Sun, Surf And Our Seminyak Villa

Our two hour flight from Singapore to Indonesia was painless. We started to get really excited to be in Bali as we caught glimpses of the islands and beautiful, blue ocean from our window seat. Once we arrived at Denpasar airport in Bali, we hired a metered taxi to take us to Seminyak just 20 minutes away. We checked in to Villa Kresna Boutique Villas which would be our new home for the next four days. We followed as our bags were carried away and as the garden doors to our villa opened, we realized we hit the jackpot.Even though our villa, Villa Batur, is technically considered a “one bedroom private villa,” there were still two bedrooms. The master bedroom had a king bed and ensuite bathroom with a bathtub and outdoor shower while the smaller bedroom had a twin bed. Both were outfitted with traditional Balinese artwork and a flat screen TV. The living area included a full kitchen, dining room table, lounge area filled with comfy pillows, a full guest bathroom with outdoor shower and laundry facilities. The best thing about the villa was having our own private deck with sun chairs and a private pool! We loved the vaulted ceilings and open floor plan which made the spacious villa (which totaled 1,930 square feet!) seem even larger.  Everything was outside except for the bedrooms which were both air conditioned. During the day, butterflies and birds would fly into the grounds of our villa and in the evening, we’d watch the fruit bats come and eat up the mosquitoes. The paper lanterns were a nice touch, especially lit up in the evenings.After the tour of our villa, it was getting late in the day so we were off in search of food and then headed to the beach. That evening, we stocked up on groceries for the next few days. We planned on cooking a few meals in the villa each day but because the kitchen was fully stocked with everything we could need or want (including complimentary water, tea and coffee), we ended up cooking every single meal in our kitchen for our entire stay. And when I say ‘we cooked,’ I really mean Chris. He lost in rock, paper, scissors and was on chef duty throughout our stay.

We spent the next two days at the beach. Both days, I rented a sun chair while Chris rented a surf board. The waves were waist to chest high and Chris was so stoked to be surfing in Indonesia! There are three main tourist beaches in Bali: Kuta, Legion and Seminyak. We chose to stay at Seminyak because we heard it had a beautiful stretch of beach and is less crowded than the other two. The first picture below is of Seminyak beach… hardly a soul in sight and we had the beach and waves mostly to ourselves. The second is zoomed in towards Kuta and Legion where numerous red umbrellas dot the entire length of the shore. We were happy with our choice of beaches and especially, our accommodation! Aside from beach living, we tried to fully take advantage of all the villa amenities. Throughout the day, we’d always find time for a quick dip in our private pool. It was so convenient to jump in right before breakfast, after we came back from the beach, before and after dinner or in the evening time. It was amazing! To make use of the second bedroom, we’d use it as our TV room in the evenings to catch up on Game of Thrones on HBO (the front desk also has a library of DVDs which guests can rent free of charge). Chris even made sure to use the laundry machine before we had to check out. Those four days were some of the most relaxing on our trip because we had everything we needed in our villa.The Villa Kresna Boutique Villas are an easy 10 minute walk to the beach but they also have another property, Villa Kresna Suites, just a block away from the ocean for those looking to be a little closer. One day, we were given a tour of both locations and we learned that our villa is one of the oldest villas on the property. The new villas are a little more colorful and have upgraded furniture and amenities. All of the villas have their own unique, open-air design and each one is so beautiful! The Villa Kresna Suites are more like a traditional hotel, but again, the rooms are very spacious and right next to the ocean. Facilities vary from villa to villa or room to room so they will have a perfect option for whatever you may need. If you are looking for a perfect holiday hideaway, a romantic getaway or an escape from the bustling streets of Bali, you will find sanctuary at Villa Kresna! To make a reservation or for more information, visit their website, Like Villa Kresna on Facebook or follow them on Twitter.

Disclosure: We received a complimentary stay at Villa Kresna Boutique Villas in exchange for sharing our experience. These thoughts and opinions are completely our own.

Experiencing Wanderlust in Singapore

We were originally planning to fly from Cambodia straight to Indonesia but our flight had us connecting through Singapore so we decided to extend our layover to check out the city for a few days.

Once we landed at Changi Airport, we took the super-efficient local train system (SMRT) to the Little India neighborhood where we stayed for the next three days/two nights. We checked in to Wanderlust, an old school converted into a modern boutique hotel, and dropped our bags in our room to grab lunch at Cocotte, the restaurant on the ground floor.Singapore is world-renowned for its incredibly diverse food inspired from all over the world. Eating is a national pastime and a staple to the culture so we weren’t surprised to hear that Cocotte was a French-inspired restaurant. We took our seats at one of the tables. The décor was a cross between a rustic farmhouse and French bistro with a splash of hipster for good measure. It was adorable! We enjoyed our Arnold Palmers while Chef Anthony prepared a few of the restaurant favorites for us.The first course was an asparagus salad topped with laguiole (a French cheese) and fennel tossed with rocket leaves, boiled quail eggs and a citrus dressing. It was light, fresh and crisp. So tasty! The salad was paired with one of our favorite dishes of the day…a foi gras mousse served with toast and a port wine/cherry preserve. It was savory and rich but sweet from the sauce with a little snap from the baby pickles. So good. Next up were two different sandwiches. The first was a shredded pork sandwich made of Australian pork shoulder, wholegrain mustard dressing, tarragon, parsley and cucumber on a country baguette. For those of you who don’t already know, I’m a sucker for baguette sandwiches and this was no exception.The second was a modern twist on the classic tuna sandwich which included tomatoes, nicoise olives, a long line of green beans (which provided a good crunch), hard boiled eggs and garlic aioli on a toasted baguette. Chris, who doesn’t usually like tuna sandwiches, loved it and claimed it was his favorite of the two. For Chris to favor a tuna sandwich over a pulled pork sandwich says quite a lot! True to the restaurant’s French roots, they also had a bakery serving up delicious pastries, cakes and desserts. We were lucky enough to try a trio of desserts with our iced coffees (a perfect pick-me-up to help us through our long travel day). Starting from the left was an Earl Grey-flavored crème brulee, followed by a lemon citron tart and last but not least, pistachio ice cream. They were so good, but my fave was the tart and Chris’ was the crème brulee. Any way you look at them, you really can’t go wrong. Our first taste of Singapore did not disappoint – everything we had was delicious. Our sandwiches were served a la carte so if you’re really hungry, be sure to order an appetizer (we highly recommend the foi gras mousse) or save room for dessert! We were there for lunch but Cocoette also serves a prix fix dinner menu which changes regularly and brunch on weekends. For more information or to make a reservation, visit their website.

Thank goodness we didn’t have to walk far after eating. We took the elevator to our room on the second floor. Every floor on Wanderlust has a unique design and theme created by a local design agency and ours was the Pantone floor. Each room is painted and furnished with one specific color. Ours was a nice, deep gray but we were given a tour to see a few of the brighter rooms as well.  Space can be a challenge, especially for hotels in major cities, but Wanderlust designed the room for maximum efficiency and practicality. The rooms were perfectly designed to fit everything we could want: super comfortable bed, bathroom, separate shower room with high powered raindrop showerhead, vanity, table and chair, flatscreen tv, espresso maker, mini-bar with complimentary non-alcoholic drinks restocked daily and down the hall was an outdoor patio with Jacuzzi. I have to reiterate, the bed was amazing – super comfy with full body pillows. It felt like you were sleeping on a cloud.

The rooms on level three are black and white, a striking contrast from the rooms on the Pantone color floor. The fourth floor features rooms with their own individual theme like the ‘typerwriter’ or ‘tree’ lofts. We were shown the ‘space’ room, the most requested room in the hotel featuring lighting resembling stars around the bed and space capsule-like chairs which were very cool and very different. We let our food settle before heading out to see the city. We walked everywhere…through Little India, the riverside and the city center until we reached the waterfront for views of the infamous Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Art & Science Museum (shaped like a lotus flower) and surrounding city skyline.

We continued on to Chinatown where we stopped for a beer and to people watch. Our plan was to grab dinner at a street hawker center (food court) down the street, but when we went to pay for our beer, we realized we forgot our wallet at the hotel. Oopsie. We were at least a 45 minute walk away and while we discussed what to do next, a fellow traveler sitting at the table behind us offered to pay for our beer (one Tiger beer costs upwards of $7). We were lucky and so grateful for a fellow traveler’s kindness.We walked back to our hotel, showered and got ready for a night on the town. By this time, it was past normal dinnertime so we took the train from Little India back to Chinatown for some late-night grub. My heart was set on eating ‘chicken rice’ from the Maxwell Street Hawker Center (more on this later), but by the time we got there the food stall had closed so we settled on a noodle dish from a nearby stand. We walked back to where we had our beer earlier in the night thinking the nice man who paid for us may still be there and we could pay him back, but he was gone. We sat to have a few more drinks before heading on.With such a short time in Singapore, we wanted to experience the city as a local. Enter Casey Penney. I met Casey when I worked at Edelman in Chicago. She’s from NY but has lived in Singapore for the last two years and when I found out we’d be in town for a few days, I knew just who to call. We met up at a bar a few blocks away where her friends’ animal-themed 30^th birthday party was taking place and where Casey was dressed as a skunk.After catching up over a few drinks, Casey and her boyfriend brought it back old school style by breaking out round after round of beers and jaeger bombs. Apparently Casey’s skunk hat and other animal accessories made it around the bar that evening. Next thing we know, we’re in a taxi with a few of her friends heading to Zouk, a popular nightclub where we danced the entire night away. We never expected such a crazy/incredible night to unfold (and later found out that Zouk is ranked as one of the top five clubs in the world). Thanks a million to Casey, her boyfriend Patrick and all of her friends who were so nice and so generous. Singapore is super expensive and they paid for almost everything all night long. We owe them big time!

The night was so fun but the next morning was not. The redeeming factor for waking up the next morning was getting to go back to Cocotte for our breakfast (which is included in every reservation) and we weren’t going to miss another delicious meal. Breakfast starts with fresh croissants and pain au chocolates straight from the oven that melt in your mouth.Up next is the breakfast buffet complete with a do-it-yourself cereal and muesli bar, yogurt, bread board, coffee/tea and juice while you wait for your main course to arrive. I chose the omelet served with bacon, grilled tomatoes and sautéed mushrooms which totally hit the spot.Chris had homemade pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. It’s been so long since we’ve had thick fluffy pancakes and proper bacon (for sure the best bacon we’ve had on the trip). The second day, he chose the fruit bowl which was a mix of bananas, papayas, melons and berries tossed in a citrus-honey chardonnay dressing topped with Greek yogurt and fresh lime zest. It tasted just as good as it looked. After breakfast, we contemplated lying in our amazing bed for the rest of the day but finally willed ourselves out the door and into the world. Breakfast was just the beginning of what would be our food tour of Singapore. Once more, we found ourselves back in Chinatown at the Maxwell Street Hawker Center. Hawker centers are food courts where food stall after food stall sell cheap meals. They are nothing like the food courts in the States filled with junk food, but instead serve delicious cuisines from all over the world. One of the most famous stalls in the Maxwell Street Center is the ‘chicken rice’ stall made popular by Anthony Bourdain. The chicken was so juicy, seasoned to perfection and tender, but it surprised us that it was served cold. The rice was hot and flavorful which helped bring up the overall score for the meal. It was really good but not Bourdain’s best reco.From Maxwell Street, we walked to what would become my favorite hawker center, Lau Pa Sat.  They had so many food stalls to choose from and they all looked so good! We were pretty full so we only had one order of shrimp dumplings but they were so delicious that I find myself craving them even now.We walked past the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and this time, we took the elevator to the top for a quick look around. The views of the bay, ocean, river, skyline and gardens were spectacular. It would have been nice to be a guest at the hotel to use their rooftop infinity pool. On our way to the train, we stopped at Makansutra Gluttons Bay for a few fried chicken wings. Although it was the most expensive hawker center with the least variety, it had the best view.We took a quick walk down Singapore’s most popular shopping street, Orchard Road, before heading back to Little India to seek refuge in our room. We made it out once more to a hawker center for dinner just a few blocks from our hotel for a tasty noodle dish. After two days wandering and eating our way through the city, we were thoroughly spent. We spent the rest of the evening enjoying the comforts of our room and prepping for the next leg of our trip.

Wanderlust was our home away from home and quite honestly, one of our favorite places we’ve stayed. Since our time in Singapore was short, we liked that we got to stay in Little India which is a destination on its own. The hotel was within walking distance to two different SMRT stops making it a very convenient location to get to other places in the city (we also walked to/from the city center several times). From the marketing manager Mae to Cocotte’s Chef Anthony to the front desk, the entire staff was so helpful and very professional. If you are so inclined, one of their hotel ambassadors can show you around the city. Each ambassador knows Singapore like the back of their hand and will take you around as if you’re a local, completely free of charge (just be sure to book before you arrive). If you are suffering from a case of wanderlust, this hotel is for you. Whether you’re looking for a staycation or a creative atmosphere where you can rest your head, you’ll find happiness at Wanderlust.

You can visit their Facebook page or website to see more pictures of their unique and creative rooms, make a reservation or learn more about the hotel. Enjoy!

Disclosure: We received a complimentary night stay at Wanderlust and lunch at Cocotte in exchange for sharing our experience. These thoughts and opinions are completely our own.

A Dose of Culture in Cambodia

Our overnight bus from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap was uneventful (thanks to Andy who left us with a handful of sleeping pills to get us to the end of our trip!). The guesthouse we booked offered free pick-up at the bus station so as soon as we exited, we were able to avoid the massive group of tuk tuk drivers hassling people for their business.

We had to wait a few hours before we could check in since we arrived so early in the morning so we went to grab breakfast, ran a few errands and biked around town for the day.The next morning, we woke up bright and early at 5 AM for our all-day adventure to Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. Unsure of how many days we’d want to explore the temples, we purchased a one day pass for $20 each (also sold are 3 day passes for $40 or one week passes for $60) with the thought that we could always purchase another one day pass if we wanted to see more.

The reason for the early wake up was to catch the sunrise at our first stop, Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world. We were warned that the place would be crawling with tourists trying to capture their own sunrise photos, but it wasn’t as bad as we thought and were able to capture more than enough photos. Built in the 12^th century in dedication to Hinduism, Angkor Wat is massive (once we went inside, we hardly saw anyone) and equally impressive. The ornate details and carvings are still visible even though the mostly sandstone temple is slowly eroding away. Just imagine how decorated the temple was with these intricate carvings on every surface of a structure that spans over 400 acres. It was amazing! We spent close to two hours in and around the grounds of Angkor Wat before jumping back in our tuk tuk. Angkor Wat is just one of the many temples, monuments and shrines in the vicinity which covers more than 15 miles. The tuk tuk driver we hired for the day took us from temple to temple. We spent 10 hours visiting and exploring eight of the 72 temples and religious structures each unique and different in their own way. I won’t tell you about each and every one, instead, we’ll just share our two favorites.

Our next stop was Bayon, a Buddhist temple built in the late 12^th century complete with 37 towers. Almost every tower has four carved faces each pointing in a cardinal direction. From afar, the temple looks completely uniform but up close, you can see how each stone was fit together like jigsaw puzzle pieces. The large stone faces have become some of the most famous images connected to Khmer art and architecture. Inside was like a giant maze with passage ways, shrines and open window sills all looking like they were about to crumble. Our other favorite was the Buddhist temple of Ta Prohm. I loved this temple because it was in complete shambles and tinted a faint red and green color from its jungle surroundings. The grounds and temple itself were completely overgrown with humungous roots and trees. All the other temples we saw that day were just an added bonus. In the end, we were completely happy with exploring for just one day and for us, traveling by tuk tuk was definitely the way to go. Many thanks to our friend, Anna Williams, for our Angkor Wat honeyfund! We’ll never forget our incredible day walking around the historic and ancient temples. Thank you so much!

The next day, we took advantage of the free 30 minute massages that our guesthouse offered and it was much appreciated after 10 hours of temple touring the day before. That evening, we walked around Pub Street in the city center before grabbing dinner at a noodle stall where Chris tried a popular Khmer dish called amok (very similar to yellow chicken curry). On our way home, we passed a bar with $1 margaritas and mojitos so we stopped for a drink. While we waited, Chris ordered a barbequed Khmer frog as a snack. Tasted just like chicken! I feel compelled to mention where we stayed because I think it attributed to why we really liked Siem Reap. We paid $18 a night (for two people), which is on the pricier end for backpackers in this area, for our three night stay at Golden Butterfly Villa. It was worth every penny. The guesthouse welcomed us with a cold iced tea, scented hand towels and legitimate snacks upon our arrival. In addition to our free pick-up at the bus station and free 30 minute massage, $18 a night also gets you a room with air-con and a fan, flat screen TV with HBO (where we were able to watch the Season 3 premiere of Game of Thrones), balcony/patio, free picnic for two, free bike rental and free coffee/tea and bananas all day. Plus, the staff was absolutely the nicest group of people we’ve met in Cambodia…so incredibly kind and gracious. They were literally honored to be serving us. When Chris asked to use their phone, they brought him fresh cut watermelon and tea for his phone call. Highly recommend a stay here!

The next morning we took a bus to our next destination and Cambodia’s second largest city – Battambang. We walked around town and hired a tuk tuk driver for the next day to take us around the countryside. The main reason we wanted to come to Battambang was to ride the bamboo train which was our first stop of the day. Used by locals, the bamboo train is a method of transportation for moving goods, cargo and passengers. Chris and I sat on our “train” which was simply made of flat bamboo poles on a metal frame. Our driver sat behind us to operate the small motorcycle engine and within seconds, we were riding down tracks. There is only a single lane train track so when you meet an oncoming train, one of the trains has to be disassembled and taken off the rails so the other train can pass. The drivers help each other with this process which only took a minute. However, locals who use the train (usually around 4 or 5 AM coming back from the city markets) will need to completely unload everything they are carrying which I’m sure takes a lot longer. The ride was loud and by no means smooth, but was so fun cruising through the country at 30km/hour on a rickety bamboo train! Cambodia is currently working with Vietnam and Thailand to create a new rail system connecting all of the countries so the bamboo train will likely not exist in a few years. I’m glad we were able to experience it while we could.

Our next stop was a winery set in the Cambodia countryside. The wine was pretty foul but I guess you can’t expect it to be amazing given the location. Next up was the Phnom Banan temple built in the mid-11^th century.  The structural style resembles that of Angkor Wat but this temple was much older. Lastly, we visited a killing cave from the days of the Khmer Rouge rule (more on this later) and a pagoda on a hilltop overlooking the plains. All in all, it was a busy day allowing us to accomplish everything we wanted to see (and more). We took a bus to Phnom Penh, the capital city and our last destination in Cambodia. After we found a decent guesthouse (quality of accommodation is not the best here and in no way compares to Siem Reap), we found a pretty good street stall selling fried noodles for $1 and then hired a tuk tuk driver to pick us up the next morning. The next morning, we hopped in our tuk tuk for a 30 minute ride outside of the city to Choeung Ek genocide center, the location of one of the largest killing fields from the Khmer Rouge regime.

We purchased tickets for the audio tour and were shocked and heartbroken to learn of the brutality that occurred throughout Cambodia in the 1970’s. In 1975, the Khmer Rouge restructured Cambodian society by destroying schools, banks, hospitals, temples, government buildings, etc. in an attempt to create a peasant-dominated agrarian cooperative. The entire population was forced to leave their homes and march into the countryside where they worked as slaves under horrendous conditions. The leader of the Khmer Rouge, Pol Pot, had intellectuals, teachers, monks and community leaders killed and/or tortured. One of the main prisons used for torture in Phnom Penh sent almost all of the prisoners to their death in the Choeung Ek killing fields.

The tour took us through the former orchard where more than 20,000 Cambodians were executed in more than 200 mass graves. Bullets were costly so prisoners were mainly beaten to death by whatever tools were available – sticks, hoes, hammers, knives, and even sugar palm branches (which have very sharp ridges).On display were human remains and remnants of old clothes (which to this day continue to surface during heavy floods). We also saw the ‘killing tree’ which the Khmer Rouge used to bludgeon Cambodian babies to death. It was completely disturbing. The tour ended at the Memorial Stupa, which houses thousands of skulls and bones of those who passed in Choeung Ek. It’s estimated that within nearly four years of Pol Pot’s rule, two to three million Cambodians were killed – 25% of their total population. The stupa was built to honor all the genocide victims throughout Cambodia. The stories and accounts of what happened there are truly horrific. What was most shocking is that all of this happened just 35 years ago. Our hearts go out to the country and people who lived, died and suffered through this unthinkable time.We returned to Phnom Penh to run errands and prepare for our flight out of Cambodia the next morning. Since we are leaving mainland SE Asia (what we consider Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia), we thought we should do something you can’t easily experience in the States. We discussed going to the shooting range where you can fire AK47s, rocket launchers and grenades at still targets, coconuts or for an extra fee…live cows. Although I’m sure it would be a good time firing automatic weapons, the cost was pretty high so we settled for going out for pizza. We walked down to a river front restaurant and ordered a few beers and a “happy” pepperoni pizza from Happy Herb Pizza. As you can probably guess from the name, this was no ordinary pizza. It was surprisingly delicious and at $7 for a medium, I was definitely happy with our purchase…even several hours later.After just over two weeks in one of the friendliest countries we’ve visited, it was time to move on. The next morning, we took a tuk tuk to the airport to catch our flight out to Singapore!

Life’s a Beach in Cambodia

Our bus left Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam in the early morning and we set off to cross the border into Cambodia. Visas to Cambodia for US citizens cost $20 but as soon as we boarded the bus, we were encouraged to pay $25 each so the bus manager could secure our visas and expedite the border crossing procedures for us.  He explained that the border would be very busy due to the Cambodian New Year, but we didn’t succumb to the pressure of the bribe and when we rolled up to the border, it was completely empty! We filled out all the necessary paperwork, paid for our visas and hopped back on the bus with the others and were well on our way to Cambodia.

Our first destination in Cambodia was Sihanoukville, a beach town on the southern coast comprised of a half dozen different beaches. Once our bus arrived, we hopped into a tuk tuk and drove to the farthest and most secluded beach in the area – Otres Beach.

Of all the beaches in Sihanoukville, Otres Beach is known to be the most laid-back and have the most beautiful beach in town. It’s comprised of two main areas…Otres 1 and Otres 2 separated by a mile stretch of untouched government beach mainly used by the locals. We stayed on Otres 2 the entire time and I’m glad we did. When we walked down to Otres 1, it just seemed a little bit crowded for us and there was hardly anyone on Otres 2. Just off the beach are a dirt road and about 10 different places to stay, most with a kitchen acting as a restaurant and bar. Almost all of the rooms are fan only and because it’s so secluded on Otres, power outages are common. The fact that there are no ATMs, convenience stores or shops all adds to the beach life experience.It just so happens that our timing worked out well to meet up with some of our favorite travelers Kristin and Matt…the TITs (Texans in Transit). We met them in Brazil and also saw them in Thailand just over a month ago! It was nearly 9pm when we were dropped off right on the beach at Footprints Guesthouse where they had booked a bungalow for us (thanks, Kristin!). We spent the evening catching up and having a few beers before hitting the sack.

We woke up and were excited to hit the beach. It was a bit overcast from the morning showers but it cleared up throughout the day. The water was so warm – Chris thinks the water temperature was upwards of 90 degrees. We literally spent all day playing in the Gulf of Thailand. Last time we saw the TITs, we were drinking Changs in Thailand and now we were on to Klangs in Cambodia. Klangs were 50 cents at happy hour and just like Changs, have an elephant on the label and are ridiculously STRONG. Good times led to an early bedtime. The next day, the weather and beach were beautiful! It was the perfect beach day to spend with our friends before they had to leave that evening. We walked down the beach to Otres 1 for lunch and while we waited for our food, a local lady approached us selling large unknown crustaceans that looked like a cross between a shrimp and crawfish. We ordered 10 pieces of the mystery seafood. We could only eat the meat of their back, but they were tasty little things! We bid goodbye to our friends as they left for  Vietnam, their last country on their round the world tour. We’ve seen them in three countries across two continents now and hope to meet up sometime when we are back in the States!Once the Texans left, we stayed one more night at Footprints. The plan was to head to Koh Rong Island for the next few days but when the time came to leave Otres Beach the next morning, we couldn’t do it. Several months ago, we met a guy on our first night in Bangkok who was finishing up six months in Asia. His one piece of advice to us: if you find a nice beach that you like… stay there – don’t spend time traveling from one nice beach to another nice beach. He had a point so we took his advice. We cancelled our plans to stay on the island, switched guesthouses (because Footprints was fully booked) and enjoyed staying in one place. After five days on Otres Beach, we still wanted more. We moved down to the far end of Otres 2 into a beautiful bungalow at the Secret Garden. This place completed our beach paradise. The Secret Garden on Otres 2 is the perfect place for a beach getaway. Each tastefully decorated bungalow boasts a private patio, outdoor shower and spacious bedroom with bone-chilling air conditioning, free tea and coffee and mini-fridge. After five nights without air con, we were in heaven! The Secret Garden is comprised of a village of bungalows, a beautiful and incredibly clean pool (the only pool on Otres Beach!), signature restaurant and a prime beach front location with loungers and sun chairs. They have everything you may need and more. We settled into our bungalow and hit the beach. We only moved a quarter mile down from where we were previously staying but I swear the sand became nicer and even softer the closer you got to Secret Garden.After cleaning up in our outdoor shower, we made our way to the restaurant and bar area. Every reservation includes a free welcome drink of any cocktail on their menu. Chris has been craving a White Russian for a few months now and I chose a rum and coconut frozen drink. They were both strong and delicious! We ordered a few Angkor draft beers during happy hour to wash it all down as we ordered dinner.The Secret Garden has a few owners, a handful of which are from Texas so we (especially Chris) were very excited to see that the menu included a few Mexican dishes. That night, we had our first taste of Mexican food in more than seven months. The next morning, we were back at the restaurant for breakfast. Breakfast is included in your stay and you can choose from four or five different options. Naturally, we chose the biggest – the American breakfast…ham and cheese omelet with Texas toast and a choice of two sides out of eight different selections. Yum!That day was by far the most beautiful beach day we had during our entire time at Otres Beach so we spent the whole day swimming and relaxing on the beach.After a full week on the coast, it was finally time to say goodbye to the ocean and our beach bungalow. If you find your way to the beaches in Cambodia, we highly recommend staying on Otres Beach and better yet, the Secret Garden. We stayed in three different places on Otres 2 so we can vouch that this place takes the cake for the best piece of beach and the nicest accommodation! We should mention that the overall service we received at the Secret Garden was wonderful. Unfortunately, we had an issue during checkout due to miscommunication with the management which tainted our very positive experience, but overall, it was an amazing stay in an absolutely incredible location. For rates and booking information, visit their website.

We were bummed to leave the beach but are looking forward to our next destination, Cambodia’s pride and joy: Siem Reap and Angkor Wat!Disclaimer: We received a complimentary stay at The Secret Garden in exchange for sharing our experience. These thoughts and opinions are completely our own.

Southern Vietnam: Nha Trang and Saigon

We arrived in Nha Trang on an overnight train from Hoi An, jumped in a cab and took off towards the beach. We went to work finding a place to stay for the next three nights and found ourselves at a guesthouse with an ocean view (over several other buildings and a park) on one of the main streets.We fell into a routine for the next few days. We’d wake up and walk one block down the street to enjoy a glass of Vietnamese iced coffee. We’d literally sit on tiny stools next to the gutter on the side of the road at the makeshift cafe.This was the strongest and tastiest coffee we’ve had in Vietnam and was served by the happiest woman ever – a great combination and the perfect way to start the day each morning. We’d drink our coffee and unlimited ice tea (all for 50 cents) while we waited for our bahn mi sandwiches from the adjoining food stall.The sandwiches, also 50 cents each, were ‘chay’ or vegetarian sandwiches. They were filled with three types of soy meat, chili sauce and tons of different types of veggies. Even though they were meatless, the boys both loved them. Three days and about five sandwiches later, I decided they weren’t my favorite. After our brunch of coffee and sandwiches, we’d head to the beach. The beach in Nha Trang gets a bad rap from other travelers but I’m not sure why. It’s clean and only one block from the downtown area. A beach is a beach and we had no complaints visiting it each day. After beach time, we’d head back to the room to relax, shower and go out to dinner. One day we walked down the beach to a brewery/restaurant on the water where Andy treated us to their local beer and pizza. Other than a long walk through the city for train tickets and Andy buying new “Billabong” board shorts for a mere $7, we didn’t feel the need to do much else in Nha Trang aside from eat and go to the beach.

It was finally time to head to our last destination in Vietnam -Ho Chi Minh City, also known as Saigon. The overnight trains were set to arrive in HCMC at 4 AM which was way too early for us so we decided to take a morning train that arrived in the late afternoon. Except for one or two other backpackers, we were the only foreigners in our train car. The seats were pretty comfy and we settled in for our seven hour journey to the big city. We arrived in HCMC and walked through the chaotic streets to find a place to stay for the next three nights. We bargained for a hotel room and went out to grab dinner at a pho restaurant we passed only one block away. This was one of the best beef noodle soups we’ve had. They bring out a plate of fresh herbs and chilis so you can doctor your soup up to your preferred level of spice and flavor (Chris’ version pictured below). We eat pho almost every day for at least one meal in Vietnam and it never gets old. It’s so good!Just down the block lies an incredibly lively street where we perched up on tiny stools with bia hoi for the night.  Both sides of the street are lined with bars, stalls and restaurants and every seat is facing the street. The street provides the best source of entertainment: people watching. We drank glasses and glasses of fresh bia hoi while getting to know the locals and expats and staring at the craziness happening around us. Street hawkers, motorbikes, lady boys, smells from the food stalls (good and bad) and police drive-bys… it all happens at once as you sip your beer and take it all in. The experience is very similar to Hanoi but the streets can accommodate more activity and in our opinion, are a bit wilder (and cleaner). Saigon is crazy and awesome. The photos we have are lame in comparison to the actual experience. We headed home for bed and to call Bunny, Chris and Andy’s grandma, to wish her a very happy birthday (Happy Birthday Bunny)! Talking to the Buns gave the boys a second wind as she encouraged them to go out for more beer. They went back to the street stall we had just left and made friends with the owner, an 82 year old Vietnamese woman who spoke no English and ran that bustling beer stall like clockwork.The next morning, we went on an adventure to find the Lunch Lady who was spotlighted on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. The now famous Lunch Lady typically makes one type of soup or dish each day which she serves until it runs out, usually around 1 or 2pm.We sat down in the back of a street alley and ordered three mystery dishes. At the time, we had no idea what we were served but we later used Google to find out that it was a bowl of ‘bun thit nuong,’ which translates to ‘grilled meat on noodles.’ Turns out, it’s a popular Vietnamese cold vermicelli noodle dish topped with grilled pork, fresh herbs, vegetables and fried minced pork rolls.The accompanying fresh spring rolls were probably the best I’ve had (apart from the ones we made ourselves in Hoi An). I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t get to try one of her ultra-famous soups, but it was still really good. Chris loved it. Plus, the trip was worth meeting the Lunch Lady and seeing her happy face. Look at that smile!From there we walked to the War Remnants Museum, where we learned about the Vietnam War from the perspective of the Vietnamese. Most of the exhibits were comprised of graphic photos taken during the war (which we’ll spare you), the aftermath of chemical warfare on its people, artillery and weapons used and old remnants of the war from prison camps and soldiers. Museums like that can put a damper on your day but we felt like we should have a look while we were there and admission only costs us 75 cents. We spent our last day on a tour of the Mekong Delta. After much debate, we decided on a boat tour around four different islands. We took a bus straight south to the Mekong Delta and hopped on a boat to our first island where we visited a small village that produced coconut candy. We watched the demonstration on how it’s made (no machinery and no gloves) before tasting a few of the sweets for ourselves. Afterwards, we hopped onto an awkward horse drawn carriage which pranced us down the street, turned around and brought us right back. It was just weird.We got back on our boat which took us to the next island for lunch. After lunch was free time to relax so we took some bikes and rode around the island for a bit.The next stop was a honey farm on a different island. We saw the beehives, tasted the honey and drank tea made with bee pollen. We broke into small groups for a canoe ride down the waterways. Being rowed down the Mekong waterways through the dense foliage of the island was definitely the best part of the day. We stopped in a village to taste the local fruits and drink some more tea while the villagers played music and sang for us. After a long day, it was finally time for us to head back into the city. In retrospect, we probably shouldn’t have gone on the Mekong Delta island tour because it left a lot to be desired. I think I was expecting to see more life on the delta…floating villages, colorful boats, fisherman casting nets, etc. If I could do it again, I would have reworked our itinerary to stay a night or two in the Mekong Delta so we could explore it on our own. Oh well, the eight hour tour which included our lunch only cost $8 so I guess we can’t really complain!

We spent our last night with Andy in Ho Chi Minh City before we had to part ways. Chris and I left on a bus to Cambodia in the early morning and Andy had to catch his (multiple) flights back to the States just a few hours later. We had such a good time with Andy in Vietnam – he’s just so easy going and the perfect travel companion. The night before we parted ways, he left us his goodies from the States, bought Chris two new t-shirts and surprised us with cold beers as a parting gift. We miss you Andy – so glad we were able to spend these past three weeks with you in such an amazing country!