6 Meaningful Ways to Say “Thank You” to Your Mum This Mother’s Day

With Mother’s Day approaching you are probably running around trying to find a last minute gift to extol her who raise you, support you, and who cheered on you during your graduation day. Mums make us feel proud of ourselves, and feel being loved, thus it’s nice to take a moment to think about why you are thankful for your mum.

For the superwoman in your life, take a step forward showing your love in the most meaningful ways. Here are 6 special ways to thank her this Mother’s Day.

A gift of time

Who doesn’t love a little luxury? Remember how she sacrificed her time for you. So on this day, give mum a day off at the spa, massage or even a coffee break with her old friends. Giving her a little private time all to herself at her own pace where she does not need to orchestrate the housework is a huge treat for your mum who works - all year long.

A little treat out of home on Mother's Day
is a refreshing heaven for moms

Keep her worries free

While your mum is enjoying her free time, you certainly don’t want her to worry about the undone chores at home. Take up her responsibilities and clean her house, do the laundry or run her errands. You can imagine how happy is she to get home and finds everything in order, isn’t that lovely?

Keep the house clean and usual for mom on Mother's Day

Cater to her taste

You don’t have to be a great chef as your mum, but for Mother’s Day, let her sleep in, make her a breakfast in bed, cook her favourite dishes, and remember, keep the kitchen spotless! Or if cooking is not in your repertoire, treat your mum to a fabulous meal of her choices.

Surprise mom with a special breakfast that she can enjoy in bed

Catch her dream

Does your mum dream of visiting any place? Has she always wanted to achieve something she put behind to raise you and help you achieve yours? You can give back by making it a reality. Show your support and do together with her what is important to her right now.

Or perhaps a second surprise honeymoon
for her and your dad along?

Give her a video call

If you can’t be home with her this year, you can still show that you care. Start the day with a live video call and greet her. Sending her a picture is okay but hearing and seeing you at the same are more intimate.  A picture is worth its value but a live picture when you are so far away, is priceless.

Say Happy Mother's Day from any spot of the world

Photo credit: apg-wi, conversationsforabetterworld, geekwire, handpickedhotels, 

huffingtonpost, oprah, romancetravelexpert, time, matthewshousecary

Buy her a lasting gift

A thoughtful gift is another way to surprise your mum on Mother’s Day. Besides being practical and match her liking, a gift that contains blessings and wishes for your mum who always treats you as a golden treasure will reflect your appreciation towards her.

This Mother’s Day, pamper the most special woman in your life. Give her a gift that shows your personal expression of love from Wah Chan’s Infinite Blessings Jade Collection.

Made of bright serene jade, the round-shaped pendants have 5 designs from white, yellow or rose gold embellished in diamonds to resemble a mother's love and endurance in raising her child, akin to the toughness or jade and diamond. Perfect Blessings, which signifies good health and longevity for mum, carries a ruyi to enhance her grace and beauty. To show appreciation to mum who ensures the best for her child, Wonderful Life with "7 Perfections" diamonds set to promise her a perfect and wonderful life ahead. In Heart to Heart, "6 Happiness" clustered diamonds match intimately with two hearts that represent the close relationship between a mum and her child.

Heart to Heart

Perfect Blessings

Wonderful Life

Wah Chan also redefined the tradition of sending flowers by creating never-withered rose in Elegant Grace and carnation in Petals of Love, allowing flowers to send their own unique messages. Rose is a tribute to the motherhood and strong family bond between mum and her child. And carnation, also known as the flower of mothers, conveys the direct message of "Mum, I love you" to show endless gratitudes towards mum.

Elegant Grace

Petals of Love

For the woman who have given you the best, repay her with the best gift too. And to all the mums out there, Happy Mother’s Day!

4 Must-Know Facts That Make You Sound Like a Local In Maldives

Thought that Maldives is all about sun, islands and sparkling blue water? That’s true, partially. Deemed the best year-round diving destination in the Indian Ocean, this tropical island is unrivaled for its amazing underwater world and scenery. But there's more to it that makes over a million people visit this remote, tiny yet incredibly beautiful paradise each year.

We have gathered 4 amusing facts which you might not be aware yet – but you'll love to hear it.

Maldives underwater – is always exciting

Do you agree if we say you’ve only really been to Maldives if you have look underwater? Maldives have good coral reefs, but it’s the abundance of marine life beneath the sea that is really stunning. Enjoy swimming along whale sharks, sea turtles, and trigger-fish; watch parrot fish nibbling on the coral; or explore the caves for more exciting diversity of underwater landscape. 

Swimming right next to a whale is ultimate
in the bucket list for true divers

Maldives sand – is actually parrot fish’s poops

That’s less attractive to know, but the fine coral sand is largely contributed by the parrot fish. Unable to digest the algae on coral in the water, parrot fish poop out and yes, here’s your long dreamed white, sugary beaches.  

All-white sands in Maldives are actually fish poops,
can you believe it?

Maldives houses - used to be made from coral

Maldivian homes were traditionally built from corals, held together by lime produced from coral burnings. Now globally protected, coral reefs for house construction are no longer allowed, and replaced with cements instead. Many coral houses still can be seen in Male and local islands. 

Many old coral houses can still be seen in Male

Maldives water - is really that blue

The distinctive turquoise water colour in Maldives is real – and remains even after the sky is dark. Perfectly mixed by clear vibrant water and its particles on the white sand bed, Maldives water reflects a unique blue on its own that you can't find elsewhere. 

The distinctive water colour uniquely found in Maldives

Source: apollojets, audleytravel, dailymail, govisitmaldives, 

koimalamaldives, makemytrip, obcadventuresmaldives, peaceandaloha

With so much to discover, Maldives might be the perfect vacation within a vacation that you need to unwind. Besides photos, perhaps you might want something that will closely capture all your go-nature moments in the island, like a palm tree or a cute Nemo fish...

"Sunny Palm Tree" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Fly Away" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Finding Nemo" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

... or a pearl ring that is as white as the Maldives sand.

18k White Gold Pearl Diamond Ring

Isn't it time to get the sand between your toes?

10 French Phrases You Should Really Learn Before You Visit Paris

You’ve been waiting sooo long for it, and now you are finally on your way to France. Do you want to get a warm welcome throughout your visit in Paris? You might be worry now because you can’t speak French and you doubt they can understand English very well. Perhaps you can make a little effort to learn few basic French phrases that are very useful when you need help.

By knowing these 10 French phrases you won’t be seen as a tourist, but perhaps a new friend that the locals would love to talk to, sounds interesting?

Bonjour or Bonsoir Monsieur / Mademoiselle (Boh(n)-zhoor or Boh(n) swarh muh-syuhr/ mah-dah-mwa-sell: Hello, Mr / Miss

This is a big opener before you plan to ask anyone in France. Just as you like people to greet you, start with a friendly “hello” or “good day”. If it is already late, use “bonsoir” instead to say “good evening” or even “goodbye”.

Say bonjour to anyone you meet in Paris
is a lovely way to make friends 

Excusez-moi (Ex-kyou-say mwa): Excuse me

Alternatively, this phrase is also very helpful to begin your question when you are trying to find or buy something.

Où est…? (Oo ay): Where is…?

You can find most of the tourist spots in Paris on a map, but perhaps not for toilets, cafes and restaurants. You can use this phrase to ask “where is…?” 

When you are lost, do not hesitate to use
ou est to ask for directions

S'il vous plaît  (Seal voo play): Please

For example, if you wish the person to speak slower, say “Parle lentment, s'il vous plait”. Always remember to show appreciation after someone has done you a favour.

You can use si'l vous plait during menu ordering too

Pouvez-vous m'aider? (Poo-vay voo meh - day?): Can you help me?

This is another helpful phrase when you are loss at words and need a favour. It can be used together with s'il vous plait, for example “Pouvez-vous m’aider, s’il vous plaît?”

Again, there are many ways to ask for favours in French

Je ne comprends pas (Zhuh nuh comp-rond pah): I don’t understand

And if you don’t understand, tell the person so that he or she can reformulate the sentence or use other words. 

Parlez-vous anglais? (Par - lay vooz ah(n)-glay?): Do you speak English?

Though you are able to ask questions in French, you’ll still hope to be answered in English, which the local people might be reluctant to. Most of them speak basic English, and asking them politely helps you to communicate better with them.

Merci (Mare-see): Thank you

This is the second most important word in French, formally or informally. Whenever you have received a favour or a help, always end the interaction pleasantly with a thank you. 

Say thank you to them who take photos with or for you
too as a gesture of friendship

Oui / Non (Wee / No): Yes / No

When you have limited vocabulary, saying "yes" and "no" in French is very useful. The person will realize and perhaps change interaction by asking you questions instead.

Au revoir (Ah reh-vwarh): Goodbye

“Au revoir” is the preferred way to say “goodbye” because “adieu” (ah-dyooh) though more informal, can be mistaken as “never going to see you again”.

At the end of a conversation, say au revoir to
indicate that you hope to see the person again

Source: ask, etsy, howtosurviveinparis, natgeotraveller, speaking-agency, 

theguardian, stilettobeats, huffingtonpost

And One More Thing...

If knowing a few phrases can make a huge difference in your meeting with people in Paris, what's more with a piece of two of symbolical jewellery of the city itself. It helps to immerse yourself in the local culture and show your eagerness to discover the city, and locals might be much happier to help you.

We can think of nothing better than these Paris-themed gold charms:

"Fashion Bag" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Eiffel Tower" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Arc de Triomphe" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

Follow us on Wah Chan Official Facebook for more travel tips and adornments. 

7 Things You Can't Forget to Pack to London

We do know, London is a history rich city, and its weather also can change quickly. No matter how often you travel, you’ve probably asked “what should I pack for London at this time of year”!

London is a huge metropolitan city where you can buy anything you forget easily. However to save your money and time, here are our 7 useful tips for what you should really pack for a London getaway. Travel to London just got a bit easier with this packing guide! Read on to find out how to plan for your travel wardrobe.

A small folding umbrella

London weather is unpredictable so be prepared with a handy umbrella for spontaneous showers during your visit.

A compatible umbrella to be put along inside your daypack

A few layers of clothes

Again for the weather, pack several layers such as sleeved shirts, jumpers and a coat to keep you warm. You can put them on or take them off as the weather changes.

A pair or two of jeans

Jeans are a universal street fashion and perfectly acceptable to wear anywhere, except certain upmarket places with smart dress code.

A pair of sturdy walking shoes

Wear a pair of comfortable walking shoes, for all-day use and pack another evening shoes if you plan to visit some theaters and enjoy London nightlife.

One of the street fashions
usually seen in London

A day pack

A small day pack is used to carry your daily things that won’t fit in your pockets such as a camera, a water bottle, a map etc. Alternatively, if you bring along a laptop, use its briefcase as your carry-on.

Carrying a day pack keeps your hands free while travelling

A smartphone or tablet

These gadgets allow you to access free wifi in London easily and you can navigate around the city even without a map. Also, with so many fabulous places in London, your phone can help you capture the fun in just one click.

A smartphone can be a handy camera and a gps along

Source: dailymail, flickr, livinglocal.triip.me, standard, 
theconstantwanderings, travel.nationalgeographic

A few costume accessories

For ladies, a few chosen pieces of jewellery will transform any outfit in any occasions whether it is for sightseeing or fine dining. With the travel mood so strong this month, why don't customize one or two charms that will capture all of your travel moments in London such as these:

"Say Cheeze" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Double Decker" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Big Ben" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

Like us on Wah Chan Official Facebook for more travel-related tips and jewellery.

5 Amazing Travel Destinations to Unwind This Year

Dreaming at your work desk about last month's fun and frolic of holidays? In need of some sun? Perhaps it is about the time you start to plan for another holiday trip this year, if you don’t yet. Though weekend getaways are mostly welcomed, there’s nothing quite like a true getaway to unwind and stress-relieving, especially if your workweek is long and arduous. Want a shopping spree, a beach, some relaxing hiking trails, world-class dining, and a few remarkable sights to see?

It’s not been easy, but we have shortlisted 5 amazing travel destinations for you to discover this year:

For history enthusiasts: London

From the modern London Eye to the historic Tower of London, the city is all for those history and art lovers to discover the very best things to do. Even better, most of the landmarks are free to visit. There are plenty of culturally rich places to visit; meet a celebrity at Madame Tussauds; wander around the top London museums; visit the Queen at Buckingham Palace; or take a perfect picture with Big Ben.

Of course, London also earns the reputation of having the best theatre plays in the world, so take your pick and you might see a few famous faces on the stage. 

Big Ben and double decker bus are some of the
distinguished symbols of London

For romantic travellers: Paris

Labelled worldwide as the City of Lights and Love, Paris is definitely one of the best cities in Europe for romantic travellers. True to its names, the culturally vibrant city is clean, easy to navigate, and full of beauty at every corner. Make your way up Arc de Triomphe to enjoy sweeping spectacular views of the gorgeous city; soak in some gothic architecture history at Notre Dame Cathedral; and walk into any of its 70 Michelin-starred fine dining for a memorable night with your loved one.

Of course, there are the must-see iconic Eiffel Tower and the world renowned wines, as well as quiet chic cafes for unwinding.

Iconic Eiffel Tower's illuminations at night

For free-spirited hearts: Maldives

That’s true when someone said life is better under the sea. Rich in a warm and exotic culture, Maldives is renowned for its coral reefs under the crystalline blue waters. Amazingly remote and incredibly pure, this island paradise offers peaceful sanctuary from the hectic urban life. So, if you are looking for adrenaline rush, take part in water sports like surfing and water-skiing. If you don’t, go scuba diving or snorkeling and explore the stunning coral reefs.

Getting to the Maldives nowadays is no longer hard, thanks to flights and public transports. There are plenty of luxury and affordable resorts offered in Maldives, but an indulgent spa experience might be the perfect end for your trip.

Coral reefs snorkeling and diving under
sky blue water in Maldives

For adventurers and backpackers: Sydney

Safe and friendly with no language barriers, Sydney is an ideal destination for young travellers and lots of solo backpackers. Tour the city by bike, pass by the Sydney Opera House, and gasp as you climb to the top of Sydney Harbour Bridge, marveling at the awesome panoramic view beneath.  But the best way to explore the city is to hike your way through the coastal trails such as the Bondi to Congee. You’ll enjoy picnics just like the locals, grab a coffee at a beachfront cafe along the way, or simply sit down and absorb the spectacular views.

Alternatively, hop from one bed & breakfast to another, and you are almost assured there’s always someone to share a drink and some travel tips.

Beach city Sydney is full of activities for adventurers

For fun and budget travellers: Bangkok

For many, Bangkok is a never-sleep city that is perfect for affordable, abundant shopping and street food that is available around the clock. True, but Bangkok also has many stunningly beautiful cultural essentials that are as good as in London: arrive stylishly by boat to enjoy the great view of stunning Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew; climb up steep stairway to the grandiose Wat Arun; or look at some of Thai art designs at Jim Thompson’s House.

For livelier things to do, head for the water: Damnoen Saduak is one of the many floating markets for local food and handicrafts. To achieve ultimate relaxation, get a Thai massage that is believed to contain healing properties.

Floating market is one of main tourist attractions in Bangkok

Source: bizlifes.net, makemytrip, monogramrewards, newworldwonders, 

saga, thetravellingowl, travelwithjoshb, worldofwanderlust, youtravel

To ensure a smooth relaxing trip, start planning ahead, and you'll be excited to know there's something ahead to wait for. And ladies, why don't bring along one or two piece of accessories to add a bling to your look during travel? Perhaps our Wah Chan travel charms collection is what you are looking for:

"Big Ben" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Eiffel Tower" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Sunny Palm Tree" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Camera" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

"Handbag" 916 Yellow Gold Charm

Stay tune to our Wah Chan Official Facebook for more travel-related ideas.