10 tips for luxury camping

 

• Posted by Serene Toh on August 26, 2013 at 2:08am in Acommodation, Student Lodge and Hostel
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How To Glamp Like The Celebs Do Camping used to be synonymous with tacky green canvas tents, puffy sleeping bags and canned beans over the campfire. Now? Well, let’s say it’s evolved a bit. You can rent tents equipped with bathrooms, crystal chandeliers, hammocks and 600 thread-count sheets. Glamping is here to stay, and we couldn’t be happier. So how do you glamp? And where can you find the best places to do it? Not all campsites offer luxury camping, so you need to do a little research. Before you hit the road for a week of glamping, check out our tips and suggestions for a relaxing and luxurious outdoor vacation. 1 Plan early As with any vacation, you want to give yourself ample months to plan. This will ensure the campsite or resort you want is available. Because glamping is so popular, many places book out months in advance.   2 Scout the perfect spot You won't find the A-listers glamping out in the middle of nowhere. Many hot glamping resorts and campsites are adjacent to beaches or in pristine mountain areas. If you're in California, check out Costanoa for beach and mountain access. For a more rustic experience, stay in one of Oregon State Parks' luxury yurts, which are also pet-friendly! 3 Villa, tent, yurt or tree house? Before you glamp, you need to get acquainted with the terms. A villa or hut is a large freestanding cottage with at least one bedroom. Many come with kitchenettes, private pools and decks! A tent is a portable canvas home that can have up to four bedrooms, a kitchen and private bath. A yurt is a collapsible circular tent that either has a door and windows or a flap. A tree house is a luxury home perched in the forest and often has one bedroom and a small kitchenette. 4 Decide how much to spend Unlike regular camping, glamping can be as expensive as a five-star getaway if you aren't careful. Set a budget as you would with any trip, setting aside a certain amount for lodging (some villas can cost up to $5,000 a night!), food (many glamping sites are all-inclusive), transportation, accessories and activities (many sites offer complimentary water activities). If you're not sure how much it costs, ask! 5 Ask about electricity Many yurts, tree houses and tents aren't equipped for electricity or Wi-Fi, so if you're wedded to that laptop and hair dryer, you'll want to bring extension cords and a portable Wi-Fi device. Also, think smart. In lieu of a traditional coffee pot, you can bring a French press, which doesn't require electricity. You can also bring a portable gas grill for grilling and dry ice to keep your beverages and food cold (if you don't have a fridge). 6 Resort, camp or secluded getaway Do you want to be all alone in the woods? Prefer to stay in a five-star villa on the property of a fancy resort? Want seclusion but also the amenities of a hotel? Decide what kind of vacation you'd like and then research the best places to go. If you'd love a luxury tent experience that has the restaurants and activities of a hotel, we love the 4 Rivers Floating Lodge in Cambodia. 7 Remember the environment You're going to be one with nature, so try to keep nature as beautiful as you can, okay? Instead of your regular toiletry bottles, opt for biodegradable bottles. Bring environmentally friendly toilet paper and bring water or a washtub to clean plastic or glass dishes (to reduce paper and plastic waste). 8 Glamp with friends and family What's glamping without friends and family? Many villas and yurts can sleep up to eight people! Not only will group travel save you money on the room, it'll also save you money on transportation, group activities and even food. 9 Set the perfect stage (lighting and decor) Hey, that tent and yurt is going to be your home away from home for a week or two, so why not decorate it like so? Bring some tree lights, lanterns or tiki torches to add some outdoor glam to your tent. We also love this tissue paper garland (for over the bed), this gorgeous Mason jar chandelier (to hang over your table!) and this perfect vintage rustic bar cart for your wines and beers! 10 Don't forget the essentials! Nothing like getting to your amazing tent in the middle of nowhere to realize you forgot your toothbrush, shampoo, deodorant, cell phone charger and a clean pair of underwear for your husband. Don't ruin your vacation or spend far too much at the gift shops by packing the essentials before you go! The easiest way to remember is to write a list. More camping tips Source

Tourists could see SE Asia on single visa

 

By Jano Gibson
                                   

 

JAKARTA, March 17, 2011 (AFP) - Travellers could soon be able surf in Bali, shop in Singapore and eat spicy street food in Thailand before crossing into Cambodia and cruising the Mekong in Vietnam - all on a single tourist visa.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is working on a plan that would open the region to foreign tourists in the same way Europe's unified visa system has streamlined travel.
"You would just have to apply for one visa and you could then visit all the countries using that visa," said Eddy Krisneidi, an official at the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat, which recently released its Tourism Strategic Plan for the next five years.
With attractions ranging from jungle-covered temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia to five-star beach resorts in Bali, Southeast Asia is a region that tempts travellers from all walks of life.
ASEAN countries recorded more than 65 million foreign visitor arrivals in 2009. Malaysia led the field, followed by Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Brunei.
Analysts say visitor numbers could be boosted by slashing the time-consuming and confusing visa requirements for each of ASEAN's 10 countries, which range from vibrant developing, democracies to isolated, military-dominated Myanmar.
While some allow foreigners to simply purchase visas on arrival, others require wads of paperwork, photos and up to a week to issue the required stamp.
"One of the major concerns of the industry, as well as visitors, is the difficulty of obtaining visas, a series of widely differing regulations and information needs for visas," ASEAN's strategic plan states.
It is a view shared by Stuart McDonald, who runs an online travel forum for Southeast Asia.
"One of the most common questions that we see on travelfish.org is people asking visa questions: What kind of visa can I get? How long is it valid for? What does it cost?," said the Australian who travels extensively in Asia.
"The rules change all the time and it introduces a level of uncertainty and confusion that the industry can do without."
The concept of a single visa has wide support among tourism bodies across Southeast Asia.
"It would definitely benefit all the countries in this region, especially Thailand," Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, noting that Thailand is a "good strategic location" for overland travelling as it acts as a bridge to, other countries.
Svetasreni said it is only a matter of time until the region's visa system is liberalised.
"ASEAN will be considered as a single destination, so it makes sense to apply for a single visa to travel to any country in ASEAN," he said.
Despite its appeal, others are less optimistic that a single visa will become a reality anytime soon.
"Travel procedures have to be simplified but it is not going to be easy because each country may have their own foreign policy," Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel inbound tourism vice president Arul Das said.
ASEAN is yet to outline the cost or length of stay for its planned single tourist visa. But it acknowledges it could take several years to introduce.
"The establishment of such a visa will not likely occur in the next five years due to barriers of technology, political issues, concerns of sovereignty and security and the different visa systems in the member states," its strategic plan states.
The single visa is one of several initiatives being worked on by ASEAN to boost tourism in the region.
The organisation is also overseeing the creation of regional tourism standards which would apply to things such as accommodation, food and public, toilets.
"There are already clear indications that major tour operators are now very much concerned with a wide range of standards in a destination," the plan states.
"Those destinations that are able to satisfy those increasingly high standards will have a distinct position of advantage."
 

- See more at: http://www.relax.com.sg/article/news/tourists-could-see-se-asia-on-single-visa#sthash.0OXvLPNY.dpuf

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Ganggapura 'pulau' di tengah Titiwangsa

 

Selain aktiviti riadah, Ganggapura Campsite turut mengendalikan kursus motivasi seperti program bina semangat, perkhemahan kepimpinan untuk pelajar dan badan korporat.

 

INARAN rembulan yang menembusi hutan hujan tropika di tapak perkhemahan persendirian, Ganggapura Campsite mengindahkan lagi pemandangan lokasi itu yang masih mengekalkan kepelbagaian spesies flora dan fauna.
Terletak di Kampung Pasir Putih, Kelumpang, Hulu Selangor, Selangor, panorama lokasi itu semakin kelihatan menarik sebaik sahaja kami merentasi denai hutan dan meredah jeram yang airnya separas buku lali sejauh 50 meter.
Setibanya kami di sana pada pukul 7.00 malam baru-baru ini, kami terus dibawa menginap di sebuah rumah kayu yang dibina daripada kayu kitar semula oleh pemilik dan jurulatih kemahiran insan, Mohd. Effendy Mohamed Said. Menurutnya, nama Ganggapura itu mempunyai maksud kota atau bandar di dalam sungai.

Where to buy backpacks in Malaysia

 

Madam Sia’s backpack shop at Pertama Complex offers a wide range of backpacks

We received many emails asking where to buy backpacks in Malaysia. There is even an active and long thread on Lowyat Forum on this matter. While we will normally direct people to our long list of retailers here , we recently decided that it is time to feature some of the shops we think are really worth a visit. We will start with the famed Madam Sia shop at Pertama Complex.


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Why this shop? Well, it comes highly recommended on many local forums. Many blogs mentioned this shop as well, let alone the scores of Gunungonline folks that buy packs from this shop.
The thing about this shop is that it offers a good variety of backpacks. They have several brands (and one brand in particular that we really like) with many models. The shop is so stuffed with packs that it is hard to move around!

Madam Sia backpack shop also carrries (original) Deuter

The 3 major brands that Yoon Hin shop carries are Deuter, Osprey and Karrimor. From our observations, all the packs are original. If you are serious about your packs, Madam Sia is more than happy to point out the ‘replica’ ones for you. She even gave us a Deuter 2011 catalog for us to bring home. She is one smart lady, knowing that there are so many fakes in the market, it is good to have an official catalog around so that people can actually refer to.

Madam Sia has a Deuter 2011 catalog for customers to browse through…smart!

Deuter new models for 2011

Osprey packs are new and gaining popularity in Malaysia!

Osprey packs are great. In fact…they are awesome packs. Osprey is one of the most popular packs in the US, well known for their comfort, well thought and innovative designs. While their older models are still being sought after (just check ebay), their new models now are also doing very well. Rather new in the market, they are catching up, putting up a good fight against other brands locally.

Karrimor packs have been a staple for many in Malaysia for a long time

Karrimor packs have come a long way. They are considered the old school and newbies in the Gunung fraternity probably heard of this brand before any other. Karrimor practically decorated the walls of hardcore Malaysian adventures many years ago and it is quite unlikely that they will cease to do so. Today, this brand is back with newer and bolder designs. An obvious sign that they too are catching up with what’s hip and happening in the market.
This shop specializes in mostly travel trolley packs and backpacks. If you are looking for other outdoor and camping stuff like camping stoves and hammocks, this would probably not be the place to go. If you are looking for bags of all sorts to carry your camping equipment, then Madam Sia is where you wanna go to.
So, if you are thinking of getting a backpack for your next adventure, we highly recommend that you pay Madam Sia a visit. And do not be put down by her crowded store. It just goes to show you how well stocked here shop is. Here are the contact details for Madam Sia’s backpack store at Pertama Complex:

Kedai Bag Yoon Hin Madam Sia 012-6954843 Lot Unit No G66, Ground Floor, Pertama Shopping complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, 50100 Kuala Lumpur

From our visit, we concluded that there are lots of good finds at Kedai Bag Yoon Hin, often hidden or stacked between other bags and travel luggage…they may just be the right pack for you. Best part of all, she is more than happy to oblige a discount for you (mention us for that extra discount!). So…to many of our followers, Madam Sia’s Kedai Bag Yoon Hin comes highly recommended as the shop to buy backpacks in Malaysia!

Source: http://www.outdoor-gear-malaysia.com/2011/05/where-to-buy-a-backpack-in-malaysia/#more-555
Read More:  http://whazzup-u.com/forum/topics/where-to-buy-backpacks-in-malaysia