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Malaysia Trip Report

I had the pleaseure of visiting Malaysia (and Singapore) this past May and June.

I started off in Singapore, where after a few days hanging with a Singaporean Uni buddy of mine, I was promptly carted off to a five day QUARANTINE for having been on a plane from Japan with someone who later tested positive for H1N1. Bummer! After my release, I spent another night eating, eating and eating again, the delicious food from various food courts and hawker stalls. YUM!

I caught the bus over to JB (Johor Baru), a common entry point into Malysia from Singas. I was by myself and found in no hassle to grab a bus to an onward destination (not much for tourists around JB). I randomly chose a destination based on availability and within half an hour of getting to the bus terminal, I was on my way to Kuala Terranganu in the North East, close-ish to the Thai border. I spent some days there soaking in the Malay culture - which is the dominant culture on that coast (the West coast is more Chinese and Nyonya). The architecture was beautiful, as was the food delicious, and the people were friendly enough. More reserved than in some places I have been, but very pleasant nonetheless. I then sauntered over to Pulau Kapas, an island about a half an hour boat ride away (the dock is about 20 minutes south of town in a village, bus terminal folks will know where to drop you if you say "Pulau Kapas"). Kapas was busier than usual due to it being a public holiday (King's B-day) but still not very crowded. I stayed at ABC (beach chalets) and it was 50 Ringits (15 USD) for a pretty good sized chalet - and if I was not alone, I could have easily fit a few more friends into the chalet to cut the cost. Nice beaches - very white sand with very very verdant jungle dripping from steep hillsides.

This area of Malyasia is good to pick up Baik, Songet and other crafts at reasonable prices, depending the QUALITY - real songet of hte highest calibre can go for 10 000 USD - but it is a beautiful fabric interwoven with much gold thread.

NOTE: I found Malyasian bus services to be realtively infrequent and needing reservation, esp. on weekends, public and school holidays, especially around the King's birthday, which is in early June. The buses are quiet, no music or movies on any I was on, cheap, but not as frequent or with as many options per route as say in South America.

After KT and PK, I headed to Kuala Lumpur (the capital) and met up with my BF and headed over to Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia (on the island of Borneo) with Air Asia. I LOVE AIR ASIA. Cheap flights and good service. I flew to Borneo and back (entering and leaving from different ports) for 50 USD. Kuching is a beautiful city on the river, with numerous National Parks around, the easiest and most poular being Bako. I stayed in the hostel at Bako (see NP office in Kuching) and it was reasonable (30 Ringits per person if I remember correctly...) After that, we took a plane to Miri, and then another smaller Air Malaysia plane to a small town called Barrio in the Highlands close to the Indonesian border. Beautiful and very nice hiking. We did a five day jungle trek staying at remote villages and camping in the jungle, gathering jungle food with our guide, etc. In Barrio, contact Nancy Harriss Guesthouse and Petrus is a recommended trekking guide.

Then it was on to Kota Kinabalu (capital of Sabah, the other Eastern Malaysian state on Borneo). Nice city too, a bit more hectic than Kuching, but a great market, great street eats (as in the whole of Malaysia) and lots of activities around. I did not climb Mount Kinabalu but flew past it on my way to Lahad Datu.

In LD, I was able to get to the Danum Valley with my BF, as I am doing my grad school in Environmental Studies, we were allowed to stay in the Scietists facilities (cheap and verrrry intersting to meet all the researchers). I cannot tell you how many animals I saw in the wild - wild orang utans, gibbones, lengurs, asian leopard cats, civets, mouse deer, giant hornbills, etc etc etc. Cough up the cash and stay at the Borneo Rainforest Lodge if you are not affiliated with a research program, Danum is the Garden of Eden.

I hopped over to Sandakan for the day. Yeah after seeing wild Orangs I had no need to go to Sepilok to see like 400 tourists and one rehabilitated Orang coming back for feeding time. I simply sauntered around Sandakan's downtown/waterfront, eating more Roti Chennai than necessary with my man.

Then on to Melacca, back on the Peninsula. Great old Portugese/Dutch colonial town with some old builidings, Nyonya culture and food, and a cute Little India with great banana leaf veggie food on the cheaps. Backpacker and hippie vibe, cute cafes, trinket shopping, and incredible humidity. 4 USD a night dorm beds!

Then back to Singapore, no solitary confinement this time but again, toooo much delicious food and the good company of my friend and her husband, and my BF of course :)

Cheers and visit Malaysia!!

By island girl on Oct 3, 2009, 14:45 in Malaysia.

island girl says on Oct 3, 2009, 14:47:

spelling mistake above - Baik is BATIK - the wax-dyed cloth. Ooops! There are probably more spelling mistakes up there, sorry, fast fingers and slow eyes when I am typing.

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Sam Salmon says on Oct 4, 2009, 09:52:

Did you have to wear a bag on your head the whole time?

' a la orden!'

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island girl says on Oct 5, 2009, 12:11:

???? Not sure what you mean???

I am not sure that I am THAT fugly that I need a bag on my head at all times ... :-O

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