Candied Sweet Potato Cubes (蜘蛛絲地瓜) @ Hanxi Night Market in Taichung [Taiwan]

To be totally honest, I don't really look at signboards whenever I visit the night markets in Taiwan. It's the smell of the food that captivates me, with the visual appearance catching my attention. 

There wasn't any smell emitting from this stall but the look of that box filled with glistening golden nuggets definitely drew my attention. It's only then that I looked at the sign board and noted those nuggets were in fact sweet potatoes; one of the best carbohydrate choices around! 

We got a box at NT$100 after much deliberation. While sweet potatoes were a good source of carbohydrates, the shiny glace covering them was a result of sugar, similar to the tanghulu; not exactly healthy.... Oh well, too great a temptation, it was.

Did I regret my choice? Hell no as they were irresistibly delicious! Coated with a crunchy layer of sugar with soft insides, it's a guarantee that every piece of sweet potato was sweetened, and boy were they addictive, and sinfully so! Even Alex, a non-sweet potato lover, likes them! 

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I did regret something. 

Not having it again before leaving the city! 

Address

Section 1, Hanxi E Rd, 

Hanxi Night Market, East District,

Taichung City, Taiwan 

Map

As above.

Pricing

One Serving - NT$100

Click HERE for 11 Days, 10 Nights Taiwan Trip: Summarised Itinerary for Chiayi Alishan (嘉义阿里山) - Kaohsiung (高雄) - Tainan (台南) - Taichung (臺中)

Golden Lotus Oriental Organic Spa @ Da Nang City in Vietnam

In my few trips (numbering five) to Vietnam, my consensus when it comes to massages would be "Thailand is still better". However, the aforementioned statement changed after my last trip to Danang! 

While I was aware of Golden Lotus Oriental Organic Spa on my first trip, given its insane reviews; I didn't manage to step in. Staying near its original branch in my recent trip (May 2025), and with my mom, who is more of a massage enthusiast, we went, TWICE.

Removing shoes and placing them tidily in compartmentalized shoe boxes for assurance, although there was a notice, in English and Korean, that the spa will not be responsible for any loss! 

Brought to a nice waiting area, with pods for individual groups, where we would be pampered with some drinks and snacks, and hand towels! 

Take a look at the menu (pasted at the end of the page) and indicate your "wishes" in the order list which came in numerous languages, including English and Chinese. 

Honestly, Thailand massages should also consider having the "order list" as it allows non-native speakers to indicate the strength of the massage required, parts of the body to focus the massage on (mine is always shoulder and back) etc. 

A key would also be passed after completion.

More on the key later.

Choosing your oil for those signing up for aromatherapy massages.

For me, it would always be lavender for relaxation. 

You see it right; a changing room! 

A communal one, separated by sex.

Choose your size and changed into a clean attire more suited for massages, without having to be totally naked! For me, that's easy; being short has its advantages as "small" would likely be the size.

Key given would be for your designated locker in the changing room! As a typical Singaporean, there's always innate fear that things might still get stolen! But this spa has a review score of 4.9 from over 12,000 reviewers! So it should be safe. Anyway, I don't have much valuables...

Feet washing time! 

Brought up to the higher level for my body massage.

Sharing also the floor directory for the five-floor spa. 

Massage room for me; the best massage I had so far in Vietnam; good strength with concentration on acupoints that eased my sore parts, and came with hot compress too! Don't take my words for it as my mom would be a better barometer.

Back to the changing room (also known as the locker room). You can actually choose to shower if you wish, with provisions of towels and and hair dryer! 

Massages in Vietnam involved a lot of eating, and not just tea drinking in other countries like Thailand and Malaysia! And it's not cheap stuff also; we have sliced mangoes and candied lotus seeds at Golden Lotus! 

Mom was so in love with the massages here at Golden Lotus that we returned twice! She had tried Vietnamese massages in Hoi An, which weren't to her satisfaction. Hence, I am glad to know she was happy, given her lifelong obsession with massages.

Pod we were seated and time to leave! 

Upon payment, we were given a pack of candied coconut ribbons for free! Here for relaxation yet I feel like I would gain a kilo or two after my massage. 

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Address

63 Hà Bổng, An Hải, Sơn Trà, 

Đà Nẵng 550000, Vietnam

Map

As above.

Spa Menu

As above.

Pricing

Do note there's a service charge of 70,000 dong  per person added to our bill. 

Rosa Sky Coffee @ Sun World Ba Na Hills in Danang [Vietnam]

One of the places at Bana Hills that I regretted not visiting much earlier was Rosa Sky Coffee. It was only on my last day that I decided to patronize the cafe located on the top floor of the above building.

Upon stepping out of the lift, it was a sight of pomp and show! I didn't even know what to describe of this style; a mix of English cottage feel yet resplendent with the chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

And were those taxidermied sika deer?!

I didn't investigate the deer further but this peacock appeared to be fake with the plasticky looking feet, and feathers that just didn't look natural.

Anyway, it was almost noon time, and the place was almost deserted, without the massive crowd that usually surrounded the golden globe at the french village of Bana Hills. 

The plump sofa chairs seemed so comfortable right?

Wait till I show you another key feature of Rosa Sky Coffee.

The large windows on the side with the amazing hilly view towards Danang City! The best description I could come out with was as if we were in a palace on clouds, overlooking at the human world beneath us. 

Honestly, if time was on my side that day, I could literally spend hours at this corner, looking at the slow moving clouds changing forms and shapes, and the constant movement of the cable cars bringing visitors from the foot to the top of the hills, and vice versa.

Linh Ung Pagoda with its 27-meter tall Big Buddha! 

So relaxing the view was; my mom dozed off. 

Pastries for ordering. Being typical Singaporeans, we will feel paiseh if we don't buy anything right? So, let's proceed to order some drinks and food. Why no cinnamon rolls?! 

Frankly, nothing spectacular, and pretty pricey.

However, the view and atmosphere were worth it. 

Did you spot something from the above two photographs? One particular customer was so comfortable; he was literally lying on the sofa, with his feet on it! And according to reviews online, it's a regular sight, and not appreciated by many! 

Clean toilet! 

Apparently, there was a live band but it was only setting up as we were leaving! And we didn't have any more time as it's about time for us to check out from the only hotel at Bana Hills; Mercure Danang French Village.

Finally, time-lapsed video.

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Address

5th Floor, Rose Garden,

Ba Na Hills, Danang,

Vietnam

Map

As above.

Menu

As above.