Putrajaya Cruise, Putrajaya
Putrajaya lake is in the heart of the administration city, and visitors can take a leisure cruise on the lake.
One can view stunning vistas of the surrounding area from the cruise, including the Putrajaya Mosque, Putrajaya Bridge as well as several government administrative buildings.
Visitors can opt to sail the lake on a passenger cruise boat, which is a great option in the day or spectacularly at night!
The air-conditioned cruise boat also seats 76 persons comfortably, and one can see the landmarks of Putrajaya via its wrap-around glass windows.
There are also open air boats (perahu) that can be used for small groups of people.
Legoland, Johor
Legoland Malaysia theme park, the first in Asia, is situated in Nusajaya, Johor. Situated on 76 acres of land, the park is the sixth such park to open in the world.
Previous parks are located in Billund, Denmark (1968), Windsor, England (1996), California, USA (1999), Germany (2002), Florida, USA (2005).
Legoland is built with over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions. One of the main attractions is here the Miniland. More than 30 million lego bricks are used in the building of these monuments including the Petronas Twin Towers, The Merlion Statue, Taj Mahal and others.
These well-known buildings are built using lego bricks, an interactive world on a scale of 1:20 where people, trains and aeroplanes come to life at the touch of a button. Other attractions at the park include Lego City, Land of Adventure, Imagination, Lego Kingdom and Lego Technic.
In the theme park, there is also an Observation tower which is the highest tower in Legoland Malaysia, some 60 meters from the ground. This is also the third Legoland observation tower in the world after Denmark and Germany.
Legoland is a fascinating place to visit for children and adults alike!
Heritage Trails
What better way to soak in local culture than by taking a walk on one of Malaysia’s heritage trails? Depending on which area you want to explore, there are prearranged tours, or you could amble about with a map at your own leisurely pace.
The Ipoh Heritage Walk takes you through the historic portion of the city. The fourth largest city in the country, the former tin mining city drew many Chinese immigrants into its fold in the early 20th century due to the ore. Highlights of the trail include the Railway Station (1917), the Town Hall and Post Office Building, built after the World War I, and the Birch Memorial (1909).
A UNESCO World Heritage site, historic Melaka is a great place to explore on foot. The Dutch Heritage Trail covers attractions from the Dutch Colonial period. Meanwhile, the 7km Melaka Heritage Trail covers most of the historic sights, including the Christ Church (1753), the Stadthuys (1650), the Statue of St. Francis Xavier, Hang Li Poh’s Well and the Melaka Sultanate Palace.
In Kuala Lumpur, there are many trails to choose from, covering areas like Merdeka Square, Chinatown, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Brickfields. Guidance can be obtained online or through the Malaysian Tourist Information Centre (MaTiC).
Little India Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
Brickfields is many things to many people: a concentrated wedge of Indian culture; a bewildering smorgasbord of different worship houses; a haven of blind massage centres; the crossroads for commuters coming in from all parts of the country; a perfect study in contrasts. However you define it, one thing is in agreement: Brickfields is a vibrant community with a soul of its own.
Brickfields began as the centre of brick-making in the late 19th century, after a huge fire and flood swept through Kuala Lumpur in 1881. The double disasters took turns destroying the town’s wooden and thatched structures. Sir Frank Swettenham, British resident at that time, responded by ordering the use of brick and tile in the construction of buildings, thus summoning the town’s purpose into being.
The area soon developed as the nation’s main locomotive depot for the Malayan Railway during the colonial administration. The sights, sounds and colours of South Asia came to Brickfields along with the human capital brought in to work the railway and depot, which have since been transformed into KL Sentral, the nation’s transportation hub.
These days, old government quarters (The Hundred Quarters, built in 1905) can still be found around Jalan Rozario. As you walk along the roads and alleys, the smell of curries drift to entice passers-by, while popular Indian songs blast from family-run businesses that also seem to run round the clock.
In 2009, Little India was moved from the area surrounding Jalan Masjid India to Brickfields, in recognition of the township’s status as one of the pioneer Indian settlements in Kuala Lumpur, and its potential to further develop as a centre for Indian culture.
Visit the Vivekananda Ashram (1904), which is still used for spiritual education classes, prayer meetings and yoga. The Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) can be found closer to the river along Jalan Berhala. Famous Southern Indian restaurant, Annalakshmi, is housed in the TFA building.
Other notable attractions are the Sri Lankan Hindu Temple, Sri Kandaswamy Temple on Jalan Scott and the Buddhist Temple Maha Vihara. The Zion Lutheran Church (1924), St Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church and Holy Rosary Church (1903), as well as the Madrasathul Gouthiyyah Surau, a mosque built in the 1980s catering mostly to Indian Muslims can also be found in the area.
These attractions can be visited through the Brickfields Guided Walking Tour, held every first and third Saturday, starting at 9.30am from the YMCA. Run by the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Brickfields’ fascinating history is explained in detail through the walk.
Cat Museum, Sarawak
The Cat Museum is located on the Ground Floor of the Kuching North City Hall Headquarters Building at the Bukit Siol, Jalan Semariang, Petra Jaya, Kuching, Sarawak.It is owned by the Kuching North City Hall (DBKU). There are 2000 exhibits, artifacts, statues about cats from all over the world. According to Malaysian and Chinese beliefs, the cat is a lucky animal.
The museum covers an area of 1,035.9 square meters on top of the hill called 'Bukit Siol' which stands 60 meters above the sea level with beautiful sceneries overlooking the beautiful city of Kuching.
The responsibilities of the Cat Museum are to carry out research, collection, presentation, documentation, promotion, publication, education and awareness of historical heritage, cultures and the natural environment.
Melaka River Cruise, Melaka
The river was the main artery of trade for Melaka in its heyday when it was bustling with traders from all around the world.
Some buildings from that era still stand majestically by the river, which is also lined by old villages, or kampungs, and modern day buildings.
The 45-minute cruise is accompanied by an entertaining and informative commentary. And, for just RM8, it's a good bargain. See parts of historical Melaka, get a history lesson for next to nothing, and never break a sweat!
Royal Selangor Visitor Centre, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian pewter is acclaimed internationally for its exquisite craftsmanship. Royal Selangor is the world's largest pewter company, renowned for its innovative design and craftsmanship to create objects of desire in precious pewter. In the days of Royal Selangor's founder, pewter was polished with a stone leaf (tetracera scandens), a wild tropical leaf of a fine, abrasive nature.
In recognition of its quality, Royal Selangor received a royal warrant from His Royal Highness, the Sultan of Selangor, who conferred the manufacturer the title of "Royal Pewter".
Visitors to the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre can try their hand at shaping (or knocking) the pewter set aside at the School of Hard Knocks. This is a hands-on attempt at making your very own treasured pewter, so make every knock count!
A popular attraction at the site is the giant tankard, the world's largest and listed in the Malaysian book of records and the Guinness World Book of Records. The giant tankard stands at 1.987 metres tall, weighs 1, 557 kg and has a capacity of 2,796 litres. It has travelled round the world to places such as Canada, Australia, Singapore and China.
To further excite your senses, there are interactive exhibits at the Chamber of Chimes, Hall of Finishes and Giant Weighing Scale. Computer buffs may want to check out the Game Port that has specially designed games.
