Lemanak River in Sarawak - Picture of the Week

Lemanak River in Sarawak is my picture of the week. I personally have been to this river five times in a span of three years and am always eager to go back there. Something about this place located deep in the interiors of Sarawak Borneo simply fascinates me. The river is home to mostly Ibans (a native tribe of Sarawak) who use this river as the main transportation mode. One two of my trips, I stayed with one of the Iban Longhouses here which is a very memorable experience. Learning about their lifestyle, culture and heritage proved priceless.

In the picture above, a long boat cruises through a typical Bornean jungle. The journey I took lasted me one hour along the Lemanak River as I wanted to visit another Iban Longhouse further upstream. Guiding these long boats along the river is not easy as it takes years of experience from these local Iban People to understand and know the rivers here. 

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Kuala Penyu Beach in Sabah - Picture of the Week

Kuala Penyu Beach in Sabah is my picture of the week. I visited this isolated place in January 2010 as I have heard much about the beauty here. During my stay at the Tempurung Lodge which is the only accommodation in the area, I spent my time exploring the local kampungs (villages), kedai kopi (coffee shop) and namely the beach here. An absolute tranquil place with no disturbances apart from the local fishermen who come in with their catch in really small boats and local school children making their way to school is what you will come across daily here.

Kuala Penyu actually means Turtle Confluence and is a very small local community which is located about two hours drive from Kota Kinabalu City in Sabah. For those seeking a back-to-basic getaway, this place offers travelers and holiday makers the perfect selection. The Tempurung Lodge at Kuala Penyu caters to all kinds of guests, from back packers to families. This place is also located near to the famous Snake Island or Pulau Tiga.

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Top 5 Entertainment Places in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

This weeks guest post is from Elaine Chung of Trail Of Asia who is based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Borneo. Elaine is a seasoned traveler and loves to share her experiences via her travel site and has contributed a superb guest post of her hometown in KK Sabah.

Top 5 Entertainment Places in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

Besides the popular natural hotspots in Kota Kinabalu (KK) and its surrounding, some of you might be wondering what else can you do especially at night in the city of Kota Kinabalu? Below are some top entertainment places recommended in no particular order to our fellow travelers.

1) Shenanigan’s Fun Pub

KK’s all time favourite nightspot goes to Shenanigan’s Fun Pub located at the Hyatt Regency Kinabalu and nearby Upperstar. This cozy pub has been around for quite sometime and the managements concept of getting in new live bands results in pulling in a very good crowd. If you are looking for a breath of fresh air, head straight to Shenanigan’s Terrace just outside the pub with your favourite drinks, order a few snacks and enjoy the cooling sea breeze and watch the city go by at night. Tends to get busy on weekends too.

Cock & Bull Bar in KK

2) Cock & Bull

Looking for a place to grab a bite and a glass of cold beer or a pint of Guinness stout for the night? Cock and Bull Bistro and Bar is a friendly place and has two outlets around the city of KK. One  is situated at Jesselton Point, approximately 5 minutes walk from the new Suria Sabah Shopping Mall while the other is located at the KK Waterfront with sea-facing tables. Enjoy the live music and show your skills at pool table with other patrons all night long. If you like your Guinness on Tap, this is the best place to get it. Their staff are friendly while you will see the who's who in KK at these outlets.

3) KK Times Square

This commercial building is slowly filled with pubs and restaurants as it was recently launched. Situated just off the Kota Kinabalu coastal highway, it only takes less than 5 minutes drive from the city center to this young and vibrant nightspot. Among the popular bars around are Fire Fly, WhiteRoom, Sam Tsui (just to name a few) which are closely established a stone throw away from each other within the building. If you are looking for live bands, talented DJs and vibrant night out, this is the place to be where you see a lot of the younger generation hanging out here. Place closes late on weekends.

KK Waterfront - Great entertainment place by the sea

4) KK Waterfront

A place not to be missed, the KK Waterfront is strategically situated right in the city center nearby the Warisan Mall and is very well known for its beautiful sunsets. A cozy night out over dinner and a couple of drinks, you have the option of sitting by the sea here. There are few bars and pubs available along the stretch; Shamrock Irish Pub, Cock & Bull, BED and The Loft have been established for quite a while and continue to be the favourites chosen by many. There are also some great restaurants ranging from Italian Food to the famous Sabah Seafood Restaurants here. The entertainment places close by about 1am.

5) BB Cafe

This open air cafe located along Beach Street is a great place to relax and unwind after a long day of outdoor activities. Popular among backpackers because of its location, this place also provides live bands, shisha,  food and booze - all at moderate prices.

 

 

If you are heading to KK for business or leisure and want to know where you can find some decent places, I hope this list can assist you as highlighted above are some of the Best Places for Entertainment in Kota Kinabalu Sabah. 

 

Elaine Chung is the founder of trailofasia.com and a seasoned traveler from Malaysia who has lived in the South-East-Asian region most of her life. The best part about traveling for her is that she gets to interact with diverse people, experience interesting places, expose to rich culture along with the variety of delicious food and unique lifestyle. Besides traveling, she is a social media enthusiast, someone who loves technology, excited about innovative ideas and adore nature.

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Medical Tourism in Thailand Contest - Meet David Jr

David Hogan Jr aka Malaysia Asia

As most of you already know, I am David Hogan Jr, writer, blogger, traveler and photographer for Malaysia Asia and have been doing this actively since early 2009 with my partner Lilian. It has been a good 1.8 years on travel blogging for the region of Southeast Asia, namely Malaysia and Thailand which have been my highlights. This time around, I am doing something completely different for the month of November 2010 so please read on. 

What is happening? 

From 21st November to 27th November 2010, I will be attending Thailand's Medical Blog Contest as I was selected as one of the 12 Travel Bloggers from around the world to compete in this competition which will last a whopping 2 months after our familiarization trip. In this trip, we will be visiting various Medical Facilities and Centers throughout 5 popular places around Thailand. These five places which are well known worldwide for their impeccable medical procedures and hospitality are;

• Bangkok
• Pattaya
• Chiang Mai
• Phuket 
• Koh Samui

Who would have guessed that some of the most beautiful tropical islands in the world would have top notch medical facilities? Even I was surprised that these places actually did major surgeries with a vacation-styled recovery program included and this totally opened up my curiosity to actually want to visit these places to see how they ran their Medical Tourism. 

Thailand Medical Tourism Overview

With a number of growing health medical tourist seeking affordable with vacation style procedures, Thailand is no doubt one of the top three places in the world for this. And now with this trip, I will be able to experience what a foreigner would be facing when they select Thailand as their destination for health procedures. Just a note that Thailand offers all kinds of medical prodecures, check ups and operations. Among the popular  procedures included are Cardiac, Orthopedic, Stem Cell Therapy, Dental, Gender Reassignment, Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, General Medical Check Up and more. Prices are a fraction of what most would pay back in their own country too.

Here is a rough comparison of how much it would cost in the USA and in Thailand for some common major surgeries. Prices are in US Dollars below.

Procedure	US	Thailand
Heart bypass	130,000	11,000
Heart valve replacement	160,000	10,000
Angioplasty	57,000	13,000
Hip replacement	43,000	12,000
Knee replacement	40,000	10,000
Hysterectomy	20,000	4,500
Spinal fusion	62,000	7,000

Live Information on Medical Tourism in Thailand by David Jr @ Malaysia Asia

With this article, I hope to share with all my readers and those seeking information about Health Tourism in Thailand as I will be documenting my day to day experiences for one whole week around this amazing country.

David Hogan Jr sits with one of the last remaining Iban Shamans in the interiors of Sarawak Borneo

The articles be written and featured on the Med Blog Contest David Hogan Jr Page. Please bookmark and visit this page for regular updates, pictures, videos and information. I will also be tweeting live and updating my Malaysia Asia Facebook Fan Page daily so please 'Follow' my Twitter and 'Like' my Facebook page.

I also have a previous article on 5 Medical Tourism Areas in Thailand if you want to find out about these areas. Thank you for reading this and have a lovely day where ever you may be.

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Baby Orangutan Sleeping - Picture of the Week

Baby Orangutan Sleeping is my picture of the week. This cute little primate who was born at the Bukit Merah Laketown - Orangutan Island was fast asleep when I looked through the nursery window. What made it so cute was that the baby orang utan had some stuff toys in the cot. Absolutely adorable, I had to share this picture which is one of my favourite pictures of animals.

For more information on this place, you can visit the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort Website or the Bukit Merah Orangutan Foundation Website. You can drive here from Kuala Lumpur or Penang Island as it takes only about 2-3 hours via the NKVE Highway. Great place to bring your kids as there are lots of Kids Activities here and you can do it in a day plus you may even get a chance to see a Baby Orangutan. 

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Sandakan Market with Lumix GF1 Camera

Sandakan Market pictures taken with a Panasonic Lumix GF1 Camera.

During a recent trip to Sandakan which is on the east coast of Sabah Borneo, I had the opportunity to visit one of the busiest markets in town called the Sandakan Market or Pasar Sandakan. It is here that majority of the towns people come to buy their fresh foods and supplies. The market is located by the sea so fresh seafood is one of the highlights here and in this article, you will see a variety of pictures  relating to the busy lifestyle of the market traders and some even showcasing the fresh seafood for sale.

Slipper Lobsters at Sandakan Market

Personally I found the Panasonic Lumix GF1 easy to handle as I am a DSLR user and the functions were quite simple. The specifications are also similar to the common DSLR Cameras out in the market but in this case, it is much smaller and lighter to use. I think female photographers would fancy this as it is not bulky and heavy. Overall, the camera can easily fit into a normal sized handbag or knapsack with no issues. The start up is quick when you want instant shots and walking around the Sandakan market with this camera posed no intrusion with the traders compared to another day when I went there with my huge chunky DSLR camera, some of them thought I was a reporter covering a story and were reluctant to even look at me. Below are a series of random shots taken with the Lumix GF1 on a typical day at the market. Please click on the pictures to see the full size.

Trader posing with his fresh lobster

An uncommon 'gold' fish 

 At the meat section, check out the size of the chickens

Parrot Fish in Green-Turquoise

Puffer Fish the size of a shoe box

 Red Groupers and Ikan Merah (Red Fish)

Trader washing his hands

Sharks on sale 

Trader holding up an Octopus for sale

Sting Ray pieces for sale - 4 species available here

Sting Ray Skin

Stingray Tails - They are sold too

Trader showing his stingray stock

1st floor of the Sandakan Market, dry area

Lumix GF1 Specifications;

• Extended HD Movie Recording with SLR Quality
• A Peripheral Defocus Mode Gives You the Soft Focus of an Interchangeable Lens
• Full-time Live View: See How the Image Will Turn Out Before You Shoot
• iA Mode Helps Prevent Shooting Mistakes in a Variety of Situations
• Ultra-Portable Pancake Lens: LUMIX G 20mm/F1.7 ASPH.
• LEICA DG MACRO-ELMARIT 45mm/F2.8 ASPH./MEGA O.I.S.
• Versatile Functions and Superb Images. Uncompromising Performance in the World's Smallest, Lightest System Camera
• A Built-In Flash in a Stylish Body
• HD Photos and HD Movies with VIERA Link Networking
• Easy HD Image Viewing with the SD Card Slot

To find out more about Panasonic Lumix, check out some of the links below:

Panasonic Lumix Malaysia Homepage

Panasonic Malaysia Lumix Facebook Page

Review of Lumix GF1 with detailed specifications

You can also check out the Malaysia Asia Facebook Page for more pictures taken with the Lumix GF1 and some beautiful Scenary Pictures around Sandakan, Sabah which I took during my one week trip there in October 2010. 

Digiscoping with Panasonic Lumix Camera 

Photo by manchesterbirding.com

Another interesting thing to point out is that women who want to get into Bird Watching can opt for this unit as you can easily add on a DigiScoping unit. All because of the interchangeable lenses, you can purchase a Digiscope and fit it on to your body of your Lumix GF1 to get more zoom. DSLR units for Digiscoping can cost you a whopping RM15-20k so if you are a beginner or just starting Birdwatching, this set up would only cost you around RM3-5k without having to mortgage your house.

Overall, I would recommend the Lumix GF1 to those who prefer something light and small but with the specifications of a DSLR Camera. I think women would find this camera sexy yet powerful and  easy to handle due to the size of it. The battery life was pretty decent as one a full charge, I took over 500 pictures throughout the day and still had some juice left when I got back to the hotel. One thing that impressed me was the click sound it produced when you took a picture, it did not feel like the little compact camera sounds.  Bottom line - Great for daily and hobby use, the Panasonic Lumix GF1 actually is very nice and easy to use. 

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Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu Sabah

Buying Seafood in Kota Kinabalu is one of the popular things for Malaysians or Singaporeans visiting Sabah. I often get asked by friends 'Where to buy cheap seafood in Sabah?' So here is my story. Usually when I visit Kota Kinabalu or KK, I would buy my frozen seafood from Fung Seng Seafood Supplier which is about 10 minutes from KK town. The beauty about this supplier is that you can go in any time of the day and purchase your seafood and they will have it sent to the airport for you before your flight departs.

In my case, I usually go to the supplier about three hours before my flight back to Kuala Lumpur. I like taking my time as the place is spacious unlike the one at the KK Airport. Fung Seng sells all kinds of fresh frozen seafood and most of the time they are pretty well stocked as they are also in the seafood export business. One of the highlights here are the frozen lobsters and large prawns sold cheaply. You will never get prices like this over in West Malaysia so if you are a seafood lover, do make a stop at any of the suppliers in KK.

7 Star Groupers frozen packed

Among my regular choices, I usually buy Fresh Prawns in the medium sizes which sell about RM45-RM48 for box of 20-25 pieces. They have a variety of sizes ranging from small to extra large. The one in the main picture shows a single jumbo sized prawn at about 13" inches long which retails about RM30-35. The common yellow sea prawns or tiger prawns (udang harimau) are usually freshly frozen packed and sold in boxes. Each of the items here also have a packaging date to inform you when it was frozen.

The huge open fridges at Fung Seng

As Fung Seng Seafood Supplier is fairly large, they have huge fridges all around the shop making it easy for you to choose your items. Open top chillers are placed in the middle of the shop where you find all kinds of frozen fish, prawns, lobsters, shell fish and scallops. For those who do not like cleaning fish, they company has also frozen fillet of various fishes. You can even get the famous 7 Star Grouper (chat-sing-pan) in fillets while a good selection of Cod, Grouper and Salmon fillets are available for sale. 

Grouper fillets individually packed for sale

Scallops and Prawns frozen fresh

The frozen seafood that you buy are carefully and professionally packed by the staff working here. How they do it? They will line the items you purchase with newspaper a few times and then put them in a box packing it tight. After sealing the boxes, they then secure it with industrial tape or plastic wire wrap. Boxes come in many sizes so you need not worry. After finishing, they then ask you what flight you are taking, AirAsia or Mas and then for your name and flight number as they have stickers to indicate details. You can hand carry them on board if they are not too big or you can check it in at the airport if you are buying a lot. They also have a service where your order can be dropped at the airport for you. The packed seafood in the box can last you a good 6-8 hours too.

However, there are a few other ways that people buy frozen seafood from Sabah. One common way is people visit the wet market to buy fresh seafood, then they will buy a Styrofoam Box to pack the items and try to check it in at the airport. This method is tricky as if you do not pack the seafood properly, it might leak and stink up the plane. Some traders claim they know how to do it but please double check before buying. Some would consider this being lazy, but you need to rethink this method carefully.

Here is how they do it - They fill a plastic bag with crushed ice, put in the fish/prawns and then tie the bag and put it in the Styrofoam box. Then they fill the box with more crushed ice and tape seal the entire box. 

Another way is when they tape-seal the Styrofoam box, they put it in a slightly larger card box and seal it again. Remember, if they do not seal it correctly, it might break. Especially when the baggage handlers throw your cargo around at the airports. So please be very careful if you choose to use this method. This is why I choose to go to the professional seafood suppliers.

Fung Seng Seafood Supplier in Kota Kinabalu

Buying Seafood at the Kota Kinabalu Interntational Airport (KKIA) and Domestic Airport is your last minute option. Sometimes when you go late there, they are pretty much out of stock so best go before late afternoon. The frozen seafood shops are located just before you enter the departure area at the airport. Hard to miss them.

Seafood Buying Tip: If you buy whole frozen fishes, be prepared to have them cleaned and scaled before cooking. Also check the packaging date as Fund Seng sticks them once they are packed and frozen.

With this, I will list some of the available frozen seafood that you can get here. Prices are way much cheaper than many places I know and the selection is very fresh.

• 7 Star Grouper / Sunu (Prices are about RM48 per kilo)
• Grouper - Red and Brown
• Parrot Fish (Prices vary here)
• Lobsters in various sizes (Prices start at about RM40-50 a kilo)
• Yellow Prawns - Sizes in Small, Medium, Large (RM58-60) and Extra Large (RM25-35 per piece)
• Tiger Prawns - Sizes in S,M,L
• Prawn Meat in sizes S,M,L (prawns with shell and head removed)
• Sea Cucumbers - S,M,L Sizes
• Scallops (RM90 per kilo)
• Cod Fish Fillets and full cod fish
• Salmon Fillets and full salmon fish
• Tengirri / Mackerel 
• Trout Fish (Rainbow Trout)
• Tuna Fish
• White Pomfrets 
• Squid whole or calamari sizes
• Shell Fish (Lala, Siput, Bamboo Clams)

Address for Fung Send Seafood in Kota Kinabalu;
No. 7 & 8, Jln Bakau,
Inanam Ind Est,
Jln Tuaran Km 8,
88450 Inanam,
Sabah, Malaysia
Telephone: 088-38 0018 / 088-380013

• They accept payments in Credit Cards and Cash. 
• Most tour guides know of this place so check with them.
• Foreigners - Please check with your country customs if you are allowed to bring back frozen seafood as they can only last about 6-8 hours frozen packed. 

Buying seafood in Kota Kinabalu is one of the highlights for most local families or couples visiting this beautiful state of Malaysia. For me, it has become a ritual every time I visit this place and just before I leave, I would have bought a number of fresh fish which are nearly packed. If you are a seafood lover, nothing beats buying seafood in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. 

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5 Medical Tourism Areas in Thailand

Medical Tourism areas in Thailand are found in five specific locations namely Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Koh Samui and Phuket Island. Since 2005, Thailand has been one of the preferred choices for international medical tourism due to the incredible low costs to perform procedures and treatments here. Thailand is well known worldwide  for treatments such as alternative medicine, cosmetic surgery, dental care, gender realignment, heart surgery, obesity surgery, oncology and orthopedics and is among the most affordable in the world with doctors who are highly trained in Western Institutions from the USA or UK. One of the main reasons people from around the world come to Thailand for medical treatments is the fact that most of the procedures cost a fraction of what it would cost back in their own country. Plus you also get a beautiful tropical vacation depending on the area you choose for your treatments. 

Below are the five main areas in Thailand for Medical Tourism.

Bangkok Hospital in the city of Bangkok - Image from nationwidethailand.com

1. Bangkok Medical Tourism

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and has the most hospitals and medical centers catering to over 1,000,000 medical tourist yearly. Among the top hospitals here are the Bangkok International Hospital and Bumrungrad International Hospital which offers specialist treatments and procedures such as  reconstructive surgery, pacemaker implantation, skin treatments, hair transplants, laser refraction surgery for sight correction and many other treatments. English is widely spoken from the highly trained medical staff  while some centers even have translators for over 24 languages and most of the medical facilities are also located very near to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Some of these hospitals have won numerous awards and accreditation from the world over making Bangkok one of the top destinations for Health Tourism. 

Here are 13 major hospitals and facilities around Bangkok which are;

Bangkok Christian Hospital
Bangkok Heart Hospital
Bangkok International Hospital
Bangkok Neuroscience Center
Bangkok Nursing Home
Bumrungrad International Hospital
Dental Hospital
Piyavate Hospital
Rutnin Eye Hospital (Dr Uthai Rutnin)
Samitivej Hospitals
TheraVitae (World-leading stem-cell research company)
Vibhavadi Hospital
Wattanasoth Cancer Hospital

Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (image by www.restoredbeautygetaways.com)

2. Pattaya Medical Tourism

This lively seaside city is located about  147km or a two hour drive from Bangkok and is one of Thailand's most popular tourist spot. With a number of attractions located here, ii is one of the interesting places for health tourism. Attractions include museums, theme parks, beaches, golf courses, islands, shopping, sacred places and zoos. Apart from that, a number of private run clinics and government hospitals specialize in most common procedures and are well known for plastic surgery.

One of the main hospitals here - Bangkok Hospital Pattaya is also well known for their language interpretation services as they can cater to over 20 languages. The hospital also boasts of over 100 specialists in various medical fields especially in the cardiac area as they are equipped with a cardiac catheterization laboratory, cardiology ward and cardiac intensive care unit. Another thumbs up is the roof helipad which can handle immediate emergencies from around the region of Southeast Asia. Below are the two main medical facilities in Pattaya;

Bangkok Pattaya Hospital
Pattaya International Hospital (PIH)

More information on Pattaya from WikiTravel

   

Chiangmai Ram Hospital

3. Chiang Mai Medical Tourism 

This cultural driven city to the north of Thailand is currently one of the leading medical treatments areas. The cooling climate in Chiang Mai offers a range of treatments catered to cardiac care, laser eye surgery, dental care, gender reassignment, cosmetic surgery, knee replacement and other specialized medical treatments from main hospitals to privately run clinics. English is widely spoken while modern state-of-the-art equipment is available at these medical facilities. 

With about 50 on-site specialist and about 150 consultants, the Chiangmai Ram Hospital is one of the top facilities here. The hospital also has 12 floors of beds and 20 specialized clinics which is also located nearby the main tourist area of Chiang Mai. Apart from the general treatments offered, they have about 9 operating theaters where a couple of them offer cutting-edge treatment for gastro-intestinal problems.

Below are the two main hospitals in Chiang Mai which is about an hours flight from Bangkok;

Chiangmai Ram Hospital
Lanna Hospital

Chiang Mai Tourist Information

Bangkok Hospital Phuket - One of the standard rooms (image by www.health-tourism.com)

4. Phuket Medical Tourism 

This popular island well known worldwide is one of the fore leaders in Medical Tourism. Who wouldn't want a tropical island vacation packaged with your medical treatment at almost half the cost in your own country? Medical facilities here are well equipped with up to date state-of-the-art equipment and language is no issue as English is spoken widely throughout the island which is also home to many foreigners and expatriates. Among the many procedures done here, plastic surgery, dental care and laser eye surgery are the popular treatments while facilities offer comprehensive care packages, including medical insurance, quick check ups and luxurious accommodation of your choice.

The islands leading medical institution - Bangkok Hospital Phuket has been catering to many foreigners for over 10 years and some of the cutting edge procedures include an Aesthetic Center specializing in face lifts, breast augmentation, botox treatments and liposuction. Also available are open-heart surgeries, joint replacement, keyhole surgery and preventative diagnostic scans. An International Center catering to foreigners has translators in 12 languages and is well versed in insurance policies that can make a patients procedure hassle free. 

Phuket Island is about two hours by flight from Bangkok and has direct flights from many cities around the world. Below are some of the main medical facilities in Phuket;

Bangkok Hospital Phuket
Phuket International Hospital
The Bodyline Retreat

Koh Samui Island in Thailand - Image by worldmedtourism.blogspot.com

5. Koh Samui Medical Tourism

A beautiful island located on the east coast of  Southern Thailand, Koh Samui is currently the upcoming medical tourism preferred choice for foreigners. This very popular tropical island hosts a number of clinics and hospitals offering top quality medical facilities and packages that include several nights at a luxurious resort, a full health check-up and top of the range medical insurance. Koh Samui is also not as crowded as Phuket is so those seeking a very exotic medical tourism destination should look here.

Bangkok Hospital Samui - Image from www.health-tourism.com

Of the leading medical facilities here, The Bangkok Hospital Samui is well known for specialized clinics which include a Brain and NeuroSurgery Center, Ear Nose Throat Clinic, Cardiology Center, Dental Clinic and Beauty Center. Doctors and staff here speak good English while the hospital is designed with a modern environment to suit the current  lifestyle. There are two modern operational theaters, a Hemodialysis unit, a spiral CT scanner and a fully-stocked blood bank. The hospital also boasts of an Emergency and Trauma unit with well-equipped ambulances.

Flights to Koh Samui from Bangkok are about two hours while you can also access this island with flights from Penang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia which is about an hour and a half. Below are some of the medical facilities in Ko Samui;

Bangkok Hospital Samui 

Samui International Hospital (SIH)
Thai International Hospital

Information on Koh Samui Thailand

Disclaimer: Main image photo credit goes out to www.phuketnewsline.com

Thailand is indeed one of the top medical tourism destinations catering to almost any Western Medical procedure at only a fraction of the cost from the USA or Europe. For almost less than half of the actual cost, you can have doctors in Thailand who are trained and certified from the USA or UK attend to your medical needs and also throw in a dream vacation. For those interested in this, you can always contact your local Health Tourism agent in your country or visit the official website of Tourism Thailand, ThailandMedTourism or Thailand Medical Tourism List.

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Proboscis Monkey Picture of the Week

Proboscis Monkey is my picture of the week showcasing various portrait shots taken with a Nikon 55-300mm lens. These unique monkeys also known as the 'Dutch Monkey' or Monyet Belanda in Malay - can only be found in the island of Borneo and no where else in the world. I was visiting Labuk Bay in Sandakan, Sabah Borneo in October 2010 when I chanced upon a rare opportunity to photograph them up close. The Proboscis Monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) at Labuk Bay are in a controlled environment set up to protect and care for these special primates. Check Wikipedia for more information on the Proboscis Monkeys from Borneo. Below are a series of pictures taken during my trip there.

Proboscis monkey scratching his face

Side profile of a juvenile proboscis monkey

 

Eating a cucumber

Side profile with eyes closed and semi smile

A mood shot

In the sun showing the crown

Proboscis Monkey smiling - my favourite shot

If you like this series of photographs, please do leave a comment here and thank you very much. You can see more pictures of Proboscis Monkeys in my Facebook or you can also add me as friend and Like my Facebook Fan Page. 

Similar articles - 10 Things to do in Sandakan Sabah

For other articles and photographs on Sabah Borneo

This is my first time attempting to do portrait shots on wildlife and I was fortunate enough to experiment on the Proboscis Monkey. 

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8 Shopping Malls in Bukit Bintang Kuala Lumpur

8 Shopping Malls in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur (KL) have been one of the main attractions for tourism in the city for a while now. With the increasing trends nowadays, many local and international brands have made it here to suit the local and foreign interest in shopping. Ever since the 70s, shopping has been popular in KL with some of the pioneer malls like Sungai Wang Plaza in the Bukit Bintang area or Golden Triangle which is still pulling the shoppers till this very day.

This list aims to provide you with eight of the top shopping malls along Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur for you to visit with a minor breakdown of what to expect. All the malls here are within walking distance so you can cover them all by foot. The list is in no particular order and random.

1. Sungai Wang Plaza – One of the oldest malls which recently went through a massive makeover a few years ago. The mall is connected to the Bukit Bintang Plaza or BB Plaza and giving shoppers a massive 2 million square feet of shopping ecstasy. Located in the heart of the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur, this 6 storey mall never fails to deliver with some of the most interesting choices of shops here. Many speciality shops dominate the mall while there are no top branded outlets here. Younger travellers and guest should check out the 6th floor which is called the T-Zone or Trendy Zone where mini shops cater to current trends worldwide. For IT enthusiast, the 3rd floor has an interesting selection for all things IT including DVD shops, PSP shops and internet cafes. A video arcade which is one of the best in town can be found on the 2nd floor with many choices of games to play. You get a very good mix of choices at this mall. For your added information, Sungai Wang in the Malay language means Money River.

Tip: Great place to shop and hang out for all ages.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: Across the street from Lot 10, next to Imbi Plaza and Low Yat Plaza
Sungai Wang Plaza Website
Address: 99 Jalan Bukit Bintang
Telephone: (603) 2144 9988

2. Bukit Bintang Plaza / BB Plaza – The neighbour of Sungai Wang Plaza and connected together, it is translated as Bukit – Star and Bintang – Hill and was opened in 1979 and currently manages general shops with the main anchor tenant – Metro Jaya, a departmental store. The other shops around are mostly goldsmiths, speciality shops and sports shops. A number of stall booths occupy the main floors with dominance of handphone dealers. Many people use this mall mainly as a walk through to get to Sungai Wang Plaza while the main area is dominated by lots of mobile stalls selling all sorts of souvenirs, hand phones and so on.

Tip: Great department store here.

Address: Same as above (Sungai Wang)

Pavilion KL - The outdoor walking area

3. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur – Located at the start of Jalan Bukit Bintang – known as the Orchard Road of KL – this massive mega mall offers seven levels of fashion, dining, entertainment and even luxury retail spaces. Known for their top branded façade with brand names like Prada, Versace, Bulgari, Coach, Burberry, Marc Jacobs and more. A very popular place for locals and foreigners due to the sheer size of it. The outdoor entertainment area provides shoppers a mix of interesting restaurants, bars and cafes while the indoor offers a fantastic cinema, spa and various interesting choices of entertainment.

Tip: The most popular place to see and be seen in town.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: Right next to Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur, across the street from JW Marriott and Starhill Gallery.
Address: 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Telephone: (603) 2118 8833
Pavilion KL Website

Lot 10 at Bukit Bintang - Image by AsiaWebDirect

4. Lot 10 Shopping Mall – Another pioneer shopping mall located strategically at the corner of Jalan Bukit Bintang, this trendy building finished in bright green would definitely catch your eye when walking along the main road here. Catering to speciality shops and retail giant Isetan, the five storey mall houses one of KLs very unique eateries named Hutong which caters to the ‘best’ hawker food from around KL all in one place. It is exceptionally clean and if you always wanted to try out the local KL food, this is the place to do it.

Tip - Head here for the hawker food

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: At the corner of Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail, next to KL Plaza and opposite Sungei Wang Plaza. The mall is directly connected to Bukit Bintang Monorail Station.
Address: 50 Jalan Sultan Ismail
Telephone: (603) 2716 8615

5. Starhill Gallery at Jalan Bukit Bintang – This uber high end shopping mall houses only the top branded names in the industry and is also connected via a special walkway to the JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton Kuala Lumpur. A total of seven floors, each of the floors have a special name to identify them. A great place to explore as the mall offers shopping, pampering, entertainment and art. Another unique standout here is the stylish modern decorations and designs throughout the building. Check out the lower ground floor if you are seeking something different in food and entertainment. One of the top well known restaurants – Shook is located here.

Tip - If you love luxury shopping, this is the place.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: Across the street from Pavilion KL, right next to Berjaya KL Plaza.
Address: 181, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Telephone: (603) 2782 3855

Berjaya Times Square

6. Berjaya Times Square Kuala Lumpur – Another massive mall located just nearby the monorail stations, this 10-floor shopping centre houses over 700 retail stores where an indoor theme park is also located inside the mall, an IMAX theatre, 5-star Hotel, post office, bank, bowling alley and the list goes on. A popular place for teenagers and travellers as the choices of shops here seem to cater to all walks of life. No exclusive branded shops are available here. A newly opened IT Center with over 100 shops in a total of 80,000 square feet was recently launched on early Nov 2010.

Tip - Bring the kids to the indoor theme park here.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: Opposite Melia Hotel and Amoda building. You can exit straight into the shopping mall from Imbi Monorail Station.
Address: No. 1 Jalan Imbi
Telephone: (603) 2117 3111

Plaza Low Yat, the ultimate IT Mall in KL

7. Low Yat Plaza – The best IT Mall in Kuala Lumpur. If you are an IT person or loves technology, cameras and gadgets, this is the mall you should be visiting. Being around for two decades, this mall transformed into an IT Mall in the late 90s when technology finally caught up in Malaysia. A whopping seven floors of products, each floor is almost dedicated to a specific IT section. It lovers can easily spend half a day here as prices are extremely compatible and there are over 500 IT retail outlets here. There is a eatery section on the lower ground floor while a Bank and ATM Machines are available. You never have to leave this place for the hard core.

Tip - Look around and compare prices before committing to buy here.

Opening Hours: Daily, 10:00 – 22:00
Location: Behind Amoda Building, which is across the street from Berjaya Times Square, and right beside Bukit Bintang Plaza/Sungei Wang Plaza.
Address: No. 7, Jalan Bintang, Off Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang Central,
Low Yat Plaza Website
Tel: (603) 2148 3651

Fahrenheit88 Shopping Mall - Artist Impression

8. Fahrenheit 88 – The latest mall to hit Jalan Bukit Bintang and currently classified as a trendy/fashion mall. The name comes from the actual average temperature of Kuala Lumpur which his around 29 to 31 degrees Celsius and opened on Aug 8 2010. A total of 280 retails shops are here which include Uniqlo, the popular Japanese brand which is KLs first outlet. The mall caters to slightly more trendy brands so you will not find English cookware or top branded goods. Food and beverage outlets are found here while in future, a pedestrian bridge will connect this mall with the Pavilion. 

Previously, this mall was known as KL Plaza or Kuala Lumpur Plaza which was one of the pioneer malls along the famous road. After a long period, the Berjaya Group who owned the building finally sold it to the Pavilion Group who runs and owns the Pavilion Mall opposite.

Tip - If you like Japanese Trendy, check out Uniqlo here

Opening Hours: Daily 10am – 10pm
Location: Next to Star Hill Gallery and opposite Pavilion Mall.
Address: 179 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 WP Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: 603-2118-8888
Fahrenheit88 website

If you are heading out of KL to PJ, don not forget to see my Shopping Malls in Petaling Jaya article for some of the best places here. Apart from the many other malls around town, these are the prime selection in the Golden Triangle of KL. If you are visiting the city of KL and want to do some shopping, I would recommend you check out any of the 8 Shopping Malls in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

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