After landing safely at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, your first step is to proceed to the immigration checkpoint for passport control. Once you’ve cleared immigration, head to the baggage claim area to collect your luggage before continuing your journey.
Waiting in Line at Immigration
Feeling shocked, confused, or even a little overwhelmed after landing is completely normal, especially when you first head down to the immigration area. One of the most common surprises for travelers arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the long immigration queues, which can make it difficult to estimate how long the wait will be.
If you happen to forget to fill out the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), don’t worry. There is a designated area where you can complete it before joining the immigration line. However, keep in mind that this extra step may add some additional waiting time to your arrival process.
To make your experience smoother, it’s best to prepare all required documents in advance and stay patient while waiting in line. Once you’ve cleared immigration, you’ll be ready to continue your journey in Malaysia without further hassle.
Fortunately, the immigration area is located indoors, so it’s not overly hot. However, it can still feel quite warm and crowded due to the large number of travelers waiting in line.
For this section, I’m unable to provide any photos or documentation, as the use of cameras is strictly prohibited in the immigration area.
After a long wait about two hours, the moment finally arrived, my friend and I were called to the immigration counter for inspection.
Luckily, everything went smoothly on my end. For some reason, I wasn’t asked any questions at all. I simply handed over my passport, received the entry stamp, and was cleared to move on to the next step.
My friend, however, had a very different experience. Despite having traveled frequently within Southeast Asia, visiting countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia multiple times, he was asked several questions by the immigration officer.
From this experience, it’s clear that the immigration process can vary from person to person. There’s no guaranteed formula or specific tips to breeze through, it often comes down to individual circumstances and a bit of luck.
Baggage Claim Tips at Kuala Lumpur Airport
After clearing immigration, the next step is heading to the baggage claim area to collect your suitcase. Here are some useful tips to make the process easier. If your luggage looks fairly standard, consider buying a unique suitcase cover. This makes it much easier to spot your bag among many similar-looking ones on the conveyor belt.
Another helpful tip is to take a quick photo or record a short video when handing your luggage to the airline staff at check-in. In case your suitcase is lost or delayed, having visual proof makes it much easier to file a claim with the airline and helps them locate your luggage faster.By following these simple steps, you can save time and avoid unnecessary stress at baggage claim during your arrival in Malaysia.
Withdrawing Cash in Malaysia
With our luggage finally in hand, we initially considered heading straight to the hotel, but hunger quickly took over. So, we decided to find the nearest ATM center at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to withdraw some cash. We trusted CIMB ATMs for the withdrawals. My friend used a BCA card, while I used a Jenius card.
If you’re planning to use a Jenius debit card in Malaysia, I’ll be publishing a detailed guide soon on how to use it for cash withdrawals and payments, making your trip hassle-free. With cash on hand right after arrival, it’s much easier to cover food, transportation, and other immediate expenses, ensuring a smooth start to your Kuala Lumpur journey.
This cash withdrawal is also intended to cover the hotel payment. Actually, the hotel has already been paid for through the Traveloka app. It’s just that in Malaysia, as foreigners, we’re required to pay a certain amount of cash for some fees, I’m not entirely sure what those fees are for. It’s sort of like a deposit, but not exactly a deposit; maybe it’s a fee for foreigner taxes.
Grab a Quick Bite
I took about RM 200 just in case. After that, we looked for something to eat still in the area around KLIA and found a shop selling rice wraps called Bungkus Kaw Kaw. At this shop, they sell rice wraps with various toppings. But I bought the original one with two soft-boiled eggs. Honestly, I forgot the price, but it was still under RM 20. It was definitely worth it to fill my stomach before heading to the hotel.
Withdrawing Cash in Malaysia
We were full. It was time for us to head to the hotel where we would be staying. We chose the Pacific Express at the China Town Hotel. Therefore, we needed to take a train to get to KLCC from KLIA. Which one? We took the KLIA Express. Why? Because we were already very tired; yes, it was more expensive, but for a first-time experience, it was still tolerable. I forgot the ticket price, but if converted to rupiah, it was around 200,000.
So, there are two types of trains at KLIA: the KLIA Transit and the KLIA Express. The KLIA Transit stops at several stations, so the journey takes longer. The KLIA Express, on the other hand, goes directly from KLIA to KLCC, making the travel time much shorter. However, from KLCC, you’ll still need to transfer to another train heading toward Pasar Seni Station. From there, it’s just a short walk to the Pacific Express Hotel in Chinatown.
In Indonesia, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to ride-hailing services like motorbike taxis and online taxis. Don’t expect to find them in Kuala Lumpur. Even if they’re available, you can only book the car option, not the motorbike. So instead of wasting money on GrabCar, we can be smarter about how we use public transportation. Especially in Kuala Lumpur, where public transportation is super convenient, from buses to the MRT and LRT.
So, don’t be afraid or confused anymore about what to do next once you arrive at the airport!
