Why does Malaysia strike so many as boring?
 

I ahve been reading the posts and it seems Malaysia has a bad rap. I'm planning to go next week with husband and three kids, and I'm getting worried. I was in Singapore last year and thought it was ok. Can someone kindly elaborate on the Malaysia lackluster reviews??

Haven't read them but am puzzled. I didn't find Malaysia boring at all. Great transport, interesting small towns, night markets to eat at, friendly people, one of the best beach islands in the world, great museums in KL.

It doesn't have the totally awesome variety of India or the stunning landscapes of parts of Africa - but lacklustre - absolutely not.

i think it would be better to focus on what your family and you would be interested in. which part of malaysia are you planning to visit?

We spent a week in KL a few years back and had a good time. Great food, shopping, interesting architecture and the US dollar goes a long way there. Not as fascinating as BKK but none the less an interesting place.

I think most people compare Malaysia with Thailand, which is adjacent. Malaysia is a relatively conservative muslim country, so definitely won't have the types of "evening entertainment", massage parlor, etc that Thailand offers. Like it or not, that's an important part of the Asian tourist industry, and some people would definitely find Malaysia "boring".

malaysia is not boring, its just not thailand as said above....it is unique and well worth your time...i think K/L could be more interesting for a capital city but there are some nice things to do there too...
we loved langkawi and would love to return there....we found singapore a bit antispectic for our tastes and thus malaysia was much more fun and "real"...

I guess that makes sense that Malaysia is compared to BKK. Being a Muslim, I will not mind the conservative atmosphere. Thank you!

I do think that Malaysia gets compared with Thailand. Thailand feels more exotic because of the glittering wats and charming spirit houses. Malaysia is lovely, but it doesn't have the atmosphere of Thailand. (and I'm not speaking of the "entertainment" mentioned above) I do enjoy both countries.

We have just returned from Malaysia -- spent several days in Kuala Lumpur and enjoyed it. We particularly enjoyed walking around the Lake Gardens -- the Bird Park is quite fascinating (large aviary with rare birds from all over Asia that we'd never seen elsewhere). It is also a good place for antiquing if that is something you enjoy -- dealers have interesting pieces from throughout Southeast Asia and prices are much better than in Bangkok or Singapore.

Seems that Malaysia = Kuala Lumpur for the duration of this post. Silly me.

I wonder how you would feel if people said the US was boring and just meant Washington; ditto UK/London or France/Paris, etc. etc.

Sure, it's not Thailand - which is a wonderful in a Thai sort of way. Malaysia has its own charm and there are lots of different aspects of the country to explore - and I didn't even mention Malaysian Borneo.

Where are you planning to go?

Joechan ..... excellent and helpful post. We'll be in KL for 3 days in February and are really looking forward to it. thanks

Thank you JoeChan! This is just what I've been looking for. My husband and I will be in Malaysia for 8 days in February-March. We'll be in KL for a few days but want to explore after that. Where would you recommend going? I'm very excited about the oldest rainforest in the world being there! Would you recommend renting a car in KL and exploring parts of Malaysia? Thanks for your help!!

Joechan,
Thank you so much. Which hotel do you recommend as the most modern and luxurious hotel in Kuala Lumpur. Can you give me a list of good/clean halal/muslim restaurants to eat in Kuala Lumpur? Thank you again. I appreciate your help.

clear, everyone has their own favorite, but I had an incredible experience at the Ritz Carlton in November. I booked through asiahotels.com and was able to get an Executive room for US$126 per night (including laundry, breakfast and club access).

Indeed hotels are very much a matter of personal opinion, so a lot depends on what you like. We've had rooms in both the Ritz and the Mandarin Oriental and recommend the latter hands down. For our purposes, the Mandarin had much more luxurious rooms, fantastic views (Petronas towers at night hard to beat!) and convenient location near public transport. It is a little pricier than the Ritz, but well worth it.

Dear All:

Here are my recommendations for your requests :

Stjohnbound - If you are lookig for nature then fly to Kota Kinabalu where the rainforest is older than the amazon. Be sure to buy your ticket to include the segment Kota Kinabalu/Sandakan.Kota Kinabalu as that is where the orang utan sanctuary is. If you have a few more days to spare take an overnight trip to Selingan island where the leatherneck turtles come to shore to lay their eggs. On the other hand if you are driving, drive from Kota Kinalalu to Kudat and overnight at a long house - local natives whose forefathers are real headhunters ! Be sure that you do this on a Sunday for the Market where you will still see actual bartering ! Yep ! Real barter the traditional way! That is all you can do. Further more Kuching would be another consideration.

Clear - The Shangri La / Mandarin Oriental are all top notch hotels - the very best. Make sure you take the club rooms - they provide your own valet/free laundry. Excellent locations to restaurants. The street off the Shangri la you have very many choices. The Mall next to the Mandarin Oriental-KLCC Suria have three storey of food courts. Choice of halal and non halal. Halal restaurants - as indicated in my last post Bon Ton/KL Tower called Seri Angkasa - this is within walking diatance from the Shangri La, Seri Melayu and Tamarind Springs all halal !

And who say that Malaysia is boring ? I beg to differ !

Cheers

joechan,
Thank you again. We are planning to go to Malaysia in Dec and wondering if Langkawi is a good option in Dec. Wasn't sure about the moonsoon season in Malaysia. Andaman, Tanjung Rhu or Datai. We want beautifl grounds/lush, nice calm water beach,& a modern/deluxe room.

Joechan, thank you very much for your great suggestion. I will post a trip report when I return in March.

clear,

The monsoon season is more of a problem for the East Coast of Malaysia. Langkawi, being on the West Coast, is less affected by it.

Andaman, Tanjung Rhu or Datai? Hmm... all are top hotels. Tanjung Rhu is the most recent of the 3 and is located in a nice and secluded part of the island. I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

Oh, and if you want a nice meal in Langkawi visit Bon Ton or Barn Thai.

stjohnbound,

If you like nature you can visit the FRIM Forest Reserve in Kepong (go for the canopy walk). The Lake Gardens is also worth going to.

Further afield you can visit Taman Negara in the state of Pahang. This is our national park. More info here: http://www.taman-negara.com/

For a day trip (if you have a car) you can try Melaka.

jchong,
What happened to your last post (before Stjohnpond message) regarding what to do and see and Malaysia? Why would someone will delete that wonderful advise.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I will post a trip report on my return. It's too bad JoeChan's post was deleted, it was full of great information!

Dear All:

I guess I made my point about Malaysia not being a boring venue hence my message was deleted. Nontheless I have more if needed !

Cheers

Here is the post again.

Message: Guys and Gals:

Thailand/Malaysia and Singapore are all different and they all have their own attractions and mystique.

Lets take Kuala Lumpur or KL. This city is good for at least 3 day. Visit to the King's Palace, the Batik Factory, the rubber plantation, Embassy Row where you can see all the colonial mansions built during the colonial days, this include the Railway Station whose roof was built to withstand snow storms. The river mount itself in the heart of the city, taker a look at the contruction, quaint Moorish architecture amongst Victorian clock Towers of the Elizabethan era amongst the local flavors of shop houses with red light district doors. Yes, in the olden days these special door ways are signs of houses of delight for the colonials. Fast forward, a visit the the Agricultural Park is a must. See how rice, mushrooms and all other kinds of indogenous food and spices are now being enhanced with the latest technology. This is the former Forest Research Institute established by the American Govt. An hour's drive from KL is the national Park jointly developed by the Selangor State Government and Malayan Nature Society.

Seek a cheap bargain at the night bazaar of Chinatown, enroute a drive pass stately Moorish buildings, modern highrise and streets beautifully illuminated befitting its name as Garden City of Lights. Whilst the night away with a sumptious Malay dinner and be entertained w ith cultural dances.

Another choice restaurant is the KL Tower with its revolving rest. Cost is only 48.00 localmalaysian ringgit per person buffet. 5 hours away by car is the Taman Negara national Park where Club Med has a facility.
This is just the sightseeing available in KL. There are more.

Lets talk about culture-they have Chinese, Indians, Malay, Eurasians and lastly the Babas and Nonyas. One of the Chinese emperors to facilitate the Chinese expansion to the Far East gave his daughter away tobe married to one member of the Royal Family in the sultanate of Malacca. Hence the lineage of Chinese and true Malay culture merging into the Babas and Nonyas where this in this culture men wear sarongs like the women alike ! Special restaurants serving this kind of food, which by the way is kosher as certified by the Jewish Rabbi, yes, they also have Jewish synagogues allover Malaysia!
called Bon Ton. There are several of these kinds of rest in and around the hotel row.

Talk about local food courts, there is one right behind Mandarin Oriental with 3 stories of local cuisine all set in clean and nice surroundings. Again all kosher. Shangri La - hundreds of rest local and american up and down the street. Same for the Regent and the Ritz. Mariott is of coursae in the middle of all these. Need I go on ?

Singapore, yes, it is clean, yes, it is new, in fact everything is new as Singapore was part of malaysia. Malaysia is also home to the Flying Dutchman ! Anybody knows what the flying dutchman is ? The jungles in Malaysia are the few in Asia which was never frozen. Hence that is why no earthquakes in Malaysia. Not to forget, the first episode of Survivor - Yep it was shot in Malaysia, in fact in the State of Borneo, Yep 3/4 of the island state belongs to malaysia.

Anybody need more info on Malaysia, I will be glad to assist.

Cheers

Clear:

Go with Tanjung Rhu. It is an all inclusive resort. Spend a little more and aks for Deluxe Room. Well worth it. It is an impeccable hotel with a ratio of 5 employees to one guest. By the way my name is NOT jchong. My name is joeChan. The hotel also has excellent restaurants - 3 of them. Again all halal. Room is totally connected !

Cheers

Joechan and everyone,
Thank you very much. I'm thinking if we should get a tour guide for kuala lumpur or not? We will be coming from Bangkok and would like to go to Malaysia and Singapore. Not sure if we should do Singapore first and the Malaysia? OR skip Singapore and spend more time in Malaysia. We can stay at least 8 or 9 days in Malaysia (not certain which cities?). Do you know any good travel agency that I can contact by email or phone & the person name? We are coming from Dallas, Texas. I thought eventhough we can get around without the tour guide but is always good have a tour guide that explain the history and all. Many thanks for all your kind help. Do I need to wear cover on my head when I visit the muslim mosque?
Regards,
Sandy

Hi Joechan and everyone:
Have you been to Phuket and or Langkawi? Which beach do you think is nicer, Malaysia or Phuket? We wanta beach resort where there won't be a big crowd. We want peace and quiet with beautiful views and nice resort. I feel lucky & blessed to have all the advise. Sandy

clear,

Yes, I think a head covering is required for ladies before they enter a mosque.

One more thing, you mentioned Phuket or Langkawi. As you may know, Phuket was one of the places affected by the recent tsunami. I don't know what is the situation there now, but please check for the current status to ensure everything is ok.

If you want a quiet and secluded beach then Tanjung Rhu in Langkawi would fit the bill.

Sandy:

The Phuket before the Tsunami is a beach colony with the ocean on one side of the street and then small little shops/restaurants/clubs and bars lined the other with hotels lined along this stretchof road as far as one's eyes could see. It has a bigger infrastructure compared to Langkawi. You can to town and walk around the city where a couple of well known movies in the states were shot. Make sure you take in Phuket Hill for a nice view and its old Portuguese houses. A couple of places which is a must while in Phuket - Phuket Fantasia a cultural dance and dinner show and Baan Rim Pa Rest serving authentic Southern Thai Cuisine. Lots of rest for dinner options as well as a larger city enviroment.

OK back to Langkawi - smaller capacity in terms of infrastructure/hotel choices and night activities inclulding limited Restaurants/shopping vendors when compared to Phuket limited to the only mall in downtown. However if you want a quiet secluded place then Langkawi is the place. There are more outdoor activities in Phuket when compared to Langkawi. Hope this help.

Cheers

Sandy:

Depaending on your confort zone, in the hotel lobby they have tour desks which canmakr arrangements for your daily sightseeing tours costing around $45.00 local ringgit for a half day tour (3-4 hours). So in terms of US dollar it is excellent value and most of these are conducted in small mini vans holding 7-9 passengers.

Singapore is good for at least 3 days. Big city, very clean, a metropolis but it is still good to see since you are already there. Do not forget to take in the first Night Safari Park. Buy the tour package. Can have dinner there too. The Feng Shui tour is also an excellent. After this tour you can relate why Singapore is successful if you are a believer in Geomancy ! If you are still looking for other places in Malaysia, then a trip to Kota Kinabalu taking in Sandakan is excellent or perhaps another city north of KL called Penang. Penang is also another beach colony but better night activities.

Cheers

I would not suggest that you drive in KL, the city streets are a maze. Expect lots of traffic jams there. Also you could come closer to the locals in traffic than you would want to if you get the drift. Get someone else to do it for you it's less stressful, you're supposed to be holiday isn't it?

Joechan,

Thank you so much again. Do you think we will need a tour guide in Kuala Lumpur for the sight seeing? Which tour guide do you recommend or know of that I can contact? Email address or phone number would be greatly appreciate it. Thank you for sharing your opinions and awesome advise.
Regards, Sandy

Sorry Joechan, your pervious posting mentioned that there is a tour desk at the hotel. Thank you again. Looking forward to visiting Malaysia and Singapore. Unless you know a private personal tour guide that we can use? Regards, Sandy

Probably because it's compared to Thailand and most folks just love Thailand.It's all about the SANUK! I've been in Thailand a lot and have also been to Malaysia. I look at Malaysia as an architectually interesting place, that yes, I found a bit boring, but I'd return. The shopping is quite cheap. Happy Travels!

In our opinion, it is not necessary to have a guide in KL. Everyone speaks English well and it is very easy to get around. A good guide book to read and you should do just fine. There are guided day-tours to Malacca from KL (on a bus with other tourists), but again our sense was that it would be easy to do this on your own as well (hotel can help you arrange transport to/from if you prefer an outstation taxi to the regular bus).

I just returned from a couple of weeks there and it was fantastic. I was on an educational tour and we spent several days visiting places in Kuala Lumpur. I fell in love with that city for many reasons. We also visited Malacca, Port Dickson on the coast and the rainforest of Taman Negara. Malaysia is a fascinating and beautiful country. Its people are incredibly gracious. I would definitely go back for more if given the opportunity.

KathyO,

Where did you go in Kuala Lumpur? Can you recommend any tour agecny for us. Thank you. Sandy