T&J Travels #9: Kuala Lumpur & Melaka 2017 (Part 4)

We badly need this in the PH (sorry bad front cam)

Based on the map, Melaka (Malacca) is a 2 hr trip one way. We started the day going to their bus hub which have impressed me a lot. I was half expecting it to be filled with barkers, and the place to be smelly and dingy. So imagine my surprise when I walked in. Their hub IS MILES AWAY from most of our airports combined! It's well lit, there is an abundance of chairs (!) and efficient! You don't need to ask 10 random people which bus to take. You buy your ticket from the counter and would be told which door the bus would be waiting. And if you forget that, oh look, your tickets have those details too, up to what time your bus leaves. The toilets are clean and huge and surprise, with water. Jeez, of all the trips I've ever made, this one made me feel a lot like a 3rd world countryman.

So anyways, if you also plan in going to Melaka, bring the ff:

1. Large Water bottle (cheaper to buy than getting some at the stalls in Melaka)
2. Snacks (It's a long trip)
3. Passport (a copy would do)

We've forgo bringing our actual passports but I brought our passport copies which was OK. I held my breath because I never thought we'd be asked. Reagan surmised this must be because from Melaka you could take a bus going to SG already.

Since we arrived there a bit late, we got the last seats at the back and unfortunately we are not even next to each other. I was squeezed in to two locals and Reagan got a window seat. Oh well. I tried to sleep the entire trip.

We arrived around 10. I always make it a point to visit a Mcdo so imagine my delight when our bus parked and right in front of us is a branch!! Like all others, I ordered their big breakfast meal (this is the third time I got grape for my McMuffin in another country. I wonder why we don't have it in the Phils?). We supplemented with a cup of Ayam Bubur. It tasted a lot like our porridge sans the ginger flavor.

The bus hub here in Melaka worked the same as the one back in KL but less flashy. Probably because it's already a province? But anyhow, they still have the same style of commute, where the buses are designated on which door and they have a designated area where to buy the tickets from. For us who are going to the tourist places they already have a notice on what bus to take and where it's waiting. Payment is on the bus itself.

Going back to the bus station we simply booked a Grab at Jonker Walk. We didn't take the bus from where we hopped off (at the church) earlier because Reagan read that the bus there would take you back to the hub alright, but only after a lot of stops. It was almost 5PM then and we wanted to see if we could make it to the office for Colmar Tropicale.

I am not sure why we paid 2MYR. We didn't even get the chance to tell where we were going!

Also as a tip when you're going back to the KL, mind that bus companies can have different prices even if they share the same routes. Be prepared for this if the latest time available so happen to be on a more expensive side-- which we got and never regretted. we sat next to each other (the rows are only 1 seat on the left and 2 on the right. We got the last seats that reclines and have a foot rest!

So back to Melaka, we were dropped off at the Dutch Square. You would never miss it because there's a flock of tourists everywhere!