When I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January this year, I missed Batu Caves. Batu Caves is one of the most popular Hindu Shrines outside India. It is located in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur.

I already paid for the day tour online while in Manila. A city tour was scheduled in the morning and Batu Caves in the afternoon. A separate blog post about my Kuala Lumpur City Tour will be published soon (I hope, lol). My flight back to Manila was in the evening and I had to be at the airport by say about 7 PM.

By noon, the city tour was done and we were on our way back to the tour operator’s headquarters to switch vans and guides for Batu Caves. During the switch, I grabbed a quick lunch at a nearby eatery. After lunch, I boarded the van with other travelers. I was so excited because it would be my first #dronescapade outside the country.

Unknown to me and to my companions in the van, the tour included three stops before Batu Caves, being the last stop. After the first stop, the tour guide approached me and told me that I might miss my flight to Manila should I proceed any further with the tour. So they left me at the nearest train station to catch a trip back to KL Sentral and then to the KL International Airport unfortunately.

I did not know any better but had I known, I could have just taken the bus & train to Batu Caves from KL Sentral Train Station and not booked that day tour in the first place.

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https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1905889309429833&set=pb.100000263479267.-2207520000.1530105525.&type=3&theater

In March 2018, I traveled to Jakarta, Indonesia. My flight back to Manila had a long lay-over in Kuala Lumpur. I grabbed the opportunity to finally fly my drone in Batu Caves. I did not book a van for a day tour anymore. I did a DIY tour of Batu Caves and other places of interest in Kuala Lumpur. #solotravels

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Nothing gives me more thrill than getting to fly my drone outside the Philippines. #dronescapades #drone #footage to be up soon in my site in my bio #malaysia #trulyasia #dji #travelblog #travelblogger #travelphotography #batucaves #wanderer #wanderlust #asiantrotter #globetrotter #pinoywanderer #digitalnomads

A post shared by JOEL JAWS ANDRADA | B/Vlogger (@joeljawsandrada) on Mar 24, 2018 at 7:40pm PDT

Getting to Batu Caves From the KL Sentral Train Station

There were no trains available that would take me from KL Sentral to Batu Caves. Apparently, a construction of the railway directly connecting KL Sentral and Batu Caves was (and still is) ongoing. Hence, I took the one-hour bus ride compliments of Rapid KL Bus from KL Sentral to Sentul Train Station instead. At the Sentul Station, I took the train to Batu Caves (only four stations away) for a meager 3 Malaysian Ringgit (approximately Php 40).

From the Batu Caves Train Station, the Batu Caves Shrine is a mere 10-minute walk. Devotees may buy flowers to serve as offering from a number of vendors just outside the gate of Batu Caves.

I arrived at the shrine’s parking lot before sunrise and was allowed to fly my drone by the park’s security on duty. Personally, I really prefer flying outside peak hours to avoid big crowds. I also kept my distance to avoid getting in the way of a huge flock of pigeons in the area.

Below is a 60-second video that I prepared featuring Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

https://www.facebook.com/joeljawsandrada/videos/1846386288751360/

For better viewing, you may also watch the Youtube video below instead:

After flying my drone, it was time to climb 272 steps to get to Batu Caves. Batu Caves is located about 100 meters above ground. At the foot of the staircase is the the world’s tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity.

Monkeys darted and congregated on the steps on the way up. I was cautioned by one of the visitors to be very careful and to keep an eye on my mobile phone and other belongings. The monkeys are notorious for “stealing” the visitor’s belongings just out of curiosity.

There are souvenir shops near the entrance of Batu Caves. They sell religious artifacts and mementos.

Inside Batu Caves is a temple cave featuring various Hindu shrines and characters. The interior is so huge. It looked like a giant carved a cathedral out of the belly of the mountain.

After taking photos and being mesmerized by the sheer grandeur of the Batu Caves Shrine, it was time to leave and catch the next bus and train to the city. People were also starting to pour in.

Before leaving the shrine, I had a quick snack at an eatery inside the park. I had my favorite LiqaLic by MFruits and tried Black Currant Fruit Drink by Ribena. Click here to know more about how much I love MFruits’ LiqaLic.

I had a great time visiting Batu Caves. I got to fly my drone and got a good workout from climbing up and down a flight of stairs, 272 steps to be exact. Signing out for now. Peace!

The post HOW TO GET TO BATU CAVES, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA appeared first on JOEL JAWS ANDRADA.

Last month, I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to attend a meeting with a prospective client. Aside from blogging, I do marketing and business development consultancy work for a number of multinational companies.

After confirming the meeting dates with the client, I immediately contacted my fellow travel blogger Erica Poyauan to help me find a decent and affordable accommodation that should be near the meeting venue, i.e., the Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel. Fortunately, Erica was able to book a deluxe room for me at the same hotel at very friendly rates. I only paid USD 71 per night. That was a total bargain for a five-star hotel accommodation.

It was my second visit to the Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel. The last time was two years ago to attend a major conference conducted by the company I used to work for and I had a good experience then so I was pretty excited to go back. On both occasions, too, I saw groups and groups of tourists billeted in the hotel.

Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel is not just a business hotel. It offers amenities that are conducive to tourists alike. The hotel is strategically located in the center of the commercial and entertainment hub of Bangsar. It is only 5 minutes away from Mid Valley Mega Mall, a shopping destination. It is easily accessible to all major parts of the city via the Kerinchi Light Rapid Transit train and KL Sentral Station- KLIA Express Train.

Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel has 513 rooms and suites. It offers the following amenities:

• Internet access in the room (WiFi and wired)
• Complimentary mineral water in the room
• Iron and ironing board available in the room
• Safety deposit box
• Minibar
• iPod docks
• TV with cable channels
• Free accommodation and breakfast for up to 1 child under 12 years old sharing the parents room (by using existing bedding, or if room is large enough, a crib or a roll away bed)
• 24-hour room service
• Free Wifi in public areas
• Free shuttle to KL Sentral
• Access to the fitness center
• Access to the outdoor pool
• Free self parking
• Designated smoking areas
• Executive lounge access extended to children

The room I stayed in was spacious and clean. It had an urban and modern interior design. Everything in the room smelled new and fresh from the linens to the towels. The air conditioning was functioning properly, too.

Hotel slippers and toiletries were provided compliments of the hotel.

Instead of a wall, the toilet and bath had a window. For privacy, just draw the blinds.

There is also a convenient store on the lower ground floor of the hotel open 24 hours. How convenient is that?

The pool is located on the 4th floor along with the spa and gym. Complimentary use of fresh towels for swimming pool goers are available at the fitness center counter.

Further, Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel has an Executive Lounge and a Business Center to cater to your business needs. It has three restaurants and six bars.

When I visited, the hotel lobby was adorned with Chinese lanterns in time for Chinese New Year.

HOW TO GET TO PULLMAN KL BANGSAR HOTEL… FAST!

Below is a vlog of my commute from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 2 to Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel upon arrival:

In case you do not have time to watch the vlog, here’s how to get there via the KLIA Express Train:

1. Upon arrival at KLIA 1 or KLIA 2, proceed to the KLIA Express Train Station. A one way ticket to KL Sentral costs MYR 55.00

2. The commute via KLIA Express takes about 28 minutes from KLIA Terminal 2 to KL Sentral. At the KL Sentral Station, look for the MRT Terminal that will bring you to the Universiti Station. Train Token is MYR 2.00

3. From the Universiti Station, Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel is a mere 10-minute leisure walk.

For booking inquiries, visit Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel’s website here. They also have a Facebook Fan Page.

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Signing out for now. Peace!

Note that the route I took walking from the Universiti Train Station to Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel may not be the best route if you have a lot of pieces of luggage with you. Take the route below instead. Thanks to Pullman KL Bangsar Fan Page for this suggestion. It only shows how they truly care for their guests.

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This is part one of my travel vlog about my recent visit to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to have a quick meeting and, of course, to see, taste and feel what Kuala Lumpur has to offer. The last time I visited Kuala Lumpur was in 2016 to attend a major meeting of the company that I used to work for and I did not have the opportunity to experience what they call the country that is ‘Truly Asia’, Malaysia.

The video below is a special episode of EAT OR EEK?, my version of a food review, where  I tried and tasted LIQALIC Fruit Popsicles by M FRUITS (a product of Malaysia). Is it EAT or EEK? Watch the video to find out. Have you tasted this yet? Did you like it? Let me know in the comments below.

It was a quick visit and unfortunately I did not get to see the outskirts or the countryside of Malaysia. I will be posting Part 2 (blog and vlog) soon to share with you the tourist spots that I was able to visit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

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Two years ago I was in this same spot to attend a major meeting. Little did I know that that meeting was my last one with the company I used to work for because 3 months later I received a letter of redundancy. A lot of self-discovery and reinvention, to better put it, happened after that. Fast forward to 2018, I am back to traveling and this time it is for the very essence of traveling, i.e., discovering places not just getting to them, meeting people not just faces and sharing not just seeing what is good about that travel destination. Things do happen for a reason.Just gotta #keepthefaith and keep on pressing forward. #travelblogger @pullmanklbangsar

A post shared by JOEL JAWS ANDRADA | B/Vlogger (@joeljawsandrada) on Feb 6, 2018 at 7:55pm PST

Special thanks to Pullman KL Bangsar Hotel for the warm accommodations.

I need to go back to my laptop to resume editing. Signing out for now. Peace!

The post EAT OR EEK? | MALAYSIA’S LIQALIC FRUIT POPSICLES BY M FRUITS appeared first on JOEL JAWS ANDRADA.