Best Honeymoon Destinations in the Bahamas

In the Bahamas there are many great all inclusive honeymoon destinations to enjoy the beautiful Caribbean beaches. Those who are traveling to a Bahamas island for the first time may prefer an all inclusive package such as those offered by the Sandals resorts that are located on a number of different islands in the Caribbean. Sandals resorts offer special packages for weddings and honeymoons. Many couples choose to get married here because of the beautiful beaches and the laid back atmosphere. Sometimes a wedding and honeymoon package is actually an inexpensive wedding idea because it is actually cheaper than having two separate events that have to be coordinated and planned.

These Bahama islands are well known for their beaches but there are a few unique spots that you won't find anywhere else. Pink Sands is one of the best hidden Bahama honeymoon spots in the Caribbean. The Pink Sands Resort is on Harbour Island, Bahamas. They offer a number of adventures for newlyweds. The amenities at the Pink Sands are designed to give guests the opportunity to try all kinds of different water outings unique to the Caribbean. They offer snorkeling, tennis courts, umbrellas and lounges for the beach, they have a library, a spa, along with traditional amenities like a freshwater pool and a gym facility.

Paradise Island is another hot spot that honeymooners will likely want to visit. This small island is dedicated to the tourist industry. It is less than a mile wide and about five miles long. They have all kinds of restaurants and gift shops where you can enjoy food from all different cultures that is prepared by top chefs. The gift shops have many different items that are unique to the Bahamas. On Paradise Island you can also enjoy the casinos and a luxury golf course.

Some of the best Bahamas honeymoon destinations are the beaches which double as an excellent place to share wedding vows. Getting married here is easy and many people prefer a small wedding in the Bahamas rather than a large wedding at home because it is easier and less stressful due to the ease of planning. A wedding on a Bahama island is easy to plan because the resort takes care of most of the details like the cake, flowers, and pictures.

Air travel 2.0: New 'spacecraft' will take two hours to reach Oz

A revolutionary spaceship that will allow holidaymakers to reach any destination in less than two hours could become a fixture in the skies.

Michiel Mol, a Formula One tycoon and co-owner of the Force India racing team, has joined up with Dutch airline KLM to develop a spacecraft that could make weekend getaways to Australia a reality.

The revolutionary vessel would make long-haul flights a thing of the past - with journeys from London to Sydney taking a mere hour and 45 minutes.
Michiel Mol

But travellers should not change their holiday plans just yet, as organisers do not expect to have commercial space journeys in operation for another 15 to 20 years.

But tickets for the first seats on this fantastical craft have already been sold - and the first British passenger has signed up for a ticket for a spaceflight on a preliminary edition of the craft in 2014, for 'just' £60,000.

Anton Kriel, who appeared on the BBC TV programme Million Dollar Traders, has already booked his seat, and has said he will go through astronaut training to prepare for the flight.

So far, 35 globe-trotters, all of whom must go through a minor physical examination before getting on board, have bought tickets for the first set of flights, which will take off from the Caribbean island of Curacao.

If passengers reach an altitude of 62 miles, they will be able to call themselves astronauts.

The Lynx, the project’s first generation spaceship, will travel at 2,200 mph and will be revealed next spring.

Mr Mol said: 'Being able to travel from London to Sydney in an hour and 45 minutes, that is the future.

'I think there will be millions of people who would prefer to be in Sydney in a little more than one and a half hours rather than 24 hours.'

The project will rival Sir Richard Branson’s space travel venture Virgin Galactic, which - at £130,000 a seat - makes tickets on the Lynx seem like a steal.

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 12th September, 2011

Today's weather;

Back on Koh Samui which is great but the weather is not that great this morning. A cloudy sky and strong winds prevail. Current temp is 26.7C at 7am.

By tomorrow the weather should be back to 'normal' and the strong winds should have gone away.

A cloudy sky in Plai Laem this morning

Yesterday saw a cloud covered day but not as bad as predicted, yes, there was a strong wind and around 3.30pm there was some rain whilst I was waiting for the ferry to Samui as well but in general it was nicer than I thought it would be. Max temp reached 30.5C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 11th September, 2011

Today's weather;

Koh Samui and Koh Phangan have heavy cloud cover and there's some strong wind today. Chances of rain are very high for today and tomorrow. By Tuesday the weather should be fine again. Current temp at 7am is 26C

Later today I'll be on my way back to Samui again!

Clouds, wind, waves and rain where yesterdays scene at Haad Chao Phao on Koh Phangan

Yesterday saw cloud cover all day long around both islands and we only had some (very hard) rain around 1pm. Max temp reached 30.1C

Camille

Karon Temple Market

The local market is always a good place to get a slice of local life, and you can find markets all over Phuket. Already on this blog you can find information about the well known Weekend Market, and also the big Kathu market. I do realise that most visitors to Phuket won't be putting "visit to a local market" top of their list, but there is one market in Phuket that's very easy to visit, especially if your hotel is near the north end of Karon Beach! There is a market in the grounds of Karon temple every Tuesday and Saturday and rather surprisingly considering that I like markets and work in Karon .. I had never stopped at the market until last week. It starts in the afternoon and goes on into the night. I went just after work, a bit before sunset.



It was not that busy .. well, it's low season and I think more people go to the market after dark. I parked 20m down the road and the first thing I saw was this sign (above) at the "Nok Noi" roadside restaurant. There are lots of small restaurants along the stretch of road near the temple. Here's the entrance to Karon temple with market stalls set up:



I was not sure what to expect here. The first stall I saw was selling cheap sunglasses, another stall was selling t-shirts.. I started to think this market was going to be all "selling cheap cr*p to tourists" ... fortunately not! It covers a fair sized area and I found a wide variety of stalls. Lots of clothes and the prices looked pretty cheap. Some of the stalls are more in the open, others are under a sprawling, colourful roof of ropes and plastic. I liked the way the sunlight was shining through this dummy.



And of course there are plenty of food stalls too, selling fruits, snacks, and ready made meals. Stalls like these are a good chance for tourists to sample local foods at a cheap price. Get yourself some fresh juicy mangoes or try some spicy Northern Thai style sausages.





I arrived just after prayers in the late afternoon and a monk was coming out of the prayer hall.



The photo below shows what you might call "Fast food, Thai style". A wide array of ready made food which is scooped into a plastic bag and tied up with an elastic band for you to take home to eat with rice, price normally only about 25 Baht per portion.



It's very nice to have this little market in the temple, and so you can cross off two things in one trip. Visit Buddhist temple. Tick. Visit local market. Tick. Bought some cheap jewelery .... maybe not.



Everyone should know that (especially ladies) you should dress modestly if you enter a temple. But it does seem to be OK to have a stall selling bikinis just outside .. at least on market day!



I think I'll call in again sometime soon for some more photos. I had a wide angle lens this time, but I'd like to get some more portraits and close ups. The temple is about a 3 minute drive from our dive shop, yet somehow its taken me years to take a look! Well worth a visit to Karon temple market... Tuesdays and Saturdays. I end with a photo of a guy who was wandering around with his baskets of snacks.



More Karon Beach Information

• Suggested Karon Beach Hotels
• Karon Beach Hotel Listing @ Agoda.com
• Karon Temple
• Karon Beach - General Info
• Diving with Sunrise Divers @ Karon Beach

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 10th September, 2011

Today's weather;

Some serious cloud formations are building up over Samui and Koh Phangan and it looks like they will be there for the next 3 days with some very strong wind gusts on top of that. Current temp at 7am is 26.8C

After almost 12 years I'm still enjoying living under a coconut tree

Yesterday saw a fairly cloudy day over both Samui and Koh Phangan with an occasional sunny moment when the cloud cover broke open. Max temp reached 31.5C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 9th September, 2011

Today's weather;

A fairly sunny sky with some clouds in it is hovering over Samui and Koh Phangan. Current temp is 26.6C

Looking for nice and empty beaches, Koh Phangan may just have it; Haad Yao two days ago

Samui and Koh Phangan saw yesterday not as much wind as I expected although it was fairly cloudy all day long with occasional bursts of sunshine to heat things up a bit. A nice and very agreeable day with a max temp of 31.3C

During my current stay I already went twice to Caffe' Della Mocca restaurant in Chaloklom and it was fabulous, can't wait to go back again!

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 8th September, 2011

Today's weather;

This morning sees heavier cloud cover over Samui and Koh Phangan and there's some more wind. Current temp at 7am is 27.2C

The forecast predicts more wind and rain over the weekend which seems to ease up again bu Tuesday.

The current PADI IDC on Koh Phangan is in full swing!

Haad Yao on Koh Phangang yesterday afternoon

Yesterday saw a lovely and sunny day all around Samui and Koh Phangang with a max temp of 34C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 7th September, 2011

Today's weather;

The sky over Samui and Koh Phangan is laced with a thin cloud cover, just like previous days and most likely these clouds will evaporate once the sun starts to warm up. Current temp at 7am is 26.9C

A new Temple is being build near Haad Chao Phao on Koh Phangan

Yesterday saw a dry and sunny day over both Samui and Koh Phangan with a max temp of 33C

Camille

Mitsui Cuisine Japanese Restuarant (明水三井餐廳) at Taipei, Taiwan

We were invited to the Mitsui Cuisine Japanese Restaurant (明水三井餐廳) (N25.08192 E121.55161) for our lunch on the 5th day of our trip to Taiwan. The restaurant is located along MingShui Road of Taipei.

Mitsui Cuisine Japanese Restaurant

Our table had been reserved by our friends from Taiwan, and they had even ordered the meals. The environment was really nice and it was a luxury restaurant around Taipei.
I noticed the Manager was using the Tablet PC to take order from customers! Surprised!

The Manager of the restaurant taken the order from customers...

After chatting for about 15 minutes, our lunch served on the table...well, the first course was 'raw prawn and fish served in the ice bowl'...

2nd course was...'10-20% cooked of lobsters'.

They served very fast!
After about 5 minutes, they brought Two Giant Crabs and put it on our table! Oh! Ok...just wanted for us to make sure the crab was live! My goodness! Haha!

Live Giant Crabs...

And follow by the 3rd course...Deep fried fish. (Do you know what kind of fish from the photo below?)

Deep Fried Fish

The 4th course was...the Giant Crabs.

The Crabs

The 5th course was...20% Raw Beef.

The Raw Beef

The 6th course was...some king of Asparagus?!.

Asparagus?!

7th course was...Foie Gras. (aka duck or goose liver). This was my first experience tasting this meal.

Foie Gras (aka duck or goose liver)

8th course was...Sushi.

Sushi of Mitsui Cuisine Restaurant

9th course was...Ops! I forgot what was that?!...

The 9th course...forgot the name of the dish...

The last was...small cup of soup.

Well, we were Totally Overloaded for this lunch!

I like the beef very much! Even it was almost raw...
Other dishes...average to us...and I felt the Foie Gras was OK. I'm not really taste the few dishes after the 6th course because it was too full for me! Too bad!
Actually, I like the atmosphere very much, it was quiet and you can enjoy your meal perfectly. Every dishes were served less than 5 minutes! Good services!

If you don't mind about the price, it's worth for a visit. You can contact the restaurant for reservation on their official website : Mitsui Cuisine Restaurant.

* Apologies for the low quality photos above, all photos were taken by my camera phone.

Related post :-
*  My Taiwan Trip on May, 2011

Location map of Mitsui Cuisine at Taipei, Taiwan

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Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 6th September, 2011

Today's weather;

A thin cloud layer is hovering over Samui and Koh Phangan this morning but I would expect the sun to burn this away pretty soon. Current temp at 7am is 27C

Dramatic views of Koh Phangan's coast line near Haad Yao

Yesterday saw beautiful sunny, warm and dry days on Samui and Koh Phangan. During the late evening there was some thunder, lightning and rain on some parts of Samui with a bit of rain but Plai Laem where I live and on Phangan, where i stay right now, it was dry. Max temp reached 33.2C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 5th September, 2011

Today's weather;

Samui and Koh Phangang have thin cloud layers which should be burned away once the sun starts to heat up. Current temp at 7am is 26C

The PADI IDC on Koh Phangan is well on it's way by now!

Another beautiful sunset yesterday on Koh Phangan

Yesterday saw a lovely and warm day on both Samui and Koh Phangan. Around 8.30pm Samui had some serious rain though and Phangan only had some rain around 4.30am. Max temp reached 33.5C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 4th September, 2011

Today's weather;

Koh Phangan and Samui have a light cloud cover, most likely to be dispersed by the sun soon and it's slightly windy. Current temp at 7am is 26.5C

Sunset yesterday on Koh Phangan

Yesterday saw a beautiful morning on both Samui and Koh Phangan but around 2.30pm a dark storm passed by which lasted about an hour. Strong wind and tiny bits of rain. Afterwards everything cleared up again and there's was a nice star studded sky last night. Max temp reached 33.5C

Camille

Phuket Waterfalls

Where to start ... Waterfalls - I like waterfalls. I once detoured across half of South America by bus and train to get from La Paz (Bolivia) to the absolutely incredible Iguazu falls which are on the border between Brazil and Argentina and not far from Paraguay either. Niagara falls are maybe the most visited in the world. I've been there too, and it's quite nice, that little boat ride on the Maid of the Mist. I tell you what - you can't do a boat ride at Iguazu! Certainly not when I was there in wet season. An unbelievable torrent of chocolate brown water was shooting from the jungle. One of the most amazing places I have ever been and well worth the ride on the "Train of Death" to get there.







(above) Iguazu falls - not in Phuket.



Sorry for the non-Phuket photo. But I really do like waterfalls. The waterfalls in Phuket seem to be mentioned in just about every guidebook and website (and blog), and if you like nature and like to get away from the majority of tourists who like to stay at the beach, then Phuket has a number of waterfalls, all of them quite jungly and quiet, which are worth a visit maybe as part of a tour, or worth a look as you explore the back roads, but I would not say that you devote a day to a "Phuket Waterfall Tour" unless maybe you live in Saudia Arabia or some other dry country and you have never seen a waterfall or jungle. Don't be expecting anything like Iguazu, but you can get a nice little jungle walk and maybe take a swim in the fresh water running off the hills. Phuket has hills that rise up to over 1700 feet above sea level, and yes, we do get quite a bit of rain too. And so Phuket does have some waterfalls ....



Kathu Waterfall



Only a few kilometres from where we live is the highest point in Phuket, over 540m above sea level, and near this hill you have Kathu waterfall. It's only a short drive from Patong beach into the Kathu area of Phuket. The road up to the falls is a residential area, we have many friends up this road. There's space to park at the end, you cross a bridge and start walking up some steps .. and up.. and up... you can climb for quite a long time and get nice and sweaty! There are several cascades as you climb and locals are always there playing and swimming.



• Kathu Waterfall - More Information







Ton Sai Waterfall



In the northeast of Phuket island is a large green area which is designated as a National park. It's called Khao Phra Thaew, and on each side of the 1,000 foot jungle covered hill in the middle are 2 waterfalls. There is Ton Sai on the West side and Bang Pae on the east. In between is pretty wild country - I have read that you can hike between the 2, but a friend of mine (who is a real fit hill runner/marathon runner/hiker) has done it and tells me it's tough, and he was attacked by a wild gibbon up there!



Ton Sai is easy to find - turn right at the traffic lights at Thalang Town (right if you are heading north). Follow the small road. I believe entry is free after 3pm. Don't quote me on that. Otherwise 200 Baht. There is a nature trail and again several small falls up the jungle path. And on the way there you are really in rural Phuket, so close to the main tourist beaches but in another world.



I've blogged Ton Sai twice - A walk at Ton Sai Waterfall in 2011 and Ton Sai Waterfall in 2007.







Bang Pae Waterfall



And on the other side of the hills from Ton Sai is Bang Pae Waterfall - and also the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project. Actually the Bang Pae area is one of our favourite in Phuket. Lots of little back roads, some great rural scenery, huge areas of rubber plantations, pineapple fields, and a few restaurants that we like too such as Bang Pae Seafood and Peang Prai which is just at the entrance to Bang Pae - again, there is an entry fee here of 200 Baht per person. Note that the entry fee does not go to the Gibbon project which you can visit for free, and a small donation is appreciated there. Bang Pae is very popular with locals at the weekend. There are several small restaurants just inside the entrance, and many people come here for a splash! I need another visit to take some new photos sometime soon.



• Bang Pae Waterfall and Gibbon Rehabilitation Project







(above) Kids playing in a pool at Bang Pae Waterfall.



Sri Phang Nga National Park



Earlier this year we found a new place, and we're going back soon! We were driving back to Phuket from Khao Sok National Park and decided to look for Sri Phang Nga national park. A friend had posted some photos on Facebook, it looked good and seemed to be not far off our route (but far enough to call said friend and ask "where the **** is it?"!). Sri Phang Nga is not in Phuket, it's in Phang Nga province, you have to drive from Phuket via Khao Lak to Takua Pa and then on northward towards Kuraburi. About 30km from Takua Pa is the turnoff and then you have about another 10km on a narrow road, becoming a dirt road.. no wonder it's not well known! And here we found a really superb waterfall called Tamnang Waterfall, with a cool fresh swimming pool beneath it filled with fish which will swim freely all around you! Great!



• Sri Phang Nga National Park - More Information







(above) Tamnang Waterfall at Sri Phang Nga national park. The park has more falls which need a bit of a hike. We plan a return visit soon!



There are more waterfalls around Khao Lak too such as Chong Fa and Lampi waterfalls. I have also read about a small waterfall in the hills near Kamala Beach and a waterfall at Manik (on the other side of the hill from Kathu waterfall) - we tried to find it one time but only ended up driving up a narrow track which needed a 27 point turn to get down again! There is also a place called Raman Waterfall Park which is near the Wat Suwan Kuha (temple in a cave) near Phang Nga Town. We stopped once at Raman but had no time to explore... one day.. there is always more to explore in the Phuket area and not enough time!!!



Phuket Waterfalls Map




View Phuket Waterfalls in a larger map

Welcome to September 2011

Welcome to September 2011

September is usually a nice month with plenty of sunshine and just enough rain to make for nice day time temperatures. The last three years were just like that.

A great time to visit since you miss the August crowds but the weather is still good. Diving conditions are usually also very nice so all around, a great moment to drop by on Koh Samui! Hope to see you soon.

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 3rd September, 2011

Today's weather;

Koh Samui and Phangan have a light cloud layer this morning but it looks like it's going to be warm today. Current temp at 7am is 26.5C

Koh Phangan beach this morning at the back of my hotel

Yesterday saw a very sunny and hot day over both Samui and Phangan. Max temp reached 33.6C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 2nd September, 2011

Today's weather;

This morning I find my self back on Koh Phangan, almost a year since I was here last time! It's so close to Koh Samui that the weather patterns are very similar.

There's a sunny sky with a few clouds in it but I wouldn't be surprised if those clouds will be burned away quickly by the sun. Current temp at 7am is 25C

The forecast for next week is looking very good with more sun and no rain!

This mornings sky over Koh Phangan

Yesterday saw plenty of sunshine, no rain and a very warm day on Samui and Koh Phangan. Max temp reached 33.3C

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 1st September, 2011

Today's weather;

A morning back home on Samui again! A fairly cloudy sky is ours this morning though with a current temp at 7am of 26.9C Later today I'm off to Koh Phangan later this afternoon though in order to start a brand new PADI IDC tomorrow.

Flying over Koh Lanta, between Bali and Phuket, one of the places I teach at in Thailand

Yesterday saw a sunny and fairly warm day without rain around Samui. Max temp reached 30.3C

Camille

Goodbye to August 2011

Goodbye to August 2011

It's that time of the month again. Time to say goodbye to what turned out to be a busy month for me. Early on this month I was still in South Korea and now, the last day I find myself in Indonesia. My dive job really gets me around this year, maybe time for a career change for yourselves, my dear readers?

The Gili Air taxi

The weather seemed very typical for August, plenty of hot and sunny days with a few nights of rainy parts. Towards the end of the month there were also some typical monsoon floods around Thailand and the South East Asian region but the Samui archipelago always seems to duck out underneath from that during August.

It pays off to visit Samui during August!

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to September, which will find me on Koh Phangan at the start of the month and most likely will se me for the remainder of the month on Koh Samui. See you there!

Camille

Koh Samui, Thailand daily weather update; 31st August, 2011

Today's weather;

Although Samui is slightly cloudy, the sun is about to warm up and burn a hole in said clouds and it looks like a very warm ahead, just like yesterday. Current temp at 7am is 26.6C

Yesterday started out slightly cloudy around Samui but the sun evaporated the clouds and it eas very hot. Max temp reached 34.3C

The Bali bombing memorial in Jalan Legian, every night it's a meeting point for many people

This morning I find myself in Kuta on Bali, en route to Thailand again after having completed an IDC on Gili Air. Bali is cloudy but dry and warm. All updates for next month should be coming from Thailand again.

Camill

Diamond Tony's Restaurant at 85th Floor of Taipei 101, Taiwan

We been invited by a friend from Taiwan to the Diamond Tony's Restaurant at 85th Floor of Taipei 101 (N25.03313 E121.56510) for dinner on our 4th day of Taiwan trip. I believe reservation is needed if you intend to dine in.

Diamond Tony's Restaurant at Taipei 101

The environment was perfect with soft music and especially the night view of Taipei City. But we were not in the luck that night because of the whole city was covered by mist...

I was amazed by the washroom design! You can even enjoy the city night view while you doing your business! :)

After about 30 minutes after our ordered, the first dish served on our table...it was the mushroom soup with bread.

Mushroom Soup with Bread

I was surprised with the portion of the bread! Anyway, the soup was rich and good with the bread.



After we finished chatting for about 15 minutes, the second course served...Bacon with vegetables.

Third course...(apologies! I forgot the name of the dish...some kind of abalone...)

Fourth course...The Sausage.

And here was the main course...The Beef.

Main course - Beef.  

(Apologies for the blur photo)

The last was the dessert...Chocolate cake.

The Chocolate cake

We were satisfied with the meals over here. Some of the dishes were just average, but the environment is the main attraction of the restaurant! (Too bad we saw nothing that night...)

Anyway, we were thankful for the dinner which provided by a friend, appreciated. We visited the Shilin night market again after the overloaded dinner! :)



Apologies for the blur and yellowish photos above.

Taipei 101 of Taiwan

Related post :-
*  My Taiwan Trip on May, 2011

Location map of Taipei 101, Taiwan

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