Almost PARADISE!

Heaven on EARTH!

Island… or Sand….?

OK. OK. OK. Since I have been bragging and asking around both in my blog and facebook, I thought I have better update this especially since dearest Lih Bin approved of me using his pic. At first I’ve asked him whether is this SWV resort as in my earlier blog (A beach you'll never REGRET) but apparently it is not; it’s another island (or sand) next to Mabul called Kapalai.

Since am not a diver (thus missing all this lovely places), I thought I just post out the pics and links AND details for all. These pics will speaks for itself.

From Sabah Tourism :

Kapalai island – The mere name conjures the image of crystal clear waters and a floating paradise like no other. A 45-minute trip from Semporna by speedboat, Kapalai island is one of the many beautiful diving havens in this part of the world. However, Kapalai is truly unique because it is not quite an ‘island’. The island of Kapalai, just 15 minutes off Sipadan, was a beautiful island two hundred years ago, but now it is only a sand bar. Erosion has reduced the island to sea level and the village now sits on the edge of the extensive Ligitan Reefs.

The 40 chalets are built on high wooden stilts in the middle of the ocean. Visitors can enjoy the sights of marine life in action as they stroll along the boardwalk, a sturdy construction that connects the various sections of the floating resort. The resort chalets are equipped with basic amenities, including tea and coffee making facilities.

You will never have to gripe about having a less than desirable view: you have a breathtaking view of the Celebes Sea no matter where you turn! The restaurant is a wooden deck, where diners can eat indoors or al fresco. There’s even a viewing area in the middle of the restaurant which allows you to see the myriad of marine life passing below.

The sundeck, a popular favourite, is a great place to enjoy your novel, work on a tan or indulge in an afternoon siesta. The Dive Centre provides diving, snorkelling and kayaking gear for rent. Can’t dive but would love to? No problem! The centre offers a variety of PADI courses, including Open Water and Introduction to Night Diving. After enjoying your underwater paradise, explore other facilities offered by the resort including the souvenir shop, games room and broadband access.

The journey to from Tawau to Semporna by road takes approximately one hour. The transfer to Kapalai by speedboat takes about 40 minutes. Normaly the tour agent or resort provides transfer arrangements for guest.

Tawau
484 Bandar Sabindo,
P.O Box no 61120, 91021, Tawau
Tel: +6089 765200 (reservation and inquiries)
Fax: +6089 763575/763563
E-mail: rooney@Sipadan-Kapalai.com
Website: http://www.Sipadan-Kapalai.com/

Sandakan
Pulau Sipadan Resort and Tours Sdn Bhd Block C,
Ground Floor, Lot 38 & 39, Mile 6,
Bandar Tyng, 90000, Sandakan
Tel: +6089 673999/674999/675999 (reservation and inquiries)
Fax: +6089 673777
E-mail: sepilok@po.jaring.my

This land, so beautiful
It will steal your heart away
This land is paradise
And it’s only, only a smile away
To know Malaysia, is to love Malaysia

* Sudirman's song for the 1st Visit Malaysia Year *

All this in... MALAYSIA

Credits : Sabah Tourism, Wikipedia

A beach you'll NEVER regret

And NEVER NOT go!

Let’s get it right from the start, NO!!!!!!!! I have NOT been here(now or my previous life [I think]) but would LOVE to spend my holiday here! I mean, seriously; who in the right mind in this world wouldn’t right! RIGHT? RIGHT!!!!

I fell in LOVE the first time I saw a colleague of mine showing me her holiday pics. In fact, from there after; I always say that anyone who proposed to me here would definitely get a “YES” without second thought! Hehehheee… DRAMA!!!

HENCE, I am “called” to blog on a place that I have NEVER been before… so that EVERYBODY knows my dream and that I get a “SPONSORED” (*hint* *hint*) holiday. Sigh…. (You think my massage got thru…? hemmm… well, at least I tried).

Normally the word ‘beach’ would make me shriek... followed by mumble of complaints, perhaps because I don’t have a Megan Fox body and of cause why in the world would I want myself to get darker then what I already am, DUH! BUT Sipadan Water Village (SWV) is different, it’s like…… Panggilan Pulau in an old P.Ramlee movie.

Thus, I decided to pen down on why does this island attract me so much…(I owe it to myself that much :p). Let’s see.

1. Quiet island
2. Crystal clean transparent water (yeah! I need to emphasize them)
3. Only chalet crews & guests inhibit the island (aside from native animals of cause)
4. Scenery! MARVELOUS!
5. Can finally try my hand on snorkeling (yeah! yeah! Never tried before, SHOCKING huh!)
6. Can finally try my hand on diving (still trying to convince myself)
7. Pic taking (we can’t miss this out, can we!)
8. Transparent BOAT!

Seeeeeeee!!!!! Even the good points ends with an “Ong” number (Ong = lucky in Chinese).

I knew about this place for a couple of years now, I shoved it at the back of my travel list; but this year it got “revived”. WHY?!??! CURIOUS huh? Well, I watched this Korean movie Boys Over Flower (BOF) and it was shot in New Caledonia, of which they have similar concept to SWV…(SWV much cheaper of cause) that’s when I start digging old pics and links and sites and traveling kakis…. No more excuses, MUST GO! MUST! MUST! MUST! But bila pulak yek!?!

For this trip that am YET to plan (but only manage to imagine), have so-called “decided” on what to bring (told you am a DRAMA QUEEN!).

1. Camera - my IXUS 870
2. Camera - need to buy Olympus Tough 6000 (water proof mah)
3. Camera - Lomo Supersampler
4. SD card - 2 x 8gb (you think enough?)
5. PSP - BOF all series downloaded
6. iPod - with all the “beachy” songs
7. Books - konon konon wanna read on the hammock lar (you think they have hammock there?!?!)
8. Notebook - blogging ofcozzz
9. Bajusss - I can’t be bringing all my gadgets but no clothes on my body right?!?

Oh! By the way, if we already gonna be in Sabah, might as well climb Mount Kinabalu, Sepilok to visit our “relative” in Orang Utan Sanctuary and shop at Labuan kan! That’s it, perfect plan! Need I say more?! I rest my case!

Anna? Andrea? Anyone? Everyone? JOM!

Credits : Wikipedia, SWV, Flickr, Sabah Tourism, Olympus, Lomo, Canon

Memorable Morib, Mysterious Jugra

Day 2 (2 May‘09). Beach and palace in one trip.


Done with the beach, now gearing on the rustic old royal town of Jugra. Seriously, never heard of this name before (except for Stadium Jugra located in Bukit Jalil! Memang dasar buta local history /geography).

First destination, The old Alaeddin Palace or Istana Alaeddin. All I can say is that even the road leading to bthis great historical sight is abit…. How should I put it…? Deceiving? Weird? Spooky? (the mist and drizzle the help!?!) To a point, I doubted that we on the right road, wishes we has a GPS or something… but we did manage to find the palace…. Phew!

A little walk down the memory lane about this palace, shall we… It used to be the royal capital of Selangor when Sultan Abdul Samad decided to move there back in 1875 till 1898. Sultan Alaeddin became the fifth Selangor Sultan and began to plan for the construction of City/Town Palace or Istana Bandar. This palace was built in 1905 and he lived there for 35 years until his death.

The palace was built on a 13 acre land and has two levels with 15 rooms. After more than 100 years, this structure still remain strong today, the evidence of the excellent engineering skills of the people during that time. The architecture of the palace is based on Malay design but with the influence of Chinese, Indian, European and Islamic features. Later He then decided to move his official residence to Klang.

As the day was gloomy, it kinda effected our mood I supposed, we all unanimously agreed to go home BUT not after stopping at Restoran Cendol Ibrahim Banting, “why” you might ask. No particular reason, just that we “suspected”, it must or should be really delicious for the owner to bravely put up a display of such; he felt that his cendol is the best in Banting, perhaps…!?! Hehhehe….. Any challenger?

Well…. We drove back happily and sleepily.

Credit : Wikipedia, Malaysia Vacation Guide