"KUALA LUMPUR ~ CAPITAL CITY OF MALAYSIA " a Kuala Lumpur Travel Page by longsanborn

Kuala Lumpur (KL to the locals) is the capital city of Malaysia; it is also the largest city in the country. It is a heady mix of history and culture.

It is a modern Asian city of shiny steel-and-glass skyscrapers, giant shopping malls and office towers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.

KL is hot and humid almost all the time. Although there is rain through the year, March to April and September to November are the wettest months.

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Petronas Twin Towers at night

Hub for Cultural Activities and Events

Kuala Lumpur is a hub for cultural activities and events. Among the centres is the National Museum which is situated along the Mahameru Highway. It offers various types of collection such as artefacts and paintings collected throughout the country. The Muzium Negara (National Museum) incorporates neo traditionalism into its architectural design.

Another arts venue is the Kuala Lumpur Philharmonic Hall. It is headquartered to the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO), comprising a cast of international musicians and features regular concerts, chamber concerts and traditional cultural performances.

The Petronas Art Gallery, a centre for fine art is situated in Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in Sentul West is also a noted centre for the performing arts, notably theatre and music (it can also host film screening). It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists.

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Petaling Street (Chinatown)

Places of Interests in Kuala Lumpur

* The Golden Triangle, the commercial hub of the city, contains the Petronas Twin Towers and has a distinctive nightlife.
* The Petronas Twin Towers were the world's tallest twin towers and second and third-tallest singular towers, standing adjacent to one of the busiest shopping malls in Malaysia, Suria KLCC.
* The Menara Kuala Lumpur, currently the world's fifth tallest telecommunication tower, is located on the Bukit Nanas hill beside Convent Bukit Nanas.
* Dayabumi a major landmark located near Masjid Negara. It is an office building.
* Kuala Lumpur General Post Office is located next to Dayabumi.
* Lake Gardens, a 920,000 square metre manicured garden near the Malaysian Parliament building, was once home to a British colonial official. They include a Butterfly Park, Deer Park, Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and South-East Asia's largest Bird Park. (Bird park pics)
* Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), was initially erected for the country's declaration of independence on August 31, 1957.
* Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square/Merdeka Square), was the site of the lowering of the Union Jack flag and hoisting of the Malayan flag on the start of August 31, 1957. The square itself has historic association with its surroundings, namely the Royal Selangor Club, National History Museum and the architecturally Victorian-Moorish or 'Raj' influenced Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
* Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a Victorian-Moorish railway station, was completed in 1911, and superseded by KL Sentral in 2001; it currently serves commuter trains only.
* The Masjid Negara (National Mosque), a post modernist mosque, was completed in 1965 and Makam Pahlawan (Heroes Mausoleum) the mausoleum of Malaysian leaders.
* The Parliament House, a Malaysian federal government legislative building, was completed on 1963.
* The Tugu Negara (National Monument) commemorates those who died in Malaysia's struggles for freedom (principally against the Japanese occupation and during the Malayan Emergency of 1946-60).
* The Chinese Night Market area (Chinatown), Petaling Street, has recently undergone a makeover; the most notable feature is the new covered walkway.
* Mid Valley Megamall, one of the largest shopping malls(situated in Bangsar).
* Bukit Bintang, the ultimate shopping and entertainment experience in the Golden Triangle.
* Kuala Lumpur's Central Market, which was once the city's wet market, offers an assortment of arts and craft merchandise, varying from antiques and paintings to souvenirs and clothing. It is also known as Pasar Seni in Malay.
* Trendy nightclubs, bars and lounges, such as Hard Rock Cafe, Zouk and Thai Club are located within and around Jalan P.Ramlee, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang.