Enchanted Malaysia

25/7 - Bologna - Frankfurt - KL At 6:30 we leave Bologna with Lufthansa heading for Frankfurt, we arrive in about an hour and at 12:45 we depart for Kuala Lumpur with Malaysia Airlines. 26/7 - KL At 6:40 we're at KLIA, KL airport; we head for the KLIA EXPRESS stop, the train that takes you from the airport to the centre (KL Sentral central station) in less than half an hour for 35 ringgit per person; once at the hotel (SWISS INN HOTEL - Chinatown) we go out and head toward the Petronas but unfortunately we can't go up, so we settle for a few photos toward evening we go out to admire the lights, the colours and above all the smells of Chinatown 27/7 - Melaka It's sunny, we head to the PUDURAYA bus station on foot, it's very close to the hotel...we immediately find a coach that's leaving.

Unfortunately after half an hour of travel the downpour begins...the trip never ends...it takes us about 3 hours. Anyway we arrive in Melaka very late...it's pouring...Melaka is flooded...all the shops and restaurants are closed...Unfortunately because of the weather we can't see anything of the city except by running from one awning to another, avoiding slipping into the sewers or getting struck by lightning...In mid-afternoon we get back on a bus to KL (25 RM for two) and soaking wet we return to the hotel in 2 hours (thankfully!!) In the evening we go to dinner in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE and decide to dine in JNL ALOR...a little street full of small restaurants and stalls. Then to the hotel to pack because tomorrow we leave for Taman Negara 28/8 - KL - Taman Negara We bought the bus tickets the day before directly at the hotel.

Arriving in Kampung we reached the WOODLAND RESORT, we relaxed a bit then at 7 p.m. we went to dinner (fixed times)...the dinner was something disgusting...Anyway at 9 p.m. we set off for the first excursion...night trekking in the jungle...we didn't like it at all...there were so many of us...each with their own guide...all in a line on a wooden walkway...with torches looking for insects....we only managed to see 2 grasshoppers, a millipede...a viper and a spider far away on a tree...Anyway after 1 hour we went back to the room...soaking wet from the humidity! In the morning, after an equally tragic breakfast, we went trekking in the jungle...they took us on the famous Canopy Walkway...the little bridges suspended in the void among the trees......then lunch at the hotel and at 2.30 p.m.

a boat trip to Lata Berkoh...it would have been nice to swim too if there hadn't been another 1,000 tourists splashing around and diving off the rocks!! The return ticket (boat+bus) cost us another 150 RM

30/7 - Taman Negara - KL Arriving in KL we went straight to the hotel...the PRESCOTT INN HOTEL in the central area, near the Petronas Towers Dinner at the revolving restaurant SERI ANGKASA on the MENARA TOWER... I also recommend the LUNA bar...on the top floor of a Menara PanGlobal skyscraper right next to the Menara tower...there are little sofas arranged around a pool and windows all around to admire the towers and the city panorama...beautiful!!! 31/7 - KL - Langkawi Early wake-up as usual...at 10:20 we have the plane for LANGKAWI we arrive in Langkawi at 11:20 and decide to rent a car directly at the airport (2 days 100 RM) With our little car we easily reach the hotel, MUTIARA RESORT the days in Langkawi flew by...we had a great time, there are a thousand things to do and although we were on the west side of Malaysia, where August is the monsoon season, we were very lucky.

We went up with the CABLE CAR (60 RM) to the top of Mount Gunung Machinchang (708 metres) once we arrived it was beautiful...the panorama is magical, you can see the Andaman Sea, the jungle, the little islands around Langkawi...beautiful...absolutely to be done even if you suffer a bit from vertigo and claustrophobia!!Then we went to Talaga Tujuh...where there's a waterfall that at the top forms 7 pools where you can swim and slide from one pool to the next....too bad that to get there there are 10 minutes of very steep steps...but once you reach the top it's really worth it.

The second day unfortunately it was raining and we devoted it to visiting the underwater world (largest aquarium in Malaysia...big disappointment...38 RM per person thrown away) and the Wildlife Park, a kind of zoo, also a bit sad....then we went to see some beaches...honestly Pantai Cenang and Pantai Tengah disappointed us whereas Pantai Tanjung Rhu in the north of the island is simply wonderful!!!!!!!!! Anyway the days in Langkawi also flew by....our next destination will be the island of Penang, precisely GEORGETOWN! 3/8 - Langkawi - Georgetown we decide to stay at the ORIENTAL HOTEL in Jln Penang, the main street, full of shops and restaurants the hotel street is nice but nothing special, Chinatown offers a few fascinating temples but for now nothing worth coming all this way for...

The next morning we continue our tour to reach Fort Cornwallis where the itinerary suggested by the LP starts and meanwhile we take the opportunity to better explore Chinatown and Little India with their colourful shops and very fragrant temples; the walk is pleasant, but the sun is high and the humidity gives us no respite, we're a bath of sweat.

Honestly we didn't really like Georgetown; it may be the heat, the traffic, the noise, but it was really a pointless detour 5/8 - Georgetown - Perhentian on the last day in Georgetown we leave our suitcases in the hotel lobby and go out to do some shopping; too bad that shortly after it starts raining and we're forced to spend half the afternoon sealed in the hotel reading Arriving at the bus station we immediately realize that the bus we're supposed to spend the whole night on is monstrous...with a terrible smell, the trip proceeds slowly, without managing to close an eye, especially after I saw gigantic cockroaches crawling among the seats; besides, the road is all curves, completely dark, mountainous, and the driver goes at full speed...at 4:30 we arrive in Jerteh and the driver for 10 RM takes us to Kuala Besut.

At 7:30 we board a missile speedboat to little Perhentian Kecil Our resort is wonderful, the WATERCOLOURS IMPIANI, isolated compared to the chaotic Coral Bay and Long Beach. The bungalows are partly on the beach and partly in the jungle...very well kept...with a little veranda and a French window that lights up the whole room....the beach is perfect too...small but always in the sun...with crystal-clear water surrounded by jungle... We stay 5 days in this paradise...among sun, sea, canoe trips and snorkelling...time seems to fly.

Our next destination is Redang Island, another island not far from here 10/8 - Perhentian - Redang On the last day at 9 the boat arrives to take us to Redang At 10:30 we're in the lobby of the gigantic LAGUNA RESORT The Laguna is an enormous complex...the beach is beautiful...the water is blue, crystal-clear and full of colourful fish right at the shore, the rooms are spacious and elegant. Let's say though that despite this our stay didn't satisfy us...first of all we always ate very badly, moreover the beach is very beautiful but the sunbeds are arranged in two rows so tightly packed together that you can't even move, finally there are gigantic barges full of Chinese tourists going snorkelling, speedboats racing at full speed and to top it off little boats crammed with rubbish...in short...the noise is unbearable and even the panorama is definitely ruined by all th