Guy Betsy

I was in KL at the DT too on the 29th. I have a regular Grabcar guy who I call upon in advance. I only called him cos I got lots of bags.. but usually if it's just myself with I bag and or carry on I take the train. There's an ongoing promo that KLIA Ekspres has with Visa Paywave (you use your card to tap in and out) that gives you a 15% discount off the regular RM 55 fare. Promo extended till 30/Sept 2018.

https://www.kliaekspres.com/visapaywave-promotion/

Jaimito Cartero

sokolov

What websites can you recommend for booking hotels in Malaysia these days? I find my version of Expedia very confusing, as they even mix in airlines lounges, 6 hours stays, daytime stays, and show many many properties as constantly sold out (months in advance, and they aren't actually sold out).

Is there another app based taxi sevice but Uber and Grub?

I've never been to Malaysia before. Is there a good primer to read about taxis, dining out, tipping, safety, etc.?

Thank you!

Diplomatico

Try booking.com for your hotels.

Uber is no longer in Malaysia. Grab is your only choice for an app based service.

Taxis are cheap in KL (there are two types of taxis - the blue ones are considered "premium" and cost a bit more), Jalan Alor is the street food area (in Bukit Bintang) and the malls all have inexpensive food courts, tipping is not required, it's relatively safe anywhere the average tourist would be going.

Just google your destination ("things to do in _________") for your "primer" needs.

IAN-UK

All true - though a couple of caveats.

Taxis can be a nightmare even for those used to the city. Far better to rely on Grab, which (touch wood) hasn't let me down. And I'm a grudging enforced migrant from Uber, so I've been expecting things to go wrong. AND I never had to call for transport in the rain. You can usually get wifi in cafes etc, but sim cards are easy and cheap. I'm not sure why the OP is seeking alternatives to Uber or Grab.

If origin and destinations are close to an LRT/MRT (metro) station, use that. ditto the monorail, though i hate it, and don't.

There are a number of free, city-centre bus circuits: but I haven't been able to make sense of them. Perhaps you can.

If you're not a fan of the street food environment, the mall food centres and their stand-alone restaurants can be interesting. Very few of them are expensive in "world" terms, and there are some nice surprises. One this week was a Bengali restaurant in the Intermark: plain, not so Bengali, but very decent food and very helpful staff.

Safe, yes. But not as houses. A Taiwanese tourist was killed last week in a bag snatch coming out of the Islamic Art Museum, near the National Mosque. And a Pakistani lecturer was gunned down in the street a day or so later - but this last one was likely to be politically motivated.

I'm stuck when it comes to telling visitors what to see. Central Market, Merdeka Square and the Jamek Mosque can be done in a short walking circuit from Pasar Seni LRT/MRT to Masjid Jamek LRT: perhaps best done in the evening if you're not happy in the heat. Otherwise its the islamic art museum ...... and the then i run out of ideas. Kampung Baru is interesting (and it's also an LRT station) - a village atmosphere (in part) within the city centre and a stone's throw from the Petronas Towers: but again, it's hot work walking round.

Then of course there are the shopping malls - the older unsanitised can be fun, the bland modern one bore the pants off me.

sokolov

Thank you so much! That's helpful.

I am planning to go to Penang. I've found a very cheap flight to get there from KUL. For the return, I was hoping to take the train, but I can't book that yet. However, booking on short notice seems ill adviced, as the train from Butterworth to KL Sentral gets fully booked. How long in advance does KTM usually publish their timetable? When can/should I book a ticket for a Sunday in August?

IAN-UK

easier to take the bus from Penang to KL. Loads of them, like every 30 minutes: take 5-6hours. AirAsia is quicker!

sokolov

I find buses terrible. They make me sick. I'll happily pay double for a train.

IAN-UK

Then be happy: you will pay double

It's a bit of a faff, you have to get yourself over to Butterworth first. There are three or four trains in the morning, starting quite early. Scheduled times are something over four hours to something under five hours.

You can book online with KTM (http://www.ktmtrain.com), even choose your seat. All very civilised.

sokolov

Do you know when I can book that? How many weeks in advance? I tried, but couldn't even book for June, let alone August.

And are the discounts to know of, like for 2 people traveling together?

TNX

IAN-UK

Don't panic! I think it's a four week booking window: and really there's no great urgency.

I can't think why they'd give discounts for couples, but you can get discounts if you are a senior citizen. Though probably not worth waiting for that

JFSV

Does anyone have a recommended driver based in KL to take us from KL to Pangkor; from Pangkor to Penang and from Penang back to KL? (On different dates, of course).

It will be two people and two large suitcases hence our preference for a driver/taxi as opposed to train or bus.

Thanks heaps

sokolov

How widely accepted are Visa and MasterCard?
I'm trying to estimate how much cash I'll need. TNX

Skyman65

Planning to visit Malaysia (KL, Taman Negara, Penang) in July. We are thinking about renting a car to drive to Taman Negara (Kuala Tahan) from KL. I am a long-time resident of Taiwan, so I am used to dealing with...let's be kind and call it "unconventional" driving habits. And I have experience with right-hand drive. We've looked at the private/public shuttle bus options, and we just like the idea of being able to travel on our own schedule, and stop where/when we like. We're planning on staying at TN for two nights.

Is there any reason why this is a very bad idea, and we should stick to the shuttle bus options? Anything we need to know about driving this route? Thanks.

Girlmusttravel

I just returned from Malaysia a few weeks ago. Don't laugh, but most of my research prior to the trip was obtained from reading the standard travel books. I used both Visa and Mastercard but only for larger purchases, such as hotels, restaurants, and a couple of stores in shopping centers. The rest of the time, I just pulled money from an ATM, which was easiest. The cash you need is high dependent on what kind of food and any shopping items you purchase. If you're on a budget, then street food can be insanely cheap for US/Canadians.