Yogyakarta or Jogja had been on my bucket list for a long time. It was one of the regions in Indonesia that I would like to visit. Its history, kingdom, culture, arts, and Borobudur are the main reasons why I want to set my foot here. Surprisingly, Jogja has so much to offer! It’s no longer a region of temples anymore. There are so many landscapes and attractions you can choose: from museums, beaches, forests to mountains. This trip wasRead more
I always wondered if Tehran would treat me the same way it treated me when I travelled here 6 years ago. Before I came here for my second visit (and this time, with my husband), I told myself to control my expectations. Societies change. People change. Cultures change. And Iran is no exception. What did I find at the end? Well, to my surprise, by the end of this trip, I have nothing but good memories of Iran. Despite the increasing influx ofRead more
Tehran is a huge city and if you ask an Iranian what their favourite restaurants are, they’d usually ask you back, “Which part of Tehran do you want to go to?” There are simply many choices that you can choose from. So here are the 4 restaurants that were recommended to me by many of my Iranian friends and hosts. You can try other eateries and restaurants, but make sure you don’t miss these! Moslem Restaurant Your visit to TehranRead more
Since we came to Iran during the winter season, we decided to have a look at one of the famous ski resorts in the country — Tochal. Skiing in Iran? Yes, you can do it and no, I’m not kidding 🙂 . There are several great skiing resorts in Iran, including the famous Dizin. We chose Tochal as it is the most easily accessible mountain to get to. It is also quite cheap to get there as the Tehran MetroRead more
When I travelled to Iran in 2011, only a handful of nationalities were able to enter Iran. The situation has changed since then and some of the restrictions were lifted to support the booming of Iranian tourism industry. For people from certain nationalities, getting an Iranian tourist visa can still be a confusing and daunting task. So I am going to share my experience applying for a visa on arrival during my visit in 2017 and some of the thingsRead more
Unlike its rival city Penang (read: 10 Must-Try Halal Foods in Penang Island), Kuala Lumpur is not exactly known for its foods. Local Malaysians, especially Penangites, would often boast about life-changing foods that Penang can offer, which can’t be compared to the ones that are found in KL. The great thing about KL is that the city is a melting pot of different cultures. No only that people from different parts of Malaysia live here to study or work, foreignersRead more
Surprisingly, Makassar has a wide range of traditional dishes that you can try. It also has a variety of beef soups, which is the icon of this city. Visiting Makassar soon? Well, make sure you visit these places that have become locals’ favourites and try their halal foods! Coto Nusantara Coto is a stew dish originally from Makassar (“co” is pronounced like cho in chocolate). It is also known as “Coto Makassar“. Beef is the main ingredients of this dish andRead more
Selayar Island was not in our list when we wanted to travel to South Sulawesi. I found this island a few hours before we flew to Makassar and we decided to give this island a try!
Tucked away at the end of the Cape of Bira is Bara Beach. This beach is a perfect place for travelers who want to avoid crowds. It is much cleaner and quieter compared to Bira Beach. It has less options when it comes to accommodations, proving that this beach is still quite undeveloped. Its location is not secluded, allowing you to stay connected with the internet and write your blogs, while offering you peacefulness and calmness that you may not get anywhere else. The accommodations around this place are also more affordable than the Amatoa Resort. Bira and Bara Beach are both connected during low tides, so you can definitely opt to walk from one beach to another.
South Sulawesi is known as the island of the most notorious and legendary seafarers among Indonesians. From Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, all the way to Africa, the ancestors of Bugis people were historically known to have set their foot there and forged trading links with these coastal communities many centuries ago. Sulawesi is also the birthplace of pinisi, a traditional wooden sailing ship that has been a pride for Indonesia. Legend has it that the vessel was first builtRead more
The Kei Islands are a group islands located roughly between Indonesian Papua and Australia. The islands are comprised of two main islands, Kei Besar (literally, “Big Kei”) and Kei Kecil (literally, “Small Kei”), as well as other small islands. Kei Kecil is popular among local Indonesians due to its beautiful and pristine beaches. However, due to its location in the far east of Indonesia, not many people are willing to visit this place. Flight tickets may be expensive and thereRead more
Penang is known as a food heaven. As a Muslim though, it is quite a challenging mission to find life-changing halal foods in Penang. That’s because the majority of the population in Penang Island is Chinese non-Muslims, who use pork and/or lard as the main ingredients of their foods. So I am compiling the list of halal foods here that you must try when you are in Penang 🙂 Tajuddin Hussain THIS is my all-time favourite! I will never leave PenangRead more
Beautiful Beaches Everyone knows about Bali’s beautiful beaches, but who wants to be in such a crowded and not-so-blue beach when you can go somewhere else? The Kei Islands are home to the most beautiful, pristine, untouched beaches in the world. I have been to Lombok and South Sulawesi, as well as the remote Ora Beach and I never saw anything like the beaches in Kei! There are kilometres after kilometres of white sandy beaches here and they are veryRead more
Pulau Tujuh (literally Seven Islands) was not on our to-do list for Ora Beach. But after reminiscing the long and exhausting day of trying to get to Ora, we decided to stay for another night and visit these seven islands in the end. The drawback of going to Pulau Tujuh is the boat rental that costs 1.5 million rupiahs (around 115 USD). It is certainly cheap if you get to share the cost with 10 other people, but unfortunately, thereRead more
