The Kabin, Pantai Remis, Kuala Selangor

Amboi, nampaknya setiap minggu kami berjalan. Mana tidaknya, ini sajalah peluang saya nak bermanja bersama anak-anak dan suami. Tuntutan di kerja kadang kala membuat saya ingin sekali "break free" dan berehat minda walaupun seketika.

Tapi kadang kala, apa yang kita rancang tak menjadi. Saksikan dalam Vlog kali ini bagaimana kami sesat dan hajat untuk ke Homestay Dorani tidak kesampaian. Tapi , look we found another gem!
Semua ini dan banyak lagi dalam episode Mama O Travel - Kuala Selangor.

If you like the episode do note in your comments tau and do share any of your travel experiences ! Enjoy !

Janda Baik, Pahang - Danau Daun With The Family!

Musim jerebu masih lagi ada sipi-sipinya. Cuti sekolah tempoh hari buat saya rasa macam nak escape dari Kuala Lumpur. Malang sekali, rata-rata kami pergi jerebu pun ikut jua. Pilihan kali ini ialah Janda Baik, Bentong, Pahang. Tidak seteruk kalau di tengah kota, bila dikelilingi dengan hutan rimba dan deruan bunyi air sungai, bukan budak-budak jea seronok, kami yang dewasa pun terasa kemeriahannya.

Ikuti 'short break' kami selma 2 hair 1 malam di Chalet Danau Daun, Janda Baik, Pahang.
Jangan lupa komen supaya kami boleh baik pulih kandungan dimasa hadapan. Take care !

Bring Your Kids To Work Day !

I shot this when i was pregnant with Kefli, at almost 8 months. I took Kaseh with me to work and looked what happened ?

7 Valuable Lessons From My Dendeng Daging Bakar (DDB) Business

Raya is here and I feel quite sad that Ramadan has ended. The month where spiritual activities are heightened, small businesses starts mushrooming - the emergence of Bazaar Ramadan and Raya preparation business such as textile, kueh, tailoring and etc.

In fact a few of us are seizing the opportunity to "berniaga" and I for the first time, had to "gatal tangan" and tried cooking and marketing my mother's Dendeng Daging recipe. Well, I wanted to see what’s the fuss is all about? I have heard people claimed that revenue during this month, quadruple and exceed expectations. After hearing all the good things about business in the Ramadan month, I’m hooked.

Here are the 7 most valuable lessons i learnt from my small Dendeng Daging Bakar business.

1. Feedback

Unlike clothes, accesories or shoes bussiness, if you are selling food it must be fresh and you must think of ways to keep them fresh for longer. I learnt this the hard way, when 3 kgs of my DD turned bad and I only knew this after receiving feedbacks from one of my customer who is also a friend. How embarrassing! Apart from apologising profusely, I replaced each box FOC and delivered them personally. I even threw in a box of Kueh Raya to say that I'm sorry. With that I really hope that they will give me a second chance.

Lesson learnt: Make it right the first time. You stand to lose the trust and credibility

from your customer if your product is faulty. Lucky for me my friend decided to let me know about the DDB basi. She was afraid to let me know for fear I might lose face, and I’m so glad she did. After I contacted a few more customers, 3 more reported bad DDB. I researched and found ways to make my DDB last longer.

Replace the product and apologise like you mean in, most customers will give you a second chance.

 2. Be Different

But it has been done before, how do I stand different? This statement used to stop me from doing so many things. I kept thinking how to sell something unique or do something that is different from others? Yes to some extend this does hold some truth, but what it doesn’t have to be entirely unique or out of this world. If it’s too crazy who will buy it? But the angle or USP can be tweaked. In my case, how many vendors out there are selling DDB? Countless. But how many of them are using Premium Local Beef? The softer and tender parts, fresh and not frozen

and oven grilled instead of fried? Thus how I stand different is by highlighting the fact that my DDB used the best meat, fresh and healthier method of cooking.

Lesson learnt: Find something unique about your product and highlight it to your customers. Make sure you really do as you claim. People do not mind paying a premium price if they know that you use quality products.

Feels like it’s All Been Done Already? This insight from Marie Forleo might help. It sure opened my eyes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDmq82Ma1F8

3. Make Them Happy aka Customer Service

For first time DD business virgin like me, I am keen and eager to ensure that my customers are happy. What more that they are people I know (FB friends, referrals and colleagues, I must make sure that they come back for more! Thus I actually went out of my way to deliver each box to them, regardless of the location. Initially I wanted to service areas within 5 KM radius of where I lived, but I even drove to Shah Alam and Puchong for delivery.

Lesson learnt: I think for the first time, I’m OK to do so, but in the future anything beyond your willing service area, there need to be extra charge. And for bigger orders, it’s worth hiring someone to do the delivery, so that it frees you up to do other important things.

 

4. The Product

When it comes to food the quality and taste is upmost important. This is because your customer can compare with other vendors. They have the memory of what DDB taste like and expects that similar taste that they know. Most common comparison I get from potential customers are if it’s similar to those they usually get from Nasi Padang restaurants. I’m not sure about you, but that DD version is the Minangkabau version , where the meat is thinly cut then dried and fried till crispy. Some are too crispy for my liking. 

Lesson learnt: The USP of the DDB is the secret recipe, in my case it’s from my mother, thus it won’t be the same with other DD. One thing for sure, if you don’t find the product attractive in this case tasty and yummy, your customer won’t either. Thus you must like it first.

5. Think Big

The DDB idea all started out because I wanted to seize the opportunity of making some extra money during the Ramadan month. I have heard so many stories from friends about how profitable it can be. Some even claimed that they take the whole month off to focus on their business and earning up to five figures. I’m a sucker for all these and thought hey I can do it too. No harm right. I started out a lil bit late, about 2 weeks before Raya.  Orders were good, I clocked in about 25kgs of DD in total. But what I realized is that, because I did it all alone with the help of my maid there’s so much we can do. Imagine if I’ve hired a few people to help out with the cooking and delivery, I’m sure 100kg won’t be an issue. Plus the bigger the order the more profit you can make.

Lesson learnt: Be prepared and think big. If you want to make substantial amount of profit, you must plan a bigger scale of production. I think most home based business do not sustain due to overwhelming workload and burn out. I have seen it happened to my cousin’s Kerepek business and my aunt’s cake business, where they completely sign out, citing fatigue.

6. Promote Proudly

I admit, I felt ashamed and really shy to let people know that I wanted to do this.

I was afraid of being judged. I was afraid of rejection. I was afraid that no one will buy my DDB. But how would I sell if no one knows about my DDB. Thus I gather to courage to slowly start the promotions thru a few posts on Instagram and brought samples to the office. I love this entry from Marie Forleo, and part of the A&P campaign was because of this video.

http://www.marieforleo.com/2015/07/promote-proudly/

Lesson learnt: Promote proudly not shamefully. Believe in your product. You do not need to be hard sell, but make sure you let other’s know of the benefit that they will get from your product. You are not asking for charity, imagine there’s someone out there who needs your service and not letting them know that you can offer them what they need, is depriving them of just that.

7. Reunion

This is the best part of the DDB Business. Food UNITE people. I received requests from friends I have not seen for years, some as long as 15 years and they suddenly PM-ed me – Nak Dendeng! So this Ramadan I ‘ve knitted more than 10 long lost friendship and caught up with what they have been up to – Rina Omar from my ex-work place, Rafidah Abdullah – my ex co-host,  Juju – with whom I performed Umrah with, Wawa – a friend from my student days back in the UK, Ezreena – the ex-graphic desigher at Red Communications  who is now freelancing,  Rusyan Sophian – whom I met at one of 3R’s shoots and now running his own start up, Sue Fern – from primary school , Johan Nasir – a friend I knew from University and Fara Fauzana – my ex- colleague to name a few.

Lesson learnt: And that my friend opened up new doors to other business opportunities and network.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Maaf Zahir Batin ! 

Why We Should Ban Cinderella , She Is Bad For Our Daughters !

As I read Cinderella to Kaseh for her bedtime story tonight, i realised what a horrible story it is. It' unsuitable for a child like her and there's so many wrong messages in it. "Cerita ni tak bagus Kaseh, mana ada Prince that will sweep you off you your feet", i tried explaining to her. Unfortunately she wasn't very conviced. Oh no, what have i done! I bought the book at the first place, it was an innocent purchase. I grew up reading Cinderella, Snow White,

Beauty and The Beast and etc so i thought hey, it's a fairytale, popular childhood stories with good moral values. Right? Wrong!

Here's why you should keep Cinderella and all the other Princesses away from your daughters.Firstly, Cinderella teaches you that a girl's main purpose in life is to find a Prince that will sweep you off your feet and you will live happily ever after. That a girl is so helpless and only this Prince will rescue her from her evil step mother and half sisters. Secondly, Cinderella teaches you that, hey I just got to know this guy, dance a little and let's get married. Errr.....what we should be teaching our daughters is that - never talk to strangers, don't trust them what more marry them! And thirdly, Cinderella emphasises that physical appearance is uberly important that when she is no longer in her Princess's dress, the Prince no longer recognise her, he only knew it was her because she coukd fit the glass slipper. Like this is super salah.

In this day and era, what we should be teaching our daughters is to be dependent and financially resourceful. They shouldn't be relying on any man for a better life. We should provide them with the education where they will be able to use it to fend and create a career for themselves. If they do find a well to do suitor aka the Prince, then it's a bonus. But relying for that Prince to come? I'm sorry girlfriend, it ain't happening.

There's so many alarming messages that came out from this simple fairytale. Don't get me started on the Fairy God Mother and the step sisters. How come at such a tender age, Cinderella is already imprinting sifat hasad dengki (jealousy) , that her step sisters are jealous of her beauty and poise. And what about her father who marries an evil women? The father seem not to care about the welfare of his own daughter, that he is so blind and gullible to marry a woman so prententious in front of him and abuses his daughter behind his back? ( I'm assuming Cinderella's maternal mother passed away ok). Come on, Dads are better than this.

This so enough said about Cinderella. We should ban her and all the other Princesses from our homes. Kaseh will not be pleased, it isn't her fault because this is what they learn from watching TV and reading books available in the market. But as parents, we need to guide our children accordingly. Just because it's pink or purple, doesn't mean that it's innocent.

Lucky for us, I see Frozen in a different light, that only a strong sisterly love will set you free. And the recently released Malificient starring Angelina Jolie, sends the right message about maternal love. No Prince charming is going to wake Sleeping Beauty up. 

Our girls must be empowered and we must teach our boys to respect girls! Gender equality begins at home and it starts with you Moms and Dads. Good bye Cinderella, you aren't welcome here.

Sedondon di Hari Raya - What's our Theme Colour for 2015 ?

Day 11 of Ramadan. Every time Ramadan comes, it hit us like lighting, fast and impactful. I always wish that it didn't go by so quickly. Terawikh and Sahur are amongst the activities that we don't usually do on other months plus breaking fast with the family, a common old tradition that is lacking in the modern family house hold now. Cakes and dishes that you usually won't find on normal months too due to Bazaar Ramadan and for me that extra time i get between Sahur and Sun rise, time spent on reciting the Quran, checking emails and finishing up some paper work before the kids wake up.

Soon, Eid will be approaching. Simple but yet complicated question pops up - Warna baju Raya kita apa ? (What's our Raya theme colour this year ?).  Every single year ever since we had children, we try to coordinate the colour of our Baju Raya. Corny as it sounds, but this practise actually makes the Baju Raya hunting a much memorable and fun experience.

Let's recall, the pass year's theme colour.

This was taken in 2011 Raya. Both of us wore light green and it was so difficult to find baby baju kurung in the same colour. Kaseh wore Peach, but ok la still look in sync with both of us .

Raya 2013, I was heavily pregnant with Kefli. In this photo , i was due anytime during the Raya month. Of course, I didn't feel like "bergaya di hari Raya" (fashionable), with almost 20 kg additional weight gain due to the pregnancy. Thus, I opted for a cotton Peach based Kurung Pesak which I bought at Kompleks Karangkraf, Jalan Conlay to match Sol's Peach Baju Melayu Johor. I bought Kaseh's Kurung at Amcorp Mall. Photo taken at my mother's house in Bandar Utama, PJ.

2014 our theme was Grey. This is by far my favourite Raya family photograph. Classic ! Any parents would know that taking a perfect family photo is impossible with kids. It was the morning of Raya and Kaseh was not in a very good mood! Taken at Kaseh's Moyang's house in Seksyen 16, PJ. I opted for a blause from @surisara and paired it with a batik sarong, Sol's and the children's traditional attire are from Omar Ali, TTDI. 

So what will our theme colour be this year? I guess we shall wait and see on the morning of this coming Raya. For you who are still thinking about your colour, here's some guidelines to what certain colour means to the wearer. Taken from a seminar i attended with @theimagecreator. 

Green - Hope

Blue - Productivity

Red -Powerful

Orange - Energetic

White - Organised

Black - Convincing

Yellow - Cheerful

Purple - Royal

Grey - Intelligent 

Good luck with your Raya shopping ! 

Happy Ramadan 2015 & Yummy Lasagna Recipe for Iftar

Salam Ramadan everybody ! How's you Ramadan so far ? It's the 6th day of fasting and my body and mind is still getting used to the whole routine. Fasting is actually more of a mind over matter, psychological and spiritual. For me the non eating or drinking is not so much the issue because if your mind is set to it, you will do it.

For me, Ramadan is similar to New Year because i often reflect, reset and re strategise life outlook and plans. There's a lot more time during this month to do so, because there's extra time during lunch breaks for pondering, some gap time during sahoor and sunrise plus Terawikh prayers are great time for Dua and seeking his blessings. I hope you've adjusted to the timings and change of routine, it's only the first week, but i'm telling you time will fly and soon it will be Eid. So let's make the best and optimise the month.

Over the last weekend, I had an opportunity to Emcee the opening of Mother Care 13th Outlet in Atria, Petaling Jaya. Wow, this is rezeki Ramadan, and i am so ever grateful that i was invited to host it. On top of all the nice presents, i met so many other Moms and Dads who shares the same interests.

Yasmin Hani, Irma Hasmie, Blogger Ben Ashaari, Anabelle Kong, Winnie and FourfeetNine.
It was a great start to Ramadan, i wasn't planning to shop for Raya for Kaseh and Kefli , but couldn't resist browsing thru their latest collections.

Ok, take a breather , I don't have a specific Shopping day for Raya, and to be honest we have purchased our traditional attire well in advance, but yes might KIV these cute baby tees!

Another headache that Moms get during this Ramadan is - nak machine papa ? Preparing the anticipated Iftar meals for the family. It must be something that everyone would agree too. And Mom don't have much time and energy to spend long hours in the kitchen .

So what's cooking ? How about this 80 kg Grouper i found at Village Grocer will grocery shopping ?

Check it out! You can feed the whole family for year with this 80kg beauty.

Curry ? Steam ? Masak Lemak Cili Padi. I'm kind off afraid to cook this fish, not so sure who will purchase this, or perhaps it will remain as attraction to shoppers. What would be more practical is Yummy Lasagna that's absolutely easy to make ? So here's what we had for our Father's Day Iftar Session. The recipe is below, be sure to try ! 

500grams of minced chicken

2 cans of tomato pasta sauce

Button mushrooms

Full cream milk

Cream

Butter

Flour

Lasagna Sheets

Garlic and Onions

Mozzarella Cheese 

Tomato Sauce

1. Stir fry onions and garlic.

2. Add minced chicken 

3. Add 2 cans of tomato pasta sauce

4. Add 2 cups of full cream milk. 

White Sauce

1. Add some oil and butter in a pot 

2. Add flour and stir

3. Add milk and cream

4. Stir in low fire

Layer the sheets, an alternate between tomato sauce and white sauce.And when you finally done, 

sprinkle loads of cheese and bake for 20 mins in 180 degree. Great for Sahur too. Selamat berbuka ! 

Happy Anniversary and We Celebrated It @ Avillion, Port Dickson.

I know, a wedding anniversary with the kids ? Isn't anniversaries a romantic event and should be celebrated in private ? Plus come on, just for a few day, the kids will be all right. Just go, just spent time together. Well, for us , we've never been away from our children, only if it's work purposes. I've never had the heart to leave them behind, and plus for me a holiday is not a holiday without them.
I know that other parents have different perspective, but yeah , we take ours where ever we go.
Being a mother with a career , it makes it tougher for me , knowing that , the weekend and short breaks are the only time i have with them.

I see anniversaries in a different perspective now. I strongly agree that it should be celebrated. It's time to reflect in the life that you have build together , to celebrate the mile stone and to re-egnite your love for each other. For me, if we teach our kids and include them in this important date , hopefully  they will appreciate relationships and marriage once they are an adult. I hear people say,
hey my parents have been married for 30 years now and most of the time, i hear them say it with pride. And they hope to follow the foot steps of their parents.  Some even go the extra mile and organise a surprise anniversary party. So i hope Kaseh and Kefli will throw a big bash on our 25th, 40th, 50th wedding anniversary and so on and so forth. ( Insya Allah).

Well, i did a short video, i thought , i'd like to move forward with more videos for this blog. So here's a quick review.

The last time we were in Avillion is two years ago. I must say that the customer service has improved tremendously, much friendlier staffs and they are prompt when answering to house keepings requests.
I enjoyed the duplex Beach Studio very much. It give us some privacy from the kids and they have plenty of space to roam around. Booked online and with tax it was all in RM600, without breakfast.
But that's all right, cause eateries aren't a problem in PD.

I ordered a small tiramisu cake from room service. The kids retired early that night (Wohoo) , thanks to the pool and running around the beach, thus gave us parents some quite time together.

On our way back , just before entering the PD highway, i discovered a gem ! This stall sells hot Cakoi and some Malay kueh. I love Cakoi and couldn't get enough of it , plus the makcik is super nice.
You can't get 6 kuehs for RM 2.80 in KL ok. The stall is kind off hidden , it's on the main road , so you gotta keep your eyes wide open.

A short but sweet and memorable trip. So here's to more years to come. Happy 6th year Anniversary !

Phuket, Thailand For Kids Only !

Last year, we re-visited Phuket. Thailand is my favourite beach holiday destination since my Uni days. I love everything about Thailand , the food, the desserts, the beaches, the fashion, their quirky art scenes, the parties and it's just about an hour away from Kuala Lumpur.

The last time me and my husband came to Phuket was in 2010. I was pregnant with Kaseh. Phuket
holds a reputation for being an 'adult fun' island. Backpackers and Europeans love vacationing here especially during winter months. But not much promotes the 'kid" side of Phuket. And after much research , i must say that Phuket is very kid friendly , plenty of things to keep them occupy and
yes i get to enjoy the white sandy beach and crystal clear waters and great Som Tam.

The best time to visit Phuket is mid December onwards. During our visit it was absolutely beautiful.
It was practically raining thunder storm every single day in Kuala Lumpur , and i'm glad we came to sunny Phuket.

We stayed in Holiday Inn, Patong. Patong is not my first choice of an area to stay in. I would normally stay in Kata Beach , where it's quieter and calmer, but because of the kids and we wanted to stay in Holiday Inn ( top child friendly hotel in Phuket) , and this hotel reside on one of the end of Patong Beach.

Holiday Inn, Patong offers the family room , with additional two bunk beds. For about RM 500 plus ,
i think this is absolutely fantastic and the kids love playing in this small corner. It's not separated from our room , it's kind off embedded in the Deluxe room. The only thing is that, Kid's suites are situated quite a distance from the main lobby.

Bare in mind that , Phuket beaches are public beaches, thus most of the hotels are not build on the beach bank itself. It's still beach front, but there's a road that separate the beach and hotel. Thus you gotta cross the road to get to the beach. Pros - everyone get to enjoy the beach , Cons- Crossing the busy road with kids.

Holiday Inn, kid's pool is OK , there's two and one fantastic Kid's club. However , if you have older kids , they will think that the slide at the pool is nothing to shout about. Suitable for younger kids.

The adult pool on the other hand, is just what a mom needs - relaxing and inviting. But guess where i spend most of my time ? Bingo ! Kid's pool!

Generally , i think things are quite pricey in Phuket . The food and shopping wise, almost or slightly higher price than Kuala Lumpur. Perhaps it's peak season , that most good's prices are inflated.
So i didn't shop much , i didn't have anything particular to buy. Tip - Thailand is popular for it's cashew nuts and thai silk , be sure to buy some either for your own consumption or as gifts.

Pancake stalls are everywhere. Great filling dessert , the kids love banana and Nutela flavour.
Thailand is also famous for it's massages. Thai massage uses a different technics, unlike the Malay and Balinese massages , Thais uses acupressure and stretching application. We both manage to go for a massage each , taking turn on different nights when the kids are asleep.

Taking turns are the best way , to enjoy some personal time on holidays. Even though the hotel did offer baby sitting service ( RM 20 per hours), but Kefli and Kaseh , are just not use to strangers . So there you go, time management and plenty of sacrifices.

Walking is the best way to discover Phuket. However on this trip we left the kid's stroller at home.
No , i didn't forget the stroller , but it was a conscious decision not to bring it . We felt that , the kids would very much prefer to go on foot as well. Oh my , never forget the stroller , even if it seems like a hassle , just bring it , or you'll end up having to carry them all the way.

This is actually Kefli's and Kaseh's first time to Phuket. We weren't sure at first, because unlike our Singapore trips ,we actually drove, thus we have the luxury of driving and the convenience of a car.
But getting on a plane to a different country , will take a lil bit of effort on your side. The immigration procedures, the flying in and out - but hey , we did it anyways and it was worth while - nothing like having the kids around.

I know that kids vacations can be tiring , and i do feel like i need a holiday from the holiday , but
the love and experiencing the place with them makes it all special and worth while. So moms and dads, don't worry too much, just plan your holiday and just do it!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my posting. If you think you have benefited from this posting, please, please click the share button. You can just share it on your social media or stumble upon. And if you want to get more Mama's drama and where will we be vacationing next ? My reviews and previews , don't forget to subscribe.

Thanks !

Mee Bandung, Air Sirap Bandung and Nasi Bandung which one really originates from Bandung ?

I can't help to ask myself the above question, Mee Bandung and Air Sirap Bandung are common dishes here in Malaysia. When my husband suggest that we make a trip to Bandung Indonesia during the long Federal Territory and Thaipusam break, the first thing that came to my mind was, i'm sure Sirap Bandung is what they drink there, must be as common as Teh Tarik to us Malaysian. Not so accurate, ha ha ha , instead i got a weird stare from the waiter.

This trip was organised by my husband, my usual choice would have been a beach holiday. I love the sun, sea and sand. So i was a lil sceptical about Bandung. There's no beach , what would we do ? What kid's activities do they have ?

I let him organise , since he did an initial reccee 6 years back before we got married and holidayed with his friend.  I still did the research and book the hotel. We stayed in Bandung for 4D/3N. I opted for a 3 bedroom Condotel - Aston Braga in the Braga area. Not knowing what to expect , i just read reviews and read more reviews and just decided to give it a go.

Bandung Hussein Sastranegara Airport , is really small. Tiny but busy, i totally appreciate small airport like these , saves time on check in and traveling to departure gate. Upon our arrival ,we got a MPV and straight to our hotel.

Bandung is just how i imagine it to be. Traffic is heavy and plenty of small kiosk and small shops along the road side. Street food are apparent every where, selling Bakso and Durian ice cream, they look tantalising but i was warned not to eat by the road side and drink only from bottled water.
My maid felt at home , even though she hails from Jawa Tengah but the city has plenty of similarities to her kampong in Semarang. So i nominated her as our unofficial chaperon, her official tasks is to get us cheaper rates on taxi and haggle for me when shopping.

Our 3 bedroom condo-tel turned out to be really cosy and clean. The deco is acceptable and the pool was refreshing. Bandung, is a city above sea level, thus it's dwellers enjoys cooler weather than anywhere else.

Tip :Staying in a Condotel, offers a spacious area for the kids to roam and play thus does not drive you up the wall. The kitchen is a plus plus, as you'll get to prepare quick easy meals for the family. After one of our excursions, we were too tired to eat out, this kitchen allows me to cook plain rice , stir fry vegetables and sardine. Simple but yet wholesome dinner ! 

Here's my TOP recommendation for kid's friendly places to visit in Bandung

1. Lembang Floating Market
Totally awesome, there's a Rabbit Farm , duck and fish feeding, boat rides and food market all in one place. This is such a great place for the kids and adults too. It's about an hour drive from Bandung City itself, but totally worth it. Make sure it's on your Bandung to do list . You can do the shopping later, but be sure to avoid rainy days. Check the weather forecast !

2. Paris Van Java Shopping Mall - Animal Farm.
Like any other shopping mall , we think PVJ is just like any other mall. But then an again to our pleasant surprise the Animal Farm is pretty awesome. Get up close and personal with the farm animals. Plenty of nice eateries with hipster cafe here. Great for the kids, shopping wise not my cup of tea.

3. Pasar Baru
Shopping heaven and totally cheap. This is the place to get all the local and traditional items such as Batik, cloth, crafts, clothes and much more. It's not your 5 Star Shopping Mall , but Pasar Baru is your one stop centre for almost everything at a wholesale price. I bought "telekungs" ( muslim prayer attire) for just RM 9! What a bargain. Not for kids though, as it is a lil crampy and alleys are narrow. So if you are bringing the family, plan what you want to buy , straight in , attack and out.

4. Cihampelas
Oh wow, another Mall, but open concept with outdoor kiosks and eateries. Need souvenirs ? We got to t-shirts here!

5. Rumah Mode
The factory outlet , which house most of the designer's brand - Zara, Mossimo, Channel, Mango and more. Worth going if you are brand conscious. I totally love the Balinese koi pond and the various nicely decorated cafes and restaurant.

6. Kartika Sari
Our last pit stop before heading to the Airport. Kartika Sari offers you the local cakes and delicacies all nicely pack to take home. I when crazy with the glutinous rice ball ( similar to Malaysia's pulut panggang) , i wish i bought more and the Kerepek Tempe Bakar , is da bomb !

So all in all , i thought Bandung  is an enjoyable family destination. Despite the fact that it isn't a beach holiday , we had plenty to do. Things are also generally cheaper than Malaysia, so that's a plus point. So ya, planning a holiday to Bandung ? I hope this helps!

If you enjoy what you read and found the review useful, do please please leave your comments below. I really would like to know what you think . Or if you would like me to review a family holiday destination , i would love to hear your suggestion. I might just plan a vacation based on your input. For more quick breaks and mommy travel , be sure to follow me on instagram!

Till our next family travel, see ya !

P/s : Phuket is next on our family travel ( teaser....)

It's World Radio Day 2015 !

Just last week, i was invited to BFM to discuss the topic - Youth, Volunteerism and Radio in conduction with World Radio Day 2015. I had an awesome time. If you missed it,
check out the podcast here!

http://www.bfm.my/radio-youth-and-volunteerism-kartini-kamalul-ariffin-rudy-malik.html