Vietnam’s City Of Eternal Spring

This trip was initially planned to be from 1 to 4 March; however, a few weeks before departure, I received notification from Trip.com that there would be no flight back on 4 March after all. I was given the option of either cancelling the trip and getting a refund, or rescheduling the trip. So I looked at the calendar and decided to bring the trio forward by two days.  I’d already booked non-refundable accommodation at The Blue House. I emailed the property and informed that I had to cancel my booking because there would be no flight back on 4 March. Thankfully the property agreed to cancel my booking without any charge. I then searched for another accommodation and finally settled on Daisy Dalat House. I didn’t want to book via Booking dot com as the rate was higher on that platform. Thankfully, the reasonable owner agreed to accept my booking without any deposit. Alhamdulillah.  

Friday, 27 February 2026

I left house at 07:30 and made my way to the airport, stopping en route to briefly meet my niece. I arrived at KLIA T2 at 09:42 and made my way to the gate. Unlike the recent trips, this time my flight would depart from gate L. I managed to perform dhuha prayers before boarding.  We landed at 12:35 local time and went through passport control. I then went to find the airport shuttle bus counter. Was given misleading directions by clueless personnel before I went for another look. I was surprised to find the fare was VND150k and not VND50k as mentioned by some sites. I tried to argue but the staff were not friendly. I reluctantly paid and was told to have a seat.

After fifteen minutes, we were called to board the bus and when asked where the bus was, one staff pointedly vague into the distance. Well, I walked over to the parking lot and had to turn back because the bus had pulled over at the airport entrance. I grimaced at the thought of having to take the bus from the city back to the airport for my flight back.

The journey into the city took 40 minutes and the traffic built steadily as we approached the city centre. I got down at Dalat Market or rather the road above the market. Sitting at between 1,500 to 2,000 metres above the sea level, Dalat is a very hilly city. I walked down, crossed the roads and then up a hill to my hotel. When I booked the hotel, I didn’t realise how close it was to St Nicholas Cathedral aka Chicken Cathedral (because of a chicken on top of it) and the local version of the Eiffel Tower. My hotel is in a small lane off the main road. Very convenient and very central. Alhamdulillah.

I checked in and rested. My room was on the second floor and overlooked a valley. There’s a school across from the hotel and it was noisy as schools are. After performing prayers, I walked out and went to find Tiem Chay, a vegetarian restaurant about ten minutes away (it didn’t look open though). Then I walked to Lâm Viên Square. There’s a beautiful green artichoke bud-shape coffee shop there and a yellow wild sunflower art structure at the square. I walked around admiring the view of the square and Xuan Huong Lake before continuing on to Ga Dalat or Dalat Train Station. I passed a smaller lake, Lang Lake, and noticed the rubbish thrown into this much smaller lake (pond, more like). There’s a charge to enter the station and I decided not to bother so I turned back and walked along the lake. There were many people there: locals jogging or exercising, visitors taking photos and walking around, anglers trying their luck. And again, I saw rubbish ton the ground and in the lake. Dalat reminds me of Sapa with its elevation and cool climate but Sapa is so much more cleaner.

I continued on and walked to the night market which was just starting to be set up. I browsed some stalls before deciding to leave and find a vegetarian restaurant to break my fast. I walked to Bếp Chay Thiên Bình at Nguyen Chi Thanh. This restaurant sold buffet rice where you self-serve. I scooped some rice and a variety of dishes then walked to sit on the first floor. My meal cost VND50k. After dinner, I walked back to the hotel, stopping en route at Nhà Nghỉ Đà Lạt Chay, another vegetarian restaurant, to buy fried rice for my predawn meal.

Saturday, 28 February 2026

I woke up for prayers and predawn meal and didn’t sleep thereafter. I’d paid to go on a tour to the waterfalls today among others. I left at 08:10 and walked to nearby Du Parc Hotel (built in 1932). The VietChallenge vehicle was pulling up as I was approaching the hotel so it was great timing. The guide offered me to sit upfront next the driver and I happily accepted. The guide was very knowledgeable and eager to share information. I also found out that the International Airport would be closed from 4 March until end-August 2026. Ahh, so that explains why there was no flight back on 4 March.

We drove around picking up other guests then finally we drove out of Dalat heading for Datanla Waterfall. I’d bought the entrance ticket via Trip.com so I just showed my reservation at the counter for the ticket which visitors would need to scan at the turnstile. Once inside, you have the option of riding the Alpine Coaster (at an additional cost of course. You could buy the ticket on Trip.com before going) or walking down to the waterfall. I walked down of course. It took only ten minutes. I spent twenty minutes at the waterfall before heading up again as I knew it would take slightly longer on the way up. Well, it took only 12 minutes actually for me to walk up. I browsed the shops then went to use the facilities before exiting.

We left at 09:40 and drove to Pongour Waterfall. It took about 50 minutes to reach Pongour Waterfall from Datanla. The entrance ticket was included in the tour ticket. Again, we had to walk down to the waterfall. Compared to Datanla, it was a shorter walk but hotter as there was hardly any shade along the road. Pongour is a wider waterfall. We spent 50 minutes here before continuing on.

We stopped for an early lunch. I’d earlier informed Ocean, the guide, that I was fasting and wouldn’t be joining lunch. I sat outside the restaurant and read my book. The nearby shops were closed. Strange, as it was Saturday and you’d expect more customers than on a weekday.

We left the restaurant about 50 minutes later and drove to Linh An Pagoda. Ocean said we could enter the statue and climb up so that was what I did. We had to remove our shoes first. I climbed up to the very top or at least until where the stairs ended. From inside the statue, you could see the Elephant Waterfall and the surrounding countryside. I went down and walked around the temple complex for an eye-level view of the waterfall.

Our next stop was Cuong Huan Silk Factory where we were taken through the various steps of extracting until silk is produced. There was a small shop selling silk products but the selection was limited. We waited for a member of the group to conclude her purchases before leaving.

NWe then stopped at a cricket farm and visitors got to taste fried crickets along with the local rice wine. We didn’t stay here long and before long, we were at Me Linh Coffee Garden. We walked around the ‘showroom’ then to the gated enclosure where the weasels were kept. We were told that the weasels actually prefer other things like bananas over coffee.. we also had the opportunity to try out the coffee at the in-house coffee shop, something I was glad to sit out. I like the aroma of coffee but I drink tea. Last but not least, we stopped at a flower farm specialising in gerbera daisies. It had started drizzling by then.

It took us thirty minutes to reach Dalat and I got down at the Chicken Cathedral. I performed prayers and then waited to break fast before venturing out to Tu Sen Vegetarian Restaurant to get fried rice for the following morning’s predawn meal. There were so many young couples taking photos with the local Eiffel Tower in the background. I stopped on the way back at Du Parc Hotel to take some photos at the lobby.

Sunday, 1 March 2026

I’d earmarked my third day in Dalat to revolve around art and culture. I returned to Du Parc Hotel and admired the architecture and its classic elegant beauty. Then I walked to Crazy House. The ticket cost VND80k amd I spent 70 minutes there. Gaudi would be proud! I’d reached the roundabout at Trần Phu when I looked across the road and saw an advertisement of Muslim clothing. I was intrigued of course so I crossed the road and discovered Dalat Mai. The shop sold Muslim clothes for men and women, head scarves, prayer attire and even materials to make clothes. I spent probably more than an hour there. The shop accepted Ringgit but I didn’t bring any Ringgit so I swiped my card and arranged for shipping (it turned out to cost less than paying AirAsia for additional luggage).

Then I made my way to Doc Nha Lang, the mural street in the city. I wandered around the backlanes and alleys to snap photos. Then I took the long, long way to Dalat City Flower Garden before walking along Xuan Huong Lake. Finally, I made my way to Dalat Market where I bought dried guava, dried strawberries and dried ginger.

I decided to try my luck and walked to Tiem Chay. Alhamdulillah, I was lucky this time. I wanted to buy lemongrass fried rice but was told they had run out of lemongrass. The lady offered me family rice instead which turned out to be rice with five dishes. I asked about the opening hours and was told the restaurant opened from 06:30 for breakfast and that they were closing for the day. Alhamdulillah, I was indeed lucky and said so.

I returned to my room and rested. Performed prayers, packed, broke fast, prayers, read book before hitting the sack.

Monday, 2 March 2026

All good things must come to an end and my stay in Dalat ended today. I left at 09:00 amd walked to a bus stop four minutes away. I’d just missed the bus so I waited another fifteen minutes for the next bus number 02 which passed the airport junction. The fare was only VND20k and it took 40 minutes only to get to the airport junction even though the driver stopped a few times and for five minutes at one point to accept a delivery. It took me 15 minutes to walk to the terminal from the airport junction. Not a hardship at all even if I was fasting.

I had checked in online but still had to get a physical boarding pass before I could clear security and passport control. I was shocked to find the two covered Malay girls in a coffee shop at the airport having a meal. It’s only a two-hour plus flight after all and to me, I’m Muslim wherever I am. Why can’t you observe and respect Ramadan? Being in a foreign country doesn’t mean you don’t have to fast and it’s a short flight anyway, not a ten-hour flight or more.

We took off on time (we were actually called to board before passenger from KL had finished disembarking). We landed at KLIA T2 at 15:46. The prayer room after passport control was closed so I performed prayers in the nursing room before rushing to catch the 16:08 KLIA Transit train.

Remember, Dalat International Airport is closed from 4 March until end-August 2026 (although I suspect it’ll only be ready in early September) so if you want to head to Dalat, you can fly to Nha Trang and bus it from there.

My X-Rated Trip: Episode III

Sunday, 15 February 2026

I woke up, showered and performed prayers. After a quick breakfast, I left at 06:17. There was a marathon in the city today and I didn’t want to be caught up in any road blocks or road closures. I walked to Kokura train station and bought a ticket to Hakata station in Fukuoka.

I arrived at Hakata at 08:38 and walked to Toyoko Inn Hakata-eki Minami. It had just finished raining and the ground was wet. After depositing my bags at the hotel, I boarded the hotel shuttle back to Hakata Train Station where I bought tickets to Nagasaki. Again, it’s a combination of local and Shinkansen and the return tickets cost more than the Hiroshima-Kurashiki return tickets. We had to change trains at Takeo-Onsen but the Shinkansen train was at the same platform and was already waiting.

We arrived at Nagasaki station at 11:28 and I walked to Dejima. Dejima is an artificial island constructed in 1636 to accommodate Portuguese traders. In 1639, an edict was passed, effectively closing the country off from foreigners. Dejima remained unused until 1641 when the Dutch trading post at Hirado was transferred there. Dejima was the only open window to the West for 218 years until Japan came out of its national seclusion. I didn’t enter though and instead continued on towards Oura Cathedral.

I came upon the Oura Higashi-yamate Foreign Settlement area and walked up the hill (Dutch Slope) to look at the Western-style houses. I’d noticed when I came out of the train and glanced at one side that Nagasaki is a pretty hilly city. The Oura Higashi-yamate area is similarly hilly. It had gotten warm by then and I shrugged off my fleece jacket.

I walked on and came upon Glover Sky Road which is a covered escalator (it reminded me of a covered furnicular). The view at the top of the city and port was spectacular. I didn’t enter Glover Garden as I was pressed for time. Instead I continued on towards Oura Cathedral which is one of the 15 hidden Christian sites in Nagasaki region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I descended down to former HSBC Bank Nagasaki branch then walked to Shinchimachi, Nagasaki’s Chinatown. I spent some time at the former Chinese quarter before walking to Ohato tram stop and riding the tram to Peace Park. There is also Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum but I decided to skip it.

After Peace Park, I walked down by the river to the railway station stopping en route at Nagasaki Masjid; unfortunately, it was locked. I tried knocking before leaving in disappointment.

I rode the Shinsaken to Takeo-Onsen where I changed trains for Hakata. At Hakata station, I bought some fried noodles at Family Mart then waited for the shuttle back to the hotel.

Monday, 16 February 2026

I went down for breakfast then took the 09:45 shuttle to Hakata station. From there, I walked to Hakata Sennen-no-Mon Gate which is the gate to Old Hakata. Then I continued to Tochoji Temple and then Kushida Shrine. There were many people at the Shrine compared to the temple. I then stumbled upon Kawabata Shopping Arcade. I stopped at a cat-themed shop before continuing on to Tenjin. From Tenjin, it was a stroll to Maizuru Park where I spent some time amidst the cherry blossom trees before climbing up the Fukuoka castle ruins. It was an overcast day and slightly cooler than the previous day in Nagasaki where the sun shone brightly.

I dithered and finally decided to check out the nearby Ohori Park. The name means moat and came about when an old Fukokan lord reclaimed part of a cove or an inlet and made a moat for Fukuoka Castle. I spent about twenty minutes there before leaving.

I walked back to Tenjin area and browsed some shops before buying some Japanese snacks to bring home. Then I walked back to the cat-themed shop at Kawabata Shopping Arcade before returning to Hakata station. I also bought some onigiri for dinner at Lawson.  I spent the evening packing before turning in.

Tuesday, 17 February 2026: FUK then back to SIN

Well, all good things must come to an end. I left the room at 06:35 and went down for breakfast. The queue was long so I went up again to get my bags. I’d packed my fleece jacket, gloves, muffler and hat and would be braving the cold. Well, the hotel wasn’t cold and the shuttle ride to the airport would only take ten minutes.  At the airport, I had to print the bag tag and boarding passes before going to another counter to drop off my bag. Unfortunately the system failed me so I had to manually check in my bag. What a bother. Then we went through security procedure before an electronic passport control.

The duty free has Japanese boutiques like Porter and shops like Uniqlo and 7-11 convenience store. There are also counters selling Japanese desserts - cakes, chocolates and biscuits. Very, very tempting indeed but I didn’t have a personal porter or bodyguard to help me carry my bags. One Japanese bloke spoke to me - in Bahasa. Turned out he learnt Bahasa in Bali.

We took off on time. I read and finished my fourth book for this trip. The plane was made to hover over Singaporean airspace due to terminal congestion though so I couldn’t perform prayers at Changi as I’d planned as I had to rush to my next gate. Well, turned out we took off later than scheduled then had to wait for a plane to taxi before we could proceed to the gate.  So that was my trip back to Japan after 13 plus years. And I made the conscious decision not to go to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe which I’d been to before.

The End

My X-Rated Trip: Episode II

Thursday, 12 February 2026

I wanted to try fasting in Japan so I woke up for my predawn meal this morning. I left my room after 08:00 and rode the streetcar to Hiroden-Miyajimaguchi Station. I was able to take the next ferry that arrived. The ferry ride took about 15 minutes. I walked along the waterfront heading for Itsukushima Jinja Shino Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are wild deers on Miyajima and I met a few  of them on my walk.

I paid ¥300 to enter the shrine and walked through it. The shrine offers a stunning view of the ‘floating’ torii gate and the surrounding landscape with the scenery. Hanging with the low and high tides. That explains why the tide times were posted. Some brave souls did walk a bit on the sandbank but they didn’t quite reach the torii gate.

After leaving the shrine, I walked along the waterfront to admire the view of the torii gate. Then I turned and walked to Itsukushima Shrine Treasure Hall before climbing up to Tahoto Pagoda. I then walked along the lane to Omoto Park. There are many deer at Omoto Park. After spending some time with the dear deer, I walked back along Asebihodo lane to Momojidani Park. Indeed if one has enough time, energy and inclination, one can go on a few hikes in the island. I returned to the town centre and Omotesando Shopping Street.

I boarded the ferry and back at the mainland, missed the first streetcar by a few seconds. I rode the next one leaving at 14:20 and was back at the hotel more than an hour later. I ventured out again after evening prayers and had dinner at a restaurant. I ordered oyster noodles and an orange drink (customers arriving after 19:00 must order drinks). After dinner, I explored Hondori Shopping Street before returning to the hotel.

Walked 18,120 steps or 12.5 km on my third day in Japan.

Friday, 13 February 2026

I checked out this morning at 09:50 and left my bags at the lobby. I then rode the streetcar to Hiroshima Station where I bought tickets to Kurashiki in Okayama. I had to buy Shinkansen and local train tickets and change trains at Shin-Kurashiki station. 

At Kurashiki, I followed signs to Bikan Historical Quarter. This quarter encompasses an area of historic buildings along an old willow-edged canal where a group of black and white warehouses has been converted into museums and lane ways are lined with old wooden houses and shops. In the feudal era, the warehouses were used to store rice brought by boat from the surrounding countryside. I had fun walking along the canal and capturing photos of the beautiful buildings. I reluctantly returned to the station for the 15:40 local train to Shin-Kurashiki and then the 16:02 train back to Hiroshima.

Back in Hiroshima, I went to find Sumiya Spa & Hotel. I’d read that this hotel offers prayer room and halal bento to guests. I did find the hotel all right; unfortunately, the hotel was closed for renovation.  I walked to Kanak Restaurant and asked if I could perform evening prayers there. I managed to perform prayers there, alhamdulillah. However, I’m not a fan of Indian food so I left without ordering anything.

I bought some soba noodles from Lawson and heated it up at the hotel lobby. After freshening up. I collected my bags and walked to Hiroshima Bus Centre. My bus out was scheduled for 23:50.

Walked 24,810 steps or 17.4 km on my fourth day in Japan.

Saturday, 14 February 2026

I had a poor night and could barely slept. We reached Kokura station at 04:25 and I followed a girl to the train station. It was colder in the station than outside if that was possible. I performed morning prayers there and sat there until 08:00. The shops were only just opening so I browsed some shops in the station that were only just opening before making my way out. Yes, it was actually milder outside the station. Kokura is one of the five districts in Kitakyushu.

I walked along the monorail line then decided to follow the sign to Kokura Castle. I walked around the castle (there’s a Japanese Garden but it wasn’t opened yet) and up Seicho-dori to Katsuyama Park. There is a small peace memorial at the park. You see, the U Ass actually targeted the second atomic bomb to hit Kokura but there was cloud and smoke covering the city then resulting in poor visibility and the bomb was then diverted to Nagasaki instead. This fact was known after the war and the citizens of Kitakyushu decided to erect a memorial for the atomic bomb victims.

I crossed back Murasaki River and walked towards Tanga Market. This is a covered local market lined with vendors selling seafood, fruits, vegetables, meat and prepared food. When it was almost 10:00, I made my way to TangaTable Hostel where I had booked a bed for the night. After leaving my bags, I walked to the Tourist Information Centre at the train station. After consulting a helpful tourist guide, I decided to take the local train to Mojiko.

The Mojiko train station is a beautiful building built in the Neo-Renaissance style and completed in 1914. I walked to the Dalian Shipping Line Terminal which confirmed the town’s shipping origin. Across the road is Kanmon Straits Museum. I then walked down to the Old Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. Building which is a restored Osaka Shosen Moji Branch building built in 1917 and constructed using orange and white bricks as tiles. In the past, it was used as a ship office and waiting room, but now there is a cafe and restaurant on the first floor, and the interior exhibits and sells works by local artists. The Old Moji Mitsui Club is just next door. Apparently Einstein and his wife once stayed at the Club, on the second floor.

I crossed Blue Wing Moji, a pedestrian drawbridge that is raised six times a day, to the beautiful red Former Moji Customs Office building. The Kitakyushu City Dalian Friendship Memorial Hall to commemorate the friendship between China and Japan is just across the Customs Office.

I continued on and walked until Norfolk Square, admiring the view of Kanmon Bridge which links Honshu and Kyushu islands. I walked on until I reached the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel Entrance. I took the lift down into the tunnel and after reading the background of the tunnel (it was planned in 1937 and completed in March 1958. Its length is 3,461.4 metres of which 780 metres are underwater), I started walking across to Shimonoseki on the Honshu side. It took me 15 minutes to emerge out at Shimonoseki. I walked down to the ferry terminal, passing some shrines and Market. The ferry ride cost ¥400 and back at Mojiko, I walked to the train station and took the train back to Kokura.

It had begun to drizzle and I hurried up to TangaTable Hostel. The check-in process took some time and I was given the code to enter my dorm (five bunk beds for ten occupants and the hostel was full that evening). I was given a locker but had problems locking it with the provided padlock so I just kept my shoulder bag in another bag and locked that bag instead.

I’ve had a long day after a poor night plus an early morning start the following day so I was in bed by 22:00.

To be continued

My X-Rated Trip: Episode I

In mid-November 2025, I was contemplating visiting Okinawa. However, I changed my mind when the sites that I found informed that public transportation is not that frequent there and one would be advised to rent a car instead. Even my sister said her friends who return to Japan every year never considered visiting Okinawa. So I changed my mind and looked at Fukuoka instead. There’s no direct flight from KL; I would have to fly Vietnam Airlines, Philippine Airlines or Singapore Airlines and via those cities instead. In the end, I bought tickets from Singapore Airlines. I then searched where to go before booking hotels. Oh, and despite the depreciating Yen, the hotel prices for Saturday night stay are so terrifying that I had to book a bed in a female hostel instead (and the cost for that one night stay in a bunk bed would get me a decent hotel room in China). I also bought bus tickets online and (sigh) do they cost a pretty penny.

So this ‘X-rated trip’ is because I went to SIN on my way to FUK (get it?).

Monday, 9 February 2026: On my way to SIN

I made my way to the airport this afternoon and decided to arrive earlier as I wanted to change seats on the planes. I couldn’t seem to do it online no matter how many attempts I made. The kind lady at the counter suggested I took the earlier flight at 20:30 instead of the flight I booked at 21:50 and said there could be delays seeing as the latter flight is the last flight of the day and that only two days previously, the same flight was delayed by an hour. I thanked her for her suggestion and agreed to depart earlier.

Well, the flight took off at 20:45 despite us boarding early. I was impressed with the crew who determinedly served us hot beverages even for a short flight. We landed at Terminal 3 and I made my way to the SkyTrain for Terminal 2. I then wandered around looking for the prayer room. Turned out it’s on the upper floor and the nearest escalator is the one near Gucci. After prayers, I decided to add on to my step count for the day and took the SkyTrain to Terminal 1. Terminal 1 is huge. You’d need to clear immigration to view the Rain Vortex though. I haven’t been to Changi for more than a decade and the last time I was there, the Rain Vortex wasn’t there yet.

Tuesday, 10 February 2026: SIN on my way to FUK

We landed in Fukuoka at 06:55. I’d earlier filled up the arrival form on Visit Japan Web but was confused as I’d expected the site to ask for my itinerary. Instead, I was just asked my personal details, the hotel address, and to declare the goods I’m bringing in. The queue was long but fast moving. It turned out I had filled up the arrival form correctly after all. I was however subjected to rigorous and thorough bag inspection by a custom officer. But he was polite and considerate and went through my bag contents carefully and professionally and not just drag everything out and leave everything dumped out for me to repack.

I exited at 08:38 and asked the bus counter if I could change my 10:45 bus ticket to 08:45 but was told my ticket was not changeable. So I had two hours to kill at the airport. Anyway, I found a pouch and curious, I opened it to find two Japanese passports! I was panicking because I could just imagine how I would be had I lost my passport so I hurried to the information counter to hand the pouch over. Let them sort it out with the Lost and Found.

The 10:45 bus arrived at 10:53 and we were off within minutes. We had a stop at a service area to use the facilities (there is a small WC on the bus though). We reached Takachiho Bus Centre at 13:50. After leaving my bag at the Tourist Information Centre and grabbing a map, I made my way to Takachiho Gorge. It took me 20 minutes to reach the gorge. Takachiho’s magnificent gorge with its waterfall, overhanging rocks and sheer walls was formed over 120,000 years ago by a double volcanic eruption. I walked the length of it before turning back. I stayed there for an hour before making my way back to the town centre, stopping briefly at Takachiho Shrine.

My bus out was at 16:37 and it arrived at 16:30. The bus stopped en route to allow us to use the facilities. It was drizzling then. We reached Hakata Bus Terminal and I got down there. I wandered around and bought some snacks at Daiso.

My next bus out was at 23:10 and we left on time. The seat was comfortable with a retractable ‘hood’ that allows passenger to draw it down over her head to cover against the light and allow for privacy. I was so tired after the long day that I actually managed to sleep. Alhamdulillah. The bus stopped en route and I went down to stretch my legs and found that it was raining.

Walked 16,900 steps or 11.6 km on my first day back in Japan.

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

We arrived at Hiroshima Bus Centre at 05:25. I went down and after performing ablutions, performed prayers near some lockers. Then I waited until after 07:00 before walking to Hotel S-Plus Hiroshima Peace Park.

After depositing my bags at the hotel lobby, I walked to the nearby Hiroshima Peace Park. I decided to visit the Peace Museum first (ticket cost ¥200) and spent an hour there, it was a harrowing and sobering experience. Nobody should have been made to go through all that suffering and yet we continue to inflict pain on others due to our own greed.

After the museum, I walked to the Cenotaph and the Peace Flame, the Children’s Monument and the Peace Bell. I then walked along the River Motoyasu and gazed upon Gotenba Dome, the only surviving structure of the atomic bomb, before crossing over for a closer look. After some time, I walked to the hypocentre where the bombing took place.

As I still had some time to kill before I could check in at 15:00, I decided to walk to Shukkeien Garden. The entrance cost ¥350. I spent 70 minutes there and was glad I decided to visit it.  I returned to the hotel and checked in. I ventured out again after evening prayers and had dinner at Kei Ai Chinese Vegetarian Restaurant. After that, I walked to Hondori and browsed the shops there. A lot of shops were already closed though.

Back at the hotel, I had a chat with the bloke at the reception and he kindly advised me how to get to the ferry to Miyajima and sold me the ticket (which included the streetcar, ferry and Miyajima visitor tax of ¥100) for ¥1,000.  Walked 24,910 steps or 16.8 km on my second day in Japan.

To be continued

The Land Of Sriwijaya

I’d earlier purchased a Batik Air ticket to Palembang via Agoda for early February and I wasn’t amused when I received a text message from Batik Air on Christmas Eve informing that the return flight was not operational. After checking my PNR on the airline website and finding it didn’t exist, I sent messages to Batik Air’s customer service via WhatsApp. The airline staff couldn't find my PNR either so it must’ve been cancelled by some party. I reached out to Agoda and they insisted the flight was still operational. It’s not easy to reach out to Agoda except navigate the irritating app but I persisted and finally managed to email them on Christmas Day. Agoda tried its best not to accept responsibility so I shared the email from the airline informing I needed to reach out to the booking company and my correspondence with the airline.

I had already booked a non-refundable room so I decided to buy an AirAsia ticket this time. I would’ve been happy not to come but the hotel had been paid for.

Monday, 2 February 2026

I left home just as the call for morning prayers rang out. Made my way to the LRT station and performed prayers there. I arrived at KLIA T2 at 08:42 and hurriedly made my way through the bag weight check, passport control and bag screening processes before walking to the gate. The plane was already boarding. I sat in between a mother and daughter and was about to change seats when another young mother and her toddler moved into the seat I was eyeing.

We landed into wet Palembang at 09:55 local time. Do fill up the ‘All Indonesia’ arrival form within three days before arrival as it would make the immigration process smooth. Well, up to a point. I had a very inquisitive officer attending to me demanding to see my return flight ticket (I showed her my boarding pass), hotel details (I showed her my hotel booking), and asking the purpose of my visit. She also scrutinised my passport and asked if I’d stayed in Cambodia before. I was getting annoyed by then, I mean what business is it to her anyway, and said no, I was only visiting. And I have enough things to do back home to even want to overstay or think about migrating to your country.

My passport was finally stamped and I made my way to the LRT station. The LRT was built to support Palembang when it became the host city for the Asian Games in 2018. I paid Rp10k for the ticket to Dishub station then proceeded to to wait. Train frequency is about every 16-17 minutes. It took 30 minutes to reach Dishub station and from there, I walked to Cemerlang Inn on Jl. Mayor Ruslan. The pedestrian walk was neither here nor there and I quickly became annoyed when I had to walk on the roads with the morning traffic. It took me longer than I expected to reach the hotel. Check-in was at 14:00 and there’s additional charge for early check-in so I left my bag and walked to explore the city.

I came across Cinde Market near Cinde LRT station then continued on to Masjid Agung Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin Jayo Wikramo (Grand Mosque of Palembang). MONPERA (short for Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat or People’s Struggle Monument) is across the traffic island where the Grand Mosque is. Then I checked out Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Museum. I didn’t enter though. Next, I walked to nearby Benteng Kuto Besak which is a walled compound from the Sultanate era on the northern side of Musi River. Originally completed in 1797, it is now used as the headquarter for the regional command of the Indonesian National Forces. Due to its military use, the compound is closed to public.

I spotted the Tourist Information Centre building and was puzzled when I went in to find three men in uniform smoking (what is it with Indonesian men and smoking?). I asked if it was the tourist information centre and they didn’t understand me so I had to ask again. There was no brochure but they finally tried to help me with suggestions of where to go.  I walked a bit before turning back. It was starting to drizzle so I headed back to the hotel to check in.  I rested before venturing out to find dinner to break my fast. I also bought some fried rice to go for my predawn meal and some mineral water before returning to my room.

Tuesday, 3 February 2026

I woke up for my predawn meal and prayers. I left at 09:30 and rode a Grab bike to Sriwijaya Kingdom Archaeological Park (Taman Purbakala Kerajaan Sriwijaya). I had to pay Rp5k to enter the grounds and then a further Rp5k to enter the museum. I was actually confused why I had to pay to enter the museum and was informed the Rp5k I paid earlier was for the grounds. So what’s in the grounds? Oh, a lake, I was told. I spent close to an hour in the museum. Somehow I couldn’t stop yawning. It was more due to the early morning and not because of the museum. I then stepped out and wandered the grounds. There were some buildings but they looked unoccupied and unused. Then there was the lake (or moat as what appeared on Google Maps). That was about it.

I asked the guard if there was an angkot I could take into the city and he said I should order Grab. So I decided to walk to the intersection of Jl. Kadir Tkr and Jl. Pangeran Sido to see if I could catch an angkot there. It took only twenty minutes and was no hardship at all. I went into a convenience store to ask and was told to get a Maxim vehicle. I decided these locals probably had their own transportation so went to an idling angkot. To my delight, it was going to the market (I then found out that there was a market at Ampera Bridge which I somehow overlooked the day before). The ride took less than twenty minutes and only cost Rp5k.

I wandered around the market before going to the waterfront. I asked around and finally agreed to take a boat to Kemaro Island for Rp150k return. I asked the boat owner not to smoke. He stopped to get some petrol from a floating petrol station and asked to borrow some money. Now, the city is many, many miles away from the sea but the river must be very deep because there are big ships in the river. I’d looked at the map and seen there are a few tributaries that flow into the river and canals too so yes, the city is heavily influenced by water and the local diet too. There are stalls in the market selling fish-based stuff like what looked like flattened fish balls, fish cakes and other fish-mixed-with-other-food stuff.

It took 35 minutes to reach the island and it was a good thing I asked how long I had there. ‘30 minutes,’ he said. ‘Or could be longer and you’ll just have to pay extra.’ So I got down to explore the island. For some reason, there’s a Chinese temple there and a pagoda. I walked further and discovered a water village. I had a quick walk through the village before turning back. The journey back took almost 40 minutes. After wandering around the market again, I walked back to my room. The skies opened shortly after I reached my room. Alhamdulillah.

I was so tired that I took a nap and woke up way after the alarm. I quickly dressed and went out to find dinner.

Wednesday, 4 February 2026

This morning, I decided to have some local fish-based food for breakfast so I left at 08:30 and walked down to the main market. Cinde Market is nearer but is way smaller with limited options. I had some tekwan (fish ball type in soup with vermicelli) and a plate of pempek. It was just all right. Nothing to shout about.

I then decided to be brave and cross the river. I had checked and the pedestrian lane is quite wide so I walked up and across the Musi River. Well. The other side of the river (‘Ulu’) was not very pedestrian-friendly. I walked until Jakabaring Sport City where I’m sure the Asian Games were held.

I walked into a residential area to Al Islamic Muhammad Cheng Ho Sriwijaya Palembang Mosque. It’s a unique mosque with Chinese influence reflected in the architecture. Then I walked to the market but it looked closed so I turned back and headed for Jakabaring LRT station. I paid Rp5k for the ticket to Cinde station.

At Cinde, I got down and went to buy some fish crackers and mangosteens at the market. There was no one selling sugarcane drink there, unfortunately. I walked back to my room and it started raining during my walk. I reached my room just as the rain turned heavier. Alhamdulillah.

I went out at a quarter to six for dinner and had it at Nasi Goreng Bejo, a roadside stall that operates from the late afternoon. I had fried noodles and ordered fried rice to go. The fried noodles were very delicious and tasty. I then went across to Indomart and bought an ice cream for dessert.

Thursday, 5 February 2026

I woke up at 04:00 for my predawn meal. After showering and prayers, I finished packing. I checked out at 07:15 and received my Rp100k deposit. Then I set for Cinde LRT station and this time I took the back streets. I reached the station after only 11 minutes and without having to brave heavy traffic had I followed the main roads.

The train ride to the airport took 33 minutes. The plane from KL arrived late though, later than we did when we arrived on Monday. So much so we only took off thirty minutes later than scheduled.  We landed at KLIA T2 at 13:30. I was out by 13:35 and rushed off. I made it to the 13:48 KLIA Transit train with three seconds to spare. Alhamdulillah.

P. S. I had purging when I came back from Palembang and I know it was definitely something I ate in Palembang because I fasted on Thursday. The tummy upset started on the transit train from the airport.

Langkawi Trips

I’d purchased ticket to Langkawi a few months back for mid-January 2026 and asked my sister if she wanted to go. Unfortunately, she had a doctor’s appointment then. Subsequently, she informed that she and family had bought tickets for end-January. I decided to join them but for only two days.

So I kicked off my Visit Malaysia Year 2026 with the first Langkawi trip on 13 January, three days after I came back from Xiamen. I wanted to book the organisation’s resort; alas, it was undergoing works. In the end, I booked Wan’s Roomstay near Cenang for two nights. I didn’t realise there were many small lanes around the area and had fun exploring the villages there. I just wished the villagers would exercise more care in disposing their rubbish.

Langkawi was hot as usual and especially in January. I’d spent Chinese New Year once there with Abah and Mummy and it was hot as Hades. I mainly stayed in the room during the day and ventured out only for lunch and in the late afternoon.

I left for my second Langkawi trip on 28 January. I flew in the late afternoon and stayed at Qamaar Hostel this time. My sister and family arrived the following morning and after picking me up, we drove to an eatery for them to have brunch. After that, we drove to Perdana Quay Lighthouse and Pantai Kok. My nieces wanted to ride the cable car so our next stop was Oriental Village.

Then we drove to Datai and stopped at Pantai Pasir Tengkorak. We then drove to Nazrat Residence at Tanjung Rhu, stopping en route for laksa and meehoon utara. After checking in, I went for a walk along the beach with my niece while the others went for a swim in the sea.

We checked out after one night and drove to Kuah, stopping at a mosque for the men to perform Friday prayers. Then it was on to Century Suria where my sister had booked an apartment unit for two nights.  They then dropped me off at the airport. Sister and family were staying until midday on Sunday

 I guess that’ll do it for Langkawi for a while. Alhamdulillah. Langkawi was so hot and bright (I could’ve sworn it was hotter than KL) that I had a fever when I came back from my second trip there.

Amoi In Amoy

In mid-September 2025, I bought flight ticket to Xiamen via Mayflower page. I decided to visit for four nights and was happy when I found I could visit three UNESCO World Heritage Sites near Xiamen. Xiamen means door or entry to the house and indeed Xiamen or Amoy as the Westerners used to call it was one of the gateways into China. Hotel searches showed Xiamen is not a cheap place to stay in and after some hotel bookings and setting price alerts, I finally changed my hotel booking closer to the date of travel from free cancellation to a non-refundable room. So it turned out to be quite reasonable after all. I also made some tour bookings although the one to Tianluokeng Tulou was cancelled due to low demand, which I found out when I reached my hotel.

Tuesday, 6 January 2026

I left early in the morning from my sister’s place as the flight ETD was at 09:25. I managed to reach the airport in time to queue for bag drop and update my Enrich number. I expected the crowd as it was school holidays  It was unusually cold on the plane but no complaints from me. Malaysia Airlines provided blankets but I decided I could stand the cold and besides, I should get used to it as it’d be cold in Xiamen.  We landed around 13:20. China has since implemented online entry declaration since my visit in October so I spent some time filling up the form before joining the queue. One note: it’s funny that the instruction for visitors to place their finger prints at the immigration counter is in Malay.

After being reunited with my bag, I filled up my water bottle (that’s another great thing about China, you can find water dispensers at train stations, airports and some tourist attractions) and headed out. I stopped at the information counter and to my surprise, they spoke some English and gave me some brochures. I then followed signs to the shuttle bus to Terminal 4. The shuttle bus runs every 20 minutes except after 22:00 when it runs every 30 minutes. From Terminal 4, I followed signs to the BRT (Bus Rapid Transit). The BRT buses run on elevated bus-only roads with four lines operating. It is very fast and comfortable and there are signs in English. Fare depends on distance, usually ¥1-4 per person. It cost me only ¥2 to get to Xiamen Railway Station from the airport T4 (<RM1.20). There are also buses which run on normal roads (ground level) but that would be subject to traffic so I didn’t even bother researching.

The trip to Xiamen Railway Station took slightly over 20 minutes. I went through a mall to utilise the escalators and went to find my hotel. It is in an alley behind the mall and I was glad I chose it as the location was perfect. I checked in and the lady at the reception kindly showed me to my room. I was not very happy with the room as it was mouldy and was lucky to catch the lady outside in the corridor. I showed her photos of the room and she kindly allowed to change rooms.

I spent time in between prayers finding trips to the Fujian Tulou and finally signed up for a tour on Trip.com. After prayers, I ventured out up to Paragon/Pan Ji Zhong Xin before turning back. I wandered around and stumbled across some halal eateries, not as easily recognisable as in Yunnan. I had a big bowl of beef lamian for dinner. I stopped by a supermarket very close to the hotel called Hot Max and bought some food.

Wednesday, 7 January 2026

I left the hotel at 06:50 and walked to Rezen Huaxia Hotel, five minutes away. The bus arrived at 07:10 and then spent the next hour picking up other passengers around the city. We finally left around 08:30 and drove to the Fujian Tulou in Yongding. The journey took two hours. I’d joined a Chinese-speaking tour and some of the other passengers kindly helped to translate for me. At Yongding, we had another local guide bring us to the Tulou buildings. We walked  for two hours.

After that, it was time for lunch. Alhamdulillah, there were some dishes that I was able to eat like vegetable, prawn and fish. We were all hungry after the walking around and attacked our food.

After lunch, we continued to Yunshuiyao and our guide took us around. We walked for more than two hours there. Then we boarded the bus for our journey back to Xiamen. I was the last to be dropped off with another couple at Xiamen Railway Station. I went in to buy the next morning’s train ticket to Quanzhou. I could buy it on Trip.com but there’s a fee and although the station also charged me a fee, it all worked out less than what it’d cost me on Trip.com. There was no queue at all and I got to discover the station and familiarise myself with its layout.

I had dinner at another halal eatery. This time, the noodles came in a much smaller bowl and cost a lot more. Harrumph.

Thursday, 8 January 2026

I left my room at 06:50 for the railway station. My train was at 07:21 and we reached Quanzhou at 08:10. I followed the signs for the bus and took bus number 2 to the city. I couldn’t pay off my fare despite trying several times and the driver waved me on. It took 30 minutes to reach the city centre where I alighted near the Feitian Yingbin Urban Sculpture and walked to Guan Yue Temple. Guan Yu and Yue Fei were generals so this is a warrior temple. There were many worshippers there. After walking around, I left and walked to nearby Qingjing Mosque. This is the only mosque left in Quanzhou and is over 1,000 years old. The entrance fee is ¥3. There are some pillars left standing of the ruins. I saw the imam and greeted him with Assalamualaikum and told him I was from Malaysia. He then brought me into the prayer hall which was not open to the public. Alhamdulillah for the rezeki.

After that, I walked to Kaiyuan Temple, passing Confucius Temple on the way. I stopped for a short while then continued on. Google Maps brought me to a pedestrian street which led to Xijie Street (West Street). I walked up and down the street and stopped by an eatery to have an oyster omelette pancake (something like the ones I had in Penang). Then I continued on to the nearby Kaiyuan Temple with its Eastern and Western  Pagodas.

Then I walked and walked to find the bus stop for bus number 2. The bus fare was ¥1 (I paid by cash) and at the station, I quickly went to find the ticket office. The train back to Xiamen was quite full.

Back in Xiamen, I browsed the underground mall before moving on to MIXC Mall before returning to my room. I still had some bread so that was my dinner tonight.

Friday, 9 January 2026

Another early start. I left at 06:50 and walked to the metro station and took the train to Cruise Centre for the ferry to Gulangyu. I’d bought ticket on Klook (just before this trip, I checked again and the ticket cost less on Trip.com so always, always check and compare before buying). The terminal is white near the metro station. I went up to the second floor and showed my passport and received my ticket. There were a lot of local tourists with their tour guides - indeed Gulangyu is a very popular destination for the local tourists.

I wandered around Gulangyu happily. The island, although predominantly populated by Chinese, has foreign influence on its buildings and you’ll be forgiven if you think you’re somewhere in Europe when you wander its streets. Vehicles are banned here, except for golf-cart like vehicles and the locals use handcarts to transport goods. The terrain is hilly and some areas are steep. I had a great time exploring the island.

I returned to Xiamen at 14:00 and took the metro to Zhongshan Park. From there, I walked to the mosque to perform prayers. This is the only mosque in Xiamen. After prayers, I had beef soup at a halal eatery before continuing on. The road then led to Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street. I bought some local delicacies to bring home. I also bought fried oyster pancake.

I then walked to the ferry office at Heping Wharf to get my ticket for the Lujiang River Night Cruise. The locals were sticky about me performing prayers there. Sheesh. Sure, I could perform prayers when I was back in my room but I had time before boarding the ferry and I didn’t want to wait until I reached my room to perform prayers.

The cruise lasted an hour and I took the metro back to Xiamen Railway Station. Back in the room, I started packing a bit.

Saturday, 10 January 2026

Well, it was time to bid farewell to Xiamen. I left the hotel at 11:50 and took the BRT to the airport. Reversing the process I underwent when I arrived. I had checked in online but the system couldn’t issue my boarding pass so I went to the bag drop counter to get my boarding pass and asked if I could sit at the front row. I was told that the flight was full but the lady managed to get me a window seat at row 15. It turned out to be the emergency exit row but nothing untoward happened, alhamdulillah.

We landed at KLIA at 19:50 and I rushed out to the baggage area. I performed prayers first and my bag was out shortly after that. I took the 20:52 train back.

I was very satisfied with the trip. Five days were just enough for a fulfilled trip. Alhamdulillah.