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SightsbyTsai

2 sisters, 1 lifelong adventure. Traveling the world!

20/04/2023

The luxury resorts of Bora Bora are located on their own “motu” (islands). 🏝️ We decided to split our stay between IHG Le Moana (located on the mainland of Bora Bora) and IHG Thalasso.   What we DIDN’T realize is that it costs $ to shuttle back and forth between islands. 🚌🤑 It used to be a complimentary service between the 2 IHG hotels, but now it costs about $30/person for a roundtrip journey. It adds up quick! 💸
 TIP: there IS a way to get around this fee. You just need to have dinner reservations at Le Corail or have a spa service booked at the Thalasso Deep Ocean spa. 🍽️🧖🏻‍♀️

Would you rather stay in a hotel located on the mainland or be stuck on a private island? 🤔

10/04/2023

Where to eat in Moorea?🍴

Here are some of the places we’d recommend checking out: 👉🏼Le Lezard Jaune Café 👉🏼Rudy’s  👉🏼Snack Mahana 👉🏼Kaylakea Moz Food
👉🏼Keiki 👉🏼Moorea Beach Café (for drinks and the view)
👉🏼Coco Beach (only open during good weather)
 🌟TIP: You don’t necessarily need a rental car to get around. Some restaurants on the island will arrange roundtrip transportation to/from your hotel. Otherwise, be prepared for a hefty taxi bill, especially as the rates double between 8pm to 6am.

12/03/2023

Can anyone guess the location? 🤔

A few facts about this gorgeous tropical paradise:
🏝️Overwater bungalows originated here.
🐍There are no poisonous snakes or insects!
🥖Imagine getting fresh bread delivered directly to your door! Some locals have a baguette mailbox for bread delivery.
🌺It is home to a very rare flower.

08/03/2023

Wrapping up Australia with Flinder’s Street Station – the oldest train station in Australia.

Fun facts about this train station:
👻It’s said to be haunted by a ghost named George. 🇮🇳The station is rumored to have been meant for India (specifically the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai) 🔥The steps underneath the clocks are heated! Come here for a warm place to sit in the winter. 🕦The 13 clocks are all automated now but imagine changing them by hand. Staff used to change the clocks 900 times every 8 hours.
🚂It's not just a train station. The building was built to contain a gym, library, and a now-abandoned ballroom.

Were you surprised to learn any of these things?

📍Flinders Street and Swanston Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000

02/03/2023

If you love a good market, you’ll want to visit Queen Victoria Market. It’s one of Melbourne’s most visited attractions and the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere!

There are more than 600 stalls, so you have a lot of options to choose from.

🌟Top tips for visiting Vic Market:
👉🏼To get here: the market is conveniently located in the free tram zone. Take the tram to Elizabeth St or Peel St.
👉🏼Make sure you know what the hours are, especially when it comes to public holiday closures. The market is typically closed on Mondays/Wednesdays, but during the summer months, the market is open on Wednesday nights.
👉🏼Have some cash on hand. Some vendors might only accept cash payment.
👉🏼Bring a reusable bag as single-use plastics are now banned from sale or supply.

Do you like to check out local markets when traveling?

08/02/2023

Anyone know what we’re staring at?

🪵These are the remains of the wooden pillars from Princes Pier. It’s a historic location that was previously used as a point of entry for immigrants. The pier was eventually closed to the public in the 1990s and reopened in 2011.

🚴‍♀️It’s a great place to get some exercise in. We saw plenty of people walking their dogs or riding bikes, and it didn’t feel crowded at all.

🚌From the CBD area, you can easily hop on a bus or tram to the pier. It’s also a lovely spot to catch the sunset 🌅

Would you add this spot to your Australia itinerary?

01/02/2023

Who doesn’t love a good view? The Sydney Tower is the tallest structure in the city and provides gorgeous 360-degree views of Sydney 🇦🇺

Tip: consider buying the Sydney Pass from to score a deal! We were able to pick and choose 2 to 4 attractions we wanted to visit in the area, such as this one, and save some cash!💰

29/01/2023

If you want to capture the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in one epic shot, be sure to pay a visit to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair 🪑

This location offers one of the best views of the Sydney Harbor. The landmark was named after the Governor Macquarie’s wife who frequently visited the area to enjoy the scenery. However, if you’re expecting an actual chair, you’ll be taken by surprise. The “chair” is a stone ledge carved by convicts in 1810.

🌅This location is especially stunning at sunset!

27/01/2023

Here’s your sign to visit Sydney!🇦🇺 We’ve only visited once but quickly became obsessed with the Land Down Under. 🦘

The Sydney Opera House was one of our first stops in Australia. It’s free to visit, but if you want to go past the foyers inside the building, you’ll have to either book tickets for a show or opt for a tour (prices start at $43/person). 🎶

During the Lunar New Year, the sails of the Opera House are lit up in red to celebrate the new year. 🏮

Tip: you can get lovely unobstructed snaps of this iconic building if you’re passing by on a ferry. ⛴️

18/01/2023

If you’re visiting , you’ll want to spend some time on the Malecon (boardwalk). You can enjoy a stunning view of the water 🌊, acrobatic performances 🤸🏻‍♀️, live entertainment 🤹🏻‍♂️, and impressive artwork 🎨.

My personal favorite is this ladder statue, known as “En Busca de la Razón,” which translates to “In Search of Reason.”

The sculpture was created by Mexican artist, Sergio Bustamante and stands about 60ft tall. The artist encourages people to interact with his art, so you are more than welcome to climb it. 🧗🏻‍♀️Just be careful that you don’t fall!

I came by in the evening right before sunset and there weren’t any people around the sculpture. However, as I climbed up the ladder, I drew a small crowd as other people wanted to do the same thing. 🤣 It really does feel like you’re climbing towards the skies and is a fun photo opportunity! 📷

Would you climb up this ladder? 🪜

📍On the Malecon at the end of Corona Street
🇲🇽

14/01/2023

Are all-inclusive resorts worth it? 🌴

Kat stayed at in and Margaret stayed at in . 🇲🇽

If you want to simply relax and lounge around the pool, an all-inclusive is a great way to enjoy your vacation. You don’t need to spend extra time planning activities or meals because once you’re checked-in, you’re usually set. 😎

However, if you like to explore the surrounding area, this might not be a good option. During our respective stays, we didn’t really leave the property at all. We only ventured out when we stayed at regular hotels.

For those who are on a budget, these resorts can be a good way to keep expenses in check. You’ll generally know the costs upfront but be sure to read the fine print so you know what services are included/excluded. Most resorts also include fees and gratuities in the price, but you can always leave more if you wish! 💸

Our favorite part was the food! We had a lot of variety to choose from (multiple restaurants and 24-hour room service). Fortunately, all the food at the resorts we stayed at was quite enjoyable! We probably ended up overeating, but it was well worth it, and room service is a luxury that we typically don’t indulge in. 🍨🍟🥞🍖🍔

Have you stayed at an all-inclusive before?

11/01/2023

TRUE STORY: what’s it like to be caught in a hurricane in Mexico? 🌀

I was in Cabo during Hurricane Odile. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that my room was flooding. By the time I was able to reach higher ground, the water was up to my waist. 😳

We were flooded out of our rooms, had no running water or electricity for days. There was no communication on how to get home and people were looting stores and even coming onto the property to ransack the rooms.

After 2-3 days, we somehow found out that airlines were offering flights out of Cabo, but didn’t know how to get to the airport. We heard stories of drivers asking for exorbitant fees and briefly considered hijacking an abandoned bus (failed attempt- the bus was stuck in mud). Eventually, we were able to get a ride at a decent price to the airport. We left our suitcases behind, but all I could think about was finally being able to take a shower after wading through sewage water. 🤢🚿🧼

As we traveled to the airport, I saw so much destruction and devastation. I was fortunate to be able to leave, but so many people lost their homes. This memory has stuck with me through the years.

If you are planning on visiting Mexico during hurricane season, check the weather forecast and familiarize yourself with the hurricane protocols. 🌡️⛈️

07/01/2023

Viva Mexico! Top tips for visiting Mexico.

📌 Save this post for when you visit

In general, the best time to visit is between December to April (dry season). Hurricane season typically runs from June through November. Speaking from experience, you DON’T want to get trapped in a hurricane (Margaret was in Cabo during Hurricane Odile in 2014, but that’s another story). 🌀😵‍💫

Don’t drink tap water unless you want to experience Montezuma’s Revenge. Stick to bottled or purified water to avoid getting sick. The hotels we’ve stayed at provided bottled water daily. Ice in drinks can be tricky, but know that the cylindrical ice cubes with a hole in the middle come from a purified ice factory, so it’s safe to consume. 🧊

A lot of the touristy areas accept USD, but pay in pesos if you can. You get a better deal that way due to the exchange rate. Try to have cash on hand as most places don’t accept card. You can search around for the best rates at money exchange stalls, but your best bet is withdrawing cash from ATMs. Just avoid ATMs on paydays because the lines get crazy long- usually the 15th and last day of the month. 💰

Don’t be afraid to try the street food! Look for stalls where locals line up, but pay attention to whether the vendors clean their utensils or if the meat has been sitting out for a while. There are foods that are hard to find back at home, such as nopales (cactus) and huitlacoche (corn s**t). 🌵🌽

It might be helpful to know some basic Spanish (especially food items) to communicate with the locals. Another very important tip is knowing how to find the right bathroom. “M” is for “mujeres”/women and “C” is for “caballeros”/gentlemen. 👧🏻👦🏻

What else would you like to know about Mexico? 🇲🇽

📍Find these colorful buildings in the zona romantica. Visit the on the corner of Olas Altas and Basilio Badillo and you’ll spot them!
🇲🇽 🇲🇽

03/01/2023

Have you heard of the Seattle Spheres?

consist of 3 glass domes containing a botanical garden. 🌱 The space was created to give employees a unique workspace embedded within nature. There are more than 40,000 plants from over 30 countries! 🌹🌷🌻

The gardens are open to the public on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. However, reservations are required and are available 15 days prior to the date. Otherwise, you can access the spheres on a guided Amazon HQ tour.

If neither options work, consider checking out the Understory- an exhibit space underneath the Spheres. What is on display often changes and registration to visit is NOT required.

We didn’t have a chance to visit inside, but were able to check out the surrounding area. We even scored a complimentary banana from the Community Banana Stand! 🍌

Would you visit the ?

31/12/2022

Happy New Year's Eve! 🥳🍾

As the year ends, we wanted to take a second to reflect upon our experiences. 2022 has truly been a solid year. Not sure how it passed by so quickly, but we think we made the most out of it. We were finally comfortable to travel internationally again and were blessed to have been able to take our parents on a family trip. We’re also very grateful to have made some wonderful connections within this community. 🥰

Hope everyone has a fabulous and safe NYE! Looking forward to what 2023 may bring. 🎊🎆💕

📍Kerry Park

28/12/2022

We planned a super short trip to Seattle to pick up our shiba pup. Here’s what to see/do in Seattle if you’re on a tight schedule.

👉🏻Explore . Be sure to catch the fish toss🐟, see the ☕️, and grab a pastry from 🥐
👉🏻Check out the and . Enjoy the views during the day AND night if you can! 🌆🌃
👉🏻Visit Kerry Park and spot if you’re lucky
👉🏻See the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge 🧌
👉🏻Pop by HQ and snap a pic with the

Which of these would you do first?

25/12/2022

Merry Christmas 🎅🏼— ft. our newest addition to the family! 🐕🐾

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. We celebrated with our loved ones yesterday and are looking forward to 2023. 🎄🎉

Where will you be spending Christmas this year? Wherever you are, we hope you stay warm and safe! ❤️

20/12/2022

Top places to visit in Koh Samui: 📍Grandmother & Grandfather Rocks (Hinta & Hinyai)
📍Mummified Monk 📍Magic Buddha Garden 📍Big Buddha Temple
📍Fisherman’s Village 📍Namuang Waterfalls 📍Wat Plai Laem 📍Ang Thong National Marine Park

We booked a 4WD jungle safari tour and were able to see most of these sights within the tour. We highly recommend booking with . The guides were very informative and made the tour quite entertaining (fyi: it also included a secret activity! 🤫).
 📌 Save for your visit to Koh Samui! . 

17/12/2022

Did you know there’s a “Pig Island” in Thailand? 🐷🇹🇭

The island is known as Koh Madsum. A man by the name of Mr. Kitts rescued the pigs from a market and decided to create a haven for them here. There’s a fee of 50THB/person to visit the island. 🐖🐖🐖
 Unlike the pigs in the Bahamas, this pigs on Koh Madsum didn’t really venture out towards the beach/sun. ☀️They were more interested in seeking shelter in the shade in groups. They also seemed to be well-fed because they weren’t too motivated by food.  
You can either opt to join a tour to visit the island or attempt to hire a boat from Thong Krut Pier for ~1500THB for your party.  Would you add this place to your Thailand bucket list? 🐷🏝️

14/12/2022

Have you heard of Wat Trimit – Temple of the Golden Buddha?

This temple houses the world’s largest solid gold Buddha – it weighs 5.5 tons and stands 3 meters tall. The sculpture was originally covered in plaster, likely to protect it from thieves. The actual material was only revealed when the exterior was cracked during a fall as it was being moved to a different location.

There is an entrance fee of 40THB and the temple is open daily from 8AM-5PM. Additionally, there is also a museum you can visit just below the statue during the same hours for 100THB (but closed on Mondays).

The temple is a short walk from Bangkok’s Chinatown. It’s still a functioning temple, so dress appropriately. We were able to borrow clothing prior to entering the temple.

How much do you think the Golden Buddha is worth? 🤑

11/12/2022

Tips for visiting Thailand! 📌Save this post for later:

Don’t fall for common scams, like the tuk tuk scam. 🛺 Many times, scammers are in cahoots with one another. A seemingly friendly local will inform you about how an iconic location is closed for the day or how you lucked out by visiting on a special day. They’ll flag down a tuk tuk for a seemingly good rate and ask the driver to take you somewhere. The driver will then take you to gem or tailor shops along the way. Remember you are under no obligation to buy anything at these sites. 🙅🏻‍♀️

Don’t buy a buddha statue! It’s illegal unless you have specific documentation.

Be wary of elephant sanctuaries or tiger kingdoms. The animals are generally exploited for profit and not treated well. If a place offers elephant rides or tiger selfies, run away! 🐘🐅

Cash is king! 💵 Many places in Thailand only accept cash, especially street vendors. Some places charge a small fee to use the restroom, so having some change on you is handy.

Download Grab (Thailand’s version of Uber) for cheap fares, although it might not be available in all regions. For example, it was easy to get in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, but not in Phuket and Koh Samui. If you MUST take a cab, request to use the meter or negotiate a rate beforehand. 🚖

Traffic can be crazy, so if you’re going to cross the street, go at a steady pace and in a straight line. The drivers will go around you. It’s best not to make sudden movements because they can’t predict your next move.

Make sure to cover up your shoulders and knees when visiting the plentiful temples. 🧥👖

Pack bug spray! It’s a must to avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitos. You might also want to consider packing some tissues and hand sanitizer for public bathrooms. We took it one step further and even brought toilet seat covers!

Is Thailand on your bucket list? 🇹🇭

08/12/2022

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market is one of Thailand’s most popular floating markets! 🛶

We arranged a private tour and this market was one of the stops on our itinerary. It took us about 1.5 hours to reach the market by car from Bangkok. Try to go earlier in the day to avoid the heat. 🥵

As you might have guessed, vendors sell their goods out of boats. Most offered food items such as boat noodles, coconut ice cream, mango sticky rice, and coconut pancakes. 🍜🥭🍨 Other people were selling souvenirs like clothing and small trinkets. 📿🪆🛍️

We opted for a boat ride through the canal and saw water monitors lounging in the sun! 🦎

Although this is a well-known market, it wasn’t nearly as busy as it was several years ago. Our guide stated that tourism in Thailand is still recovering. This made it much more peaceful to navigate the canal, but you miss out on the hustle and bustle the market is known for.

Would you want to experience a floating market? 😮

30/11/2022

Ma Doo Bua Cafe offers gorgeous photo opportunities against a stunning backdrop of lily pads. The food is also not too bad! 🪷

We were visiting Thailand during the rainy season, so taking drone shots can be hit or miss depending on the weather. As luck would have it, we ended up coming on a day where it was raining. ☔️However, we came right when the café to avoid a wait for the drone photos, and we were fortunate to catch a small break between the rain. 📸

You can choose to lie down on a wooden boat or even stand in the middle of a giant lily pad. 🛶

Would you visit this cafe for these photos? 😍

28/11/2022

Wat Luang Khun Win is a 700-year-old temple hidden within the forest. 🌳 It’s quite remote so there weren’t a lot of people around. In fact, we could count the number of people we came across on one hand!

This was easily our favorite temple in Thailand. The architecture is immaculate, and we saw plenty of nagas (water serpents) around the temples. The nagas are more than just decorative pieces of art. They serve to ward off evil spirits and are frequently seen around temples. 👻

If you’re planning on visiting a wat/temple, be sure to respect the culture! ⬇️
🎐Be quiet. This is a place of worship and people might be praying. 🤫 🙏🏻
🎐Step over the threshold when entering the temple, not directly on it. It’s thought that guardian spirits reside on the threshold step. 🎐Dress modestly: be sure to cover your shoulders and knees. Skirts and shorts should be at least knee-length.
🎐Remove your shoes before going inside the temple. We recommend wearing shoes that are easy to slip on and off. 🥿
🎐Don’t point. Instead, gesture with your right hand with your palm facing up. 🫴🏻
🎐Similarly, be mindful of your feet. Feet are considered dirty in Thai culture, so don’t point them at others. If you’re going to sit in the temple, it’s best to kneel or sit cross-legged. 🧎🏻‍♀️
🎐All buddha sculptures are revered and sacred, so keep your hands to yourselves and don’t touch. ✋🏻🚫

Did an of these temple etiquette tips surprise you? 😱

24/11/2022

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

This is one of our favorite holidays and we are fortunate to be able to spend time with our loved ones today. 2022 flew by and we can’t believe Christmas and New Year’s is right around the corner! Very grateful for all the memories we’ve made this year and the kind souls we’ve met along the way. Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with hope, love, and joy. 💕

What are you most thankful for this holiday season? 🙏🏻🥰

📍Wat Luang Khun Win

22/11/2022

2 Week Thailand Itinerary ✈️  4 nights in Chiang Mai:
🔹2 nights – plenty of time to play/feed the elephants and tour hidden gems like this gorgeous waterfall! 🐘
🔹 2 nights
🔹 Authentic Thai cooking class with Thai Secret Cooking School (highly recommend!) 🧑🏻‍🍳🥘
🔹 Feasted at food stalls within the Night Bazaar 🍖😋
🔹Walked up 300+ stairs to see the Golden Temple (Wat Phra That Doi Suthep)

3 nights in Bangkok:
🔹Toured the Maeklong Railway Market – the market is literally located on train tracks 🛤
🔹Damnoen Saduak Floating Market 🛶
🔹Booked plenty of Thai massages 💆🏻‍♀️
🔹Explored Chinatown
🔹Attempted to eat at , but found she was on vacation during our time there 😔💔

3 nights in Koh Samui:
🔹Hopped on a speedboat to Pig Island/Koh Madsun 🐖
🔹Embarked on a jungle safari with (see sights like the grandmother/grandfather rocks, mummified monk, Magic Buddha Garden, Big Buddha Temple)
🔹Explored Fisherman’s Village 🎣

3 nights in Phuket:
🔹Nightlife at Patong Beach 🏖
🔹Ventured through sea caves with
🔹Floated a self-made Kratong and saw bioluminescent plankton ✨
🔹Enjoyed the lotus pond .phuket 🪷
 What is your favorite place in Thailand to visit? 🇹🇭
 📌 Save for your future trip! . .
🇹🇭

18/11/2022

Swimming with elephants was one of our most memorable experiences in Thailand. But how did we get this picture?

📸Book a session with James (.photographer)! We reached out a couple months beforehand to reserve a date and coordinate the locations. If he’s not available, don’t worry. There are a few other photographers that work with .

🐘A mahout (elephant caretaker) was always present and guided the elephant to be positioned for the pictures. Our mahout had snacks on hand for us to feed the elephant and James instructed us on how to interact with the elephant so that our pictures came out looking more natural. Our elephant was very food-motivated, and his trunk was extremely strong.

💦The mahout was also hidden behind the elephant and splashing water to give us that stunning water detail!

Would you want to swim with an elephant?

15/11/2022

Must-know tips for !

🐘There are 2 different options: riverside or mountain view. We picked riverside. 🏞
🌿Free wi-fi is available, but it was a bit spotty for us. We highly recommend getting a SIM card. It was only $8USD for 2 weeks of service with 15GB of internet.
🐘The bathroom/showers are private but are open-air. It can be chilly to use at night and you might get a little wet if it’s raining.🚿
🌿FYI: our bungalow didn’t come with a hairdryer…a minor inconvenience, but not the end of the world.
🐘It can get quite noisy at night. There are several stray dogs that live on the property (apparently people tend to drop off abandoned dogs here) and we heard them barking throughout the night. 🐕🔊
🌿You MUST bring bug spray. We were provided 2 small packets as a welcome amenity, but you’ll need more. There is a mosquito net around the bed, however small insects still made their way in. 🦟
🐘Lizards hang out on the ceiling. They’re harmless but they did p**p on us (when we weren’t shielded by the mosquito net).🦎
🌿Credit cards are accepted but you’ll be charged an extra 3% processing fee. There are no ATMs on site, so make sure you exchange money before coming. 💸
🐘We were provided 2 bottles of water daily. You can always purchase more bottles from the café, or bring some with you.
🌿Elephant room service was also included with our stay. The staff brought the elephants right to our door in the morning and gave us plenty of treats to feed the elephants. You get plenty of private time with them and staff are eager to take pictures for you.
🐘You’ll need to book activities to make the most of your stay. You can opt for a tour or customize a package. We did a half day photoshoot and modified it to include all the things we wanted to see/do.
 What else do you want to know about Chai Lai? 🤔

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What’s better than bubble tea? Bubble tea served in the cutest perfume bottles (total Coco Chanel vibes).🧋💅🏻 We got the galaxy tea: a purple tea made from butterfly pea flower, honey, and lemon. It resembles the galaxy and even has an iridescent shimmer courtesy of the edible glitter. ✨ For a little over $8 USD, you even get to keep the bottle as a memento. However, not all drinks come served in the perfume bottle. There were only 6 select drinks that we could pick from. Our honest opinion? The packaging and presentation was a solid 10/10. However, this specific drink tasted like sugar water. Pretty, but not worth it. We’d recommend choosing another drink. 🫤  Would you want to try? 🤔  📍Instea 210 Swanston Street, Melbourne . . . #boba #bubbletea #melb #melbourne #melbournefood #melbournedrinks #instea #eatdrinkmelb #melbourneeat #eatmelbourne #melbourneboba #melbournebubbletea #insteaaus #insteamelbourne

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