Win Two Flight Tickets to Busan, Korea with AirAsia X

Travel Contest 2013: Win Two Flight Tickets to Busan, Korea with AirAsia X

Malaysia Asia is giving away Two Free Flight Tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Busan, Korea in this super simple and easy travel contest for 2013. All you have to do is simply like the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page and then comment with your reason on "Why you would like to visit Busan in Korea?"

Have you ever dreamed of visiting Korea? Are you a KPOP Fan? Are you into Korean Fashion and Shopping? Maybe you want to experience the amazing Korean Food? Or even go crazy with the Korean Cosmetics which are dirt cheap there? Well, here is your chance at doing all of the above by joining this easy travel contest. 

Contest details are further below, please read before joining. It is open to anyone in Asia Pacific. 

Haedong Yong Gun Temple in Busan, Korea

For your added knowledge, AirAsia X flies 4 Times Weekly to Busan from Kuala Lumpur from 15 July 2013 onwards. Busan is also AirAsia X’s 2nd destination to Korea after Seoul. Guests who are interested in multi-city travel may also travel to Seoul and then connect on to Busan via domestic flights (one hour) or train (less than 3 hours). This means, you can fly in via Seoul and fly out via Busan or vice versa.

AirAsia X Flight schedule for Kuala Lumpur-Busan, Korea Effective 15th July 2013

Flights From	Departure/ Arrival	Flight No.	Frequency
Kuala Lumpur to Busan	08:30 / 15:45	D7 512	4,7
Busan to Kuala Lumpur	17:00 / 22:20	D7 513	4,7
Kuala Lumpur to Busan	01:15/08:30	D7 518	1,5
Busan to Kuala Lumpur	10:35/15:55	D7 519	1,5

Days: 1-Monday, 4- Thursday, 5- Friday, 7- Sunday

AirAsia X Busan Current Promo:

• Discover Busan with AirAsia X for RM 269
• RM 269 ONLY on economy from Kuala Lumpur to Busan! (fares are one way all in)
• RM 899 ONLY on our premium flatbed seats from Kuala Lumpur to Busan! (fares are one way all in)
• Booking period: From now till 2 June 2013
• Travel Period: From 15 July till 30 September 2013 
• Book your flights at AirAsia.com

Gukje Market in Busan

How to join the contest

All you need to do is Like the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page and then return here to comment why you want to visit Busan in Korea. The most creative answer will win Two (2) Return Tickets to Busan with AirAsia X. Answers can be in English or Bahasa Malaysia. For Malaysian, you do not require a Visa to go to Korea.

Step One: Like the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page Like

Step Two: Complete the following "I want to visit Busan, Korea because......." and post it in the 'Comment Form' below.

Step Three: When you comment, please use Google Account or Open ID. If you do not have either, I suggest you create one. Please do not use 'Name-URL or Anonymous' to make your comment as they will not be counted.

Step Four: Done!

Contest Details:

• Contest Duration: 24th May 2013 - 1st June 2013
• Contest Prize: Two (2) Return Flight Tickets to Busan, Korea on AirAsia X
• Contest is open to: Asia Pacific 
• Language: Entries (comments) can be in English or Bahasa Malaysia
• Flight Departure: Winner flies from LCCT in Sepang, Malaysia
• Travel Period: 15th July - 30th December 2013 
• Each contestant may only submit one comment with valid email
• Results will be announced on the 2nd June 2013 on the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page
• Winner will be contacted via email
• Winner is NOT selected by me, but by a representative of AirAsia X
• Winner will also be screened to see if he or she has 'Liked' the Malaysia Asia FB Page
• If Winner does not respond in Seven (7) days after announcement, another winner will be selected

 Please click and understand how to comment

Terms & Conditions for the AirAsia X flights are as below (Please Read):

• This complimentary flight voucher is valid for fares only for the traveling period from 15th July 2013 to 30th December 2013
• This complimentary flight voucher does not include airport tax, fuel surcharge, counter check-in fee, insurance, baggage, meals and amenities which will have to be borne by the winner
• Flights are based on availability  

About Malaysia Asia

Malaysia Asia is an award-winning travel blog site that focuses on tourism around Malaysia and Asia. Created in 2008, this travel site consistently explores the many unique places of interest in the region. you can also follow Malaysia Asia on various social media platforms like;

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This Travel Contest for 2013 is brought to you by Malaysia Asia and the prize is Two Return Tickets to Busan, Korea. Please read the terms and conditions before joining the contest. Make sure when you comment, you have your name and email so that if you win, I can contact you easily. Spammers will be blocked permanently with pleasure. No links in your comments too, they will be removed.

This contest is open to anyone in Asia Pacific therefore if a winner is selected from another country, the winner will have to find their own way to LCCT in Malaysia and then fly to Busan in Korea. Play nice and good luck in this travel contest for 2013 where you stand a chance to Win Two Flight Tickets to Busan, Korea with AirAsia X.

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Sarawak Sunset Photo

This Sarawak sunset photo was taken from the 17th floor of the Meritz Hotel in Miri town. Overlooking the entire Miri city, the hotel offers one of the best views from the Sky Bar here when I visited the hotel for a press conference with the Sarawak Tourism Board during the Borneo Jazz Festival 2013. Overall, Miri was well known as an oil-city but was re-branded as a resort city by the sea recently. Much development has taken place since my last visit here in 2009 too as there are more hotels and shopping malls.

There are a number of places where you can get some really great Sarawak sunset photos from here, namely the hotel sky bar, Brighton Beach and the upcoming Miri Esplanade. For those who do not know, Miri is one of the main gateways to the Mulu National Park and Niah National Park in Sarawak. You can also view my other Sunset Photos and do leave a comment if you like this Sarawak Sunset Photo.

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Manukan Island

Manukan Island in Sabah is one of the most visited islands in the Land Below the Wind. While you may think why, it is simply be cause the island is only a 15 minute boat ride from the city of Kota Kinabalu or simply known as KK here. As I was visiting KK town in early May 2013 together with a group of media from West Malaysia, we were taken to many popular tourist places here and Manukan Island was one of them where we spent the morning there before heading back to the mainland for lunch. 

Manukan Island jetty

Manukan Island is actually part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park or TAR Park which consist of five islands which are Manukan, Mamutik, Sapi, Sulug and Gaya Island where each of the islands is only a mere couple of minutes boat ride from each other. Among these islands, tourist usually visit Manukan, Mamutik and Sapi Island for activities and day trips. The beauty about the group of islands here is that you can visit it in the morning and be back in town after lunch therefore this place is one of the top tourist spots in Sabah. 

Beach at Manukan

How to go to Manukan Island

There are two main areas where you can get to Manukan Island, one at Jesselton Pier in KK town while the other is at Sutera Harbor Jetty, a 5 minute drive from town. Usually hotels and tour companies sell day trips to the islands here. Prices range anywhere from RM100 to RM150 per person, depending on your package. Some packages includes island hopping while others are for one single island You can book these packages at any tour counters or companies in KK town or hotel lobbies. Some ready made Sabah Packages would already have this in the itinerary too. The deal would usually include;

• Pick up from your hotel and back
• Boat transfer to the island and back
• Island entrance fees
• A lunch (normal or BBQ) on the island
• Free snorkeling

Snorkeling at Manukan Island

However, you should note that any other additional activities are charged on the spot there. This includes;

• Scuba Diving
• Water Sports Activities
• Sea Walking
• Rental of equipment 
• Restaurant/Cafe food and drinks
• Souvenirs

Equipment for rental

Best Time to visit Manukan Island

Since I have been there many times (eight times in the last 3 years), I have seen the busy and also quiet period. It is recommended that the best time to visit here is during the weekday and also off peak season. If it is the local School Holidays or any public holiday, the place is sure to be jam-packed and this may result in you not having a great time there.

I would personally recommend you that you go there as early as possible, before 10.00am as the crowd usually comes in about 11.00am onwards. By lunch the place can get crowded so go early to secure a nice spot on the beach.  

Sea Walking at Manukan Island

What to bring to Manukan?

Well, since most of you will be going there for a day trip, it is advised to bring along your towel if you plan to swim or snorkel. A change of clothes, some snacks, food or drinks if you must. Insect repellent and sunblock. A poncho or umbrella if the weather looks cloudy. Bring money if you plan to do activities as they are charged on the spot and there are no ATM's on the island.  

Local restaurant

What else is there on Manukan Island? 

There is a souvenir shop at the main entrance which has some decently priced souvenirs. A cafe on the main walkway which serves soft drinks and cold beer. A full serviced restaurant which is slightly on the high side. For the locals, there is an area with a few shops who rent beach equipment, sells some sundry products or sunblock and suntan lotions. A local restaurant is found here where you can order local food, standard drinks, coconut or even local coffee and tea and have it at the ready tables in a shaded area.

Sands Bar on the island

For water activities, there is the Scuba Doo Sea Walking center and a scuba dive center. You can actually sign up for a PADI dive course and have it done here. There is also a basic trek for the adventurous where you can hike for about 1.5km to the tip of the island while for those who like bird watching, Manukan is also well known for this. For photography, the best is to come early and you can catch the famous Mount Kinabalu at a distance from the island.

Washrooms and toilets are available for free while Sabah Parks has a small exhibition hall there. There is no ATM or money changer on the island. Phone and 3G signals are strong here for local telco services as many are seen on their mobile devices or tablets while here.

Snorkeling with the fishes 

Hotels and Resorts on Manukan Island

There is currently one hotel and resort which is run by Sutera Sanctuary Lodges called Manukan Island Resort, this is also priced on the higher side where you need to make bookings from the main office. Other than that there are no other accommodations on the island. This includes Sapi, Sulug and Mamutik. 

Manukan Island Resort

For the luxury tourist, Gaya Island  which is the largest of the islands does have three high end resorts which are;

• Gayana Eco Resort
• Gaya Island Resort 
• Bungaraya Resort

What to look out for on the island

Since there is high traffic in and out of the island, there is only one main jetty here so when you come here, check with the boat operator on the time to return. Usually you may end up standing at the jetty waiting your turn which could result in a 10-20 minute wait.  

Watch out for Jellyfish

For snorkelers and swimmers, note that they have a float line that shows your snorkeling or swimming limits. Do not cross that area. There have been jelly fish cases there so do check with the lifeguards on duty about this. Warning signs are put up about this. 

There is no fish-feeding allowed here too so please don't bring bread for the fishes. If you want a good laugh, keep an eye out for some odd people who snorkel with umbrellas. Yes, I'm serious. On my last trip, I did not manage to see any but the locals there swear about this.

Manukan Island Map

Overall, Manukan Island is recommended for those who are visiting Kota Kinabalu for short trips. If you plan to stay longer or want a less public island or beach, there are many other islands throughout Sabah which you can choose from. This however requires a longer stay.

This island has been a magnet for beach lovers and tourist where main reason is that for a place so near to the city, you can actually see fish and corals in the clear waters while the beach here is white sand and clean. This is clearly the main reason why many people love to visit Manukan Island.

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Injin Puput

Injin Puput is this year's Sabah Fest 2013 theme theater show which is held at the JKKN Complex in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. While the name of the show sounds odd, it is actually derived from the local term of the old steam Vulcan train that once ran from Kota Kinabalu to Tenom. This is also the 6th year that the themed Sabah Fest Celebrations have been running and as for me, this is my second show where I caught last years theme show titled Adventures of Ngarayang. 

Sabah Fest 2013 is celebrated yearly from May 1st till 31st where the entire state celebrates the Kaamatan or Harvest Festival of the local people here. The theme Injin Puput showcases a story of two interesting folktales about the local Murut people and about the reminiscences of a grandfather and his experience with the railway. 

Murut Warrior and a beautiful Bajau girl

Starting the show, the opening act highlights a Murut Warrior (an actual one too) who shares his premonition of his dream of the arrival of white men who came with a steel dragon which then leads into what the Vulcan stream trains that were introduced into Borneo back then. 

Opening performance for Injin Puput

Bajau Putatan performance

In the second act, a grandfather named Aki Arusap takes his grandson for a train ride on the current North Borneo Railway train to fulfill an overdue promise to the boy. In this narrative journey, Aki shares with the boy his experiences back in the day and what he saw along his journey. The highlight was that Aki's own father was once an assistant to a British rail engineer and how his father met his wife, a beautiful Chinese girl who sold snacks when the train stopped at stations. 

Aki Gounin and Mei Ling

A Chinese musician

The story then revolves around the romance of Aki's father (Aki Gounin) and the Chinese girl (Mei Ling) where mixed marriages were then not common. Along that romantic journey, various tribes and people of Sabah are introduced in this exciting and colorful stage performance. You will see the Bajau Putatan doing their Betitik and Limbai dance and also the Kadazan from Papar who showcase their martial arts called Bosilat Mandung-Mandung and also the Sazau Modsuhung dance.

The Bogawan Brunei are also featured with a beautiful traditional Ampok Ampok Bulan dance while the Kadayan Beaufort people perform their Cuk Surapit and Chamchambi Dance. Finally you will also see the fascinating Murut people with their Kalimaran Festival where dances like the Anggalang, Magunatip and the Langsaran is performed. 

Below are pictures taken during the media preview of Injin Puput which was held on the 2nd of May 2013 at Kompleks JKKN. The actual premier show is opened to the public on the 3rd and 4th May.  Click on the image to see the full size photos. 

Murut girls in traditional costumes

 Beaufort Kedayan dancers doing the Cuk Surapit dance

Murut Warriors at the last part of the show

The show then ends with a massive performance of the Murut people doing a warrior dance which leads into a triple bamboo dance performance which I must say, was pretty impressive. I have seen the Bamboo Dance many times before with two people dancing through, but this time around, I saw them do it in threes. And also much faster than the conventional ones. 

 Injin Puput finale with cast and crew on stage

At the end, the entire cast is brought onto stage where a performance of local popular Sabahan songs are sung and danced by everyone. The colors are amazing on stage while on a personal note, the lighting wan spectacular. I also noticed that the traditional music that was going on during the show was actually live where an entire group of musicians were seen at one corner. 

Injin Puput finale

So if you are in Kota Kinabalu for the month of May and love some cultural activity, go and catch this show which is held only on the weekends. Best is to walk into Sabah Tourism Board office (Tel: 088 212121) in Gaya Street or Sri Pelancongan Sabah office for detailed information for the Sabah Fest 2013 show - Injin Puput.

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Borneo Jazz Festival 2013

Borneo Jazz Festival 2013 will be taking place on the 8-10th May this year at Miri, Sarawak. This is the eight year that the music festival has taken place here in Sarawak with each year attracting more new acts and a larger fan base. For the first time, the festival will be introduced to the energetic spicy groovy funk group from Germany, Mo’Blow who are described by Berliner Zeitung as “one of the hottest live bands” around. The other international act confirmed is Hazmat Modine from the East-Coast of the United States. Their song “Bahamut” will be used on the Fox television show “So You Think You Can Dance?.

The other international acts confirmed for the Borneo Jazz this year include, the energetic and toe-tapping music by Jump4Joy from Sweden that is popular energy entertainment group with a strong New Orleans flavor. A capella jazz group from Canada, The Nylons well known for their slick performance and most heralded vocal groups in the world with seven gold and platinum records. Represented by members from Singapore, Hong Kong, Philippines and Thailand, The Asian Jazz All Stars Power Quarter is the big names of the Asian jazz circle, which consists of the most innovative and exciting drummers to emerge in the Asian jazz scene. Scott Martin Latin Soul Band from West-Coast of USA has performed all over the world with many artists but best known for his successful tenure winning a Grammy. Last but not least, the ethno jazz musician and artist from Australia, Lisa Young Quartet the winner of “Best Australian Jazz Vocal Album 2007” and was re-nominated in 2012.

 Performers at the Borneo Jazz Festival 2012

As the Borneo Jazz name suggest, the organizer wish that the Borneo element to be presented by the local talent on this international platform. Deserved to be on stage will be the West Jazz Band from Sarawak who will play the fusion jazz and everything from Swing to Latin to electrifying funk jazz music.

Borneo Jazz 2013 Tickets
 
Tickets for the upcoming Borneo Jazz in Miri are now on sale at Visitors Information Centres in Kuching, Sibu and Miri, Sarawak. Tickets priced at RM60 for single entry and RM100 for a two-day pass. Children under the age of 12 years will enjoy 50% discount on each purchase. Borneo Jazz tickets are also available online at www.ticketcharge.com.my for those who prefer to purchase them online. 

For those heading to Miri, make sure you take some extra time off to explore the many unique tourism places around here. Namely the Mulu National Park in Sarawak and the world renown Mulu Caves. Miri is known as an oil town and has been hosting the Borneo Jazz Festival 2013 for the last seven years. 

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Bali Arts Festival 2013

Bali Arts Festival 2013 will be held from 8th June till 8th July in a one month long stunning event in Denpasar. If you have not witness this beautiful event, I would recommend you make a date in Bali this early June. As for me, this will be my second time attending this event where the first time was back in 2011 where I was in awe with the amount of culture and heritage on display in one area. 

This was actually the 'Opening of the Bali Arts Festival' where groups from various tribes and cultures from around Indonesia will take part in their traditional ethnic costumes. From beautiful sweet Balinese women in colorful attire to fiercely made up men, this festival is bound to amaze you in all kinds of ways. Huge effigies are often seen by some of the groups where some of them can be quite scary. Kind of like the ones used in the Nyepi Festival.

Each tribe or group consists of about 10-50 participants who line up and wait their turn in parading in front of the main stage where officials and VIPs are seated. When I was there for the Bali Arts Festival 2011, it was held at a huge local field which could accommodate thousands of people. It was indeed a sight to see and I have to thank the Diwangkara Holiday Villa staff for introducing me to this event. 

The best part - I could count the number of foreigners or tourist in one hand when I was there. Not many people know about the 'Openang Parade' therefore I was fortunate enough to have witnessed it. Camera in hand, I blended in with the local journalist and photographers. My movement was chaotic as everywhere I looked, there was something new to see and photograph. To summarize it, I took about 3000 photos of this event which started about 10am till late in the afternoon and until I ran out of batteries!

So this time around, I hope to be there again, with more batteries, lenses and a better camera. If you are going for this and see me there, don't be a stranger and say hello to me. I end this with a series of photographs which I took back then. Click on the pictures or the full image.

Balinese Girls in amazing traditional attire

Local Indonesian men in full make-up and costumes

 Scenes at the Bali Arts Festival

 Some unique Indonesian ethnic costumes

The official website has yet to update the information for this years Bali Arts Festival 2013 (as of 22nd April '13), I am sure they will update it by early next month (May). Anyway, here is an excerpt of what the festival is all about.

 

"The Bali Arts Festival is a full month of daily performances, handicraft exhibitions and other related cultural and commercial activities during which literally the whole of Bali comes to the city to present its offerings of dance, music and beauty. On display are trances from remote mountain slopes, forgotten or recently revived village dances, food and offering contests, classical palace dances, stars of Balinese stage, odd musical performances, "kreasi baru" (new creations) from the dance schools of
Denpasar, as well as contemporary choreography and dance companies from other islands and from abroad.

The Bali Arts Festival is the Denpasar cultural event of the year, perhaps it would no be too far fetched to suggest that it is the cultural event of Indonesia. The festival is thus a unique opportunity to see local village culture both "live" and at first hand. Tourists are warmly welcomed."

If you are a photography enthusiast or love taking photos of people and cultures, this is one event in Bali that you should not miss. I hope you enjoyed the photos and you can view more of these pictures on my Malaysia Asia Facebook Page while I also hope that you can make it for this years Bali Arts Festival 2013.

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