Need Singapore, Malaysia & Bali Itinerary Help
 

Would welcome comments and changes to my itinerary. I’m worried about the travel time. We have never been to any of these places. We enjoy culture, temples, beaches, and some night life.

Sept. 19-20: Flight
Sept. 20-21: Singapore
Sept. 22-24: Kuala Lumpur
Sept. 25-27: Penang
Sept. 28-30: Ubud
Oct. 1: Singapore
Oct. 2: Flight home

Or would it be better to do Singapore & Bali for 2 weeks and save Malaysia for another trip?

You can do Sing in 3 days despite what others may say, so keep it to that level. Now you are close to Malaysia- I would do KL- 3 days is fine and I would skip Penang and do the remainder of your time in Bali- maybe do a few days at a Bali beach resort and then the rest in Ubud.

With just two weeks, you'll be much happier seeing just Singapore and Bali on this trip. Save Malaysia for another trip. While on Bali, spend part of your time at a beach location and part of your time in Ubud.

Thanks so much for your quick responses. Any recommendations of good beaches in Bali?

For those that can travel back again and again yes Kathie is probably right- but not everyone has the ability to do so- so if you fall into this category then you want to get the most out of this trip as you might not get back for a number of years. I would then still do KL as I found it an interesting city and much more culture than Sing.

I TOTALLY agree with Kathie on this one although I understand Bill's point,too. Personally I feel that it's better to take one's time in a place... especially since you are a first timer...and really ABSORB it than to rush from place to place and get home totally exhausted and remembering not much.I would also focus on Singapore and Bali. I don't know where you are flying from, but I fly from L.A. to Singapore and then overnight there...which you can do at the hotel right inside the airport in Singapore since you will be in-transit. The flights get in REAL late anyway. So, you just check into the airport hotel...get plenty of rest...and then the next morning fly down to Bali. Stay there as long as you'd like and then back to Singapore and then home from Singapore. And yes, I would also divide the Bali stay into Ubud and beach...although I only did Ubud which is wonderful. On my first trip to Southeast Asia, I had three full weeks and did Singapore,Bali,Chiangmai(flew non-stop from Singapore) and Bangkok. I had a VERY flexible plane ticket...worth the extra money...and changed my whole itinerary once I got there...depending on my mood...and wasn't charged for any of the changes. It worked out very well for me. By the time I got to Bangkok...the end of the trip, I was exhausted although I have a very high energy level. Plus, I had taken a bit sick, up in Chiangmai, so it slowed me down a bit. You have to think about possible (stomach) sickness. It would be NO fun if you took sick and HAD to get to the next destination because of all of the..."If it's Tuesday,it must be Belgium" scheduling.Hope this has helped. Happy Travels!

Oh,I forgot, I would give Singapore 5 full days. I know I'm one who adores the place and others don't, but it's a vacation so why not just take your time?Plus the food in Singapore is incredible. Plus, you could always taxi over...from Singapore... to Malaysia if you wanted to do a day-trip to the border area of Malaysia. The Treasures and Pleasures travel book on Singapore has a whole section on 101 things to do while in Singapore. Happy Travels!

Ok if you do just Sing and Bali you have 12 days in all (not counting your travel days).
Guen says do 5 in Sing - that leaves you 7 in Bali. I would adjust this slightly to 4 in Sing and 8 in Bali simply because Bali has so much to offer and you will be splitting your time between the beach resorts and inland in Ubud.
We did Sing in 3 days and felt we saw a lot- hey its a small island. We did not feel rushed- it was just right.

Bill's plan would work.I didn't count the days from the above schedule...just had two weeks in my mind...which to me translated as 14 full days. I'm just in the habit of, when I personally travel, to not count the flying days, but just figure my itinerary on the actual number of days in a place. Happy Travels!

Thanks so much for the responses. I will discuss this with my friend & I'm sure we'll have more questions.

I was born in Penang, lived there 17 yrs,now living in Singapore for the past 18 yrs and travel to KL every month to KL and Penang for biz. I entertain alot so would know all the best food places. I also hv a pretty good view on the good attractions to visit in the places you mentioned.

For 2 wks I would spend at least 5 nites in Bali. I wouldnt do KL if I'm short of time. Penang is an option and is like an old Singapore. Among those cities, Penang has the best hawker food, Singapore has the best restaurant food.

If you need food or hotel advice feel free to ask with yr specifications.

Having stayed there for several nights at two different times last November, I highly recommend the Perak Lodge in Little India in Singapore. It is close to several types of public transportation, but also within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel and other "downtown" attractions. ZZ

Wein:

I find it hard to believe that a fello Malaysian would encourage visitors not to visit their own country !

Perhaps your knowledge about the various sights available in Penang and Kuala Lumpur is limited when compared to Singapore or Bali or even China.

Each country/city has its qnique quality for all the quaint essential traveller !

Joe Chan

Dear Joe,

Rsidhu was considering 4 towns. I just think Bali has more to offer than the others in terms of what he was looking for (culture, temples, nightlife and beaches).I did not discourage him from visting Malaysia. In fact I think Taman Negara, Mulu Natl Park together with the Sarawak caves are the best and most unique attraction that M'sia has. But not KL and Penang.Can u tell me what is interesting n unique abt KL (apart from the magnificent architectural masterpiece of the twin towers)that Rsidhu was looking for? Malaysia's best beaches are not found in Penang or KL..Oh I forgot KL has "The Beach" nightlife so that qualifies as part of what he was looking for and Penang has the Snake temple..

Notice I didnt even recommend Singapore as I dont think it is a must-stop place.

Lastly I'd like to think my travel views are independant of my patriotism. :)

How does this sound instead:

Sept 19: Flight
Sept 20-21: Singapore
Sept 22-24: Kuala Lumpur
Sept 25-27: Ubud
Sept 28: Yogyakarta
Sept 29-30: Jimbaran Bay
Oct 1: Singapore
Oct 2: Flight home

I would look into flying into Yogya (or Solo) on your way from or to Singapore or KL, then connecting onward from or to Bali. I belive Air Asia, Silk Air or Garuda flights would work. Ideally, you would then have your time in Bali at the end to relax, without interrupting your Bali stay in the middle by going to Jogya. Or were you just planning on doing Yogya as a day trip from Bali (which is possible but really rushed)?

Do you know where the airport is that's close to Yogyakarta? I'm trying to figure out if it's cheaper from Singapore or KL (my guess is KL).

I took a look at some websites.

On AirAsia, you can fly from KL to Jogya, but connecting in Jakarta.

On SilkAir, you can fly from Singapore to Solo (which is about an hour from the Borobuda, as I understand it).
There are a number of flight options (Garuda) from Jogya to Bali.

Hope this helps

Thanks so much.

I rearranged the itinerary again. I like it now after all your suggestions:

Sept 19: Flight
Sept 20-21: Singapore
Sept 22-24: Kuala Lumpur
Sept 25: Yogyakarta
Sept 26-28: Ubud
Sept 29-30: Jimbaran Bay
Oct 1: Singapore
Oct 2: Flight home

About Yogya:

I think the simplest way to get to Yogya from KL is to connect through Jakarta on Garuda. There are several choices depending on the time of day you want. There is also a non-stop Garuda flight that flies on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday. So if you want to push your departure back to the 24th (11:00 a.m.) that would work too.

Borobudur temple is a good 2.5 to 3 hours from Solo airport. (I know I just did it last week.) It is 1.0 to 1.5 hours from Yogya airport.

The best time to visit Borobudur is early, early morning. So if that's all you want to do in the Yogya area, I'd suggest that you arrive Yogya on September 25, see Borobudur in the morning of the 26th and take a late flight to Bali.

Actually there's a LOT to see in the area beside Borobudur, but I understand that you're already editing.
If you do decide to extend, you can see Prambanan Temple -- 10th Century Hindu, where they also hold Javanese dance performances; the Sultan's palace and court; the infinite shopping for knickknacks and batiks -- this is where it's all from.

You can either stay in Yogya proper or in the countryside near Borobudur. In Yogya I like the Hyatt. It is clean, serviceable and has lovely grounds. Rate is around $100 a night, maybe less.

If your budget allows, you should take a look at the Amanjiwo which overlooks Borobudur. This place is extravagantly expensive ($500++) BUT it is worth every penny. They will get you up at 4:30 a.m. and take you to Borobudur for an unforgettable sunrise. They will also pamper you beyond your wildest dreams. In my book, this is a worthwhile splurge.

There's a moderate resort near the grounds of Borobudur but I can't remember the name. Starts with an "M". I've never stayed there, but it lookds okay.
For Bali,since your time is short I'd pick one -- Ubud or Beach and just bring your trip to a relaxing close. The two areas are fairly nearby (less than an hour) so you could easily stay at one and make a day trip to another.

For beach resorts in Bali, my favorite is the Legian in Seminyak. In Ubud, the Alila or the Kayumanis.

The area around Jogja is fascinating, The crafts there are the best you'll see in Indonesia. In addition to Borobudor and Pramban, there is the Dieng Plateau and other places in the surrounding area.

While I enjoyed my visits to KL, it isn't nearly as interesting as the area around Jogja. I'd cut out KL and spend three nights in Jogja and add one extra night to Bali.

In my expereince, slower travel is always better in Asia. (You'll also cut down on your flight expenses.)

Wein:

You really do not want me to go into what Malaysia has to offer because this is what I do professionally servicing Corporate America whose combine spending corporate wise and personally has an economic multiplier effect. So do you really want me to tell you what Malaysia has to offer ?

Joechan