Many people come to KL for the shopping. KLCC is one of the larger upmarket kind of shopping malls. But for a street market with bargain deals on pirated clothes, skip the malls and head for Jalan Petaling (Petaling Street) in China Town.
Malaysia is in the middle of SEA but still so different from its neighbors. It is wealthier, not wealthy like Singapore or the western world, but still enough to make a difference. People usually have what they need for a good life, even if they are rarely filthy rich. Maybe it is because of that, maybe it is because of something else in the culture, but traveling in Malaysia is sometimes so much easier than in its neighboring countries. I have often walked in to a restaurant and ordered a nasi goreng, or other simple food, without even looking at the price in the menu. Not one single time have I been seriously ripped off. It is very rare to be harassed by people trying to sell stuff to you on the street or on the beach. If you try to bargain about prices, people often don’t even understand what you want. The price reflects the shopkeeper’s costs plus a reasonable profit, not what they think a stupid westerner fresh of the airplane is ready to pay.
From KL I traveled to Pulau Tioman, or Tioman Island, on the southern part of the east coast of peninsular Malaysia. What is there to say about it? Go there. Now! I stayed at Happy Inn in Genting and at Ella’s Place in Salang. Both are very simple budget places, located in the middle of Paradise, with laid-back and friendly staff and very low standard. Many of the visitors at Genting are Chinese. It is a bit deserted at night. Salang doesn’t really have a crazy night life either, but at least there is a bar or two, where people actually go. The visitors in Salang are a mixed bunch of Malays, Chinese, and foreigners. Salang also has a larger variety of different dive centers with professional staff and good safety standards. But there are some really nice reefs right outside the beach, so you only need your snorkeling gear to get swimming among those corals and beautiful tropical fish. I did both scuba diving and snorkeling and it was wicked! As usual in this kind of place I met a lot of people from all around the world. Locals, Swedes, Singaporeans, Brazilians, Americans, Scotsmen, etc. Backpackers, business people, students, even a maritime piracy fighting specialist from US navy.
Hillsides along the beach north of Genting. Hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia.
The beach in front of the restaurant at Happy Inn.
Sunset seen from above mentioned restaurant.
This little friend was socializing with the tourists on the beach. The monitor lizards are sometimes really big. They are also very shy and avoid getting close to people, so no need worry, la.
This little creature was not shy at all. The scary bastard was hiding behind my bed. At first it kind of sneaked around carefully, like insects usually do. But when I attacked it with the toilet brush, it didn’t just die, or curl up in the defensive way you would expect. Instead it turned into a monster from outer space, trying to fight back, with a most intimidating and aggressive body language. It took a real battle to kill the little fucker and a while later it actually started moving again. I shit you not, I had to kill it three (3) times on the same evening. Look at the size of it! It is poisonous too, not very but enough to cause some pain. Beware of the aggressive, flesh-eating, undead mutant monster millipedes from outer space, which dwell behind your beds in Genting!
I also started my Japanese studies on Tioman, here at the restaurant at Happy Inn. This time I WILL get fluent in that ungodly language. Insh’ Allah.
View from my front porch. Pretty ok for about 10 USD a night.
Another little picture from the porch at Ella’s place. Everywhere around this region you can get coconuts to drink. Super yummy! Drink the sweet water inside with a straw, and use a spoon to eat the pulp.
The air fare from KL to Tioman is about 60 USD. Pretty ok, although it is a lot cheaper to go by bus and ferry. But the plane is a bit of an adventure and well worth the money. The airstrip in Tekek, Tioman, is small and squeezed in between the hillsides.
View from the airplane, small island northwest of Tioman.
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