Kuala Lumpur Things to Do Tips by Askla

A 100 m tall flagpole at the Merdeka Square. Merdeka Square Review

Merdeka Square is the place where the liberation from the British was declared in 1957. You can admire the tallest flagpole in the world, 100 m of height, at the southern end of the square.
Along the square is the Sultan Abdul Samad Building on one side, and the Royal Selangor Club on the other side.

Address: Jalan Raja.

Directions:

Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Sultan Abdul Samad Building Review

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building was built in 1897 as the secretariat for the colonial administration.
It nowadays hosts the Malaysian High Court.

Directions: Along Jalan Raja, on eastern side of Merdeka Square.

Sze Ya Taoist Temple. Sze Ya Temple Review

The temple was founded in 1864 by Yap Ah Loy, a Chinese man considered one of the founders of Kuala Lumpur itself. There is a statue of him inside the temple.

Address: Jalan Tun HS Lee.

Directions: You have to get in from the street to see the temple. Be observant on the signs telling where to enter. It is in the same area as the Central Market shopping mall.

Phone: (+60) (0)3 2072 9593

Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. Sri Mahamariamman Indian Temple Review

The Sri Maha Mariamman Temple was founded in 1873. I have heard two different stories about the foundation: the first says it was founded by workers who had migrated from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The second says it was founded by an Indian millionaire, K Thamboosamy Pillai, for his and his family's own use. I don't know what to believe. However, it is said to be the oldest functioning Hindu temple in Malaysia.
Mariamman is the South Indian mother goddess. She is also important for Hindus who have left Malaysia and are now living abroad, they do often regard her as a protector.
During the Thaipusam festival are the statuettes of Lord Murugan belonging to this temple paraded in a silver chariot to the Batu Caves.

The temple was being renovated at the time of my visit, so there are no pictures from the outside as the gopuram (the temple tower) was all decked in reed to protect it from rain. This renovation is part of the works done for the consecration of the temple which should be held every 12 years in accordance with Hindu tradition.

Visiting hours daily from 06.00 to 21.00.

Address: 163, Jalan Tun HS Lee.

Directions: Just to the west of Chinatown, south of the Central Market shopping mall.

Phone: +60 (03) 2078 3467

The Hibiscus Garden. Orchid Garden Review

Hibiscus, Bunga Raya in Bahasa Malayu, is the national flower of Malaysia, as well as is the case in Jamaica and Hawaii.
The Hibiscus Garden has over 2.500 plants in many different colours to show the great variety of hibiscus.
They flourishes all through the year and may be very big, nearly like a kind of small trees.
The hibiscus belongs to the cotton family and consists of about 300 species, many of them used in medicine, as vegetables or for the fibres.

The Hibiscus Garden is in fact marked as "Kuala Lumpur Orchid Park" on Google Map but the marker points to the Hibiscus Garden. The Orchid Garden is a bit further south in the same park area.

The Orchid Garden. Orchid Garden Review

If you are interested in orchids, don't miss the Orchid Garden ("Taman Orkid" in Malay). It's situated in the Lake Gardens together with the Hibiscus Garden, Butterfly, Deer and Bird Parks. It is said that the Orchid Garden has ~800 Malaysian orchids and a couple of thousands other orchids.
The Garden is opened from 9 to 18 everyday. Admission free except on Sundays and National Holidays when it costs 1RM.

Address: Jalan Cendearawashi, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur.

Directions: To the west of the city center, in the Lake Gardens area, close to the Parliament House.

Phone: +60 (03) 2617 6000

The two and only Twin Towers. Petronas Twin Towers Review

With 452 metres the Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world when they were completed in 1996, after two years of building. (Nowadays the Taipei 101 is taller and also the Burj Dubai.)
Visitors can admire the view from the Skybridge at 170 metres (floor 41) but then have to have a ticket, which you can get by queueing for the free tickets given out everyday except Mondays. The Skybridge is opened from 9 to 19, closed Fridays from 12.30 to 14.30. Only one ticket per person, advance bookings not possible and the ticket is valid only for the same day as you get it.

Address: The corner of Jalan Ampang and Jalan P. Ramlee.

Directions: Within the Golden Triangle.

Phone: 03/2051-7770

Website: http://www.petronastwintowers.com.my

One of the most well known caves anywhere. Batu Caves Review

The Batu Caves Hindu Temple is the place where the Thaipusam Festival has been held on the fullmoon day which comes between January 15 and February 14, every year since 1891. During this festival the area is totally crowded, the streets are closed for normal traffic (just special buses with devotees and spectators are allowed to run), you can not move and we - the spectators - disturb the Hindus coming for their prayers. But what an experience to have witnessed it all!

The stairs consists of 272 steps. It is quite steep, so luckily there are several landings where one can catch the breath and admire the view at the same time.

It has been said there should be lots of monkeys, which could from time to time be very disturbing and nearly aggresive, but when we went there were no signs whatsoever of any monkeys. We came quite late, arrived around 7pm but it was still daylight. Perhaps the authorities have moved them to another place.

For more information and pictures, please visit my "Batu Caves" site.

Address: Jalan Lingkaran Tengah Ii.

Directions: 13km north of Kuala Lumpur, in Negeri Selangor.

Phone: +60 3 2287 9422

The Old Railway Station. Railway Stations Review

Built in Moorish style (the building is full of turrets and towers), it gives an glamorous impression, the white facades shining in the bright sun. It was opened in 1911 to meet the needs from travelers coming from Singapore in the south, or Butterworth/Penang in the north. Much of the station building was restored in 1980 but that couldn't help it from beeing replaced with the new KL Sentral in 2001. Nowadays the Old Railway Station is used for the comuter trains.

Address: Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin.

Directions: Midway between Chinatown and KL Sentral (the new railway station).

Binding garlands to Mariamman.

Outside the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple are quite a few men busy in binding garlands which can be used by the devotes to offer to Mariamman in the temple.

Directions: