Hi, Pinmapple community! This time around, I'll bring you to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. My first international trip holding a Philippines passport.
It was September 2013, my first country trip to Malaysia from the Philippines. I found a cheap airfare ticket on sale from a local airline for about USD$60 round-trip from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur. But there was a change of flight it became Cebu-Manila-Kuala Lumpur and back.
My first interrogation with an Immigration Officer from the Philippines
We passed by the immigration in Manila and it was traumatic somehow as the officer asked me so many questions. I was confident but to think I almost got offloaded. The female officer asked me questions about my job, how I received my salary, and if I had any company ID, but I ended up showing her my credit card. That means I can afford to travel and that I don't need to find a job in Malaysia.
We almost missed the flight to Kuala Lumpur
After passing the immigration, we had to run as I was the last passenger to be called. My friend waited for me while I was interrogated. All passengers looking at us! So embarrassing!
Arrival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on our first night
We availed a tour guide in KL as I found it on a website for promos and discounts. It was affordable. Our tour guide picked us up at the airport and sent us to our hotel.
Staying at Ibiz Hotel
Our stay at the hotel was good. We got two beds in an AC room with a TV, a hot shower, and free breakfast for 3 days.
The reception
Ernhez is a blogger friend, he was a medical student at that time. His immigration process was smooth. I was looking for a companion for my first international trip. Ernhez joined me right away.
Our first Malaysian dinner
We had no idea what to eat in Malaysia. I was such a picky eater. Also, I was very careful not to eat spicy food. I don't like it. We were looking around where to eat. We found a local Indian stall that was selling roti canai. One serving was too much, we should have just shared it. The roti canai was good but I wasn't used to its taste, especially with Indian food.
Roti canai (pronounced tʃanai and not kanai) is a dish of Indian - Malaysian cuisine . It is a popular Malaysian specialty both in the morning and at dinner. It looks like a pancake . It is served with a cup of sauce, usually curry .
Source: here
Going back to our hotel
After dinner, we need to go back to our hotel so that we could have our rest for the next day's activity. We saw the Petronas Twin Towers from afar.
A little sneak peek of Petronas Towers
Still trying out some night shots outside of our hotel.
We just needed a clean room with a TV and AC.
And a clean bathroom with a hot shower and toilet.
Time to visit places in Kuala Lumpur
A sight of the Petronas Twin Towers by day
This area is more accessible for tourists and tour guides. We passed by here so quickly just for taking photos. We have the option to visit the Petronas Towers at another time using the train.
A visit to Istana Negara
According to Wikipedia:
The Istana Negara (English: National Palace) is the official residence of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the monarch of Malaysia. It is located along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim (formerly Jalan Duta) near Taman Duta, northwestern Kuala Lumpur. The palace opened in 2011 and replaced the old Istana Negara which was located at a different compound in central Kuala Lumpur.
Source: here
There was a changing of guards here just like what you see in the United Kingdom.
Tugu Negara
According to Wikipedia:
The Tugu Negara is a national monument that commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggle for freedom, principally against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency, which lasted from 1948 until 1960. It is located in the Federal capital, Kuala Lumpur. The Malaysian Houses of Parliament is situated near the monument.
Source: here
Merdeka Square and Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
According to Wikipedia:
Independence Square (Malay: Dataran Merdeka) is a square located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is situated in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It was formerly known as the Selangor Club Padang or simply the Padang (meaning "field" in Malay) and was used as the cricket green of the Selangor Club (now the Royal Selangor Club).
Source: here
At Kuala Lumpur City Gallery, we did some shopping here to buy souvenirs. I will blog about this in a different community about our shopping experience.
Batu Caves
According to Wikipedia:
The Batu Caves are a set of caves, some of which have been converted into temples, in a limestone hill located 10 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia , in the district of Gombak .
These caves are the largest Hindu shrine outside India . Consecrated to Murugan (Kârttikeya), these sanctuaries are among the most popular outside India. It is the gathering point during the great Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia 1 .
Source: here
We climbed the 272 steps here with ease. Hahaha! Kidding. It was tiring, actually. LOL.
We met several monkeys who will steal your food if you're bringing some food with you or some even take it from your bag. You have to be careful as they love to grab your camera.
Jalan Petaling
According to Wikipedia:
Petaling Street (Malay: Jalan Petaling, Simplified Chinese: 茨厂街, Traditional Chinese: 茨廠街, pinyin: Cíchǎng Jiē, Cantonese jyutping: ci4 cong2 gaai1) is a Chinatown located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[1] The whole vicinity is also known as Chinatown KL. Haggling is a common sight here and the place is usually crowded with locals as well as tourists.
The area has dozens of restaurants and food stalls, serving local favourites such as Hokkien mee, Ikan Bakar (barbecued fish), asam laksa and curry noodles. Reggae Bar Chinatown is located here. Traders here are mainly Chinese but there are also Indian, Malay, and Bangladeshi traders. It is also known for street prostitution.[2]
Source: here
We also did some shopping here at Jalan Petaling so I will blog about this in another community about our shopping experience.
Highlights of our Kuala Lumpur Trip
- Our hotel stay at Ibiz Hotel
- Petronas Twin Towers
- Istana Negara
- Tugu Negara
- Merdeka Square
- Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
- Batu Caves
- Jalan Petaling
How many days have we stayed here?
- We stayed here for 4 days and 3 nights like the usual tourists.
How much did we spend on this trip?
- It was about PHP 20,000 or about USD 500. Since it was my first time and we were just being tourists, we bought a lot of souvenirs. You know, very typical tourists. Hehe!
What I learned, later on, is that I can survive USD $500 in Malaysia for almost a month. Hehe! But that's for another blog post.
Welcome to iTravelRox! Roxanne Tamayo is a Cebuana who is a traveler. Now a mom of 2 kids and a wife. She is a travel blogger and a digital nomad. As a Virtual Assistant, she does a lot of things like content writing, WordPress web design, WP updates and maintenance, graphic design, and photo editing. She is into wedding photography, as well.
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