Malaysia
Little India in Georgetown, Penang
Georgetown is the capital of the state of Penang in northern Malaysia. The old city centre, with its beautiful colonial architecture and Chinese mansions, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of my favourite neighbourhoods in the city centre is Little India. It’s a colourful neighbourhood with shops selling aromatic spices, brightly-coloured sari’s, incense and more. The city’s oldest Hindu temple, the Sri Mariamman temple is also located here. Oh, and the food is amazing! Don’t miss the roti canai!
Read the accompanying post: “Ten Things To Do in Penang“.
Sri Mariamman Temple, Penang
The little blue mosque
Aerial view of Kuala Lumpur International Airport
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (or KLIA) is the main gateway to Malaysia. Located about 50km from Kuala Lumpur, it’s an architectural masterpiece featuring traditional Malay design. It currently has two terminals, a separate low-cost terminal, two runways (a third is in the works) and handles more than 30 million passengers a year.
Gomantong Caves in Sabah
The Gomantong Caves in Sabah (Malaysian Borneo) are famous for its edible bird’s nests (which are made from the saliva of the thousands of swiftlets who inhabit the caves). These nests are harvested every year – an activity that involves 40m (100ft) poles and acrobatic stunts – and sold to the Chinese who consider the nests a delicacy.
Read more about the natural wonders of Sabah: ‘Sabah – a nature lover’s paradise‘.
Look what came out to greet us at the entrance of the cave!
The birds nests are located in the ceiling of the cave
The cathedral-like Gomantong Cave
The back of the cave opens out into a majestic atrium
Chicken rice in Penang
Penang is a true culinary paradise. One of the things every visitor must do is try the wide array of local specialties, like laksa and fried kuey teow. One of my favourites is Hainan chicken rice (roast chicken with rice, slices of cucumber and accompanied by a spicy chili sauce), not a typical Penang dish per sé, but made to perfection!
Read the accompanying post: ‘Ten Things To Do in Penang‘.
Scarlet ibis at the KL Bird Park
The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is a great place to spend an afternoon. The scarlet ibis is just one of the many stunning bird species in the park.
Read the accompanying post: “An Afternoon in the KL Bird Park“.
