Whether you’re making a trip specifically to explore the island state of Hawaii, or you’re stopping over on your way somewhere else, you’ll instantly fall in love with the charm of Oahu. While its not the largest of the Hawaiian islands, its the most well …
There’s no question that there’s plenty to do in the city of Bangkok itself. However, you may not realise that Bangkok is located less than 100km from the former capital of Thailand (then known as Siam). This proximity makes a day trip to the sacred …
Ah Phuket! One of the most popular tourist destinations in all of South East Asia. Thailand‘s largest island is located in the southern part of the country, along the Andaman coast. Yes, Phuket is an island, although most people tend to forget that. The 700 metre Sarasin Bridge to the north forms the only connection to mainland Thailand. Home to beautiful beaches, turquoise waters and a vivid nightlife scene, Phuket is definitely on the radar of tourists from all over the world.
To many travellers, Phuket means relaxing on the beach and partying the night away on Patong’s Bangla Road. While these are definitely both great ideas, there’s far more to see and do on a trip to Phuket, so in this itinerary I’ll be looking at few different ways to spend your time here.
Grab some breakfast to start the day, then make your way over to Phuket Town. Here you’ll be able to escape the crowds of tourists flocking all over Patong. While its relatively small, there’s plenty to see here. Venture through Old Town, soaking in the atmosphere as you step inside the various shops and admire the Sino-Portuguese architecture. If you want to get a sense of the history of Phuket, stop by the Thaihua Museum, where you’ll learn about the tin-mining industry that once boomed on the island as well as exhibits about local life and the various cultures that have impacted upon it. There are also tons of galleries and art studios around the town that you can visit to fill your morning.
After grabbing some lunch in town, head south to Wat Chalong. This is the largest temple in all of Phuket. As with all Buddhist sites in Thailand, make sure you dress appropriately (covering shoulders and removing shoes inside the temple shrines). The Grand Pagoda is beautiful and contains numerous Buddha statues and artwork. You can also head upstairs to the upper balcony where you can look across the rest of the temple site. Take your time here and take in the beauty of this place of worship – and don’t be startled by the frequent eruption of firecrackers believed to ward off evil spirits.
A short drive from Wat Chalong will take you to the Big Buddha. If you’ve been anywhere in the southern part of Phuket, you’ll have seen this massive statue overlooking the island from the top of the Nakkerd Hills. This huge statue is a fairly new addition to the Phuket landscape, with construction having begun as recently as 2004. Pay your respects but also take in the sweeping views over the island that you’ll be rewarded with for making the journey up here.
As the evening approaches, make your way to Laem Promthep at the southernmost point of the island. Here you’ll find a great outdoor restaurant serving some delicious Thai cuisine for dinner while overlooking the sea. Its the perfect spot to catch a sunset to end your day exploring Phuket Island with some traditional flavour.
Today you’ll be heading out into the water on one of the most popular day trips from Phuket. Your hotel should be able to organise a tour out to the Phi Phi Islands (otherwise search online). Make an early start to your pier of departure (most trips will include transport from your accommodation) and board your speedboat. From there its around 45 minutes across the crystal clear waters until you reach your destination. Expect a bumpy ride!
The Phi Phi group consists of two main islands. Phi Phi Don is where tourists stay in the area and turns into a party resort at night. The smaller of the islands, Phi Phi Leh is an uninhabited paradise and is where you’ll spend most of your time exploring. Your exact itinerary will vary depending on the tour group you’ve booked through, but most trips will take you to the following spots:
Your tour will also include lunch at a restaurant on Phi Phi Don (most likely buffet style at a beachside resort). You’ll head back to Phuket around mid-afternoon, having enjoyed a day in paradise.
Head out to another set of islands on your third day. You know what that means. Head out to Ao Por Pier for another boating expedition. The islands of Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park are another popular day trip for tourists, so you’ll once again be able to organise a trip through your hotel or online. Despite the fact that you’ve just been to the picturesque Phi Phi islands, you won’t want to miss this trip as Ao Phang Nga offers a whole new adventure. Assuming you’re on a larger boat, you’ll spend around 90 minutes enjoying the cruise out to the islands.
Your specific itinerary will again depend on the tour you’ve chosen (and the tides of the day), but at some point you’ll stop at Ko Khao Phing Kan. Known more commonly as James Bond Island, here you’ll see the towering rocky island that appeared in The Man with the Golden Gun. Take a dip in the warm waters of the bay or barter with the crowds of vendors at the on-shore market, before returning to your boat for the real highlight of the day to come.
Next its off to the Hongs (which means “rooms” in Thai). On your trip you’ll board a sea kayak and be canoed by an expert guide through numerous limestone caves that form tunnels through the islands into secluded lagoons and mangroves. You’ll spot all kinds of wildlife and I was in awe of the natural beauty found tucked away from the sea. Most trips will take you kayaking in at least 2 locations, so you’ll spend plenty of time on the water.
Your trip will also include a buffet lunch on board and probably another swimming spot on a secluded beach among the islands of Phang Nga. Depending on your tour, there may even be cultural entertainment provided on the trip back to Phuket. This is a day out on the water that you won’t want to miss.
Want to break away from Fijian resort life and escape the countless tourists that venture out to the Manamuca Islands? Look no further than the Yasawas. Comparatively untouched, this chain of 20 islands in Fiji’s north west are where you’ll find crystal clear waters, volcanic …
Located only 6km away from Nadi International Airport, Denarau is your one stop shop for all things luxury on your Fijian holiday. Denarau is a popular destination for families and couples alike seeking some much needed downtown just 20 minutes away. While staying at one …
The Pacific nation of Fiji consists of over 300 islands. Many travellers will only spend their time on one – the mainland of Viti Levu. There’s nothing wrong with that, but to experience the serenity of this tropical paradise, you need to go beyond and witness the true beauty of the islands. The easiest way to do this from your mainland resort is to take a cruise out to the Mamanuca island group.
The Mamanucas consist of around 20 small islands that are just a short boat ride out from the mainland, making them perfect for day tripping or a stop along an island hopping adventure. Most travellers will fly into Fiji through the town of Nadi. There’s a number of boat services that will take you out to the Mamanucas from nearby Denarau Harbour. I travelled with South Sea Cruises, which offers both half day trips and full day cruises that come with a buffet lunch on your island of choice.
The cost will depend on which island you decide on and how long you plan on spending there. Generally you’re looking at around $200 – $300 FJD for a full day adventure. I decided to head out to Mana Island and will give a rundown of what you can expect there, but first lets take a look at some of the other options along the way.
Yes, the smallest of the Mamanuca islands bears the same name as the cruise line. That alone should tell you that its an incredibly touristy spot. South Sea Island the most visited of the Mamanucas, being only a 25 minutes cruise out from Denarau. The island is a tiny spot of sand which you can walk around in 5 minutes or less. In fact, its so small that your cruise boat isn’t able to dock at the island due to the shallow waters, instead a number of small tender boats will come out to assist with the disembarking process. Being the closest of the Mamanucas to the mainland, South Sea is the island that will give you the most time on land if you’re only taking a day trip and that’s probably why its so popular. It does tend to get a bit crowded with tourists.
If you decide to visit South Sea Island, you’re in for a day of relaxation and water sports. There’s a series of activities run throughout the day such as a , beach volleyball and semi-submarine trips among the corals reefs around the island. The island also has a salt water pool, bar, massage station and complimentary snorkelling, kayaks and paddleboards. If you just want to take it easy, bring a book and find a deckchair along the beach, or a hammock among the palm trees. You’ll also enjoy a barbecue lunch and traditional Meke (dance) performance during your time on the island.
Only around 5 minutes further from South Sea Island, the much larger Bounty Island is the next of the Mamanucas. I say much larger, but you could still walk around this island’s perimeter in about half an hour. With that in mind, this island is nowhere near as crowded as South Sea Island. There’s still no dock though and you’ll need to board tender boats to disembark from your vessel.
On Bounty Island you’ll find sandy white beaches and a whole heap of opportunities to snorkel, relax and explore. You can trek through the forest part of the island or relax with a drink by the poolside bar. The island resort also offers banana boat rides and other water sports that you can take part in for a fee. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Bounty Island however is the baby turtle sanctuary where you can admire the adorable endangered species of Hawksbill Turtle younglings.
About 45 minutes out from Denarau, Beachcomber Island was once known for being the party capital of the Mamanuca islands. While its no longer the wild backpacker haven that it once was, its become another gorgeous island to spend a day relaxing on when you visit. Once again, Beachcomber is on the smaller scale, with the 10 minute walk around the island’s perimeter making it only slightly larger than South Sea Island. That means more tender boats from the cruise ship. With that said, Beachcomber is significantly less crowded than South Sea, owing mainly to its greater distance from the mainland.
You’ll spend your day on Beachcomber Island relaxing on the sandy beach, swimming in crystal clear waters and participating in other water activities. Get your cultural fix with Kava ceremonies and basket weaving sessions throughout the day. Like Bounty Island, there’s also a sanctuary, with more cute turtles to admire (I believe some of the turtles from Bounty Island were actually relocated here). Beachcomber also has a little boat that takes you out towards the beautiful coral reef so that you can snorkel back to shore.
While you can no longer visit Treasure Island on a day trip, this island is located very close to Beachcomber Island. The South Sea Cruise line did stop here in the past, but nowadays you’ll need to book an overnight stay at the island if you want to disembark.
Its another small island, surrounded by a sandy beach. The resort pool is great and there’s plenty of snorkelling opportunities in the surrounding waters. The resort also has an on-site medical centre, wedding chapel, tennis court and mini-golf course. Its well worth checking out if you want a relaxing getaway for a night. The fact that day-trippers won’t be visiting during your stay will only add to the blissfulness.
After cruising through the Mamanuca Islands for around an hour and fifteen minutes, I finally arrived at my destination – Mana Island. Mana is a larger island than the other islands that I’ve mentioned above. Its one of only two islands in the Mamanucas that has an actual Fijian village community (the other being Malolo). The island was named after the sea serpent God of Manamanaedina, whom legend says guarded a box of blessings kept on the island, in turn ensuring all who visited were warmly welcomed. Make no mistake though, Mana is still very much a tourist island, with more travellers making up its population across its two resorts and hostels.
If you’ve taken a full day trip to Mana, you’ll get to spend around 6 hours on the island. That’s plenty of time. I felt it was enough time to soak in the atmosphere, while not getting bored. You’ll likely arrive around 10.30-11am and the first thing you’ll notice is that Mana actually has a pier on the island’s south side, so you’ll just be able to step off your vessel rather than transferring into a smaller boat first.
Upon disembarking, our group was met by a local guide that took us around the resort for a quick tour. He pointed out the two main beaches (one on each side of the island), water sports station (all non-motorised activities were included in the day trip booking) and resort pool. It only takes a few minutes as the island is still relatively small. After the brief orientation you’re free to spend your time on Mana for the rest of the day as you see fit.
The first thing I did on Mana was take the twenty minute hike up to the island’s lookout. Its a fairly easy trail and you’ll be rewarded with some picturesque views over the tropical haven from above. Afterwards it was time for a buffet lunch, included in the trip at the resort restaurant. The food was standard resort feed, but filling nonetheless.
From there, you’ll be able to spend the rest of the day relaxing in and out of the water. While the resort pool is nice and contains a swim up bar, I feel like you may as well spend your swimming time in the turquoise seas that surround the island. On South Beach you’ll find a dedicated snorkelling area where you can journey out over the nearby reef and admire plenty of fish life, as well as participate in kayaking and paddle boarding. North Beach on the other hand is more secluded, presenting the opportunity for bathing in the sun, working on that tan and soaking it all in as you gaze out to the islands on the horizon. There’s worse ways to spend your afternoon.
There’s so much more that you can do though! The resort offers banana boat rides and a semi-submarine trip for viewing over the reef. Also don’t forget to spend some time turtle watching at the conservation exhibit on land. You can even visit the nearby local village for a look at traditional Fijian life. However you choose to spend your time on Mana, you’ll be relaxed and recharged by the time you board your return catamaran back to Denarau.
A day trip to Mana or any of the other Mamanuca Islands is something that I highly recommend you add to your Fijian itinerary, especially if you’re staying near Nadi and don’t have any other plans to get away from the mainland. The island chain is very easy to get to, and from the minute your boat leaves Denarau Harbour, you’ll be transported to a world of peaceful and scenic heaven. There’s no way to experience Fiji like being out on the water after all.
When you visit Darling Harbour, its impossible to miss the impressive range of ships docked on the left side of the bay as you stroll down from the Sydney‘s Central Business District. Those vessels form part of the Australian Maritime Museum, where you’ll have the …
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Its a hot summer day in Sydney. You’re looking for a place to get out of the heat. Take a dip miles beneath the ocean at one of the city’s more famous tourist attractions, the SEA-LIFE Sydney Aquarium.
Located on the east side of Darling Harbour’s boardwalk, sharing the same premises as Madame Tussauds and WILD-LIFE Sydney Zoo, this world class aquarium houses over 17,000 species of fish, sharks, dugongs and other marine life.
NOTE: Admission to SEA-LIFE Sydney Aquarium can also be purchased as part of a multi-attraction ticket valid for 30 days which also provides entrance to WILD-LIFE Sydney Zoo, Madame Tussauds and the Sydney Tower Eye. For more details, click here.
SEA-LIFE Sydney Aquarium has been a premier attraction of Sydney since 1988 and is a place that I’d recommend to escape indoors for a few hours at Darling Harbour and learn about the incredible diversity of life that exists in the oceans and other water bodies covering our planet. I’d definitely recommend booking tickets online for two reasons – you’ll save around 30% on your admission and you’ll also avoid the huge crowds lining up to purchase tickets in peak seasons (such as school holidays). With your ticket in hand (or on your phone), you’ll be able to jump the line and head inside to see the various forms of marine life ahead.
The museum starts out small scale. You’ll pass through sections highlighting smaller river species before venturing into the South Coast Shipwreck (home of the adorable Little Penguins), Jurassic Seas (fossils and evolution of marine life) and Sydney Harbour (species inhabiting the very depths outside). You’ll eventually make it to Dugong Island, where you can view “Pig” the Dugong (or Manatee for those from the other side of the world), both from above or under the water. The excellent staff of SEA LIFE also provide information talks in this exhibit twice a day (around 11.30am and 2.30pm) so try to time your arrival for one of these sessions.
My personal favourite part of the aquarium is Shark Valley. If you’ve been to a decent aquarium, you’ve probably seen one of these types of exhibits. Its the typical walk through tunnels that run underneath the water tanks housing the “big species” of the Grey Nurse Shark, Wobbegong Shark and various rays. Venturing through underneath really allows you to become immersed in the underwater environment. Also, lets face it, there’s something about that “face of gills” on the underside of a ray that always looks amusing. There’s also shark feedings that take place throughout the day so you might see some scuba divers out there as well.
The Penguin Expedition is an enjoyable experience included in your admission on which you’ll board a small boat for a quick 2 minute ride through the King Penguin exhibit. Sure, its over before you know it, and its incredibly cold (naturally to ensure the penguins are subjected to their normal environment), but as its part of your admission I’d say do it unless there’s a huge line stopping you. That said, I think you’ll get just as much from watching the penguins from walk the regular part of the exhibit and I wouldn’t consider it a must-do part of the aquarium.
I enjoyed my visit to the SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium. I enjoy these kinds of attractions when visiting cities, so its no surprise that I’ve been to this one in my own backyard a fair few times. Its a good way to spend an hour or two and get a closer look at the marine species. I’d definitely recommend arriving early morning or late afternoon (it gets seriously packed with tourists during the middle of the day). I also suggest combining the aquarium with other attractions in the area, and grab a bite to eat around Darling Harbour afterwards. Sure, its probably the most touristy part of Sydney, but you’ll always find something to do.
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