GodsGift

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??

alice13

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.

KMLoke

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?

BillT

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.

rkkwan

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".

rhkkmk

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"...

GodsGift

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

Kathie

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.

WinterTravel

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.

alice13

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?

galiano

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

stjohnbound

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!!

clear

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.

Kathie

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).

WinterTravel

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.

joechan

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

clear

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.

stjohnbound

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

jchong

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.

jchong

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.