Kuala Lumpur: A Travel Guide for First Timers

Kuala Lumpur probably lands in the top five easiest places to travel to for Juans. With the city gaining popularity and with the increasing number of daily flights, more Juans are looking at KL as an ideal and good value-for-money travel destination. 

If you are planning to visit KL, it's best to know a few of the basics. So here's our guide for first time travelers to Malaysia's world city. 

The City
The name Kuala Lumpur literally means "muddy confluence". This is because it was founded where the rivers Klang and Gombak merge. It started as a small mining town and has grown to be Malaysia's most important urban center. 

Today, KL is one of the world's leading cities for tourism and shopping. In 2017 alone, it welcomed more than 12 million international visitors. It boasts of its impressive skyscrapers, huge malls, and extensive public transport network.

The iconic Petronas Twin Towers

Travel Requirements
There are around 160 countries in the world that are granted free-visa entry to Malaysia with varying length of stays. Filipinos and citizens of other ASEAN countries can stay in the country without the need for tourist visa for stays no longer than 30 days. Passports also need to be valid for at least six months at the time of entry.

For more details, visit the website of the Immigration Department of Malaysia here.

Time Zone
Malaysia Standard Time is eight hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +8). This means that the Philippines and Malaysia are in the same time zone. But since Malaysia is to the west of the Philippines, they experience later sunrise and sunsets there. 

Ultimate One Day Angkor Guide: The Best of Angkor

Stretching over some 400 square kilometers, even dwarfing the city of Siem Reap, Angkor Archaeological Park cannot be covered in its entirety during just one trip. Most guides recommend at least a 3-day itinerary to get the most out of the park's iconic temples. But what if you are pushed for time, is it possible to do it in one? The answer is YES.

The steep stairs leading to a lotus bud shaped tower
of Angkor Wat

We only had a day to see the temples of Angkor, so we planned, got recommendations from our driver, and put together an itinerary to visit the main sites and even avoid the worst of the crowds. 

Tickets to Angkor

For foreigners to enter Angkor Archaeological Park, an entrance ticket needs to be purchased as either One Day, Three Day or Seven Day Passes. The rates since February 2017 are USD37, USD62, and USD72 respectively.

The One Day Angkor Pass can only be purchased within the same day of your visit or the day before at 5:00PM. If you do the second option, you can already go into the park after purchasing the pass to watch the sunset from the temples. But this would cost an extra tuk tuk ride. 

The passes are exclusively issued by Angkor Enterprise located along Street 60, Krong Siem Reap. The Ticket Center is open from 5:00AM to 5:30PM daily. Cash and credit card payments are accepted. For more information, please visit the website here.

Small and Grand Circuit
There are two usual types of Angkor tours named after the groupings of the temples - the small and the grand (or big) circuit tours. 

Siem Reap: A Budget Travel Guide for Juans

Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap sits high on the list of many travelers dream destinations. And why shouldn't it be? Consumed by the jungles of Cambodia and hidden for centuries, the city of Angkor is filled with limitless beauty, mystery, and wonder. 

Whether you want to snap amazing pictures of the iconic Angkor Wat, get lost in the ruins of the massive Preah Khan, or channel the spirit of Lara Croft or Indiana Jones in the famed Ta Phrom, there is a way to see Angkor and visit Siem Reap on a budget of less than PHP8,700. Here's our guide to doing it. 

Note: Exchange rate used is PHP52.10 for every USD1.

The iconic Angkor Wat at sunrise

The atmospheric Ta Phrom popularized by Tomb Raider

A two-story pavilion in the massive Preah Khan

Flights
Cost of flights vary depending on your itinerary and where you're flying from. When booked at least three months in advance, the usual cost of round trip flights from Manila to Siem Reap via Cebu Pacific is around PHP8,500 per person. Meanwhile, the cost of round trip flights for the same period from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap via Air Asia is usually around PHP5,500. 

Of course, there's always the option to look out for seat sales to book the lowest possible fare. Since we found a great deal on airfares to Siem Reap and Kuala Lumpur in Air Asia's Red Hot Sale, we decided to make a dual country trip out of it. We got our round trip Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap flight for 0 BIG points and PHP2,261.15 in taxes and fees per person.  

Airfare: PHP2,261.15 total per person 
Travel Tax: None

Siem Reap: A Travel Guide for First Timers

With its magnificent temple ruins, lush jungles, and warm hospitality, Siem Reap easily figures a spot in many travel bucket lists. This is a place that fascinates and stands as an unforgettable travel destination. One that every Juan should take the time to visit. 

But before you go, it's best to know a few of the basics. So here's our guide for first time travelers to Cambodia's center of tourism. 

Ta Som Temple in Angkor Archaeological Park

The City
What once was a quaint village, Siem Reap is now one of the fastest growing cities in Cambodia. It is known as the gateway to the World Heritage Site Angkor and is the capital of the northwest Cambodian province of the same name. It is located north of Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake. 

The name Siem Reap literally means the "defeat of Siam" as a reference to a folk tale of the victory of the Khmer kingdom over the Siamese soldiers. In the early 1900s, Siem Reap was ceded to French Indochina. This coincided with the rediscovery of Angkor that stimulated tourism in the area. The city's more recent history, however, is characterized by the horrors of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Although, it was one of the last places in Cambodia to experience peace, Siem Reap has recovered remarkably quickly. In a span of a decade, the city has been revived and now welcomes more than 2 million visitors a year. 

Travel Requirements
For most tourists to Cambodia, visa is required, but for Filipinos and citizens of other ASEAN countries, visa exemptions apply. Filipinos can stay in the kingdom without the need for tourist visa for stays no longer than 21 days. Passports also need to be valid for at least six months at the time of entry.

For more details, visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa information website here.

Time Difference
Cambodia Standard Time, same as Indochina Time, is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT +7). This means that the Philippines is 1 hour ahead of Cambodia. Make sure to adjust your watch to ensure you do not miss your tours and return flight.

Currency
Cambodia has an unofficial dual currency system. This means that you can transact in both US Dollar and Cambodian Riel. For most tourist-oriented merchants and grocery stores within Siem Reap, prices are quoted in dollars so you don't need to be concerned about getting the local currency. Note that the lowest dollar denomination used is USD1. So for change less than USD1, you will get the equivalent in Riel. During our travel, the exchange rate was at around KHR4,100 to USD1.

The Cambodian Riel

Tip: Bring some small dollar denominations for small transactions like tuktuk rides. If you get stuck with 100s, it is easier to get change in restaurants, bars, hotels, and shops.