Our 2024 Family Adventure: 7 Weeks of Exploration

Embarking on our family adventure in 2024, we kicked off with a memorable four-day stay in Abu Dhabi. Nestled within the iconic Capital Gate tower, we immersed ourselves in the rich culture and history of the UAE.

We visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (largest mosque in UAE) both men and women must cover arms and legs and avoid wearing tight-fitting or transparent clothing. A headscarf for females should be worn at all times when visiting the mosque.

Then we proceed to the Louvre Museum Abu Dhabi. We spent about 2-3 hours walk through the museum. 

The next day, we took a short hour-long trip to Dubai, where we ventured through Dubai Mall (the world's second-largest mall), visited the aquarium, marveled at the Burj Khalifa, explored the Museum of the Future, and admired the Famous Frame.

 

Here's where we're staying during our time in Abu Dhabi: the Capital Gate Tower.

Fun fact about the Capital Gate Tower: It leans more than four times as much as the leaning tower of Pisa, boasting an impressive 18-degree lean. Standing at 520 feet tall with 35 floors, it's quite a marvel of engineering.

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is one the world's largest mosques and a massive architectural work of art that intentionally blends different Islamic architectural schools.

It features 82 domes, more than 1,000 columns, 24-carat-gold gilded chandeliers and the world's largest hand-knotted carpet.

The Abu Dhabi Louvre museum’s permanent collection comprises some 700 artworks and groups of artworks from every period and civilisation (from prehistoric times to the present day). Another 300 works are loans from partner museums (the Louvre lends 100 different masterpieces every year).

Some Artifacts inside the Abu Dhabi Louvre.

Children's Museum Spacewalk at the Louvre. Seth's loves it.

Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world and it's one of the top attractions to visit in Dubai.

Top photo is The Museum of the Future. 
Down left is the Dubai Frame which measures 150 metres high and 95 metres wide.
The Burj Khalifa Tower on the right.

After a nearly 5-hour flight from Abu Dhabi, we touched down at Male International Airport in the afternoon, greeted by temperatures averaging around 86F, with humid and sunny conditions. Our journey continued as we headed to Hulhumale, located in the northeast part of the Maldives, where we spent a day immersing ourselves in the local way of life. The following day, we embarked on a 20-minute speedboat ride to reach the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort.

Departing from Hulhumale at 8:00 am, we aimed to make the 9:00 am submarine tour. Unfortunately, the boat arrived an hour behind schedule, so it's best to pack some extra patience and simply enjoy the experience.

Submarine Tour Tickets were priced at $80 for adults and half that for children. This will be a two-hour tour which includes the pick-up and drop off time, and a 45 minute submarine ride. They took us 100 feet below the surface, where we marveled at the vibrant array of fish and coral reefs.

Welcome to Hilton Amingiri Resort Maldives. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with people and experience their hospitality, making our trip truly memorable.

This luxurious resort was our home for four days, where we also celebrated our seventh anniversary in style.

It was indeed a memorable experience celebrating our 7th anniversary in Maldives! 

At Amingiri Resort, there's a kids' club available for children aged 4 and older. They can freely utilize the facilities and participate in supervised activities. However, infants and children up to 3 years old must be accompanied by guardians or parents at all times. If you wish to leave your child, you can arrange with the Kids club teachers for a fee of $25 per hour.

We departed from our newfound friends in Maldives with hearts brimming with joy. Our next destination was the Philippines, where we intended to both work and spend quality time with our families.

Returning to the Philippines and reconnecting with family was truly delightful! The weather, averaging around 80F, was hot and humid, prompting us to retreat to the mountains to bask in the refreshing greenery of my province. The family-centric Filipino culture ensured that every adventure was shared with loved ones.

March is a busy month for us as it marks my mom's and niece's birthdays, as well as the observance of Holy Week, granting my siblings a break from work and our nieces and nephews a break from school. It's a month filled with festivities and quality time spent with family.

After a month-long workcation in the Philippines, we bid farewell to our families and friends and set off for Taiwan to begin our journey back to the States. In light of the significant earthquake impact in Hualien, we focused our explorations primarily on the southern city of Kaohsiung and the capital, Taipei.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city, boasts a harmonious mix of modern attractions and rich cultural heritage. During our five-day stay, we immersed ourselves in the city's vibrant culture, visiting iconic landmarks such as the majestic Lotus Pond, the enchanting Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, and the captivating aquarium in Kenting. We also enjoyed a serene gondola ride along the Love River, indulged in the bustling atmosphere of the Liuhe Night Market, and explored Kaohsiung's artistic side through its vibrant street art scene.

During our night market excursion, Seth became engrossed in playing claw machines, and we couldn't resist joining in on the fun! We also tried our luck at other carnival games available. Luckily, we returned home with plenty of winning toys to show for our efforts.

We indulged in mouthwatering sushi/nigiri and savored the delicious pepper steak beef teppanyaki.

We signed Seth up for a delightful two-hour pineapple cake baking session at ButterALee Magic Castle, and he had an absolute blast!

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by their friendly staff and given clear instructions on the baking process. Afterward, we ventured to the sixth floor for a fun painting projection activity. However, we found ourselves spending most of our time on the fifth floor, where a variety of interactive games kept the kids thoroughly entertained.

 

Captured some street arts in Kaohsiung.

This marks our journey as we traveled to and stayed for three days in Taiwan's capital. During our visit, we explored the iconic Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall.

The Memorial Hall stands tall, with its white exterior showcasing four sides. Its blue, octagonal roof symbolizes abundance and good fortune, drawing on the significance of the number eight in Chinese culture. Two sets of white stairs, each comprising 89 steps to represent Chiang's age at the time of his passing, lead to the main entrance.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Taipei, Taiwan

I've explored Chinese Calligraphy and admired some stunning Chinese paintings at the museum located within the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.

We explored Yun Hsien Resort nestled in New Taipei City, finding it somewhat deserted with many places shuttered. Later, we hopped aboard a mini train to reach the stunning Wulai Waterfall and took a cable car ride to enjoy the mountain's scenic vistas. Climbing numerous stairs, we eventually reached the top.