I'm going on vacation to HK and Singapore this August / Sep. I'd like to buy clothes. I was told that that both HK and Singapore are quite expensive and that best is to take a bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur and shop there. I was wondering if anyone did that and could share their experience.
Thank you.

Depends a little bit on what you want to buy -- ready-made clothes or hand-tailored clothes?

KL is probably a little cheaper for both. I can't speak a lot for ready-made clothes, but I do buy a lot of hand-tailored clothes in SE Asia. There are enormous variations in quality, and my experience has shown me that you generally get what you pay for.

HK/SG are roughly similar for a good-quality suit, at least in terms of price. Depending on fabric, $300-400 will get you a nice, well-made suit that will last for years. It won't be Savile Row quality, but it will fit you better and last longer than anything you'd get for the same price in Europe. You can buy cheaper, of course, but it will show in both the quality of the finish and the durability of the suit.

I think HK has an edge on quality, but I've had suits made in both HK and SG that I'm very happy with. Can't speak to KL as I've never had anything made there. After a few bad experiences in China and Thailand, I now stick to the tailors I know and trust.

Note that a 'bus trip' to KL from SG is likely to be a very long journey. If you want to take the slow road to KL, try the overnight sleeper train. If you just want to go shopping, you can catch a flight from SIN to KUL for under $100 round-trip.

Thanks! I'm thinking about ready made clothes, brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren etc. But my husband will probably get a tailored suit. Could you please recommend where you go to have it made and how long it takes? Thank you!

The bus from SG to KL is faster by about 2 hours when compared to the train.
Aeroline

Approximately 5 hours.



I prefer the train first as it arrives in the heart of the city with easy access to other parts of the city and is hassle free when exiting Singapore ( no drugs please! ). Let the train take the strain!

The bus terminus is also not too bad ending up nearer to KLCC. The bus is clean and comfortable, and useful is one needs a break for a ciggie, toilet etc.

Flying whilst cheaper, can pose a problem as the airport ( Sepang ) is rather remote and the overland costs to KL can be prohibitive.

Alterations costs are very very affordable in KL, as are designer label clothings ( eg KLCC tower shopping center ). I'd say cheaper than SG and HK. Can't beat KL for excellent food though.

Exchange rates are here

Enjoy your visit to Malaysia.

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If you're buying branded clothing, make sure you're buying genuine stuff. Lots of counterfeit clothing on offer across Asia, and if you're not buying from a branded shop or major department store, you're probably not buying genuine merchandise.

For men's tailored clothes, I've been happy with Sam's Tailor in Hong Kong and Mode et Creation in Singapore. Sam's is definitely geared towards tourists, but he's got a good reputation and the work is consistent, if a tad more expensive that what you'd get at a more local place. His turnaround is quick. He makes good-quality business suits for everyday wear, and I have shirts and suits that I bought from Sam's more than ten years ago which still look great. Expect to pay about $400 for a suit with two pairs of trousers, or about $30 for a shirt.

Mode et Creation is more of a local's place, although he does work for a lot of expats as well. He came recommended to me, and I've been very pleased with the work he's done. Sam's suits are typically British (unless you ask for something different), while Mode et Creation's are much more European in their style and fit. Turnaround time is slightly slower than Sam's, reflecting the fact that he does more work for locals who don't need a 24-hour army of seamstresses churning out suits for tourists who are only visiting for a few days.

In either case, you will need to be measured for the suit and return for at least two (preferably three) additional fittings. At Sam's, this can happen incredibly quickly: get measured Monday morning, first fitting Tuesday morning, second fitting Tuesday evening, finished suit delivered to your hotel by Wednesday 7am.

At Mode & Creation, allow at least 4-5 days.

In both cases, more time and more fittings will equal a better result. At Sam's, they'll do a rush job if you insist but the quality will suffer. At Mode et Creation, they'll be honest enough to tell you if you're not leaving enough time rather than turning out shoddy work.

Thank you, that's the bus I was told about. I'm so excited and can't wait

Great advice! Thank you! we will be in HK for 5 days so maybe Sam's is better.

The bus easily meets CH metro bus standards, but beware they tend to close off the WC and instead stop off at R & R spots instead. Like an airline, the "steward / stewardess" will give you a comfort kit and / or a small meal. Malaysian hospitality is something you must experience as a tourist.

Go as soon as you arrive, make it your first stop. That will give them plenty of time to do the job right.

Ready made brands like Tommy and Ralph Lauren prices will not differ much in these 3 countries and Europe. As far as I am aware, there arent any outlets in Sg for these brands to buy them off season at cheaper prices. But you are able to claim tax free shopping for your purchases from the airport that you are leaving from. High street brands like Zara will not differ in SG and KL as well but there are factory outlets in HKG carrying Esprit stuff that are dirt cheap.

A ready tailored suit, plus shirt will cost approx 400 -500 CHF depending on the kind of material you want in Singapore.

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Remember when someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown, BUT it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and b****-slap the mother-f***er upside the head.

Just as an aside - I'm nearly unique in that I much prefer the bus to train for long journies. The view is much better and normally there's a toilet on board. Also you get to stop off to refuel so you get more fresh air. I did a 42 hour bus journey across Turkey once and it was fun!

Like many things in Asia, services and goods involving people's time and effort are cheap compared to Europe. If you're buying something which doesn't involve manual labour (for you) then the prices, expecially with all the currencies in Europe being weak against the US$ (which most Asian countries are linked to) will be the same or more expensive.

So ... designer clohes? Buy in HK if you see them in a shop (not market), but don't count on saving money.

Tailored clothes? Buy in Asia. However, make sure you have a photo of a decent suit or shirt that you like, so they can get the style right.

Electronic goods? When it was 3.2 Sing$ to the pound then they were pretty cheap. Now it's 2.0 you're better off buying here. Due to that exchange rate drop this also applies to any item (including clothing) where the same item is for sale here. You'll get it cheaper in London.

One final point in this messy post (but if I separate it out it'll get merged by the mods) ... I prefer the food in Singapore to KL, and the food in HK to both.

Never tried the trains.

A bus trip from SG to KL takes approx 5 hours and costs half the price of an air ticket.

I used to go to KL from SG for work quite often and if you take into account the check-in times, immigration procedure, waiting for the sky train, terminal transfers within the KL airport, and the 30-minute train ride from the KLIA into the city or even a taxi, your whole plane journey will not differ that much from a bus ride imho. In fact, I found it less troublesome on the bus.

Here is a list of luxury bus services running from Singapore to KL - they depart regularly from various places in Singapore, even certain hotels. Some buses are THAT comfortable with reclining seats, own personal entertainment system etc. Another option worth considering:

http://www.myexpressbus.com/express-...rvices-sg.html

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Remember when someone annoys you, it takes 42 muscles to frown, BUT it only takes 4 muscles to extend your arm and b****-slap the mother-f***er upside the head.

You mad man lol... will do someting similar in October though

But back to the thread. The only place / continent I found cheaper american brands was...in the US. Singapore is expensive and if you find very cheap brands in Hongkong then they often are fakes.

Well in Turkey the trains are really rough but the busses are awesome. They're double decker with a toilet and TVs and they come round every 3 minutes with either cake or tea or this lemon alchohol substance to clean your hands. Pretty sweet but you'll gain 1kg every 24 hours

We have a veteran member SingaporeOtter who is presently in SG and knows KL intimately as well. Might be a good idea to reach her for tips.

When in KL, never lose sight of your credit card! I never had this problem in SG or in HK though.

Greets from Lausanne..

Eskew me, Pulau Pinang, please...

http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/food-dining/












Penang is OT

c'mon! makanan is never OT!

Thank you to everyone for advice and videos

Strange that so called American brands are cheaper in the US. Aren't they all made in China or other Asian countries?