Johor Trip 2016: Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

[Itinerary + Transportation]

25^th April 2016 (Monday)

This road takes its name from Tan Hiok Nee, a Chinese merchant who was bestowed the title of “Chinese Major” by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1870 and subsequently  was accorded a Datukship. He started as a textile merchant and ended up as a supplier of fabric and later controlled the market at that time. Tan Hiok Nee also planted black pepper and gambier along Sungai Johor, from Kota Tinggi until the shores of the Tebrau Straits facing Pulau Ubin. He was also the head of the Ngee Heng Kongsi Clan from 1863 till 1873.

Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory

This bakery is so famous in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee especially banana cake. They are using traditional ways which is handmade and using charcoal with wooden oven.

The bun and bread are fast selling. Many people recommend try for banana cake. I went here for twice, during morning as we want go to shopping mall so we did not wait for bread baking and came again in afternoon. At afternoon, they just left banana cake so I bought big and small size of banana cake.

Ehhe Art Café

The decoration in this café is nice and it is near with Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory. I tried go up to Ehhe Art gallery but the door is closed.

Along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee can see some arts on the building. It is so beautiful! Based on Johor Kaki, he said that those are the works of Pauline, a young artist who works with this café.

The Red House

At Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, you can see The Red House which is a coffee shop. We did not go in but just take some pictures of this building.

The Drums Cafe

24-Festival Drums are based creation on the 24 festivals in the lunar calendar of the Chinese agricultural community. With each drum representing one festival, a full team completes the cycle of 24 festivals in the lunar calendar that or thousands of years has guided the agricultural activities of the Chinese.

My little sister knew how to play of the 24-Festival Drums. When I saw of this café, I think of she. If have chance, I will bring my family especially my little sister to here for café hopping. I saw someone recommend the crepe in this café. Beside this café, I saw others recommend crepe in Maco Vintage.

Post Office

At the end of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee has a big post office. At here, I sent out my postcard and my friends did receive the postcard safety.

This time, I did not buy any postcards but bring Johor food postcard which I bought at online.

Salahuddin Bakery

This bakery owns by Indian. It also use wood fuel fires to bake the bread.

I like its puff. As that time (morning) I was so full so I just bought potato puff for a try. The puff is so cheap because it cost me RM 1.50 for one and the puff is quite big. If next time has chance, I definitely will come here again to try for other puffs.

Actually I had gone here again in afternoon and all the puffs had sold out and just left some bread. I quite regret for not buying many puffs for a try. Now, I am very missing with the puffs. Haha..

IT Roo Café

Before enter into the café, you can see it stated that “The Best Chicken Chop in Town”. It is opposite of Salahuddin Bakery.

My friend treated me dinner at here for my birthday celebration. I ordered for chicken chop with sauce (RM 15). The chicken chop is tender. I like its potato wedges because it is not using French fries. The potato wedges are quite big.

The times we ordered for our dinner, the sky start raining and storming. After dinner, the rain were getting smaller.  

As Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum closed on Monday so I did not have opportunity to visit this museum.

For more food recommendation can try look for blog of Johor Kaki.

MelakaTrip 2016: Jonker Street

[Itinerary + Transportation]

22^nd April 2016 (Friday)

Jonker Street is a Chinatown street in Melaka. At night (weekend), the street change to night market and it has lots of food and souvenirs selling.

My friend and I had hunting for our dinner at Jonker Street. It has many food stalls such as noodles, rice, desserts and many more.

The egg cake is fresh from baking and it is fluffy and delicious.

It was my first time to eat Nyonya rice dumpling. The blue color of rice dumpling is extracted from blue pea flowers (bunga telang).

In Jonker Street can saw the statue of Datuk Wira Dr. Gan Boon Leong. It is near with public toilet. I was curious that how he was so famous in Melaka so I searched online. Based on online information that can find 4 huge statues of Datuk Wira Dr. Gan Boon Leong but I just managed to find one. Perhaps next time can try to search for another three statues. Hehe..

Datuk Wira Dr. Gan Boon Leong is born in 1937 and he is Malaysia’s the most successful bodybuilder- having won countless bodybuilding prizes including Mr. Asia and even Mr. Universe. He had known as “Father of Bodybuilding in Malaysia”. To honor everything the prominent athlete did for Melaka, the city erected several golden statues of him which are now just as much photographed as Melaka’s more traditional tourist sights- Globetrotter Girls

San Shu Gong is a local delicacy shop in Jonker Street. Inside of it, you can find cendol, egg cake, herbal drinks and many more. Inside of San Shu Gong has Lao Qian Ice Café and I had ordered durian cendol which very suitable to eat during hot day.

I ate durian cendol with my friend at first floor because at ground floor is limited seat and full of people. At first floor have many doll decorations which you can visit of. 

In the morning, we were having our breakfast at Kedai Kopi Chung Wah for its chicken rice ball. We can say that lucky because the queue was not so long. The business hour as below:-

When go in, you need stand aside to wait for staff to clean the table before sit down so that they knew that you are new come in. We did not order for the chicken rice ball and the boss will automatically give to you by headcount.

It only has 2 packages of chicken rice ball which is half chicken and whole chicken. Two of us ate half chicken with some giblets and 5 chicken rice balls. For one person also eat half chicken. Total for our breakfast was RM 31.70 which included drinks.    

Along Jonker Street has Mamee Jonker House. We did not visit the Mamee museum but just look around at the souvenir part.

The one I like about Melaka is it has a board to show the map and direction to Melaka history building so you won’t get lost at here. It is so useful for tourist like me.

Hotel Hong Melaka

[Itinerary +Transportation]

22^nd April 2016 (Friday)

In Melaka has many hotel and hostel around. The reason I chose for Hotel Hong because of free transport service offer from Melaka Sentral to hotel. During pick up to Melaka Sentral, a Korean family who same van with us had asked sister May the meaning of the hotel name. Sister May answered that “Hong” in Chinese means luck.  

Hotel Hong is in Melacca, just a short 2 minute walk from Melaka River View and Jonker Street. Its air-conditioned rooms come with free WiFi, a flat screen TV and DVD player. There is a convenience store just 1 minute walk away- booking.com

In hotel, the receptionist counter and some large rooms at ground floor while first floor has rooms, reading corner, living room and so on and the last floor is balcony which also has living room.  At receptionist counter has a file introduce places and food in Melaka. You can try taking a look.

We stayed in double room and the room rate for 2 days 1 night was RM 88 which did not included RM 2 of heritage charge. As Melaka is in the list of UNESCO so all the rooms in hotel are need to pay for heritage charge. The charge is use to maintain the UNESCO building.

In hotel has luxury quadruple room which can occupy maximum of 4 adults and 2 children. I had tried asked the staff (sister May) whether can occupy 5 adults and she said can because the room is big.  

The room is not too big but enough for two of us. Beside air-conditioner, this room also has ceiling fan. Inside room only has one switch plug so my friend and I take turn to charge our hand phone. This room did not have cupboard but you can hang your clothes on the table.

The door of washroom has beautiful pictures. The washroom is clean and it provides simple toiletries.

When go up to first floor need to put your shoes into shoe rack. When in first floor, you will see small counter. At there can find the password for WiFi.

Near with counter have snacks corner which you can eat of.  Using hand to take the snack will dirty up your hand so you can find basin to wash your hand.

The one that I like in this hotel is providing unlimited free water. I always refill the water into bottle.

At the last floor which is balcony. It has sofa, table and television.

A group of friend want to eat or gather together can come to balcony because it provides long table and chairs.

Sister May had told me that can call her phone number for booking. It is because some people did not know how to use booking.com, agoda and so on to book the room so can ask for her help and direct bank in to hotel. 

For those who wish to have pick up from Melaka Sentral, after buy the ticket to Melaka can call to hotel. Then hotel will arrange for you.  Pick up service to Melaka Sentral, it starts from 8:00 am onwards. If want pick up to Melaka Sentral, please buy bus tickets with departure time after 8:30 am.

The reason Hotel Hong will having pick up service because they find out that sometime help hotel guest to book for taxi but the taxi was late that made the guests late. It arise some problems so they decide provide pick up service for free.

In next time, I hope can take my family to Melaka and Hotel Hong will be my choice again because of the good services from them and location strategic.  

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2^nd June 2017-4^th June 2017

My first stay in Hotel Hong during year 2016 was at upstairs and in this year, I stay at downstairs. Booking hotel during school holiday is quite expensive. Hotel Hong did provide FREE transport to take us from and to Melaka Sentral with its van.

At the reception, you can get free Melaka Tourist Guide for your reference to go around. For historical building, the map is a great reference but for food need to aware as the map did not update that “Big Ice Bowl” in Jonker Street had been closed.

We booked family room and hotel did help us to combine 2 beds into one as five of us sleep together. You need to request hair dryer at front office. The bathroom is clean with provides toiletry such as shampoo and soap. 

Hotel Hong

No. 7B, Jalan Masjid,

Kampung Hulu,

Melaka

Tel: 6 06-286 3322