INTRODUCTION
Kuala Lumpur (or "KL" in short) is one of the cheapest cities in Asia for a vacation. Foreign currency exchange rates of the Pound Sterling and US Dollar, for instance, as against the Malaysian Ringgit are highly favourable. Backpacking is popular as the city has a very low crime rate and English is widely spoken. If you need directions, or wish to order food from a hawker stall rest assured that someone will be able to communicate with you in English. However, some planning is in order to stretch your vacation money to the maximum if you are a backpacker.
CHEAP AIR FARES
Malaysia's AirAsia and Singapore's SilkAir are two low-cost carriers that can fly you cheaply from many destinations around the world to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore respectively. (From Singapore, you can take a bus or train to Kuala Lumpur). For details of the flight schedules and fares of AirAsia and SilkAir, please check their websites. Another Malaysian budget airline is Fireflyz which caters mostly to domestic destinations in the country; however, it links Kuala Lumpur with Medan and Bandar Acheh (both in Indonesia) and Phuket in Thailand.
To get the best prices for budget airlines, bookings have to be made at least a few months ahead. It is also best to avoid the Malaysian school holidays which fall during December, mid-March and mid-August.
The airplanes of AirAsia land at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) about two kilometres from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang, which is 60 km from Kuala Lumpur. The cheapest way to get to KLIA from the LCCT is by shuttle bus operated by two companies; namely Nadi KL and Airport Liner. Fare is only RM 1.50 per person per way. The pick-up point is from Platform 8, bus station at Ground Floor, Car Park C. Frequencies of the buses are 15 - 20 minutes. From KLIA, the economical way to get to the capital is by airport coach. Fireflyz's aeroplanes land at Sultan Abdul Aziz Airport in Subang, about 15 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur.
WHERE TO STAY
The most popular area for backpackers to stay in KL is Chinatown. Its heart is Jalan Petaling (Petaling Street). Accommodation ranges from simple bed-and-breakfast inns with communal bathrooms to one-star and two-star hotels that are air-conditioned. (Hotels in Malaysia are rated by a star system, ranging from one to a maximum of five stars; those without any star rating are classified as "budget"). Another advantage of staying in Chinatown is its closeness to Puduraya bus station. This is the main station for buses going to other cities in the country. Chinatown is also within walking distance to the KL Monorail station on Jalan Maharajalela and also the STAR Light Rail Transit station near the Central Market. Chin Woo Stadium which has a swimming pool that is open to the public for a nominal fee is just 20 minutes away by foot from Jalan Petaling. Perched atop a hillock, it is a great place to cool down after a day of hectic sightseeing.
My second recommendation for accommodation is Brickfields, near Stesen Sentral (Central Station), which is the city's rail transportation hub. All Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains stop here, including the KLIA Ekpres that plies to and from Kuala Lumpur International Airport. The five-star Hilton Kuala Lumpur and Le Meredian are located within the complex. However, just across Jalan Tun Sambanthan are affordable accommodations. They include Hotel Summer View, De Sentral Hotel, Mexico Hotel and Hotel Florida to mention but a few -- they all come with air-conditioning and attached bathrooms. A few inns that one rung down the price ladder are also available, including the YMCA. The negative point about this area is the lack of evening activities. Also, food is mainly confined to vegetarian eateries and Indian fan-ventilated restaurants serving banana leaf curry rice.
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