It’s been a long time coming but finally low-cost flights between London Stansted and Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s Low Cost Carrier Terminal will start in March 2009. The route is set to make travel between Asia and Europe more accessible and affordable than ever with London to Malaysia flights typically costing in the region of £500-£600.

Continue reading ‘March 2009 Asia X Launches London Stansted - KL flights’

It is well documented that an inflow of investment fuels gentrification, new investments in property and building refurbishments have the effect of raising surrounding land values whilst well-known brands establishing themselves locally is indicative of an area being able to support mainstream business.

“The decision by US Pizza Chain Papa Johns to open a network of 100 outlets in Malaysia is yet another sign that Malaysia is well on its way to being a globally established destination.” commented Chintan Mahida, resident property expert at The Overseas Property Blog.
Continue reading ‘Papa John Pizza Outlets Marks Malaysia Continued Gentrification’

As any property investor knows, you can have the most beautiful property in the world, in the cheapest place in the land but if nobody can reach you there is unlikely to be a liquid property market. Transportation links have never been more vital to the property market and more areas around the world are battling to attract a whole host of airlines to their shores. Western Australia is the latest to catch the eye of Malaysian based AirAsia X, the largest budget airline in the region of South East Asia and one of the fastest growing companies in the world of budget airlines.

Continue reading ‘AirAsia X New Perth Route Good For Western Australia’

US-based travel magazine, Global Traveler, has voted Malaysia the ‘Best International Tourism Destination’ for the second year in a row. The award, received by Tourism Malaysia’s Deputy Director General, Datin Dalilah Ahmad, is a result of a survey conducted by the magazine amongst its readers over the course of the majority of 2007, in which it asked open-ended questions to evaluate the best in 49 categories of business and luxury travel.
Continue reading ‘Malaysia is ‘Best International Tourism Destination’’

From its white sandy beaches with crystal blue waters to its incredibly metropolitan and sophisticated cities, Malaysia is very different in many way from other popular property investment locations. The country offers all the attractions of major beach holiday destinations combined with an affluent city landscape and manages to blend in a distinct Asian styling.
Continue reading ‘A Guide To Property Investment Malaysia’

Mont Kiara located in the Klang Valley, is situated to the north of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. A short 15-20 minute drive from KL centre it is ideal for expats and holiday home buyers alike.

Mont Kiara is a relatively new up and coming area with a lot of construction going on at present. Infrastructure has been drastically improved and the area has less traffic than inner suburbs. Mont Kiara is a mix of both commerical and residential areas and has attracted the attention of many overseas property buyers especially from Korea. It boasts golf clubs, a stadium and equstrian club in its midst.

The Malaysian government is actively trying to improve the environment for people looking to invest in the country, the upshot is that its capital city, Kuala Lumpur has become the regional headquarters of Continue reading ‘Mont Kiara Property popular with expat buyers’

Beach property in Malaysia is HOT and I’m not just talking about the weather! Buying beachfront property in Malaysia offers sun-worshippers searching for a more permanent sunspot the chance to invest in five star luxury real estate at two star prices. It may sound like a dream to most people but Malaysia offers overseas buyers wanting property in a beach resort setting a low-cost option but also entry into the rapidly growing South East Asia real estate market and also happens to have some of the best beaches in the world (something I can vouch for personally!).

Malaysia, a Luxury Beach Resort Alternative

Malaysia may not be the obvious choice when you think of dreamy tropical beachfront resorts but accounts for 40% of the country’s land mass the Malaysian penisular’s extensive coastline and sprinkling of off-shore islands offers sun-seekers 4,675km of pure white sandy shorelines with views over the South China Sea and the straits of Malacca across to Sumatra on the western coast of its peninsula. Blessed by a year round warm climate Malaysia is well on its way to becoming home to the next generation of deluxe beach resorts. With a reputation for impeccable service, friendly locals and a standard of living to rival some of Europe’s major cities, beach resorts in Malaysia are fast developing into significant tourism destinations. Continue reading ‘Malaysia Beach Property is a Bargain’

If the high cost of travel to Asia is putting you off travelling there you may have to think again as cheap flights to Asia become reality with the start of low cost flights to Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur. Newly branded AirAsia X, part of leading budget carrier AirAsia which currently operates around 200 daily no frills flights to 48 destinations throughout Asia, will be offering direct flights from the UK to Asia beginning in July this year. Using a streamlined online ticketing system via the Air Asia branded website to keep prices low, from February onwards, passengers can book flights starting from as little as £100 for a roundtrip flight with an option to pay extra for increased legroom.

The launch comes on the back of Oasis Hong Kong Airlines inauguration in October 2006, which brought cut-price Far East air travel to the UK with fares from £75 (excluding taxes) for a one-way flight from London Gatwick to Hong Kong. Low cost premium air travel is now on their agenda as they charter business Oasis, an affordable approach to business class air travel.

Most people view Asia as a long haul destination, faraway, somewhere reserved for that extra special holiday or trip of a lifetime. The advent of new carrier’s such as AirAsia X offering flight prices around half those charged by full service airlines, offers the long-haul low-cost traveller a greater choice of service for their travel requirements and gives them greater independence. Low fares attract volume and would pave the way for Asia to strengthen its appeal as a mainstream holiday destination which in turn may create locations that become magnets for overseas property investment. Having used Air Asia myself for cheap travel between Thailand and Kuala Lumpur during my property tour, it is clear that low cost travel into the region, will only serve to boost interest from foreign investors who are already buying into Asian property as shown by the opportunity to buy into Malaysian real estate projects such as the I-Zen development.

From its low–cost terminal at Kuala Lumpur Airport (KLIA) AirAsia X is expected to fly to London Stansted and Manchester in addition to launching a series of daily point-to-point routes to popular destinations in China (Tianjing and Hangzhou), India (Amritsar), Europe (Milan and Berlin), Australia and importantly the Middle East (Abu Dhabi). With an eventual plan to cover routes to West Asia, South America and the United States.

UPDATE:

According to BBC news, those of you keen to book the new Asia X service may have to wait until August 2008. Air Asia X have put the service on hold due to problems leasing the right planes at the right price which points to a lack of planning on the part of Asia X. As overall demand for increased air travel and therefore more planes has pushed up aircraft prices, low cost airlines starting are finding it hard to absorb these higher operating costs in addition to competing with big orders from the larger industry players.