Affordable Weekend Getaways: Singapore to KL via ETS

Affordable Weekend Getaways: Singapore to KL via ETS

There are lots of things to do in Singapore!

Yea, I agree there are lots of things to do in Singapore. In fact even the Botanical Garden is world class, not just the Singapore Changi Airport with the mesmerizing waterfall. For beach fun, there’s Sentosa Island. World class theme parks with even casinos for example are easily accessible in Singapore. There’s also the Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Merlion, Singapore Zooand even Clarke Quay / Boat Quay. All are amazing places if we are to visit them as a tourist. Singaporeans cannot keep going to these places again and again and again and again lah.

For Malaysians reading this article, all the places listed above are nice. I have been to all of them, including a few beers at Clarke Quay, many hours in Botanical Garden, winning money inside one of the casinos and more. However, this article I think is more suitable for Singaporean families thinking of spending less money and enjoy more things.

Save the casino levies and buy ETS Tickets instead, maybe?

The levy to enter the casino is SGD150 per person, so for 2 adults, that’s SGD300 or if converted is around RM950. Total ticket prices for 4 pax on an ETS is RM99 x 2 ways x 4 pax = RM800 only. Image as below: In other words, if the two adults in the family chose not to enter the casino, they can use the savings into buying ETS tickets for the whole family to go down to KL for the weekends instead. RM950 minus RM800 is still an extra RM150 which can be used for makan-makan.

I know, Singapore has the “best” food variety in the whole Asia. However, this remaining RM150 can eat roughly 15 bowls / plates of the following too (in kopi tiam lah): Wan Tan Mee, Curry Mee, Char Koay Teow, Laksa Penang, Laksa Sarawak, Claypot Yee Mee, Pork Noodle, Chee Cheong Fun, Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng, Mee Goreng Mamak, Roasted Chicken Rice, Rojak Pasembur, Maggi Goreng, Koay Teow Theng and Dry Curry noodle and maybe more. One weekend trip can eat all 15? Welcome to try! That’s a very small variety of the available food yeah.

Flying is an option but if I look at the price…

We look at SG – KL flights, return. We look at the same dates too. The prices for flights just for 1 pax is cheapest at RM524. It’s Scoot. So, luggage could be another charge. With the ETS, luggage is included lah. One 24 inch luggage per pax for example means a family of 4 can easily bring 4 luggages to board the ETS train. So, flying to KL would easily be RM2,100 for a family of 4 (not inclusive of luggage yet). Well, RM2,100 is enough for that weekend. Travel… Hotel… Food… Souvenir. Do not splash lah, can and enough.

RM2,100 minus RM800 (travel) minus RM500 (Hotels x 2 nights) minus RM500 (food for 2 days) minus RM200 (GRAB) is equal to RM2,000. Still got RM100 to buy some keychains. Haha.

Driving also can mah, cheap also right?

Car Rental for 3 days… I used same dates as ETS and flights for objective comparison. Erm… Cheaper than flights by a little but not yet include the toll charges, the petrol, the parking etc. So, I think it’s roughly the same as flights and the driver, oh I pity the driver totally. Driver will be so very tired and the other 3 persons in the car would enjoy but the driver will need a big rest when arrive in Singapore after the trip on Sunday evening.

Usually, it’s the father lah. I am not too sure if every Singaporean can drive but if I assume both the husband and wife knows how to drive, then the driving can be shared. Instead of very tired, now both of them would be tired. Oops. Not a great choice lah and I do not believe a lot of Singaporeans do so. They will drive if they own a car lah. Renting a car to drive into Malaysia is not such a great choice if you ask me.

There are lot of things to do in Kuala Lumpur

First weekend? Just focus, only focus on food. Include durians in SS2 as well. Include seafood, really really fresh seafood priced in Ringgit. Plus the 15 things I wrote above. One weekend, I assume you will have 7-8 meals as I include supper. So, can finish all the 15 items if every item was ordered and 2 person share the item. Wait a minute, cannot because I did not yet include the seafood… the durians… the roti canai… the nasi bandar… the nasi kerabu… the yong tau fu… the dim sum… Anyway, you get the idea lah. Food alone is good enough lah. Plus the in-between, go the few major malls lah. You will not regret lah.

Second weekend? Can include Genting Highlands… No levy for entering casinos. Kids can have fun in the Genting Skywards Themepark. Can include Batu Caves for cultural stuffs. Can include the pasar malam. Can include remaining malls you did not visit the first time. Can include the Sunway Lagoon theme park or the Gamuda Cove SplashMania Park. Aiya… too much for a weekend too.

No need to talk about 3rd, 4th, 5th weekends and more lah. Kuala Lumpur can easily reach Ipoh… can easily reach Melaka… can easily reach Sekinchan… can easily reach Kuala Selangor… In case everyone has not realized, within an hour from Kuala Lumpur, the number of places to go cannot be completed in one weekend yeah. We have yet to include the ones within 2 hours. Yes, all are accessible easily by trains or buses too.

Happy thinking about what I have been writing. Kids grow up very fast. Spend more time with them, have more fun with them, bring them see more things, more different culture. No doubt, Singapore has lots of attractions. I just want to let you know that now, all the KL attractions are also very accessible too. More fun is a plus for everyone. Cheers.

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