Malaysia – A rendezvous for lovers

The trend of combining wedding photography with travel

Outdoor wedding photography combined with travel is increasingly becoming a trend chosen by many couples to make their photo album more unique and novel, and at the same time, they can enjoy beautiful moments when traveling together. There are many countries in Southeast Asia for you to choose from, but for me, Malaysia is the place couples should choose because it has so many famous beautiful landscapes, countless high-class accommodations for relaxation, convenient transportation conditions, easy connection between major cities.

After a 3-hour direct flight from Hanoi, I arrived at KLIA2 airport. One of the impressive destinations for me was the administrative capital Putrajaya, about 45 minutes drive from the airport and 30km from the center of Kuala Lumpur. Putrajaya makes a difference with its garden city architecture, with a construction density of only 25%, the rest being roads, parks, sports areas, natural gardens... This promises to be an ideal place for beautiful pictures, close to nature. You can choose famous photo spots for your album such as: Palace of Justice - Istana Kehakiman (Supreme Court), Perbadanan Government Complex or Putra Mosque. Putrajaya also becomes more charming with modern bridges across the lake such as Seri Wawasan Bridge, Putra Bridge connecting Putrajaya International Convention Center - PICC, where many couples stop to capture wonderful sunset photos.

But first, let's visit the capital Kuala Lumpur, which has its own charm with its unique architecture that blends Eastern and Western styles. Besides the famous photo spot with the Petronas Twin Towers, you can add to your itinerary famous buildings such as Old KTM Station, National Library, Istana Budaya National Theatre, Merdeka Square, National Museum Muzium Negara, Istana Negara Royal Palace. Or simply the moment of holding hands and smiling happily while walking on the bustling Bukit Bintang walking street.

If you want to have more private frames combined with your honeymoon trip, you should plan to go to Langkawi Island. You will capture the moment together standing on the Sky Bridge, enjoying and immersing yourself in the majestic beauty of nature, or spontaneously stopping to take photos while driving along the coastline. You can also sign up for a photo package at the most beautiful 5-star resorts on the island, with private beaches with unique and luxurious architectural designs.

More information:

+ If you are fluent in a foreign language, you can find out information about some photographers in the host country to save costs or hire a freelancer in Vietnam to go with you on the trip.

+ Outfit: Depending on your preferences and style, it is better to prepare your own outfit to look more presentable. You can also buy a silk hand-held flower bouquet in Vietnam to bring along.

+ Makeup: If you want to save money, you can do your own hair and makeup when taking photos or find out more about some salons and hair salons with not too high fees.

+ Refer to some wedding photography studios/ freelance photographers in Malaysia:

www.mphotoo.com | www.zachchin.com | www.crazymonkeystudio.com | www.jimliaw.com

Sweet honeymoon at "Eagle Island"

In addition to famous stops such as Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, the Pearl of the Orient Penang, or the ancient city of Melacca, the "Eagle Island" Langkawi, a 1-hour flight from the capital Kuala Lumpur, is a favorite honeymoon destination for couples.

You should spend a decent budget for your trip on this beautiful island because it will be difficult to find hotels with good prices like in other destinations, but the accommodation with perfect service will completely conquer you. Tourists can refer to some 5-star resort hotels such as: The Danna Langkawi Hotel with an infinity pool overlooking the beautiful beach, Andaman Resort designed in royal architecture, all villas have swimming pools and private beaches, Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa with a system of rooms designed entirely from wood close to nature. Especially the Four Season Hotel, the most beautiful hotel in Langkawi with a private emerald green beach and a system of rooms and bungalows equipped with sophisticated interiors and decor. As an island that attracts tourists, you should book rooms in advance through reputable sites such as ivivu.com, booking.com, agoda.com to be more proactive and secure.

Langkawi consists of 99 islands, 478.48 km² wide, attracting tourists by the two most crowded areas: Kuah Town center, where the pier is located, and Pantai Cenang beach area with Langkawi airport. Not only is the island attractive with blue beaches, stretching endless white sand, this place also surprises you with beautiful mountain passes. You can experience it by renting a car, taking a taxi by the kilometer, renting a motorbike, or walking along the trails to explore waterfalls, lakes and primeval forest landscapes. Don't forget to visit the Kuah administrative center, where Eagle Square is considered the symbol of the island, standing out in the pier area, close to the sea. In addition to the square, there is also the Legendary Park, Al-Hana Mosque and Kuah pier, an ideal place for couples to enjoy the sparkling sunset on the waves.

A highlight not to be missed is the Oriental Village, a complex of hotels, shopping centers, and entertainment facilities located deep in the mountains. Here, you will experience the Cable Car system that takes visitors to the observation deck on the top of the mountain to enjoy the majestic mountain scenery, the panoramic view of Kuah Bay with beautiful yachts below. Next, try the adventurous feeling when walking on the Sky Bridge steel cable bridge with a unique design with a length of 125m in an arc shape, connecting Mat Cincang mountain and neighboring mountains. Oriental Village is voted by international tourists as one of the most attractive and worth-visiting destinations when coming to Langkawi and is also the place many couples choose for their wedding photos.

After the trip to the forest, do not forget to go to the sea to immerse yourself in the clear water with your lover, admire the fascinating world under the ocean when diving at Payar Island Marine Park, or take a glass-bottom boat and see the underwater world. In the evening, you can stroll along Cenang beach, or stop in front of a bar, cafe to sip a cocktail, local drink and join in the bustling atmosphere on the island.

If you want to explore the island on a tour, you can book a day tour right at the airport with many options. In particular, this beautiful island also attracts all shopping enthusiasts because all goods are completely tax-free, especially household products, perfumes, chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes, cigars with prices 30-50% cheaper than stores in Kuala Lumpur.

More information:

+ It takes 1 hour to fly from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi. You can book a flight with Air Asia or Malaysia Airlines.

+ Language: English, Chinese and Malay

+ Foreign exchange rate: 1RM (Malaysia) equivalent to 6,000 VND

+ At Langkawi pier and airport, there are many counters providing information about hotels, tours, car rental services, etc. Motorbike rental prices start from 35RM/day, car rental from 180RM/day. The means of transport are in the opposite direction to Vietnam and most of the roads on the island are mountain passes. If you do not have much experience, taking a taxi is the safest.

+ Cable car ticket price for two trips is 35RM/adult and ticket to go on Sky Bridge is currently 5RM, after upgrading the price is 17RM.

+ Food and drink: There are many local restaurants and eateries on the island in Pantai Cenang and Kuah Town. A suggestion worth experiencing is Fish Farm restaurant, serving a variety of European and Asian dishes and especially traditional Malaysian dishes.

Shop for luxury goods

Coming to Malaysia from now until the end of August, take advantage of the last sale of branded items at the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival 2015. If you are not a lucky tourist, plan your honeymoon now to join the last sale of 2015 at the 1Malaysia Year-End Sale taking place from November 14 to January 3, 2016. At the festival, hundreds of retailers in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru offer discounts from 20% to 80% on handicraft products to famous fashion brands in the world.
 

Kuala Lumpur

Right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur city, you will certainly be impressed by the bustling and bustling shopping "boulevards" day and night with famous shopping centers including:

-Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, a favorite shopping destination for brand lovers, is divided into 6 zones with most of the world's famous fashion brands. You will receive special offers and discounts and have the chance to win valuable prizes at Pavilion KP from now until August 31. All international brands such as Zara, Mango, H&M, G200, F21, Esprit... and more than 250 stores simultaneously offer promotions, discounts and special gifts for visitors.

-At Fahrenheit88, “Sale-Brate” is the biggest sale of the year with duty-free items, prizes, competitions and great travel deals. With every RM100 purchase, visitors will receive a free travel voucher and great discounts from over 50 brands, along with a personalised bag.

-Suria KLCC is located right at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, focusing on famous brands such as Louis Vuitton, Versace, Hermes, Burberry, GUCCI, Chanel.... KLCC attracts shopping enthusiasts because of its modernity and luxury. The items sold here are quite expensive, but during the Mega Sale season, you can completely buy items at super cheap prices compared to the usual "sky-high" prices.

-Besides the world famous fashion brands, if you want to find more affordable items, go to Berjaya Time Squares, one of the shopping centers with reasonable prices and high quality branded items.

-At the Central Market, visitors can enjoy shopping with discount agents participating in the Tourist Privilege Pack. Tourists can return items by showing their passport at the information counters. On weekends, you can enjoy traditional dance performances at the outdoor stage.

Johor Bahru

As the second largest city in Malaysia, Johor Bahru is home to many large shopping malls and is the gateway to Singapore, famous for its leading shopping mall Johor Premium Outlet (JPO) 40km from the city center. This place gathers more than 80 famous brands and personal brands of fashion designers, most of which are sold at preferential prices. Major fashion brands at JPO have sales off up to 60-70% all year round.

Don't miss Johor Bahru City Square and Komtar JBCC Mall to choose from a wide variety of products from famous brands to specialized electronic products. The shopping centers also integrate a variety of entertainment and convenient cuisine for you to relax and unwind after hours of shopping.

More information:

+ When arriving at the Malaysian airport or any shopping mall, visit the Malaysia Tourist Information Center. You will have the opportunity to receive discount cards such as the Tourism Privilege Card, which gives you 5% discount on some items at major shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.

+ When going shopping, you should bring a credit card to avoid having to carry a lot of cash and have the opportunity to receive incentives when paying.

+ Shopping malls open from 10am to 10pm.

+ Check out the Super Pass book for shopping enthusiasts, which includes thousands of vouchers for fashion, dining, spa, resort, entertainment, etc. With the Super Pass book, you can get 20-30% off on products, plus a free drink or ice cream voucher when ordering. The Super Pass book is usually sold for RM55. Follow the information on www.superpass.com.my.

The Thanh