Kuala Lumpur: Melaka & Penang

If you’re planning on exploring Kuala Lumpur, Melaka & Penang, this guide book offers experienced advice. The two authors spent more than 700 hours on the road in Kuala Lumpur, Melaka and Penang, exploring the local areas and customs in detail.

This comprehensive guide includes histories, festivals, volunteer opportunities, transportation, courses and sightseeing. From noodle slurping to Chinese massage, to riding in a trishaw, these authors cover all the best aspects available to tourists who want the real deal when they travel.

It does contain street maps of the cities, but because of the diminutive size (the book measures 7.6 x 5.1 inches) the maps may not be effective for navigating the urban areas. However, each map also includes an index style list of information such as sightseeing opportunities, restaurants, bars, shopping and hotels.

This book has remarkable attention to detail including a variety of churches, theatres, theme parks, tours, museums and out of the way adventures that are unique to the area, such as the Batu Caves, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Masimugum Festival. But tourism isn’t the only thing the authors included. Also listed are other important aspects such as internet access, cell phone coverage, probability of sunburn, gay and lesbian travel, traveling with children and availability of public restrooms. The one thing this book does not cover in detail is hotels and guesthouses. Though it makes mention that there are numerous possibilities for lodging, a comprehensive list is not provided. The information in this travel guide is updated daily at lonelyplanet.com.