Please tell me about Malaysia...
 

After three consecutive African safaris, I will be visiting India for the first time. I had originally hoped for a stopover in Dubai, but Award Planner was only able to get me a stopover in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur).

I had hoped to do an itinerary like this in India, followed by 3 nights in Dubai, but now I am considering 3 nights in Kuala Lumpur, or possibly longer to include other parts of Malaysia if I modify my current India itinerary. Current India itinerary:

Amar Vilas in Agra (2 nights) (Taj Mahal)

Laxmi Vilas Palace in Bharatpur (1 night)(Bird Sanctuary)

Samode Haveli in Jaipur (3 nights)

Taj Lodge in Ranthambhore (3 nights)

Imperial Hotel in Delhi (3 nights)

I do fear that Ranthambhore may not be appropriate since it is so far away (about a 6.5 hour drive) and since I am used to such excellent gameviewing in Africa. Often, the guests do not even see a tiger, and the reserve is tiny and has a lot of vehicles.

Perhaps I should be cutting out Ranthambhore and go with an itinerary of:

Agra (2)
Jaipur (3)
Delhi (3)
Malaysia (5)

So, to cut to the chase, what can I possibly do with 5 or 6 nights in Malaysia. I am completely on the dark in Malaysia.

I love very luxurious hotels and my wife loves to shop. However, I also like nature and would be interested in seeing at least one very beautiful place that is easily accessible from Kuala Lumpur, whether it is a five hour drive, a one hour flight, or a five hour train ride.

I really appreciate any help that is provided on this one. I need to decide within the next few days whether or not to accept the business class seats that Award Planner has found for me on Malaysian Airlines from LAX - Delhi - Kuala Lumpur - LAX.

Thanks in advance. :)

First of all Malaysian Air is an excellent airline.

KL is not an exceptionally exciting city, but it does have some good shopping an some excellent luxury hotels. There are lovely beaches you can fly to in under an hour. There are also some parks and wilderness areas readily accessible from KL. Frankly, I think you are much better off with a stopover in KL than a stopover in Dubai.

I won't make specific recommendations on where to go, but I'll simply recommend that you do go via malaysian Air. Get a good guidebook, you'll find plenty of options..

I agree with Kathie about KL. Check out the Cameron Highlands and Melaka.

Thanks for the advice. I will further research Kuala Lumpur and make a decision soon.

Agree with the recommendations of the Cameron Highlands and Melaka (Malacca). Try their baba and nonya dishes.

Also, if you have the time, check out Penang.

you seem like the adventures type. why not check out BORNEO and check out some old head hunters.

Pull up my previous post on Great Shopping Guides in Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur is a great place to shop.As for 5-star hotels, I stayed at the Ritz Carlton...Club Level and loved it. Had great, friendly service. I hired a private driver...$7.50 an hour...Spring 2001. His waiting post was ouitside of the Ritz Carlton...Mr. Pau. If you definitely decide to do KL, then repost and I'll provide more info. I'd have to search for it at home.Happy Travels!

Rocco, I see you are back planning. The most interesting parts of Malaysia, IMO, are the beaches of the east coast or the interior highlands. However, neither is great weather-wise in January/February when I believe you have planned your trip. The island of Borneo gets a ton of rain in January and February, I would definitely avoid that. The beaches of the coast are also prone to rain at that time, which affects water quality for diving and snorkelling. Places like the Cameron Highlands or Genting will have some rain, but would be OK; however, I just don't see the point in travelling there and giving up days in India. On the west coast, I think Malacca is an interesting little town, but would not give up a day in India to see it, as you will see much more interesting places in India. Same with Penang. Overall, I would save Malaysia for a trip to SE Asia, and spend as much time as you can in India. IMO, KL is the least interesting city in SE Asia. (I would easily pick Singapore over it.)

Not sure when your trip is, but there is a Hindu festival celebrated at the Batu Caves outside KL generally on January 25 each year. It is called Thaipusum and involves a pilgrimage from KL to the caves with devotees carrying chariots, using strings attached to hooks that pierce the skin. This festival is only celebrated in KL and Singapore, and is quite incredible. If you can time yourself to be there for that, it would be very interesting; plus people in India would think it was great that you saw this festival that isn't even celebrated in India any more.

For the India Itinerary, I agree that Ranthambore may not measure up to an Africa safari. However, the park is not crowded with vehicles nor is it tiny (well OK maybe compared to African parks). It is only a 3 hour drive from Jaipur, don't know where you got 6 hours, unless you are considering the drive from Bharatpur, which I have indicated on several occasions is an awful trip and would take over 5 hours. I would go to Jaipur first for a few days, and then drive down to Ranthambore, and take the train back to Delhi. You could also just skip Ranthambore and spend more time in Jaipur or one of your other destinations. If you want to skip it and add Udaipur for a night or two, that would be a good choice.

Cicerone,

Thanks for your words of wisdom. After researching Kuala Lumpur a little bit more, and especially seeing other travelers lukewarm words about KL, I have decided to skip it.

Instead, I would love to visit Sri Lanka for a week, splitting my time between Yala National Park (they seem to have a very good concentration of leopards) and elsewhere, still undecided where.

Now, what do you think about the drive from Agra all the way to Jaipur. The tour operator I have been working with is recommending a one night stopover in Bhratpur to break up the long drive between Agra and Jaipur. Do you agree that this is a good idea? I am pressed for time, now that I want to add Sri Lanka to the itinerary.

What hard decisions! On the one hand I want to see Sri Lanka, but on the other hand, I really want to spend as much time as I can in India. For example, if I were to holdoff on Sri Lanka for another time, I could do the following itinerary:

Agra (2)
Bhratpur (1)
Jaipur (3)
Ranthambhore (3)
New Delhi (3)
Udaipur (3)

I have mixed feelings about Udaipur. While it appears beautiful, most reports from travelers I have read say that 2 nights is sufficient. Well, unless it is a natural wonder of the world, like Victoria Falls, I am not sure that it is worth it to schedule a flight someplace for only two nights, while the rest of my itinerary may be reached within a four hour drive.

Please share your thoughts about Udaipur, and whether or not there is anywhere between the rest of my destinations that may connect, via private vehicle with Udaipur. The only major cities that I see on the way from Ranthambhore to Udaipur are Bundi, Kota and Chittaurgarh. Unless any of these places are worth visiting, then Udaipur wouldn't be accessible by road from Ranthambhore.

Kota does seem to be a reasonable distance from Ranthambhore and almost halfway, in distance at least, to Udaipur. Possibly one night in Kota would allow a drive to Udaipur?

The maximum time I want to spend in about 17 nights, but 15 or 16 nights would be ideal. For my wife, flights are only acceptable at the beginning and end of the holiday, and I mostly agree with this line of thought. So, if we can get to Udaipur with only one, MAXIMUM two, nights spent between Ranthambhore and Udaipur, that would be perfect. Please comment on your thoughts about the cities I listed between Ranthambhore and Udaipur.

Thanks.