Killing a Week in Malaysia - "Easy Rider" !

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My Wife & I will visit Penang early June to check everything out, including condos.

Thereafter, I am considering spending a week driving around Malaysia to investigate
other potential places to live & visit general places of interest. The tentative plan (off the top of my head !) is as follows:

Ipoh: 2 nights
Perak: 2 nights
Kuantan: 2-3 nights (then drive to KL to catch return flight to OZ)

Intend to skip KL & Cameron Highlands since have been there recently - plus Malacca appears a little off route.

Would appreciate any suggestions on (i) most interesting places to visit & what to see  (ii) good value for money accommodation options on route (not too fussy since on my own). Very open-minded to any good suggestions.

Cheers,

James

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Also - is it too rushed heading across to Langkawi for 1 or 2 nights ??

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Hi James

I would suggest Perak x 2 nights taking in Taiping and Ipoh. Not sure if I would advise a quick visit to Teluk Intan as it has not been my favourite town.

A trip to Langkawi is always worthwhile but only if you want a break from rushing around checking out potential places to settle. A place like Langkawi should be savoured much as you would savoured a good drop of brandy or port. Pangkor island is another place in Perak that is worth exploring too.

Don't know much about Kuantan, so I can't comment. Definitely agree about skipping Cameron Highlands and KL but it would be pity for you not to visit Malacca. Lovely town especially if you go there mid week. Do not visit this place during the weekend as I believe the hordes from KL and Singapore descended on Malacca making it touristy and surcharge plus, plus added on everything.

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Thanks Cupert.

Based on your feedback, another approach may be be to include Malacca & skip Kuantan (i.e. been there before). So, the itinerary would then be Taiping/Ipoh (2), Perak (1) & Malacca (2-3). Are there any places north of Penang worth including as still have 1-2 more days ?

Cheers,

James

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Hi James

Taiping and Ipoh are in the state of Perak and so two days for both are ample. IMHO. Perhaps others would care to comment. Teluk Intan, also in Perak is worth exploring but quiet and a bit off the main highway.

I like Malacca. It is a place I would consider, after Penang and Butterworth. North of Butterworth is Alor Setar, Kedah. Almost as quiet as Teluk Intan. I must admit it has been a long time since I visited Teluk Intan but been to Kedah quite recently, so am happy to elaborate on Kedah. More Chinese people lives in Teluk Intan than in Kedah........Alor Setar/Kedah is populated with a heavier concentration of Malays.

Don't discount Kuantan. You may decide this is the place that you would like to move to. I think you need to get in touch with one of the expats who moved to Kuantan.

The thing about KL is that we tend to think of it as a rat race and concrete jungle and yet, there are lots of areas which may be appealing. Many, many years ago, my step father bought a place in Petaling Jaya. Back then, it was considered the end of the earth! How things change after a few decades! It kind of reminds me about this book that I stumbled across...................a story told in pictures without words but the message is so clear................that it sticks in my mind.

Picture a mother with her baby staring out of the window. They have moved into a quiet countryside area and far away, there is the city. You can barely see the blurred outline. Turn the page, mother and toddler still feel safe whilst they gazed at the emerging outline of the city. And, the next, there is mother and child of 5 years old, with the city creeping nearer. Turn another page............you get the gist of what I am trying to say here?

So, don't think KL but think suburbs. However, bear in mind that one day, this quiet suburb is going to become part of the KL city.

Just my two cents worth of opinions.

Cupert

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Based on highly proficient advice (& emails) from our personal travel consultant (Cupert), final itinerary is as follows:

Penang: 7 days
Ipoh: 2 days
Genting: 1 day
Kuantan: 2 days
Malacca: 2 days

Now we are just awaiting the consultancy account !!

Cheers,

James

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Hi James

Taiping and Ipoh are in the state of Perak and so two days for both are ample. IMHO. Perhaps others would care to comment. Teluk Intan, also in Perak is worth exploring but quiet and a bit off the main highway.

I like Malacca. It is a place I would consider, after Penang and Butterworth. North of Butterworth is Alor Setar, Kedah. Almost as quiet as Teluk Intan. I must admit it has been a long time since I visited Teluk Intan but been to Kedah quite recently, so am happy to elaborate on Kedah. More Chinese people lives in Teluk Intan than in Kedah........Alor Setar/Kedah is populated with a heavier concentration of Malays.

Don't discount Kuantan. You may decide this is the place that you would like to move to. I think you need to get in touch with one of the expats who moved to Kuantan.

The thing about KL is that we tend to think of it as a rat race and concrete jungle and yet, there are lots of areas which may be appealing. Many, many years ago, my step father bought a place in Petaling Jaya. Back then, it was considered the end of the earth! How things change after a few decades! It kind of reminds me about this book that I stumbled across...................a story told in pictures without words but the message is so clear................that it sticks in my mind.

Picture a mother with her baby staring out of the window. They have moved into a quiet countryside area and far away, there is the city. You can barely see the blurred outline. Turn the page, mother and toddler still feel safe whilst they gazed at the emerging outline of the city. And, the next, there is mother and child of 5 years old, with the city creeping nearer. Turn another page............you get the gist of what I am trying to say here?

So, don't think KL but think suburbs. However, bear in mind that one day, this quiet suburb is going to become part of the KL city.

Just my two cents worth of opinions.

Cupert

Mrs C......imo.....your previous posts are erring on the facebook kind of diatribe...no offence intended.

But this quoted post is excellent...erudite, genius in composition and style, and informative to boot.

You go girl; and have a great day.

David

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Davita, I'll have you know that I personally write some quite informative things on my facebook page.  Are you on there?  Why haven't you asked me to be your Friend? 

I do agree that's a really excellent posting from Mrs C though - good on ya, Cupert.  Mrs C is very quiet today - on a plane I guess.

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Davita, I'll have you know that I personally write some quite informative things on my facebook page.  Are you on there?  Why haven't you asked me to be your Friend? 

I do agree that's a really excellent posting from Mrs C though - good on ya, Culpert.  Mrs C is very quiet today - on a plane I guess.

Thanks Karen....we are friends.... but not using facebook.
My wife is an aficionado and currently has some 4532 'friends'. In my septuagenarian life I have never met so many people.
I'm too stupid to adapt to this social network but, please, I do not decry nor deny...it...just passes me by.
I read news, I watch quiz shows and sitcoms, I enjoy debate, I drink.... I also enjoy occasional forums with pertinent, to me, information .....what else!
Oh! I forgot...I have a boat. If you need to question that.....then you have never owned a boat!
Am I right Scott?

David.....safe landing....to Mrs C.

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My Wife & I will visit Penang early June to check everything out, including condos.

Thereafter, I am considering spending a week driving around Malaysia to investigate
other potential places to live & visit general places of interest. The tentative plan (off the top of my head !) is as follows:


Kuantan: 2-3 nights (then drive to KL to catch return flight to OZ)

Would appreciate any suggestions on (i) most interesting places to visit & what to see  (ii) good value for money accommodation options on route (not too fussy since on my own). Very open-minded to any good suggestions.

Cheers,

James

What type of accomodations are you looking for?  Cheap beach resorts (Cherating, but 45 minutes from Kuantan), or cheap in-town places??  Having used both, I would recommend one of the two:

The Annexe Rest House (former colonial style place fixed up into a hotel)
Quality Homestay

The Annexe (09-568-1544) has rooms for RM80 and up.  They are often booked up with Malay wedding parties.  I used to recommend it since it is 3-4 minutes from the city centre and 4 minutes from the famous Teluk Chempedak (TC) beach.  Now I recommend the newer Quality Homestay (09-567-2020, 016-935-2020, Mr. Fong), which has rooms for RM70.  The Quality rooms are very new and clean, don't be fooled by the low price.  It is close to the Annexe and, thus, city centre and TC.

If you don't mind higher prices, there are the Tembeling Resort, Swiss Garden Resort, and De Rhu.  All three have websites and are easily found with a web search.

Teak, in Kuantan

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Hi Teak,

Thats extremely helpful - shall check these options out & let you know which one I go for.

Cheers,

James

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Hi Teak,

Thats extremely helpful - shall check these options out & let you know which one I go for.

As for interesting things to see in Kuantan, I would suggest:
1) Lunch at the Lemon Tree restaurant at Tembeling Resort.  Fantastic view out over the town and the ocean.  The Tembeling is a hidden jewel IMHO, not too well known but it has its advantage of being close to the city centre, and being somewhat isolated from the city at the same time.
2) A visit to Adina's Batik shop.  This is in a kampung across the bridge from Kuantan (Jalan Beserah/Jalan Telok Sisek intersection).  They dye cotton and silk using the batik method, and then sell the items in the shop, both material and finished products.  I plan on putting some photos and a short writeup about Adina's soon on my blog (TeakinMalaysia, blogspot).  Another hidden jewel.
3) A trip north of Kuantan along the coast.  Highway goes through many kampungs and there is a good assortment of beach resorts to check out.  The kampungs running from Kuantan northerly are: Beserah, Batu Hitam, Balok, Sungai Karang, Kuantan port (skip it by using inland road), Sungai Ular, and then Cherating.  Lots of foodstalls and resorts to choose from.  The Balok area also has a batik shop where tourists can try their hand at the craft.  It is beside the turnoff to De Rhu beach resort.
4) Good low-end resorts for the money: De Rhu (Balok), Lis Na Ree (Sungai Ular).  Good high-end, Impiana (near Cherating).  The food at the Impiana is the best that I have had in Malaysia.  Again, I have a report on my blog RE the Impiana (July 2009).

Teak

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Awesome Teak !

Is there any property agent you could suggest if I want to have a quick look at some housing options ?

Many thanks again,

James

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Awesome Teak !

Is there any property agent you could suggest if I want to have a quick look at some housing options ?

At the Kuantan Plaza mall there are property development displays with information and agents to talk with.  The state development agency (PASDEC) develops some properties (e.g.,  Tembeling resort) and they have an office that you can visit.

The problem with Kuantan is that the governor (mentari besar) of the state has decreed that foreigners must spend a minimum of RM750,000 on a house.  There is virtually NOTHING in that range.  (Maybe one of the Sultan's palaces!)  One gets the picture that they don't want foreigners (read that as 'Singaporeans') buying property in Kuantan.  Rental is the only option at this point in time IMHO.  But, for RM500-1000 per month, one can get a decent house rental in a nice area.

Teak

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Thanks Teak - I get it !

Shall PM you in due course.

James