CUTI DI MALAYSIA

Fun Of A Famosa Resort

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:03:00 +0000

Rightly touted as a one-stop destination for business and pleasure, A'Famosa offers an international championship 27-hole golf course, the highly-acclaimed Animal World Safari, Water World Theme Park, Equestrian Club, Resort Hotel, Villas, Condotel, excellent conference/banquet facilities and much more. It's one of the few resorts in this region that can truthfully claim to have 'something for everyone' regardless of age, whether you're an avid golfer, animal lover, watersports enthusiast, or just someone who enjoys a blissful, worry-free escape from the hustle and bustle of modern city living.

Water World

A'Famosa Water World which occupies a land area of 20 acres is the only water theme park of its kind in the southern region of this country and comprises of slides and pools of every kind.

The park has lots of interesting and unique features such as choices of water slides - all designed to suit even the most sophisticated water enthusiasts.

Kids will find the Arabian Village and Kid's Adventure Pool an exciting adventure. For those looking for excitement, take up the challenge by trying out our Seven Storey High Speed Slide.

Feel the adrenaline rush through your head as you slide down. Less daring souls can try out the Wave Pool, Family Raft Ride and the longest Lazy River in the world.

As every facility in the park meets safety levels of international standards, visitors can enjoy the fun with a peace of mind.

Rides & Attractions - High Speed Slide
Visible from the North-South Highway, the two towering High Speed Slides is the landmark of A’Famosa Water World. These seven-storey slides provide a heart-stopping, yet breathtaking high velocity joyride as you can hurtle down and reach the ground in just a few seconds!

Mon, Wed & Fri	11am - 7pm
Sat, Sun, Public & School Holidays	9am - 8pm
Closed on Tuesday except public & school holidays,
Operation Hour: 8am - 7pm

<< Click HERE to view the Water World Location Map >>

Animal World

Located on 150 acres of pristine surroundings, the A'Famosa Animal World Safari is an amazing wildlife Safari that houses over 150 of the finest species from the animal kingdom.

Watch in amazement as you encounter majestic Tigers, Lions, Giraffes, Camels, Zebras, Elephants and other creatures roaming freely in the Safari.
Explore the magic of wildlife habitats and environment in our safari trucks.
Experience the animals up close; feed and pet the Rabbits, Ponies, Camels and other friendly animals as you stroll leisurely in the Walk-Through Area.
Visit the Chicken Farm to get to know the world's rarest species of chicken.
Cruise to the Monkey Island on a raft.
Enjoy the Shows.

Walk Through Area
The Walk-Through Area is beautifully landscaped and makes for a pleasant walk pass spacious enclosures which house more than 20 types of animals including Greater Flamingos, Black Swans, North American Raccoons, miniature ponies and the indigenous Malayan Tapir.

Chicken Farm
We have imported over 80 species of chicken from overseas; they are Phoenix - which has 8-feet-long tail, Brahma - A tame partner, Turkens - A productive poultry, Blue Cochins - Blue fairy, Amherst Pheasant - Cold-resistant hero and many more. Besides that, children would have a chance to touch and have a hands on experience with the chicks.

Monkey Island
Not to be missed is the trip to Monkey Island, a tree-covered islet located in the middle of a lake. A motorized barge takes visitors to the island, which is home to inquisitive Brown Lemurs from Madagascar, Squirrel Monkeys and Capuchins from South America, tiny Red-Handed Tamarinds from South America, mischievous White-Handed Gibbons, Stump tail macaques, Long tail macaques, Pig tail macaques and Squirrels. Blue Indian Peafowls and Chickens share this pleasant habitat together with the primates. Visitors can have a closer look at the animals during the feeding show by the keepers

Weekdays	9am - 6pm
Weekends & Public Holidays	9am - 6pm

<< Click HERE to view the Animal World Saffari Location Map >>

Gunung Ledang Resort

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Wed, 27 May 2009 01:41:00 +0000

Capture the splendour of raw mountain adventures on legendary Gunung Ledang (Mt. Ophir). Trek up the magical jungle-capped mountain. Cool off in the rushing waters of Puteri Falls.

Discover a world alive with the wonders of nature at her finest.

For a "getaway-from-it-all" in cosy chalets within magnificent woodland settings, camping in the rugged wilds, or a convention amidst nature.

Seek out the challenges of outdoor activities for personal and organisation development, or just go on an expedition to the peak ..

And get natural mountain high !

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Holiday in Kapalai

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:13:00 +0000

| Accommodation and Packages in North East Sabah and Islands ...

Why Kapalai?

view from the deck at kapalai resort

Kapalai is only some 18min speedboat ride away from sipadan and sits on a wide sandbar in the middle of the ocean. It seems a little odd at first that there is such a thing but having taken a 40min boatride from semporna to mabul, and having passed many water villages in the middle of the ocean. This is exactly the concept. The local fishermen's water villages are similar.located on sandbanks.

pygmy seahorse. pic courtesy of moti uttam nov 2006

Most stay here due to its proximity to Sipadan , but Kapalai has some good muck diving under it. This place is great for novices. It has gentle currents and shallow, warm waters. Depths are generally from 5m to 20m. Being far away from land, you can be quite sure there won't be mosquitoes at night to keep you awake. The water village is connected by wooden stilts and diving off it is hardly work.

Kapalai divesites

Rainy season is between mid December and mid February so bear in mind if you're thinking of getting away during Christmas. The nice thing about going during these months is that the crowds are manageable. Sometimes it may just be you and the divemaster on a dive - no rush, no hassles. We went in early March and although the vis wasn't too good and currents were pretty unpredictable plus the rains would catch up on us from nowhere, it was great for muck diving if micro is what you want. Good diving months are from months April till November. Best diving months is in July and August.

Mandarin Valley

mandarin fish at kapalai. pic courtesy of moti uttam . nov 2006

This is just off the jetty. As divers descend down a coral slope, bear in mind to keep to your left. This place is little gem despite the fact that many of the coral reef areas around Kapalai had been previously damaged by dynamite fishing, mandarin valley has been spared the brunt of the assault. The tiny creatures seem to be well camouflaged at first and novice divers would find it difficult to spot anything. After a few dives to orientate divers, it becomes a little easier to spot the stonefish, frogfish, nudibranchs, ghost pipefish, crayfish n its lair, a great variety of gobyfish, dartfish, lots of juveniles and as the evening sets, the mandarin fish comes out to play. Probably the most sought after fish for photography purposes, the mandarin fish is beautiful. Its striations and vibrant colours make a good portfolio for enthusiasts.

Sarawak Cultural Village - Malaysia

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Mon, 18 May 2009 04:04:00 +0000

Welcome To Sarawak

| packages & accommodation ...

Rainforest Festival - Santubong

It's no wonder that the annual Rainforest Festival is held at the Sarawak Cultural Village . It's the perfect setting. Mount Santubong rising in the background, casts a cool shadow over the land below. Waves lapping the beach nearby, mangrove forests hugging the coastline and dolphins lopping the waves, gleefully playing in the shallow waters. The environment spells tranquillity. This is where artists come to for inspiration, to get to know or reacquaint with the beauty and bounty of nature.

local & foreign sculptors were invited to scv to create pieces from nature

Every year, musicians are invited to play at the Rainforest Festival. And every year the festival gets more and more fans converging to this tiny cultural village to chill out and listen to world/ethnic music, which wouldn't otherwise be given the time of day by recording companies.

It's a peaceful, happy gathering of thousands of music loving people which lasts over the span of a weekend in July. Although worldwide media has been featuring the festival over the years but many still get to know about the festival by word-of-mouth.

There are various workshops and jamming sessions going on throughout the weekend and at different venues. There could be a workshop happening at the Melanau longhouse and someone else giving a talk over at the penan hut. It's all there for visitors to interact and have fun. Everyone that we've known who has been there.had enjoyed themselves thoroughly. There's a sense of togetherness some say. a kind of Woodstock or Burning Man revisited, except that it's all clean fun.

Sarawak Cultural Village

visitor passport ~ collect individual stamps when visitng each traditional house at the scv

The cultural village is described as a 'living museum'. Featuring a collection of traditional houses scattered over 17 acres of landscaped land, this village was set up to provide visitors an insight into the different cultures, architectures and peoples that make up Sarawak 's population. There are 7 traditional houses.A well marked trail takes visitors on an educational journey. In this journey, we shall touch upon some aspects of the culture, beliefs, architecture and handicrafts so that visitors get a better understanding as to the uniqueness of each tribe as well as influences on each other. Much of the research done for this article is based on a book called The Pagan Tribes of Borneo by Dr. Charles Hose and William McDougall.

The following pages elaborates more on the Bidayuh, Iban, Orang Ulu, Penan, Melanau traditional houses and way of life. However, the centre also showcases the Malay house and the Chinese farmhouse.

Apart from just wondering around the houses, there is also a cultural shows at:

11.30am - 12.15pm

4.00pm - 4.45pm

the dancers will demonstrate a number of dances from the Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau, Malay and Chinese for different occasions such as festivals, warrior home welcoming and ritual dances.

There is also a souvenir shop and a restaurant available for guests to wander about.

on the bidayuh longhouse...

Orang Ulu Longhouse

The orang ulu are made up of a few tribes namely the Kenyah, Kayan, Klemantan, Kelabit, the Lun Bawang, Penan as well as a few minor tribes in the interior. Orang Ulu, means the "up-river dwellers" mainly living in Central Borneo , which accounts for 5.5% of the population. The Penan, Kayan and Kenyah, live in the middle and upper reaches of and the Kelabit and Lun Bawang live in the highlands.

The Kayans live in the main territories in central Borneo . They are warlike , conservative and religious people. The Kayan are considered more skilled in handicraft then all other peoples and believed by early anthropologists to be the original people in Sarawak who adorned their bodies with tattoos. The Kenyahs are found mainly in the highlands a little north of the centre of Borneo . As recorded in The Pagan Tribes of Borneo,'Physically they are without question the finest people of the country. Their skin-colour is decidedly fairer than that of Sea Dayaks or Kayans. They are of medium stature, with long backs and short, muscular, well-rounded limbs; a little stumpy in build, but of graceful and vigorous bearing. They are perhaps the most courageous and intelligent of the peoples; hospitable and somewhat improvident, sociable and of pleasant manners.'

The Kenyah are knowned for their handicraft work especially in making baskets, mats and weapons and tools like blow-pipes, and the implements used for working the wild sago.

All the Orang Ulu tribes except the Penans build houses of similar architecture but the finishing and skill differs widely. The houses are always located close to rivers. The as of the Ibans, are built to accommodate the villagers and were built for as many as one hundred families in the old days. The longhouse is normally supported on stilts made from Berlian or Ironwood which rise some 20 - 30feet high. The roofing was also made of berlian shingles. The apartment each serves one family comprising of the parents, daughters, young sons and female slaves. Normally a small fireplace for cooking and sleeping area makes up the apartment. Its main door opens up into a long gallery which doubles up as the common living and reception room. The long single gallery is marked each 30 feet or so by a fireplace. The main fireplace usually located at the reception area is hung a row of head, charms and talisman. These hearths are kept smouldering all the time. Young bachelors and visitors sleep in the gallery.

the resident blacksmith at Sarawak cultural village, happy to pose for a pic or two and very happy to show you his family album if you care to ask

The chief's room, is usually about twice as long as others, is often in the middle of the house where the official reception area and main fireplace are located. Those of the other upper-class families, normally the chief's relatives are located on either side of the chief's room. These rooms may also be larger than the other rooms in the longhouse.

The gallery is reached by a series of steps, or rather notched logs that resembles vaguely a ladder and positioned 45°. These ladders are easily dislodged in the event of an enemy attack. Below the house, boats are stored. Each family owns a padi barn where the harvest is stored. It is normally a large wooden bin about 10sq.ft and is raised on stilts some 7ft high. The Kayan longhouse quite often is made of several grouped together whereas the Kenyah village is made of a single longhouse. Unlike the other tribes, the Kayan people speak the same language, follow, and the same customs; have the same traditions, beliefs, rites, and ceremonies. The chiefs make it a point to pass down from generation to the next, the teachings of the forefathers.

a resident playing the sape with a beautiful mural as backdrop

The Kayan man usually wears a necklace made of a string of antique beads which are considered of high value. Every Kayan perforates the rind of his ear and the object worn denotes his standing as a warrior. Young men who have not been on the warpath are allowed to wear only discs of wood or wax; men who have been to war adorn the canine tooth of a tiger-cat and those who have brought home a head or have distinguished himself in war wear similar shaped adornment but made of the beak of the helmeted hornbill. The ear lobe is also perforated and brass rings are worn, sometimes weighing as much as 2lbs causing the lobe to distend. The same with the Kayan women. Some Kenyah and other tribes also adorn brass rings. However with the Kenyah women, a string of little brass rings are worn instead of a single ring.

Tattoo

tattoist's tools

The most elaborate body tattoos are from the Kayan tribe. 'The dog design figures very prominently in Kayan art, and the fact that the dog is regarded by these people and also by the Kenyahs with a certain degree of veneration may account for its general representation. The design has been copied by a whole host of tribes, with degradation and change of name'Charles Hose,Pagan Tribes of Borneo.

In Kayan women tattoing contributes to a series of complicated process. Designs can run from the back of hands to thighs, below the knees and on the kneecaps. Tattooing in women can begin early as witnessed at the age of ten the girl will probably have had her fingers and the upper part of her feet tattooed. About a year hiatus, her forearms should have been completed; the thighs the following year and by the fourth year, the tattoos should be completed. Women can only tattoo until she is pregnant, as it is considered inappropriate to tattoo themselves after becoming a mother. The Kayan women believe that tattoos are the torches to the next life and that without these to light them they would remain forever in total darkness.

The tools used by a tatoo artist consist of two or three prickers, ULANG or ULANG BRANG, and an iron striker, TUKUN or PEPAK, which are kept in a wooden case, BUNGAN. The pigment is a mixture of soot, water, and sugar-cane juice, and it is kept in a double shallow cup of wood, UIT ULANG. The best soot is supposedly obtain ed from the bottom of a metal cooking-pot. The tattoo blocks are commonly carved by men. The artist first dips a piece of fibre from the sugar-palm (ARENGA SACCHARIFERA) into the pigment and, pressing this on to the area to be tattoed, aligns the patterns to be tattoed; along these straight lines the artist tatus the IKOR. Then taking the tattoo designs that are carved on blocks of wood, KELINGE, she smears it with the ink and then impresses on the part to be tattoed between the two lines. It is a painful process with no anaesthesia.

Weapons & tools

tools used to make weapons

The weapons of war used by the orang ulu especially the Kayan and Kenyah are generally the wooden shield, the sword and the spear. The prized weapons are often decorated with human hair from the rewards of warfare. They accentuate the beauty of their weapons with designs which they also lend to designs in tattoo, beadwork, as murals to adorn the house walls, tombs, boats and Padi barns, woodwork and musical intruments. One of the musical instrument much regarded in the Rainforest festival is the Sape.

The Kayans are also the best ironsmiths amongst all the peoples of Borneo . In the olden days, the iron ore were collected from riverbeds but later bars were procured from Malay and Chinese traders.

Rantau Abang

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:44:00 +0000

Terengganu packages & accommodation ..

At 22km north of K.Dungun and 80km south of K.Terengganu, is probably the most talked about tourist spot in Terengganu. There was a time when a great number of giant leatherback turtles came to Rantau Abang to lay their eggs between May and August. (Peak egg laying months are June and July). The beach terrain here is favourable as it has a steep and deep slope so that the turtle can 'land' straight up the beach. If the beach has a shallow and gradual slope, the turtle would have to spend much of her energy wading through a fair distance before finding a suitable nesting site closer to the vegetation line. She must conserve as much energy as possible for what she has to do later. The mother turtle comes up in the cover of night to lay her eggs. Leatherback turtles can grow to a length of 2m and easily weigh up to 500kg. Unlike other turtles species who have hard bony shells, they have soft, leathery shells or carapace with 7 ridges running longitudinally down. The design and shape of the carapace reduces water friction and together with the long flippers helps the turtle propel smoothly through water. This is a more suitable design, for these long distance swimmers have to travel across great oceans every 2 to 3 years to return to the same breeding ground. It is believed that the long distance travel is related to seasonal drifts of the jellyfish.

Graceful reptiles in the water, on land their weight and shape can be cumbersome. Each female nests between 5 to 9 times per season and each nest has between 50 to 140 eggs. The male, on the other hand, never comes ashore. Once the mother turtle has laid her eggs and covered them, she rests for a bit and then makes her way back into the sea. Exhausted from the ordeal, she swims out into the open sea to feed and replenishes her energy. This is the time when she is most vulnerable to shark attacks. There have been reports of leatherbacks with disfigured fins and wounds caused by sharks.

In the 1950's, there were around 11,000 nestings reported at Rantau Abang. By 1999, it had dropped to fewer than 10 nestings. There are a number of factors attributed to the sharp drop in numbers. In the early years when there were no rangers monitoring the beach, local tourists were seen riding on the turtles, pulling their flippers, shining flashlights into the poor, suffering creature's eyes and all sorts of gross misconduct. Turtles are extremely sensitive creatures and are not accustomed to such stress. On top of the terrible treatment on land, high activity of trawlers scouring the coastal waters and pollution lingering around the coastline were added dangers. Leatherbacks and other turtles were often trapped in nets that slowly drowned them, killing 100,000s every year worldwide. Adding to the turtles' misfortunes, the turtle eggs were collected by locals to sell in the markets. The locals claim that these eggs have aphrodisiac and beautifying properties although there is no scientific proof for these claims. It is reported that their nutritional value is even less than that of a chicken egg. Turtle eggs are still sold at markets around Terengganu and will continue to do so until authorities realise the importance of protecting the species at every stage of its lifecycle and development.

Their numbers are dwindling. Without the turtles around, Rantau Abang itself has fallen into shambles. Many of the outlets and some resorts have been abandoned. What used to be a busy seaside resort has now become a little more than a place for gas refill.

If only there was more concerted effort to educate the people on the sensitivities of these turtles then perhaps that could in a small way help arrest the disappearing population.

For more information on the leatherbacks, there is a Turtle Information Centre managed by the Department of Fisheries at Rantau Abang. The rangers have been patrolling the beaches to ensure safety for the turtles when they come onto shore to lay their eggs. They have also released 100,000s leatherback hatchlings back into the sea through a series of successful incubation and release programmes. The centre is open every day except Friday and public holidays.

If however, you are truly interested to learn and live with turtles, you can opt to stay at Pulau Redang with the turtle researchers for a week (at a cost of course!) under the SEATRU or the Sea Turtle Research Unit of the University College of Science and Technology programme. Dr Chan and Mr. Liew from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) run this programme and they have a turtle breeding centre at the Uni. A couple of interesting albino hawksbills are kept in tanks at the centre. However, this is not open to the public so if there is any interest please contact Dr. Chan at (6)09-668 3251 or Mr Liew at (6)09-668 3250 or visit the website at www.kustem.edu.my/seatru

Accommodation at Rantau Abang

Rantau Abang has seen its heydays. Today, many bypass this place, in search of other interests. The turtles seldom land on the beaches due to the excessive harassment from local visitors and fishermen. Most of all, these turtles are dying off and if you get to see one, you may be the last few people to ever see them. Soon there will be none left.

The town seems more like a ghost town. To recommend a place to stay would be difficult for there is no telling how long the motels will sustain themselves for lack of visitors. However, the beaches are beautiful.. a dream really and extremely quiet. Just as it was years ago...

Accommodation and Holiday Packages to Kuala Terengganu , Merang, Marang, Kapas Island, Tenggol Island, Gemia Island, Redang Island , Lang Tengah Island , Bidong Island , Penarik , Tanjong Jara , Dungun, Tenggol Island, Paka and Surroundings

Pulau Duyung Besar

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:11:00 +0000

| Pulau Duyung packages & accommodation ..

Just next to Hotel Seri Malaysia is a small jetty where local villagers arrive from across the estuary. Pulau Duyung sits at the mouth of River Terengganu and is now accessible by boat or by road. The local riverboat charges a nominal fee of 50sen or so. Villagers unload their produce to sell in the market. Bunches of bananas and baskets of c(h)empedak fruit (a very pungent fruit but delicious!) are common produce. Others unload their bicycles for cruising around town or used as transportation to work nearby. Another way to get to Pulau Duyung is via the highway but many travellers prefer the old-fashioned way of travel by riverboat.

At P.Duyung, there are a number of small villages. Evenings are the best time to go as the young children come out to play on the banks. With their kites, they have their inter-village competitions.These kids fight for the reign, to be the 'king of kites'. There is a lot of strategy involved, sneaky tricks and all sorts of espionage going on..

One sneaky way of winning the game is by modifying their kites. The older boys would smash used light bulbs and grind them into fine glass powder. Then they dip the kite string into a glue paste and coat the string with the glass powder. Once up in the air and the string taut, these specially modified kites are used as instruments of destruction. As the kites come together, entwining each other in a tussle, the fine glass is sharp enough to cut through the opponent's kite string - the kite breaks off and floats away as the owner and his group of friends run off to catch the fallen star. The winner keeps the loser's kite and so on it goes.

At Pulau Duyung, traditional boat building is still thriving. Pakcik Haji Abdullah and his group of highly skilled craftsmen have been building these sturdy, seaworthy boats for the Marang fishing fleet for a long, long time now. And amazingly, the boats were built entirely from memory without the use of plans. Not only is he well known in Malaysia, Pakcik even has orders from foreign sailing enthusiasts who have heard about his skills within the international sailing community. However, he laments over how difficult it is now to build a good, sturdy boat and that is owed to the disappearing jungles of Terengganu. In the early days of his career, he could stroll into nearby jungles, pick the largest 'cengal' tree (a hardwood timber also known as ironwood) that is most suitable for building the hull; and cut it down without a second thought.

Now, much of the nearby primary jungle is gone and if there were any cengal trees left, it would be protected and after all, it's too heavy a price to pay for the timber. Yet he continues his work, meticulously putting finishing touches to the beautifully handcrafted vessels, ready to hand them over to the owner where each boat will continue the legacy of Haji Abdullah, Terengganu's finest boatbuilder.

There is a pleasant outfit near Pakcik's place where you can stay for as cheap as RM15 per chalet per night. The set up is basic but its atmosphere, which blends perfectly into the fabric of village life, mesmerise visitors. The owners of the sea facing chalets, believe in the beauty of living with the surrounding, providing the traveller a true feeling of living among the locals. But don't worry if you are unable to find the place, ask anyone on Pulau Duyung and they will be able to direct you to Awi's yellow house. It's best to walk around Pulau Duyung rather than drive. If you get lost, just ask the locals for directions.

Hashim who lives right next to Awi's place makes beautiful wooden models of the old trading ships that used to ply the Thailand - Malaysia - Indonesia. One boat model takes him approximately 2 months to complete. Hashim works on the wood whilst his wife sews the sails. Hashim loves the sea and in his younger days, worked as a sailor aboard many ships. One ship that he sailed on was a 'Pinis Gobel' in the early 80s. Many of his boats are modeled after that trading boat.

These boats are no longer in use except for a few that are used for tourists' cruises in Thailand. However, there are 2 examples of the 'Pinis' parked by the river in the grounds of the Losong Museum and is worth a visit, just to learn more about these hardy vessels that used to ply the South China Seas. Hashim works on his models for the love of it and will take time to share his passion with anyone wanting to learn more about the history of Terengganu's maritime.

There is a nice 'palace' in Kota Lama (Old town) built almost entirely of timber. For years, the palace stood derelict, overgrown and forgotten, facing the inevitable doom of erosion exarcebated by the salty sea air. Then one day, it was decided that the palace be rebuilt as it would have been during its glory days. Only the brick and cement foundation is of the original. With the help of historians; local craftsmen got together and reconstructed the timber structures of the palace. Although it is empty inside but the reconstruction gives a good idea to the local architecture of the era. The decorative, perforated wood panels on the top of solid wall panels provide good ventilation and also allows light to seep into the otherwise dark interior. This kind of wood carving involves piercing techniques known as tebuk terus (direct piercing), tebuk separuh (semi piercing) and tebuk timbul(embossed piercing). The wood craftsmen of Terengganu are renown for handcrafting such designs. If you're interested in Malay architecture, the best place to go when in Terengganu is the museum at Losong. The typical architecture of a malay abode entails a porch at the entrance. A balai besar or audience hall became the meeting room where guests and subjects were granted audience. The kitchen, the bedrooms, the wash area, and the dining room have been reconstructed with corridors connecting the rooms. You are required to sign the visitors' book and they don't mind if you leave a donation for the short tour conducted. However, you will not get much out of the tour as the guides speak little English and they hardly know much about the place. But they are extremely helpful in guiding you through the dark rooms and corridors, opening windows for light to come through.

Pulau Sibu - Besar & Tengah

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Wed, 13 May 2009 02:26:00 +0000

Pulau Sibu is part of the Seribuat Archipelago down south and is made up of several islands namely Pulau Sibu Besar, Pulau Sibu Tengah, Pulau Sibu Kukus and Pulau Sibu Hujung. Pulau Sibu Tengah is a tiny island home to Sibu Island Resort, a large resort catering to local and foreign tourists. About 5 minutes by speedboat from the larger of the two islands , Sibu Tengah has all that a tourist would appreciate - a full fledged resort with chalets and rooms packed with every bit of creature comforts city slickers are accustomed to. Snorkelling to Kukus island just 3minutes boat ride from this island provides an adventure to novices. Otherwise, for those completely resigned to a lazy holiday, then this resort is the best place to vegetate.

sea gypsy and sibu island cabana resorts share the same beach

Pulau Sibu Besar, on the other hand is some 7kms long and about 1km wide. One of the largest islands on the Seribuat Archipelago, it's surprising that Sibu has retained much of its natural beauty and tranquility. In the past decade when all the islands up in Terengganu has sped off in the direction of mass tourism and commercialisation, Sibu ambles on at its own pace. The local village continues to eke out a living off the seas and a few of the younger generation opt to work at the nearby resorts for a steadier income and a change of lifestyle. The villagers have kelongs out in the bay where they now rear fish and prawns and a few kelongs are used as a fishing retreat where keen recreational fishermen spend their weekends fishing and bonding with fellow 'inmates' on the platform. There are simple accommodation on these kelongs for rent.

The main stretch of beach has 4 beach resorts of varying budgets and preferences. Sea Gypsy Village Resort run by Linda, a British, is a favourite with Singaporean expatriate families. So popular they were with young families at one point, that they started up a kid's centre where activities are set up for children for a good part of the day so that their parents are pretty much left alone to their own time. Very precious commodity - time can be for young families! Sea Gypsy also runs the only established Dive Centre on Sibu Besar.

To the back of the island through a 25 minute jungle trek, sits Rimba Resort. Journeymalaysia.com writers went off on a exploratory trip to Sibu Besar in June 2004 and were well impressed with two set ups on Sibu namely Rimba Resort and Sea Gypsy Village resort. For more story on these two resorts, click to Rimba Resort or Sea Gypsy Village Resort.

Article contributor: Jonathan Wong. Dated: 6th June 2004

PULAU AUR

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Wed, 13 May 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Sitting a fair distance, some 80km east of the Mersing jetty,are the islands of Pulau Dayang, Pulau Lang, Pulau Aur and Pulau Pinang *. This cluster of islands is particularly difficult to get to -one reason being that the boats going to and fro are irregular and another being that many of the dive operators seem to have monopolised the islands for 'weekend' SCUBA divers and friends.

But it is not impossible to travel to these islands if time and money is not an issue. Of course there are packages offered by a few live aboards and dive boats that take passengers on a passage to discovery, or you could hire a boat to take you to the island (with a group 10 friends or so to split the cost), or even join in with weekend dive or snorkelling groups organised by the dive operators from Singapore or Malaysia. Do bear in mind that most of the resorts on the islands are owned by these weekend dive operators or have joint-partnerships with the locals which means that often when the weekend crowd returns home, the resorts will close for the week. There are of course a few locally owned resorts at the villages where you can stay.

resort on Pulau Dayang

If you have the time, you could hop on the weekend dive boats to the islands, stay a week and then hop back onto the next batch of boats heading to the mainland the weekend after.

One can only but wonder if the Aur islands have been reserved specifically for the elite with a lot of money to spend. However, this really shouldn't deter the traveller in a quest for the perfect island to explore, to laze about or to indulge in the culture and hospitality of the local fishermen and their families. Once you're there, you'd know that all that hassle was worth every penny. The relief is that once the weekend crowd has disappeared, you will discover the true beauty of the islands and its waters.

* (Pulau Pinang sounds mighty familiar to you? Don't be misinformed now, it is not the one also commonly known as ' the Pearl of the Orient'. There are a number of islands around Malaysia with the same name, named after the betelnut trees found growing on the islands - pokok pinang, so!)

The battles at Aur

Pulau Aur has always been a stopover point for fishermen. With a supply of frsh water and plenty of fish in the waters, a few later moved their families to the island. However Aur was never the peaceful island as we see now. The deep dark secrets of the wild days are only beginning to unravel within the historic data collected from salvaged treasures hoisted from sunken Chinese junks, sailboats and old merchants ships found shattered in its watery grave.

In 1803, whilst the Napoleonic War was raging in Europe, a sea battle was brewing in the South China Sea. The Emperor of France and his advisors decided that it was time to infiltrate and dislodge the British from their trade stronghold with the Chinese. With this, France sent a fleet of 5 warships under the command of Admiral Linois to Pulau Aur. By early January 1804, Admiral Linois' fleet had safely parked themselves at Aur.

News that war had recommenced with the French in Europe had not filtered down to the East at that time. Many of the heavily laden ships that had set sail before the war were vulnerable to attacks and the captains were unaware that war had broke out in Europe. The ships lacked accompanying warships to fend off marauders and they were caught off guard. With this advantage, Admiral Linois' fleet successfully intercepted a handful of trading ships along the way.

Meanwhile, on 31st January 1904 also unaware of the danger, a 30 British-China fleet and a single armed brig left Canton for Pulau Aur. Upon leaving China, Captain Nathaniel Dance who was the Commanding officer,had the foresight to fit 3 of the merchant ships with false gun ports and have them fly the Royal Navy flag.

Admiral Linois laid in wait for the fleet from China to arrive in hope of a surprise attack which would put the French in a favourable position to confiscate the lucrative cargo. When the China-British fleet sailed into Aur on February 14th, Admiral Linois was himself taken by surprise by the three 'warships' accompanying the fleet. Uncertain of the strength of the British warships, the Admiral went ahead with couple of disastrous attacks and eventually retreated to Batavia (Jakarta) in defeat. Captain Nathaniel Dance sailed back to England and was showered with rewards especially from the insurers of the fleet and rightly so as the cargoes had at that time an estimated value of 8 million pounds! Emperor Bonaparte suffered an embarrassing defeat and just to add salt to his wound, it was his British sources that first broke the news to him.

In the 19th Century, Aur harboured a thriving population of about 1,400 inhabitants consisting of fishermen, traders and slaves. The islands were an ideal location for pirates to run their business of pillaging, ravaging, slave trading and even sinking a great number of boats during fierce raids with foreign boats enroute to Indonesia or to Thailand and beyond.

Today, not much of the tumultuous history can be traced from above the shoreline. Beneath, there are several wrecks that has been discovered and partly recovered but beyond the reaches of recreational divers. They are rumoured to contain treasures and wrecks beyond our imagination. Perhaps they should left in peace in these graves together with their masters from a long forgotten era of great sea voyages.

PULAU KAPAS AT TERENGGANU

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:22:00 +0000

Pulau Kapas - Terengganu
Pulau Kapas and Pulau Gemia ( located to the north of Pulau Kapas ) are merely 20 to 30 minutes by speedboat from the mainland off the coastal town of Marang, 15 kilometres south of Kuala Terengganu. Water visibility varies between 5 to 15 metres at best. the close proximity to the mainland make Pulau Kapas ideal for non-diving tourists. An island famous for its clear waters, sandy white beaches and swaying palms, it is relatively isolated. Home to an infinite variety of hard and soft corals, the waters around the island abound with seashells, fish and turtles.

PULAU LANGKAWI VERY NICE PLACE

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:23:00 +0000

Pulau Langkawi

The Langkawi archipelago is made up of a cluster of 99 islands, sprinkled just off the shores of the Northern Kedah State in Peninsular Malaysia. During low tide, the number of islands expands to 104. It's understandable that only a few islands are inhabited. Many of the islands are little more than rocky outcrops separated by narrow canals where only sampans(little boats) can travel through. Langkawi island (478.5 sq.km) is the largest of them all and is not much smaller than Singapore (646 sq.km) but has a much smaller island population of only 62,000.

Pulau Langkawi's landscape is painted with marbled mountains, vast paddy fields and rural villages, miles and miles of white sandy beaches, secret caves, and pockets of virgin rainforests dating back millions of years .

Although tourism is the main industry for the people of Langkawi and has been for the past decade or so, the sea remains a healthy source of income for local fishermen. In pockets of local fishing communities one can still find the age-old cottage industry of harvesting, drying and processing of sea cucumbers into a balsamic oil for all sorts of minor ailment.

Langkawi's Legends and Hotspots

Centuries ago skilled storytellers on the mainland made a living from spinning wondrous, spectacular tales of folklore, history, myths and legends of celestial beings, demons, warriors and wars, giants, beautiful maidens and gallant heroes. Langkawi was inaccessible to local folks in those days. The Langkawi islands were infested with pirates living and feasting on boats and travellers who chose to sail in their waters. Not many locals ventured to the islands and soon stories abound of these mysterious islands. The myths are still woven strongly into the lifestyle of the local people.

The family feud - Gunung Raya, Guning Mat Cincang& Kuah Town

The various peaks on the island such as Gunung Raya,(the highest mount on the island), Gunung Mat Cincang, Bukit Sewar, Belaga Pecah and Telaga Air Hangat, were named according to the incidents which transpired as a result of a family feud. These first three mountains were purported to be humans while Belaga Pecah(meaning broken pot) was believed to be the spot where a large pot containing gravy was spilt after the pot, used as a missile in the feud, broke there. A cauldron of boiling water was also used as a missile in the fight. The spot where it landed became a series of Hot Springs gushing into the air, giving rise to the name Telaga Air Hangat (meaning hot well water).

Today, Gunung Raya is accessible by road - all the way to the top. Perched on top like the eagle's nest, is an impressive fortress-like building, which is strictly for government officials only and is out of bounds to public. However, the view from the peak is great for sunset photos. There is also a resort located at the peak for those seeking retreat.

Gunung Raya itself is home to the white-bellied sea eagle - circling high round the mountaintop. The hornbills also make their home in the forested area of Gunung Raya. When the road was built, much of the flora was disturbed thus reducing their feeding area. Perhaps due to this, it is far easier now to spot them as they have to fly a greater distance for food. (no good for the jungle inhabitants, although reported to be good for tourists!). If you're driving up the mountain, a charge of 50sen per car is collected at a makeshift toll located at the base of the mount.

Gunung Mat Cincang is open to the public and its peak can be reached via a Cable Car ride all the way up from its base at the Oriental Village. The rides are available from 10.00am till 8.00pm and the fare is RM15 for adults; RM5 for children. Any more information required, call: 04- 959 4225. From the cable car, visitors have a fine view of Langkawi island and beyond. The Telaga Tujuh Waterfall can be seen in full view on the way to the peak. A 7-tiered waterfall, the Telaga Tujuh is a favourite stop for tourists.

Oriental Village - Cable Car Station

The island has taken over Penang Island's duty free status providing shoppers with some pretty good deals on local and foreign products. Many visit Langkawi for its duty-free shopping : for local visitors; products worth purchasing are alcohol and cigarettes; for many foreign guests, electrical goods, handicraft and certain branded goods especially leathergoods and casual attire are well worth a look around. Oriental Village...a stone's throw from the Burau Bay Resort at Pantai Kok, is also where the cable car station is located. One word of advise on duty free though... if you wish to cash in on duty free alcohol and spirits, it's best to purchase this prior to departure at shops in town or at the beaches and places like Oriental Village . The airport duty free shops may price the same items higher.

Don't be misled by the name, Oriental Village is not really a living, breathing traditional local village. The place seems to have been established more specifically to house speciality shops and food outlets rather than an expression of the true local village flavour.

Kuah

Kuah, Langkawi's main town and port where ferries from the mainland and Penang anchor. Numerous duty free shops have sprouted and many new hotels and chalets with prices to suit everyone's budget have been constructed. The main Tourist Information Centre is located a distance away from the ferry jetty, heading towards town. The centre closes at about 4.30pm. However, if you're looking for quieter beaches to park yourself, then grab a taxi and head off to Pantai Cenang, Pantai Kok and the other more secluded areas in the Northern end. A well maintained road runs around the island. Although bus routes are limited on the island, taxis are aplenty and not too expensive. The more adventurous could try bicycles, motorbikes or car available for hire .

Makam Mahsuri

The most famous of Langkawi legends is the Curse of Mahsuri. Mahsuri was a beautiful maiden of Muslim Siamese descent. As with admiration in some, there will always be jealousy in others. Mahsuri's mother-in-law was insanely jealous of her beauty and popularity. She took the opportunity one day to rid Mahsuri as she accused her of adultery during the absence of her husband who had gone off to war. Adultery by local law was a sin punishable by death. Mahsuri was executed in public. As she pleaded her innocence, the executioner plunged a 'keris' or dagger into her. To his surprise, Mahsuri's blood trickled white which signified that she was innocent.

Upon death, Mahsuri placed a curse on Langkawi and its people. For 7 generations, there was to be much tragedy and misfortune. Over years of warring with the Siamese and other natural disasters that befell the island, Langkawi was left to its own. It was said that at one time, buffaloes even outnumbered villagers . It was not until the 80's that the 7th generation passed and the curse was finally lifted.

Mahsuri's tomb is now encased in white marble, quarried from the hills of Langkawi - white symbolising her innocence. Nearby is a well, which Mahsuri used to wash and bathe. Photographs of her descendants are displayed on the board next to her grave.

The Field of Burnt Rice

Soon after Mahsuri's premature death, the formidable Siamese army made an attack on the island. In desperation, the chief ordered the granary to be burnt down to prevent the storage of rice from falling into Siamese hands. The remnants of burnt rice can still be seen at this spot known as the Field of Burnt Rice especially after a heavy downfall that washes out the odd blackened grain or so. The curse is believed to have been the cause of the island's lack of development which lasted until the birth in 1980 of Aishah Nawawi, a direct descendant of Mahsuri, the eighth generation.

Pulau Redang

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 05:30:00 +0000

Description of Pulau Redang

Pulau Redang Marine Park is made up of a group of islands namely Pulau Redang, Pulau Pinang,

Pulau Lima, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Perhentian Besar, Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Susu Dara, Pulau Lang Tengah and Pulau Kapas.

The Redang group of islands are known as 'continental islands'. During the Pleistocene period, there were intervals when the sea level dropped, creating land areas that connected the islands with mainland. When the continental ice caps melted in the later periods, the islands were once again isolated from the mainland. What we see today is the result of the earth's climatic and geographical changes that have occurred over millions of years ago and this also includes the sea landscape .

Pulau Redang is the largest island in the park, about 7km long and 6km wide. There are a number of tiny uninhabited islands sprinkled around Pulau Redang itself such as Pulau Ling, Pulau Kerengga Besar and Pulau Paku Kecil. These islands harbour much life beneath the rocky outcrops and pearly white pockets of beaches. A natural playground for divers and snorkellers alike, the islands are within easy reach by boat from Pulau Redang. For Redang dive sites,click here..

The Redang Archipelago is truly a gift sent from the heavens. The water surrounding these islands is teeming with marine life. About 500 species of living, breathing soft and hard corals create a wondrous seascape just below the white caps. And in turn these reef-building variety of corals shelter a host of inhabitants - a myriad species of bivalves and fishes. It forms part of Indo-Pacific Ocean's breeding ground and nursery for many species of fish and other marine life. Sponges, algae and plankton provide a rich soup of nutrient for the thriving community. Green and hawksbill turtles drag themselves onto the white, sandy beaches to deposit their fertilised eggs into deep holes excavated under cover of night. Flying foxes, pythons, birds, mousedeers, monkeys and iguanas take refuge under the canopy of the forest. And in the late evenings when all human activities have quieten down, listen closely for you will here the heartbeat of the land, the whispers of the wind and the secrets of life - at Redang

The people

In 1770, the English EIC or the East India Company was considering Redang Islands as a serious contender for a trading post. The Dutch were already making headway into Indonesia and Malaysia, and this gave them main control over the spice trade. The British were fast running out of time and they were desperate to gain a foothold in the South China Seas trade. But lengthy talks with local rulers only produced inconclusive results and the English dropped the idea of a trading post here for an island off Borneo's Northern Coast. Pulau Redang fell into a lull of peaceful slumber, until Bugis settlers arrived. They settled on Teluk Kalong, a beach on the eastern side of Pulau Redang.

The original people of Pulau Redang are descendants of the Bugis settlers who sailed all the way from the Celebes (Sulawesi) in Indonesia to start a new life far away from their homeland where local discontentment were starting to build up from the many centuries of clan wars. The Bugis were reputed to be formidable warriors and skilled seafarers. For centuries they fared well as trade merchants travelling round the Indonesian Archipelago through to the Malayan lands. During the 18th Century, many Bugis migrants came to the Malay Peninsular. They were eager to find a land free of overlord exaction. They made alliances with the Malay Sultans and some even offered their services as mercenaries, fighting for different warring factions.

The Bugis migrants settled on the west coast of Malaysia especially in the states of Johore and Negri Sembilan. But there were a few who plied the East Coastal waters in search of paradise. After a long search, a boat full of migrants landed on Redang. Batin (Batin meaning Holy Man) Talib, one of the 7 siblings who made up the early settlers, moved his village from Teluk Kalong to an island just south of Pulau Redang.

These days, Redang has a variety of different accommodation catered to tourists and holidaymakers. These resorts are located at Pasir Panjang, a few bays away from the village

A perfect shelter from storms, the island was named Pulau Pinang after the many Betelnut (Pinang) trees found growing there. However, not all the 7 Bugis settlers stayed on Pulau Redang. A few made their way to the mainland and one decided to stay on Pulau Perhentian.

As the population expanded in the later years, villagers began moving to the Redang River estuary, just a short boatride directly across from the old village at Pulau Pinang. The state government had a new village built for the locals in 1976 and named it Kampung Air (Water village). The entire village rested precariously on stilts by the waters' edge but surprisingly was robust and resilient enough to endure the raging storms and torrential rains that hit the oastal regions year in, year out. The entire village on Pulau Pinang moved across to Kampung Air and there the fisherfolk lived contentedly until their recent move again. This time, the population was relocated approximately 4km inland.

All About Pulau Pangkor

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:56:00 +0000

Malay fishing villages on the way to the Dutch Fort

Pangkor in the old days was known as Dinding, which means 'screen' or 'partition'. This was in reference to the position of the island as it protects the mainland's estuary.

In the 60's and 70's , the name 'Pangkor' was synonymous with salted fish, ikan bilis produce, dried shrimps, shrimp paste etc. Kids grew up on 'Satay Fish' , a stinky but delicious snack made of barbequed and caramalised fish wafers. Those were the days when the packaging was secondary to the content and hygiene was not of utmost priority. Today, walking around Pangkor Island's main village and and you will find shop after shop stuffed with all sorts of produce from the sea, supplied mostly by local cottage industries in the area. In vacuum sealed bags, sanitised bottles, garrish packaging - but once open , the aroma brings back memories of kids running around with their stash of junk food. The packaging has changed somewhat but the Satay Fish is just as delicious ...and as stinky as I remember!

Please click on picture above to get to interactive map

Today, Pangkor Island is a popular island destination for local and Singapore holiday makers. It gets extremely busy during school and public holidays. One operator on the island reported that approximately 2000 holidaymakers were left without a place to stay on the island during the Chinese New Year holiday period.. Of course, many people assume that there's plenty of available rooms on the island and that reservations weren't necessary.

Having said so, there are indeed quite a number of resorts, motels and inns on Teluk Nipah and Pasir Bogak. In particular, Teluk Nipah. One end of the beach is chock-full with chalets, A-huts, small resorts and and restaurants. The accommodation here is quite affordable for budget travellers although not quite as cheap as what can be found on Tioman.

For the more upmarket traveller, there are a number of resorts and hotels scattered around in quieter ends of the island with private beaches for guests to explore and relax without the hassle of touts roaming about selling boat rides etc. Then, of course, if your ideal holiday is to hide yourself away from the crowd, have your own space and just be... then Tiger Rock is a great place to unwind.

PANGKOR VILLAGE

Ferries from Lumut arrive at the Pangkor Village Jetty and from here, if you haven't made prior arrangements with the resort etc, there are taxis ever eager to take passengers across the island to Teluk Nipah or Pasir Bogak costing somewhere between RM15 to RM45. Taxis are not cheap on the island and taxidrivers here are not in the habit of instilling metered rides. It's a bit of a pain as you may have to negotiate with the taxidrivers everytime you hail one. But if you're game for a bit of adventure, hire a motorbike or a bicycle. That'll just about allow you to cover the island in a day. Word of caution though for those not really of 'Tour de Langkawi' material: the island roads are pretty steep in certain areas so make sure you're fit enough to conquer the heat and the slopes. Also, watch out for packs of feral dogs running around on the island - it's a bit of a problem especially around Pangkor Village.

Pangkor Village is a busy little place with lots happening, particularly in the early hours of the morning when fresh produce from fishermen and from mainland are brought in for the local community's daily needs. Toward the end of the village, on the left from the jetty, a few 'kedai kopi' (coffee shops) cater to the local malay folk who frequent the place for their breakfast and a little bit of the local gossip. The 'Kuih Badak' is a nice snack to go with a cup of steaming local kopi (coffee).

Kuih Badak is made primarily from sweet potato and flour kneaded,then shaped into a hollow ball and filled with spiced grated coconut fried with a bit of shrimp to give it that special 'zing'.

The Dutch Fort

At the end of Pangkor Village, there's a road that leads towards the Dutch Fort - walking distance, some 3kms or so. If you're unsure, just ask the locals for directions. The Dutch Fort was built in 1670 as a strong point and a tin store.

This excerpt is taken from 'Islands of Malaysia' by Mike Gibby and is taken from an account dated 1689, "The fort is built 4-square, ... The walls are of a good height, of about thirty feet, and covered overhead like a dwelling house ... There may be about twelve or fourteen guns in it ... mounted on a strong platform. Here is a Governor and about twenty or thirty soldiers, who all lodge in the fort. About a hundred yards from the Fort on the bay by the sea there is a low timbered house, where the Governor abides all the daytime"

The Dutch attempted to monopolise the lucrative tin trade but despite the presence of the fort, smuggling of tin continued. Disgruntled local leaders frequently attacked the fort which eventually led the Dutch to abandon the area in 1690. Today, the Museum Department has reconstructed the Fort and it stands in its original foundations. On the right of the fort there is a little path leading into, what seems like a dead end. This is the entrance into a secluded bit of haven called Tiger Rock. Tiger Rock is so named for not far from the Fort lies a large boulder with a carving dating back to the Dutch era. This was carved in memory of a small boy who was taken away by tiger. To the locals, the rock is known as Batu Bersurat.

Here's an excerpt of an article written by a friend who visited Tiger Rock sometime back and had an unforgettable time during her stay.....

TIGER ROCK

I am in need to recover.recover from an extremely indulgent weekend - being pampered from every waking hour and now, the weekend after, having to adjust back

The main house

to urban life altogether.Hmmm.what a blissfully blissful weekend I've had.

Evening meal by the pool

On Pangkor Island, in a piece of 12.5 acre virgin forest is hidden one of the best kept secrets of the island - Tiger Rock Resort. Since 1998, tourist (mainly from overseas) have been privileged to experience the allure of Tiger Rock. The inspiration of David and

The guesthouse

Rebecca Owen Wilkinson, Tiger Rock provides a haven for all those craving a back to nature holiday with luxury. Tiger Rock is the place for those who enjoy the finer things in life - Nature, good food, warm hospitality and understated charm.

Greeted with a sprinkling rose water and presented with pretty pink bougainvillea lea upon arrival - we found ourselves thinking "Hmmm.this is like being in Fantasy Island.." Dr. Cynthia Lim, Melbourne.' For more, click here

Towards the north of 'Batu Bersurat' lies Teluk Sekadah. A secluded little stretch of beach, this place is perfect for time alone or a little beach picnic. However, plans are underway and an ambitious project stretching over a number of years

will convert this tranquil beach into a holiday resort. The resort will extend round the cliffs towards Pasir Bogak. Let's hope that development will be insync with the environment.....

PASIR BOGAK

This was the first beach to be developed for holiday makers on Pangkor Island with only a few basic campsites and motels. Today, Pasir Bogak has mushroomed into a resort beach with varied accommodation ranging from campsites to Hotels.Pasir Bogak can get very crowded during public holidays and should best be avoided if possible. There are a number of seafood restaurants though that cater to holidaymakers eager for fresh seafood.

TELUK NIPAH

Further down the road, is the increasingly popular Teluk Nipah. Accommodation here caters much to the middle to lower-ranged budgets and can be a little dissapointing to those who have something of a romantic notion of island getaway in mind. Chalets, restaurants and motels line the streets and even the small alleyways and during the peak seasons, it's jam-packed with tourists. The main road lies between the beach and the motels and chalets so don't expect to get any rooms on the beach itself.

Teluk Nipah beach

Just off the main street, towards the end of alleyways sits the borderline of the forest reserve. In the evenings, if you're lucky, you can witness a flock of hornbills flying in for handouts left out by local operators.

Pulau Giam in the background

Always shy but these hornbills seem to think that there may be some truth in safety in numbers.

From the beach, you can also take a short boat ride to the nearby islands of Pulau Giam and Pulau Mentaggor and if you're really for some exercise, you can rent kayaks for a paddle out to these islands.

Teluk Belanga and Pantai Teluk Dalam

The thing is, you don't really have to crowd it out with the rest. If some sort of crowd control is what you look for then there are a couple of resorts that offers a lot more privacy and almost

all the creature comforts to sooth the burrowed frowns.

The Pangkor Island Beach Resort sits on the long stretch of quiet beachfront at Teluk Belanga where the inhouse masseuse can take away the aches and pains of everyday toil - try the traditional massage package, temptation to indulge is everything!. Pantai Teluk Dalam is a little closer to the small runway but far enough not to shatter glass, the kampung house concept Teluk Dalam Resort is great if you don't intend to leave the resort at all - it's a sort of 'sit and do absolutely nothing but relax' place. Great for those tattered nerves.

All About Port Dickson

noreply@blogger.com (eboq) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:22:00 +0000

Port Dickson or more popularly known as, P.D. is a favourite weekend getaway for KL and Singaporean folks especially those seeking some time away from the hot, stifling cities. Refreshing cool breeze blowing in from the straits and the relaxed environment was one of the reasons for choosing this tiny seaside village as a colonial beach resort.

Sir Frederick Dickson who 'founded' PD, was a leading official in the Straits Settlement during the 1880s. He had been searching long for a suitable deepwater port. To reduce transportation costs, he was hoping that he could shorten the travelling time from the interior tin mines at Sungei Ujong to the coast by setting up a port at PD instead of using the old, winding land route all the way to Klang. Before Sir Dickson came along, all there was of the place was a small village called 'Arang'.. of which the villagers made their living from burning wood in kilns. Arang means 'charcoal'.

Port Dickson was never as successful as the other deepwater ports. Instead the colonists found another use for PD...a seaside resort. In 1899, Ethel Douglas Hume came for a visit to Kuala Lumpur. She recounts her journey to Port Dickson for a seaside rendezvous with her friends in her book called, 'The Globular Jottings of Griselda'. There was no railway line linking Kuala Lumpur and Port Dickson and so she made her way down to Melaka then embarked on an 8 hour trip on a coastal steamer all the way to the port.

Highways now connect Port Dickson with nearby towns and cities and no longer, do we need to embark on a sea voyage, as Ethel did. A mere 1 - 1½ hours will get you to the seaside playground from KL.

An old pillbox where soldiers used to keep watch for signs of coastal invasion during the war

During the economic boom, an astonishing number of new development mushroomed along the coastal road. Service apartments, hotels, condominiums pierced the skyline..10,20,30th floor buildings, replacing lovely old bungalows and inns that used to play hosts to the few visitors who came from afar to enjoy the easy pace of this seaside town. Then, as sure as the seasons' change, development stopped in PD.and that literally means stopped, even those that were in the midst of construction.

PD has fallen into a nice, easy pace again and the bustle of the weekend crowd is not as frenetic as in the 90's. Although the sea has been abused many times over by some errant parties who direct their sewage and dump unmentionable refuse into the open sea, PD still has some pleasant beaches.it's just that you may have to rent a car or taxi and travel a little further from town centre. The distance from town centre identifies locations along the coastal length of PD. For instance, the once famous and beautiful beach called Blue Lagoon is known as the 10th mile ie 10miles from PD town. Blue Lagoon is still a favourite beach with locals, as it was 20years ago. However, the more crowded beaches are often covered with litter and you may find it hard to find a clean bit of sand to park yourself. If only there were trash bins located along the beaches and a little bit of civic duty from the local holidaymakers, then the councils may be able to counter this unhygienic problem.

Food

To catch a glimpse of the locals at 'work', a night market comes alive every Saturday at an open carpark next to the Petronas Petrol station on 4th mile. Lots of snacks, food and produce to buy for the weekend stayover.

On other days, there are a several seafood restaurants along the main trunk road of PD, and a few Indian restaurants, Chinese shops and Malay stalls in town. There isn't much of a choice in P.D for food lovers so prefer to eat at the hotel restaurants. There is a Thai restaurant at the Regency Hotel called Sri Rama.

The Eagle Ranch

Tanjung Tuan or Cape Rachado. Gazetted as a Nature Reserve, Tanjung Tuan attracts thousands of migratory raptors and other birds. However, there are very strong eddy currents in the area and fatalities have happened in the past.

A little place several miles out of PD town called the Eagle Ranch riding centre, has a small riding stable of 10 horses and is open to public. A few of these old horses were show jumping horses in their younger years and as they grew too old and tired to perform anymore, their previous owners were more than happy to get rid of them.usually this meant that they were sent off to the abattoirs. When the horses arrived at the stable, they were in a terrible state. Mrs Maxine McNeilly, the original owner of Eagle ranch saved the 6 males and 1 mare from their pending doom and restored their faith in humans by giving them the love and attention they so rightly deserve. As we stood and watched the horses crunch and chew on their daily mix, there was no sign of the trauma they had suffered in the past. They seemed totally at ease with the young riders they were about to take for a stroll. The horses are available for rides round the paddock and trail rides can be arranged. Each horse has its own stable and they are exercised every morning and sometimes in the evenings. Only when there are visitors, they are saddled. But please be punctual for your appointments. If the horses are left too long in their saddle, they become terribly hot and sweaty and sometimes they can get a little cranky from the wait. The one-hour beginner's ride takes riders on a trail through the back of the stables towards the beach and back again.

If you would like to give horse riding a try or even take it on as a hobby, Operating hours are; Tues - Sunday 7.00am-10.30am and 4.00pm-7.00pm. bring along some mosquito repellent and put on jeans/stretch pants and a light top

Apart from horse riding, Eagle Ranch has now expanded into Eagle Ranch Resort formerly known as Eco-Goodlife Resort. The area sits on 8.1hectares of old rubber estate plantation. Extra curricular activities now include canoeing, kayaking, trekking, go-karting, and archery. The resort has also reserved a portion of their estate for an orchard where guests can savour a variety of fruits like durian, mangosteen and rambutan during the fruiting season. Guests can also opt to stay at the resort where a choice of accommodation from log cabins, water chalets, dormitories, camping to even Teepees for the kid in the adult! check out rates in the accommodation section. The Resort caters to individuals as well as corporate companies interested in organising team building exercises.