architecture and religion.

Jade Emperor Pagoda

As well as being one of the most picturesque temples in Vietnam, this is also one of the most important. Located in Ho Chi Minh City, and built in the 20th century, it features heavy influence from China. This is due to the fact that the temple was built by Cantonese immigrants, who decided to construct a site for their worship. You can smell burning incense, as well perfumed flowers, which have been made in offering. Interestingly, the main hall of the pagoda has a very realistic portrayal of the God of Hell. There are also carvings of purgatory and the ten different levels of hell. Visitors also come here to make offerings to the fertility goddess Kim Hua, where you can see delightful representations of dancing children. Before leaving, make sure to feed the turtles who live in a large pond in front of the temple.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

It makes perfect sense that Angkor Wat features on a list of the most beautiful temples in the world, let alone in Cambodia. This is actually the largest religious monument in the world and was originally a Hindu place of worship before it’s conversion to Buddhism. What makes the temple so incredibly unique is that you are guaranteed to never see the same thing twice. Each carving is individual and equally impressive. There are several smaller temples that are in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is the most famous, however, all the temples feature excellent examples of religious life in Cambodia.

Koh Ker

This temple is notoriously difficult to access, and requires a full day of travelling from Siem Reap. The road to Koh Ker is brand new and extremely safe and the temple marks the spot of the Khmer capital during the 10th century which has now been made open to the public after being abandoned. The most intriguing part of visiting Koh Ker is that the temple has been overrun by plants and wildlife. Some argue this only adds to its mystery and spirituality. Prasat Thom is the most famous of the temples there, as it is effectively a giant pyramid with a mythical bird-man at the top.

Preah Vihear

This is one of the most stunning temples in Cambodia for its location alone. It stands on a cliff close to a mountain range and the view is spectacular. The temples themselves all have their own courtyards and architecture. Again, all of these are entirely unique. The backdrop is marvellous as you are offered a view over the Cambodian landscape which is unparalleled anywhere else. The air of mystery in Preah Vihear is compounded by its isolation and it is well worth the effort to visit.

 

Have you visited any of these temples? Are there more you would add to the list? Please comment below!

 
[caption id="attachment_3821" align="alignright" width="640"] Temples

Macau has long been criticised as being the Las Vegas of the East, tacky and more than a little seedy. However, its proximity to Hong Kong means that it should not be discarded as a day trip or mini break option. Let’s take a closer look at what there is to do in the Eastern City of Sin.

 

Senado Square

Aside from the glitz of casinos, Senado Square is where both locals and tourists gather. This is where many argue the more genuine side of Macau lies. The shops are geared to tourists, but try to retain some of the island’s culture. There are also countless places to try street food, and the cafes that have stood in the same site for many years are the perfect place to start the day. After having breakfast here, you can walk off the haze of the morning by shopping or merely people watching. The streets around Senado Square are a little crowded at times, and often confusingly maze-like, but it is worth making the time to get a little lost.

 

The Ruins of St. Paul

Right in Senado Square is Macau’s most famous historical site. The stairs leading up from the square are full of tourists and but provide quite a unique view. It might be a little frustrating to dodge the tourists, but try to take it in your stride and enjoy a slice of local history. Mount Fortress can also be accessed easily from here if you want to learn a little more about Macau’s past. The battlements have lots of military artefacts and offers a bird’s eye view over the centre of the city. It is quite easy to forget the colonial past of Macau when confronted with modern casinos and a pulsing nightlife, but it is there and it can be enlightening. 

 

Are you an expat looking to make the most out of your stay in Southeast Asia? How about a romantic diving trip for two on a sailing boat? Our latest guest blogger and author of We Love It Wild, Nanda Haensel, comes onboard TheExpat.com to share her unique experience of sailing to Komodo Island, Indonesia, aboard the Alexa for three days! Team Expat believes this is an experience that you cannot miss once you're more or less settled in the neighboring region.

Sailing on a boat isn't as easy as it seems, given that most people are prone to motion sickness and there is a decided lack of amenities onboard. However, it’s an experience that adventurous expats should try given that the climate in Southeast Asia is ideal for sailing (not too hot, not too cold), plus it cuts down on a lot of travelling time if you’re flying from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong to Indonesia.

But enough raving on our part, hear it from Nanda herself, first hand. Makes you want to book a boat, leave work behind and just sail away...

Setting sail on the Alexa

It was on the late evening of 17 April when the 4 of us caught a flight on the Singapore Airlines from Singapore to Bali. As we can’t fly directly to our destination, we had to take a connecting flight to Labuan Bajo, which we had scheduled early next morning. Located at the westernmost tip of Flores, the town of Labuan Bajo is a small fishing village that marks the starting point of tourist trips to Komodo Island. There, we first laid eyes on our stunning sailing boat, the Alexa.


A former cargo boat, the Alexa was transformed into the most romantic sailing boat in Indonesia with the bones of an original phinisi. Described as “a single-cabin vessel in Indonesia built for a love affair”, we immediately fell in love with its beautiful simplicity, despite the fact that we were not exactly looking for a sailing boat, as we were travelling with 2 more friends. As the boat was only built for 2, it has only one bedroom for 2, but my husband and I decided that we wanted to sleep in the open on the upper deck, under the blanket of stars, instead, so the arrangement worked out fine.

A brief history of Komodo Island

So why did we choose to sail to the Komodo National Park? When we’ve heard that the diving experience in Komodo is world-class, the opportunity seemed too good to pass up.

Komodo is unique in that it offers 2 completely different marine environments with over 1,000 species of fish faunas. Komodo National Park is located between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores in the Lesser Sunda Islands, at a distance of 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali. It includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands. Combined, they boast a total surface area of more than 1,800 km.

The park has been identified by WWF and Conservation International as a global conservation priority area, and declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. With such a rich marine biodiversity, diving in Komodo should be on the to-do list for anyone who is passionate about marine life and the sea.

Dive, dive, diving!

We started our dive safari at Siaba Besar, which is an amazing dive site in north Komodo. A beautiful coral garden lies along the western coast of the island with the currents getting stronger the farther south you go. During our dive, we were lucky enough to spot black tip sharks, barracudas, snappers, trevallies, wrasses and turtles!


Our next dive site was at Pink Beach, one of the seven pink beaches in the world. The “pink” sand is a result of the white sand mixing with the red coral in the shallow waters, and is another one of the many amazing features of Komodo.

The highlight of the trip, however, was the following day. The morning dive happened at Manta Point, which is well known as the spot where large groups of manta rays. As a result, it’s also a popular diving site—or it’s supposed to be, for we never saw anyone else there. Our diving instructor, Michael, and the 4 of us were the only ones swimming with 15 giant manta rays. At least, that’s what we were trying to do, for the currents were very strong here, and avoiding getting ourselves dashed on the rocks was more of our priority.


After Manta Point, we headed to our final dive site, feeling overwhelmed. Thankfully, our diving experience in Golden Passage was less crazy. We managed to do drift diving here, which is a type of scuba diving where the diver is transported by the currents caused by the tide, giving you the impression of flying. The coral reef was easily the most beautiful ones I’ve seen in my entire life (and that includes the Maldives!). The deeper you go, the more exotic the marine life. We made it to about 20 meters deep, surrounded by an amazing view.

The dragon on the island

However, there is more to Komodo than diving. Spotting the Komodo dragon in the wild is one example. When Komodo National Park was voted one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011, this lesser-known region of eastern Indonesia became a sensation among wildlife lovers keen to witness the largest lizard on Earth for themselves, us included. After an hour of trekking, we saw our very first Komodo dragon.


Did you know that there are less than 4,000 Komodo dragons in the world? As such, access to them is restricted, but tourists can get permits to see them in their natural habitat in the National Park.

There are also plenty of smaller islands to visit around Komodo. On our last day, we sailed off to the smaller island of Gili Lawa Darat. Watching the sun setting in the mountains of Gili Lawa and spending a night under the stars was the perfect way to say goodbye to paradise.

Sailing the Komodo Island on the Alexa for 3 days is a dream come true for wandering hearts. It lets travellers have a taste of being wild and free, yet comes with enough amenities such as top-notch meals and a masseuse, to make it a relaxing holiday. Even though we were diving nonstop, every new dive felt different than the last, and being able to see marine life up close was a bonus we felt very privileged to have. Without a doubt, this was a trip that we would remember for the rest of our lives.

The Alexa liveaboard vessel package includes accommodation, first-class meals, a certified diving instructor and tour guide.

Nanda Haensel is the author of We Love It Wild, a blog that documents her exotic travels with her husband—the more remote, the better. Satisfy your wanderlust by checking out her stories and travel tips at www.weloveitwild.com!