The Stadhuys
"Melaka's Dutch legacy is very much alive in the distinctive red building called the Stadhuys, the administrative centre of successive governments but now a history museum."
This Stadhuys was once a centre of the Dutch administration in Melaka and housed the quarters of its governors and officers.
This massive red building was built between 1641 and 1660 on the ruins of a Portuguese fort, and is believed to be the oldest Dutch building in the East. It displays all the typical features of Dutch colonial architecture, including substantial solid doors and louvred windows. For over 300 years, from its completion until 1980, it was the administrative centre of successive governments.
Today, the Dutch legacy is very much alive. In 1982, the Stadhuys was converted into a history museum. Exhibits trace Melaka's history, from the great Malay Sultanate and the Portuguese, Dutch and British invasions, to the present day.
source:http://www.virtualmalaysia.com/destination/the%20stadhuys.htmlhttp://asmaliana.com/blog/2007/09/29/the-stadhuys-dutch-legacy-in-melaka/Long House (Rumah Panjang)
One of the most memorable experiences Sarawak has to offer is a visit to a longhouse, where you can observe a unique way of life and enjoy legendary Dayak hospitality. These thriving communities, whole villages under one roof, are not relics from the days of tribal warfare - they are the preferred way of life for a large percentage of Sarawak's rural people, particularly the Iban, the Bidayuh and the Orang Ulu.
Nowadays most longhouse dwellers are hard working farmers, and wear practical modern clothing for work and leisure. However, if you visit as part of an organized tour group, they will take great pride in wearing their traditional costumes and regalia and performing elaborate dances and welcoming rituals for their visitors.
The long covered gallery that runs the length of an Iban longhouse is called the ruai, and this is where you will be greeted. A miring ceremony is frequently conducted to welcome visitors, where offerings of food and drink are presented to the local deities to ensure their good will. After the miring, guests will be invited to sample a glass of tuak, a potent local rice wine, and drink to everybody's good health.
Visitors are then entertained with traditional music, dances and games. After the locals have had their turn, the guests are expected to join in the fun. Anyone who refuses will soon find themselves dragged to their feet by the young ladies of the longhouse and forced to take part in the dancing.
After the entertainment is finished there are a number of options, depending on how adventurous you are. Some tour operators arrange for visitors to eat a traditional longhouse dinner with their host family and sleep on mattresses in the ruai, according to Iban tradition. Others may put their guests up in a simple guesthouse nearby, with more familiar cuisine prepared by the tour guide, who is always an accomplished cook. For lovers of luxury, a few 'longhouse resorts' are now operating, managed by professional hoteliers and serving international cuisine in resort style comfort.
Visitors who stay more than one night can get to see Iban culture at first hand, visiting the rice fields and pepper gardens, and learning how the Iban make use of the rainforest for all of their everyday needs. Some tours can last a week or more, with visits to a number of longhouses and a fair amount of jungle trekking. Second and subsequent evenings are more low-key, with visitors sitting in the ruai, drinking tuak or coffee and chatting with their hosts. The Iban are very sociable people, and many can speak English, so some fascinating conversations are guaranteed.
The journey to and from the longhouse is a very interesting and enjoyable experience. After a ride in an air-conditioned bus, a short trip in a traditional longboat introduces you to the pleasures of upriver travel. These narrow wooden craft are safe and very sturdy, and the Iban are expert boatman.
There are four main areas for visiting Iban longhouses - the Skrang River, the Lemanak River, Batang Ai, and the middle Rejang River. Most tour groups will generally visit the first three, which are half a day away from Kuching, whilst independent travellers usually opt for the Rejang area around the town of Kapit, a half day's travel from Sibu.
A few specialist operators also visit Orang Ulu longhouses deep in Sarawak's interior, where visitors are seldom seen, although these trips require quite a lot of time.
Another interesting possibility is a trek through the beautiful Bario Highlands, staying overnight in remote Kelabit longhouses. Visitors with little time to spare can visit a Bidayuh longhouse on a day trip from Kuching, or an Iban longhouse from Sibu or Miri. However, overnight stays are strongly recommended, to get the most from your visit.
Source:http://www.cuti.com.my/Sub/Sarawak/guide_longhse.htmA Famosa
A Famosa, or "The Famous" in Portuguese, is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. Once part of a mighty fortress, this tiny gate (called the Porta de Santiago) is all that is left of a once-mighty fortress. In 1511 a Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Alfonso de Albequerque. His forces attacked and successfully defeated the armies of the native Sultanate. Moving quickly to consolidate his gains, Albequerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea. Albequerque believed that Melaka would become an important port linking Portugal to the spice trade from China. At his time other Portuguese were establishing outposts in such places as Macau, China and Goa, India in order to create a string of friendly ports for ships heading to China and returning home to Portugal.
The fortress once consisted of long ramparts and four major towers. One was a four-story keep, while the others held an ammunition's storage room, the residence of the captain, and an officers' quarters. As the plan below shows, most of the village clustered in town houses inside the fortress walls. As Melaka's population expanded it outgrew the original fort and extensions were added around 1586. The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch successfully drove the Portuguese out of Melaka. The Dutch renovated the gate in 1670, which explains the logo "ANNO 1670" inscribed on the gate's arch. Above the arch is a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company.
The fortress changed hands again in the early 19th century when the Dutch handed it over to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of Napoleon's expansionist France. The English were wary of maintaining the fortification and ordered its destruction in 1806. The fort was almost totally demolished but for the timely intervention of Sir Stanford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, who happened to visit Melaka in 1810. Because of his passion for history this small gate was spared destruction.
source:http://www.cuti.com.my/Sub/Melaka/guide_afamosa.htmTaman Negara
Taman Negara National park spread out over 4343 sq. km of the formidable Titiwangsa Mountain Range ,one of the world’s oldest tropical rainforest. A sanctuary to hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, insects, fish and plants. Home to Malaysia’s friendly aborigines, the Orang Asli. A shy yet gentle race, they continue to live the nomadic way they’ve lived for centuries although fully aware of the country’s fastest-paced progress.
Come discover the living treasure Mother Nature has to offer. Whether it’s shooting thrilling rapids, exploring spectacular caves, tackling a 20-pound fish, scaling up Peninsular Malaysia’s highest mountain, trekking through dense, tricky forest pathways or swimming in crystal clear pools, Malaysia’s National Park is a nature paradise you must experience. An adventure of a lifetime awaits you.
To experience the full glory of the tropical rainforest there is perhaps no better place on earth than Taman Negara (National Park). Legally declared an area for conservation in 1938, the 135 million year old Taman Negara is a haven for the nation’s flora and fauna.
Jungle tracks, campsites and the Taman Negara Resort have all being constructed to blend with the natural surroundings, to be in harmony with the forest. Many structured have been built strictly for the observation and appreciation of the grandeur of the towering forest and its inhabitants.
Having enjoyed protection for almost 60 years a wealth of undisturbed habitats exists for the intrepid explorers to discover. You can take day or night time jungle walks or stay in a hide and maybe catch a glimpse of some of the 250 or so species of fauna that exists within the parks boundaries, from hornbills, pheasants and kingfishers monkeys, gibbons, wildboar, deer, tapir, and maybe even an elephant or tiger. Six observation points have seen set up specifically overlooking salt licks and grassy clearings for the observation of wild, often shy animals. These hides allow the visitor to spend a night away from the resort to observe the nocturnal activities of the animals of the forest. Activities within the Park are primarily nature based, taking full advantage of the many streams, rivers, caves hills and the forest itself. Enjoy a bracing swim in cool waters, a full day’s trek, a boat ride and even a spot of angling should you so desire.
A visit to Taman Negara, however, is not complete until you have done the canopy walk. The world’s longest such walk, it winds over 400 meters in the forest canopy allowing you to view the rich and diverse flora and fauna at the very summit of the forest, 25 meters above the ground.
Orang Asli guides can be engaged for excursions to specific areas in the Park, such as the various caves. A visit to the orang Asli settlement is also worthwhile here.
Accommodation in the Park is at the jungle lodge, chalets and a hostel, all with basic facilities. Superior rooms at Taman Negara Resort are air-conditioned and have private bathrooms.
Campsites and camping equipment are available for hire and restaurants in the Park serve an international cuisine.
Taman Negara, Taman Negara Pahang
source:http://www.tahan.com.my/tamannegara/tamannegara.asphttp://www.tourism.gov.my/en/destinations/item.asp?item=tamannegaraKek Lok Si Temple
One of the finest Buddhist temples in South-east Asia. Stands majestically on a hill in Air Itam, this temple built in tiers culminates the beautifully crafted ''Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas''. It took more than 20 years to build which features gardens, a turtle pond, shrines and beautiful sculptures. There are many souvenir shops leading up to the temple which offers good buys. And as for food lovers,famous hawker food are lined up near the Air Itam market.
The temple was begun in 1890 and, from all appearances, construction really hasn't ever stopped. And it's still going on! The temple is supposedly the largest in Malaysia.
The Kek Lok Si project was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang, the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsi, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.
Without doubt the largest and best known temple in Penang, the Temple of Supreme Bliss, better known as Kek Lok Si, staggered on the hillside overlooking the town of Ayer Itam.
Since the olden days, the hills of Ayer Itam are regarded as important geomantically. Known as He San, or Crane Hill, they are recommended as a retreat for Taoist practitioners striving for immortality.
Construction of the temple started in 1893, but it was only in 1930 that the Pagoda of Rama VI, named after the Thai king who laid the foundation stone, but better known as the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddha's, was completed.
This pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown, reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.
source:http://www.penang-online.com/pages/place-of-interest/kek-lok-si-temple.phphttp://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal/what-to-see/attractions/kek-lok-si-temple.html
