TRAVEL

LOW MEI MAY

LOW MEI MAY is smitten by the beauty of Taiping’s lake garden and the town’s various attractions

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Raintree Café serves both local and western fare" border="0"> Raintree Café serves both local and western fare Former tin mines, now tranquil man-made lake" border="0"> Former tin mines, now tranquil man-made lake

Former tin mines, now tranquil man-made lake

MALAYSIA’S oldest lake garden sits right in front of the hotel. On that point alone, Flemington Hotel must be the choice for holidaymakers or travellers staying in Taiping, one of the country’s oldest and loveliest towns.

Taiping, in north Perak, is a small town — serene, tranquil and quiet. But to be able to wake up, look out of the window and see the greeneries and the blue of a large man-made lake is heavenly.

The hotel itself isn’t an architectural wonder. It’s simple and functional. Which is just fine, as there’s no need to compete with the beauty of the lake gardens and further away, Bukit Larut (formerly, Maxwell Hill).

Taiping Lake Gardens beckons — for a walk in the morning or evening; picnics or jogging; or to just lie down on the grass to read. Or visit Taiping Zoo within the vicinity of the lake to hear the roaring of tigers or chirping of birds, among other animals. Taiping Zoo opens day and night.

The hotel lobby can be very busy as the coffeehouse — the aptly-named Raintree Cafè — is right next to the reception area but do not fret as you can always rest your eyes on the greenery outside while waiting to be checked in. It is no wonder that Flemington’s Chinese restaurant, Hu Jing Ge, is popular for wedding receptions.

Another popular spot at the hotel is its lounge and sky bar, located on the rooftop.

The rooftop is the best spot to view the lake gardens, its surroundings and Taiping itself.

Also on the rooftop is a small swimming pool.

For a three-star hotel, Flemington boasts value-for-money facilities. The rooms are equipped with 32-inch LCD television with selected satellite TV, wireless Internet connection, hot & cold facilities, safe deposit boxes, hairdryer and even a work desk.

The hotel offers single, king or queen size beds.

Finding the hotel is not a problem even if you have never been to Taiping. Just head to the lake gardens and directional signs will take you to the hotel’s doorstep but if you do get lost in the vicinity, just enjoy the lake gardens for you will surely find Flemington.

Don’t worry about the scorching sun as the large century-old raintrees on both sides of the roads within the lake gardens provide excellent shade.

Besides the lake gardens, Taiping boasts of many firsts — the oldest prison, the oldest railway station, the oldest museum and the oldest hill station. But you don’t have to be of retirement age to make Taiping your home as you can learn so much about the history of this country by just visiting the town.

Another plus for Taiping is its delicious and cheap food. If your stomach has space for only one thing, the popiah is a must-have. It is available in a coffeeshop along the main road near the lake gardens.

Fast Facts

Hotel
1 Jalan Semanea Saman
Taiping, Perak
Tel: 05-820-7777

Getting There
When you reach Taiping town, follow the signboard to Taiping Lake Gardens and drive along the road surrounding the lake. Flemington Hotel is on the left.

First Impression
New and busy.

Rooms
Total of 116 well furnished rooms and suites. Four types of room — Superior, Lake View Premier, Junior Suites and Lake View Executive Suites. Equipped with LCD television and satellite channels. Choice of single, king or queen size beds

Facilities
Individually-controlled air-conditioning, hot and cold water taps, work desk, broadband Internet access facility, direct dial phone, tea and coffee making facilities, safe deposit boxes and hairdryer. Iron and boards are available upon request, laundry, room-service and 24-hour security.

Rates
Please call for their promotional room rates.

Overall Service
Good.

F& B Outlets
Raintree Cafè, Hu Jing Ge Chinese Restaurant, Flemington Lounge and Sky Bar

Places within walking distance
Taiping Lake Gardens, Taiping Zoo & Night Safari, Commonwealth War Memorial and Burmese Pool

Other places of
interest
Malaysia’s oldest train station — Taiping Station; Malaysia’s oldest Prison — Goal Prison; Malaysia’s oldest hill station — Maxwell Hill; Malaysia’s oldest museum — Perak State Musuem; and perhaps the best popiah in the country.

PUTRI ZANINA

The Twelve Apostles is only one reason why thousands of people make their way along Australia’s Great Ocean Road. PUTRI ZANINA finds out what else there is to do and see

THE rotor blades spin furiously. Within seconds, the helicopter levitates from the tarmac and we’re in the air. The blue sky envelops us from all sides as the chopper pulls away from the land. We whirl over an immense sea of blue with white fingers of giant waves pounding rugged cliffs lining the spectacularly long and curvy coastline. The hinterland is a carpet of green, broken only by a narrow snaking road with moving vehicles growing to mere dots as we circle higher and higher into the sky. It is an awesome feeling. Then, we hear the pilot’s voice above the roar of the engine: “There, the Twelve Apostles!” So these are the world-famous Apostles — the stunning, larger than life creations of nature that have attracted thousands of people to the Port Campbell National Park along Australia’s Great Ocean Road that measures 285kms from Torquay to Warrnambool. Hugging the shore on the south-west coast of Victoria, the Great Ocean Road is hailed as one of the world’s most spectacular coastal drives and the Twelve Apostles as one of its major attractions. Natural Sculptures Seen from the air, it’s as if there’s a face-off between the rocks and the sea. The high waves pound the towering yellow, sandy cliffs and as their faces seem to “blend”, it’s really hard to say which feature is hitting which. This dramatic natural confrontation has been going on for some 20 million years. Through the sheer force of wind and waves, huge limestone rocks have been carved out of the cliff shore. The waves have eaten away at the rocks at sea level, forming caves on each side of the headland. The caves eventually crumble, forming arches which then collapse, leaving rock stacks. The Twelve Apostles, some rising as high as 11-storey buildings are among these giant rock stacks forlornly holding their own in the swirling waters of the Southern Ocean. Actually, there are no longer 12 Apostles. A few have succumbed to erosion and are now low platforms or reefs. Even when all 12 existed, it was not possible to see them all at once as some were hidden behind headlands or obscured by other rock stacks. They will all disappear some day, so it’s best to go and see them now.

Other rock formations include the London Bridge (could it be falling down soon?) and the Loch Ard Gorge. Here, in 1878, the Loch Ard struck a reef at the tip of Mutton Bird Island and sank, leaving only two survivors out of 54 passengers.

As much as the Twelve Apostles look spectacular, it’s funny how in the last century, they were simply called Sow And Piglets. It was said that Mutton Bird Island, where the Loch Ard went under, was the “sow” and the smaller rock stacks the “piglets”. To continue calling them the Sow And Piglets seemed undignified so Twelve Apostles was thought to be the more apt name.

Though the chopper run by the 12 Apostles Helicopters lasts 15 minutes, the view of the Twelve Apostles, Lord Ard Gorge and the Shipwreck Coast as well as London Bridge, Two Mile Bay, Port Campbell, the long coastline and the Great Ocean Road is incredibly beautiful.

Climbing Up the Cliffs Apart from the chopper ride, you can also walk to the well-protected Twelve Apostles Park near the Heliport launch site. An underpass and a meandering boardwalk lead to vantage viewpoints perched on sloping coastal cliffs. All along the walk, you can see some unique plants that have survived despite the harsh winds, salt-laden air and shallow and infertile soils. There is an abundance of native local plants such as coast cushion bush, silvery tussock grass and coast beard-heath thriving on the undulating rough terrain. The viewpoint platforms offer a truly breathtaking view of the rock stacks and the sea. Strong balmy air sweeps the coast and the waves pound the cliffs way below. Beneath the waters is a remarkable seascape with towering walls covered in colourful seaweeds and sponges that support schools of fishes.

Wrap all these together and the Twelve Apostles Park make for one of the most dramatic sights in the world.

One Great Loop The Great Ocean Road is part of the Great Southern touring route covering over 400kms of coastal road and inland highways traversing scenic landscapes and seascapes. Built between 1919 and 1932, it not only provided work for returning military men but also served as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War One. The far-sightedness of making it a tourist route even then has paid off as it is now a destination of world repute and has very much been left in its rugged wild form. Many tourists begin their drive from Melbourne via the West Gate Bridge and following the Princess Highway towards Ballarat, a rustic town that harks back to the gold rush era. Sovereign Hill in Ballarat has been recreated to become a gold mining town of the 1860s and a stop there is well worth your time. From there, it’s on to Warrnambool before starting the drive along the Great Ocean Road towards Torquay and then returning to Melbourne. It’s one big loop that you simply can’t rush through. There are just so many things to see and do, and many roads to detour. Rivers and creeks have walking tracks that lead to gorges, waterfalls, caves and rainforests. Pick a beach and leave your footprints in the sand. See the sun rise over the ocean or watch it go down over farmland dotted with cottages and windmills so rustic, you’ll just simply not want to leave.

Inland roads, which are mostly one lane each side, are flanked by bushes and towering gum trees interspersed with flat lands against hills and valleys. Strong cross winds often hit certain stretches and you may feel your car shake for a bit. Take power naps at lay-bys along the way — there are signs saying “Droopy eyes? Power nap now!” For safety reasons, it’s best you take heed, as the journey is long and some straight roads can make you feel drowsy.

Charming Coastal Towns Spending a night at Warrnambool is recommended. Set against the gentle arc of Lady Bay, the port town has sheltered beaches and verdant gardens. From May to September, it’s one of the best places in the world for watching whales and it’s also one of the few cities in the world with a whale nursery. This is located at Logans Beach where platforms are erected for viewing Southern Right Whales that come in to calve every year.

Warrnambool is the capital of the Shipwreck Coast and as its name suggests, it’s a perilous section of the Victorian coastline nestled between Moonlight Head and Port Fairy that’s the site for more than 160 shipwrecks and where hundreds of lives were lost at sea.

Much of the city’s history is showcased in the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village where original buildings, a lighthouse and a port, complete with ships, have been restored. The place also recreates how rugged the life was in Warrnambool during the 19th Century. The collection of shipwreck relics including the famous porcelain peacock which was washed up amongst the wreckage from the Loch Ard in 1878, can be seen in the museum there. A touching story titled Shipwrecked is a permanent part of the museum’s attraction. Through the clever play of sound, laser and water, it tells the story of the Loch Ard disaster. The audience is taken through the journey in a 3D theatre that lets them feel as if they are sinking with the ship into the ocean depths.

From Warrnambool, you’ll drive past the charming coastal towns of Port Campbell, Princetown, Apollo Bay, Lorne and Anglesea before ending with Torquay. While Port Campbell is the show-stopper with its natural sculptures of breathtaking beauty, Apollo Bay, west of the more steep stretches of the Great Ocean Road and east of the rainforest of Great Otway National Park in Cape Otway is the paradise by the sea. It spreads out along a sweeping bay and nestles into the lush greenery of the Otway Ranges. Coastal hamlets, fishing villages, trendy restaurants, cafes and B&Bs make Apollo Bay one of the main holiday resorts along Great Ocean Road.

To ride the waves, there’s Torquay, dubbed the surfing capital of Australia along the Surf Coast, also home to Anglesea with beaches glistening in the briny air and golf fairways stretching for as far as the eyes can see. But often, there are more kangaroos on the fairways than golfers teeing off! Then’s there’s Lorne, with picture-perfect scenery where the Erskine River meets the Loutit Bay.

All along the drive, there are many pit stops where you can feast your eyes on rugged cliffs, blue seas and miles of golden beaches.

How To Get There Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia X and Emirates have direct flights to Melbourne. Rent a car in Melbourne to go on your own self-drive tour of the Great Ocean Road which is part of Victoria’s Great Southern Touring Route. From Melbourne, you can head inland to Geelong or to Warrnambool via the Princess Highway (3½ hours drive) or via the Great Ocean Road (5½ hours).

For more info on the Great Ocean Road, go to www.greatoceanroad.org or www.visitvictoria.com Where To Stay There are many accommodation choices in Melbourne, Warrnambool and all other coastal towns. If you stay in Warrnambool, a good choice is The Sebel Deep Blue (www.mantradeepblue.com.au) located on a tiny peninsula between Lady Bay and Stringray Bay with all rooms facing the magnificent sea vista. The resort is 10 minutes’ drive to the Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum (www.flagstaffhill.com). Twelve Apostles Helicopters’ Scenic Tours The company operating the Twelve Apostles Helicopters’ scenic tours has a heliport in Port Campbell. Four tour packages are available, ranging from a 10-minute tour of Port Campbell and the Twelve Apostles at AU$95 (RM294) per person to a 50-minute tour of Port Campbell right to Cape Otway (AU$395 or RM1,220 per person). Child under three gets to fly for free.

For details, go to www.12apostleshelicopters.com.au

Melbourne certainly serves up its share of culinary and cultural delights. We had a sampling when we did a walking tour called the Hidden Secrets Art and Design Tour (www.hiddensecretstours.com).

The two-hour walk, conducted by the founder Fiona Sweetman, gave a glimpse into how the city had given space for graffiti to flourish as a street art. Art gallery visits were also supposed to be in the itinerary but they were not open yet when we embarked on our early morning tour.

We also had a look at the coffee culture of the city’s denizens. The tour normally ends, with coffee but we had to rush off for lunch. A pity, because the cafés looked very enticing.

A short walk across to the Southbank along the Yarra River (which has some of the best views of the city skyline from ground level) saw us at our lunch spot, Left Bank (www.leftbankmelbourne.com.au), which is owned by the Emirates Group. It was a set meal, and one of the best lunches I’ve ever had. If you should ever find yourself in this city and have no need to stretch your Aussie dollars, then please try and get a reservation here. It’s worth the trouble.

For some reason, our organisers seemed to think that Malaysians overseas craved Malaysian and Asian food, so dinner that night was at a Thai restaurant called Sawasdee. Run by the Malaysian-born Francis Lim, the restaurant serves food tweaked more for Western taste-buds.

It was an early morning wake-up call the next day as we rushed off to a Melburnian institution, the Queen Victoria Market (www.qvm.com.au). It’s been operating since 1978 and serves the locals’ daily needs. It’s also the place to pick up souvenirs. The market operates from 6am to 3pm but is closed on Mondays and Wednesdays.

A tip, if you’re interested: Go around 8am because that’s when most of the vendors are already in and all set up.

Our next stop was Sovereign Hill (www.sovereignhill.com.au) in Ballarat, more than an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Meeting us there was the affable Ben, a Bluey (that’s an Aussie term for redheads). He shepherded us in our walkabout.

Sovereign Hill is a recreation of the settlement of Ballarat during its first 10 years following the discovery of gold in 1851, from the buildings (a few are original) to the costumes the staff wear. There’s much here to keep one occupied, like the pouring of gold, going down a mine, playing a game of bowling (a very different version, mind you), having your meals in an old diner and panning for gold.

Yes, there are remnants still to be found in the streams, and you can actually get some flecks. Just be careful you don’t get gold fever.

They also have theme tours and overnight stays where you dress up in period costumes. But the real fun is seeing people re-enact scenes from yesteryear and staying very much in character. There’s a treasure trove of acting talent to be mined here.

That night back in Melbourne, dinner was at Little Malaysia, and aptly enough, the keyword here is “little”.

Our next destination was Phillip Island. First we drove through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges and on to the beautiful Yarra Valley. Our first stop was the Warratina Lavender Farm (www.warratinalavender.com.au), a family business run by Annemarie and Peter Manders.

Annmarie herself took us through how she and her staff harvest the lavender to make products from food to cosmetics to household goods. Fascinating! They also have a tea room where they serve delightful lavender scones and honey. The best time to visit is from November to January before harvesting. That’s when you can see a vista of wonderful shades of purple with the lavenders in full bloom.

After that came the fruit feast at Rayners’ Stonefruit Orchard (www.raynerstonefruit.com.au). Normally, the fruit-tasting tour lasts an hour, but as we were running late yet again, we had to rush things. Owner Len Rayner took us on his multi-seater tractor, stopping here and there for us to taste the delectable variety of peach, nectarine, apricot and plums and all the hybrids found in his farm.

They, too, have cafés and loads of products on sale. The orchard is a highly recommended stop between November and April.

At Phillip Island, it was a quick pizza and pasta dinner at Isola Di Capri owned by the Fumagali family who has run the establishment for 35 years. I truly felt like a stuffed koala by the time dinner was done.

The next day proved memorable as we visited the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory (www.phillipislandchocolatefactory.com.au) run by the Malaysian-born L. Kondanapanny and his family. He prefers to be called Panny, the name he markets his chocolates under.

It’s a famous brand here, and the chocolates are certainly some of the best I have ever tasted. A tour of the factory (you need to pay for this, though) to see how the chocolates are made is also part of the experience. It’s filled with interactive experiences and is as delightful as the chocolates.

There’s a café, and Panny went out of his way to prepare a nasi lemak lunch for us. It was heavenly!

The pièce de résistance came on our last night in Melbourne, when we had dinner in the famous Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (www.tramrestaurant.com.au). You dine in an old-style tram as it passes through some of Melbourne’s famous landmarks including the trendy St Kilda.

We had no complaints about the food and the bubbly. The star of the evening, though, was undoubtedly head waiter, Spanish John. He proved to be a rapier wit and was very adept at taking the mickey out of the diners — so much so that sometimes I failed to look out to appreciate the scenery.

By REVATHI MURUGAPPAN

Nature lovers looking for their outdoor adventure fix should head to Dalat, a town that is considered the jewel of Vietnam’s central highlands.

Are you kidding? You guys must be on crack!” exclaimed my dear cousin Sumi when we told her we had signed her up for an advanced canyoning adventure.

You see, it would require us to hike, abseil, jump off cliffs, swim and slide down rocks to get into the canyons.

A brochure from Phat Tire Ventures, our adventure operator in Vietnam, read, “The advanced route is for those in moderately good physical condition, looking for a more extreme challenge. The rappels are more technical and are wet drops as opposed to dry. This means you are in the waterfall and not next to it.”

That got me excited.

Our group of four was visiting Dalat, a town considered the jewel of Vietnam’s central highlands and home to many hill-tribe minority groups, when we decided to be adventurous. Renowned for its cool climate, scenic mountains and innumerable streams, Dalat is a favourite among adventure buffs and honeymooners. The canyoning here is highly recommended by most travel guidebooks.

“A bit of exercise won’t kill you,” I retorted, as our fellow buddies Kumaran and Megan nodded in agreement. Sumi, whose daily exercise consists of crossing a 25m pedestrian bridge to hail a cab to work, scowled. This was a suicide mission which she only grudgingly consented to.

Our affable guide Ro picked us up the next morning to begin our journey to Datanla Falls. When he saw Sumi’s troubled expression, he immediately put her at ease.

“It’s OK if you’re not that fit. I’ll help you along. It’s compulsory for all our guides to have good eyesight because of the dangers the activity poses, so don’t worry, I won’t lose sight of you. If need be, I’ll carry you on my back!” joked Ro.

All Phat Tire guides undergo an intensive 30-hour Wilderness First Aid course designed by the Wilderness Medicine Institute and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). They have to go through a refresher First Aid course each year, plus every one of them has abseiling qualifications from the Singapore Mountaineering Federation. We were in safe hands.

From the highway, you can see the 350m cascading falls. We walked on a path that first passed through a forest of pines and continued steeply down the hill into a rainforest, which was our beginning point. Here we met Ro’s colleague Khaan, and two other British tourists, John and Clarissa, who were joining us on the adventure.

Khaan showed us the ropes and explained the basics of knot tying, harness wearing and proper abseiling techniques while ensuring all of us had a trial run on the practice slope. He emphasised how to take big jumps to avoid the gaping holes and crevices on the hill, and, once he was satisfied we had it down, it was all systems go.

First up was a vertical 20m dry cliff, which looked menacing from the top.

“So which one of you is going to go first?” he asked, looking around for volunteers. “We have five rappels, three body slides and a free fall so everyone gets a chance to go first.”

Sumi darted to the back of the group. John, who had done numerous rock climbing and abseiling trips, put his hand up. Despite his experience, he froze for a few minutes at the starting point and struggled to take that first step.

Khaan coaxed him on.

“Release the rope bit by bit and position your foot on the edge. Then make the first jump. Ro will guide you from the bottom.”

Beads of sweat trickled down John’s face as he hesitated. Eventually, he let go of the rope slowly and screamed triumphantly once he descended.

“It’s not that bad, folks!” he shouted. “It’s only the first step that’s nerve-racking!”

One by one, we abseiled — even Sumi managed all the jumps without scraping herself.

After that, the second rappel was a breeze. It was a 15m cliff which led to a stream. We crossed it and proceeded to the next equally easy rappel, before hiking a trail to the body slide portion. Ro removed his top and showed us how it was done. Slide down on your butt, drop into the lake and swim to the bank. There were two “slides” to explore and this was pure fun. Everyone was having a blast and had several attempts at it.

Ro then mentioned that it was time to “slide the other way”.

“Head down? No way! What if I hit my head on the rocks?” I protested.

Ro brushed my protests aside and proceeded to use me for demonstration. He held my legs while I shut my eyes tight. When my arms were positioned correctly, he let me go and I slid smoothly into the lake. The adrenaline rush felt great.

After all that activity, the Vietnamese boys made us yummy sandwiches, and a simple yet scrumptious lunch was served. We traded stories and John impressed us with his chilli eating skills. Yes, the Brit could bite into the green chillies and it seemed to have no effect on him.

Next up was the free fall, where we had to jump 6m off a cliff and into a pool. This was akin to bungee-jumping, except there was no elastic rope to pull you back up. On the count of three, you leapt off. Although a seemingly easy jump, some dawdled as fear crept in, so it took a while before this activity was completed.

We also had to wait for John who had the runs from his chilli binging.

We hiked further into the canyon where a breathtaking 26m waterfall greeted us. It was my turn to go first. It looked daunting from the top, and Khaan warned us the path was extremely slippery and there would be moments we might be gasping for air as the water trashed our faces.

I began my descent cautiously but slipped once, hitting my elbow against the rocks. I found my footing and continued, but about 5m before the bottom, the rope ran out! I was horrified that Khaan could have miscalculated the rope length.

Ro bellowed, “You’ve got to jump and swim towards me.”

And so, bleeding elbow and all, I dived in and swam. We had a few accidents on this rappel — Kumaran lost his spectacles, Megan hit her head on the rocks and Clarissa sustained cuts. Sumi was unscathed.

Finally, we came to our last rappel, known as the “washing machine”. The bottom of the cliff was not visible, and we had no idea what lurked beneath.

Khaan said, “This is probably the most challenging one although the distance to the bottom is only about 12m. Halfway through your descent, you will see a swirl of water between the boulders — like a washing machine. Make sure you go in between the boulders and let go of the rope once you’re down. You’ll be spinning for a few seconds but the current will eventually bring you out and drift you down where Ro will be waiting.”

This sounded scary, and because of the loud crashing of the water below, Khaan reminded us that we wouldn’t be able to hear anyone. Since Sumi hadn’t gone first, it was her turn.

“Ok, what’s the big deal? I conquered all the rest so this should be easy,” she chirped, putting her safety helmet on.

That’s the spirit, we chorused!

Khaan asked again, “You sure you’ve got my instructions down?”

She gave a thumbs-up and took a few steps off the cliff. Once the “washing machine” came into view, Sumi started to pale.

“I ca . . . caa . . . can’t do this. It’s too difficult. Please pull me up!” Sumi pleaded.

We all offered words of encouragement and Khaan persuaded her to go on.

“It’s not as scary as it looks and there’s no way to come up now,” Khaan continued, turning to wink at me.

“Do you want me to repeat the instructions one more time?”

“No, really, it’s too scary. I really cannot do this,” begged the poor girl, tears welling up. “I’m not even a good swimmer.”

Khaan yelled, “Come on Sumi, you can do it! Just take baby steps and everything will be fine.”

We all went silent. She followed the instructions and disappeared below. Seconds passed but no Sumi in sight. A minute passed and still no sign of her. We could see Ro’s eyes frantically scanning the area. I started to panic and my heart beat faster. I had put her through this. What if she couldn’t come out of the whirlpool? How would I tell my uncle and aunt?

Suddenly, we saw a body floating down the river. Ro deftly jumped in and pulled her to safety. Once she got her bearings, Sumi stood up and beat her chest like a crazy woman. Everyone cheered and I heaved a sigh of relief. Indeed, the last rappel wasn’t easy and anxiety kicked in. However, we successfully emerged from the “washing machine”.

“Congratulations! You all did it,” said Khaan. “Now, it’s time to navigate back to the top. It should take about 30 minutes.”

We began our ascent as Kumaran and Khaan took turns to push and pull Sumi along, promising her champagne and caviar at the hotel.

Canyoning here had been a hard day’s work but Dalat’s evergreen forests, lakes and waterfalls combined with the myriad butterflies, birds and squirrels made every moment worthwhile.

Getting there

From Ho Chi Minh City, the easiest way to reach Dalat (308km away) is via plane using Vietnam Airlines or tour buses. Though every bus company will tell you it takes only five hours, the actual journey takes around eight hours and costs RM20.

Canyoning knowledge

Canyoning is an adventure sport that became popular in the 90s. It involves exploring a canyon using a variety of techniques including walking, abseiling, swimming, hiking, scrambling and leaping.

Canyons can be very easy or extremely difficult, though emphasis in the sport is usually on aesthetics and fun, rather than pure difficulty.

However, don’t attempt to go into a canyon with just a buddy and no guide as it can pose a high risk. Pick guides who are intimately familiar with every pool slide and waterfall in a particular canyon.

In Vietnam, adventure travel company Phat Tire Ventures (www.phattireventures.com) comes highly recommended.

Run by Brian and Kim Vierra, the company emphasises safety and many of their guides have been mapping courses for programmes on Discovery channel.

By S. S. YOGA
Pictures by S. S. YOGA, EUREKA SKYDECK88, MELBOURNE AQUARIUM, TOURISM VICTORIA & A MAZE N THINGS

yoga@thestar.com.my

If you’re looking for a city from which you can enjoy urban, rustic and even wildlife experiences, then say hello to Melbourne.

It was the wee hours of a cold morning when we arrived in Melbourne — we being the Malaysian media group assembled by Tourism Australia for a familiarisation tour of the city and its surrounding areas to publicise the recently introduced Emirates Kuala Lumpur-Melbourne route.

There were just the six of us, plus Tourism Australia public relations manager Amanda Chong and Weber Shandwick consultant Adli Abdul Karim, but lo and behold, our hosts had booked a 50-seater bus to take us around on our four-day tour.

It must be true then what they say about the Aussies: “They think big”. And as I was soon to discover, Melbourne was indeed big on culture and arts, natural wonders, food, sports and thrills of many kinds.

It was still drizzling after we had checked into our hotel, which meant it was a bit chilly.

Many had warned us of Melbourne’s “bipolar” weather, with its Jekyll and Hyde personality which could go from freezing cold to freaking hot in a single day. We were just thankful that the thermometer was not in the 40s like it had been the previous summer.

What’s truly to be treasured is Australia’s unique wildlife, of which we saw quite a bit. After a special walking tour and lunch, we wound up at the Melbourne Aquarium (www.melbourneaquarium.com.au). Our group had split up, with one going off to check out the Muslim communities in the city. They were supposed to meet us here but were running considerably late, so we went ahead.

Just seeing the delightful and amusing Gentoo and King penguins justified the price of admission into the aquarium but there was considerably more within to thrill, entertain and educate one. There were the stingrays, sharks, jellyfishes and even the oddballs of the Neptunian world.

The aquarium also has some nice interactive displays and a huge 2.2-million-litre Oceanarium. Nothing beats having smiley stingrays swimming overhead. We too left with smiles on our faces thanks to the superb family-themed experience here.

Our final stop for the day was at the fantastic Eureka Skydeck88 (www.eurekaskydeck.com.au). It’s at the 88th level of a fully-residential building and is the highest public vantage point in the southern hemisphere. One gets an amazing bird’s eye view from the 360° observation deck with its floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

An additional thrill here is The Edge — a glass-cube extension that projects 3m out of the building and leaves you with the unnerving sensation of being suspended 300m above ground. If you have only time to do one thing in Melbourne, make sure it is this.

As we were running late, the only proper allocated time for shopping on this tour was shelved, and we rushed straight to dinner. It being a Friday, most shops were open till 9pm. On other days, everything basically shuts down by 6pm.

On the second day, we visited the Ballarat Wildlife Park (www.wildlifepark.com.au). It was truly a magical experience to be able to feed the friendly kangaroos and to watch the infamous Tasmanian devils being fed. And the snacking continued with the emus. What was memorable, though, was getting up close with the adorable sleepy koalas.

We checked out of our hotel the next day as we were going to spend the night at the world-famous Phillip Island, 90 minutes by car from the city. But first we made two stops — once at a lavender farm and another at a stonefruit farm (see: Delights galore), followed by lunch. Fully stuffed, we bused off to Phillip Island.

On arrival, we immediately hopped on a cruise (www.wildlifecoastcruises.com.au) to Seal Rocks. The seas can be quite choppy, so those prone to having motion sickness (like moi) should take the pills half an hour before the trip. That evening the sea was rougher than usual so the boat couldn’t get up close to the rocks where 15,000 fur seals frolicked.

That’s right: 15,000! And they certainly made themselves heard and, urm, smelt. Eau de phew, anyone? But it was worth the queasiness to catch this natural spectacle of so many lumbering bodies packed into a relatively tight space.

The true gem of Victoria and Australia, though, is really the Penguin Parade at the Phillip Island Nature Park (www.penguins.org.au). People come here to watch the Little Penguins, who are principally monogamous, return for the night after a whole day out trawling for food. Before that happens, they can get a run-through of this aquatic bird’s life at an interactive display set up nearby.

Interestingly enough, some of the displays allow you to peek into the actual burrows of the penguins. Some of them were still there as it was moulting season and they couldn’t go out to fish. The island is dotted all over with their burrows.

Vehicle owners are warned to check that no penguins have crawled underneath their vehicles before starting their engine. (We unfortunately came across a dead penguin on the road when we drove back to our apartments.)

We were lucky to be given spots at the Penguin Plus viewing platform. Penguin landing was only expected at 6.45pm, but the birds had other plans, and a slew of them arrived early. There’s nothing quite like seeing these little creatures waddling their way at varying speeds up to their burrows.

We decided to walk by the side of the fenced-up pathways to get an even closer look at the creatures. We spotted some baby penguins mewing (yes, they mew like kittens) for their parents who had not arrived. And even more heartwarming was the spectacle of a family of penguins reunited.

It’s pretty certain you will go “Aww!” at this sight.

The next day, we took a break from nature so as to be amazed by the ingenuity of mankind. At A Maze N Things (www.amazenthings.com.au), clever optical illusions and other neat tricks, many of them interactive, made for a magical experience. But there was no magic or trickery involved in the 6.5m Look Out! Slide, which entails a hairy free-fall and a steep slide.

All of us had a go at it, and it was so thrilling, that oops, I did it again,!

After that, it was back to visiting the wildlife — this time, the koalas, right opposite at the Koala Conservation Centre (run by the same non-profit organisation that oversees the penguin centre). We saw the sleepy-heads (they are nocturnal creatures) resting in the treetops. It’s good to see them being protected as there are only about 40 koalas left on Phillip Island.

As our trip came to an end and we sat in the cosy Emirates Lounge to await our flight back, I concluded that this had been among my most memorable trips.

Given the time and opportunity, I would love to visit again; this time maybe to sit at a splendid Melburnian café sipping coffee. Or to make the most of some of the best shopping in Australia. Or to check out the numerous other attractions on offer.

Yes, with so much to do here, it all boils down to how much time you have.