Penang to Malacca

Horizon Spring | Malaysia Travel

What I spent, what worked, what I would change, and whether Malaysia really is this easy to explore by public transport.

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

I nearly hired a car for this trip.

My original idea was a road trip from Penang to Melaka, stopping in Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur along the way. It sounded like a wonderful adventure—until I started adding up the rental cost, fuel, tolls, parking and accommodation.

So I changed the plan.

Penang → Ipoh → Kuala Lumpur → Melaka → Penang

I used buses, trains, local rail, Grab when necessary and quite a lot of walking.

By the time I returned to Penang, my total recorded spending was approximately RM751.40.

That included intercity transport, private accommodation, food, local transportation and sightseeing. I was travelling independently and watching my spending, but I was not sleeping in dormitories or avoiding every paid experience.

This was affordable travel with room for comfort, flexibility and the occasional splurge.

For anyone considering a first independent trip after 40 and wondering, “Could I really manage this alone?”—here is what actually happened when I did.

Beginning the journey in Penang

My journey started in Jelutong with a RM25 ride to Penang Sentral.

From there, my bus to Ipoh cost only RM12.80.

That immediately demonstrated one of the advantages of exploring Malaysia by public transport: travelling between cities can be remarkably inexpensive.

Hiring a car might have given me greater control over my schedule, but taking the bus meant I did not have to navigate unfamiliar roads, find parking or think about fuel and tolls. I could simply take my seat and move on to the next destination.

First stop: Ipoh

Ipoh felt noticeably calmer than Penang.

The weather was slightly overcast during my visit, but that suited the city’s slower atmosphere. I started with coffee and a croissant for RM17 before spending some time walking around Old Town.

My original plan was to visit Kek Lok Tong. However, when I arrived, it was closed.

This is one of the realities of independent travel: even a carefully prepared itinerary will not always go according to plan.

Instead of writing off the excursion, I changed direction and headed to Tasik Cermin, also known as Mirror Lake.

I am glad I did.

The entrance cost RM30, followed by another RM30 for the boat ride. Surrounded by dramatic limestone cliffs and greenery, it became one of the most memorable places on the entire journey.

Sometimes the unplanned stop turns out to be the highlight.

Back in Old Town, lunch at OldTown White Coffee cost RM21.40.

By approximately 4 p.m., however, I encountered a problem I had not anticipated: I had essentially finished everything I wanted to do.

I had visited two places outside the centre, walked through Old Town, stopped for coffee and eaten lunch. My onward train was not scheduled until 7 p.m.

What I would change in Ipoh

If I repeated this route, I would allocate less time to Ipoh.

For someone interested in seeing the highlights rather than enjoying a deliberately slow overnight stay, Ipoh works well as a stop between Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

Next time, I would either arrive later or reserve an earlier onward train. At approximately RM40, the evening train took me to Kuala Lumpur.

Exploring Kuala Lumpur without a car

Kuala Lumpur was where public transport truly came into its own.

The city is served by different rail systems, the monorail, buses and other transportation options. I used public transport for most of my sightseeing.

My mistake was not buying a suitable day pass.

I estimate that I spent approximately RM30 travelling around the city. That was not particularly expensive, but because I was moving between several attractions, a day pass would probably have been more convenient.

It is exactly the sort of thing you only appreciate once you are completing the journey yourself.

Batu Caves—without climbing the stairs

Travelling to Batu Caves cost me approximately RM13.

The limestone cliffs, enormous golden statue and colourful temple complex make a striking first impression. It is undeniably impressive, although it is also a heavily visited attraction.

I paid RM16 for an immersive experience and another RM10 for an art exhibition.

And those famous stairs?

I did not climb them.

There were simply too many, and travelling independently does not mean completing every attraction according to somebody else’s itinerary.

One of the advantages of planning your own journey is being able to decide what works for your body, energy and interests. I saw what I wanted to see and then continued with my day.

Seeing Kuala Lumpur by day and night

One of my best decisions was leaving the Petronas Twin Towers until later in the day.

I arrived at approximately 7 p.m. This allowed me to see the towers in daylight and remain as the city transitioned into night and the towers illuminated the skyline.

They were beautiful.

I am not particularly interested in shopping centres, so shopping was not a major part of my Kuala Lumpur itinerary. I visited Central Market and enjoyed seeing its batik and local crafts, but I was more interested in exploring the city itself.

My accommodation at Traveller Ark cost RM60 for a private room, keeping the overnight cost remarkably affordable.

From Kuala Lumpur to Melaka for RM12

The bus journey from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka was perhaps the biggest transport bargain of the trip.

It cost approximately RM12 for a journey of around two hours.

I arrived quite late and reserved a very basic RM50 hotel room for the night.

Basic genuinely meant basic, but the room did what I needed it to do.

I subsequently decided to spend another night in Melaka, paying RM80 for the additional accommodation. I was glad I gave myself the extra time.

Melaka is made for walking

Melaka may have been the easiest city on this journey to explore on foot.

The historic centre is compact and walkable, with plenty to experience around the river, heritage buildings and Jonker Walk. I did not need an elaborate sightseeing schedule.

During the day, the city feels historic and relatively relaxed. At night, it transforms.

Jonker Walk comes alive, the riverside buildings light up and the famously colourful trishaws become part of the spectacle.

I spent approximately RM100 on food and drinks during my time in Melaka.

Then came my RM50 splurge.

Was the RM50 Melaka water taxi worth it?

I took the hop-on, hop-off water taxi along the river.

At RM50, it was not especially cheap compared with some of my other expenses. My entire bus journey from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka had cost only RM12.

However, I enjoyed it.

Seeing the city from the river provided a completely different perspective. I also experienced parts of the journey during daylight and after dark.

Would I call it essential? Probably not.

Would I do it again? Yes.

That is an important distinction when travelling on a budget. Every decision does not have to be the cheapest possible option.

Sometimes saving money on transportation or accommodation allows you to spend more on an experience that genuinely interests you.

Then came the eight-hour bus journey

Eventually, it was time to return to Penang.

The bus from Melaka to Penang Island cost RM78.20.

This was where the convenience of public transport reached its limit.

The journey took approximately eight hours, and I spent around RM30 on snacks along the way.

After several days of trains, buses, walking and sightseeing, an eight-hour bus ride was not glamorous.

However, it transported me all the way back to Penang Island for RM78.20. I did not have to drive for eight hours, pay for fuel and tolls or arrange to return a rental car.

Next time, I would compare the direct bus with a faster combination of transportation or consider breaking the journey somewhere interesting.

Planning and booking the bus journeys

What the entire journey cost

These are not hypothetical prices collected from a booking website. They are based on what I recorded during the journey.

Category	Approximate spending
Intercity transport	RM143.00
Local transport	RM74.00
Private accommodation	RM190.00
Attractions and experiences	RM136.00
Food, drinks and snacks	RM208.40
Total	RM751.40

Some amounts were recorded approximately rather than to the sen. Treat RM751 as a practical real-world figure rather than a formal accounting statement.

What RM751 included

I was not staying in dormitories.

I reserved private accommodation, ate out, used Grab when it made sense and paid for experiences that interested me.

• The Tasik Cermin entrance and boat ride.
• Experiences at Batu Caves.
• Private accommodation in Kuala Lumpur and Melaka.
• Food, drinks and travel snacks.
• Local and intercity transportation.
• The RM50 Melaka water taxi.

This was not an experiment in making myself miserable to travel as cheaply as possible.

It was budget-conscious independent travel with space for comfort and memorable experiences.

Three things I would change

1. Shorten the Ipoh stop

I enjoyed Ipoh, but I allocated considerably more time than I needed. By 4 p.m., I had visited two attractions, explored Old Town and eaten—and still had three hours before my train.

2. Buy the right Kuala Lumpur transport pass

Kuala Lumpur’s public transportation was convenient. My mistake was paying for individual journeys instead of planning the day and buying a suitable pass.

3. Reconsider the direct Melaka-to-Penang bus

The ticket was affordable, but eight hours is still eight hours. Next time, I would compare other routes or break the journey with another interesting stop.

Staying connected while travelling independently

Having mobile data made it easier to check maps, transport details and accommodation addresses while moving between cities.

Buying a local SIM after arrival can sometimes be cheaper, but it is not always convenient when you need data immediately. An eSIM can be activated before travelling so that you are connected when you land.

For more arrival advice, see my Airport Arrival Checklist for Solo Female Travellers.

Would I choose public transport again?

Yes.

The biggest surprise was not the RM751 total. It was how achievable the entire journey felt.

Before leaving Penang, hiring a car seemed as though it would provide more freedom. In some respects, it probably would have.

But I would also have been responsible for driving hundreds of kilometres, navigating unfamiliar cities, finding parking and paying for fuel and tolls.

Instead, I could board a train or bus and move on to the next place.

There were compromises. Public transport controlled parts of my schedule, and an eight-hour bus ride will not appeal to everyone.

For this particular journey, however, I do not think I needed a car.

Perhaps that was the most important lesson from the trip.

Budget travel does not necessarily mean doing less. Sometimes it simply means changing how you get there.

The Horizon Spring verdict

• Best surprise: Tasik Cermin, Ipoh
• Best-value journey: Kuala Lumpur to Melaka—approximately RM12
• Easiest city without a car: Kuala Lumpur
• Best city for walking: Melaka
• Planning mistake: Allowing too much time in Ipoh
• Longest slog: The eight-hour Melaka-to-Penang bus
• Total recorded spending: RM751.40
• Would I do it again? Yes—with a few adjustments.

Independent travel after 40 does not need to mean backpacking, luxury resorts or following an exhausting itinerary.

It can mean a private room, affordable transportation, local experiences and the freedom to make different decisions when the original plan does not work.

That is exactly what this journey gave me.