Traveling to French Polynesia - Part II (Huahine)

Huahine, pronounced as "whoo-a-hee-nay", is a hidden gem reachable with just 40 minutes of flight from Tahiti. It is a less traveled island with immense tropical jungle, with a population of approximately just 6,300 people.

Arriving Huahine on a rainy morning

Travel to French Polynesia (Part 1)

Traveling to French Polynesia is like a dream come true. Bora Bora has been at the top of my bucket list since I was a primary student (thanks to one of the earliest K-drama I started watching). And never have I thought that I'd be able to tick it off of my list that soon. It's a destination which feels very much like at the other end of the world. Which, indeed is.

The first step is to figure out the routes to Papeete, Tahiti. Flying from Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) has rather limited routes; either transiting in Auckland or Tokyo before another flight to Papeete. Auckland was a much better route in my opinion since the airfare to Papeete from Auckland was way cheaper than Tokyo. Kuala Lumpur to Auckland is a 10-hour flight; while Auckland to Papeete takes 5 hours (via Air Tahiti Nui/ Air New Zealand). My return flight for Papeete, Tahiti costs NZD299.

Second step in planning is the hardest in my opinion - deciding which islands to discover. The thing about French Polynesia is... I haven't had any friends who have been and thus I relied solely on the Google search results. French Polynesia has a whooping total of 118 islands and atolls, not just Tahiti and Bora Bora. Air Tahiti operates the inter-island flights and there are a few passes available so if you're considering doing more than just one island, the passes can be purchased at a very much bargained rate. A return flight for Bora Bora costs approximately USD300; with the multi-islands passes, discovering a few islands can be done from almost the same price onwards. I got a Bora Bora pass at USD480, which permits you to travel to a total of 5 islands (Moorea, Huahine, Raiatea, Bora Bora, and Maupiti). I did not do all islands, only Huahine and Bora Bora.
*More information can be found here.

I spent a night in Auckland before my flight to Papeete, Tahiti to avoid any unforeseen circumstances. It was winter during my time of visit, so it was rainy in Auckland but breezy and dry in the French Polynesia, which made it the perfect weather for islands hopping!

Photos to summarize this post:

 Arriving in Auckland on a cloudy morning. 

On Ne Sait Jamais - Seoul, South Korea

After a couple of visits to different cafes, I've concluded that cafes in Seoul have very distinctive characters, and this cafe might top the list with its unique interior - what used to be a bath house is now turned into a cafe tucked in one of the many small alleys in Itaewon.

Namusairo - Seoul, South Korea

Namusairo, a hidden cafe with traditional Korean house setting located on Sajik-ro 8-gil in Gwanghwamun, approximately 10 minutes walk from Gwanghwamun Station. A perfect spot to stop by for a (really) good cup of coffee when you're tired of the traditional sites around the area.

Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin - Bangkok, Thailand

Located in Siam Kempinski Hotel, Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin is a sister restaurant to Kiin Kiin in Copenhagen by Henrik Yde-Andersen, the second restaurant in the world to earn a Michelin star cooking Thai food (after Nahm). Sra Bua introduces us to authentic Thai food with modern flair, which turned out to be quite a remarkable dining experience.

 

Bo.lan - Bangkok, Thailand

Located on Sukhumvit Soi 35 (approx. 10mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn) nestled Bo.lan, a chic Thai restaurant ranking at no.37 on San Pellegrino's Asia's 50 Best Restaurant 2015 list. Headed by chefs Bo and Dylan, Bo.lan serves authentic Thai food in a traditional Thai-houses-inspired interior.

Toby's on Sukhumvit 38 - Bangkok, Thailand

I don't even know how I found out this place but I was very glad I did - hands down to my favourite brunch place in Bangkok - Toby's on 38! They're only in their 3rd or 4th day of operation when I went but everything was perfect - coffee, food, and service.

* Location: Approx. 5-8 mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn.You'll pass by Hands and Heart on your left first.

Hands and Heart - Bangkok, Thailand

Tucked in the corner at the ground floor of Ascella Apartment in Sukhumvit Soi 38, Hands and Heart is a minimalist black-and-white space where the baristas take their coffee very seriously.

* 3-5 mins walk from BTS Thong Lo Stn.

Slow Cafe by Room111 - Bangkok, Thailand

One of the newest cafes in Bangkok, Slow Cafe by Room111 is a hidden gem in Silom - near Chong Nonsi BTS (so glad to have found it through Instagram!). True to its name, the cafe proudly practices a "no plug, no wifi" concept, encouraging patrons to go slow. 

 

Muharam Cafe - Melbourne, Australia

Instagram seems to be a more efficient research base to me nowadays! I came across the very pretty red velvet pancakes by Muharam Cafe while I was searching for #pancakes. Located in Hawthorn, Muharam Cafe is a less crowded brunch place (to my surprise!). Given the overall experience in this cafe, I personally think it's a bit underrated!

The Hardware Société - Melbourne, Australia

It's my first stop after touching down. My friends and I arrived at the shop at about 9 am and there's no queue (somehow). I missed it on my last visit as the queue was really long so I was really excited to be trying it this time!

Loving the menu cover.

They have quite a long list of dishes. We had problem in deciding since each dish seems interesting as per described in the menu. I picked mine by ordering the same dish the lady next to me was having (always! The easiest way to decide on my orders lol).

Shirakawa-go - Gifu Prefecture, Japan

It is this image that I once came across while surfing the net (yes I seem to be surfing 24/7...) and it had never left my mind since then:

Read on the list of "Truly Charming Places to See Before You Die" - http://bzfd.it/1FqyTjW

Meeting the Snow Monkeys! - Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano, Japan

Last December, I was scrolling through Facebook and came across a photo of a friend with the snow monkeys; an old image reappeared - I know these monkeys, I've seen it before - a photo captured by a professional nature photographer - Marsel Van Oosten, which competed in Wildlife Photographer of The Year (2014):

Read on the interesting story behind this image!

Rainbow Pancake - Tokyo, Japan

During my 24 hours of stay in Tokyo, I insisted to make time for pancake because pancakes I had on the land of rising sun NEVER once disappoint me.

I arrived at 10am, to this:

They're opening at 11am, and why were these people in line an hour earlier, or even earlier? Do they not need to go to work / school? The demographic at a glance: 98% female. 

Manchester Press - Melbourne, Australia

Tucked away down the pretty Rankins Lane, stone's throw away from Brother Baba Budan (BBB). Saw the very small sign on the wall of the lane when I was leaving BBB. It doesn't seem like it has any further signage that would lead you into the café. While I thought it could be as petitie as BBB, it's surprisingly spacious and warm. Cool place with great vibe! 

Vue De Monde - Melbourne, Australia

Vue De Monde was my first stop in Melbourne; after touched down, dropping my baggage at the hotel, off I rushed to the restaurant. I honestly did not know what to expect thus I wasn't really expecting anything. 

Our reserved table has amazing view of Melbourne skyline, perfect for me as it's my first time in Melbourne. It's like reading the introductory of a book, applying the same theory on a city :)

The ambiance is a good combination of an elegant and modern contemporary dining room with natural rustic decor. Table setting was impressive as it's very surprising; every rock serves its own purpose and the dining experience has just got more fun as we were guessing on the purpose of each rock :D Service was very attentive, professional and most importantly, fun. The staffs are very knowledgeable and although it's formal dining, I like how they engaged with the customers, which successfully created a cheerful vibe in fine dining. 

We had the a la carte as we're pressed of time, I have too many cafes to cover in Melbourne! :s Even so, the meal took us around 3 hours, I guess degustation will last at least another hour or...more. As a whole, it is more than just fine dining, it is a culinary experience with wonderful Australian hospitality. 

A small part of Melbourne panorama skyline.

Common Man Coffee Roasters - Martin Road, Singapore

Brewed from a partnership between Harry Grover of 40 Hands, Five Senses Coffee, and the Spa Esprit Group, CMCR is the convergence of a bubbling bank of experience from the coffee cherry to the cup, encompassing a café, coffee bar, and wholesale roasting arm. - Common Man Coffee Roasters

Coffee culture in Singapore is definitely growing too rapidly. There are simply too many (really, too too many) cafés in this small country. Having visited a few, Common Man Coffee Roasters is where I've returned twice, and will still return on my very soon next visit. For its ambiance, food, coffee and service.

 As said, good things come in threes. 

Last Summer (July 2013) - Norway - Part 1 (Bergen)

It's a year overdue. But I thought I'll have to post, for it's the best summer I've ever had (also my first summer in Europe actually haha). While I was looking at which country to go, I became fickle minded. Initial plan was Dubrovnik, Croatia, then I went on to Sicily, Italy. And I went farther away, all the way to Moscow! I've settled with Norway as closer to my departure to London, airfare to most destinations in Europe hiked up so much, including Dubrovnik. And Bergen, Norway had the lowest fare! Bergen was an unintentional choice, but it turned out to be a truly remarkable one. (It is a very much underrated city in fact!)

As I read more about Bergen (after booking my flight), I find it matches what I'm looking for in that trip:
surrounded by mountains, the gateway to the Norwegian Fjords, laid-back atmosphere, a not so popular destination among foreign travelers (the most important point! As I was pretty bored with crowded cities flooded with tourists at that time), and then Bryggen, the picturesque harbour which caught my attention the most.

First glimpse of the Scandinavian country.

Ryozanpaku 京・百万遍 梁山泊 - Kyoto, Japan

Our host is the 2-star Michelin Chef: Kenichi Hashimoto, a very humorous and humble man. We were greeted by Mrs Hashimoto dressed in kimono at the wooden craved entrance, entering a Japanese garden, a small pathway under a canopy of beautiful pastel pink cherry tree in full bloom, leading us to the doorstep of the restaurant. There's a big hand-crafted communal table in the centre, wooden racks on the wall and we were seated at the counter bar, facing the open kitchen.

Lucky Owl Cafe - Osaka, Japan

While cat cafes are just starting to become a hype in our local scene, Japan has brought pet-themed cafe to another level! Have dog and cat cafes became too mainstream? Am I catching up too slowly? While I was doing my research before leaving for Japan, I chanced upon one site which shared a very interesting article on the latest craze in Japan (dated October 2013 though): 

Forget about cat cafes. Black cat cafes (which sound interesting enough to me already). Penguin bars (REALLY?!). Japan's latest novelty cafe is the "fukurou cafe" (フクロウカフェ), or the "owl cafe."

Before I start, I have a confession to make. I've never seen an owl in my entire life. I thought owls are angry birds -.- Yes, I am that shallow. Ok they might not look as much like angry birds however I don't think they look friendly either. But... I feel sincerely sorry for the owls now. For making such shallow assumptions about their temper, judging them solely based on their faces. I was so wrong. 

OWLS ARE IN FACT SO ADORABLE!!!

There are so many different owls! TOO CUTE!!!