Sunway Lagoon
What was once a tin mine has now been converted into one of Malaysia’s most exciting theme parks. The Sunway Lagoon is spread over 88 acres and offers nearly 90 attractions, including Asia’s biggest man-made erupting volcano that’s 75 feet tall and one of the largest water rides in the world, called the Vuvuzela, a 152-metre-long waterslide. The park also houses a surf wave pool and an artificial beach. Since a day is not enough to explore, the space also has a number of hotels, as well as restaurants, food courts and shopping malls housed within. Apart from amusement parks such as the extreme park and scream park, Sunway Lagoon boasts of Asia’s first Nickelodeon-themed attraction. Called the Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon, it’s a hit with the kids. There’s also a walk-in zoo that’s home to some interesting species, such as the Pygmy marmoset (the world’s smallest monkey), black panther, white tigers and white lions. For the adrenaline lovers, there is bungee jumping, zip-lining, live interactive ‘scare’ walkways and one of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in South East Asia.
A’Famosa
Spread over 500 acres and located in Melaka State, A’Famosa is a resort with multiple recreation facilities. It also gives you an opportunity to feed the Malayan tiger with just a fenced enclosure in between. A’Famosa is known for its drive-in wildlife park, shows by elephants and exotic birds, a monkey island that can be accessed by a short boat ride and a reptile park. A freeport outlet park, designed like a heritage building, housing some of the best international and local brands, caters to shopaholics. In addition, it’s got a state-of-the-art golf course, club house, banquet and conferencing facilities, condotel, villas and amusement parks, tucked far away from the din and bustle of the city of Kuala Lumpur. Surrounded by oil palm plantations and set in a bucolic location, it’s also ideal to unwind. Old West, a themed section of the resort, offers night-time entertainment like cultural shows, carnivals and fireworks display. The USP of A’Famosa is that it has something for everyone in the family, from kids to adults.
I-City
Get a feel of outer space, get lost in a world of ghosts and shake hands with celebrities at the I-City Leisure Park. Walk into Red Carpet, Malaysia’s home-grown interactive wax museum spread over 30,000 sq ft, housing around 100 wax figures of superheroes, pop and cinema stars and other global personalities, or try the numerous rides at WaterWorld. Take a break from the sultry Malaysian weather at SnoWalk, an artificially-frozen space spread across 50,000 sq ft, where the temperature is -5 degrees Celsius. Let your boots sink into 100 mm of snow on the floor, try making a snow-man or go ice-sliding. Apart from the House of Horror, Trick Art Museum and a magical park to relive childhood memories, the highlight of I-City is the outdoor ‘lightscape’, featuring a range of theme rides located in a patch of orderly grown pine and maple trees that come alive with a million LED lights in the evenings. The mass illuminated scape is a visual delight, to which a mist fountain and dancing waters show add colour and grandeur. The lightscape is the new night tourism destination, as the place is lit till midnight.
(The writer was in Malaysia on invitation from Tourism Malaysia)
