Summer Escape to Southeast Asia

This is a travel log from over ten years ago. Summer is approaching—is it a foolish idea to escape the heat in the tropics?

July 16, 2010, Friday: Tianjin - Kuala Lumpur

At 10:03, took train 1301 from Beijing Station to Tianjin. Arrived at Tianjin Railway Station at 11:48, had lunch at a Malan Noodle Restaurant near the station, then took a bus to Tianjin Binhai International Airport. The bus station was at the back square of the railway station. Since the station was still under construction, to get to the bus station, we had to enter through the station entrance, go to the second-floor waiting hall, walk to the end, turn left downstairs to the first floor, exit left, and the bus station was about 100 meters away. Buses run every half hour, on the hour and half hour. If taking a taxi, unlicensed drivers would charge 80 yuan!

We took the 13:00 bus and arrived at the airport 27 minutes later—very convenient.

When going through exit procedures, the immigration officer saw five Malaysian visas in my passport and asked many questions, like “Why do you go to Malaysia so often?” similar to when I went to Thailand a few years ago.

We boarded on time at 15:00, but like in April, the flight took off nearly an hour late. The seat occupancy was much higher than in April; the cabin was almost full, and the good old days of having three seats to oneself were gone. During the flight, we saw a magnificent sunset over Vietnam.

At 22:15, the plane landed on time in heavy rain at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s LCCT terminal. After completing entry procedures, we went to an ATM to withdraw cash. Like last time, UnionPay didn’t work—maybe it was too late? But the screen didn’t show “out of service.” So we exchanged 500 RMB for 215 ringgit—terrible exchange rate! Never bring only a UnionPay card without cash! Three attempts to withdraw cash, two failed!

Walking out of the airport hall, the rain had stopped. A cool night breeze was blowing, and it felt much cooler than in April. Compared to the sweltering heat of Beijing when we left, it was very cool here. We rested for a few hours at TUNE HOTEL (small and expensive rooms) and waited for an early morning connecting flight to Sabah in East Malaysia.

July 17, 2010, Saturday: Sabah

The hotel was a 7-8 minute walk from the airport departure hall. At 06:20 we checked in for the flight to Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, East Malaysia. The plane took off on time at 06:50, and the cabin was almost full—unlike the flight to Penang in April, which was half empty. We arrived in Sabah on time at 09:20.

At the airport ATM, I withdrew 1000 ringgit with a UnionPay card. My phone immediately alerted me—the equivalent was 2136 RMB. My traveling companion, who was abroad for the first time, was puzzled: “Why can a Chinese card withdraw foreign money?” Haha!

Exiting the airport hall, turn right. At the far-right door, there was a row of chairs—that was Bus 16A stop. There was no sign or marker. We asked two European tourists sitting there and confirmed it was correct; we just had to wait. Bus 16A’s schedule was unknown. While waiting, we studied a map of Kota Kinabalu (available free at the airport). After half an hour, the bus came—a small, old minibus, much worse than the buses in Penang or Kuala Lumpur. Bus 16A was a circular route, passing the beautiful First Beach, the most beautiful Tanjung Aru Beach in Kota Kinabalu, and finally arriving at the western bus terminal. Fare: 1 ringgit.

From the terminal, we transferred to a city bus to the city center for 0.5 ringgit. On the bus, a friendly girl of Chinese-Indian mixed heritage gave us directions. Actually, the terminal was very close to the city center; we could have walked. In the city center, we met the two European tourists from Bus 16A; they had walked and took the same time as us by bus.

We had lunch at a street-side Indian restaurant—very cheap. Fresh juice was only 3 ringgit (about 6 RMB) a cup and tasted great.

After lunch, we took a taxi to Tune Hotel for 15 ringgit. Actually, Tune Hotel’s free shuttle stop was nearby at Warisan Square, opposite the Nightly Seafood Restaurant, but we were too lazy to find it.

The car drove through the city, heading east along the beautiful coastline, passing the Royal Navy base, Likas Beach, the Water Mosque, Sabah State Government Building, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and finally arrived at Tune Hotel in the 1Borneo hypermall.

The room was booked 10 months in advance—a double room for five nights cost a total of 200 RMB! The room was small but clean and practical—impeccable. I have stayed at Tune hotels in LCCT, Kuala Lumpur city center, Penang, Bali Kuta, and Legian—this was the sixth, and all were good, but the best was Penang.

In the afternoon, we strolled around 1Borneo mall. Like all big-city malls, nothing special. We had a Chinese dinner at a newly opened food court.

At 7:30 PM, we took the free shuttle into the city. The shuttle service counter was at the north gate of the mall; coming out of Tune Hotel, you cross the mall to reach it. Reservations were required, and tickets were issued 10 minutes before departure. In the morning, buses ran every hour starting at 9:00 on the hour; there was a midday break, then from 2 PM onward, every half hour until 10 PM.

1Borneo is about 10 km from the city center. Near the city bus stop was the famous Filipino Market. Fruits were so cheap: mixed cut fruit 1 ringgit per box, mangosteen 3 ringgit (6 RMB) per kg, rambutan 4 ringgit per kg. We bought 2 kg of mangosteen—very fresh.

Sabah nights were cool; we didn’t need air conditioning or a fan, and we slept under a thin blanket.

July 18, 2010, Sunday: City tour in Kota Kinabalu

At 9:00, we took the first free shuttle into the city. Had breakfast at a corner “Mongkok Tea Restaurant”—fried noodles with vegetables and prawns, and Indian pulled tea. Then we went to the Sunday Market.

The Sunday Market is on Gaya Street. Tourists and locals from all over seemed to gather there. Stalls lined up one after another, with dazzling arrays of goods—colorful handicrafts were quirky and lovely: handbags, small coin purses, wooden photo frames, ethnic dolls, wind chimes, bracelets, necklaces, rings, pins, and other bright decorations; batik-printed clothing, all kinds of T-shirts with “Sabah” prints. We bought two T-shirts for 11 ringgit.

A local MP from Kota Kinabalu had set up a mobile service station to help constituents. Medical institutions also held free health consultations here.

After the market, we went to Merdeka Square. A performance celebrating the 10th anniversary of Kota Kinabalu's establishment was taking place. City departments for security, fire, medical, education, and municipal services had set up booths offering consultations.

Then we visited Atkinson Clock Tower. The clock tower was built on Brace Hill in 1905 by Mary Edith, mother of the first governor of Kota Kinabalu, Francis George Atkinson, to commemorate her son who died young at 28. From its completion until 1956, the tower served as a navigation aid for ships entering the harbor.

From the clock tower, following stairs and a road, we could reach the Signal Hill viewing platform for a panoramic view of Kota Kinabalu. Looking north from there is the southernmost territory of China—the James Shoal. The 1954 “Kashmir Princess” incident also occurred not far from here. We met two female tourists from Chengdu and Hangzhou; one was studying at a Sabah seminary, and both were missionaries. They were surprised that we were independent travelers from Beijing and found it incredible that we could come here on our own. I chuckled inwardly—what’s so hard about it? They warmly offered to give us a ride, but we declined because we had our own plans.

Coming down from Signal Hill, we visited a few malls, then took the shuttle back to the hotel to rest.

After resting, we took the shuttle into the city again for dinner. At the famous Shuangtian Restaurant, four large sea crabs cost only 12 ringgit, while a plate of stir-fried vegetables was 15 ringgit! The shrimp were also fresh and cheap.

July 19, 2010, Monday: Sabah

Today was a day trip to Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. We booked the previous day at Tune Hotel, 80 ringgit per person. Going to the jetty on your own would be cheaper.

The hotel car first took the three of us to a jetty west of the city—a private yacht marina filled with beautiful yachts. Our guide accompanied us on a private boat to Manukan Island. The park consists of five islands; Manukan is the largest. The boat took about ten minutes to reach the island. The eastern coast has a steep seabed with large coral reefs; swim just a few meters out and you’re in a large coral area, where you can see schools of beautiful tropical fish. Standing on the shore, the water was crystal clear, colorful corals faintly visible, all kinds of tropical fish swimming around, many unfamiliar species passing by. There were many chairs on the beach for resting, picnicking, and watching the sea.

We played there until noon, then took a boat to Sapi Island. Here, coconut palms cast shadows, the water was clear, and the sand fine. The coral reefs were close to the shore, suitable for snorkeling. The sea was rich in fish—colorful tropical fish everywhere.

We planned to stay until 3 PM, but around 2 PM dark clouds gathered, and heavy rain threatened, so we headed back early.

In the evening, we watched a movie at the 1Borneo cinema: “Ip Man 2,” ticket 7 ringgit—really cheap. The film was in Cantonese with Chinese, English, and Malay subtitles, reflecting the multicultural nature of the country.

July 20, 2010, Tuesday: Sabah

In the morning, we took public buses to visit the Water Mosque. These buses don’t have fixed stops—just wave, and they stop; press the bell to get off whenever you like—quite convenient.

Kota Kinabalu City Mosque is a typical contemporary Islamic building. Located on Likas Bay, this city mosque is the largest in the city and one of the most magnificent in Malaysia. Built on a one-hectare artificial lake in 1997, it can accommodate 9,720 to 12,000 worshippers. It looks like it floats on the water. The stunning white structure blends perfectly with the blue sky.

After the mosque, we strolled along Likas Beach—very quiet, almost no tourists. When tired, we hailed a bus to the main bus terminal, then took Bus 16A to Tanjung Aru Beach. This is a leisure spot for tourists and locals alike. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the horizon is wide and unbroken—an ideal place for sunset viewing. The nearby Prince Philip Park is a beautiful garden and a good place for recreational activities. Open-air stalls offer many food choices. We sat there enjoying fresh coconut juice; the attendant split the coconut open so we could eat the flesh. The fresh dragon fruit juice was incredibly delicious—we ordered two cups.

By afternoon, we faced a dilemma: go back to the city for more seafood, or stay here for sunset. Since it rained every day here, we feared we might miss the sunset, so we decided to return to the city for seafood. But after waiting an hour for Bus 16A, it never came, so we returned to the beach to wait for the sunset.

Soon it began to pour, but the distant horizon was still sunny. We witnessed an extremely rare and magnificent scene of a sunset in the rain.

After watching the sunset, we took a taxi back to the city center. The weather was so cool that I wore a fleece jacket. I asked the driver to turn off the air conditioning. The driver thought we were Taiwanese tourists and said gleefully, “Haven’t you read the news? Taiwan is having a heatwave killing people. It’s much cooler here, isn’t it?”

Incredible! This place is over 4,000 km south of Beijing, near the equator, and at a similar altitude, yet the temperature was nearly 10°C lower—truly a great place to escape the summer heat.

Back at the hotel, the mall was hosting an international folk culture festival performance. People from many countries in beautiful traditional costumes performed the most characteristic ethnic art programs of their homelands. Unfortunately, no mainland Chinese troupes were seen; a Taiwanese folk dance group was the center of attention—after their performance, everyone crowded around for photos.

July 21, 2010, Wednesday: Sabah - Kuala Lumpur

At 9 AM, we took the shuttle from the hotel, had breakfast at an Indian restaurant in the city, then went to the Filipino Market to buy lots of fruit to bring to Kuala Lumpur.

The plane took off on time at 12:30 and arrived on time at 15:00 at Kuala Lumpur’s LCCT airport. We took the Sky Bus into the city; the fare had been prepaid with the flight ticket, so we just showed the itinerary payment page to board.

The bus arrived at the central transport hub (KL Sentral). We took a taxi to Tune Hotel for 15 ringgit. After checking in, we ate at a food stall near SOGO—still affordable and delicious. I had been there often during my April trip, and the owner recognized me.

After dinner, we went to the Petronas Twin Towers. The towers are located north of the Golden Triangle business district, at the junction of Jalan Ampang and Jalan P. Ramlee. We intended to take one stop on the LRT, but after waiting half an hour with no train and a crowded platform, I guessed there was a fault. We canceled our tickets and walked to the towers.

This was my third visit, and the towers still fascinated me. At the fountain in front of the building, two European guys imitated urinating with the water jets—hilarious.

July 22, 2010, Thursday: Kuala Lumpur

A full day exploring Kuala Lumpur. The weather remained cool.

From the hotel, we crossed the street, walked straight for 1 km to the flagpole at Merdeka Square. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building (the High Court) is next to Merdeka Square; further south is the old City Hall. Merdeka Square is opposite the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. It has the world’s tallest flagpole at 95 meters.

From Merdeka Square, we walked south to the National Mosque. It’s free to visit in the morning. Then we visited the Railway Station and, in the Lake Gardens, the National Planetarium and the Police Museum. At the Police Museum, we saw photos of yellow pornographic images seized by the police in the 1960s-70s, with Chinese poems and illustrations—not the least bit erotic; the cultural differences in an Islamic country are huge.

In the afternoon, we went to Chinatown. Ate at the Central Market, browsed briefly, then returned to SOGO for shopping.

July 23, 2010, Friday: Singapore FunVee Bus City Tour

Left the hotel at 05:40, took a taxi to KL Sentral. An Indian driver waiting outside the hotel quoted 30 ringgit—I refused. Last April, I was cheated by an Indian driver on the street for 20 ringgit; I no longer trust Indian drivers. I hailed a taxi on the street and agreed to use the meter—12 ringgit to the station. The AirAsia bus departed at 06:15 and reached the airport in just over an hour. We had breakfast at the airport “staff canteen” again, then checked in and went through departure procedures.

AK705 took off on time at 10:00 for Singapore.

Arrived on time at 10:50 at Singapore Changi International Airport. The airport is huge and very modern. The AirAsia plane landed at Terminal 1. After entry procedures, we took the intra-terminal train to Terminal 2, where the subway to the city is located. At the MRT station, we bought an e-link card for 15 SGD (5 SGD non-refundable card fee). Transportation in Singapore is relatively expensive—average daily cost 8 SGD.

In the afternoon, we first bought tickets for the SIA Hop-on city tour bus (12 SGD). Designed for tourists, with Chinese and English commentary, it allowed us to freely explore the historical heritage and cultural attractions of Singapore’s city center.

The route covered all major downtown sights: Raffles Hotel, the Opera House, Singapore Flyer, Merlion Park, City Hall, Lau Pa Sat, Asian Civilisations Museum, National Museum, Singapore Art Museum, Raffles Landing Site, Boat Quay, St. Andrew's Cathedral, Clarke Quay, Botanic Gardens, the shopping belt on Orchard Road, Little India, Chinatown, Istana, etc. Passengers could hop on and off at any stop; buses ran every half hour.

Many people say Singapore is very small, that one day is enough—probably a lie spread by Chinese tour groups. After the bus circled, we realized how big Singapore is. Just the city center took nearly an hour. Without a week, you can’t have a full experience.

First, we took the bus around the main city center attractions to get an overall impression. On the second round, we got off at the Singapore Flyer, rode it for a panoramic view of the island, then reboarded and got off at Boat Quay. We hadn’t realized Singapore was so big; our planned half-day bus tour only got us to two stops.

In the evening, we went to Merlion Park and Clarke Quay—nice scenery, cool breeze. Clarke Quay at night was noisy but lively—being the weekend, it was packed, as if the whole country and all tourists were there.

From Clarke Quay, we took the North-South MRT line to its terminus at Punggol, then transferred to a LRT to our friend’s apartment in a garden complex on Edgedale Plains Street.

July 24, 2010, Saturday: Sentosa Island, Singapore

A full day exploring Sentosa Island.

It’s easy to get to Sentosa. The southern terminus of the North-South MRT line is the ticketing office for the island. Sentosa is touted as Singapore’s most enchanting resort island, covering 390 hectares, with diverse entertainment facilities and leisure areas, known as the “Jewel of Fun.” It was once a small fishing village, turned into a military base after British occupation, then transformed into a leisure resort in 1972.

First, we saw the newly built casino—foreigners enter free with passport; Singaporeans are not allowed. Universal Studios tickets were sold out, so we just looked from outside. Then we went to the 37-meter-tall Merlion Tower, a Singapore tourist icon, and then to the beaches.

Sentosa’s beaches consist of three distinct stretches: Tanjong Beach, Palawan Beach, and Siloso Beach, stretching 3 km. We visited Palawan and Siloso in the middle and west. The seawater was not good—rather dirty, far inferior to Sabah’s beaches. The beach sports facilities were good—volleyball, football, basketball courts. The road along the beach was suitable for cycling and rollerblading.

Natural scenery is abundant on Sentosa. A walk along the Nature Walk on Imbiah Hill leads through secondary rainforest to the summit, offering a bird’s-eye view of the beautiful sea and nearby islands. Unfortunately, time was limited; we only walked a short section.

In the afternoon, we visited Fort Siloso. Fort Siloso is Singapore’s only well-preserved fort, originally built in 1880 to protect ships entering Singapore’s harbor. During WWII, the British stubbornly defended it against the Japanese. After the British surrendered on February 15, 1942, Fort Siloso became a prisoner-of-war camp for military and civilian personnel. The site includes underground tunnels, ammunition depots, lookout towers, lighthouses, gun emplacements, and cannons. Walking through the gun emplacements and tunnels, you can see dioramas of colonial garrison life, a small light-and-sound show, and the prison life of POWs, letting you step back in time into that era’s concentration camp life.

In the evening, we watched the large-scale sea performance “Songs of the Sea” combining light, sound, electricity, water, and fire. Ticket price: 10 SGD, two shows nightly—one at 7:40 PM and one at 8:40 PM.

This was the highlight of Singapore tourism—I had never heard of this show before. Performed over the sea, “Songs of the Sea” was so dazzling—reflections in the sea, echoes of the sea. Flames on the beach reddened faces and warmed the air; water droplets from the water screen spray sprinkled our hair. It felt as if the audience was not sitting in the stands but inside the musical fountain drama. The 2,500-seat open-air theatre was full.

The show lasted 25 minutes. The plot was simple: a young singer on a rock by the beach sings, his song summons a sea spirit, a demon, and a beautiful girl who has lost her smile and magic. But the audio-visual effect was extremely stunning—sound, light, water, and fire combined, bringing people into the sea breeze under the starry sky. A massive 40-meter-high water curtain, 69 water jets shooting up to 40 meters into the air, 20-meter-long flames, and the latest diode laser effects. To enhance the visual effect, a 120-meter-long kelong structure was built over the sea.

After the show, the crowd was evacuated in an orderly manner; thousands of people dispersed within 20 minutes.

July 25, 2010, Sunday: Singapore to Kuala Lumpur

Morning: first went to the Istana (Presidential Palace), then to City Hall and the Merlion to look around. The main activity was East Coast Park. To get to East Coast Park, we took the MRT to Bedok Station (EW5), then transferred to Bus 401 (weekends and holidays only). The environment was beautiful—one side a lovely beach, the other coconut groves and greenery, with dedicated cycling and rollerblading paths, and separate walking paths. Many people were jogging, cycling, and rollerblading. It’s close to Changi Airport; a good chance to come specially for rollerblading.

At 18:00, we rushed to Changi Airport Terminal 1, went through departure and boarding procedures, and at 21:20 took AK716 back to Kuala Lumpur. We arrived on time at 22:30 at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (LCCT). The transit visa procedure was simple—finished in 15 minutes. Just as we finished, a group of over 50 Indians arrived.

The Tune Hotel at the airport had no rooms, so we had to spend the night in the waiting hall. After eating, walking around, drinking a couple of teas, reviewing the photos we had taken, and finding a closed café to lie down, the hours passed quickly.

July 26, 2010, Monday: Kuala Lumpur - Tianjin - Beijing

Checked in at 06:20. Flight D7 2612 took off on time at 08:30. Our seats were in row 41; the last few rows at the back were empty, so each of us had three seats and slept all the way back to Tianjin. The plane arrived on time in Tianjin at 14:35. At 16:00, we took a bus back to Beijing, arriving at 17:30 in the steamer-like heat of Beijing.

I never expected that Sabah and Singapore in July would be so cool. From now on, during the hottest days of summer, I’ll go there to escape the heat!