Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei

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Coverage includes: Welcome to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei’s Top 25 Experiences, Need to Know, If You Like, Month by Month, With Kids, Itineraries, Outdoor Adventures, Eat Like a Local and Regions at a Glance.

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PLAN YOUR TRIP

Welcome To Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei ..... 2

Map .................................. 420 Top Experiences ....... 6Need to Know ................. 18If You Like ........................ 20Month By Month ............. 22Itineraries ........................ 24Outdoor Adventures ...... 28Eat Like a Local ............... 35Regions at a Glance ....... 40

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTAND MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE & BRUNEI

Malaysia, Singapore &Brunei Today ................ 548

History ............................. 551People, Culture &

Politics .......................... 562Religion ............................ 569Arts & Media ................... 574Food & Drink ................... 579The Region’s

Environment ................ 585

if Malaysia were100 people

50 would be Malay24 would be Chinese11 would be Orang Asli7 would be Indian

“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET

PAGE

2

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547GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see

I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -847 -0

9 781741 798470

99625

ere else? Staying loresearched by exp

ongepert

Ft

whend

ALt

SHOESTRING Big trips on

small budgets.

malaysia-singapore-brunei-12-cover.indd 2malaysia-singapore-brunei-12-cover.indd 2 5/02/2013 12:07:02 PM5/02/2013 12:07:02 PM

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Simon RichmondCristian Bonetto, Celeste Brash, Joshua Samuel Brown,

Austin Bush, Adam Karlin, Daniel Robinson

Tioman IslandPahang &

Sembilan (p97)Selangor & Negeri

(p46)Kuala Lumpur

(p272)Kelantan & TerengganuEast Coast Islands,

(p454)Brunei

(p379)Sarawak

(p304)Sabah

(p473)Singapore

(p207)Melaka

(p227)Johor

(p242)

(p116)Perak

(p149)Penang

Perlis (p183)Langkawi, Kedah &

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Directory A–Z ................. 592Transport ........................ 600Health .............................. 606Language ........................ 611Index ................................ 621Map Legend .................... 638

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE ROAD

PAGE

44

PAGE

591

Look out for these icons:

Our author’s top recommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first

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KUALA LUMPUR . . . . .46

SELANGOR & NEGERI SEMBILAN . . 97SELANGOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Batu Caves . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100Hulu Klang & Gombak . . . 100Genting Highlands . . . . . . . 101Fraser’s Hill (Bukit Fraser) . . . . . . . . . . .102Putrajaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .104Klang Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . .105Kuala Selangor . . . . . . . . . .107

NEGERI SEMBILAN . . . . . . 109Seremban . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109Sri Menanti . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Kuala Pilah . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112Port Dickson . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

PERAK . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Ipoh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118Gopeng & Around . . . . . . . .125Cameron Highlands . . . . . .126Pulau Pangkor . . . . . . . . . .134Kuala Kangsar. . . . . . . . . . .140Taiping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142Around Taiping . . . . . . . . . .146Royal Belum State Park . . 147

PENANG . . . . . . . . . . . 149George Town . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Batu Ferringhi . . . . . . . . . . . 176Teluk Bahang & Around . . 179

Pulau Jerejak. . . . . . . . . . . .180Snake Temple . . . . . . . . . . . 181Batu Maung . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181Kampung Pulau Betong . . 181Teluk Kumbar . . . . . . . . . . .182

LANGKAWI, KEDAH & PERLIS . . . 183KEDAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184Pulau Langkawi . . . . . . . . .185Alor Setar . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200Around Alor Setar . . . . . . 204PERLIS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .204Kangar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204Taman Negara Perlis . . . . 205

MELAKA . . . . . . . . . . .207MELAKA CITY . . . . . . . . . . .209AROUND MELAKA CITY . . 225Ayer Keroh . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Pulau Besar . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Alor Gajah . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Tanjung Bidara . . . . . . . . . 226

JOHOR . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Johor Bahru . . . . . . . . . . . 228Muar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Mersing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Seribuat Archipelago . . . . .237Endau-Rompin National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

PAHANG & TIOMAN ISLAND . . .242Pulau Tioman . . . . . . . . . . 243Endau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252

Pekan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252Kuantan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254Around Kuantan . . . . . . . . .257Cherating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .257Taman Negara . . . . . . . . . . 260Jerantut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265Kuala Lipis . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267Kenong Rimba State Park 268Raub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Temerloh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270Around Temerloh . . . . . . . 270

EAST COAST ISLANDS, KELANTAN & TERENGGANU . . . . . . 272KELANTAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273Kota Bharu . . . . . . . . . . . . .273Around Kota Bharu . . . . . .281

EAST COAST ISLANDS . . . 283Pulau Perhentian . . . . . . . 283Pulau Lang Tengah . . . . . . .291Pulau Redang . . . . . . . . . . 292Pulau Kapas . . . . . . . . . . . 293

TERENGGANU . . . . . . . . . .294Kuala Terengganu. . . . . . . 295Around Kuala Terengganu . . . . . . . . . . . . 299North of Kuala Terengganu . . . . . . . . . . . . 299South of Kuala Terengganu . . . . . . . . . . . . 300

SABAH . . . . . . . . . . . 304KOTA KINABALU . . . . . . . . .306

AROUND KOTA KINABALU . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320

On the Road

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park . . . . . . . . . . 320

NORTHWESTERN SABAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu National Park . . 322Around Mt Kinabalu . . . . . 330Northwest Coast . . . . . . . 332Offshore Islands . . . . . . . . 336

EASTERN SABAH . . . . . . . . 337Sandakan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .337Sepilok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343Sandakan Archipelago . . 347Sungai Kinabatangan . . . 348Lahad Datu . . . . . . . . . . . . 353Danum Valley Conservation Area . . . . . . 354Tabin Wildlife Reserve . . . 356Semporna . . . . . . . . . . . . . .357Semporna Archipelago . . 359Tawau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363Tawau Hills Park . . . . . . . . 367Maliau Basin Conservation Area . . . . . . 367

SOUTHWESTERN SABAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 369The Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . 369Beaufort Division . . . . . . . .372Pulau Tiga National Park .374Pulau Labuan . . . . . . . . . . .375

SARAWAK . . . . . . . . .379KUCHING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

WESTERN SARAWAK . . . . .400Bako National Park . . . . . 400Santubong Peninsula . . . 404

Kuching Wetlands National Park . . . . . . . . . . 406Semenggoh Nature Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 407Kampung Benuk . . . . . . . . 408Annah Rais Longhouse . . 408Kubah National Park . . . . 409Bau & Environs . . . . . . . . . . 411Lundu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .413Gunung Gading National Park . . . . . . . . . . .413Sematan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .414Tanjung Datu National Park . . . . . . . . . . .415Talang-Satang National Park . . . . . . . . . . .415

CENTRAL SARAWAK . . . . . 417Sibu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Batang Rejang . . . . . . . . . .421Bintulu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426Similajau National Park . 427Niah National Park . . . . . . 429Lambir Hills National Park . . . . . . . . . . .431Miri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432

NORTHEASTERN SARAWAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . .438Gunung Mulu National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 438Kelabit Highlands . . . . . . . 444Limbang Division . . . . . . . .451

BRUNEI . . . . . . . . . . 454BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456

TUTONG & BELAIT DISTRICTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467

Tutong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467Jalan Labi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467Seria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467Kuala Belait . . . . . . . . . . . . 468TEMBURONG DISTRICT . .468Bangar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468Pulau Selirong . . . . . . . . . 470Batang Duri . . . . . . . . . . . . 470Peradayan Forest Reserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470Ulu Temburong National Park . . . . . . . . . . 470

SINGAPORE . . . . . . .473SINGAPORE SURVIVAL GUIDE . . . . . . . . 537Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . . . .537Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .541

S O U T HC H I N A

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› Malaysian Borneo & Brunei

Simon Richmond Coordinating Author, Plan Your Trip, Kuala Lumpur & Around, Selangor & Negeri Sembilan, Understand, Survival Guide Simon fi rst started travelling in the region back in the early 1990s. A lot has changed since, but both Malaysia and Singa-pore remain among Simon’s favourite destinations for their easily accessible blend of cultures, landscapes, adventure and, crucially, lip-smacking range of cuisines. This is the fourth time the award-winning travel writer and photogra-

pher has helmed Lonely Planet’s Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei guide. He’s also the coordinating author of Lonely Planet’s Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang guide as well as a shelf-load of other titles for this and other publishers.

Cristian BonettoSingapore Cristian’s voracious appetite was custom made for Singapore, and you’ll often fi nd him chomping his way across the island in search of edible thrills. Throw in a passion for contemporary architecture and postcolonial poli-tics, and his soft spot for Singapore makes perfect sense. Cristian graduated from the University of Melbourne with a degree in politics and cultural studies, and his musings on food, culture and design have appeared in publications worldwide. To date, his Lonely Planet titles include New York, Italy and Denmark.

Celeste Brash Melaka, Johor Celeste fi rst visited Malaysia while she was studying at Chiang Mai University, Thailand, in 1993; she later moved to Singapore to teach English. The more of Malaysia she’s visited over the years, the more she’s fallen in love with it especially the food. When not desensitising her taste buds with sambal, Celeste lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two children. She’s contributed to around 40 Lonely Planet titles. Find out more about her at www.celestebrash.com.

Joshua Samuel Brown Pahang & Tioman Island; East Coast Islands, Kelantan & Terengganu Writer, raconteur and lifestyle gypsy Joshua Samuel Brown has been on the road semi-constantly since the last century and writing for Lonely Planet since 2006; he’s also a regular contributor to www.lonelyplanet.com. His blog Snarky Tofu (josambro.blogspot.com) contains regular updates, photos and the occasional rant.

Read more about Simon at: lonelyplanet.com/members/simonrichmond

Read more about Celeste at: lonelyplanet.com/members/celestebrash

Read more about Joshua at: lonelyplanet.com/members/josambro

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 98312th edition – May 2013ISBN 978 1 74179 847 0© Lonely Planet 2013 Photographs © as indicated 201310 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

OVERPAGE

MORE WRITERS

Austin BushEat Like a Local; Regional Specialities; Perak; Penang; Langkawi, Kedah & Perlis; Food & Drink Austin Bush came to Thailand in 1998 on a language scholarship and has remained in Southeast Asia ever since. This is his fi rst time contributing to Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, a gig he soon came to realise is quite possibly Lonely Planet’s most delicious. Austin is a native of Oregon and a freelance writer and photographer who often focuses on food. Samples of his work can be seen at www.austinbushphotography.com.

Adam KarlinSabah, Brunei Adam thinks Borneo is like a savage garden, which may explain why he loves it truly, madly, deeply. On this trip, his second exploring Sabah (and third exploring Malaysia) for Lonely Planet, he glimpsed primates, hiked jungle mountains, held his own in expat drinking games and fl oated on his back down a river through virgin rainforest a pretty good moment, that. He has written or contributed to some 30 titles for Lonely Planet.

Daniel Robinson Sarawak Daniel has been covering Southeast Asia and its rainforests since 1989, when he researched Lonely Planet’s fi rst award-winning guides to Vietnam and Cambodia. On his many visits to Sarawak, he has developed a fondness for trav-elling ulu-ulu (way upriver) by longboat, tramping through the jungle in search of gargantuan raffl esia fl owers, and slurping Sarawak laksa. Daniel, who holds a BA in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton University, writes on travel for a variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times.

Read more about Adam at: lonelyplanet.com/members/adamkarlin

Read more about Daniel at: lonelyplanet.com/members/daniel_robinson

Itiner-aries

Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these intineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.

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SOUTHCH INASEATaman Negara

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Two WeeksEssential Malaysia & Singapore

Ease yourself into Malaysian life by spending three days in Kuala Lumpur (KL). On your to see and do list should be the Petronas Towers, Chinatown for shopping and eating, and the Lake Gardens for the KL Bird Park and Islamic Arts Museum.

Head to the magnificent national park Taman Negara where even on a two-day visit you can clamber across the canopy walkway and make some short jungle treks. Return to KL and hop on a flight to Penang where three days will give you a good taste of the heritage district of George Town and other island highlights such as Kek Lok Si Temple.

Historic Melaka, another Unesco World Heritage Site, deserves a couple of nights but visit midweek to avoid the crowds. Then head across the causeway to Singapore where you can spend your final four days enjoying everything from maxing out your credit card at glitzy shopping malls and sampling delicious hawker food to the eye-boggling space age architecture of Marina Bay, the excellent zoo and night safari, and the vacation island of Sentosa for some beachside R & R.

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GeorgeTown

KualaSelangor

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Kuching

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Six WeeksThe Grand Tour

Schedule a week in KL and surrounds for sightseeing and acclimatisation. Day trips could include Batu Caves, Forestry Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and Putrajaya, the nation’s fast-evolving administrative capital and a showcase of mod-ern Malaysian architecture. The sleepy old royal capital of Kuala Selangor, near to

which you can observe the dazzling natural display of fireflies, is also only a couple of hours drive from KL.

After a pit stop in the happening foodie destination of Ipoh, which has some great ac-commodation options, your second week takes you up to the Cameron Highlands for a cooler climate and invigorating walks past verdant tea plantations. Return to the coast and hop across to Pulau Pangkor for a few days further relaxation on this off-the-beaten track island with white sand beaches and jungle interior.

Suitably refreshed you should be ready for the urban delights of George Town on Pen-ang, particularly the Unesco World Heritage district packed with colourful, fascinating sights. Do plenty of walking to work up an appetite, as Penang is also Malaysia’s number one food destination with oodles of tempting dishes to sample. A quick flight away are the resorts, gorgeous beaches and jungle hinterlands of Pulau Langkawi.

Into week four and it’s time to cross the mountainous spine of the peninsula to Kota Bharu, a great place to encounter traditional Malay culture. Island- and beach-hop down the east coast, pausing at Pulau Perhentian, Cherating and Pulau Tioman. For jungle adventures head to Taman Negara or, to avoid the crowds, opt for nearby Kenong Rimba State Park.

Singapore can easily swallow up a week of shopping, museum viewing and world-class eating. From here you can fly to Kuching in Sarawak, a good base for a longhouse excur-sion or for arranging a trek in the Gunung Mulu National Park. Rack up the visa stamps by taking the overland and river route from Sarawak to Sabah via Brunei stopping in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB).

Having made it to Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu, your final challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to climb Mt Kinabalu. Alternatively, it’s difficult to resist the chance to eyeball close up the supercute ginger apes at Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre.

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KotaKinabalu

Kuching

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Bako National Park

Annah Rais LonghouseSemenggoh

WildlifeCentre

Gunung MuluNational Park

MALAYSIASabah

Sarawak

Mari MariCultural Village

Ulu TemburongNational Park

Danum ValleyConservation

Area Semporna

Orang-UtanRehabilitation

Centre

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BarioNiahNational

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Two WeeksSabah–Sarawak Sampler

Start with Sabah’s star attraction, Mt Kinabalu. Assaults on Malaysia’s highest peak can be launched from the state’s government seat, Kota

Kinabalu (KK), which encapsulates South-east Asian city life on a manageable scale. You’ll be obliged to spend a day or two here sorting permits, during which you can stoke up on energy by indulging in the flavourful local cuisine. Consider a day-trip cruise (in-cluding buffet dinner) down one of the tea-brown rivers in the Beaufort Division, or learn a little about the local culture at the Mari Mari Cultural Village.

Leapfrog by plane from KK to Miri and then on to Gunung Mulu National Park, home to the world’s largest caves, and sev-eral memorable jungle treks, including the notorious Headhunters Trail. Pass through Miri once more for a quick flight down to Kuching. Sarawak’s capital is a real charm-er and will easily keep you occupied for several days. Break up your time in town with a visit to Semenggoh Wildlife Cen-tre, Bako National Park and, if you have time, to a longhouse such as Annah Rais Longhouse.

One MonthUltimate Borneo

From Kuching explore the local long-houses and Bako National Park. Fly to Miri, which is the base for trips to the impressive Niah Caves; Gunung

Mulu National Park for more caves (the world’s biggest), the heart-pumping trek to the Pinnacles and a sweat-drenching trek along the Headhunters Trail; and Bario, a quiet farming community tucked away in the vine-draped Kelabit Highlands.

You’ll need to pass through Miri again to make your way overland to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei’s friendly microcapital. While here don’t miss out on Ulu Tembu-rong National Park in Temburong, Bru-nei’s pristine sliver of primary rainforest.

Cross back into Malaysia and pause in Kota Kinabalu before setting your sights on Mt Kinabalu. Catch some ape love at Se-pilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre, followed by a layover in Sandakan for a brief lesson in colonial history. The mighty Sun-gai Kinabatangan is next, offering wildlife enthusiasts plenty of photo fodder. If you’ve got the time (and the dime), head deep into Sabah’s green interior for a trek through the Danum Valley Conservation Area. Explore the magnificent dive sites of the Semporna Archipelago accessed from Semporna.

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SeribuatArchipelago

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PulauTiomanEndau-Rompin

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Johor Bahru SINGAPORE

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Alor SetarKuala Perlis

Royal BelumState Park

Kuantan

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Kuala Terengganu

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Three WeeksJewels of the North

Explore KL for a few days then take a bus across the peninsula to Kuan-tan. Beach- and island-hop up the east coast pausing in laid-back Cher-

ating and Kuala Terengganu, with its pretty Chinatown and the Kompleks Muz-ium Negeri Terengganu. At Penarik see fireflies and stay at the Terrapuri Heritage Village, a resort made up of 29 classically furnished antique houses.

Although other island idylls await further up the coast it’s difficult to ignore the Per-hentians, accessed from Kuala Besut. Pulau Perhentian Besar tends to be less crowded and just as gorgeous as its more popular twin, Pulau Perhentian Kecil. Back on the main-land, linger a day or two in Kota Bharu, for its museums, cultural events and night mar-ket, then head to northern Perak, making the Royal Belum State Park your base.

Dig into fish-head curry in Alor Setar before taking the ferry from Kuala Perlis to Pulau Langkawi where there’s yet more opportunities for sunbathing, island hop-ping and jungle exploration. Fly to George Town, the essential stop on Penang. Con-nect to Ipoh from where you could cool off in Fraser’s Hill (Bukit Fraser) before returning to KL.

Three WeeksSouthern Comforts

Singapore is the logical start and finish to this loop around the south-ern end of Peninsula Malaysia; leave yourself several days to soak up its

multiple attractions. If you’re strapped for cash then Johor Bahru just across the causeway is a cheaper base. Recently spruced up, it’s become a decent hangout, not least for its street food and duty-free booze.

The lethargic riverside town of Muar has a graceful colonial district that’s worth a look, and can be used as a base for assaults on 1276m Gunung Ledang, Johor’s highest mountain, within the Gunung Ledang National Park. Recover in World Heritage–listed Melaka where you can spend several days soaking up the enduring Portuguese and Dutch influence.

Explore the last remaining stands of lowland forest on the peninsula in Endau-Rompin National Park, the last refuge of the Sumatran rhinoceros. Stunning Pulau Tioman has epitomised an island paradise since it doubled for Bali Hai in South Pa-cific. Alternatively, indulge in some island hopping and diving around the 64 compar-atively little visited gems of the Seribuat Archipelago.

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