misha2

What would you do? Going to Malaysia for business after a business /pleasure trip in Australia. We'll have had two nights a piece in Alice Springs, Ayers Rock and Cairns. Kids et al will leave after two nights in Cairns. Hubs and I can stay there an extra night or we can go one night early to KUL. If we go early to KUL, we arrive there late and that gives us three nights and two days in the city before the conference in Melakka (sp?)

What do you suggest? Need to finally book this in the next twelve hours or so.

Hanuman

Cairns is very small but it does have the Great Barrier Reef and all the activities associated with it. I would go to KL when you kids leave.

misha2

Hanuman, so you suggest we add the day to KUL. Correct? What would be a favorite thing to do with a whole Sunday at KUL and two other half days?

Hanuman

Yes add a day to KUL. This is coming from someone who love Cairns but for all the wrong reason! I'm an avid big game fisherman and I've been using Cairns as a start of point for my fishing trip since the late 80s. I have never stayed in Cairns for longer than 2 nights at a time and I would be bored or too anxious to start my fishing trip if I did.

Smeagol

Although Ports Douglas is only 45 mins/1 hour away by car from Cairns which is LOVELY........

Smeagol

Port Douglas !

StanKase

Another idea unless you fish, scuba or snorkel is go to KL and if the days are week days with a pre-arranged guide/driver you can visit some of the most aewsome scenic beauty in the Cameron Highlands. you will see hundreds of acreas of undulating hills of tea plantations as far as the eye can see as well as some flower farms. Also as you get within 30 miles of the highlands you can observe the nomadic tribes that live in the foothills of the Highlands. Thede bad news is the trip from KL is 2.5 hrs. each way and the forst 1/5 hours is not very interesting but once you get there it is all worth it.Many people spend the night in the lovely hotel up there but the travel there and back get's prblematic. A bus from KL takes forever and I would not suggest you even go if you take a bus. The cost of a guide/driver also is a bit of a deterent at $250USD TR plus about 10% tip. But if the weather is nice it is well worth it. On a second day you could get up early and go to the Petronis Tower but to not wait on long lines a 8 AM arrival is best and breakfast after. You can even take an organized tour to the Batu caves about 30 minutes outside KL in the late afternnon (3PM), many people find it interesting though I was only mildly impressed. As for shopping or just looking there are a dozen major malls and it is worth walking around at least one. On our last stay we stayed at the Sheraton-Luxury Collection nd found it nicer than the Ritz-carlton and equal to the Westin and less expensive. i must admit though I heard a lot about good places to eat we did not find it much more than above average at most places we tried.

Hanuman

Smeagol recommendation is good. Port Douglas is like what Cairns used to be like during the 80s and Cooktown is what Port Douglas used to be like then as well. Renting a car, in my case a "Mogue", and drive up North from Cairns for a day or two was a nice experience. Or you could hop on a plane and go to Lizard Island - my very favourite island on the reef.

Marija

Silky Oaks, a resort close to Port Douglas, is a great place to stay if you don't have time for Lizard Island which is indeed wonderful (if you're willing to share with huge monitor lizards!).

StanKase

When we stayed at Lizzard Island Resort 7-8 years ago I rember it cost us about $750USD/night with breakfast and dinner. It was quite lovely and the diving was excellent and the snorkeling was quite good but with miscellaneous items it most be $1200USD+/day. The hotel I referrenced without meals in KL is probably $200USD/night.

misha2

I ended leaving it up to the agent to see what gave us a better rate at this late date. Sounds like we can't go wrong either way. Stankase, do you have a suggestions for a driver/guide?

Hubs needs to be at the PJ Hilton for work and later at the Holiday Inn at Malacca. Any thoughts on these?

StanKase

Actually I do not remember the name of the firm that supplied the Guide/Driover. But, I started by asking in the Forim with little success and then Googled Tour guides in KL and looked at websites and contacted 3 or 4. I then went back and forth with 2 firms until I was comfortable with one firm. If you go through the hotel it is likely to cost 24-35% more. The key thinkgs are Licensed by the KL Dept. of Tourism and they can show it to you when you arrive, yeats in the business under the same name, will the guide they assign have a minimum of 4-5 years as a full time professional guide. Is he well informed about the Camerom Highlands and see at least 3 rates for a 10 hour day for that is what the trip to the Highlands involves. In KL we liked the guide for 4 hours but not for the Petronis Tower or shopping for the sights just outside downtown but it is a luxury and could cost $75USD.