Kuala Lumpur: perfect for a quick getaway

3 alternatives to get into Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from Singapore.

1. Drive yourself - just 3.5-5h by car along the North-South highway
2. Take a coach - tickets can be purchased at Golden Mile complex in Singapore or at the bus terminal in Johor Bahru Malaysia
3. Fly in - just a mere 45min flight will take you straight to Kuala Lumpur International Airport

Apa khabar KL
It takes about 45-60mins to get from the KLIA to the central city area by car and had the great fortune of being put up in the Crowne Plaza Mutiara. The hotel is 5* with clean rooms that are well equipped with high speed Internet access; your classic business hotel.

Shopping
Suria KLCC is a huge mall which is atypical of all Malaysian shopping centers. Carries the usual suspects like Zara, MNG, the you-name-it-you-have-it branded goods, Kinokuniya, Adidas etc. Prices are comparable to SG so you don't exactly get a lot of cost savings from shopping here.

Checked out the new ‘IT’ mall in KL: Pavilion. Think Siam Paragon in Bangkok or Suntec City but much bigger. Mostly branded goods here like Juicy Couture (yes, Malaysia has Juicy Couture before Singapore!!), Aigner, DKNY, Paul Frank, Ted Baker, Pull & Bear, Aldo, Nine West etc.

Must-Eat
Keropok Lekor – some fish paste deep fried in batter that has its origin from Terangganu.

Transportation
It IS dodgy to take cab alone here in KL; be it day or night. Typical metered fare starts from 2Rm while in-house hotel cabs start from 6Rm. But for the ‘supposed’ additional safety and peace of mind, 6Rm is worth it. Touts and cabs that do not go by meter are aplenty.

This being a business trip, I did not have an opportunity to really explore KL but from the looks of it, I will be back :)