One of the highlights of my South Korea trip is being able to spend a night in one of the traditional houses (hanok) in Hahoe Village. Being a UNESCO World Heritage site, the villagers wanted the tourists to experience their culture by offering homestay in their traditional houses. These houses were built centuries ago and once you set foot in the village, you will feel transported back in time – a perfect retreat from the busy, noisy city life. Amazingly wonderful!
Andong is known to be the capital city of Korean spirit and is the home of Confucianism in Korea as well. The city acted as a home to the noble class during the Joseon period and to this day, these houses are still standing as they are kept up by the relatives of the original owner. Andong is a city in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province in South Korea and is a three-hour bus ride from the capital city, Seoul.
For someone who is a die-hard fan of Korean dramas (like me), Andong is a must-visit place because you get to experience the traditional Korean way of living. Andong is considered as the capital city of Korean spirit because this is not only is the home of Confucianism in Korea but also a home to the noble classes of Korea during the Joseon period. Up to this day, many of the homes of these noble classes are still standing in the city and are maintained by their relatives. To experience the essence of Korea’s traditional lifestyles, we decided to have a homestay at one of these traditional houses.
Bali is probably one of the most famous destinations in Indonesia. There are definitely a lot of reasons why… beaches, night life, food and well, uhm… temples maybe? LOL. I and my friends only had three days to explore the island which includes the travel days. In order to get the most out of our Balinese experience, we decided to avail of a one-day tour through the packages offered by Amazing Bali Tours. For USD 45 per head, we were able to visit the famous Balinese temples and ate their traditional food during lunch.
I am a certified coffee addict. I love all types of coffee. So, when our Balinese guide asked us if we wanted to try the world’s most expensive and rarest coffee: the Kopi Luwak, I did not hesitated. Thoughts such as how much it costs, what does it taste like and why is it the most expensive coffee came running in my mind.
It’s Day 3 of our team outing and I must admit, this trip has been a lot of fun. For this day, we planned to visit Albay’s top tourist destination: the Mayon Volcano, which is the world’s famous ‘perfect cone’. I’ve seen this volcano from our house, admiring its majesty from afar. I am still excited to get a closer look of the volcano even if I have visited it countless time. Today will be different because I will be with my teammates who, for the first time, will see the beauty of Mayon.
The two days that I spent at Siem Reap is one of my most memorable travels. I did not expect that I would fall in love with the place’s serenity, peace and simplicity. The temple ruins gave me the feeling of travelling back in time (especially during the 12th century), the huge tree trunks made me feel like I was at the country-side enjoying every second of my life, the cool wind made me realized how wonderful it is to just relax in an uncrowded city, and the people who are so friendly made me feel like I was home.
The past few weeks had been a busy time for me: 40-hours workweek + deadlines + pile of office stuffs. I needed a break from this busy work/city life. Day-off please?!
Good thing there is Malacca (Melaka in local language), a historical city located at southern region of Malaysia. It has been listed as a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008. Being colonized by Europeans such as Portuguese, Dutch and British, the city offers rich history and culture as evidenced by the buildings and structures around the city.
the wanderfull nikki 