Getting to Malaysia

BY AIR
There are no direct flights from Canada to Malaysia, but onward connecting arrangements with other airlines exist. A large number of visitors to Malaysia arrive by air. There are six international airports in Malaysia with the main gateway being the KL International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang in the state of Selangor. The rest of the country including Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan in East Malaysia is well serviced by 14 domestic airports and airstrips for the rural areas.

The fully-computerized, state-of-the-art KLIA which was opened in mid-1998 is one of the most modern airport in the world and has replaced the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang as the premier international gateway into Malaysia. The KLIA is a four-runway airport facility capable of handling an initial 25 million passengers per annum with facilities for expansion to 45 million passengers per annum.

Incorporated into the airport's design are an -automated people-mover shuttle system which links the satellite building at which passengers disembark, to a contact pier where immigration and customs clearances take place, and finally to the airport terminal building. An aerotrain from the contact pier brings passengers to the terminal building in two minutes. This fully automated baggage and passenger clearance system ensures reduced waiting time.

The airport terminal building has suitable rest, recreation, dining and duty free shopping areas. Besides shops and restaurants, a recreational facility, the Hotel Airside Transit, offers a fitness centre with gym, steam and sauna. An international class hotel is located within walking distance from the terminal building. Car rental, bus and coach, taxi, limousine and rail services into the city of Kuala Lumpur and neighbouring towns are available at KLIA.

KLIA is located about 50km from the city of Kuala Lumpur and linked via the ELITE Expressway which runs north to Kuala Lumpur. The journey takes about one hour. There is also a highway that runs east to the town of Nilai along the North-South Expressway. This expressway links the main towns on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The KTM Komuter train service operates from Kuala Lumpur to the town of Nilai, which is a junction point to other towns. An Express Rail Link (ERL) from KL Sentral, Outgoing air travellers will be able to check in at KL Sentral and take the ERL to the KL International Airport.

BY SEA
Both Peninsular Malaysia and Sabah and Sarawak in Borneo are accessible via their sea ports. Malaysia's largest modern sea port is Port Klang, located midway on the-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It has excellent harbourage and is a major shipping and cargo terminal. Other sea ports are in Penang and Langkawi, in the north of Peninsular Malaysia, Johor to the south and Kuantan to the east.

Westport and Pulau lndah
Port Klang is already serviced by its North Port and South Port facilities but a recent development is the international harbour city, Westport located on the island of Pulau lndah, lying just beside Port Klang., Pulau indah is a free trade zone and is undergoing development as an industrial, commercial and residential hub. Recreational and tourism development projects include a marina and resorts. The Westport stretching over I I km, with a natural depth of 14-18m is designed to be a high-tech regional port to ships from all over the world. it has a container terminal, large warehouse area and commercial centre. It is also the site of the largest cruise ship terminal in the Asia-Pacific region, known as the Star Cruise Terminal. Star Cruises and the Empress Cruise Lines are the major international leisure cruise lines that call at Penang, Port Kiang, Melaka and Langkawi.

BY ROAD
Located 48km north of Alor Setar in the northern state of Kedah, Bukit Kayu Hitam is the main entry point into Malaysia for visitors from Thailand. The Malaysian immigration and customs post is located near restaurants, shops, car parks and a duty-free shopping complex. The North-South Expressway links Bukit Kayu Hitam to Kuala Lumpur, 490km away. Padang Besar in Malaysia's northern-most state of Perlis serves as another entry point. It is on the main rail route and a daily train service from Bangkok stops here. Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) or Malayan Railway provides the international express from Butterworth to Haadyai in Thailand and has regular services from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur and on to Singapore.

The exclusive Eastern and Oriental Express also romances this route on a nearly 2,000km journey from Singapore to Bangkok with frequent stops at scenic locations, over a two-day period. Johor Bahru is the main southern entry-point into Peninsular Malaysia for visitors entering Malaysia from Singapore. The North-South Expressway links Johor Bahru with Kuala Lumpur 220km to the north and takes in several towns along the way. A causeway carrying a road and railway, connects Johor Bahru to Singapore. Immigration and Customs checkpoints are based at the entrance to the Causeway. A second bridge links Tanjung Kupang 30km south-west of Johor Bahru, to Tuas in Singapore. Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) has train services connecting Singapore to Johor Bahru and other states in the peninsula right up to P Padang Besar on the border with Thailand.

                                                    Malaysia Hotels