My Fav Hangout Places in Putrajaya / Cyberjaya

I consider myself living at the edge of the earth since its located really on the outskirt of the city.. However, thanks to MEX highway, i can reach the heart of the city within 30-40 mins. My fastest record would have been the 45 minutes drive to Mutiara Damansara via MEX-Kerinchi-Penchala Link :) However, on weekends when i dont feel like going into the city, i just love to hangout and chill at these places which are very near to my place. The most important criteria of the places that i choose to hangout that the place must be reasonably big/spacious and not that crowded with a comfortable ambiance where my daughter can do what she wants. I'm sharing the places with you so that u can check out these places whenever u happen to be in the area.


Shaftsbury Square

If i have to pick a favourite place, Shaftsbury Square has to be my #1. It is a residential and commercial property located in cyberjaya. i think the residential apartments are still in construction but the commercial area is already open to public. You can check the list of tenants here but among the outlets i frequent are starbucks, chatime, kenny rogers, ko hyang (korean) and the steamboat restaurant. There are also banks (hsbc, maybank, affin) and a farmacy (Guardian) here where u can stock up on ur essentials. the place is definitely packed on weekdays but at night and on weekends, u can have the place almost to urself. Cyberjaya is definitely growing fast and there are a few other aparments (including high end apartments) and malls which are in construction. It definitely has changed since i first set foot to the place 10 years ago.

shabu-shabu restaurant

Dataran Maybank

Dataran Maybank would be the place for me to hangout at night. It has a huge field which is well lit and the place is quite windy and comfortable. U can bring a ball and let ur kids roam freely on the field. Nowadays you can find a few kiosk selling drinks and tidbits but it closes quite early at 8/9 pm i think.. Recently it has been a popular place for wedding photography where newly wedded couples in their wedding outfit flock to the place every weekend..

 

Mangiamo Cafe

Mangiamo Cafe is located at the Putrajaya Equestrian Park. I found out about this cafe quite
some time ago, but again, only recently had the opportunity to actually go there. It has easily
become one of my favourite spots as the place is spacious, clean, has ample parking, not too
many ppl, food is delish and reasonably priced - 15% discount available for govt staffs (bring
ur IDs).  I would come back to this place anytime! it has an indoor area with a/c (important :)) 

And an outdoor area perfect to just chill in the afternoon. It is open daily at 7 am if im not
mistaken and they also serve breakfast. I was informed by the staffs that you can actually go
and look at the horses however im not sure if the stables are within walking distance..
You might have to drive a bit to get to see the horses.

 

Maritime Cafe 

Matitime Cafe is located in the Maritme Center which houses an indoor swimming pool and a water sports centre. It has been there for quite some time and i have been meaning to visit the place but only got to do so a couple of months ago. The best thing about this place is that its located by the lake and u can have a view of the lake and enjoy the breeze while having ur cup of coffee / tea. Food is delish and reasonably priced. However, one thing about this place is that service can be really slow when its packed. The management should do something to increase the number of their staffs or otherwise it can be really frustrating for the customers  to have to wait for quite sometime before being served. However, i would still come back to this place to enjoy the lake view. 

the compound

Starbucks Alamanda

This is the go to place if i happen to be in the area and had nowhere to go and had some work to finish off. I think this place need no more explanation, just the usual coffee place. Recently starbucks has opened 2 other outlets in cyberjaya and i love the one in shaftsbury sq as its comfy and not that crowded. But if u prefer a place where u can have the place to ur self it would be the Dome Cafe. it is at the far end of the mall and there are hardly anyone at the place at any time. I'm not sure how long the place can last but i dont think it will be missed if its gone. and owh, San Francisco coffee will opening its door in Alamanda very soon.. Cant wait!  

self explanatory

starbucks drive thru cyberjaya

San Francisco Coffee. soon. yeay!

Inang Park Putrajaya

There are a lot of parks at putrajaya. But i especially pick this one as i think it is less popular than the other ones.. If you come early perhaps at 4pm ish u can have the place to ur self. U can even bring ur picnic basket and just enjoy the lake view under the shades :) There is also a small playground up ahead but it is quite full in the evening.. So do come early to avoid the crowd. The place is best for ur kids to run around or ride a bike. Or u can can just simply walk / jog  by the lake and enjoy the wind in your face :)

I miss those times when Putrajaya is a deserted place and u can go anywhere and have the place almost to urself. But i guess, its only fair that this gem to be enjoyed by everybody from all walks of life. u just have to be smart and know the place and time to go to avoid the crowd.
 

  
Padi House Putrajaya

Padi House Putrajaya is located in the Galleria PJH Building in Presint 4. The building also houses a number of other restaurants such as Secret Recipe, Killiney Kopitiam, Rasa Utara and Al Dente (Italian Rest.). Among these establishments Padi House is at the top of the list for its ambiance and reasonably efficient service. There's also variety of choices available and food is quite good. The place is very popular during lunch hours on weekdays. come early to secure a table!    

Johor Premium Outlets, Kulai Jaya, Johor

Our local destinations has always been towards the north i.e. Cameron Highlands, Langkawi, etc. The furthest we would go is to Malacca Town. However, since we visited JPO last year, JB has moved up the ranks. So proud that the FIRST Premium Outlet Center in South East Asia is in Malaysia! :)

Getting there, its easier if u have ur own car (best to update ur GPS s cos its a very recent addition) - the place is really out of nowhere and theres not even a petrol station or other buildings in sight around the area. Certain hotels provide shuttle busses such as the Pulai Springs Resort.i did saw taxis queing up ready to take passengers out of the place but i do not know how much it costs from JB (probably a bomb). So i guess its more convenient to stay at hotels that provides shuttle busses or stay and shop packages. Normally these hotels also offer packages with Legoland trip.

One good advise that i can give is that (as usual) its better to visit JPO on a working day - it really makes a difference cos from my experience, JPO is very crowded on weekends. Some of the stores can be really crowded such as Fossil and there will be a que at Coach if there is a promotion going on (even though its still much more expensive than buying from on9 blogshops). It will be quite difficult to move around especially if you have kids with you.

Theres not much activities for the kids here except that u can 1) rent a kiddie car stroller at RM30 (deposit RM100-refundable) - its quite bulky and u cant really go in the store with the stroller as its crowded (so the hubs has to stay outside :P) or 2) bring the kids to the small outdoor playground - which can be really hot during the day. Hope more facilities for kids will be provided in the future.

Among the outlets that i think is worth to check out in JPO are:

1) GAP - basic tees are really cheap. i once bought a trench coat less than RM200! such a bargain!
2) Fossil - woth to buy - full on weekends
3) Body Shop - so cheap , u can stock up on ur bath  & body care
4) Charles & Keith - up to 60% off
5) Padini Group - kids wear - MIKI, Seed, etc
6) La Senza - good bargains
7) MichaelKors, Levis, & Pedro - worth to buy
 
I have not been able to check out all the stores though. Will update in the future if i am able to. in terms of dining, there are not much choices available here - there are only a few dining outlets. Given a choice, i would prefer to eat outside. Sorry, not much pictures cos i think i have lost them? hmm.. i really thot i have taken some pictures but i couldn't find them. oh well, will upload them later if i manage to trace them..

almost deserted. but its totally different on weekends..

Johor Premium Outlets^®
Jalan Premium Outlets
Indahpura
81000 Kulaijaya
Johor Darul Takzim
Tel: (607) 661 8888
Fax: (607) 661 8810

GPS 1°36'11"N , 103°37'17"E
http://www.premiumoutlets.com.my/center-information

KK Trip Part 2: Kota Kinabalu

Last night we were the only few ppl left in the resort. We only saw one other group having breakfast this morning. after breakfast we start packing and head out to our next destination - KK. The journey down from Kundasang was much faster, it took around 1h 45mins to reach KK. We stopped at the 1Borneo shopping mall for lunch. We purposely went there today as we heard its jam packed during weekend. Parking was abundant and there were not so many ppl around. Managed to do 1 round of shopping before heading out to our hotel in KK city.

After some desktop research, we chose the Klagan Hotel for our accommodation. Check in was fast and smooth. We booked The Atrium Room - it has no view but it was compensated with the large room and huge bed. The room design is modern and it looked like it was recenlty renovated. However, we were disappointed with the housekeeping service. They only made our bed and empty the dustbins but nothing else. The carpet was not vacuumed, mugs were not washed, shower area was wet and slippery among other things. We really liked the room and the location and would love to come back sometime.there is a 24 hrs convenient shop just next to the hotel entrance, and shopping area is within walking distance (warisan square, the filipino market). After getting some rest, we went out again to explore the market and have seafood for dinner. 

1 Borneo

 it was a right decision to go there at night - we did not really feel the distance as it was cool and windy. KK as one of the city with  the highest irradiation in Malaysia can be really hot and humid during the day. we did not expect that the filipino market was still open at 9.00++ pm. however only half of the shops were still open by then, which is not an issue to me as did not plan to buy except for the pearls.. im more interested to buy seafood produce as its very fresh and much cheaper than in the peninsular. the seafood produce market opens until late .then we had dinner at the port view seafood as we do it was the nearest seafood place. the price is on the high side, however the food was good. we went there on a
weekday so it was not that crowded.

jam packed area.

seafood produce

pearls galore

seafood

Port View Seafood Village

The next day, our destination was to Pulau Manukan. Pulau Manukan is situated in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park National Park. There are a few other island in the area with Pulau Sapi being the best in terms of the beach and less crowded - according to my desktop research. However, we chose to go to Pulau Manukan as it was the most developed and has complete infrastructure as i was travelling with toddler. To get there, you have to go to Jesselton Point to catch a 15-20 minutes boat ride to the islands. Again, we were there on a weekday, so it was not crowded at all. Take note that it can get really crowded on weekends.
 

There are a number of operators, just pick one of them. However, be prepared for one hell of a ride. Most of the skippers here drives the boat like crazy. I was quite concerned as i was travelling with my 2 yo daughter. It was a really bumpy ride and it really felt like the boat can capsize just anytime. I did gave the skipper a concerned look but he chose just to ignore me and continued to drive like mad. hmm.. Well, i used to be adventurous, but i think i have mellowed since im now travelling with my daughter. :P

When u book ur tickets, u have to let them know in advance the time u intend to return to the jetty. However, in actual fact, the timing is not really being observed by the operators. it can be quite confusing as u wouldnt know ull be going back by which boat. u just have to be at the jetty and ask each boat operators if thats ur ride. 

All in all, Pulau Manukan was a disappointment to me. Visibility of the water is very poor. u can barely see anything. and the beach is very shallow, which is not really good to swim in (for me) - i like deeper waters. Maybe it was not the right season, i don't really know. It really can't compare to the Terengganu islands. Oh, how i miss the crystal clear waters and powdery sand beaches....... :( i havent been to any island for 3 years now. Before that it used to be a yearly ritual for me. We just spent a couple of hours on the beach and head back to the main island. U can also opt to island hop if u have the time and u want to do so. By this time (1 pm) the weather was really hot and humid - on the island as well as the mainland. We really just wanted to be indoors. Had lunch at the Nasi Padang Ibu (air conditioned :)) which was located in the Jesselton Point are - price was on the high side but the ambiance is nice as its located by the jetty and u can get a view of the jetty and enjoy the refreshing sea breeze if u choose to dine at the outdoor area. The rest of the day was spent in the city and our flight back to KL was early in the morning the next day.

Manukan Island Jetty

Nasi Padang Ibu, Jesselton Point

 

Sembunyi SPA, Cyberview Lodge

I've been frequenting the Sembunyi Spa way back since 2009 but i havent published any review on them before. What i like about the Sembunyi Spa is that their masseuse are professionals and very good at massaging. I've never tried any other massages than the Balinese Massage, but all my massages were carried out by Indonesian masseuse who are known to be good in massaging. 

It has been quite a while since my last visit to the spa and today i decided to give them a visit since ive been having back aches for a couple of weeks now. They had previously undergone renovations before, but i have not noticed anything else changing except that the gym has now been moved to another building. the place where the gym used to be is now converted into a lounge. I think the massage rooms could use a facelift - the massage bed definitely needs to be replaced.

Before the massage starts, you will be given a questionnaire to fill in to determine the purpose of ur visit and they will inform the appointed masseuse prior to the massage. As for me, im looking to relieve the muscle tension that i had. Before the massage starts, a cup of ginger tea will be served and the masseuse will introduce themselves - which i think is very professional. They will also from time to time during the massage will ask whether the pressure is ok or whether are you comfortable enuff. 

What i like most about balinese massage are the long strokes and direct contact with relief points with justttt the right pressure... :) after the massage, you'll be given a heat compress on ur back. and again ginger tea and a cup of pudding to savor at the garden bench facing the pool.... heaven.. :)

Apart from that, a massage will entitle you to use all the available facilities i.e. gym, jacuzzi, sauna, lap pool, etc. I always go to the spa on work days as its really difficult to find a 'me' time on weekends. Therefore, i always find that im the only patron at the spa during lunch time, which enables me a private time at all the facilities :) im not sure how it is on weekends, but i heard its can be quite busy. pls take note that there is no separate changing room for men.

today, at the end of the massage, the masseuse told me that my shoulders were really stiff and she had a hard time trying to untangle the knot. She also told me not to think too much or otherwise the stress can get to my head and i may suffer from headaches or catch a fever. hmmm.... it must've been because of the looming deadline that i have next monday. hopefully, after that the stress will go away as well as the back ache..

Lap Pool

Locker Room

Jacuzzi

Shower Room

KK Trip Part 1: Kundasang

Our first trip of the year was to KK, Sabah. the trip started with the journey to Kundasang. Upon arrival at the airport 9.30 am in the morning (we took the first flight out from KL) we found out at the car rental counter that most sedan cars has been rented out. luckily theres one company had one saga left. however, rental rates at the airport can be quite steep. we got ours (proton saga) for RM168 per day. we found out that car rentals outside the airport (pre booked) only costs RM120/day. there was a minor prob with the car and after it was settled we head out to Kundasang at about 1.00 pm.

ive been to Kundasang once before for our honeymoon and i still remember being amazed by the journey to get there. it was something new that ull never get to experience here in the Peninsular. it was drizzling and supercool that day. remember to bring thick clothes and socks if u intend to spend the night in the highlands especially for ur kids. it can get really cold at night and i dont think there are any accomodations with heaters up there, and the blankets are not that thick either. last time we were here we stayed at the Kinabalu Pine Resort which was one of the most popular resorts in Kundasang. but this time we decided to try somewhere else for a change.

so after careful research, we chose the  Celyn Resort. i was quite nervous as the last leg of the drive to get there involves a gravel road for about 3 km. i was relieved to find out that it was not that bad and well worth it. upon arrival we were upgraded to a bigger room which i was not quite happy about as we had to sacrifice the mount kinabalu view. but nothing can be done as the Kinabalu Wing Rooms are full despite i had made the reservations earlier. the room that we were upgraded to is huge and looked like it was recently renovated, so i was pacified a bit :P..but, if i had my way, id still want the kinabalu wing room.

gravel road leading to the resort

we did not get out from the resort that night as the gravel road leading out to the main road does not have lighting and it can be very dark out there. however, we were just as happy to just chill at the resort at night. id say this place is suitable for nature lovers, as there is practically nothing else to do there except for just hanging out and enjoying mother nature. but i think barbecue can be arranged with the hotel. we had dinner at the resort restaurant and it was quite good - the veges are very fresh and i finished a whole plate of Kailan Ikan Masin on my own :P..

we were lucky to be there during a full moon and the view during our first night there was breathtaking and SURREAL. it feels like we just wanted to be outside the whole night and just soak up the moonlight but it was very cold that night. it was nothing like ive ever experienced before.

hotel lobby

 

SURREAL.....

Majestic Mountain

woke up a bit early to get this shot of Mount Kinabalu-the best time to get  a clear view of Mt Kinabalu. its not easy to get a clear view like this as mist /clouds are practically there all day. im not sure if it depends on what season ur there. after bfast, we went to visit the Desa Dairy Farm at Mesilou which is a cattle farm with a concept somewhat like can be found in NZ :) love the view up there and also we get to buy fresh milk from the cafe. check out their location and daily schedule at their FB page https://www.facebook.com/desacattlefarm

 

 

Mooooooooo...

after lunch @ KFC, we head to the Sabah Tea Plantation, which is actually quite a distance from Kundasang Town. odw there youll pass the Ranau Town and the Poring Hot Springs. Other attractions in Kundasang includes the Kudasang War Memorial.

we spent another night at the resort and checked out the next morning to KK.... to be continued.. :)