NICK CHAN DOT NET

Category: Around Malaysia

  • A Weekend Up To Cameron Highlands

    A Weekend Up To Cameron Highlands

    Cameron Highlands to me is beautiful greenery landscape, misty cool temperature, relaxing hill resort and awesome steamboat to warm up the cold weather. I didn’t bring much expectation to this famous tourist attraction in Malaysia, but the short weekend getaway didn’t sync with what I’ve imagined earlier.

    Not saying that the highlands at 1500 meters above sea level is not fun, but I could share with you what’s good and what’s not.

    The journey from Penang takes about 2.5 hours by driving and the road from Simpang Pulai was quite comfortable and not overly winding. Excitement rushes in when we turned off the car AC and let in the cool breeze.

    BUT we were quite turned down by the scenery out of the car window – vegetable farm with semi-transparent shelter that looks a lot like a disease quarantine zone. Hahaha.

    Our first stop – the Lavender Farm was not as intriguing with RM8/entry that showcase some lavender, some flower species, and pick-your-own strawberries which our visit only lasted less than 20 minutes. It’s a man-made attraction, but comparing to the vast flower farm in Europe, or man-made Gardens By The Bay in Singapore, it’s just too not attractive. There’s plenty of similar farm at Cameron Highlands, mainly cactus and strawberries and I could suggest you to skip them all. Just buy the strawberry from the market, and not pick-your-own.

    I highly recommend you to skip all those farms and concentrate on the famous tea plantations. Sungai Palas Tea Plantation where the famous Boh Tea brand is located is my favourite!

    The weekend was crowded with people, but immersing myself in the plantation was just fascinating and refreshing. The visitor centre itself is an architectural award winning building which is worth seeing.

    Another famous tea plantation is Cameron Valley which I still find Boh has a better visitor center.

    The second place of interest that I liked is the Mossy Forest – a trekking trail at the highest point of Cameron Highlands that leads you to Gunung Irai. Unfortunately, we did not equipped ourselves well as the trail was muddy and wet. Obviously our attire and mindset was not ready for it.

    Read that it takes about 2 hours to reach the top of Gunung Irai, and another 2 to come back. Thus, a good stamina and planning is needed. But the walk in Mossy Forest board walk was fun enough as it’s very cooling.

    If you are driving to Mossy Forest, just have to drive slow and careful as the road is very winding, steep and narrow. Though, there’s a beautiful landscape along the road, really beautiful and amazing!

    Temperature at Cameron Highlands was perfect to me, ranging from 16 to 24 degree celcius which reminds me a lot of my life back in the UK. Do bring some warm clothes to keep you warm up as it gets cold as night falls.

    One last thing, try not to come on major holiday or weekends, I didn’t expect that the traffic was so bad up there, as there’s only road leading from point to point.

    The next time, I am gonna gear up for the trek and rent a nature filled Airbnb to enjoy the cold weather. Say no more to fake farms.

  • Super Crowded At KLCC Park During Hari Raya

    Super Crowded At KLCC Park During Hari Raya

    Super Crowded At KLCC Park During Hari Raya – I know Raya has passed for a few weeks already, but then I am very free right now, enjoying my lovely holiday and so there’s plenty of time for me to throwback some interesting moment and stuff.
    Sharing back about Hari Raya, I believe many people balik kampung to either celebrate the holy festival with their family, and the people who were not celebrating, too went back to hometown for a holiday. Somehow, I’ve decided to stay in Kuala Lumpur during that time as I know hometown Penang would be packed with tourists and people, traffic congestion would be everywhere too.
    Very interestingly, Kuala Lumpur was deserted, with so little car on all the major roads. No surprise because many who resides in Kuala Lumpur are actually came from other part of Malaysia. However, if you take a trip down to KLCC, you would be shocked by the number of people at there! It’s the most crowded time of the year, with foreign labour all packed at the KLCC Park, making some uncomfortable moment for me. Moreover, there’s the Popular Book Fair happened at the convention centre, no doubt, everyone cramped in this iconic place of Kuala Lumpur.
    Well, I actually recommend people to head to Kuala Lumpur during Hari Raya because during that time, you can be king of the road with no ‘pek-chek’ moment in the traffic jam and enjoy your shopping, but just beware of the crowds at KLCC.
  • A Site Visit To Menara Binjai

    A Site Visit To Menara Binjai

    A Site Visit To Menara Binjai – Actually it’s kinda cool for studying interior design as I get to visit many nice building located right at the heart of the city centre. Just a month ago, I went to check out a new Grade A office block located just right across of KLCC – Menara Binjai as part of my assignment requirement. I don’t really get any chance to own or work in a office in the city core just because I am not a corporate person. Have you ever came across any interior design firm with a strategic view of the city centre? I don’t think so.
    But then visiting the place and designing a space at these office would be even more interesting to me somehow, rather than working at there, Nevertheless, check out Menara Binjai. KL should have more of these high-rise building to dense up the cityscape like Hong Kong, Chicago, Singapore. Yeah?
  • Visit To University Of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus

    Visit To University Of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus

    Visit To University Of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus – Went to an excursion to Kajang yesterday, to find a friend at University of Nottingham. A very nice and prestige UK university, but located in the middle of a rural green forest, very near to Broga Hill. I know it’s good for the student to concentrate on studies when the campus is located very far from the city, but I find the place quite rural and there’s nothing much around the town.
    Anyway, the friend was Yiphing, she brought me around the campus to check it out. It’s quite cool and green, and a lot bigger than Taylor’s University (that I am in), as well as peaceful. It has a modern architecture campus building, similar to UTAR, but somehow, I just don’t like the location. I am more a city person. 😀 Did I mention it’s about an hour to the city centre?
    Working out.
    Beautiful lake surround with nice greenery.
    Western students really have life, enjoying fresh air and sun by the platform outside the room.
    Very beautiful black campus accommodation. I like this.
  • Cycling At Taman Botani, Putrajaya

    Cycling At Taman Botani, Putrajaya

    Cycling At Taman Botani, Putrajaya – I like cycling, do you? I would buy myself a folding bike and go cycling in the city if I still resides in Penang. The problem is I do not stay at a place long for now. I am now in KL where cycling is not a favor transport and activities, I have to go to Putrajaya which is more bicycle friendly, there’s the Botanical Garden (Taman Botani) of Putrajaya that provides bicycle rental service and you can ride in the huge park all day long.
    RM4/hour for the weekend and you can release your perspiration and inhale the fresh oxygen in the garden and enjoy a relaxing weekend away from the hustle and bustle Kuala Lumpur city. That was my weekend few weeks back with my girlfriend.
    Not really a good day for photography, the weather sucks.
  • Pulau Ketam – A Weekend Getaway Island

    Pulau Ketam – A Weekend Getaway Island

    Pulau Ketam – A Weekend Getaway Island – Last Saturday was a pretty interesting one and a bit of tiring because lots of walking. Luckily the weather was just nice to allow us to walk! It was a visit to Pulau Ketam (Crab Island), an island 45 minutes off Port Klang. Thinking of beautiful ivory sandy beach and 5-star resorts with parasailing and banana boats, as well as bikini chicks? You are on the wrong page, it’s nothing close to that, it’s a Chinese fishing village!
    It’s quite a fun exploration because we took the KTM train to from Subang to Port Klang, then changed to a ferry that cost RM7/one way to Pulau Ketam. Whole journey to the island took about 2 hours, that, yeah, quite long.
    For a while I was in the city, and another while, I came to somewhere really far away from the bustling city, it’s serene, calm and relax. It’s a village after all, with no motor vehicles, except boats. Walking is one way to travel around, another way is cycle. No car, or motorcycle, that’s why I would say it’s totally different from the city.
    Well, people said it’s famous for seafood, but I still prefer going to Kuala Selangor for seafood, it’s more likely touristy business for the seafood. There’s not much business on the island, people there relax, and I believe they know every one on the island. Tourist like us go there to spend part of the day to getaway from the city, relax, and see something different.
    We walked around the island, we prayed at the Buddhist temple, we ate the seafood, we shoot a lot of photos and we laughed.
    If someone were to maintain the island well, clean up the rubbish, beautify the village, I am sure that this will be one good tourist destination, but… there’s still big space of improvement. See Penang’s Chew Jetty, it’s so touristy and beautiful now.
    Nevertheless, it was still a nice getaway.
    A photo with the ex prime minister before he go home and retires. Jason, Wei Shi, Siyi and Henry.
    Me, Hooi Pheng, Connie, Zhi Inn, Quenna.
    Car wash, good! I’ve forget to tell you, the KTM train is so slow!
    The RM7/way ferry that bring us to the island.
    The ferry interior, somehow mysterious, and old school, and old.
    Reached!
    Sign of election is coming where the parties are competiing on who has the most or biggest flags. Lame shit.
    Rent a bicycle for RM5 per day and we decided to just walk!
    The road.
    Police station.
    The girls doing prayers, praying for good man to appear in their life? Haha.
    Nice table to sleep!
    Well look, I am camouflage!
    Noah’s Ark in work.
    White shoes, reminded me of high school.
    Hello little girls!
  • Cycling At Taman Botani Negara / Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam

    Cycling At Taman Botani Negara / Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam

    Cycling At Taman Botani Negara / Bukit Cahaya, Shah Alam – There’s actually quite a few names for this place – Taman Botani Negara, Taman Pertanian Bukit Cahaya or Bukit Cerakah, call it whatever you like. That many names really makes people confusing, but I believe it’s more likely to known as Bukit Cahaya.
    I’d been searching for nature hangout place for hiking, or cycling around Klang Valley and this is one of the place that I found where you can cycle around this small national park. 20 minutes of drive from Bandar Sunway and you will reach this place. 10 people, 2 cars and we reached about 8am! And you know what? The place haven’t open yet. It has opening hour 8.30am.
    Going to the place is not free! Parking – RM3, entrance to the place – RM3, rent a bicycle – RM10/hour! Many pro brought their own bike, but we are not pro, so we have to pay and it’s probably a place that I would go once as our 3 hour ride totalled up RM30 already. Remember to check the bike brake when picking up your bike.
    Name check! Henry, Mei Jia, Wei Shi, Ling Jia, Siyi, Quenna, Wei Kean, Hooi Pheng, Jason & Nick Chan. =D
    Anyway, talk back about the place. It’s pretty cool, a little bit like Penang’s Botanical Garden, the road is not flat, it’s up and down of hill slopes, so it’s pretty tough to ride, but going down hill slopes is damn fun! We queued for like 20 minutes to get a bike and once we got our hands on it, we started riding!
    Actually there’s nothing much to see, the place was not very well-maintained despite collecting fee from people. There’s an adventure activity called Skytrex where you can experience tree climbing, flying fox and more like the Escape Park in Penang. We did not go to that because we did not book in advance.
    I see no monkey by the way!
    Nice blue sky day!
    Found coconut tree and Mei Jia got excited and wanted to get one.
    Well… I was skeptical about the coconut at first whether it’s safe to drink or not, but she convinced that it’s alright because she came from a kampung with lots of coconut trees. HAHA.
    Not that sweet afterall, but refreshing!
    Yeah, lovely Saturday.
    Although the place was not that person, yet it’s pretty fun pun, for a while I was in the city and for a while, we seemed to be spend like 3 hours in the nature that is so close to the city. The perspiration, laughter, wind and the stress on leg muscle makes it fun! Nice Saturday out with interior design friends again! =D
  • Kampar UTAR Library

    Kampar UTAR Library

    Kampar UTAR Library – Been bored, went to Kampar for a days, drove in the campus and found the library building still has lights on. A shot and I captured the beauty of modern minimalist architecture of the library. Interesting campus architecture in Malaysia.

    Photo is taken with Canon EOS 60D + Sigma 8-16mm.

  • Broga: Sak Dato (Sak Nato) Temple (石拿督庙)

    Broga: Sak Dato (Sak Nato) Temple (石拿督庙)

    Broga: Sak Dato (Sak Nato) Temple (石拿督庙) – It’s not just hiking and eating breakfast at Broga that morning, there’s one attraction that should not be missed and that’s the Sak Dato Temple, the local at there call it the Sek Nato Miao. I do not know much about Taoist deity, God, Goddess but from what I see here, the temple worships the famous mighty Monkey God – Sun Wu Kong. No matter what God or Goddess it is, they are still the guardian of all, bringing the best of lucks to everyone.
    It’s pretty surprised to see such beautiful and nice temple at a very rural and small town. It’d been some times I see good temple. Penang has the Kek Lok Si, the Broga Hill has the Sak Dato Temple. Although it’s not very big, but the compound itself is huge where you can do a little bit of hike up to the top to see the huge Sun Wu Kong (Monkey God) statue standing at the topmost of the place.
    Actually the initial plan was to just passed by the place, maybe get town to do a little prayer. But then there’s this curiosity urge to explore the place and lead us to another hike to the top for the Sun Ku Kong. Tiring max but how can me being a Monkey horoscope guy not meet the mighty Sun Ku Kong? HA!
    There’s a suspension bridge connected to the other side of the hill, and the short trail up to the Sun Ku Kong starts at the other side of the bridge. No worry that I have tested the bridge, it won’t break because I jumped and it doesn’t shake at all, probably because of the strong steel structure. Not chi kek at all. HAHA.
    Ling Jia & Connie.
    Wow, GARY!
    Tai lou Wei Kean!
    Quenna… wearing shoes.
    Found the other side which is pretty interesting! Very not Malaysia.
    Anyway, good place to pray after a tiring hike. If you are not Buddhist, nevermind, not bad to explore other culture too.
    View Shiok Or Not : Food & Travel Map in a larger map
  • Semenyih: Hiking The Broga Hill

    Semenyih: Hiking The Broga Hill

    Semenyih: Hiking The Broga Hill – Finally, I hiked the Broga Hill. I have always wanted to hike this little hill at the small rural town of Semenyih for a long time. 2 years ago, I planned the trip, but it never fulfilled. Now, with 6 more months left in Kuala Lumpur, I have to explore the places around as much as I can and never come back. Haha, just kidding. It’s just that my diploma studies is ending in August and that’s why.
    Beautiful trail with twinkle twinkle little torch.
    Back to Broga Hill, the famous hill for hiking to the people in Klang Valley and Seremban as it’s at the border of Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. It’s located very far away from the city, about 50 minutes drive from Bandar Sunway. So last week, me and friends gathered at Taylor’s University as early as 4.30am, set up the GPS and followed the navigation and GO! I’ve got to tell you, prepare to meet 4-5 tolls before reaching Broga Hill, gosh, road tolls are killing my wallet. It’s very near to Nottingham University, passed the uni and drive for another 5 minutes then you will arrive then.
    We reached the place about 5.45am, there’s already many car parked at the palm plantation area (the entrance is right opposite the Rabbit Fun Land). RM2 for parking and I am not sure whether the person really own the place. Just to be safe, pay for the RM2. It’s pitched dark, and very chilly early in the morning and many people were already there for an early hike waiting to see the sunrise!
    At the top! Waiting. It’s still very early.
    The leak of twilight. Lovely.
    I relies on my phone’s flash light as guide, but my friends brought actual flash light to light up the hiking trail. It’s not a tall hill, but I’ve got to say, the hike is pretty challenging at some point because there’s no proper hiking steps. The hardest part is when reaching the first station where the hike gets exciting because the way up is very slanted. Be sure you have a good pair of shoes or you would just have to climb it, with hands on the floor too. HAHA.
    Gary gor!
    Henry gor!
    Lin Jia and Wei Kean dailou. Nice to meet you new friend.
    Quenna and Siyi. =)
    Xinli and Hooi Pheng. =) Nice to meet you new friend.
    Quenna, Connie, Wei Shi and Wei Kean.
    Reached the first station at about 6.45am and there’s so many people up there already! Everyone was just chatting around, taking photos, and waiting for the sunrise! What you see up there is just another hill and the small little town of Broga and Semenyih. It’s interesting that the top of the hill has no tress and it’s all couch grass.
    TWILIGHT ZONE. Oh my lovely nature.
    Ghia Jun & Zee Yin.
    Google told me that 7.24am was the sunrise time at Semenyih, but the actual sun rise above another hill was at about 7.40am. It takes some times for the sun to get up the hill. HAHA.
    Hello my lovely SUN.
    Ah, I just love waiting for sunrise so much, it’s my new hobby lately! After that we just went down as we were hungry and it’s getting warm. Getting down seems to be more difficult than going up as it’s so steep and really have to be careful, my friend had a small bruised on her knee. Just have to be really careful, help each other at there, or just wear a tracksuit to prevent cuts and bruises from small fall.
    ME, the blogger.
    With the girls.
    Love this picture a lot. Thought it would turned out silhouette, but a nice over exposed of the sun and nice composition of beautiful us. By the way, it’s all interior designers here in the photo. =D
    Little stalls selling coconut and soft drinks await you at the foot hill. HAHA.
    Carpark.
    Afterall, it’s a very nice and exciting hike. Sorry for writing the post that long, I will bring you to Kampung Broga and an awesome Chinese Temple with Shun Yu Kong Monkey King in the next posts. =D
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