Accessible only by boat or plane, the wilderness of Mulu National Park covers about 544 square miles, an area equal to the size of Singapore. It is home to some of the largest documented cave systems on the planet, and populated by bats and other rare wildlife. After a former successful collaboration, the National Park Management asked CTG Security Matrix, a Bosch Integrator, for advice on how to best monitor the area’s remote sites. Taking all of the camera requirements and environmental factors into consideration, three Bosch MIC IP starlight 7000 HD PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras were the perfect choice for this harsh environment.

Conditions could not be more challenging than in Borneo’s tropical rainforest, where temperatures reach up to +30 degrees Celsius and humidity can be as high as 100 percent.

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Experience the best of Melaka even for a short 2-day trip.

The historic hub of Melaka hosts tourists all year round. It houses the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site and has umpteen options for eating local food and exploring famous fort ruins. Melaka was originally a local fishing village. It grew to be a perfect blend of tradition and culture, being one of the few multi-linguistic states of Malaysia. I fondly call it Mini Penang, due to the resemblance of tourist spots and similarity of food. If you have planned a 2-day trip to Melaka, here’s what you can do in the short span of time.

Day 1

Dutch Square

Head to Dutch Square at Bandar Hilir in the morning and bask in the sunlit scenes of historic terracotta buildings, colourful trishaws and cute street shops.

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IT was indeed my lucky week in mid-May, when the distant planets of the universe conspired and brought together three of my favorite things—diving, caving and jazz music (in that particular order).

The fact that it happened in the charming resort city of Miri in Sarawak, Malaysia, during the Borneo Jazz Festival made it a consummate and multisensorial experience.

Located on the northern central part of Borneo island, which boasts of a rich biodiversity, Miri is one of the unheralded diving havens in this part of the world.In between the sizzling performances in the two-day jazz fest, the event organizers took us to Miri’s underwater world via Co.Co. Dive, Sarawak’s one and only Padi 5-Star Dive Center.

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If you like your towns and cities steeped in history, with atmospheric streets lined with heritage architecture, George Town in Malaysia should be on your travel bucket list. George Town is one of those rare frozen-in-time cities which mingles with today’s modern lifestyle lusts. It caters for the history buff and travel photographer but also the shopaholic and foodie fanatic.

George Town, the capital city of Penang state, is located on Penang Island in the North-West of Malaysia. It might be Malaysia’s second largest city after Kuala Lumpur, but it’s nowhere near as crazy and in your face as the country’s capital. Especially in its quaint old town centre.

We fell in love with George Town five years ago and have been going back ever since.

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The streets and alleyways of Chinatown on the west bank of the Melaka River are the nerve centre of Melaka and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city’s most fascinating area for a wander.

Begin from the river along Heeren Street (officially Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock), formerly Heeren­straat or “Gentlemen’s Street” and the address of the upper-crust since Dutch times. From the mid-18th century to the early 20th century this was the choice neighbourhood for wealthy Straits Chinese (Peranakan) who had made it big in the rubber trade. Many of the flamboyant “Chinese Baroque” homes have been restored and converted to hotels, guesthouses, antique shops and museums.

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One thing is for sure: Penang will change in many ways during the next few years. Frances Wilks looks at some of the ways the island’s future can be shaped positively rather than destructively, and be life-enhancing, rather than soul destroying.

Many of us feel ambivalent– or even downright negative – about the changes that are taking place in Penang. The incessant building, the increase in heavy lorries, the strain on infrastructure, the dirt, the noise, and the increased pollution all take their toll. And, above all else, the degradation of the environment – trees are cut down, hill slopes compromised, and beautiful vistas destroyed. In some ways, Penang is a victim of its own success.

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The Sungai Melaka has meandered through Malaysia’s Melaka City for centuries, but with glitzy new shopping malls opening along its riverbanks and boutique hotels now overlooking its picturesque bridges and art murals, this snaking waterway is being rejuvenated by creative urban planning.

Located on the southwest coast of Malaysia, Melaka City is arguably the country’s most historic metropolis. Its central historical zone, a crumbling set of colonial-era buildings in and around Chinatown, gained Unesco World Heritage listing in 2008, and the benefits are now spreading to the Sungai Melaka.

Snap street art along the riverbanks

In the early 1400s, Melaka City was one of the region’s most powerful trading states and a crucible of Malay Islamic culture.

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Malacca is one of Malaysia’s top tourist destinations and a visit to this colonial seaside town, will soon show you why. A UNESCO World Heritage site, this ancient settlement in the south of the Malay Peninsula was a Portuguese stronghold from the 16^th century.

It’s unfortunate that Malaysia is often overlooked by travellers in favour of its northern neighbour Thailand, but that would be to do the country and injustice. There are some beautiful sights to see in this tropical paradise, with culturally diverse towns and cities, beautiful beaches and islands, and incredible, world beating cuisine. And while Kuala Lumpur is a delight not to be missed, perhaps the jewel in Malaysia’s crown is the charming colonial town of Malacca, on the shores of the Malacca Strait of the Andaman Sea.

Jonker Street

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Melaka is commonly referred to as the Historic City – its official designation is Bandar Bersejarah, which is simply a Malay translation. The city/state was the location of one of the earliest Malay Sultanates in the region and was established as a major trading port. In the early 1500s, the Portuguese conquered Melaka and held it for over 100 years. Later, the Dutch defeated the Portuguese and took control of the now thriving port. The Dutch then ceded Melaka to the British in the 1824 who colonised it until Malaysia’s eventual independence. For a brief spell between 1942 and 1945, Melaka was taken over by the Japanese who were eventually defeated by the British who again took control.

With such a vibrant and rich history, it’s not surprising that Melaka is basically a living museum of Malaysia’s colonial past.

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NG costs and a saturated market have started to drive the agile, bootstrapped technology-inspired masses out of major cities and into second cities. It’s a phenomenon that is visible throughout the world. Startups in the United States are relocating out of Silicon Valley and moving into enclaves in the San Jose area, while in the UK, Bristol is benefiting from an influx of digital creatives leaking out from a London full to bursting.

Recently, Bloomberg reported Fukuoka, the fastest-growing major city outside from Tokyo, has slowly but surely been poaching tech talent from all corners of the country for decades. The ancient port located miles away from Tokyo is benefiting from a growing population of young entrepreneurs and a government hell-bent on protecting its status as a tech haven via various incentives aimed at business people.

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