2013 July trip to Malaysia

After cancelling plans to go to China due to the cost of flying from Hanoi to Kunming via Canton, Nga and I decided to go to Malaysia, especially after the travel agent in Nha Trang offered us FREE return air tickets to Saigon to catch our Vietnam Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur. 

on 17 June Nga, An, Truc (a young teacher who is one of mother in law's neighbours) and I flew to Saigon, looked around town during the six hour stopover, then on to KL.  KL International Airport is HUGE, so huge in fact that I couldn't find the baggage claim area. People kept pointing me in the same direction, until we ran out of building. I asked a KLIA employee, who said, "It's in the next building", but offered no information of where that was or how to get there.  After some more enquiries we managed to find the baggage claim in the next terminal after we had travelled there by airport train.

The taxi driver dropped us at the end of a closed street in Chinatown. But we couldn't find a suitable hotel in the street full of tables and diners. So Nga went off alone and came back within a short time, having found a hotel in the next street.  

Nan Yeang Hotel, 83 Jalan Sultan, 50000 Kuala Lumpur

tp: 603- 20748 7477 email: nanyeanghotel@hotmail.com

website: www.nanyeanghotel.com

We had a room with two double beds and a single bed, with aircon an ensuite bathroom for RM150 (around AUD50). The staff were polite and friendly, even the full time porter, who was a very jolly, friendly fellow, no tipping required.

Because it was by now after 2130 and we had been up since 0500, we ate dinner at a nearby Chinese restaurant and went to bed.  I didn't sleep well and woke at dawn (0700). Because West Malaysia runs on East Malaysia time, they have two to two and a half hours daylight saving every day.  So the morning right through until midday are pleasant and reasonably cool.

We went to the 88 floor Petronas Twin Towers after breakfast, but could only buy tickets for the following day, which we did. These towers were the tallest building in the world at 452mfor six years 1998 - 2004 , but are now completely overshadowed by Baj Dubai 828m. The Petronas Towers now claim to be the highest twin-buildings in the world.

Night photo in viewing room

At night the Petronal Towers look like jewels shining in the sky.

The view from the 84th level was interesting, but not out-of-this-world spectacular and I didn't feel it justified the RM80 each admission fee. An liked playing with the hologram creator in the viewing room.

Viewing room 84th floor

View from 84th floor

The Dalek next door

There were tourist police everywhere in the building, to keep the crowds under control and to make sure the show went smoothly.  They were helpful and polite.

We went off to the not so far away Bird Park by taxi and were charged RM49 for a RM20 ride, almost via Singapore.  Bandit !  The Bird Park was another overpriced, but interesting tourist site.  Unlike some places in Vietnam, there was only one charge for Malays and foreigners, so no discrimination in pricing. Everyone was overcharged.

 

Stop staring, go away.

An and Truc on boardwalk

Another day we went to the Botanical Gardens, which was a pleasant park without names on most plants.  There was a boardwalk with missing planks going down the hill, so we followed it to the bottom, passing a children's playground for An along the
way.

Nga in Botanical Gardens

The old railway station

 One day we took a ride on the On-Off Tourist Bus, similar to the cuty tour busin Sydney. After the ride, I realised the four of us could have done it more comfortably by taxi.We went round almost the full circuit, which did not include stopping at the National Library, a place which could be interesting.

KL has many tall buildings

 Peak hour traffic in KL is horrendous, but for the rest of the time, although it is busy, it moves reasonably well.

Ticket inspector

Chinatown, where we stayed was interesting. It really was only two streets, one of which had the Hindu Mahamariamman Temple in it.  At night the street below Jalan Sultan was closed and diners filled the street at tables until after 2300. Julan Sultan merely had both footpaths full of tables on the widened footpaths. 

Jalan Sultan daytime

Side street off Jalan Sultan

Jalan Sultan at night

Backpackers hostel, Jalan Sultan

The signs on the backpackers' hostel possibly read, "1931 Nationalist 20 years", "grocery shop". If any readers can confirm or correct this, I would be grateful.  The downstairs shop now sells spectacles.

Nga quickly found the Chinese temple and made her offerings. As usual, two fierce guards stood at the gate, and various statues stood on altars inside.

Temple guard

temple entrance

Nga praying

Also in Chinatown is the small Mahamariamman Hindu
temple, which was almost deserted when I passed.















Nearby, going up the hill at the end of Jalan Sultan, was the small, Protestant Gospel Hall. Most of its congregation would be Chinese, because Malays are forbidden by the Constitution from converting to another religion. To be Malay is to be Muslim, full stop.

At the top of the hill was the beautiful mosque, Masjid Albukhary.  The guard on the front steps beckoned me in to take some photos, which was very kind of him.

Side view

Balcony on front of mosque

Chinatown is close to a monorail station and the Central Market - Pasar Seni, which has been turned into a really useful building and is no longer the dump "Pasar Seni - Art Market" it used to be. It is now full of specialty shops and restaurants selling all sorts of tasty food.  We often ate lunch here, and Nga, An and Truc managed to find there way here almost daily to  "go shopping" and to look for souvenirs.

Inside Central Market

Central Market

We finally escaped the bustle of KL and flew to Langkawi Island up on the west coast near the Thai border.  Some large nearby islands are actually in Thailand.  From my previous reading of Lonely Planet guidebook, I had the idea that Langkawi Island was full of overpriced resorts, but we found that this was not the case and it was a very relaxing few days we spent there.

The Palms  Guest House at Pantai Cenang,where we had booked a room from KL, turned out to be a mosquito ridden dump, so Nga went off along to find something better and booked us into the comfortable AB Motel right on the beach, for RM120 a night.  The staff were helpful and friendly.  The motel was also near shops, restaurants and the town department store, which sold cheap beer and spirits.

The beach was a pleasant place to swim, except in the late afternoon when two dozen jets skis hit the water making a lot of noise and getting dangerously close to swimmers.

I enjoyed eating for RM7 at a popular local Malay restaurant, while Nga preferred the Chinese restaurant and An enjoyed her spaghetti at the Italian restaurant.  Non-Malay restaurants serve beer with meals, but the Muslim Malay ones do not.  Two of the local minimarkets had signes saying, "No beer" and "No alcohol".

I think it's a real giggle that 'alcohol' came via Latin from Arabic: al-kuhul "kohl," the fine antimony powder used to darken the eyelids.

Not having car driving licences, we hired a car and driver one day to do a trip around the island.  We went first to Gunung Raya, the highest hill on the island,

   View from Gunung Raya 881m high.                                                          Hotel on top of Gunung Raya

Unlike the roads in Vietnam, the roads in Malaysia are very well made and well maintained. Generally, the drivers are polite and drive well, even the ones who overcharged us.

Typical stretch of road Langkawi

We declined a HUGELY overpriced one hour boat trip for RM250 the middle eastern tourists were happily taking.  I tried to bargain the boat owner down, but he refused to budge, saying, "My boat, my price." I replied, "My money, and you're not getting it."

We also declined entering a museum holding gifts to ex-PM Mahatir, because the entry cost for foreigners was dearer than for locals. I do not support discrimination, especially when it is directed at me.

We stopped for lunch in Kuah, the main town on the island.  There is not much to see in Kuah, and it's most important function is to serve as the ferry terminal for passengers coming from Pulau Pinang, 2 hours away by ferry.  Kuah has many duty free shops full of low cost whisky, brandy, vodka and other spirits from around the world.  There is also a fair selection of wines and beer.

Young Malays in semi-ninja uniform in Kuah, a very sleepy town

An enjoyed a walk up to a waterfall and wanted to swim in the  swimming hole, but did with just a wade and a play.

An playing in waterfall pool

Stream below the waterfall

Where ever we went in KL or on Langkawi, there were tourists from the Middle East, who seem to like coming to Malaysia because it is a Muslim country. Most of the women in full ninja uniform worm well done eye make-up: mascara on the eyelashes, eye shadow and eyebrow pencil.  Not much of their faces were visible, but they really did want to "Look their best".

Middle Eastern tourist in full ninja uniform

at KL Bird Park

Attractive ninja unmasked on Langkawi

 Another day the four of us went on a interesting boat trip between the islands of the beautiful Langkawi Archipelago, which looked like a mini-Ha Long Bay.

A swim stop on a small island. No food, no water, no toilets provided. 

Waiting for the ferry to return

A busy ferry terminal out on an island