8 TOP SPOTS TO SEE FIREFLIES IN MALAYSIA

Flickr/takot

Have you seen fireflies yourself? I guess you might not if you live in a populated air-polluted city. Then, Malaysia might be able to present a new experience for you. This little country has lots of lovely bugs known as fireflies to mesmerize its tourists.

1. Kuala Selangor, Selangor State

Captured from Youtube/Anuar Ismail

This is basically the most well known place among all, and in order to preserve these little bugs, you will be facing darkness after boarding the firefly watching ferry. However, it won't take long for you to realize why it is necessary to be in darkness once you see those tiny little lights floating right in front of you.

2. Kota Tinggi, Johor State

Captured from Youtube/apgclh

In recent years, the number of visitors in this place has been growing rapidly, and it's become one of the largest places to see fireflies. Seen at a distance, these beautiful bugs shimmering brightly in their charming buttocks look as if stars falling from the sky.

 
3. Cherating, Kuantan, Pahang State

Cherating is locally known for its beach, but never did people know that this place could be a great spot to catch a glimpse of fireflies! By someone's account, a guide named Hafiz is capable of “awaking” these shy creatures and have them flying towards you. Mysterious as it sounds!

4. Kampung Dew, Taiping, Perak State

Captured from Youtube/Kai Zuleta

Kampung Dew is one of the largest firefly breeding and watching places in Malaysia having a lot more fireflies than Kuala Selangor (#1). When I was staying in Taiping, I sometime spotted these mystifying creatures flying out in the dark even near my house far from water. Only one who witnessed can share this overwhelming feeling.

5. Nibong Tebal, Penang State

You could actually find 4 different species right here at Nibong Tebal. The tour boat ride starts at 6 pm and takes approximately 40 minutes. Besides that, you can also succumb yourself in the beautiful nature and experience catching octopuses here too.

6. Weston, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah State

Weston is known as the largest and most popular spot for firefly watching in Sabah. Once dusk arrives, lights by the river will brighten up, lighting a path for its visitors. Using a torch, the tour guide will do some “rhythmic flashing” that eventually lures the fireflies towards the tourists.

 
7. Kota Belud, Sabah State

This Sabah’s number 2 spot for these beautiful creatures is slightly nearer to town than Weston. With various species of fireflies clustering this place, you might also catch a glimpse of the long nose monkeys as well as the stunning sunset!

8. Kuching Wetlands National Park, Sarawak State

 

BorneoPostOnline/Jeffery Mostapa

To reach this reserved park in Sarawak, visitors will need to take a 3 hours boat ride, passing through forests before the sunsets. On the way you will see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins, various kinds of monkeys and all kinds of birds that lives in Sarawak. When dusk starts to kick in, you will be able to see what you've come for, the fireflies!

More Malaysia

SUPERSTITIONS IN MALAYSIA: BELIEVE IT OR NOT / By Elley

10 BEST PLACES TO SEE SUNSET IN SABAH / By Murphy Ng

10 MUST-GO HOTSPOTS IN MALAYSIA OF LOCALS' CHOICE / By Elley

VISIT MELAKA – 5 GREAT ATTRACTIONS IN MELAKA, MALAYSIA / By Kobi Klaf

7 LUXURIOUS BARS IN KUALA LUMPUR YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT IN MALAYSIA / By Elley

10 BEST CAFES IN PENANG TO SAVE YOURSELF FROM SWELTERING DAYTIME HEAT / By Jennifer Tham

7 ATTRACTIONS AROUND KUALA LUMPUR LOCAL RESIDENTS WOULD BE PROUD OF / By Gibbon

10 WAYS TO PRESENT BEST MEMORIES TO YOUR KIDS IN PENANG / by Erin

2015 NATIONAL HOLIDAYS IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

7 DISHES THAT YOU MUST TRY IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

TOP 5 DESTINATIONS IN MALAYSIA AT A GLANCE / by Marcus

5 LOVABLE FACTS ABOUT MALAYSIA THAT IS ONLY IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

INTROCUDTORY SESSION FOR GEOGRAPHY OF MALAYSIA / Karly

HOT MALAYSIAN WEATHER MORE THAN JUST HOT/ by Joonmo

MALAYSIAN TOURIST VISA INFO THAT YOU MUST KNOW/ by Mira

SHOPPING MALLS IN KUALA LUMPUR WHERE SHOPAHOLICS WOULD GO HOORAY! / Gibbon

Written by Elley

Born, fed and grew up in Malaysia and have a strong interest in Korean language & culture too. Love travelling and taking pictures that doesn't seems attractive to others and believe that determination brings success in the future.

5 ‘LEGIT’ CAFES IN SINGAPORE YOU HAVE TO VISIT FOR COFFEE



 

Alexis Cheong

 

Do you know that in this tiny island of Singapore there is at least 200 to 300 independent cafes scattered all over? While you can refer to those mega lists of café directories to see where each of them is, you’ll no doubt be spoilt for choice. Which of them is really worth going? Which of them are must-tries if you are a coffee fan? Well, I’ve been going to these cafes for 5 years now since the first few sprouted up because I’m a huge fan of café food (brunch, waffles) and coffee in the company of similarly like-minded friends, so I'm going to give you my top picks in recent times for what I think are ‘legit’ cafes that has consistently served up good coffee, food or both.

 

 

Click here to read more.

 

from Alexis Cheong's blog <Alexis Cheong>



More Singapore
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Written by Alexis Cheong <Alexis Cheong>

"A female native residing in the small little dot called Singapore, I am passionate about food, beauty, tech/gadgets, social media and popular culture (books, movies, music). I also have an adorable mini schnauzer dog named Mickey (#mikmikk on Instagram), whom we took in in 2011 after she was found abandoned.

My day job in advertising keeps me on my feet figuratively while the rest of my free time is spent catching up with friends and checking out the newest cafes and eating spots in Singapore.

Most of what I write on this blog are good food recommendations sprinkled with a dash of travel lust, music, beauty and tech. I started writing reviews in April 2010 because I had wanted to share with my friends what I like, only to realize I could share it with the world too. So you will find mostly positive reviews - bad ones are not worth writing about, and the really bad ones will only be posted if I am really cheesed off."

7 MOST POPULAR CONFECTIONS OF KOREA THAT YOU WILL MISS AT HOME

You may not enjoy confections when you're at home, but it can be a part of travel when you're in other countries. Korea's got various kinds of snacks ranging from traditional to westernized, and here I picked only the most characteristic ones you should definitely try when you are in South Korea.

1. Choco Pie (초코파이)

Maybe the most famous Korean confection in the world was first selled in 1974 by Orion. Though the idea of chocolate coated biscuits with marshmallow filling had come from a bakery in the southern US, this Koreanized confection made a huge success in Russia, China and Vietnam and is even traded in North Korean black market. For now there are four companies selling "Choco Pie" so you will need to look close to find which one you should buy.

2. Saewookkang (새우깡)

The first-ever snack manufactured by a Korean company since 1971 is still one of the most popular confections in the peninsula. This shrimp flavored crunchy snack is sometimes controversially claimed to have copied a Japanese one, but it seems to be a traditional practice in this industry between the two contries. It is extremely preferred as freebies so you can see huge packs of this at a mart with a label  "Noraebang" Saewookkang on them.

3. Couque d'Asse (쿠크다스)

The name of this soft cookie with either white, chocolate or coffee cream filling means cookie of Asse, Belgium but nobody seems to think of the European country while eating it. Its texture is exceptionally soft so it is almost a symbol of vulnerability among young Koreans. You should be very careful when opening each small bag of Couque d'Asse if you want to have a solid cookie, not powders.

4. Jocheong Yugwa (조청유과)

Yugwa is a type of Korean traditional confectionery made of wheat flour soaked in honey, and Jocheong is one type of Korean honey. This is a snack version of the traditional sweetie, and maybe the only successful case among that kinds of approaches. If you are tired of all the salty chips and choclate cookies, it is time to try this whole new level of a snack.

5. Pepero (빼빼로)

Korean young couples zealously observe Pepero day on November 11th (11/11), by giving each other long and thin snacks as the date is intended to resemble the shape of the snack. This chocolate dipped cookie stick is also one of the confections claimed as a copycat of Japanese ones, but the controversy doesn't seem to threaten its popularity.

6. Saekom-dalkom (새콤달콤)

Literally meaning sour and sweat, this fruit flavered caramel has been a favorite among middle to high school students. It is very light to carry, and so clean and neat that it doesn't leave any leftovers. You don't need to lick your fingers after eating this.

7. Ojingeo-ddangkong (오징어땅콩)

The most common basic side dish at pub is made into a snack. As its name indicates, main ingredients are dried squid and peanut. It makes perfect match with a beer at convenience store.

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written by Marcus 

He was born in Singapore and went to schools in China and Australia. Having Engineering background, he have worked in Japan and South Korea before finally settled in Seoul. When he is not working, he loves to go on a quick trip to anywhere he wants to go with his beautiful wife.

AMAZING VEGAN RESTAURANT IN TOKYO, THE HEAVEN FOR VEGETARIAN TRAVELERS.

Are you a devout vegetarian wanting to have vegan dishes while in Japan? Then mark my words: it will not be easy to find one in Japan. But on the bright side, wherever you find, the quality and taste are pretty much guaranteed. Here is a beautiful article from a altruistic Jesse determined to help out fellow vegetarians. He is so kind he himself picked decent vegan restaurants in Tokyo after having long pilgrimage with the great love for mankind. You could find his full article on this link.

1. Loving Hut: Best Value for money Vegan buffet

Find our more on Japan Vegan

2. T's Tantan: Japanese cuisine for vegans 

                                                      Find our more on Japan Vegan

3. Nagi Shokudo: Best vegan set meals in Tokyo

                                      Find our more on Japan Vegan

4. Pure Cafe: Only place for vegan breakfast

                                       Find our more on Japan Vegan

5. Rejuve:  Unforgettable raw vegan food

                                             Find our more on Japan Vegan

6. Komaki Syokudo: Japanese temple food for vegans

                                      Find our more on Japan Vegan

7. Chien Fu: Taiwanese vegan restaurants 

                                       Find our more on Japan Vegan

Japan could be a hell for the unprepared vegetarians,  but with a bit of the guide and information, it wouldn't take that long to make you realize its fame of being the island of culinary pleasure is no exception for vegetarians. It was very pleasing to find Jesse's blog for the first time, and I started to admire his passion and altruism to help out fellow vegetarians. Though this short summary of his article only covers vegetarian restaurants in Tokyo, you could find tons more information on Jesse's blog.   

More Japan

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3. TOP 6 SUSHI BARS IN TOKYO : IF YOU DON'T GO, YOU ARE AN IDIOT / By Shibasaki Tabong

4. 7 VERY IMPORTANT TIPS YOU WILL FIND IT EXTREMELY USEFUL WHEN TRAVELING JAPAN / By Mira 

5. 10 JAPANESE FOODS YOU GOTTA HAVE WHILE IN JAPAN / By Shibasaki Tabong 

6. YUMMY OR SEXY TOP 12 JAPANESE SOUVENIRS / By Shibasaki Tabong

7. TOKYO'S 6 TRANSPORTATION PASS THAT WILL MAKE YOU A SMART TRAVELER/ By Karly 

8. JAPANESE GEOGRAPHY FOR DUMMIES / By Macrus

9. 11 MUST-VISIT NEIGHBORHOODS FOR YOUR PERFECT TOKYO EXPERIENCE / By Karly

10. COMPLETE GUIDE FOR YOUR NAGASAKI TRIP / By Mira

11. BEST OF THE BEST RAMEN PLACES IN JAPAN, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY HIT WHILE IN JAPAN / By Ramen Adventures

SUPERSTITIONS IN MALAYSIA: BELIEVE IT OR NOT

Every country has its own religions, superstitions and beliefs. While most countries are made up with one race, Malaysia is a multi-racial country and consists of Malays, Chinese and Indians.

Since I’m a Chinese Malaysian, I will start off with Chinese ones which come parallel with those from Hong Kong or China.

Chinese superstitions

Flickr/jmabel

Nians scared by a firecracker

1.   During Chinese New Year (aka Lunar New Year), we play firecrackers to ward off the monster “Nian” that carries an appearance of a lion, with a single horn on its head. Folklore says that Nian is afraid of red things, noise and lights as well as clean environments. 

2.   When being inside the woods (doesn't matter day or night), you never supposed to call someone by real names: only use nicknames. Or, evil spirits will lock you in their realms and you won’t be able to escape ever again. 

3.   During pregnancy, a pregnant woman must not cut or sew anything on her bed or the newborn child might have a torn or ugly mouth.

Malay superstitions

Twitter/brlove12

Sayuri dressed up like a ghost. Not sure it's whether Pontianak though.

Read more about Sayuri here

1.    Bomoh (Malay shaman) started off around the 1980s and is very well known among the Malay society. Till this very day, even a few Chinese and Indians have been summoning a bomoh by performing rituals.

2.    Pontianak (a female vampire) is believed to reside in a banana tree during the day, and they are usually pale-skinned women with long hair dressed in white. Some say they have a beautiful appearance to prey on men. How do you know if they are nearby? Soft baby cries. Ok, that’s creepy.

3.   Malays believe that pregnant women should not kill animals either accidentally or intentionally because their child will take up the features of the animal.

Indian superstitions

Flickr/anyjazz65

The younger feeding the older

  

1.   On Diwali night, Indian folks gamble. Legend says that goddess Parvati played Chusar with her husband and won the game. She was amused and gave a boon to whoever gambles on Diwali night that brings prosperity throughout the year.

2.  To Indians, crow symbolizes karma and is regarded as ancestors. So offering food to crows is thought of as an act of pacifying the hunger of ancestors.

3.   Indians believe that during an eclipse pregnant women must not wander out, as it is believed that the Sun is swallowed up by the demon. Therefore, they must stay indoors in order to ensure that their babies are not born with deformities. Also, pregnant women are often not allowed to sew or cut vegetables during an eclipse.

Lastly, the feng shui. No doubt it’s a Chinese belief, however, people’s mindset changes and even Malays and Indians apply to it nowadays. Feng shui discusses "invisible forces" that bind the universe, earth, and humanity together, better known as qi.

Now that you got to know about some superstitions in Malaysia, how about telling us a little about yours too?

More Malaysia

10 BEST PLACES TO SEE SUNSET IN SABAH / by Murphy Ng

10 MUST-GO HOTSPOTS IN MALAYSIA OF LOCALS' CHOICE / By Elley

VISIT MELAKA – 5 GREAT ATTRACTIONS IN MELAKA, MALAYSIA / By Kobi Klaf

7 LUXURIOUS BARS IN KUALA LUMPUR YOU WOULD NEVER EXPECT IN MALAYSIA / By Elley

10 BEST CAFES IN PENANG TO SAVE YOURSELF FROM SWELTERING DAYTIME HEAT / By Jennifer Tham

7 ATTRACTIONS AROUND KUALA LUMPUR LOCAL RESIDENTS WOULD BE PROUD OF / By Gibbon

10 WAYS TO PRESENT BEST MEMORIES TO YOUR KIDS IN PENANG / by Erin

2015 NATIONAL HOLIDAYS IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

7 DISHES THAT YOU MUST TRY IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

TOP 5 DESTINATIONS IN MALAYSIA AT A GLANCE / by Marcus

5 LOVABLE FACTS ABOUT MALAYSIA THAT IS ONLY IN MALAYSIA / by Gibbon

INTROCUDTORY SESSION FOR GEOGRAPHY OF MALAYSIA / Karly

HOT MALAYSIAN WEATHER MORE THAN JUST HOT/ by Joonmo

MALAYSIAN TOURIST VISA INFO THAT YOU MUST KNOW/ by Mira

SHOPPING MALLS IN KUALA LUMPUR WHERE SHOPAHOLICS WOULD GO HOORAY! / Gibbon

Written by Elley

Born, fed and grew up in Malaysia and have a strong interest in Korean language & culture too. Love travelling and taking pictures that doesn't seems attractive to others and believe that determination brings success in the future.