Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Langkawi 2012

July 27, 2012

Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Langkawi 2012

Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia Langkawi

KCC1M Langkawi is back again this year, bringing updates on the latest happenings on this enchanting island, made evident through many new developments and improvements on its tourism products. This year, Gaya Travel Magazine again collaborated with Tourism Malaysia, including Langkawi Development Authority, Firefly, Starbucks Coffee Malaysia and Yeo’s in bringing the KCC1M participants to Langkawi to explore and experience the mystical island’s latest offerings.

WHAT WE SAW & DID…

Langkawi Craft Complex

” Congkak “

Langkawi Craft Complex

An introduction on Batik Drawing

Langkawi Craft Complex

Langkawi Craft Complex sits on a 32-acre land that houses all handicraft products from Langkawi and other places in Malaysia. The idea of setting up this craft complex was drawn by Malaysia’s former Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed, in the effort to showcase and uplift the image of local crafts. Among the products available here include batik apparels, basketries from old newspapers, wood carvings, coral and forestry products.

Langkawi Craft Complex showcases and sells local crafs, besides allowing visitors to appreciate the fineness of the traditional local workmanship. This is done through visiting the Wedding Museum and Heritage Museum, both displaying original artefacts, including wedding costumes of all races, wedding set up and accessories, traditional gardening, farming tools, traditional games and more that can rarely be found elsewhere.

With the existence of Langkawi Craft Complex, the local craft products can be commercialised and improve the economic conditions of the locals as the demand for the products increased. Langkawi Craft Complex also offers workshop for batik-drawing and crystal-blowing, apart from organising events such as appreciation programmes with media, the Art of Malay Weapons Exhibition and Malaysian Crafts Promotion, held from 29 November to 9 December annually.

Sky Mall

Langkawi International Airport

Langkawi International Airport

Sky Mall at Langkawi International Airport

Many other brands for shopping plessure before departure.

The Sky Mall measures 232.25 square metres, housing branded merchandise such as perfumes and cosmetics, chocolates, apparels, skin care products, golfing gears, souvenirs, camera and a long list of other branded products. This duty-free stores carry the largest skin care products and perfumery in the northern region.

Among the brands that occupy its shelf are Chanel, Christian Dior, Estee Lauder, Clinique, Lancome, Givenchy, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, YSL, DKNY, Clarins, Lab Series, Bobbi Brown, Guerlain Urban Decay, MAC, Revlon and many other brands for shopping pleasure before departure. It is wholly owned by DR Group Holdings, a company that mainly operates duty-free outlets.

Oriental Concept Apparel Store (OCAS) @ Oriental Village

Oriental Concept Apparel Store (OCAS) @ Oriental Village

Varieties of clothes at Oriental Concept Apparel Store (OCAS) @ Oriental Village

The latest fashion attraction in Langkawi is the ever stylish boutique of apparel, Oriental Concept Apparel Store (OCAS). OCAS is a collaboration between Bumiputra Designer Association (BDA) and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) in line with the vision by LADA’s CEO, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, to make Langkawi one of the world’s top fashion hub.

OCAS houses all sorts of beachwear and arrays of attires and accessories for men and women such as shoes and jewelleries, including children’s clothing, all designed by top designers of the country like Datin Sharifah Kirana, Datuk Rizalman, Amir Luqman, FiZiWoo and Neelofa. There are also other nine designers who combine their creativity together to come up with stylish beach wear.

OCAS represents the biggest fashion collaboration among local designers and the number of designers taking part is expected to increase. OCAS aims to organise at least two fashion shows a year and the pieces on the top shelf will be renewed from time to time to ensure that the designs are relevant to the current trend.

Kuah Town

Kuah Town, Langkawi

Kuah Town is where the goverGaleria Perdananment administration offices are mostly located due to its strategic location, which is 10 minutes away from the Kuah Jetty (the entry point for those who travel by ferry) and 20 minutes’ drive from Langkawi International Airport. This is also the hub for duty-free shopping that offers interesting bargains on various goods and merchandises like chocolates, crockery and cutlery sets, luggage and more.

Kuah is simply too tempting for us to resist that the KKC1M Langkawi participants visited the place twice: the first was for the vibrant Kuah night market that sells almost everything and the second was for duty-free items.

Galeria Perdana

Galeria Perdana, Langkawi

Galleries

The Collection

Galeria Perdana opened its door to the public in 1996, showcasing all souvenirs and mementos given to the country’s fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and his beloved wife, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd. Ali, while he was in office.

This grand gallery complex is divided into three buildings: one houses souvenirs for the home such as cutlery sets, vases, paintings, carvings and ornaments, to big items such as cars, motorcycles, trishaws and more – all are tokens of appreciation and adornment to this great leader who led the country for over 20 years.

Designed by Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah’s brother, Datuk Zainal Mohd. Ali, Galeria Perdana is infused with Islamic architectural elements from Uzbekistan, depicted clearly on the main domes of each building. The intricate design and meticulous works are detailed beautifully, The dome of the main building alone took about 6 months to be completed, requiring 30 highly trained Uzbek carvers working around the clock to hand-carve and hand-paint the dome.\

Cable Car @ Oriental Village

Cable car at Oriental Village

The best way to admire Langkawi’s landscape is from the top of Mat Cincang mountain. To get there, visitors need to take the cable car from the base at the Oriental Village. The cable car service is operated by Panorama Langkawi and utilises imported technology from Switzerland and Austria to ensure quality and safety of the passengers.

Being ferried to the top of Mat Cincang in a car that sits six persons maximum, visitors will be able to admire the amazing geological formation of the Mat Cincang range that occurred some 450 million years ago and the sweeping view of lush dipterocarp trees underneath.

There are two observation stations on the Mat Cincang range: one is located 650 metres above sea level, while the other is 713 metres above sea level, offering a 360-degree panoramic view of this legendary island.

For a more memorable experience, visitors may opt for the “Cable Car Sunset Ride”, which allows visitors to take the cable car ride at dusk, just in time to witness the amazing sunset. The 1,700-metre ascending ride during sunset is bound to mesmerise.

Sunset Cruise by Tropical Charters

enjoying the gush of the sea during sea Jacuzzi

Sunset Cruise by Tropical Charters

Kembara Cuti-Cuti 1Malaysia, Langkawi

Island Hopping

Your total Langkawi experience would seem incomplete if you do not try the sunset cruise by Tropical Charters. Guests on board the catamaran will get to experience cruising among some of Langkawi’s 99 islands while getting the chance to enjoy sea Jacuzzi.

The KCC1M Langkawi participants were indeed lucky to be hosted by the CEO of Tropical Charters, Datuk Alexander J, when they were on board. Delicious food and fun entertainment were offered on board as the catamaran cruised into the sunset

LILAC (Langkawi International Laksa Carnival )

Langkawi International Laksa Carnival – LILAC

Varieties of food during Langkawi International Laksa Carnival – LILAC

For the very first time, Langkawi celebrated the famed local delicacy, laksa, by organising the Langkawi International Laksa Carnival (LILAC) from the 25th until the 27th of May 2012. During the event, the island witnessed the battle among the chefs in the making of the best laksa, involving local personalities such as Chef Riz, Chef Shukri, Chef Daisy Lee and Chef Chandran, including international chefs such as Chef Garth Welsh, Chef Michael Elwing and Chef Frederic Cerchil who demonstrated their laksa-making skills and practice.

LILAC attracted food lovers to savour the variety of laksa and join the competitions such as Laksa-Making, Inter-School Culinary Challenge and Laksa-Eating. Hosted by the Malaysia’s celebrity chef, Chef Wan, who was also the chief judge for the competitions, this three-day event took place at Laman Padi due to its strategic location and space.Apart from gastronomic offerings, LILAC also offered visitors quality time with their family and friends through supplemental activities such as sky dancing demonstration, fire starter performance and colouring contests for children.

WHAT WE ATE…

Langkawi Food Trail by Tourism Malaysia Langkawi

Cendol Kak Bedah

Restoran Siti Fatimah

Restauran Gulai Panas Kuala Teriang

Jom Ikan Bakar

Langkawi is well-known for many food attractions that keeps visitors clamouring for more. One of the must-dos in Langkawi is to follow the Langkawi Food Trail, which lists out some eating places worth visiting as recommend by Tourism Malaysia. These places are chosen based on the quality of food and restaurant’s hygiene. KCC1M participants were certainly delighted to be given the opportunity to follow the trail and discover mouth-watering delights along the way. The food trail guide can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centres.

Jom Ikan Bakar

Jom Ikan Bakar serves authentic northern Peninsular Malaysia dishes, offering various types of specially grilled fish using charcoal and eaten with specially made condiment. This well-known restaurant is strategically located in Padang Mat Sirat. The food ranges from the milky and spicy curry to crispy fried chicken, beef, lamb, fish, seafood and vegetables. The restaurant opens from 11.30 am until 3.30 pm, catering for the lunch crowd only.

Restoran Gulai Panas Kuala Teriang

Restoran Gulai Panas Kuala Teriang serves a wide selection of traditional gulai (curry), in which the owner, Mak Teh, cooks herself using her family’s secret recipe. The restaurant is situated beside the road and only a 15-minute drive away from Pantai Cenang. Customers who come here have the liberty to choose the types of fish and how they want the fish to be cooked – all of the dishes are freshly prepared on the spot.

Restoran Siti Fatimah

If you are looking for kerabu bronok, this is the best place for you to savour this exotic dish along with over 50 other delectable dishes. Kerabu bronok is actually a local salad. Its main ingredient is bronok, which is a type of sea cucumber that can be found throughout Langkawi. During preparation, the bronok is mixed with vegetables and grated coconut ‘meat’, usually eaten with rice and other dishes. Restoran Siti Fatimah is definitely one of the best places for tourists to savour authentic Malay traditional dishes.

Cendol Pulut Kak Bedah

This is another must-visit gastronomic attraction in Langkawi because the cendol here is deliciously refreshing. Cendol is a Malaysian traditional dessert made out of flour and served with coconut milk, brown sugar, glutinous rice, jelly grass and a few other sweet things, served chilled to quench your thirst during hot days. Other than cendol, there are other light dishes served here like rojak, glass noodle, tom yam and prawn noodle, among others. However, the one that all visitors must try is the divine cendol pulut.

WHERE WE STAYED…

Four Points by Sheraton

Four Points by Sheraton

Interior of Four Points by Sheraton

Interior room of Four Points by Sheraton

The pool of Four Points by Sheraton

Four Points by Sheraton Langkawi is the first Four Points Resort in Asia and one of the closest resorts to Langkawi International Airport. There are two blocks housing the 214 rooms, varying from the most luxurious accommodation, the Four Points Suite, to the standard rooms, known as the Comfort Rooms. Each tastefully-decorated room comes with private balcony and equipped with 32” LCD television, tea and coffee facilities, safe deposit box, cable and wireless broadband connections, bath robes, room slippers, stationeries and hair dryer.

For gastronomic enthusiasts, Four Points Langkawi offers The Eatery, the casual dining outlet that is open for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner, serving local and international dishes. In addition to The Eatery, the Wrapped and Lounge at the lobby are outlets that are ready to host guests for cocktails and snacks.

Four Points Resort Langkawi owns the biggest infinity swimming pool on the island, covering an area of 56 square metres, located between the resort and the one-kilometre pristine beach. A gymnasium is set up by the pool, operating 24 hours, with sufficient equipment to cater to guests’ fitness needs when being away from home.

KCC1M Dinner @ Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort

Dinner at Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort

CEO of LADA, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli

From us Gaya Travel Magazine

On the third night, the KCC1M Langkawi Official Dinner was held at the Mutiara Burau Bay Beach Resort to give appreciation to all parties that helped make the KCC1M Langkawi 2012 program a success. All product owners, officers from Tourism Malaysia Information Centre (TMIC) and Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), including the KCC1M Langkawi 2012 participants, attended the event.

The dinner was graced by the CEO of LADA, Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, who came to meet and greet all guests to show his appreciation for their cooperation in promoting Langkawi as a tourist destination of choice. He also presented the tokens of appreciation to all sponsors and product owners, including LADA, which is the main sponsor for KCC1M Langkawi 2012, apart from Firefly, Starbucks Coffee Malaysia and Yeo’s.Finally, guests were entertained by a spontaneous fashion show by models who were none other than the KKC1M Langkawi participants themselves. These ‘models’ were