Take The Path Less Ordinary

Fuel is considered the cheapest in the region. As of January 09, petrol/gasoline is sold at RM1.90 per liter and one do not need a special locally issued driving license. Your home country license will do.

Below, you can digest a map of peninsula Malaysia and towns linking the road grid.

Here are some good reasons why you should self-drive in Malaysia ….

Dodgy public transport

We are not proud of this - planning your holiday with public transport is a challenge. By now you would have discovered that the public transport system isn’t tickety boo in Malaysia, apart from big cities like Penang and KL. Inter town or city bus companies never post departure timetable on websites and if there are, departures are peppered with irregularities and sometimes no shows. If one is scripting a Malaysian journey by bus, it’s a roll of dice and extra days are needed to compensate for uncertainties.

Cost shaving

If you’re travelling with your spouse, family or friends, a car gives one more leverage on cost. It’s not always true that the bus or train is the cheapest travelling option because Malaysian bus or train stations can be far from town area. You may need to spend more on taxis or connecting buses to get to your hotels or holiday destination. And in many cases, there are no direct buses to get you to where you want to go; those who have tripped KL-Taman Negara will get what we mean.

Typical Malaysian countryside road

Weather mood swings

The local weather’s rain and shine present a problem for those going on foot. It could be hot as hell in the morning and raining cats and dogs by the time you need to catch a connecting bus. Also, local and countryside bus stations seldom come with creature comfort like air conditioning. With a car, you can go town hopping and have no worries about getting yourself or your luggage baked or wet.

Veering off

People who travel by buses/trains rarely have the opportunity to stray far and have to be contented with over-touristed sites that mushroomed around the stations for years.

This is true with the case of hotels too; one seldom get good value in places frequented by travellers. But with a car, one can go further and search for better valued and cheaper eateries, accomodations and tours. It also allows one to go off the beaten path to explore and discover unblemished vistas, especially the countryside and rainforest.

Left - KL downtown road conditions

It’s a pity to visit Malaysia just to cover places publicised by Lonely Planet, e-forums or touristy maps. These sites are scrubbed and sanitized by thousands every year. Believe us, the beauty of Malaysia lies in untouristed areas.

Can’t speak or read Malay?

No problem. Traffic signage is romanized and most locals can understand and speak smattering English. Not many know that science and mathematics subject are taught in English in Malaysian schools. Hence, from glitzy cities to far flung hamlets, one would most like stumble on a local or two who could jabber in English and point you the way to your destination.

No, this signage doesn’t point you to the zoo. It means “Beware - Elephant Crossing”. Thankfully, only roads in parts of northern peninsular, namely the East West Highway (from Grik to Jeli), one has to keep the eyes peeled for wandering elephants. So, if you come across a sign that screams AWAS, it’s time to pay attention.

Giving back to the outbacks

By DIY driving and visiting non-touristy spots, you are actually bringing economical spread to the outskirts.

Everyone knows tourism money rarely makes its way to the poor because profits and jobs related to tourism are always tapped by agents and people centered around urban areas. When you stop by the rural roadside to purchase a bottle of water, go into a local cafe for some quick bites or tip a kid to look after your car while you walk around, you are already part of a new generation of travellers who practice responsible tourism.

Useful links

Car Rental Companies - We do not endorse any company. These links are provided to help you get an idea of rates and types of cars made available by the Malaysian car rental industry …..

- Advantage Car Rental.
- Avis.
- WS Rent-A-Car.
- Insas Pacific Rent-A-Car.
- Kasina Rent-A-Car.
- Orix Car Rentals.

Telecommunication charges - After a car, the best thing you can equip yourself with before hitting the road is a mobile phone. It’s a good insurance for getting help during breakdowns in the middle of nowhere and to keep in touch with family and friends back home. You do not have to buy a new mobile phone. Just hop over to any phone shops peppering towns and cities to shop for a 2nd hand one. You should not pay more than RM150 a set. Load it up with pre-paid subscription and voila, you have a personal phone number you can use for the entire holiday. From buying a 2nd hand mobile phone to making your first call, the process should only take up 30 mins. For types of services, companies and charges, look up ……

- Fixed line rate from Telekom Malaysia
- Mobile rates from Celcom pre-paid Xpax
- Mobile rates from Maxis pre-paid Hotlink
- Mobile rates from DIGI pre-paid

And please remember …..

In Malaysia, it pours - The only time you should stop driving is during stormy weather. It can be very windy and your windscreen will be blurred by torrential rain. On normal season, rain usually last 1-2 hours. Park your car near a cafe, have a cup of tea and wait for the sun to shine again

You do not want to be stuck in this (right) - There are two bigtime holiday you should know: Moslem’s Hari Raya and Chinese Lunar New Year. On these holiday seasons, the highways are clogged with vehicles. It’s better to stay put in a place a couple of days and wait for the chockablock to ease out.

More good reads ….

1. Learn simple Malay
2. Finding Malaysian comfort food
3. Money matters
4. Monsoon and weather
5. See real time traffic images of roads in Kuala Lumpur