ni lagi satu artikel pasal destinasi bajet kat 8tv tuh
8TV’s new travelogue tells how you can have a holiday for just RM300.
Travel and fiction writer Paul Theroux once remarked that travel writing is really about the person who’s travelling and not the destination. The same can perhaps be said about travelogues aired on television. If it is true, that could explain why 8TV’s new travelogue – Destinasi Bajet – is such a good watch. Host Qushairi Mohammed Razali (better known as Qi) handles his role as travel guide like he was made for it.
Assuming the role of a traveller, Qi takes viewers to a different spot in Malaysia each week, detailing every ride he takes, every boat trip he goes on, every adventure he experiences and even every meal he takes.
The half-hour series, which premiered on 8TV last month, is aimed at illustrating how budget travellers can holiday anywhere in Malaysia – from popular destinations like Langkawi and Cameron Highlands to less-visited places like Perlis – on a RM300 budget.
Qi, the host of Destinasi Bajet.
Since the programme is all about budget travel, Qi has to itemise all his expenses from the moment he arrives at his destination till the time he leaves.
The RM300 budget has to cover all accommodation (two nights), food, entrance fees to the various tourist attractions, local tours and so on.
There are several reasons why Qi stands out: he is articulate (the programme is in Bahasa Malaysia), comfortable in front of the camera, genuinely funny, not pretentious and does not try to emulate other presenters.
He is also a very convincing budget traveller – he is young and adventurous and fellow budget travellers will surely be able to relate to him.
He is also not afraid to show how reluctant he is to touch a frog (during his visit to Cameron Highlands), how nervous he is to have a bird perched on his shoulder and how much he loves his nasi kandar and orange juice.
He is in no way a “third-person host”, which means he is willing to get his hands dirty (touching frogs, jumping into an icy cold lake, renting and riding a motorcycle for cheap travel) to give the show authenticity.
The programme addresses the basics of what you require on a budget holiday: cheap and affordable accommodation, interesting attractions that should not be missed, optional activities you can indulge in if you have money left over, great places to eat for a pittance, souvenir shops and so on.
The strength of the show lies not only in its charming host, but the quality of the production as well. It is not easy to shoot an unscripted show such as Destinasi Bajet and do it well. This one, however, works.
The content makes you really sit up and think about planning a trip. The aim of the series and its execution are completely matched. You get what you are promised – information and a glimpse of what you could be enjoying.
Being on holiday does not mean you have to have espensive meals. Qi’s meal costs less than RM5.
For many like me who have yet to discover much of what Malaysia has to offer, Destinasi Budget is a reliable guide – a preview of your holiday with a cost estimate all done for you.
And, this being Visit Malaysia Year, it is a great way to learn about what our country has to offer (you may discover that there is more to do on weekends than visiting malls) so we can proudly and accurately share the information with any tourist we encounter.
Destinasi Bajet airs on 8TV every Wednesday at 9.30pm.
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