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Travel to Melaka

Melaka Zoo & Night Safari

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Melaka Zoo Night Safari is the second largest Zoo after Zoo Negara (National Zoo) in Malaysia, covering about 54-acre (approximately 21.22 ha). Melaka Zoo Night Safari records more than 400 000 visitors annually and more than half of the visitors are from Melaka and the neighbouring states.

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The major attractions in Zoo Melaka are the critically endangered Sumatran Rhinoceros, Asian Elephants, Red Panda, Malaysian Gaur, the Serow, the Squirrel Monkey, the Molurus Python, the Grey Wolf, the Mongolian Wild Horse, the Green Tree Python, the Giraffe and more.

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Opening Hours
Open Daily from 9am – 6pm.
Night Safari is from 8pm – 11pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and the eve of Public and School Holidays.

Animal Showtime : 11am and 4pm

Location
Address: Melaka Zoo Night Safari, Lebuh Ayer Keroh, 75450 Ayer Keroh
GPS Coordinate: N 2.27919, E 102.302719
Website : http://www.zoomelaka.gov.my/

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All Malaysia Info

Top 10 Perth city experiences

So you’re in Perth, Australia and you’ve just figured out that this vibrant, energetic city has plenty to offer. But you’re wondering where to start.

Well, wonder no longer; here is a list of the top 10 city experiences:

1) Discover charming hidden laneway-bars, and eat, drink and explore!
There’s a selection for all tastes as new watering holes continue to open around the city, each with a unique offering. Join the hip crowds in bars down Howard Lane, Wolfe Lane and Queen Street.

Perth - Kings Park Festival

Kings Park Festival. © Christian Sprogoe Photography

2) Spend a lazy afternoon in Kings Park Botanic Garden.
Stretch your legs and walk from the city or hop on the city-sites tram. One of the largest inner city parks in the world, the views from Kings Park over-looking the Swan River and city skyline are superb. Pack a picnic, see a movie at the open air cinema during summer, or marvel at the colour of native wildflowers as they bloom in the spring. (For more:  www.bgpa.wa.gov.au)

3) Be entertained by a full line-up of music, sport, food, theatre and cultural events.
Check out the Hyundai Hopman Cup (January), Perth International Arts Festival (February), Sculpture by the Sea (March), Perth Fashion Festival (September), or Perth International (October) plus many more throughout the year. (For more:  www.westernaustralia.com/sg/Things_to_See_and_Do/Events/Pages/events.aspx)

4) Check-out Perth’s inner city precincts.
Easily accessible from the city, the high streets of Leederville, Mount Lawley, Subiaco, Mount Hawthorn, South Perth, and Victoria Park all present their own unique flavour of restaurants, bars, and boutique shopping.

5) Visit the World’s oldest gold mint.
The Perth Mint is still operating from its original premises and is home to the World’s greatest collection of investment gold bars and Australia’s largest gold nugget collection. (For more: www.perthmint.com.au)

6) Indulge in a cultural feast at Perth’s Cultural Centre, home to the Art Gallery of WA (artgallery.wa.gov.au), the WA Museum (museum.wa.gov.au), State Library, the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (pica.org.au) and the State Theatre (statetheatrewa.com.au).
This hub in Northbridge is the perfect place to spend the day awakening your cultural senses. All venues are just a gold coin donation and exhibitions change frequently.

7) Take a scenic flight for a birds-eye-view of the city
A view from above will make you realise just how spectacular Perth’s surrounds, including the Swan River and white coastline is.

Cappuccino Strip

Mix with the locals on the ‘cappuccino-strip’ (South Terrace) in Fremantle.

8) Take a day trip.
There are plenty of destinations within easy reach of Perth city centre – perfect for day-tripping or spending the night. Take a ferry to Rottnest Island; tantalise your tastebuds in the Swan Valley wine region; enjoy the historic sights of York; explore the seaside city of Mandurah; or mix with the locals on the ‘cappuccino-strip’ (South Terrace) in Fremantle.

9) Shop local and international designer labels.
Fashionistas flock to King Street to pick-up the latest designer looks or trendy suburban precincts, while on William Street in Northbridge it’s all about vintage finds.

10) Sail down the Swan.
Named after the black Swans that call it home, the Swan River is truly the heart of Perth, and meets the Indian Ocean just a few kilometres west. A ferry from Barrack Street Jetty is one of the best ways to enjoy the Swan River as well as see some of Perth’s best real estate.

For more Perth deals visit http://www.bestperthdeals.com/

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Animal lovers get to hand-feed red kangaroos at the Caversham Wildlife Park in Swan Valley, Perth

No dearth of fun in Perth

Pinnacles Dessert

Extraordinary regional experiences away from Perth

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All Malaysia Info

No dearth of fun in Perth

Perth is close enough to home for the occasional tourist, and yet it packs a diverse range of experiences.

IN front of me was a plate of scrumptious poached eggs on toasted ciabatta, with crisp bacon, chipolata sausages, grilled tomato and a serving of hash browns on the side. In the distance, seagulls squawked and the water lapped the shore in a leisurely way.

Framed by clear blue skies, the Boatshed Restaurant boasts a panoramic 180° view of the city of Perth, Western Australia (WA). This eatery in South Perth is set on the bank of the Swan River, which is named after the black swans of the area.

While the swans were nowhere in sight, we did see a pair of strange seabirds, locally referred to as “shags”, that stood akimbo in a bid to air-dry their wings. Springtime in the capital of WA is cooling and serene.

As a holiday destination, Perth is nowhere near as popular as the likes of Melbourne, the Gold Coast or Sydney, but it has its own charms.

Animal lovers get to hand-feed red kangaroos at the Caversham Wildlife Park in Swan Valley, Perth

I first became acquainted with the city eight years ago when I spent almost a year there to complete my degree at Murdoch University. Coming back as a tourist, I realised that the place had so much more to offer than it had been credited for.

Apart from obligatory visits to the regal London Court on Hay Street, Fremantle Markets and Kings Park, I also took the opportunity to go on my first trip to WA’s renowned wine and food region, Margaret River.

Located three hours from the city, the idyllic town is accessible via car rentals or by the TransWa bus (Transwa.wa.gov.au). The scenic journey took me past quiet towns and farmland. En route, I was lucky enough to have spotted a woolly alpaca among the sheep. Resembling small llamas, alpacas are bred for the fibre they produce but have also recently begun to take on the surprising role of “sheep flock guardians” – there have been instances of male alpacas fending off multiple predator attacks.

I also came across signs to Busselton and dropped in for a look at the 1.8km-long Busselton Jetty, the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. For A$29.50 (RM92), you can hop on a red jetty train for a ride down the length of the dock to the Underwater Observatory. Here, you get to descend 8m to the ocean floor for a look at the forest of majestic man-made reefs, home to over 300 marine species.

The train, however, may not operate on certain days when strong wind and rain is expected.

A sensory experience

In the heart of Margaret River lies Cowaramup, which locals refer to as “Cowtown”. While its name really means “place of the Cowara bird” in the Aboriginal language, the tranquil village is more cow-themed than not.

It even comes complete with an amusing “golden cow on a stick” statue.

The Australis Margaret River Hotel proved to be a comfortable two-night stay with its spacious chalet-like rooms overlooking lush bushland. After checking in, I was taken on a laidback foodie’s wine tour, organised by Harvest Tours.

The first stop was at Yahava KoffeeWorks, for a sensory coffee-tasting experience at the tasting bench, covering single origins, all-day blends, and the rich and bold. Yahava, pronounced “Ja-ha-va”, offers fresh, roast-to-order coffee and a selection of souvenirs for java addicts.

Next up was Settlers Ridge, where I discovered a selection of wines that claimed to reduce headaches, hangovers and allergic reactions. Really? The winery’s 100% organically certified concoctions are said to be ideal for health-conscious wine lovers and are actually asthma- and allergy-friendly (as endorsed by the WA Asthma Foundation).

The Settlers Ridge tagline promises, “All of the pleasure … none of the pain.”

The prices, too, won’t burn a hole in your pocket – a bottle of 2011 Chenin Sauvignon Blanc starts at A$18.50 (RM58).

Following this was a stop at Margaret River Providore, voted one of Australia’s Top 100 Gourmet Experiences by the Australian Traveller Magazine. From Aromatic Seafood Risotto to Onion and Thyme Marmalade and Fresh Strawberry Jam, this rammed-earth shop and tasting centre offers a wide range of homemade jams, preserves and sauces, most of which are available for tasting.

All of the ingredients come fresh from the organic olive grove, orchard and vegetable gardens out back. I couldn’t resist buying a jar of tangy Roasted Tomato Mustard, decadently infused with crunchy mustard seeds for A$14.95 (RM47).

A staffer working at the Margaret River Providore orchard and vegetable gardens

I was given a scrumptious sampling of the day’s menu, comprising Chilli and Lemon Olives, Beetroot and Orange Relish with Marinated Feta, Dukkah with Garlic-infused Olive Oil, Classic Lamb Curry, Pepper Steak-seasoned Potato Bites and a slice of Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange-infused Olive Oil.

More wine-tasting followed at the Woody Nook Wines, before lunch was served at the winery’s rustic Nookery Café. The cosy atmosphere it exudes gives one the feeling of dining at home away from home. Its heady selection of mains, from pasta and meat to freshly-caught seafood, are pure comfort food without being too heavy.

Before the itinerary came to an end, Harvest Tours made one last stop: the Silk Road Silk Worm farm.

Here, you are allowed to see and touch live silkworms in various stages of growth. The farm grows mulberry trees and cultivates silkworms (which snack on mulberry leaves) to produce home-grown Australian silk. The silk cocoons are, however, sent to Cambodia for the final process of turning the raw ingredient into commercial silk products.

According to our friendly guide Jamie Batrick-Nolan, hopping on a foodie’s wine tour of Margaret River is always more advisable than driving around on your own because then you wouldn’t be able to indulge. It’s against the law for drivers to have more than two glasses of wine.

What’s more, the entire tour, inclusive of lunch, is priced at A$125 (RM392), which is good value for money.

If you have an extra A$45 (RM141) to spare, I’d say you should cap your evening with a Sunset Kangaroo Safari Tour guided by Neil McLeod, who drives a mean 1962 4WD Bedford truck to take you upclose and personal with the western grey kangaroo.

After going on a photo-clicking frenzy, McLeod’s guests get to enjoy a hot cup of “billy” tea or coffee, plus home-baked orange cake by McLeod’s wife, Coralie, at the soothing Dudley Creek in the family-owned land.

Ups and downs

Back in Perth, I was roped into going on a full-day Pinnacles, Koalas and Sand Boarding 4WD adventure tour organised by Pinnacle Tours.

The 12-hour tour was a tiring one, beginning with a rushed visit to the Caversham Wildlife Park in Swan Valley. The busload of about 30 tourists were only given 25 minutes here, which was barely enough time for everyone to have a turn at petting the koalas, hand-feeding the red kangaroos and grabbing a snapshot with the cuddly wombat.

Thankfully, lunch, at the Lobster Shack in the lobster fishing town of Cervantes, more than made up for it. Their lip-smacking dish of sizzling hot Western Rock Lobster and Fries is highly recommended.

After this stop, we were off to the famed Pinnacles Desert to see the age-old limestone formations housed within the Nambung National Park. While many speak excitedly of the Pinnacles in their visits to Perth, I wouldn’t call it the star of the tour. Lancelin, where you could sandboard, tops it.

As it were, we were confronted by vast sand dunes that seemed to come out of nowhere – that was when the bus that we’d been travelling in began to showcase its 4WD abilities, taking us on a thrilling roller-coaster ride through the mounds of fine, white sand.

When we pulled to a stop, everyone was given a chance to try sandboarding, which is essentially like snowboarding, except on sand.

It was an experience to behold – adults smothered in sand and giggling like schoolchildren as they struggled up steep sand dunes to have another go.

I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of release as my board sped down the hill.

If you’re not willing to fork out A$215 (RM674) for a full-day tour, you can always consider driving on you own to Lancelin, which is just 90 minutes away from Perth.

While any Malaysian would consider Perth a good place to study at, the city is an even greater place for a holiday.

Moreover, it shares the same time zone as Kuala Lumpur and is less than six hours away by flight. To up your comfort levels while flying there, you could opt for AirAsia X’s Premium Flatbed seats – the roomy seats, priority facilities and business class-like service will have you coming back for more. – Lee Mei Li

The writer’s trip was sponsored by AirAsia X and Tourism Western Australia. AirAsia X flies nine times weekly from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, Australia.


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Tourism Malaysia

Regatta Lepa – a boating festival Sabah style

Regatta Lepa – a boating festival Sabah style

Most people go to Semporna in far southeastern Sabah for the world class diving sites that lie just off the coast – Sipadan immediately springs to mind for many. But for me, it was a small notation in Lonely Planet that got me hooked: “This mainly Bajau town really comes alive at the end of March when a colourful regatta takes place, but normally it’s quiet.”

A regatta in Sabah? A Borneo festival with traditional, single-mast sailing boats? I was in.

I arrived in Semporna a few days before festivities for the Regatta Lepa got underway when tents and stalls were just being set up. The 2012 event was Sabah Tourism’s 19th annual version of the colourful local festivity and it promised an intimate view into some of the traditions of the region.

Semporna itself seemed a pretty little place with stilt houses sprawled across the bay, which in turn was filled with boating activity, markets and trade. It looked promising already but I headed over to Mabul Island first for the customary diving experience and then returned to the mainland several days later.

By the time I returned on the Friday evening, the festivities had begun. In what had been empty streets when I first arrived, were numerous stalls piled high with all manner of goods – scarves (for Muslim women), kids’ toys, clothing, hats, jewellery, local food and drinks.

 

There were so many of these stalls they literally clogged the streets – many of which were closed to traffic. Wandering further afield into what might have actually been permanent market areas, I also came across numerous stalls grilling up various types of seafood.

There were also some cultural events taking place on the town field with dancing in traditional dress, music and singing. And there were some traditional wooden hulled lepa boats already sailing around, decorated and ready for the boat parades of the morrow. These single-mast sailing boats of the Bajaus of Semporna give the festival its name and it was exciting to see them finally.

Cultural performances with electric costumes on the town field. Pic: Joanne Lane.

However I’d really come for the excitement of the boating events on the Saturday and it was worth waiting for. These were held on the waters in front of the Seascape Hotel so I trudged down there to join an enormous crowd heckling for key viewing spots on the river. A word of advice for future festival goers – get here early for the best views.

There were single kayak or group canoe events, an event in which competitors had to climb a pole and try to push each other off, and even a tug of war competition in which boat competitors could use their legs only to row. It was noisy, raucous and thoroughly enjoyable with teams getting resounding cheers when they returned to the docks.

Hotly contested boating events during the festival. Pic: Joanne Lane.

After this the regatta of the boats began with a colourful stream of lepa boats decked out in flags and even dancing women in traditional dress. They smiled, swayed, and moved impossibly long finger-nailed hands around while men behind them beat on gongs, drums and other local instruments.

When this was over there were numerous speeches and prayers and the crowd moved off back into the streets. I turned my attention then to the market stalls nearest the hotel. It was good to see some of these encouraging coral conservation and better fishing practices as the region is indeed known for its underwater life and dynamite fishing has been a problem in the past.

The colourful parade of lepa boats complete with dancing women. Pic: Joanne Lane.

The WWF was running a children’s drawing competition of the local flora and fauna under and above the sea, there were sustainable farming/agricultural exhibits and some men displaying the famed woodwork skills of lepa boats. One was particularly pleased when I commented on how good they were.
Local tourism ventures had also put together some free tours in the area including the town, local trekking and mangrove trips. You simply signed up if they still had space and then met at an appointed time to be taken on the trip. Unfortunately by the time I came across their information I’d missed the last tour.

In the afternoon and evening the action moved to the town field again with a lantern parade threading through town from the harbour with boats lit with fairy lights.

This was followed by a variety of speeches, some of which were translated in English. One, by a governor or local minister, was particularly good espousing the racial harmony and diversity of multicultural Malaysia and really roused the crowd with cheers.

This was followed by various cultural performances including women in the most incredible costumes and very dramatic fireworks late in the evening that boomed over town in an incredible display of colour.

On the final morning Semporna seemed to be returning to its normally quiet routine with the boats, parades, lanterns, music and dance of the annual regatta already over. In all it was a fantastic way to see a bit of local culture.

 

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Tourism Malaysia

Malaysia Export Exhibition Centre

Malaysia Export Exhibition Centre

Did you know that there is a permanent display promoting local products and services from over 500 Malaysian companies?

The Malaysia Export Exhibition Centre (MEEC) at Menara MATRADE in Kuala Lumpur is the place for trade visitors to obtain more information on Malaysian local products for export.

Located on the second floor of MEEC, it has 4,500 sq meters of display space showcasing and promoting the various Malaysian products and services.

Built as a one –stop exhibition centre, MEEC helps provide sourcing solutions with assistance in addressing trade queries as well as setting up business meetings with exhibitors of the various products. MEEC also has personnel to address on trade enquiries.

Serving as an international venue for Malaysian suppliers to meet with prospective buyers, trade visitors can choose from 30 industries such as Green Technology, Electrical and Electronics, Chemical, Automotive, Rubber, Plastic, Pharmaceutical and Timber/Wood.

There is also promotion of the services sector with industries like Oil and Gas, Construction, Business Services, Healthcare and Education.

The showcased display area is divided into three sections:

a)      Home Display Area – a quirky display of furniture, household products and its usage in real life

b)      Booth Area –  Divided by industries this area showcases Malaysian products and services

c)       Open Concept – segmented by industry cluster, products are displayed creatively

Interested in learning more?

Check out the visiting hours:

Monday – Thursday         : 9.00 am – 5.00 pm

Friday    : 9.00 am – 12.15 pm

: 2.45 pm – 5.00 pm

Closed on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays

For further information on MEEC, kindly visit www.matrade.gov.my or call 03-6207 7183/ 7184/ e-mail: meec@matrade.gov.my.

MALAYSIA EXPORT EXHIBITION CENTRE (MEEC)

Level 2, East Wing

Menara MATRADE

Jalan Khidmat Usaha, Off Jalan Duta

50480 Kuala Lumpur

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