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

Visitation to the Melacca Kampung Ketek

This small village consists of 7 residential houses, residence of the prominent late Malay writer Munshi Abdullah, and mausoleum of Acheh General, Syamsudin Al-Sumatarani who died in the war confronting Portuguese Army in 1511. Another Acheh General who died in the war was Panglima Pidi laid to rest at Bukit Cina.

The late Syamssudin Al-Sumatrani's Tomb, dated back in Portuguese period – 16th Century. Syamssudin Al-Sumatrani was a warrior who fought the Portuguese in Melaka.
I don't know it was a grave, until Anne whisper at me ask me to quickly get out of there. hahaha, I was too concentrated on taking pictures.

The graveyards were believed to be the graves of the earliest Sumatra people (Achehnese) who died in Melaka

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

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

Jonker Street – the centre street of Chinatown – was once renowned for its antique shops. However over the years it has turned to clothing and crafts outlets as well as restaurants. The best part of Jonker Street is the night market on Fridays and Saturdays that sells everything from tasty treats to cheap keepsakes.

I love this durian yogurt puff, it has to be eat on the spot. After you put the whole puff in your mouth, the durian yogurt will melt together with the puff. And if you are a durian lover like me, you will definitely fall in love with this.

Datuk Wira. Dr. Gan Boon Leong. Mr Universe, Mr Asia, Mr Malaysia, Mr Melaka. This Mr Gan is the father of Bodybuilders in Malaysia

Masjid Kampung Kling, completed in 1784, the architecture of this mosque is Sumatran, with strong Hindu influences. There are also bland of English and Protuguese glazed tiles, Corinthian columns with symmertical arches in the main prayer hall, a Victorian chandelier, a wooden pulpit with Hindu and Chinese style carving.

Foot binding was an old Chinese custom in which young girls' feet were tightly bound to restrict and alter their growth. Although it was banned nearly a century ago by the Chinese government and is now seen as barbaric, the practice took years to die out, and a few of its victims -- most far older than 70 -- can still be found today.

Wak Aik Shoemaker has stood for over 90 years. It began with a Chinese migrant named Eng Tong, who came to Malaya in 1918 to work as a labourer. He later worked in a coffee shop before starting a business in shoes.


Eng Tong learnt the art of making shoes for lotus feet from a Hokkien shoemaker about 10 years after he arrived in the Peninsula. Wah Aik still makes these tiny shoes today, but they are sold only as souvenirs.
A pair costs RM95. It is a labour-intensive trade. When I dropped in out of curiosity recently, there were two elderly gentlemen at work on feet-pedal sewing machines.

A Singer brand sewing machine which is more than 100 years old. The owner told me that this is pass from his grandfather, to his father, and now to him. My mum also has one, the Singer brand very durable, one of the best brand for sewing machine.