Malaysia & Indonesia
Gimme some advice!
Do you know of any people / places / hotels / restaurants / bars / guides / resources in this country that you think would be unmissable?
I desperately need your advice, tips and recommendations. What's more, I need it written down.
Stick your advice in the comments.
I'll be travelling overland from Singapore through Malaysia and Indonesia, describing an islands arc that ends in Ubud, in Bali in October 2005:
J-- recommends the route from Malaysia to Singapore, on to Indonesia (via the slow boat to Java) and then on to Bali.
Also, the fruit - mangosteens and Durian fruit are (for differing reasons) unmissable.
Jen suggests the following Bali hotel links:
1 person bungalow w/hot water and tub - US $14 - I'm planning on staying in this one for a bit [...] I'd like to stay longer - but picking up visas that you have to use within 3 months etc etc etc while being a moving target is crap. also, also
______________
This is in the area (Pemuteran) where you can adopt a turtle to set free....
This is the turtle guy: "Proyek Penyu is not designed as a tourist attraction, but everyone is welcome to visit in person-or in cyberspace at www.reefseen.com. For a Rp.50,000 donation, you can release a grateful turtle aged between 3 and 6 months, or Rp.100,000 for a turtle aged over 6 months"
____________________
Pictures and info of some of the places I've got noted down to see
here, here, The Navel of the World, Definitely here too, and here; This has a good list of internet cafes apparantly but I haven't looked around in there much.
D-- suggests avoiding Bali's more touristy south coast, and heading inland or north towards Ubud.
Mike says Kuala Lumpur: beautiful airport, shit city. (Grumpy, dull, impersonal.) Don't hang around there longer than you have to.
Karen says: Just be ready for the spicy food. How to tell if it's too spicy for you: if you can smell the food they are cooking for you and the chili hits you and your eyes actually water, THAT is too spicy for you.
Daan suggested a TON of good stuff:
1. So you're taking the, eh, boat from S'pore to Jakarta? Why not fly? It's cheaper, A LOT faster, and probably more comfortable. Regional flights are really cheap in SE Asia thanks to competition between low cost carriers. Booking via the internet is fast, cheap and reliable. Hmm... sounding a bit like I have stocks in these companies or something. Anyway, I could be totally wrong here, but I'm not so sure there are (good, direct) boats from S'pore to Jakarta. I know there is an Indonesian (Pelni) ferry that goes all the way around Sumatra (S'Pore - Pulau Batam - several other stops - Jakarta), but that takes two days. And, quite frankly, I've heard horror stories of those boats.
2. (Sumatra's a stunningly beautiful island by the way... if you want to see orang-utans in the wild (Bukit Lawang), tropical forests, spectacular volcanic landscapes - hell, I'm not good enough with words in English to describe it. It's bloody fantastic. Lake Toba is fan-fucking-tastic.) (But you're not going to Sumatra, are you...)
3. Jakarta's nice too (even though everyone will tell you otherwise). Sure, it's crowded beyond belief and the smog and the heat are insufferable, but if you go out exploring on your own... I loved it. (But then, I'm a city-person.) Take the "ekonomi" trains (the cheapest) around town. Eat some pisang goreng (fried bananas in batter) on the street. In fact, have all your meals on the street. It's delicious and cheap. Pick a place crowded with locals, those are the good/clean/non-dodgy ones. If you're a smoker, try the "kretek" cigarettes. If you go to "Monumen Nasional" (National Monument, the big pillar thing with the flame on top), politely tell the people that want to "guide you around" to bugger off - they're no good.
4. Ah, yes, learn some (very) basic Indonesian (Bahasa) words/phrases. It's a fairly simple/transparent language, and it most definitely will pay off. You'll get ripped off way less and people will love it. Also, it's almost the same as Malaysian, so... two for the price of one. Speaking of which... you will get ripped off. It takes a while before you get a good idea of (the real) prices for stuff, but that's normal. I don't know what kind of a budget you're on, but I found that LP (and other guide books no doubt too) usually gives a pretty decent idea of what everyday goods are supposed to cost. E.g., stall food: around 10,000 Rupiah, room in a very basic hostel: around 40/50,000Rp, etc. Of course, it's all up to you. (Last year, 1 Euro was 11,000Rp - a pound was about 17,000 I think.)
5. Other places I visited on Java were Jogjakarta (very nice city, sort of the "cultural capital"), Borobudur (must-see Buddhist monument), and Gunung Bromo (an active volcano - very impressive). If you take the train or the bus for the "long hauls" between cities, always take the most expensive ones. Otherwise, you're in for a nightmare. Oh, and take something warm. The aircon on those things is set on "Arctic."
6. I was only in the north of Bali for two days, and it was a bit of a disappointment. The landscapes are superb (some volcanoes in the area), and the beaches are beautiful, but I had some lousy experiences there (bad hotel, people ripping me off, people hassling me, a "dolphin ride" at 4am with no dolphins, etc.). If you've never soaked in a hotspring ("air panas"): you can do that around Lovina somewhere.
7. In the south of Bali is Kuta of course, but don't go there unless you're into the touristy shit, the "nightlife/prostitution/drug scene", the whole "surfer crowd" thing, etc. The capital Denpasar is worth a visit. Tanah Lot (temple in the sea) is worth a visit. I had an amazing time in the south of Bali, but that's just because I knew some people there.
Daan also told me about Malaysia:
1. If you didn't get enough of the S'pore shopping frenzy, Kuala Lumpur (capital of Malaysia) is a bit similar in that regard: shopping is a national pastime for Malaysians. Like I said, madness, really. But fun, if you're into it. Don't miss a ride on the monorail skytrain. Don't miss Chinatown's Petaling Street (all the fake clothes and other junk you'll (n)ever need). Don't miss the Petronas twin Towers and its amazing skybridge views. It's free, but you'll have to get up very early to get a ticket. I loved KL, but as I told you, I'm a city-person, and I just met some really cool people there, so that always does a lot.
2. I was only in (Peninsular) Malaysia for two weeks, so I only did KL, Malaka (a bit of a dissappointment), and the Perhentian Islands. The Perhentians (off the northeast coast) are fan-bloody-tastic. Absolutely beautiful and great fun. Almost unspoiled - well, as unspoiled as you can get anywhere on the planet in the 21st century. Do go snorkelling there, it's brilliant. Find Nemo. Careful about the sun there, though. It'll burn you to a cinder in literally no time.
3. Oh, that's right, I also went to Penang in Malaysia. Again, nice city, but skip-able if on a tight schedule. You can easily go to Thailand from here (or vice-versa, of course).
Do you know of any people / places / hotels / restaurants / bars / guides / resources in this country that you think would be unmissable?
I desperately need your advice, tips and recommendations. What's more, I need it written down.
Stick your advice in the comments.
I'll be travelling overland from Singapore through Malaysia and Indonesia, describing an islands arc that ends in Ubud, in Bali in October 2005:
J-- recommends the route from Malaysia to Singapore, on to Indonesia (via the slow boat to Java) and then on to Bali.
Also, the fruit - mangosteens and Durian fruit are (for differing reasons) unmissable.
Jen suggests the following Bali hotel links:
1 person bungalow w/hot water and tub - US $14 - I'm planning on staying in this one for a bit [...] I'd like to stay longer - but picking up visas that you have to use within 3 months etc etc etc while being a moving target is crap. also, also
______________
This is in the area (Pemuteran) where you can adopt a turtle to set free....
This is the turtle guy: "Proyek Penyu is not designed as a tourist attraction, but everyone is welcome to visit in person-or in cyberspace at www.reefseen.com. For a Rp.50,000 donation, you can release a grateful turtle aged between 3 and 6 months, or Rp.100,000 for a turtle aged over 6 months"
____________________
Pictures and info of some of the places I've got noted down to see
here, here, The Navel of the World, Definitely here too, and here; This has a good list of internet cafes apparantly but I haven't looked around in there much.
D-- suggests avoiding Bali's more touristy south coast, and heading inland or north towards Ubud.
Mike says Kuala Lumpur: beautiful airport, shit city. (Grumpy, dull, impersonal.) Don't hang around there longer than you have to.
Karen says: Just be ready for the spicy food. How to tell if it's too spicy for you: if you can smell the food they are cooking for you and the chili hits you and your eyes actually water, THAT is too spicy for you.
Daan suggested a TON of good stuff:
1. So you're taking the, eh, boat from S'pore to Jakarta? Why not fly? It's cheaper, A LOT faster, and probably more comfortable. Regional flights are really cheap in SE Asia thanks to competition between low cost carriers. Booking via the internet is fast, cheap and reliable. Hmm... sounding a bit like I have stocks in these companies or something. Anyway, I could be totally wrong here, but I'm not so sure there are (good, direct) boats from S'pore to Jakarta. I know there is an Indonesian (Pelni) ferry that goes all the way around Sumatra (S'Pore - Pulau Batam - several other stops - Jakarta), but that takes two days. And, quite frankly, I've heard horror stories of those boats.
2. (Sumatra's a stunningly beautiful island by the way... if you want to see orang-utans in the wild (Bukit Lawang), tropical forests, spectacular volcanic landscapes - hell, I'm not good enough with words in English to describe it. It's bloody fantastic. Lake Toba is fan-fucking-tastic.) (But you're not going to Sumatra, are you...)
3. Jakarta's nice too (even though everyone will tell you otherwise). Sure, it's crowded beyond belief and the smog and the heat are insufferable, but if you go out exploring on your own... I loved it. (But then, I'm a city-person.) Take the "ekonomi" trains (the cheapest) around town. Eat some pisang goreng (fried bananas in batter) on the street. In fact, have all your meals on the street. It's delicious and cheap. Pick a place crowded with locals, those are the good/clean/non-dodgy ones. If you're a smoker, try the "kretek" cigarettes. If you go to "Monumen Nasional" (National Monument, the big pillar thing with the flame on top), politely tell the people that want to "guide you around" to bugger off - they're no good.
4. Ah, yes, learn some (very) basic Indonesian (Bahasa) words/phrases. It's a fairly simple/transparent language, and it most definitely will pay off. You'll get ripped off way less and people will love it. Also, it's almost the same as Malaysian, so... two for the price of one. Speaking of which... you will get ripped off. It takes a while before you get a good idea of (the real) prices for stuff, but that's normal. I don't know what kind of a budget you're on, but I found that LP (and other guide books no doubt too) usually gives a pretty decent idea of what everyday goods are supposed to cost. E.g., stall food: around 10,000 Rupiah, room in a very basic hostel: around 40/50,000Rp, etc. Of course, it's all up to you. (Last year, 1 Euro was 11,000Rp - a pound was about 17,000 I think.)
5. Other places I visited on Java were Jogjakarta (very nice city, sort of the "cultural capital"), Borobudur (must-see Buddhist monument), and Gunung Bromo (an active volcano - very impressive). If you take the train or the bus for the "long hauls" between cities, always take the most expensive ones. Otherwise, you're in for a nightmare. Oh, and take something warm. The aircon on those things is set on "Arctic."
6. I was only in the north of Bali for two days, and it was a bit of a disappointment. The landscapes are superb (some volcanoes in the area), and the beaches are beautiful, but I had some lousy experiences there (bad hotel, people ripping me off, people hassling me, a "dolphin ride" at 4am with no dolphins, etc.). If you've never soaked in a hotspring ("air panas"): you can do that around Lovina somewhere.
7. In the south of Bali is Kuta of course, but don't go there unless you're into the touristy shit, the "nightlife/prostitution/drug scene", the whole "surfer crowd" thing, etc. The capital Denpasar is worth a visit. Tanah Lot (temple in the sea) is worth a visit. I had an amazing time in the south of Bali, but that's just because I knew some people there.
Daan also told me about Malaysia:
1. If you didn't get enough of the S'pore shopping frenzy, Kuala Lumpur (capital of Malaysia) is a bit similar in that regard: shopping is a national pastime for Malaysians. Like I said, madness, really. But fun, if you're into it. Don't miss a ride on the monorail skytrain. Don't miss Chinatown's Petaling Street (all the fake clothes and other junk you'll (n)ever need). Don't miss the Petronas twin Towers and its amazing skybridge views. It's free, but you'll have to get up very early to get a ticket. I loved KL, but as I told you, I'm a city-person, and I just met some really cool people there, so that always does a lot.
2. I was only in (Peninsular) Malaysia for two weeks, so I only did KL, Malaka (a bit of a dissappointment), and the Perhentian Islands. The Perhentians (off the northeast coast) are fan-bloody-tastic. Absolutely beautiful and great fun. Almost unspoiled - well, as unspoiled as you can get anywhere on the planet in the 21st century. Do go snorkelling there, it's brilliant. Find Nemo. Careful about the sun there, though. It'll burn you to a cinder in literally no time.
3. Oh, that's right, I also went to Penang in Malaysia. Again, nice city, but skip-able if on a tight schedule. You can easily go to Thailand from here (or vice-versa, of course).
posted by Lectrice at lunes, junio 07, 2004
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