Shah Alam Homestay

12/09/2016

Homely Qurbaani

26/06/2013

Lets choose your own homestay by using our application. Do visit out alpha website!

http://homely.dev.meteor.com/

26/06/2013

Here some info to share:

Hiking in the Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands is a hill station perched on a corner of the Titiwangsa Range in Pahang. It is considered one of the last remaining stretches of virgin forests in peninsular Malaysia and if you like walking you’ll love the nature walks and mountains here. Plus there are plenty of chances to enjoy the flora as well including brilliant orchids.

However it is advisable to take a guide on some of the trails as they are quite poorly marked. Some of the guesthouses have free walks and many shops and hotels sell or provide maps showing the local trails. They will also advise which you can or can’t do on your own.

Thanks to the elevation of the highlands it offers a far cooler climate for enjoying such exertions. However you should always take food, snacks and rain gear with you and let someone know where you are going.

Parit Falls (30 minutes)
This is one of the easiest trails to undertake. It is listed as trail 4 on maps and starts in the centre of Tanah Rata town at the Century Pines Resort near the Old Smokehouse. The trail leads direct to the falls, although it is mossy, damp and with plenty of tree roots underfoot. Near the falls a side trail leads up to a 30 foot high watchtower from which you have a nice view of the Cameron Highlands tea fields.

Robinson Falls (1 hour)
A slightly longer trail from Tanah Rata leads to this more impressive waterfall and is another frequently trampled option. The trail starts southeast of town on the road to Mardi.

Boh Tea Estate (3 hours)
To combine your walk with the Cameron Highlands’ most famed resource, tea, consider this route to the Boh Tea Estate. According to their site they are “Malaysia’s largest producer of premium black teas and the country’s No. 1 preferred brand.” To test the theory go along and try them for yourself. To get there take the 9A trail past the Robinson falls to Habu Village main road, then turn left and continue another 3km.

Gunung Beremban (4 hours)
Gunung Beremban at 1,840m in altitude is another medium level hike with well-worn trails. There are a number of ways to reach the top. From Tanah Rata you can take trail 7, from Brinchang trail 2 behind the Sam Poh Buddhist temple, or trail 3 near the golf course, or even follow the route to Robinson’s Falls and branch off trail 9 onto 8. Many consider this latter route as the least arduous. Whatever way you go, great views await from the summit.

Gunung Brinchang (4 hours+)
This is the highest peak in the highlands at 2032m and a must for many walkers. Indeed it is well worth it as the summit provides incredible views of the surrounding region, however it can often be clouded over. Start early for the best chance of an unimpeded summit view. It can be advisable to get a guide for this trek, otherwise take trail 1 on the main road north of Brinchang.

20/06/2013

LATEST EVENT!!!

Pahang International Bird Race

Think you can differentiate the birds from their chirps and tweets? Come join us at the Pahang International Bird Race 2013 to sight, identify and record the most number of bird species!

Over 250 species of birds from as far as Northern Siberia and the islands north of Japan can be located in the cool highlands of Fraser’s Hill. The race aims to preserve nature and simultaneously promote the highlands of Pahang as a top class bird watching destination.

Venue
Fraser’s Hill, Raub, Pahang

Phone
+609-516 1007

Organiser
Fraser’s Hill Development Corporation

http://www.pkbf.org.my/

17/06/2013

Here some info to share:

Malaysia: Visiting tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands is to Malaysia what Darjeeling is to India, or Nuwira Eliya is to Sri Lanka – a hilly, lush, green region in the country’s interior that grows premium quality tea, with cooler weather offering welcome relief from the otherwise steamy climate.

With the towns of Tanah Rata and Brinchang at its core, the Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most fertile areas. Here, steamy tropical rainforest gives way to a temperate climate, with rolling hills and glossy green tea plantations at every turn. Tea aside, the area is dotted with butterfly gardens, waterfalls, vegetable farms and strawberry plantations, offering many places to visit and sample fresh produce. The former British hill station has a decidedly cooler climate than the rest of the country, and remains a popular holiday spot for Malaysians escaping the city, as well as visitors seeking an alternative or additional destination to Malaysia’s much-loved coastal and heritage towns.

A trip to Malaysia’s interior

After a fun-filled introduction to Malaysia via the bright lights and delicious eats of Kuala Lumpur, I was looking forward to seeing more of what the country had to offer. The beautiful turquoise beaches of Langkawi and the Perhentian Islands I was aware of, and the historic buildings and delicious cuisine in Penang was also on my radar, yet the Cameron Highlands was a part of Malaysia I previously knew little about. All was about to be revealed after an easy bus ride from the country’s capital to its agricultural heartland.

My first impressions were that it was lush, green, fertile and beautiful. I found the Cameron Highlands charming, with its occasional architectural nod to its colonial heyday adding character, and enjoyed the proliferation of places to stop, eat at and explore. As a tea lover, I was particularly enamoured with the first tea plantations I’d ever seen.

Where to go and what to expect

One of the biggest plantations is BOH Plantations, a company established in the 1920s that has several large plantations in the area. BOH Sungai Palas Tea Estate is one of the most popular and accessible to visit, located a short drive from the town of Brinchang. The stunning views of the rolling plantations alone are worth the visit, but for tea aficionados the estate offers a solid introduction to how tea is grown and processed, with an educational tour of the factory and lots of information to peruse. Afterwards you can sample some of the freshest tea on the planet in the onsite café.

An alternative to BOH is a plantation run by Bharat, who produce the Cameron Valley brand of tea. They have several plantations with teahouses along the main road just outside Tanah Rata that can easily be visited, though at peak times they can get crowded. The Cameron Valley tea house is perched over the vibrant green plantations, and if you’ve had your fill of plain black tea, it offers some more exciting takes on the world’s second most popular beverage. The masala chai and cardamom tea is fragrant and flavoursome, while the teas infused with fresh lemongrass or mint are highly recommended. There’s a café with lots of sweet offerings here too (think brownies, cheesecake and ice cream).

From crop to cup

A tea plantation visit offers interesting insights into the tea growing, sorting and fermenting process, though for some people, the amazing views over the plantations and the tea sampling itself end up being the highlights of their visit. Particularly if the tea is consumed in a spectacular tea house extending up and over the plantation grounds, where you can easily end up sitting for an hour or two.

By visiting some of the plantations in the highlands, I discovered a new appreciation for the hard work that goes into producing tea. Labourers picking tea leaves by hand out in the sun is something you don’t often think of while indulging in your daily caffeine boost. A trip to your tea’s source makes you realise the hard work that goes into not only growing and cultivating tea, but transforming the leaves into something palatable and ready for consumption. The plantations offer many wonderful photographic opportunities too, for a quintessential shot of the Cameron Highlands’ endless, rich green hills.

Jungle treks and food forays aside, a tea plantation visit is definitely something well worth doing in the beautiful Cameron Highlands.

16/06/2013

Here some info to share:

Home of the Langkawi Cable Car

Of all the things to do on the popular island of Langkawi, the Panorama Cable Car and Skybridge usually rank right at the top of the list.
Located within the Oriental Village near Pantai Kok, the Cable Car is something that just cannot be missed on a visit to Langkawi
We visited the Langkawi Cable Car on an overcast day and after paying our admission (RM 30 for adults), the two of us boarded our cable car at the Base Station and we commenced the steep climb up the mountain. And when we say steep, we mean extremely steep!

Langkawi cable car.

The total length of the cable car ride is 2.2 kilometres (1.4 miles) and it reaches an elevation of 708 metres above sea level… you do the maths!
For those with a fear of heights this ride is slightly terrifying to begin with, but the views as you make your way are up are tremendous. There is lush greenery of the jungle below the cable car, you can see the beautiful ocean in the distance and before you know it you have reached the Middle Station where you can plant your feet back on solid ground for a few minutes and take some photos.
It’s then back onto the cable car to the Top Station, which has two viewing platforms and a refreshments stand. It is quite surreal feeling the cooler breeze blow past you and the temperature up here is around five degrees cooler than ground level.
There is also a pedestrian Sky Bridge at the summit of the Cable Car that takes you out further, this time between the peaks, for more amazing views.
If you’re visiting from Pantai Cenang or elsewhere on the island, a day trip to this part of Langkawi is highly recommended as there are several attractions located in the nearby area that are worth checking out.

Oriental Village

As already mentioned the Langkawi Cable Car is located at the Oriental Village, an Asian-themed shopping village at the foothills of Mt. Machincang.

Langkawi Oriental Village.

The Oriental Village is home to a variety of souvenir shops, fashion outlets and food places but for many the main shop they visit is Zon Duty Free, which sells alcohol and ci******es at ridiculously cheap prices. For those who aren’t aware, Langkawi is an island with duty-free status.
There are also many other things to do in the Oriental Village including pony and elephant rides and Segway adventures.

Seven Wells Waterfalls

Located just a few minutes away from the Langkawi Cable Car and Oriental Village is the Seven Wells Waterfall, considered the most beautiful waterfall in Langkawi. Seven Wells received its name from the seven natural pools along its path and the legends of Langkawi associated with it say that fairies used to come down to the pools to bathe.
We hired bicycles to ride from the Berjaya Langkawi Resort to Seven Wells and were quite happy taking photos from the base of the waterfall but if you want to see the seven pools then you’ll need to make a steep climb up over 300 steps but from what we’ve been told the rewards are well worth it.

Langkawi Seven Wells Waterfalls.

Seven Wells is within walking distance of the Oriental Village but if it’s too hot outside, it’s probably smarter to take a taxi there.

Telaga Harbour Park

The final recommended stop on your way back to your hotel if you’re staying elsewhere on the island is Telega Harbour and Perdana Quay, which is adjacent to The Danna Hotel.
Described as the most elegant dining district in all of Langkawi, Perdana Quay is home to the number one ranked restaurant on the island in Privilege and features over 10 other eateries. Could there possibly be any better way to end your day than by consuming some of the best fresh food Langkawi has to offer?
For those planning to visit this part of Langkawi, we do have one piece of advice – try to pick a clear day when visiting the Langkawi Cable Car for best views. A visit to the Cable Car of Langkawi is a non-negotiable… you just HAVE to do it if you’re coming here!

16/06/2013

LATEST NEWS!!!

Register homestays with ministry, operators told

KUCHING: Homestay operators who have yet to register with the Tourism Ministry should do so as it would benefit them greatly.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said currently, 27 homestay operators throughout Sarawak have registered with the state’s Tourism Ministry Office.

He said a survey would be done to find out the number of homestays that had yet to be registered and several others that were in the process of applying.

For you: Esther handing over a jacket as a souvenir to Johari at a workshop for homestay operators in Kuching Wednesday.

“We do not know how many are not registered, but there has been a good response to setting up homestays. That’s why we notice that a lot of people are trying to establish homestays throughout the state,” he told reporters after opening an entrepreneurship workshop for homestay operators at the State Library here yesterday.

He advised homestay operators to register so that they would know the standard of facilities and services required, which in turn would help them to attract more visitors.

“We want to have standard services in our homestays. People will feel comfortable staying in homestays if their basic facilities meet the standard. This means they will get more visitors. But if they don’t have good facilities, the tourists will go somewhere else,” he said.

In his speech earlier, Johari said the homestay sector showed encouraging growth in the last two years.

He said the 27 registered homestays recorded a total of 12,618 visitors last year compared to 9,384 in 2010, while income generation rose by 25% from RM780,952 in 2010, to RM978,703 last year.

He also called on homestay operators to use the Internet and social media like Youtube and blogs to promote their facilities to a worldwide audience.

“You can post pictures of your homestay and its facilities on blogs or Youtube. This is a new way of promotion that will enable you to reach out to more people,” he said.

Meanwhile, the state’s Tourism Ministry Office director Esther Douglas Udam said Sarawak had the highest number of registered homestays with 27, comprising a total of 409 participants and 539 rooms.

The location of the homestays ranges from Kampung Telok Melano at the southern tip of the state to Ba’Kelalan in northern Sarawak.

She also said the state had been allocated RM5.69mil from the Federal Government to upgrade homestay facilities under the 10th Malaysia Plan.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/22/sarawak/10961835

KUCHING: Homestay operators who have yet to register with the Tourism Ministry should do so as it would benefit them greatly.

16/06/2013

LATEST NEWS!

Tourism beyond profits

THE DPM’s officiation has effectively showcased our commitment to PATA, and the Malaysian Government’s dedication to us, Tourism Minister Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen told The Star at the event opening yesterday.

Highlighting several key factors that directly affect the tourism industry in Malaysia in the long run, Dr Ng acknowledged PATA’s influence over the international arena of tourism.

“PATA must take a strong stand on contentious issues to bring its members together. What we need now is for the fraternity to put its minds together. Whatever PATA says, everyone listens. We will promote and encourage participation,” she said.

Environmental factors and a shared sense of social responsibility by all Malaysian citizens can make tourism an agent of change for the country, which in turn will have a positive effect on the nation’s economy, she added.

“Overseas friends must be able to trust us enough to come here. Tourism should be discussed more from elementary; it should be in students’ syllabus. Things like climate change and how it affects our tourism industry should be ingrained in our youths,” Dr Ng stressed.

Awareness is needed to engage the younger generation to take on an active role in the tourism industry, especially as they are social media-savvy.

“Awareness brings forth interest and desire, which leads to action,” she noted.

She refuted the perception that upscaling the tourism industry will only benefit the super rich.

“The truth is, it affects grassroots service providers such as waiters, caddy drivers, spa therapists and so on. People have to understand that it is every citizen’s responsibility to be directly or indirectly involved in the industry. At the moment, we are facing a shortage of 6,000 spa therapists!

“That’s what responsible tourism is all about – citizens have to get involved. If it’s just the Ministry that’s doing the thinking, without the people, the country won’t improve. It’s a combined effort,” said Dr Ng.

Dr Ng intimated that Malaysia’s bagging of three PATA Gold Awards (among a total of 27 other accolades that went to the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Tourism Authority of Thailand) this year came as a surprise to her.

“It never crossed my mind that I would be given this honour, but for that, I am grateful that in being Tourism Minister, I understand the intricacies involved. People tend to associate tourism with leisure, but the burden is in orchestrating the game plan. I really want the rural folk to be a part of it so that they can be empowered,” she said.

She called on industry players to meet the changing demands of the tourism industry.

“The world is very different today than it was decades ago. Before this, people waited till they reached their 40s to travel, perhaps, once a year. Today, young people travel all the time, several times a year, in fact,” she said.

It is now about the packages we can give to travellers, Dr Ng added. “The ministry can’t package deals – and that in itself spells opportunity for the private sector. The government’s role is to build the platform and bring the tourists in. You, help globe-trotters experience Malaysia.”

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/4/22/nation/11154407

THE DPM’s officiation has effectively showcased our commitment to PATA, and the Malaysian Government’s dedication to us, Tourism Minister Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen told The Star at the event opening yesterday.