Next Island

Laying about 315 kilometers south of Manila and 2 kilometers off the northwest tip of Panay Island in the Visayas region, Boracay is one of the smaller islands in Philippines vast archipelago. This thighbone-shaped island measuring 7 kilometers in length with a 1-kilometer width at its narrow stretch is a world-class holiday destination. The narrow stretch is a white sandy beach line facing both sides of the island. From Singapore, I took a 3.5-hour flight to Manila and continued to Catican where I caught a delightful ferry ride through a blue ocean, a bright sunny sky and a lovely sea breeze. I felt young and free in this enticing tropical atmosphere. This is the sort of lead up to holidays that I love as it set a mood of positive anticipation. It seems that Boracay’s reputation...

On the central gulf coast of Southern Thailand, there is a cluster of isles that have become a popular getaway destination for international tourists. In this island area, Koh Nang Yuan and Koh Tao are two small islands that have gained worldwide attention for their rugged natural beauty, pristine white beaches and all the charm of tropical gulf islands. Thailand is of course well known for providing some of the most endearing holiday destinations for those seeking tropical island getaways. The gulf area offers island holiday choices from the sheer splendor and luxury of 5-Star resorts to the balm of isolated islands on tranquil seas. On my last trip to Thailand’s gulf I chose to visit Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan islands. Koh Tao is a favorite destination for scuba divers. However, n...

There is more to Bali than the hyped Southern side of the island. The Western and Northern coastlines of the island are also full of wonderful examples of tradition, culture and reminders of the past waiting to be explored. Examples are the Jembrana regency on the West and Northern coastline wonders of Buleleng. Both are must-visit under-the-radar areas that offer different perspectives of Bali and new experiences for an enthralling holiday. Let’s turn our attention away from the tourist glamor of South Bali, where Seminyak, Kuta, Legian and other international tourist destinations are located and move on to explore a more personal side of Bali. On the Western side of the island, Jembrana regency invites you to explore its rugged naturaal beauty and take a peek into its fascina...

There are several noteworthy tropical destinations throughout Malaysia, and one of these is Langkawi; a gorgeous tropical island full of engaging activities, natural landscape wonders and plush accommodation facilities. Langkawi is regarded as having a full compliment of all that’s necessary for a great holiday getaway. Despite the fact that Langkawi has been a tourist destination for decades, it has managed a balance between development and its natural assets. The government has kept the original face of the island-a rural Malaysian region where the traditional kampung (villages) have remained as they have been for generations. Langkawi is actually a collection of 104 islands just off the coast of Kedah but it is only the largest island that has become a tourist hub. Thus the is...

Once known as “What’s that island over there?” Nusa Penida is now drawing considerable interest amongst Bali’s visitors. Back in the early 90’s Nusa Lembongan was not quite the mystery that Nusa Penida presented then. Lembongan in those days was the haunt of young surfers who were happy to put up with modest facilities and warm beer for the thrill of challenging surfing conditions. Today both islands have great appeal for tourists and offer some exciting differences to Bali’s well-trodden tourist areas. I enjoy my life here on Bali but there are times that I really need a weekend break to refresh myself through relaxation. The Nusa island cluster is a quick 45 minutes by boat from Bali. Nusa Penida the largest of this island cluster offers a chance to get away to an almost pris...

I was fairly excited about this trip and I was already in the reception area at the Blue Water Express office around 7.30 am and checked in at the counter. At exactly 8 am, we departed from the Serangan harbour in a Blue Water Express fast boat.   The weather was nice and clear, the waves were quiet and very friendly and approximately half way across the Lombok Strait, we were so lucky to have encountered a group of about 50 dolphins. They were swimming alongside the boat; some were jumping as if they were welcoming us. They entertained us for a few minutes and after they vanished into the ocean. This encounter was priceless; everyone in the boat was looking out of the window and amused by this rare view.   Less two hours later, we made a stop at Lombok and dropped off some...