Kuala Lumpur – Truly Asia!

Malaysia has been touted as the ultimate Southeast Asian country offering the truly Asian experience. And it’s true. Malaysia has a little bit of everything Asian – multiple cultures, fabulous cuisine influenced by local cultural preferences, and an incredible range of temples and monasteries. Kuala Lumpur, as Malaysia’s lovely capital, embodies Malaysia’s truly Asian spirit to the hilt. KL is vibrant, cosmopolitan, exciting and very Asian. Check out our experience of KL’s offerings and our list of sights and experiences that you simply shouldn’t miss when you’re in Kuala Lumpur!

Landmark Buildings and Sights of Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is famous for a number of exquisite landmark buildings which are greatly admired for their architecture. Here are some of the best of them.

• Petronas Twin Towers: At one point, this tower was the world’s tallest, at 452m. Grabbing a mind-blowing 360-degree view of the city from the glass-bottomed SkyBridge is one of the top things to in Kuala Lumpur.
• KL Tower: The KL Tower stands at 421 meters, and is Kuala Lumpur’s telecommunications and broadcasting center. The tower is built atop a small hill which is 515m above sea level. Enjoy a meal at the revolving restaurant on top of the tower, and grab amazing views of Kuala Lumpur from the observation deck.
• Sultan Abdul Samad Building:  Get to Merdeka Square to check out the copper-domed Sultan Abdul building, which is a top tourist attraction.
• KL Railway Station: The old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, built in 1910 in the exquisite Anglo-Mughal style of architecture is a sight you must not miss. The station also comprises a modest railway museum that details the history of the Malaysian railway.
• Thean Hou Temple: Dedicated to Goddess Thean Hou (Tian Hou), this beautifully ornate temple comes to life during Chinese festivals.
• Kwong Tong Cemetery: One of KL’s largest and oldest Chinese cemeteries, Kwong Tong has several beautiful historic monuments plus the graves of town pioneers and other greats.
• Malaysia Tourism Centre (MaTiC): Another beautiful heritage building of sterling architecture, the Malaysia Tourism Centre in Jalan Ampang is a good place for photos and of course, information on tours!

Explore KL on Foot!

Explore KL on your two feet and you’ll get the best out of the city. Explore Little India; check out the beautiful Sri Kandaswamy Temple, the many churches, street shops and so on. Try some cool Indian food and pick up a saree or Indian outfit. Then walk through Kampung Baru, a traditional Malay village. Visit Chow Kit, a colorful street market area, and explore all the locally-made goodies. If you’re not confident of exploring all these areas by yourself, sign up for walking tours.

Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens

The Lake Gardens is KL’s green lung. Here you’ll be able to enjoy a number of parks such as the KL Bird Park, the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park and the Orchid & Hibiscus Gardens. Be sure to check out the fascinating Royal Malaysian Police Museum and the Islamic Arts Museum while you’re at the Lake Gardens.

Petaling Street and Central Market 

Petaling Street is well-known for the vibrant Central Market, restaurants and herbal medicine shops. Central Market is a heritage building where you can buy Malaysian handicrafts such as batik, pewter items, wood carvings and art works. Do check out the Art House Gallery Museum of Ethnic Arts which houses exquisite tribal arts from Borneo.

Shopping!

Malaysia’s shopping scene is well-known among tourists. You can buy everything from the latest designer fashion to alcohol to electronics here, at fairly easy pricing. The shopping here is so good; it’s well worth obtaining a Malaysia Visa just for the purpose of shopping!

• Bintang Walk: KL’s prime shopping district, with fabulous up-market malls such as Pavilion Mall, which has one of the best food courts in Malaysia. Don’t forget to explore the side street markets on Changkat Bukit Bintang and Jalan Alor, for top entertainment, great food and drink. Butik Bintage is the place to head to for original make-up, imported clothes and branded bags. When you’re done shopping, do check out the fabulous restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines.
• Jadi Batek Gallery: Here you can pick up some lovely Malaysian batik items and also learn how to design your own batik clothing!
• Chinatown: Chinatown is the place to head to for every kind of item you can imagine, including exquisite Chinese tea. You can haggle here, and manage to buy something for half its price if your haggling skills are good!
• Berjaya Time Square Mall: If you love shoes, then you must visit this mall. You can have your pick of local and imported brands in shoes and clothes for much less than elsewhere. Also, this mall has some of the best eateries, offering dishes from different regions of the world.

National Palace Royal Museum

This museum was once the residence of the royal family. Now you can tour the royal family’s private apartments, their clothing, furniture and the luxuriously appointed rooms with their gold accents.

Batu Caves

Batu is a massive cave temple; you’ll have to climb a number of steps to get to the top. It is the most famous Hindu temple in the country, dedicated to the Hindu Lord Murugan, whose enormous statue guards the entrance. The temple has three main shrines, one for each prime god in Hinduism – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Temple Cave is located on top of the mountain; its walls are covered with carved Hindu legends. There are several monkeys in the area which are more than happy to grab your belongings, so be careful.

Royal Selangor Visitor Centre

The best way to get to know Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia is to visit the Royal Selangor Visitor Centre. You can sign up for complimentary guided tours to the tin factory to learn the history of tin-making in Malaysia, which is a 129-year old family business. You can learn about pewter craftsmanship and about batik making and much more.

Conclusion

Here’s a tasty tidbit for the shopper in you. Look up stores in Malaysia displaying the IRIS Global Blue Tax Free Shopping sign in the window. All you do is spend MYR 300 (inclusive of GST) and request a GST Refund Form. If you’re staying for a few months in Malaysia, just combine receipts from a single Approved Outlet and claim the tax paid on all of them before you leave the country. Be sure to keep your passport ready for shop staff verification.