Part 4 : Food-Hunting in Siem Reap

Are we going around the globe or what?! Haha! Now that we're already hunting in Siem Reap... I'm sure some of us might be wondering what to eat in Siem Reap. Well, there are loads of good local delicacies there. And for sure, tempting enough for me to try.

When I always travelling with PYO Travel, I was brought to a local restaurant which serve mouth-watering local dishes and also a presentation of Khmer traditional dance show at the same time. That was quite an interesting (yummy) experience! Haha!

1) Amok

This is so much similar to the Malaysian version otak-otak! Nicely steamed and grilled in banana leaves. They use catfish meat to make this delicacy. Good & tasty!

2) Sngou Trolach Nyuk Bongkong
Never mind the spelling and pronunciation. I simply call this stuffed gourd with minced meat & prawns. The gourd was fresh and the prawns as well. Very nice to eat with rice. The soup was clear and very sweet.

3) Bok Lahong
A very simple and mouth-watering appetizer. Sweet and sour, with a bit of spicy. Extra points for the crunchy texture from the peanuts, cucumber and raw papaya. Simply irresistable!

4) Somlor Machu Kreung Ktih Sach Chrook
I love kangkung! This is a dish specially made for me! Haha! With some ribs and beef tendon, the flavour just rush into your mouth. You can also taste some lemon grass and assam in the soup.

Had a great time there in Siem Reap and let not the food-hunting spirit stop! Click PYO Travel to experience the excitement yourself.

The Saga Continues : Part 3 : Food-Hunting in Jogjakarta

This round, let us venture around Jogjakarta for some local delicacies to excite our taste buds!

1. Gudeg Yogya
This is a dish where the locals eat as staple food. Gudeg Yogya is similarly as famous as Nasi Kandar to Penang. To be exact, it’s a plate of white rice, served with some specially cooked young nangka (jackfruit) slices in herbs & coconut milk, some stew chicken meat and eggs. Some even add-on some beancurds and vegetable to do some extra bits for their customers.

2. Nasi Langgi
Here’s another rice dish. Served on banana leaf (to enhance the aroma), with some fried beef (locally known as ‘empal’), preserved beef (‘abon’), potato cakes (‘perdekel’), stew egg and ‘sambal’. To me, it’s a ‘nasi lemak look-alike’ except for the ‘abon’ which we don’t get it here in Malaysia.

3. Ayam Goreng Kalasan
Yummy crispy golden fried chicken! Marinated with garlic, coriander and other herbs for taste and aroma. Must try!

4. Bakpia Pathuk
A snack most of us would like to get as souvenirs for our family or friends. Actually, it is rather similar to the “Tambun Pneah” from Penang. I like the original green bean type most. There are also some other taste like chocolate and cheese.

5. Wedang Ronde
Reminds me so much of ‘tangyuen’ (glutinous rice balls). A bowl of ‘wedang’ is served in warm ginger soup along with some peanuts. You can usually get them from push-cart vendor at night. The taste? Love it!

I bet most of us would not know that we have so much in common with Jogjakarta food. Well, can we say we are really neighbours or what? Grab a taste of Jogja’s best food and keep the food-hunting spirit continues with PYO Travel.

Part 2 : Food-Hunting in Ho Chi Minh

It's tea time!!! Let me get myself a cup of really hot chocolate on this rainy day… before I share with you guys & gals the 'makan' place in Ho Chi Minh City… I still remember the first day I stepped onto the land of Ho Chi Minh, I was already hunting for dining places there. Simply because I'm a dedicated food lover and I crave for them every minute… I like to be adventurous, trying out new things whenever I can. Eating the same thing over and over again everyday is like – BORING! Moreover, I was in a new environment, so I did not waste the opportunity to hunt for something new and refreshing!

1) Deep Fried Elephant Ear Fish

Fear not to try this strange-looking fish. It may look weird (and scary at times) but wait 'til you taste it. *Two-thumbs up!* It’s actually a type of relatively big-sized fish called Elephant Ear Fish fried with its scales on. 3 simple words – crispy, tasty and yummy!

2) King Prawns

Look at how big the prawns can actually grow! Well, if I'm not wrong, I found them "dead" in Ben Thanh Market. To my surprise, the price was rather reasonable. Basically, you can have them served in Vietnamese style, served with some special sauce of lime + salt + pepper + chili powder. (I guess this sauce is really "THE" special sauce as it's generally found in most dishes in Vietnam).

3) Shrimp Spring Rolls

In short, shrimp popiah. Like those I shared with you in my previous post about Hanoi, these were similar but fresh shrimps, instead of chicken meat, were wrapped in the thin rice paper roll. Together in there were some fresh lettuce and vegetable which added the extra texture to the spring rolls a.k.a. popiah.

4) Vietnamese Drip Coffee

The first time I saw this, I thought to myself, do I have to wait until the night falls just to taste a sip of the ever-famous Vietnamese coffee? Eventually I was wrong. Of course you wouldn't need to wait long for the coffee to drip. It's actually a way Vietnamese relax while stealing some time to enjoy their favourite cup of drink. Must try! Options : Kopi (with milk) or Kopi-O (no milk)!

My goodness! I need another cup of hot chocolate! My stomach is growling again… (although it’s just after tea time). Could it be because of the tempting food/drink I'm writing on? Wait 'til I fly to Ho Chi Minh again (for the king prawns and coffee)… with PYO Travel (of course!)... Ciao!

Thanks Jacqueline for the beautiful photos!

Food-Hunting in Macau

Gosh… food hunting in Macau was FUN! So many that we can eat there but the following three are the most famous ones in Macau. Not that I am exaggerating or something but they are simply irresistible.

1) Portuguese egg tarts

I think I've mentioned them in my previous post. But I'm definite that once you've tried one, you would want to put another one in your mouth right away. Simply marvelous! Smooth and soft egg custard surrounded by layers of fine thin crispy layered skin. Its skin and the egg custard blend well and with just one bite, it melts in no time.

2) Steamed Milk Pudding

For milk lovers – You can’t say NO to this bowl of tempting dessert. Try a bowl of steamed milk pudding and you'll fall in love... (once again). They even give you the option of serving them hot or cold. To me, I love BOTH! Its silky smooth texture and strong milky flavour give the 'magical' touch to this simple dish. For those who love something extra, you can try their ginger steamed milk pudding. This won't disappoint you as well.

For non milk lovers – No worries, have a bowl of their egg custard pudding. Gosh, I can't describe this in words, but the soft and smooth texture of the egg custard is something you can never find elsewhere. Taste – brilliant! Not too sweet. Ngam ngam hou! (Just nice in Cantonese) Every mouthful of the custard excites your taste buds. Reminds me of the colourful nutty chocolates – melt in your mouth, not in your hands!

3) Pork chop bun

Frankly speaking, I do not eat pork due to personal health reason. But, I can tell you how aromatic this big chunk of meat was when they were being sizzled on the pan. The whole shop was being "seasoned" with the aroma of the cooking meat. I assume it's a version of Macau's very own burger. A piece of finely marinated fried pork chop, served in between slices of buns. According to my "carnivorous" friends, they love the bun more than anything! Hmmm… I can tell it when by just looking at their face while they were taking a bite of the huge Macau burger.


Oh gosh! My stomach is growling already… Wait 'til I fly to Macau for lunch… Wanna join me? Well, get your travel packages with PYO Travel if you wish to have lunch with me in Macau. 'Til then, ciao!

Thanks Zoey & Poh Kuen for the unedited photos!

Loving the Wild Wild Perth

I’ve always been an animal lover. Just to share with everyone, my favourite animals are the sea turtles. There are quite a number of turtle species like the green turtle, leatherback, Hawkbill’s turtle and many more. I adore all of them. I think they are such a graceful creature, swimming across the deep blue sea, passing through immeasurable waves with one thing in mind; to reach its destination safely. However, sea turtles are facing the most dangerous threat of all animals – EXTINCTION! Not only we (and our children) would not be able to see a real sea turtle in the future, it would also affect the whole life chain of the environment if its extinction happened. We must curb animal extinction fast!

One way is to be alert in all our doings and habits. Simple steps like keeping our environment clean, avoid using plastic bags and throwing them into the river or sea, stop using polystyrene containers and many more. Another thing that you can do is to instill your love to Mother Nature and she will love you back. Let me share with you some animals in Perth which equally deserve our generous love and care.

Koala is one of the national ‘emblem’ of Australia. They live on trees and feed on eucalypt leaves. The hairy creatures are so adorable that children and adults love them so much.

Koala playing Peekaboo... (Photo credit : jenontheedge)

Emu, the second ‘emblem’ of Australia, is a non-flying bird which can run fast! To me, it looks similar to an ostrich but smaller, hairier and has 3 toes (while ostrich has only two)!

Hairy Emu... (Photo credit : Ray Drew)

Another ‘emblem’ of Australia would be the kangaroo. This cute creature has a strong tail which help them to jump further and faster. A female kangaroo has a pouch on its body where baby joey sits.

"Mama, let me go in!" (Photo credit : Ray Drew)

A cute little creature like wombat is not to be missed when you are in Perth. It looks similar to a hamster but is much bigger in size. Wombats also carry their babies in a pouch on its body except that the pocket is facing backward. This is to avoid sands and dirt from getting into the pocket, making their babies dirty when they are digging the soil. Smart isn’t it?

"I am big hamster wombat" (Photo credit : Ray Drew)

"Kookaburra sits on the old gum tree,
Merry merry king of the bush is he…"

To some (especially scouts of older generation), you might be familiar with this song. I remember my father singing this song to my sisters and I when we were little kids. He used to sing this song during his scouting era too. Kookaburra is a relatively big bird which can be found in Australia. They are carnivorous and I heard they sing well too!

King of the bush! (Photo credit : George Aitken)

All these lovely animals can be found in the Perth Zoo, a great place for nature enthusiasts and animal lovers, like me, to get closer to such animals under proper supervision and protection. I believe we all have our own part and responsibility in protecting the nature and environment for a better tomorrow.

Let’s fly together to wild wild Perth with PYO Travel! Book your tickets online and start playing your part in greening the world.

Exploring Hanoi from Different Angles

Touching down in Hanoi brought me down to memory lane where I was being surrounded by aging buildings, erected on both sides of the road, with marks and scars left during the war period and motorcycles moving fast around the bustling city. I still remember the only things I saw before landing were big pieces of green lands. Padi fields and greeneries covered near the entire city of Hanoi. (Well, at least, the area around the airport was!)

Hanoi is a place rich with heritage and culture. Let’s explore the different angles of Hanoi!

Buildings
As an ex-French colonial, buildings here carry much French-influenced touches. For instance, you can see churches around which look quite similar to those in France. However, there are some other architectures which feature Chinese-influenced imprints and highlights on them as well. Temples are surrounded by dragons and phoenixes sculptures which highlighted the refined traditional Chinese touches! Also, you will see tall but thin houses scattered around the padi field area. These are houses of the farmers. I was told the taller they are, the richer the farmer.

French-influenced architecture - St. Joseph Church

A lion statue in a temple

Food
Food here is very much down-to-earth. It’s not hard to find fancy western food or Japanese food but the local delicacies here are very much cheaper and special. You can’t find them elsewhere. Don’t worry, it’s not hard to find fast food chain here too. I find that they are very good in preparing seafood dishes! Food here are quite similar to Chinese cooking. Maybe that’s why I find it easier to accept the food here. For dessert lovers, there are a lot of small bakery shops which sell delicious cakes and other types of bread. Small stalls which sell numerous kinds of snacks mushroom around upon sunset. Go ahead and try some tempting local savoury and delicacies. No regrets!

Vietnamese popiah - mixed vege and chicken meat wrapped in a thin slice of crepe

Sweet dessert soup with loads of mixed ingredients - louts seeds, longan, herbs and etc!

Fried crab

Artwork
It’s like a haven of artwork in Hanoi. You can simply pick one shop and you’ll be amazed by the defined and refined artistic display on the walls. I love their wood carving and my heart got captured by their paintings and fine thread art. There are even shops which feature their artists in the hall, working on their masterpieces on the spot. It’s like watching Picasso painting in real life! The ever famous water puppet dolls are also on popular demand. The cute little human-like dolls, made of wood, are very symbolic to Hanoi. Most tourists like to get one for themselves as souvenir. Why not?!

Beautiful dolls in traditional Vietnamese costumes

Potteries

Water Puppets

Souvenirs anyone?!

Hanoi, so calm and peaceful, it is definitely a place for relaxation. PYO Travel has it all for you. Enjoy the beautiful sight of Hanoi with PYO Travel’s meticulous packages.

Pamper Yourself in Phuket

Our hectic lifestyle causes tension and stress to our mind and body. Most people suffer from muscle ache, joint pain, headache and all sorts of body discomfort after focusing on their work (which seem endless) all the time. Why not give yourself some time off and pamper yourself once awhile with a short vacation? That’s the “it” way to recharge yourself nowadays.

Phuket has been popular as a haven of spa. Pampering yourself in a spa treatment during your Phuket escapade is the best choice for indulgence and relaxation. My personal favourite would be the Island Herb Spa which offers comfortable atmosphere, filled with serenity and tranquility, helping me find back calmness and recollect myself. I felt very much pampered by their spa treatments which include steam bath, jacuzzi, body scrub and massage enhanced with enlightening traditional touch. When you are there, don’t forget to pay them a visit just to unwind yourself.

There is another treatment that I would love to share – the traditional Thai Massage. No visit to Phuket is complete without a traditional Thai massage. Thai massage is totally different from any other types of massage. It emphasizes more on applying pressure using the thumbs, fingertips, hands, feet, arms, legs as well as body weight. This deep-massage technique brings total relaxation and rejuvenation, promising complete rest and comfort, for your well-being.

During my previous trip to Phuket, aside from recharging myself with the spa and massage sessions, I managed to visit a few other interesting places which might also interest you! Heard of Wat Saphan Hin? It’s the home for a beautiful structure that you must not miss. From afar, you can see the tall standing Buddha, standing majestically on the hill top. You might need a pair of comfortable shoes for your journey towards the Buddha statue as the path is slightly slanted on a slope. But I can assure you that the scene is definitely amazing! The gigantic statue is surrounded by tall stone poles which are the ruins of its prayer hall.

Besides that, the Chalong Temple is also another magnificent site and it is the most significant Buddhist temple in the island. Its appealing architecture structure with three connecting roofs mesmerized my eye sight. Besides the main prayer hall, there is also the Grand Pagoda nearby. The walls of the pagoda are painted with colourful images which depicts the story of Buddha’s life.

Promthep Cape, the most south point of Phuket, has been the best location to witness sunset. I know there is a lighthouse with an observation level which accommodates greater views of sunset. Spend a romantic evening with your loved ones while bidding farewell to the sun for the day. As Promthep Cape is located beside the sea, you can witness the sky keeps changing colours as the sun falls. This is due to the different light spectrums reflecting from the water, which makes it all worth the wait and effort.

Longing for a break already? Wait no longer! Pamper yourself with some spa treatments and scenic views of Phuket. PYO Travel is always the one for you!

Another Kind of Excitement in Wuling Farmstay

Whenever I hear the name, Taiwan, what I have in mind would be Taipei 101 Tower, Shilin Night Market, Jolin Tsai and Jay Chou. Haha! It’s such an auto-reflex that my instinct connects these items to the letters combination of T-A-I-W-A-N.

In my previous blog about Taiwan, I’ve talked about Taipei and its marvelous attractions. This time around, I would love to share about Wuling Farmstay. Hmmm… Things that appear in my mind when I hear the phrase, “Wuling Farmstay” are green forest, fresh fruits and wooden house. True enough, do expect a lot of greeneries!

Wuling is well-known for its mountainy and hilly landscape. Its cool weather and geographical landscape make it the best place for farming. Wuling is located relatively not far from Taipei city. However, it's got a completely different environment from the busy city of Taipei.

Wuling Farmstay gives you the opportunity to experience staying overnight in the natural environment, being surrounded by grass, flowers and trees. Fresh greeneries such as vegetables and fruits can be found easily here. Actually, if you’re lucky enough, during the fruits season, you can merely pick a ripening fresh fruit like plum, peach and apple from the trees and taste them. It’s the most effective way to shorten the time to market of those fruits!

Besides that, you might also stand a chance to witness wild life, roaming around the forest and trees. Animals like deers, mandarin ducks, butterflies and various species of birds welcome you to Wuling Farm. Colourful flowers such as roses, calla lilies, plum blossoms and pansies, bloom everywhere naturally. I suppose it is like watching your own private channel of National Geography, right in front of you. Isn’t that great?!

I’m sure most would be wondering what kind of rooms to stay in such a natural place? Well, they have hotels there just like any other hotels you can find in town or city area. Basic necessities are well-equipped there and if you want a different experience, try to set up a tent at their camping site, which I think is also another interesting activity to do with your friends and family. Do not worry. There are tents and other camping equipments ready for rental there. Hmmm… I’m thinking of a picnic or campfire at night.

I think a farmstay in Wuling would give you another kind of excitement. I’m pretty sure that you’d enjoy staying there, being surrounded by nature and fresh clean air. For me, I would love to keep myself away from the city buzz once awhile in Wuling.

Photos credit : Prince Roy

What About Melbourne?

Personally, Australia has always been one of my targeted destinations for travel. I am actually planning for a surprise trip for our next honeymoon there. I am undecided on which part of Australia to go to. Hmmm… could it be Gold Coast? Perth? Melbourne? I couldn't make up my mind 'coz every part has its own attractions and seems pretty tempting to me! I really hope you guys can help me. Anyone been to Australia, I need your advice. I've surfed the Net and found some interesting spots in Melbourne which are really interesting.

Did you know that there are actually penguins in Melbourne? I only got to know this lately. Gosh, what a shame?! (But hey, better late than never) There's this place called Phillip Island a.k.a. Penguin Island, where we can see the little birds at a close distance. I am really attracted to this and I’m sure my wife should be too! We both love cute little animals. So, I guess, the penguins might do the trick. Hehe…

(Original Photos by stowaway)

Another place which tempted me is the Great Ocean Road. I’m sure everyone would be wowed by the beautiful scenery of this place where we can witness the real art of nature. Huge lime stones erecting across the ocean bay, creates a magnificent spot for photography. Another interesting lime stone sculpture is the "London Bridge" of Port Campbell National Park. It is called "London Bridge" because of its shape. According to a website, at first, the "London Bridge" was connected creating two arches but in early 1990, one of the arches collapsed due to long-term erosions and leaving only one arch left now.

(Original Photos by atiiota & Joe Gattuso)

I also heard that the Queen Victoria Market is a place where you can get generally everything you want! That's great news for visitors like me 'coz I'm sure I would want to try out some local delicacies and get a bundle of souvenirs back for my friends. Fresh seafood, shellfish, vegetables, fruits, meat and other groceries are found there. If I were there, I think I would 'help' to boost up the economy of Melbourne by becoming a 'shopaholic' there! Hahaha… Gosh, what a sinful thought?!

(Original Photos by adambalic)

I am seriously considering Melbourne as my surprise honeymoon destination now. What do you think? Any takers? Furthermore, PYO Travel.com is offering some alluring packages which I can't say 'NO' to. Check them out!