Penang Avatar Secret Garden

Penang Avatar Secret Garden is a mini park with lit up garden, trees and structures. The decorative lights change colors in intervals. This night attraction is located on a hill right at the back of the Thai Pak Koong Temple Tanjong Tokong. There is an elevated wooden walkway that takes you around the garden. Follow the path and you will see a giant chess board. As you take the path upwards, you will come across the flower garden with illuminated flowers of different colors at the corner. From there, it takes you back down to the starting point.

There are stairs everywhere and the place is kind of dark so a torch light will be handy. The nearby beach is decorated with color lighting as well. Finding a space to park is difficult when it gets busy and crowded during peak hours, in the weekend evenings.

The Avatar Secret Garden in Penang is inspired by Pandora (the moon of a gas giant) in the movie "Avatar" where all life on the moon exhibits bioluminescent qualities in various shades at night. The garden in Penang is electro-luminescent not bio :) though. This mysterious garden, tree system with tendrils and luminescent qualities is made of color lighting and fiber optic lights that are wrapped around the tree trunks and draped from the branches.

Photos by WLOON Photography | Jun 2017

Very mysterious garden, tree system with tendrils and luminescent qualities

Trees decorated with color-changing lighting

A lush paradise in various shades

Fiber optic lights that wrap around the tree trunk

Other photos:

Tanjung Tokong Tua Pek Kong Temple with the illuminated garden at the back

The Pearl Garden Cafe by the decorated beach. You can go to the garden from the beach.

Lit Giant chess board

There is an elevated wooden walkway that takes you around the garden. Photo taken from the Tua pek Kong statue.

LED Flower garden sponsored by MBI

The Avatar Secret Garden in Penang is inspired by Pandora (the moon of a gas giant) in the movie "Avatar" where all life on the moon exhibits bioluminescent qualities in various shades at night.

Pandora – The World of Avatar at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The distinct bioluminescence of Pandora is created through a combination of color lighting, fiber optics, and blacklight effects.

REVIEWS

http://jellysmommy.blogspot.my/2017/06/avatar-garden-tanjung-tokong-penang.html Jun 2017 It's a new mysterious attraction now in Tanjung Tokong, Penang, which is the Avatar Garden! I and my family mange to visit this area with lots of crowds who wish to enjoy the view as well. Honestly, you have to be there to feel the Pandora Mood~! LOL! we walk just 20 meters behind The Pearl Garden Cafe and here we arrived at the Avatar Garden! It is full of stairs and not convenience for those having trouble walking on stairs. We walked at the beach a while before going up the stairs into the Avatar Garden. We climb up the tower but it's kinda dangerous for younger children as it is very sloppy and the gap was huge. The lights always changes colors. Place is kinda dark. After roaming around the beach, we walked up the road between the Tua Pek Kong Temple.

https://penanglocal.com/2017/07/10/penangs-latest-attraction-penang-avatar-secret-garden/ Jul 2017 Penang avatar secret garden is a landscaped light show. The trees and buildings around are lit up so you should go at night. The attraction is free and it does get busy and there’s not much space to park when it gets crowded. There’s a car park and valet service but probably only useful during weekdays when it’s not so busy. Food wise, there are many stalls selling drinks n snacks and there’s a really local open air seafood restaurant there. There is an elevated wooden walkway that takes you around the garden. Follow the path and you will see this giant Chinese chess board. As you follow the path upwards and round the corner you will come to the flower garden. This takes you back down towards the starting point. The walk took 10 mins but you could take longer if you take photos at every corner. The walkway is a bit dark. I used my torchlight to see where i was walking. The attraction is not interactive. It’s probably great for instagram photos.

Penang Avatar Secret Garden
Add: 336, Jalan Tokong Thai Pak Koong, Tanjung Tokong, 11200 Tanjung Bungah, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Hours: 8AM–12AM daily
Admission: Free

Map:

Ref: travel2penang.wordpress.com, james-camerons-avatar.wikia.com

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Updated

The Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur is an international 4-star business hotel, located in the golden triangle of KL at Jalan Sultan Ismail. This is where Hard Rock Café KL is. The ballroom is very comfortable for a wedding reception, there are also other banquet rooms of various sizes available with nice setup and the food is relatively good.

I attended my friend's wedding reception dinner at Xin Cuisine, Concorde KL in 2011. My impression was that the banquet hall was rather compact, however I could feel the coziness and was comfortable with the ambiance. We were seated behind a dragon plated pillar which obstructed part of the view to the stage. Yummy Chinese fare served by fairly attentive attendants. I know that for a fact because the guests on my table requested for more wines the entire evening.

Malaysian time always applies when it comes to weddings. We were served cocktail drinks and finger food at the outer little foyer while waiting for dinner to start. Parking could be a problem, when we arrived the parking at the hotel was already full. We had to park at the office building next to it.

Nonetheless, overall it was an enjoyable event with cosy ambiance and delicious food.

Photos by Pix Image Studio | Feb 2017

Grand entrance- Concorde KL Ballroom

 
Photography at Concorde KL Pool Terrace by Ethanity Photography | May 2017

Other photos:

Banquet at the ballroom

http://malcolmmusic.net/2014/12/18/eric-and-chui-yee-wedding-xin-cuisine | Dec 2014

 http://stories.my/ishnnal-nurraihans-wedding-banquet-concorde-hotel | Feb 2014

Chinese Wedding at Xin Cuisine 2011

Ice sculpture welcoming guests. Reception area and walkway towards Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant. Wedding Banquet food.

Xin Cuisine: Projection screens on left and right. There are pillars obstructing the view.

Malay Wedding at the Grand Ballroom

http://kevinoh.com/2011/05/22/concorde-hotel-marikh-dila-wedding: Concorde's grand ballroom

Grand Ballroom. Wedding food dome set.

REVIEWS

http://nanapatricia.blogspot.my/2015/01/my-wedding-22-nov-2014.html Jan 2015 Special thanks to Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur , can't deny that the team had provide us the 5 Stars service to make this event a success. We appreciate it a lot! Thank you, Concorde KL to make it a memorable day in our life !  I didn't hired any wedding planner for my wedding , i done everything by myself , but with the help from Concorde KL! Have a look on the package they provided to us! http://www.wedresearch.net/2012/03/concorde-hotel.html#comments Jun 2013 I attended my friend's wedding last weekend in Concorde v ballroom for around 15 tables. Comfortable, food very good, decoration grand. One of the best place for those who planning for 15 to 20 tables. Nov 2012 I'm just attended my friend's wedding dinner at Xin yesterday. Environment good, decoration grand, staff service good, speaker and projector clear big and clear enough. The bad is stage abit small, there have 2 big pillars block the stage view from some tables. For food, some dishes not bad, some so so only. Parking abit far but the good is there will have many staff stand at different side to guide you from carpark to restaurant. If you looking for good and warm environment, Xin at concorde still is a good choice.

Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Add: 2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 KL
Tel : +60-3-2144 2200 (for weddings)
Website: http://kualalumpur.concordehotelsresorts.com/weddings.php
Ballroom capacity: 600 pax (for banquet)

Xin Cuisine Chinese Restaurant
Capacity: 360 pax
Tel:  03-2144 8750 or 03-2144 2200 ext 2338

Wedding package 2015: from RM1188++ per table

Map:

Oriental Viva 双喜城

They say the Oriental brand never disappoints. With quite a number a branches all over the Klang Valley, Oriental group of Chinese restaurants is definitely at the top of the league. The wedding banquet menu is delicious and rather special.

The hall, designed by roominteriordesign.com has such a lovely and relaxing atmosphere. The yellow lighting and warm tones exude a modern elegance. The hollow opening with the shape of flowers on the ceiling is a nice touch and it looks beautiful. This premise is also quite spacious, and would be a good choice for Chinese-themed wedding celebrations. The Restaurant is located at the back corner of the shopping mall. Take note of the location so you don't have to go around the mall looking for it. Most staffs are welcoming, helpful and attentive. However, some are slightly stressed up. 

The comfortable hall with a couple of pillars

Nice ceiling design

 http://jessicatjs.blogspot.my/2016/09/oriental-viva-viva-home-shopping-mall-kl.html

Oriental Viva on a quiet day.

The wedding ceremonial cake and flower decor kept on the stage on a non-wedding day.

REVIEWS
https://en.yelp.my/biz/oriental-viva-kuala-lumpur Mar 2015 Attended another wedding here and realised that Oriental brand never disappoints you. It was not an easy task for us to locate the Restaurant as it is hidden on the second floor and the back end. We took a good 15 minutes wandering around the entire Viva Home to look for this place. Viva home does not have a very good signage; therefore we were juggling around looking for the entrance. It is a small place but comfortable for groups. Staffs are welcoming and they are extremely helpful and attentive. However, they are slightly rude perhaps due to their stressful working condition. I usually enjoy attending to different wedding dinners because I get to expose to a variety of cuisines offered in with a different setting and best part is at a different venue :) http://jessicatjs.blogspot.my/2016/09/oriental-viva-viva-home-shopping-mall-kl.html Sep 2016 But I have seen many talked about how beautiful their decor is, and if you haven't already known, it is also ranked in the top 10 nicest restaurants for wedding reception! Pictures don't do justice for such lovely atmosphere anyway, so drop by and feel it yourself. This place is refined yet relaxed. The yellow lighting and ash tone exudes modern elegance, whereas red deets added a touch of happiness! We visited them on a quieter day, so most of the sections were closed. But this premise is incredibly spacious, and it would definitely be the perfect venue for any kind of chinese-themed celebrations.
https://foursquare.com/v/restaurant-oriental-viva-%E5 Mar 2014 The wedding banquet menu is quite special and delicious!

ORIENTAL VIVA

Website: http://www.orientalrestaurants.com.my

Add: 3rd Floor, Viva Home Shopping Mall, Jalan Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-9283 8833  

Email: enquiry@orientalrestaurants.com.my

BUSINESS HOURS: 11.00 am -  3.00 pm | 6.00 pm  - 11.00 pm


Wedding Packages (till Mar 2018): from RM999 nett per table

Seating Capacity : 350 pax

Map:

Pre-Wedding Photography in Tokyo, Japan - Preserved Culture in a Big City

Tokyo Early Spring Pre-wedding Photographer : The talented Jackal Cheng LMPA
Makeup Artist : Jocelyn Tan | Gown : Shiny Gowns

Early spring is the time when trees are starting to leaf out, some lawns are still pretty dry, which is suitable for rustic photography. The current Imperial Palace (皇居, Kōkyo) is located on a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo Station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Visitors can view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds.

Nijubashi (Double Bridge) - Tokyo Imperial Palace. Rustic feel of the stone structures.

Early spring

A Must-do photography location in Tokyo, standing 333m high in the center of Tokyo, Tokyo Tower (東京タワー) is the world's tallest, self-supported steel tower and 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower. It is now the second tallest structure in Japan after Tokyo Skytree.

Shiba Park is Japan's oldest public park, being the first to be officially designated as a park in 1873. Parts of the present day park were once the Edo-period Okubo clan garden. There are many nice views of Tokyo Tower from the park.

Artistic close-up shot

A must-do in Japan, taking photo with the iconic Tokyo Tower.

Nice view of Tokyo Tower from Shiba Park.

Sensoji (浅草寺, Sensōji, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is very colorful and popular and is Tokyo's oldest temple, famous for the huge lantern hanging from the main entrance gate, its long path lined with stalls and its five storied pagoda.

Sensoji, Asakusa Temple famous for its entrance huge lantern

The Tokyo Skytree (東京スカイツリー) is a television broadcasting tower and landmark of Tokyo. It is the centerpiece of the Tokyo Skytree Town in the Sumida City Ward, not far away from Asakusa. With a height of 634m, it is the tallest structure in Japan. A large shopping complex with aquarium is located at its base.

Azuma bridge is located on the opposite side of Sensoji temple, but can be reached from Asakusa Station within 3 minutes. It crosses over the Sumida river. The black building with the golden object on top is the Super Dry Hall ("Super Dry" being Asahi Breweries' most popular brand). The golden object on top is said to represent the burning soul of Asahi Breweries, and was designed by French designer Philippe Starck in 1989.

This photo is taken across the Sumida River, The Tokyo Skytree, beautiful city skyline and the red Azuma Bridge can be seen.

The Tokyo Skytree and the various landmarks; The black building with the golden object on top is the Super Dry Hall of Asahi Breweries.

Lovely bridal style by Jocelyn Tan.

The Rainbow Bridge is an enormous suspension bridge that connects Tokyo with the man-made island of Odaiba.

The classic (never ending) veil shot with the backdrop of The Rainbow Bridge.

Map:

Ref: JapanGuide, japantravelmate.com, wattention.com, .japanvisitor.com

The Federal Kuala Lumpur

Even though Federal Hotel's rather dated architecture pales in comparison with the neighbouring modern skyscrapers in KL's busiest entertainment district in Bukit Bintang, this long-established hotel has a rich historical trail. The hotel was intended by our first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman to be a world-class accommodation for the distinguished guests who would be gracing the historic celebration that marked the handover of Malaya from the British in 1957. Construction of the then nine-storey building began earlier that year, by developer Tan Sri Low Yat and was completed in time for the historic Merdeka Day.

Mandarin Palace (reopened in Jan 2017) – with its opulent interior featuring intricate wood carvings of Chinese symbols and mythological creatures resembling the splendor of a palace is one of Malaysia's most beautiful and unique restaurants - perfect for your Chinese themed wedding. It seats 400 pax for banquet.

The Bintang Revolving Restaurant was the first revolving restaurant in Malaysia. It will be such a romantic affair, when the restaurant revolves slowly bringing your wedding guests on a journey through the amazing KL's skyline view with soothing music in the background.

Bukit Bintang Event Spaces (BBES) comprises of 4 well-known landmarks in Kuala Lumpur city, The Federal Kuala Lumpur, Hotel Capitol Kuala Lumpur, Plaza Low Yat and BB Park. Each venue can cater to any specific need that you may require. The Federal hotel is located at a very strategic, convenient but extremely busy area in KL city, Jalan Bukit Bintang's traffic can be really bad during peak hours. There is no carpark in the hotel, you have to park at nearby buildings; Lowyat Plaza, BB Park. Many choose Federal because of its attractive wedding package.

Ballroom I

Ballroom II

Mandarin Palace - Pork Free Chinese restaurant

Skyroom

Bintang Revolving Restaurant - Level 18

REVIEWS
http://writingintocloud.blogspot.my/2016/11/federal-hotel-band-performance.html Nov 2016 Wife's friend wedding @ Federal hotel. It's right next to lowyat & doenst have a carpark by itself sharing parking with lowyat and several other premises. https://www.tripadvisor.com.my/5493-Bintang_Revolving_Restaurant_Federal_Hotel 2017 Excellent views of the Petronas twin towers, KL tower etc from the revolving restaurant. I find it romantic because of the view of the city at night and the music at the backround. Relaxing.
https://forum.lowyat.net/topic/2376740/all Jun 2012 I've been looking at other places, but given that I have limited budget and need a halal place, Federal is the only one that offers pretty cheap pricing. My cousin wedding was there and it was good. https://www.tripadvisor.com.my/ShowUserReviews-Federal_Hotel-Kuala_Lumpur Aug 2011 One day my brother in law book wedding at this hotel .when the wedding star at the bauquet room all the friends attend in this wedding waiting in the hall.so I try to find waitress to prepare some snack and drinks but All the waitress disappear... So ask the supervisor..I want to complain the reason they give me is ther all have meeting.that kind of service too bad.

The Federal Kuala Lumpur

Website: https://www.fhihotels.com/meetings/weddings
FB Page: https://web.facebook.com/TheFederalKL

Add: 35 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Tel: +603 2148 9166

Fax: +603 2148 2877
Email: reservations@federal.com.my
            rsvn@federal.com.my

Wedding Packages 2017:
Chinese: from RM1288 nett per table
Malay/ Indian: from RM988 nett per table

Capacity: 400 pax

Map:

Ref: IPMTmalaysia, thestar.com.my,