The Magic of Malacca – Johan Hotel’s Love Story

This is one of the older posts but its content is still as fresh as ever, considering the number of searches it still receives.

I thought it may be interesting for the readers of Confession of d Travelholics, especially those who may be visiting Malacca and in search of a decent accommodation.

Here is therefore a re-post. Hope you enjoy it.

This is dedicated to the Kai, the lady boss of the traveller's lodge on Melaka Raya 1.

Johan Hotel is a traveller's lodge run by a couple - Johan and Kai (transliteration).

[Source: Hotel Johan Website]

We met Kai by the counter when Miguel and I arrived on Sunday. Dressed in her flowery selengdang (or tudong, a head scarf worn by Malay women), she was having a conversation with a Chinese-looking middle-aged man, who seemed to be an old friend.

It was only later we realized that they were chatting in Japanese. As a Malay woman, Kai's Japanese was über fluent. I was so impressed that I had to tell her when the man left.

Turned out that Kai IS native Japanese! But she looks absolutely like a Malay, skin tone-wise and even shape of her face and features. I gasped with astonishment. Even my Korean buddy couldn't tell that she's Japanese (Silly Miguel tried to fool her that he's a one too).

We chatted longer than we should at the counter as Kai unfolded her story to us.

Kai was a young Japanese lady travelling in South East Asia 16 years ago. She was passing by the city of Melaka when she took shelter at Johan's guest lodge. This was supposed to be her last stop before moving on to India.

Using Kai's very words, "the angel's arrow shot". Kai and Johan ended up falling in love and so she postponed her trip to India. The rest was history. Kai never made it to India, and Johan became the dearest man of her life.

The trip to Melaka made a fateful twist to her life. She did went back to Japan but by intervention of fate Kai and Johan got married and Kai settled down in Melaka.

Today, this beautiful traveller's lodge in the middle of Melaka city is the fruit of their love. You can absolutely feel a touch of difference when you step into this lodge. It is clean, organized and tastefully decorated with both local and Japanese arts and ornaments.

I was crazy about the lizards on the glass panels. Look at their shimmers when my camera flashed on them!

This has to be from Kai, no others.

I give this place a 5-star rating for a clean, beautiful and affordable accommodation right in the centre, accessible to all the actions by feet. We paid RM95 for an evening, totally worthwhile. Oh by the way, coffee and drinks from the pantries are complimentary from the lodge.

The morning we were leaving, it was pouring like crazy. For an hour, Miguel and I were sitting at the lobby of Johan Hotel, listening to the pitter patter of the rain. Both sighing at the painfully romantic atmosphere, both lamenting that here we were with the wrong partner.


Originally posted on Heyzanie's World (4 Aug 09).

Pulau Sibu @ Twin Beach Resort

Sibu Island 有不少resort, 比如：Sea Gypsy Village Resort, Rimba Island Resort, Sibu Island Cabanas, Kambau Bay Beach Resort, Sibu Coconut Village Resort 等等。这次我找到了Twin Beach Resort 因为价钱最相宜，最少人发现他的存在。我们去的时候是淡季（五月），除了我们就只有那里的员工，一对情侣，和３个来钓鱼的朋友。基本上就好像整个岛是属于我们的。员工的态度超好，一切都以慢速度来进行，早午晚餐也挺丰富，是道地的马来餐式。

特别要强调的是双子海滩的所在位置的优势，顾名思义twin beach　就是有两个海滩，一面向东，一面向西，是唯一一个可以饱览日出与日落的地方。喜欢钓鱼的住客，也可以到附近的鱼排过足癮，那里的海水清澈，用肉眼已可看到水底的一大群鱼儿，要牠们上钓应该不难。

不过，或许有些事情你必须了解的是：

１。每一天他们只安排两次的船只来往码头，如果你要安排什么时候离开必须提早告诉他们。
２。那里的下午没有电流供应，所有人都沉浸在自然的蓝天白云下。你可以吹着微风在那很长很长的木桥码头的亭子上发呆或听听风的声音。你可以日光浴。可以到处jungle trekking或浮潜。
３。房间是完全很简陋的马来板屋式的建筑，有冷气没风扇，偶尔有些小蚂蚁到处攀爬，不过却是面向东方日出的最佳位置，在门前就可以和黎明相遇，因为就在海边，所以海潮声会伴你入眠。
４。记得要付碼頭稅RM4.00。
５．基本上就是休闲与融入自然的旅程，所以如果你想要很多活动来进行的假日或许就不那么适合了。
６．季候风的季节不适宜过去。
７．更多详情请参考http://www.twinbeach.com/　。

将来如果有机会到别的resort休闲，再分享。



出发的码头。



那里有各种特色的船。



我们的。



我们就住在这里。



动人的黎明时分。



等待太阳。



最爱的蓝天白云。



那很长很长的木桥直通私人码头，在正中央的亭子休闲就好像在海中央。



一直搁置在海中的小白船，或小游艇。

一班人的活动。

另一角。

这一角。

细白的沙。。

还有那个椰子。

Royal Langkawi Yacht Club & Harbour Park (Petronas Quay)

This is a post more on photo uploads. When we were in Langkawi, it was rainy season in the west coast, thus thunderstorm always came and went away suddenly. And unluckily, it rained cats and dogs when we reached the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club.



I hope I could buy one of these in future! The cheapest? RM 3 million!!!



Initially I wanted to go to the Captain's Deck for dinner but it was closed. So we went to another restaurant, Charlie's Place. Romantic environment. Recommended for couples. I love its laid back ambience.



Being alcoholic in Langkawi. So cheap!~



But I didn't drink that much. Heheh..





Dinner is served.





The stairs to Captain's Deck.



The route from Mutiara Burau Bay to Royal Langkawi Yacht Club. The red boxes are places we visited. (click to enlarge)



After dinner we visited the Telaga Harbour Park on our way back to hotel. There are a few quays in the park and the one we visited was Petronas Quay.






Never thought the ambience would be that great at night!! Especially at the harbour area.

柔佛州的诗巫岛 （Pulau Sibu ）

Testing 1 2 3…

再难也要去旅行, 再苦, 再穷，再忙也要去旅行。感谢公主的邀约，丰富了我们的旅行的梦想。然而，最近生活步伐的改变，脚步有点慢了起来，无法一直往外跑，看着大家在不同国度的旅行日记很是赏心悦目。

马来西亚一直都有很多值得发掘的地方，只是网上的资料不多，宣传不好，交通不方便，政府的旅游推广也有待改善。所以在这里贴上的第一篇文章将从我们最亲近的马来西亚出发- 柔佛的诗巫岛 （Pulau Sibu ）。

这不是东马的诗巫，这只是位于柔佛州以西的一个小岛，从新加坡进入柔佛州的首府新山（Johor Bahru）后只需坐两小时车（你可以选择出租车，私家车或德士），经过曾经闻名的Desaru， 再往北行一段路就会到达它的码头，再乘三十分鐘船（度假村的负责人都会亲自来回码头接送）便可到达。然后，我们就可以彻底离开都市，去拥有一片蓝天，白云，清风，悠闲，寂静，晚霞，黎明和那个黄昏。。。

先贴上一些我在诗巫岛的双子海滩（ Twin Beach）拍到的诱人美景给大家分享。



当天还是蓝的时候，小小斜阳开始散发威力，从远处微微的，悄悄的带来黑暗。不晓得是不是远离尘嚣，那里的天特别干净，水特别的澄篮，所以自然的变化特别美，美得没有理由。



当我还在忙着拾取眼前的一切，夕阳已经慢慢的为天际涂上橙黄色的，微红的粉末，让我有点来不及与当下的变化，又要重新适应。



天，一片绚烂的色彩；一天中，只有一个那么独特的时刻才会闪烁。就像人生，霎那光辉不代表永恒？想要抓着最美的那一刻，却总是消失无影踪。。。



蛋黄般的夕阳，真的是无限好吗？我一直看着眼前的无常，尝试了解无常，却其实正在贪恋无常。我要将每一个画面都纳入眼帘，然后将幕帘锁上，不可遗漏任何线索。。。



太阳完全退出以后的落寞更显凄美。



天，真的完全黑下来了。
结束了，又即将开始了。
不一样的是那一个人物，环境，地点，与时间啊？

Langkawi Mutiara Burau Bay Resort

We stayed at Mutiara Burau Bay Resort during our last visit to Langkawi. It's a 3-star hotel located at a 5-star location, the tranquil seaside of Pantai Kok. If you plan to have a romantic getaway, this hotel is simply remarkable. I like its chalets by the slopes of hillside stretching to the sandy beaches. The room tariff is around RM400+ per night, the cheapest.



Welcome drinks.





Seri Mutiara Restaurant.



The beautiful poolside.



Our chalet. Run-of-house Cabana.



Posing by the rocks.




Sunbathing.





It's really a very nice place if you opt for a relaxing vacation.




Sunset.






Wandering around. Can go for spa.




Ready to go out for dinner.



Beautiful lighting at night.



A bicycle ride maybe?



My room.



Morning by the seaside, 2nd day 6.30am.



Morning seabreeze, very very refreshing.




Breakfast. American buffet.





Great seaview. See the chalets opposite this beach? It's the private beach of Berjaya Langkawi Beach & Spa Resort.



Hanging on the hammock.



3rd morning.









A closer look at Berjaya Langkawi Beach & Spa Resort.



I had this as my desktop wallpaper for quite a while. Nice isn't it?



Overview of the chalets.




The last picture before checking out. It's great to stay in a chalet! Trust me, give it a try~