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A copy of the Quran and its intepretation will be made available in most hotel rooms in the country to allow both Muslims and non-Muslims to have “access” to the Holy book.
A pilot project recently where a copy of the Quran’s intepretation was placed in several five-star hotel rooms in the Klang Valley. The move received positive response from guests and members of the Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (MAHO).
This move is not only because of the high number of visitors and tourists from the Middle East, but also because there are people of other beliefs who are keen to know more about what is said in the Quran, just as they are interested to know more about the teachings of other religions.
When staying on Koh Samui, what are the main differences between booking a resort-owned villa or a privately owned villa?
Socialising: On a resort you are not isolated from other people as you are when staying at a private villa. On resorts you get to meet other relaxing holidaymakers with whom you can have a chat and share your experiences. On a resort there is always somebody up and about and a simple ‘Good Morning’ may make their day as well as your own.
Privacy: Yet on a resort, and inside your villa, you can still have complete privacy to do your own individual thing, whether you want to party every night, read and relax or just sit back and watch TV or go on the Internet. In a private villa (provided the villa is not overlooked by neighbours) you can sunbathe naked if you wish whereas at a resort this would definitely be frowned upon.
Staff: Normally at a resort there are full-time staffs on hand daily – whose job is to change the linen and keep your villa tidy and spotless as well as clean around the resort generally. This service can be arranged at a private villa but it is not automatically included.
Security: Just like a private villa, with a resort villa you will have your own set of keys so that you can come and go whenever you like. On a resort you will normally see security staff patrolling the grounds, especially at nighttime whereas with a private villa this is very hard to come by. Normally, in a private-owned villa, you are on your own on this issue.
Pools: Some private villas don’t have a swimming pool at all but where there is, it’s obviously for your private use only. Resorts on the other hand always have one or sometimes two communal swimming pools, and for those families with youngsters it’s nice to know that other guests (and staff) are around to make sure they are safe. Also the swimming pools at a resort are cleaned daily, sometimes twice a day, whereas with a private pool you will be lucky if it’s cleaned once a week.
Catering: Most private villas are self-catering – but with upmarket villas the owner sometimes can arrange for food to be prepared by a chef – although this is not cheap. If a resort has its own restaurant you can eat there if you wish – sometimes a meal is included in your booking. Or you can eat out at local restaurants or have cooked food delivered to your villa. Or you can buy produce and supplies locally and cook the food yourself inside your own villa. Please note; not all resorts have villas with cooking facilities – so double check this aspect before you book.
Cost: A resort-owned villa should work out at less cost because of the larger economy of scale where more guests or small parties and groups can be catered for. On the other hand some upmarket resorts can be very expensive owing to their location, exclusivity and furnishings. Go for low-cost *** villa resorts if possible.
Private Villa or Resort Villa? As they say on Samui – it’s up to you!
LONDON: Malaysia is among world’s best-value destinations, according to travel guide firm Lonely Planet. The British-based company, in its Best In Travel 2011 guide, said Malaysia “is a clever choice for travellers on the lookout for a bargain”. Thanks to the economic crisis, Iceland and London were also among the top 10 destinations, which included Thailand, South Africa, India, Mexico, Bulgaria, Kenya and Las Vegas, The annual snapshot book captures “the world’s hottest travel trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the year ahead”, Lonely Planet said yesterday. The economic collapse in Iceland meant the island was no longer punitively expensive, said the guide, putting the beleaguered country at the top of its best-value list. Thailand, at number two, remained “perennially good value”, said the book. Meanwhile, London’s days as a costly destination were now over, Lonely Planet said, thanks to the exchange rate which made it “much more affordable for visitors from abroad”. The top 10 countries overall for travellers were El Salvador, Germany, Greece, Malaysia, Morocco, Nepal, New Zealand, Portugal, Suriname and the United States. The top 10 cities were Abu Dhabi, Charleston (South Carolina), Cork (Ireland), Cuenca (Ecuador), Istanbul, Kyoto (Japan), Lecce (Italy), Sarajevo, Singapore and Vancouver (Canada). Bali (Indonesia), Goa (India), Koh Kong (Cambodia), Southern Africa and southwest Western Australia featured among the top 10 regions. — AFP
Tra Co Beach is located in the Northeastern extreme of the “S-shaped Vietnam”, in Quang Ninh province. It is by the border with China, and around 8 kilometers from Mong Cai mountainous town and some 170 kilometers far away from Ha Long. With its advantages in terms of location, the beach is the destination of a number of travelers, especially those who come from China.
To the west, the province borders an extended forest and mountainous region. To the east, it is adjacent to the Gulf of Tonkin. It features a meandering coastline, numerous estuaries and tidal flats, and more than 2,000 large and small islands. Of which 1,030 have been named. The local annual temperature is around 22.7oC with two main seasons (Hot and Cold). The best time for swimming is summer season from April to September.
How to get there? From Hanoi, going there by bus is a bit tired because of a long and uneven way of about 300km, and a long time of 7 hours. However, it is worth that you can enjoy the scenes of the Red river delta and will be surprised at different natural beauties from time to time and from plain to mountainous area.
Getting there by marine seems to be much easier and faster. After visiting Ha Long bay or Cat Ba island, we can take an express boat and reach to the beach after about two hours. By this way, you can also have a chance of enjoying the feelings of floating on the sea.
I found this interesting article from mysabah.com. It is about coconut festival held every year in Kudat, Sabah. I must say it is very interesting. From the photos, it is as good as fashion show in Paris or Milan.
