Fabulous Food Hunt 2013

As part of Visit Malaysia 2014 Fabulous Food hunt, a nation wide hunt for some of the best eateries around KL, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture recruited an eight-member band, and performers for a flashmob to entertain the unsuspecting bystanders and passer-bys. And TrulyAsia was there to catch it all for you guys!

The event began at Lanai Matic in Jalan Ampang and ended at Seri Pacific Hotel Kuala Lumpur. The guest of honor in attendance at the flashmob was Rashidi Hasbullah, deputy secretary general of Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Datuk Musa Yusof, Director of Marketing Division, Tourism Malaysia and Mustapha Kamil, New Straits Times managing director.

This event was launched by the Ministry’s deputy secretary general, Rashidi Hasbullah. The rules were simple: Eat and move on to the next checkpoint until all the tasks were completed. 

The winning team gets RM5,000 and round trip tickets for four to Adelaide, Australia. First and second runner-ups did not go home empty handed. Both took home RM3,000 and RM1,500 respectively. There were nine checkpoints (in no particular order) and three treasures.

Watch the Fabulous Food Hunt 2013 video here.

Songket Weaving

Songket or cloth of gold is originally from a mix of cotton and silk that was inter-woven with supplementary gold or silver thread. It is said to have evolved when the Malay sultanates began trading with China and India where the silk, gold and silver came from. Today the imitation thread is generally used to replace the gold and silver which is much expensive. Because of its unique material and weaving method, Songket was once exclusive to royalty, but today it is used during formal occasion, such as weddings.

In Malaysia, songket is normally made for use during ceremonial functions such as during inaugurations, religious ceremonies, weddings and ceremonies marking circumcision, ear piercing and shaving the hair of a newborn baby. Today, songket is also worn during formal state functions and dinners.

Watch Songket Weaving video here.

A Night Out In Penang

For those who are looking for a short breakaway, Penang is the right and great place to unwind, enjoy and relax. It is just a short one hour flight away, with many interesting sites and fabulous food.

Most Singaporean feel very comfortable, at ease and relax visiting Penang as they are quite familiar with Penang’s rich multi ethnic culture, food, lifestyles, languages and the friendliness of the people. They don’t seem lost unlike when travelling to other holiday destination. 

The charm of Penang has always been interesting to Singaporeans. Unlike Singapore, which is now a super ultra modern city, Penang is still a little lacklustre but maintaining it’s quaintly and charming old school way of life. Most Singaporeans coming here tend to experience a nostalgic feeling especially when they start exploring George Town. They feel it is like taking a step back yesterday once more and able to get a small peep back of what they used to know Singapore as it was during the 50’s and 60’s. It not common for Singaporean visitors to say “Oh we use to have this. What a shame we pull it down”. Well, it’s always nice to recall those treasured sentimental memories when seeing something that made you think back. 

For those interested in eco tourism, Penang’s lush green tropical gardens, parks and hills offer some fascinating sights like those at Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang. The beaches at Batu Feringgi are also attractive and well developed. 

Though what we have here, probably Singapore will have it too but usually Singaporeans will get all excited about our fabulous food. Take our famous char koay teow, hokkien mee (prawn mee), rojak, Indian pasembur, mee udang, loh bak, assam laksa, hae ko chee cheong fu, roti canai will tickle your gastronomic desire. For dessert there are the all time famous Teochew cendul, refreshing coconut jelly, freshly blend nutmeg and ampala juice. For lunch and dinner try the Hainanese, Peranakan (Nyonya), Mamak (Indian Muslim) and seafood restaurant which serve a great range of scrumptious authentic cuisines. 

The Gurney Drive Hawker Centre with over ninety stalls gives you different varieties of street food in one area. This is a popular multi ethnic food centre which enables visitors to eat all sorts of Malay, Indian Muslim and Chinese food. The other is at the Esplanade Hawker Centre. Here you find mouth watering and delectable mee udang, mutton soup, fried mee, mee java and pasembur. 

For durian feast the best time will be in late May till early August. The best durian plantations are located Balik Pulau. The road leading to the town is absolutely scenic and serene and at some points you able to look down at the lowland and the shoreline with the horizon and beyond. As the road winds towards the edge of the slope you catch glimpses of durians hanging in the tree and nettings down below to catch the falling durians. 

Watch A Night Out In Penang video here.

Shopping in Langkawi

Langkawi is an ideal destination to do some serious shopping as it offers an attractive range of duty-free goods. Most of the island’s shopping establishments can be found in and around Kuah. A good place to start one’s shopping spree is the modern Langkawi Mall, Langkawi Fair Shopping Complex and Jetty Point Duty Free Complex offering a wide selection of items such as perfumes, cosmetics, leather wear, sports gear, ladies’ accessories, confectionery, liquor and cigarettes. 

Visitors to the Langkawi Underwater World and Langkawi Cable Car may also get their hands on some great buys such as pewter, crystals and glassware at the shopping outlets located within the vicinity. Visitors are allowed to bring back to the mainland one bottle of liquor and one carton of cigarettes after staying at least 48 hours on the island. Credit cards are accepted at most outlets in Kuah. 

Watch Shopping in Langkawi video here. 

Sabah: Nature and Adventure

The Mari Mari Cultural Village is situated amidst a remote forest setting in Kionsom, Inanam; 25 minutes away from the hustling and bustling city. Its surrounding atmosphere may faintly remind you of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘The Lost World’; in the Sabahan sense. The beauty of untapped nature is guaranteed to capture your eyes and heart as soon as you arrive at the village! 

In the village, you will be introduced to various traditional homes of Sabahan ethnic communities—the Bajau, Lundayeh, Murut, Rungus and Dusun—which are built by descendants of the tribes which they represent. Your friendly excursion guide will also give thorough introductions to the houses, making it a highly educational experience.

Be prepared to teleport back to the times of ancient Borneo through the display of unique ingenious architecture, simulated lives and ritualistic ceremonies. Also, get acquainted with each village tribe as you enter their homes and experience their rich culture. 

For a more hands-on experience, check out the little huts in the village where daily routines of traditional Sabahan life come alive. Grab the chance to see blowpipe-making demonstration, fire-starting demonstration using bamboo, tattoo-making demonstration, and get an in-depth look at the mystical symbolisms behind them. Visitors will also get chance to sample Sabahan traditional delicacies from each ethnic group. 

A visit to the Mari Mari Cultural Village will be a cultural excursion of a lifetime! See, taste and feel the essence of Sabah presented to you as it was and as it is. 

Mari Mari!!

Watch Sabah: Nature and Adventure video here.

Kundasang Experience

Kinabalu Park was gazetted as the first State Park in Sabah in 1964 and declared Malaysia’s first World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2000 for its outstanding biological attributes. A sprawling 75, 400 hectares, this melting pot of natural wonders is larger than Singapore. 

Also the Centre of Plant Diversity for South East Asia, the Park boasts more than 5,000 vascular plant species, an estimated 1,000 orchid species, 621 fern species, nine Nepenthes species, 29 Rhododendron species and two Rafflesia species. The Park has no shortage of fauna as well, being home to some 90 lowland mammal species, 22 montane mammal species, 21 bat species, 326 bird species, 62 toad and frog species and a large population of the 850 butterfly species that occur in Sabah. Out of the 29 bird species that are endemic to Borneo, at least 17 are confined to the mountains, notably Mount Kinabalu. These include subspecies of the Red breasted Tree-partridge, Crimson-headed Wood-partridge and Mountain Blackbird. Such diversity is truly the makings of a naturalists’ paradise! 

The main attraction at the Park is none other than the majestic Mount Kinabalu, one of the highest mountains in South East Asia standing at 4095.2 metres. Apart from traditional mountain climbing, visitors can also experience the Mountain Torq, the world’s highest and Asia’s first Via Ferrata or ‘iron road’ at 3,200m to 3,800m above sea level. The various routes on the northern rock faces of Mount Kinabalu consist of a ‘trail’ that is made up of iron rungs, palettes, cables and rails. Depending on the preferred difficulty level, visitors can enroll in various activities such as the intro to single pitch or multi pitch sports climbing, intro to rappelling (abseiling) and introduction to rope ascending. Mount Kinabalu attracts thousands of climbers from around world every year and is also the venue of the annual Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon.

Surrounding the Kinabalu Park is a multitude of natural attractions and enjoyable activities. The Kinabalu Natural History Gallery is a great place to familiarize with what the Park has to offer to through a fascinating exhibition on the flora, fauna and geological make-up of the Park. Video presentations are screened daily at the Liwagu’s Visitors Centre and guided tours are also available. Approximately half an hour from the Kinabalu Park headquarters is the Poring Hot Springs, located 400m above sea level. It features hot sulphur spring baths claimed to have therapeutic values, a 41-metre canopy walk where visitors can hike among the towering canopies, the refreshing Kipungit and Langanan waterfalls, various gardens, a butterfly farm and an orchid conservation centre. In Mesilau, hike along the acclaimed Mesilau trail where you can spot various pitcher plants particularly the Nepenthes lowii, Nepenthes tentaculata and Nepenthes rajah. 

A variety of accommodation is available within the Park and in its surrounding areas, ranging from basic hostels to luxury chalets. 

Watch Kundasang Experience video here.