Top 3 Festival in Malaysia

Malaysia being a melting pot of various cultures, have brought itself up to be a colorful and amazing hub of festival for travelers from all over the world to experience. Below are three examples of festive occasion in Malaysia that we believe represent our multi-cultural background.

1.Deepavali

Deepavali, or also known as the festival of lights is a 5 days festival celebrated by the Indians in Malaysia, as an ode to the historical victory of light over darkness. It is during this festive season that we can see the wonderful art called ‘kolams’ or ‘rangolis’ made with colored rice grain into various forms of traditional and even modern shapes and symbols.

2.Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is one of the important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar, often referred to as the ‘Lunar New Year’. The source of the festive itself is centuries old, and is tied to several myths and traditions, but it is traditionally a festival to honor deities as well as ancestors. Many forms of cultural reference can be seen during this period ranging from foods, arts, performance, and many more. It is also a custom during the occasion that families and relatives, would gather for a reunion dinner to celebrate the coming of the new year.

3.Hari Raya

Also known as Eid al-Fitr, Hari Raya is celebrated by muslims of Malaysia that marks the end of Ramadhan, the holy month of fasting, and welcoming the month of Shawwal in accordance to the islamic calendar. It is during this time that families gathered together to celebrate the occasion with many variety of traditional foods, and dressed up in their traditional Malay attire such as the ‘Baju Melayu’ and Baju Kurung’.

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Top 3 Truly Malaysian Experience in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia is home to many exciting and wonderful attractions, a result that originates from the melting pot of culture that co-exist in the land. These inspiring scenes are even more so highlighted in the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur where modernization meets culture to brought fourth an amazing tourism experience. We at The 5 Elements Hotel would like our guests to immerse themselves with the experience as much as they can, and to help them with that we’ve prepared some of the activities recommended throughout your Kuala Lumpur trip.

1. View the Kuala Lumpur Skyline

There is no better place to get a bird’s eye view of Kuala Lumpur than at the Petronas Twin Towers. Sitting at an amazing 451.9 meters above ground level, the establishment is currently the world tallest twin structure, and the fifth tallest skyscraper. The building is specifically designed to reflect the modernization of Malaysian culture with it’s futuristic facade and a traditional inspired interior. The 88-storey building houses a viewing deck on the 86th floor, providing a wonderful platform for the public to feast their eyes on the magnificent view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline.

2. The Gastronomic Adventure

Being a culturally diverse country, Malaysia is now one of the top destinations when it comes to food. The historical impact that made Malaysia today has shown itself in the wide array of culinary offerings throughout the country. What makes it even more special, is the marriage of these different cultures that creates an exciting new mix of flavors which is truly awe inspiring. The type of offerings involved are not restricted to those of side stalls either. These days, it is easy to find an establishment providing a more refined service inspired from the historical cultures.

3. Shopper’s Heaven

Malaysia, or more specifically Kuala Lumpur have been labeled as the 4th top shopping destination in the world. This achievement is largely contributed by establishments such as Pavillion, Starhill, and many more, due to their international influence in terms of products and labels offered in such a compact place, providing convenience in luxury. Although these might not reflect the rich culture of Malaysia, it is the small, quaint institutions that truly brings the culture impact forward by offering historical based products, souvenirs, to those with interest.

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Batik Malaysia – A “must have” souvenir

Batik essentially is an art form translated onto a piece of textile through a meticulous and unique method, usually depicting the local flora and fauna. The word Batik is derived from the Javanese word “titik” translated in English meaning “dots” which describes the process of wax application during the whole process.

The technique involved in the creation of Batik is a combination of wax canting and dip dyeing, none of which is automated, resulting in a unique and distinct design for each and every piece of work. The amount of work being put into creating a piece of Batik depends on the type of pattern the artist would like to achieve, with some being so complicated and detailed that it could take up to a year to finish up the whole process from start to finish.

Although the Batik is closely related to the Java Island of Indonesia, which is where it is originally created, what makes the Malaysian Batik unique and distinct from it’s Javanese counterpart is the usage of manual brush strokes. The use of bright and lighter hue of color also gives it an unmistakable persona compared to the usually deep and somber design of the Javanese Batik.

The Batik cloth is more commonly associated to a formal event, and even weddings due to the traditional aura that it exudes, portraying the local culture that is perfect for the occasion. Nevertheless, it is now widely modernized by designers, combining a modern touch to create a wonderful mix that is translated to a wide variety of creations that includes household items such as drapes, tables runners, and many more.

Finding a Batik is never a hassle in Malaysia, especially if you’re in the vicinity of places such as the famous Central Market, known locally as Pasar Seni. The home of many local arts and crafts, tourists and visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to shopping for the weird and wonderful, Batik included. Located just 5 minutes away from Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, our guests at The 5 Elements Hotel can easily reach the destination to explore more on the art of Batik.

Get the latest updates on The 5 Elements Hotel, like us on our facebook page at http://goo.gl/UOxMWU or connect with us on Google+ at http://goo.gl/S5IZYC

Visit our website at www.the5elementshotel.com.my for more info on our rooms, rates, facilities, and more.

Want to know what others think about our hotel? Read through reviews and experience from our previous guests at our Tripadvisor page, http://goo.gl/4mN0nT