By DYAN CASTILLEJO-GARCIA
with JACKIE CASTILLEJO and MARC NELSON

Selamat Datang! Welcome to magical Malaysia! A land of diverse cultures, friendly people, natural beauty and. breathtaking sights! We're in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia's capital affectionately known as KL to both locals and foreigners.

Tourism Malaysia flew our Sports Unlimited team to see and experience the numerous scenic attractions that this commercial hub city of Malaysia has to offer. This includes theme parks that provide wholesome fun and exciting spills and thrills for both the young and the young at heart.

When I said that we were going to ride on a big, big Ferris wheel, my son Mathew's eyes lit up. Immediately he asked me, "How big is it, mommy?” The Eye on Malaysia Ferris Wheel is the tallest portable observation wheel in Southeast Asia. It is a spectacular 60-meter structure or almost 200 feet.

From this giant Ferris wheel that's located right in KL, we were able to get a superb 360-degree panoramic view of all of Kuala Lumpur. This giant Ferris wheel has 42 gondolas and each one can fit up to six people. The best part about these gondolas was that they are fully air-conditioned, which makes it a very comfortable ride during the hot summer days.

Each ride takes about 12 minutes long and its highest point is 60 meters up. From this high up, you get a magnificent view of KL and over 20 kilometers of its surroundings, including the KL Tower.

When our gondola stopped at the very top, we even got an extra bonus. We got to watch a skiing exhibition that was going on in the lake down below. Awesome! Everything about this Eye on Malaysia Giant Ferris Wheel just made us smile.

Also, just 15 minutes by land from the Kuala Lumpur City Center is an award-winning internationally known tourist landmark, the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. It is a venue for adventure and fun for the young and the young at heart.

This theme park is a unique land of play and leisure. How big is this land? About 80 acres big.

Where do you start? How in the world do you get around?

Well, in this newly opened Sunway Extreme Park, Marc and Jackie found vehicles that suited them perfectly, Sports Unlimited style.

One of these vehicles is the all terrain vehicles or more affectionately known as ATVs.

On these ATVs you can follow your guide on a unique tour that allows you to explore the lush greenery of the rainforest along the strategically designed tracks of Sunway Lagoon which is away from the crowds. ATVs are always a fun way to get around and you know how Marc is, he always finds a way to vent his love for speed.

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park. It is also a home of exceptional sports. It is living up to its name with the recent introduction of its very own extreme park.

`Marc decides to practice his shooting skills with paintball practice. Marc and I have done paintball before back home but when Jackie gets into paintball, she adds a pinch of difference to the experience. She makes a "scene" out of it, literally.

The Sunway Petting Zoo is the largest in Malaysia bringing you the most exotic and friendly animals. The petting zoo offers hands-on petting, not with all the animals obviously. You would have to be extra, extra adventurous to pet these tigers.

While walking around the Sunway Wildlife Interactive Zoo, Marc and Jackie bumped into Eve, a caretaker at the zoo together with Jack, an awesome Albino snake. Speaking of "exotic" and "friendly ", Marc loves doing anything that's out of the ordinary like having an "exotic” albino snake around his neck. Jack, the albino snake is no doubt exotic. Eve the care taker said Jack is also a friendly snake.

The Sunway Lagoon is just 15 minutes away from KL. It is a fantastic, family-friendly destination where you feel the fun the minute you enter its gates.

Now we come to the best known ambassador of Kuala Lumpur majestically poised at a breathtaking 421 meters. The Menara Kuala Lumpur or like we call it, the KL Towe.

This tower stands proudly as the symbol of Kuala Lumpur: “The Garden City of Lights”.

The Menara Kuala Lumpur is the 4th tallest communications tower in the world, but there's more that this tower has to offer aside from improving the quality of telecommunication and broadcasting. In one of the very top floors of this tower, about a
thousand feet up, you can wine and dine in the clouds.

Marc of course got side tracked on his way up to the revolving restaurant because something caught his eye. He decided to have a “zip" down the tower as an appetizer before dinner.

Undoubtedly, the tower itself is the main attraction. But my partner Marc surely got a lot of attention when he showed his Spiderman-like moves on the slide for life. I even heard that Jackie had to pose as Marc's talent manager when inquiring Japanese tourists were asking about who he was. That’s too funny.

Dinner here was a delicious array of everything there is to eat in all of Malaysia. Here's a tip. Be sure you are famished before coming to eat here. The view from this revolving restaurant shows why KL is known as the "Garden City of Lights"

Dinner at this relaxing and romantic revolving restaurant is an event in itself. Marc and Jackie could not be any more satisfied. The food was pleasing to the pallet. The view was a feast for the eyes. You leave this stunning symbol of Kuala Lumpur saying only one thing: “life is good.”

If you think our theme park adventure was over, think again. The Genting Highlands Resort or better known as the Genting, City of Entertainment.

Unfortunately Marc and I had to leave before the trip to Genting but Jackie stayed behind to be entertained.

This 12-acre, 100 million Ringgit theme park was an hour’s drive from Malaysia's capital. It is also the first of its kind in this region. With over 50 adrenaline-pumping rides, this definitely is a paradise for adrenaline junkies.

Adrenaline-pumping rides are totally terrific, but if you're a non-adrenaline junkie like Jackie, you get a totally different reaction.

One of it’s attractions was the Flying Coaster. It is Asia's first hang-gliding roller coaster. Take note, you don't take a seat on this ride you lay flat on your stomach.

We know for a fact that it does not snow in Malaysia. So if snow does not come to you. Genting Theme Park brings it down. Snow World was a cool place to be. You can feel the gentle touch of falling snow. You can even get to go Sledging.

They sure think of everything in Genting.

Over 18 million visitors both Malaysian's and international visitors visit Genting each year.