Hi all, got a nice break coming up and taking the family to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Penang. Singapore leg is short, the other 2 stops are multiple weeks. Already have accommodation sorted, and have browsed all the standard 'things to do'. Hoping that some of you have tips on things to do that might be just off the beaten path. What are the things that we just have to do? What are the hidden gems? Good tips on places to eat (or best coffee)? What random advice you got? Kids are all under 10 (youngest is 4) Much thanks for whatever advice comes along!
Been to Singapore and KL on many occasions, and all I remember is the food. Some of the best food in the world. If you like golf, playing golf in Singapore is fun.
might want to check out beach pulau langkawi near Penang if you have time. otherwise.. eat everything
The only place I golfed at when I lived in Singapore was at a military base. That was the convenient place to play. Normally when we played, we drove to the Palm Resort Golf Club in Senai Johor, Malaysia. As far as food, I'd recommend the pepper crab at either Long Beach Seafood or Jumbo Seafood.
When are you planning on going? Not a good time to visit KL right now with the haze. I have Malaysian friends who say almost all their families are sick because of it.
Not for a month or so - have been worried, but apparently monsoon this month will clear up what is a yearly problem
I have been to Malaysia and Singapore a couple of times....mostly Malaysia. Here is my take.... If you are in Malaysia for a couple weeks, I would suggest taking some time off to visit some of their best beaches....Redang, Tioman, Pehentian etc..... Some really nice beaches with activities for children as well. Book in advance though. The southernmost city, Johor, which is a small bridge length across from Singapore, has Legoland and other activities for kids. Listing some food items you should try..... Asam Laksa. Voted one of the top 10 food items in the world. I highly recommend it. Satay. Its like barbequed meat on a stick. You can get chicken, beef, rabbit, deer, etc. Nasi Lemak (coconut rice) with chicken or shrimp Roti Canai Try their bakeries. They have some great ones with some really good bread/pastries baked daily Cendol. Mildly sweet delicacy Ikan Bakar. These are seafood restaurants. You pick the fresh catch of the day on display and then have them cook it the way you like them Teh Tarik. Pulled milk tea Lastly.... Durian. Stay away. Seriously. Unless you cant smell anything, stay away from this thing. Kuala Lumpur has several malls with plenty of brands that you cannot find in US. We do a lot of shopping for our kids there. Try Pavillion, KLCC, Sunway Pyramid, Mid valley Mega Mall, 1 Utama, etc. Bring plenty of $$$. Your wife will love it there.
come on man. don't tell him to stay away from durian. there are tons of people that like it, including mr. peleincubus. you are right it doesn't smell good but it tastes delicious.
This fruit is a hit or miss thing, I have Filipino friends who love them, when my father visited the Philippines he also thought it was great. If you can OP I would try it, might love it and think it's the best tasting fruit ever, might think it taste like a gym sock with rotten cheese.
Food... Bourdain did Penang a few years ago... http://anthonybourdain.tumblr.com/post/24328835272/next I stayed here a couple years ago http://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Hotel...g_Hotel-George_Town_Penang_Island_Penang.html I liked it. Clean and central to the old town. Also stayed at the hard rock hotel in Batu Ferringhi, which is next to the beach. Food at hard rock was very expensive compared to outside. A 10 minute walk to town and food was like 1/2 off. Tripadvisor was pretty good. Another useful resource was http://wikitravel.org/en/Penang_Island Try commuting using a trishaw. (short trips). Cheap and you help out the locals. Wife, kid (3 y.o then) and I really enjoyed our stay. We'd go back. Have fun!
Some good advice already. In Singapore check out the Marina Bay area. There are the Garden's by the Bay as someone else noted but also a huge Ferris Wheel similar to the one in London. You can also go to the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel for a great view of Singapore. For the kids there is Sentosa Island which has an amusement park and also the night Safari at the Singapore Zoo. Since it sounds like you are going to be there for awhile I would recommend going to Malacca. It is a very historical city with a mixture of Portugese, Dutch, Malay and Chinese cultures. Very beautifully preserved shop houses. While Singapore has wiped out much of its nature but Malaysia still has a lot of great natural areas. Not too far from Penang is Langkawi which is very beautiful. Also second all of the great food. My personal favorites are Nasi Lemak, Chicken Rice and Roti Prata. Make sure to get the Roti Prata in the morning and from what I remember one of the best places was in KL Chinatown where people would queue up early in the morning for it.
I lived in Singapore so if you have any other questions feel free to post it here. I'm pretty swamped now but will check back later.
I don't understand people's aversion to durian. I mean, to me, papaya sometimes smells like puke. Who cares? Quit smelling it and just eat it.
