Shore Excursion: Putrajaya City Tour

THE FIRST STOP IS ONE OF SEVEN BRIDGES IN PUTRAJAYA, WHICH IS THE MOST ELEGANT. THE 240M CABLE BRIDGE FEATURES A FUTURISTIC DESIGN BORROWING THE SHAPE OF A SAILING SHIP. THE SERI WAWASAN BRIDGE IS VISIBLE FROM MANY VANTAGE POINTS OF THE CITY.

THE PUTRAJAYA LAKE IS A LAKE LOCATED AT THE CENTRE OF PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA. THIS 650 HECTARES MAN-MADE LAKE IS DESIGNED TO ACT AS A NATURAL COOLING SYSTEM FOR THE CITY AND ALSO FOR RECREATION, FISHING, WATER SPORTS AND WATER TRANSPORT.

THIS IMPOSING BUILDING STANDS ATOP THE MAIN HILL IN PUTRAJAYA, CATCHING EYES WITH ITS PALATIAL-STYLE GREEN DOME AND STONE WALLS. FEATURING A BLEND OF ISLAMIC AND MODERN ARCHITECTURE, THE OFFICE COMPLEX IS WHERE MINISTERS AND HIGHER OFFICIALS WORK. IT IS NOT OPEN TO VISITORS, BUT YOU CAN STILL ADMIRE ITS GRANDEUR FROM THE OUTSIDE.

ROSE-TINTED GRANITE GIVES THE PUTRA MOSQUE ITS ICONIC PINK HUE, AN ELEGANCE THAT REFLECTS AS REMARKABLY ON THE INSIDE AS IT DOES ON THE OUTSIDE. BUILT BY THE LAKE IN 1997, THE MOSQUE CAN ACCOMMODATE UP TO 15,000 WORSHIPPERS. VISITORS WOULD STOP BY FOR PHOTOGRAPHS WITH THIS SOPHISTICATED LANDMARK, WHICH DREW INSPIRATION FROM MALAY AND MIDDLE EASTERN INFLUENCES.

SERI PERDANA IS THE OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF MALAYSIA, LOCATED IN PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA.

THE IRON MOSQUE (OR TUNKU MIZAN ZAINAL ABIDIN MOSQUE) IS ANOTHER ARCHITECTURAL WONDER WORTH CHECKING OUT. CONSTRUCTED PRIMARILY FROM STEEL, “WIRE MESH” ARCHITECTURE DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM CHINESE AND GERMAN DESIGNS. UNLIKE OTHER MOSQUES IN MALAYSIA, THERE IS NO MINARET WHICH IS USED TO CALL FOR PRAYERS. FROM AFAR, IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS MADE OF METAL OR GLASS.

DESIGNED IN 2005 TO USHER IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM, THIS IS THE FIRST MONUMENT TO BE BUILT IN PUTRAJAYA. THE WALKWAY TWIRLING AROUND THE MONUMENT ILLUSTRATES THE HISTORY OF MALAYSIA, THE PANELS DESCRIBING SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY. THERE IS A TIME CAPSULE AT THE BASE OF THE MONUMENT WHICH WILL BE OPENED IN 2020. AS YOU MOVE UP ALONG THE RAMPS OF THE MILLENNIUM MONUMENT, YOU CAN SEE SWEEPING VIEWS OF THE WATERFRONT.

ISTANA MELAWATI IS THE SECOND NATIONAL PALACE OF MALAYSIA'S YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG IN PUTRAJAYA AFTER THE ISTANA NEGARA IN KUALA LUMPUR. IT SERVES AS A ROYAL RETREAT FOR THE YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG.

THE MOROCCAN PAVILION DESERVES FIVE STARS FOR INSTAWORTHINESS, IF SUCH A RATING EXISTS. BUILT TO SYMBOLISE THE DIPLOMATIC TIES BETWEEN THE TWO GOVERNMENTS, THE STUNNING ARCHITECTURE AND DELICATE CRAFTSMANSHIP BEAR RESEMBLANCE TO THE VILLAGES AND IMPERIAL CITIES OF MOROCCO.

ANJUNG FLORIA IS KNOWN TO BE A PUBLIC PARK IN PUTRAJAYA. IT IS LOCATED IN PRECINCT 4 AND IT HOSTS AN ANNUAL GARDEN FESTIVAL CALLED ROYAL FLORIA PUTRAJAYA. EACH YEAR THE FLORAL FESTIVAL CARRIES A DIFFERENT THEME. FOR INSTANCE, THE THEME FOR 2016 FLORAL FESTIVAL WAS MAGICAL WORLD OF FLORIA WHICH FEATURES CHRYSANTHEMUM AS THE FLOWER THEME. IT IS ALSO A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR PHOTOGRAPHY. THE BEST PLACE TO CAPTURE A PHOTO AND MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE YOU ARE SOMEWHERE OVERSEAS IS AT THE CHINA-MALAYSIA FRIENDSHIP GARDEN.

VISITORS CAN SAMPLE FRESH FRUITS AND OBSERVE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS RUBBER TAPPING, LATEX COLLECTION, CROP MAINTENANCE, FRUITS PRESERVATION AND MANY OTHERS. AMONG THE ATTRACTIONS HERE INCLUDE THE VISITORS' COMPLEX, AN ORCHARD, AN HERBS AND SPICES TRACK, CLONAL RUBBER PLOT AND VIEWING DECK. THE PARK ALSO OFFERS MANY AGRO-PRODUCTS FOR SALE, WHILE VARIOUS AGRO-BASED ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES ARE ARRANGED FOR VISITORS ALL-YEAR ROUND.

PUTRAJAYA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION CENTRE (PICC) IS ONE OF MALAYSIA’S PREMIER MEETING AND CONVENTION VENUES. NESTED IN AN OASIS OF GREEN PARKS, LAKES AND WETLANDS, IT’S A CAREFULLY PLANNED, HIGH-TECH CENTRE FOR MEETINGS OF ANY TYPES AND SHAPES. THE FIRST CONVENTION CENTRE TO BE AWARDED THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION BEST PRACTICES AWARD BY ASEAN IN 2007, IT HAS REAPED MANY ACCOLADES EVER SINCE. AMONG THEM, LET’S MENTION THE BEST BRANDS IN SERVICES - CONVENTION CENTRE AWARD BY THE ASIA PACIFIC BRAND FOUNDATION (APBF) 2013-2014 AND THE INTERNATIONAL QUALITY CROWN (IQC) AWARD 2014 IN THE GOLD CATEGORY.

THE BIGGEST BOTANICAL GARDEN IN MALAYSIA, THE PUTRAJAYA BOTANICAL GARDEN COVERS AN AREA OVER 92 HECTARES. THE PARK IS DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS - FLOWERS, ORNAMENTAL PLANTS AND PRESERVATION/RESEARCH PURPOSES. THE GARDEN CURRENTLY HAS MORE THAN 700 SPECIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS, LOCAL PLANTS AS WELL AS PLANTS FROM THE ASIA-PACIFIC AND AFRICA REGIONS. THE AREA ALSO SERVES AS A RESEARCH CENTRE, WITH ITS MULTI-PURPOSE COLLECTION. KIDS WILL BE DELIGHTED WITH THE HUGE COLLECTION AND EXOTIC FLOWERS, AND EDUCATIONISTS WILL BE ABLE TO SEE MANY SPECIES OF PLANTS AT THE RESEARCH CENTRE.

A HIDDEN GEM! THAT'S WHAT WE FELT ON OUR FIRST VISIT ON TAMAN WAWASAN PUTRAJAYA. "WAWASAN PARK" IS OUR DIRECT TRANSLATION, WAWASAN MEANS VISION. THE GARDEN WAS NAMED ALIGN TO THE MALAYSIAN "VISION 2020", A VISION FOR MALAYSIAN TO PUSH OUR COUNTRY TO BECOME A DEVELOPED COUNTRY, ON OR BEFORE 2020. COME BACK TO THE PARK. IT IS REALLY A HUGE PARK, TOUCHES THE BOULEVARD ON ONE END, WHILE THE LAKESIDE OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREGN AFFAIR, FLANKING LEBUH EHSAN (EHSAN EVENUE) ON ANOTHER. STILL HAVE NO IDEA HOW BIG IT IS? WELL, IF WE JOG SLOWLY, WE MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE 1 HOUR TO MAKE A FULL ROUND OF THE GARDEN.