BlaringSmelly

It’s not fair to compare Taipei with Johor Bahru, a city right by the Singapore and Malaysia border. However, the place is definitely not tourist friendly.

Before the trip, I was warned by many about Johor Bahru’s notoriously high crime reputation. Pedestrians were known to be robbed under broad daylight. Some more hairy stories involved victims getting hammered on the skull before their purses were snatched. And because of serious population, it was also not recommended to swim, jog, or cycling.

So my days spent in Johor Bahru were limited to napping and watching tv. We only went out for food or visiting family, and the means of traveling were restricted to car.

Kuala Lumpur was by far a more happening city. The buildings and streets are cleaner and carry more characters. The twin towers stands tall and can be seen day or night from any corner of downtown area. There are pockets of hip hangouts and good eateries in the city. But it’s hard to find unless you have locals to show you around. During my short stay, the capital of Malaysia still didn’t strike me as a place I would like to revisit.