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About Me

About Me
CrystalPhuong.net is a Personal Style & Travel Blog based in Singapore, written by Crystal Phuong. The blog was nominated FOUR times in Top 10 Best Fashion Blogs in the annual Singapore Blog Award from 2012- 2015, voted as one of the Best Lifestyle Blogs in Singapore in 2013 by Hotelclub.com, and Best Travel Blogs in 2016 by Foodpanda.com. Crystal hopes to connect and inspire young women to lead a healthy and happy life. Be confident, be positive, and be kind.
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
DAY DREAMING IN DA NANG

DAY DREAMING IN DA NANG


Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

After many years, I finally visited Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam well-known for its sandy beaches and rich history. As a first-timer, I didn't know what to expect, but as far as I was told by the non-Vietnamese travelers, this place would take your heart away. So I packed my back, booked a flight, reserved a hotel and started counting down to the trip. 

After a two-hour flight from Singapore, I was here. What greeted me was this stunning mountain range and an endless ocean view. The seagulls came in the picture as a bonus. Just walking around the Pham Van Dong Park, watching the seagulls while listening to the sound of waves was so relaxing. I thought I was daydreaming. 

If you plan to visit Da Nang, I highly recommend you to put this place on your to-visit list. 

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Crystal Phuong- Travel Blogger- Day Dreaming in Da Nang

Thank you so much for reading! 

::Shop my outfit here::
Privacy Please maxi dress- Thanks to Revolve 
Miu Miu slingback pumps- Similar here
Valentino handbag- More affordable choices here
Tom Ford sunglasses- Similar here




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4 DAYS IN TAIWAN

4 DAYS IN TAIWAN


Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Taipei city

In August last year, I visited Taiwan, a small island nation east of China with modern cities, traditional Chinese temples, beautiful hot spring resorts, and dramatic mountains. My first trip to Taiwan was in 2013 and it was great. But this time, it was even better as I had 2 awesome planners (Sarah & Ken) with me on this trip. Everything was well arranged from the airport pickup to hotel arrangements, what to do, where to go, during our 4 days there. I thought I should share with you in case you are planning a trip to Taiwan for the first time. Thank me later at the end of this post! You're welcome.

We arrived in Taipei city on Friday evening, checked into the Landis Taipei Hotel, and quickly went for dinner. We spent only 1 night in Taipei. The next morning, we woke up at 5am, had breakfast, and by the time we walked back to our hotel, our private driver was already there waiting for us.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- View from Hualien Farglory Hotel

A few hours drive later, we arrived in Hualien, a home to several world-class scenic attractions located on the eastern coast of Taiwan. We quickly checked into Farglory Hualien, a 381-room hotel with a stunning view of the mountain on one side and a breathtaking sea view on the other.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Hualien Farglory Hotel room

We spent 2 nights here and on the second day, we experienced a 5.5 magnitude earthquake in the early morning. While Ken felt the room was shaking, I was still sleeping like a baby. All I heard was his voice "I think there was an earthquake". I replied "OK" and carried on dreaming about something beautiful (not about an earthquake of course). In case you don't know, the average number of earthquakes in Taiwan is approximately 2,200 per year, of which 214 can be felt. That's crazy! 

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- View from Ch'ing Shui Cliff

Anyway, here is our itinerary of the day.

1. Ch'ing Shui Cliff

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Ch'ing Shui Cliff

If you are visiting Hualien, you definitely should visit Ch'ing Shui Cliff. It's one of the Eight Wonders of Taiwan. This is a 21-kilometer coastal cliff with the tallest peak, Qingshui Mountain, rises 2408 meters directly from Pacific Ocean. The view here will blow your mind.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Swallow Grotto Trail

2. Swallow Grotto Trail

From Ch'ing Shui Cliff, our private driver took us to Swallow Grotto Trail along the Central Cross-Island Highway. It's considered the finest section of the entire Taroko Gorge with natural sinkholes, stunning rock formations, and spectacular scenery. It's truly heaven on earth.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Walking under the rock in Swallow Grotto Trail

It looks unreal, doesn't it? That's how beautiful Taroko National Park is.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Swallow Grotto Trail

3. Shakadang Trail

Shakadang Trail was our next destination on the list to visit. This place is well known as "Mysterious Valley Trail" for its crystal-clear turquoise water and stunning scenery. No swimming allowed though, but it's safe and easy to walk. If you love walking, jogging, and exercising, you'll enjoy it very much.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Shakadang Trail

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Shakadang Trail

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Taroko National Park

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Taroko National Park

4. Eternal Springs Shrine

We stopped at Eternal Springs Shrine on our way back as James, our private driver, mentioned that this shrine is one of the most famous scenic spots in Taroko National Park. Besides, the story we heard from James about 212 workers who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway makes this place worth visiting. 

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Eternal Spring in Taroko National Park

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Eternal Spring

A long journey became less tiring with an ocean view on the right

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Ocean drive

and a mountain view on the left.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Mountain view from Jiufen

Once in awhile, we just had to stop for a quick photo and soak in the fresh air.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Ocean drive

5. Jiufen

On day 3, we decided to visit Jiufen, a popular tourist area with great views, historical market streets, and good food. The name Jiufen came from the Qing Dynasty, where there were only nine families in this village. They requested "nine portions" of supplies every time shipments arrived from town. Jiufen in Chinese means "nine portions" in English by the way.

If you are a food lover, you'll definitely love this place. Tiny streets filled with restaurants, souvenir shops, and food stores that sell varieties of Taiwanese products. Even if you are not into snacking or food tasting, it's still worth visiting.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- View from JiuFen

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Day in JiuFen

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Ice cream sandwich

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Beautiful temple in Jiufen

A beautiful temple in a corner of Jiufen.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- View of Jiufen

6. Ximending

Ximending is a famous shopping district that you shouldn't skip if you are a shopaholic like me. My first time visiting Ximending, I went crazy with shopping. This time, I didn't shop much. I was more interested in walking along the busy streets, hopping into a cafe, and watching local people walking by. It's so therapeutic.

We were just wandering the streets, having no specific place to stop in mind. The only time we stopped was when we saw a cute dessert and coffee shop. As usual, there is always time for dessert and coffee.

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Wandering in Ximending

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Street view in Ximending

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Taipei city

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Architect in Taipei

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Fruity dessert

7. Taipei 101

No trip to Taipei would be complete without a visit to Taipei 101, a 508 meter (1666 ft) tall skyscraper in Xinyi District of Taipei city. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2010 until the Burj Khalifa, Dubai took its crown. (Read my blog posts about Dubai trip here and here).

Once you are at this place, purchase a ticket on the 5th floor of the Taipei 101 Shopping Mall. It'll take you to the observation decks on the 88th and 89th floors. The queue at the ticket counter might be long, but I can guarantee you, the view up there is a real treat to the eyes. Don't miss it!

Travel with Crystal- 4 days in Taiwan- Taipei at night

There you have it, a full list of what to do in Taipei for 4 days. I wish I could take more photos, but this blog entry is already long enough with almost 30 pictures and a video included. Hope it comes in handy when you are planning for your first trip to this beautiful country. 

Thank you so much for reading! 

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LAID BACK IN TAIWAN

LAID BACK IN TAIWAN


Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Some time in mid of 2016, I made a short trip back to Taiwan. It has been 3 years since my first visit. The first trip to this beautiful country was in 2013. It was also the last time that I went on a holiday with a bunch of people (15 of them probably). It was fun, but it was also tiring as we were constantly on the go from one place to another. If you are like me, afraid of burning yourself out with a full itinerary "recommended" by a tour agency from the early morning to the late evening, you'd be better off planning your own trip. 

When my boyfriend and I travel, we are very laid back. We will pick one or two places to visit or things to do in a day and as soon as we cross that item off our to-do list, we pretty much go with the flow. That's what happened when we visited Taiwan. I'll share more details on what we did and where we went in another travel post. For now, here are just some photos of me, wandering the streets in Xi Men Ting at the end of our trip. 

No particular destination in mind. Just walked and enjoyed Taipei as much as I could. It's so incredible to see the familiar places with fresh eyes. 

Travel with Crystal- Streetstyle in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Travel with Crystal- Laid Back in Taiwan

Thank you so much for reading! 

::Outfit::
Cropped denim jacket- Thanks to Esprit
Mugler sunglasses- Similar here
Forever New culottes- Similar here
Jeffrey Campbell gladiator sandals
Vintage deep V-neck top- Similar here
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VIFW 2016: ALL BLACK DAY AND NIGHT

VIFW 2016: ALL BLACK DAY AND NIGHT


Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong- Streetstyle day 6

Despite having so many clothes in my closet, I often raid my boyfriend's wardrobe, and basically, his clothes are mine at home. His T-shirts, shirts and even sweat pants are my favorites. It's fun to borrow from the boys once in a while. 

On the last day of Vietnam International Fashion Week, I decided to play with a menswear style during the day. A boyfriend blazer as a dress, a black crop top and shorts underneath, and black leather over-the-knee boots to complete the look. Some said I looked fierce while others thought I was too sexy. When wearing an oversized top or dress, I'd like to throw a belt on top to accentuate my waist. I also layered 2 bib silver necklaces to create a dramatic vibe and make a statement. It's either go big or go home kind of look, you know? 

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong- Streetstyle day 6

Photos by Pham Cong Thanh

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong- Streetstyle day 6

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong- Streetstyle day 6

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong- Streetstyle day 6


At night, everyone put on their best dress for the red carpet as it was the closing night. Thanks to iHateFashion for the love! My friend, Valerie & I were dressed up in their latest collection, which was shown at the fashion week just a day before. We had a blast on the red carpet and at the show. 

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong in iHeartFashion-day 6

Love this faux fur tweed dress from iHateFashion. Their new collection is so beautiful! 

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong in iHeartFashion-day 6

Brought my mom to the shows and she loved it. 

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong in iHeartFashion-day 6

Front row squad with my babe: Valerie Lim- Miss Singapore Universe 2011

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong in iHeartFashion-day 6

Sandwiched between my favorite couple: Son (on the left) and Adrian (on the right). We look like we were in a triangle relationship, don't we? 

Vietnam International Fashion Week 2016- Crystal Phuong in iHeartFashion-day 6

Photos by Katsu Phuong

Another successful fashion week ended just like that and I can't wait to do it all over again. 

Thank you so much for reading! 

::Outfit 1::
Nasty Gal boyfriend blazer- Similar here
GUESS over-the-knee boots- Similar here
Nasty gal fedora hat- Similar here
Lovisa necklaces- Currently obsessed with this one
Charles & Keith belt- More choices here

::Outfit 2::
Faux fur top worn as dress- Thanks to iHateFashion
Red beret- Thanks to iHateFashion
GUESS over-the-knee boots- Similar here
Lovisa necklaces- Currently obsessed with this one
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[name=Crystal Phuong] [img=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2fJIeV0maiu1iSZBqXUcw3MA0I5aIOIFkNquz-3I9TubKru_nT6RtBidB9SShTMn6L8YRjDf8q3JtWSNcG2Z4aHEUT51k5X5eyzYXHwKUDM_Rglx1_kBrnE0wIbuRq2Gmr6Ngg/w345-c-h245/Crystal-Phuong] [description=Singapore Travel & Lifestyle Blogger, hoping to connect and inspire young women to lead a healthy and happy life] (facebook=https://facebook.com/crystalphuong) (twitter=https://twitter.com/ncrystalicious) (instagram=https://instagram.com/crystalphuong)

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