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Gold Coast Visitors Guide

2011-08-22T15:39:00.002+08:00

Download your Gold Coast Travel guide at www.visitgoldcoast.com/travel-guide/

Top 10 hostels for budget holidays

2011-05-17T15:05:00.003+08:00

#1. HI BAAN DINSO HOSTEL; BANGKOK, THAILAND
A boutique hostel with only nine rooms for accommodation. The hostel is quaintly decorated with 1950’s Thai house style and features all amenities found in standard hotels.
WE LIKE: Everyday American and Continental breakfasts at the front porch of the house.

#2. SHIN-OSAKA YOUTH HOSTEL; OSAKA, JAPAN
One can expect a squeaky clean hostel here with cleanliness ranked at a high of 96%. The level of friendliness of staff was also very high at 95%.
WE LIKE: The hostel serves free coffee & tea every night!

#2. SHIN-OSAKA YOUTH HOSTEL; OSAKA, JAPAN
Getting around Osaka will be easy when you're staying at this hostel which is 5-minute walk from the nearest train station (Shinkansen-Station).
Overall rating: 94.3%

#3. SYDNEY HARBOUR HOSTEL; SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
The new hostel boasts of gob-smacking views across Sydney Harbour.
WE LIKE: On-site grocery store is a winner!

#3. SYDNEY HARBOUR HOSTEL; SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
The only budget accommodation in the heart of Sydney’s historic Rocks precinct. Walking distance to Sydney’s iconic Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Darling Harbour and some of the best museums in Sydney, it is no wonder why it was rated the highest for the location factor (98%).
Overall rating: 93.9%

#4. PEKING INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; BEIJING, CHINA
The hostel has carefully preserved the originally traditional Si-He style courtyard house, and is nestled in the designated historic landmark Hu-Tong neighborhood preserved and protected by the Beijing government.
WE LIKE: It's gorgeous courtyard!

#4. PEKING INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; BEIJING, CHINA
Located in the heart of Beijing's historic core, it is a 5-minute walk to the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen Square, and the famous Wangfujin shopping district. The interior has a traditional touch with modern amenities.
Overall rating: 92.5%

#5. HANGOUT@MT.EMILY; SINGAPORE
The hostel sits on a hill. You can enjoy the views of Mount Emily Park and the city from the patio or the lookout terrace.
WE LIKE: Standing shower pool. Tiny, but it's a facility not many hostels have.

#5. HANGOUT@MT.EMILY; SINGAPORE
The interior of this boutique hostel is designed with a chic and energetic vibe. Two highest performing factors were staff friendliness (94%) and service efficiency (93%).
Overall rating: 91.3%

#6. UTANO YOUTH HOSTEL; KYOTO, JAPAN
The facilitiy has two big Japanese baths (seen here) for males and females, four shower rooms, self-catering kitchen, washing machines and dryers, free Wi-Fi, rental bicycles, tennis court, barbecue pit and gardens.
WE LIKE: The ryokan-styled guesthouse. You have to stay in one of these when you're in Japan - what's more you get the full cultural experience for less.

#6. UTANO YOUTH HOSTEL; KYOTO, JAPAN
Located in a quiet residential district, it is no wonder that the hostel scored high for comfort (95%).
Overall rating: 90.1%

#7. SEOUL INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; SEOUL, KOREA
Facilities include self-catering kitchen, laundry, rock-climbing site and single track stroll path.
WE LIKE: It has to be the rock-climbing wall!

#7. SEOUL INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; SEOUL, KOREA
This hostel did well with cleanliness (94%) and efficiency of staff (91%).
Overall rating: 89.1%

#8. BEIJING HEYUAN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; BEIJING, CHINA
Other noteworthy amenities include a cycle store at the hostel itself; backpackers can have the convenience of renting their bikes there. The hostel ranks high for security (92%) and efficiency of staff (89%).
Overall ranking: 88.6%

#8. BEIJING HEYUAN INTERNATIONAL YOUTH HOSTEL; BEIJING, CHINA
Conveniently located in the heart of Beijing, the hostel is just a 8-minute walk from the subway (Jishuitan Station) and 3 minutes from a little night market with food & snacks.
WE LIKE: The Courtyard. Communal living and cultural experience all in one place. #9. PEOPLE'S SQUARE YOUTH HOSTEL; SHANGHAI, CHINA
It ranks well for its friendly staff, cleanliness, security and location.
Overall rating: 86.9%

#9. PEOPLE'S SQUARE YOUTH HOSTEL; SHANGHAI, CHINA
The hostel holds 20 standard rooms and over 30 bunk beds. Onsite facilities include a full service restaurant, bar, self-service laundry, common area internet terminals, as well as a business center.

#10. BLUE MOUNTAIN YOUTH HOSTEL; SHANGHAI, CHINA
Located just 30m from the Metro station, the Luwan branch scores high for its convenience (90%).

Lanson Place Hotel

2011-04-22T13:29:00.002+08:00

Location: 133 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong KongMTR station – Causeway Bay (three stops from Central).This boutique hotel is about 5 to 10 minutes walk from Causeway Bay MTR station.While adjacent to the Causeway Bay residential area, it is a couple of minutes to walk to the Causeway Bay shopping district.

Hotel Highlights· A fully equipped gym with an inspiring city view· Garden courtyard on the ground floor· Lounge and bar private to guests· Food delivery service· Wireless internet within hotel· 24-hour business centre· From studio to two-bedroom suites available· Contemporary design – view photo gallery

Guestrooms Highlights· Broad band internet access, computer, fax/data line, colour TV, safes and desks· Refrigerator, kitchenette with microwave and cooking utensils, hair dryers, iron & ironing boardSpecial OfferRooms are quite spacious. Minimum 380 sq. ft. for general and 1500-1900 sq. ft. for suites

Remarks Good for business travelers and families who enjoy a calm living environment however with easy access to everywhere. Also ideal for those who enjoy shopping and eating as there are plenty of shops and restaurants around. Corporate guests love this boutique hotel and usually have their thumbs up after staying.

www.lansonplace.com/hk_welcome.php

Heng Heng Wan Tan Mee origin from Pontian, Johor.

2011-04-12T15:01:00.002+08:00

Heng Heng Wan Tan Mee origin from Pontian, Johor. Established in year 1948, until now they have around 60 plus years of experience in this field. The founder, Mr. Low starts his ‘Wan Tan Mee’ career since he was 16 years old. Mr. Low always persists with his homemade noodles recipe for his customers to eat. Mr.Low’s ‘Wan Tan Mee’ gives the impression of simple but plentiful, just looked at it you will feel very hungry. When using chopsticks to touch up, it will make people think that the noodles is materialized, feel like the noodles is quite weighty and for sure is enough to filled up your stomach. The ‘Wan Tan’ and ‘Char Siew’ meat are also made by their home-made recipe. The ‘Char Siew’ that Mr. Low serves to customers are quite feeling. The lean meat texture of the ‘Char Siew’ is awesome. Moreover, the ‘Char Siew’ are barbequed beautifully. That thick fat aroma comes out from the ‘Char Siew’ will fill around your mouth after eating it. As for the ‘Wan Tan’, the size of the small ‘Wan Tan’ combines with the green onion and soup is really awesome. Once you bite the skin and the meat of the ‘Wan Tan’, immediately the juiciness of the meat will filled around your mouth too. Because of Mr. Low’s ‘Wan Tan Mee’ get good comments by the public so they open another Heng Heng Wan Tan Mee branch in year 1948 at Pontian, Johor too. Then in 2010, they opened another two branches each at Shah Alam and Johor Bahru. All together they have 4 branches in Malaysia. No matter is at the new or old branch, at lunch time the shop is filled with customers.

兴兴云吞面源自于柔佛笨珍。成立于1948年，至今已有六十多年的经营经验。创办人，卢老板打从16岁就开始卖面。一直以来卢老板坚持采用自制的独家秘方所做出来的面条给顾客们吃。卢老板的云吞面给人的感觉就是简单但丰富，只是看了一眼就会觉得很想吃。细小且分布得很密麻的面条，用筷子夹起来时的触感会让人觉得面条非常实体化，总觉得“斤两”很够，绝对填得饱肚子。云吞和叉烧肉也都是采用自制的独家秘方做出来和烧出来的。卢老板所端出来给顾客享用的每一块叉烧肉都蛮肥厚。瘦肉的质感非常实在。不仅如此，叉烧被烧得很美，看起来真的是很 “腊”。加上叉烧本身散发出来扑鼻的浓浓脂肪味，那浓浓的叉烧味吃了会让你口齿留香。而至于云吞呢，云吞的体积小巧玲珑与绿葱浮沉在碗中，齿咬薄皮的云吞一半慢口细嚼，猪肉圆的味道即刻释放弥漫整个口腔。因为卢老板的云吞面广受好评，在1989年，兴兴云吞面在笨珍开了一间分店。然后在2010年又开了两间分店，一间在Shah Alam而另一间在柔佛新山。不管是哪一间分店还是老店，在午餐时间都是高朋满座。

Shop 1 : No. 74, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor Bahru Shop 2 : No. 766, Taman Anggerik Pt. Mesjid, Pontian Johor Shop 3 : No. 36, Jalan Anggerik Vanilla M 31/ M Kota Kemuning, 40600 Shah Alam

Propose Tanjung Piai & Kukup trip

2011-04-04T14:49:00.003+08:00

SUGGESTION ITINERARY 9.00am Tanjung Piai National Park Address: Mukim Serkat, 82030 Pontian, Johor Tel: +607-6969712Cost: RM3 (Adults with MyKad), RM5 (Foreign visitors) Opening Hours: Daytime What: Visit this southern-most tip of Mainland Asia! Tanjung Piai is also a haven for a diverse species of flora and fauna, such as mangrove crabs, beady-eyed mudskippers, crab-eating macaques and migratory birds. 1.00pm 8383 Kopitiam (Kedai Makan Lam Yong) Address: No. 243, 245 Batu 36, Jalan Johor, 82000 Pontian, Johor. Tel: +607-6875323/012-7708383 Cost: From RM3.50 Opening Hours: Breakfast and lunch What: Try the famous Pontian wantan mee hee. The wantan mee comes in three types - tomato sauce, chilli sauce and oyster sauce. Combined with a cup of amazingly good coffee, this will blow your mind away. 2.30pm Fishing on a kelong or chalet Address: Tanjung Piai Resort, Kampung Tanjung Piai, Serkat, 82300 Kukup Tel: +607- 696 0011 Cost: Fishing rod rental from RM15 Opening Hours: Anytime What: You can either visit a nearby kelong or fish directly from your chalet’s balcony if you live on a building on stilts. 5.00pm Rambah Beach Address: Pekan Rambah, Pontian, Johor Cost: Free Opening Hours: Anytime What: Indulge in a bout of swimming, jet skiing, boating, banana boat ride, windsurfing, fishing, sun-bathing and beach games here. 7.00pm New Kukup Village Restaurant Address: No.1, Kukup Laut, 82300 Pontian, Johor Tel: +607-6960216 Cost: About RM15 per person What: Nice food and great ambiance – you get to eat amidst the cool sea breeze. Must-tries include rainbow trout steamed with fried chai poh and fried chilli mussels.

Amazing Treehotel in Sweden

2011-03-23T16:38:00.000+08:00

Well, with the help of a group of well known designers and architects, they have now turned the idea into a reality.

They have a group of unique rooms created in harmony with nature, and with our ecological values. They are all set in the forest where we live, a refinement of the local conditions. “Dig where you stand” as the saying goes.

Their inspiration came from the documentary film “Trädälskaren” (Treelover) by Jonas Selberg Augustsen. It is the story of three men from the urban environment who look to get back to their roots by building a tree house together. It is a philosophical film about what “the tree” means to us humans, both historically and culturally.

Treehotel is located in the beautiful village of Harads, approximately 60 km south of the Arctic Circle, and one hour drive from Luleå, which has the largest airport in northern Sweden.

Harads is a place that surrounded by forest and water and by stillness and wilderness. Here lives 600 inhabitants. They have restaurants, stores, hostel, gas station, swimming facilities, view point Klippan and a beautiful church. It is a place that is dominated by forests and water, the serenity and wilderness.

In first generation there are six uniquely themed Tree Rooms, created by 6 separate architects. The Tree Rooms that are finished to days date are: The Mirrorcube, The Bird’s Nest, The Cabin and The Blue Cone.

In addition they have a sauna and a relaxing area room which seat 12 guests comfortably. This is the first Tree Hotel in the world with a Sauna.

The rooms vary from 15 – 30 square meters and they range between 4-6 meters from the ground. They build mainly with wood, though one room has a glass facade. All of the Tree Houses are situated up in pine trees.

The rooms can be accessed by either a ramp or sturdy stairs. One of the rooms has an electric retractable stairs.

Every Tree Room has its own living and sleeping areas. Two of the Tree Rooms are accommodate 2 beds and the remaining three rooms will have 4 beds, which are ideal for families. Each Tree Room is equipped with its own state of the art eco-friendly incineration toilet and water efficient hand basin, which means there is no artificial plumbing.

The interior of each Tree Room are uniquely designed by the architect, with its own furniture and lighting to complement the individual theme.

The Treehotel will be open all year round, which means guests will be able to benefit from either of our lovely hot summer or our beautiful winters. To make this possible, each Treehotel have an electric under-floor heating system which is being delivered from an eco-friendly source of electricity.

What Treehotel are offering is a new experience living close to nature in a place of great natural beauty, where joyful childhood memories can be relived with added comfort and sophistication. The next time you are in Sweden; do try this out and share with us your experience.

Uluru Pictures & Video Clips

2011-03-11T13:54:00.001+08:00

Enjoy the video Uluru tour? Isn’t it amazing? In case you’re not familiar with Uluru: Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia.

It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference.

Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have great cultural significance for the Aṉangu Traditional landowners, who led walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area.

Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow.

Kata Tjuta, also called Mount Olga or The Olgas, is another rock formation about 25 km (16 mi) west of Uluru. Special viewing areas with road access and parking have been constructed to give tourists the best views of both sites at dawn and dusk.

Are you interested to visit Uluru?

Admission
Admission to the park costs AU$25 per person, and provides a three day pass. Passes are non-transferable and all passes are checked by park rangers.

Climbing
Climbing Uluru is a popular attraction for visitors. A chain handhold added in 1964 and extended in 1976 makes the hour-long climb easier, but it is still a long (800 m/0.5 mi) and steep hike to the top, where it can be quite windy. It is recommended individuals drink plenty of water whilst climbing, and those who are unfit, suffer from vertigo or medical conditions restricting exercise, do not attempt it. Climbing Uluru is generally closed to the public when high winds are recorded at the top. There have been at least 35 deaths relating to recreational climbing since such incidents began being recorded.

The local Aṉangu do not climb Uluru because of its great spiritual significance. They request that visitors do not climb the rock, partly due to the path crossing a sacred traditional Dreamtime track, and also due to a sense of responsibility for the safety of visitors. The visitors guide says "the climb is not prohibited, but we prefer that, as a guest on Anangu land, you will choose to respect our law and culture by not climbing."

On 11 December 1983, Prime Minister Bob Hawke promised to hand back the land title to the Aṉangu traditional owners and agreed to the community's 10-point plan which included forbidding the climbing of Uluru. However, the government set access to climb Uluru and a 99-year lease, instead of the previously agreed upon 50-year lease, as conditions before the title was officially given back to the Aṉangu.

In 2009, the Australian government indicated that climbing Uluru may no longer be allowed under the proposed "Draft Management Plan 2009-2019". The public has been invited to comment on the plan prior to submission to the Minister for the Environment.

Photography
The Aṉangu also request that visitors do not photograph certain sections of Uluru, for reasons related to traditional Tjukurpa beliefs. These areas are the sites of gender-linked rituals, and are forbidden ground for Aṉangu of the opposite sex of those participating in the rituals in question. The photographic ban is intended to prevent Aṉangu from inadvertently violating this taboo by encountering photographs of the forbidden sites in the outside world.

High Speed Rail in China

2011-02-27T23:04:00.000+08:00

If you travel to China, you will understand sometimes it saves time if you travel by the high speed rail (HSR) in China.

From the map above, the solid red line shows HSR in service, the dotted ones are under-construction, and the blue ones are planned.

41 Useful travel tips for business travelers in Asia by Scott Anthony, the Managing Director of Innosight Ventures

2011-02-11T00:15:00.000+08:00

1. If you need to get a taxi in Singapore, don't bother trying to hail one on the street. Join a queue at a mall or hotel or call or SMS in advance. When it's raining, don't bother trying to get one at all.
2. If there are long lines at immigration in Incheon Airport in South Korea, always go to the right-most line. The lines for the locals clear fast, and they also allow foreigners.
3. Tell the kids you are going to Phi Phi Island near Phuket. Hilarity will ensue. And it's a beautiful place. Ask for Ta and Kung at the Phi Phi Island Resort.
4. If you have the choice between an Asian or Middle Eastern airline and a U.S. or European one, always take the Asian or Middle Eastern one —even if you have to pay more for it.
5. Do whatever you can to get status on Singapore Airlines as quickly as possible. If there is a company that has higher service standards than Singapore Airlines, I'd like to see it.
6. If you happen to give a speech in Asia, expect a gift. This year I received a Cross pen, two flower bouquets, a wheel of cheese (admittedly that was Amsterdam), a fake leather bag, a watch, and a bottle of champagne.
7. If someone says, "Just a minute" in India, that can mean anything from a minute to a lifetime.
8. Skype is your friend.
9. There is some kind of food at every meeting in the Philippines.
10. The least friendly country to enter is the United States.
11. If you ask Filipinos to do a skit as part of an innovation workshop, stand back; there is some real local talent.
12. Beware of pushing random buttons on the side of your toilet in Korea.
13. Singapore is like August in Washington, D.C. every day. If you are planning to move to the country, at least ask whether you need to ship 10 pairs of jeans and a dozen sweaters.
14. Chicken rice rocks!
15. Don't even consider driving your own car in India.
16. China's potential is simply awesome.
17. Asia is a really, really big place. "Popping over" to Korea from Singapore takes seven hours.
18. If you go to Shanghai take the MagLev train. It drops you in the middle of nowhere, but it's quite an experience.
19. The food stalls in Singapore offer a ridiculous price-value combination.
20. The shopping malls in Singapore, on the other hand, do not.
21. With Slingbox, Skype, and MLB.TV, it can feel like you never left home.
22. The Night Safari in Singapore is worth the visit — particularly if you have kids.
23. Avoid eating dinner in your hotel room — even if you don't speak the language, find a restaurant that has pictures on the menu. You get a better window into local culture.
24. There are more Christmas decorations in Singapore then any city I've ever visited (the plane I am currently on has wreathes in the cabin!), which is kind of weird since I don't think the local population attaches any significance to Christmas beyond shopping (though that doesn't make it much different from other countries).
25. The Korea Air Limo buses provide very pleasant, convenient, and affordable transport between the airport and any hotel.
26. The US casts a long shadow, and people will ask your opinion on healthcare reform, the approval ratings of the President, LeBron James, and Apple's latest moves. Your only hope is to read The Economist or a similar publication.
27. If Apple isn't worried about Korean, Chinese, and Taiwanese companies, it should be.
Don't forget about Indonesia. It is the world's second biggest market for Facebook and Blackberries. It's not quite at BRIC level yet, but it's getting pretty close.
28. The way I minimize jet lag — switch to the new time zone as quickly as you can. If you are landing at night try to exhaust yourself so you will go to sleep easily.
29. Drink lots and lots of water.
30. Tipping is not expected in most Asian countries.
31. The Fuse travel adaptor with USB output jack is a wonderful add to any traveler's bag.
32. Many Asian airlines won't allow bags that weigh more than 7 kilograms as carry-on. They don't often weigh them though, so a bag that looks light is usually enough. I use a silver one since it looks lighter than black!
33. Kids learn to use chopsticks surprisingly fast.
34. Unless you are unusually adventurous, it's probably better to not get items on a dim sum menu that you don't recognize.
35. Few things make me happier after 40 hours of travel than going through Changi airport. 36. Time from the plane to a taxi is usually less than 15 minutes.
37. The mooncake festival rocks.
38. "MacGyver" translates to more countries than you would imagine.
39. Asian hotels generally have ridiculously fast WiFi connections. 40.Every building in Singapore has a unique zip code — it's all you need on Google Maps.
41. I've been told really cheap bottled water in India is probably worse than tap water, because chemicals from the plastic eek into the water.

Top 25 Hotels in the World

2011-02-01T13:21:00.000+08:00

You may not get the chance to enjoy all of the best hotels in the world; but, it’s good to know.

1. Golden Well (U Zlate Studne), @ Prague, Czech Republic

2. Anastasis Apartments, @ Imerovigli, Greece
3. Riad Le Calife, @ Fes, Morocco
4. Al Ponte Antico Hotel, @ Venice, Italy
5. La Villa Marbella – Charming Hotel @ Marbella, Spain
6. Hotel Prinsenhof Bruges @ Bruges, Belgium
7. The Tuscany @ Providenciales
8. Los Altos De Eros @ Tamarindo, Costa Rica
9. Cocoa Island Resort @ South Male Atoll
10. Britania Hotel @ Lisbon, Portugal

You can check out the complete list here.

New Hotel at Pontian

2011-01-21T22:46:00.001+08:00

Pontian Garden Hotel is located in the most accessible location just 62 km from Johor Bahru. It is situated at Pusat Perdagangan Pontian Seaside. A land reclaimation area which creates Pontian Business Centre, New Bus Station and longer sealine for Pontian.

Contact:
Tel: +607-686 1001
+6017-717 4919
Fax: +607-686 4397
E-mail: ghp1001@gmail.com
Web: www.pontiangardenhotel.com

HotelsCombined?

2011-01-10T22:41:00.002+08:00

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3. Click to buy direct from hotels or your favorite travel sites

http://www.hotelscombined.com/

Muar

2011-01-04T00:25:00.004+08:00

Muar is the second biggest town and district of the stateof Johor in southern Malaysia. Muar is also known by its other name, Bandar Maharani, which means Empress Town.

By train
The nearest train railway stations are Segamat with Seremban or Kluang. Tranfer by bus or taxi has to be taken to redirect to Muar.

By car
Besides federal roads, Muar is also accessible via the North–South Expressway through the Tangkak and Pagoh interchanges exits which are located 20 km and 30 km from the town, respectively.

If you're driving from Kuala Lumpur on the North South Expressway (NSE), take the Tangkak exit (Interchange 235) and drive on past Sg. Mati and Parit Bunga (on highway 23 and 5). Muar town is about 27km from the Tangkak exit. If you are driving from Johor Bahru, exit at Pagoh and head to the Muar town.

By bus
Direct bus from Singapore to Muar Bus Station

a)Malacca S'pore Express - Lavender Street Tel: 62935915 (10am & 4pm) - Only buses departing at these times come to Muar

b) KKKL Trans Lim Express - Beach Road Tel: 63981216 (10am daily)

c) Delima Express - Kallang Bahru, Lavender Street Tel: 62949306 - SGD 16 per person

From Larkin Bus Terminal to Muar Bus Station There are 3 bus companies that have services to Muar:

Mayang Sari Ekspress - last bus is at 7.15pm

KKKL Ekspress - last bus is at 8.00pm

South Johor The bus ticket cost RM15 per person.

The journey from Larkin Bus Terminal to Muar takes roughly 2 1/2 hours.
From Muar Bus Station to Accommodation You can take a taxi to your chosen accommodation. The taxi fare will cost you only RM10 per taxi.

Visit
Tanjung Emas Park - Tanjung Emas recreational park overlooking Muar River is the place to go. This recreational park has a food court offering local delicacies if you get a little hungry- try the ikan asam pedas (fish cooked with tamarind sauce and chilli paste) for which this town is famous. There's plenty of rest shades if the sun gets too hot and also a children's playground to keep the little ones amused. The park, which is much visited during the weekends, also houses a 9-hole golf course, Tanjung Emas Golf Club. A 45 minute to one hour Muar River Cruise departing from this park is also available to offer tourists views of Muar town from the river. Nearby, Tanjung Ketapang is next to Tanjung Emas facing The Malacca Straits. The mangrove along the coastal line is home to wild monkeys or macaques but harmless and tame to visitors who feeds them.

Laman Maharani Padang Nyiru - The garden at the new park called Padang Nyiru near the Sultan Ismail bridge, named Laman Maharani, includes a modern clock tower with old English achitecture, a mini Roman Colosseum, a neatly manicured lawn, a pavement under leafy trees, a fountain, a dome-shaped pavilion, parking bays and a beautifully-designed seawall. The garden immortalises the old days when the site was a busy trading centre where junks and boats anchored with merchandise and charcoal and ringing with the joy and laughter of the coolies who toiled hard day and night. It is now a green lung for the town folks and visiting tourists to take leisurely walks and enjoy the natural beauty of the Muar River in the town centre.

Gunung Ledang - Located about 30 km from Muar town, Gunung Ledang (formerly Mt Ophir) is well known for the Legend of Gunung Ledang story of the mystique Puteri Gunung Ledang, entwined with its mysterious tales of supernatural encounters among the locals besides its beautiful natural attraction. Standing at 1,267m, Gunung Ledang is Johor's highest mountain and it can be accessed both from Johor (Sagil) and Melaka (Asahan). There are nice camping sites by the side of waterfall at the mountain foot and those who are adventurous can take up the challenges to climb to the peak of the mountain. The journey to the top will take approximately five hours through the dense but scenery virgin jungle. There are 2 options of access to the mountain top and mountain foot lodgings available by 2 different managements namely; Gunung Ledang Resort and Taman Hutan Lagenda-Taman Negara Gunung Ledang.

Pantai Leka, Parit Jawa - A nice sea-side fishing village and the coast is an important stopover and winter feeding ground for 60 bird species of migratory birds including egret, eagle, heron, sandpiper, swift and kingfisher, and efforts is being taken to gazet the area as a bird sanctuary. There are many sea foods, grilled fish and assam pedas stalls and restaurant serving nice delicious foods. GPS coordinates 1.951372N 102.635517E.

Sungai Gersik Hot Spring - Kolam Air Panas Sungai Gersik, the natural wonder of hot springs can be found in the district of Muar, about 10km from Parit Jawa town. The hot spring, with water temperature is estimated at 50 to 70 degree celcius, was discovered over 100 years ago in the peaty area, was believed to have healing power due to its high sulphur content. The hot spring area has chalet, public amenities like toilet, bath room and parking facilities, Muslim prayer room, a children's playground and some shops. The place is opened from 7 am to 7 pm. Admission is free to locals and foreigners. GPS Coordinates: GPS 1.940900N 102.741300E.

Nasuha Spices & Herbs Farm - Ladang Rempah Ratus Nasuha farm is located at the 19 Km of Jalan Muar Pagoh, Muar covers an area of over 3200 acres, known to be the largest Herbs and Spices farm in Asia, producing 6 to 10 metric tonnes of raw herbs and spices each day. The farm is planted with 135 types of herbs collected from all over the world. There is a museum, restaurant, a herbal SPA, a resort and a processing plant inside the farm. Group tour can be arranged to visit the farm for bird watching, hiking activities, stress management and motivational course is also offerred to public members.

Dusun Damai - An scenery fruits orchard homestead resort on a scenic hill in Pagoh, Muar located midway PLUS highway between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. Just 15 minutes easy access from Pagoh toll plaza.

Shopping
Otak-otak, frozen-packed-uncooked or attap-leaf-wrapped-grilled.
= Food stalls and hawkers at Jalan Haji Abu Hawker Centre or Jalan Bentayan Hawker Centre.
= A Class Otak-otak Products Shop.

There also Pasar Malam and Pasar Tani selling variety of local products.
The shopping centres and supermarkets or hypermarkets in Muar are Wetex Parade, The Store, Giant, Econsave, Astaka Shopping Centre, Lagenda Complex, K-Mall, Fresco, One-Stop, Arked Mara and Hentian Maharani.

There are two wet markets in Muar town:
Pasar Awam Bandar Maharani (Tua Pa Sat) (Below Astaka Shopping Centre), Jalan Maharani, Muar.
One Central Market (Sin Pa Sat) (formerly Hock Hai Market), Jalan Ali/Arab/Haji Abu, Muar

Accomadation

These are mostly old hotels providing budget and cheap rooms, normally around RM30. Room condition is not so clean, but located in the middle of the town.
Hotel Leewa : 75, 1st Floor,Jalan Arab. Tel : +606 9515995
Kingdom Hotel : 158, Jalan Meriam. Tel :06-9521921
Embassy Hotel : 171, Jalan Abdullah. Tel :06-9521886
Nam Yang Hotel : 41, Jalan Maharani. Tel :+606 922558.
Wah Hin Chan Hotel : 120 Jln Meriam. Tel :+606 9512043

There are also some homestays providing interesting stay and holiday programe located at the out-skirt villages of the town.
Homestay Kg. Sarang Buaya, Tel. 012-754 0597, 06-988 1378, 019-747 3442, 07-416 2396.
Homestay Kg. Melayu Bt. 28 Lenga, Tel. 06-952 3093, 06-971 1150, 013-680 2265.
Homestay Kg. Parit Bugis, Tel. 013-774 4244, 07-416 3837, 019-273 3703, Email: parit_bugis@yahoo.com.

Map

www.tourmalaysia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/muar-city-map2.gif

Food Trip Blog

http://chrisy-mania.blogspot.com/2010/12/muar-food-trip.html

http://only-nicole.blogspot.com/2010/11/food-trip-muar.html

http://sayangmelaka.blogspot.com/2010/12/travel-muar.html

http://famouschris.com/3d2n-muar-day-3-my-budget-inn-otak-otak-daily-happy/

http://double-lithium.blogspot.com/2010/09/makan-makan-in-muar.html

Ho Chi Minh City or Saigon - Southern Vietnam

2010-12-27T23:53:00.002+08:00

Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh), commonly known as Saigon (Vietnamese: Sài Gòn) or by the abbreviations HCMC or HCM, is the largest city in Vietnam and the former capital of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam).

By bus from the airport
The recently introduced No. 152 air-conditioned airport bus is the cheapest way to the city from the airport. For 3,000 dong per person plus a fee for bags which varies randomly, it will drop you off on the west side of the Pham Ngu Lao area, or at the bus terminal on the south side of the Ben Thanh Market roundabout. Upon exiting the airport, turn right and you will see the bus waiting there. If not, walk down to the domestic terminal - about a 5 minute walk. In front of the domestic terminal across a small road, you will see the bus waiting there. There is no signage indicating where the bus stop is. If you ask any of the taxi wardens (in uniforms) they will point out the spot to stand and wait. Note: Ignore taxi drivers that may tell you there are no more airport buses. However, the bus is only available until 6pm. The fee for bags range from an additional 3,000 dong for a smaller bag to 14,000 for two large bags. Try to have exact change or you will be given coins in return which is legitimate currency but many places will not accept.

Getting around By bus
Bright green public buses serve 150 routes throughout the city. You can find maps of the bus system across the street from Ben Thanh Market - just go into the waiting room to the desk in the middle. Cheap, safe and not too crowded either but only if you can find the right line. If you cannot find your way, ask the locals nicely, they will try their best to help. A piece of paper and marker pen may help to ease the conversation. Cheaper 2,000-4,000 dong and safer than many of the alternatives, the biggest problem is that when you get off the bus, you become a pedestrian. Bus takes you to the famous places in Ho Chi Minh City with the price from 15,000 dong to 75,000 dong, including the tour guide and the information in English.

or On foot
Traffic is made up of a staggering number of motorbikes and, since import duty was reduced upon Vietnam's joining of the WTO, an increasing number of private cars. However crossing the road in Saigon can be a nightmare. The first time may be a little scary, after that you will get used to it quite quickly. A quicker way of getting across is to simply follow the lead of a local crossing the street.

However the true trick to crossing the road is to stay aware, and walk slowly and confidently. The motorbike riders are actually exceptionally good and will simply move to avoid you - just don't make any sudden lurches forwards, backwards, or stop for that matter! Just look for a gap or seam in the traffic, and begin a slow but steady movement. If you hear a beep coming your way it's likely a motorbike rider is about to enter your personal space. Be a alert and prepared to stop putting your foot forward until he passes.

Adherence to traffic signals in Saigon is vastly improving, and while they're not always followed, riders/drivers tend to use "best judgment". Just remember though that vehicles can always turn right at any time (regardless of lights). Motorbikes often drive in the wrong direction (albeit quite safely and slowly) in unexpected places also. Crossing roads is therefore a challenge for Westerners used to traffic laws and traffic lights.

The streets, sidewalks, and outdoor markets are covered by motorbikes, and not yet geared towards pedestrian traffic (although sidewalk clearing campaigns are now underway- many areas of the center are easy to negotiate as long as you keep your wits about you for speeding motorbikes). However walking along the edge of the road is easy enough. Any motorbikes behind you will generally beep at you to let you know they're there.

Shopping
For shopping, its Ben Thanh Market and Night Market, which is just outside of Ben Thanh Market (starts in the evening 6pm). Saigon Square will be good place for visit. It is a twin of Ben Thanh but with air-con. Haggling your way through this place is the rule of thumb. Local middle-class Vietnamese shop here on the weekends too. Consider planning your shopping here during the day and go to Ben Thanh for the night market. The Day Ben Thanh can be planned as a sight seeing instead of a shopping spree. It is a stones throw from Ben Thanh Market.

Co-op Mart Supermarkets, frequented by throngs of the Saigon middle-class and backpackers alike, can be found everywhere around HCMC. In District 1 they can be found at the corner of Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Nguyen Dinh Chieu, about 1km from the center OR in Cong Quynh, walking distance away from the end of Backpacker street Pham Ngu Lao. Prices are reasonably lower, though the selection leans more toward Vietnamese culinary requirements.

Electronics Just a warning for others, whilst some of the country's cheapest electronics can be found on and around Huynh Thuc Khang, be aware most shops are selling counterfeit items. Things such as dodgy iPods are easy to spot when compared to the genuine thing, but items such as camera batteries are much more difficult. If you are thinking about buying some extra memory for your digital camera, be warned that most of the memory will be fake. Fake Sandisk II Ultra cards are ubiquitous and extremely difficult to tell apart from real ones. These cards are apparently of low quality and one has to ask if it is worth risking your holiday snaps. Fake batteries have the potential to explode, too, so be careful. That said, you can pick up some bargains if you know what you're looking for. Just exercise caution; if it is too good to be true it probably is.

Accomodation
The main backpacker hangout is Pham Ngu Lao in District 1, just a short walk (10-15 minutes) from Ben Thanh Market. The lanes and alleys in the area between Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien are jammed with 5-10 room mini-hotels offering prices around US$12 per room (fan room with hot shower and cable TV). There is no difference in price between single or double occupancy so if you are traveling alone you might want to try finding a dorm bed for around $7 (but there are not many of them around.) Keep heading southwest away from the backpacker hustle closer Ng Thai Hoc, you'll likely find that as the alleys get smaller the rooms get quieter and owners more friendly. The area swarms with touts and other nuisances.

If you can find one of the ladies dressed in a blue uniform, stating something about tourist rooms - half the battle is won. These ladies will find you a room in the Pham Ngu Lao / De Tham area in a matter of minutes, eliminating much of the standard "do you have a room" hassle.

Scams
Be aware that scam artists, reminiscent of Nigerian email scams, are operating in the streets of Ho Chi Minh. A person will strike up a friendly conversation claiming they've either seen you at the airport or some other tourist place where they work. Usually they'll be with other family members who will join the conversation very naturally and once they find out where you're from they'll mention that another family member is moving to a city in your country. You'll be invited over for food at their house to help console a worried grandmother or to give advise to their family member. Once you arrive at the house however the family member is not there, or the grandmother has suddenly fallen ill and had to go to the hospital. You'll be presented with various business opportunities, legal or not, or ask for financial support for the suddenly sick grandmother.

Visit
Dalat - popular temperate mountain side 'European' escape. From Ho Chi Minh City, the bus ride is about 120.000 VND/ticket, ~7hrs(9 hours if there is bad traffic leaving Saigon)/trip (~5-6 hrs at night).

Vung Tau - city with good beaches, about 2 hours away by bus, or less by boat along the Saigon River. The boat ride costs VND180,000.

Batam

2010-12-14T23:56:00.003+08:00

Batam is a small yet charming Indonesian island, strategically located close to the Malacca Strait and Singapore. Only 45 minutes by ferry from Singapore’s Harbor-front, Batam acts as a gateway to 3,000 islands in the Riau Archipelago of Sumatra. The island is one of the most frequented tourist destinations, welcoming over one million visitors each year and is second only to Bali in popularity.

Originally, Batam was a forgotten island with coastal villages and unspoiled nature. The recent declaration of a free-trade zone has transformed it into one of the liveliest places in the Riau Archipelago. Batam city was originally intended to become one of the largest ports in Southeast Asia. Today, it is a hub for several Singaporean companies who have established factories on the island specializing in electronics and ship repairs, as well as large oil service sectors.

With several luxurious hotel and resorts, fine golf courses, and places of interest, many Singaporeans wishing to get away from the hustle and bustle come and visit this small island on weekends. Being a special economic zone in Indonesia, many people come to Batam to shop for tax-free products such as cigarettes, alcoholic drinks, perfumes, chocolate, and handicrafts from all over the Indonesian archipelago.

Attractions

Being one of the most popular travel destinations in Indonesia, Batam Island features spectacular beaches. Many sports clubs and resorts lining the Nongsa coast and Waterfront City offer exciting sea sports and outdoor activities for everyone.

Not to be missed are the Barelang Bridges, six sophisticated full swing bridges that connect the three islands (Batam-Rempang-Galang) together. There are also several religious sites and small museums in the city centre. If you have some extra time, hop on a speedboat and visit Batam’s sibling islands for a change of pace and air.

Temple of Da Bo Gong (大伯公廟) is located between Nagoya Hill and BCS. You can see a lot of sculptures of gods and goddesses.

Wihara Budhi Bhakti - Located at Jl Pembangunan Windsor.

Baitussyakur Mosque - Located at Jl Imam Bonjol, near to Hotel Harmoni.

Ocarina is the newly developed theme park. They have a beach, mini themepark, and a new water park. You can also see Shio sculptures along the way. It is about 15 minutes from Batam Centre harbour. .

Shopping

Nagoya, also known as Lubuk Baja, is the main town of Batam, Indonesia. Taxi to Sekupang costs Rp 12.000 per person if you are sharing, Rp 40.000 if chartered. Going to Harbourbay ferry terminal is about Rp 15.000 (8 mins)

Nagoya Hill is the biggest mall in Batam located centrally in Nagoya and is home to the Matahari department store. You can catch a movie at the Studio 21 cineplex here for Rp 25.000. It is full of specialty shops, ranging from clothes and shoes, sports goods & apparel, traditional Indonesian handicrafts, furniture and Batik, electronic items and household white-goods, plus there are a few furniture shops on the 3rd floor. There is a large supermarket on the 1st floor selling just about everything, and it is reasonably priced.

Batam City Square (BCS) is one of the more crowded malls in Batam. You can catch a movie there for Rp.20.000,-. The mall also has karaoke, lounge, Timezone arcade, bowling and slot machines. BCS is a large shopping center in Nagoya. It has several boutique specialty shops, selling brand name clothes for men & women, handbags and fashion accessories, brand name shoes of all kinds, for men & women, as well as plenty of jewelry stores, offering watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, etc. There are also furniture shops that sell household furniture, such as dinning room settings, sofas, lounge suites and bedroom suites. Individual furniture pieces can also be purchased. Restaurants and snack food outlets are available in the shopping center.

Diamond City Mall, or more commonly known as DC Mall, is in Nagoya. It is a medium sized mall with quite a few shops. Clothes, fashion accessories, shoes and jewelry shops are available, as well as a shop selling traditional Indonesian clothing (Batik). There is a computer shop selling both new and second hand computers. A beauty shop and art shop (with resident artist) are also in the mall. The mall also has a supermarket.

Center Point Mall is in the middle of Nagoya, and is a 3 storey shopping mall. Boutique specialty shops are available, selling branded clothes for men & women. There are shops offering handbags and fashion accessories, and plenty of shoe shops, as well as jewelry stores, offering watches, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, etc.

Robinson Mall located in Jodoh, Nagoya, it has several boutique shops offering clothes for men & women, handbags and fashion accessories, shoe shops, as well as jewelry stores.

Top 100 has two shopping centers, one in Jodoh and the other in Penuin. Top 100 in Jodoh sells electronic goods as well as having clothing, shoes, fashion accessory and jewelry shops. Top 100 in Penuin has more boutique specialty shops, but does not sell electronics. They both have supermarkets.

Batam has a Polo shop, selling a large range of Polo clothing, such as shirts, shorts, sporting apparel. The shop is located in central Nagoya, just behind the Pizza Hut restaurant. To locate it just ask the taxi driver to go to Pizza Hut Nagoya and to the Polo shop next door. Polo clothing is also available at Batam Center Ferry Terminal, Mega Mall, Nagoya Hill shopping center, the lobby in the Harmoni Hotel and at Batam View Beach Resort, but the Polo Shop is the best location for genuine Polo clothing.

All Nagoya Shopping Centers are approximately the following distance from these locations:
30 mins from Hang Nadim Airport
10 mins from Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal, Batu Ampar
20 mins from Batam Center Ferry Terminal, Batam Center
30 mins from Sekupang Ferry Terminal, Sekupang
35 mins from Waterfront City Ferry Terminal, Waterfront City
40 mins from Nongsapura Ferry Terminal, Nongsa

Batam Center Area

Batam Center is on the north side of Batam, and is easily accessed from other parts of Batam or from Singapore, as ferries from the Harborfront Center Ferry Terminal travel direct to the Batam Center Ferry Terminal , so it’s a convenient place to do your Batam shopping Batam Center’s largest shopping mall is connected to the ferry terminal by a walk bridge that crosses the road, so it is ideal for “day trippers” that have come to Batam just for the day to do some shopping The other nearby shopping centers can be easily reached by Batam taxis, which are available at the ferry terminal and on the roads around Batam Center. There is also numerous “mini vans” or angkot as they are locally called, that offer a cheap alternative to taxis

All Batam Center Shopping Centers are approximately the following distance from these locations:
20 mins from Hang Nadim Airport
20 mins from Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal, Batu Ampar
5 mins from Batam Center Ferry Terminal, Batam Center
30 mins from Sekupang Ferry Terminal, Sekupang
35 mins from Waterfront City Ferry Terminal, Waterfront City
30 mins from Nongsapura Ferry Terminal, Nongsa

Mega Mall

Mega Mall is a large shopping mall opposite the Batam Center Ferry Terminal, so you can walk across the connecting foot bridge and start your shopping experience!

The mall covers 5 floors so it is packed with specialty shops, fashion and clothes shops, electronic goods and furniture stores. Branded names can be bought from most of the stores at good prices, and discounted sales are held regularly throughout the year, especially during the Ramadan month and Christmas & Chinese New Year periods.

The ground floor is home to Hypermart, which is a large supermarket and sells lots of items, and has a good bakery that makes fresh bread, pastry and cakes daily

Plenty of restaurants and snack food outlets are scattered throughout the mall, offering Indonesian, Asian and Western foods and are open whenever the mall is open

Located in the 2nd floor is XXI Cineplex Movie Theatre, which has 6 screening rooms and shows the latest movies

Next to the mall there is a multi-storey car park with elevator access to all the floors within the mall, as well as a large outdoor car park. There are security posts at each of the malls entrances and taxi stands are located near all the main doors. This is another good place to do your Batam shopping.

Panbil Mall is approx 15 mins from Batam Center, over near Muka Kuning Industrial Estate. The Mall has a department store and supermarket, clothing shops and electronic goods, as well as restaurants.The Panbil Food Court is on the second floor and serves local & Asian dishes. There is also a 24 hour medical center located within the Panbil commercial area, next to the Mall.

Nearby Island

Rempang Island - rural island dotted with coastal villages on stilts
Galang Island - location of former Vietnamese refugee camp

Map

Tokyo, Japan

2010-11-19T15:25:00.007+08:00

Free Stuff:
Free observation in Tokyo:
1. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building ObservatoriesPhoto (c) Shizuko MishimaThere are observatories in both buildings: the North Tower and the South Tower. You may be able to see Mt. Fuji if it's a fine day. Souvenir shops sell various items.2. St. Luke's Garden Observatory - Seiroka GardenThe free observatory is located in the 47th floor of the Seiroka Tower. Enjoy the view of Sumida River.3. Harumi Passenger Boat Terminal ObservatoryAddress: 5-7-1 Harumi Chuo-ku, TokyoAccess: Tokyo Toei Bus to Harumi-futou StopOpen: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays/ 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. (- 8 p.m. from April to Oct.) on weekends and holidays4. Shinjuku NS Building ObservatoryThe free observatory is located in the 30th floor. Enjoy the view of Shibuya area.5. Haneda Airport - Big BirdFree observatories are located in first terminal and the second terminal buildings.6. Bunkyo Civic Center ObservatoryThe free observatory is located in the 25th floor. There are also restaurants and cafes.7. Caretta Shiodome - Dentsu BuildingThe free observatories are located in the 46th and 47th floors of the Dentsu Building. Enjoy the view of the Sumida River and the Hamarikyu Garden.8. Carrot Tower ObservatoryThe free observatory is located in the 26th floor of Carrot Tower, Setagaya-ku. Enjoy the view of the Bay Bridge.9. Ebisu Garden Place The free observatories are located in the 38th and 39th floors of the Ebisu Garden Place Tower. You can enjoy the view of the Tokyo Tower.10. Tokyo Marunouchi Building - Maru-biruThe lobby located in the 35th floor of the building is a good place to see the city view. There are luxury restaurants located in the 35th and 36th floors.

Free Guides: www.tokyofreeguide.com

Free Events (ART): http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/list/event_free
Shopping:

Japan for free : http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/rtg/pdf/pg-813.pdf

15 things to do for free in Tokyo by hostel world : http://www.hostelworld.com/travel-features/163/15-things-to-do-for-free-in-tokyo

Free Bus Routes in Tokyo :http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/06/free-bus-routes-in-tokyo/

Itinerary Suggestions(1day for free) : http://tcvb.or.jp/en/arearoute/themeroute/free.html

http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~etc.e/index.html

Free Walking Tours : http://5.pro.tok2.com/~tcgc/english/

Free Guide on art museums and galleries : http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~etc.e/index.html

100 Yen Stores:

100 yen shops (Japanese: hyaku en shop) sell a wide range of products for 105 yen per item (100 yen plus 5 percent consumption tax). This corresponds to roughly one US dollar per item, making the shops a great source for travelers and residents on a budget.

There are thousands of 100 yen shops across Japan, ranging in size from multi-storey "department stores" to small corners in shopping malls. Market leader Daiso operates over two thousand stores nationwide and pursues an aggressive expansion policy.

One of the largest 100 yen shops in central Tokyo is Daiso Harajuku in Takeshita Dori, just a few steps from Harajuku Station, while Japan's largest 100 yen shop, Daiso Giga Machida, spans 5 floors in front of Machida Station (30 minutes, 360 yen from Shinjuku by Odakyu Railways).
Large stores in other cities include: Daiso Sapporo Chuo (South 2 West 2, Odori Station), Daiso Nagoya Sakae Skyle (Sakae Station), Daiso Osaka Nihonbashi (Nihonbashi Station), Daiso Kobe Promena (Promena Kobe, Kobe Station) and Daiso Fukuoka Kotsu Center (Fukuoka Kotsu Center, Hakata Station).

By purchasing products in huge quantities and at big discounts from countries with low production and labor costs, 100 yen shops are able to offer an amazing range of products at a price that is often below the product's actual value.

Tokyo: Flea (Free) Markets : http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g298184-c103776/Tokyo:Japan:Flea.Free.Markets.html
Accomodation:
Some Capsule Hotel don't allow female!
http://www.sakura-hotel-ikebukuro.com/
www.odakyu-travel.co.jp/english

Cheap accomodation:

Tokyo Japan Cheap Hotels-
Hotel Century Southern Tower-An outstanding lobby with Contemporary design and striking views of the city. Located between Yoyogi station and Shinjuku station, walking distance from the excellent department stores Tokyu Hands and Takashimaya.

Sunroute Plaza Shinjuku Hotel Tokyo- Location is perfect - right between Yoyogi station and Shinjuku station, walking distance from all Shinjuku Attractions, Nightlife and excellent department stores. The lobby and rooms are beautifully renovated, so don't be fooled by the bland exterior.

I know some of you are looking for the Shinjuku Washington Hotel, because of the cheap rates and central location. But I want to be careful about this, because I've heard some mixed opinions lately from a few friends who stayed there. So you'll have to decide for yourself if this is really a good deal.

The B Akasaka Hotel Tokyo- located in Akasaka, a very central location bordering Ginza’s northwest side. Convenient 10 min walk from Roppongi, Tokyo Tower and the Imperial Palace.
Prince Hotel Shinjuku Tokyo- in the heart of Shinjuku.

Tokyo Green Palace Hotel- Situated in Akakasa, a quiet neighborhood between Shinjuku and Roppongi.

Shibuya Tokyu Inn Tokyo- Right smack in the middle of the Coolest area in Tokyo-Shibuya, with it's huge neon signs and futuristic ambiance.

Rose Garden Shinjuku Hotel Tokyo- conveniently located in the heart of Shinjuku, with easy access through Shinjuku station to any part of Tokyo.

Hotel Listel Shinjuku Tokyo- Lively and bustling Shinjuku offers excellent transportation options, easy access to Department stores, electrical appliance megastores and huge book stores.
Hotel Villa Fontaine Shinjuku Tokyo
City Hotel Nuts Tokyo
The B Roppongi Hotel Tokyo
Sunroute Takadanobaba Hotel Tokyo- Conveniently located in Ikebukuro, not far from Shinjuku. Attractions nearby the hotel include Meiji Jingu Shrine, Yoyogi park famous for cosplay, and Omotesando fashion Avenue.

Transport:

Tokyo Great Cycling Tour (TGCT) is one day cycling tour visiting major sightseeing spots in Tokyo. Even if you have been there before, you will experience something different when riding a bike.Our tour is more for general tourists, not for serious cyclists. If you can ride a bike, why don't you try TGCT to discover another side of Tokyo? We trust that your days in Tokyo will prove to be both enjoyable and valuable!

Interactive Tokyo Map : http://www.tokyomap.com/

Guide service : http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/tourists/guideservice/guideservice/index.html#3

Subway of Tokyo

Discount Coupons to be printed:

http://www.sunnypages.jp/

Mt Fuji : http://www.mtfuji-welcomecard.jp/english/card/index.html

Grutt Pass : http://www.museum.or.jp/grutto/english.html

Links:

Itinerary Suggestions(3day) : http://tcvb.or.jp/en/arearoute/modelroute/3day.html

http://www.japanican.com/
http://www.japan-guide.com/
http://www.tokyometro.jp/en/index.html
http://www.kangetsu.com/

Airphil Express and Berjaya Air flying to Singapore; you can “fly” to Tioman soon!

2010-10-26T16:48:00.006+08:00

Philippines’ Airphil Express and Malaysia’s Berjaya Air are the sixth and seventh new airlines at Changi airport this year.

Singapore is Airphil’s first international destination. Starting 27 October 2010, Airphil will operate 14 weekly flights between Singapore and Manila from Changi’s Terminal 2. From 1 December 2010, it will mount 14 weekly flights between Singapore and Cebu. Airphil will join five other carriers currently flying to the Philippines.

From 1 November 2010, Berjaya will operate scheduled flights at the Budget Terminal1. The services will start with ten flights a week to Tioman in Malaysia, operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. From March 2011 after the monsoon season, the Malaysian carrier will increase frequencies to 28 weekly flights, 14 each to the resort islands of Tioman and Redang. Both islands are new links for Changi.

The details of the new flights are as follows:

Subway Maps around the world.......

2010-10-07T22:01:00.003+08:00

Thanks fairy for her contribution!

Myanmar Airways to launch daily flights between Bangkok and Singapore

2010-10-06T15:35:00.003+08:00

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) will launch daily flights between Bangkok and Singapore from the end of this month, sources with the airline said on Saturday.

Myanmar’s original and only national airline was called Union of Burma Airways and began operations in the 1950s when the country was still known as Burma. In the early 1970s it was renamed Burma Airways Corporation and continued services under this name until 1988, when Burma was officially renamed Myanmar and the airline was renamed Myanma Airways.

Myanmar Airways International (MAI) took off in August 1993, created by a joint venture between Myanma Airways and Singapore interests with the support of Royal Brunei Airlines.

With a new Singapore management team (many ex-Singapore Airlines staff), new Boeing aircraft with all expatriate cockpit crew, better-trained flight attendants and new UK Civil Aviation Authority operating standards, this was the beginning of a successful new era for our national airline. Meanwhile, Myanma Airways (UB) continued operations as a purely domestic carrier for the local population.

MAI became the international airline of Myanmar with regular flights between Yangon (the commercial capital of Myanmar) Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kunming, Dacca and Jakarta. MAI continued to develop regionally.

MAI’s potential continued to attract investors and in February 2007, a new joint venture was formed in which Myanma Airways retained 51% and Region Air (HK) Ltd., took 49% stake.

Hainan Airlines: from Singapore to Hefei and Dalian

2010-08-16T09:31:00.003+08:00

As the 6th Chinese airline in Singapore, Hainan Airlines will operate four weekly flights on a B737-800 aircraft connecting Singapore to Hefei and onwards to Dalian.

Hefei will be a new city link by Hainan Airlines for Changi Airport and brings to four the number of new city links to China established this year, following Jinan, Shantou and Qingdao.

Hefei is the capital of Anhui province. The political, economic and cultural centre of Anhui province, the city of Hefei is located in mid-east China, some 400 km west of Shanghai.
Native Chinese workers and students in students may find it good as now there are more choices flying home with Hainan Airline.
Hainan Airlines

Take Part in the Taxi Ride of A Lifetime in Western Australia

2010-02-28T09:17:00.001+08:00

Western Australia is looking for a passenger to embark on an extraordinary taxi ride on a record-breaking journey of a lifetime in Western Australia!

They’re looking for you to spend 4 to 8 days on one of the legs of this truly epic journey WORTH up to S$20,000/RM45,000! For playing your part, you will achieve fame, fun, and maybe – a fan club without paying a cent!

You and your companion will be personally driven by Western Australia’s most talented taxi driver around Western Australia, travelling through some extraordinary places, taking in some of the most extraordinary sights and experiences on earth!
You’ll be able to tell a good story, share a joke, and not be shy about playing up for the camera as you could end up on TV.
If you think you have what it takes to be part of this historic journey, nominate yourself for this extraordinary taxi ride NOW!
Register at bethepassenger.com (http://www.bethepassenger.com/register.php) Closing date is Friday, 5th of March 2010, so hurry!

Beware this money trap in JB: 'No entry' signs covered with posters

2010-02-10T19:30:00.002+08:00

There was no way he could have known this Johor street was inaccessible when all the signs were covered by stickers and posters. Yet no matter how he pleaded, STOMPer Short sighted was still fined. This is unfair especially to visitors who are unfamiliar with Malaysian roads, says the sender, who also adds that the signboards were hardly visible to motorists. STOMPer Short sighted says in an email:"These pictures were taken at the town of Skudai in Johor. As it was lunch time I decided to stop for my lunch and take a rest in a coffee shop. "I drove into a car park near the row of shops and suddenly a cop approached me to tell me that I had violated the traffic rule as there is a No Entry signboard. "He then issued me a fine of RM20.00. "I looked again and found that the signboards were covered by commercial posters. The 'NO ENTRY' signboard was hardly visible and so was the BERHENTI (STOP) sign."I pleaded with the cop but he was deaf to all my pleas. "According to a recent press report, Singapore drivers owe the Malaysian government RM 128 million because 430 000 unpaid summons have not been settled yet."

Vietnamese hawker demand $25 for popiah

2010-02-10T19:12:00.002+08:00

One have been threatened by two men after refusing to pay $5 a spring roll at this store in Hanoi. According to locals there, the going rate for such fare is only 30 cents a piece.The STOMPer relates:"To all travellers planning a trip to Hanoi: Please remember not to patronize this stall just opposite the water puppet performance theatre. "We bought five spring rolls (popiah) and some local salad from the female shop owner and her 10-year-old girl. We got to know from locals that spring rolls only cost S$0.30 each, but the little girl wanted us to pay $5 for each one. These spring rolls are made of just vegetables."When we refused to pay, two guys walked towards us and tried to threaten us. Policemen were walking to and fro along the street but they ignored the dispute. "We later got to know from residents and our tour guide that the police will not help tourists because shop owners will give those policemen bribes in 'ang baos'. "That is absurd!"

Bus Online!

2009-12-24T14:59:00.001+08:00

BusOnlineTicket ensure convenience by providing express bus online ticket online booking. BusOnlineTicket.com has different coach Singapore and Malaysia bus companies such as Hasry Express, StarMart Express Air Asia Liner Pte Ltd, Superior Coach, Mahligai (Golden Diamond) Express, Meridian Holidays Express, Golden Coach Express and Alisan Golden Coach. We guarantee time savings and cost savings! Daily departure of bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (KL), bus Singapore to Genting Highlands, express bus service Singapore Malacca, Ipoh, Batu Pahat, Muar, Lumut, Penang, Hatyai and many more. Now we also offering daily departure from KL to various cities in Malaysia including Johor Bahru (Larkin, Johor Jaya), Pasir Gudang, Ipoh, Taiping, Penang, Alor Setah, Bukit Kayu Hitam and even Hatyai!

Useful sites for Malaysia / Singapore Tourist
EBAA - Singapore Express bus agencies association website
JourneyMalaysia.com - Malaysia express bus schedule, route and price (feature konsortium, transnational, first coach, starmart, maraliner, five stars, grassland, delima, aeroline, plusliner, Sri Maju, Sutera, Kesatuan, Sani Ekspress, and many other buses information).
NakedSingapore.com - Singapore tourist and travel guide.
BusOnlineTicket Blog - Latest update and information of our coaches, routes and services!
JomNaikBas.com - A very good blog which always update information on singapore malaysia express bus.

Coach From Singapore

2009-12-24T14:51:00.001+08:00

Easibook.com provides long distance express bus tickets online. Their fleet plies within Malaysia and between Malaysia and Singapore. They have daily departure to hundreds of destinations in Malaysia and Singapore. They proudly announce that they are the first integrated portal that sells express bus / coach tickets online in South East Asia since 2005. Their coaches contribute to the most important form of land transportation within or between Singapore and Malaysia. To avoid all the hassle, time and money spent for travelling down to buy tickets, book bus e-tickets online here at www.easibook.com. Our most famous fleets are buses from Singapore to and fro Malacca, Seremban, Kuala Lumpur (KL), Klang, Shah Alam, Perak (Ipoh), Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, Penang, Kedah, Kuantan, Mersing (to Tioman Island), Syahbandar Jetty (to Terengganu's Redang Island), and Thailand's Hatyai.

Coach chartering is available, please email the details as stated below:

To charter the entire coach, just email the required details below to enquiry@easibook.com:
1.Number of People
2.Departure location (we will go and fetch you up) and destination
3.Departure date & time and returning date & time (for round trip)
4.Name and Contact Number

They will call you to confirm your purchase.
They will guide you how to make payment and all the necessary arrangement.
You can Wait for the wonderful trip to come.

Cheap Budget Hotel in CHINA

2009-12-17T12:39:00.006+08:00

http://www.7daysinn.cn/inn_search.html

Booking is in chinese...

For adventure in Shenzhen

Near 世界之窗
7天深圳世界之窗店 http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=19

Near 老街

7天深圳地王店http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=12

7天深圳东门店http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=7
7天深圳东门步行街店http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=204

7天深圳万象城店 http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=191

7天深圳东门步行街二店http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=311

Near 罗湖口岸 to Hong Kong

7天深圳万象城店http://www.7daysinn.cn/innpage.php?id=191

Which one is the best???

More flights to Jakarta / Semarang From SINGAPORE

2009-12-01T12:46:00.002+08:00

Indonesian airline Batavia Air commences operations from Changi starting 25 Nov 2009.

SINGAPORE - JAKARTA-bound passengers will have an additional airline to add to their list of options starting 25 Nov 2009.

Batavia Air will commence operations from Changi, offering two daily flights to the Indonesian capital, the Changi Airport Group said in a news release.

The carrier joins 11 other carriers already plying the route, making it a total of 450 weekly scheduled flights between Singapore and Jakarta.

Additionally, Batavia Air will be the first to fly from Singapore to Semarang, the capital of Central Java, with two flights a day.

Book your flight at http://www.batavia-air.co.id/English/index.php

Express Bus Guide to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand

2009-11-20T12:22:00.000+08:00

Express Bus
Luxurious express bus services are popular with people travelling between Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Each year, tens of thousand of travellers head north from Singapore, to places in Malaysia like Kuala Lumpur(KL), Melaka, Penang and beyond in express buses and luxurious coaches. Express bus companies are sprucing up their coaches to rival air travel and provide "first-class" service.

Taking an express bus to Malaysia is getting more popular and travellers are taking to this option for the convenience and cost saving.

One of the reasons people are turning to bus travel rather than air travel is the convenience and the luxury these express bus services are offering to travellers at competitive fare.
Fast and Comfortable Travel at Affordable Fares

For example, the fare for a one-way trip from Singapore to KL in Malaysia ranges from SG$23.00 to SG$56.00 (approx. US$14 to US$33) depending on the class of comfort and the number of intermediate stops. Generally, it will take between 4.5 to 7 hours.

There are various classes of express bus travel:
Economy
Executive
VIP and Super VIP
Standard Bus Fares

The standard express bus has a capacity of up to 40 passengers on Economy class and the fare starts from about SG$20 one-way. As for Executive or VIP, the number of seats are reduced to 25 and even lesser seats on the Super VIP coach to give passenger more leg room and elbow space. When meals are provided and served onboard, there would be lesser intermediate stops and the travel time is usually shorter. As a rule of thumb, the higher the class and price, the shorter the travel time.

Luxury Coach & Express Bus Fares
For example, for SG$56(approx. US$33) one-way trip from Singapore to KL, you will see not more than 16 seats on the luxurious Super VIP coach. The spacious leather seat can be reclined back 75 degrees and has a built-in massager to relax your body during the bus journey. The LCD panel in front of each seat provides movies, music videos and video games entertainment - the level of comfort and service the rival even first class air travel.

For small group or family travel to Kuala Lumpur, NiCE is a double decker bus that has a lounge equipped with restroom, mini-pantry (sink, mini-fridge, microwave), and Karaoke video system installed on the lower deck for you to chat, eat, drink and watch video movie with your friends and family. There is even unlimited serving of hot beverages throughout the 5-hour journey.

Why Take the Bus and Not Go by Air?
Although the bus journey takes about 5 hours as compared with 1 hour by air, the actual travel time to Kuala Lumpur may not differ too much when you consider the pre travel check-in time, immigration procedure and the 45-minute taxi travel from the KLIA into the city.
"The flight time to KL may take just 45 minutes. But if you include the check-in at Changi and the travelling time from KLIA to the city, it comes to about 5 hours, which is the same time it takes to get to KL by bus."

One big advantage of travelling by express bus for the frequent travellers, is the continuous use of the mobile phone throughout the bus journey. Especially, when you need to be in constant contact with your office or family.

But the greatest convenience to travellers on express bus is the availability of frequent departures. In Singapore there are more than 10 VIP express bus companies plying the various routes to Malaysia and Thailand, you can select the most convenient time to fit into your travel schedule.

Cherating, Pahang

2009-11-13T14:07:00.003+08:00

Cherating is a famous beach town in Pahang, Malaysia. Cherating, located about 47 km north of Kuantan, is famed as the location of Asia’s first Club Mediterranee ("Club Med"). Located in the Club Med village is also one of the best lagoons in the area, where coupled with the golden soft sandy beach,the calm waters make you want to take a dip in the sea, and then just laze and laze on and on under the sun.

There are a number of fun activities to do in Cherating including batik painting, where you can paint and design your own print on t-shirts, sarongs and scarves. Cherating also houses a cultural village and a turtle sanctuary. At the turtle sanctuary, you can learn about the lifecycle of turtles for free. The turtles lay their eggs between July and August, so if you're lucky, you might witness the turtles lay their eggs! Another tourist attraction is cruising up the Cherating River to watch glowing fireflies. Fishing is also an activity enjoyed by many.

The place is the last popular beach destination before the Pahang/Terengganu border near Kemaman. Whenever Cherating is mentioned, beach aficionados would normally conjure images of lazy afternoons on the beach at Kampung Cherating Lama.

The place came to its worldwide fame in the 60s when backpackers flocked to the place to experience the the pristineness and innocence of the area. Through word of mouth, which was later picked up by travel writers from the likes of Lonely Planet, Footprints and Rough Guide, Cherating soon found itself languishing on another level of international popularity.

The old Cherating Village has a blend of the modern and traditional. A stretch of road about 1km long runs parallel to the beach, dotted with charming and comfortable chalets, many of which face the beach front. Cherating has the perfect combination of great surf, a wide stretch of white-sandy beach, a wealth of accommodation, dining choices and a classic surfers' nightlife scene. Surfers linger for days and even months in this small enclave to catch the best waves and chill out with fellow surfers, exchanging the day's conquests at one of the chic bistros or bars.

The village at Cherating Lama offers a unique kind of ambiance with budget stays providing spartan chalets and lodges scattered throughout the area. Weekend is all about confusion and congestion when locals and tourists vie for the best spots on the casuarina -lined beach. There are quite a few restaurants that offer anything from seafood, Malay-Thai cuisine to some mish-mash of food preparation passed-off as 'fusion'.

Like any other Malay villages, the place is quite well-equipped with all the amenities required to make a visit comfortable. Bearing in mind that this a Malay settlement that shares its persona with tourism, visitors are well-advised to respect the residents and ensure that the place remains livable and visitable always.

Today, the area from Kampung Cherating up to the state's border with Terengganu is dotted with luxurious resorts , including Impiana Cherating, Suria Cherating, Legends Resort, Club Mediterranee and Holiday Villa. All these resorts are on the beachfront but the beach themselves are not exclusive but open to the public. The beaches here are more open to the elements and can be rough but exciting at times. Even if the crashing waves cause the views along the beach to be somewhat misty with the sprays, this only enhances the dramatic vistas on Cherating's northern beaches.

Cherating Beach
Cherating Beach seems to perch on the east coast of Malaysia like a tropical Garden of Eden by a jade-coloured sea. The pace of life in this 80-hectare Resort, complete with bungalows on stilts nestling amid lush vegetation, is set by the comings and goings of the macaque monkeys, gibbons, monitors, rare birds and multicoloured butterflies. Here you can enjoy one pleasure after another, none of which is anything like the last - an excursion* in a dugout canoe, a relaxing session at the Club Med Spa* or a cocktail at the magnificent bar, to name but a few.

In fact, "Surfers' Haven" has long been the description of old Cherating Village since the 70's. Each year, surfers from around the world return to Cherating to test out the surf and catch up with local acquaintances. Cherating beach is immaculate and breath-taking. So much so that Club Med decided to build its first Asian base right here. And surfers take the opportunity to have local friends take them through some of the most charming rural villages along the coast and soak in the gorgeous scenery along the way.

Going there by???
By road
Cherating is a 3.5-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur via the scenic route to the east coast. There are buses to Kuantan departing daily from Kuala Lumpur. From Kuantan, there are regular bus and taxi services to Cherating. Alternatively, take a bus from Kuala Lumpur to Dungun or Kemaman in Terengganu, which is north of Pahang, and disembark at Cherating.

for driving directions.....
Cherating is located off the main East Coast trunk road (Federal Route 5) about 30 km north of Kuantan. From Kuantan town, follow signboards to Kemaman which will bring you past Beserah and Balok. If you are coming from Kuala Lumpur on the East Coast Expressway (Route E8), you can completely bypass Kuantan and head straight to Cherating. Stick to the expressway until the final exit (Jabor exit). After paying toll, follow signboards to Kemaman, along the new highway. At Sg Ular you will join the main East Coast trunk road. Cherating is another 15 km from there. Coming from Kuala Terengganu, just proceed south along the East Coast trunk road. The Cherating turn off (left turn from this direction) is about 25 km south of Kemaman.

By bus
To/from Kuantan: Two bus companies, Sihat Bas and Mira operate along the main trunk road between Kuantan and Kemaman every hour or so during daylight hours. From Kuantan, catch any Kemaman-bound bus. The journey can take up to an hour. You will have to get off the bus on the main trunk road and walk to Cherating village. In Kuantan, buses leave from the local bus station on Jalan Besar.

To/from Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu: Some interstate express buses to/from Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu pick up/drop off passengers from/at Cherating. To get on the bus at Cherating, you will have to book the ticket before hand and the agent will inform the bus company to stop for you. You will be given a time (about half hour after the bus departs from Kuantan) and be told to wait at a particular spot along the main road. If coming from the north, just tell the bus driver/assistant that you want to get off the bus at Cherating.

To get to or come from other destinations, it will be easier for you to get to/go to Kuantan first where there are connections to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Johor Bahru, Mersing.

Accomodation
Impiana Resort Cherating Kuantan is a 4-star beach resort with a stunning white sandy beach located at one of Malaysia's premier holiday spots, Cherating Beach, Kuantan. Impiana Resort Cherating Kuantan has 80 Deluxe Rooms, 28 Superior Deluxe Rooms and 7 Suites, each with a splendid view of the sea.

or Budget
Little Cherating Chalet, Cherating beach road. (Tel:+60-(0)12-9383654 /+60-(0)12-9383654). Room range from RM50 to RM100. you migth be lucky the RM100 room chalet will be reduce to only RM50 when the room is empty or late check in.

Coconut Inn Cherating Cherating Beach Road. Phone Uncle Ilal (Tel: +60-9-5819299/+60-9-5819299). Room range from RM30 to RM100 per night. Friendly family run chalets very suitable for single women or men. Super low rates for weekly and monthly guest.

Tanjong Inn Chalets, Cherating Beach road. These beach front chalets are clean, airconditioned and cheap. Rooms range from RM60 a night to RM150 a night.

others
http://www.ric.com.my/
http://www.journeymalaysia.com/islandcheratingsuria.htm

MAP

World’s Longest Crystal Quartz Ridge

2009-11-04T11:57:00.003+08:00

This is the world’s longest crystal quartz ridge. The Tabur Hill, in Kuala Lumpur is also known locally as the dragon’s backbone, and is a recorded 16 kilometers long. The Tabur Ridge is a long and narrow set of karsts hills with a high content of quartz crystals. The mineral here varies from the totally transparent to the opaque. They can be spotted shimmering on the ground as mirror reflections as sunlight falls on them. The physical phenomenon that takes place in this region each morning with the conjunction of the warm and cool clouds should not be missed. For this view, you have to get around the Ulu Klang dam at 7.30 in the morning. The trail over the bridge is so narrow that only one visitor can pass at a time and see the fleecy clouds sailing past beside you. Dotted with low vegetation, the trail is made of mostly small trees or shrubs, called bonsai which enable the visitor to take a good view of the distant hills. You can complete the whole ridge within 2 to 4 hours from east to west.

Tabur Hill is located on the outer edge of the Klang Valley urban development area. It is about 20 kilometers from the Kuala Lumpur city center. The entry point does not allow public transport. Hence, your own means of conveyance is recommended.

The right crystal can affect the energy of an environment, and the energy it holds can influence you whether you simply hold it in your hand or place it in your room. Crystal healers use their knowledge of the stones and of the patient in the healing process.

This Tabur Ridge is a long and narrow series of karst hills with a high content of Quartz crystals. The ridge itself, averaging 200 feet high, runs in a semi circle bordering the eastern edge of Kuala Lumpur city. The Tabur Hill Ridge is rated the Longest Quartz-Rich Ridge in the world. Quartz is one of the three common components in the formation of rocks.

Quartz-Rich Ridge - as the names implies, the trails and surfaces around the Ridge is littered with Quartz crystals (Individually or in clusters, large and small). The Quartz here varies from totally transparent to semi opaque, with most of them whitish in colour. You can see them shimmering on the ground reflected by sunlight as like mirror reflections.

Each morning the air over Kuala Lumpur warms up as sure as the sun rises. On another front, the moisture-laden clouds formed over the Ulu Klang Dam too are lifted. The rate at which those over Kuala Lumpur are lifted is more rapid. Those cooler clouds over the body of water are influenced to join those down the valley by this parallel thermal lift. In their exodus, they pour over the dam in a current. See this phenomenon of a river of clouds drifting over the pass each morning around 7.30am. You have to be standing on the top of the ridge to get that view. The clouds passing below you is a gift for your waking up wakeup -a spectacular sight indeed!

The trail is a narrow path on top of the Ridge with some stretches only allowing a single trekker to pass through. The trail passes through stretches where the left and right side have vertical drops of up to 200 feet, leaving the trekker with not much room for any other alternatives. The trail is dotted with low vegetation, made up mostly of small trees and shrubs (affectionately known amongst the trekkers as “Bonsai”). This low vegetation enables you to see and gauge the distance between one peak to another.

Don’t worry, despite the constraint in width, there is always some level ground to rest your feet before guiding your body past some tricky footholds.

You can complete the whole ridge within 2 to 4 hours, starting from the eastern side and finishing on the western side of the ridge. No worry about any altitude sickness, as it is just low and classified as hill !

Getting there and away
Tabur hill is located at the outer edge of Klang Valley's urban development, some 20km from Kuala Lumpur city centre.

No public transport to the entry point., your own transport are recommended.

Head for Taman Melawati, entering the junction of Jalan Genting Kelang, entrance near Zoo Negara. Drive straight until you reach the Bulatan Mas roundabout and follow the Klang Gates Dam sign turning. The narrow road will lead to the main entrance of Klang Gate Dam. There is a small trail leading to the ridge's summit.

It is advisable to get an entry permit from the Selangor Forestry Department at 03-90752885 or fax 90756022.

Rayong, Thailand

2009-11-03T16:22:00.003+08:00

Rayong province is in the east and the city is approximately 220 kms (140 miles) from Bangkok. A late bloomer, the province is well known for its pristine beaches stretching along a 100-kilometer coastline and scenic waterfalls amidst exotic surroundings. Aside from this, Rayong is blessed with an abundance of seafood products such as shrimp paste, fish sauce and dried seafood, and tropical fruits of which rambutan, mangosteen and durian are the most famous. The province is famous for its fine beach, tasty food, etc .Travelling by car will be quite convenient. From Bangkok visitors can visit Pattaya and then Rayong. Several seaside resorts are beautiful and there are a lot of hotels and bungalos at reasonable prices.

How to Get There :
1) By Car. From Bangkok take the Motorway or the elevated highway to Chonburi, take the Motorway direct to Rayong Province. The highway section from nearbyPattaya to Rayong has been improved to dividedhighway and traveling is very comfortable.

2) By Bus. Buses leave the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai to Rayong and its districts via many routes. You can select to go to Rayong, Ban Phe, Klaeng, Laem Mae Phim, Map Ta Phut, or Prasae. For more information, Tel. 0 2391 2504, Rayong Bus Terminal, Tel. 0 3861 1379. Rayong Tour Co,Ltd., private-owned bus, operates a faster bus service via Highway 7. For more information, Tel. 0 2712 3662 or Rayong branch at Tel. 0 3886 1354 – 5, Cherdchai Tour Co.,Ltd., Bangkok, Tel. 0 2391 2237, Rayong branch, Tel. 0 3867 4144. Buses serving Rayong are also available from the Northern Bus Terminal Tel. 0 2936 1216, 0 2936 0199

On the east coast of Thailand, 179 kilometres from Bangkok, modest beaches dotted around Rayong province are tranquil paradises for sea lovers who wish for hideaway places near to the capital. Months of monsoon allow lush forest as well as fruit orchards to cool down from the heat of the day, and give produce during May of each year, so fruit lovers always travel here for various tasty fresh tropical fruits, particularly durian, rambutan and mangosteen. After the end of the monsoon season in late October, the crystal clear water of Rayong along its hundred kilometre-long coast embraces to welcome all visitors.

Sights
Amphoe Mueang Rayong
The Shrine of King Taksin the Great (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสิน) Located in Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon, Taksin Road, with a huge tree of 300 years old at the front. Folklore says that King Taksin the Great tied his elephant to the tree while leading the troops to Chanthaburi for retrieving the Kingdom of Siam from Burmese occupation. The shrine houses a statue of King Taksin the Great.

How to get there: From Mueang distirct, take Sukhumvit Road for 200 metres and turn right at the Taksin intersection into Taksin Maharat Road.

Wat Pa Pradu (วัดป่าประดู่) Located on Sukhumvit Road in Mueang municipality, this ancient temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period. The temple was honoured as a royal temple in the year 1990. The wihan houses a large reclining Buddha image, 11.95 metres long and 3.60 metres High. Unusually, the reclining Buddha image lies on its left-hand side. The image was first built outdoor and the Wihan was built later in 1981.

How to get there: The temple is accessible by two routes. The first route: From Mueang district, take Sukhumvit Road via Rayong Hospital and Wat Pa Pradu School, then turn left into Pa Pradu Road to reach the temple. The second route: From Highway 36, bypass road, turn right to Chantha Udom Road at Ko Loi Intersection. Through Mueang district, turn right into Sukhumvit Road and follow the first route to the temple. == City Pillar Shrine (ศาลหลักเมือง) Located on Lak Mueang Road, this shrine was first built of wood. Then it was replaced by a concrete construction with Chinese characteristics. The old city pillar was formerly in front of the shrine. A new one was later set up with a four-porched shelter. A celebration is held annually during the Songkran festival in mid - April.

Wat Ban Don Shadow Play Museum (พิพิธภัณฑ์หนังใหญ่วัดบ้านดอน) Located in Wat Ban Don, exhibiting a hundred Nang Yai shadow play characters, or Nang Yai, which is a large piece of leather carved and painted into different characters. Aged over 200 years, these characters were brought from Phatthalung in 1988. For the Nang Yai performance, please contact 3 days in advance. Tel. 0 5087 0235, 0 9831 6053.

Phra Chedi Klang Nam (พระเจดีย์กลางน้ำ) In the middle of the Rayong River, two kilometres south of downtown near the mouth of the river, is located a pagoda on an island. It is a landmark for the crew to indicate that they are reaching Rayong province. On the full moon day of the twelfth lunar month, a celebration will be held to change the robe covering the pagoda. Boat races and the Loi Krathong Festival will be celebrated here.

Si Mueang Park (สวนศรีเมือง) Called Ko Klang by the people of Rayong , this park totalling an area of 70 rai is located behind the city hall. This place was once used for the execution of prisoners and now it has been rebuilt as a park for people to enjoy. At the front of the park is a famous Buddha image of Rayong, Phra Phuttha Angkhirot.

Hat Laem Charoen (หาดแหลมเจริญ) Near the mouth of the Rayong River, five kilometres south of downtown, is the nearest beach from Rayong. Tourists love to enjoy the sea and seafood for dinner at Laem Charoen Beach, which is also a famous place for its fish sauce. Hat Saeng Chan (หาดแสงจันทร์) Some seven kilometres from Rayong town, connecting to Laem Charoen Beach, the Saeng Chan Beach is a nice sandy beach where tourists can enjoy swimming and dining. Lots of restaurants are available for selection.

Hat Mae Ramphueng - Ban Kon Ao (หาดแม่รำพึง – บ้านก้นอ่าว) Some 11 kilometres from Rayong town, make a right turn on Sukhumvit Road at kilometre 229 and head for Mae Ramphueng Beach which stretches for 12 kilometres. There is various accommodation for tourists along this clean beach. The beach road, 10 kilometres long, leads to Ban Kon Ao local fishery village.

Khao Laem Ya (เขาแหลมหญ้า) Follow the beach road, a bit beyond Ban Kon Ao, to reach the seaside hill. From this sunset viewpoint, comprising scrub forest and cape, it is possible to see Mae Ramphueng Beach and Ko Samet. The 670 rai area is headquarters of the Khao Laem Ya - Mu Ko Samet National Park. Administration is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children. Accommodation is available. Camping is allowed. Tents are available for rent at 300-400 baht per person/night. Pitching a private tent requires paying a fee of 20 baht per person/night. For more information, call the National Parks Headquarters at Tel. 0 3865 3034, the National Park Department at Tel. 0 2562 0760, www.dnp.go.th.

Rayong Aquarium (สถานแสดงพันธ์สัตว์น้ำระยอง) Located in the Eastern Marine Fisheries Research and Development Centre (ศูนย์วิจัยและพัฒนาประมงไทยฝั่งตะวันออก), Ao Ban Phe, the aquarium keeps various kinds of beautiful fish and sea plants. The centre conducts study, research and testing regarding marine biology and behaviors of marine life. A large aquarium with a tunnel allows visitors to see various beautiful fish as well as economic-related creatures living in the mangrove forest such as cuttlefish, crab, giant clam, and horseshoe crab.

The outdoor aquarium also houses various marine lives. The turtle pond houses hawksbill turtles, olive turtles, and leatherback turtles. The fish pond houses large species of fish. Visitors can witness the real underwater world in a special pond that houses starfish, anemone and sea cucumber. Various fishery tools in miniature are also displayed. The Fossil Museum exhibits stuffed and extinct animals as well as a display of rare animals such as humpback dolphin and Irrawaddy Dolphin. Seafood products are available on sale outside the building.

The Rayong Aquarium is open from Wednesday to Friday during 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. and on weekends from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Group visitors should call in advance. Tel. 0 3865 3741, Fax. 0 3865 1763

Sopha Botanical Park (สวนพฤกษชาติโสภา) This 32-rai park is lush with many kinds of trees, particularly Thai flora mentioned in literature. In the compound, three traditional Thai houses on stilts of nearly 100 year old exhibit ceramics from various periods as well as prehistoric pottery from Ban Chiang World Heritage Site. The park is open daily from 9 a.m. till 4.30 p.m. except on Thursday. Admission costs 50 baht. Tel. 0 3865 1688 for more information.

How to get there: The park is located close to the road to Ban Phe, 17 kilometres from Rayong town. Turn right from Sukhumvit Road at kilometre 238 and keep going for 200 metres. The park will be on your right.

Ban Phe (บ้านเพ) The small port town offers a boat service to Ko Samet. In the fish market, many shops offer local seafood products such as fish sauce, sun-dried cuttlefish, dried shrimp, etc.

How to get there: Turn right off Sukhumvit Road at kilometre 231 and keep going for 5 kilometres or turn right at kilometre 238 and keep going for 3 kilometres.

Suan Son (สวนสน) Just four kilometres from Ban Phe, 29 kilometres from Rayong town, many kinds of pine along with local trees make the beach road shady. The nice beach allows visitors to enjoy swimming. Restaurants and accommodation are available for visitors. For more information, call the National Park Department at Tel. 0 3865 2163, 0 2561 4292 - 3.

Khao Laem Ya - Mu Ko Samet National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติเขาแหลมหญ้า-หมู่เกาะเสม็ด) Located in Ban Phe, 20 kilometres from Rayong town, the park totals an area of 81,875 rai comprising land, sea and islands. Its major attractions include Mae Ramphueng Beach, Khao Laem Ya, and Samet Archipelago. The most famous island is Samet where many private-owned bungalows are available. The park has three nature trails; namely, Ko Samet, Ko Kudi, and Khao Laem Ya. On each route, visitors can enjoy nature as well as beautiful view points. Admission fee: adults 200 baht, children 100 baht each.

The national park offers houses and tents. Pitching your own tent costs 20 baht per person/night. For more information, call Tel. 0 3865 3034 and 0 3865 2136 or the National Park Department at Tel. 0 2562 0760.

Ko Samet (เกาะเสม็ด) People believe that this is the miracle island in Thai classical literature by Sunthon Phu. Ko Samet is quite a famous beach attraction of Rayong, for both Thai and foreign tourists. The island is 6.5 kilometres offshore of Ban Phe, Mueang district. Forest remains blanketing up to 80% of the total area of 3,125 rai. Tourists should be careful of storms in the monsoon season during May to September.

How to get there: Four operators; namely, Nuanthip, Si Ban Phe, Phe Port, and Saphan Pla, around Ban Phe offer shuttle boat services between their ports and the main port of the island. All operators charge a flat rate of 100 baht per person for a round trip or 50 baht for a single journey. Boats can leave anytime when more than 20 passengers are waiting. The service is available around the clock, seven days a week.

For groups of at least 7 persons, Nuanthip Boat (0 3865 1508) offers a shuttle boat service to other bays as well, such as Ao Wong Duean (120 baht each) and to the last bay Ao Pakarang (200 baht each). Si Ban Phe Boat (0 3865 1902) also runs a scheduled boat service during weekends between Ban Phe and the main port of Samet. The hourly boat service from Ban Phe runs from 8.00 a.m. to 6 p.m. In the return trip from Samet, the boat leaves at 10.00 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The company also offers a speed boat service at 1,000 baht a trip for 12 people to the main port, or higher rates for other routes. A parking service on the main land is available.

Getting around on Ko Samet: The island has only a single road. Some parts are concrete and some parts are only a dirt trail. A pick up truck offers a passenger service to the desired beach. The fee depends on negotiation, ranging from 20-100 baht each. Chartered service to get around the island costs between 200-1,500 baht.

Attractions on Ko Samet and Nearby
Most beaches are on the eastern side of the island. The beaches hide in small bays and stretch some 200 metres. From the north, there are Hat Sai Kaeo, Hat Hin Khrong, Hat Khlong Phai, Ao Phutsa, Ao Thapthim, Ao Naun, Ao Cho, Ao Thian, Ao Wai, Ao Kio Na Yok and Ao Karang. The only beach on the western side is Ao Phrao. One of the famous beaches is Ao Wong Duean in the middle of the eastern side. This beach stretches in the shape of an almost complete circle. Both Ao Wong Duean and Hat Sai Kaeo have very fine white sand.

Ko Kruai, Ko Kham, and Ko Pla Tin (เกาะกรวย เกาะขาม และเกาะปลาตีน) These islands are some 600 metres north of Ko Kudi. With coral reefs, tourists can enjoy fishing here. A rental boat service is available at the port in Ban Phe.

Ko Kudi or Ko Kut (เกาะกุฎี หรือเกาะกุด) The island is on the east of Ko Samet, six kilometres from the mainland. Ko Kudi totals an area of 63 rai. A nice beach and coral reefs make it a nice place for a hideaway. Nearby islands are Ko Thai Khangkhao and Ko Tham Ruesi. Without accommodation, the national park office on the island offers a tent for rent at 200 baht per person/ night. Pitching a private tent requires paying a fee of 20 baht per person/night. For more information, call Tel. 0 3865 3034, or in Bangkok at Tel.0 2561 2919 and 0 2561 2921.

Ko Thalu (เกาะทะลุ) Some 6 kilometres east of Ko Kudi, the island is another scuba diving site among coral reefs. The island totals an area of 69 rai, most remains lush forest. While high cliffs occupy the west, white sandy beaches occupy the east and south of the island. Ko Thalu is a habitat of seagulls, flying fox, and turtles.

Tourists visiting Ko Kudi, Ko Kruai, Ko Kham, Ko PlaTin and Ko Thalu should rent a boat from Ban Phe or Ko Samet. They should prepare food and water, as there is neither facilities nor food supplies available on such islands.For more information, please contact Ireland Tour co., Ltd., Tel. 0 3865 3055-9

Amphoe Klaeng
Suan Wang Kaeo (สวนวังแก้ว) About 38 kilometres from Rayong town, the park is on the beach road, 11 kilometres from Suan Son. Forest and garden, beach and beautiful bay characterize the park. Houses, tents and bicycles are available for rent. The entrance fee is 10 baht for adults and 5 baht for children. The park opens daily from 7 a.m. till 6 p.m. For more information, please call Tel. 0 3863 8067 - 8 or 0 2259 4150 - 1.

Laem Mae Phim (แหลมแม่พิมพ์) Without large waves, the beach is nice for swimming. Restaurants and bungalows are available along the beach. Laem Mae Phim is 48 kilometres from Rayong town. Via Sukhumvit Road, you can access the beach by turning right at kilometres 259.5, 263 and 268.

Sunthon Phu Monument (อนุสาวรีย์สุนทรภู่) The monument was built to commemorate Sunthon Phu, a leading poet in the early Rattanakosin era, two centuries ago. There are statues of Sunthon Phu and characters from his famous literature. The monument is located on the Klaeng-Laem Mae Phim Road, five kilometres from Laem Mae Phim.

Wat Saranat Thammaram (วัดสารนารถธรรมาราม) Built in 1945, the temple houses a main Buddha image imitated from the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat in Phitsanulok province. Four major pagodas surround the Ubosot. They include Phra Pathom Chedi, Phrathat Phanom, replica of Bodh Gaya, and Phrathat Chaiya. The temple is located one kilometre off Sukhumvit Road, turn left at kilometre 265.

Mu Ko Man (หมู่เกาะมัน) Mu Ko Man comprises three islands: Man Nai, Man Klang, and Man Nok.

Ko Man Nai (เกาะมันใน) This island is the location of the turtle conservation station initiated by Her Majesty the Queen. The project conserves the breeding of hawksbill turtle and olive turtle. Tourists can make a visit from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Various bays are good for relaxing such as Ao Ton Makham, Ao Hin Khot Ya, Ao Kongkang, and Ao Na Ban, which have also coral reefs. Ko Man Nai is five kilometres from Laem Mae Phim. Rental boat is available at Laem Mae Phim or Ao Makham Pom. The boat trip takes 30 minutes to the island. For more information about the turtle conservation station, call Tel. 0 3861 6096 and 0 3865 7466.

Ko Man Klang and Ko Man Nok (เกาะมันกลางและเกาะมันนอก) Beautiful beaches on the islands make them a nice place to relax. Private-owned resorts are available.

Amphoe Ban Chang
Hat Phayun and Hat Phla (หาดพยูนและหาดพลา) The beautiful Phayun Beach is 32 kilometres from Rayong town. Phla Beach, only three kilometres from Phayun Beach, is a quiet beach with a shady sea pine forest. Various hotels and bungalows are available for tourists.

Amphoe Ban Khai
Supattra Land Orchard (สวนสุภัทรา) The orchard is open for the public to witness its fruit variety such as durian, rambutan, mango, grape, star fruit and longan. During harvest season, from April to June, the orchard organises an orchard trip to explore the farm by car and enjoy fresh fruits for 30 minutes. The trip costs 120 baht each. The orchard is open daily for tourists from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Accommodation is available. For more information, call Tel. 0 3889 2048 - 9.

Amphoe Khao Chamao
Khao Chamao - Khao Wong National Park: (อุทยานแห่งชาติเขาชะเมา – เขาวง) This national park was established in 1975, covering an area of 52,300 rai. This lush forest with a great variety of flora and fauna is the watershed of the Prasae River. The national park has two nature trails for tourists to explore herbs and animal behaviour. The trails are two kilometres and three kilometres long, respectively. To explore the trail, registration at the tourist centre is required in advance. Admission is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children. Houses and tents are available for tourists. Pitching a private tent costs 30 baht per person/night. For more information, please call the park at Tel. 0 3889 4378 or National Park Department in Bangkok at Tel. 0 2562 0760 or www.dup.go.th

How to get there: The national park is 71 kilometres from Rayong town. Follow Sukhumvit Road and turn right at the Khao Din Intersection, kilometre 274. The national park is 17 kilometres away.

Attractions in the national park
Namtok Khao Chamao or Namtok Khlong Nam Sai (น้ำตกเขาชะเมา หรือน้ำตกคลองน้ำใส) This crystal clear waterfall is one kilometre before the national park. The waterfall comprises seven levels, stretching for three kilometres. The large pond called Wang Matcha, is a habitat of brook carp.

Pha Sawan (ผาสวรรค์) The viewpoint is 1.5 kilometres from the national park headquarters. On the way, visitors can explore nature. Contact the national park staff first.

Namtok Khlong Pla Kang (น้ำตกคลองปลาก้าง) The waterfalls are three kilometres from the headquarters. Ferns and orchids grow well in this lush forest.

Namtok Khlong Hin Phoeng (น้ำตกคลองหินเพิง) The small waterfall is actually in Chanthaburi province, ten kilometers from the headquarters. Water runs all year round. Nature lovers can enjoy wild flowers around the waterfall.

Khao Wong (เขาวง) Many limestone mountains surround a flat plain in the middle. The amazing mountains have a total of 80 caves inside. This is also a habitat of mountain goat.

Krommaluang Chumphon Shrine (ศาลสมเด็จกรมหลวงชุมพร) The shrine houses the statue of Krommaluang Chumphonkhetudomsak, founder of Thailand's modern navy. He is much honoured by the people of Rayong. Turn right at kilometre 274 off Sukhumvit Road, the shrine is 10 kilometres away.

King Amphoe Nikhom Phatthana
Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Herbal Park (สวนสมุนไพรสมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดาฯ สยามบรมราชกุมารี) Located on 60 rai of area in the maintenance centre of the PTT Public Company Limited on Highway 3191, 25 kilometres from Rayong town. The park grows various kinds of herbs as well as conducts research. Visitors are welcome everyday from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Group visitors should contact in advance at Tel.0 3868 1827 - 30.

Activities
Taphong bike route (เส้นทางจักรยานท่องเที่ยวตะพง) Bikers can explore agro-tourism in Tambon Taphong with a homestay service. The Subdistrict Administration Organisation of Tambon Taphong offers a tour package including accommodation and meals at 400 baht per person/night. Call 0 3866 4053 for more information.

Cooking course
The Thai chef of Tawan-Inn (Ban Phe)gives cooking lessons in Thai dishes and fusion kitchen. Available for guests of the guesthouse and TEFL-students. 0 3865 1635

Golf
Rayong is one of Thailand favorite golf destination, where you can play golf all year round. The wonderful courses are invariably located close to Rayong’s major tourism destination, ensuring you can enjoy your golf and have a good holiday at the same time. So if you want to bring your family along, they are assured of lots of activities and interesting places to visit. There are several golf courses in Rayong.

Amphoe Banchang
Century Golf and Country Club (เซ็นจูรี่ กอล์ฟ แอนด์ คันทรี่ คลับ) Sukhumvit Road Tel: 0 3860 5054, 0 3863 5073
Easter Star Country Rayong (อีสเตอร์ สตาร์ คันทรี่ ระยอง) 214/5 Moo 3 Banchang–Had Pala Road Tel: 0 3863 0410-2 Fax: 0 3863 0418-9
Rayong Green Valley Country Club (ระยอง กรีน วาเล่ย์ คันทรี่ คลับ) 23 Moo 8 Ban Chang-Yaira Road Tel: 0 3889 3845
St.Andrews 2000 Golf Country Club (เซ็นแอนดรู 2000 กอล์ฟ คันทรี่ คลับ) 9/36 Moo 7 Ban Chang-Yaira Road Tel: 0 3889 3838 Fax: 0 3889 3845
Amphoe Pluak Dang
Great Lake Golf and Country Club (เกรท เลค กอล์ฟ แอนด์ คันทรี่ คลับ) Tambon Mab yang pom Tel: 0 3862 2630
Amphoe Wangchan
Wangchan Golf Park (วังจันทร์ กอล์ฟ ปาร์ค) 129 Moo 6 Tel: 0 2276 9072-4 Fax: 0 2276 9070
Driving Range
Amphoe Mueang Rayong
Amazing Rayong Driving (อเมซิ่ง ระยอง ไดรฟวิ่ง) 528/4 Sukhumvit Road, Tambon Nuen Phra Tel: 0 3861 8643, 0 1313 5668
Vac-Vac Driving Range 65/5 Sukhumvit Road, Tambon Noenpra Tel: 0 3860 8008 Fax: 0 3880 7090
V.J. Star Dust Driving Range (วี เจ สตาร์ ดัส ไดรฟวิ่ง เรนจ์) 385/3 Sukhumvit Road, Tambon Noenpra Tel: 0 3880 7090
Mab Kha Golf (มาบข่า กอล์ฟ) Mab Kha-Mabtapud Industrial Estate Road, Tambon Mabtapud Tel: 0 3868 1573
Poly Golf (โพลี่ กอล์ฟ) 2/15 Sukhumvit Road, Tambon Ta Pradu Tel: 0 3865 5055
Sri Mueang Golf (ศรีเมือง กอล์ฟ) Near Sri Mueang Park, Adulyathamprapat Road Tel: 0 3861 1934
Horse Riding
Slo Bunny (สโลว์ บันนี่) Mae Rumphung Beach Road Tel: 0 3889 8623
Amphoe Klaeng
Orchard Park Riding Club (ออชาร์ด ปาร์ค) 99/1 Moo 7, Songsalung Tel: 0 3861 7397
Scuba Diving Service
Rayong is one of the locations to enjoy your diving, in order to experience an underwater adventure of a lifetime. There are several diving club:
Amphoe Mueang
Dive Club Rayong International Diving School (ไดรฟ คลับ ระยอง อินเตอร์เนชั่นแนล ไดรฟวิ่ง สคูล) Chok Dee Square, Sukhumvit Road Tel: 0 1629 6513, 0 1611 5057 www.diveclubrayong.com
Ao Prow Resort (อ่าวพร้าว รีสอร์ท) 292/2 Moo 2 Tambon Phe, Samet Island Tel: 0 3865 1134-5 Fax: 0 3865 1962 Bangkok Office: 0 2438 9771-2 Fax: 0 2439 0352
Amphoe Klaeng
Ko Nok Resort (เกาะนอก รีสอร์ท) Ko Mun Nok Tel: 0 3866 1136
Ray Divers (เรย์ ไดร์เว่อร์) 267/136-7 Maptaput New City Tel: 0 3860 7480 Fax: 0 3860 7481
Boat RentalAmphoe Mueang Rayong
Island Tour (ไอร์แลนด์ ทัวร์) Ko Samet 280/108 Moo 2 Ban Phe Pier Tel: 0 3865 1999, 0 3865 1351 E-mail: islandtour1999@hotmail.com Service: Speed Boat from Ban Phe and Samet Island to Islands
The Toy Tour (เดอะ ทอย ทัวร์) 236/4 Moo 3 Tambon Krum Tel: 0 3863 8146 Service: Speed Boat from Mae Phim Beach to islands.
Chok Mana Tour (โชคมานะ ทัวร์) Tambon Phe Tel: 0 3865 1531
Sai Kaew Villa (ทรายแก้ว วิลล่า) Ko Samet Tel: 0 3861 5852-3
Rier Leus (Mongkol Tambon Phe Tel: 0 3865 1901
Rier Sang Samoot Tambon Phe Tel: 0 3865 1364
Thai Massage
Amphoe Mueang Rayong
Wat Ban Don Herbs and Thai Medical Center (วัดบ้านดอน) Tambon Choeng Noen Opened daily: 08.00 a.m.-17.00 p.m. For more information, contact to Tel: 0 3862 0127
Amphoe Wang Chang
Wang Chang Thai Medical Clinic (วังจันทร์) Wang Chang Hospital Opened Mon-Fri: 08.00 a.m.-20.00 p.m. and Sat 08.00 a.m.-16.00 p.m. For more information, contact to Wang Chan Hospital Tel: 0 3866 6174-5
Spa
Amphoe Mueang Rayong
Chomtara Spa (ชมธารา สปา) 83/8 Sangchan Beach Tambon Noenora Tel. 0 3861 2136 0 3861 6156
Chakra Spa (จักระ สปา) 2nd Floor Rayong City Hotel Sukhumvit Road Tel. 0 3862 4333
Dhivarin Spa (ทิวาริน สปา) Le Viman Samet Island 292/3 Moo 2 Tambon Phe Tel: 0 3865 1134-5,
0 2438 9771-2
Ella (Become the beauty) (เอลล่า) 25 – 27 Shopping Centre 3 Sukhumvit Road Tel. 0 3861 9691
Money & Shopping
Preserved seafood (ผลิตภัณฑ์อาหารทะเล) Seafood from Rayong has been quite a famous souvenir among tourists for a long time. Ban Phe Market or Rayong Market offers a wide variety of preserved seafood such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, sun-dried cuttlefish, crispy fish, etc.
Fruit (ผลไม้) During May and June, orchards in Rayong are ready to show off their proud products: durian, rambutan, mangosteen, etc. Tourists also love to visit the province at this time of the year.
Products from sedge mat (ผลิตภัณฑ์เสื่อกก) The in-house industry of Tambon Kram, Amphoe Klaen has quality products, available at the outlet of Satri Asa Phatthana in the compound of the Sunthon Phu Monument.
Crystal products (ผลิตภัณฑ์เครื่องแก้วคริสตัล) The crystal factory in Amphoe Pluak Daeng, produces export-quality crystal works by Thai skilled labour. Visitors are welcome to see the process. The factory is at 161, Mu16, Nikhom Soi 4 on the Highway 3375. For more information, Tel. 0 3889 7029-31.
Festival
Rayong Fruit Festival (งานเทศกาลผลไม้และของดีเมืองระยอง) In May of each year, Rayong's fruit reaches its peak season. The venue for celebration is always changed between Mueang and Klaeng districts. Tourists can enjoy floats decorated with fruits, fruit contests, beauty contests, as well as fruit and seafood fair.
Sunthon Phu Day (งานวันสุนทรภู่) Organised on June 26 of each year at Sunthon Phu Monument, Klaeng district, to honour the great poet. Exhibitions and plays from his poetry will entertain visitors.
Changing the robe for Phra Chedi Klang Nam (งานห่มผ้าพระเจดีย์กลางน้ำ) The annual traditional event is held during the full moon night of the 12th lunar month, or in November. The robe blanketing around the pagoda in the middle of the Rayong River, in Mueang district, will be changed. Meanwhile, the people will celebrate the event along with the Loi Krathong Festival by boat racing and many kinds of local entertainment.
Thot Pha Pa Klang Nam (Waterborne Robe Offering Ceremony) (งานทอดผ้าป่ากลางน้ำ) During the Loi Krathong Festival of each year, or on the full moon night of November, people living near the mouth of the Prasae River will prepare a monk's robe at the pier. After completing the ceremony on the boat, a monk will come to get it. Normally, the robe offering ceremony is held at the temple. This special tradition has been inherited for over a century.

Eating
Classic Forest Restaurant (Tamnanpar)just off route 3 between Tapong and Ban Phe serves good food in a fabulous setting.

Hotels & Accommodation
Amphoe Mueang Rayong
Botanic Place (โบตานิค เพลซ) 168/68 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3862 3714)
Brookside Valley 129/5 Summaklong (Tel: 0 3862 9280, 0 3862 9282 www.brookside.co.th E-mail: brooksidevalley@hotmail.com) 40 rooms: 1,790 baht
Burapa Palace (บูรพา พาเลซ) 69 Sukhumvit Road (Tel: 0 3862 2946-9) 120 rooms: 280-490 baht
Chonnakanrin Resort (ชลนครินทร์ รีสอร์ท) 222 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road (Tel: 0 3880 4998-9) 32 rooms: 2,500-10,000 baht
Daimond (ไดมอนด์) 051/2 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 4577, 0 3861 4328) 31 rooms: 300-400 baht
Golden City Rayong (โกลเด้น ซิตี้ ระยอง) 530/1 Sukhumvit Road (Tel: 0 3861 8701-15 E-mail: goldencityhotel@hotmail.com) 171 rooms: 800-2,000 baht
Hat Saengchan Sea View (หาดแสงจันทร์ซีวิว) 149 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road (Tel: 0 3862 0585, 0 3861 6357) 28 rooms: 750-1,800 baht
Kanary Bay (คานารี่ เบย์) 50 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road (http://www.thai-tour.com/thai-tour/East/Rayong/hotel/kanary-bay/ 151 rooms: 2,500-6,500 baht
Kitima City Palace (K.S.City) (กิติมา ซิตี้ พาเลซ) 47/12 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 7394, 0 3880 7826-8) 80 rooms: 200-500 baht
Melody (เมโลดี้) 144/1 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 1359, 0 3861 6567) 38 rooms: 300-700 baht
One Way (วันเวย์) 048/1 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 1904, 0 3861 3497) 29 rooms: 180-350 baht
P.M.Y. Beach Resort (พี.เอ็ม.วาย บีช รีสอร์ท) 147/394 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road http://www.thai-tour.com/thai-tour/East/Rayong/hotel/pmybeach/ 145 rooms: 2,300-5,000 baht
P.M.Y. Villa (พี.เอ็ม.วาย.วิลล่า) 89 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road (Tel: 0 3861 3002-3) 20 rooms: 3,000-10,000 baht
Rayong City (ระยอง ซิตี้) 11 Soi 4 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3862 4333) 120 rooms: 650-3,000 baht
Rayong Orchid (ระยอง ออร์คิด) 001 Soi 6 Radbumrung Road http://www.thai-tour.com/thai-tour/East/Rayong/hotel/rayongorchid/ 148 rooms: 900-3,500 baht
Rayong Palace (ระยอง แพเลซ) 109 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 1259, 0 3861 6567) 34 rooms: 300-700 baht
Rayong President (ระยอง เพรสซิเด้น) 16/8 Rodjanakron Road (Tel: 0 3862 2771-6, 0 3861 1307 www.rayongpresident.com) 79 rooms: 500-600 baht
Rayong Sea View (ระยอง ซี วิว) 46 Mu 2 Leabchaihat Road (Tel: 0 3861 1364, 0 3861 5452) 28 rooms: 750-800 baht
R.M.Hotel (อาร์ เอ็ม โฮเต็ล) 048/5-7 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3861 2339, 0 3861 1795) 29 rooms: 180-320 baht
Star 109 Rayong Trade Center 4 Road (Tel: 0 3861 4901-7 www.starhotel.th.com) 576 rooms:1,500-6,000 baht
Vieng Valee (เวียงวารี) 33 Soi 5 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 0 3880 9029-33) 75 rooms: 500-800 baht
Yin Dee Court (ยินดี คอร์ท) 2/8 Radbumrung Road (Tel: 03880 7770-7) 50 rooms: 500 baht

Amphoe Maptapud - Banchang (Beach Site)
Banchang Cliff Beach Condotel (บ้านฉาง คลิฟ บีช คอนโดเทล) 222 Mu 6 Pla (Tel: 0 3863 0316) 100 rooms: 500-2,500 baht
Banpuk Lom Talay (บ้านพัก ลมทะเล) 109 Mu 5 (Tel: 0 3863 0088) 11 rooms: 500-1,000 baht
Ban Preeyapat (บ้านปรียาพัฒน์) 39 Soi Preeyapat Nongfab Road (Tel: 0 3868 5842-4) 30 rooms: 700-2,500 baht
Millford Banchang Beach (มิลฟอร์ด บ้านฉาง บีช) 169,171 Banchang (Tel: 0 3863 0019-23) 100 rooms: 1,200-3,500 baht
Phayun Resort (พะยูน รีสอร์ท) 2/4 Mu 4 Phayun Beach (Tel: 0 3863 0251, 0 2277 3041) 8 rooms: 700-4,700 baht
Phla Cliff Beach Resort and Spa (พลา คลิฟ บีช รีสอร์ท แอนด์ สปา) 241 – 242 Mu 6 Phla Road (Tel. 0 3863 0341-4) 90 rooms: 2,890-5,000 baht
Phla Resort (พลา รีสอร์ท) 78/1 Mu 2 (Tel: 0 3863 0358, 0 3863 0269) 30 rooms: 3,500-5,500 baht
Purimas Beach Resort (ภูริมาศ บีช รีสอร์ท) 34 Mu 4 Payoon-Namrin Road (Tel: 0 3863 0382-90, 0 2392 6900-3) 79 rooms: 2,400-4,700 baht
Rom Son (ร่มสน) 45/9 Mu 4 (Tel: 0 3863 0194) 15 rooms: 1,500 baht
Amphoe Maptaput – Banchang (Sukhumvit Road)
Banchang Grand Hotel (บ้านฉาง แกรนด์ โฮเต็ล) 3 Mu 1 (Tel: 0 3888 2300-2) 24 rooms: 400-1,000 baht
Banchang Palace (บ้านฉาง แพเลซ) 293 Mu 3 (Tel: 0 3888 2678-82) 150 rooms: 700 baht
Jor Koo (จ.คู่) 60/59 Mu 5 Sukhumvit Road (Tel: 0 3860 2445-6, 0 3860 2445-6, 0 3860 2012-3) 69 rooms: 250-500 baht
M.P. Grand (เอ็ม.พี.แกรนด์) 125 Wat Maptaput Road (Tel: 0 3868 1778, 0 3868 1346) 20 rooms: 350 baht
The Paradise Hotel (เดอะ พาราไดซ์ โฮเต็ล) 2 Soi 9 Hat Sai Tong Road (Tel: 0 3860 7812, 0 3860 8145-6) 30 rooms: 450 baht
King-Amphoe Nikomnpattana
Nart Nam Apartment Service (นาถน้ำ อพาร์ตเมนท์ เซอร์วิส) 36/6 Mu 6 Mabka (Tel: 0 3896 8513-8) 65 rooms: 400 baht

The Good Green Garbage Enzyme

2009-11-03T15:59:00.002+08:00

There is a new buzzword making the rounds in environmentally-conscious circles lately: Garbage Enzyme. Developed by a Thai alternative medicine practitioner Dr Rosukon Poompanvong, it has taken Malaysia by storm so much so that many swear by its effectiveness as a cleaning agent. Green-concept stores across the country have started selling what is essentially made out of household waste.

The concept was so simple that many wondered why it hadn’t been developed and practiced sooner. Its usefulness and effectiveness far outstretch the initial skepticism.
The catalysis process of making garbage enzyme is said to release zone gas O3 into the air, which reduces CO2 in the atmosphere and heavy metal that traps heat in the clouds, hence reducing greenhouse and global warming effects. The enzyme converts ammonia to nitrate (NO3), a natural and useful hormone and nutrient for plants. In addition, it converts CO2 to CO3 which is beneficial to sea plants and marine life.

How to make garbage enzyme

It’s as simple as 3+1+10! Simply save 3 kgs of fruit peelings ( To make a fresher-smelling enzyme, use more citrus fruits, pandan leaves or lemongrass in your mix ) and uncooked vegetables, mix 1kg of sugar or molasses with 10 litres of water and mix everything in a large airtight container ( a 5-litre water bottle is a good start ).

In the first month

Remember to open the cover to remove trapped gases. Failing which, the pressure may cause the container to rupture. For this purpose, plastic containers work best as they expand. Push the floating dregs downward once in a while. If the liquid turns black, add in the same amount of sugar to start the fermentation process again. If you encounter flies or worms in the, there is no need to panic. The chemical reaction of the enzyme will resolve them naturally.

What to expect

The complete fermentation process takes 3 months and it’s best to wait it out no matter how impatient you are to test its efficiency out as you’d get more use out of a properly fermented enzyme. Enzyme is at its best after 6 months’ fermentation. It also never expires and there is no need to store it in the refrigerator. You’ll have to be prepared for the initial unpleasant odor. However, bear in mind that it will disappear and it’s a small compromise for a miracle solution that works a treat.

A super liquid

Multiple usages: A natural household cleaner and dishwashing liquid (add 1 part detergent to 1 part enzyme and 10 parts water); deodorizer and air purifier; detergent; body care (even as shampoo) and car care. Maids have said household cleaners actually work better with a bit of enzyme! You can even use it for soaking vegetables. Natural pesticide: It reduces mosquitoes, flies, rats and cockroaches. Agricultural help: My uncle goes out in the middle of the night and sprays enzyme on the pests feasting on his homegrown vegetables and raves about the results! It has also acted as organic fertilizer. Drainpipe blockage: Homeowners across the country will rejoice as it releases residue accumulated in pipes, basins and toilet bowls. Antibacterial agent: Spray it onto walls to prevent mould or fungal growth.

Consider making garbage enzyme for the simplest of reasons

1. Disposes of your kitchen waste responsibly and puts it to good use. (Methane gas released from disposed garbage can trap 21 times more heat than C02, speeding up global warming );

2. Reduces reliance on harmful chemical household cleaners;

3. It’s all natural and practically free!

Why not harness the natural goodness that Mother Nature can provide and start brewing your own garbage enzyme?

Take Notes:
1. Do not use glass or metal containers that cannot expand.
2.Garbage for making enzyme does not include paper, plastic, metal or glass materials.Avoid oily cooked food, fish or meat residue; orange , lemon peel or pandan leave will produce better scent.
3.The ideal colour of garbage enzyme is dark brown. Add in same amount of brown sugar to re-ferment if the enzyme turns black.
4. It may have white, black or brown layer on top of the enzyme, ignore it. If you encounter worms in the container, leave it for a while and close the cover tightly.
5. If you have not gather enough kitchen waste, you may fill up the container gradually. The 3 months fermentation period start from the last day you add in kitchen waste.

Naturopathy Treatments

2009-11-03T12:33:00.005+08:00

Naturopathy Treatments in India are mushrooming in large numbers and especially the metropolitan cities. Most of them follow a similar routine for treating the common ailments. For instance, strictly vegetarian food is served in all of them, as per the doctor or dietician's prescription. None of the centers allow patients to bring in food from outside. Alcohol, smoking, chewing tobacco, and the consumption of tea, coffee, and non-vegetarian foods are forbidden in all the centers.

All the naturopathy centers require the visitor (patient) to stay on campus, for a duration that depends upon the nature of his or her complaint. Some naturopathy centers prescribe a minimum stay of ten days, as they say that no significant effect can be observed within a shorter period. Charges vary, depending upon the kind of room the visitor prefers, with choices ranging from a dormitory to an entire cottage. In between these two rates are the various options like a single room, an executive room, a cottage or a hut.

Apart from the charges for the accommodation, food and treatment charges are extra. Treatment charges very depending upon the complexity of treatment warranted by the specific ailment. Children below fifteen years of age are not allowed inside these centers nor are pregnant women. Patients should be able to walk at least 1 km without support to gain admission here. Whether it is treatment that suits the more spiritually inclined, with yoga and meditation forming an important part of the day's routine, or more modern equipment like saunas and whirlpool baths that take one's fancy, one can choose from many naturopathy centers in India

Naturopathy believes:"All healing powers are within your body." Since we fall ill only when we go against Nature, the cause of diseases (toxins) is expelled from the body to cure it. Fasting has been described as Nature's way to recover. A thorough rest, which includes fasting, is the most favourable condition in which an ailing body can purify and recoup itself.

Rishikesh in India is called the yoga capital of the world and there are many ashrams in Rishikesh offering courses on meditation, yoga and Hindu philosophy. The International Yoga Festival is organized every year from February 2 to 7 by the state tourism. Kerala, in the southernmost tip of India, is noted, among many other things, for its Ayurvedic resorts that draw a large number of tourists every year.

The treatments provided by these resorts have become so popular that the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation has started a 'Monsoon Rejuvenation' Package that combines sightseeing tours with Ayurvedic massages and treatment. The Ayurvedic treatments are considered most effective after the karkadam or monsoon months because during this period the body has less heat and hence is most responsive to treatments.

The treatments are variously divided into rejuvenative, preventive, and curative. The most common rejuvenative therapy is the herbal oil massage, where two oils are selected according to one's body constituency. The massage tones up the whole body and, if followed by a steam bath (in water mixed with herbal powers), it makes one feel fresh and invigorating. Most Ayurvedic regulars have this massage once a week and swear by its rejuvenative qualities.

Natural Treatment :There are several naturally found materials in India that offer economical natural treatments through naturopathy. Some of these are the lemon, milk and salt.

Lemon and Naturopathy :
For cough, cold and fever, lemon is very effective. Squeeze a lemon in a glass full of water and drink repeatedly. This will cure all of the three ailments. But if the fever is high and makes one thirsty, boil the water. This will bring down the fever and reduce the thirst. If the cold is severe, it can be added to the required amount of honey in the above mixture. Another very beneficial method is as follows: cut a lemon in half, add in it salt, ground black pepper and powdered molasses.

Heat this and squeeze the juice directly on the tongue. To remove the freckles on the face, rub a piece of lemon on them and they will lighten considerably. Sprinkling a little alum on the lemon works wonders for the complexion. Rubbing half a lemon on the teeth not only makes the teeth shiny and bright but will also cure bad breath. To reduce the body weight adds a little salt and one lemon to 350 ml of lukewarm water and drink daily on an empty stomach. You can also substitute honey to salt.

Milk and Naturopathy :
Milk should ideally be consumed in the morning since it is believed that the heat of the sun helps in digestion of milk. Adding sugar to milk is very harmful since it not only induces phlegm, it also destroys the calcium content in it. It should be drunk at room temperature if possible. However, if one prefers warm milk, then do not overheat it.

Overheating destroys all its beneficial elements. For the sweetening of milk and easy digestion, one can add honey to it. If one is suffering from cough, constipation, diarrhea, stomachache, or indigestion, he/she should avoid consumption of milk. For acidity, drink cold milk twice a day. For hiccups, it is advised to warm a glass of milk and drink. In addition, for tiredness, a glass of warm milk will prove effective. For wrinkles, pimples and blemishes, warm milk can be applied.

After half an hour, wash the face with clean water. One has to do it regularly before sleeping at night; then it will solve the problem and improve the complexion. Adding a little saffron to a spoonful of fresh milk and applying it on the lips will cure their darkness and make them softer. If one is suffering from an itchy rash, add a little water to some milk and apply on the rash with cotton wool and then wash. It will stop the itch and cure the rash.

Salt and Naturopathy :
Salt is good only in small quantities and rock salt is better than sea salt. Eating excessive salt weakens the gums and is also the cause of body odor. Due to excessive consumption of salt, body cells die, and when these dead cells come out through the pores with perspiration, the odor is very strong and foul. To help the situation, one can consume salt in very small quantities. Salt is very drying; hence, excessive amounts of salt will cause unnatural thirst. But it can be very beneficial as well.

In a headache, keep a pinch of salt on the tongue or smell a mixture of three grams of salt in one-fourth cup of water. For a stomachache, mix half a spoon salt in a glass of hot water and drink. This will not only cure the pain but will also remove the cause of the pain. For softening the skin, wet the skin and take a fistful of salt and rub in circular motions and then wash. It is advised to do it once a week and it will slough off dead skin, thus making it soft. For cracking heels or rough feet, soak the feet in warm water by adding some salt to it.

Where to get such treatment?
Rayong, Thailand for naturopathy treatment with Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong.
Address - HealthFarm 135/42 Moo 2 Tambon Banchang Ampher Banchang Rayong province
21130 Thailand
contact no. - 089-7251402, 081-4109921, 086-9896964, (66)0-816836949, (66)038880679
email - siamhealthynews@hotmail.com

MSN : mormoo@hotmail.com

Skype : pingpong2326
web - http://www.siamhealthy.net/english/index.html
The Health Farm is an Organic Farm rewarded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of United Nations.
Dr. Rosukon has cured patients with end stage cancer and other diseases.

Nong Khai

2009-11-03T12:11:00.002+08:00

Nong Khai (หนองคาย) is the provincial capital of Nong Khai Province in the north-eastern Isaan region of Thailand. The city lies on the western bank of the Mekong river, only 20km from Vientiane, the capital of Laos.

By plane
The nearest airport (on the Thai side) is in Udon Thani, 56km away. There are direct shuttle buses four times a day between the airport and the Friendship Bridge (2km outside Nong Khai), plus taxis and minibuses that will take you in to Nong Khai proper.

Thai Airways and Air Asia operate flights between Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) and Udon Thani. Nok Air operates a service between Bangkok (Don Muang) and Udon.

By train
Nong Khai is the terminus of the Northeastern railway line from Bangkok via Khon Kaen and Udon Thani. The trip takes 10-12 hours and a first class sleeper ticket from Bangkok to Nong Khai or vice versa is currently about 1200 baht, and a second class sleeper ticket (not bad for the price) is 748 baht ($21.43 USD as of Jan 2009). Sleepers often sell out at peak times so you may need to book in advance.

Shuttle services now operate onward from Nong Khai to Tha Nalaeng, Laos (near Vientiane) four times a day, synced to the arrivals and departures of the Bangkok trains. You can only buy tickets at Nong Khai station, and you need to pass through immigration as well. (If coming in on train #69 from Bangkok, there's a 90-minute window to do this.) Once the formalities are done, the trip itself across the Friendship Bridge only takes 15 minutes. Visa on arrival is now available on the Lao side

By bus
There are departures to Udon Thani at least once per hour from the BKS station on the main drag, Prajak road. The hour-long ride costs 20 baht in 3rd class (non-air con).

There are several departures daily from Bangkok (~9 hours), and across the border direct from Vientiane (55 baht, 17000 kip, two hours) via the Friendship Bridge.

A 1st class bus service connects Nong Khai directly with Suvarnabhumi Airport (the new BKK).

There are not much choice to move around either by tuk-tuk, which would cost from B20-B30 or even B70 if he sees you as a tourist!..... so have to bargin!

Another way is by bicycles (30 baht/day) and motorbikes (200 baht/day). Lower prices can usually be negotiated for longer rentals - try the rental stand outside the Mut Mee guesthouse or at Limmaneemotor on Meechai Road. Very cheap for long term rental.

Accommodation
Mut Mee Guesthouse [http://www.mutmee.com/], by the Mekong river west of Thasadej market. Long-established. In a large tree filled garden overlooking the river, it has both simple and higher quality rooms. It has a boat called the Nagarina which cruises on the river at sunset. Mut Mee owns the Gaia bar mentioned above. Yoga & meditation classes are also available.

Amazon Guesthouse[www.amazon-guesthouse.com], a garden guesthouse. Laid-back but efficient accommodation. Close to the natural park and Mekong River. Has an outdoor lounge area where you can relax with a book and enjoy views of the river.

Mekong Guesthouse, also by the Mekong river on the bridge side of the market has rather expensive rooms with aircon but they also have a dorm for 150 baht with hot shower and TV. There's a good chance of being the only person in there too.

Sawasdee Guesthouse, only 5 minutes from the bus station by foot. Situated in an old, colonial style building you will find dorms for 150 baht up to double room with air-con for 450 bath. The rooms are good and very clean. Friendly and helpful owner who can give you lots of tips for getting around. Great value for money.

Friendship Guesthouse, in the Soi right next to the Sawasdee guesthouse. (402 Meechai Rd), on the left side towards the Mekhong. It's only 10 minutes from the bus station by foot, so save the 20 baht because the guesthouse is a bit expensive, but one of the most beautiful and romantic places in town. A renovated dark-red wooden house set in a lush garden with beautiful double rooms for about 400 baht.

The Meeting Place[http://www.the-meeting-place.com/] is a Western guesthouse/bar/restaurant with rooms from 200-350 baht with air-con. Currently closed for renovation.

Khiang Khong Guest House, beside the river. A new guesthouse, family run. Good rooms, hot water, comfortable beds.

Link

http://www.nongkhaimap.com/

http://www.itisnet.com/english/asia/Thai/nongkai/nk-top.htm

Naga Fireball Phenomenon in Nong Khai

2009-11-03T11:27:00.002+08:00

Amazing Festivals along the Mekong River Bank Naga Fireball Phenomenon

At the end of October people from all around Thailand visit river near Amphoe Phon Phisai, Nong Khai Province and Nearby Districts to witness a true phenomenon – the Naga Fireballs.

Totally unexplained, great balls of fire rise up through the water and shoot into the air time and time again.

A very eerie spectacle, there has been some debate amongst cynics that the whole thing is staged by the Tourism Authority of Thailand!

Hardly likely – witness the spectacle for yourself.

videoS to judge for yourself

Wanna go??
it happens only once a year, under the full moon of the 11th lunar month.... in October.... so do check the calendar or another guide is around the night of Wan Awk Pansa — the end of the Buddhist rains retreat (in October), although displays have also been reported in March, April, May, June, and September.

You can rent a motorcycle and ride eastward along the Mekong from Muang district to Phon Phisai and Rattanawapee.

The glowing spheres, the size of eggs, hang in the air for a few minutes before disappearing, leaving in their wake astonishment, mystification and many, many questions.
A hoax? A miracle?

The local folks say they are manifestations of the nagas, the legendary water serpents.
According to local belief, Nong Khai and other settlements along the Mekong were created by nagas.

The legend was later imbued with Buddhist fancy. The Lord Buddha ascended to heaven for Lent to visit his mother, and his return during this particular full moon was cause for rejoicing. To show their delight, the nagas shot fireballs into the air.

But Manas Kanoksil, who's been observing and studying the fireballs for more than 10 years, is convinced the bizarre phenomenon is the combustion of natural gases released from the riverbed.

The combustion requires a complete set of perfectly natural occurrences, including the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon. Hence its occurrence on the last night of Buddhist Lent.
Regardless, the drama continues, and the number of spectators rises annually.

The sleepy little town, once just a place to get a cold beer before crossing the border to Laos, has become a popular destination thanks to the annual show.

"Whatever it is, I think this event could make Nong Khai a wonder of the world," says Manas Auraksam, a local painter.

Gunung Lambak Recreational Forest

2009-10-31T10:47:00.000+08:00

Located 5km from the town of Kluang is Gunung Lambak. At 510m above sea level, it is an easy climb for visitors using the trails of footpaths and wooden bridges. Facilities here include car parks, rest sheds, benches, toilets and camping sites. There are waterfalls for that refreshing dip, apart from the diversity of wild flora and fauna to appreciate. Scenes of its waterfalls cascading into streams of rapids and pools are simply enchanting amidst retreats of pleasure and adventure.

Gunung Lambak Suggest Itinerary from Singapore:-
0730Hrs - Meet at the escalator area after clearing woodlands custom check point
0745Hrs - Depart for Larkin bus terminal in Johor Bahru + Breakfast (Buy bus ticket (0900Hrs) to Kluang at Larkin)
0900Hrs - Bus to Kluang

Bus service: OCHARD EXPRESS (Platform 41)
Frequency : Hourly
Cost: Rm 6.40 per person
Duration: 1hr 40mins

OR
Train
By Train, (either from Tanjong Pagar Railway station in Singapore or from Johor Bahru) to Kluang
Check out train timing: http://www.ktmb.com.my
From Johor Bahru : there is a departure from J.B at 1036hrs
Cost: Rm4 (lowest class, may not have seats)
Duration: 1hr 40mins
1030Hrs - Cab to Gunung Lambak (Buy return bus ticket (1700Hrs) to Larkin at Kluang)

Cab
Cost : Rm6 per cab
Duration : 15mins
Remarks:
You may arrange for the cab to come back to pick you up at extra cost or by bus (See below)
Return trip,Take local bus, Walk along main road for about 15mins until there is a T-junction turning to the right. Keep to the right side of the road and wait for local bus. There is no designated bus stop.
Bus journey : 30mins
Cost: Rm0.70 per person
1045Hrs - Trek up to Gunung Lambak summit

Trek Details
Follow prominent path to the first summit on the left.

Time taken: 1hr plus.... depends.....

To the next summit, follow small trail behind the shelter.

After 20mins, the bottom of a saddle is reached.Y-junction. The trail on the right although probably both trail would lead to the other summit.

The second summit is reached 10mins from the saddle.

Move down the trail for 4m. Y-junction, turn left.

Walk for another 3m, Y-junction, turn left.

Follow the trail down for about 30mins and the starting point of the trek is reached.
1230Hrs - Wash up
1245Hrs - Cab to CIN CIN restaurant for lunch. Signature dishes i.e. crispy duck, lotus leaf rice
1330Hrs - Take cab back to Kluang town - OTOT (own time own target) i.e. shopping, foods, movie, foot massage...
1700Hrs - Bus to Larkin bus terminal in Johor Bahru - Singapore
1845Hrs - Home Sweet home

Drive there??

From the North South Expressway (NSE), take the Ayer Hitam exit (Interchange 244) onto the Kluang - Jemaluang trunk road (Highway 50), headed towards Kluang town. Gunung Lambak Recreational Forest is close to Kampung Dato' Abdul Rahman Yassin, just south of Kluang town centre.

Waterproof all items that you bring in daypack using ziploc or plastic bags
Rain Gear/Poncho
Trekking pole
Good support shoes / trekking boots - to prevent ankle injuries & cuts from the sharp edges of rocks
Slippers - comfort item for after trek
Personal toiletries - We will wash up ourselves after the trek
Spare clothing
Water bottle/Water Bag
Foods
Personal rubbish bag
Hat/Cap
Insect repellant
Camera
Passport - please ensure that your passport has not expired before the trip
Malaysia Ringgit (RM50 -100)
EZ-link card

Please find attached brief introduction of Gunung Lambak-510M. In addition, please see below link for Gunung Lambak video:-

Map
http://gununglambakecoresort.4t.com/contact.html

Stay ??
Gunung Lambak Eco - Resort
Address: Taman Rekreasi Gunung Lambak, Kluang86000 Johor, Malaysia
Telephone: 07-776 0077
Fax: 07-776 0037
Email gununglambak_ecoresort@yahoo.co.uk

The Resort provides a set of facilities according to the activities provided such as:

-Water Park
-Camping Site
-Nature Walk
-Jungle Trekking
-Children's Playground
-Treasure Hunt
-Telematch
-Obstacle
-Indoor Game
-Wading Pool

Mount Kinabalu

2009-10-19T18:04:00.004+08:00

Mount Kinabalu is the tallest mountain between New Guinea and the Himalayas and reigns over an astonishing variety of scenery. While the lower reaches of the mountain serve as a botany fanatic’s dream, it is the upper reaches that captured the hearts and imaginations of climbers. Mount Kinabalu is known to be one of the most accessible peak and no specialized mountain climbing skills are required to ascend it. Thousands of tourists visit Kinabalu National Park every year with the intention of reaching the summit (number of visitors at park headquarters now hovers around 200,000 per year).

Most people take 3 days 2 nights to ascend and descend Mount Kinabalu, although it is doable in 2 days 1 night. The 8 kilometers ascend starts from the Timpohon Gate near park headquarters (1800m) at least before 11am, then another estimated 6 hours to reach the rest point Laban Rata (3273m). An overnight stay at one of the guest houses at Laban Rata is required if you intend to see the sun rise at Mount Kinabalu summit – you depart next morning at around 2am and it will take another 3 to 4 hours to reach the summit. Climbers then descend back to Laban Rata for breakfast before making their way down to the park headquarters by mid afternoon.

The best time to come to Mount Kinabalu is during the dry season from February to April, when walking and climbing is much more enjoyable. The temperature ranges from a comfortable 20-25 degrees Celsius at the main park to something approaching freezing near the top (depending on the weather).

What to Bring
1. Good Boots: Bring boots with good ankle support. Make sure they fit properly and are broken-in enough to ensure they are comfortable, because well-fitting boots can make the difference between an entertaining and a painful trip. Waterproof is a plus. Make sure it has good grip! Do not wear sneakers since they don’t support your ankles like boots do. The number one injury hikers face is twisted or broken ankles especially on during descend.

If packing space permits, pack in an open-toed sandals for your descending trip. It will be easier for the descend trip without pressing your toes against your boots all the time! Use it after Laban Rita and only if the ground is NOT slippery.

2. Water bottle: You can refill it on each shelter along the trail (rain water). I suggest reusing the plastic bottled water bottles; they’re a good size and very lightweight when empty.

3. Torchlight: Head-mounted is ideal for the night climb to the summit, as most of the time you have to hold the rope in the dark.

4. Personal First Aid
Panadol / Paracetomol
First aid kit with moleskin and bandages designed to cover blisters
Sunscreen lotion
Energy snacks: Trail mix or dried fruits are recommended but anything with high carbohydrate and low sugar will do. Also avoid snacks with a lot of salt as salt makes you thirsty.
Bug Repellent

5. Plastic Bags: To hold your rubbish / keep clothes dry

6. Spare batteries: For torch light and camera

7. Smaller Bag / Waist Pouch: For the night climb

8. Waterproof jacket / Raincoat

The technical difficulty of the final summit stretch and the temperature at the top came as a surprise to most of the climbers on our trip, and few were prepared. The climb is not considered difficult in good conditions, but can rapidly become treacherous if the weather deteriorates. Mountain weather is notoriously volatile, as is tropical weather, and the two together pose a real threat to the safety of climbers and should never be underestimated. Make sure you have proper clothing prepared for the morning climb.

2 different sets of clothes for the Day climb, and Night climb.
Night Climb:
Warm, lightweight jumper
Warm, lightweight pants
Woolen socks
Beanie/woolen hat
Gloves: To protect from cold and rope burn

Day Climb: It will usually be warm and sunny during the day climb, so lightweight clothing (t-shirts and Bermudas) is sufficient.

The Cost
Entrance Fees:
Malaysians â€“ Adult RM3, Below 18 RM1Non-Malaysians
â€“ Adult RM15, Below 18 RM10

Compulsory Guide:
(Timpohon Gate / Peak / Timpohon Gate)1-3 Climbers RM704-6 Climbers RM747-8 Climbers RM80

(Timpohon / Peak / Mesilau Trail)1-3 Climbers – RM80.00 per trip4-6 Climbers – RM86.00 per trip7-8 Climbers – RM92.00 per trip

(Mesilau Trail / Peak / Mesilau Trail)1-3 Climbers – RM84.00 per trip4-6 Climbers – RM90.00 per trip7-8 Climbers – RM100.00 per trip

Climbing permit: This will be checked at both Laban Rata and the Sayat-Sayat hut. OR

Malaysians: Adult RM30, Below 18 RM12Non â€“ Malaysians: Adult RM100, Below 18 RM40

Insurance: RM7

Other Lodging: http://www.mountaintorq.com/Lodging/lodging.html

Day Climb to Laban Rata
Climbers are issued with permits after paying for their guide, their insurance and their climbing fee. The permit, which is individually numbered with your day of departure, must be carried on the trail for the duration of the climb. Most climbers will start their climbing at 8.00am from Timpohon Gate. After a short registration at the gate, you will be surprised that the short first section of the rough gravel and sand track leads down, not up, across small gully to join the main flank of the mountain, and past the little trickle of Carson’s falls, named after the first Park Warden.

From here the trail rises steadily as a series of rough, uneven steps, right up to the overnight huts at Laban Rata (3,272 meters/10,735 feet). One of the most appealing aspects of the trail is the regular appearance of rest huts every kilometer or so. Each shelter has a toilet and untreated mountain water source to refill your drink bottle.

At a height of about 2600 m. is the region which abounds with pitcher plants. Pitcher plants are carnivorous plants whose prey-trapping mechanism features a deep cavity filled with liquid known as a pitfall trap. Once an insect fell in, it is impossible for them to get out. As they drown and dissolve in the liquid, the nutrients are absorbed by the plant. The average time taken to reach Laban Rata is about four or five hours.

Laban Rata
aban Rata, the name of the most comfortable hostel on the mountain and also unofficially the name of everybodyâ€™s rest stop for the night, is located at 3272 meters. It has 52 dormitory style bunk beds with a common bathroom, heated showers and room heaters, conveniently located in the same building as the restaurant. It also has two private units the first of which can sleep 4 (2 x twin and 1 x double bed) or 2 (1 double bed). Both the private units have attached bathrooms and heated rooms and showers and is still in the same building.

* Dormitory bunks @ RM 69 per person per night;
* 4 pax unit @ RM 300 for the unit per night;
* 2 pax unit @ RM 180 for the unit per night;

Another 10 minutes walk further up from Laban Rata is the Gunting Lagandan Hut, a second dormitory style accommodation. Featuring 60 beds at RM 46 per person per night, itâ€™s usually the next option when Laban Rata is full. It has basic cooking facilities (as Laban Rata has the only restaurant) and a common bathroom, which now feature hot water. The rooms, however, are still not heated.

Two additional units, further away from Laban Rata than just quick walk, is the Panar Laban Hut and the Waras Hut. Each able to sleep up to 8 people on dormitory style bunk beds, it has basic cooking facilities with common bathrooms. The water is not heated, as are the rooms. The rate is also RM46 per person per night.

The dining room at Laban Rata is quite a pleasant place to unwind from the walk. Tea and coffee is available, as well as a range of soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, chocolate and snacks. There’s also a ‘post office’ where trekkers can write and send postcards from high altitude! Drinks and snacks are more expensive than you’d expect to pay elsewhere in Sabah, but keep in mind that all the supplies at Laban Rata have to be carried up by porters. Dinner is available from the early evening onwards. A range of four or five dishes is served, buffet-style, and it’s amazing how much food you can eat after expending so much energy during the day. Malaysian and Western dishes are offered, so everyone will be able to find something to satisfy their hunger.

If you are susceptible to mountain sickness, you may feel some headache, nausea, muscle ache and giddiness just before dinner time. You can take some medication to relieve the symptoms before you go to sleep.

In addition to the restaurant, there is also a reception area/check-in for your accommodation, as well as a souvenir/supply shop for if you still donâ€™t have everything you need. Thereâ€™s also limited facilities for excess luggage you deem unnecessary for your final stretch to the summit.

Night Climb to Lows Peak

The next phase of climb will begin at about 3.00am, when you are woken for an early breakfast (at least a hot drink is advisable). You do not have to bring your alarm clock, as the noise of other climbers and guides will definitely wake you up. The restaurant is open at that time, but you can have you own hot drinks at your own hostel.

Above Laban Rata, the trail continues as a series of wooden ladders, fashioned out tree roots and branches. This is where a good torchlight is essential – as most of the time you have to hold something for stability, it is best if you have a headlight.

It would take about 1 â€“ 2 hours to reach Sayat-Sayat. This is the highest mountain hut at 3810 meters (12,500 feet). Climbers will have their permits, registrations checked and given a whistle for safety here. This is also the last point to refill water, and to answer natureâ€™s call. Beyond this point, thereâ€™s not even a small bush to hide you doing your natureâ€™s call! You will now head up to the Summit of Mount Kinabalu, Low’s Peak.

The gradient after Sayat-Sayat can become incredibly steep and can be quite tricky and treacherous in parts, there are some places where the trail can be as steep as 70Â° angle! Always stay close to the rope so that you will not get lost.

The actual terrain is flat underfoot, but it is common to see climber bent almost double at the waist to keep their balance. There are parts when you’ll need to grab the rope, which is bolted into the rockface at regular intervals, to help you up short sections. It will take up to an hour and a half to get from Sayat-Sayat to Low’s Peak. Even before you reach the top of Low’s Peak, the views in all directions are incredible – St John’s Peak to the west, the Donkey’s Ears to the east and the distinctive South Peak to the south make up incredible scenery. The view of the surrounding peaks is magnificent. By 6.00am, you will be able to see most of the peak very clearly.

Link
http://beyond-comfortzone.blogspot.com/

Get around in Melbourne

2009-10-15T17:22:00.001+08:00

By foot
Melbourne is an excellent city for walking and you should have no problems navigating the CBD. Melbourne has a very large metropolitan area, but most areas of interest can be reached within about 20 minutes from the CBD on the train or tram. Maps can be purchased from bookstores such as Angus & Robertson, taken from Federation Square or viewed online. If you're planning on taking the train to a specific area and walking the rest of the way, a combination of the afore-mentioned site and a decent printer will serve you well.

By public transport
Melbourne has an extensive network of public transport, and connections to most of the major attractions of the city.

Melbourne’s public transport system, known as Metlink, consists of trams, trains and buses: trams service the central city and inner suburbs, trains service the city and the suburbs, and buses where there are no tram or train tracks. A single ticket (called a "Metcard") allows travel on all three modes of transport. Melbourne Trains have been known to be dirty and run-down, but in recent years, a large public transport overhaul means that clean modern trains have replaced most of the fleet.

The "Met Shop" in the Melbourne Town Hall, on the corner of Swanston St and Little Collins St provides timetables and brochures, and sells tickets, maps and travel merchandise (open 8.30AM-5PM Monday to Friday, 9AM-1PM Saturday). The Metlink Information Centre, ph 131638 (131MET), every day 7AM-9PM, provides information and the Metlink website [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/] also provides information including maps, fares and zones and all timetables. A recently released application for iPhones provides up to date timetables for trains and trams in metropolitan Melbourne. Metcards are also available from:

Many retail businesses (especially 7-Eleven stores)
Train stations - less than one-quarter of Melbourne's suburban train stations are staffed. At unstaffed stations, Metcard vending machines are provided. All ticket machines accept coins and will issue a maximum of $10 in change. Most stations will also have at least 1 machine that will take notes but less frequently used railway stations may have just coin-only machines.

Trams - all trams have a coin-only ticket machine that issues a limited range of tickets (up to a day-ticket).

Metcards are divided into "Zones", with Zone 1 covering the central city and inner suburbs (and consequently almost the entire tram network) and Zone 2 covering the middle suburbs and some outer suburbs. Until recently Zone 3 covered the remaining outer suburbs and the Mornington Peninsula; however, that has now been incorporated into a 2-zone system. Almost all tickets are time-based; that is, they can be used for the given period of time within the specified zone(s) from the first time you use it. The following are the most useful tickets (and some indicative costs) for travellers (fares as at March 2009):

Two-hour (adult Zone 1 $3.70)
Daily (adult Zone 1 $6.80)
Seniors Daily (for All zones in Victoria Only purchasable by Seniors Card holders from all Australia $3.40)
Weekly (adult Zone 1 $29.40)
Sunday Saver (travel across all zones, all day Sunday; $3.10 but the ticket is not available at automatic ticket machines)
City Saver (a single trip within the CBD only; adult $2.80)

Concession Metcards are available for all children aged under fifteen years, but concessions for older students are only available to Victorian residents who are eligible and have paid for a student concession card. Concessions are also available to holders of Victorian Seniors Cards, Victorian Health Care Cards, and Australian Pensioner Concession Cards. A concession Metcard costs roughly half the price of an adult Metcard. Children under 4 years old travel free.

Before each journey, and sometimes to gain access to the station platforms, a metcard must be "validated" by inserting it into a validation machine. On trams, the metcard must be validated after boarding the tram; however, tickets purchased on the tram (from the machine) are already validated. Note that a two-hour metcard that is validated for the first time at 6:01PM (18:01) or later is valid for the rest of the night, so if you’re heading out after 6PM for an evening’s entertainment, don't buy or validate a day ticket. Another hint to know is that 2 hour tickets do not count individual minutes, as such are rounded up the next hour to ensure that the traveler gets at least 2 hours worth of travel. This means for example, that if one validates the 2 hour ticket at 3:01PM then it is rounded up to begin counting down the 2 hours form 4:00PM. Note that you will not be allowed to leave a station with fare gates if you did not validate your ticket before you first got on the train.

If you are caught using a concession ticket without a concession card, you will be fined. The ticket barriers have a light on the top which flashes if you are using a concession ticket. It has now been written into law that your ticket can be inspected even after you have left your train, tram or bus. Fines start at $158 and can be as high as $500.

Services generally operate between 5AM and midnight Monday to Saturday, and after 8AM Sunday morning. After midnight on Saturday and Sunday mornings only there are NightRider buses which run defined routes to the suburbs. Metcards are now valid on Nightrider services, but you should keep in mind that daily and 2-hourly Metcards expire at 3AM - if you're boarding a bus after this time, you'll need to buy or validate a new ticket. If you board a bus scheduled to depart before the expiry time on your ticket, it will be considered valid for your entire journey, even if you don't alight until after it expires.

Although Melbourne is a reasonably safe city, crime can and does occur on public transport. If you're waiting at a station at night, it would be wise to stand in the designated 'safety area'. These areas are well lit and provide easy access to the emergency intercom. Some outer suburban stations are known to be 'hang-outs' for youths and louts. Generally the stations are still safe and you will not be hassled if you mind your own business and ignore any illegal behaviour that may be occuring. It is particularly safe following sporting events at night when there are lots of people using public transport in particular families.

Melbourne's public transport system sometimes experiences delayed and cancelled services, especially during peak hour, and on hot days. If time is critical, catch the train before the one you need.

Trains are free to travel on before 7AM working days provided if you get the Early Bird ticket from the ticket window at the station.

The free City Circle [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/using-public-transport/explore-melbourne/free-city-services] trams run around the CBD perimeter, covering Flinders St, Spring St, Nicholson St, Victoria St, La Trobe St and Harbour Esplanade along with the new Docklands Precinct. It is an older style tram, easily recognisable by its maroon colour. The tram stops along the route are sign posted with City Circle. They run in both directions every 12 minutes every day except Good Friday and Christmas Day from 10AM-6PM, and until 9PM Thursday-Saturday during daylight savings. Several of the trams on this service are equipped with recorded commentary about attractions passed. Tourist information is often available on board either from brochures or from a city guide person. These trams are geared to visitors and provide access to sites of interest to the tourist. They are a great introduction to central Melbourne and a free way to have a tram experience. It can be a good way to get around for the experience, or to rest, but it rarely saves much time.

The free Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle [http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/using-public-transport/explore-melbourne/free-city-services/#2] bus service stops at key tourist destinations in and around the city. The buses run at 15 minute intervals between 9:30AM and 4:30PM every day. A complete circuit takes 45 minutes, and there is onboard commentary.

By bike
Yarra RiverMelbourne has an excellent network of bike paths, plus a generally flat terrain, making pedal-power a great way to take in the city. Most paths are "shared footways" under the law, although the majority of users in most places are cyclists. This means cyclists should expect to share the path with pedestrians, dog-walkers, rollerbladers, joggers, prams and tricycles. Some trails contain on-road sections (in marked bike lanes). It is legal to cycle on footpaths only when supervising cycling children or when the path is marked or signposted as allowing bikes. Helmets are required by law, and care should be taken when cycling near slippery tram tracks.

The main paths of interest to travellers are:
The Yarra River Trail [http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-&-riding/41356/] runs from the mouth of Melbourne's iconic Yarra River, through the city and onwards to Westerfolds Park in the outer suburbs.
The Capital City Trail [http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-&-riding/43791/] runs a circuit through Melbourne's inner suburbs, the Docklands precinct and the city. It's a good way to see a slice of day-to-day life.
The Bay Trail [http://www.bv.com.au/bikes-&-riding/10356/] is a pleasant trek around Port Phillip Bay, running from Port Melbourne, through the bustling beachside precinct of St Kilda, past the famous bathing sheds of Brighton, all the way to Carrum. A punt operates under the West Gate Bridge on weekends and public holidays allowing a start at Altona Meadows along the Williamstown Trail, across the punt, and joining with the Bay Trail. There is no cyclist access permitted to the West Gate Bridge.

Detailed maps of the bike path network can be found online [http://www.goforyourlife.vic.gov.au/].

Bikes can be hired from Hire-a-Bike near Federation Square at Vault 14 Princes Walk, Federation Wharf on the north side of the Yarra, ph 0417 339 203.

Melbourne Shopping

2009-10-14T16:57:00.002+08:00

SUNDAY’S MARKET at the ARTS CENTRE
Corner St Kilda and Southgate Roads, Southbank. Phone 03 9281 8581. More than just another flea market, The Sunday Market showcases over 150 stalls of Victoria's finest artisans' work. Stallholders must be selected after passing strident examination for the quality and diversity of their work. Melbourne is a Mecca for artists of every genre painters, sculptors, visual artists, musicians, and thespians.

Gifted artisans and crafts people market their hand made wares from quaint shops, studios and bazaars where the artist, artisan, miner or crafts person by being on-hand, provides the visitor with the opportunity to buy, first hand. Do something daring buy original and be different. Every lady still drawing breath will fall in love with Melbourne's shopping; language is no barrier as most staff are multilingual. She will discover unique jewellers who create from rare diamonds coloured with hues of rose & champagne. Look on as the jeweller turns and polishes opal then facets gemstones.

Tour Melbourne’s Markets and unearth aromatic leatherwear of distinction, alluring pelts taken from the kangaroo, crocodile, barramundi, emu and flamboyant sea snakes. Artwork may be found everywhere on canvas, ceramics, glass, metals, textiles, earthenware, stoneware, terracotta and clay pots. Hideaway antiques stores and photo galleries must be prospected for that special little, "stumble upon". Rainforest timbers with richly coloured grains are shaped and sculptured as you watch on. Stylish boutiques and market stalls offer garments reflecting the colours, culture and lifestyle of Melbourne. Souvenir an inexpensive t-shirt or treat yourself to a one-off, hand sewn creation by a local couturier. All stalls are under cover and the markets trade every Sunday of the year. The market is located over two levels, along St Kilda Road between the Concert Hall and Theatres building as well as in the undercroft of the Concert Hall.

QUEEN VICTORIA MARKETS
513 Elizabeth Street, Corner of Elizabeth Street and Victoria Street, Melbourne. Phone 03 9320 5822. Over 1,000 stalls selling just about everything. Melbourne's shopping Mecca. This historic landmark and tourist attraction is the largest open-air markets in the southern hemisphere. Officially opened 20th March 1878. Market buildings sell meat products, the open air sheds sell fruit and vegetables, clothing, shoes, baggage, toys, pets, travel goods, jewellery and souvenirs all at bargain prices. Experience the fervour and pace of Melbourne's most cosmopolitan market. See website for night market dates, tours, events and cooking school details. Operates Tuesdays and Thursdays from 06:00 am to 02:00 pm, Fridays from 06:00 am to 06:00 pm, Saturday from 06:00 am to 03:00 pm and Sunday from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm.

FEDERATION SQUARE
Corner Swanston and Flinders Streets, Melbourne. Phone 03 9639 2800. Federation Square is a central and unifying public space, a landmark and a cultural magnet bringing together exquisite gardens, innovative architecture and engineering. Filling an entire city block, Federation Square's creative mix of attractions embody all that is wonderful about Victoria: fine art, fine hospitality, fine flora, bold design and vibrant events. Close by is the Ian Potter Centre incorporating the National Gallery of Victoria, ACMI, the Australian Thoroughbred Racing Museum, SBS, Melbourne Visitor Centre, cafes and restaurants.

ROYAL ARCADE
355 Bourke Street, Melbourne. Built in 1869, this is the city's oldest shopping arcade and despite alterations, it retains an airy, graceful elegance notably lacking in more modern shopping centers. Walk about 10 metres into the arcade, turn around, and look up to see the statues of Gog and Magog, the mythical monsters that toll the hour on either side of Gaunt's Clock. At the far end is a wrought-iron portico from the same period, one of the few remaining examples of the verandas that used to grace the city center.

THE BLOCK ARCADE
280-286 Collins Street, Runs between Collins Street and Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Phone 03 9654 5244. Melbourne’s principal shopping arcade built in 1891. The grandest arcade of them all, featuring huge ceiling murals and intricate mosaic floors. Walking up and down this section of Collins Street in the late afternoon or on Saturday morning was a favourite pastime between 1870 and 1918. The Block is famous for its arcades, modelled on those of Paris, London and Milan.

SOUTHGATE LEISURE PRECINCT
Maffra Street and City Road, Melbourne. Phone: 03 9699 4311. On the river's edge next to the Victorian Arts Center, the development of Southgate successfully refocused Melbourne's attention on the scenic Yarra River and revitalized a sadly neglected part of the city. Opened in 1992, stylish, cosmopolitan Southgate is a reflection of Australia's cultural diversity, with a distinct Melbourne flavour. Southgate has so much to offer overseas visitors, city workers and day-trippers alike. Restaurants, bars and cafés, 39 unique stores, a riverside Food Court, exciting entertainment programs, secure undercover parking. It's a prime spot for scenic walking being especially vibrant with throngs of people including many street theatre performers.

CHINATOWN
Little Bourke Street between Swanston Street and Spring Street, Melbourne. Phone 03 9658 9658. Situated on Little Bourke Street and the neighbouring lanes between Spring and Swanston Streets, restaurants, cafes and Asian grocery stores dominate the precinct. Chinatown is a bustling thoroughfare with people sounds and smells to invite and entice. Chinese medicine, music, restaurants, gold and jewellery, unique and exotic gifts, cinema, events and festivals, the museum and karaoke are all major features of Chinatown.

CROWN CASINO & CROWN ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
8 Whiteham Street, Melbourne. Phone 03 9292 8888. One of the largest gaming facilities in Southern Hemisphere, featuring 350 gaming tables and 2,500 slot machines. A genuine Las Vegas-style gambling palace, encompassing restaurants, upmarket boutiques, nightclubs, two hotel towers, a cinema complex, and floorshows. Open 24 hours except Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day when it is closed from 04:00 am to noon.

BOURKE STREET MALL
Between Swanston Street and Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. Melbourne’s main department stores are located here along with street performers and buskers performing throughout the mall area.

SOUTHGATE PLAZA
May be reached from the CBD by an arched footbridge located behind the Flinders Street Station. Three levels of shops, restaurants, cafes and bars all overlooking the river.

DOCKLANDS
New shopping and residential Precinct.

Maps and guides

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Maps/citymap.pdf

http://thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Pocket/DesignPocket.pdf

http://thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Pocket/RomanticPocket.pdf

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Strengths/Attractions.pdf

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Strengths/ArtsCulture.pdf

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Strengths/Laneways.pdf

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/Strengths/Shopping.pdf

http://www.thatsmelbourne.com.au/Documents/General/Tourist-shuttle.pdf

Bourke Street, Melbourne

2009-10-13T16:49:00.002+08:00

Bourke Street is a major street in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Bourke Street is named for Sir Richard Bourke, the Governor of New South Wales (and thus, of Melbourne as well) in 1837, when the Hoddle Grid was drawn up.

Bourke Street Mall
Bourke Street is a major retail shopping precinct, which along with the rest of the central business district attracts hundreds of thousands of locals and a large number of tourists every day. A central feature of this is the Bourke Street Mall, a pedestrian and tram-only strip between Swanston and Elizabeth streets. This is home to three major department stores - Myer (the world's largest and being extensively rebuilt), David Jones also being extensively extended and rebuilt, Target (department store) and numerous chain stores such as Jetty Surf[1], adidas, The Body Shop, Supre, Sportsgirl, and several large specialty stores. The historic neo-classical style GPO Melbourne, which is also on Bourke Street Mall, has been restored and converted to a high-end shopping destination after a fire partly destroyed it. It was reopened in early 2005. The mall had received a major facelift in preparation for the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Bourke Street Mall is regularly used by buskers and street theatre acts. A common attraction every Christmas is the large Myer Windows, which are decorated in a different Christmas display every year.

Food Precinct
Bourke Street is becoming Melbourne's newest food precinct with a few sidelanes such as The Causeway, Market Lane, Crossley Street, Liverpool Street and the newly reopened Postal Lane being home to a number of chic cafes and restaurants. At the east end, Bourke Street is also part of Melbourne's Chinatown, the destination for Chinese cuisine. Bourke Street is also the place for fine-dining with the excellent Grossi Fiorentino, Bottega, Becco and the world renowned Flower Drum restaurants being among the restaurants having their premises either on or immediately adjacent, to this street.

Cinemas
Bourke Street has played a historically significant part in Melbourne's cinema industry. It was home to the city's first permanent cinema (although this was initially established near Princes Bridge), and by 1913 had developed into Melbourne's principal cinema precinct. In 1908, Arthur Russell began screening films at St. George's Hall, which was rebuilt as Hoyt's De Luxe Theatre in 1914, marking the beginning of the Hoyts cinema chain.

Bourke Street remained a centre for cinema-goers until quite recently. In 2005, the Hoyts cinema moved to larger premises at the Melbourne Central shopping centre. On 15 February 2006 the Village cinema closed down, leaving Village cinemas at nearby Crown Casino as the main Village branded city cinemas. The Chinatown Cinema, which inhabits the former Hoyts Midcity cinema, is the only cinema left in Bourke Street. Just off Bourke Street, the Greater Union cinemas and the newly expanded Kino Dendy cinemas continue to be cinema drawcards.

Attractions
A famous attraction within Bourke Street is the historic Royal Arcade, and in particular, its two ornamental clocks, featuring effigies of Gog and Magog.

Parliament House is situated at the intersection of Bourke Street and Spring Street, and along with St Patrick's Cathedral, forms a stunning vista looking east down the street.
Just down from Parliament House at the top end of Bourke Street is the Palace Theatre. It is one of Melbourne's premier live music, entertainment and function venues with many local and international acts appearing regularly.

Melbourne's Hard Rock Cafe was also found at the Spring Street end of Bourke Street. It closed its doors towards the end 2007, and its future location is still uncertain.
The Melbourne Fine Art Gallery is also located on the street.

Transportation
A number of tram routes travel along Bourke Street and the Mall. These include tram routes 86, 95 and 96. At the west and east ends of the street are Southern Cross (formerly Spencer Street) and Parliament railway stations, and Flinders Street and Melbourne Central stations are a short walk from the Mall. A pedestrian bridge at the western end provides access Southern Cross Station, Telstra Dome and the Melbourne Docklands.

Link

http://www.bourkestreet.com.au/

Cameron Highlands

2009-10-10T22:51:00.004+08:00

Getting To Cameron Highlands
Self drive
From the South via Tapah
Cameron Highlands is about 300kms from Kuala Lumpur and it takes less than 3.5 hours to get here via the North-South Expressway (NSE). If you are driving from Kuala Lumpur, get find your way to the NSE by following the sign to Ipoh. Once you're on the expressway, keep on driving north until you reach Tapah which will take about 1.5 hours. Watch out for the sign that indicates the Tapah and Cameron Highlands exit (Exit 132). Once you have passed the toll booth, turn left at the traffic lights. From here onwards you will be on the long winding road to Cameron Highlands which is about 60 km's away. If you're driving from the north just take Exit 132 at Tapah and follow the same direction. It takes an average of 1.5 hours to reach Tanah Rata from Tapah.

Driving Tips :Driving up this road is definitely a pleasant experience because it gives you some great views of mountains. Since the roads are less winding, people tend to speed here but watch out for the sharp bends at some stretches. There is NO mobile coverage along this road.

Train
There is no train service to Cameron Highlands. The nearest stop is the Tapah Road station in Tapah. You can take a bus or taxi to Cameron Highlands from here.

Buses
Buses to Cameron Highlands operate daily from Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang. Buses from Kuala Lumpur depart from the Pudu Raya Station and KL Central. Buses from Penang depart from Prangin Mall / Komtar.

From Kuala Lumpur buses to Tanah Rata can be caught at Puduraya Central Bus Station and take about 4 1/2 hours. Look round the ticket counters to find the various companies although they don't always have buses running at the advertised times. Buses leave between 8.30 and 3.30, but more buses run in the morning. Prices range from RM20 - RM30. The cheaper Kurnia Bistari bus tickets can be bought at ticket counter 86/87, however these buses are known for breaking down on-route, frequently take up to 7 hours for the journey and have only one toilet stop. Well worth paying more for a more pleasant journey. The Unititi Express can be bought at ticket counter 66 but has fewer services.
If booking at a hostel before heading up it's worth asking their advice on the best bus route and companies.

Express bus service from Singapore is now available. Unititi Express leaves Beach Road Singapore at 10.00pm daily and arrives in Cameron at 7am the following morning.

For bus schedules and details, Click here

http://www.cameron-highlands.com/getting-there.html

Accomodation
http://apartments.cameronhighlands.com/index.php
http://www.cameronhighlands.com/Accommodation/

Getting Around Cameron Highlands
It will be very convenient for you to get around Cameron Highlands if you have your own transportation. There are no car rental services in Cameron Highlands.
You can still get around with the local bus and taxi, but you will not have the flexibility you get from driving in your own car. Alternately you can also get on one of the many tours organized by the local tour companies in Cameron Highlands.

Some guest houses do provide motorbike rental services which you can use to get around. Bicycles are not here popular because of the terrain and the high traffic.

Most tourists activity is in the town of Tanah Rata. This small town is set up along the road and is easily traveled by foot.
Local buses (to tea plantations, further away tracks, strawberry farms and other attractions) run hourly. Taxis are available as well. Taxi between Tanah Rata and Brinchang costs RM 6, while the bus is roughly RM 1.50.

Local Bus
The local bus service is provided by the Regal Bus Company.
For bus schedules and details, Click here
Taxi
For taxi rates and destinations details, Click here

Distance between towns
Ringlet to Tanah Rata - 13km
Tanah Rata to Brinchang - 6km
Brinchang to Tringkep - 8km
Tringkap - Kuala Terla - 5km
Kuala Terla - Kg.Raja - 3km

Want to know the weather in Cameron Highlands right now?
Check out the Heritage Hotel livecam on Tanah Rata.
Tudor home inn is bad. RM120 on Saturday is not so worth it. No hot water, room is untidy and noisy at night. Lousy service.

Holiday Hints
What to wear
With temperatures ranging from 25°c to 10°c Cameron Highlands is pleasantly warm. However, a sweater or tracksuit top is essential for the evenings when it can become a little chilly. Late afternoon rains often set in,so get out and about early in the morning and bring along an umbrella. If you are planning a jungle walk, be sure to wear good trainers or walking shoes and take along a bottle of mineral water as some of the walks are quite long and tiring.

Eat
There are many Chinese restaurants in Cameron highland. You can see them wherever you go. From Ringlet to Tanah Rata and even more in Brinchang. All these Chinese restaurants have their own specialty. The most famous food in Cameron is steamboat. You can practically see everyone eating steamboat in all the stores. The steamboat price may range from RM 10 to RM 15 per head. As usual, Peak season with a higher price due to the price hike in raw materials. You will be able to throw in anything into your pot. If you would like to add in anything else other than those provided, you might have to add some money as well. However, one thing for sure, you will be able to feel the satisfaction of eating steamboat. The cold weather there is definitely perfect to eat steamboat. You will never sweat when you are eating!

Discount???
Enjoy 15% off with Phone Reservation!!! Call Ms Cheah @ 012-5176223 / 019-555 6223 for steamboat at Golden Win Restaurant..... Usual: RM15-RM18 Nett per pax with FREE refill for Vegatables!!! hee hee hee... Golden Win Restaurant is located at Brinchang Town, Cameron Highlands at the corner shoplot behind the main street.
http://www.holidaycameron.com/chuaginhotel.html

MAP

http://www.holidaycameron.com/cameronmaps.html

Links
http://www.cameronhighlands.com/

New Budget Airline in Singapore - Jet Airways

2009-09-28T18:28:00.003+08:00

Gerry Oh, the airline’s Singapore-based regional vice-president for Southeast Asia, said yesterday that schedules for daily flights between Singapore and the three Indian destinations of Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi were back to normal.
Flights were disrupted during the five-day pilots’ strike, forcing the airline to divert passengers to other airlines.

Mr Oh said Jet Airways was enjoying strong loads on the Singapore-India sectors, although yields remained under pressure.

The airline’s Singapore office yesterday rolled out a new Web-based stopover portal to attract more inbound passengers from India.

The new portal (www.showmesingapore.com/jetsstart) was developed by Singapore-based destination management and travel agency City DMC, and promotes Singapore to travellers abroad.

Through the portal, travellers in source markets like India can familiarise themselves with Singapore and its attractions, and book flights, hotels and tickets to attractions online.
Ang Eu Khoon, managing director of City DMC, said the portal was designed to encourage more stopover holidays in Singapore.

“Over 37 million passengers passed through Changi Airport in 2008, but just under 11 million passengers entered Singapore,” said Mr Ang, whose family owns Sans Tours, which owns a fleet of 660 buses, vans and cars for lease.

“This portal is aimed at attracting the low-hanging fruit of the millions of airline passengers who skip Singapore without stopping over. We want to entice them to visit Singapore with attractive online hotel and top-attraction offers.”

Mr Oh added that the portal would leverage on Jet Airways’ massive network in India and its strong online Web penetration presence. “The aim is to encourage more Indian travellers to visit Singapore or plan a stopover when flying beyond Singapore.”

Last year, visitor arrivals from India increased 24.4 per cent to over 778,000. But for the first seven months of this year, visitor arrivals from India fell 11 per cent year-on- year to just 426,000 due to the economic crisis.

This article was first published in The Business Times

Airlines operating from Singapore

2009-09-28T16:32:00.002+08:00

Adam Air *
6838 9990
http://www.adamair.co.id/
Air Asia *
6733 9933
http://www.airasia.com/
Air France
6737 6355
http://www.airfrance.com.sg/
Air New Zealand
6228 3288
ttp://www.airnewzealand.com.sg/
All Nippon Airways
6228 3288
http://www.ana.com.sg/
British Airways
6839 7788
http://www.britishairways.com/
Cathay Pacific
6539 1333
http://www.paclic.org/cathay-pacific-singapore.shtml
China Airlines
6737 2211
https://calec.china-airlines.com/olb/us/asp/start.asp
Emirates Airlines
6735 3535
http://www.emirates.com/sg/index.asp
EVA Air
6226 1533
http://www.evaair.com/html/b2c/english/en_index/
Finnair
6733 3377
http://www.finnair.com/
Garuda Indonesia
6250 5666
http://www.garuda-indonesia.com/
Gulf Air
6738 2500
http://www.gulfairco.com/index/index.asp
Indian Airlines
6225 4949
http://indian-airlines.nic.in/contact/worldwide.htm
Japan Airlines
6221 0522
http://www.sg.jal.com/en/
KLM
6737 7622
http://www.klm.com/sg_en/index.jsp
Korean Air
6534 2111
http://www.koreanair.com/
Lion Air *
6225 3536
http://www.lionair.co.id/
Lufthansa
6245 5600
http://cms.lufthansa.com/fly/sg/en/index
Malaysian Airlines
6336 6777
http://www.malaysiaairlines.com.my/
Air New Zealand
6535 8266
http://www.airnewzealand.com.sg/
Northwest Airlines
6336 3371
http://www.nwa.com/sg/en/home.shtml
Quantas
6839 7788
http://www.qantas.com.au/regions/dyn/home/qualifier-region-sg
Scandinavian Airlines
6235 2488
https://ibp2.scandinavian.net/%20planandbook/searchAvailView.asp planandbook/searchAvailView.asp
SilkAir
6225 4488
http://www.silkair.com/mbe/application/mbe
Singapore Airlines
6223 8888
http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa
SIA Seat Online Bookingfor Frequent Flyers
http://www.singaporeair.com/
Swiss International
6823 2010
http://yourcountry.swiss.com/local/index-singapore
Thai Airways
1800 244 9977
https://res.amadeus.net/pl/%20thaiairways/en/avail_only.htm thaiairways/en/avail_only.htm
Tiger Airways*
http://www.tigerairways.com/
Turkish Airlines
65673245
http://www.thy.com.sg/
Valuair*
6229 8338
http://www.valuair.com.sg/
United Airlines
6873 3533
http://www.ual.com.sg/english/index.html
* Budget Airlines

Asia Budget Airlines

2009-09-28T14:23:00.004+08:00

Malaysia Airlines
http://www.malaysiaairlines.com/
Malaysia Airlines

Hong Kong Express
http://www.hongkongexpress.com/
Hong Kong ExpressFounded in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Express Airways Limited (HKE) is dedicated to providing commercial aviation services of exceptional standards. Our ambition is to serve cities in Mainland China and Asia.

AirDeccan - First Low Cost Airlines in India
http://www.airdeccan.net/
Airdeccan is a lowcost airline started in India and operates around 52 locations within India covers Cities & Towns as well

Valuair (id)
http://www.jetstarasia.com/valuair/
ValuairTogether with our sister company, Jetstar Asia, Valuair provides value-for-money passenger and cargo flight services out of Singapore. Valuair begun operations in May 2004 and currently flies to Bangkok, Jakarta and Surabaya on its brand new A320's. Jetstar Asia flies to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Phuket, Taipei, Manila, Calcutta, Yangon and many more exciting destinations in Asia.Indonesia Domestic International Airline Denpasar (Bali) Jakarta Surabaya Thailand Bangkok

StarFlyer (jp)
http://www.starflyer.jp/english/index.html
StarFlyerJapan Domestic Airline Kitakyusyu Tokyo

Spring Airlines (cn)
http://www.china-sss.com/
Spring AirlinesChina Spring International offers economical group travel packages, luxury private travel packages, hotel and flight reservation in China as well as tourist guide information for our valued travelers to explore the Chinese civilization of this beautiful and mysterious land.China Domestic Airline Guilin Haikou Jinan Kunming Nanchang Qingdao Sanya Shanghai Tianjin Wenzhou Xiamen Zhuhai

South East Asian Airlines (ph)
http://www.flyseair.com/
South East Asian AirlinesHeadquarters in the Macapagal International Airport (formerly Clark Air Base)South East Asian Airlines a pioneer in Philippine aviation since 1995, bringing you to the most beautiful destinations. Consistency, quality, and reliability characterize our services.Philippine Domestic Airline Manila Busuanga Boracay San Jose Clark El Nido Taytay Cuyo Puerto Princesa Cebu Camiguin Cotabato Siargao Tandag Zamboanga Jolo Tawi-Tawi

Skymark Airlines (jp)
http://www.skymark.co.jp/
Skymark AirlinesJapan Domestic Airline Fukuoka Haneda Kagoshima Kansai Kobe Tokushima

Paramount Airways (in)
http://www.paramountairways.com/
Paramount AirwaysThe only Airline in India to offer Full Business Class service at prices comparative to Normal Economy class fares of other Airlines. Our focus is on unparalleled Comfort and Convenience.India Domestic Airline Bangalore Chennai Cochin Coimbatore Delhi

Lion Air (id)
http://www.lionair.co.id/
Lion AirLion Air is privileged enough to occupy Terminal Two with other international airlines, while other international airlines, while other regional or domestic in Indonesia operate out of Terminal One at Jakarta? Soekarno Hatta Airport. For this reason. Lion Air is not only capable of offering its passengers easy connections to and from Indonesia to other foreign destinations or one of the archipelago? many islands.Indonesia Domestic and International Airline Ambon Balikpapan Banjarmasin Batam Banda Aceh Denpasar Gorontalo Jakarta Jogjakarta Kendari Kupang Mataram Medan Menado Padang Palembang Palu Pekan Baru Solo Sorong Surabaya Ternate Ujung Pandang Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Penang Singapore

Kingfisher Airlines (in)
http://www.flykingfisher.com/
Kingfisher AirlinesThe Kingfisher Class experience aims to take air travel beyond just getting from here to there. Every individual trained and every procedure designed to delight you in a way you?e never really expected from an airline.India Domestic Airline Agartala Ahmedabad Bagdogra Bangalore Chennai Cochin Delhi Dibrugarh Goa Guwahati Hyderabad Jaipur Kolkatta Mangalore Mumbai Pune

Ibex (jp)
http://www.ibexair.co.jp/english/
IbexJapan Domestic Airline Fukushima Hiroshima Komatsu Narita Oita Osaka Sapporo Sendai Shonai

Go Air (in)
http://www.goair.in/
Go AirGoAir - The People's Airline - the brain child of Jeh Wadia, Managing Director, is looking at 'commoditizing air travel'. The airline is a low cost carrier and will endeavour to offer airline seats at marginally higher train prices to all cities in India, in a phased manner.India Domestic Airline Ahmedabad Bangalore Chennai Cochin Coimbatore Goa Hyderabad Indore Jaipur Mumbai Pune Vadodara

Citilink (id)
http://www.ga-citilink.com/
CitilinkCitilink is a service from Garuda Indonesia, that connects some cities point-to-point using Boeing B737 Aircraft. Citilink primarily serves some routes that have not been served by Garuda Indonesia.The nature of the service provided by Citilink is quite different if compared with regular Garuda Indonesia Flight, because it's intended to optimized the B737 operations and to perform a low cost operation system. The result of this program could be enjoy by end user in terms of lower Airfare.Indonesia Domestic Airline Balikpapan Denpasar Jakarta Jogyakarta Kendari Makassar Mataram Surabaya

Asian Spirit (ph)
http://www.asianspirit.com/
Asian SpiritPhilippines Domestic Airline Manila Antique Basco Baguio Boracay Busuanga Calbayog Catamaran Caticlan Clark Davao Kalibo Marinduque Masbate Ormoc Pagadian Puerto Princesa San Jose Surigao Taytay Tuguegarao Virac Cagayan de Oro Dipolog Tandag

Air India Express (in)
http://www.airindiaexpress.in/
Air India ExpressIndia Domestic Delhi Kochi Kozhikode Mumbai Thiruvananthapuram Welcome aboard Air-India Express, India's first international airline that offers great value for money and efficient service. Our mission is to provide convenient connectivity in the short-range routes at the most affordable prices to passengers.International Oman Muscat Salalah UAE Abu Dhabi Al Ain Dubai Sharjah

Adam Air (id)
http://www.adamair.co.id/
Adam Air started operation on December 19, 2003 using two aircrafts namely one Boeing 737-400 and one Boeing 737-500 serving three domestic destinations. As of today, we have grown our fleets into 15 units and serving 17 domestic and regional destinations.Indonesia domestic Balik Jakarta Lombok Ujung Pandang Medan Padang Pekan Baru International Singapore Penang

Air Philippines (ph)
http://www.airphils.com/
Air Philippines-Fly High Filipino! The second largest domestic airline carrier in the Philippines. Online reservations and information source.Philippine Domestic Airline Bacolod Cebu Cagayan de Oro Davao Dumaguete General Santos Iloilo Laoag Manila Puerto Princesa Tuguegarao Zamboanga

SpiceJet (in)
http://www.spicejet.com/
SpiceJet's mission is to become India preferred low-cost airline, delivering the lowest air fares with the highest consumer value, to price sensitive consumers. We hope to fulfill everyone dream of flying!With India's economic and business growth, the percentage of traveling population is burgeoning. More and more Indians are traveling for both business and pleasure and everyone needs to save both time and money. SpiceJet's vision is to answer that need, to ensure that flying is no longer only for CEOs and business travelers, but for everyone.India Domestic Airline Ahmedabad Bangalore Chennai Delhi Goa Hyderabad Jammu Kolkatta Mumbai Pune Srinagar

Asian Low Cost No Frills Airlines
http://www.attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines/asia/
Asian Low Cost No Frills AirlinesExcellent alternative list at "Attitude Travel"

Manila-based Cebu Pacific (Philippines)
http://www.cebupacificair.com/
Manila-based Cebu PacificWe are among the world? lowest cost, highest customer loyalty airline operators. We believe that our fundamental advantage is the Cebu Pacific Spirit shared by our dedicated team members. The Cebu Pacific Spirit is a compelling passion to treat all customers and each other with a true heart and soul for service.Cebu Pacific is currently a participant of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Multilateral Interline Traffic Agreement One-Way (MITA), enabling IATA members to issue Cebu Pacific tickets using their respective documents or, for authorized agents, using their Commercial Identification Plates.

Myanmar Airways International
http://www.maiair.com/homepage/default.asp
Myanmar Airways InternationalMyanmar's original and only national airline was called Union of Burma Airways and began operations in the 1950's when the country was still known as Burma. In the early 70's it was renamed Burma Airways Corporation and continued services under this name until 1988, when Burma was officially renamed Myanmar and the airline was renamed Myanma Airways.Myanmar Airways International (MAI) took off in August 1993, created by a joint venture between Myanma Airways and Singapore interests with the support of Royal Brunei Airlines.

Jetstar Asia
http://www.jetstarasia.com/
Jetstar Asia is a Singapore-based partnership between Qantas (49%), local businessmen Tony Chew (22%) and FF Wong (10%) and Temasek Holdings (19%). It is regional extension of the Jetstar brand, which was launched by Qantas as a low cost airline in the Australian domestic market. Our bold and distinctive brand is indicative of the fresh and vibrant approach toward low cost travel in the region.Singapore Taipei Hong Kong Pattaya

ValuAir
http://www.valuair.com.sg/
ValuAir : Valuair is the region's only value-for-money budget airline operating out of Singapore. Privately owned, Valuair begun operations in May 2004 and in 2005 flies daily to Perth, Bangkok, Jakarta and Hong Kong on its Airbus A320's.Other low cost carriers have a 29 inch seat pitch (the distance between your seat and the seat in front of you) and some don't even allow you to recline! With Valuair's 32 inch seat pitch, we're as comfortable as the major airlines. What's more, for some of our longer routes, our aircrafts have an even longer 34 inch seat pitch.

Phuket Air
http://www.phuketairlines.com/
Phuket AirPhuket Air was established in January 2001 corresponding with the Open Sky policy of the Thai Government. The company began its operations with one Boeing 737-200 jet, which it used to offer daily flight services on the Bangkok-Ranong-Bangkok and Bangkok-Phuket-Bangkok routes.Since then, Phuket Air has grown gradually. In the end of 2002, it offered its quality services with 3 aircrafts to 5 destinations with a total of 150 skillful employees.

SilkAir (sg)
http://www.silkair.com/mbe/application/mbe
As the Regional Wing of Singapore Airlines, SilkAir connects you to 26 destinations in Asia, each offering a unique 'unwinding experience' through its natural and man made wonders, local cultures and customs.Singapore Based International Airline Singapore Medan Balikpapan Lombok Manado Palembang Phnom Penh Solo City Phuket

NokAir (th)
http://www.nokair.com/
NokAirWith Nok Air, air travel will no longer be expensive for Thais. Nok Air will help enhance the quality of life for Thais to be comparable of those in other developed countries.Target Customers: Local Thai and international tourists seeking to explore the beauty of the different parts of Thailand , as well as family visitors or leisure and business travelers looking for value deals.Thailand Domestic Airline Bangkok Chiang Mai Hat Yai Phuket Nakhon Si Thammarat Udon Thani Trang

Orient Thai Airlines
http://www.orient-thai.com/web/home.html
Orient Thai Airlines?heritage stretches back to 1990, when CEO and MD Udom Tantiprasongchai, while a textile industrialist, spied an opportunity to start an airline in Cambodia where after three decades the civil war was entering its closing chapter.Times change and in 2001 telecom tycoon Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra won Thailand? general election, promising among other things to support businessmen and liberalise air transport. Sensing a change in the winds, Orient Thai Airlines began preparing for its return to Thailand in 2002.During 2002, 180,000 passengers were carried on the Hong Kong route, while 45,000 took Orient Thai Airlines?Seoul flights.

Tiger Airways (sg)
http://www.tigerairways.com/
Tiger AirwaysTiger Airways addresses the needs of travelers looking for a reliable low fare carrier to serve the Asia Pacific and has responded well to the tremendous growth of air travel and the rise of budget travel in the region.Based at Singapore Changi International Airport, destinations currently encompass airports within a four-hour flying radius of Singapore.Established in December 2003, Tiger Airways took to the air on September 15, 2004 with the inauguration of service between Changi International Airport and Bangkok International Airport in Thailand.Singapore Based International Airline Australia Darwin Macau SAR Macau Thailand Bangkok Chiang Mai Hat Yai Krabi Phuket Vietnam Danang Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Indonesia Padang Philippines Manila

Air Asia (th)
http://www.airasia.com/
Air AsiaAsia's leading low fare no frills airline and first to introduce "ticketless" traveling.Thailand Based Domestic and International Airline Brunei Cambodia Phnom Penh Siem Reap China Xiamen Indonesia Bali Balikpapan Bandung Batam Jakarta Medan Padang Solo Surabaya Malaysia Alor Star Bintulu Johor Bahru Kota Bharu Kota Kinabalu Kuala Lumpur Kuala Terengganu Kuching Labuan Langkawi Miri Penang Sandakan Sibu Tawau Philippines Manilla Singapore Singapore Thailand Bangkok Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Hat Yai Krabi Narathiwat Phuket Ubon Ratchathani Udon Thani

Bangkok Airways (th)
http://www.bangkokair.com/en/
Bangkok AirwaysThe origins of Bangkok Airways can be traced back to 1968 and a company known as Sahakol Air, which was initially set an air taxi serviceToday, Bangkok Airways flies to a total of 18 destinations in seven countries: Bangkok, Samui, Phuket, Krabi, Sukhothai, Pattaya Beach (Utapao), Chiang Mai, Trat in Thailand. In Cambodia, we fly to Phnom Penh and Angkor Wat (Siem Reap). We also fly to Jinghong, Xi'an, Guilin, Shenzhenin China, Luang Prabang in Laos, Yangon in Myanmar, Maldives and Singapore.

Cheap flights from Singapore (SIN) to.......

2009-09-28T10:34:00.003+08:00

Australia :
Adelaide (ADL) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Brisbane (BNE) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Cairns (CNS) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Darwin (DRW) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Melbourne-Tullamarine (MEL) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Tiger Airways
Perth (PER) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Tiger Airways
Sydney (SYD) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair

Bangladesh :
Dhaka (Zia Intl) (DAC) ... with : Air India Express

Burma :
Yangon (Rangoon) (RGN) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair

Cambodia :
Phnom Penh (PNH) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Siem Reap (REP) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair

China :
Guangzhou (Canton) (CAN) ... with : Tiger Airways
Haikou (HAK) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Tiger Airways
Hong Kong (HKG) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Cebu Pacific
Macau (MFM) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Tiger Airways
Xiamen (XMN) ... with : Tiger Airways
Zhenzhen (Shenzhen) (SZX) ... with : Tiger Airways

India :
Bangalore (BLR) ... with : Tiger Airways
Chennai (Madras) (MAA) ... with : Air India Express - Tiger Airways
Kolkata (Calcutta) (CCU) ... with : Air India Express
Tiruchirapalli (TRZ) ... with : Air India Express

Indonesia :
Bandung (BDO) ... with : AirAsia
Denpasar (Bali) (DPS) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - AirAsia - Lion Air
Jakarta (CGK) ... with : Lion Air - Tiger Airways - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - AirAsia
Medan (MES) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Padang (PDG) ... with : Tiger Airways
Pekanbaru (PKU) ... with : AirAsia
Surabaya (SUB) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Yogyakarta (JOG) ... with : AirAsia

Malaysia :
Alor Setar (AOR) ... with : FireFly
Ipoh (IPH) ... with : FireFly
Kota Bharu (KBR) ... with : FireFly
Kota Kinabalu (Jesselton) (BKI) ... with : AirAsia - Tiger Airways - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Kuah/Langkawi Island (LGK) ... with : AirAsia - Tiger Airways
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) ... with : Tiger Airways - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - AirAsia
Kuala Lumpur (Subang) (SZB) ... with : FireFly
Kuala Terengganu (TGG) ... with : FireFly
Kuantan (KUA) ... with : FireFly
Kuching (Sarawak) (KCH) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - AirAsia - Tiger Airways
Miri (MYY) ... with : AirAsia
Penang (PEN) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - AirAsia
Tawau (TWU) ... with : AirAsia

Philippines :
Butuan (BXU) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Cagayan De Oro (CGY) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Cebu (Lapu-Lapu) (CEB) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Clark (Manila) (CRK) ... with : Tiger Airways - Cebu Pacific
Cotabato (CBO) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Davao City (DVO) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Dipolog (DPL) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Laoag (LAO) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Malay (Caticlan) (MPH) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Manila (MNL) ... with : Cebu Pacific - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Puerto Princesa (PPS) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Roxas (RXS) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Tacloban (TAC) ... with : Cebu Pacific
Tagbilaran (TAG) ... with : Cebu Pacific

Sri Lanka :
Colombo (CMB) ... with : Air India Express

Taiwan :
Taipei (TPE) ... with : Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair - Cebu Pacific

Thailand :
Bangkok Suvarnabhumi (BKK) ... with : AirAsia - Tiger Airways - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair
Phuket (HKT) ... with : AirAsia - Tiger Airways - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair

Vietnam :
Hanoi (HAN) ... with : Tiger Airways
Ho Chi Minh (Saigon) (SGN) ... with : Tiger Airways - Lion Air - Jetstar/Jetstar Asia/Valuair

http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?from=SIN

Top 8 Shanghai Scenic Spots

2009-09-19T10:56:00.000+08:00

The new Best Eight, both natural and man-made, represent Shanghai’s culture, history and development. They were picked by more than 33,700 people from all walks of life.

More than 300 scenic areas were recommended. The administration released a bilingual book last month to introduce the eight spots and 100 other candidates that did not make the final cut.

1. The morning bell of the Bund (wai tan chen zhong外滩晨钟)
2. The refined rhythm of Yuyuan Garden (yu yuan ya yun豫园雅韵)
3. The new splendor of the old Shikumen (jiu li xin hui旧里新辉)
4. Miles of neon light (shi li ni hong十里霓虹)
5. The green of Sheshan Hill (she shan shi cui佘山拾翠)
6. Folk art in Fengjing Town (feng jing xun hua枫泾寻画)
7. Grand skyscraper city views (mo tian lan sheng摩天览胜)
8. Elegant water views around Dianshan Lake (dian hu huan xiu淀湖环秀)

Hutan Bandar

2009-07-29T09:48:00.002+08:00

Hutan Bandar is one of the rare places of green tranquility in Johor Bahru. It spans over 32 hectares and is maintained by MBJB (Johor Bahru City Council). Hutan Bandar in Malay means “Jungle in the City”. Open daily with free admission, Hutan Bandar is located a 5 minutes drive from Larkin Bus Terminal (or a 20 minutes drive from the City Center). It is a popular spot for family and school excursions. In addition, young people come here for picnic, camping, a game of basketball as well as wedding photo shoots.

In the deeper parts of Hutan Bandar, you would literally feel disconnected from the hustle and bustle of JB. It’s a really strange, yet calming feeling to have, especially over the weekend after a full week of corporate battles and mental drain.

Some of the facilities available at Hutan Bandar are:
Lots of lush green flora.
Seven scenic lakes.
Children’s playgrounds.
Jungle Trek.
Exercise facilities.
Camping site.
Children’s swimming pool.
There are ample of parking lots and shops selling food and drinks. Entrance to Hutan Bandar Parking Space Visitor Entrance Fountain at the Visitor Entrance Resting Area at Hutan Bandar Game of basketball at Hutan Bandar Playground at Hutan Bandar Couple having a relaxing moment at Hutan Bandar
Having a wedding photo shoot at Hutan Bandar Back to the visitor resting area at Hutan Bandar Map :http://www.dromoz.com/image/sketch/sk44c320592ec48852311700.gif (near Johor Specialist Hospital)

Pengerang

2009-07-22T10:11:00.005+08:00

Pengerang is an area at the southeastern tip of Johor, to the south of Desaru. The name is usually used to cover the dock and immigration post at Pengerang, the village of Kampong Pengelih and the town of Sungai Rengit.

More information :

http://pengerang-johor.blogspot.com/search/label/pengerang

Getting there from Singapore:
Bumboats shuttle from Singapore's Changi Point Ferry Terminal to Pengerang from 7 AM in the morning to 7 PM in the evening, operating on a first-come-first-served basis: once 12 people show up, the boat leaves. The journey takes about an hour and costs S$9/person, plus S$2 for a bike. The last boats back leave by 4 PM.

If you miss the last bumboat, you can also take the Sebana Cove www.sebanacove.com/ferry_service.htm ferry back to Singapore (4/5 services daily, last departure at 9 PM), but this is much more expensive (S$38 one-way) and you'll need to arrange a taxi to take you to Sebana Cove first.

By Car: Sungai Rengit is around 35 km south of Desaru, or 120 km from Johor Bahru. The distance from JB will decrease considerably once the Johor-Desaru Expressway opens.

Getting Around Pengeran
Taxis shuttle between the Pengerang dock and Sungai Rengit for RM 6/person (shared) or RM 20/car (charter).

Bicycles can be rented in Sungai Rengit, or you can rent one at Changi and bring it with you.

Attraction

Pengerang battery

http://www.razcollection.com/pengerang/index.html

ENTRY FEES Free......
Pengerang battery is a lost fortress located at Pengelih, right next to the immigration point, is open to the public but in a state of nature, with no trails, signs etc. Note that most of the rest is now used by the Malaysian military. Overlooking the sea towards Singapore , it is located close to a Malaisian military camp, standing on the top of a little hill covered by jungle. The small town of Pengerang in Johor has a big story to tell — a 70-year-old tale of the British Army’s huge blunder. It is of a town which became the British Army’s “Waterloo” in 1936, when they paid the price for underestimating its biggest nemesis then — the ruthless Japanese army.

The Japanese invaders captured Malaya without a single shot being fired from the Pengerang battery (a fort where weapons such as guns and cannons are stationed) when they surprised the British by landingin Kota Baru instead of Singapore. This battery was part of the “Singapore fortress” aimed at defending Singapore from a sea attack. It was equipped during the 30’s with two 6 Inch guns. This battery didn’t fire any shot till the 15th of Fabruary 1942, when Percival surrended.Beware : The place has been abandonned after WW2. Be careful when you explore the remains. Don’t forget these ruins are in the jungle: dangerous animals live there: Pythons, Cobras, and Green

Ostrich farm http://www.geocities.com/ostrichwonderland/location.htm
EMR 15, Teluk Ramunia, Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia
Entrance Fee: http://www.geocities.com/ostrichwonderland/charges.htm
Open daily 10am - 6pm

Highlights:
More than 300 of the world's largest birds
Very informative commentary by your guide
See a chick hatch (or at least see them in an incubator)
Ride on a trained ostrich

Eat
Seafood! It's the main reason to come here, with treats like lobster and crab much cheaper than Singapore or even JB.
Crystal Jade Seafood

Jade Garden Seafood (recommened by channel U, sgp)
Si Wan Dao Seafood (四弯岛幸运海鲜楼)

Accommodation
There are three basic lodging places in town. If you want more luxury, head up the coast to Desaru's beach resorts.
Let Seng Hotel. Double rooms from RM 40.
Hotel Hiap Hwa
Seng Huat Hotel. Rooms from RM 30 in the old building (above coffeeshop), or from RM 68 in the new annex.

Map

More Pictures : http://www.flickr.com/photos/da-moments/sets/72157620668107208/

http://shakeleg.com/travel/?page_id=39

http://www.flickr.com/places/Malaysia/Johor/Pengerang

Daocheng 稻城

2009-07-20T17:03:00.004+08:00

Daocheng (稻城 or rice city in Chinese) is a county subordinated to the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture on the southwest border of Sichuan, China. The Daocheng county lies on the southeast of Qinghai -Tibet Plateau and the east of Hengduan Mountains, the conjunction areas of Sichuan, Yuannan and Tibet.

A heaven for photograhpier!!!!

http://fiveprime.org/hivemind/Tags/daocheng

Daocheng, located at an altitude of 3750m, is special in geographical features. The county covers 7323 square kilometers and is higher in north and west and lower in south and east. Winding and majestic mountains like billows of the sea alternate with valleys. Hence, the high-altituded mountain peaks clad with snow all the year round, deep serene valleys with gurgling brooks and broad pastures.

With 30000 Tibetan inhabitants mainly, Daocheng is a region of partial agriculture and partial animal husbandry in economy. While there may not appear to be much to do in this town those who do decide to stop over and spend a day here will find this town and its villages much more charming than it initially appears. It offers a good stepping stone for those coming from Yunnan with altitude concerns as the towns either side of it (Xiangcheng and Litang) sit at altitudes of 3200m and 4000m. If you take the time to head out of the town you will find the surrounding countryside and mountainous backdrop quite charming.

Red Grassland, located in Sangdui town, 28km north of Daocheng. It's a piece of inconspicuous wetland most of the time, but overgrew with red bushes in autumn, with the yellow-foliaged poplars behind and clearly blue sky above, local people believe it's the "Color of Heaven'. But the red will only last for about 15days per year, not easy to catch the right time. A (pedicab) walk is recommended to Rupuchaka Hot Springs, 4km outside Daocheng.

Though popularly known as stopover on route to Yading, Daocheng itself is still worth a visit for the sights around. Located in the southwest border of Sichuan at an average elevation of 3800m, Daochang is full of discovery of primitive Tibetan villages, Buddhism monasteries and pastoral scenery brought by the rolling landscapes. There are total 12 monasteries in Daocheng county, a few of them like Konkaling Temple are famous for being presented by influential Buddhists.

When to go?
Oct.~Mid. Nov. is the best, next is Sept., May~Jun.

Getting there
Option 1 Chengdu --> Kangding(via Litang) --> Daocheng; around 800 km, 2 days by bus

Take a direct Chengdu--Daocheng bus at Chengdu Xinanmen bus station[Y217], overnight stop at Kangding, arrive Daocheng in the evening of the 2nd day. Or,

Take a bus heading for Kangding either at Chengdu Tourist Transportation Center (ex. Xinnanmen bus station) or at North Bus Station in the morning[Y97 - Y109]. Upon arriving at Kangding in the late afternoon, buy your ticket immediately for the Daocheng bus. In case tickets of the 2nd day are sold out during the peak season.

You can also stay at Kangding for one or two days to visit Mugecuo Lake, Tagong Glassland and adapt yourself to the altitude.

Kangding to Daocheng - 12 hrs. Most travelers would feel the strong effect of high altitude if they come to Daocheng from Chengdu in 2 days.

Option 2 Kunming --> Zhongdian (via Lijiang)--> Daocheng:

One of the most fabulous travel routes in China for independent travelers. If you are adapted to Zhongdian's altitude, you should have no difficulty in Daocheng.

1.Travel from Kunming to Zhongdian
2.The regular bus connecting Zhongdian to Daocheng [330km/ 12 hrs] zigzags in the awesome Shangri-La Gorge. However this route is often cut by landslides.
3. If the direct bus service between Zhongdian and Daocheng is suspended, take an alternative route although it looks more complicated: Zhongdian - Derong - Xiangcheng - Sangdui – Daocheng.

First take a bus from Zhongdian to Derong[5 hrs].Then find a collective taxi to Xiangcheng [4~5 hrs]. Stay overnight in Xiangcheng and catch the morning bus for Sangdui [3.5 hrs]. From Sangdui, the friendly owner of Happy Shop can send you to Daocheng by his own car for Y20 /pax.

Getting away
Almost the same way of getting in, but it's highly recommended to get in Daocheng from Zhongdian and then quit Daocheng for Litang, Kangding and Chengdu.

Daocheng has daily bus leaving for Kangding. During peak season, a mini bus is added for Xingduqiao. Both buses pass through Litang where you can head for west, starting your adventure in Tibet.

Attractions
Hongcaodi /红草地 [Red Grassland] - located in Sangdui town[桑堆镇],28km north of Daocheng. It's a piece of inconspicuous wetland most of the time, but overgrew with red bushes in autumn, with the yellow-foliaged poplars behind and clearly blue sky above, local people believe it's the "Color of Heaven'. But the red will only last for about 15days per year, not easy to catch the right time.

Rupuchaka Hot Springs /茹布查卡温泉 - 4km outside Daocheng. A walk is recommended to get there. Taxi and pedicab are options.
Monasteries: there are total 12 monasteries in Daocheng county, a few of them are famous for being presented by influential Buddhists.

Gongling Si (Konkaling / 贡岭寺): 62km south of Daocheng on route to Yading, the biggest monastery in Daocheng County, belongs to Gelupa sect. Founded in year 1642, used to be the governor of Daocheng Country in the period of political and religion co-governing period. Ticket: Y10.

Xiongdeng Si / 雄登寺: 10km northeast of Daocheng county. Another Gelupa monastery, built in year 1415, experienced 6 generations of Living Buddha till now

Bangpu Si / 蚌普寺: located 1km north of Sangdui along the enchanting Daocheng River. Built in the 12th century, it’s the oldest monastery in the county. Ticket: Y10

Rewu Si / 热乌寺: Located in Sela village色拉乡, 10km south of Daocheng, a Sakyapa萨迦派 and Kagyupa白教 monastery, but there was never a conflict between the 2 sects for hundreds of years, which is very unusual.

How to access:

Rent a car either in Sangdui or in Daocheng, try to share with other travelers. Gongling Si should better be visited on the way to/from Yading. If you get there by chartering a jeep, you can ask the driver for a stop over there.

Accommodations
Pengshongcuo 彭松错 (Tel: 0836-5728581) : 100m north of the bus station beside the street, well-reputed among all the Tibetan family-hostels in town. Dbl rooms w/bathroom at Y80.
Yadingren Shequ Hotel 亚丁人社区 provides plenty of hiking information and organizes trek to Yading Nature Reserve and some other places. Dbl room w/o bathroom: Y50 - Y60.

or http://www.hihostels.com/dba/hostels-Dao-Cheng-International-YH-024666.en.htm

Miri, Sarawak

2009-07-17T11:41:00.009+08:00

Miri is a holiday where there is not much to see, to play and to enjoy. Differ from catty Kuching and swanlike Sibu, Miri is sadly lacking in animal analogies, probably because it is too casually urban for any to spring to mind.

BUT... therefore its a good site to relax and get away from the city life!!!!

Miri is a city in northern Sarawak on the Malaysian island of Borneo and it is home to a population of about 300,000 people. Thus it is the second largest city in Sarawak. At Miri, breathtaking national parks, spectacular diving paradises, frequent festivals and international events, multiracial and multicultural festive seasons, and a lot of delicious food are the things that you can expect to have.

Miri serves as a transport hub for northern Sarawak, where interconnecting flights to the rural hinterlands of Borneo is very important and available mainly from Miri. Besides that, it is also the gateway to the Gunung Mulu National Park which is a World Heritage Site, the Kelabit Highlands of the interior of Sarawak and the Niah Cave which contains one of the oldest human remains in South East Asia.

As the place of birth of Sarawak’s and Malaysia’s petroleum industry, Miri remains the major industry of the city. Malaysia’s first oil well was dug here in 1910, and is currently a state monument and one of Miri’s tourist attractions, namely The Grand Old Lady. It is the Miri Oil Well No.1 situated at Canadian Hill. According to the old folks, there was one Canadian who lived there and his main business was to recruit foreign and local workers to work in the oil fields around this mountain, hence it was called Canadian Hill. The Petroleum Museum, next to the Grand Old Lady, exhibits photographs and information on the petroleum industry. The Grand Old Lady is about 30 meters high. Situated on top of Canada Hill overlooking Miri, it attracts even locals to enjoy the scenery or jog on the well-designed path.

Miri has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. It hosts many expatriates from all over the world. There are many ethnic groups of people live in Miri, which consists of Chinese, Malay, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Kelabit, Lun Bawang and others. Almost all the locals are able to speak English or Mandarin but the main language is the Sarawakian language, which is similar to Malay but with local slangs.

My to do List
- Visit the Grand Old Lady
- Have a walk at the Miri City Fan
- Go to the Esplanade Beach (refer to the top picture)
- Visit the San Ching Tian Temple (Largest Taoist temple in South East Asia)

Tour Package : http://www.borneogoldenholiday.com/index.htm

Food: http://www.miri.sarawakfoodguide.com/

http://www.sarawakian.net/?s=miri

Hotel: 3D2N Pangkor Escapade (Teluk)

Link: http://www.miricity.com.my/
____________________________________________________________________

Call to make Miri safe for tourists
Criminals often target visitors from Brunei, affecting Sarawak's reputation as a tourist destination.

-NST Tue, May 12, 2009New Straits Times

KUCHING, MALAYSIA - Sarawak's Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Abang Muhammad Salahuddin Abang Barieng has called for quick action to stop criminals in Miri from targeting visitors from Brunei. "The theft of tourists' cars from a neighbouring state is worrying," he said when he opened the first sitting of the state assembly yesterday.

"If this crime is not checked, it will affect the image of Sarawak as a prime tourist destination."

Abang Muhammad called on police to beef up security in places visited frequently by tourists.

State Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Mayin said in response that the situation in Miri, which had 1.5 million visitors from Brunei last year, had improved greatly.

"The police in Miri only told me last Friday that there was not even one theft of Brunei-registered cars in the last few months," he said outside the assembly.

"Crimes committed against Brunei citizens had also declined. Security has improved tremendously and I am going to Brunei after the sitting of this assembly to give our guarantee that the security in Miri is doing well.

"It may be the case a year or two ago but but not any more," Mayin said.

He blamed envious Brunei businessmen, who see their countrymen heading to Miri every weekend to do their shopping, for continuing to fan stories that Miri was dangerous to visit.

Stories of Miri being unsafe had impacted tourist arrivals from Brunei. Miri recorded a drop of about 10 per cent in arrivals last year compared with 2007.

Manyin said security fears were not the main reason why Bruneians had stayed away from Miri.
He said they were also going to Kota Kinabalu to do their shopping at Borneo's largest shopping complex, 1Borneo.

"Curiosity played a part too. But I'm sure they'll be back.

"It's a six-hour drive to Kota Kinabalu and only one hour to Miri."
____________________________________________________________________

Kuala Lumpur - Fun Map

2009-07-06T11:58:00.000+08:00

Penang

2009-07-03T15:59:00.000+08:00

Firefly

2009-06-19T15:57:00.011+08:00

FIREFLY, the budget wing of Malaysia Airlines will launch flights from several Malaysian cities to Singapore starting in July 2009 as part of its regional expansion.

Firefly will be the fourth no-frills carrier to fly the lucrative route from the Malaysian city of Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, adding competition to rivals AirAsia, Jetstar and Tiger Airways in a market hit by the global economic slump.

Firefly lands on Subang airport is only 25 kilometres from the city, less than half the time it takes to travel to the main airport, which is 60km away.

Getting there/away:

The best way to get there is by taxi.

Rapid KL bus U81 (destination Mah Sing and Pekan Subang) from the Sultan Mohd Bus Hub next to the Pasar Seni LRT station goes past the airport. Fare is RM2 and the ticket is valid for the whole day for all RapidKL routes with "U" prefix.

Schedule Link : http://www.fireflyz.com.my/flights/schedule

Speaking Malay in Sarawak

2009-06-19T15:53:00.001+08:00

Please notice some basic communication terms in Bahasa Melayu Sarawak.
Kamek - I
Kitak - You
Auk - Yes
Sik - No
Igek - Piece
Kamek Mauk Pergi Jamban Dolok - I Would Like To Go To The Toilet
Kitak Dari Siney? - Where Are You From?
Nyaman Juak Makanan Tok - This Food Is Quite Tasty
Kamek Ngupok/Mupok Dolok - I'd Like To Make A Move
Nama-NameMaok-Want
Jamban-Toilet
Duit-Money

Sarawak

2009-06-12T09:18:00.008+08:00

You shouldn’t go Sarawak for holiday if you have seasickness as boats are a common mode of transport in Sarawak. This is because of the dense vegetation of its interior is crisscrossed with rivers. However, experiencing the impossibly dense jungle wall breezes past will ensure you an unforgettable trip.

Sarawak lies in its capital city Kuching. Kuching was built along the banks of the Sarawak River and it is also very near the coastline, about 32 km away from the sea. Kuching is a tranquil location with nice landscaped parks and gardens, classic colonial buildings, colorful markets and a beautiful waterfront named as Kuching Waterfront. It is a good place to stroll around and relax.

Besides that, Sarawak’s charm also lies at its most popular and scenic beach, Damai Beach. Damai is located on the Santubong Peninsula, which is about 35 minutes away from Kuching. Besides the beautiful sandy beaches to relax on, there are also water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing. The Santubong Peninsula also offers several sites for bird watching. Bird-watchers can enjoy sighting a variety of birds likes Sandpipers, Egrets, Terns, Collared kingfisher, the White-bellied Sea Eagle and Brahminy Kites and Buntal village, an important wintering ground for migratory birds, is the best place for bird watching. Want to have more adventurous activities, you may climb through the rainforest to the summit of Mount Santubong, which is about five to six-hour trek. Others than that, Damai is one of the best places to see the rare Irrawady dolphin, particularly in Santubong, Salak and Buntal river estuaries. This kind of dolphins is really shy, so you need a good guide-cum-spotter to catch a sight of this dolphin in the Damai area.

To find out more about Sarawak’s historical background, visit The Islamic Museum in Kuching is a must. Opened in 1992, it was originally a Malay college but now houses seven galleries displaying elements of the Islamic culture and religion, which includes History of Islam in Sarawak, Islamic Architecture, Science, Technology, Economics, Education and Literature, Music, Costumes and Personal Ornaments, Weaponry, Decorative Arts, Domestic Utensils and a Quran Collection.On the other hand, you also have to visit the Chinese History Museum, which was originally a court for the Chinese community in Kuching. It depicts the rich history of Sarawak’s diverse Chinese groups. At there, you will learn about their origins, traditional skills and culture through the exhibitions there.

Others than that, Sarawak’s charm also lies at the Cultural Village, which is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting the cultural heritage of Sarawak’s major ethnic groups. Catch a glimpse of the lifestyles of major indigenous groups which include the Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu.

Overall, a visit to Sarawak entails a wonderful journey of discovery into its culture, heritage and history. From the peaceful sights of Kuching city to the awe of its historical museums, there are a lot of things for you to do and see in Sarawak.

The best time to go Sarawak is from June to August. In that period, Sarawak has the least rainfall. Besides that, if you intend to go for bird-watching at Buntal village, the best period is from October to March.

Where & What to Eat
One of the Sarawak specialties is Umai. Umai is a traditional dish of the Melanau people, which is a spicy salad of raw marinated fish, limes and shallots. You may get it at Penrissen Inn, Tapanga Tree and Malay food stalls in Top Spot (Taman Kareta).

Apart from that, you also must try the Iban’s fine delicacies likes Pansoh Manok, which is chicken with rice wine cooked in bamboo. The same technique is also used to cook fish. You can savour this dish at Penrissen Inn or the Cottage.

For seafood lover, you must try the steamed pomfret or manchong fish, asam prawns, sambal prawns and slipper lobster.

Others Sarawak specialties like Sarawak laksa, Kolo mee (simple but popular Sarawakian noodle dish), Tomato Kueh Tiaw and Foochow bagel (kompia) are the “must eat” if you make your to Sarawak. The Foochow bagel can only be found in Sibu where ethnic Chinese of Foochow clan formed a majority.

Stay Away From
Be careful of saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) because they are very common in certain parts of Sarawak. Caution should be taken when entering water, especially brackish areas such as Batang Lupar.

Move around

By bus
Most cities in Sarawak are now linked by express buses although travelling times can be long because of the distance. Companies include Vital Focus Transportations Sdn. Bhd., which operates Suria Bas, PB and Borneo Highway express buses, and http://www.biaramas.com/.

Timing and cost of express bus : http://www.vftransportation.com.my/schedule.html

By boat
Express boats run from the coast inland along Borneo's larger rivers. They are generally faster than buses and cheaper than planes. Popular routes include Kuching-Sibu (4 hours) and Sibu-Kapit (3 hours).

Local transport
Most cities have local buses and taxis serving not only the city centres and their surrounding suburbs but also adjacent rural districts.

Visit
Sarawak Cultural Village, some 45 minutes' drive from Kuching. Entrance fees are RM60 per person. It is a living museum of different tribes and architecture spread over a lovely green area at the foot of Mount Santubong. You will be able to see how Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, etc. tribes live, work and cook in the longhouses, each with its own identity. It is also best to visit this place during the annual Rainforest World Music Festival which happens each July. The festival is held on the grounds of the Sarawak Cultural Village, hence you don't need to pay the entrance fees (festival fees include entrance to the Village).

Rainforest World Music Festival has been around since 1997 and its popularity is growing from year to year. Accommodation around the festival grounds are snapped up as soon as bookings open so be quick. Good places to stay are Holiday Inn Damai Beach and Damai Lagoon, both a few minutes' walk away from the festival. Alternatively, you can stay within the heart of Kuching city and take the daily shuttle to the festival (RM10 each way). The three-day world music festival brings together some of the best world musicians for workshops and nightly live concerts. Tickets for the three-day festival are RM250, or RM90 for daily entry.

Take a tour to an Iban Longhouse. One longhouse provides accommodation for visitors. The facilities are very basic, but tolerable for one night and an interesting insight into the Iban culture.

Alternatively, you can visit to one of the very old Bidayuh longhouse (namely Annah Rais Longhouse), which is nearer to the Kuching. Visit Longhouse Adventure website for more details about their full-board longhouse homestay program.

Link: http://www.sarawak-hotels.com/

Getting to Genting Highlands

2009-06-11T18:01:00.002+08:00

Genting Skyway

Genting Skyway connects Genting Highlands with the skyway station in Gohtong Jaya town. Covering a distance of 3.8km, it is South East Asia longest skyway system and also the world’s fastest skyway (at the maximum speed of 6 metres per second, the 3.38 kilometres journey up the mountain peak takes only 11 minutes).

Passengers will disembark at the smart and impressive Genting Skyway Station at Gohtong Jaya. Bus and car parking facilities are readily available. The ultra-efficient station will allow hotel and luggage check-in procedures to be completed at the station itself. Visitors need only sit back and enjoy a leisurely ride up to the holiday resort without having to go through further hassles of checking-in formalities while at hotels.Fare: RM4.00 one way, RM7.00 return

Genting Express Bus is a conveneint and economical way to travel to Genting. The buses leave from various locations in KL to Gohtong Jaya as follows:

Puduraya - Gohtong Jaya Skyway station
GENTING EXPRESS BUS SERVICETicketing Office: Counter No.43, Ground Floor,Puduraya Bus Station, Kuala LumpurOpening Hours: 7am - 7pm (Monday - Sunday)Tel: (603) 2072 6863
KL Sentral Station - Gohtong Jaya Skyway station

GENTING EXPRESS BUS SERVICE

Genting counter at Level 2,KL Sentral Station
Hentian Duta - Gohtong Jaya Skyway station
Terminal PUTRA LRT Gombak - Gohtong Jaya Skyway station

GENTING EXPRESS BUS SERVICE

Ticketing Office: Ticketing Counter,Terminal Putra LRT Gombak.

Opening Hours:7.30am - 7pm Monday - Saturday.8.30am - 7pm on Sunday

Tel: (012) 2369 611

All buses take around one hour and cost RM8.30-8.50 one way. From the skyway station, its a mere 11 minutes journey by the Genting Skyway to Genting Highland. However, if the skyway system is closed for maintenance, all buses will go straight to Genting Highland. Buses departing after 8 PM head directly to the resort.

If you do not want to take the cable car:Go to TITIWANGSA station in Kuala Lumpur, head for the PEKELILING bus terminal visible from the train station. Board the maroon red Genting Bus (depart every 1/2 hr till bout 10 or 11 at night. fare is RM5.60 per person) which will take you all the way to First World Hotel bus terminal (estimated 1 hour bus ride).

GENTING EXPRESS BUS SERVICE

6.30am 7.00am 7.45am 8.30am 9.00am 9.30am 10.00am 10.30am 11.00am 11.30am 12.00nnand every Â½ hour until 9.00pm
Transtar also operates one daily bus direct from Singapore (S$68/57 one-way from/to Singapore).

By Car

It will take approximately 45 minutes to reach Genting Highlands - City of Entertainment if you start your journey from Kuala Lumpur Karak Highway. You can drive up either along Kurak Highway or the Batang Kali Road.

From South:
1. At Sungai Besi Toll, proceed straight, keep left, enter exit to Cheras heading up the flyover.2. Follow Cheras direction, go straight.3. Pass by Makro on your left, go straight.4. Follow Ampang direction5. Pass by Ampang, go straight and you will pass Zoo Negara and Melawati (on your right).6. Go straight, follow Kuantan direction.7. Exit Kuantan flyover. Go up the flyover and join Karak Highway.8. After the Karak Toll, proceed on till you pass the Genting Sempah tunnel. Exit to Genting Highlands after the tunnel.

From North:
1. From Ipoh (North-South Highway), exit to Rawang Interchange. Proceed to Rawang Town.2. Pass Rawang, Sungai Choh and Serendah Towns.3. Next town is Batang Kali. Turn right to Genting Highlands (Signboard shown)4. At the next T-junction, turn left to join road to Genting Highlands.5. Afyer about 10-15 minutes, you will see Genting Skyway Station on your right. Proceed and follow directions to Awana and Genting Highlands.

Toll Charges from Singapore to Genting Highlands:Malaysia causeway RM2.60Enter N-S highway at Skudai toll , exit at Sungai Besi - RM41.90From KL, go on till Karak highway - RM5.00Total one way : RM49.50

Perhentian Islands

2009-06-04T12:45:00.005+08:00

The Perhentian Islands are a small group of beautiful, coral-fringed islands off the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu, not far from the Thai border.

When to go
Due to the eastern monsoon, the season in the Perhentians (and all other east coast islands) is effectively limited to the period between the beginning of March until late October. Outside this period the seas can be very rough with currents that make swimming dangerous and most (though not all) accommodation options are closed. Do not believe the travel-agents when they claim the accommodations are open. Even if they will provide a room, restaurants and all shops (i.e. no place to get water, food, sunscreen etc.) are closed in off-season. If the restaurant is open, food choices will be very limited and over-priced.

When going during off-season be aware that there will be literally no one there but you and maybe a handful of locals.

From the main ferry terminal at Kuala Besut there are effectively two options:
Speed boats - usually small fibreglass boats with two or three outboards which take 30-45 minutes, charge RM70/person for to and fro and RM40/person for one way, and depart according to demand (4-5 times a day). Some are enclosed, some have a fabric roof, some are completely open. If the sea is choppy expect a bumpy ride and in the case of the latter two types expect to get very wet. There is no safe space for electronics, you might want to wrap anything that will not survive being wet in plastic beforehand.

Slow boats - usually wooden fishing boats with some seats on the deck which take 2-3 times as long as the speedboats, only available if you book in advance at RM300/boat/way. Maximum 12 pax per boat. It seems that their services have been discontinued though.

All ferries take their passengers directly to their destination, wherever it may be on the islands. Passengers may be charged an extra RM2 to get a small boat from the ferry to the beach at Long Beach. Elsewhere, jetties are springing up and enable people to get off the ferry without the need for an additional small boat ride to shore and without getting their feet wet.

All travellers to the islands must pay a marine park conservation charge of RM5, valid for the length of their stay.

NOTE!

Mosquitoes. Bring repellent and consider burning a mosquito coil.
Tap water is generally not safe to drink. Bottled water is widely available at a fairly expensive RM 3-5 per 1.5L bottle.
The sun can be extremely hot and burning in the afternoons till early evenings. Ocean conservationists do not encourage sunscreen to be in contact with the sea water as it ruins the corals!

Electricity is only provided at night. It seems most places that have outages on Besar are only limited to 3-hour blackouts during the late afternoon (4-7pm, a good time to snorkel or jungle trek).

Accommodation

There is very little luxury accommodation on the islands, with the top of the line being air-conditioned chalets (RM100-200) and the bottom being a bunk in a longhouse (RM10 and up). Discounts are usually negotiable in the off season (although most resorts are closed), for weekdays, for longer stays, if you show up late and they have room... but the better places can get snapped up fast, especially on weekends and holidays, so book in advance (easily arranged in Kuala Besut) or arrive early.

The most popular backpacker destination is Pasir Panjang (Long Beach) on the eastern coast of Kecil, where a bed in a longhouse can go for as little as RM20. More private "chalets" with fan, electricity and bathroom start at RM50.

Redang Island

2009-06-04T11:04:00.006+08:00

Redang Island boasts with white sandy beaches lined with palm trees, crystal clear waters and spectacular coral reefs. It’s everything that you hoped a tropical island would be and this idyllic place is less than an hour from the east coast of peninsular Malaysia.Most of the resorts on Redang Island are lined up along Pasir Panjang (Long Beach), arguably one of the best stretches of beach in all of Malaysia. A handful of other resorts are tucked away in private beach coves, the most impressive being Teluk Dalam (Deep Bay) where the Berjaya Beach Resort is located. With excellent visibility and spectacular, easily accessible coral reefs, it is no wonder that Redang is hailed as a scuba diving and snorkelling paradise. Even right in front of the most popular beach, the rocks are home to various species of coral, reef sharks (harmless to humans) and moray eels. Redang and the surrounding islets were gazetted as a marine park in the early 90’s and human activity in the area is strictly controlled in order to protect the marine ecosystems. Under the protected status, Redang has experienced a tourism boom and is a very popular weekend destination. Apart from the impressive diving, picturesque beaches (and beach parties), another thing that has contributed to Redang’s popularity in recent years is the hit Chinese comedy Summer Holiday that was shot on location here.

Redang Island has everything that you need for a fun island holiday – great beaches, warm tropical waters and plenty to do during the day and night time.

Climate
Redang has a tropical climate with temperatures steadily around 30°C and frequent but brief thunderstoms. Like the rest of Malaysia's East Coast, Redang is affected by the northeast monsoon in winter, so most resorts are closed and ferry transport schedules are severely restricted between November and February.

Going there by bus
From Singapore buses depart from the Lavender St bus station and are operated by Transnational. Tickets cost around SGD 40 and the journey takes around 10 hours. Buses depart early in the morning or late evening for overnight journeys. There are other coach & travel companies operating out of Golden Mile Complex at Beach Road (e.g. Five Stars, Enjoy Holiday Tours, Konsortium and Gunung Raya etc.) that provide Redang holiday packages and coach services to KT or Merang. These buses are more luxurious, but are also significantly more expensive.

From Johor Bahru buses depart from the Larkin bus station. Several choices are available, including Transnational, Damai, Adik Beradik and Cepat express. Tickets cost around RM 40 and the journey takes just under 9 hours. Buses depart early in the morning or late evening for overnight journeys.

From Kuala Lumpur buses depart from the Hentian Putra bus station. Several choices are available, including Transnational, Damai, Konsortium, Plusliner, Sutera and Mutiara. Tickets cost around RM 30 and the journey takes around 7 hours. Buses depart early in the morning or late evening for overnight journeys.

From Penang buses depart from Komtar or Butterworth bus stations and are operated by SP Bumi or Atieza. Tickets cost around RM 35 and the journey takes around 9 hours. Buses depart late in the evening for overnight journeys.

Drive there

From Singapore / Johor Bahru Cross the border at Woodlands or the Second Link and from Johor Bahru take the Plus highway north. Exit at Yong Peng. Follow highway 1 to Labis and Segamat, highway 12 to Kuantan, then use either highway 14 to KT or coastal highway 3 via Kemaman, Paka and Dungun.

Boat services to Redang
Most resorts include return boat transfers, either from Kuala Terengganu or Tanjung Merang to Redang in their packages. You can also charter a boat from the nearby Perhentian Islands or Lang Tengah Island. There are shops, banks and ATMs in Kuala Terengganu. There are no banks or ATMs on Redang.

From Kuala Terengganu – Shahbandar jetty
The Shahbandar jetty is in the city of Kuala Terengganu itself and is within walking distance or a short drive from the bus terminal and a thirty minute drive from the airport. Taxi services are readily available or your resort can arrange a land transfer from Kuala Terengganu airport or bus terminal. Resorts either have their own scheduled boat transfers or make use of the common ferry operator. Ferry transfers cost around RM95 return and take up to one and a half hours. There are two to three departures daily (09:30, 12:00, 17:30) and more during peak season. Ferries only depart during daylight hours.

From Tanjung Merang jetty
Tanjung Merang is a small fishing village 45minutes north of Kuala Terengganu and the jetty is a few minutes outside of the village. Local buses and taxi services are available from Kuala Terengganu or your resort can arrange a land transfer from Kuala Terengganu airport or bus terminal. Speedboat departures from here are usually pre-arranged with your resort and take 40-50 minutes. It is also possible to charter a boat from Merang to Redang, though this may be costly. There are small shops selling souvenirs and snacks at the jetty. There is a convenience store and an ATM at one of the petrol stations, five minutes from the jetty.

Getting to Kuala Terengganu / Tanjung Merang
Directions for buses and flights are to Kuala Terengganu. From Kuala Terengannu, you can take a taxi or local bus to Tanjung Merang jetty or arrange a land transfer with your agent/resort from the airport or bus terminal. If you are driving, continue north on highway 3 and follow the signs to Merang jetty.

No matter which way you choose to arrive, a marine park fee (RM5) is levied on all visitors to the island. Transfers can be arranged directly with resorts.

Accommodation

http://www.lagunaredang.com.my/promo.html

Jurong East Swimming Complex

2009-06-02T10:33:00.004+08:00

21, Jurong East Street 31, Singapore 609517Ph : 6563 5052 ; Fax : 6897 5972

Operating Hours:

2.30 pm - 9.30 pm (Mon)

8.00am to 9.30pm (Tue - Sun)

Facilities

1 x Competition Pool

1 xWading Pool

1 x Wave Pool

1 x Lazy River

3 x Water Slides

1 x Jacuzzi

1 x Bubble Jet Station

Seating Capacity - 300paxEntrance Fee
Weekdays

Adult - $1.50
Children - $0.80
Senior Citizen - $0.80

Weekends
Adult - $2.00
Children - $1.00
Senior Citizen - $1.00

Nearest MRT

Chinese Garden MRT (EW25) 0.58 km

Lakeside MRT (EW26) 0.99 km

Jurong East MRT (EW24-NS1) 2.02 km

Nearest Shopping Center

Bukit Batok West Shopping Centre 1.7km

Boon Lay Shopping Centre 1.8km

West Mall 2.3km

IMM Building 2.4km

Jurong Point 2.6km

Gek Poh Shopping Centre 3.5km

Pioneer Mall 3.6km

Chengtai Nursery 3.8km

Rent an island for HOLIDAY?

2009-05-28T12:00:00.002+08:00

Pulau Pangkil Kecil is a delightful little island located close to Singapore in Indonesia. ‘Pulau’ means ‘island’ and ‘Kecil’ means ‘small’ in Indonesian. Pangkil the island and Pangkil the resort are one and the same. When you hire Pangkil – and you can only hire it as a whole – you get the lot: all the driftwood palaces (our luxury accommodation), the bar, the sound systems, the pool, kayaks, snorkelling equipment, speedboats, kitchen and more than twenty staff ! Truly “Survivor with maids and butlers”.

Pangkil lies off the coast of Pulau Bintan which is the largest island in the Riau Province Archipelago and is bigger than Singapore. Singapore's Changi Airport is by far the easiest entry point to the region although there is also an international airport on the other big island in the group, Pulau Batam. The islands are all remarkably close. Batam for example can be seen from Singapore.

Accommodation in Driftwood Palaces

This depends on the composition of your group and how well they know each other ! They have 9 separate dwellings (‘driftwood palaces’) including the gazebo by the pool and the tree house, hence we can accommodate 18 adults in complete privacy with each of the couples in a king-size, four-poster bed. There are however 13 four-poster double beds and 2 double ‘day beds’ (which can certainly be used to sleep on) across these 9 palaces. They also have 6 wooden-framed single beds which can be moved around and many of the palaces with 2 double beds have magnificent wooden benches which can be made up as comfortable single beds. There is more overflow accommodation in the form of numerous hammocks and large tents. So it’s not uncommon to see groups of up to 25 or even 30 adults. A typical family group might be 5 or 6 families, 12 adults and 14 or 15 kids. We did once have a party (literally) of about 40 people.

The power is 240 volts from UK/Singapore 3-prong power sockets.

Note: NO air-conditioning, NO hot water shower, NO doors to accommodations, NO shopping, NO live music, No fixed-line telephone, NO fax, NO internet connection, NO television, NO radio and NO newspapers!!!!

Mobile phones do however work provided you and your carrier have roaming agreements for Indonesia. They have a mobile phone booster on top of the kitchen and you may need to be at this end of the island to initiate or receive a call.

Best time of the year to go
The winter monsoon (very mild at our latitude) blows from the north, starting at the end of November until early February and brings cooler temperatures.

The summer monsoon – very gentle and from the south - starts in April/May.

Activities

Pangkil is ideal for relaxing: reading in a hammock, sun-bathing by the fresh-water pool, having a massage, kayaking around the island, walking on the beach or swimming in the sea. A volleyball court and a boules set as well as two Lasers (sailing dinghies). The numerous secluded beaches, jungle paths and unusual rock formations are often woven by parents into elaborate treasure hunts for kids which have been known to include the swimming pontoon and tree house. The more adventurous have been known to kayak, sail or even swim to neighbouring islands. You can use the speedboats or launches to explore other island or even have a picnic on Pulau Murbai a tiny deserted jewel that we own just for such trips. After dinner, relax with a coffee and a glass of wine around a beach bonfire or turn up the music to kick-start your fancy dress party !

They supply squid and shrimp at no extra cost for FISHING!!!!

PRICING
If there are only two of you, it will cost either S$5,900 or S$6,800 for the weekend (depending on the season). These are our minimum prices and usually apply for 1 to 10 people. If however you are part of a larger group, then you should speak to your group organizer and see how she/he is splitting up the total cost. The Cost includes:

Accommodation for 1 to 10 people
All land and launch transport from Tanjung Pinang to Pangkil (one return trip per group is included)
Welcome drinks
Three meals per day (everyone loves our food !)
Unlimited coffee, tea, snacks and bottled water
Use of all of the driftwood palaces (bathroom towels and linen is supplied)
Use of the fabulous fresh-water pool
Beach towels
Use of the tree house and viewing platform
A volleyball court
A boules set
Use of our sailing dinghies. They have 2 Lasers.
Use of our sea kayaks. They have 6 kayaks.
Snorkelling equipment
Indonesian-style fishing trips with free supply the bait !
Day-trips to explore other islands
All government accommodation taxes

extra charges ?
Ferry tickets from Singapore to Bintan and back
A visa (waived for many ASEAN nationalities)
Drinks. They charge for alcohol and soft-drinks (Soft drinks cost $1.75 per can and beer $3 (Tiger & Bintang) or $3.50 (Heineken & Carlsberg), but not tea, coffee or bottled water!!They charge S$15 corkage per bottle if you bring your own wine.

Three meals per day are included, but there may be a nominal charge for an additional meal.

They also charge an extra S$200 (per additional one-way land/launch trip) if your group does not arrive and depart together. There are also additional accommodation charges (over and above the basic island rate) if the size of your group is more than 10 people.

There is a departure tax from the scruffier ferry terminal at Tanjung Pinang which is indeed IDR 10,000 (Indonesian Rupiah) per person. This is approximately S$2. Their staff will usually pay this for you and add the cost (in Singapore Dollars) to your final invoice on the island.

Currency
Singapore Dollars (SGD). You should be able to travel all the way from Singapore to Pangkil and back without having to use Indonesian Rupiah.

NO CREDIT CARD

Snacks

You can effectively raid the kitchen whenever you want. Banana fritters, rice cakes, prawn crackers, spring rolls and other fantastic snacks will often appear at the pool or the main house in the afternoon. There is usually a large jar of cashews or almonds at the Main House. Just let their staff know if you’re hungry and when and where you’d like your snacks and they’ll bring snacks at no extra charges.

Links

http://www.pangkil.com/rates.html

Meaning of flowers received

2009-05-28T11:10:00.002+08:00

Rose, Black You are my obsession
Rose, Champagne You are tender & loving
Rose, Leonidas Sweet love
Rose, Nicole You are graceful & elegant; aristocratic
Rose, Orange You are my secret love
Rose, Pink Brilliant Complexion; the glow ofyour smile; Perfect Happiness; Please Believe Me
Rose, Red Passionate love; Love; I Love You
Rose, Single Stems Simplicity
Rose, White I am worthy of you; spiritual love; Innocence and Purity; I am Worthy of You; You're Heavenly; Secrecy and Silence
Rose, White & Red We are not separable; unity
Rose, Yellow I am not worthy of your love;
Rose, Hibiscus Delicate Beauty
Rose, Leaf You May Hope
Rose, Tea I'll Remember Always
Rose, Thornless Love at First Sight
Rosebud Beauty and Youth; A Heart Innocent of Love
Rosebud, Red Pure and Lovely
Rosebud, White Girlhood
Sunflower Adoration
Tulip, Cream I will love you forever
Tulip, Red Declaration of love; Believe Me; Declaration of Love
Tulip, Yellow I am hopelessly in love; There's Sunshine in Your Smile
Tulip, General Perfect Lover; Frame; FlowerEmblem of Holland
Tulip, Variegated Beautiful Eyes

Meaning of the NUMBER of stalk of roses received

2009-05-24T13:05:00.000+08:00

A single bloom of red rose love at first sight or "I still love you"

A single rose in any colour indicates simplicity and gratitude

2 roses mutual feelings

3 roses "I love you"

7 roses "I'm infatuated with you"

9 roses "We'll be together forever"

10 roses "You are perfect"

11 roses "You are My Treasured One"

12 roses "Be mine!"

13 roses "Friends forever"

15 roses "I'm truly sorry"

20 roses "I'm truly sincere towards you"

21 roses "I'm dedicated to you"

24 roses "Forever yours"

25 roses Congratulations

36 roses "Remembering our romantic times"

40 roses "My genuine love for you"

50 roses Unconditional love

99 roses "I will love you all the days of my life"

101 roses "I'm completely devoted to you"

108 roses "Will you marry me?"

999 roses "I love you till the end of time"

.............. i got 11 today..... how abt you???

Shen Zhen 深圳

2009-05-15T13:16:00.003+08:00

To Shenzhen
Shenzhen city centre is connected to the airport by several bus routes. Nos. 330 and 538 are the most useful. Both cost RMB20 and take about 40 minutes to reach Luohu Bus Station at the Luohu Border Checkpoint (next to the train station). The 330 runs to the Luohu Bus Station only after 7pm. Before that it will take you to the Hualian Hotel on Shennan Middle Road (Ke Xue Guan metro station, Exit B).

To Shekuo take bus No. 355. It stops at Seaworld and finishes at Shekuo Port. The entire trip takes 35 minutes and costs 15 yuan.

Shen Zhen Public Bus with Map
http://shenzhen.8684.cn/z_50f99a2c

Where to Buy

It is easy for you to find a place to do some shopping since Shenzhen is divided distinctly into several zones of shopping centers. It is no wonder that Dongmen Pedestrian Street is the No.1 shopping center of Shenzhen. Various kinds of shops, restaurants and cinemas are open here. In Hua Qiang Bei you will find numerous electrical products. The famous Women's World, which is an ideal place for purchasing clothing, is also located here. Other shopping zones like Nanshan, Renmin Nan and Shen Nan Zhong respectively have their own characteristics. Apart from these, the Chinese and English Street located in Yantian District attracts lots of visitors since it is under the domination of both Shenzhen and Hong Kong. What's more, this is also a tax-free street.

Theme Park
Happy Valley (Chinese Overseas Town)
Window on the World Splendid China
China Folk Culture Village

Beach
Meisha Beach Parks

Shopping
The Mixc
Citic City Plaza
Women"s World
SEG Electronics Market
Luo Hu Commercial City Dong Men

Chaozhou 潮州

2009-05-08T04:10:00.008+08:00

Chaozhou is famously known as one of the great cultural centres in the Lingnan region of China. Chaozhou culture is known worldwide as a unique part of world heritage. Down through history, the Chaozhou region, was able to flourish and thrive as a prosperous cultural centre enabling the nourishing of a unique and distinctive character epitomized in the Chaozhou Dialect, Chaozhou opera, Chaozhou cuisine, Chaozhou Ganghu tea, Chaozhou music, Chaozhou lion dance and Chaozhou embroidery.

Chaozhou Dialect, by which the Chaozhou culture conveys, is considered as one of the oldest Chinese dialects for it preserves many elegant and refined features from ancient Chinese that have been lost in some of the other modern dialects of Chinese. It is spoken by about 10 million people in local Chaozhou and approximately 2-5 million overseas.

Chaozhou is a famous historical and cultural city in the country. The city's feature is known as "Classic Tourist City" which receives numerous tourists both from abroad and home. There are many valuable historic relics in Chaozhou city, totally about 600 units and among them 42 are classified as the state, provincial and city's key preservation units of cultural relics. The Chaozhou Dialect, Chaozhou opera, Chaozhou Ganghu tea, etc. have unique features of Chaozhou culture, attracting numerous tourists from home and abroad, and are the richly endowed tourist resources.

Beige Fodeng—The Lighthouse of Buddha (北閣佛燈). The lighthouse was used for boats in the Hanjiang river as this part of the river was dangerous. The lighthouse could remind people that they were in Chaozhou area and ought to be careful. It is said a former emperor once passed in his "dragon boat" while he was sleeping and was woken by the light from this Lighthouse. He thought it must have been a bodhisattva sending him the light and therefore named it the "lighthouse of Buddha".

Guangzi Bridge (廣濟橋), built in the Southern Song Dynasty (1170 A.D.).

Huang Jilue Temple (己略黃公祠), displaying the wood carving art of Chaozhou in the Qing Dynasty.

The old site of Song Kiln, that shows the scale of production and the exquisite craftsmanship of ceramic in ancient Chaozhou.

Jiadixiang (甲第巷), the ancient family houses.

Kaiyuan Temple (開元寺) is a Buddhist center embodied with the quintessence of the architectural art of various dynasties such as the Tang, the Song, the Yuan and the Qing. This temple is over 200 years old. The temple is also home to the most influential Buddhism Study Institute in Southeast China. Inside, handsome calligraphy and inscribed steles remind visitors that this temple once functioned as the record keeper of the city.

Night scene of the People's Square.

The Ming city wall (明城墻), 2.6 kilometers long.

Xu, Imperial Son-in-law, Mansion (許駙馬府), which retains the basic pattern of the architecture of the Song Dynasty.

Xi Hu Yuan, a museum in the main city park, has a unique collection unique of stones with natural geological markings representing (or resembling) Chinese characters.

Some famous Chaozhou dishes include, among others:
*Braised goose (滷鵝)(Lou Gho)

*Steamed goose (炊鵝)(Chue Gho)

*Teo Chew style duck (潮州鹵水鴨)(Teo Chew Lou Zhui Ak)

*Teo Chew style steamed fish (潮州蒸鱼)(Teo Chew Chue He) - Normally makes use of pomfret and has a distinctive clear broth, seasoned and steamed with shredded ginger, preserved plums, preserved salted vegetables, sliced Shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes and sometimes tofu.

*Popiah (潤餅) (Bo-BEE-a) - A fresh non-fried spring roll. It is essentially a soft, thin paper-like crepe made from wheat flour and is typically filled with finely grated and steamed or stir-fried turnip, jicama and carrots along with fresh lettuce leaves, shredded omelette, Chinese sausage, thinly sliced fried tofu, crushed peanut or peanut powder and sweet bean sauce. However, there are many variations of popiah, with some including pork (lightly seasoned and stir-fried), shrimp or crab meat. Other condiments may include fried shallots, hoisin sauce and sweetened soy sauce. The name "popiah" means "thin wafer" in the Teochew dialect.

*White radish cake (菜头粿) (Chai Tao Kueh) - A savoury fried 'cake', made of white radish and rice flour. It is a popular dim sum commonly stir fried with soy sauce, eggs, garlic, spring onion and occasionally dried shrimp.

*Steamed dumpling (粉餜) (Hung Gue) - This is usually filled with dried radish, garlic chives, ground pork, dried shrimp, Shiitake mushrooms and peanuts. The dumpling wrapper is made from a mixture of flour or plant starches mixed together with water. In Cantonese, these are called 'Chew Zhao Fun Guo' (潮州粉果), where the character used is 'fruit' (果) instead of 'dumpling' (餜).

*Steamed chives dumplings (韭菜餜) (Gu Chai Gue) - They are sometimes sauteed to give it a crispy texture.

*Prawn roll (虾卷) (Heh Geng) - Noted for being wrapped in a crisp tofu skin, it is sometimes referred to as Teo Chew style spring roll in restaurant menus.

*Oyster omelette (蠔烙) (O Luak) - This dish is actually a kind of omelette which is cooked with fresh raw oysters.

*Yee sang (鱼生) (He Snge) - A lavish raw fish salad where typical ingredients include: fresh salmon, white radish, carrot, red pepper (capsicum), ginger, kaffir lime leaves, Chinese parsley, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers or fried dried shrimp and five spice powder, with the dressing primarily made from plum sauce. It is customarily served as an appetizer to raise 'good luck' for the new year and is usually eaten on Renri, the seventh day of Chinese New Year. This delicacy is known to exist as far back as the Southern Song Dynasty, the original version consisting of a simple salad of raw and julienned vegetables, dressed in condiments. The modern version which is widely known today, was developed by a master chef in Lai Wah Restaurant in Singapore during the 1960's.

*Thin noodles (面薄) (Mee pok) - A popular noodle dish served with minced pork, braised mushrooms, fish balls, dumplings, sauce and other garnishings.

*Flat rice noodles (粿汁) (Kueh Chap) - A dish of flat, broad rice sheets in a soup made from dark soy sauce served with pig offal, braised duck meat, various kinds of beancurd, preserved salted vegetables and braised hard-boiled eggs.

*Bak kut teh (肉骨茶) - A hearty soup that, at its simplest, consists of meaty pork ribs in a complex broth of herbs and spices (including star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dang gui, fennel seeds and garlic), boiled together with pork bones for hours. Dark and light soy sauce may also be added to the soup during the cooking stages. Some Teochew families like to add extra Chinese herbs such as yu zhu (rhizome of Solomon's Seal) and ju zhi (buckthorn fruit) for a sweeter, slightly stronger flavored soup. These herbs are known to be health-giving. The dish is usually eaten with rice or noodles (sometimes as a noodle soup), and often served with youtiao (Chinese fried dough sticks). Garnshings include chopped coriander or green onions and a sprinkling of fried shallots. A variation of "bak kut teh" uses chicken instead of pork, which then becomes "chik kut teh". "Bak kut teh" is particularly popular in Klang where it was brought over with the Chinese diaspora.

*Chao Zhou chicken (潮州鸡) (Teo Chew Koi) - A dish of sliced, crisp-skinned marinated chicken served with fried spinach leaves. The leaves are fused with a five-spice and Shaoxing wine fragrance.

*Fish balls (鱼蛋) (He Ee) - These fish balls can be cooked in many ways but are often served in Teo Chew style noodle soups.

*Fishball noodle soup (鱼丸面) (He Ee Mee) - Any of several kinds of egg and rice noodles may be served either in a light fish-flavoured broth or "dry" with the soup on the side with fish balls, fishcakes, beansprouts and lettuce.

*Cold crab (潮州凍蟹) (Teo Chew Ngang Hoi) - The whole crab is first steamed then served chilled. The species of crab most commonly used is Charybdis cruciata of the genus Charybdis (genus).

*Chao Zhou style Congee (粥) (Teo Chew Mue) - A rice soup that has a more watery consistency than its Cantonese cousin.

*Yam dessert (芋泥) (Ou Ni) - Yams are steamed, mashed and then sweetened to form the dessert which resembles yam dough. It is often served with gingko seeds. This dessert contains fried onion oil to give it a nice fragrance.

*Crystal balls (水晶包) (Zhui Jin Bao) - A steamed dessert with a variety of fillings such as yellow milk (奶黃)(Ni Ng), yam paste (芋泥) (Ou Ni) or bean paste (荳沙) made from mung beans or red beans. They are similar to the Japanese mochi.

*Oolong Tea (乌龙茶) (Ou Leng Teh) - Iron Guan Yin Goddess (鐵觀音) (Ti Guan Yim) is one the many renowned Teo Chew Tea. However, Chao Zhou people prefer their own Oolong tea which is the 'Single Phoenix Flying' tea (鳳凰單丛茶) (Hong Wang Dan Cong Teh).

Chinese meal restaurant
Name, Address, TEL
Xinli Garden No.201 5 # , north Jichun road, Chaozhou 0768-2262508
Peony Garden Hotel Crossing of Chaozhou Road and middle Chaofeng road 0768-2800779 0768-2800780
Friend Gather Hotel 14-15# first floor, Jintian Garden, west Chengxin road 0768-2288018
Songshan Restaurant (former Sunshine) No 381, west Xinqiao road 0768-2289632
New Star The second floor, Jinxin mansion, Chaofeng road, Chaozhou 0768-2296889 Unify(beside Westlake) West city-round road, that is opposite frontispiece of Westlake park
Lianhua Vegetable Dish Restaurant C1# No. 9, Kaiyuan Square, Kaiyuan road 0768-2238033
Kaiyuan Vegetable Dish Restaurant B # No 16-17 Kaiyuan Square 0768-2252665
Spring Scenery Hotel Xihe crossing 0768-2261211
Fengxi Feng Er Restaurant Opposite porcelain town, Xinfeng Road 0768-6898494

Transport
Train
Shantou railway station is located in the eastern part of the city which covers an area of 633,333 square meters. The station enjoys convenient transportation. No.2, No.4, No.6, No.8, No.11 and No.12 buses could reach the plaza in the front of the railway station. You can take trains from Shantou railway station to more than twenty major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. You can ask for the details by phone 0754-6338814

Bus
There are six Passenger Depots in Shantou City. They are Shantou passenger terminal, Nanxiang Passenger Depot, Xidi Passenger Depot, China Tourism Passenger Depot, Dongxia Passenger Depot and Jinsha East Passenger Depot. Shantou coach terminal is located on No.7 Chaoshan Road. It is mainly responsible for the coaches toperipheral cities and cities of Guangxi, Jiangxi and Hunan Provinces. The consultation telephone is 0754-8222705. There’re express coaches to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The direct coach from Shantou to Guangzhou sets out every one hour from 7:35 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. everyday. The travel lasts for about five and a half hours. Two coaches from Shantou to Shenzhen set out every one-hour from 6:10 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. everyday.

China Tourism Passenger Depot is mainly in charge of the coaches to other cities in Guangdong Province and cities in Fujian Province.
Address: No.41 Shanzhang Road, Shantou.
Consultation telephone: 0754-8629888-31245

Jinsha East Passenger Depot is mainly in charge of the coaches to major cities in Guangdong Province.
Address: Huanbizhuang, East Jinsha Road, Shantou.
Consultation telephone: 0754-8265854

Nanxiang Passenger Depot
Address: No.19 Chaoshan Road, Shantou.
Consultation telephone: 0754-8224943

Dongxia Passenger Depot
Address: No.70 Dongxia Road, Shantou.
Consultation telephone: 0754-8626130

Inner transportation:

Public Bus
The fare of the public bus is usually 2 Yuan/person/ride, and there are some buses are 1 Yuan or 5 Yuan.

Taxi
According to different types of the cars, the taxies in Shantou are divided into two categories. The starting rate of the taxies in first category is 9 Yuan for the first 3 kilometers while the starting rate of taxies of second category is 7 or 8 Yuan. It's usually about 2.5 Yuan per kilometer afterwards.

Links
http://en.chaozhou.gov.cn/lyxd/index.asp

深圳

2009-05-07T14:22:00.005+08:00

深圳免费景点指南户外爬山穿越指南精彩路线推荐
http://ly.sz.bendibao.com/tour/200857/ly69332.html

深圳五一塞车大指南
五一假期塞车大指南深圳公交线路
http://jt.sz.bendibao.com/news/2009429/100705.htm

2009年深圳春运电话订票指南　　
春运电话订票1月2日启动　　昨日，广铁集团发布通知，2009年铁路春运电话订票从1月2日开始，预订期为10天，当日可通过订票电话预订春运首日(元月11日)的车票。广铁集团将首次推出电话订票通订通取的方式，凡通过电话订票系统预订车票的http://jt.sz.bendibao.com/news/20081231/87784.htm

深圳社保退保办理指南[图]
深圳社保退保办理指南包括：深圳退保怎
http://sz.bendibao.com/szsi/200842/si66643.htm

春运深圳返乡全指南(订票、取票、临客等)　　
编辑手记：2008已经伴随着回乡的脚步渐渐远离了我们，过去的一年，我们收获了太多的感动，也经历了太多的坎坷与无奈... 春运火车票汽车票指南 2009年春运焦点新闻 ·春运深圳火车票订票电话·琶洲会展中心候车车次时间表·春运汽车http://jt.sz.bendibao.com/news/200918/88205.htm

深圳清明节旅游指南[图]
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2009-04-14T22:14:00.003+08:00