TRAVEL SPECIAL........... TRIP PLANNER MALAYSIA

TRIP PLANNER MALAYSIA 

The small country offers a range of activities and entertainment for all vacationers. How to plan your next trip here.

DON’T MISS...
If you are a foodie, make time for a visit to Jalan Alor in Kuala Lumpur. You will get an authentic street food experience combining the best of cuisines—Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai, even Western bites. Sample a plate of char kuey teow (noodles), followed by barbecued fare, and top it off with carrot cake, surrounded all the while by clanging woks and satiated tourists. A delight for the senses!
BEST TIME TO VISIT
Though Malaysia is a place for all seasons, avoid the November-March window if you are peeved by rain. However, there will be sporadic showers no matter when you visit.
TRIP
TRAIL
A week’s stay should be more than enough, no matter what kind of holiday you seek—active, relaxing or cultural. Here is a sample itinerary for families. Reserve the first two days for Kuala Lumpur, your entry point to the country. There is a lot to keep you busy, starting with Merdeka Square’s colonial heritage, the Twin Towers, and retail therapy at the Berjaya Times Square. On day 3, catch a 55-minute flight to Penang. Air Asia might be your cheapest option, with a one-way flight costing around 800. However, the early morning flights are more expensive, going over the 1,500 mark. Over the next two days, discover Georgetown, take the funicular train up the side of Penang hill, pig out at Gurney Drive, and potter around. On day 6, move to Langkawi, a three-hour ferry ride away, for beach bumming. The boat ride will cost around 1,400 per adult. You can fly back home from Langkawi itself, with a stopover in Kuala Lumpur.
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

FREE
• Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur

• K L Craft Complex, Kuala Lumpur
• Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens (free only on weekdays)
• Wat Chayamangkalaram, Penang
• Durian Perangin waterfalls, Langkawi
• Eagle Square, Langkawi
• Beaches

PAID

(approximate per person rates)
• Aquaria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur: 975
• KL Bird Park, Kuala Lumpur: 936
• KL Tower, Kuala Lumpur: 741

• Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur: 195
• War Museum, Penang: 683
• Underwater World, Langkawi: 741
• Mangrove tour, Langkawi: 3,120-3,900
• Kinabalu Park, Kota Kinabalu: 293
• Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre, Sandakan: 585
• Taman Negara National Park, Kuala Tahan: 120

SAVING TIPS

• If you are planning a visit to Taman Negara, consider camping to save on accommodation cost; there is a fee of just 20 for the same.
• Avoid taxis, particularly at night, because fares jump 50% at midnight.
• Alcohol is prohibitively expensive in Malaysia, so abstaining could save you a neat amount.
• Avoid travel to eastern Sabah, including the nearby islands and dive sites, since travel advisories identify a heightened threat of kidnapping in the region.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE...
AIR FARE
Non-stop Delhi-Kuala Lumpur return flights cost 49,888-60,500, depending on the airline. Sri Lankan Airlines is the cheapest, costing 30,000, with one stopover. Non-stop return flights from Mumbai cost 31,500-53,000. An Air Asia flight from Bangalore, Chennai or Kolkata is for less than 20,000 a person.
EXCHANGE RATE
Currently, 100 with fetch 5.11 Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). This is better than what you’ll get for the dollar, euro or even the Australian dollar.
VISA
The visa-on-arrival facility has been withdrawn. You need to submit the application form and supporting documents at a VFS Centre (Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, Ahmedabad). The visa fee is 1,000, along with 335 as service charge. An i-visa facility is also open to select travel agents registered with the Immigration Department of Malaysia.
TRIP EXPENSE
Backpackers can get by on 500 per person, per night, including meals, stay and sightseeing. A mid-range vacation will cost 2,000-2,500 per person, per night. On the other hand, luxury breaks will cost upwards of 5,600 per person.
ACCOMMODATION
If you are on a tight budget, there are plenty of options. Dormitory beds can be had for as little as 200-500 per night, while a double room at budget hotels costs upwards of 1,050. As per the latest edition of the Hotel Price Index (HPI) report by Hotels. com, Malaysia has seen a fall of 18% in its average nightly hotel room rate to 5,159.
LOCAL COMMUTE
There is an excellent bus system in place, so make the most of it during your trip. There are plenty of taxis too, but they cost a bomb since you’ll be charged for four passengers even if you are all alone.

Sushmita Choudhury Agarwal ET130923