Our Convenient Kuala Lumpur Getaway
I know I’ve talked about going to Kuala Lumpur a lot and I’ve even blogged about it more than once. But! Every trip is different and this time, I’m 26 weeks pregnant and we went sans the helper. (Gasp! Horror(ish)!). We survived or rather I survived – all thanks to a bit of meticulous planning. Self-patting on the back.
First off, I booked the flight and hotel waaayyy in advance. I went with The Boulevard as our choice of hotel because MidValley Megamall and The Gardens is pretty much THE reason for our trip. And also because Nick’s cousin is getting married.
Next, I make sure we have data roaming while we’re on holiday because it makes life easier, don’t you think? So the night before we left, I got myself an M Card prepaid card from M1, which comes with free 500MB data bundled. And the best thing about M Card is….. wait for it... I can use my existing data bundle in Malaysia (Celcom) at a local data rate. No additional cost! And I could also turn on my phone as a hotspot to share with Nick. Savings for the whole family. I’m pretty sure I won some brownie points here 😉
I purchased my M Card from M1 shop at Paragon Shopping Centre, but you can easily get it from any physical convenient shops like Cheers or 7-11. Just remember to activate your data roaming before you leave Singapore, right at the airport or whenever you have 2 minutes, or when you reach your destination. The activation process couldn’t be simpler:
In Singapore:
Dial #100✲8✲1# on your phone. Select “Enable data roaming” option and confirm your request. Done! Don’t worry if you can’t remember the steps. It’s available in the little booklet that comes with the SIM card.
When you arrive at your destination:
Ensure you are connected to the preferred networks (Celcom for Malaysia, XL Axiata for Indonesia,Chunghwa Telecom for Taiwan, SmarTone for Hong Kong and Macau. Turn on both Mobile Data and Data Roaming in phone settings menu. I’m so glad I activated my card right away because these hands are full when you are travelling with 2 young children.
Off we go….
A quick Whatsapp message to tell my sister that we’ve landed and where to pick us up. Hurray to no more expensive roaming phone calls and no more scrambling around KLIA looking to purchase a local SIM card.
An hour later, we arrived at our hotel. Television’s on and the kids took all of two minutes to make themselves at home.
The next day… the wedding day (not mine)….
We had to get to Nick’s grandparents’ place for the wedding and tea ceremony at 9am in the morning. So the best way to make sure we were on time and not get lost was to book our ride through Uber.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BHWNy7tBEYA/?taken-by=thechillmom
Last day…
Seems like a really good deal! Especially if you can use your existing data overseas at local prices. Roaming plans can be so darn expensive!
Ai @
Sakura Haruka
Oh yes. I only activated $10 for data and it lasted more than the 3 days we were away. I still have remaining credits in the card for local data connection and calls until today!
You really make the planning of the trip sound so easy! If I ever decide to go KL, I think I will just use your guide.
Not much of a guide except book a hotel that connects to where you will eat, shop and play. Save on transportation fares. And staying connected with cheap data roaming helps heaps!
You look so radiant and relaxed! Great idea to book a hotel that is connected to a mall, especially in places like KL, where traffic can be quite a nightmare. The M1 deal sounds great, and I’ll be sure to keep it in mind for our next trip to Malaysia!
I shall remember this when I head up to JB next time. We love to dine at Dragon I whenever we’re in Malaysia and my daughter is a fan of their XLB 🙂
Thanks for reminding me about the variety of shopping and dining options in KL. I love to see the decor of the mega KL malls, they really go all out to decorate.
I have never been to KL (shocking, I know) but you make the trip sound so effortless and fun. Good tip on booking a hotel connected to a mall so that you don’t have to fight the traffic!
Wah. Didn’t know can buy local prepaid sim cards and use overseas!!! Thanks for sharing. Now I know!!
Awesome right? No more missing out on important messages when we are travelling 🙂