Designated by UNESCO as Southeast Asia’s first Global Geopark, Langkawi is a source of pride in Malaysia. This cluster of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea has lovely beaches, mangroves, rainforests, and natural wonders, each possessing its own legends.

Skim the mountainside on a cable-car ride: A Swiss-made cable car takes passengers all the way up to Mat Cinang, Langkawi’s second-highest mountain. At 700 meters above sea level, even neighboring Southern Thailand is visible from the mountaintops.

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Posted in Malaysia, Things to do |

Malaysia is a culturally diverse atmosphere, to be sure. The country’s population represents a distinct mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Javanese and several other ethnic groups. With so many rich heritages represented it’s no surprise to find that there are so many incredible festivals and activities happening throughout Malaysia year round. Make sure you time your trip to correspond with one of these fantastic celebrations.

9. Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Image Credit: mylifestory

During the 10^th month of the Muslim calendar, immediately following the month of fasting that represents Ramadan, the streets of Malaysia burst into activity as Muslims celebrate and honor the lives of those that have passed on before them. During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, houses are decorated with colorful adornments and each entrance is lit with a traditional lantern. During this time groups of people gather all around the country for prayers and fun family reunions. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Malaysia |

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – After an early wake-up call by our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at 3:00 am, we found ourselves riding a cab to Kuala Lumpur Central which was the designated pick up point of the Sky Bus.  We were going around for a couple of minutes that we missed our 4:30am bus and had to wait for another thirty minutes for the next bus.  Since the airport was roughly an hour away, I was getting worried that we might not be able to make it on time for our 7:00 am flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Since we were lucky, the dependable Sky Bus arrived ten minutes early so we were already at the check-in counter by 5:50 am.  After grabbing a dozen doughnuts from a doughnuts stall, we were already comfortably seated at the boarding gate waiting for the ground crew of Air Asia to give the go signal for boarding.  Great thing, the plane sashayed down the runway at exactly 7:00 am.  In no time at all, the in-flight crew started rolling the food cart.  My partner and I took advantage of being able to choose our meals online when we bought our Air Asia tickets.  By doing so, we were able to purchase our meals in advance and at discounted prices.  I chose to have Roti Canai while my partner chose Nasi Lemak.  The meals were served piping hot.  Not bad at all for in-flight food.

In less than an hour, the captain announced that the plane has started its descent to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  Oooh, I couldn’t contain my excitement!!!

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia, Malaysia, Things to do |

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT, BANGKOK, THAILAND - I will be embarking on a BIG adventure!  My partner and I thought that it would be difficult to go on a trip this year because of the global financial crisis.  It did not help that there have been cases of pandemics and other viruses that seem to be circulating the globe.  But if traveling is really your passion then I guess nothing can stop you from seeing the world.

So for this year, my partner and I decided to book a trip that will take us to three different countries in one week.  Thanks to budget airlines and not so expensive hotels, we felt that we can fit everything in what little budget that we have set for the trip.  About three months ago, we came across airline ticket promotions from one local airline in the Philippines.  We got excited as we were able to book a trip from Manila (Philippines) to Bangkok (Thailand) for only about US$ 100.  After booking our tickets, we figured that if we have ten days to spare on this trip then we might as well cross over to other countries and start ticking off items in our bucket list.

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Posted in Malaysia, Thailand, Things to do |

Buddha’s birthday is an informal name for Wesak Day, a holiday which encompasses the birth, enlightenment and passing of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. The decision among Buddhist leaders to celebrate Wesak as Buddha’s birthday was formalized at the first Conference of the World Fellowship of Buddhists held in Sri Lanka in 1950. Wesak is the highlight of the Buddhist year and is officially observed in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries. Malaysia, in particular, has declared Wesak a national holiday since 1962, in strong effort by the Chinese community to uphold the universal virtues of their religion. Each temple in the country has its own traditions in celebrating the holiday, though there is a spirit of unity among all Buddhists (almost all of which are overseas Chinese). Joss sticks and candles are lit by the thousands, for example,  and many burn oil lamps as a symbol of lighting their lives and avoiding problems and disease. The Mahindarama Temple in Kampar Road, Penang, in particular, lit 2,550 yellow lotus candles during the 2,550th anniversary of Wesak last 2006. Flowers are also laid at the feet of their teacher, an act which reminds devotees of the brevity of material things as symbolized by the eventual decay of these beautiful blooms. Some temples display a small figurine of the baby Buddha in front of their altar in a small basin of water that is adorned with flowers.

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Posted in Events, Malaysia |

Penang is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Malaysia, and with all the places to see and things to do, it’s not so hard to imagine why. Formerly the center of British Malaya, Penang has taken care to preserve its history while developing into a modern state at the same time. If you want a quick guide to your visit in this island-state, then read on.

1. Survey the island atop KOMTAR. This is the tallest building in Penang and it provides a 360-degree view of the island. An important landmark of the city, KOMTAR houses government offices, shopping centers, and an exhibition center.

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Posted in Malaysia, Things to do |

What do you love to do during your spare time?  Maybe you like watching movies, you like to go on trips, take photographs and videos, paint, draw or sketch.  When people ask me what I usually do whenever I have extra time on my hands, I always mention three things: TRAVEL, TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS, and EAT! Yes, I love to eat and I enjoy going on food trips and food hunts.

If you share the same interest when it comes to food and happen to find yourself in Malaysia then you can definitely shoot two birds with one stone…so to speak.  Malaysia is known for its rich culture, extraordinary tourist destinations, even nice but affordable accommodations like the Brisdale Hotel Kuala Lumpur.  But aside from these, Malaysia is also known for the delicious cuisines that you can try.

You will find restaurants and eateries scattered all over Malaysia.  It doesn’t matter if you are in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, in Penang, Langkawi, etc.  These restaurants serve different cuisines like Indian, Chinese, Thai, Italian, Mexican, and many others. This is why you are assured that your Malaysian food trip would surely be a gastronomic delight.

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Posted in Food, Malaysia |

Travelers have different objectives when they travel.  Itineraries will always be different and people would have different preferences:  a) mode of transportation - by air or by land  b) level of luxury – first class, business class or
economy class c) food choices –  conventional or exotic d) type of activities – slow paced or extreme and e) places to visit – beaches, temples or galleries.

If you are the artsy type and in the lookout for great art finds then you will not be disappointed if you decide to choose Malaysia as your travel destination. There are quite a number of galleries to visit that will surely keep you
busy for a full day or more.

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Posted in Malaysia, Things to do |

Kuala Lumpur, the bustling capital city of Malaysia, would always have a surprise or two in store for any tourist who would take time to visit and stay a while.  But of course, staying “a while” usually extends to a week, to two weeks, to a month or far longer than expected.  How could anyone resist Kuala Lumpur’s rich culture, exquisite cuisine that are guaranteed to tickle even the pickiest of taste buds, endearing lovely people and endless list of thrilling attractions that just keeps on getting better and better each time.

I’m sure that your travel itinerary would be bursting at the seams, so to speak, because of the adventures that you can challenge yourself with.  For a great bonding time with your loved ones, make sure that you include a visit to the Sunway Lagoon in your itinerary.

The Sunway Lagoon Resort is located in the town of Bandar Sunway in Petaling Jaya just outside of Kuala Lumpur.  You can get there through a number of ways.  You can always bring your own rented car and drive yourself to the water park. Alternatively, there are available forms of public transportation that includes taxi cabs, buses, trains like the commuter trains at the Putra Kelana Jaya LRT where you can take a Rapid KL bus T623 that will take you straight to the Sunway Pyramid. The Sunway Lagoon park promises a unique experience to all guests.  What more can you expect from a luxurious 5 – star resort that offers state-of-the-art amenities presented in a splendid environment.

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Posted in Attractions, Malaysia |

A lot of locals would tell you that you only need three or four days to go around Kuala Lumpur, the wonderful and thriving capital city of Malaysia.  You can tour the city by foot with a map on hand or if you prefer, you can go for the more convenient way which is to ride any of the numerous hop on – hop off buses in the city.  The key to enjoying Kuala Lumpur is not to be afraid to experience new things and to have a bottomless pit in your stomach for great adventures.

Of course, another great thing about Kuala Lumpur is the availability of exquisite hotels that you can stay in during your holiday.  You can choose from among hotels that are located along Bukit Bintang, near the airport, or near the border of Singapore and Malaysia.  You can check out either the Hotel Grand Continental Kuala Lumpur or the Noble Hotel Kuala Lumpur.  These two hotels are both strategically located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur and near tourist spots like the National Monument, Merdeka Square, Petronas Twin Towers, Lake Gardens just to name a few.

If you’ve already had your fill of Kuala Lumpur and craving for some “change of air,” so to speak, then take that one hour drive from KL to go up to a resort in the mountains – Genting Highlands.  This place is also fondly referred to as the “City of Entertainment.”

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Posted in Attractions, Malaysia |