Tag: TOP

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Tourism Malaysia

TOP 5 SPOTS TO SAY “I DO”

Malaysia has long been a preferred destination for weddings and honeymoons. A combination of multicultural people and beautiful landscapes makes Malaysia a unique place to hold a wedding and also honeymoon. But before the wedding and honeymoon, one must go through a wedding proposal first, right? Well, why don’t you do all three in Malaysia?

First, let me throw out some ideas for a unique and memorable wedding proposal in Malaysia, just in time for the coming February, the month of love.

1. Underwater

What better place is there to pop the question for scuba diving enthusiasts than under the sea? Surrounded by sea fans, whips, a school of fishes and colourful corals, it was a perfect place to surprise your love one with a marriage proposal. It will be your own Atlantis for sure. Of course when you are underwater, you can’t use our voice to propose to her but you can hold the sign asking her to marry you or lay out a banner on the side of a shipwreck with most romantic words that will impress her hook, line, and sinker. You do need a team though to make sure you’ll have a perfect and memorable marriage proposal.

Scuba diving sites in Malaysia that can be the location for your marriage proposal include Redang, Lang Tengah, and Perhentian Islands (Terengganu), Sipadan, Sapi, Mabul, Layang-Layang, and Mataking Islands (Sabah), as well as Satang Besar, Satang Kecil and Sempadi Islands and Miri waters (Sarawak).

2. Top of the Mountain

There’s no finer backdrop to propose to your wife-to-be than the top of the Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Standing at a majestic 4,095 meters or 13, 435 feet above sea level, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia. You may have to wake up at 3 am to climb to the top in order to watch the sunrise but the sheer beauty of the scenery will take your breath away and help romanticised the venue of your marriage proposal. It will definitely help your love one forget about the grueling four-hour climb, the altitude change and cold temperature.

Mt. Kinabalu is a popular destination, visitors who wish to climb Mount Kinabalu are advised to make reservations 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment. The number of climbers is limited to 135 pax daily.

Website: http://www.sabahtourism.com/activity/climb-mt-kinabalu

3. Zipline

Take your love one all the way to Langkawi Island and get her to spend two and a half hours soaring along 12 different ziplines over the waterfalls and within the top and middle layer of the island’s rainforest. And with her adrenaline still high from gliding through an oxygen-rich forest,

can you imagine how incredible it is for her when she got off the line and the first thing she will see is you on bended knee with a ring in one hand? It’s worth a try, don’t you think so?

Umgawa is the island’s first world-class zipline eco-adventure tour, which offers spectacular views of Matchincang Peak, Seven Wells Waterfall and the Andaman Sea. Umgawa’s course features 12 ziplines, one double zipline, three sky-bridges suspended in the trees, and a spectacular descent from towering trees.

Website: www.umgawa.com

4. The Rainbow Skywalk

The Rainbow Skywalk is the talk of the town in Penang Island because it offers stunning seamless views of George Town and beyond. Located at George Town’s highest point, the open-air Rainbow Skywalk, a semi-circular glass-bottomed platform extending out from the edge of the Komtar tower is at Level 68, offering visitors the thrilling experience of walking on air 249m above ground.

Make the best of this venue and wait for the sun to set over the Penang Hill and beyond, or wait for the city of George Town to light up before you propose to your love one. I’ll bet it is going to be one of the most beautiful and romantic marriage proposals ever. But before you do that, please make sure your love one doesn’t have a fear of height. Then, you are good to go!

Website: https://thetop.com.my/rainbow-skywalk

5. Plane In The City

Located in the heart of the city at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Plane In The City, which is an an actual Boeing 737 aircraft, is listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the 1st Aeroplane Restaurant in Malaysia.

The Plane In The City is the perfect venue to propose to your wife-to-be because just admit it, it won’t be as romantic as in the actual plane flying at 35,000 feet, right? With this real-life flight simulation, you don’t have to deal with small aisle or an unpredictable turbulence or crying babies, or being rejected in front of strangers of various nationalities. To make it more interesting, you can propose on the wing of the airplane, and that experience my friend, will be unforgettable.

Website: http://www.planeinthecity.com

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

TOP 5 TRADITIONAL MALAYSIAN VILLAGES TO VISIT NEAR KUALA LUMPUR

Want to get to know the real Malaysia? Why not take a trip outside of Kuala Lumpur’s city limits. Within less than two hours, you will find yourself in some pretty amazing countryside or “kampung” located in the Central Region (Selangor and Negeri Sembilan). Here, you can play like a kid again, enjoy nature, breathe fresh air and really be present in the moment.

Malaysian kampungs are usually small settlements of wooden dwellings in the rural parts of Malaysia. Despite their humble beginnings, modern facilities for clean water, electricity and telecommunications are available.

You’ll immediately notice that kampung life is a far cry from urban routines. Village folk are more in touch with nature and live by the seasons and surrounding environment. They engage in activities such farming, cooking using naturally organic products without relying on highly processed ingredients, fishing, carpentry, traditional folk games, making handicrafts and more.

If you are wondering how you can experience the peace and serenity of a simple kampung life in Malaysia, read on.

Under the Malaysian Government’s Homestay Experience programme, tourists can easily get a dose of life in the village. The programme registers a few hundred villages that have expressed interest in hosting tourists in their private homes to provide them a glimpse of life in Malaysia’s beautiful countryside.

Step into these homes and you will be quickly adopted as their “foster child,” taking care of your needs during your entire stay with them. Essentially, you get to live with a local Malaysian family and really understand the heart of a Malaysian.

The villages in the central region are easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur. Most are within a two-hour drive of the city. Check out some top villages here:

1. Kampung Sungai Sireh, Selangor

This peaceful hamlet of about 1,000 acres is surrounded by nature. Your eyes will be soothed by the green wetlands forest reserve and the carpet of ripening paddy crops ready to be harvested in May and September. The nearby rivers, irrigation canals and sea further add to the charm of this small village.

Local activities are closely attached to the surrounding landscapes. As a guest under the Malaysia Homestay programme, your host family will likely take you out for a trek into the wetlands area. Be prepared to get wet, but you will love the opportunity to observe the unique flora and fauna in the area. Alternatively, explore the rivers in a kayak and let yourself be drifted slowly by the currents as you try to spot the wildlife here.

The village-folk are especially proud of the irrigation system used for the paddy crops – they’ll be more than happy to show you the Korean technology involved. What’s more, the smaller canals are the best places to have a quick splash after a hot day under the sun!

Homestay Sg. Sireh
Kampong PT 1,
Sg. Sireh,
45500 Tanjung Karang,
Kuala Selangor, Selangor
Contact person: En. Abu Bakar bin Moin, Tel: 019 346 7372
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homestaysgsireh/

2. Kampung Banghuris, Selangor

ASEAN Tourism Award-winning Banghuris Homestay is a name representing three villages namely Kampung Bukit Bangkong, Kampung Hulu Chuchoh and Kampung Hulu Teris.

This charming little village located not far from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport has a strong foundation in agriculture. Don’t be surprised to see coffee, rubber, and oil palm plantations alongside fresh-water fish farms and fruit orchards. The small cottage industry also thrives here churning out home-made cookies, tapioca chips and other local snacks. Indeed, the landscape of this village can only be described as abundant!

And so is the culture and heritage here. Visit the village during Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and you will witness the cheer and festivities of the village-folk. Often times, the celebrations are an excuse to “merewang,” an activity where everyone would gather at a common place to prepare and cook food together for the festival. Everyone has a designated duty, i.e. as the cook, as part of an army that peels potatoes or slices shallots, or as the clean-up crew.

It is during these festivities that one can truly experience the community spirit of the village folk as they embody all the modern corporate attributes of teamwork, leadership, time management, delegation and more!

Homestay Banghuris
Lot 1829, Jln. Tailong,
Kg. Ulu Chuchuh,
43950, Sg. Pelek,
Sepang, Selangor.
Contact person: Mr. Basir bin Wagiman, Tel: 013 300 3942
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YokMampirBanghuris/

3. 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.

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/

4. 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/

5. 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/

Note: We are excited that on 18 January 2019, the following 5 Malaysian Homestay Villages had won the coveted ASEAN Tourism Award for ASEAN’s Best Sustainable Tourism Products Recognition for both rural and urban areas. The Malaysian winners in the Homestay category are as follows:

3rd ASEAN Homestay Standard (2019-2021)

1.Pachitan Homestay, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan
2.Ba’Kelalan HomestaySarawak
3.Misompuru Homestay, Kudat Sabah
4.Banghuris Homestay, Sepang Selangor
5.Rawa Homestay, Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan

 

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

TOP 5 WEDDING PROPOSAL SPOTS

Malaysia has long been a preferred destination for weddings and honeymoons. A combination of multicultural people and beautiful landscapes makes Malaysia a unique place to hold a wedding and also honeymoon. But before the wedding and honeymoon, one must go through a wedding proposal first, right? Well, why don’t you do all three in Malaysia?

First, let me throw out some ideas for a unique and memorable wedding proposal in Malaysia, just in time for the coming February, the month of love.

1. Underwater

What better place is there to pop the question for scuba diving enthusiasts than under the sea? Surrounded by sea fans, whips, a school of fishes and colourful corals, it was a perfect place to surprise your love one with a marriage proposal. It will be your own Atlantis for sure. Of course when you are underwater, you can’t use our voice to propose to her but you can hold the sign asking her to marry you or lay out a banner on the side of a shipwreck with most romantic words that will impress her hook, line, and sinker. You do need a team though to make sure you’ll have a perfect and memorable marriage proposal.

Scuba diving sites in Malaysia that can be the location for your marriage proposal include Redang, Lang Tengah, and Perhentian Islands (Terengganu), Sipadan, Sapi, Mabul, Layang-Layang, and Mataking Islands (Sabah), as well as Satang Besar, Satang Kecil and Sempadi Islands and Miri waters (Sarawak).

2. Top of the Mountain

There’s no finer backdrop to propose to your wife-to-be than the top of the Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Standing at a majestic 4,095 meters or 13, 435 feet above sea level, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia. You may have to wake up at 3 am to climb to the top in order to watch the sunrise but the sheer beauty of the scenery will take your breath away and help romanticised the venue of your marriage proposal. It will definitely help your love one forget about the grueling four-hour climb, the altitude change and cold temperature.

Mt. Kinabalu is a popular destination, visitors who wish to climb Mount Kinabalu are advised to make reservations 6 months in advance to avoid disappointment. The number of climbers is limited to 135 pax daily.

Website: http://www.sabahtourism.com/activity/climb-mt-kinabalu

3. Zipline

Take your love one all the way to Langkawi Island and get her to spend two and a half hours soaring along 12 different ziplines over the waterfalls and within the top and middle layer of the island’s rainforest. And with her adrenaline still high from gliding through an oxygen-rich forest,

can you imagine how incredible it is for her when she got off the line and the first thing she will see is you on bended knee with a ring in one hand? It’s worth a try, don’t you think so?

Umgawa is the island’s first world-class zipline eco-adventure tour, which offers spectacular views of Matchincang Peak, Seven Wells Waterfall and the Andaman Sea. Umgawa’s course features 12 ziplines, one double zipline, three sky-bridges suspended in the trees, and a spectacular descent from towering trees.

Website: www.umgawa.com

4. The Rainbow Skywalk

The Rainbow Skywalk is the talk of the town in Penang Island because it offers stunning seamless views of George Town and beyond. Located at George Town’s highest point, the open-air Rainbow Skywalk, a semi-circular glass-bottomed platform extending out from the edge of the Komtar tower is at Level 68, offering visitors the thrilling experience of walking on air 249m above ground.

Make the best of this venue and wait for the sun to set over the Penang Hill and beyond, or wait for the city of George Town to light up before you propose to your love one. I’ll bet it is going to be one of the most beautiful and romantic marriage proposals ever. But before you do that, please make sure your love one doesn’t have a fear of height. Then, you are good to go!

Website: https://thetop.com.my/rainbow-skywalk

5. Plane In The City

Located in the heart of the city at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Plane In The City, which is an an actual Boeing 737 aircraft, is listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as the 1st Aeroplane Restaurant in Malaysia.

The Plane In The City is the perfect venue to propose to your wife-to-be because just admit it, it won’t be as romantic as in the actual plane flying at 35,000 feet, right? With this real-life flight simulation, you don’t have to deal with small aisle or an unpredictable turbulence or crying babies, or being rejected in front of strangers of various nationalities. To make it more interesting, you can propose on the wing of the airplane, and that experience my friend, will be unforgettable.

Website: http://www.planeinthecity.com

Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Post Taming Borneo Syndrome

WHAT WE’VE LEARNED 

Throughout our Taming Borneo blog and video series, we’ve shown you some of the best places to experience the adventures and cultures Borneo has to offer. But on our adventure trail, we’ve hit a few bumps on the road, sometimes literally. In these situations, it’s important to come well prepared and well equipped. Unfortunately, us being city folks and all, taken straight out of our concrete jungle, we unfortunately weren’t sometimes. So we’d thought we’d give you a comprehensive guide on the things you need to survive the Bornean jungle.

TOP 10 PACKING ESSENTIALS

ONE BACKPACK DAYPACK

This is a no brainer, but it’s still worth mentioning that you should bring one backpack and one daypack on your trip. This is to store every other essential thing we’re gonna list below, and then some. It’s also important to find a good bag that will support you well as you’d be wearing it all day long during your trekking trips and forest endeavors. Trust us, a good backpack will save you weeks’ worth of back aches.

STURDY SHOES OR HIKING BOOTS FOR WALKING SANDALS OR SHOES YOU DON’T MIND GETTING WET

Again, this is a no brainer, but you never know. It’s really important that you bring good sturdy shoes, or even better, a pair of hiking boots for your trail adventures. You’re going to be in the wild jungle, so expect slippery slopes and rocky terrain. But for casual walking around town, a comfortable pair of sneakers will do just fine, or a pair of casual sandals as is the usual for the Malaysian people. Don’t forget to also bring along a pair of shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and dirty, as is the case for us when we went to RWMF and got our shoes covered in mud.

MONEY BELT OR POUCH

A money belt is probably one of the best things you can invest in while travelling. We don’t recommend walking around with a heavy bulging wallet in your pocket. With a money belt, you can easily carry all your essential documents, passport and money around while being hidden under your clothes. So as not to draw any attention from thieves and pickpockets. Also, you won’t find yourself accidentally dropping your wallet in the middle of the jungle.

PERSONAL MEDICATIONS (ALLERGY MEDICATIONS)

This is important, if you have any medical conditions, this should be the first thing you pack in your backpack. Also, allergy medications, as you’ll be in a foreign land, sometimes miscommunication can happen and you’d accidentally be eating something you’re allergic to, so make sure to always have your allergy medications on stand-by.

SUNBLOCK

2 bottles, just to be safe if your skin is extra sensitive to the sun. No joke, the sun in Borneo is blazing hot as the local weather is tropical. You might need to reapply your sunscreen every now and then.

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FLASHLIGHT/ HEAD LAMP

If you plan to go on a hiking trail, or even to a resort in the middle of the jungle, a flashlight or a headlamp is definitely a must bring. Also, extra batteries.

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SUNGLASSES

Tropical weather means hot and sunny most of the time, and with the weather conditions nowadays, the uv rays would be extra harsh on your eyes. A good pair of sunglasses would solve the problem and make you look good in those selfies on the beach.

ZIPLOCK BAGS

This would be your impromptu waterproof bags for when it rains or when you go to the beach. Overlooked by many, ziplock bags are true life savers on island adventures.

BAGGAGE PADLOCKS

We’ve heard and seen many stories where people would slip illegal stuff in your baggages while you aren’t looking, so we really urge you to buy some small padlocks to lock your bags after you’ve packed them. Believe the stories or not, it’s better for anyone to be safe than sorry.

 

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BASIC FIRST AID KIT

Lastly, we can’t even begin to tell you how many times we’ve reached for the first aid kit on our trip. You’re in the jungle, expect to have cuts and bruises and even trip over a rock sometimes. It can happen to even the best of us. So the first aid kit is truly an essential thing to pack.

Catch the final episodes below:

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