Living it up in Vietnam
What a fantastic month! Yes, the posts have been a little thin on the ground this year…. sorry about that! Too, too much to do. Finished up in Shanghai after a wonderful 5 months, unfortunately I ended being so busy for a lot of the time it really impacted on everything and is part of [...]
Sarawak Cultural Village
How times change! A few years ago you would not have been able to drag me near this place. For me traveling was about chasing the so-called truly authentic experience where these types of tourism sights just don’t feature. Nowadays though it is a different story. I haven’t totally lost my traveling roots and I [...]
Kicking Back with the Kelabit
Being absolutely fascinated with the elongated earlobes of the Kelabit people meant I had a very difficult time drawing my gaze away from the real thing! Sitting around the fireplace, enjoying a cup of tea while sucking on one of the famous super juicy and sweet Bario pineapples was an amazing opportunity to ask all [...]
Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
The wild man of the forest is one of Borneo’s true highlights. Having an up close and personal experience with one of these beautiful beasts is easy if you head to Semenggoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, approximately 30 kilometres outside of Kuching. Established in 1975, the centre has records of 26 orangutans as its residents with [...]
Bizarre Bario
This tiny town stranded deep in the Borneo interior near the Kalimantan border is surrounded by mountains and jungle. It is also the home of the Kelabit people, one of Sarawak’s smallest ethnic minority groups. With no where near enough time to spare we booked our flights from Miri which usually has twice daily flights [...]
Tea with an Iban Headhunting Chief
The last thing I expected when meeting an Iban headhunting chief was to sit down with a cup of tea and a biscuit for a chat but that is exactly what we did with the charismatic Chief Bansing of Murat Longhouse in Sarawak. His house is filled with mementos from a long and interesting life, [...]
Rainforest Discovery Centre, Sandakan, Borneo
The orangutan sanctuary seems to get all the attention in Sepilok however if you have a spare morning, afternoon or day then do take the opportunity to visit the Rainforest Discovery Centre. Established as an educational centre primarily for students the centre is an accessible taste of wonderful pristine Borneon rainforest. Significant levels of [...]
Turtle Island
Being a little disorganized prior to arriving in Borneo is quite natural for me so I guess I should not have been surprised when I contacted the Turtle Island agent in Sandakan (Crystal Quest) and was told that the island was fully booked for the coming 10 days. Given the option of just [...]
Sepilok Orangutan Sanctuary
These gorgeous animals have such character and personality it becomes easy to see very human expressions in their behaviour. Sepilok was established in 1964 to assist in the rehabilitation of orangutans who had been orphaned or captured. The aim of the program is to teach them how to live and survive in [...]
Rafflesia
How very excited I was after calling the Sabah Tourism board to find out there was a Rafflesia flower in bloom up in Tambunan Nature Reserve during my stay. With just two days in Kota Kinabalu we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to see the worlds largest flower in bloom! What I [...]
Bountiful Borneo
I have been fascinated by the very idea of Borneo for as long as I can remember. It sits in my mind as a wild, mysterious and fascinating destination. Finally this year I made it for a short but very sweet visit. It is amazing how perhaps just one small detail in a [...]
Getting around Kuala Lumpur
Perhaps one of the most convenient forms of transport in KL for the visitor is the monorail. Most of the “big” things to see are not too far from the conveniently located stations. It’s cheap, fast, convenient and very easy to navigate. Perhaps the only problem you will have is actually finding [...]
Chan See Shu Yuen, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Another very impressive temple in KL is the home of the Chan See Shu Yuen Clan Association. Their fastidiously maintained, traditional temple building has some wonderful, intricate scenes carved high on its outside walls. These friezes are said to depict important events in China’s history as well as legends and well known historical figures. Exuding [...]
Thean Hou Temple
Perched high on Robson Hill in the south of KL is Thean Hou Temple. Dedicated to the Heavenly Mother (Thean Hou, Tian Hou, Tin Hau) was the goddess and protector of the seas. The temple has an interesting mix of elements that include Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. Being a popular tourist destination [...]
Kuala Lumpur’s Magnificent Twin Towers
A source of aspiration, ambition, inspiration and symbolizing national pride, the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur is a captivating piece of architecture. I didn’t expect to be drawn into such a magical aura and in fact almost considered not making the journey downtown to see it. After all it really [...]
Flying from Guilin to Kuala Lumpur
I have been a fan of the discount airlines in Asia for a few years now. Air Asia, who started flying into Guilin from Kuala Lumpur last year, frequently has great deals on offer for those who can plan ahead. The secret for making the experience as enjoyable as possible is to remember [...]
