EXPERIENCE MALAYSIA AUGUST
Hello Readers!
Proclamations of “Merdeka” or “Freedom/Independence” are often heard nationwide this August as it is our Independence Day on 31st August. This celebration is to commemorate the country’s independence 59 years ago in 1957. Let’s experience the patriotism of Malaysian during the event at the Merdeka Day Parade at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur.
K-Poppers mustn’t miss the first ever iKoncert Showtime Tour in Kuala Lumpur. But if you are looking for local culture engagement and music, then head to Penang for the Boria Festival. Meanwhile, mark the date for these home-grown music festivals, i.e. Sarawak’s Rainforest World Music Festival or Good Vibes Festival in Pahang.
Love sports? Challenge Iskandar Puteri 2016, Merdeka Day Open Regatta 2016 and Padawan Raft Safari 2016 are events you shouldn’t miss. Have fun, stay healthy, enjoy quality time with the family and explore the surrounding of Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week returns to Pavilion, KL with up-to-date and exclusive fashion trends. Meet your favourite designers and celebrities while you feast your eyes on amazing fashion collections.
To give you some ideas of what to do this month, here’s a line-up of well-balanced events for tourists, both local and foreign, to enjoy in Malaysia. Plan your trip well, or engage the services of a licensed tour operator/travel agent.
Corporate Communication Division
Tourism Malaysia
Rainforest World Music Festival
Here’s a unique festival that brings together on the same stage renowned world musicians from all continents and indigenous musicians from the interiors of the mythical island of Borneo. Its formula of afternoon informative workshops, ethno-musical lectures, jamming sessions and mini concerts, followed by evening performances on the main stage has proven to be a hit with the audience, who come from near and far. The festival site also sets up a variety of food, arts and crafts.
Date: 5-7 August 2016
Venue: Sarawak Culture Village (SCV) Kuching, Sarawak
Organiser: Sarawak Tourism Board
Contact: +6082 423 600
Website: www.rwmf.net
Padawan Raft Safari
River Safari in Padawan is a bamboo rafting competition. The journey down river, which will take more than three and a half hours, passes some amazing picturesque scenes and rapids which are the natural obstacles of the competition. Picture yourself in a bamboo raft with family or friends cruising down a crystal clear river and surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Mother Nature all along the way. That is what the Padawan Raft Safari is about, a chance to get close to nature, enjoy its natural wealth and possibly win attractive prizes too!
Date: 14 August 2016
Time: 7am-3pm
Venue: Padawan,Kuching, Sarawak
Organiser: Padawan Municipal Council
Contact: +6082 615 566 / +6016 8674175
Website: www.mpp.sarawak.gov.my
Penang Hungry Ghost Festival
The Hungry Ghost Festival which falls during the Seventh Lunar Month is celebrated on a grand scale in Penang. During this month, it is believed that the Gates of Hell are thrown open for spirits and ghosts from the nether world to roam freely in search for food.
Thus, makeshift altars are erected at roadsides where giant joss sticks are lit and food is offered to appease their hunger. Staged opera performances and puppet shows are also conducted at these venues for the entertainment of the ghosts, spirits and the public on a nightly basis.
Date: 1 August – Oct 2016
Venue: Around Penang
Organiser: Penang Global Tourism
Contact: +6042 643 456
Email: info@penangtourism.com
Website: mypenang.gov.my
iKON-iKONCERT 2016 Showtime Tour
iKON, the hottest and most anticipated Korean rookie group, is set to hold their first ever Malaysian concert with iKONCERT 2016 Showtime Tour in Kuala Lumpur.
iKON is composed of seven members namely B.I, JINHWAN, BOBBY, YUNHYEONG, JU-NE, DONGHYUK, and CHANWOO. Within just a few months of their debut, iKON has been regarded as a frequent award grabber. They won all rookie awards in 2015 Melon Music Awards, 2015 MAMA, the Seoul Music Awards, the Golden Disc Awards and the 5th Gaon K-POP Chart Awards, becoming the first rookie group in 8 years to achieve “Grand Slam”. They have been named as the “Top 5 K-Pop Artists to Watch in 2015” by Billboard.
Date: 13 August 2016 (Saturday)
Venue: Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur
Organiser: IME Production (M) Sdn Bhd
Contact: +603 7972 3931
Website: www.facebook.com/imeasia
Boria Festival
Boria is a Malaysian performing arts that incorporates the elements of dance and music. The troupe has a leader, a chorus, comedians and musicians. Immerse yourself in music and movement at the Boria Festival.
The boria performances will see teams from various races and states around Malaysia trying to outdo each other with their singing, dancing and colourful outfit. Ten boria teams will also parade from Jalan Tun Syed Sheh Barakbah to Fort Cornwallis. There will also be many exciting events happening concurrently such as workshops, sales booth and other cultural performances.
Date: 19-20 August 2016
Venue: Fort Cornwallis, Padang Kota Lama, Penang
Organiser: Cultural Arts Development Division, JKKN
Contact: +603 2614 8200 ext 8222
Website: visitpenang.gov.my
Good Vibes Festival 2016
Good Vibes Festival is a homegrown music and lifestyle festival featuring a lineup of outstanding local and international acts. Since its debut in 2013, the festival has been a staple destination for music fans across the region and beyond. Under the same banner, Good Vibes has also presented a series of smaller, intimate indoor shows called Good Vibes Presents.
This year, the festival returns bigger and better as it expands to a two-day festival with more acts and also a new home at The Ranch, Genting Highlands. The lineup will include Mark Ronson, The Temper Trap, Ta-Ku, Kyoto Protocol and Tokyo Police Club, to name a few.
Date: 12-13 August 2016
Venue: The Ranch, Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highland, Pahang
Organiser: Good Vibes Festival team
Email: info@goodvibes.com
Website: www.goodvibesfestival.com
Start In Tioman (SIT)
“Start In Tioman” (SIT) is a joint effort between Malaysia’s Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Tourism Malaysia, Tioman Development Authority, Pahang State Government, Villagers Travel & Tours Sdn.Bhd, Divers Association and Diving Centres Operators to further market Tioman as an exciting diving spot while creating awareness towards the importance of conserving the island’s marine ecology. Other than that, SIT is also a loyalty programme aimed at encouraging return visits to Tioman. SIT also puts an emphasis on marine conservation, with activities such as bleach clean-ups, marine conservation talks and artificial reef construction.
Date: 18-21 August 2016
Venue: Kg. Genting, Pulau Tioman, Pahang
Organiser: Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Pahang Office
Contact: +609 517 1112
Website: www.facebook.com/StartInTioman
Challenge Iskandar Puteri 2016
Iskandar Puteri lies in the southern state of Johor in Malaysia, approximately a 20-minute drive from Singapore and Johor Bahru City. The main venue Puteri Harbour Marina is an international marina surrounded by hotels, dining and entertainment options and is the main activity area for the athletes and their fans and family. It is also the starting point for the Swim Course and the transition area for all courses. The 90km Bike Course will take riders around the newly-built green city of Kota Iskandar, passing Legoland, Educity and other attractions.
On the Run Course, tri-athletes will race along tree-lined streets that surround Johor’s new administrative centre featuring a collection of architecturally aesthetic structures. Throughout the race, the courses wind around some of the best sports and recreation facilities in the country and tourist attractions surrounded by natural green landscapes ideal for outdoor sports.
Date: 13 August 2016
Venue: Puteri Harbour, Iskandar Puteri, Johor
Organiser: Challenge Iskandar Secretariat
Website: www.challenge-iskandarputeri.com
The Merdeka Day Parade
The Merdeka Day Parade is one of the most prominent events of the country, and is held on the morning of August 31 to mark and celebrate the country’s developments. Various government and private sectors march in front of the country’s leaders, such as Yang Di-Pertuan Agong (the King) and the Prime Minister, and citizens from all corners of the country. This is one of the finest times to witness the unity of the Malaysian society, as people of all races and religions come together at Merdeka Square – the venue for the parade – to witness the harmonious event.
Date: 31 August 2016
Venue: Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur
Organiser: Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 1 800 88 3255
Website: www.dbkl.gov.my
Merdeka Day Open Regatta 2016
Merdeka Day Open Regatta is held annually by Kinabalu Yacht Club with the main objective to promote sports tourism in Sabah. This sailing event has attracted local and international participants to compete and build-up their self-discipline as well as their sense of challenge in the sport. Other than that, it is to celebrate the 59th Anniversary of Malaysia’s independence.
Date: 26-28 August 2016
Venue: Kinabalu Yacht Club, Tanjung Aru Kota Kinabalu
Organiser: Kinabalu Yacht Club
Contact: +6088-243070
Website: kinabaluyachtclub.com
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week, Ready to Wear 2016
Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready to Wear was conceptualized in 2013 as a B-2-C platform for Malaysian designers to showcase their Ready to Wear Collections and ultimately highlight the strength and creativity of Malaysia's fashion industry to local and international customers. Last year, the Fashion Week brought more than 100,000 people together over 5 days at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur to witness more than 80 Local Designers' Collections.
KLFW RTW 2016 will present an exciting mix of designers in the Malaysian capital over five highly anticipated days. Close to 100 designers will be showcasing their never-seen-before "Runway Collection" exclusively at Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready to Wear.
Date: 17-21 August 2016
Venue: Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur
Organiser: Fashionably KL Sdn Bhd
Contact: +603 2733 9337
Instagram: klfashionweek
Website: www.klfashionweek.com
NEW FERRY SERVICE TO TIOMAN ISLAND
Berjaya Resort Ferry Services
Now, there’s a new transportation service for tourists going to Tioman Island. The Berjaya Resort ferry service operates daily between Berjaya Jetty Tanjung Gemuk and Tioman Island, providing a seamless travel experience for guests of Berjaya Tioman Island. The ferry departs at 12pm from Berjaya Jetty Tanjung Gemuk, and at 3pm from the resort.
With a seating capacity of 60 passengers, the ferry is navigated by a licensed captain and three crew members and has been duly approved and is compliant with the safety and seaworthiness requirements. The ferry journey takes approximately 100 to 120 minutes one-way, depending on sea and weather conditions.
Tickets are priced at RM75 return for adults and RM65 return for children, while single journey tickets are priced at RM45 and RM40 for adults and children respectively. Guests heading to Berjaya Tioman Resort can also opt to take the ferry service from Mersing Jetty, operated by a public ferry operator.
In addition to the ferry services, Berjaya Tioman Resort has also introduced a team of Ask-Me-Ambassadors. The Ask-Me-Ambassadors are employees of Berjaya Tioman Resort, positioned at Berjaya Jetty Tanjung Gemuk from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm everyday to welcome guests as they arrive at Berjaya Jetty Tanjung Gemuk. Dressed in bright yellow, red, blue or green T-shirts, they are tasked to assist guests in all matters, including the validation of boarding passes, loading of luggages onto the ferry and even recommendations of nearby places for a snack.
Join this inaugural ferry ride and be part of the historic moment as you head to Berjaya Tioman Resort for a holiday you deserve. Golden pristine beaches, clear waters rich with vibrant marine life, lush tropical forest that sets the background to exclusive chalets and suites; all these in unison promises the memorable vacation you desire. Stay packages that include the newly launched ferry services are available on the website www.berjayahotel.com/tioman.
All information is correct at time of publication.
Visitors are advised to contact the event organiser for the latest updates.
For more media releases, media info and media features on Malaysia’s tourism industry, kindly visit the Media Centre of Tourism Malaysia’s website at http://www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my/
MALAYSIA TOURISM PROMOTION BOARD OR TOURISM MALAYSIA is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Malaysia. Tourism Malaysia focuses on the specific task of promoting Malaysia at all levels. Since its inception, Tourism Malaysia has grown by leaps and bounds and it has emerged as a major player in the international tourism scene. In 2015, Malaysia registered 25.7 million tourist arrivals and RM69.1 billion in receipts.
Through the Tourism NKEA (National Key Economic Area), collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, other Government agencies and the private sector have been enhanced to help secure Malaysia’s position as a leading tourist destination and achieve the country’s target of 36 million tourist arrivals and RM168 billion in receipts by 2020.
The targets set under the Tourism NKEA will be achieved through the implementation of twelve Entry Point Projects (EPPs) clustered under five themes: Affordable Luxury; Nature Adventure; Family Fun; Events, Entertainment, Spa and Sports; and Business Tourism.
Press contact:
Media Relations Unit:
Shukri Hanafiah, Senior Deputy Director, Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603-8891 8767
Email: shukrihanafiah@tourism.gov.my
Editorial Unit:
Anis Rozalina Ramli (Ms), Senior Editor, Corporate Communication Division
Tel: +603-8891 8759
Email: anisramli@tourism.gov.my
