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Tourism Malaysia

Fiesta San Pedro

Fiesta San Pedro

Fiesta San Pedro is a week celebration filled with colour, pomp, gaiety and fun for the Portuguese Eurasian community of Malacca to commemorate the feast of St. Peter which is observed on June 28th. The fiesta observes the feast of St. Peter the patron saint of fishermen. Its special position in the community dates back to the days when fishing was the main livelihood of the settlement’s residents and those living at Praya Lane and Kampong Bandar Hilir.

 

Date: 28 June 2015

Venue: Portugese Settlement (Praya Lane, Banda Hilir Kampung Ujong Pasir)

Organizer: Jawatankuasa Kemajuan Dan Keselamatan Kampung Perkampungan Portugis (JKKKPP)

Phone: +606 281 2924

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Tourism Malaysia

Penang Durian Fair

Penang Durian Fair

Durian lovers should not miss the Penang Durian Fair where the King of Fruits is featured as the main item. Savor fresh durians categorized according to grades as well as sumptuous delicacies made from durians. Although it is an acquired taste for the uninitiated, this controversial fruit will win the hearts of those who are brave enough to try!

Date: 1st – 31st July 2015

Venue: Anjung Indah, Balik Pulau Penang Times Square

Organizer: Penang Tourism Development Culture Office

Phone: +604-650 5316 / +604-210 8000

http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/

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Tourism Malaysia

Heritage Celebrations

Heritage Celebrations

http://heritagecelebrations.info/

The city of George Town, Penang, Malaysia is the place to be from 4 to 7 July 2015 as food and culture lovers will be arriving from all over for Heritage Celebrations 2015, the annual event marking the seventh anniversary of the city’s inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

With the theme of ‘EAT RITE: Rituals Foods of George Town’, Heritage Celebrations 2015 puts the focus on the city’s festive heritage with emphasis on the special foods made to celebrate each occasion. More than just a source of nutrients, such foods are rich with significance and symbolism that express the beliefs and hopes shared by the community

 

Date: 4th – 7th July 2015

Venue: Streets of George Town

Organizer: George Town World Heritage Incorporated

Phone: +604-2616606

Fax: +604-2616605

Email: heritagecelebrations@gmail.com

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Tourism Malaysia

Encapsulated in Kuala Lumpur

Encapsulated in Kuala Lumpur

By: Elmira A.

Know anyone coming to our side of town who is looking for affordable, fuss-free accommodation for a short stay? You should tell them about capsule hotels, a hotel trend that is beginning to make waves in Malaysia. The concept is not new – first introduced in Osaka, Japan in 1979, it was developed to provide a basic place to stay for guests and travellers who don’t need the services usually offered by conventional hotels. The target market were initially office workers who couldn’t catch the last train home, or locals on an overnight business trip, who only needed a bed to sleep on comfortably. But, like most things Japanese, its popularity spreads like wildfire, and although the idea behind it stays the same, capsule hotels grew significantly and became the talk of the town. Other countries have now begun to have their own, such as Russia and China and some European airports like the one in Amsterdam.

introcapsule1

 

Each of the guest rooms in a capsule hotel are usually designed with fiberglass block, and though the sizes may differ, it is usually about 2 by 1 by 1.25 meters in dimension. Guests can sit comfortably in the capsule, and can enjoy some basic facilities such as a television and wireless internet, although this depends on the hotels as well. The capsules are stacked side by side, two units high, and guests needs to use the steps provided if they are allocated with a room in one of the top units. Bathrooms are communal, but guests will usually be provided with a towel and a yukata. Because of the open concept, some hotels offers separate sections for male and female guests as to ensure privacy.

 

However, I imagine that staying in a room big enough only to sleep in may not be ideal for some people, such as those with anxiety or claustrophobes. So before making that reservation, please ensure that you or the people you’re travelling with do not have any issues that may tamper your capsule hotel experience. If you are positive that small confined spaces won’t be a problem, then capsule hotels is an experience that you wouldn’t want to miss.

 

The trend is somewhat new in Malaysia, and so far, we are home to two popular capsule hotels:

 

  • Capsule by Container Hotel

Transportation Hub at Gateway@KLIA2, Sepang

capsulebycontainer1

 

Brought by the same people who gave us Container Hotel, Capsule is designed for transit travellers, backpackers and frequent fliers who needs to crash overnight, or recharge before catching their flight. The hotel has a very artistic ambience, and as a testament to this, the corridor has been transformed into a creative space for local artists to display and share their works of art.

capsulebycontainer2   capsulebycontainer3

Capsule aims to make your stay as relaxed as possible, allowing you to fully rejuvenate before leaving its doors. Among the amenities provided are a towel, toiletries, indoor slippers and a shoe cabinet to safely keep your shoes in. They also have a locker for your luggage, and if yours is a big one, all you have is inform the front desk staff and they will be able to assist you. You can wind down and relax at the Capsule Bar, or if love to read, head to the library where you can even participate in their book exchange system. They also have a common area for you to chill, and if you have some pressing work to do, fret not – their WiFi is available for you to use. And one great thing about Capsule? They also have capsules that can fit 2 people comfortably, and so it’s perfect for couples.

 

Contact details

Address: Lot L1-2 3, Gateway, Terminal KLIA2, KL International Airport, Jalan KLIA 2/1, 64000 KLIA, Sepang, Selangor

Web: capsulecontainer.com

Phone: 03-76102020

Email: info@capsulecontainer.com

 

 

  • UFO Capsule Hotel

Off Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur

ufocapsule1

 

UFO caters to travellers who does not want to spend a small fortune on hotels with amenities they don’t necessarily need. It’s located strategically near some of KL’s most popular attractions, such as Berjaya Times Square and Bintang Walk which are located within a walking distance from the hotel. Other attractions are also just a short drive away, including Istana Negara, KLCC, and Dataran Merdeka. Public transportation is easily accessible, too, with the Imbi Monorail Station just a 5-minute walk away from the hotel.

ufocapsule2  ufocapsule3

 

UFO Capsule Hotel insist on providing a comfortable stay to all of their guests, while remaining simple and hassle-free. There are shops within the vicinity if you need to get something urgently, and WiFi is also available if you need to catch up with work, or stay connected to family and friends. Each capsule comes equipped with a mirror, a universal power point and a mini desk. A locker is also provided to store your bags and valuables.

 

Contact details

Address: No. 30, Jalan 1/77A, Kampung Dollah, Off Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur

Web: www.facebook.com/ufocapsulehotel

Phone: 03-21480661

 

Do you know any other capsule hotels in KL or Malaysia that’s worth checking out?

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

A Fruity Combination

A Fruity Combination

By: Fatini Idris

 Malaysian food is awesome. Ask anyone and they would agree that the flavours and colours of our cuisine is almost unparalleled to any other cuisines in the world. There are a lot of unique qualities about our dishes, especially given that we live in a multicultural society. Our usage of spices, although not uncommon when compared to other Asian countries, does have some distinctive difference due to the way we mix them together.

And it’s not just the spices that makes us different. Malay dishes for example, loves using fruits in their savoury gulai, or gravy, which goes perfectly together with plain rice. It may be an odd idea to some, especially if you’re not local. You might wonder, how does that even work? But it does. It so deliciously does.

Pajeri nenas

 

Take pajeri nanas (pineapple curry), for example. The fruit is not just used to complement the spices –  the pineapple is actually the main star of the dish.  Pajeri has a sweet, creamy and slightly sours taste balanced with the slight tinge of sourness from the pineapple, which what makes this dish unique. To make the curry, a blend of ingredients including onions, fresh turmeric, chilies and pan roasted coriander are blended together with thick paste of ripe pineapple. Cook it until it thickened and add coconut milk with little bit of salt to get the creamy taste. The result is simply divine.

Asam Mackerel Fish with Small Carambola
How about the Peranakan delicacy, gulai asam? Usually prepared with fish such as mackerel, belimbing buluh or bilimbi are sometimes added to add a little extra sour kick to the dish. As for the other ingredients, the preparation depends heavily on the use of kaffir lime leaves and other fresh herbs such as galangal ginger, ginger buds or bunga kantan and Vietnamese coriander to work up the aromatics. The cooking process involves soaking the pulp of the tamarind juice and chili until it is soft and then squeezing out the juice for cooking the fish. Once done, you’ll end up with a dish that is sour and spicy, perfectly blended together.

Kurau Salty Fish with Jackfruit Gulai

 

Another dish made extra delicious with the addition of a fruit is gulai nangka ikan masin kurau, or salted kurau fish and jackfruit gravy. Originating from Negeri Sembilan, the dish is usually yellowish-brown in colour due to the sautéed and browned spices which forms its base, and the addition of ground turmeric. The jackfruit adds to the texture and flavour of the gulai, and at the same time cuts off a little bit of the saltiness from the fish. And given that it is a Negeri Sembilan dish, it is usually spicy, but so very yummy.

Patin in Tempoyak Sauce

 

And we cannot talk about fruits in savoury dishes without talking about sambal tempoyak. Tempoyak is fermented durian, so unlike fresh ones that are sweet and creamy, tempoyak is pungent and has a sour taste to it. The fermentation process takes between 3 to 5 days, and once ready, it can be eaten uncooked as an accompaniment to the usual nasi and lauk meal, or used as an ingredient to several kinds of dishes. One of them is gulai tempoyak ikan patin, or patin fish in tempoyak gravy.  This is a popular dish in Pahang, where the combination of tempoyak, chillies, turmeric, and lemongrass, among others, make for a rich, and tasty dish that can be enjoyed during lunch or dinner.