Kuala Lumpur Hotels

In many ways, Kuala Lumpur is stereotyped by the modern, high-rise hub that is Kuala Lumpur City Centre. It’s hard not to be when you’ve got the Petronas Towers dominating the skyline. But it’s what happens on a human level that really makes KL worth visiting. The place is teeming with people who speak Malay, Tamil, Cantonese, Mandarin and English, making it a captivating multicultural melting pot.

Chow Kit is a case in point. Indonesia meets Africa on its crowded streets and in its tourist-attracting day and night markets. It’s symptomatic of the whole city – a hodge-podge of styles that really shouldn’t work but somehow does. Historic Islamic, Buddhist, British and modern influences meet, compete and ultimately get into bed with each other to offer the casual visitor and long-time partner alike delicious, sensual variety with every twist and turn.

What with the shopping, the food, the sights, sounds and smells, your first dance with KL is one that will leave you sweaty, happy, dizzy and maybe just a little bit in love.

Kuala Lumpur’s Top 10

Kuala Lumpur Local

The City Centre is the traditional heart of KL and includes the former colonial administrative district as well as KL’s old Chinese commercial centre (now known, not particularly originally, as Chinatown).

The Colonial District has architectural variety in spades. There’s the Moorish Sultan Abdul Samad Building, once home to the British administrators and now housing the Supreme and High Courts, the Islamic National Mosque and Masjid Jamek, and the Hindu Sri Mahamariamman Temple.

Golden TriangleHome to shopping centres, luxury hotels and nightspots, the Golden Triangle encompasses Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) which (confusingly) is not to be confused with the traditional city centre mentioned above.

Shop to your credit limit in the Bukit Bintang area or at Suria KLCC. Stroll over to the KLCC Convention Centre or give the plastic a break at KLCC Park. In the evening, explore Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife at Jalan P. Ramlee – you need an excuse to wear all those new shoes, after all!

BrickfieldsFor a little taste of India, you need not go far. Brickfields is KL’s Little India, located south of the City Centre. Mostly comprising Jalan Tun Sambanthan, which used to be Brickfield Road, the street is peppered with sari shops, Indian grocers and authentic restaurants. Fun and friendly, the welcoming atmosphere belies the fact that Indians are treated as second-class citizens in Malaysia, leading to increasing levels of discontent and occasional outbreaks of violence.

Brickfields is also where you’ll find KL Sentral, the fantastically Moorish main railway station. KL Sentral is the hub of transport to and from the airport, as well as throughout Malaysia and to the Thai border. Trains are impressively modern, unlike some of their rickety cousins in other parts of Southeast Asia. Brickfields is also great for temple-spotting. Thean Hou Temple and Buddhist Temple (The Buddhist Maha Vihara) should be top of the list.

Bangsar

Bangsar’s nightlife can be electrifying or laid-back, depending on your preference. Head to Ronnie Q’s if you fancy seeing a traditional Bangsar establishment in the form of an English pub. Avoid it if you have some taste and cultural sensibilities. A better bet is Vintages – wine bar, restaurant and bottle shop all rolled into one. For a dance on the wild side, Absolute Chemistry is a booty-shakin’ institution.

After a big night in Bangsar, recovery is also an option. Both Bangsar Village and the imaginatively named Bangsar Village II have beauty salons and massage parlours (legitimate ones – for the other sort you want the red light district in Chow Kit!) where you can have your hangover kneaded out of you. On Sundays, the whole area transforms into an sensory-arousing night market (Pasar Malam).

Kuala Lumpur Eats

KL’s food is a vital part of its cultural landscape, so make the most of it. Trying nasi lemak (Malaysia’s national food – rice steamed in coconut milk with salty fish, peanuts, cucumbers, hard-boiled eggs, chilli sauce and usually a choice of curries) is a must.

Kuala Lumpur Events

In January and February, the city hosts flower exhibitions and an International Floral Parade during Flora Fest.

Chinese New Year also takes place in January or February. Lion dances, dragons and firecrackers abound. Noisy, vibrant and lots of fun.

The Hindu Thaipusam Festival is usually held in February over three days. Best experienced with KL’s Indian residents in Brickfields, it’s a riot of colours, flavours and music.

In March, you can watch Formula 1 racing as Malaysia hosts the Grand Prix.

Spanning over two weeks in May, Malaysia Fest (Colours of Malaysia) displays the traditions and culture of Malaysia through performances and exhibitions.

KL Festival extends throughout July, presenting all facets of Malaysian visual arts and performing arts.

On National Day, Malaysians celebrate their country’s independence. Join in at midnight on 31 August every year at Merdeka Square.

In October or November, Deepavali lights up the city. The Hindu festival celebrates Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. A must if you’re noticing you’ve over-worked the ol’ credit card – maybe it’ll bring you a windfall!

December brings the KL International Buskers Festival, where street performers show their stuff over nine days.

When To Go

KL is hot and humid 24/7, with temperatures lingering around 25-30°C (77-86°F).

Being equatorial, KL only experiences two seasons: wet and dry. So to avoid daily downpours, visit between November and March.

The stifling humidity hovers around 82%, but the good news is that quite a lot of your time is spent in air-conditioned buildings and vehicles.

Kuala Lumpur characteristically gets 2,266 mm (89.2 in) of rain every year, so the city is no stranger to frequent flooding.

Visit our partner page Kuala Lumpur hotels by Hotel.com.au

Getting There And Around

When getting around in KL, you can take your pick from public transport or taxis. Taxis cost RM3 for the first 2km, then RM0.90/km. You can take the LRT (Light Rail Transit) from RM1.2 if you’re near a train station. There’s also a public bus network, but the buses are often infrequent. The KL Hop-on Hop-offbus is another option. The free wi-fi bus caters for tourists, who get to visit 42 sightseeing spots for RM38 – and to Facebook about it while doing so. Alternatively, you could discover the city on foot.

What To Miss

Beware of pickpockets. They’re common in crowded areas, and bag-snatchers on motorbikes also operate throughout KL.

Watch out for flooding during the rainy season. Traipsing through the streets knee-deep in water isn’t much fun.

Ladies, don’t wear unnecessarily sexy clothes. KL is largely Muslim, so respect the locals by covering up. This rule especially applies at religious sites.

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