Palma is the capital of the Spanish island of Mallorca, and we started our week long holiday in Mallorca by spending one day there exploring its old town and enjoying food in its great restaurants. Regardless of the island still having a reputation of a tourist trap we thoroughly enjoyed our stay both in Palma... Continue Reading →
I've now spent couple of years living in and out of Hong Kong, and recently started thinking what to me are the most characteristic things about Hong Kong and give it its unique personality. What are those places, sounds and other things that are so inherently Hong Kong that if I would be brought into... Continue Reading →
Going for a short trip to Singapore and want to make most out of it? These are my tips and tricks for maximizing the fun and minimizing the hassle. Getting to and from airport While you can get to and from the airport with transportation, it really does take a long time and typically involves... Continue Reading →
Going to Singapore? Here's my recipe for a perfect stay in this amazing city. Overview Singapore is a great city to visit all year round both for adults and kids. Weather is always warm (30-33C) and while it rains on most days, it's typically only couple of brief showers in the afternoon. The city is... Continue Reading →
My biggest concern before coming to Langkawi was if it's too touristic as it's likely the most famous of the holiday islands in Malaysia. I'm very happy to say my concerns were totally void! Below I've collected some highlights about what to do while in Langkawi based on our trip there in early April. Kilim... Continue Reading →
Koh Lipe is the southern most island of Thailand and considered by many as the one with the most beautiful beaches in Thailand. We came there for a day trip from Langkawi, but you can easily get there also from the coast of Thailand or from other islands in Thailand as there are daily ferry... Continue Reading →
Kilim Geoforest park is an Unesco Global Geopark, a special protected area of geological significance and thus protected. It's located in the north east corner of Langkawi and consists of more than 100 small islands and dense mangrove forest. Exploring the park means you need to hop on a boat. You can do this either with... Continue Reading →
For our Easter holiday we had reserved 5 days to spend in Langkawi to enjoy its amazing beaches and warm weather. This time we were 2 adults and a 12-year old, and finding a place that would both be affordable and fulfill everyone's criteria was definitely not an easy task. Normally, I'd always prefer small... Continue Reading →
Stone Town is the capital of Zanzibar and it's a great place to learn about the daily life of the locals in the cities. The buildings in the center of Stone Town have slight Arabic feel and you can see that some day, this was one the wealthiest places in Tanzania. Now, however, most of... Continue Reading →
Lake Manyara National Park is the least visited and smallest of the game parks near Serengeti – other two being Ngorongoro and Tarangire. Just like the other parks, also Lake Manyara has its own unique nature and animals. One of the unique aspects of the park becomes clear very soon after entering the park: the... Continue Reading →
Our stay in Zanzibar included couple of highlights in terms of food and drinks – some because of the views, some for the food, and some for both. Nungwi In Nungwi the thing you want to look for is great views. We had that at couple of places which I can highly recommend: Rooftop bar... Continue Reading →
Roughly hundred years ago Seychelles gave two giant tortoise as a gift to Zanzibar, and at some point the tortoise were moved to the Prison island to keep them safe. Today, there are a total of 160 tortoise, oldest of which is 197 years, and biggest of which weights a whopping 370kg. Prison island is... Continue Reading →
Are you like me and have hard time staying put even for a day? Given my need to explore, regardless of having arrived to the hotel around 4am, we chose to go for a half day hike to a waterfall at Mount Meru on the first day of our holiday. We had booked the hike... Continue Reading →
Ok. I’ve been to many hotels, and the Escarpment Luxury Lodge definitely goes to top 5. Let’s start with the environment of the lodge. Stunning: it’s located on the edge of the Great Rift Valley Escarpment which is some 600m high and has a beautiful view over Lake Manyara. And you can experience both amazing... Continue Reading →
There are so many reasons to visit Zanzibar, below just my top 5. Stunning beaches For me, the top reason to visit Zanzibar is its beaches: it has some of the most amazing beaches in the world with very fine white sand and incredibly turquoise water. My favourite is the beach in Paje which continues... Continue Reading →
This was my second trip to Tanzania, but this time my role was a bit different: I was taking 9 of my friends and their 4 kids (ages 7-12) there. Our trip took place almost exactly 20 years after we first met when studying at the Helsinki University of Technology. At the end of our... Continue Reading →
So far I've visited Pilanesberg two times and have always stayed a the Black Rhino Private reserve which is on the park's western side. To me it's been super convenient since you both to get to stay at these amazing lodges with a possibility to view wildlife sometime directly from your lodge the morning/evening game... Continue Reading →
Going to Johannesburg and would love to see some wildlife but don't have time to go to Kruger? Black Rhino Private reserve is a great option even if you just have one extra day to spend - although I wouldn't mind spend even three days there at some of the amazing safari lodges they have.... Continue Reading →
Pilanesberg is a perfect destination for 1-3 nights if you want to go on a safari while visiting Johannesburg. It's really easy to reach from Johannesburg and also has no malaria. The drive to Pilanesberg from TAMBO International airport or Johannesburg is roughly 180 km and takes a bit more than 2 hours. When driving... Continue Reading →
As I'm getting excited about my upcoming safari I wanted to share my tips on what to pack on a safari based on what I've learned on my previous safari's in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. About packing in general My next safari will be to Tanzania, and there one key thing to note is... Continue Reading →
Travel the World with Taru 