"Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia" a Kuala Lumpur Travel Page by SWFC_Fan

Where?

Kuala Lumpur (commonly abbreviated to KL) is the capital city of Malaysia and is home to around 1.5 million people.

KL lies in the west of peninsular Malaysia, about 40km from the coast.

How to get there?

KL is connected by air to major cities all over the world. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located some distance south of the city (approx 75km away). So, if you are arriving by plane then you'll need to arrange transport to the city centre.

Regular buses link KL with other cities in Malaysia as well as Singapore and various cities in Thailand. The main bus station (Puduraya station) is centrally located, just a 5 minute walk to Chinatown and a 15 minute walk to the Golden Triangle.

Long distance trains arrive at and depart from KL Sentral station which lies south west of the city centre.

I arrived in KL on a bus from Melaka, a journey of around 2.5 hours at a cost of RM9.4 (approx 1.5 GBP / 2.3 Euros).

I left KL on a bus bound for Singapore, a journey of between 5 and 6 hours at a cost of RM30 (approx 4.5 GBP / 7 Euros).

A few recommendations of things to see and do based on my 5 days in the city:

Petronas Towers

At a height of 452 metres, the Petronas Towers were for some time the highest building in the world (until they were surpassed by "Taipei 101" in Taiwan in recent years). These imposing towers contain a large shopping mall (Suria KLCC) at their base and are surrounded by attractive parkland and an artificial lake. It is possible to take a lift up to the Skybridge viewing platform which connects the two towers, but note that this viewing platform is less than halfway up the towers and is not as high as the observation deck at KL Tower. I didn't go up to the Skybridge (a limited number of tickets are handed out each morning on a first-come-first-served basis, and I was never motivated enough to get up early and queue), but I ventured up to the towers a few times during my stay and never tired of their imposing grandeur. The towers are particularly spectacular when illuminated at night.

KL Tower

The KL Tower is the fourth highest telecommunications tower in the world and its observation deck is significantly higher than the viewing platform at the Petronas Towers. So, for me, this is the place to get a bird's eye view of KL. For a cost of RM20 (approx 3 GBP / 4.5 Euros) you can take the lift up to the observation deck and listen while the audio tour guides you around the various sights that you can see below. There is a good view of the Petronas Towers, but unfortunately this is from a side-on perspective.

Golden Triangle

The so-called "Golden Triangle" is the modern part of KL. Numerous shopping malls, bars and restaurants can be found along Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail. This is about as westernised as KL becomes, with international coffee shops and fast food restaurants. However, a short walk off the main roads soon brings you to a more traditional side of KL - hawker food stalls and markets.

Merdeka Square

Merdeka Square is where Malaysian independence was granted in 1957. A number of impressive buildings (the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the National History Museum, the Royal Selangor Club and the KL Memorial Library) surround a large lawn. At one end of the square lies the Memorial Arches, while at the other end lies the world's tallest flagpole. There is a car park beneath the square - I sheltered there for over an hour during a heavy afternoon downpour!

Chinatown

The hotel that I stayed in (Hotel Chinatown Inn) was located right in the heart of Chinatown on the pedestrianised Jalan Petaling. A number of temples, food stalls, shops and hotels can be found amongst the surrounding streets, while Jalan Petaling itself houses a large open air market where persistent salesmen sell a wide variety of goods from roasted chestnuts and fresh fruit to DVDs and watches.

Little India

The "Little India" region of the city is home to numerous colourful fabric shops, curry restaurants, cafes and grocery shops.

Lake Gardens and National Monument

The Lake Gardens are a good place to escape the frantic traffic and crowds of the city centre. A vast area of greenery with children's play areas, lakes and sculptures provides a nice setting for a couple of hours strolling. The National Monument, a large bronze sculpture surrounded by water features, overlooks the Lake Gardens.

A few observations from my 5 days in Kuala Lumpur:

"Tell me about England"

I'll be honest, I don't know if this was some kind of scam or not. Commonly, when I'm approached by "friendly" locals in a foreign city, I know there is ultimately going to be some request for money. But in KL, none of these people ever asked me for any money - instead, they asked if I would meet one of their female relatives in order to answer questions about England. On my first day in KL, I was twice asked directly by local girls to go for a drink and tell them about England, twice asked by men to meet their sister (who was soon to be coming to England to work as a nurse) later in the afternoon and once asked by a guy to meet his daughter in McDonalds. This continued throughout my 5 days in the city, and all those that I encountered were friendly (although they all had suspiciously similar stories and questions!). I know that there are many Malaysian students in the UK and that the government is actively encouraging young people to head to the UK for education/work, but something seemed odd about all the requests I was receiving. If they were all genuine, then I sincerely apologise for my cynicism, but I suspect that the number of Malaysian females working in British hospitals will soon outnumber those living in KL!

Afternoon showers

On 4 of the 5 days that I spent in KL, the heavens opened in the afternoon and there was a torrential downpour! Each day it would start brightly - if not sunny, then at least dry and bright. There would be no sign of any rain. Then suddenly it would turn cloudy, the rain would bounce down, the thunder and lightning would arrive....and then, within the hour, it would stop! Only on my first day in the city, when I hadn't put a coat in my bag and had to shelter in an underground car park, did the rain last for several hours.

Early departure

I had pre-booked 6 nights accommodation in KL and thought I would have plenty to keep me occupied for the whole stay. However, after 3 days in the city and several walks up to the Petronas Towers, I was pining for Singapore and a nice beer by the river. It's not that I didn't like KL, it was a nice enough city, but I felt that I'd exhausted the sights in the first few days. In the event, I spent 5 days in KL and checked out of my hotel just 1 day early.

Expensive beer

Beer prices in KL are similar to those in Scandinavia! A draught pint in any bar (even of the cheapest beer, Tiger) would generally cost upwards of RM25 (approx 4 GBP / 6 Euros). A draught pint of an imported European beer would often cost RM30+. Bottles (330ml) were only slightly cheaper (RM15-20).