Train ES 45 from Gemas to JB Sentral is the last remnant of the diesel railway service of the West Coast railway line of Malaysia. Malaysia has been gradually modernising the line from Padang Besar to Johor Bahru. Most of the line has been electrified and double tracked, and the new line is now used […]
Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by train
Getting the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore involves three separate train journeys. Here are the trains to book and how to buy the tickets. There used to be a direct train service from Kuala Lumpur to Singpaore. That service was discontinued in 2011, and the rail corridor in Singapore has been turned into a […]
Singapore Rail Corridor: The former railway line that’s now a walking path
The Singapore Rail Corridor (formerly the Green Corridor) is a walking path and nature reserve along the old Singapore railway line. This is a guide for walking the Rail Corridor, including where to see the best sections. Index About the old Singapore railway Singapore Rail Corridor map Walking the Singapore Rail Corridor North Central South […]
Where to stay in Da Nang: The best areas and most notable hotels
Da Nang is increasingly becoming a travel hotspot in Southeast Asia. Located midway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, this city is geographically blessed with a river and seafront, and surrounded by mountains. It wasn’t long ago that travellers bypassed Da Nang on the way to and from Hoi An. Nowadays Da Nang has […]
Where to stay in Macau: The best areas and hotels
Macau (or Macao in English) is a former colonial trading port of Portugal on the Pearl River estuary in Southern China. Macau was returned back to China in 1999, and it’s governed as a Special Administrative Region of China (like Hong Kong). While it’s much smaller than its counterpart across the river, Macau has made […]
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station: A guide to the most beautiful station in Southeast Asia
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is the former central station of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The building is one of the most beautiful railway stations* in Southeast Asia**, and it often ranks among the most beautiful railway stations in the world. The station was built between 1910 and 1917, and the building is notable for its unique […]
Notes on Rantau Prapat, and a rant about Google, Tripadvisor, KAI, and Tourism Indonesia
Rantau Prapat is a city in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Its main claim to fame is that it’s at the end of a railway line, which was what brought me there. There are things to do outside the city, but you wouldn’t know it from the railway website or Tourism Indonesia. And I’m going to rant […]
Notes on Medan: Gateway to North Sumatra
Medan is the largest city on the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It’s the capital of the province of North Sumatra, and if you are visiting Lake Toba and/or Gunung Leuser National Park (for the orangutans) then you will pass through here. I have a soft spot for Medan as it was the first place […]
Notes on Koh Lipe: The beachiest holiday island in Thailand
This island in Thailand had everything I wanted in a tropical beach break. Ko Lipe is a Thai island in the Andaman Sea in Satun Province. It’s the most southerly island you can stay at before crossing the maritime border of Malaysia. Ko Lipe is about 3 km in length and 1.8 km at the […]
Notes on Hat Yai: Thailand’s laid-back southern city
Hat Yai is a city in Songkhla province in southern Thailand, near the Malaysian border. It’s a major travel hub, with a railway junction and international airport. There’s a good chance you’ll pass through here if you’re travelling to the Satun Islands or to or from Malaysia. Hat Yai is not a typical tourist city, […]
