Every year during Raya, Malaysians head back to their hometowns, or kampungs, to enjoy the festivities with loved ones. But for one Malaysian American, this Raya brought a surprising twist—a three-hour hunt for coconut water that turned into an unexpected adventure through the countryside of Perlis.
Air kelapa hunt gone wild
A one-minute clip posted on TikTok by user @smolpal documented Hana’s misadventure in search of coconut water. What was intended to be a simple task turned into a comedic saga of wrong turns and unexpected detours.
The video begins with Hana and her cousins setting out on their mission, armed with determination and a GPS navigation system. Little did they know, their reliance on technology would lead them astray.
Lost in translation: Rice paddies and reverse gears
As they followed the directions provided by Waze, a popular GPS app in Malaysia, they found themselves driving further and further away from their intended destination, eventually winding up in the midst of a rice paddy.
“Someone come get us. We can’t u-turn so we’re just reversing all the way.”
“We just finished reversing like a whole entire mile and now we’re going to reverse again. I don’t know if there’s coconut water out here, guys.”
As they got more and more lost, Hana couldn’t help but laugh at their situation. With no U-turn option, they ended up reversing out of there. It was getting pretty ridiculous, but they were determined to find that coconut water, no matter what.
Persistence pays off
After three hours of wandering around, Hana and her cousins finally hit the jackpot. With coconut water in hand, their crazy adventure finally came to a close.
“We found it, guys. Yep, we did it. It only took three hours.”
How it unfolded
Speaking to WeirdKaya, Hana shared that her and her cousins were in Perlis, looking for something to do before heading to Tasoh Lake. They wanted to try fresh coconut water, but had trouble finding it since they were unfamiliar with the area.
“My two cousins and I were trying to pass time in Perlis before going to Tasoh Lake. We didn’t want to be under the noon sun while on a boat. I told my cousin that I love coconut water, but I have never had it fresh — only packaged in cans. Getting air nyok (air kelapa; coconut water) sounded like a very easy task, but my cousins are from Johor and don’t know where to get air nyok in Perlis.
My cousin was searching up places on Google and Waze. But Waze took us through unpaved back roads to the middle of fields where… there was definitely no air nyok. We trusted Waze because we didn’t know what else to do. I wanted to ask locals, but there were not very many people where we were.”
Visited Malaysia twice
When asked about if this is her first time staying in Malaysia, Hana clarified that she was born in Chicago to Malaysian parents, travelled to Malaysia alone for the first time to experience Ramadan and Hari Raya, reconnect with family, and visit friends. Despite visiting Malaysia twice as a baby, she considered this trip her first real experience there.
“I was born in the States in Chicago to two Malaysian parents who were formerly Malaysian students studying abroad in Chicago. I have visited Malaysia twice when I was a baby (at 6 months, then at 2 years old). I obviously as a baby did not remember any of the trips, so I consider this trip to be my first time travelling and meeting my family in Malaysia.
My parents and sisters could not come with me, so I bought a ticket for me to come alone. I wanted to experience Ramadan and Hari Raya in Malaysia for the first time, get to know my extended family, and see old friends who had moved back to Malaysia from the states.”
‘My skin is now the clearest it has ever been.’
We also asked what was her first impression when she visited Malaysia, Hana said that she observed Malaysia’s vertical billboard signs, finding them efficient compared to the horizontal ones in the US. Despite her usual aversion to water, she drank more due to the humid climate, resulting in clearer skin compared to her time in Chicago.
“My first impression of Malaysia was that some of the billboard signs next to the highway were vertical. They’re only horizontal in The States. I think the vertical form is an efficient use of space. I work in marketing in the U.S., so I notice this kind of thing. I also found that I have been drinking the most water I have ever drank in my life. I hate drinking water, but I cannot stop sweating in Malaysia. My skin is now the clearest it has ever been. I was as dehydrated as a cactus in Chicago.”
No ill intention towards Perlis
Hana also wanted to clarified about the bomb reference, clarifying it was a historical nod, not an insult to Perlis. She apologised for any confusion and reiterated her love for the area.
“Now that many people have watched the video and commented on my bomb reference, I just want to say that I was referring to the American history of “Nuke Towns” in the 1950’s. I swear I wasn’t saying that the houses in Perlis looked bomb-able. I meant to say they looked jarring because there were no inhabitants, although the area was so clean. I apologise to anyone who thought I was insulting the houses. I loved seeing Perlis.“
Using GPS in Perlis is a big no
The TikTok clip caught everyone’s eye, sparking a flurry of reactions from netizens. People chimed in with their own stories and funny remarks about the GPS blunder. Some warned about Perlis’ tricky roads, while others shared tales of their own navigation woes in the area.
Someone cautioned against relying on Waze or Google Maps in Perlis, pointing out how the rural roads can throw them off track.
“Don’t trust Waze or Google Maps in Perlis.”
Another person shared their own ongoing battle with getting lost in Perlis, even after living there for years.
“I’ve experienced this before. Honestly, I’ve been living in Perlis for 22 years, but I still get lost even when using Waze.”
And another chimed in, “Don’t use Waze in Perlis.”
It seems everyone agreed: navigating Perlis needs more than just GPS—it takes some local know-how too.
Watch the full clip here:
