Singapore or Kuala Lumpur?

shapala

Hi all

I can find flights from Edi to either Singapore or KL for about the same price (about £420ish pp). Neither wife nor I have been to either place but I'd prefer to go to KL and from there do some travel in SE Asia such as Vietnam and Cambodia (we've done Thailand and Laos before). Wife would prefer to spend a couple days in Singapore before exploring Vietnam and Cambodia for 2-3 weeks.

I know that Singapore is very expensive whereas Malaysia is far cheaper.....hotels won't cost as both wife and I have lots of hotel points to use up so it's just the cost of transport, food and drink in either place etc. Would be interested to hear anyone that's been to either (or both) places. TIA.

Voyager2002

I have spent time in both (and elsewhere in the region) and think that your plan to spend most of your time in Cambodia or Vietnam is sensible.

Singapore: alcohol is absurdly expensive so plan to do without during your stay. Public transport is efficient, pleasant and very affordable: I did not need to use a taxi so know nothing about costs. You can find affordable and good food if you are willing to spend a bit of time and effort doing so: otherwise you might have no option but to spend thirty pounds a head on a good meal with wine with a spectacular view of the river and the setting sun (I had to endure this after a meeting when I was hungry and there were no affordable options nearby). There are some sights that are free/cheap and well worth seeing (eg the Tiger Balm gardens), although admission to the National Gallery would have been twenty pounds and so I missed that.

Malaysia is obviously very much cheaper and at least as interesting as Singapore, although alcohol is still unrealistically expensive. Outstanding destinations include Melaka; Georgetown and the whole of the island of Penang: either of these are IMHO far preferable to KL and Singapore put together. From Singapore you can easily get a bus direct to Melaka: if going straight to Georgetown it is more convenient to fly.

You may well find that the most economical flights to Cambodia go from KL, so even if you fly into Singapore you may get some time in KL as well. Be sure to visit the bit of (original) rainforest that is within the city and take the canopy walk there.

PompeyPete

Voyager2002 wrote: »

I have spent time in both (and elsewhere in the region) and think that your plan to spend most of your time in Cambodia or Vietnam is sensible.

Agree ^^^^^ 100%, and I reckon 2 full days in Singapore is about right too.

slinga

KL or Singapore??


Not easy.
I live in Singapore and say Malaysia is more interesting.


Maybe a few days in Singapore a few in KL and then a few more in Malacca nad Penang.


I'm not keen on Vietnam, the only one on MSE I reckon.


Malacca nd Penang are far more interesting.


Fly to Singapore, coach to Malacca, coach to KL and fly to Penang.
Malacca and Penang are World Heritage sites and very interesting.


So for me 4 nights Singapore
4 nights Malacca
3Nights KL
6 nights Penang
If you have to then fly back to Singapore for flight to |UK


If you wanted then coach from KL to Ipoh a few days there and then on to Penang.
That makes it 3 weeks..


BTW we don't find Singapore any more expensive than UK except when buying a car or property or drinking out in hotels.

PompeyPete

slinga wrote: »

i'm not keen on vietnam, the only one on mse i reckon.

.......lol.

DUKE

PompeyPete wrote: »

.......lol.

My uncle Stan hated the place too Slinga, apparently whilst over there in the forces someone sold him a pair of slippers off the boat, they took his money but gave him only one slipper hahaha!

DUKE

Now according to TripAdvisor you can definitely get loads of cheap food from the Hawkers Centres & Food Courts in Singapore. I'll let you know when I get back.


I've been to Malaysia & everything was cheap there, but I only passed through KUL. My biggest regret was not staying there for a few days.

slinga

DUKE wrote: »

Now according to TripAdvisor you can definitely get loads of cheap food from the Hawkers Centres & Food Courts in Singapore. I'll let you know when I get back.


I've been to Malaysia & everything was cheap there, but I only passed through KUL. My biggest regret was not staying there for a few days.

We love the atmosphere at Newton Circus food center even though a lot of ex pats go there.
We don't eat seafood there and have the same dishes each time.
660ml bottle of Tiger is about S$6.50 last time we were there.
The missus drinks a a Lychee drink, very nice it is too.


But be careful, this is a stall at Newton Circus:
On March 14, 2009 six American tourists were charged S$491 for a meal at Tanglin's Best BBQ Seafood. In this case of flagrant overcharging, The National Environment Agency imposed a 3-month ban on the stall and banned his assistant from working there for five years

El_Torro

With the choice of spending a few days in Singapore or Kuala Lumpur I'd go for Singapore. Not that there's anything particularly wrong with Kuala Lumpur, I just didn't find it that interesting.


I would also check the connecting flights of where else you want to go, but if there's not much difference then I think Singapore is the better bet.

PriyaIndian

If you don't have to spend money on hotels in Singapore, and if you are willing to eat at (delicious) food stalls and inexpensive Indian restaurants in the Indian neighbourhood, you are safe! However, if you want to eat in the centre, or anyway as you cross the door of an actual restaurant, things get very expensive!

shapala

Thanks everyone!....very informative posts so massively appreciated. Ok, so if in Singapore, how much would a 2 course meal (starter and main) with a couple of beers or glass of wine cost approximately? Are we talking London prices of £30-40 per head for a decent (not 5*) place?

Would be interested to know.