SandSpice: June 2022

Thursday, 30 June 2022

Coffee Tours in Boquete Panama

Having done a tea plantation tour in Sri Lanka, it seemed only fair to do one of the coffee tours in Boquete Panama - And very informative it was.

We booked our tour at the Boquete Mountain Safari tours office for $29 per person. In fact, for the same price they offered to let us join a group fo

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/coffee-tours-in-boquete-panama/

Jungla Experience Boquete Panama

Our journey west along the Panama highway had taken us through the foothills of the Cordillera de Talamanca mountain range to the city of David in south central Chiriquí. From here we took a bus north to reach our first guesthouse in the Boquete region - the Jungla Experience Boquete.

The a

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Wednesday, 29 June 2022

Hotel Residencial Cervantes David

We interrupted our journey from Santa Catalina to Boquete by stopping for a night at the Hotel Residencial Cervantes David.

When planning our trip, we thought it would be a good idea to break our journey to Boquete in David. In practise, there's no real need to do this when travelling from

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/hotel-residencial-cervantes-david/

Around Town in Santa Catalina Panama

Santa Catalina is a relaxing place to unwind, especially after spending a few days in Panama City. This is a small resort town on the Pacific coastline, south of Santiago. The town is centered between 2 beaches: Playa Estero for the surfers and Playa Santa Catalina for the divers.

Surfing on Pla

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/santa-catalina-panama/

Tuesday, 28 June 2022

Panama City to Santa Catalina by Bus

If you plan to travel from Panama City to Santa Catalina by bus, you'll need to start your journey from Albrook's bus station. The easiest and cheapest way to get there is by metro.

Before leaving Panama City for Santa Catalina, make sure you'll have enough cash for your stay. There are no

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/panama-city-to-santa-catalina/

Panama City to Santa Catalina by Bus

Panama Canal Kayaking 🛶 Jungle Land Experience

The Panama Canal is arguably one of most important structural achievements ever built. Apart from cutting a slice through a mountain, construction of the canal also involved flooding a river to form a gigantic lake. When planning our trip to Panama, it had never occurred to us that Panama Canal

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/panama-canal-kayaking/

Monday, 27 June 2022

Top 14 Panama City Activities (or maybe not...)

You can see a lot of what Panama City has to offer by simply walking around. The distances between most of the popular attractions are not that great. Here then is the list of our top 14 Panama City activities and attractions, most of which are reachable on foot.
Amador Causeway
If you're taking

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/top-14-panama-city-activities/

Panama City Hotels - Avoid Slum Areas

When choosing a place from your shortlist of Panama City hotels, you really need to make sure you're locating yourself in the right areas. Away from the centre, with its relatively small and upmarket high-rise district, you can quickly find yourself in rundown slum areas with a heavy police

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/panama-city-hotels/

Sunday, 26 June 2022

The 10 Best-Value Pubs & Restaurants in Edinburgh

The 10 Best-Value Pubs & Restaurants in Edinburgh

https://www.sandspice.com/pubs-restaurants-edinburgh/

#Edinburgh #Pubs #Restaurants

Samsara Guesthouse Karimunjawa

Since we arrived 2 days late on the island, we spent only one night in the first of our selected guesthouses - the Waru Guesthouse. For our next three nights, we were booked into the Samsara Guesthouse Karimunjawa, which was just 10 minutes walk from the main harbour.

Samsara's is an i

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/samsara-guesthouse-karimunjawa/

Saturday, 25 June 2022

Waru Guesthouse Karimunjawa

The Waru Guesthouse Karimunjawa was the first of the 4 guesthouses we planned to visit on Karimunjawa island. We had originally planned to stay at the Waru for 3 nights, but an unscheduled 2-day delay in Semarang meant we were only able to get there for the last night.

We arrived at Kariman p

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/waru-guesthouse-karimunjawa/

Karimunjawa Fast Boat

We traveled to Jepara from Semarang in order to take the Karimunjawa fast boat north to Karimunjawa island.

Since the fast boat leaves at 9 am, we arrived in Jepara the day before and booked ourselves into the Samudra Hotel, close to the port.

On the morning of our departure, we were advised

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/karimunjawa-fast-boat/

Friday, 24 June 2022

Hotel Samudra Jepara Port

Before leaving the Hotel Quest in Semarang, we used one of their guest computers to book the Hotel Samudra Jepara port for the following night.

The Samudra Hotel was a last minute booking (actually for the same day) following some unavoidable changes to our travel plan (see Jepara ATM

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/hotel-samudra-jepara-port/

Hotel Quest Semarang City - Indonesia

After successfully retrieving our credit card from the BTN bank (see Honey, the ATM ate my card), we could finally get our travel plan back on track. The BTN debacle had effectively taken 2 days out of our planned itinerary. We were now looking forward to an unscheduled overnight stay in Semarang.

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/hotel-quest-semarang/

Thursday, 23 June 2022

Backtracking to Semarang City by Minibus

Following our misfortunes in Jepara, we were heading back to Semarang city to try to rescue our vacation from disaster.

With no credit cards and insufficient cash, we wouldn't be able to continue our journey to Karimunjawa, where cash is the only form of payment accepted by almost all est

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/backtracking-semarang-city/

Hotel Elim & Minibus to Jepara

There are several options for getting over to Karimunjawa island from the mainland of Central Java. However, the boats run most frequently from Jepara. More importantly, there is always a boat leaving Jepara port early on the Sunday morning (weather permitting). It's for this reason that we chose

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/hotel-elim-minibus-jepara/

Wednesday, 22 June 2022

Lion Air Inflight Experience

Lion Air inflight experience - How do budget Asian airlines compare?

https://www.sandspice.com/lion-air-inflight-experience/

Although not scoring high in airline ratings, our #LionAir inflight experience was a positive one. Comfortable & on time, with ample legroom.

#Travel #Indonesia

Qatar Airways Inflight Experience

With their elitist tv commercials and tip-top rating in the World's Best Airlines, we were expecting great things from our Qatar Airways inflight experience.

This is why we snatched up the opportunity to fly with them from Rome to Jakarta for around €500 per person, economy class.

We could ha

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/qatar-airways-inflight-experience/

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Paradise Inn Sigiriya

We set out in the morning from our guesthouse in Negombo. Our next destination was the Paradise Inn Sigiriya.

We took a tuk-tuk for the 2km ride to Negombo bus station. From there, we asked around for the first bus to Kandy. We would have to change buses in Kandy, then take another to Sigiriya,

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/paradise-inn-sigiriya/

Where to stay and eat in Galle Fort

From Unawatuna, we moved a few kilometers along the coast to Galle. Here, we planned to stay for 2 nights at a guesthouse located inside the fort walls. In particular, we were looking forward to enjoying real Indian food at the Galle Fort Indian Hut restaurant.
Inside Galle Fort
Galle is an old

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/galle-fort-indian-hut/

Monday, 20 June 2022

Jungle Beach Unawatuna

After 6 days lounging around the beaches of Tangalle, we headed west up the coast by bus to the small town of Unawatuna. We had heard about some special beaches in the area, in particular Jungle Beach Unawatuna.

We had booked a 3-night stay at Sam's Guesthouse, located on the inland side of the

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/jungle-beach-unawatuna/

World’s End Sri Lanka - Hotels & Hikes on Horton Plains

The first stage of our journey through Central Sri Lanka would conclude with a visit to the hill town of Haputale, and the World’s End plateau at Horton Plains.

After spending several days in and around the old capital Kandy, we arranged to travel by train from Kandy to Haputale.

2nd Class

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/worlds-end-sri-lanka/

Sunday, 19 June 2022

Malaysia & Borneo - Highlights & Costs

Our actual trip to Malaysia & Borneo closely followed our plan regarding the places we would visit. These were based on 2 main areas:
♦ The Malaysian peninsula: We arrived (and departed) Kuala Lumpur, and spent roughly 10 days there.
♦ Borneo: This second half of the trip also lasted around

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/malaysia-borneo-highlights/

Girona City Stopover - Where to Stay & Eat

Our Girona city stopover allowed us just one night in Girona, before heading south to Barcelona-El Prat airport later the following day.

We therefore needed a hotel that was close to the bus and train stations, and still within easy reach of the attractions and restaurants that the city has to o

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/girona-city-stopover/

Saturday, 18 June 2022

Mumbai & The Thousand-Yard Stare

After spending more than 3 weeks in India, absorbing the dubious charm of overcrowded Sleeper coaches and chaotic inner city streetlife, we were apprehensive that Mumbai would trump - in aces - anything that had gone before.

This was the reason we saved Mumbai metropolis until the last.

We

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/mumbai-thousand-yard-stare/

Mumbai City Fort Area

We'd put off visiting Mumbai City until the end of our trip to India. Arriving by plane from Goa, we planned to spend 2 nights in the central Mumbai city Fort area.

We would be staying at the [eafl id=5708 name="Residency Hotel Fort, Mumbai" text="Hotel Residency, Fort, Mumbai"].

At €59 per n

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/mumbai-city-fort-area/

Friday, 17 June 2022

In the Footsteps of Jason Bourne

It's no doubt due to the seclusion and natural beauty of Palolem beach that this location was chosen for the shooting of The Bourne Supremacy - the 2nd of the Jason Bourne movies, in 2004.

The beach itself is immediately recognizable at the the beginning of the movie. Two years after the events

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/jason-bourne-footsteps/

Palolem Beach Guesthouses

It was through circumstances rather than planning that we ended up spending around 10 days in a variety of Palolem beach guesthouses.

Cancelled trains and poor or overbooked guesthouses meant we had to change our itinerary on the fly. However, this all turned out for the best, since Palolem is a

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/palolem-beach-guesthouses/

Thursday, 16 June 2022

Goa Beach Hopping

One of our favourite activities on visits to Asia is beach hopping. Just pack a lightweight bag with a picnic, grab a hat and plenty of water, and head out to discover whatever is beyond that distant headland. We spent some really enjoyable days doing this in Sri Lanka and Borneo. Now it was time t

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/goa-beach-hopping/

Palolem Beach Goa

A few kms south of Agonda beach is Palolem beach, which stretches across a 1.6 km curved bay. The beach is pretty much built up from end to end with a large variety of accommodation, restaurants and shops. Rooms and cabins range in price, for anything between 200 to 5,000 rupees per night.

With

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/palolem-beach/

Wednesday, 15 June 2022

South Goa via AC2 Train Class

As relieved as we were to be leaving Kochi, we were a little apprehensive about our forthcoming train journeys to South Goa via AC2 train class.

We had pre-booked berths on an AC2 train leaving that evening from Kochi at 10pm. We should arrive early the following morning in Madgaon, Goa. From

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/south-goa-via-ac2-train-class/

I'm a Celebrity - Get me out of Fort Kochi!

We arrived at Ernaculum Town station in Kochi later than expected - it was already getting close to dusk. We didn't know it, but we still had another 1 hour journey to take us to our guesthouse in Fort Kochi.

Outside the train station, there was a large queue ... and a surprisingly orderly s

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/fort-kochi-india/

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

The Windswept Cliffs of Varkala, Kerala

The next place of interest travelling north up the coast from Kovalam is Varkala. The cliffs of Varkala are famed for their dramatic, windswept appearance and precarious shopfronts perching over the edge.
Reaching the Cliffs of Varkala
The journey from Kovalam to Varkala takes almost 2 hours by

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/cliffs-of-varkala/

Jet Airways Inflight Experience

Several weeks before starting our trip to India, we went online and booked 2 domestic flights directly with Jet Airways. We had never heard of the airline before, so we were curious how our Jet Airways inflight experience would compare to other budget airlines.

We booked the following one-way

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/jet-airways-inflight-experience/

Monday, 13 June 2022

Venice Osteria and Trattoria

Considering that Italy is pretty much one big restaurant, there’s never any difficulty finding somewhere to eat. Whether a Venice osteria and trattoria or pizzeria, there are plenty of places to choose from. In our experience, the overall quality of food in Italy is generally good to very go

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/venice-osteria-trattoria/

Temple of the Tooth - Buddha & Lotus Blossoms

Before we left Kandy we took a few hours to visit the celebrated Temple of the Tooth. This is where they keep one of Buddha’s teeth as a holy relic. The relic is regarded as a symbolic representation of the living Buddha and is the focus of a daily series of offerings, rituals, and cerem

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/temple-of-the-tooth/

Sunday, 12 June 2022

Beneath the Knuckle Mountains

During our stay at the Polwaththa Eco Lodges we arranged several treks through the surrounding thickly-jungled mountain areas. Whenever we emerged into a clearing, we could see the Knuckle Mountains bathed in mist in the far distance.

It's clear to see how these mountains got their name. L

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/knuckle-mountains/

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is located halfway between Colombo and Kandy. Just for a change, we decided to take a train from the modern-looking central station in Kandy westwards to Ranbukkana. From there, we planned to travel the extra few kilometers to Pinnawala on foot. After all, we had

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/pinnawala-elephant-orphanage/

Saturday, 11 June 2022

Kandy Lake Comfort

From Sigiriya, we travelled the short distance to Dambulla by tuk-tuk. We were in two minds whether or not to visit the Dambulla Cave Temple. The deciding factors were time and the weather. It was still raining, and we didn't want to delay our bus trip to Kandy. We were heading for the Kandy lake

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/kandy-lake-comfort/

Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center

Our first day in Sepilok, and we were keen to get a closeup view of the orangutans. The Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center is the reason most visitors come to Sepilok, and you can enjoy a very pleasant and informative day out ‘with the apes’.

The reserve is just 5 minutes down the road

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/sepilok-orangutan-rehabilitation-center/

Friday, 10 June 2022

Sepilok Borneo - Where to Stay & Eat

After 4 days in Kuala Penyu, we organized a taxi to take us to the airport at Kota Kinabalu. Our next destination was Sepilok Borneo, not far from Sandakan.

We had a late morning flight booked with Malaysia Airlines (RM99 per person, 1-way Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan). This is a short 40-minute

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/sepilok-borneo/

Kuala Penyu Tempurung Seaside Lodge

Before leaving Kota Kinabalu, we telephoned ahead to our next lodging - the Kuala Penyu Tempurung Seaside Lodge - to arrange a pickup once we arrived in Kuala Penyu. We needed to do this, since there are few transport options in the area around Kuala Penyu- even taxis are difficult to find.

We

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/kuala-penyu-tempurung-seaside-lodge/

Wednesday, 8 June 2022

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

From Kuantan, we would have to take 2 flights to reach Kota Kinabalu, with a change in Kuala Lumpur.

After the disappearance 6 days earlier of Malaysian Airlines flight 370 out of KL, we were a little apprehensive about our forthcoming flight with the same airline, also travelling into and out o

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/kuantan-kota-kinabalu/

Kota Kinabalu, Borneo

Monday, 6 June 2022

Into the Tioman Rainforest

One of the nicest beaches on Pulau Tioman is Juara beach on the northern coast. There are rivers at both ends of Juara beach. On the northernmost river you can hire a kayak and navigate your way a short distance upriver into the Tioman rainforest.

Just before the river at the southern end of

Read more... http://www.sandspice.com/pulau-tioman-rainforest/

Thursday, 2 June 2022

Juara Beach - Tioman Island, Malaysia

1511, Coconut Grove on Juara beach is a relatively new place. It comprises 8 to 10 compact but comfortable raised wooden beach chalets. The management and staff are very welcoming, and helped us with advice on the local areas of interest, and to fine-tune our onward journey. We paid €37 per night f

Read more... https://www.sandspice.com/juara-beach/