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About Us

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50+ Years

Of Experience

100+

Inspiring Journeys

How we came to be

What's Our Story?

Vacation Avenue is a group of like minded people who enjoy travelling to places that are off the beaten track.

Over the years, we’ve been inundated with tour offerings to popular countries in Europe, America, East Asia, etc.

We realised that not much attention is given to places that are just as attractive, if not more! We want to bring more to Malaysians, much more than what the mainstream industry has to offer.

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What inspired Us

Hidden Gems

With more than 40 years in the travel industry, our team lead has visited countries in almost every continent. One day, she was invited to join a trip to Hunza Valley in Pakistan. She was not even aware that such a hidden gem existed! She was captivated by its beauty - the place, the people, the culture, the atmosphere - the list goes on.

In general, Malaysians do not know much about Hunza Valley and its charms. We want to bridge this gap; not just for Hunza Valley, but for many more yet to be discovered hidden gems.

Fairy tale trails, Charles Darwin journeys - the adventures are endless. Follow us and join us as we uncover these experiences.

collectively have more than 50 years of experience

Our Team

Balachandran (Bala)

Balachandran (Bala) is the founder and CEO of Vacation Avenue. He has more than 40 years of experience in the travel trade. Prior to establishing Vacation Avenue, he was with Royal Brunei Airlines followed by Air Astana.

Ber

If there was a blood group labelled “Explorer”, that would be what runs through Ber’s arteries! The travel trade has been her mentor from the day she donated her school uniform. Her thirst for discovering new experiences and destinations stems from the days she would just jump into her parents’ car and wander off on endless road journeys. More than 40 years of experience in agencies and airlines, Ber is always looking for a good bargain to give travellers the greatest bang for the buck!

Nal

Nal was an investment banker who decided to trade in her job for a more invigorating role in the world of travel. She gave up looking at trades and contracts in the bank for the opportunity to feed her soul and feast her senses on the world around her. She knew that beyond the confining four walls of her office, a great new frontier was beckoning, and having survived Covid-19, knew instinctively that life is so much more than the desk job! Today, she spends her time checking out new far-flung places and experiences for the team to explore.

KU

She is the whiz kid. With a wave of her wand (or in this case, the laptop mouse), KU can be counted on to serve up the best options and offers for customers in a flash! With more than 20 years in the travel industry, KU understands just how the intricate system of airline ticketing and reservations work. What Google Flights, Agoda, Flight Scanner etc can do, KU does it better because she talks to you in person – and that’s what makes her so precious to the team.

Belle

Belle is not just the belle of the ball, but she has got zen written all over her. Cool as a cucumber, she is the panacea on every trip that she leads. Her massive experience in the travel trade for over 30 years has refined her spiritual compass to ensure that every destination includes ingredients that enrich the inner soul. She finds ultimate fulfilment in the meditation pose under any Bodhi Tree that she can find.

Our Best Reviews

30+ Happy Clients Around The World

ZT

Chai, anybody?

I like drinking tea. In Pakistan, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to varieties of tea! I counted seven types of chai (that’s what they call tea there) and for me, Kashmiri chai which is literally a pink coloured spiced tea was tops! I’ve asked around my local Indian friends and found out that it’s specific to that country. So at the start of the tour, I did tell the guide that I would love to try it since it’s not available in Malaysia. It’s not easy to get it there either because it’s served at special occasions only (e.g. weddings). So, I was really happy when the Hunza guides brought us to this fancy hotel for dinner one night and it was served there! I love the little touches that they think of when it comes to customer service.

Lee

Hunza Valley is safe to visit

When my sister told me that she was going to visit Hunza Valley in Pakistan, I was shocked. I kept thinking about the Taliban swarming the place. And the fact that Osama bin Laden was killed there was not lost on me either. I asked if she was sure that it would be safe. So much unrest, I exclaimed. She came back with hearty tales of how gorgeous the place was, and how safe it really is. I was sold. I visited in April and was blown away by the untouched beauty of the place, the honesty of its people and the general safety overall. The guides were good, knowledgeable and helpful at all times.

Fei Fei

Yummy yak meat

Someone asked me if all I ate in Hunza Valley was naan and curries. Surprise, surprise! I had the treat of all treats when the tour leader brought us to the Yak Grill. We had just finished our morning activity of crossing the Hunza River via zipline, and was so ready for a good lunch. We thought it would be the usual roti and chicken curry with a side of lentils. My, my, my, I had the juiciest yak meat burger ever! And I got to meet the yak grazing outside the Grill, right on the farm. Talk about farm to table! It was so amazing.

Shirley

Diamonds are forever

If not for my daughters holding me back, I would have bought the whole tray of jewellery! OMG, so very reasonable. I love shopping and bringing back things that I can remember from my trips. The precious and semi-precious stones there are so ridiculously priced within reach. When I was shopping at the local bazaar, I bumped into mainland China tourists who were chattering excitedly about how real and reasonably priced the stones were.

Ahmad

No two rugs are the same

Wherever I go, I make a beeline for the local handicraft shops. I’ve got this thing for handwoven rugs. Janji ori ok! So, when I was up at Eagles Nest hotel, OMG, right outside the hotel was this guy selling all types of rugs – sheep (meh, got lots at home), ibex (now, you’re talking), yak (bring it on!). I spent a good hour or so poring over the many designs, mind you, each one is unique – and I finally, finally settled on the black & white yak rug that takes pride of place in my home. And the price, OMG, let’s say you’ve got to be there to believe how beautiful the price is. The Hunza people are so creative, and honest. Hey, the yak rug memang ori!

H K

Magical, stunning, breathtaking

These are just some of the adjectives that come to mind when I was in Hunza Valley. It was so magical. And for a moment, I really did think there was a generous sprinkling of fairy dust all over Fairy Meadows – so breathtaking. The country side is stunning. One was spoilt for choice when it came to varieties of food available. And the people; I can’t stop mentioning how welcoming, warm and friendly they are. It felt so good to be among them. And finally, I couldn’t help but boost the retail scene a bit – I had to buy a yak rug home.