Top 3 - Must dos in Langkawi Islands in Malaysia

You have not one but over an archipelago of 100 islands to choose from when you visit Langkawi. However if you are a traveller in a hurry, then ensure that you have at least experienced these interesting experiences.

Photo Credit - Andy Lawson, Flickr .

1. The Cable Car
Take the cable car up the mountains and rainforests to get some outstanding panoramic views of the islands. As you go up the ropeway, from the foothills of Gunung Machinchang, taking in the scenery, you can see cascading waterfalls surrounded by jungles . Atop is a curved pedestrian bridge called the Skybridge, almost 125 metres long . If you are the adventurous type, you can even trek up here.

2. Pulau Payar Marine Park
Go underwater to get a glimpse of Malaysia’s ancient marine life . The life under the sea will dazzle you with all the colours in this marine park. You can go snorkelling here as this is one of the best diving site. The park centre is a great way to get oriented here. There are reefs built here, some are manmade built with old boats and tyres. If you are not into diving, then there are several hiking trails around as well.

3.Crocodile Farm
Want to see a live version of Man versus the Wild, then visit the Crocodile Farm to see a confrontation of humans and crocodiles here.  All these crocodiles and of course, the men are however well trained . Walk around the farm and you can see a sea of crocodiles being fed. Besides various species, you can also see baby crocodiles in a pool of their own

What are your recommendations for Langkawi ?

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Five reasons to visit Hong Kong and Macau

Think Hong Kong and Macau and the images that flash in your mind are the glittering lights of an expansive skyline, the lure of the casinos , never ending shopping markets, laser shows  and tourist attractions like Disneyland and Oceanworld.

However I was in for a surprise when I visited these island states. I had imagined a bustling dynamic financial capital with all the trappings of a modern city. And yet, as I walked around it, I discovered a quaint town with clusters of islands and peninsulas, retaining a charm of its own. The city-state as it is often referred to, was a perfect mélange of the east and west, a pot pourri of tourist attractions and hidden spots and would often transform itself into small fishing villages with floating markets .

There are many reasons why one would visit these two Chinese territories , but here are my recommendations

1.Tian Tan Buddha statue in Lantau Island .

Nestled in one of the most beautiful and largest islands of Hong Kong is a 34 metres tall Big Buddha in bronze, smiling at the vast landscape around the island. A cable car ride above the seas take you towards the Ngong Ping Plateau of the Lantau Island , where you can get a glimpse of the Buddha from the sky. Climbing more than 260 steps to reach the statue may be an uphill task, but it is worth the effort .It is also believed to house one of the relics of Gautama Buddha. The century old Po Lin Monastery located near the statue is dedicated to the three forms of Buddha – the present, the past and the future.

However the island itself is a showstopper. Ringed in by mountains, it is located at the mouth of the Pearl River and was once part of the ancient trade routes . Colonised by both the Portuguese and the British, Tai Han Shan as it was earlier known as was once the haunt of pirates and is today filled with forts and fishing villages.

2. Stanley Market

The montage of shops selling souvenirs, paintings, artifacts, silks and all sorts of curios in tiny lanes of this historic town lure many tourists here .But there is more to Stanley than just its markets . The beaches here are bustling with water sports and  the entire waterfront is dotted with restaurants and bars. Walk around the town and you would hear stories of war or local legends of pirates .

My personal favourite is the quiet 18^th century temple , believed to be the oldest temple in Hong Kong, dedicated to Tin Hau , the Queen of Heaven  and the Goddess of the Sea. While the official board outside the temple says that it is built by “the sea faring people of Stanley  “ locals tell you that it is attributed to a notorious pirate, Cheung Po Tsai . As you enter the temple, you notice a rather unusual display – a glass frame mounted with the skin of a dead tiger . A small note says that the tiger was shot by an Indian policeman, Mr. Rur Singh  in front of Stanley Police Station way back in 1942.

3.The Victorial Peak

Taking a tram right up to the Peak of  Hong Kong is a great way of exploring the heights of the island. The funicular tramway that started way back in the 19^th century goes all the way up 1200 feet and very often you would find the skyscrapers leaning against you as you journey uphill. The distance is about a kilometer and a half as it climbs up 45* from Central District to The Peak. From the Peak Tower Sky Terrace, you can see a 360*  view of Hong Kong - the glittering skyline, the harbour lights , the mountains and the plateaus . I personally prefer the night view to the day, but then nothing stops you from going there twice.

The Peak itself is filled with historic tales and it was believed to be a 19^th century signaling post for cargo ships that entered the port. The rich and famous who lived there used to be carried uphill through sedan chairs and palanquins until the tramway opened up in the 19^thcentury. It is today a tourist attraction with shops, restaurants , galleries and museums vying for space.

4.The A-Ma temple at Macau

As you take the ferry to Macau from Hong Kong, the casinos are the first to beckon you. However , a visit to old Macau is highly recommended. The 15^thcentury A-Ma temple which lent its name to Macau, built high up on a cliff is a wonderful way to begin your journey . Dedicated to the Goddess of the Seafarers and Fishermen, Matsu or Mazu, the shrine offers you beautiful views of the sea and its just peaceful to sit here and watch the ships go by..

When the Portuguese landed here, they had no idea about the fishing hamlet. Locals told them the place was called “MaaGok” referring to the A-Ma temple and the name remains till date. The temple is rather huge with several pavilions and halls  and is filled with lores and legends .

5. The Ruins of St Paul’s

You do not go to Macau looking for a bit of Europe there. But then, old Macau which was once a Portuguese colony is rather reminiscent of the early 16^thcentury. The World UNESCO site - Historic Centre of Macau includes the imposing Ruins of St Paul. A college and a cathedral was built here in the 16^thcentury and was later destroyed by a fire .

The imposing façade with intricate carvings is a fusion of Jesuit and Oriental art, such as the sculpture of a woman stepping on a seven headed hydra ,described in Chinese as a dragon. One can climb the staircase leading to the top of façade to see more images carved on it. While many tourists still throw coins from top for luck, several flock to the Senado Square and the Fortress located close by.

This story was published in Rediff  last week. Most of my travel updates are on Facebook and it would be wonderful to see you there . Click here to follow me on my travels

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Asia through my eyes - Drummers in India and Puppets in Bali

Posted on May 2, in my 365 project as a part of India through my eyes - Drummers on a beat

India is filled with Gods, temples , festivals and legends . Here is a temple festival which happens on my street every year in Bangalore . The local performers were waiting for the temple festival to begin as they were practicing their beat .. 

Posted today in my 365project as part of Asia through my eyes series


Colour and Asia go hand in hand - whether it is India or Indonesia, the colours attract people . In a small market in Bali, these puppets were for sale . Being a sucker for souvenirs , I was tempted to pick a pair, but I finally decided to take this photograph and retain this as my souvenir. 

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Asia through my eyes - Lanterns in Hong Kong

I have been doing the 365 project since February 2011  and trying hard to organise and showcase some of the photographs that I had taken from around the world. I had a theme in May called India through my eyes and in June, I decided to look at Asia through my eyes . Do let me know what you think about my perspective

I am always fascinated by Chinese Lanterns ever since I visited Singapore in 2000 during the Lantern Festival . So , when I was in Hong Kong recently, I found them extremely fascinating . Loved the way these depicted people and their walks of life too..The sheer colour and workmanship is amazing too 

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Kerala-Chellanam

I was in Chellanam , a village near Cochin last week talking to some locals who make vanji or the local country boats. I need to thank Gopinath from Blue Yonder who put me onto his colleague Prakash who told me about this place...I recorded about 5 mins of conversations, which are largely in Malayalam. Although I can follow a bit of the  language, its very difficult to translate every word of the dialogue..I am writing my column on Chellanam and this small scale industry for The Metro Plus , The Hindu and will share the same with you once its published

Do join me on Twitter for more conversations on travel

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Deepavali Bonanza

Ive been in for a lot of surprises this year and another one greeted me today. I had been out the entire day and was rather tired when I finally got back home about a couple of hours ago. A parcel had landed in the afternoon for me and the cover mentioned it was from Singapore Tourism. When I opened it, I found a box of chocolates with a Deepavali greeting card waiting for me. A few months ago, STB had invited me to cover their Youth Olympic Games and now, they were kind enough to remember me and send me this gift. Thanks STB...Im happy to share this gift virtually with all my readers .

A quick update on some other interesting meets and activities happenning around me . I met blogger Deepak aka magic eye a few weeks ago in Bangalore and lo, he posts on a Bangalore darshan. Sikkim trip organised by Club Mahindra for the bloggers ( I help them with the editorial for CLAY - their blog ) also led me to meet some very interesting bloggers and friends .

 I was briefly away in Madras and got back yesterday and received a Nokia N8 mobile for review. The interesting bit was that I got to participate in Bangalore Urban Spree" where we photographed the vibrant spirit of Bangalore on our mobile  and shared it on twitter and other social media tools. I still have the N8 for review and I met some cool tech bloggers as well yesterday while we all binged on pizzas, courtesy Bloggers Mind, who organised the events. 

Now, coming to the not so exciting news - my travel calender for November , December looks bleak..so does 2011 as of now..I do wish there are more Deepavali Bonazas around..anybody out there who would like me to travel to some exotic place in return for some blog posts and tweets and updates on FB ? I hope someone out there is listening..:)

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