Kuala Lumpur - Port Klang
Kuala Lumpur (KL) is located some 60 kilometres
northeast of Port Klang which is the sea port for KL. The Wikipedia entry[1]
notes that:
Port Klang (Malay:
Pelabuhan Klang)
is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Formerly known
as Port Swettenham, it is also the location of the largest and
busiest port in the country. As such, it's economic progress has
been greatly influenced by the port activities in its area. It is
located about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) southwest of the town of
Klang.
Located in the District of Klang, it was the 13th
busiest trans shipment port (2004) and the 16th busiest
container port (2007) in the world. It was also the 26th busiest
port by total cargo tonnage handled in 2005.
The following WikiTravel Links provides good
information about
Port Klang
an
Kuala Lumpur
Terminal Information
Cruise ships dock at
the modern Star Cruise
Terminal in Port Kelang, approximately 30 miles from Kuala Lumpur.
The Star Cruisers Port Klang web site[2]
describes the terminal as:
"located at Pulau Indah, Selangor, opened its first
phase for operations in December 1995. Adjacent to the cargo terminal of
West Port, it is the first purpose-built modern dedicated cruise
terminal in Malaysia for cruise passengers with easy accessibility and
comfort in mind.
Its ideal and strategic location within Port Klang, Malaysia's biggest
and busiest port makes it an excellent gateway to all the exotic
destinations within Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region. Hop on the
bus or charter a taxi to take you to the various attractions within easy
reach when the ship berths.
Kuala Lumpur (KL), the modern capital city, is only
a 45-minutes' drive from the Terminal. Experience the hustle and bustle
of the city as you enjoy a day-tour or simply have a fun-filled day
exploring the city sights.
The endless varieties and attractions will
definitely give you much to talk about when you return on-board at the
end of a busy day. Even the Terminal itself is news for you to share.
Being a one stop centre for ship and passenger clearance, the Terminal
caters to your comfort and convenience. The building has 5 floors: the
ground, first and second floors are opened to the public.
The top two floors house the corporate and administrative offices of
Star Cruises."
Facilities
and Amenities Include:
- Parking
bays for cars and tour coaches
for up to 650 vehicles
- Passenger
baggage trolleys
-
Air-conditioned Departure Hall
with a seating capacity for over
200 passengers
-
Air-conditioned Arrival/Baggage
Claim Hall
- Passenger
link bridges and terminal
linkway
- Telephones
(domestic and international
calls)
- Check-In
Counters
- Food &
Beverage outlets
- Souvenir &
Gift shops
- Duty Free
shop
- Taxi
service
- Terminal
security for visitors,
passengers and crew
- Office
spaces
-
Immigration and Customs offices
The terminal has more than adequate capacity to handle
large cruise ships. Shopping in the terminal is limited and non existent
anywhere nearby outside the terminal.
Photo Gallery of images of the Star
Cruise's Terminal - Port Klang
Star Cruiser's Terminal - Port Side
Star Cruisers Terminal Dock Side
Entrance to the Terminal Building - Port Side
Shopping Inside Terminal - Limited
Star Cruiser's Terminal - Port Side
Immigration Formalities and Dockside Operations
Princess cruises handles all immigration facilities having previously
collected passengers passports. The only formality was checking in and out
of the ship using your cruise card.
Places of Interest
-
View
the spectacular Blue Mosque at Shah
Alam. Admire the dome and the world's
tallest minarets.
-
Join
a city tour and get a close-up view
of the world's tallest twin towers,
the Petronas Twin Towers. Or you can
go up the KL Tower, the 4th tallest
free standing structure in the
world.
-
Batu
Caves
Getting around
The terminal is in a fairly isolated area on a mangrove island "Palau
Indah" near the almost abandoned Bandar Amanda Putra Residential and
Industrial Complex built in 1995, and either a ship's shuttle bus or taxi are
required to get around.
For those wanting to do it on their own, Port Klang is 13km away, the
town of Klang 22 km, or KL nearly 60 km and nearly and hour by car.
View Larger Map
For those wanting to get ashore and experience some Malaysian shopping
the Bukit Tingi Shopping Centre has supermarkets, shops etc that cater for
the local population and it was fascinating to browse the modern
supermarkets there.
Taxis
Taxis are available
outside of the terminal building. Most drivers speak English. US dollars are
usually accepted from the terminal.
By train
The Town of Klang's railway station is located at Jalan
Stesen in the part of town south of the Klang River
some 22 km away and a 25 minute taxi ride.
KTM Komuter
[1], Klang Valley's commuter train network,
connects Klang directly with Kuala Lumpur (RM3.60,
50 minutes) and Port Klang (RM1.00, 20 minutes).
Several famous bak kut teh restaurants are located near the station.
View Larger Map
Port Klang Railway Station is 13km and a 10-15 minute taxi ride and the
train to KL could be taken from there, however getting a taxi back to the
ship from that location might be difficult.
View Larger Map
Currency
Information to be added
Shopping
Shop for handicrafts of
local origin ranging from intricate silver, brass and pewter items to
potter, rattan and wickerwork. Silk and cotton batiks come in different
vivid hues. These items are available in both old and new stores, and in
Karyaneka Handicraft Center or Jalan Raja Chulan. Also head towards
Chinatown at Jalan Bandar. Another shopping area is Jalan Tuanku Abdul
Rahman.
Bargain your way through at the ever
exciting China Town in Petaling Street, Experience the sounds, activities
and open air road-side stalls offering an endless variety of local food,
costume jewelry and more.
The AEON Bukit Tinggi Shopping Centre (JUSCO Bukit Tinggi), Bandar Bukit
Tinggi with over a million square feet of shopping area and over 160
speciality stores, including a 10-screen cinema is about a 20 minute taxi or
bus ride from the terminal. Princess Cruises operated a shuttle bus service
to this centre on the last cruise.
View Directions to Persiaran Pelabuhan Barat in a larger map
Opening and Closing Times
Banks
open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Shops
Generally open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; hours vary Saturday and
Sunday; some are closed on public holidays
Post Office
Generally open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Local Cuisine
Malaysian cuisine is exotic with an
exciting range of flavors and culinary styles. It comprises of three main
groups - Malay, Chinese and Indian, each with its own distinct style of
cooking.
Food Specialities
Popular local flavors
include:
Satay: beef or chicken on
bamboo skewers Mee Rebus: fried noodles
Ais Kacang: an array of beans, peanuts
and colorful jellies topped with shaven ice and filled with coconut milk and
sweet syrup.
Drink Specialties
The local beers are Tiger
and Anchor.
It is always recommended
that you drink bottled water while in port.
TIPPING
Suggested tipping is 15
to 20 percent for good service.
SOME USEFUL WORDS
Although Malay is the
lingua franca, English is widely understood. For your interest, some useful
words in Malay are:
Good Morning Selamat pagi
Good Afternoon Selamat
tengah hari
Yes Ya
No Tidak
How Much Berapa?
Thank You Terima Kasi
Keeping in Touch
Mobile Phones
Mobile Phone coverage was available on the ship through the Malaysia
mobile networks.
The following Information is provided by http://www.wordtravels.com/telephonediallingcodes/Countries/Malaysia/
The international access code for Malaysia is +60. The outgoing
code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001 for the
United States). City/area codes are in use, e.g. (0)3 for Kuala Lumpur,
(0)4 for Penang.
International Direct Dial is available throughout the country, but
the service can be erratic. Hotels can add a hefty surcharge to their
telephone bills; it is best to check before making international calls.
Coin and card-operated public phones are widespread, and phone
cards can be purchased at the airport, petrol stations and newsagents.
Cards are not transferable between phone companies:
Uniphone and Telekom phone boxes are the most common.
Mobile networks cover most of the country; the local mobile phone
operators use GSM networks, which are compatible with most international
phones. Internet cafes are widely available in tourist areas.
