MALAYSIATHUMB DIRECTORY TAB and with orwithout attached bathrooms. of roomswith orwithoutair-conditioning mostwilloffercomfort, although achoice don’texpect much inthewayofhouses in KualaLumpur); atsuch hotels and guest- prices underRM70perroom(under RM100 offers. special available –it’salways worth askingabout February) big discountsare frequently NewYearvals such asChinese inJanuary/ (aroundmajorpeak holidayseasons festi- luxurious five-star resorts. Outside the range fromrock-bottom to flophouses Malaysia’s accommodation possibilities CONTENTS Directory Malaysia 466 ACCOMMODATION oe rvles 478 476 477 Work 479 Women Travellers Visas 477 474 Travellers WithDisabilities 474 Tourist Information Toilets 476 Time 476 Telephone 475 Post 475 Photography 475 470 472 Money 474 Maps 474 Legal Matters 470 Internet Access Insurance 474 469 469 Holidays 473 Gay &Lesbian Travellers 468 Food 472 Festivals &Events Embassies &Consulates Dangers &Annoyances Customs Regulations Courses 469 Climate 468 Children 468 Business Hours 468 Activities Budget placesare indicated with those Volunteering 478 470 Discount Cards Accommodation 466 often quote pricesexclusive of (5%) tax Camping details. more for p603 problem atthebudget endof themarket; see mon inMalaysia’s hotels andare aparticular places. midrange We quote netpricesforallbudget and hotels andthemore expensive restaurants. intop plied tofood,drinksandservices places. Tax charges are andservice alsoap- practically allbudget andmanymidrange areincluded –these thepricesquoted in charges are andanyservice means thattax for exampleRM120++adouble. Net are represented as++(calledplus-plus), charge charges (10%)–these and service RM400) per room. end hotels charge over RM200 (inKLover as restaurants andbusinesscentres. Top- nicely designedrooms,andfacilitiessuch extrassuchpleasant asswimmingpools, where RM70toRM200)hotels willoffer ae warm. are thenights bag-liner,sinceeven weight bag isOK,butthebestchoice isalight- netting isideal.Asummer-weight sleeping tent withmosquitoislands. Atwo-season on uninhabited baysonmanyof Malaysia’s camping. Likewise, itispossibletocamp lonely stretches of beach thatare idealfor are inthejungle. deep There are alsomany camping innondesignated sites onceyou official campinggroundsandwillpermit Many of Malaysia’s nationalparkshave Warning: bedbuginfestations are com- Top endandafew midrange places Midrange (inKL,RM100toRM400;else- Best ofall,youcan book online. stay. Reviewsare thoroughand independent. true, insiderlow-down onthebestplacesto www.lonelyplanet.com/hotels. You’llfindthe at service check outtheonlinebooking ommendations byLonelyPlanetauthors, For more accommodation reviews andrec- BOOK YOURSTAY ONLINE © LonelyPlanet MALAYSIA DIRECTORY . 467 . In . In Malay Mail New Sabah Times and the and the Star the Eastern Times Eastern At the low end of the price scale are the the price scale are At the low end of with these is that The main catch hotels the Resthouses Resthouses resthouses the old British-developed of A few set still operating. These were are in Malaysia accom- up during the colonial era to provide and later officials, modation for travelling often have flimsy walls that stop short of the of flimsy walls that stop short have often for but terrible for ventilation ceiling – great and privacy. acoustics Longhouses in Malaysian Borneo These communal homes, the traditional dwell- Borneo, may of peoples the indigenous ings of contain up to 100 individual family ‘apart- These days there ments’ under one long roof. longhouse: two main types of tourist long- are houses and authentic longhouses. While a visit in) a tourist longhouseto (or a stay overnight much to be of is easy enough, it’s unlikely A visit to an authentic longhouse interest. can be a magical experience, but is tricky to specific etiquette; a very and there’s arrange see p430 for details. traditional Chinese-run usually of- hotels than simple rooms with little more fering and a sink. The a bed, a table and chair, will sometimes be and toilets (which showers may be down the corridor. squat-style) Asian economise couples can sometimes Note by asking for a single, since in Chinese-hotel one double bed, and ‘single’ means language this ‘double’ means two beds. Don’t think of as being tight;Chinese in you can hotels you wish. pack as many into one room as noisy. They’re they can sometimes be terribly ones and the cheapest on main streets, often New Straits Times, New Straits Borneo Post, (www.tourism Tourism Malaysia Tourism DIRECTORY •• Accommodation MALAYSIA (villages). Also see p201 about p201 Also see (villages). and each of the state tourism the state of and each kampung NTV7, 8TV and TV9) channels. as well as a host of satellite Malaysian Borneo you’ll also find the Malaysian Borneo news (these for 95.8FM) (www.flyfm.com.my; pop music and Fly FM for 94.5FM) (www.mix.fm; in (88.9FM); or Muzik FM (90.7FM) In Sabah, to Traxx FM the KL area). for listen are frequencies for tribal music. (101.3FM) or Wai FM (89.9FM), Sarawak tune in to Traxx FM square-pin plug.
Watch Malaysia’s two government TV government Malaysia’s two channels (TV1 and TV2), four commercial stations (TV3, Watch measures. weights and for Use the metric system Listen to Traxx FM (www.traxxfm.net; 90.3FM), HITZ FM (www.hitz.fm; 92.9FM) and MIX FM and MIX FM (www.hitz.fm; 92.9FM) HITZ FM 90.3FM), (www.traxxfm.net; FM to Traxx Listen newspapers the Read the English-language Connect to the reliable electricity supply (220V to 240V, 50 cycles) with a UK-type three- electricity a UK-type to 240V, 50 cycles) with supply (220V Connect to the reliable
PRACTICALITIES PRACTICALITIES
also have suites. have also have a better view and include extras such view and include extras such a better have access. Many internet or free as breakfast or ‘club’ rooms, which tend to be larger, to be larger, tend or ‘club’ rooms, which Standard rooms at top-end hotels are often often Standard are hotels rooms at top-end Most called ‘superior’ in the local parlance. ‘deluxe’ expensive slightly more have hotels for a hotel-style room with air-con. room for a hotel-style Hotels transport. You’ll normally pay around RM6 to RM30 for a dorm bed or RM15 to RM70 lots of little extras to outdo the competi- little extras to outdo the lots of bicycles and and coffee, tea as free tion, such mosphere. These places often cater only to cater These places often mosphere. their customers and offer travellers foreign the cheapest accommodation option around the cheapest family at- nicest, with a real the and often rooms. Dormitory accommodation is usu- spartan, but this is Rooms are ally available. tels and guesthouses.tels These options may be homes or houses private huts on the beach, divided by partition walls into a number of At beach resorts and in the main tourist and in the main tourist resorts At beach hos- cheap cities you will find a variety of a homestay program in Penang. a homestay program Hostels & Guesthouses bodies about the homestay programs operat- ing throughout in off-the-beaten- the country track enquiring with malaysia.gov.my) able life of the cities and towns. It’s worth the cities and towns. of able life Homestays Homestays you give family will Staying with a Malaysian times removed a unique experience many recognis- largely from the fast-paced and lonelyplanet.com