perodua philippines

What can Malaysia do to outstrip Thailand in tourism?

It would be hard to outstrip Thailand as a tourist trap, catering to sex and surf. As far as Singaporeans are concern, they are treating us as their own backyard, so we need to make them come here from twice a year to every other weekends. But I think we need to think how we can pry the money from their grasping hands without too much distruction to our populations sensibility. So what do we really need to cater to good Singaporean tourists? I guess it has to be something ecological. For example, wilderness adventures into the wilds of Johore, things like udang gala fishing, firefly watching, monkey watching, goat, chicken, cow farming and homestays. I mean a step ahead of what is been done, now. Of course we need more kelong for avid seasick prone fishermen, something that used to exist about Sibu Island, ( I remembered the food was good, nice big fish dish, fresh vegetables, etc. Fishing was poor, except for jigging for squid, and big eye shads ) but better more holistically built and run, with proper rod rentals, well versed assistants. Maybe proper off shore fishing party boats, etc. More scuba diving sites. Having said that, the other thing we should encourage are hobby plus homestays. How about, pottery holidays? Something they can indulged over a span of several weeks, for example, making stuff, and drying it, bisque firing and decoration on the second weekend, firing on the 3rd week, and taking the stuff back to Singapore. They also could hand-built their stuff in Singapore and bring it over for woodfiring, etc. I think there is no more gas fired or wood fired kilns in Singapore. How about blade smithing holidays? I mean with such high population density, the banging on knives, and gas forges would drive those weekends blade smiths’ neighbours crazy. How about wood working holidays? Built a chair, a table to take back to Singapore. Glass slumping, glass blowing, etc. I think the other stuff we should encourage is archaeology as a tourist attraction. Particularly non Islamic places, which are been destroyed, examples been the megalithic stones in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Johore. Cave archaeology in several places, places like Pulau Besar in Melaka, the Hindu/Buddhist complex in Kedah. As for the hormone charged individuals, you can't win all, Batam and Bangkok beckon. Also encourage foodie trails? Now having unstrung the highly strung crowds from Singapore, we should disperse our Tourist crowd to our more varied culture, for example in Kuching: Chee Eng Lim I mean there is more to just Sarawak Regatta: or caves: or food. or I dare you, eat. Sabah, to me is nice big Kota Kinabalu, great long road to Kota Marudu, my blade smithy clients at Kota Belud, wild horse races, and horses sleeping by the road side in evening, cows and buffaloes doing it also, fishing at Kuala Abai. Fishing at Tanjung Badak, And off to Kudat to visit my brother’s in-law. Bit of a cowboy town there , nice place, great fishing on chartered boat, because the group leader for the fishing expedition is the town’s electronic repairman, and he had downloaded all the co-ordinates of everyone who had come by to have their GPS service. Oh yes, Gunung Kinabalu, we went half way up the mountain, we didn’t have the time to climb, we visited some farms which could not be out of place from the diary cattle country in Europe. Imagine spring all year round, with pastures and black and white Friesian cows, in a milk advertisements. I also went to Lawas, Sarawak, via Sipitang. Nice coastal road, negotiable using a Proton Iswara, many Perodua Kancils on the road. I think, the type of tourists we want to attract, are the people whose kids are all grown up, and near retirement age, and have accumulated a month of leaves, or have an unusually long holidays session. People who want to relax at a slower place, safe but to them exotic, good food, clean environment, with many English speakers, some Westerners like their Sunday Sermons, and we have mosque that cater for Sunni Muslims. The rest can chill with us. I don’t have the time to go to Sandakan, and my brother discourage me to go there. I also don’t have any client from that part. I am told life is slow, air is clean, a few Sulu pirates from Philippines giving some trouble. Having said a bit, about Sarawak an Sabah, let us return to Peninsula Malaysia. Another day, okay ah? Got to work. Anything you want me to describe, especially from mellowed readers.