Thursday, September 10, 2009

Labuan


Labuan is the main island of the Malaysian Federal Territory of Labuan. Labuan is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as a tourist destination for nearby Bruneians and scuba divers. The name Labuan derives from the Malay word labuhan meaning anchorage.
he Federal Territory of Labuan comprises Labuan Island (75 km²) and six other smaller islands (Pulau Burung, Pulau Daat, Pulau Kuraman, Pulau Papan, Pulau Rusukan Kecil, and Pulau Rusukan Besar), which have a combined total area of 92 km². The islands lie 8 km off the coast of Borneo, adjacent to the Malaysian state of Sabah and the independent state of Brunei Darussalam, on the northern edge of Brunei Bay facing the South China Sea. Labuan Island is mainly flat and undulating and the highest point is only 85 meters. Over 70% of the island is still covered with vegetation. Bandar Labuan, formerly known as Victoria, is the major town and port and faces Brunei Bay.



Hotel

Labuan Area, Sabah
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Beta Service Apartment

Tiara Labuan Hotel

Grand Dorsett Labuan Hotel (Ex.Sheraton Labuan Hotel)

Manikar Beach Resort

Waterfront Labuan Hotel

Mariner Hotel Labuan

Sarawak


 Kuching City Centre skyline at dusk, viewed from across the Sarawak River
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang ("Land of the Hornbills"), it is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia; the second largest, Sabah, lies to the northeast.
The administrative capital is Kuching which has a population of 579,900 (2006 census; Kuching City South - 143,500; Kuching City North - 133,600; Padawan- 3rd Mile/ 7th Mile/ 10th Mile - 302,800). The name Kuching literally means ‘cat’ (kucing), although this is the official version, it is much more likely to be derived from Chinese Cantonese for 'Old Place'. Major cities and towns also include Sibu (pop. 254,000), Miri (pop. 263,000) and Bintulu (pop. 176,800). As of last census (Dec 31, 2006), the state population was 2,357,500. For more details about the population see Demographics of Malaysia, though it is interesting to note that Sarawak is, like Sabah to the north, a multicultural state, with no ethnic majority.


Hotel

Kuching Area, Sarawak
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Crowne Plaza Riverside Kuching

Damai Puri Resort & Spa Kuching (ex. Damai Lagoon)

Four Points by Sheraton Kuching

Grand Continental Hotel Kuching

Grand Margherita Hotel Kuching (ex. Holiday Inn)

Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort

Hilton Hotel Kuching

Holiday Inn Resort Damai Beach

Hornbill Golf & Jungle Club

Harbour View Hotel

Kingwood Inn Kuching Hotel

Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites

Rajah Court Hotel

Regal Court Kuching

Permai Rainforest Resort

Santubong Kuching Resort

Somerset Gateway Kuching Hotel

Telang Usan Hotel Kuching

The LimeTree Hotel Kuching

Wesberly Apartment Kuching



Miri Area, Sarawak
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Dynasty Hotel Miri

Grand Palace Hotel Miri

Mega Hotel, Miri

Marriott Resort & Spa , Miri

Parkcity Everly Hotel, Miri


Sibu Area, Sarawak
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Kingwood Hotel Sibu

RH Hotel in Sibu (ex.Everly Hotel Sibu)

Paramount Hotel in Sibu

Premier Hotel in Sibu

Tanahmas Hotel in Sibu

Bintulu Area, Sarawak
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
ParkCity Beverly Hotel

Mulu National Park Area, Sarawak
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Royal Mulu Resort



Sabah

 
Kota Kinabalu City
Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo . It is the second largest state in Malaysia after Sarawak, which it borders on its south-west. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south. In spite of its status as a Malaysian state, Sabah remains a disputed territory; the Philippines has a dormant claim over much of the eastern part of the territory. The capital of Sabah is Kota Kinabalu, formerly known as Jesselton. Sabah is known as "Sabah, negeri di bawah bayu", which means "Sabah, the land below the winds", because of its location just south of the typhoon-prone region around the Philippines.

Tourism

Tourism, particularly eco-tourism, is a major contributor to the economy of Sabah. In 2006, 2,000,000 tourists visited Sabah and it is estimated that the number will continue to rise following vigorous promotional activities by the state and national tourism boards and also increased stability and security in the region. Sabah currently has six national parks. One of these, the Kinabalu National Park, was designated as a World Heritage Site in 2000. It is the first of two sites in Malaysia to obtain this status, the other being the Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak. These parks are maintained and controlled by Sabah Parks under the Parks Enactment 1984. The Sabah Wildlife Department also has conservation, utilization, and management responsibilities.

National Parks

  • Mount Kinabalu National Park - the second highest mountain in Southeast Asia with an altitude of 4,101 metres (13,455 ft). It is only lower than Puncak Jaya in Irian Jaya on the island of New Guinea, Indonesia at 4,884 metres.
  • Turtle Islands Park - conservation efforts for endangered sea turtles
  • Tunku Abdul Rahman Park - A national park consisting of five islands off the coast of Kota Kinabalu
  • Pulau Tiga National Park
  • Crocker Range National Park
  • Tawau Hills

Perlis


Kangar capital of Perlis
Perlis  is the smallest state in Malaysia. It lies at the northern part of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and has Satun and Songkhla Provinces of Thailand on its northern border. Perlis was called Palit  by the Siamese when it was under their influence.
Perlis Indera Kayangan has a population of 210,000. The ethnic composition for the year 2000 in Perlis was: Malay (174,805 or 79.74%), Chinese (21,058 or 9.6%), Indian (2,658 or 1.21%) and others (20,690 or 9.45%).
The capital of Perlis is Kangar and the Royal capital is Arau. Another important town is Padang Besar, at the Malaysian-Thailand border. The main port and ferry terminal is at the small village of Kuala Perlis, linking mostly to Langkawi Island. Perlis has a famous snake farm and research centre at Sungai Batu Pahat and Gua Kelam and Perlis State Park are tourist attractions. Compared to other states of Malaysia, Perlis has bucolic charm, peace and simplicity.


Hotel

Kangar Area, Perlis
Hotel Name
Hotel Rating
Putra Palace Hotel


Terengganu

 
View on part of Kuala Terengganu
Terengganu  is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman ("Abode of Faith"). The coastal city of Kuala Terengganu which stands at the mouth of the broad Terengganu River is both the state and royal capital as well as the largest city in Terengganu.
There are several theories on the origin of the name 'Terengganu'. One theory attributes the name's origin to terang ganu, Malay for 'bright rainbow'. Another story, said to have been originally narrated by the ninth Sultan of Terengganu, Baginda Omar, tells of a party of hunters from Pahang roving and hunting in the area of what is now southern Terengganu. One of the hunters spotted a big animal fang lying on the ground. A fellow party member asked to which animal did the fang belong. The hunter, not knowing which animal, simply answered taring anu (Malay: 'fang of something'). The party later returned to Pahang with a rich hoard of game, fur and sandalwood, which impressed their neighbors. They asked the hunters where did they source their riches, to which they replied, from the land of taring anu, which later evolved into Terengganu. Terengganu was called Trangkanu (Thai: ตรังกานู) by the Siamese when it was under their influence.

Kelantan

 
Jalan Temenggong, Kota Bharu
Kelantan is a state of Malaysia. The capital and royal seat is Kota Bharu. The Arabic honorific of the state is Darul Naim, ("The Blissful Abode").
Kelantan is positioned in the north-east of Peninsular Malaysia. It is bordered by Narathiwat Province of Thailand to the north, Terengganu to the south-east, Perak to the west, and Pahang to the south. To the north-east of Kelantan is the South China Sea.
Kelantan is located in the north-eastern corner of the peninsula, Kelantan, which is said to translate as the "Land of Lightning" (see alternate theories below), is an agrarian state with lush paddy fields, rustic fishing villages and casuarina-lined beaches. Kelantan is home to some of the most ancient archaeological discoveries in Malaysia, including several prehistoric aboriginal settlements.
With the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) in power for many years, Kelantan is also Malaysia's most socially conservative and Islamic state.

Johor

Johor Bahru city view

Johor , also known as Johore by British. It is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most well developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri (Malay for Princess' Cliff). The old state capital is Johor Lama.
Johor is surrounded by Pahang to the north, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest, and the Straits of Johor to the south which separates Johor and the Republic of Singapore.
The city of Johor Bahru is located at 1°29′N 103°44′E / 1.483°N 103.733°E / 1.483; 103.733. The city council administers the highly developed southern central coast of the metropolitan area, with a total area of 185 km². It is situated on the Straits of Johor (also known as the Straits of Tebrau), which separates Malaysia and Singapore. Metropolitan Johor Bahru occupies extensive coastal land consisting of ecologically rich swamp lands and important river systems such as Sungai Johor, Sungai Pulai and Sungai Tebrau.

Pahang

 
Kuantan

Pahang  is the third largest state in Malaysia, after Sarawak and Sabah, occupying the huge Pahang River river basin. It is bordered to the north by Kelantan, to the west by Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, to the south by Johor and to the east by Terengganu and the South China Sea.
Its state capital is Kuantan, and the royal seat is at Pekan. Other important towns include Jerantut, Kuala Lipis, Temerloh and the hill resorts of Genting Highlands, Cameron Highlands, Bukit Tinggi and Fraser's Hill.
The Arabic honorific of Pahang is Darul Makmur ("Abode of Tranquility").
The ethnic composition is roughly 1,000,000 Malay and Bumiputra, 233,000 Chinese, 68,500 Indians, 13,700 others, and 68,000 non-citizens.

Negeri Sembilan

 
Night view of Seremban.
Negeri Sembilan , is one of the 13 states that constitutes the Federation of Malaysia. It is located on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and is bordered in the north by Selangor, in the east by Pahang and in the south by Malacca and Johor.
The name is believed to derive from the nine districts or negara (now known as luak) settled by the Minangkabau, a people originally from West Sumatra (present-day Indonesia). Minangkabau features are still visible today in traditional architecture and the dialect of Malay spoken.
Unlike the hereditary monarchs of the other royal Malay states, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan is known as Yang di-Pertuan Besar instead of Sultan. The election of the Ruler is also unique whereby he is selected by the council of Undangs who lead the four biggest districts of Sungai Ujong, Jelebu, Johol, and Rembau, making it one of the more democratic monarchies.
The capital of Negeri Sembilan is Seremban. The royal capital is Seri Menanti in the district of Kuala Pilah. Other important towns are Port Dickson and Nilai.
The Arabic honorific title of the state is Darul Khusus ("the Special Abode").
The ethnic composition in 2005 was:Malay (497,896 or 54.96%), Chinese (220,141 or 24.3%), Indian (137,588 or 15.18%), Other (50,267 or 5.54%).
 
Istana Seri Menanti

Melaka

 
Malacca Town Bandar Melaka
Malacca  is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south. The state's capital is Malacca Town. This historical city centre has been listed as a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO since 7 July 2008.
Although Malacca was once one of the oldest Malay sultanates, the state has no Sultan today. Instead, the head of state is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri or Governor.
The city of Malacca is located on both sides of the Malacca River near its fall into the Strait of Malacca. The historic central area of the city is located near the old coastline, includes St Paul's Hill with the ruins of the Portuguese fortress, A Famosa and the Dutch Square on the right (eastern) bank of the river, and the old Chinatown on the left (western) bank. The modern city has grown in all direction from this historic core, including to the south (because the present coastline of the Strait of Malacca is somewhat further down to the south than its original location, due to land reclamation). The "Chinese Hill" (Bukit Cina), where a large old Chinese cemetery is located, was formerly located to the northeast of the town, but now is surrounded by the city from all sides.
 
 The surviving gate of the A Famosa Portuguese fort in Malacca.