It’s the last day of Ramadan for Muslims in Malaysia today. Tomorrow they usher in the first day of Syawal after a month of fasting. After a long month of brisk sales, stall operators at Ramadan bazaars all over the city are closing for the festivities ahead. Many will pack up and leave for their…
City Break: Avani Sepang Gold Coast
The beachs in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia are hardly mentioned in tourist brochures. Not surprising, as these beaches are hardly comparable to its counterpart on the East Coast which are cleaner, more picturesque with powdery white sand and beautiful diving and snorkelling sites with teeming varieties of marine life. The West coast beaches…
Hustling up HK’s Peak
I’m not a big fan of jostling with a huge crowd, especially one that does not understand the concept of queues. But that’s exactly what I had to put up with on my way up Victoria Peak on the Peak Tram last month. First there were long long lines, hence the disorderly conduct of some….
Food Trail: The Felix Hong Kong
I love old hotels – not the ghost stories and apparent haunting in these places. I can do without those. Have lived in a few old buildings – never experienced anything and never want to – lets keep it that way! To me it’s just the notion of walking through a room, hall or passageway just…
Floating Village In A City
Aberdeen floating village sets itself apart from its contemporaries with a unique backdrop.
Down Love Lane
I’ve walked through Love Lane in Georgetown , Penang many times – usually in the daytime or late at night. But a wrong turn and evening walk through Love Lane yesterday made me see it literally in a different light. It is true what they say about how different the rich hues of dusk and…
Las Vegas + Lisbon = Macau
Known as the Las Vegas of the East, Macau is famous for it’s casinos, bright lights, luxurious hotels and shopping facilities. This bright and glitzy part of this former Portuguese colony is evident along the famous Cotai strip. But behind the scenes, lies the older part of Macau, the parts where early Portuguese settlers built…
Southern Sojourn
Kukup, is a little known seaside town in the southernmost state of Johor in Malaysia. More importantly, Tanjung (Cape) Piai which is a short drive away from Kukup, marks the southernmost tip of the Asian continent. Kukup is not the place you come to if lounging by a white sandy beach with a swim in the sea…
Dreamy Days in Historic Hoi An
The town of Hoi An in Vietnam is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and being a history buff I was all for making this my first destination ever in Vietnam. Like a good book that transports you to a faraway land, devoid of all worldly quandaries, Hoi An seems to have this ability…
A Dramatic Sunset
I have watched many versions of the epic story of Rama and Sita base on the Hindu text. The story, features, props, costumes and interpretation of this tale varies as you make your way around South East Asia. But I’ve got to say that the Balinese are unparalleled when it comes to injecting that extra…
Piecing the Puzzle of a Glorious Past
In May 2016, archaeologists with expertise of five main ancient civilisations – Mesopotamia, Indus, Mesoamerica, China and Greco-Roman declared their recognition for the historical significance of the Sungai Batu archeological findings, just 6km from Sungai Petani in Kedah. Carbon dating on smelted iron found at this archaeological site places this civilisation in 535 Century BC, which…
Dead Men Do Tell Tales
Penang is one of my favourite spots in Malaysia. This island is famous for many reasons – the food, the beaches, the heritage buildings, the architecture, and the cool respite of Penang Hill and its forests when the weather is hot. However, some find one of my favourite spots in Penang – the old Protestant…
