KL & Penang: Perfectly Paired

Day 1

We left my uncle’s flat in Marine Terrace, Singapore, with him, and took a train and two buses to reach Johor Bahru, Malaysia’s financial and business capital in the south of the country. We went through immigration twice, once before leaving Singapore and once after crossing the Singapore Strait and arriving in Malaysia. Long-term Singapore residents and citizens only need a special QR code rather than a passport to pass through, as they frequently visit Malaysia, sometimes even just to spend their lunch break there! As the bus crossed over the Singapore Strait, I knew that our trip to Malaysia was going to be a completely one-of-a-kind experience for me.

After a travel-packed morning, we stopped by the shopping malls in Johor Bahru. We had arrived at the Johor Bahru City Square Mall and the Paradigm Mall. The stores were covered with many festive decorations for the Chinese New Year. Both malls towered over the road, the Johor Baru City Centre Mall five stories high, and the Paradigm a whopping seven stories high! Each layer of the buildings was shrouded in a multitude of different stores with their unique kick. In Paradigm, numerous stalls were selling wafers, truffle sweets, traditional Chinese candies, skewers and an abundance of other items. There were face paint stalls for the kids (and parents!) who wanted their Chinese zodiac sign painted on their faces. There were stores for convenience, technology, hardware, clothes, furniture, home décor and more! If you needed something, it was guaranteed that one of the 800 retail stores spread across the two buildings had what you desired.

We hastily made our way to the Johor Bahru Airport, nearly getting carried away by the grandeur of the extravagant shopping complexes. At 6:30 pm, we would fly to Kuala Lumpur, where we would stay at the Travelodge Chinatown Hotel and have dinner at the night market.

With time to spare, we arrived at the Johor Bahru Senai Airport, a small airport with 12 gates.

Many travellers take a 30-minute domestic flight to Kuala Lumpur before flying internationally. The airport has a nice variety of options for meals and snacks, with fast food, cafes, small stalls filled with goods for quick bites, and restaurants. A few flights were shown as delayed across the boards, and there were some gate changes. Our flight was around 20 minutes late. The plane had comfortable seats with normal legroom and friendly staff. A breezy half-hour flight later, we arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

The Petronas Twin Towers were amazing and such a fascinating tourist destination. The bright lights of the towers illuminated the whole area around the buildings and were a great background to the Esplanade Lake Symphony, which takes place every 30 minutes between 8:00 and 10:00 pm. It’s extremely easy to get sidetracked and stay here for hours, soaking in the majesty of the glowing towers.

The Jalan Alor Food Street Night Market was a great experience, but it can feel like a tourist trap as some prices are higher than expected. Also, be careful where you buy from, as hygiene and quality can be a concern to some. The markets sold an array of foods that you wouldn’t expect to find in Melbourne, like crispy salted whole crab, duck feet, and squid satay skewers. It was difficult to find vegetarian food though, as many markets only sold meat and seafood with vegetarian sides, aside from snacks and drinks, of course. Our meal that night consisted of a small bowl of rice and black pepper scallops, and Malaysian Mee Goreng, for a total of 73 MYR. I would expect a full meal for four to total around 90 MYR, and then a further 25 to 35 MYR for drinks and dessert, but just for the three of us, it was definitely a steal. Many people smoked and vaped around others and their own stalls! Be careful with important personal belongings, considering the density of people there, and make sure to stick together if you travel with others, as getting lost amongst the bustling crowds seemed very easy. 

Day 2

We left the hotel early and went to the Genting Highlands for a cable car ride. The ride was enthralling, and the higher we went, the better it got. It was truly mystical as our car rose above the thick morning fog, overlooking the old temples and ancient architecture. The city of Kuala Lumpur was visible far below. It was a true disappointment when the 10-minute journey ended. We had covered 2.8 kilometres in the time, and we were now 1,800 metres above sea level. We were amongst one of the largest hotels in the world, high-end casinos and the Genting Skyworlds Theme Park. We had little energy for the outdoor theme park, but enough for the indoor one, the Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park. The theme park was alright, with only two main thrill rides - Disco Spinner and Super Glider, but many good options for young kids. There were colourful neon lights throughout the large, high-ceilinged area. It was very vibrant, almost emitting a playground vibe because of the playful flashing lights. It’s advisable to bring a working Malaysian bank card, as tickets are cashless, and using an Australian card would add a 3% surcharge. 

From the Genting Highlands, we took a cab to Little India for lunch and groceries. I had an overwhelmingly hazardous feeling about the area, and I wouldn’t recommend it to tourists. There were again limited vegetarian options for food. 

After taking a well-earned break from having fun, we went out to have more at the Petaling Street Chinatown Night Market. Our time had come. The time to bargain. My mum rolled up her sleeves and walked headfirst into the storm of people, ready to strike up a deal, not willing to leave without what she wanted at the price she wanted. There were a multitude of stalls selling many items, ranging from watches, handbags, socks and fragrances. It was mainly all cheap knockoffs, but the bargaining was the real prize. It was impressive seeing my mum fight with the store owners and win every time (at least a 50% off). Like our last night market, the density of people was high, so being wary of pickpockets was a must. In addition, vegetarian options were low, but that wasn’t a worry for us after a filling lunch. Snacks and drinks were plentiful, with people selling coconut drinks and flesh, pickled mango and skewers for cheap. We had a nice view of the 118 Tower from the ground, and its white lights cut through the air. We went to bed that night with bags full of items and pockets full of saved cash!

Day 3

After a well-earned sleep, we travelled to the Batu Caves. This cave, named after the Batu River, is a complex system of limestone grottoes and over 400 million years old. We walked under the beating sun and amongst curious monkeys to arrive at the cave entrance. Everything there was impressive, both natural and manmade. The colourful steps leading up, the cliff faces thick with shrubbery, and the very hard-to-miss statue of the Hindu God, Lord Murugan. It stood 42.7 metres tall and was constructed of reinforced concrete and steel between 2004 and 2006. After a quick mental pep-talk, we began our ‘light’ workout of 272 steps. Upon entering the actual cave, we were met with the vast interior. The caves had some small stalls set up with souvenirs, and the main attraction, the temple. Rich with thousands of years of Hindu knowledge, it advanced my spiritual connection - I felt much more connected to myself and understood what it was to be me. The food options were great, with a blend of Malaysian and Indian cuisines available. After a quick pitstop at the temple at the bottom of the steps, we went to the restaurants for lunch. There were friendly staff, plenty of tourists, and especially, great food. Both amazing vegetarian and meat options were on the menus, and we left the caves more than content.

This was our last day in Kuala Lumpur, and we had a flight booked to Penang. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until we arrived at the airport. And then it all went pear-shaped! We ran into some issues with unweighed luggage, the baggage drop desk closing unexpectedly, and frustrating customer service from AirAsia staff. In the end, we had no choice but to leave my sister behind to catch a later flight, all in an attempt to salvage our tickets. To avoid making the same mistake, always arrive early and make sure your luggage is pre-weighed.

We waited for hours at Penang Airport for my sister. It was easy to pass the time looking at the stores and watching movies using Starbucks' free Wi-Fi, as the Penang airport provided free Wi-Fi only for an hour. Other than watching movies, I sipepd on my mocha and explored the airport to pass the hours.

After my sister arrived, we took a taxi to Citivilla Hotel. The hotel was good and moderately priced, but our AC began leaking before completely shutting down. This was a mild issue for us though, because we were mainly out during the day.

Day 4

We ate a small hotel breakfast of pasta, toast, fruit and tea, free of charge as it was included with the board.

Then we went on a self-guided tour of George Town and the Chew Jetty and had lunch later in The Jetty Food Court. There were amazing Malaysian seafood options, like squid, crab and scallops. Vegetarian options were, once again, limited. We went to the Blue Mansion and had a very nice and historical guided tour, packed with information and artefacts. Did you know that the Blue Mansion is the location where the Mahjong scene in Crazy Rich Asians takes place! We also had a look at the street art in the area, like the famous Little Children on Bicycle.

From there, we went to the Kek Lok Si temple and looked around. We missed entry to some places as we came a bit late, but the main courtyard was still accessible for photos. The architecture was mesmerising, and being one of Malaysia’s largest temples, it had to be! It was eye-opening to explore the religion and culture of Buddhism. Shortly, the rain picked up. 

We walked to Penang Hill, praying that our umbrella-less heads would somehow stay dry! We couldn’t take a taxi to the Hill as none were available. Penang Hill is the world’s steepest train track and 712m above sea level. The trip to the top was incredible, more so as night fell around us. The track had a lovely history of construction, and the views were even better. Nature surrounded us as we ascended, with the city of Penang slowly floating away. There were some great photo opportunities, which would be most beautiful at sunset and night. There were also some nice but expensive places to eat at the top. We quietened down our stomachs with an easy dinner at Mary Brown's and took a cab back to the hotel. 

Day 5

The following morning, we went to the Batu Ferringhi Beach and went on a long walk along the coast. There was guided jet-skiing, but we knew we didn’t have enough time before the flight. The beach was clean, and the views were nice. Before leaving, the adults in the trio (my sister and mother) took a pitstop at the local beachside bar for Malaysia’s most popular beer, Tiger, a brand that has been brewed in the country for generations since its launch in Singapore, its country of origin, in 1932.

Then we hurried back to Penang airport to return to Singapore, bringing a sun-filled end to our entrancing vacation. 

Malaysia was an ethereal experience, unlike anything I have experienced before. Jaw-dropping beaches, towering architecture and statues, aromas that can lift you off your feet and views that make you forget you’re on Earth. It is very important to note though how flexible travellers must be in Malaysia. We had a few setbacks affecting our holiday. Bad airline experience, heavy rain and a spending budget all contributed to this, but I think this is what enhanced the overall outcome of the whole trip. Never being able to be comfortable always ensured that we were stepping out into a place we never knew, seeing something new, feeling something new. So, my only piece of advice to anyone visiting Malaysia for the first time would be this: never be comfortable with being comfortable.

About the Author

Kartik is a high school student who loves playing cricket and video games and having a go at cardistry. He is an Australian Army Cadet and loves the outdoors, whether it be a walk in nature or a play in the fields. A bucket list item of his is to travel around the world, ticking off all the landmarks and must-sees!