a SIN/KUL transit question
 

I'm planning a week's trip to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. After spending three nights in Singapore, I'm planning on spending two nights in Kuala Lumpur before returning to Singapore for my final night. My flight out of Singapore departs quite early on Northwest Airlines.

I was considering taking the flights on JAL to/from KUL, as mentioned in another thread.

17MAR JL 721 SIN 0640P KUL 0740P
19MAR JL 722 KUL 0900P SIN 1000P

20MAR NW 012 SIN 0610A NRT 0140P

I was thinking it might be a good idea to book those flights, then stay my final night in the Singapore Transit Hotel in Terminal One. Am I correct in assuming I would arrive in SIN, stay overnight in the hotel, then check in for my Northwest flight (presumably at a transfer desk?) and not have to go through immigration/customs-- staying in the sterile area of the airport the entire time? Does this sound like a good plan or are there better ways to do this trip?

You have done your homework well!! I will do a similar trip in May, using the train rather than flying(S'pore-KL-S'pore). Enjoy yourself

[This message has been edited by 1000k00 (edited 03-10-2003).]

This seems about right, on the proviso that the checkin staff in KUL can tag your bags all the way through, past SIN. I wouldn't see this as a problem, but you may have a slight hitch as JL and NW aren't part of the same alliance, I don't think this is a real issue though.

You are unlikely to get your boarding pass in KUL, but they will most likely tag your bags all the way through, with flight number (if others have had difft on varied non aligned carriers, pls advise on here). In SIN they have very large transfer desks for airlines (complete with pull a tag and wait in the queue system) in both terminals for you to be issued with your boarding pass. Don't expect to receive this boarding pass on NW stock.

I think staying in the airport hotel is the way to go (as long as you can find a room - book early being the important thing), also good idea staying at the airport, particularly with such an early flight, as well as having visited SIN earlier on in your trip. I have heard SIN Silver Kris lounge can get seperate allocations of rooms in the transit lounge, that's if you can get it and ask them if you do have difficulties getting a room.

There are no earlier flights on SQ/MH to get you in for your 6am NW flight. JL is fine. The service is exactly the same as SQ/MH, don't expect a full international service on this 30 min flight.

Hope you have a good trip, and looking forward to hearing a trip report when you get back!

Also, try and limit your time hanging around the KUL KLIA terminal, it's dead boring. I would strongly suggest catching the KLIA Ekspress if travelling in a party of 1 or 2 from KL Sentral (which joins to the Putra and KTMB lines). Allow 28 mins to get to KLIA, with 15 min regular departures from KLIA and KL Sentral, on the dot. You will need to allow time to pay at KL Sentral, at KLIA you can just jump on a train and pay when you arrive at KL Sentral. They accept credit card through machines at KLIA, and over the counter by payment of cash or credit card at KL Sentral. KL Sentral has a regulated taxi fee which can get you to all areas through KL / Petaling Jaya (be warned, arriving after 12am to catch a taxi incurs a further 5 or 10 RM fee, additionally the trains on Putra close from around 11:30pm. Luggage is a supplementary RM1-2/piece).

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 03-12-2003).]

Thank you for the great information. I will be traveling with hand luggage only (assuming JL doesn't force me to check my rollaboard), so baggage should not be an issue. As for room availability, I have already made a reservation. You mention that KUL is a very boring terminal. How is the shopping? Anything noteworthy? How much time should I allow for checkin, immigration, and security formalities?

Shopping in KUL Airport is really bad, everything is overpriced. SIN has a much better selection and better pricing (though I generally try to avoid shopping at airports - they tend to be much more expensive, except when I arrive back in SYD, where alcohol and perfumes (not as much as alcohol, but still ok) are generally quite cheap [and you don't have to lug it around everywhere with you]. There are all of maybe 3-4 shops in KUL - one for cigarettes, one for alcohol, one of all other bits and pieces and maybe a few design shops and a delifrance. Upstairs they have a couple of places - one restaurant and one rainforest cafe. There is also the Plaza Premium lounge which is about US$15-20 for entry. The deli france there charges like a wounded bull.

Processing in KUL is quick, on departure. on arrival it tends to be very slow and tedious, as they never put enough immigration agents on. It is quick - if you hold a Malaysian passport.

My suggestion when you arrive there first is to quickly exit the aircraft on arrival, catch the first available train to immigration, on arrival, exit and take the escalators down and through to immigration, you'll get there before the rest of the passengers from your flight. The trick - get to the connecting train to immigration first! Being slow could add another 30 min wait. The next thing to do is time your exit to catch the connecting KL ekspress which leaves every 15 mins on the dot, take the lifts (on the right) upon passing immigration baggage check on leaving down to the KL Ekspress.

On departure, smooth - they process you at checkin very very quickly, down the escalators, through immigration which are generally very quick (look for the international passport agents rather than malaysian passports). Don't forget to fill out all sides of your immigration form - there is a little bit many people miss at the back with a few yes/no questions.

Once cleared through departure immigration arrive for your flight and give yourself about 10-15 mins to be at the departure gate, as there may be a queue (they need to xray your carryon and metal detector you) then you can hang around in the waiting lounge for the flight (they usually have a TV there playing dead boring (though local) stuff!), the way they do this is similiar to the waiting gate lounges in SIN. If you need to speak to a gate agent about change of seats etc, you must do this before you proceed to the waiting lounge, they are standing just after the metal detectors and baggage check at the departure gate typically.

Malaysia KLIA is generally a very quick place to arrive and depart, with little crowds (except on immigration arrival). It is clean, modern and covered in grey granite throughout. Watch out for the birds (i've never had any droppings on me yet!) in the terminal on arrival, a nice feature!! (they're live - it's supposed to mimick a real rainforest!, but let me reassure you KLIA is boring and very sterile in nature).

In terms of things to do at KLIA, as i've said it is REALLY boring. So try and minimise the amount of time you spend there. If you do want chow and don't have lounge access, I'd suggest getting some food BEFORE you go through immigration, they have a KFC there, and some other noodle, sandwich shops and a Burger King.

If you do want to do shopping, save it all for Malaysia, skip shopping in SIN or SIN, KUL airports, head down to in Kuala Lumpur - KLCC, Mid Valley Megamall (Bangsar LRT Putra station is the closest), and the Sungei Wang / Lot 10 / Star Hill area (near JW Marriott, new Westin, Regent) for your shopping. I've read many folks on here think SIN taxis are cheap, well divide the price you pay in SIN by 4-5 times and that's what you'll pay for a taxi in Malaysia - I almost feel sorry i'm paying them that little - it probably cost them more in fuel! Also, don't miss a visit to Petaling Street in Kuala Lumpur.

[This message has been edited by kawoh (edited 03-13-2003).]

Thanks for even more great information! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/cool.gif As for the Plaza Premium lounge, I'll have access with Priority Pass.

The Priority Pass affiliated lounge in KUL is a bit of a disappointment, especially compared with the superb MH Golden lounge next door.

As of last year, IIRC they had 3 very old computers (W95 with 16 or 32MB RAM), unusable with more than one window open. If you have your own laptop, unplug the Ethernet cable from the relic and into your own machine (DHCP on), as the connection itself is fast.

Its showers were not particularly well maintained or designed (very hard to keep socks dry), food selection sparse but ok. Do tilt your (chilled) glass before using the beer on tap, as an Irish gentleman showed me, otherwise all you'll get is foam!

The eateries in the KUL satellite are overpriced and serve poor food.

In my experience, immigration is relatively quick, but lines can get long at emigration if you get caught behind a wave of inexperienced flyers to SE Asia.

All in all, KUL is a physically superb facility with relatively efficient operation (mostly because it is underused) but not much to do between flights.

You may find it easier if you take them off before entering the shower http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 03-13-2003).]

The changing area and the shower stall share a common floor, forcing one to balance on one wet foot while putting a sock on the other.

If you have a better technique please share it http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

great immigration info on KUL kawoh, thanks. ^


Where is a good place to exhange some US$ for Malaysian currency, at KUL or in Kuala Lumpur someplace?

I have a US-issued Citibank ATM card and I usually stick it into a Maybank ATM (which are quite ubiquitous) and out comes Malaysian Ringgit :) The rate that I've been getting for the past few years (since the MYR was pegged at 3.8 to the USD) is the official 3.8 rate plus 1%. Eg. A withdrawl of MYR300 shows up as US$79.78 on my Citibank statement.

I can see you've been through KUL a few times :D, and I agree about SIN being much better for shopping; alcohol prices, in particular, are among the cheapest on the planet (which is surprising considering that they cost an arm and a leg as soon as you're past Customs!)... but let me just emphasize that the above is for the international satellite section after immigration!
So yes, if you have time to spare don't go through immigration, but eat & shop after checking in. In addition to the obvious shops and restaurants on the departure level (5), you can take the elevator down to levels 2 or 4, both of which have food courts with much better selection and somewhat lower prices.
You forget that fuel in Malaysia also costs 4-5 times less than in SIN! And Petaling St ain't the same after they built that fancy-schmancy roof over it... but the bak kut teh is still good.

That's good to know about the food courts. There is a chinese restaurant on the departure level that practically overlooks the immigration area and not only is it dreadful, it is stunningly expensive (relative to off-airport prices). My family and I usually stop at Nilai on the way there for some REALLY good, last-minute, down-home Chinese food :)

Oh! You're evil! :D Now I'm going to be dreaming of bak kut teh all weekend. Sigh.

I always thought the best bah kut teh (pork ribs in garlicky dark [or light if in SIN] herbal soup) to be found was in Jalan Ipoh near the Putra World Trade Center. That is, if it's still there.

If you are in the area, try the nasi padang near the Masjid Jamek LRT station or any of the fried noodles opposite Petaling St a couple of steps away from the Kotaraya shopping mall. You'll notice them because of the sparks flying from the charcoal burners.

Like blueDC says, stick to ATM. But if you must bring US$, there are couple of money changers in BB Plaza 1st floor and basement as you walk in (ask around, major shopping center) on Bukit Bintang in the heart of KL's golden triangle.

I usually go to the neighborhood restaurants (no A/C, ugh) around PJ Old Town, SS2, or OUG for delicious and very herbal BKT. There's one multi-hawker restaurant in SS2 that serves amazing nasi padang/kandar, roti canai, curry/prawn/wanton/etc. mee, char kway teow, etc. - all under one roof! (well... two, technically, since they are separated by an alley but under the same management) I don't know how the local food in the 'burbs compare to the ones in the City but if I don't stop talking about it, I might just book the next flight out! :)

I guess the $64k question would be: where would you find BKT in DC? :D

Easy, you make your own. Buy the ribs and get the spices (they come in a tea-bag-like pouch) from an Asian supermarket (at Maxim in Rockville, MD definitely or maybe at a GrandMart or a SuperH) are you're set.

There are more than a couple of Malaysian restaurants in the DC area. There's the Penang at Reston Town Center (not good) and another in Bethesda (good) (www.penangnyc.com), Malaysia Kopitiam on M Street NW (good), Mandarin Inn in Alexandria (good) etc. but I don't think bah kut teh is on the menu but you certainly find other staples such as rendang,popiah,roti prata/canai and kankong belacan

May I ask where PJ Old Town is?

Also, what/where are "SS2" and "OUG"?

Any other food recommendations for KL? Specifically, inexpensive local fare in food courts.

PJ=Petaling Jaya=a satellite suburb of Kuala Lumpur about 30 minutes drive away when there is no traffic, via the Federal Highway.

PJ is quite a large suburb and 2 of the focal points is the "Old Town" and the "New Town". The "Old Town" is the nexus of where PJ first started and is a self-contained township comprised largely of old 2-storey Chinese shophouses. PJ "New Town" is 10 minutes away, is more modern, contains several large government buildings and is the center of the PJ municipal government (MPPJ). This is where the PJ Hilton is, for example.

SS2 is a sub-division within PJ and is a residential area. It is primarily defined by roads which have numbers that nobody understands. The center of SS2 is again, a shophouse area with several execellent eating choices.

OUG=Overseas Union Garden=one of the first few KL residential suburbs on Old Klang Road.Predominantly Chinese population.

You have to be in KL for an extended amount of time to visit the above and they tend to be very local in flavor. Food courts are quite representative of the spread of food choice and the Golden Triangle area has lots (e.g. KLCC, several malls on Jalan Bukit Bintang etc). Typical Malaysian fare:
1) Nasi Lemak - fragant coconut rice served with sambal belacan ikan bilis (anchovies fried in chili paste and fermented shrimp paste). Origin: Malay
2) Nasi Padang - rice cooked Malay-style with a selection of meats and vegetables. Origin: Malay
3) Beef Rendang - beef slow-cooked in a belnd of spices and coconut. origin: Malay
4) Hainanese Chicken Rice - fragrant rice cooked with the essence of chicken and served with boiled chicken. Origin: Chinese
5) Assam Laksa - noodles in spicy fish gravy with a twist of mint. Origin: Straits-Settlement Chinese
6) Roti Chanai - unleavened bread eaten with curry. Origin: Indian

tide Thanks for that information.

I am familiar with the dishes, I should have asked, "Any recommendations on specific food courts/streets where I can find local fare?"

You mention some malls, but if you or anyone has a favorite food court, or street/neighborhood, I'd welcome the recommendation. I will be on both Petaling Jaya (Hilton) and Sentral (Hilton). In Petaling Jaya I guess I can take a taxi to the "Old Town" or SS2, and wander around?

blueDC quote: "There's one multi-hawker restaurant in SS2 that serves amazing nasi padang/kandar, roti canai, curry/prawn/wanton/etc. mee, char kway teow, etc. - all under one roof! (well... two, technically, since they are separated by an alley but under the same management)"

Would love more detail that would help me find this place.

Just tell any cabbie that you want to go to Cheow Yang Restaurant in SS2. They should know where it is. Saying SS2 alone is not enough as SS2 is enormous with multiple restaurant rows. You can give them the address (64, SS2/10) but almost no one in PJ is familiar with locations based on the street address alone. Most people refer to landmarks like Cheow Yang. I remember that the Indian half of the restaurant is called Kayu Nasi Kandar (amazing, you have to try it). I usually go greedy and eat at both Cheow Yang and Kayu Nasi Kandar. It's no wonder I gain a lot of weight everytime I go back to KL :)

From the PJ Hilton, it is easy to cab to SS2. I would advise against walking around Old Town. It's quite sketchy. SS2 (Tai Thong area SS2/67 which is the main restaurant/business area) is more palatable and easier to navigate. The nightime hawker stalls are very popular in SS2. The food at the restaurants (like Cheow Yang) here are more Chinese-oriented. The nightime hawker stalls are more Indian-oriented. Within the restaurants, there are individual cooking stations (or hawkers) that sell Chinese dishes in the daytime (don't go at night). Different stations are manned by different owners (usually ppl who are very skilled at that one particular dish) and payment is done on arrival of the dish, not at the end of the meal. Cantonese is the main language at these places but the ability to point and choose what you want is sufficient.

At night, these restaurants serve amazing chinese dinners. Most places have the usual dishes like sweet & sour pork, pork ribs, clay pot tofu, belacan kangkung (leafy green thing), steamed fish (ginger+soy or hot chillies), lemon chicken or variations of those dishes. Also, you can skip the rice and communal dishes altogether and go for the noodle dishes in two distinct styles - Hokkien and Cantonese. Both are very, very good. Unfortunately, the ability to speak Cantonese is crucial when ordering at these places. They may understand a little English but they would be hard-pressed to match the English name of the dish with the actual dish.

Bear in mind that these food courts/streets/neighborhoods are kinda Third World - no a/c, hygiene is not a priority and I wouldn't use the bathrooms. You have to be quite adventurous (or a local) to eat at these places. For great local fare in civilized surroundings at higher prices (and higher quality ingredients to go with), go to the nearest Litte Penang or Madam Kwan's (or try Sakura on Jln Bukit Bintang). English widely spoken.

The other place that I frequent at night for food is Bangsar, which is pretty close to the Sentral Hilton. Everyone in Bangsar speaks English (thankfully!). The strip of restaurants along Jalan Telawi 3 are awesome (I especially enjoy Devi's Corner and Lotus). They are so popular, in fact, that if you tell a cabbie you want to go to Devi's Corner in Bangsar, they'll take you there without an address. The food here is more Indian-oriented. There are also nightime hawker stalls next to the Jolly Green Giant on Jalan Telawi 2 (the next street over). These are perenially good and popular. Bangsar is very happening. The bars and clubs along Jalan Telawi 3 further up the hill are where ppl go to see and be seen. I like the Red Chamber next to the Starbucks. Upstairs is the Harem where you can lay on beds, smoke huka/hookah? and sip martinis all night. Very fun. You should definitely check it out. Go bar/club-hopping till the wee hours and load up on food after. Quite fun!

If you're just looking for food courts in shopping malls, I guess the one at Suria KLCC is quite good. I think there's one in Mid-Valley Megamall next to Sentral. I don't usually go to mall food courts coz I'm a crazy local who sweats it out (albeit uncomfortably) in a neighborhood food court or nightime hawker stalls :D

You may also want to try some hotel restaurants as they serve some of the best Chinese dim sum in the city (Shanghai at the JW Marriott and the restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental come to mind).

Ahh, food :) Enjoy!

Just a little to add to the superbly detailed suggestions.

Near PJ Hilton is Jalan Gasing. If you like South Indian vegetarian banana leaf rice fare, you could try the Lotus restuarant on 15, Jalan Gasing. Several prominent Indian politicos make these their must-stop chow point so it must be good.

The KL Hilton is in the Brickfields area - an area that was predominantly populated by Indians in the past because of the proximity to the railyard where a lot of them were employed. As such, some excellent Indian restaurants in the vicinity.

Near the center of town, near Petaling Street - the world's best beef noodles can be had at Jalan Silang. As you face the Kotoraya mall, walk down the side down Jalan Silang. Pass a McDonalds on your left and keep walking 50m, you will find Soon Kee Beef Noodles at the junction of Jalan Bandar.

blueDC and tide

Thank you very much for all the information. Maybe we should start a "Malaysia/KL Food" thread?


Kayu Nasi Kandar appears to have several outlets including one at KLIA.