The Attractions of Kuala Lumpur

You must see the Petronas Twin Towers which are currently the tallest in the world. Also check out the Moorish-style railway station and the highly attractive National Mosque.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Use the LRT (Putra and Star) for city center journeys and the commuter rail for visits to the suburbs. Taxis are an alternative and fares are comparatively cheap by international standards.

This atmospheric, colonial-style restaurant/bar in Bangsar Baru is very popular with expatriates and well-heeled locals. It offers both Eastern dishes such as Sarawak Laksa and Spicy Portuguese baked fish, as well as Western cuisine such as rack of lamb, flamed pepper steak, fish and chips and bangers (sausages} and mash. Its wine list is a formidable one with over 90 wines from around the world. The White Rajah offers good value for money!

The Colliseum Restaurant is the colonial-style eatery par excellence. Founded back in the 1920's this haunt is well known as a great spot to get very tasty Western cuisine at reasonable prices. My two great favorites at this atmospheric restaurant are the sizzling sirloin steak and the baked crab. Wow-they are good! You should also check out the jelly pudding, the creme caramel and the fish and chips! You can wash your meal down with a refreshing Tiger or Anchor beer.

You can really dine on the cheap here. Dishes to try include Hainanese Chicken rice-this is one of my favorites, Hokkien Fried Mee or Cantonese Mee. All are very tasty and real cheap !

Perched atop a hill in the outlying suburb of Bukit Kiara,the National Science Center is I suppose the Malaysian equivalent of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington. The building is very attractive and resembles a truncated cone capped with a geodesic domen. Its open daily, 9 am to 5 pm, and is worth a visit. Taxi services are available to and from the city center or take the Intrakota bus No 339 from Klang Bus Station. Admission is US$1.50 (RM6)

Taman Tasik Titiwangsa is located in the northern part of Kuala Lumpur and this urban park is very popular with residents of the city. It offers horse riding facilities, pony rides, boat rides, a floating restaurant and sports facilities including tennis and squash courts. A lot of Kl's residents choose to work out in this verdant, leafy, oasis. It's a good place to recuperate from any excesses of the night before.

Masjid Jamek nestles serenely at the confluence of the Klang and Lumpur9 now called Gombak) rivers: the alleged birthplace of Kuala Lumpur. It is the oldest mosque in the city and is architecturally stunning. Well worth photographing. Located on Jalan Tun Perak it is a short 5 minute walk from Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin.

Dataran Merdeka or Independence Square is located in Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin in Kuala Lumpur. The place hosts celebrated events like rock concerts,pop shows, the annual Independence Day parade, the Floral Show and also got into the record books for having the tallest flag pole in the woirld. This is very much the Times Square (or Red Square) of KL.

If there is one place in Kuala Lumpur you should not miss it's Petaling Street or as it is known by locals, Chinatown. This vibrant, bustling, noisy, ethnic enclave never sleeps and is a fun place to hang out in. Here, Chinese hawker stalls litter the street selling "bargain" designer brands, jewelry, textiles, shoes, herbs, spices, exotic foods but here you must haggle and then haggle some more. The area also houses several budget hotels, internet cafes and inexpensive eateries where you find very tasty Chinese dishes.

Located in Kuala Lumpur's ever busy Bukit Bintang, the privately owned Jade Museum makes for an interesting visit. It houses the biggest carved jade in the world weighing in at a massive 1,100 kg. On display and for sale are a highly impressive collection of jade pendants, bracelets, rings, bangles and artifacts from China. Purchasers get free fortune-telling services from the owner. It is open daily from 10.00 am to 7 pm. Admission fee is US$2.50 (RM10).

Bukit Bintang is a locale I would recommend for an evening-night time visit. This district has long been a hub for shopping and entertainment, going back to pre-World War II times. The area includes the two major shopping malls of Starhill and Lot 10 and several five-star hotels such as J.W. Marriott and the Ritz-Carlton. Recently, it has been thoroughly transformed with an attractive pedestrian walkway complete with huge terracotta pots filled with bright flowering plants, water columns, shady trees, al fresco dining areas and touristy coffee houses. It's now KL's most vibrant leisure and entertainment center. Here you will find the likes of Planet Hollywood, Starbucks and Coffee Bean.

The dining-out opportunities in KL are stupendous. Myriad cultural influences have made the city renowned for eclectic but very creative cuisine at prices that won't break the bank, especially with the current exchange rate of 3.8 Malaysian Ringgit to 1 US dollar. Food is taken very seriously here from the 5-star hotel restaurants right down to the simple hawker's stalls. The cuisine of China's Canton and of Southern India have been significant influences on the city's culinary heritage, as well as the sublime cuisine of Thailand. Here's a small selection of good restaurants in town .

Gloria Jean's Coffee from the "good ole US of A", is a convenient place to head to for a late breakfast or mid morning brunch, and is a people-watchers' paradise. It is blessed with a wonderful view of the park and fountain in the landmark mall that is Suria KLCC. There are chicken, beef, turkey and spicy tuna sandwiches on either Panini or Focaccia bread as well as several different types of pasta and delectable cakes. Gloria Jean's is of course famous for its coffee including Cappuccino (RM 5.25 single), Cafe Latte (RM 7.25 single), Swiss Orange Mocha (RM 10.50 single) and lced Latte (RM 8 single). There is also a variety of teas to sample at RM 4.85. You can also dine at fresco in the courtyard. Address: Lot G48, Ground Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur. Tele: 603 216 5299.

Gin Ger Restaurant is one of KL's fusion eateries, although there is a strung emphasis on Thai food at this eatery handily located in the Central Market, making it an ideal spot for lunch after a morning's sightseeing. The decor is rather garish but the food more than makes up for the strain on your eyes. The tom yam soup is fiery but delicious, the crispy squid salad is tasty, and the green curry chicken is formidable. It's a popular hangout for shoppers and tourists visiting the Central Market and a good lunch is around US$ 8. Address: FM12, Mezzanine Floor Central Market, Jalan Hang Tuah, Kuala Lumpur. Tele: 603 273 7371

Even if you are traveling on your own you will find Kuala Lumpur is a single-friendly city. The vast majority of the locals are warm and friendly are will probably be curious as to where you are from. Areas I would recommend for your sightseeing are Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin-for fine architecture- Jalan Petaling-Chinatown for fun and food- Jalan Ampang -elegant road with good restaurants- and Bukit Bintang, which is great for people-watching.