Malaysia - anyone been/going? • Non-Gaming • Travel • Eurogamer.net

phAge 21 Oct 2005 17:33:43 25,487 posts
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My dad will be turning 60 in a couple of weeks, and as a prezzie my mum is thinking about giving him a trip for the 2 of them to Malaysia. Being the wonderful son that I am (quiet at the back!), I offered to see what I could dig up on the interweb in regards to prices, sites and general stuff about the country. Aaaand, seeing as EG is a rather cosmopolitan place, I thought that some of you might know a thing or two about the place that could come in handy.

Commence informing me.

lost-soul 21 Oct 2005 17:37:48 435 posts
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I've been; didn't think much of the place, to be honest.

KL is a nice city, but there isn't a lot to do there; Penang (Georgetown) was a dump and the Cameron Highlands were OK.

I believe there are some lovely islands somewhere off the Malaysian peninsular.

Edited by lost soul at 17:41:09 21-10-2005

phAge 21 Oct 2005 17:40:27 25,487 posts
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It will probably be an island-thing. My dad was a sailor (briefly) when he was a young'in, and he's always wanted to visit the place again.

DodgyPast 21 Oct 2005 17:47:00 9,353 posts
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lost soul wrote:
Penang (Georgetown) was a dump

seconded.... though I did like the botannical gardens

I believe there are some lovely islands somewhere off the Malaysian peninsular.

otto and a singaporean mate of mine rave about them, so well worth checking those out.

Malaysia is quite handy for those who are less adventurous since most Malays speak pretty decent English.

Teeth 21 Oct 2005 17:54:42 7,987 posts
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My mum and her side of the family are from Malaysia, though they're Chinese.

I've been a couple of times.

The people are really nice and friendly. As mentioned their English is passable in many cases. If not beginner's Malay is pretty easy to pick up. The food is great. KL's pretty polluted these days what with the fires from Indonesia dropping smoke all over it, but it's fun anyway. Lots of the usual asian stuff, malls, big buildings, stuf flike that. You go for the roadside satay stalls and stuff.

Penang's OK, Penang Hill is awesome. Big bridge to the mainland too... wow.

I believe it's the East Coast of peninsular Malasia that has the amazing unspoilt beaches and incredible stuff like that. the other two bits of Malaysia are cool too, but I guess it's peninsular malaysia that has all the post colonial stuff. Also it has the cameron highlands which are really cool. Literally; you'll have to take a jumper if you're going up there. But it's cool. They have owls and giant moths and beetles and stuff. Really awsome.

Pulao Tioman is a nice island off the coast, had a pretty nice time there... Pulau Langkawi is good too. Pulau just means island.

Teeth 21 Oct 2005 17:56:59 7,987 posts
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I lived in Melaka from when I was 2 - 4. I don't really remember. I went back a few years back. Seemed like a nice quiet village.

mrharvest 21 Oct 2005 18:01:11 5,718 posts
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I was six months in KL last year. I don't have much to tell about it though. To find good places to eat you have to know some locals. Penang and Melaka are food meccas but even there you need to know where to go. If I was going for a short while (like a week or two) I'd go to Penang, get a room in the Blue Mansion for two days. Then I'd spend the rest on the east coast. If they are keen on shopping two days in KL should be enough.

lost-soul 21 Oct 2005 18:15:26 435 posts
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otto wrote:
Some pics

Heh, young otto!

otto Moderator 28 May 2007 11:16:19 49,322 posts
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I spent four fantastic months there after my degree - this was 15 years ago mind. I was only in Peninsular Malaysia, south of Thailand - had an absolute blast. Great place!

Highlights for me were the Cameron Highlands (lovely forest walks), Kota Bahru, the Perhentian Islands, and the Taman Negara (national park, groovy jungle treks). A lot of tourists do the Melaka, Tioman, KL, Penang thing, for me they weren't *that* worth it.

Some pics

edit - yeah, as dun... ahem dodgy says, the Perhentian Islands - wonderful - but apparently heavily developed since I was there. In 1992 they were empty except for a few A frame huts and a Dutch bloke selling pancakes and Amstel. Paradise.

Edited by otto at 17:53:00 21-10-2005

otto Moderator 28 May 2007 11:16:19 49,322 posts
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Heheh - yeah, I ate him.

Melaka in 1992 wasn't a small village, probably even less so now.