California Coastal Captured on Camera

San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge

Alcatraz

Sea lions at Pier 39

Fishermans Wharf has lots of fresh seafood places to eat at

Long Beach

Long Beach Performing Arts Center

Courtyard in front of the Performing Arts Center

Tip: There is a free red shuttle bus (called the Passport Bus) which takes you from the port to downtown in 30-45 minutes. After exiting the port, make a right towards the parking lot of the Queen Mary cruise ship terminal and you'll see the bus stop at the end of the parking lot.
The bus comes every 10-15 minutes on weekdays and every 10-30 minutes on weekends. It stops at the Aquarium, Shoreline Village, Pacific at Ocean, and 3rd at Promenade (final stop). Then it makes its way back from 3rd at Promenade to the port in the reverse order instead of heading straight back to the port (i.e. it goes to Pacific at Ocean, then Shoreline Village, then the Aquarium before the port again).


Santa Barbara

A beautiful port with a lot of great photo opportunities but I didn't take any pictures this time. Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and capture memories without a photograph and sometimes you just spend too much time at the 99 cent store. It was a bit of both in my case.


San Diego

NBC Studios

Statue of the iconic "V-J Day in Times Square" photo

Ensenada, Mexico

Interesting head statues

Scenic view of the city

Sea Princess sails the South Pacific (Part 3: Vanuatu and New Caledonia - again)

The third and final cruise of my Sea Princess contract was to Vanuatu and New Caledonia again. I enjoyed my time in Vanuatu and New Caledonia more the second time around because of the better weather and the awesome excursions I went on.

Read Part 1 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia) of my Sea Princess adventures here
Read Part 2 (New Zealand) of my Sea Princess adventures here


Champagne Bay:
This is my favourite port ever for having a beach day. The water is crystal clear, a beautiful light turquoise colour and warm. The sand under your feet when you are in the water is soft and free of rocks/seaweed/debris. When you are in the water and look out at the horizon all you see is turquoise waters and green hills - I loved it!

This picture can't capture the beauty of Champagne Bay

View while sunbathing

Port Vila:
I have mentioned my love for boats operating at high speeds in open waters before and the Jet Boat Adventure satiated my adrenaline cravings. Goggles were provided because the water in the harbour around Port Vila is extremely salty and it would be painful if it ever got in your eyes. I got completely soaked on the jet boat and the salt remnants in my hair were proof of the super salty water. Life jackets were mandatory in case anyone fell into the water while the jet boat was doing any of it's special tricks. We were treated to the jet boat making some fast turns, complete circles and bouncing on the water. Not only was the tour an adrenaline rush it also provided a nice way to see the island from the water.

Since the excursion was only 30 minutes long I still had a full day to explore Port Vila. I spent some time around the port looking at the souvenirs stalls lining the road and bought a wooden souvenir. When I got back on the ship I went on the crew deck to soak up the sunshine since I didn't want to waste a beautiful, sunny day.


Lifou: 
This is a tendered port and there is a beach right where the tender drops you off. I had a great time looking for "immunity idols" at the beach last year but this time I wanted to experience something different.

I went on the Luecila Beach & Scenic Island Drive excursion. We boarded our motor-coach and drove past roads lined with the beautiful greenery of trees, immaculately-built huts and homes.

Huts like this one were everywhere on our drive

Luecila Beach was our own little slice of a private getaway. It was quiet with the only people on the beach being a handful of locals and the 19 passengers who were on the excursion.

The most deserted beach I have been to - Luecila Beach

After the tour ended I spent some time at the beach where the tender docks. It was definitely a lot more crowded than Luecila Beach but still offered nice views! One big difference between the two beaches, besides how many people were on it, is the sand is softer and coral-free at Luecila Beach.


Noumea:
Noumea was never one of favourite ports but the Amedee Island Marine Reserve excursion changed my mind about this port. I would go back to Noumea again just so I can visit Amedee Island!

This was a full-day (8 hour) tour but it was so perfectly planned out with activities and free-time that we never got bored or felt rushed during our time on Amedee Island. A bus shuttle took us from the ship to Port Moselle. Then we boarded a catamaran for the 45 minute trip to Amedee Island. No one lives on the island but people will take day trips to it from Noumea.

Beautiful soft white sand at Amedee Island

Upon arriving at Amedee Island we had some free time to walk all around the island and explore the lighthouse. Then we went on a 20 minute glass bottom boat tour. We saw a variety of tropical fishes (including a parrot fish) as well as a giant sea turtle.

The lighthouse

We had some more free time on the beach before our barrier reef boat tour began. The loungers and umbrellas are provided free of charge for those on the excursion.

My lounging spot

We boarded the catamaran for our 45 minute barrier reef boat tour where we went to the largest lagoon in the world. The waters were crystal clear and a light turquoise colour. I kept marveling and saying out loud how beautiful the water was because I couldn't believe my eyes! I also fed french baguette to the fishes in the water.

So many fishes in that crystal clear water

Then it was back to the beach for a delicious buffet lunch. The variety and quality of food was impressive. It was a feast of salads, seafood, fried rice, potato gratin, spinach, roast beef, tuna steak, fruits, desserts and more. We were also treated to a Polynesian folkloric show with music and dancing while eating our lunch.

After eating a big meal I was ready for a nap! I spent some time on a beach lounger resting in the shade under an umbrella. When it got too hot I went into the water. Once again the water was so crystal clear you could see right to the ocean floor. There were lots of fishes swimming around me and I even stepped on a sea snake by accident. Apparently sea snakes are very common at Amedee Island. Luckily they are afraid of humans but they are still poisonous.

The crystal clear water is great for swimming or snorkeling

To finish off the day we watched a coconut grating demonstration and sampled the coconut pieces. It was a great day and I would highly recommend doing this tour if you ever go to Noumea! I know I would do it again if I got the chance.


A beach day in Champagne Bay followed by three wonderful excursions in Port Vila, Lifou and Noumea was the perfect ending to my South Pacific adventures on my Sea Princess contract. I am a happy girl!

Sea Princess sails the South Pacific (Part 2: New Zealand)

The second of three cruises on my Sea Princess contract was to New Zealand. I had done two cruises to New Zealand last year but two times just wasn't enough! The great thing about the ports in New Zealand is there are so many things to do within walking distance of where the ship docks.

Read Part 1 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia) of my Sea Princess adventures here


Auckland:
The ship encountered rough weather conditions and large swells while crossing the Tasman Sea from Brisbane to Auckland. The captain made the choice to sail the ship at a slower speed resulting in skipping this port and proceeding onto the next. Understandable decision but still disappointing since this is one of my favourite New Zealand ports!


Tauranga:
I love the beach/surfer town vibe of Tauranga! Since the weather was so unpredictable (alternating between rain storms and sunny skies) we decided not to make this a beach day. Instead we climbed the trail on the right side (when facing the ocean) of Main Beach.

The view along the trail

The lookout point at the top of the trail provided great views of the sea and beach below.

Mount Maunganui (partially hidden by clouds) and Main Beach

After heading back to the ship to eat a quick lunch we stopped by the park located beside Spongedrop bakery. We laid a towel down on the grass and enjoyed some free WiFi (provided by Spark WiFi).


Napier:
The ship was scheduled to dock at 12 noon and I had to work afternoon port day so I wasn't able to get off at this port.


Wellington:
It was a beautiful, sunny, hot day with a breeze - perfect for a leisurely stroll along the waterfront. Along the walk I saw buskers, runners, walkers and cyclists all around me. There are a lot of benches along the waterfront to sit and look at the calm blue waters.

The beautiful waterfront in Wellington

Clyde Quay Wharf is about a 45 minute walk from the port. Nearby is Waitangi Park with a large grass field great for having a picnic. I didn't bring a towel or snacks with me but if I ever go back to Wellington I plan on having a picnic at this park.

How great would it be to have a picnic here?

About 1 hour into my waterfront walk I was at Oriental Bay which had a small beach with a playground area.

Oriental Bay

After soaking in the fresh air and admiring the scenery from my walk along the waterfront I decided to head back to the port. I made a quick stop near the railway station (about a 15 minute walk from the port) to use the free WiFi (cbdfree).

Last year when I was in Wellington I went to the downtown shopping area. I had no idea Wellington had such a gorgeous waterfront, a beach and so many great places to have a picnic within walking distance of the port! I now have a much greater appreciation for this city.


Akaroa:
I was so happy I was able to get off at this port! Last year we were in Akaroa two times but I wasn't able to get off the ship both times.

This is a tendered port with a small town charm. I started my day with the Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise. The main reason I chose this excursion was to see the Hector dolphins (which are only found in the waters of New Zealand). However, I was happy that I was able to see Little Blue Penguins, cornets, New Zealand fur seals and sheeps as well!

A Hector dolphin!

The catamaran dropped us off at the Main Wharf after the excursion and I had the whole afternoon to explore Akaroa. I turned left from the Main Wharf and walked along Beach Road until I saw a sign for a hike to Stanley Park. I love doing hikes (especially in new places) so I decided to go for it. It wasn't a long hike but the terrain was steep. Within 5 minutes of walking I was at the Beach Road Lookout which had amazing views! There was a bench up there where I was able to sit and admire the scenery.

Views like this make me grateful for nature

Just admiring New Zealand's natural beauty

There were lots of sheep hanging out around the field which was super exciting for me to see since sheeps come to my mind whenever I think of wildlife in New Zealand.

Sheeps hiding out in the shade

After spending some time admiring the scenery and the sheeps I made my way back down to Beach Road. I passed by a few shops and restaurants until I reached a park. I took a seat on one of the benches and read from the local newspaper I was handed when I got off the catamaran.

Tip: Free WiFi can be found at the library which is just a short walk from where the tender docks.

Port Chalmers:
I only had the morning off in Port Chalmers which didn't give me enough time to go into Dunedin. As I made my way out of the port area there were locals handing out a Port Chalmers guidebook which proved to be very helpful.

We went to the Four Square Supermarket (located about 300 metres from the port) because I wanted to pick up some snacks. The guidebook had a map of the Full Harbourside/Back Beach Walk which we thought would be fun to do. From the supermarket we walked along Wickliffe Tce and along the harbour until we reached the Flagstaff lookout point. From there you just walk down a hill to get back to the port. The walk took about 1 hour and we saw many friendly locals along the way.

A nice start to the day in Port Chalmers

Read Part 3 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia - again) of my Sea Princess adventures here

Sea Princess sails the South Pacific (Part 1: Vanuatu and New Caledonia)

Since I had such a great experience in Australia last year I wanted to spend this Christmas/New Year on a ship based in Australia visiting New Zealand and the islands of the South Pacific again. Luckily the opportunity arose for me to be on the Sea Princess in December/January which meant another Canadian winter spent in the land down under.

I left Vancouver 3 days before I was scheduled to board the ship in Brisbane. I (along with all the fellow crew members joining the ship) stayed at a hotel located right in the heart of South Bank the night before embarking the ship.

Streets Beach (a man-made beach) in South Bank

It was a week away from Christmas when I arrived in Brisbane and the city had lots of events leading up to the big day. I checked out South Bank's Christmas Markets in the afternoon then found a spot to sit down and use the free WiFi available in South Bank Parklands.

One of the many fun Christmas events in Brisbane

At night I watched the Christmas Fireworks Spectacular over the Brisbane river from the Clem Jones Promenade in South Bank. The show was coordinated to Christmas music and I enjoyed my unobstructed view of fireworks lighting up the night sky. All in all it was a great day in Brisbane.


The first of three cruises on my Sea Princess contract was to Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

Port Vila:
This was the first port in our cruise and also my first time in Vanuatu. I was super excited as a Survivor fan knowing one season of Survivor was filmed here.

As you exit the ship and walk to your left (only those on a ship offered shore excursion were allowed to walk to the right) you will walk by many locals asking if you need a taxi into town. There is a long stretch of road where stalls selling souvenirs line both sides of the road.

Tip: It isn't possible to walk into town and there isn't anything to do around the port besides browsing the stalls selling souvenirs. If you want to get into town you will need to take the bus or a taxi (indicated by a red B or T on the license plate). The largest (and best according to many people) place to shop for duty free items is a store called Fung Kuei in town.

I did my research on Port Vila beforehand so I knew the best way for me to experience this port was to sign up for a tour. I went on the Rainforest Walk and Cascade Falls tour. I had always wanted to walk/swim under a giant waterfall and this was my chance.

Cascade Falls

Highlights from the tour: 
- Watching a group of 5 local men singing an acapella version of Silent Night about mid-way up the trail to the waterfall
- Taking a dip in the water under the waterfalls to cool off
- The refreshments (thinly sliced coconut pieces, banana chips, tapioca chips, kasava chips, watermelon, lemonade) provided at the end of the tour were very good


Mystery Island:
This was a tendered port. Mystery Island is a small, uninhabited island with no electricity or roads.  The middle of the island has huts with booths selling tours and souvenirs. There are also rustic toilets scattered around the island.
There is sandy beach space (albeit a bit rocky) for sunbathing as well as good areas for snorkeling or swimming.

A cloudy day in Mystery Island

I was able to walk around the whole island in about an hour (this included stopping along the way to take photos). While walking on the rocks in the water I slipped and fell into the ocean with all my clothes on. On the bright side I saw a tropical green coloured fish while in the water!


Champagne Bay:
This was a tendered port. As you get off the tender you are greeted by children singing which just puts everyone in a good mood. You will also see locals offering tours or photo opportunities with animals. There are booths scattered around the island selling souvenirs and refreshment/food.

The tender docks right on the beach. The scenery of the lush green trees surrounding the soft, sandy beach with crystal clear turquoise waters makes this the perfect port to have a beach day.

A picture just doesn't do Champagne Bay justice!

I am always on the lookout for a postcard-perfect beach and Champagne Bay is the closest thing I have experienced to that!


Noumea:
I was in Noumea last year so I knew there wasn't much to do within walking distance of the port. Since I was scheduled to work afternoon port day I decided to sign up for the Yellow Petit Tchou Tchou Train excursion to make the most of my morning in Noumea.

The train that drove us around Noumea

We went on a scenic drive by a marina called Orphanage Bay and a beach called Lemon Bay before stopping at a resort to have refreshments/snacks. The train went up to Iron Mountain which provided great photo opportunities of Noumea from a high elevation. Our last stop was at Notre Dame du Pacifique which has a statue of the Lady of the Pacific as well as a great lookout spot to the ship docked at the port.


Read Part 2 (New Zealand) of my Sea Princess adventures here
Read Part 3 (Vanuatu and New Caledonia - again) of my Sea Princess adventures here

Snorkeling in Cabo and Shopping in Santa Barbara

Hola amigos y amigas! Upon arrival back home to frost on the ground and Christmas lights on display I was reminded that Christmas is just weeks away! Being away from Vancouver for ten days to work on the Star Princess during the busy U.S. Thanksgiving period I forgot all about these brisk winter days.

I had a fantastic time doing two short cruises out of Los Angeles. The first cruise did an overnight stay in Cabo San Lucas while the second cruise had stops in Santa Barbara and Ensenada.


Cabo San Lucas
Night 1:
I got off the ship after my work shift at around 7pm  and was quickly placed on a tender filled with fellow crew members. There are plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants/bars near the pier. We walked past that area and found a shopping mall with air conditioning. This was great since it was surprisingly humid even at night. After walking around the mall for a bit we headed back to the pier to catch the tender back to the ship.
Tip: There are two beaches within walking distance of the pier. If you need directions the tour operators with booths lined up near the pier that we talked to were all very helpful.

Day 2:
There are tons of amazing shore excursions to do in Cabo San Lucas which made it hard to pick just one. I did the Sea of Cortez Zodiac Raft & Snorkel and had an amazing time. Ever since my first time in Cabo San Lucas last year when I wasn't able to get off the ship I knew I wanted to see the famous landmark El Arco up close. The zodiac raft took us around the waters and we stopped within a few feet of El Arco. We saw dozens of sea lions lying on the rock formations in the middle of the sea as well as whales in the distance.

El Arco

Chileno Bay was our first stop for snorkeling. It was my first time snorkeling and it took some time for me to get used to wearing the snorkeling mask and to learn to breathe only through my mouth. From the first moment I stuck my head in the water and saw all the coral and tropical fishes I was hooked! It was absolutely beautiful to see and I couldn't believe how clear the waters were or how deep the sea was. It wasn't long until I was sticking my head underwater for longer periods and swimming around to see all the beauty around me. Unfortunately, motion sickness from snorkeling caught up to me just as we all had to head back onto the zodiac raft to go to our next snorkeling site. I was disappointed that I couldn't snorkel with the group at the second location. According to the group I was with there was an even greater variety of sea life at this site. However, there was a beach that was close enough for me and the rest of the motion sick passengers to swim to. A handful of motion sick passengers (including myself) relaxed on the beach and soaked up the sun.
Overall, even though I ended up getting motion sick from snorkeling I still had a fabulous time and want to go snorkeling again in the very near future!


Santa Barbara
This was a tendered port. There is a beach located right by the pier and the sidewalks are lined with palm trees. My first thought upon getting off the pier was how Santa Barbara looks and feels very California-esque. It's a very walkable city and the main shopping street/district called State Street is filled with stores, malls, restaurants, and fast food places. It also just happened to be Black Friday on the day we were in Santa Barbara so going shopping on State Street was an obvious choice for us. My favourite place ended up being the 99 cent store. This place had name brand snacks at the cheapest prices so we picked up some goodies. After walking around State Street for a few hours we went back to the beach near the pier to enjoy the scenery, sunshine and our snacks.

The beach by the pier

Ensenada
There was a crew drill in the morning and I worked in the afternoon so I wasn't able to get off the ship at this port.


It was a short but sweet trip. Hasta luego!

Awestruck in Alaska

After spending 11 weeks last summer cruising Southeast Alaska I spent 10 weeks this summer aboard the Ruby Princess doing the same itinerary (with the minor change of cruising through Tracy Arm Fjord instead of Glacier Bay National Park).

I wanted to make the most of my second summer in Alaska in a row so I made a commitment to try new things, explore more, and to go on new adventures this time around.


Ketchikan
I found out about The Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show from a coworker last summer. Since I didn't get a chance to go to the show last summer I made up for it by going two times this year. It was entertaining to watch and you can even take a group photo with the lumberjacks after the show.

Lumberjacks in action

Ketchikan is one of my favourite ports when it comes to shore excursions. The two excursions I did at this port this summer did not disappoint!

Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary Walk & Crab Feast
Besides walking through the Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary we also got to see bald eagles and owls at the Alaska Raptor Center and reindeers at the Alaska Wilderness Reindeer Pen. As educational as the walk through the rainforest with the tour guide was I would be lying if I didn't say how much I was looking forward to the crab feast at George Inlet Lodge.
The first drink is on the house so I got the raspberry iced tea. They start you off with a salad and then you can dive right into the all-you-can-eat Dungeness crab. It was some seriously delicious crab! The best crab I have ever eaten, without a doubt. We finished off the meal with a slice of cheesecake for dessert.

Reindeer!

Discovery Exclusive: Alaska Wilderness Survival
As I have mentioned in this blog before I am a big fan of the reality TV show Survivor. Princess Cruises recently partnered with Discovery and Animal Planet and with that collaboration came new excursions this summer. When I saw the title of this excursion I knew I had to do it.
We started the tour by taking a catamaran to a secluded island called Blank Island. On the way there we spotted bald eagles and seals. Aside from our tour guide/wilderness skills instructor there were only five of us on this tour which made the experience feel more authentic. We learned the 7 survival skills (recognition, inventory, shelter, water, food, playfulness, signalling) and how to use them while walking around Blank Island. Our shelter making skills were put to the test after learning how to choose a good location and materials for a shelter. My favourite part of the tour was the fire-making "challenge". We were each given a pan, a piece of cotton, some petroleum jelly in the form of lip balm, flint and a pocket knife. It took a while but eventually I was able to start a fire on my own - necessary life skill accomplished! We all enjoyed some campfire snacks and refreshments after making fire. On the catamaran ride back to downtown Ketchikan we were given a 6-in-1 survival whistle as a souvenir.


Tracy Arm Fjord
I got up bright and early at 5:30am to go on the crew deck to observe the ship sailing through Tracy Arm Fjord. It was chilly but so worth it to see the natural Alaskan beauty.

Natural beauty of Tracy Arm Fjord

Juneau
A classic tourist thing to do in Juneau is to take the tram up Mount Roberts. For some reason I never went on the tram last summer so I told myself this was the year to go. That was until my coworker mentioned she was going to hike up the Mount Roberts Trail (5 km) then take the tram back down. It took us about 2.5 hours to hike up to the top but it was adventurous and I was all about that this summer.

View at the end of our hike up Mount Roberts

Another classic tourist attraction in Juneau is the Mendenhall Glacier. Once again, I didn't get an opportunity to see it last summer so I made sure I saw it this summer.

Mendenhall Glacier Explorer

I went on the Mendenhall Glacier Explorer excursion which provided a narrated shuttle bus ride to Mendenhall Glacier from the pier. There is a short walk from where the bus drops you off until you can get close to the glacier and massive waterfall. Surprisingly, my favourite part of this tour was seeing a giant iceberg floating in the water.

A massive waterfall to the right of Mendenhall Glacier

Skagway
This summer I went on my favourite Alaskan shore excursion of all time: Ocean Raft Adventure.

Ocean Raft Adventure
Before we could board the boat we had to put on a protective suit to keep us warm and dry. While walking towards the boat after donning the protective suit I felt like an astronaut walking towards a spacecraft. The boat was a motorized raft and rides much like a jet-ski able to do quick turns. If there is one thing I love it is being a speed demon in the water. Whenever the captain cranked the speed on the boat or did donuts in the water I was overjoyed!
The weather was nice and sunny which just made the breathtaking scenery even more awe-inspiring. The boat traveled along Lynn Canal which is the longest and deepest fjord in North America and we were able to see the gorgeous Chilkat mountains in the distance. No Alaskan adventure is complete without spotting bald eagles and harbour seals and this excursion was no exception. As if the sights weren't impressive enough the captain maneuvered the boat close enough to a waterfall for us to feel the mist splashing on our face.

Chilkat mountains in the distance. Pictures don't do it justice.

Tip: Since Skagway is such a tiny town if you aren't doing an excursion or if you have been to Skagway before you might be at a lost as to what to do. Besides going on a hike (which I did last summer) I asked my coworker for some suggestions and was able to find two new things to do. One was to see the Days of '98 Show which is a musical about the history of Skagway. The other was to go to the waterfalls.

The waterfalls called Lower Reid Falls is worth the 1 hour walk from the pier to see. You will have to walk along State street or Main Street in the direction towards Gold Rush Cemetery, walk through the cemetery and up a short trail to reach the waterfalls.

Lower Reid Falls

Victoria, BC
I was fortunate enough to go on two excursions in Victoria this summer.

Olive the Senses Tasting & City Highlights Tour
The city highlights tour on this excursion was the best one I have been on in Victoria. I went on two city highlights tour in Victoria last summer but this one was more extensive and informative. At Olive the Senses Gourmet Foods we were able to sample a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. I'm not a big fan of olive oil or balsamic vinegar but the liquid nitrogen olive oil ice cream with aged balsamic vinegar "caviar" pearls was so good! They said to help yourself to as many ice cream samples as you would like so I had three. Yes, they were that good. At the end of the tour the guide surprised everyone by giving out a bottle of balsamic vinegar to every passenger as a parting gift.

Enchanting Butchart Gardens
As a born and raised British Columbian I have never been to the famous Butchart Gardens in Victoria. After the excursion I went on this summer I can finally say I have been to Butchart Gardens! Since we were there on a Saturday evening we were also able to watch the fireworks display which was top-notch.

The dock in Victoria 

On the days I didn't get an excursion in Victoria I would head downtown. Downtown Victoria is always nice to go to for the scenery, shopping and food. It's about a 45 minute walk from the pier to downtown where the Parliament Building and Empress Hotel are located. Shuttle buses and taxis are available as well but when I am not pressed for time I enjoy the walk.


By seeking out new adventures so I could get a different experience in Alaska this summer it kept Alaska fresh and new for me. It just goes to show you that no matter how many times you visit the same port you can always create new adventures and memories there.

Southeast Asia Part 3: Thailand

Grand Palace in Bangkok

We had three action-packed days in Thailand and I loved every second of it!

Day 1:
The Celebrity Century docked at Laemchabang which is a 2.5 hour drive from Bangkok. We had pre-booked a shuttle from Oriental Escape to take us from the port to our hotel in Bangkok. The service we received from Oriental Escape was professional, comfortable and safe. I would recommend them in a heartbeat.

We chose to book a hotel near the Chao Phraya river because we wanted to avoid the infamous road traffic in Bangkok. After dropping off our overnight bags at our hotel we walked to Oriental Pier. We boarded an orange flag boat and the fare (15 baht) was collected on board. We got off at Tha Chang Pier and immediately smelled the aroma of fruits and grilled food at the market.

Market full of sounds and smells

We walked through the market, crossed the street and then walked alongside the white wall fence of the Grand Palace to get to the entrance. We bought our tickets for 500 baht which gave us admission into the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and the Regalia Museum. We walked through the Regalia Museum to see displays of coins, jewellery and regalia worn by royalty.

The Grand Palace is huge and there is so much to see! It's hard not to just go crazy with taking pictures of everything. I had to remind myself to step back, put down my camera and admire what I was seeing before my eyes.

At the Grand Palace

Beautiful craftsmanship at the Grand Palace

We had to take our shoes off before entering the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and no photos or video recording was allowed inside.

Tip: In terms of clothing attire for the Grand Palace I made sure to cover my shoulders and knees and to not wear anything skin-tight. Since you'll need to take your shoes off to see the Emerald Buddha it is best to wear slip-on shoes. I wasn't sure if flip-flops were allowed so I wore closed-toed slip-on shoes.

We stayed at the Grand Palace until it closed at 3:30pm. We had originally planned to visit Wat Pho and Wat Arun as well. However, since they close at 5pm and 5:30pm respectively we realized the time needed to travel there wouldn't leave us with enough time to truly appreciate the temples. Therefore we decided to save them for the next time we went back to Bangkok. 

We headed back on the orange flag boat and went to eat at a Thai restaurant near our hotel called Tealicious. It is owned by a super friendly English gentleman and the food was very good too.

Day 2:

We had booked the Railway and Floating Market Tour from BKK Tours. It was a half day tour which allowed us time to explore Bangkok on our own for a couple hours after the tour.

Our day started with our tour guide Ms. Oi meeting us in the lobby of our hotel. We then sat comfortably in a family sized van as the driver drove us from Bangkok to Samut Songkram where a railway market is located. Along the way we saw miles upon miles of salt farms where sea salt gets harvested.

On our way to the railway market we stopped at a gas station to order some iced coffee from Cafe Amazon. The drinks tasted amazing and were a good deal too. Ms.Oi bought some freshly made hot coconut pancakes, a very common on-the-go breakfast for Thais, from a street vendor for us to try.

The railway market is a fully functional market set up at the edge of a railway track selling both fresh goods and household items. When the warning signal sounded to let people know the train was approaching the vendors pulled back their awnings and goods from the edge of the tracks with efficiency and ease. It was quite a thrilling experience to see the local train pass through the market mere inches from where we were standing. As soon as the train passed by the vendors immediately moved their awnings and goods back to the edge of the tracks and business resumed as normal.

The train approaching the railway market

After the railway market we visited a coconut plantation and traditional home located near a canal. We watched a guy make sugar cane from coconut water and sampled a piece as well. It's nice to see that no part of a coconut goes to waste since every part of a coconut can get re-purposed into something else.

All sorts of coconut goodies on display

We then went on our way to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. Ms. Oi rented a rowing boat for us and we all went into the boat to experience the way locals used to socialize with their friends. By going through the smaller rivers instead of the main canal where all the markets were set up we were able to escape the crowds. Away from the hustle and bustle we saw locals' homes as well as lots of natural greenery. 

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

View from inside the rowing boat

Our tour finished after the Floating Market and we asked to be dropped off at MBK Centre (a 7 floor mall in Bangkok). After saying goodbye to Ms. Oi and our driver we went up to the 6th floor to eat at the food court. To pay for your meal at this food court you need to load money onto a reloadable/refundable card which you can purchase on the same floor.

After a few hours of eating and shopping at MBK Centre we left the mall to walk to our pre-arranged pick-up location with Oriental Escape. There was a large crowd of people gathered outside MBK Centre to watch a Muay Thai boxing event. We soaked in the atmosphere for a few minutes then went on our way. We got picked up by Oriental Escape and made the 2.5 hour journey back to the cruise terminal in Laemchabang.

Day 3:

We decided the best way to spend our final day in Thailand would be to book a shore excursion from Celebrity to ensure we would make it back to the ship on time. The excursion we picked was Elephant Experience. This was by far the BEST excursion I have ever gone on!

Our morning began with taking a shuttle bus to the Elephant Village in Pattaya. It was approximately a 30 minute drive to Pattaya from the cruise terminal.

We started off our tour by riding on an ox-cart being pulled by 2 oxen. It was a bumpy ride and my excitement kept on building with the knowledge that we would soon be riding an elephant.

The ox-cart ride

The ox-cart ride took us to a location where we boarded a raft to take us to the other side of a lake. At the end of the raft ride we went inside a silk house to learn how silk is made from silk worms. From there we went on a short nature hike to get to the area where the elephants were waiting for us.

Now my favourite part: the elephant ride! One by one everyone climbed up the stairs to a platform. This made it easier to get onto the wooden bench attached to the elephant's back. Once we were seated on the bench we were "strapped in" with a metal handle in front of us. It reminded me of an amusement park ride.

The platform used to get onto the elephant

It was a hot day and our elephant kept spraying herself with water from her trunk. We couldn't help but laugh when we got hit with the excess water several times. The elephant ride went through a rural area past homes and plantations and lasted about 30-45 minutes.

Elephant ride through the water

After the elephant ride we were treated to a delicious buffet lunch serving both Western and Asian food. Following our meal we went to see the elephant show. The show focused on showcasing the versatility of an elephant's trunk (pulling/pushing large items with their trunk to demonstrate strength; picking up a coin from the ground to demonstrate dexterity). We also watched the elephants having bath time in the water.

Elephants enjoying their bath time

The elephant show also demonstrated how mahouts (elephant riders) don't need to use a platform to climb onto an elephant's back. Instead, the mahout gets the elephant to lie down on all four legs so they can step on the elephant's bent front leg and hop onto it's back.

The host of the elephant show picked me from the audience to try climbing onto an elephant without the assistance of a platform just like a mahout would. It wasn't easy and I did need a little help from the mahout and host to get up onto the elephant. I caught myself saying "check that off the bucket list" after climbing onto the elephant without a platform and riding it bareback...just like a mahout!

Getting some help to climb onto the elephant

There is nothing to hold onto and nothing to strap me down once I was sitting on the elephant bareback. I'll never forget the feeling of the elephant's ear flapping against my legs. After going for a short ride on the elephant the host invited fellow audience members to ride bareback on an elephant as well. I felt honoured to be the only person in the audience to climb onto an elephant without the help of a platform.

Best moment ever!!

It still brings a huge smile to my face when I think back on my wonderful experience at the Pattaya Elephant Village. I definitely had one of my best days ever here.


Read Part 1: Brunei and Vietnam here
Read Part 2: Singapore here