Metro

Friday November 6, 2009

Hop into a luxury coach, head south and enjoy a respite from the rat race

By CHRISTINA LOW
Photos by UU BAN LEONG


THESE days, Singapore seems to be so much nearer now that travelling there is easier than it had ever been in the past.

My friends often make weekend trips to the island republic, to do what girls do best — shopping! They usually travel by First Coach because of its competitive pricing.

Convenient location: First Coach buses at the terminal at Velocity @ Novena Square shopping mall adjacent to the Novena MRT station in Singapore.

Thus, when I was planning a trip to Singapore recently, I decided to take their advice to check out First Coach.

I did my homework and shopped around to compare the prices charged by several companies offering similar coach services, and found First Coach the cheapest by far at RM115 for a return ticket.

The luxury coach service has three pick-up terminals in the Klang Valley; KPMG Tower in Bandar Utama, Holiday Villa Subang and another in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

I chose to depart from KPMG Tower. The terminal is a bit different from the others as it has a little café near the lounge where one can grab a quick meal before boarding the bus for the five-hour journey.

Pleasant view: The view from the balcony of a Superior Roomat the Batam View Resort.

On boarding, I looked for the list of movies which I could catch during the trip.

A pleasant surprise awaited when I settled into my seat. Every passenger had a little TV screen all to themselves; we did not have to share!

I browsed through the list of Video-on-Demand features at least five times because there were just so many movies to choose from!

There were no attendants on the bus and no meals were provided — only a bottle of mineral water and snacks — which was fine with me as I normally bring chips and biscuits along in my bag when I travel.

But, even if you have not brought your own supplies, fret not because the bus makes a 15– to 20-minute stop at a rest area on the highway so that passengers can use the washroom or grab a cup of coffee before hopping back into the bus for another movie.

We entered Singapore via the Tuas Second Link, and the coach took us straight to its terminal at The Plaza on Beach Road.

A view from above: Get a good view of the city’s financial district as you take a 30-minute ride on the Singapore Flyer

You can also opt to take other buses departing at different times from Malaysia to Singapore for the Velocity@Novena shopping mall terminal, which is adjacent to the Novena MRT station.

It was in Singapore that I learnt that First Coach organises a three-day/two-night Singapore - Batam Island getaway. Batam in the Riau Province of Indonesia, is about an hour’s ride on the ferry from Singapore.

I had never ventured there but was game to check out the place, with a night’s stay at Batam View Resort, the first hotel built on the small island.

In contrast to busy Singapore, Batam is totally laid-back and perfect for those seeking a respite from city life.

New kid on the block: One of Singapore’s latest attractions is the newly completed Ion Orchard Shopping Mall

The island was a fishing village some 30 years ago and there has not been much development but there are several activities one could do in while on holiday there.

I stopped by the Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya in Batam Centre, went on a short tour around the smaller pockets of the city and enjoyed lunch at one of the famed seafood restaurants recommended by a guide whom we had engaged.

Those who have more time to spare could play a round of golf at the Greg Norman-designed course at the Tering Bay Golf and Country Club or any of the other four golf courses on the island.

Shopaholics can check out malls like Nagoya, Waterfront City or Batam Centre, The DC Mall, Lucky Plaza, Centre Point, Batam Centre Mall, Robinson & Ramayana, and Megamall.

New kid on the block: One of Singapore’s latest attractions is the newly completed Ion Orchard Shopping Mall

Before leaving Batam to return to Singapore, I took First Coach communications manager Jin Lo’s advice to get a 1kg layer cake. I am glad I did; it was the best layer cake I have ever tasted.

First Coach recently launched its online booking site www.firstcoach.com.my, where bookings can be made 60 days ahead of departure date.

First Coach’s three-day / two-night Singapore - Batam Island getaway is priced from RM399 with a night’s accommodation at Batam View Resort and a budget hotel in Singapore.

There is also a free-and-easy three-day / two-night Singapore Parkroyal promotion priced from RM488, with two nights’ stay at Parkroyal Hotel with breakfast.

Both packages include a two-way transfer via First Coach. For details, call 03-7725 3311 / 03-5621 2211 / 03-2287 3311.

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