Enjoy unrivalled views at Sekinchan

Enjoy unrivalled views at Sekinchan

Selangor in Malaysia: Sekinchan is a small coastal town in the northwestern corner of Selangor. Situated in Sabak Bernam district, about 90 km from Kuala Lumpur, the town is packed with attractions. However, the main draw is, of course, its endless vistas of paddy fields that stretch right up to the border of Perak.

Don’t let the size of the town beguile you, because Sekinchan is packed with attractions. The main draw is of course its endless vistas of paddy fields that stretch right up to the border of Perak. The paddy fields here are also popularly featured in blogs and social media posts for its picture-postcard views. Depending on the time of visit, the paddy stalks will be either green in colour (during the time of paddy growth) or brown (at the time of harvest). Either way, the sight of paddy stalks swaying in the wind will leave a lasting impression in your mind.

For those who want to know more about this Asian staple food, the Paddy Gallery will be the best place to start. The Paddy Galley is actually a paddy processing factory and museum. It gives a great insight into various aspects of the grain – such as the different types of rice, uses of rice and processing methods. Rice-lovers will also be happy to know that they can purchase freshly produced rice straight from the factory!

Sekinchan’s new village settlement rose to fame after it was selected as the setting of a Hong Kong TV drama titled ‘Outbound Love’. The town is also popular for its lip-smacking variety of seafood delights and uniquely-styled accommodations, including “bus café”. All the ingredients for a perfect, relaxing day trip!

What to do

Take a selfie against the backdrop of paddy fields

• Enjoy a slow drive along the scenic country route
• Cycle along the fringes of paddy fields and take a closer look at the grain
• Spend some time at the fishing village and get interesting souvenirs such as dried seafood
• Go on a tour of Sekinchan town which has a history that goes back to the communist insurgency
• Visit a paddy processing factory
• Savour fresh local fruits
• Spot migratory birds

Nearby attractions

• Kuala Selangor Fireflies
• Sky Mirror

The Hidden Gem of Terengganu

Redang Island, Malaysia: With turquoise blue waters and abundance of fascinating marine life, Redang is certainly one of the most beautiful islands in Malaysia. Located about 45 kilometres off the coast of Kuala Terengganu, it is the largest of the group of nine islands dotting the South China Sea off the Terengganu coast.

In 1985, waters up to seven nautical miles surrounding the Redang archipelago were gazetted as Marine Park to protect the beautiful marine life and environment there; hence, Redang is abound with magnificent corals and marine life, as well as crystal clear waters and clean white sandy beaches.

The island is a paradise for scuba diving, snorkelling and swimming. Other activities that can be enjoyed there include boating, canoeing and jungle trekking. Every dive site on the island offers something different to see and experience.

Among the famous sites include Terumbu Kili, which has rocky seascape encrusted with both soft and hard corals at about 15 metres, and slopes down to 20 metres at the sandy bottom. Big Mount offers divers a chance to observe macro lifeforms and possible encounters with the whale shark, while Mini Mount has numerous cowries, spider shells and large aggregation of colourful Christmas tree worms carpeting coral blocks. It is also a famous site for night diving.

Tanjung Tokong is another site not to be missed. Large Napolean wrasse, parrotfish, jacks and unicornfish are among the common sights here, besides chromodoris nudibranchs and green staghorn corals. Other popular dive sites include Tunnel Point, Tanjung Cina Terjun and also the Marine Park Centre.

Redang also has two historic shipwrecks, namely the H.M.S. Prince of Wales and the H.M.S Repulse, which were sunk at the beginning of World War II, setting the stage for the Japanese occupation of Malaya.

During the North-East monsoon season, the resorts on the island will be closed for a few months, normally between November and February; hence, the best time to visit Redang is between March and October.