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| Experience a local wedding at Kampung Pelegong Homestay in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia |
Homestays are one of the best ways to experience local life while traveling. In the Philippines, some of my favorite travel experiences were staying with local families in the Cordillera Region and South Cotabato, to name a few. I was surprised to find out that Malaysia has an extensive network of village cooperatives throughout the country that run homestays for both domestic and foreign tourists.
At the Jom Jelajah Koperasi (Let’s Explore Cooperatives) 2013 media trip organized by Gaya Travel Magazine and Suhuranjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM), we got to visit four kampungs (villages) in Negeri Sembilan – a state just a couple of hours south of Kuala Lumpur – to experience traditional cuisine, folk games and customs while staying with a foster family. We visited Kampung Pachitan, Kampung Pelegong, Kampung Batang Nyamor (Gunung Datuk) and Kampung Lonek.
Here are some great reasons why you should experience a homestay in Negeri Sembilan:
This blog post was made possible through Jom Jelajah Koperasi 2013 – Negeri Sembilan, a media tour held last October 21 to 24, 2013 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The event was organized by Gaya Travel Magazine and Suhuranjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM) in celebration of Visit Malaysia Year 2014.
SLEEP IN A TRADITIONAL HOUSE
Get a taste of Malay hospitality when staying with a foster family during the homestay program. In my opinion, Kampung Lonek had the most beautiful Malay houses, architecture-wise, among the villages we visited on our trip, as most of them were still made of traditional materials like hardwood.
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| Play traditional games like coconut bowling and palm frond sledding at Kampung Lonek |
LIVE THE RURAL LIFE
At Kampung Lonek, we had our try at some folk games like coconut bowling, balloon throwing and palm frond sledding. But one of the most memorable parts of the trip was handfishing for ikan keli (catfish) in a muddy ditch amidst the rice paddies! We also got to experience rubber tree tapping, bee farming and handicraft making, such as batik painting and making decorative flowers out of rubber tree leaf skeletons.
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| A scrumptious breakfast of roti canai, mata ikan sagu and keria at Kampung Pelegong |
COOK AND TASTE LOCAL FOOD
At Kampung Pelegong, my foster family cooked a scrumptious breakfast of roti canai, mata ikan sagu and keria, while dinner was beef curry, scrambled eggs, oyster mushrooms and Chinese cabbage. Because of Indonesian influences, the traditional food of Negeri Sembilan is somewhat unique from the rest of Malaysia. Kampung Pachitan, for example, is influenced by Javanese culture, evidenced by their cuisine such as rempeyek, a spicy rice cracker made with peanuts, garlic, fennel seeds and coriander seeds. At Kampung Batang Nyamor (Gunung Datuk), we cooked dodol (a toffee-like confection), and crispy rice, which was later mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar to create a yummy snack.
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| A dazzling fireworks display at Kampung Pelegong |
EXPERIENCE LOCAL CUSTOMS
Our arrival at each kampung is marked by the music of a kompang ensemble, playing gongs and percussion. At Kampung Pelegong, besides the kompang ensemble, we also got to witness a traditional adat perpatih wedding ceremony, a unique custom because Negeri Sembilan, unlike other states in Malaysia, follow matrilineal law, wherein inheritance is passed on through the females in the community. The celebration kicks off with fireworks display and procession of the bride and groom through the village, before a traditional program of songs and dances are performed. This tradition can be traced back to the Minangkabau people of neighboring Sumatra. Mock weddings can be arranged by tourists when visiting Kamping Pelegong.
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| Catfish hand-fishing at Kampung Lonek |
For more information about homestays found throughout Malaysia, visit www.go2homestay.com. Or you may directly contact the cooperatives at the following:
Kampung Pachitan Homestay
Mr. Bunandar Bakat
Tel: +6012-6075597 Fax:+606-6581202
Email: nadzri_pachitan@yahoo.com
Address: Homestay Pachitan, Lot 2006, Kampung Sawah, 71960 Chuah Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan
Kampung Pelegong Homestay
Fatimah Basiron
Tel: +6013-3954189
Fax: +606-7615834
Email: imahakob@tm.net.my
Address: Pelegong Homestay, No1, Anjung Bestari, Kg Pelegong, Bt8 Jalan Labu, 71900 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan
Kampung Batang Nyamor (Gunung Datuk)
Tel: +60 64381046
Email: gunung_datuk@yahoo.com
Kampung Lonek
Madam Badariah Ahmad
Tel: +6019-2871410
Fax: +606-4544163
Email: homestay_lonek@yahoo.com.my
Address: Lonek Homestay, No.10, Kampung Lonek, 72200 Batu Kikir, Negeri Sembilan
This blog post was made possible through Jom Jelajah Koperasi 2013 – Negeri Sembilan, a media tour held last October 21 to 24, 2013 in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The event was organized by Gaya Travel Magazine and Suhuranjaya Koperasi Malaysia (SKM) in celebration of Visit Malaysia Year 2014. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I accept advertisers as long as they are relevant to travel, adventure, outdoors and tourism. For advertising inquiries, please send me an e-mail at eazy@eazytraveler.com
ang cute naman nung bride! hahaha
Ang exotic noh?