This Is Malaysia

Pantai Cenang - Langkawi Tours

noreply@blogger.com (Semakness) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 02:51:00 -0700

Pantai Cenang is undoubtedly the main hub of Langkawi and is the most developed western coastal area in the whole of Malaysia. However everything here revolves around the beautiful long curved stretch of white sands known as the Pantai Cenang Beach that overlooks the turquoise blue waters of Andaman sea and the many islands little offshore. The beach is fringed with coconut and casuarina trees that further add to its beauty.

So as expected, there are large number of hotels and resorts, mostly budget and mid-range that have come up in this area. There are of course several upscale resorts here as well. Many of these hotels are lined up one after the other along the beach with barely any space in between them. Although Pantai Cenang area has the largest concentration of hotels, this is the first area to get filled up during the high season. The demand here is the highest, albeit for the lovely beach and view of the ocean, and many water activities. It takes only about 15 minutes to reach Pantai Cenang area from the Langkawi International Airport.

There are number of home stays and guesthouses that too have come up in the area but a little in the interior (although walkable from the beach). These are mainly meant for back packers. These accommodations are usually on the opposite side of Jalan Pantai Cenang Road that runs parallel to the beach. As you walk along the road, you will see numerous shops of all kinds and restaurants lined up on both sides. The road comes alive after dark when tourists and residents all flock to this place for shopping, eating and drinking. There is also a duty free shopping center here called Zon at the southern end of Pantai Cenang.

There are many tour operators along the road and also on the beach offering all kinds of water sport activities as well as island and boat tours. You will find kiosks every 50-yards or so on the beach offering Jet Ski, Banana Boating, parasailing and Island Hopping Boat Tours all through the day time. They generally close by 7pm.

The restaurants here generally open at noon and operate till late night. Even during the low season, I have found many restaurants open until mid night. During high season, most of them remain open until 2am. There are one or two specialized breakfast eateries and bakeries here that open earlier and close early. The shops too open late in the morning. Until about 10am the roads here look deserted. So life here starts late and retires late.

The Road Jalan Pantai Cenang

There are all kinds of restaurants offering wide choice of food including Malay cuisine, Asian & Indian, Chinese, Italian and Continental. However, Seafood seems to be the most popular here as boards saying 'Ikan Bakar' (meaning grilled fish) are put up in front of many restaurants and many display fresh fish & seafood that you can choose from and ask them to grill.

The nightlife continues until late hours in Pantai Cenang area. Other than many restaurants and bars on the road, there are several beach bars on the Pantai Cenang beach itself, some of them compliment the experience with music and even jam sessions that carries on till the wee hours. Several on-beach restaurants offer candle lit dinner with drinks right next to the waters. Surprisingly, many of them are inexpensive.

The area is also full of Spas including Fish Spas with offerings at reasonable rates. Most of them are lined up along the Jalan Pantai Cenang Road. However, there are not too many tourist attractions or sightseeing places in this area. Underwater World is located at the southern end of Pantai Cenang and showcases numerous fish, marine life, birds and animals. There are few other attractions like Laman Padi (rice field and museum) etc.

The road is also full of juice bars, travel agencies offering rental cars and tourist information, as well as fruit stalls. Most shops here also sell beer at a cheap rate, and many restaurants (not the high-end ones though) allow you to carry your own drinks and have it while you dine there.

Padang Matsirat - Langkawi Tours

noreply@blogger.com (Semakness) — Sat, 13 Sep 2014 02:29:00 -0700

Padang Matsirat is among the many major tourist attractions in Langkawi Island. Compared to other hotspots around Langkawi, Padang Matsirat is among the quietest where there are several hotels and resorts and is a popular place for those who like to enjoy a more peaceful environment.

Activities

Treat yourself to a luxurious spa experience in Embun Spa or Sunflower Spa. The full service spa treatment including body scrub offered by Embun Spa will make
your stress fade away as the professionally trained staffs will pamper you with first-class service. On the other hand, Sunflower Spa utilizing a wide array of local herbs, fruits and tropical spices offer some must-try treatments such as traditional Tongkat Ali Scrub, Sunflower Hot Oil Massage and Oasis Four Hands Massage.

Padang Matsirat Food Guide

Except for Langkawi International Airport, Padang Matsirat is pretty quiet and relatively underdeveloped particularly its beachside. Furthermore, there are only a handful of hotels and eateries around the area. Even though there are rows of Malay restaurants by the roadside, most choose to stay away due to its undesirable ambiance. If you really want to get a taste of scrumptious food, then perhaps you should drive over to Pantai Tengah or Pantai Cenang. Well, if you do not have a car, then here are some of the budget eateries available around Padang Matsirat – BNZ Sempoy’y Nasi Campur, Han Kook Kwan and Seven Roof Restaurant. BNZ Sempoy’y Nasi Campur is only a stall located opposite Padang Matsirat Mosque offering exceptionally cheap local Malay delicacies such as sambal grilled fish, ayam masak lemak and rendang to go with your rice.
Meanwhile, Han Kook Kwan Restaurant located next to Langkasuka Resort offers something different other than Asian or Western fare because you can satisfy your cravings for Korean barbeque here. One can easily spot the giant amphitheater-like building from a distance. Spicy steamboat delights and Korean pork barbeque are highly recommended for first time visitors. Finally, Sevan Roof Restaurant serves a wide array of Malay and Chinese foods. Try the barbeque cuisines, juicy and succulent beef satay and aromatic banana leaves lobster. But truth be told, you should drive down to Pantai Cenang or Pantai Tengah for more gastronomic options.

Padang Matsirat Hotel Guide

If you are looking forward for a holiday away from the crowd, then perhaps you should book a room at hotels located in Padang Matsirat.
This is a relatively quiet and peaceful area where only two hotels are available namely Langkawi Lagoon Resort and One Hotel Helang Langkawi. Langkawi Lagoon Resort is a five-star accommodation located about 5 minutes drive from Langkawi International Airport. Overlooking the panoramic ocean and sunset views, guests can enjoy a remarkable holiday here by choosing either sea village or beach front hotel suites.
All the 76 units of sea village are built on top of a sanctuary of calm and clear waters away from the open sea. Meanwhile, One Hotel Helang Langkawi is a three-star jewel located within walking distance from the airport and Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre. The hotel offers various business services catered to high powered businessmen. For visitors who would like to take a walk around town, just inform the concierge as complimentary transportation is provided for your convenience.

Padang Matsirat Nightlife

Padang Matsirat is a quiet and peaceful area perfect for sightseeing as it is located nearby the field of burnt rice. Instead of seeing night goers partying hard and dancing wildly to the techno music, you are more likely to see kids riding the motorbikes along the roads.
Well, of course you can find one or perhaps two bars in Padang Matsirat but those are definitely not the most happening nightspots as compared to bars and bistros in Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah. The only happening and crowded bar in Padang Matsirat is Laguna Beach Bar serving a wide range of cocktails and beers. This nightspot has only one bartender and closes by 1 am.

Padang Matsirat Shopping Guide

Padang Matsirat is a much more quiet area compared to the idyllic beaches and Kuah town. While there are no major modern shopping malls within the vicinity, you can still shop till you drop at other outlets namely the airport, Atma Alam Batik Village and Teow Soon Huat store.
You can always do some last-minute shopping at Langkawi International Airport to buy several souvenirs. Atma Alam Batik Village is the perfect place for those who are hunting for reasonably priced batik prints and shirts. In addition to that, art lovers can also purchase original oil paintings reflecting diverse cultures in Malaysia and a handful of unique mementos. Teow Soon Huat shopping centre houses more than 60 outlets complete with a supermarket to convenient vacationers staying here to purchase groceries and other items such as apparel and footwear.

Gunung Ledang National Park - Johor Tours

noreply@blogger.com (Semakness) — Sat, 8 Jun 2013 12:40:00 -0700

Gunung Ledang National Park lies just inside Johor's border with Melaka state, about 30 km from the town of Muar.

The park surrounds the fabled Mount Ophir, now called Gunung Ledang (Mount Ledang).

The mountain is 1276m high (4186ft). According to a sign at the entrance to the park, Gunung Ledang is Malaysia's 64th highest mountain and the 6th most difficult to climb. Ledang is actually only the 134th highest peak and it does not rank in the top 20 peaks in terms of difficulty.

Be that as it may, it is the highest mountain in Johor stateand its accessible location, being only a couple of hours drive from both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, means that it is one of the most popular and frequently climbed mountains in Malaysia.

That does not mean that it is easy to climb. It is a 5 to 6 hour energetic hike to the summit for a reasonably fit person and there are some steep rocky faces to negotiate with the aid of ropes. Accidents happen and there have been some fatalities which is why it is compulsory to engage a guide from the Ranger's office.

The most popular trail from in front of the Gunung Ledang Resort is closed for climbers until further access so when I visited recently I had to content myself with a short 20 minute trek along stone pathways and steps to the Puteri Waterfalls, a cascade of about 60m with pools and a pleasant picnic and bathing area further downstream.

There are other trails to the summit, notably one from the National Park's Office about 5 km from the Gunung Ledang Resort and another from the Melaka side viaAsahan. There is also a road you can drive up almost to the summit which you access through Gate B.

There are various legends pertaining to the mountain involving a magical princess, gold and silver deposits, the famous warrior Hang Tuah and more. It is regarded as a spiritual place. One of the reputed origins for the name Ophir is the Greek word Ofismeaning snake and some say the mountain is guarded by legions of snakes. Thankfully I did not see any snakes during my visit but I did encounter a large monitor lizard scavenging for food scraps in a litter bin. In the process he was scattering rubbish everywhere.

Visitors to Gunung Ledang National Park sometimes complain about the amount of litter around but as this example shows, it is not always the humans who are responsible. Of course the park management should install animal-proof litter bins but, better still, visitors should take their rubbish home with them. For this reason, climbers have to declare all their belongings at the Ranger's office and pay a rubbish deposit of RM20, refundable after the Ranger checks the belongings at the end of the hike.

Besides the monitor lizard I could see the tell-tale digging marks left by wild boars. There were also plenty of birds around, indeed 160 species of birds have been recorded here.

Once upon a time the wildlife at Gunung Ledang National Park was even more exotic. When Alfred Russel Wallace, the famous naturalist who discovered the boundary between the Oriental and Australian zoological regions (Wallace Line), visited Mount Ophir in 1854 he was so enchanted by the place that he spent a week there during which time he noted the presence of tigers, rhinoceros and elephants.

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National Palace - Kuala Lumpur Tours

noreply@blogger.com (Semakness) — Sat, 8 Jun 2013 12:26:00 -0700

The National Palace, or Istana Negara is the official residence of the King and Queen of Malaysia or, to give them their more formal titles, His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Her Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong.

History of the Palace

The Palace is located on an 11 hectare site in the leafy centre of Kuala Lumpur. It was built in 1928 as a private residence for a Chinese tin tycoon called Chan Wing who made his fortune by developing the Hong Fatt Tin Mine which is where The Mines development now stands.

Mr. Chan Wing's home cost RM150,000 to build and although it had 13 rooms at that time it must still have been quite crowded as he had 26 children and 8 or 9 wives.

He had to flee Malaya during the Japanese occupation as he was known to be a supporter of anti-Japanese resistance in China. His descendants still have active business interests in Malaysia and beyond.

During the War, the Japanese used the building as an officers' mess. After their surrender, it was used by the British Royal Air Force for a while and then served as a temporary Palace for the Sultan of Selangor while his new Palace at Klang was being built.

The Palace was then acquired by the Federal Government in 1957 and, after undergoing extensive renovations and extensions, it became the National Palace.

The Malaysian Monarchy System

Malaysia has a unique constitutional monarchy system whereby the King, who is also Ruler of one of the states that make up Malaysia, serves for a fixed period of 5 years before being replaced by a Sultan from another of the states. The King is elected by the Conference of Rulers and in practice the Monarchy has rotated in turn between each of the 9 states with Sultans.

These states are (in order) Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, Perlis, Terengganu, Kedah, Kelantan, Pahang, Johor and Perak.

The current King, Al-Wathiqu Billah Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Mukhtafi Billah Shah is the Ruler of Terangganu and his 5 year term ends in December 2011. The next King will be from Kedah state.

The remaining 4 of Malaysia's 13 states (Sarawak, Sabah, Melaka and Penang do not have Sultans - they have Governors instead).

The King, as Supreme Head of State, has roles and functions in matters relating to legislation, judiciary, military, religion, diplomacy and pardoning.

Royal Etiquette and Protocol

If you are ever fortunate enough to be invited to the Palace for dinner you will need to brush up on your etiquette. I can recommend a fascinating official website on the Malaysian Monarchy which will tell you everything you need to know. For example, it tells us that at the dinner table we should "Avoid yawning or belching loudly". I should think so too!

And if you are ever hosting a function for VVIPs you will need to know the Federal Order of Precedence to avoid offending anybody. The same website informs us that naturally the King and Queen occupy the number 1 and 2 positions in the order of precedence. The Prime Minister only comes in at number 6. When planning your seating arrangements you might also need to know for example that the Governor of the Central Bank (No.40) takes precedence over the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur (No.41).

This Is Malaysia

Pantai Cenang - Langkawi Tours

Padang Matsirat - Langkawi Tours

Activities

Padang Matsirat Food Guide

Padang Matsirat Hotel Guide

Padang Matsirat Nightlife

Padang Matsirat Shopping Guide

Gunung Ledang National Park - Johor Tours

National Palace - Kuala Lumpur Tours

LOT 10 - Kuala Lumpur Tours

KL Plaza - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Starhill Gallery - Kuala Lumpur Tours

BB Plaza / Bukit Bintang Plaza - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Sungei Wang Plaza - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Pavillion - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Bank Negara Money Museum - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Central Market - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Malaysia Tourism Centre - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Jalan Masjid India - Kuala Lumpur Tours

PetroSains - Kuala Lumpur Tours

National History Museum - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Petaling Street - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Bird Park - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Butterfly Park - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Hibiscus Garden - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Stadium Bukit Jalil - Kuala Lumpur Tours

National Zoo - Kuala Lumpur Tours

National Planetarium - Kuala Lumpur Tours

National Theatre - Kuala Lumpur Tours

National Science Centre - Kuala Lumpur Tours