Mol travel guide and discussion

Ice-free port

Many people spend a fortune flying to Alaska, only to be disappointed when they fail to catch the Northern Lights, and then they paint a horrible picture of the place: incredibly boring during the day, forced to stay cooped up in the hotel. I really want to say: It's not that Alaska isn't fun, it's that you're too lazy. We went last Thanksgiving. The temperature was -10 to -20 degrees Celsius, extremely cold and sunny. Although the sunshine only lasted a few hours, when it shone on the snow, the whole city looked like a fairytale. [Image 1 | The church on the left] The small church in downtown Fairbanks, with its spires, white snow, warm sunshine, and wisps of smoke, is both serene and dreamlike; one look and you're captivated. [Image 3 | The neighborhood building on the right] The sunlight shines on the building, clean and beautifully serene; This is the true, secluded, and serene feeling of Alaska. Don't just wait until dark to chase the Northern Lights; exploring during the day makes the trip truly worthwhile: ✅ Visit the Arctic Museum ✅ Explore fascinating secondhand shops in the university area ✅ Dog sledding, ice cave fishing—you won't want to leave the hotel! And the food is even more amazing! Who says Alaska doesn't have good food? Although Alaskan cuisine leans towards Soviet and Eastern European influences, we still managed to find some great food in Fairbanks, the city known for its stunning nightlife: 🍣 Authentic Japanese cuisine, Fuji Japan Restaurant, a small, family-run restaurant right across from the Polar Museum. 🍜 Thai restaurant, Thai House Restaurant, a mother-and-son business offering authentic Thai flavors (pictures 11-12). The pineapple fried rice and Tom Yum soup are must-try dishes, you won't be disappointed. 🍽️ Moldovan cuisine, called Soba in the downtown market. Delicious, comforting, and anything but monotonous. (Photos 7-10) 🍽️ Must-try dishes at the famous Pike restaurant near the airport: buffalo wings, Fairbanks classic venison, and Alaskan snow crab (Photos 13-16). Finally, don't forget to grab an Alaskan beer 🍻! The aurora borealis is a rare sight, but the daytime beauty and vibrant life of Alaska always welcome those who dare to venture out. It's never boring here, as long as you don't confine yourself to your hotel.

Day 6 Arrived in Murmansk and departed for Teriberka 🌧️ After getting off the train, bought bus tickets for bus 241 to Teriberka at the train station (directly to the right of the train station 👉 location shown in picture 2). Ticket + luggage cost 749 kyats per person 🦌 (Murmansk to Teriberka: departs at 6 PM every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday 🚌; Novodevichy back to Murmansk: departs at 7 AM every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday). Lunch: A restaurant next to the train station, named Gastrobar Lovi Kraba 8450 🦌. The ingredients were quite fresh! A great meal! (Picture 3) After lunch, you can wait for the bus in the train station waiting hall. Come out and board around 5:50 PM. The ride to Novodevichy takes about 2.5 hours. We were lucky enough to see the Northern Lights from the bus!!! It's about a 10-minute walk to the hotel after getting off the bus. Hotel: Xinjieli 45 Hotel (3 nights 850.28 RMB). I stayed two nights in a lower bunk and one night in a twin room. All rooms had shared bathrooms; there were about three shower rooms and three toilets per floor, so it wasn't crowded at all. Both the rooms and bathrooms were very clean. No toiletries or hairdryers were provided, but towels and bath towels were available. The shared kitchen was fully equipped. Highly recommended! You can see the aurora borealis (visible green) just by opening the window/downstairs! I saw the aurora every single day I stayed here!! And it was always a spectacular display!!! Super lucky!!! Day 7: Old Jeli Day Trip (Instagrammable Swing, Whale Skeleton, Throne) ☀️ New Jeli is 5 kilometers from Old Jeli. You can choose to hike or take a taxi (the hotel reception can help with 1000 baht 🦌, or you can share a taxi with other hotel guests). The taxi ride takes about 10 minutes. ⬆️ Several popular photo spots are in one place! Jeli was so beautiful on a sunny day! It fulfilled all my fantasies about the Arctic Circle 💭 The blue and pink sky, the sea, and the snow made for great photos! Old Jeli was the only place on the entire trip where I felt a bit cold, even though it was sunny ☀️ Maybe it was because of the wind! My hands turned red instantly when I took them out, so remember to wear gloves 🧤. Back in New Jeli, I asked the restaurant to help me call a taxi for 1200 baht 🦌. In the evening, I strolled around New Jeli with my friends! I found a local convenience store with reasonable prices (next to a lakeside bridge on the way to Old Jeli on Highway 45). I bought a box of dumplings for 219 baht and Fanta for 85 baht. There was a restaurant along the way that everyone recommended, but I forgot the name. The ingredients weren't fresh ❌ and the staff were very impatient. It cost around 600 baht per person. Regarding the Aurora: We didn't use any apps to chase the aurora. We stayed for three nights, mostly between 7:30-8:00 PM, 11:30-12:00 AM, and around 2:00 AM. You can see it during these times!!! You can see it from your room/hotel entrance!!! It's visible to the naked eye! Food: We mainly ate the fast food we brought.

Suggested Itinerary: Day 1: Moore City → Cabin Day 2: Old Ha → Aurora Borealis Day 3: Whale Watching → Jeli Day Trip Day 4: Ice Floating → Snowmobile 1️⃣ Aurora Watching (pp. 4-6): Highly Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, 💰450 RMB, minibus tour (around 15 people). We chased the aurora in the outskirts of Moore, about a 1.5-hour drive, and the aurora burst lasted 2 hours. The aurora color depends on cloud thickness; thicker clouds result in a grayer color, but the dynamic effect is visible to the naked eye. 📸Photos can be taken with a camera, preferably a DJI. Photos from Android and Apple phones will vary depending on the model. 2️⃣ Old Ha Ha Strange Park (pp. 1-3): Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, 💰1280 RMB. Note⚠️: 1. Reservations need to be made 1-2 months in advance. The visit lasts 3-4 hours. 2. You don't have to wear the protective suit, but the dogs smell very strong. After petting them, the odor will stain your clothes. Those with a strong aversion to germs should consider this carefully! 3. It's extremely far from the city center. If you're in a hurry, it's best to skip it. It takes 2.5 hours one way. Content includes: explanation of historical stories and precautions → dog sledding → snowmobile ride → playing with the dogs → Sami cultural experience → reindeer feeding → lunch → souvenir shop (not mandatory, but hand cream and lip balm are recommended). The staff are all super nice! 👍🏻 3️⃣ Whale watching, 💰400 RMB, highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Regardless of whether you catch any whales, just go out to sea first! We didn't go because of bad weather! 4️⃣ Jeli day trip (pp. 8-11), highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, 💰500 RMB. It takes about 2 hours one way from Moore. Combine it with whale watching in one day; you have enough time. ⚠️1. If you're traveling independently, prioritize your Jeli itinerary if the weather is good! The Arctic Circle weather changes rapidly, and there's only one road from Moor to Jeli. If the road is closed, you won't be able to get there. Generally, it takes at least 1-2 days for the road to reopen, and forcing your way back will cost around 1800 RMB per person in an ATV or helicopter 🚁 2. If you're short on time, skip the Dinosaur Egg Beach area; the snow training is exhausting. The swing area is a good spot for taking photos. 5️⃣ Ice Float (pp. 12-14), highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐, 💰500 RMB, 1.5-2 hours total, 15-20 minutes from the city. Next to the ice floe we visited, there's a mini Jeli photo spot where you wear a lobster costume and float in shallow water near the shore, like a waterbed – very relaxing. If you drift too far, the safety officer will pull you back. ⚠️The crayfish-themed clothing is reusable; those with a germaphobia should avoid it. It also has a strong rubber smell, making you feel unwell, causing fogging, stuffiness, and potential makeup smudging. 6️⃣Snowmobile (pp. 15-16), Recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐, two people per vehicle, 💰580/vehicle, 1-2 hours, three fixed departure times daily. Several large flat areas for high-speed riding; requires some stamina, but my friend said it wasn't as exciting as riding an electric scooter 😓. The initial experience is so-so, but it gets fun once you get the hang of it. ⚠️1. Snowmobiles are not insured; you'll have to pay for any damage if they flip. 2. Women with less strength should be cautious; the handlebars are quite heavy. 7️⃣Cabins (pp. 17-18), 💰1k+, Recommended ⭐⭐⭐, expensive and inconvenient to get to, but good for taking photos. 8️⃣Ice Fishing, requires at least 2 hours. Ice Floating

🤩 Reidmore/Eastern Market (searchable on map) I've been in Lanzhou for a long time and finally had time to visit the Eastern Market 📍 Eastern Seafood Market This place gathers flavors from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions in the east, with plenty of seafood. Many small shops are run by Jiangsu and Zhejiang owners. Nearby is Sister Haifen's Zongzi (I forgot the main filling that day). In spring, the market also sells authentic Qing Tuan (green rice balls), which I will definitely try next time. The Meigan Cai (preserved vegetable) baked flatbread in the alley is worth trying. In an alley at the junction of the seafood market and the clothing city, before leaving the seafood market, you can see a sign pointing the way. It's cheap and generous in portion, comparable to a giant naan bread, super crispy, with plenty of Meigan Cai and minced meat inside. While strolling and eating on the food street, a young lady even asked where I bought it—so awesome! Passing by the clothing trade city, you can check out the clothes here! 📍 Reidmore The snacks, delicacies, and fruits here are countless! Unlike the typical trendy night market snacks in the popular alleys, the variety here is dazzling and super abundant! You simply can't try them all! Chestnut cakes, pumpkin cakes, baked bread, rose mille-feuille, ox tongue cakes, fried skewers, marinated dishes, stuffed cold noodles, chess bean snacks, bread, sauce-flavored cakes, bread, stuffed twisted dough sticks, potato cakes, baked flatbreads, fried baby potatoes, crispy beef cakes... too many to count. Entering Reidmore is like stepping into a melon field full of treasures. Wuda Lang Baked Flatbread This place is very popular and always has a line! The baked flatbread is delicious—crispy and crunchy, and reasonably priced. It tastes a bit like a crispy scallion pancake. They also have the old-fashioned pumpkin cake, which is rare! It's a bit oily but nostalgic with an old flavor. Near the food street, there are also long-established shops: Chuntai and Yixing. Their fried noodle slices and fried pulled noodles never disappoint! Tianyuan Famous Snacks are also here! These are the snack memories of many old Lanzhou residents. Tourists, besides visiting the trendy night markets, must come here if staying nearby. You can try almost all Lanzhou delicacies and buy specialty snacks like baked bread, ox tongue cakes, stuffed cold noodles, and sweet fermented dough, enjoying a great meal all at once without having to search around.

Whose DNA just got activated? When the hotel address says "Inside a UNESCO Global Geopark," I knew—this trip was a sure win! By day: be a wild child; by night: be a noble 🌿 Paddle a kayak through the mangroves in the morning, watch eagles snatch fish and otters daydream—it’s like narrating an episode of "Animal Planet." 🏛️ At night, return to the Moorish palace designed by Bill Bensley, soak in a bathtub under the stars, sipping welcome champagne—at this moment, I declare myself reconciled with civilization! Stay in a room from a mythology book Room key? Nope. Push open the carved wooden door and fall straight into a blue-and-white exotic dream: hand-painted tiles, antique mirrors, palm leaf roofs so tall you have to look up… The highlight is the bathtub under the skylight! Soaking while watching the Milky Way at night is so romantic, I want to live here forever! Eating? No, it’s dining on the scenery! 🍳 Breakfast at Serai Restaurant: holding coconut water while watching long-tailed macaques fight in the treetops 🌅 Rush to Rhu Bar before sunset: lie on a swing chair, watch the salted egg yolk sun dye the sea champagne color, and the live band starts singing "Perfect"... Help! This place really knows how to script a romantic drama! 🦞 Dinner at Ikan-Ikan: Andaman Sea crabs bigger than your palm, stir-fried char kway teow so fiery you want to rush into the kitchen and apprentice! Play until you forget you’re an adult ▪️ Geopark boat tour: get up close to a "Batman" bat with a 1-meter wingspan hanging upside down ▪️ Mangrove drifting: like Avatar crossing a glowing forest (daytime version) ▪️ Geo Spa: lie in a suspended pavilion and get a hot stone massage with 550 million-year-old minerals—turns out I’ve felt the same earth energy as the dinosaurs! What a blessing for humanity! Picking shells on the white sandy beach at dawn, suddenly realizing: beneath my feet is a 76-million-year-old geological wonder, before my eyes is an artwork crafted by a legendary designer, and in my mouth is a freshly picked mango—this collision of primal vitality and top-tier human aesthetics is probably the ultimate definition of luxury. Tips and reminders 📍 Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Malaysia 🌊 Avoid the rainy season if possible. November to March is best, but the low season means fewer people and better prices 🚤 Always bargain for island hopping tours; cutting the price in half is standard practice 👙 Bring plenty of colorful dresses! Every corner here is shouting, "Take a photo now!" So… who are you coming with next time? (Hinting wildly at my friends)

Who hasn't tried the Yun Gui Chuan Bistro at Shaoguan Moore City? I ate there once in Guangzhou and haven't forgotten it!! Highly recommend these dishes, if you don't like them, come find me! 🌟Mushroom Creamy Shrimp: Rich and creamy flavor, the shrimp are huge, one bite is so satisfying! 🌟Black Truffle Mushroom Rice: Packed with mushroom aroma, the rice soaks up the broth perfectly, one bite is incredibly satisfying! 🌟Airy Black Tofu Balls: Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, every bite brings pure bliss~ You can find all of these at the newly opened Yun Gui Chuan Bistro on the 6th floor of Moore City. It opens on the 26th of this month, so remember to come on time if you want to try it!!