Tuesday 22 November 2016

Johor Premium Outlet

The Johor Premium Outlet is a paradise for shoppers. Situated in Johor ( close to Singapore ) it approximately takes about 4 hours from Kuala Lumpur. As I drove from Kuala Lumpur to Johor it was mostly from point A to point B with relatively easy access.
I departed KL by 6.30am morning and got out of the city before the KL rush hour traffic build up which saved me a lot of time. Many GPS navigation maps will take you through Kulai from KL to JB but I found it quicker to take the Senai exit approximately 45 kilo meters down the highway which nearly saved me 45 minutes than travelling through Kulai ( this route might be a little more expensive as you are on the highway for longer but this is definitely quicker ). However if time is in your side then go through Kulai to experience life in the smaller towns. If you are a bigger group perhaps a hired van with a driver will make things easier for you as public transport is definitely not an option to get there.

I arrived early in the morning at JPO so parking was plenty but I cant say the same when I left in the late afternoon. Even being a weekday the outlet was packed with shoppers by late afternoon and parking was quite full. So getting there early will be helpful.


There is a large range of international shopping brands situated at the Johor Premium Outlet. It is a
sprawling shopping centre so be ready to walk for a long period. There were good discounts on may good brands, high quality products. Outlets are primarily focused on premium products such as perfumes, high end watches - large variety, men's ladies and children branded clothing, travel items, sports wear, baby clothing, shoes. I did not find any electronic items.

Almost all outlets had one type of promotion to another largely from price discounts, stock clearance items, latest arrivals. So you can easily get good quality items for good prices. Some items are the older models but very well priced. So if you do not want the latest but would like to get good quality products with good or discounted prices you can easily get many deals.






These are some of the very many outlets located at Johor Premium Outlet. Some notable brands such as Mont blanc, Versace were not located there.

Was the trip worth it ?

I spent 634 kilo meters on this day trip. I was very focused on spending much time as possible at the outlet so I was able to achieve what I set out. I left KL 6.30am and reached JPM by 10.30am and after all the shopping I left by 4.30pm and reached back KL 9pm. If you are travelling in a group or with children this would be too much to achieve and might not enjoy the outing. So it would be best to plan to stay a night in Johor and get the opportunity to see the Johor town as well and return later the next day.

Be prepared to walk, a lot. By the time I have completed the shopping spree I have clocked close to 8 km of walking at the chopping centre alone and I still could not cover some areas. I clocked 11.3 km of walking on that day alone ( thanks to my walking monitor ). You don't feel it that much as it is a very pleasant setting and relatively easy to move about. This may not be the case if it is a weekend as I heard many Singaporeans and tourists arrive on weekends so try to avoid weekends.

Do some research in KL on models and prices of things you intend to purchase. With this it will help you do a good comparison to determine whether it would be worth while to get it at JPO or in KL. I did spend sometime on the internet as well so it helped me to spot out the bargains and staying away from other offerings which in KL I could get a better deal.

As I look out for good quality products that are well priced the outing was well worth the time, effort and costs. You need to buy a lot in order for your trip to JPO to be worthwhile. There are many good bargain offers which are very well priced and especially good quality. As I visited in November many outlets did indicate they are reducing prices to clear for the new arrivals post Christmas and new year so the timing was good. If you are intending to buy few things and mostly the latest then KL sopping centres would offer you the best but if you are looking for good quality and may not be too overly concerned about the latest then Johor Premium Outlet is a paradise for shopping.

Thursday 17 November 2016

KLIA - Money changers

There is a large selection of choices when it comes to money changing facilities at KLIA. While rates may be much better in downtown KL you can with ease get your money exchanged when you arrive or depart through KLIA terminal.

Arrival Hall

At the arrival hall there are several money exchangers including facilities for you to withdraw funds from your credit card.


Money changing facility at KLIA arrival hall


Currency exchange at arrival hall
ATM facility at arrival hall

ATM facility at arrival hall

Departure Hall

There are more banking, money exchange and ATM facilities at the departure hall which situated one floor above the arrival hall.

Departure Hall money changers

Departure Hall : ATM Machines

Departure Hall : ATM Machines

Departure Hall : ATM Machines
When it comes to changing your money you can get better exchange rates in down town Kuala Lumpur. KLIA offers a wide variety and easy of getting your funds exchanged with so many options.

Thursday 10 November 2016

KLIA - getting a local SIM card

As you arrive in KL some of the most important item in your list is to get some local currency and a local SIM card for your mobile. At KLIA arrival hall these can be sorted out very quickly with the wide variety of options available.

As you exit the arrival hall there are many kiosks operated 24 hours daily you can get a local SIM card as well as get your money exchanged. In addition to options at the arrival hall there are further options available at the departure floor ( one floor above the arrival hall ).

Options at the arrival hall for SIM cards. The most commonly used networks with good coverage, data and rates are Digi, Maxis, Celcom and U Mobile.

Digi networks works great in KL and other parts of the country and offers 4G high speed data transfer

Maxis - Hotlink pre paid mobile SIM cards. Good coverage overall and 4G

Celcom offered very good coverage in KL and other parts of the country including 4G

Good coverage in KL and surrounding
By Malaysian law you are required to produce your passport or identification card to register for a SIM card from any of the above options. Once you have obtained your SIM you can easily top up further credit in downtown Kuala Lumpur. If you do miss the opportunity of getting your SIM at the airport not to worry as you can easily get a SIM downtown Kuala Lumpur.

Free of charge wifi facility at KLIA

Don't forget KLIA offers a free of charge wifi facility within the airport terminal. So once you arrive at the terminal you can easily login to the airport wifi and get connected and stay in touch until you get your SIM card and activate your data package as well. This is a great feature most guests utilize to stay in touch.


Saturday 5 November 2016

Luggage storage at KLIA airport

Many guests enquire from us about places where they can leave their luggage. A number of guests after checking out from the apartment go for a short holiday in other domestic destinations which does not require them to take all their luggage with them. With this facility guests can leave behind some of their luggage while on holiday and quickly collect them before getting on to another flight home with ease and comfort.

The Luggage Storage Facility at KLIA terminal
 The storage facility is located at the arrival hall, floor.
Luggage storage facility at KLIA : charges as at November 2016. Please do check their promotional rates offered from time to time.


Wednesday 2 November 2016

KLIA self check in and self print baggage tag kiosk



50 self check in kiosks available
Malaysia Airlines is now providing an option for all Economy Class passengers to make use of the self-service check-in kiosk and bag drop facility at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This allows passengers to check-in online by mobile or at a self-service kiosk at KLIA. This option includes flights to domestic destinations. In addition passengers can now self-print baggage tags for all its domestic and international flights from 18th Aug 16 at the departure lounge check in kiosks.

The above are great options to quickly complete the check in process and go to the dedicated luggage drop off lines and avoid the hassle of having to wait in long check in queues and simplify the travel experience at KLIA. With the new system, the check-in process from kiosks to baggage drop counters is expected to be significantly shorter.

Passengers who check-in via mobile or web option can also print their own baggage tags using nearly 50 kiosks available at the departure gates. We gave a try on the kisok and it was pretty easy and the step by step guides eased the process. In the event if you run in to any issues or need any assistance there were many standee MAS ground staff around to enquire.

KLIA self check and baggage tag kiosk
Easy to use step by step process


Each passanger is allowed a maximum of two printed baggage tags using the kiosk. As for Malaysian Airlines-Economy passengers are allowed to check in a maximum of 2 pieces of baggage weighing 30kg in total.
Baggage tag process
The process was very smooth and straight forward and it is much like other kiosks we have used in other airports in Europe. However you should still be at the airport 3 hours prior for interntional flights and 2 hours for domestic flights. More information is available at http://www.klia.com.my and http://www.malaysiaairlines.com

Friday 7 October 2016

Sunway Putra Mall

The Sunway Putra Mall just across the apartment has been fully refurbished and reopened. There are so many options to dine ( Malaysian, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese, Western among others ) and do all your shopping ( high end and reasonably priced ) and others. Check out the many stores open there now. The Mall is open from 10am in the morning to 10am in the evening. Just to give you an idea but will up date soon....
















Thursday 8 September 2016

Train Service Disruption

Due to heavy rain this morning ( Friday 9th September 2016 ) several train lines to and from Kuala Lumpur are experiencing delays. Some lines have been temporarily shut down due to a power outage earlier in the morning and others are operating at reduced speed. Many train stations are overcrowded due to build of passengers. Shuttle bus services are bring provided to the affected train lines. So please plan your journey and provide plenty of time to reach your destination.