From Penang To Kota Baru

[s_kates81]

Hello

I wanna know once we r in penang,how can we go to kotabaru? are there regular buses or trains available? anybody knows?

[lopburi3]

There is no train service across Malaysia so you would have to go almost to Singapore and then backtrack.

There is bus service - it is a long trip.

Remember it is extremely conservative on the Kota Baru side.

[66fergy]

You can catch a bus from Butterworh, takes about 6/7hrs if my memory serves me right. If you want a beer in KB find a Chinese run place

[kat]

Hello

I wanna know once we r in penang,how can we go to kotabaru? are there regular buses or trains available? anybody knows?

Hi:

I'm leaving for Penang by July 1st, and plan to go to the islands off the coast of kotabaru. I will either try to get the bus across to KB, or travel down the west coast to Kula Lumpur and work my way up the east coast. It's really conservative in KB, and from what I hear the areas half way down the west coast near Lankawi and Pulau Penang. Does anyone know how intense it will be for a woman travelling alone, especially on long range transportation, such as a interprovincial bus ride? Also, if there are any other solo female travellers out there that are making the trip, do you want to venture forth together for part of the way? I have to leave by July 1st for visa purposes.

I always travel by myself, and it's never a problem, but I've heard mixed reviews about women travelling alone in Malaysia. Any thoughts on this?

[s_kates81]

there shouldn't be any problems for a solo woman travelling in malaysia,as far as I think.Coz malaysia is a well developed and tolerant south east asian country.unlike Cambodia,Loas,Burma and Vietnam.

[Yohan]

Hello

      I wanna know once we r in penang,how can we go to kotabaru? are there regular buses or trains available? anybody knows?

I'm leaving for Penang by July 1st, and plan to go to the islands off the coast of kotabaru. I will either try to get the bus across to KB, or travel down the west coast to Kula Lumpur and work my way up the east coast. It's really conservative in KB, and from what I hear the areas half way down the west coast near Lankawi and Pulau Penang. Does anyone know how intense it will be for a woman travelling alone, especially on long range transportation, such as a interprovincial bus ride? Also, if there are any other solo female travellers out there that are making the trip, do you want to venture forth together for part of the way? I have to leave by July 1st for visa purposes.

I always travel by myself, and it's never a problem, but I've heard mixed reviews about women travelling alone in Malaysia. Any thoughts on this?

1-There are regular long distance buses Penang (Butterworth) to Kota Bahru. It is a long and slow trip over the mountains from the West Coast to the East coast.....

2- Kelantan district (Kota Bahru) and also Terengganu district can be compared with the Iran. The regional government is considering banning women, who are too beautiful, for Government work (no joke!), they are also studying a total ban on computers, any games, television, cinema and so on.....

3- Terengganu and Kelantan are NOT a safe area during nighttime, with a lot of young men out, totally into drugs....violence and so on.... Kota Bahru and Tumpat are located near to the Southern Thai Muslim provinces border - dangerous area!

4- You will feel safer, if you dress up like a Muslim woman......Cover your hair, and use a dressing code, covering your feet and your arms.... Otherwise young men there might follow you up with more than direct remarks....

5- The long distance bus-ride is safe, no reason to worry about travel by public transport......

6- Warning: Do not visit remote areas there alone by yourself - (like the huge reclining Buddha of the Wat Phothivihan, or the beaches of Kuala Besar) - always go early in morning with a local (for example, hire a cheap taxi for some trips always with the same driver), and make sure to be on the return route back not later than 0400PM - NEVER accept anything like sweets, and NEVER drink any alcohol.

7- Malaysia WestCoast (Penang) cannot be compared with Malaysia North East (Kota Bahru!)

No problem on the west Coast like Penang, Langkawi, or on the mainland like Kangar or Alor Star....

I am very familiar with South Thailand and Northern Malaysia....please feel free to PM to me, if you have any questions...

Johann

[Yohan]

There is no train service across Malaysia so you would have to go almost to Singapore and then backtrack.

There is bus service - it is a long trip.

Remember it is extremely conservative on the Kota Baru side.

By train you have to go first to Thailand (Hadyai) and then change to Sungai Golok, passing the border again into Tumpat and Kota Bahru.

Hadyai (Songkhla) is a good jump-off point to NorthEastern Malaysia.

There are daily several times express buses between Hadyai and Sungai Golok, and it is easy to pass the border there into Malaysia....Several good hotels available in Sungai Golok, if you have to stay overnight there.

It is easy by minibus services from Penang to enter Thailand (Hadyai) and then (same or next day) to change for the express bus to Sungai Golok.

Maybe nice to check a bit around Songkhla area, too.

Be aware, south of Songkhla are Thai-Muslim regional provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani. Dangerous during night-time! Same dangerous on the other side of the border in Malaysia. Make sure, you have accomodation before it is getting dark!