30 September 2019
Four Days in Borneo: Turtle Island and the Borneo 'Big Five'
When I was at school, a number of my classmates raised money for a conservation trip to Borneo, combined with some jungle trekking and the climbing of Mount Kinabalu. I hadn’t yet got the adventurous-travel bug and didn’t go, but later came to regret that decision. Thus, I couldn’t spend two weeks in Malaysia without finally visiting the world’s third-largest island.
26 September 2019
Three Days in George Town, Penang
If you're looking for my specialty coffee guide for George Town, Penang, please see this accompanying post.
I flew in to Penang Island, Malaysia’s fourth-largest island, from KL on a Thursday evening. From Penang Airport, it was about a 30-minute (and 23 RM) Grab ride to the centre of George Town, Penang’s state capital, and Malaysia’s second-largest city with a population of over 700,000. I spent about three days in George Town, which gave me a good taste of the city — quite literally, since the food was one of my main reasons for visiting!
I flew in to Penang Island, Malaysia’s fourth-largest island, from KL on a Thursday evening. From Penang Airport, it was about a 30-minute (and 23 RM) Grab ride to the centre of George Town, Penang’s state capital, and Malaysia’s second-largest city with a population of over 700,000. I spent about three days in George Town, which gave me a good taste of the city — quite literally, since the food was one of my main reasons for visiting!
23 September 2019
In the Perhentian Islands, Finding Nemo and Losing Track of Time
When planning my trip to Malaysia, I drew on the advice of several friends who've visited the country over the past few years. The Perhentian Islands came up consistently as a must-visit destination. The two main islands, Perhentian Besar ('big island', though really 'bigger' as it's pretty small itself) and Perhentian Kecil ('small island), as well as several even tinier islands, are located some 10 miles off the northeast shore of Malaysia, close to the Thai border. The biggest draw is the warm, clear, turquoise waters with coral reefs just steps from the shore, although the lovely beaches are also highly appealing.
20 September 2019
Two Days in KL: Things To Do, Places To Eat and Drink
If you're looking for my KL specialty coffee guide, you can find it here.
When researching potential places to visit for my main holiday this year, I initially ruled out Malaysia on account of it being the rainy season there during September, which, for various reasons, was the best month for me to go. I soon realised that the country has several more regional rainy seasons and in any case, rainy sometimes just means one relatively brief but very heavy downpour per day, if that.
When researching potential places to visit for my main holiday this year, I initially ruled out Malaysia on account of it being the rainy season there during September, which, for various reasons, was the best month for me to go. I soon realised that the country has several more regional rainy seasons and in any case, rainy sometimes just means one relatively brief but very heavy downpour per day, if that.
10 September 2019
A Long Weekend in Ljubljana: Bex’s Guide
For my 40th country, I decided to pay a long-overdue visit to Slovenia, spending three nights in the capital, Ljubljana. With a population of just under 300,000, Ljubljana is the largest city in Slovenia, but its compact, mainly pedestrianised city centre makes it an ideal long-weekend destination. It's also very pretty, with pastel-coloured buildings located alongside a vibrant green river, and a plethora of parks.
06 September 2019
Seven Specialty Coffee Shops To Visit in Ljubljana
I've also published a guide to spending a long weekend in Ljubljana; check it out!
Ljubljana, the vibrant and verdant capital of Slovenia, had long been on my to-visit list and I spent a few days there last weekend. Specialty coffee wasn't my main motivation for visiting — and I'll have a post up next week about all the other things I got up to — but I found a number of great specialty coffee shops and roasters during my short trip. Ljubljana's city centre is compact, which means you can visit several of these even if you only have limited time in the city. Here's what I found (as usual, my very favourites have purple icons in the map):
Ljubljana, the vibrant and verdant capital of Slovenia, had long been on my to-visit list and I spent a few days there last weekend. Specialty coffee wasn't my main motivation for visiting — and I'll have a post up next week about all the other things I got up to — but I found a number of great specialty coffee shops and roasters during my short trip. Ljubljana's city centre is compact, which means you can visit several of these even if you only have limited time in the city. Here's what I found (as usual, my very favourites have purple icons in the map):
Located at the lower station for the funicular that runs up to Ljubljana Castle, I first arrived at Cafe Čokl at lunchtime on a sunny Saturday and all of the tables were full. I went back on my final day and secured a table on the sunny patio. The cafe serves coffee from their Buna cooperative with a variety of brew methods, from espresso to Chemex and cold brew. I had a washed Nicaraguan coffee brewed through the Aeropress, which was fruity and satisfying. NB: Cafe Čokl is cash only.
Črno Zrno
This coffee roaster, whose name translates as 'black bean', specialises in specialty coffee from Colombia. Their coffee bar, a slim shop with beautiful blue tiling on the counter, is located on a broad street between the river and the foot of castle hill. On the day I visited they were serving beans from the Meta region of Colombia, a relatively new coffee origin. Brewed through the V60, the notes of lemon, plum and blackberry came through nicely. Other brew methods are also available, and they also sell their house cold brew in bottles. Inside, there are just a few stools at the side, but there are also tables outside on the pavement of the pedestrianised street.
This coffee roaster, whose name translates as 'black bean', specialises in specialty coffee from Colombia. Their coffee bar, a slim shop with beautiful blue tiling on the counter, is located on a broad street between the river and the foot of castle hill. On the day I visited they were serving beans from the Meta region of Colombia, a relatively new coffee origin. Brewed through the V60, the notes of lemon, plum and blackberry came through nicely. Other brew methods are also available, and they also sell their house cold brew in bottles. Inside, there are just a few stools at the side, but there are also tables outside on the pavement of the pedestrianised street.
Kavarna Natura
I had added Kavarna Natura to my Google Map but as it was a little further out of the city centre (though still only 30 minutes on foot), I wasn't sure if I'd have time to visit. Following the recommendation of Klemen at Mariposa Coffee Roasters (see below), I decided to stop by. The coffee shop is located in a quiet, residential area — it's unlikely you would come across it unless you were seeking it out. They roast coffee from many different origins and sell bags of their beans. There was just one coffee, from Honduras, in the hopper during my visit and I ordered a macchiato. It actually came deconstructed, with a tiny jug of steamed milk on the side, but lacking confidence in my milk pouring, I decided to drink the coffee as an espresso instead, and really enjoyed it. The cafe itself is, as the name would suggest, a very relaxed, rustic place to visit, and the macchiato was only €1.30.
I had added Kavarna Natura to my Google Map but as it was a little further out of the city centre (though still only 30 minutes on foot), I wasn't sure if I'd have time to visit. Following the recommendation of Klemen at Mariposa Coffee Roasters (see below), I decided to stop by. The coffee shop is located in a quiet, residential area — it's unlikely you would come across it unless you were seeking it out. They roast coffee from many different origins and sell bags of their beans. There was just one coffee, from Honduras, in the hopper during my visit and I ordered a macchiato. It actually came deconstructed, with a tiny jug of steamed milk on the side, but lacking confidence in my milk pouring, I decided to drink the coffee as an espresso instead, and really enjoyed it. The cafe itself is, as the name would suggest, a very relaxed, rustic place to visit, and the macchiato was only €1.30.
Kavarna Natura is located at Središka ulica 10. Website.
Mariposa Coffee Roasters
In a small retail complex in the north-east end of the city centre is the lovely Mariposa Coffee Roasters. Again, you probably wouldn't come across it unless you were looking for it, but it is well worth seeking out. They roast their own coffee — for sale in butterfly-themed bags — and there were three single-origin coffees available during my visit. I had a Gesha from Nariño, Colombia, which was brewed excellently by Klemen through the V60. This was a really jazzy coffee with notes of orange, pineapple and jasmine. The staff were also super-friendly and welcoming, taking time to explain the different origins and brew methods to customers who had not yet fallen down the specialty coffee rabbit hole. Klemen also gave me some great recommendations for other coffee shops in Ljubljana, and Slovenia more generally.
In a small retail complex in the north-east end of the city centre is the lovely Mariposa Coffee Roasters. Again, you probably wouldn't come across it unless you were looking for it, but it is well worth seeking out. They roast their own coffee — for sale in butterfly-themed bags — and there were three single-origin coffees available during my visit. I had a Gesha from Nariño, Colombia, which was brewed excellently by Klemen through the V60. This was a really jazzy coffee with notes of orange, pineapple and jasmine. The staff were also super-friendly and welcoming, taking time to explain the different origins and brew methods to customers who had not yet fallen down the specialty coffee rabbit hole. Klemen also gave me some great recommendations for other coffee shops in Ljubljana, and Slovenia more generally.
Stow Coffee Roasters
As soon as I saw the name Stow, I wondered if there was some connection to Stow-on-the-Wold. In fact, it's named for the chair factory near their roastery (stow is how the Slovenian word for chair (stol) is pronounced), hence the factory motif on the bags of beans. Their Ljubljana coffee shop is located inside the Ljubljana City Museum, with the seating area located in an airy, covered courtyard. I was overwhelmed at first by the sheer number of different coffee varieties on offer, but the barista helped me narrow down my choice by highlighting the three limited-edition Panama Geshas they had. I picked the Hacienda La Esmeralda, which was delicious brewed through the V60, the jasmine and tropical fruit notes coming through very strongly.
At €6, it was the most expensive coffee of my trip, but also the one I enjoyed the most. I almost bought some of one of the other Geshas to take home, but at €26 for 100g, it was on the pricey side, and I didn't trust my home-brewing skills. Instead, I bought a 250g bag of Ethiopian Nano Challa (€12), which I've been enjoying at home this week. The cafe is closed on Mondays, but if you're in Ljubljana on any other day of the week, you should make a beeline for Stow.
As soon as I saw the name Stow, I wondered if there was some connection to Stow-on-the-Wold. In fact, it's named for the chair factory near their roastery (stow is how the Slovenian word for chair (stol) is pronounced), hence the factory motif on the bags of beans. Their Ljubljana coffee shop is located inside the Ljubljana City Museum, with the seating area located in an airy, covered courtyard. I was overwhelmed at first by the sheer number of different coffee varieties on offer, but the barista helped me narrow down my choice by highlighting the three limited-edition Panama Geshas they had. I picked the Hacienda La Esmeralda, which was delicious brewed through the V60, the jasmine and tropical fruit notes coming through very strongly.
At €6, it was the most expensive coffee of my trip, but also the one I enjoyed the most. I almost bought some of one of the other Geshas to take home, but at €26 for 100g, it was on the pricey side, and I didn't trust my home-brewing skills. Instead, I bought a 250g bag of Ethiopian Nano Challa (€12), which I've been enjoying at home this week. The cafe is closed on Mondays, but if you're in Ljubljana on any other day of the week, you should make a beeline for Stow.
Tozd
Some of Ljubljana's most loved bars and eateries are located along the river and Tozd is no exception. A coffee shop and cafe by day (the avocado toast is supposed to be great), it transitions to a breezy bar by night. There are plenty of tables on the street, overlooking the river (and large umbrellas to provide shelter from the sun and/or rain), as well as more seating in the quirkily decorated cafe. My macchiato was very good and I paired it with a huge but tasty chocolate brownie. If the sun is over the yardarm and you haven't yet tried the Slovenian Broken Bones gin, this is a good place to do so.
Some of Ljubljana's most loved bars and eateries are located along the river and Tozd is no exception. A coffee shop and cafe by day (the avocado toast is supposed to be great), it transitions to a breezy bar by night. There are plenty of tables on the street, overlooking the river (and large umbrellas to provide shelter from the sun and/or rain), as well as more seating in the quirkily decorated cafe. My macchiato was very good and I paired it with a huge but tasty chocolate brownie. If the sun is over the yardarm and you haven't yet tried the Slovenian Broken Bones gin, this is a good place to do so.
Finally, I didn't get the chance to visit Kavarna Moderna, the café-bar of the Museum of Modern Art, as like the museum, it's closed on Mondays, but it came highly recommended, including by Klemen at Mariposa. It's now on my list for next time!