I review Kuala Lumpur and Malacca below, but I also say a few words about two other well-known tourist spots in Malaysia, namely Penang and Langkawi.
KUALA LUMPUR
Introduction
For the third time, we are back in this fascinating city. Very happy to be here again. A melting pot of cultures: Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and British. Each one has left a part of its own culture, which you can see particularly in the architecture and in the food. I always like to go back to cities to see changes, especially in Asia. Sometimes after only a couple of months you can see big changes. In cities like Kuala Lumpur, or KL as it is affectionately known, you can always see many changes and many construction sites.
It is incredible to imagine that less than 200 years ago, this city was a mining town, in the middle of the jungle. In 1857 a group of Chinese prospectors arrived at the fertile confluence of the Klang and Gomback Rivers. They found tin and they named the place Kuala Lumpur, that means muddy confluence. I can just imagine how it was to arrive in the middle of the jungle, full of mosquitos and other creatures, big and small, and the tropical diseases they could catch. At that time there were no vaccinations. Malaria and other illness could kill you very easily.
In fact, only a few of the men survived. After them came other miners looking for tin, and the town expanded very fast and became chaotic and crime ridden. The Sultan at that time, to avoid chaos nominated a person with the title of Captain China to keep order among the Chinese adventurers and their secret societies. The most important Captain China was Yap Ah Loy, who was in charge from 1868 to 1885. He dedicated all his energy to his work and because of that is considered the founder of Kuala Lumpur.
Once he had got control of the situation, a large conflict started between the local sultans. Kuala Lumpur was the center of combat between them and in 1881 the city was completely destroyed by a fire. This gave the chance to the representative of the British Government, Frank Swettenham, to transform completely the urban design of the city and also to transfer the government from Klang to KL. During 1886 the railway line connecting the 2 towns was completed and in 1896 KL was proclaimed the capital of the Federal States of Malaysia. After the Japanese occupation during the second world war, the British continued to rule the Peninsula until 1957 when Malaysia obtained independence.
KL today has become a very modern and international city, with many skyscrapers and big luxurious parks. In the middle of the city, it almost feels like you are back in the jungle. There is a very interesting mix of new and old in the city, influenced by the different cultures, each with its own identity. Many aspects of the olden days are still well preserved and cherished, such as food, way of living and religion that live together in this city giving it a special flavour and personality. There is an interesting contrast between the skyscrapers the colonial buildings, the street markets, the mosques and the Indian temples. The city is very green with beautiful tropical vegetation.
We went to KL in 2018 and again in 2019 and noticed the difference. The city is still full of construction cranes and it keeps on growing and growing. In this part of the world there seems to be competition between the countries, with each trying to build the tallest building in the world.
The city is full of restaurants and street kiosks full of smelly durian and other local fruit and food. All day the locals are drinking different colour beverages from plastic bags with straws. It doesn’t look very inviting to me.
The city is also full of shopping centers. Every luxury and international brand is present in this town. You also have very nice and interesting street markets, like Petaling street in Chinatown. Not far from there, within walking distance (about 2 blocks) you have the Central market, which has been there since 1888. Like most Asian markets this one started as bustling, wet (due to the high humidity) and infested with insects, later to become a covered well-organised market, where you can find the best traditional Malaysian crafts from all over the country.
Visit Chinatown and Masjid India. You can walk from one to the other as they are very near each other and it is faster than being stuck in the traffic, which seems to be bad all day in this city. The traffic lights do not seem to be synchronized, with long waiting times between one and the next and with only a few cars passing at a time. A very big waste of time. On top of that there are many one-way streets that further complicate the situation.
What to see in Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Towers
Designed by the famous Argentinian architect, Cesar Pelli, and finished in 1998. They have 88 floors and a total height of approximately 452 meters, the façade is made of steel and the floor plan is in the shape of an eight-pointed star, inspired by one of the traditional decorative motives of Islamic tradition (note the similarity with the Qutub Minar in Delhi). The towers are spectacular during the evening when they are fully illuminated and in case you want to go up, beware that only 720 tickets are sold in the towers every day and other 720 sold in advance online. It is best to buy them in advance or go very early to the towers to get one of the daily tickets.
Most of the space in the twin towers is occupied by the national oil company, Petronas. The towers have become the image and symbol of Contemporary KL. For a few years they were the tallest of the world. Not anymore. There is a taller building under construction, Merdeka 118 or PNB 118. It is interesting also to see in the building the Galeri Petronas, an art gallery specialised in contemporary paintings and photography.
Menara tower of KL
At approximately 421m high it is not as high as the Petronas Towers, but offers a most spectacular view of the city. It is the fourth highest telecommunications tower in the world. It is very special because it is surrounded by jungle. On top there is a revolving restaurant. While you eat you have a great view of all of the city. There is also an indoor panoramic platform and an open terrace to admire the incredible views of KL.
Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is a beautiful traditional wooden house on stilts, constructed during different periods of time between 1910 and early 1930’s. It was moved from its original location in northern Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur in the late 1990’s. It is one of the best examples of Malay vernacular architecture.
Guan Di Temple
Is a beautiful Taoist temple, one of the most impressive Chinese temples in KL, located in Jalan Tun H S Lee (parallel to Petaling Street), built to honour the great Guan Di, who was the Taoist God of War. There is a statue of the God over the temple entrance.
Sri Mahamariamman Temple
Is the oldest Hindu temple in KL, located at the edge of Chinatown on Jalan Bandar. The temple was built in 1873 as a private family shrine by K. Thamboosamy Pillai and in the 1920’s was opened to the public.
Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque
Built in 1909 it is the oldest mosque in the city. It is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gomback Rivers, where the city of KL began its life. It was designed by the English architect Arthur Benison Hubback.
Chan She Shu Yuen Temple
Built in 1906, it is one of the largest and oldest Buddhist temples in KL. It is also known as the Green Temple and is located in the famous Petaling Street.
Merdeka Square
This square or more usually, Dataran Merdeka, is located in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and right beside the Royal Selangor Club, that is where the Union Jack flag was lowered and the Malaysian flag was hoisted for the first time at midnight on 31 August 1957, when Malaysia achieved independence.
Lebuh Ampang
This street is also known asLittle India (although Brickfields would contest that) and was the place for city folk to get a daily fix of everything Indian. It was known as a kittighi, a traditional money lending establishment, set up by the Nattukottai Chettiar community, originally from the south of India, who were an economic force in the past. Nowadays it’s bustling street has been taken over by restaurants, lots of textile shops and sundry stores predominantly occupied by Indian traders.
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Finished in 1897, it is a spectacular example of early Moorish designs and has a very magnificent clock tower. It used to be home for several government departments.
Islamic Arts Museum
Has one of the best Islamic Art collections in the world. It is worth visiting not only for the fabulous quality of the objects displayed in the museum, including carpets, jewels and lovely fabrics, the building itself is amazing, with its splendid decorated dome. The museum has a good restaurant and gift shop, with a good variety of objects from all the Islamic world.
Old KL Railway Station
This is one of KL’s most famous landmarks. It was completed in 1910 in the Moghul style and was designed by the prolific architect A.B Hubback. In 2001 KL Sentral took over as KL’s main railway station.
National Textile museum
Showcases the origins, development and techniques of local textile and accessory production that has influenced and shaped the fashion culture in Malaysia over the years. The textiles are very nicely displayed in a beautiful old heritage building of Mughal-Islamic style architecture, directly in front of Merdeka Square.
Ilham Gallery
Is a public art gallery of contemporary and modern Malaysian Art located in the modern 60 floor Ilham Tower, designed by Foster and partners, one of the better-known architects in the world. The gallery was inaugurated in 2015 and changes exhibitions approximately every 3 or 4 months. Conferences and lectures are also held here. Visiting this gallery you have the opportunity to see local art and also the architecture of this fantastic building: two in one!
KL Forest Eco Park
Walk along the high canopy walkway suspended between the trees, which was recently constructed in the forest in the center of the city. Fortunately, it became the first protected reserve in the country in 1906. The park is often call Bukit Nanas, pineapple hills.
Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
This is the world’s largest free-flight walk-in aviary. It was opened in 1991 and is located in the scenic Lake Gardens and is home to over 3,000 birds of 200 local and foreign species, covering an area of 21 acres. The main feature is the concept of free flight, when you get in the park it is like stepping into an enormous bird cage. The Lake Gardens were established in 1888 and include an artificial lake and the KL Butterfly Park.
Aquaria KLCC
This incredible aquarium is located under the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. You can walk through a 90 m long tunnel, which is surrounded by lots of big and small species of fish, including sharks. You can organise immersions and everyday there are different types of activities.
Shopping
Petaling Street
This street is also known as Chinatown and is surrounded by hotels. It is very popular for tourists, especially because of the night market that starts after 12 noon. It has an enormous variety of merchandise, and you must bargain. Beware that the branded things that are offered are copies and not originals. Clothes, shoes, bags: you will find a huge variety, especially later in the afternoon when the market is fully open. In the market you find fruit vendors and little restaurants selling local food.
The massage parlour Aura Reflexology doesn’t look particularly good, but the masseurs are very good, and prices are very affordable for foot reflexology massage. The fish pedicure and manicure (fish Spa) is traditional in this part of the world. It is always better to do this kind of pedicure in a higher quality spa, because they use different fishes. In the cheap ones they are not the right ones and you could get an infection. Fish pedicure is definitely an experience to try. It is not expensive, and the feeling is unusual. Aura Reflexology is located opposite the Hong Leong Bank, in the first block of the market.
Central Market
Established in 1888, it is where you can find traditional Malaysian handicrafts, like batik fabric dresses, traditional wood masks and beautiful baskets from Borneo. There is a large selection of all kinds of souvenirs to take back home for friends and family. Central Market started off as a bustling wet market and has been transformed to the charming lanes where you can see the best of Malaysian art, culture, crafts and heritage.
On the first floor there is a big area with traditional food (I have never eaten there) and a massage parlour, together with other shops. Also in the building there is a big fish spa.
If you exit on the right side of the building there is a big street full of shops and in the corner a lady selling beautiful and colourful ceramic plates, bowls and other items in different patterns, shapes and colours, that you can combine, or take as a set for very reasonable prices. Every time I go to KL, I buy some to take back home to keep or for presents. They look so nice on the table and you normally find them in expensive shops and boutiques around the world. Here they are really cheap and there is a large variety of shapes and sizes.
Inside Central market there are very nice shops like Warisan Crafts and Nina Crafts that sell statues, masks and all manner of antique goods. There are also beautiful baskets from Borneo. There are 3 or 4 shops that sell these very good local crafts. Have a look, I am sure you will find something to take back home with you.
Central Market is only one block from the Petaling Street, which is where I prefer to shop, finding a bigger variety of merchandise and also cheaper. In both markets you must bargain.
Taxis
The taxis are problematic in KL. There are 3 types, with different prices. The blue are the most expensive, but the problem is that although they have a taxi meter, they try to charge you a fixed price instead of using the meter, obviously charging more. The worst are the ones near the tourist spots, like Central Market, Chinatown and Petaling Street. In the good hotels there is always a blue taxi stop outside. In any case the taxis are not expensive, but due to the heavy traffic you can end up paying a lot. The best time to use them is from 10 to 11.30 before lunch and avoid around 17.00 in the afternoon, during the hours that people are leaving their offices. Good luck with them! When you stop one, always ask them to turn on the taxi meter.
If you want a good taxi to take you to and from Kuala Lumpur airport, then call Hafiz (tel: +60 12 6456720) whom we have used for some years. He will also make your ride most interesting as he is an expert on Malaysian history among other matters.
Hotels
You can find all the International chain hotels, plus a good selection of bed and breakfast, hostels and small hotels, depending in your budget.
My favorite is The Mandarín Oriental, where the service is excellent and it has a very good pool area, with a fantastic view of the Petronas Towers and other buildings, especially at night when the town is all illuminated and the fountains are dancing. The Lake Symphony takes place every evening at 8, 9 and 10 pm, with a show of water and music in front of the Suria KLCC. You can see this show from the pool area. While you swim the lights and the view are fantastic.
You can go to the park and watch the show from there, together with the fantastic Petronas Towers and walk around the park to have different views of the illuminated buildings. After a good dinner it is good have some exercise before going to sleep.
Ruma Hotel. The decoration of the hotel is super nice. The rooms and bathrooms are very comfortable and well appointed, with an excellent personalised service. The food at the pool bar and in the restaurant is very good, as is the breakfast. The pool area is very comfortable and again the service is excellent. We very much enjoyed our stay there.
These two hotels are quite different, both excellent! One a busy and excellent chain hotel, the other quiet and reserved. It depends on your taste.
Tours
You can do the tour around the city comfortably seated in an air-conditioned bus such as the KL Hop-on Hop-off. You have to be patient because of the city traffic.
Food Tour of Malaysia (www.foodtourmalaysia.com) has very interesting courses in KL and also in Ipoh and Penang. Another one is Food Tour Simply Enak (www.simplyenak.com).
MALACCA (OR MELAKA)
I had always wanted to visit Malacca. The name intrigued me since I was young. My mother used to tell me about some furniture we had and I still have in my house, that was made with Malacca Bamboo, which is very beautiful and super strong. This furniture (chairs and a table, and originally there was also a big chaise longue), must be more than a hundred years old. It was in a house my parents bought 60 years ago, and still looks beautiful and new. Every time we had been in Singapore I had the idea to go to Malacca, but our visits all seem to be short with the minutes counted, so in the end we never made it. From Singapore it is slightly further than from KL.
Anyway, this most recent trip we decided to stay for the weekend in Kuala Lumpur and have enough time for our visit to Malacca or Melaka as it is called in Malay. Husbanito was going from KL to Jakarta and I was going back home. That’s why we had one day to visit Malacca. Finally!
We rented a car and it took us about 3 hours to get there on a good highway. It is only 145 km, but the traffic was bad quite bad leaving KL and particularly bad driving into Malacca. From the highway there are 2 roads into Malacca. We took the second one, as indicated by Google, but I suspect that the first one may have been quicker. The second one had a never-ending sequence of traffic lights.
Malacca was one of the most important commercial ports of South East Asia before KL and Penang developed. The geographic position of Malacca, half-way between China and India and with easy access to the spice islands of Indonesia led to the port becoming one of the most important in the Far east, until during the British Colonial times, Singapore grew in importance. In 2008 the historic center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The town is very well restored and kept. Today the city’s main business is tourism. It can get very crowded with tourists. They visit the various museums, churches, of which there are a lot, especially from the time when the Portuguese were here, and restaurants of which there is also a good selection. We had an excellent fish lunch. The food is a fusion between Malaysian, Chinese and Portuguese and really tasty. The fish we had was very good and the prices reasonable. Try a Portuguese mixed seafood dish, and curry peranakan served on banana leaves.
During the weekend, you can experience music and a big variety of local food. You can try something to eat in the famous Jonker Walk night market. There are a big variety of restaurants and bars where you can try the special and varied food of this area. We saw many restaurants with long queues of people waiting to be given a table.
Try:
- Devil Curry, but only if you like spicy food. It is a very nice chicken curry and is a Malaysian-Portuguese recipe. There is a lot of Portuguese influence on the food. We had lunch in a Portuguese restaurant. The waiters told us that they are descendants of Portuguese families.
- Chicken rice balls with rice croquets.
- Asam fish, which is a local fish, served in a Tamarind and chili sauce, which is very nice. If you don’t like spicy food, ask them to make it mild, like we did. We really enjoyed it together with the shrimp cooked in the same way.
- Laksa, which is coconut milk soup with noodles, and a taste of citronella, very nice.
- Satay Celup shrimp, meat and tofu, put in a very tasty boiling soup.
The old shophouses, the hotels and the art galleries have been very well restored, taking you back to live the atmosphere of the past .The diverse cultures that were here have left their mark in the architecture, in the food , in the religion. For instance, in Chinatown you will see a mosque, a Chinese Temple, a Hindu Temple and several Catholic churches and convents, all sharing their traditions in peace in this town: Peranakan, Portuguese, Dutch and British all mixed up together.
The town is full of shops, mostly selling souvenirs (unfortunately mostly cheap ones). However, there are also shops selling antiques and crafts. What was very nice and there was a big variety (although rather bulky) were the rattan baskets and covers for keeping the flies off food during the summer. I bought 3 of them to take back home. They are very colourful, although rather big. Anyway, it was worthwhile carrying them. I don’t mind and husbanito was very helpful or maybe he has given up complaining! Ja…ja…
The Chinatown is full of art galleries, where it is possible to talk and see the artists working.
It is best to avoid weekends, but if you cannot then go early to avoid the crowds. Lots of people from KL go to Malacca for the weekend.
An unusual, but very enjoyable way to visit town is on an extravagant rickshaw. There is a big variety of them, and it is a fun experience.
Visit the Baba and Nyonya Heritage Museum and also the traditional houses of Taman Mini Malaysia (theme park).
PENANG
Penang is further up the coast from Kuala Lumpur. It has two parts: one is Penang Island, which includes Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the other is Seberang Perai, on the mainland. Visit Penang to immerse yourself in its rich Peranakan culture and heritage. The city is famous for its past, for its good food and for its sandy beaches. In the city there are historic houses, lots of shophouses, houses of the Chinese clans, very good markets and various temples. It is also regarded as the gastronomic capital of Malaysia, with specialities including Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisine. You can either eat in restaurants or buy from street vendors, it is all good!
There are lots of gallery arts. The town is really an open-air museum. For a relaxing holiday filled with tradition and history, consider Penang State. The state is home to a rich diversity of cultures, including its Peranakan straits Chinese community. Penang’s Peranakan population originally emigrated from southern China. Over the years, they adopted and adapted various of the local customs to create a culture through history, food (the famous Penang Nyonya cuisine) and fashion that has a lot to offer to the visitors.
LANGKAWI
The islands of Langkawi can be found just off the coast further up from Penang. The beaches of Pulau Langkawi are famous around the world for their fine white sand, limpid water and pristine condition. In the jungle of Pulau Langkawi, it is possible to ride the cable car to observe the jungle from above. You will find a lot of International restaurants and the island is duty free.
I would like to thank Mondadori for their wonderful guide. They always accompany me wherever I go.