Talking about travelling in 2020 it’s kind of pleasant, but also frustrating at the same time. We don’t know when we can do this again because of this uncertain situation. Hopefully, it’s getting better and we can have the time as it used to be. Well, before we get it back again in our hands, I’d like to share my experiences in 2 countries and 3 cities in 6 days and 5 nights with only IDR 3 million. So, before you burn your curiosity haha, here I go.
Okay, my trip was planned in November 2018, my friends and I just managed to arrange this, and we made our time to collect the money since we were students at the time. After several months, it was exactly in February 2019, we met again to buy the ticket for our trip on April 20 to April 25, 2019. Yes we bought the ticket from CGK – SIN (Changi) via Jetstar with only IDR 404.900 with no additional baggage since we just brought a backpacker and a tote bag, I mean each of us since the regulation itself just provided 7kg only/each and it includes the liquid which is maximum 100 ml/bottle.
According to our itinerary, we spent only 2 days a night in Singapore (April 20 to 21). So, why though? Well, our main destination was Kuala Lumpur, but one of my friends was in Singapore first with her family and we decided to meet her on the 21st of April 2019 there. Back to where we started, on the first day (20th of April 2019), I went to the Soetta Airport at 11.00 a.m from my home in Kebayoran, South Jakarta and the flight was at 15.10 p.m. I made it via Damri from Blok M, which I think was the best choice for me since it only cost IDR 40.000 with comfy facilities.
After 3 hours flight and thank God no delay, we arrived around 18.00 and it was bright afternoon since the sunset there was around 19.30 to 20.00 and we took the Singapore maps in the airport and spent a little time to see the Jewel and it was totally crowded (if I’m not mistaken It was the grand opening time so ya you can imagine wkwk). Next, we continued our trip to the place where we stayed for a night via MRT (Changi to Bugis IDR 25.000), which was the Atlantis Pod @Bugis with only IDR 335.000 for a single pod in a deluxe mixed dormitory. It was totally a great place (Singapore’s standard I mean), but if you are sensitive to noise then I don’t recommend you to stay at a hostel as I did. There were lots of people in the room and you can’t control everyone there so ya just hmmm.
It’s late in the evening and Singapore was just getting darker. As I arrived at the hostel around 20.30 and I put my baggage in my locker. Then, my friend and I had our night walk around Bugis street, and we made our first dinner at Kampong Glam Café. It is a Melayunese food so it’s quite similar to Indonesian food. I ordered nasi goreng seafood for IDR 80.000. The taste? It’s just ordinary food, nothing special I just ate to be full haha and also reduced the expenses (it’s one of the cheapest halal restaurants in Bugis I guess). Anyway, we guys must be grateful to be Indonesian, since we have the best food in the world, and I can guarantee this lol. Hence, we went back to our hostel after 23.00 for taking a break because we needed to wake up earlier in the morning to explore the city.
The next day arrived, I woke up at 04.30 a.m. since I couldn’t sleep and just wanted to take a shower first before the others came. At 06.30 a.m., we went to MRT St. Bayfront to see what Singapore has to offer in the morning. I was amazed because Singapore's skyline is full of concrete jungle, but it has a fresh air where the bird’s sound in the morning just made me feel like I was in the middle of the jungle so yeah, what a nice combo! Time flew and it was 10.00 a.m. and we went back to Bugis street to meet one of my friends and her family there. It was again at the Kampong Glam Café. We were treated by her family so no expenses for our brunch on that day yuhuuu. Finally, at 11.30 a.m. we went back to our hostel for checking out since we needed to leave by the latest at 12.00 p.m. and decided to take a shower first since it was totally a hot day in Singapore.
After checking out, I was heading to Johor Bahru Central via one of the local buses from Queen street bus terminal Singapore (We just walked for 15 minutes from our hostel) and it only cost IDR 33.000. Then, it’s around 14.30 and we arrived at Johor Bahru Central after being checked by the immigration officers twice both in Singapore and Johor Bahru. Afterwards, we went to the Johor Bahru City Square for some food. I ordered for the Subway and then curious for Malaysian’s KFC, I managed to try it for around IDR 25.000 and Indonesian’s KFC is surely unbeatable for me.
Thereafter, it’s 20.00 and we would be heading to the Senai Airport at 20.00 by a bus from the Johor Bahru Central and it cost for IDR 20.000 only (Fyi, I ordered it via its website before this trip). It took us around 30 minutes until we arrived there, and our flight was going to be at 22.25 but it’s delayed for 1 hour actually via Air Asia. We bought the ticket for only IDR 188.000 to Kuala Lumpur Airport with a half and 20 minutes flight duration. Yet, we spent all night at Kuala Lumpur airport, and we spent some money for foods like Burger King, Starbucks, and KFC again (totally a regret). Lastly, we bought a local sim-card for IDR 126.000 and we only needed one for the google-maps-use-only therefore it was divided for three people, which meant IDR 42.000/each and my friend used it on her phone.
Afterwards, it’s 12.30 p.m. and we were heading to our place for staying via Grab and it cost around IDR 110.000/person. Finally, we just checked in Regalia Suites Apartment at 14.00 on Monday, 22nd of April 2019 for 4 days 3 nights with only IDR 350.000/person (3 queen-sized-bed, huge bathroom, Petronas view, Infinity pool, and everything was worthy) via Airbnb what an achievement wkwkwk. After we got there, it was a full day of sleeping since we were truly getting tired and for dinner and some snacks, we just walked to Sunway Putra Mall since it’s right next to our apartment. Thereafter, we just went back to sleep again since tomorrow would be a tiring, but also exciting day. Without further ado, I will summarize my itinerary from the 1st day until here in Kuala Lumpur.
DAY 1 (Saturday, 20th of April 2019)
10.30 – OTW Soetta Airport via Damri Blok M
12.00 – Arrived @Soetta Airport
14.40 – Boarding Jetstar (CGK – SIN)
15.10 – Take off
18.00 – Landed @Changi Airport
18.45 – Saw the Jewel Changi
19.45 – OTW Bugis MRT Station via Changi
20.30 – Arrived @Atlantis Pod Bugis
21.20 – Dinner @Kampong Glam Café
23.00 – Back to Hostel and Took a Rest
DAY 2 (Sunday, 21st of April 2019)
04.30 – Woke up & Took a shower
06.30 – Went to Bayfront MRT Station from Bugis
07.00 – Took Some Photos, Walked Around, and Snacked at 7eleven
10.00 – Back to Bugis & Met a Friend @Kampong Glam Café for brunch
12.00 – Checked Out @Atlantis Pod
12.30 – Headed to Queen Street Bus Terminal Singapore
13.00 – OTW Johor Bahru Central
14.30 – Arrived @Johor Bahru Central
15.00 – Lunch & Dinner @Johor Bahru City Square
20.00 – OTW Senai Airport
20.40 – Arrived @Senai Airport
22. 25 – Boarding Airasia (JHB – KLIA)
23.45 – Landed @Kuala Lumpur Airport
24.00 – Stayed @Airport for a Night (Foods & Sim card)
DAY 3 (Monday, 22nd of April 2019)
12.30 – OTW Regalia Suites
14.00 – Checked In @Regalia Suites
14.30 – Full Day Break
20.00 – Dinner & Snacks @Sunway Putra Mall
22.00 – Slept
DAY 4 (Tuesday, 23rd of April 2019)
10.00 – OTW Thean Hou Temple
11.30 – OTW Little India Brickfields
12.30 – Lunch @Husein Café & Restaurant
13.30 – Back to Regalia Suites
16.00 – OTW Bukit Nanas (KL Forest Eco Park)
17.00 – OTW Bukit Bintang (Murals, Alor Street Food, Shopping, etc)
21.00 – Back to Regalia Suites
22.00 – Slept
DAY 5 (Wednesday, 24th of April 2019)
07.00 – OTW Batu Cave
09.00 – OTW Kuala Lumpur City Centre (Petronas, Lunch, etc)
12.00 – Back to Regalia Suites
15.00 – OTW Masjid Jamek, Merdeka Square Park, KL City Gallery
17.00 – OTW Pasar Seni (Souvenirs)
18.00 – Chinese Town (Shopping, dinner)
20.00 – Back to Regalia Suites
DAY 5 (Thursday, 25th of April 2019)
07.30 – Morning walked around the apartment & breakfast
09.00 – Checked out @Regalia Suites
09.30 – OTW Kuala Lumpur Airport
13.55 – Boarding Airasia (KLIA – CGK)
14.25 – Take off
16.05 – Landed @Soetta
17.00 – Finished Everything (Baggage, personal issue)
SPENDINGS?
Pre-departure
Ticket CGK – SIN = Rp. 405.000
Ticket JHB – KLIA = Rp. 188.000
Ticket KLIA – CGK = Rp. 392.000
Atlantis Pod @Bugis 1 day 1 night = Rp. 335.000Regalia Suites Apartment 4 days 3 nights = Rp. 350.000
Internet Roaming 1 day @Singapore = Rp.45.000
Bus ticket from Johor Bahru Central to Senai Airport = Rp. 20.000
Damri Blok M to Soetta = Rp. 40.000
Total: Rp. 1.775.000
Singapore
MRT Changi to MRT Bugis = Rp. 25.000
Dinner @Kampong Glam Café = Rp. 80.000
MRT Raffles Place to MRT Bugis = Rp. 14.000
Snack @7eleven = Rp. 30.000
Souvenirs = Rp. 100.000
Bus Ticket from Queen street bus terminal Singapore to Johor Bahru Central = Rp. 33.000
Total: Rp. 282.000
Kuala Lumpur
Subway = Rp. 72.000
Burger King = Rp. 67.000
KFC = Rp. 21.000
KFC = Rp. 54.000
Starbucks = Rp. 60.000
Sim card sharing = Rp. 42.000
Grab from KLIA to Regalia Suites = Rp. 110.000
Dinner @Sunway Putra Mall = Rp. 60.000
Shopping Some Snacks = Rp. 50.000
Thean Hou Temple + Little India Full (MRT Ticket, Foods, etc) = Rp. 77.000
Bukit Bintang Full (Shopping, food, Grab) = Rp. 150.000
Batu Cave + KLCC Full (MRT ticket, grab, food, etc) = Rp. 100.000
Masjid Jamek, Merdeka Square Park, KL City Gallery, Pasar Seni, & China Town Full (Grab, Shopping, Food, etc) = Rp. 300.000
Total: Rp. 1.163.000
GRAND TOTAL: Rp. 3.220.000
PS:
You need to take the city map in order to make your trip more efficient, I mean you can arrange the places that have same direction to make it one way.
I used the calculation for Singapore SGD 1 = IDR 10.000 and Malaysia MYR 1 = IDR 3.500