Where have I traveled this year that you didn't go?

Hey peeps! First thing first, do you like the title? Haha. I think it sounds a bit cocky and it is suppose to be that way anyway. It's just for fun though so don't take it personally if you have not traveled or done as much as I did this year. I know that some of you traveled a great deal this year, so why not you share and start tagging people for this post. Just to compare on the most favorable travel destinations this year.

Let's begin with my list of travel destinations for this year 2009:

1. My most memorable of all time travel destination is none other than Kota Kinabalu, Sabah! The reason I wanted to go there so badly was because I've never been to the East part of Malaysia and what more Borneo. I must say, I fall in love with Sabah and most people from the Peninsula of Malaysia who traveled there do agree with me too.

In Sabah, my co partner and I managed to squeeze a tight 3D2N schedule with activities like snorkeling at one of the islands in Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, which was Mamutik Island. We also visited 1Borneo, UMS, Atkinson Clock Tower, Gaya Street, Pasar Filipin, KK Museum to check out all the traditional long houses and we had a great time jumping up and down a trampoline made by 100% bamboo in one of the long houses. Cool rite?

We also made a short visit at Tuaran to visit an old friend of mine and also Tuaran Crocodile Farm to check out the nastiest of all crocs in Borneo. We also did an ad-hoc hike with flip-flops and zero preparation up Mount Kinabalu. Ain't that awesome? Hehe. Mind you we only hiked up until the 2nd Station which was pretty high up, approximately around 3 hours up and down from the starting point. Not bad for a first timer and man, we had a great time up there. Fellow hikers are super fun and awesome people too. We also visited Likas, had awesome and cheap seafood on our last night there, visited Karambunai Nexus to check out the place, spend the night loitering around one of the beaches in KK and of course met some lovely Sabahan people who are very friendly, warm and they are just a bunch of really beautiful people. I love them so much! Haha!

2. A day trip down Pangkor Island which is right smack at my hometown. It was actually a mere pit stop destination right after returning from Kota Kinabalu which was like a week's gap. We had a friend's wedding to attend so we decided to make a quick day trip at Pangkor. It was fun especially the snorkeling part, sun bathing, saw a guy who was almost drown while we were snorkeling - okay, this part was kinda scary, cruising around the island with our rented car, visiting the Dutch Fort and some sort of Pagoda thingy and also taking the ferry back and forth the island. It was plain awesome and a day well spent.

3. Langkawi Island! We managed to hook up with some awesome 3D2N deal with AirAsia which was inclusive of flight and accommodation at Awana Porto Malai. It was a real bargain, only MYR300 each person. That's awesome right?

Anyways, Langkawi is great fun for more outdoor adventure activities and that's the reason we went there for. We had an awesome island hopping day, it was raining, the boat ride was very bumpy and seriously adventurous especially none of us had never been on a fast boat ride on a really heavy rained day! We also had a great time swimming in Dayang Bunting Lake where the water is surprisingly warm during that rainy day and it's kinda creepy because it's dark and green looking lake. We also saw some really huge Hawks in Pulau Lang if I'm not mistaken which was part of the island hopping trip. It was worth the money because it only cost us RM35 for that 3 island hopping trip. Oh, the last island was a beach island so we get to swim around for sometime but we spent the time sipping hot coffee instead because we got all drenched up by then already. The rain and all, I was shivering up my bones. Haha.

Other things, we did the typical touristy thingy in Langkawi like the cable ride up Mt.Mat Cincang, a little hike down a trail around the Mt. Mat Cincang area and we got to have a nice look of the bordering countries; Thailand and Malaysia. Cool rite? Other must have visiting was the Makam Mahsuri, Tanjung Rhu, Cenang Beach, Thai massage Cenang area, Telaga Tujuh crazy 100+ stairs hike, Laksa Langkawi which was not that good at all, haha, visiting Dataran Lang, visiting the newly renovated Hot Spring, driving around the whole island and last but not least, shopping!

4. White Water Rafting at Sg.Kampar. I love it so much and I got more excited because fellow rafting guides are a bunch of Dusun people from Sabah. I was like ,"OMG, I just came back from KK early this year. I love Sabah and what are you guys doing here at Kampar?" Haha. Everything about water rafting, body surfing, doing the Boom-boom, going through back to back rapids from Grade 1-3, getting to know about the Dusun gang and essentially learning more about the other side of Sabah which we Peninsula people have no idea about, really interest me so much. I love every single thing about it especially the adrenaline boost that I get from rafting that I couldn't resist but I had to do it again for the second time. The second time white water rafting experience was like a perfectly new water rafting experience to me! White water rafting is no doubt to die for if you are an adrenaline junkie and the best of them guides are these lovely,good looking, beautiful Dusun guys from Riverbug. I must admit, I <3 Sabah and Sabahan more from these guys. Hehe.

4. Hiking up Broga Hill for three consecutive times. Nothing else to describe this hill, except that it's awesome and if you do it once, you'll be telling yourself," oh I won't do this again, this is exhausting" but, when another friend of yours saw your lovely Broga Hill pictures on FB and they are interested to climb it, you just can't say no to them! Haha. That's why I went there 3 times and I really don't mind going there again and again.

5. Jungle trekking/ guided walk up Bukit Nanas which is located right in the vicinity of KL Tower. Surprise surprise! You never knew that there's a real jungle right in the middle of the city.

6. Jungle trekking/ guided walk inside Kota Damansara park. This was handled by my favourite outdoor nature society which is MNS - Malaysian Nature Society.

7. Jungle walk again inside one of the forest reserve at Bukit Cerakah or now it's known as Taman Botani Negara at Shah Alam.The place is located near the end of the park which is near the reservoir. There was also a fish rearing park and the best part is you get to feed the fishes. I also went for crazy cycling moments around the park which was fun, fun, fun. Did I just say fun thrice? Hehe.

8. Cameron Highland with a twist of outdoor activities. We went to almost all the tea plantations in the highland except for just one I think. Walking up and down the plantation still need a good pair of fit 'legs' because it's either going uphill or downhill. We also stayed in one of the best English-style cottage which was Bala's Cottage. Something like that, I can't remember the proper name of the place. It's very nice, chilly and cottage-like of course. Besides drinking a lot of cardamom teas at the plantations, we made a crazy hiking down the Robinson trail. A good one hour trekking from MARDI to one of the tea plantation at Habu. Trekking was really fun and if we would have planned things well, we could even hike up Mount Brinchang. But let's just leave that for next year okay. Hehe.

9. Gua Tempurung hike but not until the extreme version. It was just the light and easy stroll in the cave until the top of the world something something. Hehe.

I think that's most of the places I've traveled this year. I didn't go outside of the country though because guess what, there's so much to offer within Malaysia itself.

Next year, I'm hoping to discover more places in Sabah like Sandakan, Semporna for diving at Sipadan/Mabul, Beaufort for another crazy white water rafting adventure at Padas river and also reaching Mount Kinabalu summit (with God's will of course). Not forgetting, probably a pit stop down to Tamparuli just to get to know more of these Dusun tribe. Hahaha.

I would also love to go to Phuket, Bali, Bandung ,scuba diving at either Perhentian or Redang or Tioman, revisit Taman Negara at Pahang and if possible also Gua Niah Natural Park at Sarawak. Oh, also, there might be possibility for a EURO trip! Hehe. All that, wait up for next year. And since it's like less than a week for the new year to enfold, let's just plan another wicked activity for this long weekend.

So, you think you've traveled to more interesting places than I do? If you have, share it with me at the comment. I would love to see where should I go next and the places to go that I've been missing! =)