Malaysia is rife with all sorts of misadventures. It wouldn't be a surprise to hear visitors complaining about how they were conned at Petaling Street or how they paid RM100 for a 2km taxi ride. There are a number of things that Malaysia should be ashamed of, and most of it has to do with the exploitation of tourists. Nevertheless, SD is here to give you some full-proof advice on how to survive a trip to Kuala Lumpur without being ripped off.

Survival Tip #1: Touting Taxis
Malaysia has a reputation for its dishonest cabbies. These ‘touts' have a way of convincing unsuspecting tourists that RM500 is the price of a trip from KLIA to KL city and back with a scenic route thrown in. Truth be told, RM500 will be able to get you a flight to Penang and back and deluxe room in a 5-star hotel. RM500 is definitely not worth the scenic route to KLCC. Some of them are smartly dressed in three piece suits and others might be a little more subtle with only T-shirts as their uniform. They even go as far as to make badges that indicate that they are a part of a licensed agent sanctioned by a local tourism association. This comprehensive disguise is all part of their elaborate plan to con tourists out of their holiday money. We suggest that you use the KLIA Ekspres to get to KL city or alternatively you can use the Airport Limo Service that can be found stationed at the arrival hall. Do take note that a one way journey to or from KLIA would cost between RM38 to RM136 depending on the drop-off and pick-up points. Taxis within the city pose another problem. By law, they are required to use their meters, but there are some of them which prefer to take advantage of innocent tourists and sometimes the locals as well. To make sure that you get a fair deal, insist upon the cab driver using the meter. If he doesn't comply, we suggest that you bid farewell and look for another cab. If you can't get an honest cab driver, take note that journey's within the city itself usually doesn't exceed RM20 and after midnight to 6am, there will be a 50% surcharge. It would be good if you can estimate the distance you wish to travel and roughly calculate the prices based on the meter price. That way you'll be able to figure out whether the cab driver is just lazy to use the meter or whether he's just out to rip you off.