A Wonderful Trip to Taman Tamadun Islam

By Nurunnur

The first day of our Terengganu trip passed blissfully; then the second day itinerary was waiting for us to explore. I was very excited to visit Islamic Civilization Park (Taman Tamadun Islam, TTI), where was the main destination for us, because I had dreamed to be there since the first day of its official launch; around three years ago. Our tour guide set up a time at 7.00 a.m. of local time to be ready on our coach so that my friends and I woke up very early to prepare ourselves. As soon as we left from Kenangan Hotel where we spent our nights, I was a little joyless when I noticed that it was pouring rain.

We took some times to find a restaurant for our breakfast. At last, we stopped at a little restaurant that is so called ‘warong’. We did not know what to eat; so we just ordered ‘roti’ and ate it on the coach. Along the way to TTI, I could not see anything clearly through the coach windows because the rain fell down, so there came a continuing little stream flowing vertically passing on the window surface. All at once, we arrived at TTI.

TTI or Islamic Civilization Park is an interactive journey of Islamic monuments of the world. It is an entertainment and educational destination that is located on Pulau Wan Man (Wan Man Island) in Kuala Terengganu by the main Terengganu River. It is set to become one of the most distinguished and unique tourist attractions in Malaysia and indeed in the world.

At the time we entered through the gateway of TTI, we could see some of very amazing scaled replicas of Islamic monuments. It was rising up my excitement and I could not wait anymore to see them nearer.

Actually, TTI is divided into two zones: the Islamic Civilization Complex and the Public Zone. The Islamic Civilization Complex features the first theme park that glorifies the achievements of Islamic architecture which contains replica popular Islamic Mosque around the world. The 23-hectare-land TTI monument Park provides its visitors with a unique experience, featuring 21 great Islamic Monuments that reminisce the rise of Islam into a sophisticated global religion. It is included National Mosque, Malaysia; Kudus Minar, Central Java, Indonesia; Pattani Central Mosque, Thailand; Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin, Brunei Darussalam; Taj Mahal, Agra, India; Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, Pakistan; Kubbah As-Sakhrah, Baitul Muqqaddis, Palestin; Great Mosque of Samarra, Iraq; Sheikh Lutfallh Mosque, Iran; Abu Nasr Parsa, Afghanistan; Al-Haram Mosque, Mecca, Saudi Arabia; Aleppo Citadel, Syria; Mosque of Mohamed Ali, Egypt; Nabawi Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia; Suleyman Mosque, Turkey; Great Mosque of Qairawan, Tunisia; The Palace of Al-Hambra, Granada Spain; Kylyan Minaret, Uzbekistan; Great Mosque of Agadez, Niger; Kul Sharif Mosque, Kaazan, Russia;  and Xian Mosque, China.

Each monument provides different features and knowledge. Some stand only scaled replicas of Islamic monuments while the others provide educational video shows, touch screen puzzle, costume and exhibitions. Fascinatingly, visitors can enter to the one of the monument provided -- monument of Kubbah As-Sakhrah, Baitul Muqqaddis, where they can see and touch how it looks like inside the real place of the monument.

We got off the coach and headed amid drizzly rain towards the building where we stamped our passport to enter the Islamic Civilization zone. We were the first group who arrived there so that it did not take much time for stamping passports. While waiting for stamping passport, I was busy with looking for the passport without any noticed for the circumstance around me. Only then I realized when I was surprised at very attractive something like a playground together with charming bus stops. I then rushed to the bus stop to shelter from the pouring rain. At that moment, I did not know what to do or where to go first. I just waited. Few minutes later, two ravishing buggies came and rode us around the zone.

The first interactive monument we stopped was monument of National Mosque, Malaysia. There are two floors of the building. At the downstairs, we were shown an educational video presented the mosque. We were known that the mosque was built in 1965 as a tribute to Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. Interestingly, its main roof can open and close which is reminiscent of an open Royal Parasol, and the minaret’s cap a folded one. The scaled replica of the mosque monument is stood on the second floor where visitors can take very scenic monument photographs.

Incessantly, it rained slightly for the whole morning; only few minutes it stopped. Even how, it was not our obstacle to do our activities there. We rode the buggies to the next monuments. We did the same activities as at the first monument; riding the buggies, watching video shows, partaking in exhibitions and especially taking photographs. Nevertheless, it meant not we were unhappy. As mentioned, each monument provides different things; features, knowledge and views that I was really appreciate them.

After some of monuments were visited, it became heavily rain. Accidentally, at that moment we were at monument of Kubbah As-Sakhrah, Baitul Muqqaddis where we could be inside the mosque. It is similar to the real mosque in term of appearance and decoration. I liked it most. I was not only taking photograph, but also contemplating the mosque. Afterwards when the sky was brighter again, we continued to visit and get closer to the rest of monuments.

The morning passed quickly; unawares, noon came instead. It was really cheerful to be with friends among the slightly rain taking photographs.  Almost every monument we took photographs. We again stood in lines for stamping the passports to leave from the Islamic Civilization Complex zone to the Public Zone. We peeked in the gift store to buy some souvenirs before having lunch.

By Wan Man River, it is located a place for having lunch. There were few boats with passengers floating in the river. The moderate wind blew up along with patchy rain dripped. Even so, the spectacular place did not help my appetite. It might be because of tiredness in the whole morning. While having depressive lunch, I just wondered why I did not see Crystal mosque (the mosque made of crystal shine glass and steel). By then, one of my friends pointed me towards the mosque. We suddenly headed to there. The distance between the place we had lunch and Crystal mosque seemed not too far; but we took much time to reach there. It was because nothing except taking photographs. We took every shots while walking because the scenic floating crystal mosque was very fantastic.  

Not only that, I was surprised with an attractive decorated garden and pool in front of the mosque. Furthermore, when I entered the mosque I could see and touch with very cool air of amazing air-conditioners I had never seen anywhere before, which were installed beneath the mosaic floor. 

Though we spent a half of the day, I felt it was not enough to observe the exquisite Islamic Civilization Park and the beauty of Crystal Mosque that could not be delineated. I was so proud to be there in a worthy time.