Introduction
High-rise ambitions in a colourful whirl of cultural diversity. Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of one of the world's tallest buildings, then dive down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes of Chinatown.
It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.
Malaysia is divided into two regions - Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia - with Kuala Lumpur in Selangor province near the west coast of the peninsula. The traditional heart of the city is Merdeka Square, easily spotted because of the 95m (312ft) flag pole - reputedly the world's tallest. KL is a relatively easy city to navigate, with major north-south thoroughfares assisting in the speedy movement of people. At peak hour, however, the city resembles most other industrialised cities in the world, and the air - already dripping with humidity - gets thick with smog. Travelling around the city on foot can be a frustrating experience. New multi-lane highways and overhead bridges divide the city with little thought to pedestrian traffic.Southeast of Merdeka Square, the banking district merges into hectic Chinatown, where travellers can find a wealth of accommodation and restaurant options. Due south of the square, past the main post office, is the historic KL train station, while further west is the 'green belt', where you'll find the Lake Gardens, National Museum and Monument and the Malaysian Parliament.Southeast of the old KL station is KL Sentral (Central Station), the new hub of Malaysia's national railway system. Puduraya bus station is on the eastern edge of Chinatown. The international airport, KLIA, is located some 75km (47mi) south of the city centre. Puduraya is between Chinatown and the Golden Triangle, KL's premier business, shopping and entertainment district. Crowded with mid-range and luxury hotels, the Golden Triangle has long since expanded from its original boundaries of Jln Imbi, Jln Raja Chulan and Jln Sultan Ismail and now stretches north to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) development anchored by the Petronas Towers.
Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +8
Area: 243
Coordinates: 3.15000009537 latitude and 101.708000183 longitude
Population: 1800000
Area codes: 03
Getting There
KL is hot and humid almost all the time. Although there is rain through the year, March to April and September to November are the wettest months. KL's wide ethnic diversity means that celebrations of one kind or another are usually going on somewhere around the city; these can make transport more crowded than usual. Public holidays are a surprisingly good time to be around, as most locals head for the beaches and hills. In more liberal KL, Ramadan doesn't pose the same 'where to eat?' problems that affect the more devout Muslim areas on the east coast.
Weather
It's hot and humid throughout Malaysia all year round, with overnight lows rarely sinking below 20 ° C (70 ° F) and maximums rising above 30 ° C (86 ° F) on most days, so whenever you go, take it easy. Rainfall is variable and falls all year round. It is rare for rain to fall all day; it usually confines itself to short-lived torrential downpours in the afternoons. The driest months tend to be June and July.
Places of Interest
Graceful mosques huddle below spectacular modern towers.
KL's boom periods have produced an intriguing mix of architecture throughout the city; elegant colonial buildings contrast with soaring modern edifices such as the twin Petronas Towers. Add the ground level bustle of the numerous street markets, and you have a city that rewards exploration.
Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of one of the world's tallest buildings, then dive down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes of Chinatown.
It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.
Events
With sots many cultures and religions in Malaysia, there is quite an amazing number of occasions to celebrate. Although some of them have a fixed date each year, the Hindus, Muslims and Chinese all follow a lunar calendar, so the dates for many events vary year to year. Tourism Malaysia puts out biannual Calendar of Events sheets with specific dates and venues of various festivals and parades, but state tourist offices have more detailed listings. The capital is a good venue for Malaysia's major holidays and festivals like Thaipusam (when devotees of Lord Subramaniam prove their faith by piercing their body parts with metal spikes and hooks), Chinese New Year and Deepavali (Festival of Lights, when tiny oil lamps are lit outside the homes of Hindu people to entice Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, inside). City Day is 1 February, when KL commemorates becoming a federal territory. Celebrations take place at Tasik Perdana and Lake Titiwangsa gardens in the north of the city. In July, KL goes flower-crazy during the Flora Fest, with exhibitions and the international Floral Parade. At midnight on 30 August, revellers crowd Merdeka Square (like Times Square on New Year's Eve) to celebrate National Day, the anniversary of Malaysia's independence in 1957. There are parades and festivities the next morning, usually at Commonwealth Stadium, but ask a tourist information office to be sure. For two weeks in September, KL celebrates Malaysia Fest (also called the Colours of Malaysia) with exhibits of traditional arts and special cultural performances around town. The October Shopping Carnival follows on its heels.
High-rise ambitions in a colourful whirl of cultural diversity. Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of one of the world's tallest buildings, then dive down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes of Chinatown.
It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.
Malaysia is divided into two regions - Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia - with Kuala Lumpur in Selangor province near the west coast of the peninsula. The traditional heart of the city is Merdeka Square, easily spotted because of the 95m (312ft) flag pole - reputedly the world's tallest. KL is a relatively easy city to navigate, with major north-south thoroughfares assisting in the speedy movement of people. At peak hour, however, the city resembles most other industrialised cities in the world, and the air - already dripping with humidity - gets thick with smog. Travelling around the city on foot can be a frustrating experience. New multi-lane highways and overhead bridges divide the city with little thought to pedestrian traffic.Southeast of Merdeka Square, the banking district merges into hectic Chinatown, where travellers can find a wealth of accommodation and restaurant options. Due south of the square, past the main post office, is the historic KL train station, while further west is the 'green belt', where you'll find the Lake Gardens, National Museum and Monument and the Malaysian Parliament.Southeast of the old KL station is KL Sentral (Central Station), the new hub of Malaysia's national railway system. Puduraya bus station is on the eastern edge of Chinatown. The international airport, KLIA, is located some 75km (47mi) south of the city centre. Puduraya is between Chinatown and the Golden Triangle, KL's premier business, shopping and entertainment district. Crowded with mid-range and luxury hotels, the Golden Triangle has long since expanded from its original boundaries of Jln Imbi, Jln Raja Chulan and Jln Sultan Ismail and now stretches north to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) development anchored by the Petronas Towers.
Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +8
Area: 243
Coordinates: 3.15000009537 latitude and 101.708000183 longitude
Population: 1800000
Area codes: 03
Getting There
KL is hot and humid almost all the time. Although there is rain through the year, March to April and September to November are the wettest months. KL's wide ethnic diversity means that celebrations of one kind or another are usually going on somewhere around the city; these can make transport more crowded than usual. Public holidays are a surprisingly good time to be around, as most locals head for the beaches and hills. In more liberal KL, Ramadan doesn't pose the same 'where to eat?' problems that affect the more devout Muslim areas on the east coast.
Weather
It's hot and humid throughout Malaysia all year round, with overnight lows rarely sinking below 20 ° C (70 ° F) and maximums rising above 30 ° C (86 ° F) on most days, so whenever you go, take it easy. Rainfall is variable and falls all year round. It is rare for rain to fall all day; it usually confines itself to short-lived torrential downpours in the afternoons. The driest months tend to be June and July.
Places of Interest
Graceful mosques huddle below spectacular modern towers.
KL's boom periods have produced an intriguing mix of architecture throughout the city; elegant colonial buildings contrast with soaring modern edifices such as the twin Petronas Towers. Add the ground level bustle of the numerous street markets, and you have a city that rewards exploration.
Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of one of the world's tallest buildings, then dive down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes of Chinatown.
It's a modern Asian city of gleaming skyscrapers, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.
Events
With sots many cultures and religions in Malaysia, there is quite an amazing number of occasions to celebrate. Although some of them have a fixed date each year, the Hindus, Muslims and Chinese all follow a lunar calendar, so the dates for many events vary year to year. Tourism Malaysia puts out biannual Calendar of Events sheets with specific dates and venues of various festivals and parades, but state tourist offices have more detailed listings. The capital is a good venue for Malaysia's major holidays and festivals like Thaipusam (when devotees of Lord Subramaniam prove their faith by piercing their body parts with metal spikes and hooks), Chinese New Year and Deepavali (Festival of Lights, when tiny oil lamps are lit outside the homes of Hindu people to entice Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, inside). City Day is 1 February, when KL commemorates becoming a federal territory. Celebrations take place at Tasik Perdana and Lake Titiwangsa gardens in the north of the city. In July, KL goes flower-crazy during the Flora Fest, with exhibitions and the international Floral Parade. At midnight on 30 August, revellers crowd Merdeka Square (like Times Square on New Year's Eve) to celebrate National Day, the anniversary of Malaysia's independence in 1957. There are parades and festivities the next morning, usually at Commonwealth Stadium, but ask a tourist information office to be sure. For two weeks in September, KL celebrates Malaysia Fest (also called the Colours of Malaysia) with exhibits of traditional arts and special cultural performances around town. The October Shopping Carnival follows on its heels.
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