Off the eaten Path in Kuala Lumpur

I was born here but moved away when I was young so every time I go back to visit family, I do a little of the tourist thing along with the other stuff.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

You can take taxis around; it's pretty cheap and easy. But I would suggest at least one ride on the new Light Rail Transit (LRT) and on the minibus (which is a true cultural experience).

It''s a beautiful 1,000 acre resort 20 minutes south of Kuala Lumpur, a 35-minutes drive from the new Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It used to be the old mining area (Kuala Lumpur used to be a huge tin mining city) that some smart dude renovated and it''s gorgeous!!! Golf course, waterfalls, all beautifully landscaped. The interior is opulent and grand with a lot of natural light.

Then there''s the 9,000 sq.ft. Zen Spa. This spa includes a beverage bar, mini theatre, whirlpool, steambath and sauna. I mean, why would one ever leave? Other than the fact that the room rates run from $200 and up. But it''s a total pamper-yourself-silly-and-then-pay-for-it-in-a-month type of place.

It;s right in the heart of downtown, so if you don't like this place, you can easily bar hop. But I like the music they play here.

To start off with, you have easy-listening music from 5pm to 7pm, Top 40 hits and R&B from 7pm to 9pm, and finally, good ol’ Retro from 9pm to 11pm. From then onwards, the club's soundwaves give way to dance - a mixture of commercial house and trance and techno flavours of the month. I was pretty surprised to find trance and techno here. I don't know, KL seemed pretty conservative in my view. But standing in this club with pulsating bodies, I was very very pleasantly surprised.

The drinks were a little bit watered down but the music and the crowd more than made up for it.

Jalan Petaling Market. It's this huge bustling outdoor flea market, where bargaining is a MUST!!!! From fake Rolexes to fake Gucci bags to the sweetest papayas and pirated CDs. It's one of the few places where the different classes meet and mingle amidst the humid atmosphere!!!

Ok, so the bargaining-- no matter what they offer, just cut the price in half and counter-offer. I have bought CDs for less than RM$10, which is about $2.50 US.

The vendors also sell a lot of items unique to the area e.g. wooden carvings, tie dye clothes, etc.

Wear comfortable shoes. It gets to be rather dirty at times. But the people watching, food and cheap goods are totally worth braving the crowd. If you really want to see where the locals go, this is it

This place is like a one-stop shopping place. It is comprised of Modesto's (club), Benson & Hedges (bar), Nanta's (Thai restaurant), Churrascaria(Brazilian restaurant), Vintages (wine shop) and Havana.

So you can sort of wander around if you get tired of one spot. The crowd is mixture of locals, expatriates and after a few hours of drinking, people are a lot less shy than they were when they got there. Everyone is very well dressed though, save for the few girls who thought less was best. Ugh. But it's interesting to people watch. And the bartenders are definitely up to speed on what's hip.

They are these outdoor food courts that will absolutely test the hygiene standards of any food inspector. But, the food is glorious, it's cheap and it's fast!!!!!!!!!

People generally get a little bit of everything and share it in a pool. You can have Indian murtabak (a pancake filled with seasoned meat, usually beef and coated with egg) right next to Chinese fishball noodles and Malay satay (seasoned meat on skewers and grilled)!!!

People who talk about melting pots will never really understand it until they eat at one of these places. You will see the rich businessman right alongside the construction worker indulging in their favorite foods. And the constant yelling of orders that goes on. It's like being in a Russian fish market without the fishy smells.