Carrie takes a day trip out to Bagan Lalang beach in Sepang, also known as the Sepang Goldcoast to check out the sights.
Wonderland of Lights in Sham Alam
November 1, 2010 By 1 Comment
Millions of LED lights adorn trees and glow like a freakishly ethereal place on a hill from afar. Lighted trees line the road as you drive up the hill as though beckoning you into a secret wonderland. Resembling a magical forest where faeries come out to play every night, this super cool lighted park is located in i-City, Sham Alam and only springs to life after 8pm.
As you step out of the car park, there is a small area with an assortment of maple trees and cactus. On a closer inspection, all the trees are made out of plastic and each tree is crowned with thousands of little LED lights. While this is a great spot to get snap happy with your camera, it is only a small taste for what lies beyond the row of shops in the background.
There are rows and rows of plastic maple and pine trees of all shapes and colours, cherry blossoms, Chinese lanterns and animals. Opened in early 2010, this park attracts hundreds of visitors each night and it has since become a favourite family attraction after dinner and also a great place to take fun pictures.
The first of its kind in Malaysia, this unique park is a fun pick-me-up outing after a hard day at work!
Trekking in the City at the Bukit Kiara Park
October 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Carrie meanders through Bukit Kiara Park, an awesome spot of nature set in TTDI, exploring jungle trails, walk and bike paths and a biology pond amidst the hustle and bustle of our capital city Kuala Lumpur.
Truly Unmissable Sexy Views from the Poolside
October 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment
On any given holiday or working sojourn, swimming is usually a way of relaxation for travellers. Rooftop swimming pools are more than just a hole filled with water on the top most ceiling of the building that offer guests a chance to cool off or sunbathe. In most high rise city hotels, the rooftop is also the best spot to get a panoramic view of the city.
By day, with a gorgeous view, relaxing ambiance and funky décor, a rooftop terrace is sure to lure guests to come hang out by the pool. By night, the poolside area is completely transformed. The darkened night sky with its myriad of twinkling city lights evokes frivolous fun and a sense of romance as you enjoy your drinks.
In the heart of Kuala Lumpur, framing the sparkling twin towers and city skyline, our very own cosmopolitan Sky Bar and Luna Bar have made it onto the list of the world’s sexiest rooftop pools. The sense of being up so high conjures the feeling of drifting with the clouds.
Sky Bar is located on the 33rd floor of Traders Hotel. As you step onto the terrace, the most prominent feature is the long rectangle pool that runs through the middle enclosed by glass panels on both sides. The transformation from day to night is something to experience as you lounge on comfy sofas gazing upon the dazzling skyline.
Luna Bar is located on the 34th floor of the Pacific Regency Hotel. It has an open air split level concept with an indoor area as well. The view here is panoramic unlike the view from Sky Bar. The chic contemporary décor is most inviting for a night out under the beautiful night sky.
Two happening places not to be missed, to see and to be seen.
Click here to view some of the most beautiful and sexiest rooftop sceneries from around the world.
Oh What A Beautiful Morning
October 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment
The Spotlight crew headed out to Tanjung Sepat, located south-west of Kuala Lumpur in the Sepang district, in the wee hours of the morning to catch these beautiful pictures. This spot is called Lover’s Bridge which probably earned its names from the stunning romantic background that frames it sun up or sun down. The sunrises and sunsets here sure make it a wonderful place for shutter bugs.
Facing the Straits of Malacca, there is a high volume of ships heading in and out of Port Klang which isn’t too far away. Due to that fact, the beach is rather mucky, so swimming is highly unadvisable. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a lovey sunrise by the beach.
FEYST 2010: Indie Youth Festival
October 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
On for the third year running, the festival is a celebration of homegrown creativity in the arts by our talented youths. Held from 1 – 10 Oct at various locations around Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, there were activities like music and film workshops, gaming competitions, music events and competitions.
The Berjaya Times Square terrace was buzzing with activity on the last day of the festival. The big highlight was the Doppelganger World Open Mic, featuring singer songwriters and indie bands from around Malaysia and Indonesia such as Amirah Ali, The Tick and Dzamira.
There were also drum, Guitar Hero and Streetfighter demos which attracted a crowd. Elsewhere in the building, young men were busy fighting zombies in the Left 4 Dead tournament Friendster iCafe.
Check out our coverage of the day’s events.
Genting Highlands – Misty Entertainment
October 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Take a ride in a Venetian gondola, stroll through a winter landscape and visit world famous icons like the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty and rock the casino a la Las Vegas without leaving the country. On the Titiwangsa mountain not so far away lies Genting Highlands, dubbed the Malaysian ‘Las Vegas’, it glows like a surreal amber city at night from KL city, beckoning you to want to drive up there.
The road up may be wide but the bends are steep. So, it’s probably a good idea to make sure you have enough fuel and that your brakes are working fine, especially if you’re driving up at night or the wee hours of the morning. Other modes of transportation up there include the bus which you can catch from KL Sentral, 1 Utama shopping mall and Gombak LRT station. Better yet, take the Genting Skyway (the longest cable car in
If you’re early enough, you could be just in time to greet the day with a beautiful misty sunrise. If you just focus on the rolling misty peaks before you with the sun playing peek a boo through the lightening sky and forget about the mass of buildings behind you or the row of parked cars with people sleeping in them, the view is stunning. The air is crisp at degrees, a welcome change from the muggy city air.
As the landscape brightens and the city comes to life, most of the buildings are revealed to be much less pretty looking and look a bit greyer. A series of covered passageways interconnects the 6 main hotels. With its mixture of hotel reception areas, a theme park, replicas of iconic structures, amusement rides, musem and world renown acts, it really does feel a little like
The highland’s biggest attraction is the multi-coloured First World Hotel which has a impressive 6,118 rooms. This hotel at one time was the largest hotel in world and has since been overtaken by the MGM Grand with its 6,852 rooms and the Venetian Palazzo Complex which has a whopping 7,117 rooms. The reason the First World Hotel is attractive is not because it can house the entire population of a small city but because it houses Casino de Genting the only gaming venue in the country. While some people might hate it, most people love it. Open 24 hours a day all year round, the casino has bus loads of patrons each day. You can expect a fair share of serious gamblers, occasional gamblers and some who are just curios and eager to try out their beginner’s luck at the various games and slot machines.
As one of the leading gaming spot in the Southeast Asian region due to its affordable exchange rate, Genting’s gaming scene is a huge attraction for the folks who love to flaunt their money and for the average folks who dream of making it big overnight.
As much as Genting is a playground of adults every night, it also very much a family oriented place. Whether vacationing for the weekend with your family or friends who aren’t big on the casino, there is quite a lot to keep everyone happy. There is an indoor amusement park that features a Ferris wheel, haunted house, Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, Snow world, a Venetian gondola ride and famous world monuments like the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel tower and Oscar.
To further get the adrenaline pumping, experience the various thrill seeking rides of the neighbouring outdoor theme park if you dare. Go up eight storeys high before you plunge to the ground on the Solero Space Shot, walk amongst larger than life lizards at
Besides the lure of the casino, the best feature of the highlands is the glorious sunrise. Yes, it does take effort to get up and get up there by 6am but the view from the top in the cool mountain air is well worth it, so, you could excuse the overpriced food and drink from the eateries around.
Check out Genting Resorts World for hotel rates and cable car timetables.
Strangely Beautiful Places on Earth
October 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Check out our compilation of some of the world’s weirdest, alien looking and most astonishing sights around the world.
1. Rio Tinto, Spain
Originating from the mountains of Andalusia, the bleeding red look of the river is caused by acidic pollution due to heavy duty mining for copper, gold, silver and other metals over the past 5000 years. Legend has it that Rio Tinto is the spot for King Solomon’s fabled mines.
2. Stone Forest, China
An odd mass of thousands of spiky shaped stones which formed naturally over 200 million years ago in the Yunnan province, it is sometimes referred to as the ‘first wonder of the world’.
3. Socotra Island, Indian Ocean
South of the Arabian peninsula, lies this amazing island where a large number of plant life can only be found here on Socotra.
4. Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia
Spread over 10,582 square kilometers, it is the world’s largest salt desert. The landscape is so white that it mirrors images perfectly making it almost impossible to tell which way is up in a photograph.
5. Dry Valleys, Antartica
The McMurdo Valleys is the only area in the coldest region of the world that is completely ice free and likened to the landscape on Mars.
6. The Richat Structure, Mauritania
Shaped like a bull’s eye and located in the Sahara desert, is a prominent landmark for space shuttle crews. The cause of this amazing formation remains a mystery.
7. Kliluk, Canada
Known as ‘the spotted lake’, it has the world’s largest concentration of minerals such as magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts), calcium and sodium sulphates, traces of silver and titanium and eight other minerals. The white rimmed circles are formed in the summertime, the water evaporates thus crystallizing the minerals.
8. The Five Colours River, Columbia
Cano Cristales is a beautiful biological wonder in between the dry and wet seasons as the various moss and algae bloom. The water’s surface is then a vibrant rainbow of colours.
Flight Attendants go Gaga in the Sky, High Times
October 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
You’re on a plane and already itching with anticipation about flying off into the horizon but first come those agonizing minutes of boring safety instructions. Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific Air put a new spin on safety instructions by dancing it out down the aisle along to ‘Just Dance’ by Lady Gaga and ‘California Gurls’ by Katy Perry on a flight from Manila to Bhutuan City on September 30.
Since then, the performance has had millions of hits online and attracted a lot of controversy from The Flight Attendants and Stewards Association of the Philippines (FASAP) and other organizations who are not amused.
Check out the video
Celebrating Hanoi’s Millennial Anniversary
October 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
On the list of Frommer’s top destinations for 2010, this ancient capital city with a French flavour has everything to entice culture vultures; beautiful scenery, historical monuments, temples, deliciously healthy food and a bustling nightlife.
Hanoi celebrates its 1000th years of existence! Official festivities run from 1 – 10 October 2010 to showcase the city’s long history and cultural heritage. The city had many names and it wasn’t until 1831 that Emperor Minh Mang settled on the name Hanoi, which means ‘in between rivers’. Click here for a closer look at the official opening ceremony.
Highlights of the celebration include a 10 day exhibition at the Thang Long Royal Citadel which will have ancient relics and artifacts on display for the first time ever to the general public. Amazingly, the Citadel was only discovered 5 years ago by construction workers who were building the new National Assembly building, the first Vietnamese film festival, Vietnamese martial arts performances, a large photo exhibition and various cultural and art performances.
Celebrations will culminate with a parade at Ba Dinh Square and a 15 minute long firework display in 29 different location, the four main locations being Hoan Kiem Lake, in the Hoan Kiem district, Ly Tu Trong Garden, in the Tay Ho district, Thong Nhat Park, in the Hai Ba Trung district and Van Quan Lake, in the Ha Dong district.
For the full list of activities check out the schedule here.
The chance to partake in a city’s 1000th anniversary comes once a lifetime (if you’re lucky). So, if you’ve always wanted to visit Vietnam, here’s your best chance!
