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Cuisine in Melaka

MALAYSIA EYE TO BE READY BY DECEMBER 2011

Malacca to get bigger Ferris wheel

MALACCA: A new Ferris wheel, bigger than the Eyes on Malaysia, will rise again in the historical city here.

The wheel, to be called Malaysia Eye, will stand 88m high and comprise 54 air-conditioned gondolas.

It will be able to ferry six people in a gondola for a 16-minute ride.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said Malaysia Eye would begin operating on Dec 1 with a 324- passenger capacity.

“The the cost of bringing Malaysia Eye from China and the construction of a park along with it is RM30 million.

“It would not be located in Kota Laksamana, but in Pulau Melaka,” he said, adding that locating the new Ferris wheel on the Eyes on Malaysia site would have implications as it was taller and the project would have to be approved by Unesco because of its World Heritage Sites status.

Ali said the Malaysia Eye project would be handled by The Eye Sdn Bhd.

He said the Malaysia Eye would be better and bigger than the Eyes On Malaysia which closed down due to a dispute between its owners, Fitraco NV of Belgium and MST Ad Suria Sdn Bhd and Eye On Malaysia Sdn Bhd, the company leasing the Ferris wheel.

Besides the new Ferris wheel, Ali said the Pulau Melaka area would also see the development of an Arab city, hotels and apartments.

“We will also have a 1,000-room hotel near Pulau Melaka, which will be developed by the Hatten Group.

“The Malaysia Eye and other attractions in this area, especially the soon-to-be opened Sea Lion Park, are set to be the latest tourist attractions,” he added.

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Tourism Malaysia

A day-trip to Melaka

A day-trip to Melaka

Click! Click! Click! …

Standing excitedly in front of Porta De Santiago, Timothy Woo snapped away with his camera.

He and three of his friends, from the United States, went on a one-day trip to Melaka recently.

“We were asking around for a destination that we could go on a day-trip from Kuala Lumpur, and everyone suggested Melaka,” said Timothy Woo, of Boston, Massachusetts.

Steeped in tradition and cultures, Melaka is situated about an hour and a half-away from Kuala Lumpur. They were joined by a local guide, Siva, who described the history of Melaka.

Melaka was first discovered by Parameswara, a young Hindu Prince said to be from Palembang. He then established himself as the king in Temasek, now known as Singapore.

Melaka soon grew to become a port of trade between the East and West, and traders from India, Arab, China and other parts of the world brought in goods such as tea, cotton, silk, silver, porcelain, ivory, Persian carpets, brassware, perfumes, incense and opium. The Chinese Emperor also sent emissaries to Melaka to establish ties with the small, but important city.

Others would come to Melaka 60 years later, especially the Portuguese led by Alfonso de Albuquerque, arrived first, conquering Melaka in 1511. Then, in 1641 the Dutch wrested Melaka from the Portuguese, rebuilt the city and controlled the important waterways of the Straits of Melaka.

During their visit to Melaka, Timothy and his friends visited several places including:  The Dutch Square (St. Peter’s Church, St. Paul’s Hill (A’ Famosa), The Stadthuys), Jonker Walk, Kampung Hulu’s Mosque, Taman Mini Malaysia, and went on the Melaka River Cruise.

“Melaka is full of history. It’s amazing that everywhere you look; there is something of historical significance,” said Timothy.

“I really like Harmony Street where there were three different places of worship for three different religions side by side,” said Timothy, adding that this made Melaka, and especially Malaysia, unique. (Harmony Street also known as Jalan Tokong Besi, was given the name because of the location of the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Kampong Kling Mosque and Sri Vinayagar Temple situated peacefully along the same street).

“I’ve been to Macau before so the European influence mixed with Asian architecture always amazes me and Melaka reminded me of that,” he said.

“I think this really personifies what is interesting about Malaysia, where so many different people or different cultures and religions can live side by side in harmony,” he added.

“Besides Melaka, I have only visited KL and the surrounding suburbs. I find the people here to be extremely warm and hospitable,” said Timothy.

“Malaysia is a beautiful country with the landscape mixture of mountains and water. Malaysians have really gone out of their way to ensure that my trip has been fun. I find Malaysian food to be very distinct,” he said.

“Coming from the US, I have never been to an authentic Malaysian restaurant so I had never tried the food before. After coming here though, I have to say that it is great. I find it distinct because I can tell it is an influence of many flavours such as Chinese and Indian,” he added.

Christine Chiou, from California, who also went along on the trip added that Melaka seems to be a sleepy little town, rich with history. Christine was especially intrigued by A’ Famosa.

“I liked A’ Famosa (the Portuguese fort) a lot.  It was unlike any other fort I’ve seen before… it was so small!  How were they able to defend Melaka with such a small fort?” she asked, amazed.

Porta in Portuguese refers to portal, which means gateway and true enough Porta De Santiago was indeed one of four main gateways into the Portuguese fortress of A’ Famosa. The leader of the Portuguese army that conquered Melaka in 1511, Alfonso de Albuquerque started the construction of A’ Famosa in 1512 from which they fended off attacks by the armies of the Sultan of Melaka and Acheh for well over a century.

Christine had a great time taking pictures of the fort, especially with its rich history. They also saw unique Dutch headstones as well as an old well, strewn with coins and bank notes from all over the world at the fort.

Stacy Shi, of Boston agrees that Melaka is a very pretty and historical town.

“The architecture which combines multiple cultural influences is beautiful, and the temples and mosques are very intriguing as well,” she said.

“The park we visited at first with different types of houses (Taman Mini Asean) from South-East Asia was a lot of fun.  I liked seeing the different types of homes and seeing what it is like inside,” she added.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Fung from California agreed that though Melaka was a hot and humid place, but was delighted with its rich history.

“It’s lucky that our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable.  There are definitely a lot of interesting and diverse places within the city as well,” he said.

He however suggested a few changes could be done to better the tourism infrastructure in Melaka.

“I wasn’t able to find any easy tips or guides on where to go for short day-trips such as Melaka from Kuala Lumpur.  This information could be compiled for tourists that are staying in Kuala Lumpur,” he said.

Their excursion brought them to Jonker Street, a Chinatown renowned for its antique shops, clothing and craft outlets.

“There were some articles online that I looked up and it seemed that a lot of people recommended various snacks such as pineapple tarts that Melaka is famous for,” he said, searching for the nyonya pineapple tarts at Jonker Street.

Their final tour of Melaka ended with a delightful cruise of the Melaka River, enabling them to see up close the multi-cultural aspects of the city. The cruise passed by several historical sights including Kampung Morten, the oldest Malay village in the city. There is even a glimpse of the Melaka tree, where Parameswara was said to have rested upon and was inspired to name the city, Melaka.

The boats are available daily at every thirty minute interval between the following times: 9.30am to 5pm and 6pm to 12 midnight. The cruise starts from the Quayside Heritage Centre up to Taman Rempah, Pangkalan Rama.

A must-see on the cruise is Kampung Morten, a living museum showcasing a village that’s been around for hundreds of years. There are private museums here where one can get a deeper understanding of the local Malay culture including their costumes and crafts like embroidery work.

After an exciting excursion to Melaka, tired but happy, Timothy, Christina, Stacy and Kenneth came back with unforgettable memories and will definitely visit Malaysia again.

Further information:

Tourism Malaysia Melaka, Lot 02, Ground Floor, Lembaga Tabung Haji Building, Jalan Banda Kaba, 75000, Melaka

Phone: +606-288 3304 / 1549 / 3785
Fax: +606-286 9804
Email: mtpb.melaka@tourism.gov.my

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Tourism Malaysia

Independent Vacationing for the Novice

Arranging your own vacation can be a little daunting if you’ve always placed your annual trip in the hands of a competent travel agent. Before, all you had to do was to select the country and resort, get yourself to the airport on the right date and at the right time, and the rest was taken care of for you. You were probably met at your destination airport by the tour operator’s representative who then escorted you to your resort, and, at the end of your vacation, you just needed to be ready and waiting for the return coach journey to the airport. The sense of reassurance this can give has always gone some way to help vacationers enjoy their trip: there’s never been any worry about how to get from the airport to the hotel, how to cope with a broken toilet once there, or how to buy tickets for a boat excursion.

However, over the years, it seems that technology has helped the average vacationer to develop a somewhat more adventurous spirit. They’ve found that not only are they capable of arranging their own travel — and making substantial savings in the process — but that the flexibility and choice independent travel offers provide a greater chance of experiencing much more than they would otherwise do with a vacation package.

While all of this is true for the majority of travelers, there are however a few who will tell you that they wish they’d carried out a little more research before heading off with only a guidebook and their return flight ticket. While independent travel offers an abundance of opportunities, it needs a little preparation and organization. This way you can enjoy your vacation, as well as get back home at your scheduled return time!

Transfers

One of the biggest issues the independent traveler has to contend with is how to get from the airport to the hotel (or apartment, or hostel). While many will just jump in the first taxi that comes along, others prefer to do it a little differently. There are those travelers who want to keep costs down and therefore look for a cheaper alternative; others who believe that local transport is perfectly adequate for their needs; and those who want to experience the local transport system as part of the whole “vacation experience.” If you prefer to take public transport, then you’ll need to research not only the schedules, but whether it will actually be operating when you arrive. Many an independent traveler, arriving at his or her destination when the locals have been enjoying a day off, has been forced to take a taxi instead of public transport as originally intended. While this shouldn’t cause too many problems — apart from depriving those who want the experience of traveling on local transport — if you’re on a tight budget, it could very well mean the difference between dinner and just a beer!

On a similar note, always pay particular attention to the arrival time of your flight at your destination airport. Remember that you won’t be whisked away in a tour operator’s nice big comfortable air-conditioned coach. Ensure that you can get to your hotel and that you won’t be left hanging around for hours. This also applies to your return journey, especially if it’s imperative that you don’t miss your return flight home. It’s always prudent to avoid scheduling important commitments the day immediately following your return from vacation, especially if you’re traveling independently for the first time!

Accommodation

In order to get the best possible deal on your accommodation, ask if there are any membership discounts available when booking (e.g. AAA, seniors, family, or hotel membership). Most hotels have some or other promotion running so it’s worth trying to negotiate a cheaper rate than that advertised. Most accommodation bookings can be made online; however, if you want to negotiate on price, it’s probably easier done over the telephone. If you can be flexible with your dates, you stand more chance of negotiating a discount on the cost (this also applies to buying your airline tickets).

When choosing your hotel, don’t be content only with the information provided on the hotel’s website. This will show the hotel in the best possible light and some of the details (e.g. its location in relation to the local attractions) may be a little vague: “a short walk to the beach” is always worth further investigation! Check the hotel’s location in respect of amenities and attractions depending on what’s important to you: Is it close to the beach? Is it close to the bus station so you can take trips out of the city/resort? Is it close to the local sights?

If you’re on a tight budget, transfer fees from the airport to your hotel may dictate where you eventually decide to stay. While public transport costs will undoubtedly be cheaper than taxi fares, you could still end up paying more than you bargained for. Again, try to find out how much you’ll need to pay in public transport costs.

If you’ve been advised that the hotel or apartment is particularly difficult to find — this sort of information can be obtained from reading previous guests’ reviews online — then make sure you have a good map of the local area. While most local taxi drivers should be able to find your hotel, there’s no guarantee that they will. Always carry a contact number for your hotel just in case you run into any problems en route. Most times, if you get into difficulty, there will be someone you can call who can help you with directions.

Necessities

It always pays to learn a few words of the local lingo, regardless of whether or not you travel independently. However, without access to a tour guide, and the comfort of an “all-inclusive” resort, you may find that a few words of the local language come in very handy. Attempting to communicate with the locals can sometimes be the difference between receiving acceptable and very good service in a restaurant or café. Invest in a small phrase book. If you’re going to be eating out often then make sure it includes translations for food and beverages, especially if you have special dietary requirements (e.g. vegetarian, food allergy).

Find out whether you’ll be able to access your money while on vacation or whether you need to take cash or travelers’ checks with you.

As you won’t have a travel agent to remind you about necessities such as vaccines, and visas, research what’s needed in this respect for the country you’ll be visiting.

The same applies to travel insurance. Carry out the necessary research to see which package best suits your travel needs.

Research the resort or city where you’ll be staying to know which spots you should visit — and which you should avoid. Again, there may not be anyone on hand to advise you about this aspect of your vacation so find out what you can before leaving home.

And finally, regardless of how independently you travel, remember that we all need to consider our impact on the places we’re visiting and how we can be responsible travelers: take only photographs and leave nothing but footprints.

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Wesak Day Festival in Malaysia

Wesak Day Festival in Malaysia

Buddhist devotees offers incense sticks to Buddha during Wesak Day celebration at the Temple Mara Vihara, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Wesak Day commemorates the birth of Buddha, his attaining of Enlightenment and his passing away into Nirvana. Kamal Sellehuddin/The Star

Wesak Day falls in the month of May and is considered to be the most important festival for Buddhists in Malaysia. This day is celebrated in order to observe the birth, enlightenment and death of Lord Buddha which according to the Buddhists all three of the events took place on the same lunar date. Different countries celebrate Wesak Day on different days due to the difference in the local lunar observance.

When translated Buddha literally means ‘one who is awake and has become enlightened’. This particular term is used to describe a person that has obtained supreme wisdom as well as the compassion of Enlightenment. The concept of Enlightenment for Buddhists can be described as a blessed stated in which the individual attains Nirvana (transcendence of desire and suffering).

On this particular day the Malaysian Buddhist devotees will begin the celebrations usually even before dawn where they will gather at the temples. The Buddhists will then hoist the Buddhist flag and sing hymns in praise of the holy triple gem namely; The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings) and The Sangha (his disciples). Simple offerings are also brought to the temple such as flowers while prayers using candles and joss-sticks are used.

Besides using them for prayers, these items are also significant in the Buddhist teaching as it teaches the devotees about the non-permanence of life. Like a flower that will wither in due time or candles that will eventually burn out so is that of life which is subjected to destruction and decay. Before the actual day of the celebration the devout Buddhists will eat a vegetarian diet so that they will be cleansed and purified.

Wesak Day is also where you will see many of the Malaysian Buddhist devotees releasing animals such as doves and tortoises. This act is seen as a symbolic gesture of one releasing the soul and giving up for the sins that they have made in the past. Besides that, this particular act is also seen as a way of giving freedom for those that are held against their will or being tortured.

Other significance of celebrating Wesak Day is to make special efforts to bring happiness to those that are less fortunate such as the elderly and the sick. In an effort to bring joy and happiness the Malaysian Buddhists will conduct various charitable activities such as donating money and take the time out to visit orphanages and old folks home and helping out wherever they can.

The statue of the baby Buddha is displayed by some temples and it is usually located in front of the altar. The statue is then placed in a basin filled with water and decorated with flowers where the devotees are allowed to pour water over the statue. The act of pouring water over the statue is seen as a symbolic act of the practitioners of cleansing their bad karma. The other significance of pouring water over the statue is to re-enact the event following Buddha’s birth, when the devas and spirits made heavenly offerings to him.

Image Credit – KamalSell

Travel Guide to Malaysia and Singapore

Traversing the South China Sea, guiding travellers from the giddy heights of Kuala Lumpur to the national parks, perfect white sand beaches and coral reefs, Footprint’s Malaysia guide is back for its 7th edition. With extensive coverage of the best dive sights, where to spot rare wildlife and how to explore the heart of Borneo, this fully revised and updated edition provides all the comprehensive information need to introduce you to this rich and diverse land.

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Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia

Petronas Twin Towers Malaysia

The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Petronas Twin Towers was officially opened on the 31st August 1999 by Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Dato Seri Dr. Mahatir Mohammad. The tower is not only a landmark for the city of Kuala Lumpur but it is also a symbol of Malaysia’s achievement. Besides that it is also a constant reminder to all Malaysians of how the country will achieve the status of developed country come the year 2020.

 The twin towers are also home to the Malaysian Petroleum Company which is known as Petroliam Nasional Berhad or Petronas which the towers are named after. The company engages in a wide variety of oil and gas related operations in more than 30 countries worldwide and is also ranked amongst the Fortune Global 500 largest corporations.

It was Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir who came up with the idea to build the tower as he wanted something that was different and that people around the world could instantly recognize it as being an iconic symbol of Malaysia such as the Great Pyramid in Egypt and the Great Wall of China.

The design of the twin towers were created by Cesar Pelli Associates from America and it was built on a former horse racing track located on Jalan Ampang. The project was completed in the year 1997 and Petronas Twin Towers become the highest twin building in the world standing at 452m (1483 feet). However the title has since been taken over by the Burj Khalifa which officially opened in 2010 in Dubai.

Since Islam is the official religion in Malaysia, the design of the building also follows the concept of the religion for example the design uses simple Islamic geometric forms of two interlocking squares which create an eight pointed star shape. There are also eight superimposed semi-circles upon the eight pointed stars that soften the inner angles. This particular design was used in the architecture as it reflects some of the important aspects of the religion such as unity within unity, harmony, stability and rationality.

Another attraction of the twin towers is the Sky Bridge which is also the highest double story bridge in the world. The bridge is located on the 41st and 42nd floor and visitors are allowed to go up to the Sky Bridge however they can only visit the 41st floor section as the 42nd one has been reserved for tenants. Admission is free with about 1500 tickets issued each day, it is on a first come first serve basis so you might want to get there early to get your tickets.

The towers are mainly used as office spaces with Tower 1 being fully occupied by Petronas as well as its subsidiaries and associate companies while Tower 2 houses multinational companies and is open for leasing. Besides this, visitors can also find an 864 seat arena which is home to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra located at the podium level.

There is also a modern contemporary museum called Petrosains that displays just about anything that has to do with oil and gas, here visitors can interact with the displays and exhibits. For the shopping fanatics there is also a shopping complex located here, called Suria KLCC and you will be able to find just about anything and everything there.

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