Suntec City Mall, Singapore

Suntec City Mall is a shopping centre in Singapore, located within the Marina Centre subzone of the Downtown Core Planning Area. It also offers a club house called the Suntec City Guild House located on the fifth storey. The large size of the mall boasts some 360 outlets spread over 3 floors in an L-shaped configuration.

If you visit there, don't forget to have a photograph of the Fountain of Wealth, which Suntec claims to be the largest fountain in the world; this claim has however been contested, with Fountain Hills in Arizona also claiming the title which the Guinness World Records has recently withdrawn the "Largest Fountain".

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Da Nang, Vietnam - Full of culture and history

Da Nang is the third largest city in Viet Nam, after Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, and it is the largest in the Central region. It has an area of 1,300 square kilometers and a population of 1 million. The city’s Hoang Sa district is an archipelago consisting of 18 islands.

Da Nang’s cultural history dates back only 300 years; It was settled by Vietnamese long after the North. Highlights for visitors include the Museum of Cham Sculpture and the ancient pagodas of Hai Chau Pho Da Long Tho.

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Malaysia Airline offer web-check in

Long queues at airline check-in counters will soon be a thing of the past as Malaysia Airlines offers a convenient, hassle-free option - web check-in.

Part of simplifying the air travel process through the Passenger Services System where Malaysia Airlines is investing RM400 million over the next 10 years, the new web check-in option is currently available for travel on its Malaysian domestic sectors and can be done worldwide.

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Use taxi in Bangkok, Thailand

Perhaps the easiest and most comfortable way to get around, if not always the quickest, is by the aircon taxi. These come in quite a few different colours though the green-yellow and red-blue ones are the most common.

Bangkok has thousands of taxis, and finding one at any time is never a problem. The occasional exception to this is during a monsoon season downpour. By international standards they're very cheap too, the flagfall rate is 35B (0.85 US$ approx) including the first 2km and it's 5B/km after that.

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Use taxi in Bangkok, Thailand

Perhaps the easiest and most comfortable way to get around, if not always the quickest, is by the aircon taxi. These come in quite a few different colours though the green-yellow and red-blue ones are the most common.

Bangkok has thousands of taxis, and finding one at any time is never a problem. The occasional exception to this is during a monsoon season downpour. By international standards they're very cheap too, the flagfall rate is 35B (0.85 US$ approx) including the first 2km and it's 5B/km after that.

This means that even relatively long journeys, such as from Sukhumvit to the Grand Palace often aren't above 100B (2.5 US$). A surcharge is applied in traffic jams (1.25B/m when moving under 6km/h), meaning at night when there's not much traffic they're definitely the best way of getting around.

There's no exams that have to be passed to become a taxi driver in Bangkok, and so many have a less than encyclopedic knowledge of the city. Communication can be a problem with the majority of Bangkok's taxi drivers too. It's worth bearing in mind that many taxi (and tuk tuk) drivers are from Thailand's poor Isaan (northeast) region, are likely to be fairly uneducated and many speak little English.

Even the ones that can will probably not be able to read a map that's written only in English. Although there are a large number Thai words that have been taken straight from English, they often come out with a distinctly Thai pronunciation that can be markedly different from the original.

The two tone green and yellow taxis are generally reckoned to be the best ones. These are driven by the owner, while all others are rented out by the day. Of course, everything really depends on the driver rather than the color of the car, and there's not really any major difference between any of them.

All licensed taxis have yellow and black number plates. Tipping of taxi drivers is not really a Thai practice, though rounding the fare up to the nearest 5B or 10B is fairly common. Any more is not expected and not really necessary.

If you're unlucky, the driver will sometimes claim to have no change to try and force you to leave a 30% tip or thereabouts - getting out to change money at a nearby store will often lead to him remembering where his change is kept. If you aren't near any taxis, you can phone 1661 and order one to pick you up. This costs the meter fee + 20B.

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Franchise International Malaysia 2011

Franchise International Malaysia 2011 (FIM2011), a premium franchising expo which is awaited by the local and international players, will once again come back to meet you this August. Having held for the 15th consecutive year, this event will guarantee you with a better quality and more diversified products and participation, particularly the influx of the international participants.

Being entrusted as the host country for the World Franchise Council (WFC) and Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation (APFC) meetings which will be held concurrently with the FIM2011, we will witness the presence of the heads of 38 franchise associations under the umbrella of WFC and 17 from the APFC together with their trade delegations to congregate here for business networking. As such, MFA believe that FIM2011 will be a terrific platform to encourage more foreign investors in the country to boost the local franchise industry and make it more competitive globally.

Malaysia has a unique and diversified composition of socio-economy background. The multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious community, plus with the stable politics and resilient economy have made us a popular destination for international franchisors. The market penetration is very high because the products are acceptable everywhere nationwide. Presently, there are 113 or one third of the total 336 registered franchise systems are foreign brands and this indicates that local market share is still open wide for international brands. Thus, FIM must be deemed to be an excellent gateway for them to embark into Malaysia, and vice versa, for homegrown franchises to expand overseas.

The Malaysian government must be credited with its positive approach to develop the franchise industry in Malaysia. Foreign counterparts are confident with the prospect of the industry in Malaysia particularly the infrastructure and government’s franchise friendly policy which has set a role model for them. By having FIM annually, the government means to transform Malaysia as a regional hub for franchise products.

Jointly organised by the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Co-operative Development of Malaysia (MECD) and Malaysian Franchise Association (MFA) and to be held on the 1st to 3rd August at the Putra World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, FIM2011 is aimed at upholding franchising industry in Malaysia and also to cultivate more entrepreneurs via franchising as we realise that franchising is a way to contribute to the national coffers, as which has already been testified in countries like the U.S. and Australia.

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Da Nang, Vietnam - Full of Culture and History

Da Nang is the third largest city in Viet Nam, after Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi, and it is the largest in the Central region. It has an area of 1,300 square kilometers and a population of 1 million. The city’s Hoang Sa district is an archipelago consisting of 18 islands.

Da Nang’s cultural history dates back only 300 years; It was settled by Vietnamese long after the North. Highlights for visitors include the Museum of Cham Sculpture and the ancient pagodas of Hai Chau Pho Da Long Tho.

Da Nang is on the end of an East-West Economic Corridor which stretches over Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Therefore, it is easy to organize international tours to the city. Da Nang International Airport is located in the center of the city. It is Viet Nam’s third largest international airport and a gateway to the Central region. The airport has domestic flights to Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City and Quy Nhon, as well as international flights to Bangkok and Singapore.

If you travel by sea, you can arrive at the port of Tien Sa. If you drive or take a bus, you can take National Highway 1 or National Highway 14B. When the Hai Van tunnel opened in 2005, it reduced the distance between Da Nang and Hue by 20km. This saved 30 to 60 minutes compared to travel over the old Hai Van Pass route.

What can be seen in Da Nang?
Marble Mountain is a cluster of marble and limestone hills. In Vietnamese it is called Ngũ Hành Sơn, literally "five-element mountains". It is located in Ngu Hanh Son District, south of Da Nang. The five 'mountains' are named after the five traditional elements of universe: metal (Kim Son), water (Thuy Son), wood (Moc Son), fire (Hoa Son), and earth (Tho Son).

All of these mountains have cave entrances and numerous tunnels. It is possible to climb to the summit of one of the peaks. Several Buddhist sanctuaries can also be found, making it a tourist attraction.

Champa Museum
The Champa museum founded in 1915 is located near the intersection of Tran Phu Street and Le Dinh Duong Street and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum introduces the history of the Champa people. Inside is a veritable treasure trove with more than 500 Champa objects.
These objects show an advanced culture and civilization, including statues of the gods of Siva, Lasmi and Skanda. In the solemn and quiet atmosphere inside the museum, one can not only enjoy the cultural masterpieces of the ancient Champa people, but also listen to a guided tour of their legends, histories and beliefs.

One can then make educated guesses as to their aspirations for the future. To help one get into the spirit of things, visitors can also watch Champa dance performed by expert dancers from the Museum Hall.

Da Nang Cathedral
Known to locals as Con Ga church because of the weathercock on top of the steeple, Da Nang Cathedral was built for French and other Catholic residents in 1923. It is on Tran Phu Street. Other places to visit are Caodai Temple, Phap Lam Pagoda, Pho Da pagoda, and Ba Na hill station.

You can enjoy Da Nang beautiful beaches including My Khe beach, Thanh Binh Beach, Nam Beach, and China Beach.

Da Nang is creating a shopping street between the Hung Vuong-Phan Chau Trinh and Hung Vuong-Pham Ngu Lao intersections in the hope of luring more tourists to the coastal city’s downtown.

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Get cash in Indonesia

While you are in Indonesia, you should only use cash to makepurchases or transactions. Credit card fraud is rampant in Indonesia,and I just think it would be best to avoid using your credit cardwhile in country.

You have several options to access cash in Indonesia:

1. Bring the currency with you.
You can order foreign currency at mostbanks in the U.S. and they should have it for you in less than 5 days.
Pros: You have your money when you arrive in country and you don'thave to worry about using money changers or anything. There issomething to be said for not having to worry about changing your moneythe second you arrive at the airport, when you are exhausted and disoriented and probably cranky.
Cons: Probably the worst exchange rate you're going to find. However, if you wantto just order a little bit of currency and change the rest when youget in country, that's not a bad option either.

2. You can exchange your money when you get to the Surabaya airport, however the exchange rate is better in Jakarta Airport.
If you choose this option, definitely bring the crispest, cleanest,NEWEST $100 bills you can find. Go to the bank to get these. If yourbills are from before 1996, too worn, or torn in any way, they willnot accept them. And that would suck. You get the best exchange rateon $100 bills, then $50 bills have the next best rate, and they maynot accept anything smaller than a $20 bill.
Pros: Good exchange rate.
Cons: It's a hassle, and sometimes their English is pretty bad.There's a higher risk of getting fake currency, although this is unlikely.

3. You can exchange money at a local bank in Indonesia. The samewear&tear issues from #2 apply here.
Pros: Best exchange rate you can find.
Cons: A really really really big hassle. I do NOT recommenddoing this, as it is time consuming and just annoying to try and finda good bank.

4. Traveler's cheques.
Pros: Good exchange rate, very SAFE.
Cons: big hassle

5. You can withdraw your money at ATMs. This is a really the best option because ATMs really are all over the place at airports and shoppingmalls and other places like that. Most ATM cards will work in Indonesia (those associated with Visa, MasterCard, Plus, Cirrus, etc.are all accepted).
Pros: Good exchange rate. You don't have to actually deal with real people, which is nice and safe when you're in Indonesia.
Cons: You might get charged with fees all over the place. Anything from yourbank charging you a transaction fee bc it's not one of theirATMs, then you'll have an International Transaction fee, then you will most likely get charged a fee from the Indonesian bank whose ATM itis, etc.

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Tenganan ferris wheel, Indonesia culture

Annual Usaba Sambah Festival (a grand festival which is held in the fifth month of Tenganan’s traditional calendar) in Tenganan Pangrisingan village is not just offers the well-known adrenaline-rising ritual such as makare-karean (a duel using thorny pandanus leaves as weapons) but also a joyful ritual such as the “maayunan or ayunan” (swinging on ferris wheel) ritual.

The meayunan ritual is usually held annually as one of main rituals during the Usaba Sambah Festival. The Maayunan ritual is usually held on the 21st day of Usaba Sambah Festival that is usually last for 30 days. The ferris wheels that are used in this ritual are made completely of wood; these gigantic ferris wheels only erected during the Usaba Sambah Festival and after the festival is over they are dismantled and kept in the meeting hall.

The Meayunan ritual usually starts late in the afternoon around 5 PM and last for 2 hours. The ceremony is proceeded by symbolic duel using thorny pandanus leaves by the adult member of Tenganan community and communal feasting by the boys of Tenganan. The Maayunan begins when the Tenganan girls in their finest dress have gather in the Bale Patemu Kaja (the North Meeting Hall).

A young boy usually be the first swinger who ride the ferris wheel the followed by the girls. Out of eight seats in one ferris wheel, only one seat is reserved for the boy other seats are occupied by the girls. The ferris wheel is put into action by two boys who worked with all their might to spin the ferris wheel. Sometimes they have to climb each of two pillars of the ferris wheel so they can operate the ferris wheel using their feet from a special place on the center of the ferris wheel.

The swing on the feeris wheel usually last for twenty to thirty minute, after the girls and boy are finished swinging on the ferris wheel of Bale Patemu Kaja (the North Meeting Hall) they move to other ferris wheel in other meeting hall.

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Singapore Toy & Comics Convention

For far too long, Southeast Asian pop-culture fans have been denied a platform – made by fans, for fans – through which they could collectively celebrate their passion for toys, comics, animation, gaming, design and Cosplay. If you have been feeling an overbearing sense of emptiness because of this, we can tell you that 2011 will see a major turnaround. Having heard your cries for help, PI Events, along with the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau, A Group of the Singapore Tourism Board, have come to save the day!

Blasting off on 27 – 29 June 2011, the first-ever Singapore Toy & Comic Convention will see an annual onslaught of toys (general and designer), comics, animation, gaming, design, licensing and Cosplay on creative minds from all over the world, serving up an eye-popping visual feast and unprecedented variety and innovation in all the closely-related industries!

With the undeniable universal appeal of pop-culture, the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention will be a hotspot for a wide variety of exhibitors from all over the world, bringing the best that the East and West have to offer in one single, fun-filled event.

Boasting the world’s most up-to-date advancements and cutting-edge products that you so desperately crave, the indisputable international flavour of the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention will make the event a major vehicle for setting the tone and shaping trends in pop-culture for years to come.

Recognising pop-culture as something sacred, the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention will prove a mecca for all serious fans of toys, comics, animation, gaming, design and Cosplay. So, mark your calendar and make it your mission to be part of Southeast Asia’s definitive global pop-culture experience – the Singapore Toy & Comic Convention 2011!

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