Kuala Lumpur & Penang Family Holiday
We flew from Heathrow with Singapore Airlines via Singapore to Kuala Lumpur making sure that we arrived in the evening so that the kids would be all tired out and we could start afresh early the next morning. I always think its best on such a long flight to arrive in the evening if you can to allow you to rest before starting the holiday. No parent wants 3 tired grumpy kids do they!? I was really impressed with Singapore Airlines, from the check in process to the onboard service. Worth noting that the Singapore Airlines cabin crew uniform is probably the most unique and smartest I have come across.
On arrival into Kuala Lumpur we had arranged a private transfer and it took around 45 minutes for us to reach our hotel in and around the centre of Kuala Lumpur. As a family of 5 it can be sometimes hard to find a suitable hotel that can sleep us all in 1 room, so we opted for a 2-bed apartment staying at the Somerset Ampang Hotel. It had nothing to do with the gorgeous rooftop infinity pool that it had, honest!
The apartment was perfect for our requirements and had some great views of the city and we could see one of the Petronas Towers from our rooms that looked particularly amazing at night when lit up. Breakfast was served next door and was perfect for what we needed. Now going back to that rooftop infinity pool.... Fair to say the kids absolutely loved it! It was a brand-new experience for them in not only swimming at such a high level but also the opportunity to be able to swim in the evening and see the city of Kuala Lumpur all lit up. The pool was most busy in the evening and you could see why.
On our list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur was most definitely a trip up the Petrona Towers. Not a big fan of heights it must be said but I knew that my fear had to be conquered. We took the complimentary shuttle bus from the hotel that runs every couple of hours, although it was only a 5-minute journey, and proceeded to head up the towers. They looked absolutely amazing from ground level and certainly unique. It’s important to note that you must book a time slot when visiting the towers so don't expect to turn up and then be able to head up. We booked a time slot for a few hours later so headed off to a gorgeous park that is just behind the towers. The park was set within a big garden and offered a big shallow knee-deep swimming pool where the kids cooled off before heading to play on the swings and adventure zone that was there. After that we headed into a shopping mall that is linked up with the Petronas Towers for some shopping before it was time to head back to the reception of the towers to begin the tour.
In the two full nights that we were there we headed into Chinatown which has a great night market with some absolute bargains to be had. There are also some great restaurants around the Petronas Towers that you can also eat at. Many of the hotels also offer skyline dining whilst taking in the views of the city although I would only advise this if you are travelling as a couple as non-seemed suitable with kids.
On our final full day, we decided to head to the Batu Caves which is a famous religious Hindu landmark in Malaysia. We decided to book a private transfer that took us to the caves as this was very cost effective and the most practical way. On the way to the Batu Caves we stopped off at a chocolate factory and sampled a few delights which were very tasty. We also stopped off at a silk factory and was thrown aback by how some of the garments they that were producing (by hand) were so detailed with the artwork.
On arrival to the Batu Caves I was struck by how beautiful it looked. I was also gearing myself up ready to walk the 272 steps to the top of the caves. Before heading up we were advised by our driver to dress respectfully and warned to look out for the very cheeky monkeys. I was somewhat confused by this comment, but it all made sense later. We finally made it to the top and you could spend some time here praying if you wished before heading down the steps again. We really enjoyed the half day trip and it was perfect for the kids to learn about the local culture in Malaysia.
After spending a few days exploring it was now time to head to Penang which was only an hour’s flight away from Kuala Lumpur. As much as the kids enjoyed the delights of the city, I think they were super excited to get to the beach! On arrival into Penang we were met by our private transfer and within 30 minutes we were checking in at the Shangri La. We had chosen this hotel as it was perfect for families and only a short walk out to the bars and restaurants in the evening time.
Whilst in Penang, apart from relaxing by the pools and beach, we took in a day trip to Georgetown using the free hotel shuttle. Georgetown was a great experience for the kids again to understand and enjoy the local culture from local markets to the everyday way of life here. Perfect for half a day or a full day.
As we had experienced from our recent trip to Thailand a year earlier eating out was the way forward and each evening, we would head out to find a local restaurant. Majority of the local restaurants served both eastern and western cuisines so would suit everyone. My wife is a keen fish eater and was impressed with the offerings, particularly one night when she had literally had a whole fresh fish on her plate! It had been caught earlier that day so was fresh as you could get.
We had an amazing time exploring Malaysia and were very glad we had decided to opt for a twin centre to experience the city and beach. Malaysia is such a warm welcoming country and is perfect for families.
Our next trip will see us head to Hong Kong for a few nights before heading across to Borneo.