Masjid Ulul Albab, Jerteh, MALAYSIA

This is a mosque which is  designed based on the Malay architecture. Located in Seberang Jerteh, Terengganu Malaysia, it looks very majestic like old Malay King Palace in the 19th century.

I found this mosque is interesting and very uniquely designed and constructed. It has three-storey structure with the top floor is devoted to a library, first floor for praying hall and veranda and the ground floor occupied by a hall, eating area, toilets, ablution area, parking and landscaping.

Built in 2010 and completed for public use in 2012, the materials are mostly from  cengal wood. Besut is famous for wood carving, therefore, it is natural for those in Besut to opt for this kind of design. Well, this kind of architecture  has long been under long evolution time and had been tested over  a long period that says it is still relevant to this modern day architecture.

It is a pleasant experience when you step into the compound and walk up the stairs. It is very well ventilated with special motif doors and windows. And the rest, you can judge yourself by looking at the pictures.

The front and entrance

Wood carving railing

Broad and wide staircases

Prayer hall

Ground floor: hall and the eating area or even for study.

The landscaping

Nice hand rail

The gate

You may look this kind of architecture at my previous postings in 2010 such as Desa Ukiran Kayu: wood carving centre, Kg Raja ; Warisan Resort, Kuala Berang; Bazaar Warisan, Kuala Terengganu; A Terengganu Heritage: Pura Tanjung Sabtu .


Happy travelling.

Ikan Celop Tepung, Terengganu delicacy

When you visit Kuala Terengganu, you must try this food. Recently, the locals call it ICT. It does not mean Information and Communication Technology but it simply means Ikan Celop Tepung. Fish, squid, prawn etc covered with flour paste and fry in hot oil.

This ICT is popular among the locals and visitors as well. You can notice that some seaside stalls especially along Batu Burok beach sell this.

However, I like to introduce the so-called most frequented stall. It is located at  seaside Teluk Ketapang, near the Kuala Terengganu airport i.e. at the corner of the airport extension into the sea. It is reasonably price. You can relax at the stall while enjoying the food.

The point B is the location of the stall.

The stalls  also offer side dish like fried mee, fried banana fritters, jemput-jemput, keropok lekor (local fish "hotdog") and drinks like coconut juice.

The stall open from 2.00pm till 7.30pm  only. If you wish to try this food, go to Teluk Ketapang (by the sea side), once you reach Scout Camp, proceed until the corner of airport extension. It is on the left side of the road.

Happy food tasting......

Beautiful, clean sandy beach, Chendering, MALAYSIA

Chendering is a place name in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Chendering beach is famous among locals who use the beach as their recreational  area and playground. Located 10 km  south from the city centre, this beach is accessible from at least two points i.e. from Chendering junction to Pantai Pandak and two from  a small residential road near Sultan Ismail Mosque.

This beach has  white sands, no gravels and you can walk barefoot without problem. During weekends, locals use the beach as playground where kids were seen running about, some came for picnic where they bring their prepared  food and drink and had a good meal time while facing the sea, listen to the waves and whispering breeze.

The beach fine sands and its waves offer therapeutic massage to those who take the trouble to walk on it. The 2 km long beach is a real asset to Terengganu's future coastal development.

The authority perhaps may introduce few public amenities like toilets and bathing facilities, picnic camp, parking areas at strategic places.

White fine sand is common here.

Wide beach offers move more space for beach users.

Beautiful waves cascading its rhythm to the shore.

Those who wish to visit this beach, you must have your own transport as there is no public transport to bring you right to the beach. If you do not have your own transport, you may hire a taxi.

The best time to be here is in the morning before the sunlight gets stronger. 

A Restaurant Called The Tappers

For those who visited Kuala Terengganu, MALAYSIA you can try sample food  food at this restaurant. It is a nice place to dine with friends etc. It offers both local and western foods. The price is >Rm 13.00 per person/dish. It comes with a drink.

It is open from 9.00 am to 10.00 pm and is located in Kampong China facing the river, just a few meters from Pasar Kedai Payang (back).

Ibai River Estuary in Kuala Terengganu

These two pictures taken from  Kuala Ibai Bridge are classic examples of the beautiful scenery of Terengganu. On the left (north bank) and right (south bank) of the river banks stood beautiful parks where you can jog, walk and have picnics. On the south bank, large fields are available for sporting events like football, rugby, polo etc. On the north bank, the park is close to the Floating Mosque, one of the icons of Kuala Terengganu city.

Prinzpark Terengganu, Malaysia

This newly opened hotel is located in Ibai Lagoon next to Terengganu Equestrian Resort and the Floating Mosque in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia.Full address: Prinzpark Terengganu, Terengganu Equestrian Resort, Jalan Sultan Mahmud, Kuala Terengganu.

Location of the hotel. (source:google map)

The 207-room hotel offers deluxe and premier rooms, honeymoon suites and executive suites. Its facilities include a floating restaurant, business centre, lobby lounge, concierge, ample car park, banquet and conference halls, retail shop, traditional spa etc.

The rooms are spacious and some have view of the lake (natural lagoon), while other rooms have views of polo club and the South China Sea.

Lobby

One of the meeting rooms

Honeymoon Suite

Bathroom

Deluxe room

One of the pictures displayed in one of  the rooms

Room rates start with RM180 nett (deluxe) during promotion period.The room comes with 32-inch flat screen TV, safe-box, hairdryer, wifi, a small fridge and tea/coffee facilities.

It is an ideal venue for conferences, meetings, seminars, and weddings. Basic rate for one day seminar or meeting is around RM75.00 per pax (subject to change).

Those interested can contact the front office 609- 617 8866 or visit website www.prinzpark.com
Happy travelling.

60 Tip Mengembara

In November 2012, a Malaysian publisher, Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd has published my manuscript "60 tip Mengembara" (60 tips for traveler) in Bahasa Malaysia. The book is about tips on travelling: before travel, during travel and at places of destination, and post travel.

The book guides the reader on how to become a good Muslim traveler. It touches on clothes, bag, passport and visa, duration of travel, cost, halal food, shopping, and many more. It may be interesting as tips are real, based on experience and my observation during 32 years of international travel. It is a comprehensive checklist for traveler who wish to travel overseas.

This book is available at MPH, Popular, Pustaka Mukmin (KL) and other book stores. Look at religion section, then you can spot it.

Terengganu's Dessert

This one is one of the Terengganu's traditional dessert, usually consume in the afternoon.

It is made of sago with green peas inside. Now, they have made some innovation by inserting jackfuit as the filler. The sweet gravy made from coconut cream, a little bit of ginger (sliced) and halba. Terengganu folks named this dessert as "asang gupa".

This dessert can be found in most market or evening markets.

Happy tasting.

Masjid Sultan Ismail, Chendering, Kuala Terengganu

This is a new mosque in Chendering, Kuala Terengganu with beautiful design, white in colour. Officially open in December 2011 by his Highness, the Sultan of Terengganu. Located 10 km south of the city centre, this mosque commands a good welcoming sign for Kuala Terengganu. It's about 2 km from the "floating mosque" of Kuala Ibai. It was formerly known as Masjid Raja.

A Hill-top Park in Kuala Terengganu

There is a new park developed by the authority at the top of a hill in Jalan Cherung Lanjut. The site was formerly occupied by the State Secretariat building ( in the 1960's and 1970's ) which is now razed to the ground. The park is the latest addition to the vacant area.

One of the viewing platforms.

The playground.

View of the city from the hill.

 The new park is equipped with children's playground and a few viewing platforms for the visitors to see the overall view of Kuala Terengganu. On top of the hill, there is a building which is planned for restaurant.

There is a road going up the hill from the junction of Jalan Kemajuan and Jalan Cherung Lanjut, near the TNB building.

T-Lodge in Jalan Sultan Muhamad Kuala Terengganu is now closed

I like to update an article that I wrote in 2010 on T-Lodge and shop. It comes to my attention this week, it had been closed.

New Parking Facility in Kuala Terengganu

There is a new multi-level parking in Jalan Batas Baru, Kuala Terengganu being constructed by the local authority. This mechanical parking facilities is the first of its kind in Terengganu. When this facility is operational, it will add more parking spaces for the motorists.

Each unit has 10 car spaces and all in all this parking has 160 car spaces within its buildings

Each column has 10 units of car parking spaces.

The bottom space.

So, if you come to Kuala Terengganu, you can park your car at this Batas Baru parking spaces. Mind you, this parking is only for the normal size car.

Change of traffic flow at Kampong China, Kuala Terengganu

For years, the one way traffic flow at Kampong China Kuala Terengganu started at Kedai Binjai near Seri Malaysia Hotel towards Pasar Kedai Payang. Recently, the local authority  reversed its flow. It started from the central market to Seri Malaysia Hotel. If you come from Seri Malaysia Hotel, you have to take the back road adjacent to the river to go to the market.

Happy traveling.

Terengganu: An Affordable Destination

Malaysia is among the top 10 most affordable destinations in the world where Europeans can go a long way with their Euros for a memorable holiday, according to the German-language Yahoo Travel Magazine. Well done Malaysia!

Terengganu, one of the states in Malaysia is also an affordable destination. Located in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Terengganu has a beautiful 244 km long beach. Its white and sandy beaches were classified as superb beach. Majority of the Terengganu people stay along the coast where the towns flourish. The natural beach trees, casuarinas and coconut trees adorn the coastal beach.

 Terengganu has many interesting places to visit and Kuala Terengganu being the most populated city lies close the river mouth and the sea. There are many hotels here and the food too are superb. Many international events are taken place here: Monsoon Cup (yacht competition), Equestrian, and Arts Performance like Gamelan Music Festival.

You can plan your visit to Terengganu to experience the place, the food, the environment and the culture here. Your itinerary may take packages for 3 days 2 nights, 5 days and 4 nights and if you want to learn more you may stay for one month. Cheaper accommodation is available in the home stay or hostel. Home stay is mushrooming in Terengganu. Happy travelling.

Message to the Tourists: Beware of the Drug Smuggling

Many drug smugglers in the world now use the naive tourists to bring dangerous drug into the country. Some  tourists becomes mules to this syndicate. Malaysia is no exception. Malaysian law is very strict on this. If you were caught with the drug you will be severely punished and if the drug is more than a kilogram, if the court decided so, the punishment is death.

So, be careful with your bags. Always know what is in your bag. Never leave your luggage unattended and lock you luggage. If you need to go to the toilet, bring your luggage with you. Never trust people. If some one  you did not know ask you to keep his or her bags, do not entertain, say you are going off soon. Harsh? No, this is to protect you from unsuspected drug syndicate. I hope I do not frighten you. But it is important to be alert on this menace. Happy travelling.

Terengganu's Taxi: A Good Attempt to be Different

If you come to Terengganu, you will notice that Terengganu's taxi has a few colours that are different from other states. Airport taxi is blue and white in colour while the town taxi is yellow and black in colour.

 Blue and white airport taxi at the arrival hall.

Airport taxi is stationed at Sultan Mahmud Airport in Telaga Batin at the ground floor at the exit of the arrival hall. Before you get your taxi, you need to buy the coupon first at the counter which is located at the arrival hall. You can choose to rent the car or buy the coupon to go to your destination.

The taxi parking area waiting to ferry passengers to all places in Peninsular Malaysia.

For the local taxis, there are stationed in the town centre near the bus station. You have to be careful with the fare as some do not use the meter. Ask first before you go in. You can call the taxi to take you to the airport.

One interesting point to look at is the logo of the local taxi has a motto "Terengganu Hebat" (trans: the Mighty Terengganu? ). The motto is nice and if all the drivers follow rules and etiquette of good driving and play a good host, certainly more people are confident with their service. This will bring more business for them.

The motto: Terengganu Hebat, No Contraints but Opportunity...is written on the front doors.

Next time when you are in Terengganu, look for this taxi to bring you around. Happy travelling.

Ri-Yaz Heritage (Marina resort and Spa) Hotel, Pulau Duyong

Kuala Terengganu has a unique hotel located on Pulau Duyong. This hotel cum spa  has beautiful rooms  and commands good view. The 5-star hotel has a marina and host many events related to annual Monsoon Cup  Competition.

The hotel view from the south bank.

If you want to organize conferences, seminar, corporate dinner and entertainment, wedding reception, this hotel is the perfect venue. Any inquiry click at www.ri-yazheritage.com or 609-627888. Happy travelling.

Map of Terengganu