GTN 13.1

Gaya Special Feature: Putrajaya International Convention Centre

MICE Trends

of

Putrajaya

According to Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB) statistics, Malaysia has undoubtedly achieved an excellent result by secured a total of 1,815 business events which would bring in more than 3.54 million delegates. This shows an encouraging growth of the local MICE industry, kudos to the continuous promotional activities carried out throughout the year.

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Furthermore, this is also an exciting industry where The World Tourism Organizations has reported on MICE industry, “New generations don’t want ‘standard’ events; they are tired of the traditional model and want to co-create the content, to engage with more networking and more interactivity. They want to feel part of the event, not a mere spectator. New formats and concepts are growing and these are affecting venues and organizers in a way they haven’t seen before.”

However, the demand for MICE events are on the rise and though companies are not splurging, exclusive venues are not being ruled out either. As one of the MICE destinations, there are some MICE trends which have been observed in Putrajaya.

Let’s take a look:

Greater Diversity of Events Putrajaya is a venue with diversity of events like conferences, congresses, seminars, exhibition and incentives mainly held by government and corporate agencies. With that in mind, many MICE venues have reinvented their marketing strategies and widen up their target markets to higher level by participating international trade fairs and approach international-level companies to host events.

The new generation of event clients tend to be more impromptu and look at space differently. Most of them are looking for venues that offer great value and relaxed atmosphere. For instance, Putrajaya has facilities that can cater various types of events at one destination such as Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) for MICE-related events, Marina Putrajaya for water activities events, Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya (TEP) for equestrian events, PULSE GRANDE Hotel for ‘bleisure’ events, Anjung Floria and Taman Warisan Pertanian for outdoor-related events. These venues are also able to cater for wedding events.

Amenities Will Be A Rising Star As one of the MICE destinations in Malaysia, Putrajaya has gained new importance as people nowadays increasingly want to explore MICE destinations with a sense of urgency – destinations that are changing rapidly in terms of trends and have many amenities that would benefit them when hosting an event at the destination.

Strategically located at the south of Kuala Lumpur (KL), Putrajaya is easily accessible and only 26km away from the city centre via Maju Expressway (MEX). Also, Putrajaya is only 15-minute away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) via Express Railway Link (ERL). With existence of such amenities, it will make Putrajaya the preferred destination for MICE events as its location is away from hassle and has laidback atmosphere. Another advantage of hosting event at Putrajaya is its ability to cater big capacity of events and people at a time. This has been proven by Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) when they organized “Hari Belia Negara” event

and managed to gather over hundreds thousand people at one time.

There is no big issue on the traffic management wise especially during the event as Putrajaya’s amenities are able to cater such capacity. Apart from that, Putrajaya also has nearby hospital, hotels (PULSE GRANDE Hotel, Pullman, Putrajaya Lakeside,The Everly Hotel and Dorsett Putrajaya) and shopping malls (Alamanda, Suria Mall & IOI City Mall).

Putrajaya is actually more than administrative centre to Malaysia Government as the city has become top tourist spot and many travel agencies have dedicated packages to this destination. Due to that, the government in cooperation with its strategic partners has planned few expansion strategies to attract more tourist from every part of the world such as, Mass Rapid Train Project from KL to Putrajaya and many more.

Venue Competition Continues to Increase With over many MICE centres across Malaysia, event planners and attendees alike are looking for centres that offer unique features. Differentiating is a key to attracting more business and larger events. We’ll see MICE professionals getting more and more creative with their marketing and sales strategies.

One proven way is to promote the destination by highlight restaurants, local tours, museums, shops, and outdoor activities. More and more centres are offering services and resources to help attendees plan a trip out and around their conference, making the cost of the trip and the event more palatable, especially for attendees who choose to bring their family along for a “bleisure” trip.

For instance, Putrajaya Tourism service providers have good collaborations among themselves on getting business events by taking this concept to a new level by creating combo packages for the visitors.

In a way, this cross-channel marketing highlights the city’s attractions, geography and personality. Visitors these days take in their events in an environment that is professionally modern and stunningly beautiful, connecting them to the heart of the city from the moment they arrive.

To host events at Putrajaya, please read more on these websites:

www.ppj.gov.my www.pulsegroup.com.my www.picc.com.my www.pcs.my www.pulsegrande.com.my www.tep.my www.floriaputrajaya.com.my www.marinaputrajaya.com www.cruisetasikputrajaya.com

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Contents ISSUE 13.1

Cover Illustration by Emila Yusof

w w w. iss uu. co m /gayatrave l

Departments

014. Editorial Jottings

Destinations

027. The Magical Aurora Borealis - Our Encounter

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046.

052.

058.

072.

076.

084.

086.

090.

094.

102.

036. Taste of the Sea with Barbecue and Beyond

Gaya Special Report

Gaya Special Feature

008. Putrajaya International Convention Centre 016. #SayangMalaysia 124. Hotel Equatorial Melaka

Gaya Interview

024. Thomas Gassner, GM of

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara 012

www.emilayusof.com

Gaya Traveller

Gaya Dine & Cafe Gaya Tech

038. Nikon D5600: Instagrammers’ Best Friend

Going Solo @Surakarta A Cultural Jaunt at the Special Region of Jogjakarta Exploring Kansai Through The Stomach - Part I Fjallraven Classic Goes Tropical in Hong Kong StarCruise’s Inaugural Voyage to Myanmar Doing MICE in Switzerland Part II: Lucerne and Bern MOTAC Promotes Biker Tourism through Eat, Travel, Ride #EatTravelWrite #ETW6 #ngetehETW #DiscoverSelangor Culinary Adventure The Colourful Citrawarna Went Green Becoming Bilbo Baggins - Part I Sparking All Senses on Fijian Shores

068. The French Connection, Atout France Style 110. CTM Boosted Cambodia’s International Appeal

Hotels & Resorts

116. Living Up the Villa Life at Peppers Seminyak 120. Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara - Magnifique Life Personified 126. Silka Johor Bahru, where Families Meet 128. G Hotel - G is for gorgeous

Travel Anecdotes 132. Adrian Sameli

Editorial Jottings

Happy New Year 2018!

Though 2017 has its fair share of fun and excitement, many are positively looking forward to 2018, which is expected to be better.

Beginning this year and starting from this issue (Issue 12.6/13.1), Gaya Travel Magazine will be published quarterly (four times a year). At the same time, Gaya Travel Magazine is also expanding its digital platforms further to complement the printed magazine for wider and more global reach. Do follow all of Gaya Travel Magazine’s digital platforms such as www.gayatravel.com.my, www.facebook.com/ gayatravel, www.instagram.com/gayatravel, and twitter.com/gayatravel to get more enriching travel and tourism information and ideas!

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For the first time ever, Gaya Travel Magazine introduces a South Pacific destination, Fiji, made accessible from South East Asia by Fiji Airways’ direct connection between Singapore and Nadi. Be sure to read Shahida’s first-hand experience when she explored Fiji (page 102) courtesy of Fiji Airways.

On top of that, for those who yearn to witness the Aurora Borealis, Gaya Traveller team offers advice on how to do so from Iceland, a far-flung destination that should be visited at least once by all intrepid travellers (page 27) due to its breathtakingly dramatic landscapes. But be warned: travellers need to brave the destination’s trying temperatures when they visit it outside summer months.

This issue is also filled with various other exciting destinations that we hope would make it into our readers’ bucket list in 2018 and beyond: Selangor culinary adventure (page 86); cultured Surakarta (page 40) and Yogyakarta (page 46); Kansai gastronomic haven (page 52); Hong Kong hiking trails (page 58); cruise to Macleod Island in Myanmar (page 72); Central Switzerland (page 76) and surreal New Zealand (page 94).

So, keep on rolling and keep on travelling in 2018!

JUHAN KAMARUDDIN@JEREMY KHALIL

Email your comments to jeremy@gayatravel.com.my

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Gaya Special Feature: #SayangMalaysia

1. LAUNCH OF THE BOOK ON THE PALACE OF PAHANG The book entitled ‘The Palace of Pahang’ as well as Revisit Pahang Year 2018 campaign were launched on 11 January 2018 at the National Library of Malaysia.

The event was graced by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Regent of Pahang Tengku Mahkota Abdullah Al-Haj Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah together with the Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia The Honourable Dato Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz.

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2. PUTRAJAYA INTERNATIONAL SECURITY DIALOGUE (PISD) Putrajaya International

Security Dialogue (PISD) Closing Ceremony held at the Putrajaya Marriott Hotel by the Right Honourable Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak.

3. GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMUNITY SUMMIT

4. THE 6TH GLOBAL SUMMIT ON URBAN TOURISM

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5. THE LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF MALAYSIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENCE’S EDUCATION AGENDA BLUEPRINT The launching ceremony

of Malaysian Ministry of Defence’s Education Agenda Blueprint by the Minister of Defence The Honourable Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein at the Royal Malay Regiment 5th Battalion Marching Field in Kluang, Johor. The Ministry of Defence underlines this education agenda as one of the main initiatives to ensure the well-being of the Malaysian Armed Forces’ members.

An Education Task Force has been formed to plan for the change of paradigm in upholding the Malaysian government’s long-term development programme called National Transformation 2050 (TN50).

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6. TEH TARIK SESSION

Secretary General of Treasury Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Siregar Abdullah presented the government’s directions for the year and exchanged ideas and opinions with the staff of the Accountant General’s Department of Malaysia during a teh tarik session.

7. CIMB 10TH ANNUAL MALAYSIA CORPORATE DAY 2018 Malaysia’s Finance Minister II The Honourable Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani officiated the CIMB 10th Annual Malaysia Corporate Day 2018 at Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur. The event was also graced by the Chairman of CIMB Group Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazir bin Tun Abdul Razak.

8. #SAYANGMALAYSIA CAMPAIGN AT NATCHATHIRA VIZHA 2018 Thalaiva Superstar, Rajinikanth,

Kamal Haasan, Indian Film Actor with Tony Nagamaiah, General Manager of Malaysia Major Event for the campaign #SayangMalaysia at Natchathira Vizha 2018.

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9. MUSANG KING DURIAN AND AUTHENTIC CUISINE CARNIVAL Musang King is one of

the top rated durian species sought after by durian connoisseurs and fans not just from Malaysia, but also overseas, especially travellers from China who are willing to spend hundreds of ringgit just to savour the fruit’s flesh that is thick, creamy and sweet with a hint of bitterness. Durian has now become one of the most popular tropical fruits to be exported. Many innovative durian-based food products have also been developed due to strong demand towards its flavour.

Gaya Interview

Thomas Gassner GM of

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara

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Having been in South East Asia for over three years, Mr Thomas Gassner served at Pullman Jakarta in Thamrin Square and Pullman Bali prior to his current post as the General Manager (GM) of Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara. He started his career at the AccorHotels in 2004 with the Sofitel Hotels and Resorts located in the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

French heritage Since Mr Gassner has served both at Pullman and Sofitel, he is well-versed about the differences between the two brands, which are part of the AccorHotels. “Both are five-star level hotels but the target is different. Pullman is mainly targeted for the younger and hipper clientele seeking pizzazz and edginess hinging upon technology, social media and connectivity, while Sofitel is catered to those who have arrived and established, emphasising on design and luxury,” he explains.

Although Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara upholds French flair and heritage through art and cuisine while banking on diverse workforce, the hotel does not sell itself as exclusively French or involved in only promoting anything French. Of course, the hotel does showcase subjects that are synonymous to what France is famous for such as art and cuisine, but it prefers to project itself as more of a refined property with a global outlook and celebrates Malaysia, which happens to possess French heritage. “Guests should understand that they are in Malaysia and not in Paris, so it is important for guests to embrace local culture first and foremost. The hotel provides the cultural link between the host country and France,” says Mr Gassner.

Mr Gassner further expounds that each Sofitel Hotels and Resorts has its own character and does not conform to a particular standard look. “We need to understand that each Sofitel property has its own personality and soul. For the past 10 years, Sofitel has undergone extensive changes and embarked on more aggressive expansion,” he notes.

The identity of each Sofitel Hotels and Resorts is standalone and unique because each of them conscientiously incorporates local culture, identity, influences and marry them with French flair that can be seen in the hotel’s interiors, providing guests with strong sense of place and further enriching guests’ experience. “It is important that guests don’t wake up wondering which city they are in because everything looks the same (since they also stay at the same hotel chain in other locations),” Mr Gassner quips.

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara intends to uphold the high standards and service level that the brand is known for, and ensure that guests’ have memorable stay and continue returning. “Our guests informed us that they are happy with the staff ’s friendliness and attentiveness, which I take it as very positive, especially coming from foreigners; they enjoy the Malaysian hospitality . That is what we are targeting and what we are bringing into our daily life. We also challenge ourselves to continuously improve than the day before,” adds Mr Gassner.

As a true blue German who is obsessed with football, Mr Gassner is a fan of Bayern Munich. When asked whether it would be possible if he could invite the Bayern Munich team to stay at the hotel if they were to tour Malaysia, he said it would not be impossible since the club did its tour in Singapore in 2017 considering the Asian market is important to the European football clubs. However, he cautioned that the journey to get to Asia from Germany is a long one for these players. Fingers crossed that Malaysian fans would eventually get to meet their favourite Bayern Munich stars in the near future, whom we guess might be staying at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, of course...

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Spanking new property

to experience the city and the hotel,” Mr Gassner elaborated.

As with any property that has been newly opened, Mr Gassner confessed that there are bound to be teething problems. “Each new hotel experience has its own unique challenges because you almost start everything from zero and need to implement standards onto the new hotel and hire staff within a few months’ time to meet deadline. You will only get to know the result of your pre-opening hard work only after interacting with guests regarding their experience staying at the hotel.

“I was told that our first months went by successfully. We need to continue going beyond our guests’ expectations – all the hard work put in during the pre-opening and opening actually starts when we begin receiving guests at the hotel and when they give their feedback to us. Without guests, we are unable to test out the level of hospitality,” he adds.

“Since it is a new hotel, we are interested in seeing the reaction of our guests and how we are being perceived, while at the same time ensuring everything runs smoothly. We also emphasise in growing not just the business but also the staff ’s capabilities and potential, requiring them to continuously learn and develop. We receive many positive comments from guests, including inputs on the areas that we need to work on,” iterates Mr Gassner.

When asked whether the hotel needs to necessarily advise their guests on what to expect from the city, Mr Gassner finds that guests in this day and age are normally armed to the teeth with information about the destination they are visiting.

“To be honest, our guests are well prepared with what they would like to see and where they want to go. When I asked some of the guests what they want to do when they were in Kuala Lumpur, they already have a list prepared and figured everything out. They readily understand that KL is famous in the region for having good nightlife and dining,” claims Mr Gassner. He adds that getting around the city is convenient and accessible since it has good infrastructure and things are not too far away from each other, hence no issue with the hotel’s location.

Even though Kuala Lumpur appears affordable to foreign travellers, Mr Gassner reckons that people do not travel to the destination simply because they can stretch their money. “I think they come here more to experience what Kuala Lumpur offers. Of course, the fact that Malaysia is reasonably priced and accessible is advantageous. But I personally don’t think that people decide to go to one place just because it is cheap or good value - people want the experience and see what they have not seen before in Kuala Lumpur. Besides, when they go out of the city and explore more of Malaysia, they will definitely be more amazed,” claims Mr Gassner, who has dived in Sipadan and visited Langkawi and Genting.

Clientele Regarding the type of guests that the hotel receives, Mr Gassner shares that the hotel’s location in Damansara Heights works to its advantage because it is patronised by well heeled business travellers and corporates from the surrounding offices of local and international corporations.

“But we are surprised and happy to find that we also attract local leisure guests over the weekends who come for staycation or to spend time with their families – we welcome more children than we previously expected. We did not expect much from the leisure market at first, thinking that leisure guests might prefer hotels with resort-like facilities located more towards central and downtown area, but it turns out that the lesiure guests keep coming nonetheless. Since the location is also close to residential areas and housing estates, many guests from out of town prefer to stay here when they visit their families, relatives or friends around the area. This trend drives us to effectively cater to local or foreign business, including leisure travellers. The expatriate community is also quite strong here and they bring along their family and friends

In the next few years Mr Gassner beams with certainty when we asked him how does he think the hotel would fare in the next three to five years. “I am confident that with the current integrated development by GuocoLand Malaysia comprising two luxury condominium blocks, two corporate office towers, the hotel, and a food-and-beverage-centric lifestyle mall, the whole Damansara City will become more developed, especially when various multi-national corporations and other companies begin occupying the offices. From the hotel, you can quickly reach the downtown area, including KL Sentral that offers fast link to the airport. I believe this area has the potential to become the new KL Sentral or something similar, and the hotel will benefit greatly from such development,” Mr Gassner concludes.

ESCAPE + EXPLORE + EXPERIENCE

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Chasing

Auroras It seems like the last two years have seen Iceland topping on everybody’s travel wish list, and we were not excluded in this herd. The incredible natural phenomenon, Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights that could only be seen in the northern hemisphere, is the reason why many travellers head to this far-flung Nordic nation; well, at least that was our reason.

We had penned in Iceland on our travel destination plans way later in the future, since travelling to that part of the world is not exactly cheap. We needed time to raise the funds, but when an article surfaced on our Facebook newsfeed, stating that the Aurora Borealis will become dimmer for the next ten years beginning May 2016, we started panicking. Suddenly Iceland was on top of our list, and travel plans to other destinations need to be deferred till later. We simply had to work extra hard to save money for this aurora hunt of ours!

It is unlikely for us to only go to just one country whenever we travel long-haul. Scandinavia is the

natural choice this time. Photos and details of our Scandinavian trip (minus Finland) can be found on our Instagram (@gayatraveller) and Facebook (Gaya Traveller).

We visited Iceland for seven days in the last week of September. It was Autumn, which is off peak season on the tourist calendar. Autumn means it is not as cold as winter, but there is a chance of rain. Rain means cloudy skies, indicating that we might have lower chances of seeing the Northern Lights. Truthfully, we did get three days of rain. But when it was sunny, it was surreally gorgeous!

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Top : Considered as one of the natural wonders of Iceland, Jökulsárlón is the deepest lake in Iceland with floating icebergs and has maximum depth of 260 metres set in front of the magnificent Vatnajokull glacier edge. Bottom : In Iceland, ever ywhere you look is beautiful. The countr y is picture perfect and you can’t help but be mesmerised. Gullfoss Waterfall is considered the most beautiful Icelandic Waterfall.

Getting There and Around » Malaysians do not require visa to enter Iceland. » Keflavik Airport is the main gateway for most passenger flights to and from Iceland, and it is open 24 hours. It is located 48km from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital and largest city. » We travelled to Reykjavik by flight from Bergen, Norway. We walked out of the arrival terminal without any immigration process, which means our passports were neither checked nor stamped. It was quite disappointing, honestly! Our friends who flew in from London had their passports stamped and luggage checked. » Renting a car is probably the best way to explore Iceland, because you get to go at your own pace, and wherever you feel like going. The roads are not congested, and the speed limit is only 90 kilometres per hour at most. The only challenge is perhaps getting used to driving on the opposite side of the road.

Iceland is a left-hand drive country. » There were eight of us on this all-girl self-drive trip. We rented two cars to get around the southern part of Iceland comfortably. We highly recommend renting four-wheel drive vehicle as some of the roads are rough. Certain roads, especially at the northern side of the country, only allow four-wheel drive vehicles. Be sure to decide on your routes before booking your rental car.

Iceland probably has the most car rental companies available, so finding one that suits your needs will not be a problem! » For the adventurous, perhaps renting a camper van would be more interesting. Companies like Kuku Campers, Happy Campers, and rent. is rent out mini camper vans, complete with wi-fi. We had seen these campers drive up ascending gravel roads with no problem. There are parking lots with shower and toilet facilities (pay to use) available.

» For the uninitiated, there are various ground handlers offering tour packages at attractive prices.

Overview » Iceland is touristy because we encountered more tourists than locals when we were on the road. Perhaps there are also more sheep than locals here since we do not even see the farmers on the farms. Sheep, horses and cows are left unattended within fenced fields. » English is widely spoken, but rarely written on signboards, labels, etc. » » Exchange rate is approximately ISK1,000 = RM40. Credit card is acceptable everywhere, even for toilets and off-street parking. When visiting Iceland, credit card is vital! » The landscape of Iceland varies.

Majestic mountains, countless waterfalls, streams, and creeks can be seen throughout Iceland. Some parts are covered with grass and various other types of vegetation; some just black sand or earth. Moss covered lava rocks create the most unique panorama of all. The land is barren, but not without something interesting to be observed by curious travellers. » It is easy to spot rainbows in Iceland, especially when it rains. We were greeted by double rainbow when we first disembarked from the aeroplane.

Places We Visited In Reykjavik Reykjavik is where the population is most dense, and home to many modern buildings, museums and sculptures. This includes the striking Hallgrimskirkja Church, Harpa Concert Hall and the Sun Voyager sculpture. » Whale Watching & Whales of Iceland Museum While there are no guarantees of whale sightings on this three-hour whale watching excursion, it was an interesting experience. We did not see the two Minke whales that were detected on the captain’s radar, but it was exciting nonetheless. July is the best month to

catch sight of the whales in the wild. The museum houses many life-sized whale species with interesting narrations and displays. » Kolaportid Indoor flea market open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. This is where the locals shop for items like clothing, leather goods, and groceries. » The Golden Circle This is a popular tourist route in southern Iceland, a loop that spans approximately 300 kilometres beginning from Reykjavík down to the southern uplands of Iceland and back. Most tours and travel-related activities in Iceland are located within this route, which is a good idea to follow if you have limited time in your hands to discover Iceland. » Thingvellir National Park This UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in an active volcanic area, just 49 kilometres east of Reykjavík. The Althing, the national parliament of Iceland, was established here in 930 A.D., and held its sessions there until 1798. » Geysir Hot spring area Strokkur geyser erupts every 10 minutes and sends a spectacular water and stream column 30 metres up into the air. Other geothermal features include mud pools, fumaroles, algal deposits and mini geysers. Entrance is free. » Gullfoss The thunderous Gullfoss, or The Golden Waterfall, is considered the most beautiful Icelandic waterfall that drops down 32 metres into a narrow river gorge - definitely a sight not to be missed! » Kerið Crater Kerið is a volcanic crater lake in Grimsnes in South Iceland. It is 55 metres deep and about 3,000 years old. Its steep circular slopes resemble an ancient amphitheatre. Admission is ISK400 per person.

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Dilwale Madness The release of Bollywood movie Dilwale in December 2015 somehow determined our route around Iceland.

The movie featured many beautiful Icelandic landscapes that we needed to simply see with our own eyes! » Seljalandfoss This is the waterfall that appeared in the movie. There is a big cave behind where you can walk around the waterfall. Don’t forget to bring your raincoat when exploring the place! » Plane Wreck, Solheimasandur Perhaps the only manmade attraction in Iceland! Travellers need to walk four kilometres one way to the site. The carcass of a white plane set on the black sand makes a dramatic contrast. The path leading towards the site is clearly marked.

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» Reynisfjara Beach Black pebble beach with Gardar, the most amazing cliff with regular basalt columns. Out in the sea is Reynisdrangar, spectacularly shaped basalt sea stacks. » Skógafoss This is one of the biggest and most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It is 25 meters wide and has a drop of 60 metres. » Jökulsárlón A large glacial lake, this is the birthplace of icebergs! The view of blue icebergs are spectacular. Just across Jökulsárlón is Diamond Beach, a black sand beach with ice scattered on them, turning the whole site surreal.

Iconic Iceland Everywhere you turn and look in Iceland is pictureworthy. The country is blessed with unique and interesting landscapes. We need to go back to discover the rest of the country!

Skógafoss is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, with a drop of 60 metres and 25 metres wide. If you’re up to it, why not climb all of 527 steps just next to the waterfall to have a bird’s eye view of the area, but be prepared to get drenched!

» Kirkjufell Mountain and Kirkjufellfoss Waterfall Kirkjufell mountain makes an interesting focal point. Surrounded by beaches, the mountain has a lovely walking trail around it. Not too far from the mointain is Kirkjufellfoss, a small yet charming waterfall. Together they form a fairytale-like landscape that we had never seen before. » The Bridge Between Continents, Reykjanes This 18-metre bridge lies across a canyon that was formed due to the movements of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It is interesting to cross between the two continents in just a few seconds! » Fjadrargljufur Canyon The canyon is 100 metres deep and two kilometres long with Fjadra river flowing through it.

» Dyrholaey This place is characterised by cliffs hanging by the sea with a lighthouse on top, giving away a spectacular panorama. We were lucky to spot two Orcas (killer whales) swimming!

During summer, Dyrholaey is home to thousands of puffins, and other bird species. » Eyjafjallajökull Eyjafjallajökull is a volcano completely covered by an ice cap. The sleeping giant woke up in 2010 and made worldwide news due to the impact it had on world aviation. Eyjafjallajökull Erupts Visitor Centre is located at the foot of the volcano. Admission is ISK800.

Top: The iconic Kirkjufell is said to be the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Its colour changes ever y season, a sight to behold.

Bottom : On November 24, 1973 a United States Navy plane crashed onto the beach in South Iceland, and thankfully there were no casualty. The Sรณlheimasandur Plane Wreck is one of the most visited attractions in South Iceland - be prepared to walk 4 kilometres to reach here!

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The Magical

Au ro r a Borealis

- Our Encounter

Much to our surprise, the Aurora Borealis can be seen as early as dusk. We were making our way back to our car after visiting the Seljalandsfoss waterfall when an elderly man excitedly pointed to the sky, telling us that the Northern Lights had just begun. It was a good thing that he had told us, or we would have missed the phenomenon! Through naked eye, the Northern Lights seemed like streaks of light coloured clouds. It was not like the photos and videos we had seen prior to our trip at all.

We were expecting vivid night skies with hues of blue and green!

Imagine our excited faces once we viewed the photos from the camera! At dusk, the colour is a softer mix of turquoise and green.

As the sky turns darker, the lights turn into swathes of vivid green.

We decided to continue our drive because there was quite a distance left to go before we reached our intended hotel for that night. Along the way, we could see the streaks getting longer and more prominent. Our screams of excitement seemed endless, and for the sanity of the driver (our sister Irma), we decided to find a good spot to park the car and look at the sky.

We had been out the whole day, which means there were not much battery power left on our cameras!

The cold weather causes the battery to run out faster. However the experience of seeing it live was more than enough for us. This was the reason we decided to come to Iceland anyway.

Our second encounter of the Northern Lights was on our final night in Iceland, which was on 28th September 2016. We were just finishing our visit to the Whales of Iceland Museum when one of the staff at the museum told our sister that the Northern Lights were forecasted to be active that night – it is difficult to predict when would be the next time the Northern Lights would be active. It was expected to be so good that the city of Reykjavik will turn off their lights for a few hours that night.

We drove out to the outskirts of the city, near the airport as our flight was at 6:00 a.m. the next morning.

After we have checked in and done our final packing, we headed out of the guesthouse and searched for open space away from the bright lights. We looked at the sky from the moving car to see if there were any sign of the Northern Lights, and much to our delight, there were quite a few!

We found a nice spot and parked our cars on a secluded country road.

There was another car parked about 30 metres ahead of us. So there we were, having girl talk that lasted for a couple of hours with topics ranging from food, travel, dieting, fitness regime and work, apart from the ‘wow’, ‘ooohs’ and ‘ahhhs’ while staring at the sky. That other car then decided to pack up and leave, but slowed down when they passed us by. Much to our delight (or perhaps horror?), they greeted us in Malay and told us how surprising it was to meet fellow Malaysians on this secluded road!

What are the odds of bumping into your fellow countrymen somewhere out of the way in Iceland. They must have heard every single conversation

we had, haha!

Not long after they left, we decided to venture to another location, this time to a more secluded spot. We parked and breathed in the crisp night air.

Suddenly, something amazing happened: the Northern Lights started to shine brighter and brighter, and the sky was multicoloured, unlike the bright white streaks we were familiar with. It was colourful even with our naked eyes. They were literally dancing!

The lights moved so radiantly that we swore we could hear them sing.

It was truly magical, there were no words to describe what we saw and how we felt watching nature’s light show. We were spellbound and in awe all at the same time. We were mesmerised. We still could not believe our eyes and kept asking ourselves if this was truly happening.

We had tears in our eyes, because we knew what we saw that night was special. What a fantastic send-off it was! We definitely ended our Iceland trip on a sweet note.

News and reports of the Northern Lights activities that night apparently made worldwide news, and we were beyond grateful to experience it first-hand.

Iceland : Aurora Borealis in Reykjavik on our YouTube Channel (GayaTraveller): https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=rhjCBYeojz0 https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=80usLzkJIVI

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Gaya Traveller’s Driving in Iceland Experience & Tips

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Top: Iceland is best discovered on your own; and renting a car is an excellent idea!.

Bottom: The Icelandic horse is a breed developed in Iceland, easily identified from their long mane. They are also hardy and have long life span.

» Malaysian driving license is accepted, International Driving License is not required. » Book your rental car direct, not via third party like we did. We ended up buying additional insurance from the rental company to make things easier. » Rental processing took a long time (two hours for us) since we had to meet many people and receive detailed explanation by the company staff. Allow ample time for this. » Since there are many car rental companies to choose, consider the bigger ones that are located at the airport. The rest offer free pick up and drop off to the airport. So perhaps it is a good idea to rent from those located at the airport. » Forget renting GPS. Offline Google map is easier to use and better. » Petrol stations are too far in between, so when you see one, just fill up your tank. Make your toilet stops as well at the station. » Switch on the car lights all the time while driving. » When cars merging at a bridge, whomever reaches the bridge first, have the right of way » Left-hand drive. Maximum speed limit is 90km/h. There are speed camera posts, but we did not see any policeman. Just drive slowly and enjoy the fantastic view. » Seatbelts are compulsory on everyone. » Select your car according to your destination wish list. Get a four-wheel drive for all access. » Look out for sheep – you are liable if you run over one! » Do not leave your car door ajar for long because the it could be swept away by the extraordinarily strong wind - it happened to us before! » Best to have at least two drivers.

It is a huge island, so plan your journey well.

Gaya Dine & Café

Ta s t e o f t h e S e a with

Barbecue

and

Beyond Te x t b y I RN EE N O RRI S Images by IRINA NORRIS

The Eatery – which is Four Points By Sheraton Puchong’s signature all-day food and dining outlet – welcomes hungry travellers and locals alike to its tantalising buffet dinner selections comprising wide variety of hearty picks, well-seasoned seafood and tender meats grilled to perfection based on local and international flavours from Sunday to Thursday. The Eatery features an open kitchen concept where diners are able to see all the food being prepared.

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During weekends, this outlet, which is the heart of the property, becomes more alive as it serves up delectable Seafood and Grill dinner buffet every Friday and Saturday night, which is a crustacean celebration featuring fresh catch from the sea. Diners, especially seafood lovers, will be thrilled to find freshly shucked oysters, crabs, tiger prawns, mussels, clams and Japanese escargots are spread out for the taking. Do not miss the quick wok corner where diners can select crabs and hand them over to the chef who will then cook the crabs in either sweet and sour sauce or kamheong style.

However, the buffet does not just stop at seafood – if diners are up for a ferociously carnivorous evening, they would also be spoilt for choice since the buffet also lines up succulent meats for diners’ indulgence such as butterfly lamb leg cutlets, crushed pepper beef steak and squid marinated with cumin and chilli, just to name a few. Diners should also not miss the satiating satay, one of Malaysia’s traditional comfort food, served at the inviting live barbeque station.

Another feature worth mentioning about the buffet dinner at The Eatery is the wood-fired oven that churns out delicious hand-tossed thin crust

pizzas that surely please children and adults alike.

Pasta lovers will be glad to know that the outlet has a pasta station with three types of sauces.

Desserts are a must, so do remember to leave some space in your tummy! The highlights from the dessert buffet at The Eatery are made-to-order waffles, crepes, and even the teppanyaki ice cream bar.

Diners are welcome to surrender their temptations to the selection of scrumptious cakes and tarts, and round everything off with a nice cup of coffee from the Boncafe coffee machine or refreshing cup of hot tea.

Parents will be glad to know that there is a dedicated children’s play corner to keep them occupied.

The corner has a television and toys to keep the children busy while parents can enjoy the buffet spread in peace, yet able to keep their eyes on their precious ones at the same time.

The Eatery serves wholesome ala carte and buffet gastronomic offerings from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily. The Seafood and Grill dinner buffet (Friday and Saturday) costs RM115 nett per person, while the buffet on other days (Sunday until Thursday) costs RM98 nett per person.

About Four Points By Sheraton Puchong Honest and uncomplicated, Four Points by Sheraton Puchong features 249 well-appointed guestrooms including 12 executive suites, offering guests a perfect mix of contemporary comfort, service and value. Each room is fitted with the Four Points by Sheraton Comfort Bed comprising a plush mattress, 250-thread count sheets, a cosy duvet, down pillows, LED flat screen television alongside free bottled water and high-speed internet access. Should guests require printing facilities, the i-Spot business connectivity station is located on the ground floor. Each room key provides access to the outdoor swimming pool and 24-hour fitness centre, both located on the 2nd floor.

Four Points by Sheraton Puchong 1201, Tower 3 Puchong Financial Corporate Centre (PFCC) Jalan Puteri ½, Bandar Puteri 47100 Puchong, Selangor Tel: +6 03 5891 8888 Email: eatery.puchong@fourpoints.com Website: fourpoints.com/puchong 037

Gaya Tech

Nikon D5600: Instagrammers’ Best Friend Te x t & I m a g e s b y

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SHAHIDA SAKERI

As content creators, we understand that visual aids – be they image stills or videos – are essential to effectively deliver a message. In the case of Gaya Travel Magazine writers or any other travel enthusiasts, we complement the stories of our journeys we took by not only recording the beautiful panoramas of the destinations we visited but also the precious travel moments and emotions that accompany the journeys. Hence, a top-quality gear during a trip is a must.

So, we searched the gadget universe for the ideal camera that fits such purpose, and we came across some promising products. And one of them happens to be Nikon D5600, an entry-level camera that promises quick, easy and stunning shots. Mind you, this is not the camera for the photography snobs who prefer the more advanced models to play with, but rather for budding hobbyists who need a versatile contraption that combines strong image quality, rich feature sets and some manual control.

First, the camera comes in a compact body with approximately 124 x 97 x 70 mm dimensions, and weighs around 670 grams with battery and kit lens attached, making it light enough to carry around for a full day of sightseeing and small enough to fit in your backpack. The body is also sturdy and offers a comfortably good grip even for long shoots or shoots done in hurry, while the finely-honed buttons and dial interface keep things simple and easy for beginners. There is a handy ‘i’ button near the rear display that users can tap to access a variety of common options without having to bother with the more extensive main menu.

Speaking of the display, Nikon D5600 is equipped with a slightly larger-than-average 3.2-inch vari-angle LCD touch screen monitor that flips out and rotates for greater creative freedom. In fact, such feature would be a great plus for self-recording creators who at times need to appear in the frame too. Above the display, there is an optical viewfinder that helps users frame the shot with 95% coverage and approximately 0.82 times magnification.

Nikon D5600 offers an effective pixel count of 24.2-million pixels and is equipped with a Nikon DX-format CMOS sensor, including an EXPEED 4 image-processing engine that allows burst shooting up to five frames per second. The camera’s 39-point autofocus quickly tracks and locks onto the subject, enabling fast-moving subjects such as an energetic dance performance or a moving stampede to be captured easily. On top

of these, the camera also has a wide sensitivity range of ISO 100 to 25,600 and a built-in pop-up flash that make shooting in ultra-low light condition a breeze.

Though we would much prefer it if the camera is supported with 4K video recording, users can still capture spectacular movies in full 1080p HD, with a choice of 60p, 50p, 30p, 25p and 24p frame rates. Additionally, the Nikon D5600 also has built-in time-lapse movie function that allows users to easily capture the gradual changes of a scenery or situation occurring over time such as movements of people or the rising and setting of the sun.

The camera’s SnapBridge technology, on the other hand, would be the icing on the cake. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to transfer 2-megapixel version of your images automatically into your connected smartphone or tablet for quick and easy sharing and social story-telling. It can also act as a remote control for the camera so that users can work their way into the frame too. This SnapBridge app can be downloaded free of charge from the App Store® and Google Play.

Nikon D5600 can be purchased body-only, but it can also be bundled up with NIKKOR AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR lens, ideal for wide-angle shots, portraits, fast action, full HD video and enhanced low-light capabilities.

In a nutshell, Nikon D5600 is the right pick if you want a great, lightweight and easy-to-use DSLR. It delivers in terms of performance and does make life easier, especially when it comes to content-sharing. Social media mavens would surely love it!

RSP Price: D5600 body only - RM3468.00 D5600 kit with AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR - RM3898.00 D5600 kit with AF-S DX 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G VR - RM4648.00

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The opening ceremony of Solo International Performing Arts (SIPA) 2017 was full of colourful lights and amazing performances

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The view from the top of Kapal PLTD Apung, the ship that became stranded in the middle of Punge Blang Cut village during tsunami and now turned into a museum

Destinations

Going Solo @Surakarta Te x t & I m a g e s b y E d J u n a i d i

Surakarta – also known as Solo – is the sister city of Jogjakarta, the off-shoot of the Mataram Sultanate after its split around three hundred years ago. Although it has similar culture and heritage with Jogjakarta, it does possess its own distinctive uniqueness. Surakarta has undergone various changes through modernisation, adaptation and integration; but compared to the other cities in Java, Surakarta still retains much of the authentic Javanese identity. The destination proves a magnet for culture vultures, heritage celebrants, history buffs and ethno-sophisticates.

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Side note: Many Malaysians identify Surakarta as Solo based on a famous Indonesian folk song called ‘Begawan Solo’ (‘Solo River’), which is the longest river in Java that flows through the central and eastern parts of the island.

Museums & Heritage Travellers can learn about the history of the Mataram Sultanate at the Mangkunegaran Palace (puromangkunegaran.com), the second house of Solo after the revered Surakarta Hadiningrat Palace.

Mangkunegaran Palace, established since 1757, is characterised by Dutch-Javanese architecture and houses a large collection of heirlooms and artefacts belonging to the royal family since the time of Majapahit and Mataram Sultanate. Today, the palace is an art and cultural centre of Surakarta.

Batik Solo is one of the most popular batik styles in the world. Although it progresses over time, it manages to remain outstandingly distinctive. Batik Museum of Danar Hadi – considered as one of the best batik museums in the world – takes visitors back in time to see how batik evolved over the ages. The museum keeps over 10,000 pieces of batik from all over the world, including those that are antique, royal and rare. Its storefront offers a wide variety of high quality batik for visitors to purchase. This museum, located inside the House of Danar Hadi (www.danarhadibatik.com/danar-hadi-world), also offers expertise in assessing old batiks to determine which era they belong and how much it might worth.

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Besides batik, Surakarta is also home to one of the best keris museums in the world. At the Keris Museum in Solo, visitors can learn the interesting process of how a keris is made and what makes it different than the other hand-wield weapons, especially when it comes to fashioning the keris’ curves and lines to resemble river and water. Visitors will learn that not all keris are alike and there are different types and features for different needs, for example the keris made for women is usually shorter than those made for men.

Sangiran Museum (whc.unesco. org/en/list/593) is located within the Sangiran archaeological excavation site recognised by UNESCO that comes with an education centre, displaying objects surrounding the discovery of prehistoric human and animal fossils existed on this site as far as a million years ago. This museum is significant, especially to archaeology, because it is the home to the famous ‘Java Man’.

surrounding houses and structure that possess Javanese, European, Islamic and Chinese influences.

Shopping & Crafts

During our trip to Solo City of Surakarta, we savoured various local dishes and food unique to Surakarta. My favourite restaurant during the trip is Omah Sinten (www.omahsinten.net), which is a great place to experience local cuisine and take Instagram-worthy selfies! I tried Garang Asem Bumbung and Timlo Solo for the first time here.

Garang Asem tasted like gulai lemak, a soupy curry-like dish that made from coconut milk, turmeric and leaf while Timlo Solo is a spicy but delicious soup containing tofu, eggs and meat.

Located next to Triwindu Market and opposite Keraton Mangkunegaran, this is also the place where travellers should come to chill Solo-style: drinking refreshing tea while listening to keroncong music. Love it!

During night time, travellers should head down to Galabo Solo, which is Surakarta’s street food market opened on a street that has been pedestrianised exactly behind Vastenburg Fort.

Already a major tourist attraction, this is where travellers can enjoy authentic nasi gudeg (rice with jackfruit dish),

When travelling to Indonesia, travellers are bound to do shopping due to the abundance of interesting and value-for-money goods and merchandises.

Although Surakarta may not be the place for visitors to look for high-end fashion, it is still a popular place for shoppers seeking products and crafts that are rich in heritage, ethnic style and ingenuity. Like Jogjakarta, Surakarta is also a batik powerhouse.

To shop for beautiful batik, Pria Tampan (www.batikpriatampan.com) is one of the batik houses in Laweyan Village offering rich experience for visitors who wish to learn more about batik and the wide variety of high quality batik collections to buy. Laweyan Village is one of the oldest batik villages in Indonesia and recognised as the haven for Batik Solo. Visitors from all over the world come to this village to find batik masterpieces that are authentic and unique. When walking around the village, visitors can enjoy and appreciate the interesting architecture of the

For wider variety of batik and textiles, Klewer Market should be the place to visit. This shopping centre, which accommodates batik traders from Surabaya, Jogjakarta and other parts of Indonesia, is a Solo City institution.

Other than collecting antique batik, ardent travelling collectors should visit Triwindu Antique Market, a flea market where anything considered antique is on sale. Triwindu Market is also famous for offering one of the most affordable prices of antique items comprising old shadow puppets, ancient batik, old coins, vintage posters, wooden masks, keris and more. This antique market is located in front of Mangkunegaran Palace and a must visit when travellers come to Surakarta.

Food Trails

nasi liwet (rice cooked in coconut milk, chicken broth and spices), timlo solo, tengkleng (soup made from mutton bones and ribs) and satay.

On top of that, I also recommend that travellers visit Pak Haji Bejo Restaurant to enjoy the best tengkleng and mutton satay in Surakarta. Here, tengkleng is traditionally made by simmering the mutton bones and ribs together with herbs and spices, resulting in strong aroma. Mutton satay, on the other hand, refers to skewered grilled pieces of mutton. Apparently, this is the favourite restaurant of the President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, during his tenure as the Mayor of Solo.

A trip to Surakarta is also incomplete without trying the Serabi Notosuman, one of the best and the oldest establishments selling serabi in Surakarta. Serabi is a sweet and soft delicacy made of flour and sugar but comes with different kinds of toppings.

Entertainment Sriwedari Human Puppet Troupe A century-old theatre play called ‘Wayang Orang Sriwedari’ (Sriwedari Theatre Troupe) was revived by the government, private institutions and youths back in early 2000s after years of decline. Social media has also helped to bring back interest towards this type of play, which used to be shown exclusively at the royal palaces.

The play performs various stories, but mostly are taken from the Ramayana and Mahabharata epics. Live gamelan music is used to accompany the performance, including contemporary background music and special effects. During intermission, audiences are entertained by hilarious comic characters from the play.

However, foreign travellers might be limited to admiring the play’s aesthetics and music since they might not comprehend the play’s script and jokes during intermission since the play is performed entirely in Javanese.

Festival Solo International Performing Arts (SIPA) When we were in Solo, we had the opportunity to witness the official launch of Solo International Performing Arts (SIPA) that took place at the Vastenburg Fort. Since its inception back in 2009 (during the time when the current President of Indonesia Joko Widodo served as the Mayor of Solo, SIPA has achieved its prestige as a major three-day festival devoted to creative arts by featuring performing arts from around the world. In 2017, SIPA staged performances under the theme ‘Bahari Kencana Maestro Karya’, carrying the message of how critical it is for us to love and appreciate the seas and oceans, including rivers, tributaries and water directly from the source.

Gaya Travel Magazine expresses our heartfelt gratitude to the Ministry of Tourism Indonesia for making the writer’s trip to Surakarta a reality.

Clockwise from Top: Batik Museum of Danar Hadi; Pria Tampan Batik House in Laweyan Village; Omah Sinten Heritage Hotel and Restaurant; Intricate costumes, stage props, acting and traditional music make up a Sriwedari Human Puppet Troupe performance; Serabi Notosuman

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One of the spell-binding perfor mances dur ing the Wayang Jogja Night Car nival

Destinations

A

Cultural Jaunt th e

S p e c i al

R e g i on

at

of

Jogjakarta Te x t & I m a g e s b y M U H A M M A D H A S I F M O H D J ELA N I

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The Special Region of Jogjakarta - also spelled as Yogyakarta - is always proud of the fact that it is the only region in Indonesia that is still governed by pre-colonial monarchy. It also possesses diverse customs and traditions that make Jogjakarta alluring to a curious traveller like me in many ways. Upon my recent visit to this culturally rich province, I discovered some of its mystifying cultural gems that made me realise how unique and wonderful Jogjakarta really is.

Clockwise from Top Left: The luxuriously ornate roof at the Golden Hall inside the Kraton Palace; The well-preser ved bathing complex at Taman Sari Water Castle; A sculpture of a deity’s head made from bronze and coated with gold at Sonobudoyo Heritage Museum; A stone car ving that can be found at Breksi Cliff Park; A traditional Javanese house in Kotagede

Where to Visit?

Kraton Palace Formally known as Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat, this palace was formerly the government centre of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta and is still used as the official residence of the Yogyakarta Sultanate. Built since 1756 by Sultan Hamengkubuwono, the palace showcases the palatial Javanese architecture. It also served as an art and cultural centre of Java, which is an exceptional opportunity for travellers to witness it for themselves.

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Taman Sari Water Castle Built in 1765 for the Sultan of the Kingdom of Jogjakarta, Hamengkubuwono I, this formerly lavish royal garden was once filled with fragrant flowers that rendered the place as Taman Sari, which means ‘perfumed garden’. It is located not far from the Kraton Palace as a token of appreciation from the Sultan to his wives who expressed their loyalty to him through difficult times. It also functioned as a meditation space and fort, among others.

Some of the notable features include a series of underground tunnels and a subterranean mosque, Sumur Gumuling that surprisingly holds a complex philosophy through its Eastern-Western infused architecture. To today’s youngsters, however, it provides a fantastic backdrop for awesome Instagram-worthy shots.

Sonobudoyo Heritage Museum For history aficionados, Sonobudoyo Heritage Museum should be in your must-visit list where you can obtain a more vivid view of the Javanese history and culture. The museum exhibits 10 categories of collections such as Ethnographic, Numismatics, Archaeology and Fine Arts, to name a few. Interestingly, the museum is dubbed as the most extensive in showcasing Javanese heritage and history after The National Museum of Republic of Indonesia in Jakarta. Visitors can also look forward to witnessing leather puppet shows regularly held here.

Kotagede Kotagede, which means ‘big city’, was the capital of the Mataram Islamic Kingdom during 16th century. Today, it remains as a residential area where travellers can visit to witness the vestiges of this once powerful ancient kingdom such as the Mataram Kings Cemetery, Mataram Grand Mosque, Panembahan Senopati throne and Omah UGM, which is a traditional house that survived the 2006 earthquake in Jogjakarta. The area is also well-known as the centre for silversmithing industry since 1930s. If you are keen to know more about Kotagede silversmithing and bespoke silverware, feel free to walk around to as many silver workshops that you can find to shop and even learn the process of transforming silver into finelydetailed artworks called ‘Yogya Silver’.

Malioboro Street Known as shoppers’ hunting paradise, this main and longest street in Jogjakarta offers many choices of street vendors selling many kinds of souvenirs. Though they mostly sell similar goods, shoppers need to compare prices from one shop to another – it would be better if you are also good at bargaining.

Malioboro Street also offers interesting vistas of several Dutch colonial buildings and andong (horse cart with four wheels), which I find fascinating.

From day to night, Malioboro Street is always lively. You can find warung (food stalls) along the road where travellers must have a taste of the famous gudeg (traditional Javanese cuisine made from stewed jackfruit), pecel lele (deep fried catfish usually served with rice, traditional chilli paste, fried tempeh and vegetables) and bakmi Jawa (stew/fried Javanese noodles).

Breksi Cliff Park Locally known as Tebing Breksi, this site is one of the latest tourist attractions in Jogjakarta, which is made up of volcanic deposits and limestone from the side of Nglanggeran Mountain that has been mined. Today, it has been developed into one of the most photogenic spots in the area with all the original geological

layers still visible and intact. Some parts of the cliff face are also embellished with carvings of characters from ancient Javanese Hindu epics. Though there is no entrance fee, visitors are welcomed to donate at their discretion when taking pictures of the site involving props provided by the locals. The cliff also makes for a stunningly dramatic backdrop for performances staged at the adjacent open-air auditorium, especially at night when the faces of the cliffs are bathed in light.

What to Experience?

Wayang Jogja Night Carnival This grand event is held every 7th October to celebrate the anniversary of Jogjakarta, which just turned 261 this year. It is considered as one of the most anticipated art and cultural events in Jogjakarta where thousands of visitors, local and international, will gather to watch the colourful anniversary parade.

This year’s show, which took place near Tugu Putih, paid homage to popular local puppet characters such as NakulaSadewa, Petruk Ratu, Sugriwa-Subali, Wisanggeni and more. Each puppet is respectively performed by each of Jogjakarta’s 14 districts.

tubing activity at the foot of Gunung Kidul carries travellers along a small, beautiful river that is 500 metres long.

Throughout the ride, travellers are bound to be fascinated by the cave’s natural beauty, its stalactites and stalagmites, and glimpses of bats hanging and flying over the roof of the cave. The two-hour journey along the river felt short yet satisfying and therapeutic.

Where to Stay?

101 Yogyakarta Tugu Located in a walking distance to some of Jogjakarta’s landmarks, this luxury hotel offers 150 comfortable guest rooms. Each room comes with free wi-fi, air-conditioning, work desk and cable television. 24 of them offer the view of the grand Merapi Mountain.

Gaya Travel Magazine expresses our heartfelt gratitude to the Tourism Office of Yogyakarta City Government - Republic of Indonesia for making our writer’s journey to Jogjakarta a memorable one.

Ramayana Ballet Performed by 200 professional dancers and musicians close to the Prambanan Temples, Ramayana Ballet is a special cultural play that depicts the Ramayana epic. There is no dialogue between the actors but the ultraprecise costumes, mesmerising music, compelling acting and powerful storyline of the great love between Sri Rama and Dewi Shinta keep viewers entertained. Since the story is quite lengthy, the performance is divided into several scenes.

Kali Suci Cave Tubing Never have I thought that Jogjakarta region would offer an exciting, wet activity. Travellers will be pleasantly surprised to find out that this cave Top: Kali Suci Cave Tubing is both fun and refreshing Bottom: A mesmerising Ramayana ballet performance that depicts scenes from the Ramayana epic

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The sumptuous eight-course kaiseki dinner at Rantei in Kyoto Century Hotel is certified halal

by Kyoto Council for Sharia and Halal Affairs Japan

Destinations

Exploring

K a n s a i Through The Stomach Part I Te x t & I m a g e s b y FA R A H N A D I A H

The Haruka Express departed for Kyoto from the Kansai International Airport (KIX) precisely at 7.29 am.“Welcome to the world of clockwork punctuality,� I told myself. As the train sped to Kyoto via Osaka, the Japanese culture consumed me with great curiosity. This was only the beginning of my five-day Japanese food encounter within the Kansai region specifically in Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Shiga, and Sakai.

Day 1: Kyoto Once in Kyoto, we walked to the Kyoto Century Hotel to store our luggage to hunt for food and authentic Japanese culture that still pervades in Kyoto. It is difficult to leave out Kyoto from any itinerary that covers Central Japan since Kyoto is the hub of traditional Japanese culture and the place where travellers take in the essence of Japan.

Our first destination in Kyoto was the Fushimi Inari Taisha, the head shrine for Inari, the Shinto deity of rice, fertility, agriculture and industry. Walking past thousands of vermillion-coloured tori gates within the temple grounds made travellers feel like being on a pilgrimage surrounded by kimono-cladded tourists and businessman in suits praying for good luck. To avoid the crowd, it is advisable to come as early as 6:00 a.m. for the chance to recreate the scenes from the popular Memoirs of a Geisha movie.

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Kyoto tips: » On the first floor of Kyoto Tower Sando, you can buy products of Kyoto like sweet and cosmetics as souvenirs for your family and friends. » There is a Muslim prayer room on the second floor of Kyoto Tower Sando, located in front of Kyoto Station. » Kansai Tourist Information Centre is available on the second floor of Kyoto Tower Sando and has luggage storage and forwarding services to your next destination. » Most halal restaurants require at least three days of advance booking.

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Muslim-friendly Kaiseki Ryori at Hirashin Ryokan After observing Shinto rituals, I enjoyed my first Japanese meal, known as kaiseki ryori at Hirashin ryokan (Japanese traditional inn).The kaiseki ryori is a traditional Japanese multi-course haute cuisine comprising starters, main courses, shokuji and dessert. Each dish served during different kaiseki course represents different cooking method. For example, the soup (suimono) is a clear broth garnished with vegetables, tofu or seafood.

The sashimi is thin-sliced raw fish meat normally served with shredded daikon (Japanese radish) accompanied by soy sauce and wasabi.Then, there is this dish made by boiling, simmering or stewing vegetables and meat known as nimono.

Other dishes are grilled fish or meat (yakimono), deep-fried dish (agemono), steamed dish (mushimono) and vinegared dish (sunomono).The shokuji set consisting of rice, miso soup and pickles is often served at the end of the main course before dessert. Besides catering to the halal market upon prior reservation, this establishment also offers the opportunity for diners to watch the maiko (apprentice geisha) elegantly performing the kyo-mai dance in ornate kimono while indulging in the Kyoto-style cuisine. Don’t forget to take memorable pictures with the maiko and geiko-san (a full-fledged geisha).

Address: Takoyakushidori, Takakura Nishiiru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8141, Kyoto Prefecture

For halal courses, please book in advance.

Kimono Dressing around Kyoto During the maiko show, I noticed her exquisite kimono and hair ornaments.

It was like a dream came true when we were then brought to Kyokomachi Kimono Rental to dress-up in kimono for the women and yukata for the men.

Imagine strolling down the streets of Kyoto especially around Higashiyama and Gion in kimonos like a true geiko…

But first, wearing the kimono is a delicate work that takes years to master.

I can attest to how complicated the process is to dress up in one, but once you are all done up, it is all worth the time and effort. After the wearer selects the desired kimono pattern, her hair will be styled first before the other parts of her body are garbed in kimono. With white socks, traditional Japanese footwear and drawstring bag, I wandered around Gion pretending that I was one of the characters in the once popular Japanese television series ‘Oshin’.

Address: 104, Tatsumi-Cho (Higashioji-dori, Matsubara Agaru), Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Access: From JR Kyoto Station, take the municipal bus No. 206 to Kiyomizu-michi bus stop and walk towards Kyokomachi Rental Shop.

Design Pocket, Kyoto Tower After our brief kimono session, I was introduced to another form of art that is deeply entrenched in Japanese food culture: the realistic mouth-watering plastic food, commonly displayed on many restaurant windows in Japan, tantalising passers-by to stop and look. Foreigners also find these plastic food replicas helpful so that they can anticipate what would their order look like. At Kyoto Tower Sando, I learned to make the plastic food version of a Japanese dessert called matcha parfait. Making the plastic food requires basic cutting tools, paint brushes, airbrush guns, hot glue guns and a coat of varnish to make it glisten.You can also buy plastic food as souvenirs.

Muslim-Friendly Dinner Course at Rantei @ Kyoto Century Hotel Our taste buds were treated to an eight-

course kaiseki dinner at Rantei, Kyoto Century Hotel, which has been certified as halal by Kyoto Council for Sharia and Halal Affairs, Japan. Salmon trout and daikon radish roll with grilled sea urchin on soft-boiled egg and ginkgo nut rice cake made a superb intro, followed by yuba bean curd, shrimp and yam wrapped in seaweed garnish.Then, we were served with sumptuous food one after another such as simmered chicken, eggplant in yuzu sauce, crab fried with rice cracker breading, and halal beef shabu-shabu.

Day 2: Shiga In line with the Japanese tourism campaign of ‘Hands-Free Travel’ (travelling without being encumbered by baggage), we had our luggage sent directly to our next hotel, Biwako Hotel, using the forwarding services offered by Kansai Tourist Information Centre.Then, we took the one-hour bus trip from Kyoto Station to Mount Hieizan, which lies on the border of Kyoto Prefecture and Shiga Prefecture, home to Enryakuji Temple, the headquarters of the Tendai sect of Japanese Buddhism and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Besides visiting one of the most important monasteries in Japanese history, we also savoured the healthy shojin ryori at Enryakuji Kaikan, a temple lodging. Shojin ryori is a meal eaten by Buddhist monks in Japan that follows the principle of not killing animals for human consumption and abstaining the use of pungent ingredients such as garlic and onion.

In preparing the shojin ryori, the monks use the ‘rule-of-five’: every meal has five colours (green, yellow, red, black and white) and five flavours (sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami).The colours and flavours are drawn naturally from the pure ingredients without the need of flavour enhancer.The usual shojin ryori dishes are vegetable tempuras, tofu, fried soybean curd, dried tofu, fermented soybeans and konnyaku, a thick gelatin-like food made from the konjac plant.Though the meal sounds simple, shojin ryori is deeply satisfying.

Clockwise from Top: Traditional Japanese multi-course haute cuisine at Hirashin Ryokan; Plastic food is Japan’s form of an invitation to treat; Strolling down Higashiyama street dressed in kimono

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From Enryakuji Kaikan, we walked to the Hieizan Sakamoto Cable Car Station to ride the longest cable car route in Japan at 2,025 metres long. The ride takes approximately 11 minutes, affording travellers to enjoy the view of Lake Biwa from above. The nearest public transportation from the cable car station is Keihan Electric Railway Ishiyama Sakamoto Line at Sakamoto Station, which is a 15-minute walk to get there. From Sakamoto Station, we continued the journey to Hamaotsu Station, where we took a taxi to Otsu Uochu to consume a delicacy unique to Shiga, which used to be called ‘Omi’ over 1,000 years ago.

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In Shiga, travellers should try the sukiyaki (Japanese hot pot dish) at Otsu Uochu, which serves Omi chicken, which is a type of free-range chicken found in Shiga. The Omi chicken is bred by Shiga Prefectural Animal Farming Technology Centre through the interbreeding of three different types of purebred chicken. The Omi chicken has tasty lean meat because it roams freely and not confined in cages.

My first experience eating sukiyaki was nothing like my imagination. While the sliced chicken slowly simmers on the table together with a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin, the ingredients are then dipped into a small bowl of raw eggs after being cooked in the pot and eaten. Other ingredients normally cooked in sukiyaki are seared tofu, leek, mushrooms and wheat udon and mochi.

After our hearty lunch, we boarded the cruise from Otsu Port to enjoy the scenic view of Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. At the size of about 670 kilometres squared, Lake Biwa or Biwako functions as a reservoir for the cities of Kyoto and Otsu. We took the south lake route cruise that led us to Yanagasaki Lakeside Park Port. Along the way, we passed by Okishima, the largest island on Lake Biwa that is inhabited, and Takeshima island, which appears to change shape when travellers see it from different angles. Travellers can choose different choices of cruise routes served by Biwako Kisen Company, depending on their interest and time.

Farmer’s Market Ohminchi For a city that promotes agriculture and organic farming, a visit to the farmer’s market Ohminchi is a must. Ohminchi is one of the largest direct-retail farm-produce markets in Shiga where all the organic products harvested locally are on sale. Besides shopping for fresh produce, travellers can also take part in the seasonal farming activities such as picking blueberries and digging sweet potatoes. Upon request, Ohminchi also caters for halal cuisine and sushi-making activities using halal products.

Before leaving this organic farmer’s market, be sure to try the gelato from the café.

Address: 2785, Sumoto-cho, Moriyama City, Shiga

Funa Sushi at Shiseian Little did I know that I would be discovering the origin of my favourite food, sushi, on my first trip to Japan. In Shiga, the traditional dish called funa zushi is believed to be manifestation

of the oldest sushi dish in Japanese history. Funa zushi is fermented sushi made of crucian carp caught in Lake Biwa.

Due to the pickling of the carp in steamed rice and salt, lactic acid is produced, giving the carp a sour taste.

With the pungent smell protruding our nostrils, we must say that savouring the dish is an acquired taste, similar with other types of food that possesses strong distinct aroma.

The owner of Shiseian (the establishment that serves the dish) took out the wooden tub where she stores the carp in fermented rice. Funa zushi can be eaten either directly or as a condiment to accompany other products of Lake Biwa. Funa zushi is also believed to contain properties that help those who consume it maintain healthy body and youthful look, as in the case of the Shiseian owner, who looked way younger than her actual age.

Teppanyaki @ Biwako Hotel Back to the Biwako Hotel where all the rooms are lake-view, we enjoyed teppanyaki dinner with a choice of Omi beef or prime steak fillet. When the teppanyaki chef was about to start preparing our teppanyaki dishes, he firstly bowed to us who were eager to watch him cooking live. After asking our preferences on our cuisine, the teppanyaki chef executed his cooking prowess with finesse. Watching the chef attending to the food with strong focus and skilfully cutting the ingredients down to the same size made us eager to devour the dishes he prepared for us.

The Japanese-styled omelette, tamagoyaki, was prepared when we watched the chef rolled several layers of cooked egg on the iron girdle. After watching another round of live food preparation, we wolfed down the teppanyaki grilled eel and kumiage yuba bean curd served with a bowl of locally grown salad. The mouth-watering juicy steak fillet and Ohmi beef sirloin were delicious. The excellent food and visual gastronomic delight was the perfect way to end our day in Shiga.

Recommended Stay in Kansai Region » Kyoto Century Hotel | 680 Higashi Shiokoji-cho, Kyoto Japan | 5 minutes’ walk from JR Kyoto Station | Room prices range from RM600 to RM1,500 per room per night » Biwako Hotel | 2-40 Hama-Machi, Otsu, Shiga | 5 minutes’ walk from Keihan Hamaotsu Station | Room prices range from RM350 to RM1,200 per room per night

Catch Part II of this story in Issue 13.2.

Clockwise from Top: Slices of Omi chicken simmered in soy sauce in sukiyaki dish; Fresh products of Farmer’s Market Ohminchi; Enjoying some of the best cuisine at Teppanyaki @ Biwako Hotel

Gaya Travel Magazine expresses our heartfelt gratitude to Kansai Gastronomy Tourism Promotion Council Office, Japan Railway Company, Keihan Group, Don Quijote Group, Sakai Tourism and Convention Bureau, and Wendy Tour for making the writer’s Kansai region food trip possible.

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Destinations

Fjallraven Classic G o e s Tr o p i c a l

H o n g

i n

K o n g

Te x t b y A D ELA RO S LA N Images by @anbotstore

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Encouraging more people to experience the outdoors has always been close to my heart ever since I started hiking back in 2015. As for Fjällräven – the Swedish company specialising in outdoor equipment such as clothing and rucksacks – it was the love towards nature that prompted the company in sending out its own people as often as possible to the outdoors. Apparently, Fjällräven is a big name among serious hikers and outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.

Before that, a little background: Fjällräven Classic was first held in 2005 in Sweden with the objective of inviting hikers to explore the mountains in safe conditions. An equally important objective is to let more people experience the magnificent environment and see the connection between nature and environmental conservation. At the same time, Fjällräven uses such outings to gauge the practicality and durability of its products.

On November 2017, Gaya Travel Magazine was invited to join Fjällräven Classic event in Hong Kong aptly called ‘Classic Hong Kong’, which is the continuation of the tried, tested and loved Fjällräven Classic multi-day trekking concept in experiencing different climate and trails. The previous Fjällräven Classic events were held in Sweden, Denmark, and the USA. Being obsessed in hiking, I was truly elated to represent Gaya Travel Magazine during Fjällräven Classic Hong Kong.

Kajka 65L team trekking through the jungle, slowly but surely

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Top: Taking a break at Yung Shue O after hours of trekking under the scorching and humid trail Bottom: Trekking by the coastal rocks and finding angles for photo opportunity in Kei Ling Ha on the way to Yung Shue O

I. 17KM -- #WhenAdelaHikes With the filled-to-the-brim Fjällräven Kaipak 58W that weighed 15.4 kilogram on my shoulders, I started off my journey on the Maclehose Trail and headed straight into the Sai Kung West Country Park together with ten other hikers.

The park’s vegetation seems to resemble a park in Malaysia.

Facing unlimited staircases ahead, I was grinning all over.

At first, the trails were not that arduous, unlike the jungletrekking routes in Malaysia.

My team planned to take breaks and tea-stops at everyone-hour so that our feet could rest well before continuing further. We did not need our compasses since the trails were visible. Besides compass, each one of us were given maps, dry-food-rations, butane, trash bag and the Holy Grayl (water purifier and filter), so that we could simply fill up the bottle with crude water along the way, then just press and drink. Everyone received the same items and was allowed to plan out his or her own trekking plan at one own’s comfort as long as he or she arrived within the specified time.

Hong Kong weather in November 2017 was warm and sunny – I thought it would be similar to Malaysia, but turned out that the air was less humid but the sun was more scorching than back home. We started late morning anyway, so it felt like the sun was an inch above our heads.

After trekking for three hours, we met other trekkers at Yeung Shue O, which was checkpoint one. After getting my trekking pass stamped, we sat on the ground to savour our lunch while taking a breather beside the lake and marvelling the surrounding greenery. I must say, the dry-food rations supplied by Swedish brand called Real Turmat were the best food-alternative to eliminate hunger thus far because they are light, handy, and easy to cook. Real Turmat is one of the most preferred dry-food among international outdoor goers when camping out!

As we proceeded, we found that the uplands are scattered with traditional Hakka villages with terrain that appears too steep for farming and possesses half-hidden remains of stone-walled farming terraces. We were also told that the higher slopes are cultivated for tea and indigo, while vegetables and rice are grown at the lower areas as long as there is water. I encountered a sleeping snake in the bush along the way, but I did not shudder because I had encountered snakes before. After the climb, the trail led to a coastal path with some close-up views of the sea. We took a break at Sham Chung Manor, where everyone managed to boost their energy with cold drinks – as a matter of fact, cold beverages can be conveniently obtained along the entire hiking trail!

Cutting inland again towards the village of Hoi Ha (we mostly passed through houses and more residents), the trail becomes undulating yet doable. Our second checkpoint for

the day is an hour’s hike from the village, which is a campsite where we rested for the night. Before reaching the campsite, we stumbled upon a historic old lime kiln, where refined oyster shells or coral skeletons were once processed to be used in construction and agriculture. Interestingly, Hoi Ha Wan - particularly the coral communities in Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park – is one of the best sea areas in Hong Kong blessed with diverse and rich marine life. At the campsite, we mingled and made friends with the Thai, Japanese and Indonesian hikers while cooking our dinner and resting.

II. 18KM -- #whattheFOXHK In the following morning, we had Real Turmat again for breakfast, then we packed up and continued our trek for the second day, this time traversing coastal and inland trails. We started off along the Tai Tan country trail from Wan Tsai campsite. We technically ascended and descended along the literally rocky seaside trail. Unfortunately, one of my teammates injured her ankle during the rocky descent, so we needed to attend to her and helped her rest her ankle for a while. It was touching to witness that every trekker who passed us by gave her encouragement, some even passed her chocolates! Soon, we were back on the trail. Trekking next to the shore made it extra easy to refill water using the Grayl filter bottle: just fill, press and drink! That is so unlike in Malaysia, where hikers barely use any filter because they could easily source for running water, except when doing so proves hazardous, then the hikers would apply tablet filters, which are cheaper. But I think they would change their minds once they get their hands on the Grayl filter…

After some-more sea views along the coast, we headed inland again to Cheung Seung, our first checkpoint for the day, but the climb to get there was torturous! When we arrived, some of the participants napped by the trees and while others fixed lunch. My teammates Norcha, Hanis and I rested on the grassy field that is popular spot for respite among hikers and trail runners. Since it was pretty sweltering to rest too long out in the sun, we continued on the Maclehose Trail.

Though it was a short but steep hike to the next checkpoint, we were already prepared for it. I remembered climbing Twin Peaks and Mount Kinabalu back in Malaysia.

I prefer jungle trails because I can set the size of my step and pace, unlike hiking on concrete staircases because their sizes are pretty much fixed. A word of advice: moving at your own pace and not following others’ pace makes hiking less tense; after all, we’re heading towards the same destination.

This reminds me of the words by outdoor survival expert and Fjällräven product consultant Johan Skullman, who said the following before we set off on our journey: “It’s not the speed of your walking that gains you time, but the efficiency and precision when you are at rest.”

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Before reaching the second checkpoint by the beach, our nerves had already been shaken by the steep steps leading up to the false peak, and down again passing by old buildings next to the blue ocean. Food stalls are available along the trail and I chose to continue embracing the sun until I made it to Tai Long Wan Hiking Trail. Arriving at Ham Tin beach scared me out at first since there were huge dogs everywhere, but they proved harmless. After receiving my trekking pass stamped, I quickly enjoyed the Ham Tin beach, which is a popular place for surfing and camping; definitely the best place to cool off after hiking for almost eight hours!

III. 13KM #FjallravenClassicHongKong

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Waking up by the beach is an invigorating experience, and the short morning hike up to Sai Wan woke our body (especially our legs), mind and soul with its incredible jawdropping views from the top of the coastal cliffs. We made a few stops along the way just to relish the breeze. Inhaling fresh air was not enough, so we needed the holy Grayl to hydrate. After admiring the views, we resumed our hiking again along the route that seems to have a mixture of trails, including a waterfall that made us all excited! We collected water again using the indispensable Grayl filter.

I was the 52nd trekker to have my trekking pass stamped at the second last checkpoint, which made me all energised to run my heart out to the finishing line. Together with #MalaysiaTeam, we made our final home stretch and I pulled out the Malaysian flag with pride as I walked to the finishing line. Claps and shouts were heard from other trekkers and the Fjällräven Classic Hong Kong team warmly welcomed us – words were simply not enough to describe how elated we were in surviving the journey.

Hiking in Hong Kong – where nights are chilly due to the wind, days could be scorching, and trails are mostly paved – is an experience that I will not surely never forget! The next Fjällräven adventure is the 50-kilometre long Fjällräven Thailand Trail, which involves hiking along an old trail that connects various hill tribe villages but now abandoned and almost forgotten. I can’t wait to follow Fjällräven’s event again, therefore I look forward to seeing everyone again in Thailand in January 2018!

Special thanks to Fjällräven South East Asia (@fjallravensea) for inviting me over to this very first Fjällräven hiking trip, A New Breed of Traveller Store (@anbotstore) for recommending the proper hiking tools and of course, Fjällräven Classic Hong Kong team for the hospitality!

With #SamuraiWiFi, I got to constantly do live updates along Hong Kong trails and peaks! www.samuraiwifi.com.my ANBOT Store www.anewbreedoftraveller.com 69A, Jalan BP 7/2, Bandar Bukit Puchong, Selangor Operation Hours: 1.30PM - 2.00AM Phone: Mobile: +60102443270 Shop: +60380663270 Platforms: Instagram @anbotstore Facebook: ANBOT Store Outsidesg Outside, 277 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238851.

Operation Hours: 10AM - 10PM Phone: +6563859577 Platforms: Instagram @outsidesg Facebook: Outsidesg

Differences in hiking Malaysia vs Hong Kong MALAYSIA Less paved trails Unclear tracks, need mountain guides Staircases are rare Open safari (Sun-bears, elephants, snakes, etc.)

No stops/stores.

Drink untreated water (river)

HONG KONG 70% of the trails are paved Clear visible tracks Well-built staircases – ascent & descent Sometimes porcupines Stops that provide lights meals & cold drinks

Unpredictable weather, insects

Usually hot and less insects during summer

Need training and knowledges

Everyone can follow the trails

Provision of campsites is patchy No toilets - do your business in the wild!

Beautiful

Well-constructed campsites Have toilets!

Beautiful

Clockwise from Top Left: Maps everywhere along the trails made it easier for trekkers to check on the routes ahead; turmat - which are frozen-dried dishes that become meals after being heated up are easy to carry and easy to prepare; Leaving the beach behind to head up to the cliff top; Norcha and I were among the earliest trekkers to arrive at the finish line.

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Adela’s Choice Barents Pro Trousers Durable G-1000 trekking trousers with regular waist (mid waist) and regular fit. Reinforced, six practical pockets and raw-length leg endings. Quick dry, mosquitoes proof and heavy-duty materials.

MYR829 (Dark Olive/Grey Black) Available at @anbotstore MY What is G-1000?

One of the world’s best outdoor fabrics.

G-1000 is Fjällräven’s own hardwearing and versatile fabric, a well-proven outdoor classic that will prepare you for all types of adventures, in all climates all year round – from the tropics to the polar regions. The densely woven fabric (65% polyester and 35% cotton of the highest quality) is treated with Greenland Wax. This combination makes G-1000 one of the world’s best outdoor fabrics with a number of strong properties -Very resistant to rain and moisture This in combination with its low weight makes it an excellent choice for both travelling and outdoor life. If the fabric gets wet, it will dry fast.

Windproof Once impregnated with Greenland Wax it offers complete protection against biting winds.

Excellent ventilation Most impressive qualities – it efficiently releases moisture from the body, which is particularly practical when partaking in strenuous activities.

UV protection The fabric provides almost 100% protection against the sun’s ultraviolet rays (UVA and UVB) and therefore greatly reduces the risk of sunburn.

Mosquito safe The tight weave keeps mosquitoes and other flying insects away from your skin – practical both in the mountains and the forest, or when travelling in hot climates.

Greenland Wax MYR29/59 (Small/Large) size Available at @anbotstore MY

I m a g e b y W W W. F J A L L R AV E N . C O M

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Why should you use Ultralight Water Purifier by Grayl? #PurifyWaterAnywhere 1. It takes only 15 seconds, fast and easy It’s a joy to use and may very well be the only water bottle that anyone, anywhere, will ever need.

Remarkably, the Ultralight Grayl does NOT require batteries, UV bulbs, chemicals, pumping, sucking, squeezing or prolonged waiting.

2. Safe water for any adventure Designed for minimalists seeking the ultimate convenience, portability and performance, the Ultralight is the perfect companion for walking the globe, traversing a trail, adventure travel, or white-water descents!

3. Sustainable travel Travellers can now avoid buying bottled water altogether, and instead use the Ultralight Purifier Bottle to treat the water collected directly. Up until now, there has never been a more efficient and convenient means to purify and filter water on-the-go.

4. (ONE PRESS) purification and filtration Whether you’re filling up at a sketchy hotel sink in Peru or needing to drink from a dirty stream after enduring a gnarly trail, or at home preparing a disaster kit, the Ultralight has you covered! www.thegrayl.com

Clockwise from Top Left: Classic Hong Kong shouldering Kaipak red-wood 58L – never been better; Same Classic formula, different inspiring locations; @willykurniawanid’s Fjällräven’s badge that commemorates his success in completing a 100-kilometre long journey in September 2017 in Sweden

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Gaya Special Report

The French Connection, Atout France Style Compiled by FIQRIE DAHARI I m a g e s b y AT O U T F R A N C E & F I Q R I E D A H A R I

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The writer Fiqrie Dahari (in round neck t-shir t standing four th from the left) together with Atout France ASEAN Regional Director Morad Tayebi (extreme left) and Group Monge International Sales & Marketing Director Bernard Kouao (extreme right)

THE VOLCANO HAS JUST ERUPTED – that was the news that reached my ears around 15 hours before my first flight to Bali after 10 years. After more than 50 years, Mount Agung decided to erupt just before my departure to attend the Douce France 2017 workshop organised by Atout France (France Tourism Development Agency). Though I was apprehensive at first, after reassurances from the organiser, I eventually agreed to visit the fabled island of the gods where everything seems to be magical and colourful. The eruption did not affect my trip to Bali, and I was glad that I attended the workshop.

Prior to attending Douce France 2017 and never been to France, I have this burning question in my head: what can I do in France? From the workshop, the answer turned out to be MORE THAN YOU CAN FIT INTO YOUR ENTIRE LIFETIME. For the second consecutive year, Atout France (atout-france.fr/content/about-us) organised the annual Douce France workshop from 22 until 24 November 2017.

Founded in 2009, Atout France is the organisation that is responsible for promoting France as a tourism destination, contributing towards the development of the French tourism industry through various missions.

Since the country is targeting 100 million annual tourist arrivals by 2020 from 83 million in 2016, France has been ramping up its promotional efforts worldwide by staging international promotions through its network of 33 offices in 30 countries.

According to the organiser, the format for 2017 differed from the previous year.

Instead of holding roadshows in several major cities in Southeast Asia, Atout France opted on the workshop format specifically for selected hosted buyers, including travel and tourism journalists and influencers from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines to meet up with Atout France’s partners: Club Med; Air France; La Vallee Village shopping outlets; McArthur Glenn designer outlets; Groupe Monge in charge of beauty and health tourism; RailEurope; and Monaco Tourism.

As an introduction to French hospitality, travellers in various parts of the world could easily experience it by heading to any one of Club Med’s properties closest to them. Founded in 1950, Club Méditerranée SA (www.clubmed.com.my), popularly known as Club Med, is a pioneering French hospitality group that specialises in allinclusive holidays at dedicated ‘vacation villages’ owned and operated by the group in a number of usually exotic locations around the world. One such village is Club Med Bali, the venue for Douce France 2017. The property, like the other all-inclusive vacation villages around the world, is the place where guests can munch and drink all they want throughout their waking hours, and join in various activities ranging from archery all the way to trapeze-flying. There are also 25 Club Med ski resorts throughout Europe that offers free skiing lessons and free gear rental to its guests, including sleigh-riding, snow-biking, and everything else we South East Asians love to try! The only setback that guests might face is TIME (which they would find never enough in trying all of the activities) or ENERGY (if you’re middle-aged like me).

To actually experience France the country, foreign travellers need to be transported there first. But how? By flying on Air France-KLM (www.airfranceklm.com/ en) of course! Combined, both airlines carry over 93.4 million passengers in 2016 and are connected to over 30 destinations in France alone. Adding a sense of joie de vivre and style to travelling, Air France serves free champagne in its Economy class, known to be the only airline that does so. On top of that, KLM’s World Business Class also sports seats designed by top Dutch designer Hella Jongerius that help to increase passengers’ comfort when flying. By the way, in case you didn’t know, KLM originated from the Netherlands and is THE oldest airline in the world.

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Besides flying, travellers are also urged to embrace the romance of travel by opting for Rail Europe (www.raileurope.com), the largest distributor of European rail products worldwide that offers new high-speed rail travel on the newest train lines in 2018 connecting travellers to many parts of the continent, making the cities in France, Switzerland, Germany and Spain more accessible. One can simply book a pass for unlimited travelling on all those lines within a day!

Once travellers have arrived in France, they are bound to be lured by what the country is known for: French cuisine, listed as a world heritage by UNESCO. The country boasts over 616 restaurants that carries the Michelin star, a prestigious rating system much coveted by chefs and restaurant owners to indicate their stature in the highly competitive world of culinary.

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Besides food, France is also known as the shopping haven and home to celebrated global fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, YSL, Hermes, and Jean Paul Gaultier, among others. In getting their hands on the French branded items, shopping enthusiasts and shopaholics could simply head to La Vallee Village (www.lavalleevillage.com/en/home), a famous one-stop luxury shopping centre that is 35

minutes from Paris and five minutes from DisneyÂŽ Parks. This village comprises 110 luxury fashion and lifestyle brands boutiques that offer savings of at least 33% less than retailed prices. Fancy getting these items at a much lower price? Then head to McArthur Glenn Designer Outlets (www. mcarthurglen.com/en/), the first designer outlet in Southern France where shoppers can indulge in designer brands with discounts up to 70%!

If one loves to experience shopping in Paris itself, then Printemps Paris (departmentstoreparis. printemps.com/) is the place to be. Today, Printemps Paris is the world’s leading department store for fashion, luxury and beauty with an astounding 490,000 square feet of retail space.

Other than shopping, Paris is also currently branding itself as a beauty and health destination.

Groupe Monge, created in December 2016 based on the success Pharmacy Monge (www.pharmaciemonge.fr) in Paris’ 5th street, specialises in stores dedicated to the largest portfolio of premium brands in medicine, dermatology, cosmetics, dietetics and perfume. It offers brands at among the lowest prices available, between 30% and 60% less expensive than the market prices in France.

Morad Tayebi, the ASEAN Regional Director of Atout France giving his speech during the Gala Dinner at Club Med Bali

Do you know that for every second, 50 bottles of Evian (pure.evian.com/en/UK) natural mineral water are consumed in more than 140 countries worldwide? The water is sourced from Evian-lesBains, a resort and spa town that has been popular since 1879, nestling between the French side of Lake Geneva and the French Alps, only an hour’s drive from the Geneva airport. More than just a spa destination, Evian-les-Bains is surrounded by an exceptionally pristine natural environment with remarkable cultural heritage. The place is definitely a must-visit when visiting France.

For travellers preferring to trace the footsteps of Grace Kelly or James Bond from the film Casino Royale, Monaco (www.visitmonaco.com) is THE place for them to strut to the hilt. Set along Cote D’Azur and Italy, this cosmopolitan enclave of the elites is an independent city-state located on France’s Mediterranean coastline. It is the playground for the rich and famous, hence it glitters with European history, luxury, excitement and glamour.

Enjoying the highest level of security due to the high concentration of wealth, Monaco offers 300 days of sunshine a year with mild temperature, perfect for travellers to enjoy its palate of luxury hotels, internationally acclaimed gastronomic establishments and top of the range well-being centres. On top of that, travellers will never get bored when visiting Monaco because over 700 events are held in the city-state throughout the year, especially the world-renowned Monaco Grand Prix in May. In conclusion, never have I learned a great deal about France in a short time until I attended the Douce France two-day seminar. It was indeed an immersive experience that made my heart ache in desire to discover the great nation of France soon – here’s hoping to visit France in 2018! BONNE CHANCE! Fiqrie Dahari is a radio announcer, emcee, and social media influencer who is now cutting his teeth in travel writing. Gaya Travel Magazine extends our heartfelt gratitude to Atout France for making Fiqrie’s trip to Club Med Bali and participation in Douce France possible.

Top to Bottom: La Vallee Village informational pamphlet distributed to the par ticipants of Douce France; The well-manicured grounds of Club Med Bali; One of the Balinese Hindu temples visited by the Douce France par ticipants

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The idyllic spot on MacLeod Island; let’s just stare at the clear, blue water of the Andaman Sea and let the world go by

Destinations

StarCruise’s I n a u g r a l Vo y a g e to

My anmar Te x t b y I RN EE N O RRI S Images by IRINA NORRIS

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“Genting Cruise Lines is always looking for new and innovative ways to heighten our guest experience and open up fresh and exciting destinations for our passengers,” said Mr Kent Zhu, President of Genting Cruise Lines.

Genting Cruise Lines, which StarCruise is part of, now offers a new destination for her latest four-night round-trip cruise itineraries. The Gaya Travel team were honoured to be part of the maiden voyage of StarCruise’s largest liner Super Star Libra to Macleod Island, Myanmar.

Genting Cruise Lines is teaming up with Myanmar company, Tint Tint Myanmar Group to help create the infrastructure on MacLeod Island to kickoff Myanmar’s journey to become a worldwide cruise destination. MacLeod Island is a secluded paradise located within the Myeik Archipelago in southern Myanmar, listed as one of the top ten countries to visit in 2017 by Lonely Planet.

Our voyage included stops in Phuket, MacLeod Island and Penang. With SuperStar Libra’s current triple homeport deployment, travellers have the convenience and flexibility to choose their embarkation location from any one of three locations: Kuala Lumpur (via Port Klang), Penang or Phuket, to start their unforgettable round-trip cruise journey.

The Itinerary Day 1 Check in Port Klang Travellers are recommended to come early to allow ample time for the checking in process since the ship accommodates up to 1,480 passengers at one time. We had lunch and attended the mandatory Passenger Safety Drill before retreating to our respective cabins. After a short rest, we attended a sail away party followed by a networking session.

Our first dinner was a Fisherman Themed Dinner, with barbeque and massive selection of food and desserts!

Day 2

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Phuket Our morning activities on the second day started with a self-guided ship tour where we visited three different types of accommodations, followed by telematches among media representatives and travel agents who were invited to this maiden voyage. We disembarked at Patong Beach, Phuket at 1:00 p.m. and returned to the ship at around 6:00 p.m. We spent roughly five hours in Phuket and shared a clean and comfortable minivan among nine of us and paid THB100 each for a three-hour ride. There are many taxi drivers offering their services at the jetty, so travellers should bargain for a good deal.

Since there are many attractions in Phuket, travellers need to research first on where they would like to go in Phuket. During the three hours in Phuket, we only had time to do some light souvenir shopping. When we asked our driver for recommendation, he took us to a snack supermarket called Pornthip that has a big selection of certified halal local snacks, a t-shirt factory outlet and a jewellery shop.

He later dropped us off at Bangla Road, a famous shopping street in Patong Beach. We rounded off our Phuket stop with a foot massage before returning to the ship.

Those who enjoy water sports, there is also a wide choice of activities including yachting, sailing, jet skiing, parasailing and deep-sea fishing.

Day 3 MacLeod Island We had an early start because this was the day when the Memorandum of Understanding being signed between Genting Cruise Lines and Tint Tint Myanmar Group. After completing the formalities, we disembarked the ship at 9:30 a.m. to experience Myanmar hospitality. Passengers were given options and they need to choose one activity on what they would like to do on MacLeod island prior to the cruise: diving (diving licence required), snorkelling by the beach, or trekking up the highest peak of MacLeod Island for a bird’s eye view of the place. Naturally, we picked snorkelling. After a day of fun on the white sandy beach and clear blue sea, we

returned to the ship at 3:00 p.m.

MacLeod Island is a private island with only one resort: the Myanmar Andaman Resort. There are no other inhabitants except for the resort’s staff and their families on the island. Currently the resort is receiving mainly European guests who travelled to Macleod Island by land. If you are lucky, you could even catch the glimpse of the elusive sea gypsies going about their daily lives.

We attended the Gala Cocktail Party at 6:00 p.m. During the event, we were introduced to the ship management (headed by the Captain of the Ship) and entertained by the performance of the cruise staff. The party then followed by the Gala Dinner at Spices Restaurant. The Gala Dinner is a semi-formal sit-down dinner where we savoured marvellous dishes while being entertained by the restaurant staff.

Day 4 Penang Every Malaysian knows that Penang is a food haven, so our five-hour time limit to enjoy Penang would be best spent on food hunting! This was exactly what we did despite the wet weather – it was raining the whole time when we were in Penang. Our first stop in Penang was Tourism Malaysia Information Centre, located at the Swettenham Pier Terminal exit. Upon suggestions by the nice officer, we boarded the free Central Area Transit (CAT) Bus to get around Penang.

Our first stop was at the newly renovated Chowrasta Market to find local pickled fruits that Penang is famous for.

After purchasing what we needed, we walked a short distance and headed to Lebuh Keng Kwee, where the Penang Road Famous Teochew Chendul and Left Hand Char Kuay Teow are located. Once we were satiated by those two iconic Penang delicacies, we crossed the road and had a hearty spicy beef soup at Sup Hameed, another Penang gastronomic institution. We were planning to head to Deen Maju Nasi Kandar at Jalan Gurdwara, but looking at the weather and time, we decided to forego the plan and returned to the ship early instead. It was a good decision because we could see the water level was rising as we made our way back to the pier. We later learned that Penang was hit by a flash flood and some areas were badly damaged due to landslides. Penang turned out to be the most fun stop during this trip, so much so that the rain did no damper our spirits at all!

We skipped dinner on the ship since we were too full from our Penang excursion. We had a banana themed farewell party later in the night where everything banana were served.

Day 5 Port Klang This was the last day of our voyage and we were coming home! After breakfast we headed back to our room for our final packing before disembarking at Port Klang around 10:30 a.m. All in all, it was indeed a fun-filled cruise that we recommend all travellers to give it a try!

Good to Know

Top: Agreement Signing Ceremony between Genting Cruise Lines and Tint Tint Myanmar Group. Left to Right: Mr Ang Moo Lim (President of Star Cruises), Mr Raymond Lim (SVP, Planning & Port Management, Genting Hong Kong), Daw Tint Tint Lwin (Chairman of Tint Tint Myanmar Group) & U Myint Htwe (Deputy Director General of Ministry of Hotels & Tourism, Myanmar) Bottom: The regal SuperStar Libra cruising on Andaman waters and drops anchor near MacLeod Island, Myanmar.

» Malaysian visitors are required to have visa to enter Myanmar, hence we were required to submit the required forms and two pieces of passport photos (white background) upon checking in. » Do not bring sharp objects and other hazardous items on board the cruise ship, as luggage and bags are subjected to scanning and security. » For sanitary reasons, freshly prepared food and cut fruits are not allowed on board. Commercially packed ones are allowed. » For Muslim travellers, do bring qibla compass as internet connectivity might be intermittent or not available at all. Anyway, Wi-Fi is available, but is chargeable. » The commodes are not integrated with bidet sprayers or hoses. » Bring travel adaptor as the ship is fitted with 2-pin plugs. » Pack a sweater as it is quite chilly on board. » Pack fuss free clothing. » Don’t forget to bring medications! » Your room key is your life! Hence it is a good idea to bring along a lanyard with a card holder and wear them wherever you go. You will need the card to enter the restaurants on board, during boarding and disembarking the ship, just to name a few. » Refer to “Star Navigator”, the daily newsletter given to passengers so that they can plan their activities on board the ship. » Wear a wristwatch since timing on the ship follows the ‘ship’s time’, which specifically means Malaysian time, throughout the journey. Do not rely the watch on your smart phones because they are bound to automatically change as they enter different time zones.

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Destinations

Doing in

MICE

Switzerland Par t II:

Lucerne and Bern 076

We continued travelling to Lucerne and Bern cantons during the recent meetings, incentives, conferences and expositions (MICE) educational trip organised by Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau (SCIB) together with BMC Travel Sdn. Bhd. Follow us as we discover refreshing Lucerne in Central Switzerland, dubbed as pocket-sized Switzerland, and pretty (and surprisingly pastoral) Bern.

Te x t & I m a g e s b y J U H A N KA M A R U D D I N

Walking along the highest suspension bridge in Europe on Mount Titlis

Doing MICE in Lucerne

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Lucerne city (www.lucerne.com) We proceeded to the city of Lucerne in Central Switzerland, and famous for the Lion Monument and Chapel Bridge.

Lucerne – the gateway city to central Switzerland that is set upon Lake Lucerne – is compact and intimate yet international due to the large presence of expats serving multinational companies and foreign students, who help to turn Lucerne into a high potential business tourism destination. Part of MICE group activities that can be held in Lucerne are chocolate and cheese tours, including visits to the Victorinox Brand Store and Swiss Knife Valley Visitors Centre where travellers can assemble their own Swiss Army knives.

For travellers who are pressed for time, they should at least visit two iconic places that the city is known for: The Lion Monument, which is a rock relief designed by Bertel Thorvaldsen and hewn in from 1820 until 1821 by Lukas Ahorn to commemorate the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution when they were defending the Tuileries Palace in Paris; and the world famous Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge, considered as one of the oldest covered wooden bridges in Europe) with its covered walkway and gable paintings depicting the history of the city.

Mount Titlis (www.titlis.ch) and Engelberg (www.engelberg.ch) It is a MUST for travellers to visit Mount Titlis with its only publicly accessible glacier in Central Switzerland, Glacier Cave and the highest suspension bridge in Europe, including the charmingly twee Engelberg town at its foot that is already around 1,000 metres above sea level. To get to Mount Titlis, travellers need to take the train from Lucerne to Engelberg, located 25 kilometres south of Lake Lucerne and 43 minutes one way by train.

Engelberg is popular as the base for travellers intending to enjoy ski and free rides during winter, including hiking, mountaineering, climbing, biking, and playing golf during

Tip: Whenever travellers need to change trains in Switzerland, be sure to check on which platform and what time the train departs. There may be times when travellers will only have a few minutes to change trains, therefore travellers need to be on their toes at that crucial moment.

Should travellers miss the onward train, they might need to wait between 30 minutes and one hour for the next one.

summer. What makes the town of Engelberg all the more unique is the presence of the still-functioning Benedictine monastery that was founded in 1120. As travellers walk around town, they would be able to admire the town’s intimately cosy atmosphere and edifices left over from the Belle Epoque period, standing alongside abodes built in Swiss alpine vernacular.

Mount Titlis is a year-round snow-capped mountain destination that all travellers – be they MICE or fully independent travellers (FITs) – would find exciting and fun-filled. The top of Mount Titlis comes with facilities such as shops and restaurants, including a spacious dining area called Panorama Restaurant with glass windows opening up to the surrounding scenery, suitable for MICE groups. There are also the Swiss Lion shop (the world’s highest watch shop) and the photo studio for travellers to take photos of themselves in traditional Swiss costumes. Apparently, corporations and business travellers are able to conduct memorable meetings and activities on Mount Titlis due to the availability of such facilities.

Travellers need to take two different aerial cable-cars from Engelberg up to Mount Titlis, which is 3,020 metres above sea level, in 30 minutes. One of them, called the Titlis Rotair, is the world’s first revolving gondola that transports travellers to the mountain station while affording them the 360-degree view of the surrounding landscape comprising dramatic rock faces, vertigo-inducing crevasses and majestic mountain peaks during the five-minute journey one way.

Additional note: Whosoever loves travelling on trains (like yours truly) and admiring sceneries along the way will surely love taking the efficient Swiss trains. Throughout the journey, I couldn’t stop reiterating the fact that I did not know how beautiful Switzerland is until I saw it with my own eyes. I personally enjoyed every minute on the train because along the way, whenever the train leaves the urban setting, my eyes feted upon quintessential million-dollar Swiss sceneries: Frisian cows, undulating terrains, pastoral mountainside landscapes, coniferous forests, lush alpine vegetation, rolling hills, clean rivers, quaint houses made of larch, snow-capped mountain ranges and the Alps. The sensation from just looking at still or moving images of Switzerland can never substitute the elation felt when seeing it in real life. I suppose it is safe to say that Switzerland is without doubt one of the most picture-postcard perfect destinations in the world, a must-visit before you die.

Top: The Chapel Bridge is Lucerne’s major landmark Bottom: Panorama Restaurant on Mount Titlis

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Clockwise from Top Left: Various kinds of Emmentaler cheese on sale at Emmental Show Dairy; Visitors can watch how cheese is currently made at Emmental Show Dairy; Shop and learn how to make world-famous Swiss biscuits and pastries at Kambly

Image by SWITZERLAND CONVENTION & INCENTIVE BUREAU

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Travellers need to muster some courage to take the Titlis Cliff Walk that is 3,041 metres above sea level and 500 metres off the ground, making it Europe’s highest suspension bridge, opened since 2012. The surrounding views from this 100-metre long and one-metre wide suspension bridge is spectacular and unrivalled, making it one of the best Instagram-worthy spots in Switzerland.

The Glacier Cave – which is close to the Mount Titlis Glacier station – is a 150-metre long tunnel that is surreally bathed in a dim turquoise-blue light, leading travellers 20 metres below the surface of the glacier. The inside of the cave has the frosty temperature of -1.5˚Celsius all year-round, therefore travellers need to put on thick jackets, waterproof pants, suitable footwear (it could get slippery) and gloves when entering it, even during the height of summer.

To get to the Glacier Park, travellers need to take the Ice Flyer chairlift next to the Mount Titlis Glacier station and fly above the glacier crevasses. Even during summer, the Glacier Park offers the chance for travellers to speedily slide down the piste using sledging equipment or snowtube! But be sure to wear waterproof pants because the snow tends to accumulate and wets your derriere when sliding down...

Doing MICE in Bern Emmental Show Dairy (www.e-sk.ch) Located around 45 minutes from Bern city by bus and surrounded by idyllic Swiss countryside setting, Emmental Show Dairy is one of Switzerland’s leading cheese manufacturers. We were told that to understand how a world class cheese is produced, this is the place where travellers should come to learn about Swiss cheese-making.

Cheese is staple for the Swiss since it is nutritious and satiable.

The name of the cheese, Emmentaler,

is derived from the name of the place where the cheese is produced, Emmental, which travellers would find pastoral and panoramic. Swiss cheese-making is nature- and weatherdependent, thus conserving the natural environment is crucial, not just to the Swiss cheesemakers, but the entire agricultural and agro-based industry.

Cheese from Emmental is normally produced by small rural dairies with raw cow’s milk, using only natural ingredients (water, salt, natural starter cultures and rennet); preservatives or ingredients from genetically modified organisms are not allowed. The cheese made at Emmental Show Dairy is lactose-free, thus can be enjoyed by those who are lactose intolerant.

The making of high quality cheese requires fresh, raw milk and not pasteurised. The cheesemaker must strictly follow the steps, otherwise the cheese will not turn out as expected.

Large quantity of milk is needed to make cheese. The cheesemaker needs to firstly warm the milk gently while stirring it at 32° for 30 minutes – the warmer the cheese, the longer he stirs, the harder the cheese becomes.

Then the cheesemaker needs to cut it into layers and segregate it into whey (watery part of milk) and curd (the white substance formed when milk coagulates) – the latter is used to make cheese.

The cheese is produced in a round shape with a natural rind, and aged in traditional cellars for a minimum of five months before being sold. The three age profiles for the cheese produced at Emmental Show Dairy are classic (five months old), reserve (eight months old), and Premier Cru (14 months).

The maximum time allowed for cheese to mature is three years old, which then becomes more pungent as it ages further. Just so you know: rotten cheese tastes like rotten egg.

MICE activities can be conducted on Emmental Show Dairy’s grounds for participants to gain enriching

quintessentially-Swiss experiences such as undergoing a one-hour guided tour around the site for 20 persons at one time at the cost of CHF200 per group.

On the same note, FIT’s are also welcome to visit the Emmental Show to witness the cream-cheese production that starts everyday at 2:00 p.m at the price of CHF 7 per person.

Kambly (www.kambly.ch) Kambly is a Swiss biscuit manufacturer, founded in 1910 by Oscar Kambly.

Kambly’s biscuits are popular and the factory – just two minutes’ walk from Trubschachen train station – is the place where travellers can learn about biscuit-making and purchase delightful Kambly products.

According to popular story, Oscar Kambly fell in love with a girl who lived in Trubschachen in 1906. When he went to her home, he had the idea of making a traditional crunchy biscuit called Bretzeli based on his grandmother’s recipe to woo the girl.

Kambly then perfected the biscuit based on a 100-year old recipe, thus won the heart of not just the girl but also other confectionary enthusiasts the world over. Oscar Kambly headed the business until 1953.

Today, Kambly is Switzerland’s largest biscuit producer and leading exporter. The business is currently headed by Oscar Kambly III, who has been doing so since 1983. Kambly is represented in more than 30 different countries and produces over 100 kinds of biscuit using ingredients like flour, eggs, butter and grain that are sourced locally. It has two factories, one in Trubschachen and one in Lyss, both in the canton of Bern. The original factory is in Trubschachen, around 40 minutes by bus or train from Bern city, while the second factory was an acquisition of another company called Arni AG in Lyss in 1999. Kambly now has 420 employees.

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Kambly’s factory store in Trubschachen has a Visitor Centre and Shop. The place is ready to hold up to 60 persons for hands-on MICE activities such as learning how to make Bretzeli at CHF10 per person or participating in a two- to three-hour baking workshop with master confectioner for up to 28 persons at CHF200 per group. When being here, travellers must catch the clever and entertaining diorama that replicates Oscar Kambly’s original kitchen as the way to interestingly tell the story about the founding of Kambly’s biscuits.

Bern (www.bern.com) Bern’s location is strategic because it is located almost at the very centre of Switzerland, bordering between the Germanand French-speaking parts of the country. The canton of Bern is also the only canton that uses both Swiss German and Swiss French as primary languages. Bern is also remarkably bosky because the mayor of Bern insists that every Bernese should always be five minutes away at most from greenery.

The city of Bern was first founded in 1191, and its sublime Old Town, which has been enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, is one of the prettiest historical urban centres that I have ever laid my eyes upon. Built on a little peninsula surrounded by the Aare river, the Old Town’s attractions are all close by and easy to reach by tram, bus or on foot.

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Tip: The vantage point for travellers to photograph the exceedingly pretty layout of Bern’s Old Town is from Rosengarten (the Rose Garden) that is situated on an elevation overseeing the town and surroundings.

The city of Bern is the capital of Switzerland, the country’s seat of administration and power, referred by the Swiss as their Bundesstadt, or ‘federal city’ since 1848. Since Switzerland practices a rare system of direct democracy, it is the only place in the world that has a national government created close to its people, affording the citizens easy access to the offices of the Prime Minister, Ministers and government departments should they have concerns. The country’s leaders could also be spotted around the Old Town when they attend the Federal Assembly (Parliament), held at the built-in-1902 Federal Palace of Switzerland. Guided tours at the Parliament building available free of charge.

Despite undergoing various redecorations and renovations in its 800 years of existence, the Zytglogge, which is amalgamated with a 15th-century astronomical clock, is one of Bern’s most recognisable symbols and a major tourist attraction.

Travellers are bound to fall in love with the Bern Old Town’s human-scale, cosy and intimate qualities, characterised by alleys of arcades that total six kilometres in length, forming one of the longest covered shopping promenades in Europe that houses local ateliers or specialist shops, including international brands. Apparently one of the quarters along a

street called Kramgasse within Bern Old Town was inhabited by the world-famous genius Albert Einstein – it was in Bern that he founded the Theory of Relativity (E=mc²). The Einstein House is open to visitors, and the Bernisches Historisches Museum hosts the world’s first Einstein Museum.

Tip: When in Bern, travellers are recommended to make the most of the Swiss Pass or the Bern Ticket allows travellers to take the public transport for free. To obtain the Bern Ticket, travellers need to stay at least one night in a touristic accommodation within the city of Bern. Refer to www.myswitzerland.com/en-my/bern-ticket.html for more information.

What to do when you are in Bern? »

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Join a guided tour of discovery on foot through the Old Town of Bern and its most beautiful attractions. The tour takes 90 minutes and costs CHF250 for a group with the maximum number of 20 people.

Witness the chiming of Bern’s landmark clocktower (Zytglogge) that was first constructed in the 13th century and embellished in its current form since the 16th century.

This can also be experienced through a guided tour that costs CHF150 for a group with the maximum number of 20 people.

See live bears at the Bear Park – the name Bern comes from the word ‘bear’, the city’s chosen mascot.

Freshen up by consuming fresh drinking water from over 100 fountains found around the city.

When walking around the Old Town, do appreciate the establishments that are housed in former cellars that have now been retrofitted to become commercial spaces, especially the famous restaurant called Kornhauskeller, located within what used to be the town’s wine cellar built in the early 1700’s that possesses dramatic vaulted ceilings and well-aged sandstone, rendering a noteworthy dining experience. This restaurant can sit up to 700 diners at a time and becomes an ideal venue for MICE. Go urban swimming in the river Aare or enjoy the sun by the famous river pool called the Marzili.

Where to stay in Bern for MICE travellers: Hotel Allegro Bern is a four-star superior property with 171 rooms that is part of the leading and largest congress and culture centre in Central Switzerland called Kursaal Bern (www.kursaal-bern.ch), which comes with 30 meeting and function rooms supported by state-the-art technology and infrastructure, three restaurants, bar, fitness facility and Grand Casino Bern.

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The view of Bern Old Town

Gaya Travel Magazine extends our heartfelt gratitude to the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau (SCIB) and BMC Travel Sdn. Bhd. for the smooth arrangement, coordination and execution of the Educational Corporate Trip to Switzerland, which the Editor-in-Chief participated. Destination managers who bring incentive groups are invited to collaborate with the Switzerland Convention & Incentive Bureau (www.

MySwitzerland.com/meetings) for an impactful and rewarding MICE experience.

BMC Travel Sdn. Bhd. (www.bmctravel.com) is a top-notch MICE inbound and outbound tour operator based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, offering destinations management, client goal-oriented projects, and travel consultancy, among others. Since 1979, BMC Travel Sdn. Bhd. has been the household name among movers and shakers of the corporate world, including ministers, royals and discerning travellers seeking professional, trusted tour provider with proven track record.

Destinations

MOTAC Promotes Biker Tourism through

Eat, Travel, Ride Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI Images by ZARIF IKMAL

The general standard practice among people travelling today would be to reduce travel time from one point to another, resulting from the desire to tick off as many attractions at the destination on their list as possible. More often than not, flights or bullet trains are the preferred mode of travel as opposed to slower vehicles such as motorcycles.

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However, for motorcycling enthusiasts, the journey leading to the destination is more important than the destination itself – the ‘real’ tour, they might say. The experience riding the motorcycle gives riders not only pleasure or the motivating challenge to test their riding skills, but also to ultimately discover the hidden gems through multiple stops along the journey.

Recognising that motorcyclists are high potential travellers, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia (MOTAC) – with the help from Gaya Travel Magazine – organised a convoy called Eat, Travel, Ride (ETR) 2017 as a way to boost biker tourism among local and international motorbike enthusiasts. This programme also marked the first collaboration between MOTAC and Kingz Motorcycle Group (MG) Malaysia, a club established since 15 December 2015 that constitutes Harley-Davidson riders. Today, the club has 80 members in Malaysia and 12 members in Singapore.

“The club’s ride-and-respect principles have helped to challenge the cliché that the society has towards bikers.

We also practice solidarity and camaraderie by taking the pleasure of being among bikers and their families during our annual rides; the first one was the Kuala Lumpur-Penang expedition in conjunction with Hari Malaysia,” said the Vice President of Kingz MG Malaysia Mr. Khairul Anuar bin Juri during the launch ceremony.

The three-day event took the convoy participants comprising 50 Harley-Davidson riders and 10 media practitioners on a 300-kilometre plus journey one way starting between Kuala Lumpur and Iskandar Puteri in Johor, with a day trip to Singapore in between. Throughout the programme, the participants explored various attractions such as KL City Gallery in Kuala Lumpur; Mini Malaysia and ASEAN Cultural Park in Melaka; and Forest City (media only). The participants also savoured local delights at Malacca Lot 85 in Melaka; Putu Bambu Juriah in Johor; and Kari Kambing 40 Hari, also in Johor.

Besides, the convoy participants also visited the latest motorsports-themed hotel called Hype Motorsports Hotel in Nilai, located approximately 20 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and 15 minutes from Sepang International Circuit. The hotel has 75 rooms and the average rates are between RM150 and RM280 per room per night. It is said that Malaysia’s very own motorcycle racing prodigy, Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah, also stayed here.

ETR 2017 is also an offshoot of the Eat.Travel.Write media familiarisation programme founded by Gaya Travel Magazine with the aim of promoting Malaysia as a tourism destination of choice through social media sharing and #SayangMalaysia campaign.

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Destinations

#EatTr avelWr ite #ETW6 #ngetehETW

#D isc ove rSe l a n g o r

Culinary Adventure Te x t b y J U H A N KA M A R U D D I N Images by ZARIF IKMAL

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The Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN), in collaboration with Gaya Travel Magazine, organised a media familiarisation programme called Eat.Travel.Write (ETW) 6.0 to selected places in Selangor.

With the theme Jom Ngeteh (‘Let’s Have Tea’), this programme brought the conventional media practitioners and social media influencers to cool attractions and spots in Selangor’s Kajang and Petaling districts that are suitable for travelling families and friends to hang out over tea and other refreshing beverages, including popular local comfort dishes. Come and follow us as we take you to the places covered during Eat.Travel.Write (ETW) 6.0 so that you will know where to head to for tea, including other meals, whenever you are in Selangor, besides experiencing various fun-filled activities of course…

Restoran Sue Kamilah (www.facebook.com/Restoran-Sue-Kamilah-Teh-Beng-Madu) Talking about having tea in Selangor, be sure to head to Restoran Sue Kamilah in Bandar Baru Bangi that is famous for its teh beng madu (sweet pulled tea with honey and ice added for good measure). Once travellers have drunk this dramatically pulled and frothy beverage, they will never drink iced milk tea the same way again. But be warned: the drink’s sweetness might shoot your sugar level to the roof…

The Garage Kuala Lumpur (www.thegaragekl.com) The Garage Kuala Lumpur (@thegaragekl) – located around 15 minutes from Kuala Lumpur city centre – is a complex constructed from 25 recycled containers that become home to a hipster cafe, a fully functioning car workshop, a vehicle modification area and shops that sell auto accessories and specialty items, as well as a vertical farm called Babylon that uses plastic pipes, sponge, water and ultraviolet lighting to grow crops like herbs, salad and strawberries. The Garage Kuala Lumpur comes alive in the evening when diners start coming in groups to enjoy the food while learning about the art of mechanics and vertical farming. The place is also suitable as an event space and able to hold activities related to meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE).

Farm In The City (www.facebook.com/FarmInTheCityMalaysia) Wow, little did the participants know that Farm In The City excites children and even adults! Opened since June 2012, this attraction offers the chance for travellers to feed, touch and play with over 100 species of animals. Located in Seri Kembangan and set in a specifically-designed environment built to resemble a Malay kampung (village), Farm In The City is where animals roam freely in visitor-friendly enclosures. Among the most interesting encounters are the chance to feed adorable raccoons, petting the soft furry alpaca and getting the glimpse of the cute four common marmosets.

Refreshingly frothy iced milk tea served at Restoran Sue Kamilah

Hearty gourmet fare served at The Garage Kuala Lumpur

This is definitely an enjoyable attraction to be had with family and friends because both children and adults are bound to be enthralled.

Operation hours: Weekdays 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Weekends / Public or School Holidays 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Admission fees: Adult – MYR32 | Child – MYR27 | Senior Citizens – MYR27

Restoran Sate Kajang Haji Samuri (satekajang.com.my) Restoran Sate Kajang Haji Samuri is one of the most popular places for people who love to enjoy satay, which is basically pieces of tender meat that has been marinated with aromatic herbs and spices held together on skewers made from bamboo or the midrib of a coconut tree frond. The types of meat that can be enjoyed here are chicken, beef, fish, rabbit, venison, beef tripe and chicken gizzard. Once the meat is barbecued together with the skewers, the meat is consumed together with condiments such as cubes of compacted rice, raw cucumber and raw onion, all to be dipped in the accompanying flavourful peanut sauce, which Restoran Sate Kajang Haji Samuri is famous for. This establishment that is now becoming more of an institution has several branches throughout Klang Valley, but to get its original feel, travellers should try dining at its flagship restaurant in Kajang, Selangor, where it all began. As a matter of fact, Kajang is considered as a satay hub in Selangor as well as Malaysia.

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Clockwise from Top: Feeding a marmoset at The Farm In The City; The view of Philea Mines Beach Resort’s man-made lagoon; Succulent barbecued meats served at BBQ Lamb KL Kemensah; Witnessing how a local specialty is prepared at Kampung Sungai Buah.

Philea Mines Beach Resort (www.phileahotel.com.my) Nestled amidst the concrete jungle of Kuala Lumpur is an unexpected haven called Philea Mines Beach Resort that offer authentic Malaysian hospitality, comfort, and tranquility. Well known as the “beach in the city” and living up to its name, the resort is ideal for health retreats, weekend getaways, garden weddings, beach barbeques and various team-building corporate events. Philea Mines Beach Resort – the sister property of the flagship Philea Resort & Spa in Ayer Keroh, Melaka – possesses 174 rooms comprising 126 beach- and lake-facing room and another 48 units of chalets facing the lagoon.

Taking the cruise on the MINES Resort City Lake provided by Philea Mines Beach Resort makes guests feel like being ferried over the seas in the middle of Klang Valley. The cruise service, which is part of the resort’s MICE offerings, is able to accommodate up to 40 persons at a time. It could also function as a water taxi taking guests to the other buildings next to the lake such as the Sapura building and MICE Shopping Centre upon prior arrangement.

Another fun-filled activity that corporations and businesses can incorporate as part of their meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) programme at Philea Mines Beach Resort is the ‘Master Chef Challenge’ whereby participants – assigned into small groups – are given the opportunity to show their culinary talents through the preparation of poppiah (soft crepe spring rolls), including food sculpting and presentation.

BBQ Lamb KL Kemensah (www.facebook.com/Bbqlambklkemensah) Do you know that you could enjoy succulent barbecue meats set amidst lush greenery next to a running freshwater stream in Selangor yet close to Malaysia’s capital city? Located behind Zoo Negara (Malaysia’s National Zoo), the surroundings of BBQ Lamb KL Kemensah reminds travellers of a serene and leafy Malay kampung environment that elevates diners’ dining experience as they indulge in various barbecue options such as smoked duck, grilled organic chicken, beef tenderloin and lamb cuts.

milk, herbs and tapioca shoots, including papaya salad with bird’s eye chili. This kampung is also the place where foodies can savour lip-smacking homemade tapioca and banana chips, including satiating tapioca and banana fritters dipped in black soy sauce with chilli paste, including fried banana balls. While savouring local delicacies, the participants were entertained by local children performing traditional Minangkabau, Javanese and Bawiyan dances in their respective traditional attires. Participants were then taken to the relaxing, breezy and down-to-earth Tasik Idaman (loosely translated as the ‘Lake of Intense Desire’) for a break.

Bangi Wonderland (www.bangiwonderland.com.my) Selangor has an additional water theme park in the form of 12-hectare Bangi Wonderland opened less than 2 years ago! It has 16 thrilling state-of-the-art water rides such as slides and one giant funnel for adults and children who are above 110 cm in height, including the first ever human water cannon in Malaysia. There is also a family-friendly wave pool that attracts patrons of all ages. Bangi Wonderland also organises Family Day package for at least 30 people that includes entrance fee and lunch.

Operation hours: Weekdays 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Weekends / Public or School Holidays 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Admission fees: MyKad holders – MYR58 per adult MyKid holder – MYR48 per child between 90cm and 130cm tall (children less than 90cm tall enter free) Non-MyKad holders - pay MYR70 per adult and MYR60 per child.

Senior citizens pay half price.

Operation hours: Weekdays 5pm-12pm (dinner only) Weekends 11am-12pm (lunch & dinner)

Kampung Sungai Buah (Sungai Buah Village) The ETW 6.0 participants spent the whole day at Kampung Sungai Buah (Sungai Buah Village) in Sepang , a rural community comprising residents that descend from three different sub-ethnic groups: Minangkabau, Javanese and Bawiyan.

This idyllic village, located alongside the Kajang-Dengkil trunk road, is considered as one of the best in Selangor due to its peaceful and pristine surroundings. Here, the participants learned about the kampung’s culinary specialties such as the comforting yet spicy Rendang Pucuk Ubi made from coconut

The children’s area at Bangi Wonderland

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Destinations

The Colourful

Citra wa rna Went Green Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI Images by ZARIF IKMAL

To celebrate the annual Citrawarna festival, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (MOTAC) Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Tourism Bureau (KLTB), Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Tourism Malaysia collaborated with Gaya Travel Magazine in organising a media familiarisation programme called Eat, Travel, Write & Doodle (ETWD) 3.0 to promote the Citrawarna extravaganza held annually in Kuala Lumpur.

The trip was joined by almost 30 participants comprising journalists, bloggers, and social media influencers, including doodlers and illustrators from the country. The familiarisation trip not only promoted Citrawarna but also attractions in Kuala Lumpur through conventional and new media platforms through creative postings and live updates.

For 2017, Citrawarna was held at Merdeka Square, Kuala Lumpur, with the theme “The Sunrise, The Green and The Echo Within”, inspired from the World Tourism Day’s theme, “Sustainable Tourism — A Tool for Development.”

Speaking at the media session during the launch ceremony, the Minister of Tourism and Culture Malaysia YB Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Abdul Aziz said the ministry hoped that the festival served as a platform to remind the public through arts, heritage and lifestyle regarding the significance of nature and the imperative need to conserve it. At the same time, Citrawarna is also a tool to promote ecotourism in the country.

The festival kicked off that day – at 7:30 a.m. to be exact – with the “Kids Eco Dash” running event at Taman Eko Rimba, Bukit Nanas. Joined by children aged between 4 to 12 years old, the race aimed at raising the children’s appreciation towards the outdoors while promoting healthy lifestyle at the same time. The event also offered families the chance to spend quality time together. Other activities held concurrently were recycling games, craft

sessions and petting zoo visit.

Back at Merdeka Square, visitors were treated to various exciting activities at the Chillax Zone beginning at 4:30 p.m., including buskers’ performance, traditional games such as galah panjang (long elephant) and batu seremban (tossing stones). The zone also had dedicated picnic areas for relaxing as well as selfie opportunities at the #SayangMalaysia photo wall. It was a beautiful day that brought people – both locals and international visitors alike – together.

Because the organisers knew that full tummies also lead to happy faces, a food truck fiesta was also held in front of the iconic Sultan Abdul Samad building. The fiesta implemented a ‘cashless’ food purchasing method using smartphones through a mobile wallet app called Boost, developed under the collaboration of BARRA and BOOST (subsidiary of Axiata Group) with one objective: to realise the government’s vision of a cashless society through simplified and integrated transaction system.

On top of these, sticking closely to the festival’s theme, the organiser have also collaborated with LOCCO and Daun.com.my to carry out ‘Bring Your Own Plant’ initiative at the festival, whereby each visitor was invited to donate a plant and a special message to Mother Nature. RapidKL, on the other hand, extended its public transportation services until 1:00 a.m. on the day to encourage more visitors to use carbon-free transport modes like the LRT and MRT to and from the festival.

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But of course, the main star of the event was the dazzling theatrical performances executed by hundreds of dancers led by popular celebrities, Nadia Aqilah and Kai Chalmers. The show opened with a traffic dance scene ala “La La Land” and continued with Nadia’s character travelling with her foreign husband (Kai) around Malaysia to introduce to him the country’s best holiday places, especially ecotourism destinations such as Kilim Geoforest National Park in Kedah, Mulu Caves in Sarawak, Royal Belum State Park in Perak and National Park in Pahang.

The show was further enlivened with multiethnic cultural performances by various communities in Malaysia such as Malay, Chinese, Indian, Aboriginal and Eurasian against the backdrop inspired by the tropical rainforest and the expansive seas. Finally, it concluded with a spectacular fireworks show and a soulful performance by the Malaysian popular songstress, Ning Baizura.

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Islamic Arts Museum Prior to the staging of Citrawarna 2017, the ETWD 3.0 participants visited the beautiful Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, located close to more Malaysian landmarks like the National Mosque, Bird Park and Perdana Botanical Garden.

The museum was first established in 1998 and now houses more than eight thousand artefacts of the Islamic world.

The vast collections are displayed in 12 galleries according to genre rather than geography. The style of the building itself is impressive; the museum’s iwan-style entrance embellished with ceramic tapestry incorporating verses from the Quran by skilled Iranian tile craftsmen creates an enigmatic and spiritual aura upon entering, while its five indoor domes flaunts the exquisite intricacies of Islamic artisanal touches.

Entrance fees: Adult (MYR14) & Child (MYR7) www.iamm.org.my

The National Planetarium Managed by the Malaysian National Space Agency (AN-

GKASA), the National Planetarium exhibits numerous astronomical technologies and mock-up interior of the International Space Station. There is also the space suit worn by the first Malaysian astronaut on display. The main highlight however would be the Omnimax-style film show projected fully onto the interior of the domed theatre, which serves as the screen. There are four different films screened every day, and the participants managed to catch the afternoon show entitled ‘Journey to a Billion Suns’, explaining the basic technologies of star-mapping and bringing the audience on a fascinating journey around the Milky Way. The projection on the huge interior of the dome makes viewing more immersive. It also brought back childhood memories to some of the participants who had visited the planetarium before when they were in school. Besides the aforementioned features, the National Planetarium also introduces the Space Pod as its latest attraction, offering an exhilarating ride in various simulated environments.

Entrance fees (for the full dome show): Adult (MYR12 / MYR6 for Mykad holder) & Child (MYR8 / MYR4 for Mykid holder) www.planetariumnegara.gov.my

KL Tower Travellers should take in the beautiful cityscapes of Kuala Lumpur while standing 300 metres above ground inside the Sky Box, a cantilevered all glass and enclosed viewing platform that juts out from the ledge of KL Tower’s Sky Deck.

Those who are faint hearted can opt for similar experience at the revolving Atmosphere 360 restaurant instead, which offers the panoramic view of Kuala Lumpur while indulging in hearty buffet spread for lunch or dinner.

Entrance fees (for the Sky Deck and Sky Box combo): Adult (MYR105 / MYR75 for Mykad holder) & Child (MYR55 / MYR39 for Mykid holder) www.menarakl.com.my

The magical Hobbiton movie set

Destinations

Becoming

Bilbo Baggins

Part I

Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI Images by SHAHIDA SAKERI & TOURISM NEW ZEALAND

“I’m going on an adventure!”

New Zealand is a country that ushers people outdoors. It is the place where the sun radiantly shines on people strolling along beaches; colossal mountain ranges and untamed rivers affectionately identified by the Lord of the Rings fans as Middle Earth for intrepid travellers to explore; and snow-capped mountains in the South Island that offer winter dreamy getaways.

In truth, New Zealand is clearly a favourite among Malaysian holiday-makers and leisure travellers, chalking up an of average 56,000 tourist arrivals into New Zealand per year. Most of the travellers come for long stays – say, two weeks on average – and they rent campervans to discover the country’s best offerings.

Steven Dixon, who is Tourism New Zealand’s Regional Manager for South and South East Asia, believes that accessibility is key: travellers can embark on a journey of epic contrasts since everything is within reach. The ability to enjoy vibrant multi-cultural cities and then leave for the remote countryside within an hour’s drive strongly appeals to most travellers.

Read on to find out what I experienced when I explored this mystifying antipodean two-main-island nation and learn from my trip!

AUCKLAND Bush Walk Tour (www.bushandbeach.co.nz) Auckland is a creative, intimate city where you can live in the forest yet only 15 to 30 minutes’ away from a world-class art gallery. It also has one of the most beautiful harbours in the world that is home to some of the country’s top residential, commercial and entertainment areas. It is recommended that travellers take a day or two to explore the city at their own leisure pace to completely take it all in.

Otherwise, they could also join the tours by Bush and Beach tour operator, led by genuinely helpful guides whose expertise is in showing the city’s best gems. We took the half-day Wilderness Experience to find peace and greenery in Auckland, and it was worthwhile. Our guides, Fiona and Ollie – who are also great storytellers, I must add – brought us to the Waitakere Ranges located 40 minutes away from the city centre. The first stop was Arataki Centre where visitors could admire the panoramic views stretching from the Manukau Harbour on the Tasman Sea to the sparkling Waitemata Harbour on the Pacific Ocean.

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Clockwise from left: Karekare Waterfall; a lady selling traditional Hobbit fare during the International Hobbit Day at Hobbiton; the facade of the iconic Bilbo Baggins’s house (Bag End); a glass of Ginger Beer at Good George Brewery in Hamilton.

From there, we proceeded deeper into the ranges and found another patch of serenity in the form of a majestic waterfall called Karekare Falls. When I first saw it, my jaw dropped – the dramatic towering cascades were so beautiful that it was selected as a backdrop for the Oscar-winning movie, The Piano.

We continued walking through the bushes and lush greeneries; the further I explored, the further I fell in love with the shapes of the indigenous trees and their distinctive barks. The end of the narrow sandy pathway presented another great reveal: the Piha black sand beach, which is a favourite surf spot for the locals; non-surfers would still find it breathtakingly beautiful nonetheless.

The beach’s sand is black due to the presence of volcanic minerals. From afar, the stretch of sand on the beach forms a glossy mirror-like reflection whenever the wave breaks. We

concluded our tour during tea time to savour New Zealand’s specialties such as cookies dipped in Manuka honey, fresh kiwi juice and a spot of Marmite.

WAIKATO Hobbiton (www.hobbitontours.com) Yes, yes, yes! Dreams do come true!

It had been a forever dream of mine to visit The Shire, home of the quaint little hobbit-hole village called Hobbiton. Even if you’re not a fan of Peter Jackson’s popular films The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogies, Hobbiton would still be a place that you might have already heard. In 2016, it received more than 468,000 visitors, making it the most popular tourist attraction in New Zealand.

On 22 September 2017, Hobbiton became extra special as all ‘Hobbits’ across the world came to celebrate the International Hobbit Day. The date was selected as it is the birthday of Bilbo

and Frodo Baggins, the main characters of the said films.

The festivity began with the happy ‘Hobbits’ being brought to tour all 44 hobbit holes, including Bag End (Bilbo’s home) while recounting the details of how the movie set was created. This was also the time when I discovered that to be cast as a hobbit, one should be ‘five-foot-two’ and has ‘round of face’ – hey, guess who fits the bill? I’ve also learned that hobbit holes are built to different scales according to the size of the actors being filmed; to make Sir Ian McKellen who played Gandalf taller than Bilbo and Frodo, he had to stand in front of the doors that were of 60 per cent scale, whereby actors who resembled the other hobbits were shot in front of doors that were of 90 per cent scale to make them look believably small.

The group then proceeded to the vibrant Marketplace featuring indi-

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vidually themed stalls bursting with traditional Hobbit fare. A fantastic duo comprising violinist and ukulele-player warmed up the ears with folk songs while ‘Hobbits’ looking their best with beer, ale or non-alcoholic ginger beer in hand settled either in front of the open fires in The Green Dragon Inn or al fresco, ready to toast the birthday boys.

During that magical moment, it did feel like we were transported right into one of scenes found in Tolkien’s books.

Of course, in true Hobbit fashion, a celebration won’t complete without a full buffet dinner. The ‘Hobbits’ were treated to a grand feast, and second (even third) helpings were encouraged, especially those belonging to Peregrin Took’s clan. Sarah McLeod, who played Rosie Cotton in the film, also joined in the festivity. Those who felt extra creative were given a makeover at Weta Studio’s booth to become one of the characters created by Tolkien; as

a matter of fact, one guest became an overnight sensation because he transformed into a realistic looking dwarf !

The night ended in the most magical way possible: strolling through The Shire under the moonlight with an authentic handheld lantern to light the way. If this kind of celebration speaks to your inner Hobbit, be sure to book your tickets now as they are usually sold out months ahead of the event.

Hobbiton General Manager, Russel Alexander, promises the celebration in 2018 would be bigger. Refer to the website for information regarding the International Hobbit Day. HAMILTON The Good George (www.goodgeorge.co.nz) If you were a beer drinker, there is a fair chance that you would love the Southfarthing range of crafted beer served at the Green Dragon Inn, Hob-

biton, which is brewed exclusively by The Good George, a Hamilton-based brewery. Since these unique brews are only available in Hobbiton, the Green Dragon Inn is probably one of the busiest bars in the country even during off-season, serving an average of 300 litres of beer every week that is specially delivered to the site using a fire truck (yes, you heard it right).

The Good George operates weekly tours out of its main branch on Somerset Street in Hamilton should fans want to try stealing the brewery’s recipes (good luck in that). What I found cool was the fact that the brewery’s giant chiller is installed with techno disco lights and an impressive stereo system that plays 70s rock hits! The brewery sits in what used to be a 1960’s chapel.

The place now has a charming Dining Hall offering local comfort food and of course, their award-winning handcrafted beers. Their non-alcoholic ginger beer is equally tasty too.

Hamilton Gardens (hamiltongardens.co.nz) Sitting on what was formerly a waste disposal site, the Hamilton Gardens is one successful transformation story that turns an eyesore into an oasis. It spans across 54 hectares of land comprising enclosed gardens, open lawns, lake, nursery, convention centre and the Hamilton East Cemetery.

The main stars here are of course the 22 pristine gardens landscaped to represent various civilisations, sectioned into five categories: The Paradise Collection, The Productive Collection, The Fantasy Collection, The Cultivar Collection and The Landscape Collection.

My personal favourites are the exquisite symmetric Italian Renaissance Garden and the immaculate Chinese Scholar’s Garden inspired from the Sung Dynasty. Te Parapara, on the other hand, is an interesting traditional Maori garden offers travellers a glimpse of the Maoris grew food before Europeans began settling in New Zealand. Expect to spend half a day here and understand why this place was conferred the title as ‘Garden of the Year’ during the 2014 International Garden Tourism Awards.

ROTORUA

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Te Puia (tepuia.com) Like most people in the world, I got to know haka through the All Blacks team members who never miss performing the iconic ‘war dance’ at the start of each rugby game. Though it does look spine-chilling, haka represents more than just a chant to intimidate the opponents on the field; it also symbolises unity shared by all Kiwis from various backgrounds across the nation. Inspiringly, this Maori-originated tradition is treated with high respect, and this fact alone recognises the importance of Maori influence in today’s New Zealand.

The Maoris arrived in the country over 700 years ago from Polynesia, in which popular theory claims that these Polynesians were originated from America. But when I visited Te Puia – a top Maori Cultural Centre in Rotorua – little did I know that there are historians who believe differently: they maintain that Polynesians came from China and travelled all the way across Southeast Asia to Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand that means ‘the land of the long white cloud’.) This idea is backed up by the similar characteristics shared in terms of traditions and linguistics between the Maoris and the Asian indigenous groups like the Orang Asli in Malaysia and the Amis in Taiwan. Some instances are the words ikan (Malay) and ika (Maori) for fish or lima (Malay) and rima (Maori) for five.

However, if you find linguistics too complex for a casual cultural outing, Te Puia presents more opportunities to peer deep into the Maori culture through different aspects such as crafts, food and music. You may even get to join in a powhiri, the welcoming ceremony on an open lawn before entering the marae where guests are serenaded with popular Maori songs, including my personal favourite, the emotional love song called ‘Pokarekare Ana’. This cultural show usually

concludes with interactive haka and poi dances performed by the centre’s resident artists together with travellers. On top of these, travellers may also choose to include dinner at the end of the show to experience hangi feast whereby food is traditionally cooked in an underground pit.

Additionally, a visit to Te Puia also opens the door for travellers to appreciate fascinating natural sights such as the boiling mud pool and Rotorua’s famous Pohutu Geyser, which is the largest geyser in the southern hemisphere. Due to its list of offerings, be prepared to spend at least three to four hours at the centre.

Canopy Tours (canopytours.co.nz) It was a bit cold and drizzly morning when we arrived at the Canopy Tours’ base at the Rotorua city centre – for a second, I was afraid that the plan would be cancelled due to the disagreeable weather. Fortunately it didn’t, thanks to the comprehensive equipment readily available at the centre that kept all participants dry and warm regardless of the weather.

We were then brought to the virgin native forest of the Mamaku Plateau located only minutes away from town, where a total of 1.2-kilometre network of ziplines, walking trails, suspended bridges and tree top platforms up to 22 metres above ground awaited us. The forest floor was soft beneath our shoes since it had been raining. The air was fresh and crisp that I could feel my lungs thanking me silently for being there. The birds – some of them were robins, the regular residents of the forest –were chirping joyfully over us.

But I was told by our guides – Scott and Cheynne – that the chirping sounds we heard was not common back in the early days when the tour started in 2012. I was also told that there are at least 70,000 birds killed per night in New Zealand by introduced predators like possums, stoats and men’s greatest enemy: rats. Hence, they knew an immediate action should be taken to prevent more losses like what happened to the big moas and the mighty Haast’s eagles, which are now extinct. Canopy Tours collaborated with local universities in creating and setting up traps for predators across the Dansey Road Scenic Reserve to restore New Zealand’s flora and fauna. As such, the birds are slowly returning as I witnessed myself during the tour – I even handfed some of them on the way to the first zipline platform.

Oh yes, I meant to talk about the ziplines, which was the main reason why I was brought to Mamuka Plateau in the first place. But with the educational information that I’ve been receiving from Scott and Cheynne regarding the ecosystem, I completely forgotten about it. After being strapped up in a harness and hooked onto a steel cable, we started flying along the 40-metre long Tomtit zipline, which was the shortest one as a warm-up. We then proceeded with the 49-metre long ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ zipline before shooting even further to the ‘Tui Song’ stage, where we launched from the canopy of a 500-year old rimu tree and ziplined as far as 220 metres through cloud-brushed tree tops over a long forgotten valley.

Clockwise from Top Left: The Italian Renaissance Garden at Hamilton Gardens; a beautiful Maori lady standing on the lawn where powhiri ceremony is held at Te Puia; geyser eruption at Te Puia; and two different travellers ziplining between the trees at Mamaku Plateau.

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Clockwise from Top Left: The eight-seater gondolas that whisk visitors up to Skyline Rotorua Complex; the multi-award winning Stratosfare Restaurant; a fluffy kiwi bird; and the magical Redwoods Forest during night and day time.

The whole experience was amazing!

Most importantly, the tour provides the opportunity for travellers to take part in a noble cause because a portion from the sale proceeds is ploughed back into environmental conservation. Therefore, it is no surprise that Rotorua Canopy Tours won the 2016 New Zealand Supreme Tourism Awards due to its laudable effort.

I thought I would try my luck spotting cute little kiwis in the wild; unfortunately, it was trickier than I expected considering these fluffy birds are endangered and nocturnal. Travellers should consider visiting the nearby Rainbow Springs National Park – a renowned kiwi conservation and breeding centre – after the tour for a better chance to see them.

Skyline Rotorua (www.skyline.co.nz/en/rotorua) For lunch or dinner in Rotorua, travellers should try dining at the multiaward winning Stratosfare Restaurant & Bar that sits near the top of Mount Ngongotaha overlooking the panoramic Lake Rotorua. It is a part of the Skyline Rotorua Complex comprising INZPIRED store, Jelly Belly Concept Store and Art Gallery, Volcanic Hills Winery, Market Kitchen and a recreational park where travellers can luge, mountain bike, zoom zipline and skyswing. This gorgeous restaurant, which is furnished with the equally gorgeous David Trubridge lights, features hearty buffet offerings from across the world, including Asia. Be sure to taste the mouth-watering ‘Art of the Grill’ selections using the locally sourced beef and lamb, and its dessert assortment is to die for. To get up there, travellers need to ride on eight-seater gondola cabins that will whisk them up to the complex.

Redwoods Treewalk (www.treewalk.co.nz) Redwoods, also knowns as Whakarewarewa Forest is popular among hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders. It was also one of the filming locations for the Disney’s film entitled Pete’s Dragon. The forest seemed otherworld-

ly in the movie, but I was not prepared to find it soul-stirringly magical at night when I took a tour deep into the forest along a 553-metre-long treewalk consisting of a series of 23 suspension bridges connecting 22 majestic 115year old redwood trees. The bespoke David Trubridge’s lighting might also have helped in elevating the tour experience since it is designed in the form of 30 alien-spaceship-style lanterns with over 40 multicoloured spotlights that illuminate the trees, forest ferns and pungas. The bridges gradually incline from six metres in height to 12 metres at its peak, yet can easily be traversed by travellers of all ages. * * * In short, it is safe to say that there is always something about New Zealand that excites us travellers, be it breathtaking landscapes, prominent cultural identity or even the downright friendliness of its people. New Zealand is an advanced country that strive to conserve its natural and cultural heritage, an exemplary attribute that travellers should learn and bring back home.

In the next issue, my story continues with another interesting facets of New Zealand: the range of extreme sports being offered and world-class filming locations. Imagine traversing verdant rolling hills crossing mystical forest and meeting peculiar mythical creatures – yes, we’re going on an adventure ala Bilbo Baggins! So, do watch out for the next issue!

WHERE TO STAY Heritage Auckland (www. heritagehotels.co.nz) Formerly the iconic Auckland’s Farmers department store, the site has now been tastefully transformed into the glamourous Heritage Auckland hotel.

The building retains its original 1920s charm and character while at the same time providing contemporary facilities such as heated swimming pool, spa, gym, and the hotel’s only food and beverage outlet called Hector’s Restaurant

where guests can indulge in delightful dishes in a seven-storey atrium under a canopy of palms.

Novotel Auckland Airport Hotel (www.accorhotels.com) Being located right at the opposite of Auckland International Airport makes the hotel an ideal base for transiting or resting. It has won multiple awards in the previous years and recognised for its green and sustainable design reflecting New Zealand’s identity. The hotel’s full-length soundproof windows allow guests to continue their slumber throughout the night unperturbed.

Novotel Rotorua Lakeside Hotel (www.accorhotels.com) Located within an earshot from the CBD, the hotel provides guests an easy access to go out and about. The adjacent picturesque view of Lake Rotorua soothes the eyes and the hotel’s extensive breakfast buffet spread at Atlas Restaurant keeps guests’ pleasantly satiated.

Ventura Inn & Suites Hamilton (www.venturainns.co.nz) This place’s reasonable prices make for affordable stay close to various local attractions. It is also ideal for large travelling groups since it offers apartments with kitchen facilities. Every stay comes with a complimentary continental buffet breakfast, Wi-Fi access, local telephone calls and parking.

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Destinations

Sparking All Senses

on

F I J I AN Shores

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Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI I m a g e s b y S H A H I D A S A K E R I , C A S TA WA Y F I J I , O U T R I G G E R F I J I B E A C H R E S O R T, M A R K S N Y D E R & T O R J O H N S O N

Imagine having sunlight that brightly warms up the nape of your neck as it sparkles on the surface of the sea against the crystal blue waters of the South Pacific Ocean; and sea birds swoop and dip over the gentle waves while sea breeze brings with it the sound of a four-stringed guitar as you walk barefoot over sunheated sands of beautiful white shores with swaying palm trees – a splendid vision of a tropical paradise, don’t you agree? And that paradise is to be found in… Fiji.

Such scenery is common in Fiji, an exotic ultra-seductive destination that is seemingly offlimits to most travellers from South East Asia until Fiji Airways decided to offer direct flights connecting Singapore Changi Airport to the country’s main hub, Nadi International Airport.

This South Pacific Island nation is made up of 333 spectacular islands in the South Pacific, in which only 110 of them are inhabited. Vitu Levu is the largest island covering more than half of the nation, and hosts various cities and towns including its capital, Suva, and Nadi, where the international airport is located.

Both culturally and geographically, Fiji is on the dividing line between Polynesia and Melanesia, midway between Tahiti and Australia. Today (at the point of writing), the country still has fewer than one million permanent residents with two main ethnicities: native Fijians and Indo-Fijians. The latter were brought in from India by the British to work on the sugarcane plantations. English is the official language here; however, the indigenous language Bauan is still spoken in some areas.

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Clockwise from Top Left: The wooden bridge to Malamala Beach Club; the ocean view from a beach bure at Castaway Fiji; iTaukei cultural show at Castaway Fiji; Fiji’s national dish: kokoda; the over view of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resor t and coral seedlings cemented into ‘doughnuts’ for coral planting programme in Castaway Fiji.

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Clockwise from Top Left: Kava ceremony at a local village; a Fijian spa therapist at the Hot Springs and Mud Pool Fiji; a bird’s-eye view of Ocean 9; a par ticipant of Sigatoka River Safari tour warming up to a local Fijian child and horse riding activity at the beach of Outrigger Fiji Beach Resor t.

The First Fijian Taste Upon arrival at Nadi, travellers could either proceed to their chosen idyllic sun-drenched retreat straight away since getting around is relatively easy with plenty of domestic flights and cruises available either at Nadi airport or Port Denarau Marina respectively; or, they could make the town as a first base and get started in exploring the country’s best offerings. In case travellers prefer to begin their tours in Nadi, then they are welcome to opt for Tour Managers Fiji (www.tourmanagersfiji.com), a wellestablished specialist tour operator that brings travellers around to popular attractions, including The Garden of The Sleeping Giant, Sabeto Hot Springs and Mud Pool, and Viseisei Village.

I found my way through the timeworn yet charming Nadi. Outside the window of our taxi, the varying landscapes from broad fields and green farms to delightful small shops, slower traffic and laidback residences managed to push my relax button almost instantly.

Somehow, the landscape also made me feel nostalgic as the town reminds me of my grandparents’ hometown in Kelantan where I grew up.

There are plenty of great accommodation options to stay when in Nadi, including Novotel Nadi that is situated merely three to five minutes’ drive away from the airport and ten minutes to the town.

The hotel possesses its own charming character while the rooms are all facing either a golf course or a tropical garden.

Should travellers prefer a beachfront property, then Denarau Island – 30 minutes’ drive from the town – also features popular chain resorts.

Distinctively inspired by Fiji,The Westin Denarau Island Resort & Spa presents Fijian heritage with indigenous touches through its design and weekly cultural nights, taking place every Wednesday and Saturday.The neighbouring sister property Sheraton Fiji Resort, on the other hand, offers more contemporary luxurious look with the addition of uber-popular restaurant called the Flying Fish Fiji by Peter Kuruvita. Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa provides off-the-charts service levels and escapism comes easily

here thanks to the swanky adults-only beach club.

However, for travellers who long for a more secluded paradise but are tied to the main island, they could always opt for a day tour to Malamala Beach Club, located on its very own island just 25 minutes from Port Denarau. A day pass to the club has seven-day validity, in which visitors can enjoy return trips with discounted transfer fees on South Sea Cruises. At the beach club, expect to experience white sand beaches, beachside cabanas, a resort style infinity edge pool and revolutionary gastronomic offerings curated by the Fiji’s very own celebrity chef, Lance Seeto. Before him, eating out in Fiji used to be a stodgy and heavily salted experience. Nowadays, Lance has set the local culinary standard high with his continuous innovation and sophisticated flair, making the food scene more exciting.

Digital Detox in the Mamanuca When seclusion is paramount, Castaway Fiji is the ideal hideaway. Stepping into this resort is like entering a world frozen in time, a dreamscape where days go by slowly as guests detach themselves from the outside world and become a modern Robinson Crusoe.The resort takes pride in the ability to immerse guests into the local culture, underwater explorations and tropical native island forest with simple yet delightful indulgences and activities.

The resort nestles in the heart of stunning Mamanuca Islands group, accessible by seaplanes or cruises that leave Port Denarau daily. Upon arrival, my group and I were serenaded with joyful acoustic welcoming songs. Checkin process was done casually at its Sundowner Bar, which also serves up amazing wood fired pizzas and cocktails (or mocktails). I was thereafter escorted to my beach bure (bungalow), an Eden of rustic design only steps away from the shoreline. Integrating clean lines and replete with motifs that remind guests that they are in Fiji, my room is simple, yet oozes comfort and style at its best. It is furnished with wooden interiors of earthy tones, cosy daybeds and floor-to-ceiling glass doors that allow ample of natural

light into the room and poetry-inspiring views of the brilliant blue lagoon.

However, there was no television set.

I instantly checked for phone coverage – nada. As a person who constantly scrolls her Instagram feed and checks up for messages on WhatsApp, this situation honestly did make me panic. What if something happened to my family? What if there’s an earthquake nearby and I won’t know for days? What if Ed Sheeran got married secretly in a far-flung country?

Shuddered by my own thoughts, I went outside and took a stroll on the lovely sweep of beachfront. Minutes afterwards, all my worries seemed to fade away…

One thing that often frustrates me when I am on an island getaway is the fact that I am a poor swimmer. Fortunately, Castaway Fiji is surrounded by a clear but shallow and safe lagoon with plenty of fish that are easy to spot without having to venture further. For those who do, especially during high tide, there’s a stunning coral reef nearby for them to explore.

In between swims and beachside reading, I enjoyed scrumptious fare at the resort’s main food and beverage venue, Water’s Edge Restaurant, serving international and local delicacies buffetstyle – their coconut cookies are just to die for. Restaurant 1808 is an adults-only epicurean escape serving Asian Fijian fusion while the poolside cafe, Nuku Marau, offers a la carte items like chips and burgers. Oh by the way, the water in the resort is safe to drink.

On Wednesday, Castaway Fiji celebrates the traditional iTaukei culture with special activities on offer throughout the day. I managed to join in a cooking class with Executive Chef Markus Nufer, who taught us how to do the Fiji’s national dish, kokoda: citrus-cured local fish, sea grapes and ferns in smoked coconut milk. At night, we were treated to a Meke show of action dance and songs and special cultural performance by the children who had been cared by the resort’s meimei (nannies) at the children club. On top of these, a lovo buffet dinner is also served at Water’s Edge, featuring meats, fishes and vegetables slow-cooked in an underground pit.

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Besides water activities, Castaway Fiji offers educational experiences through its weekly environmental awareness presentation in collaboration with the Mamanuca Environment Society. I also had the chance to help out the resort’s activities attendant Kolinio Mataiyaga during one of the resort’s monthly coral planting programmes. I could listen to Kolinio inspiringly talking about the environment all day because he has deep understanding on the importance of preserving the marine life, developed since his days attached to Mamanuca Environment Society before joining Castaway. He believes that when one does good to nature, then nature will be good to them in return.

The resort also offers various excursions including a day trip to the uninhabited Modriki Island where Tom Hanks filmed the movie Castaway or the coolest floating bar, Cloud 9, that has unrivalled privacy and incredible, uninterrupted views of pristine waters of the Mamanuca Islands at Ro Ro Reef. On my last few days at the resort, I found my body completely relaxed – thanks to snoozing on the daybeds during the day and dreaming deeply at night. No wonder after over 50 years in operation, Castaway Fiji is still an ultimate favourite among holiday-makers who make return trips year after year.

Feeling Local at the Coral Coast The moment I heard the loud Bula (hello) greeting from the man at the resort’s guard post when we first arrived, I knew I was in for a grand retreat. I was taken to the Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort, Fiji’s first five-star resort that still sets a high benchmark since its inception in October 2000. The resort sits within the world-famous Coral Coast area, home to many other worldclass beachfront resorts, yet all located far from each other to ensure guests’ utmost privacy. But more interestingly, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort showcases a unique architectural blend of modern conveniences with traditional Fijian waterfront village style, characterised by rustic looking bures (traditional thatchedroof bungalows) complete with hand-

painted tapa ceilings.

Blessed with a private sandy shorefront and a safe and gorgeous turquoise lagoon, the resort boasts a pure tropical bliss that make guests immediately fall in love. It is packed with enough romance and fast becoming one of the region’s popular spots for honeymooners and the soon-to-bebetrothed. But after having said that, the resort is clearly a favourite among well-heeled families too since it comes with an inviting children’s club and attentive mei mei (nanny) service.

There are plenty of activities for guests of all ages to take part such as beach volleyball, crab-hunting, snorkelling and diving. But if those are not enough, there are also fitness centre, tennis courts, golf training facility and one of Nadi’s biggest swimming pools on site for sheer pleasure.

Guests staying at the Deluxe Ocean View rooms, bures or suites receive complimentary talai (butler) service who delivers champagne or soft drinks and canapés to the rooms every afternoon. If needed, the butlers would also help guests unpack and iron their wrinkled clothes. They could also help in making restaurant reservations and recommending tours and activities.

Speaking of which, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort has a great activities desk run

by Rosie Tours where guests can book excursions to explore surrounding areas.

One experience that guests should never miss is to indulge themselves at the award-winning Bebe Spa Sanctuary at least once during their stay. Nestled on a hilltop known as the ‘Heavenly Hill’ that affords endless views of the South Pacific Ocean seascape, Bebe Spa Sanctuary dispenses personalised treatments from the heart using fresh local ingredients and highly skilled massage techniques amidst lush green compound, all of which resulting in a sublime spa experience that leaves guests feeling totally renewed. I also must add that my masseuse of the day, Vola, had a loving motherly touch in her every stroke she made onto my body, making the entire experience more pampered

and personal.

On top of the gratifying spa experience, guests must savour Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort’s satiating gastronomic offerings dished out by Fiji’s first Fijian Executive Chef Shailesh Naidu’s that set guests’ heart aflutter. The Outrigger’s awardwinning Ivi Restaurant brings guests on a journey of refined South Pacific dishes in an elegant setting – interestingly, most of the items on the menu are prepared fresh in front of guests’ next to their tables. Guests also have the choice of four other enticing dining outlets that possess their own unique personalities and special delicacies, including three cool-looking bars. Adults-only zones Vahavu and Kalokalo Bar, for example, are oasis for adults seeking peace of mind.

Vale Ni Kana presents an extensive and international buffet spread of tantalising flavours with live cooking stations, seasonal themed menus and cultural performances every night.

Being a Muslim guest, I was deeply touched when the staff at this dining outlet demonstrated their attentiveness towards me by specially prepared my meals by leaving out non-halal ingredients and using separate sets of utensils. Similarly, my dinner at another outlet called the Sundowner Bar & Grill – an oceanfront restaurant with the dramatic panorama of the sea – was equally remarkable.

My best moment in Fiji, personally, was during a half-day outing with Sigatoka River Safari that was conferred as ‘Australasia’s Leading Adventure Tour Operator’ during the 24th annual World Travel Awards. The tour works with 15 local villages located deep in remote areas to share authentic cultural experiences with interested travellers.

But the best thing about this particular tour is that Sigatoka River Safari strives to strike a balance between tourism and the villagers’ traditional ways, meaning participating guests can witness and mingle with the villagers only according to the villages’ own customs and terms, not at guests’ whims.

had our cheeks painted using white baby powder, a nod to Fijian tradition and custom. We then proceeded to a much bigger hall, where traditional Fijian delicacies were served on the floor as lunch. The entire village also seemed to be there, all in their bright colourful attires and smiling. And it was at this precise moment when I saw humanity and harmony at its best: a NASA big-shot sitting on the floor laughing with a local as they tried to guzzle down as much kava as they could; a Christian Israeli dancing to the acoustic beats with a Muslim; and a loving Korean mother hugging and kissing a Fijian child as she missed her own children back home – it was truly refreshing and inspiring to witness everyone was treated equally regardless of their ethnicity, religion, background and social status.

Perhaps, that’s just the power of the Fijians’ truthful existence. I left the land as a changed woman and a huge smile on my face that lasts up till now each time I think about it. * * *

Par ticipants of Sigatoka River Safari tour cruising on a jet boat along the Fiji’s longest river

The trip started with the participants choosing a ‘leader’ or ‘chief ’ to carry a kava root and represent the group when meeting the village’s male clan leaders. Our group then boarded on a bright-red safari jet boat with a captain and cruised along Fiji’s longest river. As we sailed along Sigatoka River, we saw what could have been the first glimpse of the area’s communities’ daily life: women washing up clothes; giggling children swimming and bathing in the river together; and patient fishermen on small boats waiting for their catches, all waved to us warmly when they saw us.

Once we arrived at the village, we were then ushered to a small meeting hall where the male clan leaders awaited us.

Prior to entering the hall, women were instructed to put on sulu (wrap skirt) before taking seats behind the male guests in the hall. A local guide then began introducing our ‘leader’ or ‘chief ’ and members of our group to the leaders. We then proceeded to a greeting ceremony where our ‘leader’ or ‘chief ’ presented the kava root to the chief of the village. That same kava root was then pounded in a large wooden bowl and made into a drink.

One of the villagers then scooped the kava drink using a coconut shell in either ‘high tide’ (full serving) or ‘low tide’ (small serving) and offered it to the chief, who would then clapped once, drank and clapped again three times. The process was repeated until everyone has been served. Kava has great social and cultural significance to the Fijian natives.

It tastes like plain earthy water that made lips and tongue go numb after drinking.

Afterwards, guests were presented with flowery garlands and

Overall, it is true that Fijian islands are beautiful; but to me, the real beauty of this much-lauded archipelago comes from its people. They are generally welcoming and happy to see travellers visiting their country, expressed through their genuine big smiles, curious yet friendly questions and of course, the constant Bula (hello) greetings. The longer you stay on this land, the greater insight and appreciation you would have for Fiji’s modest yet meaningful life. As a destination, Chef Lance Seeto seemed to have precisely summed it all up: “If you’re looking for a place to reconnect with yourself, find yourself again, refocus the priorities in your life, then this is the place to come.”

The Need to Know Currency: As a rule of thumb, 1 Fijian Dollar (FJD) equals to 2 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). Take note that Fijian Dollars are not easily available in Malaysia, therefore travellers are recommended to exchange their Ringgit into US Dollar first before entering the country, then exchange them again into Fijian Dollar once they arrive at the airport.

Entry Requirements: Malaysian passport holders do not need visa to enter Fiji. Entry visas for holiday-makers are automatically granted for a period of up to four months. Travellers will need to show the authorities upon arrival a ticket for onward travel.

Climate: Though Fiji enjoys tropical climate all year-round, the country has two prominent seasons: the usually rainy and wet season is between November and March, while drier season runs from April until October.

Halal Food: Halal restaurants are plentiful and all McDonald’s restaurants in Fiji received the halal certification from The Fiji Muslim League.

Getting Around: Public transport is cheap. Taxis are plentiful and the fares are reasonable.

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In 2016, Fiji Airways began operating direct flights from Singapore Changi Airport to Nadi International Airport, making South Pacific destinations like Fiji more reachable to South East Asian travellers. The journeys are made even more seamless with the airline’s interline agreement with Jetstar Airways that provides single-ticket air travel from 21 destinations in Asia including Malaysia.

I started my trip to Fiji on the 9:05 a.m. flight from Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) to Changi’s Terminal 2 with four hours’ layover, giving me enough time to explore some of the airport’s best facilities.The whole transit process was smooth due to the proximity between the transit counter and the gates. There was also no need for our baggage to be checked-in again since they were transported directly from the embarkation point to my destination, Fiji. Speaking of check-in baggage, each international passenger flying on Fiji Airways is entitled up to 23 kilograms for Economy Class and 40 kilograms for Business Class. When flying out from Singapore, excess baggage is charged SGD15 per kilogram.

Fiji Airways flies from Singapore twice weekly (Wednesdays and Saturdays) on Airbus A300-200 aircrafts.

Beginning from 5 April 2018, the airline recently announced that it will also begin providing its third service on Thursdays during peak seasons, which are in

April, May, July, August and December.

The airline’s Economy Class features the reasonably standard 31- to 32-inch seat pitch (the distance between the back of the seat in front of you to the back of your own seat), similar to British Airways or China Eastern Economy cabin, providing an adequate legroom for a five-foot-two me; however, taller passengers might need to purchase seats that offer more legroom. The seat’s 7.5-inch recline allows more comfort, and subtle mood lighting creates an overall pleasant cabin atmosphere during the long-haul flight. Every seat also comes with a USB power for passengers’ convenience.

I was happy to find that Fiji Airways’ onboard entertainment offers an impressive range of the latest Hollywood and Bollywood selections, together with several bona fide classics. Passengers can also enjoy the in-flight magazine FijiTime for details on airline news, upcoming events in Fiji, and fleet and arrival information.

The food service was fast and efficient, with flight attendants constantly offering cups of the popular Fiji Water throughout the journey. They were also genuinely helpful and all-smiling, which help to set the passengers’ mood during the flight. The hot meals served twice during the journey were decent. By the way, I just discovered that Fiji Airways has recently appoint-

ed an award-winning chef from New Zealand, Robert Oliver, as their new Celebrity Chef and Culinary Ambassador, who will introduce a number of signature dishes starting mid-January 2018. Muslim travellers and those with special dietary needs can be rest assured that Fiji Airways assures is able to cater to their requests made online or through a booking agent.

In conclusion, my journey on Fiji Airways was entirely pleasant and relaxing. The airline’s accommodating cabin crew and direct connection from Singapore to Fiji makes it the carrier of choice for all South East Asian travellers travelling towards the South Pacific. * The airline also opened a brand new 200-seat Fiji Airways Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport, featuring chef-inspired menus, baristas, luxury spa, nanny service, exclusive ‘Fiji Bean Cart’, live greenery wall and a constellation of stars on the ceiling representing the Fijian summer and winter skies. The Fiji Airways Premier Lounge is accessible to all Business Class passengers, including Tabua Club (Fiji Airways’ reward programme) members travelling on Fiji Airways international flights. Economy Class and other airline passengers may also utilise the lounge for a fee of FJD99 or USD49 per person per entry.

Flying on Fiji Airways for the First Time

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Gaya Special Report

CTM 2017 Boosted Cambodia’s Inter national A ppeal

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Te x t & I m a g e s b y J U H A N KA M A R U D D I N

The inaugural Cambodia Travel Mart (CTM) was organised in Siem Reap at Sokha Siem Reap Resort & Convention Centre (www.sokhahotels.com/siemreap/), involving 320 exhibitor delegates from 13 countries, 150 buyers from 31 countries, and 20 international media representatives, including a significant number of international travel and tourism industry affiliates. The three largest booths during CTM 2017 were South Korea, Nagaworld and Cambodia Angkor Airlines.

CTM is intended to be a large-scale annual business-to-business (B2B) travel event where local and international buyers, suppliers, trade professionals and media meet and exchange latest tourism industry developments and ideas not only pertaining to destinations and travel trends in Cambodia but also the rest of Asia and the world over. By doing so, it seeks to become the platform where travel and tourism industry regional players can advance their respective businesses and grow their networks.

This major travel and tourism event also provides the Cambodian tourism industry a foothold to further enhance its appeal as an international leisure and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and expositions) destination, providing more reasons for travellers, especially international tourism industry players, to travel to Cambodia.

Siem Reap was selected as the destination for CTM to debut due to accessibility and presence of renowned heritage sites such as the iconic Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, and Ta Phrom, besides other attractions like Siem Reap with its slew of tourism offerings and the expansive Tonle Sap Lake.

The venue for CTM 2017 was Sokha Siem Reap Convention Centre, managed by Cambodia’s leading local hospitality group, Sokha (www.sokhahotels.com). The total number of rooms provided by Sokha after combining the three properties in Siem Reap (Sokha Angkor, Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Sokha Palace Siem Reap) is 1,000, indicating that the group is able to accommodate large MICE groups up to 3,000 persons at any one time. The group also has properties in Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville and Kampot.

During the CTM 2017, the buyers and media, including tourism industry affiliates were feted at a resplendent Gala Dinner organised by Borei Angkor Resort & Spa that showcased outstanding traditional Khmer performances on the grounds of the breathtaking Bayon temple, excellently reliving the glories of the ancient Khmer empire. The buyers and media were also taken to briefly experience reputable Siem Reap hotels such as Sokha Angkor Resort (www. sokhahotels.com/angkor/) and Angkor Palace Resort & Spa (www.angkorpalaceresort.com/), including the highly acclaimed and atmospheric Malis Restaurant Siem Reap (www.malis-restaurant.com/siemreap/).

Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism collaborates with Phnom

Cambodia’s source markets: Asia Pacific – 70 % (40% from ASEAN) Europe – 20% Americas – 9% Middle East – 0.5% Africa – 0.5%

Penh-based Slickbooth Event Management Company and international travel and tourism publisher and event organiser TTG Asia Media in staging CTM 2017.

Cambodia rising Cambodia targets 7 million tourist arrivals by 2020, compared to the target of 5.5 million arrivals in 2017. The country as a destination is relatively safe and becoming more popular mainly through word-of-mouth. Though Cambodia benefits from the growth of tourism, it is not a mass tourism destination because its major attractions (heritage, history and culture) are not for everybody.

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Top 10 markets that contributed to the tourist arrivals into Cambodia for 2017 up until July

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In terms of tourism, Cambodia is divided into four main zones: Angkor World Heritage Site and Siem Reap; Phnom Penh and surroundings; destinations in Cambodian Bay (also called the Riviera) such as Sihanoukville, Kep and Kampot; and ecotourism and community-based tourism such as Battambang.

“To encourage travellers to explore beyond the ancient temples and more of Cambodia, the country’s tourism industry has begun opening up newer areas. The government decides to further tap Cambodia’s tourism potential by recommending to travellers that they should travel beyond Siem Reap and head to places like Kampot and Battambang,” said Ministry of Tourism Cambodia Deputy Director General Seila Hul. Cambodia is also keen in promoting shopping as one of its tourism offerings, especially for Asian travellers.

The Cambodian coastal area, dubbed the Riviera, has been earmarked as the country’s up-and-coming tourism destination. To further boost the area, Cambodia has established its third largest airport in Sihanoukville, which receives domestic flights from Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, including international flights from Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Macau, Palau, Kunming, Chengdu, Wuhan, Wuxi, Tianjin and Seoul-Incheon. Places like Kep and Kampot located within

the coastal area have begun attracting tourists due to better international access.

Before the era of Khmer Rouge, Kep was the playground of the royals and the rich in the 1950s and 1960s, hence the presence of many modernist and colonial style villas that are now mostly derelict.

Several of these villas were in fact designed by Cambodia’s much celebrated architect Van Mollivan who was inspired by the French modernist architect Le Corbusier’s cutting edge designs. As a matter of fact, the late King Sihanouk also had a villa in Kep. These days, Kep remains raw yet popular due to Kep National Park, beaches, and crabs. On the same note, neighbouring Kampot also beckons travellers with its pristine Bokor National Park, waterfalls, Kampot pepper, salt fields, caves and river cruises.

promotes sustainable practices, in line with its stature as the first sustainable resort in Cambodia to be internationally certified with Gold rating by Green Growth 2050 (www.greengrowth2050. travel). The resort is also socially responsible since it is currently helping out a coastal village inhabited by 550 families called Chamka Bei in the construction of fresh water wells, irrigation, gardens, alternative agriculture, village school, pre-school day care centre, vocational training, micro-business loans and healthcare.

Another much anticipated deluxe accommodation that well heeled and sophisticated travellers should look out for is Alila Villas Koh Russey (www. alilahotels.com/kohrussey), slated to be opened by the third quarter of 2018.

As a testament to the Riviera’s potential, a deluxe intimate resort called Knai Bang Chat (www.knaibangchatt.com) situated in Kep has 18 en suite rooms housed in remodelled modernist 1950s villas. The presence of a barefoot luxury property like Knai Bang Chatt opens up Kep and Kampot to the world, which the resort claims as the real and more authentic depiction of today’s Cambodia.

There is also a world-class Sailing Club nearby that trains Cambodian athletes to compete internationally in sailing, including a restaurant and lounge that face the million-dollar sunset view.

Knai Bang Chatt also incorporates and

Airports as international gateways Cambodia Airports (www.cambodiaairports.aero/en) operates the country’s three main international gateways: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.

When combined, the estimated total number of passengers handled by all three airports in 2017 is eight million.

Cambodia Airports shareholders are Vinci Airports (70%) and Muhibbah Engineering (30%); the former is the largest airport operator in the world.

AirAsia helps to open up Sihanoukville using flights coming in from Kuala

Lumpur up to four times per week. Sihanoukville has great potential because of its proximity to attractions that hold strong international appeal such as Koh Rong, which is only 25 kilometres away. Besides, according to Cambodia Airports Marketing and Sales Director Nuno Costa, new airlines are also coming into Cambodia such as Malindo Air, Sichuan Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines and Emirates.

“We are trying to get passengers to fly direct to Cambodia.

Currently, Cambodia is directly connected to major hubs in the region such as Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur,” mentioned Costa during his presentation.

Leveraging on Greater Mekong Subregion Since Cambodia is part of the six Greater Mekong Subregion countries, the country also works closely with Mekong Tourism Coordination Office (MTCO; www.mekongtourism.org), which is tasked to raise funds from the private sector and development partners to support tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

It is also connecting startups by launching the Mekong Innovative Startup in Tourism (MIST) initiative, funded by the Australian government.

According to MTCO Executive Director Jens Thraenhart, the number of Asian tourists visiting the Mekong countries is growing. The cruise industry along the Mekong river is also expected to grow to four million passengers by 2020. As such, Cambodia leverages on Mekong Tourism as well as the ASEAN frameworks for wider exposure and access. It has already signed with Thailand the ‘two-kingdom-single visa’ system, allowing travellers outside ASEAN to access both countries using just a single visa. Thraenhart recognised that there is now more visa openness among the countries compared to five years ago.

MTCO also launched ‘Mekong Moments’, an Instagramstyle social media collaborative platform where travellers can share their Mekong experiences under #MekongMoments that would be automatically captured on the www.mekongtourism.

org/mekong-moments/ site. All these initiatives are expected to boost tourism in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

New World Heritage Site to further boost tourism Sambor Prei Kuh – located two hours and a half drive from Siem Reap and located close to Kampong Thom – began enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 8 July 2017.

On the map, it seems to be midway between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

This two-kilometre-by-two-kilometre site was once called Isanapura and served as the capital and religious centre in the worship of Shiva for the Chenla Kingdom (predecessor to the Khmer Empire) from the 6th until the 8th Century A.D. At its height, it was estimated that around 20,000 families inhabited the area. The site is home to over 300 Hindu and Buddhist temples, also known as the place where the lion sculptures carved in the first Khmer style can be found.

The village communities surrounding the Sambor Prei Kuh temples still use them to this day, indicating that the site has continuously been significant to local culture and religion for over 1,500 years, hence a living heritage. This site is slated to be one of the upcoming must-visit sites for travellers to explore due to its significance in the Khmer history.

Conclusion Despite teething issues, CTM 2017 took off successfully and put Cambodia on the global tourism front since the event affords the kingdom’s tourism industry more international exposure. Based on the strong commitment shown by the Cambodian government coupled with the kingdom’s unique and exotic offerings, CTM has the potential to become one of the most productive travel marts in the ASEAN region if not Asia. The travel fraternity looks forward to CTM 2018, which will take place in Phnom Penh from 11 until 13 October 2018.

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Hotels & Resorts

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Living Up

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Villa Life at

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It is easy to find an accommodation in Bali through the internet – just use Google and you will end up scrolling from one page to another for you to just pick and choose. However, due to the abundance of choices, trying to find the exact one that meets all your needs and requirements proves challenging – it happened to me when I was searching for a suitable place to stay on the island. Eventually, I landed upon www.peppersseminyak.com, the webpage for Peppers Seminyak, which is full of arresting still images regarding the property.

True to the idiom ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, the dozens of pictures on the website speaks volumes about what I would expect if I were to stay there, leaving me breathless. The images got me smitten and after checking out the rates and the property’s location, I decided to stay there. It was like winning a jackpot because after checking in, I discovered that Peppers Seminyak is such a fine and luxurious resort that is part of the Australia-headquartered Mantra Group, an accommodation operator that manages luxury retreats and resorts across Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.

Though the villa resort is located within the hip neighbourhood of Seminyak that is constantly jam-packed with tourists and traffic, Peppers Seminyak is sheltered from such cacophony and manages to stay hidden despite being on the bustling Petitenget Road. The resort’s expansive grounds consists of 49 units of one-, two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom luxurious tropical villas that could span up to 900 square metres at most.

Peppers Seminyak’s thoughtfully-designed villas are all equipped with air-conditioning units and ceiling fans. Each villa is self-contained, elegant and spacious with own private swimming pool, full set living room sofa, study desk, flat screen television, integrated DVD-system and individual internet connection. The flooring for the rooms are mostly wood and marble, while teak wooden decks surround the swimming pool to create an upscale feeling amidst lush tropical garden. The design of the bedrooms within each villa integrates Balinese opulence with contemporary finishing.

The en suite bathrooms are romantic, characterised by oversized tubs, some placed within the bathrooms while others open to the sky. Two units of shower – one sheltered while the other exposed to the elements – are also installed in each bathroom. On the same note, each villa’s dining space comes with a gourmet kitchen, including full-sized refrigerator and in-room bar.

I stayed at the Three Bedroom Presidential Suite Villa, where each room is well appointed, promising an indulgent accommodation experience. Though the villa is not located anywhere near a beach, remaining sequestered within the walls of this premier villa more than makes it up since its lawn – which is connected to every bedroom, living room and kitchen – doubles as the place for guests to sun on fashionable reclining loungers, and then swim in privacy.

Keeping to its promise as a provider of wellness, Peppers Seminyak further pampers their guests through the dispensa118

tion of holistic revitalising treatments by the resort’s day spa aptly called The Spa at Peppers Seminyak, bound to rejuvenate and reinvigorate the body. Every treatment is well-crafted to provide personal touch through natural and pure therapy. Guests are also invited to join The Spa’s Wellness Retreats Package, which incorporates effective health and wellness regime during their stay. The package includes cleansing and rebalancing, spa treatments, yoga, outdoor walks, breathing and meditation, cooking classes and healthy lifestyle workshops. This package is also open for those who are not staying at the resort.

Understanding that Bali, especially Seminyak area, is famous for gastronomy, Peppers Seminyak further adds colour to the destination’s culinary offerings through its chic The Laneway Restaurant and Bar, offering menu ranging from traditional Indonesian food to western fare. At night, the place morphs into a sensational bar serving uplifting drinks and music.

Besides The Spa and The Laneway Restaurant, guests are spoilt for choice when it comes to keeping themselves occupied with myriad of activities at the resort such as undergoing excursions, exploring food- and wine-tasting trails and joining cooking classes – guests will never be short of ways in living up the exclusive villa life when staying at this piece of oasis called Peppers Seminyak, designed for smart and sophisticated travellers seeking casual yet upmarket, refined hospitality.

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Hotels & Resorts

S o f i t e l

Kuala Lumpur Damansara Magnifique Life Per sonified Te x t b y J U H A N KA M A R U D D I N Images by SOFITEL KUALA LUMPUR DAMANSARA

Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara is a swanky new 312-room international class five-star hotel that is part of an 8.5-acre integrated development by Guocoland that also comprises twin luxury condominium blocks, two corporate office towers and a lifestyle mall, located in the heart of the affluent Damansara Heights neighbourhood.

Designed by Wilson Associates, the hotel’s interior is proportionally elegant and urbane, an embodiment of French-Malaysian aesthetics, style and culture manifested through the marriage of French contemporary opulence with Malaysian motifs that can be seen throughout the hotel. The

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most visible artistic elements would be the distinctive local icon wau bulan (moon kite) alongside the vectors of the world-famous Eiffel Tower expressed using wrought iron as feature panels at the lobby and certain areas throughout the hotel, signifying French art de vivre (art of living).

It is obvious that both property owner and Sofitel Hotels & Resorts spared no expense in their attempt to possibly take their guests’ breath away, or at least leave them in awe. “It is our attempt to make guests’ stay unforgettable and making them want to return,” claims the exceedingly pretty and sharp Marketing & Communications Manager Pugeneswary Mudukasan as she took the Gaya Travel Magazine team around for inspection. Based on how the hotel is designed, we could roughly deduce that the French are passionate about life, sensuous, philosophical and expect high standards yet remain grounded at the same time.

Room, facilities and ritual The rooms at Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara are blessed with oversized beds that are sumptuously inviting, especially the ones that are king-sized; but after having said that, even the single beds for twin-sharing under the lead-in Luxury Room category are unusually large and could even fit two persons of average built. Ranging from 43 to 105 square metres, the guestrooms feature Sofitel’s signature MyBedTM bedding concept, strong Wi-Fi connectivity, and premium in-room amenities by Lanvin and Hermes. Guests are able to manipulate their rooms’ lighting with various lighting options to further enhance their comfort.

Thee rooms also come with various plug points for the convenience of travellers who lug around various electronic and electrical devices.

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Guests, especially well-travelled ladies, would surely appreciate the hotel’s extraordinarily plush towels, which they do not need to ask for extras because Sofitel seems to have a policy that all guests are entitled to receive generous number of towels in their rooms. Vanity mirrors with black Rococo-inspired frames grace the rooms to remind guests of the property’s French origins and flair, since Rococo style first emerged in France back in the 1700s.

To the more athletic and wellbeing-conscious, the hotel boasts well equipped state-of-the-art fitness centre.

Also on the same floor, guests are able to find the impressively spacious male and female changing rooms that come with their own steam room and sauna.

Business travellers and corporations requiring space to hold events or functions are able to utilise the hotel’s six meeting rooms and pillarless 1,100-metre squared Wau Bulan Ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 guests for sitdown dining.

One feature that is unique to every Sofitel Hotels & Resorts in the world over is its candle ritual held every day during sunset as an homage to the Parisian lantern-lighting practice that began in the 17th century, which earned the

city the moniker ‘City of Lights’ because it was the first city in Western Europe to ever install lanterns in lighting its streets and alleyways at night. As for Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara, this ritual is held daily during sunset, expressed in the way of a theatrical candle-lighting performance by the hotel’s own staff to signify the end of the day and the time for guests to wind down.

Lounge away at Club Millesime Guests are highly recommended to take the rooms that grant them access to the exclusive and posh Club Millesime executive lounge on Level 22, affording guests the chance to enjoy the bird’s eye view of the surrounding Damansara Heights neighbourhood. Club Millesime’s exclusivity can be strongly felt through its exquisite interiors and staff ’s sharp attentiveness. As guests step into the space, they are welcomed by the cleverly conceived chandelier that represents the collection of differently designed hats hovering above.

I can see myself spending the whole

time at Club Millesime if I do not feel like doing anything else because it is the place where I could simply take in the place’s contemporary chic while imbibing my favourite beverages that come free-flow. This executive lounge also serves intriguing breakfast menu comprising ala carte comfort dishes that complements the buffet spread. To me, Club Millesime serves up one of the best wholesome salmon eggs benedict in town. Another must try is the scrumptious Foster French toast.

Club Millesime provides a smart smoking area in the form of an openair balcony that comes complete with upholstered low-slung modular benches and tables with ashtrays for smokers’ convenience; however, since there were no smokers during our visit, and even though we are not smokers, we decided to gloriously lounge at the space from late afternoon until dusk while enjoying our beverages and books in hand for a refreshing change.

One experience that guests should not miss at Club Millesime is the

chance to enjoy the Le Gouter platter served for afternoon tea, which is different than the typical British tea time delights. The platter – which consists of comfort snacks like cookies, crepes and baguettes – intends to bring out the guests’ inner child because it is normally served to the French children after returning from school to tide them over until dinner.

Haven for elegant dining Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara is home to five food and beverage outlets: Kwee Zeen, its all-day dining restaurant that serves Pan-Asian cuisine; Wan Chun Ting, which translates as Ten Thousand Springs Pavilion offering authentic Cantonese and Imperial cuisine; Le Bar, which serves fine French wines that are sure to fascinate not just oenophiles but also tea aficionados since it also serves afternoon tea in style; Sofi’s Deli, where guests could savour French-inspired in-house patisseries; and Nizza, the hotel’s refined yet casual French-Riviera-inspired outlet with chic

pool deck ambiance reminiscent of the Cote d’Azur coastline offering hearty Mediterranean cuisine.

Lunch at Kwee Zeen is an uplifting experience since it offers Malaysian and French culinary offerings with meats that are tender and dishes that are flavourful. Guests are encouraged to savour the homemade ice cream served at the outlet; our favourites are green tea and banana ice cream.

Dinner at Wan Chun Ting is a wonderful affair amidst smart opulent setting characterised by East-meetsWest decor constituting Chinese-inspired silhouettes, traditional art pieces, intricate fabrics, fine embroidery and gold damask velvet. This outlet also boasts four private dining rooms with plush furnishings. Gaya Travel team recommends the steamed Soon Hock fish, braised sea cucumber and mushroom, and salted egg yolk fried lady’s fingers with curry leaves.

halal dimsum! Each and every dish served is innovative, scrumptious and gratifying, not only to the palate but also to the soul, leaving diners feeling happy afterwards.

Opened since 22 November 2017, Nizza – a restaurant that seats 135 diners at a time – is decked with colours like earthy beige and glittery gold that reminds of sunset bouncing off in its interiors, including blue-and-white flooring that evokes the sea and skies to bring cool and calm comfort. When dining at Nizza, diners are able to witness its chefs showing their prowess in the preparation of the outlet’s specialties such as duck liver pate, white sturgeon caviar, tru e and mushroom croquettes, bouillabaisse Cote de Opal and lamb sausage pissaladiere. Handcrafted cocktails and ne wines, combined with the restaurants’ elegant and relaxing atmosphere, perfectly complement the cuisine.

The following day, guests should also return to Wan Chun Ting for lunch, this time to savour its delightful and

Since the French take their pastry seriously, Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara ensures that guests are able to get their hands on the hotel’s array of pastries at Sofi’s Deli, which are all made using sophisticated French culinary techniques but infused with local flavours such as chilled puff with Asian flavoured ice cream, pandan kaya opera cake and colourful macaroons.

Undoubtedly, Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara is indeed the kind of stay in Kuala Lumpur that makes you want to say c’est magnifique (it’s magnificent) from the moment you check in until the time you check out. Gaya Travel team enjoyed our stay so much that we did not even venture out of the hotel during our three-day and two-night stay, except for a quick tour around Damansara City Mall since it is just next door. For those who are sophisticated, well-heeled, epicurean and sybaritic, Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara is definitely that one place they should be heading to when being in Kuala Lumpur. www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-A123-sofitel-kuala-lumpur-damansara/index.shtml

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Gaya Special Feature: Hotel Equatorial Melaka

Experience

Modern Malaysian Hospitality at

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Hotel Equatorial Melaka

Hotel Equatorial Melaka – a five-star 22-storey international business hotel with luxuriously furnished rooms facing either the Straits of Melaka or the historical St. Paul’s Hill – warmly welcome guests to the historic city of Melaka, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Whether it is for business or leisure, Hotel Equatorial Melaka is ideally located close to the city’s major historical, commercial, financial, shopping and entertainment districts.

Guests of this modern deluxe hotel are made to feel at home the moment they step into its spacious lobby.

Friendly and efficient staff at separate check-in counters for individual and group travellers ensure that guests are not made to wait longer than necessary.

A Room That Works when guests stay at Hotel Equatorial Melaka, they are promised with rooms that work and with views. All of its 495 rooms are tastefully furnished and well-appointed with bedside control panels, a sizeable writing desk, coffee- and tea-making facilities, including cable television with in-house movies.

For discerning travellers, the hotel’s 85 suites and club rooms offer added privileges that include personalised service, in-room registration, business centre, complimentary buffet breakfast, and evening cocktail in a dedicated lounge overlooking the city’s amazing skyline.

Meeting rooms for up to 10 persons are also available for use through prior booking.

Business Facilities

Business at Hotel Equatorial Melaka is serious business when it comes to looking after its corporate guests.

The hotel understands the needs of busy executives who have to send urgent messages or drafting that important contract. Staff at the Business Centre are well trained to handle travellers’ urgent needs at any time of the weekday.

Meeting and Convention Facilities The hotel houses three private rooms that can accommodate up to 40 persons for private functions in the form of lunch, dinner or business meeting. These rooms are affectionately named after local well-loved trees: Meranti, Machang and Merbau.

The hotel also has a Grand Ballroom and a Ballroom with eight multi-purpose function rooms equipped with the latest state-of-the-art audiovisual system. The Grand Ballroom, located on Level 2, fits up to 1,800 persons for a reception and up to 1,200 persons for a sit-down banquet. The second Ballroom, known as the Phoenix Ballroom, located on the lobby level, can fit up to 500 persons for a gathering and 470 persons for a sit-down affair.

Fine Dining and Entertainment Bright, airy and inviting, Rest House Café on the lobby level is a favourite meeting place for both guests and visitors at any time of the day right up to 11:00 p.m. on weekdays, weekends and public holidays.

Diners are offered an array of favourite local and western fare for buffet or a-la-carte.

Its unique buffet concept has a show kitchen, allowing guests to witness how creative Asian dishes are prepared. etc... coffee corner entices guests with its delectable pastries, cakes, pralines, bread and other mouth-watering delights whether eating-in or takeaway.

An ideal place to unwind over a cocktail, the Flo Lounge belts out light entertainment through its talented musicians and singers. It stays open until 1:00 a.m. on every Sunday to Thursday and at 2.00am for every Friday, Saturday and eve of public holiday.

For a taste of authentic Nyonya cuisine, The Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant, located on Level 3, is a trendsetter by offering the very best in town. Tastefully inspired by Chinese Peranakan style, the restaurant’s menu comprises specially designed Nyonya dishes served on lovely porcelain plates, The Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant proves popular

among gourmands and epicureans who demand more than what most traditional Nyonya restaurants offer. Open daily for lunch and dinner,The Seri Nyonya Peranakan Restaurant has a private room for private business meeting or dinner party, accommodating up to 40 persons.

Mixing Business With Pleasure Time out at Hotel Equatorial Melaka means having the reliable recreational and entertainment facilities in town.

The hotel has well-equipped gym, sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, tennis court and large swimming pool, reputably one of the best in the city. There is even a children’s pool and sundeck area for sun-worshippers.

After a busy day, guests can experience therapeutic massages at the spa to be rejuvenated.

Visit www.equatorial.com for fur ther infor mation.

Hotels & Resorts

Silka

Johor Bahru,

where

Families Meet

Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI Images by SILKA JOHOR BAHRU

When it comes to booking a family holiday, there is one factor that Malaysian families, particularly those with young children, would definitely look into: the swimming pool.

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Be it for a short staycation or a getaway to a far-flung corner of the country, swimming pool is usually where the crowd would congregate, the venue where they splash, swim, giggle, scream, lounge, sunbathe, loiter and sometimes even picnic with loved ones. It is the classic setting for a family outing in Malaysia. But what if the hotel also comes with affordable rates and decent food options? Budget-conscious families will certainly be pleased to discover such a place.

And one of the hotels in Johor Bahru, Johor, which meets the needs of such families is Silka Johor Bahru, a value hotel brand by the renowned Dorsett Hospitality International.

The hotel is located within the Plentong district, therefore has a slower pace than Johor Bahru city centre, the state of Johor’s capital.

Thus, if you expect to be in the centre of everything, the hotel is definitely NOT for you. Instead, this is where

you would go if you want to have a little bit of peace yet still not missing out on the action – the location is neither too far, nor too near, being five minutes’ drive from the E22 Expressway (Senai-Pasir Gudang-Desaru Expressway), 10 minutes from the North-South Highway, less than 20 minutes to Johor Bahru City Centre, and 30 minutes away from Legoland Malaysia Resort, Sanrio Hello Kitty Town and Johor Premium Outlets ( JPO). Besides, with Tesco Extra Hypermarket and Giant Plentong Hypermarket located within an earshot from the hotel, getting things that you forgot to bring along for the trip – for instance, milk for your child or phone charger – couldn’t be any easier.

The hotel’s 248 rooms are value-for-money and divided into four categories: Superior Twin, Deluxe, Family Suite and Silka Suite. All

rooms are minimally furnished yet comfortable, making them a safe environment for little children.

Additionally, they also come with their own decent-sized shower and bathroom, a 32-inch LCD TV with comprehensive local and international channels, a work station, a tea- and coffee-making facility, high-speed Wi-Fi coverage, a mini fridge, and an ironing facility to my liking.

The hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, Checkers Café, is where guests may go to feed their empty tummy, offering a selection of Asian delights such as Oxtail Assam Pedas and Sauted Black Pepper Beef with Ginger, including Western fare like pastas, pizzas and mouth-watering grilled dishes. Checkers Café is also where the buffet breakfast is served. On the same note, Kapitan Corner offers an al-fresco dining experience serving local comfort food, while D’Bar features a pool table, a small plate menu and

speciality cocktails for its discerning guests in the evening.

Silka Johor Bahru has a range of meeting rooms and a banquet hall that caters to dining, function and event needs.

Recreation facilities, moreover, come in the form of full club facilities that include a well-equipped gymnasium, tennis and squash courts, and of course, a swimming pool that is huge enough for many groups of families to swim at the same time.

In conclusion, Silka Johor Bahru is well liked for its affordability and ample facilities that not only fit the needs of families on holiday, but also corporate guests attending meetings and even locals longing for short stays to relax during weekends or public holidays. The average nightly rates here are between MYR95 and MYR310 per room. www.silkahotels.com/johorbahru

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Hotels & Resorts

G is for

g o r g e o u s 128 Te x t b y S H A H I DA S A KERI I m a g e s b y G H O T E L K E L AWA I

G Hotel Kelawai must have done something right to have regulars who keep coming back to stay at this entirely gorgeous hotel (I heard that the shoe design mogul Datuk Jimmy Choo and celebrity interior designer Eric Leong are part of that list). But this doesn’t come as a surprise because being design stars themselves, the hotel ideally fits their chic, luxurious and exacting standards!

Strategically located on the bustling Jalan Kelawai that is famous for a diverse array of attractions ranging from traditional temples, shopping malls (Gurney Plaza and Gurney Paragon), and the vibrant food scene including Gurney Drive (home to the congregation of roadside iron chefs), G Hotel Kelawai makes for a perfect base for both first-timers and seasoned travellers to Penang. Moreover, the hotel is relatively near to the city’s free trade zone, hence, corporate travellers would find this helpful.

Top: Designer Lobby Bottom: 2 PM

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Our arrival during one scorching hot sunny afternoon was welcomed with a warm smile by the doorman. As we stepped into the hotel’s sleek and sophisticated lobby, we were amazingly taken in by the oh so charming, inviting and comfortable set of Italian-made Baxter Molly Armchair designed by Doriana and Massimiliano Fuksas, including the Baxter Moon Sofa designed by Paola Navone. Though the overall look in the lobby is minimalist, it is by no means cold. It is creative, in fact, as it is designed as a conceptual golden bird cage offering a quiet refuge from Penang’s bustle.

A refreshing welcome ice cream is also given to guests when they check-in, which we find laudably thoughtful considering the weather can be unforgivingly hot at times.

The hotel offers 208 rooms, in which all are crafted as elegant yet casual. Mine was the spacious 45 metres squared Executive Premier that comes with Serta Royal Platinum Mattresses, 55-inch smart HD LED TV (said to be the biggest offered by a hotel in Penang), 300 thread count linens, ironing facilities, free customisable non-alcoholic minibar, 150Mbps high speed Wi-Fi and power plugs at all the right places. But believe it or not, it was the Herman Miller designer work chair in the room that caught my attention the most: a smartly designed creation that is not only ergonomically comfortable but so pleasing to the eye. I swear I might have sat on the chair for hours without knowing it! Moreover, there is an additional sofa and extra living space in the room that makes hosting cosier.

The bright bathroom also personifies a sense of opulence with its glamourous white marble floor, a huge mirror on the wall and an elegant bath tub at the end of the room to soak away the day. A brownie point for the hotel too for having my personal favourite toiletries brand, Appelles, which is one of Australia’s finest eco-friendly products.

The hotel’s halal-compliant restaurant, Spoon, is without a doubt the main drawcard, serving consistently delicious Asian and international cuisines by the culinary team led by Chef Ong, who had been more than 20 years in the industry. The breakfast buffet is also extremely generous with the pleasantly surprising appearance of chocolate fountain counter, to the liking of the much younger guests. Come Fridays and Saturdays, Spoon

Clockwise from Top Left: Rooftop Infinity Pool; SPOON; Premier Suite

hosts its weekly Japanese buffet that is said to be a hit among locals. And of course, staying true to the hotel’s “Style Redefined” ethos, the overall ambience of Spoon does not disappoint at all: relaxed, convivial and reminisces a French Bistro expressed through the beautiful classic tiles, industrial lighting fixtures and chic dark wood wall panels. My favourite part of the restaurant? A tree planted in a huge pot sitting majestically within the al-fresco section of the restaurant.

Speaking of favourite, there is also another area that I spent most of my time when I was in the hotel: The Club Lounge on the rooftop, which Club floor guests – including those who stay in Executive Premier rooms – are given complimentary access. It is cosy and quieter – almost like a private library with plenty of shelves full with books – where guests can enjoy breakfast, afternoon tea, evening cocktails and canapés.

Stepping outside of the lounge, the Gravity Bar comes alive at night with music and lights while affording guests the panoramic view of Penang’s beautiful cityscapes. This is also the best place to witness sunset with a pomegranate mojito (G Hotel Kelawai’s signature drink) in hand. The lobby lounge – 2PM – on the other hand, oozes old New York charm with cosy armchairs, long wooden communal tables and bar stools in a dimly lit smart space.

For those who prefer to stay in shape while travelling, be sure to make use of the hotel’s 24-hour gym that comes with a steam room, or swim a few laps in the infinity pool on the rooftop. But if guests prefer to branch out, there is a free shuttle service that takes guests to the sister property, G Hotel Gurney, where guests can enjoy its facilities too; or to Batu Feringghi Market on Fridays and Sundays.

There are also complimentary G Cycle available on site in case guests want to do urban exploring on two wheels.

Overall, it is not too difficult to see why G Hotel Kelawai is one of my favourite places to stay in Penang. Kudos to K2LD Architects and G Hotel team for not only making G Hotel Kelawai a tasteful retreat, but also a lifestyle brand that no one can resist. With these said, I think I will be their next regular too… www.ghotel.com.my

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Travel Anecdotes

Adrian Sameli

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An adventurous digital nomad at heart, I travel and work around the globe. After a decade in the office, I quit my job in Switzerland and took a sabbatical gap year.

Since then, I become a passionate travel and lifestyle blogger, sending a unique digital postcard every single day. My readers follow my journey through 60 countries in over 900 inspiring postcards. Exploring unknown places such as Kosovo or East Timor and finding hidden gems are my favourite travel activities. Rather than engaging with tourists, I spend time with locals and learn about their culture.

As an expert in digital technology and media, I help impact-driven social enterprises.

Over the past years, I have been working in bustling metropolis such as San Francisco and Zurich as well as rural villages in Africa and India. I formed multiple technology, innovation and design teams to build meaningful web and mobile applications. I am always looking for motivated people and new opportunities to jumpstart startups. I use innovative technology and new media to connect people and spread knowledge for a better tomorrow. The next following years will certainly bring more positive innovation and I intend to be part of it.

Te x t & I m a g e b y A D RI A N S A M ELI

w w w. a S a b b a t i c a l . c o m

Adrian Sameli on Travels . . . .

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My favourite destination(s): Belarus, Bangladesh, Uganda My dream destination(s): North Korea, Faroer Islands, Mexico My must-have(s) in the carry-on: iPhone, MacBook Air, a scarf My worst nightmare during travel: a horde of street dogs attacking me My favourite Malaysian spot(s): Pangkor Island, Firefly Sanctuary My best meal taken in Malaysia: fresh strawberries in the Cameron Highlands Malaysia is special because… you can travel from an island to a metropolis and the mountains in one day Solo or group travel? Independent solo travel Aisle or window seat? Window seat, I want to see the country See it all or take it easy? See it all and discover new places I travel for… the experience of meeting new people and cultures

Adrian Sameli in 30 seconds . . .

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Night owl or early-riser? Working or dancing through the night Back to nature or city slicker? Both, from city to nature and back One book everyone should read?

The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley What is the last thing you Googled?

Volunteering in North Korea What’s on your playlist right now?

A DJ mix of my friend Nader Kuhenuri What is the moment you’re most proud?

Buying a car and driving across Eastern and Southern Africa without paying a single bribe or fine.

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

Touristic places packed with mindless visitors who don’t care Whose brain would you like to have had?

Elon Musk Life is too short to… stay home and watch TV