Pahang Offering Seven New Tourism and Vacation Icons

Pahang tourism offering some new tourism spot. Well, from the looks of it, it is not that new-lah! Just repackaging. I may not have heard before, so you can consider that as new. Pahang has many virgin forest, so going back to nature and take in all that green would be rather refreshing. Peace and quiet with all the forest green all around you! Yes.

Pahang targeting 15 million Singaporean tourists next year
Tuesday November 8, 2011

KUANTAN: Offering seven new tourism products and 10 tourism icons in Pahang, the state government has targeted to attract15 million tourists from Singapore next year.

Last year, tourist arrivals from the island republic was recorded at 13 million while it was 12.7 million, the previous year.

State Tourism, Arts and Heritage committee chairman Datuk Shafik Fauzan Sharif said the Pahang government was confident the new tourism products and icons could draw more Singaporeans into the state.

He said the seven new products were Casabrina Villas in Raub, Wadisamrah (Janda Baik), Kela Adventure Camp (Raub), Zenith Hotel & Sultan Ahmad Shah International Convention Centre (Kuantan), Tasik Chini Resort (Tasik Chini), Tanah Aina (Raub) and JapaMala beach (Pulau Tioman).

The icons were vacations to Cameron Highlands, Bukit Fraser, Genting Highlands, National Park, Cherating, the heritage towns of Kuala Lipis and Pekan, fishing off Rompin, Tioman Island and the Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre.

Speaking to reporters here recently, Shafik Fauzan said the state government, through Tourism Pahang, had promoted the state in Singapore recently, and introduced the tourism icons and the new products. — Bernama

East Coast State Tourism for Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan

Read More

Cuti Malaysia Night Travel Fair 2011

With the school holidays coming up, time to look for a vacation, so how about the Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Night Travel Fair at i-City Shah Alam?

Tourism Malaysia has many interesting travel destinations, from the pristine Malaysian beaches, lush rainforests (good for eco-tourism, yes?), refreshing hill resorts (such as Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, Fraser's Hill), relaxing parks and gardens (I like that Japanese Garden at Bukit Tinggi Resort) to bustling metropolis (well actually, I would like to get away from all the mad traffic jam, but for those who has not seen the big city would like to see the frenetic hustle and bustle city life!) and heritage sites (good if you are an avid old building aficionado, there are indeed many Unesco building sites perhaps follow the Ipoh Heritage Walk?), inspiring art and gastronomic delights (aye, aye as we all know Malaysians just love to eat!).

Here's your chance to discover the magic of Malaysia tourism and travel, marvel at her wonders and cherish some wonderful memories as you go exploring good old Malaysia, ya? Go grab the best deals for your favourite travel destinations at this fun filled event in i-City Shah Alam packed with exciting activities, travel bargains, contests and giveaways!

Event: Cuti-Cuti Malaysia Night Travel Fair
Date: 28th to 30th October 2011
Venue: i-City Shah Alam, Selangor
Time: 5pm to 12am
Infoline: 1300-88-5050
Website: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my

See you there!

Related other travel fairs:
MITM Travel Fair 2011 Tourism Malaysia
MATTA Fair 2011 Packages for Malaysia and Overseas travel

[update on the travel fair]

Tourism Malaysia Targets Sales Of RM500,000 At Night Travel Fair
October 29, 2011 00:02 AM

SHAH ALAM, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Tourism Malaysia aims to sell about RM500,000 worth of travel packages at the Cuti-cuti 1Malaysia Night Travel Fair 2011 which starts today until Sunday.

The national tourism promotion agency also expects over 60,000 visitors at the night fair located in i-City, here.

In a statement, Tourism Malaysia said the event involves 66 travel agencies including operators of tourism products, homestays and local hotels which will offer over 2,500 domestic tour packages.

Aside from sales and exhibitions, other activities will take place throughout the programme including tourism quiz, lucky draw and a mini concert featuring artistes Lefthanded, XPDC and others under pay-television service provider Astro.

The Cuti-cuti 1Malaysia Night Travel Fair will also highlight programmes organised by the Tourism Ministry such as the 1Malaysia Bersih & Indah campaign, 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival and Fabulous Food 1Malaysia.

The three-day event, which begins from 5pm to midnight, was officiated by Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Dr James Dawos Mamit on behalf of Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, here Friday night.

-- BERNAMA

Read More

Kolam Artform and Deepavali

Whenever Deepavali comes around the corner, you can see many PJ and KL shopping malls and offices with decoration of Kolam on the floor. If you wondered what it all meant, the article below would give you some insights about the tradition of Kolam and what it symbolizes.

Kolam an artform to symbolise happiness
By Vijenthi Nair
Photos By Low Lay Phon
24/October/2011

KOLAM is much more than just an aesthetic art and symbolises happiness and prosperity, according to Indian beliefs.

The dotted kolam that is made from rice flour is drawn at the entrance of the house to feed insects and birds.

It represents man’s concern for all living creatures.

The kolam and the bright red border enclosing it, is also believed to prevent evil spirits from entering the house.

White beauty: Maruthamuthu with
his white flour work of art.

Kolam artist Mohan Maruthamuthu said Ranggoli (coloured) kolam was the evolved version of the dotted kolam.

However, in recent times the Ranggoli kolam have seen an evolution with many shopping malls and corporations drawing the artform in their premises.

Over the years, people added colours to the dotted kolam to make it more attractive.

“All of my work so far are for Ranggoli Kolam.

“The bright colours fused with creative designs is more appealing to many and also involves a lot more work compared with the original one. Usually dyed crushed rice are used to create beautiful Indian designs and symbols.

Colourful: The Ranggoli Kolam
at the entrance of K&N Kenanga
Holdings building.

“However, the beauty of the white flour is in a class of its own. Kolam should be drawn at the entrance so it would not be missed by visitors. In India, kolam is drawn every day by the women in the morning to invite ants to feed on it, thus receiving its blessings in return.

Mohan said kolam design was up to one’s creativity although there were now many kolam guide books to help beginners, especially with the dotted kolam.

“The parallel dots need to be calculated and arranged in order to get the straight and curves right. For dotted kolam, all the dots are drawn first, followed by the curved lines around the dots connecting each other. The thumb and forefingers are used to control the flow of flour.

“It is easy once you get the feel and flow of it. There is no end to the design as you can add on as you like or just run a finger through the lines to get an added effect,” he said.

Mohan feels that tradition can evolve but must not deviate from its main purpose.

“The tradition should be kept alive. The youths expressing their support for the football teams through kolam adds no value or meaning to it. It is best to keep it traditional and create innovative designs to further enhance the age-old art,” he added. -- Star Metro

Read More

Cheong Fatt Tze Building aka The Blue Mansion in Penang

Here's an interesting place to visit, the Cheong Fatt Tze Building aka The Blue Mansion in Penang. Look for it when you next visit Georgetown Penang and see what it is all about!

Cheong Fatt Tze building is one of two in Asia featured on Lonely Planet list
By Andrea Filmer and Fong Kee Soon
Saturday October 22, 2011

George Town: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (aka the Blue Mansion) here has been named one of the world's top 10 greatest mansions and grand houses by popular travel guide Lonely Planet.

The grand dwelling, often dubbed the Blue Mansion due to its vivid colour, is one of only two buildings in Asia to make the list.

The other is the Marble Palace mansion in Kolkata, India.

Others that made the list include the Villa d'Este in Italy, England's Castle Howard that provided the backdrop for the television and cinema adaptation of Brideshead Revisted, famed 16th-century Chateau de Chambord in France and the Catherine Palace in Russia.

The United States was the only country with two venues making the list Fallingwater in the woods of Pennsylvania and Beauport House in Massachusetts while Australia and Ireland rounded up the grandest homes list with Werribee Mansion in Melbourne and the 13th-century Powerscourt Estate in the Wicklow Mountains respectively.

True blue: The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion in Penang.
The historical structure was also featured as
the title picture for the Lonely Planet list.

The Lonely Planet list was reprinted last Sunday by the Fox News website, which chose the Blue Mansion as its story's main picture.

This latest accreditation follows several other prestigious awards already given to the mansion, including a Unesco “Most Excellent” Heritage Conservation Award in 2000, an Asean Tourism Association Excellence Award for Best Asean Cultural Preservation Effort in 2004 and the Malaysian National Architectural Award For Conservation in 1995.

The mansion was built in the late 19th- century by Cheong Fatt Tze, a self-made wealthy Chinese merchant.

Loh-Lim Lin Lee, who bought and restored the dwelling with husband Laurence Loh in the late 1980s to 1990s, said the mansion received some 2,000 visitors every month. -- The Star Nation

Read More

1Malaysia People’s Menu

The cost of food and the price of meals has gone up tremendously recently. The government is finding ways to help lessen the citizen's everyday burden and came up with the 1Malaysia People’s Menu. You could give these meals a try, from the looks of it, it sure looked delicious!

Cheap options: Ariff Abdul Rahman and his wife Baheerah Mydin
showing their 1Malaysia People's Menu dishes. The prices
for the respective dishes are (from left) RM3, RM2 and RM4.

People’s Menu a hit
By Simren Kaur
Photo by Chin CHeng Yeang
Saturday October 22, 2011

RESTAURANT owners in Penang have given the thumbs up to the 1Malaysia People’s Menu, with 61 operators taking part thus far and more signing up every day.

Restaurant owners said they have received good response from the people to this menu.

Nasi Kandar Ariff owner Ariff Abdul Rahman, who runs his shop in Air Itam, said he received overwhelming response from his customers since he started the 1Malaysia People’s Menu.

“I have about 20 customers every day who come just to enjoy the special rates this menu offers,” he said.

Read More