MALAYSIAlonelyplanet.com TRANSPORT •• Getting Around
In Malaysian Borneo, MASwings (%1300 883
000, outside Malaysia 03-7843 3000; http://www.maswings.com
.my) offers local flights within and between
Sarawak and Sabah. These services are very
much reliant on the vagaries of the weather
and book up during school holidays.
Bicycle
The main road system in Malaysia has good
surfaces, making the country good for bike
touring, but the secondary road system is
limited. Mountain bikes are recommended
for forays off the beaten track.
KL Bike Hash (www.bikehash.freeservers.com) has a
whole load of useful information and links
to other cycling-connected sites in Malaysia.
Also see David’s Cycling Adventure (www.bicycletour
i ngmalaysia.com).
Boat
There are no ferry services between
Malaysian Borneo and the peninsula. On
a local level, there are boats and ferries be-
tween the peninsula and offshore islands,
and along the rivers of Sabah and Sarawak –
see the relevant sections for details. If a boat
looks overloaded or otherwise unsafe, do not
board it.
Bus
Peninsular Malaysia has an excellent bus
system. Public buses do local runs and a
variety of privately operated buses gener-
ally handle the longer trips. In larger towns
there may be several bus stations. Local and
regional buses often operate from one sta-
tion and long-distance buses from another;
in other cases, KL for example, bus sta-
tions are differentiated by the destinations
they serve.
Buses are economical and comfortable, and
on major runs you can usually just turn up and
get on the next bus. On many routes there are
air-conditioned buses, which usually cost just
a few ringgit more than regular buses – but take
your arctic gear, the air-con is usually pumped
up to the max! Ekspres, in the Malaysian con-
text, often means indeterminate stops.
In Sabah, daily express buses follow the
paved arc from Kota Kinabalu to Tawau, pass-
ing most of the tourism hotspots. Circling
back to Kota Kinabalu through the south is a
more difficult task, as there’s no public bus.
It’s important to note that many of Sabah’s
natural gems are managed by private organi-
sations, so you may find yourself on a tour
more times than not.
Travel by road in Sarawak is generally good,
and the road from Kuching to the Brunei
border is surfaced all the way. Express buses
ply the Kuching–Brunei route all the time,
although it should be noted that the boat ride
from Kuching to Sibu is significantly faster
than the bus route (see p513 for details).Car & Motorcycle
Roads in Malaysia are generally high quality
and driving standards aren’t too hair-raising.
Road rules are basically the same as in Britain
and Australia. Driving in KL and some of the
bigger cities can be a nightmare, however,
and you’ll always have to keep an eye out for
motorcyclists and animals. Cars are right-
hand drive and you drive on the left side of
the road. The speed limit is officially 110km
per hour.
Unlimited-distance car-rental rates cost
from around RM176/1155per day/week,
including insurance and collision-damage
waiver.
Be aware that insurance companies will
most likely wash their hands of you if you
injure yourself driving a motorcycle without
a licence.Hitching
Malaysia has long had a reputation for being
an excellent place to hitchhike but, with the
ease of bus travel, most travellers don’t bother.
On the west coast hitching is quite easy but it’s
not possible on the main lebuhraya (highway).
On the east coast traffic is lighter and there
may be long waits between rides. Of course
hitching is never entirely safe and you do so
at your own risk.Local Transport
Local transport varies but almost always
includes local buses and taxis. In a few
Peninsular Malaysian towns there are also
bicycle rickshaws but in general these are
dying out. The best towns for rickshaws are
Georgetown and Melaka.
In the bigger cities across Malaysian Borneo
you’ll find taxis, buses and minibuses. Once
you’re out of the big cities, though, you’re
basically on your own and must either walk
or hitch. If you’re really in the bush your
alternatives are riverboats, aeroplanes or
lengthy jungle treks.437