I recently went to Malaysia for the first time on Malaysian Airlines. The flight took about 6 hours and the service was lovely and I was quite comfortable.
Arriving in Kuala Lumpur we (myself and the other travel agents) went through the checks and then we were taken to our hotel.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel KL. It was beautiful and the service was excellent. I loved my King size bed…I don’t think I have ever slept in a more comfortable bed in my life.
In the morning after breakfast (OMG the food, the food) we met with our tour guide to experience the Skybridge Petronas Twin Tower. You must note here that to visit the Towers, you need a ticket. Our tour guide lined up at 1.00am to get tickets for us. The ticket office opened at 8.30am. They only allow 1000 visitors a day and 500 on Friday so if you are keen be warned of the queue. Remember this building is 88 stories and the Skybridge is on level 41, so if you have a fear of heights this is NOT for you.
The view was spectacular…tall skyscraper with a mixture of old with mountains in the background. Definitely worth a visit.
We also had a walk through the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. This is boutique style shopping and has around 450 outlets. After a hard day of maxing your card you can enjoy some of the delicious food at the food court.
From there we moved onto Chinatown. For people who like to shop and get a bargain…this is the place for you. I unfortunately only had half an hour but I managed to put a great dent in my wallet. Make sure you are prepared to barter.
Then it was off to the Central Market. Enroute we had lunch at the Ginger Restaurant. Malay food has a kick to it is all I can say.
Friday evening we attended a business session at the Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel where Y.Bhg Dato’ Zakaria Ahmad – Malaysia Culture Specialist spoke to us about Malay Culture. We then proceeded to the ballroom for dinner and a wonderful display of Malay dance which included Chinese, Malay and Indian dancers. It was wonderful and a great evening was had by all.
The next day was filled with shopping. We visited Sungei Wang Plaza which is gadget heaven. Any electrical/computer accessory you need you can pick up here. Laptops a plenty. Ladies, a great place to leave your man to peruse on his own. Then onto Lot 10 at Bintang Walk. Another shopping centre with many levels.
The evening was filled with dinner at the Royal Selangor Club after we proceeded on to the Launch of the Colours of Malaysia. This I find very hard to describe into words but I will try my best. His Majesty The Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Al-Marhum Sultan Mahmud and Her Majesty The Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah arrived as well as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, The Minister of Tourism and many more dignitaries attended. The night was filled with dance, colour, singing, and fireworks with around a thousand performers. It was truly a majestic night. It was in honour of promoting tourism for Malaysia.
The following morning we said goodbye to Kuala Lumpur and flew out to Langkawi. We took the KL Sentral to the airport. It is a train that takes you directly to the airport. The best thing was that you checked your luggage in at the station and it was taken directly to the airport and onto your plane. You received your boarding pass and then you could leisurely walk around the airport without stressing about your luggage or lining up in long queues.
Langkawi…what can I say?! Heaven on earth. We stayed at the Frangipani Langkawi Resort and Spa. Langkawi is surrounded by 99 islands. The weather is beautiful and tropical.
The Langkawi Cable Car is a must. Spectacular views and an exhilarating ride to the top of the Gunung Machincang. You will really enjoy the marvellous views of the Andaman Sea. I could not get enough photos.
A quick stop at the Atma Alam Batik Art Village where we shown how they do their Batik art, a small art gallery out the back where you can purchase art from local artists and beautiful clothing and scarves within the shop to purchase if you so wish.
We then went to Eagle Square where there is a magnificent statue of the reddish brown eagle majestically poised for flight.
The following day was a boat cruise to Kilim Nature park which features a beautiful mix of well protected green mangrove forests, isolated white beaches and blue lagoons. We were exposed to the wonders of the park’s marine ecosystem, flora and fauna and its natural habitats like the overhanging “bogak trees”, brown eagles, tree crabs, iguanas and macaques. Watching the eagles swoop down one at a time to be fed was amazing.
Lunch was at The Hole in the Wall Restaurant and Fish Farm. This is a floating restaurant on the Kilim River where you can also see some very large fish, stingrays, crabs in the holding tanks that they have.
The last part of the tour was to Laman Padi which showcases the history, heritage and development of the nation’s rice growing industry.
My time in KL was wonderful and I would recommend it to anyone.
the outlet Mall although a bit far had the best bargains in a retail air conditioned style but saw some interesting bags and ethnic style tops at the souks which you will visit on the morning city tour I would recommend. Its worth buying the local ladies eye liner then.