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Tourism Malaysia

Travel apps the way to go

TripAdvisor, now the world’s second most downloaded travel
app after Google Earth, plans to push more
free mobile resources
to travellers.

Already, 31 million people have downloaded its suite of TripAdvisor, City Guides and SeatGuru apps on their smartphone or other mobile devices, to help them plot journeys on a little screen.

TripAdvisor founder and chief executive Stephen Kaufer says: “We think mobile has the opportunity to revolutionise the way folks interact with information at the destination.�

Its City Guides, for instance, may be used offline at the destination without incurring roaming fees. Each guide presents itineraries curated by experts, maps, reviews of attractions, a “Point Me There� feature that guides travellers to places using the GPS in the phone, and a journal that can be shared with Facebook friends.

“From our perspective, that’s just the beginning. I would love to ask my phone a ton more questions about what I should do, buy tickets on the phone, make reservations for dinner or use it to meet friends who are also in the same city or who live there,� he says.

TripAdvisor is not wholly there yet, but is banking on mobile and social-media technologies to open up horizons.

After all, travellers, enamoured with mobile devices, have voted with their fingertips. Last year, mobile and tablet each accounted for 10-15% of total sessions on TripAdvisor. The number of unique visitors using mobile devices has doubled from 2011.

“There is plenty of opportunity for some really innovative growth in that category,� Kaufer predicts.

TripAdvisor founder Stephen Kaufer himself explores the world using the travel website he built. He is a prolific reviewer, too. He recently spent a week in Istanbul and Cappadocia, and distils tips from that Turkey trip and other adventures. He travels about once a month.

Here’s his modus operandi:

Hotel: Check its ranking, then hit a filter button, such as family or business to narrow down the choice. For decent-sized cities, any hotel on the first page of results will appeal. Decide on the price range.

Attractions: Skim reviews. Seek something new.

Queries: Use the travel forum. A response from someone with local knowledge usually pops up within 24 hours.

He debunks the idea that TripAdvisor quashes spontaneous travel, saying it pointed him to a new experience: hot-air ballooning.

“Cappadocia has underground cities 10 storeys deep. I thought that was fascinating.�

Ballooning was not on his to-do list there, but the reviews were all spectacular, so he tried it for the first time.

“It was very early in the morning and incredibly beautiful. If not for TripAdvisor, I wouldn’t have known about it. I thought I was there to explore history.�

Kaufer publishes reviews often under a pseudonym. “TripAdvisor offers badges for how often you review. I am one of the top reviewers,� he says.

It is fine for a property owner to ask a guest to post reviews on TripAdvisor, he thinks. “But if you give a discount or a free bottle of wine, that’s clearly violating our rules. It’s fine to ask but not to reward.�

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Riverside rustic Italian

Truth or myth: Don’t flip the Simply Roasted 7-star Seabass over when one side has been eaten; just remove the bone.Truth or myth: Don’t flip the Simply Roasted 7-star Seabass over when one side has been eaten; just remove the bone.

Satisfying, New York-style dining – in Shanghai.

NO wonder the expats here look so self-satisfied.� The Lord Restrain leaned back in his low chair in the “farm chic� loft at Mercato, located on Shanghai’s Bund.

“I would be, too, if I could come here to eat every day,� he declared, while scanning the large, open dining space. Here, reclaimed wood and warm leather tones complement exposed steel, iron and glass, and wonderful cuisine.

On a chilly Saturday evening in January, it was certainly an inviting venue and was filling up fast by 7pm.

Hardly surprising, then, that without reservations we couldn’t get a Mercato table at celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s recently opened restaurant. The famed three-Michelin-star chef already had a presence in the building with his fine dining namesake restaurant, Jean-Georges. So we took the window table offered near the bar, and with a not-too-restricted view of the world-famous waterway.

“The most excellent starters in decades,â€? proclaimed the Lord, not leaving a single crumb on his plate. I had to agree. The Housemade Ricotta with Cranberry Compote, Olive Oil and Grilled Bread (78 renminbi/RM38.20) was not what we expected; it looked simple and, well … rustic. But the light and creamy ring of delicately flavoured ricotta topped with the delectable cranberry cooked slowly with sugar brought a luscious combination of tastes and textures with each consecutive mouthful.

The Wood-oven Roasted Asparagus Fontina and Prosciutto (88 renminbi/RM43) that followed the cranberry carnival was no less impressive. The lightly grilled greens wrapped in soft slices of prosciutto were crunchy, yet moist. Slathered in olive oil, all it needed for a sharp tang was the juice of a lemon, and a wedge was already waiting.

The Lord is a big fan of Italian food and so, with a wood-fire oven adding warmth to an already agreeable dining room, we could not help but pick the Spicy Pork Sausage, Kale and Pecorino Pizza (118 renminbi/RM57.70). And our rustic pizza did not disappoint.

This house speciality was generously topped with sausage slices and kale, while the thin-crust pizza was surprisingly chewy and charmingly charred in spots. The blend of parmesan, mozzarella and pecorina cheeses artfully married their flavours, resulting in a comfortingly creative taste.

Aided by glasses of Italian white, generous and chilled just right, the evening was just beginning. The moneyed mélange of Shanghai, both local and expatriate, were in evidence as they came for an evening of bonhomie with partners, friends and families. Noted the Lord Restrain, “Elitist, ostentatious fine-dining restaurants should be replaced by places like this.â€? “Like what?â€? I asked. He pondered and proclaimed: “Casual … chic … really good food.â€?

By this time, the Simply Roasted 7-star Seabass (38 renminbi/RM18.60 per 100g) had arrived. Before I could even set my wine glass down, the top half of the roasted fish was gone.

“Should I turn over the fish?� I asked, with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“No!â€? He confided in me: “I was told by many Chinese friends over dinner that I should take the bone out, and not turn the fish over, especially if we are near a port. So that the fishermen’s boats will not turn over.â€? He paused and looked at me: “A myth, maybe?â€? Err …

The Spicy Pork Sausage, Kale and Pecorino Pizza is the house speciality atMercato.The Spicy Pork Sausage, Kale and Pecorino Pizza is the house speciality at
Mercato.

Roasted with sage, rosemary, tomato and lemon, the bass stewing in its hot sauce was uncomplicated and light. The clear sauce, with tangy hints of lemon, offered a bracing piquancy to complement the fresh fish.

Chef Vongerichten’s signature flair for balancing flavours and textures was at work here. The flesh, very lightly battered in a crispy shell, slipped easily off the bone and soon the fish had slipped easily off the plate, too. “The tomatoes are a little burnt …â€? the Lord announced as he popped another wedge into his mouth,â€?… but very juicy.â€?

Since the menu consists of Coastal Italian Cuisine, we decided to end our meal with a trusty Tiramisu (58 renminbi/RM28.40). This proved a wise choice, as the serving was more than enough for two, even two with such a pronounced sweet tooth. After such a great introduction to taste and texture, unfortunately, the tiramisu didn’t live up to our expectations. Not only was it stark and understated, the base was slightly dry and it was difficult to finish.

Nevertheless, the disappointing dessert did not detract us from our thoroughly enjoyable evening. Great restaurant ambience, stunning views of night-time soaring skyscrapers overlooking and reflected in the shimmering river. Moreover, I was rather pleased as I had only taken one bite of the dessert and left the rest to the Lord, who was eating it with much restraint.

“This is very relaxing,� said the Lord, slumping back in his chair, his mustard sweater contrasting pleasantly with the chair’s lime green upholstery. “You won’t feel that way when the bill arrives,� I replied. With two glasses of wine, fish weighed by the gram and two excellent coffees, the evening set us back almost RM500.

But Lord Restrain now looked pretty self-satisfied to me. As if to confirm, he leaned back in his low chair in Mercato’s loft, and muttered: “Ve-e-ery satisfying.�

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Hotels for health-minded travellers

Feeling healthy? There are hotels now that offer healthy holiday packages with perks like a loaned pairof sneakers or even a running buddy called a ‘running concierge’.Feeling healthy? There are hotels now that offer healthy holiday packages with perks like a loaned pair
of sneakers or even a running buddy called a ‘running concierge’.

Wellness is one of the hottest hotel trends this year.

HEALTH-minded travellers have never been so spoiled for choice – there are now hotels offering fitness concierges and appointed running buddies.

Here are a few good places to stay while on a vacation.

InterContinental has launched a new hotel brand called Even, the first mainstream hotel brand to focus exclusively on wellness.

Exercise options include in-room touches, such as a coat-rack that doubles as a pull-up bar, well-equipped gyms, personalised fitness advice for all guests and a Wellness Wall with exercise ideas, walking distances and equipment rental information on display.

The first Even hotel is slated to open in New York by the end of 2014, while the company envisions opening another 100 US locations over the next five years, InterContinental announced late last year.

Four Seasons in Canada uses wellness concierges, who plan your daily wellness itinerary, including spa appointments, healthy meals and workouts.

In addition, Four Seasons Resort Whistler offers a Path To Wellness package, a three-night stay offering meditation, aromatherapy and a yoga mat, as well as a fitness plan and outdoor guide to direct guests on mountain adventures.

At the New York boutique hotel, guests can borrow the new “Forgot It? We’ve Got It – Runner’s Edition� kit which includes a music-filled iPod shuffle, a sports watch with a built-in pedometer, a running belt, water bottles and a map of the Hudson River
running path.

Return from your run and you’ll find
a Gatorade and a Power Bar waiting in
your room.

Perks being offered at Sheraton Hotels and Resorts include a “workout in a bag�, which includes instructional cards, foam rollers and a mat.

Westin Hotels and Resorts will loan guests a pair of New Balance sneakers and workout clothes just in case they’ve left theirs at home. If you need a running buddy, a “running concierge� can lead the way.

Launched as a health club business in 2000, Europe’s Aspria recently added four urban wellness hotels – Berlin, Brussels, Hanover, Hamburg – that offer a sports club, spa, and healthy meals at its “vital lounges�.

Las Vegas’s MGM Grand recently converted numerous rooms into “Stay Well� rooms, chock full of 16 health amenities. Expect personalised spa menus, wake-up light therapy, air purification and aromatherapy, vitamin C-infused showers and wellness videos from Deepak Chopra.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts now offer a new “Fairmont Fit� programme, rolling out in 80 of their hotels around the world this year.

The package includes fitness gear, mp3 players and cruiser bikes to borrow, with some hotels offering group fitness and “run clubs�.

London’s Eccleston Square Hotel offers Hastens’ “Mind Spa� relaxation programming, which broadcasts sleep-inducing natural images and sounds in your room to promote better sleep.

Hotel Rio Sagrado near Cuzco, Peru, also offers a package called “A Good Night’s Sleep�, where yoga instructors meet guests in their room for sleep-inducing yoga sessions and herbal massage sessions. – AFP

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Selangor’s rustic delights

Tour guide Rashid Hisham putting the finishing touches on a scarecrow in a padi field in TanjongKarang, Selangor.Tour guide Rashid Hisham putting the finishing touches on a scarecrow in a padi field in Tanjong
Karang, Selangor.

A homestay programme offers community living, sustainable agro-tourism and a whole lot of merriment.

STANDING in knee-high grass under the blazing afternoon sun, Rashid Hisham takes a step back to survey his handiwork on the figure.

“This doesn’t look quite right. She needs something to make her look more ayu (demure),� he says, whipping out a white headscarf from a bag of clothes and throwing it over the scarecrow’s coconut head.

“Ah, I need a woman to tie this on her. I’m not very good at it,� the 53-year-old confesses with a grin.

If there is one thing to learn from this man, it is that scarecrows are meant to keep the birds away, but they should not scare people.

We are in a padi field in an idyllic village tucked away in Tanjong Karang, Selangor, where the United Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA) congress        delegates have gathered to try their hands at harvesting rice with traditional hand-held harvesting tools.

Rashid, a tour guide with Agrotourism Sungai Sireh, says he feels absolutely at home in the rice fields. Padi planting and harvesting is his specialty, and he often brings visitors to the area.

As it is padi-harvesting season, the delegates are shown a method of hand-threshing after their padi field expedition, which involved beating sheaves of rice stalks against a hard surface to separate the grains from the stalks.

On this post-congress familiarisation excursion hosted by Tourism Selangor, they are given a crash course on the community’s culture and rural lifestyle – a sneak peak into what visitors to the Agrotourism Homestay Sungai Sireh can expect to experience during their stay.

Despite it being their first time, a few of the delegates prove rather adept at ketupat-weaving as well.

The United Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA) congress delegateswere taught how to weave ketupat at the Agrotourism Homestay Sungai Sireh.— ROUWEN LIN/The StarThe United Federation of Travel Agents’ Association (UFTAA) congress delegates
were taught how to weave ketupat at the Agrotourism Homestay Sungai Sireh.
— ROUWEN LIN/The Star

The humble rice plant, common as it is here, is a novelty to many of them and they are quite delighted to reap the fruits of their labour. Placing a few stalks of rice carefully into her bag, Nevin Ozkan from Northern Cyprus says she intends to bring them home to her grandchildren.

“I would like to show them these rice stalks as it is nothing they have seen before. Back in Cyprus, we don’t have padi fields like you do here,� she says.

Ahmed Nor Osman from Somalia describes the rice harvesting experience as “very nice, very interesting.�

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he says, “But I didn’t expect it to be so hot here; it is just like in Somalia.�

All for one

Launched in April 1995, the homestay programme is a community-based agrotourism project. The main operation site is located in Sungai Sireh, but there are several other neighbouring villages involved.

Sixty homes have taken on the role of host family to visitors, and the number is growing by the day. Full board is offered (there are different packages available) and visitors can join in the daily activities of the community for the duration of their stay.

Global Environment Centre (GEC) senior biodiversity officer, Nagarajan Rengasamy, explains that GEC is collaborating with the homestay folks to help develop eco-tourism and agro-tourism products and programmes.

“We also advise on how to make use of resources in a sustainable way,� he says.

Depending on the time of year, visitors can participate in different community activities, including fishing, kayaking or fruit picking.

“We sometimes bring the visitors to the padi fields to catch eels with their bare hands. These eels burrow in the soft mud, make a hole in it, and then live in it. Some tourists are a bit apprehensive about using their hands, so we give them a fishing rod,� relates Nagarajan.

And catching the eel is only half the fun; the cooking and eating after that makes up the other half!

“The villagers will show them how to make soup with eel. They believe it is a nutritious tonic, very beneficial for one’s health,� he says.

Most evenings end with merry-making, complete with dance and song accompanied by traditional musical instruments.

Past and present

According to Nagarajan, some 8.000 visitors participated in the homestay programme last year. Of these, around 2,000 are foreigners, mostly from South Korea, Japan and European countries.

“The irrigation system in the padi fields are from the days of the Japanese occupation in the 1940s,� he shares. “So the Japanese in particular have a special interest in coming to visit the villages as we are still using the same technology that they introduced here.�

For visitors who have the means to return frequently, the homestay programme offers a little incentive out in the fields: an opportunity to monitor your crops.

A small site in the padi fields has been set aside solely for visitors to work on.

“They plant the padi and then can return as often as they like to check on the progress of the plants,� says Nagarajan.

“Four to five months later, it is ready to be harvested. Some people actually come back to harvest the rice they planted!�

One of the largest remaining contiguous areas of peatland in the Peninsula is accessible from these villages. Most of the peat swamp forests in the country have been logged or degraded, and this peat swamp forest, covering an area of 70,000ha, has been identified as a conservation site.

Nagarajan describes the North Selangor peat swamp forest as “really big – it is the size of Singapore!�

And lest you think that community living in the village is routine and perhaps dull, Nagarajan discloses that surprises are aplenty: just last September, around 500 Asian Openbill Storks descended upon the padi fields, where they remain until today.

These migratory birds, usually found in Sri Lanka, India and Thailand, are not commonly seen here.

Related Stories:
Bright beacon
A light in the dark

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

A light in the dark

On a good night, thousands of fireflies come out to play (or rather, mate) at theFirefly Park in Kuala Selangor.On a good night, thousands of fireflies come out to play (or rather, mate) at the
Firefly Park in Kuala Selangor.

WE had just clambered into a little boat from the jetty of the Firefly Park in Kuala Selangor (also known as Kelip-Kelip Kampung Kuantan), and the boatman was taking us out on the river to observe the fireflies.

There we were, sitting in the dark and being lulled by the hypnotic sounds of lapping water all around, when hundreds of glowing dots of light appeared out of the darkness. It seemed as though the entire firefly colony at the park had come out to play.

They were perched on or hovering around the mangrove trees along either side of the muddy river bank. In this area, the Pteroptyx tener species is king. It is among those that practise synchronised flashing.

The boatman skilfully manoeuvred his boat, weaving in and out among the tree branches that hung over the water, to give us a better view of these dancing lights. The fireflies drifted lazily over tree branches and leaves, glowing a warm yellow against the night sky.

Yes, the experience on the Selangor river that night was surreal. It felt like Christmas came early this year.