Saturday, January 30, 2010

Jungle trekking to Kampung Juara

On my second day on Tioman Island I didn’t do very much. Just relaxing at the beach, a little swimming and walking around taking some pictures. While laying on the beach I met Lim, a great guy from Germany who’s also living in my “resort”. We talked a little and then went back to our huts.. We had a great tie with good and cheap food Lim and I found out, that we all wanted to do the jungle Trek from our beach to the other side of the island to a place called Juara. It’s like 7,2km one way and is supposed to be like a good 2h walk. We decided to meet the next day at 10 am and do it together.

We walked into the jungle, the scenery was really amazing: everything so green and sounds you couldn’t imagine:

P1010402

But after a few minutes walking up (a mix of natural “stairs” and concrete stairs), as the trek was going over the “small” hill in the middle of the island, I was sweating like HELL. And as I didn’t had any breakfast that morning, I was running out of energy a few minutes later and climbing up the jungle got really, really exhausting for me. But on the other hand, the nature surrounding us was well worth the effort.

P1010405

After an exhausting 90 minutes we arrived and the top of the hill and the trek got flat and soon started to go downhill, which felt a bit like heaven…but as this was a concrete road now, it was still very tiring for the feed, as you always had to break, if you didn’t want to get to fast. But through the jungle you could already get a glimpse at the ocean and now we really wanted to get to the beach, which was supposed to be even more beautiful than the one at our side of the island, as others told us.

P1010412

Minutes later we arrived at this amazing beach, which looked just like a picture on one of those tropical postcards. I was pretty much stoked! And as this place was still pretty much closed (only like 2 or 3 open restaurants and no open bungalows), we were the only ones around. There weren’t even any local people around.

We put down our things and went straight into the water. This beach had some pretty cool waves, as this side of the island was facing the open ocean. When we went back out of the water, we discovered, that the beach was full of sand flies. These very little creatures, about the size of a food fly, were biting us everywhere and it got very annoying to keep them away. But besides them, this beach was just like paradise. Again. ;) We stayed there for about 4h and just enjoyed this wonderful place.

P1010455

We then had to leave in the early evening, because we wanted to get home in daylight. As none of us liked the idea of walking up the hill again, we asked around if we could find someone that could take us with him in his car. But it was very expensive, so we decided to go by foot. We stocked up with fresh water and starting walking again. As before, getting up the hill was very exhausting but when we finally arrived back at the top, going down was now just a walk in the park, and now we could really enjoy the jungle around us!When we finally arrived at our side of the island it just started to get dark.Afterwards we walked back and fell happily in our beds.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Malaysia - Places to visit

 

Malaysia is a beautiful country offering exquisite treasure of beaches, ocean, and natural beauties. It’s a popular vacation destination for all types of vacations. Entire Malaysia is beautiful, yet there are several sites/places that can be regarded as the precious gems of the country. Here are seven valuable jewels of Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur: Often dubbed as “Garden City of Lights,” the capital city is one of the most valuable jewels of Malaysia. One of the most beautiful cities of the world, pretty popular among tourists, KL is widely known for the finest shopping malls, skyscrapers, restaurants, nightlife, and the world's cheapest five-star hotels. KL is also known for “the Golden Triangle,” the commercial hub of the city. Major Attractions of Kuala Lumpur include Petronas Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC, Petrosains, KL Tower, Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka), Jamek Mosque (Masjid Jamek), Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Association, Sri Mahamariamman Temple,  National Monument (Tugu Negara), Muzium Negara (National Museum), Muzium Kesenian Islam (Islamic Arts Museum), Masjid Negara (National Mosque), The National Planetarium, Istana Negara (National Palace), and Batu Caves.

Ipoh: The capital of the state of Perak, Ipoh is another gem city on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Often nicknamed as “Bougainvillea City,” is one of the most beautiful cities of Malaysia. Famous for tin mines, Limestone Mountains caves and Chinese food, the city is home to a number of finest restaurants and bars. Major attractions of the city include Muzium Darul Ridzuan (historical museum of Perak), St. Michael's Institution (architectural wonder), Mari Amman Temple, Kellie's Castle, Sam Poh Tong, Kek Lok Tong, and Perak Tong.

Malacca: The historical city of Malacca is the capital of the state of Malacca on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The city is full of interesting place and fascinating views. The “must visit” city of Malaysia, Malacca is famous for its historical architecture and fine food. Major attractions of Malacca include Stadhuys (historical museum), Christ Church, Red Square, Porta de Santiago, St Paul's Church, Muzium Budaya, Portuguese Settlement, Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, Poh San Teng Temple, Kampung Morten, Bukit China(Chinese Cemetery), Recreational Forest Ayer Keroh, Baba and Nonya Peranakan Musuem, and Melaka Zoo.

Kota Kinabalu: The capital of the state of Sabah (Borneo Island), Kota Kinabalu is the largest city in East Malaysia. It is pretty poplar resort destination due to its proximity to tropical islands, lush rainforest and Mount Kinabalu. The city is named after Mount Kinabalu. Major Attractions of the city include Atkinson Clock Tower, Ethno Botanic Garden, Gaya Street Sunday Market, Karamunsing Complex, Kota Kinabalu City Bird Sanctuary, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), Monsopiad Cultural Village (Kampung Monsopiad), Kinabalu National Park, Sabah Museum, State Mosque, Signal Hill Observatory, Stilt Villages, Tun Mustapha Tower, Tanjung Aru Beach, Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, Rafflesia Forest Reserve, Crocker Range National Park, Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club, and Karambunai.

Penang: Former British colony, Penang is a beautiful island off the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Often known as the "Pearl of the Orient," Penang is one of Malaysia's main tourist draws. The bustling island city is widely known for its excellent cuisine. Georgetown, the capital of Penang, is a favourite spot for tourists. Penang's popular pubs and restaurants are located in Georgetown. Batu Ferringhi, located on the north coast, is famous for its white sandy beaches, luxurious hotels & restaurants. Major attractions of Penang include Botanical Gardens, Penang Hill, Bukit Jambul Orchid, Hisbiscus & Reptile Garden, Fisheries Department Research Institute Aquarium, Kek Lok Si, Penang Bridge, Pulau Jerejak Resort, Snake Temple, and War Museum.

Redang: About 45 km off the coast of Terengganu state in Malaysia, Redang Island is very popular destination for scuba divers. The Island is famous for its crystal clear waters, white sandy beaches. Offering mesmerizing views of ocean, Redang is a perfect placid place for beach vacation.

Perhentian Islands: Glittering gems off the East Coast, the Perhentian Islands are a small group of captivating coral-fringed islands off the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu. The Islands are one of the most beautiful places on the earth, but unexplored by mass tourism yet. Activities on the islands are limited to scuba diving, snorkeling and sunbathing. The islands are ideal for peaceful vacations.
Other important islands of Malaysia include Labuan, Langkawi, Pangkor, Sipadan Island, Tenggol Island, Tioman Island, and Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park.