Star Wars fans lead the way to Malaysia's hidden gems

The Star

04-05-2025

'Uncovering hidden gems of Malaysia' – so goes the bio on Mandalorians In Malaysia's Instagram profile (my_mandos).
Scroll through the posts and it's immediately apparent that this is no ordinary travel account. Sure, it lives up to its declaration of uncovering the country's hidden gems, but it does so in quite an unconventional way.
In every one of its photo or reel, there are two figures (sometimes more) dressed in armour, replete with helmet and cape.
Those unfamiliar with the Star Wars franchise might be scratching their heads at this sight, but for fans, especially of The Mandalorian TV series, the figures are easily identifiable.
That's its unique point: It showcases the hidden gems in Malaysia through the travels of these Star Wars characters.
'I've always liked the Mandalorian concept and 'culture', starting from when I was four or five years old through the original Mando, Boba Fett,' says Calvin Shoon, 24, the man behind the travel team.
'Fast forward to the end of 2020, 'Mandomania' was at an all-time high with the end of The Mandalorian Season 2. It was then that I decided to commission a Mandalorian cosplay to fulfil this childhood dream of mine.'
The Malaysian Mandalorians
In 2024, Shoon finally launches the travel platform. The first post, dated July 12, is captioned: 'It all started from our love of Malaysia, and how we wanted to share that love of our country and its many hidden gems with our friends and family. We hope to bring you that with this platform, but with a twist...'
And what a twist it is – immediately garnering attention both online and in real life.
It is quite the spectacle to witness Shoon and his team wandering around in their costumes, enthusiastically combing the country for places whose quiet beauty deserves a shoutout.
'In the beginning, when the team was smaller, I handled almost all the planning and execution,' says Shoon, adding that Google Maps was his go-to during the researching stage.
'I would pick a place and plot my journey from there. As I reviewed the routes, I would also check out any places of interest nearby.'
Now, with a bigger team of eight including himself, '... more research is put in to give the team a further understanding of not just the production flow, but also the local history and culture, and the people.'
Shoon (second from right) with his Mandalorians In Malaysia team.
Some of the places they have highlighted are Pulau Mawar Sea Arch in Johor, Zi Xia Cave in Kelantan and Marang Wave Breaker in Terengganu.
Aside from simply showcasing the beauty of each place, they also provide information on how to reach these off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Take the sea arch for example. It is only accessible outside of the monsoon season because between October and March, the sandbar that connects the island to the beach (Pantai Mawar) will be submerged underwater.
Getting to the arch requires a bit of hiking, but the team's documentation proves that the effort is well worth it.
'The journey there was such a unique experience,' Shoon recalls. 'We had to cross a temporary land bridge, followed by a hike through the jungle... only to come upon a majestic view of the South China Sea through Johor's best kept secret: The Sea Arch.'
He cites the arch as one of the more memorable places they've visited. Another one, Pantai Mek Mas in Kelantan, also left a lasting impression on them as well as their fellow Star Wars fans.
'The journey there was an experience itself, but spotting the great sand dune upon arrival as it slowly got taller and taller really was... eye-opening,' he shares.
Since the climb up the dune was challenging, due to the soft sands that gave way with each step, he adds, 'It really was like travelling through the desert. The overwhelming heat from the midday sun really helped sell the illusion too.'
Interestingly, it looked so convincing that some fans don't just believe they're in a desert, these fans go so far as to think that the Kota Baru destination is, in fact, 'a blue screen of Tatooine'. That's how similar it appears to the fictional desert planet.
Pantai Mek Mas is often mistaken by Star Wars fans as a blue screen of Tatooine.
Shoon shares that this was among the comments they received when they had the chance to meet other Star Wars fans in person.
'Often, when we are 'boothing', we receive comments and questions asking if some of our work was Artificial Intelligence, CGI or a screenshot of the show,' he says. 'We couldn't be prouder. Not just of our work but also of our beautiful country!'
The 'boothing' he refers to are when he and his team set up booths at events – such as AsiaPopcon 2024 and the annual Star Wars gathering at Jaya One Shopping Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor – where they would 'try to spread the word of these places with a pop-up style of photo exhibition'.
Other than the high quality of their work, another feedback they typically receive is from locals who are surprised that these otherworldly places exist in Malaysia.
Leading the way
Piquing fellow Malaysians' interest to travel more and discover what our country has to offer is precisely the goal Shoon had in mind.
He even cheekily uses the tagline 'Ini arahnya' for the travel account. It is a play on the popular Mandalorian saying: 'This is the way'.
via GIPHY
'It is a localisation of the famous catchphrase to give it that intimate and familiar touch. It also happens to be a tongue-in-cheek way of 'showing the way' to these exotic places,' Shoon explains.
Setting up the platform was not without its challenges. Unfortunately, just like Din Djarin having to face many hurdles in The Mandalorian , Shoon too would have his to overcome.
As he mentioned, 2020 was a good time for the Pedro Pascal-starring TV series, with the second season even outperforming the already successful first season (launched in 2019).
So, for Shoon, it was a good time to be a fan. But let's not forget that, at the same time, there was a global pandemic wreaking havoc. Many lives were lost to the Covid-19 virus, and among them were Shoon's parents.
'They were the first people I wanted to show off my new costume to. Something they would, sadly, never get to see,' he shares.
To deal with his grief and take his mind off the outbreak, Shoon spent his time scrolling through posts of places he wished to visit once lockdowns and travel bans were over. This was what truly sparked the idea of 'a travelling Mando exploring the limitless wonders of Malaysia'.
The eventual formation of the travel account helped in lifting Shoon's spirits. Unbeknown to him, it will go on to touch other lives as well. Star Wars fans are often excited to spot them filming their content.
The most memorable of these reactions, he mentions, was when they visited the last remaining match factory in Malaysia.
The Mandos posing in front of Malaysia's last match factory.
Initially appearing sans costumes at the factory in Kota Baru, the workers were later elated to see the team return with some of them decked up in their Mando gear. Grinning the widest was a man named 'Muharez'.
'We noticed a Mando helmet, hung on the wall at his desk!' Shoon enthuses.
'We got to know that he personally crafted the helmet via 3D printing, and got to learn more about the factory and life in Kota Baru through him personally.
'I like to think that we made his day. Connections like these are really what motivate us to do more, to do better,' he adds.
So, in spite of the mosquito bites they endure when they traverse through forests, or risking heat stroke in their costumes while filming under the blazing sun, Shoon and his team continue to be passionate in sharing Malaysia's hidden beauty in their own Mando way.