Take The Path Less Ordinary

More often than not, one can expect quality and comfort to go downhill in cheap stays or tours. Hence, understanding the local tourism industry and knowing how low to go is crucial. All too often, we hear rants about dirty rooms, poor services, stale food … etc …. but people who complain almost never reveal how low they have paid for such deals.

There’re also some who claim to have travelled well, able to rough it out, adventurous and hence “will have no problem” with cheap deals. Well, think again. Are you OK with fly infested dining hall, bug ridden mattress, flimsy door locks and crummy squat toilets? For a beginner, Malaysia can be daunting, especially in the countryside. Having good - and bad - things turning out beyond your expectation is a real possibility.

How far will your money will stretch

If you believe that US published The Economist magazine is a good benchmark, their special Big Mac Index should shed some light on your purchasing power in Malaysia.

“The Economist’s Big Mac index is based on the theory of purchasing-power parity (PPP), according to which exchange rates should adjust to equalise the price of a basket of goods and services around the world. Our basket is a burger: a McDonald’s Big Mac” - The Economist

According to their July 2007 Index report, a Big Mac in US cost average at USD3.40 (RM10.65), whilst in Malaysia it costs RM6.40. The index also suggested that Malaysia has the fourth cheapest Big Mac in the world.

Accommodation pricing - You get what you pay

The country is fed with the same cost on electricity, water, fuel, wages and cost of living. The only reason why A is cheaper than B lies with the fact that A is most likely to have skimped on quality, safety and human resource. Example, a place of accommodation that is installed with fire extinguishing system is surely more expensive than the one that isn’t. Here some examples to help one get an idea about hotel prices in Malaysia, bearing in mind we DO NOT endorse them;

Upscale hotels - We shall not delve long on upmarket vistas as we believe these havens make enough profit margin to provide the best staff and facilities to give you a flawless holiday. These examples give one a good insight on upscale holiday and cost ….

1. Pangkor Laut (Pangkor island)
2. Tanjung Rhu (Langkawi island)
3. Tanjung Jara (Terengganu)
4. Japamala (Tioman island)
5. Mutiara (Taman Negara)

Medium-priced hotels - Hotels in this range are good places for beginners who don’t want to sprain the credit card. Unlike upscale hotels where prices are astronomical, medium priced hotel in Malaysia is ranged RM150-RM250 and one can expect a hearty breakfast as part of the package. To get an idea of room prices, look up …

1. Cititel Penang
2. Heritage Ipoh
3. Puri Malacca
4. MS Garden Kuantan
Also see Malaysian Association of Hotels

Budget hotels and guesthouses - Here are some examples that depict cheap stays ….

1. Tune Hotel KL
2. The Green Hut KL
3. Pondok Lodge KL
4. Oriental Penang
5. Hutton Lodge Penang
6. Father’s Guest House Cameron Highland
Also see Malaysian Budget Hotel Association.

Like everywhere else around the world, Malaysian hotel scene is pretty standard and predictable. It’s room, bed, bath and maybe breakfast. Moderately priced ones have receptionists who smile, English speaking staff and know the importance of a clean bed sheet to a tired traveller. Bad and cheap ones doubles as brothel, tour agent, money changer, souvenir shop … anything under the sun to get more out of unsuspecting travellers.

Tour pricing - The commission foodchain

Here comes the interesting part. The cost of tours is determined by these factors:

1. Quality of lead guide
2. Mode and quality of transportation, in town or offroad
3. Destination’s tourism infra-structure and amenities
4. Kickbacks to agents
5. Kickbacks to guides
6. Quality of food during tour
7. Hidden charges
8. “Can I take you to my friend’s souvenir shop?”

The Ministry of Tourism has strict rules for tour operators but many disregard them regularly, especially during holiday season. As much as we hate to admit it, local travel industry still has a long way to go. In early April 2008, the Tourism Ministry published a long list of travel agents that had their licenses revoked; you will find some of them are big names ….

Revocation notice (right) published in THE STAR newspaper

The rule of thumb is, for places mentioned by guidebooks like Lonely Planet, Rough Guides or the likes, one can be sure tours are cheaper in these conveyor-belt tourism hotspots. Travel e-forums aren’t good pointers either. Many “plant” hotel and tour adverts. The same places, websites and companies get mentioned over and over again by forumers (or it is?).

Travel operators love places that are given free publicity and listed in touristy maps. Although it goes un-noticed by travellers, it’s a big deal on cost cutting for tour companies. Take for example, Taman Negara. Tour packages to the national park pepper every travel website. Even agents as far as UK, US or Europe are dishing out packages to the place. Why? Because all tourism amenities and infra-structure have already been developed and funded by the government. Tour companies end up spending very little and this augurs well with profitability.

Tourists are herded into developed trails, canopy walks and nightly nature talks conducted en masse by park rangers, all costing very little to tour operators. One lead guide can take big group size up to 50 for nature walks, hence, further leveraging the cost. Tour runners pay 1 aborigine to show 100 tourists how to start fire with bow string (by the way, after 20 years of showcasing Taman Negara, Batek aborigines are still living in poverty. So much for responsible tourism). And does one notice, many packages peppers itineraries with the sentence “free and easy”; read: again, no cost. Enough said.

Authentic Malaysian countryside tours are riddled with challenges on logistic, weather and expertise of guides, making it more expensive than city tours. To go beyond the ordinary, one must prepare to spend more.

On the other end of spectrum, Malaysia has expensive places that’re controlled by monopolies. The perfect example is Mount Kinabalu. The mountain trail is monopolised by one company and it’s “take it or leave it” situation. No matter which website or agent one book with, all bookings are funnelled to the same company. In this case, publicity from guidebooks and travel TV programs have turn beds and packages into traded hot commodity and goes to the highest bidders. Tour agents buy up beds months in advance.

If you believe you’re an intrepid traveller, there’re things in Malaysia that would veer your ego into a soggy nose dive. Hence, packing yourself with a generous dose of insider account may save your holiday.

Other good reads

1. Lonely Planet - Guide book or gobbledygook?
2. Websites and links on holidaymaking in Malaysia
3. How to get a good guide