Lakwatsarah

Gano iTouch 3rd Quarter Travel Blitz participants in front of Putrajaya Royal Palace I'm not talking about giving free out of country trips to employees by their respective companies basically because they need to attend say, a training, for example. This is about relishing the tour that has already been planned out for your total enjoyment without thinking much about work that has been left behind. A trip that pampers you, a trip that fills you in, a trip that is full of life enriching experience. In my recent posts, I shared about my fun and fascinating journey from my first ever out of country trip abroad - flying to Malaysia courtesy of Gano iTouch Philippines . This time, I would like to share with you why this particular incentive trip rocks!

Sharing an overview of my 5 days itinerary in Malaysia covering the city of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Alor Setar and Penang. Click here to read  Day 1 arrival at LCCT airport super late lunch at a local food court afternoon trip to Putrajaya  (Seri Wawasan Suspension Bridge, Masjid Putra, Perdana Putra, Putrajaya Royal Palace) Merdeka Square dine in at Sek Yuen Restaurant check in at Alpha Genesis Hotel stroll the streets of KL until we get to Petronas Twin Towers  

my Philippine Passport I love traveling around my country, the Philippines. Our beaches are undeniably the best in the world and when paired with the trademark Filipino hospitality will surely make up for that unforgettable holiday getaway. Traveling around the Philippines done whether on a tight budget or not, had long made me believed that my country is blessed for having such natural wonders. I try to explore its 7,107 islands, one island at a time. And although 7000+ local destinations may seem overwhelming, I'm pretty much sure I will never get tired of wandering around my country, but then again my soul has also been itching to know what lies beyond the Philippine borders.

Malaysia Trip Day 5 This special incentive trip given to us by Gano iTouch Philippines thru their 3rd Quarter Travel Blitz Promo wouldn't be complete without a familiarization tour of the plantation and headquarters of where the world's biggest organic ganoderma plantion can be found. After all, it's just fitting to visit the company that has given us the opportunity to earn and share with family and friends the therapeutic benefits the red ganoderma mushroom can provide. Geez, I can't even tell how many coffee sessions I've shared with fellow coffee drinkers. From our Day 4 trip from Penang, our group traveled a couple more hours to Leverage Business Hotel in Alor Setar where we stayed overnight. I've been anticipating our last day in Malaysia and I'm pretty excited to learn more about Gano Excel's mushroom's cultivation process, research and development to actual production.

Malaysia Trip Day 4 It's morning of Day 4 when upon waking up, familiar dream was presented right before my eyes, my ideal community of city living while being embraced by the beauty of lush landscape and sparkling seascape. Yes it's possible when you're in Penang (just take a closer look at the above panoramic photo I took) 

Food Treats in Penang Foodies, travelers and photographers will surely enjoy the scenic sights and gastronomic treats this turtle-shaped island of Georgetown, Penang can offer. Being regarded as the food capital of Malaysia, Penang also embraces the modern facet of both East and West while retaining the traditions and old world charm making it a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site worth exploring.

Malaysia Day 3 I woke up at exactly 6am feeling the gentle chills. Good thing I had my socks to comfort my ice freezing feet. I’m really weak when it comes to cold temperatures. I barely had 3 hours of sleep coming from the night tour at Indoor Theme Park of Resorts World Genting. We were scheduled to move out by 11am, so before going to sleep, I convinced everyone to wake up really early so we could have ample time to roam around the outdoors. Click here to read Day 2 November 14, 2011. Day 3

Genting Skyway Nestled 6000 ft above sea level is Genting Highlands also known as Resorts World Genting . It's basically a theme park on top of a mountain and currently has 6 hotels where visitors could choose where to spend the night - Maxims Genting, Highlands Hotel, Resort Hotel, Theme Park Hotel, First World Hotel, Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort. They're all accessible via zigzag road and Genting Skyway. We were all thrilled when we found out we're going to ride the gondola that spans 3.38km, making it the longest cable car system in South East Asia and one of the world's fastest.

We had a fabulous first day in Malaysia with visiting the Petronas Twin Towers at night as the highlight of Day 1. We also visited sights in Putrajaya, Merdeka Square, dined at Sek Yuen Restaurant and strolled along the streets of KL.   Click here to read Day 1 November 13, 2011. Day 2 We were scheduled to go Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom, Petronas Twin Towers, Batu Caves and Genting Highlands for our second day in Malaysia. I was personally looking forward to see the Lord Murugan statue in Batu Caves and in riding the cable car in Genting. It was a fun hectic second day going from Kuala Lumpur to the adventure highlands of Genting.  Malaysia trip Day 2 It was a good sunny morning in KL when I woke up. Before going down for breakfast, I took the photo below, kind of reminding me of a scene in a slum area from the movie Entrapment where Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones were planning to steal $8 billion at International Clearance...

inside Batu Caves After a sumptuous lunch at Ampang Homeland Yong Tau Foo Sdn Bhd , we're on to our next destination, the Batu Caves . Batu Caves is most famous for having the largest golden statue of Lord Murugan, it's both a Hindu shrine and a tourist attraction.

Bad news - I have to cancel my 3-day Boracay trip. Good news - I'll travel to Malaysia for 5 days for FREE! Before the bad news... I was able to book 4 Piso Fare plane tickets to Boracay for mom, me and 2 of my siblings about 6 months prior to the scheduled flight. Cebu Pacific's loyal customers know exactly how Piso Fare works, book in advance to get the best deal. I was thrilled as not only it was my first ever Piso Fare booking, but it will also be my first ever Boracay escapade. Since this is a D-I-Y planned trip, I started researching, read blogs and scoured over travel magazines to help me fill out our itinerary. Fast forward, two months before the much awaited Boracay trip, my aunt presented me with an opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to travel to Malaysia for free. And so I worked harder, negotiated harder and prayed harder until I finally got one of the slots. Decisions, decisions... I knew the Malaysia trip will happen on November, the month of our Boracay t...

Seri Wawasan Cable Suspension Bridge By the time I set foot in Malaysia, I immediately noticed the country's impressive architectural structures and very efficient urban planning. It's like each building is worthy of a snapshot, from mosques to bridges to skyscrapers. Backed up with a very clean surrounding, the road trip from the LCCT airport to Putrajaya itself is nothing but a breath of fresh air, far way different from the traffic and noise pollution I get every time I'm in Manila.

Petronas Twin Towers This 450 meters, 88 storey buildings put itself on the map when it became the world's tallest twin towers until today. The  Petronas Twin Towers, which took 6 years to complete, has first earned it's much deserved global recognition in 1998 to 2004 when it was hailed as the world's tallest building before there was Taipei 101 and Burj Dubai. Still iconic and proud, this ambitious project which stands at the country's capital Kuala Lumpur, has ultimately become Malaysia's status symbol. 

Location: Petronas Twin Towers - Kuala Lumpur streets - LCCT Airport - Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom - Genting Highlands - Georgetown, Penang - Thai and Buddhist Temples - Kek Lok Si Temple - Penang Beach - Batu Caves - Putrajaya - Merdeka Square - Alor Setar Date of Trip - November 12-17, 2011 Malaysia gave me one of my most memorable trip ever simply because I never spent a dime, or in this case ringgit. It's an incentive trip given to me and other family members. This is exciting! Can't wait to share my stories.