*Malaysia Special* - Langkawi

Team Travelogue's last stop along the western coast of the Malaysian Peninsular is Langkawi island.

This was the cool Fokker aircraft which we flew in with. Within a blink of an eye, we arrived Langkawi, under 30 minutes! No, this Fokker does not travel at the speed of a Concorde, but the distance between Penang and Langkawi is a mere 190km.  Another way you can get there is by ferry from Penang, which takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Langkawi is famous for its Duty-Free island status. Many locals and Thais (Thailand is just a 45-minute boat-ride away) would often come to the island with their suitcases half empty so that they can shop. Sometimes they'd even buy new suitcases to accommodate MORE shopping! But apart from its duty-free shopping, Langkawi’s also a great place for nature lovers and people who are into folklore, as Langkawi is known as the Land of Legends. Almost every town and feature on the island has an intriguing story behind it - from giants and heroic warriors, to doomed princesses. Not forgetting a little romance.

The two highest mountains on the island are named after two giants - Mat Raya and Mat Cincang. The story goes that their two children were to be married, but at the wedding feast, a fight broke out when the groom was caught flirting with another woman. Pots and pans were thrown. A pot of gravy broke, and the place where the gravy was spilled is a town called 'Kuah', which means 'Gravy' in Malay; And where the crockery was broken, is a village named 'Belanga Pecah'. Yep, it means 'Broken crockery'. This is just one of the many interesting folklore which the locals would be happy to share with you.

We first went to the Oriental Village where we took a cable car up to the SkyBridge and went further up to Mount Mat Cincang, the second tallest mountain in Langkawi, 709m above sea level. That’s where, they say, you can see three countries - the southern part of Thailand, Sumatera (Indonesia) and the many islands of Langkawi (99 islands when the tide is high, 104 islands when the tide is low). Of course you can’t see all the islands of Langkawi, and I personally think Sumatera, Indonesia is too far to be seen… Sorry to disappoint! :)

This is the view from Mount Mat Cincang - the second tallest mountain on Langkawi island. And right before your eyes -- is the southern part of Thailand, just a 45-minute boat-ride away.

It's so close I could swim there!

It’s a pity the Skybridge was closed for maintenance the time we were there. This bridge measuring 125m in length, ranks among the world’s longest curve suspension bridge. Judging from the picture, I only have one suggestion --- That is to have a Glass pavement, so you can see the steep drop when you walk across! Wouldn’t that be more exciting?!  I should have a word with Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen - the Tourism Minister of Malaysia.

I hereby Copyright my idea =p

From up the hill, we went down to Kilim river for a tour. This Geo-forest park spreads over 100sqkm and features well-protected mangrove forests, blue lagoons and white sandy beaches.

Langkawi was given World Geopark status by UNESCO in 2007 due to its unique geological features and its plans for conservation, eco-tourism and sustainable development. Thanks to its well-preserved mangrove forests, the coastal communities here were saved from the devastating tsunami in 2004!

Mangroves may not look like much, but they play a crucial role in our ecosystem, especially in coastal areas, where they serve as a buffer between land and sea. By soaking up excess moisture in the air, they prevent major storms and flooding. The mangrove forest is also home to a variety of life forms. 

This is where you can feed eagles and if you’re lucky, I mean -- very lucky, you may come across dolphins that swim into the Kilim river from the Andaman sea! We weren’t that lucky unfortunately, and it’s probably a good thing, because I know I’d jump into the water without hesitation.

The Eagle is the symbol of Langkawi. In fact, Langkawi's name is said to have originated from the abundance of eagles on the island. 'Lang' is short for 'Helang' which means Eagle, and 'kawi' means 'reddish-brown' in the old Malay language. For this reason, Langkawi means Reddish-brown eagle, something you can spot soaring in the skies of Langkawi pretty often.

The best time for eagle-feeding is in the morning or noon when they're hungry, or after a rain. However, I'm wondering how natural this eagle-feeding activity is - with the eagles relying on tourists daily for food.... Well, it does still look rather dramatic seeing them swoop in on their food from the cliffs!

The picture above was taken at one of the fish farms along the Kilim river, where we got to see a few fancy fishes and crustaceans. Being the city girl that I am, I got really excited when our guide introduced me to his pet stingray, and gave me the opportunity to touch it! Yes, you may roll your eyes... =)

This prehistoric-looking creature, known as the Horseshoe crab can be found in the fish farm too.

For those of you who’d like to be closer to nature, you could opt to kayak, hike to a jungle stream where you can then have a picnic and have a swim in the cool jungle stream. Definitely sounds good on a hot day!

Here’s a cute photo taken by my producer while I was writing my final stand-up to end the series. From the foreground: Cameraman 李艺, Director 续 and Cameraman/Photographer 李辉 taking a break in the shadow of the little pillars. Not the best place for shade, but anything to avoid the scorching sun as we had been filming outdoors since morning. It’s also surprising how blinding the sunlight is at 5pm. The reflection off the sea water is likely another contributing factor.

And that's me delivering my oh-so-important presidential speech at the Eagle Square! Well, more like my final stand-up summarising our 10 days travelling along the western part of the Malaysian Peninsular.

Of course, being in Langkawi, a duty-free island where beer is cheaper than water, we definitely drank and celebrated till our hearts' content after 10 days of hard work!

What a journey it has been - from the historic Malacca where the interesting history of the Malays is said to have started, to the capital Kuala Lumpur, followed by three coastal towns and islands where we could take a chill pill: Pavarotti's favourite hideout - Pangkor, to Penang - voted by Yahoo Travel in 2011 as one of the '10 islands to explore before you die', and Langkawi marking our final stop.

You can watch what we filmed and what I wrote and presented for CCTV's Travelogue on Malaysia here. You then can learn a bit more about where I come from :)

(In case video does not appear, you can view it here)

Should you have any suggestions, feedback, please do let me know at the 'Comment' section below. 

Till next time, folks! xx

*Malaysia Special* - Penang

Next, Penang island!

Penang is the Malaysian state with the highest density of Chinese speakers. The Chinese influence here is so strong that you can find people of different races communicating with each other in Hokkien 福建 – A Chinese dialect from the Fujian Province. Even police officers in Penang take up courses in Hokkien! People here are a living proof of a multicultural population.

Penang, like Malacca is very rich in cultural heritage. Penang was the next booming port for trading after Malacca, and where there is trade, there’s a multitude of nations that come together from all around the globe to seek their fortune. And one of them who made it big, is the owner of this big beautiful Blue Mansion!

Like many other Chinese fortune seekers in the 1800s, 16 year old Cheong Fatt Tze

张弼士 boarded the boat to the South East Asian region, known as Nanyang 南洋 -- the ‘Land of Opportunity’. This penniless teenager who hailed from Taipu in Guang Dong province 广东大埔 (where my ancestors are from) ended up as the ‘Rockefeller of the East’. This entrepreneur was involved in many lucrative ventures. For those who've lived in China, perhaps you may have come across this brand of wine called ChangYu 张裕.  I was surprised to find out that Cheong Fatt Tze is the founder of ChangYu winery in ShanDong 山东Province – China’s oldest and largest winery. 

So the next time you see this ChangYu 张裕 brand of wine, remember that this man has a beautiful Blue Mansion in Penang that’s worth a visit.

Another place I’d highly recommend to visit in Penang would be the Clan Jetties, close to the Penang Ferry Terminal. These jetties are unique Chinese settlements established in the mid-19^th Century when there was an influx of Chinese who migrated here. Each jetty is occupied by people of the same surname/last name. I guess being with people coming from the same region definitely made them feel more ‘at home’ in a foreign land.

Residents of these jetties still go about their daily lives, and being there makes you feel like you’re one of them and that is what I absolutely love and appreciate about this place.

I probably shouldn’t be taking a photo of this lady who was just lying at her front door, enjoying the cool sea breeze, but I wanted to show you just how unaffected by tourists these locals are.

I do have one little request though: When you’re there, please do keep noise at a minimum, as these are actual living quarters. The last thing we’d want, is to drive out the residents by making this place noisy and unlivable eh?

Take a closer look at what’s being used as stilts… Empty paint buckets!

Penang is positioning itself as the first ‘Green state in Malaysia’, and this is just one of the many examples of Penang working towards becoming a greener, more sustainable and environmentally-friendly state!

This is serene and charming… See those two people there? They’re home-stay guests. The next time I go to Penang, I’m staying here and I will do just what they’re doing – Sit there, read a book with the sound of the waves at the background, occasionally looking far out at fishermen returning with their catch, or simply allowing the rhythm of the bobbing boats to lull me to sleep... Certainly sounds good to me.

Alright, let’s not get too sleepy here... Let’s crank things up as I speak about FOOD!!!

Penang is famous for its hawker fare. Forget dining indoors if you’re here for a short time – Head out, sweat it out and sample the myriad of local food Penang has to offer!

Some of the best places for food are situated in the most inconvenient of places, so you might want to ask locals for recommendations. But if your time in Penang is limited and you’re already hungry and cranky – Gurney Drive, a promenade by the sea has all the popular local fares in one place.

It’s too bad I don’t have a wide-angle camera when I took this photo as there was more food at the sides which my camera couldn’t capture. Gurney Drive in Penang is definitely the place you can stuff yourself silly.

More food!! Gosh, I’m getting hungry just looking at these photos…!

This is only the tip of the ice-berg of what we’ve eaten in Malaysia. The food we’ve had was simply amazing! I’m quite certain our team members had put on some weight after filming in Malaysia.

We had exactly 24-hours in Penang to film and off we went to the airport to catch our flight to our last stop – Langkawi!

You can view this episode of Travelogue which I presented, and wrote for CCTV News, on Pangkor Island, Penang and Langkawi -- The west coast of the Malaysian Peninsular:

(In case video does not appear, you can watch it here.)

*Malaysia Special* - Pangkor Island

On our way north from Kuala Lumpur (or ‘KL’) to our next stop Lumut, a coastal town three-hours drive from KL, we made a quick stop in this little town called Bidor 美罗. Time seemed to have slowed down in this town. It was a stark contrast from KL where cars are bumper to bumper, and people constantly in a hurry… Over here, who’s in a hurry? The only things the locals were busy with, would be having a chat and reading the papers over coffee at a ‘kopi tiam’, a local term referring to a coffee shop.

Can you sense the calm just by looking at this man’s face and his two sleepy cats? :)

Goodies-galore!! This reminds me of my childhood. I felt like I was five again, stomping my feet in the shop because mummy wouldn’t get me ALL the biscuits! Heh… I’m kidding! It’s such a pity we only had 30 minutes in this town. This is a great town to stop for good Malaysian food and snacks!

In our 30minutes in Bidor town, I found this bunch of beans. I knew what it was, but my film crew did not. Cheekily, I took a few of those beans and told them to pop it into their mouths, reassuring them that it won't poison them… And boy did I wish I took a video of their expressions as soon as they chewed on it! It sure did wake them up. These beans are called ‘Petai’, or Stink Beans. It actually doesn’t stink at all.. Not until you’ve chewed on it.  It is an acquired taste, but it seems our director and cameraman/photographer got used to the taste and smell pretty quickly and were constantly on a hunt for it at local buffet spreads! I personally do quite like Petai especially when served with Sambal (chilli paste)… But I’d avoid eating it prior to meeting people.

Lumut was our gateway to Pangkor Island, just a 40-minute ferry ride from the jetty. 

I have to mention that one of the islands in Pangkor is the favourite island getaway of the late opera singer – Luciano Pavarotti. He visited this private island so often that they have a suite named after him.

Pangkor Laut – that’s the late Pavarotti’s favourite hideout. I’m sure none of these chalets on stilts are named after him, as these are quite out in the open. There are more chalets which are private and secluded, therefore we were unable to snap pictures of them. Such a high-profile man certainly needed his privacy.

One thing interesting I’d like to point out is the difference in the colour of seawater in the West coast (where Pangkor Island, Penang and Langkawi are) and the East coast of the Malaysian Peninsular. The seawater in the West is Green in colour; while it is Blue in the East. In order to prove my point, I have taken the liberty of digging out some pictures which I took while on vacation in the East coast in 2010.

Specimen #1:

Pangkor Island in the West: Probably the reflection of the greenery around? 

But wait! Check out the next picture of the East coast.

East coast: It’s also surrounded by greenery, but the seawater’s blue. 

I swear, no Photoshop involved.

Specimen #2:

Green seawater in Pangkor Island

Blue seawater in the East coast

Specimen #3:

Pangkor Island

East Coast - That ain't a swimming pool...!

Why is it Green in the West and Blue in the East? 

I think it is probably due to the existence of microscopic algae which causes the water to be green, and since the seawater in the west is calmer, from being sheltered by the large island of Sumatera, Indonesia (you can refer to this map), the warm, still waters make it the perfect breeding ground for algae. Well, just my hypothesis.

It is also partly pollution, since the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia is a safe haven from the monsoon winds, hence many ports are located in that region.

I’ll be honest and tell you that the beaches and islands off the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsular are incomparable to those in the east coast or even in Borneo. I believe you can judge for yourself based on the pictures above. But if you want the sea, the chance to be immersed in the Malay way of life and a place that isn’t too touristy, Pangkor island would be for you. It is home mainly to fishermen and people in the business of selling dried seafood.

With that, a visit to the fish factory was part of our itinerary since one of the main commercial activities of Pangkor Island is the production of satay fish - a type of dried fish biscuit popular in Malaysia. What you see being laid out to dry, are fish fillets. If you’ve always been curious about the making of satay fish and fish crackers, visit one of the fish factories in Sungai Pinang Kecil. My producer who absolutely loves seafood was so delighted to hear that this factory which we visited actually exports their products to China. I believe she’s now secretly on a hunt for their products in Beijing!

That’s me assisting my producer in creating a Malay look!

Since we’re on the topic of dressing, I should just mention again that Malaysia is a Muslim country hence it’s good to cover up a little and not dress too revealingly especially when you’re visiting a mosque where you need to have your limbs covered and ladies would need to wear a hijab, or headscarf, like in the picture above. No, it’s not necessary to wear a hijab when you’re out on the streets. We just wanted a Malaysian picture of ourselves :)

This is such a nice way to end the day... All that’s missing, is a cocktail in hand.



You can view this episode of Travelogue which I presented, and wrote for CCTV News, on Pangkor, Penang and Langkawi - the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsular:

(You can watch it here, in case the video doesn't appear.)

INTERVIEWS with KayLi Lum

Here are some interviews I did with a few online magazines in Malaysia, China and Spain, on being the TOP 50 Worldwide in the running for the 'Best Job Around the World' as Chief World Explorer. 


Female Magazine -  Malaysia
Interview by Rachel Au

Quick, restrain your green monsters because this young Malaysian is doing something you'd wish for: Getting paid to globe trot.

How many times have you wished you could make a living out of your passion? Of course, achieving your dreams is never an easy leap of faith. For KayLi Lum, her journey to becoming a Travel Presenter for China's CCTV Travelogue wasn't as simple as applying for it via Jobstreet.
http://www.femalemag.com.my/features/work/kayli-lum-travelling-world-living



Moochic 慕奇网 - China
Interview by Kathleen 刘梦黎

她，白日里的旅游节目主持人，夜间的博客书写者，闲暇时的兼职模特。世间之大，无处不是她的乐园与学堂。她，一直在路上的旅行者——呼吸着、滋养着、成长着……

蓝凯丽KayLiLum，来自马来西亚吉隆坡，现居北京。这位纯粹的“驴友”在竞选“世界最佳职业”——首席世界探险者的评选活动中，位列全球五十强！

https://www.moochic.com/2013/10/12928



A World to Travel - Spain
Interview by Inma Gregorio

A Travel Presenter by day, Blogger by night, and the occasional Model on the side. The world is her playground and her classroom. She's a true advocate for Travel where she eats, breathes and sleeps Travel!

Get to know KayLi Lum with this On the Road interview!
http://www.aworldtotravel.com/presenting-on-the-road-with-kayli-lum/



Jauntaroo TOP 50: KayLi Lum - Chief World Explorer

Finally, the Jauntaroo link below is where you can find the two self-made videos which brought me to the Top 100, and later, to the Top 50 world wide, in the running for the 'Best Job Around the World':
http://www.bestjobaroundtheworld.com/submissions/view/8142

Do watch the videos, and if you like it, please click 'LIKE' as a vote for me - till October 21st!

xx
Big Thanks,
KayLi

Jauntaroo Top 50: Chief World Explorer

It has been announced -- Jauntaroo: Your Vacation Matchmaker has selected their TOP 50 Candidates to contend for the 'Best Job Around the World', as Chief World Explorer... And I am delighted to be ONE of them!

My first 1-minute video submission stood out amongst the thousands of applicants from 99 different countries, and made it into the Top 100. 

Here's my 1-minute video which got me into the Top 100:

(In case the video doesn't appear above, you can click here.)

The Top 100 candidates were then required to create a short webisode of their town, city, or wherever they were in that one-week.

This is my second video submission I made on my hometown - Kuala Lumpur, which brought me to the Top 50 worldwide:

(If the video doesn't appear above, you can try this link.)

Do hope you enjoy it!
* If you do, please click 'LIKE' as a Vote for me here:
http://www.bestjobaroundtheworld.com/submissions/view/8142. You could continue to vote after every 24hours :) 

*Contest ends October 22, 2013

------------------------------------------------------

Now it's up to YOU ALL and Jauntaroo to decide who the Final 5 candidates will be. The Final 5 will be flown to a 'Secret - Yet to be determined' location for a face-to-face interview.

*Fingers crossed for the BEST*


For more updates, you can follow me on:

My Fan page
Facebook
Instagram: kayli_lum
YouTube
Travel Blog
Twitter
Youku 优酷 (Chinese version of YouTube)
Sina Weibo 新浪微博 (Chinese version of Twitter)

Take your pick ;)

See y'all -- ONLINE! Heh... Till then, Adios!

xx

*Malaysia Special* - Kuala Lumpur

Moving on from Malacca, we head north to Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. One of the highlights of my trip to Kuala Lumpur was the chance to interview the Tourism Minister of Malaysia - Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen.  Despite her high-ranking position, I found her to be very warm and chatty, almost like a mother to me as she warmed my frozen hands after being stuck in the freezer of a conference room.

From left: My Producer at Travelogue, Tourism Minister of Malaysia – Dato’ Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen and Myself.  Girl power!

Do you notice how white our faces are in this picture? That’s from all the flash-lights coming from cameras – left, right, centre!  I now know how big-time superstars feel when they’re at a red-carpet event.

Speaking of superstars, I chanced upon Chef Wan - a local Malaysian Celebrity Chef at the very event.

After interviewing the Tourism Minister, we were invited to the Islamic Fashion Festival. This marked my first time attending a fashion show. The tagline for this Fashion Festival was ‘Discover the Beauty of Modesty’.  Unlike fashion shows that we’re exposed to, this is more conservative, yet flamboyant (as most fashion shows are, if not, what's there to see?)... Which kind of made me retrace the tagline of the event, emphasising Modesty. ANYWAY, Malaysia being an Islamic country, I felt this was rather appropriate an event for us to attend and cover.

The photo above was taken with my phone, so I apologise it’s not very clear. But this is to show you the fashion runway and models parading.

This is a much better picture taken by our cameraman/photographer. Glamorous!

Another model parading a design.

Next… *drum roll*… The iconic Petronas Twin Towers! For those of you who want a good shot like this (taken just with my phone), head to Skybar at Traders Hotel. Imagine what a proper camera could capture. The view here is unbeatable.

I just wanted to show you how heroic our Director and Cameraman are… They’d do anything for a good shot! That’s them filming in the middle of a busy road in Kuala Lumpur.

A picture of the entire crew who filmed in Malaysia with me.

Clockwise from top-left: the Director, Cameraman, Cameraman/Photographer, Producer and myself. Taken on the never-ending steps leading to a Hindu temple in Batu Caves, about 40minutes from KL city.  Well, merely 272 steps… I exaggerate.

There… 272 steps for you! Easy-peasy... :)

Okay, I hope this isn’t too gruesome for you, but every year around January, Batu Caves attract over a million people during the yearly Thaipusam festival dedicated to the Hindu God Murugan. This is the festival where many Hindu devotees go to the extent of torturing their bodies by piercing their cheeks, skin and tongue (like the picture above) with skewers and hooks to appease Lord Murugan.  I have yet to witness this, having lived in Malaysia for years. I’m making it a point to see it next time!  I hope I won’t faint.

Alright now, on a lighter note…

I love this picture - Just look at the monkey’s expression! These monkeys hanging-out at the steps in Batu Caves are such curious and playful creatures… They were entertaining to watch!  

But some monkeys such as this one (an alpha male) can be very vicious, especially when they are hungry, so please be careful. Don’t openly carry food as they will snatch it away from you, possibly attack you too if you resist giving them the food in hand.

Next, if you haven't any plans on meeting anyone after, you've got to try THIS!

The notorious Durian, also known as the 'King of Fruits'!

Distinctive for its unique odour and thorn-covered husk. This thorny fruit can grow as large as 12-inches long and 6-inches in diameter, and it typically weighs 1-3 kilograms.

The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour – strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the Durian as fragrant; Others find the smell offensive, and overpowering. To me, I belong to the former and think it is D-I-V-I-N-E !

Just thought I'd give you the heads up.  If you're cool with all that, you can find many Durian Buffets in SS2 Petaling Jaya and Cheras, which can be as cheap as RM10 (USD3) - All you can eat! But really, don't go overboard or you may suffer a nose-bleed or feel feverish after, as the Durian is known for its warming properties.

BUT, there is an awesome traditional method to counteract this… All we have to do is pour water into an empty durian husk and drink the water from it – it is known to cool the body down from all the ‘heat’ from the Durian.

Some Durian-stall owners even provide Mangosteens and Coconuts to customers, as it is said to have the ability to cool down the body as well.

As for those of you who are worried about the smell... Good news for you! You can, again, pour water into an empty Durian husk and use the water to wash your hands and mouth. Trust me, the smell will be faint after.

You can view this short video I made on Kuala Lumpur - which made it to Jauntaroo's Top 50 in the running for the 'Best Job Around the World' as Chief World Explorer:

(In case the video doesn't appear above, here's the link.)

Now, you can enjoy your Durian in peace :)

Would you like to guess what this guy is up to?

He’s making ‘Teh Tarik’, literally ‘Pulled tea’ / 拉茶 – This is an Indian method of making milk tea, and a drink which I always have when I’m back in Malaysia! This mixture of Black tea and condensed milk is poured repeatedly from one container to another like what this guy is doing. The greater the distance between the two containers, the better in terms of cooling the tea down to a consumable temperature and it is said to taste better after ‘airing’ it too - the same concept as decanting wine. Of course it is also entertaining and exciting to watch!  Don’t hope of seeing them miss their aim or having milk tea splattered all over themselves… These guys are completely skilled with years of practice!

‘Teh Tarik’ can be found mainly in hassle-free Indian-muslim stalls, known as ‘Mamak stalls’, and in coffee shops which locals call ‘kopi tiam’. These are places where you can find locals of different races come together to socialise, gossip, watch football matches… And that is even more important than the drink itself!

Next time you want a local experience when you’re in Malaysia, simply visit a ‘mamak stall’, or ‘kopi tiam’ which you can find almost anywhere. You could also check out the vibrant Jalan Alor - a famous food street in KL that comes to life at night! It is also close to Bukit Bintang where you could do a pub crawl after eating ;)

You can watch my Travelogue on Malacca and Kuala Lumpur here:

(Just in case the video doesn't appear, you can view it over here.)