Category Archives: Travel

Langkawi’s Mangrove Tour

April 24, 2013 thammelissa 26 Comments

Upon arriving at Langkawi airport, you will be greeted by tour or car rental agents. Well…you can decide to just ignore their calling. I, on the other hand do not want to waste time looking for one when I’m in the midst of spending my getaway. If you miss the chances of engaging any tour from the airport, no worries. You can still get it in the island. I saw there are plenty of tour agencies along Pantai Cenang.

We rented a car for 3 days in order for us to move about conveniently. Besides renting a car, we also booked a tour package from the same agent – Indra Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd. Therefore we successfully negotiated car rental fee at a lower price. Ya…IMA typical Malaysian wat although I may not the best nego queen. LOL!

The common tours in Langkawi are Payar Island (for snorkeling), Island Hoping (incl. pregnant maiden island), Island Tour (Sightseeing tour) and Mangrove Tour (Geopark Kilim River). My previous visit to Langkawi, I’ve already experienced the snorkeling at Payar Island. I want to go for something else. Friends highly recommended to take the Mangrove Tour. Therefore Alex and I decided to choose Mangrove Tour which cost RM100/person. Duration of tour was approximately 5 hours.

A van came to pick us up from Underwater World at about 9am. And headed to jetty.

A summary of the places covered by the Mangrove Tour.

Mangrove River Ride in Boat
Eagle Feeding and Bird Watching
Fish Feeding Farm
Bat Cave
Dangli Island
Cave of Legend
Crocodile Cave
Lunch at Fish Farm

Arrived the jetty together with other tourists.

We are going by these boats.

We, this group of people were lead by this 2 tour leaders. They were giving some briefing and safety tips that we need to remember along the tour.

Our first stop was at the Bat Cave.

This cave is located along the Kilim River. Accessible only by boat, you can then walk along a wooden platform through a mangrove swamp, leading directly to the cave. The stalactites and stalagmites are of gigantic proportions, forming weird figures reminiscent of other worldly creatures.

A short briefing by the tour leader before everyone enters the cave.

The two traditionally recognized suborders of bats are:

Megachiroptera (megabats)
Microchiroptera (microbats/echolocating bats)

Megabats eat fruit, nectar, or pollen, while most microbats eat insects; others may feed on the blood of animals, small mammals, fish, frogs, fruit, pollen, or nectar. Megabats have well-developed visual cortices and show good visual acuity, while microbats rely on echolocation for navigation and finding prey.

Some bats have evolved a highly sophisticated sense of hearing. They emit sounds that bounce off of objects in their path, sending echoes back to the bats. From these echoes, the bats can determine the size of objects, how far away they are, how fast they are traveling and even their texture, all in a split second

Bats find shelter in caves, crevices, tree cavities and buildings. Some species are solitary while others form colonies of more than a million individuals.

Entering the dark cave.

Look….there are thousands of bats hanging up there. Its the sleeping time. Bats sleep in the day. Do not place your hands over the railing…because there might be bat’s poo poo. Ohh…the cave is kinda stinks.

Closer view. They are not really huge. Bats have poor visibility. Therefore turning on your camera flash isn’t a problem. However the bats are really sensitive to noises. So, we were advised to keep our voices lowwwww…..

Exiting the other end of cave. The cave is at a mangrove forest.

“Kita Perlukan Kelawar” (We Need Bats). Seriously?

Can you spot a fiddler crab?

We are leaving for the next destination.

Our tour guide is quite informative. Sorry….forgotten his name :-p

Beautiful scenery. Surrounded by high vertical limestone.

We are approaching the Fish Farm.

Getting ready to be assist into the Hole in the Wall Fish farm for Fish Feeding Activity.

This fish farm lies within the vicinity of the verdant mangrove forests and the striking limestone structures formations along the Kilim River. Interestingly, the Hole in the Wall Fish farm got its name from a little opening in a long line of limestone hills at the outskirts of the Andaman Sea.

Assorted sea creature are placed here.

Food for the baby shark.

Oysters?

This stingray look so tame and friendly huh.

This spiny sea urchin is so geli. But they look like our local fruit, rambutan.hehe… Sea Urchin can be eaten…esp. for Japanese food.

Have you seen “belangkas” (alantic horseshoe crab) before? This is consider small. I’ve seen some larger ones at Sarawak market. But it looks like an alien to me. Watches too much Alien vs. Predator I guess. LOL!

Dunno what fish are these. But they are quite smart. Pieces of bread were placed at the edge of the wooden stick. The fishes aimed and spitted over the bread so that the piece of bread will fall into the water. *claps*

In front is a small cave which they named it Crocodile Cave.

This cave is unique because the Kilim River actually flows right through it, and is navigable by a small boat at low tide. Inside the cave there is an ascending chamber flanked by walls of white limestone with minimal stalactites and stalagmites. Small colonies of bats roost on the lower ceiling.

Unfortunately it was high tide. We had no chance to make our way into the cave.

Can you spot anything on the tree?

Looking fierce huh.

Mama monkey and baby monkey. Baby latching on mummy tightly.

My favorite Monkey shot. One Happy Family! 🙂

Our boat drove by this swampy area with many monkeys. Its the monkeys habitat I guess. Becareful with your belongings. They may grab anything from you especially when they sees food.

Our next stop-Eagle Feeding.

Our boat will cruise to a very beautiful and special spot where you will have a chance to see a flock of eagles swooped in from nowhere.

There are various types of eagles here; the Brahminy kites (46cm) arrive from all directions. These raptors are generally chestnut brown in color, and white on the head and breast. The White-bellied Sea Eagle (71cm) is the largest of the species present.

These birds are the lords of the skies. Langkawi (Lang = eagle and kawi = reddish brown stones found here) is named after the Red Eagles that have made their home in the crags and crevices of the islands long before any human set foot ashore.

Feeling hungry already lor! We were here for our lunch. A fish farm cum floating restaurant.

We had our lunch at this floating restaurant. Inclusive lunch in our tour package. Can’t complain much.

After the lunch, we were on our way to an island. Yes…we were off to sea. Luckily my lunch wasn’t heavy. Luckily I did not vomited. LOL!! Bumpy ride when it hits the sea waves.

So serene!

How often do we get to see such nice clear blue sea.

If you are interested to swim..bring along your swimming attire. But bear in mind, there are no washrooms here.

The sea water is so clear. Made me feel like jumping into the sea, and swim like a fish.

Lost in the island?

Proud of our country’s flag?

Alex & Melissa were here! Hehe….

Icon Kilim Geoforest Park – end point.

Return to jetty at about 2+pm. And we was sent back to our hotel. According to the printed leftlet…internary includes Dangli Island and Cave of Legend. Where are this 2 places? I must be not paying attention in class??!! @_@

Other than snorkeling in Langkawi, Mangrove Tour is a recommended tour. Its a unique experience for city people. Moreover its fun and educational. Dress as light as possible, because the weather is hot. If possible bring along a towel just in case if you gets wet.

Hotels, Langkawi, MALAYSIA, Travel

My 3D/2N at Ambong Ambong Langkawi

April 18, 2013 thammelissa 23 Comments

Yes! I was here at Langkawi for the second time. Once a year? 😉

I chose Langkawi as our short getaway destination because I kinda love this island. The beer here is dirt cheap. The people here are nice too. My previous visit to Langkawi was with a group of friends. And we put up at a budget hotel in Kuah town. Since this round was just Alex & myself, I thought we should go for something better and memorable. Why not stay somewhere around Pantai Cenang? Its more happening over there compared to town.

Ambong Ambong opened since December 2011. Its still consider new. And how did I find out about this place since they are so many hotels or resorts in Langkawi? Through Groupon’s deal.

Why am I attracted to this place?

“Secluded Tropical Getaway at Boutique Hotel Ambong Ambong Langkawi Rainforest Retreat”.

Its something different from those hotels that I’ve stayed. Hence I would love to experience the touch of nature, the rainforest.

Once we arrived at Langkawi airport, we rented a car(remember to negotiate for the best price)..easily for us to move about in the island. Driving in Langkawi is quite easy. With the guide of maps and the proper road signs. Upon arriving Langkawi early..so we thought we should go for our breakfast first. Breakfast at KFC at Cenang Mall, a new mall in Langkawi.

What is the meaning of Ambong Ambong?

Ambong Ambong is the Malaysian name for Scaevola taccada, a plant that is native to Langkawi.

There are currently two 2-bedroom cottages and six individual studios available for accommodation. Very limited!

We were guided to our room by their attentive staff. Nizam, a friendly guy welcomed us to their holiday villa.

Our Studio room, rebak 2 is located mid-hill and at 2nd floor.

A welcome drink by Ambong Ambong to quench our thirst on that sunny afternoon. Phew…I need to catch my breath after ~~climbing~~ walking up the stairs. Our room check in is done in our respective room. Nizam handed the room key to us, together with a map of Langkawi (which is quite thoughtful)..and some brief information.

I was amazed with their action on decorating our bed!! I told HB not to destroy the lovely swan as he was taking a short afternoon nap. LOL!

Our 46m.sq. Studio room is spacious, clean and comfortable. Lets take a tour to my room.

A small lounge area. I like the tall ceiling windows which allows natural sunlight without switching on the room lights.

I have a small kitchen in my room! Made me feels like I’m at home. This small kitchen equipped with refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, bread toaster, ceramic plates and bowls, utensils, cups and glasses. Oh ya…and also soap detergent for washing.

The room’s open air balcony with a ceiling fan. A relaxing environment with touch of nature. Birds chirping in the morning and sound of cicadas (an insect) at night. Feels like I’m camping in a forest!

There is suppose to be a sea view here. But is blocked by the trees. *sigh

Of course we have TV in our room!

The spacious built-in wardrobe.

The bathroom with separated shower area.

I noticed there was no mirror in the room. All I have is this mirror in the bathroom. I have to fix my makeup in front of this mirror under the dim lights. Understand that probably its not suitable to install a mirror in the room…but appreciate if they could maybe install one behind the wardrobe’s door? Because the wardrobe’s light is brighter.

Although we are at a forest like villa…but we are connected to the world. With FREE WIFI! Yes…Wifi is provided for free here. Unlike some hotels with expensive room rates..but wifi is only available at the lobby. HUH! What for?!

On that sunny afternoon, wouldn’t it be great to take a dip in the pool.

Hb testing on the pool’s water. The water was quite cold! Ohh ya…it may look deceiving. I felt the swimming pool is rather small. But I think its sufficient to cater for the low occupancy in Ambong Ambong.

Chillaxing by the pool.

While having a bottle of Hoegaarden for only RM4.20!

Buggy ride is available daily from 9am-9pm. Just give a call to Nizam to check if he’s available to pick you. Sometimes we decided to ~~climb~~ walk back to our room. The steps are quite steep though. Really a good workout!! I told Hb, if I would to stay here for a long period, I’ll be slim and fit! LOL!!

What?! We are gonna have breakfast in our room? Ohh…that’s cool! I love the idea of having breakfast in room too. No rushing and we can slowly take our time. Food will be replenish daily around noon.

Such a healthy breakfast I’m having. Appreciate if they would to add in eggs. Then I can make soft boiled egg with toast bread. Voila!

We had our daily breakfast at the balcony. It was so relaxing. Moreover you can enjoy lotsa free oxygen here. From the trees. HAHAHA!! If you are lucky, you can spot the dusk-leaf monkey. I wasn’t lucky T_T

But I spotted a pair of Oriental Pied Hornbill in front of my room! However it flew off too before I could take a photo. *sigh*

Hb busy with his mobile phone. *tsk tsk*

Ishan Spa is located downhill of Ambong Ambong. Feel free to drop by for a spa experience.

Anna, the person in charge on replying my mails, answered my queries and sort out my room reservation.

I wish I could spend another 1 or 2 nights here. We had a unique experience and enjoyed our stay at Ambong Ambong.

Tips: Its not difficult to locate Ambong Ambong. Ambong Ambong located on the southern part of Langkawi Island, a 25 minute drive from Langkawi International Airport and half an hour from Kuah, the main town. If you are coming here by taxi, you may need to say out “Unkaizan Japanese Restaurant” in case the taxi driver is not familiar about this place. Unkaizan Japanese Restaurant is just slightly below Ambong Ambong. Pantai Tengah is within walking distance, probably around 10-15 minutes walk. If possible, book your room at the higher floor for a better view. Kindly join their Facebook Page to know about their latest updates.

Ambong Ambong Langkawi Rainforest Retreat

Jalan Pantai Tengah
Langkawi, Kedah 07000
Company Website

celebration, Chinese New Year, Food, Sarawak, Sarikei, Sarikei

My Trip Back to Sarikei for CNY 2013

February 27, 2013 thammelissa 22 Comments

So fast CNY has over. But my mind still stuck in this festive season lar. Can’t CNY be 1 month? hehe….

HB and I often travel few days earlier before the CNY to avoid the crowd and also the expensive air fare.

While most of my friends were at work, I say goodbye to KL. Making many of them feel envious :-p soli lor….

We missed the cheap fare which fly directly to Sibu. Therefore we took the alternative way by going to Kuching then from there took another flight to Sibu in the late afternoon. Alex’s friend, Frankie who is in Kuching brought us here for the nice Sarawak Laksa. I also had a bowl of “Tian Miang Ngu” which look like our ‘min fun kou’ but they taste differently.

Frankie also brought us to this place selling lots of Kek Lapis (Sarawak Layer Cakes). Here, you can sample varieties of kek lapis for free. Very attractive isn’t it? But some are quite dry. I did not buy much, because Alex said MIL has ordered alot for the CNY. I still have those cakes in my fridge ler…next year kena tell MIL not to buy so much for us edi 😉

When I reached Sarikei, what I must eat the following day is the Kampua Noodle! I do know there some people in West Malaysia prefer Wantan Mee over this. For me…I think I like both of them also la..cos they are different!

Also not forgetting the Kolok Mee. I will never miss having both of them!

Although Sarikei is famed for its pineapple, but I seldom eat. Too cooling for me. Trust me..the pineapples there are very sweet!

Other then pineapple, Sarikei is also famed for its pepper. Have you seen a real pepper plant? I meant before they were process. I often come back to buy their pepper. And I noticed each time I buy, the price also increased 😦

A day before eve of CNY, followed MIL to a CNY bazaar at Nyelong.

It was a wet CNY. Luckily the rain stopped while on our way to the bazaar and I noticed this rainbow. I feel joyful each time I sees a rainbow.

Beautiful orange sky at about 7pm.

Have you ever seen this kind of dish served in a fast food outlet? Yes..you can only get this from Sugarbun Sarawak! I also never fail patronizing this place whenever I return Sarikei. I seldom order the burger but will normally order the fried chicken with their special rice.

On one afternoon, we skipped lunch and felt hungry later. So, MIL steamed these plump and meaty ‘siew mai‘.

Family reunion dinner. Some of it are bought from restaurant and some are prepared at home. Too much of food, we couldn’t finish all.

People were launching Kongming Deng (Sky Lantern).

It was like a fireworks competition on eve of CNY. Watched them for free. Unfortunately I sprained my knee when I was running back home when a firework at our neighborhood went haywire. *so dangerous* 😦

As usual, we will go friends house visiting (pai nien) on first day of CNY, after having a bowl of mee suah.

Time flies…its time for me to return to my own hometown. I traveled back on 2nd day of CNY. Beautiful sky leading my way to Sibu airport.

Before traveling back…I want to have these for my breakfast! Kampua, pig’s liver soup and bien nuk! Will miss them for several months lu…

MIL knows I like midin. She bought a few bunch for me (they are nicely wrapped in layers of newspaper) and that night we had stir fry midin (cooked with garlic, ginger & red rice wine) for dinner.

For more food photos and places in Sarikei, do refer to my previous post:-

i-City Shah Alam, MALAYSIA

At Trick Art Museum, i-City Shah Alam

February 1, 2013 thammelissa 20 Comments

It was still early to watch the colorful LED lights here at i-City…I meant the lights will only turn on around 7pm. So, we decided to pay RM5 per person to visit Trick Art Museum….since most of the rides are for kids. Yes…you need to queue to purchase the tickets and additional RM5 deposit (dunno the deposit is for wat oso). Deposit money is refundable..but queue again lah…

Earlier I’ve read and seen some of the photos published on newspaper about this museum. It looks quite interesting.

THE Trick Art Museum at i-City in Shah Alam has earned a spot in the Malaysia Book of Records for being the first trick art museum in the country. The walls and floors of the 8,000 sq ft museum are adorned with hand-drawn 3D images, enticing visitors to pose with the paintings. The effects are magnified especially when the fun poses are captured on camera. (source from The Star)

The 8,000 sq ft museum spanning two floors is the latest attraction in the Selangor capital. The museum in i-City has been divided into five areas with different themes — animal kingdom, Egyptian, marine life and selected masterpieces, which include modern classics and famous masterpieces. All the paintings are done on walls and floors. Well..the painters are from South Korea, Iran and China.

The first painting that you will see as you enter the room.

*Alex so jahat….go pull down people’s pant.

Woahh….I din know mummy is such a good painter. Mona Lisa le….dun play play hoh…

*I fetch!

Hmmm…..was hoping to find some hidden treasure underground…

Aiyo….Mummy was so excited! She said the blocks are falling down!

Elo….anybody home? *he whisper to the mice kut…

Climb ladder…aiya…easy job la..no problem.

Wahh….got hidden door le…push hard*

Hey….this balancing ain’t easy okay.. I don’t want to fall into the deep hole.

Pity the tree…kena chopped =_=

The baby elephant is cute hoh. So friendly summore. Aiyoo…reminds me of the baby elephant at Sabah. So pitiful 😦

*dunno can feed or not. I think the elephant likes me lar. LOL!

Run fast! The bull is getting angry!

Ima bad angel…hehe huhu haha….

The giraffe is also friendly.

Help…I don’t want to be eaten by T-Rex!

Alex volunteer to be life bait.

Wow…this slide was fun. But there’s a buaya waiting there. Alamak!

Penguins here are so tame.

Aja!

Chinese New Year coming edi….I need more money. *open bag*

Over Here* Drop it all….

Batman & Robin are here to guard the museum I guess ^^

One can be creative in their posing together with the wall art..It gives you the 3D effect which looks quite real. However not every painting gives you the WOW effect. Some looks quite boring (I skipped that). Those arts are impressive!

But the one at Jeju Island, Korea look much nicer!

Trick Art Museum, Jeju – Day 12 in South Korea

i-City Shah Alam, MALAYSIA

My First Visit to i-City, Shah Alam

January 30, 2013 thammelissa 24 Comments

Before the lights go out……..

I often mention to Alex that one day we should pay a visit to i-City before the lights go out. Later the LED lights terbakar edi…how to watch summore? ^^

You know lar…Malaysia style ma….creative, innovative…but poor in maintaining!

During the past long weekend we finally made a trip there. Bringing mummy along too.

Recreational attractions at i-City comprises of:-

i-Walk

A 30,000 sq ft outdoor convention centre with a capacity of 15,000. i-Walk has been venue for a number of international events such as the MTV World Stage Concert Live in Malaysia 2011 and Miss Tourism International 2010.

The night view of i-Walk

Snowalk

Newly refurbished with a Science 2012 @i-City theme, this is a 50,000 sq ft snow educational showcase with life-sized ice sculptures and thrilling rides in a below 5 degree Celsius arctic environment.

We did not go in to experience it. I find it abit expensive to pay RM35/person.

RM25 per adult and RM20 per child before 6pm.

RM35 per adult and RM30 per child after 6pm.

Water World@i-City

Experience Malaysia’s first Tornado ride attraction and enjoy a day of cool splashing games and activities for the family.

The entrance ticket for adult is RM50

The overall map of i-City. Look interesting only.

Although the entrance is free, but every ride also need to queue and buy ticket. All rides also need to pay. No money no talk. This world really no free lunch!

Looks like they are using vacant shop lots to transform into amusement park.

Ride for kids. ‘Pirate Ship’ I suppose.

Happy Train for kids.

no idea what mascot is this. Just go forward pose and snap photo! ^^

City of Digital Lights

Dubbed the City of Digital Lights, the over 1.0 million LED lights dazzing i-City nightscape attracts an average of 90,000 visitors weekly. Its seasonal light themes and outdoor fun rides has become a night gathering place for families and friends.

The festive season is coming soon…Gong Xi Fa Cai!

Brighten up the walkway with red LED lights shape of lanterns.

Although Christmas is over, I still like snowman. 😉

Do you notice the rail across this photo? That’s the track for Spacewalk which is an elevated rail ride through the Enchanted Forest of digital lights. RM20 per cable car (holds two people).

Beautiful lights. Finally I got to witness them!

Mummy said these Sunflowers are very pretty!

Super Swing – RM5/ ride

Double Decker, claimedthe largest 2-Tier Carousel in Malaysia. RM5/ride

Bought the Mickey prop there….for RM5. *act kawaii*

Verdict : 1 visit will be enough, at least to experience it. If you only want to spend time only on the LED lights…. 1 hour is sufficient. Food wise…nothing much to choose here. Its either you go for Kung Fu Chicken (KFC) or Oldtown White Coffee…do not put high expectation on the food. Else go for mamak food there. Parking rate is rather high. We parked our car for not more than 3 hours, the auto machine charged at RM12! More expensive than shopping malls leh!

There is also a ‘6 D Motion Theater’, I don’t dare to experience it…I afraid the effect I got after the show is backache. LOL!

Check out the upcoming event on their website. “Event Calender”

Friends, Kelantan, MALAYSIA, Photography, Travel

I’ve visited 3 Buddhist Temple in Kelantan

October 16, 2012 thammelissa 16 Comments

During my past trip to Kelantan, our friend Jimmy has brought us to 3 large Buddhist temple on 2 different days. The architectural of the temples looks so similar to those in Thailand. Why ar? Probably because of the distance which is near to Thailand..therefore most of the founder are Thais. Apart from that, the name of the temples here begin with “WAT” or better known as Temple in Thai. Am quite surprise to see such nice temples there.

1) Wat Machimmaram

Address: Kg. Jubakar, 16200 Tumpat, Kelantan
Telephone: 09-7256769

Our first stop was at Wat Machimmaram. Known as sitting buddha. It reminds me of Hong Kong’s Tian Tan Buddha at Lantau Island. Wat Machimmaram claimed as the 2nd largest sitting Buddha in South-east Asia. Height is 30 meter and with the lotus base width of 47 meter. Some said the lip is made of gold.

Alex looks like a CD seller…hahahhaha…. ^^

Alex & I

Then, this “gay” couple request for a photoshoot. LOL!!

But after its done, then only I realized Mr. Laang’s eyes were closed. So, he asked me to edit and put a pair of eyes for him.

So, this was what I did…the result..which matches him very well. hehehe…

Gorgeous dragon carving on the columns.

Noticed a blooming lotus which I love it.

I think Jimmy was giving a story telling class. As usual..I do not pay attention..just like if I travel by tours, the tour leader will be telling story and I’ll be either roaming around, taking photos or yawning…and sometimes sleeping. HAHAHA!

2) Wat Pikulthong

Address: Kg. Terbak, 16200 Tumpat, Kelantan
Telephone: 09-7257153

a small welcoming standing buddha at the entrance. Noticed the architectural of the building? This is what I meant by influential of Thai and Chinese culture.

I think they are doing some upgrading works..I noticed the paint works were pretty new.

The sun was extremely glaring. And it was burning hot..I hardly open my eyes. Therefore I frown a little ^^

More steps to go…..

This is what I came for. The glorious standing buddha with the height of 36 meter.

Other than the standing buddha…we also came here for this ‘Khao Jam’ which is popular among the locals. Also known as ‘green nasi kerabu’ or salad rice. A satisfying plate of rice for just RM1.80. You heard me right?

Porridge with chicken strips.

Ingredients to prepare “Som Tam” or Thai Papaya Salad.

An appetizing plate of “som tam”.

We were interested on these BBQ chicken wings too. And we ordered each person a piece.

BBQ Chicken Wings were surprisingly good. Well marinated, tasty and not overcooked.

We settled our lunch here. Its a small wooden hut pretty visible once you enter Wat Pikulthong. You may find it uneasy dining here with houseflies and stray dogs admiring you. Anyway…I did not “lau sai”… =p

3) Wat Photivihan

Address: Kampung Jambu, 16200 Tumpat, Kelantan
Telephone: 09-7193019, 019-9586322

Wat Photivihan known as sleeping/ reclining buddha is is one of the biggest Buddhist Temple in South-East Asia. It is 40meter long..longer than the one in Penang, which is 33meter. Siew Liek told me that those dead people’s ashes jar are placed under this sleeping buddha.

Had a good time visiting these popular temples in Kelantan. I was told by Jimmy that most of the Buddhist temples here are funded by King of Thailand. Really an eye opener to see such beautiful temples in Kelantan, often mentioned as Islamic state.

Friends, Kelantan, MALAYSIA, Photography, Travel

Kota Bharu, Kelantan…not bad at all..

October 5, 2012 thammelissa 28 Comments

Traveling together with a large group of friends somehow reminds me of my school days where we used to attend those ‘rombongan sambil belajar’.

My recent trip to Kota Bharu , reason to attend a wedding and at the same time to spend to travel around KB. Tat rented 2 units of serviced apartment for all of us at Kondominium Pelangi Mall.

meeting in our apartment ^^

Our room has nice view too….view of ‘teh tarik’ river.

Come to Kelantan must never forget to try their nasi dagang. I thought nasi dagang is from Terengganu. Then I asked mummy who came from Terengganu…she told me they are different in terms of rice. Nasi dagang in Terengganu, the rice is whiter.

My breakfast of day 1 was a pack of nasi dagang with curry ikan tongkol(fish) and 1/2 egg for RM3.30.

Kota Bharu is the state capital of Kelantan. Though Kelantan is ruled by the Islamic Party..yet there are many Siam Buddhist temple, probably due to the influential by the Thais which is very near to Kelantan. (will blog about the temples in my next post)

Our so-called tour guide,Jimmy brought us here, Siti Khadijah Market in Kota Bharu town.

My friend, Rock told me this market is unique because most traders are women. Here at this market, you can get many local products.

Come to Kelantan…must not forget to bring home some keropok ikan(fish crackers) too….

Makcik packing my keropoks…Weeee….happy purchase 😉

fancy these jars of ‘jeruk’?

Then we came to Pantai Cahaya Bulan (Located about 10km from Kota Bharu) which was formerly named as Pantai Cinta Berahi / Passionate Love. So, now its call ‘Moonlight Beach’. There must be a reason they changed the name. Probably people there are sensitive with the word “berahi”/passion.

I Love the photo outcome of this place. ♥

Don’t you agree that this place is beautiful? I’m using this photo as my PC’s wallpaper 😉

Siew Liek told me, huge rocks were placed along the beach because of the erosion.

Oppa KB Style?

phew….panas sungguh cuaca hari ini…

Alex and I

My BF of the day…. ^^

Lets order some coconut drink to quench our thirst. Told you right…we are like a bunch of students. =p

Enjoying a coconut drink under the hut surrounded by coconut trees feels so good. You can’t have this kind of feel in KL city.

I’ve not seen those drinks, sarsi & ice cream soda in the bottle. Have you?

Some of our friends left KB a day earlier than us. Later in the afternoon…..we came to Pantai Sri Tujuh (about 17km from Kota Bharu town), is one of the famous beach in Kelantan.

Its an eye sore to see rubbish were thrown everywhere…. 😦

work of a creative person.

Take 1 – High Jump

Take 2 – Then I requested something rather funny one.

Do you miss this kind of ice cream? Though it would not taste as creamy or as good as those luxurious brand…but it reminds me of school days 😉

The power of technology. Shoot and post! I love the sun glare above Jimmy’s head ^^

Then I bought a big grilled corn for RM2.50 from a foodstall near the beach.

We had our Thai food dinner here. But the food was just average..so, I didn’t bother to take down the details.

Say goodbye to Kota Bharu…we travel back to KL on a morning flight.

Thank you to Jimmy, Tat & Siew Liek for the hospitality 😉

Family, Port Dickson

Picnic at Port Dickson

July 9, 2012 thammelissa 16 Comments

Last weekend I spent some time with my family at Port Dickson beach. We planned to go picnic there. And the weather was all good. Not really sunny and did not rain. Port Dickson is just half an hour drive from Seremban. Therefore, the idea of getting there for a family day isn’t tough.

Port Dickson is developing now. Finally there’s a McD!! Located at PD Waterfront (near town). Unfortunately there are still many abandoned resorts which is an eye sore. Whenever I sees an abandoned building…my mind will start to imagine some spooky stuff… =p

Nice weather with people strolling along the beach.

I chose this part of beach which is located next to Avilion Resort. (Not so crowded & quite clean). But you will need to walk further if you need to go to toilet.

There are tables and benches provided for people who planned to picnic there.

Mummy prepared some light food. Otak-Otak Samosa (bought from supermarket and self deep fried it) ,Fried Chicken (marinated overnight with kunyit) and Apple+Water Chesnut drink. The fried chicken was ‘finger licking good!’ ^^

visitors having fun at beach. There are people doing fishing there too.

guess this couple were having fun at beach too.

Do you like the sandy beach?

Alex abandoned his slipper here. *kesian…

my slipper and a dead coral.

Sis brought some toys for Vernice to play there.

She has yet to get used to the beach. She kept saying dirty @_@.

Vernice : YiYi…tissue please….

Yea..this was the purpose of asking tissue from me. Busy wipping her feet! =p

Finally! Braving herself to lift her ‘heavy’ feet from the mat. hahaha…

Everybody getting their hands on the sand.

Mummy was happy too…

The result. A rejected ‘sand castle’ and a cacat feet! Hahaha….

Mel with Alex ^_^

Alex : Aiyohhh….so heavy lah! Can’t carry. My bones are cracking!!

Mel : Kahwin time can carry…Why now can’t edi?

Alex : Last time was light, and now so heavy!

Mel : @_@ KNS!!

Water sports; banana boat, water scooter or a boat ride with some charges.

Have a nice day! ♥

Shopping, Travel

Bangkok 5D4N & My Shopping Haul

July 3, 2012 thammelissa 31 Comments

To summarize my BKK trip, I will try to make it simple. Actually we do not have a proper itinerary. Moreover things were planned kinda last minute. hehe…But Ashley being the well-organized person she will jot down most of the info. I am good at pointing out the places we should visit, but I don’t think I’ll be able to travel F&E without her. 😀

Day 1

Fly to BKK by MAS (food served in MAS sucks big time!). Then we arrived Suvarnabhumi Airport, BKK at 10.15am, walked quite far to claim our luggage. At the airport, please read clearly on the directions. Or ask for directions to get to get Airport Rail Link. Hence, do not forget to grab some maps. Because some maps may attached with discounted coupons. (ie: discount 20% entrance fee to Siam Ocean World). Our accommodation place is at Bangkok City Hotel. To get to the hotel, we took Airport Link, take the City Line (Blue), cost 15 Baht, from the airport, take off at the last station, Phayatai. After you get off at Phaya Thai, purchase a ticket to Ratchathewi station. It is only one station, costs 15 Baht. When you reach Ratchathewi station, please take Exit 3. Exit 3 is the direction to go to reach Bangkok City Hotel. Walk for about 5 minutes until you reach an intersection, turn LEFT at the intersection. Don’t cross the road, just turn left. Walk for another 5 to 8 minutes and you’ll reach Bangkok City Hotel which is on your left. – source from Ashley

Hotel Review – Bangkok City Hotel.

– By noon, we took a cab from our hotel to Siam Paragon (less than 60 baht). You may also reach here by BTS. At Siam Paragon, we decided to have our late lunch at Paragon Food Hall.

– After the satisfying lunch, we went to Siam Ocean World located at Basement floor of Siam Paragon. An aquatic wonderland the size of three Olympic swimming pools, claimed as one of the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. Over here, you may purchase a package which includes the entrance to Madame Tussauds. Remember the map attached with 20% rebate? I use that to get discount on the entrance. Siam Ocean World (Super Pack) for 900 baht. (Inclusive of Aquarium, 4D theatre, Glass-bottom boat, happy fish happy feet (fish massage), back of the house tour, and Pepsi & popcorn) 4D show was below average. While the popcorn is not nice. Well, the aquarium is worth visiting. For complete album, click HERE

– After a tiring day, before we had our dinner…we went for foot massage few doors away from our Hotel for just 200 baht! For 1 hour.

– Next, our dinner nearby our hotel. (Choose the one with more crowds and more locals).

398941_3547351397163_1895510323_n — photo by Ashley

All of us except Wanyi were enjoying our foot massage. ^^

Day 2

– Chatuchak Market (Click HERE for the full info)

– By evening, we went to Chinatown Bangkok by cab (from Hotel, less than 50 baht). At Chinatown, you will feel as though you are at a real Chinese town. Some of them can speak Chinese too. Generally there are nothing much for you to shop here.

How to get to Chinatown. Click HERE

Chinatown

Our Dinner at T&K Seafood(The green shirt troop). Fresh and delicious seafood with reasonable price. It may be crowded, but they work efficiently!

Our dessert. Walked along the main road, spotted a mini lorry parked at the road side with many durians. Bought a pack of Mango sticky rice and Durian sticky rice for total of 150 baht. Dirt cheap with incredibly sweet and generous amount of mango. While durian is so creamy.

Day 3

– Maeklong Railway Market Bangkok. Click HERE for full info.

– Coconut Sugar Farm & Damonen Saduak Floating Market. Click HERE for full info.

– Wat Saket (Temple of the Golden Mount). Click HERE for full info.

– MBK Shopping Center Bangkok

at MBK Shopping Center Bangkok, there is a food court named MBK Food Centre (located at 6th floor). Varieties of food served here. You are required to purchase coupon from the counter there before you order food from the stalls.

While shopping here…hmm..I don’t quite like. Its quite similar to our Sg. Wang & Berjaya Times Square.

– By evening, we return to Paragon Food Hall for second round of food. Because the food court here is so huge! You can never get enough.

– After dinner, head on to Siam Square Outdoor Market (which is just across the road. Opposite of Siam Paragon).

Its like a fashion pasar malam. Stalls are set up here every evening. Despite the humid weather and sweaty feeling, I like shopping here. Clothes, watches, shoes, bags, earrings, necklace, accessories, and many more at a good price. Some may require a lil bargaining. Can you imagine you can get a denim shorts for just 200 baht! Its not poor quality okay. And their fashion sense…so update!

Blog to refer; click HERE.

Day 4

– Platinum Mall (walk from Bangkok City Hotel, around 15 minutes). Its a very huge mall. More like a wholesale mall. You may purchase 1 item. But you will prefer to get more than 2 item from one shop in order to be entitle for a wholesale price. Which gives you a better bargain. Shop till drop here!

Address: Petchaburi Road, Pratunam
Opens daily from 9am to 8pm
Website: http://www.platinumfashionmall.com/pfront8/
Getting Here: BTS Siam, BTS Chitlom, BTS Ratchatewi – 10-15 minute walk to the mall.

– Central World

(located next to Platinum Mall-walking distance). Here, you can shop for branded goods. Seeing the price is not much different from KL, so we just window shop. hehe….

Address : CentralWorld 999/9 Rama 1 Rd., Patumwan, Bangkok 10330 Thailand

BTS: Chit Lom station. So, go on sky walk between Chit Lom and Siam station.

Website

Day 5

– Our flight to KL is in the afternoon. Therefore, we only able to go to TESCO Lotus Bangkok. A hypermarket just like Malaysia. Came here to buy some Thai instant noodles! hheeh…Bought 1 whole box and several packets of tom yam & duck instant noodles.

…..here are my shopping haul in BKK.

Lovely magnets at 100 baht for 2 pcs. (from Chatuchak Market)

Keychains at 100 baht for 2pcs. (from Chatuchak Market)

(from Chatuchak Market)

(from Siam Square Outdoor Market)

Earrings. 4pcs for 100 baht. (from Siam Square Outdoor Market)

(from Platinum Mall).

go to BKK, must not forget to shop at Naraya lor…Naraya at Siam Discovery has more designs and the outlet is quite big too. Click HERE to refer to their outlets.

Hope my simple itinerary able to guide you on planning your BKK trip. Good day everyone ♥

Bangkok, THAILAND, Travel

Wat Saket (Temple of the Golden Mount), Bangkok

June 21, 2012 thammelissa 18 Comments

Majority of the Thais are Buddhist. Therefore in Bangkok, you can see there are many temples highlighted as the tourist attraction.

After we returned from Damonen Saduak Floating Market, while we were taking a break at the pier, Yew Kong started to use his iPhone to check the nearest temple. With the help from Yew Kong, doing some hand gesture(ayam & itik conversation) with our McD driver to bring us to the nearest temple (he simply point out 1 temple). With nodding from McD driver, he then drove us here, Wat Saket (Temple of the Golden Mount).

Wat Saket Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan, usually short Wat Saket) is a Buddhist temple (Wat) in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, Bangkok, Thailand. The temple dates back to Ayutthaya era, when it was called Wat Sakae. King Rama I renovated the temple and renamed it to Wat Saket. During the reign of King Rama III the Chedi Phu Khao Thong (Golden mountain) was added to the temple. It was finished under King Rama V and then named Suwannabanphot.

Wat Saket, The Golden Mount.

A small golden statue downhill to welcome us.

Plenty of steps to go uphill. Do you notice, that many temples are built on hills and requires alot of climbing?

Saw a beautiful cafe while we were half way up. (Actually we came here to pinjam their toilet) hehe….

It was a sunny day. All of us were walking under this burning sun. I was sweating all over. Luckily I got my cartoon handkerchief with me. =p

Prayer Bells

Alex hitting the big ‘gong’.

More steps. Love the bright and blue sky. One thing I like about the Sun is I can get a good result of photo.

I noticed some pots filled with water and water lily plant, placed along the stairs. Its very pretty!

The almost blooming water lily is nice too.

The steps lead us here! Look at the beautiful panoramic view of Bangkok roof top.

View #2.

More steps! Stairway to worship. Had a really good workout here. But it feels good.

I did ‘pai pai’ here. Did not ask for more (afraid I duno how to repay back..need to take flight). So, I wished for more peace and health! That’s more realistic right?

Most of the temples in BKK has the same roof design.

Sighted few monks.

While walking towards the parking area, I noticed something cute. Aren’t these little monks look adorable?

12 zodiacs were displayed here. I chose to pose next to the dog. Oppss…have I disclosed my age?? ^_^

Some informative site:-

This is Me; Melissa's Blog