Sipadan Island is the only oceanic island in Malaysia. It is well-known for its international diving fraternity as one of the world’s five best dive sites. Rising 600 meters from the seabed, Sipadan Island is located in the Celebes Sea east of the major town of Tawau and off the coast of East Malaysia on the Island of Borneo. This beautiful oceanic island was formed by living corals growing on top of an extinct volcanic cone that took thousands of years to develop.

Sipadan Island is located in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world, the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin. In this ecosystem, over 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified.

In the waters around Sipadan, rare diving scenes are frequently seen such as schools of green and hawksbill turtles nesting and mating, schools of barracuda and big-eye trevally in tornado-like formations, pelagic species such as manta rays, eagle rays, scalloped hammerhead sharks and whale sharks. Therefore, Sipadan is popular with its unusually large numbers of green and hawksbill turtles which gather there to mate and nest. And it is not really rare for a diver to see more than seventy turtles on each dive.

Besides that, there is a mysterious turtle tomb lies underneath the column of the Sipadan Island. The turtle tomb was formed by an underwater limestone cave with a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers that contain many skeletal remains of turtles that have become lost and drown before finding the surface.

Currently, this beautiful island is in the care of Wildlife Department. The Wildlife Department has stationed several park rangers to oversee the state of nature of the island. In order to protect the world’s unique flora and fauna on the island as well as the underwater world, the Malaysian Government has made a decision that from the year 2005, no more overnight facilities shall be on the Sipadan Island itself. This implies that all dive operators on the Sipadan Island have to move and diving at Sipadan will be conducted from other destinations likes Mabul and Kapalai.

Why Not Go

You really shouldn’t go to this place for holiday unless you are a scuba diver or you like snorkeling very much. There is nothing much to do on this island except enjoy yourself on the beautiful sandy beaches and watching the coral reef with its rich marine life. Besides that, there is no resort and nothing to buy on the island.

Why Go

The name of Sipadan is a legend in the diving circles, conjuring the images of patrolling hammerhead sharks, millions of colorful reef fish and, above all, dozens of sea turtles swimming peacefully everywhere. As one of the five top diving destinations in the world, Sipadan, the small rainforest-covered tropical island rising from a 700 meter abyss in the Celebes Sea, is an ultimate diving spot that a committed diver cannot miss.

Diving at Sipadan is certainly world class, so this place has attracted many diving lovers. It is well-known that divers are able to see about 150 species of butterfly fish within a single dive in Sipadan. Utilized by marine biologists as the indicators of coral reef health, a great number and species diversity of butterfly fish implies the abundance and diversity of corals. Pristine coral reefs are also landlord to other reef dwellers such as angelfish, snappers, wrasse, sweet lips, and parrotfish as well as the larger pelagic, barracudas, mantas, whales, dolphins and schools of hammerhead sharks.

Besides that, Sipadan Island is well-known with its vast numbers of Green and Hawksbill turtles which feed and breed within its waters before the females climb ashore to lay their eggs in the white sandy beaches. Others than that, diving near the coral reefs surprises you with incredible phenomena likes thousands of schooling chevron barracuda and big-eye trevally or ‘Jacks’. Moreover, floating inside such a tornado of fish is a truly breath-taking experience that is hard to beat.

On the other hand, Sabah is becoming one of the world famous location for ‘muck diving’. ‘Muck diving’ is used by divers to describe the search for rare and exotic small marine animals. Numerous rare and newly identified gobies can be found living in the corals, sand, mud and mangroves of Sabah, along with the rarely seen mimic octopus, neon patterned blue-ringed octopus, delicate flamboyant cuttlefish, psychedelic mandarin fish and ghost pipefish.

It is really worth to have a dive at Sipadan. Generally, the rate for three dives at Sipadan is just around RM260, plus RM40 for equipment (if required). Perhaps the rates might vary slightly among different operators. Boat transfers and packed lunch are included as well. Therefore you no need to worry about the food as there is no restaurant on the island.

It is vital to note that you need to have a permit from Sabah Parks in order to access the island, which will cost you RM40. Only 120 permits will be given out every day and they are typically obtained by the dive operators. You must make sure that the diver operator you choose is diving at Sipadan with permits, as some companies have been caught diving at the island without permits. You should check diver reviews of dive operators in the area before choosing as there are many have had customer complaints regarding faulty equipment.

Besides that, another tourist attraction of Sipadan is snorkeling. Eventually from the beach, the reef is easily accessible and parts of the reef further out can be reached by boat. There are a few dive tour operators bring snorkelers to the island at an all-inclusive rate of around RM170.

Best Time to Visit

You may make your way there any time all around the year but due to Sipadan is now a protected site, there is only 120 dives are allowed on Sipadan in a day. Therefore, it is highly recommended to dive as early as possible to beat the crowds and increase your chances of getting on the roster to dive.

Where to Stay

Previously, Sipadan Island was used to have resorts. In order to protect the environment, all the resorts were forced to close down around the year 2002. Hence, to dive on Sipadan, you have to stay somewhere nearby. There are resorts on the nearby islands likes Mabul which is 25 minutes away by boat and Kapalai which is 15 minutes away by boat.

As recommended, Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort is the best place to spend your night. It is just a few minutes by boat from the islands of Sipadan. Planned and built in full style as an airy, comfortable, sunny water village with no land in sight, Sipadan-Kapalai Dive Resort boasts a mile-long sandbank of powdery white sand where you can suntan at complete leisure while gazing out to the miles of brilliant turquoise stretching into the horizon offering the purest image of natural serenity. With the combination of sun and water in a unique and serene setting with friendly staff, Sipadan-Kapalai is an ideal stopover for you to have a great holiday experience.

Where & What to Eat

There are no restaurants on the island. You have to bring your own lunch and snacks there. Besides that, you are reminded to bring along your own water and drinks with you.

Nightlife

There is no nightlife on the Sipadan Island as it is not allowed to stay overnight on the island.

My to do List

- Diving
- Go to sandy beaches
- See the coral reef
-‘Muck diving’
- Snorkeling

Stay Away From

You should stay away from those companies that diving on Sipadan without permits from Sabah Parks. Make sure the diver operator you choose has diving permits from Sabah Parks.

Getting There

Getting to the Sipadan Island requires some effort. The best way for first timer is that by plane. At first, you may fly to Tawau from either Kuala Lumpur which is about three hour’s flight or from Kota Kinabalu which is about 50 minutes flight. Then, continue your trip by minivan or taxi to the port town of Semporna which will take you about one to two hours. And from there you may go to Sipadan itself by fast boat, which only spend one hour.

Horizon Hills’s signature offering and star attraction is a RM30 million 18-hole international championship golf course designed by renowned Australian Golf Course Architect, Ross Watson, on a 200-acre naturally undulating golf course and a RM50 million resort clubhouse designed by Argentinean Architect, Ernesto Bedmar with a host of 5-star amenities including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, gymnasium, tennis courts, golf & sports shop, F & B outlets and a grand ballroom.

For a more unique experience, Ross Watson has applied the “Risk Reward” design principle to the golf course, preserving the natural terrain of the land, with lots of waterways. Many holes feature dramatic changes in elevation from tee to green. For a long hitter, temptation is to go for the greens on the par-4 of hole 4 and hole 16.

Moreover, hole 17 features a very interesting Island Green, a rather short par-3 of about 130 metres, where accuracy and club selection is important. Hole 18 is a very dramatic finishing hole. For the long and accurate hitters, the temptation is to go for the Island Fairway. Once there, the next shot to the green is a middle-to-long iron on this par-5 hole. Two good shots and an eagle would be waiting.

The unique features of the golf course include classical bunkering with sweeping sand faces. Strategically located cascading waterfalls, pristine ponds and lakes feature throughout the course, posing many interesting challenges to both serious and aspiring golfers alike.

The greens are planted with “Tifeagle”, a new hybrid of Bermudagrass developed exclusively for putting greens in the tropics. “Tifeagle” has proven to be a premier putting surface and it delivers the putting speed, consistency and smooth surface desired and can be groomed to speeds of 11 to 12 on the stimpmeter. “Tifeagle” recovers more quickly from mechanical injury, has better colour, and is extremely drought-tolerant and disease-resistant.

The Tees, Fairways and Roughs are planted with “Seashore Paspalum” (Paspalum vaginatum), a new turfgrass species and cultivars that have a high degree of salt tolerance. This grass has been used extensively in the tropics with consistently good results. It is a lush, low growing turfgrass with a nice texture, provides a good “ball sit” and rich green colour. This grass has rapid grow-in and recovery rate from traffic and divots.

Golf Rates

Weekends refer to Saturday, Sunday morning and State public holiday.

Green Fee - Weekday
Special guest: RM40+ (9 hole) | RM60+ (18 hole)
Guest: RM60+ (9 hole) | RM90+ (18 hole)
Visitor: RM80+ (9 hole) | RM120+ (18 hole)

Green Fee - Weekend
Special guest: RM60+ (9 hole) | RM110+ (18 hole)
Guest: RM90+ (9 hole) | RM160+ (18 hole)
Visitor: RM120+ (9 hole) | RM220+ (18 hole)

Green Fee - Sunday Afternoon
Special guest: RM50+ (9 hole) | RM90+ (18 hole)
Guest: RM80+ (9 hole) | RM120+ (18 hole)
Visitor: RM100+ (9 hole) | RM180+ (18 hole)

Buggy Fee
Special guest: RM30+ (9 hole) | RM60+ (18 hole)
Guest: RM30+ (9 hole) | RM60+ (18 hole)
Visitor: RM35+ (9 hole) | RM70+ (18 hole)

Getting There

Close to Singapore and Johor Bahru, Horizon Hills is strategically located in an easily accessible area. The township is about 20 km from the Second Link’s Tuas Checkpoint, 15 km from the port of Tanjung Pelepas, 25 km from Senai Airport and JB city and 70 km from Singapore’s Changi Airport. Horizon Hills is accessible via major highways such as the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, North-South Expressway, Skudai Expressway and Perling Expressway.

Contact

Horizon Hills Resort Berhad (769101-H)
No. 1 Jalan Eka, Horizon Hills, 79100 Nusajaya, Johor Darul Takzim
Tel : 07-2323166
Fax : 07-2323919
For Reservation, please call +607-2323166
Official Website: Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club

Located at the north of Brunei Bay and facing the South China Sea is a charming island port and Malaysia’s only deep-water anchorage, namely Labuan. Seen from the above, Labuan has always been likened to a star floating on a turquoise sea. Declared as a Federal Territory on 16 April 1984, Labuan lies about 8 km off the coast of Borneo adjacent to the state of Sabah. As a prosperous duty-free port and an international offshore financial centre, Labuan has turned into an important spot for business and commerce.

The name Labuan was derived from a Malay word, “Labuhan” which means anchorage. It is popular to be an offshore financial centre that offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990. Besides that, it is also the tourist destination for nearby Bruneians and scuba divers.

The Federal Territory of Labuan comprises Labuan Island and six islets, namely Pulau Burung, Pulau Daat, Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Papan, Pulau Rusukan Kecil and Pulau Rusukan Besar. Over 70% still covered with vegetation, Labuan Island is mainly flat and undulating. Its highest point is 85 meters only. Bandar Labuan, previously known as Victoria, is now the major town and port.

Places of interest in Labuan include the Botanical Garden, a recreational park with old trees, the beautifully landscaped War Memorial, the Peace Park, the Labuan Square, the Surrender Point where 37th Japanese Southern Army surrendered to the 9th division Australian Imperial Forces which lead to the end of World War II in Borneo, the Labuan’s traditional water village and the famous Chimney at Tanjung Kubong, a reminder of the old coal-mining days. Others than that, there is the Labuan Golf and Country Club which boasts of the country’s finest nine-hole courses. A round-island tour of Labuan will spend around one and half hour.

Besides that, Labuan and its neighboring islands are the sun-seeker’s paradise with breathtaking panoramic views of the South China Sea, secluded white sandy beaches and lots of tropical sunshine. The remote islands of Papan, Kuraman, Daat, Rusukan Besar, Rusukan Kecil, and Burung have various offers. Visitors are welcomed to explore the beaches or the dense jungle inland which is home to a wide variety of plants and animals. There are also plenty of water sports such as jet skiing, wind surfing, scuba diving, fishing and even wreck diving.

Being a duty-free shopping heaven, Labuan has plenty in store for visitors, either local or imported goods. It is also a pleasure to eating out in Labuan as there is a wide range of cuisine available such as Western, standard local or traditional Malaysian fare, seafood, Chinese and other oriental dishes. Restaurants are normally open till late hours at night.

Why Not Go

There is no reason for you not to travel there. Labuan is not only the paradise of sea sports enthusiasts, it is also a duty-free shopping heaven, a food paradise and a place rich with cultures and historical background.

Why Go

Labuan’s main attractions are wreck diving, sport fishing and duty-free shopping. Its crystal clear waters, ideal diving conditions throughout the year and a wealth of World War II and post-war shipwrecks have made it the region’s centre for wreck -diving. There are four fascinating wrecks in the seas surrounding Labuan, which are the American, Australian, Blue Water and Cement wrecks. Expeditions can be arranged to these island’s popular wrecks. Among these wrecks, the Cement Wreck is the easiest to dive and is normally used for wreck-dive training. The American and Blue Water Wreck are normally for experienced divers only. For those seeking for seclusion, the outlying islands of Pulau Papan and Pulau Burung can provide you the right ambience.

On the other hand, Labuan is also a world class sport fishing destination. Pulau Labuan is surrounded by six islets, namely Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Daat, Pulau Rusukan Besar, Pulau Rusukan Kecil, Pulau Papan and Pulau Burung. The crystal clear water around these idyllic islands is home to the world’s richest coral and fishing grounds. It provides unlimited deep sea tackling and coastal table-fish catches as the crystal clear water offers a window to the rich marine life of the South China Sea.

Duty-free shopping has made Labuan become a famous destination. Its modern shopping centers offer a wide range of locally-produced as well as the imported goods. Among the popular goods are spirits and tobacco, textiles and appliances. Normally, Labuan hosts a one month-long shopping carnival with attractive discounts at the end of every year. There will be cultural shows to maximize the excitement and liveliness of the carnival.

Best Time to Visit

Labuan has a tropical balmy climate with two monsoon seasons every year. The South West monsoon is from April to June and the North East monsoon is from September to December. Labuan is free from neither hurricanes nor typhoons. It enjoys good climate throughout the year. The daily average temperatures are between 28 to 32 degrees Celsius.

Hence, it is convenient to make you way there all year round, but the best is on May. Labuan hosts the International Sea Challenge in May every year at Labuan’s International Sea Sport Complex. The International Sea Challenge comprises of four events, which are the Underwater Treasure Hunt, the Jet Sport Challenge, the Cross Channel Swim Challenge and the Big Game Fishing Tournament.

Where to Stay

In Labuan, there are accommodations to suit all types of budgets. For budget backpackers, it is recommended to stay at Mariner Hotel due to its rates and facilities provided. The Mariner Hotel can offer you an unsurpassed value for money.

For luxury, the best is to stay at the Sheraton Hotel due to its perfect location and superior service. Strategically located in the business centre of Labuan town, Sheraton Hotel overlooks the harbor and nearby islets, making it attractive to both businessmen and vacationers. It offers deluxe rooms as well as the premier suites and a royal suite.

Manikar Beach Resort, Labuan’s only beach resort, is a perfect family getaway with various water sport activities like diving, snorkeling and fishing. You can find beautiful rooms, suites, pool, a grand ballroom, boardrooms, the Bunga Mas Restaurant, lounge and bar in Manikar Beach Resort.

Where & What to Eat

If you visit to Labuan, you must try its crab delicacies. Go to the Anjung Ketam at Tanjung Aru, Labuan to have crab dishes. This food court comprises of 4 stalls and all serving fresh crabs, lobsters and others seafood. It is strongly advisable to do advance booking because some of the ingredients maybe running out when you make your way there. For examples, you may book the crab curry, crab in butter milk and just boiled crab because these dishes retain most of the crab taste.

Others than that, you also must visit Manja Rasa, which is a floating restaurant located near the Labuan Sea Sport Complex. Panoramic architecture, the restaurant serves lunch buffet at RM9 per head, while for the dinner are all steamed-boat delicacies, which is RM20 at all-you-can-eat.

Mawilla Seafood Restaurant is the best restaurant in Labuan which serves seafood delicacies likes fresh fish, prawn, lobster and squids. You shouldn’t miss out the Butter Milk Prawn and Nestum Prawn. It is the best in Borneo and the price is reasonable also.

In Labuan, the most popular local dessert is coconut pudding, which you wouldn’t be able to get it in anywhere else. It can be found in Pulau Labuan Restaurant with RM6 each.

Nightlife

Labuan is famous with its duty free especially alcohols, hence the main entertainment in Labuan is its night clubs and lounges. Among the famous places where people go are POPIN, the Sheraton’s Some Place Else (SPE) at the Grand Dorsett Hotel, Kings KTV and Crossroads. POPIN is the most popular night club in Labuan Island as it the only one stop entertainment center offering many delights, from our raving disco, well-stocked bars and relaxing lounge to delicious restaurant and fun-filled karaoke suites.

My to do List

- Sport fishing
- Shop for the duty free liquor (everyone is allowed to bring one liter out of the island)
- Visit Labuan Birds Park
- Visit the Chimney
- Visit An’Nur Jamek Mosque (it was built at a cost of US$11 million)
- Visit World War II Memorial Park
- Go to Peace Park
- Visit Kampung Ayer (Water Village, one of the interesting features in Labuan)
- Attend the one-day “Discover Scuba Diving” course (if you don’t know how to dive)
- Underwater Treasure Hunt
- Nitrox Diving (Nitrox is a mixture of oxygen and nitrogen)
- Night Diving (divers must show proof of night, cavern or wreck diving in the form of certification cards or log books documenting such dives. If no proof, divers who wish to night dive will be required to take a certification course in night diving with additional cost)
- Golfing

At Labuan Marine Park
-Sea Snake Watching
-Kayaking
-Dinghy Sailing
-Snorkelling
-Scuba Diving
-Windsurfing

Stay Away From

Getting There

Labuan is one of the most accessible islands in the world nowadays. It is being well-connected by the air, sea, land and through the information highway. For the first timer, it is best to get there by flight. Daily flights are available from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching to this wonderful island. Kota Kinabalu in the Borneo state of Sabah also plays its role as an international gateway for Labuan with its regularly daily flights.

For cheaper approach, you may get there by ferry as high speed air conditioned ferries ply daily from Kota Kinabalu, Sarawak and Brunei to Labuan. The ferry there can accommodate trucks and passenger cars. This is the most economical way to get to Labuan. Travelling time from Kota Kinabalu is about three hours and for Brunei is about one hour.

Known as the Northern Gateway to Sarawak, Miri is one of the state’s important tourist attractions. It boasts to be surrounded by four world-class national parks, which are Mount Mulu National Park, Niah National Park, Lambir Hills National Park and Loagan Bunut National Park. Besides that, its exotic coral reefs also make it become a more attractive destination lately.

Miri is a city in northern Sarawak on the Malaysian island of Borneo and it is home to a population of about 300,000 people. Thus it is the second largest city in Sarawak. At Miri, breathtaking national parks, spectacular diving paradises, frequent festivals and international events, multiracial and multicultural festive seasons, and a lot of delicious food are the things that you can expect to have.

Miri serves as a transport hub for northern Sarawak, where interconnecting flights to the rural hinterlands of Borneo is very important and available mainly from Miri. Besides that, it is also the gateway to the Gunung Mulu National Park which is a World Heritage Site, the Kelabit Highlands of the interior of Sarawak and the Niah Cave which contains one of the oldest human remains in South East Asia.

As the place of birth of Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s petroleum industry, Miri remains the major industry of the city. Malaysia’s first oil well was dug here in 1910, and is currently a state monument and one of Miri’s tourist attractions, namely The Grand Old Lady. It is the Miri Oil Well No.1 situated at Canadian Hill. According to the old folks, there was one Canadian who lived there and his main business was to recruit foreign and local workers to work in the oil fields around this mountain, hence it was called Canadian Hill. The Petroleum Museum, next to the Grand Old Lady, exhibits photographs and information on the petroleum industry. The Grand Old Lady is about 30 meters high. Situated on top of Canada Hill overlooking Miri, it attracts even locals to enjoy the scenery or jog on the well-designed path.

Miri has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. It hosts many expatriates from all over the world. There are many ethnic groups of people live in Miri, which consists of Chinese, Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and others. Almost all the locals are able to speak English or Mandarin but the main language is the Sarawakian language, which is similar to Malay but with local slangs.

Why Not Go

You shouldn’t go to Miri for holiday as there is not much to see, to play and to enjoy. Differ from catty Kuching and swanlike Sibu, Miri is sadly lacking in animal analogies, probably because it is too casually urban for any to spring to mind.

Why Go

The main charm of Miri is its functions as the gateway to four world-class national parks in Sarawak. The Gunung Mulu National Park is a certified UNESCO World Heritage Site. It boasts the world’s largest natural cave chamber, the Sarawak Chamber. Besides that, the Niah Caves in the Niah National Park are the crucial archaeological and historical site as one of the oldest human remains in South East Asia was found here. On the other hand, Lambir Hills National Park contains various species of flora and fauna. It is ranked as the 12th mega-biodiversity site in the world. However, the Loagan Bunut National Park has Sarawak’s largest natural lake with diverse species of birds. And there is also a recently gazette national park, named Miri-Sibuti Marine National Park which has one of the region’s most beautiful coral reefs and diverse marine life.

Miri is also famous with its parks and garden. It has 14 public parks and recreational grounds which include Miri Bulatan Park (a lake garden), Luak Bay Esplanade (a park at the sea front), Taman Selera (family picnic spot), Taman Awam Miri (a theme Park) and Miri City Fan are the more popular parks among residents as well as visitors. The Miri City Fan, a 10.4-hectare park right in the heart of the city, has been designed as a multi-racial and multi-cultural theme garden. It was accorded Malaysia’s best landscaped city park in 2001. The unique fan-shaped urban civic park is designed to create civic consciousness by the embodiment of several symbolic parks. For instance, the Chinese Garden is planted with weeping willows, which can be associated with gardens and lakes in China. Therefore visit the Miri City Fan is a must.

Miri is also known as a shopping paradise among Malaysians and Bruneians. There are a few modern shopping malls in the city centre, which include the Bintang Plaza (also named as Bintang Megamall), Boulevard Shopping Complex, Imperial Shopping Mall, E-Mart, Miri Plaza, Wisma Pelita Mall and many others.

In addition, Miri is also popular with its fine handicrafts, especially the bead products. Among the favorite tourists and locals destinations are the handicraft shops along Jalan Bendahara, Brooke Road and the Miri Handicraft Centre at the junction of Merbau Road and Brooke Road.

Best Time to Visit

There are no restrictions for you to visit Miri at any time as you like. If you are going for shopping, it is advisable to make your way there at the mid or the end of the year as there might be some carnivals or sales promotion being held.

Where to Stay

For the budget backpackers, it is highly recommended to stay at the Minda Guesthouse, which is a brand new guesthouse with free breakfast, laundry facilities, free wifi, rooftop garden and two lounges with flat screen, mini library and etc.

For big family, it is advisable to stay at Dillenia, which is a family-run guesthouse with a “home away from home” atmosphere. It offers safe, clean and air conditioned rooms with a selection of dormitories, twin-sharing, family and honeymoon rooms. Free internet access at lobby and free wifi at both lobby and rooms, free continental breakfast and many others are all available at reasonable price.

For luxury, it is best to choose Dynasty Hotel if you like chinese dishes very much. The Chinese restaurant there is very famous with its delicious dishes.

Where & What to Eat

If you go to Miri, you must try the Chicken Chop, Nasi Briyani, Nasi Lemak and Mee Kolok at Cafenika & Catering. It serves local HALAL Malaysian dishes and various Western cuisines at affordable price.

Located in the hub of the city center next to the Chinese wet market, Chinese Hawker Center offers the best local food every day and night. For breakfast, you must have the milk tea. You also shouldn’t miss out the curry rice, fried rice noodles, dried noodles and laksa (spicy rice noodles). For dinner, the porridge and dried noodles with steamed chicken are the must-eat.

Besides that, you also must try Laksa at Ming Cafe which is very delicious and is comparable to the Laksa in Kuching.

For drink, you are advised to try the Sarawakian authentic rice wine, namely ‘tuak’. ‘Tuak’ is normally served during festive seasons, especially during Gawai (the Harvest Festival celebrated by the Ibans).

Nightlife

Miri has always been known to have a livelier nightlife compared to other towns in Sarawak. One of the hotspots in Miri is called Cherries Berries. At there, live music is played all the time and it is usually crowded especially during the weekends. The pub has two floors and there is a balcony on the second floor, where ideally a place to escape the smoky room.

For those looking for fun, nice food and quality hangouts at night, the entertainment outlets, restaurants (for both Muslims and non-Muslims) and road-side cafes along South Yu Seng and North Yu Seng Roads are some of the ideal and popular night spots.

My to do List

- Visit the Grand Old Lady
- Have a walk at the Miri City Fan
- Go to the Esplanade Beach
- Visit the San Ching Tian Temple (Largest Taoist temple in South East Asia)

Stay Away From

Getting There

The best way to get to Miri for a first timer is by airplane. From Peninsular Malaysia, frequent flights are available from Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru on Malaysia Airlines and AirAsia. The Miri airport is also connected to all major destinations in Malaysian Borneo, including Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

Please note that:

i) To/From Kuala Lumpur:

Malaysia Airlines flies between Kuala Lumpur and Miri four times a day, with two stopping over at Kuching. AirAsia also flies direct non-stop three times a day.

ii) To/From Johor Bahru:

AirAsia flies on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday only.

iii) To/From Kuching:

Malaysia Airlines flies three flights a day and AirAsia flies only one flight a day.

iv) To/From Kota Kinabalu:

Malaysia Airline and AirAsia each flies twice daily. Others than that, MASWings also puts on a Fokker flight on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Known for its rich tropical landscape and mighty rivers, Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia and also an outback of sheer beauty rich in resources which includes pepper, cocoa, palm oil, timber and oil. Sarawak is a region of endless fascination with the largest cave chamber in the world, verdant jungles, unique fauna and flora, white beaches, and remote islands.

Sarawak is one of the most developed regions of the island of Borneo, the world third largest island, which is shared by Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. As Malaysia’s largest State, it is home to at least 27 ethnic groups with different language, culture and lifestyle. Therefore, Sarawak is known as a melting pot for racial-integration. Endowed with the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems, Sarawak’s ancient rainforest canopies possessed the Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world. Rare species of plant life likes pitcher plants and orchids also can be found in Sarawak’s rainforests. At there, you also can find the orangutan and proboscis monkey.

Sarawak Fun Map

There are fifteen totally protected areas (TPA), four wildlife sanctuaries and five nature reserves in Sarawak. The eighteen national parks include Mulu, Bako, Niah, Lambir Hills, Similajau, Gunung Gading, Kubah, Batang Ai, Loagan Bunut, Tanjung Datu, Talang-Talang and Satang Islands, Bukit Tiban, Maludam, Rajang Mangroves, and Gunung Buda. The Niah National Park is a must visit as it is the most historic, with archaeologists having discovered the earliest dated modern skull in Asia in the world-famous Niah caves. At Mulu National Park, you can find Gunung Mulu, a magnificent 2,377 meter high sandstone mountain, and vast caverns of limestone caves.

The capital city, Kuching and its vicinity have a few recreational areas such as Stutong Park, Wind Caves and Fairy Caves and Orangutan wildlife rehabilitation centers at Semengok and Matang. If you are interested in Sarawak’s history and cultural heritage, you can visit the Sarawak Museum, Cultural Village at Damai or Kuching Heritage trail in the City Centre.

Another Sarawak’s popular tourist destination is Miri. It is the gateway to many national parks, rivers and some of Borneo’s best diving sites. Even people from nearby such as Bruneians often escape to Miri for shopping and sight-seeing.

Named after a local fruit called ‘Sibau’, Sibu is nowadays a centre for eco-adventures and cultural experiences. At there, you will be able to explore the rainforest and visit indigenous communities.

Besides that, there are many longhouses in Sarawak, which are the traditional homes of Sarawak’s indigenous groups. Each tribe has their own style of design even though the overall shape and architecture remain the same. Generally, a longhouse comprises a series of interconnecting rooms built on stilts, covered by one roof and a verandah for communal activities. Normally, visitors will be greeted by a glass of rice wine or “tuak” and entertained with a welcome dance.

Why Not Go

You shouldn’t go Sarawak for holiday if you have seasickness as boats are a common mode of transport in Sarawak. This is because of the dense vegetation of its interior is crisscrossed with rivers. However, experiencing the impossibly dense jungle wall breezes past will ensure you an unforgettable trip.

Why Go

The main charm of Sarawak lies in its capital city Kuching. Kuching was built along the banks of the Sarawak River and it is also very near the coastline, about 32 km away from the sea. Kuching is a tranquil location with nice landscaped parks and gardens, classic colonial buildings, colorful markets and a beautiful waterfront named as Kuching Waterfront. It is a good place to stroll around and relax.

Besides that, Sarawak’s charm also lies at its most popular and scenic beach, Damai Beach. Damai is located on the Santubong Peninsula, which is about 35 minutes away from Kuching. Besides the beautiful sandy beaches to relax on, there are also water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing. The Santubong Peninsula also offers several sites for bird watching. Bird-watchers can enjoy sighting a variety of birds likes Sandpipers, Egrets, Terns, Collared kingfisher, the White-bellied Sea Eagle and Brahminy Kites and Buntal village, an important wintering ground for migratory birds, is the best place for bird watching. Want to have more adventurous activities, you may climb through the rainforest to the summit of Mount Santubong, which is about five to six-hour trek. Others than that, Damai is one of the best places to see the rare Irrawady dolphin, particularly in Santubong, Salak and Buntal river estuaries. This kind of dolphins is really shy, so you need a good guide-cum-spotter to catch a sight of this dolphin in the Damai area.

To find out more about Sarawak’s historical background, visit The Islamic Museum in Kuching is a must. Opened in 1992, it was originally a Malay college but now houses seven galleries displaying elements of the Islamic culture and religion, which includes History of Islam in Sarawak, Islamic Architecture, Science, Technology, Economics, Education and Literature, Music, Costumes and Personal Ornaments, Weaponry, Decorative Arts, Domestic Utensils and a Quran Collection.On the other hand, you also have to visit the Chinese History Museum, which was originally a court for the Chinese community in Kuching. It depicts the rich history of Sarawak’s diverse Chinese groups. At there, you will learn about their origins, traditional skills and culture through the exhibitions there.

Others than that, Sarawak’s charm also lies at the Cultural Village, which is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the cultural heritage of Sarawak’s major ethnic groups. Catch a glimpse of the lifestyles of major indigenous groups which include the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu.

Overall, a visit to Sarawak entails a wonderful journey of discovery into its culture, heritage and history. From the peaceful sights of Kuching city to the awe of its historical museums, there are a lot of things for you to do and see in Sarawak.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to go Sarawak is from June to August. In that period, Sarawak has the least rainfall. Besides that, if you intend to go for bird-watching at Buntal village, the best period is from October to March.

Where to Stay

A wide variety of accommodations are available in Sarawak. For the budget backpackers, it is recommended to stay at Mandarin Lodging House due to its rates and facilities provided. For luxury, it is highly recommended to stay at Four Points by Sheraton Kuching due to its excellent services and also the location. Unlike Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak is very big; you should choose the accommodation that is near the place that you want to visit.

Where & What to Eat

One of the Sarawak specialties is Umai. Umai is a traditional dish of the Melanau people, which is a spicy salad of raw marinated fish, limes and shallots. You may get it at Penrissen Inn, Tapanga Tree and Malay food stalls in Top Spot (Taman Kareta).

Apart from that, you also must try the Iban’s fine delicacies likes Pansoh Manok, which is chicken with rice wine cooked in bamboo. The same technique is also used to cook fish. You can savour this dish at Penrissen Inn or the Cottage.

For seafood lover, you must try the steamed pomfret or manchong fish, asam prawns, sambal prawns and slipper lobster.

Others Sarawak specialties like Sarawak laksa, Kolo mee (simple but popular Sarawakian noodle dish), Tomato Kueh Tiaw and Foochow bagel (kompia) are the “must eat” if you make your to Sarawak. The Foochow bagel can only be found in Sibu where ethnic Chinese of Foochow clan formed a majority.

Nightlife

At night, shopping complexes and eating places are the busiest places in Sarawak’s cities and towns. Shopping complexes are close at 9:30 pm, but some eating places are open until midnight. After 6pm, the state’s capital city, Kuching are always filled with colorful streetlights, enhancing the natural vigour and charm of this vibrant city. The city centre showcases Kuching’s rich culture and tradition with beautifully lit up monuments and pre and post colonial landmarks such as the Fort Margherita and The Astana in the charming night. Melodious rhythm from adjoining entertainment outlets, clubs, bistros and nightspots is the greatest lure for the energetic few.

In Sarawak, both Kuching and Miri have the hottest nightlife. Most of the hotels in these two cities house pubs, lounges, and discotheques for the night owl. Outside the hotels, there are many karaoke lounges and nightclubs.

My to do List

Go to
- Damai beach
- Timber Museum
- Tua Pek Kong Temple
- Santubong Fishing Village
- Fort Margherita
- Longhouses
- Have a fantastic view of the limestone spikes at Pinnacles (a series of 45-metre high limestone formations)

Drink
- tuak
- langkau or Iban whisky (stronger dose)

Buy
- pepper
- local food (’Belacan’, shrimp paste, birds’ nests, fruit preserves and pickles)
- ‘Kain Songket’
- ‘Batik’
- beaded jewelry, woven mats and rattan baskets
- locally manufactured Sarawak jars and pottery.

Stay Away From

Be careful of saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) because they are very common in certain parts of Sarawak. Caution should be taken when entering water, especially brackish areas such as Batang Lupar.

Getting There

The best way to get to this place is by plane. The largest gateway is Kuching, which is about one and half hours fly from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. There are also a few direct international flights from Indonesia (Pontianak, Bali and Jakarta), Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei and Macau as well as Singapore flying to Kuching twice or thrice weekly. Other airports with domestic connections to Peninsula Malaysia on both Malaysian Airlines and Air Asia are Miri, Sibu and Bintulu. Besides that, MASWings serves flights between cities and rural areas in Sarawak.

Reputed as the oldest jungle, the best kept tropical rainforest and the great natural wonders; Taman Negara is the most extensive protected area of pristine, lowland and evergreen rainforest in Malaysia. This implies that Taman Negara’s flora and fauna has evolved naturally over hundreds of millions of years without any disruption or major calamities.

Taman Negara is situated in the centre of the Peninsular Malaysia. Covering over 4343 square kilometers of primary forest, Taman Negara that spans across three states (Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang) is the largest protected area in the country. Therefore, it has become Malaysia’s premier national park.

Taman Negara is indeed the oldest rainforest in the world as it has been declared for conservation in the year 1938. Biodiversity protection is important to prevent plants and animals being threatened by extinction, to preserve them for future generations. Protection keeps ecological balances and preserves a gene pool of the wide range of species.

Malaysia is one of the 12th mega biodiversity areas in the world and Taman Negara’s tropical rainforest is one of the most complex and rich ecosystem in the world. The national park is home to around 14,000 species of plants and trees more than other forest in the world. Basically, there are over 2,400 species of flowering plant, 200 species of mammals, 350 species of birds, 67 species of snakes, 55 species of frogs, 80 species of bat, 30 species of rats and 109 species freshwater fishes.

The Taman Negara park basin is drained by the Sungai Tahan, Sungai Keniam and Sungai Sepia. Sungai Tahan originates at the foot of Gunung Tahan massif. The waters there range from crystal clear to coffee brown from the natural soil sediments. Rainforest Rivers that flow from peat soil virgin mountain forest catchments with no major human settlement or cultivation alongside are rarely in the world nowadays.

The tualang trees (kompassia excelsea), the tallest tree in South East Asia can be found on the plains along with various types of hardwoods such as meranti (shores spp.) and keruing (dipterocarps spp.). At there, you can find a lot of Epiphytes such as ferns and rare species of orchids. Oaks laurel and conifers can be found on the intermediate slopes.

If you are a nature lover, Taman Negara is a must visit venue. You may enjoy your explorations and protect our Mother Nature’s Treasure there.

Why Not Go

You shouldn’t go to this place for holiday if you are not nature lovers since there is nothing much you can do in the jungle. Please be aware that Taman Negara is far from the town. Do not expect to get high quality of food, accommodations or services at Taman Negara since majority of the local people do not have proper educations and trainings. Therefore, it is our job to educate them.

Why Go

The great lure of Taman Negara is the Canopy Walkway, which is the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is about 530 meters long and strung up to 40 meters high above the forest floor. This canopy walkway consists of 9 bridges and 10 platforms. Originally developed for research purposes, the canopy walkway is now mainly used by nature lovers to see the rainforest from a unique perspective. The Canopy Walkway is open every day from 10am to 2.45pm except on Friday; it is open from 9am to 12pm. However for safety reasons, the canopy walkway was being closed on the spot during windy heavy raining.

The charm of Taman Negara also lies in Gunung Tahan (Tahan Mountain), the most difficult mountain to reach the peak. It might take you 7 days to travel to the top of the mountain. Remember to carry your own food and tent on this 7 day journey to the top.

Taman Negara also famed with its river as the river is plentiful of freshwater fish populations. Fishing at the Sungai Keniam and Lata Berkoh is a famous activity among visitors and the best time for fishing is in February, March, July and August. Known for its speed and agility, the kelah fish can weigh as much as 20lbs and offers an irresistible challenge and terrific fight when being caught by even the experienced angler.

There are many mores to see and do in Taman Negara, hence a trip to Taman Negara is a must.

Best Time to Visit

Taman Negara has a tropical climate with daily temperatures range from 25 to 37 degree Celsius and its humidity is high (more than 80%). At the peak of Gunung Tahan, the temperature may drop to 13°C. Rainfall is heavy throughout the year, especially during the north-east monsoon which is from October to January. In that period, flooding might happen in large tracts of the rainforest.

March is the driest month throughout the year. So, the best time to visit Taman Negara is between March and September. It is not only the drier part of the year, it also main breeding season for most species in Taman Negara.

Where to Stay

Visitors to the park have various choices, from comfortable resort-styled facilities, home stay style to tent camping at various camping grounds. Plenty of accommodations are available in Kuala Tahan. In the park itself there are hides (which you can book at the park headquarters) and camp sites. For luxury, the best is to stay at The Mutiara Resorts. Located inside the park, The Mutiara Resorts are the most expensive and luxuries place to stay with the prices ranging from US$1.50 for hostel to US$350 for a bungalow per night. For budget backers, one of the options is Travelers Home, home stay style accommodation but with new, clean rooms at affordable rates. Normally, food is included, services are excellent and prices are about RM75 per night per person. And please book your accommodations in advance arrival especially during the peak season to avoid disappointment and frustration.

Where & What to Eat

Outside of Kuala Tahan, there is not much restaurant except of the services provided by your respective accommodation. Good floating restaurants are available at the riverside which include Family Restaurant, Wan Cafe and LBK. These restaurants serve local delicacies which include toast bread with kaya jam, fried rice and drinks along with other common things such as sandwich and soups. The toast bread with kaya jam is quite weird but tasty due to its combination of egg and coconut. If you are a first timer, you shouldn’t miss out the toast bread.

Besides that, as visitors, you must try the local drink named “Sirup Bandung”, which is a blend of rose syrup and milk. It can be a tasty concoction to drink after a day’s trek.

Nightlife

If you are not a faint-hearted, you may experience a walk in the jungle at night and enjoy the special atmosphere. You may walk around in the jungle to see the tropical forest nightlife. There are numerous species of insect, flora and fauna available in Taman Negara. This walk will take you about one and half hours. Wear long-sleeved tops, pants and lathering yourself with anti-mosquitoes repellant to repel those damn worms, leeches and mosquitoes.

My to do List

- Bird watching
- Cave Exploration - Gua Telinga (Ear Cave)
- Canopy Walk
- Fishing
- Jungle Trekking
- Mountain Climbing
- Rapids shooting
- Hill Climbing at Bukit Teresek
- Waterfalls cascades at Lata Berkoh
- Stay overnight at Animals Salt Lick Hide

Stay Away From

Leeches are harmless but its bites can become infected. Prevention is better than the cure, so put some insect repellent on your feet, shoes and socks even though it works temporarily. Besides that, loose tobacco in your shoes and socks may also help.

Pulling a leech off by the tail might make it dig in harder, burning leeches with a cigarette, you might burn yourself as well, so the best way is sprinkling salt on leeches, salt will make them run away.

Rules and Regulations

It is not allowed to:

1. Entering the park without an entry permit
2. Fishing or take photographs in any part of the national park without license
3. Possess of any weapon, explosive, trap, net, birdlime, poison or any item used to cause injury to any animal within confinements of the park
4. Disturb animal habitats, injure or kill any animal. Remove any live animal or any part of a dead animal from the park
5. Cut, destroy or cause damage to any tree or plant or clear, break up, dig or cultivate any part of land within the confinements of Taman Negara
6. Remove any tree or plant or even any part of tree or plant
7. Destroy, damage, and deface any object of zoological, botanical, geological, ethnological or other scientific interests or any object of authentic values
8. Destroy, damage, deface, remove any notice or boundary mark, and use any building or vehicle, except with permission granted by the park official who is competent to grant such permission in accordance with the provisions of this enactment.
9. Use any building or vehicle in the park, except with permission granted by a park official who is competent to grant such permission in accordance with the provisions of this enactment.

Getting There

The best way to get there is by boat. The river boat leaves from Kuala Tembling Jetty at 9am and 2pm for Kuala Tahan and it spends about two hours (RM 25). Actually bus services are also available, but the boat ride is likely to be one of the most memorable and the prettiest parts of the trip. Please note that there is no cell phone signal in the estates.

Entrance to Taman Negara

Taman Negara can be accessed either by road or by river boat from 4 main entry point; Kuala Tahan, Sungai Relau, Kuala Koh and Tanjung Mentong, from 3 different states; Pahang, Trengganu and Kelantan.
These four different entrances to Taman Negara will offer you with a unique difference adventure experience.

i) South entrance - Kuala Tahan, Jerantut

Kuala Tahan is located in the Central Pahang of Peninsular Malaysia. It lies about 215 km northwest of Kuantan, the state capital of Pahang, and about 60 km off Jerantut, the closest point of getaway to Taman Negara.
The most popular entry point, either by scenic boat ride via Sungei Tembeling river or driving up the rural road to Kuala Tahan village. This entryway has the most number and choice of accommodation and food, as well as all types of recreational activities and facilities.

ii) West entrance- Sungai Relau, Merapoh

The Sungai Relau entry point, of which Merapoh is the nearest small town, is marked by limestone hills with number of caves. This point is the closest and easiest to conquer Gunung Tahan. Please note that fishing is forbidden here as it is a fish-breeding sanctuary; instead you feed the fish and call them meals by a unique method.
Getting There
You can either drive or take the public transport, passing through the towns of Kuala Lipis by south or Gua Musang by north along the Kuala Lumpur-Kota Bahru road. Those taking the train disembark at Merapoh Stations or Gua Musang Stations.

iii) North entrance- Kuala Koh, Kelantan

The entrance to the Kelantan side of Taman Negara was only opened in 1995. Although it is slope-filled area with many bamboo species, the name “Koh” comes from the local Kelantanese name for a type of palm; known in standard Malays as “palma daun payung” and is seen along the upper estuarues at 1,000m high. Kuala Koh is also a historic area where Mat Kilau, a malay warrior who fought against British occupation, lived in and launched his resistance efforts. This entryway is said to have the best potential for wildlife sightings, maybe due to the denser undisturbed jungle.
Getting There
Visitors can either drive or take the public transport to Kuala Koh from Gua Musang in Kelantan. There is a road connecting this park entrance to the Gua Musang-Kuala Krai main road.

iv) East entrance - Tanjung Mentong, Tasik Kenyir

This entrance into Taman Negara is quite different from the rest as it passes through the Tasik Kenyir, Southeast Asia’s largest man-made lake at 260,000 hectares and a nature recreation are in itself. A southern arm of the lake lies within Taman Negara containing some interesting caves and submerged forest views not found at the other entryways.
Getting There
Visitors can reach Tanjung Mentong through the 2 jetties in Gawi or Jenagor, all in Trengganu. The town of Kuala Berang is the nearest town. The motorboat trip cuts across Tasik Kenyir in about 45 minutes.

To be honest though, I do find a lot of food in Taiping really good to me, and I miss them a lot and compare them to KL food constantly, after all I grew up with these foods. What I can boldly say is, most of all the food here is of certain quality, ingredients are fresh, food are diligently made with care and some with traditional recipes which were passed from generations to generations. As I have mentioned, to be able to survive selling food here, you must have a certain degree of goodness. I never cease to be amazed by how food revolves around the life of Taiping-ites, it is common to discuss what the next meal is while having the current meal, or the subsequent ones even. The normal hot topic of gossips are mostly like which new stall had been opened and whether the food is worth a try, which food had hike up the price and lessen the ingredients, which shop has changed cook from father to son or to somebody and how is the current state now, which food are no longer what it used to be and so on. The viral word of mouth marketing in Taiping is so strong to the point that it is almost deadly. It is either make it or break it here for food business. If the people favours your food, you may well expect a huge crowd making beeline to taste your food, and hear people uttering the famous quote of “you better get there by this time, as they would sold out by that time and you would not want to miss it!” With that, you can safely know that the food is quite good enough and your food business is here to stay in Taiping.

In exception to the opening statement is one dish though, which is the kai si min (chicken slice noodle soup) which does have a kind of hook on people, like an addiction, especially to those who grew up or spent a significant amount of time in Taiping and left, this is one dish they always must eat whenever they return! It may not be something that would capture a visitor’s heart immediately; it will definitely grow on you if you savour it enough to admire its hearty simple taste that warms the heart. I have a cousin who had once spent a month here in Taiping, had my mum buy this kai si min for him every night for supper and till now, whenever he comes to visit Taiping, it is one dish he would head out to for a dose of. Similarly, I have various friends and relatives, who had left Taiping, would come back with anticipation of this dish and I myself am no exception to this crazy addiction.

Kai Si Min
Photo by Rokh

Normally when a non-Taiping person answers to the question of ‘what is good in Taiping’, it would be most likely with another question, “isn’t it popiah?”. I have never considered popiah, a soft thin crepe made from wheat flour that wraps around variety of fillings, often accompanied by a sweet sauce (a blend of soy sauce, bean sauce and hoisin/shrimp sauce and optionally a hot sauce), as anything special in Taiping. Curiosity got the better of me though and I went into a frenzy of asking many Taiping people that I know, young and old alike, whether was popiah famous in Taiping, where is the best to get one and so on, and I came to conclusion that popiah used to be really good in Taiping, the best stall was now closed down, and mostly it is just a reminiscence of the year bygones. Few times I tried ordering popiah at various stalls in Taiping, and to be honest, it fell short of my expectations, KL ones are way better (a rare case indeed).

There is one unique dish in Taiping that you can’t seem to find elsewhere, variations probably, but definitely not the same one, which is the chee cheong fun (large flat rice noodles rolled up and then served in various sauces). The chee cheong fun in Taiping is doused liberally with tim cheong (sweet red sauce) and sprinkled with sesame and fried onions. The taste is unique, with the sweet sauce pairing real well with the amazingly soft and silky cheong fun which will have one dreaming of it on many mornings. I remembered I used to even wake up early (very unusual for a teen) and then go for this as breakfast before attending tuition nearby with a fellow friend who is also an addict. It was such nostalgia, I remembered vividly ordering the chee cheong fun small with hong tao sui (sweet red bean soup) that just somehow sums up a perfect breakfast.

Another decidedly famous food from Taiping is the heong peng. Not to be mistaken as the mini heong peng from Penang, as this one large, with a tough yet crunchy layer of pastries enfolding just-right-earthy-sweetness-savoury malt and shallots inside of it. Taiping’s heong peng had always been famous for being really fresh, superbly flaky layers (do not attempt to eat this without anything to catch the falling crusts), and chewy yet not sticky sweet filling that just about brings the entire pastry together flawlessly.

There you go, after saying that there is nothing really to-die for in Taiping, I proceed to let you know there are some things definitely worth to-try for. If you are ever in Taiping, do not miss out those that I mentioned, in exception to popiah, and also to add is the Nonya Kuih-muih that I had featured earlier, as they would make your trip there worth a lot more times, gastronomically of course. One may leave you dreaming of it long after you had gone, another may have you tried something decidedly new and unique where you may not find anywhere else and the others may bring you the best of what Malaysian Chinese desserts and pastries can be! So what are you waiting for? Make an excuse now to make the trip to this tiny little town up north in Malaysia that has such big things to offer, or make it a point to stop by if you are passing by on the way up to Penang or on the way down to KL, and leave after that with a huge smile and a huge belly to boot!

Rokh is a food columnist on Malaysia Travel Guide, she’s an epicurean and a cook who loves to eat, also writes in her own food blog - Tham Jiak. In this column, she will bring you along while she explore various Malaysia foods, like what is good, what makes them so special and how or where to best well enjoy them. More [+]

Since young I have scorned at the thought of adding soy sauce to freshly fried noodles, now thinking back I wonder where that kind of passion came from since I have yet to even learn to cook yet. I guess it was always in me then, this epicurean snob thing. I say no to the ubiquitous tomato or chili sauce, that we Malaysians, sadly like a lot of people in this world, love to pour liberally onto almost everything they eat, you name it they does it, from American steak to British fish and chips to Chinese fried rice. I still stood flabbergasted every time when I see someone do that, and sometimes to tip me of the edge, they would do it without even first tasting what the dish really is like!

But I am all for the sauces and condiments that are served specifically along with the dish. Think tortilla chips with salsa, think Thai fish cake served with its sweet slightly spicy sauce. These as we know for sure that they had been brought together and blessed in marriage by the cook itself, pairing them ever so perfectly for us to enjoy! For the Malaysians, we are very familiar with a variety of sauces and condiments that goes with our various fried food, barbecue food, steamed food, boiled food and even for desserts, across all of its races. Here are few condiments or sauces that I can’t bear to separate them from their fellow dish spouses.

Sambal

Nasi Lemak with Sambal Sauce
Photo by santos

Who would have thought that this humble yet pungent condiment, of various blended chilies, sometimes made with belachan (fermented shrimp paste), would serve as such a must-have for so many of our Malaysian heavily fat laden foods such as an accompaniment for fried noodles, black-sauced ones for the Chinese style, or with our fatty rice, better known as Nasi Lemak (rice cooked to tenderness in coconut milk)? Just like a good friend of mine, given a good dose of sambal, she would happily wallop the entire dish of fried noodles, adding generous portions of it onto every spoonful of noodles before shoveling it into her mouth. Trust me though; this act would only make the observer hungrier rather than anything else that you might have interpreted by just reading my description. Words do no justice, so try it out for yourself! And Nasi Lemak would not be Nasi Lemak if it wasn’t served with its infamous sambal ikan bilis (anchovies), which pairs so well with the rice to make it a complete dish due to its bold flavours, smells and tastes.

Satay Sauce

Satay
Photo by ccdoh1

As for satay sauce, who can ever deny the thick ground peanuts, spices and chilies, which is a must for dipping the entire satay (juicy grilled meats of your choice on stick)? We always try to have the satay serve as a spoon to hold all your sauces in before gingerly putting into the mouth with great care, as we would not want to drip the yummy peanut sauce onto our chin, or worst our shirt. As for me, I have also been notorious in using various other means of ‘vehicles’ to pick up this addictive sauce, such as using the satay stick to poke into sliced cucumbers or onions (my favourite vehicle due to its curve nature that acts very much like a deep spoon) and then use it to scoop up the sauce, and then drive it right into my mouth. Sometimes the satay sauce is what people go for when they are looking to eat satay, funny it is but I guess for me, both has got to be good, therefore making them a pair made in food heaven!

Curry Sauce

Curry Sauce
Photo by tarlia

Curry, the worldwide famous dish, of Indian powdered spices with chilies which were cooked with loads of liquid to make into delectable gravy, while stewing the vegetables, legumes or meats for deep flavours. This amazingly should have been a dish itself, but due to us Malaysian being such culinary geniuses, we decided to cook the curry dish with lots, and I mean loads of gravy and then conveniently turn it into a sauce for another dish. For instance is the roti canai (Indian flatbread) which we would dip or pour the curry sauce over before eating it. When I was young I used to eat roti canai with brown sugar, yes what blasphemy, but it was because I was not trained for spicy food yet, and so my mum gave me as such, I love it back then but now, after being introduce to roti canai’s real true love, I have never looked back, it must be them together for me to eat! There are also fellow Malaysians who would even use the curry as sauce which they would doused freely over the plain white rice, which will become almost, sometimes is, a complete satisfying dish itself!

Who would have thought such a simple act of dipping or pouring if you’re so inclined had been embedded in us for so long till we no longer realize these acts ourselves. The act of expecting the sauce or condiments to be served alongside with is counterpart and as well as the act of dipping, scooping, dousing, and even drowning the partner in it was done without a single second thought or even a first thought for that matter. The dish and its accompaniments are inseparable, served alongside together as if blissfully married and sworn to be together forever where only till stomach do they ever part!

Rokh is a food columnist on Malaysia Travel Guide, she’s an epicurean and a cook who loves to eat, also writes in her own food blog - Tham Jiak. In this column, she will bring you along while she explore various Malaysia foods, like what is good, what makes them so special and how or where to best well enjoy them. More [+]

So later on, when I got interested in the culinary world, I started to read more about what Ah Ba and Ah Nya had to offer to us, and I found out that most of the dishes that I loved so much are actually originated from them! Baba and Nyonya, also formally known as Peranakan, are mostly of the Chinese Hokkien descendent, which are actually my descendent as well, have cuisines with mixture of Chinese and Malay and everything else in between. It is said that they are the group of Chinese that had embraced the Malay culture, thus the heavy influence in a lot of aspects of their lives from their dressings and celebrations to cuisines. Combine Chinese best skills in cooking methods along with various fragrant spices from the Malay, you have the best of what Malaysia can offer! Though generally the Peranakan cuisine is divided into north and south, its various dishes have its own unique delight, I for once could not decide which one I liked more therefore just enjoy both without the need to differentiate!

Here are some of my personal favourites from the Peranakan kitchens:

Assam Laksa

Assam Laksa
Photo by oranje

This is one of the most genius creations of mankind, or Malaysia-kind if you are so keen, which comes from the north Peranakan. This spicy and tangy noodle soup features the best of both worlds, the Chinese and Malay cooking. My hats off to the creator, whoever you are, you have always warmed this little tummy of mine! This is a must try to anyone who ever step foot in Malaysia, yes a bold statement indeed but nevertheless a must! Imagine the taste of tangy soup laden with shredded fish and loads of other goodness herbs to create an extremely pungent broth, and then added liberally with ‘hae ko’ (thick shrimp paste) right before digging in. Don’t be put off by its special smell, which kind of stinks with fishiness but in a good way, and let me tell you, the taste will grow on you. You will find yourself hankering for it days later on all of a sudden, and don’t say I did not warn you!

Otak-otak

Otak-otak
Photo by su-lin

My maternal grandmother, Pho Pho, used to make a really mean otak-otak with the freshest of seafood that she can find, wrapped delicately in banana leaf and then slowly steamed to perfection, which as I as a child had enjoyed it immensely. Although at first I must admit I was a bit apprehensive by the looks of it, reddish soft paste press together in a green leave, but once cajoled enough to try, I never looked at it twice ever again before devouring! Pho Pho’s version is one of the top ones that I had, probably due to the fresh and good ingredients, but also because her years of experience of refining to the right taste for all the ingredients of fish paste, shelled prawns, coconut milk, chili paste, galangal and herbs. I am salivating as I describe this, time to ring up Pho Pho for some otak-otak, yes I am such a granddaughter, but do not be mistaken I don’t ring up just to ask how is she, alright.

Nyonya Kuih-Muih

Kuih/Kueh (plural Kuih-Muih), is actually referring to the various bite sized delicacies, mostly sweet, and are usually eaten for tea or snacks by the locals. Made mostly with the base of coconut milk, pandan leaves and Malaysia’s famous palm sugar, these addictive morsels are definitely a force not to be ignored! Their complex taste and texture is distinctively different from your usual desserts of cakes or pastries, and something that one should try if they ever have the chance! To name one of my favourite from the vast selections is the Kuih Talam (two layer of coconut milk and pandan) which I used to ignore when I was young due to its boring colour of white and green that does not appeal at all to a kid in contrast to the other colourful selections but as I grew older, I found that it was indeed a superb combination of taste, the slightly tangy coconut paired perfectly with the sweet fragrant pandan. Another is the Kuih Lapis, by the opposite, has layers of colours, which as a kid, I love to peel off layer by layer while savouring it one by one! One more of my favourite is the Pulut Inti, a blue sticky rice (traditionally coloured with the Blue Pea flower), which I find best slathered with a thick slab of kaya (coconut jam), delish! One place to find really good, if not the best, Nyonya Kuih-Muih is at Taiping’s (a town up north in Malaysia) casual market, I am honestly not being bias here (as I am from Taiping) for I have yet to find any other kuih-muih in Malaysia that has yet to surpass these! Do try to get there early in order to avoid the classic sold-out scenario.

Ayam Pongteh

Ayam Pongteh
Photo by awhiffoflemongrass

One of the dishes that I fell in love with through words before the taste itself is Ayam Pongteh. I find it amazing how sometimes words can describe a dish so well that I can imagine it so vividly, I can nearly taste it, so much so it became a breeze for me to reenact it at home. Though this Peranakan dish may not be as famous as the other sometime over-rated ones, this dish is in fact a good addition to any home cooked meal. I made this before, where the dish came out just as I had imagined, juicy chicken meat that had been infused with all the goodness of the salty bean paste and spices of garlic and onions. It was like a story that came to life for me, just better as not only I can see it and smell it, I can even taste it! Oh boy, do order this dish if you are ever in a Peranakan restaurant that offers it, and revel in its simple yet humbling flavor.

So there you have it, some of the favourite Peranakan dishes of this Ah Nya. As there are more to Peranakan cuisines as mentioned by me, do go out and try as much as you can when you have the chance in Malaysia, as they are truly unique to us here while I go out to find some unassuming victim to ‘manja’ for my favourites above now, as all of the sudden I have the urge to consume copious amount of them!

Rokh is a food columnist on Malaysia Travel Guide, she’s an epicurean and a cook who loves to eat, also writes in her own food blog - Tham Jiak. In this column, she will bring you along while she explore various Malaysia foods, like what is good, what makes them so special and how or where to best well enjoy them. More [+]

Taiping, Perak
Photo by kwaifung

So then, once I moved down south to Klang Valley, I have been amazed by its variety of food coming from not just North, but also East and South. Such a food haven I might say, but beware, not all are made equal, so my Taiping-refined tongue said. There were also food unknown to me when I first came down, but had soon became my favourite while others that are so familiar to me but yet somehow not the same due to its variation which some had me refusing to acknowledge to some where I had gracefully embrace it. This is how I then came to savour what Malaysia has to offer, starting from north to centre and then various places if time permits me to travel.

Market trader, Kota Bharu
Photo by James Mellor

So what is Malaysian food then? Many might ask, but I can assure you there are no straight answers. Made up of many cultures, and then further divided by locations, the food varies from one to another, some by just a little, while others are uniquely only found in certain place, and there are also some that can be found just about anywhere yet still able to remain practically the same! Wouldn’t such wonders make you want to explore Malaysian food even more? Generally though, we may roughly categorize our Malaysian food to few major groups – Malay, Chinese, Indian and Nyonya.

Malay Food

Being the largest group in Malaysia, Malay food is ubiquitous here and in general is rich with aromatic rempah-ratus (herbs and spices), such as lemongrass, wild ginger, pandan leaves and fresh chilies. Chilies are usually featured in forms of sambal and chili paste that is so well loved by many in Malaysia. Many of their dishes also features santan (coconut milk) prominently, one such is its most famous dish, sometimes touted as the Malaysian national dish is the Nasi Lemak (rice cooked in santan, usually served with sambal mixed with ikan bilis (anchovies)). If one is to ask me what Malay food they must try while in Malaysia, it is of course the famous Nasi Lemak as mentioned earlier, satay (juicy skewered meats barbecued on charcoals) dip in peanut gravy and if you have time, the Nasi Padang. Nasi Padang is a meal itself where rice is usually served with various types of meat, fish, poultry and vegetable dishes. From here one can sample a bit of every flavor that Malay cuisines have to offer. Ketupat image by Tuis.

Chinese Food

Arrived and settled down since few generations ago, Malaysian Chinese food had been tweaked from its ancestors but still very much complicated by its various types of clan that has their own unique dishes or interpretation of it mainly featuring rice or noodles as staples. To be able to taste various Chinese dishes in one go, one can try out the tai chow (literary big fried), a meal where everybody sits together, with sumptuous spread of various dishes made-to-order which would then be eaten with rice. As for the noodles, you can definitely find a number of ways done to number of types of noodles here, from wheat base to rice based noodles, from soupy to dry ones of lightly mix with sauces, to fried versions. If I have to recommend just one noodle, then it shall be the famous, also sometimes argued as the Malaysian dish - the char kuey teow, basically fried flat rice noodles with shrimps, cockles, bean sprouts, eggs and chives. Not to be missed is also the dim sum, dainty light dishes ranging from savoury to sweet, try it out yourself and be amazed by the menu or if there is none, just point and choose from the tray! Before you leave, also try out the Chicken Rice, steamed/roasted chicken with yau fan (oily rice) and extra order of char siew (honey bbq pork) and siew yok (roasted pork), to go with it.

Indian Food

For the Indians that migrated to Malaysia in the 19th century, the food is from both Northern and Southern India, also adapted to what it is now today. Also rich in rempah-ratus, most dishes are made up in mixture of coriander, turmeric, cumin and curry leaves. Yoghurt, ghee and chili are also the few key ingredients in the Malaysian Indian cuisine. Not to be missed are the Banana Leaf Rice where rice is served on banana leaf accompanied by numerous dishes of meats to vegetables and legumes, which one can choose from. Roti (bread) are also the main staple here, like Naan and Chapati, while the really popular and indigenous to Malaysia is the Roti Canai (a flatbread usually served with dhal and curries) which can be found at Mamak (Indian Muslim) stalls. Before leaving, do try some of their curries of all kinds of meats - mutton, chicken, fish and beef, some of coconut based and some not.

After all the above and I have yet to even graze on what Malaysian food has to offer! I have just mainly spoke of the major groups of Malaysia, and have yet to even talk about Nyonya (the Peranakans), a race truly unique to Malaysia which of course means cuisines that is created here itself and thus best eaten here. This deserves an article all by itself, to fully describe and appreciate what it is all about. So stay tuned, while I bring you along as I eat my way through Malaysia.

Rokh is a food columnist on Malaysia Travel Guide, she’s an epicurean and a cook who loves to eat, also writes in her own food blog - Tham Jiak. In this column, she will bring you along while she explore various Malaysia foods, like what is good, what makes them so special and how or where to best well enjoy them. More [+]