Batu Caves Kuala Lumpur
Since I live in the Philippines its a great opportunity to travel to Asia. Sometimes your travels are partially determined by discount flights which you can search on the internet. This was our case as we booked a round trip flight from Cebu, Philippines to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The direct flight took three and a half hours and cost $315.00 dollars for two persons.
Now that the flight was booked for a twelve day stay in Malaysia, the next step was to book hotels since this was the busy holiday season. We used booking.com which was fast with friendly software. We gave them a credit card for room guarantee and you could cancel any time up to 30 days with no fees involved. They immediately emailed your hotel reservation with your confirmation number and you were good to go.
Le Baron Hotel Langkawi
The next part is rather tricky as the ego and your desires to see the entire country in a whirlwind trip need to be trimmed down to a realistic schedule. We looked at a map of Malaysia and could go to several national parks and see Orangutans in the wild or visit rehabilitated centers which takes some advance planning, which did not fit our schedule on this trip or head to the opposite coast and visit Royal Cities, freshwater lakes and learn about the local culture. We decided to head north and visit historic Georgetown on Panang Island and ferry to Langkawi Island for a nature tour of the mangroves and rivers.
This was our rough itinary with plenty of extra time for travel and sight seeing. As our starting point we booked four nights at the V Garden Hotel a bit out of the way and approximately one hour from the airport. Very nice hotel for the money, the rooms were small but very clean and efficient with a friendly staff and only a few minutes walk to the mrt station which we used daily to tour the attractions of Kuala Lumpur.
Zentraveler Croc Adventure
From Kuala Lumpur we wanted to take the train, but was booked one month in advance so we took a five hour luxury bus to Butterworth, a ten minute taxi ride and a fifty minute ferry to Panang Island where we booked a budget hotel named The Red Inn Cabana. Excellent value at $30.00 per night with breakfast included and centrally located in historic Georgetown.
Historic Georgetown
Museum
Leaving Georgetown we were to take a direct ferry to Langkawi Island which was sold out, so we bused several hours to another ferry depot and a two hour ferry ride to Langkawi where we checked into Le Baron Hotel which was upscale with two swimming pools and located on the scenic seacoast.
Luxury Bus
We headed back to Kuala Lumpur on a direct bus about six hours to the main bus station and checked into the An Casa Hotel and Spa centrally located next to the bus station and close proximity to an mrt station, China town, and the Central Market.
We decided to reward ourselves and proceeded on a gastronomic tour to die for. Many of the food critics have labeled Malaysia as the best food choices in the world. And to prove a point my partner Perla gained seven pounds in twelve days. To try to communicate how good the food is nearly impossible. The main reason is the diversity of the food from many Asian backgrounds including, Chinese, Malaysian. Singaporian, Indian and local mixed cultures. You can choose to eat street food which is quick and tasty and many ways the way to go if on a budget or go to traditional Chinese and Malaysian Restaurants with fancy menu’s an upscale service.
Green Curry Fish Filet
You could make a point about eating your way through Malaysia and you could come away a died in the wool believer that the Food Gods gave everything they had with fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and sauces to die for.
Mangrove Tour Langkawi
So there you have it! If you want the city life of Kuala Lumpur and also take in the historic sights of Georgetown on Panang Island and travel to Langkawi Island to watch eagles soaring over pristine rivers, pack in a mangrove tour feeding wild monkies and discover hidden lakes… then all you have to do is book your flight and The World is Your Oyster!
Aquarium Kuala Lumpur
QUOTE: Malaysia is a country unlike any other: Full of promise and fragility. Its history, cultural and religious diversity make it a rich, compelling and surprising land.—Tariq Ramadan
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW:
- Malaysia is located between 2º and 7º north of the Equator; Peninsular Malaysia is separated from the states of Sabah and Sarawak by the South China Sea. To the north of Peninsular Malaysia is Thailand while its southern neighbor is Singapore. Sabah and Sarawak are north of Indonesia in Borneo while Sarawak also shares a border with Brunei.
THINGS YOU MAY WANT TO SAVE: ORANGUTANS…YOUR VANISHING RELATIVES NEEDS YOUR HELP. Dig deep Grasshopper or this game is over…EXTINCTION IS FOREVER.
ZENTRAVELER SAYS: Create your own Gastronomic tour of Malaysia eating a sampling of the best prepared foods in the world…not to mention chocolate covered GRASSHOPPERS. Look out Grasshopper or you will end up on the menu.
From here to Infinity and Beyond is a relatively short ride! The next leg takes eons and eons as you fly through the Barycentric Dynamical Time Zone! …and on and on and on. Follow the Zentraveler Blog often for Travel, Health and Zen-like stories and such. Where else can you get a three in one blog for the price of free
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