Kuala Lumpur, A Fascinating City
Kuala Lumpur or KL as and the capital city of Malaysia. I know it looks hard to pronounce so feel free to use its more popular name, KL. Loosely translated, it means “muddy river mouth” as Kuala Lumpur is situated at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers.
It is not just the foreign tourists who want to know which are the best places to visit in KL. Local tourists too are eager to know where to go in KL. From a sleepy little mining town, Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a flourishing metropolis over the last 150 years. It is more than just a bustling city as its multicultural heritage has made KL a fascinating place to visit.
Kuala Lumpur offer a wide range of activities to the visitor from shopping, eating, cultural exposure and craft making as well as nature trips. If you are not sure where to go, click here to find out what is happening in Kuala Lumpur and make the most of your trip to KL
1. Petronas Twin Towers
Tallest Twin Buildings In The Asia – Visit our world famous landmark!
The 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin buildings in the Asia and one of the top places to visit in Kuala Lumpur. Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, it contains a complex of office buildings, conference halls, an upmarket shopping complex and a sprawling park.
The Towers’ entrance lobbies are a showcase of Malaysia’s cultural heritage with contemporary Malaysian motifs adapted from traditional handicrafts and timber carvings. The floor design has been laid in a popular ‘mengkuang’ weave mat design.
A 58.4 meter sky bridge at levels 41 and 42 links the two towers. The unique double-deck sky bridge stands 170 meters above street level with its arch support forming a symbolic gateway to the city centre. The sky bridge is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday.
More on the Petronas Twin Towers
After visiting the Twin Towers, Suria KLCC would obviously be the next stop. It is Kuala Lumpur’s premier shopping destination and part of the complex housing the Twin Towers. With 6 levels of retail outlets it is a shopper’s paradise from fashion, entertainment, arts & culture to local delicacies and international gourmets and one of the top shopping places to visit in Kuala Lumpur.
See the attractions at Suria KLCC.
Visit Petrosains which is a Science Discovery Center on the petroleum industry and the Petronas Art Gallery which displays the works of Malaysian and foreign artists.
A popular tourist destination at Suria KLCC is the Aquaria, a giant aquarium which is both an educational as well as an entertaining excursion for adults and children.
2. A Walk Through The Rainforest In The Heart Of KL
Observe the forest ecosystem in all its splendour
The Forest Research Institute of Malaysia or FRIM is a must for all nature lovers. Located just 16 km from the city, this1528 hectares of forest contains a wealth of flora and fauna. Take a walk on the canopy walkway which is suspended 30 m from the ground and is over 200 m long. You will enjoy a breath-taking view of the city and its greeneries. There are also lots of fun activities for the family like camping, picnicking at the waterfalls and jogging. It is best to go during the mornings as the walkway is closed after 2.30pm due to strong winds at that time.
The shady nature trails are pleasant walks to see hundreds of plant life as well as almost 30 species of local bamboo at the Bambusetum.
3. Petaling Street – Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown
Eat and shop till you drop
One of the top places to visit in Kuala Lumpur would be Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. At night the streets are turned to pedestrian walkways where you will find all sorts of bargains. Cheap souvenirs and local Chinese food are aplenty. The general rule when shopping here is to BARGAIN!. Never pay the price that is offered. The shopkeepers expect you to haggle for the best price.
Even if if you don’t buy anything, the stalls themselves are great tourist attractions. You also get the opportunity to taste some Malaysian street food. Petaling Street is definitely one place to visit in Kuala Lumpur.
Find Out The Latest Happenings In Kuala Lumpur
Vision KL
A city magazine on the latest happenings in the city- exhibitions, food fests…
Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 1-31 October 2015
Month long dining festival to appreciate the best of Malaysian cuisine and Malaysian top chefs
Things to do in Kuala Lumpur from films, clubs, restaurants….
4. Royal Selangor Pewter
See how pewter is made
In 1885 a young pewtersmith, Yong Koon sailed from China to Kuala Lumpur where the discovery of tin had lured thousands of Chinese to this sleepy town. He enjoyed brisk business making simple household items. In the 1930s when the world was going through difficult economic times and the demand for traditional pewterware was dwindling, Yong Koon and his sons started making European style products. This was the foundation for their export business.
A visit to the Royal Selangor Visitor Center begins with the Gallery section where visitors get a better understanding of pewter and also its history. In the Pewter Museum you can see a selection of the oldest pewtersmithing tools and antique pewter. The factory tour enables visitors to get a first hand glimpse of the crafting process in making pewter ware as well as the fine handiwork in creating fine jewelry by Selberan, a Royal Selangor company.
5. Batu Caves
Holy Temple Of The Hindus
One of the places to visit in Kuala Lumpur around January would be the Batu Caves. It is located just 13 km north of Kuala Lumpur. It is a limestone hill with a series of caves and cave temples. The limestone around the caves is said to be around 400 million years old.
Batu Caves is a sacred place of worship for the Hindus. Rising almost 100m above the ground Batu Caves temple complex consists of three main caves and a few smaller ones. The biggest cave is called the temple cave and has a 100m high ceiling. The Hindus make an annual pilgrimage to the caves around January climbing 272 rock stairs to reach the main cave to pay homage to their deity Lord Murugan at a festival called Thaipusam. Standing at 42.7 meters it is the world’s largest statue of Lord Murugan.
Thousands of devotees throng the caves with many doing some kind of penance by carrying a “kavadi”. “Kavadis” are large, brightly decorated frameworks usually with hooks and skewers used to pierce the cheeks, tongues and skin.
Book Kuala Lumpur Half-Day Batu Caves Tour Include a trip to the Malaysian Batik Cottage, Selangor Pewter factory and of course Batu Caves.
6. KL Bird Park
World’s Largest Free Flight Walk-In Aviary
Located 10 mins from the city center, the KL Bird Park is home to more than 2000 birds. It is divided into 4 zones – Zone 1 and 2 are the free-flight zones while Zone 3 is the Hornbill Park and Zone 4 has birds in cages and mini aviaries.
The free-flight walk-in aviary is home to more than 60 species of birds flying and living together in harmony.
See the beautiful peacock with its 5 feet colorful train. It is also home to the Crowned Pigeon, the largest pigeon species in the world with a body as large as a turkey. You can also observe storks in their nesting colonies.
7. National Museum
A Treasure House of Malaysian Life – Past and Present
The Malaysia National Museum, a popular place to visit in Kuala Lumpur is built in the style of an old Malay palace. The facade looks magnificent with two enormous and beautiful murals. One mural depicts Malaysian history from the Melaka Sultanate while the other mural depicts the culture and handicrafts of Malaysia.
The National Museum comprises of 4 main galleries. The Cultural Gallery exhibits costumes of the different cultural races of Malaysia such as Malay, Chinese, Indian, Iban and other ethnic groups. You can learn more about “Wayang Kulit” or Shadow Play, a popular traditional form of entertainment as well as the different ceremonies and how events like weddings are celebrated in different ways.
The Faces of Malaysia Gallery introduces visitors to different ethnic groups that live in Malaysia through photos and replicas. Each race have their own unique features and yet they have learnt to live together in harmony.
The Weapons, Music and Ceramic Gallery showcases the evolution of weapons from 35,000 to 2,500 years ago including the “keris”, a weapon unique to the Malay culture with its distinctive wavy blade. Musical instruments of each culture are also different, each with its own unique sound and the way it is played.
8. KL Butterfly Park
Butterflies In Its Natural Habitat
Just a short distance from the KL Bird Park, the Butterfly Park is home to more than 6000 butterflies of over 120 species. The park is an imitation of the butterfly’s natural habitat in the tropical rainforest. It includes more than 15,000 plants from 100 species. There is also a nursery and breeding area for the butterflies. The park has both preserved and live butterflies on display.
Open daily form 9am to 6pm there is a small admission fee to the park.
9. Sunway Lagoon Theme Park
Water slides that whirl and twirl, a manmade ‘river’ ride, surf beach, wave pool and 360° revolving pirate ship… the list of fun attractions at the 323,749sqm Sunway Lagoon Theme Park is extensive. Located in Petaling Jaya, the park encompasses a total of five different zones – the water park, Scream Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park and Wildlife Park.
10. Cultural Craft Complex
The cultural craft complex is styled like a Malay village and houses handicraft shops, art workshops and craft museum. It presents exclusive Malaysian handicrafts like silk kaftan, silk batik paintings, songket (brocade material), pottery, mengkuang products and pewterware.
Craft demonstrations and practical interactive sessions are held at the craft museum where visitors can try their hand at making batik, pewter, ceramic or wood carving.
Devendra Singh
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