Kuala Lumpur: An Unforgettable Place

Kuala Lumpur (often abbreviated K.L.) is the largest city of Malaysia, with an estimated population of 1.8 million. It is the fastest growing metropolitan city in Malaysia. And how can it not be, when its own motto is “progress and prosper” (“maju dan makmur”)? This is the cultural and economic center of the country, the home of the tallest twin buildings in the world, and the official residence of the Malaysian King, the Istana Negara.

Kuala Lumpur has its origins around 1870s, when the Chinese captain Yap Ah Loy founded what was known as Pengkalan Lumpur, which means “bundle of mud”. He developed this unknown place and made it a mining town with economic boom. A mixture of different communities (Chinese, Malays, Indian Chettiars, Indian Muslims, and British administrative officers) and wars (in 1942 it was captured by the Japanese army, then by British administration following the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki), Kuala Lumpur grew through the war, reforms, and economic and political changes.

Kuala Lumpur is located in a huge valley (Klang Valley) at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, and it’s bordered by the Titiwangsa Mountains. It has a year round equatorial climate, warm and sunny, with abundant rainfall during the southwest monsoon season (from September to April).

The national language is Bahasa Melayu, and other spoken languages are Mandarin, Cantonese, Tamil, and English.

Indians form 10% of the population in Kuala Lumpur. They practice Hinduism and speak Tamil. The Bumiputera population is 38%, while the Chinese population is 43%. The religions practiced here are: Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism and Christianity.

Kuala Lumpur is set to become the global Islamic Financing hub, as the world’s largest Islamic bank Al-Rajhi Bank and Kuwait Finance House are a strong presence here.

The architecture of Kuala Lumpur is a blend of old colonial, Asian traditions, Malay Islamic inspirations, and modern and post modern mix. Kuala Lumpur has been featured in movies like Entrapment, starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Jones, and Children of Men, starring Clive Owen.

Kuala Lumpur is one of the host cities for the Formula One World Championship, the open wheel auto racing A1 Grand Prix, and the motorcycle Grand Prix.

Places you should visit while in Kuala Lumpur are:

1. Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens: Dating back to 1880s, and built around an artificial lake, this is the city’s most popular park. It spreads over 91 hectares of flowering shrubs, shady trees, botanical gardens, jogging tracks, exercise stations, rowing boats and children’s playground. Some of the most popular places to visit in the Gardens are: the Orchid Garden (over 800 species from Malaysia alone), the Hibiscus Garden, the Butterfly Park (6,000 butterflies of over 120 species, 15,000 plants from 100 species that recreate a Malaysian rainforest), Kuala Lumpur Bird Park , Malaysian National Monument (one of the world’s largest free standing bronze sculptures can be found here) and the Deer Park (with several mouse deer, the world’s smallest hoofed animal and a popular figure in local folklore famous to its legendary wit).
2. The Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (which includes jungle trails, waterfalls, a herbarium, a library and a museum).
3. The National Museum, which traces the different periods in the history of Malaysia.
4. The Rubber Museum.
5. The National Art Gallery, housed in a 1932 building (conserved under the National Heritage Trust). It showcases the works of contemporary artists and a permanent collection of works of local and foreign origin.
6. The National Planetarium, a working observatory equipped with a 14 inch telescope.
7. The National Zoo and Aquarium.
8. The Elephant Conservation Farm, located in a beautiful tropical rainforest, is the place where you can come into close contact with semi wild elephants.
9. The Central Market, an art deco structure (that won the Coronation Architecture Design in 1953), is the center of Malaysian culture, and it offers arts and crafts, performances, demonstrations, and activities like batik painting, fortune telling, shadow puppet plays, glass blowing, dance classes, and art classes.
10. The Petaling Street is the center of Kuala Lumpur’s original Chinatown. The vendors here spread their wares out on the street, and you can purchase anything from gems and incense to toys and t-shirts, while enjoying the sights, sounds and energy.
11. Brickfields (or Little India), is a place filled with sari shops and banana leaf rice restaurants. It offers various fabrics from India and China, as well as batik and songket, traditional fabrics. Here you can buy the traditional Malay dress, baju kurung or baju kebaya.
12. The City Center is the greatest concentration of places of interest: Independence Square, National Mosque, the Railway Station, the National Museum, Islamic Arts Museum, Police Museum, Lake Gardens , Chinatown (with many Chinese shops and places to eat, with traditional shopping streets and markets), and Selangor Club are all located here. This district is also the best place to buy souvenirs, especially in Central Market, an art and craft market.
13. The Golden Triangle is a predominantly shopping and nightlife district and it is the home of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre, the Petronas Twin Towers, the Aquaria KLCC (with 5,000 varieties of tropical fish) and The Bukit Nanas- Pineapple Hill- (a forest reserve in the heart of the city). Bukit Bintang area is a premier shopping district, with a number a large shopping malls catering to various budgets. Tired from shopping? Get pampered in one of the treatment centers with a full body massage, reflexology, a neck rub, or a foot massage.
14. The Batu Caves, located in a limestone outcrop and the focal point of the annual Thaipusam festival (usually held in February).
15. Bangsar and Midvalley are both located in the south of the city. Bangsar is a popular clubbing and restaurant district, while Midvalley is a popular shopping district, with shopping attractions like the Megamall, The Gardens, Bangsar Village and Bangsar Shopping Center.
16. Damansara and Hartamas are 2 districts in the west of the city, where interesting pockets of restaurant and drinking places can be found.

Malaysians are obsessed with food. You can sample traditional Malay food, Chinese, especially Cantonese food, Indian food, Korean food, Arab and Middle Eastern food, or Western food. Try one of the thousands of coffee shops on the roadside stalls (they mostly open at night) or “Mamak shops” (food outlets run by Indian Muslims), where the most popular food is “roti canai”, or in the numerous food courts in shopping malls. While in Malaysia you must try the kopitiam, an upgrade of a Chinese coffee shop. They are open mostly during the day and you can taste here some of the best tea and coffee and light meals and snacks like nasi lemak (coconut flavored rice with anchovies and peanut), and the ever popular toast with kaya (a spread from coconut curd). If you are looking for a restaurant meal, go to The Golden Triangle, Bangsar and Midvalley, or Heritage Row.

The nightlife is going strong in The Golden Triangle. Jalan P. Ramlee is Kuala Lumpur’s central clubbing area. Bukit Bintang also throbs with action, and its neon lit clubs, many of them with hostesses, have an Asian feel to them. Heritage Row is a new, trendy nightspot. Bangsar is the busiest place in Kuala Lumpur at night, with lots of action, deafening music, and swanky clubs. If you are looking for live performances go to Damansara and Hartamas, and when you are wiped out from too much partying go to a Mamak Stall and treat yourself to a teh tarik (frothed tea).

Kuala Lumpur is one of those cities with a rich history and must see attractions. Wander randomly in the streets, shop, eat, do some sightseeing, enjoy the nightlife. You don’t need to plan anything ahead of time. Just take one street at the time and delight in everything it has to offer.