Kuala Lumpur

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Quick Facts

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Area

243.65 km²

Population

1 887 674 (city), 7.2 million (metro)

Demonym

KL-ite

Coordinates

• Latitude: 3.15021
• Longitude: 101.707703

On Travellerspoint

• 1 Kuala Lumpur Apartments
• 8 Kuala Lumpur Guesthouses
• 36 Kuala Lumpur Hostels
• 26 Kuala Lumpur Hotels

Contributors

• Hien (87%)
  from Kumutu

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Introduction

Petronas Twin Towers

© All Rights Reserved Hien

Kuala Lumpur (/ˈkwɑːlə lʊmˈpʊər/) is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia and is internationally known for the Petronas Twin Towers, which were once the tallest buildings 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 of not only 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 mall, cinemas, restaurants and cafés. Right behind is a 7-hectare park with fountain, children's wading pool and jogging trail.

The towers were also 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 6000 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

© All Rights Reserved claireh

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 located near the over 100 years 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.

Batu Caves

Enterance to the Batu Caves

© All Rights Reserved Andrew995

Batu Caves is a series of caves on a limestone hill formed millions of years ago. 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.

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-opener event and must not be missed if you visit Kuala Lumpur during this time.

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, handicrafts, batik, antiques 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

© All Rights Reserved Wardsan

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.

Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park
The Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park is home to around 6000 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

© All Rights Reserved claireh

Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden
The Kuala Lumpur Orchid Garden is located on top of a hill opposite the KL Bird Park. This 1-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.

Museums

• Islamic Arts Museum located on the Jalan Lembah Perdana near the Lake Gardens is South East Asia's largest museum of Islamic Art and houses more than 7000 artifacts representing the entire Islamic world. The museum has various themed galleries and two of the more popular ones are:- 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 the rare Quran of Ming dynasty.
• 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 Malaya flag(raised on the night of August 31, 1957 to signal the independence of the country), 40,000 years old homo-sapiens skull, 520 million year old metamorphic sandstone and a gold coin dating back to the 15th century.
• National Museum 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
• Telecommunications Museum is the first interactive museum in Malaysia and is located on the Jalan Gereja. Housed in a 70 year old 2-storey building, this museum traces the 120 years of telecom development in the country,starting from the initial Morse code telegraph to the cell phones and digital networks of today.

Other Sights and Activities

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

in KL

© All Rights Reserved NothPole

Events and Festivals

Cultural and Religious

• Chinese Lunar New Year - In honour of the Chinese New Year, Malaysia has declared the first two days as public holidays. The next New Year is on 14 February 2010, when the Year of the Tiger commences.
• Hari Raya Aidil Fitri (Eid ul-Fitr) - A Muslim festival that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The first two days are public holidays. It will occur next on 20 September 2009.
• Thaipusam - An annual Hindu festival commemorating the birthday of Lord Murugan. Over a million devotees and visitors throng Batu Caves on this eventful celebration, every year. In 2010, it will occur on 29 January.
• Deepavali (Diwali) - A significant Hindu festival also known as the Festival of Lights, celebrating the victory of good over evil. For 2009, this festival will fall on 17 October.

Sports

• Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix - 3-5 April 2009
• A1GP Malaysia - November
• Malaysian MotoGP - 23-25 October 2009
• Super GT International Series Malaysia - 19-21 June 2009
• Tour of Langkawi - 9-15 February 2009
• Kuala Lumpur International Marathon - 28 June 2009

Others

• Federal Territory (FT) Day - 1 February
• Merdeka (English: Independence) Day Celebration - 31 August
• Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival - 5 July - 1 September 2008
• Malaysia Year End Sale - December

Weather

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. 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 in a year, and the traffic would come to a standstill.

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
Known to the locals as the LRT (Light Rail Transit), there are two lines servicing the city:

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

Fares for a single trip are from 70 sen until 2.50 ringgit.

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 1 ringgit.

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

Drink

Sleep

Budget

Backpacker hostels are mostly concentrated in the Bukit Bintang and Golden Triangle areas. Prices of a bed range from 30 ringgit (dorm) to 90 ringgit (private room) per night. Budget hotels are also available at the range of 100 to 150 ringgit per room.

Mid-Range

Rooms are available for 150 to 300 Ringgit per night.

• Allson Genesis Hotel (3-star)
• Ancasa Hotel (3-star)
• 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 300 Ringgit and could go as high as 1000 Ringgit 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. One of the many places with free wi-fi hotspot is the Starbucks Coffee chain. 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).

Refer to the main Malaysia article for details on post.