Sipadan Island

Sipadan is a very small island not far from the town of Semporna on the East coast of Sabah. Sipadan is an oceanic island and was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct undersea volcano which rises 600m from the seabed. The boat ride from Semporna takes around an hour. Like many tropical islands, it is thicky forested and surrounded by sandy beaches. The geographic position of Sipadan puts it in the center of the richest marine habitat in the world and the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. More that 3000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this richest of ecosystems.

Sipadan is well known for its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest and its is not unusual for a diver to see more then 20 turtles on each dive. Another unique feature to divers visiting Sipadan is the turtle tomb, an underwater limestone cave a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that become disoriented and the drowned. The residential schooling barracuda and big-eye trevally are one of the highlights on every divers wish-list which often gather in thousands forming spectacular tornado-like formations. With the possibility of seeing pelagics such as
mantas, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks, each dive at Sipadan is a highly anticipated event.

Its not only the big fish that amaze divers coming to Sipadan but the macro life is equally mesmerizing. Garden

eels, leaf scorpionfish, amntis shrimp, fire gobies and various pipefish are guaranteed at various dive sites. The diversity and abundance of marine life found at Sipadan gives it the reputation of being one of the ten best dive locations in the world. The number of guests on this island has been restricted to protect its reef and marine life. Dive sites found here are Barracuda Point, Drop Off Point, Mid Reef, Staghorn Crest, Whitetip Avenue, Coral Garden, Hanging Garden, South Point and Turtle Cavern.
In order to protect such a beautiful islands, there are lots of rules on the island as below:

No littering of any kind is tolerated.
Do not collect shells, corals or other marine organisms.
Take care not to break or damage corals or other marine organisms.
Fishing is not permitted anywhere on Sipadan.


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How to get there

There are many daily flights available direct from Kuala Lumpur via Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. To save your money, we strongly recommend you to take AirAsia flight. AirAsia operates 7 daily direct flights to Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu Old

Airport from the LCC ( Low Cost Carrier ) Terminal, Sepang. Booking may be made through www.airasia.com or walking into AirAsia’s sales offices which are located at KL Sentral and Airport. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact the Nationwide Call Centre at 1300-88-99-33 ( within Malaysia ) or ( +6 ) 03-78849000 ( outside Malaysia ).

From KK to Tawau, you are advised to book yourself on any of the following domestic Malaysia Airlines or Air Asia flights again. Then take a 2 hour ride to Sempona, and Sipadan Island is located just off the coast of Sempona, approximately 45 minutes from the mainland.

Alternatively, if you are affordable, you may fly to Sipadan directly from Tawau in a helicopter and save at least 6 hours of round- trip travel.

Source: http://malaysiabudgethotel.com/

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Taman Negara

Introducing Taman Negara


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Covering 4343 sq km and at twice the size of Luxembourg, Peninsular Malaysia’s greatest national park sprawls in a huge, verdant swathe across the states of Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu. Everything about Taman Negara is big: the trees are dwarfing, the forest impenetrably huge, the timescale dauntingly massive (the jungle is 130 million years old) and ants and fellow creepy crawlies are simply outsize.

Most visitors penetrate Taman Negara in Pahang. It is billed, perhaps wrongly, as a wildlife park. Certainly this magnificent, lush region is a haven for endangered species such as the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), tigers, leopards and rhinos, but numbers are low and sightings are rare. It’s unlikely that you will see anything more exotic than snakes (dog-toothed cat snakes, reticulated pythons, temple pit vipers and red-headed kraits all live here), lizards, monkeys, small deer, and perhaps tapir. Birdlife is prolific, however, and you will probably glimpse more insects – many at extremely close quarters – than you’ve ever seen in your life. The park is also home to the nomadic Batek people, one of Malaysia’s aboriginal groups. The diverse flora is equally enthralling, ranging from luminescent fungi to rafflesia (a parasitic plant devoid of stems, roots or leaves and the world’s largest flower), orchids, two-tone ferns and towering, ancient trees with trunks that flare imposingly into the ground.

The jungle at Taman Negara is so dense that you could pass within metres of an animal and never know it. The probability of spotting wildlife increases the further you trek from the heavily trafficked park headquarters, but sightings are never guaranteed. Some travellers are subsequently disappointed, but that is perhaps to miss the point: the greatest reward of a visit to Taman Negara is to be present in one of the world’s most pristine extant primary rainforests. The jungle here is claimed to be the oldest in the world: none of the Ice Ages had any effect here, and Taman Negara has eluded volcanic activity and other geological upheavals.

More than any other destination in Malaysia, the more you put into a visit to Taman Negara, the more you’ll get out of it. Fleeting visits are naturally feasible, but invariably only scratch the surface. Consider an overnight trek or at least a long boat trip up one of the park’s rivers. If you aren’t comfortable doing these things on your own, don’t hesitate to join one of the tours that can be arranged at guesthouses and restaurants in Kampung Kuala Tahan. If you plan on making some longer treks, consider bringing food and proper equipment with you.

The best time to visit the park is during the dry season from February to September. Rainfall is not constant during the rainy season, but when it rains it pours, and trails rapidly transform into treacherous, muddy bogs. The peak tourist season is from April to August.

Orientation & Information
The park headquarters and the privately run Mutiara Taman Negara resort are at Kuala Tahan, across the river from Kampung Kuala Tahan. The Tourist Information Counter (8am-10pm Sun-Thu, 8am-noon & 3-10pm Fri), in the building behind the reception of Mutiara Taman Negara resort, is where you must register before heading off into the park, or to other park accommodation outside the Mutiara Taman Negara resort. Come here also for information regarding travel within Taman Negara. Tour guides can be booked here. Camping, hiking and fishing gear can be hired at the Mutiara Taman Negara resort shop or at the jetty on the Kampung Kuala Tahan side. See Planning, p288, for recommendations about useful books.

Daily video shows (9.30am, 3pm & 8.45pm) on Taman Negara are shown in the exhibition hall at the Mutiara Taman Negara resort/park headquarters. The exhibition hall itself has informative displays on the park.

Other activities include jungle trekking (RM35, 9.30am), a night jungle walk (RM30, 8.45pm), cave exploration (RM45, 10am and 3pm), river rafting (RM65, 10am), rapids-shooting on Sungai Tembeling (RM40, 10am), a picnic trip to Lata Berkoh rapids (per boat RM160, 9.30am and 2.30pm) and visits to an Orang Asli settlement (RM50, 5pm).

For health care, the Poliklinik Komuniti is adjacent to Agoh Chalets in Kampung Kuala Tahan, opposite the school. Also in Kampung Kuala Tahan:
Internet ‘café’ (per 10min RM1; 8am-midnight) No coffee; just down from the Teresek View Motel.
Police station (266 6721) Next to the Teresek View Motel.


Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com

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Night market (Pasar Malam)

Night market (Pasar Malam): The Happening Spot for Tourist Familes

Now, you'll most likely hear about this place from your friendly hotel conceirge after you ask for a recommendation for a nice place to eat. He'll probably tell you about this famous place, near the beach where you can sample some of Penang's best delights. Of course, what he won't tell you is that locals shun this place since the food here is pricey and touristy. And, the locals are right. But still, that doesn't stop the tourists ( especially the families ) from flocking here. Despite the higher than average price, the so-so quality of the food and the suckey parking, people still come here by the droves. If you have to know, hubby and I were here too, without Penang pal's knowledge of course! The only thing that we liked about this place was the BBQ fish ( there is one joint in this place ) and the fantastic green mango rojak with the crisp croutons of yew char kway ( fried dough sticks).

Penang Rojak- The stall has an insanely long queue, it's just opposite the only Chinese satay stall that sells intestines satay. Yes intestines.
BBQ fish - North west corner, near the mobile vans. There is only one stall that sells this.

Dress Code: It's bloody hot and humid over here and you'll be fighting families for a seat so come armed with an umbrella to poke them or packets of tissue paper to wipe your face after a fight.

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Malaysia Beaches

It would be an impossible task to describe every one of Malaysia's thousands of beautiful beaches. Ranging from the powdery stretches of sand that characterize the eastern coastline of Peninsular Malaysia to the black sand beach of Pantai Pasir Hitam and the smooth pebble beach of Pantai Batu Kerikil, Malaysia's shores offer more idyllic locales than one could explore in many lifetimes.

In addition to the plenitude of beaches along the the peninsula and the coast of Eastern Malaysia, the country also possesses over a hundred tropical islands. Many of these are so beautiful as to have entered into legend centuries ago, like the islands of Langkawi remain desert isles, marked , or Pulau Tioman. Others only by the imprint of the South China Sea on their sands.

Despite such abundance and variety, Malaysia's beaches are noticeably different from those in other parts of the world. They are often less differentiated from the shoreline than those of the Caribbean, for example, tending instead to be almost nestled up against the lush forests that this nation is famous for. The color palette is different as well--golden sands and emerald waters imbue Malaysian beaches with an air of succulent sweetness that isn't found in the cool whites and blues of many western strands.

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The result is that these beaches impart a very different sensation, a sense of languid peace and a distinct feeling that the division between land and sea is less a sharp line than a smooth continuum.

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Bukit Merah Lake Town Resort

Laketown, at the Bukit Merah Interchange along the North-South Highway. All that you need for a refreshing stay can be found at the resort - the Bukit Merah Laketown Inn, Bukit Merah Laketown Marina Village, and Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark. Surrounded by lush tropical greenery and natural lake, the resort makes a suitable getaway for the whole family.

The Bukit Merah Laketown Marina Village is a tourist festival shopping village where you can find a wide variety of shops offering items such as crafts, swim wear and suntan lotions. Its restaurant Cafe Le Lac offers local and international cuisine's while its bakery offers a variety of pastries and cakes. Its four function rooms are available for seminars, exhibitions and events such as wedding dinners or annual get-togethers. For family entertainment, visitors can head towards kids amusement rides and also interactive fountain.

The Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark comprises 8 water attractions, among them a Giant Wave Pool with simulated waves, Slow River Ride, and Raft Tube Slides. The Giant Wave Pool creates waves up to a metre high. For kids there is a Kiddie Bay. A 300m long Slow River cruise on floating tubes is available for adults as well as a specially-designed one for children. The Kid's Water Playground is a unique 'obstacle' playground with big buckets of pouring water and waterjet-guns to spray. The Giant Bubble, a first in Southeast Asia, is a Swedish-made inflated bubble for visitors to climb, bounce, slip and slide. Three Giant Water Flume Slides are provided where you can ride through a 'Midstation' pool or race down the 100m slide directly to the bottom pool. Facilities here include the Bubbles Restaurant, a fast food themed restaurant that serves western and local delights.

" Bukit Merah Laketown offers you all the right ingredients to make your stay pleasurable and fun. Visitors can experience the wonders of the lake cruise or enjoy the exciting activities at the Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark." 

Bukit Merah Laketown offers you all the right ingredients to make your stay pleasurable and fun. Visitors can experience the wonders of the lake cruise or enjoy the exciting activities at the Bukit Merah Laketown Waterpark.

Marina Village for shopping, restaurants, arcade games and the Resort Activity Counter where you can book for various activities including jungle trekking, local tours, bike riding and camping.

Laketown Waterpark for all the wet thrills and spills you can handle. This is the largest waterpark in Northern Malaysia and has 8 major attractions including the very popular Wet Bubble, Wave Pool and Speed Slides. There is also a special themed kiddie's area; the Perak Mining Company.

Eco-park "Say hello to nature". This park has living exhibits of exotic and local birds, otters, butterflies, reptiles and primates all in beautifully themed individual aviaries. There are also daily shows you should not miss, featuring some of the talented animals. The Jungle Boardwalk is a relaxing walk on an elevated timber walkway that takes you trough the untouched natural rainforest.

Orang Utan Island is an amazing experience you should not miss during your stay. The island is the first natural reserve for these beautiful and rare animals in mainland Malaysia and guests are invited to observe them from our special viewing platform whilst they play and entertain with their delightful lifestyle - some rare photo opportunities are also offered as each day the animals visit the platform to meet you up close and personal!

Chairlift. This is the one and only ride of it's kind in Malaysia and transports you high over the waterpark for some breathtaking views of the resort.

Sky Cycle. Another way to explore the native rainforest, this time through pedal power! Another first for Malaysia, this attraction is an elevated monorail through the tree canopy that allows riders to have a bird's eye view of the surrounds and deer enclosure whilst pedaling your own special car.

Lake Activities. Enjoy the beautiful Bukit Merah Lake by going on an exciting canoe ride, paddle boat trip or scheduled lake cruise - you may even like to catch your dinner at our fishing park that's brimming with local fish.

Laketown Inn is completed with 174 Hotel rooms and can be booked at very reasonable rates. The facilities available include in-room fridge, amenities and movie channels.

You can also visit beautiful and traditionally preserved local attractions on two arranged tours, Kampung Selamat and Kuala Sepet`ng. These tours will take you through authentic postcards of Malay life including visits to a rubber plantation, charcoal factory, fishing village and demonstrations of historic mat weaving, fishing and games.


Getting There

To get to Bukit Merah Lake Town, use the North-South Expressway until you reach the Bukit Merah Lake Town exit. The journey to the park itself is approximately 35 minutes from the Penang Bridge and an hour from the City of Ipoh. If the Federal Trunk Road is used, it takes approximately 75 minutes form the Penang Bridge and 45 minutes from Taiping.





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