tourism Archives - In Search Of Umami

How much does it cost to travel in Malaysia? Our budget and tips

Malaysia is quite a cheap country. For our 69 euros a day for the two of us (34,5 euro p.p) we spent a beautiful 15 days in Malaysia treating ourselves with very nice accommodations and even quite some visits to local cafes. We could have stayed in Malaysia on a significantly lower budget but for those few extra euros we got quite a lot more.

Where did we travel?

We didn’t travel very extensively. Malaysia was really like a long stopover for us and we mainly focused on recharging in there. We stayed in Georgetown, Kuala Lumpur and Cameron Highlands.

How did we travel?

We mostly used public transport so buses and in KL the metro. A bus from Georgetown to Cameron Highlands cost us 80 MYR for both of us (around 17 euro).

Sometimes we spent few riggits on uber. Usually it was never more than 9 MYR (2 euro) but in Cameron Highlands where there was no other way to travel around than taxi or a tour we had to pay even 25 ringgit (around 5 euro) for quite a short ride. Generally there the taxi drivers charge per hour and in high season when you don’t want to rent them for several hours or a whole day, they won’t take you at all. Fortunately we were there in a bit of a dead season so the driver gave us the honor.

In total we spent 46 euros on transportation.

Where did we stay?

In all of the three locations we stayed in very nice places. First in Georgetown we stayed in a very nice, huge room in one of those stunning, Peranakan houses. We rented it for 36 euros per night on Airbnb and although we knew we could get a more or less decent room for half of it… we never regretted it.

In Kuala Lumpur we stayed in an Airbnb studio with access to a spectacular view on the city with an infinity pool. More about that here.

Only in Cameron Highlands we couldn’t find anything interesting on Airbnb so we decided to stay in a little, charming guesthouse. There we paid 158 MYR per night (31 euro). More about this one and tea region in general here.

Overal we spent 489 euros on accommodation.

What did we eat?

Only in Kuala Lumpur we had our own kitchen so we cooked a bit there. In other places we were forced to eat out. At first we thought it would be rewarding but very soon we realized that the Malaysian cuisine we knew from Holland had nothing to do with the one in the country. It was fatty, bloody and we were far from being impressed. So to be honest few times we chose for a meal from a supermarket rather than for a restaurant.

In total we spent 162 euros on eating out and that includes 110 MYR (around 23 euros) we paid for high tea for the two of us in Cameron Highlands and various lunches in quite nice cafes. In a normal, local restaurant we would pay around 20-30 ringgit (4-6 euros) for a meal for both of us. That without even choosing the cheapest of the cheapest.

In 206 euros under “food” we included our supermarket groceries, ice creams we bought in convenient stores and many, many, fresh, cold coconuts bravely opened by teenage boys all over Malaysia.

How expensive are museums, tours etc?

In 39 euros under “tourism” we only included our whole day tour with a jeep in Cameron Highlands. For the rest, what we saw was free.

Where did the rest of our money go?

Postcards, laundry, small souvenirs and my dream rattan bag turned out to be 88 euros.

Money- saving tips and tricks

Malaysia is a pretty cheap country. Transportation, food and even handcrafts are very affordable but…

1. Bargain! It’s one of those countries where people get those few extra euros off you if you don’t know how much something should cost. Ask for a price up front, bargain or just search for places where the prices are already written.
2. Choose your accommodation wisely. Decide if you want to go for the cheapest of the cheapest or a bit more luxurious. If the first one it’s best to walk around once you get here and ask around for the best deal. We met people who were literally staying for 2 euros per night, per bed in hostels that were not even mentioned online. If you want to go somewhere clean and really nice, we would recommend Airbnb. It’s definitely cheaper than hotels and often the service and conditions you get are way better.
3. Eat locally! Food at local food courts and restaurants is really affordable, not to mention the coffee. You get a bag (yep a plastic bag) that would wake up a cow for 50 euro cents. It's surprisingly good, just make sure you take a very basic one without any sugar, butter or the typical Malaysian one that tastes like it was poured from nescafe powder.
4. Try to volunteer! Always a great idea to save money on food and accommodation and get to know local culture and customs.
5. Enjoy the free attractions. Street art, nature, animals. You can see all that for free.
Exchange rate used: 1 Euro = 4.98 MYR

How much does it cost to travel in Singapore? Our budget and tips

Our budget from Singapore is, by far, the most we spent in a country per day. For low budget lovers: it might be tricky to enjoy your time on budget especially if staying in an Airbnb, hostel or hotel. On the other side if you manage to volunteer or stay at someone’s house Singapore will turn out to be actually pretty cheap.

Over 7 days we spent 821 euro for the both of us. That gives us around 59 euros per person per day. I have to mention that it’s a budget packed with tickets, everyday exploring, not much cooking and a bit of a splurge when it comes to accommodation. Let’s go into details.

Where did we travel?

We mostly stayed in the center of Singapore, we made sure our Airbnb was close enough to walk to most of the interesting spots. Except for that we went a bit outside of the center to visit the Chinese Gardens and the Joo Chiat Peranakan Houses.

How did we travel?

We mostly walked. Thankfully that was possible since our apartment was pretty centrally located. Honestly the highlights in Singapore are not far from each other.

The 32 euros mentioned in transportation include two uber rides to the spots that were further and not so easily accessible. The rest we spent on metro.

Where did we stay?

Accommodation was the biggest part of our budget especially since we decided to splurge a bit. We didn’t want to stay somewhere far away and travel to the center for a long time. We decided that since we were coming only for a week we would treat ourselves. We stayed in a nice room in an Airbnb apartment in a very nice art-deco neighborhood. The room itself was really stylish, cosy and with so needed airco. The apartment less so… It was a world apart: hot, dirty, not really well maintained. It's immediately obvious why we only saw the pictures of the room on Airbnb. Anyway we were satisfied. That luxury cost us 462 euros for 7 nights.

TIP! If you want to stay somewhere nice but reasonably priced the only option is an airbnb or hotel rooms without windows… I saw plenty of those on booking.com and honestly it took me a while to notice that they didn’t have a window. The pictures almost fooled me…

When looking for an airbnb make sure you check the location as many cheaper spots will be over the border already in Malaysia or really far from the center.

What did we eat?

We mostly ate local food in omnipresent food markets and food courts. Nothing extravagant but pretty good and for a reasonable price. We chose between thai curries, hainese chicken and any other goodies that they had to offer. Few times we even scored really cheap coffee or tea to accompany our meals. On average we spent 13-20 SGD (around 8-13 euro) per time for both of us. In total we paid 94 euros on eating out.

Everything we spent on ingredients for our lunches and breakfasts, which we prepared at our Airbnb, we included in the food section. Whole 97 euros. This one also contains many liters of water that we had to buy during the running around Singapore. I mention it because water was surprisingly expensive especially considering that in such a climate we drunk insane amounts of it. We always tried to look for a food court where water was cheaper than at any convenience store.

How expensive are museums, tours etc?

Good news is that there is plenty to see for free. There is no entrance fee to see the Gardens by the Bay, stunning shophouses’ facades or the Botanical Gardens.

That said there are quite few unmissable spots that cost a lot. National Gallery entrance depends on the exhibition and if you want to see just one or all of them. We paid 60 SGD for us both (around 38 euros). On the bright side you can explore the building itself and its amazing terrace for free which we didn’t know.

For both conservatories in Gardens by the Bay (since we couldn’t buy just one) we painfully said goodbye to 56 SGD (around 35 euros).

All in all we spent 107 euros on entrance fees.

Where did the rest of our money go?

In the 29 euros in miscellaneous and equipment we included printing boarding passes and contact lenses that we bought for JD.

Money- saving tips and tricks

Pay attention where your hotel/ hostel/ Airbnb is. You really don’t want to stay in Malaysia instead of Singapore! Try to stay centrally to limit the transportation costs.
Check out your credit card deals! For paying with Mastercard we got a free ticket to the OCBC Skywalk.
Eat locally! Food at local food courts and food markets is really affordable, not to mention the coffee. It’s a huge difference compared to even a mediocre restaurant.
Take as much water as possible from your accommodation. If you really need to buy more, try local food courts rather than convenience stores.
Try to volunteer! Accommodation is pretty pricey so try to volunteer to limit the costs. Not to mention the benefits of submerging in the local culture.
Enjoy the free attractions. Many spots in Singapore are free of charge. You can see the whole building of the National Gallery including the terrace for free (except for the exhibitions obviously), same with Gardens by the Bay, light show on Supertrees or Marina Bay Sands Mall. Even the Botanical Garden is free. So if you’re staying for a short period of time and you are on a tight budget than maybe think about exploring the free options first.

Exchange rate used: 1 Euro = 1.6 SGD

Our favorite spots in Kyoto

After Tokyo, Kyoto has grown to be the biggest hot spot for everyone visiting Japan. Historical sites that miraculously survived World War II, Japanese crafts, ladies dressed in kimonos and so much more. Everyone can find something interesting here. So did we. Although at the beginning we were afraid of massive crowds, our fears faded away very fast.

Our “little” secret garden of Gyoen National Garden and Imperial Palaces

Biggest surprise in Kyoto. In wonderful spots like these we expected crowds pilgrimaging their way through the sites but I guess since it’s for free most people skip it. Somehow in Japan for most it’s hard to believe that there would be something remarkable to see that is free of charge.

The Gyoen National Garden is immense and beautiful every season of the year. In spring it’s blossoming with plum flowers, magnolias and famous cherries. In autumn maple trees turn red and even in winter they have flowers in season.

In the heart of the garden there is the Kyoto Imperial Palace and Sento Imperial Palace. It’s where the royal family lived and many of the most important ceremonies where performed so there is plenty to see. Everything is well maintained, beautiful and huge. The park surrounding the palaces is an oasis of peace in this often hectic city so we spent a fair amount of time strolling through it on various days.

With hours to explore, we discovered that the park has one more hidden gem, Kaninnomiya Mansion, old noble residence with a little garden and pond on its own. Before the capital was moved to Tokyo there were 200 households of imperial family members and court nobles, just like this one. Now only this one is standing and with a huge effort it was brought back to the original style from the Edo period together with a small teahouse. It shows simple beauty of Japanese architecture and it doesn’t hurt that that one is also free of charge.

Bamboo madness of Arashiyama

This area of Kyoto is mostly known for its bamboo forest which seems to be the only one in the world judging by the crowds 🙂 We went after sunrise so we had it all for ourselves and we had enough time to walk around the neighborhood. Surprisingly it’s a very peaceful almost rural part of this booming city. It’s just perfect for a stroll through alley's of trees and houses. Not to mention the variety of small, charming temples scattered absolutely everywhere.

Endless red tunnel of Fushimi Inari shrine

Probably the most famous Shinto temple and the most visited place in Kyoto. But it’s well worth it. We went there at sunrise and managed to skip the crowds. Not many people are crazy enough to crawl out of bed so early during their travels. The temple is beautiful but it’s the tunnel of red toris that everyone is coming for. A few kilometers of those gates lead beautifully through a forest to the top of a mountain which scares many and creates massive crowd mainly at the beginning. Along the way there are many statues of foxes that are believed to be messengers of the god of rice that the temple is devoted to.

Walking up hill we saw many signs offering setting up a tori gate. It turns out that they are donated by companies and individuals so if you want to prolong the tunnel and have some spare yen, there is still a chance! 🙂

Evening vibes of Pontocho street

It’s the oldest entertainment street in Kyoto and in the evening it’s just magical. Dim light of street lanterns, numerous restaurants and tea houses and all of it in a very, very narrow street. Many of the spots there have a nice view on the other side so the river.

We heard it is the second best place after Gion to spot geishas going to their appointments. We didn’t have the luck but we still enjoyed its vibrant, busy atmosphere in the evening.

(Mostly) window shopping in Nishiki Market and Sanjo-kai Shotengai Market

Nishiki Market is a one of the oldest shopping streets in the city. It offers a variety of shops selling fish, fruit and vegetables. Here we learnt a lot about Japanese cuisine, tasted many of the pickled veg and many types of sea weed. Worth a visit. Although we preferred less touristic Sajo-kai Shotengai Market with almost the same variety and also quite some nice cafes, restaurants and gift shops.

The old days in Gion and its temples

Probably the most touristic spot of Kyoto and for a good reason. The number of people in kimonos per capita is the highest in the world. For us it was impossible to say whether those were tourists or locals dressed for the occasion. Surprisingly most of the visitors are Chinese and Koreans so for us pretty close to Japanese beauty… especially in kimonos. We had fun guessing, that’s for sure.

Ladies and gentlemen in kimonos are not the only attraction of Gion. Strolling through streets of machiya, wooden merchant houses, we really felt like we were travelling in time and walking alongside the Geishas from “Memoirs of a Geisha”. Most of the neighborhood is crowded both with people and gift shops. To be fair, the souvenirs there are not cheesy, we spotted many stunning postcards as well as the best matcha cookies that still hunt our taste buds. For those who are not traveling on a shoe-string there is a treat of ice cream covered in golden leaf for a bargain of around 9 dollars. Possibly the most expensive ice cream that we have ever seen. The queue in front indicated that the business was doing pretty well.

Following the crowd you won’t miss the temples that are an absolute must see. Going with the flow we found Yasaka Pagoda and the Yasaka shrine and Kiyomizudera Temple further up. From there we had beautiful views over the old district and new, booming Kyoto in the far. Breathtaking sight even shared with hundreds.

Not too far off the beaten track there is Shirakawa Canal, absolutely charming part of Gion that was deserted every single time we went there.

Even more olden days in Higashiyama District

One of the best preserved historic districts of Kyoto. To recreate the feeling of the olden days the city removed telephone poles and repaved the streets in recent renovation. The street has served travelers for centuries with its small cafes, restaurants and nowadays also gift shops. For food lovers there are plenty of pickle shops as well as rice cake stands.

Magical athmosphere of Ishibei-koji Lane

It’s by far the most magical pedestrian lane in Kyoto. As part of the preservation project it’s forbidden to take pictures there. It’s the only place in the booming city where we could actually hear the shutter of the camera if there was any. It was beyond quiet even though there were a few chic restaurants and bars there. And the best part of it is that you leave the modern world outside, no cameras, no noise, no cables, nothing modern, just you and the old wooden houses.

Contemporary side of Buddhism in Nishi Hongwanji Temple

Temple of one of the biggest Buddhist sects in Japan and the emptiest sight of Kyoto. There is not a single soul visiting the temple and it’s a shame. It’s not only massive but also a XVI century construction of somehow contemporary Japanese Buddhism. Not that there is anyone there to talk about it, the people in at the nearby information sadly don’t speak any English.

It turns out the temple is also a UNESCO site.

Priester courters in Ninnaji Temple

Another UNESCO heritage site with underwhelming crowds. Maybe there is something about the word “sect” that scares people away. Ninnaji Temple is the head temple of another sect of Buddhism and was completed in 888. Unfortunately the nature and wars didn’t let the buildings from the 9^th century survive. The oldest bit of the sight is from the XVII century. We especially enjoyed Goten, former residence to the head priest consisting of many smaller rooms connected by corridors and surrounded by rock and sand gardens as well as a pond.

Zen gardens in Tofukuji Temple

Before visiting the Tofukuji Temple I associated zen gardens mostly with little, office size, sand treys with a pair of tiny rakes for a stressed businessmen to relax. Seeing it in real-life size was an incredible sight. The temple is as many in Kyoto but sitting down and looking at the circles and harmoniously placed rocks in the sand is an ultimately relaxing experience.

Bariloche

Bariloche is a town situated in the Lake District which is a very popular tourist destination during the summer for climbing, trekking, fishing and during the winter for skiing. Judging by the amount of hotels, hostels, apartments to rent and season houses it is really the argentinian top destination and it's not meant for the poor. All of the houses are gorgeous, with beautiful views and there is no garbage on the street. Now (April& May) it's practically dead, as in autumn there are not many tourists. Although in the next few months it will probably remain quite calm due to recent vulcano eruption in Chile which covered Bariloche with ashes.
But we still love it here:) The whole area is covered with forest so the rainbow of colours is absolutely spectacular (even with ash on it). The town itself is only a start point because all of the breathtaking views are just outside of it, all reachable by public transport. So we enjoyed mountain views (like from Cerro Campanario or Cerrito Llao Llao), lakes (really many), forests (Parque Llao Llao especially arrayanes trees which have really intense cinnamon colour, unfortunately they lose it when they dry out so no chance for some nice furniture).
Tempted by all of the excursions offered in the neighborhood we decided to take one to Isla Victoria and a bigger forest de Arrayanes (both in National Parque Nahuel Huapi) as there was no ferry to the island. During the trip we discovered the biggest passion of South American tourists. And I don't mean enjoying picturesque nature. Nope. Feeding seagulls is their biggest entertainment. The whole way on the boat all of them were trying to feed them with crackers, bread etc stretching themself like crazy to take the best picture. And not just one. Millions. The whole time in the boat (1.5 hr to the island and 1.5 hr back). Now we know why all the homeless dogs are so fat. And off course after all of this feast the birds needed to poo and who is a better target than a gringo tourist:)