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Just did a search for Malaysia. I might be heading that way for a short vacation myself.
I'll be flying into KL, and thinking of a good beach that is very popular with other travelers, restaurants, maybe some beach bars, and if possible, maybe even had bungalows or something within close proximity to the beach.
Does any of those places listed above sound like the type of place I might be looking for??
Langkawi has some nice beaches, I hear from colleagues who have been there. But for the best beaches, head to the east coast. It is now nearly May so all island resorts should be open.
Come to Kuantan, Tiger Beer, and I will treat you to one. There are some nice beaches north and south from Kuantan. I can give you the names of high-end and low-end resorts.
Langkawi has some nice beaches, I hear from colleagues who have been there. But for the best beaches, head to the east coast. It is now nearly May so all island resorts should be open.
Come to Kuantan, Tiger Beer, and I will treat you to one. There are some nice beaches north and south from Kuantan. I can give you the names of high-end and low-end resorts.
Sounds interesting! How about in August? I believe Ramadan is at that time. Would any beach bars close down during that time?
Sounds interesting! How about in August? I believe Ramadan is at that time. Would any beach bars close down during that time?
Yes, Ramadan will run 1-30 August this year. Up in Cherating there should be some bars that don't close since they cater to the foreign crowd there. In Kuantan, it doesn't really matter either since the bars are only frequented by Chinese and Indians.
The best thing to do would be to come right at the end of August, say a week before the 30th, and stay through the Eid-al-Fitr which is full of feasting. There are some great banquets on offer at hotels during the "fasting month". They call them 'buka puasa' feasts and serve just as the sun is setting and the call to prayer comes 'round (end of the day's fast). It is actually the best time to sample the widest variety of food on offer since many items are made only during the fasting month.
Yes, Ramadan will run 1-30 August this year. Up in Cherating there should be some bars that don't close since they cater to the foreign crowd there. In Kuantan, it doesn't really matter either since the bars are only frequented by Chinese and Indians.
The best thing to do would be to come right at the end of August, say a week before the 30th, and stay through the Eid-al-Fitr which is full of feasting. There are some great banquets on offer at hotels during the "fasting month". They call them 'buka puasa' feasts and serve just as the sun is setting and the call to prayer comes 'round (end of the day's fast). It is actually the best time to sample the widest variety of food on offer since many items are made only during the fasting month.
Cherating...with foreign crowd? Is that mostly backpacker types...the kinds that you'd frequently see in Phuket and Ko Samui and such?
Kuantan sounds real interesting! Is that kind of a local city beach in KL? Will have to certainly look into that one.
Cherating...with foreign crowd? Is that mostly backpacker types...the kinds that you'd frequently see in Phuket and Ko Samui and such?
Kuantan sounds real interesting! Is that kind of a local city beach in KL? Will have to certainly look into that one.
Cherating has high-end resorts for the well-to-do (Club Med, Impiana) and low-end for the backpacker crowd. Pretty much you can find something that suits oneself there.
Kuantan is on the east coast, and the capital of Pahang state. It has the famous Teluk Chempedak (TC) beach, which has a few outlets, such as McD's, a couple of pubs, and the Hyatt. The Hyatt has a boat bar, meaning it is relic of the Vietnamese boat people: an old boat on the beach in which sits the Hyatt's beach bar.
The only beach scene in KL is at Sunway Pyramid's Sunway Lagoon, which is a waterpark.
Cherating (state of Terreganu?) area is beautiful. Merlin resort is old but the same gorgeous beach as the Club Med and Hiatt.
Don't remember the name, but I did golf right outside of KL at a beautiful golf course on business where all the oil company expats played. Just the right hilliness and water hazards. Only problem is I have a very erratic drive but the rough was just pure jungle, with monkeys and young boys taking any balls that the jungle didn't swallow up. I lost a LOT of balls!
Personally, I thought Melaka (Malucca) was a very interesting town. No real beach, just mud flats , but the colonial history (of Portugal, Holland, AND Britain) made for fabulous old architecture and unbelievable antiques shopping where 300 years old stuff wasn't even recognized as antiques - just junk! Also, the food was just an unbelievably good seafood fusion of chinese, malay , and portoguese (other euro). There was a quarter in the town where the people of mixed Portoguese ancestry still had porto names and spoke the language.
Another great visit is the Blue Mosque in the state neighboring K-L (Selangor). This state Mosque is sort of the "Taj Mahal of Mosques". Specatularly elegant - especially considering it's only 30 or so years old. A recent "classic" of architecture.
Crime: It's been awhile but in the late 90's I could walk the streets at 1 PM, after drinking all night at a karaoke bar so I'm slightly bobbing and weaving, and take my time walking home without anybody at all bothering me - never soliciting, mugging, begging. I never had my own car or car and driver, just relied on taxi's rented by the trip or by the day (very cheaply, too) and went all over the peninsula - including some highland areas with few visitors from the rest. People were very very friendly.
Last edited by bamba_boy; 05-01-2011 at 03:31 AM..
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