Kuala Lumpur

Introduction

Petronas Twin Towers

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Kuala Lumpur (/ˈkwɑːlə lʊmˈpʊər/) is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia and is internationally known for the Petronas Twin Towers, which are the tallest twin towers on earth. Located in the middle of the west coast, the city is the centre of many things in Malaysia. It began with the discovery of tin in the 1850s at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers. Hence it is the place of the discovery that gave the city its name, which means muddy (Malay: lumpur) confluence (kuala).

KL, as it is commonly referred to, has a good mix of old and new. From the old British colonial government and pre-war buildings, to the newly built skyscrapers and shopping complexes, KL has a unique blend of virtually everything for everyone.

Neighbourhoods

Suburbs

There are several suburbs surrounding the city of Kuala Lumpur, which together with the city itself form a large metropolitan area known as the Klang Valley, named after a river that flows through the city.

• Ampang
• Petaling Jaya
• Puchong
• Kajang
• Selayang
• Serdang
• Seri Kembangan
• Shah Alam
• Subang Jaya

Sights and Activities

Petronas Twin Towers

The Petronas Twin Towers are an icon, not only of Kuala Lumpur but also modern Malaysia, and no visit to KL is complete without a visit to the twin towers.

Standing at 451.9 metres tall, the Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. Connecting the two towers on Levels 41 and 42 is a double-deck skybridge, 170 metres above ground. The lower section of the skybridge is open to all visitors while the upper section is reserved for tenants only. Beneath the towers are a large shopping centre, cinemas, restaurants and cafés. Right behind is a 7-hectare park with fountain, children's wading pool and jogging trail.

The towers were featured in the 1999 film Entrapment starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones where a scene took place on top of the skybridge.

Adjacent to the towers is the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre where beneath the building is the Aquaria KLCC. Located on the concourse level, the 6,000 m² aquarium features a 90-metre-long underwater tunnel and over 250 different species of land animals and marine life from Malaysia and around the world.

Kuala Lumpur Tower

KL Tower

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Another famous icon of the city, KL Tower (Malay: Menara KL) is a telecommunications tower. Built in 1995 on Bukit Nanas (literally pineapple hill) and has a height of 421 metres, it is the fifth tallest tower in the world. Because it sits on top of a hill, its height is at 515 metres above sea level, which is higher than the Petronas Twin Towers.

The observation deck at 276 metres above ground level (not counting the height of the hill) provides an excellent aerial view of Kuala Lumpur. It has been said that one can even see the Strait of Malacca from the tower on a perfect clear day. There is also a revolving restaurant which provides breathtaking views while you indulge on a sumptuous buffet of Malaysian delicacies.

Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve

Surrounding the KL Tower is the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve. Gazetted in 1906, it is one of the oldest forest reserves in the country. It covers an area of about 11 hectares and is the only remaining tropical rainforest in the heart of the city of Kuala Lumpur.

The entrance is on Jln Raja Chulan opposite the church. In the reserve is a 100+ year old Jelutong tree (Dyera Costulata) standing right next to the tower. Along the trails around the rainforest you could see different species of trees, colourful butterflies, insects, tropical birds, squirrels and macaque monkeys. You may need to take mosquito repellant.

Batu Caves

Enterance to the Batu Caves

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Batu Caves is a series of caves on a limestone hill formed millions of years ago. The caves are located 13 kilometres north of the city of Kuala Lumpur. The biggest cave has been made into a Hindu temple in 1891. To reach the cave, one has to climb a staircase of 272 steps, but it's worth every ounce of energy used.

There are many macaque monkeys around, take care because they are known to grab bags, cameras etc when looking for food.

Every year, over a million Hindu devotees and visitors throng the temple for the Thaipusam celebrations, which falls between mid-January to early February. It is an eye-opening event with so many visitors all travelling to the site, it must not be missed if you visit Kuala Lumpur during this time of year.

Central Market

Located just a few minutes away from Chinatown, Central Market was once the largest wet market in Kuala Lumpur. This 1936 Art Deco building was converted into a centre of arts and crafts in the mid-1980s. Since then, it is also known as Pasar Seni in Malay, which means Art Market, and houses a variety of shops selling local arts, locally hand crafted souvenirs, batik, antiques, clothes and souvenirs.

Lake Gardens

The Lake Gardens is the oldest and most popular park in Kuala Lumpur. This manicured garden was once home to the British colonial officials. Within this 92-hectare park is a lake surrounded by lush greenery and a few other attractions, all within walking distance.

Blue peacock

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Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
Covering an area of approximately 8.4 hectares (21 acres), the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is reputed to be one of the largest covered aviary park in the world. Located in a large green lung in the city centre, this huge free-flight walk-in bird cage houses about 800 birds of over 50 local and foreign species living in a balanced and semi-natural, man-made environment. These birds have adapted so well that they are able to build their own nests and breed naturally. While many birds roam freely across the park, certain species such as the hornbills and parrots are confined in separate large sections within the aviary to ensure visitors will not miss the chance to see them. Other main attractions include the Indian Blue Peacocks, Crowned Pigeons, Yellow-billed Storks and flamingos. Time your visit to coincide with the feeding session of the birds. Entry is expensive, RM45 for adults.

Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park
The Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park is home to around 6,000 butterflies of over 120 species. Located behind the KL Bird Park and near the Lake Gardens, the park is entirely covered by net and landscaped with more than 15,000 plants to resemble a rainforest and to create a natural habitat for the butterflies.

Orchid Garden, Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden
The Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden is located on top of a hill opposite the KL Bird Park. This one-hectare floral paradise contains over 800 varieties of orchids. During the weekend, cut flowers and plants are available for sale at the garden. Within the Orchid Garden is the Hisbiscus Garden. This garden contains many varieties of hibiscus, including the national flower of Malaysia, known as bunga raya in Malay. Entry to the Orchid Garden is free during the weekdays while a nominal fee is charged during the weekends.

Carcosa Seri Negara
Carcosa Seri Negara is a government-owned luxury hotel within the Lake Gardens. Situated on two adjacent hills, the hotel includes two colonial mansions, one named Carcosa, the other Seri Negara (formerly King's House). Built in 1897 and 1913 respectively, the buildings were official residence of top British colonial officers to Malaya. Upon independence in 1957, they were given to the British Government, "as a token of goodwill of the Malayan people to Her Majesty's Government," and they became the official residence to the British High Commissioners. The buildings were returned to the Malaysian Government in 1987 after which they were converted into a luxury hotel. Carcosa Seri Negara have been the official residence for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip during their visits to Kuala Lumpur.

One of Carcosa Seri Negara's trademarks is the traditional English afternoon tea, served daily in the elegant drawing room, or on the charming wrap-around verandah, overlooking the beautiful gardens.

Sunway Lagoon

Sunway Lagoon is a theme park located in a neighbouring township south-west of Kuala Lumpur. It consists of five different themed parks: Amusement Park, Extreme Park, Water Park, Wildlife Park, Scream Park. Built on a former tin mining pool, the 80-acre park offers all the adventure and excitement you could want from a theme park and water park put together. With its own hotel resort, shopping mall and cinema located within the complex, it will have something to keep people of all interests and ages entertained.

Sunway Lagoon is easily accessible by public transportation. It takes only about 15 to 20 minutes drive from the KL city centre to get there via the Federal Highway.

Museums and Galleries

• The Islamic Arts Museum located on Jalan Lembah Perdana near the Lake Gardens is South East Asia's largest museum of Islamic Art. It houses more than 7,000 artifacts representing the Islamic world. The museum has various themed galleries and two of the more popular ones are the Islamic Architecture Gallery which showcases miniature models of famous buildings/mosques from the Islamic world, and the Al-Quran/Manuscript Gallery which has a collection of more than 200 Islamic manuscripts including a rare Quran from the Ming dynasty.
• The National Art Gallery (Balai Seni Lukis Negara) showcases art pieces and exhibitions by local and overseas artists. The art gallery is located on Jalan Tun Razak, right next to the National Theatre (Istana Budaya).
• The National History Museum located on Jalan Raja has been operational since 1996 and showcases various artifacts and materials that depict Malaysia's wealth of historical heritage. Some of the important items displayed are the table on which 1874 Pangkor treaty was signed, the Malayan flag (raised on the night of 31 August 1957 to signal the independence of the country), a 40,000-year-old homo-sapiens skull, a 520-million-year-old metamorphic sandstone and a gold coin dating back to the 15th century.
• The National Museum (Muzium Negara) was set up in 1963 to preserve and depict Malaysia's rich cultural heritage. This museum located on Jalan Damansara has a main central hall and various galleries which provide valuable insights into the evolution and development of modern Malaysia.
• The Telecommunications Museum is the first interactive museum in Malaysia and is located on Jalan Gereja. Housed in a 70 year old two-storey building, this museum traces the 120 years of telecommunication development in the country, starting from the initial Morse code telegraph to the cell phones and digital networks of today.

Other Sights and Activities

in KL

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• Chinatown (Petaling Street)
• Jamek Mosque (Masjid Jamek)
• Malayan Railway Administration Building (KTMB)
• National Monument (Tugu Negara)
• Old Railway Station
• Sri Mahamariamman Temple
• Sultan Abdul Samad Building (the clock tower)
• Thean Hou Temple

Events and Festivals

Cultural and Religious

Chinese Lunar New Year
Chinese make up about a quarter of the total population and in honour of the Chinese New Year, Malaysia has declared the first two days as public holidays. The next New Year is on 3 February 2011, when the Year of the Rabbit commences.

On the 15th day of the new year, which is also the last day of the festival, several shops at Chinatown will hire professional lion dance troupes to perform at their premises. One can expect to see lions performing amazing stunts, jumping from pole to pole of up to three metres tall. The highlight is usually the last performance of the day, hired by the Kiew Brothers shop (look for the boxing chicken logo) which sells dried meat. The troupe usually start to assemble the poles on the road in front of the shop at about 5:00pm. Be there around that time to get a good view when the performance starts at about 6:00pm, as the crowd will only grow bigger.

Mid-Autumn Festival
Alternatively known as the Moon Festival, Lantern Festival or Mooncake Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the full moon day (15th day) of the eighth month of the Chinese calendar – usually in September. In 2010, it falls on 22 September.

This harvest festival for the farmers also have two stories linked to it: a mythical legend and a folklore tale. The legend is about Chang'e in Chinese mythology involving Houyi, the Archer; Chang'e, the mythical Moon Goddess of Immortality; an emperor, either benevolent or malevolent; an elixir of life; and the Moon. The folklore tale is about an uprising in China against the Mongol rulers of the Yuan Dynasty (1280–1368) in the 14th century. Because gathering of people were banned, a rebellion against the Mongols was planned by inserting a piece of paper containing the message into the mooncake, which the Mongols do not eat, and widely distributed to the people in conjuntion with the festival. On the night of the festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the Mongol rulers. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644).

Hari Raya Aidil Fitri (Eid ul-Fitr)
This Muslim festival marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and is celebrated by 60% of the population. The first two days are public holidays, and most people take extra days off to spend time with family and visit relatives and friends. It will occur next on 10 September 2010.

Thaipusam
This annual Hindu festival commemorates the birthday of Lord Murugan. Over a million devotees and visitors throng Batu Caves on this eventful celebration, every year. In 2011, it will occur on 18 January.

In the very early morning of the festival, at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple located at the edge of Chinatown, a silver chariot will transport the statuettes of Lord Murugan and his consorts (Valli and Teivayanni) through the city streets to Batu Caves. A long procession of thousands of Hindu devotees carrying kavadi as an offering for Lord Murugan will follow the chariot pulled by several cows.

Deepavali (Diwali)
Deepavali is a significant Hindu festival, also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of good over evil. For 2010, this festival falls on 5 November.

Christmas
This joyous day is declared a public holiday in Malaysia. Year 2000 census indicates that almost a tenth of the population are Christians. As with other major celebrations, shopping centres in the city will try to outdo one another in decorating their premises for Christmas.

Sports

• Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix (2–4 April 2010) – Sepang, Selangor
• Malaysian MotoGP (8–10 October 2010) – Sepang, Selangor
• Super GT International Series Malaysia (18–20 June 2010) – Sepang, Selangor
• Tour of Langkawi (1–7 March 2010) – Peninsular Malaysia
• Kuala Lumpur International Marathon (27 June 2010) – Kuala Lumpur

Others

• Federal Territory (FT) Day (1 February)
• Merdeka (English: Independence) Day Celebration (31 August)
• Sale at shopping centres (usually in August and December)

Weather

The average temperature during the day can easily reach as high as 34 °C and could drop to as low as 22 °C during the night or after a thunderstorm. Higher or lower temperatures are actually extremely rare and variations throughout the year are extremely low. The average highs range from 31.5 °C in December to 33.2 °C in March, while average lows range from 22.5 °C in January to 23.9 °C in May. Thunderstorms could come in less than an hour without warning during wet season and even though it seldom lasts for more than 2 hours, flash floods could occur a couple of times a year, and the traffic would come to a standstill. Average annual precipitation is around 2,400mm with the wettest months being October to December and March/April, with around 250mm a month. June and July are the driest with about half that amount.

Getting There

By Plane

There are two airports serving the Kuala Lumpur metropolitan area, Klang Valley.

• Kuala Lumpur International Airport (IATA: KUL, ICAO: WMKK)

KLIA, as it is commonly referred to, is a main gateway to the country and Kuala Lumpur. It is also the base of flag carrier Malaysia Airlines and budget airline AirAsia.

The airport is linked to the city centre via an express train service which takes only 28 minutes compared to an hour by car or bus.

• Subang Airport (IATA: SZB, ICAO: WMSA) (officially Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport)

Located 15 minutes away from the city centre in the KL suburb of Subang, it was formerly the main airport of the country before the new KLIA was built. It now serves mostly turboprop flights operated by FireFly and other private airlines.

By Train

The Malayan Railway (Malay: Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)) is the operator of the rail services in the peninsula.

• Train No. 01 (Ekspres Rakyat) Butterworth - Kuala Lumpur - Singapore
• Train No. 02 (Ekspres Rakyat) Singapore - Kuala Lumpur - Butterworth
• Train No. 03 (Ekspres Sinaran Utara) Butterworth - Kuala Lumpur * Service suspended from 17 March 2008 until further notice.
• Train No. 04 (Ekspres Sinaran Utara) Kuala Lumpur - Butterworth * Service suspended from 17 March 2008 until further notice.
• Train No. 05 (Ekspres Sinaran Pagi) Kuala Lumpur - Singapore
• Train No. 06 (Ekspres Sinaran Petang) Singapore - Kuala Lumpur
• Train No. 07 (Ekspres Langkawi) Hat Yai - Butterworth - Kuala Lumpur
• Train No. 08 (Ekspres Langkawi) Kuala Lumpur - Butterworth - Hat Yai
• Train No. 11 (Ekspres Senandung Malam) Kuala Lumpur - Singapore
• Train No. 12 (Ekspres Senandung Malam) Singapore - Kuala Lumpur
• Train No. 16 (Ekspres Wau) Kuala Lumpur - Gemas - Tumpat
• Train No. 17 (Ekspres Wau) Tumpat - Gemas - Kuala Lumpur
• Train No. 18 (Gading Mas) Kuala Lumpur - Gemas - Tumpat
• Train No. 19 (Gading Mas) Tumpat - Gemas - Kuala Lumpur

By Car

Kuala Lumpur is connected by the North-South Expressway (NSE) that runs along the states on the west coast. The NSE Northern Route (E1) starts from the Malaysia-Thailand border at Bukit Kayu Hitam until Kuala Lumpur. The NSE Southern Route (E2) begins from the Malaysia-Singapore border at Johor Bahru and ends at Kuala Lumpur.

From the east coast states, the East Coast Expressway (E8) starts from Kuantan and runs through inner Pahang before it ends at Gombak, north of Kuala Lumpur.

By Bus

Regular express bus services to Kuala Lumpur are available in all major towns and cities, including Singapore and Thailand. The main bus terminal is Puduraya, located in the city centre between Bukit Bintang (10 to 15 minutes walk) and Chinatown (5 minutes walk). It has the most number of connections compared to other smaller bus terminals around the city.

Getting Around

By Car

Driving yourself in Kuala Lumpur is not recommended. Heavy traffic, suicidal motorcyclists and bad signposts at some time make it very difficult, espcially if you are used to driving at the righthand side of the road and just arrived in the country. There is no use of getting around by car anyway with the good public transport there is nowadays.

By Public Transport

RapidKL is the main operator of bus, metro and monorail services in and around the nation's capital. This map shows the connections between the different rail services in and around the city.

Bus
All RapidKL buses are air-conditioned. Services are divided into four types:

Metro
The LRT (Light Rail Transit) has two lines servicing the city:

• Ampang Line
• Kelana Jaya Line (the city centre section runs in the underground)

Fares for a single trip range from 70 sen - RM2.50.

Monorail
The KL Monorail only runs in the city and links the central station (KL Sentral) with the Titiwangsa bus hub.

Train
The Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu, KTM) operate the KTM Komuter services connecting the suburban areas and neighbouring towns with the city. Fares for a single trip start from RM1.

Taxi
All KL taxis are metered and must charge by the following official fare structure:

Unfortunately the bad apples amongst the taxis usually concentrate in touristy and busy areas. Many taxis in these places will ask for a flat fare (usually marked higher than it would be) especially during rush hours. Insist on using the meter as all city taxis must use the meter, by official regulations.

If you managed to get a taxi to use the meter, don't let your guard down yet. Pay attention to the meter as some dishonest drivers are known to have calibrated the meter to run faster than it should. Apart from looking at the taxi odometer (mileometer), another way to track the distance travelled is to count the number of street light posts the taxi had driven past. Stand-alone street lights (not those on utility poles) in Malaysia are usually placed about 50 metres apart, so a passing of two street lights after the first one (on a junction-less road) equals to about 100 metres. Unscrupulous taxi drivers may also resort to make their meter reading 'jump' by a few ringgit when the passenger is not looking at the meter.

By Bike

Biking, even less so than getting around on foot, is not a good idea, unless you like sweating and keeping your eye on the road all the time instead of the surrounding buildings.

By Foot

Due to the heat from the sun during the day, walking farther than a couple of kilometres is usually not preferred. Still, most of Kuala Lumpur is not difficult to navigate on foot. Just be careful when crossing streets and be especially aware of motorcyclists.

Eat

Kuala Lumpur, like most capitals, has the widest selection of restaurants in the country, ranging from small local food stalls to superp international dining experiences. In general: when it is busy, the food is good! And steer clear from food stalls which sells close to nothing.
Some good websites with abundant lists of restaurants are:

• Kuala Lumpur food and dining
• 10best

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Backpacker hostels are mostly concentrated in the Bukit Bintang and Golden Triangle areas. Prices of a bed range from RM30 (dorm) to RM90 (private room) per night. Budget hotels are also available at the range of RM100 to 150 per room.

Mid-Range

Rooms are available for RM150 to 300 per night.

• Allson Genesis Hotel (3-star)
• Ancasa Hotel (3-star)
• Bintang Warisan
• Capitol Hotel (3-star)
• Nova Hotel (3-star)
• Swiss Inn (3-star)
• More accomodation in Kuala Lumpur

Upscale

Four and five stars hotel room rates in KL are quite cheap by western standards. A standard room starts from RM300 and could go as high as RM1,000 for an executive suite.

Some of the international hotel chains in Kuala Lumpur:

• Hilton Hotel (5-star) - Located across the street from the central station, which has links to the express train to the airport, intercity train services, city metro, taxis, and buses.
• Shangri-la Hotel (5-star) - This hotel is in the Golden Triangle. It is only five minutes drive or 10 minutes walk to the Petronas Twin Towers.
• Mandarin Oriental (5-star) - This hotel in located right next to the Petronas Twin Towers.
• J.W. Marriot Hotel (5-star) - Located at Jalan Bukit Bintang.
• Traders Hotel (4-star) - This hotel is only a stone's throw away from the Petronas Twin Towers as it is also part of the KLCC development area.
• Concorde Hotel (4-star) - Hard Rock Cafe is located within this hotel.
• More accomodation in Kuala Lumpur

Apartments

If you are travelling in a larger group for at least 3 to 4 days, you can consider renting an apartment. Some properties in KL are available to rent from their owners on a short term vacation basis. They normally have 2 to 3 bedrooms and shared services.

• Apartments in Petaling Jaya (suburb of Kuala Lumpur)

Work

Learn

• University Kuala Lumpur
• University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur
• International Medical University
• Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University
• Open University Malaysia
• International Islamic University Malaysia

Keep Connected

Internet

There are many places with free wi-fi hotspots in Kuala Lumpur, especially coffee shops, fast food places, cafes and restaurants. Some establishments may require you to buy something from them in order to get the security key. If you don't have a computer, internet cafés can be found all over Kuala Lumpur.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The area code for Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is 03.

Refer to the main Malaysia article for details on phone.

Post

The General Post Office (GPO) is located across the Klang River from Central Market, near Chinatown (Petaling Street). Generally, post offices are open from 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Saturday, except the first Saturday of the month. They are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. Pos Malaysia is the national postal service of Malaysia. Rates for sending a standard letter locally is 60 sen (20 gram). International airmail has minimum rates ranging from RM1.00 to RM2.00, depending on destination. It costs 50 sen to send a postcard or aerogramme anywhere in the world.

Refer to the main Malaysia article for more details on post.