Tag: Michael Schumacher

A Pit Stop for Motorsports Fans

Post author By melakatour
Post date August 11, 2017
No Comments on A Pit Stop for Motorsports Fans

Motorsports fans can now make a pit stop for some rest and relaxation at Hype Motorsports Hotel Nilai, the first ever motorsports hotel concept in the world!

The hotel is located merely 15 minutes away from Malaysia’s heart of racing, the Sepang International Circuit and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), providing easy access for guests who are always on the go.

Legend Hollywood Twin

It has 75 motorsports-themed bedrooms for you to choose from, each complete with motorsports-inspired décor. Some rooms are themed around legends like Michael Schumacher and Valentino Rossi – so if you’re a die-hard fan of these racing celebrities, you can enjoy a good slumber with them in these rooms.

Unique interior decoration such as a mirror made of motorcycle tyres and a bucket seat chair — usually found in sport cars — at the desk in your hotel room are some of the thoughtful touches that pander to your love for racing!

And keeping the motorsport theme in mind, the hotel gives you access to motorsports satellite channels on your television so you wouldn’t miss any racing action from around the world.

For a small hotel, it does well in providing some nice standard facilities usually found in bigger properties – you’ll find an outdoor garden bar and a wading pool on the rooftop, perfect for private parties or those of you who are looking to drink in the sights of the beautiful sky. They’ll even throw in a free bike or car wash for some lucky guests!

At the Paddock Club, guests can enjoy delicious food cooked up by the hotel’s excellent chef. And not to worry, the café can be converted into an entertainment outlet if you are looking to hang out with your friends and family.

Motorsports fans can browse through the Motorsports Showroom near the lobby lounge to get a look at a selection of superbikes from some of the most recognisable brands in the industry. There is even the Pit Stop, a merchandise outlet where guests can pick up some basic riding and driving gears along with other motorsports-related souvenirs.

Though Hype Motorsports Hotel Nilai is technically located in Negeri Sembilan, it’s still well-connected to the heart of Kuala Lumpur city via the well-paved highways. Those into shopping can drive down to Mitsui Outlet Park and Nilai 3 – where you can get branded goods at the former and wholesale items at the latter. The Kuala Lumpur International Airport and sister KLIA2 for low-cost carrier flights, are also nearby. In fact, Putrajaya the administrative capital of Malaysia is merely a 20-minute drive away, where you can admire the beautiful architecture of government buildings and bridges, take in the greenery of the various parks, enjoy a spot of birdwatching at its wetlands, or simply reflect by the lakeside.

For more information, please visit www.hypenilai.com

Tags chair, delicious food, Kuala Lumpur, Legend Hollywood Twin, Malaysia, Michael Schumacher, Motorsports Showroom, Negeri Sembilan, Paddock Club, Pit Stop, Putrajaya, Sepang International Circuit, Though Hype Motorsports Hotel Nilai

Tourism Malaysia

5 reasons to visit Pangkor Island

Post author By melakatour
Post date October 13, 2016
No Comments on 5 reasons to visit Pangkor Island

By Aura Farrando Image: Pulau Pangkor and its many islands

By Aura Farrando
Image: Pulau Pangkor and its many islands

Searching for that perfect weekend getaway? Perhaps something a little quieter than tourist hotspots like Langkawi and Perhentians? Look no further than Pangkor Island, located off the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the state of Perak, just 90km from Ipoh. It has everything you want for an island escape — and so much more — with sleepy fishing villages, relaxed atmosphere and amazing views. Here’s our Top 5 for Pangkor Island.

Perfect Location

Unlike other beach destinations in Malaysia, Pangkor Island is quite easy to get to. You can drive or catch a bus from Kuala Lumpur to the ferry port at Lumut. The ferry from Lumut to Pangkor take 35 minutes and operates 7am to 8.30pm daily. Pangkor also has an airport, with Berjaya Air flying there three times a week. Once on the island, the best mode of transport is by scooter. Renting a scooter is relatively cheap, and will allow to you to cover most within 15 to 20 minutes. Alternatively, you can hail one of the island’s famed pink taxis.

Image: Pangkor’s famous pink taxis. — http://www.pangkorislandhomestay.com

2. Beaches and water sports

Pangkor is just 8 square kilometres, but you’ll be surprised how much you can do, and what you can see. Of course, sun baking on the beach is the most popular pastime for visitors, with Nipah and Coral beach often dotted with holiday makers. There are also two small islands nearby — Giam and Mentagor — that are perfect for snorkelling with an array of coral, sea cucumbers and other sea life to be found. If you’re more adventurous, grab a kayak and circumnavigate the islands. Pasir Bogak is another famous beach, just 2km from Pangkor Town and it is the best place for jet skiing and parasailing.

Image: Snorkelling in Pangkor

Food

With a thriving local fishing scene, it’s no coincidence that the choice of seafood is amazing. The main catch is cuttlefish and anchovies. Selling dried fish is still an important part of the economy, with locals often transporting large bags of dried anchovies from the port, to the mainland and to the markets. You’ll most likely experience a taste of these anchovies at breakfast with your nasi lemak. At evening, head to the many beachside restaurants and order ikan bakar or grilled fish. What more could you want to end your day. Oh, and it’s cheap, too.

Explore by foot

If, for some reason, you are allergic to the ocean, there’s also plenty to do on land. There’s an uphill trek across the island with great vantage points of the local wildlife, particularly the hornbill. You can even feed these gracious birds every day at 6.30pm at Sunset View Chalet. Its owner Nordin Bakar has been feeding the island’s population of hornbills for the past 12 years. For nature lovers and hikers, also check out the jungle trails at Teluk Segadas Hill and Titi Ganung.

Pangkor Island has some must-see historical landmarks, too. The island has always been a trading enclave in the state of Perak. The vestiges of history can be traced in the Dutch Fort built in the 17th century. The reason behind its construction was to monopolise the tin trade in Perak and protect the Perak Chieftan.

Image: Hornbills rule the island

Relax and indulge

Pangkor Laut provides the ultimate luxurious experience. This private island is next to the bigger and busier Pangkor Island. The resort includes 140 villas and suites and has 300 acres of rainforest as a playground. If you feel like splurging, you can stay in the huge Pavarotti Suite. The tenor sang at the launch of the resort in 1994 and said the island was “paradise”. Other celebrities who have stayed here include Michael Schumacher, Eric Cantona and Michelle Yeoh. The resort will also organise your transport to and from the island. More information: http://www.pangkorlautresort.com/

Image: Paradise, Pangkor Laut Resort

Tourism Malaysia

Race the Best at the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Post author By melakatour
Post date September 5, 2012
No Comments on Race the Best at the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix

Race the Best at the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix

The Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix race is the highlight of the international car racing circuit. Thousands of loyal fans are attracted annually to the race which has been held at the Sepang International Circuit since 1999, owing to the continuing popularity of the 56 lap 192.878 mile race.

The predecessor to the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix was the Formula 2 which was held from 1962 – 65, but it was held in Singapore who later gained independence from the Malaysian Federation, so during the break-up of the Federation Malaysia held four lower impact races at the Shah Alam circuit from 1968 until 1995 when the current race track was opened in Sepang. These were the Tasman Series, Formula Pacific, Formula Atlantic, and the Formula Holden.

Formula 1 action at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia. Pic: Craig, WikiMedia Commons.

The Sepang International Circuit, where the Formula 1 race is held, is located just 60 kilometres from the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is situated only 10 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Selangor State. The circuit was designed by a German named Hermann Tilke in 1995, who also designed the Shanghai, Turkish, Bahrain, India, Korea, Valencia, and Singapore circuits which are also in the Formula 1 race calendar. The Sepang circuit is famous for its short and tight hairpin and unusually long back straight.

Crowds arrive at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia, on race day. Pic: Craig, WikiMedia Commons.

Petronas (Malaysian: Petroliam Nasional Berhad), the Malaysian national oil and gas company, has sponsored the Malaysian Grand Prix since its inauguration into the racing calendar since 1999. The energy company finances the upkeep of the track and the spectator stands, they supply the oil and petroleum for the racing cars, and they are responsible for the security of the race.

The most famous racer at the Malaysian Grand Prix of all time was John MacDonald who won races in the years of 1970, 1971, 1973, and 1975. John was English born but moved to live in Hong Kong during his national service, where he continued to live and set up a garage business which made him successful and allowed him to become a successful racer also.

The most successful racing team to compete in the Malaysian Grand Prix is Ferrari thanks to the successes of Michael Schumacher in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, and 2012.

Michael Schumacher pictured at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix. Pic: Whiz Kris, Flickr.

The annual race, held every year towards the end of March, attracts approximately 50,000 spectators from all around the world, some just to see their favourite racing star, but others to feel the excitement and exhilaration of the head to head race between man and man, country and country, sponsor and sponsor.

Most Formula 1 racers unanimously agree that the Malaysian Grand Prix is by far the most stress inducing and physically demanding race in the whole Formula 1 calendar. Temperatures are torturous and regularly reach 30 degrees Celsius and when combined with the humidity, which is rarely lower than 75%, the climate alone drains all drivers of energy even before putting in any effort to race. Malaysia, but Kuala Lumpur in particular, is famous for its unexpected heavy rain downpours which often disrupt the car racing, causing crashes and severe car damage.

The actual race track has been called “the most environmentally friendly race track in the world” by various commentators because of its abundance of palm trees. The track was built on a former 260 hectare palm oil plantation, so to compensate for the loss of plants the owners planted hundreds of palm trees around the race track, spectator’s stands, and spectator’s recreation areas.

In the latest Malaysian Grand Prix, the 2012 season, which was held on 25^th March, the leader of the driver’s championship, Fernando Alonso with his Ferrari team, came first after a breathtaking and sometimes risky race. Just 2.2 seconds behind Alonso was the less well known Sergio Perez with his Sauber team, and then came the former world champion Lewis Hamilton and the McLaren-Mercedes not long after. It made for an unforgettable race in the beautiful country of Malaysia.

Many people, especially those coming from Europe and the Americas combine watching the Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix with a relaxing holiday elsewhere in the country. The Malaysian Government praises this as it brings in much needed tourism income in the form of taxes, shop purchases, transport income, and accommodation income. Kuala Lumpur International Airport as the country’s main airport is also kept busy during the races. The Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix could be an unforgettable experience, so why not give it a try and book your tickets in time for the next race?