hi
using ff miles i cannot stopover in both places.
i love singapore and have been a lot.
i have been to kl one time for about 3 hours passing through.
anyway, i would like to know:
a. is shopping cheaper in malaysia than singapore. i am buying fabrics, etc.
not electronics from a store that had a branch in both places, but does not have contact info so i cannot ask them directly.

b. is k-l as safe after dark as singapore for female alone?

c. if not, where to avoid?

d. what would you choose?

thanks. again i know singapore very well, i just don;t know how to compare based solely on the shopping/safety issue.

thanks!

to be clear- i am NOT buying electronics. i AM buying fabrics from a store but cannot contact them directly to ask.

thank you.

IMHO depends on the type of fabrics you are looking at. If it's batik KL would defo be cheaper.

As a general rule Malaysia would be cheaper for locally produced products. For international brands Singapore would be cheaper.

For safety if you keep to the crowded and more touristy places should be ok. Regardless of which country should always be careful.

KL will be cheaper than Singapore for Asian fabrics, silks, batics, hand-woven fabrics. KL has much cheaper accommodation than Singapore and has wonderful hotels. KL stikes me as a relatively safe city, use the usual precautions. We walked along Jl. Bintag at night - it's active, lots of places to eat, lots of people. So if you stay in the "Golden Triangle" you'll be right there.

thanks so much!

just what i wanted to know.

i was looking at staying near the towers...is that the "golden triangle"

also, i love the air conditioned food courts in singapore- especially the iced kachang deserts. do they have food courts in kl?

they give you a chance to try so many different types of food, and when you're alone, you don;t feel so lonely.

(sorry this is such a non-cultural post, but i'll be coming off a volunteer stint and will want to plunge into this sort of thing).

kerikeri:
Don't be shy about asking about those things- there are plenty of fodorites (I being one) who go for the food, shopping, great hotels, etc. and maybe a dab of culture thrown in.

yes there's lots of food courts in KL.
As in Singapore as long as you have the cash you won't go hungry. Around the golden triagle there's lots of food places. Do note that being a number of Chinese restaurants especially those located in hotels do not serve pork in their dishes. They are normally replaced with chicken.

Though most of the food can be found in both places there are differences.

Hi Kerikeri,
I think you may want to have a look at some hotels around Jalan Bukit Bintang. Last year we stayed around that area and found it quite easy to shop and eat. I feel that over by the Towers may be a little too far from the main shopping area, however I didn't go there at night but caught a taxi there during the day. Possibly have a look at the Light Rail System and see if you can get a hotel somewhere along the route. Have a great time.

I find local goods much cheaper in KL but imported goods are similarly price.If find both cities safe but in KL look out for snatch thieves on motorbikes. Make sure you dont carry a sling bag facing away from the direction of traffic.

All the malls in Kl have the kind of food courts you are looking for. Specifically, if you're staying near the Petronas Twin towers, the KLCC shopping centre at the base of the towers have a huge food court.

that's so great to hear everybody! i am so excited now and before i was nervous. now i know i'll have a great time.

thanks so much!

a) Shopping is cheaper in KL. For fabrics (clothing I presume) go to Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.. there are LOADS of fabric shops on that stretch.

b) KL is safe after dark. Just like Singapore. But just like in other places, take the normal precautions (ie don't walk in dark alleys etc)

c) I'm female and living in KL.. not many places that I would need to avoid (if any, there's not in the city center anyway)

d) Since you've been to Singapore many times, why don't you try KL

e) Foodcourts.. they're everywhere. Basically each shopping mall has one. If you get bored with the food courts, try any of the restaurants/foodstalls specialising in local fare. They're not expensive anyway.

I personally find Jalan Bukit Bintang a bit crowded (obviously.. since there are 6 shopping malls on the street). For something a less hectic, try the hotels on Jalan Sultan Ismail.. which is only 10-30 minutes walk (depending on which end of the road you're on) to the Bukit Bintang area. Several hotels have the monorail station right in front/by the corner (Concorde, Renaissance, New World, Crowne Mutiara, Equatorial) which can take you to the Bukit Bintang, Chinatown and other areas - if you don't fancy walking too far

Have a good trip! and enjoy the food...

most of asia is relativly safe.. it's cool that your going to KL. may'be after soem more travel you'll get confortable with visiting other ASIAN contries cities that are also safe and offer cheap or even cheaper fabrics.

I guess many people have too start off ther travel experinces in Singapor. since it's so Westernesede.. but since Asia is so addictive they soon come out of thier shell and go exotic.