Tropical Spice Garden|Pulau Pinang|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Tropical Spice Garden is a commercial landscaped garden located in between Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang. It covers an area of 8 acres and is planted with about five hundred different types of tropical plants ranging from herbs to garden plants and trees.

The Tropical Spice Garden was opened on 27 November 2003, with funds from Bertam Consolidated Rubber Co. Ltd., a company managing palm oil estates. It was set up to showcase exotic as well as endemic tropical plants.

The garden plan is laid out on one of the many hill slopes which feeds the garden with fresh water out of the hills and creates some small waterfalls. The result is a small but very rich jungle. There are over 500 of local an introduced flora from all over the world with an emphasize on tropical herbs and spices in an area of 8 acres. To get a good idea of the spices, there are 3 trails set out with each their own characteristics.

Within the grounds of the Tropical Spice Garden is Lone Crag Villa, a colonial-era holiday bungalow, which houses the Spice Museum, which showcases the history of spices in the region, and the Garden Shop, which make available for sale some of the exotic plants of the garden. There is also a cafe and a gift shop.

Sandakan Australian Memorial|Sabah|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Situated about 11 km outside of Sandakan, the former site of the notorious WWII prisoner of war camp now locates the suburb of Taman Rimba.The clearly sign-posted Sandakan Memorial Park is well maintained and beautifully landscaped, which makes it ideal for solitary soul-searching strolls.

The Sandakan Australian Memorial commemorates allied soldiers who lost their lives during the Japanese occupation. Some 2400 men, most of them Australian, left this camp on the infamous 'death march' towards the end of the war, only six of them survived to reach Ranau, near Mount Kinabalu, a year later.

In 1996 funding was allocated by the Australian Government towards improvement of the park as an educative and commemorative site. In 1998 the OAWG, on behalf of the Federal Government, commenced work upgrading the park to meet this objective.

The opening ceremony of the newly developed Sandakan Memorial Park and dedication of the Memorial Obelisk took place on March 18, 1999. Until today, the Sandakan Memorial Park has received more than 15,800 visitors since it’s opening in March 1999. 60 per cent of these visitors came from Australia and the United Kingdom while the remaining 40 per cent came from Malaysia.

Niah National Park|Sarawak|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Niah National Park is located on the Sungai (River) Niah, about 3 km from the small town of Batu Niah, 110 km south-west of Miri. The park was first gazetted as a National Historic Monument in 1958, and in 1974 some 3,100 hectares of surrounding rainforest and limestone hills were included, to form Niah National Park.

Niah is one of Sarawak’s smaller national parks, but it is certainly one of the most important, and has some of the most unusual visitor attractions. The park’s main claim to fame is its role as one of the birthplaces of civilisation. The oldest modern human remains discovered in Southeast Asia were found at Niah, making the park one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

A vast cave swarming with bats and swiftlets; the thriving local economy based on birds-nests and guano; ancient cave paintings; a majestic rainforest criss-crossed with walking trails; abundant plant and animal life - all these and more make up the geological, historical and environmental kaleidoscope that is Niah.

The Great Cave is not the only important archaeological site. The Painted Cave, as its name suggests, houses detailed wall-paintings depicting the boat journey of the dead into the afterlife. The meaning of the paintings was explained by the discovery of a number of “death-ships” on the cave floor - boat-shaped coffins containing the remains of the deceased and a selection of grave-goods considered useful in the afterlife, such as Chinese ceramics, ornaments and glass beads. The death-ships have been dated as ranging between 1 AD and 780 AD, although local Penan folklore tells of the use of death-ship burials as late as the 19th century.

The Mines Wonderland|Selangor|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Mines Wonderland is located 0.4 kilometre from Mines Shopping Center. Built around a former mining-pool, the Mines Wonderland is an exciting theme-park with watersports, amusement rides, a winter-house with snow as well as restaurants and various other facilities.

Water is the central element at this theme park: water connects it to the other Mines Resort City components like the Malaysian International Exhibition, the Showroom (MINES), the Mine Shopping Fair, and the Palace of the Golden Horses.At night, glittering floats parade on the lake while a stunning laser and aqua laser presentation entertains and mesmerises visitors.

One of the things you should not miss at the Mines Wonderland, is the country's first Snow House where you can watch the Aqua Laser show. Another treat that you will find here is the region's most spectacular fountain, waltzing with precision-perfect timing.

Water skiing and wakeboarding are just some of the watersports available on the lake. For sun lovers and picnickers, there is a fine beach of white sand (the country's largest man-made beach), a favourite among visitors, young and old.

Bukit Puteri|Terengganu|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Bukit Puteri is a 200m high historical hill, situated next to Istana Maziah,at the mouth of Terengganu River.It covers an area of about 658 hectares and the height is about 200 meters from the sea level. Bukit Puteri was built to defend the Rulers of Terengganu from attacks by the enemies. Bukit Puteri is easily accessible as there are steps leading to the top.

Bukit Puteri was said to have originated as a place of residence for a princess. However, the princess left Bukit Puteri when the local residents borrowed her cutlery and did not return them to her. According to legend, this hill was opened by a chieftain from Johor named Tuk Raja Menteri who came to Terengganu to install Sultan Zainal Abidin I as the first Sultan of Terengganu.

A few historical artifacts still exists on Bukit Puteri till this present day. Among them are a big bell, cannon, a flag pole, light house, graves and a defence wall. However, long time ago there were many cannons at Bukit Puteri. The cannons were believed to have originated from Spain, Portugal and the Malay States and were given names such as Seri Jamlor, Seri Buih, Seri Johor and Laila Majnun. The bell that still exists today was built during the reign of Sultan Zainal Abidin III in the year 1908.

A cave known as Gua Puteri can also be found here. It was used as a place to keep the gun powder, stone and iron bullets. The flag pole that is on top of Bukit Puteri was used to raise the royal flag when there were any royal ceremonies held. The weight of the flag pole was around 18 meters high.

Nowadays, Bukit Puteri is used as a firing range for cannon when royal ceremonies are held. Besides that, Bukit Puteri has been developed into a tourist attraction.

Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre|Sarawak|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre is located about 20 km south of Kuching and is situated within the beautiful Semengoh Nature Reserve. It was established in 1975 for the rehabilitation of confiscated and surrendered wild animals.This is a temporary home for various endangered wildlife of Sarawak, especially orang utans that were rescued from captivity and hornbills.

The aim is to reintroduce as many of the animals as possible to their natural habitat, as many had been orphaned by logging or were being illegally kept as pets. There is more to see in the morning as the young monkeys and Orang Utans are put back in their cages at 3pm.

The semi-wild Orang Utans are good timekeepers and as feeding time approaches they start to make an appearance. They descend from the trees of the surrounding forest reserve to offer visitors a unique wildlife experience and some excellent photo opportunities. They often make their way to the lower branches and small trees, which surround the various Orang Utan enclosures, the very same cages, where they used to stay before graduating to the forest. Here, they play with each other, swing about in the hanging vines and occasionally descend to ground level to 'charge' groups of tourists.

Petronas Twin Towers|Kuala Lumpur|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Located in Jalan Ampang,The Petronas Towers (also known as the Petronas Twin Towers or KLCC) are skyscrapers and twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004 until surpassed by Taipei 101, but remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.

The 88-storey PETRONAS Twin Towers is located at the North-west corner of the 100-acre development,the design, created by renowned architect, Cesar Pelli & Associates of the USA was selected through an international design competition held in 1991.The floor plate of the Towers is based on geometric patterns common in architecture of Islamic heritage. It is composed of two rotated and super imposed squares with small circular infill around the edges. The exterior of the PETRONAS Twin Towers is organised in horizontal ribbons of vision glass and stainless steel which glint and shimmer in the sun.

Attached to each Tower is the 44-storey side tower or annexe, which provides an architectural balance to the slender profile of the main Tower. These coreless annexes also provide additional office space.The Towers' entrance lobbies are showcase of the country's cultural heritage, incorporating contemporary Malaysian motifs adapted from traditional handicrafts such as 'songket' and timber carvings while the floor design has been laid in a popular 'mengkuang' weave mat design.

A 58.4 metre sky bridge at levels 41 and 42 links the Twin Towers. The unique double-deck sky bridge stands 170 metres above street level with its arch support forming a symbolic gateway to the city centre.Public access to the Twin Towers is allowed ONLY at the Sky Bridge on the 41st floor. Due to security reasons and the express lift space limitation, only limited number of persons are allowed at any one of the session.

Cape Rachado Lighthouse|Melaka|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

The Cape Rachado Lighthouse (Malay: Rumah Api Tanjung Tuan) is a lighthouse located in Tanjung Tuan, also known as Cape Rachado, in Melaka, Malaysia. The lighthouse is believed to be the oldest in the country, its history allegedly dating back to Portuguese rule of Melaka during the 16th century.But the lighthouse is no longer just a vantage point to view trade or enemy ships sailing close to the coast. It now houses a revolving MEASAT Radar used for transmissions and communications.

To get to the top of the lighthouse, you must ascend a beautiful but narrow, spiral staircase with 72 steps. A stone staircase behind the lighthouse also makes access to the lighthouse easier. Once on top, you can enjoy an unobstructed 360-degree view of the coastline as well as the woodlands of the mainland.

Less than 40km away across the Straits of Melaka lies Sumatera. So on a clear day, you will be able to see the outline of the Sumatran coast in the distance, from the top of the lighthouse. Cape Rachado is also a strategic place for birdwatching, especially during the annual migration season which takes place roughly around September through October and March through April. Permit to enter the lighthouse can be acquired from the Harbour Master's Office in Melaka.

Melati Lake|Perlis|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Situated approximately 8 kilometers north of Kangar town of Perlis, Melati Lake is a small yet pleasing lake lies in partially swampy lowland. Getting its name from the sweet aromatic of Jasmine, Melati Lake is dabbed with more than 150 sandbar islands that are accessible only by small boat and its water is filled with lots of fishes. There are elevated walkways which bring you closer to the clear water and floating lotus. With the limestone hill background, it is an ideal place to relax, walk about or do some boating. There is also a 3 kilometers jungle trek from Melati Lake to Pelarit Hill for viewing the local flora and fauna.

Boating is the favourite activity here and you can take a sampan (small Malay boat) from one islet to another. Besides that, there is also a network of elevated walkways over the water which provides vantage viewpoints for visitors. There is also a playground with pavements painted with Disney characters here at Melati Lake. This playground would definitely provide children with a real fun time.

This artificial man made lake is a nice spots for tourist and a peaceful retreat that promises to rejuvenate local or foreign visitors with its wonderful sceneries. This charming lake is also an excellent place to unwind after a hard day's work. Not only sight seeing, visitors are able to do other activities such as jogging, picnics,walking and others.

Kapitan Keling Mosque|Pulau Pinang|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

The Kapitan Keling Mosque along Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (formerly Pitt Street), is one of the best known and the oldest mosque in Penang. Before the construction of the Penang State Mosque, the Kapitan Keling Mosque was used as the state mosque of Penang, since it is the largest historic mosque in George Town. The Kapitan Keling Mosque was named after Caudeer Mohudeen, the head of the Indian Muslim community credited to have built it around 1800.

The name "kapitan keling" is used to denote the headman or leader of the South Indian Muslim community. The term "keling" is derived from the ancient Hindu kingdom on the Coromandel coast of South India, and the local Hokkien community corrupts the word to derive "keling-na" for Indians in general, particularly those from South India (The North Indians are pooled together with another term, "banggali", though they are not necessarily from Bengal).

The Kapitan Keling was the first Superintendent of the mosque. He brought in the builders and stones from India for the project. The original mosque structure was a single-storey rectangular building with a sloping roof on all sides and surrounded by a stone bench. It was surrounded by shophouses, with access through a narrow gateway.

Fort Lukut|Negeri Sembilan|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Situated 20 km southwest of Seremban on the road to Port Dickson. Located at Kota Lukut. Lukut emerged as a tin mining area in 1820. Fort Lukut is a malay fort built on hilltop around 1826. It served as a defensive wall against foreign attacks. Today, the remains of some of the laterite walls, moats and buildings can still be seen here. Traveling to Fort Lukut will bring the visitor past many neatly-planted rows of rubber trees and oil palms, which are among the mainstays of the state's economy.

Kota Lukut (Lukut Fort) was built by Raja Jumaat bin Raja Jaafar in 1847 on Bukit Gajah Mati (Dead Elephant Hill). This is the most important fort in Lukut while it was a mining centre in the late 1820s. It is a perfect example of an impressive defense system during the 19th century.

Raja Jumaat was the son of Raja Jaafar, a Riau Chieftain of Bugis ancestry who was sent by Sultan Muhammad of Selangor (1826-1858) to take charge of Lukut after the Sultan's previous representative, Raja Busu and his family were killed in 1834 during a clash with local Chinese secret society. In 1846, Raja Jumaat married Sultan Muhammad's daughter, Raja Senai, and was subsequently appointed as the Sultan's representative in Lukut.

Raja Jumaat built this fort a little after his arrival in Lukut. The fort is 607 feet long by 505 feet wide and had a ditch of 15 feet, which was defended by large muzzle loading guns. Apart from that, Raja Jaafar also built a large two-storey house in the centre of the fort and raised a body of 22 Malay Uniformed Police to protect the fort.

Tawau Hills National Park|Sabah|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Tawau Hills National Park is located 24 km from Tawau. It is a protected forest on the northwest of Tawau in Sabah. It was made a protected water catchment area in 1979.This area is accessible by road and there is a park head quarters located at the entrance of the park. The highest point of the park is gunung madalena, at 1310 m. The park is popular with tawau local residents as picnic spots on weekends.

The Tawau Hills National Park is gazetted as a protection for water catchment for the people of Tawau town and Semporna peninsula. The Tawau river flows through the park and with attractive rainfall throughout the year, there is a natural swimming pool with shelters, toilets and changing rooms near the table waterfall.

The Tawau Hills National Park is rich in Begonias, Tree Ferns, Agathis Trees, forest herbs and over 150 species of Orchid have been recorded including the Elephant Ear Orchid that boasts the largest Orchid leaves in the world. Tawau Hills is a bird lover’s paradise, home to over 180 species including the Blue-Banded Kingfisher, Blue Headed Pitta, Lesser Fish Eagle, 6 species of Hornbill and 3 rare types of Pheasants.

Batu Caves|Selangor|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Located 13 km north of Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves is another of several places in Malaysia whose name is a combination of words in Malay and English with related meanings. Batu means stone in Malay, so Batu Caves could well mean stone caves. Batu Caves, the biggest venue of the Thaipusam celebrations in Malaysia, is one of the major tourist attractions in Selangor.

Batu Caves were first discovered by an American explorer by the name of William Hornaby in 1891. Ten years later, the local Indians persuaded the British authorities to allow them to use the caves as a Hindu place of worship. A shrine was built in honor of the deity Lord Murugan, also known as Lord Subramaniam. In later years, another shrine was added, dedicated to the elephant-head deity Ganesh.

The main cavern of Batu Caves is also known as the Cathedral Cave, due to the height of its ceiling. This main cavern is reached by a steep flight of steps that total 272. From the top of the steps, one can get a good view of the northern part of Kuala Lumpur. About 2/3 of the way up the steps is a path leading to Dark Cave, which has narrow passages full of bats.

Batu Caves is also the centre of rock climbing development in Malaysia for the past 10 years. More famous for its role as a religious centre for Hindus in Malaysia as well a prominent tourist attraction in the country, not many people realise that Batu Caves offers more than 160 climbing routes.

Tasik Dayang Bunting|Kedah|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Tasik Dayang Bunting or The Lake Of The Pregnant Maiden as it is better known, is the largest lake in Langkawi. Located on the beautiful and wild island of Pualu Dayang Bunting, Tasik Dayang Bunting is believed by the natives to be guarded by a white crocodile that bestows good luck on those entering its waters.

Dayang Bunting Island is believed to have been the scene of a celestial love story. It is here that Mat Teja, sorcerous genie was ensnared by the charms of Mambang Sari, a faerie princess. To win her affection, Mat Teja procured mermaid's tears and smeared them on his face on the advice of a wise man, Tok Diang.

A sweet romance ensued and Mambang Sari was soon with child. However, the ill fated child did not survive the first week of his birth. Distraught at the loss of her son, Mambang Sari entrusted the waters of Tasik Dayang Bunting with the corpse of the child and returned to her celestial abode. The corpse turned into a white crocodile, still resides in the waters and appears to those who are upright and pious, goes the legend.

Mambang Sari, claims the legend, also blessed the lake with divine powers and any childless woman drinking in water from this reservoir shall soon be blessed with progeny. Though this fact is not scientifically proved, many women visit the island only to take a sip of these waters.

Handicraft Village and Craft Museum|Kelantan|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Handicraft Village and Craft Museum is located in the heart of Kota Bharu's cultural zone, the Handicraft Village is a walking distance from the Istana Balai Besar and the Buluh Kubu Bazaar. It is easily accessible from Jalan Sultan and Jalan Hilir Kota.

Visitors to the Cultural Centre will be treated to activities such as kite-flying contests, which is also known as wau, top, which is also known as gasing, spinning competitions, puppets shadow plays, which is also known as wayang kulit, traditional Malay dance and band performances.

The adjacent Handicraft Village provides visitors the chance to see just how these crafts are made. Demonstrations of traditional embroidery, songket weaving, batik printing, silver work and wood carving are carried out by skilled artisans. Their products are also on sale at the centre.

Bukit Jambul Orchid, Hibiscus and Reptile Garden|Pulau Pinang|Malaysia

Interesting Places In Malaysia

Bukit Jambul Orchid and Hibiscus Garden is located along Persiaran Bukit Jambul, close to the Hotel Equatorial and easily within reach from any part of Penang.The idea behind the creation of the Bukit Jambul Orchid & Hibiscus Garden and Reptile House, as it is called, came from two friends, a horticulturist and herpetologist.

The two hectares park at Bukit Jambul includes the Orchid and Hibiscus Farm and Reptile Farm. Visitors to the garden will enjoy the spectacular collection of a wide variety of hibiscus, orchid and tropical flowers near a cascading waterfall. You will find birds like the emu, ostrich and kasawari, snakes, a talking parrot, four giant land tortoises from Seychelles, snapping turtles and six arapaima gigas.

There are also exotic reptiles like Chinese rat snake, Green tree viper, Albino Burmese Python, Green anaconda, Blue tongue skink and saltwater crocodiles in the reptile farm.Others are the deer park, an ornamental Japanese pond, a cactus garden, a tea kiosk, a pottery corner and several plant sale areas.