Travelling to Singapore and Malaysia for the first time in mid Jan. Will stay in Singapore for one night and another 4 in KL. What has to be seen and done there? Will obviously check out the guides and web sites but need advice/tips from Forumosans who has been there…
Also, our Taiwanese travel agent advised us to get to Singapore and book our trip to KL for the next day right there. He reckons for that time of the year (not CNY yet and no public holidays), accommodation won’t be a problem and being there will get us cheaper deals than advanced booking on the Net. Has anyone done this? Any other advice?
Merdeka Square and old train station (Moorish style)
Batu Caves - climb the stairs into the cave to find an Indian temple and lot’s of monkeys
FRIM - Forest Research Institute Malaysia in Kepong, if you fancy walking into the jungle in a “controlled” environment (guided tours available)
KL Tower (in the center) or Petronas Twin Towers (observation decks)
Fire flies along the river bank of Kempong Kuantan (near Kuala Selangor) - must see attraction; could visit Kuala Selangor in the afternoon (walk up the hill to the lighthouse)
Genting Highlands - a small town on a mountain, with the only casino in Malaysia, small theme park and fresh (cool) air
Shopping:
Bukit Bintang (Sungai Wang Plaza, Lot10 etc.)
KLCC
Eating:
Breakfast: Roti Canai or Nasi Lemak with Teh Tarik (many small stalls that sell those)
Evening: Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang for local delicacies (try the stingray on banana leaf)
My biggest concern is the booking of accommodation when we get there. We are a party of 4 and we obviously don’t want to be stranded once we get there. I guess we can get away cheaper if we wait till we get there but I don’t want to land up not getting anything because we find out too late that we should have booked earlier.
Any advice on this? We need return flights from Singapore to KL, hotel accommodation and if possble some tours included.
Do some shopping for a Camera or Computer item in Singapore at Sim Lim Square, which IMHO is still the best place to buy electronics in Asia, or just about anywhere for that matter.
Send me a PM for a specific shop and intro to a contact who will give you a no BS deal.
Yeah, right on, Rascal. Roti canai was my favorite breakfast while I was visiting Malaysia and Singapore.
I would say just spend time eating. Yeah, see the sights and shop, I guess. But the food is the thing. Such great food all over Malaysia and Singapore. Satay, great fruit. Indian, Chinese, Malay.
Get a bowl of laksa. “Pulled” tea, coffee, beer.
If you’re in KL and want a drink (or a steak) in an interesting place, try out the Colesium (I think that’s the name).
How about making a detour to Melakka? It’s a little bit quieter than KL. You might be able to swing by on your way to or from KL.
Have a great trip, and please post some details about your trip when you get back.
If you are interested in nature, there are some great hikes. Check out the National Parks website for detailed info.
I would suggest the MacRitchie Reservoir (with a fantastic tree walk), the park connector hike between Kent Ridge and Mt Faber, the Botanical Gardens or Fort Canning (if you want to stay in the downtown area). All are easily reached by MRT or bus.
If you want a taste of the countryside, take a trip to Pulau Ubin, an island in the Johor Straits. You can get there by taking a local bumboat and then rent a bike to get around. Very sleepy and quiet on the weekdays.
For Peranakan food, try either Tingkat PeraMakan on Owen Rd. (Not to far from Little India) or the pricier PeraMakan Restaurant at the Keppel Club on the west coast.
Akbar 24 Hours is a great place to pick up cheap roti and mee goreng (Lim Teck Kim Rd)
The food court at the Tiong Bahru Market (2nd floor) has an amazing array of Singapore specialties. Many of the stalls there are famous island wide.
There are some excellent eating places on Kandahar St. I would recommend Bumbu. The Rich &Good Cake Shop is also a good place.
For banana leaf curry, I prefer Muthu’s Curry which is on Race Course Rd.