The Natural Treasures in Ipoh

Ipoh is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Perak, it is the fourth largest city in Malaysia by population. Ipoh’s location between Kuala Lumpur and Penang has made it a major land transportation hub within West Malaysia, with both the Malayan Railway’s West Coast Line and the North-South Expressway cutting through the city. It has become the must-stop spot for commuters and visitors travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Penang for its famous cuisine and white coffee, which has gained its international reputation in recent years.

Make sure you don’t miss the Ipoh White Coffee and the Kaya Butter Toast when you are there, you are going to regret it if you do.

My big breakfast at **Chang Jiang White Coffee 長江白咖啡**, their coffee and toast are delicious!

Apart from its cuisine & white coffee, the city is also well-known for its natural attractions, such as its limestone hills, caves & lakes. In addition, Ipoh has managed to maintain its reputation as one of the cleanest cities in Malaysia and Asia in general.

The Natural Attractions in Ipoh

“ Gua Tempurung (Tempurung Cave) ”

If you have never attempted caving before, Gua Tempurung is definitely a good start for you to experience it. As long as you are reasonably fit, you can definitely do it and trust me, it is going to be an experience you will never forget. Go explore this gigantic cave in Perak, Malaysia and you will be blown away by its beauty, I assure you that. It is another world inside, go see it for yourself!

Walkways with lights were built at the beginning of the cave, you will see the incredible stalagmites & stalactites, and how big the dome is.

Gua Tempurung, located 25 km south of Ipoh near Gopeng, driving time is about 35 minutes from Ipoh centre, is probably the largest cave in Peninsula Malaysia and has plenty to attract the serious caving enthusiast, the adventure seeker or just the casual visitor.

There are lighting and platforms which were built on the initial part of the cave, enabling you to walk at ease. If you are more adventurous, there are options for you to explore deeper into the cave depending on which tour you choose. Inside, you will see many impressive stalagmites (mineral formation that grows from the ground upwards) and stalactites (mineral formation that grows from the top of the cave). A 1.6 km river passage flows underneath the caves running through the hill. The water is crystal clear and is still unpolluted in this part of the world.

The cave complex comprises of 5 giant domes, namely Golden Flowstone Cavern, Gergasi (Giant) Cavern, Tin Mine Cavern, Alam (Universe) Cavern & Battlefield Cavern.

The cave is home to bats especially during the mating season from March to May. Their droppings have created bat guano artworks on some of the dome ceilings, but also beware of the handle while you are walking on the walkways as there might be some bat droppings too. Just watch out!

The Gua Tempurung Tours:

The operation hours of the cave is from 9:00am to 5:00pm everyday. The management company, APT Consortium, offers 4 different tours:

Tour 1 – Golden Flowstone (DRY TOUR)

Duration: 40 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Tour Time: From 9am to 4pm (last tour starts at 4pm)
Cost: Adult RM 20, Child RM 10 (age 6 -12), Senior Citizen RM 10 (age 60+)
MyKad Rate: Adult 8, Child & Senior Citizen RM 4

This is a dry walk along concrete pathways and steel staircases as far as the Golden Flowstone cavern (as far as Platform 3). Plenty of viewing galleries to admire the amazing rock formations. No guide required.

Tour 2 – Top of the World (DRY TOUR)

Duration: 1 hour 45 mins
Difficulty Level: Slightly Strenuous
Tour Time: From 9am. Last tour starts 3pm
Cost: Adult RM 30, Child & Senior Citizen RM 15
MyKad Rate: Adult RM 12, Child & Senior Citizen RM 6

This is also a dry walk but continues to cover all 5 domes (up to Platform 5). More strenuous with many more steps to climb. No guide required.

Tour 3 – Top of the World & Short River Adventure (WET TOUR)

Duration: 3 hours 30 mins
Difficulty Level: Exciting & Challenging
Tour Time: From 9am, last tour starts at 12 noon
Cost: Adult RM 40, Child & Senior Citizen RM 20
MyKad Rate: Adult RM 15, Child & Senior Citizen RM 7.50

(Minimum No. of Participants: 8)

Participants will get wet as part of the return journey involves wading in the underground river. This is a ranger-guided tour.

Tour 4 – Grand Tour (WET TOUR)

Duration: 4 hours 30 mins
Difficulty Level: Challenging and Strenuous
Tour Time: From 9am, last tour starts at 11am
Cost: Adult RM 50, Child & Senior Citizen RM 25
MyKad Rate: Adult RM 30, Child & Senior Citizen RM 15

(Minimum No. of Participants: 8)

The full Gua Tempurung caving experience. This tour covers all 5 caverns and reaching the eastern side of the cave facing the North-South Expressway. The return journey is by underground river, including sliding down the water. This is a ranger-guided tour.

The Wet River Adventure Tours’ (Tours 3 & 4) availability is subject to weather conditions.

For booking enquiry, contact/ whatsapp +6014-220 4142
OR by email: aptguatempurung@gmail.com

What to Prepare:

For Dry Tours (Tour 1 & 2), dress comfortably with a good sports/ hiking shoe as there will be a lot of walking and steps climbing. Bring sufficient drinking water (500ml – 1L) and your camera to take pictures in the cave.

For Wet Tours (Tour 3 & 4), dress comfortably, preferably a dry-fit T-shirt, hiking shoe or even a rubber shoe with socks as you will be walking in the water. Gloves and kneepads are recommended. Bring sufficient drinking water (1L) and a waterproof camera, you will also need a small waterproof backpack to store your belongings. Helmet will be provided and headlamp is available for rent at only RM 5.

There are shower facility and changing area at the entrance of Gua Tempurung, you can bring your towel and clean clothes to change after your exploration.

My Caving Experience:

For a full experience of this impressive Malaysian Cave, I would suggest that you spend 2 days taking 2 different tours to visit Gua Tempurung. A cave at this scale, it totally deserves more of your time to admire its beauty, understand its formation and experience it fully.

On day 1, I took “Tour 2 – Top of the World”, it is a dry tour, and since it is a self-guided tour, I could take my own time to take pictures of the domes, stalactites and stalagmites. I was able to observe thoroughly every part of it. For Tour 2, you could go as far as the walkways and lighting finish, on platform 5. That’s where you almost reach the ceiling of the cave, you are on the Top of the World.

When you look back at some point, what you are seeing is just mind-blowing.

Beyond platform 5, there will be no more lighting as you will go further and deeper into the cave, that’s for Tour 3 & Tour 4, which are both wet tours, a guide is needed.

After reaching platform 5, the highest point of the cave, you will make the same way back to the entrance.

On day 2, I took “Tour 4 – Grand Tour”, this is a wet tour, a ranger-guided tour. For this tour, you will need to have a minimum of 6-8 participants. We started at 0930 and finished at around 1400.

This wet tour is thrilling, the first part of the tour is dry tour and our guide explained us more in details on how the stalactites and stalagmites were formed and grown, the peculiar shapes of the formations, the history of Gua Tempurung and some other facts about it.

Since this is a wet tour and you are required to go together in your group for safety purpose, you will have less time to admire and take pictures of what you see inside. This is the reason why I advised you to do a dry tour on day 1. On day 2, you can truly enjoy the thrilling and wet caving experience.

After platform 5, that’s when the real fun begins. From the “Top of the World”, you will slowly descend into the darkness, that’s when you have to turn on your headlamp. Stay close with your group and open up all your senses!

From this point, you follow exactly where your guide tells you. Your destination is to exit the cave on the other side facing the North-South Expressway. You will see spiders as big as your fist. As long as we don’t stay too close to it, there’s nothing to worry about. Your guide is there to ensure your safety!

After less than 2 km of walking and scrambling in the dark, you’ll finally see some sunlight, you know you are getting out of the cave on the other side soon. The guide will let you take a break and you can take some nice pictures there.

On return journey, you will be walking on the river passage all the way back to the entrance where you started. This is when you will get very wet, not only you will walk in the water up to the knee level, at some parts, you are required to crawl in the water passing through a narrow space, and also sliding down into the water.

I had so much fun and I find this caving experience so enriching. Will I do it again? Hell yeah ….

“ Kek Lok Tong ”

Located around 8 km away from Ipoh centre, about 15 mins driving time, Kek Lok Tong, or the Cave of Eternal Happiness is a cave temple and a popular tourist attraction nestled in the natural and picturesque area of Gunung Rapat in the south of Ipoh. This cave temple sits on a 12 acres site and was used as early as 1920 as a place of worship. In 1960, the cave became part of an iron mining site. After a decade, the iron mining stopped and worship at the temple resumed.

The Kek Lok Tong complex comprises of a central altar featuring a number of Buddhist figures as well as various deities of the Chinese pantheon. The most unique feature of the cave is the beautiful garden view once you walk to the other side of the cave.

The floor of the cave has been levelled and paved and much of the lower walls are lined with marble tiles. The ceiling and upper walls however remained in their natural state with some impressive stalactite formations.

Kek Lok Tong is not a big cave, do expect to spend about 1-2 hours for your visit, including a walk at the garden with small lakes.

At the entrance of Kek Lok Tong, there is a big pond with fishes and a Kuan Yin Statue, the Goddess of Mercy, it symbolises compassion. She is an all-seeing, all-hearing being who is called upon by worshipers in times of uncertainty, despair, and fear.

Benches have been installed together with railings and staircases, this allow visitors to easily walk around and take a closer look at this beautiful cave temple. At some part, you will get very close to the ceiling and the stalactites, it is just breathtaking looking and touching this natural formation that takes hundreds and thousands of years to form.

Being a spacious cavern with large openings at both ends, it receives generous amount of natural lighting and refreshing breeze blowing through the cave. Visitors enjoy the airy and cool atmosphere, while admiring the cave and the natural surrounding, they are accompanied by a number of metal Buddhist and Taoist statues. It’s definitely a place to get your Zen moment!

Exiting the cave to the other side, there’s a beautiful garden with small lakes. You can take a stroll around the garden, you will see more Buddhist and Taoist statues.

You can also take a paddle boat ride in the river around Kek Lok Tong or rent a bicycle at a very reasonable price.

The entrance fee to Kek Lok Tong is FREE, there is a donation booth if you would like to make your contribution for them to maintain and upkeep this beautiful cave temple. The opening hours is daily from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm.

“ Tasik Cermin (The Mirror Lake) ”

Literally translated as “Mirror Lake”, Tasik Cermin is a pristine oasis that’s mysteriously tucked deep within one of the clusters of limestone hills in Ipoh. The lake’s glassy reflection of the hills is how it got its name. If you don’t already know, these limestone hills around the region have earned the city the nickname, “Guilin of Malaysia”!

Located around Gunung Rapat too like Kek Lok Tong & Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village, you can combine your visit to these 3 places in one day. They are very close to one another and each of these places has their own charm that are worth your visit.

If you are a nature lover, you are going to love Tasik Cermin, although the area of visit is rather small, but the lake view and the surrounding is surreal. Close your eyes, enjoy the moment of silence, listen to the birds and the sounds of nature, feel the serenity. It is rejuvenating!

A small steel platform was built by the lake, it is the iconic photo spot of this beautiful lake. Do be very careful though if you are standing on the platform as the structure is not very stable.

The entrance fee is RM 2 (it was free before) for Tasik Cermin, and you have to pay RM 5 for the unofficial parking. When you see an abandoned house, you are on the right place. The opening hours is from 9:00 am until 5:00 pm.

Before getting to the lake, first you have to walk through a 50 metres tunnel. Once you get closer to the end of the tunnel, the beautiful scenery reveals itself and the placid waters of Tasik Cermin give a reflective effect to its beautiful surrounding, truly living up to its name.

After visiting Tasik Cermin, before leaving the place, there’s a small cave nearby, it’s called Gua Ular (Snake Cave), you might want to check it out.

“ Qing Xin Ling Leisure & Cultural Village ”

As mentioned earlier, Qing Xin Ling is also situated around Gunung Rapat, like Kek Lok Tong & Tasik Cermin. “Serene Hill” is the direct translation from the name of this beautiful gorge & cultural village.

Qing Xin Ling lives up to its name by incorporating the beauty of natural surrounding while taking you back in time. This village is set in a location captivated by magnificent landscapes of limestone hills, valley, lake & fish pond. Colourful cottages were built around the lake decorated with antiques. You will see big tv boxes, video tape players, jukebox, old furnitures, and many more. The village is filled with nostalgic paraphernalia, every corner you go and you will find great photo spots for your instagram and social media feeds.

As soon as I stepped into the village, I instantly felt like I was traveling back to old times (the 60s, 70s & 80s). As a Millennials, I grew up watching VHS tapes & listening to cassette tapes. I still remember rewinding the tapes take forever, it was painful to wait, still it was one of my great childhood memories.

Qing Xin Ling is known for its Guilin-like picturesque views, for a moment I thought I was in China.

Climb up the hill through a gorge called Memory Lane, it is a ‘street’ that is lined with ‘shops’ that reminisce about the nostalgic past.

The opening hours of Qing Xin Ling is from Monday to Saturday, 9:30 am until 5:00 pm, the entrance ticket is RM 10, with this price you can ride on any of the bicycles/ tandem bikes & quadricycles for free around the compound. Expect your visit of around 1-2 hours here.

“ Gunung Lang ”

Gunung Lang, or the Lang Mountain is a favourite spot for the locals to hangout and enjoy the beautiful surrounding of the limestone hills. Apart from its picturesque backdrop, it has many attractions & recreational facilities.

You will see a man-made cascading waterfall atop a limestone hill, a big turquoise lake with a variety of freshwater fish species, a 2 km boardwalk over the swamp, lookout towers, traditional Malay houses, children playground, campsites, etc. There is a string of recreational activities one can indulge in, such as fishing, canoeing, caving, jungle trekking and camping.

The park was developed with minimum physical structures to minimise the impact it has on the surrounding flora and fauna, in line with eco tourism concept.

You can take a scenic boat ride from the entrance to the park where you will see animals like monkeys, deers, peacocks, etc. The boat ride takes about 8 minutes and you pay only RM 3 for going and return, the boat runs every half an hour.

Upon entering the Gunung Lang Recreational Park, you’re transported to a natural wonderland, a place you will have close encounters with the nature and animals. Try to go in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the heat.

The entrance fee to Gunung Lang is FREE, and the opening hours is from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm daily.

Where to Stay in Ipoh

There are plenty of accommodation choices in Ipoh especially in the old town area where you can have direct access to the attractions, restaurants and cafes. But if you are looking for a unique experience with the nature, staying away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you definitely have to consider Xscape Tambun.

Cluster of chalets built in between the narrow gorge of the limestone hills!

Located around 20 mins drive away, 10 km distance from Ipoh centre, Xscape Tambun is a hidden gem nestled right by the limestone formations, covered in lush greenery. This resort is a wonderful place for you to unwind and enjoy some fun outdoor activities. As a resort guest, you can ride the bicycle for free and explore around the area with the breathtaking backdrop of the limestone hills, lakes and beautiful residential houses. It is a very relaxing activity to do after checking in your room.

Beside cycling, you can also join the Cave Exploring Tour, Limestone Hill Climbing and Flying Fox (zipline), organised by the resort. In-house guests will enjoy a special rate.

All the rooms are comfortably furnished and equipped with necessities like air-conditioning, hot shower, hair-dryer, electric kettle and more.

You may book your stay at Xscape Tambun from agoda.com or booking.com

If you are just interested in the activities, you may book your tour from klook.com

Xscape Tambun Address:

Lot 146134, Persiaran Lagun Sunway 1,

Sunway City Ipoh,

31150 Ipoh,

Perak, Malaysia

Telephone No.: +60 12-522 6355 (Whatsapp)

“ Do not always run away from the darkness! Remember the beautiful lakes which are hidden inside the dark caves! In the least expected places, there exist the most beautiful treasures! ”

– Mehmet Murat Ildan

October 14, 2021October 14, 2021

Atacama Desert – The Driest Place on Earth

OTHERWORLDLY landscapes!!!

It definitely doesn’t look like a landscape you will see on earth!

Do you know northern Chile’s Atacama Desert is the driest and oldest desert on Earth? On average, the Atacama receives less than one milli-meter of rainfall each year. Research shows that some of the Atacama’s riverbeds have been dry for 120,000 years.

Geographically, the aridity of the Atacama is explained by it being surrounded by the Andes and the Chilean Coast Range, the two mountain chains of sufficient height to prevent moisture advection from either the Pacific Ocean from the west or the Atlantic Ocean from the east, a two-sided rain shadow. Therefore, it prevents the formation of clouds and rain, the desert is a death zone for vegetation, with water and nutrients being deprived.

Unlike other deserts around the world, like the Sahara, temperature can soar above 50 degrees Celsius. But temperatures in the Atacama are comparatively mild throughout the year. The average temperature in the desert is about 18 degrees Celsius.

Many would think that this vast desert offers nothing special except for its massive sand dunes, that’s totally not the case! It turns out Atacama Desert, with its rust-colored rock canyons, snow-capped volcanoes, endless salt flats, steaming & gurgling geysers and turquoise lagoons, is home to dozens of species of plants and animals and a wonderful array of geological features. It was an eye-opening experience for me being there, 4 days spent in this spectacular desert was definitely too short. There are too many things to see and to do.

Owing to its otherworldly appearance, the Atacama has been used as a location for filming Mars scenes in movies.

San Pedro de Atacama – the Gateway to the Desert

The town of San Pedro de Atacama is a compact collection of small adobes and wooden buildings with no more than 2,000 inhabitants, and there are 3,000 inhabitants living in rural areas.

San Pedro de Atacama is a very simple town, you will see dirt streets stretching from the town into the desert and disappear. It is a small town with buildings not over two stories high, taking a walk in the town you feel like you are traveling back in time.

The streets are lined with restaurants, bars, shops, boutiques, tour operators, etc. There are also plenty of accommodation choices you can easily find.

I enjoyed so much strolling along the streets & visiting the traditional shops. In this era of fast urban development, this undeveloped & primitive town has become so precious and charming.

Just outside of this bustling little town is an emptiness that feels extraterrestrial.

How to Get There?

Atacama Desert is a cool & arid region in northern Chilé. International travelers arriving into Santiago (SCL) can take a domestic connection onwards to Calama (CJC) before getting to the desert.

LATAM airlines & Sky airlines have frequent connection for this route.

The distance between the two cities is 1221 km with the flying time of around 2 hours 10 mins.

The closest airport to San Pedro de Atacama is Airport El Loa Calama (CJC), located around 101 km away, with the traveling time of about 1.5 hours.

Once you are landed into Calama (CJC), you can take the shared shuttle from the airport to your accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama. One-way shuttle costs CLP 12,000 (USD 15), and round trip costs CLP 20,000 (USD 25).

The shuttle is available for all flights arriving at the airport before 2100, and for flights with departure from the airport before 2200.

You can book and secure your shuttle from this official website, and someone will be waiting for your arrival with your name on a sign.

Journey from Calama Airport (CJC) to San Pedro de Atacama

What to Do in Atacama Desert?

Atacama is a proof of how life can flourish even in the harshest of conditions, the aridity in Atacama Desert has made this place the driest place on Earth, therefore the sky over there is one of the bluest you’ll ever see. In contrast to the rust-colored desert and canyons, it’s not exaggerating at all to say it’s just like landscape paintings coming to life.

Let us take a look at some of the ATTRACTIONS you must not miss in the Atacama:

Altiplanic Lagoons (Miscanti and Miñiques)

Located 90 km from San Pedro de Atacama, Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons are at over 4,000 meters above sea level. Both lagoons are fed by water sources that come from the surface of the land, attracting a great variety of animals like flamingos, a severe contrast surrounded by snow capped mountains are beautifully reflected in the water. It is so blue and pristine that you’d swear they were artificial.

In the Miscanti & Miñiques Lagoons, you will find purity in the air. The beauty of the landscape can be seen walking on the shores of each one of the desert lagoons, which natural wealth will make you a part of their vastness.

El Tatio Geysers

No visit to Atacama is complete without a frigid pre-dawn journey to El Tatio Geysers.

Geysers are the result of volcanic activity heating up cold rivers deep underground. Everywhere you look in the Atacama you can see evidence of these volcanoes.

The geothermal field at El Tatio in the Atacama Desert, located at 4,320 meters above sea level, is the highest place in the world to see geysers.

If you are not used to high altitudes, take a few days to acclimatize in San Pedro de Atacama to avoid altitude sickness.

The spouting steam raises as high as 50-60 metres.

The best time of the day to see geysers and fumaroles is at sunrise. So whether you are driving to El Tatio or joining a tour, you’ll have to wake up as early as 4am so you will get there in time to see the geysers at its best.

At sunrise, the weather on ground at such high altitude is extremely cold while the heat rising from the Geysers themselves reaches an extremely hot boiling point creating tall and picturesque fumaroles, the big temperature difference under & above the ground forms the steam to spout as high as 50-60 meters.

The 2 hours bumpy drive from San Pedro de Atacama to El Tatio Geysers at this early hour is not going to be easy, but when you finally get there and witness the phenomenon yourself, you will finally understand why it is attracting so many visitors going there. It definitely worth sacrificing a little bit of your sleeping time! (Well, you can actually catch up your sleep during the 2 hours journey in the van, I was able to despite all the bumps throughout the journey.)

Vicunas, a miniature cousin of the llama!

There are over 500 geo-thermals, in which 80 are active geysers. The altiplano around the El Tatio Geysers has unique flora and fauna that can survive at a high altitude. Vicunas, a miniature cousin of the llama, can be seen grazing lazily on the yellow tufts of grass.

Dress warm and with layers, over 4,000 meters, it’s going to be freezing up there at El Tatio Geysers.

Pack with you a towel and your swimming costume for the tour as seeing the impressive geysers is not the only thing to do, you might be tempted to plunge into the hot thermal pool at El Tatio. On a chilly morning, it feels so good to soak yourself in the natural hot spring, heated by the volcanic rocks.

The El Tatio Geysers tour includes “breakfast-by-the-geyser” where your guides will set up a table full of warm toasts with ham, cheese, jam and caramel spread served with hot coffee & tea, after you have finished admiring the phenomenon and enjoyed the hot spring. It’s a simple breakfast but having all of these prepared for you over 4,000 meters by the spectacular geysers was definitely one of the best breakfast experience I have ever had.

Moon and Mars Valley

From San Pedro de Atacama, you just need to travel a few kilometers and you will be arriving on the moon and the Mars, yes you heard me!

The Moon Valley & Mars Valley are among the most visited places of San Pedro de Atacama, there are no other places in the world look like these valleys, you literally feel like you are there on the moon and Mars. The sprawling landscape is nothing but impressive!

The peculiar rocky formations and dunes of Moon Valley and the changing colors of Mars Valley and the Salt Mountains are an attraction that you must not miss while visiting Atacama Desert.

At night, both places become the most romantic spot for stargazing. Located about 15 km away from San Pedro de Atacama, you can get to these mystical settings on bike, trek around them and enjoy sand-boarding on the dunes.

The Moon Valley is best to be visited before sunset as you will be witnessing the magical color transformation, an experience you will never forget.

Remember, you are in the desert so do expect large fluctuations in temperatures between day and night, don’t forget your jacket as you are going to need it after the sun has set.

Most of the tours depart after lunch so you will have ample of time to spend and explore the valleys, take pictures and getting to the final spot for one of the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen.

Atacama Salt Flat (Salar de Atacama)

Salar de Atacama is the 3rd largest salt flat in the world (the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is substantially larger.), located 55 km south of San Pedro de Atacama. Cradled at the foot of the Andes Mountains, the Salar de Atacama was formed by water flowing from these peaks and collecting in the Atacama Desert below. Unable to escape from this desert basin, the water evaporated, leaving behind deposits of crusted white and brown salt.

The lake under the salt flat has one of the largest lithium reserves in the world. This mineral is highly used in the technology industry, and it is exploited in the southern area of the flat. This salt layer has holes which have become small lagoons which are home to a number of aquatic birds, such as flamingos & red-gartered coots.

The Flamingos at Chaxa Lagoon

The Chaxa Lagoon is the best place in Chilé to see flamingos. It is also the most easily accessible flamingo-breeding site in the Los Flamencos National Reserve (Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos).

Chaxa Lagoon is an extraordinary pool of water in the middle of a salt desert. Come here early in the day to watch a pink hue from the light of the sunrise over the salty water. Tour the lagoon to learn about the birds, their ecosystem and the lagoon’s geological implications.

Although the Atacama Desert’s extreme environment poses distinct challenges for all inhabitants, including human, the resilient flamingo is one creature who can adapt to even the harshest of them all.

There are three species of flamingo reside here: the James, the Andean and the Chiléan. Spot other types of birds, such as the Andean avocet and the sandpiper, which preys on tiny creatures in the water.

Best time to visit the Chaxa Lagoon is during sunrise or sunset, when the area’s birds are most active and easiest to photograph. Whether are you a bird’s lover or a photographer, you know exactly when to go to admire the lagoon at its best.

Stargazing

Apart from all the beautiful attractions on the ground, one of Atacama Desert’s most stunning sights are not underfoot, but up in the sky.

Thanks to its remoteness, high altitude and lack of rain and light pollution, the desert’s night skies are some of the darkest and clearest on earth. As a result, the Atacama is one of the best places on the planet to study astronomy. Or, for most traveler, to go stargazing.

*photo from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/south-america/chile/articles/atacama-desert-hot-air-balloon-tour/*

For about 10 to 12 nights each month you will be seeing the astonishing moon under the darkness of the night without any clouds, this makes the stars shine as in no other place on Earth.

If you are interested in the Astronomical Tour, find out more information and book your tour HERE.

Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride

Lift off into the Andean sky on a spectacular balloon flight across the Atacama Desert. Feel the world at your feet and live a magical dawn as the sun rises behind the Licancabur Volcano and paints the Atacama Salt Mountain Range in fantastic lights.

Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of main sights such as the Moon Valley, the Mars Valley, the Atacama Lagoons, the Andes, and the Atacama Desert at their best colors.

It is going to be the desert experience you will forever be remembering!

*photo from https://adventureswithinreach.com/travel/2017/08/18/new-hot-air-balloon-rides-over-the-atacama-desert-chile/*

After the ride, you’ll be served an amazing breakfast based on quality products. Listen to the stories of the indigenous people, called Atacameño and learn more about the region and its people while you enjoy your breakfast and still feeling the excitement from the hot air balloon ride.

You can book your balloon flight HERE.

Sand Boarding

Ever wanted to get some adrenaline rush at the driest place on Earth that looks like outer space? At Valle de la Muerte (Mars Valley), sand boarding can be practiced on some of the soft sand dunes, which reach up to 120 meters in height.

I wish I had more time in the Atacama and I would have definitely gone for this fun activity.

Book your Sand Boarding Tour HERE.

The Tours

It is true renting a car might be the best way to explore Atacama Desert at your own pace, but having travelled there after thousands of miles both flying and on the road, taking a tour might be an option you would consider as you can relax in the vehicle while exploring the desert and let your guide take care of the rest.

There are many tours to the desert attractions, the promotional pack is definitely a good deal that you can save both time and money, see the most of the desert especially if you are just having a short stay.

Promotional Pack: 3 Tours/ 2 days (CLP 70,000 / USD 85)

Itinerary:

DAY 1

"Altiplanic Lagoons and Salar de Atacama"

Departure          06:30 hours
Return             14:00 hours

"Valley of the Moon"

Departure          15:00 hours
Return            19:00 hours

DAY 2

"El Tatio Geysers"

Departure          05:00 to 05:30 hours
                   (pick up from hotel/hostel)
Return            13:30 hours

Promotional Pack: 5 Tours / 3 days (CLP 105,500 / USD 128)

Itinerary:

DAY 1

"Altiplanic Lagoons and Salar de Atacama"

Departure            06:00 to 06:30 hours 
                     (pick up from hotel/hostel)
Return              14:00 hours

"Valley of the Moon"

Departure            15:00 hours
Return              19:00 hours

DAY 2

"Puritama Hot Springs"

Departure            08:00 to 08:30 hours 
                     (pick up from hotel/hostel)
Return              13:00 hours

"Lagoon Cejar"

Departure            15:00 hours
Return              19:00 hours

DAY 3    

"El Tatio Geysers"

Departure            05:00 to 05:30 hours 
                     (pick up from hotel/hostel)
Return              13:30 hours

“ Life can flourish even in the harshest of conditions, resilience and adaptability are the secret to it! ”

– Raynard Jackle

Advice on Acclimatization & Adapting the Climate

It usually take 1-2 days for your body to adjust to high altitude, so if you’re not in any hurry, take it slow and spend a couple nights at San Pedro de Atacama (2,408 meters) before hitting higher altitude like El Tatio Geysers (4,320 meters). This will give your body time to adapt to a lower level of oxygen and pressure.

Drink More Water than you’d normally drink at home. As you gain altitude, your body tends to lose water and salt faster than you’re used to.
Chew Coca Leaves, it helps with the altitude and also wake your body up (its a natural stimulant). Drinking coca leaf tea helps too.
Get Enough Sleep, one of the symptoms of altitude sickness is insomnia, so it can be hard to get enough rest. However, a good night’s sleep can do wonders to help you kick the problem.
Wearing Layers is the best way to deal with the Atacama’s changing temperatures. Take note that with the sun, it can reach more than 27 degrees Celsius but the temperature drops instantly in the shade due to the lack of humidity. During night time, it can go below -10 degrees Celsius.
Sun Protection is a must because at this altitude, you will get sunburn easily.

Where to Stay?

I booked a 3 nights stay at Sol Atacama Hostel back in 2014, we arrived at the hostel pretty late, it was at least after 2100. But the staff Alfredo who was working at the hostel that time was very welcoming and helpful in assisting our check-in and explained to us a little bit about San Pedro de Atacama and the Must-Not-Miss Attractions in the desert.

After settling down in our room and we made our decision for the tour, Alfredo helped us to make the booking the following day, he is extremely helpful, a very genuine guy.

Atacama Desert was the first stop of my Chiléan adventure and I was already receiving the hospitality and kindness from the people, it was a great start of my trip.

We had become friends since and we are still keeping in touch.

San Pedro de Atacama is a small town and it’s easy to navigate around by walking. If you would like to have quick access to restaurants, bars, shopping, tour agencies, supermarket, post office, etc., try to look for your accommodation around the main street, Caracoles, or somewhere close.

Check out booking.com and airBnB to look for something you like.

My Video at Atacama Desert

Take a look at my travel video in Atacama Desert and you will see how otherworldly this place is, the vastness & emptiness of this desert somehow opened up all my senses, I felt totally invigorated.

September 17, 2021September 27, 2021

Iguazú Falls – One of the Most Beautiful Things I Have Seen

exceptionally BEAUTIFUL!!!

Iguazú Falls is among the world’s visually and acoustically most stunning natural sites for its massive waterfalls.

Made up of many cascades producing vast sprays of water, I was totally stunned when I saw it with my eyes, my jaw just dropped standing in front of this spectacular waterfalls.

Iguazú Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world, along with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Niagara Falls in USA & Canada, and Angel Falls in Venezuela.

Iguazú Falls are divided between two countries: Argentina and Brazil. Although Paraguay is nearby, it only shares the river that Iguazú Falls feeds, but it is quite far from the falls and cannot even be seen from there. Both sides of the parks offer a different experience and have different characteristics and attractions, which is why it is recommended to visit both sides.

How to Get There?

By Plane:

If you have the budget, taking a flight is the best & quickest option, as Iguazú Falls are shared by Argentina and Brazil, there are two airports to fly in: Puerto Iguazú (IGR) in Argentina and Foz de Iguazú (IGU) in Brazil.

Getting to one or the other airport depends on where you come from to visit the destination.

I was travelling from Buenos Aires (AEP), and the flight is just less than 2 hours to Puerto Iguazú (IGR).

Check out Jetsmart and Aerolineas Argentinas websites for the flight details.

I always use Skyscanner to check for flights and compare the price.

By Bus:

Another option is by bus, this is a cheaper option and only if you have the time, and a little patience. There are a few bus companies offering the service, the distance between Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls is around 1300 km, and it takes about 16-18 hours on the road, it’s a long journey.

Since the departures are usually in the evening, you’ll actually save one night of accommodation which is going to help you on your trip budget.

If you choose this option, you’ll spend the day at Buenos Aires and then take the overnight bus to Iguazú Falls, arriving the following day in the afternoon. You can check-in your accommodation and enjoy your evening in the local town of Puerto Iguazú, have a good night of rest and start your day fresh on the next day, visiting Iguazú Falls.

You can check busbud website for more details about the bus schedules.

” Find cheap bus tickets for your next trip. – busbud “

Opening Hours & Entry Fee

Iguazú National Park on the Argentine side opens from 0800 to 1800. But you can only enter the park until 1630.

For adult, the ticket is ARS 800 (USD 15) and for children it is ARS 200 (USD 5).

The Devil’s Throat at Iguazú Falls, impressive!

Iguazú National Park on the Brazilian side opens from 0900 to 1800. But you can only enter the park until 1630.

For adult, the ticket is BRL 72 (USD 18) and for children it is BRL 11 (USD 3).

Which Side of Iguazú Falls is Better?

The Iguazú Falls are surrounded by a lush sub-tropical rainforest that is home to over 2,000 species of vascular plants, an impressive array of birds such as colourful parrots and toucans, thousands of butterflies and mammals such as tapirs and howler monkeys.

Special walkways have been built around the Iguazú Falls to allow visitors to get close up to this wonder of their natural beauty and power.

The Argentinean side of the Falls allows for an awe-inspiring and up-close encounter, whilst the Brazilian side boasts exceptional panoramic views, allowing you to appreciate it from many angles. For one to enjoy the full experience of this natural wonder, it is highly recommended that you visit both sides.

The Argentine park is a larger park, it has 3 main circuits (Superior Circuit, Lower Circuit & Devil’s Throat) and a trekking trail, Macuco Trail. The 3 main circuits let you enjoy the Iguazú Falls in different ways, they are high traffic boardwalks near the falls themselves. Macuco Trail provides the opportunity to visit the surrounding jungle in a more intimate & natural environment. For the Argentine park, you will need more time for exploration comparing to the Brazilian park, where you just need a few hours.

I was visiting the Argentine park, we spent the whole day there. The park is huge and there are so much to see and do, I enjoyed every moment in the park. Next time, I am going to see it from the Brazilian side, probably take a helicopter ride, admiring this magnificent waterfalls from above.

Wildlife in Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls is the home of a great variety of animal life that cannot be found anywhere else.

On your visit to both national parks, it is very easy to find coati, a very cute small four-legged and long-tailed animal that roams the area in search of food that visitors usually give them (we are asked NOT to feed them for our safety).

Another animal that you will easily see in some trees is the toucan. They are brightly marked and have large, often-colorful bills, very beautiful.

Other than toucan, there are many bird species that you’ll probably see throughout your visit.

Helicopter Ride

If you are on the Brazilian side, you can take a helicopter ride over the falls, swooping in to get a closer look at Devil’s Throat. The magnificence of Iguazú is best appreciated from a bird’s eye perspective!

Although the ride only lasts for 10 minutes, it may just be the most exciting 10 minutes of your life!

“ The Earth has music for those who listen. ”

– William Shakespeare

Boat Tour

If you are on the Argentinean side, do not miss the boat tour, it’s going to be the most fun and thrilling moment of your day. You’ll get very close to the falls and the thundering roar of the water makes your heart beat faster and faster, as you are approaching it.

There are 2 boat tours offered at the national park: the ‘Nautical Adventure’ takes you right up to the middle of the waterfalls. It’s an incredible ride where you get very, very wet! If you prefer to take it easy, sail along the river on the ‘Great Adventure’. With some luck, you’ll spot wildlife in the surrounding jungle and finally, marvel at the waterfalls from a safe distance. Your choice!

Do remember to check on the last departure of the boat tour so you don’t miss it. As this is a very popular activity, the queue is going to be long, make sure you estimate some time for queueing.

Weather in Iguazú Falls

The Iguazú Falls are located in an area of tropical rainforest, characterised by frequent rains and high humidity of the air, the region’s climate is sub-tropical humid, and is divided into two distinct seasons, the hot and wet summer season from October to March, and the winter season relatively dry and fresh, from May to September.

It is a destination to go with comfortable and light clothing. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent!

I visited the park in October, the weather was perfect, clear blue sky, very pleasant temperature and I could spend the whole day comfortably. It was not crowded which was great for us for taking pictures, we could really enjoy the park.

The month where the park gets very busy is the summer months of January and February, not only it will be very crowded, it’s hot and humid.

June and July also have relatively high visitor numbers as again it’s holiday season. But if you’re looking for less tropical temperatures then this could be the time you may consider.

What to Prepare?

You’ll probably spend the whole day at the park, make sure you are well-prepared before visiting.

Clothing & Shoe

Walking Shoe
Comfortable & Light Clothing
Light Waterproof Jacket
Swimsuit – for the boat tour as you’ll get completely wet.
Small/Medium Size Towel
Extra Underwear, Socks and T-shirt – for change at the end of your visit.

Protection

Sunscreen
Mosquito Repellent
Cap/ Hat

Miscellaneous

Drinking Water – you need to stay hydrated all day.
Sandwiches, Energy Bars, Mixed Trail Nuts & Chocolate – you’ll probably be walking the whole day at the park, you’ll need some energy.
Cellphone and Power Bank
Camera/ GoPro – waterproof camera is important especially when you get very close to the waterfalls.
Ziplock Bag – to protect your valuables like wallet and cellphone.
Plastic Bag – for trash.

Where to Stay?

Puerto Iguazú is the gateway to Iguazú Falls, it is a city located in just less than 20 km away from the natural wonder, it takes about 30 minutes by bus or taxi.

There are a lot of accommodation choices in the city. I was choosing a hotel around the bus terminal because you need to take a bus to the park, it was really convenient for us to just walk to the bus terminal from our hotel.

Rio Uruguay buses leave every 20 minutes and drop you off in front of the entrance to Iguazú National Park.

There are plenty of restaurants around the area we were staying, souvenir shops, cafes and supermarket.

Check out booking.com and airBnB to look for something you like.

My Video at Iguazú Falls

I had an amazing time at Iguazú Falls, check out my video to see how stunning the place is.