After a few days experiencing the busy, urban, city-life of Singapore, we hopped on a bus to cross the border to explore the jungles and beaches of Malaysia. We crossed into Johor Bahru and snaked our way up the coast to the sleepy coastal town of Mersing, the coastal gateway to many of Malaysia’s outlying islands. We were headed to the biggest and most beautiful island on the Eastern coast of Malaysia – Palau Tioman. The white, sand beaches and crystal clear waters helped rank Tioman Island as having some of the best beaches in the world, and with the boom in popularity and tourism there were no lack of options of places to stay. Resorts have been developed all along the beaches, turning the island into a crowded, weekend getaway for Singaporeans and Malaysians alike. We decided to go a little off the beaten track and stay at the one lone beach on the Eastern side of the island, Juara Beach. To get to the beach we had to cross through the mountains in the middle of the island on a steep, paved, one-way road in a 4WD by our resort owner, a talkative local Malaysian named Stevin. We stayed at the comfy Juara Beach Resort for three lazy days, each a mix of eating, snorkeling, swimming, napping, eating, chatting, walking on the beach and, just relaxing. I will never get tired of beaches. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the middle of Alberta amongst plains, forests and lakes, but beaches still have that tinge of exoticness to me. There’s no sensation quite like digging your feet in the soft, welcoming sand and feeling the waves rhythmically wash over them.

We were surprised to learn that there was a sea turtle sanctuary at the end of Juara beach. The Juara Turtle Project has a staff of dedicated volunteers that scour the beach for turtle eggs every night to protect them from predators until they’re ready to be hatched, and once the baby turtles are born they are safely returned to the sea. There weren’t any baby sea turtles when we went to the sanctuary but there was a tank with a full-grown, blind sea turtle that has to be hand-fed each day by the staff. Sea turtles are my favorite animals. If I were to be reincarnated, I would want to be a sea turtle. I have a lot of sympathy for what they’re doing at the sanctuary, even more so upon hearing that the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico killed 300 sea turtles. It would be a shame if these majestic animals were to go extinct, I’d cry a little inside.

Malaysia’s island life is worlds apart from the city life. Time moves at a different pace, there’s no rush, and everything is quieter and more laid-back. I experienced the same thing when I visited the outlying islands in Hong Kong. The contrast between Kowloon and Lamma, Singapore and Tioman is indescribable. You can just feel the difference in the atmosphere (or maybe it was just the lack of pollution?). It isn't until you walk around the island and see the school, the local cafes, and vegetable gardens set against the jungle backdrop that you realize that these people live there. I was just a stranger intruding on their little island, hoping to share a few days of their beach and lifestyle with them.

Sooner rather than later, it was time to leave the island. Thinking back and looking at the pictures of our time on Tioman, I can still distinctly remember the sound of the lapping waves on the beach, the feel of my feet in the sand, and the soft breeze underneath the trees on a particularly hot afternoon. I’ll never forget my time at Malaysia’s one little beach with its love for turtles.

With the first hint of spring in the air and the cherry blossoms beginning to bloom, it’s the perfect time to take a step back and appreciate Japan for what it offers… five consecutive days of holidays and a chance to leave Japan and travel abroad. In other words, Golden Week is upon us once again! Last year took me on adventures throughout Hong Kong and China. This year took me a little further south to explore the Lion City – Singapore. With an unprecedented 10 days off (in Japanese standards), Eliza and I decided to travel down to this exotic Asian city-state to taste the food and see the sights.

We spent a total of four days in this hot, equatorial city, each day offering a bounty of sunshine, beautiful weather… and oppressive humidity. Singapore is infamous for its stringent rules such as being fined for jaywalking, spitting, or chewing gum. As one touristy T-shirt said, “Singapore is a FINE city.” In reality, some were jaywalking left, right, and everywhere (despite the signs politely asking to use the crosswalks) and other were just finding clever nooks and corners to spit. It does, however, live up to its reputation for cleanliness, comparative to Japan.

We explored our surroundings and took in famous landmarks on our first day – the durian-esque Espalanade theatre hall, the trendy nightlife area of Clarke Quay, and the famous Merlion fountain, the symbol of the city. Having grown up in northern climates, the heat and humidity quickly took a toll on us, sapping our strength and producing a constant sheen of sweat. Being an equatorial country, the temperature rarely drops below 30°C. The only safe-havens were the cool, air-conditioned confines of the hostel or one of the many shopping malls that dot the city.

Singapore is one of the largest, wealthiest cities in SE Asia. Being so, it’s no surprise that it attracts many kinds of people from all different cultures to live and work. This is evident in the widespread use of English as the de facto language of communication, but it’s not uncommon for a typical Singaporean to know two, or three different languages. It was interesting being an Asian tourist when shop-keepers addressing us would switch from Mandarin, to Cantonese, to Malay before realizing we spoke English. The diversity of cultures also brings with it a unique blend of asian cuisines, and the Singaporeans love their food! The plentiful “Hawker stalls”, as outdoor food courts are called, are the cheapest and the easiest way to sample the variety of foods Singapore has to offer, whether you feel like Chinese congee, Indian briyani, or spicy Malaysian mee goreng noodles. The mix in cultures also brings with it religious diversity. In certain parts of the city can you find a Buddhist temple, Catholic church, Islamic mosque and Hindu temple all within walking distance.

Being a rich, affluent nation and tourist destination, Singapore had plenty of tourist attractions to offer. In the southern-most tip of the country is a small island entirely dedicated to family attractions – Sentosa Island. Eliza and I spent an entire day on Sentosa, spending a half-day at the newly opened Universal Studios Singapore before exploring the different sites, including a second Merlion statue with a brilliant, multi-colored tiled walkway called the Merlion Walk. On Silosa beach, with its fine sand and dotted with palm trees, can you find the famous aquarium and historical Fort Silosa. As the sun set, we walked the length of the beach to ride the famous night luge with its rainbow-hued lighting, making it feel like you’re in Mariokart on Rainbow Road.

Our time in Singapore was amazing. Even with four days of exploring, we weren’t able to visit the sites we wanted to go to on the outskirts of the city, like the infamous Night Safari or Bird Sanctuary. Whether it’s from the amazing variety of delicious food to the friendly locals to the endless amounts of things to see, Singapore is definitely a city worth visiting.