Malaysia

Malaysia is a nation in Southeast Asia. It is geographically divided into two parts - the western portion is located on a peninsula extending down from Thailand and touching Singapore, and the eastern portion is located at the top of the island of Borneo, shared with Indonesia and the tiny Sultanate of Brunei.

Getting there

By Air

The main hub is Kuala Lumpur, though handy airports include Johor Bahru (close to Singapore border), Kota Kinabalu (for Sabah State in Borneo), Kuching (for Sarawak State in Borneo) and Penang (for northern peninsula Malaysia and Langkawi).

• Malaysia Airlines is the national carrier and is very reasonably priced for flights to Malaysia itself as well as onwards to the rest of the world. Great food and service. I would highly recommend them.

• Air Asia is a budget airline based in Kuala Lumpur. They are a terrific airline with some very, very good deals. They don't currently fly to Japan, however it is anticipated that flights will commence in October 2010. There have been some hiccups in the negotiations though so watch this space. Looks like the flights will be out of Ibaraki Airport or Haneda.

• Singapore Airlines - KL is only a 4 hour train ride from Singapore and SA is a world-class airline. Also very close to the Singapore border (but on the Malaysian side) is the small Johor Bahru airport which may offer cheaper flights to other places within Malaysia than Singapore.

• Cathay Pacific Cathay are a fabulous airline and fly via HK (or occasionally Taipei) to places all across asia. Excellent on all accounts. HKIA is a lovely airport to transit through too.

• Asiana Airlines a budget airline based in Seoul. Excellent airline.

• Korean Air Top notch airline. Flies through Seoul.

• JAL - note that you can only book international flights online in JAPANESE. You have to call the bookings centre otherwise. I've never flown JAL - no comments.

• ANA Never flown ANA so no comments.

From Singapore

By Train

Trains run across the border between Singapore and Malaysia. You need to clear customs at the station BEFORE you board the train. So you need to make sure you have time for this. You will also have to get off the train when you cross the border to go through customs again.

By Bus

You can enter Malaysia on a bus at Johor Bahru

• Everyone has to get off the bus and walk over to clear customs. Make sure you look at the number plates of the bus and its colouring as it can be pretty confusing if there are a hundred buses parked around the same place. Your bus will drive through to the otherside as you clear customs.

From Thailand

I've never done this myself, but I know it's moreorless possible to travel overland between Singapore and BKK and beyond via train, and probably bus (though perhaps changing along the way). Check the current security situation in Southern Thailand if you are worried about that sort of thing.

From Indonesia

By Boat

• There are a few places where you can take a boat from Malaysia to Indonesia. If you want to get to Medan in Northern Sumatra, boats leave from Penang. Ferries Penang-Medan
• Boats also run from Malacca to central Sumatra.
• You can also enter Indonesia via boat from Singapore, which is handy if you are in Southern peninsula Malaysia.
• If you are in Sabah, you can get a boat from Tawau to Nunukan in Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) but there are no visa on arrival facilities available.

From Brunei

You can enter from Brunei by either plane/boat/bus.

By Boat

Boats run from Kota Kinabalu via Labuan Island. It takes about 5-6 hours. Not everyone can enter Brunei via boat/bus without having procured a visa in advance. Check this out in advance.

By Plane

A bunch of airlines fly into Bandar Seri Begawan including Royal Brunei, Malaysian and Air Asia. If you are "transiting" through BSB, a visa on arrival is a fair bit cheaper.

Getting Around

By Plane

Main airlines flying within Malaysia are Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines and MAS Wings - a subsidiary of Malaysian Airlines. All are reliable airlines. Flights are generally pretty cheap on all airlines.

By Train

Train travel in Malaysia is pretty reasonable, though only available on the peninsula. Borneo has a small train line remaining, however it's essentially a tourist line only and not useful for travellers. Overnight trains can be pretty comfortable and seem quite safe. Second class sleeper berths are fine for overnight travel. Check out the info on Seat 61 Malaysia

By Bus

Depends on where you go as to the services available. Most of my travel was via train, boat and plane. In some places you will just rock up to the bus station and wait for the vehicle to fill up before it leaves e.g. parts of Borneo.

By Boat

To travel to Penang, Langkawi, Pangkor, Tiomans, Perhentians etc. you may travel via boat, though flights are also available to Penang, Langkawi and the Tiomans. Info for Langkawi/Penang is here Langkawi/Penang Ferry. The wet season in eastern peninsula Malaysia results in scant or non-existent boat service to the eastern peninsula islands between Nov-Feb each year.

Places

Kuala Lumpur

I had a very quick stop in KL courtesy of a change of trains between Singapore and Butterworth, hence the information here is paltry.

• Petronas Towers

  The tallest "twin towers" in the world at a height of 451.9m. They are impressive from the base and worth a look. I never got to go up as we arrived too late in the day and no tickets were left. If you want to visit the Petronas Towers, try to get there early in the morning to get tickets for the same day. The tickets are actually free but due to the limit on the number of people allowed up per day, they can be booked up by tour groups and/or sell out fast.

Kota Kinabalu

Is the capital of Sabah province on the North Eastern portion of Malaysian Borneo. It's a pretty chilled out town with some great places to eat and some lovely islands just off the coast.

• Night Market

  A buzzing place and a good place to have a meal - though few veggie options available!

• Filipino BBQ

  Near the Night Market and according to Dan, has amazing grilled chicken!

• Borneo International Marathon

  Held in May every year. I ran it in 2010 and it was a thoroughly enjoyable event, though of course it was bloody hot and humid given the equatorial proximity. It is well organised with shuttle buses running to/from the start (for free), plenty of drink/banana etc. stops, ice sponges (AMAZING) and good support. They have 10km/half/full marathon divisions and it is fun event.

• Sunsets

  KK is purported to have some of the most resplendent sunsets in all of Asia. They are pretty spectacular. You could head towards the new shopping complex near Jesselton Port and go to the third floor where the cheap food court is. Sitting on the balcony eating some food is a pretty nice way to spend a late afternoon.

• Tunku Abdul Rahman Park

  A small archipelago off the coast of KK - a bunch of gorgeous islands for swimming, snorkelling or just relaxing. Frequent boats go to Mamutik and Manukan islands and some also go to Sapi island. I believe you need private transport to get to Sulug or Gaya, unless you are staying on Gaya at a resort - in which case they will organise the pick up. Mamutik is a lovely island with some nice spots for snorkelling. You can stay on the island but the accommodation/dining options are few.

• Lok Kawi Wildlife Park

  About 20km from Central KK and not easily accessibly is not worth the effort in my opinion. Though if you have kids, they will probably enjoy it.

Accommodation

• Kinabalu Backpackers

  Centrally located but a bit on the grotty side. But for 18RM a night, it's super cheap. The rooms are VERY HOT.

• Lucie's

  Lucie is really sweet and this is more like a homestay than a backpackers. Facilities are simple but adequate. There is a small kitchen area, laundry services, cold showers and a nice little lounge/book swap area. And there are cats! But the rooms are also very hot! From 18RM a night

• Ang's Hotel

  A budget hotel slightly more central than the aforementioned places. Twin/double rooms go for around 60RM a night - rooms are simple but nice, location is good, staff are very friendly and there is air-con, which after several sleepless nights due to extreme heat and encounters with rodents and bugs, was very welcome.

Dining

• Night Market/Filipino Market

  Great and cheap outdoor dining.

• Moon Bell

  A cheap restaurant serving Northern Chinese cuisine - it's on Jalan Haji Saman, opposite KK Emporium.

• Little Italy

  FABULOUS Italian food - like top quality at pretty good prices - though expensive by Malaysian standards.

• Kopi Tiam

  Loads of kopi tiams are all around town. They offer cheap Malaysian, Chinese and Indian dishes in a simple atmosphere at very low prices. You can determine the cleanliness of the establishment by the A, B or C grade that they have been given - clearly posted on the walls.

Mount Kinabalu

Depending on how one delineates SE Asia from nearby regions, Mount Kinabalu is the "highest" mountain in SE Asia at 4095m. It is a wonderful climb, and I'd highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in hiking. It is a beautiful mountain and whilst it is hard, it is immensely beautiful. Watching sunrise from the top is truly special.

Mount Kinabalu is part of Kinabalu National Park, which has an abundance of biodiversity and a number of rare species, including the rafflesia (giant, stinky, red flowers that last only a few days) and a range of nepenthes (pitcher plants). Even if you decide not to attempt an ascent to the summit, there are a bunch of hiking trails around the park which may be of interest.

All of the accommodation within the park boundaries is under the management of Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (basd in KK) and consequently exceedingly overpriced. But as all of those wishing to summit Kinabalu are required to stay at one of these lodges (or huts), you'll either have to skip the summit, cough up the money, attempt an illegal hike, or boycott the mountain.

There are a number of ways of organising a climb, but the most important thing to do is to ensure you have accommodation on the mountain. You can book this directly with Sutera Sanctuary Lodges, or you can go through one of any number of tour companies. If you book with Sutera, you will need to organise your own transport to and from the mountain but you can pay for things like climbing permit, guide fees etc. through them. Porters and climbing certificates are additional, if you want them. Meals can be purchased at Laban Rata hut, where everyone stops for a bit of sleep on the way up. The meals there are quite good, provided you are not suffering too much from altitude sickness to enjoy them!

With regards to guides, all guides work for Sabah Parks and are dispatched from the National Park office each day. According to my guide, he doesn't work for any particular operator but is allocated to whichever person/group he is told to go to each day. In effect, the company you book with, if you choose to go with an operator don't have any control over the quality of the guides. All of the guides are local Dusun people who are required to do a fair amount of training before they are allowed to guide.

Several tour companies offer climbs. None are particularly friendly towards the individual traveller, but if you are able to find a company that will pair you up with others, this might be a viable option.

An abundance of information about climbing Kinabalu can be found here Mt Kinabalu 101

Some tour companies offering climbs include:

• Amazing Borneo
• Borneo Native Homestay
• Borneo Eco Tours

I booked with Amazing Borneo, as they were able to accommodate my request as an indvidual traveller to join a group so as to cut down the cost. Things were well organised and fluid on the whole, however, in essence, what they did was transfer me to and from the mountain, and organise my guide, permit, accommodation and food for me. I have no complaints whatsoever about their service, however, I am fairly confident that if one is able to get accommodation on the mountain directly through Sutera, all the other parts of the hike could be booked independently for a lot less money.

It is a fairly strenuous climb though can be done by anyone of moderate fitness. It's mostly strenuous because it is quite a vertical climb for much of the trail. Compared with Kilimanjaro, for instance, which winds around a lot in the earlier stages, Kinabalu is much more vertical. And there are a LOT of stairs. Nearer to the top, you are climbing over sheer granite rock-face and should use ropes to help get you to the summit. Those who are unfit will find it pretty hard going.

Altitude sickness can be a problem, and those who experience it should be aware of its dangers and act responsibly. It is not an enjoyable experience and can be very serious.

Semporna

Is a town in Eastern Malaysia with a population of about 130,000. It's the main point of access for Sipadan and Mabul islands - islands that are part of the Tun Sakaran Marine Park. Both are world class diving sights, with Sipadan consistently being listed in the world's top ten diving spots.

There is no particular reason to visit Semporna other than to use it as a transfer point between Tawau and Lahad Datu/Sandakan. Having said that, it's a pleasant enough place to spend the night.

Accommodation

• Dragon Inn

  Looks kinda cool, and the rooms are fine, as long as you don't mind waking up with mice on your bed.

Sipadan

Sipadan island is rated in the top 10 diving spots in the world. If you wish to visit the island to dive/snorkel, YOU MUST OBTAIN A PERMIT IN ADVANCE. At least a month in advance is advisable, but given its popularity, it's recommended that you try to procure the permit as early as possible.

There is no accommodation on the island - most visitors will either base themselves on nearby Mabul Island, or on the "mainland" in Semporna.

Mabul

Mabul is a beautiful island between Semporna and Sipadan. It has some good spots for snorkelling just off shore, and a smattering of budget/mid-range guesthouses/hotels. The island itself is very beautiful though it is unfortunately pretty polluted - a lot of random garbage is strewn across the interior of the island, though the beaches themselves seem pretty clean and the water is pretty clear. Most people who plan to dive/snorkel on Sipadan use Mabul as a base.

• Uncle Chang's

  This place is uber-basic but run by nice and friendly people and it is very chilled out. The rooms are on stilts over the ocean and very, very simple. Meals are provided with accommodation and vegetarians can be catered for, though it's not terribly wonderful unless you have a particular love of baked beans!! They have a pretty cool band that jams every Fri/Saturday night. They also have a nice deck where you can sit out to eat your meals or watch the sun set over the ocean.

Lahad Datu

Lonely Planet make this place sound like it's full of pirates and gangsters but it's a pleasant enough little town (at least in the day time). It's a small town that you might use as a transfer point to travel from Tawau/Semporna north to Sandakan, or en route to Danum Valley Field Centre/Borneo Rainforest Lodge.

The Danum Valley Field Centre Office is very close to the airport, though not particularly close to the bus station. You'll need to get a taxi or hitch bewteen the two.

Dining

• Unicorn Vegetarian Restaurant - a surprising and delicious little find a few streets away from Lahad Datu airport, and very close to the Danum Valley Field Centre office.

Penang

All of this information is with regard to Georgetown.

• Fort Cornwallis

  Worth a look for an hour or so.

• Sri Mariamamm temple

  Really interesting temple - if you only have time for one temple, maybe this one

• Kuan Yin temple

  Chinese Temple

• Botanical Gardens

  Lovely

• Wat Chayamangkalaram

  Very big reclining Buddha

Accommodation

• I can't remember the name of the place where I stayed but it was very close to a mosque. Morning wake up call at 4.30 every day!

Transport

See info above. Boats from Butterworth run to Penang several times a day.

Langkawi

A lovely island with a mix of accommodation. It's a pretty big island so do a bit of research to figure out where you want to go before you actually arrive. I stayed along Pantai Cenang, which was a lovely beach with a fair range of hotels/guesthouses and good places to eat. There are some shops for essentials nearby. The aquarium there is worth a look if you feel like dragging yourself away from the coconut palms. Be careful the coconuts don't smack you on the head! I noticed a lot of mosquitoes there at night-time so make sure you have insect repellent.

I stayed at the AB hotel, which (as of July 2009) has basic twin rooms for $US16 a night (for room/not per person). Nice little place. My room was actually on the sand with a good view of the beach but it seems like the cheaper rooms are now across the road!

You can get to Langkawi via plane or boat (from Penang). See information above.

See also

• Malaysia - Wikitravel