1. Jackies, boulevard near the Bridge

Lovely Mexican restaurant. Unlike many places in Dahab, here it all ‘fits’, from the interior to the nice salsa music and the nice Mexican food.

2. Kitchen Express, just before you enter Lighthouse area

Very affordable and tasty Asian food. Only a few tables, but set between other small restaurants in an area that almost resembles a food court (although it’s on a street that cars can enter) the atmosphere is really nice.

3. Boxmeal, near lighthouse

Lovely small restaurant that serves Asian food. Very popular among expats. From fried noodles and fried rice to chicken teriyaki and spicy noodle soup. You can find Boxmeal on the road from Eel Garden to Lighthouse, close to, but not on the boulevard.  The menu doesn’t offer too many options, but the food is tasty. We love the atmosphere with the nice wooden decorations. If you’re lucky you can sit upstairs.

4. YumYum Falafel, Mashraba

The best place in Dahab to get a falafel sandwich, and one of the cheapest. During lunchtime, you’ll find the terrace full. Locals and tourists alike love the authentic and affordable Egyptian food served here.

5. GreenValley, boulevard near Lighthouse

GreenValley (oppposite GreenValley hotel) is another one of those hidden gems. We love that they still have some bedouin style sitting areas, with cushions and low tables. The food is really good and the appetizers are a really nice gesture. Try the chicken shish from the barbecue, you won’t be disappointed!

6. Al Sharkawy, Assalah Square opposite Ghazala supermarket

A great local place for a quick lunch or dinner. The grilled or bbq chicken is accompanied by some bread, rice and a choice of salad, white beans, zucchini or potato. The BBQ kofta is also very good. Basic meals, but tasty and great value.

7. Namaste, on Fanar Street near Lighthouse

Great Indian restaurant. It’s not much to look at and it’s not on the boulevard, but the food is amazing and the prices fair.

8. Athanor, near Lighthouse

In the old days Italian owned Time Cafe on the boulevard made the best pizza’s and of course there’s Dai Pescatori, but I think Athanor actually makes a pretty decent pizza nowadays. They’re very quick to deliver too.

9. Churchill’s Bar

If you’re looking for a great burger, this is the place to go. We love the chill atmosphere on the roof terrace. They call themselves ‘sports bar’ but it’s not really a sports bar as we know it. Although they do sometimes show major soccer matches upstairs, mostly you’ll have to make do with a small tv downstairs. The upstairs is not very suitable for very small kids, it’s quite dark and the fence has large gaps.

10. Friday Market, Sheikh Salem House near Eel Garden

The Friday market is mostly a food market, with some jewelry and other crafts stalls thrown in. A surprising number of westerners sell their wares on the market. A nice place to find some different kinds of foods, from Egyptian mahshi to German torte and Italian lasagna. The food can be a bit overpriced, but the atmosphere is nice.

Booking.com

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Also read:
– 10 reasons to visit Dahab Egypt
– Our favorite dive sites in Dahab

What to do in Dahab?

Learn to SCUBA DIVE. In only 4 days you can get your PADI Open Water certification. Dahab has many beautiful dive sites, both for beginners and advanced divers.

RELAX in one of the many restaurants by the sea. On clear days you can see Saoudi-Arabia on the other side of the water.

The silence and special energy of the Sinai make Dahab an excellent spot for YOGA.

WIND OR KITE SURFING for beginners and advanced surfers alike the Dahab Laguna is one of the best surf spots in the world.

Where better to learn how to BELLY DANCE than in the country where this sensual dance was invented?

In the evening go into the mountains for a lovely BEDOUIN DINNER, prepared on site on a campfire by the locals.

FREE DIVING: how long can you hold your breath? Do you want to dive without air supply? In Dahab many world records were broken.

Do you want to become a scuba dive professional? Do the PADI IDC course in Dahab and become a DIVE INSTRUCTOR.

Go HIKING in the mountains around Dahab and discover beautiful deserted desert areas.

Don’t feel like walking? Go on a HORSEBACK RIDE, enjoy a spectacular sunset while riding on the beach.

Go on a DESERT SAFARI and spend a night under the stars in the South Sinai Desert.

Travel bedouin style on the back of a CAMEL. A must-do while in Egypt!

Treat yourself to a lovely RELAXING MASSAGE with one of the many massage parlors on the boulevard.

Go SNORKELING at the world-famous Blue Hole or one of the many other amazing dive sites in Dahab. Snorkeling with kids is a lot of fun.

RENT A BIKE and ride along the boulevard and the small streets of Dahab.

Take a QUAD RIDE into the mountains. Various tours are organized from the bridge on the boulevard.

ROCK CLIMBING: Dahab is a rock desert and there are some spectacular sites to climb.

Enjoy a wonderful BEDOUIN TEA at the nice and relaxing area of WADI GNAI in the south of Dahab.

Visit the ST CATHARINE MONASTERY and climb MOUNT MOZE to see the sunrise.

Go on a camel safari to RAS ABU GALUM and spend a relaxing day with the bedouins.

Not convinced yet? Read this post for even more things to do in Dahab! And why not check out this complete guide to Dahab for lots more information about our favorite destination in Egypt.

Booking.com

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Sprookjeswonderland is not as busy or expensive as most of the other Dutch amusement parks, such as Efteling, Walibi or Julianatoren. It doesn’t have any thrilling or scary rides, there is no loud music and no long lines. As a result it works really well for younger children. All parents I know of that have visited the park said their kids loved it. As a day trip from Amsterdam with young kids, Sprookjeswonderland is a great option.

For what ages is Sprookjeswonderland best suited?

Fairy tales (‘sprookjes’ in Dutch) are great for kids of all ages, but this park is designed specifically for the little ones. There’s no age limit, but I’d say it’s most suited for kids up until about 7 years old. There’s a lot to see and to discover. The park even has a small petting farm! Unlike the Efteling or other large attraction parks in The Netherlands, this smaller scale park doesn’t offer any thrilling rides. But it’s all a matter of perspective. The mechanical horseback riding, the ladybug boats and the oldtimer cars are quite an adventure for younger kids. While the large boat swing, that goes up pretty high in the air, is cool and exciting for the slightly older children (ages 5 and up, 100 cm length).

If your kids are a bit older or used to larger and more thrilling amusement parks, the Efteling is a good option. Check out these tips if you’re planning to visit.

Sprookjeswonderland’s Enchanted forest

The enchanted forest is home to the gnomes, witches, wizards and you will find lots of familiar fairytale figures such as the Frog King, Snow White and the Sleeping Beauty. Say hi to well-known characters like Tom Thumb, Puss in Boots and the Big Bad Wolf. Afterwards, take a stroll through the gnome village and discover how they live and work. Peep through the windows to see the gnome doctor treat a patient and hear the gnomes sing their songs.

Shows at Sprookjeswonderland

The park offers a number of shows, all automated with puppets. At Violinde Castle (‘Kasteel Violinde’) you can watch a musical about the spoiled little princess Violinde. The musical takes about 30 minutes. Small kids love the songs and the rapidly changing decors. The House of Time (‘Tijdshuis’) shows you all four seasons in about 25 minutes, under the watchful eye of Father Time. In the springtime two elves hold a snail race and the flowers sing and dance, while in the wintertime two farting trolls fall in love. It’s captivating but also funny. The Gulliver’s Travels display tells the well-known story of the ship’s doctor Gulliver who is washed to shore on the island of Lilliput after a shipwreck. It had our toddler watching in awe for a good 10 minutes!

Sprookjeswonderland is affordable

Other than at bigger attractions like the Efteling, where you pay a hefty parking fee (sometimes as high as €10!), Sprookjeswonderland offers free parking. Also, you’re allowed to take your own food and drinks, but the prices at the park’s restaurants are definitely very reasonable. You can get a coffee for €1,20 and an ice-cream for €0,60. Regular entrance fees for Dutch amusement parks are between €20-40 per person, so at €9,95 Sprookjeswonderland offers a wonderfully affordable alternative.

Background of Sprookjeswonderland

Sprookjeswonderland’s history started with one man, who made a gnome doll as a joke. This was in 1973. Actually, the founder is still actively involved in the park today. A lot of the attractions are custom made by the park employees. Just this year they launched a new attraction called ‘Hekspeditie’ and improvements are made constantly. The park has about 250.000 visitors a year. Compared to the Efteling, which has well over 4 million visitors yearly, it’s a very small scale operation. But that’s exactly what makes it so attractive.

Practical information

Address: Sprookjeswonderland Kooizandweg 9 1601LK Enkhuizen
Website: Sprookjeswonderland.nl

Entrance fee Sprookjeswonderland

• Children under 2 years have free entrance
• Everyone from 2 – 65 years: €9,95 per person
• Elderly people 65 years and older €8,50 per person
• Groups of 15 or more people: €8,50 per person

Getting to Sprookjeswonderland by car from Amsterdam

• get onto the A10
• take exit s118 towards the A8/E22 (Leeuwarden/Purmerend/Zaanstad)
• at interchange Knooppunt Zaandam follow signs for A7/E22 (Purmerend/Leeuwarden)
• take exit 9 towards the N302 towards Hoorn-Noord/Enkhuizen/Lelystad
• when you enter Enkhuizen follow the signs ‘Sprookjesland’

Getting to Sprookjeswonderland by train from Amsterdam

There is a direct connection by train. From Amsterdam Central Station it takes about 60 minutes to reach Enkhuizen Station. From the station, you can either walk (20 minutes), take a taxi or take the special Sprookjeswonderland tram. During the summer months, the tram runs every day between 10:00 and 17:00. Outside the summer season it only operates on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

• 2nd class return ticket Amsterdam Central Station – Enkhuizen Station: €22,50
• Return tram ticket Enkhuizen Station – Park entrance: €2
• Taxi to Park entrance: €7 (normal car), €11 (minibus)

Combinations with other nearby attractions

Of course, you can always combine a visit to the park with some of the nearby attractions. If you want to experience the real Holland, away from big city Amsterdam, why not find a hotel in the area?

• The Zuiderzee museum offers an indoor and outdoor section where you can discover the culture and history of the region
• Recreatieoord Enkhuizerzand, right next to Sprookjeswonderland, offers the municipal pool and a beach on the shores of the IJsselmeer
• Bare feet walking trail ‘Gouwe Voeten’ at Bovenkarspel. A 1,5 hour walk without shoes to truly experience nature. Next to a camp ground that offers trampolines, soccer and volleyball fields and a playground.
• Education about the environment at MAK Blokweer in Blokker, with a nature park, visitors center and a farm.

Booking.com

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We spent about a week Vienna (if you’re traveling without kids I think you can probably see most of Vienna in two days) and really enjoyed it. The weather was great when we were there, so we spend most of our time outside. But even when it’s a bit colder I think you’ll find more than enough things to do in Vienna to fill your days. Also check out our previous post about our visit to Vienna.

Also read:
Tips for succesful city trips with kids
The best places to visit in Europe with kids

Getting around: public transport in Vienna

Vienna has lots of public transport options. There is a subway, trains, trams, and busses. You pay €2,20 per person to reach most of the city. The idea is that for this amount you can keep traveling as long as it’s in one direction and it’s valid on all modes of public transport. If you want to go back, you need to buy a new train ticket though. If you go a short distance it’s actually not that cheap, but for longer distances it’s great. And best of all, kids under 6 travel for free and for older kids there are very good discounts. Most of the time it’s extremely easy to figure out which line gets you to your destination, especially those destinations closer to the city center. The new trams are very simple to board with a stroller, the older ones can be a bit of a pain because they have some steps. Same goes for the trains. All in all, even though we didn’t have a car, we found it really easy to move around.

What to do in Vienna with kids?

Are you planning to visit Vienna with kids? Don’t worry, Vienna has a lot to offer! We visited both Prague, Berlin, and Vienna in one 2-week holiday and found that some of the best playgrounds and public parks could be found in Vienna. Find our tips below for the best things to do in Vienna with toddlers.

Vienna Tiergarten Schönbrunn

On the grounds of Schloss Schönbrunn (Schoenbrunn Castle) you will find a really nice zoo. It’s very large with a huge variety of animals as well as many exhibitions. We didn’t see them all, but the tropical rainforest, aquarium, and insectarium were impressive. There’s a nice playground in the zoo and also an area where kids can experiment with water. Fortunately, it was dry while we were there, or Jace would have been soaked. Like most kids he loves to play with water. We spend about three hours in the zoo, didn’t even go to the playground and didn’t see all the animals, so you can easily spend most of your day there wandering around and visiting all the exhibitions. To save some money we brought our own snacks, but ice cream was priced very reasonably, €1,50 for one scoop (pretty big portions). To enter we paid €18,50 per person for two adults and Jace got in for free.

Schoenbrunn Castle gardens

Schloss Schönbrunn was the summer residence of the Habsburg dynasty, making it one of the most important heritage sites of Austria. We didn’t actually enter the Castle but wandered around the castle grounds a bit after visiting the zoo. You have to pay to get inside and there was a huge line. And the zoo was expensive enough for one day. But you can enter the gardens for free, so that’s a nice bonus. They were setting up a midsummer night’s concert, so there was a podium, chairs and security messing with the view in the main section, but it was still impressive. Our feet were a bit sore from walking around the zoo, so we didn’t get to see a whole lot. But I think if your kids are a bit older it’s very nice to spend a morning exploring.

Josef Strauss Park

Vienna has many parks and in almost every park you will find a playground. Usually they’re quite big playgrounds too, not the tiny ones we have in Holland. We researched some of the expat sites and found out that Türkenschanzpark, Stadtpark and Rathauspark are among the favourites for expats with kids. But by accident we stumbled upon Josef Strauss Park and we liked it a lot. Even more important, Jace liked it too. There was a section for the little ones and a separate section for older kids. He spent about two hours playing, climbing, sliding and running around. The weather was fantastic, so we didn’t mind at all. We were very happy we found this place.

Böhmischer Prater kids amusement park

Of course, the Prater is very famous in Vienna. But for a small child it’s not much fun to be in such a huge amusement park, with all the noise and crowds. So we opted for the less famous Böhmischer Prater (or Boehmischer Prater) which is located a bit outside the city, near Grillgasse station. To get there you have to go to Wien Hauptbahnhof and change to the S60 train that will bring you directly to Grillgasse. From there it’s about a 10-minute walk. I messed up a bit and we took the wrong train at Hauptbahnhof, so we had to walk about half an hour. To be honest we were a bit disappointed. It’s like a Dutch ‘kermis’ (carnival) but quite old and not as picturesque as I thought it would be. It’s quite a long street though and there are a lot of rides especially for kids, with a great variety suited for both young and older kids. And lots of places to get food and drinks. It’s not a ‘must see’ in Vienna, but if you have a half day free and nothing else to do the Böhmischer Prater is a nice place to visit. Do bring your wallet, the rides at the Böhmischer Prater are €1 to €2 each.

The best children’s museums in Vienna for toddlers and older kids

There are lots of fun kids museums in Vienna however, we felt that at almost three Jace was a bit too young still to really enjoy them. So we definitely need to come back here one day when he’s a bit older The best children’s museums in Vienna that we read about are:

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Vienna with kids? Yes!

I read a few blogs where they said the Viennese don’t like kids, but that’s not our experience. Vienna offers a lot to do for kids, from fantastic free playgrounds and lovely parks to cool kids museums. Getting around is easy, finding nice and affordable food is easy, what’s not to like? And it’s easy and cheap to get there from other European destinations by airplane or train. So Vienna with kids? Yes!

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It was a bit of a drive, but quite scenic. We weren’t exactly sure where to find them, but armed with a little map we found on Google we thought we would be able to find it. We had to ask a few times, but then finally we were there! Entrance fee was 20 pesos for an adult and 10 for a child, so altogether it was 50 pesos (about €1,-). The area of the waterfall is beautiful and there’s an easy pathway going to the waterfall itself. Very suitable to visit with kids! It was a bit of a climb to get into the water and it was colder then the sea, but Jace absolutely loved it and we did too.

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Polonnaruwa to Kandy by bus was actually very doable! It was the first time we took a local bus and it was actually an interesting experience. Much better than we expected. Of course, we got on at the starting point and each had a place to sit, which made the 4-hour ride much more pleasant. Our (absolutely ridiculous amount of) luggage got locked in the baggage space at the back of the bus, so that was no hassle either. And it was crazy cheap, only LKR508 for the three of us (about €3,30).

Hotels in Kandy Sri Lanka

We didn’t book any accommodation ahead. Accommodation in Sri Lanka is pretty easy to come by. And we didn’t have enough time & too many choices on booking.com. But as with Anuradhapura and Jaffna it turned out well. We got off the bus at the city center. It was raining a bit so we found some shelter, dragged all our bags there and used our phones to check booking.com yet again. We said ‘no, thank you’ to a ton of taxi and tuktuk drivers, but just when we were about to book somewhere, just because we had to, a guy came up to us with a business card from the place called Lakelands Guest House. Since we couldn’t choose anyway, we thought we’d give it a try. It turned out to be a beautiful large colonial house with 6 rooms. Three rooms upstairs are in use by the family and the three rooms downstairs are for rent. We only pay LKR3000, which is pretty good. We have a large double room with a mattress on the floor for Jace. Breakfast is nice, but a bit overpriced at LKR500 pp. Our very low budget allows us to travel long term, obviously if you’re in Sri Lanka for a short vacation and depending on your travel style the costs of a Sri Lankan holiday might be higher but still very affordable.

Things to do in Kandy – touring the lake

Today we decided to take it easy. We actually wanted to go to the playground next to the lake. I read about it in some reviews and it looked really good. Unfortunately, it was closed because of a public holiday and Jace was very disappointed. So instead we decided to stroll around the lake and see what animals we could spot. We actually saw quite a lot! A beautifully colored kingfisher was a bit too fast for our camera, but we got some nice pictures of other ‘wildlife’ that we found near the lake. We found four huge monitor lizards, a pelican, lots of fish, turtles, cormorants, other bird species that we couldn’t identify and lots and lots of bats. There were lots of local people with kids around too. The lake is a nice place to be on your day off

We had a chicken sub and some short eats (small savory and sweet pastries) at one of the many bakeries for lunch and then went back to our guest house so Jace could nap. All in all a pretty good morning. Kandy has a good vibe and we enjoy being here.

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The first day we felt a bit overwhelmed by it all, but every day it got a bit easier and Hanoi really grew on us. There’s so much to do in Hanoi and I can actually see the appeal of Hanoi for expats who want to move to Vietnam! It was a challenge using the buggy for Jace, a bit of an obstacle course really. But we were happy we brought it. With all the traffic and his two year old ‘I can do it all by myself, you don’t have to hold my hand anymore’ attitude, it wasn’t safe to let him walk. Between the stroller and the carrier we managed to keep him contained and safe.

Things to do in Hanoi with kids

Once we got used to the insane traffic we really enjoyed Hanoi. It’s a fun city to discover on foot and there’s so much to see while just wandering around. The vibe in the Old Quarter is really cool and we were happy we decided to stay in this part of the city. We came back to Hanoi a few times, first after our Halong Bay cruise and then again to catch a flight to Sri Lanka via Kuala Lumpur. Each time we started to like the city better. So, what did we do while we were there?

Visit the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre

On of the ‘must sees’ in Hanoi is a traditional performance at the water puppet theatre. With the water hiding the puppet’s operating mechanism the puppets seem to dance across the water unaided. The traditional music is played live and really adds to the experience.

Explore Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Since we were staying there, this seems like a bit of a weird ‘thing’ to do. But actually exploring the Quarter in itself should really be on your to do list.

Go see the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

The communist vibe felt quite strongly here with all the millitary protection. The final resting place of Ho Chi Min, revolutionary and leader of the Communist Party is an important monument in Hanoi. It’s definitely an interesting place to visit.

Go shopping at Dong Xuan Market

You can easily get lost in Hanoi’s largest indoor market Dong Xuan. Housed in a four-story building there are vendors in all nooks and crannies. If you need anything, from fresh produce to electronics, handbags, fabrics, souvenirs, you’re sure to find it here and at a great price too.

Enjoy the Hanoi Weekend Night Market

The night market is a lively affair, with great food, a nice vibe and products ranging from cheap Chinese to lovely handcrafted items. It runs all across the Old Quarter, from Hang Dao Street to Dong Xuan Market.

Photos of Hanoi

Since we’re a bit at a loss for words to describe the Hanoi vibe, here’s a random series of photo’s we took while we were there. Hopefully, this gives you a bit of an idea what this crazy city is like.

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Because we decided to go to Manado last minute there were no direct flights anymore. We ended up flying wit Sriwijaya Air and had to fly via Ternate, Maluku province. Finding the tickets to get here wasn’t as easy as it sounds.

Booking a ticket on Sriwijaya Airlines, not as easy as it seems

If you want to pay with an international credit card, you HAVE to book your flight online or via a travel agent because the airline’s own call centers only accept Indonesian cards. Furthermore if you fly with one of the Indonesian domestic airlines (Sriwijaya, Lion Air) you can only take 20kg of checked luggage (with Wings it’s only 15kg). If you, like us, are traveling with more than 20kg of luggage your only option is to just show up at the airport with your excess luggage and hope they don’t charge too much. There’s no way to buy extra kg’s online.

Excess baggage fees for Sriwijaya Airlines

We spend a few hours looking for excess baggage fees for Sriwijaya but we couldn’t find any info, the same goes for other local airlines (Lion Air, Wings etc). Because the flight wasn’t too expensive we considered booking a ticket for Jace so we would have 20kg of check-in baggage for him and we would know how much it would cost us. This to avoid getting a huge bill in the airport. We read other people had to pay excessive amounts to bring extra kilo’s and we knew we had about 15kg too much. Some other airlines have the option to book a seat for your infant, but not Sriwijaya, kids up to 24 months HAVE to sit in your lap. We ended up just booking the two tickets and had not choice but to wait and see how much the excess baggage fee would be when we got to the airport.

Fingers crossed

The next morning we went to the airport wondering how much this part of our journey would cost us. We went to the check-in counter for Sriwijaya Air, put the bags on the scale and crossed our fingers. The scale said 55kg so we were 15kg overweight, exactly as we thought. When I asked how much this would be the guy told me it would be IDR28.000 (€1,82) for one kilo extra. So 15kg x IDR28.000 was IDR420.000 (€27,30). In the end, it was better we did it this way because an extra ticket for Jace would have been more! We didn’t want to wait a day longer and get a cheaper flight, because it was Jace’s birthday the next day. All in all, it was nice to have one more relatively ‘cheap’ flight (only two tickets instead of three).

Flight delayed

Once we were checked in we went through the security check and had no problems bringing 2,5 liters of water, which surprised us, but obviously, we didn’t complain. We went to our gate and waited for our flight. Because all announcements were made in Bahasa Indonesia we couldn’t understand what was happening with our flight. After asking the ground crew a few times we learned that our flight was delayed and we had to wait some more. When we could finally board the plane we were in for quite a shock. This was a really old and bad maintained airplane. We have flown with a few low budget airlines in Asia but this was definitely the worst plane we have been in. But it was our only option to get to Manado, so we went.

Maintenance issues

We left an hour after our scheduled departure time. After a flight of about one hour and twenty minutes we arrived in Ternate, Maluku province with one of the roughest landings we’ve ever had. But we arrived safely. When we were about to land the crew asked me repeatedly to turn my seat in the upright position, but it turned out it was broken so the back wouldn’t come back up. Lucky for us, because after a check by one of the ground crew after we landed they assigned us other seats and we had a whole row to ourselves. So Jace had his own seat after all! The second part of the flight was only thirty minutes in an half empty plane. We arrived safely in Manado!

Conclusion

We would not recommend Sriwijaya Airlines. We have not yet flown with Lion Air but they have the same routes and we will be looking at them for our flight out of Sulawesi.

——

Update: We have now flown with Lion Air too. Their planes are definitely better maintained and newer. Downside is that with Lion Air you don’t get anything to eat or drink and you can’t buy anything on the plane. Please remember to bring your own, especially when you travel with children! Even on Sriwijaya’s short flights they serve a snack and a drink. On both airlines the seats are very close together and if you’re a bit tall like me, you’ll not be very comfortable. But I guess that goes for all budget airlines. We still wouldn’t recommend Sriwijaya.

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1. Amazing amounts of kites in the sky. This we especially noticed when we were in Sanur, but we see it in other places as well. Making and flying kites is part of Balinese cultural and religious tradition. From the youngest kids flying their tiny homemade kites of bamboo and plastic bags to the monstrous 10 meter sized creations that are flown during the Bali Kite Festival in July and August, there are kites everywhere.

2. Little offerings everywhere. We were perplexed by the sheer number of little offerings left at seemingly random places, you see them on sidewalks, steps, statues and temples. Sometimes you find one next to your rented motorbike or even see someone placing an offering in the middle of a busy crossroads! Every morning the offerings of the day before are removed and everything is cleaned and made ready for the daily gift of offerings meant to appease and please the various gods and demons of Balinese Hinduism.

3. Balinese women are physically amazingly strong. Everywhere you see women carrying all kinds of very heavy things on their heads, from half banana trees to complete dive equipments. Even very old grannies shuffle down the streets The division of tasks between genders is very clear cut and for us Westerners seems very gender biased with the women as the loosing party. After a bit of reading about it though, it seems appearances may be a bit deceiving. Yes, Balinese women are very strong both physically and mentally, having to balance running the household, raising the kids and earning an income, but it’s not that the men are lazy. The division is very traditional though.

4. Everybody drives a motorbike. We’re not exaggerating, there literally are motorbikes everywhere. When you drive around you see more bikes than cars, at a ratio that easily reaches 1:10 or maybe more. It’s like that in most South-East Asian countries, but here it seems even more noticeable. Mothers can easily transport two kids on the motorbike and often you see whole families of four together on one bike. It never ceases to amaze us. We therefore find it really funny that WE are an attraction for THEM when we drive around with the three of us, with Jace on my back in the Manduca carrier

5. The price difference between the local warungs and the more western style restaurants is crazy. Why anyone would want to eat at one of the restaurants here is really beyond us. Why pay more then double or even triple for the same dish just because it’s served on a nicer plate in a more posh atmosphere? The bigger warungs however, even if they offer a better price than the restaurants, all seem to offer very much the same menu, nasi goreng, mie goreng, gado gado, ayam kecap, cap cai… We love the more local feel of the small warungs and night markets and the interesting dishes they serve. Like most places we’ve been cooking western food isn’t their forte, although there obviously are exceptions.

Expats that live in Bali and people who’ve been coming here for many years are complaining that it’s overrun by tourists. While I’m sure that’s true and we normally don’t like the tourist traps, we can’t wait to see more of Bali.

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There’s a lot to do and see in Dahab, but if you’re only there for a short time these are the 5 things that you really have to experience.

1) Discover the amazing underwater world during a dive or a snorkel session
2) Accept a bedouin family’s invitation to come for tea
3) Go to Wadi Gnai for a relaxing day of swimming, sunbathing, snorkelling or diving
4) Go on a camel safari and sleep under the stars with the bedouins at Ras Abu Galum
5) Eat falafel with the locals at YumYum Falafel in Mashraba

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