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7 Facebook pages/groups as your ultimate East Malaysian Food Guide

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Instead of Google-searching places to eat, some of us prefer to Facebook-search them.

Facebook conveniently allows us to look at reviews, photos and the locations of the food outlets.

Not only that, Facebook has enabled hardcore foodies to form their own pages and groups, providing them an online discussion space to share their photos and critiques.

With these independent foodie pages, you can always post a question and let your fellow food enthusiasts answer. Plus, if there is a new food place to try, nobody tells you faster than people on Facebook.

Kampua
Your East Malaysian Food Guide would not be complete without kampua.

Scroll the list down below and see which of these Facebook pages/groups to follow as your ultimate East Malaysian Food Guide.

Facebook! Tell me where to eat in Sarawak!

1. Kuching Food Critics


This Facebook group is the creme de la creme of Kuching food guides.

The members are helpful and they will always have recommended places according to your preferences.

They also rate their foods so you will know what to expect from your orders.

Watch out for Ah Ong, one of the group admins: he seems to have a lot of insight on what is going on in the Kuching foodie-sphere.

The group aims to provide a healthy space for discussion on food, so play nice while you are in it.

Follow the rules on their About Page and always remember rule number 15.

If you are not much of a team player and do not want to join a Facebook group, you can like their page too.

It is equally helpful and informative.

2. Teaspoon-Food, Restaurant & Rewards


Teaspoon-Food, Restaurant & Rewards is the first mobile food app in Kuching.

Aiming to bring you the newest restaurants in town, it also covers long existing food joints.

It has information of over 600 eateries in Kuching including latest promotions and limited time deals too.

We warn you, their videos are mouthwatering to watch!

3. Miri City Sharing Channel


As for your East Malaysian Food Guide in northern Sarawak, check out Miri City Sharing Channel.

Here you can find answer on where to find Tri-colour Mee Kolok, cheesy mozzarella burger, prawn noodle or ice cream gula apong.

Facebook! Tell me where to eat in Sabah!

1. Makan-makan Kota Kinabalu

Makan-makan Kota Kinabalu aims to provide honest feedback and thoughts on the Kota Kinabalu dining experience.

Imagine a friend casually telling you what they had for dinner and that is how it is like reading the feedback here.

The admins share what they order, the overall ambience at the eateries and the conversation they have with the waiters.

2. Eat n Hop Sabah

This page shares their experiences in Mandarin and English, informing its followers on latest promotions and opening of new eateries.

You can find info such as opening hours and locations but not elaborate reviews on the food or beverages.

However, all photos of food on Eat n Hop Sabah are definitely appetising, worthy to be gawked at.

3. Sabaheats


This page is the Facebook arm of Sabaheats, a Sabah online food channel dedicated to passionate food lovers out there.

Besides guiding followers on where or what to eat in Sabah, they also provide other information too.

For instance, food delivery service in Kota Kinabalu, exotic fruits available there and even a travel eatinerary!

4. Sandakan Food Lover


This East Malaysian Food Guide will show you where to eat in Sandakan.

Some of the posts are vendors promoting their food products.

Although most of the posts are in Chinese, you can always write your questions in the comment session if you have any enquiries.

Any other suggestions? Let us know in the comment box!

Read more:

8 Korean food blogs to follow home cooked recipes

10 Facebook pages you must follow if you love food

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6 gorgeous Hollywood filming locations you can visit in Southeast Asia

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Have you planned out your 2018 travel destinations yet?

If not, how about walking the paths of Hollywood stars by visiting beautiful filming locations in Southeast Asia?

Here are the top six scenic Hollywood filming locations to visit in 2018:

1. Palawan, Philippines – The Bourne Legacy

One of the best beaches in the world is located in Palawan.
One of the best beaches in the world is located in Palawan. Credit: Pixabay.

El Nido in Palawan served as one of the filming locations for 2012 American film The Bourne Legacy.

Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) and Dr Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz) were shot riding a boat to El Nido.

It is currently ranked number 4 in Conde Nast Traveller’s list of “20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World”.

With its white sandy beaches and limestone cliff, that is not a surprise.

Some of it’s best places of interest are Seven Commandos Beach, Simizu Island, Bacuit Bay and Cadlao Island.

2. Khao Phing Kan, Thailand – The Man with the Golden Gun

James Bond Island
Khao Phing Kan is mostly known to many as “James Bond Island”. Credit to Pixabay.

The names Khao Phing Kan and Ko Ta Pu might not be familiar to most tourists visiting Thailand as most may know them as James Bond Island.

Ko Ta Pu is a 20 metre tall islet located about 40 metres away from Khao Phing Kan.

Before the 1974 James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun where it served as a hideout for Bond’s antagonist Francisco Scaramanga played by Christopher Lee, the island was relatively unknown.

The island became part of Ao Phang Nga Marine National Park in 1981. Since 1998, tourist boats have not been allowed to get too close to Ko Ta Pu to prevent any more erosion of the base of the limestone islet.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t see it at all: according to Phuket.com, the two best ways to view James Bond Island are from boats or from the small beach on Khao Phing Kan.

Thanks to various factors including shallow water depth, stable warm temperature and rich nutrient supply from mangrove forests; the area is abundant with marine life.

It plays home to organisms such as blue crabs, mud lobsters, black sea cucumbers, brain coral, and striated herons.

3. Angkor, Cambodia – Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

One of the filming locations for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.
Ta Prohm, one of the filming locations for Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Despite the success of finding a real-life Lara Croft, Angelina Jolie’s 2001 action-adventure film received generally negative reviews.

Angkor may have become the winner in this scenario, however, as it left such a great impression on the screen that more than 2 million tourists visited it in 2013.

Ta Prohm, one of the temples in Angkor was widely associated with the movie. So much so, it was dubbed the ‘Tomb Raider temple’ among tourists.

These 12th century ruins were originally built as a monastery and university by Khmer King Jayavarman VII. Today, one of the distinct features of Ta Prohm that make it a photo-worthy destination are the trees growing out of its hallowed halls.

To top it off, the temple is almost in the same condition it was when it was rediscovered at the end of the 19th century.

Its solemn ambience, intricate wall carvings combined with its jungle surroundings make it one of the most visited temples in Angkor region.

4. Maya Bay, Thailand – The Beach

Maya Bay
The view of Maya Bay in low season.

Maya Bay is one of two shallow bays besides Loh Samah located at Ko Phi Phi Leh island surrounded by 100-metre high limestone rocks.  Besides it’s gorgeous beaches, it is also a protected nature reserve under Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park.

Being a protected nature reserve, however, didn’t protect Maya Bay during the filming of The Beach (2000). Although the world was introduced to one of southern Thailand‘s great beauties, filming a Hollywood movie there turned out to do more harm than good for Maya Bay.

In an effort to make Ko Phi Phi Leh more “paradise-like”, 20th Century Fox, the studio behind The Beach (2000) reportedly bulldozed and cleared some sand dunes of native vegetation.

A group of environmentalists filed lawsuits against 20th Century Fox, the forestry department and the Thai agricultural ministry  for damaging the ecosystem in the island which they won in 2006.

Regardless of the lawsuit, Maya Bay is still famous among tourists – perhaps too famous – that it has recorded 5,000 visitors taking up the 250 metre long beach in one day. And that was the number recorded during low season.

Maybe the pristine white beach and crystal clear water of Maya Bay are just too irresistible.

5. Bali, Indonesia – Eat Pray Love

Will ride a bicycle through terraces of rice field like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love?
Will you ride a bicycle through terraces of rice field like Julia Roberts in Eat Pray Love? Credit: Pixabay.

Eat Pray Love (2010) starring Julia Roberts was filmed over a number of locations which include New York, Rome, Naples, Delhi, Pataudi and Bali.

In Bali, the film was shot in Ubud, a town surrounded by rice paddies and in Pecatu, a resort popular for its beaches.

In the film, Roberts was shot riding a bicycle through rice fields and swimming in Padang-padang beach in Pecatu.

Although not many were happy with the film, from critics to media including a travel blogger who wrote ‘Avoiding Julia Roberts in Ubud, Bali’, the island is lovely to visit.

Many are sold for its lush green paddy fields, surf-worthy beaches, colourful corals and unique cultures.

6. Ha Long Bay, Vietnam – Kong: Skull Island

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Credit: Pixabay.

In 1898, a huge sea snake in Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province was sighted by a ship’s sublieutenant named Lagredin and his crew.

The story was even reported on The Hai Phong News, a French newspaper.

One century later, another creature emerged in the bay, a 104-foot-tall ape named King Kong in the movie Kong: Skull Island (2017).

The film was also shot in two other provinces in northern Vietnam, namely Quang Binh and Ninh Binh provinces.

The bay has up to 2,000 islets, most of which are limestone.

You might not find a huge sea serpent or a giant ape but it is home to 14 endemic floral species and 60 faunal species.

Other movies that were shot here were Pan (2015) starring Hugh Jackman as Blackbeard and Life (2017) starring Jake Gyllenhaal.

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How to travel ethically in Thailand

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Ethical travel in Thailand requires a little bit of extra effort and awareness but it’s not impossible.

It’ll make you feel better about the impact you have on another country and who knows, you might inspire some travelling companions to be responsible travellers too.

Keep the street clean and do not litter.
Keep Thailand’s streets clean and do not litter.

Here are some simple ways you can be an ethical traveller while visiting Thailand.

1. Say no to elephant rides

In 2016, it was estimated that 13 million tourists had taken part in rides provided by the 4,000 captive elephants in the Thailand.

According to World Animal Protection (WAP), more than 3/4 of them live in cruel conditions.  Asian elephants are also considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

If you really want to get close to these gentle giants, try helping out local NGOs such as Save Elephant Foundation instead.

This foundation’s aim is to care for mistreated elephants rescued from tourism.

They wont let you ride the elephants, but you can feed them fresh fruit or watch these intelligent animals at play.

2. Say no to fish pedicures

Fish spas – where tourists and locals alike come to have their feet nibbled on by supposedly eager Garra Rufa fish – are commonplace in Thailand.

In 2014, it was reported that there were 1,341 fish spas registered with Thailand’s Interior Ministry and an estimated 3,000 unregistered spas running.

Before you think of dipping your feet into a tank of friendly ‘Doctor Fish’, PETA claims that these fish are not nibbling on dead skin because it’s part of their normal diet; they do it because they are starving.

Even though it is hard to find corroborating evidence online, what has shown up repeatedly are reports of potential health risks and hygiene standards.

Consequently, fish spas have been banned in 15 states in the US, along with Canada and Europe.

So when you walk past a fish spa next time, consider how the fish may be suffering or whether you really want to risk your health. Choose a human pedicurist instead.

Do not go for fish pedicure while visiting any spa.
Give the fish pedicure a miss while visiting the local spa.

3. Bring your own shopping bags

Most of the time when you shop in Thailand, chances are your things will be packed into a plastic bag.

Do Mother Nature a favour and bring your own reusable shopping bag. Recycling bins are difficult to find so your trash will most likely end up in landfills.

What doesn’t may end up in the ocean.

According to a survey by nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, Thailand is one of the top five Southeast Asian countries responsible for more than half of the 8 million metric tonnes of plastic waste that ends up in the oceans annually.

So if you happen to be visiting any of Thailand’s islands, don’t leave your rubbish there; bring it back to the mainland for proper disposal.

Skip the plastic bags when shopping in Thailand.
Skip the plastic bags when shopping in Thailand.

4. Don’t use plastic bottles

Do bring your own water bottles when you’re island hopping or sight seeing.

Clean drinking water is usually available at hotels or hostels so fill your bottle up before start your day.

Not only are you reducing your plastic waste, you can save on your drinks budget as well.

Bring your own water bottle while travelling.
Bring your own water bottle while travelling.

5. Watch what you eat

Support local farmers and eat locally sourced food.

Choose eateries which are likely using local produce.

Most importantly, say no to exotic meats. Pangolins,  rat snakes, and turtles are protected animals.

Eat locally-sourced food while in Thailand.
Eat locally-sourced food while in Thailand.

Read more about travelling in Thailand

Visiting Krabi’s Emerald Pool and Hot Spring

Touring Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands

Top Five Things to Buy at Krabi Weekend Night Market

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Marudi: Small town, big cultural heart

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Marudi (5)
The map of Marudi on the bank of the Baram River.

Overlooking the Baram River, Marudi may not have much entertainment or conveniences to offer in the way a big city might, but it has its small-town charms that make for a pleasant visit.

The quiet riverine town is home to at least 90,100 people, and plays a big part as a cultural and historical centre of the northern part of Sarawak.

Located 80km from Miri, there is a road connected to the town but as at the time of writing, road conditions are not really satisfactory. Let’s just say there are plenty of potholes waiting for you on your way to Marudi, but don’t let this deter you. The chance to visit this humble town and experience an authentic slice of Sarawakian life, enjoy its past and present, is worth a little bump in the road.

Here are the top five things to do if you happen to visit Marudi, this beautiful riverine town:

1.Eat Marudi’s famous Kueh Tiaw (fried noodles)

Marudi

This is the number one thing anybody should do if they are visiting Marudi for the first time.

Kueh Tiaw Marudi is unlike any other kueh tiaw you can find in Malaysia. Part of its appeal lies in the texture of its noodles, which are thicker than its other Malaysian counterparts.

You can order this in  any Chinese kopitiam in town, but I prefer those sold by the stalls on the first floor of the Marudi District Council market.

Some stalls open as early as 6.30 in the morning so you can have your kueh tiaw fix as early as possible.

You can enjoy this dish fried or as kueh tiaw basah (literally, wet kueh tiaw) which comes soaked in broth.

Marudi (2)

2.Let them eat bread!

Another must-try food is – surprisingly – a humble home-baked bread.

This soft bread at Jeng Seng Loong Cafe goes well with kaya (coconut spread) or butter.

There are other baked goods available at the cafe as well such as butter and kaya buns but their bread loaves are definitely the highlight of this coffeeshop.

Marudi (3)

3.Visit Fort Hose

This is the main tourist attraction in Marudi, named after former resident Charles Hose.

It used to be an administration office during the Brooke reign, but has been converted into a museum.

Take a glimpse of the local cultures and heritage as the fort houses local textiles, beads, handicrafts and ceremonial items.

Click here  for more about Fort Hose.

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The town’s main tourist attraction.

4.Watch the oldest regatta in Sarawak

Visit Marudi at the right time and you’ll find yourself watching Baram Regatta, the oldest regatta in Sarawak.

This bi-annual event has been held since 1899 after a peace conference arranged by Charles Hose successfully ended the ongoing  tribal war in the region.

You can visit Sarawak Tourism Board website to know when the regatta will be held next year.

Marudi (7)
A monument to commemorate the oldest regatta in Sarawak.

5.Take a walk around town

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Marudi town in the evening.

Marudi is a small town where you can spend a whole day and still fully enjoy what the town has to offer.

Skip the car and simply take a stroll around town. While you’re at it, just enjoy the peace and quiet of a small town and take your mind off of your busy daily life.

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Unique tribal paintings decorate the city,  reminding visitors of the town’s cultural roots.

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Visiting Krabi’s Emerald Pool and Hot Spring

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Krabi Emerald Pool (10)
Visitors taking a dip in the green coloured Emerald Pool.

A visit to Krabi, Thailand is not all about its islands and beaches.

If you are willing to trade the warm seawater for cooling, refreshing freshwater, make a pit stop at Krabi Emerald Pool.

Emerald Pool

Krabi Emerald Pool (7)
Krabi Emerald Pool, the perfect place to take an underwater selfie!

Located at the Khao Phra Bang Khram Nature Reserve about 70km from Krabi town, this large natural pool is perfect for swimming in.

Living up to its name, the pool is indeed emerald in colour. The crystal clear water is perfect to take a selfie underwater.

About 600m from the Emerald Pool, there is another pool aptly named the ‘Blue Pool’ which is closed to the public from May to October during the bird-mating season.

Krabi Emerald Pool (2)
Leave your food here before entry!

In what I thought was a good move to stop littering, no food and canned drinks are allowed in the Emerald Pool area.

But if you have purchased food prior to your visit, there are wooden railings prepared especially for you to leave your snacks or drinks at the entrance.

It’s a simple yet great way to keep the reserve clean, plus, a board for you to hang your food? That is not something you see everyday.

However, visitors are allowed to bring bottled mineral water or drinking water onto the site.

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A gravel road leading to the Emerald Pool.

There are two ways to get to the Emerald Pool from the entrance. First is by an 800-meter gravel road which will take about 15 to 20 minutes’ walk and another is over a narrow, concrete 1.4km pathway, which will take about 25 to 30 minutes.

The tranquil walk to the Emerald Pool offers a great opportunity for bird-watching.

There are signs provided along the way on what type of birds you could watch out for, so keep your eyes peeled!

Krabi Emerald Pool (11)
A sign introducing visitors to what type of birds they can spot in the area.

The reserve is home to some rare bird species including Gurney’s Pitta, “the most wanted bird in Thailand”.

Its last reported sighting in Thailand was at the reserve in April 2016.

So if you paid enough attention or have a huge amount of luck, you might be able to spot this rare bird during your visit.

Krabi Hot Spring

Krabi Emerald Pool (16)
Take a refreshing dip in these “hot tubs”.

Some say this place is therapeutic while others call it soothing. Most visitors would agree that the Krabi Hot Spring is one of the must-visit sites in the province.

Rich in natural mineral salts, the water is about 35 to 40 degree Celsius. Some claim that a good soak in these ‘hot tubs’ could cure disease such as rheumatism and sciatica.

Since the place is only about 15 minutes from the Emerald Pool, you can plan to visit both sites in one day.

Krabi Emerald Pool
Pick a spot and take a dip!

Both places are famous among locals, so if you want to avoid the crowd, you might avoid visiting during weekends or public holidays.

The best time to visit is early in the morning before the children get out of school.

Tours to both Emerald Pool and Krabi Hot Spring are available from Ao Nang and Krabi town. If you are feeling adventurous, you can rent a car and drive there on your own.

Read more about travel in Krabi:

Touring Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands

Top Five Things to Buy at Krabi Weekend Night Market

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Touring Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands

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Phi Phi (8)
Cruising through Phi Phi Islands.

Thanks to its majestic limestone mountains, rocks and pristine white sandy beaches, it is impossible to take a bad photo at Phi Phi Islands.

Located between Phuket and the west of the Strait of Malacca, it is believed the name of the group of islands named ‘Phi Phi’ originates from the word “api-api” in Malay, referring to the Pokok Api-Api or grey mangrove found throughout the island.

There are six islands in the Phi Phi archipelago, with Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Lee being the famous ones.

Besides its mountains and beaches, its cliffs and caves have made it a popular tourist attraction site.

Phi Phi (2)
Some stern reminders found on Bamboo Island.

The islands are part of Hat Nopparat Thara-Ko Phi Phi National Park.

There are plenty of tour packages available for those who want to visit the islands.

A day tour aboard a speedboat could cost you up to 2,800 baht during peak season (middle of October till end of March) when the place is packed with tourists.

During the rest of the year, the package tour price could even go as low as 800 baht per person which includes a pick-up from your hotel, drinking water and lunch.

The price of the tour package usually does not cover the national park entrance fee which costs about 400 baht per person.

Whether you are following a group tour or signing up for a private trip, here are glimpses of what await you at Phi Phi Islands.

Phi Phi (5)
A clear blue sky at Bamboo Island.

1.Bamboo Island

Phi Phi (3)
Any part of Phi Phi Islands can be perfect background for photography.

This small island is located between the coast of Krabi and Phi Phi Islands.

Its Thai name is Ko Mai Phai and its English name is kinda misleading.

Do not tire yourself walking around looking for bamboo because no bamboo grows on the island.

The name actually refers to the casuarina trees which cover most of the island.

Like the rest of Phi Phi Islands, Bamboo Island did not escape the damage brought by the Indian Ocean tsunami on Dec 26, 2004 wiping out most of the trees along its coastline.

Today, however, it offers a great chance for snorkelling as the Hin Klang coral reef spans between Phi Phi Don and Bamboo Island.

Phi Phi
A view of Bamboo Island.

2.Viking Cave

Phi Phi (6)
Catching a glimpse of Viking Cave from the outside.

Sadly, visitors are not allowed into Viking Cave but most tour boats slow down to let tourists have a good glimpse of the cave.

Another misleading name, Viking Cave has nothing to do with the Vikings but owes its name to the painting found on the eastern southern walls of the cave.

The painting represent various types of boats including a Scandinavian drakkar.

These rock arts are actually quite recent, believed to be drawn by sailors taking shelter in the cave during a storm.

Now the cave is taken care of by a private company that holds the concession to harvest the bird nests found inside the cave.

3.Piley Cove

Phi Phi (13)
The crystal clear water of Piley Bay

This is one of the most magical places in the world to swim in.

The colour of the sea is turquoise and it is so clear you can see fish cruising around you as you swim.

Boats can only enter the cove when it is high tide due to the low depth at the entrance to the cove.

The limestone mountain surrounding the cove protects it from high waves of the open sea making the water a perfect calming place to swim in.

The depth of the water here ranges between 5 to 20m, so wear those life jackets if you are not confident with your swimming.

Phi Phi (7)
A group of tourists getting ready to swim in Piley Cove.

4.Maya Bay

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A stream of tourists coming into Maya Bay.

This is the most popular site on Phi Phi Islands, all thanks to Leonardo DiCaprio.

Yes, the Titanic’s leading man made this bay famous when the movie he starred in, The Beach was filmed here in 1999.

As beautiful as it is, it also might be the hardest place to visit of all the sites in Phi Phi.

This is because the place is so packed and filled with tourists that during high season, you might not even see white beach but only people as you approach Maya Bay by boat.

Thousands of people visit the bay and more than 30 boats are moored at its coast daily.

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The crowd in Maya Bay during low season.

5.Monkey Bay

Phi Phi (12)
Spot the macaque at Monkey Bay!

Don’t forget to say ‘hi’ to the macaques which gave Monkey Bay or Ao Ling its name.

This place is famous for kayaking and snorkeling but most tour groups don’t make a long pit stop here.

Unless you are on a private tour or boarding the traditional longtail boat, you can always hop off and make a quick visit to see these primates.

Some tour groups offer the chance to feed them, but be careful not to get too close as they are known to bite and scratch.

6.Phi Phi Don

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Phi Phi Don.

The highlight of the Phi Phi Islands tour is supposedly none other than snorkeling off the coast of Phi Phi Don.

It is the largest island in the Phi Phi archipelago and the only one with permanent inhabitants.

Unfortunately, Phi Phi Don suffered the most damage of all Phi Phi during the 2004 tsunami where more than 1,000 people died.

There is a memorial built for those killed in the tsunami on the beach near Lohdalum Bay.

Some parts of the reef have been damaged but there are a few soft corals sprouting here and there.

There are still a few schools of colourful coral fishes found in the area and other marine organisms such as clams and sea cucumbers.

Phi Phi Islands and its visitors

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Visitors can always opt for these traditional longtail boats to bring you around Phi Phi Islands.

The islands are a well known holiday destination among Chinese, Singaporean, Malaysian and European tourists.

It was reported that Phi Phi produces about 25 tonnes of solid waste a day and up to 40 tonnes during the high seasons.

So if you are visiting the archipelago anytime soon, do not litter and always bring your garbage back to the mainland for disposal.

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Unique lamp post found on Phi Phi Don

More Krabi travel stories here:

Top five things to buy at Krabi Weekend Night Market

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Top five things to buy at Krabi Weekend Night Market

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Krabi Weekend Night Market (1)
Located at Maharat Road opposite City Hotel, Krabi Weekend Night Market opens Friday till Sunday from 5pm onwards.

Whether you are staying in Krabi town or 30 minutes away at Ao Nang beach, your visit to the southern region of Thailand would not be complete without visiting Krabi Weekend Night Market.

Located at Soi 10 Maharat Road opposite City Hotel, it’s open Friday till Sunday from 5pm onwards.

The market offers a great variety of food, affordable fashion items, local produce, exotic delicacies such as crickets and fried worms and tops it off with great entertainment.

It is a relatively small market, so an hour or two is sufficient enough to visit every stall and enjoy as much as possible.

Still, there are so many delicacies to choose from besides the usual and famous Thai food such as pad thai, mango sticky rice, tom yum goong, papaya salad or pineapple fried rice!

Krabi Weekend Night Market (14)
Hearty portions and diverse dishes await seafood lovers out there!

Here’s KajoMag’s top five things to buy at the Krabi Weekend Night Market:

1.Bamboo Cocktails!

Krabi Weekend Night Market (8)
Just like the sign says: Cocktail in the Bamboo!

What better way to start off your weekend in Krabi other than a nice shake of alcohol?

Served in cut bamboo with a slice of pineapple and a cute tiny umbrella, their cocktails simply compliment your tropical vacation in Thailand.

Whether it’s Mojito Strawberry, Mojito, Pina Colada, Kahlua Milk, Screwdriver, Margarita, Tequila Sunrise, Sex on the Beach, Long Island Tea; there are so many cocktails to choose from!

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Choose your cocktails here at Krabi Weekend Night Market!

2. Kao Cluk Ka Pi

Krabi Weekend Night Market (13)
Take home some kao cluk ka pi!

If you take the time to observe the locals, you will see some of them buying packs of rice.

These rice packs turn out to be kao cluk ka pi – fried rice with shrimp paste.

The rice dishes come with shrimp or chicken served together with shredded unripened mango, shredded omelette, tiny slices of red onions and long beans.

It is a hearty meal, perfect for those who are famished after all that walking around the market.

3.BBQ heaven on a stick

Krabi Weekend Night Market (9)
BBQ heaven!

We just made that up, the locals do not call it ‘BBQ heaven on a stick’.

But we are talking about all the glorious meat such as pork belly, chicken barbecued to perfection.

The meat is slightly sweet but tender and juicy, perfect to have with local Thai beers like Chang and Leo…or you can always have another round of bamboo cocktails!

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You can pick your spicy or non-spicy sausages.

4.Beach shorts

For the fashionista in you.
For the fashionista in you.

No matter how much you have packed for your island trip – trust us – you still have extra room for extra beach shorts.

Here at Krabi Weekend Night Market, there are more beach shorts to choose from compared to those in Ao Nang and way cheaper.

You can get comfortable cotton shorts with Thai motifs as low as 100 baht. The same items might cost slightly higher in Ao Nang.

5.Local art pieces

Krabi Weekend Night Market (27)
Have personalised shoes handpainted by this artist.

The weekend market is also a great place for visitors to show some support to local artisans.

Here you can find handmade cut-out cards, hand-painted postcards and paintings.

You can even watch some of the artists at work, painting their masterpieces right in the middle of the busy market.

Krabi Weekend Night Market (26)
Another artist at work in the middle of Krabi Weekend Night Market.

Read more:

Visiting Krabi’s Emerald Pool and Hot Spring

How to travel ethically in Thailand

Touring Thailand’s Phi Phi Islands

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Misteri dan kejadian aneh Batu Nabau di Engkilili

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Batu Nabau yang terletak di 3km dari pusat pekan Engkilili terus menjadi tarikan pelancong baik dari dalam dan luar Bumi Kenyalang.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (7)
Batu Nabau, batu yang dipercayai seekor ular.

Terletak kira-kira 230km dari Kuching, pekan Engkilili dinamakan sempena pokok Engkilili yang mudah dijumpai di kawasan ini.

Pelbagai misteri yang dikaitkan dengan batu tersebut membuatkanya sering dikunjungi pelancong.

Batu tersebut berbentuk silinder dengan panjang kira-kira sembilan meter dan diameter dua meter.

Batu itu, yang kelihatannya mempunyai hujung runcing seperti kepala ular, nampak seolah-olah keluar dari tanah, menyebabkan orang ramai percaya bahawa batu tersebut sememangnya ular yang bertukar jadi batu.

Batu Nabau juga dikenal sebagai Batu Lintang oleh penduduk tempatan sebelum ini hanyalah batu biasa yang mereka lalui dalam perjalanan ke kebun mereka.

Sekitar 20 tahun yang lalu, beberapa lelaki Cina tempatan membawa seorang lelaki Thailand untuk melawat batu tersebut.

Lelaki Siam itu berkata beliau termimpi mengenai batu tersebut dan batu itu sebenarnya adalah ular sebenar dan dia harus memuja ular itu.

Orang-orang rumah panjang menunjukkan kepadanya apa yang mereka panggil Batu Lintang ketika itu.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (11)
Penduduk tempatan membina sebuah pondok di sebelah Batu Nabau.

Orang Thai mendakwa bahawa doa dan persembahannya yang dibuat di atas batu itu telah dijawab, menyebabkan ramai orang berkumpul di kawasan itu untuk mencari keajaiban.

Penduduk Iban yang menetap tidak jauh dari batu tersebut erkejut pada mulanya untuk melihat semua kemenyan dan lilin yang dipasang di batu tersebut.

Pada mulanya, pelawat melemparkan telur mentah, duit syiling dan menuang susu di atas batu sehingga orang tempatan meletakkan tanda yang melarang mereka berbuat demikian.

Orang-orang Cina tempatan juga melukis jalur kuning pada batu tersebut untuk menjadikannya lebih mirip seperti ular.

Lama-kelamaan, penduduk Iban mula memanggilnya Batu Nabau (sejenis ular di Iban) dan bukannya Batu Lintang.

Ada yang mendakwa mereka menang hadiah loteri selepas meminta nombor ekor dari Batu Nabau.

Ada juga komuniti Iban yang membuat upacara ‘miring’ di Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (10)
Batu tersebut berbentuk silinder dengan panjang kira-kira sembilan meter dan diameter dua meter.

Sekarang, ramai Iban tempatan telah percaya bahawa ‘ular’ tersebut adalah dewa yang melindungi kawasan itu dengan kuasa mistik.

Salah satu kejadian aneh yang berlaku di kawasan tersebut apabila musim hujan.

Selebat hujan mana sekalipun, penduduk tempatan menyedari bahawa batu itu tidak pernah terendam dan entah bagaimana kelihatan terapung tepat di atas air walaupun seluruh kawasan tersebut dibanjiri.

Tambahan lagi, ada surat khabar tempatan melaporkan beberapa tahun lalu bahawa huruf abjad Jawi dikatakan telah ditemui di Batu Nabau.

Huruf alif, lam, nun, mim dan sinwere dikatakan telah ditemui terukir atas batu tersebut.

Sehingga kini, tiada siapa yang benar-benar tahu kebenaran sebenar di sebalik Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (4)
Batu Nabau terletak tidak jauh dari pekan Engkilili.

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Memperingati mangsa tawanan perang di Kundasang War Memorial

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Dedicated to the lasting memory of the 641 British servicemen
Who died in terrible circumstances
In the Sandakan prisoner of war camp
On the death marches and at Ranau 1943-1945
They shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

Demikianlah ayat yang termaktub pada batu plak hitam dengan bendera United Kingdom di English Rose Garden, salah satu taman bunga yang terdapat di Kundasang War Memorial (Tugu Peringatan Kundasang).

Di sana terdapat juga taman-taman lain termasuklah Australian Garden, Borneo Garden dan Contemplation Garden.

Terletak di Kundasang, tugu tersebut memerlukan dua jam perjalanan menggunakan kereta dari ibu negeri Sabah, Kota Kinabalu.

Ia dibina untuk memperingati tentera Britain dan Australia yang terkorban di kem tahanan Sandakan dalam perjalanan ke Ranau.

Pada tahun 1942, seramai 2,400 tawanan perang dibawa dari Singapura sebagai buruh paksa untuk membina landasan kereta api di kem tahanan Sandakan.

Dari bulan Januari ke Ogos 1945, pada pengakhiran Perang Dunia Kedua, para tawanan perang dikerah untuk berjalan sepanjang 260 kilometer dari Sandakan ke Ranau.

Kebanyakan mereka dipercayai terkorban akibat serangan penyakit, kebuluran dan penderaan tentera Jepun.

Hanya 6 orang, kesemuanya warganegara Australia terselamat setelah mereka berjaya melarikan diri.

Penduduk tempatan turut membahayakan nyawa mereka dengan memberi makan dan menyorok tawanan sehingga berakhirnya Perang Dunia Kedua.

Dibina pada 1962, tugu tersebut juga memperingati pengorbanan dan kesengsaraan penduduk Sabah.

Ide untuk membina tugu tersebut datang daripada Major G.S. Carter, seorang warganegara New Zealand pada awal 1960s.

Ia kemudiannya dibina menggunakan dana dikumpul oleh penduduk tempatan dan asing di Sabah.

Malangnya, tugu tersebut telah terabai sehinggalah seorang lelaki Thailand Sevee Charuruks berjaya memulihnya pada tahun 2004.

Tugu tersebut sangat sesuai dibina di kaki Gunung Kinabalu kerana penduduk tempatan percaya awan-awan yang menyelaputi gunung tersebut melindungi roh-roh mereka yang telah meninggal dunia.

Surat-surat khabar mengenai perjalanan maut Sandakan (death march) tersebut turut dipamerkan.

Apabila memasuki kawasan tugu, para pengunjung akan memasuki Australian Garden dimana terletaknya bendera Australia dan plak berjudul ‘Kinabalu Kundasang War Memorial and Australia’.

Terdapat juga sebuah panel ditulis dalam bahasa Inggeris dan Melayu tentang sejarah sebalik tawanan perang di Sabah.

Sementara itu, Borneo Garden pula memperingati mangsa-mangsa peperangan di Sabah yang cuba menolong pihak tawanan namun terkorban.

Di Borneo Garden juga, terdapat pokok-pokok bunga yang boleh dijumpai di Sabah.

Manakala di Contemplation Garden, berdirinya panel-panel dibina pada tahun 2011 yang mempamerkan kesemua nama-nama mangsa peperangan tersebut.

Amat menyayat hati apabila melihat lebih 2000 nama yang terpampang sepatutnya diingati bukan sahaja sebagai mangsa tawanan perang, malah sebagai seorang sahabat, anak, bapa dan abang.

Yang lebih menyedihkan, sebanyak 38 nama tidak sepatutnya termaktub pada panel tersebut kerana mereka berjaya sampai ke Ranau walaupun dalam keadaan yang lemah.

Namun demikian, mereka telah ditembak mati oleh pihak Jepun kira-kira 12 hari selepas Jepun menyerah diri pada 15 Ogos, 1945.

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A visit to Fort Hose, Marudi, Sarawak

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A visit to Marudi, a quiet riverine town in northern Sarawak, would be incomplete without a visit to Fort Hose.

Located about 100km upriver from Kuala Baram, Marudi used to be the administrative centre of this area before Miri was founded.

Today it is the largest town in Baram district.

Fort Hose 1
Fort Hose, now known as Baram Regional Museum.

It all started in 1883 when the then-Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Abdul Momin ceded the Baram region to Charles Brooke, the second White Rajah.

The Baram region became the fourth division of Sarawak with Mamerto George Gueritz installed as its first Resident.

Whenever the Brooke administration attained an area to govern, the first thing it would do is build a fort.

Fort Hose 2
A detailed wooden carving decorating one of the wooden poles of Fort Hose’s gateway.
Fort Hose 3
The archway leading to the fort.
Fort Hose 4
Mannequins showing how it might look like to visit the resident at his office at Fort Hose during the Brooke administration.

Construction on the fort began in 1889 and were completed in 1901. The fort was named after Charles Hose, who was appointed as Resident of the Fourth Division in 1891.

The fort was built with durable belian hardwood on top of a hill overlooking the Baram river.

Two large cannons positioned at the front of the fort would protect the building against invaders.

Fort Hose was also used as an administration office and Resident’s house.

In 1899, the building became the site of a historical peacemaking ceremony that would end bloody ages-old wars among all the tribes in the Baram region.

Since then, various authorities have used Fort Hose over the years: the District Office, the Welfare Department, Immigration Department, Land and Survey Department and Information Department.

When the Japanese invaded Sarawak during World War II, they reportedly used it as a Kempeitai or Military Police Corps’ headquarters.

It was last used as a Community Development office of Penan Handicraft Exhibition centre.

On 24 Aug 1994, around midnight, Fort Hose was razed to the ground almost 100 years after it was built.

In 1995, the communities in and around the Baram area contributed Belian poles towards the fort’s reconstruction. It was then rebuilt according to its original dimensions and design.

It was officially renamed Baram Regional Museum on 25 May 1997 and declared open by former Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu Numpang.

Fort Hose 4
Traditional shields, wooden baskets used by the Orang Ulu communities.
Fort Hose 6
Some of the traditional music instruments used by the Orang Ulu communities on display inside the museum.
Fort Hose
A tribal mask usually used during an Orang Ulu ceremony.

Baram Regional Museum

Fort Hose
A view of the inside of the Baram Regional Museum.

At the museum, visitors can find a collection of photographs taken by Hose himself.

Most are portraits of the Orang Ulu taken in the early 20th century as well as aspects of their daily lives like salt processing.

Local textiles, beaded items, wood carvings and ceremonial items such as wooden masks used by the Orang Ulu communities of the region are also on display.

It also houses a 30-foot-long sape which made it to the Malaysian Guinness Book of Records for the being the biggest of its kind. Built in 2008, the lute-like musical instrument was made by sape makers Anyie Wan, Hillary Tawan Achai and Noel Along Anyie.

Although it is relatively smaller than other museums here in Sarawak, it offers a comprehensive guide to the history of Baram and its people.

It may be the only museum in Malaysia focusing mainly on the culture and history of Orang Ulu communities which include the Kayan, Kenyah, Penan and Kelabit.

Visitors can also take a walk in the park surrounding the fort as it offers an excellent view of the Baram River.

The museum is open Tuesdays to Fridays (9am-4.45pm), Saturdays and Sundays (10am-4pm). Admission is free.

Fort Hose
Fort Hose overlooks the mighty Baram river.
Fort Hose 9
There is a hanging bridge located right behind the fort.
Fort Hose 10
Take a walk at the park near the fort.

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