Lundu Retreat Resort Training Center and the Pandan Beach with Wilson Chin and Friends

My brother was at Kuching for a business trip, and he invited me to go with his friends on a weekend gateway at the Retreat Resort situated at Lundu. So drive from Kuching to Lundu its around 1 hour, a total of 80km.

I like going on a road trip, especially with your buddies. We started our journey at around 9am, I lead them to the Batu Kawa old town for breakfast, and we had the famous meatballs noodles.

The name "Lundu" itself is taken from a small catfish that abounds in the Sungai Lundu which flows down from Gunung Gading (Gunung Gading National Park - Home to the Rafflesia). Back in the 90s when come to Lundu and Sematan, there are no bridge to cross over to the Lundu soil, we can only use a ferry to cross over.

Left of to Sematan which is another 30 minutes, and turn right is to Lundu, and that is where we are going. My car has a lot of smoke when I accelerate, I wonder what happen. I need to check my car later when I'm free. It seldom go for long distant drive like this, and I'm worry about her. 

This is the place that we stayed, the Retreat & Training Center Resort. And next to this resort is the Old Siar Beach resort. I've been to the place years ago, and its was really old. Just a normal home stay beach house, with very simple facilities. Whereas this Retreat is a brand new resort which only starts operation this few years. 

Our check in time is at 2pm, so we just sit under the tree shade and enjoy the sea view. It was a hot day, and I'm glad that it didn't rain, cause it is the monsoon season already, and at Kuching now almost rain everyday.

While we still have time, my brother starts to do funny thing. Like playing football with the kids, he said that he can beat them with two against one. So did he win? He started to kick and chase the ball, and after 5 minutes he came back to the shade again, and told me that he's tired, and need his beer O_o" I knew it...

The Retreat beach looks very calm, no wave at all. I worry that later when the water rise, the jelly fish will come to the shore too, I'm scare of jelly fish. 

The Pandan Beach at Lundu 

While waiting for our room, we decided to go further up, to the public beach called Pandan Beach, I came here before with my friend, click here to read. We need to get something to eat there, and personally I think that the scenery are better than the Retreat resort, cause this beach have huge wave here.

And there are also people surfing, and this is something new in Kuching :) 

Next time maybe I can join them to learn how to surf too.

Gunung Gading National Park - The home to rafflesia flower)

For dinner, we went to a place called Feng Ling seafod restaurant. A small home style restaurant in near the Gunung Gading national park, read my previous visit here.

But although its small, and the cooking is fabulous, and the price are very reasonable too. Remember to try the fried noodles if you happen to drop by here. 

I had a fun time with my brother and his friends here at the Retreat resort. Got bitten by sand-flies, and a bit of sunburn. I plan to come to the Gunung Gading national park again to witness the biggest flower in the world, the Rafflesia.

Visiting Mukah Town, The ex-Sago factory chimney

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Mukah, Sarawak, Malaysia, is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District in Mukah Division, Sarawak. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2.5 hours by road from the city of Sibu.

That day I went to Mukah for work and travel, its was the first time that I visit Mukah. It was a one hour flight from Kuching to Mukah, with a DHC-6 twin otter 19 seats plane.

The Mukah airport is just like the Limbang old airport, its a house looking airport, with a canteen, a checkin area, and a waiting area. See the man in the mirror, that's me :)

First thing that I did when reach there was to eat the kolo noodles, this is like a habit. Whenever I visit a place in Sarawak, I will definitely eat their local made kolo noodles. So by far the most tasty noodles is from Sibu.

In the town area, mostly are Chinese people doing business. And surprisingly Mukah has a lot of Hotels and Inn, I'm not sure that's the tourist attraction for this place, but the local people told me that the hotels are always full. O_o"

The district council build the wet market, and I like the floor design. Very obvious now I know that this is a fish market.

The Sago palm thrives in the peat soils of the Rajang Delta. In the 19th century, local cheiftains grew rich from the labour of farmers who extracted the starchy pith of tall palms manually. Sago factories streamlined this process. In the early 20th century the price of sago flour fell sharply. The Mukah factory closed, leaving behind a 20 meter tall brickwork chimney.



The Batang Mukah Bridge, one of the most notable structures of Mukah. But unfortunately I do not have the time to go visit that bridge. All I went is just roam in the Mukah Town, the airport and the bus station are very near with just 2 - 3 KM away from the town area.


Ok Captain, fly me back to Kuching...

When going back to Kuching, it was another hour of flight. I cannot sleep in the plane cause the turbine sound was too noisy >.<"

Batu Cave Temple, Murugan Statue, Monkey, and Wilson Chin

I'm in front of the entrance of a Hindu shrine at Batu Cave, this is the Murugan statute. A limestone hill which has a series of cave temple, a total of 272 concrete steps was build to replace the old wooden steps to enter the temple. Monkeys are all over the place to ask/steal food from tourists!

The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old. Some of the cave entrances were used as shelters by the indigenous Temuan people.
As early as 1860, Chinese settlers began excavating guano for fertilising their vegetable patches. However, they became famous only after the limestone hills were recorded by colonial authorities including Daly and Syers as well as American Naturalist, William Hornaday in 1878.


Batu Caves was promoted as a place of worship by K. Thamboosamy Pillai, an Indian trader. He was inspired by the 'vel'-shaped entrance of the main cave and was inspired to dedicate a temple to Lord Murugan within the caves. In 1890, Pillai, who also founded the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur, installed the murti (consecrated statue) of Sri Murugan Swami in what is today known as the Temple Cave. Since 1892, the Thaipusam festival in the Tamil month of Thai (which falls in late January/early February) has been celebrated there.

Wooden steps up to the Temple Cave were built in 1920 and have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps. Of the various cave temples that comprise the site, the largest and best known is the Temple or Cathedral Cave, so named because it houses several Hindu shrines beneath its high vaulted ceiling.

The Aquaria KLCC with Wilson Chin

I was touring around the KLCC twin tower, and I have no place to go. So I visited the Aquaria KLCC, it open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm daily. And I paid RM38, this is for Malaysian with a valid identity card, for Non Malaysia is RM50. The Underwater world, its magical, its magnificent, and its majestic!!!

What are highlights of the aquarium?

• The 90 metre long underwater tunnel
• Rare sand-tiger sharks
• The 10 foot long gigantic Arapaima
• Touch Pool encounter
• Death-defying shark feedings at the Aqua Theatre
• Matt the Octopus
• Giant blotched fantail ray
• The gentle Green Sea Turtle
• Tawny Nurse Sharks
• Our furry friends; the otters, coatimundi and the water rats.

The aquarium that I visited before:

Visitation to the Aquarium and Marine Museum of University Sabah

Some of the Buildings around Jonker Street, Melacca (Melaka) - Part 2 of 2

Part 1: Some of the Buildings around Jonker Street, Melacca (Melaka) - Part 1 of 2

A Famosa is a Portuguese fortress located in Malacca, Malaysia. It is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing

The Malacca River which flows through the middle of Malacca Town in the Malaysian state of Malacca, was a vital trade route during the heyday of Malacca Sultanate in the 15th century

Christ Church is an 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca, Malaysia. It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia

Jonker street is a very attractive place in Melaka and a popular area of the historic city to visit.  The street is more happening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at night but is not quite busy throughout the day as well since Melaka was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 2008.  Now the streets are lined with souvenir shops in addition to the traditional restaurants that have staked claim here for decades.  Foods and drinks found here that are worth trying include; Hai Nan coffee, cendol, laksa, and so on are recommended.

Parliament: PM to discuss closure of Jonker Street night market with Malacca state government 

(The Start Online News) 

Published: Wednesday June 26, 2013 MYT 7:30:00 AM 

Updated: Tuesday July 9, 2013 MYT 3:30:09 PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will discuss the closure of Jonker Street night market with the Malacca state government, he said in Parliament on Wednesday.

He was responding to Gelang Patah MP and DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang's claim that the closure of Jonker Street night market was punishment of voters who did not vote for Barisan Nasional