Tourist attractions in the Lumut area

Tourist attractions in the Lumut area
Saturday September 23, 2006

THE areas surrounding Damai Laut are rare ecological and historical treasures. Less than an hour away from the resort, these places provide visitors with the opportunity to explore some of the country's most exotic natural wonders. Educational, enlightening and above all else, fun - these tourist attractions are among some of Perak's best-kept secrets. Sightseeing tours can be arranged by Damai Laut and after a day of adventure, there really is no better way to relax than at the resort's Samsara Spa.


Bukit Larut Forest Reserve (Maxwell Hill)

The forest reserve comprises some 6,880 hectares of rugged granite mountains (known as Bintang Range). On it sits a colonial hill station surrounded by a lush, unspoiled forest and sprawling gardens, exotic flora, mountain birds and wildlife, offering visitors a panoramic view of the surroundings. Bukit Larut is Malaysia’s first and least developed hill-station resort. The captivating Lake Gardens and Taiping Zoo are located at the foot of the hill.


Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve

The mangrove and mudflat ecosystem is the country's largest single mangrove forest tract hailed by many ecologists as among the best-managed sustainable mangrove forests in the world.


Kuala Gula Bird Sanctuary

A roosting, feeding and nesting ground for the rare and endangered milky and adjutant storks, the sanctuary is also a “stopover” for more than 200,000 migratory birds from 50 different species between August and April yearly - a bird watcher’s paradise indeed! Common sightings include the redshank, lesser golden plover, greenshank, scarce Chinese egret and sandpipers.


Temenggor Forest Reserve

Fishing, jungle trekking, boating, camping and a visit to the orang asli settlement make this an adventure hotspot for those who love the great outdoors.

The massive Temenggor Lake, which spans the Belum and Temenggor Forest Reserves, is home to some 125 species of fish including the prized toman. More than 100 species of mammals, including elephants, rhinoceros, leopards, tigers, deer, wild boar, honey bears, tapir, civet cats and porcupines roam the forests while hornbills, long-tailed macaques, gibbons and giant flying squirrels are commonly seen perched on the giant trees.


Charcoal Production Factories

Discover how mangrove timber is turned into charcoal. The baking kilns are themselves impressive structures to behold. Each made from 23,000 bricks and covered with a mix of sticky, yellow clay, river sand and water, the kilns (each kiln has a diameter of about six to seven metres!) were built without any form of scaffold support.


Pasir Salak

Considered by some as the bedrock of old Malay architecture, Pasir Salak is famed for its intricately carvings and traditional wooden houses. A visit here can best be described as a journey through the pages of history. Look out for Perak's first British Resident J.W.W. Birch's memorial and the “Kutai Houses” (Perak traditional houses) located within the vicinity of Pasir Salak Historical Complex.


Kellie’s Castle

The legacy of Scottish planter William Kellie Smith, Kellie’s Castle is believed to have secret rooms and underground tunnels and is definitely worth a visit.


Pangkor And The Surrouding Islands

Island hopping, snorkelling, barbeques by the many secluded beaches that dot the Straits of Malacca and trekking through the small virgin jungles are just some of the many interesting activities available.


Bota Kanan River Terrapin Wildlife Con-servation Centre

The 8.5 hectares of river front land is the nesting habitat of river terrapins from September to March. At the centre’s breeding pool, hundreds of adult terrapins beckon.


Sea Turtle Sanctuary

You'll have a whale of a time at the turtle breeding sanctuary on a remote beach near Segari. Here, visitors can touch and see the creatures while learning about the centre's conservation efforts.


Gua Tempurung

Dating back to 8000 BC, the largest limestone cave in Peninsular Malaysia stretches for 1.9km and is made up of five huge domes. Each dome has different formations of stalagmites and stalactites. - The Star.

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Three-day Matta fair

Tuesday September 19, 2006

THE Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) will be holding its third travel fair in Ipoh this weekend.

The three-day fair, to be held at Stadium Indera Mulia from Friday to Sunday, is expected to attract at least 40,000 people, said organi-sing chairman Aminurrashid Abas.

It will be open from 10am to 10pm daily.

The fair is organised with the cooperation of the Perak Tourism Action Council and sponsored by the Ipoh City Council and Visa.

Visitors can expect to find ex-clusive travel packages and cheap offers on vacation deals from more than 30 participating orga-nisations.

There will be as many as 76 booths at the fair, Aminurrashid said.

He said free gifts would be given to those who brought along original copies of the Matta newspaper advertisement.

Visitors can also take part in a lucky draw and a contest that offers a grand prize of two economy class air tickets to China sponsored by Malaysia Airlines. Ad-mission is free.

Related post:
MATTA Fair 2010 promotion for Tourism Malaysia
MATTA Fair 2010 PWTC KL
MATTA Fair 2010 in Ipoh, Perak
MATTA Fair 2009
MATTA Fair 2006

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Pulau Perhentian - a resort island

Koh Samui’s lesser-known sister
Thursday September 14, 2006
By Kamaruzaman Yaacob

The resort island of Pulau Perhentian off Tereng-ganu's coast shares geographical similarities with its Thai counterpart of Koh Samui, situated 600km to the north. But it still lags when it comes to drawing tourists.

Tourism operators on the island are of the opinion that networking with their counterparts in Koh Samui can help bring the much needed tourists.

A boatman waiting for passengers to disembark from the speedboat to take them to shore at Pulau Perhentian Kecil in Terengganu.

The Thailand Tourism Association's Deputy Chairman Abdul Aziz Awang Seman also opined that tour operators in Malaysia must take steps to promote Pulau Perhentian in Thailand as no information was available on the island there.

“Everyday, almost 12,000 international tourists visit Koh Samui and some of them want to continue their vacation to other places,” he said.

Abdul Aziz said for the benefit of both islands, he was trying to establish a networking between tour operators in Koh Samui and Pulau Perhentian.

There are at least 10 snorkeling spots, with the full works, onl Pulau Perhentian.

Pulau Perhentian is made of a cluster of islands consisting of Pulau Perhentian Besar, Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Pulau Susu Dara and a few other small islands covering 1,392ha.

It has been gazetted as a marine park.

The tourist attractions are in Pulau Perhentian Besar along Teluk Pauh, Pasir Jong, Teluk Keke and Teluk Dalam. Meanwhile the attractions on Pulau Perhentian Kecil lies at Kampung Pasir Panjang and Teluk Kerma.

Turtles are regularly seen around the Perhentian Islands.

Dominic Johnson, 20, a tourist from England when met at Pulau Perhentian said the attractions were similar to Koh Samui.

“Here, the situation is quiet and refreshing compared to Koh Samui which is always filled with tourists and traffic congestion.

“Here, we are free to engage in varied activities like scuba diving, snorkelling and jungle trekking. The natural surroundings are also untouched, while over there, it's cramped with rapid development,” he said.

However, there are some impediments in bringing tourists from Koh Samui.

Obviously more needs to be done to draw tourists to the island despite its having natural beauty and crystal clear waters.

Firstly there are no direct ferry services or flights from Koh Samui to the island or even to the nearest town in the mainland as pointed out by Abdul Aziz who is also a member of the Thailand Tourism Board.

Above: Coconut trees providing shade at a beach along an island.

Because of this, tourists from Koh Samui must travel back to Bangkok to take a flight to Kuala Lumpur before continuing to Pulau Perhentian.

The other option is a RM180 van ride that takes eight hours to reach Besut and then board a ferry to the island at a cost of RM30 for a one-way trip.

Secondly the facilities and infrastructure even for the in-habitants are limited, and at any one time the most it can only cater for fewer than 3,000 visitors.

According to the local head in Pulau Perhentian Kecil, Che Omar Che Mat, 57, there are currently a bazaar, a primary school, a midwife clinic and a police station under construction.

More importantly the island needs clean fresh water and Che Omar hoped the government would speed up the building of a pipeline from the mainland to bring clean water.

Thirdly and probably the most critical impediment concerns the coral reefs, which are among the best in the region. But these tourism assets for the island, are fast vanishing.

The white monolith extending from Pulau Perhentian is another attraction for foreign tourists. — Bernamapic

The coral reefs especially at Pantai Teluk Dalam, on the eastern part of the island, were seen to be facing extermination due to the receding water level.

During low tides, the dead corals are washed ashore along the 3km-long beach, creating an ugly beachfront with the sight best described by Dutch tourist Romano Ruis, 23, as disappointing.

“The authorities must take action to overcome the problem before it's too late,” he said.

Dutch tourists, Ester Odenhinehen, 20 (left) and Ruis, showing the damaged corals found along the 3km coast of Pantai Teluk Dalam on the eastern side of Pulau Perhentian — Bernamapic

For the owner of Arwana Resort Datuk Abdul Aziz Mat Daud, the coral reefs around the area have long been dead and it's hard to revive them again.

Efforts should be taken to deepen the area though it may incur huge cost.

“Similar efforts in the Caribbean islands helped to produce a new marine park.

“The dead reefs were dug out and made into a fortress in the water. In long term, a man-made lagoon and marine park was created,” he said.

About 95% of the 1,500 villagers in Pulau Perhentian Kecil are now active in the tourism industry around Pulau Perhentian Besar.

Here, there are about, 40 resorts and chalets providing job opportunities to 600 people.

Despite the limitations, Pulau Perhentian is still a worthwhile destination for any nature lover. – Bernama / Star.

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Langkawi Four Seasons Resort

Langkawi Four Seasons Resort
By Jan Leow

This is really a luxurious resort. Six-star class, with the lowest room rate at US$450 per night is very well out of range for most average income earners. On top of that, they just won the FIABCI-MALAYSIAN award 2006 in the resort development category.

If the photos of the resort are anything to go by, it definitely left my mouth watering and longing to at least visit the place. But being a high class snob place, I bet they would not allow any outsiders to simply waltz right in to have a look at their premises unless you are a fare paying guest. Perhaps just dining in would be good enough to enable you to have a look around.

The Four Season Resort Langkawi is a six-star resort hotel under a joint partnership between Malaysian Airlines System Bhd (MAS) and Four Season Resort group.

So let's see what do they have:

91 accommodation units available in five types of guest rooms and suites:

• 34 units of Melaleuca lower pavilion
  
• 34 units of Melaleuca upper pavilion
  
• 20 units of beach villa
  
• 2 units of two-bedroom villa; and
  
• a royal villa
  

The resort has three restaurants with its own distinct concept and architecture.

• Serai offers buffet breakfast and dinner with the flavours of southern Italy and the Mediterranean
  
• Ikan-Ikan offers fresh seafood in an exotic South-East Asian regional mix of Thai, Chinese and Malay styles; and
  
• Kafe Kelapa features a full service bar and serves an all day menu with a mix of western and eastern cuisine.
  

Other amenities at the resort:

• Rhu Bar offers a selection of snacks and an evening beverage list. Turkish water pipes, Indian Moghul hangin swings and a pool table complete the picture
  
• A 55m seafront infinity edge lap pool provides an airy yet intimate retreat, complete with lounges, fountains and eight private cabanas;
  
• A family pool with a unique design consisting of fountains, water jet streams and bubble beds;
  
• Spa Complex with six pavilions set against a backdrop of limestone granite and a separate pavilion for guests to practice yoga and meditation; and
  
• library.
  

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Langkawi - Freshness Guaranteed

Freshness guaranteed
Saturday September 2, 2006

Food is a four-letter word that can be enjoyed in so many ways. BOEY PING PING goes from a business-class flight to first-class dining at the celebrated Four Seasons Resort Langkawi.

FLYING into Langkawi, the plane passes low over waters so clear I can almost see my dinner jumping out at me. Fish, squid and prawns swim playfully in the turquoise sea, oblivious to their fate as my meal soon. It’s been a while since I last visited the island but now is better than ever to visit Langkawi as the curse of Mahsuri has been lifted and business is booming.

The legend of Mahsuri tells of the execution of a princess wrongly accused of adultery. With her last breath, she put a curse on Langkawi that would last seven generations.

While the curse of Mahsuri has ended, the success of the Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, opened last year, is only beginning.

The resort is a village of pavilions, pools and landscaped gardens.

The sprawling 19ha resort which took six years to build reveals an amazing world-class destination that Malaysians can proudly call their own.

Even before it celebrated its first birthday, the resort was named World’s Best of the Best in the premier issue of Robb Report Luxury Resorts.

Surrounded by sandy white beaches, lush greenery and emerald waters, the resort is a tropical paradise where every restaurant overlooks the sea and every room has a view. Here, food isn’t just food but a celebration of the senses and surroundings.

The freshest seafood assured.

Bountiful breakfast

I arrived at the resort in time for my breakfast appointment with public relations and sales co-ordinator Warren Fernandez, but a hotel staff member turned up at my door bearing a tray full of delectable pastries. I wondered whether my breakfast appointment was cancelled, but the staff clarified that “we didn’t want you to go hungry”.

That probably reflected the state I was in for the next three days – well-fed.

The feeding frenzy started with a hearty breakfast at Serai restaurant. There’s an oft chance that you could spend the most important meal of the day sitting next to someone important as celebrities are known to spend their holidays here.

All sorts of smells wafted around the buffet spread. Roti canai was made on the spot and the chocolate-chip pancakes didn’t remain on their plates for long.

It seemed sinful to indulge in the santan-rich nasi lemak but it would have been even more sinful not to try it with the lip-smacking chicken rendang. Western pastries sat side by side with Nyonya delicacies, while healthy options of granola were just as tempting as the less wholesome sugar-sweet pastries.

We had breakfast by the beach, amidst tall palm trees and the gentle caress of a tropical breeze. The option of breakfast in bed can wait till tomorrow.

Mediterranean munchies

When seafood is so easily available, you can sprinkle it on top of a crisp-thin pastry base, pour tomato sauce over it, add a pinch of oregano and call it the Frutti Di Mare pizza.

Pizzas at Kafe Kelapa are cooked in a wood-fire oven lending a smoky flavour to the crunchy base. Not surprisingly, pizzas are popular with the diners – bikini-clad women and hunky men. And because hunger strikes easily after a swim, Kafe Kelapa, the resort’s poolside café, is a favourite hangout.

Picnic basket

The next day was sunny, perfect for a picnic lunch. By the time we finished touring the mangroves and visiting the bat cave, we were just as famished as the eagles that swooped down to catch the pieces of chicken skin we threw up at them.

At Gua Cerita, a little beach enclave, we carried three sturdy rattan baskets which opened up to reveal a delicious three-course meal. Instead of a picnic mat, we sat at a picnic table. As we enjoyed our curried chicken salad and mango relish, we enjoyed the natural surroundings. The focaccia sandwich of roast beef, aragula and asparagus seemed too posh for a simple picnic setting.

Even then, there was more to come – Camembert with dried apricot compote and New York Cheese Cake with raspberry sauce.

Lunch came to an end when I spotted two monkeys checking out our five-star lunch. We quickly left as I didn’t want to meet the monkey’s extended family!

Find tropical cocktails and rich Middle Eastern ambience at the Rhu Bar.

Sunset cocktails by the beach

If you want to catch a jewel-toned sunset on the warm beach with a cold drink in your hand, Rhu Bar is the place.

An elaborate tapestry of rich colours and textures accentuates the Moorish ambience of Rhu Bar. Coloured cushions, hanging swings and glowing candles lend mystery to this seductive, romantic hideaway. The bar is probably the only one in the world to have a fuchsia coloured pool table.

When the sun sets, the Arabian Nights inspired lounge comes alive with a mystical glow that is perpetuated by genie-costumed staff. Mohan Naidu, the food and beverage assistant director, was kind enough to let me play bartender for a moment. From him, I got the bar’s secret recipe for their signature drink, Mojito.

As I left for dinner, I noticed the staff setting up a tiny table by the beach. Apparently, a couple had decided to have their romantic dinner outdoors – with their legs dangling from the hanging Indian Moghul swing. At the resort, anything is possible.

Cooking class

Nyonya recipes are usually passed down from one generation to another, and jealously guarded. So I was excited to attend the resort’s Nyonya cooking class. Plus, I had the honour of having the chef de cuisine, Chef Khairusshahri Ghazali, teach me the finer points of cooking.

We started by tackling an easy recipe – popiah. Simple was what I thought until I tried making the popiah skin from scratch.

The batter refused to skim smoothly over the pan and the skin was too full of holes to be used. I resigned myself to watching the chef rather than participating as he conjured up delicious treats of Inchee Cabin (fried chicken with galangal, ginger and lime leaves) and Nyonya Achar (pickled vegetables).

The sago pudding – sago doused with freshly squeezed coconut milk and palm sugar seemed simple enough to make but I decided to practise at home and enjoy the meal instead.

The relaxing Ikan-Ikan.

Romance of the Rajasthani tent

Feeling like a contestant on Survivor who had just won the reward of a lavish dinner by the beach, I joined Fernandez under the resort’s Rajasthani tent.

Had I been on my honeymoon then, I would have relished the experience even more – a beautiful dome tent, a carefully crafted bouquet of pink roses and exclusive one-to-one service while dining on the beach with no one else in sight.

Even if several couples decide to have a Rajasthani tent dinner, the tents are scattered around the island to ensure privacy.

The menu is from the resort’s Ikan-Ikan (Malay for fish) restaurant which is built like a traditional Malay-style home. Like its name, you’ll find the freshest seafood from the Andaman sea cooked in all styles – from Thai shrimp cakes to otak-otak and skewered calamari.

Once again, Chef Khairusshahri dazzled me with his cooking skills. Instead of boring old soup, he created a lovely laksa sauce broth with a plump prawn wonton. Without a doubt, the steamed seabass was the freshest I had ever savoured.

As all the resort’s three restaurants and bar face the sea, you’ll always be feasting on succulent seafood against a backdrop of ocean and islands. And here, the setting is always as spectacular as the cuisine.

For more information, visit www.fourseasons.com/langkawi

- The Star

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