My treasured travel memories
THREE IRISH PEOPLE SHARE THEIR TREASURED TRAVEL EXPERIENCES IN SOUTH AFRICA, THAILAND, MALAYSIA AND INDIA
Three Irish people share their experiences in South Africa, Thailand and India
INSPIRING INDIA
India is home to some of the most impressive sights in all of Asia. With 37 World Heritage sites, 104 National Parks, an incredible number of beaches, rivers, temples and cultural areas, it’s no wonder that the World Tourism Organisation reported that India was in the top 20 countries in the world for tourism.
One person who knows the allure of India, is Chantelle Hussey. Chantelle, 28, went to Goa, India for two weeks in 2009 with 13 other family members.
“A family member was getting married in Goa, and we decided to make it into a holiday to remember.
“We stayed in Village Royale, near to Calangute beach, in North Goa and also stayed at the Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa, for a few nights. This was so luxurious and somewhere I recommend visiting as it is right by the Aguada Fort, a 17 th Century Portuguese fort.”
Chantelle says that India was always a place that she wanted to visit, and she still wants to explore other parts of the country. Chantelle says that what surprised her were the many differences between Ireland and India.
“We left on December 27 th, just after Christmas, and the difference between the temperatures of Ireland and India was astounding! The biggest contrast between the countries would have to be the extreme poverty that you see on a day-to-day basis, as shanty towns were visible when driving around Goa.
“Another big culture difference was seeing cows roaming all over the place! It is a very normal thing to have cows wherever you look in India, as they are sacred animals there. Once when I was walking along the beach front, I saw a cow walking along the sand – the locals didn’t even bat an eye!”
Goa was once colonised by the Portuguese and almost a quarter of Goans are Catholics. Goa has some beautiful architectural churches, particularly in Old Goa, and Chantelle and her family visited several of them.
“‘Bom Jesus Basilica’ was a beautifully designed church and probably the most famous one in Goa. It holds the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier (a Spanish Saint) who my grandfather, Xavier, was named after.
“I also visited the Hindu Mangeshi Temple which is over 450 years old. It was nice to see another religion I wasn’t overly familiar with.”
Chantelle went haggling at the Anjuna Flea Market and learned to barter for goods, and she also visited the Tropical Spice Plantation, a spice plantation and farm. She made sure she was getting a real insight into Goan life.
“The plantation was picturesque. There was only a €7 entrance fee and for this price, you are given a tour around the plantation and taught about different spices that grow there. You can also pay extra at the plantation to ride an elephant or ‘have a bath’ with an elephant. It was such an amazing experience!”
“I would recommend this experience to any laid-back beach goers and those that would like to experience other cultures. Travelling to Goa is one of my all-time treasured travel memories. One of my favourite memories was getting to spend New Year’s Eve on Baga Beach, watching fireworks from the boats out in the sea. I can’t wait to visit again.”
A HONEYMOON TO REMEMBER
“Getting to see all the different cultures in Thailand and how other people live was truly amazing,” says Mairéad Dooley. “After being so busy throughout the year preparing for my wedding, the honeymoon was the most memorable part, and I would love to do it all again.”
When Mairéad, 28, married Dermot Gath in 2018, they dreamed of the perfect honeymoon. They had always wanted to go to Thailand for the hot weather, the culture and the unfamiliarity of it all. She says she was inspired to experience the different areas by travel bloggers on Instagram.
“I follow travel bloggers on Instagram called ‘@ nothingfamiliar’. We followed their every move and planned our trip around what they did. We wanted to make sure we didn’t miss anything in every place we went to.
“We started our honeymoon in Bangkok and then flew north to Chiang Mai. We spent two nights there and our highlight was definitely the elephant sanctuary for rescued elephants. It was amazing to see and quite emotional. We then flew to Krabi, where we stayed for seven nights in Ao Nang and from there we travelled by longboat each day to the surrounding islands, such as Railay Beach, Poda Island, Monkey Island and Phi Phi Island.”
Mairéad says she and her new husband went to Koh Lanta on the coast for four nights. The island was a completely different experience for them as it was very isolated, with only a ferry boat to transport people, and vehicles to and from the island.
“We rented a scooter each day for only 200 Thai Baht (approx €5.50), and with this, we got to see the whole island. We did a jungle trek to Seven Wells Waterfall which took us nearly four hours, but was definitely worth it. And we also visited the National Park where we met lots of wild monkeys on the beach.
“The sunsets in Koh Lanta were the best we have ever seen and tourists and locals gather on the beach each evening to witness it. It was spectacular.”
The couple flew to Kuala Lumpur for Christmas, which was a huge contrast going from a very small island to a huge city. But the biggest moment of their trip was when they finished their honeymoon with three nights in Singapore, arriving on New Year’s Eve.
“This was the best way to finish a fantastic holiday,” says Dermot Gath. “I loved the honeymoon. I particularly love water and the snorkelling on Phi Phi Island was my highlight.
“We had a GoPro camera with us on the trip and this captured every part of the honeymoon. I would recommend having a GoPro for a trip like this to capture the views, as we just spent most of the time wandering around with our mouths open in amazement and could have missed everything!”
While in Singapore for New Year’s, they were stationed at the famous Marina Bay Sands Hotel. They had a view of the city and according to Mairéad, the fireworks display for the countdown was the best they had ever seen. “We spent New Year’s Day in Sentosa Universal Studios, and our final day in Singapore in Gardens by the Bay,” says Mairéad. “We wandered around and walked
for miles. It’s so beautiful there and they have everything spotless.
“I would definitely go back to Singapore again. I think it is a city I would never get sick of. Its travel system makes it so easy to get around and the shopping is amazing! This was such a memorable experience for us and a honeymoon to remember.” SOUTH AFRICAN ADVENTURE South Africa offers diverse landscapes, fascinating history along with some of the most beautiful wildlife in the world. There is no greater feeling than getting the opportunity to see this stunning country. And for Shannon Traynor, 22 she couldn’t wait to get the chance to visit the Rainbow Nation.
“I travelled to South Africa last October for my 21st birthday with my mother and my aunt,” says Shannon. “My aunt surprised me with this present as I had always wanted to go to South Africa.
“We travelled to Cape Town where we stayed along the coast. We ate in different types of restaurants where we tried different sea foods such as calamari. Everything was just so pleasant and I loved every minute of it.”
While there, Shannon and her mother and aunt had organised a trip to see Cape Point, a South African nature reserve.
“At Cape Point, we stopped along the way to see sights. But one of the most memorable experiences was when we came across a family of baboons. In South Africa, this is normal for people to see, but for myself it was totally out of the ordinary! We were warned about the baboons as they can often steal your belongings or become aggressive, but if you’re not too close to them, it’s amazing to see. They come in packs and will walk beside or behind you. But it’s important not to feed them as they can become aggressive.
“You have to travel in a carriage which takes you up the mountain. It was such a beautiful view as we could see over the ocean and so many other sights of South Africa.”
When in South Africa, Shannon says that seeing indigenous animals was at the top of her list of things to do. But one of her biggest dreams was travelling the winelands to experience the famous wines of the region.
“We went wine tasting in the vineyards of Franschhoek. It was about an hour’s drive from where we were staying in Cape Town. The driver that took us to this destination was so lovely and he told us about the history of Cape Town. It has such a fascinating story and has a link to the beginning of humans today.
“The grounds surrounding the vineyards had little houses which had many different art forms inside. We tasted lots of different, fabulous wines. One of my favourite memories is enjoying the sunshine while sipping on wine.”
Shannon was amazed at the sights in South Africa, but what most drew her in was the incredible people.
“The people in South Africa are so pleasant and helpful. They live to tell stories! The difference between Cape Town and Ireland is not only the weather, but how open people are. Everyone is very friendly and it is a very beautiful city. It’s full of little houses scattered with this beautiful beach at the end.”
After such a great time in South Africa, Shannon says it is one of the most treasured travel memories she has and would go back again.
“I didn’t get to do everything I wanted to do while there so I would definitely go again. I’m always recommending it to my friends because it was truly a memorable experience for me.”