Life In Borneo

Posted by Xander on September 15th, 2008 in Destinations, Foods, Hot Spots

Ramadhan is a month when the muslim community practices fasting and every year in Sabah, it’s state capital would put up a month-long Food Bazaar in the heart of the city. Located in the Asia City area which is situated nearby prominent malls; is a haven for food lovers as the selections of mouth watering delicacies comes from all corners of Malaysia.

It was officiated earlier this month on September 1st by Y.B. Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Yahya Hussin. With the multitude of selections presented at the Food Bazaar it is no wonder why the area is packed with so many people even as early as 3 p.m. Upon droves of stalls you can see people from all walks of life coming to this place and some still in their office attire.

Refreshments and Drinks . . .

Some of the staple drinks for breaking fast are the sugar cane juice, lime juice and coconut drinks, though lately the juice stands in the bazaar has diversified its range of refreshments and now you can see an assortment of drinks equally satisfying such as the Carrot juice, Guava and Watermelon.

Pastries and Local Delicacies . . .

In Malaysia, with its multifarious ethnicity and religion it is not surprising to find some of the best and somewhat unique foods available for all travelers to try out. One such food would be the Roti-John. Imagine a hot dog bun and instead of your normal sausage you find yourself biting into scrambled-eggs cooked with minced beef/chicken and onions. It is an enigma on how its name was procured but you’ll find yourself coming back for more of it.

Some other local delicacies includes the onde-onde, kuih lengang, kuih terang-bulan and murtabak-jawa. But no household would be short of one of the more traditional and usually a necessity for breaking fast among the muslim community: Dates. Besides its application in processed foods namely confectionery product, dates are a staple delicacy within the month of Ramadhan; the fasting month.

Grills and Barbecues . . .

The smell of fresh sea foods and chicken wings could jostle your olfactory senses from afar. Though being a food bazaar with a blend of traditional and local delicacies, there are more than just fishes being cooked here. Some includes the the sting-ray, squids, cuttlefish and the well known satay. There are so many stalls to choose from, one should find time to browse through them to find what suits your taste buds.

The Ramadhan Food Bazaar starts its operating hours as early as 1.00 p.m to 6.30 p.m, though it is advisable to come early though due to the fact that most of the best-selling foods here would be finished as early as 5 p.m. But rest assured this bazaar will be on through the whole month of September, and you will find yourself coming back here for more.

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Posted by Raz on July 23rd, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Hot Spots, Travels

The award winning Sarawak Cultural Village is a living museum of cultural diversity and fascinating heritage. Located at the foothills of Mount Santubong, the misty atmosphere adds to the touch of mystery and sets the scene taking you back to the days of legends and myths.

Main entrance to the village.

This living museum depicts the cultures of the major racial groups in Sarawak like the Malay, Iban, Melanau, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Penan, Chinese and more.

Orang-Ulu house

Melanau House

Bidayuh House

19 Tree of life wall decoration

Spanning 14 acres, traditional houses complete with the people in their ethnic costumes are always there to welcome you.

How to get there :
by shuttle bus: price RM 10.00
by taxi cab: price RM 40.00
(approximately about 1 hour drive from Kuching city to the village)

Sarawak Cultural Village
Pantai Damai, Santubong,
P.O.Box 2632, 93752 Kuching,
Sarawak, Malaysia.
Tel: (+6082) 846 411
Fax: (+6082) 846 988
Email: info@scv.com.my
Web: www.scv.com.my

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Posted by Xander on July 7th, 2008 in Hot Spots, Shopping

The Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market is located at the heart of the city and within minutes of walking distance from Centre Point Sabah shopping mall. Spread along the stretch of Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens it begins its operation around 8am - 7.30pm. Droves of stalls could be found inside the compound created especially for the vendors of various souvenirs.

Wooden carvings and ornaments to bracelets and/or necklaces made from pearls and beads are only some of the diverse range of items that can be found within this market. All mementos are made by artisans from varied backgrounds which consists of over 30 multifarious ethnic groups. An accumulation of different types of souvenirs of diverse and unique ethnicities from all over Sabah all under one roof.

Simply riffling through the beautifully variegated souvenirs found inside would be a ‘journey’ in itself and usually it would take sometime to go through all of them. If one would find that time has passed by swiftly and evening comes, that is when you could find a dining experience quite different from other places just outside of the Handicraft Market.

This dining spot which is known as the Kota Kinabalu Seafood Night Market is only a few steps away from the Handicraft Market. Catering to all your seafood desires, it starts operating around 7.00 pm onwards.

Kota Kinabalu being the city capital is the center of all known souvenirs and mementos collected throughout Sabah. Travelers would find it quite an unforgettable experience going through all the assorted mementos that one could bring back home.

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Posted by Xander on June 30th, 2008 in Destinations, Hot Spots, Travels

Located along the streets of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman and the Main Bazaar, the Kuching Waterfront is situated along the river banks of Sarawak River. Kuching being the state capital of Sarawak, it is also a focal point or gateway for many travelers visiting the Land of the Hornbills. Upon reaching the waterfront, one could already expect the breath-taking scene and anticipating a relaxed and interesting stroll.

The whole stretch of the waterfront are dotted with multifarious choices of stalls to visit. Starting from Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, various food stalls could be found selling local dishes and pastries. Keep walking and you could find other numerous kiosks of food and beverages variegated in their menu as well.

Taking a stroll along the walkway there are more interesting places to visit like the handicraft stalls. Various kinds of mementos are sold from necklaces and/or wrist-bands made of pearls, beads, aventurine and even jade. Souvenirs of key chains or letter-openers made from ceramic, stainless steel and wood are also present to name a few.

For more choices of souvenirs, make your way to the Main Bazaar Handicraft Market which can be found near the Visitor’s Information Center and National Park Booking Office. The handicraft building could easily be identified by being the only two-storey building to grace the waterfront along the street. The towers located facing the river can be visited to get a wider view of the scenic Sarawak River and the Kuching Waterfront.

Finding your way around is made easier with the Tourist information center located near the Waterfront Security building upon the waterfront walkway. Nearby you could find a small hall that has locals performing cultural dances and playing variegated instruments from different ethnic origins within Sarawak.

The Sarawak River is alive somehow with so many boats servicing the entire river, ready to shuttle visitors from one end of the waterfront all the way to the Main Bazaar Market. For a fare you could also make your way across the river and visit the Fort Margherita. Larger vessels are also present to cater to your traveling needs along the river.

The path along the waterfront has many remarkable sights, sound and smell to entice your every need as a traveler to this exceptional location within Kuching City. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself coming back here when the sun sets and when it does, it is a whole new ambiance and experience altogether. To have glimpse of this place at night time go here.

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Posted by Raz on June 19th, 2008 in Events, Hot Spots, Night Life

Chivas held a party for 2 nights (29-30 May) at the boardwalk of Waterfront Kota Kinabalu. The nights were fun filled with entertaining performances like breakdancing, fire breathers, local cultural Magunatip Dance, street magician and funny antiques from a very tall clown (on stilts)

Breakdancing by the Chivas International Dance Team. They consist of dancers from The United States, Belgium and France. Awesome performance by them dancing, head spinning, hand stands etc.

The guy above is not part of the professional dancers, he is one of our local “b-boys” who was called up to join on the spot. Not bad huh?

The Magunatip is a local traditional dance where bamboos are clapped together and the dancers must step between them but avoid their feet from being caught. The tempo goes faster and faster and it becomes more difficult to step through.

Finally, the Body Care “Fire Eaters” group performed a modern tribal dance. Also featured in this dance, is spectacular fire-spitting performances.

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Posted by Promoter on June 10th, 2008 in Culture & Traditions, Hot Spots, Legends

The legendary Monsopiad was an actual warrior who lived 200 years ago in the village of Kuai. The main mission and objective of the Monsopiad Cultural Village is to become a Living Museum, a cultural showcase of Kadazandusun culture, and a unique attraction for travelers coming to Sabah, be they from international or Malaysians. Monsopiad Cultural Village is the legacy of this fearsome warrior, located beside the Penampang River, about 30 minutes from the Kota Kinabalu City. It is a living museum built around the village where he once fought to protect. Read more about the Legend of Monsopiad here>

Once you step into village, you are transported back in time where headhunters and spirit worshippers roamed the land; a place and time when the village was controlled by the Bobohizans (female high priestesses of the Kadazan). The village keeps the culture, beliefs and traditions alive. The Village is run by Monsopiad’s direct descendants and theirs stories will leave a chill down your spine… so vivid they are that it felt as if the warrior is still living amongst them.

Many who have visited feel that one of the true essences of Sabah is the Monsopiad Cultural Village. You cannot say that you have been to Sabah if you did not pay a visit to this historical site.

Operating Hours
Monday to Sunday 9.00am till 5.00pm

Address
Monsopiad Cultural Village Sdn Bhd
Kg. Kuai/Kandazon, Penampang
Kota Kinabalu
Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.

Tel : +6 088 761336
Fax : +6 088 761680
Email : info@monsopiad.com
website : www.monsopiad.com

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Posted by Eshark on December 17th, 2007 in Hot Spots, Shopping

The A to Z of the weekly Gaya Street Fair in Kota Kinabalu City.

On every Sunday morning, the Gaya Street (used to be known as Bond Street) will be closed to public traffic for the weekly Gaya Street Fair. You can find almost anything here… from local foods and drinks, souvenirs, local handicrafs, clothes, fruits, pets, women + men accessories, shoes and so on. Here, I have summarized the things that you would find at Gaya Street Fair from A to Z.

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Posted by Eshark on December 13th, 2007 in Hot Spots

Last Sun I went to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, its about 25km from the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu and about 3km from my place.. the park was just freshly launched and run by the Sabah Wildlife Department under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Environtment.

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