Aik Cheong Cappuccino

For those who don't like the coffee to be too sweet, try this instant Cappuccino from Aik Cheong. I would consider it has the right mixture. Of course, you can't compare this with immediately brewed coffee make into cappuccino. Nevertheless, it is acceptable as an instant cappuccino.

Aik Cheong Cappuccino

Gold Kili Instant Double Shot White Coffee

I quite like this coffee. Firstly is the double shot wording on the sachet. You get that coffee taste yet it doesn't give you that strong left over smell like "Alicafe". Usually if you get a white coffee instant coffee, it is rather too sweet. But I consider this has the right mix of sugar, not sweet for my taste. In addition inulin is added which may be good to certain extend, one should still consider the side effects of inulin.

Gold Kili Instant Double Shot White Coffee

Kim Guan Guan Kopi O

This can replace the general Kopi-O from the locate coffee shop. This 2-in-1 instant coffee tastes about the same as those standard coffee you can get from the coffee shop. You can store some at home, so that the next time you feel like having a cup of Kopi-O, just reach for this instant coffee.

Kim Guan Guan Kopi O

Hard Rock and Planet Hollywood Wine Glass

I have long forgotten the aim of collecting the wine glass from Hard Rock Cafe of different countries, until I went to Macau Hard Rock Hotel. I should start to collect them once again. So far my collections are from Amsterdam, Paris, Heidelberg, Tokyo, Surfers Paradise and Macau.

Hard Rock Wine Glass

Another collection range is from Planet Hollywood, currently from Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong and Amsterdam.

Planet Hollywood Wine Glass

Gold Roast 2-in-1 White Coffee

Sometime I find that going for 2-in-1 may be a better choice than 3-in-1. Without the sugar, it seems to taste much better and a sip of it seems to perk you up. Coffee portion is not strong. But one can't expect too much from instant coffee.

Gold Roast 2-in-1 White Cofee

Moccona 3-in-1

No idea where they are from and whether you can get it in locate supermarket. So far I have not seen this brand in the market. The one in yellow packaging caught my attention first. Saw the word "Gold", thought it should be the best among these three. I am wrong. After trying all three, the one I liked best is the "Original" favour, with stronger taste of the coffee portion.

All three, tasted average. Yet there will always be lover of different portion mix of the sugar, cream and coffee. So which one will be your choice?

Moccona 3-in-1 Gold

Moccona 3-in-1 Espresso

Moccona 3-in-1 Original

Birdy 3-in-1 Robusta

Thought this will be a robust coffee, but just taste like normal 3-in-1 instant coffee or we called it "kopi po" (coffee light + sugar + cream). Light coffee drinker can go for this.

Birdy 3-in-1 Robusta

Ah Huat White Coffee

Tonight was desperate for a cup of coffee. In this instant society, coffee will be instant too. There are always new choices in the basket of instant coffee. This round I saw an interesting cute old man on a small appealing packaging. I picked that up, poured boiling water into the cup and soon a cup of hot aromatic coffee was waiting for the taster.

Not very strong, nevertheless it still left behind the taste of coffee in your mouth. Tasted about the same as other brands of white coffee in the market. Not very sweet but felt that the cream portion was more than the sugar portion. Average coffee drinker can try this, at least it doesn't leave behind a strong smell (when you release it later) compare to Alicafe.

Ah Huat White Coffee

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 4 of 4)

The most difficult part of organising a free and easy trip is to arrange the activities into the timing slot to fully utilise the days one have and to accomplish as much as possible. There is no perfect itinerary, as it all depends on the pace of individual, the size of the group, the age group and what type of trip one would like to have. Having a feel of what others have in the itinerary does give you a gauge how much time is spend for a particular activities and it helps to plan or organise your own itinerary better.

3D2N Bintan, Indonesia Itinerary

Day 1

Morning

• 07:30 (GMT+8): Check-in at Tenah Merah Ferry Terminal (TMFT)
• 09:05 (GMT+7): Arrive at Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal (BBTFT)
• 09:30 (GMT+7): Check-in at Nirwana Resort Hotel
• 10:00 (GMT+7): Booking of Mangrove Day Tour, with complimentary Mangrove Night Tour
• 10:30 (GMT+7): Resort Centre (touring, shopping, lunch)

Afternoon

• 14:30 (GMT+7): Pick up to BRC Tour
• 15:00 (GMT+7): Mangrove Day Tour
• 16:15 (GMT+7): Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi (touring, shopping)

Night

• 17:30 (GMT+7): Dinner at Kampoeng Lagoi
• 19:30 (GMT+7): Mangrove Night Tour (fireflies)
• 20:30 (GMT+7): Pick up to hotel
• 21:30 (GMT+7): The Pub (drink)

Day 2

Morning

• 09:00 (GMT+7): Buffet breakfast at Coffee Shop
• 10:30 (GMT+7): Touring the resort, visit Mini Zoo, Swimming

Afternoon

• 13:00 (GMT+7): Lunch at Pool Side Restaurant
• 14:15 (GMT+7): Touring the resort
• 15:00 (GMT+7): Room massage
• 16:00 (GMT+7): Wash up and get ready for dinner

Night

• 17:35 (GMT+7): Dinner at Kelong Restaurnat
• 20:30 (GMT+7): Bowling at Resort Centre
• 21:30 (GMT+7): Shopping at Resort

Day 3

Morning

• 08:00 (GMT+7): Buffet breakfast at Coffee Shop
• 09:30 (GMT+7): Action ATV Adventure
• 11:00 (GMT+7): Wash up and get ready for hotel check-out

Afternoon

• 12:00 (GMT+7): Hotel check-out and collect boarding pass
• 12:30 (GMT+7): Lunch at Makan Makan Foodcourt
• 14:15 (GMT+7): Land transfer to BBTFT
• 15:35 (GMT+7): Depart for TMFT
• 17:35 (GMT+8): Arrive at TMFT

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 3 of 4)

We were in for ladies luck. We came on the day where there was a promotion of the Mangrove Day Tour which came with complimentary Night Tour (firefiles). Hence we save around SGD 30 plus. I personally felt that the Mangrove Day Tour will be more value for money compare to the Mangrove Night Tour. If you manage to get hold of any good deal promotion, then you should visit both the Day and the Night Tours. If luck is on your side, then you will be able to see the animals that live around the mangrove. We were only fortunate enough to see a few snakes up in the trees and lizards. (Please refer to the Mangrove Map)

Mangrove Day Tour

After the 3pm Mangrove Day Tour, we were back to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village. We decided to stay put here until the Mangrove Night Tour. We spent our times by taking photos, shopping and having dinner. It was like a ghost town, with little tourists. Wonder was it because it was a weekday and off-peak season, hence there weren't much people. Seems like we were the only people around.

Pasar Oleh-Oleh, a souvenir gift market and shopping village set up to promote Indonesian culture, arts and crafts is located in the Township. There is a whole array of Indonesian gifts, cultural artefacts, Indonesian batik wear, beach wear, fashion and local cuisine. There are three restaurants providing drinks and a variety of local and western dishes as well as two mini marts selling a wide range of necessities and local delicacies. Aura Spa and Kintamani Spa also offer services at local prices.

Pasar Oleh Oleh

Aroma Day Spa is located in the pleasant environment of Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village, just opposite Pasar Oleh Oleh. It has a variety of spa packages that bundle 2-way land transfer from the hotel to the spa. This will help you to save the SGD5 unlimited bus ride to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi.

If you like to have some drink, you can try Cafe Tampo. It is open daily from 4 pm to 1 am. It has a wine bar and equipped with sports TV and free WIFI.

Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village

Makan Makan Foodcourt at Resort Centre where we had 2 of of lunch here to save some cost so that we can spend on the activities. It is open at 12pm on weekdays and 11pm on weekends. The food is quite nice and acceptable, with reasonable price.

Makan Makan Foodcourt

Lunch at Makan Makan Foodcourt

We had dinner at Bumba Indonesia Restaurant at Kampoeng lagoi, and we were the only customers that evening. The lunch from foodcourt tasted much better. If not for the satay and avocado drink, I will blacklist this dining place. May be the food at Pasar Oleh Oleh will taste better. If you don't try, you will never know.

Lunch at Bumba Indonesia Restaurant

Glad that we had one of the lunch at Pool Side Restaurant to try out the food prepared by different restaurant. I liked the Korean food that I shared with my friends. It came with side dishes and by adding another dish of vegetables and 2 bowls of plain rice, the portion was just right for 2 ladies sharing the food.

Pool Side Restaurant

Lunch at Pool Side Restaurant

How can one leave this place without having a meal at the Kelong Restaurant. So far this is the best dinner we had. The food are tasty and well-cooked. Do not worry about how to get there, the hotel provides shuttle bus to bring you to and back.

Kelong Restaurant

Dinner at Kelong Restaurant

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 2 of 4)

More than 5 years later, I was finally back to Nirwana Resort Hotel. I had read reviews that the place is a bit run down, and came mentally prepared. However, I was surprised that the place is well maintained. It was the same feel and look when I first stayed at this place years back, except that there are more activities and facilities around the resorts to keep guests busy.

I happened to view the front of other resorts under Nirwana Gardens while taking the shuttle bus to the Kelong Restaurant, and they do seem a bit run down. I can't conclude whether they are well maintained or not, since I don't stay in the other resorts. Not game to take the risk, simply just book your stay with Nirwana  Resort Hotel which is value for money.

Nirwana Gardens Map

I love the entrance to the resort, down the slope with rows of coconut trees by the side and from far you can see prominent elephant statutes welcoming you. Before you step into the main lobby, both side of the entrance has ponds fill with Koi fishes. They will swim over to you when you just stand near to the pond. They are so adorable.

Entrance & Lobby Area of Nirwana Resort Hotel

I have tried to capture as much of the view of the resort as possible for my readers. Hope the photos give the real feel of the resort. As the place is considered well equipped with facilities and activities, targeting at families, the place is usually more crowded during holiday seasons. This value for money place is popular with families, so avoid the crowd for an enjoyable retreat during off peak season.

View from Lobby

View from the Pool

Right View of the Hotel from the Pool

Right Wing of the Hotel

Left Side of the Hotel (Villas & Rin Restaurant)

Pool View of Hotel

The superior room is rather standard. We got a nice garden view from room 3119. You can make yourself a cup of coffee, seating on the chair, reading a book and absorbing the view of the pond with fountain. The toilet is clean and equip with toiletries.

Superior Room At Level 3

The Resort Centre is just a few minutes walk. It may be faster to walk than to wait for the shuttle bus. There is a Food Court at the centre for those who prefer to save on makan. A bowling alley for those who game to challenge one another. There is a staircase from the Resort Centre, leading to a range of activities such as High Element Flying Fox, Jumbo Park, Water Sport Areas, Archery Range, Rifle Range and Horse Range.

Resort Centre

Walk around the resort with your camera ready, to capture some interesting animals that will appear out of no where. Want to play chess or snake and ladder? The game boards are for guests to play.

Interesting Animals Everywhere

Mini Zoo is just beside the resort. You can take the short-cut route from the ring wing of the resort. Kids will definitely be fascinated by this new add on. The Mini Zoo features Estaurine Crocodile,Malayan Soft-shelled Turtle, Python Snake, Arapaima Fish, Fresh Water Stingray Motoro, King Cobra, Red-tailed Catfish, Alligator Gar, Cassowary, Himalayan Griffon Vulture, Changeable Hawk Eagle, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eclectus Parrot, Oriental Pied Hornbill and Rusa Deer.

Mini Zoo

Bintan, Indonesia (Part 1 of 4)

I remembered that I used to travel to Bintan once or twice a year, from 2001 to 2004. Soon we got tired of the place and stopped going to Bintan after 2004. During those four years, we stayed at Bintan Lagoon Angsoka Villa, Bintan Nirwana Villa Sumadra3 and Bintan Nirwana Resort Hotel, as one of our friends could  book them at very cheap price and each of us would end up just spending less that SGD300 in total.

I was not into blogging then, so there was no posts on Bintan. After more than 5 years, I am once again embarking on my journey to Bintan this coming Friday 12 Oct 2012 and will be staying at Nirwana Resort Hotel again. I heard that there are many changes and have more activities in Bintan. Stay tune for more posts on Bintan.

About Bintan, Indonesia

"Bintan Resorts" refers generally to the area on the entire northern coast of the Indonesian Island of Bintan which is master-planned and managed by PT Bintan Resorts Cakrawala. There are currently five independently owned and operated beach resorts, four designer golf courses, as well as a range of recreational facilities and attractions located within it.

Time Zone

Bintan island is in the same time zone as Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, at GMT +7 hours. Bintan island is one hour behind Singapore time.

Language

The national language is Bahasa Indonesia. However, within Bintan Resorts area, English is widely used because the resorts is mostly catered for tourists from Singapore. The hotel pamphlets are in English. The people at the reception, butler, conceige all can speak English.

Currency

The currency of Indonesia is the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR). Singapore Dollars (SGD) is widely accepted at all hotels in Bintan Resorts, as well as at Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village. Most hotels accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit card payments. Should you be heading down south to other areas in Bintan island for sightseeing or shopping, it is advisable to have ready notes and coins in Indonesian Rupiah.

Climate and Clothing

The dry, calm season during late Mar to early Nov is characterised by clear sunny days and tranquil pristine waters. The north-east monsoon during early Nov to late Mar brings with it strong winds and passing showers, though there are still many sunny hours throughout the day. The temperature ranges between 21° and 32° Celsius, with average daytime temperature hovering around 28° Celsius. Humidity levels are also high, so loose cotton and natural fibres are highly recommended.

Electricity

Electricity in Bintan is at 220V. The power plugs used are of the three-pin, square-shaped or round-shaped type.

Telecommunications

Bintan Resorts has modern telecommunication facilities. Local calls can be made with phone cards. Internet connectivity is available at most Bintan Resorts hotels.

Tipping

Tipping is not necessary as a 10% service charge and 10% government tax may have been added to your bills at the hotels and restaurants. A small tip can be given to appreciate for very good service received.

Getting to Bintan

From Singapore

There is a regular ferry service operated by Bintan Resorts Ferries (BRF) that plies between Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore and Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal, Bintan Resorts. The trip takes about 55 minutes Singapore-Bintan-Singapore Ferry schedules subject to changes without prior notice (please refer to to www.brf.com.sg for updated schedules).

Important Ferry Information

Passengers are advised to check-in and collect boarding passes at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, Singapore ticketing counter at least 1.5 hours before departure time. BRF reserves the right to cancel confirmed bookings if boarding passes are not collected 40 minutes before ferry departure time. For departure from Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal, Bintan Resorts, passengers are required to reconfirm their return trip and collect boarding passes at least 2 hours before departure. BRF reserves the right to cancel confirmed bookings if boarding passes are not collected 45 minutes before ferry departure time.

Local Transportation

Land Transfer From Resort To Ferry Terminal

There will be a complimentary shuttle bus (free) for every arrival from and departure to Singapore. It is provided to transfer resort guest from ferry terminal to the resort, and vice versa. The shuttle coincides with every ferry arrival and departure timing, which you can enquire further on with Guest Relations Staff at the ferry terminal or at the Resort.

Shuttle Bus Services

A regular shuttle bus service brings visitors among the different hotels, as well as to Pasar Oleh Oleh and Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village and back. On request, the service may also stop Bandar Bentan Telani Ferry Terminal. The simplest way to explore Bintan Resorts is to get a Day Pass (SGD5/adult and SGD3/child below 12 years old), which entitles you to unlimited shuttle bus rides for a day. Please refer to Bintan Resorts website for shuttle bus schedule.

Car Rental Services

Guests can also rent their own cars from Indorent Car Rental, available at the different hotels. There are also private cars for hire, with drivers who can take you around the island.

Shopping

Pasar Oleh Oleh

Pasar Oleh-Oleh, a souvenir gift market and shopping village set up to promote Indonesian culture, arts and crafts is located in the Township. There is a whole array of Indonesian gifts, cultural artefacts, Indonesian batik wear, beach wear, fashion and local cuisine provided by some 30 outlets. There are three restaurants providing drinks and a variety of local and western dishes as well as two mini marts selling a wide range of necessities and local delicacies. Aura Spa and Kintamani Spa also offer services at local prices.

Kampoeng Lagoi Leisure Village

Opened in 2007, Kampoeng Lagoi is located just across the road from Pasar Oleh Oleh and hosts several F&B outlets, retail shops, a games arcade, Aroma Day Spa Café Tempo, a wine and tapas bar.

Tanjung Pinang

Enjoy a scenic drive through the countryside of Bintan Island and catch a glimpse of the local village folk as you make your way down to the vibrant bustle of Tanjung Pinang – the capital of Bintan Island. Shopping at Tanjung Pinang is pleasantly affordable, with its colourful variety of goods and value-for-money bargains. Shophouses offer a diverse range of dried foodstuff, electronic goods, antique and “antique” ceramics and handicrafts, but the best buys are probably from the street peddlers. Roadside stalls with fresh produce are another common sight at Tanjung Pinang. Do note that most peddlers deal in the local Indonesian Rupiah, so it's best to have the currency in hand before you head down south.

Activities

There are plenty of activities such as All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), PaintBall, Water Sports, Spa and Massage, Mountain Biking, Go-Kart, Gunung Bintan Adventure Trek, Bintan Elephant Park, Sri Bintan Kampung Eco Tour, Traditional Fishing Tour, Mangrove Discovery Tour and many more to keep you busy. Please refer to Bintan Resorts website on Discover Bintan for more activities and pricing.

Phuket, Thailand (Part 4 of 4)

We did not cover the planned itinery, as we decided to have a relax, slow, enjoyable trip instead. Nevertheless I will still share the things that can be done in Phuket in this post, which myself am looking forward to accomplish the unfinished adventure in Phuket.

Patong Area

Shopping:

• Jungceylon (latest shopping mall)
• Banzaan Market
• Stretch along Royal Paradise
• OTOP Shopping Paradise (surpass by Jungceylon)

Activities:

• Stretch along Bang-la Road (night lives full of pubs/bars/clubs)
• Water activities at Patong Beach

Phuket Town

Shopping:

• Central Festival
• Big C
• Weekend Market
• Ocean Mall
• Robinson
• Phuket Expo Fair/ Phuket Square

Activities:

• Old Town for taking photos

Other Activities/ Areas

There are simply too much to be covered in this post. You can refer to

http://www.phuket.com/activities/by-areas.htm which I find that it gives a good coverage of things to be done in Phuket by different categories.

Phuket, Thailand (Part 3 of 4)

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar was under the roof of APK Resort & Spa, which was just opposite our hotel. We had lunch and breakfast in this place on day 2 and 3. The place was not crowded so that we could enjoy the lunch at our own pace and the food was nice. Simply love the settings in this area of our hotel, slow without the rush of crowd. I could take my time to enjoy my cappuccino. The restaurant served a variety of western and thai food.

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar

Ton Tong Restaurant & Bar

Lunch at Ton Tong

Lunch at Ton Tong

Lunch at Ton Tong

Simply got into a taxi for THB500 to bring you to Phuket Town. Any form of taxi (Tuk Tuk, MPV etc) cost the same price THB500 to Phuket Town and from Phuket Town to Patong. We started day 2 at the Old Town areas , trying to capture some photos. The lanes are narrow, hence you might miss some of the attractions. I have posted the map in my last post to facilitate anyone who wish to locate the attractions.

Thaihua Museum

Thaihua Museum

Along Dibuk Road

Along Dibuk Road

Along Phang Nha Road

Along Phang Road

After visiting some of these attractions under the hot sun, it was time to look for a place to seat down and enjoy some fruits and ice-cream. We chanced an Italian Cafe. We got to use a super clean toilet and I was afraid to dirty it.

Italian Cafe

Italian Cafe

Italian Cafe

Italian Cafe

Italian Cafe

We did not visit Central Festival and the weekend market, but we got to know another area that tourists might be interest to visit. Walk along the Phuket road and turn into the lane that was next to Metropole Hotel at the roundabout. The lane will bring you to Ocean Mall and Robinson. Around this area, there are Night Food Market and Phuket Expo Fair/ Phuket Square where you can do plenty of shopping too.

Roundabout At Phuket Road

Night Food Market

Phuket Grocery

Roundabout next to Phuket Grocery

Phuket Square

At Phuket Square/ Phuket Expo, there were plenty of shops in the expo to shop. The price is definitely cheaper than those at Patong area. It seemed to take us ages to finish the shopping at Ocean Mall, Robinson and Phuket Expo. We didn't manage to get back to the Night Food Market for dinner, as it was drizzling and we were hungry. We just got into Kopi Cafe along Phuket Road to satisfy our hunger and tiredness. Cozy place with nice food and reasonable pricing.

Rice with curry

Yunnan Noodle

Vegetable with bacon