Gaya Traveller’s 60th Feature

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Special Issue

GAYA Traveller’s

60th Feature

GAYA Traveller Fun Facts : » Travelled to 55 countries » Gaya Traveller column began in December 2008 » 59 features to date » 22 features on domestic destination » 22 features on Asian countries » 6 features on European countries » 2 features on America » Only 1 feature on Africa continent » Most written about destination: TAIWAN (5 features)

Lo and behold, our humble Gaya Traveller column has now hit the 60th issue mark! As a tribute to this achievement, we thought it would be nice to reminisce and take a walk down memory lane.

At the time of writing, COVID-19 is still at large, and inter-state travel within Malaysia is limited. On the same note, international travel remains impossible, whether we have completed our vaccination or not. For the record, the two of us have received our second dose of vaccine in early September and are looking forward to travel to Kuala Lumpur from Johor Bahru at the very least! Looking at how things progress, we might temporarily shelve our plans to travel internationally because the quarantine requirement can be quite a hassle.

Must Do In Langkawi Island Hopping by Jet Ski with @megawatersports GAYA Traveller First article in Gaya Travel Nusantara Issue 3.5

Inside the Glass Bottom Gondola, Langkawi Sky Cab Cable Car - 2015

A Negeri Sembilan delicacy, Gulai Daun Kayu. The making of Manuk Pansuh

For people like us who enjoy doing research and making plans for travelling months ahead, the pandemic has clearly changed our habits and daily lives. Surely, we do miss many travel-related things, as you can see from our previous issue Gaya Traveller column in Gaya Travel Magazine Issue 16.2: The Little Things We Miss. We took up new hobbies like edible gardening and cooking to occupy our time, and most importantly, to remain sane. One thing that persists, pandemic or not, is our love for FOOD! We are always game in trying new food, provided it is halal and cause no allergies. We think it will be nice to highlight about food, especially the local dishes we savoured over the years.

Come and join us when we take you back to the many destinations where we have set foot. For easy reference, we have organised our articles and categorise them according to continents.

GAYA Traveller Favourite Malaysian Resorts & spot(s): » Belum Rainforest Resort, Perak » Terrapuri Heritage Village, Penarik, Terengganu » Anantara Desaru Coast Resort » Langkawi Sky Cab Cable Car » Mabul Island, Tawau Sabah » Kundasang, Sabah

On Board North Borneo Railway Kota Kinabalu - 2012

#36. Mabul’s 52 Shades of Blue GTN Issue 10.2

#9. A Taste of Sarawak GTN Issue 5.2

The Best Mee Rebus In Johor Bahru The most featured state in our column is Sabah, followed by Langkawi. Sabah is famous for its fresh seafood, and the most unforgettable experience was buying crabs from the Bajau Laut (sea gypsy) children of Mabul Island. Many of our trips to Langkawi was to attend the International Laksa Festival (LILAC), which was indeed a feast for the tummy!

Interestingly, we discovered that the local dishes in Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Pahang are similar because they use lots of coconut milk, turmeric and chillies, the three magical ingredients that can make anything delicious!

As Johoreans born and bred, we gladly shared our favourite places to eat in Johor Bahru. The food of Johor is quite eclectic due to its rich history, and we were quite amazed to find familiar food when travelling abroad.

Peranakan food is truly unique as it is a melting pot of two different cultures: Chinese and Malay. It is one of our favourite cuisines to savour whenever we are in Melaka.

We also had the chance to make the iconic Manuk Pansuh (chicken and cassava leaves cooked in bamboo) when we visited Sarawak.

#25. Sabah Revisited GTN Issue 8.1

Must Eat When In Kota Kinabalu Buah Tarap Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

MALAYSIA 2008

#1. Escape to Sabah #2. Cruising Along Sungai Linggi, Negeri Sembilan 2009

#3. Escape to Kuala Gandah, Pahang #4. Discover Perak #5. The Royal Gallery:Galeri DiRaja Sultan Abdul Aziz, Klang #6. Kuala Lumpur-A City of Many Faces 2010

#7. Trailing the Peranakan Heritage (Singapore) #8. At the Dining Table (Melaka) #9. A Taste of Sarawak #11. Klang Heritage Walk #12. Nov/Dec2010: Mainland Terengganu Attractions 2011

#13. Gaya Travellers Finally Set Foot in Sabah 2012

#22. Langkawi in #12 Hours, The Gaya Traveller’s Way 2013

#25. Sabah Revisited 2015

#36. Mabul’s 52 Shades of Blue #37. Escape to Putrajaya #38. Laid-Back Langkawi #42. Waking Up to Langkawi #43. Jalan- Jalan KL 2017

#44. Perak Glitters in 2017 #47. Belum Beckons in Harmony (Sheila Majid) 2019

#55. Starting at Zero: A JB Heritage and Food Trail Walkabout 2020

#58. An All-Girls Desaru Getaway

A Walk on the Sky- 460m on Taipei 101

#57. The Halal Taipei Directory GTN Issue 15.1

Taiwan Beef Noodles

The food of Asia is simply the best! Together we gained plenty of kilos feasting on all of the wonderful dishes in all of the Asian countries we visited.

Though we travelled to almost all of the Southeast Asian countries, we only got to write about Thailand and Indonesia. We simply love the taste of Thai food and had the chance to attend a Thai cooking class when we were staying in Bangkok. It was one of the memorable activities during that trip. Indonesia was the country where we mostly frequented and it feels like second home. We look forward to having a bowl of Bubur Ayam (chicken porridge) for breakfast and a big plate of Iga Bakar (barbecued beef ribs) whenever we are in Indonesia.

Eastern Asian countries like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have their own charm in the form of the beautiful Sakura (cherry GAYA Traveller Favourite Airlines Snacks: » China Airlines : Trail mix » Malaysia Airlines : Peanuts » Oman Air : Pies » Turkish Airlines : Sandwiches

List of Airlines we flew on: » Malaysia Airlines » Singapore Airlines » British Airways » Garuda Indonesia » Swiss Air » Royal Air Cambodge » Thai Airways » American Airlines » Continental Airlines » China Airlines » China Southern Airlines » Iceland Air » KLM » Air Maroc » Air France » Turkish Airlines » Qatar Airways » Qantas » Air New Zealand » Saudi Airlines » Royal Jordanian » Berjaya Air » Oman Air » Jet Blue Airways » Virgin Atlantic » Virgin America » Virgin Australia » Air Asia » Spice Jet » Easy Jet » Ryan Air » Jin Air » Pegasus Airlines » Vueling Airlines » Aer Lingus » Silk Air

blossoms) and convenience stores! We went to Japan specifically to hunt for Sakura but discovered a lot more. As Japanese food lovers, we were ecstatic to finally get a taste of authentic Japanese food. Interestingly, the dishes tasted similar to the ones we had in Malaysia. We even relished unique flavoured ice cream like Sakura and Lavender. Much of our time

Muat have in Vietnam, Beef Pho, Spring rolls, Bahn Mi and Iced Coffee.

was spent ogling at delectable-looking pastries and cakes at the departmental stores’ food courts.

Taiwan is the most featured country in Gaya Traveller. We have been to Taiwan on invitation for four times, and each time we were fed very well by our host. Taiwan is serious in promoting its Halal tourism, and we are more than happy to help spread the word around. Taiwan’s fruits and vegetables are excellent and not to be missed.

As followers of K-dramas, being in South Korea was surreal. We had travelled to three cities, Jeju, Busan and Seoul; each one is unique from the other. Halal local food is available, so we had plenty of Korean food like fried chicken, Tttobokki (rice cakes in hot sauce), and Bimbimbap (rice topped with plenty of side dishes). The most memorable dish was Haemul Jeongol (seafood hot pot) where the abalone was still alive when it arrived at our table. Moving down to Southern Asia, we did three articles on India, and indeed the food we had in India was divine! We tasted our first ever poori in India and was instantly hooked on it. We love the simple food preparation in Kashmir the most, not too heavily spiced and we enjoyed the freshness of the ingredients.

The food of Turkey was equally fantastic! Who knew Western Asian cuisine could be so delicious? We ate different versions of kebabs as we travelled across the country, and their desserts like Baklava, rice pudding, Turkish Delights are not to be missed.

GAYA Traveller Essential Travel Apps & Website: » Skyscanner » HotelsCombined » Booking.com » Waze » Google Maps » Google Translate » Uber » Netflix & Spotify

We shared our journey to three other Western Asia countries: Oman, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia (for our Hajj). In Oman, we had the chance to visit a local barbecue house, where camel meat is cured and barbecued the traditional way. We were also introduced to Oman’s traditional sweets called Halwa, and it dawned upon us how similar it was to Halwa Maskat, a traditional Johorean sweet, whereby the word ‘Maskat’ could even be derived from Muscat, the capital port city of Oman. Since Dubai is practically the Halal version of America, we took the opportunity to eat burgers at American big chains like The Cheesecake Factory.

GAYA Traveller Recommends: When is the best time to visit Asian countries? » Dubai Winter time (November – April) » Cambodia Cool season (November -Feb) » Taiwan Cherry blossom season (March-May) » India Winter (November – March)

Must Eat When in Oman Omani Traditional Barbeque! Omanis barbeque their meat directly on top of a mount of hot pebbles - no marinade is necessary, just add salt.

Jeju Island, South Korea 2018

#26. Lombok-The Misunderstood Paradise Issue 12.6

Delicious Sundanese cuisine in Garut; Nasi Liwet, deep fried fish served with sambal.

GAYA Traveller Fun Facts We had taken a total of six Oman Air flights during our 10-day trip. The types of aircraft include Airbus A330-300s, Boeing 737700s and Embraer E175.

Lombok, Indonesia

ASIA 2010

#10. Laid Back Krabi 2011

#14. Majestic India #15. Kashmir, A Diamond in the Rough #16. Opulent Charm – Agra & Jaipur #17. Turkish Delights – Istanbul, Bursa, Pamukkale #18. Turkish Delights, Part 2: Konya, Ankara & Cappadocia 2012

#23. Garut- The Road Less Travelled 2013

#26. Lombok-The Misunderstood Paradise #27.Bangkok – The City Breakaway #28. Charming & Magnificent Sultanate of Oman 2014

#29. Dynamic Dubai 2015

#35. Journey of the Hujjaj 2016

#40. Blooming Japan #41. Time for Taiwan! 2017

#45. How to Shop Like a Pro in Ho Chi Minh’s Markets #46. Taiwan, Where Muslims Can Travel with Peace of Mind 2018

#48. Taiwan Take Three #52. Self-Driving in Scenic Jeju 2019

#53. Discovering Bustling Busan in 3 Days #54. Beginner’s Guide to Seoul #56. Taipei, An Up-and-Coming Muslim-Friendly Destination 2020

#57. The Halal Taipei Directory

NORTH AMERICA 2012

#20. We Love New York #21. California Dreamin’

We spent a good four weeks travelling across the United States of America, and experienced all mode of transportation available: buses, trains, planes and rented car. Throughout this journey, we consumed a lot of food, the memorable ones include a crab at the all-you-can-eat buffet in Virginia, the comforting clam chowder in San Francisco, hot dogs in Times Square New York, and Magnolia Bakery’s Banana Pudding!

Chefchaouen, Morocco

AFRICA 2018

#50. M is for Morocco

Exotic Morocco is the only African country that we have visited thus far and we had the opportunity to be there twice. Interestingly, some of the food found in Morocco are quite close to Malaysian dishes, for instance Msemen, which looks like Roti Canai, or Ghriba that tastes like Sugee cookies! Our favourite meal to have in Morocco is the Beef Tagine, tender chunks of beef slowly cooked with prunes and apricots in the country’s signature earthen cookware called tagine. Since Moroccans use plenty of spices in their food, we were mesmerised with the numerous variations of spice mixes found in the local markets. We are happy to report that we have adopted the Moroccan way of eating oranges: skinned-off, sliced horizontally (instead of the usual wedges) and sprinkled with cinnamon powder!

+ WE NY +

#20. We Love New York GTN Issue 7.2

All-you-can-eat crab buffet in Virginia Lessons We Learnt : » Always check visa requirements » Always check weather forecasts & pack accordingly » Always check on the accommodation’s elevator /lift availability » Always wear comfortable shoes » Always carry an umbrella/rain jacket and a hand towel in your bag » Book an accommodation with laundry facilities every other day » Take a taxi to get to the airport » In extreme cold weather, keep at least two sets of spare camera batteries in the inner pocket of your jacket. This is to prolong their life.

Msemen, which looks like “Roti Canai”

#50. M for Morocco GTN Issue 13.2 Our favourite meal to have in Morocco is the Beef Tagine

Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco 2016

Trdelnik; we loved it so much, we had it everyday when we were in Prague!

The best food discovery we had in Eastern European cities of Prague in Czech Republic and Budapest in Hungary was the uniquely shaped bread called Tredlnik / Trdlo, made from rolled dough that is then wrapped around a stick and then grilled and topped with sugar and spices – truly comforting during cold winter nights.

Countries like Switzerland, Scotland, Iceland and Ireland have sprawling beautiful views through and through. We were glad that we took time to enjoy the countries, city by city. To us, the food choices found in these European countries are more or less the same; we enjoyed eating kebabs and sandwiches since they are convenient when we were on the go. We thoroughly enjoyed fresh produce (dairy, seafood and of course, seasonal fruits) including desserts; do ask us where to find the best apple pies!

Traditional Moroccan porcelain plates and dishes in Fez GAYA Traveller Recommends: » Apple Pie - Mcdonagh’s Fish & Chips, Latin Quarter, Galway in Ireland » Chocolate & Churros - Chocolateria San Gines, Madrid in Spain. » Hot Chocolate - Angelina, Paris in France » Ice Cream - Murphy’s Ice Cream in Ireland » Taiwan Halal Beef Noodles - Chang’s Beef Noodle, Taipei City in Taiwan

Good to know: What we always pack in our backpack when travelling... » 3 sets of clothing » Bath towel & nice toiletries » Extra pair of shoes & slippers » Supplements & medications » Laundry stuff » Sandwich bags » Plastic Cutleries » Snacks & dry food » Rain jacket or umbrella

Zürich, Switzerland

EUROPE 2014

#31. Phenomenal Prague #32. Braving Budapest #33. Switzerland on a Budget #34. The Handsome Highlands of Scotland 2017

#49. Chasing Auroras in Iceland 2018

#51. Idyllic Ireland in 9 Days

Skógafoss, Iceland 2016

#33. Switzerland on a Budget GTN Issue 9.5

Isle of Skye, Scotland.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia 2016

#30. Discovering UNESCO World Heritage Sites GTN Issue 9.2

Must Eat When in Perak & Johor » Nasi Ganja & Caramel Custard Pudding at Kedai Kopi Yong Suan in Ipoh » Grilled Fish at Restoran Tasik Raban, Lenggong in Perak » Deep Fried Chicken Chop with Mushroom Sauce at IT Roo Cafe in Johor Bahru GAYA Traveller Recommends: Top 3 Resorts to go (within Johor) once MCO restrictions is lifted: » One&Only Desaru Coast, Kota Tinggi » Rawa Island Resort, Mersing » Batu Batu Resort, Pulau Tengah, Mersing

What’s New in Johor Bahru: » Sunway Hotel Big Box » Holiday Inn Johor Bahru » Hard Rock Cafe, Iskandar Puteri » Johor Bahru City Centre / Heritage Street » Hutan Bandar MBJB / Tunku Mahkota Ismail Youth Centre (TMIYC) » Galeri Seni Johor (Johor Art Gallery) » B5 Johor Street Market GENERAL

2012

#19. The Gaya Travellers Getaway Pick #24. Gaya Traveller’s 2013 Travel Wishlist 2014

#30. Discovering UNESCO Heritage Sites 2016

#39. Hello, 2016! 2021

#59. The Little Things We Miss

Some articles do not specifically refer to a particular destination, but it is based on our experiences, thoughts and hopes. We are glad to report that we managed to strike out some of the countries we had on our wishlist, while the rest are still work in progress.

We are very humbled and honoured to have come this far, travelling and sharing our experiences with our readers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We hope Gaya Traveller will be able to share more of our journeys in the future.

Fully Vaccinated, September 2021 HSA Johor Bahru

Get yourself vaccinated and stay safe. xoxo

GAYA Traveller