SINCLAIR TOUR AND TRAVEL – 5494 5083 GRAND TOUR Departs 3rd Sep – 14 Days $6,999 pp twin share. Single $1,300

Tour Inclusions: Door to door transfers Fully escorted with Di and Peter Sinclair English speaking guide Return flights /all internal flights Singapore City Tour World Heritage Listed Boat trip on Historical Mangrove Forest/Orang Utan Island Tea Plantation Butterfly Park, Rose Garden Kinabatangan River Cruise Sepilok Orang Utan rehabilitation Centre Sandakan War Memorial 5 Star Resort ALL MEALS

DAY ONE 3rd SEP BRISBANE/SINGAPORE

After pick up from your door as usual, you’ll be transferred to Brisbane airport for your flight to Singapore. We Depart Brisbane 11.35pm and fly to Singapore. Arrive 8.50pm where you will be met by your Siam Express representative and transferred to your hotel, located in central Singapore. Overnight 4 star Hotel Jen Orchid gateway, Singapore

DAY TWO 4th SEP SINGAPORE - CITY TOUR /

After breakfast, we’ll check out and be picked up for a Singapore City Tour. Visit Merlion Park, Chinatown, Clarke Quay with boat ride, Singapore Botanic Garden and the National Orchid Garden. Enjoy lunch at a local Chinese restaurant and be transferred to Airport for your departure flight at 3.25pm for Kuala Lumpur. On arrival, we’ll be met and transferred to the 4 star Parkroyal Hotel, Kuala Lumpur. Dinner at the hotel and overnight. (B/L/D)

DAY THREE 5th SEP. KUALA LUMPUR / MALACCA – CITY TOUR

At 10.00am we’ll depart for a 2.5 hours (151 km) drive south of Kuala Lumpur to historical Malacca, the third smallest state in Malaysia and one of the oldest, and most strategic trading ports in Malaysia which has undergone Portuguese, Dutch and English rule. We’ll drive past the largest 17th century Chinese cemetery outside of China, located at . We’ll stop at the foothill to view the Sultan's well and visit the 'Abode of Merciful Clouds' or the (1600s) the oldest Chinese temple in Malaysia.Visit to Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum.

Baba Nyonya are descendants of the early Chinese immigrants to the Malay Archipelago who inter-married with local folks. They were partially assimilated into the Malay culture, especially in food, dressing & language yet they still retain some of the Chinese traditions & culture they brought from China, thereby creating a new kind of mixed culture of their country of origin with local elements. Among those, Baba Nyonya cuisine has been developed with strong influence of the spices of Malay cuisine & the famous Sarong Kebaya clothing for the ladies.

An included Baba Nyonya lunch today at a local restaurant. We’ll continue to view the famous gateway, the well-known Portuguese "Porta De Santiago" and the ruins of St. Paul's Church lined by 17th Century Dutch Tombstones. Visit "Red Square", the salmon pink Dutch Administrative buildings which today house the Malacca Ethnography Museum and government offices. The majestic building (1753) is next on your stop. Overnight in 4 Star, Equatorial Hotel Malacca. (B/L/D)

DAY FOUR 6th SEP MALACCA – RIVER TRIP – JONKER STREET

Today’s excursion is at a more leisurely pace and features an hour boat ride along the Malacca River, relaxing and seeing the city in a different way, where once the merchant ships came from ports in , China and Arabia to trade their textiles and silk for spices and scented woods.

The centre street of Malacca’s Chinatown was once renowned for its antique shops. During the era, servants and subordinates of Dutch Masters used to live at the nearby Heeren Street. After the Dutch left, it became noblemen’s street. Rich straits-born Chinese started to live and do business within the street area, giving the street a deep-rooted ethnic and cultural flavor. Over the years it has turned to clothing and crafts outlets as well as restaurants. Today it is known as Jonker Street.

Overnight at 4 Star Equatorial Hotel Malacca. (B/L/D)

DAY FIVE 7th SEP MALACCA / IPOH – HERITAGE WALK, SNACK VILLAGE

At 8.00am we’ll depart for a 4 hours (354 km) drive North West of Malacca to Ipoh in . Enjoy a scenic journey passing through rural countryside and farmlands. After lunch at Ipoh we proceed for a walk in Ipoh city. In just over 130 years, Ipoh has transformed itself from a sleepy Malay village to the bustling metropolis it is today, the fourth largest city in Malaysia with a population of over 700,000. Its boom period began around 1880 and lasted until well into the 1930s, largely on the back of tin mining and it became known as the town that tin built. The tin rush drew in hordes of migrants, mostly Chinese, many of whom went on to build substantial fortunes. This wealth is reflected in the architecture of the period and many fine buildings remain in the old part of the city, west of the river.

The Railway Station is a superb example of colonial architecture, completed in 1917 and designed by talented British architect, A.B Hubback, who also built Kuala Lumpur's famous station. Across the street is the stately, neo classical style Town Hall and Old Post Office building also designed by Mr Hubback during the First World War. The Birch Memorial was built in 1909 to commemorate the first British Resident of Perak State, JWW Birch. His somewhat heavy-handed attempts to extend British authority over the area resulted in him being stabbed to death in 1875.

The Chartered Bank building (still occupied by the bank) dates from 1924. At that time Chartered Bank was the leading bank for the tin industry and the major banker to the Straits Trading Company, a big tin-ore exporter, whose former office building lies directly across the street from Chartered Bank. OCBC Bank now occupies the Straits Trading Company premises which were built in 1907 in Italian Renaissance style. Nearby is another bank building, Mercantile Bank, built in 1931 in art-deco style. The building remains in excellent condition. Mercantile Bank was taken over by Honking Bank in 1959.

On the next corner sits the premises of the former Perak River Hydro-Electric Power Company, formed in London in 1926 and for many years the largest power supplier in Malaya. They built a dam and hydroelectric power station at Chenderdoh on the Perak River in 1930. The gleaming white neo-classical building was completed in 1928. The next point of interest is the Royal Ipoh Club. It was believed to have been founded in 1895 and occupied a prime location overlooking the town field. The other bastion of British colonial life is the Church of St. John The Divine. When finished in 1912 it was the largest church in Malaya. Its bricks were cemented with coconut fibre, sugar and egg whites among other things.

A few minutes away is the Museum Darul Ridzuan. It has a modest general collection of exhibits of St. Michael's Institution, a school with over 2,000 pupils. It is a massive gothic style building, with classroom doors and windows aligned north/south instead of east/west so as not to disturb pupils with early morning and late afternoon sunrays.

Next door is the Town Padang Mosque. It was constructed in 1908 in Moghul style and has features similar to those in the Red Fort, Delhi. It was financed by a wealthy Muslim Tamil businessman, Shaik Adam. Inside is a lovely iron spiral staircase. The F.M.S. Bar & Restaurant, said to be the oldest restaurant in Malaysia which began operating on its current site in 1923 and is still operating today.

We proceed to Kacang Putih Village. This village makes snacks brought to the country by migrant families from India, it eventually became every Malaysian's favourite snack and even became a name for a village. The moment someone says kacang putih (chick peas), the thought that comes to mind is the crunchy snack food -- a favourite amongst Malaysians. But when one is in Ipoh, Perak, it is advisable to be precise when saying kacang putih because there is a village in the outskirts of the city which goes by the same name.

At Kampung Kacang Putih in Buntong, visitors can get not just chick peas, but a wide variety of crunchy deep-fried, roasted and steamed Indian snacks, including murukku, pakoda, omom and kadalai. Visitors are shown how these crackers are made from varies types of beans, vegetable, seafood etc. and taste various types of delicious snacks. This humble village has a thriving family-run cottage industry producing these snacks and is now considered one of the country's main suppliers. The kacang putih industry, which began in the late 1940s, had its beginnings at the foothills of Gunung in Ipoh.

Proceed to check in and overnight 4 Star Weil Hotel. (B/L/D)

DAY SIX 8th SEP IPOH - ORANG UTAN ISLAND - MATANG MANGROVE FOREST

After breakfast, we depart Weil Hotel for 1 hour 15 minutes drive to Bukit Merah (87km) and then by boat for 20 minutes to Orang Utan Island at Semanggol, Perak.

While most of Malaysia’s orang-utan rehabilitation efforts are focused in , such as the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre in , other initiatives are also forming in toward this goal. One fundamental hub that contributes to these efforts is the Orang Utan Island situated within the Bukit Merah Laketown at Semanggol, Perak. The Orang Utan Island is a research institution dedicated to the preservation and research of the orang-utan. The Island is a rehabilitation and conservation facility where Orang Utans are able to roam freely. This unique island serves as a research and educational centre to better understand this endangered species. The island sits in the middle of a very large expanse of water so that the Orang Utan will stay within the jungle on the island of 4000 hectares. On arrival visitors are greeted by guides who explain what the research facility is all about. Visitors are then introduced to the babies at the quarantine area behind glass so as to maintain no human contact possible. Visitors are than taken to a 200 metre walkthrough cage tunnel, where they are able to come up close with the Orang Utan while observing the primates roaming freely in their natural habitat. We return to the mainland and proceed to Kuala Sepetang (30 km) a coastal town formerly known as Port Weld after a former Governor, Frederick Weld. It is a thriving fishing village, and the main jump-off point to the river mouth where the Chinese fishing community specializes in fish breeding in cages.

Kuala Sepetang has excellent seafood and we have lunch at a famous seafood restaurant situated on the upper floor of a shop lot overlooking the river. Kuala Sepetang is also well known for its mangrove reserve park which is open to the public daily. It has a boardwalk built over the swamp for tourists.

A visit to the nearby charcoal factory is a must. It is very interesting to know and learn the charcoal manufacturing process, how the mangrove trees are used during the earlier years and the people’s daily living style. Take a walk along the 1.6km man-made wooden walkway winding across a small portion of the Matang Mangrove Forest which is touted to be one of the world’s best managed sustainable mangrove ecosystems. Inside the forest, it is surprisingly cool despite the hot weather and if you walk slowly and watch closely, you may be able to find mud crabs, mud skippers and other wildlife including migratory birds and macaques in the wetlands especially nearer to the river. Return to Ipoh and overnight 4 Star Weil Hotel. (B/L/D)

DAY SEVEN 9th SEP IPOH / CAMERON HIGHLANDS - KEA FARM

At 9.30am we depart Ipoh for a 2.5 hour drive (90 km) up the highlands in . In the 19th century the Cameron Highlands was a popular spot for the British colonialists to retreat to from the heat and of the lowlands. Much of the colonial character remains in the architecture of the highlands and resembles the English countryside more than tropical Malaysia. Lunch at is included today.

We’ll visit Kea Farm which is an agricultural district in Cameron Highlands. It is a vegetable market along the main road and a popular shopping destination for visitors on weekends. Traders and farmers sell the best of their crops and goods here from morning till evening, including greens, corn, strawberries, flowers, souvenirs, honey and more. Your next visit is to a Strawberry Farm before going to the Butterfly Park. Your tour ends with a visit to Rose garden. Overnight in 4 Star, Strawberry Park Resort. (B/L/D)

DAY EIGHT 10th SEP CAMERON HIGHLANDS - BOH TEA PLANTATION

In the morning, we’ll depart our hotel to visit BOH Tea Plantation, situated on numerous hills where the slopes are covered by nothing else but tea trees. The highland was first founded in 1885 by Mr. William Cameron, a British Government surveyor while on a mapping expedition. The cool temperature & undulating hills provide perfect conditions for growing strawberries & tea. Many hill slopes are covered with iconic tea plantations with their distinctive pattern. The beautifully manicured tea plantations look like a carpet that stretches for miles into the distance.

We’ll see how tea is grown, harvested and take a walk in the plantation and get a feel of the natural environment filled with fresh air and green scenery around you. Visit the nearby factory where harvested tea is processed immediately. See the process to turn green tea leaves to processed tea ready for your tea pot. We adjourn to the café built on a large and high platform to give you a panoramic view of the plantations. Enjoy a cup of BOH tea and soak it the atmosphere of this hill station. After lunch at a local restaurant, go for a walk in the countryside filled with trees and bushes of the highlands. Enjoy the fresh air and the mossy forest around you. You may see some small animals along the way. Have a traditional afternoon tea of scone with locally grown strawberry jam. Return to and overnight at 4 Star Strawberry Park Hotel. (B/L/D)

DAY 9 11th SEP CAMERON HIGHLANDS / KUALA LUMPUR / SANDAKAN

Transfer to Kuala Lumpur International Airport for your flight to Sandakan departing at 1.20pm. On arrival in Sandakan, transfer to the Fourpoints Sheraton, dinner and overnight. (B/D)

DAY 10 12th SEP SANDAKAN / KINABATANGAN RIVER

Morning transfer from your hotel in Sandakan to Gomantong Caves by road. Explore the biggest bird’s nest caves in Sabah. We were very lucky to see them harvesting the bird’s nests on our last visit. Fascinating stuff. The boardwalk makes for easy walking.

Continue the journey to Sukau on the Kinabatangan River. Check in to the Bukit Melapi Lodge. Enjoy a boat trip to watch the curious Proboscis Monkeys gather by the river bank. A good chance to see numerous species of birds and other wildlife until nightfall. This will prove to be the highlight of your trip – we may be lucky enough to see pygmy elephants on the edge of the river. Dinner and a slide show tonight and, if weather permits, a night walk to search for stick insects, frogs and beetles. Stay overnight at the Bukit Melapi Lodge (B/L/D).

DAY 11 13th SEP SANDAKAN – SEPILOK – WAR MEMORIAL / KOTA KINABALU

After brekky this morning, we proceed to Sepilok Orang Utan Centre. Founded in 1964 the Centre helps once captive Orang Utans learn to climb and fend for themselves in the wild with the hope that one day they may return to the forest. The semi-wild Orang Utans may return to the platform provided by the Centre for milk and bananas twice a day during the process of returning to the forest. Visitors will get a close up view of these Orang Utans and have the chance to photograph them at close range. Witness the feeding of the orphaned Orang Utans., walk along jungle trails on board walk, visiting the information centre, exhibits and video presentation on the rehab of these remarkable primates.

Then it’s on to Sandakan and visit the Sandakan Memorial, where the infamous Sandakan – Ranau Death Marches commenced in 1945. A commemorative pavilion holds educational material and includes a scale model of the original POW camp. A path winds through the park past preserved wartime relics and towards the obelisk of black granite, erected to commemorate those who died.

After the tour, we’ll transfer to Sandakan for our flight to Kota Kinabalu. We’ll be met and transferred to Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort. Dinner and overnight Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort. (B/L/D)

DAY 12 14th SEP KOTA KINABALU

At leisure in Kota Kinabalu. You may like to visit the tropical island just off-shore for snorkelling, Sea Walking or a Zipline ride! Perhaps you’d enjoy some shopping in Kota Kinabalu - or just relax and enjoy the great facilities at this wonderful resort – IT’S ABSOLSUTELY STUNNING. Overnight Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort. (B/D)

DAY 13 15th SEP KOTA KINABALU / SINGAPORE / BRISBANE

After our last brekky together we’ll be transferred from our hotel to Kota Kinabalu International Airport for our 12.10 flight to Singapore arriving at 2.10pm. You can rest at the Ambassador Transit Hotel Changi Airport until your departure flight from Singapore at 9.30pm arriving Brisbane 7.05am 16 SEP At Brisbane airport, a representative of Sinclair Tour and Travel will meet you at take you back to your front door. We do hope you enjoyed your Grand Malaysian Tour with Sinclair Tour and Travel. Please tell your friends. That’s how our business grows. We look forward to travelling with you again really soon. (B)