Thursday, October 2, 2008

Penang ... " Pearl Of The Orient " Malaysia.











Vibrant Georgetown is the heart of Penang Island.( also known as The Pearl Of The Orient ) Named by the British after King George IV, it is unmistakably Chinese, its narrow streets congested with pedestrians, vehicles, signboards and temples.
Fort Cornwallis was built with convict labour in the early 1800s. In 1977, it was declared a National Monument and today, the old fort’s precincts have been converted into a small park, a police museum and a minute but interesting Memorial Gallery housed inside one of the powder magazines which contains old prints, documents and photographs. Its ramparts are still guarded by old cannons, some of which are attributed with magical powers.
The Kek Lok Si Temple Complex is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia built in 1890 and took 70 years to complete. It features the Great Pagoda Tower which is 7 storeys high and is renowned for it’s architectural odditity. Since it has a Chinese base, a Thai middle section and is topped off with a Burmese spiral dome tower. Above the temple on the hillside is a gigantic statue of Kuan Yin presides over all.
The most elaborate clan house or guildhall in Georgetown, the Khoo Kongsi was designed to capture the splendour of an imperial palace with its seven- tiered pavilion, “dragon” pillars and hand-painted walls.
Penang visitors can peer into a Chinese bridal chamber created in the lavish style of the 19th century, or see a bejewelled keris, the dagger Malays used for protection. There are many maps, charts and old photographs on display.
The Penang Bird Park is a lush garden with over 200 species of tropical birds from around the world. The birds are all housed in specially designed homes, including a huge walk-in aviary and geodesic domes.
The dignified St George’s Church , built in 1818, is the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia. Sir Francis Light lies buried in the frangipani-shaded cemetery down the road, along with other notables of - old Penang.
The Waterfall Gardens (Penang Botanic Gardens) are a beautifully-cultivated showcase of tropical plants where waterfalls that start over a hundred metres above the gardens cascade through the greenery.
The carefully-restored late 19th-century Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion which has a unique blend of Eastern and Western architectural styles, was built by craftsmen from China’s Guandong province and is the Orient’s best-preserved Chinese courtyard house.






The tiny quarter of “Little India” , where saris, garlands, and jewellery deck the stores, and the spicy scent of curry wafts through the air, was once the area for Indian merchants and still has row upon row of diverse Indian shops. One of the first skyscrapers in Penang, KOMTAR is the largest shopping complex in Penang, a full 65 stories of clothing shops. restaurants, supermarkets and a couple of large departmental stores. Jalan Penang (Penang Road) is the main bazaar, full of department stores,
Pasar Chowrasta (Chowrasta Market), is a wet market with the customary wet market odour. It offers the Penang specialities of local biscuits and preserved nutmeg and mango prepared in a wide variety of styles. The Georgetown Flea Markets start around 7 am on a Sunday. These markets sell exotic fruits and vegetables, watches, jewellery, T-shirts and handbags. Lorong Kulit is great for secondhand goods and knick-knacks.
If you dare, visit the Temple of Azure Cloud more popularly known as the Snake Temple, where venomous pit vipers, doped perhaps by the incense, lie coiled around everything: altars, shrines, incense burners, candlesticks, vases, tables, underfoot and overhead. • The Bukit Meirtajam Recreational Park offers numerous walking trails for trekkers and rest huts when you tire. Near its entrance is the stark white St Anne’s Church, a well-preserved 19th-century colonial relic. Best Best Beaches
Ferringhi beach is one of the most popular resorts in Southeast Asia, with sailing, para-sailing and speed-boating facilities. It is rich in restaurants, shops, recreation and hotels, and the beach is kept clean. There is a night bazaar every evening. Tanjung Bungah beach offers expansive stretches of glittering sand interspersed with secluded coves within the shelter of gigantic rocks. The shoreline here is backed with lush greenery and dotted with large boulders. Beautiful sunsets grace the beach of Teluk Bahang (Bay of Embers) where the local charm is exemplified by an intact fishing village, complete with a stretch of traditional Malay homes and a pier made from wooden stakes. If you crave privacy, hire a boat to the unspoilt beaches of Pantai Kerachut (Monkey Beach) or Teluk Duyung. The Pasir Panjang Beach at the southwestem tip of the island is also a good clean stretch for swimming. The secluded northem beach nestled among mangrove forests at scenic Tanjung Rhu has well-known spas, gracious service and a full range of facilities and amenities. The white stretch of sand offers scenic sunsets against a backdrop of mountains and rainforest.
The Penang Bridge is no doubt one of the many architectural wonders of Penang. Ranks as the longest bridge in Asia and 5th largest in the world, the iconic bridge that took 5 years to complete was the beloved bridge for every Penangites. It marks the new milestone that brings Penang closer to the world attention.
The dual-carriageway bridge connecting Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia has become a symbol of pride and national landmarks.
As an island of enchantment, Penang sizzles and dazzles her visitors with contrasting cultures and colourful fiesta throughout the year. Together with series of dynamic events that took place, Penang is fills with non-stop fun and activities.
It is a mystical island whose every crevice, every corner, is filled with utmost beauty and peace. And to describe it with words alone is definitely not enough. Penang Hills - Penang Famous Tourist Attractions
Amazing as it may sound. A cooling environment in the hot and dry weather of Penang. Penang Hill or affectingly known by locals as "Bukit Bendara", is one of the only cool places to visit in Penang. A hill with elevation of about 833 m (2723 ft) has proved that it is one of the main attractions not only to the foreigner but also locals. Penang Food - A Lip smacking Malaysian Cuisine!
Oh boy! When talk about food, nothing can beat Penang. It doesn't matter what kind of food lovers are you as Penang will definitely have something that will grabyour special attention. It's true that the variety of food that can be found in Penang has perplexed everyone even the locals.
Penangites has one thing to say when it comes to food - "Chiak Si Hock" which means "Eat Brings in Prosperity"
Just walk along the famous Penang road or Chulia street in George Town and get yourself prepared to be bombarded with scores of shops or restaurant selling delicious and hot Malaysian cuisine delicacies such as the famous char kuey teow,the spicy nasi kandar, the sweet ice chendol and the tasty boneless hainanese chicken rice just to name a few. A whole new experience for shopping in Penang
If you are a "shopper's manics" and just love buying new stuff, then you've come to the right place.
Widely known as the shopper's paradise and boasted by some of the heavyweight names such as Prangin Mall, Megamall, and the new Queensbay Mall, Penang shopping malls is a heaven place for all shopping enthusiasts.
Although Penang has loss her "Free Port" (Duty FREE) status which was given to Langkawi island back in the 80's, it still remains a favorite shopping destination among locals and tourists.Penang Island - A Special And Unforgettable Travel Destination
It's amazing that the turtle shape Penang Island which is located in peninsular Malaysia has many great things to offer. Famously known as "The Pearl of Orient", Penang has long been one of Asia's greatest travel destinations.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sabah, Malaysia.


Sabah... ( Land beneath the winds ) is situated on the Northern tip of Borneo Island and is the second largest of 13 states in Malaysia, after Sarawak. It's a land of awe-inspiring natural scenery, lush primary rainforests, vibrant coral reefs and mysterious indigenous cultures. It is a melting pot of people and cultures, of immigrants and indigenous groups, all with their own dialects, unique traditions, customs, festivals and cultures. It's a fascinating blend of the contemporary and the traditional, the ancient and the modern, the wild and the soothing.It's one of the few places in the world that's fortunate enough to have such a mixture of beautiful things. Here natural and cultural heritage are not forgotten in the face of modernisation and changing life-styles.The peace and harmony that exist among the peoples of different races and religions, makes it a truly special place and an example to the world. Sabah is an ideal and exciting holiday destination for adventure seekers, jet-setters and backpackers. It has some 300 miles of beautiful coastline, golden beaches, a National Marine Park (The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, consist of five offshore islands that are within a short ferry ride from Kota Kinabalu, the Capital City ) several other islands including the renown 'Pulau Sipadan' in the Celebes Sea, all offer the most enviable scuba-diving sites in the world.These diving 'havens' has attracted some of the best divers from all around the globe. Sabah is considered the heart of the world's greatest marine bio-diversities, the answer to every scuba-divers wiildest dreams. Come dive the magical waters of East Malaysia where a choice of beautiful resorts and facilities will reveal a rich abundance of marine life that will overwhelm you. British ecologist, professor Dr. David Bellamy, a well-known TV presenter said 'I can't think of a better place to spend the happiest part of my year than being on holiday set between the coral reefs and the rainforests, with the diversities of Mount Kinabalu. It is a natural solar powered theme-park he exclaimed.'


Dominating the landscscape is Mount Kinabalu. At 4,101metres, it is the highest mountain between New Guinea and The Himalayas. This is the erena for the annual Mt. Kinabalu 'International Climbathon' regarded by many as the world's toughest mountain race. A jungle's adventure is only 2 hours away from the Capital City at the Kinabalu National Park.This is a world heritage site. It covers over 750 sq kilo metres and with it's wide range of habitats from rich lowland rainforests and hill forests to tropical montane ( mountain ) jungles, sub-alpine forest and shrubs in the higher elevations. It is a treasure house of incredible plants, including the Rafflesia, the world's largest flower spanning 3 feet in diameter (as seen in the above picture ) With it's wide range of plants, the Kinabalu Park has been designated as a centre of plants diversity for South East Asia. It contains more than half of the family of all flowering plants in the world. This includes about 2,000 species of orchids of which, one third of these can only be found here and nowhere else on earth. This place is simply an Oasis of biological splendour in one of the largest remaining tracts of Rainforests left in the country.
Established in 1964, the 'Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre' is the biggest facility of it's kind in the world. It has pioneered efforts to rescue and rehabilitate displaced orang utans. The centre is both a research and a tourist facility. The Darum Valley Field Centre is for research and education. It has attracted some of the world's most prominent scientists and naturalists. Close to the field centre, is the Borneo Rainforest Lodge, a jungle resort set up by the government to promote awareness and understanding of the rainforests and it's inhabitants. Also on the east coast is the Tabin Forest Reserve, which is a breeding place for several endangered species of mammals and other wild life in Sabah, for example the Borneo pigmies, the smallest elephants in the world. Then there is The Turtle Islands National Park and as the name suggest, turtles. These islands are an important location for turtle-nesting and have been a Marine Park since 1977, The Nesting Season is between August and October, You can stay in the Sabah Parks chalets on Pulau Selingan to watch the turtles at night, under the watchful supervision of the Ranger. The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park are easily reached via a short ferry ride from K.K for day trips or overnight stays. The islands here have good beaches, coral reefs and shallow waters are ideal for snorkelling and diving. The largest island here is Pulau Gaya covering 1,550 hectares with one of the best beaches at Bulijong Bay. The island has 20 km of walking trails through the forests and mangroves and is home to monkeys, pangolins and bearded pigs. Outside the park boundaries, there is a huge stilt village. The second largest island is Pulau Manukan, the location has been redeveloped with new chalets, a swimming pool, restaurant and bar. Water sports are available including water skiing, windsurfing and dingy-sailing. The most heavily visited of the islands just 25 minutes from K.K, is Pulau Sapi, off the southwest tip of Pulau Gaya. There are camping and picnic facilities. Pulau Mamutik is the smallest island in the park and is also popular with day -trippers on weekends and holidays. Pulau Sulug the most remote of the islands, is the least visited and as yet has no facilities. Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah once known as Jesselton Town was almost totally destroyed in the second world war. Now a modern city has emerged in its place and you will enjoy the warm hospitality of the local people wherever you go. Kota Kinabalu, also known as KK, is right next to the sea (The South China Sea) You are only minutes away from the local beaches and 5 star and budget hotels are within easy reach. Shopping Malls, restaurants, and all major local banks are centrally located in the city centre.The Sabah State Museum is the main local attraction,which houses ceramics and craftworks from Bajau, Murut, Kadazan and Runggus peoples.The mock-ups of tribal longhouses in the museum grounds are also well worth a look. Nearby is the ferry terminal offering day-trips to the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, and make sure you do not miss out on the Filipino Market next to the jetty where local handicrafts are worth haggling for. Several new Shopping Complexes has been added recently, offering branded products such as electronic goods, imported clothings, jeweleries,as well as Batiks and other local products.There is a wide range of restaurants to select, from Seafood crusine to KFC, MacDonalds, chinese, indian, malay and other local crusines.Also available in the city are several Tour Agencies to plan your trips and excursions.There are several Diving Operators offering scuba-diving courses and diving trips all around Sabah. For further Info of other tourist attractions, drop by at the Tourist Information Centre at Gaya Street near HSBC Bank. While you are in Gaya Street you will also find a couple of local Tattoo shops, they are quite a bunch of talented local artists. I got a'customised'half sleeve 'polynesian' tribal tattoo from The 76th Street Tattoo Borneo Body Art Shop.Check them out.The Sunday Street Market is also held here,where you will find cheap local products such as handicrafts and other brigs and brags. There are several nightclubs in KK with imported live-bands and cultural dances. Pulau Sipadan across the Celebes Sea, looks no different from any other tropical islands.. a small blob in the ocean surrounded by white coral-sand beaches and topped off by jungle vegetation. Sipadan, however is not just any old island. It is the only deep water oceanic island in Malaysia and sits on top of a massive limestone sea mountain that was formed millions of years ago by an undersea volcano. A magnificent reef ecosystem has developed on the sheer walls of this sea mountain and this has attracted all the best divers in the world to explore this special site. The diving is exceptional, just a stone's throw from the beach bar, the pale aquamarine waters over the sandy seabed change abruptly to hues of deep blue, indicating the beginning of the massive coral drop-off into the darkness of about 600m or 2,000 feet depth to the seabed. Underwater, the reef is a profusion of sea-fans, black corals, soft corals and indescent hard corals inhabited by shoals of fusiliers, parrotfish, grouper, sweetlips and other colourful fish. Because of it's position in mid-ocean, Sipadan also has large numbers of pelagic ( open water ) species cruising the reefs, with schools of manta rays, barracuda and hammerhead sharks frequently seen in currents on the reef headlands. There are so many turtles here ( hundreds, possibly thousands live around Sipadan ) that once underwater you can hardly turn around without seeing them snoozing under reef ledges,scooting off into the deep blue, feeding on the reef or floundering around the surface as they mate. Sipadan started out as a bird sanctuary until in the late 70's, was discovered by recreational divers and only a handful of the previleged were allowed into this new amazing underwater world. It's geographic location within the Indo-Pacific basin makes it the richest bio-diversity area in the world. Some experts believe that the Indo-Pacific basin was Earth's marine incubator and researches are still discovering new species as new places and depths are being explored. In 1989, the world's most renown diver and icon, Jacques Cousteau, an explorer and scientist who had brought the incredible world of 'Undersea-Adventures' into our living-rooms for 50 years, with some 120 television- documentaries, arrived at Sipadan with the crew of his 'Calypso'. He had not seen such an 'oceanic-kingdom' for 45 years. After he made a documentary of his latest discovery, Sipadan became the new Haven for every diver from all 4 corners of the world. Within 15 years Sipadan had reached a potentially critical situation with several resorts being built on this tiny island and popular diving sites being over-dived, sometimes between 80 to 120 divers at any one time. In 2005, the Sabah Marine Parks closed the island off to resorts and prohibited overnight stays and restricted daily dives at Sidadan. Divers now stay in the other nearby islands such as Pulau Mabul, Kapalai and Mataking. In a land where its eco-treasures are as diverse as heaven and earth, the choices of accommodation are just as endless, from 5-Star resorts by leading Hotel Groups to comfortable lodgings for the budget conscious. You would still enjoy the common aspects of warm hospitality of the local Malaysians wherever you go. Malaysia has several International Airports throughout the Country and it may be possible for travellers to fly directly to their chosen destinations, depending on the Airline Company that you have booked with. There is a wide range of Airline Companies to choose from, depending on which country of origin. Sabah is easily accessible from all international Cities. Best Wishes from Sunny Sabah. Jet Santana. xxx