– ARTICLE –
= Saving Money, and Other Tips for Your Malaysian Travels =
The difference between being thrifty and cheap?
One doesn't leave you stranded.
I remember going to Langkawi with my friends and looking for a rental car, and being the cheap students we were, we decided to save RM10 and took an old Toyota Avanza instead of the new one. Car came with a rear right door handle that could only be opened from the outside and a battery that died on us. The guy who rented it to us, also said “make sure to return it with the same fuel level we gave you”, not telling us that the fuel was on the verge of running out, warning light and everything.
Be thrifty, but please for the love of god be more mindful than we were. Be cost-effective, not kiamsiap (stingy). It’s good to find deals of course, don’t overspend on things that could be cheaper, but also bear in mind that treating yourself where it counts can be the difference between having a fun ride with your mates and finding someone to help jump-start your ride.
Oh yeah, speaking of cars:
How do I get around in Malaysia?
Honestly? Depends on where you are. In most places you could go for the tried and tested taxis, but make sure to get ones with a meter so that you don’t pay RM100 just to go down a few streets. Grabs have more consistent pricing, though it’s also consistently expensive if you use it all the time. If you’re in cities like Kuala Lumpur, you have a wider range of transportation options. Best bet is to just go for good old public transport.
The government’s new MRT system is well-maintained, on time, and comes by frequently. Plus with recent developments they’re connected to a lot of areas that were previously uncatered for, so their reach is far and wide. KTM’s okay too, but be wary of long wait times in between train arrivals. Take note of the train schedules too! I almost missed the last train one time, didn’t know they stop coming at around 11.00pm.
Thinking about it, with this and the Avanza story I should probably be more careful about getting stranded….
Finding good food in Malaysia is easy.
But how do I know not to overpay?
Malaysia is like the pilgrimage site for foodies worldwide. So much variety, so much flavour, and all at prices that are low…..most of the time.
Location and popularity can affect the price dramatically. Kampung Fried Rice in Nilai and Kampung Fried Rice in KL might taste the same, but one’s gonna leave a slightly bigger hole in your wallet. Also, if you’ve seen a place that’s gone viral online, chances are it’s gonna be good (I’ve actually tried some!), but that also means they’ll usually charge higher prices than normal for the privilege. Just keep this in mind so that you don’t get too shocked when prices vary wildly on your travels.
Regardless of the price though, Malaysian cuisine usually has something that’ll tickle your specific taste buds, so keep an open mind, be adventurous, and enjoy!
A holiday in paradise should not include
Traffic jams.
Okay I’m not gonna lie I’m kinda tired while writing this, but that’s not because I’m some athlete who does marathons every morning before work. Traffic jams are soul-suckingly awful, they can turn a great day into a meh one, and turn a bad day into a worse one.
If you’re on holiday, that’s exactly what you don’t want. Avoid heading into city centers around 7.00am to 9.00am, or leaving the city around 5.00pm to 8.00pm. Trust me, you’ll be doing yourself a favour. Sincerely, a tired writer who had to deal with a 1 ½ hour commute that’d usually be 30 minutes on a non-work day.
What to do?
What to see?
You have to ask yourself the question: What kind of tourist am I? If you like seeing historical sights or famous places of interest, go join on tours! KL Hop On Hop Off for instance has a service whereby you just pay once and that gives you a ticket to ride in any of their double-decker tour buses. Go on a trip, listen to the tour guide’s commentary, then drop off wherever you like. When you’re ready, get on the next bus they have and continue on. It’s loads of fun, I remember spending time with my parents and they absolutely loved it!
If you’re more of a “Let’s go on an adventure!” type of person, Malaysia has a lot of experiences that let you dive head first into a jungle trek, use jet skis to go island hopping, fly with a water jetpack, there’s a lot to do! It takes some researching to find them, though if you go to yolo.my it can make your searching a whole lot easier!
Saving Money, and Other Tips for Your Malaysian Travels
tips to help you on your Malaysian holiday!
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The difference between being thrifty and cheap?
One doesn't leave you stranded.
I remember going to Langkawi with my friends and looking for a rental car, and being the cheap students we were, we decided to save RM10 and took an old Toyota Avanza instead of the new one. Car came with a rear right door handle that could only be opened from the outside and a battery that died on us. The guy who rented it to us, also said “make sure to return it with the same fuel level we gave you”, not telling us that the fuel was on the verge of running out, warning light and everything.
Be thrifty, but please for the love of god be more mindful than we were. Be cost-effective, not kiamsiap (stingy). It’s good to find deals of course, don’t overspend on things that could be cheaper, but also bear in mind that treating yourself where it counts can be the difference between having a fun ride with your mates and finding someone to help jump-start your ride.
Oh yeah, speaking of cars:
How do I get around in Malaysia?
Honestly? Depends on where you are. In most places you could go for the tried and tested taxis, but make sure to get ones with a meter so that you don’t pay RM100 just to go down a few streets. Grabs have more consistent pricing, though it’s also consistently expensive if you use it all the time. If you’re in cities like Kuala Lumpur, you have a wider range of transportation options. Best bet is to just go for good old public transport.
The government’s new MRT system is well-maintained, on time, and comes by frequently. Plus with recent developments they’re connected to a lot of areas that were previously uncatered for, so their reach is far and wide. KTM’s okay too, but be wary of long wait times in between train arrivals. Take note of the train schedules too! I almost missed the last train one time, didn’t know they stop coming at around 11.00pm.
Thinking about it, with this and the Avanza story I should probably be more careful about getting stranded….
Finding good food in Malaysia is easy.
But how do I know not to overpay?
Malaysia is like the pilgrimage site for foodies worldwide. So much variety, so much flavour, and all at prices that are low…..most of the time.
Location and popularity can affect the price dramatically. Kampung Fried Rice in Nilai and Kampung Fried Rice in KL might taste the same, but one’s gonna leave a slightly bigger hole in your wallet. Also, if you’ve seen a place that’s gone viral online, chances are it’s gonna be good (I’ve actually tried some!), but that also means they’ll usually charge higher prices than normal for the privilege. Just keep this in mind so that you don’t get too shocked when prices vary wildly on your travels.
Regardless of the price though, Malaysian cuisine usually has something that’ll tickle your specific taste buds, so keep an open mind, be adventurous, and enjoy!
A holiday in paradise should not include
Traffic jams.
Okay I’m not gonna lie I’m kinda tired while writing this, but that’s not because I’m some athlete who does marathons every morning before work. Traffic jams are soul-suckingly awful, they can turn a great day into a meh one, and turn a bad day into a worse one.
If you’re on holiday, that’s exactly what you don’t want. Avoid heading into city centers around 7.00am to 9.00am, or leaving the city around 5.00pm to 8.00pm. Trust me, you’ll be doing yourself a favour. Sincerely, a tired writer who had to deal with a 1 ½ hour commute that’d usually be 30 minutes on a non-work day.
What to do?
What to see?
You have to ask yourself the question: What kind of tourist am I? If you like seeing historical sights or famous places of interest, go join on tours! KL Hop On Hop Off for instance has a service whereby you just pay once and that gives you a ticket to ride in any of their double-decker tour buses. Go on a trip, listen to the tour guide’s commentary, then drop off wherever you like. When you’re ready, get on the next bus they have and continue on. It’s loads of fun, I remember spending time with my parents and they absolutely loved it!
If you’re more of a “Let’s go on an adventure!” type of person, Malaysia has a lot of experiences that let you dive head first into a jungle trek, use jet skis to go island hopping, fly with a water jetpack, there’s a lot to do! It takes some researching to find them, though if you go to yolo.my it can make your searching a whole lot easier!