Trip to Singapore and Melakka

Trip details:

Langkawi to Kuala Perlis ~ Ferry / Kuala Perlis to Kangar ~ Taxi / Kangar to Butterworth ~ Bus / Butterwort to Georgetown (Penang) ~ Ferry / Penang to Johor Bahru ~ Plane /
Johor Bahru to Singapore ~ Bus / Singapore to Johor Bahru ~ MRT / Johor Bahru to Melaka ~Bus / Melaka back to Johor ~ Bus / Johor back to Penang ~ Plane and eventually back to Langkawi the same way we came.

Singapore Skyline 

We set off around 6:30am to catch the 7:30 ferry from Langkawi, but when we arrived in Kuala Perlis we were told; "No bus from here, have to go to Kangar" This came as a complete surprise as normally all buses from Butterworth stop at this ferry terminal. So we jumped in a taxi, which cost us 15RM and arrived just 3 minutes before the bus was leaving to Butterworth. The buses we experienced in Malaysia are very comfortable and cheap and we like travelling with them, lots of leg room. Just always have a jumper with you, as some of the buses are absolutely freezing.
 We arrived safely in Butterworth  took the ferry across to Georgetown and went on from there with the bus to Penang airport. We had booked our flights well in advance with Air Asia, when they had an offer on so it was cheap to go by plane to Johor. Once we got from the airport to the bus station in Johor Bahru we knew, our hotel was only about 600m away but there was a problem, called a 6 lane motorway. No way could we get across by foot and when we asked a girl at the bus station how we could get to our hotel she warned us not to walk, it would be too dangerous, too many bags get snatched, especially from tourists. Ok, so we looked out for a taxi, but how come there is never one around when you need one. Eventually a guy offered to take us for 15RM and we were glad for the lift. (We later found out this trip by taxi would cost no more but 6RM) oh well, you win some and you lose some and we were just glad to be in our hotel, the Golden Court.  We were pleased with the place, nice rooms friendly staff and a complimentary breakfast (Malay style)

Entrance hall to the border

After a good night`s sleep we went by taxi to the border to Singapore where we caught a bus on the Malay side taking us to the nearest MRT station in Singapore. The bus stops at the border, you have to walk across and catch the bus on the other side, all I can say: "Well organised chaos" but you find that at every bus station in Malaysia.
We made our way with the MRT to Geylang where our hotel the Orchid81 is situated and even though we knew it was in the red light district in Singapore, we did not expect prostitutes right outside of the hotel, together with their pimp who kept driving around on a little moped collecting the money from the girls. When we sat outside one evening having a cigarette, all of a sudden all the girls around the hotel (about 8 of them) started running and disappeared within seconds, but no wonder, a police car came around the corner. Once they had gone, all the girls came back and took their positions as before, but the pimps were busy on their phones ringing others up, we guessed to warn the of police presence. It was better than TV :) We would not recommend this place to anyone though. The rooms are small, the manager unfriendly, but at least it was cheap and easy to find.
In Singapore we went to see the famous Marina Sands Bay Hotel an absolute must when you are there. The architecture is well amazing and when you go to the top and see the skyline and pool (free tours available, check when you pay the entry fee) you are quite breathless.

Marina Sands Bay Casino, Hotel Theatres etc.. 

The pool at the top

Girls posing at the top

In the gardens behind the hotel

Light show in the gardens

Night view of Gardens and big wheel (Singapore Flyer)

Behind the hotel are gardens (free entry) and every night is a musical light show
on which is also worth seeing. Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world, but if you look around and go for local food (especially in China Town) it can be cheap and the quality is good too. We walked all day and it was hot, so we decided to go in to a small exhibition building next to the hotel, just to enjoy a little bit of aircon, when Fiona pointed two chairs out with some strange box in front of them. We walked over and a guy came up, asked if we had walked a lot and when we said yes, he said they were feet massaging chairs and it was for free. Hey, free, that`s my thing...we sat in them and really loved it. Feet refreshed and a little cooler we carried on all day just being amazed by this city.

Getting massaged for free

Would you have guessed? It is The Chinese year of the snake

Well worth a visit is also the botanical garden and Sentosa Island in Singapore, but hopefully you are more lucky then us because it pored it down with rain when we went. 3 days Singapore came to an end and we had to go back to Johor to the same hotel as before. We decided to go to Melaka (Malacca) next, it had always interested us and we thought while we are in the South we might as well. The bus journey took 3 hours and cost 19RM.

Beach on Sentosa Island

Free fall simulator on Sentosa

Yes, off with the bus again to Melaka, where we found a nice guest house right by the river. It had a shared bathroom, spacious rooms, free coffee, tea and biscuits, situated right in the heart of China town. It was called Oriental Residence and we really liked it. You can contact them here. The owners name is Asri.

River walk

Red lanterns in China town Melaka

By the river

Melaka is also well worth a visit, quite touristy, but the old buildings are great, the flair is totally relaxed and at night everything was lit up with red lanterns which was amazing. We walked everywhere, including a new shopping complex where we saw on the index map was a 6D cinema on the 4th floor. With some time on our hands we went on the search for it and after about 1 hour found the escalator, but it was closed. Why?? Easy...the 4th floor had not yet been built :))
It was soon time to take the bus again back to Johor and on by plane to Penang where we stayed again with Christopher from Penang Budget Hotels. After 2 nights in Penang we went back to our little house in Langkawi. This trip involved a lot of travelling and walking, but we met nice people and it was all worth it. There are many more pictures, you can see them all here.