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Me and my GF will be going to KL for the tower jump but will be there a total of 8 days. What are the "highlight things to do" there? I know about seeing the caves and temples. Those who have been before, what else did you do??

Thanks

i hear there is reasonably priced crystal methamphetamine there and that prostitutes are also of similarly high quality and reasonably priced.

UPH

Base jump my hotel and then get kicked out the next morning and have to pacify a very annoyed wife for fucking up our supposed BASE free holiday.

ian

Heh...being a mostly muslim country with strict laws.
drugging or mongering can get you many years in the slammer...or worse.

if you go to the temples be careful with the monkeys , they can be quite aggresive.

In downtown there is a chinese area, very interesting as well.

The malls are very big as well there is one in the Petronas towers.

Also the food is great if you like Sushi.
Lots to do , but the base is the Best.

Gabo

I was there last year and had a great time.
Check out the street markets, lots of livley bartering to be done. Beer is expensive but food in the stalls at the street markets is cheap as can be.
Loved the place and would like to visit again for a longer holiday. I only had a few days there after a competition in Melaka. That's half way down towards Singapore and also worth a visit.

dude, heres what you do. go to the beach club. get drunk and convince your girlfriend to take home at least 2 or 3 hookers. theyre cheap, so get a couple.

then make your way into china town, it smells in some places, but it is really interesting to eat in the hole in the wall resturaunts over there with open kitchens. you'll leave wondering if you got any diseases.

and, jump off as many things as you can.
watch out for the lady boys. lifewithoutanet had a run in with some of them the last time we were there and i dont know if that rash has healed yet.

-e

After getting winded off the Petronas in 2003/04 we ventured all over KL. Jalan Alor has great street food, including lots of hawkers selling wonderful and interesting foods for around 6RM ($1.50USD).

The Batu caves are fun, and worth checking out. The staircase is trip with beautiful statues all the way up and a great display at the top. Definitely worth doing after a day of jumping.

Bukit Bintang is the main shopping street in the city and has lots of great stuff. Try the reflexology, it's a great foot massage for 30 minutes was like 40RM ($10USD) it's like nothing else. Net cafes are easy to find on this street, it's also great if you're looking for trash and trinkets, somewhat touristy, but fun nonetheless.

Jalan Pudu has a big bus station on it, and you can catch rides to neighboring cities ilke Melaka for about 20RM ($5USD) on a big comfy air conditioned bus. If you want to get out of the city, it's definitely the way to go. Melaka is a great old city and worth checking out. If you can, get a ride to Kuala Selangor and check out the fireflies, they're awesome. :-)

The bird sanctuary downtown is awesome. It's a great walk through a ton of different animals, beautiful colored birds that will land in your hand, and gorgeous sculpted ponds, and awesome landscaping. Grab an ice cream bar and walk through the place, it's an easy fun hour or two adventure.

Chinatown there is awesome. It's crowded, but there's great stuff, good food, neat things, and often fun street performances. (Well, I was there around chinese new year)

Bangsar is a fun Indian neighborhood with an active night market. It's neat to check out, and if you can try to find a Tali meal. mmmm.

Get out of the city and go to FRIM, it's like a city park on steriods. You can do the 'canopy walk' which is neat bridges suspended over a forest. The view is fantastic, you can see the whole city from up there, and enjoy seeing the local wildlife. The trees and fauna are like nothing else. A great morning or afternoon adveture.

Genting Highlands are great too. They're a little way out of the city, but the air up in the mountains is much cooler. There are some great pagodas up there, and strangely some kind of resort thing. They also have a Skyventure wind tunnel which is about 20RM/minute ($5USD/minute). If you're into it, it's a lot of fun.

It's fun to check out KLCC (the Petronas) just to see them, but inside is just a mall selling stuff at 4x the price of everywhere else. It's worth seeing, but I wouldn't spend a lot of time there.

The monorail downtown is great for getting around, and I think it's 1RM (25 cents) to ride around town on it.

Do bear in mind it's a Muslim country, which is far more conservative than North America or Europe. Drug use isn't popular there, and I think its over a gram of marijuana is considered trafficking and is a mandatory death penalty. Take off your shoes before going into mosques, hindu temples, and taoist or buddhist temples. The locals in religious places might not be able to tell you in English, but if they point at your feet, that's probably what they're saying.

Always tell the taxi cab driver to turn the meter on. Otherwise they'll rip you off by charging you some random amount at the other end, definitely an inflated rate. I believe it's illegal, but it's common practice. If they refuse to turn the meter on, telling them not to be greedy tends to resonate with their religious views and they tend to be cooperative, but be careful.

Make hotel reservations in advance, take the train from the airport to downtown. I think it's like $25USD for that ride, but it's well worth it. Cabs are slower and more expensive, and then you have to try to find one... just take the train, when you get to KL, you can take the monorail to the center of town. Most hotels are down there. I'd recommend one with air conditioning... most have it, but make sure they do.

If you're ballsy and wiling to experiment with different foods, try durian, mangosteens, lychees, abalone, satay, nasi goreng, lemack, stringray, indian food on a banana leaf (eat it with your hands), real tandoori, poured tea (te terik), and anything else that looks interesting... the food options are endless.

A few key phrases that are good to know: (I may be mispelling them)
Selamat Detang (good day)
Tandas (bathroom)
Termina Cassieh (thank you)

Hope this gives you some ideas. ;-)

-=Raistlin

Raistlin,

THAT was BY FAR the best "in a nutshell" explanation of "what to do in KL" I have read to date. It far surpassed anything I have been able to gleen from "travel" websites.
Once again, thanks, That was great!

ouch.

My experience, which is going to sound incredibly racist, was that the (ethnically) Chinese taxi drivers always turned the meter on without being asked, and the (ethnically) Malay taxi drivers always tried to get away without doing it, telling you it was broken if you asked, or just pretending not to understand you.

Glad to hear it helped. I hope you have an awesome trip, tell me about it when you get back ;-)

If you can, I'd also recommend trying to find some of the locals. In my limited experience they were very friendly. CzechBASE used to post on here, and he's local, intel has a lot of its fabs in KL so if you're a nerd-type you can probably find someone through that community, same with software. The locals know where all the 'good' stuff is, so if you can make friends before you get there, all the better.

---

In response the "ouch" comment regarding drugs in Malaysia, there was a semi-mainstream movie called "Return to Paradise" which is about some Americans which visited Panang, enjoyed a lot of times, and a lot of marijauna, and one of them ends up being sentenced to death for it. :-/

In the middle of KL is a big prison... you can see inside when you're on the monorail, kind of strange. Then again, inner cities prisons are becoming more common in North America.

---

In response to Tom's comment, I never had a chinese cab driver, it's neat to hear you had some good experiences.

-=Raistlin

Bro,

One more question...(maybe 2 ) I'll be staying at the mandarin oriental next to the petronas towers. How far is this from the KL tower? I was gonna stay at the pacific regency close to KL but my GF wanted something different. Also, is there a certain bar the BASE crowd goes to at the end of the day? In one of Douggs videos there's
a shark bar. Have you been there? Also, most importantly, when did you exchange your currency for the
Malaysian Ringitt ? Did you convert some "pocket money" before you left home and then convert more later in Malaysia? Thanks for all your advice here.

Mark

I converted my "pocket money" in the KL airport. For almost all my transactions (anything large enough to be out of the "pocket money" category) in Malaysia I used credit cards because (a) the big companies that run them tend to get better exchange rates, and (b) it saved me having to convert a bunch of cash and become a target for thieves.

My advice for any traveller - get money out of the ATM - much better exchange rates than the kiosks, EXPECIALLY the airport kiosks.

have fun in KL, if only my wife was as cool as yours :)

The Petronas and KL Tower aren't all that far apart (I think I could walk it in 20-25 minutes with two rigs in the Malaysian humid heat). Any hotel downtown isn't going to be too far from the KL Tower which is in the middle of town.

Here's a big map of KL: http://www.mapskualalumpur.com/

And you can see the Mandarin Oriental right below KLCC on this map: http://www.mapskualalumpur.com/...s/klcc.php?map=klcc2 I just clicked in once.

When I was there were were staying close to KLCC, some people walked, some took a shuttle bus, Slim (RIP) had arranged, and many took cabs. Cabs are cheap, so don't worry about that.

If you are staying at the Mandarin Oriental, you -can- use the hotel services, (internet, laundry, etc) but expect to pay North American/European prices for it. Whereas if you're willing to walk down the street, you can get the same thing for sometimes 10% of the price. (seriously).

When I travel I tend to exchange a lot into cash, get small bills and keep them around. There's always argument about whether or not credit cards make more sense, but cash is accepted everywhere, by everyone, at all times. More than once I had my bank 'turn off' my credit card because they're 'fraud detection' system didn't like it being used away from my home city. Which reminds me, call your bank and tell them what you're doing and where you're going so they don't do that to you. I ended up having to borrow, $200USD from a friend who was the event, because the bank turned my card off :-( Fortuntely, he was there to help. (Thanks again, Ray).

Souveniers and gifts can add up (sky's the limit as to how you -want- to spend), but if you stick to the local foods, and all the activities I listed in the first mail, I'd be surprised if you could spend over $100RM/day ($25USD), on two people. That's likely more than you can hawker food, fresh off the grill, tropical fruits, interesting teas, fruit drinks, admissions to the bird sanctuary, walks around FRIM, etc. Excluding jumping fees and souveniers, etc, I think we did 20 days in Malaysia for about $2000USD. Thoughts of moving there and continuing to earn US Dollars crossed our minds more than once ;-)

-=Raistlin

Thanks to everyone for all the tips (especially -=Raistlin !)..Can't wait to see everyone there!

For those that prefer to use credit card in Malaysia, it is wise to have a backup.

Malaysia is one of the hotspots in the world for credit card fraud. Some foreign banks have a policy to automatically cancel a credit card once it is used in Malaysia as a precaution to protect against possible fraud in the future. Card data is often copied there and used in the future.

I used to prefer using my credit card there but after having it cancelled on 3 separated occasions I now predominately use cash. My cards have usually been cancelled a few weeks after returning home due to using it in Malaysia. My last visit there I only used credit card to pay hotel bills which fortunately did not result in it getting cancelled. I would be interested to hear how many others have had credit cards cancelled from using them in Malaysia.

I find the exchange rates I get in Malaysia are now often better or similar to what I get from using credit card. Several years ago credit card used to get the best rates but now many credit card issuers choose to make more profit from foreign exchange and add extra fees. Not sure if this is the same for card issuers in other countries but is common here in Australia. The bottom floor of the mall at Petronas has 2 places to do foreign exchange which give good rates. There are many other places in KL that may do a marginally better rate. Exchanging money at the airport or hotels is more expensive. Exchanging money at home before you go is usually the most expensive.


Gary
http://www.kltowerjump.com

In Malaysia, drugs can be penalized up to death. Anyone?

Ronald

Not that I advocate drug use, but I sure hope the USA would step in if this were true and a US citizen were on Malasian Death Row... On the other side you still have to respect their laws, It is their country.

Does anyone have any more specifc knowledge about this?

why?
whatever happened to personal responsibility?

if you want the US government to protect it's citizens from poor personal choices, what next? doesn't the NPS try to do just that?

(now, I'll agree with you if the country in question is applying it's laws arbitrarily and capriciously.)

Some links to check out...


Amnesty International (a non-profit I work with) is reputatable:
http://web.amnesty.org/...?open&of=ENG-392 (this article is from November 2000)

http://www.hri.ca/...97/vol3/malaysia.htm "Malaysia's Dangerous Drug Act makes possession of at least 15 grams of heroin, 1,000 grams of opium or 200 grams of cannabis mandatorily punishable by the death penalty and that, according to information received, a person caught possessing such a quantity of drugs is presumed guilty and must prove innocence."

Looks like I was wrong on the quantities, although bear in mind the amounts in the Dangerous Drugs Act -require- the death penalty (mandatory death sentence). For smaller quantities I'm sure they can come up with something to make one's life miserable.

As to being a US Citizen in Malaysia, this article explains some of it under the "criminal penalties" section http://www.1uptravel.com/...rnings/malaysia.html

"CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While in a foreign country, a U.S. citizen is subject to that country’s laws and regulations, which sometimes differ significantly from those in the United States and do not afford the protections available to the individual under U.S. law. Penalties for breaking the law can be more severe than in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating the law, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. The Malaysian criminal code includes a provision for a sentence of caning for certain white collar crimes, including criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and cheating.

DRUG PENALTIES: Malaysia strictly enforces its drug laws. Malaysian legislation provides for a mandatory death penalty for convicted drug traffickers. Individuals arrested in possession of 15 grams (1/2 ounce) of heroin or 200 grams (seven ounces) of marijuana are presumed by law to be trafficking in drugs."

I'm all about take responsibility, but hey I don't do drugs, so why do I care?

A bunch of us headed up to Genting to play in the wind tunnel when jupming was winded out for the day.

We paid for roughly 10 minutes of tunnel time, but when they found out we were all skydivers/BASE jumpers, they turned off the timer and let us do whatever the hell we felt like. I think we finally left after about two hours because we were going to miss the car we'd booked to get back to KL.

Cheap shoppong at Bukit Bintang and a Japanese restaurant Andrea liked dragging Slim to.

If you've got the time and inclination, you could also try the 150km to the historical Portuguese port of Malacca (aka Melaka).

Australian assholes Barlow & Chambers were hanged in Malaysia and the protest from the Australian govt. fell on deaf ears -the Malaysians just didn't see what all the fuss was about as it's the norm to hang traffickers -period. There are lengthy prison stints for users too. E's are available in many of the bars and you may think that there's a level of acceptance but you will be mistaken. You seriously need to heed the warnings and don't fuck with this line of recreation. There are plenty of other countries to jump that allow for more workable penalties (or none) so if you can't do without doing drugs for the 1-3 weeks you are there then don't go.

Gary C will warn you in writing of the penalties when you apply.
The travel literature will warn you.
The airport signs will warn you.
This forum has warned you.

Uncle Sam has enough trouble without doing a diplomatic incursion into another Muslim country to save the ass of some idiot jumper who didn't heed the warnings. Guantanamo Bay 'aint exactly helping Muslim / US relations.

So I guess you should stick to alcohol. Your stash will still be there upon your return home. For a Muslim country I must say that KL sure does promote heavy beer drinking. Make sure you try one of those large (almost a gallon) chilled-beer-taps that can be brought to your table. Some nightclubs will offer you a large bottle (750ml) of spirit at discount with your entry. The nightclubs are full of hookers but be careful as not all of them are exactly female

... Oh.. and there's this big-fucker tower to jump off too...
....and then there's b...a....n....d.....i......t j.......u...

g.

So here's my advice that i hope you'll never need... should you have a 'mishap' and need medical attention in KL, make sure they take you to the Pantai Medical Center. KL General is a total hole that makes operating on yourself seem like the preferable option.

Oh, and if you end up at Pantai, can you say hi to the awesome nurses on floor 5 for me?

Also, as with any international trip, don't leave home without International Health Insurance (www.ihi.com). They paid all my bills, no questions asked, and were great to deal with.

Malaysia rocks... have fun and look out for the water pipes!

But you spent the rest of the week looking for the lady boy bar.

PLEASE READ!

Those macaque monkeys near the caves carry the Herpes B macaque virus that kills 80% of people within a month if it is not immediately treated with megadoses of valtrex. Otherwise it will liquify the brainstem.

Those wild monkeys can be exceedingly agressive to humans and they do bite

NOT KIDDING!!!

I'm an American MD currently an anesthesiologist with an emergency medicine background and I emailed Gary offering my services. (hopefully none will be needed) I know there are malaysia emergency people present but I'm gonna hang around as "backup" and hopefully get to know everyone. It's gonna be fun!

BTW what cell phone carriers work over there? Should a "local" cell phone be bought just for the trip? Are there any decent safe beaches to go to? Is there a favorite BASE "watering hole" everyone goes to at the end of the day?

Thanks!

Hey, though i'm from malaysia, there others here that knows KL far better then I do!
If anything, you have to try the food! Satays are a must, as well as Roti Prata, Nasi lemak, Hinanese chicken rice, Steamboat... Jsut about the only thing i miss is the food.
There's an old Dim Sum restaurant that opens in the mornings on Petaling Street, old school but best in the city. And the local fruits, Jackfruit, Mangosteen, Rambutans, and especially durians... It's an aquired taste but it tastes a lot better then it smells and it's a must when visiting the region.

Around there... Batu caves are worth a visit, Malacca as well, as others have reccommended. Lots of history dating back from when the Dutch and Portugese where there. There's the Cameron Highlands, and old colonial hill station with a tea plantation, and Genting highland, which personally the main attraction being the wind tunnel there. If you got the time, the Taman Negara rainforest reserve is worth a look, but it's a bit of a trek.

This is the best i can think of at the moment, i'll be more then glad to help with any questions there is. Oh, and watch out for the traffic there, the lights seems to be more of a suggestion sometimes! Hope you have fun.

Eugene

KL is a bit far from the coast, and the west coast is right along the strait or malacca, one of the busiest waterways in the world.. Anything between Singapore and Penang would be a mess. For good beaches best bet would be up in Penang island, or the Langkawi islands further north. The best beaches by far in West Malaysia would be off the east coast, the Redang and Perhentian islands. But it'll be a trek to get there.

Eugene

*edited because i can't spell properly past midnight*

Thanks for that tip!!!

Mmmm, on the west coast, the beaches on Pulau Pangkor are not to bad either. Not very touristy, and nice and cheap bungalows. On the East, the Pulau Perhentians are the best. Weather wise, the monsoon in august is on the west coast....

Ronald

So you're staying in the MO. Nice Hotel, but they will ask you to leave if you're caught jumping it.



ian

If this is true, then don't be like the guy in this picture - he put the bag of peanuts in his cargo pocket - and the monkey went after it - several times! Another monkey stole a can of soda and bit it open to drink it. Yes, the monkies there were quite aggressive - but nothing a swift kick couldn't solve.

All-in-all, the Batu Caves were very much worth the cab ride out there. China town was okay - espeically if want to buy software for $5.00 or a nice Tag or Rolex for a few dollars. The skywalk on Petronas was cool too.

That "ambulance" we put you in was nothing more than a clapped-out rusty old Mazda Bongo Van. Your oxygen-line helped negate the carbon-monoxide fumes that were seeping in through the rotten door-seals. Happy to hear of your recovery as it looked pretty nasty.

g.