Kuala Lumpur Day Trip from Singapore!

A day trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) from Singapore??! Oh yeah :)

As far as I know, there are no travel agencies that offer a day trip out of Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. But that doesn't mean it can't be done! I, for one, have arranged such trips. Twice.

If you have time, do a proper 3-day visit of the place. It is a great city that offers good food, great culture, and wonderfully cheap shopping! However, if you are time-strapped or cash-strapped but still insist on seeing Petronas Towers (why else do you think people visit KL for just a day!), I'm here to show you how to arrange a one-day trip to Kuala Lumpur. For the adventurous and independent, this trip can be fun and satisfying. Read on and discover some great sight-seeing secrets and how to:

• Prepare for your trip
  
• Take a bus or train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
  
• Go around Kuala Lumpur in comfort without burning a hole in your pocket
  
• Appreciate the different Kuala Lumpur attractions
  

Preparing for your trip

Planning is, of course, the first thing you need to do. Ask yourself, "Which day of the week do I leave?", "What do I want to see? And which ones are the must see, and which ones can I skip if there's no time?", "Do I need a tourist visa?", "What documents do I need to bring?", "What's my budget?"

To make the most of your one-day trip, you must reach Kuala Lumpur early in the day, before the shops open and before tourist attractions get too crowded, or the queue too long. This means that, if you're taking the bus or train, you have to leave Singapore in the evening. If you can avoid going on a weekend, do so. The place can get crowded on weekends, and immigration to and from Malaysia, packed.

Also, ensure that you carry with you your travel documents and relevant identification cards to avoid hassles in your re-entry to Singapore. Singapore residents should bring their NRIC or employment permits while Singapore tourists/visitors must bring their ticket to the country that they are visiting after Singapore.

Filipinos don't need a tourist visa to enter Malaysia, Philippines and Malaysia being ASEAN members.

Getting your ass to Kuala Lumpur

Buses and trains travel to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore. Planes do, too. But the comfort you get/time you save using a plane doesn't justify the damage to the environment, so I don't recommend that you do that. Anyway, KL is just 5 hours away by bus, and 8 hours by train. Both the bus and train offer standard and luxurious options. There are many websites that discuss these transportation modes in detail, including ticket price, ticketing office, and schedules. Here are two fab sites that I visit whenever I need a refresher:

• Man on seat 61's description of how to travel by train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
• Journey Malaysia's list of buses from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur

What's my transport of choice to KL? Definitely the train! Taking the train allows me to: visit the historic and disputed Tanjong Pagar Railway station, take a sleeping berth and rest in comfort, and wake up in the clean environs of the KL Sentral station, where I can shake off my grogginess before venturing forth to the busy streets of KL.

Fare is 50% cheaper when you buy it from Malaysia. To save, buy a one-way ticket from Singapore for the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur leg of your trip, and buy the return ticket in Kuala Lumpur. If you're returning via the train, take note that sleeping berths sell out fast so you may want to secure your sleeping berth tickets while in Singapore.

Some bus companies operate from Golden Mile. Golden Mile is not really the most comfortable or cleanest of places, but it does give you a view of the "rowdier" side of Singapore. A side that may be gone 5 to 10 years from now.

Upon reaching Kuala Lumpur

Purchasing your return tickets to Singapore, if you have not done so yet, should be the first order of the day. You can get your train tickets from the KL Sentral station. Bus tickets can be bought at the KL bus "terminal" (sometimes KL is not really the final stop of the bus and the bus wouldn't really stop at the KL terminal. If you're in a bus, be sure to explicitly ask the driver/assistant to drop you off a place where you can buy your return tickets.) Visit these sites for more information:

• Man on seat 61's description of how to travel by train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore
• Journey Malaysia's list of buses from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore

The next thing you should do is a toss between hiring a cab to take you around the city, and queuing for a FREE pass to the Petronas Towers' observation bridge. If you managed to buy your return tickets before 7:30 am, you'll have time to queue for the free tickets to go up Petronas Towers. Any later and you'll probably end up queuing for 2 hours for the ticket, and another hour to get on to the bridge for your 10-minute stay on it.

Going around Kuala Lumpur

The best way to travel around Kuala Lumpur when you're time-strapped and know nothing about the place is to hire a cab. Not only will you have more control of your time and the destinations that you visit, you'll also get a tourist guide for "free."

There are two companies in the KL Sentral station that offer guided tour via private cars. If for some reason these companies cannot accommodate your requests, such as a request for a bigger car, you can always go to the streets and flag a cab of your choice. The official rate for guided tours in a private car is RM60/hr but you can negotiate for a better price, especially if you're planning a longer trip. In the past, I have negotiated for RM30 - RM40/hr for a 5- to 8-hr trip. Gas and toll fees are included in that price.

I have had wonderful experience with the cab drivers that I've done business with so far. They are very accommodating, friendly, and genial, and you'd feel happy giving them tips (usually RM50) or inviting them for a meal. Malaysian drivers can be on the quiet side, though, compared to their Singaporean counterparts.

Kuala Lumpur attractions to see

I wouldn't lie and tell you that I know everything that there is to know about Kuala Lumpur. I have visited the place a couple of times but not enough to be an expert. Listed below are the places that I still have vivid memories of. Clicking on the items in the list will send you to a detailed recounting of my experience in these places (links coming soon!).

• Putrajaya -- This is probably one of the best-kept tourist destination secret near Kuala Lumpur. This place is such a fave of mine that I always bring family and friends to Putrajaya whenever I'm asked to be their KL "guide."
• Istana Negara -- The Buckingham of Malaysia, replete with palace must-haves such as guards, horses, long driveways, and closed gates (!). You can drop by Istana Negara on your way back to Kuala Lumpur center from Putrajaya.
• Petronas Twin Towers -- of course! I used to think of this as just another tower. So imagine my surprise when I had goosebumps the first time I saw it!
• KL Tower or Menara Kuala Lumpur -- The observation deck in this tower gives a good view of the inner city, and the audio guide provided gives the necessary explanation of the landscape before you.
• Neighbourhoods of Chinatown and Little India -- diversity is alive and well in Malaysia.
• Dataran Merdeka -- Independence Square. A little square rich in history and Moorish architecture!
• Batu Caves -- a cave on a side of a mountain and home to a Hindu temple.

As in beauty, the wonder of a place is really in the heart of the beholder. Be open. Embrace the sights, sound, and smell of the new culture that you're in. Have fun and enjoy Kuala Lumpur!

Rank the places in your must-see list. Though it might be possible, time-wise, to see all of them, I can guarantee that your body will give up mid-way to your list. Also, allot time for short coffee breaks.