Foodie Friday: Medan Selera Kampar of Malaysia

Date Visited: 28th May 2015

Travel and food are interrelated, it's hard to separate them apart apparently. And when travel in Malaysia, hunting for food has always indirectly been part and parcel of the itinerary. So when my friends and I were in Kampar last month, my local friend's parents brought us to Medan Selera Kampar (Kampar Food Court) for breakfast.

#1: The bustling of Medan Selera Kampar

Medan Selera Kampar is indeed one of the best place to have variety type of food for breakfast in Kampar. With more than 50 hawker stalls selling different type of food under one roof, for sure we were spoilt for choices. But thanks to my friend's parents for helping us to decide and order the food which the local think are the best one.

#2: This uncle is famous among the local who sits on a stool while frying char kuey teow. 

Once we stepped in the food court,  the first thing came into our sight was this uncle who sat on the stool while frying char kuey teow and we were truly intrigued with the way of his cooking style. My friend's parents told us that his char kuey teow is too popular to the extend that you need to wait for more than half an hour just for the sake of a plate of char kuey teow.

#3: Verdict: This plate of char kuey teow (Stall #32) is full with the amount of "wok hei" as charcoal is being used for frying. Taste wise, it's still acceptable but nothing to shout out somehow. 

Next to the char kuey teow stall is another popular stall among the local, Curry Chu Cheong Fun (Stall #30). Yes, you heard it right - it's chu cheong fun dipped in curry sauce instead the sweet sauce.

#4: Somehow most of my friends preferred the sweet sauce than the curry sauce but for me, this is something unique. 

#5: Kampar version of Lou Shu Fang (literally means rat's tail noodles) - Not a fan of this type of noodle but I tasted the broth and it's taste good.

#6: We supposedly order Ice Blended White Coffee which claimed to be the popular one but as it was too early for freaking cold drink, we substituted with Ice White Coffee instead. 

Another food gained fame in Medan Selera Kampar is the glutinous rice from Stall #42 but unfortunately it closed by the time we were there. Sad, luck wasn't on our side.

Frankly speaking, without the help of my local friend's parents and family who helping to order all the food above, for sure we will miss out the best food in Kampar town. Another thing I love to try is the Curry Chicken Bread but blame our small sized tummy. Perhaps Kampar town again for food adventure?

Medan Selera Kampar
Address: Between Jalan Masjid & Jalan Ampang,
Kampar, Perak, Malaysia.
Operating Hours: 7.30am – 2pm, 7pm-12am

Hotel Review: Le Metrotel of Ipoh, Malaysia

Staying in stylish, chic and trendy boutique hotel has always been part of my travel wishlist, provided still within my budget. Initially before going to Ipoh, I plan to stay in M Boutique Hotel Ipoh but unfortunately it couldn't fit in three of us. And after looked into few factors, we finally chosen to stay in Le Metrotel of Ipoh Town.

#1: Beautifully decorated in the lobby of Le Metrotel

Upon check-in, we were served by a staff with the name of Jessy and she requested a refundable security deposit of RM50. She was indeed friendly and helpful by providing us guide and info about what to eat around the vicinity. However, as it was still early, we're not allowed to check it yet but Jessy allowed us to place all our luggages first.

#2: Internet station solely for hotel guests

#3: Stylish lamp

One of the main factors we chosen this hotel is for its strategic and excellent location. The hotel is located right in the middle of city center surrounded by many famous eateries such as salted chicken, popular Lou Wong Bean Sprout Chicken, Funny Mountain Tao Foo Fah, Foh San Dim Sum and more. Beside eateries, there are even quite number of shops selling confectionery and infamous White Coffee. You will totally be spoilt with variety of choices.   

#4: Our triple room with one queen sized bed and single bed

#5: Television LCD/plasma screen

#6: Complimentary drinking water with coffee and tea making facility

The only downside of this hotel is the size of the room which was pretty small to fit in into three people. Quite surprisingly the size of the room is almost similar to most of the hotels I stayed in Singapore. Perhaps the room is most suitable for two pax instead of three.

#7: Clean bathroom with powerful rain shower

:

#8: So vintage

Free Wifi internet connection within each and every of the room and for the hotel guests with car, there is a free parking space provided. Although the room was basic but it was fairly comfortable and adequate.

All in all, ignore the size of the room, I could say this hotel is definitely an ideal place of stay for travellers seeking cheap, comfort and convenience in Ipoh town.

Tip:
If you are light sleeper, try to request room facing away the main road instead.

Date Stayed: 28 May - 29 May 2015 (1 night)

Rate We Paid :  RM138.00 per night for a triple room without breakfast (Booked via Agoda.com)

Le Metrotel
26-8, Jalan Theatre,  
Ipoh 30300,  
Malaysia.
 

Disclaimer:
This review is truly based on my own personal experience and is my genuine and honest opinion of this hotel, and that I have no personal or business relationship with this establishment.

Art of Old Town, Ipoh

I may sucks at arts and don't even understand at the sophisticated art but that doesn't stop me from loving arts especially the art street. I have to admit that I admired the beautifully painted art street by London-trained Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic which I found they are exceptionally meaningful and interesting, especially across the heritage area of George Town city of Penang. You can't imagine how much fun and trilled I was for hunting down all these colourful art street and wall paintings within the inner city two years ago right after I attended my best friend's wedding in Penang (click here for Penang's Art Street, Wall Paintings & Steel Sculpture)

So when I was in Kampar, Perak last month for another best friend's wedding of mine, besides hunting for the best food in Ipoh town, the first thing to do in my mind was scouting for another art street collection by Ernest Zacharevic himself in Old Town of Ipoh. 

Collaboration together with OldTown White Coffee which is the leading white coffee manufacturer in Malaysia, currently there are 8 unique murals within Old Town of Ipoh:

#1: An Old Uncle Drinking Coffee

Location: On the side wall of OldTown White Coffee and opposite of Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh.

#2: Two Kids on A Paper Plane

Location: Walk further down the road from the first mural which just next to Standard Chartered Bank to be precise. 

#3: Huge Packets of Kopi O

Location: At the car park opposite of Maybank branch in Jalan Tun Sambanthan

#4: Yellow Hummingbird

Location: At the car park in Jalan Panglima (Both #3 and #4 are located nearby to each other)

#5: Tin Mining Town With Chinese-Style Painting

Location: Jalan Bijeh Timah

#6: Old Man with Trishaw

Location: At the small alley of Jalan Bijeh Timah

#7: A Bag of Coffee

Location: Jalan Bandar Timah

#8: Little Girl with Bird Cage

Location: Jalan Bandar Timah

To ease your search looking for all the above arts, I have included map as the following:

[Source] 

Frankly speaking, these 8 art streets are located not far from each other but because my friends were too lazy to walk around and plus, it was raining in the middle of scouting around, we travelled by car instead. Thanks to my friend in black shirt (photo #8) for bringing us around Ipoh.

Oh wait! I heard the latest addition of Ernest Zacharevic's collection is in Kuching town. Can't wait to be back Kuching again.

[Credit To: Ipoh Tourism Board Official Website, Always Travelicious]

Summary of My 5D4N Hatyai, Thailand (2013) Travelogue & Travel Expenses

Here is the compilation for all the post relating to my trip to Hatyai, Thailand for 5 days and 4 nights. Plus, by end of this post, I also share on how much I spent throughout my trip.

Day 1: 21st June 2013

Stay: Centara Hotel

From Hatyai International Airport to Centara Hotel, we took taxi which cost 320 baht per ride.
As for the hotel room, the rate per night is RM192.10 for a superior queen room inclusive breakfast.

Shabushi by Oishi at Lee Gardens Plaza 

We had our late lunch in Shabushi, a Japanese restaurant serving shabu-shabu and sushi in a buffet style. It cost 345 baht per head. Each patron is given 75 minutes to enjoy their meal, or else additional cost will be charged.

Day 2: 22nd June 2013

Klong Hae Floating Market

We took tuk-tuk to this floating market and it cost 420 for a return trip. The driver agreed to give us 3 hour to venture around. Most of the time these tuk-tuk drivers would eventually approach you everytime step out from the hotel, especially if you are staying nearby Lee Garden Plaza. Klong Hae Floating Market is only open from Friday to Sunday. Generally, the vendors start to operate from 3pm to 9pm.

Day 3: 23nd June 2013

A Day Tour Around Hatyai

We got the best price of 1,000 baht for our day trip around Hatyai and Songkla. Normally, the tour starts from 9 am until 4 or 5pm at least but we ended earlier cause the weathers was unbearable hot. Throughout this trip, we managed to visit Wat Hat Yai Nai, Hatyai Ice Dome (Admission Fee: 300 baht for adult and 200 baht for children), Chang Puak Camp, Songkhla Aquarium (Admission Fee: 300 baht for adult and 200 baht for children), The Great Serpent and Golden Mermaid Statue.

Day 4: 24th June 2013

Big C Supermarket, Fuji Japanese Restaurant, Sky Buffet & Gelate

A day before leaving Hatyai, my friend and I decided to go Big C Supermarket for local snacks. And as usual, we took tut-tuk. Expecting to pay 100 baht per ride cause it's located quite distance away from the city center. After shopping, we had Fuji Japanese Restaurant for lunch. Not just they served great and delicious Japanese meals but the prices were pretty attractive and reasonable. As for our dinner, we had the famous sky buffet dinner located on the highest floor of Lee Gardens Plaza in Hatyai. Imagine for the price tag of only 169 baht, it's no harm for us to try before leaving this place permanently on the next onwards.

Extra Feature:

• Keep Calm & Travel to Hatyai (Sneak Peek)

And the following is the details of my travel expenses that I spend for my 5 days and 4 nights trip in Hatyai, Thailand:

(The exchange rate by the time I changed; RM10.42: 100 baht)

NOTE:

1. The cheapest airfare I ever bought! When can I get this kind of fare again? 
2. 15kg baggage allowance for my flight from Hatyai to Kuala Lumpur.
3. Stayed for 4 nights throughout the trip, which including the breakfast as well. Highly recommended hotel to stay when in Hatyai. 

My shopping hauls from the floating market 

My food hauls from Big C Extra Supermarket 

We Eat, Shop & Sleep in Hatyai: Day 4 - Big C Extra, Fuji Japanese Restaurant, Sky Buffet & Gelate

Date Visited: 24th June 2013

I know that my friend and I had spent too many days in Hatyai alone but frankly speaking, we really enjoyed our laid back trip. As it was our last day before leaving Hatyai on the next day, we decided to shop for local snacks and after searching from the net, we took tuk-tuk to the nearest Big C Supermarket.

#1: Big C Extra

Big C is one of the biggest supermarket chains in Thailand selling quality products at affordable and low prices. It's not just visited by the local but by the foreign visitors as well, especially the one in Bangkok where you will be surprised that majority of the customers there were eventually foreign visitors.

#2: My food haul - Lays Potato Chips & Glico Biscuit Sticks 

Done with shopping, our next activity would be fulfilling our hungry tummy. We didn't waste any of our time of choosing what and where to eat cause both of us already decided to dine in Fuji Japanese Restaurant which situated within the building. We had it once before in Don Muang International Airport of Bangkok and we love to have it again. Not just they served great and delicious Japanese meals but the prices were pretty attractive and reasonable.

#3: We ordered Fuji Special Bento Set and Takoyaki. Total damage = 498 baht for two

Back to our hotel which just 10 minutes away by taking tuk-tuk, we continued our day with foot massage. It's like everytime I went Thailand, massage is one of the things I will do, beside shopping and eat. Simply because it's cheap - an hour of massage for only 200 baht. Where can you get this price back in Malaysia, right?

As for our dinner, I came across a blog whereby there is a famous sky buffet located on the highest floor of Lee Gardens Plaza in Hatyai. Imagine for the price tag of only 169 baht, it's no harm for us to try before leaving this place permanently on the next onwards.

#4: Sky Buffet is actually located at 33rd floor, not 10th floor as what stated above

#5: The buffet mainly served authentic Thai cuisines with few Western meals

It's free seating, therefore you can choose whenever you want to sit and dine in. Of course, my friend and I prefer to sit nearby the window to enjoy the view overlooking of Hatyai city. The restaurant is kinda huge, which I personally think can accommodate up to 1,000 people at least. Food wise, they served authentic Thai cuisines such as green curry chicken, Thai fish cake, Tom Yam Gung and few Western meals such as fried chicken and fries. They also served desserts too. But to be honest, the food was so-so only. Nothing to shout about but for the price of 169 baht, I can't complaint much anywhere.

#6: View overlooking of Hatyai city

#7: Gelate - Not from the sky buffet but from one of the shop within Lee Gardens Plaza and this is how we ended our day

Things To Do & See in Tamparuli

Tamparuli is a small and quaint town located 40 minutes away from Kota Kinabalu city center, depending on the traffic conditions and how fast your driving speed. It's a town you will passby before making your way to the Kundasang, Ranau, Sandakan and even Tawau.

 Besides serve as a stopover town, there are more than a Tamparuli town can offers.  

1) Confuse Yourself in Upside Down House

The Upside Down House, or Rumah Terbalik in Malay translation is the first of its kind in Malaysia as well as in Southeast Asia and also among the seven upside-down structures built in the world. Inside this 140 square metre of traditional Sabah kampung house, it is technically built just like any other houses, features a living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom with unique features of Sabah decor and design inside the house. Just that everything inside the house, from the household items to furniture is viewed in a new and different perspective, actually upside down except for few items such as air-conditioner and CCTV. Each and every visitor would be guided by a tour inside the house. However, bear in the mind photography inside the house is strictly prohibited.

among the five upside-down structures in the world

among the five upside-down structures in the world

Opening Hours: Daily from 7am to 7pm (including public holiday)
Admission Fee: Malaysian - RM10.60 for adult and RM5.30 for child
                        Non Malaysian - RM19.10 for adult and RM5.30 for child

2) Satisfy Your Hungry Tummy with Tamparuli Fried Noodle

Named after the town where it was originated, Tamparuli Fried Noodle (Tamparuli Mee) is a freshly handmade egg noodle and usually served with roasted pork, egg pork rolls and scrambled egg. You can request for seafood if you want. Some people said it looks similar to Tuaran Fried Noodle (Tuaran Mee) but I personally think it's more springy than the latter one. A plate of Tamparuli Fried Noodle cost RM5.

There are two coffee shops serve the best authentic Tamparuli Fried Noodle; Keng Swee Hing Coffee Shop and Restoran Wun Chiap. [You can refer this blog for more info about the location]

3) Embrace Yourself Walking Through Tamparuli Suspension Bridge

The most famous landmark in Tamparuli is the long hanging bridge, which is immortalised in the song Jambatan Tamparuli, a favourite folk song of the Kadazan Dusun people of Sabah. Tamparuli Suspension Bridge is very important to the local as it was built in order to help people to cross the Tamparuli River.

4) Understand The Local Culture in Chanteek Borneo Gallery

Chanteek Borneo Gallery is Sabah's first ever miniature gallery showcases an array of exhibition to preserve our Sabahan cultural heritage in a size of a “playdoll”. Here, one can see hundreds of playdoll wearing the traditional costumes of the over 40 ethnic groups of Sabahan local people. This is the best spot to see the beautiful and colourful costumes of the past and present of Sabah as some of the costumes are hardly seen nowadays except during festivities such as the Harvest Festival which is celebrated this coming end of May.


By the end of the tour, my friend and I have the opportunity to play the traditional musical instruments. It was exceptionally fun and interesting.

Opening Hours: Tuesday - Saturday from 9am to 6pm
                             Sunday from 10 am to 4.30 pm
                             Closed on Monday. 
Admission Fee: RM15.00 for adult and RM10.00 for child and senior citizen.
Camera Pass: RM5.00 is charged for each gadget

It's real! Sakura in Sabah.

We're lucky while driving along the Tamparuli road, we saw a row of trees with glorious of white and pink blossoming flowers early of this May.

One of the best way to visit all the above in Tamparuli town is by renting a car for a day. Or before going up to the Kundasang and Ranau, plan your trip earlier.

Before I end this blogpost of mine, I would like to wish 

Happy Harvest Festival & Happy Gawai 

to all fellow Sabahan and Sarawakian readers!

We Eat, Shop & Sleep in Hatyai: A Day Tour Around Hatyai

Date Visited: 23rd June 2013

Initially on the third day in Hatyai, my friend and I decided to continue shopping but not until we were approached by a almost middle aged lady for a day tour around Hatyai. After haggled for almost ten minutes, we finally agreed with the price offered of 1,000 baht travel around with her tuk-tuk. Be make sure to do research of the market price beforehand, or else you will likely being ripped off with with absurdly high prices. I always do my research earlier at least, by reading blogs, TripAdvisor and so on.

Wat Hat Yai Nai

Not far away from the Hatyai city center, we started off by visiting Wat Hat Yai Nai, which known as Temple of Wisdom. This temple is well-known for a gigantic statue of sleeping Buddha, named Phra Phuttha Hattha Mongkhon. With the measurement of 35 metres long, 15 metres tall and 10 metres wide, Wat Hat Yai Nai is claimed to be the third largest reclining Buddha in the world. No admission fee is required, just a small donation would be appreciated.


Hatyai Ice Dome


I knew about this place exist but we came here without any early preparation; wore short pants and slippers which is totally insane! But we glad that we were provided with thick coats and warm gloves before entering. Upon entering, we were amazed with the beautiful colourful ice sculptures being displayed around such as our proud iconic, KLCC as well as other famous landmarks around the world. It was really pretty impressive and we were indeed enjoyed the ice cold feeling inside but just make sure in case you are interesting to visit here, please wear long pants and shoes.

Admission fee: 300 baht (Adult) and 200 baht (Children)
Opening Hour: 10 am to 8 pm

Chang Puak Camp


Chang Puak camp is the place for those who are interested with elephant trekking activities. Besides elephant trekking, they even offer other fun activities such as ATV and archery. However, we just dropped for few minutes for phototaking and left instantly. I'm strongly disagree with elephant riding activities, especially after seeing the animal cruelty exposed. It's indeed heartbreaking.

Songkhla Aquarium


After more than 40 minutes of ride from Hatyai district, we reached a small, beach side town of Songkhla and the first place we went was Songkhla Aquarium. Our tour guide convinced us to visit this home to a great variety of both fresh and salt-water fish. Don't expecting this aquarium as big as the one in Singapore or even in Langkawi as it was quite small but sufficient enough for a visit in less than an hour. If you are bringing small kids with you, then this would be one of the recommend place to be but if not, well perhaps you could just skip this place cause honestly speaking, nothing much to see here. The only thing we enjoyed the most was the feeding time performance.



Admission fee: 300 baht (Adult) and 200 baht (Children)
Opening Hour: Tuesday to Sunday (Close on Monday)

The Great Serpent

One of the popular attractions around Songkhla is the statue of "The Great Serpent" found on the sea shore. This Nag is highly respected in southern Thailand as it believed to bring happiness and good fortune to the population of the town.

Golden Mermaid Statue


Probably Songkhla's most photographed tourist attraction, this golden mermaid statue sits on a rock on the Samila white sandy beach. A visit to Songkhla is incomplete without seeing this statue and this is the reason why I agreed to take the day tour trip, just mainly for this.

Besides the places we went, eventually there are even more places you could consider when visiting Hatyai such as:

• Hatyai Municipal Park
• Tang Kuan Hills of Songkhla
• Hatyai Cable Car

and more but we decided to end the trip earlier as we were exhausted and the weather was unbearable hot.