Category Archives: Travel

Chinese, Family, Food, Hotels, Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, Travel

A night stay at Indie Hotel KL

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Kinda last minute plan, that I decided to bring my family for a short Gateway to Kuala Lumpur. It was during the Hari Raya break on 10th April 2024. Our aim was to visit Pavilion KL, the new KKV Store and then to Jalan Alor, the 500m long food street which my mom been wanting to go.

Usually Cititel will be our favorite choice when it comes to shopping at Midvalley. But this time, I made a decision to stay at Bukit Bintang area because of the places that we planned to go are within this district.

I didn’t want to spend too much on expensive hotels because I would not have extra time to use the facilities. To me, what matters most is a clean and well-maintained hotel which is not too far from the area that I have planned my activities.

After much hunting, I finalized on Indie Hotel located at Jalan Ceylon which is around 1km from Bukit Bintang.

Location & distance of Indie Hotel from Bukit Bintang.

I drove from Seremban and arrived Bukit Bintang around 10.30am and decided to park my car at Lot 10 Shopping Mall. If I’m not mistaken, the rate was RM10. Our coverage of the day includes light shopping at Pavillion KL…

the busy junction at Bukit Bintang.

……then 2nd stop at KKV Store at Bukit Bintang. On February 2024, KKV store at Bukit Bintang was the first store in Malaysia.

………………..exploring the 4 floors popular lifestyle store from China. Operates daily from 10am – 12am.

Our final stop for the day was to Jalan Alor for dinner. I chose Restoran Sai Woo which I read scores better review on google.

Dishes we ordered:-

Oyster Omelet (S) – RM25

Grilled Sting Ray (M) – RM50

Coconut Chicken Soup – RM20

Claypot Tofu with Vegetables – RM23

Sambal Brinjal – RM20

Grilled Chicken Wings – RM4 per wing

…..the dishes was quite satisfying and not too pricey.

After whole day of walking, eating and shopping… We finally settled at hotel around 8.30pm. The check-in process was quite fast.

The lobby area is quite small.

The walkway towards our room.

Using an access card to enter our room. Loving the monochrome exterior.

I booked the Extra Large Room (1 Super King Bed & 1 Queen Bed) Sized 35sqm

I didn’t put too high expectations. But the room looks exactly the same as what was shown on their website. We were quite pleased with the room.

Loving their stylish and modern bathroom.

Water Heater & water pressure – checked

Shampoo & Body Wash – checked

why not take a selfie on their bright lid mirror…… 🙂

free in-room WiFi too…..

The mattress and pillow was very comfortable!

Watch TV while laying on bed, also admiring the wall art about history of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

Woke up early the next morning to have our breakfast at Petaling Street. Distance from Indie Hotel to Petaling Street is about 1.4km. (love the pork porridge, fish porridge and muachee)

View of Merdeka 118 from Petaling Street.

Return to hotel after our breakfast.

Indie Hotel is a fairly new hotel which opened since year 2020. It is located at secluded part of Jalan Ceylon. Therefore it is less busy and quieter.

There are also mini mart and cafes next to Indie Hotel.

Although it was just a short stay, but we were satisfied with this hotel!


Indie Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Address: 9, Jalan Ceylon, Bukit Ceylon, 50200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Phone: 03-2070 9000

The only downside was the limited parking space at this premise and charged at RM20 per day. We were lucky to get the last spot.

Food, MALAYSIA, Port Dickson, Travel

Short Beach Gateway at Suntai Villa Port Dickson

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On May 2024, we planned a short gateway between 2 families to Port Dickson. Mainly to celebrate KJ’s birthday and also a night stay for the kids.

Caryn and I has been doing the research on which hotel or place to stay. Then we came across the sponsor ad on social media by Suntai Villa Port Dickson. Hence we started to discuss about this villa which was recently refurbished into 6 exclusive beachfront suite. We thought why not give it a try.

Suntai Villa

Address: Lot 1202, Pantai Cermin, Jalan Pantai, 71050 Si Rusa, Negeri Sembilan

Phone: 010-233 9099

Facebook Page

There’s total 6 of us (adults & children). Hence Kingfisher Room was the perfect choice for us because everyone can get together in a room. We were delighted that this room fits our criteria.

Parking lot within the Villa.

Living Area (Common Area)

Lemon water & snacks for guests.

Can’t wait to check out the room…… 🙂

2 Queen Sized Bed

1 King Sized Bed at the Master Room

Bathroom area, with Shampoo and Body Wash.

Birthday Deco for the birthday boy.

Spacious Balcony Area with Dining Table and chairs, overlooking the sea and swimming pool.

View from our room’s balcony area.

The Swimming Pool

Suntai Villa is located near Pantai Cermin, Port Dickson.

……..the kids definitely can’t wait to explore the beach. This area is kinda away from tourist spot. Hence it is quieter.

On the following morning, we had our breakfast at this area.

It was a simple local Nasi Lemak prepared by the Villa’s staff.

Besides that, there were cereals, fruits, coffee, orange juice and yogurt to complete our breakfast.

After the breakfast, the kids managed to have a short pool session before we checkout at 12pm.

All of us leave the place with heavy heart because we enjoyed our stay!

After check out from the villa, we drove for about 6.6km to Pusat Ikan Hiasan Port Dickson at  Jalan Kemang 8.

“Pusat Ikan Hiasan, or Ornamental Fish Center, is an aquarium and marine conservation facility at Teluk Kemang managed by Malaysia Fisheries Department. Open to public daily from 10am till 4pm, the center showcases a huge collection of popular marine fish, corals and other sea creatures in the aquarium trade. The center also raises and displays sea turtles from hatchlings to adulthood. Admission is free.”

Then we had our lunch at Restoran Yun Long Seafood located at Jalan Pantai Batu 6, in front of Hoon Leong Temple. The food is quite nice and not overly priced.

After lunch, we moved on to dessert at PD Famous Cendol Coconut Shake located opposite Petron Teluk Kemang. It is like a ‘Medan Selera’ with varieties of Malay style foods.

Before we head home, we decided to bring the kids to Muzium Tentera Darat, Port Dickson. There are various historical artifacts and replicas from the Portuguese colonial period to the time when Malaysia achieved independence. Its quite an educational place. Moreover it is free admission.

There goes our 2D1N staycation at Port Dickson. 🙂

We look forward to more staycations! 😀

Friends, Kuala Lumpur, Life, MALAYSIA, Memories, Travel

Experiencing KL City of Lights (Night Bus Tour)

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KL City of Lights (Night Bus Tour) or better known as KL Night Hop On Hop Off is a bus tour around KL City at night.

The total number of hours spent during this tour is 2 hours and the coverage includes popular spots such as……


Saloma Link
KL Tower
China Town
Central Market
Little India
KL Sentral
National Palace
Merdeka Square
River of Life
Istana Budaya
KLCC

2 months ago, together with my Uni housemates Siew Sian and Jeanly… We decided to meet up in KL. The last time we met and gather was several years ago at Year 2017… Jet was still a toddler. This round Siew Sian drove from Penang together with her 2 sons. Whilst I travelled from Seremban. We put up at Four Points Hotel Puchong because its near to Jeanly’s home.

So, we planned our itinerary before hand and decided to play tourist by joining the KL Night Hop On Hop Off. We chose night bus instead of afternoon because we wanted to watch the beautiful and color city at night. Moreover the weather will be cooler at night too.

Pick Up and Drop off Point – Sg. Wang Plaza Main Entrance

The night bus scheduled at 8pm. Hence we were required to arrive slightly earlier before the departing time. For your info, it is a double decker bus with an opened roof. The top deck is definitely a best choice in terms of better view. However we didn’t take chance as we sees grey sky with lightning. Hence we decided to sit at the lower deck. But many seems to not care bout it.. Proceed occupying the top deck with rain coats on. (It was a free seating concept, first come first serve basis.)

If you have bought the bus tickets online, make sure you go over to the kiosk to validate your online order to issue you a physical ticket. The authorized kiosk located in front of the main entrance to Sg. Wang Plaza.

On our way to first sight.
Saloma Link Bridge, our first sight.

Saloma Link (Pintasan Saloma) is a 69 metres (226 ft) combined pedestrian and bicyclist bridge across the Klang River in Kuala Lumpur. The bridge’s architecture is inspired by the sireh junjung (betel nut leaf arrangement) concept, which is an integral part of a Malay wedding. The name is derived from the Malaysian-Singaporean singer Saloma.

KL Tower

Minutes later as we started the bus journey, it rains heavily. 😦

Kuala Lumpur Tower, also known as KL Tower and is a 6-story, 421-meter-tall telecommunication tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the world’s 7th tallest tower, also, Malaysia and Southeast Asia’s 2nd tallest tower. Its construction was completed on 1994. It features an antenna that increases its height to 421 metres (1,381 feet). The roof of the pod is at 335 metres (1,100 feet). The rest of the tower below has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the upper area, which also contains a revolving restaurant, providing diners with a panoramic view of the city.

National Palace
Mereka Square (Dataran Merdeka)
KLCC / Petronas Twin Towers

Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC Twin Towers, are a pair of 88-storey supertall skyscrapers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Petronas Towers are a major landmark of Kuala Lumpur, along with the nearby Kuala Lumpur Tower and Merdeka 118, and are visible in many places across the city.

Above showing the route of the bus tour. A guide will briefly explain to us about these places. The bus made 3 short stops at KL Tower, National Palace and River of Life. Unfortunately it was still raining and I do not have a rain coat nor umbrella with him….Hence I did not get down from bus to take a clearer view and photos of the place.

River of Life is really really beautiful at night!! I wished to go for another ride when the weather is good. It was really a good experience because I hardly drive to KL City, what’s more during the night.

It is a good opportunity to bring family and friends to experience this Bus Tour.

For more information about tickets and offers, you can visit the official website.

https://www.myhoponhopoff.com/kl/

Family, Food, Halal, Hotels, MALAYSIA, Melaka, Melaka, Non-Halal, Noodle, Nyonya, Snack

Highlight of my Short Gateway to Melaka 2022

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During the recent school break, I decided to bring my family to Melaka for a short gateway. It has been 2+ years since our last visit to Melaka.

1. Stay at Estadia Hotel Melaka

Since its a family gateway, I checked for a rather spacious rooms which offers good rates. After comparing the hotels and reviews…I then decided to choose Estadia Hotel Melaka which fulfilled my criteria.

Location of Estadia Hotel

Estadia Hotel is also a sister hotel of Hatten Hotel and the price is more affordable too. Estadia Hotel is located within a short distance with Mahkota Parade, Mahkota Medical Hospital, Hatten Square, Dataran Pahlawan. It is also next to Hatten Hotel. Furthermore its distance to the popular tourist spot, Jonker Street is about 3km.

Despite visiting on weekdays, the Melaka town road is still so busy. Probably due to school holidays.

The hotel car park is shared with Hatten Square. Remember to validate your car park ticket at the hotel lobby for the free parking. In this case, we uses TouchNGo card.

Hotel Lobby

“Experience authentic Baba Nyonya culture in a splendid Peranakan mansion-home styled hotel. A perfect blend of contemporary design meets traditional textures and motifs, revel in Estadia’s magnificent décor inspired by Melaka’s ethnic heritage.”

I booked the Family Suite which has 2 connecting rooms, even with 2 bathrooms with a good price of about RM330 per night for this suite.

I would say the rooms are quite cosy & comfortable.

Bathroom with stand shower.
Coffee/ tea making facilities. I like the water bottle. So cute and nice.

2. McQuek’s Satay Celup

McQuek’s Satay Celup (Main Branch)

288 Jalan Parameswara, Banda Hilir, 75000 Melaka.

☎️ Contact No.：010-268 2998

🕧 Operation Hours：4:00pm – 11:00pm

(Closed on Wednesdays)

After getting some rest in our hotel room, we went out for early dinner at McQuek’s Sate Celup. I google search for less tourist place and stumbled upon this . You may overlook this place because it is located along the main road.

We were the early birds. Hence no crowd. I preferred this place over the popular Ban Lee Siang, because it is more spacious and more open air here. Hence I feel more comfortable eating here. Besides that, the service and taste was satisfying too.

Staff will constantly check on our satay sauce and refill them. Besides that the precook satay sauce is also available for sale. So that you can also DIY your own satay celup at home using their sauce.

3. Jonker Walk

Each time come to Jonker Walk also so hot and sweaty! HAHAHAHA!!

Discovered some interesting plaques from one of the shop.

Got attracted with these blocks. I bought one too….. with a different figure.

4) Sebungkus Melaka

Address: Lot G065- G066, Terminal Pahlawan, Jln Merdeka, Bandar Hilir, 75000 Malacca

Operation Hours : 8am – 8pm (Open daily)

Phone: 012-969 7295

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sebungkusmelaka/

We did not go for hotel breakfast, but checking out this rather new makan place which is just a short walking distance from our hotel.

Self ordering & pickup concept.
A small local kopitiam serving local delicacies.

We had their breakfast set, which came with few options with an affordable price. We love the nasi lemak, the rice was aromatic and the sambal was good! (It was my lucky day….I got a double egg yolk in an egg). Besides that, the Char Kuey Teow was nice too with ‘wok hei’.

5) BESS Kopitiam

Address: Pusat Niaga, 7 , jalan PNBBU 5, Kampung Solok Musai, Bukit Baru Utama, 75150 Melaka

Operation Hours : 7.30am – 3.30pm (Closed on Thursdays)

Phone: 017-610 8055

I used to eat Nyonya Laksa at Jonker Walk, because its more convenient to eat and walk there. But recently I felt the taste has deteriorate and also expensive. Then I tried before at Donald & Lily, it was good but unfortunately it has closed down.

I google search for the less tourist one….. In resultant I was here at Bess Kopitiam.

Apparently, the Nyonya Laksa is a must TRY here. Even my Malaccan blogger friend will often dapao their Nyonya Laksa whenever she return hometown. The crowd here are mostly locals, the prices are quite affordable too.

Nyonya Laksa is a rich, coconut-based broth that originated from Melaka. The creamy broth consists of coconut milk. Tops with julienned cucumber, prawns, sliced fish cakes, bean sprout, hard boiled egg and bean curd puffs.

Looking at the color…. it was really rich, creamy and flavorful.

Bihun Siam
Nasi Lemak
Western Breakfast Set
Peanut Butter French Toast

All in all, the Nyonya Laksa was the best, then follow up with Bihun Siam. They also sell the homemade Nyonya Pineapple Tarts, but taste average only.

6) Klebang Original Coconut Shake

Before leaving Melaka, we decided to stop over Klebang Coconut Shake for the popular coconut shake and some snacks. This place is often crowded. But probably because we were early and it was on weekday, hence there wasn’t much crowd.

The huge sign arch is pretty visible on the side of the busy road.

The coconut shake are freshly made. Ice+ Cocounut Flesh + Coconut Juice, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was quite refreshing and also a thirst quencher drink on a hot and sunny day!

We also tried the Nasi Lemak bungkus, Bihun Goreng and Onde-onde. I would conclude that the coconut shake was good, whilst the rest were just mediocre.

Address: Lot 130, Solok Kampung Bahagia, 75200 Klebang Besar, Malacca

Operation Hours: Daily (11am – 6.30pm) , Friday (2.30pm – 6.30pm)

Phone: 013-399 4061

~That’s the end of our short trip to Melaka…See you soon…~

Food, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA, Non-Halal, Travel

Jalan-Jalan & Makan-makan @Petaling Street, KL

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How is everyone? I hope everyone is doing well.

So sorry for the long overdue post. I actually made this trip end of last year, but didn’t have the time or mood to write. 🙂

On end of December 2019, in conjunction to Christmas celebration I had a short 3D2N gateway in KL with my family. On day 2 we skipped the hotel’s breakfast and decided to go Petaling Street for makan-makan and jalan-jalan. We have not been to Petaling Street for so many years! Oh my….. LOL!

To avoid the traffic and car park problem, I decided to use Grab, e-hailing to go to Petaling Street. Hehe….

Now with roofing over, at least not so hot. Stalls were still handled by foreigners and most of the stalls are selling the almost similar stuffs…imitation branded bags, sport shoes, watches, clothing and also souvenirs. Most of the stalls will be open by 10am.

Hon Kee Porridge Petaling Street,

was our first stop for breakfast. It is one of the oldest porridge stall here. Located nearby the famous Air Mata Kucing.

varieties of porridge are available here at an affordable price.

 

 

We ordered Pork & Fried Intestine Porridge and Raw Fish Porridge for sharing. They are served hot! Both are great. But I personally like the Raw Fish Porridge…which I felt nostalgic and rare. It is undeniable that their porridge texture is smooth.

Other than porridge, Chee Cheong Fun (steamed rice roll) is also available here.

I am not really a fan of Chee Cheong Fun. But their chee cheong fun is quite nice. Not only the texture is smooth…the sauce also is quite special. Its different from the usual chee cheong fun sauce.

Bored of common chee cheong fun with sauce? Tried something different here. Fried chee cheong fun with egg and minced pork. 🙂

Address: 93, Jalan Hang Lekir, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Operation Hours: 4AM – 2.30pm

 

Right in front of the porridge stall, there is a small stall selling these freshly fried Sweet Potato Balls.

 

As we walk along the Petaling Street, we also spotted a friendly lady selling Mua Chee. Her version comes with variety flavors.

Mua Chee is the Chinese version of ‘mochi’. It is made of steamed glutinous rice then coated with fine peanuts. It’s a popular street snack. You can give it a try…but I personally don’t quite like this texture , because the texture is tougher. I preferred the goey version. hehe….

Next, we came over this cart selling Roasted Duck. Saw few people was waiting for their turn to buy. Hence we decided to buy 1/2 duck to try. Mom said the duck tasted good. (roast duck is one of mom’s favorite)

As we walked further, we came along a street selling flowers….fresh flowers. I heard friends been saying fresh flowers are selling at reasonable price at Petaling Street. (In pic, uncle was unpacking the fresh Gerberras. Do you like Gerberra?)

We were hunting for Hawker Chan for our next makan stop. Then we passed by this beautiful temple called, “Kuan Ti Temple“. This temple is listed as one of the “5 Must-Visit Chinese Temples in KL”.

“Kuan Ti Temple is a 121 year-old Taoist temple located along Jalan Tun HS Lee. An easily recognisable building with a bright orange façade, it is dedicated to Guandi, the Taoist God of War and Literature; there is a red-faced, long beard statue of Guandi at the rear of the temple.”

Kuan Ti Temple

  • Opening Hours: Daily, 07:00 – 19:00 (opening hours may vary, so please check with the temple keeper)
  • Location: Right across the street from Popular Bookstore, and just opposite Sri Mahamariamman Temple.
  • Address: Along Jalan Tun H. S. Lee

Found it! We came to

Hawker Chan, Petaling Street

for lunch. We wanted to try the chicken rice here. Apparently it is Singapore’s Michelin-starred chicken rice. (Hawker Chan was awarded one Michelin star by the Michelin Guide Singapore in 2016.)

Known for “cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world”, Hawker Chan is famous for their soy sauce chicken rice.

Self service ordering system. Just like fast food. The environment is good and clean with air-conditioned.

Simple 1 page menu. Prices considered reasonable for this location.

Soya Sauce Chicken Rice (RM8.60), doesn’t look appealing. 😦
Sorry to say Chicken looked dry and rice not quite aromatic either.  Nothing to shout about tho.

Char Siew Rice (RM9.80). Char Siew was one better side. Lean and tender.

The chili sauce, as you can see its quite watery….

Instead, we liked the Papaya Tea Soup with Pork Rib (RM7). It was nourishing and flavorful.

 

Have you tried Hawker Chan KL? Some of my friends who have tried the original stall in Singapore said it tasted good. Probably when something is franchised or managed by outsiders…the taste will be off.

Address: 135, Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

Operation hours:- Open daily from 10.30am – 9pm

Phone: 016-564 6787

Bunn Choon Egg Tarts, Petaling Street

I read that Bunn Choon Egg Tarts are nice. So, we decided to buy some.

The 2-storey vintage building painted in vibrant yellow and blue color attracted many visitors. It is easily sighted next to Kwai Chai Hong.

There are also table and chairs for customers who wants to dine in.

One of the best egg tart in KL. Apparently the egg tart recipe was passed down since their establishment in 1893.

You can smell the aromatic of these freshly baked pastries.

We decided to try both skin flavors of egg tarts and also the char siew sou.

We love both egg tarts and char siew sou.

Address: No.8 Lorong Pangung, 50000 Kuala Lumpur (Opposite Pasar Seni MRT Station, about 5 minutes walk)

Operation hours: 7am – 3pm

After buying the egg tarts, we came to

Kwai Chai Hong, Petaling Street

which is just next to Bunn Choon.

how to get to Kwai Chai Hong

 

 

 

Although this area is not big, but the artist fully utilized the walls with beautiful murals and setup to bring visitors a  journey back in time to the 1960s golden era of KL Chinatown. Now, in conjunction to Mid-Autumn festival, they’ve put up some beautiful lanterns with Rabbit theme. (https://www.kwaichaihong.com/)

We only managed to cover half day trip. I hope we have bigger space for our stomach to fill more food. Perhaps next trip.

*Coming post will blog about a fail proof cake.
For lazy people like me. 😀

 

Family, MALAYSIA, Parenting, Port Dickson, Travel

A Trip to Sky Ladder Pineapple Farm, Lukut

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When I saw someone shared on Facebook about places of interest at Port Dickson, this particular picture of a colorful sky ladder has caught my attention. Hence I google about the location.

I decided to bring my family there for a short trip over the weekend.

This place is located at Kampung Sri Parit Lukut, Port Dickson.

From the main entrance of Kampung Sri Parit Lukut, you can reach the destination in less than 5km.

Relying solely on Google Map or Waze navigation, we wasn’t sure how the route supposed to be. We got a little hesitation when it lead us this road. LOL! However, we braved it up and drove all they way there……………….

By passing vegetable farms, oil palm plantations, narrow and uneven road…I think I would call it an adventurous trip. 😀
Along the bumpy road, we saw 2 beautiful lakes.

And finally reached the Sky Ladder Pineapple Farm!

The farm collects a very minimal entrance fee of RM1 (Adult) and RM0.50 (Children)

It was really sunny. The kind and friendly, Mr. Yap offered to drove us around the farm instead of us walking uphill. Mr. Yap is also one of the partner of this farm. Furthermore he also gave some briefing about the pineapple plantation, also the cycle of planting and harvesting.

 

Pineapples are widely grown here spanning the area of 5 acre land. What we are seeing here are mainly Moris Pineapple. That’s because Moris is well known for its sweetness and crunchiness. Mr. Yap also mentioned that in future they will consider the plant MD2. Apparently MD2 is known for its exceptional sweetness, golden yellow flesh, consistency in size and ripeness.

Other species like Josaphine, N36 (N36 and Josapine were locally developed for the local fresh fruit market), Nanas Batu, Nanas Sarawak, Yankee, Nanas Hijau and Moris Gajah.

by BMC Chemistry

Pineapple has a scientific name called Ananas and Malay name nanas.

Pineapples grow well in warm climates and it is one of the popular fruits all over the world because of its pleasant taste and smell. Moreover pineapple is a good source of Vitamin A and B and fairly rich in Vitamin C. It is also source Bromelain, a digestive enzyme, which helps to digest food by breaking down protein.

The plant has a short, stocky stem with tough, waxy leaves. Furthermore pineapple plants have a tiny root system and rely a lot on their leaves for water and nutrition.

Unfortunately we couldn’t get to see any pineapple fruits at the moment. Mr. Yap told that by another 2+ months, they should be expecting fruits. During the harvesting period, they could fetch up to 6000 pieces of pineapples.

But we still managed to see these gorgeous crown which will turn into pineapple fruit.

Next, we moved on to the corn plantation. Although most of the corns were harvested, but we could still spot some corn which are readily to be pluck.

Mr. Yap gave us the opportunity to pluck the corn by ourselves. It was a good experienced and the kids were so thrilled.

We also tasted the corn raw. It was so sweet and juicy.

It must be our lucky day, spotted a Lady Bug on the corn. Nowadays it is so rare to see lady bug.

Fresh corns that we’ve harvested! Can prepare corn soup already. hehe…

A Minangkabau House, an icon of Negeri Sembilan built next to the corn field. Apparently this wooden house is made of Chengal Wood.

This is the main attraction for Instagrammers or photo enthusiast. The ladder leading to sky. Hence its named “Sky Ladder”.

Pure pineapple juice are also available for sale. Each bottle are priced at RM6.50. Best to quench your thirst under the hot weather.

Next, we moved on to the mini Animal Petting Farm.

Kibbles for animal feeding are sold here for RM3 per pack.

We had fun feeding and get up close to these farm animals.

Mr. Yap also shared about his upcoming plans. He planned to organize educational tour especially to school children and also tourists.

Although the weather was quite hot. But this trip gave us a good experience and a memorable one!

 

 

School holidays will be coming soon in a week time. Many of us will be avoiding traveling overseas during this period of time. However you can still plan to travel local by road or to fill up this school break with some activities.

Put aside gadgets and television. Why not bring the urban kids to a farm?

Farms are educational playgrounds. By visiting a farm they can see where and how they get their foods. Furthermore, taking children to the farm gave them a better understanding on how plants are grown.

 

Sky Ladder Pineapple Farm

Operation Hours: Open daily 9am – 6pm

Phone: 017-617 3633

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Sky-Ladder-Pineapple-Farm-108462103924548/

 

 

 

 

Family, Food, Hotels, MALAYSIA, Travel

3D2N Staycation @Hilton Garden Inn Puchong

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During the mid-year school holidays, we planned for a short 3D2N staycation at Hilton Garden Inn Puchong. I knew about this hotel through a blogger friend of mine. Apparently it is a new hotel commenced from October 2018 located at Puchong Perdana.

It wasn’t difficult to locate this hotel with the help of Waze 🙂

Ample of car park for guests and its free.

 

*photo by Hilton*
*photo by Hilton*

Hilton Garden Inn was attached to a mall named M Square Mall owned by Parkson. Somehow it couldn’t made it and has closed down this year. 😦

At the Hotel Lobby for check-in, the process was alright.

The new hotel comprises 255 well-furnished guest rooms and suites of different sizes with an option of either a city or lake view.

24-hour Pavillion Pantry convenience mart, located at Level 6 same level as the Hotel Lobby.

Outdoor salt water swimming pool with heated jacuzzi.

(Adult pool, Kids pool & Jacuzzi)

I would suggest you to join Hilton Honors, a loyalty program to enjoy more benefits like, better room rate, earn points from every stay under hotels managed by Hilton group. Its very simple and free of charge by just signing up via https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton-honors/

Accumulated points will be rewarded with hotel stay.

I booked the King Deluxe Room at a good rate of RM2XX inclusive of breakfast. It was really a good deal. Do check it out yourself.

Room size, 36 sq.m./388 sq.ft with comfortable mattress and pillows.

View from our room.

55-inch HDTV in bedroom and spacious desk with ergonomic chair! Complimentary Wifi in the room too. Hence it is quite suitable for family or business travelers.

Mini Fridge is also available in the room.

Little pantry that comes with kettle, bottled water, sachet tea and coffee.

Safe box, iron, ironing board are found in the wardrobe.

Bathroom with Separate Bathtub

Hands up if you too like big mirrors with good lighting! 😀

Bathroom toiletries.

I read from their website that the hotel provides “Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries”. But not sure why we only got the above. May be ran out of stock. Hmmm……

Since it was raining the noon we check-in, so Jet settled with Bath Tub first la.

We settled our dinner here at The Garden Grille restaurant during the first night.

The Garden Grille; al-fresco dining or indoor dining located at level 6 same floor as lobby. Offering both Asian & Western food.

If you want to opt for room dining, it is available from 7pm to 10pm.

But since we were the hotel guest, we were given 20% discount off bill.

Pizza

Thin and crispy crust pizza just like how we liked it this way.

Nasi Goreng Kampung

Seafood Tom Yam

The 1 page ala-carte food menu is quite simple. These few dishes we had were quite good. I would say the portion was generous for the price.

We had a good sleep , recharged and ready for the buffet breakfast! 🙂

Breakfast was at Garden Grille. As we enter the dining room, on the left hand side was the cold section. Of fruits, salad, ham, cheese, yogurt and fruit juice.

Selections of fruit juice.

Food were placed in these sexy red cast iron cookware.

F&B Manager (in dark blue coat) was quite friendly and attentive towards the guests.

Cereal and Bread corner

Porridge & condiments

Make your own Waffle here.

 

I like peanut butter + chocolate spread 🙂

The breakfast here was just average. Food varieties wasn’t that much. But I must compliment their croissant. It was so good! Crisp and buttery pastry.

 

After the breakfast, I took a drive to Sunway Pyramid which was about 10km away.

Vacation will not be complete without spending time at the swimming pool.

Jet had fun playing at the pool.

*Playdoh time & Snack time.

Staycation means no house chores! HAHA! 😀

We literally just laze around,  to relax our mind and body. You may think that I am silly. But I think its workable.

We really enjoyed our stay here at Hilton Garden Inn Puchong.

Other facilities available here are gym room, meeting room and laundry.

Make your reservation at their website:-

https://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com/

Hilton Garden Inn Puchong

Address: Jalan DM2, Desa Millennia, 47150 Puchong, Selangor

Phone: 03-8084 1299

 

If you are fan of Chinese Dim Sum, there are quite varieties of them at Puchong. I drove to Foo Hing Dim Sum House , about 4km away (open daily from 7am to 3pm) at Bandar Puteri Puchong.

Address: 1st Flr, No. 31, 33, 35-G, Jalan Puteri 2/6, Bandar Puteri Puchong, 47100 Puchong, Selangor

Phone: 03-8060 0546

As we arrived around 1pm, the restaurant was quite crowded. But we were given a number and waited for the staff to call out our number. Although it was crowded, but the waiting time was around 15 minutes.

We seated at the air-conditioned room. You will see staff carrying tray filled with dim sum be it steam or fried. Just raise your hand they will come over to you. Besides that, you can also order certain dim sum from the menu.

 

At Foo Hing Dim Sum House, the Portuguese Egg Tart is a MUST order. It was very nice and freshly baked. Crispy layered crust with smooth egg custard filling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family, MALAYSIA, Melaka, Memories, Parenting, Travel

Noodle Doodle @Mamee Jonker House, Melaka

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Located at Jalan Hang Jebat, one of the UNESCO heritage building at the popular Jonker Street in Melaka. It is easily sighted because of the big MAMEE signage. Mamee brand or Mamee Monster is not something new to many of us. Mamee Monster was a popular snack during my younger days. I like to smash it then add the seasoning powder into it and shack it. 😀

*feeling so nostalgic*

Do you still eat Mamee Monster noodle snack? Yes, I do.

During the impromptu public holiday, I brought my family for a short trip to Melaka.

At Mamee Jonker House, you could shop for merchandises or products, participate in their activities (Lil Monster Kitchen or Noodle Doodle) or even dine in their cafe which serve mainly local food.

Since I didn’t have a chance to DIY my cuppa noodle at Yokohama Cup Noodles Museum, Japan……why not trying it here.

 

Each cup is priced at RM5.20. You can choose between Chicken or Curry or Tom Yam flavor seasoning for your noodle later.

These coloring pens are provided there. Despite children, I noticed that many adults enjoyed coloring and decorating the cup too. I believed coloring could help to relieve stress.

Jet was patiently coloring his cup of instant noodle.

“I’m gonna color my monster in pink!”

Our limited edition cup 🙂

After you are done decorating the cup, head over to the “Packaging Station”, at the end of the room.

You will need to begin at Step 1. Step 1 and 2 basically about filling the cup with a piece of instant noodle.

Step 3 will insert the seasoning sachet into the cup.

Then, you are required to select 4 out of 6 condiments. Choose from dehydrated chilli, cabbage, chives, corn, carrots and green peas. Therefore you can custom made your cup of noodle with your favorite choice of condiments.

Sealing the cup noodle.

Cup noodle came out of the ‘Shrinking Machine’ was let to cool before collection. An expiry date was stamped on the cup. I noticed that it has shorter shelf life compared to those we bought from supermarket.

As we were leaving, we spotted the Mamee Monster mascot. Everyone was trying to take photo with him, while Jet was pulling me away because he is afraid of mascots. =_=

All in all, it was a good experience and a fun-filled activity to do with your children.

MAMEE JONKER HOUSE

Address: No 46 & 48, Jalan Hang Jebat (Jonker Street), 75200 Melaka.

Contact No. : 06 – 2867 666

Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday 10.00am-5.00pm
Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10.00am-7.00pm

Website: www.mameejonkerhouse.com

 

 

 

Family, Food, MALAYSIA, Non-Halal, Noodle, Penang, Snack, Travel

8 Hours Tour in Penang with KLOOK

4 Comments

If you are a local Malaysian, you can either drive or take a public transport to Penang.

But what if you are taking a public transport like bus or airplane to Penang? How are you going to move around the island?

You can either rent a car with or without a driver, a bus or uses the e-hailing service.

When I traveled with my family to Penang earlier this year, I decided to book a private chartered car by KLOOK. I booked an 8 hours tour, so that we can travel in a group without hassle. This private service has all the bases covered including fuel costs and highway tolls.

In this case, you can either plan your itinerary or get suggestions from the professional driver. The driver contacted me a day before the travel date to know about my travel plans. Therefore we could plan our journey smoothly.

 

Driver was very punctual with the given time. We planned to start our journey at 10am. Driver arrived at 9.45am with Toyota Hiace which could easily fit up to 10 person. Other than that, the vehicle was clean and comfortable.

1) Kek Lok Si Temple

We decided to go Kek Lok Si Temple as our first stop because it is located further away from Georgetown. Distance was about 10km but traveling time may take about 30minutes depending on the road traffic.

Kek Lok Si Temple is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam, Penang, Malaysia. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia.

Above is the landscape view of a 30m height pagoda tiers with combination of Burmese, Thai and Chinese architectural style.

Kek Lok Si Temple is divided into 3 zones. Ground, Mid Section and Hilltop where you can see the tall statue of God of Mercy, Kuan Yin.

Driver drove us directly to mid section.

The mid section of the temple comprised of temples, gardens, the pagoda and the four heavenly kings pavilion

I wished for Health and Happiness.

If you are tired or have difficulty in climbing the steps, you can use the Incline Lift to Hilltop, the statue of Kuan Yin.

Ticket price for Incline Lift – RM3 per way (Adult), RM1.50 per way (Children below age 12).

The inclined lift moves gradually uphill. We enjoyed the ride which could also admire the beautiful view.

Indeed very beautiful. The 99ft bronze Kuan Yin statue with octagonal pavilion supported by 16 columns. It is the tallest Guanyin statue in the world.

A pond filled with Koi fishes.

The garden at hilltop here is breathtaking and relaxing…………..

…………….but the weather was too scorching hot.

There were also statues and benches resembles the 12 Chinese Zodiac.

(traveling downhill via inclined lift)

Kek Lok Si has changed so much (in a positive way) compared to the last time we came here.

Kek Lok Si Temple ,

11500 Ayer Itam, Penang

Contact No.: 04-8283317

2) Ayer Itam Assam Laksa

After Kek Lok Si Temple, we stop over Ayer Itam for the famous Assam Laksa. Same spot, same stall, same owner over the decades. You will never skip Assam Laksa when you come to Penang.

Although the flavors may not be as good as those early days, but still a satisfying bowl of Assam Laksa.

Clikc HERE to read in detail about Ayer Itam Assam Laksa.

Ayer Itam Assam Laksa
Jalan Pasar, Paya Terubong,
11500 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Operating Hours: Daily, 10.30am – 7pm

3) Teddyville Museum Penang

From Ayer Itam, we moved on to Teddyville Museum which is located at Batu Feringgi.

Distance was about 16km from Ayer Itam (approx. 30 minutes drive)

The adorable teddy bear museum which showcases Penang’s famous tourist destinations, food culture, historical events and things about Penang

Read my full review about Teddyville Museum HERE 🙂

Address: 56, Jalan Low Yat, Puncak Ria, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Pinang

Open Daily from 9am-6pm

4) Cecil Street Market 七条路巴刹

We wanted some authentic local Penang food. Hence the driver suggested this place.

I do understand that we had very little time in Penang. But this hawker centre has most of the local Penang food under one roof. Therefore it allows us to try varies dish. Furthermore this place is less tourist, affordable price and the food tasted good too.

Read from my earlier post HERE 🙂

Address: 40-48, Lebuh Cecil, George Town, 10300 George Town, Pulau Pinang

Open Daily from 7.30am – 7pm

 

5) Chew Jetty

“Clan Jetties form part of the Penang Heritage Trail. There used to be seven jetties until one was demolished by fire and now six remain. Billed as one of the last bastions of old Chinese settlements on the island, this waterfront society is home to houses on stilts of various Chinese clans. Located straight down from Lebuh Chulia (beside the Kapitan Kling Mosque) at Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay), these water villages are over a century old. Each jetty is named after a Chinese clan – the Chew Jetty is the most tourist-friendly with the most stilt-houses.” (source from http://www.penang.ws/penang-attractions/clan-jetties.htm?cid=ch:OTH:001)

Along the wooden jetty, there are wooden houses on both left and right side. Small stalls are setup by house owners in front of their house.

Items sold here are mostly souvenirs, handmade crafts and little food.

There is this shop that sells Big Bowl Noodles. I’m quite interested to try, but all of us were still so full after makan at Cecil Street Market.

Spotted some interesting wall mural here.

The above mural themed ‘Folklore by the Sea’ painted based on the resident’s lifestyle during those days.

Walk towards the end, you will see the jetty. Boat ride service is available here.

It was quite interesting and a good experience. You could spend maybe around 1 hour here, stroll, take photos, and look see the environment here.

People suggested to come here during sunset for a beautiful view.

To read more information and history about Chew Jetty, click HERE.

 

Chew Jetty was our last destination before we ended our 8 hours tour. It was a fruitful day without having to rush.

Would you like to share where will you go in 8 hours?

 

 

Chinese, Family, Food, MALAYSIA, Penang, Snack, Travel

3D2N @Maritime Suite Penang and Food Nearby

10 Comments

During the first term of school break this year, we made a family trip to Penang by plane. It was just a short 3 days 2 nights trip. My mom has been wanting to visit Penang because the last trip she went was many years back when we were still teenagers.

I came across friends recommending this place, Maritime Suite Penang which is located at Georgetown, Penang. This property is quite new actually. Okay, the main reason of me choosing here instead of hotel….is that everyone could fit into 1 unit. Otherwise we’ll need to book few rooms to fit all of us.

Above photo is the ground floor of the apartment. There are Food & Beverage Shops, Convenient Stores (7 Eleven & MyNews).

List of shops:- https://automall.com.my/#

Distance from Penang International Airport = 14km

Well, there’s always pros and cons in everything. We are only allowed to go into our respective apartment unit about 2pm because they need to do cleaning. Unlike hotels, we can leave our luggage/belongings at the lobby.

Hence, this was our first stop before its time to check in to the apartment.

Yes! It is the famous Teo Chew Cendol at Penang Road. We were lucky to be early to beat the queue. You can have the cendol either in a bowl or a plastic cup for take away. Well, I personally felt the cendol is just average. The kidney bean was nice, but the gula melaka wasn’t strong enough for me. Perhaps I’ve put high expectation to it since it is so popular. Anyway, it is just my personal opinion. You may think otherwise.

Next, we came to Tean Ean Local Products to buy some local confectionery and not forgetting the freshly made Tau Sar Pheah (baked flaky pastry biscuits filled with a sweet or savoury filling made from grounded mung bean).

There are many big brands here in Penang but Tean Ean is one of the recommended ones by the local. It has more varieties of products.

 

Ok lar, tired already…woke up so early in the morning to travel. Time to get some rest in the apartment.

Before that, we settled our lunch at Iyara Thai Cuisine. Price was on higher side, but taste wise was good.

View from our apartment.

Love the high window, would love to sit at this spot to enjoy the seaview. However it might be quite hot in the afternoon due to the direct sun.

Room size : 93 m²

2 Bedrooms with 3 Queen Sized Bed

2 Bathrooms

A key card is required to enter the premise. So, I assumed its quite safe lar.

There’s also an average sized swimming pool, but didn’t get chance to use it. Not enough time 😀

Mom was happily checking out the kitchen.

There’s microwave, plates and utensils, electric portable stove, pot, electric kettle, refrigerator.

Includes Free Wifi

Master Bedroom at Loft with 2 Queen Sized Bed

with En-Suite Bathroom.

Bedroom 2 with 1 Queen Sized Bed and a common sharing bathroom.

Jet was very excited to know that there’s a claw machine shop downstairs.

Luckily I managed to get one from the machine. These machines are tough man!

There’s this new food court quite a short distance from Maritime. Its called “Fisherman’s Wharf Food Corner Penang”. Varieties of food offered here. Prices are slightly on high side compared to hawker stalls in town.

槟城渔人码头 Fisherman’s Wharf Food Corner Penang

Open Daily 11am – 1am

Other than that, we also visited Cecil Street Market for lunch and breakfast before we leave Penang. Reason we chose Cecil Street Market because it was recommended by the local and it is just 2km away from where we stayed. We eventually skipped Gurney Drive because the local people told us it is overrated and expensive.

9 Awesome Food To Try At Cecil Street Market

shared by Penang Foodie blogger.

We didn’t try all the above, but had what we felt attracts us.

Wantan Mee stall, was seen working non stop serving plates of wantan mee.

Nyonya Kuih

Popiah (non-fried version)

Filled with sauce and main ingredient was stir fried turnip. A simple and yummy snack.

The Pancake (Ban Chien Kuih) from this stall was nice. Its crispy when its eaten hot. Filled with corn and crushed peanuts.

Pasembur

A Malaysian version of salad. Filled with cucumber, bean sprout,  turnip, fried bean curd, prawn fritters then drenched with sweet spicy peanut sauce.

Mee Jawa, a traditional Javanese style noodle, it is from Indonesia and also popular in Malaysia. The dish is made of yellow noodle, chicken, vegetables, egg and spices. I noticed that not all places having the same flavors.

Penang Fried Radish Cake. The flavors are very similar to Char Kuey Teow. A simple dish which main ingredients are steamed radish cake, bean sprout, egg, dark soy sauce and seasoning.

Penang White Curry Mee (with pig blood)

The White Curry Mee here was good especially the broth. And its not too spicy.

Duck Meat Kuey Teow Th’ng

Duck meat were thinly sliced, served with kuey teow and soup. The duck meat and soup were the 2 main important items.

Nasi Lemak with Sambal Ikan Bilis

Maggi Goreng, a popular noodle in Malaysia. Using instant noodle (Maggi) as the main ingredient. Followed with bean sprout, fried beancurd and spices. A simple and delicious dish.

Cecil Street Market 七条路巴刹

Open Daily from 7.30am – 7pm

Difference between Fisherman’s Wharf Food Corner Penang and Cecil Street Market, Fisherman’s Wharf Food Corner is more towards fusion food. They served local, Japanese, Western, Korean food. Unlike Cecil Street Market, served mostly authentic local Penang food.

3D2N ended too quick. We enjoyed the accommodation here. Made us feels like a home.

How did we move around in Penang?

I uses both MULA and Grab E-Hailing App.