A new year of exotic, exciting opportunities, Marang River Safari, Sungai Marang, Terengganu, Malaysia.

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A new year of exotic, exciting opportunities

20 Feb 2007
Sean Augustin

MARANG: Huang Cai Vui, 72, craved for a different Chinese New Year. A quiet one, away from all the clamour that followed celebrations back in Sichuan, China, where she had spent most of her life.

Yesterday, her wish was granted for the first time, with a 45-minute cruise on Sungai Marang where she spotted several monitor lizards scurrying away onto the bank as well as a flock of egrets.

This was later followed by a short walk to Kampung Jenang where she saw how the atap nipah was weaved, and how a trained monkey plucked coconuts.

"I was always attracted to nature, and I felt that while I was still healthy, I should travel.

"I even got to see a monitor lizard without switching on the television," she said, adding that she did not miss the usual celebrations with firecrackers and lion dances.

Huang, who travelled with her son and daughter-in-law, said she had enjoyed her stay here and could not wait to tell her friends of her experience.

Huang was one of hundreds of Chinese nationals who came to Terengganu for the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Ping Anchorage managing director Alex Lee, who runs the cruise, said the demand for such tours during this period had been increasing since last year, when it was first offered.

Last year, slightly over a hundred Chinese, Taiwanese and Hong Kong nationals, went on the cruise.

Lee said this was because for most of them, Chinese New Year was when they would have a long break.

"I was really surprised with the response. One would think they would rather spend Chinese New Year at home as they are very traditional," he said.

Another tourist, engineer Tang Jian Hua, 44, who is visiting Malaysia for the first time, said times had changed and people were not too fussy as to where they celebrated their new year.

"I wanted to escape the weather in China, which is around 8ºC .

"Malaysia also has a lot of "natural" places of interest. In China, such places are crowded during the festive season."

Ping Anchorage Travel & Tours Sdn. Bhd.
77A, Jalan Sultan Sulaiman, 20000 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia.
Tel : (609) 626 2020 Fax : (609) 626 2022 / 622 8093 E-mail : patrvl@tm.net.my
(KPL/LN2117 / 209874W)

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