Kuala Lumpur and Batu caves in a day

[Cassicruiser]

We will be docking in Port Klang at 10am and sailing at 6pm - can't figure out why the cruiseline would make our shortest stop at a port where there is so much to see and do, yet at Lombok and Komodo we have a full day from 7am... anyway... we were thinking of going into KL to see the Petronas towers, Central Market, and various other sights, but would also like to go to the Batu caves. Would there be enough time for both?

 

One option is to take the ship's KL on your own tour (around $49 each) just to get us there and back, and then get a taxi from KL to the Batu caves. (around 20RM and 25 minutes each way). Another option would be to get a taxi/minibus from the port to do everything. Least preferred option is the ships tour to Batu caves and highlights of KL, as its very expensive considering there are 4 of us, or do we just bite the bullet and do the ships tour, which will be the only one we do on our trip.

 

I'm also aware that its around an hour each way from Port Klang to KL.

 

Any advice much appreciated.

[hallasm]

You cannot do both - We did KL on our own - took the monorail/metro to China Town and walked back to

You can se a short videofrom our walking here:

.. or Click on picture

 

[SWANOZ]

There was 3 of us and this was the only ships tour we did for the time and distance involved. I was worried about getting back to the ship on time. We enjoyed the trip. Batu caves, KL tower lunch, pewter factory could have given this a miss and return to the ship. Other people did similar on their own with a driver, so is do able. The caves were well worth visiting. PETRONAS tower you have to pre-book a tour or you apparently wait forever. Other people maybe able to help with a drivers name or contact. Jennifer

[Cassicruiser]

Both of you are a mine of great info!

Jennifer it sounds like the best option is the ships tour if we want to do the caves as well as KL, although there are some parts that I could give a miss. (Pewter factory as you say). We could prob do KL on our own without the Batu caves but we'd really like to go there. With hindsight would you do anything differently or would you do the same thing again? Also would teens find this interesting, or is it a few hours on a bus or walking with a guide rabbiting on? Is there time for a walk through central market etc or are you whisked from one stop to the next?

My concern is that if we book a driver to take us to caves and KL I will be stressing about getting back to the ship on time, but I'm also wondering if this justifies the high cost of the ships tour for 4 of us.

[SWANOZ]

We felt the same about the time, but others on our roll call seemed to manage ok. I went with my 2 boys 1 a young adult and the other 17. They enjoyed it, lots of monkeys and steps at the Batu Caves it is quite a majestic sight. Getting on and off a large bus is a pain but it was stress free not worrying about the time. In the other ports we did it on our own which the boys much preferred. Bali Suriya from Drivers of Distinction very cheap and will take you wherever you like, we stayed overnight on shore which was great as tendering back to the ship the first night was apparently a nightmare. Cost about $100.00 in Ubud De Munitt Resort booked on Wotif it gave us more time for paragliding shopping Elephant Trek etc. You have to take your passports on shore to stay overnight, no problem though just speak to Guest Relations a few days before. Phuket "Phuket with Sam" a little more expensive but his is a tour with all inclusions we went to Phang Ng Bay, shopping reclining Buddhai we had lunch in a very non touristy fishing village very authentic. No deposits were paid just paid the when we arrived. Especially with Sam you need to book him up early. He got us back to the tenders with 10 mins to spare it was a really full day. The boys enjoyed the private tours best but I was happy to do the 1 ships tour so I could enjoy the day without watching the clock. The ship was actually an hour late leaving Pt Klang as 1 of the ships tours was late returning Regards Jennifer

[Cassicruiser]

Thanks so much for all this great information. I'm hoping that they have sorted the tendering process in Bali for this year, otherwise we may well book a hotel for the night.

 

We have been to Phuket before and done Phang Nga bay kayaking etc, so I think this may be our beach day (not Patong Beach though). We'll probably take a taxi to a nicer beach and have a massage in one of the stores and do some shopping.

 

For KL, based on your experience with your sons, would you recommend doing Batu caves and then a quick stop in KL to see the Petronas towers and walk through Central Market? Or do a more in depth afternoon in KL and skip the Batu caves? The ships tour would set us back nearly $400 to do both, so its looking like we may need to get a driver.

 

What did you do in Penang? I was thinking to do Gergetown on foot, maybe Penang Hill funicular or otherwise some shopping, and then an hour or two in Batu Ferringhi (although it seems the beach is not great here) What did your kids enjoy?

[SWANOZ]

I personally think the Batu Caves are worth the trip. It is different, a cultural experience and the photos look great. KL is just another large city. Aidan one of my sons in hind sight would have preferred doing china town and the caves the ship did offer this tour. Aidan loved the shopping for basketball singlets, snap backs, headphones other fake merchandise I think he thinks he missed out in KL. If you had a driver you could do both. PETRONAS tower would be difficult due to having to book a tour. KL tower is easier but if you have been to Sydney's tower it is similar. There was smog the day we were there not all that clear. You can get good photos of the PETRONAS tower from the ground. If you scroll back on this Asia forum I think someone mentioned there being drivers at the pier you could hire. In Penang there are lots of taxi drivers offering personal tours. As we had been to Penang before we elected to visit the 2 Hindu and Budahist temples across the road from each other and shopping in Georgetown. No need to pre book bargain hard when you get there. My only gripe about the Gems of Indonesia cruise was all the tender ports. If you are not Elite or on a ships tour be early and get early tender tickets or else you will be delayed getting off the ship. It takes quite awhile to tender 2000 people. We are doing the Singapore to Hong Kong cruise in December with only 1 tender port. This time my daughter is coming with us, very much looking forward to it. Regards Jennifer

[Cassicruiser]

My son sounds a bit like yours - his first comment when I told him we might go to Asia was "Can we shop"? Hates shopping in Australia, but the idea of Asian knockoffs, sports clothes, DVD's etc made his ears prick up! I agree with you - Batu Caves and shopping sound like the way to go in KL, something different - and a quick wander around to look at the Petronas towers from a distance. Now I just have to figure out the best way but a private booked driver sounds like a good option. Will just have to leave plenty of time to get back to the ship. Did you shop in China town? Central market? Is there as good shopping in Penang?

 

The tenders are not ideal - much easier to just walk off the ship. Although we were on a South Pacific cruise this past Jan and we tendered into 2 ports and the process was really good. Although, as they were just beachy islands no one was in a massive hurry to get off. And they were only 10 minute rides. Lombok and Komodo I dont mind waiting till the rush has cleared (Komodo will be a ship day for me anyway) and KL and Penang are ports, so hopefully Bali and Phuket will be sorted out after the issues I have read about on your cruise.

 

The Singapore to Hong Kong cruise sounds fabulous, and is the one I would rather have done, but we can only go in January.... another time...

[timtam2]

In June, the traffic in KL was DIABOLICAL! So much new building and roadworks, it took 45 minutes just to go around a few blocks to get out of the city. I would do one or the other, otherwise you might be cutting it a bit short to get back to the ship in time

[Cassicruiser]

That's what I'm worried about Timtam. I suppose that's the advantage of the ships tour - not to worry about time frames. Maybe it would be best to book a driver, spend a couple of hours in KL and then if we still have time go to the caves, if not then straight back to the ship.

 

Otherwise doing the ships tour makes sense but I think a lot of where they take you in KL is just sightseeing rather than being able to spend a bit of time in the places we would like to see (Central market, china town). This port is turning out to be the toughest - if only we docked at 8am like we do in every other port! Then we could go to Batu caves and KL no problem.

[SWANOZ]

If doing KL with a driver the thing I think not to miss is the Batu Caves KL is another big city. The ships tours went to Batu Caves first. We also people from the ship with drivers first going to Batu Caves. We didn't shop in KL. The tour which does Batu Caves and China town would be preferable to the one we did to Batu Caves and KL tower. Regards Jennifer:)

[Mimosa4]

Just resurrecting this thread in the hope that someone could give me advice on the best way to get to Batu Caves. I see that most people have suggested that Batu Caves as well as KL is too much to do in such a short day, so we have decided to stick with just Batu Caves.

Drivers that I have contacted want $45 per person to go to Batu Caves for a few hours, so I am thinking a taxi to the train station and then the KTM train to Batu caves and back? Does anyone have experience of doing this? Or has anyone just chanced their luck on the day and taken a taxi to and from Batu caves to Port Klang?

We also thought that as the KTM train to Batu caves goes through Kuala Lumpur city, if we find we have time on the way back we could stop off for an hour or so, although it seems the trip from Port Klang to the caves with a taxi to the station could take around 2 hours!

[Bollinge]

Can I recommend a taxi driver in Port Klang? His name is Jernal and he has a new 7-seater (6 pax + driver) A/C mini-van taxi.

 

He is fluent in English and a very reliable and safe driver / guide.

 

His email is jernalsingh75@yahoo.com, mobile number: +60-14-645-5886

Edited November 26, 2013 by Bollinge

[bertrande]

Can I recommend a taxi driver in Port Klang? His name is Jernal and he has a new 7-seater (6 pax + driver) A/C mini-van taxi.

 

He is fluent in English and a very reliable and safe driver / guide.

 

His email is jernalsingh75@yahoo.com, mobile number: +60-14-645-5886

 

Bollinge, do you know if he will go from Port Klang to central KL and back? We have an infant travelling with us and do not intend to do the Batu caves. Thanks!

[Bollinge]

Mr Jernal will take you wherever you want to go.

 

Email him!