Travel diary: Malaysia Trip part 1 (Kedah)

Hi guys! Sorry I've been away for what  may seem like forever. I've missed on Eid posts and will work on that another day. If you've been following me on Instagram @AinulApri, you might be aware that I haven't been in Brunei for the past week. After the arrival of Z, Mu'izz and I tagged along and followed him back to the big city of Kuala Lumpur.



We took an Air Asia plane to Malaysia on the 22nd of August 2013. Our flight took about 3 hours, even though it felt like it was more than that. I really hate waiting forever to see land. There is nothing to see but the seat in front of you and stretches of sea and clouds. I dread long flights. Lucky it didn't take us too long to land.

We were welcomed by Z's beautiful mama. Picked up dad from the airport and we all headed for lunch at a Malay restaurant serving Kedah food. I had rice, fried chicken (my all time fav) and some very interesting vege. I also had a few "begedils" which is basically a ball of potatoes mixed with herbs, pepper, salt and minced meat. We have this in Brunei too, but the ones I had tasted a bit different. Something was different but neither Mu'izz and I could point a finger to what it was. One thing for sure, it was very tasty.

We dropped dad off to his hotel and Z brought us to Ara Damansara, our new home for the rest of our trip.  After settling in, we reunited Mu'izz with his best friend Mun. We had dinner at Sunway Pyramid and got ourselves Malaysian lines.

23rd August 2013 - Day 2

We had our first road trip to Kedah. The journey took us about 5 hours from Selangor including pit stops and toilet breaks. The car was filled with the chatter of Mu'izz and Mun, my dad's weird stories and also him teasing Mu'izz. 

I had a few naps and most of the time, I'd be looking at the change of landscapes. From Selangor to Kedah, we passed a few places as well. The only one I can remember fully is Penang though. Sorry guys, memory's a bit wonky.  We stopped by a few markets selling fruits and many kinds of food. Z got his favorite fruit, durian and dad got a lot of traditional cakes and also some mangoes. I just grabbed myself a hotdog, we restocked on bottled water and we were ready to continue our long journey to Kedah.

#adventuresofelliephant

Before reaching Yan, we stopped by Z's aunt's house for a meal. His family welcomed us with warm hugs and also a feast. Traditional curries, fried chicken, loads of local fruits, local delicacies and home made snacks. Mun and Mu'izz retreated after the first meal, but dad and I kept on going. We were so full and sleepy afterwards and we were half an hour away to our main destination in Yan, Zamani's Place.

24th August 2013 - Day 3

The next morning, I woke up to the beautiful sight of Zamani's Place. Zamani's Place is a resort owned by the Zamani family. The place was built from materials mainly originating from Yan itself. Zamani's Place is rich in flora and fauna and every little thing stands where they belong, each carefully playing a part in telling it's story. We reached Zamani's Place at night and so stepping outside in the morning was a pleasant surprise. I was greeted by the glistening pool and the gorgeous pond right outside my room. Every room actually opens to their amazing garden so you will always be close to nature. 

Breakfast was served at the lounge only a minute's walk away. We had local "roti kosong" with lamb curry and dhal and also Yan's special "nasi lemak". My favorite was the roti kosong. Z's mom said that they've been going to the same roti kosong place for over 15 years ever since Z and his brother were little. I could see why. Roti kosong never tasted any better than the ones I had at Zamani's Place that morning. Seriously would recommend everybody to go to Yan, stay a few days relaxing at Zamani's Place and have some roti kosong. You will understand how I feel when you get there. Promise.

We headed off to check out the famous waterfall in the area called "Perigi Waterfall" at Kampung Perigi. The waterfall is a local attraction where families and friends chill out and cool off from the tropical weather. It was only a few minutes drive from Zamani's Place. We passed fields of padi and small houses around the area. On the way you could spot the mountain not far away. I personally liked the drives we get to take because Yan is really beautiful. I enjoy looking at the country side. The lifestyle and the surroundings is just so different and gives me the feeling of joy and peace. 

When we got there there were already groups of people down at the end of the waterfall. We parked beside the road and not for long a few more cars showed up. Carrying more families with what it seems to be like a picnic gathering. 

The waterfall stretched very high up the hill and you could see it from where we were standing how far up it reached. The water glittered as they streamed down while eroding the rocks beneath. Dad mentioned we can't see waterfalls like this back in Brunei because we don't have high mountains as the ones in Yan. It was a lovely experience. I got to take a nice video too. You can check them out on my Instagram @AinulApri.

Our next destination was the Gunung Jerai. We drove up the mountain for what it seems like an hour (okay apparently it was only about 15 minutes, it really felt long guys). The drive this time was quite scary for me. The road was narrow and has so much turns and Z had to beep every time we reached a blind corner to alert oncoming traffic. Some drivers were fast and it was potentially very dangerous for all of us. There were a few monkeys here and there, hanging out in the middle of the road. Literally saw them picking at each other's fur. By my Tarzan knowledge that could be bugs they were looking for. They were cute but one of them didn't seem too happy to be photographed. Might be a bad hair day.

The view from the top of Gunung Jerai

We saw a lot of hikers pass by and many groups of students as well. More and more emerged as we reached the peak of the mountain. By this point we had no 3G so nobody could update their IG or Whatsapp. We only had each other for company. When we reached the peak, there was a hotel right there waiting for us. Stepped outside the car finally, we could feel the cool air and the vegetation surrounding us were different from the ones below. The hotel provides places to stay like cottages or bungalows. The place was beautiful. We couldn't get to see much of a view below because it was quite a cloudy day.

Everybody felt hungry after the drive to the top. We headed up to the hotel restaurant to satisfy our demanding tummies. I had I think what was called the "Kung Fu Kuey Teow". It was apparently
fried noodles in gravy , mixed with vegetables and prawns. It was huge, so I shared with Z. I had Teh C Special to go with my noodles and dad ordered us some cheese cakes for dessert. We had quite a big lunch. Mind you, the eating did not end there.

We bid farewell to the beautiful peak of Gunung Jerai and drove down to what I believe would be sea level. On the way to meet up with Z's family, Z stopped by to one of the huts at the side of the road. Normally they sell corn, another thing they're famous for is the "nira nipah" which actually tastes like corn too but the twist is that is isn't corn! (gotcha!) It's actually derived from the sap of the nipah tree. Very interesting taste. It is naturally sweet too. But left to ferment it actually becomes an alcoholic drink.


We caught up with Z's parents at a famous local restaurant which, rumour has it, makes the best authentic Kedah laksa. I had only little space left in my tummy so I had a bit of the laksa, fitted in some nasi and also some chicken satay (my favorite). Everything was delish! Lastly, washed em all down with teh ice. Yummerz in ma tummerz.

We headed back to Zamani's Place. Everyone rested up, Z slept for hours, although Mun, Mu'izz and I
had another thing in mind. After venturing up a mountain and climbing waterfalls we felt like we needed to cool off in the pool. It was an hour before the barbecue started and so we all jumped in! Spent half an hour in the pool. Got to play ball with some of Z's mini cousins too! They were very sweet. Such guppies too! They all swam like pros. After sunset, Mun and I helped out to set the tables while the boys started the barbecue. We had roasted chicken, sea food and sambal. The best part to me was the coconut drink Z's family prepared from their own backyard at Zamani's Place. Everybody agreed that was the best coconut drink they ever tasted. Coming from a girl who isn't a big fan of coconut drink, I was converted. We all helped out with cleaning up, Z had time to crack open a durian and everyone else chilled out for the night.

25th August 2013 - Day 3

Today we head back to KL. Z and I woke up early, fetched some breakfast at the roti kosong place and drove dad to the bus station. Dad's on his way to Kelantan to find mom some kain batik. After arriving back to Zamani's Place, I had a shower, packed up and before we locked our bedroom doors, we went for a walk outside at the gardens of Zamani's Place. If you like the country side, you'll enjoy staying at Zamani's Place. To me, it's a bit like home away from home. It's not a hotel in the traditional sense of the word. When you come it really is like joining the family as the staff welcome you as one of their own.
Since we've been out most of the time exploring Yan, we didn't have time to really enjoy a full day at Zamani's Place.

My favorite spot is the pond. There is a 'pondok' on the side of the pond, just a few minutes walk away from the room I was staying in. The place is rich with flora and fauna, and the air felt fresh and cool. It was great to sit there and enjoy the company of my friends, Mun and Mui'zz while enjoying a beautiful view of the nature surrounding me. It would have been nice to have breakfast around there too if we weren't on a tight schedule. Just a perfect place to sit back, relax and just be. If you're ever thinking of visiting Kedah, visit Zamani's Place with your closest friends. If you're the type to enjoy leisurely walks, unwinding with a book or having a fun swim in the pool, Zamani's Place could be just the one for you. Rooms are comfortable and furnished with modern amenities and the extensive use of timber makes it feel very homey. For what the place offers, their rates are very good. I would spend 4-5 days. Take 2-3 days to explore Yan and the rest to spend some quality time with your besties at Zamani's Place.

To find out more about Zamani's Place, click on their Facebook Page here (and don't forget to like!) and their website here.

Also check out #zamanisplace for some more photos and videos of my experience and Mu'izz's on instagram.

Photo by Zaim Zamani

I'd like to thank Zaim Zamani for arranging our bookings for us, Uncle Zamani and Auntie Esther for making us feel at home and Zhafir Zamani for being our amazing personal tour guide.

Thank you too for reading!

With love,

Ainul.