4D3N The Best No-Nonsense #Instaworthy Busan Itinerary

My wife and I are the biggest Korean fanatics. Even with two kids, we find time to binge watch k-dramas all these years. 50 series would be an under estimation. We did Seoul, but frankly, it's Singapore with a river in between, and with a different season. Last year when we started on Busan, many including us would think that Busan is a third-world fishing village or a zombie town (geddit?).

But after doing our homework, our eyes are opened. Now we absolutely fell in love with Busan, so much so we travelled there twice in two months.

If you have been reading my humble blog, you would know that we are always looking out for the best photo opportunities. And yes, that means missing out the humble malls and local roadside stalls. But time is limited, it is what it is.

We have stayed in a couple of places - Gwangalli (BAMU + AirBnb) and Haeundae (Signiel). Both are fantastic as they are beside the beach, so you can wake up to the sea breeze. Gwangalli is famous for the long stretch of cafes and bars, while Haeundae for its upscale hotels and night activities. For us, we LOVE Gwangalli, I even joked about getting a holiday house there.

BAMU (Boutique hotel with this sick view)

Signiel Busan (Upscale hotel with free flow Diptyque)

Unlike the other itineraries, I will leave out the flights but list suggestions on places to go.

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Day 1: Gwangalli

There is no better way to start than to chillax at the famous Gwangalli Beach, lined with countless beautiful cafes and bars. For breakfast/brunch, I suggest:

Working Holiday (>2000 reviews, 4.9 stars) - The vibes is strong with this, you'll be getting a lot of sentiments if you are from or love Australia. If you are craving for a Western brunch - Egg Benedict, pasta, cakes, this is the place. 

La feuille - A coffee and bakery place with many queuing for their freshly baked pastries. It's those kind of shop when you walk past, the smell of bread hits you in the right spot. You must try their croissant and salt bread.

Spend the day exploring their local shops or lazing at the beach. It's a pretty long stretch, so there's lots to see. For meals I suggest:

Modern British Fine Dining at JAAN By Kirk Westaway

JAAN By Kirk Westaway has been sitting on our to-go list for the longest time. Back then, with limited funds in our accounts, a dinner close to $1000 seem almost impossible, after all we had two children and stacks of bills to pay. Years passed, we thank God that we made it, so on our recent 8th wedding anniversary, we finally checked JAAN off the list.

There are restaurants that you go for a simple dinner. But there are also restaurants that you go for memories. JAAN is no doubt the latter. The moment you exited at level seventy of Swissotel, you will be greeted with a vast, panoramic view of Singapore's city skyline. The tables spaced comfortably, dressed in premium white. Sculptural chandelier hung just overhead. 

Emmanuel's 3rd Birthday Celebration with My Bake Studio

When it comes to birthday celebration, a hundred and one things always come to our mind, should we hold a private one or should we invite friends and families? Where's the venue? Should we do catering? And the highlight of the celebration - well other than the birthday person - is none other than the cake. Our children always request something new. Every. Single. Year.

For Olivia, we already had Frozen theme. Rapunzel theme. Mermaid theme. Girl stuff. For Emmanuel, we already did Pooh, and then dinosaurs last year. As a marvel fan myself, I have been sharing so much that he can name all marvel characters as his first words. This year, and very non-surprisingly, he chose HULK. So we had posters designed with his baby head and a hulk body. For to be honest, a Hulk-themed cake isn't easy to find.

That's when we found My Bake Studio, which does super solid customised cake. If you want an unique cake, different from your best friend's son's cake. I mean, children like the same things nowadays, don't they? So if you want something special, My Bake Studio can do it. Whatever you can think of, they can do it. From cupcakes to whole cakes of different tiers and sizes. From corporate cakes to cakes for almost every occasions, and it's surprisingly affordable too!

After some communicating, we opted for his favourite chocolate flavour (less sweet) and some matching cupcakes. Here's what Emmanuel had for his birthday. He didn't know how the cake looks like before his birthday, so it was a pleasant surprise when he saw the cake, he was jumping up and down!

9D8N The BEST Switzerland Family Itinerary WITH CHILDREN

When my lady and I were planning this trip, to be honest, Switzerland never crossed our minds. We could not imagine lugging two kids up the Swiss alps, paired with the crazy expenses (which it is), but this trip was amazing. We had fun, the kids had fun.

We did our research through the sites, and now with ChatGPT planning itineraries even, booked our tickets and accommodations, packed our bags, and here we start our great Swiss adventures. Before I continue, here contains valuable tips that may help you navigate through your travels, but it's mainly intended for parents travelling with children - we brought our 7 and 3 year old along! If you're still reading, don't worry, you will survive the trip.

Trip Summary

From Singapore, we took a direct 12-hour red-eye flight to Switzerland, collected our rental car straight at the airport and headed to Bern. On our way to Lamoura (France), we stopped by Lausanne and explored Geneva. Next up, we visited the Alps, stationing ourselves at a mountain Airbnb at Embd near Visp, and headed to Zermatt to see the Matterhorn. Took the car-tram passed the mountains to Interlaken, Lungern and Lucerne before stopping at Zurich before flying back. That's almost an entire round covered in one trip!

9D8N Switzerland Itinerary

Day 1: Singapore > Zurich > Bern

We took a 12-hour red-eye to Zurich with Swiss Air. Honest opinion, this airline is on par with SQ. They have 4 seats in middle section (for economy), the stewards explain to you personally what's on the food and wine menu, they even have a pantry cart in case you're hungry in the middle of the flight. Thank God, we including the kids rested almost 70% of the flight, which is a big win for us.

Pro tip: Get the SIM direct from airport (beside luggage collection). They have a lot of options. Since my telco Circle didn't have the Switzerland plans, and we are travelling to France for a couple of days, we got the EU unlimited data option which was around SGD$60 for 1 month.

We rented our car from SIXT. Ordered a BMW 2 series, but got "upgraded" for a CUPRA instead. FYI it's left-hand drive, meaning to say that driver sits on the left (opposite from Singapore). It always take me 20-30 mins to get used to, and some horning from the back. Trust me, Swiss drivers are impatient AF.

Pro tip: If you're driving cross borders, you need to get the relevant permits which you could check with the car rental. SIXT has one of the most affordable. Also, if you're planning to travel on highways, which you should be, please check that you have the motorway vignette (again SIXT provides, but do check with your car rental).

3D2N Seafront Villa Experience at Montigo Resorts Nongsa, Batam

Since everyone is going for a CNY trip, we decided to head to one as well. But since it's a last minute decision, when we checked the air tickets, we were quickly turned off by the marked-up pricing. We had considered Sentosa too, but the accommodation itself would cost more than $2000 for two nights at least. So we thought why not we travel by ferry instead to either Bintan or Batam? And after much consideration and research, we decided on Montigo Resorts Nongsa at Batam.

Since the check in was only at 3pm, we booked a 12.20pm ferry from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Nongsa Terminal. Thank God the 40-minute ferry ride was smooth. Once at Nongsa terminal, there is a complimentary shuttle for resort guests to the lobby (one trip is only approximately 10 minutes). Please note that Batam runs one hour behind Singapore timing!

Montigo Resorts Nongsa

Check-in is pretty seamless, and we got our room almost immediately without having to wait till 3pm. The resort area itself is HUGE, comprising of 4 restaurants, recreational area, private beach, wellness spas, and even a kids club. That's why they have 24/7 buggy services to fetch you anywhere you want to go within the resort. Just WhatsApp the dedicated lobby number and the buggy will arrive within 10 minutes.

Our room - Seafront Villa

We got upgraded from Hilltop to Seafront villa, so that's a huge yay, because we get wonderful sea views from our rooms! Psst, check their website for the latest and ongoing promotions, most of them offer free upgrades and even discounts on in-house dining and wellness treatments!

Princess Transformation at Hong Kong Disneyland’s Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

Which girl doesn't dream about being a princess in her wonderland? As long as I can remember, Olivia has the craze from Ariel to Elsa, and this time round, she wanted to become Rapunzel. To be honest, she didn't even watch Disney's Tangled, so I am not entirely sure how she liked her.

Regardless, being the princess in the family, and since we are heading to Hong Kong for our family trip with the grandparents, and since we are going to Disneyland... and since there's this Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique where they transform little girls (and boys too!) to a Disney character, I guess Olivia got her wish come true.

We stayed at the main Disneyland Hotel for two nights, and although there's the same boutique within the hotel, we decided to make an appointment for the one within Disneyland instead. It was drizzling the whole entire day (please imagine our dismay), so having somewhere to take shelter was a plus for us. 

The entire process takes about an hour and consists of the following:

1. Choosing a package

For girls, there are the Crown Package (HK$980) and Castle Package (HK$2380), the latter which includes a princess dress and accessories. For boys, they do have the Eric Package (HK$680) where they can dress up as Prince Eric or Peter Pan as well. Since it's her birthday, the grandparents decided to treat her to the Castle Package. Perks with going with grandparents! You can keep everything including the dress!

Here's a tip: If you're staying with any of the Disneyland hotels, you will get a HK$100 voucher to offset the packages. It will be given to you during check-in, and even if you didn't bring the physical voucher, they can check in the system.

2. Choosing a princess

Available options may change time to time, but as of date, these are the costumes (the last two technically not a princess but who cares):

• Cinderella
• Belle
• Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
• Rapunzel
• Tinker Bell
• Minnie Mouse

And obviously, Olivia went with..

Elevate Your Sleep with Kapas Living

Here's a fun fact (which you probably knew) - we spend 1/3 of our life on our beds. Assuming we live to a ripe age of 90 years, that would be 30 years!

My lady and I love to sleep. Trust me when I say that one of the first few gifts for my then-girlfriend-now-wife was silk PJs. Moreover, after having two kids, you are sure to have constant sleep debt. That is why sleeping time is always important and with that limited amount of time to rest, you just got to find ways to elevate that experience. We came across Kapas Living and are blessed to got our hands on their products. 

Here's another fun fact - do you know that "kapas" actually means cotton? Now you know!

We absolutely love their TENCEL duvet set, and for a queen-size, includes bedsheets, duvet cover, and two pillow casing. And for the hot and humid climate of Singapore, TENCEL is one of the wisest choice you can make. I thought it was made of cloud. Yes, that soft and cooling! It's also OEKO-TEX® certified, which means you are sleeping on chemical-free material and is super suitable for sensitive skin! I can't imagine laying our heads on anything else other than this!

Of course, we got to get their alternate down pillows. Here's a trade secret, some companies stuff their pillow with both fine and coarse fibers to make the pillows feel fluffy. But Kapas Living only uses 0.9D - the finest fibers for this. And you know what? It's fully adjustable! Love a high pillow? Keep it as it is. Love a lower but no less fluffy pillow, take some of the fluff out through a side zip! How convenient! Remember to set your alarm, because you may just snooze off sleeping on this cloud!

Irin Iljan Cafe (1인1잔) in Eunpyeong-gu, Seoul

One of the first things we did, when we decided to head over to Korea during our recent company trip was to search for beautiful cafes, and if you did your research right, Irin Iljan definitely pops up in one of the most insta-worthy lists. Lady M and I headed there and it's not hard to see why. 

Located at the suburbs of Seoul - Eunpyeong Hanok Village, it's like having a meal in ancient Korea with all the beautiful, rustic houses and rooftops. We went during autumn so our eyes had a feast on trees don in withering brown leaves with mountains and the clear blue skies as its backdrop.

The first thing that hits your senses when you enter is the strong aroma of freshly grounded coffee beans. I need to emphasise - quality beans. You can simply their the difference from the robust notes of the beans. The display of dessert selection would make you want to gobble them up if you had the stomach space.

The BEST 8D7N Brisbane + Gold Coast Itinerary (Perfect for family with children!)

When we plan this trip, and since we are going to bring our 2-year old Emmanuel, we were thinking how we would possibly survive an entire week without our helpers. We had to take care of not one, but two in a foreign country. We had to wash and dry our clothes. We had to cook and clean. With that in mind, unlike our previous ones where we switched accommodation almost every other day, we planned for a slow one, in fact, our itinerary had only one attraction per day.

Trip Summary

This is our second family trip to Australia, the first being Perth two years back with just Olivia. We wanted somewhere different but not too cityish like Sydney. We did thought of Melbourne, but the period we went was probably too cold for the younger one. So we thought why not somewhere cool and sunny - Brisbane and Gold Coast! Like with any other, we knew we are to rent a car for convenience. There's transport around the city, Uber too, but with two children and luggage (filled with children necessities), we dropped the risks and went for a rental car to save troubles.

Tips: Minimizing drama is absolute key when you’ve got little ones!

Again, since it's a family trip, almost all the attractions are planned with them in mind. #parentslife

The Best 8D7N Brisbane + Gold Coast Itinerary

Day 1: Singapore > Brisbane

We skipped the red-eye flight and opted for a 7am flight instead. To be honest, it was still a challenge especially with the younger one, who wanted to be carried on the plane and refusing to sit down properly even with the endless movies. Thank God he knocked out for a few hours. We touched down near to 4.30pm, took an Uber to our Airbnb at Kangaroo Point (located within the city area).

Brasserie Astoria @ Victoria Theater & Concert Hall

When it comes to celebratory dinner, as with birthdays and anniversaries, we usually spend some thoughts on where to go. We want something unique, higher end with great ambience, but won't break the bank. Fantastic cocktails are definite plus as Lady M and I are suckers for this. This year, she brought me to Brasserie Astoria, located at Victoria Theater and Concert Hall. Just six years ago, in the spring of 2018 (ok, summer in Singapore), we were lining up in front of this place taking our actual-day wedding photoshoot. As we walked past, we savoured a sweet memory.

Brasserie Astoria had huge doors. Thank God they are automatic. And as they opened, an inviting space with high ceilings lined with chandeliers, albeit dimly lighted, welcomed us. The friendly service staff guided us to our seats and introduced their menu to us. The menu was concise, but we took awhile to choose our orders, mainly because we wanted to try everything.

For starters, we had their Oyster au Naturelle (SGD$8/each), and trust me on this, it was one of the best. Hands-down. The size wasn't overwhelming but it was plump and juicy. Paired with the shallot vinaigrette and a nice squeeze of the lemon, we joked we could just had the oysters as mains next time.

Not long after, the Snails (SGD$18) came. It was a crude but apt name. Drenched in roasted garlic butter, lavender and a hint of thyme and parsley, this was again finger-licking good. I never thought lavender in such a buttery dish would work, but it was SUPERB. We found ourselves dipping the bread in it and literally spooning the sauce into our mouths. If you're here, please do yourselves a huge favour and order this. 

Hathaway - Modern Southeast Asia Fare @ Dempsey

Dempsey Hill is no stranger to us, it's a great, secluded place in the city, perfect for celebrations, dinner dates, or weekend brunches with the children. When the lovely Lady M told me we are going to Dempsey Hill for my birthday breakfast, I was thinking about the many place we been there (but usually we don't do repeats). Nearing the destination, I was asking for the restaurant's name so I can find a parking spot near there, and especially since it was drizzling. 

"Hathaway". To be fair, Anne Hathaway came to mind straight, so I was pretty sure it was a Western restaurant serving the usual egg benedicts, waffles and usual ang-moh (Western) brunch. In fact, the whole place exudes Western vibes, with marble counters and long wooden benches and lush sofa seating. When I looked at the menu, "EH? Apa ini? Kuih Pie Tee? Bergadil? Chap Chye? Kiam Chye Duck??" Yup, so you know.

Just a heads up, they do not serve their brunch menu on weekends, and since it's too early for heavy mains (like their beef cheeks, fried quail and yes, Kiam Chye Duck), we treated ourselves to some of their other signatures. The waiter recommended the Mussels (SGD$24, Galician mussels cooked in a mohinga broth). Aside from my lack of understanding of what the heck is "Galician" and "mohinga", these dish is MHMM SEDAP. Mussels, soft and plump. The broth is another level. It tasted like the whole ocean being condensed into a bowl of broth. Something like lobster bisque on spicy steroids. Needless to say, I finished it to the very last bit.

3D2N IMPERIAL SUITE EXPERIENCE at Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson

Lady M and I were considering a few places when it comes to going for our first trip of the year. We thought of Yunnan, but the air ticket was slashed to half if we were to postpone the trip just by two weeks. We considered the resorts in Langkawi, Bintan and Batam as well, but we chose Port Dickson in the end, due to the accessibility. As with our Desaru trip last year, we opted for a private hire car that brought us directly from our homes to Port Dickson straight. Due to its distance from Singapore, the cost would be approximately $350 (one way) and $600 (two way).

Here's the pros of getting a Private Hire Car.

1. Convenient and fuss-free. Additional pick-ups (chargeable, but only approx $10/location) and breaks can be arranged.

2. You don't have to worry about getting the necessary documents to clear the checkpoints. 

3. They have a way to drive past the snaking queues when it comes to clearing custom.

4. You don't have to worry about your SG-registered car in Malaysia.

Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson

After researching a heck lot on the accommodation in Port Dickson, we decided on Lexis Hibiscus Port Dickson - a luxurious 5-star oceanfront resort nestled along the pristine Pasir Panjang Beach and the Straits of Malacca. Considering the name, the formation of 639 pool villas of Lexis Hibiscus is shaped like the national flower of Malaysia - the Hibiscus. You know what's great? Every room has its own private pool and sundeck! Talking about privacy and convenience! Considering the sheer number of villas, you can choose amongst the different rooms and suites.

Here's a fun fact: Lexis Hibiscus has two Guinness World Records for the most swimming pools (643) and overwater villas (522)!

OUMI Modern Japanese Kappo @ CapitaSpring

In yet another blink of an eye, Lady M and I were celebrating out 6th year wedding anniversary. Here' s a fun fact! The traditional gift for six years of marriage is actually iron - a symbol of hardiness and strength. Marriage is a huge topic to be covered for another day, but for starters, don't belittle celebrating the little milestones of your marriage! So for this year, I decided on OUMI - a modern Japanese Kappo restaurant with a western twist. Located at 51st level of CapitaSpring, it is probably (if not) the highest omakase restaurant in Singapore. We later noticed that we came to Artemis two years ago, also located within CapitaSpring.

For starters, we had the Kabocha Uni Tofu (S$30), a perfect rendition of pumpkin, homemade tofu, and a generous portion of uni. The staff was meticulous in describing the ingredients and steps involved into preparing this dish. We had doubts on combining soy, pumpkin, and a strong tasting seafood, but this was a perfect, melt-in-the-mouth combination.

Besides the tofu, my favourite was the Foie Gras Monaka (S$15), crispy wafer filled with a heck load of goodness - a culinary masterpiece boasted a luxurious foie gras ganache, complemented by the briny pop of salmon roe and delicate seasonal flowers. It's a whole explosion of flavours and it looks like art. I mean, would you just look at this.

TOP 5 Cafes in Jeju You ABSOLUTELY Cannot Miss Out!

 When it comes to Jeju, most people think of a few things - hiking Mount Hallasan, strolling along the scenic coasts, and cafe-hopping. Jeju has got cafes planted in almost every corner. And being an island well-known for its volcanic terrains, most cafes boast breathtaking views, be it the seas or the mountains.

Before our trip, we did our researched and bookmarked a heck lot. But to be honest, there are simply too many which we couldn’t possibly cover all, especially when we have a 5 year-old who constantly complained we are taking too many photos.

Without any particular order, here are the top 5 we been to.

1. BOMNAL

Address: 25 Aewol-ro 1-gil, Aewol-eup, Jeju-si, Jeju-do, South Korea

BOMNAL is nestled in a bustling street where there are lots of cafes. This cafe is seriously insta-worthy with photo opportunities at every turn. Given its popularity among tourists, be sure to grab your slots to secure the best views! Best place IMO is definitely close to sunset, where you can see the sun hides itself in front of you.

The BEST 7D6N Jeju Itinerary (Perfect for family with children!)

When it comes to our annual holiday, we put in a heck load of thought. The first being - can our little Emmanuel (1.5 y.o at point of writing) follow us? Probably next year. So where to? We shortlisted a few places with our budget - Sydney, Melbourne.. But having been to Western Australia last year, we thought why not go somewhere in Asia? Japan? Korea? We did plan on going to Seoul, but ended up with Jeju. A whole week of Jeju. When I did my research, there are a lot of people doing 4D3N or even less. But we know we wanted a slow and relaxing one, so we opted for 7D6N. And to be awfully honest, it was still kinda rushed, as Jeju has lots to offer.

Trip Summary

With children, we love to do road trips (as with Perth), if not you'll be carrying them around. Trust me. This trip ain't any different. Once we rested at Jeju city for a day, we will embark on a 5-day road trip, covering an entire ring of Jeju - East Jeju, Seogwipo (South Jeju), and West Jeju, before returning to the city. Since we are bringing our 5 y.o daughter, Olivia, we have slot in lots of activities for children, and not to miss out many insta-worthy cafe and scenic spots. Initially we thought of station ourselves in a location and travel to-and-fro daily, but found the travelling time a bit 

Do Koreans speak English?

Most don't. But  don't worry, due to the influx of travelers, most places have pictures, and English (and Mandarin) signs. There are lots of Chinese residing and working there as well. If all else fails, there's always Google translate. And uh, hand signs.

The Weather

We went during autumn in late October, where temperature is around 13C to 20C. The sun shines pretty harshly in the afternoons, so there are many times we just forgo our jackets and just put on a sweater. On hot days, you could even wear sleeveless. Thank God it's not as sweaty as Singapore. But do take note that it starts to get chilly when the sun goes down. Skies go entirely dark by 7pm as the weather transits to winter. Here's their weather across the year for your reference:

Our Packing List

I wouldn't go as extensive as I did for Perth. Pack according to the weather. Food can be found every where and is affordable. An average meal is approximately $10/pax. If you would like to cook or something to-go, there are a  heck load of supermarts and convenience stores. Unlike Perth, where a meal for 3 easily cost up $80, I didn't have to bring my trusty rice cooker. Again, being in an Asian country, rice can be easily found. Yay!

Before the Trip

International Driving Permit (IDP - IMPORTANT if you're driving in Korea)

Unlike many countries that your local driving license can be used, you need to apply for a IDP. For Singapore license, you can apply to convert at this link. It costs just $20. There are two options:

1. Walk-in at their locations (please check their website) and collect on the spot (approximately 1 hour).

2.  Apply online and have it delivered to your house (additional $5.50 courier fees apply). PLEASE NOTE THIS WILL TAKE APPROX 2 WEEKS TO ARRIVE. So if you're in a hurry, please go with the first option.

Download these APPS

1. KAKAO T - mainly for cab/private hire services. It works like GRAB or UBER and you can select cash payment (= pay direct to driver via card). Downside is that you might need to search in Korean if the place is not that well-known, but you can simply copy the Korean address via Google and paste it in the app.

2. NAVER - especially useful for driving and saving key places. It works like Google Maps, but has a heck load of local reviews (if you can't read Korean, see the ratings), and way more accurate than Google as locals will update Naver. We learnt this the hard way.

3. Google Translate - duh. Best function is it's real-time translate via camera - simply point and aim, and the text will be automatically translated to your preferred language.