Cee Jay

Cee Jay

Founder and writer of heritasian.com, a website dedicated to historical travel and heritage. My background includes a diverse range of experiences, from hospitality and sales to writing and editing. Living in Chiang Mai, Thailand for the past 20 years. My mixed British and Straits Chinese heritage, has shaped my understanding of culture and history, which informs my writing.
Historic sailing ship in the Straits of Malacca at sunrise, a heritage highway.

A History of the Straits of Malacca

The Straits of Malacca serve as a 2,000-year-old heritage highway, linking East and West through trade. From the Srivijaya thalassocracy to the colonial rivalries of the Portuguese, Dutch, and British, this vital channel forged unique multicultural identities like the Peranakans.

Elegant colonial heritage hotel veranda with arches, pillars, and tropical garden views.

Colonial Heritage Hotels in Southeast Asia

Discover Southeast Asia’s colonial heritage hotels, from Singapore’s Raffles to Hanoi’s Metropole. These "living museums" blend European elegance with tropical architecture, preserving stories of literary giants, wartime resilience, and the region's complex journey toward independence.

Sailboat near limestone cliffs in Langkawi, Malaysia, exploring its history.

Slicing Through the History of Langkawi

Langkawi’s history is a blend of ancient geology and tragic folklore, famously marked by the curse of Mahsuri. From a war-torn outpost and pirate haven, the island evolved into a thriving UNESCO Global Geopark and duty-free destination, finally overcoming centuries of misfortune.

E&O Penang history: Vintage book, bottle, and two figures with umbrella in rainy lobby.

E&O Penang History

Penang’s Eastern & Oriental Hotel, a colonial masterpiece founded in 1885 by the Sarkies brothers, is the iconic "Grand Dame." Once the social hub "East of Suez," it hosted luminaries like Charlie Chaplin and remains a beacon of luxury today.

DSLR camera for landscape photography with mountain views.