During our last vacation in Bali, my boyfriend and I agreed that this is a place where we want to try coming back every year. Unfortunately, there are so many other places on our travel bucket list, so we found ourselves back in Bali only after two whole years.

Especially after all the recent hiking trips, I really needed a “real vacation” to just relax, enjoy fine dining (but only pay a fraction of what would cost in Singapore), and drink a 30,000 rupiah (3.00 SGD) beer under the sun - alcohol is too expensive in Singapore!

The weather in Bali took us by surprise. We were expecting to sweat buckets but it was strangely chilly that time of the year (end of July). Usually, that kind of weather is greatly welcomed, but this time we only packed beachwear - imagine how cold we were on the motorbikes. Safe to say, I am never going to underestimate the weather of a tropical country again.

Below are some of the highlights of our trip, and how we embraced the art of doing nothing.

Surrounded by paddy fields, NOOK is a perfect getaway and a breath of fresh air away from the busy Seminyak streets. I had a tough time deciding what I want from the extensive menu that just seemed to have every single dish you can get in Bali. Usually, I don’t expect much from places that have a huge menu - cos c'mon, how could you be good in everything - but I was proven wrong. We had the Big Breakfast and Ahi Poki to share - both were simply delicious! I was especially impressed with the poke because it was so fresh and the seasoning tasted very similar to what I had in Hawaii! Till now, I have yet to find poke in Singapore that tastes as good, so imagine what a pleasant surprise I had!


Location: Jl. Umalas 1 Gang Nook No. 1, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung (about a 10 minute drive from Seminyak) 
Operating Hours: 8am to 11pm



We met up with my friend at Finns who happened to be in Bali at the same time. Because Finns wasn’t on our itinerary initially, I did not know what to expect. When I think of beach clubs in Bali, I can only think of Potato Head Beach Club, which is my favorite spot to hang out in Seminyak.

I was blown away by the great vibes it had upon stepping into the club. There were so many things going on at the same time - in a good way - and I just didn’t know what to focus my attention on. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for long because we had dinner plans, but I really enjoyed the good music and great atmosphere while we were there.

The downside to Finns was how difficult it was to get a ride back to Seminyak. Getting there is easy, though. Finns is located in Canggu, which is about 30 minutes away from Seminyak. There were very limited, almost no cabs in that area and for some reason, Uber drivers refused to pick us up because “the area is too dangerous." I would advise you to arrange your own transport to and fro in advance.

Location: Jalan Pantai Berawa, Tibubeneng, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung (about a 30 minutes drive from Seminyak) 
Operating Hours: 9am to 12am

I had high expectations of the food here because of the many, great reviews online. Honestly, I didn’t think it was anything special, but the pasta was still delicious nonetheless. My Prawn Aglio Olio was cooked perfectly al dente and the prawns were very fresh. The restaurant has a very romantic atmosphere with the dim lighting and views looking out to the beach. Do make reservations in advance because this is a really popular place among tourists.

Location: Pantai Petitenget, Jalan Kayu Aya, Kerobokan, Kuta Utara, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung 
Operating Hours: 9am to 11pm


Granted the breakfast wasn’t the best we had, but the cafe is so cute that it is excusable to head down just for an Instagram moment.

Location: Jl. Petitenget No.99 X, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung 
Operating Hours: 7am to 4pm




I cannot love this place enough! It is my absolute must-go place in Seminyak and I would go back again, and again. Beware of the super long wait for the day bed though; we were placed on the waiting list for 4 hours before getting one. I recommend going early in the morning to put your name down and then head out to somewhere nearby for a massage or shopping. They will only hold the day bed for 10 minutes so make sure you don’t wander off too far! I know it sounds like a lot of work, but the day bed is worth the wait. We were there for practically the whole day, just catching up on our books reading, chilling and eating! The food was amazing; everything just tasted so good, especially the Fish & Chips!

Location: Seminyak, Jl. Petitenget No.51B, Kerobokan Kelod, Kuta Utara, Kabupaten Badung Operating Hours: 10am to 2am


Being Asian, I can’t survive too long without my noodles & soup. I was super excited to try the food at Fat Gajah and it gave me a reason to. The Smoked Duck Noodles were simple but tasty, and the dumplings were scrumptious with a unique blend of ingredients you don't normally find elsewhere - my cravings were well satisfied.

Location: Jl. Raya Seminyak No.21, Seminyak, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung
Operating Hours: 11am to 11pm

I'm a little late into the Eat, Pray, Love rave but after finishing the book, I needed to visit Ubud for the perfect laid-back, hippie weekend. I wasn’t expecting Ubud to have more tourists than in Seminyak but it turns out that you have to make reservations in advance for everything!


You can’t say you have been to Ubud without visiting the famous Tegalalang Rice Terrace at least once in your lifetime, even if it is not your kind of thing. To be honest, I feel that if you have seen one rice terrace, you have seen them all. The best time to visit the rice terrace is early in the morning or late afternoon when the sun isn’t scorching hot. It is bound to have a lot of tourists but don’t worry, the rice terrace is big enough to house everybody.

Location: Jalan Tegallalang, Tegallalang, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 7am to 5pm


Situated on top of a hill overlooking the treetops of Ubud, I cannot imagine a better location for a yoga studio. While practicing yoga, we could even hear the sounds of nature which were, for once, not coming from the radio - how calming! Since the classes are based on a first come, first served basis, it is best to arrive about 30 minutes early to get a slot. 

Location: Jl. Raya Tjampuhan, Penestanan Kaja, Sayan, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 12am to 6pm, 8pm to 12am


I read that Taco Casa gets real busy during dinner time, but thankfully we went there for lunch and didn’t have to wait. My boyfriend had the beef fajitas and I had beef tacos with crispy taco shells with freshly squeezed lime juice. The food was real yummy! This place is great if you are bored and tired from eating all of the Balinese food, and crave for some freshly-prepared, reasonably-priced and authentic Mexican cuisine.

Location: Jl. Raya Pengosekan, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar
Operating Hours: 11am to 10pm



It was difficult deciding where to stay in Ubud but we finally decided to go with Sunset Hill because of its gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the lush jungle. We spent an afternoon just relaxing by the pool; it was so peaceful and serene. If only they had a heated pool - actually, if only every pool in the world were heated - it would have been so much nicer because it was cold AF, but I guess that’s too much to wish for. I still loved it, though!

With our accommodation being located a bit outside of Ubud, we decided to get a moped to get around everywhere. Renting a motorbike from Sunset Hill was really convenient and helpful since I was too lazy to walk to town. If you come to Ubud, you should definitely rent one to explore the area.

Sunset Hill is situated at the top of the famous Campuhan Ridge Walk. It is about a 30 minutes drive to town, but you can also choose to do a 20-30 minutes walk via the ridgeway, through Monkey Forest to the centre of Ubud.

Price: 117 SGD per night at the 1 Bedroom Deluxe
Location: Jl. Bangkiang Sidem 88, Banjar Bangkiang Sidem, Ubud, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar

Recently, I chanced upon an online article raving about how good the KATE Lash Maximizer is. The reviewer claimed that this lash primer is the best she has ever tried and the lashes do not uncurl!

Now, my lashes are short and stubborn and I could never get them to curl for the whole day (or even curl up properly), so of course after reading this article, I had to try it!

 ...and I must say: I’ve found the holy grail of all holy grail products.


There is a trick to getting your lashes to curl up so nicely though. The first time I tried the primer, it did nothing for me at all. I was so disappointed but decided to give it one more try - I am super glad I did!

Follow these directions for pretty lashes:
1) Start with only one side of your eye.
2) Curl your lashes - this step is EXTREMELY important. How high your lashes will curl up in the end depends on how well you curl them now. I am using Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler.
3) Apply the primer in zig-zag motions from the roots upwards till the ends of your lashes - for volumizing.
4) Repeat for the other eye.
5) Back to the first eye - apply the primer from the roots upwards till the ends of your lashes - for lengthening.
6) Repeat for the other eye.
7) You can further lengthen your lashes by applying the primer to the ends of your lashes a few more times.
8) Apply your mascara on top of the primer. I am using Kiss Me Heroine Make Long & Curl Mascara Super Waterproof.

Tip: When you are applying the primer, use the brush to hold the curl upwards for 1-2 seconds before letting go. This technique will allow your lashes to hold their curls better. 

Take note that the primer does a very good job of lengthening your lashes + hold the curl but it does not add much volume to your lashes. You can use a volumizing mascara on top of the primer for that purpose.

Lasting power: The curl lasted from 7am till I removed my makeup at about 11pm.

Cost: You can purchase the primer from SaSa for $20.90.

Removing: I use Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascara Remover  + Biore Eye & Lip Makeup Remover - works like a charm!

The Kiss Me Heroine Make Mascara Remover is another HG product I cannot live without! It practically melted away my mascara after applying it on my lashes and leaving it on for 1-2 minutes. I use the Biore remover to wipe my lashes after just to make sure there are no more traces of eye makeup left - this step is optional. I don’t know what took me so long to discover it but I will never look for any other eye makeup remover again!

Back home from the beautiful scenic Tasmania and already starting to plan for my next trip: Bali in 2 months - yay! I can’t wait to bask under the sun with an ice cold beer in my hand, especially after experiencing a week of brutal coldness in Tassie. We went in autumn and while the cold can’t be compared to winter temperatures of course, it was a lot colder than what we expected. I guess that is because Tassie is the southernmost state in Australia, which is its coldest state. Nonetheless, it was still an amazing experience and I wish we had more time there.

Tasmania is very different from other parts of Australia. It reminds me more of New Zealand, actually: massive mountain landscapes, a lot of nature and wilderness, clean air and less traffic - a nice getaway from my little city.

1) Enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of Hobart from Mount Wellington Lookout - for FREE

This is a must-do when you are in Hobart! I highly recommend driving up for sunset when the city starts to light up. You can expect a 10 degree drop when you are up there, so remember to pack some warm clothes - even in the summer! Once the area turns pitch dark, you can witness the Milky Way - and the Aurora Australis if you are lucky - so make sure to stay till then!






2) Take a 15-minute vehicle ferry across to Bruny Island

This island is beautiful beyond words. It was my favourite part of the whole trip! Have a relaxing day out at Bruny Island, soak in a 360 degree picturesque scenery at the top of The Neck and indulge in some yummy gourmet tastings while you are there!

You won't be able to book the ferry in advance so I would recommend to arrive at least 30 minutes earlier to secure a spot! If the ferry is full, you have to wait for the next available timing which is usually about an hour later.















3) Experience the biggest walk of your life via the Cape Hauy Track 

The Cape Hauy Track is part of the Three Capes Track and is the most well-known and accessible walk within the Tasman National Park. The track has a lot of steps and can be physically demanding but once you reach the top of the cliff, the view will leave you breathless - no pun intended! It was pouring on and off and even had light hail when we did the track, but we made it to the end anyway! 

The 8km walk can be accomplished in 4-5 hours - take your time to enjoy the extensive views of the coast along the way!





4) Explore the Painted Cliffs of Maria Island 

The Painted Cliffs are beautifully coloured and patterned sandstone, carved and moulded by the sea, and bordered by rock pools teeming with marine life. It is a 2-hour return walk from the ferry pier. 

You will find many cute and fat, little wombats in Maria Island and also families of kangaroo on the other end of the island, near the Visitor Centre.

There are no cafes, food or drinks on the island, so pack along a picnic basket with you! There are many good spots to have picnic at, but I must warn you: it is hard to avoid areas with wombats’ droppings.

Access to Maria Island is via a 45 minutes ferry ride from Triabunna - you can book the tickets here: http://www.mariaislandferry.com.au/.





5) Climb over the stunning Bay of Fires 

Gorgeous, fiery, granite rocks on the sandy, white beach with crystal-clear water - the perfect backdrop for photos!

The Bay of Fires stretches over 50 kilometres from Binalong Bay in the south to Eddystone Point in the north, so despite being one of the most popular destination in the world, you will feel like you are the only one there.

6) Hike up Marion’s Lookout at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park 

We started our hike from Ronny Creek, went up to Marion's Lookout, then went down via Dove Lake, which took us a total of 4.5 hours, inclusive of rest time and lots of photo taking. The track we took was manageable, a lot of walking and with some steep climbing only towards the top.

We did this hike in May, towards the end of autumn. The sky was very cloudy and it was super foggy and extremely cold at the summit, so I recommend the best season to do this hike would be during summer when there is a higher chance of clear skies.

You should leave your car at the Visitor Centre’s car park and take the free shuttle bus which is available every 15 minutes, unless you are planning to end the hike going the same route back. The shuttle connects all of the popular locations and walks, including the Dove Lake Circuit, the Cradle Valley Boardwalk and the Overland Track.

A nice way to end the hike is with a cup of yummy, hot chocolate from the Visitor Centre’s cafe!




7) Wander around the iconic Salamanca Market 

A huge street market with a large variety of local produce, crafts, artisanal food and music - definitely worth a visit! The park by the side makes for an ideal location to have your takeaway lunch at. Unfortunately, the market is held only on Saturdays between 8.30am and 3.00pm so expect a busy crowd when you are there!




Here is a rough map of the route we took for our 8-day road trip. We started in the Hobart area, checking out Mount Wellington and Bruny Island first, and then eventually ended the trip back in Hobart with Salamanca Market. (click to enlarge)


Comment below if you would like me to share our detailed itinerary here, as well. 😊