Langkawi Tours

Pulau Payar Marine Park

Catch a glimpse of the wonders of the deep and sail on a catamaran to West Malaysia's only Marine Park, located South of Langkawi Island. Discover the beautiful unsoilt marine life and corals, or take a snorkel or scuba dive to get a closer look.

Langkawi Tours

Sunset Cruise with Cocktail

With the wind in your hair and not a worry in the world, sail off into the tropical sunset on the Andaman Sea from Langkawi Island. On board this luxury yacht you'll find all the modern conviences to make your evening relaxing and enjoyable.

Mangrove Forest and Eagle Watching


Tanjung Rhu is home to one of Malaysia's most unusual ecosystems, the mangroves, waterways, limestone crags and sandy beaches create a kaleidoscope of fauna and flora in their natural habitat that is a nature lover's paradise. Along the way also visit a fish farm, a bat cave and see the white-headed eagles being fed.

Langkawi Tours

 
Underwater World and Crocodile Farm

The largest Crocodile Farm in Malaysia, over 20-acres with more then 1,000 crocodiles, some very rare. Witness feeding in a controlled environment that closely resembles their natural habitat. Also visit the Langkawi Underwater World, this magnificent marine showcase features both fresh and seawater fish.

Kuah by Night

Mini Langkawi is your first stop - a beautifully landscaped theme-park with figurines and sculptures depicting local folklores and history. Next, be captivated at Eagle Square by the magnificent statue of the reddish brown eagle majestically poised for flight. After sunset, stroll the night market 'Pasar Malam', with the opportunity to bargain with the friendly salesmen.

 
Oriental Village and Cable Car Ride

Take a ride to the top of Mount Mat Chinchang via Langkawi Cable Car. Then visit the Oriental Village which is a shopping zone built around a beautiful lake against the scenic mountain backdrop.

Langkawi Tours

Island Hopping Tour

On this tour you will discover some amazing rock formations of island South West of Langkawi. Enjoy a brief stop at Pulau Singa Besar wildlife sanctuary and visit Pregnant Maiden Lake where the waters are believed to have magical effects on infertile women!

 
Langkawi Round Island Tour

Interested in experiencing the urban and rural areas of Langkawi? Then you will enjoy this tour! You will visit Handicraft centers, the legendary Mahsuri Tomb, Eagle Square and the duty free Kuah Town.

Langkawi Airport Arrival Transfer

Save time and money and book your transfer services before you go! Visitors will be met by an English speaking representative at Langkawi Airport and transferred to your hotel. This is the ideal way to start your holiday or business trip.

Langkawi Tours

 
Langkawi Departure Transfer

Need to get to Langkawi Airport? Plan your trip ahead of time, and book and pay for your airport transfer right here. Don't pay high cab fares or carry your luggage onto public transport - arrive at the airport on time, relaxed and with money in your pocket!

Langkawi Tours

FOR BOOKING PLEASE CALL INOVASI TOUR & TRAVEL

Rajan (60196504595) or Sara (60123611880)

sarapandian@gmail.com / veeratap@gmail.com

For more details on trip

Deepavali Festival in Malaysia

Diwali or Deepavali as it is known in Malaysia is celebrated over 6 days. It is a national public holiday in Malaysia, usually falls around late October or early November. It is also called the Festival of Light.

The Festival of Diwali

Celebrations and rituals together with their attendent myths and legends that surrounds them.

The First Day of Diwali is named after the Lord of Death or Yam. On this day a lamp is placed on the southern end of one's house. Prayers are offered to Yam and in return to request for Shakti or the female energy force to help one complete one's life and return home safely.

The Second Day is known as Naraka Chaturdasi. On this day, Lord Krishna killed the demon Narakasura who was the son of the demon Hiranyaksha and Mother Earth, Bhumi Devi. Narakasura had committed all manner of evil and had stolen 16,000 princesses. It was Bhumi Davi who had requested the Lord Krishna to kill Narakasura. For that reason, Lord Krishna is always glorified by devotees as the personification of good. One who always triumphs over evil.

It was told that on this day, Lord Krishna rode into the capital of Naraka-asuran to battle with the demon or asura. He was assisted by his wife, Sathyabhana. Narakasura had committed so much sins towards the devotees of Lord Krishna that his own mother, Bhumi, had requested that he be destroyed.

Bhumi, out of compassion for her son, prayed to Lord Krishna for Narakasura's moksham or the liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Krishna granted her prayers and thus Diwali was started.

Traditionally one starts the day by praying for the pristine waters of the Ganga River, which symbolically come from the feet of the Lord and enters into the their homes. Hindu devotees will take a bath with oil and hot water in the morning before sunrise on this Naraka Chaturdasi day. They pray for the moksham of Narakasura and of their own. They wear new clothes and eat special Diwali sweets and nourishments. They light lamps and fire crackers to celebrate this festival of light.

The Third Day is known as Dhanteras, so named after Dhanwantari. Dhanwantari is the physician of the gods and a reincarnation of Lord Krishna. He is said to have arisen from the sea with a pot of milk or amrita. Amrita is an elixir of life and gives immortality to whoever posseses it. Dhanwantari is the Father of Ayurveda or the Indian system of traditional homeopathic medicine.

On this Dhanteras Day, Hindu devotees bathe early in the morning and observe a fast till sunset. They light earthen lamps and place it at the gate or entrance to their homes. They wear new clothes and buy a new pot which is placed near the altar.

The Fourth Day is known as Sri Laxmi Puja. It is said that on this day, Lord Vishnu, another incarnation of Lord Krishna, fell in love with Laxmi or Goddess of Wealth. The Hindu business community will start their accounts on this Sri Laxmi Puja day. A Maha Lakshmi Pooja grand ritual is performed on this day to bless the business for the coming year.

The Fifth Day of Diwali or Deepavali is known as Amavasya or the Dark Moon. On this day shops are brightly decorated. People make and buy Diwali or Deepavali gifts to give to their family and friends. They visit each other and share the joys of festival. It is a day when sad or bad things of the past are forgotten and joyful moments are cherished.

Today is celebrated in honor of the return of Rama and Sita from exile. It signifies victory of good over evil and lightness over darkness. It is told that during the reign of rich and prosperous King Dasharth, Rama was exiled to the deepest jungle of India.

The king had three wives and his favorite was Kaikayi as she had saved him during his time of peril. As a result, he had promised her two favours. The king also had four sons and his favorite was Rama, who was the eldest. Rama was very popular with the king's subjects and he was married to Sita.

Just before Rama was to be coronated, Kaikayi reminded Dashrath about his promise to her. She requested that her son, Bharat, be coronated instead of Rama. Her second request was for Rama to be banished from the kingdom. The old reluctantly honored his promises and that broke his heart.

During their exile, Sita was captured by Ravana, the demon. Fortunately, with the help of Hanuman, the monkey god, Rama was able to free Sita. After fourteen year in exile they returned to Ayudthya. This day is remembered as a mark of triumph of good over evil.

The Sixth and Final Day of Diwali is known as Govardhan Puja or Ankut. It is a day when Mt. Govardhan is worshipped. People offer more than a hundred varieties of Diwali sweets and other goodies as offerings to the deities. This ceremony is known as Ankut or mountain of food.

It commemorates the lifting of Mount Govandhan by Lord Krisna who was only seven years old when he performed this feat to protect his devotees from the forces of Indra. Indra was another deity competing for the worship from the devotees.

Thaipusam Celebration in MALAYSIA

Thaipusam is a celebration of the day Lord Murugan, or Subramaniam or Kartikeya as he is also known, received the "Vel" or divine spear from his mother, Mariamman also known as Parvati, to kill the feared demon Soorapadman.

t is celebrated for 3 days in a grand way in Malaysia, particularly in Kuala Lumpur and Penang. In Malaysia, Thaipusam is now a public holiday for the states of Selangor, Johor, Negri Sembilan, Perak, Penang, and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

There is a strong call today amongst Hindus throughout Malaysia to declare Thaipusam a national holiday.

In fact the celebration here is more spectacular than it is in India. The celebration involves a procession of people bearing kavadis.

People generally make a pledge to offer a kavadi in order to obtain blessings from Murugan.

This is especially so when one seeks for the return to health of one's child or loved ones who is sufferring from an incurable disease like cancer or other terminal diseases and seek divine intervention.

By observing the throngs every Thaipusam, you can't help but believe in the divine powers of Lord Murugan in fulfilling the prayers of the penitents.

The Legend of Thaipusam

In Hindu mythology it was told that there was once an instruction by Shiva to his dwarf sage, Agastya, to install 2 hillocks at a southern part of India. Agastya in turn instructed his disciple, Idumban, to do the deed. Naturally he was not able to lift the enormous load and sought help. It so happened that a poorly dressed boy was passing by at that time and Idumban sought his help.

The boy however, refused and instead claimed that the hillocks actually belonged to him. This enraged Idumban who then wanted to teach the boy some respect.

Alas, it turned out that the boy was indeed Murugan, and who was Idumban to teach the mighty Murugan.

Idumban then pleaded for forgiveness. He also made everyone who comes to the hill bear a burden in the shape of a hillock as a form of worship to Murugan. In return Idumban was spared and his wish to deliver the hillock for his master, Agastya, granted.

And every worshipper who bears a burden in such form were granted their wishes. And that was how the legend came to be known as Thaipusam.

Visitors and devotees from all over the world come to Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the celebration of the festival. If you come around the early part of the year, try to time your visit with this festival which is usually around end of January or early February. It is held during the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai. Come witness this spectacular celebration.

The Grand Procession

The main part of the celebration involves the procession of devotees from the mother's temple, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, in the Kuala Lumpur China Town area to Batu Caves. It is a journey of 13 KM done on foot, barefoot.

The day before the procession begins, the murti is cleansed and elaborately adorned. The murti normally resides in the mother's temple. On the day of Thaipusam, the murti sits regally on a bullock drawn chariot and heads toward the Batu Caves. The majestic silver chariot towers 21 feet or almost 7 meters above ground. The journey usually takes about 8 hours.

The Kavadi

It is either made of wood or steel formed is such a manner that it can be balanced on the shoulders of the penitent. It is then decorated with peacock feathers, flowers and other decorations. The peacock feather is symbolic of the vehicle of Murugan.

The most amazing kavadi is the Vel Kavadi. It comprise of a movable altar which is mounted onto the penitent with hooks pierced into his back and chest to anchor the kavadi.

The simplest form of kavadi is to carry a jug of milk balanced on one's head.

Some will be carrying pots of milk. And some will be skewered on their cheeks. Some even have their tongues skewered.

Some will bear many hooks with attached objects like lime, oranges or even coconuts on their backs and chest.

You will notice that these devotees are in a state of a trance and thus does not feel pain or discomfort.

For couples that have wished to have babies and have their wishes fulfiled will carry their babies draped in saffron robes and balanced on sugar cane stems throughout the journey.

Chanting of Vel Vel

They are accompanied by drummers, flutists and an entourage of friends, relatives and well wishers. Along the way they make few stops to allow worshippers to offer prayers.

Some devotees also smash coconuts on the road to symbolize good over evil. All the way you'll hear the crowd chanting "vel vel" referring to the spear.

Climbing the 272 Steps of Batu Caves

Before ascending the 272 steps to the main temple, they will cleanse themselves at the nearby Batu River. They then proceed to the final part of their journey. The central partition of the stairway is reserved for these penitents. The other devotees and well wishes will take the peripheral partition of the stairway.

In the temple, priests will sprinkle consecrated ashes onto the devotees and remove the hooks and skewers from their bodies. Miraculously, no blood is spilled and no scar remains to be seen on their skewered cheeks and bodies after the event is over.

Preparation for the Penance

Thaipusam preparation for the penance involves a period of two weeks to one month before the event. During this perion, devotees will

• abstain themselves from worldly pleasures involving sex, alcohol and gambling
• partake only vegatarian meals
• remain chaste and clean in words and deeds
• shaving their head bald
• perform regular prayers.

FOR BOOKING PLEASE CALL INOVASI TOUR & TRAVEL

Rajan (60196504595) or Guna (60176764942) or Vera (60122693410)

sarapandian@gmail.com / veeratap@gmail.com