Jul 27, 2014

Selayang Hot Spring

It's public holiday, we decided to visit a nearby hot spring since we never visit any before in Malaysia. We googled and found this Selayang Hot Spring which is 15.4km away. approx. 15 mins driving distance. When we arrived, first impression is the hot springs is way more simple (not developed) than we think. All you can see is 3 big wells in an open area (a square); a small size shallow stone pool for public to soak their legs; public toilets for shower (quite run down) and a row of eatery next to carpark (not sure if it is public holiday, none of it open for business). The hot spring is free of charge, if you are driving you need pay RM2 parking fee upon entry. 


The 3 wells in the square is in 3 different size and 3 different degree of heat. 

Well no.1 which located in the middle of the square is the hottest among all. The water need to pour it into buckets to cool off before it can be use for bathing. We are told by the locals that we might get burn if we dip our hand directly into the well. The well is in turquoise colour and the water is crystal clear compare to the other two wells. See video below for the bubbles that rising from the bottom of the well. We can smell sulfur when we get close to the well water. It is believed that the mineral content from the hot spring water helps in some healing process such as skin problems, rashes or muscle aches. 


Well no.2 is the second hottest pool also has a turquoise color with a little bit murky water compare to the well no.1. It is the most popular well among all, local folks are taking bath directly pour the water from this well with buckets to their body. We can tell some of these old folks (uncles) are the regulars here. They come ready with bucket and tubes, soak themselves inside the tube while rubbing their back and legs with a small towel. The pool is under the shades of trees and they seems pretty relax to enjoy the hot water bath here.

Well No.3 water is the least hot among all wells. Also least popular. There is no one use the water from well no.3 at all during our visit. We briefly soak our legs to try out the hot springs water at the pond with stone paver near to Well no.3. It's hot and not shady unlike well no.2. We did not stay long and leave after this.

When we arrived, there is a taxi carry two passengers from Mid-East reach here at the same time. The Mid-East couple seems shock and disappointed when they saw the wells in the square and leave almost immediately without even browsing around those wells. Sincerely hope the Selayang City Hall can beautify or develop this place as it can be another potential tourist spot for Selayang besides Batu Caves (which is not so far away from Selayang Hot Springs). 

How to get there:
Selayang Hot Spring is located on the left hand side of the trunk road as you travel from Jalan Kuching towards Selayang and Rawang direction. This spring is located just before the flyover that leads to Bandar Baru Selayang. Look out for the signage "Kolam Air Panas" and you will find a open car-park when you reach.

Seafood lunch~ Coconut Flower Seafood Restaurant, Teluk Gong, Port Klang

We drove all the way to Port Klang thinking of visit Pulau Ketam but not unsuccessful We were told that it could be too short time for us to visit the island as it's 2.30pm when we at the boat counter wanna purchase boat ticket. As the last boat to return to mainland is 5pm. So we decided not to go today, instead go for seafood in Port Klang. I goggled for Seafood Restaurant in Klang, Coconut flower Seafood Restaurant came out on top search. I just went there for seafood lunch few months ago during a company departmental outing. Decided to go again with him since their seafood is good and price is reasonable too. The road towards the restaurant reminds me of the road to Seafood Restaurants at Teluk Kumbar in Penang. After passing by a few seafood restaurants, we arrived at Coconut flower~ the one has many cars parking in front of the restaurant as well as an Attap long house next to the open space carpark.  





We choose to sit at the open air area at the back. Order fried sotong (squid), a seafood claypot tofu, seafood fried bee-hoon and kam heong crabs. The seafood fried bee-hoon is not the usual fried bee-hoon we always have at seafood restaurant. It's more like a wet fried bee-hoon with fishy smell gravy. It makes us lost our appetite so we end up gave up on the beehoon even it's kind of waste. As for the crabs, we wanted butter crab but they only have kam heong, chili crab or sweet & sour crab. Minimum order weight for crab is half kg. The kam heong crabs taste quite fresh and meaty. Price is not expensive too, only RM36 for the half kg.






Jul 14, 2014

Hainanese Western Chicken Chop~ Coliseum Cafe, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

Searching for local style western food for dinner. Missed our usual place for Hainan Western Food at Mount Erskine back in Penang). And I found this Coliseum Cafe & Grill Room selling Hainanese Western Food. It is house in a heritage building in Jalan TAR since 1921. Such a long history! Since there's no parking along Jalan TAR, we park our car at a paid carpark one street behind Coliseum. It's full house inside! The British Colonial interior makes us feel like we are back to Penang heritage area. We can also tell this place has been operate with a long history as most of the staff here from Kitchen staffs to waiters seems like they has been work here for decades. Yeah, most of them are uncles and aunties speaking in Cantonese accents, sand they should be passed their their retirement age but still very fit and efficient at work.

We order Hainanese Chicken Chop, Baked Crabmeat and Banana and Chocolate Spring Rolls with Vanilla Ice-cream as dessert. The Hainanese chicken chop taste just same as the old school taste that I am looking for. While the Baked Crabmeat is a little small yet fully stuffed with crabmeat inside. It's better to eat by dipping it with mayonnaise sauce as it's a little bit dry just eat the stuffed crabmeat by itself. And our dessert ~ Banana and Chocolate Spring Rolls with Vanilla Ice-cream, love it! We order the right dessert! The spring roll that filled with banana inside and some chocolate sauce on top is still hot while it served. Eat it together with the cold vanilla ice cream, perfectly make my stomach happy!