Commuting regularly between Singapore and KL means I’m always on the lookout for convenient means of transporation. My ultimate favourite is First Coach because of their convenient pick-up and drop-off points. Unfortunately, everyone else finds it convenient too which means tickets get booked up very quickly! Recently, I tried a new coach service under Luxury Tours & Travel. They promise luxurious travel from Singapore to KL with their coaches, some of which provide dinner on board. How did I find the service? Read on for my review of Luxury Tours & Travel below.

Coach Pick-Up From Orchard Road

One plus point about Luxury Tours & Travel coaches is their convenient pick-up from Concorde Hotel, Orchard Road which avoids the busy Beach Road bus terminal that most Singapore-KL buses use. The drop-off points in KL are at 3 main luxury hotels – Dorsett Regency in Bukit Bintang, Istana Hotel and Sheraton Imperial Hotel which provides easy options for accommodation if you are looking for a full package. The Luxury buses also use the Second-Link Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia which is slightly faster compared to the original Woodlands one.

Great Snack Pack And Entertainment Onboard

When I first boarded the bus, I honestly did not think it was very luxurious. The bus looked a little old and dirty in some parts although it had spacious and comfortable seats.

The bus we took did not come with a meal option which made it slightly cheaper at $39 per person one-way instead of the $51 option that comes with meals.

However, much to our surprise, the co-driver handed out small packs of refreshments which comprised of two tiny packaged swiss rolls, a mini pack of Oreos, a packet drink to wash it all down and a mineral water bottle. It certainly went well with the TV entertainment system provided onboard. However, unlike First Coach, Luxury Coach does not offer video on demand. Their seats come with in-built speakers which save you having to bring your own.

Mid-Way Stop in Yong Peng Between Singapore And Kuala Lumpur

Another thing I personally like about First Coach is how they stop at highway rest areas instead of turning out into Yong Peng which most of the interstate buses do.

Luxury Coach stops at Yong Peng which is off the highway and which tends to overcharge passengers for food as they know the passengers have nowhere else to go. An average meal there is RM6 and above and be prepared to pay top dollar for any snacks you purchase. The main incentive for these bus drivers is the free meals they get in exchange for bringing passengers in.

Stopping in Yong Peng also means that the drivers will be turning off the highway and back in again which wastes more time and makes the journey longer.

Our journey from Singapore to KL took almost 6 hours and it certainly did not help that the bus drivers were Singaporean and not familiar with KL roads! They ended up making several wrong turns and at one point, a passenger actually sat down on the steps next to them to navigate them to the first drop-off at Dorsett Regency.

Will I take this bus again? Well, my first preference will always be First Coach but at a pinch, this might do. At least it saves the hassle of heading out to Beach Road and getting off at Bukit Jalil temporary bus stop in KL which is nowhere near the city!

You can book tickets online or check prices of the Luxury Coaches at www.luxury.com.sg.

And how best to start my Singapore reviews than a review of their essential transportation backbone connecting the East, West, North and South of the island! There has been lots of complaints recently in the newspapers here about how crowded the SMRT trains have gotten. A population boom, thanks to the Government’s generous payouts for each baby you have, and an influx of migrants have left many locals complaining the trains are too crowded. Well, having used the service for several months already, there are some pros and cons about the SMRT service. Read on below.

Pros of the Singapore SMRT System

The SMRT provides cheap and reliable transport. I like how easily you can get a train during peak hours in the mornings. There is a train almost every 2 minutes which means you don’t have to waste time waiting for a train even if you’ve just missed one. It is an incredibly cheap way to get from one point of the island to another. Why, a trip from Changi Airport all the way in the East to Orchard Road in the city costs less than $2 using the EZ-link card.

Areas around MRT stations are bustling hubs with shopping malls, supermarkets and food courts especially in the heartlands where the majority of the locals live. It certainly makes picking up dinner or groceries on your way home from work a breeze.

Cons of Singapore’s SMRT

It is terribly crowded during peak hours and even non-peak! I used to think that attendants wearing white gloves to push people into already crowded trains were only found in Japan. Well, guess what…they have them in Singapore too! And once you’re pushed into that train, forget about any form of personal space! You’d be lucky if the person next to you does not smell!

The SMRT signs are not easily visible on ground level. I found that a little odd especially when I was new and trying to locate where the stations are. It didn’t make much sense especially since they are designed to be bomb shelters in the event of a war. It wouldn’t do much good if the public could not find the station in a state of panic!

There aren’t enough connections and this will hopefully be improved with the completion of the Circle line which will cut distances from the North to the West. Because there are currently only 4 main lines, trying to get from one end of the island to the other can take a pretty long time.

One thing SMRT could learn from the London Tube is to make network maps freely available. At the London Tube stations, there are always little stacks of conveniently folded network maps for busy commuters and tourists. With the Singapore SMRT, you will need to approach the desk for a copy and depending on queues, may take quite some time.

When I first came, it was a huge adjustment not driving and I got caught several times in the heavy rain before I learnt to carry an umbrella with me since most of the stations are no longer sheltered outside. Hopefully, with a few more trains and cooler cars especially in the early morning crowds, commuting can be a little more pleasant!

Air Asia has provided a low-cost way to travel to places as far off as UK and the Middle East. However, before it expands too quickly, Air Asia should take a good look at its capability to support on-time travel for not just their long haul flights but also their short local flights for delays often results in very disgruntled passengers. Read on for our terrible experience with Air Asia in just a span of one month!

Air Asia Delayed Flights For Over 2 Hours

I have booked an Air Asia return flight down to Singapore several weekends ago. I was initially rather impressed as Air Asia lands in Terminal 1 of Changi Airport which means you actually get to walk around Changi’s superb Duty Free shops instead of the Budget Terminal which has much fewer choices. On my return journey, I had to queue to collect some tax returns which took most of my time then ran to the boarding gate as the boarding sign was already flashing. However, when I arrived, the minutes ticked past and soon, we were past the 4.30pm departure time and still no news of boarding. Worse, there was not even a single announcement made by the ground crew to inform us of any delays in the flight. Soon, we were 45 minutes delayed and still no news.

Finally, the plane landed and passengers who were delayed from the KUL-SIN flight (Air Asia does turnaround flights) burst through the doors. Could we board yet? Unfortunately no. They still had an elderly passenger on board who needed a wheelchair to disembark. One would think that a wheelchair will be readily available in a world-class airport such as Changi. Unfortunately it wasn’t and it took the crew another half hour to hunt down the wheelchair before people could finally board. By then, it was already almost 5.45pm and passengers were all naturally upset and pissed off especially at the lack of communication! If they had been informed earlier that the flight was delayed, they might have been able to exit from the boarding lounge instead of staring blankly into space.

Worse, as liquids are not allowed in check in luggage, the poor passengers did not have any drinking water until they got onboard where most of them did not have much choice but to purchase overpriced drinks and water. A marketing ploy perhaps by Air Asia?

Air Asia Delayed Twice Within Two Weeks

Unfortunately the very same thing happened to J when he caught the Air Asia flight back from Singapore last weekend. And my friend’s mother experienced the very same the week before! Both flights were delayed for over 2 hours and passengers who were due to arrive at 8pm only ended up arriving close to 11pm!

Everyone can fly? Only if you don’t need to arrive on time!

With the influx of budget airlines servicing the Asean region, Air Asia had better seriously pull up their socks if they still wish to keep their passenger loyalty. Otherwise, there might come a time when zero fares will not even help!

Travelling is always enjoyable and its even more enjoyable when your travel experience starts off stress-free from the airport itself. I’ve always secretly envied business class travellers who saunter off to the premium lounges to enjoy some food and wine and relax before their flight without crowding with the tired, cranky masses flooding the airport. So naturally, I was thrilled when I got a chance to experience the Plaza Premium Lounge in LCCT before my flight. I was rather surprised to see that the KL budget terminal had a premium lounge for their travellers as I thought everything would be low-cost and no-frills. Nevertheless, it was nice to know there’s somewhere quiet to wait in especially since the LCCT is usually so crowded and noisy.

Locations Of The Plaza Premium Lounges in LCCT

There are two lounges in the KL Budget Airport. One is located just before the immigration counters near the Air Asia international check-ins. Head left once you enter the Low Cost Carrier Terminal; go pass McDonalds and the Immigration counters, and towards the Air Asia International check-in counters. You will see Plaza Premium Lounge on the left.

The other lounge is located at the gates. When you go down the escalators, head for the gates, the Plaza Premium Lounge is on the left near the bookshops.

I took a peek at both and the earlier lounge is rather small and does not have much in terms of food, mainly sandwiches. The second lounge near the boarding gates is bigger and has a wider selection of food including hot food.

Experience At The LCCT Plaza Premium Lounge

I rushed from work to the airport and hadn’t had time for lunch so I was grateful for the hot food offered at the lounge. There wasn’t much honestly, just an offering of pasta with some sourish tasting sauce, a bit of briyani rice with chicken drummets cooked in kurma which tasted rather off and some stir fried vegetables which were the best tasting food there! There was a pot of chicken porridge but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t find a single bit of chicken in there! Some really sad looking local kuih, some terribly dry sandwiches and some brown jellies in the fridge that resembled little turds! The saving grace for me were the fried vegetable fritters which at least tasted edible! Another fridge of drinks including beer is provided for you to pick your own drinks or you can have fruit juices from the self-service counters which were pretty sweet and diluted.

Internet is available from one of the three computers at the entrance and a smattering of newspapers are provided for passengers. A flat screen TV ran the sports channel (why is it always the sports channel?!) for entertainment. The chairs were pretty comfortable and the low lighting did make it a rather nice place to relax in compared to the hard chairs and noisy crowds outside.

Plaza Premium Lounges Have Showers

One thing good is that they have their own bathrooms so you don’t need to queue outside with the rest of the crowd for bathrooms. It even has showers! I took a quick peek and its a basic shower with a green shower curtain with a soap and shampoo dispenser. Its quite spartan, nothing like the luxurious bathrooms found in the MAS Golden Lounges, but it does serve its purpose for travellers.

The Plaza Premium Lounge is chargeable at RM88 for a 2 hour package and RM128 for a 5 hour package which includes all these privileges including an OSIM massage chair! Otherwise you might be able to get in for free with one of their partner cards including the American Express Gold Krisflyer Card or the Citibank Platinum Card.

Go for a nice and quiet place to wait in and have a drink before your flight. But don’t go for the food or you might be sorely disappointed!

Collect Krisflyer Frequent Flyer Points

Instead of collecting points for redemption, each point earned on your Krisflyer American Express card translated into one mile point with Singapore Airline’s Krisflyer programme! Perfect for travellers or wannabe travellers like me! I’ve tried using it several times and found that most places in Kuala Lumpur accept the American Express except smaller outlets. However, I wasn’t able to use the Amex for online transactions on budget airlines websites such as Air Asia or Tiger Airways which was a pity! Imagine the irony of earning Krisflyer points from a budget airline!

Free Access To The Plaza Premium Lounge in KLIA and LCCT

My main reason for having this card was the free access holders get to the Plaza Premium lounge in KLIA and the LCCT airports! For economy class travellers who can’t get access to the MAS Golden Lounge, this gives them a place to rest, eat and even shower while waiting to board their flights.

The Krisflyer American Express usually comes with a fee waiver for the first year. Will it still be worth considering with the RM50 credit card tax? Well, if you are a frequent traveller and a regular user of the card, you might find it worthwhile having your expenses transform into Krisflyer frequent flyer points and enjoying the Plaza Premium lounge before you fly!

I have also enjoyed flying or having transits in Changi Airport with their wide range of activities and shopping. However, I recently got a chance to fly out of the Changi Budget Terminal in Singapore when I flew Tiger Airways to Singapore and came away again rather impressed with the facilities they had. Read on for my review of the Changi Budget Terminal and differences between Changi Budget Terminal and our KL Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) airports.

Changi Budget Terminal Is Connected To Changi via A Free Shuttle

It is incredibly easy to get to the Changi Budget Terminal. Simply hop on a MRT from town to Changi Airport and catch the free shuttle bus that runs every 10 minutes between the Changi Main Terminal and the Budget Terminal. In KL, KLIA and LCCT are also connected through a shuttle service but passengers are required to pay a fee of RM1.50 per person to use that service. The LCCT is also located an hour away from the city and is connected by buses, trains or taxis.

Changi Budget Terminal Has Free Internet!

I love the free internet services provided in all Changi Terminals and was pleased to discover that the Budget Terminal has free internet too! The free internet terminals are arranged in the centre of the airport where most of the food outlets and waiting chairs are. Its a great way to stay connected and to pass your waiting time especially since the shopping outlets there aren’t as fun as the Changi Main Terminals. Unfortunately for travellers in KLIA or LCCT, free internet is only a dream although privileged passengers may access it in the premium lounges.

Changi Budget Terminal Has Affordable Snacks And Drinks

Most airport cafes tend to be overpriced and expensive so I was really pleased to see a 7-11 in the Changi Budget Terminal where I was able to pick up a drink for a lot less compared to the cafes. It was a small outlet but had quite a wide variety of snacks, magazines and drinks to keep the average traveller happy and fed for a lot less. However, hungry travellers may opt to eat in the many cafe outlets offering Western and Asian food around the centre area.

Overall, I had quite a pleasant experience in the Changi Budget Terminal. The free internet was a definite bonus and I was very appreciative of the 7-11 store! If our LCCT could have a similar free internet service, I’m sure passengers will be very pleased!

I was recently looking for a cheap travel option to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur for the recent Hari Raya holidays. As expected, due to the long weekend and celebrations, most buses were full and Air Asia was terribly expensive. However, some online research turned up a little gem in the form of Tiger Airways. I used to think that Air Asia dominated the skies between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore but the recent introduction of various budget airlines from Australia and Singapore have meant and cheaper more choices for travellers! Read on for my review of Tiger Airways below.

Tiger Airways Zero Fare Promotion

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Tiger Airways was offering a zero fare promotion on the exact dates I was looking for! And considering that I was only checking out tickets two weeks before departure, I thought that this was an absolute steal! With taxes, my return ticket worked out to only less than RM150 which is cheaper than most of the luxury coaches plying the KL-Singapore route!

Tiger Airways Departs From LCCT

From KL, Tiger departs from the LCCT terminal. However, check in is in a separate area from the Air Asia check in. You can only check in two hours before your flight time and the booth will only open then so going earlier to LCCT will not mean earlier check-ins! You arrive in Singapore at the Changi Budget Terminal which is easily accessible to the main Changi airport via a free shuttle bus or the city via the MRT.

Comparison Between Tiger Airways and Air Asia

• I noticed that Tiger Airways taxes tend to be slightly higher than Air Asia, perhaps due to the fact that they’re a Singaporean airline. If both were offering zero fare promotions, Air Asia might win slightly due to lower taxes.
• The interior of both planes are similar with 3 by 3 seat configurations in the same faux leather finish. Both planes depart from LCCT, land in Changi and both involve walking on the tarmac and up a flight of stairs to get into the plane.
• Both also charge for seat selection and as it was a short 1 hour flight, I did not opt for that. I was given a seat quite far in front on my trip down but got regulated to the back on my return trip.
• Unlike Air Asia stewardesses’ tight red uniform, Tiger Airways staff wear pants with a striking yellow shirt.
• Meals on board on Tiger are priced in SGD instead of MYR and can be quite pricey so I would recommend eating before you board or carrying some snacks for your flight.
• I found the Tiger Airways magazine rather entertaining with more useful information compared to what Air Asia provides. It actually made a good read on the short flight!

I personally had a great experience with the fares on Tiger Airways. As with all budget airlines, everything is chargeable including any check-in luggage you might have so if you’re just planning to travel light on a short flight from KL to Singapore, Tiger might be a good choice!

I love Changi. It has been voted one of the best airports in the world many times over and I never really knew why until I once had to spend an 8 hour transit there. If you cringe at the thought of having long transits and not having anything to do or anywhere to sit, then you simply have to try Singapore’s Changi Airport! Read on below for my review of Changi Airport and why I love it so much!

What Is There To Do In Changi?

Changi Airport is huge with 3 terminals connected with an efficient and very regular train system. Terminal 2 is the largest with the most number of duty free shops however newer terminals such as Terminal 3 comes with a host of its own attractions which promise to keep you entertained for hours! The number of shops and brands offered at their duty-free shopping are mind-boggling with all kinds of luxury brands and cosmetics. Whatever you are looking for, you definitely can find it in Changi! If shopping isn’t really your cup of tea, you can choose to unwind in their superbly comfortable airport chairs dotting the whole terminal with TV entertainment or in a quiet corner. Or relax with their unique indoor koi garden which is lush in greenery – you might even forget you are in an airport terminal! Children absolutely love Changi Airport with their free X-Box Games, Wii Games and activities to keep them entertained for hours. I personally love the free internet terminals they provide all over the airport that comes with a 15-minute cut-off time so kiasu people can’t hog the computer!

If your feet hurt from the shopping, there are lots of free Osim foot massagers to relax your feet with. Its so much fun!

Free Cinema Screenings In Changi Airport

As we had lots of time to kill, I was thrilled to find that Terminal 3 has a cinema, absolutely free! It is just like the normal city cinemas with extra large lanes so bulky luggages can pass through and be “parked” while you catch your movie. Several screenings are shown throughout the day so you may choose to come in halfway or start a new movie.

What amazed me most was the digital clock next to the big screen. Its a gentle reminder to passengers so they don’t miss their flight times! How thoughtful!

Enjoy The Butterfly Garden In Changi Airport

For some fresh air, head over to the beautiful outdoor Butterfly Garden right in Terminal 3. It is a large two-storey area that is beautifully landscaped to resemble a tropical garden and filled with a myriad of colourful butterflies. It even has its own mini waterfall to boot!

It can be a little warm out there if the temperature is hot but a refreshing break if you are tired of shopping and artificial lighting. The butterflies are fed fruit and flowers and are so tame that they will even perch on your fingers for that perfect photo opportunity!

Wouldn’t you love Changi Airport too with their free internet, fantastic duty-free shopping, free movie screenings, free foot massages and relaxing Butterfly Garden? Try it the next time you have a trip scheduled!

A stay in a nice luxurious hotel can really make my day, even if it is in the heart of KL, a city I call home! Somehow, checking into a hotel in your own city feels a little like a mini holiday already without having to take a drive or flight out. So naturally, I was thrilled at the chance to stay at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur several weekends ago. Read my review below.

Luxurious Hotel Finishings With Asian Touches

Sheraton Imperial is luxurious but still manages to retain some Asian charm in their decoration. Your luxury experience starts at their foyer where soaring windows and intricate chandeliers welcome you. The first thing that strikes you at the main lobby is their lavish use of opulent marble finishing and an impressive winding staircase that leads to the upper floors. Their lobby isn’t very big and is somewhat split over several levels with lots of nooks and crannies for you to have that private discussion, if required. If you like sleek and modern Zen-style hotels then Sheraton Imperial isn’t for you as they tend to prefer the typical heavy velvet and marble finishing typical of older luxurious hotels. I can’t explain it but I always have the impression of strong Middle Eastern influence whenever I walk into Sheraton, perhaps due to the high number of Middle Eastern tourists who like staying there.

Sheraton Imperial has been in operation for several years now and while it still exudes grandeur and class, I wasn’t too impressed to see a flickering lightbulb outside one of the rooms as I walked down the corridor to my room. I monitored it throughout my stay there and noted that it was still not changed when I checked out the next day.

Biggest Hotel Room In Kuala Lumpur

Sheraton Imperial prides itself on having one of the biggest hotel spaces in Kuala Lumpur. Their Deluxe Rooms are a spacious 452 square feet which gives you lots of space to run around in! The room is done up in mainly brown and lime green (!) with Malay style carvings on their lamps which again made me feel like a hotel in the Middle East! One grouse I had was that the curtains did not seem to quite meet in the room I stayed in which meant the sunlight came in through that tiny gap to wake me up early!

Every room has a little foyer with a nice arch which leads to the comfortable king sized bed. The foyer is where your walk-in wardrobe and fridge is located. Guests will be welcomed to their room with a personal message on the flat screen which is a nice touch indeed. If you like sunlight, you’ll be very happy to longue on their daybeds next to the large windows which provide ample space for the sun to stream in. Broadband is available for a fee at their worktable though I thought Herman Miller chairs (which Tango Hotel Taipei had!) instead of wooden chairs would make surfing a lot more comfortable.

Despite the large space, I felt a little cramped in the room, maybe because we were given a corner room. I had a peek in another room that was being cleaned and it was definitely bigger with a larger foyer and more space around the bed. So do check with the receptionist during your check-in.

Opulent Hotel Bathrooms

The bathroom provided was not as large as the Westin Hotel bathroom and is also done up in mainly brown marble which I found a little more old-fashioned. Newer hotels today are often all about sleek, white and clean lines compared to the marble finishings older luxury hotels prefer. It comes with separate shower stalls (but no rain shower!), a bath tub and a little stool right in front of the sink for you to sit and dry your hair with or do your nightly facial regime at. The toiletries provided were the basic ones but you can dial in to Housekeeping for anything else that you might need such as razors, cotton pads or others. 

Overall, Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur is a nice and luxurious place to stay. It’s location on Jalan Sultan Ismail is a little further out from the exciting Bukit Bintang area but a Monorail runs just in front of it providing easy connection to any of Kuala Lumpur’s shopping and tourist attractions. The hip, happening and popular Asian Heritage Row is right next to the hotel if you enjoy nightlife and entertainment which makes it a great choice for tourists.

If you ever go to Taiwan, staying at the Tango Hotel should definitely be in your list! I got the chance to stay at this new and ultra modern hotel in Taipei when I was in Taipei last year and although I have stayed in many nice hotels such as the Kempinski Hotel, Dubai and the Shangri-La China World Hotel, Beijing, The Tango Hotel takes the cake for its innovative bath! Read below for my review and why I love this hotel so much!

Tango Hotel has 4 chains across Taiwan, three in Taipei and one in Taichung. We stayed at the Taipei XinYi Tango Hotel which was a short ride on the subway or a 15 minute walk to the famous Taipei 101 and the exciting shopping area surrounding it.

When we first arrived in the late evening, I couldn’t help thinking what a dark hotel it was. The lights in the small lobby were dim and the heavily padded walls were furbished in dark purple. Funky and modern slivers of blue and yellow light lit the desk area. I found the purple organza curtain by the side a little odd as it created a slightly messy look to the otherwise modern lobby. A peek revealed it to be a private area for people to take calls or hold discussions although I don’t think the curtain offered much privacy!

As space in Taipei is expensive, the lifts were quite small and fits only about 4 comfortably. The walkways to the rooms are also quite dark and takes some time getting used to. The floors were filled with some kind of sea smell from the air purifier which wasn’t unpleasant but a little odd. However, I thought it was a good idea for the hotel to have an open pantry on every floor equipped with sleek and modern microwaves and with easy access to ice and cold water.

We were lucky enough to be upgraded to a junior suite (Yippee!) and while it wasn’t a huge room, it came equipped with lots of ultra modern touches and a superb bathroom! Free internet connection is available in all rooms which was really good as most hotels in KL often require you to pay an astronomical amount for internet. Premium Chinese tea and coffee are available in an adorable tea set with some local pineapple cookies to savour them with.

The king sized bed was a heavenly bed indeed! Firm, just the way I like it, with goose down bedding, it certainly ensured a comfortable night’s sleep. My only regret was having to leave it early the next morning!

My highlight of the Tango Hotel was its superb bathroom. It was furnished in a Japanese Zen look with both a shower stall and a Whirlpool jacuzzi bath. Guess how you filled the bath? From the ceiling!

Water flows from the ceiling which I found to be an absolutely amazing architecture and one I certainly have not encountered in any hotel before. Another huge plus point was their inbuilt TV screen into the wall which offered over 60 channels for you to watch while soaking in the tub.

Absolute bliss? Definitely!

Unfortunately, this water feature isn’t available in their normal rooms although you can still enjoy the TV in the wall feature and the heavenly bed! I certainly enjoyed my stay in Tango Taipei and hope to return again someday!