Pelangi Beach Resort

Hi everyone

My friend and I are planning to stay at the Pelangi Beach resort in mid July for 14 days. Can anyone tell me if there are any activities or restaurants/shops near the resort? What%26#39;s the beach like? Also what%26#39;s it like for female travellers in Langkawi?

Pelangi Beach Resort

Langkawi is perfectly safe for female travelers.

Come out of the resort and turn right, there is an abundance of restuarants and some small shops all the way along this road going right up to Pantai Tengah.

Resort facitlies/activities I will leave to Francois, he is the resort GM and also posts on TA. He may well send you a PM.

Pelangi Beach Resort

The Pelangi Beach Resort is ideally placed for the airport and a small shopping centre (with an aquarium).

The hotel is on the beach which has mandalay style rooms facing the beach. When I stayed there I was in a garden view room which was great.

The hotel had 3 restuarants when I stayed in August 2006.

The only thing that put me off was the hotel told me that my stay had not been paid for. This affected around 4 or 5 couples when I stayed and was not sorted until the last day of my 2 week holiday.

I will go back to the Pelangi Beach but I now have the hotels e-mail so I do not have a repeat of last time.

The island is completley safe for anyone.

I liked the beach at Pelangi. Facing the ocean, I tended to grab a sun-bed on the far right side. It%26#39;s incredibly quiet down here, with loads of spare sun-loungers and a couple of hammocks. Once I saw a monitor lizard running around. In the other direction, it%26#39;s busier but still nice. There%26#39;s a great spot between the pool and the beach, next to the restaurant and the water activities centre.

I agree that Langkawi%26#39;s safe for women. I travelled just with my daughter and felt completely safe walking around Pantai Cenang day and night. Nobody targets you. The sense of safety and peacefulness is a large part of the reason that I%26#39;m a repeat visitor to Langkawi.

I hope you have a great time.

Hi

I travel to Langkawi every year alone (I%26#39;m a female). You will be perfectly ok - you will not get hassled by anyone, no one will be nagging at you to buy t-shirts/watches/etc, etc unlike some other countries.

It%26#39;s best to keep your beach attire just for the pool/beach area and dress more modestly for shopping and sight seeing.

You will have a wonderful time.

Lesley

Time spend& taxi fare from airport(Air asia) to Terminal bas

Hello%26lt;%26gt;

May I know the taxi fare%26amp; time spend from airport to terminal bas bandaraya.Is T.b.b same place with city bus terminal? we went take a bus to kundasang. Which one bas express are good we take? any foodstall around the terminal? thank you for your helping!!!

Time spend%26amp; taxi fare from airport(Air asia) to Terminal bas

Hi 6662

Terminal Two is a lonely place. It has one place to eat, and that%26#39;s about it. You need to take a taxi to town to catch the bus to Kundasang, it should cost about RM 15 and take perhaps 15 minutes if the traffic is medium, but best to allow 30 minutes for when the traffic is not.

Asked to be dropped at the long distance bus terminal. It%26#39;s near the Cathy Cinema, or the library and from there you will have a host of options; taxi%26#39;s, minibus, big bus. The one you choose will depend on your pocket.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

Time spend%26amp; taxi fare from airport(Air asia) to Terminal bas

Hi, I went to Sabah in April this year by AirAsia, reach KK at 10am. We ask for a normal taxi at the taxi service counter in terminal 2 and it spends RM 20 from terminal 2 to Warisan Square (the newest shopping centre). We use about 15-20mins to reach Warisan Square. I think it would also need about RM 20 taxi fee for you to go to long distance bus terminal as mentioned by the previous reply.

Thank you very much for helping(^u^)

1st time in KL HELP please!

Hi there!

we are stying 4 days in KL Istana Hotel. As we have not been there before can anybody advise what to do, where to go trips, restaurants ...

being a girl I assume a bit of shopping as well

thanks a lot

Maja

1st time in KL HELP please!

first you can go around the city. if you would like you can visit Sungei Wang Plaza at Bukit Bintang area, the main shopping street in the city. its quite fun to walk along the streets since you can find a lot of ethnics walking there.

most of the shopping area in KL have the international branded items. Suria KLCC is located at the bottom of Petronas Twin Tower (and you should visit it), then you can go to Midvalley (claimed as the biggest shopping malls at KL). KL is a hip cities and you can try the nightlife there. along the P.Ramlee Road is the nightlife area. with Zouk is the main gathering area of the yougster.

Petaling Street also worth visit but i dont know if it is still as busy as then. from what i know it is no as happening like before. you can shop the cheapest souvenirs there. do not buy souvenirs from the mall.

if you are tired with the city, go to Genting Highland located only 1,5 hours with bus cost ard 30RM (included the theme park ticket). purchase it from KL sentral.

1st time in KL HELP please!

Thanks cunhon,

what about some parks I heard about Orchid, birds and apparently we should do Museum near the airport?

I just read you might be able to do scuba diving? My partner is very much into it!

Hi Baja,

The park you want to visit is Lake Garden where there is a bird park,botanical garden, etc. The National Museum is not far away.

Scuba diving has to be done on the east coast of peninsula. Given 4 days in KL, I don%26#39;t think you can do it.

http://www.myhoponhopoff.com/

Welcome to Malaysia

Hi Maja,

There is plenty to do in KL! You can visit our famous Petronas Twin Towers, have a meal in the revolving restaurant at the KL Tower, shop til you drop at the major shopping centres such as KLCC, MidValley Mega Mall, TheCurve, One Utama, Star Hill, Sungai Wang, Lot 10...and the list goes on...

There are also lovely parks to supplement the warm weather. Take your pick: the Lake Gardens, Suria Klcc park, the Butterfly/Deer park...and you can take the whole day off n spend it in Bukit Cahaya, a reserve just a half hour drive away from the main city, in Shah Alam. We also have the National Zoo (Zoo Negara) around the corner. Spend a fun filled day in our Sunway Lagoon waterpark.

The %26#39;KL eye%26#39; (ala London eye) just opened sometime this year. Its a big ferris wheel which offers u a panoramic view of the KL skyline.

Visit local markets and %26#39;pasar malam%26#39;(night market), where you can tantalise ur tastebuds with local delicacies and cheap fares. A market not to be missed is the %26#39;Petaling Street%26#39; market in PJ. They sell everything from dvds to clothes, food and trinkets.

Malaysians live for their food.. :) so do be adventurous and try as many of our local dishes as u can (I would recommend satay, roti canai, nasi lemak and assam laksa...and ofcourse our national fruit- the DURIAN...%26#39;smells like hell, but tastes like heaven%26#39; some might say haha)

If you are interested in Malaysia%26#39;s rich history n culture then fear not for you can visit The National Museum, Tugu Negara (a tributary monument to the brave men that fought and died for our independence), Merdeka Square (where our 1st Prime Minister declared independence frm the British on 31st of Aug 1956, and where we hold our national day celebrations every yr), Museum Budaya (%26#39;Culture Museum%26#39; where u can experience traditional performances and shows), the National Mosque, Batu Caves (a steep climb up to the caves where you can visit temples and shrines),,.

Anyway, dont worry about having nothing to do in KL, as I assure u, 4 days wont be enough.. :) I hope this helps and enjoy ur hol!

x

shahreen

Hi there

Thanks for advise

Shahreen %26amp; Alex

yes Alex, you are right I was warned not all the places are for tourists to see so we will be carefull

on another hand, if there si something that is OK not too dramatic I might to appreciate to see how normal people live as I believe all over the world there are places for tourists and places for natives.

Hi Alex,

Our history may not be long, it%26#39;s definitely rich, as rich as creamy butter!! There are few places in this world where you%26#39;ll find the different races meld together so well. The unique food (Nyoya food for one) that the tourists off the beaten track should try.

Pasar malam (Night malam), it%26#39;s where you see normal civilians shop. Now if you%26#39;re from Western countries that shops close at 5 evening, it%26#39;s quite an experience to shop late into the night in the open, you can try the savories there as well. Of course, the touristy Petaling Street (Chinatown) night market is one.

You should try the Grilled Sting Ray Wrapped in Banan Leaves, could be spicy and hot for some. But nonetheless worth trying, the more reliable ones are in Jln Alor, though my favourite is at the sidewalk of Hong Leong Bank at Petaling Street. Wash it down with freshly squeezed sugar cane juice (with dash of lemon), divine!

I once brought a Finnish colleague to try it at Jln Alor, we ordered this fish, buttered prawns (very fresh) and oyster omelette (Or Jien they call it) with 2 large bottled beers, and it cost about RM100. It%26#39;s reasonable for a touristy area. For this Finnish guy, fish has never been his favorite, but he liked the sting ray most, and took a photo of it. :)

Hi Alex,

Who are the ethnics here? The Westerners or us? Stop using that word, it%26#39;s a patronising word used by mostly Americans.

Well, as I said, for a touristy area, Jln Alor will do fine. And I have better places to go for better Seafood than Portuguese village in Melaka itself. Cheap? No, good? Comme Çi, comme Ça they say it.

Depends what on what you%26#39;re looking for.

For shopping, there%26#39;s Mid Valley magamall. Metered taxi shldn%26#39;t cost you more than RM10, under normal circumstances. Or take monorail, change to LRT, alight at Bangsar. At the road on the left from the LRT gate, wait for the free shuttle bus at the bus stop.

1 Utama. Very big. About RM15 on metered taxi.

Bukit Bintang - There%26#39;s Lot 10, Sungei Wang, Berjaya Times Square. Berjaya Time Square is slightly better than the first 2.

KLCC - All expensive stuff there. Branded shops are fine. But those independent small time shops usually mark up the prices many many times.

There%26#39;s nothing much else in KL. Unless you really wanna visit the parks and museums. I think Bali has nicer parks.

Food wise... Bali has nicer restaurants and food.

List your5 favourite restaurants bw 75-150 RM for 2 persons

hey there.

Me and my hubby r heading for kl next week with our 2 yr old.This is goin to be our third trip to kl but this time i do want to eat in the typical mall food courts..i want to discover the places where the locals go to..GOOD CHEAP FOOD! well i gave my budget ..we will be staying at Mandarin Oriental,Le meridien and Sheraton within a span of 12 days in kl.We will also be heading for Gentings for one night can any one guide me to good places to eat there..i heard about a good breakfast place where u get omelette and parhatas indian style...where is that??

I want to explore KL this time..any more tips??

Regards

Nadia

List your5 favourite restaurants bw 75-150 RM for 2 persons

for japanese u can try RAKUZEN AT CHULAN SQUARE,OZEKI RESTAURANT (TA Building, walking distance from Mandarin Oriental

Korean food:PNB DARBY PARK/KOMPLEKS ANTARABANGSA

middle eastern: TARBUSH AT STARHILL SHOPPING

malaysian fare: MADAM KWAN,LITTLE PENANG (both at 4th Floor KLCC)

Italian :Mezza Notte at Heritage Row (just beside Sheraton KL), excellent service!

Chinese food (when u stay at Le Meridien): Halal Chinese restaurant at KL Hilton (joined to Meridien). The butter prawns are excellent!!

Hope u have a good trip to Malaysia:-)

List your5 favourite restaurants bw 75-150 RM for 2 persons

Indian food - bombay palace or A passage to India, but it will stretch your Rm150 budget depending on what you order.

I thought nadz27 said GOOD CHEAP FOOD. Well I guess that%26#39;s relative...:)

You have to state your preference for food. You don%26#39;t come all the way from Dubai for Japanese food, do you?

Well if i state preference wise then i guess it would be malay food,thai food,italian,chinese..maybe korean too..love their bbqs but the restaurant that someone mentioned seems like an expensive one..am i correct?

Well you did put RM 75-150 for 2 persons. That should cover the resturants mentioned so far (of course depends on what you ordered).

Hi Nadia,with your stay in MOKL, and your food preference for Malay, Thai, Italian, Chinese, and (maybe Korean)

Malay- go to Saloma, for al fresco dining, the one in the airconditioned hall is above your budget, but it comes with a Malaysian cultural performance show. Their dishes is named after a popular Malay comedian artist-the late Tan Sri P.Ramlee and few dishes named after his famous movie which also has his lovely wife co-acting in them-Saloma, that%26#39;s why this place is named Saloma.

Thai- just head to Chakri Palace in Suria KLCC-should be within your budget.

Korean- opposite of MOKL, across the road, where you could see Ascott (and soon to complete Marc Residences), is a tower building, called MNI Twin, there is an inexpensive, but good Korean restaurant over here. Just to point out, it could be non-halal, and am afraid those halal Korean, will be above your budget-like those of Koong Jung in PNB Darby Park, and the longest established Korean restaurant in KL- Koryo Won, which use to have its outlet in Kompleks Antarabangsa, has now moved to Starhill Gallery.

In all earnest opinion, the best Korean and really authentic one, could be a bit difficult for you to reach, it is in Ampang area-opposite a shopping centre- Ampang point, and across the road from Ampang Point is a Korean community housing estate-next to Ampang One Avenue condo, and there are few rows of shophouses housing quite a few Authentic korean restaurants- a good one is Han Wo Ri. ANother place with high concentration of Korean restaurant is in Desa Sri Hartamas.

Chinese- for halal, best to stick to the ones in hotels, though be careful of type of food ordered, to stay within your budget.And also the Chinese tea-the waiter(or even captain) may recommend one to you, and you think it is just Chinese tea, but good tea can cost even RM35/head.

for the roti pratha(or commonly called here-roti canai, and with egg, is roti telor), from MOKL, walk towards Ascott, then with Ascott facing you, take a right, walk down straight, then make a left, walk straight (you are on Jalan P.Ramlee), passing Secret Recipe which is housed in Menara ROhas Building, walk up few yards, then take a left, to hit Jalan Perak, when you see Hong Leong Bank/Hong Leong Islamic Bank, across is a popular place for office worker to have a typical Malaysian breakfast-roti canai/ roti telor, nasi lemak, and you must try the all time favourite tea of Malaysian- teh tarik(called flying tea).

In most outlets, the menu is displayed at the entrance, if there isn%26#39;t any, can just prompt a waiter to provide one for you, while you go through the menu, and review the type of dishes and the corresponding prices-sometimes it is not the price alone, but whether the food is suitable to one%26#39;s palate(and even mood)

There%26#39;s this Malay restaurant along Jln Conlay, Opposite Prince Hotel. Maybe MKiara can help?

Casa Del Mar VS Westin

Hi

I%26#39;m spending 4 nights in Langkawi for my honeymoon and Im currently deciding where to stay - Casa Del Mar or the Westin. Your opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Casa Del Mar VS Westin

I haven%26#39;t stayed at the Westin, but I have at the Casa del Mar. I think that the CDM would be the perfect honeymoon hotel. It%26#39;s exquisite and the attention to detail is next to none that I%26#39;ve ever experienced. I%26#39;m sure, if you honeymoon here, you won%26#39;t forget it. The junior suite especially is really lovely.

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Puchong 47100

Hi, I am going to Taman Industri Puchong this week. Can please let me know which hotel is near to this industri. My friends recommend Chile Hotel in Bandar puchong Jaya. Besides this hotel is there any good/budget hotel there.

Thanks.

Alvin

Puchong 47100

Puchong is in the suburbs . There are no stand alone hotels there. Most ';hotels'; are operating on the shop lots. I%26#39;m not sure where Chile Hotel is, there is one hotel at Puchong Puteri, opposite Giant and Citibank , across the streets. Somewhere along the Standard Chartered bank. It%26#39;s pretty near Tmn Ind. Puchong, but still need a car to go there.

Puchong 47100

If you want to stay at somewhere nicer yet near to Puchong, try Sunway area. It is just a short hop via the highway and 15 mins by taxi. Lots of place to eat and entertain after work.

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3 nights in KL in October

Thanks for earlier replies. We%26#39;ve now had chance to do further homework, %26amp; after reading many favourable reviews would like to spend 3 nights at the Shangri-La with access to the horizon club. Does it pay to book the Horizon room in advance, or pay the extra when we arrive?

We would also like to take a train trip from KL, %26amp; as indicated in an earlier reply, there is a train to Tampin at 0830 arriving 1029, returning either at 1336 or 1813.I know we could go to Melaca %26amp; return on the later train, but if we return on the earlier train, is there much to do in Tampin for 3 hours?

As my wife %26amp; I are both pretty fit senior citizens %26amp; this will be our first visit to Malaysia, we would welcome any further advice or suggestions.

3 nights in KL in October

Hi Peter,

I cannot answer your question about Shangrila, sorry.

With regards to taking train to Melaka, just do one way if you really want to try Malaysian Rail. Purhcase the ticket at ktmb.com.my.

Tampin is a small town with nothing to see and do, so waiting there for 3 hours is a waste of time. Besides, while Malacca is compact, half a day is minimum if you want to cover the main sights. If you like history, you can do longer as there are many decent museums there. In fact, the museum complexes in Melaka probably lets you see many things about Malaysia (archiecture museum, Islamic museum), let alone the Maritime Museum, Baba Nyonya House Museum and Cheng Ho Museum unique to Melaka.

www.malacca.ws has a map of historic sites and places to see.

Coach is the best option from KL to Melaka and there is at least one bus runs every hour from 6am to 10 pm. I recommend you not to buy the return bus ticket as you can leave at your leisure except for Friday and Sunday evening when buses may be busy.

If you come during Friday to Sunday, stay till late for the night bazaar in Jonker Street which has good ambiance and interesting stores to see.

Vaccinations

Just been checking up on what jabs I鈥檒l be needing ready for visiting Langkawi in June. I think all I鈥檒l be needing is Typhoid, Hepititus A, Tetanus and Polio. Have I missed any out?

Also will I be needing any Malaria protection? I think probably not but thought it best to check

Thanks

Vaccinations

You don%26#39;t need polio or antimalarials for Langkawi or anywhere in the West coast of Peninsular Malaysia. If you%26#39;ve had a tetanus jab in the last 5 - 10 years, you won%26#39;t need it. Hepatitis A needs 2 jabs a few months apart so you might be too late to get properly vaccinated for your trip. Stick to cooked foods and you will be ok. Typhoid is optional.

Your GP should be able to advise better. Have a good holiday!

Vaccinations

Thanks Gasman.

As Gasman says ..... you only need tetanus. Langkawi is very safe as far as tropical medical problems go.

You won%26#39;t have any problems with malaria.

Take some mozzie repellant.

Travelling in Malaysia

Hi,

A small group of us are going to Malaysia next week. First we are going to Kuala Lumpur for a few days then onto Penang and then to Langkawi. Can anyone tell me what the best way to travel to each place is? Will we be alright not pre-booking anything?

Travelling in Malaysia

Its easy to get from KL-Penang-Langkawi. Big factor is how much time will you be in Malaysia and how much time you want to spend traveling ?

Travelling in Malaysia

If you are in a bit of a rush you%26#39;d be better to pre-book flights. If you want to do it by train/bus and boat you can do it on arrival.

Hi, next week is sometime around 11/12 May.

Do not know how long you will be in Malaysia.

Just some information, on May 17, it is a state holiday in Perlis, the state neigbouring Kedah, and I do anticipate some folks especially from kangar making a trip to Langkawi, as the following day is a non working day for them.

Then come May 26 is the start of a 2weeks school holidays.

From KL to Penang, you have the option of air, road(by bus) and rail.

Rail journey takes about 8.5 hours including transfer from Penang island to mainland for rail station at Butterworth, whilst coach transfer is around 5 hours.

From Penang to Langkawi, you also have option of road, air, and sea; a ferry leaves Port Swettenham in Georgetown for Langkawi, which takes about 2.5-2hours. Air, am not sure if Firefly(a community airline of Malaysian airlines) does PNG-LGK route on their Fokker plane. By road, one either goes to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis for the jump off points for Langkawi. Going by road allows one the opportunity to catch sight of the rice fields of Malaysia.

If going by air, suggest to prebook ,as with no frill airline(AirAsia), and also Malaysian Airlines, you could get some competive fares. MH is having its superfares promotion at the moment. This is for your KUL-PNG sector.

From PNG-LGK, suggest either sea or road transfer, as with air, when taking into consideration, check-in procedures, minimum check in time, baggage allowance restrictions etc..it may not be worthwhile.

For seatransfer, i.e. PNG-LGK, suggest going to the Port Swettenham a day before your proposed trip to get the tickets.

Thanks very much for answering my questions. We are only going for 2 weeks and have pre-booked all our hotels and so don%26#39;t really want to spend too much time travelling.

We have decided to get a coach from KL to Penang then the ferry from Penang to Langkawi and have booked flights from Langkawi to KL which is where we are flying back from. ..hope these are the best options!

Good planning. Try to get down to Swettenham Pier ASAP on arrival in Penang to book the ferry to Langkawi. Two a day, both leave before 9.00 am.

Have a terrific time, I%26#39;m sure you will.

Some of the boats don%26#39;t carry any food or beverage, be prepared, mineral water etc.

What to do in JB?

I am thinking of spending my stop over in JB (instead of singapore) for a change.

What is there for me to do there.

I hear that the shopping centers are good but are there any markets or nite market. Good cheap restaurants for dinner etc.

I think I will stay at the Puteri Pacific hotel as it is close to the shopping centers and bus station for bus to JB airport (it looks like walking distance!?).

I also hear that the hotel has a good swimming pool so if there is nothing else to do I can do a lot of swimming!

What to do in JB?

Stick with Singapore, JB is a very boring place. Nothing much to do there.

What to do in JB?

Don%26#39;t want to put you off but I think you will be doing a lot of swimming.

Think of all the great food you can have in Singapore, nothing like it in JB.

There is really nothing to recommend JB as a vacation destination. Singaporeans go there for cheap shopping and it%26#39;s the knock-off capital of the world if you want watches and DVDs. The Pan Pac is a nice hotel (I spent 6 months there in 2005) but if I had the choice, I%26#39;d stay in Singapore. If you must go, make it a day trip.

Hi,

I agreed with the other posters. Even being a Malaysian, Johor is a state to be made ashamed of. Food is JB is horrid and most expensive in the Peninsula. The city council has not cleaned up the city and crime rate is high. I would usually want to quickly pass over JB to Singapore.

I feel very sad about those members%26#39; comments to JB (the place where I grows up). Yes, indeed, JB%26#39;s crime rate is high, but other Malaysia%26#39;s states/cities%26#39; crime rate also high. It is not only JB issue but the whole Malaysia issue.

The night market in JB or pasar malam( in malay) are located in different places depending on the days... monday is somewhere in Century garden (opposite Pelangi PLaza), tueday is in Taman Pelangi (near Leisure Mall)and there is another one in Taman Johor Jaya. It operates from 5.00pm till 9.30pm

There always good food in JB, you can get more info from this website virtualtourist.com/travel/…1

the food is expensive than other Penisula of Malaysia is mostly due to a lot of s%26#39;poreans like to do shopping and eating in JB (compare to eat in s%26#39;pore, it is very much cheaper eat in JB, S$1=RM2.25), hence, stall rental, ingredients price as well as food price are increase a lot.

There is a old chinese temple near Puteri Pacific hotel which has been there for more than 150 years and very famous in JB, Johor and Malaysia. Although it is small, it is the heart of all the JB chinese.

To know more about travel in JB, virtualtourist.com has provide very good info. I have read it and as a JB residents, I think those tips are correct and helpful to those who wish to visit JB

virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Malaysia/Nege…

JB doesn%26#39;t offer really anything but shopping, which makes for a good day trip from Singapore if you can%26#39;t have enough there! So, don0t sleep in JB, it%26#39;s not worth it...

Dear xanh,

Spending a few days in JB is not a bad idea at all. Especially if you have visited Singapore before. JB has its own charm compared to Singapore. How ever it is very much depending your own interest.

Like my self for example I always prefer to visit Toowoomba in Queensland compare to the metropolitant Sydney.

JB is not like Singapore but it has almost everything that Singapore has. Your money worth more here especially for dining and shopping. Therefore you could see many singaporean in JB spending their money everyday here.

Just go to www.tourism.gov.my or www.johortourism.com.my for more info about this city.

If you have more time check out some small town to experience the real Malaysian life and traditional environment.

vb

Hotel around railway station

Hi, we%26#39;re planning for a holiday in Dec and crossing from Sin to KL, we will use Senandung Malam depart from JB. Since the train left very late (+/-11:30), we are planning to take a rest at a hotel. Can anyone suggest a cheap and clean hotel within walking distance to the railway station ? We will travel with 2 kids and 1 infant. Also additional question, how far is the railway station from sin/mal immigration ? (We will leave for JB by bus from Sin).

Hotel around railway station

It would be more convinence and faster to take the non stop express bus from north bridge road Singapore%26gt;KL..The bus will wait for you and take you to both immigrations for passport stamping.The bus frequency is very regular.Day and night service.,with stops for break and meal along the way to KL(travelling time about 6-7hours)

The normal bus from Singapore to JB required you to connect by seperate bus,waiting for bus from Singapore immigration 1st procedure ,then malaysian immigration 2 nd procedure + tagging along your luggage.

3 rd procedure then you need to wait for(+/-11.30pm) train resting at JB hotel.

By which .wasting time at hotel and waiting for train,the combined time

wasted will be more than enough to make the journey to KL by the express bus Singapore%26gt;KL.

The children will have to endure the suffering also.

Hotel around railway station

Hi Leopang, many thx for the info, but since we%26#39;re travelling on a limited budget, then we might think this is the way we can save some money. But I will discuss with others about your idea. Meanwhile, I%26#39;m still waiting for the hotel names around the railway station, but should be the clean one....can anybody help ?

There are quite a number of hotel nearby the railway station and all within walking distance and very close to the railway station but can not remember the names:The railway station is within walking distance from the Malaysian Immigration(about 10 meter but you need to walk a great detour via a overhead bridge unless you walk on the pavement against the traffic.The JB railway station is very centralised located,hotel,restaurant,bus stand etc etc.

Since you are on budget and with KID:Go to Queen street for Buses to JB or take the MRT to Kranji..transfer to Bus to JB(Cause way link or 170 both buses stop at Singapore and Malaysia immigration and continue to JB ,main bus terminal,Larkin

Option: Continue to main Bus station Larkin,the bus hub to KL and all over Malaysia,plenty of express bus to KL on a regular basic

This way you will save on Hotel n travelling time and cheaper too

Car hire & taxi to Singapore

Can anyone give recommendations for a good car hire company in JB? We are looking to rent for about 2 weeks,touring Malaysia, returning car to JB before going on to Singapore for 2 nights before flying home.

So, we%26#39;d also appreciate help on how best to get back to Changi Village from JB. From other threads taxi seems a good option, but where can we pick up taxi in JB?

Car hire %26amp; taxi to Singapore

The JB taxi station is at KOTA RAYA (very close to the immigration and: reilway terminal)JB to Singapore .

At the KLIA you can rent a car.Enquire at the air port counter.Hertz,budget etc:Pick up at KLIA and return at JB

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Luggage Storage at KLL

I will be arriving in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow. Is there a temporary luggage storage place at the airport. If so, where is it and what are the hours of operation

Luggage Storage at KLL

left luggage at KLIA 24 hour service:arrival hall ;located at level 3 and departure at level 5

goto www.klia.com.my for rates and details

Kuala Lumpur 'Eye'

Hi

Coming to KL for the second time in mid-june. Can you tell me where the KL ferris wheel is and how much it will cost to go on it?

We are staying at the Shangri La.

Thanks

Kuala Lumpur 'Eye'

At Taman Titiwangsa .

Kuala Lumpur 'Eye'

Hello Judith,

Been to Eye on Malaysia last Jan and it was indeed a wonderful experience! The eye is situated at the Titiwangsa Lake. One ride takes approx 12 min to complete. Below are the rates.

Regular rates:

- Adult RM15

- Child (3 to 12 years) RM8

- Child (Below 3) Free

- Senior (55 years and above) RM8

- Disabled RM8

Family Group Rate(min 5 people):

- Adult RM12

- Child/Senior/Disabled RM6.50

Private Gondola (max 8 people): RM100

VIP Gondola (max 4 adults %26amp; 1 child per ride, includes soft drinks): RM50 per pax

You may want to check their site to confirm the rate %26amp; for further details such as the watersky spectacular.

http://www.eyeonmalaysia.com.my/

Enjoy your trip!! :)

Getting to Genting Theme Parks

Hello,

Our family of 5 are heading to Genting Theme Parks from KL on Sat May 26. We are staying at the Brisdale Hotel, and although I have looked up the Genting Express Bus, I%26#39;m not sure if this only takes you to the Resort or to Outdoor theme park (or is it one in the same)? Do you have to ride the cable car?

I would love some transport advice, as well as any tips on booking the sky venture in advance, and any must dos. Our children are 13,11 %26amp; 7 and we only have the day there.

Thanks for any help!

Donna

Getting to Genting Theme Parks

In most likelihood, the bus will stop at the cable car station (which is half way up Genting Highlands) and you%26#39;ll have to buy the cable car tickets on the spot to go up to somewhere in between the Resorts Hotel and Themepark Hotel. You kids will love the cable car trip!

From there, it%26#39;s pretty easy to navigate the various attractions. There%26#39;s an Indoor Theme Park as well as Outdoor. I think you can purchase an All -Park ticket or similar to that. Enjoy!.

And if you feel lucky, the adults can go to the few casinos there. The whole Highland is developed by the Genting group, and the various hotels are pretty integrated. Good for day trip. There%26#39;re buses to KL like every 15 mins. Though I%26#39;m not sure till what time.

Getting to Genting Theme Parks

And oh, Genting Highlands can get quite chilly esp. at night. But this time of year, should be warm to cool at day.

you can check with Genting website, they do have the shuttle information posted there. I also know that there are coaches plying this route at every hour interval departing at Pudu and Pasar Rayakat bus terminal. In fact, I believe the coach actually pick up passengers from both terminal before departing for Genting. Last year price was RM7.20/way. Alight at cable car station, pay another p[rice for upward journey to resort. All pricing, I think can be found at www.genting.com.my... ( hope I got it right). Best way to sruf for information is... www.yahoo.com.my, search for any MY information under MALAYSIA ..

ok, u do not have to ride the cable car.

one method, which i often use is:

1) you gotta get to TITIWANGSA station.

2) there you%26#39;ll alight and head for the PEKELILING bus terminal visible from the train station.

3) u will then have to hop on the genting bus, which is maroon red with the genting words on it. buses depart every 1/2 hr till bout 10 or 11 at night. fare is RM5.60 per person.

the bus ride will be approx. 1 hr plus and will berth at the first world hotel bus terminal. which has an indoor theme park and a short walk to theme park hotel which is where the outdoor theme park is.

cheers

actually u may wanna consider taking a taxi up, since ur family will all fit into one. if i am not wrong, please correct me if im wrong, itd cost u only bout 70RM depending on ur bargaining skill for the whole cab.

Thankyou for the responses everyone. Maybe we could bus one way and taxi back. I wasn%26#39;t sure if the taxis would fit the 5 of us plus the driver, or are there many taxi vans? And would a taxi be easy to get from the theme parks back to KL? It would be great to be dropped off at our front door after a long day out!!

Typical MY taxi is rather small, given most of you are larger in size, I am not sure it can fit so many of you. I did it in Penang and KL, 3 adults, 3 kids (4,6,12). It was rather tight inside the cab. Actaully, if you can fit all of you, I think the taxi driver won%26#39;t mind, but he may probably ask for a little more as compensation.

If you have been to Singapore and had taken a taxi before, can you imagine MY taxi is about 25% smaller.

i think the cab shd be able to fit all of yall. daddy in front of cuz, mummy and 3 boys, one rather small at the back. oh well, worth a shot.. anyway theres always the bus!

btw how much u paid for the trip? the most ive heard is 100RM but thats cuz he fella took way past midnight. but i heard between 50 and 70 rm is ok...

bbmars, i took b4 i think i paid 70rm, cannot rmember too long ago. cuz nowadays i usually juz take the bus a lil longer but much cheaper.

oh, the last time was I was there, one of my wife%26#39;s friend just any how grab a taxi up there.. costing a bomb without even bargain... but then was long time ago. I am exploring my option for my future trip to KL.

Would certainly like to consider taking a trip up to Genting, Colmar Tripicale, Mines Resort too.

I have transport from Times Square to Colmar Tripicale at SG6.80 (I think) book at at Berjaya office SG. For Mines, I can just take a KTM train there from KL Sentral. For Genting, can take at Pasar Raykat Bus terminal. Just that, I need to arrange and plan for my timing as I can%26#39;t go on longer leave and my children always like to go back to Comos Theme park and MId Valley, which left me with little time for other things.

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Kid with Blonde Curly Hair

Greetings,

We were just in Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu with our daughter (2.5 years old) who has blonde curly hair and blue eyes. People were going absolutely nuts about her - touching her hair and cheeks, kissing her, having their photo taken with her etc tec. This wasn%26#39;t a once off but an regular event.

It was nice for the first few times but after a while it got wearing both on us and our daughter. Literally we would be crossing the street and people coming the other way would stop and make a HUGE fussover her.

Out of interest, why such a huge interest?? Is it a luck thing with the locals or something? I don%26#39;t think it is a specific Malaysian thing as Japanese, Chinese, Koreans etc were also very much interested.

Kid with Blonde Curly Hair

Hi, the experience you and ur daughter have has nothing related to luck thing with the locals or anything else. They just think your daughter is very cute and beautiful. I would say that some people will pay more attention (or even try to play and talk with) to cute/beautiful toddles or babies, no matter they are european, asians or from other countries.

If you feel not comfortable with this, you just let locals know, they will stop it. We won%26#39;t angry or may be feel sorry to make you trouble.

Kid with Blonde Curly Hair

They are complimenting you :-) Since ALL of Asian kids will have black straight hair with brown/black eyes, a blonde blue eyed cutie definitely stand out and I bet your daughter looks like a little doll.

The key words are Blonde Curly hair, the Asians find it hugely fascinating. To us, your daughter is almost doll like, they just have to cuddle and pinch the cheeks to see if she%26#39;s for real. :)

Not ALL Asian kids have long straight black hair with brown/black eyes !! However, since we have none with blonde curly hair with blue eyes here, looking at one is considered a novelty and not a good luck charm or that nonsense. Just consider it a compliment and take it in your stride. You should try going to Istanbul where everyone made a huge fuss over small children. We took our two young kids there and people of all ages, male and female wanted to touch/kiss/hug/took photographs of them and they don%26#39;t even have blonde curly hair.

Having a young kid is an icebreaker when you travel as people are more willing to befriend you or extend a helping hand. Just take it easy , give a smile and move on if it is not to your liking.

Hi Esky,

Besides touching and hugging the girls which is quite common in east Asia, taking a photo may be too much. You could let people know of your wish.

Asians like to play with kids and are usually the icebreakers for children. When I lived in Europe, I have the feeling that because of the alarming cases of pedophilia and missing children, most parents would not let strangers touch the kids and hence most strangers with good intention would not simply touch the kids.

Straight hair blonde baby may not to that uncommon among tourists but curly blonde hair? Can I hold her? Sorry, just kidding, :-P

I agree with what’s already been said. Asians in general seem much more outgoing with kids than we westerners are. We seem much more reserved where kids are involved. If I’m sitting in a train in London and a mother and baby are sitting next to me and I say “oh what a pretty little thing” it’s not likely the mother will give me the baby to hold – in fact is highly UNlikely, but I have had that umpteen times in Asia (well Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) – that I say hello to a kid or admire a baby and no time I have a toddler on my lap or a baby in my arms. I think it’s lovely. I find Asian people sometimes a lot more reserved than westerners, but where kids are involved they’re very spontaneous and open. We westerners would never dare to be so spontaneous with kids for the reasons Alex mentioned above. We’re practically paranoid in the west where kids are concerned. Personally I find the way Asians kids are spontaneous with me and the way Asian adults are spontaneous with our kids, very very refreshing, but I can imagine it could get tiring, if that’s the case, just politely make up an excuse about being in a rush or the little on being cranky. Like Travelandkids said, kids can be a massive icebreaker in that part of the world.

Thanks for the feeback.

I appreciate what you are all saying, and yes it is nice for the first dozen or so times, but in places like busy shopping complexes where you can%26#39;t take 5 steps without someone baleing you up or trting to cross a busy road it can become wearing.

One of the reasons for the initial post which I neglected to put in, was that our other slightly older daughter (5 y.o.) has long curly hair but the blonde has transformed into brunette. And whilst not snubbed, she certainly didn%26#39;t get the same attention.

Hi Esky, I know what you mean, after a while it%26#39;ll be like ';Yeah, she%26#39;s real cute , isn%26#39;t she, but leave her alone!';

You know we have strong sun in Malaysia, it will just reflect on that blonde hair and makes it so noticeable, I suggest she wears a cap / hat to conceal that blonde curly hair. so that it%26#39;s not so noticeable. Drastic situtations call for drastic measures, if that doesn%26#39;t work, you need to veil her...lol...

Just wanted to add to this post and say that when we visited Vietnam last year we had a similar experience with our youngest having his cheeks pinched or hugged all the time - and he was 9 at the time! There would be times when someone would just walk off with him to show him off to their friends/family etc.

Okay, this is a mother%26#39;s prejudiced opinion - he%26#39;s adorable - black hair, coffee latte skin (mother Sri Lankan, father white aussie) and huge dark eyes. While on the other hand the 11 year old (who is actually even more handsome! another prejudiced opinion!) was mostly ignored.

We just realised that it was an Asian response to young children (we%26#39;ve had it before but not to quite this extent) and enjoyed the conversations it generated (in sign language at times!) and asked our son to please grin and bear it for the rest of the 4 weeks - which he did thankfully.

I can%26#39;t answer your question - but if your child can put up with it she will be a great conduit into the community for you whereever you visit.....

And also wanted to say that I NEVER felt that my child was in any danger.

What should not be missed.....?

We%26#39;re heading to Malaysia in just 4 weeks time. We are spending the first 3 days n KL then over to Langkawi (Casa Del Mar and Bon Ton).

Is there anything at either of these locations that you feel should not be missed? Attractions, Buildings, Waterfalls, Beaches....anything...

Thanks

What should not be missed.....?

I think you can read some articles in this website. Just type Malaysia and ';Search';. Several travellers had contributed articles there for places of interest, what%26#39;s good and what%26#39;s not.

Help yourself there, enjoy.

Good Chinese restaurants in the Butik Bintang area !!!

Hi Guys,

We are staying at the Swiss Garden Hotel in central KL. Could anyone recommend a couple of excellent Chinese restaurants within walking distance, preferably ???

It is our anniversary and we would like to go to a really good place. Obviously, not hawkers stalls :-)

Thanks much in advance,

Carlos de Souza.

Good Chinese restaurants in the Butik Bintang area !!!

There used to be ';Ah Yat Abalone Restaurant'; inside the hotel, not sure if it%26#39;s still there, certainly not on the website of Swiss Garden Hotel.

I think along the street, to your right when you walk out of the lobby, there%26#39;s a Regal Chinese restaurant (if I remember the English translation correctly) at the corner of the lot. You won%26#39;t miss it. Quite nice actually.

Good Chinese restaurants in the Butik Bintang area !!!

Oh I didn%26#39;t realize you%26#39;re gonna spend your anniversary dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

Then, Lai Poh Hean at Mandarin Oriental, just for the ambience.

Li Yen at Ritz Carlton is v. good as well. Fancy fusion? then Shrooms at KLCC.

Thanks, Rio, for your choices. We shall certainly choose one or more of them.

Thanks again, Rio !!

Carlos.

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Crowne Plaza KL

Hi everyone,

We are looking to stay at the Crowne Plaza for 6 nights. Is this hotel the best hotel in its price range in terms of the hotel itself? Also, is it central? we will be mainly shopping and eating and a few tourist sites such as Petronas towers etc.

We are looking to spend about $120 AUD per night.

Many thanks.

Crowne Plaza KL

It is not the best hotel, but good enough. No one can beat the location. Very good choice. Everything within walking distance.

Crowne Plaza KL

I agree with Rio. It’s by no means the best 5 star hotel that KL has to offer… but in the RM350 per night price bracket you’d be hard pushed to beat it. The better 5 star hotels also have higher price tickets to match.

The location is perfect. 5 – 10 walk to Bukit Bintang, 5 – 10 minute walk to Petronas Twin Towers/ KLCC, and a monorail station on the doorstep.

Hi,

Crowne Plaza has good location as stated by two ealier posters. I think you can get lower than USD100 on some days and in kl-hotels.com.

Don%26#39;t be fooled by the slightly old looking exterior. The rooms were renovated a couple of years ago and are therefore quite well reviewed in TA.

I can%26#39;t vouch for other 5 star hotels but the Crowne Plaza is very nice, as mentioned above it doesn%26#39;t look much from outside but is very nice inside. Stayed there for 14 days 2 years ago and room and service were excellent.

Need Help!

We are planning to spend the last two weeks of December in Langkawi after spending the same time of the year in Phuket the last three years. We already chose the hotels: CDM %26amp; Tanjung Ru. We read great reviews about the hotels, but there are mixed feedbacks about Langkawi in forums. Is it too quiet at night? We are not party people, but we like to be in the middle of the action after a relaxing day. Is there any action like night shopping, live music restaurants, bars, massage salons etc.? Are there too many local tourists during this time due to the school holidays? We appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

Need Help!

Think your going to find Langkawi a bit on the quiet side after Phuket. There is no ';middle of the action%26#39; places on Langkawi.

Entertainment is resort based, shopping is very limited, there are a few massage salons, very different to the Thai kind of experience.

There is lots of local tourists, far more than europeans. Northern Malaysia (inc Langkawi) is very, very islamic. This means it is nothing like the laidback anything goes feel that you find in Thailand, unfortunetly !

CDM is nice, decent location (for Langkawi), Tanjung is also very nice but you will need a car to get anywhere (or taxi). North eastern tip of Langkawi, there is nothing there apart from the Four Seasons resort.

Need Help!

Hi

I can only second what Alberts says -Langkawi is nothing at all like Phuket, very, very quiet, no clubs/discos, all entertainment centres around the hotels and is very low key.

I would say its more your relaxing and early nights type of place. You may find it a bit too quiet after Phuket.

Lesley

Thank you very much for your feedback. I am afraid we need to change our plans :-(

Name for a cat

sunway hotel georgetown

hiya just wondering if any one is going soon to the sunway hotel georgetown as i need someone to pass an address on for me to someone who we made freinds with that works there and iv lost their address thanks maggieomx

sunway hotel georgetown

Hi Maggie,

yes we were thinking of staying there next week. I could pass on a message for you. What was it like anywas ? At 200 MYR is it OK. We just want a place to overnight before going onto Langhawi the following morning. My email address is : clearymarie@hotmail.com

Marie

sunway hotel georgetown

hiya marie you are a star we stayed at the sunway over new year just gone and myself and my daughter laura loved it we had a high floor as you look at the hotel from the outside we had the top room on the left it gave great views of the komtar tower and over the sea and saw the ferrys going out to the main -land is it ok if i send you a email to pass on to some freinds that work there, includeing the head chef mr poh he was tops thanks marie when are you going? maggieomx and laura x

Hi maggie,

My self %26amp; my neighbour jean are heading over next Thurs. We will be up in Langhawi / Penang the following weekend. I am in Perth today, heading home to Qld tomorrow on hols now....I would be happy to pass on your message. any travel tips for Malaysia ??

Best Wishes,

Marie

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre

I%26#39;m travelling to K.L. in March with my husband %26amp; three children ages 13,9 %26amp;6. Can anyone tell me if its worth a visit to the elephant conservation centre. If so how long would it take to get there from K.L.? Rather than booking tour for 5 of us, would it be possible to book a car %26amp; driver for the day, if so what would the approx cost of this be? Any advise would be appreciated.

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre

Hi smpsmp

If you%26#39;re talking about the elephant sanctuary, yes its worth a visit. It took about 2 hours to get there, and we used a driver from the hotel we stayed in and were taken in a mini van. I%26#39;m sorry i can%26#39;t remember exactly how much it cost, but at a guess i think it was about $120 AUD???? Do make sure you stop at the deer park which is on the way. Our kids had a ball, and we got to feed deers, ostritch%26#39;s, monkeys and sun bears. My husband also go to play with a baby sun bear, and we all had turns in draping a snake around our necks. The elephant sanctuary was great, getting up close to the elephants, feeding them and riding them. The kids got to ride on one and get dumped in the water, and they also played with the baby elephants in the water. A very memorable day.

Lillian :o)

PS: we%26#39;ll be gong back this coming august to do it all again and more!!

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre

Thanks Lioness64

Hiring a private car sounds like the way to go. As you probably are aware travelling with 5 can work out to be very expensive if you go on orgainised tours. Even if the trip cost more than $120 AUD its still cheaper than a tour and we get the opportunity to stop where we want. We are going to spend the day exactly how you recommended. The kids are excited already.

Hi - just wondering if you did visit the elephant conservation centre. We are thinking of visiting when we are in KL in Aug and I would be interested to know if you have any feedback/advice. Did you end up hiring a car or taxi?

A visit to the elephant sanctuary should be done in conjunction with a visit to any of these places

#1 Genting Highlands or

#2 Berjaya Bukit Tinggi Hill Resort

#3 As a stop over place on the way to Kuantan or Cherating..ec

Genting has a themepark and casino. Bukit Tinggi has a french village, horse riding, japanese village and a rabbit petting farm.

When its done like this its worth a visit. I was there last week and we got to feed the elephants (aduilts). Some of the kids go to ride the elephanfs and also bath the elephants in a stream.

For a day trip, I would combine it with item #1, or #2 or both. Expect to spend 1 hour getting to each, and spending another 1-2 hours min at each place.

Booking a car and driver would probably be the way to go as you will then have the flexibility fo stop as long as you like.

Sorry can%26#39;t help with the rental prices but booking a premium taxi in KL costs about RM40 an hour just for reference.

Where is this place? I%26#39;m interested? Near Pekan?

Hey elephant fans. The KGECC%26#39;s website is:

http://www.myelephants.org/

The site is fun. Don%26#39;t spend too much time browsing it, ok? Makes you wanna hop on the next plane. I hope you people can hold off until your planned trip.

The website though amateurish, sure is fun and informational, good for kids and adults alike...now makes me think all those Malaysians who go to Chiang Mai for an Elephant ride...they can do it on their doorstep!!

The Sanctuary does not charge an entrence fee, but you have to register at their visitor center when you arrive.

The Best Malaysian Hotel Booking Site ?

Hi,

Can anyone please tell me of a decent hotel booking site for Malaysia that offers Discount Hotel Rooms. I was hoping there might be an Asian/Malaysian site that is worth trying.

The prices for some of the hotels vary so dramatically. If you%26#39;ve had a great experience in dealing with a hotel booking site please can you let me know.

Thanks so much : )

The Best Malaysian Hotel Booking Site ?

Hi GuyAustralia, few decent booking site for Malaysia and of Asian/malaysian are:-

marimari, pinganchorage(particularly for east coast of Malaysia hotels and even tours), cuti,sinisini

Asian- where can book hotels room across Asia:-

AsiaTravelmart, asiarooms, directrooms.

The Best Malaysian Hotel Booking Site ?

Stayed two nights in KL at the end of April. Tried all the booking sites referred to but in the end used wotif. That was about the only site (apart from asia rooms) that had a price inclusive of the 15% serice and tax charge.

Paid 339 ringitt for the executive floor at the Istana. That was the cheapest by nearly 100 ringitt compared to other sites.

I also find the wotif site one of the easiest to navigate and being from Australia you should be used to it. As a matter of interest the charge on my crit card came through as wotif GBR!

I think Wotif only offers a discount for fairly last minute bookings.

Fot bookings 6 months ahead I found the hotel websites (Crowne Plaza, E%26amp;O, casa del Mar, Berjaya) all offered the best rates or as good as any other, and obviously more reliable. Some of the agencies take your credit card detail and then you have to wait a few days for ';confirmation';, ie to know whether they can actually secure rooms at the rate they are offering

Wotif is now up to 28 days in advance. They do take your credit card details but my understanding is that they only show rooms that are available and you get immediatte confirmation.

I have used them alot in Australia and this is the first time I have used them overseas.

Have checked my trip details and apologize for a mistake for the room rate at the Istana. It was 359 ringit for the executive room.

Thanks so much for that guys...my booking is in September and i really want to get something booked in the next month so that i know i%26#39;ve got somewhere so i don%26#39;t think Wotif is really for me. Asiarooms seems really competitve though. I also found Sawasdee (Malaysian Branch) which has EXCELLENT rates except that every hotel on there only has rates until March 31 07. I emailed them to find out why and no reply : ( A shame as their rates are excellent....

Anyway....thanks heaps for all your great advice and tips : )

Actually, from my booking experience with local site for hotel stay in MY, I find that, the earliest you book, the cheaper it will be. During my last Dec trip, my booking was done in Jun and by then when I check back with the same site in Aug, the price had already gone up by RM40... and that%26#39;s also for the few other sites that I had visited before,

From my experience, all these sites at one time or another do offer some best rates around, but not all the time. I have a MY site that do offers the same rate for the hotel which I am looking for in Dec in KL. However, Wotif only offers booking date for up to a few weeks from now.. So my guess is, closer to Dec, the price at Wotif would have gone up. So far, out of the 8 sites I was looking at last week for the same hotel, I think all of them are inclusive of taxes.. So I am not sure what sites you are referring to where taxes are usually not included. Most likely, you are looking at booking sites that are mainly hosted for foreigners. These sites are usually more expensive, although, ocassionally, you may a gem among them as I had experience before.

However, most sites that charged base on other curency or with that options are usually also cahrging a little more .

I found www.holidaycity.com to be very competitive and to include the 15% ++ taxes. I used them for the Zon apartments. The Zon did try and charge me more when I left but when I showed them the booking confirmation from Holiday City they were happy to honour the price.

For the Crowne Plaza it%26#39;s best to book direct with the hotel using the Holiday Inn website- very nice and convenient hotel by the way.

Holidaycity.com is operated from Singapore where I book my hotel last Dec

rwmf 07

hey peepz, any1 hv been 2 da world music fest in kuchin b4? me n hubby checkin it out dis yr... we%26#39;ll probably be stayin in holiday inn damai...any good advice for this trip? like places of interest we must visit, etc... appreciate any kinda info...cheerzzz..

rwmf 07

Since you are going to Kuching goto :www.sarawaktourism.com,my for more info or click gateway to paradise on the sarawaktourism.website

pimple treatment

Beaufort to Mulu

Hey does anyone know how to get from Beaufort to Mulu? Cause right now the only option seems to be to get there from Miri. And we%26#39;re coming from Sabah.

headhunter%26#39;s trail is an option but we%26#39;d rather not take it. thanks!

Beaufort to Mulu

yep! u got it rite. Mulu is only accessible via Miri ... but beware o fthe flights irregularity. FAX is known for flight cancellation (and the government is hoping mad!).. worst case, via land 2hrs by land to Niah lo.. but must hike another 1/2hr i guess..

Beaufort to Mulu

hey thanks so much for ur help!

hi..you got to take flight from Kota kinabalu to Miri,,or by land from KK to Miri Via Brunei..othe ralternative very far and highly cost..

Beaufort to KK..%26gt;Miri%26gt;mulu other route by 4W and river very time consuming and expensive too

delegates

Tune Hotel

Please give more information regarding Tune Hotel in Kuala Lumpur on cleanliness and location?

Tune Hotel

You can go to www.tunehotels.com for more info. The concept of Tune hotels is, like its parent company Air Asia, no frills accommodation. For RM9.99 a night, you get a good bed and shower and a ceiling fan. You have to pay for air-con, shower kit and towel.

Good bargain, you bet, will see more backpackers upgrading from their usual guest houses to this hotel. Better bed (King Koil pocketed mattress). Better shower.

Tune Hotel

Hi, cleanliness should be no problem.

Location:- located along Jalan Sultan Ismail, with a shopping mall across-Maju Junction.From Maju Junction, after Mara Building, is another one of KL%26#39;s rather old shopping complex- Pertama Complex, and on its annexe, there are KFC, and also one of KL%26#39;s notable steak house-The Ship.

From here, one can see the Sogo department store, and where it is located, is the Tuanku Abdul Rahman Road (TAR Road) with rows of shophouses, buildings housing shops selling shoes, textiles, eateries, nick nacks, bazaar in its attendant lanes. This road stretches upto Jalan Tun Perak, where further across is the Independence Square, and the colonial moorish architecture of the present HIgh Court and Magistrate Courts.

Back at Tune Hotel, your closest public transport is either the monorail at Medan Tuanku station or the LRT at Sultan Ismail station.

The facade of Tune Hotel is easily recognisable by AirAsia corporate colour with streaks of red interlined by white coloured, which certaintly given more life to this building, which was once a hospital(!).

Honeymoon in KL, help with hotel choice!

Hi there,

I%26#39;ve been reading all the forum postings on good honeymoon hotels in KL (there is a lot). I%26#39;ve decided on 3 so far:- Traders, Mandarin %26amp; Ritz but cant choose which one to book!! We want somewhere to relax, eat good food and we like to have a drink so a nice bar would be great!! I hope someone can help, I can鈥檛 decide! xxx

Honeymoon in KL, help with hotel choice!

Hi Fifi,

Life is not always about making choices when you can have them all! Stay at all 3!! Isn%26#39;t that exciting and you can come back and tell us what%26#39;s like comparing these 3? ..

And well last I heard the latin restaurant and bar called Qba at Westin is good...just so near the Ritz. Oh did I mention the ambience, so Havana!!

Honeymoon in KL, help with hotel choice!

There%26#39;s a open air lounge on the top floor of Traders Hotel, overlooking the Petronas Twin Towers... the most beautiful thing in KL.

Read the review on the Ritz by phatdoctor when he spent his honeymoon there in July last year.

tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g298570-i7008-k709鈥?/a>

My word...thanks Maic for the link....Ritz sounds amazing!!!

HI fifi, yes indeed Ta member -Phat doctor had a great honeymoon, where his room at Ritz Carlton was upgraded to the Ritz Carlton Residence-so there is a living area.

Each of these hotels are in their class of its own-each having their strength-like

Traders:- offering complimentary buggy rides to Suria KLCC. Has a lounge at rooftop giving commanding view of the Twin Towers. Though a sister property of Shangri-La hotel of just a notch star below(really because of number of F%26amp;B and size of pool and also number of rooms, that how stars rating are given- nos of F%26amp;B outlets, how diverse are food of the F%26amp;B, amenities, staff to guest ratio to list but a few).

MOKL- must make reference to Mandarin Oriental, as there is a Mandarin also in CHinatown though in this context with your listing, it is understood that we are herein referring to MOKL-which is also TA%26#39;s no 1 in terms of its popularity index).

Best pool-infinity pool, Thalgo spa. Some rooms providing close up views of the Twin Tower. Some of KL%26#39;s rave about F%26amp;B outlets (Wasabi-Japanese, Lai Po Heen-Chinese, and its bar and grill-Pacifica.

Easily linked to Suria KLCC shopping mall.

Ritz- a boutique hotel, where a personal butler is assigned to you during your stay. Ritz has a clear advantage in relation to your preference of eating good food- with the myriad choices available from Ritz itself, Ritz Carlton Residence (Carlton Gourmet) to Starhill Gallery and also in JW Marriott. The restaurant on the third floor of JW MArriott comes with high mention- THIRD, though would not suggest Havana(unless you love cigars), as it houses a cigar humidor space, and cigar afficionados do hang out here at the bar lounge. A nice bar, which is within easy walking proximity to Ritz is Finnegan%26#39;s.

If I were in your shoe-I will select Ritz Carlton (and crossed my fingers if I can get an upgrade to Ritz Carlton Residence), as in relation to room size, it is the biggest in KL when compared against others in corresponding room category,and with a personal butler allocated to me-even unpacking/packing can be left to him, making reservation for excursions/ restaurants, reconfirming air tickets to list but a few.

And even at arrival at airport, things can start relaxing, if when booking at Ritz, you tell them you want to take the KLIA VIP Express, and a porter is assigned to you right at KLIA baggage reclaim area, escort you through the journey on KLIA Express, and when arriving at KL Sentral, escort you to a waiting limousine, which takes you to doorsteps of Ritz Carlton--why this can be done--the guys that run Ritz are also behind the KLIA Express-so everything is integrated, and the guys that run Ritz also owns and runs Starhill Gallery, JW Marriott.

Then if the heat is overbearing in KL, you may wish to continue your honeymoon-head to Cameron Highlands and Ritz%26#39;s limo can ferry you to their Cameron Highlands Resort.

Finally- in terms of Spa- whilst MOKL has Thalgo marine spa, Ritz, and may I say in Starhill Gallery and JW Marriott- there is the Spa village (Spa Zone), and also a spa specialising in Ayurvedic spa.

Travel between LCCT and Pasarakyat Bus terminal

Hello experts.

Our family will be travelling from Langkawi to KL by Air Asia this August and connecting directly with a coach to Singapore. The flight comes in to the LCCT I undestand and the coach leaves from the Pasarakyat Bus Teminal. Just how far apart are they and how long should we leave to get from 1 to the other (by taxi) ? I%26#39;d be very grateful for advice since it%26#39;s the kind of thing which could turn out a nightmare if we get it wrong ! Thanks.

janetol

Travel between LCCT and Pasarakyat Bus terminal

Hi Janetol, LCCT to Pasarakyat Bus Terminal in terms of traveling time averages at 1.5hours.

The road journey from LCCT - Pasarakyat is shortened or lengthen depending on day and time of arrival.

My main concern is the timeliness of AirAsia%26#39;s departure from LGK to KUL.

Just to let you know, the bottleneck is at Sungai Besi highway, approaching the Airforce base, then also to hit Jalan Tun Razak, once your taxi is cleared of these bottlenecks, after reaching Jalan TUn Razak, one left turn after the Kampung Pandan roundabout, the Pasarakyat Bus terminal is on your right further up.

These bottlenecks on weekdays are congested from 0800-0945hrs, then 1230-1400hrs (though not as bad as mornings), then a slight one particularly hitting to Jalan Tun Razak, from 1700-1800hrs.

Weekends are alright, though higher volume of traffic is expected on the two bottlenecks on Aug.11, Aug. 18-26, and Aug.31, where 11 and 31 are public holidays and 18-26 is school holidays(though not much of a great impact). I anticipate Aug.11 and Aug.31 will be high.

Travel between LCCT and Pasarakyat Bus terminal

mKiaratravel,

Thanks for your speedy and very helpful reply. The date we%26#39;re travelling back to Singapore will be Sunday 26 so it sounds as if the taxi journey will be about 1.5 hours and the traffic not too bad. I note your comment about flight delays and will allow extra for this. As you have so much detailed knowledge, any idea what we%26#39;ll have to pay for the taxi ride ? can we get a fixed price (or metered cab) from a taxi rank at the airport ? Thanks again.

Janetol

Hi Janetol, another speedy reply for you.

From LCCT, as you exit after customs, there is a taxi rank selling fixed priced coupons, depending on number of luggages, and nos of passengers, the counter lady will advise you which is the appropriate taxi.

You can trawl the website of LCCT, and where fares are indicated, say for KL, just add another RM5.00,as prices in the website has not been updated since the increase in Oct.06.

Any toll fares is borne by the driver; and there should be no extra surcharge for luggage in the boot.

Have a safe and pleasant journey and do have an enjoyable time in Langkawi and also Singapore.

Langkawi Lagoon Resort

Hi,

I%26#39;m planning to go for my 2nd honeymoon in June%26#39;07 to Langkawi and am still looking for a good resort. I can see that Langkari Lagoon Resort is affordable and nice. Can anyone share their experiences with me? And is there internet in the rooms? I intend to stay in the Studio Suite with sea view. Thanks.

Rgds

Mas

Langkawi Lagoon Resort

Dear Mas,

I had the misfortune of booking a holiday at this resort several years ago and it was simply one of my worst holiday experience at a local resort. For what we had paid, it was overated and simply not worth it. The resort is a few minutes away from the airport and nothing is within walking distance. The buffets were awful and unappetising and I would hate to think that you will be spending your honeymoon here. The beach is manmade and the sea there is not safe to swim in. It is murky, has jellyfish and the seabed is littered with sharpstones.

To be fair, you could read about other TA reviews and experiences there by simply typing in the resort in the two search boxes in this page. If you have the budget, try Casa Del Mar, Andaman, Datai or Tanjung Rhu. They have great reviews, or at the very least, stay at the resorts in Pantai Cenang. Have a Happy 2nd honeymoon and congratulations !

Langkawi Lagoon Resort

Hi travelandkids,

Thanks for your advise. Will consider to look at other resorts you%26#39;ve mentioned.

Rgds

Mas

pinkgerl,

This place is just about ok, there are better places on Langkawi. Part of it is privately owned and the other part is a resort. There is no beach and the location is awful unless you rent a car. Its right next to an enormous condo complex as well, and very close to the airport. There is nothing within walking distance.

Absolutely not suitable for a honeymoon. Even a second one !

Have a look at -

Pelangi

Mutiara

Berjaya

Holiday Villa

They are all better than Langkawi Lagoon.

During my last trip to Langkawi, we drove around the whole island, visiting almost all the hotels by the beach, from Awana Port up to the Datai and Four seasons.

This is what I get from the impression I get from my visits. As it was quite some time ago, I couldn%26#39;t remember v clearly some of the names and locations.

Berjaya is quite nice. Surrounded by trees. It has a small beach which is very quiet when I was there. Can see a bit of the sunset from there.

Mutiara and Holiday Villa looks like it has more families and kids around. Mutiara is near the cable car and the waterfall (2 places u hv to visit in Langkawi).

Frangipanni, just renovated in 2006. Has rooms that has outdoor private jaccuzi. Service not v good.

The Datai. Very secluded. Must have transport arrangements. It%26#39;s so quiet there I heard people complaining when kids simply just run around and have fun in the pool.

There%26#39;s a hotel beside the four seasons, I can%26#39;t remember the name... I think it%26#39;s tanjong Rhu hotel. Nice swimming pool. Stung by jellyfish. Then a walk along the beach n I realise how much jellyfish there were... scary.

If you want something simple and quiet. Try Beach Garden resort. It%26#39;s nothing fanciful. Small and quiet. But the food there is not bad, by Langkawi standard.

Or Sandy beach motel. It has a nice treetop cabin with balcony, right on the Cenang Beach. Beautiful sunset from here.

Hi

For honeymoon within 3 stars budget, try Berjaya, Mutiara or Tanjung Sanctuary.

These resorts require cabs to Pantai Cenang but are peaceful and full of natural surrounding.

Southeast Asia

Hi I am planning on traveling to Malaysia -Indonesia- Thailand-and Hong Kong in early january--I am looking for any tips or advice to help me organize this !! Thanks

Southeast Asia

Hi Janet,

Not sure what kind of advice you are looking for specifically, as it is too broad.

For your routing between malaysia and Indonesia, MAS and Air Asia are your best options. For Malaysia and Thailand , you can choose TG, MAS or Air Asia from selected destinations or use train from North Malaysia to Southern Thailand (however, note that southern provinces are not safe for tourism recently, so do not stop over until close to Krabi.

There are many flights from bangkok or KL to Hong Kong on TG, MAS, CX or Air Asia (Macau). Alternatively, you can do Singapore to HKG either via CX, SQ or Tiger Airways.

pimple treatment

blue hair

Honeymoon in Malaysia- Any recommendations?

I am spending three weeks in Malaysia for my honeymoon this June and I was wondering does anybody have any recommendation about what not to miss. I will be spending the first nine days in Langkawi and the last three in KL but other then that I have not other plans. I am reading guide books etc and it all looks so fab I cannot decide so assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

FB

Honeymoon in Malaysia- Any recommendations?

Hi FB,

Nine days may be quite long for Langkawi unless you like total R%26amp; R and depends on what hotel you are staying.

Penang is just 2.5 hours away from Ferry. If you have not been there, I suggest try the E %26amp; O hotel or Chewo Fatt Tze Mansion. You can stay at least 4 nighst in Penang.

Three nights may be just enough in KL. If you choose good hotels, you can even stay longer just to enjoy the hotels such as Mandarin Oriental, Ritz Calrton or Shangrila.

Cameron highland is worth a couple of night stay and a cool respite from the tropical heat. However, many hotels do not have high standards you can read from TA reveiws.

Melaka is worth a visit to see the history of Malaysia and the cultural heritage. You can stay at least a night there in Hotel Puri, Renaissance or Equatorial.

Japa Mala in Tioman Island on the east coast is great for romantic break for a few nights. Otherwise, Pangkor Laut on the west coast but it is quite pricey.

Naza Hotel

Hi,

I am considering staying in the Naza Hotel in July and was wondering how far it is from Georgetown? Is it within walking distance? As we are only in Penang for 2 nights I had planned to stay in Georgetown as opposed to somewhere like Batu Ferringgi as I thought it would be handier. Do you think this would be a good compromise between Georgetown %26amp; the beach? Also is there much in the vicinity of the hotel? Any other comments about the Naza Hotel in general would be appreciated! Thanks.

Naza Hotel

Hi Jenn,

Stayed at Naza for a conference last year. It was ok but not flash. The staff were friendly but the facilities could have been better and cleaner - sheets were worn, TV not working properly.

Rooms are decent size though. There isnt much within walking distance but you are on the beach and there is a hawkers food centre out the front. Meals at hotel not fantastic. Just a 5 min walk to the main road and you can get bus to Georgetown or Batu F. The buses not that regular and very run down - but was only about 2 RM to either BF or Georgetown and it is fun to travel with the locals. It is about 5-10 min taxi to Gurney Plaza or Island plaza from memory - probably 15 min from Georgetown.

Before the conference we spent 2 nights in Cittel in Georgetown which was cheaper and had much better facilities and standards. We are going to Penang this August and have chosen to stay at Tanjung Bungah - it was cheap and a bit closer to BF than Naza.

I guess it depends what you are wanting to do in Penang and how you want to travel. You will need to use bus or taxi if you stay at Naza. (there is a good cheap laundry not far from the bus stop on the main road if you need it!)

Overall the hotel is ok and I%26#39;d be ok staying there again if necessary but personally would choose somewhere else.

KJU

Nice family hotel apartments

Can anyone recommend any nice hotel apartments in Penang.

Nice family hotel apartments

Not sure which part of Pg you prefer. There are a couple in Batu Ferringhi which I am not familiar with. I know the Gurney Resort Hotel along Gurney Dr. has 2 bedroom suites which are value for money.

Beautiful 5 Star in Kuala Lumpur/Penang/Langkawi

Hey Everyone,

Can i please ask you for some advice on 5 star resorts/hotels in Kuala Lumpur/Penang/Langkawi....as i am going out of my mind with reading all the comments and reviews....please help : )

I know there are some great 5 star places out there but i%26#39;ve had some shocking experiences at 5 star hotels before. I%26#39;m looking for luxury and love the whole resort experience of having everything there....nice buffet breakfasts/pools/gym/nice rooms/great service.

If you%26#39;ve stayed anywhere nice can you please recommend it to me. I can afford midrange prices....maybe 140USD so the exclusive resorts are probably out of my range.

Penang: I was thinking of the Shangri La Golden Sands but i have heard it is really run down and in desperate need of a renovation. Was also thinking of the Traders but it seems too far away from the beach or the Mutiara but this one has closed down for renovations.....or the Grand Plaza Parkroyal which they saying has been newly renovated.

Langkawi: Was thinking of the Sheraton although from my bad experience at the Sheraton in Chiang Mai which was ancient and falling apart i wasn%26#39;t too sure. Was thinking also of the Meritus Pelangi Resort but not sure if i can really afford this one.

Kuala Lumpur: The places i%26#39;ve seen that appealed to me were Renaissance,Sheraton Imperial, JW Marriott, Le Meridien, Westin.

Beautiful 5 Star in Kuala Lumpur/Penang/Langkawi

Hi Guy

can%26#39;t advise on Langkawi, but sure someone can do that.

KL - stayed at Sheraton Imperial lovely hotel (a bit tired by not exhasusted), not on the strip but on monarail to Bukit Bintang or taxis to KLCC or anywhere else. Also stayed at Westin, more modern (again a bit tired) but nice and right in the heart of Bukit Bintang (and ajoins JW Marriott). If I had to choose one it would be Westin as I like the shopping and the food in Jalan Alor (next street).

Penang - Do you want beach or town. Parkroyal is nice and in the centre of things in the beach. Golden Sands is in awe of her larger grander more exotic sister next door on the beach. Great hawkers and night market. Traders is in Georgetown (no beach but great shopping and hawkers).

There are some good deals on some websites if you shop about.

Beautiful 5 Star in Kuala Lumpur/Penang/Langkawi

Hello,

You will find that most high end hotels in Malaysia are really affordable (in comparison to Western standards). You actually get alot of choices with 140USD. It all comes down to what your preferences (i.e. location, rooms, etc) are.

Langkawi: Sheraton Beach is ok, but the beach is pretty small. Not much of a night life round that area. Pelangi would offer you a better choice of nightlife and its nearer to the airport. In case you prefer a quiet, secluded holiday, try the Four Seasons Langkawi or the Datai. The newly renovated Westin (ex-Sheraton Perdana) is located in a quiet corner of the main town, Kuah.

KL: Rennaisance is pretty old and tired looking. Sheraton has really funny golden,outdated deco in their rooms. Marriot has very dirty rooms, according to some friends of mine, and is very overcrowded with tourists. Westin is just opposite the Marriott, try to get a Tower Room. Rumour has it, that a singaporean lady was murdered in her own room on the 11th floor a few years ago. I would advise you to check out the Traders Hotel, Mandarin Oriental and the Hilton.

Hi

Stayed at Parkroyal in Penang last year. Lovely hotel but do not eat or drink here as very expensive. If you can book a seaview room. The rooms at the back have terrible view. Beach not very good in my opinion. Never struck me as being very clean as horses and dogs using it all day. Had a wander round other hotels in that area except for the new Shangri La. Glad we had stayed at Parkroyal. Would I go back again? Possibly not. Lots to see in Georgetown etc but night markets drive you crazy after the first night and not as beautiful as Langkawi.

Stayed at Pelangi Oct 05 and loved it. Lots of good restaurants in that area within walking distance. They were refurbishing rooms I think. Ours was still ok Loved it because the rooms and resort are very traditional.

Stayed at Grand Plaza Parkroyal in Kuala Lumpur in Oct 05.Rooms fairly small but fantastic position. Close to bars and shops. If money was no object would stay at Mandarin oriental near KL towers. But it is a little further out. My husband has stayed at the Sheraton and the Shangri La. Visited both and they look ok but again bit further out from centre.

I stayed at Hilton in KL last year - the LeMeridian is next door. The Hilton was fabulous. We had an executive suite so access to the all day buffet / canapes and happy hour free drinks which was worth the extra cost.

Langkawi, stayed at the Sheraton Beach resort and have no complaints, rooms lovely, food lovely. swimming pool was not large but adequate and as commented before the beach area is small. We only stayed two nights but one one night we took a taxi to the Datai for a meal, which if you cant afford to stay there i would highly recommend as it is the food was fabulous.

Hi Guy

Little doubt the Datai is the best hotel in Langkawi would recommend a luxury bungalow in the forest rather than the main hotel block . Service and food is first class and you can also use the Anderman restaurants a sister hotel at the other end of the beach.Good golf course and tennis courts which the hotel will ferry you to in a courtesy car

Regards

Doug

Penang to Melaka, then Melaka to Kuala Lumpur

Has anyone travelled by night coach from Penang to Melaka? I need advice for reserving buses, time schedules, recommendations, just any info would be greatly appreciated!

Also is it easy to go to KL from Melaka?

I only want to stay in Melaka for one day and return to KL in the evening.

Thank You!!

Penang to Melaka, then Melaka to Kuala Lumpur

Use Transnasional%26#39;s webpage to get the prices

transnasional.com.my/transportation_routes_e…

Penang is called Pulau Pinang on their web page.

Bear in mind its a long journey, almost 600km, and you will be tired when you reach Malacca in the morning.

Its not difficult to get from KL to Meleka too, it all depends on how you want to travel.

In terms of distance and sequence, you will pass KL before you reach Malcca if you travel south from Penang.

Penang to Melaka, then Melaka to Kuala Lumpur

Hi,

There is at least one bus between KL to Melaka every hour from 6am to 10 pm. So it is very regular. You can buy your ticket on the spot except for Friday and Sunday night.

Melaka is very compact, you can see within one day. Now, there is even a RM2 city hop on and off bus and RM5 city wide bus. You can buy those tickets in Melaka .

You can purchase you Penang to Melaka bus when you arrive in Penang. There is no internet booking for that.

If you want to go to KL first, you can book at the aeroline bus but they are the first class coach, so it is more expensive than normal bus which is fine too.

http://www.aeroline.com.my

Thank you both for your advice!

So is it possible to take the night bus from Penang to KL, then KL to Melaka, and then night bus from Melaka to Singapore?

I want to avoid the trains and stick to coach...

Thanks again and looking forward to your advice.

Hi ,

The most comprehensive bus schedules available are here even though it is still not always up to date.

http://www.journeymalaysia.com/bus.htm

Penang to KL is 5.50 hours, you may arrive too early or too late in KL though.

http://www.journeymalaysia.com/ptapenang.htm

KL to Melaka is 2.5 hours. Melaka to Singapore is around 4.5 hours.

http://www.journeymalaysia.com/ptamelaka.htm

Trains are not a good option in Malaysia as they are slow and prone to delays.

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