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Tourism Recovery in Malaysia

byMalaysia Asia
-December 02, 2020

The most talked about subject in the travel and tourism industry is Malaysia's tourism recovery in this unfortunate post-pandemic time.By now, many of us already know that Malaysia's tourism sector has been hit very badly due to its lockdown and the closure of international borders.Often, we wonder how some of the smaller tourism-related businesses have made it this far since March of 2020. Hundreds of tourism businesses have since closed, and there are even more in the coming months.Tourism Recovery in MalaysiaThere has been a lot of talk about this, but there have been little announcements on how Malaysia's tourism recovery will be made until writing this.Since the closure of the international borders was in effect, no one was allowed to enter the country and this, of course, was also seen around the world and not only Malaysia.Among the hardest-hit industries are the travel agents, hotels, tourism attractions, transportation, airlines, and attractions.It has reached a point in Malaysia where numerous hotels have closed down completely, and this was not only small ones buy even three to four-star hotels.Some of the smaller travel and tour agents have also been hit so hard that several of them have closed down or are on the verge of closing or for sale.To be very honest, no one saw this coming,, and it truly is the worst tragedy for the tourism industry in Malaysia and around the world.For now, those who are left standing can only hope and pray for things to get back to normal. And now in this post-pandemic world with the new normal of living, things will be very different.Travel bubbles were once the talk of the industry.Travel Bubbles for Malaysia and Other CountriesThis will never work, even though many countries have been talking about it, even Malaysia at one point.It is a silly idea, and I wonder who suggested this in the first place. The whole Covid 19 issue is something we cannot control, and having a travel bubble makes no sense. Imagine spending all that time, planning and money to create a travel bubble with Singapore, and then one of the countries has an outbreak, the who plan is up in flames.Dialogues, Talks and Seminars on Tourism Recovery in MalaysiaThis has been done by various bodies like MATTA, Tourism Malaysia and independent tourism companies, but I can assure you that no one really knows what's happening.So, why have all these talks if you are unsure about the pandemic situation? It's all a show to let people know that they are doing something in these trying times.As I have been involved in tourism for over 10 years, I know how these things happen without results. It's all talk and little or no conclusion.I say this is not because I am taking pot-shots at these people, but because no one really knows how to handle this pandemic and yet, they go ahead and try to provide useless solutions.A good example is the travel bubbles with other countries, which clearly does not work in a pandemic. Tourist and locals spotted in Kuala Lumpur during Covid19. Photo Xinhuanet.So, what can be done for now? Honestly, the Covid 19 pandemic has really messed up the tourism industry locally and worldwide. If any tourism board has a plan, it is nothing sold as things can backfire.For now, everyone has to wait for the vaccine to be produced and then wait for the pandemic to subside in terms of spreading. This can take anywhere from six months to a year or even more.Malaysia is also awaiting a Covid19 vaccine and has allocated a massive budget for this. But again, when the vaccine arrives, not everyone will be the first to get it.The first in line for the Covid19 vaccine will be the frontliners, and the tourism industry is probably one of the last industries to get it.So, how do people fix this massive tourism problem locally? Because for now, international arrivals is still very subjective and will be the biggest problem for importing the disease.Self-driving would be one of the most popular vacations around Malaysia.Self-Drive Holidays in MalaysiaOne of the best options for locals to explore is the self-drive holidays around Malaysia as this is quite simple and relatively safe.Most of the destinations in Peninsular Malaysia are within a few hours drive making it viable for locals to travel to other states for their vacation.You do not need to buy an RV or recreational vehicle to do this as you can just do it with your own car. In the worst case, you can rent a van if you plan to bring your family.While this sounds very interesting, not all Malaysians will opt for this method as they may find it too troublesome. They would rather just fly and take the risk.Visiting some of the not-so-popular places in Malaysia is a good start.Visit Destinations around Peninsular MalaysiaThe safest thing one can do is explore the multiple destinations around Peninsular Malaysia when the CMCO is lifted.You need to be cautious on certain states if they have red zones for Covid 19 too. Please try to avoid those places.Recommended places to visit would be islands, nature retreats and not so commercial destinations around Malaysia.Places like Sabah and Sarawak require flying, and one needs to double check if they require a Covid19 scan before entering the state.Tourism Minister Nancy Shukri with her tourism plan. Photo by Bernama.Extreme Measures for Tourism Industry in MalaysiaIn early November, MATTA Malaysia issued an official news statement asking tourism players to explore other work fields because the pandemic was getting nowhere.And for the Malaysia Budget 2021, there was not much allocated towards assisting tourism in Malaysia, which resulted in many sectors being unhappy with the current government.Since then, some budget changes have been made in assisting the tourism sector, but not everyone will benefit from this.At the rate things are going, it looks like every man or woman is for themselves in the tourism industry.Everyone is waiting for the Covid19 Vaccine in Malaysia.ConclusionAt the end of the day, this pandemic is so uncertain that no one can guarantee anything. While cases may subside for a few days, it can suddenly explore with double to quadruple-digit cases overnight.Since there is no official vaccine out yet, many speculations and guessing games are used by all walks of life, which has created much confusion among the tourism industry people.We can only hope for the best to come in 2021, but things are still uncertain from now until mid of next year in Malaysia's tourism recovery.The tourism ministry and other related bodies like MATTA, Malaysia hotels, guides and others will continue to voice their opinions and suggestions. But there is no immediate fix to opening up our borders.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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Tourism Lockdown in Malaysia - All You Need To Know

byMalaysia Asia
-March 18, 2020

With the Malaysia lockdown taking effect on 18th March till 31st March 2020, there has been some confusion on what is open and what is closed in terms of tourism attractions and destinations.

From what I have gathered in the last 48 hours, I am posting the information here for anyone who is still unsure of what the tourism lockdown in Malaysia is all about.

If you still have not heard about this, then you should know that the Malaysian government has imposed a 14-day Controlled Movement Order (CMO) or partial lockdown from March 18 to 31 nationwide.

The objective of this Controlled Movement Order is to curb the spread of the Coronavirus or Covid-19 infection in Malaysia.

As of writing this today on the 18th March, there are 790 cases and two deaths in Malaysia related to the Coronavirus or Covid-19 virus pandemic.

Update 19th March: There are now 900 Covid-19 or Coronavirus cases in Malaysia as of 8.00 PM, 19th March 2020.

Update 19th March: Visit Malaysia Year 2020 Cancelled!

After posting this article, the Malaysia Tourism Minister has officially canceled the Visit Malaysia Year 2020 campaign as of yesterday night.

Malaysia Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri quoted;

"The cancellation is with immediate effect and will involve the freezing of all over-the-counter and online services for the ministry’s Tourism Licensing Division."

What Tourism Locations are Closed for the Malaysia Lockdown?

Before we go into what is closed for the Malaysia lockdown, here are some important travel information that everyone should know about.

The decision for the nationwide partial lockdown was made under the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 and the Police Act 1967.

And there are three main guidelines to follow;

All Malaysians will also be banned from traveling overseas during this 14-day period.
Those who are returning from abroad must undergo health checks and self-quarantine for 14 days.
All foreign tourists will be banned from entering the country during this time.

Below are some tourism questions for locals and also tourists who may be wondering what is actually going on or what to expect.

Legoland Malaysia posted a notice about their closure.

Tourist Places Closed for Malaysia Lockdown

All Museums under the Department of Museums Malaysia
All National Parks and Forest Reserves around Malaysia
All Public Parks in Kuala Lumpur
All Theme Parks around Malaysia
All Private and Commercial Tourist Attractions around Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Craft Center
Malaysia Tourism Centre (Matic)
National Visual Arts Development Board
National Heritage Department
National Archives of Malaysia
Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation
National Library of Malaysia
Department of Culture
Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre
Istana Budaya

Basically, all states around Malaysia has followed in closing all tourist attractions, from the government to the private sector.

Anywhere you go during this time will only be a waste of time. Even the entire resort city of Genting Highlands is closed off.

The Restriction Movement Order for Malaysia.

Are Hotels and Resorts Opened During The Malaysia Lockdown?

Yes, all hotels and resorts can remain open during the Controlled Movement Order (CMO) or nationwide partial lockdown in Malaysia.

Previously, the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) had mentioned that hotels may only continue serving existing guests. All other facilities and services of the hotels and resorts are to remain closed.

Due to some confusion about what essential services are, the government has changed this on the 18th March to include hotels under the essential services in Malaysia.

According to the Malaysian Reserve, there has been slightly over 170,000 hotel room cancellations totaling to a whopping RM68 million in losses impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Update 19th March: The Malaysian hotelier's group has confirmed that hotels and resorts can operate partially during the lockdown in Malaysia.

KLIA empty.

Can I Travel Locally For Holidays?

No, you cannot. Under the CMO, the public is prohibited from traveling anywhere including holidays around the country. You are advised not to proceed with your holiday or 'Balik Kampung'.

The Malaysian Police has issued a live telecast of this on the 17th March restricting locals from moving interstate for 'Balik Kampung' or any other kinds of trips or holidays.

The police issued a special travel form available at local police stations nationwide and if anyone needed to travel, they are required to fill in this form to be approved.

A closure notice from Sabah Parks.

Are Tourism Events in Malaysia Canceled?

All tourism events and related events are immediately canceled nationwide as of the announcement made on 16th March 2020.

This means that any tourism event in any part of Malaysia has been canceled or postponed to an indefinite date.

Can Tourist Still Visit Malaysia During The Lockdown?

No, tourists and visitors are not permitted to enter Malaysia from the 18th till the 31st of March and this is a directive by the Malaysian Federal Government.

There is an exception for diplomats, permanent residents, and expatriates in essential services with a 14-day quarantine period on a case-by-case basis.

In the event the situation gets out of hand, the Prime Minister has mentioned in his speech that the government can and will extend the CMO for another two weeks.

This means that the CMO will move into the first 2 weeks of April 2020. I suggest that anyone planning to visit Malaysia should monitor the situation before making any future plans.

A lonely tourist is seen walking the streets.

What About Tourists Who Are Still In Malaysia?

Currently, all tourist attractions are closed, and for tourists who are still in Malaysia, you are not forced to leave.

However, you must respect the CMO and stay in your hotel or accommodation until you depart or leave Malaysia.

This will, of course, be an inconvenience and a bad experience, but it is being done for the good of everyone.

Visit Malaysia 2020 Arrivals Target

Before I conclude, the Ministry of Tourism Malaysia had early in March announced that the target number of 30 million visitors will remain, even during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Honestly, coming from a tourism background, I do not see this happening, and it would be wise for Tourism Malaysia to change that number by at least half.

Update 19th March: The Visit Malaysia Year 2020 has been officially canceled by the new Tourism Minister as of today.

A message from Sunway Lagoon, one of Malaysia's largest theme and water park.

Conclusion

If you have been planning to visit Malaysia in March 2020, it is very unfortunate that the government has imposed a restriction movement order and is on partial lockdown.

I know for a fact that there are several travelers who are taking advantage of various discounted airline tickets and packages being offered during this pandemic.

Most likely your flight has been canceled otherwise, if you do manage to get a flight into Malaysia, you will be denied entry into the country. You may want to rearrange your plans to visit Malaysia.

I will do my best to update the information for the Tourism lockdown in Malaysia on a daily basis since I am too on lockdown.

Meanwhile, be safe, avoid crowded places, don't keep touching your face and remember to wash your hands always.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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AirAsia Starts Flights to Okinawa

byMalaysia Asia
-October 30, 2019

Japan fans will be thrilled to know that AirAsia is starting flights to Okinawa in Japan, making the tropical island in the south of Japan the sixth Japanese destination for the airline.

The news of the Okinawa flights with AirAsia was announced on the 30th of November 2019. The four times weekly flights will commence on the 22nd of January 2020 via Taipei, Taiwan, and land at Naha Airport, which is only 4 kilometres from Naha City.

AirAsia Flights to Okinawa

One of the beautiful scenes at Okinawa.

Okinawa has always been one of the desired holiday destinations for many Malaysians and also Southeast Asians over the years.

With AirAsia opening up this direct route, many will have the opportunity to explore this beautiful Japanese tropical paradise, a dream come true.

Four times weekly flight schedule to Okinawa via Taipei provides travellers with options on travel dates that make it easier to plan.

However, the scheduled flight only commenced on the 22nd of January 2020, but flight bookings can be made from the airlines' website.

Apart from Okinawa, AirAsia also flies to five other Japanese cities: Narita and Haneda in Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Fukuoka, and Nagoya (via Bangkok).

For the official press release of this flight, AirAsia Malaysia CEO Benyamin Ismail had this to say;

“Our rapid expansion into Japan continues following the launch of services to Fukuoka and Tokyo Narita earlier this year.

Okinawa is an island paradise that offers a different Japanese experience for leisure travellers, including white sandy beaches with clear blue waters, some of the world’s most famous diving spots and unique Ryukyuan cuisine.

“Like Fukuoka, we are building the foundation for more AirAsia flights to serve Okinawa in the near future, strengthening our regional network and allowing more travellers to discover the unique cultural heritage of this amazing destination.”
Update: 22 Jan 2020 - AirAsia Flight Lands in Okinawa

The VIP delegates arrive in Okinawa on 22 Jan 2020.

Just to add that the inaugural AirAsia flight D7 384 landed at Naha Airport on the 22nd of January 2020, marking the airline’s maiden flight to Okinawa, Japan.

This also marks the beginning of a unique low-cost passageway connecting Okinawa with East and Southeast Asia by providing over 150,000 visitor seats annually with AirAsia.

Onboard the Okinawa maiden flight was;

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia YB Tuan Muhammad Bakhtiar bin Wan Chik
AirAsia X Chairman Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz
AirAsia X Board of Director Dato’ Fam Lee Ee
AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail

The VIPs who were onboard the inaugural flight were greeted by Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki at Naha Airport on arrival at Naha International Airport.

Price of AirAsia Flights to Okinawa

BIG Members can purchase fares from Kuala Lumpur to Okinawa Naha starting from RM239 one-way on standard seats and RM899 one-way on the award-winning Premium Flatbeds.

This promotion starts on 31 October 2019 at 12:00 pm (GMT+8) and until 2 November 2019 for travel between 22 January 2020 and 27 March 2020.

For more booking information, please visit the AirAsia website.

One of the beautiful beaches on Okinawa Island.

Transit at Taipei International Airport

The good news is that travellers from Kuala Lumpur to Okinawa are not required to obtain a Taiwan visa during their one-hour, fifteen-minute stopover in Taipei.

After the transit, they may return to their seats after clearing a quick security check of their carry-on bags and inflight belongings.

This also means you are not allowed to exit the Taipei airport but remain only in the transit area.

However, those creative travellers who want to kill two birds with one stone can do so by booking your Taipei trip and then your Okinawa connecting flight the following day or days later.

The AirAsia flight schedule to Okinawa.

How Long Does It Take To Fly From Kuala Lumpur to Okinawa?

This is a common question by most travellers, and the answer is 8.5 hours. This, of course, includes your transit time in Taipei for about one hour.

You must factor in around 12 hours of travel, transit and flight time. Meaning from the time you travel from home to the airport, you need at least two hours before check-in.

The flight is 7.35 am in the morning, meaning you must be at KLIA2 at about 5.30 am. Travelling to KLIA2 requires around one hour, so you must leave your home at 4.30 am or 4.00 am to be safe.

Getting up from bed, preparing, final checking and waiting for your ride-hailing or taxi means you must be up at about 2.00 am or 3.00 am.

You will undoubtedly end up taking a nice morning nap along the journey to Taipei.

This is also best done after your in-flight breakfast on AirAsia, so add that Santai meal when you book your flight tickets.

Map showing where Okinawa Island is located at

Where is Okinawa?

Okinawa Island is one of Japan’s 47 prefectures comprising 160 islands in the East China Sea. It is also located quite close to Taiwan.

Before AirAsia flew to Okinawa, the only other way to get here was via Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, and a few Japanese cities.

There were no direct flights from Malaysia, and many had to take connecting flights to get to Okinawa. There are even some local travel agents that sell special charter flights to Okinawa.

Okinawa has long been a popular holiday destination for the Japanese. At the same time, its subtropical climate reminds many travellers of Hawaii, complete with coral-fringed waters and a very relaxed way of life.

Conclusion

Many thought that this flight route would never materialize, and surprisingly, even for me, the news came out just before the end of 2019.

This simply means that many Malaysians and Southeast Asians can now start making plans to visit one of the most beautiful islands that Japan has to offer.

With the news that AirAsia is starting flights to Okinawa, many will likely plan to book their dream tropical vacation on this beautiful Japanese island.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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HomeMalaysia

Silabur Cave in Sarawak

byMalaysia Asia
-January 11, 2019

Have you heard about the Jade Caves of Sarawak? Yes, a cave that looks like it is made from jade, which is called the Silabur Cave in Serian, Sarawak.

This beautiful cave has been around for a very long time, and mostly visited by researchers, but in 2016, the cave became more popular among the locals, mainly due to the beautiful jade texture of the cave walls.

Silabur Cave in Sarawak

This beautiful cave is found in the district of Serian, which is about 90 minutes drive from the city of Kuching in Sarawak.

Currently, as I write this article, there are only one or two tour companies that bring you here, and you can also request from some of the adventure travel agents in Kuching for trips to Silabur Cave.

Overall, a trip here would take you half a day to a full day, and to explore the cave area, it will take you roughly around four to five hours.

The entrance of the cave is about one hour trek up the hill and located in the middle of Mount Silabur. Be prepared for a medium level hike up here.

From the entrance of the cave, it will take you another 15 minutes before you reach the main cave chamber, which is called Labak Tirason.

One of the photographers poses inside the cave. Photo by Paul Sarawak

What are Silabur Caves?

Silabur Cave is a limestone cave that is located inside of Mount Silabur and offers vertical cliffs. From the village, it is a one hour trek to the foot of the mountain.

From the foot of the mountain, you then need to trek up halfway which is roughly another hour before you reach the entrance of the cave at the mid of the mountain.

These caves have been long harvested for the prized bird's nest from the local swiftlets. A local association operates and manages the caves here, where bird next harvesting takes place a couple of times a year.

Most of the harvested Silabur bird nest is processed and exported to China, and very little is sold to the locals.

Inside the beautiful cave at Mount Silabur

What to do in Silabur Caves?

A cave is always a cave, and there are very limited things one can do here. In most cases, those who are into caving or cave exploration will find this place quite fascinating.

Probably due to the overall jade colouring inside the cave, it gives a beautiful colour tone versus the general dark grey colours.

Some people have actually gone into the cave to do some photography and then shared the images on social platforms, which has now created interest among the locals around Kuching and also Sarawak.

The top of Mount Silabur is a peak called Sky-Park which is about 400 meters, where most visitors will also trek or climb up to this peak. The view is not too bad at Sky-Park and is recommended for outdoor lovers.

Nearby, there is another underwater cave called Siturib Cave, where clear cave waters are waist or chest high. You need local guides for both of these places. Read at the end for more info.

Overall, I will list down several things that you can so at Silabur Caves as below;

Trekking and hiking up to the Silabur cave
Spot birds nest inside the cave
Photography shoot, Instagram and Facebook shoot
Trek up to the peak of Mount Silabur called Sky-Park
Explore the Siturib Underwater Cave here
Simply visiting to tick this place off your cave bucket list

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alena Murang (@alenamurang) on Jan 4, 2019 at 5:48pm PST

Alena Murang Singing At Silabur Caves

A famous Sarawakian female sape artist called Alena Murang has also created a short video of herself singing inside the Silabur Caves, which has been viewed over 1,400 times.

Alena Murang is part Kelabit and is one of the up and coming Sarawakian sape musicians that has created an interest among today's music lifestyle.

She has performed all over the world, and her video in the Silabur cave has also created a lot of interest from the locals about the location.

A group of cavers climbing the wooden stairs inside the cave

Silabur Cave Legend

Along with many other caves in Sarawak, there are always folk legends connected to these places, and some of them are pretty interesting to know.

In Silabur Cave, the legend revolves around the Bidayuh people, the harvest festival and the culture, and you can read below;

The Gua Silabur Legend

A long time ago, the local Bidayuh people here celebrated the harvest festival once every year. On one harvest festive celebration night, there was an old man who lived in the village. The old man has one grandchild who stays together with him. For the kids parents are nowhere to be found after they went out for food, some say they were killed by the head hunters, and some say they were eaten by animals.

On that festive celebration night, the old man was eating Kasam Ikan (a local delicacy where they marinade the raw fish with rice and salt, put it in a tight jar, leave it in a dark corner for a month or so and eat it), but one of the village people mixed the fish with the rubber tree fruits to play a joke with the old man. The old man eventually ate the rubber fruits, and got laughed by the village people. And the old man then called his dog, and he tied a bell on the leg of the dog, and asked the dog to bark at the village people.

The dog starts chasing after them, and due to the bell, the old man will know the where his dog is from the sound. But all of a sudden the sound of the bell is gone, complete silence. The old man keeps on calling the dog to come back, but it never returned.

The old man cried, and while was crying, it started to rain, and a weird thing happened where it rained rocks instead of water drops. The rain became heavier, and soon when they knew it, the rocks had then formed the mountain, and also the cave.

Photos of Silabur Cave

Below are some beautiful photos of Silabur Caves, taken by Paul Sarawak and his group, when they visited in August of 2017. The photography skills of this team are awesome, and you can see from the photos why.

Have a look at them, and tell me you do not want to visit these caves? If you plan to do so, read the end of the article where details on how to go there and so on are shared.

Light falls through the cave ceiling onto the floor. Photo by Paul Sarawak

Photo of the cave mouth. Photo by Paul Sarawak

Interesting cave formations inside. Photo by Paul Sarawak

A cave sits for some cave photography. Photo by Paul Sarawak

The beautiful combination of cave flora and lights. Photo by Paul Sarawak

A cave pose by the Jade Cave. Photo by Paul Sarawak

The light shines through openings in the cave ceiling. Photo Paul Sarawak

All photos are from the Paul Sarawak and team Facebook Page unless stated under the photos.

Where are Silabur Caves?

Gua Silabur is located just out of Kuching City, in the district of Serian, and is located near the town of Tebakang.

It is about 90 kilometres from Kuching, but because of the small roads to get here, it will take you around two hours drive one way.

The caves are also located close to the Kalimantan border, which is only about five kilometres distance. This part of Kalimantan Indonesia is known as the Sanggau Regency of West Kalimantan.

The closest Malaysia-Indonesia checkpoint to Silabur Cave is the Tebedu Immigration Complex, which is also a popular place for both countries.

At the entrance of the Siturib Cave, which is a water cave. Photo from Silabur Facebook Page

Siturib Cave or Gua Siturib

For those into some serious adventure caving, there is also another cave in the area which is called Siturib Cave or Gua Siturib.

This is a water cave, where you need the local guides to bring you in the waist or even chest-deep waters. Anyone going into the Siturib Cave will guarantee to get wet, so come prepared for this.

You should also arrange this with your cave guide, who will be the locals from the village area. They know the caves by the back of their hands, which is vital to anyone entering this water cave.

Aerial view of Sky-Park on top of Mount Silabur. Photo from Silabur Facebook Page

Sky-Park, Peak of Mount Silabur

This is the top of the mountain, where many visitors will also trek or climb up since they are here. A trek up to Sky-Park will take you about three hours, and is a medium level trekking.

For those interested in doing this, you must engage the local Silabur guides, as they know the place inside out.

The thrill about the trek up Mount Silabur is enjoying the amazing view of the area from the peak here. Usually, it would be better to start with the trek up, and then visit the caves.

However, you can ask your local guides about this, and which is easier done. If you plan to do both trekking and caving, then you will require a full day here.

How to go to Silabur Caves?

If you are in Kuching, you can ask some of the travel agents in town, as they would know who organize trips to Silabur Caves.

For those who plan to explore by themselves, you can easily drive to Silabur Cave on your own, with your friends. Please do not go by yourself, as visiting caves is best done in a small group.

The best way to go to Silabur Cave for travellers is to rent a car and self-drive there. There are directions on Google Maps which make your drive here easy.

Once you reach here, you can contact the local Silabur Cave Association to make arrangements. The contact is below in a photo.

Driving directions to Silabur Cave from Google Maps

Driving Directions to Silabur Cave or Gua Silabur

First, you need to head to Serian town from Kuching, which is about 90 minutes drive with mild traffic. I would recommend using Google Maps or Waze to do this.

After you reach Serian, head to Tebakang town, which is another 15-minute drive. From the main Jalan Serian-Tebedu, you need to turn off at Kampung Tebakang.

Here, there are two villages, known as Kampung Tebakang Dayak, and Kampung Tebakang Melayu, which are located one after the other.

Once you enter this village, you need to drive about 20 minutes until you reach Lampung Lobang Batu, and then look out for SK Lobang Batu, then look for a sign that turns right into the Gua Silabur or Silabur Cave.

After you turn into that road, head towards Kampung Batu Lin and Batu Mawang, which is about 1.5 km inside. Batu Lin is also a Bidayuh village, and signboards are showing the village name.

Do ask for directions if you are unsure as the locals are very helpful in this part of Sarawak.

The contact persons for anyone who wants to explore Silabur Caves in Serian

Additional Information For Silabur Caves

There is an entrance fee of RM10.00 per person paid at the foot of Mount Silabur, to the Silabur Association.
The cave is also managed by the local Silabur Birdnest Operator Association.
Local tour guides for the caves are available at RM50.00.
The main office to do your booking is in the village closest to the caves. There is a small office there, and you can ask the locals when you are there.
I would recommend you contact them from the numbers above to make an appointment.

Posing in the light of the caves. Photo by Paul Sarawak

Conclusion

If you have a thing for caves and is visiting Kuching in Sarawak, I would make the Silabur cave a place to explore and visit, as it is not too far from Kuching City.

You will most likely do a morning trip here and be back in Kuching after lunch, hence it is less than half a day to spend.

However, if you are heading here for some photography, make sure you come prepared, and just like any other cave in Sarawak, one should always be cautious when walking in the caves.

Take a look at some of the other caves in Sarawak and Sabah, which I wrote about many years ago if you are interested in visiting the others.

I write this article about the Silabur Caves in Serian, based on the Visit Sarawak Campaign, which is in 2019, and the objective is to promote the other places of Sarawak, with a tagline of Sarawak More To Discover.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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HomeBird Watching Events

Borneo Bird Festival 2019 Trip Report

byMalaysia Asia
-December 11, 2019

Another year of a successful Borneo Bird Festival and for 2019, the event saw an increase in the number of people attending to slightly over 4,000 visitors in just two days.

Known as the most promising nature and birding festival in Malaysia, the Borneo Bird Festival has come a long way from its inaugural event back in 2007.

And since attending the event every year, I have come up with a trip report which includes personal observations and general information.

Trip Report for the Borneo Bird Festival 2019

For those who may not know, the bird festival is the largest nature and birding event held in Sabah and also in entire Malaysia.

The festival is also the brainchild of Cede Prudente, who worked with the Sabah Tourism Board in bringing this event to the city of Sandakan.

The official launching of the Borneo Bird Festival 2019 at the RDC in Sandakan, Sabah

Organized by the Sandakan Borneo Bird Club, the event gets physical support from local Sabahan birders and naturalists who in turn, act as marshalls and guides.

For this year's event, it was held at the Rainforest Discovery Center in Sepilok from the 26 to 27 of October and over a beautiful weekend.

Every year, the organizers will do their very best to include a wide selection of fun, games, contests, activities and of course food and drink vendors.

This year saw some of the regular food vendors take place in the event area, and also for the first time, four food trucks in the car park area.

Before you continue, you should also know that to date, there has been a record of 688 resident and migratory birds in all of Borneo and out of that, 60 birds are endemic on the third largest island in the world.

Where is the Borneo Bird Festival held?

The entrance to the Rainforest Discovery Center

Over the last decade, the Borneo Bird Festival's home ground is at the Rainforest Discovery Center or RDC, which is located in Sepilok, Sandakan.

Due to the public interest and creating a state-wide awareness for bird watching and conservation, the even was taken to various destinations around Sabah.

The festival has been held at iconic locations like;

Kinabalu National Park
Crocker Range
Kota Kinabalu City

However, after much consideration among the tourism board, council and the organizers, it was noted that the festival best takes place at its home ground at the RDC in Sepilok, Sandakan.

This way, it would be easier for those planning to visit the even and they can pre-book their transport and accommodation arrangements way ahead of time.

Who Attends the Borneo Bird Festival?

The crowd at the recent festival at the RDC

Over the years, there have been tens of thousands of visitors to the event bringing an overall total to more than 100,000 people visiting the festival in the last decade.

Locals make up most of the attendees while there is an estimate of 20% of international visitors that visit the festival yearly.

As for the local participants and curious visitors that attend, it is usually those who have some form of interest in nature, flora, and fauna.

One of the many booths at the event

The Borneo Bird Festival has also been actively engaging students in primary and lower secondary schools to participate in various programs created for them.

As Cede once told me, education and knowledge begin with children, and the best way is to get the children involved in nature programs like this.

Main Events At The Borneo Bird Festival

With a multitude of events that take place during the festival, there is, of course, the main highlights which are the bird race, bird photo race, and the year-long bird photography contest.

Bird Race  - A team event open to everyone and limited to three persons per team.
Bird Photo Race - An open event to individuals.
Bird Photography Contest - Open to everyone months before the event.

Winners for the Bird Related Events

Below is a list of the winners for each of the birding categories in a photo format and who the sponsors are with the prizes they got;

Sabah Bird Race team and students winners list

Sabah Bird Race photography contest and race winners list

Other Events at the Festival

While the above are the main highlight for the event, there are many other smaller events or even fringe events that take place during the event.

A decent portion of events is also targeted towards younger children, school children and also teenagers. These events are created to coincide with all things birds and nature.

A participant at the colouring contest

Some of the other events and contest include;

Colouring contest
Bird Mimic Contest
Artistic Make Up Competition
Beyblade Competition
Drawing competition
Tattoo Art for Kids
Tree Climbing
K-Pop Random Play Dance
Caricature Artists
Cake Decorating Competition

Talks on Conservation and Bird Watching at the Festival

Henry Goh from BirdLife giving a talk during the event

One of the interesting segments that attract many people are the various talks conducted throughout the event.

Every year, various NGOs, birding professionals, conservationists, camera brands, and other related genres are invited to give short talks.

This task is something challenging as the objective is to provide a wider understanding of wildlife and conservation among the visitors.

The majestic canopy walkway at the RDC

But by making it too academic, the organizers have found that not many people would turn up for the talk sessions, hence they explored a mixture of hobbist and also related brands to balance the talks.

This year's talks included various people from;

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre
Borneo Refugia Adventure
Alexander John, Birdlife International
1Stop Borneo Wildlife
Nature Society of Singapore
Wild Tour Vietnam
Dongshi Forest District Taiwan
Raptor Research Group Taiwan

For more information on the event, please visit Borneo Bird Festival as they have the program and other vital information available.

A Successful Event Despite Certain Promises

The assistant tourism minister for Sabah tries out a pair of binoculars

With the 11th year of running the festival, the president of the event had stressed out to the ministry and other non-governmental bodies about assisting in additional funding for this.

Apparently, year-on-year, many promises have been made by various sectors, and always, the agreed sponsorships would be trimmed down or cancelled on the eleventh hour.

A lot of companies or NGOs also show keen interest but in the end, they do not materialize due to budget cuts and so on.

While the event does need proper funding to proceed, a delay in the handling of the funds by sponsors always leaves the event to be only confirmed a couple of months before the date.

This has affected many especially in terms of booking flights and hotel rooms as the closer it gets to the event date, things start to get expensive or sold out.

One way to resolve this issue is for sponsors and other relevant bodies to confirm the event early in the year so that the organizers can lock down the dates and start marketing the event earlier.

My Humble Opinion On the Bird Festival

Sun shining through the rainforest canopy here

After continuously visiting the Borneo Bird Festival every year, I have seen this grow from a few hundred people to thousands of visitors.

To be very honest, I have to give it to Cede and Carol Prudente for undertaking such an ambitious task in making this happen yearly.

While some may have reserved comments on this, I have personally seen how difficult it can be to manage and operate such an event on a nationwide scale.

As the bird festival tends to attract international participants and also visitors, it is strange that the government, council or other related NGOs do not see this as a potential tourist attraction.

Bird festivals in other countries have grown tremendously over the last five years, but over here in Sabah, it still looks like nothing has changed.

Official mascots for the bird festival

This is purely due to the lack of funding from the council, tourism ministry and other related entities from around Sandakan or even Sabah.

I mean, for the first few years, I can totally understand as people want to see success and growth in the event. But after five years, there should already be a solid track record.

The bird festival could have grown to a world-class level, provided that the ministry, sponsors and other related bodies see the potential.

And by achieving this, an allocation of extra funding would not run the state bankrupt, but it would allow the organizers to actually spend more in terms of marketing and advertising the event.

A father lets his son see through a digiscope

Proper funding would also see that the event dates be fixed, and for some strange reason, I prefer if the event had a locked date instead of always waiting for the minister's confirmation to attend and have dates moved to suit this old-style move.

Yes, back in the old days, the ministry provided funding, hence you should launch the event on a date that the minister or assistant can attend. This kind of concept should be phased out.

People want to attend an event for the experience and fun, not to see who the VIP giving a speech is. A very old style of event organization if you ask me.

I mean, if the minister wants to come, fine and by all means, but people should not make this into a political event and just focus the event on the public sector.

During the prize-giving ceremony

All Talk But No Action

Every year, I have heard ministers, assistant ministers, councilmen, and councilwomen go on stage to give their speech at the bird festival.

But what irks me is the fact that there is a lot of talks, but no follow through the next year. Or somehow, the budgets have been cut and so on.

I hear them read out how birdwatching can be a top tourism earner, how many people visited here and there, how we can improve on this to bring in more visitors and so on.

It has always been just talking, but the following year, the same revised speech is repeated again. Nothing changed in the last five or six years. So, what is the purpose of having the minister there?

To be honest, it would be better if they just had a casual opening instead of empty promises that need to be reviewed again the following year.

Bird watching in Sabah is currently the number one earner for entire Malaysia, but this is mostly thanks to the self-initiative of the bird guides and bird tour companies.

If the tourism board or ministry would actually consider looking into this genre as a high-yield tourism earner, this would be a game-changer for the birding industry in Sabah.

The birding destinations are all developed and ready to receive visitors, but the lack of promotions on this has hampered further actions to make it a success.

One of the interesting booths featuring Sabah handicrafts during the bird festival

When we talk about destinations, there are numerous places like Danum Valley, Tabin, Maliau Basin, Kinabalu Park, Tawau Hills, Kinabatangan, Damarakot and of course here in Sepilok-Kabali.

All the destinations above are more than ready to handle birding and wildlife watching, and even a majority of the guides are well-trained for both genres.

Right now the ministry does do some sort of promotions, but I have a feeling that the focus is on the tourism numbers and Chinese visitors versus the high-yield spenders.

If the ministry can spend millions on other slow-to-develop tourism products, why can't they for once, allocate a large sum of funding to give wildlife and bird watching to actually develop a free and natural product instead of some other man-made products.

If executed properly, this would bring Sabah to another level of tourism highlighting the wildlife and bird watching area to the world. After all, it could be a test module for just a couple of years.

Personally, I see this as a potential investment for the ministry to embark on and trust me, I do not see a problem as the local destinations are all ready for this.

I do really hope that someone in the ministry will read this and consider focusing on bird watching and wildlife experiences as one of the main attractions to promote.

2020 is Visit Malaysia Year and every time we execute this, the same old tourism products are being promoted. Why not introduce something special, and to a growing international market worldwide?

A massive group photo at the end of the event

Conclusion

The event was indeed a success with a large number of people turning up for the Borneo Bird Festival in Sandakan, Sabah.

It simply goes to show that there is a market for these kinds of specialized events, and it would gain world recognition if there were more funds allocated to market this event.

It is not your regular localized event, but more of an educational and yet touristic-related event that highlights nature, wildlife and bird watching.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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HomeEvents

Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival 2022

byMalaysia Asia
-August 07, 2022

The Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival 2022 is back again this September and will be held at the Viva Shopping Mall in KL city.For photographers, KLPF is the biggest and largest photography exhibition and festival in the country, which attract all kinds of photographers and visitors alike.Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival 2022The last Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival 2021 was held on a last-minute arrangement after the Malaysian government decided to open the borders and loosen the SOPs for the Civid19 pandemic.Because of this arrangement, the organisers decided to go ahead but make it a hybrid format event where it was live-streamed on their official Facebook channel.During the event, they also had various talk sessions with renowned photographers and industry players via Zoom.For KLPF2021, a similar concept will also be done, and a little more focus will be put on the actual event at Viva Shopping Mall.Exhibition booths for photographers.Who is Participating in KLPF 2022?While many assume this is just a photographer's gathering, you will be surprised to see who participates in the event.We will see tourism boards, NGOs, camera shops, and camera and photography brands participating. Several photographic societies and clubs are also on the list.And there are even some overseas companies that also take part in promoting various photography-related tourism activities. Some schools also take part as exhibitors.Smartphone brands are also no strangers to the event, as over the years, notable brands have made their presence at KLPF.What KLPF 2021 looked like just after the borders opened.When is KLPF 2022?This year, KLPF 2022 will take place from 23-25 September 2022. It will be from Friday, Saturday and Sunday and at the main centre court area of the mall.Where is Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival?The KLPF event will occur in Kuala Lumpur and at Viva Shopping Mall, Jalan Cheras. This has been the official venue for the last few years since it was held at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre.How to go to Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival?No train stations are located around Viva Shopping Mall; therefore, those taking public transport may have to take a taxi or ride-hailing service to get there. Just use Viva Shopping Mall. Those driving use Waze or Google Maps and head to Viva Shopping Mall.Viva Shopping Mall AddressLG, 85, Jln Loke Yew,Taman Miharja, 55200 Kuala Lumpur,Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala LumpurFor more information, please visit the KLPF website as they have everything you need to know, including the layout plan, vendors and participants and also the program for the weekend.Visitors viewing some photography at KLPF 2021.ConclusionThis year, the Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival 2022 will also be a hybrid format where the event will be live-streamed via Facebook. This is done for those who cannot attend and those who are out of Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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HomeGalaxy Z Flip

Galaxy Z Flip3 5G Review in Malaysia

byMalaysia Asia
-September 26, 2021

After years of using a conventional smartphone, I have recently converted to a flip or folding phone in September 2021 and here is my honest Galaxy Z Flip3 5G review.Since July of 2007, I had already been using a smartphone when the original Apple iPhone 1 was launched in the USA, and I had my unit shipped to me one day after the launch.To be honest, the technological advancements of smartphones in the last 14 years have really changed so much, and only those who started from day one will fully understand this.Galaxy Z Flip3 5G Review MalaysiaThe Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone.From the humble iPhone 1 beginnings in 2007, I eventually moved to the Samsung Galaxy Note 1 in 2011 due to many positive reasons, namely the Android operating system (OS).And since moving over to Samsung, I have never looked back or regretted the change as I found more positive factors that made my experience even better.Over the years, the conventional one-face smartphone was the staple for everyone until the idea of a folding phone came around in 2019. First edition models made headlines, but the technology was still lacking.There was a mixed feeling among consumers, and of course, the mainstream media, critics and blogs took the opportunity to hammer these folding devices.But now, after two additional years of intense research, Samsung has come out as the leader in folding phones with some very impressive improvements.The Flip3 5G folding phone was reviewed outdoors.So, it has been a week since I started using the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G phone, and to my surprise, so much has been improved from my initial review of the first Galaxy Z Flip I did in May 2020.I have to be honest and say that I'm still testing the flip phone out because I need to use it longer than just a few days to give it a full and proper review.Therefore, this is an overall quick review of the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G, while in the coming weeks, I will have more detailed reviews of the flip phone.Remember, I am a consumer-user of the folding phone and not one of those tech blogs or websites that do all these super technical reviews. I mean, which ordinary layman understands all this tech jargon?The most important number you should be concerned about is the processor, ram and storage, where both variations of the Z Flip3 come with the Snapdragon 888 chip, 128GB or 256GB storage, and 8GB of RAM.Z Flip3 CameraI've been a considerable smartphone photography person from the early days; therefore, the camera is probably one of the most important things for me in any smartphone.One of the functions I am currently addicted to is the ultra-wide camera system on the phone, making my landscape photography more enjoyable.And the Z Flip3 is the only flagship unit that comes with a unique two-camera setup. This includes a primary wide-angle 12MP at f/1.8 and a 12MP ultra-wide at f/2.2.In layman terms, these are some of the highest standards in photography, so you get amazing photos without trying too hard.This photo was taken at the Perdana Botanical Gardens using the standard mode on the Z Flip3 5G.What I Like About the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G?I've always been used to the one-piece conventional smartphone design as it has grown on all of us over the last decade. And changing to the Galaxy Z Flip3 is something that needs getting used to.I will list down what I like below and just summarize it for easy reading.The Size - After folding the Z Flip3, it measures a fabulous 8.5cm x 7.5cm with a thickness of just 2cm. This is quite amazing as it fits into any standard pocket, bag or pouch.The Water Resistance - Wow, and I mean wow! How Samsung has managed to make this folding phone water resistance is totally mind-boggling. The new IPX8 rating means that this flip phone can be submerged in 1.5 metres of water for a whopping 15 minutes! Now, this takes folding phones to another whole new level.The Price - While the inaugural model in 2019 shocked many people with a relatively high price, Samsung surprised everyone when they dropped the cost of the Z Flip3 to RM3,999. Not only that, if you buy the Z Flip3 5G from Samsung, you will get additional discounts and promotions.What I Dislike About the Galaxy Z Flip3 5G?Folding Screen Crease - To be honest, there is still a slight crease in the folding part of the screen, but it's not as apparent as the earlier model. So, this is still here to stay until they find a solution, which I think is not a significant issue.Camera Area Heating Up - If you decide to be a sports or fashion photographer, this is not the camera you want to use, as continuous shooting will heat up the camera lens area. So, the camera is made for casual lifestyle photography.Battery Life - This is probably one of the irks for many smartphone users as everyone wants to have the longest battery life. However, it also depends on how you use the phone.If you are someone who is constantly online, multi-tasking with social media, websites, youtube and playing games, you probably need a large power bank on standby.But if you are a minimalist or casual user, the battery life will suit your daily lifestyle for almost an entire day, depending on the usage.Being Honest About My ReviewsAfter years of reviewing smartphones, I have found that many try very hard to over-review smartphones and avoid any negative or bad comments and suggestions.To me, I have always been both positive and negative to give a well-balanced review. This again is to show that I am not just doing it for the sake of doing it like many out there.The unique Galaxy Z Flip3 5G.More Detailed InformationFor even more detailed information, specifications, videos and offers, please visit the Samsung Malaysia website.You can also visit any Samsung outlets around your town or city to see the actual model on display. There, you can also test out the folding phone and ask the staff questions.ConclusionAs mentioned earlier in this article, I am an everyday user of this smartphone and not a gadget techie who talks numbers and tech jargon in their reviews.My aim is to provide a simple and easy to understand review for anyone who wants to know more about this folding smartphone.I hope you found my Galaxy Z Flip3 5G review in Malaysia entertaining, and if you have any questions, please do ask me here, and I will do my best to answer them for you.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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HomeGadget Review

Galaxy S22 Ultra Rumours Malaysia

byMalaysia Asia
-November 07, 2021

Right now, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra rumours are getting more interesting, especially with the news that this flagship unit from Samsung will be released in the next couple of months.In Malaysia, not many people are excited, unlike in the western countries where every other tech and gadget website has already been speculating and writing about this since mid-2021.While most Malaysians and Asians are not overly excited, I, for a fact, a genuine Samsung Galaxy user since the Note 1 days, am pretty curious about the upcoming S22 Ultra. Namely the camera functions and what has been improved since the S10 Plus.Galaxy S22 Ultra Rumours in MalaysiaA render of the Galaxy S22 Ultra in a lovely red colour from a YouTube screengrab.With so many different rumours of the S22 going around, I always keep an open mind and just wait for the official announcement from Samsung. I mean, what's the point of speculating? What will you get out of it?Over the last five years, since the internet became more social, many people have seen the opportunity to jump on the bandwagon and get people to visit their websites or blogs by doing speculations like these.Now, you must also be wondering why I am writing about this? Well, truth be told, I used to wait until I obtained the actual unit before writing a review on smartphones in Malaysia.And over the years, the landscape has changed pretty much where everyone wants to be the first to review, and it came to a point where people started extracting info from other pre-review sited and re-write it on their own.For me, I've been reviewing smartphones since the early days of 2010 when almost no one was doing it. Suddenly, every other person or website seems to be the pros of reviews. Well, I'm just sticking true to what I do, and I actually use the smartphones by actual testing them on the field.I don't like to get a review unit, use it for a couple of weeks, and then write a review. I find that that is not the right way of doing a review.Right now, I am still an avid fan of the Galaxy S10 Plus, and you can read my S10 Plus camera review, which I took around Malaysia for my photography.That is how reviews should be, with actual proper usage, testing in different conditions, locations, and situations.Recently in November 2021, I took a quick trip to Sekinchan in Selangor for a Galaxy Z Flip3 5G review with some serious photography there.And one of my new subjects in photography is flora and fauna macro; therefore, I have been putting a lot of interest in this area, namely for my dragonfly photography in Malaysia.What am I expecting for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra? As an avid Galaxy user, I am pretty stoked about the rumoured minor improvements done to the camera system and cannot wait to try that out. The rumoured camera specifications are also giving me goosebumps.Let me just share what I am looking forward to.Camera - The Galaxy S22 Ultra is expected to have a;108MP main camera10MP 10x telephoto camera10MP 3x telephoto camera12MP ultra-wide-angle cameraScreen - It is speculated to feature a 6.8″ AMOLED Quad HD+ with a 120Hz refresh rate.Battery - It looks like a large 5,000mAh battery that supports 45W fast charging via USB-C is what the S22 is getting.The 5-camera system on the Galaxy S22 Ultra.When will the Galaxy S22 Ultra be Launched?According to multiple sources, the Samsung Galaxy S22 series is expected to be announced in mid-February 2022, just before Mobile World Congress 2022.ConclusionMain Photo Credit: GMS Arena.Well, as I patiently wait for the official news from Samsung, I really hope that the S22 will over exceed its so-called rumours and come out as the best flagship smartphone for 2022.For the Samsung fans here, you can also check some of my other smartphone reviews in Malaysia done over the years by me.And while we wait patiently, this is all I know about the Galaxy S22 Ultra rumours circulating on the internet since mid this year.

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Malaysia Asia
Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school.

Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards).

After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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