Kuala Lumpur
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Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia, with beautiful colonial architecture, diverse cultural and religious centers, and amazing street food. As one of the fastest-growing cities in Southeast Asia, KL is a great destination for business, shopping, and sightseeing. Depending on your preferences, the city has a plethora of things to see and do. I have listed several things I enjoyed during my short visit in 2014, but there are plenty more places to explore.
Places of Interest
Petaling Street: The heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, Petaling Street is the place to grab some delicious Chinese food as well as shop for nearly anything imaginable. Evening is the prime time to visit, as vendors will fan out their items for all to see—just like in the old days. At the end of the street lies the over hundred-year-old Chan See Shu Yuen Temple.
Batu Caves: This is a popular tourist site and place of worship, featuring a magnificent Hindu temple and shrine within a limestone cave. A massive statue of Lord Murugan sits at the foot of the 272-step staircase that leads into the caves. Once at the top of the stairs, you’re rewarded with a view of the cityscape.
Jalan Alor: A vibrant street food market with a variety of cuisines, Jalan Alor is the place to sample some favorite Malaysian foods. Ranging from Malay to Indian to Halal, Jalan Alor has it all. There’s ample seating near the food stalls and loads of energy fueling the area. The later it gets, the more crowded it becomes, so arrive early to get your fill.
Petronas Towers: Also known as the Petronas Twin Towers, these are the tallest twin structures in the world. 175 meters above the ground is a bridge connecting the two towers, which you must purchase a pass in order to cross. There are various attractions around the buildings in the KLCC area, too.
KL Sentral: Kuala Lumpur Sentral is the capital’s main railway station. It is the largest train station in Southeast Asia and where most long-distance trains depart from. Bustling throughout the day and night, it’s quite the sight to see.
Travel tip #1: Malaysia is a religiously diverse and multicultural nation. Be mindful of this when traveling throughout the country, as you may be asked to cover-up in certain places or asked if you can take your shoes off before entering areas.
Food
Konlo Wantan Mee: This is the popular dry wantan noodles with char siu dish that truly embodies Chinese-Malaysian food. Wantan Mee’s base is al dente egg noodles tossed in a dark, sweet sauce. They’re topped with thick slices of char siu and some choy sum. On the side, you’ll find a small serving of savory wantons in soup. This is one of my favorite Southeast Asian dishes, as the flavors are well-balanced and the dish is simple yet satisfying.
Ice kacang: Also known as “ais kacang,” ice kacang is a popular Malaysian dessert consisting of shave ice topped with gula melaka syrup or flavored syrup, toasted peanuts, and evaporated or sweetened condensed milk. It is typically garnished with cendol, red beans, sweet corn, and strands or cubes of grass jelly. This is the perfect cold treat in the Malaysian heat.
Coconut tarts: Egg tarts are an incredibly popular Chinese treat loved by many. Kuala Lumpur has tasty egg tarts throughout the city, with some shops being obviously better than others. However, one of the most scrumptious desserts I tried while in Malaysia was a coconut tart—flakey puff pastry on the outside and sweet, shredded coconut on the inside. It was a party in my mouth! Definitely try some coconut tarts alongside the coveted egg tarts if you can.
Hainanese Chicken Rice: Otherwise known as one of Singapore’s national dishes, Hainanese Chicken Rice is a savory combination of poached chicken and oily, garlic-y, pandan-flavored rice. It’s also extremely popular in Malaysia, and is a must-eat in either country. This dish originates from early Chinese immigrants who came from Hainan Province in southern China. It’s arguably good in both countries, but you can try it in both to compare which does it better.
Red bean bao: Red bean bun/ bao (“tau sar pau” in Cantonese) is a common food in Kuala Lumpur. It originates from China where buns/ bao are a common food that come in a variety of fillings, such as char siu, lotus paste, egg custard, red bean, and more. They’re usually white in color due to the steamed cooking process. Red bean bao is one of my personal favorites and a go-to when traveling in Asia because it’s sweet, light, transportable, and always delicious.
Travel tip #2: Kuala Lumpur’s diversity makes it the perfect place to eat your heart out. Visit with an open mind and empty stomach—street food in KL is amazing! Asking locals for the best places to eat certain dishes is the way to go. There are so many other foods I did not get the chance to try while in KL, but follow this link for more ideas on what to eat.
Transportation & Accommodation
Like many major cities in Asia, Kuala Lumpur’s public transportation comes in the form of different trains and buses. Taxis can be used, but the trains systems (Mass Rapid Transit [MRT], KL Light Rail Transit [LRT], and KL Monorail) are effective and user-friendly. If you’re trying to get to and from the airport, you can buy tickets to take the KLIA Ekspres Train, which conveniently runs throughout the day.
Kuala Lumpur is a huge, chaotic city filled with pockets of places to stay. Bukit Bintang is the shopping district of KL with lots of stores, restaurants, and nightclubs, while KLCC is another popular tourist area due to the Petronas Towers. As a budget traveller, I typically opt to stay outside of the tourist areas in low-budget hostels. The hostel I stayed at in KL was conveniently located next to a train station and had ample entertainment and food options nearby. Wherever you choose to stay in KL, be sure it fits your budget and itinerary—traffic can be quite bad in certain areas of the city, so plan accordingly based on your location. There are thousands of options in Kuala Lumpur–start your search here!
Travel tip #3: There are two types of taxis in KL: metered/ budget (red and white) and executive (yellow and blue), executive being more expensive. As in many Southeast Asian countries, taxi scams are pretty common. Always make sure your driver turns on the meter. If they don’t, do not get in. The best way to avoid getting scammed is to buy taxi coupons from places like KL Sentral or the airport.
Climate
Malaysia has a tropical monsoon climate, making Kuala Lumpur an attractive travel destination throughout the year. It’s hot and humid with bouts of rainfall, but due to its location the city does not experience monsoon rains and winds as heavily as other places in Malaysia. However, flooding sometimes occurs in lower-lying areas during monsoon season.
Beginning around April and lasting throughout much of dry season, there’s a thick haze that can cover much of Kuala Lumpur due to burn-offs and fires in neighboring Indonesia. This haze causes air quality issues and can make it difficult to enjoy your travels.
