Mandalay, Myanmar

Date: 04 Sep 2010 - 18 Sep 2010

Location: Mandalay, Myanmar

Camera: Canon EOS 500D

Lens: Tokina AT-X 124 AF Pro DX 12-24mm f/4

Lens: Canon EF-S 18-200 mm F3.5-5.6 IS

Filter: none

Post editing: PS CS3

Trip schedule and details: http://danlow.multiply.com/journal/item/91 Check this out if you plan to visit Myanmar, I have shared tonnes of goodies here.

Mandalay is the second-largest city and the last royal capital of Burma. Located 445 miles (716 km) north of Yangon on the east bank of the Irrawaddy River, the city has a population of one million,[1] and is the capital of Mandalay Region (formerly Mandalay Division). Mandalay is the economic hub of Upper Burma and considered the center of Burmese culture.

To me Mandalay is interesting because of its temples, it is very interesting to see them one by one and learn about their history and importance to the people of Myanmar. 

These are the places that I have visited:

1. Sandamani Paya

2. Kyauktawgyi Paya

3. Mandalay hill

4. Shwe in Bin Kyaung

5. Mahamuni Paya

6. Sagaing

7. Sagaing Hill

8. Amarapura

9. U Bein's Bridge

I was only there for a night which I think was a good decision. Coz my next stop at "Bagan" was even better... 

Things I like about Mandalay:

- Very interesting temples of various styles

Things I don't like about Mandalay:

- very dusty and hot

- expensive fuel = expensive taxi

SLIDESHOW

Bagan II

This is a continuation of the first album.

In this album are pictures from Mount Popa, Bagan’s Nyaung-U wet market and some miscellaneous pictures of Bagan.

Rice is always served with many dishes, the soup are particularly good all the time.

Mount Popa is a volcano 1518 metres (4981 feet) above sea level, and located in central Burma (Myanmar) about 50 km (30 miles) southeast of Bagan (alt: Pagan) in the Pegu Range. It can be seen from the River Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy)/Bagan as far away as 60 km (40 miles) in clear weather. Mount Popa is perhaps best known for the nearby stunningly picturesque Popa Taungkalat monastery atop an outcrop. The Popa Taungkalat (Taung Kalat) Shrine is home to 37 Mahagiri Nats, or spirits.

The name Popa is believed to come from the Pali Sanskrit word 'popa' meaning flower.
... and Nyaung-U is the town center of Bagan …. Check out the pictures of the market.

SLIDESHOW

Bagan I

Date: 04 Sep 2010 - 18 Sep 2010
Location: Bagan, Myanmar
Camera: Canon EOS 500D
Lens: Tokina AT-X 124 AF Pro DX 12-24mm f/4
Lens: Canon EF-S 18-200 mm F3.5-5.6 IS
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS3
Trip schedule and details: http://danlow.multiply.com/journal/item/91 Check this out if you plan to visit Myanmar, I have shared tonnes of goodies here.

Bagan, formerly Pagan, is an ancient city(800-1300AD) in the Mandalay Division of Burma. It was the ancient capital of several ancient kingdoms in Burma. It is located in the dry central plains of the country, on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwady River, 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Mandalay.
Bagan was submitted to become a UNESCO heritage site but many speculate of politics as partly the reason for the exclusion. UNESCO does not designate Bagan as a World Heritage Site. The main reason given is that the military junta (SPDC) has haphazardly restored ancient stupas, temples and buildings, ignoring original architectural styles and using modern materials which bear little or no resemblance to the original designs. The junta has also established a golf course, a paved highway, and built a 200-foot (61-m) watchtower in the southeastern suburb of Minnanthu. Well those were just excuses to my opinion, Angkor has paved roads, etc etc as well. Penang and Melaka have even more roads and towers, bla bla bla...
It is hard to believe that Bagan is not listed as an UNESCO heritage site.
To me Bagan is amazing! This this is highlight of my 16 days trip to Myanmar.

Things I like about Bagan:
- Very beautiful ancient temples of various styles
- There is a statue of Buddha in each and every temple and pagoda, unlike Angkor Wat's temples are mostly empty
- Going from temple to temple, pagoda to pagoda, seeing them up close for 3 days and still unable to see them all. Bagan (Pagan) has over 2000 Pagodas/Temple/Stupas.
- Very few tourist when I was there

Things I don't like about Bagan:
- pheuuuu. .. it is a very hot place.
- expensive fuel = expensive taxi
- sticky gifts vendors at famous temples, so bear with it or skip those temples all togather

SLIDESHOW

 

Sipadan 2010

Date: 10 Jul 2010 - 18 Jul 2010
Location: Sipadan, Mabul, Kapalai and Si-Amil
Camera: Canon G10 + Canon Casing
Strobe: Fantasea Single Nano Strobe Set
Filter: NIL
Post editing: PS CS3
No. of dives: 17

My reason to go there:
Coz my friends were going there ..... and the last time I was there was 5 years ago.

Thoughts:
- Visibility wasn't very good this round
- There are still a lot of Barracudas, turtles, jacks and sharks
- Coral reef at Sipadan seems to have grown
- The artificial reefs at Mabul and Kapalai + the Sea Venture are among my fav dive sites
- Si-Amil is beautiful, diving is pretty good there too
- The dive operator Billabong is just average, for I won't return to this one. I'll perhaps go with Sea Venture or Kapalai resort where they have great house dive site
- The gwai-lou DI there sucks, bloody action. The local DM are very good...
- Happy to see the Spiny devil fish, frog fish, flamboyant cuttlefish and sea moth again....
- The Bajau sea gypsies are very poor, they need help...

SLIDESHOW

Sea Gypsies of Mabul

Date: 10 Jul 2010 - 18 Jul 2010
Location: Mabul Island
Camera: Canon G10
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS3

I was at Mabul several weeks ago, scuba diving Sipadan, Kapalai, Si-Amil from there.
In these pictures are the Bajau Laut or the Bajau sea gypsies people. Most of them do not have a nationality, they roam the borders of Malaysia, Indonesia and The Philippines living a nomadic life.

I took these pictures with my compact camera(Canon G10), I wish I had my DSLR with me that time, there were a lot of photographic opportunities there.
Hope you like the pictures here...

Gunung Tambuyukon 2,579m

Pos Monggis - Day 1, just before the 3D/4N hike

 

Date: 06 Jun 2010 - 09 Jun 2010 [4D/3N]
Location: Gunung Tambuyukon, Pos, Monggis, Kinabalu National Park, Sabah
Altitude: 2,579m ASL
Campsite: 1st campsite is by the river, flat and can fit many fly, 2nd campsite is at 1500ASL, no WP and uneven, can fit 15 easy
Difficulty: 7.8/10 (http://danlow.multiply.com/journal/item/50)
Trail length: 14km
Camera: Canon G10
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS3
Organizer: Kentat
Members : Dan, Tut, Lucy, Fau Ah Kau, Lim Fang Hau, Khai Chern, PC, HL and CY
My reason to go there: This is one of the 12 tallest mountain in Malaysia, in my quest to hike them all, I will definately wanna hike this one as well. Gunung Tambuyukon is 2,579m ASL, that makes it the 3rd tallest in Malaysia after Kinabalu and Trusmadi.
Thoughts: This is perhaps one of the most beautiful mountain I have ever hiked in Malaysia, I’m glad and feel fortunate to be able to see the place for myself. If you like pitcher plants, then you should not miss this mountain.

SLIDESHOW

 

2-3hrs drive pass logging roads

 

very clear water at the campsite

tiny little mushrooms

nice view from Camp Rajah

Campsite #2 at 1500m ASL

awesome view from the summit region

a snake blocked my way, it was sunbathing

one of the largest pitcher plant in the world - Nepenthes rajah

Nepenthes lowii

Pos Monggis, returning to KK

 

Gunung Nambuyukon, the sister of Gunung Tambuyukon is visible from here

 

Gunung Kinabalu is visible from the summit of Gunung Tambuyukon

 

Nepenthes edwardsiana

Nepenthes edwardsiana

 

Nepenthes rajah

 

Nepenthes tentaculata

Nepenthes villosa

 

Nepenthes edwardsiana

 

it finally said "I had enough" after 5 years ... thanks my dear HiTec boots.. R.I.P.

 

 

 

Gunung Charlie 1,923m

Date: 01 May 2010 - 02 May 2010 [2D/1N]
Location: Gunung Charlie, Cameron Highlands
Altitude: 1,923m ASL
Campsite: At the summit, multi-level, fits at least 2 flies + 3 tents
Difficulty: 6.6/10
Trail length: 6.1km
Camera: Canon G10
Filter: none
Post editing: PS CS3
Organizer: Kentat
Members : Uncle Yong, Dan, Lucy, Steven Heng, Fau Ah Kau, Lim Fang Hau, Ah Fatt, Khai Chern & KL Tan
My reason to go there: Gunung Charlie had been on my radar for a long time, heard that it is beautiful up there. When I got there, indeed it is a beautiful mountain, we could see a lot of other surrounding mountains from there.

Hike log [Copied from KL Tan’s album]
30th Apr, 2010 (Friday)
1900 Meet at my house & simple dinner at Alma Food court
2030 Heading to Cameron
2200 Meet Kentat group at Simpang Pulai entrance
2300 Kampung Raja Guan Ti Temple
2330 Foods & Load distribution & packing
2400 zzzz

1st May, 2010 (Saturday)
0610 Wake up, clean up, packing
0700 Breakfast
0800 4WD Pick up from Kampung Raja
0830 Starting point, warm up & gear up
0840 River crossing
0940 Refill water at water point
1120 Early lunch at Puncak 6040
1330 Puncak Tiga Negeri, Three Boundaries (Perak/Pahang/Kelantan)
1430 Last Water source, final refill
1530 Challi/Charlie Peak
1630 Clean up, set up flysheet & relax
1730 Prepare Dinner
1830 Makan
1930 Tong sui time...
2130 Star watching & cakap banyak
2200 zzzzz (Temperature around 14.1 C at that time)

2nd May, 2010 (Sunday)
0640 Wake up call
0700 Sunrise photo
0800 Breakfast & Packing
0930 Group photo before leaving Challi/Charlie peak
0940 Bye bye challie/Charlie
1040 Three boundaries
1120 Wrong route...steep descend/ascend, wasted 20++ mins... according to Fatt... this route will lead us to Bubu.
1240 Lunch break before Puncak 6040
1535 River crossing, clean up and waiting for 4WD to pick up
1600 4WD transfer to Kampung Raja
1630 Bathe & clean up at Guan Ti Temple
1730 Early dinner
1900 Strawberry juice before leaving
2000 Balik Kampung
2130 Home sweet home

SLIDESHOW