Closure of Aero Train Shuttle Service at KLIA International Airport

Closure of Aero Train Shuttle Service at Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Please be informed that Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad (MAHB) at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has announced that they will be shutting down the Aero Train Shuttle Service between the Main Terminal Building (MTB) to Satellite Building with effective from 01st November 2010 to 15th March 2011.



This closure of the Aero Train Shuttle Service is for planned maintenance depot checks and repairs which will take about 04 months period for completion.

During this period, MAHB will be using a fleet of 12 buses to shuttle passengers between the Main Terminal Building (MTB) to the Satellite Building.

As such, to avoid inconvenience to your passengers, with immediate effect, at Point of Reservations and Ticketing, the travel agent staff must ensure to inform the passengers who are travelling on MH flights from 01 Nov 2010 onwards that they must be early at the Airport for check-in in order not to miss their flights.

Read More

Lost World of Tambun Theme Park

New hot attractions at Lost World park
Thursday September 9, 2010

The Lost World of Tambun theme park's latest addition - the RM2mil Hot Springs & Spa - has been a hit with tour operators and Ipoh folks since its opening early this month.

Over 250 guests attended a special preview of the attraction at the theme park at Sunway City Ipoh.

The group comprising tour operators, hoteliers and corporate partners were impressed with what they saw.

New attraction: The hot springs and spa
at the Lost World of Tambun are built
around scenic and lush environment.

The theme park's general manager Calvin Ho said the hot springs, with water from natural sources, offered visitors the ultimate relaxation.

He said visitors could have a refreshing soak in the hot springs while admiring the scenic limestone hills.

"The water in the hot springs and the thermal water in the pool are not recycled. It flows freely through the pools from the Kopisan River.

"Three million litres of thermal water percolate from the ground in Tambun and into the hot springs and spa daily," he said, adding the hot water was maintained at 40 degree Celsius.

He said the thermal water contained minerals such as calcium carbonate, sodium, magnesium sulphate and iron, which were good for foot and skin problems as well as arthritis.

Ho said facilities at the new hot springs and spa include a new Infinity Pool, a Steam Cave, the Top of the World Jacuzzi Pool, the Geyser of Tambun, the Foot Spa and the Crystal Spa.

The entrance fee is RM12 per person for those only visiting the Hot Springs and Spa from 6pm to 10pm.

The admission ticket for the theme park is RM38 for adults and RM32 for children. -- Star News

Read More

MATTA Fair Sept 2010

Matta fair returns with bigger and better deals
Friday September 3, 2010

THE much-awaited Malaysian Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) Fair is back at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) Kuala Lumpur from today to Sunday.

The travel fair is the second to be organised this year after a successful one in March.

Matta Fair organising chairman John Tan said there would be more than 185 exhibitors.

"Although September is always a smaller fair compare with March, we are expecting 80,000 visitors and RM1.9mil turnover from this exhibition," said Tan.

Read More

MATTA Fair Sept 2010 KTM Discount

Rail discounts at Matta Fair
By Tho Xin Yi
Saturday August 28, 2010

VISITORS to the Matta Fair planning a cross-state or cross-border journey take note, KTM Intercity will be distributing discount coupons at its booth during the fair.

The coupon will entitle the holder to a 25% discount on the train fare, with a minimum purchase of four tickets for off-peak period.

The coupons must be used within three months from the date of issuance.

Added draw: (From left) Mohd Khalid, Mohd Noordin and Tan giving details on the offers at the Matta Fair.

---

KTM SBU Intercity Services marketing manager Mohd Noordin Kimi said KTM Intercity had prepared 5,000 coupons for the fair, to be held from Sept 3 to 5 from 10am to 9pm at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur.

“In addition to KTM Intercity goodies for those who visit our booth, we also contribute one premier class ticket and 10 superior class tickets to the organiser as contest prizes, as well as six superior class tickets for the lucky draw,” he said.

Read More

MATTA Fair Perak September 2010

30,000 visitors expected for Matta Perak Travel Fair
Tuesday August 17, 2010

IPOH: About 30,000 visitors are expected for the Matta Perak Travel Fair 2010 from Sept 3 to Sept 5.

Organising secretary Aminur­rashid Abas said more people were expected to travel during the year-end school holidays.

The fair, he said, would be held at the Leong Wan Chin Hall at SMJK Perempuan Perak on Jalan Tuanku Bainun (formerly Jalan Kampar), adding that the previous fair in March had attracted 20,000 people.

Aminurrashid said the 60 exhibition booths at the fair would be opened to public from 10am to 10pm daily.

“Customers who buy tour packages worth more than RM300 will be entitled to enter a contest and win airline tickets,” he said, adding that the organising committee was still negotiating with airline companies on the destinations for contest winners.

The fair is organised in cooperation with the Perak government and Tourism Perak Sdn Bhd.

State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Hamidah Osman is expected to launch the event on the first day at 6pm. -- The Star


MATTA Fair September 2010 KTM Promotion and Discounts
MATTA Fair September 2010 PWTC
MATTA Fair Perak September 2010
MATTA Fair August 2011

Read More

Rainforest World Music Festival 2010

Rainforest world music fest exposes Sarawak’s diverse cultures
By Yu Ji, Photos by Zulazhar Shelee and Andre Oliveiro
Monday July 12, 2010

THE Rainforest World Music Festival never fails to entertain.

After four days and three nights of performances, there’s little to fault organisers.

Sure, there were reports in the local media of poor promotion and slow ticket sales during the run-up to this year’s event, but last minute sales and discounts proved rather successful.

In the end, what really became a problem was transportation, due to the capacity crowds, especially on Saturday.

Drummer boys: Farafina artistes keeping the crowd thrilled with a variety of songs and beats.

Queues for shuttle vans back to Santubong Resort, about 3km away, the only place where public parking was allowed, were long.

Some attendants waited more than an hour for the service. Outside of minor issues like this, the festival has been growing from strength to strength.

Allround praises should go to former Sarawak Tourism Board chief executive officer Gracie Geikie for her feat, while the present CEO Datuk Rashid Khan’s efforts and ideas for future events are encouraging.

Drum beats: Leila Negrau from Reunion Island beats on a drum to accompany the music.

The annual Rainforest weekend at the Sarawak Cultural Village incorporates not just music but also an arts and craft bazaar. It provides revellers another venue to learn about Sarawak’s many indigenous cultures.

Already there are plans for a food festival to be held at Kuching next year, which could last up to one week, taking place immediately after the music fest.

But the musical event will continue to be promoted as the main draw.

With the conclusion of the 13th edition last night, over 10,000 tickets were sold over the three-day event, while total attendance was estimated at 20,000.

As the largest annual music fest in Sarawak, and indeed Malaysia, the event attracts the kind of audience, who come with the right intentions.

While these are mostly youths, the festival has built up a strong reputation as a family event. Every year, college students can be seen dancing alongside their parents and grandparents.

The key to the festival’s success has always been its emphasis on celebrating diverse cultures.

French beat: Minuit Guibolles from France playing the bagpipe while a traditional dancer accompanies him.

The band line-up features everything from the percussions of Africa to slower, meditation-like pieces by Iranian musicians. Twenty groups from around the world had participated in the festival this year.

There is a sense of celebration and openness at each year’s event, which seems harder to come by within the confines of cities like Kuching or Kuala Lumpur.

In terms of business, the festival is incredible value for money.

According to Rashid, the weekend cost about RM2mil to organise but the spin-off revenue is estimated to be more than RM20mil.

Media exposure of roughly RM10mil is the “icing on the cake”, Rashid added. More facilities are also being constructed at Sarawak Cultural Village and would be ready by next year’s event.

There are even plans to live-webcast the series of concerts over the internet, he said.

Next year’s festival will be held on the second weekend of July.-- The StarMetro

Read More

Sarawak River Cruise

Sarawak River has witnessed some great events such as when it welcomed Sir James Brooke's ship, the Royalist about 100 years ago. It was also the start of the White Rajah rule. So why not give this river cruise a try!

Sarawak River cruise promises a memorable experience for visitors
By Rintos Mail
Photo By Zulazhar Sheblee
Thursday April 29, 2010

BE IT a leisurely sunset cruise, a starlight cruise party, a romantic wedding party or a corporate function, a cruise along Sarawak River from the Kuching Waterfront on board the mv Equatorial promises a memorable experience.

If you happen to be in Kuching, the Sarawak River Cruise is not to be missed. It's a fantastic way to look at and experience the history of Kuching.

Cruising along Sarawak River, the main artery around which Kuching has grown, one will sail past the city's historical landmarks and get unique insights and views of all aspect of traditional life by the river and the city.

Romantic: A sunset view from the ship during the cruise.

While enjoying sumptuous meal on board the 120 feet by 20 feet vessel, one is entertained by the sweet sound of the sape – a traditional Orang Ulu musical instrument.

One may also choose to enjoy other on-board entertainment such as karaoke and piped music.

The double-decker mv Equatorial can accommodate up to 200 persons at any one time. The lower deck comprises an air-conditioned dining lounge, a mini bar and washrooms, while the upper deck has a sheltered sightseeing deck with an open-air performance stage.

Layar Warisan Sdn Bhd, which took over operations of the mv Equatorial in 2008, said the vessel had gone through a complete re-branding to provide a wide range of cruising experiences and improved service quality.

"We have boosted the cruise experience by introducing an interesting historical commentary and traditional cultural performances in full costume.

On-board entertainment: An Iban maiden and a warrior
performing a cultural dance during the cruise.

"The ship's interior has been completely renovated, establishing a new standard of luxury in river cruising. It provides a great venue for weddings, corporate and state events, and community activities," said managing director Fiona Marcus Raja.

In addition to the daily sunset cruise, she said that brunch, lunch and dinner cruises were on offer on the sky deck or at the new Mariner Lounge below.

"Our chartered business features a myriad of events such as Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas dinner cruises, educational tours for schools and teaching the younger generation about history and the importance of tourism in Sarawak," she added.

Marcus said the ship hosted governments and corporate functions as well as private events, including birthday parties and wedding anniversaries.

"Many couples have been married on board. In fact, we believe we offer the most romantic wedding setting in Kuching," she said.

Her dream is to make the cruise a must-have activity for visitors in Kuching.

"I think we have come a long way in achieving the dream," she added.

Magnificent view: The State Legislative Assembly building
captured during the Sarawak River cruise.

Over the past 20 years, cruising on the mv Equatorial offered tourists a rich panoramic view of the city centre, its famous landmarks and splendid setting.

On the cruise, passengers would follow the path of the first White Rajah, Sir James Brooke, when he sailed up Sarawak River on that historic day in August 1838, she said.

Among the landmarks seen on the cruise are the Astana built in 1870, Brooke Dockyard (1912), Kuching State Mosque (1847). Down river are the Old Court House (1874), Square Tower (1879), Main Bazaar (1864), Chinese Museum (1912), Fort Margherita (1879) and the Malay villages of Kampung Boyan and Kampung Surabaya (1860).

Layar Warisan has 18 full-time and four part-time staff members working on shift on the mv Equatorial. -- The Star Metro

Read More

MATTA Fair 2010 in Ipoh Perak

MATTA Fair 2010 is also available in Ipoh, Perak. So no need to go PWTC Kuala Lumpur to hunt for promotion. It seems the offers are same whether in Ipoh or Kuala Lumpur.

Location: Leong Wan Chin Hall at SMJK Perempuan on Jalan Tuanku Bainun
Duration: 2pm to 10pm on Friday and from 10am to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday
Admission: Free

---

Matta fair back in Perak
9/3/2010

THE Matta Perak Travel Fair 2010 is back again with exciting travel offers from Friday to Sunday.

The three-day fair in Ipoh will be held at the Leong Wan Chin Hall at SMJK Perempuan on Jalan Tuanku Bainun (formerly Jalan Kampar).

“There will be lots of activities and entertainment whereas visitors who purchase packages over RM300 will be entitled to enter a lucky draw contest in which flight tickets are up for grabs,” event organising chairman Aminurrashid Abas said in a statement.

The fair will be open to the public from 2pm to 10pm on Friday and from 10am to 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Admission is free.

For details, call the secretariat office at 05-2431450 or 012-5754039

---

Jetting off to see the world
11/3/2010

VISITORS to the ninth edition of the Matta Perak Travel Fair 2010 tomorrow will be spoilt for choice as there will be 18 exhibitors putting up booths selling domestic and foreign tour packages

Organising chairman Aminur-rashid Abas said there would be 53 booths during the three-day fair, which ends on Sunday.

“The fair will be held at the Leong Wan Chin Hall at SMJK Perempuan on Jalan Tuanku Bainun,” he told reporters during a press conference in Ipoh yesterday.

The fair is open from 2pm to 10pm on Friday while it will open from 10am to 10pm during the weekends, said Aminurrashid, adding that 20,000 visitors were expected to throng the fair.

He added that there would be lots of fun-filled activities for all during the event and visitors could win a lot of lucky draw prizes.

Visitors, who buy RM300 worth of products, will be given a contest form which offers the chance to win the grand prizes of airline tickets.

He noted that the committee anticipated that the response to the fair would be good as there were no major issues affecting the tourism sector this year.

Organising secretary Jimmy Goh said the fair would be held simultaneously with the Matta fair in Kuala Lumpur.

“The people need not travel to the capital to grab the offers as the same offers are available at the Leong Wan Chin Hall,” he said.

Admission is free.

For details, call the secretariat office at 05-2431450 or 012-5754039.

--Star News.

Related post:
MATTA Fair 2010 promotion for Tourism Malaysia
MATTA Fair 2010 PWTC KL
MATTA Fair 2009
MATTA Fair 2006

Read More

Hot Malaysian Weather

Hot and bothered
By Joseph Loh
Sunday February 28, 2010

"WAH! It’s really hot this Chinese New Year!" This has to be the most commonly used – and heard – sentence among Malaysians as they visited their Chinese friends and relatives over the lunar new year.

The proof is everywhere: people on the street are walking around with umbrellas and shopping malls are crowded with people trying to escape the stifling heat.

Padi fields and plantations are drying out and air-conditioning units are working overtime: the last is said to be responsible for an all-time record in the usage of electricity. Tenaga Nasional Bhd registered a demand of 14,417MW on Feb 11, when the average over the past two years was 13,501MW – almost a 7% increase!

Truth be told, there is substance to the belief that the hottest part of the year is during Chinese New Year.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Dr Yap Kok Seng confirms this fact.

"The driest and hottest period over the northwestern states of peninsular Malaysia, such as Perlis and the northern region of Perak, are the months of January to March, which happens to coincide with the Chinese New Year period.

"However, during the El Nino years, this hot and dry period can be longer," says Dr Yap.

As 2010 is an El Nino year, be ready for more heat. It might be a good idea to stock up on the sunblock lotion. In the meantime, here are some statistics for extreme heat situations officially recorded in Malaysia.

Lowest temperature ever recorded in Malaysia:
Cameron Highlands (1471.6m above mean sea level) 7.8°C Feb 1, 1978
-- The Star News

Related Post:
Hot Weather Malaysia
Malaysian Weather
Cameron Highlands Weather
Cameron Highlands Current Weather March 2010

Read More

Malaysia Food

CAMERON HIGHLANDS



FOR good Malay food in the Cameron Highlands, make your way to this outlet. Zainab Sam Abdul Latif started a stall in 1974 and over the years, it expanded into this small restaurant.

At 66, Zainab, who hails from Batu Gajah, Perak, still actively attends to her customers, who declare that she serves the best Malay and Thai-style cuisine in the area.

The restaurant serves fried rice in many styles, such as nasi goreng kampung and nasi goreng Pattaya. Prices start from RM3, depending on the cooking style and the ingredients. If you opt for plain rice, Zainab offers about 20 types of vegetable, meat and fish dishes daily.

There is also good sup tulang or beef bone soup to be found here. What is outstanding is the ikan keli masak sambal. Zainab's nasi lemak with its flavourful rice is also good. - Star Street Food Guide.

Restoran Zainab Sam
(Opposite HSBC Bank)
10 Main Road, Tanah Rata.
Tel: 05-491 1917
Open 6.30am to 10pm.
Days off not fixed.

---

KUCHING, SARAWAK



LOCALS regard the noodles here, known as “Jubilee Ground Belacan Beehoon”, as Kuching’s best version of the pungent dish. The vendor is located in a row of small stalls and has been around for over 20 years. The tables are packed all day long.

The belacan beehoon has a good balance, neither too mild nor too pungent. The locals will advise you to eat it with slices of century egg, which help to mask the gravy’s pungency.

Round off your meal with air batu campur and cendol from the next stall, Ah Yeo Ais Kacang. For both icy treats, you can choose to have either coconut milk or evaporated milk added. The air batu campur has a richer flavour, with coconut milk added – that’s how most of the locals like it. Other good eats in the area include mee kolok and rojak.

Ah Keng Belacan Beehoon
Jubilee grounds
(next to SRJK Chung Hua 3)
Jalan Tan Sri Datuk William Tan.
Open 11.30am to 6pm.
Days off not fixed.

---

ALOR STAR, KEDAH



ASK around town and you will be told that Lai Huat serves one of the best versions of curry mee around. Owner Kwek Kim Huat inherited the 33-year-old business from his father. He uses Indian meat curry powder as the base for the aromatic and rich gravy. The noodles are topped with tofu puffs, chicken slices, beansprouts and hard-boiled egg. A tablespoon of sambal turns up the heat.

Curry Mee
Kedai Kopi Lai Huat
(Opposite Kedai Kopi Chooi Hong)
Stall No. 13, Jalan Sultan Badlishah.
Open 7am to 12pm.
Days off not fixed.

Read More

Morib Gold Coast project

Everything for a good holiday
Story and photos by Elan Perumal
7/Jan/2010

THE RM1bil Morib Gold Coast project is expected not only to draw a large number of tourists to the beach but also offer business opportunities for locals in the area.

A total of 300 retail outlets will be housed in a 10-storey building that marks the final phase of the project.

The outlets, which are being sold for RM69,999 each, will be located on the first three floors of the building. The block will also house a five-star hotel from the fifth floor upwards.

Work on the building has started and it is expected to be completed in 18 months' time.

As an incentive, STG Group chairman Datuk Alex Tan Siong Seng said, the first 50 purchasers of the outlets would be offered a seven-day/six-night trip for two to Guangzhou, China.

During the all-expense-paid trip, the buyers would be involved in meetings with businessmen from the city, Tan said.

"They will have the opportunity to get to know new businessmen and perhaps do business with them," he added.

Tan said the retail outlets were also available for rent to small retailers who were unable to purchase them. The monthly rental would be a nominal RM400.

Tan said retailers could be also provided with basic retail stocks for a minimum capital of RM2,000, depending on the type of items they wished to sell. This could go up to a maximum of RM10,000 worth of goods.

For entrepreneurs: The retail outlets are available for sale or rent.

---

"The outlets on the first floor of the building will sell various local products, including souvenirs, handicraft, batik and foodstuff.

"The two other floors will offer visitors various other types of goods," he said, adding that each retail outlet could be run by a single person as centralised cashiers would be deployed.

Besides selling their goods to walk-in visitors, especially tourists, Tan expects all the retailers to double as wholesalers.

He said the retailers would be put in contact with the manufacturers from the beginning, and they would be able to supply large volumes of goods whenever there was a demand.

Sun, sand and sea: The beach resort will offer tourists a good holiday.

---

This, he said, would be a great business opportunity for the locals as he expected the Gold Coast project to be a big hit among visitors and tourists.

Being situated so near the KL International Airport, the resort was expected to draw thousands of visitors daily once it was fully operational, he said.

Morib is set for a massive change when the project, which has 686 units of serviced apartments to cater for holiday-makers, opens.

Tan envisaged Morib booming with economic and tourism activities once the project was completed, noting that the resort would be the nearest to the country's number one gateway by air and that it would be offering a complete holiday experience for tourists.

"We have everything required, from accommodation and restaurants to theme parks and the beach.

"Holiday-makers will have an exotic experience at our resort," he said confidently. -- The Star

Read More