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Hey All,

Just wondered if any of you have travelled around Malaysia, going to back pack around the peninsula for 14 days at the beginning of July, taking in Penang, Ipoh and many of the surrounding islands, the national park etc. I never book anything apart from my flight.

If you have recommendations for places to visit and stay would love to hear about it.

Also are the Yellow Fever jabs necessary?

Yellow Fever recommended but unnecessary. That being said, it depends where you are going to hang out....

I would give KL a day. Its awesome.

I know you are far, but Johor is great and quite undevelopped compared to other places in penninsular Malaysia.

Other than that, I have no suggestions because I have not really been there what I have heard is word of mouth.

OK, cool thanks!

We use the trusty Lonely Planet books, they're awsome tools for trips and essential travel companions, you can budget very effectively with them too.

I've been to KL before but very briefly and we'll spend time there this time around.

Chocoholic wrote:OK, cool thanks!

We use the trusty Lonely Planet books, they're awsome tools for trips and essential travel companions, you can budget very effectively with them too.

I've been to KL before but very briefly and we'll spend time there this time around.

Lonely Planet is a good guide..... At least there is something good that comes out of the UK... (joke)

Are you spending the whole 14 days in Malaysia Chocs?

As Liban suggests, YF jabs are not a necessity. Make sure ur hepatitis etc are sorted though.

The drive from KL to Ipoh is nice - lots of nice mountain sides and scenery. Ipoh itself is more famous for food and pretty girls though.

JB (Johor Bahru) is on the tip of the peninsula (borders Singapore) and is a worthwhile trip as well if you want to soak up more culture and cuisine. I guess since u're all the way there you might as well go to Singapore as well. If you are on a budget then a coach will set you back about 25rm (25dhs - its almost 1 to 1 rate from memory) from KL central station all the way to Singapore. Takes about 5-6 hours all up and you get to stop along the way etc depending which company u use. Or if you can spare a little more then Air Asia flies to JB for about 60rm and you can take a taxi across the border to Sg.

If you want a list of things to do in KL pm me ur email and I'll forward you my 'places to visit' list.

Penang is nice, especially its beaches and if you have the time get a flight to east Malaysia and go to places like Sarawak, Sabah - they have a really nice orangutan sanctuary there

well i'm a malaysian....so ask away....what do you wanna know?

but more importantly, what are you looking for?

Things are reasonably priced there. So it won't hurt your pocket too much.

Here are my suggestions:

1. go to the islands. to me, cities are all the same. you've seen one starbucks, you've seen em all. There are heaps of shopping malls there but do you really wanna spend your entire holiday in shopping complexes? kinda like flying 7 hours to walk around in Mall of Emirates or City Centre

2. islands recommended : Langkawi island (near penang, up north), Tioman island(see berjaya resort hotel, its in johor), Penang (find out about batu ferringhi-its a stretch of hotels on da beach),

3. try out the local food. its basically fusioned so the chinese, malay and indian food there taste like no other. you can't really find it anywhere else. If you're adventurous, sit with the locals in road side stalls and eat the local food....might not look too clean but its simply awesome. Especially in penang, get a local guy to bring you around for cheap and good food. Don't go to Gurney Drive, overrated and commercialized

4. No yellow fever jabs needed unless you are from some eastern europe country or africa. They might quarantine you because you might be a carrier

5. Ipoh is also a good place for food. Try the Ipoh Chicken rice and loads of other dishes.

6. Try not to get fleeced by cab drivers. Its difficult but you'll learn after you get fleeced a couple of times...unless you plan to take buses or walk most of the time. Bus network allows you to travel from north to south, east to west. But be prepared to have an exciting journey..some drivers can drive at mach 5 speed with them busses on the highways..

7. english is widely spoken and written so you shouldn't have too much trouble communicating.

8. to me, tourist info is pretty scarce but i guess tourists should be able to find their way better. get a map...highly advisable.

If u need any more info, lemme know and I will try to accommodate you.

Are you in KL (I've been heaps) at all? Batu Caves, Butterfly park and Bird Park (Bird Park is cool), Selangor Pewter factory (doesn't thrill me but whatever), Chinatown (pasar malam-night market-haggle to you drop) is a must and the most famous street for hawker food is a road I can't for the life of me remember-I know it's walking distance from the Melia hotel (behind it) -you have to have roti canai (said chan-eye) and eat it with your right hand dipping it into the best curry sauce-just awesome watching these guys make it! Best satays ever-absolutely no doubt!! Have to try pulled tea or at least see someone make it. Have a steamboat or claypot chicken-yummy!! Penang is great, but a loong time since I went there. But if you've been before I guess you know all this.

Could be Jalan Alor??

Just a note- Tioman is great fun but it is a little run down and the staff are on a different time-line but having said that we loved it and had a ball snorkelling and jet skiing.

Great suggestions there G, I can't agree more. I haven't been back for a year and I soooo miss the food there.

hey GAB....u are right on the dot with regards to the food....and yes its Jalan Alor. Don't take a cab to go there if you are staying in KL...they'll probably charge u 20 Dirhams for a 5 minute ride. Ask around...and most locals will be able to point you to the right direction. Don't mistaken indonesians for locals though...

another thing.....be WARY of Snatch Thieves. don't walk around carrying your purse in your hand.... try to get a hidden pouch and put ur passport and money in it. Don't leave your bags unattended. There are a big bunch of malay thieves who ride around on motorbikes in the city that will snatch bags and purses from you.

i've been gone from malaysia about 5 months and apart from family and frens, its the food that i miss da most.

I dunno why u were in the Pewter factory......but i guess if you're interested in arts and crafts....

Batu caves is nice but stinky coz them bats sure know how to shit!

There are tonnes and I mean tonnes of food but this is a short list. try other stuff

Indian food list:
-Roti Canai
-Teh tarik (pulled tea)
-Roti Naan
-Nasi Beriani (rice)

Malay food list:
-Nasi Lemak (rice)
-Ikan bakar (grilled fish)
-Tom Yam

Chinese food list:
-Char Kuey Teow (fried fat noodles)
-Lobak (porky stuff...yum)
-Bak kut teh (porky stuff....super yumm)
-Steam boat
-fine chinese cuisine....awesome list of choice

Ikan billis (spelling???)- my hubby just loves those little dried fish!! Don't get me started on Malay desserts- gula melaka!! Yummy!!

dodgeek wrote:-Tom Yam

Chinese food list:
-Bak kut teh (porky stuff....super yumm)

When did Tom yam become Malaysian?

And can second the Bak kut teh, nice herbal pork soup!

GAB wrote:Ikan billis (spelling???)- my hubby just loves those little dried fish!! Don't get me started on Malay desserts- gula melaka!! Yummy!!

its just white bait but really does go well with the nasi lamak. Damn, all this talk of nice food is making me hungry!

Malaysia and Singapore top the world for best food and cheap eats!!

XRW-147......read -----> FUSION!!!

Dude....the tom yam in malaysia tastes different from the tom yam in thailand....

and yes...ikan bilis....they are actually just anchovies.....but awesome anchovies..

anyway....there's alwiz the good side and the bad side of any country. but food is just awesome....there's this place (not tourist spot) in Petaling Jaya... they serve the best pork noodle soup ever.

XRW, if you're hungry...go call First Malaysia Restaurant....as close as can be to superb malaysian food u can find in dubai

Phone number and address would be nice after all this talk!! I would love a laksa right now!

dodgeek wrote:XRW-147......read -----> FUSION!!!

Fusion is fusion, I never said tom yum in Malaysia didn't taste diff, but tom yam was, is and always will be Thai. Don't pull a Singaporean act and lay claim to things that are not traditionally urs

Second what Gab's said number and addy would be handy mate.

GAB....are you coming on to me so quickly? Don't let your hubby find out!

sorry GAB, you have to look it up. I think they are on Sheikh Zayed Road.

I am now in Jordan on a project! Hang on..will get me wifey to get me the number. She's not picking up....why don't you ask directory services for the number?

Ok XRW........Malaysian Version of Tom Yam......

ok...here u go..... u guys OWE me BIG TIME!

First Malaysia Restaurant - 04 343 9503

ahh malaysia!!
JB is great...and if you're travelling by car...make sure you make a "pitstop" along the highway to these little resturaunts that sell the famous "ramli" burgers...they i can garuntee you will hit the spot...amazing!!...kaula lumpur...if you are again staying in the city and are travelling to downtown...allow a good 1 hour or more for traffic coz its really really bad!!....but hey its beautiful!!...ok if you wanna soak in some nightlife and great resturants you have to check out "PETALANG JAYA" and "BANGSAR"(Where all the clubs and resturants are)...there are 2 clubs in particular which are really nice...1. FRANGIPENNIES...2.whiteroom
...there are amazing malaysian/italian/greek/ resturants...but they ones we went to were the 24 hours coffee shops...which served up great malaysian no nonsense cousine after clubbing...nasi goreng...ayam pedas...sotong....and lots of choice of seafood...and to wash it all down after that....do do try "teh tarek"...meaning pulled tea...they literally pull it from an impossible distance and transfer it from one cup to the other...but in general there is great food all around and the people are real friendly...as you can see i am very excited!!.... ...and enjoy your trip...!!

Boy - this thread has got my mouth watering and tummy rumbling!

Definitely will put Malaysia as one of the places to visit... sounds great.

constantine.....dude...whiteroom was closed down for ages!!!!

shafique....you'll need a local guy to bring you around to those hidden places. there won't be any big signs saying....GOOD FOOD HERE!

dodgeek
havent been back there for more than a year now...but from what i understand...dont clubs close and reopen every few months...classic example is "backroom"...did you mean backroom by any chance ...man love to club in KL...anyhow frangipennies must be open...as when i last went there it was buzzzing!!!!!...bangsar(hope i spelled it right)...is the club area...and there are loads to choose from!!...choc if you make it to singapore by any chance...start a new thread....i am sure it will get a huge amount of replies too...i think x is right about that fact...it would be worth your while to do a short detour to singapore!!...but hey thats just a suggestion....

constantine,

backroom....now thats located in KL....Lorong P Ramlee... behind Shang ri La....stones throw away from beach club, nuovo, emporium(closed i think).

That place is a combo of house and trance and also has loads of chics and transvestites....puts Zinc to shame......

haven't been there for ages.... now there's a new happening place near bangsar...called sri hartamas.

dodgeek
yeah and "shady dealing" and ppl who look like they have space saucers for eyes... ....hahaha...miss those days of crossing the border from singapore and going for a night of all out debaunchery...wuuhuu...!!

haha...constantine...i deliberately left those details out so that Choco can have the shock of her life if she decided to drop by backroom!!

Man....I was like approached by some gay boys offering me drinks and "stuff".......club only gets happening after 2am.....

Wow guys, thanks a wealth of information. I would really like to go to the Orang sanctuary but I don't think we're headed that way, we normally do a night here, two nights there etc etc and work our way round. We normally rely of foot power or public transport.

We like to get off the beaten track and avoid the touristy stuff if at all possible.

I thinki basically we will start in KL then head to Melaka, Keluang, Ipoh, Penang, Taman Nagra National Park, Kota Bharu and spend sometime on the islands that side. Really looking forward to it.

Hi Choco....

Well then enjoy your trip! Melaka has a lot of historical sites. As for Kluang, I'm not sure why you are going there but its a small town and you probably can visit some fruit orchards. There are many fruit orchards there as well as palm oil. Mebbe you'd like to taste some local fruits....look for Ciku, rambutans, dragon fruits, soursop or the famous stinky (smells great to us) but tasty durians.

As for Kota Bahru, its a border town and you can even go up to Thailand from there. Yet again, small town. You should try the malay food in Kota Bahru such as Nasi Kerabu and Nasi Dagang.... its famous there.

Take care and share with us your experience when u get back.....

And just remember the security of your passport and money part. Most people are nice and don't steal, but there are some motorbikers there that u should be wary of.

For a pleasant (and quieter) evening, head towards Luna Bar.

One of my personal favourites. It's open air, pool side, very chic (definitely not the typical by the bar and high stools setting), roof top, hill top, great view of KL, excellent finger food.

Funny I've not noticed anyone going in for a dip before... hmm.

Just a stone's throw from Beach Club, Nuovo, etc, so it's a great place to grab a bite and "warm up". Call it a pre-club club!

Look out for the Pan Global building... that's where it is. I use to work closeby.

Hey Guilo2......hrmmz....is Guilo derived from Guai Lo as in chinese for white dude? just curious.

Anyway...yeah luna bar has a nice concept. it would've been awesome if there were skinny dippin in da pool!!