EXPLORE the backyard of Malaysia, says the headline in the (literally) cheeky advertisement.

The print ad tantalises with an alluring picture of five stewardesses, with their pert bums facing the camera, sashaying towards a plane on a runway.

Sexist ad? Maybe.

But instead of wagging fingers at the ad from Malaysian low-cost airline Firefly, many people are giving it the thumbs up instead.

For Malaysians working here, for example, it just got far easier and more convenient for them to return to their hometowns for occasional visits.

Now that the skies between the two countries have been opened up to competition, and not monoplised by Singapore Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, rivals, including AirAsia, Jetstar and SilkAir, have been quick to expand the offerings.

Indeed, the list of destinations seems to be growing by the month.

It's not just KL and Penang which have caught the attention of the carriers.

Smaller towns like Malacca, Kota Bahru, Alor Star and Kuantan are now on the radar. The airfares, depending on when you book, are often not that much higher than bus fares.

This is a point not lost on someone like Connie Chu, who works in a hair salon here.

She's from Ipoh and enjoys only seven days of annual leave. Going back to her hometown by bus can take half a day.

But with Firefly serving her hometown, she can now squeeze out more mileage from her leave with a quick dash home, and back.

Singaporeans too can also make a fast hop to Malaysia on weekends.

AirAsia's ad, touting its new flights to Miri and Tawau, speaks about the wild beauty of the national parks, caves and even a jazz festival.

Suddenly, it seems, weekends need not be dull anymore.