Trip Reports - Anniversary Trip to Malysia Report Part 1

We just returned from a 3 week first time trip to Malaysia- redeemed Delta Skymiles for 2 business class tix on Korean Airlines- IAD-ICN-KUL. We also redeemed HH points to stay at KUL Hilton Sentral for 3 nights while transitting in and out of KUL. We took 5 MH domestic flights and one leg Air Berjaya. We went to Langkawi and stayed at the Datai, then to Penang to the E&O, then to Kuala Terengganu to a small island Pulau Lang Tengah for some snorkel and diving then on to Tioman for more underwater stuff.

First an observation- we met no American tourists in 3 weeks- not even in the Hilton Exec lounge.

After a lot of hassle with Delta and rez agent problems we settled on the business class itin- at 120000 miles a pop- this is alot of miles to burn- but there was no availability using *Alliance.

Check in at IAD was easy- we packed lightly planning on taking our carryons on all legs of itin and hoping to do that on MH domestic as well. we were mostly able to do this. We were given passes to the Virgin Lounge.
Security at Dulles was a nighmare- unfortunately our departure coincided with the London bombings- lines were long!!

Virgin Lounge is very kitschy- dart board and game station- light breakfast being served at 11 AM nothing grand- - and not crowded.

IAD-ICN- Korean air is till running the old 747 400 on this route- but we knew that before we planned to go-we had booked the upper deck on both the outbound and return flights- had requested exit row but was denied. It turned oou that the exit row was empty and used for crew rests.
Service was terrific- staff bows and introduces themselves , kneels to take dinner order- and the FAs were model like- the men and women and after the 24 hour flight still perfectly made up with no hair out of place. I dont know how they do it.

Lots of hot towels- food ok- served with metal flatware and salt n pepper shakers. French wine was good and drinks offerred constantly. Also- good bread- why cant US airlines ever have good bread? LH has great bread as welll! Dessert was haagen dasz- not imaginative but ok.

There were no amenity kits! the normal contents of the kits were available for the most part- except for lip balm- slippers were provided- no socks, toohbrushes and paste avaiable in lav as well as moisturizer and mothwash- eyeshades on request and evian-like water atomizer offered by FA down the aisle. I watched 3 recent films on the IFE and had a pleaant trip- great service ok food. Would fly again- but if UA had that route business class for fewer miles UA would have been my choice!

ICN-KUL- We had a short layover and headed forthe Korean Air business lounge. The ICN airport is modern with lots of intl shopping available. The lounge was crowded- hard to find a seat- free internet light snacks and every type of drink available. Nice showers with all amenities in a black granite shower-
Airbus- room enough for our rollabord and backpacks- no problem bringing them both on. Another dinner served- great service again and lots of hot towels.

arrived in KUL- fast off the plane to the train to immigration- no one meeting the transit passengers so i did not know about the train- signage was not clear to me. Immigration went smoothly and we looked for the KLIA Ekspres signs for the train. We found that you can board the train without a ticket at KUL and pay as you disembark. What a great sysytem! The KLIA Ekspress takes 28 minutes to KL Sentral and is so easy- we were staying at the Hilton which is right at the station with signs in the station. we arrived at the HH desk about one hour after we touched down- we quickly were escorted to our upgraded roon the exec floor.

You didn't meet americans because most go to the tourist zoos in Thailand.

Malaysia's the hidden secret of Asia. It's less touristy and just as beautiful. As far as scenic stuff, there's not a terrible amount to do but KL's a world class city, Penang is also one, as well as diving in Borneo and beaches in Langkwai and on the penninsula west coast.

You were very lucky you managed to miss the haze which shrouded KL for the past few days due to indiscriminate open burning in Indonesia. It was so bad that 2 districts near KL were declared under a state of emergency and Subang Airport has been closed for the past 3 days. It was only the past few hours that the situation improved significantly, and for the first time in almost a week I am able to see the twin towers :)

Looking forward to reading the rest of your report, especially on the east coast islands.

mario- just read about the dreaded haze in my morning paper- certainly am glad i missed it.

I'm excited to see the rest of your report, as well. We spent a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur on our honeymoon (on our way to the tourist zoos in Thailand ;) ), and I definitely want to see more of the country.

Malaysia part 2

Just a note- I emailed the GMs of the hotels before we left to let them know we were celebrating an anniversary and the only hotel we had status with was Hilton- both of us Gold.

Our room in KL was as expected- plasma tv and glass-walled lav.- comfy bed and bowl of fruit AND a chilled bottle of Dom Perignon and a delicious chocolate cake with happy ann written on it. The hotel has a great pastry chef- whose creative desserts and chocolates are served in the exec lounge in the evening- Since we had been traveling for over 27 hours and it was after midnite local time- we saved the champagne and cake and took a Sonata and slept. Room was cool and quiet.
Breakfast, afternoon tea and evening service in the lounge were very good- the staff were friendly and personable and all seemed to know it was our anniversary- The evening cocktail hour was sufficient for our jet lagged bodies and we did not go out for dinner. The front desk staff helped us with our SIM card- as instructions were in Malay!
I have an observation and question- Malaysians seem to have a greater affinity for choclate than folks in other SE Asian countries- choclate is on sale in airports, train stations and gas stations and outdoor kiosks- usually in tropical climes- chocolate is not on the radar screen. Why is Malaysia different?

We spent 2 nites in KL resting up and then took MH to Langkawi- early morning flight made easy by the KLIA Ekspres train just steps from the hotel. BTW the hotel concierge has tickets for the train- so no standing in line! We had some trouble with the security folks at KUL who ddid not want to permit us to bring both the rollabaord and small backpack to the gate artea. This time we prevailed. We had arranged for a driver from the Datai to meet us.
Datai
We had booked regular room- not a villa with a pay for 3 get 4th nite free promo and we had requested a room on the top floor with a view- we received an email from LHW telling me that a room request could not be granted ahead of time. The room turned out to be as requested- upper floor with sea view- lots of polished wood and comfy sofas- tropical fruit basket and yummy chocolate mousse anniversary cake greeted us! The hotel is lovely- a quiet enclave- in the rainforest at the beach-the beach is clean- with water sports equipment- sailing sailboarding boogie boards and instructors if you need lessons- cold towels and ice water brought periodically- a great place to relax! There is a staff naturalist who leads morning and evening walks- helps identify the creatures of the rainforest- monkeys, hornbills flying mammals etc. The food was good- especially at the Thai restaurant.. The breakfast buffet was extensive- with many fresh juices and the usual mix of Asian and western dishes – my only complaint is that the bkfst costs 23+ USD and unless one asks for the a la carte menu it is not offered. We enjoyed our stay but IMHO the price was a bit steep!

We flew to Penang- did not take the ferry on advice from a FTer. The cab ride to the E&O was longer than the flight from Langkawi.

E&O
The hotel has been lovingly restored- the lobby has a large dome and the guests are welcomed by piped in big band music- it does set a tone for times gone by. Coming from the Datai- the hotel seems huge and bustling- it took a while for us to get our room assignment- but he room/suite as they are all suites was a strais view- oriental rugs, retro bath fixtures and old style furniture- the windows opened onto the straits of Malacca- really lovely- room included buffet breakfast which was just ok. We ate some great Nyonya food at Baba Nyona- which I highly recommend! Good Indian food and some good regular Chinese food! Food is definitely a high priority here. We toured the Cheong Fatt Tze museum- we had a fabulous guide- we went to the Fort and walked the old Chinatown and little India streets- 2 nights and 3 days and then back to KL.

We were welcomed back at the Hilton like long lost friends and enjoyed the exec lounge buffet and wine and then off to the Petronas Towers- went to KL Sentral and took the PUTRA line. Early morning flight to Kuala Terrengganu in order to catch the ferry to Blue Coral Island resort on Pulau Lang Tengah. When the Exec lounge staff heard that we had to leave before the lounge opened, they suggested that we have room service deliver breakfast- at 5 15 the next AM a flower laden cart was wheeled in with fresh pastries, a variety if fresh fruits, juices, coffee and breads- we felt a bit guily not eating it all! We were on an award stay and have never had such a lovely breakfast offered if the lounge was not open.

Problem with security again at KUL- this time made us check our bags- We had booked the Blue Coral Island hotel thru Ping anchorage (a travel agency recommended by Lonely Planet and a FTer) The ping rep was wainting at the airport and the transfer to the ferry- or rather- barely functioning boat which was overloaded and broke down between the dock at Merang and the island.
We were looking for a place that had great snorkeling and diving and one that was not overrun with tourists. We were willing to sacrifice luxury if the rooms were clean and aircon.
Blue Coral Island Resort pretty much fit that bill of reqs.- The sheets were clean- the aircon was good and the snorkeling in front of the hotel was fabulous!- Lang Tengah
Is a small island near Redang- uninhabited with a few basic resorts- a daily snorkel trip took us to more pristine snorkel spots and there is a PADI shop on the premises.The food was not great but the staff was helpul and pleasant- the guestts were mostly Europeans during the week and Malaysian on weekends. We really enjoyed the snorkeling – have spent 35 years looking for good spots all over the world and this was a winner!

We had heard the Minang Cove Resort- on the southern tip of Tioman Island was quiet ( only 13 rooms)and had great snorkeling in front of the hotoel and that was our next stop- We hired a private car to take us from Merang to mersing about 450 km and stayed at the Timotel in Mersing- where we needed to take the ferry to Tioman.

Minang Cove

Minang Cove sits at the southern tip of Tioman- a setting so dramatic that it takes one’s breath away- under misty mountains on a steep slope surrounded by jungle the resort is built into a steep hill. One arrives and departs by water only. There is a great sunset bar overlooking the sea and an open air dinig room where meals are seved as well as afternoon tea. Pur room was brand new- many steps up from the jetty- marble floors and fancy bath- a/c and a balcony overlooking the sea. There is really no beach for sitting but a deck with lounge chairs on the water’s edge. The water clarity was a disappointment and the snorkeling in front of the hotel was not great- especaill in comparison to to Lang Tengah. Hoewever we took a boat trip to some fabulous snorkeling one day- but there were lots and lots of people there at once- There many divers who were also complaining about water clrity-! The foods at the resort was good as compared to the Blue Coral Island- we took a trek thru the jungle to an adjacent fishing village- about an hours walk. The resort had a nice laid back feel to it- not a good place for babies and toddlers as there is not much flat space. A good spot to unwind and read- No phone service- it is blocked by the mountains!

We spent 5 days and had booked Air Berjaya back to Kl- the flight was delayed for more than3 hours-wwhich I am told is not unusual so we spent some time walking around the town near the airport. Air Berjaya lands in the old airport in Kl- we took a taxis to Hilton and spent a few hours in the lounge before we headed to KUL for our flight back to the US.
To our surprise- when I checked in for the overseas flight- our seats on the ICN-IAD flight were not as I had reserved- we were told that the upper deck was to be used for economy on this particular flight- so we had been reassigned- the pitch was better downstairs and we had a smooth flight

I'm glad you like Penang. I had the pleasure of staying at the E & O before they rennovated it and whilst it looked run down, there was still glimpses of its past glory, such as the dome ceiling in the lobby. Now its only for those with cash to burn!

A much awaited Part 2 !!

I have only had the buffet breakfast at the Datai once, and while I did enjoy my breakfast there, I thought the buffet was too "European". The Datai has a predominantly British clientele, and I suppose most of them wouldnt mind paying GBP13 for breakfast while on holiday. Did you venture over to the Andaman for your meals ?

I hope your 450km journey from Merang to Mersing was not too uncomfortable. It must have taken at least 5-6 hrs for the journey, and I hope the scenery was worth it for you.

I dont have an answer to your "chocolate" question. I suspect the chocolate shops here are targeted more at tourists rather than locals, since they are always located in airports and train stations. Malaysia do attract quite a number of tourists from other third world countries, and my guess is that they are able to get a better selection here (?). What I do know for sure is that Malaysians are very fond of buying chocolates when they travel abroad; and as a kid I used to look forward to my box of chocolate whenever a relative returned home from abroad :D

Mario The manager at Blue Coral Island arranged for a NEW car for us- I am sure it was a friend- and new it was- good aircon and he was a skilled but very fast driver- as he intended to return home to merang that evening. We stopped for lunch at the Hyatt outside Kuantan- the restaurant is overhanging the beach- agreat spot for a break and great Laksa Lunch Specials. the ride was really not that scenic- as the driver took the "short cut" through the rubber plantations rather than along the shore- but without counting stops for fruit and lunch and chocolate the trip took less than 5 1/2 hours.
We went to the Andaman for dinner- to their Indian Restaurant one night- it was good and we checked out the Spa view at the Andaman one afternoon but did not use the services of the Spa.

Just found this trip report. We are leaving in 2 weeks for about 10 days in KUL. Probably will not be as adventurous as you with out trips, but still looking forward to some time off. Have thought about doing one of the "city water resorts" for two days (Sunway or Mines) and then into KL and stay at Hilton.

We are doing KE biz class from Chicago to ICN. Current flights look like a 744 during that time. There is a thread about their equipment here:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=390910&referrerid=4145

Have thought about doing one of the "city water resorts" for two days (Sunway or Mines) and then into KL and stay at Hilton.

Are you sure you want to do that :eek: ?

Sunway has a water themepark, while Mines has a private golf course and a most tacky theme park (imagine a huge refrigerator they call "winter land"). Both have shopping malls nearby.

If I were you I would make a sidetrip to Langkawi, Penang, Singapore or even Bangkok. Promotional airfares to Langkawi, Penang and Bangkok are relatively inexpensive, and the luxury coach down to SIN is cheap and comfortable.

you might be right.... since we arrive at midnight after long trip, figure the first day or so are shot and just need to relax. Maybe go into KUL and rest for a day or so, then do the sidetrips you mentioned?

Need to figure out one with the least hassle to get to. Used to be able to do long treks and such, but age has begun to catch up with us.

movedtoomuch @ yahoo.com

Enjoyed reading both parts of your trip. Thanks for sharing with us! ^

No Stress- the trip to Langkawi or penang are easy and cheap- if you book online with MH , they are about 28 USD each way and the trip takes only about an hour- there is no question that the trip to KL is tiring- but I think 10days in KL is a lot! Have a great trip and PM if you have specific q's.

@naxos
i will be in malasya the next summer, i want to visit tioman and lang tengah, i have to decide the resorts, i have heard that in tioman in some beach there are sandfly, have you found them in minang cove resort? the snorkeling is so bad near the resort?
blue coral island resort is near ather resorts?

thankyou andrea.

p.s. sorry for my english

great report