Masouleh Iran

Nestled along a slope of the Alborz mountain range in western Iran, Masouleh is a perfect town to get away from city life, especially if you have spent too much time in the frantic traffic of Tehran.

While situated 1050m above sea level, the town is not far from the Caspian Sea. Its climate is quite special, as the predominant weather feature of the town is its fog! As such, most of the houses are covered in a yellow clay which allows better visibility in the fog. Add to the fact that the houses are all built along a slope, and thus the view of the town from afar can be really pictureque!

The houses are also interconnected in such a way that its architecture is unique in the whole of Iran. Firstly, no vehicles are allowed into the town, as the streets are too narrow anyway. More interestingly, the layout of the houses is such that, the roofs of the houses are also the courtyards (and streets) of other houses!! Hence, the special architecture of Masouleh is popularly known as "The yard of the above building is the roof of the below building". So it's pretty interesting wandering up the streets of the town (and tiring as well).

I was also lucky that when I was there in Nov, I encountered their first snowfall of the season. So literally in 2 days, I managed to see 2 different views of Masouleh! Pace in the town is remarkably laidback, and many Iranians (esp from Tehran) like to come here to spend their weekend holiday. While Masouleh can be visited in a day trip, an overnight stay is highly recommended if you are keen on photography. The only issue for me is, if you have a heavy backpack, lugging up the slope is no fun!!

Masouleh can be reached via shared taxis from Fuman. From Tehran, there are comfortable buses to Rasht, where you then transfer to Fuman (again shared taxis). There may be buses from Tehran to Fuman too, according to various sources, but I have not found any. While it may not be that convenient to access to, once you reach Masouleh, you'll be glad you did!

Salento

For those travelers who love to chill in quiet little towns, check out one of my favourites in Colombia - Salento.

Situated in Colombia's La Zona Cafetera, a coffee growing region, Salento is actually a very popular tourist town. However, as it is very popular for local tourists, the "crowds" mainly come in during the weekends (and public holidays). Nevertheless, the town retains its laidback charm, and nestled in a plateau giving beautiful views over the surrounding valleys, as well as access to the Cocora valley, it is a great place to stop and relax.

For me, aside from the laidback lifestyle, two main factors helped made this one of my favourite places. The climate as well as coffee! Salento is situated at an altitute of about 1900m above sea level and boasts an average annual temperature of 15 °C, so it is really pleasant to walk around to soak in the views. And you could get a wonderful cup of machine-pressed Colombian coffee for just 50cents! Not to mention value-for-money menu del dias (lunch/dinner sets) in town! Gotta love those local trucha (trout)!!

Aside from trips to the Cocora valley, tourists can easily walk from town to a mirador (viewpoint) that provides stupendous views of the surrounding valley. The town also have certain architecture typical of that region and shops selling locally made handicrafts. And of course, you can take tours to nearby coffee plantations!

So if you have the time in Colombia, do check out Salento!

Ubud, Bali

In the middle of the island of Bali lies a town that has resisted somewhat to changes that fame had brought to the island. Ubud has remained largely laid-back, and while many resorts and villas have upgraded in terms of facilities, the services are still friendly and cosy.



Surrounded by pretty rice paddy fields, central Ubud makes an excellent base for Bali exploration. Whether it's the mountains to the north or the beaches to the south, transport arrangements can be easily made. Backpacker friendly outlets are also abundant, and the town itself is also well known for its arts and culture. Also, right at the edge of town, there is a simple walk/hike that brings you right into the heart of the rice paddy fields. An activity I would consider a must-do in Ubud! And of course, loads of spa and massage shops to choose from, to complete your day!



My first visit to Bali, and I must say, Ubud impresses!

Laid-back Luang Prabang

Idyllic, charming, relaxed, laidback - these are some of the terms used to describe Luang Prabang. It is all that, and more; and more importantly, it had to be felt in person.


The former royal capital of Laos, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, and while tourism have not reached the levels seen in Thailand or Vietnam, there is a nagging feeling that it eventually would. For now though, there is an air of resistance to ...hectic-ness if you will, and if you stay in Luang Prabang for a day or two, your pace of life would inevitably slow down to match the feel of the city.



The city-centre, esp Xiang Thong road is pretty much lined with tourist shops and facilities. However, a couple of minutes of walk away, and the atmosphere changes quickly. My favourite part of Luang Prabang would be the riverside of Nam Khan, one of the tributaries of the mighty Mekong. One can easily pass by an afternoon sitting in one of the cafes by the river, observing local life and drinking their local beer. Beer Lao, at US$1 for a 640ml bottle, has become a daily beverage for my stay in Laos!
There are a number of tourist attractions around, including the multitudes of wats in the city. Slow boats let you cruise the river, a walk up Phou Si hill lets you have a beautiful view of the city and river, and many side trips bring you to the outskirts of the city, touring caves and waterfalls. But one of the more interesting "attraction" would be watching the alms-giving procession for the monks that occur every morning before 6am. I used the word "attraction" because bus-loads of tourists actually come to witness this!



But the real attraction for me, is that a stay in Luang Prabang gives you what a real holiday entails - an idyllic, charming, relaxed and laidback time to soothe your soul.