Take The Path Less Ordinary

Money, or lack of it, is an important part of vacation planning. Yes, without doubt, cheap tours and accommodations are on everyone’s wish list. You also want the best guides, the best jungles and the best experiences …. with the lowest payout. So, how does one single out value-for-money tour packages? Here are some tips ….

Go to the source

Good tour operators only offer vacation packages around their state’s islands, countryside or rainforest. If you see a long list of packages that weaves a few states, regions or countries together, you can be certain tourists are passed along the foodchain and hefty commission is shaved for each level, leaving very little to fuel your tour.

Quick response

The hallmark of a good tour operator is fast feedback. They know every bit and nook of the trail and what to expect. Bad ones are slow in replying and addressing your concerns mainly because they are not the ones doing the outdoorsy job.

Heap the operator with questions

If a company can answer most of them with flying colours, one can be sure staffs aren’t confined to lip servicing customers. They walk the talk and never pass customers around to sub-contractors. If a company which sells you an adventure or jungle trekking package can’t answer basic questions like “what’s the name of your guide?”, they are using sub-contractors or worst, the cheapest school-drop out they can find.

Beware of hidden charges

In Malaysia, there’s something call “bait” pricing. One pay very low to start out and gradually pay through the nose for surcharges, highway tol fares, entrance fees, permits, services charges, meals … etc.

There’s even something call “zero start up” tour. One pays nothing to travel on tour buses but has to pay hefty prices in designated restaurants, shops, theme parks and hotels. There are quite a few examples in Malaysia in regards to tourism, lead by airline companies with tour agents slowing following suit, all in the quest of making their offerings appear cheapest.

It’s like buying a car but told later that it doesn’t come with wheels and you have to pay extra. Non-optional charges and should be included in the advertised pricing in the first place. In Europe, Australia and New Zealand, such advertising practices had been outlawed.

Van driver or guide

90% tour companies in Malaysia use van drivers who double as “guides”, especially in cities, town and touristy destinations. Get a clear picture. If this is the case, price should be lower because it is an uneducated tour. To be fair, one should not expect the driver to answer everything correctly. If a proper naturalist, adventure or heritage guides are allocated, the price would be reasonably higher - and you can quiz the guide all you want.

Holiday herding

Every morning, countless tour vans, cars and buses go around hotels to pick up tourists one by one. An itinerary that says “tour starts at 8am” will most probably start at 10am after picking up everyone who has booked the same trail package. After the collection exercise, being herded around can be just as excruciating. A one hour short village walkabout can turn 3 hours if your operator is waiting for another operator’s group to arrive before starting (read: operators share guide to cut cost). This scenario is rampant in Malaysia, especially tours to touristy places mentioned in popular guidebooks like Lonely Planet, Fodors or Rough Guide.

Note: If a package you are eyeing mysteriously appears on other brochures, agents or travel websites (you know, same itinerary, days, destination name … but a slight difference in prices), we bet you’ll be regrouped and herded around.

Leverage is the game

Tour group size is the single most important factor of tour costing. A tour operator that gathers 20 tourists from various hotels or agents for the same trail on the same day would be much cheaper than a company that provide “two-to-go” or small group package. 90% tour operators prefer herding big tour group into highly developed national parks for fast money.

So, if you are one of those who prefer a nice off-the-beaten-path tour done according to your interest and pace, expect to pay more.

Looking the part

Unlike in the cities, guiding jobs in the countryside and jungle aren’t choice career. Malaysian tourist spots are slewed with school-dropouts and people who don’t make the cut for proper jobs. Also, if a guide who comes up to you and spot a pot belly or smokes heavily, you can be assured the trail will be mundane on sanatized trails to match his poor fitness. Some may be part-timers and know very little about hospitality and making tours interesting.

Size does matters

Pay good attention to this. Malaysian adventure operators are used to stocking up outdoor gears, gadgets, helmets and lifejackets that suit locals’ body mass - which are usually way undersized for Caucasians.

Being assigned lifejackets and safety gears which do not fit or unrated is very dangerous, especially for flicks like whitewater rafting, abseiling and climbing. A good adventure operator will always ask for your height and weight before accepting your bookings. This shows they are trying to get hints on whether you’re overweight or oversized and prepare the right-sized gears to make your adventure safe.

Good English speaking …

… wildlife and jungle guides are very hard to come by in Malaysia’s countryside. Communication is important for safety and getting stuck with a guide who doesn’t speak a word of English when you ask “Is that a python wrapping around my waist?” is not going to help. By the time the saying “you get what you pay for” kicks in, probably, your holiday has galloped into a nightmare. We know, most visitors hire a guide to show the way. This approach is alright in towns and touristy places, but not in the countryside or jungle. More than that, a good guide need to talk, educate, give opinions, feedback and timely warning during a journey into uncharted territory. You should know that a tour guide in Malaysia don’t need proficiency in English to pass his/her certification and that’s not good news.

Backyarding?

For those who want authentic rainforest experience, we have to tell you this: If a package is offered cheap, most likely the “jungle trekking” trip is done right in the backyard of the hotel that’s included in the package.

This is very common in Malaysia, to cut cost on transport and make the package low-priced. Instead of “jungle trekking”, it should be termed as bush walking. At best, one would be taken to a secondary forest, or worst, oil palm plantation. Frankly, considerable time and transportation cost is needed to travel to a remote prime rainforest. Logically, one has to navigate across Malay kampongs, Orang Asli tribal villages, bush outback and lastly secondary forest, to reach the core of unblemished jungle.

Considerable cost for off-road logistic is needed to reach untouched rainforest. Also, operators cannot leverage to cut cost because only small groups are allowed permits to enter the forest to avoid intrusion. Hence, an authentic ecotourism jaunt cannot be done on shoestring budget

And oh, before we forget. In Malaysia, the term “national park” and “forest reserve” are not the same thing. National parks are forests disney-fied for tourists. Forest reserves, on the flip side, are sanctuaries guarded by environmental law for botanical-wildlife stocking and water-catchment. Reserves are off-bound to outsiders and only jungle natives are allowed to hump around. If you can secure an entrance permit, obviously, forest reserves are the best spots to experience unblemished rain forest.

Be careful what you wish for

The best jungle holiday package can be your worst nightmare.

Beginners’ perception of “authentic” jungle is always tame compared to the real thing. What you see in TV or read in travel magazines is sugar-coated. E-travel forums over the internet is riot with people raising hell about the mess they have to put up with during their jungle holidays. Hey, an “authentic” jungle experience is supposed to be primitive ! Inevitably, there will be some discomfort and unpleasant moments cropping up here and there along the trip.

This is what you wanted .. and you’re get it.

For nature lovers, going back to basic is part of the thrill. This is what adventurers pay for. If you’re not cut for it, it’s best to save your money and opt for something touristy instead. Always ask yourself - “am I game for this ?”