Penang Butterfly Farm has about 400 flying butterflies from 120 species in an enclosure of 41 by 43 meters. The beautiful gardens are landscaped in such a manner to allow visitors to be surprised by exhibition station at each hidden nook and corner of the enclosure. Visit every station and read every highlight. You will miss a lot if you do not do so. Observe every small activity. You will discover the characteristic can be observed up to arm's length. You can observe the other exhibitions so closely that you can discern their secrets.
Watch out for the butterfly eggs, caterpillars and pupae. Observe butterflies coming out of their pupal case, still wet and just waiting to soar in flight around the gardens. See the giant grasshopper, the legendary scorpions and 10-inch long millipedes! Search for the phantom insects (phasmid)! At the snake corner, observe some species of tree snake, oriental whip snake, red tailed racers and pit vipers. Be astounded by frogs, water monitor lizard and other small exotic lizards from Malaysia rain forest on display in the other stations. Remember to watch the lively seed-feeding finches flying so swiftly in the enclosure, children will find it interesting to feed fishes in the Koi pond and the Mandarin and Wood ducks in the Duck pond.
If you happen to be at the farm at about 10.00am or 3.00pm on any day, hurry to the show time area and be exhilarated by the live handling livestock with a running commentary. You are allowed to touch and handle the exhibits and take photographs with them in your shoulder or in your arms. As you come to the exit of the enclosure, you will come to the Live Insect Room mainly showing easing live Tarantula, Beetles, a variety of geckos and lizards. Watch out for the orchid mantis especially.
After that, you will come to the Insect Museum where you will be surprised to see about 2000 specimen, which consist of 1400 specifies. This is not the end of your visit yet. Step into the Tribal Arts and Artifacts gallery. You will be thrilled by the wide range of historically and culturally fascinating objects originating from Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, china, Borneo Island, Papua New Guinea and the rest of the Malay Archipelago.
One of the finest Buddhist temples in South-east Asia . The Kek Lok Si temple stands majestically on a hill in Air Itam. This temple built in tiers culminates the beautifully crafted ''Pagoda of Ten Thousand Buddhas''. It took more than 20 years to build which features gardens, a turtle pond, shrines and beautiful sculptures. There are many souvenir shops leading up to the temple which offers good buys. And as for food lovers, famous hawker food are lined up near the Air Itam market.
The temple was begun in 1890 and, from all appearances, construction really hasn't ever stopped. And it's still going on! The temple is supposedly the largest in Malaysia . The Kek Lok Si project was inspired by the chief monk of the Goddess of Mercy Temple of Pitt Street. With the support of the consular representative of China in Penang , the project received the sanction of the Manchu Emperor Kuang Hsi, who bestowed a tablet and gift of 70,000 volumes of the Imperial Edition of the Buddhist Sutras.
Without doubt the largest and best known temple in Penang, the Temple of Supreme Bliss , better known as Kek Lok Si, staggered on the hillside overlooking the town of Ayer Itam . Since the olden days, the hills of Ayer Itam are regarded as important geomantically. Known as He San, or Crane Hill, they are recommended as a retreat for Taoist practitioners striving for immortality.
Construction of the temple started in 1893, but it was only in 1930 that the Pagoda of Rama VI, named after the Thai king who laid the foundation stone, but better known as the Pagoda of 10,000 Buddha's, was completed. This pagoda combines a Chinese octagonal base with a middle tier of Thai design, and a Burmese crown, reflecting the temple's embrace of both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism.!
Batu Ferringhi is a great place to enjoy the wonderful arrays of Asian food and great shopping. It also has some of the nicest beaches in Penang Island . The long stretch of beach is a combination of wide golden-sand, picturesque deep blue-green coves hedged by large granite boulders that seem to have tumbled from the hilly interior of the island, right into the sea.
It has all the conveniences a visitor would want for an easy, hassle-free holiday. All along the road, which runs parallel to the beach just a few meters away, you can find a great variety of shops including restaurants, cafes, bars, convenience stores and souvenir shops.
One unique feature is the exciting sidewalk bazaar that takes place every day from around 6pm until past midnight. The night bazaar is a busy and enjoyable shopping experience for visitors and plenty of haggling can be heard along the stretch of individual stalls. Trader & buyers negotiate in good humor for the best price for the variety of items on sale.
And if after you have done all your shopping and find yourself too tired to walk back to the apartment, you can hail one of many trishaws that ply the length of the sidewalk bazaar. There are a great number of restaurants and cafes offering incredible range of cuisine, from famous Asian sea food to popular Western spread to Mediterranean specialties.
Or just visit one of the many local hawker stalls selling their delicious, local delicacy. All that with just a minute's walk from the apartment and the beach.
Rio's beaches are world-famous, swarming with scantily clad beauties who tan along the shore. Take a trip to the beaches that have inspired songs. Then, take a dive into their inviting waters. In Rio, the possibilities of pleasure are endless, and in this eclectic paradise anything is possible; especially when it comes to showing your special someone the time of her life.
The best way to please your significant other while on a luxurious stay in Rio is to afford her the opportunity to indulge in the varied layers of shopping offered in the city. Shopping malls like Barra Shopping and Norte Shopping, grants the vendee a more traditional method of bulking up the closet. But outside of the average shopping center, Rio offers alternative ways to add to any collection that needs a special addition. From designer boutiques to street vendors, while in Rio, you'll have more than enough shopping venues to choose from.
Rio's shopping and best bargains can be found along the shore, or lining streets inside of quaint boutiques. Hit the Garota de Ipanema bikini shop and surprise your girl with one of Rio's famous string bikinis. Or, take a more classic approach to shopping and visit Rio Sul and Botafogo Praia Shopping, two of the city's most popular traditional shopping malls, both located in the Botafogo neighborhood.
Return from your trip with your own little piece of Rio. The city is well known for its high production of jewels, gold, diamonds, and beautiful art. Whether you're partial to souvenirs or enamored by precious gemstones, Rio is a treasure trove of unique trinkets and collectibles, just waiting to be purchased.
If it is precious gems that capture your interest, Rio is a grand location of choice for stone shopping. Visit H. Stern and enjoy an illuminative tour of Brazil's premier jewelry and gemstone dealer. The tour allows you to see how the jewels and gems are used to create the artistic masterpieces that fill this illustrious emporium.
Brazil is brimming with a bevy of graceful art shops filled with the eclectic works of local artist. The walls and shelves of these marvelous boutiques are lined with masterpieces veiled in vibrant colors and intricate design. For a wide selection of some of this locales amazing crafts, visit Brasil & Cia, where you can acquire some of the city's most popular art. Brasil & Cia sits near the beaches of Impanema, making it convenient and sensible to fit into your relaxing beachfront getaway.
After you've sifted through the shops, head over to one of Rio's famous beaches. Surfing conditions are often ideal, so grab a board and hit the waves of Copacabana and Ipanema. Bar hop around the beach of Barra da Tijuca, then hit the clubs for the ultimate Rio experience. Visit clubvibes.com to pinpoint the hottest night spots during your stay or head downtown and hit the Rio Scenarium, where the line is likely to be wrapped around the corner but well worth the wait.。
Moorea, the sister island of Tahiti, is Polynesia's second-most popular tourist attraction. Its crystal-clear, blue waters, lush mountain peaks and miles of untouched land have brought it fame. In this guide, learn how to explore the island of Moorea by surf and turf, under and over the water, by land, by sea and by sky.
Moorea by Surf
Engulfed by a lagoon, this 51-square mile-island features white and black sand beaches and waters that beckon divers, fishers, surfers and snorkelers to explore its abyss. Head out on a Moana Lagoon excursion (albert-transport.net) and take a six-hour tour through the island's coral reefs. Go shelling on the ocean's floors, and feed the sharks and rays that swim right along the sandy shores, bobbing underneath the waves to snack on the food in your hands. After you've worked up an appetite feeding the sharks, head to the private islet of Motu and feast on the traditional Moorean barbeque that awaits
Scuba divers hungry for more underwater excursions can take a dive into the waters of Moorea and swim with black-tip sharks. Dolphins swim along a dive boat as scuba divers race to one of the most sought-after dive sites on the island. Watch in amazement as barracuda, grouper, snapper, lemon sharks and gray sharks swirl around you, coloring the ocean with vivid splashes of tropical fins.
For a more tame experience with the creatures of the sea, take a dolphin and whale watching eco-tour Explore the wild abyss of Moorea's waters with a dolphin and whale watching expedition. Travel through the blue-green lagoons of Moorea with marine biologist Dr. Michael Poole and take a peek as whales and dolphins pop up around you. Once you've had your fill of watching marine wildlife from a boat, hop into the water for a snorkeling exhibition.
A fun twist on underwater exploration in Moorea is sifting through the ocean in a small yellow submarine. In this small, yellow sub made for three, tourists can get an intimate look at the fish that slice through the waters below, and snorkel, fish and sail on the lagoon.
It can be difficult to see all of the beauty that the island has to offer underwater, so hop aboard a catamaran and take a circle island tour around Moorea , sifting through Oponoohu, Cook's Bays and the Belvedere.
Moorea by Sky
Strap into a harness and go parasailing high above the waters of Moorea. A boat speeds ahead, leaving parasailers flying high with a parachute floating above their heads. At this height, these high-fliers are able to see spectacular views of the lagoon below.
Helicopter tours around the island of Moorea also afford tourists the opportunity to get a bird's eye view of the water, mountains and lush forests that inhabit the island. Start the tour and the trip off with a champagne toast and roam above the lagoons of Moorea.
Moorea by Turf
Go hiking through the island peaks of Moorea. One of the best ways to experience the island is on foot, sifting through the jungle floors and the lush flora and fauna that coat the mountain's hills and valleys.
Continue your Moorean excursion with a dance with Polynesian natives at the Tiki Theatre Village. This famed village features Tahitian party nights in which fire dancers, traditional Tahitian dancers, musicians and artists put on an exciting show for guests. The village also features a pearl farm, in which partygoers can take a look at how pearls are farmed and cultivated..
With ocean temps that average about 70-80 degrees, Hawaii caters to those who crave water expeditions. However, not all of the cities within the water-drenched state of Hawaii rank supreme when it comes to water sports. Each pineapple-packed, palm-tree laden town has its specialty. For water sport adventure seekers looking for the ultimate way to take a dive into the crashing waves of Hawaii, look no further than this guide on where and how to hit the big island's waters.
Surf Big Waves in Oahu
Surfing pros head to Oahu's North Shore between November and March to ride towering waves that have made it a haven for surfing competitions. The infamous Banzai Pipeline is one of the more popular places to surf, with surfers attempting to cascade down and balance underneath, monstrous pipe-shaped waves. Inexperienced surfers may want to watch from the shores, however, as the breaks on these waves are strong, steep, have been known to take down or even kill the most experienced surfers.
Beginning surfers inspired by the surfers on the North Shore can get a dose of the surf at Waikiki Beach in the summer time, when waters are fairly tame. Those who would rather boogie board and body surf can test their skills in the treacherous waters of Sandy Beach, or enjoy the calm waves of Waikiki.
Scuba in Maui and Lanai, Snuba in Hanauma Bay
Take a dive or a snorkel under the blue waters of Molokini, an island located off of the Southwestern coast of Maui. Away from the island's coral reefs, barracuda, tiger sharks and humpback whales have been spotted. As divers drop down in the ocean, they'll also notice massive boulders coated with coral, colorful fish and slithering octopus.
While Molokini's waters are packed with wildlife, they are no match for Lanai's vivid underwater sights. Divers who get the chance to watch slithers of light peeking through lava domes underwater, as well as swim under the archways and over lava tubes that have formed here, consider Lanai to be the pinnacle of diving spots in Hawaii. This Maui island features over 25 dive sites and stunning coral formations that house hundreds of tropical fish.
For those who can't choose between scuba diving and snorkeling, they can snuba in Hanauma Bay. Snuba divers use a 20-foot air line that connects to a scuba tank to breath under water. It is a diving technique that merges scuba diving and snorkeling and is made for shallow water exploration. The waters in Hanauma Bay are crystal-blue and packed with marine sea life, like green sea turtles, moray eels, sea urchins and butterfly fish.
Hit the Black and White Sandy Beaches of Hawaii
Dubbed as one of the world's best beaches by the Travel Channel, Poipu Beach is one not-to-miss shore when visiting Hawaii. Beachgoers can snorkel, surf, dive, kayak, windsurf, kite board and go deep sea fishing here. Or, hit the waves for a quick-cool down after strolling the island's warm shores. Poipu Beach is located on Kauai's southern coastline and is known for its white, sand beaches, diverse water sports, and unique coral reef formations.
Hawaii beachgoers looking to put a spin on a typical day at the beach head to Punalu'u Beach Park. This black-sand beach is home to dozens of sea turtles that rest on its shores or swim beneath the waves, and is perfect for guests who want to stray from the beaten path and explore this beach's shores. This hidden gem can be found on the Big Island of Hawaii..
Inside of the idyllic lairs of Moscow, the largest number of billionaires in the world reside. Moscow’s socialites and heirs to massive fortunes hit the city’s hottest clubs at nightfall, wining and dining behind secret-password guarded doors. But for sightseers who lust for the traditional and historical sights of this Russian mecca, the Moscow night scene can wait. The architectural icons that line the streets and artistic sculptures that sit along its sidewalks are sights not to be missed. Moscow is rich with cultural history, and is a bustling city ready to be explored by the sophisticated globetrotter.
Take a trip to the eerie throws of Lenin Mausoleum located in Red Square. The tomb of Vladimir Lenin and his embalmed body have been on public display here since 1924, the year that he died. Lenin, the founder of the Soviet Revolution, was known as a Russian revolutionary and was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. Lenin’s influence was the reason behind the pyramid-shaped monument that houses his remains, a reminder of his legacy. He is considered to be the mastermind behind the Bolshevik take-over of power in Russia in the early 1920s.
Outside of the Mausoleum, famed Red Square awaits. It is the oldest and most historical square in Moscow and is home to world-renowned landmarks like the Kremlin, St. Basil’s Cathedral and the State Historical Museum. St. Basil’s Cathedral is so picturesque that it is a popular sight on Russian postcards. This swirly, bright colored structure was built in the 16th Century and features eight onion-dome shaped chapels that hover around a central pointed structure. It is made out of stone, brick and stucco and is a symbol of Ivan the Terrible’s annexation of Russia to Kazan and Astrakhan in the mid 1500s.
The Kremlin has an appearance of a city standing on its own. Overlooking the Red Square to the east, and the Moskva River on its southern side, it is home to grandiose palaces, gold-domed cathedrals, and the Kremlin Wall which acts as a fortress to the area, guarding the residence of the President of Russia which also sits behind its walls. Glitzy and renowned for the architectural genius of its buildings, the Kremlin is one Russian landmark that every tourist should experience.
Across the Black Sea, the beachy resort town of Yalta, Ukraine is steeped with relaxation and specializes in decadent wines. With a variety of vineyards and orchards throughout the city, experiencing a wine tour through Yalta is one of the best ways to take in the city’s sights. The first stop on a Yalta wine tour should be the Massandra Palace, home to Yalta’s most famous winery. Founded in the late 1800’s, this winery was designed to cater to the wine preferences of Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his court, who expected only the highest-quality, sweet-tasting wines to touch their lips. The winery’s vaults now boast the biggest wine collection in the world, with some of its bottles aged over 200 years hidden in tunnels deep within the Crimean Mountains.
After sipping on the wines of the area, brush up on the history of the plays of renowned playwright, Anton Chekhov at Chekhov’s House. The Russian writer penned the famed plays “The Cherry Garden,” and “The Three Sisters” in this house, which was turned into a museum in the late 1920s..
Bora Bora is legendary for clear turquoise seas and its wide variety of marine life. If you love watersports, no destination is more fitting. From swimming to snorkeling to SCUBA-diving, you can do it all in Bora Bora.
Start your H2O adventure on a SCUBA trip to the best diving sites in Bora Bora at TOP Dive. Famous sites include Tapu, where you’ll encounter native black tips and lemon sharks. You can also explore the twist and turns of underwater caves at Apo or float by incandescent schools of fish in the “natural swimming pool” of the Bora Bora lagoon. Feel daring? Dive deep into the ocean and come face-to-face with moray eels, sharks, and barracudas.
If it’s the giant Manta Rays that you want to see, then stay at the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa. This luxury resort offers grand suites and premium overwater bungalows, which feature glass table tops opening up a direct view of the lagoon below. The resort also houses the Blue Nui Dive Center. Open year-round, the dive center hosts fun dive lessons for beginners. If you’re experienced on the other hand, try a night dive with a group of friends. After your late night dip, relax in the center’s cushy bungalow while and get a close look at the underwater shots of the island.
Want an all-encompassing tour of the famous Bora Bora lagoon? Bora Bora Discovery takes you on a 6-hour wet-and-wild expedition. Snorkel while touching the rays, feed the circling sharks, or simply swim around in the tropical sea. At lunch time, dine in the shallow waters to enjoy an authentic Tahitian Maa.
After a day in the surf, mellow out on a private island, known as a Motu in the Polynesian language. If you’re particular, Moana Adventure Tours will customize the ultimate excursion for you. From low key to high energy, Moana Adventure Tours will design a customized trip for you and your party. Take a glass-bottom boat trip, or soak up the sun while lying on a private Motu. And if spontaneity is your middle name, they’ll even set up trips at the spur of the moment.
Looking for some serious speed on the water? Well, look no further than the locals at Miki Miki Jet Ski. They specialize in getting your heart racing with personal water craft tours around the island. Or grab a champagne flute and hop on board a jet boat for a thrilling 2 ½ hour ride with Moana Jet Boat. Join French waterskiing champion Karen Bonnevie for wakeboarding and waterskiing at Lagoonaski, the only place on the island offering a waterskiing experience. Climb onto a Malibu 310 boat with Karen, and get ready to race across the waves. No experience? No problem! Private and group lessons are available.
Take a dip in the glassy waters of the Bora Bora lagoon. Dive deep into the ocean. Or freestyle on your jet ski. Whatever your pleasure, Bora Bora is the vacation destination anyone who loves luxury and adventure.
From now to 17 December 2009, Cathay Pacific is offering "BUY 2 GET 1 FREE" Hong Kong Disneyland Travel Packages with an array of value-added benefits.
Sales period: Now until 11 December 2009
Travel period: From 22 September 2009, and last departure date on 17 December 2009
Don't miss out! Book your package today through your local Cathay Pacific office, or your travel agent. Cathay Pacific Reservations:
Kuala Lumpur: 03-2035 2777 or email kulres_tkg@cathaypacific.com
Penang: 04-226 0411 or email pen#sales@cathaypacific.com
5 simple steps to discover Malaysia with Homestay
1.
Look through the list of official Homestay venues that have been registered with the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia. You can access the directory here. http://www.go2homestay.com/sel/homestay_directory.php
2.
Once you have decided on which Homestay visit for the holidays, contact the person in charge for bookings and availability.
3.
Check for additional information about your chosen Homestay such as attractions and activities during your stay. Please note that many of the Homestay operators speak only in their mother tongue. If you have trouble or unable to speak Bahasa Malaysia, find someone who can assist you.
4.
Each Homestay destination will have their individual rates and packages although they are generally quite standard. Be sure to confirm your traveling plans with the Homestay operator.
5.
Find out what you will need to bring for your trip. For example, flip flops/slippers, hiking shoes, insect repellent, soap ect.
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