Tag: Negeri Sembilan

Resort Review: Thistle Port Dickson

This is one of the resorts that holds great memories for our family. We’ve been to Thistle Port Dickson twice this year, and the high level of satisfactory feels just like the first time.

And that first time was way back when we had family gathering on Shafa’s side of family, soon after our marriage, and especially soon after Shafa’s late dad was diagnosed with Leukemia. That was way back in early January 2015. It feels bittersweet to come back, but it always hold special place in our hearts.

This is one of our many favourite things about Thistle Port Dickson. They have kids pools and adult pools, with different depths. Also they have another infinity pool – our favourite since the first time we visited this resort about four years ago!

Always our favourite infinity pool! Each time we’re at Thistle Port Dickson, we would always come by the infinity pool for some pictures, especially during sunset. It looks magical.

Back when we were just a travel couple, this was our favourite spot to swim because it’s far from the main swimming pools of the resort. It’s quite peaceful to swim here, especially since it has a nice view. Now? Practical is more important than romantic. Most of the time we’ll be at the kids swimming pool.

Such a beautiful family room here at Thistle Port Dickson!

There is one double bed & one bunk bed, enough to accommodate two adults and two children. We personally love the decorations around the bunk bed – so cute!

We never appreciate petting zoos until we became a parent.

Kids LOVE animals, especially if they can pet them. Thistle Port Dickson offers bunny petting time between 10am – 11am & 4.30pm – 5.30pm. Our toddler definitely was excited to see the rabbits and birds!

And… Our favourite spot to snap pictures! It’s been years, but this swing is still here at the beach of Thistle Port Dickson.

Somebody seems to be enjoying the game! If your boys are not up for holiday at Thistle Port Dickson, you now know where to take them.

What’s your thoughts on the resort? We would love to hear from you!

D’Wharf Hotel & Serviced Residence: For Food And Attraction Hoppers

D’Wharf Hotel & Serviced Residence is strategically located in the heart of Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan.

The Hotel is accessible via the North-South Expressway and is about an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur. It has 303 fully-furnished rooms including luxury rooms with sea views over the Straits of Malacca. It also has superb meeting rooms, making the hotel a main destination for business with the incredible sea views and town views. D’ Wharf Hotel & Serviced Residence is the perfect choice for both business and leisure, which provides the best service in hospitality.

We got to book a stay with them and we were greeted with a nice queen bed set up. A small living space is located just behind the bed.

There is also a small dining area with just enough space to eat if you will bring some food in your room or if you want to prepare something instant in the mini kitchen. Their mini kitchen has the basic equipment for a coffee and enough to warm some take outs.

There is also a main bedroom with a full window where you can enjoy the view of the beach and PD waterfront (which is basically the best place to be if you are looking for many food options)! The hotel is located just across PD Waterfront.

The main reason we booked a stay here was their Ramadan Buffet. More details on the food and set up in our Ramadan Buffet post.

You can also check the view of the pool from above! It looks so inviting especially that my toddler loves the water.

But one nice thing about this hotel is that you can add an additional bedroom with a king-sized bed with their very strategic architecture. An additional room with bathroom is available via a connecting door! Watch the above video to see it!

There is a common bathroom, though, if you will opt out of an additional room. The bathroom has enough space for a shower and a mirror. Basic toiletries are also provided.

One of the experiences here is to be able to witness a beautiful sunset view with Genting Dream Cruise in the background. You can even have the same background if you take a picture by the pool! Talk about a very awesome view!

There are also convenient vending machines and games for kids at the hotel. Perfect if you are traveling with kids, like us, so they won’t get bored and have additional activities aside from swimming. The vending machine is a favorite for us, especially when we crave for late night easy snacks!

We had dinner (which we already talked about in previous post) and took a beautiful picture in front of the hotel during the night. We can just crossed the street and walk a bit to experienced PD Waterfont’s food truck event, but we opted to drive for the convenience of Shafa’s 69-year-old mom.

Watch below videos, recorded live on Facebook, to have some idea on The Food Truck Carnival!

We had some rain in the morning but that didn’t stop us from exploring more of the hotel. We passed through the beautiful swimming pool (which had a viewing deck nearby) to be able to reach the breakfast place. What a lovely stroll in the morning!

They have varieties of food offered during the breakfast buffet. Watch below live video, recorded on Facebook, to know more about their breakfast buffet!

Because of too much food and dining experiences in the area, it was very refreshing to be able to see their gym and playground located just beside the pool area. It made the guilt from all the eating less! The area is well put up specially for kids’ safety.

Upon checking out, we waited in their nicely decorated area, leaving a smile on our faces even if we were already leaving.

It was a great experience from beginning to end, indeed. Highly recommended!

Ramadan Buffet & Corporate Dinner at Fresh Restaurant in Thistle Port Dickson

Thistle Hotels & Resorts Malaysia operates the Thistle brand in Malaysia. Currently, it has 2 properties, Thistle Port Dickson Resort which rebranded from Guoman Resort Port Dickson in April 2009 and Thistle Johor Bahru which opened its doors in June 2009. Both properties are 5-star hotels, endorsed by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia. Their hotels seeks to deliver a traditional hotel experience including attractive accommodation, fast & free wireless broadband, great places to eat and drink, and of course, warm Malaysian hospitality.

In line with this, Thistle Port Dickson held a corporate dinner Ramadan buffet called Thistle Nostalgia Ramadan for companies and organizations related to them.

The buffet has 11 food cooked in Kawah, which all has exceptional food varieties that will surely satisfy your cravings.

You can also see the live cooking areas like the Satay and Murtabak. Watch the above videos!

They have wide choices of food & desserts, which includes ABC (Air Batu Campur) and Fried Noodles – which was Yusof’s favorite because it was hot & spicy and just cooked so they serve it warm (watch the above video – it’s still smokin’ hot even when we were about to eat)!

There are also the laksa, noodles & kuetiaw variations.

Of course a buffet will never be complete without roasted lamb. This is perfect for the lamb lovers and it is presented still on a grill! Surely your mouth will water with just the view of it.

Of course a meal can never be complete without rice. In this case, you can pick between plain rice which you can pair up with many of the main dishes or try their chicken rice as it is.

Shafa’s found her favorite roti jala at the buffet table too. There are also different kinds of salad to choose from if you want to go light on the meals.

But of course, there are various desserts to choose from. The buffet caters desserts from traditional to modern ones that would surely fit one’s love for something sweet. Watch below live videos for full understanding of the Ramadan Buffet and the corporate dinner. We even managed to get the head chef to speak on the first video!

Thistle Port Dickson is located at KM16, Teluk Kemang, Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan within a 36 hectares Tropical Paradise and only an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the Resort boasts a private 3KM sandy beach shoreline.

The Ramadan buffet 2019 is available till 02nd June 2019 at RM68.00nett (Adult) | RM38.00nett (Child: 7-12 years old).

Ramadan Buffet at Reef Cafe in D’Wharf Hotel & Serviced Residence

This year, Reef Cafe set up delicious local fare, highlighting traditional Malay and kampung flavours throughout this fasting month. Menu is rotated daily from 10th May to 2nd June 2019, promising a buka puasa treat with more than 50 traditional Malaysian dishes comprising appetizers, soups, main dishes, drinks and desserts that will satisfy your palate!

The buffet is set up at one corner so it is easier to spot.

Ulam, Sambal & Keropok will greet you immediately as you approach the set up.

They also have ayam kerutuk & daging goreng kunyit, which are Shafa’s favourite, as well as Pucuk Paku Kacang Panjang.

The main highlight would be the “Special Spice Lamb Soup & D’ Wharf Lamb Legs” served with specialty sauce at the carving station. With its secret marination and seasoning recipe, the lamb is roasted to perfect succulent meat texture, smothered with homemade gravy and served with side servings. There will be 5 stalls items which changes on daily basis.

The Special Spice Lamb Soup is Shafa’s favourite since she was a kid. Brings back a lot of good memories with her late father.

Bubur lambuk is also served for rice porridge lovers.

They also served another one of Shafa’s favourite : Salai Ikan Keli Masak Lemak Cili Api.

And for those who like simple food, there’s the Fried Noodle to balance the overwhelming food choices.

Also there’s Sambal Tauhu & Ikan Bilis for a delightful taste.

One may continue his/her dinner journey with assorted local desserts such as the Apam, Cara Berlauk, Kuih Bakar, Kuih Lapis, Puteri Mandi, Wajik, Asssorted French Pastries, Assorted Jelly & Pudding, Assorted Cream Caramel, fruits and assorted flavoured ice-cream.

Choose from various traditional and modern desserts available.

This cafe is overlooking PD Waterfront and it’s near to the beach. From the café you can see the PD Waterfront. As we finish up with this buffet experience, we managed to get the picture of the chef with the buffet!

To complete the Ramadan package, D’ Wharf Hotel also provides prayer facilities for the Muslim patrons and ample free parking space. This year, the Ramadhan Buffet is priced at RM 68 nett per adult and RM 30 nett per child / Senior citizen for the Walk-in Guest.

Room Promotion Packages
Date Promotion: 5 May to 9 June 2019
Superior Room – RM 180 nett inclusive Breakfast or Sahur for 2 person. Premier Suite – RM 350 nett inclusive Breakfast or Sahur for 4 person.

Date Promotion: 10 May to 2 June 2019
Superior Room – RM 278 nett inclusive Breakfast/Sahur for 2 person & Berbuka Puasa for 2 person
Premier Suite – RM 548 nett inclusive Breakfast/Sahur for 4 person & Berbuka Puasa for 4 person

D’ Wharf Hotel & Serviced Residence is strategically located in the heart of Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The Hotel is accessible via the North-South Expressway and is about an hour drive from Kuala Lumpur.

Ramadan Buffet at Klana Coffee House in Klana Beach Resort

We get the chance to spend time at a Muslim-friendly hotel – the Klana Beach Resort located at Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Read our previous post on stay review at Klana Beach Resort.

Aside from the mesmerizing view of the sea and sky while having a refreshing dip, we also get to enjoy the food the resort offers!

The main buffet of various food is located inside the cafe of the resort but they have a few stalls outside surrounded with beautiful string lights which really intensifies the experience.

Eating a delightful food right outside – beside the beach – what a view to enjoy a sumptuous meal, right?

One of the food that we tasted was the Lai Chi Kang, which satisfied our sweet tooth cravings.

We also tried the Ayam Rendang Cili Api, Pucuk Ubi Tempoyak and Gulai Siput Sedut. They were hot with the right amount of spices, making us went for second serving!

Sambal and salted fish were star food for Kampung food lovers like Shafa. There were many types of sambal available, you will surely find one that suits your taste bud. Mouth-watering, right?


The savory Lemongrass Rice paired with meals like Ayam Penyek, Daging Masak Hitam, Kacang Buncis Goreng, Ikan Masin and Bubur Lambuk & Bubur Kacang Hijau.

The selection was really wide, I know. But here’s more! The Sambal Udang, though, is a star. Every bite is bursting with the delicious flavor of the prawn and complex flavor of the fiery sambal.

And of course, there are these various types of Keropok – Malaysian’s favourite finger foods!

And what better way to end tasty meals than by having luscious desserts! And like all the meal, the selection is also wide. You can pick from a combination of traditional and modern desserts like chocolate fountain with fruits, cakes and Lemang, which is a traditional Malaysian favourite.

Watch the above live video, recorded on Facebook, for the full information on the menu available at the Ramadan Buffet in Klana Beach Resort.

What also made us happy was the availability of surau nearby, which is perfect for Muslims to perform their prayers.

Have you tried Ramadan Buffet at Klana Beach Resort before? Let us know your experience!

Klana Beach Resort – For Romantic Stay And Astronomy Lovers

We stayed at the Klana Beach Resort for the weekend and the experience was awesome! This is personally one of our favorite resorts.

As we entered our room, we were already greeted by romantic decorations just perfect for a couple’s getaway.

But of course our son was with us so this was now an awesome family room!

The view from our room was wonderful. You get to see the relaxing waters and the observatory which we also visited. I’ll tell more about that later. Watch the above live video recorded on Facebook to have a feel of how the room looks like, and the view from our room!

Speaking of dining, located not far from the resort was PD Famous Cendol Coconut Shake Power RM2!

This is the perfect place to go to if you are looking for some icy desserts that would really be nice in a hot summer weather.

You can marvel at the beautiful sunset view if you happen to chill out near the pool and the observation tower. This is the perfect spot to just sit and have some quiet time while enjoying the treats of nature.

I should mention that Klana Beach Resort is an astronomy themed resort. This is very interesting not just to the adults inclined to stars but also to little kids (like my son) who is very intrigued in astronomy. The star studded ceiling with a real telescope nearby really puts you in a mood for some stargazing. This decoration will greet you as soon as you enter the lobby of the resort. What a pleasant surprise right?

The resort arranged a candle light dinner for us and the ambiance was just romantic.

We got a rose as a welcome and rose petals everywhere on the path to our table.

Nothing better than a romantic dinner with the two gentlemen in my life.

We had Seafood Salad for appetizer and that’s just the start!

We also had Mushroom Soup for our second appetizer 😂

The main course was very good that we filled our tummies well. We had Grilled Lamb Rack & Tenderloin Steak.

Watch the below live video recorded on Facebook for a feel of the romantic ambience!

During our visit at the resort, we went up to the observation tower to see what’s inside (since we’ve never been to one!).

We managed to get a glimpse of Mars through the telescope.

Our toddler was able to be an astronaut… Well at least for a photo ha-ha!

The next day, we walked along the pools of the resort.

There was a crowd because of the weekend but the pools are divided to open to all, women only and kids.

Our son enjoyed the kid’s pool along with other kids.

Just beside the kid’s pool is the women’s only pool with a wall that would preserve the privacy of the women’s pool. All of the pools were overlooking the beach which really emphasizes the vacation feels. Watch the below live video recorded on Facebook to get a feel of the pool environment.

At dinner time, we had a chance to have our dinner during Pasma Night, which is a charity dinner that collects donations for the needy.

You get to eat and proceeds from the dinner bill will be very beneficial for the less fortunate.

The setup of the dinner area are by booths where you can pick your food and beverage.

There is a board named “Food for Needy” where the vouchers go as a mark of the guests donations. Watch the below live video to have a good idea of the Pasma Night. We even managed to get some staffs to talk in the video!

On our final day at the resort, we had our breakfast again with a view of the beach. Alternatively, you can have your breakfast inside if the outdoors is too warm for you. They serve a lot of traditional foods for breakfast at the buffet. We were too full after eating which means the food here was really good. Watch below live video to see the view, as well as what they have for breakfast buffet!

We would highly recommend this place if you are looking for a quick getaway. It was very convenient and the rooms are wonderful. It was really worth the time!

BBQ Dinner @ Coffee House, Glory Beach Resort – Enjoying BBQ Food By The Beach

What a great weather these days, so our family decided to spend a night at the Glory Beach Resort and indulged in a BBQ buffet – thanks to the grassy area overlooking the ocean in the resort, everything was awesome!

Let us take you back to our mouth watering experience! The desserts, salads, coffee and tea were outstanding. Tip: Take small bits of everything so you don’t miss out on any.

First on the list was the grilled marinated lamb and its sauces. It had a very distinctive taste, as well as juicy and smoky. It’s from a mild marinade that you could still taste the mix. Oozing with rosemary garlic and it’s herb-y flavors, we can still remember the little kicks in every bite! If you love to dip them in sauces, feel free to choose the sauce that fits well to your lamb taste buds – you have plenty to choose from. 😉

Another star was the grilled marinated chicken. You’ll know it was marinated and grilled just enough. You see its tenderness and plumpness when you see it but what you also need to know it is healthy, no fuss and packed with so much flavor.

You’ll never not notice the potato wedges because you can smell the parmesan on it and you see it’s oven fresh as well as the corn on cob – you’ll not miss the butter smell either.

For pasta people, the spaghetti bolognese is highly recommended. If you’re a rice person, there’s definitely the delish fried rice.

All in all, It’s definitely one to remember. Watch the above live video for the real experience of the environment. Until next time! 😉

Family Set @ Coffee House, Glory Beach Resort – Approved By The Elderlies And Toddler

As many of our readers know, our family were recently blessed to stay at the Glory Beach Resort in Malaysia. It was a lovely experience full of the utmost comfort, serene views and family-friendly adventures. Our toddler, especially, loved our accommodations; he didn’t waste a single moment before he was off exploring our apartment and basking in all of the excitement in the way that only starry eyed toddlers can.

In a previous blog post we talked more about our suite as well as our adventures (the beach, sight-seeing, etc.). If you missed it you can view it here. In today’s blog post, however, we want to focus on one of my favorite parts of travel: the food. Being on the go so much as we are, we have infinite chances to try some of the best dishes our country has to offer. Being able to stay at the Glory Beach Resort meant that once again we’d be able to sample the delights of our travels. This blog post will focus on the Coffee House and the aromatic, taste bud tantalizing family set meal. We opted for the 4-pax meal, which is priced at RM68. If you dine with more people, you may opt for the 6-pax, which is priced at RM78.

The first part of the meal we want to mention is the Nasi Putih. There are a lot of people who don’t like plain white rice but personally, we eat it plain or with sides, which are traditionally served as proteins and vegetables.

In fact, Sayur goreng campur, which are fried mixed vegetables, is another dish that we were able to sample and that went very well with the Nasi Putih. Ours came in a light, savory broth that complimented the vegetables well. Although you can eat the Sayur goreng campur as is, in the broth, you can also mix it up a bit and spoon the broth & vegetables over the Nasi Putih. Both versions of the dishes, alone or together, are absolutely delicious.

A personal favorite of ours, out of the set we sampled, was the Ikan siakap 3 rasa. For those who are unfamiliar with this particular dish, it is one you have to try out for yourselves if you’re ever at the Glory Beach Resort. At the heart of the dish, you have a wonderfully fried sea bass with a sweet, sour and spicy sauce that compliments it perfectly! The parsley garnish sprinkled over the top adds a pop of color as well as speaks to the eye of the avid foodie.

Are you a fan of eggs? For us, there is no “set” time for an omelette. Morning, noon and night; any time is great for an omelette or as it is known at the Coffee House, Telur dadar. Traditionally, the fluffy Telur dadar is created by adding a teaspoon of water to your egg mixture, beating until the mixture is bubbly and pan frying in a bit of oil. You can also fry it in butter if you prefer but either way, Telur dadar is a tasty dish for any time of the day. Our dish was loaded with fresh vegetables and served with fresh tomato and sheets of romaine lettuce.

Last but certainly not least is another plate that we found to be quite tasty as well: Tomyam ayam. This broth based soup is not only fragrant, giving off a lovely spicy smell, but also full of garlic & herbs as well as shallots and lemongrass. To add to the aromatic broth, you get a well-rounded blend of hearty chicken, spring onions, chili peppers and a hint of coriander. For the soup lovers and also for those who enjoy a little bit of heat to their meals, this Thai soup is a keeper and a must-try dish!

Our family take our food very seriously. It is one of our favorite parts of traveling, aside from the sense of great adventures around every turn. Watch this live video to listen to the comments from ourselves as well as both of our mothers!

The Coffee House at Glory Beach Resort is a must-stop destination if you’re staying within the resort or looking for a brief respite from your adventuring with friends, or in our case, family!

Glory Beach Resort – For Sunset And Turtle Lovers!

Our last mini-vacation was well spent at the Glory Beach Resort. This may not be a new place for you since they are known for participating in some festivals and events that support animal and nature. But in this blog post, I would like to highlight their accommodation and the amazing experience our family had.

Our apartment had a very spacious living room. Our toddler really loved the space that he kept running around! There was just enough space to set up the dining area and living room.

Then our master bedroom has a comfy interior and has its own bathroom and an awesome view of the waters. The bathroom was somewhat small but it was nice and neat.

There was also a second and third bedroom, just perfect for extra family members or friends if you want to travel in groups. There’s a common bathroom too!

The apartment’s kitchen was also a little small but it was equipped with a fridge and most of the basic things you’ll need in a kitchen.

Well enough of the apartment, let’s get to the more vacation-y details of this stay! Just looking from the balcony of our apartment, you get to see the huge swimming pools, the beach, and the Grand Lexis Resort.

Our toddler enjoyed watching the sunset from the balcony. It was very beautiful and very calming but it also meant that it’s now time for dinner.

For dinner we ordered the Family Set at Coffee House. We would like to share some photos of our meal but we will talk more about this awesome dinner on another blog post.

When we got back to our apartment, the balcony view was very serene and romantic. There were also fireworks because it was the eve of Lunar New Year.

During the day, the view from our balcony was just way more awesome than the sunset. It was so gorgeous that our toddler got too excited and wanted to go out immediately! So we went out for a stroll at the beach.

Our toddler was too excited and brave that he didn’t even want us to hold him. He really just wanted to enjoy this at his own pace!

After having lunch, we decided to watch a movie at their auditorium. Our toddler was already tired from all the walking so he just slept. That was a good thing though because the movie was scary ha-ha! But it was a good movie.

Then we continued this tour to the Mini Petting Zoo. And yes it was inside the resort! Our child got to see birds. Too bad the rabbits were taking some rest so we didn’t get to play with them. There was also some educational story about The Rabbit & The Tortoise which was nice to remind the kids of this moral story. There were also some tortoise in the Mini Petting Zoo.

We were walking back just in time for that perfect family picture with the sunset!

We had barbeque for dinner on our second night and don’t worry, We’ll give you more details on this on another blog post.

Fortunately, we were brought on tour by the GM to the Wave Café. Usually when they have huge crowds, he would invite some guests here for breakfast. This was also the place where they held private events. Just beside the entrance was a chill out place if you want to spend some time just sitting or resting for a bit.

The layout of the place was just long with an overlooking view of the beach that it really gave the feeling that you were dining right alongside the shore. There was even a birthday decoration ready for a celebration!

And of course it was awesome that they had a playground! Mommies like me would get the joy in this because that means that parents can celebrate with ease. We love the unique seats and the photo booth!

Continuing this experience, of course we need to see some turtles! There was a little education about green turtles and the Hawksbill Turtle. The talk was made interesting because it was given by the very bubbly & friendly staff, Yatie the “Mama Turtle”. This was very nice that they get to educate kids and guests about the importance of keeping our environment clean. And the way they laid out the talk just kept the kids eager to learn more!

After learning about the environment and turtles, it was time for us to check out already. Thank you Glory Beach Resort for arranging the #GloriousStay ! We will definitely recommend this experience to friends.