PLAN YOUR TRIP

17 Top Experiences ........ 4Welcome to KL, Melaka & Penang ............................ 13 Need to Know ................. 14What’s New ..................... 16If You Like ........................ 17Month by Month ............. 19Itineraries ........................ 21Shopping ......................... 23Travel with Children ....... 26Regions at a Glance ....... 29

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND KL, MELAKA & PENANG

KL, Melaka & Penang Today ................. 186History ............................. 189Malaysian Cuisine .......... 200Culture ............................. 210Environment & Wildlife .. 219

KL, Melaka &Penang Today One Malaysia? The t lerant mingling of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures in Ku

um ur, Melaka and Penang are a large part of what makes these htoric cities so appealing. Here, the stories of Mala sia’s diverse ethngrou s an co onia empires are intertwined – south In ian coo s ser

MALAYSIAKUALA

LUMPUR UK

population per sq km

≈ 120 peopleof the Srivijaya Empire, based in southern Sumire controlled the entire Malacca Straits, Jav

and became fabulously rich from trade with the protection of the Srivijayans, a signi cant Mup in the Bujang Valley area in the far north

2nd century AD

Langkasuka, one of the rst Hindu-

Malay kingdoms, is established on the

peninsula around the area now known as

Kedah. It lasted in one form or another until

the 15th century.

Petronas Towers 1 It’s impossible to resist the magnetic allure of the Petronas Towers (p 40 ): the 452m-high struc

ture is beautiful to look at, as well as being the embodiment of Malaysia’s transformation into a fully developed nation. Designed by architect Cesar Pelli, this glistening, steel-wrapped structureis the focal point of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC), a 40-hectare development that also includes an imaginatively designed tropical park, a fun aquarium, an excellent kids’ museum, a world-class concert hall and one of KL’s best shopping malls. Petronas Twin Towers

4 17 TOP EXPERIENCES

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

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185GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

Kuala Lumpur Shopping Food Art Galleries

Super Shopping Shopaholics will be thrilled by KL’s multiplicity of malls. There’s also classic South-east Asian fresh-produce day markets and several atmo-spheric night markets, the most famous of which is the one along Chinatown’s Jln Petaling. Also don’t miss the Central Market, an Art Deco souvenir treasure house.

Fantastic Food Allow your stomach to lead the way around KL. Tuck in with locals at the fantastic hawker stalls along Jln Alor, Imbi Market or Madras Lane. Sample Indian food in Brick elds and Little India and a brilliant array of international options in Bangsar and along the city’s party strip, Changat Bukit Bintang.

Contemporary Art Access Malaysia’s vibrant contemporary art scene at the National Art Gallery or at exhibitions held in com-mercial galleries such as the Annexe Gallery and Valen-tine Willie Fine Art.

p 34

regions at a glance

Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur (or KL as it’s commonly called) is where you’ll most likely arrive and spend the bulk of your time. Surrounding it is the state of Selangor, a prosperous industrial powerhouse with an excellent range of easily accessible tourist attractions including the urban planning showcase of Putrajaya, the federal government’s administrative hub.

Two hours’ drive south is the historic city and state of Melaka; its glory days as a leading Southeast Asian entrepôt may be long over, but this charming low-rise community continues to draw the tourist crowds. The island of Penang, 350km north of KL, may be Malaysia’s smallest state but it packs a considerable multicultural punch with its fantastic food scene, heritage buildings of Georgetown and cool hill station.

2 9

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Need to Know

Currency » Malaysian ringgit

(RM)

Language » Bahasa Malaysia and

English

High Season (Dec–Feb)

» End-of-year school holidays followed by Chinese New Year push up prices and mean advance booking of transport and hotel rooms is important.

Shoulder(Jul–Nov)

» July to August, vye with visitors escaping the heat of the Gulf States as Malaysia enjoys what it calls Arab Season. The end of Ramadan, usually in September, also sees increased travel activity in the region.

Low Season (Mar–Jun)

» The west coast monsoon season is over during this time, when visitor numbers are at their lowest.

When to Go?

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GeorgetownGO year-round

Kuala LumpurGO year-round

MelakaGO year-round

Tropical climate, rain year-roundTropical climate, wet & dry seasons

Your Daily Budget Budget less than

RM100 » Dorm bed: RM12–35

» Hawker-stall meal: R10

» Plan sightseeing around walking tours

Midrange

RM100–400

» Double room in midrange hotel: RM100–400

» Two-course meal in midrange restaurant: RM40–60

» Ticket for theatre show: RM40

Top Endmore than

RM400 » Double room in five-

star hotel: RM450–1000

» Three-course meal plus wine in top-end restaurant plus bottle of wine: RM200

» Half-day Malay cooking course: RM230

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LakeGardens

Menara KL

Merdeka Square(Dataran Merdeka)

Chinatown

T

LittleIndia

KampungBaru

BangsarVillage II

Brickfields

‚Mid ValleyMegamall (1.5km)

‚

Batu Caves(11km)

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Paper in this book is certified against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Get the right guides for your trip

ENCOUNTER• Pocket-sized• Easy-to-use• Highlights

COUNTRY & CITY• The original• Comprehensive• Adventurous

Lonely Planet in numbers70 languages spoken by our writers

12 seconds pass between posts on our Thorn Tree travel forum

100,000,000 Lonely Planet guidebooks sold, and still counting

190+ countries covered by a Lonely Planet guide

COCOUNTUNTTETERRCOCO ENCENC PHRASEBOOKSHOESTRING• Big trip• Multicountry• Maximise budget

YYOUNOUNTRYRYRYTRY & CI& CITYTY SHOBi

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THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Simon Richmond,Celeste Brash

#_KualaLumpurp34

Penangp142

Melakap113

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 226Transport ........................ 233Health .............................. 239Language ........................ 242Index ................................ 257Map Legend .................... 263

YOUR AT-A-GLANCE REFERENCE

How to get around, get a room,

stay safe, say hello

ON THE ROAD

Accommodation Accommodation in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang ranges from sky-scraping ve-star hotels to grungy

backpacker dives that scrape the bottom of the barrel. The good news is that accom-modation can be refreshingly inexpensive. Outside of public holidays (around major festi-

Promotional rates can bring rooms at many top-end hotels into the midrange category. A 5% government tax applies to all hotel rooms (including at cheaper hotels where it is invariably included in the quoted rate), and al-most all top-end hotels levy an additional 10% service charge. Credit cards are wide-ly accepted at midrange and top-end hotels; cash payment

Kuala Lumpur, MPenang all have and guesthousedorm beds (fromRM10) as well aswith shared or prooms and a choair-con.

Hotels As a rule, budgepoky box roomsthin plywood paand no windowsa choice of privabathrooms and conditioning. In tels, ‘single’ normone double bed,means two doubaid ventilation, tcheaper rooms the ceiling, whicacoustics and pearplugs.

At midrange con is standardtypically have Tproper wardrobprivate bathroomidrange hotelrestaurants, butres and swimm

Directory A–Z

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NEXTPAGETOP EXPERIENCES MAP

kuala-lumpur-melaka-penang-2_Cover.indd 2 18/03/2011 1:34:03 PM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Look out for these icons:

o Our author’s recommendation S A green or

sustainable option F No payment required

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

KUALA LUMPUR . . . . .34AROUNDKUALA LUMPUR . . . . . . . . 102North of Kuala Lumpur . . .102Klang Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . .106South of Kuala Lumpur . . .109

MELAKA . . . . . . . . . . . 113MELAKA CITY . . . . . . . . . . . 114AROUND MELAKA . . . . . . . 140Ayer Keroh . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Pulau Besar . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Alor Gajah . . . . . . . . . . . . . .140Tanjung Bidara . . . . . . . . . . 141

PENANG . . . . . . . . . . . 142GEORGETOWN . . . . . . . . . . 147THE REST OFTHE ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Penang Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174Kek Lok Si Temple . . . . . . . 175Botanical Gardens . . . . . . . 175Pulau Jerejak. . . . . . . . . . . . 175Snake Temple . . . . . . . . . . . 175Batu Maung . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176Kampung Pulau Betong . . 176Teluk Kumbar & Gertak Sanggul . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176Balik Pulau . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176

Balik Pulau to Teluk Bahang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177Teluk Bahang & Around . . 177Batu Ferringhi . . . . . . . . . . .180Batu Ferringhi to Georgetown . . . . . . . . . . . . .182SEBERANG PERAI . . . . . . . 183Butterworth . . . . . . . . . . . . .183Pulau Aman . . . . . . . . . . . . .184

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

Four DaysEssential KL

For a bird’s eye overview of the city take your pick between the skybridge and observa-tion deck of the Petronas Towers or the bulbous head of Menara KL atop the jungle-

clad hill Bukit Nanas. Explore Chinatown, dropping by its markets and Hindu and Taoisttemples, and admire the colonial buildings around nearby Merdeka Square (Dataran Merdeka). Spend the evening in the Golden Triangle – dig into delicious food along Jln Alor, then sample the nightlife along buzzing Changkat Bukit Bintang.

Make the Lake Gardens the focus of day two, not missing KL Bird Park, the Islamic Arts Museum and the National Museum. Sample authentic Indian cuisine in either Brickfi elds or Little India. On day three, having enjoyed breakfast at Imbi Market, venture out to Batu Caves; exploring the cave temples only takes a couple of hours, leaving time the same day to wander the sleepy streets of Kampung Baru back in KL. Set aside day four for some ‘me time’: enjoy some retail therapy in giant shopping malls such as Mid Valley Megamall, or indulge in a luxurious spa treatment at Hamman in Bangsar Village II.

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PLAN YO

UR TRIP ITIN

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Two WeeksThe Terrifi c Trio

Starting in Kuala Lumpur, follow the previous itinerary, adding on a day to head out of town to view the modern architecture of Putrajaya or the lush surrounds of the Forest

Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). Tap into Malaysia’s creative scene by spending a day touring KL’s major galleries, including the National Art Gallery near Lake Titiwangsa, White Box at Publika, Valentine Willie Fine Art and Wei-Ling Gallery; and see what’s playing at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, the magnifi cent concert hall at the base of the Petronas Towers, or the jazz venue No Black Tie.

Use Georgetown as your base for exploring Penang, starting with walking tours of its fascinating colonial district and Chinatown, a Unesco World Heritage–protected area. Along the way be sure to visit the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, the fabulously ornate clan-house Khoo Kongsi and Penang Museum. Having prepped your stomach on afternoon tea in the elegant surrounds of the Eastern & Oriental Hotel or the restored grandeur of Suff olk House, go for broke by night trawling Penang’s amazing range of streetside hawker stalls.

Lose yourself for half a day at the enormous Kek Lok Si Temple, which has an excel-lent vegetarian restaurant on the premises. Alternatively, stroll the pathways of the lovely Botanical Gardens and continue on to the base of Penang Hill. Ride the funicular railway to the peak and spend the rest of the afternoon strolling the trails in the cool air. Leave a couple of days to explore the rest of the island, including Penang National Park and the beaches and resorts at Batu Ferringhi.

Round off your trip with a few days in Melaka, becoming acquainted with the delights of Peranakan cuisine. Tick off the main historic sights, including the Stadthuys, Porta de Santiago, St Paul’s Church, the Sultanate Palace, Villa Sentosa and historic China-town, where you’ll fi nd the Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum. Escape the crowds at Bukit China graveyard, with sunset views of the city. Time permitting, enjoy a riverboat cruise or an Eco Bike Tour and, if it’s Friday or Saturday, don’t miss the Jonker’s Walk Night Market.

INDONESIA

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KUALALUMPUR

SELATMELAKA

(STRAITOF

MELAKA)

SOUTHCHINASEA

PenangGeorgetown

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2 2

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

Simon Richmond Coordinating Author, Kuala Lumpur Simon fi rst visited KL, Melaka and Penang in 1996. A lot’s changed in Malaysia since, but the country remains one of Simon’s favourites for its easily accessible blend of cultures, landscapes, adventure and lip-smacking range of cuisines. His favourite experience of this research trip was learning to make the glutinous rice balls onde onde at the culinary retreat Bayan Indah. An award-winning travel writer and photographer, Simon has helmed

Lonely Planet’s Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei guide for the past three editions, as well as a shelf-load of other titles for Lonely Planet and other publishers. Find out more about his work and trav-els at www.simonrichmond.com.

Celeste Brash Melaka, Penang Celeste fi rst visited Malaysia while studying at Chiang Mai University, Thailand in 1993 and she later moved to Singapore to teach English. The more of Malaysia she’s visited over the years, the more she’s fallen in love with it. She’s sure Malaysian food is the world’s best and the country seems to get better and better with every visit. She’s contributed to over 20 Lonely Planet guidebooks including Travel with Children and her award-winning writing has

appeared in publications from the LA Times to Islands Magazine. To see more of her writing go to www.celestebrash.com.

Read more about Simon at:lonelyplanet.com/members/simonrichmond

Read more about Celeste at:lonelyplanet.com/members/celestebrash

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 9832nd edition – June 2011ISBN 978 1 74179 216 4© Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 201110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in SingaporeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’

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