Showing posts with label getaway trip. Show all posts

Travelogue: Johor Bahru ( Pulai Spring Resort)

13th July 2015




I seriously took really long to think of whether to write out this post because firstly, Pulai Spring resort doesnt surprised me and yet im so disappointed by their services, food & amenities. Secondly, we over spent our budget because of the costly food price but I thought that it would be fair for all of you to give it a try and to judge.


On my Boyfriend's ORD week, we wanted to get away from Singapore to find a place for vacation. We know that we have to control our financial well so we refused to go somewhere far like Bangkok or Hong Kong. We were a step closer to book Batam but declined it because of the extra charges that we need to pay due to school holidays so the only plan would be Malaysia and that's when I do some hotel/ resort research on it.

I was awed by the 5 stars rating on Pulai Spring resort and it was 20 mins away from the checkpoint so why not give it a try on their resort since its a 5 star resort and the price wasn't that expensive as what I thought so we took an early bus down to cross over the borders hoping that the traffic would be smooth. No doubt it was if you start travelling at 8am.







I'm glad that the custom held us 2 hours if not we have to waste our time doing nothing to wait for all the malls to open at 10am. The first thing we arrived at Johor city square was to hunt for food. My tummy was groaning ever since I woke up so it was a tough fight to travel from Singapore to Malaysia with empty stomach. 

Our lunch was at T-bowl which was not familiar for myself as I used to dine in at this restaurant when im in JB but not for my boyfriend, he has never been to T-bowl before. Designed with the same concept of a washroom theme, you can find toilet seat as your chair, table that looks like basin. How sincere they are to even get a toilet bowl/ bath-tub as our plates and bowls.

Not forgetting of their cuisine, they are mainly on Western, Japanese cuisine. They have a lot of pages to flip through so both boyfriend and I took quite a while to place our order. We got ourselves a bowl of  curry chicken karage stuffed with white rice and he was fond of their char siew baked rice which tasted normal. My curry chicken scored it!

Total price was relatively cheap as we paid around 20 SGD with 2 other beverages. I always told myself that I will come back for more of their food item but not crossing over to Malaysia scare me.




After lunch, we thought that we should take cab down earlier so that we can check in early to rest and wash up but unfortunately, they only allowed us to check in after 3pm which we find in unreasonable. Other hotels usually allow guests to check in at 1 or 2pm but how can a reason like the cleaners haven't tidy up the room shut us up? Absolutely angry!

Not going to ruin my mood since im here for a vacation, we went around to explore their "resort". They have facilities like swimming pool and gym that we can access to but only these two are free whereas the rest you have to pay for it. Golf in their area is definitely expensive so we concluded that guests who stayed here are golf-lovers so people like us shouldn't even considered this place for vacation.






After exploring around, we decided to just sit in to their cafe for dessert. I have been stung by thousands of mosquitoes and they are sucking my blood very fast so I gave up walking and just want to sit down and rest.







At 3pm, we finally got to check in. Our room was rather spacious for two but the bed was not cleaned at all. I found stains on the bedsheet which I think it was from coffee. Strings of hair was laid on the bed ( i don't think its my hair because of the length!). I totally feel so uneasy staying here so I requested to walk out to sports club centre to do something meaningful.


Our dinner here which costs 40 SGD. Too expensive to dine in the resort but if you have to leave and travel around, the cab driver might charge you even more. So we stayed in and just dined at the cafe near the pool. Lucky, the pizza was good if not I have to flare up. But a plate of wedges like this cost $15!!!


Our night was lasted in the gym as it would be good to make use of their facilities. We leave swimming for Day 2 morning before we book out.

14th July 2015






Breakfast in the wee morning to start our day right. Food was great especially their nasi lemak. I have never ate such nice nasi lemak and the chef impressed me! 








Since we have a bit of time, we decided to go for a swim and suana session which we made a right choice. Day 2 wasn't that bad after all as we managed to sweat and exercise after our buffet food. 






Checked out at 12pm and we call the cab to bring us back to the custom but before heading back to Singapore, we had dim sum at one the cafe.

This simply sum up our weekend although it wasn't the best vacation for us but indeed we get to spend our time alone together (:

Always so glad to have him around with me. Thanks baby <3

Travelogue: Batam group tour


15th May 2015

Oh my! Im feeling a little guilty for this late post. I was supposed to post this Batam post last month but work held me up and therefore I am only able to make a draft on this trip during the June Holidays.

Last month, Stella, Brenda and I embarked our trip to BATAM purchased from deal.sg. Such deals at deal.sg was cheap at that period of time but the pros was you have to go ahead with an accompany of a tour guide which pondered me as I recalled my previous group tour trip was a nightmare.

The deal was set at $50 for Two return ferry tickets, hotel accomodation, lunch buffet, shopping tour and last but not least MASSAGE! Massage kinda tempted me to purchase from deal.sg as all massage services that I attended was always at the top notch and since this was the first time the two girls travelled to Batam, I should let them experience a trip with tour guide.






The start of the day have already disappoint us. Our ferry timing was set at 10.30am ( which i felt that it was late to start on the day of our trip). The agency insisted to give us this time slot because they mentioned that our tour group start off their trip after 11pm. Well well, I accepted that! We arrived earlier for our Macs breakfast which we need it to bear till we reach Indonesia. When it was closed to 10.30am, we heard an announcement made that Ferry to Sekupang (which was apparently our ferry) was delayed due to the previous batch of passengers and therefore we have to leave at 11.30am? I secretly counted that we will be reaching at 12.30pm if we depart at the new timing. This means half of the day gone while travelling.





Upon arriving to Batam custom, it took us sometime to clear the custom as they have only 4 stations busying stamping our passports. Once we cleared, we began to look for our tour guide which was standing outside waiting for us. It was easy for him to recognize us as we stuck on our stickers that was given from the counter. The tour guide told us that we have to wait for another 3 more groups to arrive and my first reaction was.... 'HUH, still need to wait ah!'

Apparently, we waited for another hour for this couple to arrive because they were held back by the officers in the immigration counter. Still couldn't believe by 1pm, we were still stuck outside the custom counter.

Finally when they arrived, our first mission was to go for our lunch which was prepared by the tour agency. It was stated for Indonesia Buffet but we were served in Zi Char style. How ironic to state it as buffet where you only get 6 different dishes served on the table. The only food that we can refill was the white rice and plain water. So much of the $50.


After lunch was a tour to different "tourist attractions" which I kinda not interested with it. Just hope to clear everything fast and go and enjoy our massage session. So they brought us to dry food shop to get some snacks, chocolate factory, factory outlet.

We stopped by to their Kueh Lapis shop to savour different kind of Kueh Lapis which they kinda generous with it. The one that they brought us to was the Best Layers cakes which was popular among all the guide tour. They definitely receive alot of commission from them. ( I remembered I went in to this layer cake shop previously with the tour too!) They have flavours of Mocha, Pandan, Chocolate, Original and the uniquely flavour Durian layer cake.

It was set as order first and you will receive your goods the next following day, freshly baked everyday. The whole layer of cake (1kg) costs around $25 which is cheaper than Singapore. But it was not the best Kueh Lapis that I had.











Surprisingly, our package includes Go-Kart ride which we have been looking forward to but the rain was pouring heavily and the tour guide was reluctant to bring us there as the floor will be slippery and dangerous for Go Kart ride. Lucky, there is a group of teenager who protested and bugged the tour guide to bring us there since we have already paid for it. The tour guide gave in and asked the driver to bring us to the location! #buggingwins (YY)

We were given only 5 free rounds around the designated area, It was small but I don't expect it to be so big and grand since its free. However, puddles of water start splashing at us when we drive fast but thinking that Go kart was supposed to ride fast and swirl like inital D, there wouldn't be any excitement if we went slow. However, that group of teenager did and they were all soaked with dirt and mud after their rounds.







The last tourist attraction before we went off to our massage session was a Chinese temple. We didn't stay long, simply loitering around the premises to wait for the guide to inform us back. 

Last part of the activity was our MASSAGE! As usual, the guide will persuade you to sign in other massage package, convince you with a good price and all of us declined and just went on with Javanese Full body massage with no extra costs. Massage is also a time for us to snooze. I tried my best to nap but this lady kept tickling me with her massage skills. It wasn't painful but just feeling so itchy over my body. The masseur was anticipating for us to give them tips, we did but only 20cents SGD! Brenda masseur has the cheeks to tell her that it is only 20cents and expect her to give more!!!

Try harder la, it is always not easy to receive tips from Asian. Usually at JB, I wont give any tips to the masseur unless she hits my expectation.




Unknowingly, after massage was half past six and time for our seafood dinner. We decided to follow the tour and went over to wayway seafood restaurant for our dinner. To spend 18 SGD for 1 person on the seafood that they served would be the last time I am going to do so. I'm appalled by the crabs and prawns, large fish but our table was seated with 6 more people which means we have to share the food around. To spend $18 with such little portion of food, we could have used it for Nagoya shopping mall which we can order a lot more of food for ourselves. So my advice is don't opt for their seafood dinner package.




At 8pm, we finally get to check in into our hotel which we were pleased that we can finally sleep in and rest! We were given Nagoya Mansion Hotel which was set as 4 stars. The room that we were given was big, big enough to squeeze in another bed for Brenda. We had a good shower and went down to the cafe for our supper.

We sat down by the pool, ordered cakes and french fries with 2 cold beverages. At a certain point of time, the cakes will be discounted of 50%!

16th May 2015













Woke up on a Sunday feeling refreshed and while the girls are still snoring their night away, I hit to the gym to do some workout before feasting in on their hotel breakfast.

Breakfast was widespread and sufficient for us. Just that the fried egg booth have to work doubly hard to serve the customers but I wouldn't blame him as we have selfish customer who hogged the whole booth to order for her whole family members. Sorry but please la, cannot see the rest of them are queuing impatiently, still got the cheek to order the chef to fry this and that.




Check out at 12pm and a driver drove us to our ferry terminal to catch our 2.40pm slot! We tried to clear the rest of the rupiah and bought some snacks to munch! Not forgetting the magnum ice cream which only costs $2.50!!! SAY YEAH to my good accompany (:

Till then
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