Archives: Destinations

Macau cuisine is a mix of Portuguese and Asian flavors and you should expect to taste some ingredients that are unique to these cultures here. Coconut milk, curry, cinnamon and cloves are common additions to the recipes of the locals and aromatic food is thought to be the hallmark of a great chef here. The Macanese culinary delights are hard to beat and they have made a firm place for themselves in international cuisine today.

Try the Portuguese egg tart which is practically Macau’s signature dish. Among street snacks, the pork bun enjoys pride of place with its simple yet palate satisfying flavor and crunch. The sweet potato cake is another surprising dish that can make you yearn for more. If you love seafood, then tasting the Portuguese version here is a must. Taste some of the flavorful Portuguese seafood rice and you will never forget the perfect percolation of spice and taste in the soupy rice that accompanies perfectly cooked mussels or prawns.

Come dessert time, you must have the Serradura which is either served as pudding or as an ice cream. You might be surprised to find some crunch in the dish thanks to the crushed biscuits that line the top over the cream, vanilla and condensed milk. With its own Wine Museum and a Wine and Dine festival taking place here, it is evident that you can get your choice of alcoholic beverages here in Macau with ease.

Langkawi, like every other Malaysian location, is a shopper’s dream come true thanks to its duty free status. Find what you need and more in the many shopping malls and retail outlets that you will find here. Expect to see international brands here whether you are browsing through perfumes, chocolates, liquor, luggage, fashion or mundane objects like utensils. Pay a visit to the quaint shops selling batik and songket prints if you are looking for unique gifts that reflect the island’s traditional roots.

Once you are done shopping, you can head to one of the pubs or bars that beckon to you by the beachside. Affordable drinks, friendly crowds and music set the perfect ambience for a night of frolic. The most popular beachside bars are at Pantai Tengah and Pantai Cenang where you will be pleasantly surprised to find the people willing and enthusiastic to make new friends. A visit to the Sunday Padang Matsirat night market is a good alternative if you are not in the mood to drop in at a nightclub. If taking in a good game of chance is what excites you, then Langkawi has many casinos to keep you entertained through the night too.

Surrounded as it is by water, seafood is available in plenty in Langkawi and the locals have some incredible recipes that you can taste nowhere else. Enjoy Malay, Chinese and Thai cuisine here and experience fresh seafood with lobsters, crabs, mantis prawns, squids, king prawns and more at the many hotels dotting the more popular tourist centers of Pantai Tengah, Pantai Kok, Pantai Cenang and Kuah.

The tax advantage that Langkawi offers makes it a virtual paradise for those who like their beverages. Alcohol is cheap here and the locals and tourists take full advantage of this fact. There are many local duty free shops where a thirsty traveler can find the perfect alcoholic thirst quenchers and grocery stores are likely to be well stocked with leading labels as well.

There is much to do here in Langkawi but the beaches draw the most attention from holiday makers. The best beach to visit is Tanjung Rhu, which is at the northern tip of the island. For nature lovers this is a must-see with its old limesone cases, crags and waterways offering some exciting spots to explore. If you want to avoid huge crowds, the Pantai Kok beach may be a better choice. The Telaga Harbor is located in proximity and you can also take a cable car ride to Mat Cincang Mountain from here.

The Telaga Tujuh waterfalls is another place for nature lovers to visit. It has seven natural pools where fairies are supposed to come down and frolic, according to local folktales. If you are more interested in taking in the culture of the islands, then a visit to the Oriental Village may be in order. This is an Asian themed village complete with snake charmer, street side jugglers, folk music, palmistry and more. Sailing tours are also a commonplace activity for holiday makers in Langkawi and boat rides at sunset with dinner on-board are a good way to end a fun filled day.

Penang is a major shopping destination in Malaysia because of its abundance of traditional bazaars as well as shopping malls. The Gurney Plaza, Penang Times Square, Gurney Paragon, Queensbay Mall, 1^st Avenue Penang and Kompleks Bukit Jambu are among the locally-renowned malls. Among the most popular bazaars are the Chowrasta Market, Pasar Malam (Night market, which is open from 8pm through to 12am) and the market on Campbell Street.

The best place to enjoy Penang’s nightlife is the Upper Penang Road, where bars, lounges and up-scale restaurants with live band performances can be seen in plenty. Penang is also great for activities such as golfing, trekking, camping, cycling and snorkeling.

The Penang National Park and Penang Hill offer some great hiking opportunities. There are also some secluded beaches that make great places of group activities for families traveling with children. The Monkey Beach, Teluk Kampi, Muka Head and Pantai Kerachut are among the cleanest of the secluded beaches.

The food capital of Malaysia, Penang is a food-lover’s paradise. Time labeled Penang as the state with the best street food in Asia in 2004. CNN also consistently ranks it among the top-ten places for street food. And in 2014, Penang was voted the top food destination by Lonely Planet. This is because Penang offers a comprehensive choice of great-tasting food at significantly cheap rates.

The influence of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Nyonya and Thai ethnicity is prominent in the cuisine of Penang. Most of the cuisines are sold at hawker stalls, which is what Penang is famous for.

The most popular “food streets” in Penang include Pulau Tikus, Gurney Drive, Penang Road, New World Park, Chulia Street, Chai Leng Park and Raja Uda. Among the most popular dishes to try are Mee Sotong, Penang Char Koay Teow, Assam Laksa, Lobak, Hokkien Mee, Koay Teow Th’ng, Lor Mee, Satay, Or Chen, Penang Sar Hor Fun and seafood.

Also, see Activities in Penang

Penang offers an array of pristine white beaches, colorful parks, beautiful gardens and more for tourists to explore. Perhaps the most popular attraction is Penang’s George Town, which is best explored on foot.

Other popular tourist attractions include:

Adventure Zone Theme Park – The park offers over 30 activities, segmented into three categories – kids area, toddler area and the special-features zone. The park caters to not just children but also adults and offers, among other things, a 24-feet drop slide that the elders can enjoy as well.

Escape Adventureland – The park is famous for its wide portfolio of adrenaline-rushing activities including zip lining, free fall jumping from a 20 meter platform, tree-rope swing and more.

Kek Lok Si Temple – This 100+ year-old Buddhist temple is among the largest in the world and offers an experience you just can’t miss.

Also, see Activities in Penang

Sabah ensures that you have plenty of things left to do even after having visited the major tourist attractions. Activities such as paragliding (Lohan Hill and Kokol), camping (Lohan Hill and Tunku Abdel Rahman Island Park), snorkeling (Sipadan, Layang Layang and Mabul), white-water rafting (alongside Kiulu and Padas rivers) and venturing into the jungles from camps located around the Batu Punggul area and Kinabatangan River are just some of the several things you can enjoy. North Borneo Steam Railway, which operates on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the Sabah Jungle Railway, which operates daily, offer some other great things families can enjoy together.

For other non-nature related activities, head to the capital city, which will delight you with its choice of shopping malls, bars and pubs. The city is thronged with shopping malls, the most popular among which include, KK Plaza, Warisan Square, Asia City, 1Borneo, Wisma Merdeka, Suria Sabah Shopping Center and the Centrepoint. These destinations are full of great stuff at wonderful prices.

The Loft Kota Kinabalu, M-Cubed Bar, Shamrock Irish Bar, Shangri-La’s Sunset Bar and PLUtonic are the city’s most popular pubs and bars, which provide a great mix of cocktails, beer, good food, friendly company and sports on television.

The flavorful cuisine of Sabah packs in the mixed influence of Malay, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Thai, Indonesian and other Asian cuisines. The street food has Western influences as well, making Sabah a great place to eat for tourists from around the world. Food is in fact, a major attraction in Sabah and must not be ignored.

Specialties include Ngiu Chap or Beef Noodle, Sheng Rou Mian, Tom Yam Noodles, Char Siu or BBQ Pork Rice, Kam Hiong Hai or Chili Crab, Laksa Noodles, Beef Brisket Noodles, Roti Kahwin, Air Batu Campur, Beaufort Noodles, Pork Dumpling, Seafood Noodles, Custard Bun, Creamy Buttered Crab, Fish Head Noodles and Coconut Pudding.