For A Budget Trip To Malaysia: Part 1 - Peninsula

Malaysia Comes with the tagline 'Truly Asia' and in a way, it's no misnomer. Malaysia houses a population that is an eclectic mix of Asian origins, the native Malayans, the Chinese, and the Indians. Though officially an Islamic state, it showcases rich cultural diversity.

"12 days in $ 600"

Day 1

Kolkata (India) to Kuala Lumpur KLIA2 airfare on Airasia with baggage check-in was Rs. 6000 (375 RM approx).

Our Malaysian trip commenced from Kuala Lumpur. We landed at KLIA 2 (Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2) around 7 a.m. After freshening up at the airport, we decided to head for the City. The City is about 54 km from the airport and well connected by Express trains, buses, and taxi services. The ground transportation and the express train terminals are at the lowest level of the airport. Express train fares from the airport to KL Sentral are around 35RM and take about 30 minutes. We took an AC bus instead since the fare was 11RM only and took around 40 minutes to KL Sentral. The buses are comfortable and run at regular intervals. Taxis charge around 75 RM (I think!!!)

KL Sentral is the main transportation hub of Kuala Lumpur and is located in the city center. Most trains and buses run or connect from here. KL Sentral is well equipped with all the amenities and shops a traveler might need. There are restaurants, delis, shops, restrooms, shower rooms, locker rooms, and even prayer rooms.

Our plan was to hang around the city during the day and then take an overnight bus to Penang. At KL Sentral we were told that we can get interstate buses from the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan, the main bus terminal of Kuala Lumpur. The other option was taking a train from KL Sentral that departed at 4 p.m. We decided to stick to the overnight bus.

We kept our bags in the locker for a shared 20RM and one-time lock. After a quick breakfast of yummy Mushroom Soup and garlic bread from an Italian deli at the Sentral we headed for the Batu caves. We bought train tickets for 2RM and it took us about 30 mins to reach the Hindu temple caves. The caves are within walking distance from the station.

One of those rare places that touched my spiritual side. This cave temple has an enigmatic feel. Soft breeze, drizzling rain, the smell of sandalwood incense, temple music, and Vedic chants - a divine combination that gives goose bumps.

There is a 272-step climb to reach the main cave temple. On the way you are greeted by monkeys who don't miss any chance to snatch a bottle or food item you are carrying or pose for the camera. We spent a couple hours at the caves and took the train back to KL Sentral. At Sentral, we took tickets to Petronas Towers' KLCC station. The fare was 1.30 RM. We spent the evening hanging around the Petronas. In the evening the place is lit and the towers look absolutely amazing. A great example of post-modern architecture.  After a quick dinner at the tower, we headed back to KL Sentral. Picked our bags from the lockers and took the train to the bus station. The fare was 2RM. Buses run at regular intervals and we decided to take the 1 am bus to Penang. It was around 38RM and took us roughly 5 hours to reach Penang Island.

Total expenditure excluding food: 443 RM per person (including airfare)

Day 2

Our main destination at Penang was Georgetown. My suggestion would be to take the bus to Butterworth and then take the ferry to Georgetown directly instead of taking the bus to the Penang Bus station. We lost a lot of time waiting for a connecting bus to Georgetown from the Bus station.  It was a Friday, a holiday there. I believe the bus frequency is better on a regular day. The bus fare from Penang bus station to Georgetown is around 3 RM. There are taxis at the station but they are comparatively expensive charging around 25 RM.  Our hotel on Victoria Lane was within walking distance of the main graffiti streets that Georgetown is famous for. For the shower and storing our bags, the hotel charged us 20RM for two people. After a quick shower and breakfast at a Tamil restaurant nearby, we headed for a walk around the town.

Graffiti streets in George Town
(A UNESCO Heritage Site)

Next, we took the 2 p.m. ferry to Langkawi. The fare was 60 RM. We walked to the pier but there were buses and the fare was 2 RM or less. It took us 4 hours to reach Langkawi Island. Langkawi was comparatively pricey with no bus transportation and because of the local holiday season. The taxi from the pier to Pantai Cenang where most of the tourists head for budget accommodation took 25RM.

There are hotels ranging from 35 RM a room to 300 RM a room. We didn't prebook and it was a local holiday, pretty bad timing!!! Therefore, ended up paying extra for a non-ac triple bedroom (which we didn't need) but was the only one available close to the beach. We paid 120 RM which could have easily been 60 or 70. If you are good at bargaining which unfortunately I am not, am sure the accommodation prices can be managed for cheaper for a decent room. After freshening up we headed for a night walk around the market which almost emptied out by 9ish. We tried Malaysian street food for dinner. Something like satay but steamed not grilled.

Total expenditure excluding food: 210 RM per person.

Day 3

We had the option of taking different tours in Langkawi -  50 RM for a day tour of the mangroves, 250 - 600 RM or higher for snorkeling and scuba tours, 50 RM for adventure trek, and others ranging from 30 RM to 600 RM +. One can even rent bicycles and motorcycles for self-tours. My feet were in pretty bad shape and swollen, so we decided to take it easy and just dawdled along the beach which was pretty deserted. I assume most of the tourists had gone out for their respective day tours. Before heading back we decided to take a jet ski ride at 20 RM per person. After lunch, we took a taxi for 25 RM back to the jetty pier and took the ferry for 23 RM to Kuala Keddah.

At Kuala Keddah pier, buses are not very frequent, at least that was told to us, and since we were short on time we decided to take a cab to the bus terminus Shahab Perdana. The taxi took 20 RM for the commute. When we reached there, we were told all buses for Kuala Terengganu were full :( Quite disheartened while we were wondering what to do next, someone said, a special bus had been announced for the night. The bus departure was at 9:30 pm and the fare was  61 RM. Later we found that tickets for other sold-out buses were 50 RM and below. We went back to the agent and questioned him regarding the fare difference but he justified it by saying it was a special bus hence the special fare. Well, we were much too exhausted to argue in a foreign land. So yes, be careful.

The bus didn't quite arrive at 9:30 p.m. Rather the bus didn't arrive at all. Am assuming the bus operator didn't find enough travelers for the extra bus and finally sent us in a Van with 10 others at 11 pm past :P. Trust me had it been some other time and some other part of the world we would have protested but well it was drizzling, it was already too late in a small quaint town. We agreed to the deal. Fortunately, the road was good, it rained the whole night and from whatever little I could see, the route was beautiful.

Total expenditure excluding food: 149 RM per person.

Day 4

We arrived at Kuala Terengganu at around 6 a.m. It took us roughly 7 hours without any stops. The van dropped us at the Kuala Terengganu Bus Terminus. Our plan was to head to the islands. Perhentian or Kapas or Redang but then came the bad news. All islands on the east coast were closed due to the monsoons :( for roughly 4 months starting November. Well, most of the beautiful Malaysian islands are on the east coast and that definitely was one of our main attractions. Well, we couldn't go against Mother Nature. Lesson learned: Research better! Therefore please, NOTE: ALL EAST COAST ISLANDS IN MALAYSIA ARE CLOSED DURING MONSOONS ROUGHLY BETWEEN NOVEMBER - MARCH. One should surely get that confirmed before planning an island trip. A second NOTE: MONSOONS IN MALAYSIA MEANS RAIN NOW AND THEN. BE PREPARED WITH AN UMBRELLA/RAINCOAT OR JUST ENJOY GETTING WET :).

Next, we headed for the beach from the bus terminus to look for a beach hotel. There are no buses in Kuala Terengganu. Only Taxis!! The taxi charged us 24 RM for our hotel hunt.  The hotels on the beach were beyond our budget. Finally, we chose one at a walking distance. The hotel tariff was 100 RM. The hotels near the bus stop and Chinatown are comparatively cheaper. There are cheaper homestays near the crystal mosque area. After a hot shower and a good long sleep. We went out for a walk around the town. Since Malaysia is predominantly Islamic, there are many mosques and I must acknowledge that, architecturally the country has some really beautiful Islamic monuments. In the evening I took a taxi to the Crystal mosque which charged me 25 RM for the round trip and waited. The driver, an old gentleman was very hospitable and friendly for a lone traveler and did not charge the waiting fare.

Total expenditure excluding food: 149 RM per person.

Day 5

The next day early morning we went to the beach. The South China Sea has beautiful surfing waves and there were a couple of surfers doing their feat in the drizzling rain. Unfortunately, it started raining heavily and we had to rush back to the hotel. The hotels allow luggage storage after checkout for free for a few hours. Because of the rain, we couldn't explore the area much, but we still tried whenever the rain slowed. In the afternoon we headed for the Bus terminus in a cab for 12 RM. At the bus terminus, we kept our bags in a locker room for 4 RM a bag and purchased tickets for Melaka for 47 RM. Our bus was due for departure at 9:30 pm, so, we had some time in the evening to explore other areas in the town when the rain stopped. Kuala Terengganu is quite a nice place to hang around for a day or two. It's quiet and laid back. The islands would have made our stay more rewarding for sure. Maybe next time :)

Total expenditure excluding food: 63 RM per person.

Day 6

Borrowed from the we(My pics went hazy :( )

We arrived at Melaka Sentral early in the morning. I think the journey took us roughly 8 hrs. I was on some weekly medication, which made me quite sick. So Day 6 in Melaka didn't go exactly as I had wished. We picked a hotel in China town which was way out and a big mistake. There is one bus that runs every 1 hr to Chinatown and it takes around 30 minutes to reach its destination. The fare is 2 RM. A taxi would charge 25 RM.

A better place to stay in Melaka is the City center which is close to the UNESCO heritage sites. Our hotel tariff was 60 RM.  I slept almost till 3 p.m. The day was pretty mismanaged and we ended up not seeing much. Rather we managed to visit Mosque Selat only at the Malaka strait on an island the Melaka Pulau. (Malaysian for the island is Pulau and for the beach is Pantai). Mosque Selat is an absolute must if visiting Melaka.

Later we bought tickets to KLIA2 for 25 RM of the last bus leaving at 8:30 pm.  The bus to the city center fare was 2 RM. The taxi to Mosque Selat from the city center was 20 RM. The taxi fare from Mosque Selat to Chinatown was 20 RM. Taxi fares can be bargained I believe - am bad at it :P. The taxi fare from Chinatown to Melaka Sentral was 25 RM. This was the most mismanaged most expensive and least fruitful day of our trip.

Total expenditure excluding food: 154 RM per person.

Total expenditure for 6 days excluding food: 1168 RM / Rs. 18688 per person.

 ( I have not included food expenses here but the entire trip with the food, airfare, and all the mismanaged extras and the souvenirs totaled Rs. 40K.  We ate well and spent at least 30 RM on food per day)

PS: A good way to travel across Malaysia would be to rent a car. The roads are pretty good in most places.

Day 7

Off to Borneo. Contd. in Part 2