Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary

Established in 1989, the initial set-up of this centre was never meant for tourism, in fact it was mainly to focus on the elephant translocation job, but now the center also serves as the spot for elephant conservation awareness to the public. This centre quickly became popular among tourists and visitors are offered a chance to come up close with Malaysian elephants (Elephas maximus). The centre is only one of its kind in the country and it aims to educate the public on the importance of conservation and protection. Over the years, more than 400 elephants had been relocated in the country by the sanctuary for protection against human activities.  The sanctuary is about 40 km from Bentong and 100 km east of Kuala Lumpur.

Activities Schedule

Beginning at 9.00 am, the driving to Kuala Gandah from Kuala Lumpur is a journey of one and half hours. It is estimated that tourists will arrive at Kuala Gandah around 10:30 a.m. The activities begin with Deerland Park visit that usually took 2 hours. There, visitors will be able to interact with different species of deers such as Taiwan deers, Javan Rusa deers, Sika deers, mouse deers, etc. Besides that animal lovers will have an opportunity to get up-close and personal with other variety of animals such as Golden Pheasant, Bengal Cat, Rabbits, Parakeets, Malayan Sun Bear, Pythons and few others. Visitors are allowed to feed and pet the animals. Food for the deers are provided by the park. The admission fees are RM12 for adults and RM 4 for children. 

After the Deerland Park tour, at 1:00 p.m. tourists are to be at the Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. The sanctuary tour will begin with video presentation about elephant conservation awareness that usually takes about half an hour, along with briefing by the sanctuary staffs. Then around 2:00 p.m., the elephant show will begin.

Before the show, the 'Mahut' (the elephant trainer) will bring all the elephants to the nearby river to bathe and clean them.

After the show visitors are allowed to interact with the elephants with feeding and grooming activities. They are to handle the elephants food themselves in the feeding activities.

Next, the baby elephants are brought to a river within the sanctuary to be bathe for cooling down and cleaning. Elephants are covered in mud to protect them from over exposure of the sun and by evening, they are to be cleaned of this mud. The bathing is also to cool down the elephants as the temperature at the sanctuary can reach up to 35 degree Celsius. Tourists are to join this bathing process which are supervised by the staffs, so a set of clothes for changing is a must.

In all, the activities would take about two hours to be completed. By 4:30 pm, tourists are to begin their journey back to Kuala Lumpur. 

The package for this tour with Uncle Braim executive taxi is RM600.00 (Round trip)

Day Trip Putrajaya

PUTRAJAYA is the adminstrative capital of the country. Situated about 25 km to the south of Kuala Lumpur. Putrajaya was named in honour of Malaysia’s first PM, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj. The word ‘Putra’ means prince while ‘Jaya’ means excellence or success.

The city comprises a 600 hectare man-made lake, aesthetically designed bridges, parks, wetlands, goverment offices and public amenities.

The trip to Putrajaya from Kuala Lumpur City Centre via Maju Highway is about 40 minutes. Sightseeing tour will take about 2 hours. Executive taxi charges for round trip and tour is RM250.00. Here some of the interesting places that you can visit in Putrajaya.

Perdana Putra

The first venue to be visited is this majestic building housing the offices of Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister as well as the Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Deparment. It’s impressive design incorporates elements from the Islamic-Mogul architecture.

Dataran Putra

Located just infront of Perdana Putra, Dataran Putra or Putra Square is the centre piece of Precint 1. Decorated with lights, water features and other design elements, Dataran Putra is an excellent venue for ceremonies, carnivals and major events. Its star shaped design represents the number of state in Malaysia.

Putra Mosque

Putra Mosque sits next to Perdana Putra and and Dataran Putra, completing a trio of attractions in Precint 1.  One of the most distimguished landmarks in Putrajaya, its basement wall resembles the King Hassan Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. Putra Mosque is built with rose-tinted granite and can accomodate 15000 worshippers at one time. Its minarate stands at the height of 116 metres and is hailed as one of the tallest in the region.

Signature Bridges

The fourth attractions in Putrajaya is the collection of bridges which are strikingly artistic. Each bridge has its own special feature and design element. Among the popular bridges are the Putra Bridge, Seri Wawasan Bridge and Seri Saujana Bridge.

Lake Putajaya Cruise

Perhaps the main attraction here, Lake Putrajaya covers about 13% of the total land area. This lake was designed to enhance the aesthetic appeal of Putrajaya. The lake also serves as climate moderator. Visitors can enjoy the view of the lake from Putra Mosque or from any of the bridges, giving different perspectives of the lake from different places. The more priceless experience is the Lake Putrjaya Cruise. For more information please visit the link below.

http://www.cruisetasikputrajaya.com/

Seri Perdana

Seri Perdana is the official residence of Malaysia’s Prime Minister. The building comprises three blocks -  the main reception block or protocol block, banquet block and residence block. Tours are available but limited to certain areas.

Dining

Dining in Putajaya is recommeneded to be enjoyed at the Alamanda Shopping Mall’s food court where varieties of local and international cuisines are served. It is a popular for local and abroad tourists, as it is delicious as well as comfortable. It is also very accomodating as it provides an enoyable shopping experience within the Alamanda’s one of a kind shopping mall.

Alamanda

Other Attractions

There are many other attractions in Putrajaya that won’t do justice to be described only by words. Below are some of them to give you the idea of how Putrajaya is a must visit venue for tourists.

Millenium Monument

Putajaya International Convention Centre (PICC

Persiaran Perdana

Istana Kehakiman (Palace of Justice)

Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque

Day Trip Malacca

Malacca

Also known as "The Historic State". It is located in the southern region of Peninsula Malaysia. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and Johor to the south. The capital is Malacca City, which is 148 kilometres south east of Kuala Lumpur. The journey by taxi via PLUS Highway is about 2 hours 30 minutes. 
This historical city centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 7 July 2008. Although it was the location of one of the earliest Malay sultanates, the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511. At the moment, the head of state is the Yang di-Pertua Negeri  or Governor, rather than a Sultan.

A'Famosa 

The first attraction that we should visit is Porta De Santiago or A'Famosa, a fortress built by Alfonso d'Albuquerqe, a Portuguese admiral in 1511. The fortress was badly damaged during the Dutch invasion in 1641 and was gradually torn down throughout the years until Sir Stamford Raffles, a British official intervened in 1808 and saved what remains of A'Famosa today. 

No admission fee

Stadthuys

The second attraction that tourists must visit is the Stadthuys. Once the official residence of Dutch Governors and their officers, it was built with imposing image featuring salmon red walls, heavy wooden doors and wrought-iron hinges. Today, it houses the Museum of History and Ethnography. Next to it is Christ Church, a Dutch Reformed Church that was constructed in 1753.

Admission fee: RM 5 Adult, RM 2 Child

MELAKA SULTANATE PALACE

Next, is the replica of Melaka Sultanate Palace that was built based on the descriptions provided in the Malay Annals, a literary work that chronicles the history of the sultanate of Melaka. It is a museum that mainly displays exhibits that are related to the culture of Melaka. Other items include a huge diorama depicting a sultan’s court as well as clothing, weapons, stone inscriptions, musical instruments and photographs.

Admission fee: RM 2 Adult, RM 0.50 Child

BABA AND NYONYA HERITAGE MUSEUM

The fourth attraction is typical 19^th century Baroque-style homes of wealthy Chinese families. Furnished with Chinese rosewood furniture with a mix of Chinese, Victorion and Dutch designs, this longish residence has an interior that opens into courtyard that admits sun and rain. This museum was the ancestral home of three generations of Baba and Nyonya family and is situated along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock.

Admission fee: RM 10 Adult, RM 5 Child

MARITIME MUSEUM

The maritime museum, one of the most popular museum in Melaka is housed in a replica of the Flor de la Mar, a Portuguese vessel that sank off the coast of Melaka. The museum has pictorial displays of the history of Melaka, beginning from the Sultanate of Melaka in the 14^th century to the pre-independence era. Inside the museum are models of ships, authentic maps, charts and old iron chests that were once used to store precious cargo.

Admission fee: RM 3 Adult, RM 1 Child

TAMING SARI TOWER

The sixth attraction is the tower that will give you a 360 degrees view of Banda Hilir from the height of 110m above the ground. The naming of Taming Sari is inspired from the most well-known dagger in the Malay world, which was owned by the Malay Warrior Hang Tuah. The tower is only a few minutes away from the Dataran Pahlawan Megamall and Mahkota Parade Shopping complex. 

Admission fee: RM 20 Adult, RM 10 Child

DINING

Before proceeding to the next attraction, it is recommended the tourists to have a taste of local delights such as Satay Celup, Chicken Rice Balls, seafood as well as delicious range of Nyonya, Chetti and Portuguese food.

Restaurants in Melaka

Malay: Asam Pedas Selera Kampong Café Botanikal Medan Ikan Bakar Muara Sungai Duyong Restoran ikan bakar Restoran lot 85	Nyonya: Nyonya Makko Restaurant Restoran Bibik Neo Restoran Ole Sayang Restoran Peranakan
Chinese: Ban Lee Siang Capitol Satay Deocean Seafood Restaurant	Portuguese: De Lisbon Restaurant Papa Joe Restaurant
Indian: D’Tandoori House Restaurant Saravanna Restaurant Selvam Restaurant Sri Lakshmi Villas Restaurant

Malay Kueh

Indian Banana Leaf Set Rice

Malay Delicacy

Nyonya Food

Portuguese Grill Fish

MELAKA RIVER CRUISE

The seventh attraction is the favourite of tourists, local and abroad. The 45-minute Melaka River Cruise passes through the downtown area where you can see old warehouses, shop houses, bridges and Kampung Morten, a traditional Malay village. The return trip passes wharves down river.

Admission fee: RM 10 Adult, RM 5 Child

JONKER STREET

The eight and last attraction is Jonker Street or locally known as Jalan Hang Jebat. It is interspersed with antique shops selling an interesting array of authentic artefacts and relics. Some date as far back as 300 years and can be found among a host of interesting collectibles, each with its own history and mystery. Located in the older section of the city, Jonker Street is popular among bargain hunters and antique collectors.

No admission fee

Transportation Charges

The tour will take about 12 hours. You will be travelling in an executive taxi and the rate is RM700.00. Transpotation charges including taxi fares (to and fro), toll and waiting time.