Touring Kuala Lumpur In A Private Car For Five Hours - Any Ideas?

voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 00:01
Last edited 09/04/2017 - 09:41 by 1 other user

KL is a hole. I hate it. My teen and I are flying in late Monday and flying out Tuesday evening. I have a private car for six hours. The rate includes pick up at our hotel in Bukit Bintang and drop off at the airport. We are supposed to get a lady driver, thank heavens.

I'd like some ideas of places to visit for five hours. No bat caves or shopping centres. I want to maximise the value if having a driver. Unfortunately we will be back fir another visit where we fly in in the morning and out the next morning. I will probably arrange longer things then. Like shopping centres or tours or the like.

Any advice on things we can do in the near city without too much time off for the driver would be appreciated. Any tips on viewing platforms that are cheaper than others also appreciated. I understand there are some restaurants with good views but we will save those for the second trip.

Thank you!

Travel

Comments

  • crentist on 09/04/2017 - 02:23

    Can't say too much about tour ideas, but wondering how much the car hire is for that time? I was there for a while recently (work stuff, not much tourism) and found Uber and Grab (local equivalent) really good for getting around. Heaps of cars on the road, and they can be very cheap, especially if you are lucky enough to be there during a promotion (which seems to be frequent with local competition). Last trip they had <4km trips for 1RM. So a few connections and we'd get to Petaling Jaya for a dollar. Normal price would have only been around 5 or 6 though

    For instance, the airport to KL city takes about 45mins and costs about 60RM or so. But that's a very long distance, and getting around the city and surrounds rarely goes over 20RM. The apps seem to be fixed price by straight line distance. So often we'd go somewhere a few km away, and due to the bad road layouts and traffic it could take 20minutes, but the price might be 5RM

    Downside is that the drivers often seem lost before they pick you up, I've cancelled more than a few who never seemed to figure out where to turn. But In 3 months living there I've never caught a taxi

    Oh yea there's a bird park which is pretty cool. I mainly found the best thing is the amazing food, and a limau ice

      • bluedufflecoat on 10/04/2017 - 13:11
        +6

        I think they really shouldn't let you in to the country at immigration.

  • Emli on 09/04/2017 - 09:01

    FRIM is good with the tree top walk.

    On the second visit to KL, go to the fireflies and Icity in the way back.

    What have you done before?
    Twin towers viewing bridge.
    Happy hour at traders hotel sky bar with magnificent views of the towers. Go ta sunset.

  • altomic on 09/04/2017 - 10:57
    +2

    I really enjoyed the museum of Islamic art/architecture. But you want something a bit less time consuming. Traffic in KL is usually pretty crap with delays.

    • branners on 09/04/2017 - 12:34
      +1

      I second that. My wife suggested a visit last time we were in KL and I though, 'oooohhhh….', not because it was Islamic but because generally, those kind of art and architecture places are usually not my thing.
      Stunning place, absolutely amazing. Beautiful building, really interesting. We spent a couple of hours there and I would go again.
      Also suggest the afternoon tea at The Majestic Hotel, which is nearby, 90RM if memory serves, and a cocktail at the same hotel afterwards. A lot like Raffles in Singapore but much better value.

      • altomic on 09/04/2017 - 13:01

        exactly my thoughts of the place.
        and the examples of architecture and history (such diversity) -as a museum it is fantastic.

      • voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 13:12

        Thanks, is this easy to reach? We might do it in our way back through.

        • prawol on 16/04/2017 - 06:39
          +2

          The Islamic art/architecture museum is rather central, and a beautiful place to visit. (The nearby mosque is pretty cool too, and open to foreigners).
          However, with your prejudices, I'd recommend avoiding the area entirely.

          Also, your premise of "KL is a hole", and wanting to fill 6 hours driving around a city with bad traffic: there's no way you're going to enjoy your day. You should just spend the money on a luxury hotel and relax. The amount that you're spending for a car for one day is more than I spend on 5 star accomodation in KL.

        • Mamajo on 16/04/2017 - 09:49
          +1

          @prawol: yes, agree.

  • RandomNinja on 09/04/2017 - 11:51
    +2

    I can see you'd rather not fly in at all if there wasn't a reason and if the cultural differences are stressful, why try and do the tourist thing? Would you be better off just doing something relaxing like take in a movie, get a massage/spa treatment and have a nice meal? I'd personally prefer that over dealing with KL traffic!

  • modsec802 on 09/04/2017 - 12:53
    +2

    If you tell yourself you hate it so much then you'll hate it. Just change your mind and tell yourself you'll have an enjoyable time.

    If you are really dreading it that much just stay in a hotel near the airport and lounge around the pool eating cheap delicious Malaysian food. No traffic, problem solved.

    • voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 13:11

      I have to show my teen the town. Can't go there and stay in.

      The second visit we will go to a shopping centre and the like.

  • [Deactivated] on 09/04/2017 - 14:02
    +17

    Honestly, just stay at the airport.
    You seem to really hate the place for no apparent reason other than your own bigotry.

    I feel sorry for whoever you're travelling with, they deserve better.

    • retiredfeline on 09/04/2017 - 14:20

      I bet OP couldn't pass up an opportunity to air those views yet again.

    • billy3000 on 09/04/2017 - 19:33
      +3

      totally agree.. all the makings of a horrible experience for all concerned,including the driver!

    • voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 20:33
      -6

      Actually, if you talk to most woman who have travelled to KL without a man, you will find that they are queried relentlessly about their marital and family status.. Even in my 4 star hotel, the waitress held up a menu so that she would not have to look at me when I went on my own. I was dressed very modestly. Perhaps there might be some charm if you are a male or travelling with a male, but very few locals were remotely civi when I went on my own. Other western women I encountered were also sick of it. . Even shop girls were rude. I've been to other Muslim countries and Malaysia is the worst. The rest, no problem, but KL is filthy in its treatment of unaccompanied women.

      Sorry if you can not understand how this relentless rudeness makes a person begin to hate a city.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/04/2017 - 20:53
        +2

        So, if that is the case… Why are you going back?

        • voteoften on 10/04/2017 - 01:57

          Stop over.

        • [Deactivated] on 10/04/2017 - 10:24
          +3

          @voteoften:

          You have a duty of care to protect your teen from such a terrible place, you should stay at the airport.

          Singapore is only an hour away, why not go there?

        • strawberrybug on 11/04/2017 - 09:43
          +1

          @voteoften: stay at the airport

      • strawberrybug on 11/04/2017 - 09:43
        +5

        I've been to KL and other parts of Malaysia plenty of times with other female companions, so either a duo or trio of only women with absolutely no bother at all!
        I get asked more about my marital status at the nail salons in SYDNEY which are not "Islamic/Muslim" at all. You make me laugh with how full of crap you are, this is purely your own prejudice.

        Please don't travel, just stay under your rock. I feel sorry for your teen with that kind of negative mindset in his/her life.

      • prawol on 16/04/2017 - 06:50
        +2

        Seriously??? You hate KL because people ask if you're married???
        I think this is more a reflection of your own insecurities: not their culture or your gender.

        Also, from my own experience, single men in Malaysia get asked questions about marital and family status a LOT more than women do.

  • xyee on 09/04/2017 - 17:02

    You could try Petrosains. It's a science museum and is pretty good from what I heard. http://www.petrosains.com.my/

    • voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 20:38

      I think we might do that sort of thing on the second swing by. Thank you.

  • bluesky on 09/04/2017 - 19:09
    +1

    If you have 5 hours, consider a drive to PutraJaya.
    It is a planned city and federal administrative centre of Malaysia.

    Quite pretty, very clean with nice bridges, man made lakes, wide open spaces, convention centre up the hill, which the car can drive up. It is where the PM lives, has some impressive mosques and Muslim architecture. Some images/places can be found here and here.

    You can have the driver drive you around; and make brief stops if you want to have a coffee/snack break beside the lake (not many of these places, but I trust the driver will know where), or just to look at things a bit more.

    • voteoften on 09/04/2017 - 20:38
      +1

      That sounds like an excellent idea. Maybe we will have a couple of hours in the city and head there. It looks like it's on the way to the airport and if we go there we may miss out on some of the peak hour traffic. Thank you.

      • bluesky on 09/04/2017 - 20:55

        Hope you have a good time and enjoy the sights there. Yes, it is closer to the airport, and you may avoid some peak hour traffic.

        • voteoften on 27/04/2017 - 11:06
          +1

          We did stop by and stopped the pretty pink mosque to look around while our driver apparently went and prayed.. It is a very pretty town. It appears so spread out, I wouldn't want to go there withoutout a private car as there didn't seem to be many cabs floating around. The driver kept urging us to take a river cruise, but I didn't think it would be sufficiently interesting. Due to language barriers I could not get out of her when they started. She said they were an hour long but I couldn't get the frequency or start times and did not buy a SIM card for that day.

        • bluesky on 27/04/2017 - 20:24

          @voteoften: Yes, I remember it was not easy to find timetable info about the cruise. I did not take it either.

  • strawberrybug on 11/04/2017 - 09:45
    +6

    Just a note for other women who might be reading this. Don't take this post as any kind of advice for travelling to KL whether on your own or with other women.

    • Mamajo on 16/04/2017 - 09:56
      +2

      Totally agree. I've travelled to KL many times and have never had any problems. It all comes down to your attitude.

  • adeboy on 26/04/2017 - 12:43

    Hey, I was born in KL and I hope you will have a nice trip to KL. Batu Caves is 13km from KL so might be a good trip during the day if you wish to. It is limestone caves at the top of steep steps housing Hindu temples & shrines, plus a huge deity statue and tons of monkeys around. If you are not keen for a day trip, why not do a fireflies tour at night time to Kuala Selangor. It is quite fun, and on the way there, you can visit a fort up in a hill (with monkeys) and have a nice cheap seafoods along the river.Malaysians love their foods and it is good to experience the various cultures via local foods. If you want a free and easy day, just ask your driver to do a food tour. Start the day/night at a local day/night market and the eat your way around the various foods Malaysia is famous for. Malays for its satay, rendang, nasi lemak, Chinese for its wan tan mee, assam laksa, char kuey teow and Indians for its roti canai, curries, rotis and mee goreng. Just tell the driver you want to eat local foods and ask him/ her to bring you to places where he/she will go to.

  • voteoften on 27/04/2017 - 10:56

    Thanks everyone.

    Our female driver did an adequate job but spoke very little English. Unlike what was promised.

    The Indian ladies at central market were delightful.

    My teen and I decided to go to the revolving restaurant on the Sydney tower. I paid extra to get a window table.
    Midway through our meal, a couple came an stood between us and the window. There was a man photographing them across our table, intruding on our privacy, with the camera being held above our table. He literally moved up and pushed his crotch into my daughters shoulder. This after I said three times, "we are trying to enjoy our lunch". He continued to ignore me, literally pushing himself against my daughters shoulder. I stood up and said very loudly, "back off"! He ignored me. My daughter also protested.

    I went over to the waiter and demanded action be taken to stop this unwanted contact. He looked confused. I went back to the table, ready to finally, use my own physical contact to stop him shoving against my daughter.

    He was an employee and did not care about our concerns or comfort, just said, "do you want a photo."

    I find this completely unacceptable. Both the holding of the camera above our food as we were trying to eat and also the ohysical contact. There was sufficient space between tables that they could have waited two or three minutes and achieved the same background for the Photo as the restaurant does revolve.

    I complained at the booking podium, was asked where we were staying and said we were departing soon and they could reach me via email. She assured me they would do so that day. No contact from them. It's been two weeks.

    On the way back through, we stayed on a club floor and at cocktail and canapé hour, we were sitting, fully clothed, with arms and legs covered and scarves as well. A quartet of Singaporeans (two couples) were eating canapés and drinking wine. When I ordered a glass of wine, a Muslim dressed woman and her male companion made noises of displeasure and made a show of moving over to the other side of the lounge.

    I again, assert, KL is an absolute hole. Women without male companions are treated significantly differently than those with male companions. Regardless of dress or conduct. My daughter complained of disdainful glares. She wears no makeup or jewellery and dresses modestly.

    On the flight to Perth, a Malaysian sat next to me, plopped his fat ass next to me, let his long leather coat flop over, covering one of my legs, immediately engaged in man spreading, literally shoving my legs over , taking over 2/3 of my leg space, put his arm on the arm rest and pushed his elbow into my ribs. I caught the eye of the flight attendant and the man was moved. He later came back and interrogated me on being moved and I said that it was obvious to all that his behaviour radiated disrespect for my personal space and was unacceptable in any circumstances.

    The Grab driver on the way to the airport was an Indian Malay and we had delightful conversation regarding his upbringing and his upcoming search for an arranged husband for his daughter, who, as an accomplished career woman, told him she wanted him to deal with it. And about the various machinations behind the wedding, reception and wedding clothes. He said it was the most enjoyable airport runs he had made and the 45 minutes went so fast.

    I'm not racist. For those who think I am, I assert that I can object If I am treated poorly regardless of the way I dress or conduct myself. I have travelled in other Muslim countries and I find the city of KL to be the worst, by far. There are some good people in KL, but most of them are guest workers from other parts of Asia or have other ethnic origins that they identify with, such as the father and adult daughter Chinese Malays that we met on halong bay. I spend about seven to nine weeks a year in SE Asia and have never had any reason for discomfort. Even in very remote places where they do not get western visitors on a daily or even weekly basis. Last year I spent two weeks in regional Vietnam, walked around alone at night, felt no hostility. This was in a place where ten days in, I did a double take on seeing the first Caucasian. I feel sorry for people whose knee jerk reaction is to blame the people who object to poor treatment. Hopefully you or your family won't be subjected to unwanted physical contact or hisses and glares for no reason other than your existence. I asked for ways to try to enjoy KL, given my personal experiences. Keyboard warriors, neg away.

    • bluesky on 27/04/2017 - 20:58

      On the way back through, we stayed on a club floor and at cocktail and canapé hour, we were sitting, fully clothed, with arms and legs covered and scarves as well.

      I wonder whether by using scarves, you might have been mistaken for a Muslim. So, when you ordered wine, which is prohibited for them, you might have been unfairly judged. Not many non-Muslim women wear scarves there.

      I am heartened, however, to hear that you did have some good experiences as well, despite the bad ones.

    • adeboy on 28/04/2017 - 12:48

      Hope there are more ups to downs in this trip. Most locals there speak ok English, not great but passable. Malay is the national language there and most locals are bilingual or multilingual like me (I speak English, Malay, Cantonese and a bit of Mandarin). Sorry to hear about what happened at KL Tower and glad you made a complaint about it. I do have to admit there are a bit more propaganda by the ruling party to have the people to follow more Islamic rules in the recent time just to win more election votes and bypass the more important issues in the country, like widespread crimes and corruption. All the best in your future travels, do update us if you decide to be brave enough to venture out to Malaysia again =)

  • bluesky on 02/05/2017 - 16:57

    I only just read this rather ridiculous piece of news : Chess dress 'ban': Malaysian girl's outfit 'provocative' - so I guess if over-the-knee dressing is considered provocative, maybe things are taking a turn in that country. Has always been a moderate multi-cultural society, so again hoping this is an isolated incident.

  • Peck on 02/05/2017 - 18:58

    Just remember that the airport is a long way from town

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