Cheap travel idea: tips (4)

Have you ever get stuck in bad weather during your holiday???

Holiday is the time when we spend our time doing something we usually don't do to release our stress. Some like to spend time with family/ friends by the beach, picnic at waterfall or having some adventures. Most of the things we do during our holiday involve outdoor activities. Hence it is utmost to ensure the weather is fine for us to do such activities.

As for my experience, usually I will have an overview of the season that particular place. For example if I want to go to 4-season country, I have to see at what season is the best to that particular country suit to my activities. If I want to go to countries near the equator instead e.g.: Malaysia, Indonesia etc, I will see what is the best month to visit that particular countries. It is important as we do not want to get stuck in the rain.

 The question is where to get all that info???
 As for my experience, travelling book helps a lot to tell you about the destination that you are going to go. Just flip to the weather section (usually in the introduction chapter). It will give you the overview the best time to visit that place.

It sonuds tedious right? Of course I do have better choice. Just go to Air Asia website. Click 'Travel Info' at the left bar and 'Destination Guide'. Next just choose your holiday destination.

STEP1:

STEP 2:

SAMPLE:

Annual weather for Kuala Lumpur

Annual weather for Bali

Cheap Travel - Selangor: Selayang Hot Spring

Selayang Hot Spring is very well taken care

Cheap Travel heard about Selayang Hot Spring from friends. In the first place, it is quite hard to believe that we can enjoy such natural beauty so near to KL.

Selayang Hot Springs has been upgraded to be a tourist attraction recently. There are 3 pools available enough to attract visitor with the curative properties for muscle aches and minor skin conditions such as rashes. It is believed that the mineral content of the waters such as sulphur, helps in the healing process.

Of the three pools, the one under the shade of trees is the most popular. Visitors like to sit on the edge of the circling wall to relax. This is also the hottest pool; the other two have lower temperatures. In these two pools, it is possible to dip oneself into the pool, but some people prefer to use a bucket to scoop water from the pool to bathe. After cooling off, the bathing process is repeated a few times.

It is so easy to get to the Selayang Hot Springs, just travel along Jalan Ipoh towards Rawang. After passing the Selayang Wholesale Market on the right and upon approaching the Kia Service Centre, keep a lookout for the signboard on the left just before the flyover leading to Bandar Baru Selayang.

The entrance fee is absolutely FREE OF CHARGE however the parking fee is RM 2

one of the pool at Selayang Hot Spring

The 3 pools at Selayang Hot Spring

Since I experienced difficulties to find this place on my first time because the signage is quite small, so I share this map to you. Hopefully it will help.

map to Selayang Hot Spring:

Cheap Travel - Perak : Teluk Nipah

Teluk Nipah beach

Pulau Pangkor/ Pangkor Island is one of tourist attraction in Perak. Pulau Pangkor is easily accessible through Lumut Jetty. Since 2010, the access has become easier because we can opt to board from Marina Island (terms and condition apply).

If you are board from Lumut Jetty, it takes approximately 30 minutes because it is quite further and it has two stops. It first stop at the fishermen village and the second one is at the tourist jetty. The best thing if we board from Lumut is we can also bring our bike onto the ferry. Of course charges apply. The ferry from Lumut Jetty is however quite crowded.

Marina Island Jetty

The new jetty at Marina Island is brand new private facilities. RM10 for return tickets and it takes approximately 10 minutes to Pulau Pangkor.

Main transportation at Pangkor Island either by big taxi or motorbike. Motorbike can be easily rented at RM30/day (if I'm not mistaken, correct me if I'm wrong).

The BBQ area

Pulau Pangkor has few beaches, but the one and only for me is Teluk Nipah. My recent trip to Teluk Nipah, I can see a new face of Teluk Nipah. Some of the new facilities are well-lit BBQ area, more organized souvenir and food stall. And the best thing is the beach remain unchanged, still nice and beautiful.

Taking afternoon boat from Lumut and I will reach at the hotel just nice for check-in. Upon check-in, it is highly recommended to try the Lempeng Pisang (Banana pancake) and the Pulut Panggang sold by the beach. It is easily recognized because it is the only stall selling Lempeng Pisang and Pulut Panggang.

Once you get your tank filled, then you can enjoy the beach while watching the sunset. The weather usually is very cooperative. With that, I can say it is one of the best sunset view that we can experience. Not far from Teluk Nipah, there is also a observation tower where you can enjoy the sunset.

For those who are looking for water sports, there are few provider readily waiting for you. Some of the water sports available are Island hopping (not the best), snorkelling (worth the price), kayak, banana boat and many more. Do not forget to negotiate to get your best price.

All in all, Pulau Pangkor trip is a budget island trip. Everything is considerably cheap compare to other island in Malaysia yet not at the expense of the activity, view and the ambiance.

Cheap Travel - Sabah: Rumah Terbalik

If you happen to go to Kota Kinabalu, there is a new attraction located only 30 minutes away from KK town which is called 'Rumah Terbalik'.

As the name implies, the house is really built upside down!!!

 From the main road, you can really see the red single storey upside down house and 1 upside down red  Kancil  (a car) park outside the house compound.

The admission fee:

RM 18 for adults

RM 10 for adults with MyKad

RM5 for kids below 12 years old

By paying you can go inside the compound to get close up pictures (not much different actually if just takke pictures from outside). After that, you will be guide by the staff to go inside the house.

Inside the house, every single thing that you expect to be in a house like TV, sofa, bed, comic, cosmetic are arrange upside down.  However you are not allowed to move freely, instead you need to stay within the red carpet provided. Strictly NO PICTURES inside the house, failure to do so you will be fined RM100.

There are also a cafe and merchandise area outside the house.

Overall, I think "Rumah Terbalik" is a little bit overcharged. I certainly expect something more from the visit. By the way, without paying the admission fee, you still can go very close to the red Kancil to snap pictures.

Cheap Travel - Travel tips (2)

There were many occasions where I left my valuables at my room after I check out from hotel. It is a not so good thing to experience when we are travelling. Well, yesterday it happened again to me.  Even though I had check out, fortunately it was still early and I was not yet at the airport.

When we left our valuables at hotel, it is troublesome because we need to identify ourselves and specifically describe to the receptionist what is the item that we had left at our room. If we are lucky enough, they will find it for you and keep it for you. Fortunately yesterday, the staff at the hotel are so honest and posses high integrity. They found my valuables and keep it for me until I made my way back to the hotel.

Since I have experienced this for several times, let me share with you the hotels that has been so honest as my appreciation:

1. Le Meridien, Kota Kinabalu
2. Imperial Hotel, Miri

At Mega Hotel, Miri and Eastwood Hotel, Miri however, I never get back my left item. Let's put good assumption that the item really missing somewhere not because they do not posses integrity.

After all,

1. Prevention is better than cure. DO NOT LEFT YOUR VALUABLES BEHIND - Double check your belongings before checking out. Do some round check around your room.
2. It is worth to remember your room number. At least if you realize that you have left something later, it is easier to do identification.

Cheap Travel - Melaka: Pantai Klebang

It was my first time in Pantai Klebang. What drives me there?

Before this I was not so used to a place called Pantai Klebang, until it was promoted somewhere in TV about its Coconut Shake. It's an ice blended coconut juice with couple scoops of vanilla ice cream and some other ingredients which I don't know mixed together in the blender. It gets better you have it with some other light snacks like karipap or goreng pisang etc. perfected with the ambiance of Pantai Klebang in the afternoon. So yes, Coconut Shake does drive me to Pantai Klebang.

I have had a chance to taste the famous Pantai Klebang Coconut Shake after going round and round Pantai Klebang twice. It is not located exactly at the beach instead you have to drive  about 1-2 km towards Pusat Bandaraya and its located on your left. You can hardly miss it because a lot of cars park along that road to quench their thirst.

Enough about Pantai Klebang Coconut Shake because there are a lot more activities that you can enjoy at Pantai Klebang. In addition to walk by the beach, there is a big area of land where you can fly kites. I think it is bigger than the one in Selayang. No worry about the wind because you are at the seaside. Other than that you can also ride a horse or fill your stomach as there are a lot of food stalls available along the beach.

Also got news that the submarine showcase is also located at Pantai Klebang. Check it out!!!

Cheap Travel - Pahang: Cameron Highlands

Some of us might wonder what should we do if we go to Cameron Highlands. Let me suggest you something that you do not want to miss and not so many people know about this place.

Boh Tea Centre, Sg Palas.

There are several tea plantation centre at Cameron Highlands that you can have a visit. Based on my experience, this is the best that Cameron Highland has to offer the visitor.

Compare to the others that only located next to the main road, Boh Tea Centre Sg Palas located quite distance away from the main road of Cameron Highlands accessible via a very narrow one lane and full of hairpin corner road. It is so narrow that only at certain area two cars can go side by side to each other. No worries as all the drivers are very cooperative. I have so far never found any selfish driver.

The junction (to the left) to Sg Palas is located somewhere after Brinchang, Kea's Farm and Equitorial Hotel if you are from Tapah. If you are from Simpang Pulai, it is located after Kg. Raja.

The carpark is very huge compare to the other Tea Centre at CH. From the carpark you have to climb up a little bit just enough to make you crave for the tea. Variety of tea served upstairs, you can order by cup for individual or by pot for group.

For the best view in such a cool environment, you can have your tea at the balcony. There you can have a magnificent view of tea plantation area. Even amateur photographer can get a very good picture here.

There are also souvenir shop where you can buy Boh Tea that you can never find but in CH. The packing is also suitable for gift.

Like other Tea Centre, you can have a visit at the processing area. No comment on this, as I'm not interested to see that.

As a guide, please be informed that this Tea Centre is only open after 8.30am