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Monday, May 21, 2012

KUALA, LUMPUR, MALAYSIA 2012

Since Diosdado Macapagal Intl Airport (DMIA) is located in Clark, Pampanga, we took a bus from Caloocan City for 1 and half hours. Then took a jeepney from  Dau Bus Terminal for only P 10. However, if you will be taking the van, it would cost you 200 pesos per passenger.
The bus fare from Caloocan City to Dau was P200 via Jac Liner.
Mr. Cyril Lee and Mrs. Laura are Malaysians who we met in DMIA while waiting for our flight to Malaysia. We were so lucky that we met this affable couple because for 3 to 4 hours of flight delay, we never felt bored. Mr. Lee is a very simple person with a genuine heart. He shared lots of words of wisdom and even offered one of his rooms over night in Resorts World, Genting for free. We would like to thank you both for your generosity and hospitality. We hope to see you in the Philippines once more and try to visit Cebu, Palawan, and Boracay Island.
web check-in
Originally, our flight should be at 11:05 am, unfortunately the ground steward informed us that it would be moved to around 10 pm that day. Right there and then, we asked her to call the attending manager to verify this notice. After we discussed the situation with the manager, he offered us for an earlier schedule that afternoon and took the flight at around 3pm.
Flights to this capital city of Malaysia are available via Cebu Pacific, AirAsia in Clark (Zest Air in Manila), Tigerairways (Air Phil), and PAL.
Promo Airfare: P 2,682
Travel Tax: P 1,620
Terminal Fee: P 550
Kuala Lumpur is one of the diverse cities in South East Asia. Most attractions can be reached by a city tour bus (Hop on Hop off) or various lines of trains in affordable price.

Attractions:
1. Chetawan Temple
Who would imagine a Thai Buddhist temple is situated in the city of Kuala Lumpur. Chetawan Temple was finally completed in 1963 along Petaling Jaya. 
When we were there, it was not originally on our list to visit the temple until a Starbucks collector who I met volunteered to drive us around the city. This temple was the first attraction on our travel plan that day even though it was a bit far from the city center . We never got disappointed because it was so quiet and not congested with other tourists.
Tip: If you want to include this on your itinerary, you must have someone or a travel agent who will bring you to the place.

Location: Jalan Pantai 9/7, off Jalan Gasing 9, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
Admission: free of charge (you can donate)

2. Chan She Shu Yuen Temple
It is one of the largest and oldest surviving Chinese Buddhist temples located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It was created between 1897 and 1906. The temple's main entrance is elaborately decorated with blue ceramic figures, wooden carvings depicting different peasants (guardians of the temple). 
Chan See Shu Yuen Temple functions as both a shrine and a community centre. Originally built as a kongsi (clan house) for families with the surnames Chan, Chen or Tan, the clan founders are depicted at the central altar of the temple.

Admission: free of charge
Location: at the southern end of Jalan Petaling

3. Hindu Temple
This is one of the 20 Hindu temples in the city of Kuala Lumpur. A privilege to enter a temple like this was a tremendous experience, where people were worshiping during that time. I have spent time visiting different temples in Asia of various religions, this particular religious place is quite special to me. The design was spectacular where intricate carvings can be vividly seen on the walls, ceiling, floor, and even on the top of the roof. Hindu gods and goddesses are perfected with exceptionally combinations of hues and shapes. Apparently, the elaborate facet of the sculpture defines what Hinduism is. Symmetry, that is, an aspect that can never be overlooked despite the dense details on the figures.To my wonder, I asked the woman why the floors are sticky and the figures are full of ants, then she explained that they offer milk.
If you have time to visit a temple, this should be on your list.
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Admission: free

4. Batu Cave
A must-see attraction, 13km north of Kuala Lumpur. It is a natural wonder of the city which is made up of limestone and composed of caves and Hindu temples inside. This can be reached via train for only 2RM. If you will be visiting this place, you must not bring anything you dont need because youll get tired before reaching the top most part of the site. Be careful with bats' feces falling from above and the monkeys stealing your things. 
Location: North of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Admission fee: free

5. Merdeka Square
Also known as the Independence Square or Dataran Merdeka. 
It is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, right in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Union Flag was lowered and the Malayan flag hoisted here for the first time at midnight on August 31, 1957.
Tip: You can only take photos outside the building or right across the road. After visiting this must-see attraction, you can head for Kuala Lumpur Art Gallery which is few meters away, right across Merdeka Square.
Location: Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Admission:
free


6. Kuala Lumpur Art Gallery
Having seen Merdeka Square in the middle of the day was a great experience for us. This majestic structure glistens right at the heart of the city, and at the busiest area of Malaysia. The weather was extremely hot and humid, so we decided to come by the Kuala Lumpur Art Gallery. It was not actually included on our list but we tried to check what was really inside this mini art gallery. 
On the ground floor, you will see some murals and paintings highlighting the history of the city and on the second floor you will witness this amazing diorama giving us the perfect view of the on going real estates development in some parts of the city. This miniature cityscape is composed of translucent buildings and houses with tiny different lights inside. The tiny lights change in different colors which makes the entire city glow inside a dark room. 
At the other part of the museum, there is a collection of art pieces made from the finest wood veneer, perfectly made by the skilled craftsmen of ARCH. 
This premium collection has a big number of masterpieces inspired by world's heritage landmarks, from the Eiffel Tower to London Bridge, ranging from small pieces like bookmarks and magnets to bigger ones. Most of the items in the shop are for sale. 
Admission: Free of charge
Contact Information
ARCH Collection Sdn Bhd
Add: No. 27 Jalan Raya Dataran Merdeka
Kuala Lumpur 50050
Telephone #: 03-2698-3333
Fax #: 03-2694-8000
E-mail: arch@archcollection.com.my

7. Masjid Jamek
'Masjid' is the Arabic word for mosque while 'jamek' means a place where people gather to pray. Masjid Jamek or Jamek Mosque is located at the central part of Kuala Lumpur, several meters away from Merdeka Square and near Chinatown.
Remember to take off your shoes or any footwear upon entering this religious place and please dress properly.
Visiting time: 8:30 am - 12:30 pm / 2:30pm - 4:30 pm
Admission: Free of charge

8. Kasturi Walk
Kasturi Walk formerly know as Larong Kasturi is another attraction that you should not miss. This long covered walkway gives you a different experience of Malay delicacies. Kasturi Walk runs beside Central Market, selling local snacks, trinkets, fresh tropical fruit juices, and souvenir items at the numerous stalls or kiosks. 

9. Petronas Twin Tower
This 88-storey twin tower structure is Malaysia's symbol for economic power. 
At the middle of these 2 buildings, there is an observation or view deck for tourists. The skybridge is considered as the world's highest 2-storey bridge.
Fours years ago, the admission for this renowned tourist site was totally free for visitors, but when I came back in 2011, people should pay RM80. 
How to get there:
You can reach Petronas Twin Tower via Kelana Jaya Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line. Alight at Suria KLCC Station, then ask for direction going to the building.

10. Aquaria
It is a large oceanarium with more than five thousand marine creatures in a 60,000 square foot space, located on the Concourse Level of KLCC or Petronas Twin Tower.
This must-see attraction is nestled in the middle of the city highlighting aquatic animals around the globe. 
Contact Information
Aquaria
KLCC 50088, Malaysia
Telephone#: +603-2333-1888
Fax#: +603-2380-0069
E-mail: marketing@aquawalk.com
Visit their website for the ticket price

Accommodation
1. Leo Express Hotel
Leo Express Hotel is a 3-star accommodation built for travelers who look for comfort and accommodating service in a reasonable price. It started its operation last April in 2012. The hotel is located in Kuala Lumpur and can be reached via Pudu LRT Station. It is just 5-min away from the station on foot. What you can see on the photo is a double deluxe room including buffet breakfast for two. We actually booked this accommodation 4 or 5 months for only P 1512 before we flew to KL . The room was more than what we paid for. It was spacious, clutter free, well-lit and well-ventilated. The bed was really huge where 3 persons could fit including comfy bed mattress, bed sheet without any stain, and a thick comforter. Then there was a classy sofa on the other side of the room and a flat screen TV right in front of the bed. I could say most furnishings were new. The staff at the lobby was accommodating and attentive toward your queries. Some were able to attend to all our needs except the lady on the dining area. Perhaps she was not able to understand when I talked to her in English.
Verdict: 4 stars for the accommodation, price, and the service

Promo Rate from Asia Travel: P1511.6 for two per night
Deluxe double room

Inclusive of buffet breakfast for 2
Contact Information
Leo Express Hotel
Add: 59-65, Jalan Sungai Besi, 57100 Kuala Lumpur
Telephone#: 603-92222209
Fax#: 603-92222205
E-mail: reservation@leoexpress.com.my
Location map (click to blow up)
 2. Citrus Hotel
Every time I and my partner travel abroad, we usually book different kinds of hotel and Citrus Hotel was our second accommodation in Kuala Lumpur.
At first, the photos of the hotel were nice on their website, but right after we checked-in we felt disappointed at what we saw. Although the room was spacious, but it seems that the amenities were somewhat old and the carpet had an unpleasant smell. The effects of the lights just makes the room looks nice. On the other hand, we made ourselves enjoy the buffet breakfast they served the other day.
Promo Rate from Agoda: P1,800 for two per night
Standard room for 2

With free buffet breakfast for 2 persons
Contact Information
Citrus Hotel
Add: 51 Jalan Tiong Nam Off Jalan Raja Laut Chowkit
Putra WTC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Contact #: +603-919-59999

Souvenirs Shops
1. ARCH Gallery
I Love KL Ref Magnet
Price: RM 7.65 per piece

2. Jalan Petaling (Petaling Street)

Luggage Storage
1. Rest & Go
Our next stop was Singapore, but how could we travel without carrying our baggage with us. Thankfully, there was luggage storage in Terminal Bersepadu Selatan that was open for 24 hours. For only 5RM per day, your baggage will be highly secured.
Other Services:
Motel
- RM70 / day
Weekend / Public Holiday
-RM80 / day
 RM 16 / hr
Laptop Rental 
- Lounge setee: RM5 / hr
Foot Reflexology
- RM 35 / 30min

Contact Information
Southwest Pioneer Rest & Go
Lot 20, Level 4, Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)
Jalan Terminal Selatan, Bandar Tasik Selatan,
53100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persukutuan
Contact#: 012-688-6845 / 017-679-7274

2. Baggage Lockers at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)

Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS)
The government of Malaysia has impressed many tourists including me from its high-end city trains like LRT and inter-city rail services, modern high-way systems, and  state-of-the-art bus terminals. Most of these bus terminals used to be disorganized and poor in service. After a few years after I visittd KL way back 2009,  the government managed to renovate these places and gave way for a better transportation hub. Terminals have now spacious air-conditioned passenger's lounge with new facilities like flat screen TV, easy-to-follow schedule monitors, automated gates, and ample seats for passengers. In addition, buses have never been late or sometimes early on their respective schedule. 

I have been using this bus for several times every time I visit Singapore from Kuala Lumpur. The bus fare is not just reasonable but the bus itself has more spaces for you to fully recline your seat if you want to sleep. They also include complimentary bottled mineral water per passenger.