Intro4u2u

Introduction

Located 25 nautical miles from Kuala Terengganu the Pulau Redang archipelago consist of nine islands - Pulau Lima, Pulau Paku Besar, Pulau Paku Kecil, Pulau Kerengga Besar, Pulau Kerengga Kecil, Pulau Ekor Tebu, Pulau Ling, Pulau Pinang and Pulau Redang. In these group of islands only Pulau Redang and Pulau Pinang are populated. Local islanders settled on Pulau Redang, while Pulau Pinang is now the center for the marine park authority.
History of Pulau Redang

The people that lives on Pulau Redang are decendents of Bugis settlers who came from Celebes, Indonesia long time ago. It is said that seven of the Bugis siblings batins (Batin means holy men) from Celebes travelled here to look for new places to settle down.One of them called Batin Talib decided to make Pulau Redang his new home. Till today, only two of Batin Talib’s colleagues can be traced. Batin Mina is said to settled down in Pulau Perhentian, in the north. Batin Mina’s sister, Batin Cik Siti settled up river on the mainland (Ulu Terengganu).Where the other four Batins went were not known.

Batin Talib and the first settlers established their first village at Telok Kalong, an area facing a lagoon on the east side of the island. He and his villagers then moved to a smaller island down south where they found better shelter from the prevailing wind. This small island is covered with betel nut palms (pinang). They named this island Pulau Pinang.

In the seventies there are approximately 100 families living on Pulau Pinang. As the population grow, the villagers decided to move to the river mouth at Kuala Sungai Redang. Till today there are only two inhabited islands in the Redang Archipelago. Pulau Pinang which houses the marine park centre and Pulau Redang which is the homeland to approximately 250 families. The local people on this island primarily earned their living by traditional fishing. Now most of these fishermens are entering the tourism industry which is growing rapidly on the island. This year all settlers are moved to a new village approximately 2 kilometers inland.

I enjoyed waking up in the early mornings to go for a walk on the beach, especially after having had a good night’s sleep. I’m not one to laze in bed, and especially not on my last morning in Redang. No, siree, I was rested and ready to go. Once I awoke, I slipped quietly out of my room, put on on my flip flops, grabbed my camera and stepped out of my beachfront chalet to check out the new day. I stood for a few minutes, quietly, breathing in the fresh, crisp morning air and looked around. The resort on that Sunday morning was quiet. There were very few guests out and about, and those that were out were just like me, happy to be left alone, lost in thought.

Mornings are my favourite time of the day. The crispness and newness of the morning appeals to me - it is like a present, waiting to be unwrapped, waiting to unfold, discovered, waiting to be filled with events and happenings.

To fly directly to Pulau Redang from Singapore, you’ll need to take Berjaya Air via Singapore Seletar Airport [XSP] (not to be confused with Singapore Changi Airport) in the northern part of the country. This airport started its life as a British military airport and even today, has retained some of the architecture from that era. There is only 1 public bus service (Bus 103) that services the airport. It starts from Serangoon Central Bus Interchange and will make a loop inside the airport before returning to the bus interchange once again. The easiest way to get here (from the city) would be to take a taxi. It should not cost you more than S$14 one way. The airport is pretty compact with only 1 commercial client (Berjaya Air for flights to Pulau Redang & Pulau Tioman). There are no cafes or eateries here, just vending machines. There is one waiting lounge before immigration. The coolest part would be the waiting area at the departure gate, housed in a pre-WW2 bunker. There are 2 large TVs here to entertain passengers. All areas are air-conditioned, except for the connecting walkpaths. Passengers walk right up to the plane for boarding. Pulau Redang Airport [RDN] resembles a fanciful air-strip. The entire airport is open-air in concept. There are separate arrival and departure gates, all housed in a simple white building with 2 small souvenir shops and washrooms in the middle. Baggages are trolleyed from the plane to the baggage claim area where passengers must step forward to collect before clearing customs. Resort coaches will be waiting at the arrival gate to fetch guests. Like Seletar, passengers walk right up to the plane for boarding. The nearest resort is Berjaya Beach Resort which is just 12-15 minutes away.

Redang Holiday Beach Villa is located cozily at the edge of a lagoon, the resort was built overlooking the bay with crystal clear blue seawater, being built on the boulders against the backdrop of the hillside and fronting the beach at Redang Island. The resort was the creation of Mr.Tan (The Executive Director of Redang Island Marine Adventure Sdn. Bhd.) since the year of 1998, then the resort operating with 16 units of wooden standard room, a cozy dining hall fronting the sea-view.

Year 2000,a dive base was completely built to cater for the diving activities and diving courses with international standard. Upon the request of the filming company from Hong Kong , 2 units of semi-D villa was made to accommodate Mr. Richie Yen and Ms. Sammi Cheng for the filming of “Summer Mo Mo Cha”.The whole resort was accommodated by the crews of the filming company from Hong Kong and Taiwan for three weeks.
Year 2001, a great expansion plan was made, and the project was completed in 2002 with the extension of 24 units of semi-D villa and 2 units bungalow, follow with the expansion of the terrace to enhance the resort to provide a more comfortable dinning area. With the completion of this project, a little heaven was existed on earth, to make this wonderful and adorable island a paradise.
This aesthetic wooden resort is designed and built blending into the natural landscape of the island. As such the natural environment is preserved with nature plants and trees. Guest who is nature enthusiastic may look forward to frequent visit of squirrels, and birds.

Malaysian tour operators and the states’ tourism boards participating in the World Travel Market (WTM) exposition in Dockland, near here, are satisfied with the feedback received from visitors.

The queries have generally been on the products on offer including new and existing holiday and travel packages for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign.

These include leisure holidays on resort islands, shopping opportunities as well as packages based on agriculture and nature, education, honeymoon, spa, golf, diving, fishing, marine excursion and the Malaysia My Second Home programme.

Ninety-six delegates from 60 government bodies and the private sector led by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, are taking part in the WTM held from Nov 6 to 9.

They are among 45,000 professionals representing 200 countries who converge at the four-day exposition to forge networking, negotiate business arrangements and gather the latest information on the world’s tourism industry.

The event is part of Tengku Adnan’s itinerary to promote Malaysia in Dublin, London, Glasgow and Amsterdam until Nov 12.

On the first two days of the WTM, Tengku Adnan was busy meeting the press including the BBC and the Condle Nast Traveller magazine to talk about Visit Malaysia Year 2007. He also met tour agents and operators and airline representatives.

Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) general manager Kamarulzaman Abdul Ghani said the WTM enabled Lada to promote Langkawi through the rebranding of the resort destination as a geological park (geopark).

The park covers new and existing tourist spots including the 99 islands of Langkawi.

“Lada has submitted an application to Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to recognise Langkawi as among the world’s geoparks. We are waiting for Unesco to make their assessment between December and January next year,” he said when met at the Malaysia Pavilion at the WTM.

“If Unesco confers its recognition, Langkawi will be the first geopark in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Surely, this will give many advantages to Langkawi,” he said, adding that the cable car in Gunung Mat Cincang was among the attractions.

Presently, there are 30 geoparks in Europe, 18 in China and one each in Brazil and Iran.

Terengganu Industrial Development and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Awang Tera said the WTM was a platform to woo tourists to the state during Visit Terengganu Year 2008.

He said various programmes had been planned with a RM10 million fund to realise the campaign including building a new runway and terminal for the state’s airport.

“Terengganu is emphasising 12 wonders including Tasik Kenyir - the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia, Chemerong waterfall - the highest waterfall in Malaysia, Pasir Raja forest reserve which has the biggest and oldest chengal tree in Malaysia, Kuang Ajil Park which has the world’s biggest community of pheasants, and the longest stretch of beach in Malaysia from Besut to Kemaman,” he said.

Besides, he added, the state was also promoting events including the Monsoon Cup, 6.5km Swimathon from Pulau Kapas to the mainland, cuttlefish catching in Pulau Redang and the Pulau Perhentian Challenge.

Felda Plantation Resorts Sdn Bhd chief executive Andrew F. Savarinathan said his company would promote resort areas within Felda settlements.

As a start, the Felda subsidiary would focus on Tekom Plantation Resort, near Jerantut, and the Sungai Klah hotspring recreational park in Sungkai, Perak, he said.

Malaysian tour operators and the states’ tourism boards participating in the World Travel Market (WTM) exposition in Dockland, near here, are satisfied with the feedback received from visitors.

The queries have generally been on the products on offer including new and existing holiday and travel packages for the Visit Malaysia Year 2007 campaign.

These include leisure holidays on resort islands, shopping opportunities as well as packages based on agriculture and nature, education, honeymoon, spa, golf, diving, fishing, marine excursion and the Malaysia My Second Home programme.

Ninety-six delegates from 60 government bodies and the private sector led by Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, are taking part in the WTM held from Nov 6 to 9.

They are among 45,000 professionals representing 200 countries who converge at the four-day exposition to forge networking, negotiate business arrangements and gather the latest information on the world’s tourism industry.

The event is part of Tengku Adnan’s itinerary to promote Malaysia in Dublin, London, Glasgow and Amsterdam until Nov 12.

On the first two days of the WTM, Tengku Adnan was busy meeting the press including the BBC and the Condle Nast Traveller magazine to talk about Visit Malaysia Year 2007. He also met tour agents and operators and airline representatives.

Langkawi Development Authority (Lada) general manager Kamarulzaman Abdul Ghani said the WTM enabled Lada to promote Langkawi through the rebranding of the resort destination as a geological park (geopark).

The park covers new and existing tourist spots including the 99 islands of Langkawi.

“Lada has submitted an application to Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) to recognise Langkawi as among the world’s geoparks. We are waiting for Unesco to make their assessment between December and January next year,” he said when met at the Malaysia Pavilion at the WTM.

“If Unesco confers its recognition, Langkawi will be the first geopark in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. Surely, this will give many advantages to Langkawi,” he said, adding that the cable car in Gunung Mat Cincang was among the attractions.

Presently, there are 30 geoparks in Europe, 18 in China and one each in Brazil and Iran.

Terengganu Industrial Development and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Mohamad Awang Tera said the WTM was a platform to woo tourists to the state during Visit Terengganu Year 2008.

He said various programmes had been planned with a RM10 million fund to realise the campaign including building a new runway and terminal for the state’s airport.

“Terengganu is emphasising 12 wonders including Tasik Kenyir - the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia, Chemerong waterfall - the highest waterfall in Malaysia, Pasir Raja forest reserve which has the biggest and oldest chengal tree in Malaysia, Kuang Ajil Park which has the world’s biggest community of pheasants, and the longest stretch of beach in Malaysia from Besut to Kemaman,” he said.

Besides, he added, the state was also promoting events including the Monsoon Cup, 6.5km Swimathon from Pulau Kapas to the mainland, cuttlefish catching in Pulau Redang and the Pulau Perhentian Challenge.

Felda Plantation Resorts Sdn Bhd chief executive Andrew F. Savarinathan said his company would promote resort areas within Felda settlements.

As a start, the Felda subsidiary would focus on Tekom Plantation Resort, near Jerantut, and the Sungai Klah hotspring recreational park in Sungkai, Perak, he said.

PEOPLE often ask me what’s the best dive site I’ve experienced in Malaysia. My answer is always the same: “What are you looking for?”

Sipadan, in Sabah, has unrivalled underwater but it is expensive to visit. Tioman off Johor, especially Salang Beach, is great for party-hard divers but has brown, coarse sand. Redang in Terengganu has the best corals but is devoid of nightlife. Mabul and Mataking in Sabah are great for macro marine-life spotting but little else.

One that offers everything is the Perhentian Islands. It doesn’t cost much to get there either, with a good selection of buses and flights available. Thirty minutes after leaving Besut jetty, you’re already in paradise.

The islands’ idyllic surrounds make them one of Malaysia’s best diving destinations.
The Long Beach adventure should start above ground – literally. For a small fee, holiday-goers can begin their day rock-climbing. I’m talking near-vertical gradients that overlook the pristine sea, with barely a crack or dent to grip into.

Friendly encouragement from the guides below was all I needed to pretend to be Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible.

The rock-climbing experience was organised by Bubu Resort’s friendly staff. They even allowed my group to try out an easier spot before taking on a challenging one.

Long Beach’s wide expanse of powdery sand means plenty of room for al fresco meals at lunchtime. Choose between any of the many restaurants and cafés on the beach. You can also go trinket or souvenir hunting here and won’t feel cheated by inflated prices.

Of course, diving is what we’re here for and I rate Long Beach’s house reef (ie. local dive site) as a fantastic start for anyone. Beginners will find it easy and shallow, while experienced, eagle-eyed divers will have great encounters.

Diving off Long Beach

The trick is to dive late in the afternoon – tides and currents change at this time and nocturnal animals come out to forage for an early meal.

It’s usually a haven for blue-spotted stingrays, but this time I was in for a surprise. Barely 10 minutes later I was startled by a creature flapping its wings past my left shoulder.

White-bellied with a black top-coat of white blotches, I realised that this was the elusive eagle ray. I tried to near it but it soared away, ending my short but rare encounter.

Fifty metres further down, a huge mottled-brown grouper residing near one of the coral bommies (large mounds of coral) started to approach me. The two-metre beast must have been new to Long Beach. With an oversized jaw and thick lips, it looked menacing. I breathed a sigh of relief when it turned away.

I dived at Long Beach late in the evening the next day. Sadly, there was no sign of the eagle ray, but the resident grouper was there, and once again fled when it caught sight of me.

Rock-climbing is something new for holidaymakers to Long Beach.
When I looked up, though, there was a fascinating scene of bumphead parrotfish feeding. They’re big fish – at least two metres long – and have scary beaks.

There were at least 10 of them, some nibbling through coral like they were candy bars. While some dive sites are usually named after a particular marine feature or fish, Long Beach’s reef is unpredictable, producing surprises all the time.

The only predictable part about this place is the great partying after an evening dive. 

Forget big establishments. The Suria Resorts are best known for their locations and cosy warmth, SURIA means the sun. Add to this the sand and sea and you have a winning combination for a tropical holiday. Like the Best Western Suria Resorts in Cherating or Merang.

Though both resorts have much in common, they retain a lot of the local character. They are blessed with great sandy beaches fronting the South China Sea and spectacular sunrises.

Located in traditional Malay village settings, they offer a sense of peace away from city stress. Yet they are easily within reach from their respective State capitals of Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu. Their ideal location makes a vacation truly exciting with a blend of laidback village charm and modern city life.

Suria Cherating Beach Resort and Merang Suria Resort have 113 and 70 well-appointed rooms respectively. All rooms are decorated with dark wood furnishings, lending a rustic feel.

These resorts may be small but they have many amenities that are found in bigger resorts. And small may turn out to be a good thing as you’ll never get lost. Finding your room and other hotel facilities is no hassle at all. The best thing is that there is no crowd, no queues, only friendly and warm service.

Best Western Suria Cherating Beach Resort

Just 47km north of Kuantan and 10 minutes drive from Kemaman, Terengganu, Cherating is a place where you can develop a deeper appreciation for local traditional handicrafts and pastimes such as batik printing, pandanus leaf weaving, top spinning and kite flying. You can also go fishing or take a leisurely mangrove river cruise to watch fireflies and trained short-tailed macaque pluck coconuts.

During the turtle landing season, and if the conditions are right, you can be richly rewarded by the sight of turtles laying eggs.

One of the more popular sea sports in Cherating is kite surfing and the beach here offers one of the safest and most exhilarating experiences for enthusiasts.

As for food, the gourmet strip at Cherating beach is a must-go place while in nearby Kemaman, you must not miss the popular stuffed crabs.

Best Western Merang Suria Resort

Merang, one of Terengganu’s most beautiful beach getaways, is 194km north of Cherating. The Merang Suria Resort fronts an absolutely tranquil stretch of beach.

In Merang, not only is the Malay dialect different but the names of places, beginning with Gong, Wakaf and Mengabang, also sound “alien” to visitors.

Merang is the gateway to the nearby islands of Redang, Bidong and Perhentian. Even if you don’t go to the islands, there’s plenty to do like canoeing at the lagoon, fishing or visiting villages in the area.

Candat sotong or squid fishing using hooks is an equally exciting experience for visitors to Terengganu, including Merang. Early to mid-year is the best time for this activity.

When there are more than 20 guests, the Merang Suria Resort will organise a fishing event called Memukat Ikan or Dragnet Fishing on the beach. Here, guests and hotel staff join hands to bring in the net and haul in the fishes. The catch of the day would be served during dinner by the beach or lagoon. How’s that for a satisfying reward?

Another thing is, don’t forget to try local delicacies like nasi dagang, nasi kerabu and sotong celup tepung.

Travel Info

The people, culture, language, food and atmosphere are simply enchanting. Both Suria Resorts at Cherating and Merang are ideal take-off points for you to explore the land and a minimum 4D/3N stay is recommended with the following proposed itinerary (ex-KL):

Day 1: Arrive at Suria Cherating. Explore Cherating village and Kemaman town.

Day 2: Travel to Merang Suria. Explore Kuala Terengganu, Seberang Takir and Pulau Duyung.

Day 3: Explore Kuala Besut and villages along the way.

Day 4: Check out and return to Kuala Lumpur.

For a more relaxed pace, the 5D/4N package itinerary is similar to the above with an additional night’s stay at Suria Cherating on your return journey.

Must Buy

Handicrafts and batik, keropok lekor, salted fish and watermelons along the way to Kuala Besut.

Room Rates

Suria Cherating: Weekday Weekend

Superior Garden View RM148 RM168

Deluxe Sea View/Terrace Garden View RM168 RM188

Terrace Sea View RM188 RM208

Suite RM258 RM278

Merang Suria: Weekday Weekend

Superior SeaFront RM148 RM168

Superior Searont Terrace RM168 RM188

There is a surcharge of RM40 nett per room per night on the eve of and on Federal and State public holidays. The above rates are based on room with buffet/set breakfast for two persons only. Extra bed with breakfast is RM50 per person.

For more information on the resorts, rates and promotions especially during this coming year-end holiday, please contact:

Thousands of sea cucumbers have been appearing along the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia in Terengganu state, local newspaper reported today.

Since Wednesday afternoon, hundreds of locals have been collecting sea cucumbers at the Batu Buruk tourist beach, reported the New Straits Times (NST), an English daily.

Sea cucumbers are not local species, said head of the Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Center, Kamaruddin Ibrahim, who was at the beach collecting samples, adding he advised people not to eat them.

Another fisheries science expert Sakri Ibrahim noted, it is a new phenomenon for sea cucumbers to surface near the shore.

“Sea cucumbers are generally scavengers feeding on debris of plankton and other organic matters found on the seabed. They are usually found near rocky surroundings, such as among the coral at Pulau Kapas and Pulau Redang in Terengganu,” he was quoted as saying by the NST.

The only possible explanation for finding them in Batu Buruk is that they could have been transported by strong undercurrents, said Sakri.

He said the strong undercurrents could be the result of a tectonic plate movement or could be due to long waves created by strong winds.

Tech Toys 2006, Part 1: Video Games

With both Sony and Nintendo shipping next-generation video game consoles this season, it makes sense to start with video games, an industry that generates more money every year than all the content that comes out of Hollywood combined. Both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii (pronounced “wee”) provide unique advantages over Microsoft’s year-old Xbox 360, but the Xbox 360 has one major advantage over the competition: Unlike the Sony and Nintendo units, you should have no problem finding an Xbox 360 this holiday season. So let’s start there.

Microsoft Xbox 360
The Microsoft Xbox 360 video game console ($299 for the Core System, $399 for the Premium System) combines HD graphics with the best video gaming online service on the planet, as well as numerous digital media hub features, including TV and movie downloads, device connectivity, and Media Center Extender capabilities. And forget all that talk about PlayStation 3 superiority: Xbox 360 games are both plentiful and of higher quality than anything available for Sony’s just-released system.

Microsoft sells two versions of the console, but you should skip the lower-end version, which lacks a hard drive, required for many of the Xbox’s best features. Each system ships with one wireless controller and no game, so you’ll need to purchase additional stuff to round out the gift.

Xbox 360 Games
When the Xbox 360 launched a year ago, there were only 18 games available, and few were standout hits. Today, there are well over 150 games, and the Xbox 360 has been graced by a number of unqualified hits. The biggest of these is Gears of War ($59.99), a blockbuster third-person shooter from the team that brought us the Unreal and Unreal Tournament games for the PC. Gears of War is the most graphically rich game yet created for any video game system, and it’s incredibly atmospheric and immersive. It’s also quite violent, so keep it away from the kids.

Following up on its 2005 hit Call of Duty 2, a sequel—imaginatively titled Call of Duty 3 ($59.99)—is also now available. Call of Duty 3 is even better than its predecessor, with better graphics, a tighter storyline that focuses on the Normandy Breakout portion of World War II, and intertwined story arcs that let you partake in the liberation of Paris from a variety of different Allied armies.

If shooters aren’t your thing, there are plenty of excellent games available. Young kids will enjoy Viva Piñata ($59.99), which combines simple controls with a colorful, immersive world. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion ($59.99) isn’t exactly brand-new, but it’s the best role-playing game available for the Xbox 360. Are you into sports? NBA 2K7 ($59.99) and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 ($59.99) are both decent. And let’s not forget Madden NFL 07 ($59.99): The classic of the genre is better than ever this year, with new mini-games and nice blocking moves that can give your offense more yardage on each play. The best racing game on the Xbox 360, hands down, is the excellent Burnout Revenge ($59.99). And finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy ($59.99), which is absolutely hilarious and great fun for both kids and adults.

Beyond Xbox 360 Gaming
With the Xbox 360, Microsoft created a console that is about much more than games. You can connect the system over your home network to a Media Center PC by utilizing the Xbox 360’s Media Center Extender interface to access live and recorded TV content as well as your digital photo, video, and music collections. The Xbox 360 can play both audio CDs and DVD movies, as well.

Best of all, Xbox 360 users can access the excellent Xbox Live service, which is available in two versions: a free Xbox Live Silver account and a subscription-based Xbox Live Gold account. Xbox Live Silver gives you with the ability to download games, software updates, game demos, movie trailers, personalization features for the Xbox 360 user interface, and rentable TV shows, movies, and other video content. But if you want to play against other gamers online, you’ll need an Xbox Live Gold subscription ($49.99 per year).

You can also give gamers Xbox Live gift cards (various amounts), which they can use to buy Xbox Live Arcade games, TV and movie rentals, and other content via Xbox Live. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Xbox 360 Accessories
The Xbox 360 is fine by itself, but there are a host of accessories available for the system that only make it better. Carrying over from last year are the 20GB hard drive ($99.99; required for backward compatibility with original Xbox titles and for downloadable video content), a 64MB Memory Unit ($39.99), additional wireless controllers ($39.99 each), and the highly recommended Charge & Play Kit ($19.99), which provides a rechargeable controller battery and a cable from which to charge it.

New for 2006 is the HD-DVD Player for Xbox 360 ($199.99), which is an extremely inexpensive way to sample one of the next-generation DVD challengers— assuming you already have an Xbox 360. The HD-DVD player is an external add-on device (it connects via USB), and if you buy it this holiday season, it comes with a free HD-DVD version of the movie Peter Jackson’s King Kong. Also new is the Xbox 360 Wireless Headset Communicator ($59.99), but you might want to avoid this badly designed device and go with the cheaper (but wired) Xbox 360 Headset Communicator ($19.99). Finally, racing fans will want to check out Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel ($149.99), an enormous steering wheel controller with connected pedals.

Nintendo Wii
Although Nintendo’s first batch of Wii consoles and add-ons sold out immediately, the company plans to sell 4 to 5 million of the devices in North America through the end of the year, so chances are you’ll be able to get one if you try hard enough. And let’s be clear here: If you have young kids who are into video games at all, you’re going to want to seriously consider the Wii, which offers an unprecedented combination of kid-friendly game titles and an innovative controller system that will win over kids of all ages immediately. Here’s how it works. The Wii comes with a wireless remote controller that looks like a white remote control, but it can also be held horizontally and used like a classic NES controller with some games. The beauty of this controller is that it features amazingly accurate motion-sensing capabilities. So when you play the bundled Wii Sports games, you actually swing the remote in the air like a baseball bat to hit the ball, and swing it like a bowler in order to hurtle a bowling ball down the lane. You can see where this is going: Kids intuitively grasp how the controller works and fall in love with it immediately. It’s a winner.

In addition to the remote controller, the Wii includes a secondary Nunchuk controller, which is wired to the remote controller and used as a secondary input system on certain games. It features a standard analog controller, useful for moving characters in certain games, as well as the same motion-sensing technology used in the remote controller. The Wii also includes the aforementioned Wii Sports game disk as well as access to Nintendo’s fun new online service, WiiConnect24, from which you can purchase and download classic NES, SNES, Nintendo-64 (N64), Sega Genesis, and NEC TurboGrafix-16 games. There aren’t many available yet, but Nintendo is adding more all the time, and they’re value-priced at $5 to $15 each. The Wii is also compatible with all Nintendo GameCube controllers, memory cards, and games, so users of that system can upgrade painlessly.

The Nintendo Wii ($249.99) console is available in only one version. It’s highly recommended if you can find one.

Wii Games
The selection of first-generation Wii games is as quirky as it is limited. There is no Wii-based Mario game—yet—but any Nintendo fanatic will tell you that Zelda is the way to go, and Nintendo has shown up with the well-received The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess ($49.99), which uses the new Wii remote controller to great effect.

When it comes to Wii games, avoid titles that are available on other systems for the most part. (For example, although Call of Duty 3 is available for the Wii, it’s hard to use with the remote controller and Nunchuk and doesn’t offer multiplayer features.) One exception is Madden NFL 07 ($49.99), which actually takes the target market for the Wii into account and presents a much simpler version of the game than is available on other platforms. Suddenly, football is kid-friendly.

Quirky and fun Wii-specific titles include Trauma Center: Second Opinion ($49.99), which, seriously, is a surgical video game that takes place in an anime world. Excite Truck ($49.99) requires you to hold the remote controller like a steering wheel, which is great fun, and Spongebob Squarepants: Creature from the Krusty Krab ($49.99) features both driving and flying, as well as a surprising range of other moves, which will leave kids both exhausted and giggling.

Wii Accessories
As with other video game systems, Wii owners are going to need a bunch of accessories. The system comes with a limited amount of onboard flash RAM for storing game data, but it also uses a standard Secure Digital (SD) slot for expansion, so any SD card (various prices and capacities) will do. All Wii users will need at least one extra remote controller ($39.99) and Nunchuk controller ($19.99). If you plan to buy any classic games online via WiiConnect24, be sure to grab a Wii Classic Controller ($29.99), as well.

Sony PlayStation 3
Let’s be serious: Unless some sort of divine intervention occurs, you’re not getting a PlayStation 3 this holiday season. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get ready. Sony’s new console comes in two versions, a limited low-end PlayStation 3 (20 GB) ($499.99) that you should avoid, and a high-end PlayStation 3 (60 GB) ($599.99) that comes with all the bells and whistles. Yes, they’re both very expensive—about $200 more than comparable Xbox 360s, as it turns out—but diehard gamers won’t care. If you can’t get a PlayStation 3 this year, consider getting your beleaguered gamer a $600 gift card to his or her favorite electronics store and anxiously wait a few months for the consoles to come in.

PlayStation 3 Games
Sony’s selection of PlayStation 3 games is extremely limited, and you’ll see some familiar favorites such as the superb Call of Duty 3 ($59.99), Madden NFL 07 ($59.99), and NBA Live 07 ($59.99), which operates in 1080p glory if you have a compatible HDTV and are able to find a PlayStation 3 HDMI cable. But the PlayStation 3 has some console-specific titles that are worth considering. The best is Resistance: Fall of Man ($59.99), a spectacular-looking shooter that takes place in an alternate reality in which aliens attack Earth during World War II.

PlayStation 3 Accessories
Every PlayStation 3 owner will need at least one PlayStation 3 Wireless Controller ($49.99), and HDTV owners will want the Monster PlayStation 3 HDMI Cable ($99.99) for the best picture quality. Sony also sells a PlayStation 3 Memory Card Adapter ($39.99) that lets you utilize PlayStation 2 memory cards with the PlayStation 3, letting you bring over saved games to the new system.

Other Video Game Options
Although the PlayStation 3 and Wii are garnering all the headlines this holiday season, previous-generation systems such as the Nintendo GameCube ($99) and Sony PlayStation 2 ($129) are a tremendous bargain and have some life left in them. Indeed, both systems benefitted from a final round of new game titles this season, and both systems are ideal for budget-minded families with small children. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s original Xbox has seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth: There have been a few new game titles released for this system in recent weeks, but the consoles are hard to find and aren’t recommended. Stick with the Xbox 360.

PlayStation 2
Looking for an experience that comes at least passingly close to Nintendo’s cool Wii controllers? Check out Guitar Hero II ($79.99), which includes a fairly realistic game guitar along with a PlayStation 2-compatible disk that, yes, will teach you to be a guitar hero like Eddie Van Halen. This game is fun for all ages. Other newish games worth checking out include Tom Clancey’s Splinter Cell Double Agent ($39.99), Final Fantasy XII ($39.99), and NFL Street 07 ($39.99).

GameCube
New GameCube games might be a bit harder to find, but there are some gems out there. LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy ($39.99) is absolutely great fun for kids of all ages, and Need for Speed Carbon ($39.99) is an above-average racing title. Sports fans should look into FIFA Soccer 07 ($39.99).

Portable Video Games
The big surprise last year was that Nintendo continued to dominate the handheld video game world with its DS system, which Nintendo upgraded with a sleeker new DS Lite model, available in various colors. But the DS isn’t without competition: Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) offers a better screen, a nicer form factor, and some killer PlayStation-based games that are decidedly more adult than the kiddie titles that tend to show up on the DS.

Nintendo DS
Nintendo’s new DS offering is the DS Lite ($129.99, various color versions), which is smaller and better-looking than its predecessor. Like the original DS, the DS Lite includes a unique clamshell design with two color LCD displays, one of which offers touch-screen capabilities. As with the Wii, you’re best off sticking with tried-and-true Nintendo classics, such as the Mario series, or the quirky, unique game titles that seem to show up only on Nintendo’s systems.

Sadly, few of the newer DS games are very good. Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam ($34.99) brings the ubiquitous skateboarding franchise to the DS to good effect, and Nintendogs: Dalmatian & Friends (or the similar Chihuahua & Friends, Dachshund & Friends, and Labrador Retriever & Friends (all $32.99) take one of the DS’s most successful series to the next level, although owners of the original Nintendogs might want to pass on this generation. Fans of platform scrollers—read: Mario fans—will want to check out Yoshi’s Island ($29.99), as well. As always, DS owners will be interested in accessories, too: Consider carrying cases, screen protectors, and replacement styli.

Sony PSP
Although I’m surprised that the PSP hasn’t fared better against the DS, Sony’s handheld game system is still an industry unto itself, with an excellent market for game titles and add-ons. Graphically, the PSP is similar to the PlayStation 2, and it features an integrated controller that’s very reminiscent of the PlayStation 2 dual-shock controller. And although you can still purchase some DVD-like movies in the PSP’s unique UMD format, this phenomenon seems to be dying a natural death, so stick with DVDs unless you plan to travel with the PSP regularly.

The PSP is available in a few versions. There is a standalone PlayStation Portable (PSP) Core ($199) and the PlayStation Portable (PSP) Entertainment Pack ($249), the latter of which includes one game (ATV Offroad Fury), one UMD movie (Lords of Dogtown), and a 1GB MemoryStick Pro Duo.

Some of the best new PSP games include Lumines II ($29.99), a sequel to the wildly popular and addictive puzzler Lumines ($19.99), which is still available; the graphically violent Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories ($49.99); and the World War II shooter Medal of Honor Heroes ($39.99), which combines Call of Duty-style game play with multiplayer support.

As with the DS, consider carrying cases, screen protectors, and other accessories for any PSP fans. Sony sells a PSP Battery Pack ($19.99) and PSP Media Manager software ($39.99), which helps you transfer music, movies, and photos from your PC to the device