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No dramas in the Bahamas – About Me

About Me | TravelMermaid.com

Hi! I’m Travel Mermaid, a serial expat and international school teacher who left London in 2011 with my Sailor in tow.

I’m now based in Malaysia, after 6 years living in Czech Republic, Australia and Thailand. I write about expat living in Kuala Lumpur and travel in Asia Pacific.

Find out more about me here, or follow my social media channels below.

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Beautiful wild hornbills were everywhere in Pangkor Laut. As Malaysia’s national bird, I’ve only ever seen them on a ringgit! It was a pleasure to see them roaming free in the jungle, and popping down during breakfast in the morning 😁 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ In 2016, the resort put a number of nesting boxes around the island as a part of their hornbill conservation program. They’ve done pretty well I say 👏🏼 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⚓️ ⚓️ ⚓️ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #hornbill #weekendgetaways #PangkorLautResort #YTLHotels #YTLTravels #pangkorlaut #islandescapes #Malaysia #SouthEastAsia #visitmalaysia #discovermalaysia #igmalaysia #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #asiavacations #travel #instatravel #travelgram #travelmermaid #travel_mermaid @pangkorlautresort
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Beautiful wild hornbills ...

How to maximise a weekend staycation: check out, then head straight to the pool! 🙌⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣🥥⁣ ⁣🥥⁣ ⁣🥥⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣#weekendgetaways #PangkorLautResort #YTLHotels #YTLTravels #pangkorlaut #islandescapes #Malaysia #SouthEastAsia #visitmalaysia #discovermalaysia #igmalaysia #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #asiavacations #travel #instatravel #travelgram #travelmermaid #travel_mermaid @pangkorlautresort
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How to maximise ...

Gorgeous Malaysian islands, I will miss you ♥️⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣This was my final holiday in Malaysia a few weeks ago, and a little treat for the Sailor’s birthday. We’ve waited two years to come here (it’s not cheap!) but residents get a sweeter all inclusive package which includes food and boat transfers. For locals, a 1 nights stay at this 5* luxury resort, set on a private island cost £200. I’m pretty sure I got quoted more to stay at a 3* hotel in London’s Notting Hill a few years ago!⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣You can drive to Pangkor island from Kuala Lumpur in an easy 3 hours and from there, the team at YSL take over and make you feel like royalty. A boat ride to neighbouring Pangkor Laut took just 20 minutes, making it a perfect weekend getaway.⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣More pics to follow soon 🇹🇭⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣Kudos to the Sailor for waking up early to take this morning drone shot 🤙🏻 (whilst I slept in 😜)⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣⚓️⁣ ⁣⚓️⁣ ⁣⚓️⁣ ⁣⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣ ⁣#weekendgetaways #PangkorLautResort #YTLHotels #YTLTravels #pangkorlaut #islandescapes #Malaysia #SouthEastAsia #visitmalaysia #discovermalaysia #igmalaysia #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #asiavacations #travel #instatravel #travelgram #travelmermaid #travel_mermaid @pangkorlautresort
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Gorgeous Malaysian islands, ...

This beautifully restored back alley in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown has recently opened to the public. I was lucky enough to stumble upon it last weekend whilst taking a self guided tour of the area. ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Kwai Chai Hong is named after the locals who lived there more than 50 years ago (there’s a a couple of legends in circulation) which translates to ‘Prankster Lane’ or ‘Ghost Lane’. The lane features six murals that capture the daily activities of early Chinese settlers in the area during the 1960s, including a calligrapher, a prostitute and children playing with marbles. There are QR codes on the murals for further explanations in Mandarin, but I’m sure English speakers can find a willing translator! ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Chinatown is one of my favourite heritage walks in the city and there’s lots of old architecture and food to keep you busy, (plus a few cocktail bars!) Check the blog soon for a self guided tour of the area, as well as the KL Heritage Trail. ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⚓️ ⚓️ ⚓️ ⁣⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #kwaichaihong #chinatownkl #chinatownkualalumpur #KualaLumpur #Malaysia #SouthEastAsia #tourismkl #visitkl #visitkualalumpur #igkl #igerskl #discoverkualalumpur #CultureTrip #MalaysiaTrulyAsia #asiavacations #travel #instatravel #travelgram #travelmermaid #travel_mermaid
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This beautifully restored ...

Australia’s best coastal drive: The Great Ocean Road, Victoria. ………………………………………………………… ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Two years ago, just before I emigrated to Kuala Lumpur (exactly today!), I got to experience an epic coastal drive in the south-east coast of Australia. The Great Ocean Road is frequently ranked in the world’s top 10 best road trips and it’s easy to see why. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ It offers cracking scenery along it’s 240km stretch of rugged coastline and includes famous surf strips like Bells Beach, as well as migrating whales, impressive limestone cliffs and it’s most famous formation ‘The 12 Apostles’. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ And as an added bonus, you’re on koala turf. If, like me, seeing a koala in the wild is one of your dream things to do in Australia, then the Great Ocean Road will take you to them 🤟 (link in bio for more info.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Massively looking forward to some more awesome road trips soon in sunny Queensland! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🐨 🐨 🐨 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #GreatOceanRoad #Victoria #Australia #roadtrip2019 #hittheroad #roadlife #australiatrip #seeaustralia #seeaustralia_vic #discovervictoria #amazingvictoria #travelaustralia #exploreaustralia #australiagram #ig_australia #thisisaustralia #travel #travelgram #travelstoke #travelmermaid #travel_mermaid
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Australia’s best coastal ...

Happy Long Easter Weekend 🎉 How are you celebrating? 🐰.. If you’re KL based and sticking around for the next few days, then why not try out a new secret bar? There are many awesome ones to be found! (link in bio for a list of my faves.) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 🍸 🍸 🍸 ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ #speakeasy #secretbar #cocktails #TGIF #CocktailBar #nightlife #kualalumpur #malaysia #SoutheastAsia #malaysiatrulyasia #eatdrinkkl #klcocktails #igkl #igerskl #visitkl #discoverkualalumpur #asiavacations #ThePawnRoom #tprttdi @thepawnroom
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Happy Long Easter ...

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