Malaysia

Five Reasons to stop in Kota Kinabalu

Kinabalu Prayer and boy with drink

Follow us as we discover Borneo this week, starting with Kota Kinabalu (KK for friends). The city is the state capital of Sabah, ‘the land below the wind’, famous for its nature and wildlife. At first glance, KK may not look like much, but there’s plenty to do to while away a couple of days, … Read more

Thaipusam: Piercing Devotion

Thaipusam Red Powder

Today we travel back to Penang, to share with you our experience of Thaipusam, Malaysia’s biggest Hindu festival. Warning: the following post contains images that some people might find disturbing.  My grandfather lived in Malaysia in the Fifties. Among the mementos of his time in the Far East I remember an old video showing a … Read more

Chinese New Year in Penang

Penang Red and Yellow Chinese New Year Lanterns

After a week’s break, Festival Friday is back with yet more colourful revelry. We continue our Penang series with a photo story of Chinese New Year in Penang, with celebrations around the streets of Georgetown. Penang’s charm comes from the diversity of people and cultures that over the centuries have called this place home. Walking … Read more

Penang in Ten Hawker Dishes

Fried tofu with spring onions and chilli

We love Penang so much we can’t stop writing about it. Why is that? We have already shared our favourites with you in our Five Quick Tips Penang and in our Butterfly Farm photo story. The reason why we love the island so much is one, pure and simple. Food. As an avid traveller and … Read more