Delicious food, multiculturalism, oversupply of activities, churches, temples, mosques and so on.
Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia in general boasts in all different conceivably ways.
Unlike Malaysia, Laos is sleepy, easy-going calm and warm-hearted, where no one really bothers you.
I truly love Kuala Lumpur and Penang respectively Georgetown!
You think you would lose weight in Malaysia? Think again.
Roti Canai for breakfast (but it can be eaten throughout the day), in its best form crisp on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside.
It is also served with lentil dal or delicious curries.
I actually don’t know 100%, where Satay is originally from, but Malaysian people would proudly declare they have the best Satay.
You can also eat Satay in Thailand and heaps of them in Indonesia.
To be honest, I have no clue which one is the best one.
I didn’t try a single time, but I still take them in my list of
‘must-try-foods’. I don’t eat meat, I know it’s sometimes crazily difficult in South East Asia.
Murtabak/ Martabak: Kind of a stuffed pancake is worth a try, most of my friends like it.
Classics like Mie Goreng or Mee Goreng, Nasi Goreng and Beef Rendang is in any case impossible to avoid.
The best about it: Even though, I am a super low-budget traveler, you can go for it, especially food!
You can get a good and filling meal for 10 RM (2,4$).
One water bottle costs 1 RM. An One-way Ticket is 2.50 RM (0,60).
The taxi start is like 3 RM, for 1 km you will probably pay 2 RM.
The taxi waiting hour is 25 RM.
BUT please make sure the taxi driver switch on the taximeter.
I got into a taxi and he seems to be kind but allegedly his taximeter was out-of-order, so I have to bargain with him.
I paid – one could possibly imagine – more than the standard fare, but I wasn’t in the mood to bargain and agreed.
On our way back to the hostel we passed a police check and suddenly he switched on his taximeter and explained me parallel why his taximeter surprisingly worked. I looked at him doubtfully while I felt stupid for being naive and facepalm myself.
By the way, learn thank you in Malaysian (Terima kasih!) and people are even a little bit gentler.
Anyway, coming from Europe I had to adapt to the humid and hot August weather in Malaysia, but I protected myself with long sleeves from the sun and didn’t wear any shorts.
Islam is the state religion in Malaysia and 60 percent of its people profess it. In deference to the people I didn’t want to dress revealingly.
Talking about weather, I preferred more the weather conditions in Penang.
You can visit in Georgetown the beautiful Penang Botanic Gardens,
Kek-Lok -Temple, Youth Park and my highlight: Street Art Penang.
Georgetown literally became a center for street art in SEA.
Here are some pictures, also with my Filipino friend Jayson, who is in my opinion the best poser ever :D!
Back to Kuala Lumpur, of course you can visit the Petronas Towers, one of the most famous landmarks in SEA.
But I didn’t want to pay 85 RM for the ticket.
Instead of it, I decided to go the Observation Deck of the Kuala Lumpur Tower and paid 38 RM as a foreigner.
And the view wasn’t too bad.
I got a very good guide at the Masjid Negara, close by you can also visit the beautiful Jamek Mosque (it might be now under construction).
He told me about Islamic theology passionately more than 1 hour.
Head covering is a must, but they will give you the required clothing.
The large prayer hall of Masjid Negara may only be entered by Muslims
I adore everything related to marine creatures and the ocean.
Therefore I visited the Aquaria KLCC, entrance fee costs 69 RM (16$).
I know we can debate now about how crappy the living conditions in the aquariums are, but I liked this one a lot.
For someone who is searching for adrenaline:
You have the option to get into a cage and getting super close to underwater world of the sharks.
The airports in Kuala Lumpur and me have a deep relationship.
I didn’t know at this time, I would spend in the future most of my transfers in KLIA 2. Many Air Asia flights have in the capital of Malaysia a transit. If you fly with Air Asia often, it would make sense to register an account and earn BIG points.
I spent countless times and nights at this airport, not always in best conditions.
After traveling in bustling Malaysia it’s perfect to make a stop in Laos before getting to Bali, my new home for 4 months.
A keepsake that will stay forever in my mind is this following story:
I was at the Vietnamese consulate and in front of me were two tourists who had not got their visas. They began to curse, about how dull, silly and shitty Laos would be and there would be no way to escape.
But I can not agree with that.
Vientiane is sleepy, but Luang Prabang is definitely not dull.
Unfortunately, I did not have much time to explore this great country, but I will come back again. Laos has its own charm. It is sincere and calm.
Luang Prabang has religious, architectural and cultural heritage, which is fantastic to see in . A mix of rural and urban developments over several centuries reveals its own timeless and impressive beauty.
You have to go and convince yourself!
Places to visit in Vientane for a day:
COPE Visitor Center. Photos, Stories and artifacts will let you understand some aspects about Laos history and all the circumstances why the poverty of Laos is still recent.
Only 2 km (1,2 miles) away is Patuxai, a monument which was built for all the heroes who fought in the struggle for independence from France in 1949.
Another 20 minutes walk and you will arrive to Chao Anouvong Park, where you can observe the Laotian teenagers hanging out together, giggling and being super energetic.
All of you can enjoy the evenfall and just appreciate the moment of losing time and sorrows.
In the evening you can grab in the center a pizza and going to a spa and getting a massage or just sitting somewhere in a bar and enjoy the end of the day.
There is a beautiful Park called ‘Buddha Park’, it is far outside from the center. From the central bus station, you can take bus number 14 and it takes approximately 1 hour to get to the park.
The entrance fee is 6000 Lao Kip (0,73 $).
You can get simply a grand meal in Laos for 5 $, in an expensive restaurant even half of the price. A Laotian beer is 1$, an imported one 2$.
Milk in the supermarket is expensive compared to European standard,
1 liter for about 2$.
A ticket on a local transport, like the buses will cost about 0,40 $.
Some impressions of Laos, the market doesn’t look different from the ones in Vietnam:
Have you ever been to Laos? Let me know about your experiences and which places or hidden gems you would recommend!
Hong