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Essential Packing Guide for Traveling to Sarawak

Sarawak is a lovely place to visit and we are not saying this because we are Sarawakians.

We have a UNESCO World Heritage Site of Gunung Mulu National Park.

Our capital city of Kuching is a member of UNESCO’s Creative CIties Network under the field of gastronomy.

Plus, the Niah Cave in Miri is the oldest recorded human settlement in East Malaysia dating back to more than 40,000 years ago.

If you are planning to visit, here is a comprehensive packing guide on what to bring when traveling to Sarawak:

1.Lightweight Clothing

Generally, bring clothing that is made of breathable fabrics.

Opt for cotton, linen, or moisture-wicking materials to stay cool and comfortable in the tropical weather.

If you are planning to swim, pack at least two swimsuits so you always have a dry one available.

You might want to bring a light jacket or something to stay warm in an air-conditioned place. Sarawak is generally hot and humid; why do you need to bring one?

Personally, we have seen a tourist pleading to a bus driver to increase the temperature when travelling from Bintulu to Kuching. She was freezing due to the air-conditioner. Beware, public transports such as ferry and bus can be unapologetically cold sometimes.

2.Sun Protection

Sunscreen is definitely a must in your packing list to Sarawak.

Bring a high SPF sunscreen, at least SPF 30.

Do not forget to reapply frequently especially if you’ll be in and out of water.

If you are not sure on what type of sunscreen to choose, watch this Youtube video from Doctorly.

It has all kinds of recommended sunscreens such as best mineral sunscreen, best chemical sunscreens and best Korean sunscreens.

For more protection against the sun, wear sunglasses and hat when you are out exploring.

3.Umbrella or raincoat

After preparing yourself against the sun, now you need to prepare against the rain.

A small, folded umbrella is good if you are sightseeing around town area.

However, a raincoat is a must if you are planning to do some jungle trekking.

Speaking of rain, you might want to bring a waterproof bag. There is no need to buy 5L bag, maybe just a small one to protect your important belongings such as phone and wallet.

4.Insect Repellent

Your visit to Sarawak incomplete without experiencing the beautiful nature of Borneo.

With that being said, pack up some mosquito repellent with DEET or another effective ingredient.

Take note that mosquito repellents from the local brands are mostly contained lemongrass.

While lemongrass was found not to be as effective compared to DEET, many people are too sensitive to this chemical to use it as a repellent.

Lemongrass on the other hand is a generally safe and natural ingredient. You just need to get used with the smell.

5.Practical Footwear

If you are keeping your packing list to the bare minimum, you only need two types of footwear.

First of all, a pair of sandals or flip-flops that are perfect for the beach and casual outings.

Secondly, a pair of comfortable walking Shoes for you to wear during sightseeing and even hiking.

Let say that for some reason that you do not have the right shoes to trek.

Just walk in the shoes of some locals (literally) and buy yourself a pair of adidas kampung.

They might not be that comfortable but they are cheap and practical.

6.Reusable Water Bottle

Stay hydrated in this hot and humid climate of Sarawak by bringing along a reusable water bottle.

Yes, drinking and mineral bottles are very affordable here.

But do your part in reducing plastic waste by bringing your own bottle.

If you are wondering on where you can refill your water for free especially at shopping malls, KajoMag has a trick for you.

Look for a nursing or baby room as it usually comes with a water dispenser.

7.Medications

If you are on prescribed medication, bring enough for the duration of your trip in Sarawak.

However, it doesn’t hurt to bring a little extra.

Some basic first aid kit including band-aids and antiseptic cream do not take that much space in your luggage, you might consider to bring some.

Just in case of diarrhea or dehydration from the tropical heat, throw in some hydration salts.

Do take note that OTC medicines are affordable in Malaysia. However in order to save your time from walking around looking for pharmacy or convenient store, might as well bring your own nonprescription medicine from home.

8.Travel Adapter and other electronics

To ensure that you can charge your devices while in Sarawak, do not forget to bring a travel adaptor.

For Malaysia, the associated plug type is G. It is the plug that has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern.

Once your devices such as camera and phone are fully charged, now you are ready to capture the beautiful landscape of Sarawak.

9.Cash and card

Convert your cash into ringgits for small purchases.

As for credit card, Visa and Master are widely accepted by retailers and restaurants but not Amex.

Most cash registries will clearly state whether they can accept card or cash only.

When comes to paying using only phone, the most common app payment in Sarawak is S Pay Global.

If you are interested of using it, check out the terms and conditions here.

10.Toiletries and personal hygiene products

It is best to bring your own travel-sized toiletries with brands of your preference. This is because you might not find your usual brands of personal hygiene products.

Ladies, Malaysian women generally use menstrual pads instead of tampons. Hence, finding tampon here might not as easy as looking menstrual pads.

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Photo by Timur Weber

Overall, Sarawak is a pretty chill and relax place for foreigners to visit.

Even if you are a light packer, you can easily buy things that you need in the local stores.

By packing thoughtfully and preparing well for your trip, you’ll be well-equipped to enjoy every moment of your adventure in Sarawak.

In the end of the day, you just need to let the laid-back vibes of Sarawak captivate you.

Enjoy your trip!

Discover Sarawak’s Must-See Animals: A Guide for Wildlife Enthusiasts

For first time visitors discovering Sarawak, we are sure you have planned alot of things to do in your itinerary.

If you are a nature lover, your visit to the Land of Hornbills would not be complete without getting close to some animals.

Here are five must-see animals in Sarawak when you are in town:

1.Bornean orangutan

Semenggoh 7

Did you know that orangutans share approximately 97 per cent of their DNA with humans? They are practically our cousins.

There are two species of orangutan. The Bornean orangutan and Sumatran orangutan are two different species that diverged about 400,000 years ago.

The species that is endemic to the island of Borneo is Pongo pygmaeus or the Bornean orangutan.

One of the many differences between the Bornean orangutan and its Sumatran brother is that the former travels on the ground more than its Sumatran counterpart.

Many believe this is due to no large terrestrial predators that could attack an orangutan in Borneo.

However in Sumatra, this great ape sometimes come in contact with the Sumatran tiger.

Thanks to this trait, you can find these must see animals in Sarawak walking around the Semenggoh Nature Reserve if you are lucky.

Located 20km from Kuching city, Semenggoh Nature Reserve is home to semi-wild orangutans.

They spend most of their time in the forest (especially during the fruiting season) but some get back to the centre during feeding time.

So if you are making a visit, make sure you are there during their feeding times at 9am to 10am or 3pm to 4pm.

2.Proboscis monkey

Bako National Park 3

Another mammal that is endemic to Borneo is the proboscis monkey or long-nosed monkey (Nasalis larvatus).

It is known for its distinguished large nose. Proboscis monkeys live commonly in the mangrove forests and on the coastal areas.

Being accustomed to its natural habitats, these primates are known to swim across rivers and are even able to dive underwater.

While the largest remaining populations can be found in Kalimantan, there are a few found in Sarawak.

In Sarawak, one of the best places to see proboscis monkeys in the wild is Bako National Park.

There, you might catch these must -ee animals in Sarawak jumping from one tree to another or munching on fruits or leaves.

3.Saltwater crocodiles

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There are two species of crocodiles found in Sarawak: the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) and the Malayan gharial (Tomistoma shlegii).

However, the one you really catch a glimpse of while in Sarawak is none other than what the Australians call the ‘saltie’.

It is the largest living reptile in the world.

If you are in Kuching, make a trip to Jong’s Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Siburan. It is one of seven crocodile farms in Malaysia that is registered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Another place to see a saltwater crocodile is at Matang Wildlife Centre.

It is not a zoo but a centre dedicated to the rehabilitation of endangered animals before being released back into the wild.

The crocodiles sent to the centre are usually the ones caught intruding human settlements.

4.Hornbills

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Press Photos: (All Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS)

Unless you are an avid bird watcher, you are considered one of the lucky ones if you are able to see hornbills fly freely in the sky.

Despite the name ‘Land of the Hornbills’, don’t expect these birds to be easily spotted unless you head over the the Piasau Nature Reserve in Miri.

There are eight species of hornbill found in Sarawak including White Crested Hornbill, Wrinkled Hornbill, Wreathed Hornbill, Black Hornbill, Bushy Crested Hornbill, Pied Hornbill, Helmeted Hornbill and Rhinoceros Hornbill.

The Rhinoceros Hornbill is not only the state bird of Sarawak but Malaysia’s national bird.

To see this iconic bird, Santubong National Park reportedly is the closest site to Kuching which offers a chance to see the Rhinoceros Hornbill.

5.Bornean bearded pig

Bornean Bearded Pigs

You might think, “Why would I want to see a pig when I come to Sarawak?” This is not any pig, this is the Borneo bearded pig.

Putting aside its name, the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus) can also be found in Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula as well as some small islands in Sulu archipelago.

This pig can be recognised by its prominent beard which is more pronounced in males.

Make a trip to Bako National Park and you can find them around the park HQ or along the beach.

If you are staying over at the park, don’t be surprised if you hear snorting sounds in the middle of the nights. Sometimes, these pigs would hover around the accommodation area scavenging for food.

Discover Kuching’s Culinary Delights: A Comprehensive A-Z Guide!

If you web-searched ‘ Food to eat in Kuching’ or ‘Kuching Food Guide’ or ‘Food to Try in Kuching’ or ‘What food is famous in Kuching’, honestly the results are pretty much the same.

Here at KajoMag, we want you to take your gastronomic adventure in Kuching (Unesco Creative City of Gastronomy since 2021!) to another level and not just go through the food list halfheartedly.

So how about enjoying the best food that Kuching has to offer alphabetically?

This is our pick of what to eat in Kuching from A to Z (a non-halal version):

A is for ABC

ABC, also known as ais kacang, is one of the many ways Kuchingites use to escape from the tropical heat.

It traditionally consists of shaved ice, red beans, cendol, grass jelly with evaporated milk or coconut milk drizzled on top.

If you have no idea where to have one, here are some of KajoMag’s suggestions.

B is for Beef Noodle

Kuching is known for its own version of beef noodle or mee sapi.

This noodle dish is served with been sprouts and beef slices on top as well as a bowl of hearty beef-based soup.

Some of the best places to have that satisfying bowl of beef noodle are Ah Mui Beef Noodle and Green Hill Corner Hawker Centre.

C is for (Salad) Chicken Rice

Do not be fooled by the name of this dish and expect a bowl full of greens.

Sarawak’s version of salad chicken rice is rice served with fried chicken.

The ‘salad’ part is the pink-coloured dressing made from mayonnaise mixed with tomato sauce.

The original version of this dish also came with baked beans.

Nowadays, the common version of salad chicken rice is with mayonnaise drizzled on top of the fried chicken and tomato sauce on the side.

The most popular place to have a plate of this is none other than KEN Salad Chicken Rice on Jalan Pending.

D is for Dabai

Dabai (Canarium odontophyllum) is an indigenous seasonal fruit that can only be found in Sarawak.

Many call it the Sarawak olive because they look similar.

If you are not in town during dabai season, no worries. You can still enjoy this fruit but in another form.

Nasi goreng dabai or dabai fried rice is one of the ways to enjoy the fruit all year round since it is made from salted dabai.

E is for Ensabi

Ensabi is a local mustard green which is known for its distinct bitter taste.

It is commonly prepared by stir-frying it with garlic and anchovies with salt to taste.

Sarawakians love the preserved version of it called kasam ensabi.

From a simple dish that the folks at the longhouse enjoy, now it has found its way to Kuching hawker stalls selling indigenous food.

One of these stall is as at Langkau Arau Rumah Asap Dayak.

F is for Fried Midin

Midin

Another must-try vegetable is Sarawak is midin (Stenochlaena palustris).

It is a type of fern usually prepared by frying with garlic or shrimp paste (belacan).

Have it with rice and some protein such as chicken or pork, and voila! You will have the perfect plate for lunch.

G is for Gula Apong Ice-cream

Do not think about leaving Kuching without giving this a try.

Gula Apong Ice-cream is one of many must-try desserts when you are in town.

It is basically vanilla ice-cream topped with gula apong, a Sarawak palm sugar.

H is for Hot bowl of Terung Dayak Soup

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One of many ways to cook this local eggplant, Terong Dayak Asam Pedas

Terung Dayak or terung asam is a type of eggplant which is commonly found in Sarawakian cuisine.

They are usually cut into quarters and cooked with or without their seeds.

Most people do not remove the skin because it comes off easily when cooked.

One of the best ways to have it is to cook the eggplant in soup with pork or smoked fish.

I is for Ikan Terubuk Masin

Ikan terubuk masin is salted toli shad or Chinese herring.

It is one of highly prized fish among Sarawakians.

Nowadays it has become one of the must-buy food souvenirs among tourists who came to Sarawak.

Whether you have it here right on site in Sarawak or bring it back home to savour, this fish is one of many Sarawakian foods you must eat in Kuching.

J is for Jani

You cannot come to Sarawak and not pick some of the local languages. This largest state of Malaysia has more than 40 sub-ethnic group, each with its own distinct language.

Here at KajoMag, we want to teach you the Iban word ‘jani’ which means pig.

While the African Americans are known to have their cookouts featuring a menu of soul food, the Iban people have always love to gather among family and friends to barbeque and drinking some beers.

And a typical Iban or even Dayak barbecue is incomplete without jani or pork.

You can have the barbecued pork with rice or on its own, it doesn’t matter as long as you have a can of cold beer to wash it down.

No invites to a BBQ? No worries, you still can have it in Kuching.

The best places to have Dayak-style barbecued pork are at Rumah Asap Tabuan Dayak and Langkau Arau Rumah Asap Dayak.

While you are there, don’t forget to order some barbecued pork intestines.

K is for Kueh chap

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Kueh Chap

Speaking of pork intestines, here is a dish you must have in Kuching if you love having some pig’s innards.

Originating from Teochew cuisine, this dish consists of flat, broad rice sheets served in a soup made with dark soy sauce along with an assortment of pork cuts.

You can have early in the morning for breakfast or late at night for supper, it doesn’t matter.

Some of the places that served best kueh chap in town are Lao Ya Keng Food Court at Carpenter Street and 3rd Mile Wet Market Food Court.

L is for Laksa Sarawak

A Twitter user in 2012 once asked the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain to settle the score on who has the best laksa? Penang, Sarawak, Johore or Singapore?

Bourdain tweeted back only one word ‘Sarawak’ so sorry not sorry Penangites, Johoreans and Singaporeans.

A classic bowl of Laksa Sarawak is made of rice vermicelli served in spiced coconut broth with shredded chicken, shredded omelette, bean sprouts, prawns and coriander.

Some of the famous places in Kuching to have a taste of this dish are Choon Hui Cafe and Golden Arch Cafe.

M is for Mee Kolo

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Kolo mee at Woon Lam Cafe 1999.

Never ever ask a group of Kuchingites on where is the best Mee Kolo or Kolo Mee especially on social media platforms, you might accidentally trigger a debate as heated as the Taiwan parliament.

A kolo mee is springy egg noodles tossed in a sweet and savoury shallot, lard and vinegar dressing. Kuching’s most popular variant is the kolo mee merah (red). It uses oil from cooking char siu for that extra flavour as well as the red colouring.

Kuchingites are proud of their kolo mee and sometimes can be very defensive on which stall offers the best.

Most of the time, nostalgia is a powerful ingredient and Kuchingites tend to pick the best based on where they had it as a child.

For instance, someone who grew up in the 3rd Mile area would probably choose the stall on the first floor of 3rd Mile Wet Market to have the best kolo mee.

Regardless, there is one thing for sure. A first-time visitor to Kuching cannot leave the city without having this bowl of springy noodles.

N is for Nasi Aruk

For a dose of traditional Sarawakian Malay food in your gastronomic adventure in Kuching, do give nasi aruk a try.

Basic nasi aruk is made from rice, garlic, onion and anchovies.

What makes it different from the typical fried rice, nasi aruk does not use any oil to fry the rice and it requires a longer frying time resulting in a more smoky flavour in the rice.

O is for Oyster Pancake

Sometimes also known as oyster omellete, this dish is best to have while it is still hot and crispy.

It is one of the must-ordered dishes at any seafood or Chinese restaurants in Kuching.

But you can still have it as a snack on a late night out with friends.

The dish is round and crispy pancake with oysters cooked with it.

P is for Pansuh

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Manok pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo)

Originally an Iban dish, pansuh is food that is cooked in bamboo.

Manok pansuh is chicken cooked in bamboo with ginger, lemongrass and tapioca leaves. The bamboo is then roasted over a fire.

A dish that was common in the longhouses where bamboo is easily found, has now made its way to food courts and restaurants.

Q is for Qing Mian or Green Noodle

Qing Mian is green noodle in Mandarin. This noodle dish is more widely known as spinach noodle in which the noodle gained its colour from.

The unique thing about this noodle dish is that every stall that sells it has its own recipe.

Some serve the noodle with pork and others with beef.

Chong Chon Green Noodle for instance is served with beef while the one at ABC Food Centre comes with minced pork.

R is for Roti Kompia

Roti means bread in Malay and this is the only bread on the list.

It is made with lard, salt and flour.

One can enjoy it just like that or with savoury minced pork as its filling; either way is equally delicious.

S is for Sarawak Three Layer Tea

Teh C Peng Special

Widely known as Teh C Peng Special, this is perhaps the most popular tea beverage in Sarawak.

The three layers part of the drink come from tea, evaporated milk and gula apong (palm sugar).

This is one of many prides of Kuching since it is originally invented right here in this city.

T is for Tomato Crispy Mee

Here is another unique Sarawak dish for you to try in Kuching.

It is deep-fried noodle served with sweet and sour tomato gravy with vegetables and sliced chicken or pork on top.

U is for Umai

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Umai made from raw fish, citrus fruit and bunga kecala

This popular traditional dish is a traditional food of the Melanau people.

It is consists of sliced raw fish mixed with onions, chillies, vinegar, salt and lime juice.

The dish is similar to Latin American ceviche and the Filipino kinilaw.

V is for Vermicelli Noodle With Shrimp Paste aka Belacan Beehoon

The list of ingredients that make up of this dish doesn’t make sense if you just go through it one by one.

But if you actually sit down and enjoy it, this dish does make sense.

Imagine rice vermicelli served in a dressing made from belacan (shrimp paste), chilli, tamarind and dried shrimp.

On top of it, there are cuttlefish, cucumber, bean sprouts and century egg.

W is for White Lady

Here is another source of pride of Kuchingites, the White Lady.

It is a dessert-like beverage made from evaporated milk, mango juice, longan and pineapple.

Some of the places where you can have a glass of the White Lady are Old Rex Cucur Udang Cafe and Swee Kang Ais Kacang.

X is for Xiu Mai Kuching style, Sio bee

Sio bee is Kuching’s interpretation of xiu mai or siu mai.

Unlike siu mai that contains both pork and shrimp, sio bee contains only pork inside.

Y is for Yong Tao Foo

Yong tao foo is a Hakka dish consisting of tofu filled with ground meat mixture.

The term ‘yong tao foo’ is also used to describe a clear soup dish with various forms of tofu stuffed ingredients such as bittergourd and ladies fingers.

The soup can include other ingredients such as fish balls, crab sticks and vegetables like bak choy and white Chinese cabbage.

Here in Kuching, a yong tao foo stall sometimes comes in a buffet-style where you can pick your ingredients to make up your soup.

Z is for Zao Cai Fen Gan and other Foochow foods

While Foochow food is more associated with Sibu town, you can find them here in Kuching city.

One of them is definitely Zao Cai Fen Gan or Zao Cai Hong Ngan. It is rice noodle cooked with preserved mustard greens.

The best part is you can have either dry or soup version of this dish. Both versions are equally delicious.

KajoMag’s recommended place to have this is at Mee Kwong Cafe.

Other Foochow dishes that can be found in Kuching are kampua, ding bian hu and mee sua.

10 travel bucket list ideas inspired by Korean variety show Running Man

Now that international travelling is made possible again, are you looking for some unique travel bucket list ideas?

Korean variety show Running Man is a reality-variety show concept that focused on games.

It has been airing since July 11, 2010 making it one of the longest running Korean variety shows.

The show even made it to the list of Business Insider’s 20 TV Shows of 2016.

The current members are Yoo Jae-suk, HaHa, Jee Seok-jin, Kim Jong-kook, Song Ji-hyo, Jeon So-min and Yang Se-chan.

Over the years, the show has invited hundred of guests including Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, Simon Pegg and Ryan Reynolds.

On top of that, Running Man has also filmed in countless number of different locations both in and out of South Korea.

So here are ten travel bucket list ideas inspired by Korean variety show Running Man:

1.Shop at a Floating Market in Thailand

The first country that the Running Man cast visited for filming is Thailand back in 2011.

During that episode, one of their filming spot is the Pattaya Floating Market.

Located in the heart of Pattaya, this market offers delicacies and handicrafts from four different regions of Thailand.

Let say that you are not in Pattaya but in the capital city of Bangkok, you have up to 17 different floating markets to choose from.

This list include Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Amphawa Floating Market, Wat Sai Floating Market and more.

2.Visit the Great Wall of China

After the successful episode in Thailand, the Running Man cast visited another country in the same year, China.

Besides playing a string of games around Beijing city, the cast members also visited the Great Wall of China.

Do you know that some of these walls were built from as early as the 7th century with some of the stretches later joined by the first emperor of China Qin Shi Huang during 220-206?

This historical site is a definitely a must-visit place in any travel bucket lists.

3.Go for the highest commercial bungee jump in the world from Macau Tower

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Song Ji-hyo bungee jumping from Macao Tower

The episode that the Running Man filmed in Macau is one of the most talked about years down the road all thanks to one legendary scene.

The only female of the group back then, actress Song Ji-hyo was the only cast member who bungee jumped from Macau Tower in the 2013 episode.

With a wide smile on her pretty face while showing as many teeth that she could, Song was seen happily bungee jumped from a platform 233m above the ground point.

Apart from Song, there were many other celebrities who went for the same adventure including Edison Chen, Jack Osbourne, Xie Na and Joe Chen.

Watch the clip here.

4.Skydiving in Dubai

During an episode filmed in Dubai, Kim Jong-kook along with two celebrity guests Jung Il-woo and Lee Da-hae did something that only meant for thrill-seekers out there.

The trio did sky-jumping. After returning to the ground, all of three of them agreed that it is something that you need to do at least once before you die.

With majestic desert landscape, skydiving in Dubai is absolutely an unforgettable experience.

While you are in Dubai, might as well go for the world’s longest urban zipline.

Xline Dubai Marina offers adventurers an experience to ride on a zipline at 170 meters high from the ground, sliding up to 80km/hour for 1 km long.

5.Opt for a paranormal experience at Labyrinth of Fear; Japan’s Most Terrifying Haunted House

How about a dose of paranormal fear added on your travel bucket list?

The Super Scary Labyrinth of Fear (yes, that is the full name) is one of the two haunted attractions in Fuji-Q Highland.

It is a theme park located near the base of Mount Fuji.

The labyrinth holds the record for the world’s first and largest haunted attraction covering a two-storey building with 900m in length.

The attraction is inspired from a legend of a popular hospital where doctors were accused of selling internal organs of their patients. Unsurprisingly, the spirits of the dead victims came back to haunt and avenge their own deaths.

Running Man had done many horror-theme episodes before but this one definitely took the cake.

We were not surprised at all to see Jeon So-min in tears at the end of her scary labyrinth tour.

Watch the clip here.

6.Ride a manual wooden cable car over the crashing waves of Timang Beach at Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Timang Beach in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta is like any other beaches in Indonesia at first glance.

What makes it different is that there is an island called Panjang Island which is a lobster habitat.

The island is the best place to catch lobster for the local community.

But due to the steep hill that is directly adjacent to the sea, crossing over to the island is not an easy task.

Hence, the locals built a wooden cable car fit only for one person which is driven on a rope connecting the beach to the top of the island.

The 200-meter long ride is not a big deal unless there is a raging sea beneath you and huge waves that keep on crashing on your cable car just like what it did to Lee Kwang-soo and Jeon So-min in the 369th till 371th episode of Running Man.

Watch the clip here

7.Get into the Cage of Death at Darwin, Australia

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Lee Kwang-soo inside the Cage of Death

During the 378th and 379th episodes of Running Man, Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Suk-jin, Lee Kwang-soo and Jeon So-min went to Darwin, Australia.

There, they had to complete the mission of going into the Cage of Death.

The Cage of Death is a tourist attraction known for being Australia’s only crocodile dive.

This unique experience offers swimmers the chance to get up and close and personal with saltwater crocodile for 15 minutes.

In that short (or long) period of time depending on how you see it, swimmers can stare into the eyes of this famous predator while witnessing the power of his bite force.

Watch the clip here.

8.Take a swing at one of the world’s biggest swing, Nevis Swing

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Song Ji-hyo and Kim Jong-kook riding the world’s biggest swing upside down.

While half of the team were in Darwin, the rest of the members were in Queenstown, New Zealand.

Flinging people in an arc out over 300 meters, Nevis Swing is undoubtedly catered to adrenaline suckers.

You can choose swing by yourself or tandem with a friend – forwards, backwards or upside down like Song Ji-hyo and Kim Jong-kook did during their trip.

Later, Song revealed in a show that Kim and her had to go on the swing twice because the first time they rode the swing, the camera was not rolling.

Watch the clip here.

9.Visit Switzerland to walk on the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the Alps

During the 540th episode of Running Man, HaHa and actress Kang Han-na were chosen to take up the mission of hiking the world’s longest suspension bridge.

Despite their fear and constant complaints from HaHa, the unlikely duo successfully finished the mission.

The bridge that they crossed is the Charles Kuonen Bridge. It is the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge, giving walkers the view of 86 meters above the ground at its highest point.

It is a record-breaking 494 meters long connecting Grachen and Zermatt on the Europaweg foot trail.

Located near the village of Randa, the bridge provides views of Matterhorn, Weisshorn and the Bernese Alps in the distance.

10.Wing Walking in England

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Yoo Jae-suk wing walking in England.

Have you heard of wing walking? Lee Kwang-soo, Yoo Jae-suk and Lee Da-hee had the opportunities to do so during their trip to England.

The experience took them 10-minute flying while being strapped to the top of a plane while flying 500 feet above the ground.

After the episode was aired in 2018, many viewers expressed their concern over the activities raising the question if the production team had went to far.

The then production director assured that wing walking is totally safe and it is a leisure sport that has not seen an accident in 30 years.

Watch the clip here.

So which travel bucket ideas would you pick? Let us know in the comment box.

5 Korean libraries and bookstores from K-dramas to visit

Just because international traveling is impossible right now, doesn’t mean you cannot plan for the Covid-19 free future.

If you have been binging on Korean dramas during this pandemic, you might notice a commonly seen filming location is either the library or the bookstore.

Instead of a place for reading and to buy books, these libraries and bookstores are usually the meeting places for the characters. Sometimes, it is also a place for them to ‘accidentally’ bump into each other.

If South Korea is in your itinerary post Covid-19 pandemic, and you love reading, try to visit these five Korean libraries and bookstores.

Who knows? You can recreate the Korean drama scenes and capture them in photos for memories.

Here are five Korean libraries and bookstores from your favourite K-dramas that you might want to visit:

1.CGV Cine Library

This library is the shooting locations of Chicago Typewriter (2017), Black Knight (2017), You Drive Me Crazy! (2018), Are You Human? (2018), Find Me in Your Memory (2020) and Alice (2020).

In Korean drama-land, it is a place where press conferences take place such as Find Me in Your Memory and Chicago Typewriter.

Besides that, it is also a place to hold a talk such as in Black Knight (2017), this library was where Jang Baek-hee (Jang Mi-hee) gives her talk about her blog and in Are You Human? (2018) where scientist Oh Ro-ra (Kim Sung-ryoung) talks about artificial intelligence.

CGV Cine Library is the first cinema library and art house in South Korea. Located at Jung-gu, Seoul, it is known to have over 10,600 books on various movies.

2.Seoul Book Repository

The hotel in Korean drama Hotel del Luna (2019) is nothing like your normal hotel. It is where all dead people coming to terms with their unfinished business in their former lives.

One of them was a ghost who wanted to read all the books in the world. Surrounded with books, the ghost who seem to enjoy reading.

This particular scene is shot at Seoul Book Repository, the city’s first public secondhand bookstore.

The building is in fact an old warehouse that was used previously for storing Amway’s products.

There are about 120,000 secondhand books in the 1400 square-meter store. All the books are supplied by 25 secondhand bookstores from around Seoul city.

While in the drama the place is a place of refuge for the afterlife, in the real world Seoul Book Repository aims to provide small secondhand bookstores with an effective sales platform.

3.Uijeongbu Art Library

Do you know that there are different kinds of specialised libraries in South Korea? The Soriul Library for example, is specialised in musical instruments. Located in Osan city, the library has 20,000 books and 180 kinds of musical instruments.

Meanwhile, Yeokgok Library which is located in Bucheon, focuses on forest and environment. It offers visitors at least 21,000 books on nature alone.

Uijeongbu Art Library is South Korea’s first library that works as an art gallery as well. It was officially opened to public in December 2019.

In one of the episode of It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020), the main characters Moon Gang-tae (Kim Soo-hyun), Sang-tae (Oh Jung-se) and Ko Mun-yeong (Seo Ye-jin) go to this library to research on children books.

4.Forest of Wisdom

What makes Forest of Wisdom an interesting place is that it is neither a library or bookshop.

Yes, it is home to over 200,000 books and has space for 100,000 more.

However, the books are not for sale or to be loaned out.

In fact, it is a place for people to read, have a cup of coffee, hold events such as classes and orchestra and film some Korean dramas.

There is a long list of K-dramas that were filmed here. The list include Record of Youth (2020), The World of the Married (2020), The King: Eternal Monarch (2020), She Was Pretty (2015), Search: WWW (2019) and many more.

Forest of Wisdom is located in Paju, a city dedicated especially for books.

5.Arc N Book

This unique cultural space is not just a bookstore but a lifestyle store.

Located in the basement of Buyong Eulji Building, Seoul, Arc N Book is famous for its ‘book tunnel’ display.

Imagine walking through a space with books above your head.

In the drama Start-Up (2020), it is where Seo Dal-mi (Bae Suzy) comes to pick up a book but ends up running into Nam Do-an (Nam Joo-hyuk) and his co-founders.

Other K-dramas that were filmed here were Run On (2020), Mother of Mine (2019) and Romance is a Bonus Book (2019).

Do you have other South Korean libraries to visit on your bucket list? Let us know in the comment box.

#KajoPicks: Where to grab coffee-to-go in Kuching?

First of all, you can easily grab your coffee-to-go at any kopitiam (if you prefer good old local kopi) or even the typical choice of Starbucks. Plus, you can go visit any of Kuching’s dozens of cafes, but most of them are not open until late morning or noon.

So what do you do when you really need that quick dose of caffeine from a specialty coffee in the morning?

For KajoMag, here are our favourite places specifically to go and grab coffee-to-go in Kuching:

1.Black Bean Coffee & Tea

Where to grab to go coffee in Kuching 2

This list is not complete without a Kuching must-have for coffee lovers – Black Bean Coffee & Tea. It is known for our very own Sarawak Liberica which is one of the best coffee beans in the world.

Located at Ewe Hai Street, Black Bean Coffee & Tea opens at 9 in the morning – perfect timing for those looking for another cup of coffee after their early breakfast.

Looking for coffee beans to brew your own drinks at home? This is also the place for you. The staff is willing to help you select the perfect beans according to your taste.

If Kuching city centre is too far for you, they have another branch at Hock Seng Lee’s (HSL) new La Promenade Mall.

2.Tealive

Where to grab to go coffee in Kuching 1

You might think, “Why on earth is a bubble tea chain on this list?”

Honestly, the coffee range drink from this Malaysian boba chain is pretty underrated.

Their signature coffee, americano and latte drinks come hot or cold. Additionally, they offer seasonal promotions on their selected coffee beverages for only RM5 (without tax) from morning till 12pm daily.

However if you prefer Robusta or Liberica beans, this place is not for you. Tealive only offers 100 per cent Arabica beans.

3.Belalak Addicted Coffee

Where to grab to go coffee in Kuching 3

Have you heard of the Turkish way of brewing coffee? It is done by boiling very finely ground coffee.

Traditionally, the grounds left after drinking Turkish coffee are used to tell fortunes. The cup is commonly turned over the saucer to cool, and the patterns of the coffee grounds are used for fortune telling. For Potterheads out there, it is similar to tea-leaf reading or scrying in Harry Potter’s Divination class.

The best place you can find this type of brewing in Kuching is at Belalak Addicted Coffee, The Hills.

No, they don’t offer you fortune telling at Belalak Addicted Coffee. But they do offer a variety of coffee drinks with cute names.

Kopi Let is basically mocha, Kopi Pong is black coffee with palm sugar, Kopi Sus is latte and Kopi Kos is americano.

Besides these, they also offer non-caffeinated and ice-blended drinks.

BTS and other K-pop artists who have visited Kota Kinabalu

After the ninth episode of South Korean hit dramaStart-up’ aired last November, Kota Kinabalu went trending online.

While bragging about the view of the sunset from his family’s holiday homes, the character Cheol-san mentions the sunsets at Santorini and Kota Kinabalu.

The capital state of Sabah is not that foreign to South Koreans. During the pre-Covid days, Koreans made up the second largest international arrivals in Sabah, second to China, with almost 30,000 South Koreans recorded in 2019 according to Sabah Tourism Board.

However, do you know that K-pop boy band BTS was one of the many South Koreans who had arrived in Sabah?

Apart from Jay Park and Hyuna who had performed here before and IN2IT’s Isaac Voo who is a Sabahan, here are some K-pop artists who have already set foot in Kota Kinabalu:

1.BTS

Today, even non K-pop fans recognise the name ‘BTS’.

When the seven-member K-pop idol visited Kota Kinabalu back some time in May 2015, it was just about two years after they debuted.

If they were to arrive in Kota Kinabalu today, Sabahans (and most likely the rest of Malaysia) would definitely go crazy.

During their visit, the members stayed at Pacific Sutera Hotel and visited Lok Kawi Wildlife Park.

It wasn’t just fun and fames for BTS when they were in Kota Kinabalu as they came to shoot the BTS Summer Package 2015 (a photobook and vlog released in conjunction of their debut anniversary).

2.Hyeri from Girls’ Day

Remember in 2017 when George R.R. Martin tweeted a picture of himself and Quentin Tarantino enjoying a cruise down the Kuching Waterfront? By the time he posted the photo, they both had long left the city.

The same thing goes for Hyeri from K-pop girl group Girl’s Day in 2019. When she posted a photo of herself in a dark dress with palm trees in the background, Malaysian fans quickly recognised that it was taken somewhere near Kota Kinabalu City Mosque.

The mosque is partially surrounded by a human-made lagoon, giving it the nickname “The Floating Mosque”.

While Hyeri never confirmed if she was really in the city, she was most probably back in South Korea when she posted the photo.

temple 5998526 1280
“The Floating Mosque” Credit: Pixabay.

3.Ailee

On Apr 6, 2015, K-pop solo artist Ailee posted a photo of herself with a group of friends having a good time by a poolside on Instagram.

A photo of a celebrity having fun by the pool, no big deal right?

The photo, nonetheless, drew attention from her Malaysian fans thanks to her caption, “#kotakinabalu, #poolside and #welovesun”

In another photo of herself in a black bikini, she used the hashtags #goodbye, #timetowork and #backinseoul.

Obviously, she stayed under the radar as she flew in and out of the city.

Have you ever spotted any K-pop artists in Kota Kinabalu before? Let us know in the comment box.

5 travel recommendations for women heading to Selangor

Happy International Women’s Day! In honour of the annual celebration, Tourism Selangor came up with this top list of travel recommendations and hangouts for women planning a visit and travel to Selangor. Here are some destinations that offer great activities, beautiful scenery and contemporary culture.

1. State of Selangor – Home of Gastronomical Delights

Klang Bak Kut Teh by Hungrygowhere.my
Klang Bak Kut Teh by Hungrygowhere.my

Due to Selangor’s history of migration back with some of its settlers hailing from different backgrounds and countries, the State’s cultural diversity has made the food rich in flavours! Make a trip to Kuala Selangor and Klang Districts If you’re interested in sampling some of the famous local food. Klang is a popular destination for tourists who want to taste Malaysia’s street food such as, Klang Bak Kut Teh (Chinese), Banana Leaf Rice Klang (Indian), Cendol and Lontong Klang (Malay) and many more. Meanwhile, Kuala Selangor is a town famous not only for its fresh seafood, but also Malay traditional food such as, Nasi Ambeng, Mee Udang, Satay, Ketupat, and many more.

2. Strike a Pose! – Visit Instragammable places around Selangor

Whether you are spending a weekend, or a week in Selangor; if you are passionate about photography or into Instagram, you’ll want to know where the State’s most Instagrammable places are.

Stunning landscapes, architecture, theme parks and so much more – every corner of Selangor is a hot-spot for that perfect picture. The following list is where you should head-to next!

a. Sky Mirror Kuala Selangor
b. Batu Caves, Gombak
c. i-City Shah Alam
d. Mural Safari, Klang
e. Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz, Shah Alam
f. Sekinchan, Sabak Bernam

3. Explore Unique and Hipster Cafes around Selangor

Botanist Cafe Sepang by Eat Drink KL
Botanist Cafe Sepang by Eat Drink KL

The State of Selangor is often known for its many interesting tourist spots, but also has many “hipster” or “instagrammable” cafes offering various interesting and unique themes mainly located in Petaling Jaya, Cyberjaya, Sepang and Subang Jaya. Provision Café, Damansara, Tiny Baker In Pink Cafe, Damansara, Bukku Café, Klang, Jibby & Co Subang Jaya, and The Botanist Café Sepang are some commonly-visited on the list.

4. Shopping Haven for ladies – Shop until you drop

The variety of shopping experiences in Selangor goes far beyond a stroll in a mall or a morning spent browsing a market. Whether you are after high-end luxury brands or fascinating street market items, Selangor will never disappoint. Selangor is full of shops, boutiques, malls, and department stores; it is hard to decide where to shop.

The following are definitely must-visit places for all ladies looking for a crazy shopping experience in Selangor.
a. Mitsui Outlet Park, KLIA
b. GM Klang Wholesale Mall
c. Sunway Pyramid, Subang Jaya
d. One Utama Shopping Centre Petaling Jaya
e. The Curve Damansara

5. Learn all about the everyday beauty of Selangor’s arts and culture

Want to try something different in Selangor? These art and cultural attractions let you experience and learn the State’s traditions the hands-on (and fun) way! Selangor is fast becoming a major hub for Malaysian contemporary art. Artsy attractions in Selangor have a strong culture of supporting local talents, making Selangor an emerging art scene with vibrant and exciting setting. As such, the following list is best-visited by culture and the arts lovers during their visit to Selangor:

a. Mah Meri Cultural Village
b. Sultan Alam Shah Museum, Shah Alam
c. Royal Gallery Klang
d. Istana Bandar
e. Homestay Banghuris – Chempuling
f. Homestay Sungai Haji Dorani – Kuda Kepang
g. Dong Zen Tample Jenjarom

Tourism Selangor wishes Happy International Women’s Day to all amazing women, where ever you may be. Be sure to always take a good care of yourself, including adhering to the SOPs for your own health and safety, and also for your loved ones’.

Tourism Selangors E card

Remembering Miri’s ‘Drinking Horse’ formation on Tusan Beach

A year ago on Feb 20, 2020, the iconic rock formation dubbed the ‘Drinking Horse’ or ‘Horse Head’ at Tusan Beach, Miri collapsed.

Located about 40 minutes from Miri city, the geographical formation which resembles a horse drinking water was one of the major attractions of Tusan Beach.

The beach is also famous for the ‘blue tears’ phenomenon brought about by the bloom of tiny, bioluminescent creatures called dinoflagellates, causing the water to turn a luminescent blue.

Many mourned the loss of the sandstone formation, a landmark that had become so iconic that the government had been building various infrastructure like food stalls and a walkway around the spot hoping to leverage on its tourist pull.

The collapse of the Drinking Horse Formation

Could the ‘Drinking Horse’ formation been saved?

According to a study by Franz L. Kessler and John Jong, the development plans and actions to save the iconic rock formation came a bit late.

The study, which was published in 2020, stated that the Drinking Horse formation would have been nearly impossible to preserve.

“Only the placement of large boulders in a demi-circle could have prevented waves and longshore currents from scouring the monument, however there are no access roads to bring the necessary amount of rock.”

Kessler and Jong also stated that until today there was little consciousness and conservation efforts when it came to the potential touristic values of geological monuments.

Furthermore, the researchers suggested the preservation of geological monuments would require a masterplan spearheaded by the Miri City Council.

They emphasised that the council also needed the collaboration and the support of the Sarawak government, tourism board as well as local private industries to maintain them.

In 2019, the government had planned to build an access road in order to bring rocks down to build a retaining wall to protect the formation.

As of August 2019, the access road was reportedly 80% completed.

Any further effort taken to protect the ‘Drinking Horse’ formation proved to be too little too late.

How old was the Horse Head formation?

According to Kessler and Jong, the beginnings of the Horse Head formation started just 11 years ago. A photo as recent as 2009 only shows that the ‘horse head’ was just a column with no cave structure that would later on form as the ‘neck’ of the horse.

The caves, or space at where the formation joins with the cliff, would eventually take shape a few years later, forming what looked more like a boar’s head in 2012. Further erosion from wind, rain and the sea from there on would further carve out the space at the base of the column, to form the high arching throat of what would come to be identified as a horse head from the sandstone and clay composition of the cliffs.

Nonetheless in remembrance of Miri’s icon, here are photos of the rock formation, also known as Batu Kuda, taken in 2016.

8 Taiwanese bubble tea franchises you can find in Kuching

Nowadays, you can find boba shops in almost every corner of Kuching. Did you know that there are at least eight Taiwanese bubble tea brands available here?

If bubble tea has its own capital country, there is no denying that Taiwan would be it.

So far, there are two origin stories on how this chewy, milky drink came around.

The first claim derives back to 1986 in Tainan, where the owner of The Hanlin Tea room, Tu Tsong-he allegedly was inspired by white tapioca balls he saw at the market.

He then made tea using the tapioca balls, creating what we now know as bubble tea or pearl tea today.

Meanwhile, Chun Shui Tang Tearoom in Taichung began serving cold Chinese tea after observing cold coffee being served cold in Japan.

This new style of serving tea was a hit in the 1980s. Then came in the teahouse’ product development manager, Lin Hsiu Hui who randomly poured tapioca balls into her iced tea drink in 1988. From there, a new drink was born and it became an instant hit.

Regardless of which teahouse created bubble tea, we can all agree that Taiwan is the birth place of this drink.

Today, other countries such as China and Malaysia have also started their own home-grown brands of bubble tea.

In the meantime, Taiwanese bubble tea brands are opening their branches in all over the world including Malaysia.

If you are looking for Taiwanese bubble tea franchises in Kuching, here are eight of them you can visit (or order through delivery apps since we are in the middle of a pandemic):

1.The Alley

Taiwanese Bubble Tea franchise
Crunchy Brown Sugar Milk Tea

How about a Taiwanese bubble tea chain that is worthy of Korean royals? Netflix’s The King: Eternal Monarch (2020) is a hit Korean drama about a king from a parallel universe. He comes to our world using his inherited magic flute, falls in love with a girl and proceeds to have a date with her at The Alley.

In conjunction with the collaboration between the bubble tea brand and the drama, The Alley released a new crunchy milk tea series.

It comes in three flavours; Crunchy Cocoa Milk Tea, Crunchy Brown Sugar Milk Tea and Crunchy Tiramisu Milk.

Besides their crunchy milk tea series,The Alley beverages also comes in milk tea series, latte series, coffee series and more.

The brand is proud of their tapioca pearls which they claimed were made from scratch.

Looking back on its history, The Alley was launched in Taipei in 2013 by Taiwanese graphic designer and entrepreneur Chiu Mao Ting.

Today, you can find this Taiwanese bubble tea brand in North America, Europe, Southeast Asian region such as Singapore and Indonesia.

Location in Kuching: Ground & First Floor, Milan Square, Jalan Wan Alwi.

2.Gong Cha

Speaking of royalty, here is a Taiwanese bubble tea brand whose name translates to ‘tribute tea for the emperor’.

Gong Cha was founded in 2006 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and opened it first franchise in Malaysia in 2011.

Their drinks are grouped into several categories such as brewed tea, milk tea, health tea, creative mix, latte, coffee and house special.

Some of our personal favourites from Gong Cha are Longan Red Date Tea, Matcha Milk Red Bean and Earl Grey Milk Tea with Coffee Jelly.

Locations in Kuching: Plaza Merdeka and tHe Spring

3.Daboba

While The Alley is known for its deer logo, Daboba is known for its bear logo.

The two brands share another similarity, they are both known for their take on the popular brown sugar milk beverage.

Daboba is mostly known to create the Honey Golden Pearl Green Milk Tea. Instead of black pearls, the boba is yellow in colour with faintly taste of honey.

Locations in Kuching: Galacity Street Mall, Jalan Tun Jugah

4.Ding Tea

According to their website, Ding Tea keeps a close eye on their quality and never use an overnight tea.

Founded in 2007, the brand aims to promote Taiwanese tea culture to the world.

Their drinks can be divided into different range such as milk tea, fresh tea, latte, flavoured tea, fruit juice and others.

Locations in Kuching: Everrise BDC, Plaza Merdeka, CityOne Megamall, Boulevard Shopping Mall, Vivacity Megamall, AEON Mall Kuching, iCom Square, The Hills

5.ChaTime

ChaTime currently has the largest teahouse franchise in the world.

It was founded in 2005 in Zhubei, Hsinchu, Taiwan.

Their best selling drink is none other than ChaTime ‘Pearl’ Milk Tea. Our personal preferences are Earl Grey Pearl Milk and Hazelnut Chocolate.

Locations in Kuching:
1.Aeon Kuching
Ground floor, Aeon Mall Kuching, Jalan Datuk Patinggi Haji Ahmad Zaidi Adruce
2.Vivacity Megamall
Level 3, Vivacity Megamall, Jalan Wan Alwi
3.Metrocity,
Ground Floor, Lot 14011 (SL36), Metrocity, Jalan Matang

6.Sharetea

Do you know that one of the oldest Taiwanese bubble tea franchise have a couple of branches in Kuching?

Sharetea was founded in 1992 by Chong Kai Lung in Taipei, Taiwan.

In Malaysia, the franchise was first brought over Wong Tai Yong in 2009.

Meanwhile in Sarawak, there are around 30 Sharetea branches located all over the state.

Some of our personal favourite drinks are Strawberry Blended with Ice Cream, Matcha Red Bean Milk Tea and QQhappy Family Milk Tea.

Locations in Kuching:

1.Tabuan Tranquility
Ground Floor, Jalan Canna
2.Gala Street Mall
GalaCity, Jalan Tun Jugah

7.Chun Yang Tea

Chun Yang Tea was founded by former Taiwanese basketball players Wang Xinkai and Chen Jianzhou in 2017.

Since then, it had received celebrity endorsement such as Jay Chow and Barbie Hsu.

Instead of artificial flavouring or syrups, Chun Yang is proud to say that they only use real fruit in their drinks.

Apart from that, they do not use milk powders as part of their ingredients.

The brand Chun Yang, was named after a village in Taiwan which is known for their traditional tea making,

Location in Kuching: Ground Floor, Emporium Kuching, Jalan Tun Jugah

8.Xing Fu Tang

Xing Fu Tang is perhaps the ‘baby’ among these Taiwanese bubble tea franchises because it was founded only back in January 2018.

They claim to be Taiwan No. 1 in their logo. However, we let Kuchingites to judge for that.

Their signature drink is Brown Sugar Boba Milk.

Location in Kuching: GalaCity, Jalan Tun Jugah

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