Kelantan - Cradle of Malay Culture

The east coast state of Kelantan is charming destination with colourful traditions, interesting pastimes and superb handicrafts. Watch captivating activities such as top-spinning, giant kite-flying or woodcarving. The batik and songket fabrics produced by cottage industries here are among the best in the country. Its laid-back atmosphere, rustic charms and friendly locals add to Kelantan's appeal.

Accommodation in the capital city, Kota Bharu, ranges from star-rated hotels to affordable rooms. In other main towns, visitors can find comfortable inns, rest houses and modest hotels. The state has a tempting variety of local delicacies. Continent food is available at major hotels while fast food can be found at main towns.

Among the popular places of interest are, Cultural Centre or locally known as Gelanggang Seni. It is a veritable showcase of the state's rich cultural heritage. You can watch an enthralling range of traditional performance such as shadow puppetry (Wayang Kulit), Malay martial arts (Silat), top-spinning (Gasing), giant kite flying (Wau Bulan) and musical performance.

Mount Stong is one of the most popular eco-adventure destinations in Kelantan. Mount Stong rises majestically at a height of 1,433m. Trek to view a diversity of flora and fauna, including Rafflesia, the world's largest flower. A highlight is the spectacular Jelawang Waterfalls, acclaimed to be the highest in Southeast Asia.

Wat Photivihan Buddhist Temple is one of tourist attraction in Kelantan. It houses a 40m long statue of reclining Buddha and believed to be the second longest in the world and the longest in Southeast Asia.

Live with a friendly local family and join their interesting pastimes. Home stays can be experienced at the villages of Renok Baru, Pantai Suri and Blok Ulu Kusial.

For more information about Malaysia, Visit http://www.mykltravelguide.mymamall.com Detailed information about Kelantan also can be found at http://www.mykltravelguide.mymamall.com/Kelantan/Kelantan.php

12 Things to Do in Penang

Penang, Malaysia has been known as one of Southeast Asia's finest destinations for many years now. Aptly called as "Pearl of the Orient", Penang offers amazing cultural heritage and diverse population which cannot be found anywhere else around the globe. In general, Penang is a great place all by itself and travelers find this small place full of interesting things to do and many places to visit even on foot. Here are some recommended things you must do while visiting Penang.

01 Climb up Penang Hill: Your trip to Penang should include Penang Hill. This popular tourist spot is also known as Bukit Bendera, referring to its most developed peak, the Flagstaff Hill. The most recommended way up to Penang Hill is through the Penang Hill Railway. This is a funicular railway that will bring passengers all the way up to Flagstaff Hill. Funicular train leaves every 20-25 minutes interval and carries up to 80 passengers per trip. Penang Hill is also accessible by 4x4 vehicles through the "jeep track" which is a tarred road most commonly used by residents of the hill.

There are also trails that one can follow such as Moongate trail, trail from Air Itam Dam to Tiger Hill, trail from Hye Keat Estate and one coming from the Municipality Park. From Penang Botanical Gardens, it will take 3 hours to reach the top of the hill by foot.

02 Shop at Batu Ferringhi Night Bazaar: Batu Ferringhi Night Bazaar is a nightly affair in Batu Ferrunghi starting from 7pm until 1am. After the sun sets in, the whole stretch of Batu Ferringi is transformed into a night market definitely worth checking out. You will find over 1000 stalls in Batu Ferringhi which are lined near the main road. Shopping addicts will surely have a high time sorting out goods ranging from clothes to paintings and everything in between.

03 Enjoy food and sight at Gurney Drive: Gurney Drive is famous for its mouth watering cuisine. Aside from the food, this road is made popular by having the best view of the sunset. Just outside the Georgetown City, Gurney Drive faces the sea of Penang, truly a relaxing experience and quite fulfilling to the stomach as well. Dinners are served in this side of town where most hawker stalls open around 6pm. One can find something to please the palate, for sure. Top 3 recommended dishes to try are: Char Keow Teow, Asam Laksa and Hokkien Mee. You will also find Gurney Plaza Shopping Center in Gurney Drive which is one of the famous shopping spot in Penang. You will find popular Malaysian and foreign brands in Gurney Plaza.

04 Be a Shopaholic: With all the shopping centers in Penang, you will never run out of options. Penang is considered as the biggest shopping destination in northern Malaysia with huge department stores and shopping malls in and out of the island. Queensbay Shopping Mall in Bayan Lepas is the largest and longest shopping mall in Penang Island housing more than 400 local and international shops. Gurney Plaza, on the other hand, has the biggest Cineplex in northern Malaysia. Pranglin Plaza is noted for local finds.

05 Enjoy dazzling 360 view of Penang from KOMTAR: During your visit to KOMTAR, go to the 60th floor to enjoy the fascinating 360 view of the Penang Island. KOMTAR is the tallest building in Penang and proved to be an important landmark for the area. This building houses government offices, shopping complexes, hotels and exhibition center.

06 Ride a ferry from Butterworth: A ferry ride from Butterworth is hard to miss since this is the main gateway to Penang Island. All ferry rides to Penang come from Butterworth terminal and provide a great photo opportunity for travelers featuring a magnificent landscape. The ferries run 24 hours a day.

07 Take a Georgetown Heritage Walk: Of course, Penang travel is more or less equivalent to Georgetown Heritage Walk. Georgetown Heritage Walk features century-old, historical sites and religious temples from various faiths. It is located at the northeastern side of Penang Island. Some of its famous attractions are the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Fort Cornwallis, Penang Islamic Museum, Pinang Peranakan Mansion and Queen Victoria Clock Tower.

08 Enjoy nightlife in Upper Penang Road: Your day in Penang is not yet over after dark, check out Georgetown's nightlife in upper Penang road with live music, DJs and bands. Karaoke is a popular activity, aside from dancing and just plain chilling out. Bring your friends for a round of singing and drinking til wee hours of the morning!

09 Cross Penang Bridge, one of the largest in the world: Penang Bridge is Asia's longest bridge and it offers a spectacular view of Penang. This bridge is the pride and joy of Penang and a national landmark. It is also a standing symbol of Penang's economic development. Penang Bridge is host to annual Penang Bridge Marathon.

10 Visit largest Buddhist Temple in Malaysia: The Buddhist temple of Kek Lok Si is situated in Ait Itam and it is the largest Buddhist temple in Malaysia. Kek Lok Si Temple is home to series of monasteries, prayer halls, temples and beautifully landscaped gardens. It is also the best known temple in Penang, Malaysia.

11 Meet Francis Light at Fort Cornwallis: Visit the historical Fort Cornwallis and meet the statue of Francis Light. This old star-shaped fort is located at the northeastern coast of Penang and the oldest of three lighthouses in the area. Fort Cornwallis also features the Seri Rambai Cannon as always seen in pictures.

12 Visit nearby Islands: Small islands surrounding Penang are also worth looking up to. Pulau Aman or Island of Peace is a small island that houses the traditional Malay village. Other islands include Pulau Tioman, Pulau Rawa and Pulau Babi Besar. Although there is limited information about these nearby islands, a local tourist guide can help you find them.

On the whole, Penang, Malaysia is a great place to visit due to its almost side-by-side visitor spots, travelers won't run out of things to do. This list is just a taste of what Penang can offer its visitors and it is not entirely impossible to fell in love with this beautiful island. Truly, a Penang travel is a trip worth remembering!

Batu Ferringhi - The Most Popular Beach in Penang

Being the most popular beach location in Penang, the Batu Ferringhi beaches draw a massive crowd, especially during the holiday season. Asides from having the most luxurious resorts in Penang, it serves as a total holiday provider as any tourist will find much to do here.

A bevy of fine hotels line the seafront, all of which offer the utmost quality of service. The Rasa Sayang is the most expensive resort at Batu Ferringhi, whilst the Holiday Inn, Park Royal, and Bayview Beach Resort cost slightly less. The Golden Sands is a more affordable accommodation but is still considered in the upper tier of hotel pricing. While the Rasa Sayang is more for the luxury traveler looking for peace, quiet and comfort, the rest of the hotels are regular beach resorts with more families and friends booking in for a holiday. All the resorts provide excellent beach activities and facilities.

There are cheap and affordable hotels available at Batu Ferringhi which aren't on the beach front. Their location is still convenient as they are located just across the road from the beaches. Prices there are more apt for those who are on a budget. Beach activities and facilities can still be enjoyed as visitors from anywhere are allowed to pay for the sea activities.

Food is not a problem as across the road from the hotels are a line of restaurants and bars, some of which provide live performances. After dinner there is a multitude of stalls set up for the night market. A walk up the road will introduce you to a roadside cluster of make-do shops that sell all sorts of things, from clothing to bags, to cigarette cases and lighters and children's toys. There is also a hawker centre nearby the night market where tourists can stop for dinner, refreshments or even supper.

If you want to enjoy the beach in Penang, you can be sure this is the place.

Hi, my name is Julian Khoo. Whenever I travel, I will photograph and write about the places I visit. So go and discover and enjoy yourself in Batu Ferringhi.

Penang's War Museum Popular With British Tourists

Every year, thousands of visitors crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam. The War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City is also a standard destination on a tour itinerary. On Malaysia's Penang Island, you can capture a similar war experience at War Museum in Batu Maung on Penang Island.

Generation-X citizens of our country only know about the horrors of World War II from history books. The War Museum provides a fascinating insight into the Japanese invasion of then Malaya and its impact on the lives of civilians, soldiers and POWs.

Sprawled over nine hectares, the War Museum was built as a fortress in the 1930's by British Royal Engineers using convict labour shipped in from Gibraltar and India. Its aim was to protect British vessels in Penang Harbour, on the assumption that any enemy aggression would come from the sea. As history would unfold later, the British cannons were facing the wrong direction as the Japanese invasion came from south Thailand.

On December 17, 1941, the Japanese flag was raised on the island when they overran the Batu Maung fortress. The British, in their haste to retreat, even left behind a radio station that was in full working condition! By early January 1942, the Japanese infantry was advancing towards Kuala Lumpur on bicycles. These hardy two wheelers can be seen in the War Museum. During the Japanese Occupation, the fortress was turned into a POW camp. After World War II, it was abandoned, and was gradually overgrown with jungle. Local shunned the place as it was reputed to be haunted due to the many executions that had taken place there. It was re-discovered and turned into a living museum in 2002.

Visitors can explore more than 60 relics that have been restored to almost their original state. Among them are the ammunitions store, observation tower, pill boxes, cook houses, cannon firing bay, generator room and living quarters for soldiers and officers. If you are adventurous, you can crawl through tunnels in pillboxes.

Step into a torture chamber to view the tools of brutality used by the Japanese when they occupied the complex in 1941. Branding irons, clamps and pliers for pulling off finger nails are among the exhibits that tell silent stories of the tremendous sufferings of the POWs. There is also a sword hanging from a ceiling that was reputedly swung with merciless gusto to lop off heads of prisoners by Lieutenant Suzuki, the resident executioner.

Take your time to read the information plaques and scrutinize the old photographs. They show the invasion, POWs, civilian casualties and the Japanese surrender.

Throughout the grounds of the complex, there are posted signs and the trails are easy to follow. A rusty anti-aircraft gun, an observation tower and the grave of one Sergant John Wolf, marked by a cross, are among the other relics found within the grounds. Visiors are advised to carry a torch light with and apply insect repellent. The mueum opens everyday from 9am to 7pm. Admission fee is RM10 for adults, RM for children.

If you are hungryafter your tour, head for the countless hawker stalls selling Malay food line the Bayan Lepas Expressway. For more tempting delighs, go to the seafood restaurant at Batu Maung Village. Fatty Loh, a Chinese eatery located opposite the nearby Fisheries Department is quite popular.

How to get there? After crossing the Penang Bridge, turn left to the Coastal Highway onward to the Bayan Lepas Expressway. Proceed to Jalan Batu Maung and you can see a signboard.