Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[CrazyT]

I started a new job last week and it will require me to travel extensively. I just got back from an all-expense paid trip to Vegas so it's off to a good start. In 2 weeks, I'll be going to Olen, Norway for training and once I learn all that I can... I will be heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 3 months!

Now 3 months is a long time to be in a country with no friends or family. So calling anyone who live there or been there or will go there, please give me suggestions on what to do. I'm scheduled to fly over there on January 10, 2009 so I got some time to plan my stay.

For those that know Malaysia well, I got a few questions:

How's the English over there? I speak 2 languages and neither of which is Malaysian. I'm definitely gonna venture out and explore the place but should I get lost, what's my odd of finding my way back using English?

The other language I speak is Vietnamese. Is there a big Vietnamese population over there? Do they have some sort of Vinatown (VIetNAm town)?

How's the public transportation? Can I get around without a car?

Any help will be appreciated and I'll definitely take all suggestions into consideration.

[atlantean0208]

I started a new job last week and it will require me to travel extensively. I just got back from an all-expense paid trip to Vegas so it's off to a good start. In 2 weeks, I'll be going to Olen, Norway for training and once I learn all that I can... I will be heading to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for 3 months!

Welcome to my country, although I station far south in Johor Bahru.

Now 3 months is a long time to be in a country with no friends or family. So calling anyone who live there or been there or will go there, please give me suggestions on what to do. I'm scheduled to fly over there on January 10, 2009 so I got some time to plan my stay.

LOL, there are lots of things to do - if you got the time and not busy with works. KL is a busy and a metropolitan city. Traffic jam everyday especially the peak hours. Or do you meant about places to stay etc. Well you need to find someone local to help you with those needs. Sehseh, a forumer here also station in KL right now. Maybe you can PM her.

How's the English over there? I speak 2 languages and neither of which is Malaysian. I'm definitely gonna venture out and explore the place but should I get lost, what's my odd of finding my way back using English?

In KL, it's city full with foreigners so speaking English is not a problem. Although the local speak english with local dialect call Manglish. Check wikipedia.

The other language I speak is Vietnamese. Is there a big Vietnamese population over there? Do they have some sort of Vinatown (VIetNAm town)?

No there is no vietname town or chinatown. I myself never meet vietnamese before either in KL or JB. But the city is full with malay, chinese descent malaysian and indian descent malaysian. Food will not be a problem for you.

How's the public transportation? Can I get around without a car?

yes you can, there is taxi, bus and LRT (same as subway in the US), but the network is not that extensive. So when finding place to stay make sure you find one located near one of the station.

Any help will be appreciated and I'll definitely take all suggestions into consideration.

you're welcome, any question, just leave it at my VM, hope you will enjoy your stay, hot weather, heavy rain etc .

[shen diao xia]

[quote=CrazyT;856164]

please give me suggestions on what to do.

Well, for a start most of the expats that come to KL do not want to leave after their stay. Nightlife is happening with most outlets remaining opened till the wee hours in the morning. Food variety is a plus due to the multiracial community here. For outdoor activities, highlands and beaches are less than 2hrs away by road.

For those that know Malaysia well, I got a few questions

How's the English over there? I speak 2 languages and neither of which is Malaysian. I'm definitely gonna venture out and explore the place but should I get lost, what's my odd of finding my way back using English?

English is definitely not a problem in KL.

The other language I speak is Vietnamese. Is there a big Vietnamese population over there? Do they have some sort of Vinatown (VIetNAm town)?

There are some Vietnamese over here, though most of them are foreigners working here temporarily at nightspots. Don't think that there is a Vinatown here. Doubt you will need one as KL is one of the most multi racial Asian cities that you will find on this planet.

How's the public transportation? Can I get around without a car?

Public transport is sufficient though not extensive and I must remind you that it is nowhere near the Western world in terms of punctuality and reliability.

Any help will be appreciated and I'll definitely take all suggestions into consideration.

Hope this helps. Lastly, you will get a lot of bang for your buck with the favourable exchange rate, eventhough the US$ has deteriorated against the Ringgit of late.

[CrazyT]

Thanks for all the info. I'm really looking forward to this trip. Since it's a business trip, the airfare + hotel + food will be paid for. I just need to use my own money toward any shopping that I might do. And with the exchange rate, I'll probably do quite a bit of shopping.

Ok, since I don't have to worry about communicating with the people over there, what are some of the things that I absolutely must do or see before I leave KL? And what areas should I stay away from? I can search for all the popular tourist attractions online but I also want to do what the locals do for fun. And the best way to learn about those is to ask the locals themselves!

As you can probably tell, I'm trying to keep this 3 months stay as boring-free as possible. So keep the suggestions coming.

[atlantean0208]

The best place to hang out is at KLCC - Kuala Lumpur City Centre. You will feel like in a western country there and also a place to find chicks, lots of it. Cineplex, wifi, starbucks, shopping etc. Supremely cool place - haha

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For buying cheap things, you can go to Petaling Street, which is the Chinatown of KL.

Other places to hang out - also good place for looking for chicks is the Bintang Walk at Bukit Bintang.

There is a Theme Park - Sunway Lagoon in PJ, also good.

Genting Highland - outside of KL, can be accessed using Taxi. A theme park way on top of a mountain which is also located a Casino - so yeah - it's a little Las Vegas .

I will talk more about other attraction later on .

[jay_z]

On weekend, you can go to Melaka, Penang, Cameron Highlands, and others. Besides Malaysia, you can hop over to Singapore, Thailand, and HK.

How come your company didn't send you to Hyderabad, India?

[PJ]

There is a Theme Park - Sunway Lagoon in PJ, also good.

What about me dear?

[CrazyT]

Thanks atlantean0208 and jay_z. I'll add those on my to-do list.

How come your company didn't send you to Hyderabad, India?

What's in Hyderabad, India?

[atlantean0208]

What about me dear?

hahaha, PJ as in Petaling Jaya , not you

[Han Solo]

You can check out our resident SPCNETer in KL like Ian Liew and HYS.

Also where are you working? It would have implications on where you should stay and your recreational stuffs will happen.

KL traffic definitely worse than that of Texas.

Han Solo

[shen diao xia]

Ok, since I don't have to worry about communicating with the people over there, what are some of the things that I absolutely must do or see before I leave KL? And what areas should I stay away from? I can search for all the popular tourist attractions online but I also want to do what the locals do for fun. And the best way to learn about those is to ask the locals themselves!

As you can probably tell, I'm trying to keep this 3 months stay as boring-free as possible. So keep the suggestions coming.

I guess you probably would not want to do what you could do in the US; ie; visiting shopping malls (though the exchange rate is a plus point for shopping). And this is exactly what locals do during the weekends to pass time (more likely window shopping) and to enjoy air conditioning besides eating . The Twin Towers @ KLCC (once upon a time the highest buiilding in the world) and the KL Tower are attractions. If you are into photography, then KL has some interesting "old" buildings in the likes of the Old post office, National Mosque, Central Train Station, etc.

Experimenting various types of food is a must. Durians, satay, roti canai comes to mind. I guess you will find these as well in the states but probably at a cut throat price. Chinatown as some have already mentioned is quite an experience if you can hack the hustle and bustle, and like bargaining for knock off watches, clothes etc.

Driving around Peninsular Malaysia would also be fun and relatively inexpensive with a rental car if you have the time. Turtle watching on the East Coast is quite popular, though I am not sure if it's the right season.

I'll post more if I think of anything else.

[Hoju!]

I'm jealous, CrazyT.

I was there a few weeks ago. Public transportation, though not extensive, was generally enough to get us around. Taxis fares are much cheaper than in the US.

Anyways, a few thoughts from a fellow N. American:

Do check out the malls, even if you're not shopping. Brands aren't all that different from, say, Houston's Galleria or Caesar's Palace Forum Shosp, but the malls themselves are quite a sight to see. KLCC is fun, especially to people watch, but my favorite was The Pavilion, which is not far from it. Definitely in expat area there.

Petronas Towers are nice on the outside. The brief ten minutes on the skybridge, though, is nothing more than for you to say that you'd been there. Fortunately, tickets are free, though you may need to go a little earlier to get them.

Food!!! If you like eating as much as me, then enjoy! Try http://www.friedchillies.com/ which has restaurant reviews, food descriptions, and even videos (tehe... Street Chows).

Jalan Alor (now called Jalan Kejora) is amazing come dinner time and even could be called a bit of sensory overload with all the food stalls and outdoor restaurants. And it's really close to Bukit Bintang, which atlantean mentioned.

Alright, now a couple of strange suggestions. If you like sweets, try cheesecakes (called u-hu-hu) at The Loaf (in The Pavilion). I had the durian obsession.... yummmmmm
http://www.theloaf.net/index.php

And check out J. Co Donuts. Definitely not Krispy Kreme (much better!). I'm not a donut fan, but the green tea, cheese/garlic donuts are fun to try and my tastebuds liked them a lot.
http://www.jcodonuts.com/

Have fun!

[KeongJai]

3 months is a long time. you'll probably get bored after 2 weeks. unless you like shopping. when I'm there I usually just go to the local park and play pickup soccer.

[atlantean0208]

Since you already in KL, why don't you visit Hanoi instead. Using AirAsia it cost about RM390 ~ USD107 from KL (LCCT) to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh. There you go your Vietnam Town. A very big one .

[jay_z]

3 months is a long time. you'll probably get bored after 2 weeks. unless you like shopping. when I'm there I usually just go to the local park and play pickup soccer.

Three months is not a long time especially when the money is coming out of someone's wallet. When I travel, I don't shop. I walk around and sample local food at restaurants that the locals patronize. Take many pictures and show my friends and family. Maybe meet some locals or expats to hang out with.

What's in Hyderabad, India?

An IT company called Satyam

[KeongJai]

Three months is not a long time especially when the money is coming out of someone's wallet. When I travel, I don't shop. I walk around and sample local food at restaurants that the locals patronize. Take many pictures and show my friends and family. Maybe meet some locals or expats to hang out with.



An IT company called Satyam

you can do that in KL in 2 weeks. it really isn't that big a place. and I guess the same thing can be said about most other places.

depends how you want to look at it I guess. It will be boring after a while from a visitor's point of view. If you take the attitude of living there doing normal things, then it'll be as fun as you make it out to be - similar to what you do at home in your hometown.

KL doesn't have that many sights to see. The only reason I ever go there is for seeing family and friends. But then it's not really about visiting KL anymore because it's not the place that's important, but the people.

It's not like it's cultural centre like Paris is.

Although it's not cheap to get away for a weekend to other places (e.g. HK, philipines etc.) due to needing to travel by air, I'd do that anyway if I was sent to work in KL for 3 months.

[atlantean0208]

you can do that in KL in 2 weeks. it really isn't that big a place. and I guess the same thing can be said about most other places.

depends how you want to look at it I guess. It will be boring after a while from a visitor's point of view. If you take the attitude of living there doing normal things, then it'll be as fun as you make it out to be - similar to what you do at home in your hometown.

KL doesn't have that many sights to see. The only reason I ever go there is for seeing family and friends. But then it's not really about visiting KL anymore because it's not the place that's important, but the people.

It's not like it's cultural centre like Paris is.

Although it's not cheap to get away for a weekend to other places (e.g. HK, philipines etc.) due to needing to travel by air, I'd do that anyway if I was sent to work in KL for 3 months.

It's relatively cheap now when using AirAsia X for air travel. AirAsia now fly to everywhere in SEA (South East Asia). 3 months will fly without you realise it.

I bet Keongjai also still not done all these things that I listed.

Ok, let see - 3 months - 12 weeks:

2 weeks - enjoy KL
3rd week - Malacca
4th week - Penang
5th week - Langkawi
6th week - Genting Highland
7th week - Singapore
8th week - Sarawak
9th week - Sabah (sipadan - scuba diving)
10th week - Phuket or Bangkok - Thailand
11th week - Vietnam
12th week - last week - just enjoy KL for last time

See, too many things to do, not enough time

[shen diao xia]

Ah yes, something else that you must buy if you are up for it. DVD's . Average price RM8 / pc plus buy 5 free 1.

[KeongJai]

It's relatively cheap now when using AirAsia X for air travel. AirAsia now fly to everywhere in SEA (South East Asia). 3 months will fly without you realise it.

I bet Keongjai also still not done all these things that I listed.

Ok, let see - 3 months - 12 weeks:

2 weeks - enjoy KL
3rd week - Malacca
4th week - Penang
5th week - Langkawi
6th week - Genting Highland
7th week - Singapore
8th week - Sarawak
9th week - Sabah (sipadan - scuba diving)
10th week - Phuket or Bangkok - Thailand
11th week - Vietnam
12th week - last week - just enjoy KL for last time

See, too many things to do, not enough time

You're right. I haven't been to Vietnam. But I've been to Indonesia, Philipines, HK, Macau, various places in China, Korea and Japan. Not all in one go though.

Anyway my first statement was you can see all there is to see in KL in 2 weeks or less. After that the rest of the 3 months will be pretty boring unless you take some flights out to see other places for the weekends. Which I guess you're agreeing with.

3 months will fly anyway since he'll be working most of the time. When I'm seconded somewhere, I get worked to the max and hardly get time to go see sights and stuff. All I want to do is rest.

[atlantean0208]

You're right. I haven't been to Vietnam. But I've been to Indonesia, Philipines, HK, Macau, various places in China, Korea and Japan. Not all in one go though.

Anyway my first statement was you can see all there is to see in KL in 2 weeks or less. After that the rest of the 3 months will be pretty boring unless you take some flights out to see other places for the weekends. Which I guess you're agreeing with.

3 months will fly anyway since he'll be working most of the time. When I'm seconded somewhere, I get worked to the max and hardly get time to go see sights and stuff. All I want to do is rest.

Yeah, and also need lots and lots of money