Category Archives: Off the Beat

At the forensic museum in Bangkok are countless glass containers of deformed and diseased babies, including Siamese or conjoined twins, all preserved in formaldehyde. Halloween may have just passed, but there’s surely never a time to turn down a morbid […] Continue Reading

I’ve had the privilege and luxury of travelling to a multitude of places near and far, and in more recent time, my preoccupation has been on the living world, particularly in our oceans. Our region has some of the most […] Continue Reading

It’s baffling how a paradise, dubbed Kalimantan’s best-kept secret, has eluded not only most Malaysians, but Sabahans in Tawau, which is the closest point to this place. Yet, it’s literally in our own backyard! Tarakan, the Indonesian island city of […] Continue Reading

Sometimes, the wildebeests will form a single line to cross the river. — Photos: WONG CHUN WAI/The Star The wildebeest isn’t exactly the best-known animal to most of us here. They aren’t striking in appearance and people often mistake them […] Continue Reading

It’s hot and dusty in the sprawling plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania. The dry season has gone into overdrive at this time of year, but August is also the best time to be on the safari trail. This is […] Continue Reading

It was an invitation difficult to resist – to visit one of the last remaining wildest places on earth, and probably one of the last biggest intact temperate rainforests on the planet. So, together with a group of faithful travelling […] Continue Reading

The Teresang Market in Kapit is where one goes to find jungle produce, local vegetables, freshwater fish and freshly-hunted game. — Photos: GLENN GUAN/The Star There is only one practical way to reach Kapit from Sibu – a three-hour ride […] Continue Reading

The writer saw a lioness so up close he could see her ears twitch, a rare encounter even for the local guide. – Photos: WONG CHUN WAI It wasn’t part of the plan. We were merely supposed to sit in […] Continue Reading

It isn’t exactly crystal-clear waters, and certainly, it’s almost unheard of, but the waterfall at Lusong Laku, Belaga in Sarawak must surely rank as the most magnificent and majestic cascade in Malaysia. The area deserves to be known as the […] Continue Reading

Lake Baikal presents visitors with many picturesque views. Photo: Cliff Lai I wasn’t good in both Maths and Science subjects in school. I recall one infuriating teacher threatening to banish me to Timbuktu or Siberia, as punishment. At that point, […] Continue Reading