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| Since my early childhood days, I always like to travel. I attributed this passion for travelling to my parents, especially my father. They like to go 'makan angin' with groups of people from the village on an organized tour, usually after the fruit seasons. Their destinations were Singapore, Penang, Kelantan, Golok and Kuala Lumpur. Travelling in those days were considered as a luxury opportunity. My father also used to organize such trips, popularly known as 'rombongan' for the kampung (village) folk. He usually brought along all of his children on the trip, or at least the five of us. |
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Look at us! Ell@, M@k, @tih, @luk, @dan and @cik. Parading in M@k's
creation. I don't believe that I actually worn a purple trousers! If I'm
not mistaken this photo was taken in front of The Van Kleef Aquarium, Singapore
circa 1976. In the back ground you can see the 'chartered' bus that brought
us to Singapore.
The standard itinerary in any trip to Singapore will be Woodlands, Sembawang, Sungei Road, Haw Par Villa, Kallang, C. K. Tang, either the Singapore Museum or Changi Airport and it always ends in Geylang. The favourite things to bring back from Singapore were cheap apples (10 for 1 sin dollar), canned lychee /longan, Van Houten chocolate, vinyl mat, chinaware and electronic items. It was cheap then because Singapore was a free port. |
| In 1978 my sister @cik went to a boarding school (SMSJ) in Kluang, Johor. Those days it took nearly 4 hours to drive from Tangkak to Kluang. My parents will go visit her at her hostel at least once in every 2 months. We always look forward for the trip because we like the idea of passing through other towns and villages. When I got the offer to study in MRSM Kulim, Kedah, I was so exited. It was the first time I had to go somewhere on a train. From Tangkak, we went to Segamat to catch the Express Rakyat train. From Segamat, we travel through Gemas, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and finally Butterworth, Pulau Pinang. We stayed one night there and took a bus to Bukit Mertajam. From Bukit Mertajam we had to take another bus to Kulim. All this travelling really excite me, especially when I had the opportunity to meet people with different dialect and cultural norm than mine. |
| My house is closer to Melaka than Johor Bahru (capital state of Johor). We went to Melaka to buy fresh fish from it's market or new materials for Hari Raya clothes. Sometimes my father will drive us there just to visit A' Famosa, the Melacca Museum and the 'benteng' (promenade) area to watch 'belodok' (a type of fish) playing in the mud, or eating satay at the stalls along the sea front. |
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When I was studying Architecture in ITM, our second class trip was
Melaka (we went to Penang the first semester). It was a good town to start
appreciating architecture. Our assignment were to make as many architectural
sketches as possible. We also went to visit the beach area in Tanjung Bidara.
However, today the water is a bit polluted and fill with jellyfish.
This photo was taken in front of the famous 'Dutch era' building in the old town square. In the background you can see the Christ Church. All the building around this 'historical precinct' is painted red. I don't know why. My sister (Kak Nomek) used to tell us that it was painted red because it's belong to the 'red giant'. ??? Until today I could not figure out what she means! That's my brother Rosdan. |
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In front of the 'Flor de Lamar' replica. It was actually the Maritime
Museum, showcasing the rich maritime history of Melaka. Flor de Lamar was
the Dutch galleon that sunk in the Selat Melaka (Strait of Melacca) when
fleeing the city (with treasures from the Melaccan Empire) before Melacca
fall to the British forces (or something like that). Actually, I'm not
really sure of the history.
Because our kampung is actually very close to Melaka, we do visit it
often (you do notice my brother is wearing the same T-shirt, don't you?). |
| There are
very few things that are so beautiful that it is difficult to find the
words to describe them. We take pleasure from being with them, owning them
or simply by looking at them. However, the most beautiful objects are those
that cannot be emulated. Their beauty, in fact, is in their uniqueness.
You know what I'm talking about.
Well, when I'm typing this article my skin stills a bit dark due to the sun after coming back from holiday in the East Coast. I have been frequenting this area since I first came here for a class trip a few years back. The most popular island retreats off the coast of the state of Terengganu are Pulau Redang, Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Kapas. The islands are a marvel of nature and a popular haunt of leisure divers from all over the world who were captivated by the astonishing treasures of the underwater world. These islands are idyllic retreats because they possess sandy white beaches, swaying coconut palms, rustic villages, charming locals and of course, the all-important emerald green sea with waters so crystal clear that you are able to observe the abundance of marine life even at its shore line. Pulau Redang is perhaps the most 'developed' of the three islands. You will find everything from rustic chalets that blend in with their surroundings, to luxurious living at a 5-star establishment that can even boast of its own golf course - not that you will be interested in a round of golf with so much natural beauty to enjoy! |
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| On the way to Pulau Perhentian. Lili, Dolah and myself. Lili's father own a chalet on the island. So we got generous discount! | On the boat after coming out of the water. Myself, Parok, Lela, Anis, Sarip and Hafis. |
| Pulau Redang
is famous for its pristine white sand and colourful array of marine life.
One of the more accessible islands, you will have to take an hour-long
speedboat ride from Kuala Terengganu to get to there. You will be able
to indulge in a host of activities which include scuba diving (if you are
licensed, that is), snorkelling, boating and even jungle trekking. The
waters off Pulau Redang are part of a national marine park so there are
strict rules that must be adhered to including the strict prohibitance
of collecting corals and fishing in the waters off the island.
Pulau Perhentian, the least accessible of the three islands, is my favourite. Those who have had birds’ eye view of it speak off the spectacular coral gardens in awe. Divers swear by its perfection, calling it 'the' place to dive because of its abundant underwater treasures. Despite the fact that it is a fairly long boat ride to the island, those in the know will tell you that it is the most beautiful of the islands off the coast of Terengganu. However, like Pulau Redang, you can expect to keep occupied with a host of activities including the simple pleasure of soaking in the marvellous sights around you. Pulau Perhentian is also a part of the national marine park so the same rules apply here. The nearest and therefore most accessible island is Pulau Kapas (kapas means cotton). It took only 30 minutes boat's ride to reach its ‘soft’, white (as soft and white as cotton) beach. Renowned for its clear waters as well as its caves with swallows' nests, the island is a favourite stop for tourists interested in a tropical paradise. Like Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang, you can opt to stay at chalets that are at one with nature while on the island. The last time when I visited the island I did not stay overnight. I came with my brother and his classmates. |
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| Every year,
myself with a few friends will never fail to include one of the islands
as a holiday destination. For this year (1998) trip initially, it was plan
as a group holiday. Seven people had committed to go during the inception
of the idea. However, as usual I might add, five of them had to cancel
at the last minutes with various reasons from ‘project submission due’
(last minutes instruction from client) to `nobody is looking after the
pet goldfish’? Typical!
We started our journey on Wednesday night. We boarded the bus at 9.30pm to Kuala Besut, Terengganu, from the Putra Bus Station, which is about 20 minutes walk from my apartment. As usual, the highway out of Kuala Lumpur was jammed due to the long holiday. That's why I did not choose to drive. At least I can sleep while stuck in the jam. The bus seat is quite comfortable. They're playing `Speed’ on the video in front of the bus. However, I fell asleep just when Sandra Bullock about to take over the wheel from the injured driver. My friend told me later that the bus stop twice for the passengers to stretch out and get some food from the highway stops restaurant. Since I had already eaten tuna sandwich I bought from Deliferance, I didn't get down. In fact I was asleep most of the time. We reach Kuala Besut at around 9.30am. Kuala Besut is a very picturesque fishing village. Swaying coconut trees, cool fresh air, an incredibly beautiful lagoon and a fleet of fishing trawlers welcomes this tired city boy. There are numerous small islands that dot the horizon, many of them simply outcrop of rocks and dense foliage but others are a wonderful place to escape to. Especially if you like nothing better than lying by the beach (like me) or taking dips in water so clear that you see everything as clearly underwater as you do on land - including your wriggling toes! The natural beauty and the simplistic ambience of the place captivated me. We took a taxi from the bus station to the jetty. We went to the resort agent at the jetty to book for our place (we didn't make any reservation, just counting on our luck!). Lucky enough, there are still rooms available at Coral View Resort due to last minutes cancellation. |
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| There are
a few other groups from Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore who joined us
on the boat to the island. There are a few new `wakaf’ (traditional rest
kiosk) building for people to wait for their boat. A giant sand-dredging
machine is sucking sand from the shallow area at the mouth of the river.
They are building a wave breaker and deepening the river mouth so the jetty
can be access by bigger boat during low tides. Besides that, there were
not many changes since the last time I visited the place. Which is a relieved!
The boat ride took about 1 ¾ hour (about 21 km off the coast). Much longer than I had earlier anticipated. After checking into our `A’ shape chalet, we went straight to the beach. I didn't go straight into the water as I usually do. I had decided earlier that this holiday is going to be a passive one. So I dig my self a hole in the sand and bury myself, and went to sleep! Only after I had my lunch, I went into the warm sapphire blue water. Pulau Perhentian offers crystal clear water, pearly white shores, colourful array of spectacular marine life and at least in my opinion, the world's most mature coral gardens. Why am I keep repeating this? This island is part of the National Marine Park. No fishing is allowed within 3-km radius of the island and the collection of coral and aquatic life is prohibited. However, discovering the charms of these islands are not confined to divers for you doesn't have to be able to dive to the depths of the sea to enjoy the many attractions. There is a lot to keep you occupied and you will enjoy the simple pleasure of lying on pure white sand and staring at the most beautiful sights that your eyes could behold. At night, you can gaze at the clear sky fill with stars, which I did. For two nights I slept on the beach. |
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| Tioman's underwater! I used the underwater disposable camera. |
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| Most of the holidaymakers on the island are foreigner. Most of them, I surveyed, are from Europe. I'm still surprise that the island is not as crowded as the west coast beaches like Port Dickson and Penang although the beauty of this place is 10 times better. Maybe the fact that alcoholic drinks are not serves on almost all the resorts on this island had contributed to this. Terengganu Darul Iman is a conservative state. Almost 90% of its population are Muslims. These are actually a blessing for the natural environment. There are no beer cans littering its beaches and seabed as compare to the more popular Tioman Island in Pahang Darul Makmur and Langkawi Island in Kedah Darul Aman. |
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| We went on a boat tour to snorkelling spots on the island on the 2nd day. Pulau Perhentian is made of 2 main islands. Perhentian Kecil (the smaller one) is where the fisherman's village is located. Most of the holiday chalets and resorts are situated on Perhentian Besar. Our first stop is a lagoon, which is referred to as the 'Blue Lagoon’ at the northern tip of the ‘smaller’ island. It was planned that we're going to snorkel at 3 spots. However some of the `stupid tourist’ who obviously not used to the rocking of sea water, fell sick on the journey and requested to be send back to their rooms. |
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After the
initial `oooh, ahhh and the wows’ comes the `uhuk, arghh and uweks’. The
boat left the rest of us who want to continue snorkelling in the middle
of the sea (well, not so far in the middle). With our life jacket and snorkelling
gear on, we continue to gaze down the beautiful underwater world below
us. The water here is even clearer than in front of our chalet. Visibility
is about 30m. Judging from a few scuba divers that passed below us the
water is about 10 to 15m deep. Oh ya, the most exciting part was when I
had an encounter with a shark. No, a pair of them. They look about 1.5m
long, but actually they are much smaller (a distortion cause by water)
I don't know from which species. They have black tip fins. I follow them
for a while from above before they disappeared into the blue yonder.
My last encounter with shark 2 years ago lasts only a few seconds. I was
so exited to alert my other friends then, the poor fish quickly disappeared!
This time around I'm calmer and …composed (cheh!)
I swam ashore
after about 1 hour. As I had decided earlier that this is a passive holiday,
I'm not going to stay in the water until my body turns blue like usual.
The beach was deserted. The others are still in the water. There is a small
river flowing into the sea. It's perfect! If there is a vision of paradise
on earth, this must be one of it. There is no chalet on this part
of the island. It really felt as if the beach is MINE. This is when one
feel so BIG at the same time so SMALL compare to God's power. Nature is
such a wonderful creation that evokes such a feeling from us mere mortals.
Well, I'm trying to be philosophical here, OK? |
The third
day was spend walking along the beach, reading books (some old Readers
Digest, nondescript entertainment magazines and `Heroes’ by Karim Raslan),
lazing around the beach and the restaurant. The restaurant operator had
extended the eating deck. The raised timber deck was built with the existing
tree intact. Very eco-friendly architecture. So we have dining table under
the Ketapang trees (a local species) and even the wash basin was built
cantilevered from the tree trunk! I wonder who did the detail drawings.
Surely not one of KAZT's draughmen.
At night, the chalet operator organised a barbecue feast for us. As far as I can remember, every time I came here, food is always one of the highlight. Terengganu cuisine is distinctively fresh. Nasi Dagang is one of the famous local dishes. It is glutinous rice, white or pinkish, cooked in coconut milk and served with fish curry, cucumber, pickle and coconut sambal (chilli) Other accompanying item include chicken and (fresh) seafood in curry. Fresh fruits salad, sandwiches, sate, paprik, roti canai and chapati are just a few other mouth watering food available here. A bit more expensive, but very fresh and delicious. We went back to Kuala Besut on Saturday afternoon. From there, we took a bus to Kota Bahru, The capital state of Kelantan Darul Naim. Kelantan Darul Naim is the only state in Malaysia governs by an opposition party of the Federal Government. |
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Kelantan is
also known as 'The Cradle of Malay Civilisation'. Not because the Malay
civilisation begins here or ancient Malay Kingdom were found here. But
because of the conservative nature of the Malay people, the traditional
culture and value can be observed more clearly here. The traditional Kelantan
Malay's architecture are visible everywhere.
We spend most of our time in Kota Bahru walking around, playing `stupid tourist’. I notice that just like Kuala Lumpur, Kota Bahru seems like a huge construction site. The difference is only on the scale of the construction activity. And the pace (not as frantic). The local authority is in the process of turning many roads and streets in the town centre into pedestrian mall. I can imagine that once everything had been completed, Kota Bahru will be turned into a very attractive place to visit. Meanwhile, we had to bear with all the trenches, loopholes and the dust of the construction sites. By 9.30pm, we are on the way back to Kuala Lumpur on an Executive coach (the only tickets left). |
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I went to Golok with my room mate Nayee during one of the semester
breaks. I was naive then. We went into Thailand illegally actually. I don't
even had a passport. We went to one of the illegal jetty in Pasir Panjang
(the border town) and hop up into a boat, without much thinking ... and
money! Nayee did all the talking because I don't quite speaks Kelantanese.
And to my surprise we were met with somebody from across the river. He
arrange for a 'taxi' to bring us to the town centre. We hop on the 'motorbike
taxi' (it was fun). Than, walla, he brought us right into a whorehouse!
Up to this point it has not occur to me that the guy is a pimp. All this
while I thought he is Nayee's friends'! I can laugh about it now but at
that time it frightened the hell out of me. Luckily we can't afford any
of the girls (cost started from RM 60 for a full session). Even when they
offered us a discount for a 'quickie' (RM 30 for one ...ehm, what shall
I called it... ejaculation?). In the end, we had to pay the pimp RM5 to
let us out of the 'house'.
Coming back from Golok on a boat. Not this boat! This one is from Kota Baru town to Nayee's house in Palekbang. |
| I spend only 4 hours in Golok town, browsing through the shops and
open market. In my opinion, there is nothing special about this town, except
for the one I had explain earlier. I only brought with me around RM 40.00.
With that I bought a piece of jeans for RM 20.00, a piece of Batik Sarong
for RM 9.00, a piece of shorts for RM 5.00, T- shirts (3 for RM 10.00)
and a piece of 'cool' leather sandals. These were actually the real reason
I went there in the first place. Definitely not for THAT thing you know!
On our back to Pasir Panjang, we were stopped by the Anti Smuggling unit of the Police Force. We were lucky because they are not Immigration Officers! So, after checking our paper bags, they let us go. Phew! |
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muluk@ppp.nasionet.net