Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia

[scottsman]

Anyone been to KL or around the area. Going to be heading there for a few days and looking for things to do.

Hotels/bars/restaurants/shopping???

[CivicBlues]

Hotels: The area around Bukit Bintang is a good place to start for 4-5 star hotels. Ask for deep discounts as they usually have big vacancy rates. Chinatown for budget hotels.

Bukit Bintang for Shopping. Look for the giant malls - off the top of my head: Starhill, Pavillion, Lot 10, and various malls interspersed throughout the city like KLCC (Petronas Towers). Central Market is good for Malaysian arts and crafts.

Eat/drink: The main attraction. Basically any streetside stall/restaurant FULL of people is a good bet. Try Jalan Alor for a start. THere's usually good food in the malls as well. Booze is pricey unless it's beer.

[scottsman]

In terms of shopping what is best to buy? Good deals on electronics, etc.?

[CivicBlues]

Clothing is usually a good buy. Imported goods such as designer items and electronics are usually the same price if not more than Canada. you might save a bit from not paying GST, but they have built in taxes to their prices.

[MyPresIzBlack]

haggle haggle haggle!!

[MyPresIzBlack]

Oh and try and hit up east malaysia (Sabah) they got some wicked ass beaches and cheap ass seafood!

[aznrsx1979]

It's been quite a few years since I've gone back to Malaysia. I'd have to agree that electronics aren't really a good deal there. You might be able to find some deals on clothing though.

Sabah is a really nice area. I try to go back to KK whenever I can. They've opened up a number of resorts in the last 10 years. White sand beaches as far as you can see. The food is great to, I mostly eat when I go back...lol.

[Gt-R R34]

Sabah is very good, the water sports and the beaches are great!!

[CivicBlues]

Originally Posted by scottsman

Anyone been to KL or around the area. Going to be heading there for a few days and looking for things to do.

Hotels/bars/restaurants/shopping???

The guy asks for advice about KL and around, and you people tell him to go to a place 2 hours away by plane. Good job guys

[mx100]

I just got back from KL today!
I had a great time, awesome place!

Civic Blues had already given great recommendations.

I was living near Bukit Bintang area @ Hotel Istana.. they had a promotion going on when I went and they also upgraded us to a Suite.. which was very nice.

Bukit Bintang is a lively place from morning till late night...you'll find everything there. Food, Bars, Shops, Massage etc.

There is also a famous food street near there by I don't know the name, but if you ask the locals they should know.. its in the area.

and yes, booze was relatively $$ in Malaysia

There's also hop-on and hop-off bus that takes you to most attractions so you could look into that.

If you have time, go check out Genting. About 1 hour and 30min bus ride away from KL. There's a few huge resorts there that you can easily spend a day at.

Have fun!

[CivicBlues]

The famous food street is called Jalan Alor!

[Slifer]

Going to KL/Singapore from Jan 15 - Feb 9!
Looking forward to celebrate CNY there

[cecilia]

Ahh memories there , had a great time

From airport to kl city, theres a 40 min high speed rail which is 40 riggit I believe which when I was there 13 bucks?

Then from the terminal to city take a taxi prepaid at the station for cheaper than what you would pay on the street,

Taxi drivers will always tell u price beforehand and try to rip you off most of them wont use the meter

Tell them to use meter or another taxi.
Chinatown area is cheap hotels and hostels if you're not going to be in your room all day 15-45 riggit / 6-30 bucks a night?

Hit up low yat plaza if you want electronic s, it's a computer haven

Watch out for pimp s there they will always ask you if u want girls for the day, just ignore them.

Watch out for the motorcycle gang at night, you'll get run over
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[DragonChi]

I went to low yat plaza, it was nuts. Like 5 levels of computers and electronics.

[cecilia]

Omg I forgot to add krispy kreme donuts 5mins away from low yat plaza,

Donut bun turkey sandwich with swiss cheese , I eat it everyday
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[Slifer]

^I'll be staying at my relative's place
You're from Malaysia?

[nabs]

have the Tom Yam soup and Satay's from the street vendors... soo good.

[Szeto]

will be heading to KL on Friday will let you know if i find interesting places

[cecilia]

Originally Posted by Slifer

^I'll be staying at my relative's place
You're from Malaysia?

No I was visiting a friend there for 2 months, pretty much wandered all over town
I recommend you visit the nearby towns if you wanna see something new, I should of done that

Anything else you wanna know?
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[DragonChi]

Originally Posted by Slifer

^I'll be staying at my relative's place
You're from Malaysia?

I used to live there when I was younger. I have family there still.

It's not bad there, the people speak english and it's pretty easy to get around. But I had guides. haha.

[Chronix]

Watch out for the corrupt cops.

[cecilia]

When I was there at a 7-11 at night, we drank beers outside my friend's car and were chatting until we saw this guy walking. He's tamil I assume and then we saw two cops walking opposite direction and my friend said he's gonna get stopped by the cops and boom next thing you know cops harsh threatening him checking his id and stuff, I asked my friend why, he said it's normal.

And were just getting drunk out in public and hes like as long as were not in the car its fine


Oh btw dont eat at those fast food joints like McDonald's or lotteria, halal food inspected and will serve you old products
Had a freaking old Burger they premade probably 2 hours prior. Bread was hard lettuce was old meat was stale

Oh they don't serve bacon there piss me off
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[Marshall Placid]

Marshall's guide to KL and its local environs:

KL... and nearby attractions/cities/getaway locations:

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Shopping Malls...

Bukit Bintang (the general area) which consists of Low Yat Plaza (for electronics and computers), Impi Plaza (same), Lot 10 (for fashion), Starhill (for luxury goods), Sungei Wang... has all your electronics/computer needs, fashion needs, brand-name names, non-brand name needs... Sungei Wang (mall) for the small stalls/haggling is always fun.

JUST do not, do not, do not ever use your credit card (trust me on this).

------------------------------

Attractions:
Batu Caves... I think it's 300+ steps up to the cave and you get to see monkeys and bats and take pictures.

Love nature....? In tropical rainforest settings?
Open Sky Unlimited - Kuala Lumpur - Reviews of Open Sky Unlimited - TripAdvisor

KLCC towers...the highest sky bridge in the world (I think it still holds the record, not sure)

Nighttime:

Definitely try the firefly tour to "see" fireflies in their native habitat down a crocodile infested river (yes, literally) on a 10-20 person canoe, guided by the canoe paddler (or pusher)

It's dangerous and risky, but what the heck eh?

Hot spots:
New clubbing spots open up on a monthly basis....




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Food:
And yes, don't try the fast food... it's not as up-to-par in terms of quality when compared to Vancouver's.

But, do try Coffee Bean franchises which is very popular there.

And of course, hawker centres!!! Satay!!! (they put a lot of fatty meat to fill the sticks, but oh well... it's $0.25 to $0.50 per stick RM, so about $0.12 to $25 CDN so it's super cheap).

Laksa

Nasi Lemak.

More spicy stuff...

Roti Chanai (sp)

If you like a sit-down, server type dinner with lots of authentic Malaysian dishes, try Sakura.

Outdoor cheap seafood...

And......... OF COURSE........ ice kacang... or they are becoming called "ABC" nowadays.

The sit-down fine dining for Chinese food is expensive compared to Vancouver.

Probably 50% to 100% more.

------------------------------
Love driving?

For... all you speeders or if you feel like cruising from KL to Singapore:

Try the 4 lanes, sometimes 5, 6 lanes Selatan highway from KL to Singapore which is a 4 to 5 hour trip... (or faster)...

It's ALMOST like the German Autobahn, with Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos (most from Singapore) racing down the left lanes, not caring if the police catches them...

You'll have to pay the toll though, which is around $30 for the 5 hour trip... not bad for well maintained highways and 6 lanes!!!!


----------------------

Outside of KL?

1-
Genting Highlands... if you really want to gamble a little, and cool off from the heat.

1 hour drive, and along the way, you can buy some exotic and LOCAL fruits on your way up the mountain... exotic as in REALLY exocit rambutans, jackfruit, mangosteens, DURAIN of course..

2-
Beaches? SAy no more...

Pulau Langkawi for crocodile farms, beaches, snorkeling...

Pulau Tioman (direct flight there) for a small seaside town feel...

Pulau Rendang for an even SMALLEr town feel with WHITE sand beaches at the biggest hotel tehre (there are only 2 or 3 there)...

3-
Don't like going to Singapore?
Drive NORTh to Penang......... one of the longest bridges in Asia connects Penang to the mainland....

There is a very famous Buddhist temple there and... more monkeys (yes, there are a lot of monkeys everywhere outside of the cities)

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Enough entertainment for 2 weeks... really.

[v_tec]

Originally Posted by DragonChi

I went to low yat plaza, it was nuts. Like 5 levels of computers and electronics.

What's that plaza like? Is it equivalent to HK's Shum Shui Po?

[cecilia]

Originally Posted by v_tec

What's that plaza like? Is it equivalent to HK's Shum Shui Po?

i like to think of it as alberdeen mall but much smaller and tons of store next to each other and no room to walk ( literally ) and loads of guys from stores and kiosk trying to sell you a laptop

2nd floor is mobile phones

basement floor is food