Tag: tourism

Ride the wave to a new high

 

Of  beauty and simplicity.

Story and photos by Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com.

I saw a dragonfly.

Beneath the shimmering sunlight, the pretty little thing seemed enjoying itself – gliding gracefully along a shrub lining a busy walkway,  oblivious to the surroundings.

But it does speak volumes of the  serenity found in a city -something quite rare these days.
This was a scene at The Haven Resort Hotel in Ipoh, Perak,  on a recent Saturday morning.

A performance to remember… Video courtesy of The Haven.

Guests were having a good time; some at the pool while others enjoying breakfast at the poolside bar and restaurant.
Best of both worlds…a blend of modernity and nature’s many wonders.
Truly fascinating…a  280 million years old limestone hill named Rockhaven is The Haven’s icon.
Located about 15-minutes-drive from the Ipoh city centre, the multiple local and international award winning resort hotel is an ideal live, work and play community.
The nearest North South Highway toll plaza is about 5 minutes- drive from The Haven
It is about a 2.5 hours-drive from Kuala Lumpur to the resort hotel using the highway.
The Haven is a 20-minutes drive to  Ipoh’s  Sultan Azlan Shah Airport and  a 20-minutes drive to Ipoh Railway Station.
There is a direct flight between Ipoh and Singapore, a one hour 10 minutes nonstop flight.
Ipoh today is known for its good food and historical attractions.
A  rich tin mining town since the 19th century, it  lost its fortune overnight following the international tin market collapse in the 1980s.
And a trip to the Ipoh old town (it is part of the Ipoh city centre) will provide a glimpse of the good old days in the town  literally built on tin.
The buildings  are a reflection of the past colonial era and a once prosperous tin mining town.
Beyond the buildings’ rich architectural facade, lies many interesting if not untold stories worth exploring.
Not all is lost though.
Having endured decades of slow development following the world tin crash, Ipoh is poised to ride on the tourism wave.
And  its past glory is also a  selling point.

Once upon a time in Petaling Street

The Chinatown in Kuala Lumpur.
By Foong Pek Yee
HAPPILY he hopped on to a bus to go home,  only to realise that his schoolbag was missing.
The teenager dashed back to the stall where he had his favourite Indian rojak earlier.
And his schoolbag was there, recalls Jerry Ng, 69, who was born and bred in Kuala Lumpur.
A walk down memory lane:  (front row from left) Jerry  Ng, his wife Jeanie Yap, Maggie Yap (Jeanie’s sister) and Eugene (Jerry’s son); and Don Lim (Maggie’s husband)  in Petaling Street. 
Don Lim, in his early 70s,  remembers the taste of his favourite beef noodle soup at the Lai Foong Coffeeshop in Petaling Street.
Growing up in Pudu which is nearby  Petaling  Street, he was a regular at the coffeeshop.
Really good:  (from left), Don, Maggie, Jeanie and Eugene enjoying  their lunch at Lai Foong Coffeeshop.
And last Thursday , Jerry and Don got to enjoy their favourite food in Petaling Street.
They  and their family returned from Australia for a holiday recently.
Local delights:  Fruit stalls are popular in Petaling Street.
Buying experience: Visitors enjoy browsing and bargain hunting 
Once the pulse of  Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Street used to be the landmark and meeting place with Puduraya – a station for outstation buses- just a stone’s throw away.
And Petaling Street was  the place to have a cheap and nice meal like street food, and do some shopping for traditional Chinese snacks.
The place was simply vibrant all day long.
And those were the good old days .
Retro: A traditional Chinese sundry shop specialising on dried food stuffs for Chinese cooking.
In the mood for celebration: Traditional lanterns on sale in the run up to the  Mid – Autumn Festival on the 15th day of the eighth month in the lunar calendar  ( September 10 this year). 
Today Petaling Street is still an attraction during Chinese festive seasons like Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn  Festival.

The power of old world charm

Bagan Ayer Masin Chinese fishing village in Pontian,  Johor, is almost 170 years old.

By Foong Pek Yee

foongpekyee@gmail.com

It is all calm and quiet on a late Sunday morning in the little  village.
The rain has stopped and the sun is out.
Fishermen are out at sea while tourists taking in the sights  – enjoying boat rides and visiting floating fish farms and a mangrove island nearby.
A passing buggy  along the alley in the village breaks the silence occasionally.
Besides sight seeing, tourists are also drawn to the homestay operators’ authentic seafood cooking,  overall friendly and unpretentious community  and relaxing environment.
Serenity: Bagan Ayer Masin is known for its beautiful sunset .
Recipe for success: Tourism and fishing in the new era.
Traditional landmark:  The main entrance to Bagan Ayer Masin.
New look :  A typical house on stilts in the village these days.
A thing of the past: The few remaining wooden plank walkways in the village.
In the middle of the sea:  A floating fish farm and its guard dog.
Evolving with time :  Bagan Ayer Masin opened up from the 1980s
The village started to draw tourists when it got electricity supply  in the 1980s.
The opening of the country’s North South Highway in the 1990s and the advent of social media changed the economic landscape of the tiny fishing village which is about 90 minutes drive from Singapore.
And the good connectivity also makes it ideal for day trips .
Holiday mood : Board ride is a popular itinerary.
Many of the villagers took the plunge into  homestay business – rebuilt their wooden houses into modern units  and  selling holiday packages since two decades ago.
At 63, Ming Zhu who ventured into the homestay business 20 years ago describes it as hard work and rewarding in many ways.
She is known for her authentic home cook food, prawn crackers, salted fish and  belachan (shrimp paste)
Warm and friendly :  Ming Zhu, her husband  (on her right) and Jen catch up at the couple’s home in Bagan Ayer Masin.  With them are their two grandchildren.
Visibly happy to meet Jen, 28, who got to know the couple  when he and a group of friends from Singapore holidayed in the village five years ago, Ming Zhu is now a grandmother of 10.
She says she stopped her homestay business 10 years ago and, the rooms are now occupied by her growing family.
Her husband in his early 60s, is the family’s third generation of fisherman in the village.
The couple have five children, including two sons who are also fisherman.
The little village has come a long way, but it is its old world charm that is  captivating.

A place to cherish, explore and reflect

An island with a story to inspire .
By Foong Pek Yee
THE cranking sound from the bumboat’s  engine triggers a feeling of anticipation inside me.
It is June 11, 2022 and we are on our way to Pulau Ubin – the treasure trove of Singapore’s rich heritage.
The 1,020 – hectare island promises a glimpse of Singapore in a bygone era, bringing to focus how the city state has evolved over time into the most competitive economy in the world.
According to Singapore’s Economic Development Board,  Singapore which  marks 57 years of independence this year ranks first in Asia for quality living and, first in Asia for expatriates to live in.
A journey :  It is just a 20-minute boat ride from Changi Point Ferry Terminal to Pulau Ubin.
Hot spot: The little commercial hub in Pulau Ubin is often the meeting point for visitors
In the mood for discovery : Pulau Ubin offers a different kind of experience for kids from urban areas.
Show time:  The stage for opera shows during festive seasons like Tua Pek Kong Festival since time immemorial
Old is gold:  The signboard showing the way to Fo Shan Ting Tua Pek Kong Temple which is perched on a hillock.  The temple was built in 1869.
Taking in the  sights:  Bicycling is popular on  the island.
That’s the way:  The road leading to Butterfly Hill.
Relaxing: And watching the world go by.
On the spot :  Information on tropical plants. This is assam or tamarind fruit which is widely used in Asian cuisine.
Of significance: Little red shrines are common in predominantly Chinese areas.
Big crowd:  Good business during weekends .
In demand: Bicycle rental is good business on the island.
It was in 1824 when the then Second Resident of Singapore, John Crawfurd landed on Pulau Ubin and declared the island a British Territory.
In 1942, the Japanese Army occupied the island which was known for granite mining in its heyday.
Other economic activities on the island in the old days included rubber planting and prawn rearing.
With education always close at heart, the Chinese residents on the island raised money to build Bin Kiang School in 1952 and, dwindling enrolment saw the school closed  in 1985.
The 1990 population census reported less than 200 residents on the island.
Today  Pulau Ubin  is a tourism destination  and  popular among natural and cultural heritage lovers in particular.
For elderly Singaporeans, it is a place to take a walk down memory lane.
An elderly man in our bumboat recalls his younger days at the Outward Bound School that was opened in 1967.
He reckons that it is good for young people to get to know more about the island.
The beautiful and well kept island is certainly more than meets the eye.
One for the album:  A  photo montage on activities on Pulau Ubin
Interesting and useful : Information and guide on Pulau Ubin  for visitors
It is a showcase on the public and private sectors’ efforts  to preserve the country’s rich heritage.

Small village with a big story

Compassion : Mazu also known as Chinese Sea Goddess
By Foong Pek Yee
The tallest Mazu statue in Malaysia is in Sungai Lembing Village.
Measuring 3.65 meter× 3.65 meter and 8.07 meter in height, it is housed in the  Sungai Lembing Hainan Association’s Thean Hou Temple
” Mazu is an integral part of Hainan culture,” says the association chairman Datuk Dr Sunny Chan of the towering statue which went into the Malaysia Book of Record in 2019.
The village is about 45 minutes drive from Kuantan, Pahang.
Always together: Thean Hou Temple and Hainanese community.
Flagship: Sungai Lembing Hainan Association also housed HillVille Inn which is a guesthouse with a Hainanese restaurant on the ground floor.
The association was set up in 1910
Loyal and strong: Sungai Lembing Hainan Association chairman Datuk Dr Sunny Chan (in coat) with members at the entrance to the Thean Hou Temple.
Mazu, also known as the Chinese Sea Goddess, is believed to provide divine
intervention for seafarers especially fishermen.
The Goddess is widely worshipped by Chinese in Asia, especially those living in coastal areas.
Dr Chan harbours hope the towering Mazu statue will  attract more tourists and help revive the economy.
About 3,000 tourists thronged Sungai Lembing over  weekends prior to the covid-19 pandemic.
Another beautiful day : Watching sunrise in Sungai Lembing known for its natural beauty
Old world charm: the little commercial square next to Sungai Lembing Village
One for the album: Tourists flocked to Sungai Lembing over weekends.
Dr Chan who grew up in Sungai Lembing  says the little mining town was home to his forefathers from China who set foot in then Malaya.
The 60-year-old businessman says he witnessed the heyday of Sungai Lembing which last till the world tin market crash in the mid 1980s.
According to him, Sungai Lembing, a thriving mining town since the 18th century, had turned into a ghost town after the crash.
After almost two decades it staged a comeback with  eco tourism and  its rich historical background as selling  points.
According to Dr Chan, Sungai Lembing was once the longest and deepest underground mining point in the world.
Topping the list of must visit places in Sungai Lembing are the  Rainbow Waterfall,Thean Hou Temple and Sungai Lembing Museum.
International wonder : The Rainbow Waterfall in Sungai Lembing drawing tourists from all over the world
Unfortunately, Sungai Lembing is prone to big floods at least once a year.
Under the coordination of the association, villagers will come out in full force to clean up the area.
Dr Chan who is chairman of the association since 2017 , also heads the post -disaster reconstruction committee after a big fire in the village end of 2021, says he has his hands full in rebuilding the village.
He is confident the 112-year-old  association together with the villagers will be able to overcome any challenges life throws at them, and they have proven it time and again.

Rainbow and roast pork makes the day

Natural wonder : The Rainbow Waterfall in Sungai Lembing is popular in the wake of increasing interest in  eco tourism worldwide
By Foong Pek Yee
6 March, 2022
THE tourists get more than roast pork for lunch.
For most of us, that is the first time we see the roasting done in a traditional way –  using firewood inside a huge concrete stove.
Happy together:  At the roast pork lunch in Sungai Lembing New Village after the  Rainbow Waterfall tour.
And the freshly roasted pork (siew yoke in Cantonese) is real good – taste and texture – compared to the ones we have in eateries.
This “siew yoke” lunch is cultural tourism and very popular  in Sungai Lembing New Village.
During the lunch, I met a family of three generations from Johor and Singapore –  grandmother, her children and  grandson.
They say they decided to holiday in Sungei Lembing in Pahang, a popular destination among Singaporeans.
Between 2,000 and 3,000 tourists visited Sungai Lembing over weekends prior to the pandemic.
And the young boy who lives in  Singapore also gets to take a closer look at life in a new village.
Cultural tourism/food tours that promote the traditions of a community is increasingly popular among foreigners and locals alike.
All excited: Tourists getting ready to trek up  the Rainbow Waterfall.
Today, many  Malaysian Chinese and Singaporeans have  their roots in new villages in Malaya dated back to the 1940s
They are the descendants of half a million Chinese in then Malaya whom the colonial government uprooted and re-settled in 452 barbed wire settlements named new villages during the Emergency (1948-1960)
The exercise had saved the Chinese from an impending deportation by the colonial government who deemed the community as communist supporters.
There are still about two million Chinese living  in the new villages to date.
In Sungei Lembing New Village, its popular Rainbow Waterfall tour also tells a story  of  life in a new village.
The youngsters from the  new village and nearby roamed around and discovered the rainbow long ago.
According to a tour guide, the rainbow cast on the waterfall is the effect of sun rays shining through the cascading water.
They called it Rainbow Waterfall-  their favourite hangout.
It was only many years later that the villagers’ search for a living saw them coming up with Rainbow Waterfall tours.
They started off using lorries to ferry tourists to the base, about 12 kilometer from their village.
The half-day tour starts at 5.30am.
The trek up  Rainbow Waterfall involves about two kilometers of jungle trekking and rock climbing after crossing a small stream.
And tourists cheering the moment they spotted the rainbow is not without reason though.
For instance, the rainbow may not appear on a cloudy day.
Note: The tour in Sungai Lembing was before the pandemic.