Malaysia Tips
|
Malaysia Tips |
|
 |
 |
Late 2007
|
|
|
|
|
| Those coming from Commonwealth countries and a few others get a 90 day entry stamp in their passport on arrival without charge. Everybody raves that Changi Airport in Singapore is the best in the world, but I often wonder if those people have ever been to Kuala Lumpur International Airport. There are more shopping and food outlets than anyone could need, seems to be a lot more choice than at Changi and prices in duty free shops and bookshops and food and beverage outlets are really good - getting a cuppa and a snack won't break the bank. It's a newish, huge, well organised airport with loads of comfortable seats and plenty of dedicated quiet area's with very comfortable sun lounge type seating for those sleeping their way through a long connection. If you have a connection on Air Asia you have to take the shuttle bus to the The Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) about 20 minutes and RM20 away. |
|
| The LCCT is a temporary measure until the new LCCT opens in a couple of years. To say the facilities are inadequate is an understatement. Only about 50 seats, a coffee bar, a couple of toilets and a very small duty free shop with limited stock and not so cheap prices are about all that's there. To be fair, nobody could have foreseen the amazing growth of Air Asia and extra facilities are being set up as I write. |
|
| Pretty much the same entry procedures with nothing special needed. In theory, you have to be able to prove that you have sufficient funds to see you through your expected time in Malaysia, but we've never been asked. Maybe that's a sign of us getting old - scruffy looking backpackers would be a lot more likely to be stopped. |
|
As with all countries, if you're coming on a package, tell the travel agent you don't want the transfer. A taxi will cost significantly less because you are cutting the commissions. Don't try to negotiate with the taxi drivers at KLIA - it isn't worth the trouble and they can be quite aggressive. There are pre-paid taxi voucher counters in the terminals with good discounts for a return trip (just phone and confirm your pickup the day before you leave). There are also local and private buses to all points and an express train link to the city (although when you arrive you at the station you then have to go through the gauntlet of KL taxi drivers to get to your hotel). In my opinion it isn't such a good option financially - it's RM35 each way - but if you're in a hurry and want to end up at KL Sentral it's the way to go. You can check in your luggage there on the way back if you're travelling with Malaysian Airlines. Unless you're travelling solo it's not really worth it as the prepaid taxi fare is only slightly higher than 2 train tickets, takes only slightly longer and delivers you to your hotel. Best option if you're not up to tackling the local buses (which really isn't hard, is incredibly cheap and everyone will help) is probably a minibus - pay at the counter, tell them where you're staying and you'll be dropped off at the door. From the airport there are 2 types of taxi, budget and premium. Premium are a bit more comfortable, but there's nothing wrong with the budget ones and they're cheaper. Note that if you hail or book a taxi, there is a RM1 charge for putting your suitcase in the boot. This isn't just for tourists, it's simply an odd practice in Malaysia. If you hail one on the street and have your case with you, the fare quoted should include your case, but it's best to check. Some bus drivers are out to make a dollar, but the majority are honest. Bus fares are regulated and you should always get a ticket - keep it, as inspectors sometimes get on buses and it's the driver or conductor who'll get into trouble if you can't find it (we had a close shave in KL when I'd been nibbling on mine, but he could still see the price so it was all OK). |
|
| The food in Malaysia in my opinion is the best in the world. It is quite distinctly either Malay, Indian or Chinese. Malay food is similar to Indonesian and many uninitiated would just call it Chinese, but there are differences. Chinese is Chinese and Indian is either Indian or Muslim - obviously you don't get beef at Indian and you don't get pork at Muslim, but apart from that they're pretty much the same and almost always good, filling and cheap. Indian canteens rarely sell beer. You pay for your meal after you've eaten it - most will charge you honestly, but it helps to confidently hand over a note as this gives the impression that you know what the price should be. Indian canteens are self service (except in Penang for some reason) and you are charged according to what is on your plate. As a guide, you should pay RM4-5 for a plateful, but if you add on pieces of fried chicken and fish the price will go up as these are charged individually. A couple of times we had to ask for a breakdown of the bill as we felt we were being ripped off - one was brazen and didn't change the price, but others had made 'mistakes' which they corrected. Needless to say, you just don't go back to those ones again. |
|
| Massage and reflexology are big business in Malaysia, and well used by locals. Unlike countries where massage is just for the tourists, the people in Malaysia are trained - sometimes highly trained and/or very experienced. It's hit and miss of course, you get good and bad and the best bet is to get a recommendation from a local. Failing that, most towns have a Professional Blind Massage room. Some of these are amazingly good, and they are embarrassingly cheap - we always pay what we would have in a commercial outlet whether they were good or not, and sometimes that makes a 25% tip (the only time we ever participate in this unsavory practice). Prices are around RM20-30 for 30 minutes and sometimes a discount for an hour. |
CRIME |
| Crime, especially violent crime, seem to be a problem. It is often graphically reported and I think leads to a bit of paranoia. There is also a lot of belief in black magic - that intruders make you sleep through any intrusion. Look up at any high rise apartment block and you'll see even high floor balconies literally caged. Violent crime doesn't really affect tourists, but bag snatching is a real concern. There are signs in areas where there has been a big problem with it, and you rarely see locals walking around with a bag hanging off their shoulder - follow their lead and put it over your head. It may spoil the look of your outfit, but it's better than the alternative. |
|
| Entry wages for shop assistants, office juniors and security guards is about RM700-800 per month, and moving up the food chain the salaries don't seem to increase too much. Nowhere near as bad as other Asian countries, a good meal with drinks in a hotel or smart tourist restaurant will only cost the equivalent of your waiters' weekly not monthly income. And they're all football mad - you won't miss a single Premiership League or European League match. The majority of people are friendly and overly helpful, going out of their way to do what they can for you. |
| BUKIT BINTANG |
| Bukit Bintang is tourist (and expat) central in KL, and everything is priced accordingly. There is a Starbucks on every corner so free internet and a mug of coffee (which costs the equivalent to two overflowing plates in an Indian canteen - seriously) is never going to be a problem. Taxi drivers are notorious here for fleecing tourists and should be avoided at all costs. Legally, they are required to use the meter, but they won't - even threatening to phone the police doesn't bother them. Locals will tell you that if you argue and get them to use the meter, they'll take you the long way around, so you're being fleeced anyway. I heard about someone asking a taxi driver for directions to KLCC and being convinced it was too far to walk before being driven in a big expensive circle. Of course there are good ones - probably more good than bad - but how to spot an honest one is beyond the capabilities of most of us. If unavoidable, don't go near the cabs that hang around hotel and shopping mall entrances, and a short trip around town should cost RM5, but good luck in trying to get it. The area is well served by buses and the monorail, use them wherever possible. All massage parlors in the area are set up for tourists and are significantly more expensive than those in other areas. One exception was in Times Square shopping mall where we found a Blind Association reflexology shop - hidden away, so you'll have to ask at information. They were good and cheap. We didn't find any outstanding food - the pavement 'restaurants' in Chinatown should be avoided as they are there just for the tourists and are expensive and not very good. |
| IPOH |
| Pronounced E-poh (as we were constantly being corrected) is way off the tourist trail but if you're headed here, here goes. Taxi fares around town are RM5 and all the drivers seemed to be good and honest. Food was so-so but this is because food is a really hit and miss affair. If you find a good one, keep on going, because you might not find better. Seafood was surprisingly good as it is a fair way from the sea. The best place to stay is the Ritz Garden Hotel which I've reviewed. Buses are boneshakers but cheap and will take you almost everywhere. Walking around at night alone is NOT recommended - Peter came across some junkies who invited him to partake in their injecting (thankfully in a friendly not aggressive way) and there were a few stabbing's reported in the newspapers whilst we were there. Some lovely old colonial mansions and schools dot the town, but apart from that and the fantastic old railway station, there really isn't much to recommend Ipoh as a destination. We really noticed that the people weren't as friendly as they had been in other parts of Malaysia. Peter claims the best massage of his life was obtained was the Chinese parlor on the opposite side of the road from the Ritz Garden, about 100 meters down. |
| KLANG |
| To this day I don't know why we went to Klang. Filling in a bit of time I think. It's an outer suburb of KL, with a port which is about 5km from town. We found the people to be not so friendly, and I have to say I didn't feel totally safe at all times whilst wandering around the dull town centre. Very few tourists venture out here, because there really isn't that much to do. From the town centre, a 15 minute walk across the river bridge brings you to the longest Indian street in Malaysia - we were there just before Depavali which meant everything was lovely and colourful, but I managed to format the SD card before downloading the photo's onto the computer. The 'Little India' in Klang is huge. This area also had several beautiful colonial buildings and some very odd people and very good food. From memory, bus fare from KL was RM6. |
| PANGKOR ISLAND |
| Pangkor is a 20 minute ferry ride from Lumut - RM5 one way, RM10 return so I didn't understand why they were really pushing return tickets. The ferry pier is a couple of minutes walk from the bus station, from where you can get to and from most destinations in Malaysia. The only transport on the island apart from hired bicycles or motorbikes is a fleet of pink minibus taxi's. As you arrive, the fixed prices are posted at the ferry terminal, but the return journey isn't fixed and is generally double. As with any island, everything costs a bit more because of the extra transport costs, and being a strictly tourist destination there is an additional markup, but it's not as outrageous as we've seen elsewhere. Food on the island was very disappointing - Peter had been looking forward to lots of really good shellfish but he didn't get it. What was available was expensive and not very good. Shops have limited supplies of everything, so try to bring with you what you will need, and if you want one of the English language newspapers grab it as soon as you see it - there aren't that many and they get snapped up very quickly. Helmets seem to be optional here, which is unusual for Malaysia and a lot of motorbikes have built in baby seats between the handle bars and seat - totally illegal and again unusual for Malaysia. There appears to be no crime at all, although I'm sure there will be a bit of petty theft. Most bikes and cars were parked up with the key left in - it's not like you'd get very far if you stole anything. The beaches are lovely, but the water is a bit murky - clean, but not really clear, maybe to do with currents or something. Pangkor is a laid back island with not much to do except relax and play in the sea - don't go expecting party central. |
| PENANG |
Penang is a 10 minute, RM10 ferry ride from Butterworth (most buses arrive at the pier) but most people arrive by air. From the ferry terminal, the taxi fare should be about RM5 to the town centre, but it takes a bit of work to get someone willing to take tourists for that price. If you arrive by bus (going over the bridge rather than the by ferry, it's a 20 minute RM1.50 ride into the town centre. Most people stay on the Beach - why, I have no idea, because although all of the nice hotels and apartments are there, the sea is so polluted you'd be crazy to put so much as a toe into the water. From the town centre, you can get a bus for about RM2 and a very scenic 30-40 minute journey. On the beach, you pay up to double the price for food etc as you do in town, and in the touristy bits of town the food isn't anywhere as cheap as the rest of Malaysia. Apartments are a very good alternative to hotels, and there are plenty of them. We stayed at the excellent and very cheap Desi Pelangi which I've reviewed and they have more apartments on the beach which are a little more expensive - check their web site www.haisoonprop.com for specials. On the whole, we found the food to be a bit disappointing - Penang is noted for it's magnificent cuisine, but we obviously went to the wrong places. Peter found a Professional Blind Massage place near the Komtar shopping centre in the middle of town, but came out worse than he went in - the only time he's been disappointed in such a place. A great way to explore the island is to jump on local buses and see where you end up - they're a mixture of nice modern comfy ones and old boneshakers but all very cheap. If you want to go on to Thailand by road, you have to go by minibus - RM25 and about hours to Hat Yai. I believe proper coaches call in at Butterworth, but you have to get back to the mainland and the minibus will pick you up at your door if you're in town, possibly from the beach too for an extra charge, but I'm not sure. |
| PORT DICKSON |
Port Dickson is the beach retreat of choice for the people of KL, so it fills to overflowing at the weekend but is virtually empty (and cheaper) during the week - they all arrive late Friday night and leave Sunday lunchtime for the 2 or so hour trip. Right in the middle of the most polluted stretch of water in the world, the sea is not somewhere you want to spend your time. We're told that the beaches to the south of Port Dickson are much better than those to the north and the sea is OK, although it's still on the Straights of Malacca so I can't see it. There is a small bus terminal, and most buses seem to come and go from the state capital of Seremban, which is a RM5, 50 minute trip - if you're in a car and go on the toll road rather than through the villages, it's more like 25 minutes but nowhere near as interesting. There is a rail line there, but we didn't come across it. The town centre itself is fairly uninspiring and most people head for the resorts to the north - about 4km and not a terribly pleasant walk as there are no footpaths. Buses coming and going from Seremban cost RM1 and a taxi costs RM5 - RM10 from the town centre, but they don't want to go back empty so it's half price, and they will often pick up people at bus stops for the same price as the bus fare. It is possible to get a daily ferry to Medan in Indonesia from the pier in the town centre, but I didn't check the price. Not a great deal of interest here, a day or two (midweek) would be more than sufficient. |
| SEREMBAN |
Seremban is the state capital of Negeri Sembilan and not a place most people would visit - we only went so we could be close to Sepang for the motorbike racing. Tourists are a very rare novelty here and we were treated better than we were anywhere else in Malaysia, I believe mostly because of the small town syndrome. There are a couple of 3-4 star hotels up in the lake garden area and a swag of cheapies in town, the best of which is the Carlton Star which I've reviewed. There is an excellent bus terminal from which you can get to almost anywhere in Malaysia, and Seremban is the last stop on the commuter rail line from KL. Should you be going to the F1 or MotoGP at Sepang, Seremban makes a great base - far enough away from Niali (the small town with accommodation close to the track) for inexpensive accommodation and much cheaper than staying in KL city - not to mention great transport connections and less crowds heading that way. There are beautiful public gardens, a free city circle shuttle bus and the local government even supply free wireless hotspots around town and in the gardens. The museum is about an hour on foot from the town centre and wasn't very interesting, but the relocated traditional houses of the area in the same complex were fascinating. We found several excellent eateries, with the Simla (also called the Curry Leaf) being one of the best Indian restaurants I've ever been to. Definitely worth a visit, for the friendly people if nothing else. |
| SUNWAY |
What can you say - Sunway is (another) tourist central. There is a very smart, expensive hotel, a lot of expats living in apartments, a theme park (water park, fairground rides, adventure activities, wildlife park) and a massive shopping mall complete with ice skating rink. Buses from KL (Chinatown) cost RM2, and it's right in the middle of 2 LRT stations which are a bit too far to walk from if you are heading for the mall/hotel. Outside the main mall heading towards KL (going through the hotel), there are severalvery smart tourist restaurants and bars for the well heeled and lots of local eateries, almost all of which overcharge tourists. There is also a very good, single person Professional Blind Massage parlor. A 2 or 3 minute walk from the other side of the mall (heading away from KL) there are several local indian and Chinese restaurants and canteens, the best of which is Nasi Kandar Jaffner, directly opposite the good value Suns Inn hotel which I have reviewed For more good local eateries and watering holes, cross the highway bridge and get away from the granite, glass and marble - it's a totally different world. |
If you're going to Malaysia enjoy, and email me with any questions. I might not be able to help, but you never know.
PS - KLIA is one of the cheapest duty free shopping areas in the world
