19/12/2025

LYFE FRIDAY | DEC 19, 2025

12

Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

G ENERALLY viewed as a place reached only after days of battling rough seas at the bottom of the world, Antarctica has long been seen as a destination for explorers and hardened adventurers. That image is changing as a recent presentation in Kuala Lumpur hosted by the Chilean Embassy’s polar expedition company, Antarctica21, showed how its air-cruise model is making the southernmost continent more accessible without stripping away its sense of adventure. “Antarctica is a place to visit. It is not complicated. It is far away and it requires a lot of flight time. The reward, however, is huge,” said Antarctica21 senior commercial director Juan Cristobal Del Pedregal Bravo. Traditionally, Antarctic cruises require a crossing of Drake Passage, one of the most notorious stretches of ocean on the planet. The journey can take days and is often uncomfortable even in calm conditions. “There are two feelings when you cross Drake Passage, one is that you think you are going to die and the second one is that you are sure you are going to die,” Del Pedregal Bravo said. Antarctica21 avoids the crossing entirely by flying passengers from Punta Arenas in southern Chile directly to King George Island in Antarctica, where they board an

Passengers travel by Zodiac during an Antarctica21 expedition, part of the company’s air-cruise model that flies guests into Antarctica before exploring

the Antarctic Peninsula by ship.

Shortcut to Antarctica

Del Pedregal Bravo during an Antarctic expedition.

building, the old Post Office, the old Kuala Lumpur High Court, the old FMS Survey Office, City Theatre and the National Textile Museum. Additionally, a pedestrian bridge linking Seri Negara and Carcosa to Perdana Botanical Gardens, Kuala Lumpur will also be built. Khazanah has allocated RM600 million to fund the initiative. Amirul also said the investment aligns with Khazanah’s domestic strategy to improve connectivity and support Kuala Lumpur as an economic and cultural centre. “Tourism has the potential to generate more than a two-times the tourism is concentrated on Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent. “The peninsula is where we concentrate nearly 90% of the expeditions and it is where you find a very high concentration of wildlife, scientific stations and heritage sites,” Del Pedregal Bravo said. The region offers frequent encounters with penguins, whales and seals, with daily landings and Zodiac cruises forming the core of the experience. “When you go on a safari in Africa, you go in a jeep looking for a lion. Here, we go in a Zodiac looking for a whale encounter,” he said. Antarctica21 limits its ships to just 76 passengers, allowing more time ashore and greater flexibility. “Small ships allow us to spend more time outside and more time in Antarctica,” he said. A standard Antarctica21 air-cruise package costs roughly US$23,000, or about RM108,000, per person. The company’s newest vessel, Magellan Discoverer, is the first hybrid electric expedition ship that is constructed, designed in Chile and built in South America. “This is a milestone for the

o How travellers arrive at coldest region on earth expedition ship waiting offshore. “We are the company that put together this idea of flying people to Antarctica, boarding the ship there, doing the cruise and flying back. We started in 2003 with 49 passengers, and now there are more than 10,000. This idea works and it works greatly,” he said. Despite Antarctica’s size, most

Penguins at Drake Passage.

country. It is 100% Chilean engineering and manufacturing,” Del Pedregal Bravo said. All expeditions begin and end in Chile, allowing travellers to combine destinations such as Patagonia or Santiago with Antarctica. Antarctica remains accessible only between mid-November and

mid-March, but for those who make the journey, the experience is singular. “There is a moment when you step onto Antarctica and that feeling is the same feeling Neil Armstrong had on the moon. You only take that first step once,” Del Pedregal Bravo said.

Magellan Discoverer, the first hybrid-electric polar ship and the newest expedition vessel.

Khazanah completes restoration of Seri Negara, aims to boost tourism KHAZANAH Nasional has

the site. “The restoration of Seri Negara is a profound responsibility and privilege for Khazanah, with the goal not only of restoring the building but also bringing to life the spirit and stories that have shaped the nation,” he said in a statement. Under the Warisan KL initiative, Khazanah has been tasked with preserving and rejuvenating eight historic buildings in Kuala Lumpur including Carcosa at Bukit Carcosa, besides Seri Negara. The initiative also covers Sultan Abdul Samad Building complex, which comprise Sultan Abdul Samad

current revenue and contribute to boosting the local economy, starting with Seri Negara,” he said. He added that Khazanah will continue to work closely with government agencies, local authorities and partners to recognise these restored buildings as tourism offerings, educational touchpoints, public cultural spaces and a source of national pride for future generations. Khazanah said the 10-month restoration of Seri Negara focused on preserving the site’s architectural character while improving public facilities, accessibility and safety.

“Seri Negara will feature Galeri Seri Negara, which celebrates the nation’s journey towards independence and aims to educate the public on this critical period of in the history of Malaysia. “There will also be a cafe and a restaurant operated by Serai group, offering a nostalgic dining experience that reflects Seri Negara’s historic charm while celebrating the best of Malaysian cuisines,” it said. Khazanah said Semuka Cafe is now open to the public while Serai House will be opened only on reservation basis for the time being. – Bernama

completed the restoration of Seri Negara, one of the nation’s historic buildings where the 1957 Federation of Malaya Agreement was signed, marking Malaysia’s independence. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim witnessed the opening of the building, following a 10-month restoration carried out by Khazanah as part of its Dana Warisan programme, recently. Khazanah managing director Datuk Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir said the restoration was undertaken after the government entrusted the sovereign wealth fund to conserve