Visa Run To Kuala Lumpur

[mapletree]

(Oops! I just posted this in the wrong forum--sorry! Newbie. Here we are again.)

I'm doing a visa run to KL next week from Chiang Mai. We'll fly direct if possible. Or come back through Bangkok if we have to.

Questions:

Can we make it to the embassy on time when we fly in the first day to turn in the paperwork? What's the travel time from the airport? (I think we have to be at the embassy by 12 or 12:30.)

What's the best way to get to the embassy from the airport?

Any recommendations of where to stay?

Anything that's must-see while we wait for my visa? Or might-as-well-see-it-since-you're-here?

We're trying to figure if we can do this run in two nights or have to book three.

Thanks much for any tips!

[Simmo]

I did a Sunday arrival, stayed 2 nights. Apply for visa on Monday morning and pick up and left on Tuesday afternoon. I guess you could do it with a 1 night stay if you arrived early enough. The Air Asia flight arrived about 11am so couldn't do it with them.

From airport to embassy is about 1hr 20mins.

Nothing really must see apart from Petronas Towers. The popular hotel / shopping tourist area is Bukit Bintang about 15mins from the embassy. Reasonable to upmarket priced hotels there.

[mapletree]

I did a Sunday arrival, stayed 2 nights. Apply for visa on Monday morning and pick up and left on Tuesday afternoon. I guess you could do it with a 1 night stay if you arrived early enough. The Air Asia flight arrived about 11am so couldn't do it with them.

From airport to embassy is about 1hr 20mins.

Nothing really must see apart from Petronas Towers. The popular hotel / shopping tourist area is Bukit Bintang about 15mins from the embassy. Reasonable to upmarket priced hotels there.

Were you flying from Bangkok? What airline did you use?

[kasi]

You need to drop off your passport before 11:30am. There is an hour time difference(KL is 1 hour later). So arriving and dropping off the same day is not really feasible.

I usually stay at the Princess hotel which is a 5 minute walk to the embassy and near a lot of shops and restaurants.

I seem to remember that the embassy opens at 9am. Get there early to be first in line. Bring a pen and something to write on and go stand by the entry door to the visa room while you fill out the tracing paper thin application form.

You can pick up your visa between 11:00-12:30.

There probably is a late afternoon flight back to BKK so you could get it done with only two nights in KL.

From Phuket it's a three night stay in KL.

Edited November 14, 2006 by kasi

[PhilHarries]

(Oops! I just posted this in the wrong forum--sorry! Newbie. Here we are again.)

I'm doing a visa run to KL next week from Chiang Mai. We'll fly direct if possible. Or come back through Bangkok if we have to.

Questions:

Can we make it to the embassy on time when we fly in the first day to turn in the paperwork? What's the travel time from the airport? (I think we have to be at the embassy by 12 or 12:30.)

What's the best way to get to the embassy from the airport?

Any recommendations of where to stay?

Anything that's must-see while we wait for my visa? Or might-as-well-see-it-since-you're-here?

We're trying to figure if we can do this run in two nights or have to book three.

Thanks much for any tips!

AirAsia does have a direct service Chiang Mia to KL don't know if any others do or not.

Would recommend a two night minimum trip say arrive Sun pm, embassy first thing Mon, pick up visa Tue am. Problem now is that AirAsia KL to CM flight is 08:50 so you'll have to stay till Wed. Alternatively fly via BKK, probably not that much more expensive when you take the extra night in KL into account.

If you fly AirAsia you'll be into and out of LCCT (Low Cost Carrier Terminal) so you'll have to make absolutely sure your taxi driver on return leg has this fixed in his mind. Be prepared to labour the point as taxi drivers here speak good English but don't always understand it. LCCT to KL Central takes a little over the hour and costs around 60-80 Ringgit (x10=Baht). If you are flying Thai or Malaysian then the KLIA Express gets you to KL Sentral in 28 mins with trains every 15 mins, cost 35 Ringgit.

Probably more interest than the twin towers (you can only go up to the skybridge) is Menara KL where you can get right to the top and get good views over KL (haze permitting). A vist to Chinatown (Petaling Street) is good if you like to do some street shopping but it aint cheap compared to Thailand.

More if I think of any.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

(Oops! I just posted this in the wrong forum--sorry! Newbie. Here we are again.)

I'm doing a visa run to KL next week from Chiang Mai. We'll fly direct if possible. Or come back through Bangkok if we have to.

Questions:

Can we make it to the embassy on time when we fly in the first day to turn in the paperwork? What's the travel time from the airport? (I think we have to be at the embassy by 12 or 12:30.)

What's the best way to get to the embassy from the airport?

Any recommendations of where to stay?

Anything that's must-see while we wait for my visa? Or might-as-well-see-it-since-you're-here?

We're trying to figure if we can do this run in two nights or have to book three.

Thanks much for any tips!

I would avoid monday's at the consulate. They can be really busy.

You can take the Red "Sky Bus" (air asia) from the LCCT for 9 ringgits. Its direct to KL Sentral and the bus is very good quality.