echo by Shay Azman
In today’s day and age, nothing really happens unless you post about it on social media. The feeling when likes and comments start flooding in after you’ve posted a picture you’ve spent ages editing and even longer contemplating to post, is an addictive sensation. It’s impossible to deny you’ve not been a victim to this vicious cycle. The habit of paying an outrageous amount of money to get into aesthetic places and posing for hours just for the sake of capturing a single perfect shot is an embedded culture in our current society. A few amongst us who are lucky enough, have actually successfully made stable and profitable careers out of these habits.
But for those of us who
- aren’t beauty guru’s or Instagram models and style icons
- just want to look good having fun (minus the income, sadly)
- are common folks who want aesthetic pictures to fit our try-hard Instagram feed
let me introduce to you, 5 places that’ll guarantee a fun time alongside a stream of ‘oooh this one! This one!” pictures that come with.
1. Colmar Tropicale
Colmar Tropicale is a village in Berjaya Hills Resort, Bukit Tinggi, Pahang known for exhibiting a stunning take on the landscape of France. Having been inspired entirely by the existing town of Colmar in Alsace, France, the place is rich with florals and pastel tones, perfect for those who practice a theme alike! Not to mention the traditional old school architecture and clear streets there would be a breath of fresh air from the usual daily intake of carbon monoxide and skyscraper views.
In need of a relaxing weekend getaway? Look no further as Colmar Tropicale is not only the name of the village but also the hotel located there as well. Besides holding out your cameras and taking a bunch of pictures to show all your followers that your shoes match the wall behind you, you can actually have fun! There is so much to do in this beautiful little town. Indulging in mouthwatering French cuisine in dining spots around, like La Boulangerie Café and La Cigogne Restaurant (to name a few) is just the tip of the iceberg and is great if you prefer food in your feed that not only looks good but tastes good!
There’s a whole Japanese Garden to explore and you even get to wear a kimono/yukata for those extra comments on how cute you look in them! For those of us who just want to have a relaxed day going about, you can have a nice, calming stroll in the botanical garden alongside tons of pretty flowers to admire.
Now, if you’re someone leaning more towards the wild side, with a highlight on your page dedicated to all the exciting things you’ve done, nobody can stand between you and the Adventure Park where there are tons of adrenaline-pumping activities like rock climbing, flying fox, and paintball warfare to enjoy. If you’re into horse riding, there is a place for that as well!
TIPS: Food can be slightly more expensive in Colmar Tropicale and if you like snacking your way through a holiday, I highly suggest packing a bag of your favourite goodies!
2. i-City Theme Park
Given the title of one of the world’s top 25 brightest and most colourful places by CNN Travel, i-City’s City of digital lights located in Shah Alam, Selangor is a great spot for a photoshoot session especially if you have a feed with a theme that showcases bright colours or neon lights. Aside from capturing the pretty lights through the lens of your camera, experience the fun and exciting rides available for you to enjoy with your loved ones.
Witness a breathtaking and aesthetic view of the whole park when you ride the Giant Ferris Wheel and there is a bumper car station that’ll guarantee heartfelt laughter and echoing screams among you and your friends, and what’s better than a candid video of you and your pals just having good old’ fun?
Most of us are only used to seeing a single-tier carousel but i-City has a 2-Tier Carousel and its screaming your name! (just don’t recreate the scene in Euphoria) and for all of you tall people at the back, this carousel does not have a height requirement so you won’t have to worry about being disappointed.
Now enough about the land of lights, i-City has so much more for you to explore and document memories of you and your loved ones like the Snowalk for instance, where you can pretend for a bit that Malaysia isn’t the oven of the earth we all know and love.
If that’s not your thing, i-City’s Waterworld is jam packed with fun-filled rides that’ll have you never wanting to leave. Grab your Go-Pros and capture everything without missing anything!
You don’t have to go to Hollywood to meet Justin Bieber, the Red Carpet at i-City is Malaysia’s first home-grown interactive wax museum and features tons of your favourite celebrities you can pretend you met for reals!
TIPS: During the Snowalk you will be in extreme cold temperature, so be sure to dress in suitable attire for it or else you won’t be able to enjoy it to the fullest!
3. Laman Seni 7
Everyone who has a passion for art (street art in particular) has heard of Laman Seni 2. But in our list, we have Laman Seni 7, Shah Alam which is a continuation of the project which mainly emphasises on the voicing of social concerns through contemporary art.
Taking inspirations from art district around the globe, like Beijing’s ‘798 Art Zone’ for instance, Laman 7 has successfully been up and running as a result of the city council’s (MBSA) ambition to reconstruct the back alleys of Shah Alam’s manufacturing areas into innocuous, clean and visually-satisfying areas decorated with murals and street art to become a tourist attraction and to increase consciousness on local social concerns.
The featured installations are in forms of either one of the four categories; 3D Painting, 3D Installation, Street Furniture and On-site Painting.
For those of you managing art accounts or if you’re just a liberal street art enthusiast wanting to spread the awareness yourself by posting about a few of your favourite murals which holds embedded messages dear to you, definitely give Laman 7 a chance as it will not only be an aesthetic experience to show off online but also an enlightening encounter in real life to share.
TIPS: You might want to visit i-City while you’re at it as Laman Seni 7 is situated nearby, approximately 5 minutes away.
4. Sky Mirror
Kuala Selangor Beach which is also known as Malaysia’s “Salar de Uyuni” is an impressive tourism spot that is only available to visitors during the new moon and full moon phases.
Some may recognise it better as “Mirror of the Sky”, as the shallow waters of this beach reflects the sky capturing an identical grace, hence, making it the ideal spot for you to recreate Tokyo Ghoul’s Season one opening theme. But for those of you non-anime fans, this place is just as good for unique squad pictures. The Island itself is a great option for a holiday destination as it is home to one of the best-preserved firefly colonies located at the riverbank of Selangor River. Imagine a picture of you amongst nature’s Christmas lights. If that doesn’t sound aesthetically pleasing, I don’t know what does. At the river mouth of Selangor River in the mangrove forest of Kuala Selangor Nature Park, you get the chance to witness hundreds of eagles spread their majestic wings across the sky and even as they are resting in their nests. So, if you’re a nature account holder and passionate about your fair share of flora and fauna, what are you waiting for?
TIPS: Just make sure your belongings are kept water-proof and to stay hydrated throughout all the fun! And of course, needless to say, bring your camera, phone, GoPro and enjoy the trip!
5. Pasar Seni Station Surroundings
If you’ve not heard of Pasar Seni station then I guess you’ve been living under a rock or maybe you’re just privileged enough and haven’t had the honour of being a temporary sardine in the MRT/LRT trains. But I’m guessing most of us have in fact heard of Pasar Seni and have adequate experience sitting through countless amount of times hearing “Next Station, Pasar Seni. Interchange station to LRT Sungai Buluh-Kajang Line. Station Pasar Seni.”
The station is surrounded by golden photography opportunities as there are tons of aesthetic dining spots like the crowd’s favourite ‘Merchant’s Lane’ and ‘Chocha’. Enjoy a serene environment with good food and company, as you explore the many other restaurants nearby. And need I remind you to take a few pictures while you’re at it? I think not.
Aside from the restaurants, The central market which inspired the name of the train station is surrounded by stalls offering all sorts of mouth-watering street food for you to indulge in. Inside the building, however, you are presented with a variety of shops showcasing numerous types of traditional and cultural art in all forms, from origami earrings to rice-bead necklaces to wooden carved cradles. Even if you don’t end up buying anything, you’ll most definitely have fun looking around.
PRO TIP: If you’re planning to pay a visit during the late hours, you might want to take a turn into Petaling Street. The sky will be lit by a blanket of red lanterns hanging above your head and the street scene will be busy and fast-paced but the place somehow feels like it’s moving in slow motion and the lights look as if you’re not wearing your glasses. Everything would seem so bright and loud yet unfocused. It’s quite difficult to explain the feeling so you might as well save your breath and capture the moment in a constant state of how it is and tell your story through that instead.
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Well there you have it folks, a few places that you could visit to actually have fun and document instead of faking it till you’re posting it. Hopefully, a few of these places will make it into your list of Instagram-worthy spots. Have fun and if you do visit any of the places mentioned above, be sure to tag us @sunwayechomedia!
