We were there for 6 nights as a family with two young children.

Overall, Fantastic choice for families and anyone looking for a luxurious beachfront escape.

The pool-access rooms (my room is 1001) are outstanding, offering direct entry to beautiful, well-maintained pools that make every morning feel like a holiday.

The resort also shines in its activities for kids, with a fun, safe, and creative program that keeps children excited and engaged.

They have the kids journey to achieve and receive the gift at the end

Its location right on the beach is unbeatable, just a few steps from coral sand, calm waves, and stunning sunrise views.

The service is consistently warm and friendly, from check-in to housekeeping, making the entire stay feel genuinely cared for.

The club lounge is another highlight, with a relaxed atmosphere, attentive staff, and great food and drinks throughout the day.

SBI Rewardsz has a tier system, and it’s a quite beneficial for bill payments.

Tier Breakdown:

* Elite: 2X multiplier
* Affluent: 1.5X multiplier

Refer to second pic for details.

I’m elite and with the multiplier got 0.5% cashback.

This is in addition to the card rewards and super low effort.

Limit is 2,750 monthly.

Just finished a 12-day trip to Bali, and honestly, even that felt too short!

Could have easily stayed a month. Pictures and words really can't capture how stunning the views are, how warm the locals are, or how incredible all drivers were throughout the trip!

Our 12-Day Itinerary:

• 4 Nights in Seminyak
• 2 Nights in Nusa Penida
• 4 Nights in Ubud
• 2 Nights in Jimbaran

Expense Breakdown (For 2 people):

• Flights: ₹85,000 (Round trip on Singapore Airlines)
• Hotels: ₹100,000
• e-Visa: ₹6,000
• Daily Expenses: ₹70,000 (Covered food, scooter rentals, local cabs, and our daily private driver)
• Shopping & Misc: ~₹31,000

My favorite part of traveling is when you see or do something so amazing you’re left speechless and just think, “it will be alright if I die right now.”

For me, my top experience has been riding the hot air balloon in Cappadocia, Turkey.

What are some of your suggestions of experiences that made you feel awe? No expense spared.

Recently spent 4 nights at the Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua.

The resort is big with a large pool in the middle, split into different sections. We travelled with a 4 year old so the kids pool was a great option. It was fairly quiet most days until the 25-65s were a bit jolly towards the afternoon around the pool bar. Plenty of space to move somewhere more quiet though if that’s not your scene. Didn’t encounter any screaming kids in or around the pool.

As a gold member we were upgraded but I think that only meant we got the same room but with a pool view. They added an extra bed free of charge.

Kids club was brilliant. So many activities from 9am to 6pm as well as two movie nights within the same week which was free and included a popcorn cart, fruit, muffins, chicken nuggets. The staff in there were amazing and my son was desperate to get there every day.

Food and drinks are very expensive in my opinion. The member discount helped to take the edge off.

Cucina is their more high end restaurant and we had two excellent meals there with top notch service.

Toya beach bar and grill was ok, much smaller so better service.

There’s a “beach club” next door that’s part of Sofitel called Manarai. We enjoyed an afternoon there for a different menu and unlimited coconuts for two hours for IDR100k. They had a foam party on at the time and some other activities for kids for Easter.

Overall, it was quite amazing.

I wasn't sure last time if it works. But just got the confirmation.

Hey everyone! At the beginning of the year did a 13-day solo trip to Japan. Originally, I was planning to go to Vietnam, but after my friends and parents convinced me to start with Japan for my first international trip, I completely switched my itinerary.

Thought I’d share a quick breakdown of my visa, flights, expenses, and a few practical tips for anyone planning a trip from India!

Visa Process

Applied directly through the embassy by myself (no agent needed). The visa fee was just ₹500.

Flights & Immigration

• Cost: Booked using credit card points. The round-trip cash price was ~₹70k, but points brought it down to ₹30k (Bangalore → Tokyo NRT on Japan Airlines, and Tokyo HND → Delhi on Air India). Normally, you can get round-trip flights for around ₹45k if booked well in advance.
• Pre-arrival: Make sure to fill out the arrival registration on the VisitJapan website a few days before flying. You get a QR code to scan at Tokyo immigration.
• Immigration Experience:
  • At Indian immigration, they asked me why I was traveling alone since it was my first international trip—just had to explain it was a solo holiday.
  • Japan Airlines checked my return ticket before issuing the boarding pass (standard procedure). If anything looks off, they might ask to see hotel bookings too.
  • Japan immigration was seamless—put on my specs to look extra nerdy and walked through with zero questions asked!

Forex, Cards & Cash Tips

• Forex: Carried $150 USD from India (via BookMyForex) as backup. Direct INR to JPY cash conversion rates at airports are terrible, so USD is better.
• Cards: Used my Scapia credit card (zero forex markup) for almost all daily spending.
• ATMs: For cash-only places, I used my Indian debit card at 7-Eleven ATMs. Pro-tip: Always select JPY instead of INR when paying or withdrawing money to avoid dynamic currency conversion fees.
• Transit Cards: Bought a green Suica card for local subways (kept it as a souvenir since I plan to revisit). You can get the red Tourist Suica if you want your deposit back at the end.

JR Pass & Shinkansen Transport

• JR Pass: I bought the Hokuriku Arch Pass, which saved me roughly ₹20k compared to point-to-point tickets. Do your math before buying the full Japan Rail Pass, as regional passes often make way more sense.
• Luggages & Seats: If you’re traveling with large suitcases, reserve your Shinkansen seats with oversized baggage space in advance. Last-minute reservations for these seats can be tough to get.
• Pro-tip: When picking up JR tickets/passes at airport counters, check for the dedicated line for foreign passport holders so you don't waste time queuing with locals.

Food & 7-Eleven Life

• 7-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart are absolute lifesavers. Wish we had that level of convenience store food back in India!
• Dietary Warning: If you have dietary restrictions (especially non-beef/non-pork), be super careful. Even food labeled with "Chicken" as the main headline often contains pork or beef broth/extracts.

Expense Breakdown (13 Days)

Excluding shopping, my base cost came out to roughly ₹1 Lakh:

• Flights: ~₹45,000 (normal estimate)
• Hostels: ₹37,000
• Hokuriku JR Pass: ₹18,000
• Suica (Subway/Metro): ₹10,000
• Day Trips & Entry Fees: ₹10,000

Food was extra depending on preferences—mine averaged between ₹700 for budget meals to ₹2,000 for nicer sit-down dinners.

I spent about a month tweaking my itinerary (even changed places on the fly while in Japan!). I’ll post a detailed day-by-day itinerary soon with offbeat and less-crowded spots.

Just got back from a 7-day trip covering Kandy, Ella, Mirissa, and Colombo. Never expected our neighbor to feel so similar yet so distinct in the best way possible.

A few thoughts and observations from the trip:

• Civic Sense & Traffic: The general civic sense is really impressive compared to India. No unnecessary honking on the streets, no bikers riding while staring at their phones, and people actually show patience on the road whether driving a bike, car, or auto.
• Cleanliness: Streets are clean with very few random garbage dumps lying around.
• People & Vibe: The locals are very calm and cool-headed, quite different from the usual fast-paced hustle back home. They were genuinely helpful not just to tourists, but to each other. Even though public infrastructure isn't as shiny as modern developments in India, the respect people have for public property stands out.
• Hospitality: Extremely tourist-friendly. Guests are treated with real warmth, and so many facilities are tailored specifically for travelers. No wonder Western tourists often lean toward places like Sri Lanka, Thailand, or Bali over India. There's definitely a lot we can learn from them about tourist hospitality.
• Stray Animals: They seem to have a soft corner for animals. I noticed a lot of stray dogs wearing belts or collars, especially around Kandy, which looks like a great community adoption model. Indian cities could definitely learn a thing or two here.
• Philanthropy & Culture: Sri Lankans feel very generous. I happened to visit during the Poson Poya festival, and there was free food (dansal) being served everywhere, with locals warmly inviting every passerby. It was really heartwarming to see.
• Urban Setup: Towns feel well-spaced, with thoughtful road layouts and proper drainage. Also visited Sigiriya and learned that ancient Sri Lankan urban planning was way ahead of its time.
• Car Economy: High import taxes on new cars make them super expensive, so there’s a huge market for older vehicles. Saw tons of Maruti 800s, Tata Nanos, and old Perodua models on the roads, way more than back home nowadays.
• Daily Rhythm: Very early-to-rise, early-to-bed culture. Markets were buzzing early in the morning, but most shops wrap up and close early by 6:30 or 7:00 PM.
• Local Politics: Quite a few locals randomly asked me about Modi; he seems pretty popular down south. People were also comparing their President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, to him because of his humble background, pinning a lot of hope on him to fix systemic governance issues exposed after COVID.
• Ethnic Dynamics: On the surface, the Sinhala-Tamil tension seems to have settled down, and daily life shows good intermingling. But if you talk to people, you realize underlying issues remain, Sinhala majoritarianism on one side, Tamil concerns on the other. (Not an expert here, just an observation).
• India-SL Relations: India’s aid during their 2022 financial crisis seems to have helped heal old wounds from the IPKF era. Indians are generally viewed in a positive light now, and Indian pop culture (Tamil and Hindi movies) plays a huge role in connecting people.
• Food: Absolutely amazing for an Indian palate. The Rice and Curry spreads use similar spices to ours, but the flavor profile is totally unique and delicious.

Overall, I'd love to visit again, maybe take some surfing lessons next time! Brought back a ton of souvenirs too.

This is the old ltf card. I don't have any other card of HDFC as they don't provide you unless you close Swiggy card.

Although, limit increase on this card is useless after 45000 practically, if you have utilised 1500 max. cashback on 10% & 5% category. Still, I will opt for higher limit.

Just got back from a group trip to Langkawi and wanted to share a quick review because it honestly surprised us in the best way.

If you’re looking for wild, late-night full moon parties like Thailand, this isn't the spot. But if your goal is to just unplug, rent a bike, explore clean beaches, and drink cheap booze without burning a hole in your pocket, Langkawi is top tier.

Highlights & Vibe

• Super Laid-Back: The whole island moves at a slow pace. Clean roads, peaceful sunsets, green views everywhere, and zero traffic chaos. Very easy to rent a scooter or Grab cab and move around.
• Warm Hospitality: People were genuinely friendly and welcoming throughout the trip, no weird attitude or tourists being targeted with pushy sales tactics.
• Duty-Free Paradise: Since it's a duty-free zone, alcohol is ridiculously cheap here. A chilled beer is basically cheaper than bottled water at some places, which makes group dinners and casual beach chilling very light on the wallet.
• Ideal Activities: Great spot for easy island hopping, sunset cruises, or just sitting by the beach at Pantai Cenang for hours doing absolutely nothing.

Definitely a solid alternative to the usual crowded beach destinations if you just want a peaceful, high value getaway with friends or family.

Just wrapped up an epic 15-day trip to Thailand! Flew out from Delhi directly to Bangkok and spent the first 6 days just exploring the city, mostly cafe hopping and doing heavy shopping.

From Bangkok, caught a quick domestic flight to Phuket and headed straight to Patong for 2 days. Hands down, Freedom Beach was the absolute highlight, easily the best beach of the entire trip.

After Patong, drove down to Ao Nang in Krabi for 5 days. Booked a gorgeous pool access villa which made the stay super relaxing, and did the classic 7-island tour while we were there.

Ended the trip with another 2 days back in Bangkok purely for last-minute shopping for everyone back home before flying back to Delhi.

First stop on our tour across Europe and a little bit of the Mideast where we visit eight top properties.

Arrived in Madrid on an early flight and reached the hotel at 8 AM. Very nice welcome at the front desk, checked us in and was happy to mention that we would be getting upgraded to a Loft room with a nice view and room would be ready in an hour. Took a walk around outside and sure enough by the time I returned my room was ready by 9 AM and escorted up.

Within 30 minutes of arrival in our room, guest relations emailed asking if everything was to our satisfaction. A few hours later a hand written note was delivered from the GM welcoming us.

We loved the rooftop pool, enjoyed drinks in the lobby and at Oorya on the rooftop. Punch was closed on the Tuesday night (11p) we inquired about it. DJ in the lobby on Wednesday evening. The only slight blemish on our stay was Jerónimo where we stopped in for a light bite. Surprisingly we were not impressed - this is coming from a big Enrique Olvera fan. The first order went back to the kitchen bc it was very obviously still uncooked and the second try was edible but had a very slimy texture (the fish we were told was Turbot). To the credit of the staff, they were apologetic and tried to offer us whatever else we wanted to make up for it but we were not drinking that evening nor had any room for other food or dessert.

The experience at the hotel here is very sublime, with service always there when you need it but never overbearing. Water always available in Edition branded cartons. Le Labo bath products and nightly turndown service.

Walkers paradise, amazing location - nothing we wanted to see or eat was ever more than 2km away.

A highlight — sitting at the modern rooftop infinity pool juxtaposed with a view of the still operating monastery (Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales) and it’s automated bell tolling every hour at 8 minutes to the hour. Truly old world meets new world in Madrid.

My one restaurant recommendation outside of the hotel would be Angelita. Just go.

I spent Eight days in Vietnam in a few months back, splitting my time between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. While a week is hardly enough to understand a country in its entirety, it was long enough to leave me with a few lasting impressions.

Itinerary: Hanoi (4 days) → Ho Chi Minh City (4 days)

Hanoi was the city that immediately won me over. The weather was pleasantly cool, the pace felt unhurried, and there was a charm in simply wandering through the Old Quarter without any fixed agenda. The city seemed to a little slow paced and calm

Ho Chi Minh City, on the other hand, felt like Vietnam’s economic engine. It was busier, louder and far more commercial. The traffic was relentless, the heat noticeably harsher and the atmosphere carried an energy that never seemed to switch off. At times, it almost felt like indian traffic with all thant honking

One thing that stood out across both cities was the cafe culture. Coffee in Vietnam isn’t merely a beverage ,it feels woven into daily life. Nearly every cafe i visited was filled with a mix of locals, digital nomadsand travellers lingering over conversations or simply enjoying a quiet afternoon. Salt coffee turned out to be my unexpected favourite and is something I’d recommend trying at least once.

A practical tip for first-time visitors ,pay close attention to Vietnamese currency notes. The denominations can be confusing initially, especially when you’re still adjusting to the value of the Vietnamese Dong. Double-checking notes before handing them over can save a few awkward moments/getting decieved.

As for interactions with locals, most people I encountered were polite and helpful. Language barriers occasionally made communication difficult, but kindness generally bridged the gap. I did notice that Western tourists often seemed to receive more attention, though that may simply have been my perception during a short visit rather than a broader reflection of local attitudes.

Vietnam is undeniably one of the most talked-about destinations in Asia right now. Its affordability, food culture, accessibility, and constant exposure through travel content creators have brought it firmly into the spotlight. After visiting, I can understand why so many people are drawn to it. Whether the hype exceeds reality is subjective, but the country certainly offers enough character and experiences to justify its popularity.

Overall, Vietnam wasn’t just a holiday for me. It was a chance to step away from routine, observe a different way of life and spend time with my own thoughts. I returned home with a few good memories, a newfound appreciation for Vietnamese coffee, and the quiet satisfaction that comes from seeing a small corner of the world through your own eyes.

We went on a 5-day family trip to Singapore (3 adults). Here’s a rundown of what actually worked for us, saved money, and helped skip the hype.

💳 The Best Freebie Hack

• Marina Bay Sands Observation Deck for Free: Head to The Shoppes at MBS and register for the Sands Membership using an eligible card (we used an HDFC Regalia Gold Mastercard). Bring your physical passport to register. It gave us free access to the SkyPark Observation Deck, saving us about ₹5,000. Super solid perk when it costs zero extra.

🎟️ Attraction Tickets

• Book online via Klook / Indigo Sightseeing: We bought almost all activity passes through these apps instead of paying at the ticket counters. Ended up saving roughly 20–30% across the board.

🚇 Getting Around

• Credit Card for MRT: Just tap a contact-less credit card with zero forex (we used Scapia). Average ride is around SGD 2. Skip the Singapore Tourist Pass—it’s overpriced and not worth the deposit hassle.
• Important Rule: Every passenger needs their own card. You can’t tap twice for multiple people; one card is locked per person from entry to exit.
• Navigation: Citymapper or the MRT station maps make getting around foolproof. Most major sights (Chinatown, Sentosa transfers) are a sub-10-minute walk from the stations.
• Cabs: For point-to-point rides, stick to Grab or Gojek.

🏨 Cutting Hotel Costs

• Fly Red-Eye Both Ways:
  • Departure: 9 PM out of Delhi
  • Return: 4 AM out of Singapore
  • Result: Saved 2 full nights of accommodation costs. On the final day, we checked out, left our luggage at the hotel front desk, picked it up around midnight, and went directly to Changi.

🍜 Dining (Keep It Simple)

• Stick to hawker centers—meals average SGD 3–4 per person and the food is fantastic.
• Top Spots: Albert Centre, Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat (great night energy), Chinatown Complex (grab the Hokkien Mee & Michelin-recommended 168 CMY Satay), and Zam Zam on Arab Street for Murtabak.
• Must-Tries: Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa, Murtabak, Curry Puffs, Cantonese Rice, and Chicken Cutlet Rice.

📍 Spot Check: What’s Worth Your Time?

• Cloud Forest (Gardens by the Bay): 100% worth it—stunning indoor waterfall, cool temperature, and great themed setups.
• Flower Dome: Skip it unless you’re genuinely passionate about flora.
• Sentosa: Combine the Mount Faber Cable Car with the S.E.A. Aquarium. Don't overschedule your day, and carry a water bottle.
• Marina Bay & Merlion Park: Visit in the late afternoon/evening. The heat during the day is intense, and the bay lights up beautifully at night. Pair this with your Cloud Forest visit.

💰 Final Trip Expenses (Total: ~₹2.3 Lakhs for 3 People)

• Flights: ₹86,000
• Hotel: ₹58,000 (ibis Styles Singapore Albert — ideal location, 2 mins from Rochor MRT)
• Sightseeing & Tours: ₹24,000
• Food & Local Transit: ₹25,000
• Cash Expenses / Misc: ₹18,000 (Converted leftover Euros to SGD locally)
• Visas: ₹10,500
• SIM Cards & Travel Insurance: ₹4,000
• Airport Transfers (India): ₹6,500