Training Trip: Putrajaya – Sepang – KLIA1

On 25 April 2026, GIT Academy Tourist Guide Course Batch 2/2026 took part in a full-route training trip spanning Putrajaya, Sepang, and Kuala Lumpur International Airport 1 (KLIA1), led by trainers Mr Eddie Chok and Dr Samantha Yap. Framed as a “Merdeka Walk” exercise, the day was built around three core skills: route planning, commentary delivery, and time management.

The group assembled at 8:30am at Bukit Jalil LRT station for a briefing on the day’s itinerary, safety, and an introduction to the trainers, before heading to Putrajaya.

Putrajaya: Malaysia’s Administrative Capital

Students were introduced to Putrajaya’s key landmarks as Malaysia’s third Federal Territory, conceived by former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir in 1993 and spanning 49 square kilometres. Stops included Putrajaya Lake, a 650-hectare man-made lake that also functions as a natural cooling system; Putra Mosque, the iconic pink mosque built in a mix of traditional Malay and Persian architectural styles, with capacity for 15,000 worshippers; Perdana Putra, the Prime Minister’s office recognisable by its large green dome, sitting at the end of the 4.2km Persiaran Perdana; and Seri Wawasan Bridge, a cable-stayed bridge designed to resemble a sailing ship. Students also visited the Anti-Corruption Monument — a 12-metre open-hand statue gifted by the Government of Qatar, one of only three such monuments worldwide alongside Geneva and Austria — and the Chinese-Malaysia Friendship Garden, opened in 2014 to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

HL Dragon Fruit Eco Farm, Sepang

At noon, the group visited HL Dragon Fruit Eco Farm, a popular agro-tourism destination home to the world’s largest dragon-fruit-shaped building, officially recognised by Guinness World Records. Students learned about the plant’s life cycle and the different dragon fruit species grown on site as part of the farm’s educational tour.

Airport Procedure Training at KLIA1

The afternoon shifted to hands-on airport operations training at KLIA1 — covering both sides of the guiding experience. On departure procedure, students practised assisting travellers with check-in, guiding them through oversize baggage handling, monitoring flight updates, and helping groups move smoothly through security. On arrival procedure, students practised meeting incoming tourists with a name sign, delivering a warm welcome and short briefing, confirming everyone had their luggage, and leading the group to a waiting coach.

The day concluded back at Bukit Jalil Stadium at 4:00pm. This Merdeka Walk training session gave students genuine hands-on experience across the full range of skills a professional tourist guide needs — from landmark commentary to the practical, often unglamorous logistics of getting a tour group through an international airport smoothly.