Contents

1. Contents
2. Location of The Ritz Carlton
3. Accommodation at The Ritz Carlton
4. Food & Drink at The Ritz Carlton
5. Amenities & Experiences at The Ritz Carlton

Location of The Ritz Carlton

The Ritz Carlton is situated just a short 10 minute drive away from Langkawi airport. Whilst there are no international flights to Langkawi, flights arrive daily from Penang (Malaysia – 30 minutes), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia – 1hr) and Singapore (1.5hrs). It makes it the perfect place to combine with a city to make a multi-centre holiday of exploration followed by relaxation. We chose to combine it with Kuala Lumpur, a city we absolutely fell in love with.

You can read my full post on Kuala Lumpur HERE.

Langkawi island itself is quite small, and The Ritz Carlton is on the west side of the island, close to the Langkawi Cable Car and Sky Bridge. It’s only about a 30 minute drive across the island to the beautiful area of Kilim Geoforest Park, and everything else is within 20 minutes of the hotel. I would say the island is quite touristy, and after arriving from Kuala Lumpur we really noticed a much higher number of Brits, and the much higher prices that accompany a tourist hotspot. I do think it means some of the island experiences aren’t exactly authentic – more just trips for tourists.

If you want true, authentic Malaysia, then I think there are much better options – Langkawi is mainly great for a lovely beach destination and relaxation to round off a trip.

Accommodation at The Ritz Carlton

The accommodation at The Ritz Carlton is nothing short of incredible. We stayed in a 1 bedroom villa with rainforest view, and as we entered it, we couldn’t believe how spacious it was, with the door opening up to a large living room with a huge comfortable sofa, desk are and lounge.

To the left was a lovely dining area, and to the right the large bedroom with walk in wardrobes behind the bed. The bed was the comfiest bed I’ve ever slept in – easily giving me my 9 hours a night the moment my head hit the pillow. Through to the bathroom and there was a huge walk in shower, plus dual sinks and a toilet – plus a wonderful soaking tub looking out to the rainforest. I would say that inside the villa was definitely one of the nicest we’ve ever had the pleasure of staying in.

Finally, stepping out of the room there is an outdoor pool, complete with two loungers on the top deck, with steps down to a day bed and table with chairs on the lower deck, all looking out to the trees. It was beautiful, but I’ve been spoiled with similar pools in Costa Rica and Bali and if I’m honest the rainforest view wasn’t as beautiful – instead of being dense and verdant, it was relatively thin and to the right (out of shot) was a view over a flat roof with a generator.

Another factor that set the room apart was the amazing housekeeping team. We booked this trip for our wedding anniversary and I was touched by the care they had taken to mark this – we had a rose petal bath run on arrival and every other night, anniversary rose petals on the bed, plus cards and gifts every day of our stay. Though hilariously they had no idea how long we’d been married – it was 10 years on the bed, 20 years on a card, and then another card congratulated us on 40 years. I could barely stop laughing – do I really look old enough to be 60?! (All were wrong by the way, but it’s the thought that counts!). They also got my husband’s name wrong on about half of our gifts – sometimes he was Charlie, sometimes Colin, and even better Chirstopher! It added some entertainment.

Housekeeping were also so thoughtful beyond the anniversary – I had a stack of books, so they wrote me a note to say they see I like reading so have left me some bookmarks. I also commented I loved the towel penguin they’d made, so I ended up with a pretty impressive menagerie!

Food & Drink at The Ritz Carlton

The Ritz Carlton offers numerous food and drink options. The main restaurant, Langkawi Kitchen, is set amongst the rainforest with pods that hold 4-6 tables overhanging the canopy. This is where breakfast is served every morning; a huge buffet with choices ranging from Western to Chinese to Malaysian. Breakfast is included within the room rate at the hotel. Langkawi Kitchen is also open for dinner, serving a Malaysian and Indian menu. It was delicious, and pricing is reasonable – we had 2 courses and wine for £25/head.

Another dinner option is Chinese restaurant Hai Yan, the most upmarket (and most expensive) restaurant onsite. We had dinner there one night, and the crispy duck followed by butter prawns were good but not great, and I did think it overpriced, costing us £50/head for a shared starter and a main.

The hotel also offers a restaurant called the Beach Grill for lunch and dinner. This beautiful restaurant is situated right on the beach next to the family pool. It’s set within mock “bubus” (Malay fishing nets), and is calm and tranquil overlooking the sea. It serves a mix of Malaysian and Western food at lunch, and for dinner is known for its grill – either steak or catch of the day fish. I highly recommend the beef rendang bao buns. Prices were around £25/head for 2 courses and a drink.

Horizon Bar, another option, is situated next to the adults only pool, again offering sweeping views. It serves a limited lunch menu (largely Western bar snacks), and slightly more expansive evening menu. Its main draw however, is the beautiful sunset views it offers as you sit on the comfy sofas taking it all in. We didn’t eat here so I cannot comment on quality of food or pricing.

Finally, you could also choose to book a special dinner. The hotel offers private dinners in villa with a privately cooked BBQ on the terrace, and private beach dinners in a lovely tent right at the shore as the sun sets. We had an evening meal on the beach and this is the setup we arrived to – beautiful! Prices depend on the menu you wish to choose.

If I’m honest, the service at the restaurants was a little clumsy. Whilst absolutely no big deal, there were a few things a 5* hotel could tidy up on. For example at breakfast you order tea/coffee as you arrive – on two mornings it didn’t turn up until after we’d finished eating (and we had to chase multiple times). We also had a couple of meals where the incorrect order was brought to us, and we had someone knocking on our door insisting they take us to a cooking experience we hadn’t booked. It felt just a little clumsy. The staff were so friendly and kind though, and went out of their way to help us.

Amenities & Experiences at The Ritz Carlton

Let’s start with the obvious amenities – the pools. Onsite are two pools, the first of which is a family pool which anyone can use, including children. It sits right at the beach level, with a path directly accessing the beach in one direction. There is a jacuzzi area and large pool, though it’s not ideal for swimming if you want to get some lengths in due to its shape.

The second pool is an adults only pool; a beautiful infinity pool which has to be one of the best hotel pools we’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. We spent 2 days sitting by it and it was just stunning. We found that in the mornings it was quiet, but from about 11.30am onwards most of the loungers were taken – so get any proper swimming in early!

The other part of The Ritz Carlton I loved was its incredibly special spa. Set in numerous mock pods known as a “bubu” (like the restaurant above, based on mock Malaysian fishing nets), it truly was an oasis. We booked in for a “bubu suite experience”, which sounded cute so I couldn’t resist it!

The experience allowed us to make use of the amazing facilities including a free sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and relaxation lounge (separate for men and women) before heading to our bubu. Within the bubu we received 90 minute stress relief massages (amazing), followed by use of the bubu for a further 90 minutes. It had a beautiful soaking tub overlooking the ocean, balcony out towards the sea, tea, cake and showers. I think it wins the prize for best spa experience I’ve ever had a hotel, and it was very reasonably priced.

The hotel also offers some great opportunities to spot wildlife. The grounds are home to two types of monkey – dusky leaf (friendly), and macaque (less friendly). It’s also home to toucans, lizards, lots of different butterflies and glorious plants galore. Who knew a banana plant looked like THAT?! I couldn’t stop laughing.

The hotel also offers a beautiful stretch of private beach, home to loungers, a little cafe beach bar and a beach club where you can kayak/swim/paddle board. We opted for the land only option of walking along it at sunset! If you’re adventurous there is also another ‘secluded beach’ a 3km hike away from the resort. We started the path, but got so bitten by mosquitoes and ticks we had to turn back – I really wish we’d completed it!

Away from the beach, the hotel also offers lovely grounds to stroll. Whilst not big, on site there is a giant chessboard, tennis courts, a little herb garden, some giant swings, a nice big pond area full of fish, a games lounge, a small library and a kids’ club. There is also a fully quipped gym and multiple exercise classes (e.g. yoga) on the beach.

Finally, the hotel has an extensive experience offering – being able to organise everything from kayak tours, boat trips, cultural excursions, traditional dance classes, cooking classes, weaving experiences and much more! We didn’t do any of these as none are really our thing, but it’s great they offer such variety.

And with that, I draw a close on an absolutely beautiful 6 days in paradise, and my time in Malaysia. The Ritz Carlton is a truly stunning destination, made by the luxury villa we were able to call home for a few days, and the attentive and kind staff especially housekeeping.

I also fell in love with Malaysia, well beyond this hotel. If you’re considering a trip to the country – by all means add Langkawi and its swanky resorts, but it was by far the most Westernised (and therefore expensive) place we visited, and the joy was in seeing more of the real Asia as well. I hope you enjoyed this review, and Malaysia more broadly – let me know what you think in the comments below. Stay safe and happy travelling!

1. About Kilim Forest Geopark
2. How to get to Kilim Forest Geopark
3. What to expect from the Kilim Forest Geopark Mangrove Tour
   1. Mangroves
   2. Eagle Watching
   3. Bat Cave
   4. Fish Farm (& Restaurant)
   5. Macaque Monkeys
   6. Andaman Sea
4. Other important Visitor Information

About Kilim Forest Geopark

Kilim Forest Geopark’s formation dates back c.490 – 370 million years! It’s a place with ancient geological heritage, and is home to many natural wonders such as huge areas of mangroves, multiple species of monkey, and the beautiful local eagles.

Sailing around the Geopark feels like stepping in to a magical world, full of steep cliffs, wildlife and beautiful waterways winding through interesting rock formations and views.

It’s no wonder that the park was made the first UNESCO Global Geopark in 2007, making it the first geopark in Malaysia and the South East Asia region. This endorsement was given due to its significant geoheritage features like landscapes, caves sea arches and sea stacks, dropstones, fossil and local community involvement.

Today the park is a thriving tourist attraction, with hundreds of visitors daily. That does mean it’s quite busy, but despite crowds at the beginning, once you’re out on a boat it’s not too busy at all.

How to get to Kilim Forest Geopark

Kilim Forest Geopark is accessible only via boat, and boat tours leave from Tanjung Rhu pier.

Tanjung Rhu is located right on the northern tip of the island, and if you’re arriving from other parts of the island, I recommend leaving 45 minutes to get there as traffic can be busy on the island. The easiest way to get there is to take a Grab taxi, which will cost c£5-£10 depending on where you are coming from on the island.

Alternatively you could book a tour which includes hotel pickup, though this will come at a premium. Tours of the Geopark can be booked as part of a group tour, or by booking an individual boat. The group option should cost around £20-30 per person, and the private option will cost around £50-75 to hire a private eight seater boat. You can book directly online (via Klook), or you can turn up to the pier and head to the ticket counter to purchase the experience directly.

What to expect from the Kilim Forest Geopark Mangrove Tour

Mangroves

Without doubt the highlight of the boat trip is to sail among the mangroves and see these amazing plants in their natural habitat. They are special plants, and act as a barrier for Langkawi island – they even acted as a huge defence wall against the 2006 tsunami that hit the coast.

Eagle Watching

Langkawi is home to hundreds of beautiful eagles, sailing above the cliffs like something out of a movie. That said, some boat trips ‘feed’ the eagles by throwing chicken in to the water so that the tourists can see them up close – we chose not to do this, and instead just enjoyed seeing them fly overhead more naturally.

Bat Cave

The bat cave is an impressive place, unless you hate bats, in which case it would be a nightmare. The cave system is only accessible via the river and is home to hundreds of bats that cling to the roof of the cave as tourists stroll past – there’s a round loop walkway which can be completed at low tide, or you have to walk in to the cave and back out again the way you came at high tide.

Fish Farm (& Restaurant)

This was really very touristy and I didn’t love this part of the tour. After climbing out of your boat, you’ll get a rushed run-through of the different fish and crustaceans kept in the small pens, before they try to usher you in to the restaurant for food and drink. It is a picturesque setting, but we didn’t choose to eat there and got straight back on our boat.

Macaque Monkeys

All along the river front, you’ll see a host of wildlife. We saw a brilliant blue kingfisher right near us but it was too quick for us to manage a photo, as well as some lizards, crabs and other wildlife. However one thing we did see hundreds of is Macaque monkeys, and they were everywhere, almost showing off to the boats as they sailed past!

Andaman Sea

The tour finished for us on a high. I love it when a boat goes really fast through the open sea – wind in my hair, sun on my face, powering over the waves. We sailed out of the windy mangrove trails and in to the sea with a view out over to Thailand and absolutely hit the throttle. So much fun to end the tour!

Other important Visitor Information

• A trip around the mangroves lasts roughly 2.5 – 3hours
• It’s best to go early morning before all the crowds descend and to avoid the heat of the day
• Take a hat, sun-cream and plenty of water
• You will have to climb on and off the boat, so wear sensible footwear
• You can also add on to your tour a stop at a private beach, or for snorkelling. We didn’t do either of these things on our trip.

And that’s a wrap on Kilim Geoforest Park. We really enjoyed our half day boat trip and would highly recommend it as something a bit different if you’re in Langkawi. We found it to be interesting, and it added some variety in to our trip by getting out on the water. I hope you enjoyed the trip – let me know what you think in the comments. Stay safe and happy travelling!

1. Location of The Banyan Tree
2. Accommodation at The Banyan Tree
3. Food & Drink at The Banyan Tree
4. Amenities & Experiences at The Banyan Tree

Please note: The hotel is not to be confused with Pavilion by Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, which is just across the road, inside the Pavilion KL mall!

Location of The Banyan Tree

The Banyan Tree is located around a 45 minute drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and the hotel can organise smooth and simple transfers from your arrival terminal.

The Banyan Tree is conveniently located just outside of the Bukit Bintang area in Kuala Lumpur city centre, around a 10 minute walk south of the Petronas Towers and KLCC Park. It’s attached the Pavilion KL mall, which makes it perfect for finding food at the end of a busy day as the mall offers over 100 restaurants to choose from. To get to the mall you need to go to Level 1, then instead of going out of the doors, turn right and head to the lift and stairs behind the Café which will take you to the mall access corridor at level 2.

The Banyan Tree is also a 30 minute walk away from the Merdeka area, home to the old Colonial district, china town and a number of markets. You can also easily take a taxi to other parts of the city within 30 minutes, including the Botanical Gardens and Thean Hou Temple.

You can read my full post on Kuala Lumpur HERE.

Accommodation at The Banyan Tree

The hotel occupies floors 53 – 58 of the building it’s located in. This means there’s no reception on the ground floor as it’s on floor 53. This can feel a little ‘soulless’ coming in to a hotel and it just being an empty lobby with one person directing you to the lift, but the moment you pop up on floor 53, all is forgotten because the accommodation is warm, inviting and a true city oasis.

The accommodation at The Banyan Tree is really calming. We stayed in a Signature Banyan Tree King room, which came in lovely neutral colours, with a warm stone bathroom, all looking out over the city. You could choose a Sky Retreat or Sanctuary Suite room, which provide the additional benefit of views out to the Petronas Towers from your window.

The room itself was spacious, with a huge bed, comfortable seating area, large desk area, and lobby entrance area including a mini-bar and storage. The room is made up daily, and there is also a turn down service which ensures the lighting is dimmed, curtains are closed, fluffy slippers are laid out, and incense is burning. A perfect calm oasis to come back to after dinner.

The bathroom also came complete with double sink, huge walk in shower, walk in closet area and separate toilet. But the star was the huge stone bath with city views. The hotel also offered a bath menu, where they would make up a bath for you with various options (e.g. rose petals, lavender scent, bubbles) ready for a time to suit you arriving back.

Food & Drink at The Banyan Tree

The Banyan Tree offers a few food and drink options. The main restaurant is Horizon Grill, set on the 58th floor and offering panoramic views out to The Petronas Towers. It’s here every day that breakfast is served. Breakfast is included in the room rate, though the menu itself is quite limited. With this view, I didn’t mind at all!

In the evening, Horizon offers a large menu and some great wine options, including my beloved Whispering Angel wine. We chose to go non-Asian with our evening meal there (our only non-Asian meal of the week) and went with Surf n Turf. It was truly delicious. This was the most expensive meal we had in Kuala Lumpur, but was still reasonably priced for a top end hotel – expect to pay around £20pp for a main course and drink.

Also on site is newly opened Torito (a Peru-Japan fusion restaurant), and Bake (a café serving coffee, cakes and snacks). Both of these are situated on the ground floor and we didn’t eat in either so cannot review them but Google ratings show me 5/5 for Torito so perhaps we should have tried it!

For drinks, The Banyan Tree offers something special. It has a rooftop bar called Vertigo which is just stunning with its panoramic views of The Petronas Towers as the sun goes down. Even better, hotel guests get a front row seat!

Amenities & Experiences at The Banyan Tree

Aside from the dining experiences, The Banyan Tree offers a number of amenities on site, the most impressive of which is the absolutely beautiful pool. Situated on the 53rd floor, the pool has a covered roof but with open sides to soak in the views. We spent a couple of afternoons reading our books here and had it to ourselves – so relaxing.

In addition to the pool, The Banyan Tree also offers a relaxing luxury spa, typical of the Banyan Tree brand. I had a deep tissue massage and it was lovely. Again the spa itself is soothing, with neutral colours, fragrant flowers and top service. After the massage they sat me in a room overlooking the Petronas Towers with a cup of tea – how very perfect.

There is also a concierge who can help you plan trips to the local attractions, including The Petronas Towers, Thean Hou Temple, Batu Caves and many more. We visited these independently, so cannot comment on service here.

So what did you think of The Banyan Tree KL? We absolutely loved our stay, and felt the hotel is well worth its 5* rating. We truly felt it was an oasis in the sky in a chaotic, hot and humid capital city. I would definitely choose it again if I go back to KL, and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Away from the Banyan Tree, I have noticed something very interesting in my blogging stats this month. I am now getting a lot of referrals from ChatGPT and other AI type sites. Normally my traffic is largely Search Engines, but it’s starting to flip. It shows how much the world is changing, and the way people are using the internet is changing. At least the engines are citing my pages though and not just taking the content, that’s something.

Stay safe and happy travelling!

Let me tell you about my visit, and hopefully it can help you plan yours.

1. A bit about Batu Caves
2. How to get to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur
3. Important Visitor Information
4. What to see and do at Batu Caves
   1. Temple Cave
   2. Ramanya Cave
   3. Cave Villa
   4. Other Areas

You can read more about things to do in Kuala Lumpur: HERE

A bit about Batu Caves

Batu Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place of extreme sacredness for the Hindu community. Batu Cave’s most iconic feature, which is the image seen all over Instagram and the travel guides, is the incredible 140ft gold statue of Lord Murugan which sits at the entrance to the main cave.

Batu Caves are a series of four limestone caves which are over 400 million years old, and since 1891 they have housed a myriad of Hindu temples. The main temple is in honour of he of the massive gold statue – Murugan, the Hindu God of War.

The name Batu comes from the nearby River, Batu Pahat, and the word Batu itself is derived from the Malay for “rock” – which feels appropriate. Aside from the religious temples, Batu Caves are also a biodiversity hotspot consisting of many plant and animal species, over 21 species of bat and a whole host of monkeys. It’s also a haven for rock climbers, with over 100 climbing routes on the north face of the caves if you’re feeling adventurous.

How to get to Batu Caves from Kuala Lumpur

• Organised Trip – many people book on to an organised tour via one of the major tour providers. These typically cost around £10-20 per person including transport for the 17km journey from Kuala Lumpur.
• Grab – much cheaper is to use the taxi app Grab, and order a private car to the site. Ours cost £1.80 for the two of us each way. Much of the Batu cave site is free to enter so this works out much cheaper.
• The KTM Komuter train – the cheapest option is to take the train, via the Komuter train that runs from Tampin in the south, through Kuala Lumpur, and up to Batu Caves in the north. People often get the KTM Komuter train from KL Sentral as this is the main transport hub in Kuala Lumpur, but you can get it from other stations in Kuala Lumpur, like Bank Negara and Putra. At the time of writing, prices were about 50p per person.

Important Visitor Information

• There are a number of caves to explore at the site – Entrance to the Temple Cave is free, Entrance to Ramanya Cave is £2.50, and Entrance to the Cave Villa is £2.50 (at the time of writing)
• The site is open from 7am – 9pm daily (though please check if there is a religious festival on before visiting)
• I recommend arriving early (pre 9am) if you want to see it reasonably quiet
• Entrance to the Temple Cave is up 272 steps, so a moderate degree of fitness and mobility is required
• There are a number of other temples at the site, outside of the caves
• Monkeys roam the site freely and can be quite aggressive – we saw one scratch a woman who was in its face trying to take a photo. Give them plenty of space.
• As it’s a religious site, it’s important to be respectful with dress code. I wore trousers and a t-shirt that covered my arms, though plenty of people were in shorts with no problems.

What to see and do at Batu Caves

Temple Cave

The main draw is the Temple Cave guarded by it’s huge gold statue of Murugan. Climb the 272 stairs behind him, and enter a vast cave, with a temple nestled at the heart of it, which dates back to 1920. It’s a very active temple, and was really busy with Hindus worshipping at the time of our visit. You can also walk through the main cave, through to a second cave to find another temple site – and lots more monkeys of course!

Ramanya Cave

Many visitors to Batu Caves only visit the Cave Temple, due to Ramanya Cave having a small entrance fee. That makes this cave much more enjoyable as it’s got a more laid back feeling, and definitely fewer people. Ramanya Cave is famously known for its kind of mad storytelling via big gold statues with interesting expressions – you can’t miss the giant statue of Kumbhakarna, brother of Ravana and a deep sleeper (note the attempts to wake him with arrows and cymbals). You can also climb the stairs to a shrine featuring a naturally occurring lingam, a stalagmite that is a symbol of Shiva.

Cave Villa

The Cave Villa, which sits at the foot of the hill between the two caves above takes you through a lovely koi pond and a water garden via a raised walkway. It’s very pretty from the outside but we opted not to go inside as it does house animals in a way I’m not comfortable with, and a little girl was outside crying as there was a dead turtle just floating in one of the tanks. I also see from Trip Advisor a low rating, with many reviews saying do not visit due to animal conditions.

Other Areas

There are also a number of other areas within the caves that can be visited. Off of one of the steps on the staircase up to the Temple Cave, is Dark Cave, which is a deep (and dark!) cave that can be visited independently or with a guide. On the day of our visit it was closed, but it looks really cool. There are also a number of other temples at the site, including Sri Subramaniar Temple and Murugan Temple, though we didn’t visit any of these as they are primarily for prayer.

So there you have it – are Batu Caves worth visiting? Yes, absolutely – they are a beautiful and important religious site and an icon which is part of Malaysia’s culture. However, I do think they have become overtouristed to the point they aren’t that enjoyable. It did feel quite badly maintained, the Cave Villa didn’t sit right with me, and I was about ready to take down about 6 Instagrammers standing there in skimpy dresses blocking the way while elderly Hindu ladies were trying to get to a sacred site and pray. It left me with mixed feelings, but is is undeniably impressive and well worth a trip if you’re in Kuala Lumpur.

Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

Putrajaya is a beautiful city about 30 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, and only 10 minutes from Kuala Lumpur international airport. It’s Malaysia’s administrative capital, home to its many government buildings. It’s also known as a garden city, set around a lake, for its lush greenery and flowers everywhere. It makes a perfect day trip from Kuala Lumpur, or first/last stop on a trip around Malaysia.

Contents

1. Contents
2. How to visit Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur
3. Things to do in Putrajaya
   1. Seri Gemalang Bridge
   2. Anjung Floria
   3. Iron Mosque
   4. Putrajaya Square & Federal Court of Malaysia
   5. Persiaran Perdana
   6. Putra Mosque
   7. Putra Square
   8. Putrajaya Botanical Gardens
4. Other Putrajaya Visitor Information

How to visit Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur

• Putrajaya is 30-45 minutes drive north of Kuala Lumpur.
• The easiest way to reach the city if you don’t have your own car is via Grab Taxi, which will cost around £6 each way.
• You can reach Putrajaya via public transport, by taking the MRT Putrajaya Line from KLCC or Conlay station in to Putrajaya Sentral. This will cost around £3 in total and take 55 minutes.
• If you take the MRT, you will then need to take a Grab taxi to the start the walk below, or any of the points of interest listed.
• You can also visit Putrajaya from the airport. A Grab Taxi from there will cost around £2. It’s a perfect first or last night in the country rather than an airport hotel if you can manage it!
• Finally, there are a number of tours which take you to Putrajaya from KL, but only for a boat ride and visit to the pink mosque – they cost around £30-£40 per person and you only really see one part, not the whole city. In my opinion, it’s not worth it and much better to visit independently.

Things to do in Putrajaya

Putrajaya is centred around a main thoroughfare, stretching across a number of its precincts. We started in Precinct 5 and effectively walked at the waters’ edge, then came inland for a stroll along the main avenue, through precincts 4, 3, 2 and ended in 1. It was effectively a (wiggly) straight line, and end to end the walk took 2 hours.

The items I list below are in order as we saw them on the walk. In total we spent 6 hours in Putrajaya including the travel time, doing this walk, taking in the sites on the way and eating lunch before heading back to KL.

Seri Gemalang Bridge

We started our visit to Putrajaya by being dropped off at the roadside next to Seri Gemalang Bridge, a ceremonial and ornate bridge connecting two parts of Putrajaya. After taking in the majestic views, we took the steps down from the bridge to the water front (on the opposite side of the river to the Convention Centre), and strolled along the front to our next stop.

Anjung Floria

About 15 minutes later after a lovely stroll in the sunshine, we arrived at Anjung Floria, a pretty park. It’s home to some nice sculpted gardens and beautiful Chinese pavilion. We had it all to ourselves and I particularly loved the pandas! We sat here for a while just admiring our surroundings, the scent of the flowers and chirp of the birds our only company.

Iron Mosque

Just a short hop back along the waterfront and you’ll come to the imposing Iron Mosque jutting out in to the river. It’s actual name is the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, and was opened in 2010. It’s silver all over and its dome glistened beautifully in the sun.

After approaching the Mosque from the water, before we reached it we turned inwards away from the water and crossed a couple of roads to reach an underpass. We emerged up some steps with a view back to the Iron Mosque which was quite striking.

Putrajaya Square & Federal Court of Malaysia

The stairs pop you up in to Putrajaya Square, a beautiful and open green square which opens to the Iron Mosque above on one side, and the Federal Court of Malaysia on the other. The Court building was truly breathtaking with its imposing domes.

Persiaran Perdana

From here, we turned left when facing the court building, and walked straight down the beautiful and wide road Persiaran Perdana. It’s lined with architecturally striking government buildings and reminded us a little of the wide avenues we’ve seen in Budapest and the US! I of course particularly liked the department of Finance building.

Putra Mosque

Eventually the road brings you out on Putra Bridge and then…..neither of us could stop saying WOW as the Putra Mosque came in to view. The most beautiful mosque I think I’ve ever seen from the outside, in hues of pink in the sunshine. And even better, there was no-one else on the bridge, not one single person.

Putra Square

After crossing the bridge, the mass tours hit – riding out on boats and taking snaps all around the main square in to which the bridge opens up with the mosque to the left. At this point we had barely encountered any tourists and were having a fabulous day – I think it would be entirely different if all you did was the tour and all you saw was the square. The square itself was another grand affair, with an open view to the Prime Minister’s office (which was very heavily guarded)!

Putrajaya Botanical Gardens

By the time we left Putra Square, we’d walked 8km and had had a really lovely half day out. In hindsight, we should have just got a Grab taxi back to Kuala Lumpur at that point, however I wanted to visit the Putrajaya Botanical Gardens.

Whilst they were lovely, and absolutely worth a visit, they aren’t a patch on the Perdana Botanical Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, so if you’ve already visited those, then the extra 3+km to walk there and walk around probably aren’t worth it. In addition, you’ll probably be hungry by now but the restaurants in the Botanical Gardens only took AliPay, cash or TouchNGo cards (none of which we had).

That said, the gardens are still great to walk around and explore. We managed to find a late lunch shortly afterwards in a nice little local restaurant, and then head back to KL at around 3pm after a magical day out.

Other Putrajaya Visitor Information

• Putrajaya is more of a local city than a tourist city, and so I did feel a little out of place in a summer dress! I wish that I had worn something slightly more reserved – especially as I would have loved to go in to the Pink Mosque but obviously couldn’t given what I was wearing.
• You can take boat trips out on the water as well, I think this would have been a nice way to finish the visit instead of the Botanical Gardens.
• There are not huge numbers of eating options in Putrajaya, but we found a lovely local restaurant. If you are looking for Western food, I recommend travelling early and getting back to Kuala Lumpur for lunch (though there is a Burger King!).
• Visiting at the weekend will mean it’s at its quietest given it’s mostly full of people there for work Monday to Friday only.
• Putrajaya, like the rest of Malaysia, gets scorching hot. If you follow this post, given the amount of walking, please take water, suncream and a hat with you.

So, what do you think of magical Putrajaya? Both my husband and I put it in out ‘top 5’ experiences of the holiday – we thought it was amazing and gave a completely different experience to Kuala Lumpur.

Finalising this post has also really cheered me up this week. The last few weeks at work have been really full on, working 12hr days and weekends means I’ve had little time for myself. I also had a car accident 2 weeks ago, hitting a deer, which was a bit scary though I’m fine. I’m pretty good at managing stress, I never suffer with anxiety and actually, I enjoy thriving in high pressure scenarios. BUT with my workdays being so challenging, I’ve not had time to really write here, or even plan any travel adventures, which is a habit I don’t wish to keep up for too long. Roll on September and (hopefully) the end of my project!!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below – stay safe and happy travelling!

Perdana Botanical Gardens Visitor Information

• The Botanical Gardens are free to enter (wow)
• The Botanical Gardens are open 7am – 7pm daily
• I recommend visiting in the morning during the week to avoid the heat of the day and to avoid weekend crowds
• There are multiple entrances to the Botanical Gardens, but I recommend the Perdana Lake Club entrance as a good and easy place to start
• The gardens are around 20-30 minutes outside of central KL. The easiest way to reach them is to take a Grab taxi to get there
• From the Gardens, you can also walk easily to a number of other attractions, with which the Gardens can be combined to make a day trip:
  • KL Bird Park
  • National Planetarium
  • National Museum (we chose this option and it was really interesting)
  • Tun Abdul Razak Memorial
• Parts of the gardens are in full sun, and some of the paths are quite steep. It gets baking hot and humid – please wear a hat, suncream and take plenty of water
• There are multiple restroom facilities onsite
• There is one café within the Gardens, called Restoran Rebung Chef Ismail, which serves Malaysian food. We didn’t eat here so cannot recommend it (or not recommend it).

What to see and do at Perdana Botanical Gardens

Sunken Garden

The Sunken Garden is a beautiful landscaped area formed in to a bowl shape. I loved the symmetry, surrounding flowers and greenery everywhere.

Oasis Garden

The flowing sound of water always draws my attention, and when it’s coming from an area signed ‘oasis garden’ – what’s a girl to do? Home to cascading mini waterfalls and lush green pathways, this was a lovely area to stroll.

Orchid Garden

Well. Where to start. My idea of HEAVEN. This garden was sooooo special, showcasing all kings of orchids in every colour imaginable. I took 187 photos just of orchids, and spent over 1hr in this section. My husband was ready to kill me but it was worth it!

Deer Park

Within the Botanical Gardens is a deer park. To be honest, the deer looked a little sad for my liking, but you walk above them and see them being fed. The walk was lovely, and I’d rather the deer were in the wild.

Perdana Canopy

Perdana Canopy is an interesting man made structure lying right at the heart of the gardens, which was unveiled in 2015. Sadly for us, there was an event on (graduation) on the day we visited so we didn’t get to see it at its best, but I managed to snap a few shots by hiding in the bushes – haha!

Waterfall

The waterfall is a lovely calm and peaceful area in the shade, perfect for a little sit down with the sound of trickling water in the background. By this point of the day, I was overheated and pretty exhausted so it was exactly what I needed!

Hibiscus Garden

I love hibiscus and it was a joy to find an entire garden dedicated to them, again in all colours, shapes and sizes. I left hubs on a bench this time.

Fernarium

Another way to stay in the shade is to visit the Fernarium, which is the jazziest way I’ve ever heard to make a load of ground ferns sound exciting. But I have ferns in my garden which flower beautifully and even though there were no flowers here, it was welcome respite from the heat.

The Lake

The whole gardens are situated around a large lake which you can walk all the way around. It also provides some nice views back to the highrises of the city.

And that was that, the most wonderful morning out. We spent a total of 4 hours exploring and over 15,000 steps!! I didn’t even notice the heat as I was just in my absolute element. These gardens are up there with some of the best I’ve visited and I will remember the beautiful orchid garden as a highlight across the entire holiday.

What do you think – let me know in the comments? Stay safe and happy travelling!

1. What is Thean Hou Temple?
2. How to get to Thean Hou Temple?
3. Visitor Information for Thean Hou Temple
   1. Dress Code
   2. When to visit Thean Hou Temple
   3. Other Important Information

If you’re interested in more awesome spots in Kuala Lumpur, you can read my full Itinerary: HERE

What is Thean Hou Temple?

The Temple is an ornate, six tiered temple dedicated to the Chinese sea goddess Mazu. It was opened in 1987, and makes use of authentic traditional design featuring imposing pillars, spectacular roofs, ornate carvings and intricate embellishments. It’s primarily made of red and white colours, with beautiful hanging lanterns everywhere.

The main prayer hall houses three altars, each dedicated to a difference goddess – including the Goddess of Mercy, Goddess of the Waterfront and Goddess of the Sea. The temple is an active temple, and when you visit you will see many people lighting incense and praying.

In addition to the Temple itself, there is also a lovely area of gardens, including a walk through each of the zodiac signs and their animals, plus a pretty Chinese garden with water pools.

How to get to Thean Hou Temple?

As with everything in Kuala Lumpur, the simplest option is to take a Grab taxi. Our journey cost us £2.40 from central KL and took about 20 minutes.

There is an LRT station nearby, but you’d still have to get a Grab from there. Whilst this may be the cheapest option at around £1.50, for ease I recommend just booking that taxi from your hotel!

You could also book to visit on a tour and there are some which combine it into a half day tour with Batu Caves, but it was simple and easy to visit independently which costs less and avoids arriving en-masse. This is the most costly option with tours costing around £12 with Get Your Guide.

Visitor Information for Thean Hou Temple

Dress Code

The Temple is an active place of worship and as such should be treated with respect. For women, it’s important to have shoulders and knees covered. The rules aren’t so strict for men. You can wear shoes around the Temple, but must take them off to enter the Prayer Hall.

When to visit Thean Hou Temple

You can visit the temple any time, but please check before visiting to ensure your visit isn’t coinciding with a religious festival.

I recommend visiting on a week day in either the morning or the evening to avoid the heat of the day. At weekends, the temple is very busy for worship so I recommend avoiding it. We visited at 2pm on a Friday in November 2024 and it was pretty empty.

Other Important Information

• The temple is free to enter
• The temple is open from 8am – 8pm every day
• There are a small number of shops on site where you can buy incense, water etc
• There are restrooms on site
• The temple gets super hot as it’s exposed to the sun on top of a hill, please wear sunscreen and take a hat. We went in winter, in rainy season, and it was still 32 degrees and sweltering up there.

So what do you think of Thean Hou Temple? I absolutely fell in love with it and would absolutely choose it over a trip to the (in my opinion) overhyped Batu Caves.

Completely separately to this post, I’ve had a pretty rough week this week. I’m supposed to be in New York right now, but my husband and I had a complete disaster. We were due to fly on Saturday and on Friday night I came down with Norovirus which meant I was highly contagious and seriously ill. I didn’t think it fair to other passengers to board a plane, and I was in no fit state for an 7hr flight. It was a good decision as I’m still really ill, now full of cold, with a coldsore, conjunctivitis and an eczema flare up, so I could never have enjoyed NYC.

In reality I also think it was fate because it stopped my husband getting on the plane – on Sunday, he spent the day in A&E with severe chest pains which turned out to be lung and ligament inflammation – I can’t imagine air pressure would have done him any good so I guess everything happens for a reason. It’s the first time we’ve ever had to cancel a trip, and we’ve lost around £1,000 on non refundable items. I’m upset about that, but I also know it doesn’t matter in comparison to our health, and I’m grateful to be at home resting.

Let me know what you think in the comments and I hope you’ve had a better week than me! Stay safe and happy travelling!

I actually spent 5 days in Kuala Lumpur, which I appreciate is much more than most travellers would spend in the city, and didn’t struggle to fill the time at all. That said, I think 2-3 days is about perfect to see the main sites, so I’ve collated my favourite experiences in to a perfect 2 day itinerary to save you the research, with a few optional extras if you have longer.

Contents

1. Contents
2. Kuala Lumpur travel advice at a glance
3. Itinerary Day 1: Central KL
   1. KL Tower & KL Forest Eco Park Canopy Walk
   2. Merdeka Square & Sultan Abdul Samad Building
   3. Medan Pasar
   4. Central Market
   5. Petaling Street Market
   6. Sin Sze Si Ya Temple & Guan Di Temple
   7. BookXcess RexKL
   8. Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
   9. Kwai Chai Hong
   10. Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall
   11. Optional: National Museum of Malaysia
4. Itinerary Day 2: Batu Caves & KLCC
   1. Batu Caves (or Thean Hou Temple – see below)
   2. Pavilion KL
   3. Rooftop Bar
   4. KLCC Park
   5. Petronas Towers & Lake Symphony
   6. Mural Alley & Bukit Bintang
5. Have a little longer?
   1. Thean Hou Temple
   2. Perdana Botanical Gardens
   3. Day Trip to Putrajaya
   4. Little India
   5. MinNature Malaysia
6. Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur
   1. Budget
   2. Mid Range
   3. Luxury
7. Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur travel advice at a glance

• Heat – Please be warned up front, you can’t plan itineraries in Malaysia in the same way you can in Europe – it is just too hot to be outside morning to night and you will need respite, air con and shade. Please bear that in mind with your planning.
• Transport – Grab is the way to go here (rather than Uber). They are super cheap (think £1 per 10 minutes), and the city isn’t easily walkable so they are convenient and easy.
• Cost – Kuala Lumpur on the whole is a cheap city. We were able to get good 2 course meals for between £3-£10 per person every day, and most attractions in the city are free or at least under £5.
• Food – The food in KL is an experience in itself. I’ve dedicated a section to it below.

Itinerary Day 1: Central KL

KL Tower & KL Forest Eco Park Canopy Walk

Start off the day with a refreshing walk out in nature to shake off the jetlag. The KL Forest Eco Park Canopy Walk is accessible from the car park of KL Tower, one of the icons of the city. The canopy walk is quite nice, with lovely views out to the city and it wasn’t too busy first thing in the morning – I also explored solo, and I felt safe and free strolling along the walkways.

Merdeka Square & Sultan Abdul Samad Building

After walking in the park, you’ll probably already be hot and sweaty but it’s time to head to the heart of the old colonial district of Kuala Lumpur. You could choose to walk 30 minutes or just hop in a Grab taxi (which should cost around £1 for the distance) to the next stop – Merdeka Square. Merdeka is so important as it’s the place where Malaysian independence is celebrated, with a huge flag sitting at the top of the square.

The buildings around the square are also truly stunning. The highlight is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, which originally housed the offices of the British colonial administration.

Medan Pasar

Just down the road is what was the heart of historical China Town. Now home to murals, as well as lots of lovely buildings, it’s pretty for a stroll along the river and to look out to the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek mosque.

Central Market

Central Market was one of my favourite stops in KL. Home to hundreds of shops, and everything from fish spas to fortune tellers, batik painting, massage offerings, henna drawing and durian fruit stalls – it has everything. The food court also offers some great options for lunch, which will probably be about the time you arrive here.

Plus it’s the first air conditioned spot on the itinerary – do not underestimate how much you’ll need it!

Petaling Street Market

Petaling Street Market is a hustling and bustling market full of all the goods you could wish for at low prices. Haggling is an absolute must, and I bought 5 pairs of decent quality sunglasses for £1. Bargain.

Sin Sze Si Ya Temple & Guan Di Temple

A lovely little temple, built in 1864, Sin Sze Si Ya is the oldest Taoist temple in the city. It’s free to enter, but is a place of worship so please ensure knees and shoulders are covered for women. It’s still a working religious site, so be sure to be respectful. Guan Di Temple, another Taoist temple and slightly younger by 10 years, is just down the road and also worth a visit.

BookXcess RexKL

Oh my goodness, how I love a good bookshop. And this has to be one of the most special I’ve ever been in! BookXcess is situated in an old warehouse and is insane. It was like Hannah heaven to be honest. I seriously challenged our baggage allowance as I went on a spree! But can you blame me!?

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple

Founded in 1873, this temple is the oldest Hindu temple in the city and oldest functioning Hindu temple in all of Malaysia. Mariamman is popularly worshipped by overseas Indians, especially Tamils, and is a manifestation of the goddess Parvati, an incarnation embodying Mother Earth. To enter the temple you need to have to be dressed modestly with shoulders and knees covered, and no low cut tops.

Kwai Chai Hong

Trust me, by now you will be exhausted and overheated but there’s always time for one more stop, at the beautiful Kwai Chai Hong. We were lucky to turn up and have it all to ourselves, but even if you don’t, it’s still such a cute little alleyway full of murals, we loved it.

Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall

Finish off your day with a visit in to the Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall. It’s about £1 to enter but worth it to see inside – it’s a Cantonese-style heritage building with gilded carvings, rooftop figurines & a small museum, as well as those beautiful red lanterns hanging everywhere.

Optional: National Museum of Malaysia

Anyone who knows me knows a quick trip to a Museum isn’t my style, and I combined the National Museum with a trip to the Botanical Gardens (see below) on my 3rd day in the city, spending 4 hours in the Museum. You could just about sneak it in to day 1 of the itinerary if you don’t intend to do more than walk the route above rather than go in to anything, and then only spend 1-2 hours in the Museum itself (and if you haven’t melted by this point).

Itinerary Day 2: Batu Caves & KLCC

Batu Caves (or Thean Hou Temple – see below)

Batu Caves, a 20 – 30 minute Grab ride out of the city centre, were number one on my list to visit while in Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps this is why I was so disappointed. I include them on this itinerary because I do feel they are so unique and a must see – but they are overcrowded, poorly maintained, and generally a bit underwhelming. That said, they are absolutely beautiful and an important religious site and so what I think really doesn’t matter!

If you’re underwhelmed like us, you may have time to fit in another temple before lunch as well/instead. If you do, then take a Grab to Thean Hou Temple (see below in the ‘Have a little longer?’ section).

Full Post: HERE

Pavilion KL

After visiting the temple(s), take another Grab taxi to Pavilion KL for a late lunch (and much needed aircon). Pavilion is one of the biggest malls in Kuala Lumpur and has every shop under the sun. Spend some time shopping for some bargains, or just stop off in one of the 100+ restaurants. I can highly recommend Dolly DimSum, ParaThai and TonKatsu.

Rooftop Bar

Across the road from Pavilion KL is the Banyan Tree Hotel. Head up to floor 58 (advance bookings recommended) to their amazing rooftop bar, Vertigo. It offers some of the most amazing views to the Petronas Towers. Alternatively, you could also check in to Traders Hotel rooftop bar, but this tends to be busier so you’re less likely to get a front row seat.

KLCC Park

After filling up on a late lunch and some drinks, make the short walk from Pavilion KL to KLCC Park, a lovely park area at the base of the Petronas Towers. It’s nice to stroll through to enjoy the views and the fountains.

Petronas Towers & Lake Symphony

The Petronas Towers are a KL icon, and an absolute must visit whilst in the city. I recommend arriving for around 6pm, going up the towers for the incredible views out over the city at sunset (it will need around an hour), and then sticking around until the first Lake Symphony Show at 7.30pm. The show runs every 30 minutes until 10pm the lake in front of the towers lights up with lots of colours and music.

Mural Alley & Bukit Bintang

After all that exploring it’s time to end the day in the city’s nightlife capital, Bukit Bintang. It’s vibrant, there are lots of places for drinks and it’s a bit hectic with everyone trying to get you in to their bar. Stick to your guns though and head for mural alley, a lovely area full of street art within Bukit Bintang. We actually visited in daylight, but it would be nicer at night with all the neon signs lit up.

Afterwards, collapse with a nice dinner in the evening. We chose Bijan, a local Malaysian restaurant and our food was really good, though we didn’t enjoy the cocktails.

Have a little longer?

I had 5 full days in the city and managed to pack in a few extra ideas. If you can stretch your visit to KL to at least 3 full days, then I really recommend it to fit in some of these extra sights depending on your interests.

Thean Hou Temple

I absolutely fell in love with Thean Hou Temple, and much preferred it over Batu Caves. It was much less crowded, more beautiful and easier to visit. Therefore I do think if you have time, you could try (it’ll be a time push) and add it in to day 2, or replace Batu Caves with it. I do still think Batu is worth a visit for the fact it’s so popular and famous, but to me Thean Hou was much more enjoyable if you had to pick just one.

Full Post: HERE

Perdana Botanical Gardens

Heaven on earth to me – the Botanical Gardens were the highlight of my visit to Kuala Lumpur. I appreciate they won’t be for everyone but they’re free and totally beautiful. I combined them on a day with the National Museum mentioned as an optional extra.

Full Post: HERE

Day Trip to Putrajaya

Putrajaya was one of the highlights of our trip to Kuala Lumpur. It’s a total hidden gem of a stunning garden city, full of wonderful architecture and pretty parks – it’s also pretty undiscovered so felt really off the beaten track. Without a doubt, the stunning pink mosque was the highlight.

Full Post: HERE

Little India

Little India is a lovely area of the city, known as Brickfields. It’s vibrant, colourful, noisy, hectic and full of amazing food. We strolled round it for a couple of hours and particularly enjoyed all the colours. You only need around 1-2hrs there depending on if you plan to eat while there so it could squeeze in to the itinerary depending on your time.

MinNature Malaysia

When travelling with a big kid, part of the challenge is finding fun things for him to do. As a compromise for dragging him around the Botanical Garden, I booked us in to a MinNature Malaysia, and it was actually amazing. It tells the story of Malaysia in miniature, so was both fun and educational. It’s also perfect if you’re travelling with kids and was empty for us. Plus bonus – it sits in a mall called Sungei Wang Plaza, which is home to Vinh City Vietnamese, the best meal we had during our entire trip.

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Budget

• MoMo’s – skip Kuala Lumpur’s distinctly mediocre hostels for a stay in one of the fun, no-frills rooms here. Bunks, twins and doubles are a steal – available from just £18. Apparently the restaurant serves the best tacos in town too!

Mid Range

• Alila Bangsar – at around £100/night, this hotel looks straight out of a design catalogue with its white wood interiors. It’s also situated in Little India so it’s great for food options on the doorstep.
• The Chow Kit – really lovely rooms on offer from just £37/night.
• THE FACE Suites – 5* and home to a leading candidate for the city’s best rooftop pool, a room is yours for just £60/night.

Luxury

• The Four Seasons – for one of the prime views in the city right next to the towers, plus home to an amazing Chinese restaurant which serves whole crispy ducks! From £180/night.
• The Mandarin Oriental – boasts views to the Petronas Towers and is home to some of the best restaurants in town with rooms from around £250/night.
• The Banyan Tree – our pick for 5 nights, offers views out to both the KL Tower and Petronas Towers . Its open air pool, rooftop restaurant and world class spa make it pretty special. Rooms from £200/night.

Full Banyan Tree Review: HERE

Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur

The food is one of the highlights of Kuala Lumpur, and we tried everything from upmarket Michelin Guide restaurants to Hawker stall street food, and we didn’t have one single disappointing meal. It makes me hungry just thinking about it again. Here are some of our highlights:

• Yun House – upmarket Chinese restaurant in The Four Seasons serving the best crispy duck pancakes I’ve ever eaten.
• Pavilion KL – the shopping mall every foodie dream off, with hundreds of authentic and cheap eating options.
• Lot 10 Hutong – Kuala Lumpur’s famous heritage food village. We sampled 6 different dishes and they were all delicious.
• Sungei Wang Plaza – head to Vinh City for the best Vietnamese ever, with main courses only costing about £1.
• Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang – we tried local Lok Lok (sticks to dip) from a street food stall here and they were delicious. You could also try highly rated Bijan, for a restaurant option off the main tourist restaurant rubbish road.
• Brickfields (Little India) – we ate in Punjabi Rosoi and wow was it good. One of the best biryanis I’ve ever eaten, with a fried egg underneath the rice!

And there you have it, 2 (or more) amazing days in Kuala Lumpur, a city with many layers and to which I would definitely return. Malaysia as a country really left it’s mark on me and KL was the perfect place from which to start exploring it.

What do you think of KL? Have you visited, or have any recommendations that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!