Malaysia is among world’s best-value destinations - Lonely Planet

LONDON: Malaysia is among world’s best-value destinations, according to travel guide firm Lonely Planet.

The British-based company, in its Best In Travel 2010 guide, said Malaysia “is a clever choice for travellers on the lookout for a bargain”.
Thanks to the economic crisis, Iceland and London were also among the top 10 destinations, which included Thailand, South Africa, India, Mexico, Bulgaria, Kenya and Las Vegas,The annual snapshot book captures “the world’s hottest travel trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the year ahead”, Lonely Planet said yesterday.

The economic collapse in Iceland meant the island was no longer punitively expensive, said the guide, putting the beleaguered country at the top of its best-value list.

Thailand, at number two, remained “perennially good value”, said the book.
Meanwhile, London’s days as a costly destination were now over, Lonely Planet said, thanks to the exchange rate which made it “much more affordable for visitors from abroad”.

The top 10 countries overall for travellers were El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the United States.

The top 10 cities were Abu Dhabi, Charleston (South Carolina), Cork (Ireland), Cuenca (Ecuador), Istanbul, Kyoto (Japan), Lecce (Italy), Sarajevo, Singapore and Vancouver (Canada).

Bali (Indonesia), Goa (India), Koh Kong (Cambodia), Southern Africa and southwest Western Australia featured among the top 10 regions. — AFP

Satay - Must try food while in Malaysia

Some say satay has Turkish roots due to its similarities to shish kebab but some say it began with Chinese immigrants selling it on the streets. Whatever its origins, satay is almost synonymous with Malay cuisine.

Satay is usually marinated beef, chicken or mutton in slightly larger than bite size pieces skewered on thin bamboo sticks, then barbequed over a charcoal flame. The hawker flips it every now, basting it with oil and fanning the flame to ensure even cooking. It is accompanied with a slightly spicy-sweet peanut sauce, One can continously-eat the satay, and before realising it, will have eaten a fair ten to twenty sticks.

Almost every culture in this world has some sort of meat on a stick in their cuisine repertoire. We have Yakitori from the Japanese, Mititei from the Romans, Espetada from the Portuguese, Frigarui from the Romans, and the more common one which is Kebab from the Turkish, Iranian, Pakistani, Indian and Africans while another infamous one is satay from the Malaysian, Indonesian, Singaporeans, Philippines and Thais. The meat on stick in Malaysia called satay is famous for the thin enough sliced spiced meat twisted around a ‘lidi’ (fine stick in middle of coconut leaves) that is just the right length, and then barbecued to perfection.


Photo from ZeroNuker

Back when in the Taiping, my dearest hometown, I remember that there used to THE famous place to get your satay, and it is a makeshift barbecue pit outside a restaurant with an Indian man beating his worn rattan fan profusely at his rows of delicious satay while rows of customers stare and wait. It was seriously that good. I vividly remembered the time when my dad swing by the place, parked nearby the stall, ask all of us to wait in the car, that’s mum, sis and me, and then went out with a huff like he is on an important mission. I would then stare out the car window longingly towards the thick cloud of gray smoke billowing from the stall, as I know that soon back home I will be able to tuck in to stick after stick after stick of juicy meat with bits of burnt crunches slathered liberally with sweet peanuty satay sauce. Ah, my dad indeed went on an important mission, a mission to fill his family with an amazing fare. By the time we got home we would all eagerly wait for my mum to unwrap the satays on the plate and the sauces into a bowl plus everything else and tuck in! I believe this is one of the best communing food you can find, everyone taking a stick and dipping into the same sauce again and again to scoop everything up; I believe we can truly only share with closed ones. Those were the days I remembered us sharing food together, me stacking a pile of sticks beside my plate and secretly proud of my achievements in quantity!

In Malaysia, the Satay is like our ultimate meat on stick, inner juicy spiced meat with charred outside that are crunchy with smoky flavour that is oh so addictive. The best Satay is with the right combination of charred skin and juicy meat that are lean with a little bit of fat hidden here and there. Although for me secretly I would be removing the fats out, yes I know blasphemous for serious epicureans but bear with me as I have never really learn to appreciate squishy soft white ‘jelly’, but as I know from various epicureans, the fats are the binder of the meat and it is a must, so therefore I advocate it as such. Though mostly, mediocre satay may lean more towards the hard type due to lack of meat or over barbecuing, therefore do look out for good ones to truly appreciate Malaysian satay! In comparison to the satay I tried in Thailand, I found that our Malaysian satay had more charred outer layer and drier while the Thailand satay is actually more to lightly cooked meat on the barbecue pit, though lacking the important charred crunchy skin for me, I do enjoy it in some ways, but personally I like the Malaysian ones better!



Photo from T|ng~

The next thing that will make or break a satay is definitely its peanut sauce! As mentioned before, satay is just not complete without its soul mate the peanut sauce. The sauce is made of chopped roasted peanuts in spicy concoction of chilli, loads of spices, soy sauce and tamarind; it is the perfect pair to our said satay. Coat the satay with the sauce and then chuck it into the mouth where you would be hit with spicy peanut sauce and then bite into the smoky charred skin which then would be greeted by juicy meat. Ah, bliss! Besides that, Malaysian satay would be served with several other optional assortments like sliced cucumbers, normally in triangle shape and slightly thick, onions also sliced thinly in bite sized, and sometimes even cubed ketupat rice. If you notice, all of these accompaniments are cut to just the right bite sized for us to use the remaining satay stick to poke into these lovely morsels to further wipe clean the satay sauce. Besides the satay, these are like the second best mate to the peanut sauce.

Many Malaysians, especially the Klang Valley residences, vouch that Kajang satay is the best satay around. This unassuming small town that is just a few stones’ throw from the KL city is the humble originator of the biggest, juiciest yet still charred enoght satay! Besides, it is also notoriously famous for having many, many types of meat, ranging from the usual chicken and beef to rabbit and deer meat, one would start to see the possibilities of meat on stick! Of course the sauce has to be good enough to accompany all these simple and exotic meats. Though long time ago, I ate these indulging satay once right in Kajang itself and thoroughly enjoyed it, thereafter I no longer have to travel all the way to have it as the satay itself has expanded out to various major locations in Klang Valley! Yes, lucky us now, these restaurant totting names like “Kajang Satay” has sprouted around at various hotspots like mushrooms after the rain, so do look out for it and tuck into the array of satay when you chance upon it.



Photo from ccdoh1

There you have it, our Malaysian version of meat on stick, which I assure you, if not the best, it is definitely one of the best and definitely not to be missed if you come for a visit. After all, judging from my experience with Thai satay, I believe that our satay is unique on its own, and not to forget its unique soul mate the peanut sauce too. it just feel so right to indulge into stick after stick after stick of the delicious satay as it is healthy, tasty yet light on the wallet!


Rokh is a food columnist on Malaysia Travel Guide, she’s an epicurean and a cook who loves to eat, also writes in her own food blog – Tham Jiak. In this column, she will bring you along while she explore various Malaysia foods, like what is good, what makes them so special and how or where to best well enjoy them.

Engaging encounter with elephants in Kuala Gandah

LANCHANG (Pahang): Visitors to the National Elephant Conservation Centre in Kuala Gandah near here will find better facilities once upgrading works on the premises is completed.



In the queue: Visitors waiting for their turns to ride an elephant.


Elephant expo: A visitor taking a close look at a replica of elephant bones.


Easy does it: A visitor mounting an elephant in the river while others wait for their turns.

The centre’s deputy chief Ahmad Kamsul Alias said the project cost about RM3mil.

“Work started late last year and is expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

“There will be a new tourist information centre complete with an auditorium for 120 people and a mini museum.

“Other facilities include a food court and ample parking space,” he told The Star in an interview.

Ahmad Kamsul said the elephant activities area had been shifted to a bigger site.

He said that visitors could enjoy elephant rides as well as feeding and bathing with the elephants in a more conducive environment.

“There are many rest areas and huts for visitors and their families to enjoy a picnic while watching elephants go by.

“We hope people will see the beauty of these animals,” he added.

Ahmad Kamsul said, in the first six months of this year, 80,000 people visited the centre which mission was to train and relocate wild elephants.

He said that, last year, there were 143,000 visitors compared to 81,000 in 2007, of whom between 25% and 30% were foreigners.

“We expect to record a high of 180,000 visitors by December this year,” he said, adding that a maximum of 120 visitors were allowed to participate in activities with elephants in a single day to prevent them from getting stressed.

Ahmad Kamsul said the centre had 17 elephants of which four were males.

He said the oldest were two 70-year-olds nicknamed Mek Bunga and Lokimala while the youngest was one-year-old Langsat rescued from the forest in Gua Musang, Kelantan, early this year.

“We have relocated four elephants, two to a zoo in Johor and two others to Sungai Ketiar, Terengganu.

“Our centre has 40 employees working in shifts to look after the elephants. Local residents are engaged to clean the premises regularly,” he said.

The centre is the base for the elephant relocation team which began the elephant translocation programme in 1974.

It is fully funded by the Wildlife and National Parks Department with an annual grant of RM700,000. It also receives public donations.

Its main task is to locate and subdue elephants in areas where their habitats have been encroached and translocate them to suitable sites such as Taman Negara.

The centre is open from 10am to 5pm daily for public visits but activities with elephants begin only after 2pm.

Story and photos by SIMON KHOO
Source: The Star

Kota Kinabalu in 24 Hours

Formerly called Jesselton, this humid, tropical city on the western coast of Borneo is a main transit point for travelers going off to explore Southeast Asia’s fifth tallest peak (and Malaysia’s tallest) – Mount Kinabalu which is located just 90 Kilometers away as well as a jump-off point to the islands around it as well as a convenient and cheaper alternative to enter Brunei Darussalam (via the international port in Labuan). Rather than a destination on its own, Kota Kinabalu serves as a major international gateway to those who want to explore the myriad jungles and cultures, not only of Sabah but Borneo – so if you are in town – here is the best way to see and experience KK, as Kota Kinabalu is fondly called, all done in 24 hours.

Shop! Shop! Shop!
While most locals would tell you to head out to Centre Point (Lebuh Raya Pantai Baru corner Jl. Duapuluh) to get your fill of great bargains for souvenirs, do not go there – you’d be lucky if you can actually see an actual store selling souvenirs at Centre Point otherwise this huge building, with a pretty messed up, complicated layout houses pretty much cheap (and of doubtful quality) knock-offs of every kind. We had no choice but get our luggage at the Centre Point, after our old luggage, a veteran of many international travels, just broke apart the moment we arrived at our hotel. The luggage is about RM 160 – pretty cheap for one big suitcase and an extra medium-sized suitcase (we will see how it is going to measure up on my future international travels).



Whilst in Centre Point, beware of scam artists operating in the area- I had the misfortune of being accosted by two men (not in uniform) flashing two little cards, just moments after I stepped out of a money changer and demanding that (in broken English) I needed to come with them (to where, I do not know so I resisted)- it was about 9:45AM on a street just outside Centre Point (on the Wisma Square side). One of the guys told me that I littered, but the funny part was there was litter all around the area and I asked for a sign that says No Littering and they both pointed on a badly tattered old sign in Bahasa and then afterwards asked me for RM 20. I told them, I needed Ringgits so I needed to go back in the building and buy more Ringgits. This time the messed up layout of Centre Point worked to my advantage and I deliberately lost them and went straight to the Sabah Tourism Board to file a complaint. Apparently, I learned later on that these scam artists prey on unsuspecting tourists and basically extort or mug them outright even in broad daylight. Thank heavens that I was also not traveling alone, as I was with another travel writer from the Tourism Paradise Philippine site that time but that shook me a fair bit.

So where to buy? The answer is actually not too far away from Centre Point. For best value shopping, nothing beats the souvenir stalls at Asia City, a mall just across Centre Point. We got great discounts from the traditional Sabah weaving, a Murut tribe mask, fridge magnets and even a copy of the Holy Quran. We basically did our entire souvenir shopping at Asia City and were quite happy with the heaps of discounts that we got compared to getting it from any other place. Haggling is expected here (the Filipinos who man the stores there gave me tons of discounts which I don’t think would be given to other people), and as common sense dictates – start very low and work your way to a compromise. The stuff at Asia City is even generally cheaper than those that you could find at the Handicraft Market (Jl. Tun Fuad Stephens) although the Handicraft Market does have a lot of choice- the prices here are pretty much touristy- therefore, way more expensive..

There are little stores that dot all over the Kota Kinabalu city that also have quite good selection of yards and yards and yards of great quality sarongs, malongs and sampings (the traditional Malay men wrap-around skirt).

Also do not forget to check the Sunday Market at Jl. Gaya for more souvenirs and handicrafts, however, get there in the morning- as the place folds up early.

Average time spent- 3 hours.

A Taste of Sabah
Whenever I travel, I also make it a point to try the local fare, and being a fan of Malay food; I was curious how different Kota Kinabalu was from the rest of the more popular Penang flavors. The more expensive Evening Food Stall at Sedco Square (Jl. Sapuluh) is a small square with seafood restaurants with big aquariums lining its sides. The Old Village Seafood Restaurant is one of the cheapest around – and the soft-shell crab cooked any way you liked it is just wonderful – the shell was so soft that you can actually eat it as well. I had mine cooked chilli crab style, it wasn’t too bad at all since I had to pay about $100 SGD for a plate of black pepper crab in Singapore’s Chinatown plus we got a heap of discounts plus a free fruit platter for dessert from our waiter (who was also Filipino). The Evening Food Stall has a Fried Ice Cream stall, the batter was very underwhelming but the luscious Durian Ice Cream inside it saved the day.



In my opinion, the best place to eat is by the Filipino Market – food stalls that resemble a complicated mini-tent city right next to the Handicraft Market by the Waterfront. Food is pretty inexpensive here but very savory. Check out the Martabak (RM 1.50); Pisang Goreng (RM 1.00); Ubi Manis (RM 1.00) but our most favorite is a steamy bowl of Soto Ayam for a mere RM 3.00 and delicious Cendol (similar to Filipino’s Coconut-Pandan on Milk and Shaved Ice) for RM 2.Extremely yummy and the best meal we ever had in Kota Kinabalu, hands down.

Before leaving Kota Kinabalu, I had some Kwey Tyao at Sri Melaka Restaurant. It was not quite as good as the Kwey Tyao I had in other countries before though. One thing of note if you are dining in Kota Kinabalu, make sure that you do not touch the peanuts served nor the table napkin – you will be charged extra for it. Those peanuts are not for free. Knowing this, as I had the same experience in Singapore, I skipped the peanuts and using the table napkins. I checked our receipt and we got overcharged several times- it took the waiter three times to finally give me the correct bill.

Average time spent – 3 hours.

Walkabout KK
Kota Kinabalu has some interesting sights that one can check out by just walking around the city center. The city’s most famous landmark would be of course the Atkinson Clock Tower by Bandaran Berjaya (a very short walk from the city centre) was built in 1905 and used to be the navigational aid but is now dwarfed by the taller buildings in the area. One can also trek up the Signal Hill (which can use a little bit of cleaning as well – we spied a big pile of trash going up near the Merdeka Field) to view the other side of the hills and do a little trek to get a taste of the Bornean jungles (especially near the Istana can be quite lush and green and a refreshing respite away from the dusty city centre). On a clear day, one can see as far as the peak of Malaysia’s most famous mountain – Mt. Kinabalu.

Other great places to check out would be the State Museum, Sabah Art Gallery and the Heritage Village – however opening times are sketchy and going there is a bit of a stretch – one needs to get a cab at a taxi queue at Centre Point – one way is about RM 10. The cabbies in Kota Kinabalu does not use any meter or at least not in any of the cabs that we took while we were there. If you are heading away from the city centre, one should know that it is very hard to get around Kota Kinabalu if you do not have your own transport – taxis are hard to come by anywhere – be prepared to walk a long bit to get one like we did when we went by the State Mosque at Sembulan).

Average time spent – 3 Hours.

Relax and play
Whilst not exactly a stunning beach, Tanjung Aru Beach was a passable and a good short escape from the city centre with al-fresco dining that lines parts of beach. If one cannot hop on to the several islands off Kota Kinabalu like the islands of Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park nor Pulau Tiga, Tanjung Aru Beach is the cheap and the most accessible option to hang around by the beach. Be careful, however, of the rip tides that are common all throughout this area. We did not see any lifeguards on patrol, so you swim at your own risk.



Tanjung Aru Beach is about 15 minute walk from the Kota Kinabalu International Airport so if you want to drop by just before your flight out, you may do so and grab a few drinks and catch some sea-wind and sun before leaving Borneo.

Tanjung Aru Beach is also close to the Kinabalu Golf Club and the local Race Course and the Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club.

Average time spent – 2-3 hours.

Kota Kinabalu has different characters thrown in together, mainly because of its very multicultural nature. Kota Kinabalu and Sabah in general is home to the many indigenous peoples as well as the Malays, Indians, Chinese and Filipinos which makes this tiny city a curious, interesting and at the same time complicated melting pot of cultures. A step into the real Kota Kinabalu is a step into the region’s underbelly- so go on, walk and see the real Kota Kinabalu and experience Malaysia like nothing that is on any hyped guidebooks.

Dave Ryan A. Buaron is a travel writer on Tourism Philippines. For him, travelling is just not about getting drunk every night during a trip but actually soaking up the local culture, appreciating the beautiful sceneries and doing something new each day.

See Kuala Lumpur is single ticket

Sightseeing around Kuala Lumpur just got easier with the recent introduction of the KL Monorail & KL Hop-On Hop-Off One Day Unlimited Ride package. Although it's quite a mouthful to say, the promotion makes it convenient for tourists to access the many major tourist spots in Kuala Lumpur within one day.

For just RM20 per person (adult or child), pass-holders can enjoy unlimited travel around Kuala Lumpur in any single day on two modes of transportation - the KL Hop-On Hop-Off (KL HOHO) bus and the KL Monorail train. With the ticket, tourists can hop on and off the bus and monorail as and when they wish. The KL HOHO bus follows a pre-determined route that covers 70 tourist attractions and 22 designated stops including several at KL Monorail stations.

On board are pre-recorded commentaries of tourist attractions in eight different languages, i.e. Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin, Hindi, Arabic, Japanese, French and Spanish. Traveling on the double-decker KL HOHO bus, passengers can view the best of Kuala Lumpur with its semi-glass roof.

Its route covers numerous attractions including the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers, the Golden Triangle shopping district where Pavilion and Starhill malls are located, the green belt at Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens and the historic enclave near Merdeka Square.

Meanwhile, there are 11 KL Monorail stations situated in high-traffic areas around the city, connecting passengers to shopping districts, major hotels, commercial centres, tourist attractions and stretches of hip dining and clubbing establishments.

Traveling on these elevated rail systems is an experience in itself as it offers a bird's eye view of the city below, and a stop at any one of the stations will give tourists a further glimpse into the typical urban lifestyle of KL-ites. The KL Sentral stop, for instance, is located near Brickfields, an area thriving with the business and social activities of the mostly-Indian community there. A walk around the vicinity is an unforgettable sensorial experience filled with colourful sights, aromas of curries and burning incense, and the sounds of the lilting Tamil widely spoken there.

The Maharajalela interchange, on the other hand, is the gateway to Kuala Lumpur's self-proclaimed Chinatown where vendors will appeal to you with all manner of fruits, shoes, clothes, bags, herbal remedies and more! More than just a marketplace of sorts, Chinatown epitomizes Kuala Lumpur's exciting and fast-paced lifestyle.

Additionally, pass-holders can enjoy great discounts on entrance tickets to Petronsains, the KL Bird Park, and Aquaria, as well as on food and beverages at Seri Melayu restaurant. Tickets can be purchased at the Bukit Bintang and KL Sentral monorail counters and aboard all KL HOHO buses. The ticket entitles holders to unlimited rides in a single day on the KL Monorail and KL HOHO buses. The promotion ends on 31 May 2009.

KL HOHO buses operate from 8:30 am till 8:30 pm at half-hourly intervals, while the KL Monorail has daily services from 6 am until 12 am. For more information, please contact Mr. Roslan Rashid of Elang wah Sdn Bhd, at tel: + 603 2691 2382 or email rrashid@myhoponhopoff.com.my

Ice, Ice Baby

As we all know Malaysia is located right near the equator, therefore blessed (or cursed, you decide) with sun all year round. Rest assured you would get some action of heat even at the wettest time of the year. So normally when the sun is at its highest, we the mere mortals normally have to brace through it just to get our mid-day break of food and drinks. After out and about, slowly baking away in the heat, one is sure to crave for something cooling or icy. You may think of ice cream at first thought, but in Malaysia, you will definitely find more than just ice cream, or gelato or sherbet for the matter. Here is where, the ever enterprising epicurean folks in Malaysia, had created lots of icy treats of sorts, mostly from ice origins.



Ice Ice Baby
Photo by qwazymonkey

When I was just a little kid in primary school, we have always loved the ‘ais krim potong’, translated loosely as ‘cut ice cream’, it is literary flavoured ice cut into thin long blocks each, each with a stick frozen inside of it. So you can imagine us, being good little kids that ate up our meal first, and then run to the ice cream man, who would always ever so diligently be standing there, manning his metal box of treasures. We would be standing there eagerly peeping over when he opens his metal treasure box, and we would gingerly and shyly pick a stick for ourselves. You can have from orange to lime to Ribena to laici to adzuki beans and many more flavours, your pick! The funny thing is whenever we have those coloured flavour ones, we always end up with our tongue tinge with that colour, and purple is always my favourite look! Nowadays, we seldom get to find these ‘home made’ versions of ais krim potong anymore. Now, one can get those pre-packaged versions at most supermarkets and groceries shops, though not as good novelty wise, the taste is still pretty much there.

As I grew older, I have slowly moved on from ‘ais krim potong’, and soon found solace in ais kacang (literary translated to peanut ice) which is also known as ABC here in Malaysia, short for ‘ais batu campur’ (better translation in English of mixed ice)! This icy treat is made from shaved ice, doused liberally with sweet flavoured syrup of various colours to brighten the dish along with a huge splash of evaporated milk. Some places even have them doused with the Malaysian’s infamous gula Melaka (palm sugar).Then with this sweeten and coloured ice, depending on where you are having this ais kacang, you would get various mix-ins such as red beans, sweetcorn, grass jelly, cubed agar-agar (jellies) and even cendol. This dish had always been a favourite of mine to cool down while I enjoy the various bites of different textures and flavours of the mixture. No ais kacang of different stalls has ever taste the same as it is universally adaptable. Though I have yet to find the best of the best ais kacangs, I am still enjoying and exploring those I can get my tongue on while I continue to search for the ultimate ais kacang that will have me go back again and again!



Ais (Ice) Kacang
Photo by cincerosonrisa

Then not to forget is our Malaysian very own favourite van-style stall of cendol and pasembor/rojak. I simply love this really simple treat, shaved ice, pour in with the all-time favourite combination of gula Melaka and coconut milk, then top off with cendol , a specially made green worm-like dough (cooked dough of green pea flour and juice from pandan leaves). Optionally there will either be mix-in of kacang (peanut) and red beans. I love to have kacang for the extra bite, while for red beans, I love the type which is adzuki beans and not the kidney beans, and yes these two often are served with cendol, so you need to know where to get yours for your preferred type, else just go plain, it is still as good! In my opinion, the real deal that makes or breaks a cendol is the quality of the gula Melaka, freshness of the coconut milk and finally the springiness of the cendol. The best simple, meaning just plain ol’ basic combinations in small silver bowls are found at road side van stalls. But if you want to go for a huge and extravagant cendol in big bowls (normally even with a mini stand), it is best found in upmarket restaurants, preferably serving nyonya food, these are good and indulgent in its own rights.



Cendol
Photo by heather

Finally the latest, when I say latest it does not mean recently but just that it has been discovered much later than the icy treats above, is the ‘sai mai lou’, which is also shaved ice, but this time topped with fruits juices and evaporated milk and then mixed in with cubed fruits of the like and sago pearls. This, if I am not mistaken, is an adaptation from the famous Hong Kong dessert, which is now available in more and more Chinese dessert cafes around Malaysia. Though I must say, my first love for this delicious dish is at a roadside stall at Petaling Street (Malaysia’s version of China Town), where the best Mango ‘sai mai lou’ is served. I observed that the lady who mans the stall would pour in some secret fresh evaporated milk onto freshly shaved ice and then puree fresh mangoes for the ‘sauce’ which then is doused liberally onto the mixture along with sago pearls. It is a simple yet totally addictive refreshing treat. Now, as I do not get to go there often, I would have to satisfy my cravings at various desserts cafes, which is not too shabby, though unbeatable to the former, yet still able to quench my thirst while I enjoy something sweet.




Sai Mai Lou
Photo by alisoniii

So if you are ever in Malaysia, and cursing or basking in the ever shining sun that we have all year round, grab our unique ais krim potong at the supermarkets, or head on to the nearest road side stall for a quick and cheap yet satisfying shaved ice treats of campur-campur (mixtures) which is the ABC or the special green worm-like cendol, or if you are keen enough (or convinced by me), head on to Petaling Street in search of my ultimate sai mai lou. If all these do not rock your boat, rest assured you can look out for these treats at various cafes, restaurants and even at up-scale dining, you would be cool down for sure!

Music Festival, The Prelude To Kuala Lumpur Festival Month

Source: Bernama 2009-07-13

KUALA LUMPUR, July 13 (Bernama) -- The 2009 Kuala Lumpur Music Festival that enters its fourth year like in the previous years is the curtain raiser for the one-month long Kuala Lumpur Festival.

The KL Music Festival this time was held in two stages, the first from 1-5 July and the last on July 10.

During the first stage five concerts were staged - "Lelaki Ini" by Anuar Zain, "Ahmad Nawab Goes To Life Centre', "Generasi Baru", "Sound of Malaysia", "Ruhani" - and the last one is the "Xtravaganza Nostalgia Semalam Di Malaysia".



Looking from the public response, it is evident that for once the concerts were well received by the public.

The "Lelaki Ini" concert by Anuar Zain at Istana Budaya on July 1-2 saw overwhelming response with a sold out crowd. We witnessed the huge following for Anuar Zain," said the Director General of the Culture and Arts Department (JKKN) Datuk Norliza Rofli to Bernama.

While the Ahmad Nawab concert at the Life Centre, which included Jamal Abdillah, Ramlah Ram, Syafinaz Selamat, Man Kidal, Steve Thorton and the National Choir in the artiste line up, witnessed enthusiastic response with 1,500 spectators.

The Rohani concert (on July 4) and the Sound of Malaysia (on July 5) at the same venue witnessed a crowd of 800 respectively and the Generasi Baru concert at the Hard Rock Cafe (on 5 July) as expected was well received.

Meanwhile, the Konsert Xtravaganza Nostalgia Semalam in Malaysia (July 10) at the Life Centre brought back crooners of the 70s with ticket sales surpassing 1,000, a clear testimony that the music of that era still has its followers.



NEW VENUE

The Music Festival saw some changes with the venue no longer restricted to Istana Budaya with each of the concert tailored to meet different age groups with the music including rock to R&B, unlike previously where the traditional music was the staple.

The new venues were the Life Centre and Hard Rock Cafe.

Also this year, for the first time, all concerts have been ticketed unlike the last four editions where the tickets were distributed free because the organisers feared the response would be poor if the public were to buy the ticket.

"This year all the seats have been ticketed at a reasonable price between RM25-RM250 with the RM25 being the highest number sold. The collection from ticket sales for the concerts were good except for the Rohani and Sound of Malaysia.

GENERATING INCOME

This is something that the organisers can be proud of this year.

Norliza felt that this indicated that the public want good shows and know that they have to pay for a good seat and a good show.

"We have to pay as a form of appreciation for the creative people who put up the show," she said.

Secondly, the encouraging ticket sales is probably because the music festival this time had a variety to offer based on the different music genre and audience.

As for example, those in the 40s and above can opt for the nostalgic `Semalam Di Malaysia' concert while the younger generation can head to the Hard Rock Cafe for Meet Uncle Hussain.

KUALA LUMPUR FESTIVAL

The Kuala Lumpur Festival is jointly organised by the Ministry of Information Communication and Culture, Tourism Ministry and the Federal Territories Ministry.

The month of July was chosen on the advise of the Tourism Ministry as July is the peak period for the arrival of the Arab tourists to Malaysia.

It is hoped that the Kuala Lumpur Festival will turn out to be a compelling event that will provide limelight for the capital city at the international stage.

Secondly, the event will roll out art and cultural activities throughout the month catering for local and foreign tourist.

Thirdly, the event will help to boost tourism activities for the benefit of the nation.

COOPERATION FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR

As for the whole of 2009, a total of 70 activities have been listed compared with 84 last year. The reduced number of activities is probably due the poor economic outlook or action taken to put up programmes of quality only.

"Actually not all the 70 activities are carried out by the ministry and at least 15 parties from the private sector have lined up their items that is marketed by the ministry," she said.

There are five main activities namely the performing arts consisting of dances, theater and music; visual arts (painting, sculpture), language and literary (buku, gurindam dan puisi), heritage (wedding preparation, traditional games, visit museums and historical sites) and craft and textile (with Kraftangan Malaysia highlighting songket, batik, and Malaysian fabrics) throughout July.

WEDDING

Among the major intenary in July is the Wedding Preparation Expo and Malaysian weddings.

"This are being held specially not only for foreign tourist but also for locals and the event provides an insight into wedding preparations," said Norliza.

The Wedding Preparation Expo from 4-13 July at the Kraftangan Malaysia Complex at Jalan Conlay, is organised by the JKKN, with shows staged by the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Baba Nyonya, Iban, Kadazan and Orang Asli groups.

"Arts and culture are important components in the efforts to develop a nation. Therefore the efforts to develop the culture to generate a highly cultured society and the one that appreciates arts must be enhanced," said Norliza.


By Cik Rashidah Abd Ghani

From elephant cemetery to tourist attraction

There is something mysteriously exciting about visiting an elephant burial ground. But doing so could cause an adverse environmental impact and ZALINA MOHD SOM wonders if it’s a good idea to trespass


Glide down the pristine Sungai Lebir on perahu pancong (or long boat)


Fermented fish (ikan pekasam) cottage industry at Kampung Renok Baru


The suspension bridge across Sungai Lebir at Taman Negara Kuala Koh

GASPING for breath and drenched in sweat and guilt, I looked around for a good excuse to be trespassing. After all, a burial ground is sacred, even if it’s one meant for the gentle giants — elephants.

What I found though, were two almost-complete sets of elephant skeletons, nicely arranged on the forest floor in a fenced up area measuring about three square metres.

All around was secondary forest and dense undergrowth near Kampung Star. The only visible path was the trail leading to the burial ground from the mouth of the walk-through Gua Pintu.

The skeletons were of elephants aged between 35 and 40 years old, which died about two years ago. The bones, found scattered about in the area by the Wildlife and Forestry Department, were moved to and arranged at their present site.

Chairman of the Persatuan Sahabat Sungai Nenggiri (Friends To Nenggiri River Association), Ahmad Karmizi Jalil, said the two elephants frequented the area towards the end of their lives.

Unfortunately, he said, they left a young calf that had been making regular visits to its parents’ resting place even though it was already a member of a herd of 20 elephants.

“Perhaps, it’s because of the strong family bond,” added Ahmad Karmizi who was leading a group of 40 Pressmen and travel agents to Gua Musang’s attractions.

That touching anecdote and the fact that there were about 100 visitors earlier, made me feel even more guilty about being there as by doing so, we may have “chased away” the young elephant and its herd.

There is no doubting though, the attraction of the elephants’ burial ground. To get there, one had to take a 15-minute boat ride on the rough Sungai Nenggiri and make a 45-minute trek that included a 15-minute caving adventure through Gua Pintu.

This gives visitors a taste of Gua Musang’s best – roughing it out at Sungai Nenggiri, a favourite with adventure seekers for rafting, caving and jungle trekking.

An excursion to the elephant burial site would be the cherry on top of this adrenalin cake, a unique tourism product. But at what expense?

I strongly recommend a thorough study to be done first on the environmental impact and the setting of guidelines on the number of visitors permitted in one day as well as dos and don’ts.

Fact Or Fiction?

Do elephant sacred burial grounds really exist? Two African-based websites dedicated to the pachyderm say “No”. Though both sites are based on African elephants, the logic behind their answers should apply to other species too.

With age, an elephant’s teeth start to wear out, forcing it to find softer forms of food. Older elephants often spend their last days in an area where such food is found and so die there.

This and the fact that the mammal is too large for its remains to be carried away by carnivores, is probably why elephants die in certain “designated” places.

And by chasing away predators and scavengers from the site, the animals helps propagate the “sacred burial site” belief. One of the sites concludes: “In reality, the elephants die like any other animal and are relished by the carnivores.”

Hotbed For Eco-adventure

Even without the elephant burial ground, Gua Musang is still tops on the country’s list of best eco-adventure spots.

There is always something to pump up the adrenaline – mountain or rock climbing, river rafting or tubing, wildlife spotting or fishing and caving, jungle trekking or off-roading, thanks to the rough waters of Sungai Nenggiri and the unique Taman Etnobotani.

For the unfamiliar, Sungai Nenggiri is known for rafting and shot to international fame through Nenggiri Challenge, an annual rafting race.

Race participants also walk through archaeological sites at caves — Cha, Chawan and Jaya — located along the river and then raft on a tributary that has been turned into a kelah (Malaya masheer) sanctuary.

On the other hand, the Etnobotani Park is a favourite jaunt for rock climbers with 30 climbing routes ranging from Grade 5B for beginners to 7A and 7B for experts. It also offers facilities for camping, team-building and recreational activities.

While these two and the beautiful peak of Gunung Stong are magnets for adventure seekers, Taman Negara Kuala Koh draws anglers.

As eco-adventure tourism normally attracts adventurous budget travellers, this biggest district in Kelantan has launched its homestay programme in a big way on top of its small bed and breakfast lodgings. Among these is the award-winning Kampung Renok Baru, some 20 minutes north of Gua Musang.

Taman Negara Kuala Koh

Gua Musang is the northern getaway to Taman Negara and the only official entry point in the State. Taman Negara Kuala Koh is part of the national park which covers an area of 4,343 sq kms and spans over the States of Kelantan, Pahang and Terengganu.

Like Taman Negara Kuala Tahan in Pahang, Kuala Koh is also situated at the confluence of two rivers – Sungai Lebir and Sungai Koh. Sg Lebir is the main river that joins Sungai Galas to form Sungai Kelantan at Kuala Krai.

Flowing down from the mountains of Tahan, Perlis, Penumpu and Gagau, these rivers have banks lined with giant trees like tualang and neram. The fruit of the neram is a favourite food of the kelah. This makes Kuala Koh a favoured fishing spot in the country.

Making it even more interesting is the fact that fishing is only a 10-minute boat ride upstream from the Kuala Koh park headquarters which houses the Taman Negara office, chalets and dormitories and a small café.

Another similarity it has with its elder sister Kuala Tahan is the newly-completed 300m-long canopy walk, 50m above the thick jungle floor. The highest platform on a tualang tree is 60m from the ground.

Kuala Tahan’s canopy walk holds the record of being the longest in the world at 510m long and 45m high.

Details, call Nik Nora of Taman Negara Kelantan at 012-965 4788 or Tourism Malaysia Kelantan office at 09-747 7554.

Village Experience

Whether you are travelling solo or in a group, the homestay at Kampung Renok Baru is a good choice. Besides family-oriented and cultural programmes, there is a fair share of kampung activities, from rubber tapping and palm oil harvesting to traditional games like sepak takraw, congkak, fishing or even cycling around the village.

Or go the extra mile and trek through the jungle to the nearby Pelangi Waterfalls. Hungry for more? Head for Taman Etnobotani, Sungai Nenggiri, aborigine settlements, Taman Negara Kuala Koh, Gunung Rabung or the highland resort of Cameron Highlands. Kampung Renok Baru is only 14kms from Gua Musang.

The best time for the homestay is during the fruit season as this is when the “new additions” to the family get a chance to pluck and eat fruit right off the trees in the orchards.

Details, call Kesedar Operation Office in Kampung Renok Baru at 09-912 6340 or Tourism Malaysia Kelantan office at 09-747 7554.

How To Get There

The town of Gua Musang is located in a territory bordered by Pahang in the south, Terengganu in the east, Perak in the west and Kelantanese districts of Kuala Krai and Jeli in the north.

Since the little town is on the Kota Baru-Gemas railway route, going there by train is probably the best and most interesting way. A train ride from Kuala Lumpur via Gemas would take around eight to nine hours.

By road, it’s three hours from Kota Baru and five hours from Kuala Lumpur. It is also linked to Cameron Highlands via the Simpang Pulai Highway. Express coaches and taxis are available from Kota Baru and Kuala Lumpur. There are regular flights to Kota Baru by Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Firefly as well.

ZALINA MOHD SOM (Pictures by FATHIL ASRI and ZALINA MOHD SOM)