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 Traveller's Tales: Doing business in Malaysia
Take note of the helpful information on business travel near in Malaysia. You may read about their business tips and guides. Find out the local business customs and guide on business travel. Also, you might want to read our
Kuala Lumpur city guide,
Langkawi city guide,
Melaka city guide,
and Penang city guide.
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| K Mannix |
28 March 2004 |
Stayed at Concorde Inn KLIA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Just a word to the wise: keep an eye on your credit cards at all times while using them to pay for items. When a salesperson is zapping your card to charge you for something, make sure that he/she doesn't hide your card from view and copy it. I caught someone copying my card and having a wonderful spending spree. Luckily the bank questioned the first large transaction and blocked all the others (thousands of $ worth...)
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| S Hargreaves |
27 January 2004 |
Stayed at Jesselton Hotel, The - Sabah, Malaysia.
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My partner (Damian) came up with the bright idea for us to climb Mount Kinabalu over the Chinese New Year. Seemed a great idea at the time. We flew from Senai Airport (near Johor Bahru) to Kinabalu, which took just over two hours and was some S$150 each cheaper than flying from Singapore, where we live. Our treat for such a reckless mission was a stay at the luxurious Jesselton Hotel (the best hotel in Kinabalu) either side of our time at National Park.
The next morning we were up early to take the local bus to the Park – about an hour away. When we checked in at the Park, we discovered that we were staying at Mesilau, which, though still within the confines of the Park, was a 30 minute (or, in cash terms, RM65) taxi ride away. Plus, this would then add some 2 hours to our trek the next day. Fantastic! (Tip: Bring plenty of US dollars as the park only accepts cash and there seems to be lots of add-ons that they should really have told you about before you arrive.)
Our room was a dormitory - a far cry from the Jesselton - with shared bathrooms but at least it was warm and dry. The next day, after breakfast and another early morning shock to the system, we met our guide, Alex, and started up Mount Kinabalu.
There is not too much to say about trekking up a mountain other than that even though you have a rough idea that it will involve a lot of walking, it does not really hit you until you have to do it. (Tip: It is worth investing in proper clothing and shoes, as everything will get soaked otherwise. Plus a plastic sheath for your nap-sack is a must to help try and keep things dry.)
During our trek upwards, I lost track of the number of times that Damian apologised for choosing the 'break' or me pointing out that I was 'so choosing our next break'. Plus the locals put us to shame as they flew past us with 15kg gas cylinders on their heads. Still we struggled on. And on…
We eventually reached base camp, Laban Rata, at 5 pm: some eight, long hours after setting off. Neither of us could really say or do much until we had showered, put on some dry clothes and were fed. (Laban Rata may have been a basic hut high on a mountain, but the fact that every single thing has to be carried up to it makes the place seem very special indeed).
The ascent the next day not only involves a 2am start and takes 2 ½ hours in the pitch black, but you have to literally pull yourself up the mountain, avoid altitude sickness, so that you can then huddle around in the cold to wait for sunrise. If you are lucky, you will then have 15 minutes to take in the view (provided that the mist has not already descended) before you set off back from whence you came. After arriving back at Laban Rata, you should have time to grab a quick bite before embarking on the 4-hour descent in the pouring rain. (Tip No. 3: Going up is only half the battle!)
On paper, it sounds a piece of (Kendle Mint) cake to stroll back down. But when your legs/feet are aching like never before, the weather decides to drench you again and the stones/steps become even more slipperier, it soon becomes apparent that you are in for another hard slog. So some 4 hours after leaving Laban Rata we were back on terra firma - though as Damian, quite rightly pointed out, we were always on terra firma - just that up on the mountain, it did not feel like it.
We took a bus back to the Park HQ (for which we, were again charged for) and then had to take another ride (yes, charged again for that too) to our room for the night. There we discovered that there was no electricity from 1-5pm anywhere in the Park but, thankfully, there was just enough hot water to shower.
We ate locally that night - as neither of us could walk/hobble that far - and the next day, we took a taxi to Poring, where, after a scary stroll some 150 feet above the ground via a suspended canopy, we got to bathe in the hot, natural springs there. Then it was a cab back to Ranua (which is just one big bus terminal), where we took a cramped, but cheap, bus back to Kinabalu for another night at the Jesselton.
All in all a pretty tiring but rewarding trip all the same. Next time, if there is a next time, we will take the shorter trek up Mount Kinabalu (ie not from Mesilau) and invest in some proper out door gear other than shades, a sarong and some sun-cream. Before that, though, I am so choosing our next 'break'!
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| A Berry |
30 May 2003 |
Stayed at Corus hotel Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Mine was a business trip so there is not much to share here. KLCC is just a 5 minute walk from the hotel which was very convenient. Since the hotel internet charges were quite high I was able to locate a good broadband internet provider through the information counter at KLCC.
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| A Groppe |
06 August 2002 |
Stayed at Puteri Pan Pacific Hotel Johor Bahru, The - Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
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JB is mostly a business destination as far as I can tell, or a shopping haven for Singaporeans, neither of which categories apply to me (I'm here to visit a library at a college that's a bit out of town). But the city is convenient both to Singapore and to other places in Malaysia so that's an asset.
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| J Evans |
11 July 2002 |
Stayed at Berjaya Langkawi Beach and Spa Resort - Langkawi, Malaysia.
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The development of Langkawi as a resort destination has been driven by Malaysian government policy. Unfortunately, the drive from the airport to any of the resorts takes you pass an empty convention center, and a number of projects that were abandoned in mid-construction when the economy tanked in 1997. This gives the island a seedy appearance, and there is in any event nothing of interest here except the various beaches, which do not compare with those slighly to the north in the Phuket region of Thailand. Since its duty-free shopping is vastly overrated, the island is eminently missable.
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| J Evans |
07 July 2002 |
Stayed at Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang Resort - Penang, Malaysia.
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Over the years, the surrounding community of Batu Ferringhi has taken on a life of its own. At night, the road outside the hotel comes alive with stalls selling an astonishing variety of products, while the night markets offer an incredible array of ethnic cuisines at hawker stall prices. All of it is safe to eat, and everything that I tried was authentic and delicious. In addition, there are mini-marts for those who wish to avoid the in-room mini-bar, and internet cafes for those who wish to avoid the higher prices in the hotel business centre. Those who wish to spend all of their time in Georgetown will find the hotel a bit distant; it's 30 minutes each way on the shuttle, or about 25-30 Ringgit for a cab that won't get you there much faster.
In any event, much of the action has moved out of Georgetown to suburbs like Batu Ferringhi, so for shopping and dining, there is increasingly little justification to concentrate on Georgetown proper. The city is best simply for walking through history: the Heritage Trust is the most active in Asia, and they have (and are) doing a wonderful job preserving the architectural and cultural heritage of this wonderfully diverse island. If Singapore is not to your liking, then Penang should be!
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| A Pilgrim |
30 April 2002 |
Stayed at Holiday Villa Subang - Selangor, Malaysia.
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- suits as hotel location is close to local business association & transit times are much quicker than staying in KL
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| M Lachmandas |
28 April 2002 |
Stayed at Puteri Pan Pacific Hotel Johor Bahru, The - Johor Bahru, Malaysia.
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You can drive up easily to the hotel from Singapore and it is very near to the Immigration, and food around the area is good.
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| B Bowman |
21 April 2002 |
Stayed at Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Beautiful city...not very touristy though. I probably wouldn't go there again unless it was for business. Not much for walking around type activities.
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| H F. daud |
14 April 2002 |
Stayed at Vistana Hotel Kuala Lumpur, The - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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WE WERE ONE OF THE EXHIBITORS OF DSA2002 EXHIBITION AT THE MINES CENTER. EVERYONE IN MALAYSIA WAS VERY CO-OPERATIVE & FRIENDLY. ALTHOUGH WE MISSED OUR FAMILY MEMBERS THERE BUT NOT OUR "HOME".
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