Travel diary: Malaysia in 3 days

I LOVE, LOVE, LOOOVE traveling. Every time I travel, I always learn something new about myself, my companions, and the world - cultures, traditions, cuisines, governance, fashion. Because of this, I made it a point to travel at least once or twice a year. Last year, I was blessed to have been able to visit Puerto Princesa, Hong Kong, Boracay, and Malaysia.

Our Malaysia trip last October was supposed to be a couples trip: me and my boyfriend, and J (check out her blog here) and her boyfriend. Unfortunately, we found out 2 months before the trip that my boyfriend had to attend a wedding in the US at around the same time. *sigh*.

In this post, I'll share with you our itinerary, my budget, and some tips. I'll also post some photos of our trip in my next posts.

Ticket. We bought our roundtrip tickets from Cebu Pacific at P3,897, inclusive of 15kg baggage allowance. This excluded airport fees: travel tax P1,620 and terminal fee: P550. Such steep prices, considering we don't have ample CCTV cameras at the airport, huh?

Itinerary.

Day 1: Melaka/Malacca

Day 2: Kuala Lumpur: Petronas Twin Towers, Menara KL, Dining in the Dark

Day 3: Kuala Lumpur: Be Tourist Tour, Batu Caves

Budget. I carved out P20,000 from my savings, but only spent P18,323, all-in. This already included my airfare, hotel and airport fees! So happy I was able to stay within my budget and even had a few savings. Ooohhh, the power of frugality, self-discipline and a go-for-experience-and-not-things mentality. The exchange rate at that time was MYR1 = PHP13.53.

Tips.

• It's better to exchange your Philippine Peso (PHP) to US Dollars (USD), then USD to Malaysian Ringgit (MYR). The conversion rate is much better. Best to also exchange your PHP to USD in the Philippines and your USD to MYR in Malaysia.
• Before traveling, I always make it a point to research about the country's weather. In Malaysia, you can be sure that the weather is almost always hot with occasional rains. Thankfully, it didn't rain when we were there but best to be prepared as well. I suggest packing these essentials:
• Sunblock (super important if you don't want nasty sunburns!)
• Off! Lotion to fight mosquitoes
• Cover-ups such as cap, sunglasses, cardigan (light enough to lug around when you're touring but thick enough to keep you warm indoors)
• Comfortable footwear (I always bring my trusty Converse or Keds)
• Water bottle (major tipid tip!)
• Vitamins and medicines (mostly for headaches and stomachaches)
• Research, research, research! Print out maps and addresses. You might also want to research estimate fares since there are cab drivers who target innocent tourists. You should also research must-try dishes and restaurants, and must-visit places so you can make the most out of your trip.
• Fill your water bottle at the hotel before you leave so you don't have to buy outside.
• It's always a good idea to talk to the locals. You can learn so much history you can't get from Wikipedia. They're also your best source on must-try (and dirt cheap!) restaurants. These are sometimes hole-in-the-wall restaurants you won't normally see on the internet.
• Don't be afraid to try new things or taste new cuisines. To be perfectly honest, most of my favorite dishes from this trip didn't look appetizing (or clean) at all. LOL.
• ENERGY! Every single second is important so always make the most of your vacation.

Watch out for my next posts on our Malaysia trip!