Malaysia This Week (16-22 Jan 2014)

Starting off this week, we have OCBC Cycle Malaysia happening from 17th-19th January. Event owner and organiser Spectrum Worldwide, along with title sponsor OCBC Bank, will once again stage a thrilling cycling experience in Kuala Lumpur this January. Held over three days at Dataran Merdeka from 17-19 January 2014, the nation’s largest mass participation cycling event on closed public roads will caters to all level of cyclists. The third edition of OCBC Cycle Malaysia will once again reach out to the entire family with a range of categories so “Anyone Can Ride”. There will also be some exciting new ride categories, including The Ultimate Foldies Challenge, while all the other popular rides will be back including The Challenge (48km), The Community Ride (24km), The Foldies Community Ride (24km), The Kids’ Rides and The Tricycle Ride. Various Criterium categories will also be staged for some of the region’s top cyclists! As well as all the action on the track, OCBC Cycle Malaysia will also host the Sports & Lifestyle Expo at Dataran Merdeka, offering a one-stop shop for a huge range of products and services. A Carnival will also be staged at Dataran Merdeka and will include a number of fun activities to keep the youngsters entertained throughout the weekend.

Moving on, we have one of the most highly anticipated festival by the Hindus all over the world, Thaipusam happening on 17th January. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is mainly observed in countries where there is a significant presence of Tamil community such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar. A truly spectacular event, Thaipusam is an annual Hindu festival where devotees perform various rituals as acts of devotion and penance. The main venue for this festival is the world-renowned Batu Caves temple. 

Watch Malaysia This Week video here. 

Melaka: The Historical State

The Portuguese colonised Melaka from 1511 to 1641. The first thing they did was build a fort overlooking the river, calling it A'Famosa. As Melaka was the centre of struggles between super powers of the time, and suffered the constant threat of attack, the A'Famosa fort was critical in Portugal maintaining its colonial foothold in the Far East. 

Within the fort walls were housing and food stores, a castle, a meeting room for the Portuguese Council and five churches. A seven-month attack by the Dutch just about destroyed the entire fortress, leaving only the entrance faade and the structure of a church at the top of the hill. 

Go for a stroll up St. Paul's Hill on a cool late afternoon and wander among the majestic trees and historical remnants. Here, you can almost imagine the glories and miseries of the besieged lives the Portuguese would have led right here all those years ago...

Watch the Melaka The Historical State here.

Crocker Range

144 kilometers away from Kota Kinabalu is the Crocker Range National Park (CRNP), situated in the Crocker Range, Sabah. The Crocker Range Park is located 13 kilometers from Keningau town, approximately 25 minutes away by car. 

The Crocker Range was designated to be a forest reserve in 1968. In 1984, Crocker Range Nature Park was then established in order to protect the water catchments area which was supplying clean drinking water to the West Coast and the interior of Sabah. It was renamed Taman Banjaran Crocker (Crocker Range Park) in 1996 and is managed by the Sabah Parks. 

Located in the heart of Crocker Range Park, the newly developed Sabah Park’s facility which opened in February 2004 is ideal a place for meetings, camping, jungle trekking and outdoor educational activities. Among the attractions to found in the Crocker Range Park are the Rafflesia sites, trekking courses, and camping ground. 

Watch the Crocker Range video here. 

Bukit Kiara, Equestrian KL

Experience your very own private paradise, right in the heart of the city. Amidst lush greenery, within the epicentre of city life, a treasure trove of delight and excitement awaits you. Just minutes away from Kuala Lumpur, here’s where your personal haven unveils itself. Touted as the best and only elite Equestrian club in Klang Valley, Bukit Kiara stands out among the rest with its plethora of offerings. Ride in style at Bukit Kiara, where equestrian and polo is within easy reach. As a world class horse riding club, we are also one of the largest internationally-recognized horse riding schools in the region. From a state-of-the-art equestrian centre that is equipped with complete horse riding and polo facilities to an arena that hosts many high profile equestrian competitions, we have it all here to take horse riding to the next level. 

Watch the Bukit Kiara Equestrian KL here. 

Malaysia This Week (9-15 Jan 2014)

Let’s start it off with some laughter! Time Out Comedy Thursday is back! It's that time of the month again for cheers, jeers and free beers. Time Out Comedy Thursday (TOCT) returns in January back to its old home at Velvet Underground, Zouk KL. Themed 'Comeback Kids', the premier comedy night will be headlined by comedy favourite Kavin Jay, while Keren Bala, Brian Tan, Captain Khaled and Sri make up the supporting acts. Hosting the night is Rizal Van Geyzel. As with most Comedy Thursdays, expect an evening of raucous laughter, hilarious gags and some political incorrectness not for the faint-hearted. Each ticket comes with one free drink. Make sure to be there on Jan 9th from 8.30pm-11pm.

Moving on from that, we have Royal Langkawi International Regatta happening from 13th January until 18th January. An event that has become the talk of Southeast Asia, the Royal Langkawi International Regatta will see more than 50 yachts competing in nine highly-charged racing classes. Do not miss the drama and excitement on the high seas. This event is going to take place in Langkawi, Kedah.

Let’s move on to something cultural, we have Ponggal celebration happening on 14th January. Thai Pongal is a harvest festival celebrated by Hindu people at the end of the harvest season. It is one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Hindu all over the world. Ponggal is regarded as a thanksgiving occasion. A highlight of the festival is the Ponggal cooking ceremony of boiling rice till it overflows, symbolising wealth and harvest. The festival is celebrated over a four-day period. 

Watch our MTW video here.

Penang Gourment

If Penang is the food capital of Malaysia, Gurney Drive is arguably the best of Penang on a plate. The popular seafront promenade exemplifies the colours and atmosphere of Penang – fun, lively and vibrant. Also known by its Malay name, “Persiaran Gurney”, Gurney Drive offers delightful street and high-end cuisine. Food courts and open-air hawker stalls pepper the seaside stretch, offering gastronomic delights well into the night. Local favourites such as Penang Laksa, Bak Kuk Teh (a herbal stew of pork ribs and meat), Oh Chien (fried oyster omelette), grilled squid, and nasi lemak make for mouth-watering meals. The New Gurney Drive Food Court has both a halal and non-halal section, and is open from 6pm. 

If you’re craving for something other than hawker food, try the piping hot dim sum at the Corner Club Restaurant. For weight watchers, the 24-hour Mr. Pot offers a selection of sandwiches and toast, all-day breakfast sets, healthy meals and oil-free dishes.

Nearby, along Lorong Burma, is the island’s first Burmese temple. Built in 1803, the Dharmikarama Burmese Temple has striking golden rooftops, pagodas, a huge Boddhi tree and a wishing well.

Nearby, the Wat Chaiya Mangkalaram Temple greets worshippers and visitors alike with its unique architecture: sharp-eaves, extravagant ceilings and images of Asian dragons. The temple was built in 1845, with a huge 108-foot long reclining Buddha within its walls, said to be the third largest Buddha statue in the world. 

Watch our video on Penang Gourmet here. 

Gombizau Honey Bee Farm Kudat

Gombizau Honey Bee Farm is located in Matunggong, a sub-district 43 kilometers south of Kudat town, where one of the economical activities for the village community is honey bee farming. There are over a hundred bee cages in the bee farm.

Gombizau Honey Bee Farm founded over ten years ago, this bee farm produces honey both for the consumption of the local people as well as to be sold in bottles for those who are akin to the sweet taste of raw honey.

For many generations, the people of Kampung Gombizau has been consuming raw honey as it is believed and has been proven to possess remedial properties; other than being able to lend its superior taste to food when used in cooking.

Here, visitors will be able to observe how a bee farm is managed. They will often get a taste of raw honey straight from the honeycomb. Other than that, there are also rubber trees planted at the bee farm. Therefore, visitors can also witness the traditional method of rubber tapping and rubber rolling. 

Watch our video on Gombizau Honey Bee Farm here.