Get a Tropical Summer Holiday Wherever You Are

Summer is finally here! What’s your plan over the summer? I personally like to spend my summer holiday in the tropical way (maybe it’s because I grew up in a tropical country :p). This time I will share with you some tips of how to get a tropical summer holiday wherever you are!

Make Tropical Drinks

Not only refreshing, making and sipping your own tropical drinks is also fun! Below are some tropical drinks recipes you might want to try:

Blue Hawaiian

Ingredients:

• 100 ml soda water
• 20 ml Blue Curaçao syrup
• 90 ml pineapple juice
• 10 ml condensed milk
• 1 tbsp coconut cream
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Stir altogether soda water, Blue Curaçao syrup, pineapple juice and condensed milk.
2. Shake the mix with coconut cream and ice in a shaker (or a tumbler if you don’t have a shaker).
3. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Note: You can add more condensed milk if you prefer it sweeter.

Afternoon Delight

Ingredients:

• 100 ml orange juice
• 80 ml Sprite
• 50 ml nata de coco drink (with jellies)
• Lychee in syrup (canned lychee)
• Mint leaf
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Stir altogether orange juice, Sprite, nata de coco drink, 20 ml of syrup from canned lychee.
2. Prepare a glass filled with ice cubes and 2-3 lychee fruits.
3. Pour the mix from step 1 into the glass.
4. Add mint leaf into the drink and enjoy!

Iced Fruit Tea

Ingredients:

• 1 tea bag your favourite black tea
• Chopped mangoes
• Sliced oranges
• Chopped strawberries
• Boba pearls (optional)
• Sugar
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Make your favourite black tea. Add sugar to your liking.
2. Pour the tea into a glass filled with ice and boba pearls.
3. Put all the fruits into the glass.
4. Enjoy! You can also add other fruits you favour into the drink.

Are you interested in making them? Remember, you can modify the recipes to suit your preference better.

Have a Tropical Home Spa

It’s time to relax! If you haven’t done it before, why don’t you try to have a tropical-like spa at home? You might already have certain beauty products in your skincare routine, but don’t worry, you can just use them. After all, it’s always best to use products that suit your skin well. However, with a little extra touch, you can change your normal skin-care regime into a tropical spa experience.

I would recommend that you light up a scented candle or use some aromatherapy oil to bring out a delicious smell that sparks a feeling of calm. It is important to choose the right scents if you want to get a tropical vibe in your room. Frangipani, coconut and orchid are some of the go-to scents.

Then pamper your skin with a face mask (only use products that suit your skin well) and turn on an instrumental tropical music. Music that is accompanied by natural sounds of birds or ocean can make your spa session more enjoyable! Below is the YouTube link to my favourite traditional Balinese music:

Bali Rindik Bamboo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BslUKHjHZjk

Wear a Tropical OOTD and Beach Curls

A study from Northwestern University examined a concept called “enclothed cognition”. The study reveals that the clothes you wear can influence how you feel. So, without further ado, put on some tropical-inspired outfits! Tropical fashion generally has cheerful colours and patterns. They can help brighten up your mood as well. On top of that, I recommend you to get some beach curls. Because why not? It is fun to do! Below are the links to heatless beach curls tutorials you might want to check out:

For long hair - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szuHmlzJSM0

For short hair - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGX5Ya_6loo

Bring the Outside In

If you notice, the architectural and the interior designs in the tropical tourism destinations tend to adopt the concept of bringing the inside out and the outside in. While you might not have an outdoor shower, you can try to “move” the outdoor sceneries indoors. One of the ways to do it is by having some tropical indoor plants. Here’s the link to a list of indoor tropical plants to grow in your living room:    

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/best-indoor-trees-and-big-plants

Here's a comprehensive guide on tropical plants:

https://happydiyhome.com/tropical-plants/

If you are not into gardening, having some tropical artificial plants, paintings and fresh fruits can also set up the vibe. Not only are they festive, the fruits can also give various important nutrients to your body. You can eat them on their own or transform them into delicious juice or dishes.

One simple thing you can also do is to change the wallpaper and the lock screen of your devices with tropical backgrounds. Easy and effective!

Watch Some Tropical Films

Who does not like to watch films? It is without doubt that good films have the power to change the way we feel. Here are five films to watch with tropical settings that will almost certainly bring tropical paradise to you:

• Madagascar (2005)
• My Father the Hero (1994)
• Blue Crush (2002)
• Eat Pray Love (2010)
• Love Wrecked (2005)

Hopefully some of the tips above can inspire you. Have a great summer holiday everyone! “Cause a little bit of summer's what the whole year's all about” – John Mayer