Haven't you always wanted to go to Kuala Lumpur??

Recommendation: You should!

by Elizabeth

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Malaysia...Kuala Lumpur and Going Home!

We had a change in plans during the cruise related to the planned ports of call.  Rather than having a full day in Indonesia, we went instead to Kuala Lumpur, which was supposed to be our final disembarkation site. This was fine with us, as having a full day in Kuala Lumpur, then coming back to the ship for the night and leaving the next morning worked out to be a nice option.

The ship docked at Port Klang, which is a destination in itself. We were able to book a full-day excursion which began at the port so we were keen on paying attention to the announcements regarding port clearance and getting off the ship.   One unfortunate thing at this port was that whether you were planning to disembark and go anywhere outside the ship or not, the immigration requirements were that all ship passengers must present to immigration, with a Malaysian visa form completed.

This had not been well-communicated or well-coordinated by the ship management or staff. To manage the fact that all passengers must get off the ship at some point that morning, they attempted to implement a system by which those who had excursions planned, coupled with the level of their stateroom, should plan to get in line at a certain time.  This turned out to be complete chaos.  As soon as the captain announced that we’d been cleared by port authorities, most everyone rushed to the exit areas, dangerously crowding the hallways and blocking any passing through.  It was clear that not all of these people had excursions planned or were all from the same floor. Communicating this chaos to ship staff did no good, and they blandly stood by and looked on, not offering any systematic management of this many people. This type of scenario demonstrates how pushy, rude, and inconsiderate people can be. The cutting in line (an ongoing issue with this cruise) nearly brought people to fistfights.  Our small group tried to just stay together so we could exit and catch the same bus for our planned excursion. It was most maddening. To make matters worse, the distance from the ship, across the pier, and into the port authority area was extremely long. 

This indeed proved to be a challenge for some folks who were in wheelchairs or who otherwise needed assistive devices to get around, as there were no resting places at all, and it was very warm and humid.  Extremely frustrating indeed. Our assigned time to meet the bus for our day trip had long passed when we finally made it out.  The buses were all still waiting and we thankfully boarded, looking forward to a seat in the air-conditioned bus. The trip from the port to the city is about an hour.  This gave us a good chance to observe the towns and countryside in between.

Coming into the city of Kuala Lumpur, the architecture really stands out.  Of course, the Petronas Twin Towers are a big attraction, but there is so much interesting architecture throughout the city – it’s really impressive. Both old and new, it demonstrates the steps that Kuala Lumpur has taken to put itself on the global radar, so to speak.

Our first stop was lunch.  We arrived at the Concorde Hotel with 3 other tour buses.  They had already arranged a buffet lunch for our groups.  The food was very good, and there was a large variety of globally inspired foods but the Malaysian specialties were especially tasty.  A lively band wandered around the dining tables, entertaining us with a variety of old American hits and Mariachi-style music.

The hotel has some associated fame in that Michael Jackson stayed here when visiting Malaysia in 1996 during his HIStory world tour.

After lunch, we headed to the Selangor pewter factory and museum.

While this may sound like not so much of a highlight, this factory and the Selangor Pewter are kind of a big deal.  The company has provided the pewter trophies and championship cups for multiple Malaysian sports events such as the Malaysian Grand Prix. 

Selangor pewter has a rich history in Malaysia and is accompanied by a great sense of pride throughout the country. Founded by a Chinese immigrant in the late 1800s, the high-quality craftmanship has remained steady through the growth of the company and continues today.

The tour of the factory brought us through the stages of production and showcasing the various types of goods that had been produced over the years.

There are also sister companies Selberan and the notable Comyns silver, which is well-known in the UK as a top-tier provider of all sorts of silver products.  We were shown how the pewter is created and formed into the many items they sell around the world.  I would recommend a visit to this museum for its unique and historical ties to the country, as well as the interesting processes involved.  It’s also a great opportunity for picking out a special gift for yourself or someone at home. I was lucky enough to come away with a beautiful necklace and a decorative piece for our home. We enjoyed this tour very much.

Next, we visited the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial in the heart of Kuala Lumpur City Center at the Perdana Botanical Garden.

Razak, also known as the Father of Development, was the second prime minister of Kuala Lumpur, and the government of Malaysia commemorated his enduring outstanding contribution to their economy, faith, and culture and brought a new face of recognition to their nation. The visit to his residence showcases a wall decoration of memorable items such as Razak’s medals, a dining table with decorative porcelain plates and utensils, and assorted types of weaponry hanging on the wall.

The contemporary furniture of the time remains, and you also view his main bedroom, well-kept in a tidy environment. Before entering the residence, you must remove your shoes.

The tour guide for us that day was very knowledgeable about the history of the country and provided relevant commentary on the various parts of the city and the architectural highlights.  We drove back to the city center and were able to catch a break in the rain that had chased us for much of the day.

This was the location of the famed Petronas Twin Towers.

Construction on the towers took place between 1992 and 1996, and they were the world’s tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004.  Designed by an Argentinian-American architect, and constructed by both Japanese and Korean crews, the 88-storey structure is supported by a massive concrete foundation.

The towers are visible from many points throughout the city and are a certain attraction for visitors. At the base of the towers is a large shopping center and other businesses. There is an observation deck near the top of each tower but we did not have time to go up.

Other towers in the city that deserve some attention also are the Merdeka 118, and the KL Tower. The Merdeka 118 currently can boast as the 2nd tallest structure in the world. 

This tower was completed in 2023 and is a mix of hotels, commercial and residential space. Merdeka is an Indonesian term derived from ancient Sanskrit meaning ‘free’ or independent. The outer design of the building is meant to resemble Malaysia’s prime minister in 1957, chanting and proclaiming the country’s gain of independence with an upraised hand.

Another notable tower is the KL Tower or Kuala Lumpur Tower.  Completed in 1993, this tower has an antenna that measures 86 meters and was primarily built as a communications center.  Multiple television and radio organizations utilize the tower and its annena.

The pod at the top of the column has an observatory and a hotel in addition to offices. The KL Tower is currently at number 7 on the list of the world’s tallest buildings.

Back to the tour…next up were the central railway station and the railway administration buildings. 

These historical buildings, across the street from one another, showcase a beautiful and interesting mix of British colonial and Moorish attributes.  Also close by was the National Mosque of Malaysia, which we did not go in, but was a picturesque setting and a strikingly beautiful building.

Independence Square, or Merdeka Square, is a large area that encompasses a large cricket field, a large fountain, and an iconic flagpole where the Malaysian flag replaced the British Union Jack in 1957. 

It is the location for the Independence Day Parade and a place where it seems locals and tourists alike gather. The surrounding buildings still house some governmental agencies. Again, the architecture is eye-catching and makes for really great photography.

Last but not least, our tour took us to the Central Market, where we spent time wandering about the shops and cafes, looking for suitable souvenirs. 

We could’ve spent much more time here, but our day was coming to an end, and we only had about 30-45 minutes in this location.  This market is very clean and organized and the vendors and storefronts are interactive but not pushy or obnoxious in their attempts at making a sale with you.

As a bonus, our tour guide provided us with passes for the restrooms, which otherwise would've required a small monetary fee, as is so common.

So in addition to using the loo for free, :)  I bought a few very lovely scarves here. We definitely recommend visiting here for shopping and snacks.

Whew!  What a day!  The ride back to the port was quiet, as everyone was tired.  This had been a very long day and we arrived back at the port and boarded the ship around 8pm.  We had missed a planned family dinner on this last night of the cruise but everyone was understanding of how our differing schedules had turned out.  Thankfully we had packed up pretty much everything in preparation for the trip home so we were able to eat a small dinner and relax a bit before going to sleep.  It was very warm and humid, but sitting on our balcony overlooking the port was a nice way to wind down this busy day. I’m so glad we were able to see Kuala Lumpur and spend the time we did. 

A fascinating city, beautiful architecture, clean, and friendly. The tour guide was excellent and I think this may be a place to return to in the future.

Then…morning! End of the cruise and time to head home!

We had arranged for transport from the port to the airport in Kuala Lumpur (KUL), again about an hour’s drive. Initially, we had planned to take a short flight to Singapore, and then a flight from there to San Francisco.  Our non-revenue mode of air travel is non-standard, and in the middle of the night, we had been up looking for alternative routes home, as the flights we had been eyeing were proving to be a fuller capacity, meaning our chances of getting seats were slim.  Getting home from halfway around the world is a task to be sure.  Getting home from this particular part of the world is maybe a bit tougher than say, from Europe or South America. Stopover points are fewer, and trans-Pacific flights must be carefully timed so there isn’t a 16-hour airport layover.

A bit about KUL first.  This is a fairly large airport but very easy to navigate, with departure levels and ticket counters being on the top level.  Here we were able to hang out with family, get some breakfast, and rest a bit more before going through security and immigration and to our respective gates.

The other family members were going through Singapore and Taipei, as well as a reverse trip by Efren and Iya that would take them back to the States via heading west rather than east.  This was a very long trip for them indeed.  KUL had plenty of shopping and food options around the gate areas as well.

We opted to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong, and on to San Francisco from there. Cathay Pacific Airlines brought us to Hong Kong. 

This 4-hour flight was uneventful and had us very full after eating both at the airport and then getting a full meal on the plane.  We arrived in Hong Kong around 7 pm.  We went through an abbreviated immigration point, for those travelers who were merely transferring and not leaving the airport. Of note, flying into Hong Kong is fascinating…miles and miles of clustered skyscrapers that were presumably residential…so many people must live there!  It was dark, but I can imagine it’s beautiful in daylight. ** Must come back here for a proper visit.

Once inside the gate areas, we checked if by chance the United flight from HKG to SFO looked like a viable option.  We did have seats on the Cathay Pacific connecting flight but were hoping to get the First/Business class on United. 

The flight was leaving in about an hour from the time we cleared the immigration point so we listed ourselves and went directly to the gate and waited.  We got lucky!  We got 2 seats in the Polaris Business Class section. Upon boarding, we barely were at our seats before being offered water, wine, and snacks.  Each seat had a bit of swag that included a kit for self-care during this 13-hour flight. A toothbrush and toothpaste, facial wipes and moisturizer, hand lotion, socks, and an eye mask.  The fully reclining seats were most welcome, as the flight left HKG at around 9:45 pm on this Monday evening.  Flying east, we were scheduled to arrive in San Francisco around 6 pm, still on Monday evening.  So as it turned out, we had a super-long Monday, December 11!

The flight was relatively uneventful.  Some occasional turbulence, but nothing extraordinary. Dinner, snacks, more food, then breakfast before landing…the food just kept coming! There were movies to watch but we were able to get some solid (and comfortable) sleep, for which I was grateful.

Deplaning at SFO and getting through entry back into the US took a little less than an hour – not bad.  Since we had arrived much sooner than we had originally planned, we were looking for a flight that would take us from SFO back to San Diego, where our car was parked, in hopes we might be able to get all the way home that night.  We had initially planned to spend the night near the airport and rent a car to drive back to southern California the next day.  Sure enough though, a quick dash through the airport over to the Alaska terminal had us boarding a flight for San Diego within about 90 minutes of arriving back from Hong Kong!  Traveling with carry-ons only and understanding how to quickly assess our options for flights has been a learning curve for us that now serves us well. Also, TSA pre-check is a game-changer when you might be pressed for time or would like to not take your electronics out and your shoes off, etc - you simply put your stuff on the belt and walk through. A serious plug for this or Global Entry, which also serves as a pre-check function...many credit cards these days will reimburse for this. The cost per the term covered is really, really low and may be worth it to you if you travel more than even a couple times per year. Check it out! I'll talk about Clear in another post. :)

We arrived in San Diego around 9 pm.  Noel walked to retrieve our car which had been parked for more than 2 weeks. The hour drive home went quickly and we pulled into the driveway around 10:30. Easy Peasy! Time to relax, check the house and yard, and sleep in our own bed after so many days of being away.

Reflections...

This was a great trip, aside from the distraction of hiccups on the Norwegian Cruise line side, which didn't ruin the trip but caused some not-so-nice moments. I'm sure they have heard lots of feedback on this and are working to make corrections where needed. The sheer number of countries visited is impressive: 5 countries, 8 ports of call, and an amazing array of cultures and natural beauty, not to mention the sailing on the South China Sea and skirting the Equator. I enjoyed using the Quickgets Geo app to get geeky details on the exact location, heading, elevation, latitude, and longitude among other details. The relaxed nature of sailing is nice...the constraints of time in each port is not as nice, but lends an opportunity to see a place and have an experience that you might not otherwise have. For all of that, I am immensely grateful that we can do these trips and have these experiences. We have so much more planned so stay tuned!