Petaling street. The Chinatown of Kuala Lumpur

Various sorts of sport shoes.

To see and experience the old nostalgic atmosphere of Kuala Lumpur city. One should spend some time visiting Petaling Street, which is almost in the center of the city. It is also known as China Town as most of its inhibitions were Chinese and the town was started by the Chinese many years ago. In the early days, there were two groups of Chinese who belonged to notorious secret societies. They were people of the Hakka and Hokkien races of Chinese who were mainly tin miners. A war broke out amongst them in 1870 that left the tin mines in disuse and many tin mines were flooded. The British who were in government managed to end this civil war between the Chinese and Yap Ah Loy who was the Chinese Capitan managed to persuade the Chinese to stay on and rebuild their lives by starting businesses in the area.

Bags galore.

Today, This famous street cuts through Jalan Pudu and Jalan Sultan with various hotels in Kuala Lumpur like the Swiss Inn Kuala Lumpur, Ancasa Hotel and Salamanda Hotel. There are also other budget hotels in Petaling Street such as the Hotel City and Hotel China Town 2. Petaling Street being so close to the central hub of Kuala Lumpur makes it a famous destination for both local and foreign tourists. Most of the sellers trade their wares from little stalls rather than shops. It is a place where the hustling and bustling never comes to an end. Day or night, visitors keep coming to Petaling Street to either dine on the famous street foods here or to

The chestnut roaster.

get some good bargains on things sold. Petaling Street is a shoppers' paradise if you want to bargain your way to some cheap things. There is almost everything here from clothes, souvenirs to electronic items to fabrics. Other than cheap stuff, Petaling Street is renowned for selling imitation goods like handbags, wallets, watches and shoes from brands like Adidas, Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, Nike and so on. Food here is also aplenty. Most of the shops here are the little stalls but many locals claim that at these stalls is where some of the best street food can be found. A famous delicacy in Petaling Street is the salted roast duck and others. Be sure to be there early as the roast ducks are sold out by lunchtime. There is also a kind of rice cake called Mochi, which is cowered, by ground peanuts and sesame seeds. It is a very delicious snack and is sold by an old lady. Other than shopping and eating here in the Chinatown, there are other attractions nearby as well. Two places not to be missed are the

A cooling drink.

Central Market Kuala Lumpur and the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur. This Indian temple is reputed to be the richest temple in Malaysia and is worth a visit.

Petaling Street is easy accessible by car or by public transport. It is possible to get here by car but it is quite a task to find parking spaces, as it is always very crowded here. Another way to get here is by taking the Kelana Jaya LRT Line and getting down at the Pasar Seni LRT Station. It is a short walking distance from the LRT station to Petaling Street.

Text and photo by David de la Harpe

Kipandi Butterfly Park

Kipandi Butterfly park is a privately run little park located in the cool green mountains of the Crocker range. It is just 36km from the City along the Penampang -Tambunan road. Just after Moyog village, look out for the sign on the left of the road which says 700M to Kipandi and as the road turns a corner, you will see the entrance on the right hand side of the road.

The park has three main features, the Butterfly garden, Insect Museum and a collection of native orchids and pitcher plants. The insectarium is the first privately run insectariums in Sabah and has over 800 species of butterflies and 1800 species of beetles. Many of which are rare and endemic to Borneo while some have only been discovered in the

The cool Crocker Range.

Crocker Range so far. The insect collection includes Stag, Longhorn, Flower and Rhinoceros beetles together with Leaf and stick insects plus many more creepy crawlies. The butterfly collection is equally interesting with an actual specimen of a Queen Alexandra which is the largest Butterfly in the world found only Papua New Guinea and also the largest butterfly for Borneo.

Leaving the insectarium, one enters the enclosed butterfly garden. This garden has been planted with host plants for the butterflies to feed on and to lay their eggs and as such it is filled with colorful flowers. It is a bit easier to photograph the butterflies in here but it is still quite a challenge. A Captive breeding program for endangered butterflies which are endemic to Sabah is being carried out here jointly with the wildlife department of Sabah. Since its inception more than 15 species of butterflies have been successfully bred and released into the surrounding forest.

Largest butterfly in the world.

A short walk down a garden path brings you to 2 orchid enclosures where a number of rare and endangered species of native orchids and pitcher plants are grown. Many of these plants were saved from trees felled in land clearing for development and agriculture. Currently more than 500 species of native orchids, 50 species of Hoyas or wax flowers, 28 species of pitcher plants (Nepenthes)

Rare blue orchid - Cleisocentron Merrillianum.

and 6 species of Lipstick flowers ( Aeschynanthus ) are grown within the enclosures. To many people an orchid is a big bright showy flower, however most native species of orchids are just the opposite. Many of them are small and can be not very colorful; some of them are so tiny that a magnifying glass is needed to appreciate their details. However they are all beautiful and unique in their own way. Many of them mimic insects, some have moveable parts with vividly colored lines to attract insects to come and pollinate. Others attract their pollinators by giving off either a sweet fragrance or the smell of rotting meat depending on which insect is their pollinator and so ensuring the survival of the species. There are a number of very rare orchids here and my favorite has to be the Little Blue orchid that is found only in the mountains of Sabah. The park has one of the best, if not the best collection of Hoyas in Sabah. Hoyas are a kind of forest creeper usually found high in the rain forest canopy. Their umbels of thick waxy flowers are as strange as they are beautiful. It is also a good place to see the “insect eating” pitcher plants as a number of them have been planted here.

If you’re really interested in live insects, then arrangements can be made to visit at night for the insect show. A special white sheet illuminated with bright electric lights has been set up and when these lights are switched on, it draws hundreds of insects, bugs and moths from the surrounding dark forest. There are specially trained guides at the park and it’s a great way to spend half a day or so, learning about nature and enjoying the fresh clean mountain air.

Opens daily including Public holidays from 9.00am to 4.00pm
Entrance fees : Adults – RM30.00 ( Mycard holders =RM10.00 )
Children below 12 – RM15.00 ( Mycard Holders =RM5.00)
For more information visit : www.kipandipark.com

Text and photos by David 

Exploring Ancient burial caves of Sabah

The inside of the burial cave.

I have always been fascinated with the past and as a child I daydreamed of becoming a famous explorer and discovering ancient tombs filled with treasures. So when I was invited to go on a trip to visit the ancient cave burials in the Kinabatangan district with some Sabah Museum staff, I jumped at the offer. This was back in 1984 and the road conditions were pretty bad to say the least. It took us a whole day to get to Batu Putih, which was a small village along the Kinabatangan River. Arriving at night, we stayed over with one of the local villagers.

Old wooden coffins.

We left for the caves after breakfast the next morning and armed with ropes and torchlights, we made our way to the limestone massif known as Agop Batu Tulug which towers 39 M above the forest and houses 4 caves within it. It was hard work trekking through the scrub to get to the lower cave. From here, we scrambled over very sharp limestone rocks and even did some rock climbing to get to the higher caves where the coffins were housed. It was a very rewarding sight to see so many wooden coffins stacked one on top of the other while some rested on wooden racks while others were strewn around the cave floor. The coffins were all made of local hard wood such Borneo ironwood (Belian) or Merbau and varied in size, but most average about 2 meters with some smaller ones presumably for children. These coffins are very heavy and some date back to between 700 – 900 years ago. There are 125 timber coffins in this site alone. According to the local people, it would take 5 men to carry an empty coffin and we were left wondering how they managed to get them into the higher caves when we had to use ropes to climb up?

Designs on coffin.

The coffins are made from single logs with the insides hewn out. The two ends are carved with various animal head designs like Tembadau (wild Buffalo), crocodile, lizards, snakes and even birds. There is also a protuberance or “tongue” at the far end of the coffins and if the tongue bears no particular shape, the coffin was made for a women but if it has an animal shape, then it house a man. The covers of the coffins are beautifully carved with various traditional designs. There are a number of other caves along the Kinabatangan river which also house similar coffins and apparently some of the natives of Ulu Segama in Lahad Datu still practise this form of burial.

We spent some time looking amongst the coffins and noticed that there were remains of human bones, shards of Chinese ceramics (some from the Ming to Ching period) and small glass beads strewn around the cave floor as the dead used to be buried together with their personal belongings. This has now all been nicely tidied up by the Sabah Museum who has turned the caves into a museum in order to preserve this precious part of our local heritage.

Staris leading to the caves.

Today, the burial caves are easily reached by road and is about an hour & half drive from Sandakan or 45 minutes from Lahad Datu. The Sabah Museum has built an office, reception, staircases and toilets for the convenience of visitors.

Opening Hours
Daily from 9.00am till 5.00pm

Admission Fees
MyKad holders : RM 2.00 (Adults)
Others : RM15.00
Students in uniform, children below 12 years, disabled persons and senior citizens enter for free

Tel : 6 089 565145 (Ticket counter) / 6 089 551062 (Office)
Email : muzium.sabah@sabah.gov.my
Webpage : http://www.mzm.sabah.gov.my/agoptulug/cyber_tulugmuseum.htm

Text and photos by David Richard

Survivor resort

Resort boats to ferry guest to the Island.

This is currently the only resort on the island of Pulau tiga in the Kuala Penyu district of Sabah. The name ‘survivor island’ has become identical with the resort and the island, because CBS chose it as the location for their 1st Survivor Island reality TV show. Contestants were marooned on the island while cameras followed their every move. The winner won a million US dollars for this reality show.

At the Bar at the resort.

This island is one of the Sabah’s marine parks and is beautifully set amidst clear waters of the warm South China Sea. It shores are framed by lovely sandy beaches which are surrounded with rich coral reefs that are home to many species of colorful reef fishes. This makes it ideal for divers and snorkelers.

Garden Statues

Accommodation is provided in very comfortable chalets by this resort. An overnight package includes all meals while tea and coffee is available free at all times. Most chalets are twin bedded and some do have options for a third person. Family chalets are also available and more traditional-style Long House accommodation can be found as a cheaper option with its dorm rooms

The minimum package is for 2 days and 1 night. But visitors are advised to extend it to 3 days and 2 nights to enjoy the various activities that are available on the island. The usual package includes the road transfers from hotels in Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Penyu. (Or you may drive yourself to the jetty at Kuala Penyu. This will take about 2 .5 hours.) From the resort jetty it is only 30 Min to the island by fast speedboats, courtesy of the resort.

Guest chalets on pulau Tiga.

Upon arrival, your welcomed with a refreshing ‘Welcome drink’ and introduced to the various activities available on the Island. These include a walk through the jungle to an active Mud Volcano where you may take a mud bath for its supposedly health benefits. Thereafter you head back through the forest, coated in mud, to wash it off at the beach in front of the resort. You will feel your skin and hair to be much softer and cleaner even though you have washed it with seawater. There is also a visit by boat to another small island which is called snake island, as many sea snakes go ashore to mate and hide in the rocks during the day. Your guide will hunt out these snakes for you to take a closer look at them. Flowing the visit to the snake island, visits are made to the sand spit which is home to migratory birds during the season and you will also be given the opportunity to snorkel over some pristine coral reefs near the sand spit.

Resort guides with snakes on snake island.

Besides this, the resorts also offers a guided night walk to observe the various insects found on the island and there are also self-guided walks to points for viewing the sunset in the evening. For the really adventuress visitors you may get a guide to take you on a round- island trek that will usually take about 8 hours. There is also the house reef which is very near to the resort and you can swim out there for some good snorkeling. With so much to do, it is worth a longer stay at the resort.

For more information please contact: SIPADAN DIVE CENTRE SDN.BHD
Tel: +6 088 240 584 / Fax: +6 088 240 415
Email : sales@sdclodges.comWebsite : www.SDCLODGES.com

Text and photos by David de la Harpe

Victoria Falls on the Zambezi

Zambezi River Victoria Falls.

Many consider the Victoria Falls to be one of the most exhilarating national attractions in the world. The Zambezi River cascading over 100 metres down the Victoria Falls into the Zambezi Gorge creates what is known to the local as the ‘roaring thunder’.

For decades, the falls have lured tourists from around the globe. Initially, they came in boats after reports from explorer David Livingstone were received from the wilds of Africa. The railway arrived in the falls in 1904 and they became more accessible to intrepid travellers.

Animals at waterhole Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

After the Second World War, well-heeled tourists flew in on planes that landed on the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls was then one of the overnight stops on an eight-day flight with Imperial Airways (now British Airways) from London to Johannesburg and return.

Today, tourists flock here by any means they can to witness both the fury and exhilaration of one nature’s most fascinating sights. A new airport terminal under construction will enable even more international flights and tourists.

Aerial Victoria Falls Zimbabwe.

The falls delineate the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia with both countries linked by a rail and pedestrian bridge and it’s possible to walk the two kilometres between both. However, one of the most exciting ways to venture across the border is on the nostalgic Victoria Falls Steam Co train which does the journey from its Zimbabwe base in historic carriages pulled by an old steam train.

Flight of the Angels

Bridge across Zambezi River Victoria Falls.

To better appreciate this amazing sight, every conceivable method of viewing and experiencing the falls and mighty river are available. Victoria Falls township has become Africa’s water and air sports capital with the small shopping centre lined with those selling bungee jumping (from the bridge), whitewater rafting, flights, canoeing and kayaking as well as wildlife tours into neighbouring game reserves.

The best views of the falls from the ground are from within Victoria Falls Park and Rainforest Reserve where pockets of rainforest are surrounding by dry scrubby forest. The tracks are well-marked but slippery as they’re constantly saturated from the spray from the waterfall. There are several fenced off areas where visitors can feel the energy of the water cascading to the turbulent pools below. It’s a noisy, sometimes scary and humbling experience.

Rainbow over Victoria Falls.

An aerial view is an even better way to appreciate the falls and the Zambezi River. From a photographer's viewpoint, a helicopter flight with ‘Flight of the Angels’ operated by Zambezi Helicopters is the best way. These 13-minute flights leave constantly all day long and do a figure-eight flight so that all passengers get to experience the view close up.

Perhaps the most sedate way of enjoying the mighty Zambezi River is to sit back and relax on sunset cruise. Around dusk boats full with tourists and fully stocked with chilled Zambezi beer, make the journey known as the ‘booze cruise’.

Safari Accommodation

Most visitors travel to Zimbabwe to experience its amazing wildlife, natural beauty and vast national parks. Guests at the deluxe Victoria Falls Safari Lodge can luxuriate using its excellent facilities while admiring the wildlife that congregates around a nearby waterhole. The lodge offers superb accommodation and all rooms have covered verandahs that overlook and provide access to the animals feeding on the savannah plains. Bona Restaurant is located onsite to offer a cultural and dining experience featuring wild meats.

Elephant Hills Golf Course designed by Gary Player is close by. Golfers will enjoy a round of golf here while they negotiate warthogs, impala and even crocodiles (it is best to consider your ball lost if it falls in or around the edge of the lakes on the course).

Victoria Falls sign Railway station.

Zimbabwe has many spectacular wildlife reserves, exclusive game lodges and the mystical archaeological ruins of Great Zimbabwe. Two of the most exciting places to see wildlife are in bush camps such as Kanga Camp in Mana Pools National Park and Somalisa in Hwange National Park. The term ‘camp’ shouldn’t be considered a place to rough it as the small number of tented accommodation operated by African Bush Camps is luxuriously appointed on the interior. The real bonus is that the tents and restaurant overlook waterholes where animals come to drink and where guests can dine and sleep safely within metres of truly wild animals.

Tour operator, Asia to Africa can plan every step of the way and provide access to the finest camps, the best guides and the most convenient transport to Zimbabwe and around Zimbabwe.

Victoria Falls are Zimbabwe’s premier contribution to the world’s great attractions. A visit to Zimbabwe without experiencing Victoria Falls would be to miss out on one of the world’s most amazing natural wonders.

Steam train crossing bridge Victoria Falls.

Getting There:

There are no direct flights between Malaysia and Zimbabwe but Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies from Kuala Lumpur to Johannesburg, South Africa (via Dubai) and then onto Victoria Falls on the brand new low fare carrier FlyAfrica.com (www.flyafrica.com). Another alternative is to fly on Emirates via Dubai, to Lusaka (Zambia), Harare and then to Victoria Falls on a domestic carrier. The exciting news is that Emirates is contemplating direct flights from Dubai to Victoria Falls next year when the new airport in Victoria Falls is completed. Emirates flies from Kuala Lumpur to Dubai and then four times daily from Dubai to Johannesburg using state-of-the-art Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. The Emirates experience across all cabins includes award-winning service from the airline’s multi-national flight attendants, access to up to 1,800 channels of films, TV shows, music and games through the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system.

Where to Stay:

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (www.victoria-falls-safari-lodge.com).

Where to Dine:

The Boma Restaurant – Place of Eating, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Contacts: 
For more information on the vast array of wildlife encounters and national parks tours in Zimbabwe contact Asia to Africa (www.a2asafaris.com) which offers specialised tours to African countries such as Zimbabwe. Experience the falls with the Victoria Falls Steam Train Co (www.steamtraincompany.com) and Zambezi Helicopters (www.zambezihelicopters.com).

Text and photos by David Bowden

A lodge with a mission

Breakfast in the julgle.

Abai Jungle lodges is situated 47km from the mouth of the Kinabatangan River on the east coast of Sabah. The usual way to get there is to take a boat from Sandakan City across the bay and cruise up river to Abai, which takes about an hour by fast boat.

Rooms at the lodge.

Abai has been featured in tour itineraries for tourist on daytrips to Sandakan, as there are hundreds of Proboscis monkeys living in the forest by the riverbanks. In 2002, Ms. Amy Chin the owner of S.I. Tours decided to set up a restaurant at Abai to cater for her guest and also to get more involved in Eco-tourism projects with the local villagers. Due to the positive feed back from tourist to Abai, she decided to build a lodge and provide overnight accommodation for tourist to the area in 2005.

A boat rine on the ox-bow lakes.

The Abai Jungle lodge provides a level of accommodation and comfort equal to that of a 3 star hotel and has won many Tourism awards over the years. 24 Large individual chalets constructed out of local timbers are connected to the main restaurant by a wooden plank walk raised above the jungle floor. The chalets have attached hot water showers and toilets and furnished with large beds and extra thick mattresses. The rooms are mosquito screened, fitted with smoke detectors and fan cooled. (There is no air- conditioning as every effort has been made to protect the environment). A Reverse osmosis water purifying system has been installed to treat the rainwater used throughout the lodge and biodegradable, environmentally friendly shampoo & toiletries are provided for guest in all the rooms. 3 units of Green engine diesel Generators provide 24-hour electricity.

A raised wooden trail has been built which encircles the lodge and provides visitors with the opportunity to walk through the rainforest without having to disturb the forest floor . One are of the walkway has been enlarged to include a platform where breakfast is served and you can experience the luxury of having a full breakfast in the middle of the rain forest. Night walks are also conducted here and a whole new world opens up as various insects, moths, sleeping birds and other creepy crawlies are seen with the aid of torchlights.

Handicraft made from recycleable meterials.

In keeping with the Eco- tourism concept, the tourist dollar is also shared with the inhabitants of Abai Village through various means. Many of the villagers are employed at the lodge and Amy also buys fresh prawns and fish from the villagers for meals served at the lodge. RM1.00 from every guest to the lodge is donated by S.I. to the Abai Home stay Development Fund (AHDF) and the money is used to upgrade the Village owned home stay program by purchasing western style toilets, a grass cutter machine, vegetable seeds, bedding, mineral water, school bags, uniforms and other necessities.

Tourist replanting trees along the riverbanks.

A Tree Planting project was started together with the villagers and for a fee of RM25.00 (included in the tour Package), Tourist will have the opportunity to purchase seedlings of native fruit trees from the villagers and plant them along the degraded forest of the river banks. This also includes a visit to the village and lunch with the Villagers. This project provides the villagers with additional income, gives them the opportunity to interact with foreigners and also instills a sense of conservation amongst them.

Tourist replanting trees along the riverbanks.

Activities for guest at the lodge include river cruises to see wildlife such as birds, various monkeys like Silvered, Maroon and Hose Languor’s and Wild Orang Utans. In the evenings guest can go on a night cruise to see fire flies which light up the mangroves like Christmas trees.

For a real Eco friendly wildlife experience, a tour with S.I.Tours to their Abai lodge will surely not disappoint you.

For more information contact:
www.sitoursborneo.com
Tel: =6 089 213502 , 223503. 

Text and photos by David Richard

Albany: ANZACS and Beyond

Greens Pool near Denmark Western Australia panorama.

The Gap and Natural Bridge Albany.

This weekend in the far southwest of Western Australia many Australians will spend a reflective few days thinking about the centenary of the first Australian troops setting sail from here for the battlefields of World War 1. These troops, along with those from New Zealand comprised the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps that became known as the ANZACS.

Exactly 100 years ago, some 30,000 ANZAC troops set sail from King George Sound near Albany in the southwest of the state. For many, this was the last time they would see their homeland as many died on the battlefields of Europe. Their brave deeds have not been forgotten with an estimated 70,000 visitors including the Australian Prime Minister visiting the town and the remembrance ceremony. The ANZAC tradition lives on in the way many contemporary Australians view life today. Prime Minister Tony Abbott will unveil the $A10 million Anzac Centre at the Albany Heritage Park on the summit of Mount Clarence overlooking the ocean just out of the town centre.

The new centre adjoins the ANZAC Desert Mounted Corps Memorial which was relocated to Albany from where it was originally erected in Egypt. The decision was made to move it after it was damaged and it now serves as a reminder of the link between Albany and the ANZACs. It was here in 1914 that 38 Australian and New Zealand ships that transported the troops and their horses to Gallipoli in Turkey departed for Australia’s entry into World War 1.

Whales, Wine and Wilderness

ANZAC Memorial Albany.

Albany will return to normal after the ANZAC celebrations to become a very relaxing destination for holidaying Malaysians. Apart from stunning coastal scenery there is a range of exciting activities to do in a town that was once famous as a whaling station settlement.

Discovery Bay was once home to Australia’s last whaling station called Cheynes Beach Whaling Station that now operates as Whale World (www. discoverybay.com.au). Visitors come here to see the well-preserved whaling station and to learn all about the industry and the species that were once hunted. During the whale season, it’s possible to see whales breaching the surface of the Southern Ocean. The centre’s interactive displays and adjoining native Australian botanic gardens (the area has 3,000 flowering wildflowers) and fauna enclosures ensure that there is enough here to entertain visitors for at least half a day.

Torndirrup National Park is home to the Gap Natural Bridge. Albany’s coastal landscape is dominated by the orange-coloured granite rocks with the national park being the best place to admire the natural beauty of the coastline. Weathering processes have sculptured these rocks into a dramatic natural arch with waves crashing and spraying skyward in the form of blowhole.

Former whaling boat Albany.

The Old Marron Farm is a great family venue where visitors could easily spend half a day. There are extensive grassy areas for a picnic but don’t miss out on Western Australia’s unique marron crustaceans which are raised on the farm. A handful of other animals live on the farm including Australian emus and dingoes. Adventurers will enjoy the chance to learn how to manipulate a Segway along the bushland trails here. Owner, Karl Rost will teach you all there is to know about riding a Segway and you’ll soon be enjoying the thrill of discovering on wheels the Australian bushland.

Albany Farmers Market is conducted every Saturday morning from 8am to noon in Collie Street Albany and the bargains and fresh produce will impress all visitors. Another special treat awaits at the Great Southern Distilling Company (www.distillery.com.au) which makes a variety of spirits including Limeburners single malt whiskies. Whisky production throughout Australia has made whisky connoisseurs sit up and pay attention especially with labels such as Tiger Snake Sour Mash Whiskey. Head north out of town to Mt Barker and the Porongurup region to discover some of Australia’s finest Riesling and Pinot Noir wines.

On another way out of town, heading westerly towards Walpole, it is worth deviating off the road to
Greens Pool to take in the dramatic southern coastline with its deserted beaches and the crisp turquoise waters of the Southern Ocean. Reflect upon the fact that this is quite possibly the end of known civilisation with the next stop being the vast Antarctic wilderness. Suck in the fresh air and rejoice in the best that the southwest of Western Australia has to offer.

Sperm Whale skeleton Whale World Albany.

Getting There and About 

The good news for Sabahans is that Malaysia Airlines (www.malaysiaairlines.com) now flies direct between Kota Kinabalu and Perth the Western Australian capital. Using its state of the art Boeing 737-800 aircraft passengers enjoy five hours of fine food, beverages and entertainment. Think big when it comes to this part of Australia (Western Australia is way bigger than the whole of Sabah) and getting around, especially down to Albany and the southwest, requires a rental car. Hire a Budget car (www.budget.com) from Perth International Airport and take a leisurely five-hour drive to Albany. Drive the circle route from Perth to Albany and along the coast to Denmark and then inland to Pemberton and Margaret River before heading back to Perth via Busselton, Bunbury and Mandurah for an enjoyable week-long holiday.

Where to Stay

Plaque Albany where ANZAC troops departed for WW1.

The finest establishment in Albany is the very welcoming Dog Rock Motel (www.dogrockmotel.com). The rooms are recently refurbished with superb facilities for a country town and the management is very friendly and helpful and happy to point tourists to all the attractions. Stay here and enjoy the fantastic cuisine served in its Lime 303 Restaurant (make a reservation as it is hugely popular).

Dining Out

Food and wine lovers will enjoy dining at Lime 303 in the Dog Rock Motel and in sampling a superb wine list and creative dishes such as nori and coconut battered prawns with wakami salad and ponzu dipping sauce. Order a delicious marron (freshwater crayfish) platter at the Old Marron Farm (www.albanymarronfarm.com.au).

Contacts Tourism Western Australia (www.westernaustralia.com).

Text and photos by David Bowden

Kek lok Si temple: Penang

The Main Pagoda.

Any visit to Penang would not be complete if you did not visit the world famous Buddhist Temple of “Supreme bliss” or more commonly known as the Kek Lok SI temple in Ayer itam. It is one on the most popular temples in Penang and is also considered to be the largest in South East Asia.

It is not one building but rather a collection of buildings that have been added on, as the years go by. Construction of the original temple started in 1890 and was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple at Pitt Street. Such was the renown of Kek Lok Si that it even gained the imperial sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kwang Xi who presented the temple with a set of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras, the Emperor's hand-written scripts, and several other relics. The inscription in Chinese calligraphy “Ta Seong Pao Dian” on a plaque was written by His Majesty, Emperor Kuang Xi of the Ching Dynasty and was presented to the first chief Abbot of Kek Lok Si in 1904. Even well known Empress Cixi of the Ching Dynasty also wrote and presented hand-written scripts to the temple. Today, these priceless heritage relics still exist in the temple archives. The funds for the Temple construction came from the local devotees and five main donors.

Kuan Yin  and the elebroate carved shelter.

In 1930, the seven storey main pagoda of the temple or the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddhas, was completed. The design of this pagoda is very unique as it combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design and a Burmese crown, reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. Another unique feature of the temple is the very large bronze statue of the Kuan Yin (30.2m) that was completed and opened to public in 2002. It replaced the previous white plaster Kuan Yin statue that was damaged due to a fire a few years earlier. The bronze statue is located on the hillside above the pagoda while the head of the previous statue, which survived the fire, is preserved and placed on the right hand corner of the new statue. As the fairly recent date mentioned above may suggest, the temple is still growing. Generous donations from the affluent Chinese community allow the construction of additional buildings. From 2005 to 2009 an ornate shelter for the Kuan Yin statue was constructed of carved dragon pillars, crowned with a 3-layered concentric octagonal roof.

Visitors to the temple usually take the stairs from the bottom of the street which winds it way up the hill to the Temple. Along both sides of the staircase, hawkers have set up stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs, food and drinks. The temple itself consists of several large halls for assembly and prayer, and various statues of Buddha, various Bodhisattvas as well as Chinese gods are venerated. Intricate woodwork, often brightly painted and a plethora of lanterns add to the visual impression. There is an inclined lift to carry pilgrims and visitors further uphill the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which can also be regarded as Avalokitheshvara, Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion. Placed around the Statue are carved statues of the various animals’ of the Chinese Zodiac.

Animals from the Chinese Zodiac.

The temple is a focal point of festivals of the Chinese community in Penang. The Chinese New Year celebrations are particularly impressive. For 30 days following Chinese New Year, the temple remains open until late at night whilst thousands of lights turn the scenery into a sea of light.

Opening hours: Daily 9.00am - 6.00pm

Entrance is free. However a RM2.00 is charged for entrance to the Main Pagoda and also the Inclined lift up to the Statue.

Text and photographs by David Richard

Mantanani Island

Fine white sand and cystal clear waters.

The Mantanani islands are a group of three islands off the north- west coast of Sabah, just opposite the town of Kota Belud. The largest of the three islands is called Mantanani Besar while the other two are Mantanani Kechil and Lungisan. Mantanani Besar is fast appearing on the tourist map as a beach & diving holiday destination. These islands have beautiful white sandy beaches with the bluest waters this side of Sabah (One would be forgiven for thinking you had been transported to the Maldives). The waters are crystal clear and home to some very beautiful coral reefs and fish. Once upon a time there used to be a Dugong or sea cow that made it into a National Geographic documentary, but it has not been seen for some time now.

Luxerious Balinese style.

Many people have been interested in developing the islands however accessibility has been a challenge as the seas between the mainland the island can be very rough especially during the rainy season. The best times to visit the island are between the months of April to September as the weather usually takes a turn for the worse towards the end of the year. There are 2 villages on the island, which is inhabited by people of the Bajau group. Together with a police station and a school, there are also a few NGO’s with camps on the island that sell packages to English students who come for a holiday on the island while doing some charity work with the village people.

The entrance to mari mari on Mantanani.

Mantanani is only about 70km away from Kota Kinabalu and can be done either as a day trip or an overnight stay. There are currently a number of tour cum dive operators that offer trips to the island, however only 2 of them have accommodation on the island. Of the two, the Mari Mari Backpacker’s lodge is the more established. They do day trips and overnight stays that include the return transfers by both land and sea. There are various categories of accommodation from twin bedded and dorm style chalets to the regular dorm that sleeps 8 people to a room, some with attached bathrooms while others have common bathrooms. Average cost for the dorm is RM60.00 a bed while the twin sharing chalets with attached bathroom cost RM120.00 per person a night. Electricity is supplied by a generator that runs from 6.00pm till 6.00am so fans and hot water showers are only available during these hours (No air-conditioning). Food and drinks are available at their restaurant and though they style themselves as “backpackers”, the prices are more like a 5 star resort as a simple “Nasi goreng” fried rice cost RM15.00 a plate, a can of beer for RM10.00 while tuna sandwiches cost RM18.00.

The small island of Lungisan.

For activities, the lodge has its own dive center which offers snorkeling and diving in the crystal clear waters on the island. Again, be prepared to fork out more for your diving with Mari Mari than you would on more established islands like Mabul(next to Sipadan) as a dive here will cost you RM180.00 and RM300.00 for 2 dives.

If you are looking for an island getaway for a few nights or even a day trip away from the crowds, Mantanani as an island will not disappoint you.

For more information visit: http://www.riverbug.asia/mantanani/ Tel : +6 088 260 501, +6 088 260 502

Text and photos by David Richard

The charms of Freser’s hill

A golf course in the mountains.

Just over a a hundred kilometers from the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur lies the English style hill resort of Frasers hill. Frasers hill is located in the titiwangsa range at a height of 1,524meters above sea level. The air is usually a lovely 17 degree’s Celsius that makes it ideal for walks, growing temperate flowers and strawberries.

The clock tower that is the focal point in the town.

Fraser’s Hill is named after Louis James Fraser, a Scotsman who prospected for gold in Australia and came to also prospect for gold in the hills here in Malaya, but instead of gold he found a large deposit of tin in the 1890s. In 1900s, he went missing but only few years later, a big search for him was conducted by Bishop Ferguson Davie of Singapore. It was an unsuccessful search and some believed that his opium and gambling business had something to do with his disappearance. The Bishop liked the climate so much that he made suggestions for the area to be developed into a hill station that was brought to fruition by the British authorities. The ensuing history is but a small detail that describes the growth of Bukti Fraser to present day, now one of Malaysia's most popular nature and highland resort destinations. Many of the English officers of that day who were based either in Kuala Lumpur or Singapore built Cottages in the Mock Tudor style and it grew in popularity as an escape from the heat of the lowlands. Today many of these old cottages are still used by many Malaysian corporations and all the Malay royal families have a house here.

The interior of Scotts restaurant.

There has been very little modern development here unlike the Cameron Highlands, as a law was passed by the Pahang government to disallow any new development in Frasers Hill. New buildings are only allowed on land that had been previously developed before. Because of this ruling, Frasers Hill is largely left in its original state, which is very much reminiscent of an old English village. There is a very good coverage of tropical hill forest with a number of jungle paths. The forest here is home to many species of mountain birds. The entirety of Fraser's Hill is a protected nature reserve and gazetted wildlife sanctuary. There is also an annual bird race carried out ever year and many birders come from all around the world to take part in it.

Private chalet.

Visitors and tourists can visit Fraser's Hill throughout the year, but expect heavy mist and occasional rainfall most times. Being high up in the mountains, moisture and coolness are predominant features of the climate in these parts. Generally, the months with the least rainfall fall between April till September, during the lapse in the monsoon season. This would be the best time to travel if you dislike wet surroundings, but the weather can still be unpredictable. It is also recommended to go during off peak seasons, which are months that have no major public or school holidays, in order to enjoy cheap accommodation in hotels and smaller crowds of visitors. Many of the old English chalets are also available for rent besides some hotels.

Text and photos by David de la Harpe 

Borneo Wildlife: Aviary

The Aviary is spread out over one acre of forested hillside with a small stream running through it. It is enclosed by netting which soars 100ft above ground. More than 30 species of tropical birds are kept within. An elevated boardwalk takes a loop trail to allow visitors to discreetly watch these birds. Some of the more conspicuous birds make their presence known either with their birds calls or by rustling in the undergrowth.

The bird species are all native to Borneo with some stunning examples of the Argus Pheasant, Crested Fireback and Lesser Adjutant Stork. Herons, pigeons, hornbills, mynas and even a pitta have been added to give a broad representation of bird diversity in Sabah.