Having to deal with tons of elephant dung can be a bit of a headache, but a touch of innovation has turned it into a profitable business. The first thing that caught my eye as we were waiting at the entrance of Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Sri Lanka, was a huge orange sign at a small [...]

Often vast, always mysterious, reclining Buddha statues sport enigmatic smiles. Our writer digs around and discovers the secrets of these dazzling figures. Strictly speaking, they should not exist. Reclining Buddha statues could be condemned as idolatry because the Buddha asked that no images be carved in his likeness. So, at first, after he slipped away, [...]

Several dive sites at two of the top diving destinations in the world — the Pulau Tioman marine park in Pahang and Pulau Redang marine park in Terengganu — are temporarily off-limits to divers and snorkelers until end-October. They are among three marine parks — the other being Pulau Payar in Kedah — which are [...]

How many Malaysians can say that they have explored Malaysia? You’ll be surprised at what you’ll discover. A childhood dream of businessman Mak Shiau Meng’s to cycle around Malaysia came true last April when he and friend Sandra Loh, both in their 30s, pushed off from Langkawi and cycled to the four corners of the [...]

Nasi Tumpang is one of several food items identified by the Malaysian National Heritage Department as being truly Malaysian. Regarded as a traditional Malay delicacy, Nasi Tumpang is highly popular in the east coast especially in Kelantan from where it originated. Nasi Tumpang is delicious hand-made rice wrapped up in the shape of a cone [...]

Regarded as the queen of fruits in Malaysia, the mangosteen is considered as a perfect balance to the rich “heatiness” of the durian due to the mangosteen “cooling” effect. In fact, the mangosteen has its uses in folk medicine. The bark and skin are used to treat diarrhea, and in Indonesia it is used to [...]

Ever wonder which fruit is loved by Malaysian the most? It’s absolutely the durian which is regarded as the “King of all Fruits”? The durian is not only famous in Malaysia it’s also the most highly prized fruit within the Southeast Asia region. The durian might seem controversial due to its overpowering odor; it’s actually [...]

SINGAPORE: Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and George Town are among the cities which are gaining reputation as the most expensive ones in Asia. An ECA International survey on the 50 most expensive Asian cities ranked Kuala Lumpur at number 38, Johor Baru (40th) and George Town (42nd). Globally, Kuala Lumpur is placed 210th, Johor Baru [...]

PULAU TIOMAN: The world renowned Pulau Tioman famed for its breathtaking scenic tourism spots, now has another tourist attraction. This time, it is in the form of turtles, the Karah or Hawksbill (Eretmochelys Imbricata) and Agar or Green (Chelonia Mydas) species. Fisheries authorities said 90 turtle egg laying nests were found on the island last [...]

Mamak stalls (hawker stalls operated by Indian Muslim) are cheaper alternatives to pubs and disco for spending nightlife in Malaysia. They are popular gathering places among the KL folks especially during the weekend. These stalls usually start to operate around 7pm onwards and they are cheaper alternative to expensive clubs and discos. Most of them [...]

Sungai Tahan has fish a-plenty – thanks to an eight-year ban on fishing which has increased the fish population. Many years ago, when our country was mainly covered in thick, almost impenetrable jungle, the colonial Brits gazetted a huge expanse of forest deep in the bowels of Pahang into a national park. They called it [...]

Looking for romance, adventure, games and fine dining? The glamorous Rhapsody of the Seas has all these by the boatloads. I’m going on a cruise!” I said to a friend. “Oh, how wonderful! Somewhere exotic?” she asked brightly. “Yes, Singapore to Port Klang!” “Huh?” was her bemused response. Sailing from Singapore to Port Klang may [...]

Get off the beaten track next time you’re traveling because you never know what you’ll stumble upon, especially in a country like Malaysia where superstition is alive and flourishing. Belief – the word may be simple but its implication is tremendous. Belief has been shaping mankind’s existence since the dawn of time, transforming, compelling and [...]

Malaysia tops Wotif.com‘s travel wish list for this year. According to Wotif.com, 2009 should be a great year for tourism in Malaysia, with Malaysian destinations topping the online accommodation website’s Travel Wish List poll for 2009. Wotif.com executive general manager for Asia, Sii Eawsakul, said Malaysia has always been a popular destination. Malaysia, especially Kuala [...]

Located on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin in Kuala Lumpur, the Kuala Lumpur Railway station is one of the best examples of colonial architecture in Malaysia. The attractive part of this monument is that it is gleaming with white with Moorish arches, balustrades, minarets and cupolas. The monument was designed by architect A.B. Hubbock, who is also [...]