These destination guides will give you a quick introduction to and overview of some of the destinations you might be travelling to after your stay in Singapore. This is a work in progress and we will keep adding highlights, operators and accommodations as we find them or as they are recommended to us.

• How to get to Peninsular Malaysia from Singapore
• Highlights of Peninsular Malaysia
• When to go
• Useful links

How to get to Peninsular Malaysia from Singapore

• Fly – Malaysia's budget airline, Air Asia, has flights all over Peninsular Malaysia as well as to and from Sabah and Sarawak (and between Sabah and Sarawak) and Thailand. You can catch flights from Johor Bahru (just across the border in Malaysia and easy to get to from Singapore) to pretty much anywhere in Malaysia. For other airlines, flying from Singapore, have a look at ZUJI or the MisaTravel website. Berjaya Air flies from Singapore Seletar airport to Pulau Tioman, Pulau Rendang on the east coast of Malaysia.
• Train – Travelling by train is much safer and more comfortable than travelling by bus, but it is more expensive and slower. The Malaysian railway operator is Keretapi Tanah Melayu. Just note that prices on this website are in Malaysian Ringgit, but if you book in Singapore, you will be paying the same amount in Singapore Dollars, which means you pay around twice the price. Also check out Seat61.com for train information.
• Bus – There are many different bus operators in Singapore, covering most of Peninsular Malaysia. The bus terminal on Lavender Street covers destinations such as Melaka, KL and the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia; the Queen Street bus station (corner of Queen Street and Arab Street) covers destinations such as KL and Johor Bahru; the Golden Mile Complex on Beach Road covers destinations north of KL like Penang and Thailand (all the way up to Bangkok). Only very few of the bus operators have websites, so it best to visit the bus stations after you arrive in Singapore, but here are a few operators who do have websites: check the Express Bus Agencies Association of a good listing of express coaches across Singapore to Malaysia. A cheaper option is to first go to Johor Bahru and then take a bus from there to your final destination.
• Ferry – Penguin Ferry Services, (65) 6271 4866, has ferries from Singapore to Pulau Tioman on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia (approximately 4 hours and costs around S$100 one way, runs from March until October).
• Journey Malaysia and Backpacking Asia are fantastic travel resources on whats best to do and how to get there.
• Please read the Residential Homepage for a constantly growing list of links to transportation from Singapore

Highlights of Peninsular Malaysia

There are two main routes through Peninsular Malaysia to or from Singapore, one is via the east coast and one via the west coast (see below). Alternatively, you can travel in either direction on the 'jungle railway' which cuts diagonally through Peninsular Malaysia, running from Kota Bharu near the Thai border to Gemas, slightly north of Melaka and further inland, from where you can connect to Singapore or KL by train or bus.

West Coast (year-round)

Starting from Singapore, the main tourist stops along the west coast are:

• Melaka (or Malacca) - Historic town, 4 1/2 hours north of Singapore by bus, which has been a centre for trade since the 15th century, first under the local sultanates and later under the Portuguese, Dutch and English. I like Cafe 1511 for its private rooms inclusive of generous breakfast on a central location. I'm also impressed with the recycling and artist icefforts by Baboon . Discovery Cafe & Guesthouse is also an excellent choice with live band and overlooks the historic Melaka River. Howard of Ringo's Foyer Guest House runs a cool cycling tour.
• Kuala Lumpur – The capital of Malaysia with excellent (and cheap) shopping, the famous Petronas Towers (no longer the tallest buildings in the world, but still very tall) and Chinatown and Little India which still maintain their original character. Red Palm Backpackers Hostel is the first the start the backpacking trend and has remained true to its promise of keeping the hostel small, friendly and intimate.
• Taman Negara National Park – One of Southeast Asia's most famous national parks
• Pulau Pangkor - Small island north of Kuala Lumpur with small fishing villages and good beaches
• Cameron Highlands – Very popular hill station north of Kuala Lumpur on the way to Pulau Penang; great place for hiking and escaping the heat from the lower coastal region. I really enjoyed staying at Fathers Guesthouse, run by Jane and Gerard , they have a beautiful heritage manor house set upon a small hill surrounded by greenery. Don't miss their awesome Cameron Experience tour, an epic of over 7 hours guided tour of not just Cameron Highlands but also the adjacent highlands in Taman Negara. I highly recommend it.
• If you would like to take the path less travelled, you may want to consider cities between KL and Penang like Ipoh and Taiping which are alot less touristy and still quite authentic in the travel experience. I found this blog transportation advice very useful.
• Pulau Penang – 9 hours away from Singapore by Bus. Main attraction is Georgetown- a UNESCO Heritage site. There are cheap & good street foods and old trades. Batu Ferringi beaches are not great. Good tours at Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion and "Intimate Theatre in Baba Nyonya House & Tour of Penang's Multicultural Historic Centre". Please note the free half hourly tourist loop buses are no longer in operations. From Penang Road or Komtar, to get to Penang Hill, take the bus 2-6; its a loop bus. Stop at Air Itam roundabout, across from the school and LaiLai coffeeshop. From there, walk up to the train station. The view from the hill is good. Good place to hangout is Edelweiss Cafe . The Penang Jazz scene is thriving and there's also last Sunday of the month festival market on Penang Road . You probably know by now that Penang is officially a UNESCO World Heritage Site (together with Malacca) and the work by Penang Heritage Trust is instrumental to the protection of this gem.
• Pulau Langkawi – Nice enough beaches, jungle covered hills and duty-free shopping
  • Sunsail Malaysia
  • Tropical Resort run by Leila & Musa, cluster of chalets 2 minutes walk to the water on Tengah Beach. Clean & friendly, fantastic location. Highly recommended
  • You cannot go to Langkawi and not do the Cable Car. Bring your camera! Awesome experience.

East Coast (end of February – November)

• Pulau Tioman – Pulau Tioman is likely to be your first stop on the east coast route and within easy reach of Singapore if you only have a few days to spend. Pulau Tioman is a very popular (dive) destination and has seen a lot of development over the years. The island can get very crowded during the July and August holiday season, but the snorkelling/ diving is still great and it is still possible to get away from the crowds by exploring the interior of the island.
  • B&J Diving Centre
  • Tioman Dive Centre
  • Tioman Reef Divers
  • ABC Beach Tioman - Good first stop in Tioman. Website is rich with info on transports/ accommodations/ activities/ food on Tioman and Mersing.
• Cherating – A travellers' hangout on the mainland with cheap, but basic beach huts and a very relaxed atmosphere
• Pulau Perhentian – Great diving, spectacular beaches, beautiful turquoise-coloured sea; what else do you need!
  • Coral Sky Divers
  • Flora Bay Divers
  • Turtle Bay Divers
  • Watercolours Dive Centre
  • Spice Divers
• Kota Bharu - This would most likely be your first or last stop on the east coast route. It is an interesting town with lively wet and handicraft markets, and old mosques.

When to go

It is possible to travel around Malaysia at any time of the year, except for the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, which pretty much shuts down from November until the end of February because of the rainy season. During the rainy season, the seas are choppy and the visibility for scuba diving is not great. Quite a few of the resorts and ferry services close during this time of the year. However, you do have a chance of seeing whale sharks and manta rays during the rainy months.

Cycling from Singapore to Malaysia

Most cyclists start off on their South East Asia adventure from Singapore. Here are a couple of notes on how to proceed.

There are 2 bridges connecting Singapore to Peninsula Malaysia. The first bridge is known as Woodlands Causeway and the second is called Causeway Two. Causeway Two is strictly inaccessible by bicycles due to the highways on both sides of the border. Woodlands Causeway is accessible but you need to becareful of the large vents on drain covers along the queue for motorcycles.

Taking a bus is an option but most will reject you especially if you are riding a non-foldable bicycles or if you bicycle is not in a box. If you are taking a taxi into Johor Bahru, you can grab one licensed to travel in Malaysia at Queen Street Bus Station.

The safest option is to take the train from the KTMB Malaysian Railway Station on Keppel Road. Be mindful that since your bike will be stored in the luggage cabin so you should remove all attachments like cyclometers and quick-release seats. The first station in Malaysia after leaving Singapore is just after Woodlands Causeway.

There is another option to travel into Malaysia and that is by ferry. You will need to get to Changi Village ferry terminal for the ferry to Pengerang, Malaysia.

Here are some resources to assist you in the planning.

Ben's Singapore - Kuantan Ride

Jan Boonstra Singapore to Johor

Useful links

• Malaysian Meteorological Department - Weather in Malaysia; major towns & tourist destinations
• Alfred Molon Photo Galleries – Lots of photos from all over Southeast Asia
• Asian Diver - Website of the Asian Diver magazine with reviews for some of Asia's best dive destinations
• Climb Asia - Climb Asia has a climbing centre in Singapore and also organise trips to Malaysia for climbing enthusiasts
• Journey Malaysia - A very informative website about travelling through Malaysia, written by people passionate about this spectacular country
• Kayak Asia – Online guide to kayaking in Peninsular Malaysia
• Department of Wildlife and National Parks Peninsular Malaysia –
• MM Adventure Services - Adventure and activity operator in western Malaysia
• Rock Pod - Information about climbing in Malaysia
• ThingsAsian – Website about all things Asian, including numerous reviews and articles about Malaysia
• Virtual Malaysia - Malaysia tourism portal...
• WildAsia.net – Online guide to wildlife and nature travel in Asia
• WWF Malaysia – Website of WWF Malaysia
• Wild Malaysia – Nature and wildlife travel guide for Asia
• Backpacking Malaysia
• Malaxi.Com – Malaysia Information - Maps
• www.myoutdoor.com - Islands of Malaysia. Good listings of islands, accommodations and traveling instructions.
• KL Map

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