Top 10 things to do in Kuala Lumpur

by kelly opgenoort

Hindu devotees carrying kavadi and paal kadum walking towards the Batu Caves temple to make offerings during the Thaipusam festival in Batu Caves. – Filepic

A Kuala Lumpur resident's guide to the top 10 sights and attractions in and around the Malaysian capital.

DISCOVER Kuala Lumpur and its environs on this tour of its top 10 sights and attractions, as recommended by a local in KL.

1. Petronas Twin Towers

The No. 1 building/attraction that will never cease to amaze me is the Petronas Twin Towers. This skyscraper is visited by millions, loved by all and is like no other building in KL.

No visit to the city is complete without a picture of you standing in front of the twin towers and afterwards enjoying the adjoining park and shopping centre. The sun sets around 7pm in KL, so be sure to visit during the afternoon.

For the traveller who wishes to see the view from up high, buy a ticket to the observation deck which is located on the 86th floor or walk from one tower to the other by using the world’s highest double-decked sky bridge. Make sure that you show up early as ticket sales will start at 8.30am and are quite limited; alternatively, book online.

It's impossible to mention Malaysia without bringing up the Petronas Twin Towers. – Filepic

2. The best food in town – Marini’s on 57

One of the hottest restaurants in KL, Marini’s is divided into a lounge/bar section on one side and restaurant on the other. The food is absolutely incredible and a reservation is needed as this venue is in high demand with the locals.

Marini’s has a spectacular view of the twin towers which can be enjoyed while sipping one of its signature cocktails. A dress code is required so do make sure that you are appropriately dressed for Malaysia’s highest roof-top bar.

Tip: Make dinner reservations at a time that ensures a sunset view from the restaurant.

3. Bazaars during Ramadhan

Ramadhan is one of my favourite times of the year as this country, although well known for its delicious food, offers even better food during the month. You will be able to taste amazing Malaysian dishes that can be found on the many bazaars on the side of the street.

Top bazaars are the ones in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kampung Baru and Subang’s SS18. All bazaars have their own popular dishes and you will notice which stand sells the best food by looking at the turnout.

Tip: Go around 3pm to 4pm when the bazaar is starting and you will be able to get the freshest bites. These bazaars are also a great time for you to get introduced to the locals and improve your Malay.

4. Batu Caves

This Hindu temple and shrine located about 10km north of KL is known for its giant golden statue, Lord Murugan, and the numerous steps that lead visitors up to the top. Batu Caves can be easily reached by train or bus from KL Central.

The busiest day is during the Thaipusam festival when around one million pilgrims visit the site for religious and festival purposes. The 272 steps provide you a great workout while enjoying the view. However, beware of the cheeky monkeys.

5. Petaling Street/China Town

Whenever you crave anything related to Chinese food, make sure you visit China Town, but please note that halal is not a standard word here. For anything pork-related, you can't go wrong in Petaling Street. Also, you can practise your bargaining skills here as there are many stalls that offer knock-off brands.

Many vendors will call out to you here so if you do not like to be pestered, bring your earplugs; for certain you will get a lot of attention! Any typical Chinese dish can be found here, from roasted duck to Hokkien mee and original claypot dishes. Don't leave home without your appetite as you can find delicious and filling food here 24/7.

6. Little India, Brickfields

Try on and customize your own saree or just come to enjoy the numerous curries, naans and other dishes that make the Indian kitchen a true favourite in Malaysia. Girls can also get their customised/traditional henna tattoos.

My suggestion is to visit Vaani’s beauty salon, which is frequented by my friends for occasions like Deepavali. If you want to get the full Brickfields experience then go to KL City Hall to enquire about the guided tour. It is free of charge and will be held every first and third Saturdays of the month.

7. Fraser’s Hill

Fraser’s Hill is located about two hours away from KL in the state of Selangor but is definitely worth the visit. At this beautiful nature reserve you can check out the stunning views, the waterfall and the traditional village.

A highly demanding road that requires maximum physical effort to negotiate awaits cycling enthusiasts.

The Clock Tower in Fraser's Hill is a popular landmark. – Filepic

8. Chocolate at Dip and Dip

Be prepared for a chocolate overdose when going to Dip and Dip. This dessert restaurant offers dishes that are packed with the most delicious chocolate you will ever taste. Abandon all thoughts of a diet as you savour the numerous calorie-laden desserts.

My favourite sweet delight is the chocolate waffle with fruits. Regardless of when you visit, this place will be busy as many have discovered this finger-licking-good restaurant.

9. The Grand Hyatt

The Grand Hyatt is one of the newest hotels in KL and what a view it has! The panoramic 360-degree view is thanks to its giant windows. At the Thirty8 lounge, you can enjoy an amazing live band that plays on Tuesdays/Thursdays and Saturdays.

The reception is located on the top floor so you will first be greeted by a great view. Feel relaxed lounging here and if you are hungry, there is a great restaurant that has already bagged a number of awards.

10. KL Bird Park and Butterfly Park

Both parks offer plenty of fun, no matter what age you are. I come here to just relax and walk through the park as I work on my photography skills. The KL Bird Park and Butterfly Park are in the same vicinity and they offer a great experience for a day trip.

The birds are used to visitors so if you come with some food, they would love to sit on your shoulder and pose for a picture.

At the Butterfly Park, the resident insects will flutter about as you walk through the grounds.

These parks are a soothing escape in a bustling city. – Skyscanner

KL International Airport

Wonderland: Airports, when they are like the award-winning KL International Airport, can be much more than mere transit points, offering food, drink and lots of shopping.

Here’s a million reasons why you should spend some time in Malaysia’s international airports.

IMAGINE going on a buying spree in six of the world’s top shopping cities ... a crazy dream, you say? Perhaps not, thanks to a unique Malaysia Airports campaign designed to encourage people to enjoy shopping and dining at its six international airports in this country.

The company’s latest “Indulge Till You Fly” campaign offers the grand prize winner a RM1mil shopping spree and the shopping experience of a lifetime in Hong Kong, Tokyo, New York, London, Paris, Dubai and, of course, Kuala Lumpur.

The winner and a partner will fly business class to all the seven cities where they will stay at top-class hotels and be taken shopping at each of the cities’ premier malls.

According to Malaysia Airports’ senior general manager (commercial division) Faizah Khairuddin, the prize is in line with the “Wonderland” theme of the 2013/2014 Indulge Till You Fly (ITUF) campaign. 

“We are all familiar with the various wonders of the world. With ITUF we are introducing our travellers to the wonders of the shopping world. It will be a most memorable experience for the winner – one that will be remembered for a long time.

The Indulge & Win automated machine at KLIA where shoppers can instantly redeem shopping vouchers and enter the contest that offers a worldwide shopping spree.

 

“The campaign is also very much in line with the idea that airports are places of wonder. To many travellers, airports are more than just transit or connection points. They are places of wonder, of respite, where one can get lost, even if it is for a little while, and indulge.

“Our airports are no different. They are indeed shopping and dining wonderlands to many travellers. Places where they can linger and explore and, with campaigns such as the ITUF, where they can win wondrous prizes by just spending RM250,” she explains in a press release.

Held for the fourth consecutive year, this year’s Indulge Till You Fly campaign continues till Feb 28 at all international airports in Malaysia – these are the KL International Airport/Low-Cost Carrier Terminal-KLIA, Langkawi International Airport, Penang International Airport, Kuching International Airport and Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

To take part in the contest, participants have to spend a minimum of RM250 at any F&B or retail outlet at any of the six airports. This will make them eligible to take part in the campaign’s Indulge & Win contest that automatically issues instant shopping vouchers worth RM10. (MasterCard holders can double their shopping vouchers as well as double their entries and chances of winning the grand prize.)

Shoppers can redeem shopping vouchers on the spot at one of the 40 Indulge & Win e-kiosks located throughout the six airports. All you have to do is to scan the receipts of your purchases, provide personal details, answer a question related to the Indulge Till You Fly campaign – and you will be able to redeem the shopping vouchers on the spot.

Information captured at these e-kiosks will be uploaded to a computer that will randomly select a monthly “indulger” prize winner; seven indulger prizes are given out throughout this campaign period.

The grand prize winner of RM1mil and the opportunity to shop round the world will also be selected by the computer from the pool of participants.

According to Faizah, Malaysia Airports is moving ahead into the digital era with a “never-ending quest for technology enhancement”.

“This on-going employment of technology will continue to be an integral part of the lifestyle experiences that Malaysia Airports is striving to give. It is a fantastic way to engage our customers and to increase participation.”

Indeed, the six international airports in Malaysia are not solely geared to handling passengers and baggage, as Malaysia Airports is dedicated to continually expanding its non-aviation business, which includes shopping and dining, as a vital source of revenue. 

One of the challenges in this area is the fact that passengers spend an average of only two hours in airports, and of that time, a large percentage is spent in check-in and immigration, leaving only a short window of opportunity for shopping and browsing. Another obstacle is the perception that airport shopping lacks value and variety.

The Indulge Till You Fly campaign was the answer to these challenges and incorporates a strategy involving awareness, rewards and engagement.

Aiding the company’s efforts is its active use of technology, which began in 2012 and that saw a 57% increase in entries for the Indulge & Win contest during the previous ITUF campaign. Overall, there was a 134% hike in sales generated through the last campaign. The average amount spent by travellers in Malaysian airports also went up by 50%.

“The ITUF campaign is gaining recognition here and abroad. It is a key component of our drive to increase revenue from our non-aviation segment. Going forward, it will continue to be an important event in our annual calendar,” says Faizah.

Good To Live In KL

Many lists have been made about the “best of Kuala Lumpur,” mostly by journalists who fly in, experience this bustling city for a few days, write a travel log and then go off.

Those are just impressions. But sometimes they are exactly right.

However, to really experience a place, one has to go beyond the one-week holiday and really breathe in what makes a place what it is.

There are barely three weeks to go before 2013 comes to an end and 2014 begins.

It’s this time of year that we become reflective, and having lived in Kuala Lumpur and writing this column for the past two-and-a-half years, I thought about what I like about this city.

Obviously, food is on top of the heap.

Let your hair down: There are endless choices of roof-top bars with stunning views of KL.

When you’re entertaining and receiving many guests from abroad, some of them repeat and long-staying guests, it can be pretty challenging to find new dining spots to take them to, places and attractions for them to visit and new things to do. I’ve finally solved this dilemma by developing a personal directory.

It’s time to share my favourites on why it’s good to be living in Kuala Lumpur.

·Endless choices of roof-top bars and sky-dining with stunning views.

·Wide selection of fine-dining restaurants for Western cuisines, wine bars and even molecular gastronomy if you’re inclined.

·Sunday lunches are sometimes destined at dim sum places and it’s great to have all these wonderful choices to be able to enjoy it. Alternatively, there are places serving fast and easy Cantonese cuisine and delicious xiao long bao (meat dumplings that contain soup within).

·There is also no lack of divine Indian cuisine if you’re craving for tandoori, masalas and curries, whether chicken, seafood or vegetables.

·For the brunch crowd, there are Australian-inspired cafés that serve a mean eggs benedict, and other trendy cafes that dish out heavenly salads.

·There is no shortage of bakeries serving dense, nutty bread reminiscent of European breads, even the organic variety if your heart so desires.

·Kuala Lumpur (and Petaling Jaya) also has the best crab places.

·Changkat Bukit Bintang because it’s always alive and vibrant. Its rows of bars and restaurants make for a no-brainer destination to bring your guests from other countries.

·There there are the neighbourhood pubs with a cool band playing cool music. They are unpretentious and packed with an eclectic mix of all kinds of wonderful and weird people. You can even forgive the place for making your hair smell like an ashtray as you leave around past midnight.

Apart from the dining and nightlife, the other reasons that makes settling into Kuala Lumpur fairly easy for me at least is finding a service that delivers seasonal organic vegetables — Asian or European depending on your preference, free-range eggs and completely dressed organic chicken.

When you’ve had enough of the bright lights and the city and want to “get away”, the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia or FRIM is located nearby. The tropical rainforest with a canopy walkway is a wonderful respite from the bustling traffic, and walking through the “jungle” atmosphere is relaxing and the fresh air calms down your senses.

World-class hospitals and a wide choice of international schools also make it easy for expatriates and foreigners alike to find the right kind of medical and educational services that match their needs.

And when you really just want to get away from it all, Kuala Lumpur has proximity to everywhere: an hour to Singapore and Phuket, one hour to Bali and three hours to Cebu in the Philippines.

KL International Airport is one of Asia’s major hubs and makes travelling really easy. Low cost or regular airfare flights going to anywhere abound, this makes for an ideal city to be based in.

Born and raised in the Philippines, Melinda is a marketing executive, entrepreneur and writer who moved from the Netherlands to KL. She loves scuba diving, good food and wine, and is happy to be back in the tropics.

-The Star

Fly In For Penang Food Trail

A day-long fly-drive package from KL to Penang has its heritage and food draws, writes Andrew Drummond Law

USUALLY I just drive to Penang. From central Kuala Lumpur, it’s a relaxing four to five-hour drive along the 350- kilometre section of the North-South Expressway, a couple of food and toilet stops along the way included. With heavy rain or during a public holiday, it can take longer as the increased traffic levels jam up at both ends of the busy route.

This time around, I decided to try a fly-drive from Subang Airport in Kuala Lumpur to Penang.

It’s a great opportunity for an action-packed day of heritage exploration, fuelling up along the way with some of Penang’s delicious food. It can get very tiring and hectic, but still fun.

EARLY BIRDS

We wake up at 6.30am, have coffee, shower and wait for our 7am taxi pick-up from Bangsar. Forty minutes later we are already checking in at Firefly’s counter.

The last time I used Subang Airport was nearly eight years ago, when I flew to Koh Samui in Thailand. Then it was a huge and half empty terminal and you wondered if there were enough passengers to fill up one plane. And there were very limited food and drink options. This time I am met with a shiny, bustling international airport used by three airlines.

There are loads of places to eat and drink for every budget, serving fast food, local and international dishes.

Subang is more KLIA than LCCT, and relatively stress-free for an airport. Check-in is quick, friendly and efficient. And we are very pleased we don’t have to check in our four-month-old daughter’s stroller, until actually boarding the aircraft. That means we could walk around, have a cup of coffee, eat some curry puffs, and she could sleep a little longer in her comfortable baby seat.

At 8.30am we are called to the waiting lounge and we start boarding 15 minutes later. There are no sky bridges, so we have a short uncovered walk across the tarmac to the parked aircraft. Luckily there are bright orange Firefly umbrellas for when it rains.

Firefly’s ATR turboprop aircraft is single-aisle, with two seats on either side. The very front row has the most legroom, but as we have a young infant we couldn’t sit there for flight safety reasons. Although the seating is cosy, there’s just enough space for my 1.83-m, 105kg frame. It’s only an hour-long flight, so no major worries.

We take off at 9.06am, four minutes ahead of our scheduled departure time.

Once we reach cruising altitude and unbuckle our seatbelts, the flight crew serve beverages and a light snack of biscuits and muffins.

ARRIVAL IN PENANG

Forty-five minutes later we land in Penang. After a quick baggage pickup and nappy change, we are at the yellow Hertz counter by 10.15am.

When signing for the car, make sure you pay the RM25 extra for better insurance coverage. Otherwise you will be stuck with a very high RM2,000 insurance deductible. It’s a high excess, given the probability of a minor scrape when driving or parking anywhere in Georgetown. The double-parked cars and Penang’s narrow streets can be challenging at the best of times.

After checking the vehicle all over for existing minor marks and scratches, it is time to... change another nappy!

AND SHE’S OFF!

Finally at 10.52am we pull out of the airport terminal and head north towards Georgetown. The 17-km drive to Jalan Magazine takes only 28 minutes.

If you’ve ever driven around Georgetown before, you’ll know that the one-way system combined with poorly signposted roads makes finding some of the smaller side roads quite difficult. Luckily I have a secret weapon in the car — a Penangite for a wife. Her patience, lightning-fast reactions, eagle eyes and defensive driving skills are fit for purpose. She leaves other drivers in her wake, ...no mercy shown.

We switch seats, she belts up (the seat belt) and revs the engine. We are in safe hands. She knows the terrain like the back of her hand, and off we go.

Our first stop is to have our second, albeit a very late breakfast, of the day. We head towards Jalan Transfer to find the Famous Roti Canai stall. It’s a no-frills outdoor food stall, and it is already beginning to get very hot and steamy on a beautiful, blue, and cloudless day.

My wife stays in the car looking after our daughter with the aircon up high, while I chat to the cooks. I sample some delicious chicken curry with roti telur and roti canai — my favourites. All washed down with a mug of milo ais.

Sitting on the bench chowing down, I notice that directly opposite is my next destination. The Roti Benggali Maliia Bakery. I order another roti canai with chicken curry for my wife, and settle my bill.

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly baked bread in the morning. I pack half a dozen butter and kaya sandwiches to keep us going for the rest of the morning. But it smells so good, we wolf it down within minutes back in the car.

Now feeling very full and anxious to explore some local heritage sites, we head towards The Blue Mansion.

LOCAL HERITAGE

The close-by Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was the recipient of the year 2000 Unesco Heritage Conservation award. It’s less than a kilometre’s drive away, and parking spots are at a premium during the lunchtime rush hour.

So if you already have a good parking spot, keep it, and walk 15 minutes to the northern end of Leith Street. You can’t miss the indigo-blue outer wall of the main building from the roadside. Built at the end of the 19th century by Cheong Fatt Tze, a very famous local merchant, it has 38 rooms, five courtyards and seven staircases.

Currently it’s being used as a boutique guesthouse with 16 themed bedrooms, although you may go on a guided tour of the parts not used by the guests.

Your guide will regularly remind you that you are prohibited from taking any photographs inside of the house — only the exterior. Mark an hour in your itinerary for a trip here.

The building’s distinctive bright blue colour is from mixing lime with natural blue indigo dye. The dye was imported by the British during colonial times from India.

The building itself is a masterful mix of feng shui-friendly Southern Chinese architectural styles and materials imported from the UK. It’s a great opportunity for some photographs of the unique exterior.

The next stop is to cool down somewhere quiet and shaded, so off I head to Western Cemetery, a strange and somewhat spooky place to cool down, you may think, but one with a difference. En route I leave my wife and daughter at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel to do a nappy pit stop and freshen up. Overlooking the water off Farquhar Street, the hotel is a very pleasant place for a soothing cup of tea.

Back in the cemetery, off Jalan Sultam Ahmad Shah, with the help of the cemetery’s map you’ll eventually come across the burial place of Captain Francis Light. He was the founder of Penang as the British settlement, known then as the Pearl of the Orient. His tomb stands tall and well maintained.

If you have the time, head eastward to Fort Cornwallis, where Captain Light first landed on August 11, 1786. When exploring the star-shaped fort you’ll find its magazine houses, small chapel building and old cannons.

We’re all starving by now, so we head off to Bangkok Lane in search of the famous spicy mee goreng found at the Seng Lee mamak coffee shop. We’ve heard great things about it, and also wanted to try its mee rebus dish. But from there it all starts to go seriously pear-shaped.

A crying, hungry and overheated baby in the back, two already very tired and hungry adults in the front, and no parking spots to be found anywhere. And the traffic.

POTLUCK AT PLAN B

So we drive up to Fettes Park in Tanjong Bungah to explore other food options there. It’s a good 4-km drive away, and it takes us 15-minutes to get to. We try potluck, and get lucky.

Delicious Hokkien mee, mee goreng, Penang laksa and of course, char koay teow. Even the selection of economy rice dishes was delicious.

We’ve missed Pulau Tikus for lunch, where so many tasty local dishes can be found, but we’ve found another place to park, relax and eat a very late lunch, and away from the scorching midday heat.

Our final stop is the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, also known as the Green Mansion. It may not be a Unesco heritage site, but we can take photos inside and explore all of its different furnished rooms.

A huge dining room with stained glass window, extravagant staircases, a kitchen and a huge and very eclectic medicine cabinet. But it’s the odds-and-ends that I enjoy looking at the most. My favourites are the huge antique camera, and the old metal ice-shaving machine. An hour is long enough to enjoy this museum.

By now it’s late afternoon and we have a choice. Either avoid the jam and head for the airport. Or wait and head back later in the evening.

Get your timing wrong and it can be as long as a 90-minute journey, especially when raining, and you hit that traffic bottleneck by the bridge.

Luckily I have cheated. Rather than return to KL after a very long and tiring day, I’m spending the next three days in Penang. It seems a shame to visit Penang just for a day when you can spend the whole weekend enjoying its food and heritage.

Most importantly, no visit to Penang is complete without having nasi kandar for a late dinner. A visit to Butterworth to Malaysia’s first Nasi Kandar Pelita outlet in Taman Chai Leng is next.

But as always, be prepared for the traffic jam crossing the bridge. Is it worth the jam? Too right.

- NST