Kidzania- Sneak Peek into an Adult's World

If you are traveling to Kuala Lumpur with your kids in tow, then a visit to the activity cum entertainment center Kidzania is definitely recommended. Kidzania is an indoor info-entertainment space that aims to teach young ones the art of dealing with the real world. Kidzania in Kuala Lumpur is located within the city’s Curve mall and is a franchise of a world-wide chain, which operates in various locations around the world.

Once children enter KidZania, they encounter a child-size replica of a real city consisting of buildings, stores, cinemas, street-lights pedestrians, vehicles, and more.  The entire enterprise encourages role-play of all sorts, as it urges children to try their hand at a profession they seem naturally inclined to or then are curious about. At the Kuala Lumpur outpost of KidZania, sixty diverse establishments offer 90 entertaining activities suitable for children aged four to twelve.

However, before the children can start off with these various activities, they have to open a saving account at the KidZania bank and receive Kidzos or the official currency used in the world of KidZania. The kids receive Kidzos in the form of cash and working debit card and they use these Kidzo to pay for a particular activity or class. For example, at the chef’s station the kids are offered Oreo-making or sushi-making classes which are both paid activities. Each establishment located within Kidzania has a listing of the amount of Kidzos needed to be dispensed with, if a child wishes to participate in the particular activity offered by the facility. The listing also has details about the expected length of time of each activity, the suitability for various ages and the amount of Kidzos, that the child will earn when he or she completes the role play at that particular station.

Armed with their Kidzos, the young ones then head towards the various KidZania establishments to try their hand at the very real-world professions like being a chef, a fireman, a TV presenter, a dentist, a pilot, a doctor, a midwife, a hairdresser  and even a CIA agent. As they perform each role, for e.g. check teeth while role-playing at being a dentist, they earn Kidzos. The kids can then choose to spend their Kidzos or then save their Kidzos for their next visit.

Accompanying parents are not allowed into the various establishments while their kids perform their ‘tasks’, though they are allowed to watch from the outside. Kidzania Kuala Lumpur is also outfitted with an  air-conditioned parent’s  lounge equipped with food and free Wi-Fi, which is located on an upper floor, where you can relax and wait while your young ones have  the time of the lives playing at working in a grown up’s world.

http://www.kidzania.com.my/

 

Luxury travel in Malaysia

Malaysia over the years has come to be known as a premier luxury travel destination.  Most of the top notch hospitality companies like the Four Seasons, the Mandarin Oriental, and the Shangri-La have a presence in Malaysia along with homegrown luxe chains like the hotels and resorts belonging to the YTL hotel and resorts group. No matter where you choose to vacation in Malaysia, you are bound to find luxe accommodation if you so desire. Some popular luxury hotel properties in Malaysia include:-

The Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur

 iPod docking stations and CD players, LCD TVs with satellite and cable channels, DVD players, coffee and tea makers, in-room safes and more. The rooms also feature well-stocked minibars and spacious ensuite bathrooms. Guests are offered complimentary bottled water, newspapers and can be supplied with in-room massages as well. Additional facilities at the hotel include an outdoor infinity pool, a fitness center, a business center, meeting rooms, an onsite spa and as many as eleven food and beverage outlets, which offer a range of local and international eats along with a variety of libations. The hotel is equipped to cater for large events like weddings and conventions as well.
The Mandarin Oriental is located near the heart of Kuala Lumpur, close to the city’s landmark attractions the Petronas Twin Towers, the Suria KLCC Shopping Center and the KLCC Park. This luxury hotel hosts 643, well-appointed, air-conditioned guest rooms and suites are outfitted with amenities like
http://www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur/

Shangri-La Rasa Ria Resort, Kota Kinabalu

The Shangri-La group’s award winning Rasa Ria resort occupies a 400 acre site on Pantai Dalit Beach in Kota Kinabalu. The luxe air-conditioned 420 rooms and suites at the hotel are outfitted with lanais/balconies and feature amenities like LCD TVs with cable and satellite channels, coffee/tea makers, in-room safes, minibars and more. The bathrooms attached to each room are well-stocked with sumptuous Shangri La branded toiletries and feature both shower and bath areas. Complimentary wireless internet is offered in guest rooms and throughout the large hotel..

The hotel is further equipped with an 18-hole golf course, a full service spa, a 64-acre nature reserve and three swimming pools. It also offers much water sporting action on its pristine beach front along with slow moving, restful catamaran cruises. Eight food and beverage outlets cater to the dining needs of guests by offering a wide range of local and international eats.
http://www.shangri-la.com/kotakinabalu/rasariaresort/

The Datai , Langkawi

Consistently ranked amongst the top hotel properties in the world, the stunning Datai hotel property is situated on a white sand beachfront on the northernmost tip of Langkawi. The hotel is encircled by miles of pristine rainforests and offers a variety of accommodation choices in the form of private villas, beach villas, rooms and suites. The guest accommodations at the Datai are adorned Malay-style and feature locally sourced furnishings and trimmings. Recreation facilities at the Datai include an exclusive 18-hole championship golf course, an onsite spa offering a range of rejuvenating treatments, two outdoor swimming pools, a well-equipped fitness center and a private, pristine beach front. Four food and beverage outlets at the Datai offer Asian and international cuisines.
http://www.dataihotels.com/

The Eastern and Oriental Hotel, Penang

Penang’s historic Eastern and Oriental hotel dates back to the 19^th century, and is often described as the last word in luxury. Popularly referred to as ‘E&O’, this all-suite hotel is made up of two main sections, a historic heritage wing and the contemporary Victory Annex wing.

This exception hotel is adorned with luxe old-world furnishings and antiques and offers a range of top-notch facilities like round the clock butler service, an expansive outdoor swimming pool, an onsite full-service spa, a well-equipped fitness center and free Wi-Fi, a much appreciated amenity in an age where smartphones and tablets are omnipresent.

The hotel’s suites are spacious and feature well-defined work and sleep areas. Although outfitted in a rather classical style, the suites all offer modern-day conveniences like LCD TVs with cable channels, in-room safes and more. The hotel hosts six dining outlets offering a range of local and international eats including the much favored English afternoon tea sets, a throwback to the colonial era.
http://www.eohotels.com

Pangkor Laut , Perak

The Pangkor Laut resort belongs to the YTL stable of hotels and resorts and is a favorite with honeymooners and guests who crave privacy. The hotel which is situated on a private island off the west coast of Malaysia along the Straits of Malacca, can be accessed by sea via a thirty –minute ferry ride or then via a helicopter ride from the town of Lamut

The resort is a villa-only hotel and the guest accommodations at the hotel, offer either sea or garden views. Further all villas feature balconies and are outfitted conveniences like in-room safes, flat screen TVs, tea/coffee makers and so forth.  The rooms also feature attached bathrooms provided with signature toiletries. Recreational facilities at the resort include a well-equipped gym, two outdoor swimming pools, tennis and squash courts. The resort also features a full-service spa and hosts eight food and beverage outlets offering a wide range of cuisines. http://www.pangkorlautresort.com/

Stately Sikh Temples

It is a well-known fact that Malaysia is home to a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic population composed of Malays, Chinese, Indians and other indigenous peoples. Records indicate that ethnic Indians make up 7% of Malaysia’s total population of 29 million (according to 2012 estimates). The Sikh population in Malaysia today is believed to be approximately 100,000 to 150,000 strong.

The Sikhs first arrived in Malaysia in the 19^th century. The first known Sikhs were political prisoners who had been banished to Malaya for anti-British activities in India.  Thereafter the process of migration of Sikhs to Malaysia started in waves, but rather than as political prisoners, the Sikhs arrived as recruits in the British colonial forces. The first gurudwara (Sikh place of worship) was in fact set up by a Sikh policeman in Fort Cornwallis in Penang State in 1881.

Sikhs tend to believe that praying together as part of a congregation is as important as praying alone. For this reason wherever a Sikh community is established, a gurudwara or ‘the house of god’ is soon set up to meet the cultural, religious, educational needs of the community.

A gurudwara has several features that distinguish it from a regular Hindu Temple. For instance, a Sikh gurudwara is always adorned with a flag pole known as ‘nishan sahib’. The pole is always fitted with the traditional triangular yellow or deep orange Sikh flag. This flag is usually made of cotton or silk and sports a Sikh symbol, the Sikh coat of arms known as ‘Khanda’. A metallic version of this symbol is often mounted at the entrance of the gurudwara or then affixed atop its dome (if the structure has a dome).

 A gurudwara is usually made of several different sections like the darbar or the main hall, the langgar hall where communal meals are prepared and served and the sachkhand, usually located in the innermost section of the edifice where the Sikh holy book of scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib is stored at night. During the day, this Guru Granth Sahib is usually placed on an elevated platform which faces the entrance of the gurduwara.

At the center of Sikhism, is the concept that there is only one god who is formless and thus idol worship is condemned by Sikh scriptures. It is for this reason that gurudwaras don’t feature any idols of deities rather the focus of attention is the much venerated tome, the Guru Granth Sahib.

Malaysia at present is home to 119 Sikh gurdwaras or Sikh temples. The State of Perak which hosts a substantial Sikh population has the largest number of Sikh gurdwaras in the country, forty-two at last count.

Some of the most well-known and stately gurudwaras in Malaysia include:-

Tatt Khalsa Diwan, Kuala Lumpur

Located in the heart of the capital city, in an area known as Kampung Baru, is the Tatt Khalsa Diwan gurudwara. The building that houses the gurudwara is believed to have been inspired by the Golden Temple of Amritsar. The gurudwara is renowned for its durbur which is reputed to be the largest and perhaps the finest, prayer hall in all of Southeast Asia.

The Gurudwara Sahib Seremban, Negeri Sembilan

The Gurudwara Sahib Seremban, located at Jalan Yam Tuan, Seremban dates back to the early 1900’s. This gurudwara was founded by a Sikh para-military police force which was stationed in the area though they were believed to have been helped by a few Sikh cattle owners who had settled in the area. Today the gurudwara is not only an important place of worship for the Sikh community of Seremban, but it also serves as a prominent tourist attraction.

Gurudwara Sahib Mantin, Negeri Sembilan

The Gurudwara Sahib in the Mukim of Setul was built in the 1890’s and is believed to be the oldest Sikh Gurudwara in the State of Negeri Sembilan.

This  gurudwara was constructed by the local Sikhs who worked as watchmen in the tin mines of the area. The original structure of the gurudwara was fashioned out of wooden planks topped with a roof made of wood sourced from the attap tree.

Over the years, the gurudwara has undergone many structural changes and today this magnificent place of worship is one of the busiest gurudwaras during Sikh festivals.

Gurdwara Sahib Johor Bahru

Records indicate that a Sikh community was established in the state of Johor, in the late 19^th century. Most of the members of the community were employed in the police force though some of them also served in the Johor Sultan’s guard force.

In April 1916, the Sikhs requested for a piece of land from the Johor Police Commissioner to build a Sikh Gurudwara. They were allotted a muddy and swampy plot of land in 1921.

The Sikhs then went about reclaiming this land by filling it with much sand and stones. They then proceeded to build the Johor gurudwara at this site in late 1921.  The original structure was built of timber and went on to stand for a number of years until it was rebuilt in 1960.Today the Gurudwara Sahib, Johor is a prominent landmark located in the heart of the city of Johor Bahru, the capital of the state of Johor.