The islands are part of Kedah state, which is close to the Thai border. Langkawi Island is the largest and only populated island with about 45,000 people, while close to it is Tuba Island. The capital of Langkawi, a duty free island, is Kuah. On Langkawi, one can enjoy beautiful beaches, water sports, spa treatments and other interesting spots of natural beauty.
If you have a lively city in mind then Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is highly recommended. Some of the attractive tourist sites in the city are Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC, which is Malaysia’s icon just like Singapore’s Merlion statue or Jakarta’s Monas.
Then there is Petaling Street, which is located in Chinatown and is similar to Singapore’s Chinatown. You can next visit Bukit Bintang Walk in Kuala Lumpur’s golden triangle, which is a paradise for shopaholics. There is also Central Market, which was previously a traditional market but has been turned into an attractive recreation place where you can get snacks that are specifically and uniquely Malaysian.
Many Indonesian shoppers make it a rule to visit Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. It is close to the monorail and has easy access as many buses pass in front of KL Plaza. You can reach the following seven malls on foot: Pavilion, Lot 10, Sungai Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Berjaya Times Square, KLCC and Low Yat Plaza. You can also find hotels with affordable room rates here, starting from Rp 200,000 per night.
Next to visiting the Petronas Twin Towers, many tourists make time to go to Genting Highland or Sunway Lagoon, which is only about 15 minutes by taxi from Kuala Lumpur.
Transportation in Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia in general, is quite convenient with many modes available, such as airplanes, trains and buses. All kinds of accommodations are also available, from five-star hotels to backpacker lodgings.
Traveling from other countries to Malaysia, including by car from Singapore, is also convenient and there are plenty of scheduled transportation to the country’s tourism sites. Of course, during peak seasons like New Year’s, Idul Fitri and Chinese New Year it is advisable to book tickets well in advance. Bon voyage! (Burhan Abe)
The Jakarta Post, August 30, 2010
