Maui Getaway

Have you ever had one of those feelings where you feel really lost and all you want to do is book a plane ticket, pack your bags, hop on a plane, and just leave? It doesn't really matter where you're going to, all you know is you need to leave asap. Well, that was me a week ago. I desperately needed a getaway and the next thing I know, I was already on the plane to Maui.

For the whole week, I stayed at my friend Josh's apartment, which is located in Kahului. Josh is one of my closest friends. We met during our freshman year in college but haven't seen each other since then (his family moved to Maui). I mean... what's better than spending your getaway time with your best friend, right?

The trip began, of course, at the beach. Josh and I walked to what he called the "windsurfing beach". It was absolutely stunning that day; the sky was clear, the ocean was calm, and there weren't a lot of people there. The solitude and tranquility of this beach reminded me of the tv show "Lost", how sometimes the human spirit finds itself in places that have not been arranged by the hand of man.

A Hawaiian trip is not a trip without a little bit of hiking. 'Iao Valley, like a lot of famous sites on the islands, is scared to Hawaiians. In 1790. King Kamehameha I destroyed the Maui army to unite the Hawaiian Islands on this site, making it one of the most famous and bloody battles that changed Hawaii history forever.
Instead of following the paved hiking trial, we decided to be adventurous and set foot on a narrow muddy path (note to self: don't wear shoes unless you want to make them brown). Soon enough, I found myself in a beautiful, untouched Jurassic Park-like jungle, far away from the crowd. As there is no reference to this trail whatsoever, I can only say you'll come across a river after walking for approximately 20 minutes (in mud).

Seeing there are no sandy beaches in Hilo, Josh suggested going to Kanapali Beach on my thrid day there. Kaanapali Beach is one of the well-known beaches in Maui. The water is calm enough for intermediate swimmers but also offer some waves for advanced swimmers or boogieboarders. To me, the best thing about this beach is the cliff you can jump off of. This cliff is like the tiny version of South Point, the perfect cliff to practice my backflips!

We also did something new (well, at least for me) - going to a nude beach. Little Beach is a place where you are free to be whoever you want to be; you can play ping-pong, surf, run around with your dog, all without clothes. In addtion to that, they have drum circles and fire dancing every Sunday, which I found really exciting and fun.

To complete my magical trip in Maui , we spent our last day in Lahaina with our friend, Rosie. Rosie recommended this place called "The Archers". I believe this is a local place because I tried googling this place beforehand and could not find anything about it.

Booking my flight to Maui was probably one of the best decisions I've made in life. I mean yes, you can always just take a day off and consider that as a getaway. But if you really want a true break, both mentally and physically, it is okay to take that badly needed vacation. The work in which you are currently involved isn't going anywhere. I guarantee you it will still be there once you get back. Honestly, if you are sitting there at work constantly thinking about being somewhere else, you aren't really there anyway! So what are you waiting for? Go book that trip you've been long dreaming for, you deserve it. 

Surfing at Honoli'i Beach Park

Hawaii and surfing are probably one of the most "interconnected" word pair of all time. For some reason, when you think of the word Hawaii, you automatically dream of sandy toes, salty hair, clear blue skies, Piña Colada & hot surfer dudes (admit it, you secretly do that all the time) Indeed, what better place could you possibly meet hot surfer dudes than surfing's own motherland, Hawaii?

First thing first, I suck at surfing. I did manage to stand on the board last time I surfed aka. a year ago,  but that's it. I can only stand and ride some waves. One of my resolutions for this year is to be better at surfing, better as in not looking like a complete idiot out there haha!

Honoli'i is super popular among the local surf crowd on the Big Island. Unlike most surfing spots here, Honoli'i sees action all year round. In the summer, the waves are relatively calm and ideal for beginners; winter's waves, however, are higher and more challenging, hence more suitable for the pros.

Unless you have strong Hawaiian feet, remember to wear some kind of footwear if you decided to pay Honoli'i a visit. As much as calling it a beach park, Honoli'i does not have any sand at all. It is covered with rocks & that could be a hazard to your feet if you are not used to walking on semi-sharp pointy rocks. "Jesus Shoes" (look it up if you don't know what they are. You're missing out!) work the best in this kind of situation because you don't have to worry about controlling the position of the flipflop on your foot whilst strolling along the wet stoney shore. 

One thing I learned about surfing is that whether you are a beginner or a pro, you ought to respect each other. The ocean is for everyone, and that means you don't get to surf every single wave you encountered. One wave, one surfer. Remember that. Also, keep in mind that the surfer on the inside has the right of way. However, if someone has been waiting longer than you, do have the courtesy to let them ride the next wave. *insert smily face*

Other than that, enjoy the surf! Don't be scared of falling off your board and making a fool out of yourself. Who cares about your failed takeoffs and nose dives, as long as you're having fun, you are doing a great job. 

"Surfing is about health and peace of mind and body. No stress."

Throwback Travel: Villingili, Maldives '11

The Maldives, a string of green atolls fringed by soft-white beaches, tall palm trees and turquoise waters, has a reputation for being one of the must-go-island in the world. With an average elevation of less than five feet above sea level and a peak elevation of eight feet, the immense Indiana Ocean is slowly swallowing up these magical islands, burying one of the world's treasure deep down in the sea.

After bugging my mother for centuries, gathering facts about the sinkage of Maldives, I was finally able to persuade her to bring us to the heavenly island in 2011. There was no direct flight to Maldives from Hong Kong, so we had to transit in Malaysia after a 3 hour flight and then off to Male, Maldives for another four hours. Just as I thought I could finally rest and take a soothing bath, my mother decided to surprise me with another plane ticket. Oh yays! Another plane ride. And let me tell you, that was not JUST a plane ride, it was one of those i-think-i'm-gonna-die kind of plane ride.

It doesn't look that scary in pictures but I wasn't exaggerating when I said it was one of those i-think-i'm-gonna-die kind of plane ride. The propellers made a lot of noise throughout the whole flight, and since the aircraft was so light in weight, the turbulence we encountered were so much more terrifying.

After an hour of non-stop talking with my sister (obviously to distract myself from the noises and turbulence), we finally landed at Gan International Airport on Addu Atoll. We were then escorted to the nearby jetty, where we took a five-minute speedboat ride to Villingili. Villingili is the only resort island of Seenu Atoll, meaning the the whole resort has the whole island by itself. The resort we stayed at was Shangri-La's Villingili & Spa. Shangri-La hotels & resorts are known for providing a state of great comfort and extravagant living. And I can say this is probably by far my favourite among the other Shangri-La hotels I've stayed at.

Landing late after a long day of flying and packing, I collapsed in bed once I stepped into the room. I set my alarm for an early wake up the next morning, hoping to make use of every single seconds I have in Maldives.

The next morning, I woke up to this gorgeous skyline. I couldn't help but take a couple pictures of this beautiful scenery of my room. The room I stayed in was called the Water Villa.  It was built on stilts in the resort's lagoon and is connected to the island by a timber walkway. Each room has its own private "stairs" that lead you directly to the ocean and of course, a hammock that hangs over the water!

Apart from having the most amazing outdoor view, the water villa also includes an exquisite bathroom with an oval bathtub, indoor & open air showers and vanity counters. Three different ways to take a shower... Nothing can ever top that one eh? Shangri-La also provided L'Occitane toiletries, which had definitely made my shower a hundred times better throughout my stay.

Oh and did I mention each one of us had our own bicycle for transportation? Since the water villa is located at the side of the island, every time we wanted to go to the beach or dining room, we would have to cycle along the wooden pavement to get there. For all those peeps that don't know how to ride a bike, don't worry, you could always request a buggy to pick you up.

Speaking of the dining room, this is how it looks. Beautiful, isn't it?

As relaxing as it is, kids might find it really boring to go to the beach every day, thus Shangri-La also offers a variety of recreation for both adults and children. My family and I were there during Easter, which explains why the following pictures and activities are so easterly.

If you're thinking of a little getaway trip, the Maldives is no doubt the place to go for. Not only is it a beautiful place to be at but it is also sinking, and girl if you don't visit Maldives soon, it will be gone soon.

Have you been to the Maldives? Which resort did you stay at?

Narnia In Hawaii

I've always longed for the day where I have the power to simply walk through my boring wardrobe and enter the so call magical land, Narnia. Especially now that school has started, I feel like the urge of having this power has gotten stronger every day.

As much as I pray for the existence of Narnia, let's be real, it's impossible. BUT it is possible to find places similar to Narnia in Hawaii. Perks of living in 808 state!

"Most of us, I suppose, have a secret country but for most of us it is only an imaginary country. Edmund and Lucy were luckier than other people in that respect." 

- C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader