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Why you should move to Malaysia in 2016

Jun 20th, 2016
by melakatour.
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By Lloyd Green

Good news! If you’re thinking of relocating to Malaysia — maybe to volunteer, work at an NGO, study, join a big company, intern or simply enjoy your gap year — now is the best time. According to the 2016 global Cost of Living Index report collated by Numbeo, Malaysia is the 29th cheapest country to live.

Despite boasting one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant economies, Malaysia is an incredibly affordable place to live, retaining a Consumer Price Index of just 37.47. Remarkably, this is lower than neighbouring Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

 So, if you’ve just graduated, have the time to do something life changing, or are looking for that extra zest in life, why NOT come to Malaysia? We’ll tell where you get cheap food, eat out for less and rent a house for next to nothing?

What’s Cheap In Malaysia?

Johor Bahru is Malaysia’s cheapest city on the Cost of Living Index table with a CPI of 40.61. A one bedroom apartment here averages MYR1,325.00, while out of the city it drops to MYR833.33. JB also has the third least expensive McDonald’s combo meal in the world at MYR10, which is equal to $US2.50. In fact, Malaysia is one of the cheapest places in the world for eating out with Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu and Kuala Lumpur all polling in the Top 50 on the Restaurant Price Index list.

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On average you can get a meal at an inexpensive restaurant for MYR8 or $US2. Coffee is also cheap averaging $US1 in most places. Do expect to pay more at fancy shopping malls and outlets like Starbucks.

Is KL Really That Expensive?

shutterstock_150586619Kjersti Joergensen / Shutterstock.com

The cost of living in Kuala Lumpur is slightly higher compared to other Malaysia cities, but with a CPI of 44.48, it’s still 54 per cent cheaper than Singapore and has roughly the same CPI as neighbouring Asian capitals like Jakarta, Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City.

You will likely need at least $US400 to $US500 per month to cover all of your expenses in KL, with a room to rent as low as MYR800 ($US200) per month. This price can vary drastically depending on your location, with a one bedroom apartment in the city averaging MYR2400 per month, while out of the city the median drops to MYR1200.

Kota Kinabalu is the cheapest city in Malaysia for accommodation according to Numbeo, with its Rent Index at 7.63 (37th in the world), compared to JB at 12.24 and KL at 18.55.

The cost of transport in Kuala Lumpur is very competitive with a one-way ticket using the LRT or KTM less than $US1. If you commute every day, count on $25 per month for transportation.

Get Me Out Of The City

Transport between urban cities in Malaysia is also affordable, ranging between $5 and $15 for a bus ride, depending on the destination. A bus or train ride can take you to the green mountains of Cameron Highlands or the heritage listed cities of Georgetown, Malacca and Ipoh.

For Ipoh, catch the train as Ipoh Railway Station is located in the centre of town, whereas the coach terminal is some 15 minutes away. The tickets are MYR25 to MYR30 and you’ll only save five ringgit if you catch the bus.

The bus from KL to Penang is the best option as it takes you directly to the island and within five minutes of George Town. Tickets at MYR37 to MYR42.

Flying to Sabah and Sarawak can be expensive, but Air Asia offers deals all year round. Right now you can fly from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan for $US16 with the airline.

blogjun22Kota Kinabalu, Sabah 

Staying Long Term

Most people can enter Malaysia on a Short Term Social Visit Pass, which can be obtained upon arrival at the airport. Normally, this visa is valid for three months, but the visa conditions vary depending on your nationality.

If you plan to volunteer in Malaysia for longer than three-months, you might wish to apply for a Professional Visit Pass (PVP). This must be requested by the NGO you intend to work for while you are still in your home country

If granted, this visa is valid for up to 12 months and can be renewed for another 12 months, but only after a three-month break in between.

Contacting Home

Internet and mobile packages are also relatively inexpensive in Malaysia, with a minute of prepaid mobile averaging RM0.26 and 10 Mbps Internet with unlimited data priced at RM160.

So, whatever it is you decide to do in Malaysia, your time here be an exciting time in your life, and a great chance to stretch your own limits and discover your potential!

Check out the Top 30 Cheapest Countries to Live in 2016.

About the Author

Article source: http://blog.tourism.gov.my/feed/

Pulau Ketam uninformed seafood Steamboat during TUTA, Skudai, Johor Bahru.

Nov 16th, 2014
by melakatour.
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Every year when come to a raining season, many of us like to select steamboat for cooking during a cold evening. Everyone will be accumulate around a steamboat pot and keep warm…actually we like a special moment…

Recently, there is a newly open seafood steamboat grill located during a intersection of Jalan Temenggong 10 and Jalan Hulubalang 1 of Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, with a name of ‘Pulau Ketam Steamboat Restaurant‘. (N1.50904 E103.65284)

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The grill has a elementary setting, purify and good ventilated environment. You can have choices of indoor or outside dining area…

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The staffs and a owners – Mr John were accessible and helpful. Our steamboat served on list flattering fast.
Their tasty duck gas is prepared by few forms of uninformed mixture and also one of a categorical captivate for a diners. Beside, they do offer Tom-yum gas and both were good presented in a common 2 in 1 steamboat pot (widely accessible in JB area)

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They offer in smallest 2 persons package (RM35 for singular form broth, RM37 for 2 forms broth) and we can have a choice to ambience usually a side dishes (more than 40 types) but grouping a categorical package.

We systematic a 3 persons package, follow by a other uninformed seafood…

3 persons package (photo taken from 3 opposite angles)

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And don’t forget a fish noodles (must order!)

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Their fish noodles is done from a mix of abounding fish paste, it’s a good to bite with a bubbling soup. The uninformed stretch fish noodles was opposite from other grill that we tasted before, it was a new knowledge for me!

We had few forms of their renouned seafood, crabs (with roes and without), large scallops,  white pomfrets, mussels and fresh oysters. Beside seafood, we also attempted their New Zealand beef slices and deep boiled dumplings.

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We were unequivocally confident and assured with a uninformed seafood and a tantalizing broth! Not to mentioned a shabu-shabu beef slices and boiled dumplings. It was a delight carrying a steamboat in a raining evening, do you? (Yes, it’s a internal culture…)

According to a owners – Mr John, a uninformed seafood and mixture are boat ‘daily’ from Pulau Ketam to safeguard a compensation for their business ambience bud.

It’s good news for a steamboat fans to have another choice in Johor Bahru area. Have we try it before?

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Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Jun 26th, 2014
by melakatour.
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Johor Bahru, where is that? You doubt in your head, located during a limit of Singapore, it’s a solemnly nonetheless quick quick building state in Malaysia that is home to many operative in Singapore nonetheless can’t nonetheless means to live there as it’s an easy bound opposite a edge. Johor Bahru is a richest state in Malaysia, it’s where a biggest source for palm tree plantations come from, and also home to a richest sultan who now owns 200 (give or take) vehicles in his classical automobile collections in between aged propagandize character cars and an aged Mercedes Benz that a Nazi legend, Hitler used to own.

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Johor Bahru is also home to a ever-popular competition in Malaysia, equine polo and we have a possess Royal Selangor Polo group that Malaysians are intensely unapproachable of and therefore lift out a uncanny conform trend wearing polo shirts even if they demeanour a bit hook with their collars up, nonetheless Ralph Lauren has specifically designed polo t-shirts for a Malaysian polo team, if we follow a personality of a flock in Malaysia, we fit in.

Once nearing to Johor, even nonetheless it looks like there is not most to do, we competence wish to cruise looking around a bit, as a categorical partial of Johor Bahru city is a hustling and bustling with utterly a nightlife holding place in it’s several bars and pubs. Another thing would be to take a revisit to LEGOLAND, that has only been newly built and utterly a captivate that draws children in like bees to honey.

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If probable while no sharpened is going on, we competence get propitious and be means to take a debate of Pine Studios Malaysia in Johor, as it is a private and a biggest film studio here and contains 6 large stages where directors from all over a universe come to rave their sets and fire their general films.

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Moving on, food-wise, Johor Bahru is one of a tip states in Malaysia that have some of a best internal delicacies South East Asia has to offer, due to a vicinity to a limit of Singapore, Johor has a best of all in internal Asian cuisine that brings us closer to some-more sparkling things to try while in Johor. As Johor is intensely tighten to a limit of Singapore where it’s an easy bound opposite with a train or cab and Singapore is on a whole opposite turn of a ideal civic city and a proxy shun from a normal lifestyle into a some-more lush NY-style era.

If we don’t feel like going by a con of hopping opposite borders, don’t worry, Johor Bahru is quick building into a an modernized civic city area and there are lots of malls to be entertained in, including utterly a large village of expats operative there. There’s also a Johor Premium Outlet where we can find equipment from renouned general brands on inexpensive ignored rates. As good as all these small pieces and pieces adding adult to a party in JB, there is most some-more to try in JB as good utterly a large landscape view if you’re into palm trees. If we expostulate down to Mersing, you’re means to take a vessel to Alang’s Rawa, that is a small island of bliss as mentioned in a prior essay and good value checking out! Mersing itself is lovable city in JB providing tourists with event to check out how internal fish villagers live and homemade dishes done in lovable small restaurants that will really be a outrageous parasite to your liking. Do take a event to check it out!

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About a author

Amanda Chini was innate in Kuala Lumpur, lived in Mexico for 12 years, is culturally different and a third-cultured child who’s been to Greece, Spain, England, Ireland, LA, NY, San Antonio, Colorado, Mexico, Aruba, Tenerife, Singapore and skeleton to transport to many more! Amanda is smooth in both English and Spanish, and her interests embody photography, reading, essay and good food.

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Johor Bahru GPS accessible transport and food beam (part 1)

May 12th, 2014
by melakatour.
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If we are roving to Johor Bahru for a brief vacation by car, we might impute to this elementary roving beam as where to find a hotels, foods, selling and attractions with GPS coordinates. (if we don’t have a GPS device, only pivotal in a coordinates into Google map in a intelligent phone, it’ll navigate we to a destination)

There were many friends of cave visited JB from other state of Malaysia and also from Simgapore during propagandize holiday and prolonged weekend. Most of a time, they would like to try out opposite hotel and generally dishes around Johor Bahru area, my elementary beam is to share a renouned area in JB where we can stay, selling and eat.



I divided into few areas, like JB Town, Century Garden (include Pelangi, Sri Tebrau and Sentosa), Skudai area (include Nusa Bestari and Bukit Indah), Nusajaya (include Gelang Patah), Johor Jaya (include Molek, Desa Tebrau, Gaya, Mount Austin and Setia Indah), Permas Jaya and Kulaijaya.

Johor Bahru Town
Which is tighten to CIQ, Causeway to Singapore, and also Johor Bahru Sentral where all a belligerent transport located.

Travel stretch to CIQ – approx. 2-4km.
Travel stretch to Senai Airport – approx. 30km.
Travel stretch to Nusajaya, Legoland and others –  approx. 25km


Recommended Hotels :-
*  Puteri Pan Pacific (4*) (N1.46099 E103.76171)
*  Hotel Aman Sari (N1.46421 E103.76201)
*  Tropical Inn (N1.46545 E103.76068)
*  Double Tree Hotel (4*) (under construction) (N1.46560 E103.75980)
*  Thistle Hotel (5*) that is reduction than 5km from town. (N1.46169 E103.74320)
*  Grand Blue Wave Hotel (N1.46082 E103.76898)
*  Suria City Hotel (N1.46056 E103.76857)
*  Sentral JB Hotel (N1.46165 E103.76913)
*  Zon Regency Hotel (in avocation giveaway zone) (N1.47088 E103.78299)
*  Straits View Hotel (just refurnished recently) (N1.46056 E103.73742)
*  M-Suite Hotel (N1.46479 E103.73046)

Shopping Complex circuitously :-
*  City Square (N1.46183 E103.76353)
*  KOMTAR (which is underneath upgrading now) (N1.46352 E103.76263)
*  The ZON Duty Free Mall (N1.47075 E103.78314)


Attractions :-
*  Jalan Tan Hiok Nee (historical street)
*  Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum (N1.45590 E103.76323)
*  Royal Abu Bakar Museum (N1.45504 E103.75656)
*  Art Gallery Johor (less than 5km out of city area) (N1.46667 E103.74765)
*  Johor Old Chinese Temple  (N1.46069 E103.76304)
*  Danga Bay (N1.47680 E103.72388)




Recommended Foods (based on local’s favorite) :-
Breakfast
*  Hwa Mui Kopitiam (which is a initial Hainanese kopitiam in JB) (N1.45732 E103.76432)
*  Qin Garden (N1.45700 E103.76434)
*  Yong Mui Beef Noodle (N1.46086 E103.76722)
*  Ah Heng Char Koey Teow – 7am – 3pm (N1.46863 E103.78055)
Lunch
*  Mei Hua Bak Kut Teh (N1.46084 E103.76754)
*  Johor Bahru famous Stulang mee rebus (N1.46309 E103.77426)
*  The Roost Juice Bar (N1.45707 E103.76401)
*  Waterwork Laksa (N1.47157 E103.73658)
Tea break
*  Goreng Pisang Mawar (N1.46176 E103.74192)
Dinner
*  The Teow Chew renouned fish noodles (night) (N1.46378 E103.77188) 
*  Yong Yong Ikan Bakar (night) (N1.46090 E103.73847) 
*  Lazio Italian Restaurant and Bar



Century Garden (include Pelangi, Sri Tebrau and Sentosa)
One of a renouned and swarming area in JB that enclose of 4 residential area – Pelangi, Sri Tebrau, Sentosa and Century, it has lots of good dishes within.

Travel stretch to CIQ – approx. 8km.
Travel stretch to Senai Airport – approx. 28km.
Travel stretch to Nusajaya, Legoland and others –  approx. 24km


Recommended Hotels :-
*  Crystal Crown Hotel 3* (N1.48674 E103.76593)
*  Grand Paragon Hotel 4* (N1.48112 E103.76166)
*  KSL Resort 5* (N1.48590 E103.76291)
*  Mutiara Hotel 4* (N1.48800 E103.75759)
*  Holiday Villa (under construction) (N1.48706 E103.76190)
*  11 Century Hotel (N1.48652 E103.76147)
*  Grand Sentosa Hotel (N1.49268 E103.76883)
*  Hallmark Regency Hotel (N1.48090 E103.76209)
*  New York Hotel (N1.47879 E103.76104)
*  Hotel Selesa (N1.47777 E103.76297)

Shopping Complex circuitously :-
*  Holiday Plaza (N1.48828 E103.75969)
*  Pelangi Plaza (N1.48053 E103.76504)
*  Leisure Mall (N1.48384 E103.77396)
*  KSL Mall (N1.48551 E103.76291)
*  Sentosa Plaza (N1.49281 E103.76855)
*  Danga City Mall (N1.47427 E103.75525)
 
Attraction :-
*  None

Recommended Foods (based on local’s favorite) :-
Breakfast
*  Poh Kee mee pok – ??Teow Chew Koey Teow  (N1.48076 E103.75686)
    7.30am – 2.30pm, rest on swap Thursday.
*  Hainanese pig congee ????? – Multi Mart Kopitiam 7am-2pm. (N1.48506 E103.76010)
*  Ah Hwa Koey Teow ???? 7.30am – 4.30pm (N1.48562 E103.76102)
*  Ho Seng Kee Wantan mee ?????? 8am – 4pm. (N1.48670 E103.76058)
*  Koey Teow Kia (???) during Ka Hoe Kopitiam (N1.48079 E103.76673)
    6.30am – 12.30pm, rest on swap Wednesday.
Lunch
*  Nyonya Curry Fish conduct and curry pig ribs during Mui Sheng stall. 11am – 3pm (N1.49092 E103.76233)
*  Menu Please Bistro 11am – 10pm, rest on Monday. (N1.48083 E103.76612)
*  Soon Chiang Bak Kut Teh  ?????
*  Ah Soon Bak Kut Teh 8am – 3pm, rest on Monday.
*  Ah Seng Steam Fish 8am – 3pm, rest on Monday.
*  Soon Huat Bak Kut Teh ?????, Jln Sutera (N1.49410 E103.78239)
*  Yew Swee Laksa ???? 8am – 4pm, rest on Sunday (N1.48294 E103.76486)
Tea break
*  Dong Hong Traditional Chinese kuih ???? (N1.48701 E103.76803)
    5pm – 10pm Business on Sat, Sun, Mon and Tue. Many opposite form of normal Chinese snacks that called ‘kuih’.
Dinner
*  Century Curry Fish Head ???????? during Cedar Point Hawker Center (N1.48126 E103.76296)
    5pm – 11pm, rest  on Monday.
*  New Storey Seafood Restaurant (N1.47833 E103.77514)
*  Tsuki Japanese restaurant (N1.48207 E103.77496)
*  Kim Chi Korean BBQ Restaurant (N1.48170 E103.77479)
*  The City Cafe (N1.49719 E103.76284)
*  Kong Inn Seafood Restaurant ?????? (N1.49348 E103.77278)
*  Penang Hokkien prawn noodles hawker ?????? (N1.49305 E103.77090)

There are still many some-more tasty dishes within a area that we can't list all of them, this is only a elementary beam for we if we wish to transport to Johor Bahru by car.

I will continue on a subsequent post for other area. Stay tune!

(I will refurbish this blog post from time to time, greatfully feel giveaway to revisit back. Thanks.)


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The Kulaijaya renouned and famous Char Koey Teow during a evening

May 2nd, 2014
by melakatour.
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The indistinguishable nonetheless famous burn koey teow stall (N1.65992 E103.60263) is located along Jalan Ibrahim of Kulai Besar. It’s easy to mark a case by entrance by Jalan Ismail (which is a travel on a left from JB instruction after KFC, Maybank and BSN Kulaijaya), once spin in…the second spin on a right. Another landmark same quarrel with a case is Clinic Chai that is 2-3 shops away…

The case is open around 5pm, and a owners set his possess aim daily and a rice noodles finish really quick around 7.30-8pm. Even their business hour settled 4-9pm, though frequency can see a wok continue to grill after 8pm due to a internal demand.

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We were there around 7.30pm and luckily a owners pronounced a koey teow still available, and we usually systematic 2 plates given we had to spared some space in a stomach given of a Kulai food route in that evening.

I beheld a sublime aged male keep frying a koey teow uninterrupted given we stepped in…

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Even he was perplexing to acted to my camera, though we missed it!…

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The appreciative image of Char Koey Teow widespread out a good aroma when it served on a table, it was a elementary flat rice noodles boiled with eggs, bean sprouts and cockles but a chives and lards. we like a fresh cockles really much, distinct many stalls in JB providing a solidified cockles that totally kill a benevolence of it…

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There’s indeed still bedrooms for heated “wok kei” (literally exhale of wok over a high feverishness in Cantonese), maybe it was due to a internal welfare of a taste.

From a brief discuss with a owner, we satisfied that a case had been operated given 39 years ago and been by a third generation. It contingency be a enchanting ambience that kept a prolonged story of a internal sweetmeat – Char Koey Teow.

Do dump by if we occur in a area during a case handling hours, it competence warn we by a image of tasty Char Koey Teow of Kulaijaya.

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