Wednesday, March 25, 2026

Los Angeles - To Do 23Mar26(The Getty Villa, Malibu Pier, Malibu Seafood, Piuma Road, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Gloria Molina Grand Park, Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, Grand Central Market, Angels Flight Railway, The Broad, Los Angeles Central Library)

Los Angeles - To Do
Los Angeles  - To Eat

LA - To Do
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Day Trip Out to Malibu Beach Area

*Taken in the morning and later in the day. View from the Lounge*
Rental from Enterprise at Figueroa St via https://www.hotwire.com/
Reservations can be made via hotwire and canceled with no charge any time prior. Sometimes there's a lack of cars on the day of rental. 
USD69 with full insurance for 5seater Nissan
If you have more in your party, you can always upgrade to a larger car if available.
- Bring your Passport 
- Driving ID
- Credit card.
- We rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car at Figueroa St. Opens 8am-6pm. 
ABBATip:
- Avoid overnight parking charges outside. You have the car for the full 24hrs regardless. If you finish the car use post office hours, one can drop off the car anytime at the parking lot but must return key and parking ticket to the office next day. Verify your plan with staff when you rent your car. (This option is for Enterprise rental at Figueroa St)

The Getty Villa
Open 10am
Free to enter with On-line purchase of FREE tickets
Entrance is basically parking at USD25.


The Getty Villa was a purpose built museum to houses J. Paul Getty's collection of Greek and Roman antiquities. In the 1950-60s, this self-made oil billionaire was often called the "Richest man in America".

The Villa represented what an ancient Roman luxury house would be and its design was inspired by the Villa of the Papyri in Italy. Absolutely stunning to having a glimpse of what it was like to live and walk in that time. Amazing details everywhere if not brought to our attention by the staff. Enjoy the sounds, light and feels of the space.

Much of it was modeled after the Herculaneum near Naples which was better preserved over the more famous Pompeii. Click here for full write up on which its the one to visit!
The collection pieces are added bonuses for people who enjoy Egyptian, Greek and Roman collections. A wide selection but not really famous marble carving pieces. A good variety of largely generic pieces to enjoy.
You maybe interested in these other places for amazing Marble scuptures:
- For some of the most emotive marble carvings, Musee D Orsay in Paris is one not to miss. 
Nice experience and visiting The Getty Villa transports you to another time and place with a stunning backdrop. An interesting, unique museum. The place gives off the vibes of another surprise museum visit in SFO, "The Legion of Honor." (Worth checking out! American museums do it just as well as their European counterparts.)

Malibu Pier

The Malibu Pier may not be as bustling or as famous as the Santa Monica Pier, but it is iconic for the Malibu vibe. Smaller, chilled and more relaxed. An authentic representation of the Malibu Beach lifestyle. Parking is free by the road side. 
Click here for ABBA location of Malibu Pier

Malibu Seafood
(Fresh Fish Market & Patio Cafe)

Malibu Seafood is a beloved roadside spot known for its ultra-fresh, no-frills seafood and laid-back oceanfront setting along the Pacific Coast Highway. Simple, authentic meals with great views.
Ordered On:
23Mar26
Seafood Basket and 16oz Clam chowder

*The seafood basket and fry was spot on. Not your typical batter but done with a unique spice blend. The thick chunky fish pieces with condiments served along side. Decent clam chowder and satisfying along the Coast.  A nice stop to round-up the classic Pacific Coast experience.
Food 3.5/5
Service na
Ambience 4/5
Value 3.5/5
Fed2 USD40
Food is decent, but here its all about the laid-back vibes and California beach experience. 

Piuma Road
(Scenic road back through the mountains.)
A popular, easy scenic drive through the Canyon to get views of Malibu and the lay of the land.  A nice alternate routing for a varied view. (If driving back by the West coast, one has to be prepared for the jams that is typical of LA Traffic, so time your returns.)
Click here for ABBA location of Piuma Road

<<<<<<<<<<<<<Day2 Around town>>>>>>>>>>>
Walt Disney Concert Hall
(Viewing from outside. Some parts of the inside are open in the early morning)
Pictures taken at 815am.


The world famous Walt Disney concert hall is designed by Frank Gehry. He's also known to have designed the MoPop (Well worth checking out) in Seattle. A piece of art and architectural beauty all-in-one and changes as the sun rays hit it.

Gloria Molina Grand Park
Opens 530am

*Nice view with Los Angeles City hall in the background.*
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
Opens 630am


Beautiful space to explore. Loads of detailing and a piece of quiet with a beautiful full baptismal pool. Designed by Rafael Moneo, the building has very few right angles. The odd geometry is meant to create a sense of mystery and spiritual movement.

*Full baptismal pool*
The gift store across is well stocked with medals, rosaries, crucifixes and more. All of your needs and gifting possibilities. Nice variety and very well stocked.
You may also be interested in another modern church in SFO - Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption with massive pillars and an amazing unique center piece.

Grand Central Market
Food prices about USD10-20
*Always Coca Cola*

Great location for loads of food choices at great prices. Especially with the recent price hikes, this is the place to drop by for a value meal. The place largely serves Mexican eats but there are other options as well.
*Ordered USD5 each Beef Tacos from two different stalls. Pretty much taste the same, just a matter of who's scoop is bigger. Good amount of meat and way more value than the ever increasing prices at Los Tacos No.1 (which do taste superior but the prices thou.) *
Click here for ABBA location of Grand Central Market.

Angels Flight Railway
*Price USD1.50 one way paid at the top. Slight discount if using TAP card.*
*One of the shortest railways in the world at 91m! A fun ride that skips the flight of stairs. Payment is done at the top of the ride. Great photo op from the top as well!*
The Broad 
Closed Mon. Free to enter with registration of timed tickets
Opens 10/11am Closes 5pm onwards


*Works of Jeff Koons*
Enter to enjoy the architecture and the various works of artist like Robert Therrien (Giant sculptures), Andy Warhol(Pop art), Jeff Koons (Shiny balloon like sculptures) and more!

*Andy Warhol*



*A photo of the Kuwait Stock Exchange*
*Supersize the ordinary.*
If you like this, one should really check out another MOMA at NYC! One of the best modern art museum visited and enjoyed with loads of world famous pieces in one location!
Los Angeles Central Library
Opens about 10-8pm
*Celebrating 100years of Central Library*
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Thursday, March 19, 2026

Vietnam - Phu Quoc March2026 Holiays (Dinh Cau Temple, Ham Ninh Fishing Town, VinWonders, Grandworld, Hon Thom Cable Car and Aquatopia, Vinpearl Safari)

Vietnam - Phu Quoc To Do
Vietnam - Phu Quoc To Eat

Vietnam Phu Quoc

About Phu Quoc Mar2026
Phu Quoc is about 78% the size of Singapore and feels smaller due to the lack of development in other parts of the island. The main township is concentrated around Duong Dong which is the place to stay.

Phu Quoc largely produces high quality fish sauce, pepper and seafood and known for their beaches. The demography of tourist to the area are largely from S.Koreans followed by Chinese tourist, Russians and Indians.

Major developers like VinGroup (Vinwonders and VinSafari) and Sun Group (Aquatopia), had at time of posting, banked heavily on future plans to have Phu Quoc be the new flagship international resort island.

The attractions we visited were largely completed around 2020-2023 but COVID happened, hence in many of these attractions the footfall lacked luster and at times strangely quiet. All rides and attractions had minimal to no wait times. That said, their builds and feels were of high production value. Infrastructures built, too fast and ahead of projected demand. Even the airport is expanding targeting 4mil passengers/year to 18-20million by 2027 (APEC push)

13-16March2026
4Days3Nights
SIN-PQC Scoot 10:15hrs Arrival 11:10hrs

*First time taking an Embraer E190-E2.*
PQC- SIN Vietjet Departs 15:45hrs 18:30hrs
Airplane Tickets: SGD2050.28
Total for x3 attractions SGD441.02
Approximately SGD300 for food and spending
Gettting around Using Grab. Easy, convenient and fast.
Total Spent on transport for 4D3N: SGD119.11
- Grab (Ride Hailing Apps). Grab works really well here. For all attractions it was at most a nil to three min wait. The drivers are often there and already waiting with some being proactive in sending communication text, selfies on where to meet/be picked up from. Don't worry about language as the app has in-app translation. 
*Be aware of scalpers who try to intercept you by claiming they are grab and "same-same" charging off-platform prices. Short distances maybe rejected, in our case, five times, but there are plenty of hungry Grab drivers available. Stick to the app and you'll be fine. So far all attractions to our hotel/airport and other attractions were picked up quickly and easily.*

ABBATips:
- Stay in the Dương Đông area. The resorts area may seem strangely deserted and quiet and as seen on many other vlogger channels. They only come to life when the tourist buses arrive or only on the weekends. One can see that the buildings are largely empty shells. Unless looking for a resort place to hang out, we found Dương Đông area had loads of food options, shopping and easy access to attractions. About 20-35mins travel to anywhere. 
- Bring some cash! Usually attractions accept credit cards. Some eateries accept credit card with a platform fee and many of the add-on feed the animals attractions are cash only!
- Buy your souvenirs or food products from KingKong Mart or any other local mart. Its definitely way cheaper than at the airport! We went to this larger store on the way back which had pretty much everything! Retail therapy was settled with all of Vietnam's greatest hits. Credit card accepted here.

Day1 - 13Mar26
Checking - In, Sunset Dinner at Ham Ninh Fishing Town
Checking in
We stayed at Varia Hotel
After discount and vouchers
SGD201.62 Paid for 4D3N
Click here for ABBA location of Varia Hotel.

Dinh Cau Temple


Dinh Cậu Temple is known as the iconic seaside shrine on Phú Quốc, known for protecting fishermen, its unique rocky setting, and beautiful sunset views near Dương Đông. The place is most famous for its sunset view.

*Checking out the bag loads of fresh shell fish caught for the day.*
Thailand - Khao Yai national reserve had a similar shrine, the San Chao Pho Khao Yai (Click here for full writeup).
Click here for ABBA location of Dinh Cau Temple.

Ham Ninh Fishing Town for Sunset and Seafood Dinner
(More local experience and cheaper seafood.)

It is one of the oldest fishing villages on the island. We dropped off at Ham Ninh Market to get a feel of a local market.
Dinner at The Fishing Town
Nhà bè | Nhà Hàng hải sản Thuận Kiều 2 | Hàm Ninh Seafood & 해산물
rating (4/5 on Google)

*All for the vibes and having dinner on a Kelong.*
Here are some popular Vietnam styled orders.
  • Steamed Crab with Pepper and Lime
  • Grilled scallops with scallion oil and peanuts.
  • Grilled Squid with Chili salt
  • Seafood hotpot with fish, shrimp and local vegetables.
  • Grilled Sea Urchin with Peanuts. (We found that the add-ons mask the natural sweetness and richness of the Sea Urchin.
One can shop around for a bit. Their prices do range a bit, but I believe more or less selling the same things. Its best summarized, price point wise, casual restaurant style seafood, sold at Singapore market prices.
Day2 - 14Mar26
VinWonders "Disneyland" Phu Quoc
VinWonders (Phu Quoc)
The "Disneyland of Vietnam"
SGD46.45/pax (KLOOK) 2A2C
Total 2A2C SGD148.62
Opens daily from 9am-730pm

ABBATip:
- The rides only operate from 10am. So you can do breakfast, photo-ops or shopping there before hitting the rides. 
- You may want to miss their Flagship performance. 6:45-7:05pm if you can't fill the day with rides and activities. We left early to check out Grand world (Venice-styled entertainment and eats.)
A general guide you may want to follow: (9 AM–12 PM): Photo ops Aquarium + gentle rides, Lunch (12–1 PM): On‑site restaurants and Afternoon (1–3 PM): Water park + other rides. All rides with little to no queues.

*The aquarium is inside the giant Turtle!*



*Take the Farris wheel to get amazing views of VinWonders.*
*Amazing set production. Pictured on the left is just the entrance to a five story slide and on the right is a massive Egyptian themed, in-door play area.*
There's plenty of child friendly places to hang out and the place is huge. Downloading the app does help with your itinerary and info on ride limitations and restrictions. Even on a Sunday, there's pretty much no wait time for any of the rides. Great for thrill seekers to truly maximize the day out. There's a little of something for everyone. 
Click here for ABBA location of VinWonders

Cab over to Grandworld for dinner and checkout Grandworld.
"Sculpture Park" at Grandworld
(Free to enter)

A nice artsy park with chill and beauty combined into one.

*The place is made to look and feel like Venice.* Click here for posting on Italy - Venice.
Dinner here is significantly hiked up as compared to other places and definitely more touristy prices. Nice to take a look see whilst in the area rather than doing dinner at VinWonders. There are loads of food options here to cater to the tourist! The famed ghost town with many of the buildings unoccupied.
Click here for ABBA location of Grandworld Phu Quoc

Day3 - 15Mar26
World's Longest Cable Car water fun and night market
Cable Car coupled with Sunworld Hon Thom Aquatopia (includes kiss bridge)
Total SGD150.11 2A2C (Purchased via Klook)
- Your ticket entry Includes 1 drink coupon 1/beer for guests aged 18+ or 1 glass of juice for guests over 100cm in height.

*Sunset town itself is an attraction and its all about the gram. For those looking for photo ops this is the place. As shared like at Grand world, many of the buildings are empty.*
*Getting there in itself is the joy. On the world's longest cable car over sea.*

*The ride over to Aquatopia is about 15-20mins each way and the views are breathtaking.*
ABBAtips:
- Take note of the cable car timings. It operates only during three window slots which run for 2hrs, 30mins and another 2hrs respectively.
- Bring a towel to wash up. There's towel for rent as well and lockers available for use. Large ones at VND100k/SGD4.80 and small at VND50K/SGD2.40. Multiple access of lockers throughout the day. 
- Stay hands free using their wrist bands for both the locker and food purchases. Min deposit is VND500 (aprox SGD48, Limited to three restaurants within Aquatopia). 
- Swim wear with zippers aren't allowed on some slide rides so take note to avoid disappointment. 
Aquatopia


Really fun place to be at and we pretty much spent the whole day there till about 1530hrs. Only when the cable car ran and we went to King Kong Super Mart after to do our souvenir and Vietnam product shopping. There's plenty of cafes and eateries and even more attractions beyond Aquatopia but we were water play focused with other plans later the day. 

Phu Quoc Night Market
Opens 5pm-12am
(Cash only at most of the eateries)


Prices do vary but more or less same same products after a while. Its nice to get a feel of the market selling various products and partake in roadside eating.

Day4 -16Mar26
Safari Fun and Home!
Vinpearl Safari with Zoo Tram (Half Day activity)
SGD148.62 2A2C (Klook)

*First Safari moves off at 0930hrs. Fun little Safari to enjoy. We personally enjoyed the experience at Fuji Safari park which was more personal and you could feed the animals. Click here for full write up.*
For the real deal and lion walk, you maybe interested in Ukutula Lodge in South Africa. Click here for full write up.

ABBATip:
- the best seats for the safari would likely be in the middle. Its nice that they limit the people on the bus, giving you free movement once onboard to enjoy animals on all sides.
*Lemur feeding. Arrive early before the animals get too full.*


- Bring cash when paying for animal feed. For the giraffe feeding, they "ran out" of food only purchase and we had to buy the bundle which included the soft toy plushie.
This would be more a less a half day or just over half day experience with their main attractions being the Safari and the up close Giraffe interactions.

If you're planning to leave for the airport from here, their guest services do hold your luggage without any charges and transport is readily available to take you directly to the airport. A great way to maximize your time.
Click here for ABBA location of Vin Safari.
<<<<<<<Phu Quoc Mar2026 Itinerary>>>>>>
Day1 
Checking - In, Iconic Temple, Sunset Dinner at Ham Ninh Fishing Town
Day2
VinWonders "Disneyland" Phu Quoc
Day3
Hon Thom (World's Longest) Cable Car Aquatopia water fun, shopping and night market
Day4
Safari Fun and Home!
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