but I got a good deal from a Travel Expo we attended at Rockwell so we decided to do it earlier.
When: Feb 5-8, 2014
The total package cost for 2 persons, 4 days/3 nights is P28,570.00.
Local counterpart in Malaysia is Luxury Tour (Malaysia) SDN BHD
Included are: Roundtrip airfare via Malaysia Airlines
Hotel accommodation for 3 nights with breakfast
Roundtrip airport transfers
Half-day city tour
Philippine travel tax
What I like about the package is that it's free and easy and convenient.
I got all the essentials and just half-day compulsary tour and the rest I can plan and do it my way.
We left Manila on Feb 5, 2014, Wednesday at 650am via Malaysia Airlines.
This was not a budget carrier so we have sufficient legroom, food and blanket
and individual entertainment system. Manila to KL is almost 4 hours of travel time
so it's a good thing that it's not a budget airline.
Day 1
We left on time and arrived in Malaysia on time.
We were met by the local agency right at the exit of the airport.
We were transferred together with another couple in a shuttle.
It's about 45 minutes to an hour to get to the city of KL.
It was a Wednesday afternoon and the streets are devoid of traffic.
That was one thing I love about Malaysia (oh did I tell you this is my 2nd time in this lovely country)
is that they are really serious in their tourism campaign.
Everything is well-organized - from the airport, roads, mass transit, trains,
buildings, restaurants, hotels, security, tourist spots and people especially the people.
They are well mannered, respectful, courteous, helpful.
We didn't, not ever, get lost in the city because they clearly help you in anyway they can especially in giving directions.
I love their passion in helping you out. I love their determination in trying to help you.
I get it that they don't speak English well and good but their spirit and their will are so strong that you can see the effort.
I also admire their political will to improve their country despite not being perfect.
To decongest their city of traffic and people, they move their seat of government from KL to Putrajaya in 1999.
They created a whole new planned city so that they can better serve the public without the congestion and overcrowding of a city.
A brainchild of former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, Putrajaya became Malaysia's 3rd Federal Territory after KL and Labuan.
There's a lot of green spaces, open spaces and wide boulevards. As of 2012, almost all of Malaysia's government ministries had moved to Putrajaya.
The country of course is not spared of controversies and corruptions but their strong commitment to uplift the lives of its citizen is somewhat
at the centerpiece of the government's efforts and you can feel it and you can see it, it trickles down to the bottom level.
That I believe is the true measure of success.
MyHotel (our accommodation for the next 4 days) -- short review
We were dropped off at our hotel (Myhotel) along Jalan Pudu, Bukit Bintang. It's basically in the city center
Superb location. It's right in the center of things -- Jalan Pudu, Bukit Bintang. In front of the Swiss Garden Hotel.
Near (walking distance) to Jalan Alor (the famous street hawkers), Berjaya Times Square (one of the biggest malls in the world)
and the Pudu Sentral Bus Station (formerly Pudu Raya - the main bus station terminal in KL that serves north-bound bus
for travelers going to cities located at the Northern states of Malaysia such as Penang, Butterworth, Cameron Highlands,
Ipoh, Taiping, Sungai Petani, Alor Setar, Kangar, Kuala Perlis and Hatyai)
Money changer, 24/7 resto, and 7-11 are just beside it.
Breakfast is simple but will give you a taste of their local food.
Internet connection is ok at the 7th floor but really, really strong at the lobby.
The staff are friendly and courteous and nice and helpful.
The room is just right, bare essentials. Although on the 2nd night, we found a tiny cockroach inside the room.
View outside the window is an unsightly building but we can also see the KL Tower just in between.
Taxi and buses are available 24/7 right just infront of the hotel.
You can inquire at the lobby if you want take tours but you can also do it yourself as KL is tourist-friendly.
Easy check in/out. You just need to deposit 50 ringgit but it's refundable once you check out.
Thin walls so you can really hear the other room or the hallway noise. But it was very minimal during our stay so it didn't bother us at all.
The elevator is a little worn out and the carpet dirty so I hope they can improve this.
The lobby is spacious and clean as well as their restaurant though small is clean.
We didn't stay much inside the hotel only to sleep at night so I guess it's just ok for the price we pay.
The location is very convenient so we will probably stay here again if budget is tight.
After dumping our luggage, we were famished already so we went out to find the nearest resto.
The great thing about our hotel is it was just a block away from Jalan Alor, the famous stretch of street hawkers.
We were greeted with the smell of good food cooking. It was the middle of the afternoon on a weekday
so there are only a few restos opened (they open at around 5pm onwards).
There was no fancy decors, no mood lightings, no expensive table clothing.
Just plain great food cooked fresh at the time of ordering. Located at the former red light district area of Jalan Alor,
it is now a food haven for locals and tourists alike. The place can be really crowded and hot so prepare for that.
Some don't speak and understand English so order by choosing on the pictures of food provided.
If you're like me who is not really into super spicy food, let them know or suffer the spicy consequences.
Any restaurants there offer all good food, we usually go where there are a lot of people.
That's the measure of 'yummyness' for us. We ordered Tom Yum Seafood and Curry Seafood and boy it's hot!
I had to gasp for air and there's a lot of sting and prolonged numbness in my mouth but since we were really hungry and there's no other choice at that moment.
I had to finish it all despite being super spicy. Next time, tell them in advance to go easy on the spice.
Berjaya Times Square
We had time to spare so off we went to Berjaya Times Square.
It was also near Jalan Alor but this can also be accessed via monorail.
Located Jalan Imbi, Berjaya Times Square is a 7,500 million sq.ft. shopping mall in Malaysia that has more than 1,000 retail shops, 1200 luxury service suites,
65 food outlets, theme parks and cinemas (2D and 3D theater.
Borders,
They have a huge indoor theme park, the country's first musical staircase, and some of the luxury brands you love.
It is a 48-storey, 203 m (666 ft) twin tower, hotel, condominium, indoor amusement park and shopping centre complex in KL opened in October 2003.
The development is currently the eighth largest building in the world and has also been tagged as the "world's largest building ever built in a single phase",
with 700,000 m2 (7,500,000 sq ft) of built up floor area.
The international book and music retailer Borders Group opened its first franchise store here which was the largest Borders store in the world at the time.
However due to the 2010 economic downturn it has since been downsized into a smaller operation called Borders Express.
One day is not enough to walk around this gigantic mall. How's that for a shopping mall?
We went back to our hotel for the much needed rest. Tomorrow is our half-day city tour and pick up is early and they say they are always on time so off to lalalaland at around 10pm.
Day 2
The half-day compulsary tour is part of the package we paid for.
The driver is on time and the tour is exclusive to just the 2 of us.
Istana Negara (King Palace)
This is the first stop of the tour Istana Negara, King's Palace.
The official residence of the Supreme Head or Paramount Ruler of Malaysia.
That's why entry is not allowed and security is tight. Great architecture you can usually see in the middle east.
Islamic influences, onion top surrounded by a park and pond. It's part of the city tour and the hop on/off stop.
You can take your picture with the sentry guard who can't be moved despite the heat or with the soldier on the horse
or you can wait for the changing of the guards.
Bring umbrella or hat as it becomes too hot in the afternoon.
Well, it's always hot in Malaysia I guess.
Tugu Peringatan Negara (National Monument)
In front of the National Monument is the cenotaph originally built by the British administration.
It is dedicated to honor their war deads from 1914-1945.
You can also see the inscription of the names of the fallen soldiers as a tribute to their sacrifices.
After the cenotaph, you will see the National Monument inside the place.
It was a memorial park dedicated to the people who died during the 12-year Malayan Emergency (1948-1960)
The bronze sculpture shows a group of soldiers symbolizing leadership, suffering, unity, vigilance, strength, courage and sacrifice.
It has the Malayan Coat of Arms with inscriptions that says: Dedicated to the heroic fighters in the cause of peace and freedom,
May the blessing of Allah be upon them.
It's a good way to imbibe the rich history of Malaysia. The war is usually the saddest and most tragic part of a nation's history. But sometimes, it has to happen but this is not to say that I want it to happen. I'm still all for a peaceful revolution. But this is a nice gesture from the government to acknowledge and honor those who perish during the wars. There are some things that are worth remembering despite the tragic circumstances. I just hope that the lives sacrificed here would not be for nothing. I hope there was something good came out of these wars.
Parliament Building of Malaysia
We passed by the Parliament building. I mean literally just passed by and the driver just slowed down in front of the gate.
It was still used today so they are strict and you cannot go down unless you have official business I guess.
It is located near the National Monument so naturally you will pass by this place going to other landmarks.
It is an imposing building from afar but quite narrow up close.
Masjid Negara (National Mosque)
This is a place of worship for Muslims but non-muslims are welcome and they can visit the place after prayer time.
This is a huge mosque that can accommodate 15,000 people.
The 73 meter minaret and 16-pointed star is named as Masjid Negara in thanksgiving for the country's peaceful independence without bloodshed.
We also passed by the old railway station.
A very nice moorish-style structure, a mixture of Western and Eastern architecture built in 1910. We passed by the structure quickly as it is located along the roundabout but if you have time, please check this out.
Galeri Kuala Lumpur
Next stop is the Galeri Kuala Lumpur, part of the ARCH group's vision in promoting the country's heritage and culture.
ARCH is known for promoting collectibles and artworks made of wood veneer.
Galeri KL is right at the historical area of Merdeka Square and housed in a 114-year old building.
Beside this is their library Terpustakaan Kuala Lumpur.
This is a good start to know Malaysia's past and present.
The amazing model of Kuala Lumpur is presented in a 2-minute light show.
There is also a short history of KL in pictures.
You can also see how they assemble the wood veneer by the ever patient arch master craftsmen and women on your way to the gift shop.
The iconic 'I LOVE KL' is also located in front of the building
Merdeka Square/Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square)
This is a beautiful piece of Malaysian history.
Located in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, it was here where the Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957.
This has also been the venue of the annual National Day Parade.
The iconic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, lording over Merdeka Square is considered as one of the most significant British landmarks.
You can see the 41-meter clock tower
And there is also a 95-meter flagpole, one of the tallest in the world.
Behind the building is the Klang and Gombak River.
It now houses the Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Arts.
After the historical tour, we were brought to a lot of factory outlets: Beryl's Chocolate Kingdom, Green Tea Outlets, Cookie Outlets, Bags, Stones and Coffee Outlets. I think this is part of the tour. You can buy if you want, they don't force you to buy.
There's a lot of free taste and some interesting information that you can learn.
They all accept cards so if you intend to buy, and I guess it's relatively safe to use the card instead of the currency. Save your ringgit to the places with no cards.
Last stop is the Petronas Tower for photo op only and since this is our last stop, we asked the driver to just drop us off here instead of the hotel so we'll have more time to check out the place. We had our lunch here at one of their food courts.
Petronas Tower
This can be conveniently reached via train. Just take the Rapid KL Kelana Line to KLCC Station KJ10.
But we went here via a private car as this is the last stop of our tour so we just asked our driver to drop us off.
This is my second time to visit Petronas (first time was in 2005 where we got up to Skybridge).
So this time, we just went there to see it for the 2nd time. We didn't go up as we were too late to get the tickets.
From the time we arrive o Thursday, they are already serving tickets for Saturday (which is our departure back to Manila).
This is a huge building. At the base of the tower is the luxury mall Suria KLCC.
Soaring to a height of 451.9 metres, the 88-storey twin tower is KL's tallest structures and considered as one of the world's tallest building.
Designed by architect Cesar Pelli, the superstructure construction started in April 1994 and completed on June 1996.
You can visit the Skybridge located at the 41st and 42nd floors to see the whole city.
Open from Tuesday to Sunday and closed every Monday. Visiting hours: 9am-9pm (closed from 1pm-230pm on Friday).
Ticket counters at the Concourse level open at 830am-830pm and issuance of ticket is on a first come, first served basis.
Ticket prices are: Adult 80 ringgit, adult (mykad) 25 ringgit, child 30 ringgit, child (mykid) 12 ringgit at the time we visited.
Admission of children 3 years below is free of charge.
Eating, drinking, chewing gum and smoking are the not allowed during the visit.
The entire experience will take between 45 mins to 1 hr.
The park in front of the Suria entrance is the perfect place to get a good angle of the entire tower.
The Skybridge is the just a bridge connecting the 2 towers. But the ride up is an experience on its own.
If you don't get to go up, it's not really a big deal but if you have time and extra 80 ringgit, then feel free to go up.
Batu Caves
From Petronas Tower, we rode the train to KL Sentral.
From KL Sentral, we changed to komuter train to Batu Caves -- the last stop on the pink line.
The majestic Batu Caves is around 30 mins away from the city via komuter train.
That would take you directly to Batu Caves.
Batu Caves is a limestone hill that has a series of caves and cave temples in the Gombak district.
It takes its name from the Sungai Batu or Batu River, which flows past the hill.
Batu Caves is also the name of the nearby village.
Once you enter the compound, you will see the towering 50-foot statue of Hanuman and a temple dedicated to Hanuman, the noble monkey devotee and aide of Lord Rama.
There is also a restaurant at the foot of the Batu Caves.
The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan.
It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia.
The limestone forming Batu Caves is said to be around 400 million years old.
There are 272 concrete steps going up so prepare for that. The stair is kinda steep and the steps too narrow for me so be careful when going up.
Of the various cave temples that comprise the site, the largest and best known is the Temple or Cathedral Cave, so named because it houses several Hindu shrines beneath its high vaulted ceiling.
Admission is free, donation is optional but encouraged.
The caves are open all year round but get crowded on holidays and special occasions.
There are affordable energy drink and bottled water there.
Be cautious about the monkeys that are around the area.
They are attracted to water bottles and plastic and food so make sure you keep them secure on you way up.
Safe to drink in the store area.
Pigeon-feeding outside Batu Caves. There are hundreds of them that will welcome you to the caves.
You can buy food and feed them. They don't fly away. You can sit beside them while feeding them.
Perfect activity for those with kids and even those kids at heart.
Dark Cave
One of the highlights of our KL trip. The 45 minutes of guided educational walking tour inside the dark cave was so worth it.
Open Tuesday - Friday (10am-5pm) and Saturday, Sunday & Public Holidays (1030am-530pm) and close on Monday.
Dark Cave Tour costs 35 ringgit for adult and 25 for kids 12 yrs and below.
Dark Cave is one of the main caves at Batu Caves hill. It comprises of 2km surveyed passages with 7 major sections named A through F and the Great Chamber.
Discovered in 1878, by Captain H. C. Syers and William T. Hornaday, Dark Cave contains a diverse range of cave faunas.
It is among the most researched tropical caves in the world, and a number of scientists and researchers like Mr H.N Ridley and Dr Elliot McClure have conducted major research in the cave.
Dark Cave is one of the must-see Batu Caves attractions for travelers.
It is home to an ancient animal community of 100 million years old, including the rarest spider in the world, the Trapdoor spider (Liphistius batuensis).
It has a unique guano-driven ecosystem, which sustain a tremendous ecological significance of rich scientific and educational interest.
Dark Cave has its own special features of magnificent cave formations – stalactite, stalagmite, flowstone, cave pearls, cave curtains, column and gour pools which has taken Mother Nature eons to form.
It was a long day for us. We had dinner at Central Market and went straight to Jalan Petaling or Chinatown.
Jalan Petaling (Chinatown)
We bought our tokens and pasalubongs here.
Shopping at bargain prices but don't expect luxury brands and products.
Imitation bags and products are plenty and you can haggle the price of anything you fancy.
It's a long walk so be prepared for that.
It's relatively secure and there are a lot of tourists here.
We didn't try the food but it's typical Chinese and Malay.
Day 3
We woke up a little late for our DIY Melaka trip.
See separate story on this in my blog.
http://mamimole.blogspot.com/2014/02/travel-post-malaccamelaka-trip.html
Day 4
This is basically recharging day for us.
We woke up super late. Our flight back to Manila is at 535pm but we were advised that pick up going to the airport is at 130pm.
So we just laze around, had breakfast at the hotel, checked out at 12noon and laze some more at the lobby.
And as expected, the driver that will bring us to the airport arrived on time.
The same shuttle we used when we arrived. Travel time without traffic is 45 minutes to an hour.
I ma not sure if this is a new policy or that I am just used to budget airlines but Malaysia Airline does not open specific counters for specific flights. They just have one generic counter where anyone can check in.
Or you can self check in the kiosks around the airport and just line up to dump you luggage for check in.
That was weird for me and that was also the first time I encounter such system.
Anyway, it took us about an hour to get checked in.
After that, we went around to eat lunch. Good thing, there's KFC.
As expected, boarding was on time. Food, snacks, blanket, entertainment system were available to pass the time so we didn't get bored. We didn't even notice the travel time.
We arrived in Manila at around 9pm.
It was a good trip for us as a couple. Of course, there are the normal stress of long travels but there are also the excitement of exploring new places, discovering new food together.
We've been traveling together for the past 5 years locally and internationally
and it really shows the best and worst of your partner but we try to manage expectations and as time goes by, we have managed to be understanding of each others differences and capabilities and limitations.
There is something liberating in traveling and it also widens perspectives and stretches your patience up to the point of no return where all you can do is just live the moment and embrace what's in front of you
We have a lot of learnings when traveling as a couple and it may not be all perfect but we made it through together, stronger and better. And I believe that's what matters.
Despite some arguments or some differences, I wouldn't trade off the learnings we got from traveling that made us confront the future with high hopes, strong foundation and bigger hearts to make it through life and beyond.
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