Categories
Tourism Malaysia

20 Awesome and True Malaysian Breakfasts!

Breakfast is not called the most important meal of the day for nothing. With good breakfast, your day can be full of energy to get ready for challenges ahead.
Being a multicultural society comes with some gastronomical benefits – Malaysians are incredibly fortunate to have the luxury of eating a wide variety of food for breakfast each day, from delectable Chinese dim sum to a more spicy Malay food.
What is your favourite Malaysian breakfast food? In no particular order, here are 20 Malaysian breakfasts you must try during your stay here and where you can find them.
It is definitely worth reading!

Nasi Lemak

Nasi lemak is a favourite breakfast among all races in Malaysia. The fragrant rice dish is infused with coconut milk, and served with fried anchovies, sambal (spicy shrimp paste), boiled or fried egg, and sometimes cucumber as well as peanuts. Nasi Lemak has even been listed as one of 10 most healthy international breakfasts by TIME Magazine. The price ranges between RM2 and RM20 for a plate of nasi lemak, mainly depend on where you buy it. Nothing beats getting up early on a weekend than eating Village Park’s famous nasi lemak at Damansara Uptown for a true Malaysian breakfast!

Nasi Kerabu

Nasi Kerabu is a unique Malay rice dish with the rice in blue colour, a type of nasi ulam. It is quite popular as a breakfast dish for Kelantanese. It is eaten with various mixture of Ulam (traditional local salad), crackers, fish or fried chicken, pickles, hard-boiled salted egg. The blue colour comes from flower’s petals used in cooking it. Try out nasi kerabu at Kesom Café, Petaling Jaya for your stay as it is packed with a good amount of flavour, various ingredients for texture and a price you simply can’t resist! But, in Kelantan, one of the best places to sample this dish is Kak Ma Nasi Kerabu in Kota Bahru.

Classic Combination (Kaya toast + Half-boiled egg + Coffee)

This is a classic combination as all walks of life love to eat it. A sweet start to your day with kaya toast, normally filled with coconut jam or peanut butter.
This is usually paired with a cup of coffee or tea, and sometimes complemented by a couple of soft-boiled eggs. The combination of this meal could be found at any kopitiam (cofffee shop). It is also one of the best sellers in some retail outlets such as Old Town White Coffee and Toast Box.
Tips: Popular kopitiam with this classic combination include Yut Kee Kopitiam, one of the oldest kopitiams in KL (Established in 1928) and Transfer Road Roti Bakar in Penang.

Tosai

No Malaysian breakfast list is complete without Thosai! This long, crepe-like meal may look huge when served, but you’ll soon see that it takes up a small room in your stomach. This is typically served with yogurt or curry on the side.
Charred to a mellow crisp on the edges, warm and a tad tart from fermentation, it’s hard to believe that something so simple and humble can turn into one scrumptious dish.

Famous restaurant to sample tosai: Chat Masala Restaurant in Brickfieds, Kuala Lumpur. (Specializing in authentic Indian cuisine)

Roti Canai

If there’s only one roti you’ll try in Malaysia, this should be it. Roti Canai, a type of flatbread influenced by the Indian ethnicity and it is usually served with dal (lentil-based soup) or kari ikan (fish curry) and is best eaten with bare hands.
Roti Canai is commonly sold in our local Indian tea stalls, famously known to the locals as Mamak stall. Mamak stall is also our locals favorite not only for food but also as a hang out place! Roti canai is variable from original, to the locals – Roti kosong, which means no fillings to choices of fillings with eggs, banana, chicken, lamb, tuna, etc, served with chicken curry, fish curry, dhal or combination of any curry of your preferences. Watching it being prepared itself is a spectacular as the roti is flung into the air like a pizza base.

Dim Sum

If you prefer snacks to breakfasts, or snacks for breakfast, this bite-sized style of cuisine will suit your palate and your gastronomic fashion. Fresh, flavourful and steaming food is typically served in bamboo steamer baskets and Chinese tea.
There are loads of variations to choose from, although some of the more popular ones are the Xiao Long Bao, Har Gow (Shrimp dumpling), Siu Mai (Steamed dumplings with pork and prawns) and Loh Bak Gao (steamed turnip cake).
Some of the famous outlets for your breakfast selection include Foo Hing Dim Sum in Puchong, Jin Xuan Hong Kong Restauratnt, Dragon-i Restaurant and etc. If your preference is halal, Malaysia has plenty of halal dim sum restaurants to choose from, with one of the popular brands in town being Dolly Dim Sum.

Yong Tau Foo

This Hakka dish is a mix of fish, meat, vegetables and tofu. Traditionally, only tofu cubes were stuffed with a paste of fish and pork, and then deep fried or braised. Vendors later got creative and started stuffing vegetables like bitter gourd, ladies’ fingers, chillies and brinjals. Along with the stuffed ingredients are fish and meat balls, and also fried tofu skin. The dry version of the dish is enjoyed with chilli and sweet sauces, but the ingredients are also served in a clear soup. Side dishes such as chee cheong fun and rice are optional. Some of the famous stalls for this dish include Foong Foong restaurant at Ampang and a Yong Tau Foo at Puchong Batu 14 in front of a Chinese vernacular school.

Bah Kut Teh

The name literally translated as “meat bone tea” where various parts of pork is slow-cooked in a complex broth of herbs and spices. Bak Kut Teh is one of the local Chinese favorite breakfast for a nutritious meal, a calorie dense breakfast where it is said that this dish was once created for the hard labour. It comes in various forms as it could be strong and intense, or light and soupy; it could come in a humble bowl with only pork, or it could come in a claypot of goodies.
Klang is regarded as the city of Bak Kut Teh as there are more than one hundred Bak Kut Teh restaurants in the city itself. Under The Bridge Bak Kut Teh is one of the first to come to mind when the question of best Bak Kut Teh arises. This restaurant in Klang dates back to 1979, but the recipe has over 70 years of history.

Noodles soup

If you like your noodles, why not have it for breakfast? Some of the exciting choices here include curry noodles, soto, wan tan noodles, fish soup noodles, shredded chicken noodles and asam laksa.

Noodle soup is another preferred local breakfast, where lots of variation is widely available across Malaysia. From a bowl of delicate curry noodles, soto, fish soup noodles, shredded chicken noodles and lots more exciting choices.
Noodle soup is an excellent pick for breakfast as the soup is highly nutritious especially when the soup is done right.

Laksa Perlis

Many may not familiar about dishes or cuisines from Perlis. However, you should not miss out Laksa Perlis.

At first glance, the dish looks just like the Malay laksa you find in the other northern states of Kedah and Penang. But if you’re looking for traditional Perlis laksa, head to the Laksa Kak Su at Jalan Siakap 1, Kuala Perlis.
Fresh house-made thick rice noodles are served in a fishy gravy along with “ulam” such as julienned cucumber, onion, chillies and daun selom.
Interestingly, Laksa Perlis, or known as “Laksa Kola” locally, is always eaten with pulut udang or kuih spera (like a curry puff but with a savoury grated coconut filling). It makes the gravy thicker and more delicious.

Big Breakfast

A huge plate of Big Breakfast for a breakfast or brunch with family or friends is the best way to kick off the first episode of the day.
With the mushrooming of fancy cafes in KL, most Malaysians have taken a strong liking for the western style hearty breakfast sets.
These usually come with a large portion of well-arranged sausages, sautéed mushrooms, baked beans, toast and eggs.
Places to check out if you love a good brunch or Big Breakfast include FEEKA Coffee Roasters @ Bukit Bintang (pork-free), Plan b, Merchant’s Lane @ Petaling Street (pork-free), Acme Bar Coffee @ The Troika (pork-free) and many more!

Stir-fried noodles/Char Kuey Teow, Mee Goreng….

Stir-fried noodles or Char Kuey Teow or Mee Goreng and etc. are always the favourite dishes for Malaysians. It can be enjoyed as your breakfast, lunch or dinner as it is quite easy to find it on the streets.

Mee Goreng literally translated as fried noodle or commonly known as “chow mein” in Cantonese is another widely favoured choice of breakfast. It is fried with high temperature to create a strong aromatic plate of delicacy.
Char Keow Teow, which is basically flat rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp, bloody cockles, Chinese lap cheong has won the heart of diners from all over the world. It is a must-try dish when travelling to Penang. You have not visited Penang if you have not check it out.

Lontong

Lontong is an Asian dish that is commonly served with nasi impit (compressed rice) which is cut into cubes. It is drenched with a coconut milk and turmeric-based broth cooked with a variety of vegetables along with condiments such as fried tempeh, fried tofu and boiled eggs. You can add to the mix with sambal. An addition that’s highly recommended is the fried beef lung. It’s sliced thinly and fried until very crisp so that even in the broth, the pieces remain crunchy. Famous spot to try out Lontong is Chawan in Bangsar, whereby many white and blue-collared men and women will gather there in the morning to take this dish to kick start the day.

Teh Tarik, Milo, Cham, Hoi Nam Cha, etc.

You haven’t been to Malaysia until you’ve tasted Teh Tarik, or “pulled tea”. It got its name from the way the tea is poured from cup to cup to achieve that frothy surface. It pairs well with any breakfast meal.

Apart from Teh Tarik, the locals love a cup of coffee, better known as “kopi” (Local Malay word). A mixture of coffee and tea and you will get a cup of “cham” which means “mixture” in Cantonese. Malaysians basically love a dose of caffeine in the morning. Not to forget that Milo, a malt chocolate drink that Malaysian children raved over.

Most people choose to dip their cream crackers or biscuits into a nice, warm cup of this yummy drink. Be sure to have a cup of our local beverages and you can be considered as truly visiting this country.

Buns, pastry and kuih

It is not to difficult to look for a bun stall in most of the local breakfast places especially the morning market. Some of the bun with good demand include sweet coconut jam (kaya) bun, dried meat bun, hot dog bun, minced meat bun, tuna bun, peanut bun and etc. Besides, some of these stalls also selling pastry and kuih – local desserts. Nyonya kuih, for example, is a proud invention that most Malaysians choose to surrender their sweet tooth upon.

Chee Cheong Fun

Chee Cheong Fun is a steamed flat rice noodle rolls and taken with sauce, either sweet or savoury. In Penang, the rolls are cut into short cylinders and served with condiments such as thnee cheo (a sweet dark-red sauce), hae ko (black, prawn paste sauce), chilli sauce, oil and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Some people prefer the Chee Cheong Fun lightly tossed in curry sauce as well. People in Penang all have their favourite but you can’t go wrong with the stall outside Seow Fong Lye Cafe on Macalister Lane. Be prepared to wait for your order.

Yau Char Kwai

Yau Char Kway (Cantonese) literally means “oil-fried devil” a name in accordance to the Chinese culture. The traditional deep-fried snack has been a breakfast staple for the Chinese for as long as any of us could remember. Here in Malaysia, it has been always served for breakfast with rice congee or dipped in soy milk, the long golden-brown snack is also eaten with bak kut teh or a cup of brewed coffee. You can also just simply munch on it.

Nasi Dagang

Nasi Dagang

Nasi dagang is one of the most popular breakfast dishes in Terengganu. Nasi dagang is a mixture of white fragrant rice and white glutinous rice. Here, most of the people prefer to eat it together with a curry made with ikan tongkol, a tuna species fished off the coast, and simple side dishes of acar timun and a hard-boiled egg.
Some of the top picks to check out this dish include a stall called Mak Ngah located at Kampung Bukit, Kuala Terengganu and also Kak Pah’s stall at the Batu Buruk food court.

Fish Noodles

 As most of the breakfast dishes introduced here are famous in peninsular, let’s take a look on a common dish for Sabahans called fish noodles.
Fish noodles at Jong Fa Pai restaurant in Kota Kinabalu served with meaty chunks of fish in a fish-based broth (clear or with milk) along with tofu, preserved vegetables and tomatoes. A halal version can be found at Wan Wan outlets.
Ngiu chap (In Hakka dialect), which means “mixed cow”, is another favorite breakfast noodle among Sabahans. Eaters can expect every single part of the cow in this dish, including beef balls, tripe, tongue and tendons. Some people even add in liver and other innards.

Sarawak Laksa

 For Sarawakian, Sarawak Laksa makes for an amazing breakfast. The late Anthony Bourdain, who featured Sarawak laksa in his TV shows once called Sarawak Laksa “Breakfast of the Gods”.
Significantly different from the many other types of laksa available in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak Laksa consists of rice vermicelli, shredded omelette, cooked prawns and strips of chicken in an aromatic broth, with sambal and lime served on the side.
This dish is beloved by all Sarawakians and is enjoyed by families and friends no matter what time of the day. Highly recommended Kuching restaurants that serve Sarawak laksa are Mom’s Laksa @ Gita (halal) and Golden Arch Cafe.

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

iNyala & REX’s Revival

The iconic REX Cinema in Kuala Lumpur – an institution synonym with the 50’s generation – is given a fresher breath with a new look and new role. A big, neo-classical building nestled between Petaling Street, Jalan Sultan and bustling Kotaraya Mall, REX building is now a new icon in the capital, attracting youngsters and art lovers, not forgetting visitors from afar.

Once an attraction for Hollywood’s movies and Shaw Brothers’ legacy, the building was no more an old cinema with a parking lot. Long abandoned and untouched by time, the building managed to survive the development and commercialism. Fast forward, REX has transformed into an arts and social juncture branded as REXKL, with fresher look and liveable activities. As few small events starting taking parts in the venue, one big inaugural event that taking place at the moment is iNyala – the avant garde art programme for all to participate.

According to the organiser, iNyala is the first event in which college/university students will be able to contribute fresh, higher level ideas by incorporating the iNYALA theme: “Imagine the Impossible”, under the guidance of industry professionals. Unlike conventional mediums, innovation will play a key part in conveying the creative aspects to encourage appreciation and value in the arts.

The objectives are vivid. Promoting emergence of art and technology in Malaysia; nurturing a new generation of artists through unconventional mediums and platforms; and connecting people via engaging and responsive art pieces. With a combination of technology and multi media, the artworks are expected to be extremely rare for Malaysian scenes. The event started with a series of workshops from August until October 2019, followed by main exhibition in November. So watch out this space!

Back to now REXKL, much thanks to the ‘collective of like-minded architects, social innovators, brand identity builder and filmmaker, who comes together to repurpose the Rex Cinema building into a commerce-driven community space for all. Thoughtful content and processes that are in respect of the cinema’s history and its present community had been put in place to reshape the building and rebuild its social interaction within the community of Jalan Petaling, Jalan Sultan and dwellers of Kuala Lumpur city at large. REXKL was born out of our desire to reimagine a community space in the heart of the city – where individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds can meet and build connections.’

Event: iNYALA
Workshops: August to October 2019
Exhibition 1 to 30 November 2019
Address: REXKL, 80 Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur (Next to Petaling Street)
Email: hello@inyala.my
web: http://inyala.my/home/

Categories
Malaysia Travel Guide

MasterChef Ping Coombes Finds Inspiration for her Malaysian Recipes

sarawak local and ethnic food for masterchef

WHEN Malaysian-born Ping Coombes came out with a cookery book, Malaysia, after winning MasterChef UK in 2014, a fan remarked that she should include East Malaysian cuisines of Sabah and Sarawak to complete her repertoire of Malaysian recipes.

Point taken, she makes it her mission to embark on a culinary adventure to Sabah and Sarawak.

Read more at Borneo Post Online

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Categories
Malaysia Travel Guide

10 Things To Do In Miri

Miri  is Sarawak’s second largest city and the gateway to the state’s fascinating northeast region.

1.Meet The People

A short flight from Miri brings you to Bario, gateway to the Kelabit Highlands, home to the Kelabit people and their large, well preserved longhouses.  Miri is also connected by Twin Otter service to Ba’kelalan, a cluster of seven Lun Bawang villages famous for their orchards and organic vegetables.

Lun Bawang Festival (Irau Aco)

sarawak-borneo-people-lun-bawang-bamboo-band

2. Go For A Walk

Stroll through Miri Old Town, crammed with shops selling all manner of fascinating goods, taking in the Fish Market and the Tua Pek Kong Temple.  Visit Lambir Hills National Park, probably the world’s most complex and diverse forest ecosystem, for a selection of jungle trekking trails to suit every ability.

Gunung Mulu National Park, famous for its extensive cave systems also offers some spectacular trekking trails, including the demanding yet incredibly rewarding Summit Trek and Pinnacles Trail and the historic Headhunters Trail.

The remote Kelabit Highlands has a wide selection of trails, from half-day strolls in and around Bario to week-long expeditions, staying in remote longhouses, passing by ancient megaliths, camping out in the rainforest and ascending the rugged peaks of Pulong Tau National Park.

Sarawak Borneo Miri Lambir Hills National Park

Mulu Clear water cave

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3. Wildlife Encounters

Visit the caves of Niah National Park to view remarkable cave fauna, watch an amazing bat exodus and find your way back by the light of luminous mushrooms.  Head for Kuala Sibuti for an evening of crocodile spotting and firefly watching.

The Bat Observatory at Gunung Mulu National Park provides a grandstand view of one of nature’s natural wonders, while the world’s longest canopy walkway showcases the birds and plants of the rainforest canopy walkway showcases the birds and plants of the rainforest canopy.  Spend a night at Loagan Bunut National Park, with its incredible shrinking lake ecosystem and a resident population of Bornean gibbons, as well as hundreds of bird, reptile and small mammal species.

Niah National Park

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mulu-frog

4. Take To The Water

Charter an express boat from Kuala Baram brings you to the upriver town of Marudi, gateway to Ulu Baram.  If you have the time, and weather conditions permitting, you can travel from Marudi by express boat and longboat to some of the remotest villages and longhouses in Sarawak, home to various Orang Ulu communities including Kayans, Kenyahs, and even nomadic Penans.

The Panoramic view of Sela'an Kayan village, Ulu Baram

5. Underground Sarawak

Visit the caves of Niah National Park, settled by modern humans for over 40,000 years and one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia.  The Great Cave has one of the world’s largest cave mouths, a fascinating cave ecosystem and you can watch the birds nest collectors at work.  The Padang, where a shaft of light pierces the rear of the cave, is perfect for photo ops.  The Adjacent Painted Cave is the site of Niah’s famous cave paintings.  Leave the Great Cave around sunset, to see the nightly “changing of the guard”.  Two great living clouds intermingle in the sky as hundreds of thousand of swiftlets return to their nests, whilst a similar number of bats fly out to forage in the forest.

Gunung Mulu National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is most famous for its limestone cave systems, including the world’s largest chamber, the world’s largest cave passsage and the longest cave in Southeast Asia.

Niah National Park

Mulu Sarawak | A World Heritage Site

DekatJe Mulu Puncak Borneo

6. Underwater Sarawak

Miri is fast becoming a popular dive destination, due to the 22 pristine patch reefs that make up the Miri-Sibuti Reef Marine Park, lying at depths from 7 to 30 metres.  The best time to dive is March to September, with average visibility around 30 metres, but you can expect at least 10 metres visibility all year round.  Hard and soft corals cover the entire reefs, with abundant gorgonians, sea-whips,  anemones, sponges and crinoids.  There are also some interesting wreck dives in quite shallow water, perfect for a first wreck diving experience.

Most of the best dive sites are at depths between 18 and 30 metres, so EANx Nitrox Diver and PADI advanced Open Water ratings are highly recommended.  Bonus activities include whale shark spotting (in season).

7. Food and Drink

Miri has similar culinary selection to Kuching, although with its seafront location the seafood is possibly even fresher.  Inland, be tempted by the fresh jungle produce and organically grown fruits and vegetables prepared by the Kelabit and Lun Bawang people of the northern highlands, served with the unique fine-grained Bario rice, In the upriver Orang Ulu longhouses, enjoy tasty wild boar, free range chicken and exotic river fish served with glass of borak (Orang Ulu rice wine)

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8. Culture Heritage

Canada Hill not only offers excellent views of Miri and the surrounding area, it is also home to Oil Well No. 1, known as the “grand old lady,”  the first well to strike oil in Sarawak in 1910.  The adjacent Petroleum Museum traces the history and development of the oil and gas industries in Malaysia.  Back in town, visit the impressive and atmospheric San Ching Tian Temple, the largest Taoist temple in Southeast Asia.  If you are heading for Niah National Park, make sure to visit the fascinating Niah Archaeological Museum, tracing 40,000 years of human settlement at Niah.

Canada Hill, Miri, Sarawak

Niah National Park

9. Shopping

Miri Handicraft Centre showcases the ethnic arts and crafts of northern Sarawak.  Stalls are run by the producers, and craftspeople can often be viewed at work here.  items on sale include Penan mats and basketry.  Orang Ulu beadwork and woodcravings.  Miri’s Tamu Muhibbah is a colourful native market selling exotic fruits and vegetables, handicrafts and produce from upriver areas, including fragrant Bario rice, and great photo opportunities.

Exhibitionhandicraft Miri

Exhibitionhandicraft Miri

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10. Festivals Celebrations

Borneo Jazz: One of the top jazz festivals in the region, attracting top jazz and blues performers from around the world.

Pesta Nukenen Bario (Bario Food Festival): The world’s most exclusive food festival celebrates the unique food, farming, forest and cultural heritage of the Kelabut Highlands.

Exuberance festival goers posing for the photographer

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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

EXPLORE THE DIVERSITY OF THE SOUTHERN REGION THROUGH HOMESTAYS

One of the best ways to get to know the real Malaysia is to
live in a homestay in a traditional village or kampung. To think that homestay
in Malaysia was originally started by a local lady known as Mak Long Teh back
in the 1970s at a village called Kampung Cherating Lama in Pahang. She
nonchalantly opened her home to the long staying drifters and provided them
with breakfast, dinner and a space to sleep. Her motto was probably “Mi Casa Su
Casa”.

This time around we will take you all the way to the southern region of the Peninsular Malaysia to show you how diverse the community are at these three neighbouring states in terms of livelihood, culture and tradition.

Kampung Pachitan, Negeri Sembilan
This village of about 1,000 population in Negeri Sembilan is said to have been pioneered by the Javanese from East Java, Indonesia, who came to settle here in the 1920s as paddy farmers. Later, palm and rubber plantations were opened when water sources for paddy ran dry. These plantations now become a tourist attraction as visitors learn more about crop-growing through hands-on experience.

This
village of about 1,000 population in Negeri Sembilan is said to have been
pioneered by the Javanese from East Java, Indonesia, who came to settle here in
the 1920s as paddy farmers. Later, palm and rubber plantations were opened when
water sources for paddy ran dry. These plantations now become a tourist
attraction as visitors learn more about crop-growing through hands-on
experience.

The
scenery in the area is dominated by large tracts of these crop plantations but
the nearby beach holds many attractions as well. It’s a favourite spot to go
fishing on the jetty or just sit by the beach to collect shellfish for a later
meal. One can also opt to canoe along the mangrove area and do a spot of
birdwatching.

What’s
unique here is the Javanese culture and traditions that still remain strong and
is manifested in the language spoken, the food, music and games. For example,
visitors to Kampung Pachitan will certainly get a taste of Nasi Ambeng (a meal
consisting of steamed white rice served with chicken in soy sauce and beef
stewed for hours in thick gravy and other condiments), pecal (a local salad
served with peanut sauce), and tempe goreng (fried fermented soy beans) and
such.

It recently received an ASEAN Tourism Award in the Homestay category.

Homestay Kampung Pachitan
No.37, Taman Nuri Fasa 1,
Jalan Besar Chuah,
71960 Chuah, Port Dickson,
Negeri Sembilan.
Contact person: Mr. Ahmad Nadzri, Tel : 019 385 9793
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PachitanMalaysia/

Homestay Lonek, Negeri Sembilan

This village is simply picture perfect with timber dwellings sitting on wide and well-trimmed lawns and the scenery of paddy fields stretching out as far as the eye can see. The folks who live here take great pride in their culture and heritage.

They speak with a strong Negeri Sembilan accent, and will introduce you to typical Negeri Sembilan cuisine, the famous one being daging salai masak lemak cili api, which is smoked beef cooked in a gravy of coconut milk, turmeric and chilies.

Traditional folk games are very much alive here and visitors
will learn the Malaysian version of hoop rolling using bicycle wheel rims,
bowling with coconuts and tobogganing on palm fronds.

If you don’t mind getting mud on your feet (and hands, face
and hair), you can try out the local pastime of “mengocak ikan” or grasping for
fish in the paddy fields.

Homestay Kampung Lonek
No. 10, Kampung Lonek,
72200 Batu Kikir,
Negeri Sembilan.
Contact person: Ms. Hajah Nor Asiah bt Haron, Tel : 06-498 1078 / 012 691 5482
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homestaylonek/

Homestay Rawa, Negeri Sembilan

Fresh from winning the ASEAN Tourism Award 2019 in the Homestay category, Homestay Rawa has something unique to offer to visitors…horses! Horseriding is a great way to appreciate the beauty of this village. Saddle up and ride through bountiful fruit orchards, acres of rubber plantations and hillsides where you can appreciate a breathtaking view.

During fruiting season, there are plentiful fruits to keep you sated. From mangosteens and durians to rambutans and langsat. These tropical fruits grow abundantly in this village and are a joy to the palate.

For those who love cooking, the ladies of the village would be all too happy to share their secret recipes for their typical sweetcakes such as godok golumang which are fist-sized banana fritters coated in caramelized brown sugar and kuih bahulu (a light and fluffy sponge cake with a crispy outer layer, similar to the French madeleines) traditionally cooked over charcoal fire in brass moulds.

Homestay Rawa
Lot 23, Lorong KRU 10,
Kampung Rawa Hilir
71750 Lenggeng
Negeri Sembilan
Contact person: Ms. Saadiah Othman, Tel: 019 354 4472
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/asequine1/

Homestay Kg. Alai, Melaka

Melaka is not only known for its historical values but also for its beautiful traditional Malay houses. Homestay Kg. Alai, located about 8km from Bandar Melaka is full of beautiful Melaka houses with all kind of unique characteristics.

Apart from admiring the unique architechture of the traditional houses, there are plenty of activities that can be done here, including traditional games, cultural performances, village tour and fishing at the near Crystal Bay Beach. On top of that, you also get to learn about Dondang Sayang (a love ballad that conveys affectionate feelings of love and provide advice on moral issues) with the popular Seri Warisan Baru Alai Dondang Sayang group led by Tuan Hj. Mohd. Isa, established since 2011.

Staying at this homestay will also give you the opportunity to learn how to cook Melaka’s traditional cuisines and snacks such as Melaka’s famous asam pedas (a hot and sour dish), onde-onde (a ball-shaped snack stuffed with palm sugar and coated with shredded coconut) and making inang-inang (glutinous rice crackers) from scratch.

Making onde-onde. Pix courtesy of GTN

Homestay Kampung Alai
KM 7.6, Jalan Hj. Said,
Kampung Alai,
75460 Melaka
Contact person: Mr. AkramuddinHj. Abdul Aziz, Tel: +6 016 666 6649
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msPuGZpIE3U

Pix courtesy of Tourism Johor

Homestay Kampung Parit Tengah, Johor

While in Johor, why dont you stay at Kampung Parit Tengah, the recipient of the 2nd ASEAN Homestay Standard Award in 2017. That is reason enough to stay but imagine yourself arriving at the village and being greeted by the villagers with their traditional gambus (an Arabic stringed lute) performance combined with the reverberation of the kompang (traditional Malay handheld percussion).

Make yourself part of the community by participating in their daily activities such as palm weaving, rubber tapping, harvesting pineapples and corn, as well as catching prawns by the river. Catching prawns by the riverside is considered the village’s trademark and you can also learn how to cook your “catch of the day” local-style.

Getuk ubi. Pix courtesy of peachpurple

At Kampung Parit Tengah, their usual menu comprise traditional Javanese delicacies such as getuk ubi (pounded tapioca cake) with shredded coconut and sambal goreng Jawa.

Homestay Kg. Parit Tengah
No. 26 Kg. Parit Tengah,
Mukim 12 Rengit,
83100 Batu Pahat, Johor.
Contact person: Mr. Sukran Arifin, Tel: 019-7666400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/Homestay-Parit-Tengah