Visit Malaysia Year 2014 - Pulau Ketam, Selangor

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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There are many beautiful islands in Malaysia but none is more interesting than Pulau Ketam. A charming little fishing village about 30 minutes ferry ride from Port Klang, the island offers no pristine beaches but plenty of characters.

Welcome to Pulau Ketam

The strong scent of the ocean welcomes you as you step off the ferry much like the greeting of a familiar face. The rustic feel of the island goes well with the lack of motorized vehicles in the island, a rule implemented here. The people on the island goes on with their days just by walking or bicycles. However, don't be surprise to find them walking past you. Even in a small island, they seem to be in constant rush.

Fishing boats dock by the jetty

The lifestyle here in Pulau Ketam is nothing but idlistic. There is nothing much to do other than lazily walking around the colourful streets, taking in the sights and sounds the market has to offer, watching the people tending their own businesses.

The colourful houses in Pulau Ketam

When it is time to feed your growling stomach, choose one of the many seafood restaurants along the main road. After all, this being a fishing village, it is not complete without seafood cuisines. After lunch, explore more of the island. Perhaps rent a bicycle and slowly cruise through the houses and its colourful facades.

That is pretty much what Pulau Ketam has to offer. It may not be much but it is an escape to the hectic lifestyle you are accustomed to in Kuala Lumpur. And a change of pace from city life is what doctor would prescribe for the weekend.

As the sun sets

Info Box

Pulau Ketam, Selangor.
The earliest ferry ride to Pulau Ketam is 8.45 a.m. while the last ferry to the island is 6.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 7.10 p.m. (on weekends). From Pulau Ketam, the earliest ferry back to Port Klang jetty is 7.45 a.m. while the last ride is 5.30 p.m. (on weekdays) and 6.00 p.m. (on weekends).
Price for the ferry ride is RM 7.00 one way.

Visit Malaysia 2014 - Paradise Valley, Broga (#TSDayOut)

To support Visit Malaysia Year 2014, I will be writing on various tourist attractions in the country. Let us work together to bring in tourists to our lovely Malaysia.

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Paradise Valley, what an aptly named vacation resort. Surrounded by lush green of the nearby Broga Hill, sheltered under the blue sky, it does seem like an environmentalist's heaven. But we were here not to be up close with nature. That came in second. The primary reason we were here was to be challenged, both physically and mentally, as this resort is also a paradise for extreme sports junkies. Thanks to Tourism Selangor for organizing its amazing #TSDayOut (finally it has arrived), we got to experience some of these adventures for the first time.

Breakfast to start the day

We gathered in the headquarter of Tourism Selangor in Shah Alam very early in the morning before departing together to our destination. It took slightly more than an hour to reach Paradise Valley and after a simple breakfast, the adventure began. Before the adventures, a few simple stretching and warming up exercises, so not to strain the bodies.

Everyone gathered here before the start of the program

Instructor was showing how to fasten the equipments

Everyone was getting ready for flying fox

Then, we were split into 4 teams and 2 teams will be doing wall climbing while the other 2 teams will be doing flying fox before switching it up. This was to speed up the process. I was on the flying fox gang and this is something I do enjoy a lot. This time around, the slope is a bit steeper, making the gliding proces quicker and more adventurous. Your hands have to hold the harness so that the impact at the end of the ride will not be too sudden. In short, I loved it!

Hulu Selangor - Pasu Batik in Felda Sungai Tengi

Deep in the unfamiliar part of Selangor, close to the state border shared with Perak, lies an unassuming house of one Puan Seri Rohani. This Malay woman, with her beaming smile, welcomed us into her spacious house and the first thing you will notice is the vast numbers of colourfully clothed potteries on full display.

Pasu batik on display

These potteries are known as pasu batik and Puan Seri Rohani has been in this business for decades. Literally translated as batik vase, this art form is a popular handicraft in Indonesia, especially Bali, and thanks to an artist who came over to this Malay settlement years back to teach the local housewives, Puan Seri Rohani has benefited from this art migration. Now with 5 other ladies working under her tutelage, her name has become synonym with pasu batik.

The first process, gluing the batik on the pot

Add in gold thread for beautification purposes

Frankly speaking, this is my first time coming across this handicraft. The production of one beautiful pasu batik requires nothing much that a labu sayong or clay pot, batik cloth, industrial glue, gold string and maybe lacquer to finish it off. However, it is the works itself that are the tedious part. Complete concentration and precise workmanship are a must to produce this handicraft. Depending on the sizes of the potteries, it takes at least 2 days to fully finish a small one. As for the prices, again, size dictates it with the smallest goes something like RM 75.

The final products

Here's a quick video of one of the workers beginning her making of pasu batik.

*TO BE CONTINUED*

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Felda Sungai Tengi is one of the few stops of the Hulu Selangor media familiarisation trip organized by M-Mode Berhad, Santai Travel and Tourism Malaysia with supports from Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor. If you want to contact Puan Seri Rohani on pasu batik, call her at 019-5584766 or visit her house. Her housing address is 512, Felda Sungai Tengi, 44010 Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor.

#TSDayOut - Slackline KL

Often in the circus shows, there will be an act where the performers walk on a tight rope, elevated hundreds feet above ground level, with a long shaft to balance themselves while doing stunts. Audiences would go 'wow' and wonder whether it is easy to do that. Well, the answer to that question is hell no and I can attest to it for I had a taste of something similar called slacklining.

Helena Foo was giving introduction on slacklining

The idea behind slacklining is somewhat similar to tight rope, as in, you have to walk on a webbing (called slackline) anchored at two points. However, instead of it being taut, there is this bouncy quality to slackline. Just imagine yourself walking on a long, narrow trampoline or as described in the Slackline KL's website, "a giant rubber band".

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, the last day of the month, when I had my first #TSDayOut in Damai Extreme Park. This monthly outing, organized by Tourism Selangor, has been on my radar since I first heard of it but have no clue on how to get myself invited. Well, after the wonderful #TSBreakAway adventures, let just said I managed to get acquainted with these awesome peoples behind the state tourism board. The best part is that slacklining was actually 'discovered' by one of the Xplorers, Juan Lye (read about her first expose to slackline here).

Demonstrating how to lift yourself up on the line

If you think all this sounds easy and the idea of this being an extreme sport is preposterous, well, you have it all wrong. As you placed your first foot on the slackline, you began to feel shaky and unstable and this wobbliness best described slacklining as a whole. Using core strength, you then have to lift your other foot and put it on the webbing. When you successfully did that, your journey has only just began for you have to combat your way to the end of the line, constantly seeking balance to be by your side.

"Don't look down. Focus on an object in front of you and move forward," said Helena Foo, one of the Slackers with us on that day. Somehow, that was the mantra of the day. Our first attempt was an assisted one, going in pairs, with the one on the line holding the other for stability and support. Even so, it was not easy, as gravity kept pulling you down and balance wasn't much of a help.

Walking barefoot helps

After that, Helena began to increase the difficulties. From simply walking across the line to squatting down midway to pick up a ball (all these with supports from fellow #TSDayOut), to standing on both feet unassisted to walking without guidance to sitting cross-legged. It definitely was not going any easier. "If you are falling to the left side, use your right hand to balance back. If you lean towards the right side, frail your left hand." Another golden nugget of slackline.

Looks easy but it is not

Some seems to be born with balance at their grips, demonstrating perfect skills even though it was their first time doing it. Some managed to do it after much tries and practices. Some just failed miserably, like yours truly.

One of the few participants able to grasp the concept well

Much like anything in life, practices and patience are the key ingredients to slackline. No one was born with amazing sets of skills and Helena and her fellow Slackers definitely had their fair share of trials and failures to be at their current levels. Many of us had fun that day. Some even consider picking it up as a sport. As for me, I like how it challenges you to fight for balance, using every body parts to maintain upright.

Hakimi, another fellow Slacker, performing some stunts

As you get more confidence in your slacklining skill, you can venture into doing stunts and have the slackline being elevated higher. Just a simple Google search and you will find images of people doing slacklines in an unbelievable high, between two mountain peaks, bridges, and so on. That's an extreme sport for you.

Here's a quick video from my friend Khai who recorded Hakimi performing a stunt on slackline.

Thank you so much to Tourism Selangor for organizing this amazing #TSDayOut adventure and Slackline KL for showing us what slacklining is all about.

Sharing is caring. A word of advice and a piece of information.

Slackline KL is a Malaysia-based community and there is a weekly slackline session in Kiara Park every Saturdays open for public, free of charge. They will be having the last session of the year this 14 December 2013 before going for a well deserved break. So, do drop by on that day to find out more about Slackline KL and like their Facebook page to get the latest update.