"KL: A city in the cusp of something big ..." Kuala Lumpur by arikde

Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide: 5,923 reviews and 13,230 photos

Selamat datang!!! Kuala Lumpur (KL) is probably my favourite city in the South East and Far East parts of Asia. It is a city that has marched truimphantly towards modernity ... remnants of this are visible everywhere, the sparkling KLIA, the world's tallest building (Petronas Towers), the world's tallest flag pole @ Merdeka Square, a brand new completely automated metro system, etc.

Yet, it retains an unique sense of Asianness that has been ignored in development quests across the region ... be it in Singapore, HK, or Manila. The city (and country) is far from perfect ... it struggles with its treatment of non-Malays ... the historically surpressed Chinese and South Indian communities ... it struggles with the non-democratic institutions, and it stuggles to identify the definition of moderate Islam.

A fascinating city ... and in my opinion, one of the MUST-SEE cities of the world.

(note: Selamat datang = Welcome in Bahasa Malaysian)

Pros and Cons

Pros:Modernity and Tradition Juxtasposed
Cons:City where hidden race tensions can never be escaped
In a nutshell:A Must-See City

Last visit to Kuala Lumpur: Aug 2002
Intro Written May 29, 2003
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Reviews (13)

The Impressive KL Skyline - Kuala Lumpur

KL Skyline Things to Do (7)

If you want a good comprehensive picture of KL skyline, either take a cab on the road that from Masjid Negara to China... more travel advice

Flying High - The Malaysian Flag - Kuala Lumpur

The flagpole @ Merdeka Things to Do (7)

When at the Merdeka (Independence) square, besides the Sultan Abdul Amad building and the cricket club, check out the... more travel advice

Sultan Abdul Samad Building el Noche - Kuala Lumpur

Sultan Abdul Samad Building Things to Do (7)

My favourite architecture in KL. This is a MUST-SEE ... more than (well, at least comparable to) the Petronas towers.... more travel advice

Old Train Station Things to Do (7)

Located at Jalan Hishamuddin, this Moorish-style terminal was designed by architect A.B. Hubbock, who also designed the... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Good Cheap Indian Food
Hotels (1)
Cheap Place To Stay Downtown
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Comments (3)

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ezaguryk Jun 14, 2006 at 6:39 PM

Happy B-day!!!!! Wish the best in your day....greating from venezuela
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dsantosh Feb 12, 2004 at 12:33 AM

Nice informative page. In your home page you have coverd yourself from the first flight to graduation and the career.Nice way of doing it. KUL page is informative.
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mtlim Jul 20, 2003 at 9:41 PM

Most ATM would be deactivated by 10pm or 11pm depending on the banks for security reasons and not as mentioned.