BootsnAll's Travel Community

I am going via kuala lumpur to new zealand in september on a 1 yr WHV and have the option of stopping there for as long as i want or just going straight to new zealand. If I did decide to stop how long would you say is long enough Will I need jabs, how much money. Realy dont have a clue about it and need inspiring. Thanks

KL is worth a day or two. It's not that exciting, but if you've never been to SE Asia it's worthwhile to do a little sightseeing and eating. Both Melaka and Singapore are not too far from KL -- both are much more interesting, and I would definitely recommend spending a few days in each of those cities, if you will be stopping through the region.

I'd say KL is a worthwhile visit for sure. There are a good number of free or nearly free museums with english interpretations available in nearly all and a wide variet y of exhibits. Lots of cool weapons. The shopping there is better (read cheaper) than anywhere else for a couple hundred miles, and the people aren't quite as "in your face" as say Thailand. Singapore is good if you want electronics with warranties and all that fanciness, but if you're just in for some cheap asian crap and designer knock-off clothing KL is the place to be. The food is absolutely amazing in both flavor and variety. Indian, Chinese and Malay food are available eveywhere and are authentic and cheap. Teh Tarik (pulled tea) is possibly on of the best beverages in the universe. Go. Way more culture and way less cash than Singapore, that's for sure. Meleka has some great cultural stuff, but is not as good for the shopping binges. I'd say taking 3 days to explore would be well worth it, though maybe not too much more as it can be a little hard on the lungs. If you have a week to spare hit up the Cameron Highlands instead of just doing cites.

Bottom line - well worth a visit and easy on the budget.

Stinks like shit though.

KL is amazing its a modern city with deep historical roots. being in an islamic country really opened my eyes to different worlds. seeing women in full islamic dresses including face masks walking into a starbucks and shopping for clothes in a mall, somehow stuck in mind as these women perfer to dress like this and their not forced to.

also seeing the worlds tallest buildings was cool

Jabs for Malaysia? I doubt it's necessary. I wouldn't know though. after all I'm a Malaysian.

This thread has some good detailed informationto complement what others have said.

KPG who was passing through is now in New Zealand with hubby on a WHV and so no doubt will be a mine of info for you and meanwhile started this thread on Malaysian pricing I would say that not only should you have a break of more than a few days but that you could make it into a couple of weeks at least to see Malaysia a very friendly and safe country (apart from bus drivers) to travel in and lots to see.
Though it is monsoon season, the peninsula rain is more spread through the year and thus not so bad a time to be there.

Cameron Highlands, train up through national park and Perhentions Islands should all be under consideration, and if you get adventureous for some of the rest of Asia, then you will only be letting that cooler NZ warm up a bit.
Have a look at www.talesofasia.com and for jabs worldwide, www.cdc.gov is a good guide but if not getting far of the beaten track, it could be more take adequate precautions, long sleeves, repellant, bottled water etc., rather than innoculations.

As to

quote:

Stinks like shit though.

for Asia in general, yes you need to be prepared for an assault on the nostrils- it being a tropical smell you'll find just about anywhere in the tropics other than perhaps some highly developed island cities, from rotting foliage on jungle floor and that with heavy tropical drains, fully enclosed drainage systens can cause problems and thus you have open drains which sometimes could be waiting longer for a flush out.

Thanks everyone, Gonorth I have already bought my ticket so am only staying for 2 nights but intend to travel more on the return journey. Thanks for the info I will look into everything.

You might find that you can extend your break there with minimal cost and if so, well NZ in September/October can be damp blustery and cold.

Hankat, definitely consider travelling more on the return journey. It's easy to get everywhere in Malaysia from KL, so you could consider an island break, book a tour to the awesome Taman Negara rainforest reserve (booking a tour is the easiest option, they organise transport and offer you a choice of accomodation ranging from dorm beds to 4 star--very democratic!) or hop on a plane to visit Kuching in Sarrawak or Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, both served by Air Asia. Even if you only stay a week, you'll have some amazing experiences.

I'm a citizen of Malaysia and resident in Kuala Lumpur and I agree with the general sentiment here -- visit KL only if you're thinking of shopping. Otherwise, it's much like any crowded city -- nothing of particular consequence here except for the excellent food at reasonable prices

If you want more outdoorsy stuff, consider one of the many islands like Tioman, Sipadan (which is said to have some of the best diving in the world), or visit Mulu caves in Sarawak. Most of Sabah is good as well.