I am using my miles to SIN in early December. I heard it is raining moon soon season. Anyway, those are only days I can take vacations. I heard that it is not much to see in Singapore, so I plan only stay there 4 days. I like to do side trip to KUL, is it too far? by air or by train? Any siggestion are welcome.

I heard the same thing about SIN. But having been there, I would say there is more to do than people say. I was there for two days and wished for at least one more.

I was told by locals I spoke with that KUL was not worth it just for a day, based on my itin. But if you are there for four??

I researched the travel by air and train about two weeks before we went to SIN. Air at that time was $400 for roundtrip SIN-KUL. I'm sure you could do better w/advanced notice.

If I remember correctly the train was about $160 roundtrip in 1st class (A/C!!) and took 6+ hours each way. Again, that's if I remember correctly.

Locals said renting a car was very easy to do, not expensive and the roads are very well maintained and marked from SIN to KUL. With a car, you could also visit the coastline of Malaysia.

I am a beach fan so I like Malaysia and Thailand a lot more than Singapore. KUL is just another city. If I were you, I would spend a few days on the Tioman Island which a Malaysian island very close to Singapore.

You can't go to Tiomon in Dec because of the monsoons most things are closed and there is no ferry.

If you take the shuttle (air SIN-KL) it is standy by it costs around US 80 each way, reservations are about 20 more.
The train is much less than 80 each way - as I recall I think I paid about 20 for first class one way KL-Sin - it is more expensive from SIN (about double I think). It is a pretty nice way to see some of the country side but does take about 6 hours.
If you are on a tight budget you could take a taxi to Johor Bahru, buy an airline ticket, then take a taxi to the airport and still save more over buying it in Singapore.

KL is a city, but it has some amazing architecture, very different feel from Singapore - and some absolutely stunning bargins on top class hotels (unless it's a holiday) - it really depends on your interests.
Get a book or look at the web - there are other places in Malaysia that could be of interest (beaches Penang or Langkawi), Malacca, etc.

tioman and the east coast of malaysia (where many of the beach resorts such as kuantan are) often suffer from sever floods and other weather-related problems in the nov-jan period, as do the rest of peninsular malaysia and singapore, albeit to a lesser extent. my recommendation would be malacca, a smallish city with more heritage than say, KL or Singapore. The latter two are better though for shopping, food? etc. i'm not too sure what the trains are like nowadays, but the flying is pretty convenient, taking about 45 mins each way between KL and SIN, and driving is a breeze too with a highway that runs pretty much between KL and SIN. not too sure about malacca though.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by inkoherent:
tioman and the east coast of malaysia (where many of the beach resorts such as kuantan are) often suffer from sever floods and other weather-related problems in the nov-jan period, as do the rest of peninsular malaysia and singapore, albeit to a lesser extent. </font>

I had read that during Nov-Jan the east coast of Malaysia is not the place to go due to the weather yet the west coast of Malaysia was generally fine during Nov-Jan period, your statement would contradict this.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Sweet Willie:
I had read that during Nov-Jan the east coast of Malaysia is not the place to go due to the weather yet the west coast of Malaysia was generally fine during Nov-Jan period, your statement would contradict this.</font>

No, it doesn't. The east monsoon is the stronger of the two and there is spillover to Singapore, KL and the southern parts of the west coast as well, although it's not nearly as bad (no flooding etc) as the east. Only all the way up north, once you have the mountains in the way, is it dry -- Penang is usually OK and Langkawi often suffers from drought!

For budget air travel from across the SIN border, try www.airasia.com (http://www.airasia.com)

One reason singapore doesn't have much is that it isn't very old. the old city in the area is malacca (sometimes spelled melaka). you could go there. by the way, i liked kl

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jpatokal:
...The east monsoon is the stronger of the two and there is spillover to Singapore, KL and the southern parts of the west coast as well, although it's not nearly as bad (no flooding etc) as the east...</font>

The North-East Monsoon (Nov-Mar) comes from the open seas of the South China Sea and is therefore stronger (and hits harder on the east coast - 24" rain/mth) than the South-West Monsoon (May-Sep) that dumps most of its moisture in Sumatra before hitting Malaysia's west coast (6" rain/mth).

But really, it just rains a lot; mostly in the evening and very heavy and brief. We used to joke in KL that during the NE Monsoon, it would rain every other day as opposed to everyday during the SW Monsoon http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by jpatokal:
No, it doesn't. The east monsoon is the stronger of the two and there is spillover to Singapore, KL and the southern parts of the west coast as well, although it's not nearly as bad (no flooding etc) as the east. Only all the way up north, once you have the mountains in the way, is it dry -- Penang is usually OK and Langkawi often suffers from drought!</font>

thanks for clarification!!!!!!!

You can take a first class bus from Sinagpore to KL it cost about $10.00 and takes about 5 hours including a stop for lunch.
Nice trip and cheaper than flying. Even if you get an air asia flight for $9.00 You'll still have to get to the airport in SIN and that's about $15 S and then to City center in KL and that's very expensive.
Best bet is the Bus and there are several companies every hour on the hour just look for the one that has everything, reclining seats, foot rest etc.
Regards,
Robert

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by I-flybynight:
Even if you get an air asia flight for $9.00 You'll still have to get to the airport in SIN and that's about $15 S and then to City center in KL and that's very expensive.
</font>

Actually, if you have to get the Air Asia ticket, you'll have to get yourself to JHB, not SIN -- AK flies from SIN only to BKK, not KUL. And getting to JHB is either expensive (by limo) or a time-consuming hassle (by bus).

On the other hand, if you're counting pennies you should obviously take the subway to SIN instead of the comparatively expensive taxi... and once at KUL, you can take Air Asia's RM 10 bus to the city.

Actually, if you have to get the Air Asia ticket, you'll have to get yourself to JHB, not SIN -- AK flies from SIN only to BKK, not KUL. And getting to JHB is either expensive (by limo) or a time-consuming hassle (by bus).

On the other hand, if you're counting pennies you should obviously take the subway to SIN instead of the comparatively expensive taxi... and once at KUL, you can take Air Asia's RM 10 bus to the city.

If you book a ticket on MAS from JHB to KUL, you are entitled to use the MAS shuttle bus from Singapore to JHB airport; and with supersaver rates on MAS (online booking best), the flight from JHB to KUL costs only around 17 USD one way.

If you book a ticket on MAS from JHB to KUL, you are entitled to use the MAS shuttle bus from Singapore to JHB airport; and with supersaver rates on MAS (online booking best), the flight from JHB to KUL costs only around 17 USD one way.

True, but unless they have recently changed the rules, the MAS shuttle bus is not free. As I recall, the one-way fare to JHB is roughly US$7 and coming back from JHB it is roughly US$4.

True, but unless they have recently changed the rules, the MAS shuttle bus is not free. As I recall, the one-way fare to JHB is roughly US$7 and coming back from JHB it is roughly US$4.

That's good to know. Still, if one had the luxury of time, bus-to-JHB-MAS-KUL is still far cheaper than a SIN-KUL ticket and a little bit more convenient than the saga of taking AK from JHB. We need competition on this route! Someday, the duopoly will end :)