24/04/2026

LYFE FRIDAY | APR 24, 2026

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Lava Hot Yoga & Pilates Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya Japanese hot yoga and fitness brand Lava International Co Ltd has launched its second Malaysian studio in Damansara Uptown, Petaling Jaya, following the debut of its first studio in Mont Kiara last year. The Damansara Uptown outlet marks Lava’s first all-hot concept studio model, combining hot yoga and hot reformer pilates within a controlled heated environment. At the heart of Lava’s hot yoga studio is the proprietary Woodstone Studio, a concept developed by Lava that combines advanced heating technology with natural materials to create a deeply restorative environment. The studio uses Japanese hinoki wood, aged over 80 years and known for its calming qualities, layered over selected stones to create a balanced environment that supports physical performance and relaxation.

Divine KLCC sales gallery, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur Chin Hin Group has opened its sales gallery for Divine KLCC, a premium serviced apartment designed for a new generation seeking balance, individuality and a connection to the outdoors. The 84-storey development is located along Jalan Saloma, just 400m from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers. The project features 1,033 residential units with layouts ranging from 1+1 to 3+1 bedrooms. Designed as a lifestyle-focused urban address, the development includes sky-high facilities, concierge services by Maple Hospitality Group and a proposed 360° rooftop bar with panoramic city views, alongside interiors aimed at balancing functionality with refined design.

The

Gundam

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Malaysia,

Fahrenheit88 Kuala Lumpur

Typo, IOI City Mall Putrajaya

The country’s first official Gundam flagship store has opened at Fahrenheit88, bringing Bandai Namco’s global retail concept to Malaysia through Litt Tak. Positioned as a dedicated hub for Gundam and Gunpla, the space features exclusive model kits, limited-edition collectibles, immersive displays and a hands-on workshop area for model building. Anchored by a 1.8m RX-78-2 Gundam statue at the entrance, the store also includes interactive elements such as a themed photo booth and daily workshops, designed to serve collectors and newcomers while building a local community around the franchise.

The lifestyle and stationery brand has launched its world-first concept store at IOI City Mall, introducing a redesigned retail space that expands on its creative identity with a more open and immersive layout. The store blends core stationery with a wider lifestyle range including gifting, travel and everyday essentials, presented as a “creative playground” built around exploration and self-expression. Marking a new phase for the brand under the Cotton On Group, the Malaysia debut highlights its evolving product quality and retail experience, with the local market selected for its strong engagement and creative community.

Benin leans into painful past involving slave trade to attract tourists TOURISTS crowded beneath the Door of No Return, an arch built by the beach at Ouidah in southern Benin in memory of those crammed onto slave ships bound for the New World. “As an African, I’ve read many things about this place... so just being here makes me proud about what Africa has,” she said. ‘Demystify Vodun’

Elsewhere, tourists explored the 13th century Python Temple to learn about Voodoo culture – the popular animist religion rooted in Ouidah. As many posed for photos with snakes draped around their shoulders, guides explained the reptile’s spiritual significance in Voodoo (Vodun in the local Fon language) beliefs. Having worked in Beninese tourism for more than 35 years, Modeste Zinsou, the temple’s head guide, said the sector had evolved. “This isn’t mass tourism, it’s cultural tourism. The sacred element remains. We’re reconstructing our own history, in which we completely demystify Vodun and the cliches around it,” he said. Benin is the birthplace of Voodoo, which now has its own international festival, the Vodun Days. The three days of dancing, mask parades and traditional ceremonies have become a major tourist attraction. This year, it drew around two million visitors, most of them Beninese. “The government has worked to encourage domestic tourism, meaning Beninese people going out and reclaiming their identity,” added Zinsou.

Benin has in recent years leaned into its painful past to encourage tourism. Once a key departure point in the transatlantic slave trade, the coastal town of Ouidah lies at the heart of the push to reclaim the country’s history, culture and heritage. Standing nearly 17m tall on the seafront, the Door of No Return has been fully restored, now a must-see landmark for visitors. Its ochre-and-gold facade is carved with figures of chained slaves, frozen mid-stride towards the ocean. Nearby, a life-size replica of L’Aurore – one of the last three masted ships to leave Ouidah for Cuba around 1860 – is set to open soon as an immersive museum of the slave trade. “It reminds us of where we come from. It’s important to develop tourism around our history because it’s very rich, little known, and we want to showcase it,” said Arsene Ahounou, an engineer from the commercial capital Cotonou visiting for the day. “For us natives, understanding our history matters,” he added. Pausing for selfies with friends visiting from Nigeria, Onyinye Anumba said that seeing the site with her own eyes was “awesome”.

A view of Cotonou, Benin’s commercial capital. – REUTERSPIC

‘Our Eiffel Tower’ To boost tourism, Benin has launched major infrastructure projects, including road and hotel renovations. A Club Med resort is planned for 2027 and visa procedures have been eased for many nationalities. “We’re not a country with mineral wealth, so we had to identify where our wealth lies. “History shows that Benin is a land of great cultures and traditions, and a witness to a pivotal moment in human history – the slave trade,” said Alain Godonou, an adviser to the president on heritage and museums. Godonou hopes tourism will account for 10% to 15% of GDP within

nationality that should have been theirs,” Godonou said. In the heart of Cotonou, the country’s largest city, the Amazon Monument is now a major attraction. The towering 30m metal statue depicts a warrior of the Dahomey kingdom, rifle at her side and dagger in hand. On Easter Monday, a public holiday, crowds of Beninese visitors strolled through the plaza, snapping pictures of the statue. “It’s a source of pride! We don’t have the money to go on holiday in France or elsewhere. This statue is our Eiffel Tower,” said vendor Geraldine Sedami Yagbo. – AFP

a decade, up from about 6% today. The recent election in the west African country was to replace the architect of this tourism drive, outgoing president Patrice Talon, who is stepping down after two five-year terms. His successor Romuald Wadagni, the finance minister from the ruling party, has pledged to carry the projects forward. Since 2024, Benin has allowed anyone with an African ancestor who was enslaved and shipped to the Americas to acquire Beninese nationality. “It was important for Benin to do justice to this diaspora by granting the