Tea break at The Deli, Impiana Hotel, Ipoh, Perak

 Well, it happens that some conference was going on in Impiana Hotel in Ipoh, Perak. Or else I wouldn't happen to chance upon this deli for a cuppa. Pretty cozy, tucked at a corner near the lobby, Wifi available for leisurely surfing over a cuppa. Nothing to shout about, just your regular deli, convenient to drop by while waiting for the conference to start.

Budget Travel @ Sabah 06 ~ Kota Kinabalu city at a glance

This map can be found at the airport and local tourism office. Most of the hotels can be booked online at their respective websites or hotel – booking websites e.g. Agoda.com. Most places are reachable by foot. I am describing based on my 5 – year experience of living in this city and from my recent trip. Nothing has changed that much, the city may have become a bit busier if not cleaner. 

Budget Travel @ Sabah 01 ~ Courtyard Hotel @ 1Borneo Hypermall, Kota Kinabalu

My recent trip to Sabah for a course was on a tight budget, since I was saving up for something else.  I was lucky that I managed to get a decent price for MAS ticket (about RM600++) instead of the usual AirAsia (actually, if you can, try to get a MAS flight. They are much more comfortable, with free food unlike AirAsia where everything is charged). If you are travelling cheaply like me, and the next door Tunes Hotel is fully booked, Courtyard Hotel can be listed under your options. A bit crampy for some, but for a single person who goes out most of the time and comes back to the hotel room for a shower and a snooze, Courtyard is enough to accommodate you. Get the discounted price by booking via Agoda.com. Stay here if you are familiar with Kota Kinabalu city and have your own transport e.g. a rental car as it is located outside the city centre, next to the University Malaysia Sabah. As for me, I rented a car from the Terminal 1 airport, a Myvi @ RM130 / day.

Penang again!!! 01 ~ The Gurney Resort Hotel & Residences

At the 21st floor, facing the ocean and clear blue sky... I can stay in my room the whole day just for this on the bed... Hello Gurney ~ !

Hey ho Penang 12 ~ tea break at Bellevue Hotel on Penang Hill

Bellevue Hotel is one of those colonial hotel at Penang Hill. It's a small and quaint hotel furnished with yesteryear items,  has a panoramic view restaurant and its own Aviary Garden that stocks up on various birds and plants. The review on Tripadvisor give a mixed up impressions, and I did not stay here so I shall refrain on making any statements on the 12 rooms available here.

Hey ho Penang 09 ~ Breakfast Day 2 @ Golden Sand Resort, Penang

On the 2nd day, breakfast was lighter for me since the buffet is pretty much the same, I took only what I did not take the day before. Plus all the durian and yesterday's food, so I thought I'll give it a rest today... So that's my pink guava juice while waiting for others at our table.

Hey ho Penang 06 ~ Breakfast Day 1 @ Golden Sand Resort, Penang

A good breakfast make a good start for a day, especially if you're gonna roam through Penang. And Golden cafe offers quit a scrumptious fare. Good old me started with congee loaded with pickled turnips and cilantro with a dash of sesame oil.

Hey ho Penang 04 ~ Seafood dinner @ Golden Cafe, Golden Sand Resort, Penang ~ the seafood part!!!

Ohimgosh... look at those shiny prawns... And those miniature crayfish and mussels...





Welcome to the seafood buffet dinner @ Golden Cafe, Golden Sands Resort. Adult pricing RM99+, kids RM 49++... for that prices you can have your fill of seafood to your heart content.

Hey ho Penang 03 ~ My Suite @ Golden Sand Resort, Tanjung Bungah, Penang

After tea, back to the room to rest before dinner. This is our Executive Suite. We are lucky to get the corner one, it faces both the pool and the sea. The view of clear blue sky merging in with the blue sea was just amazing, plus the refreshing sea breeze.

Hey ho Penang 02 ~ Golden Sand Resort, Batu Feringgi

This is our hotel! This is Shangri-La’s Golden Sands Resort situated at Batu Feringgi, Penang. It has excellent view of the sea,and give off a nice beach vacation feel. Whatever you read on their website, is what you get and way better.

Medical updates @ Lexis Port Dickson water chalet, Negeri Sembilan

Some perks of my job include sponsored drug and medical updates seminar. Thanks to MSD @ Merck Sharp & Dohme, last month I got to go to Port Dickson for the weekend and a free accommodation to boot at Lexis Post Dickson resort ~ huge Cheshire cat grin ~

My Penang Solo Stumble 14 ~ English high tea @ Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Georgetown, Penang as the finishing touch

Fondly known as The E&O, the charming colonial hotel with its well - preserved elegance since 1885 greets its guess with its grand languorous setting of yesteryear.

My Penang Solo Stumble 08 ~ 1926 Heritage Hotel Penang

Along the Burmah road of Georgetown, while getting lost on my day 2 in Penang did I find this charming heritage hotel. True to its name, 1926 Heritage Hotel was built in 1926, and once served as a home to the British colonial immigration officers and local administrators of Penang.

My Penang Solo Stumble 03 ~ Bayview Hotel Revolving Restaurant, Georgetown, Penang

During my stay I decided to have dinner at my hotel since I was just too tired and the jam outside looked pretty bad from my room. So that was how I ended up at the restaurant. There were other option like the Wake Japanese restaurant and KopiTiam but the revolving restaurant was having this buffet promotion at RM 48 so I thought, why not? The one that I had was 6-Course Western Set Dinner (Tuesday - Thursday, 6.30pm - 10.30pm). The restaurant offer other promo items too at good price.

My Perak Solo Stumble 01 - A night in Ipoh

Exploring Ipoh took me only one day to navigate through this old historical mining city.  A capital of Perak, it is the fourth largest city in Malaysia with it’s own collection of historical attractions. Since the map promised easy navigation, it took me only 5 minutes to decide to visit this city on a whim on one fine day. It was a city that I frequented often last time when I was studying in Perak.

By the time I reached Ipoh, it was already night time and had to check in to my hotel, Tower Residence. Not a very popular choice, but in the heart of the city nevertheless, which was my main reason of selection. It’s a 3 star hotel, just for basic so nothing to shout about. But my stay was pleasant and comfortable, the room is clean and neat, the staffs friendly.

 My Superior room.

More than 3 stars... UiTM Hotel Shah Alam

A nice and quiet birthday dinner at UiTM Hotel, Shah Alam, Selangor.

The interior.

My New Year @ Swiss Garden Hotel & Spa, Kuantan

While others splashed around at the beach despite the monsoon tide, I decided to spend my 1st day of 2011 in the Samsara Spa @ the Swiss Garden Hotel & Spa, Kuantan, Pahang. Why else should I do otherwise when I'm in a hotel with spa fascility?

Set in a traditional Balinese environment with lolling background song, dim lighting, spice - infused air... To tell the truth, I was half - asleep most of the time minus except during the Balinese massage. Nevertheless, the Samsara Royale package was worth my RM 280. The package consists of a body scrub made from spices, a  Balinese massage (mild but still lots of kneading) and a soak.

My chamber

Kuala Selangor (1): Finding the Light - Fireflies

After deliberating for some time, I finally picked Kuala Selangor as my end of year holiday spot. Simply because it's nearby and I have only 2 days break. 

The main event was of course, firefly watching.

Initially the plan was to lodge in Bukit Belimbing firefly center resort. Initially. 

But after a long, dark journey to find the place, we finally chickened out and made a U - turn back to civilization. Literally and technically. The road going to the center was so freaking dark without any road lamp; there were sparse houses along the road; and it seems to go on and on forever. What more, Bukit Belimbing is a bit out of Kuala Selangor town. The drizzle - turn - shower made things even more creepier.

Luck was with us, we noticed the De Palma Inn teeny signboard, which sounded decent, and so made a beeline at it, along the way hunting after the signboard for direction.

The Holy Journey (07): Mecca

Mecca has not changed much since my last visit in 2002. It’s the same city where construction works are forever going on; the dry, hot wind full of dust; the Habsyi selling on the streets; beggars; pilgrims; great bargain; great Pakistani food at Pakistani Gulistan Hotel on the way to the mosque where you can get this juicy roast chicken, amazing beryani and crispy naan fresh from the tandoor. (Sorry no pics on this; by the time I got hold of the camera, most of the poor fowl was already eaten up).

Sabah: that lump on the doggy’s head.

Continuing from my previous post, where in the end we did made a turn to Kuala Penyu at that fateful round-a-bout.

No offense, but when you look at the map of Sabah, there is this small lump on the back of the doggy’s head of Sabah where Klias and Kuala Penyu are located.

We were looking for this resort, Tempurung Seaside Lodge located in somewhere deep within Tempurong Village. Deep within indeed.

The road that I traveled by 4 years ago had not changed much, still gravels and dust. No street lights either, so the nights would still be naturally dark, everyday is an Earth Day. Same old, same old. Preservation of nature, very good.

No direction, nothing at all. We reached this small pathetic signboard with the help of a passing villager.


And so I present you, the Lodge.



The amazing view from the lobby balcony.


It's too remote for our taste, so we decided to return to Kota Kinabalu city.

The turtles we passed by as we left Kuala Penyu.

There's little daylight left as we passed Klias and we were dead tired from the day adventure so no one ventured for the river cruises.

The sunset on the way to Kota Kinabalu. Putatan road.

Until next time.


If you like, you can look at some older pictures of Kg Tempurong in my previous post Old collection... Kg. Tempurong, Kuala Penyu, Sabah.