These following foods from the world cuisine are not only peculiar in their ingredients, but they also appear to be very violent in their preparation and inflict great suffering on animals. Some of the following pictures and videos are pretty graphic, and should be approached with caution. They are included to present visual examples of these types of foods, and to show that these kinds of dishes are not rare in the world, but instead exist daily in many cultures.

1. A Monkey's Brain

The following dish is actually quite a murderous scene, and the ensuing feast can be quite gruesome. A captured monkey is first forcibly pulled to the dining table. The monkey is tightly held with hoops over its hands and legs. One of the diners uses a hammer to knock hard enough to actually create a hole in the live monkey's head. Its cracked skull opens from its head and the diners use a stick of iron rod to extract the monkey's brain. The monkey usually screams terribly before dying near the table.

Some of the more aggressive and "hungry" diners may actually use their spoons to scrape through the bloody monkey's brain, eating in a greedy manner as though they have not eaten in a long time. The diners continue to eat the raw brain completely, often with their fingers and hands covered with smelly blood. Others may prefer to dip the raw brain into a traditional herb soup in order to add to the aroma while eating.

Comment: I personally cannot understand how these people swallow this bloody delicacy with no apparent regret and without nausea. I think that it is unbelievably disgusting to see how they chew hungrily on the bloody brain. While researching this article, I found many videos on this popular custom but I decided that they were just too violently graphic to use, and I decided to spare you the trauma of these painful scenes.

2. A Baby Rodent

This apparent delicacy consists of a newly born rodent, a small selection of seasonal vegetables, and a traditional eating custom. The diner initially uses a special skewer to stab the live rodent. The first "chi" sound is apparently heard as the rodent, who cannot bear the pain of being pierced, squeals as it is impaled on the skewer. As the diner dips the still-live rodent into the boiling oil, the second "chi" sound is said to be heard.

As the well-fried rodent is finally placed into the diner's mouth, the third "chi" sound is allegedly heard one last time. Such a delicacy is actually quite simple, but the diner obviously needs to have certain degree of courage, energy, and very possibly, a real culinary open-mindedness to try it.

Comment: It is perhaps not as disturbing for those who eat this delicacy as compared with those who enjoy preparing this extremely graphic type of food. Maybe they should be put in jail instead for abusing these animals in such a terrible manner. How strange it is to see people laughingly enjoying this cruel delicacy in such a happy mood!

3. Turtle Flesh

This dish begins with a live turtle being covered with appropriate seasonings and herbs, while a pan of water is being heated. As the water begins to warm, the turtle is then put into the water. Due to the extreme heat, the turtle will actually begin to drink the water as its body begins to become cooked by the hot liquid. The cook then allows the turtle to remain alive in the herb soup in order to create a good flavor. As the water gradually becomes hotter, the turtle will begin to struggle helplessly in pain.

Comment: It is really quite disturbing to see a live turtle struggling hopelessly in the extremely hot water. Do humans really have to torture the helpless animal in this manner just to satisfy their own eating instincts?

4. Roasted Duck Legs

Here is another popular food that begins with a live animal. A live duck is placed on a slightly hot frying pan. Prior to this, an appropriate amount of seasonings is rubbed all over the duck's body. Due to the heat of the hot-plate, the duck will obviously try to make every attempt to get off of the hot metal, and from time to time, it will try to jump out of the pan.

Finally, the legs will become fully roasted, while its body is still actually alive. The cook will then cut off the duck's legs for them to be placed on a plate to be ready to serve hot to the diner. The remaining part of the duck is then put in the freezer for other future uses.

Comment: This is an extremely disgusting and cruel delicacy when it is viewed from the initial moment of preparation until it is finally served to the diner.

5. Donkey's Meat

This queer delicacy involves eating fresh donkey meat, where the flesh is actually eaten raw without cooking. The diner uses a special fork and spoon to scoop out some of the flesh from the donkey. The meat is then totally dipped into the fresh red blood before it is eaten. According to tradition, the more the diner heard the screaming of the donkey, the more excited they will then be to dine on this delicacy.

Comment: What types of human being are these? They appear to be quite inhumane as they show no benevolence towards the donkey's painful screaming. This unusual eating behavior is among the cruelest in the world's delicacies that I encountered.

6. A Dried Chicken

To make this dish, the cooks need to work fast in order to create it. With the chicken completely alive, they quickly peel off the chicken's feathers, taking out the heart in an astonishingly short time. Later, they fill the chicken's abdomen with seasonings before sewing it up. Finally, they hang it up to dry it out before serving to the diner.

During the preparation, the chicken is still alive, and it will keep on making a noisy sound. It will often struggle violently to get away from the cooks. The cook's hands eventually become totally bathed in large amounts of red blood.

Comment: This chicken has to bear an extremely painful torture as first its feathers and then its heart are removed. The diner eats this dried-alive chicken with apparent pleasure. Indeed, the one time I saw this personally, it caused me to me vomit while looking at the other diners eating it in such a high-spirited mood.

7. A Flesh of Live Shrimp

This seafood dish is not only raw, but served while the shrimps are still alive. First, a cup of Brandy, Whiskey or Vodka is poured onto the live Shrimps. Then, the diner eats these live shrimp, apparently with great excitement.

Comment: This seems simply disgusting, and although it looks harmless, I was still shocked and disgusted by this peculiar eating habit.

8. Grilled Unborn Lamb

First, an entire pregnant female goat is butchered and thrown onto a charcoal fire to burn until it turns a golden brown color. When it is entirely baked, the cook will then cut through its abdomen to take out the cooked, unborn lamb from inside its mother's body. It is said that in this manner, the softness of the young lamb can offer the diner an especially pleasing taste.

Comment: This is another delicacy that just seems tasteless.

One can visit these places in a single day as most of them are easily accessible by car. However, the exceptions are for the mountain retreat at Gunung Tebu and the offshore island, Pulau Perhentian.

A great journey trip can start with a visit to a recreational spot in Terengganu, La Hot spring which is situated in Hulu Besut. The water from the spring is extremely hot to even boil eggs. As the spring water contains sulfur and some essential minerals, it is also believed to cure body aches and skin diseases. Many people come here for this purpose.

Lata Tembakal Waterfall will be the next stop. It takes only about a half hour's drive from La Hot spring. Lata Tembakal is also one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Malaysia. It is one of the best managed and cleanest recreational spots in Terengganu.

Another beautiful waterfall is Lata Belatan which is located at the foot of Gunung Tebu. It is usually the take-off point for those who wish to climb Gunung Tebu.

Gunung Tebu will take about four hours for you to reach its peak. It is about 1000 meters above sea level. It is said to be a historical site as it was once a well-known trading areas where ships from as far as China came to trade here. On top of Gunung Tebu, one can view as far as Semerak in Kelantan and even the offshore islands of Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang.

Your trip to Besut is not complete, if you do not visit to either Pulau Perhentian or Pulau Redang. Most tourists prefer to go to Pulau Perhentian. According to them, Pulau Perhentian takes only 30 minutes by boat from Kuala Besut. Therefore, it is probably one of the reasons why it is one of the most popular island resort spots in Terengganu. Pulau Perhentian has lovely sandy white beaches and certainly, the most famous activities are snorkeling and scuba-diving.

There is a famous market in Kuala Terengganu which is “Pasar Payang”. At the market one can buy souvenirs. One can learn on the process and procedure of producing batik by visiting a batik factory,“Nur Arfa Batik” in Kuala Ibai. The colorful batiks are very captivating. People designed batik here are extremely talented.

Batu Buruk Beach is another attraction of Kuala Terengganu. At the beach, one can try some local delicacies such as "ais krim goreng". One may also go to Rantau Abang for turtle watching. If you were unfortunate though, you did not get to see any turtles laying eggs. The turtles will only come up in the wee hours of the morning.

The beauty of Pulau Rawa is characterized by its unique white coral sand, and hence it is also known as coral island. There are tall palm trees around the island. Pulau Rawa has many caves for exploration and offshore coral reefs rich with marine life. It is a heaven for fishing, skin-diving, scuba diving, shell collecting and underwater photography.

Pulau Besar is a developed island resort equipped with chalets and restaurants. The main attractions are the glistening beaches, spectacular coral reefs and crystal blue waters.

Pulau Sibu is regarded as a tropical paradise. It has clean white beaches and clear blue waters rich in marine creatures. One can enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving, windsurfing, fishing and boating.

Each year, giant leather back turtles come ashore to lay eggs at Pulau Tengah. The island has spacious and cottages for your comfortable stay. Besides that, it has abundant marine life and rare species of fish and coral.

Pulau Tinggi has long coastline and white sandy beaches dotted with caves. It is still untouched by the development and thus becoming a large uninhabited island. It is also an ideal photographic heaven as the seas around it are teeming with coral, fish and reefs.

Pulau Pemanggil, an irresistible magical island, has sandy white beaches, hilly terrain and abundant marine life. The island is furnished with chalets and long houses for visitors wishing to stay here.

Pulau Aur, off the east coast of Johor, is another attraction of Johor. It is well known for its beautiful marine life. It is a favorable diving spot for the locals as well as the foreigners. It is also a beautiful island with secluded lagoons and offshore pools perfect for bathing and a host of water sports. Long houses available on the island provide accommodation to the tourists.

The island, located about 35 nautical miles from the Mersing jetty, is part of an island cluster that includes Dayang Island, Lang Island and Pinang Island. It takes between two to five hours from Mersing to reach the island by boat.