My Travel Story: Malacca a Historical City

My Travel Story: Malacca a Historical City: It was just another much awaited saturday as usual for my kids (and me too of course : p). And an outing to Restaurant Jayati for a breakfas...

Malacca a Historical City

It was just another much awaited saturday as usual for my kids (and me too of course : p). And an outing to Restaurant Jayati for a breakfast ended up a night stay in Malacca with a lot of fun.. though unplanned.

It was 9.00am when we decided for a day trip to Malacca (written Melaka in Malay), a historical city in Malaysia. Malacca located in the southern Peninsular of Malaysia and is about 2 hour distance from Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) and 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) when travel by car.

Among the favorite tourist spots are A Famosa, Melacca River Cruise, Mini Malaysia Cultural Park and Mini Asean, The Stadthuys, Menara Taming Sari, Portuguese Square, St Paul Church, Eye of Melaka, Zoo Melaka, Butterfly Park, Crocodile Park and many more. And the best all, it were located next to another.

We arrived at Ayer Keroh at 11.00am, visited Melaka Cultural Park (Taman Mini Malaysia & Mini Asean), a place must see. We visited all 13 full scale house model representing 13 states in Malaysia and Mini Asean where you can visit full scale replica of houses for Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei etc. They have also cultural performance including Portuguese, Chinese, Indian and Malays dance. Something you will only find in Malacca.

We took almost half an hour to visit all the houses, phiuu.. next time wear your snicker yah.. On the exit, we spot another attractions, asteriod (better known as tahi bintang).. a something you should not missed. Tired but satisfied, we proceed to stall, where the famous Malacca cuisine served, Asam Pedas Melaka.

Malacca The Historical City (Part II)

Howdy! (Please read my Part I before read this)

Malacca's House

It was 4.00pm, and we were all completely exhausted and sweating.. a good exercise huh :). Going around is not difficult to look for hotel.. We check in at "Hotel Seri Malaysia" RM300++ for family suite.. pretty expensive for a hotel without lift service. Use staircase instead.. walk for your health dude.. 

Rumah Johor Tanah Tumpah Darahku

All-in-all, I can say the hotel is not up to the standard price of RM300++ (approx USD100++), with air conditioner that is warm, stuffy room and no welcome drink or tea and coffee. View.. nothing special except the car park. It is hard to say good thing about this hotel. The worst experience staying in this hotel was sleeping with "pijat" (bed bug) oh man.. it was 12.00am when I saw and kill one of it.. damn.. when                                                    we woke up in the morning we felt itchy all over our body     and blood just everywhere.. this tiny 'vampire' creature really suck our blood the whole night.. I manage to caught one alive and immediately call the management and show the bed bug.. we pack and check out immediately.. After almost 20 minutes with the housekeeping exec, they only agreed to offer RM50 discount for the bad experience we have.. and for sure that will be our last stay at Hotel Seri Malaysia.

Melaka River Cruise

Prior to this bed bug experience, we truly enjoy the night scenery of Melaka River Cruise an experience not to be missed.  

Lets forget about the bed bugging experience, and share the good one, you can see photo 3 of the houses (Melaka, Johor and Sarawak) above.. and Pink Buggy for the buggy ride.. for less than RM50 (approx USD15) you can enjoy driving through reserve forest (jungle tracking style) for 45 minutes.. lot of sauna and fauna to observes.. a true learning experience for my kids on the important to preserves the forest for future human life..  

Six Seater Buggy Ride

     

Malacca.. a truly historical city.. 

Kuching A Cat City

It was 6.30am when I received sms from Air Asia that flight to Kuching was cancelled. Not to spoiled my kids eagerness to fly, I drove to LCCT just to find out Air Asia AK5218 was skidded in Kuching Airport due to heavy downpur and all flights were cancelled. Thanks to a friendlly staff, my flights was reschedule to the next day i.e. delay by 24 hours.

The second day going very smooth with clear skies in Kuala Lumpur and with great flight to Kuching. This time around a smooth touch down in Kucking Airport. Prior to this journey, I google some info on budget hotel i.e. Singahsana Lodge, Kuching Waterfront, Tune Hotel and many more, though looks pretty promising I did not made any booking as January is not a peak season, so it should not be a big problem to look for a hotel on walk-in.

It was not the case however, the first question by the Taxi driver.. where to go? Waterfront I said! Which waterfront? he asked.. Alamak!!! which one..? Tune Hotel! immediately I responded... my wife look at me with quriousity.. Tune Hotel? Yup I said.. <silence>

At Tune Hotel, we were offered 2 separate rooms for me and wife and another room for my childrens, with aircond and towel charge separately. At less than RM300 for 3D 2 N, its a good package. But not for my wife, she wanted all of us in one room. What to do.. look for other hotle lah, next to it a Hilton Hotel, but no room available. Got a friendly taxi and was recommended to Waterfront Lodge, great price, but a Hailam style (hehe).. so again look for other hotel. Saw the Singgahsana Lodge (recommended by my officemate) the answer No (this time my elder children said).



Cat (Kuching in Malay)..
where the City get its name



Finally end up at the Grand Margareita hotel (ex-Holiday Inn). Check the price and immediately check-in.. nice hotel, nice view, nice room...everybody happy. After almost half a day travel, we just spend our time in the 'so cooled' room (until I have to switch off aircond). It is still rain outside, luckily the hotel connected to Sarawak Plaza, so no problem to find food for dinner. But don't look for mamak stall ya.. you will never find one.

2nd day, still raining, we rent a car, a Saga BLM and round the bandar (City) Kuching, cross the bridge to look out for the famous Kek Lapis (Layer Cake) Sarawak. Spoiled by choices from one to another cake maker, we end up at Dayang Salhah, a place where the famous celebraties purchase the layer cake such as Datuk Siti Nurhaliza among others. Interestingly, the place actually just across the river from our hotel, and the fares is just RM3/pax for less than 10 minutes rides as compared to by car at least half an hour and with RM1.50 toll. Spend RM100 on the 10 nos Kek Lapis with 1 roll free (in KL it could cost you RM300 - RM500) for 10 rolls of the original Kek Lapis Sarawak.



The famous Kek Lapis Sarawak





Next location to Sarawak Cultural Village... somehow, no GPS (tak bawak), no signboard and poor direction from the gadis toll, ended no where. Then saw the Bako National Park, a place to far to reach (hehe) with a heavy downpour, we decided a U turn back to the city.

3rd day, rain and rain and rain (what a 24 hours rain?), uhh! what a bad day (oh yelah it was monsoon from Nov-March every year).

Anyway, Kuching is a nice city, clean and no traffic jam. The taxi, wow better than KL (even at KLCC - mengecewakan), they are so friendly, charge user using other than the meter. And most importantly, clean taxi with good condition and service with a smile.. also peramah :).

So next time if you visit Kuching without a GPS, do not rent a car, just rent a taxi, with almost the same rates, they could chauffer you to all the nice places in Kuching.. that what I will do next time visit this Cat City yeah!