India: Lake Ashtamudi lunch cruise & Kollam Beach in Kerala

Great explorers such as Marco Polo and Ibn Batuta set foot in Kollam, the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala, India. It was a major port of the international spice trade. And it's a major destination in Kerala for those who want to immerse even deeper in the backwaters.

From Varkala, we proceeded to Lake Ashtamudi for a lunch cruise around the lake and more views of the famous backwaters of Kerala. We saw some traditional fishing villages along the way.

Our lunch cruise was hosted by WelcomHotel Raviz Kollam, a fantastic resort by the shores of the lake. We were welcomed upon our arrival by drums, Kathakali performers and an elephant! Our boat was a larger version of the kettuvallam boat with an air-conditioned function room plus an upper deck for beautiful views of Lake Ashtamudi and the local color and culture.

Waiting for us on the upper deck was a sumptuous spread of local dishes which they served with Indian beers and wines. Yes, India has its own red and white wine.

The backwaters are a cultural landscape filled with coconut trees. Every now and then, colorful fishing boats jump out of the continuous fabric of trees, sky and water.

As our boat moved around the lake, we were also introduced to cheena vala or Chinese fishing nets brought in by Chinese merchants. They were all over the place and are a common sight in Kerala.

Different species of birds are also seen around the lake.

We made our way back at the resort to catch a Vallam Kali, a traditional Kerala boat race that was happening right in front of the hotel.

From the lake, we proceeded to Kollam Beach. We spent the night at the Quilon Beach Hotel. The next morning, I was too tired to get up to take photos of the fishermen pulling their nets. But I got a great view from my room anyway.

WelcomHotel Raviz Resort and Ayurveda Spa Kollam
Thevally, Mathilil P.O., Kollam
Kerala, India 691601
Telephone No.: +91 (474) 2751111
Fax No.: +91 (474) 2741111
E-mail: WelcomHotelRavizKollam@itchotels.in

The Quilon Beach Hotel and Convention Centre
Beach, Kollam
Kerala, India 691006
Telephone No.: +91 (474) 2769999
Fax No.: +91 (474) 2749009
Reservations: +91 (944) 6004251 or 6004252
E-mail: crs@qresorts.in or info@qresorts.in

India: Varkala Beach in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala

Varkala Beach in Kerala, India is not just paradise for those who love beaches. It is also called Papanasam Beach, a popular pilgrimage beach. Papanasam literally means wash away sins. And many Hindus come here for purification.

The best views of the beach are from the top of red laterite cliffs that tower over the golden sand and blue waters of the Arabian Sea. Unfortunately, we did not have time to walk down and enjoy the water.

We had high tea at The Gateway Hotel, a Taj resort in Varkala, quite close to the beach. I would have wanted to stay overnight, but we were off to Kollam for the afternoon. Varkala Beach is 45 kilometers away, about two hours from Trivandrum. It's quite close if you plan to land in Trivandrum and are looking for a really nice beach nearby.

The Gateway Hotel Janardhanapuram Varkala 
Near Government Guest House
Varkala - 695 141, Kerala, India
Telephone No.: 91 470 6673300
Fax No.: 91 470 6673333
E-mail: gateway.varkala@tajhotels.com

Ivan About Town turns nine!

Nine years ago, I was at the lobby of Trekkers Lodge in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. Spur of the moment, I decided to start a blog and rented their computer to write my very first entry. Aren't we all surprised how time flies? I usually forget to celebrate the blog's anniversary. But since we're almost a decade old, we're definitely nearing another milestone!

My very first blog entry was written on April 19, 2005. It was during a solo trip to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia and Brunei. I had just purchased my first digital camera the year before. And all I had was a 28MB memory stick! Here's the story of the blog.

Thanks to my parents, I was introduced to travel quite young. In fact, I wrote my first travel journal when I was just six! Here are some highlights from that journal. And I've previously compiled photos from my early years of traveling, including my first road trip at one month old, my first plane ride when I was five on a Philippine Airlines BAC One Eleven Series 500, our first international trip in 1985, and my first long-haul flight in 1993.

I'll reserve the long post for next year! In the meantime, here are photos of the places I visited in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. I wonder what's next?! But today, all I can say is thank you for nine wonderful years! Thank you for joining me as I continue to explore!

Malaysia: Redang Island in Terengganu

Definitely one of the best beaches in Malaysia, Redang Island in Terengganu is a popular resort island that is part of the Redang Island Marine Park. The hot summer sun was up and about yesterday when we visited Pulau Redang and neighboring Pulau Pinang. But despite the heat, the blue water was cool and definitely enticing for a swim. It would be a crime if we did not take a dip!

There are many ways to get to Redang Island. You can take a ferry from Syahbandar Jetty in Kuala Terengganu (in front of the post office) or the Merang Jetty in Setiu. The ferry from Kuala Terengganu took about an hour and thirty minutes. Berjaya Air offers flights to Redang from Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur and a seasonal route from Seletar Airport in Singapore, but these are definitely not cheap.

Our first stop was Pulau Pinang which is popular for snorkeling. The Redang Island Marine Park is composed of four islands, Redang, Pinang, Lima and Ekor Tebu, and all waters two nautical miles from the lines that connect the four islands. Pinang was actually full of tourists but there was much room to snorkel. By late morning, all the groups had left and we had the island to our own.

For lunch, we proceeded to the Laguna Redang Island Resort on Redang Island where we spent the rest of the afternoon. We enjoyed the buffet spread at the resort, lots of choices. The beach in front of the resort was fantastic! The sand was soft and white, and the water was in beautiful hues of blue, I definitely had to jump in!

Next door was another beach where other resorts are located. The beach was lovely as well. Unfortunately, we were not staying overnight. We had proceed back to Kuala Terengganu that afternoon.

I hope I get a chance to stay a bit longer in Redang if I return to Terengganu. But I heard Redang has some competition in Terengganu. The Perhentian Islands also have fantastic white sand beaches. Now to those who've been to both, which is better?

Exploring Northern Thailand and Laos

For many, it’s quite difficult to travel and get away from work for more than a week. If we do get the chance, we always try to make the most out of it. Last November, I spent three weeks in Thailand and Laos.

From Bangkok we flew to Sukhothai to attend a cultural tourism workshop. The Historic Town of Sukhothai, the capital of the first Kingdom of Siam between the 13th and 15th centuries, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the first day, we got to tour the ruins of the royal palace and ancient temples in the Sukhothai Historical Park.

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