tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54556980684374139282013-06-19T15:18:15.481+08:00Hello, my name is Azlan Afandi, and I am born, raised and live in Malaysia. I’ve been all over Malaysia and have experienced the diverse cultures so synonymous with Malaysia and have had the pleasure to check out the best places here. So, here in my blog, I’ll write about plenty of things Malaysian and about Malaysia. *And yes, this was formerly Malaysia-by-Malaysian.com; I’ve decided to move it to blogger, which is easier to maintain.Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.comBlogger65125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-89749882966382919722011-10-17T18:47:00.005+08:002011-10-17T19:39:45.436+08:002011-10-17T19:39:45.436+08:00

Some time ago, when my wife was pregnant with our son, she thought it’d be a good idea for us to take a break and enjoy ourselves. So we thought, why not head up to Genting Highlands? It’s a good place to have fun, and we haven’t been there in a while. Genting Highlands is a mountain top resort and holiday retreat, about 45 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur. After battling through the traffic jams

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com104tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-58828505960204094222011-10-16T20:00:00.007+08:002011-10-16T20:33:30.965+08:002011-10-16T20:33:30.965+08:00

With the rather long Wesak Day weekend nearing, my family and I thought it would be nice for us to take a break somewhere. Most other destinations are booked solid for the holidays, and I’m rather fortunate to secure a reservation at Felda Residence Tanjung Leman. I have been here before, though it was for work purposes, so I didn’t have the luxury to enjoy all the fun stuff the last time. So

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-87662355645125525582008-08-11T16:48:00.004+08:002008-08-11T17:06:54.387+08:002008-08-11T17:06:54.387+08:00

First of all, let me start by apologizing for not posting in this blog sooner. Believe me, I have so many stories to tell, so many cool places to share, but haven’t got the time to really sit down and write. Oh well, let me make it all up by sharing to all of you about one of my latest traveling experience.On 30th June 2008, I went to the Tioman Island for my honeymoon. Ops, did I say ‘honeymoon’

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com122tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-49079488087002770232008-01-31T02:14:00.001+08:002008-01-31T05:47:50.755+08:002008-01-31T05:47:50.755+08:00

Since it's been awhile since the last time I went for a road trip. Well, the last time was about a month ago, which for me, that’s awhile! Anyway, I wanted to go to Kota Tinggi for lunch. Yeah… Breakfast in Skudai, lunch in Kota Tinggi, dinner in Perlis. Then in the future when I get to own a private jet, maybe I could actually do that outside Malaysia. Wouldn’t that be cool?Ok, back to Kota

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com175tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-75836207681942798462007-11-25T14:37:00.000+08:002007-11-25T14:55:30.488+08:002007-11-25T14:55:30.488+08:00

My favourite activity whenever I go to Kuala Lumpur is to drive around and look for places to eat. And this time, there are 2 eating places that I want to talk about. One is called Marché and another one is the Norway Bakery Moments Café.Marché Mövenpick RestaurantMarché Mövenpick Restaurant is situated in the Curve, one of the newest shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. From a friend's recommendation,

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-27398695718670676662007-11-23T17:40:00.000+08:002007-11-24T16:00:43.888+08:002007-11-24T16:00:43.888+08:00

This time during my visit to Kuala Lumpur, I stayed at the new Crystal Crown Hotel. Situated in Kepong, they're a bit far from the city so it will take a while if you want to go to the main shopping complexes. Actually, I didn't realize that it was a new hotel until I read the brochure when I checked in. The reason I choose this hotel on the first place is because of the internet promotion rate,

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-69915135486522359192007-09-06T05:11:00.000+08:002007-09-06T05:25:00.109+08:002007-09-06T05:25:00.109+08:00

Another place that I got a chance to visit while I was in Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Lumpur Tower. When I first thought about going there, I thought this wasn’t going to be too hard. But for me, that wasn’t the case. You know, you’d think finding a tower 421 metres high would be intuitive, but boy it was not! I had to make many turns and going around the same place over and over again. There weren

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-23495429636937569142007-08-16T20:21:00.000+08:002007-09-06T05:26:03.635+08:002007-09-06T05:26:03.635+08:00

Hi everybody! I know, it’s been quite a while since I last posted here, but honestly, I’ve been swamped with work! Need to get the money some way to go traveling around, right? Anyway, during the past month, I did manage to go to Kuala Lumpur, just to take a break and visit an old friend. While there, I managed to go to some interesting places and one of them is the Eye on Malaysia, located in

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-32670750451064313472007-05-25T22:54:00.000+08:002007-05-30T10:35:35.447+08:002007-05-30T10:35:35.447+08:00

Being a coffee addict, among my common hang out place around Johor is the coffee shops, or what the local usually call the "Kopitiam". Actually, you may find Kopitiam all over Malaysia. However, since Johor Bahru is my hometown, and i spend most of my life here, I would like to introduce to all of you two of my favourite Kopitiam.Pic: Kopitiam Kim in Taman PelangiKopitiam Kim, situated in Taman

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com156tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-13186560790023188042007-05-23T16:33:00.000+08:002007-05-24T02:04:08.149+08:002007-05-24T02:04:08.149+08:00

The state of Sabah has many beautiful islands and scuba diving sites scattered all over its waters. And I think this place, Layang-Layang, has great potential to be one of the greatest scuba diving enthusiast puller yet. I mean this place is absolutely spectacular. It’s a small island, only 7.5 kilometers long and 2 kilometers wide, but the prize is the 13 coral reefs linked around it, an atoll.

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-57146259621398805552007-05-23T16:28:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:30:07.970+08:002007-05-23T16:30:07.970+08:00

At 2,579 or about 8,462 feet from sea level stands Gunung Tambuyukon (Mount Tambuyukon), the third highest peak in Malaysia. However, very few mountain-climbing enthusiasts know this place even exists. I guess it hasn’t been promoted as much as say Gunung Kinabalu or Gunung Tahan. Also, this site has only been opened to the public since 1990. Guides around these parts say that in those years,

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-62471501005965553722007-05-23T16:24:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:26:59.143+08:002007-05-23T16:26:59.143+08:00

There's no shortage of challenging mountains to climb. Traverse your way up the mountains, through virgin rainforests and discover the denizens on the wild. Oh yes, the prize must have to be Gunung Kinabalu (Mount Kinabalu), the highest peak in Southeast Asia. Others, like the ones listed below, are also challenging and have their own stories to tell.Mountain Climbing:SabahGunung Kinabalu (4,093m

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-73495780785324856622007-05-23T16:23:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:24:42.382+08:002007-05-23T16:24:42.382+08:00

Malaysia has many fast flowing rivers, perfect for a white water rafting adventure. Visitors from near and far enjoy rushing down the rivers while immersing themselves in the beauty of Malaysia's virgin forests. For this type of activity, I tell you, the places I list below are the best places to do it.White Water Rafting:JohorSugnai EndauPahangJeram BesuSungai LipisSungai TelomSungai

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-82986675433905453062007-05-23T16:19:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:22:01.365+08:002007-05-23T16:22:01.365+08:00

Malaysia has some of the largest and most fascinating caves in the world. Some caves in the Mulu National Park are as large as several stadiums. And in these dark places, there's life and beautiful limestone formations dating back many million years. Here's a list of perfect places where you can explore the many fascinating caves in Malaysia.Exploring Caves:SarawakGua Penyu (Mulu National Park)

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-74799454164585217992007-05-23T16:15:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:18:45.124+08:002007-05-23T16:18:45.124+08:00

Malaysian waters has been the object of fascination by many scuba divers and underwater explorers around the world. There are many excellent dive sites around the country, some are among the best in the world, and new sites are being discovered every year. Marine life here in Malaysia is very divers, with the underwater ecological system having evolved millions of years. Scuba divers here have

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-38855098917625840252007-05-23T16:13:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:15:08.050+08:002007-05-23T16:15:08.050+08:00

There's a certain kind of calmness when you are surrounded with rainforests some 260 million years old. Most of the places I list have no cellular phone coverage, or air conditioning. That just strays from the whole point anyway. What you'll surely have is a lot of fun and respect for the wilderness. The best jungle trekking sites in Malaysia are listed below. Many of which I went during numerous

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-40586904762663383612007-05-23T16:09:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:12:49.315+08:002007-05-23T16:12:49.315+08:00

First, you hear them from afar. Soon, sounds of their wings flapping and cries grow louder. The birds, sometimes, make a show for you, flying low, and in large numbers. It is always a spectacular sight to see the birds fly past by the hundreds. Enthusiasts, gather at the following locations to do just that...Bird Watching:SarawakGunung HoseBako National ParkMulu National ParkSabahKota Belud Bird

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-5051166178824556862007-05-23T16:06:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:08:39.455+08:002007-05-23T16:08:39.455+08:00

I think shopping is Singaporean’s favorite pastime. It could be in Singapore, or even when they come to Malaysia. Since they like shopping so much, Singapore has great shopping centers everywhere in the island. The great thing about shopping in Singapore is that there are a wide variety of choices under one roof. Shops in Malaysia have the advantage when it comes to lower prices. But there are

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-51737801780096665092007-05-23T16:04:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:05:50.719+08:002007-05-23T16:05:50.719+08:00

Since 1859, orchids have been closely associated with the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The products of the Gardens' orchid breeding program, which began in 1928, deserve a place where they can be displayed in their full splendour. The very design of these orchids is, one could say, 'hand crafted by the Gardens' horticultural staff, dedicated to bringing out the finest in any hybrid cross.Over 700

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-84129057645955135402007-05-23T16:02:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:04:00.610+08:002007-05-23T16:04:00.610+08:00

While most parts of Singapore have been developed extensively, there are some parts that have been conserved and nurtured as nature reserves. Also, the government has taken great care and maintenance for these places.SUNGEI BULOH NATURE PARKThis place is Singapore’s first wetland nature reserve. And even though it is very well known in Singapore, I stumbled upon it by chance after taking the

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-63387612935070033302007-05-23T16:00:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:02:11.571+08:002007-05-23T16:02:11.571+08:00

Singapore has plenty of historical places to appreciate. All of them have been restored to perfect condition. A good place to start would be Fort Canning Park. I found out that the fort was originally built in the early 14th century by Malay rulers of old. So, I guess the walls have plenty of stories to tell. Today, there’s a museum there called the Battle Box, which is actually a bunker where

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-63026750259107765932007-05-23T15:57:00.000+08:002007-05-23T16:00:12.659+08:002007-05-23T16:00:12.659+08:00

What do Singaporeans and the visitors there do for entertainment and where they go for it? Well, for a small place, there’s actually plenty to do. Firstly, you’ve got to head down to The Esplanade! Theatres on the Bay. It is rather new, completed in 2002. This place has a large concert hall, lyric theatre, three smaller studios and a beautiful outdoor performing space. Many local and

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-14647153907670347482007-05-23T15:53:00.000+08:002007-05-23T15:57:22.552+08:002007-05-23T15:57:22.552+08:00

SENTOSA ISLANDI think, a highlight for many people’s visit to Singapore would be a trip to Sentosa Island. It is an island developed almost entirely for people to have a good time and relax. Setting foot on the island, there are plenty of spots to check out, and I’ll start with the Underwater World. This is one of the best Underwater World type of thing in the world. It’s always fascinating to

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-413593126091603662007-05-23T15:50:00.000+08:002007-05-23T15:53:16.606+08:002007-05-23T15:53:16.606+08:00

Hotels are plentiful in Singapore and many are world-class, you’ll have to kick yourself if you can’t find any around. However, I don’t think they have any really low cost dorms or rooms for backpackers. Hotels in Singapore may cost a bit more, but the service offered is very good.In Orchard Road, a great place to stay is The Four Seasons Hotel. The rooms are spacious with tasteful artwork. I

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455698068437413928.post-55635241644195351812007-05-23T15:46:00.000+08:002007-05-23T15:49:58.445+08:002007-05-23T15:49:58.445+08:00

GETTING TO SINGAPOREGetting to Singapore is really easy. From Malaysia, you can drive; take a bus/cab and even a flight from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) and AirAsia have daily flights to Singapore.Many of the world’s top airlines have frequent flights to Singapore. Among them are British Airways, United Airlines, Air France, Air New Zealand,

Alan has writtenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04795941486255249146noreply@blogger.com0