Yeah‼️✌🏻 In this blog post👩🏻💻📝, SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 is gonna recommending 👍🏻 4️⃣must-eat 🍽🍴😋🤤 that she 👩🏻 has recently discovered & enjoyed from her #TerengganuNow&4ever media trip 😃
Hmm…Don’t be too hungry craving 😋🤤 while reading 📖 her foodie stories👩🏻💻📝 here ya 😝😜
SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 was attracted 😍🤩 when she 1️⃣st stepped into the front gallery collection with decorative art & craft (wooden collectibles & batik) by the cafe founder👨🏻💼from within Terengganu state of Malaysia 🇲🇾
Not just that you can actually spot some quail 🐦 traps used in the good old days too 😲
If you love 💗 antiques & culture history, you surely will appreciate the great 👍🏻heritage sustainability initiative that being carrying out by the founder
So, it’s also with a museum mood for its visitors 👫👭👬 to gain valuabl knowledge about some centuries old antiques, hence it explains its name as a museum cafe 🤗
Yes ✅, the cafe is located at the back of the gallery & she 👩🏻 enjoyed a tasty delicious 😋🤤 lunch dining 🍽🍴here served with Terengganu Nasi Dagang & local desserts e.g. Kuih Nona Manis, Kuih Qasidah, Kuih Ulat Bulu, Asam Gumpal etc. 🍛🥟🍘🥠 All just so good 👍🏻👍🏻
Personally she 👩🏻 really enjoyed her lunch 🍽🍴with every items being served. Of course her favourite 💗 must eat Terengganu Nasi Dagang & Asam Gumpal 😋🤤
Highly recommended 👍🏻👆🏻for a satisfied Terengganu local eats 👍🏻😋 in this beautiful decorated 😍😍 dining space 🍽🍴whenever you are in Terengganu ya 😀
You may opt for a cuppa of coffee ☕️ , yogurt smoothie 🍧, sandwiches 🥪 etc. too
The kampung duriansss here so so creamy delicious😋🤤👍🏻, SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 really had a happy 😃 satisfied durian feast with her media friends here 👫👭👬
Not just that she 👩🏻 was so excited happy 😃 to see the fruit trees 🌳🌳 all full with rambutans, mangosteens, langsat etc. when she 👩🏻 1️⃣st walked🚶🏻♀️in to this spacious fruit orchard 🌴🍈🍍🍉🍌🌳🌳
You will sure love 💗 the view at the cosy riverside 🏞 with the red rambutan trees🌳🌳 etc. too
Yeah‼️ From the recent travel 🚌🚍 to Terengganu 🇲🇾, SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 had an exclusive privilege to meet 👋🏻 & have a short chat🗣👤 with the founder of Terrapuri Heritage Village, Mr Alex Lee 👨🏻💼 He is a Chinese Peranakan, born & grown up in Marang, Terengganu 🇲🇾
She 👩🏻 is gonna sharing 👩🏻💻📝✍🏻 here about all she 👩🏻 has learnt from her chat 🗣👤 with Mr Alex 👨🏻💼about the ups ⬆️ & downs ⬇️ in pursuing his passion ❤️ towards the conservation & restoration of Terengganu traditional Malay architecture 🏡🏘 He 👨🏻💼 has proudly told that he loves 💗 each old houses 🏡🏘 that he has collected thus far & each 1️⃣ is unique to him with a story behind respectively 😀
Question❓: Can you spot SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 in below photos 📸📸 album? She 👩🏻 was having a nice 👍🏻 pre-dinner chat 🗣👤with Mr Alex @ Sesayap Courtyard, Terrapuri Heritage Village during her recent stay
Ha…Ha…She 👩🏻 actually thought that Mr Alex 👨🏻💼was an architect by profession. Mr Alex has confirmed that he is a tourism industry player with own tourism businesses in guest house 🏡 , boutique hotel, dining 🍽🍴, cafe ☕️, tours, souvenirs (batik) 🛍🎁 etc.
Guess what❓⁉️
Mr Alex 👨🏻💼1️⃣st started to learn about guest house 🏡 renting (i.e. used his grandpa 👴🏻 ‘s 2️⃣ shoplots 🏢🏢) at his young age 🧑🏻 with initial intention to save for his education fund 👨🏻🎓He used to drawing ✍🏻🎨🖌own brochure to selling the rooms at bus stations 🚌🚌 & received great responses from many backpackers 👫👭👬back then. He 👨🏻💼also learnt how to package his room with simple breakfast ☕️🥪, yes ✅, he can cook‼️👍🏻
Ended up he 👨🏻💼 continues his tourism business till now without further study ❌👨🏻🎓despite in years between 2006 to 2008 with a cross road 🔀 for his choice, whether IT vs heritage, nature & culture. Obviously he 👨🏻💼has chosen the later. Ha…Ha…He has shared in his IG (refer above 📸) recently that he wants to be a Youtuber (IT) now (2019) being inspired by his youngest son 👨👦, a famous gaming Youtuber
Also she 👩🏻 is gonna sharing 👩🏻💻📝 about her wonderful overnight 😴💤🛌 in Kubang Jela house 🏡 in this village. Hmm…A night 🌌🌃 stay just too short, personally she 👩🏻 recommends for a 3️⃣D2️⃣N to appreciating the layout of an inspired 17th century Terengganu Palace 👑 as an great 👍🏻 output of restoration the Terengganu Malay old houses 🏡🏘 of at least 💯 years & above, as well as its peaceful village surrounding 🏞
💯 years meaning easily at least with 4️⃣ generations before Mr Alex👨🏻💼bought the old houses 🏡🏘 Some of the houses 🏡🏘 were once belong to the royal families 👑👑 Woow‼️😲 He 👨🏻💼has shared that 30 years ago, a full Terengganu old house 🏠 each cost of RM30K to 40K approximately 😊
How about now❓⁉️
He 👨🏻💼 estimates RM300K & above each old house 🏠 at current. He 👨🏻💼 has no ❌ intention to resell any of his Terengganu Malay old houses 🏡🏘 collected, though he 👨🏻💼 was being offered with great 👍🏻 prices 💱💰couple of times in the past 😃
Personally SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻can confidently said “No ❌” from her observation, Mr Alex’s achievements from Terrapuri Heritage Village & chat with him🗣👤 about his journey
Why❓⁉️
You will be impressed as Mr Alex 👨🏻💼is very knowledgeable & passionate ❤️ in what he is doing for Terengganu old houses restoration & conservation 🏡🏘
Over the years, he 👨🏻💼hopes to continue & enhancing his project as a tourism products, currently he 👨🏻💼is running this Terrapuri Heritage Village as a boutique hotel resort space 🏡🏘 Owned a museum cafe dining 🍽🍴 (with advanced booking 📞☎️📱for event etc.) & an upcoming Terramalai, a collection of traditional Malay houses 🏡🏘 from all over the states in Malaysia 🇲🇾 & will be based in Batu Rakit, Kuala Nerus district of Terengganu 😁
After bought each houses 🏡🏘, all will be dismantled & then rebuilt. All Terengganu old houses 🏡🏘 were built without❌a single nail 🔨, it’s using the traditional “tebuk pasak” aka peg & joint technique with the help from the professional skillful Malay carpenters aka “tukang rumah” in Malaysia 🇲🇾 ‘s national language 😀
He 👨🏻💼emphasised few times in his sharing “We have to always go back to our own root. Culture is so beautiful & unique not to be shared to next generations 👶🏻👧🏻🧒🏻👦🏻🧑🏻“
He 👨🏻💼has shared that he was struggled 😢☹️😔to communicate, convince the house owners 👬👬👬 to sell 💱💰their houses 🏡🏘 to him when he 1️⃣st started his heritage collection. Reason being he is a Chinese Peranakan, not a Muslim ❌☪️ He also proudly shared that he speaks fluent Terengganu Malay & this has helped a lot 😊
Once he 👨🏻💼has indentified ✅ the old house 🏠 that he is interested, he will slowly get to know the local house owner 1️⃣st. He is very persevere in his collection passion, he patiently kept visiting, communicating 🗣👤 Then, after knowing him better & appreciate his passion ❤️towards the Terengganu Malay old houses 🏡🏘, the house owner will sell their old house to him 💱💰 eventually
There was an old house 🏠 that actually took him 15 years ✅🏡 after many many communications with the owner 🗣👤Wow‼️😲 It’s named as Rumah Pulau Bahagia in Terrapuri Heritage Village & yet to be ready as guest villa currently ☺️
Mr Alex 👨🏻💼has actually collected the old houses 🏡🏘 for 18 years (all being dismantled & stored at the backyard of his parents 👵🏻👴🏻house, on top of stones & covered with zinc to protect the chengal wood) before he bought this 4 ha land in 2005 which surrounding with islands 🏝🌴 & Setiu mangroves wetlands (Safe from tsunami 🌊 & chance to view fireflies 💫✨at night) in Kg. Mangkuk
He 👨🏻💼was discouraged 👎🏻by family members & friends 👫👭👬 at the beginning that he shoud invest in other investment & not ❌ in restoration project. Also not in Terengganu as the location 📍that he has chosen✅😃
Restoration requires for a long time frame & huge sum of money 💰💵 to maintain. He actually 👨🏻💼sold off his luxury cars🚗🚙 & properties before just to continue this restoration project. No any ❌ bank loan/ Government grant has obtained becasue this is a non profit/ business investment 🏡🏘
His passion ❤️ in Terengganu old houses 🏡🏘restoration that motivates him to continue his journey till now, future & never end 😁
Question❓: Do you spot a smiling 😃 craving in below photo📸❓⁉️
From her chat 🗣👤 with Mr Alex, she 👩🏻 has learnt that the balance⚖️ is important in Malay belief, hence the height & wide of each house 🏡 is required to have good 👍🏻 ukiran rumah aka house 🏠 measurement as it also meant for good 👍🏻 feng sui. To Mr Alex 👨🏻💼, life is a balance too, not just about making money 💰💵
The houses 🏡🏘 built with high legs to protect from flood & with aims to scard away the animals 🐘🦏🐅
The stairs (i.e. “tangga” in Malaysia 🇲🇾 ‘s national language) to each Malay house 🏠 must with an odd numbers eg. 3️⃣, 5️⃣, 7️⃣ etc.
She 👩🏻 has learnt that there is meaning for Terengganu house 🏠 gate. She was told if you have bad intention (e.g. to rob the house owner) when you step 👣 into the house 🏠 , you may end up unable to see the house gate to exit then🚪
Generally, the Terengganu Malay old houses 🏡🏘 are with beautiful 😍😍 wall craving, Islamic ☪️ influences, more to flora designs, some stupa are more towards Buddhism ⛩ No ❌ devil craving motives
There are 29 houses 🏡🏘 in this Terrapuri Heritage Village since 2012 i.e. 20 houses 🏡🏘 have been restored as guest villas & the remaining 9 houses serve as the resort reception, courtyard, spa, meeting room, library etc. ☺️
Actually he 👨🏻💼 has bought 💰💵💯 over houses 🏡🏘, only 29 units in this village while the rest serves as spare parts as most houses 🏡🏘 bought are only 70% able to be used due to extensively damaged & had rotting wood
As promised, SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 is gonna sharing her awesome 1️⃣ night stay 😴💤🛌 in this house 🏡
It’s 1️⃣ of the biggest house 🏡 (Super Grand Deluxe) with RM1.2K/night for 2️⃣ pax (RM106/extra pax). This house 🏡 is named with its place name i.e. Kubang Jela
It’s fully equipped with writing ✍🏻 desk, toilet 🚽 , hot & cold shower 🚿 , a wooden bathtub 🛀🏻 , towels, batik sarong, Pandanus slippers 👡, fridge, hair dryer, indoor electric mosquito killer, umbrella 🌂
Also with complimentary 🆓 toiletries (soap, shampoo & shower gel) & mineral water bottles. You may request for iron & iron board from the reception counter upon of availability ✅
She 👩🏻 loves 💗 her back to nature stay 💚🌳🏡without ❌ tv 📺 , radio 📻 , IDD phone 📞 & wifi connection 📶
It belongs to the head of the village 👳🏽♂️ where used to host lots of ceremonies e.g. “Pelepas” meaning a traditional ceremony to to let go bad spirits before the stay of a house 🏠
Not just that, it also hosted for many performances, similarily to langkasuka tradition from the old kingdom 👑 i.e. with lots of cultures to influencing both Malay & Chinese communities including the Malay healing 😊
You may opt for visit with a RM22/ pax (min. 2️⃣ pax) entrance fee with guided tour, refreshment, coffee ☕️ / tea 🍵 10.30am or 3.30pm to visit this beautiful 😍 heritage village 🏡🏘
Highly recommended 👍🏻👆🏻for 3.30pm, so that you can end your day with a beautiful 😍 sunset 🌅 @ coconut trees 🌴🌴 beachside 🏖🏝 of Kg. Mangkuk
SiennyLovesDrawing 👩🏻 wishes to revisit this village 🏡🏘 again to learn more about the Terengganu traditional Malay architecture 🏡🏘 from Mr Alex 👨🏻💼, it’s a pleasure to have a chat with him 🗣👤, he loves to share 😀
