Ho Chi Minh City at Night

Ho Chi Minh City is a big city in Vietnam. With its bustling population, it has attracted many businesses to be located there. It was once the capital of South Vietnam, the city now is modern with tall buildings in the making. However, old historic buildings were preserved.

I am going to show you this city at night. It has people walking around, eating at night stalls, driving motorbikes and licking ice creams...

Municipal Hall

Street with decorative lights

Driving motorcycles.

Colourful lights at road median.

Eating ice cream at night at ice cream shop.

If you wish to experience this, walk along Le Loi Avenue until you reach Ba Trung Street. Happy travelling.

Pulau Warisan, Kuala Terengganu

Pulau Warisan (Heritage Island) at the mouth of the Terengganu River is a man-made island. Located close to Kedai Payang Market and Kampong China, it is now a new tourism icon for Kuala Terengganu There is a road linking the Market to this area until it reaches Seri Malaysia Hotel on the other end. 

The island is supposed to have many stalls selling handicrafts as well as the recreation areas. This a new recreation area for Kuala Terengganu folks.  

The road, walkway, the canal  run parallel to each other. The island is on the right.

The canal that leads to themain river. On the left is Hotel Seri Malaysia while the tall building behind is Felda Residence hotel.

The bridge pillar.

Another bridge.

The gates at the bridge.

The bridge pillars.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This area is very strategic in terms of view as you can see clearly Pulau Duyong's Ri Yaz Hotel and the venue of  the annual Monsoon Cup competition.

If you are interested to visit this area, you can start  walking either from Kedai Payang Market or Hotel Seri Malaysia, follow the back road of Jalan kampong China. Happy travelling.

Restoran Nasi Ulam Kampong Kraftangan: Not to be missed while in Kota Bharu, Malaysia

There is a restaurant which serves rice with ulam (raw vegetables) and other fish like patin and fried keli. Located right in the town centre near the Central Mosque, this restaurant has its uniqueness. Housed in the traditional Malay house environment, the restaurant has lots of visitor. It is open during lunch time. 

Footpath that leads to the restaurant on the left.

Ulam, fruit, vegetable, budu (fish essence) were served.

Fried and grilled fish were also served to the guests.

The signboard of the restaurant being put at the gate of the Handicraft Village.

If you want to taste the food, go to the Central Mosque area (Masjid Muhammadi), right in front of the Royal Guest House Hotel, you will find this Handicraft Village. Just enter, you will see the restaurant. Happy travelling.

KL Tower: A tower with a revolving restaurant

This tower is situated at Bukit Nanas in Kuala Lumpur (which is 94 metres above sea level). The height is 421 metres. It is the tallest communication tower in Kuala Lumpur. On top of it, there is a revolving restaurant where you can see Kuala Lumpur panorama. The area surrounding the tower is all green with tall and shady trees.

KL Tower seen from a different angle.

The tower reminds me of the Seoul N Tower in the city of Seoul, South Korea. Seoul N Tower has a commanding view of Seoul while KL Tower too has KL panorama. The revolving restaurant offers many cuisine of various countries. You need to book the seat and the price for dinner per pax is around RM100.00. You will enjoy being on the tower. There is a fast elevator to bring you to the top. There is ample parking spaces for buses and cars at the base of the tower.

If you are interested to visit this tower, you can take a monorail from KL Sentral to Bukit Nanas and walk to the tower. Or you may take a taxi from any LRT station (nearest Dang Wangi Putra Line). Happy travelling.

A Mosque with Chinese Architecture in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan

I came across with a mosque which has distinct Chinese architecture being built in Rantau Panjang in Kelantan. It is on the way to the town of Rantau Panjang, near the Thai border. To me this is the first mosque in Malaysia that has a Chinese architecture.

The roof is like a chinese pagoda or temple.

Close up of the front of the mosque.

This mosque is open to the public. If you are interested to visit, go to Rantau Panjang, two kilometres before you reach the town, you will see this mosque on your right. Happy travelling.

Ben Tanh Market Saigon: A Must Visit

There are several markets in Saigon where you can go and shop around. One of them is Ben Tanh Market. Located in the busy town centre close to bus terminal and near Saigon river, Ben Tanh market offers many products for the shoppers. It has a wet market where the flowers, fruits, rice, bread, coffee, vegetables, fish and meats are sold and the dry market items where clothes, shirts, and souvenirs are abundant.

Ben Tanh Market, view from the round about.

Inside the Market.

Souvenirs being sold at the market.

The market has four gates: east, west, north and south. The north gate is the entrance from Le Tanh Ton Street. The exterior architecture of the market looks a bit colonial with a clock tower. This market is a single storey market and is packed with small stalls inside. It has segments such as clothes section, souvenirs section, food stall section etc. You will be fascinated by the way they call you to their stall. Be alert on the pick pocket. When you buy clothes or tee shirt, be careful, the opening price may be high and you need to bargain.

Happy travelling.

Kelam Cave: A Tourism Asset in Perlis, Malaysia

One of the tourism assets in Perlis is Gua Kelam. Nestled in a 5000-hectare of Wang Mu and Mata Ayer Forest Reserves, Kelam Cave lies in the limestone hills of Nakawan Range which has features of steep slope and underground river. It was once used as a tin mining areas.

 The entrace to the Complex

There are two caves open for  the public. The cave-1, you can see and observe the stalactites on the ceiling and the underground river. You can walk  along the 381 metre wooden bridge to cross the underground river and appreciate the cave environment. There is ample lights to guide your walk.

The entrance to Cave-2

 The trains

The cave-2, you have to climb staircases and take a train ride for 400 metres into the cave. The cave-2 is quite high from the cave-1. Here, you can see the remnants of the tin-mining areas. It has poles, cut wall etc indicating the activity of mining. You also can hear the sound of water. All dangerous holes or caves are covered with safety net.

The cave-1

The train has seven coaches. Each coach can take only four persons. The coach glides on the parallel poles. After 400 metres, you have to get out of the coach and take a walk. The trail is quite dark and has lights at intervals. You can see stalactites, hear the sound of trickling water and see the ex-mining areas. The floors of the mining areas keep on lowering as evidence in the rising ceiling height of the cave. It is quite a hectic climb and walk. You need stamina to survive this exploration. Those unfit, it is advisable not to go into cave-2. You will end your trails in cave-1 and exit from cave-1.

The cave with lighting inside.

Kelam cave now is being managed by the Forestry Department since 2009. The complex has other facility and attraction too. It has gallery, souvenir shop, toilet, bathing area (rivers), camping site which can accommodate 200 persons and parking areas.

It is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm and with admission fee of RM5.00 adult and RM3.00 children. You need at least 2 hours to explore the caves. If you are interested to visit this cave, take a drive  from Kangar to Padang Besar. When you reach Timah Tasor, turn left towards Kaki Bukit. Afer 6km, you will reach a junction, then take left until you reach the foothills.  Happy travelling.