Malaysia trip - looking for advice

bafty_crastard

We have flights booked to Kuala Lumpur in July. Out first day is spent travelling, we arrive the next day so we have 12 nights in Malaysia before flying home.

We're thinking of having a few days in Bangkok as my cousin lives there and is having a baby in March so we'd like to see the new arrival.
I think 6 nights in KL and 6 nights in Bangkok won't give us much time to relax. We have 2 teenage sons coming with us.
I was thinking 4/5 nights in Kuala Lumpur and 4 nights in Bangkok but don't know where to go for the other 4 nights. We like the idea of a few quieter days in Penang or Langkawi but don't know how that would work with flights. We can fly to Langkawi from KL but would need to come back to KL to fly onto Bangkok. Equally if we went for our last few days we would need to fly into KL from Bangkok to fly back to Langkawi. Although the flight times are short we would be spending a lot of time hanging around the airport for onward flights. I've looked at going by train but its a long train ride.
Ideally I'd like to have a few days in KL, fly somewhere from KL for a few days then fly directly to Bangkok from wherever we are. We can then get a direct flight to KL from Bangkok.

Has anyone been to Malaysia and can recommend somewhere to spend a few nights away from the city?

Moonchild

It's not the best weather west coast (Langkawi, Penang) in July / August. However i'm not aware of any flights to Bangkok except from Penang and KL.

The East Coast is very beautiful - you have islands like Tioman / Redang / Perhentian Islands, or the mainland a few interesting hotels like the Aryani or Tanjong Jara (plush), but you have additional travelling to do (normally back to KL).

However, there are occasional flights from Subang (KL Domestic Airport) to Koh Samui in Thailand on Berjaya Air (just on Thursday and Sunday I believe) where the weather is good, and plenty of flights from there to Bangkok.

numpty2009

We had an amazing trip to redang from KL a couple of years ago. It was organised with the hotel direct and flights were from an airport in the city (KL international airport is a trek from the city itself).

http://www.berjayahotels-resorts.com/redangresort.htm

this was the hotel we stayed at (it also features in the Kuoni brochure) however, the website does say it is now closed until March.

Alternatively we also stayed in Borneo and flew into KL. You can get cheap flights with air asia easily and we stayed at the Shangri La Tang jung aru.

Have a good time the area is amazing!

martindow

We took the overnight sleeper train from Butterworth (by the ferry terminal to Penang) to KL which was very comfortable and cheap. Beware the aircon is freezing so make sure you have enough clothes.

Another place to consider is the Cameron Highlands about half way between the two. It is a hill station where the weather is like a perfect English summer's day and a lovely escape from the heat and humidity of the coast.

bafty_crastard

Thanks for all your replies.

Unfortunately at Redang Airport the runway is being expanded and Berjaya Air aren't taking any bookings to/from Redang until further notice.

We could get the train to Penang, spend a few nights then fly to Bangkok before flying back to KL but if the weather on the West Coast isn't as good in July we may be better going somewhere like Koh Samui.

If you've stayed in KL is 4 nights long enough. I would like to see the Petronas Towers, Batu Cave and possibly go on a day trip to the elephant sanctuary. Is there anything else I should see while there?

Janie2008

Look up the airasia website you can do KL-Penang-Bangkok or you could do Krabi or Phuket instead. Been to all 3 and prefer the beaches in the Krabi area.

nico26

bafty_crastard wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies.

.

If you've stayed in KL is 4 nights long enough. I would like to see the Petronas Towers, Batu Cave and possibly go on a day trip to the elephant sanctuary. Is there anything else I should see while there?

Petronas Towers/ Suria KLCC mall / Petrosains Discovery Centre / Kuala Lumpur City Centre park / Petronas Philharmonic Hall / KL Exhibition and Conference Centre - you can only get up to the sky bridge on the 41st/42nd floor, but need to get there early (0800) and its closed on Monday, but the views are not the brilliant. KL Menara has the best views as you are at 94m.
Plenty shops in mall and restraunts at the towers.Cheap eating on 3rd and 5th floor..
Santini restaraunt ouside at the shopping mall next to Mandarin Oriental hotel my fav place for Nachos and pizza.


KL Menara, it is only a few metres shorter than the Petronas as it is built on a hill [Bukit Nanas aka Pineapple Hill] it give fabulous view of KL and the towers day and night. You can also walk around the forest reserve at the base of the tower. You can go when you want and stay as long as you like on the observation deck. There is a revolving restaurant . Snack bar at the base of the tower. Added to this is access to some of KL’s original rainforest. Surrounding the tower is Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve and it is claimed it is undisturbed rainforest.

Butak Bintang - A great place for shopping and eating. Sungai Wang/BB Plaza , KL Plaza, Times Square [which also has a theme park], Pavillion [Mid to top end shops and also the best food court plus a supermarket], Lot 10 , Starhill gallery[very top end but some very nice reasonably priced restaurants], Plaza Low Yat [IT mall], YTL Plaza, BB Park, Imbi Plaza for shopping, plus there are many open fronted shops which offer some great goods and then there is Jalan Alor is a great place for street food and many restaurants along Bukit Bintang.

Little India - Masjid Jamek Bandaraya / hawkers (walking distance to Merdeka Square


Central Market. Independence or Merdeka Square / Sultan Abdul building / Royal Selangor Club / St. Mary's Cathedral / Kuala Lumpur Railway Station - Colonial heritage (walking distance to Chinatown)

Petaling Street Market is in Chinatown. You can walk to Chinatown/Petaling Street from Merdeka station. Chinatown is a great place for the markets and food. It does get crowded at night so you could try to visit in the afternoon, and take in Sri Mahamariamman Temple plus other temples . UDA Ocean traditional Chinese shopping mall junction between Jalan Sultan and Jalan Dato H S Lee.
.
Lake Gardens / Orchid & Hibiscus Gardens / Bird-Butterfly / Deer parks / colonial hotel – high tea / Museum of Islamic Arts /National Museum / Masjid Negara [National Mosque] by taxi or hop-on bus
.


Maju Junction, Sogo, Pertama Complex, Campbell Complex, Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman street market [Every Saturday between 5.00 pm -10.00 pm] (walking distance to Little India or Heritage Row)


Chow Kit – Jalan Haji Hussein street market at night is similar to Chinatown / Petaling Street offering fake goods and delicious local food, near the Chow Kit Monorail stop (best visited during the day)

Heritage Row – Bars, restaurants and night clubs


Jalan Sultan Ismail / Ampang – nightclubs and bars


Various malls and shopping centres around the city, the Mall - Jln Putra, City Square - Jln Tun Razak, Plaza Ampang - Jln Tun Razak, Avenue K - Jln Ampang, The Weld – Jln Raja Chulan, Hartamas Shopping Centre - Jln Sri Hartamas, Bangsar Shopping Centre - Jln Maarof


Craft Complex, Jalan Conlay - Malaysian handicrafts and artefacts, exhibition gallery, craft museum, stage, souvenir and crafts shops, craft demonstrations and practical interactive sessions, as well as a restaurant.


Sunway Pyramid and Lagoon/Mall - the Malaysian past time of shopping plus theme park/water park etc - taxi or train from kl


Midvalley Mega / The Gardens shopping Malls - taxi or train from kl.

1Utama Mall - Taxi ride or train from kl

Petaling Jaya aka PJ – home to Utama1, the Curve and Sunway, also Kota Darul Ehsan arch, Thai Wat Chetawan Temple and Menara MBPJ Telecom tower.


Historical Melaka – Full day trip


Frim - experiencing the rainforest and back-to-nature experience with four jungle tracks: Keruing Trail, Rover Track, Engkabang Trail and Salleh Trail and a Canopy Walk – Half day trip


Templer’s Park – tropical rain forest - Full day trip


Batu caves half day trip combine with Genting Highland to make a full day trip.



Some of these places are on the hop on hop off bus route which you can buy tickets for 24hrs or 48 hrs.Thing it is 37rin for 24hrs


Hope that gives you an idea as to some of the things you can do. get a map from Tourist board which will help you find your way around. Where are you staying in Kl?

DAVE1003

Moonchild wrote: »

It's not the best weather west coast (Langkawi, Penang) in July / August. However i'm not aware of any flights to Bangkok except from Penang and KL.

The East Coast is very beautiful - you have islands like Tioman / Redang / Perhentian Islands, or the mainland a few interesting hotels like the Aryani or Tanjong Jara (plush), but you have additional travelling to do (normally back to KL).

However, there are occasional flights from Subang (KL Domestic Airport) to Koh Samui in Thailand on Berjaya Air (just on Thursday and Sunday I believe) where the weather is good, and plenty of flights from there to Bangkok.

sorry about jumping on this thread but me & the missis are doing something similar in october , is the weather any better then on the west coast.