A'Famosa Resort, Malacca

Every Kind of Fun @ A’Famosa Resort, Malacca

The A’Famosa Animal World Safari in Alor Gajah, Malacca, is definitely the place to take the family for loads of wholesome fun and adventure. Thinking that it was just a hyped up version of a zoo, the writer was not too keen to visit the park and having to bake under the sun simply to see some animals lazing around in their cages. But golly, she could not have been more wrong…

Blurry-eyed after having nodded off during the 45-minute bus ride from the Century Mahkota Hotel in Malacca, I was pleasantly greeted at the entrance by the park’s management staff, Minah the baby orang utan and three elephants. It was love at first sight with the adorable Minah. However no amount of cajoling would allow me to carry her as she had her heart set on one of the guys in our group. Poor me had to contend with Minah plastering a kiss on my cheek as I bade her adios and ventured into the “wilderness” constituting the Animal World Safari. There is definitely “so much” to explore.

The safari walk through the landscaped park offers visitors the opportunity to touch and feed the mild animals like deer, ducks and rabbits, ride the camels and ostriches, and milk the cows. We were ushered off to catch the very entertaining multi-animal show which evoked shrieks of delight not just from the children but adults as well. The show featured orang utans golfing and weightlifting, dogs doing tricks and a monkey diving into a pool, among others. Visitors were allowed to snap photographs with some of the animals like the Albino python after the show.

Next was the excellent elephant performance which is at par, if not better, than the shows in Thailand. The gigantic beasts enthralled the crowd with their intelligence and graceful beauty. Animal World Safari also boasts a bird show and the Wild Wild West cowboy stunt show which is similar to the one at Universal Studio in Orlando, Florida.

Get ready to embark on your African safari with the heart-lurching truck ride which will take you into the predator zone of the majestic lions and tigers, an African “game reserve” and a crocodile pond. Our group was greeted by a lioness doing her “business” as we entered her den. She was however unperturbed with our presence and instead stared curiously at this bunch of gawking trespassers. The reserve was like a real African safari with animals like zebras, giraffes, camels and antelopes roaming freely in a vast expanse of land sparsely dotted with trees and shrubs. You can almost reach out and touch the animals had it not been for the “fenced-up” truck. The park aims to create awareness on wildlife conservation.

Animal World Safari is also equipped with comfortable rest stops, camping and picnic sites, and stalls serving a variety of food. There is also a high-tech farmhouse hatchery, nutrition workshops, animal rides, animal petting houses and a river cruise to the monkey island where you get to meet various species of monkeys.

Animal World Safari is just one of the many attractions in the self-contained A’Famosa Resort that also boasts one of the most beautiful golf courses in the world and the biggest water theme park in the country. The international class, 27-hole golf course is a paradise surrounded by breathtaking scenery. The natural hilly contours provide a great challenge for golfers. The nine holetracts - Rocky course, Palm course and Crocodile course with live crocodiles were created by Australian golf course architect Ross C.Watson. The greens are from Bermuda Titwarf while the fairway is landscaped in Bermuda Greenless Park. Fishing enthusiasts can try their luck with patin, haruan, tilapia, keli and jelawat in the fishing pond which is the extension of the golf water hazards.

Occupying an area of 8ha, the Water Theme Park features a man-made beach, the adrenaline pumping, seven-storey high-speed slide, wave pool, family raft ride and the longest and widest theme park river in Malaysia, the 504m Lazy River. Toddlers can have a splashing time at the Tots Activity Pool while children will find the Arabian Village a sheer delight.

A new attraction is the A’Famosa Cowboy Town offering a taste of the American Wild West adventure like stunt shows, a street brawl, trick gun draws and trick horse rides on the main street. Visitors can enjoy their BBQ dinner while being entertained by cowboy singers belting out country songs. Facilities here include a beer garden, discotheque, cyber cafe, wet market, 12-lane bowling alley, children theme park and fun fair. Admission is free. The town is open from 5pm to midnight on weekdays and from 5pm to 2am on weekends.

The A’Famosa Resort also contains an Equestrian Club (open to both members and the public), woodball course, archery, kite flying, cycling and jungle trekking. In short, there is something for everyone. Gastronomic needs are more than catered for by the western and local cuisines served at the breezy Golfer’s Terrace while authentic Chinese fare can be enjoyed at the Huang Di Restaurant.

To accommodate your business and social activities, the resort’s clubhouse is equipped with a beautiful ballroom and five function rooms. Accommodation is in the form of the luxury A’Famosa Resort Hotel, condominiums or the three to five-bedroom bungalows with private swimming-pools. The resort is a mere one and a half hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur and two hours from Singapore.

A’Famosa Resort
Jalan Kemus, Simpang Empat
78000 Alor Gajah, Malacca
Tel: (06) 552 0777, Fax: (06) 5520811
E-mail: afamosa@po.jaring.my

· The Consortium Agents for Malacca Packages in Penang are offering several tour itineraries to Malacca that include visits to the A’Famosa Resort.

· The Weekend Getaway (minimum 40 adults) is priced from RM229 adult/RM139 child with departure every Saturday while the three-day Discover Malacca-Family Holidays (minimum two adults) is available from RM399 adult/RM199 child and departure is every Friday.

· For bookings, call Admiral Tours & Travel Tel: (04) 263 6394) or Georgetown Transport & Tourist Service Tel: (04) 2295788).

· This article was written by Catherine Chong. Her visit to Malacca was organised by the state government.

Retreat @ Shah Alam Lake Garden

Shah Alam Lake Garden is one of the popular places for people, particularly the residents in the vicinity, to relax. Many people spend their weekdays’ evening and weekend at the garden to do recreational activities such as family outing, jogging, picnicking, or spend their quality time with families at the Shah Alam WaterTheme Park, which is located nearby the Shah Alam Lake Garden. The man-made lake, surrounded by vast, beautiful landscaped garden is an ideal place for retreat, especially for those who are always busy at work.

While you walk around the lake, you will see several fresh water habitat (for example, tortoise and fish) in the surrounding area. If you are fortunate, you will be able to see peacock, forest chicken, goose and stork that are reared here.

For those who are searching for places to eat at Shah Alam, the Shah Alam Lake Garden also offer wide range of food and beverage, served at different restaurants and café in the surrounding are. Most of the eating places at the Shah Alam Lake Garden are very famous with their taste of foods. For example, “Kedai Kopi” and Shah Alam Floating Restaurant (Seafoods).

Apart from that, visitors may also drop by to the Laman Budaya or culture centre, which is also located around the lake. With its facilities and attraction, this recreation park is always being a favourite venue to held activities such as exhibition, sport games. For example, the Shah Alam Lake Garden hosts international events such as the annual International Orchid Exhibition and the International Boat Show.

Shopping Therapy - Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival

The Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival is back!

Need a shopping therapy? Good news to all shopperholics! Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival is back! Most departmental stores throughout Malaysia promise a bigger sale this year as Malaysia is celebrating its 50^th year of Independence. More discounts and promotion…The period of the carnival is longer than before (16th June till 2nd September 2007). This is a very good time for shopping. I’m sure most popular shopping complexes throughout Malaysia are full, especially during weekends. In Klang Valley itself, we have One Utama Shopping Centre (Bandar Utama), Mid Valley Megamall (Kuala Lumpur) and KLCC (Kuala Lumpur), as among main attractions for shopperholics.

The Mega Sale Carnival is an annual event for Malaysia. Normally, this is the best time for both Malaysian and visitors (foreigners) to go for shopping. Most products are offered at discount (except for new arrivals). I’m yet to go for shopping in this Carnival this year. I just went back from Singapore. The country is also having a great shopping bargain now. I had a long way walking along the Orchard Road, Singapore, with the hope to find whatever I want to buy there at lower price than Malaysia. Unfortunately, the exchange rate nowadays is quite high. After converted into Malaysian Ringgit, plus the 5% GST (applicable to sale of good in Singapore), I found that for some products it’s more worthwhile buying it in Malaysia. This is because you can get the same thing in Malaysia at lower price. So, now I have to find my time to shop @ Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival.

Enjoy your shopping @ Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival this year. Hopefully, you’ll get what you want at a great bargain…