Nuffnang

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

[JB] Kluang Mural Street Art

During our 2D1N stay in Kluang, we decided to stop by and check out the super cool wall murals that is distributed along the small lanes within the street alleys. How did this all started?


Kluang Municipal Council (MPK) president initiated the Kluang Kreatif 1020 programme, an ongoing project which aims to beautify the area and add more attractions to Kluang. Artists involved in the project were mostly from Johor Bahru and Penang, with many paintings surrounding the popular attractions in the city, which includes coffee and train.




The wall murals added vibrancy to the back lanes leading us to secluded stalls and little shops that would have been missed. We were able to stop and take a closer look at the sign boards and amazed how well the murals blended in with the surroundings.


Coffee and Kopitiam scene is definitely one of the trademark that you can find here.


"Kluang" inspired logo wall murals



Along Taman Intan, you will find colourful umbrellas canopies which is a great spot for photography.



I particularly love wall murals depicting Kluang town history, lifestyle and street scenes




No angel wings but bat wings instead. Do you know the name Kluang comes from the Malay word keluang, which means a type of flying fox (also a type of fruit bat). Some believed that Kluang was named after two mountains that resemble the head and wing of a bat from a distance.


No wonder you can find images of bats on the wall murals. 

Some of your favourite cartoon and superheros characters can also be found here.



Soccer fan anyone?


Of course there are many wall murals that tickled our funny bones and let our creativity juices flow. 





We easily spent more than 1 hour taking photos along Kluang Mural Street Art and were impressed by the artworks. This is definitely a spot to include in your itinerary if you are planning to visit Kluang.

For more photos, check out BPDGTravels Facebook Page

Kluang Mural Street Art
Address: Along Jalan Dato Teow Siew Khor, 86000, Kluang, Johor

Thursday, June 15, 2017

[JB] Anika Hotel @ Kluang

With plans to explore Kluang on our minds, the search for suitable hotels took me some time to research before settling on Anika Hotel.

Though the exterior look of Anika Hotel does not look fantastic, the lobby area is welcoming.



Anika Hotel offers Family Suite which has 2 King Bedding at a price of RM238 per night. With our children growing and going into teens, bigger beds and space are important for comfort and allow us enjoy a good night rest.


The other plus point is the ample walking space within the room and connecting room to another Family Suite which is perfect for bigger family clusters.


Not forgetting there is a balcony where you can have a view of Kluang town and catch the sunrise!

View of Kluang town from our room

Parkson and Kluang Mall is not too far away from Anika hotel. 

Catching the sunrise from the balcony.

Shower/Toilet is neat and clean. Bathtub is available in the family suite room. Basic bathroom amenities are available. The only comment is the flushing of the toilet is low and the power of the shower head is not strong.



What I like about Anika Hotel is the designated carpark space for hotel guests. In terms of security, a security guard keeps watch of the entrance and the vehicle at the open carpark.

It was a comfortable stay and I love its strategic location where it is within walking distance to Parkson and a little further ahead to Kluang Mall. The Store is also right beside Anika Hotel which allows us to shop for late night snacks or drinks at our convenience. Will be back again if we are travelling to Kluang again.

Summary Notes:
Room
- Free Wifi
- Air-condition
- Window view - depends on room type
- Flooring - Wooden planks and tiled
- Water Flask - available
- Safety Box - not available
- Hair Dryer - available
- Phone - available
- Mini Fridge - available

Toilet/Shower
- Bath towels are provided
- Combined Toilet and Shower room (Bathtub available in Family Suite Room)
- Water Heater available.
- Disposable toothbrush/toothpaste provided

Parking & Security
- Security (Access to room via key card)
- Security guard on duty round the clock
- Parking lot - reserved for guests

Anika Hotel (Kluang)
Address: No. 1, 3 & 5, Jalan Dato Haji Rauf, 86000 Kluang, Johor
Website: http://www.hotelanika.com.my/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomelyHotelInTheCity/

Want to find out more where you can stay in Johor Bahru?
Check out our blog post collection on

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

[SG] Exploring Singapore @ Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

Following our family walk at Singapore Botanic Gardens, our next stop was Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. This was our first visit after the nature reserve was reopened in 2016. Having undergone two years of restoration and enhancement works, the trails are now safer for the public.


There are a few routes that you can embark on (from easy to difficult level). Check out the map before making your way into the nature reserve. 

A peak into the Battle for Bukit Timah during the Japanese Occupation. 

The starting point of our walk - still very energetic prior to climbing the STEEP slope!

Follow the South View Path for a moderate route. 

Even though it was only a few hundred meters up the slope, my knees nearly gave way and I was drenched in perspiration. A very good work out if we are able to come by often. If we can concur the slope easily, I believe we will be able to take on more walks with ease in the future.


I was pretty exhausted after struggling my way to get to the flat land. The children did way much better than me and I was glad that Denver kept me company along the way. We spotted an interesting log and I applaud the creator who gave it a creative touch, transforming the dull-looking piece of wood to an art that pricked our funny bones.

Our walk continued and we reached the foot of the summit step. Taking the stairs up get you to the top faster. However, with my wobbling knee, we took on the main road instead. A slightly longer walk but it was easier for my feet.

We took about 30 minutes to reach the summit from where we started.


Look who came out to welcome us!

Time for FUN shots! Objective - to leap above the summit stone. (PS: I was excused since I am the photographer ^_^)

"Don't leap for the landing. Leap for the experience through the air."


Which one is your favourite leap shot?

On our way down, we found this very interesting red petal on the ground with black seeds within. Could not clearly identify its name despite trying to google for it. The closest match I could find was Sterculia quadrifida (STERCULIACEAE) Peanut Tree.


Barely a few meters ahead, we spotted another weird looking fungus on the ground. According to Wikipedia, this is called netted stinkhorn or wood witch. It has a greenish-brown bell-shaped cap with its cylindrical stalk white. When mature, the cap becomes sticky with a slimy green coating that attracts flies that disperse its spores and it has a distinct "netted" veil.


Did not expect our walk to be so fruitful. Good to keep our eyes open and look around the nature, else we could have easily missed these beauties. 


Bukit Timah Nature Reserve
Address: Hindhede Dr, Singapore 589318
Opening Hours: 7am to 7pm daily
Website: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/gardens-parks-and-nature/parks-and-nature-reserves/bukit-timah-nature-reserve