SEKAI Explorer Guide Kuala Lumpur (2011)

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Table of Content:

• Districts

Golden Triangle

Tuanku Abdul Rahman or Chow Kit

Brickfields

Bangsar and Midvalley

Damansara and Hartamas

Ampang

Northern suburbs

Southern suburbs

• Understand

• Get in

By plane

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

Subang Airport

By road

By bus

Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) or (Southern Integrated Terminal)

Hentian Puduraya

Hentian Putra

Hentian Duta

Kuala Lumpur Old Railway Station

Online Booking

Others

By train

By boat

• Get around

By train

By bus

By taxi

By car

On foot

Talk

• See

• Do

Volunteer

• Buy

Shopping Malls

Jalan Ampang

Bangsar

Midvalley

• Eat

• Drink

• Sleep

• Contact

Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates

Respect

Stay healthy

• Stay safe

• Get out

Districts

Kuala Lumpur is a sprawling city and its residential suburbs seem to go on forever. The city also merges with the adjacent towns of Petaling Jaya (originally developed as a satellite town), Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Klang and Port Klang, creating a huge conurbation called the Klang Valley.

The city can be divided into the following areas, each of which offers a particular attraction or activity.

- City Centre – This is the traditional core of Kuala Lumpur where you’ll find the former colonial administrative centre, with the Merdeka Square, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and Selangor Club. This district also includes Kuala Lumpur’s old Chinese commercial centre which everyone refers to now as Chinatown.

- Golden Triangle – The area of Kuala Lumpur located to the north-east of the city centre, the Golden Triangle is where you will find the city’s shopping malls, five-star hotels, Petronas Twin Towers.

- Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Chow Kit – It's fast regaining its old fame after a decade of slow growth. Located just 500 m north of Chinatown & adjacent to the Petronas Twin Towers, this is the traditional colourful shopping district of Kuala Lumpur north of the city centre that moves into high gear when the festivals of Hari Raya Puasa (Eid ul-Fitr) and Deepavali approach. Located just beside the Golden Triangle (northern neighbour) with many popular budget accommodations. The gigantic Putra World Trade Centre & the traditional Kampung Baru food haven are among the most important landmarks.

- Brickfields – This area, located south of the city centre, is Kuala Lumpur’s Little India filled with saree shops and banana leaf rice restaurants. Kuala Lumpur’s main railway station, KL Sentral, is located here.

- Bangsar and Midvalley – Located south of the city, Bangsar is a popular restaurant and clubbing district while Midvalley, with its Megamall, is one of the city’s most popular shopping destinations.

- Damansara and Hartamas – Largely suburban, these two districts to the west of the city house some interesting pockets of restaurants and drinking areas.

This district also merges into the northern part of Petaling Jaya.

- Ampang – Located east of the city, Ampang is home to Kuala Lumpur’s Little Korea and most foreign embassies.

- Northern suburbs – This huge area to the north of the city is home to several attractions, such as the Batu Caves, the National Zoo and the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.

- Southern suburbs – This district may not interest travellers much, although Kuala Lumpur’s main stadium at Bukit Jalil and The Mines theme park are located here.

Understand

Merdeka

Prior to independence, Malaya was a British colony. When Malaya's independence, to be attained on 31 August 1957, was approved by the British Government in 1956, the first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman announced it to the public in Malacca at what is today Dataran Pahlawan.

On the evening of 30 August 1957, crowds gathered at what was then known as the Selangor Club Padang (Green) to celebrate the historic event. As the clock on the State Secretariat Building (today's Sultan Abdul Samad Building) struck 12 midnight, the crowds, led by Tunku Abdul Rahman, shouted "Merdeka" seven times. The Union Jack was lowered and the flag of the new country was raised to the strains of the national anthem, Negaraku. The Selangor Club Padang is today known as Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square). The next day, the official handing over of power by the British was held at Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium).

The country was renamed Malaysia on September 16, 1963, when Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya formed a new federation.

Founded only in 1857 as a tin mining outpost, Kuala Lumpur is fairly new as far as Malaysian cities go and lacks the rich history of George Town or Malacca. After rough early years marked by gang fighting, Kuala Lumpur started to prosper and was made capital of the Federated Malay States in 1896. Malaysia's independence was declared in 1957 in front of huge crowds at what was later named Stadium Merdeka (Independence Stadium), and Kuala Lumpur continued as the new nation's capital. The economic boom of the 1990s brought KL the standard trappings of a modern city, bristling with skyscrapers and modern transportation systems. Like most of Malaysia's big cities, about 55% of Kuala Lumpur's population is of Malaysian Chinese descent.

Get in

By plane

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

All scheduled air flights, whether domestic or international, arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport [2] (IATA: KUL ICAO: WMKK) located about 50km to the south of Kuala Lumpur, in the Sepang district of Selangor. The US$2.5bil modern structure of glass and steel was inaugurated in 1998 and has been ranked as one of the top airports of the world. It replaced the former Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport in Subang, which is now used for chartered and turboprop flights. Over 50 airlines call at KLIA.

Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) opened in March 2006, and is currently used by AirAsia [3], Tiger Airways [4], and Cebu Pacific [5]. Though the LCC Terminal is across the runway tarmac from the Main Terminal Building, it is nearly 20 km away by road. Frequent shuttle buses connect the two terminals, costing RM2.50 per trip. At the Main Terminal Building, catch the shuttles at the Bus Terminal on the Ground Floor of the Car Park C building, while at the LCCT, wait for the buses at the bus bays right in front of the terminal. If you are transferring from the KLIA Ekspres train, make your way to Level 2 and follow the signs to Car Park C and the Bus Station.

Be careful when locating the transfer bus from the main terminal to the LCCT, as taxi drivers giving the appearance of being airport customer service personnel will try to steer tourists to a mini-bus or taxi with a cost many times greater than the actual LCCT transfer bus. Frequently they will ask for a fee similar to a taxi ride into Kuala Lumpur, typically RM90.

A gigantic new LCC Terminal is being built close to the Main Terminal and will be called "KLIA2", due for completion in 2012. It will also be linked to the KLIA Ekspres fast train from KL Sentral Terminal in the city centre.

Transfers - Main Terminal

By train:

- The KLIA Ekspres [6] links the airport directly with the KL Sentral transportation hub in Kuala Lumpur in 28 min. Trains run from 5AM-12 midnight. There is one train every 15 min between 5AM-9AM, and between 4PM-10PM; while trains run every 20 min outside those hours. The cost of a one-way ticket is RM35. There is no discount on return tickets. If flying Malaysia, Emirates, Cathay or Royal Brunei, you can also check in your baggage at the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal in KL Sentral. See "Get around" section below on how to get to/away from KL Sentral.

- The KLIA Transit [7], like the KLIA Ekspres, also links the airport with KL Sentral except that it stops at three intermediate stations - Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, and Bandar Tasik Selatan. The journey takes 36 min. The fare from end to end is the same as for the KLIA Ekspres, which is RM35. Different fares apply for journeys to the intermediate stations. From KL Sentral, trains run every half hour from 5.33AM-12.03AM, while from KLIA, trains run every half hour from 5.52AM-1AM. You may use the KLIA Ekspres' check-in services even when holding a KLIA Transit ticket.

- You can also catch KTM Komuter [8] trains to Nilai station and take a connecting bus to KLIA. The frequent Nilai-KLIA buses are operated by Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus. The entire journey may take about two hours, but the cost is considerably cheaper than the above two options. For example, the fare from KL Sentral to Nilai is RM4.70 while the bus fare from Nilai to KLIA is about RM2.50. You can also use the KTM Komuter to go to other destinations, such as Seremban in Negeri Sembilan. For other KTM Komuter destinations, see "Get around" section below.

By bus:

- Airport Coach runs a one hourly express bus between KL Sentral and KLIA from 5AM to 10.30PM from Sentral, and 6.30AM to 12.30AM from KLIA. RM10 one way, or RM18 return.

- Star Shuttle [9] bus runs from KLIA to Kota Raya and Pudu Raya (both are near the Chinatown), RM10 one way.

- Sepang Omnibus runs local bus services directly to Seremban in Negeri Sembilan, Banting in Selangor and Sepang town where you can get connecting buses to/from Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. The buses may be a little basic and uncomfortable, and do not follow a timetable (at least, not one that is publicly known).

- Both Airport Coach and Sepang Omnibus run frequent buses between KLIA and Nilai where you continue your journey on the KTM Komuter. See the "Get around" section below for details on the KTM Komuter.

Alternatively, you can take the bus to the LCCT then connect to KLIA.

Note that taxis hovering outside, near where the airport shuttle buses depart from, will try to get your business claiming that trains and the Monorail are not working, or finished for the day. Always check these schedules before believing a word the taxi drivers say.

By taxi:

WARNING: Do not to accept offers from touts in the arrival foyer because they usually charge more than Airport Limo taxis, even if you are shown what seems to be legitimate price lists. These touts usually drive private vehicles not meant to ferry passengers and the drivers do not have PSV (public service vehicle) licences to take passengers. You will also not be covered by insurance if an accident happens.

- From KLIA: Only Airport Limo limousines and budget taxis are allowed to pick up passengers at the airport. You buy coupons from Airport Limo counters just before you exit the international arrivals gate, or just outside the domestic arrivals gate. Ask for a budget taxi, which is perfectly fine and costs a fixed RM 74.80 to get to Kuala Lumpur; otherwise you'll be given a misnamed "premier" car that costs an extra RM25. If there is more than one person, it is probably cheaper to take a taxi directly to your destination, rather than going by train and then having to take a taxi onto your destination.

- To KLIA: Any taxi can bring passengers to KLIA, including Kuala Lumpur's metered red-and-white taxis, although you will find it very difficult to get drivers to use the meter. Make sure you agree on a price before getting into the taxi if the driver refuses to use the meter. Fares should be between RM80 and RM100, this should include the airport surcharge of RM12 and toll fees (taxis only pay half the normal toll fees). If the driver will not use the meter it may be better to seek an alternative taxi.

- Airport Limo Budget Taxi [10] from Kuala Lumpur city to KLIA is RM64.40 for a Budget class car, ☎ 1300 88 8989 (24 hr), ☎ +60 3 9223 8080 (8AM-12 midnight), +60 3 8787 3030 (12 midnight-8AM)

By road:

If you have your own wheels, KLIA is well connected to Peninsular Malaysia's expressway network. The airport is directly linked with the North South Expressway Central Link (known by its Malay abbreviation "Elite") about 70 km or nearly 1 hr away from Kuala Lumpur city centre. Exit the expressway at KLIA interchange for both the Main Terminal and LCCT.

Transfers - Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)

By train:

- There are no direct train connections to the LCCT (although the government has agreed to build one). However, you can buy a "KLIA Transit to LCCT" ticket (RM12.50/22 one-way/return), which covers the KLIA Transit to the ERL Salak Tinggi Station and a free connecting bus to the LCCT.

By bus:

- SkyBus [11] runs direct services every half hour or so from KL Sentral to the LCCT. RM9 one-way. If prebooked with AirAsia ticket (can be done only during initial booking, not while updating flight details later), it would cost RM6.50 one way and RM13 return - but beware, that if you miss your flight or change your mind and decide not to travel it, the SkyBus fare, as well as other additional services on that booking, will not be refunded.

- Aerobus [12] also runs direct bus services every half hour from KL Sentral to the LCC Terminal. RM8 one-way, RM14 return journey.

- Star Shuttle [13] (Tel: +60-3-40438811) has direct buses to the Pekeliling Bus Terminal and Batu 3 (3rd Mile) Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur, as well as direct connections to the Subang Jaya KTM Komuter station and the PKNS Building in Shah Alam. Check its website for schedules. Fares are RM9 per trip.

By road:

The LCCT is about 20km from the Main Terminal and can be accessed via the KLIA circular or airport cargo road. Shuttle buses links the 2 terminals for RM2.50 one way.

Subang Airport

The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (IATA: SZB) (ICAO: WMSA), more commonly referred to as the Subang Airport, was the country's main international airport until KLIA was opened in 1998. As it is much nearer to the city centre and less crowded than the newer KLIA, it can make a convenient entry point for those flying from Singapore or other parts of Malaysia. After the opening of KLIA, it was designated for turboprop aircraft and is currently served by two airlines.

- Firefly [14] a Malaysia Airlines subsidiary began operating from Subang in late 2007, flying initially to Penang twice daily but now serves a whole range of destinations with new ATR aircraft in Peninsular Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and to Ko Samui and Phuket in Thailand.

- Berjaya Air [15] flies daily to/from Tioman Island and Redang Island. It also has 2 flights weekly to/from Ko Samui in Thailand.

Subang Airport's Terminal 1 has been demolished. The Immigration Department utilise Terminal 2 for the issue of passports and local documentation.

Airlines

Destinations

Terminal

Berjaya Air

Koh Samui, Redang, Tioman

3

Infinity Travel and Services
operated by Berjaya Air

Ipoh (Charter) [16][17]

3

Firefly

Alor Setar, Batam, Johor Bahru, Kerteh, Koh Samui
Kota Bharu, Kuala Terengganu,Langkawi
Medan, Pekanbaru, Penang, Singapore

3

Getting there/away: The airport is 25 km from the city centre and the best way to get there is by taxi. Rapid KL bus U81 (destination Mah Sing and Pekan Subang) from the Sultan Mohd Bus Hub next to the Pasar Seni LRT station goes past the airport. The fare is RM2.50 one way and takes approximately 40 min in clear traffic. It can take nearly 1 hr and 30 min during peak rush hour.

By road

Most important roads in Peninsular Malaysia lead to/from Kuala Lumpur. The city lies about midway along the North-South Expressway (Motorway) (NSE; route numbers E1 and E2) which runs from the Malaysia-Thailand border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru in the south, on the Malaysian side of the Causeway to Singapore. The main expressway exits for Kuala Lumpur on the NSE are Jalan Duta (from the north) and Sungai Besi (from the south).

The Karak Highway (E8), which later turns into the East Coast Expressway, links Kuala Lumpur with the East Coast states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan.

For those who do not want to pay toll, Kuala Lumpur is on Federal Route One (the "Trunk Road") which, like the NSE, runs through all West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia from Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru.

Those travelling along the West Coast Road (Federal Route Five) should leave the road at Klang and get to Kuala Lumpur via the Federal Highway.

By bus

The double-decker KL Hop-on Hop-off bus service for tourists includes 42 sightseeing places.The buses have free wifi on board. Each passenger is provided with a multi-lingual commentary headset. The tickets are valid for 24 hr from purchase, and you can hop on and off the bus throughout the day. Price is RM38 for adults, RM17 for children, senior citizens, the disabled, and holders of an ISIC card. Children below 5 years old are free of charge. However, to enjoy these features, be prepared for long waiting time as the timings are notoriously bad! It may be best to use the service outside of rush hours. The buses are scheduled every half hour but intervals may be as long as two hours due to traffic jams. You should not plan your itinerary based on these bus schedules.

RapidKL [33] operates a cheap and comprehensive public bus network in and around Kuala Lumpur, but the low frequencies (20-30 min on most routes) and the near-total lack of signage make this a poor option for the casual visitor, and at rush hour buses can be jam-packed. For those (few) attractions best visited by bus, specific bus information is given at each place of interest on this page.

If you do venture on board, it's worth nothing that buses are broadly divided in three categories: Bandar (B) routes are city center shuttles, Utama (U) buses travel to outlying suburbs and Tempatan (T) buses are feeder services for train stations. For all three, you can either buy zone-based single tickets (RM1 for Zone 1, up to RM3 for Zone 4) on board, or use a Touch 'n Go card (not sold on board). In addition, Ekspres (E) services use the highways and cost a flat RM3.80. Buses run from 6AM-11PM or so, with no night services.

Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) or (Southern Integrated Terminal)

Since March 2011 all south-bound buses leave from the gigantic & ultra-modern TBS in Selangor. (North-bound buses operate from Puduraya). TBS is located in Bandar Tasik Selatan and is served by 3 train lines - KLIA Transit on the KL Sentral-KLIA route, KTM Komuter on the Rawang-Seremban line, and the LRT on the Sri Petaling line.

Hentian Puduraya

Puduraya bus station reopened in April 2011 amd serves northern and inter-city buses. Southern buses operate from the new Tasik Selatan Integrated Transport Terminal.

Access is from Plaza Rakyat station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) within walking distance; many local bus stops are nearby.

To/from Hat Yai, in Thailand:

- Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung (KBES [18] ☎ +60 3 20313036) has departures at 10:30A0 & 11PM: RM45 one-way.

- Alisan Golden Coach Express [19], Hentian Pudu Raya, ☎ +60 3 20322273 have three buses every day which leave Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai, departure at 9AM, 10PM, and 10:30PM, ticket around RM45, 7 hr journey.

To/from Singapore:

- Transnasional ☎, +60 3 20703300 is Malaysia's biggest long-distance bus company. Economy class departures to Singapore's Lavender Street terminal at 8:45AM, 10:30AM, 1:30PM, 5:30PM, 10:30PM & 11:59PM - RM30 one-way and takes 5 hr.

- Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung (KBES [20]) ☎ +60 3 20701321) has several buses daily to/from the Golden Mile complex in Singapore.

Hentian Putra

Most East Coast services use this terminal which is in the northern part of the city centre on Jalan Putra.

Access: PWTC station (Ampang and Sri Petaling Lines) and Putra station (both KTM Komuter lines) are within walking distance. Also the Chow Kit station (Monorail train) is only 15 min walk away.

Hentian Duta

Many north-bound Transnasional [21] express buses use this terminal which is located a distance to the west of the city centre on Jalan Duta.

Access: the only convenient way is by taxi.

Kuala Lumpur Old Railway Station

Now used as a bus terminal, but still handles commuter trains on both KTM Komuter lines, also accessible via Rapid KL City Shuttle No. 109, 115.

Plusliner luxury services (under the brand names "Nice" and "Platinum Service") are based here; destinations include Penang, Johor Bahru, Singapore, and Hat Yai in Thailand.

Online Booking

Most other operators have banded together in one largest shared booking portal. The boarding locations are at various locations like Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) / (Southern Integrated Terminal), Hentian Puduraya, Berjaya Time Squares.

Bus Online Ticket [22] @ http://www.busonlineticket.com - including major operator AirAsia-affiliated StarMart.

Others

Pekeliling Bus Terminal is on Jalan Tun Razak to the north of the city centre, and handles local bus services to some Pahang destinations like Genting Highlands, Bentong, Raub and Temerloh. Access: Titiwangsa station is within walking distance. Rapid KL City Shuttle No. B101, B102, B103, B104, B109.

Deluxe long-distance buses leave from all over the place:

- Aeroline [23] uses the Corus Hotel (on Jalan Ampang) serves as the terminal for express buses to/from Singapore. Access: KLCC station is 300m away. Rapid KL City Shuttle No. B103, B104, B105, B106, B114. The company also runs the same service from various locations around Klang Valley.

- First Coach [24] services to/from Singapore leave Bangsar LRT station.

- Transtar [25] uses the Pasar Rakyat bus station off Jalan Melati, a 5 min walk from Bukit Bintang.

- Transnasional [26] Executive Coaches to Singapore and Penang leave from the Malaysian Tourist Information Complex (MATIC) on Jalan Ampang, between KLCC and Bukit Nanas.

By train

Kuala Lumpur's public transport system consists of 3 LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines operated by RapidKL [28], the semicircular KL Monorail [29] looping through the Golden Triangle and the KTM Komuter [30] for trips to the outer northern, southern & western suburbs. Fares are cheap (RM1.2 and up), although connectivity between different lines is poor due to inadequate integration (read: you will also need to buy a new ticket for the next leg of your trip, and will likely get wet if it is raining since connections are not covered). The Touch 'n Go [31] card, which can be purchased for RM10 at major stations, can now be used on all lines except the airport express. Some particularly convenient stations:

- Bukit Bintang (KL Monorail), for shopping in the Golden Triangle

- Bukit Nanas (KL Monorail), for clubbing at P. Ramlee

- KLCC (Putra), for the Twin Towers and the Suria KLCC shopping mall

- KL Sentral (Kelana Jaya/KL Monorail/KTM Komuter), for intercity trains and the KLIA Ekspres to the airport

- Masjid Jamek (all LRT lines), for LRT interchange as well as access to Chinatown and Little India

- Plaza Rakyat (Sri Petaling/Ampang), for Puduraya bus station

A few quirks:

1. The Kelana Jaya and Gombak LRT lines, formerly known as "PUTRA LRT", is now known as "Putraline" while the Sri Petaling and Ampang LRT lines, formerly known as "STAR LRT", is now known as "Starline". Signage is a bit inconsistent but is slowly being updated.

2. The KL Monorail's "KL Sentral" station is now a bit of a haul from KL Sentral. The covered walkway and the parking lot that was once used for access has been closed off for construction. To get to the KL Monorail, you will have to walk around the parking lot which doubles the distance you had to walk before.

3. Trains usually follow a timed schedule, with the frequency increased to two/three minutes during peak hours. Take note however that as Putraline is a "driverless" system (unlike Starline where the trains are driven by human drivers), in the event of a train breakdown, service may be disrupted for two hours or more, although such breakdowns are few and far between.

By boat

Kuala Lumpur is not located by the sea. However, there are ferry connections to/from Sumatra (Indonesia) at Port Klang, about 40 km west of Kuala Lumpur. See the Port Klang article for details on how to get there.

Get around

The first phase of Kuala Lumpur's ambitious public transport system is now complete, the city's public transport system is fairly efficient and convenient, but as there is still a fair amount of room for improvement to the system's integration. The city, like many developing cities, suffers from paralytic traffic jams periodically throughout the day. In rush hours, it may be worthwhile combining public transport by different means. For example: soar over traffic jams by monorail to the station closest to your destination and thereafter take a taxi for the final leg.

By train

Kuala Lumpur's public transport system consists of 3 LRT (Light Rail Transit) lines operated by RapidKL [28], the semicircular KL Monorail [29] looping through the Golden Triangle and the KTM Komuter [30] for trips to the outer northern, southern & western suburbs. Fares are cheap (RM1.2 and up), although connectivity between different lines is poor due to inadequate integration (read: you will also need to buy a new ticket for the next leg of your trip, and will likely get wet if it is raining since connections are not covered). The Touch 'n Go [31] card, which can be purchased for RM10 at major stations, can now be used on all lines except the airport express. Some particularly convenient stations:

- Bukit Bintang (KL Monorail), for shopping in the Golden Triangle

- Bukit Nanas (KL Monorail), for clubbing at P. Ramlee

- KLCC (Putra), for the Twin Towers and the Suria KLCC shopping mall

- KL Sentral (Kelana Jaya/KL Monorail/KTM Komuter), for intercity trains and the KLIA Ekspres to the airport

- Masjid Jamek (all LRT lines), for LRT interchange as well as access to Chinatown and Little India

- Plaza Rakyat (Sri Petaling/Ampang), for Puduraya bus station

A few quirks:

1. The Kelana Jaya and Gombak LRT lines, formerly known as "PUTRA LRT", is now known as "Putraline" while the Sri Petaling and Ampang LRT lines, formerly known as "STAR LRT", is now known as "Starline". Signage is a bit inconsistent but is slowly being updated.

2. The KL Monorail's "KL Sentral" station is now a bit of a haul from KL Sentral. The covered walkway and the parking lot that was once used for access has been closed off for construction. To get to the KL Monorail, you will have to walk around the parking lot which doubles the distance you had to walk before.

3. Trains usually follow a timed schedule, with the frequency increased to two/three minutes during peak hours. Take note however that as Putraline is a "driverless" system (unlike Starline where the trains are driven by human drivers), in the event of a train breakdown, service may be disrupted for two hours or more, although such breakdowns are few and far between.

By bus

The double-decker KL Hop-on Hop-off bus service for tourists includes 42 sightseeing places.The buses have free wifi on board. Each passenger is provided with a multi-lingual commentary headset. The tickets are valid for 24 hr from purchase, and you can hop on and off the bus throughout the day. Price is RM38 for adults, RM17 for children, senior citizens, the disabled, and holders of an ISIC card. Children below 5 years old are free of charge. However, to enjoy these features, be prepared for long waiting time as the timings are notoriously bad! It may be best to use the service outside of rush hours. The buses are scheduled every half hour but intervals may be as long as two hours due to traffic jams. You should not plan your itinerary based on these bus schedules.

RapidKL [33] operates a cheap and comprehensive public bus network in and around Kuala Lumpur, but the low frequencies (20-30 min on most routes) and the near-total lack of signage make this a poor option for the casual visitor, and at rush hour buses can be jam-packed. For those (few) attractions best visited by bus, specific bus information is given at each place of interest on this page.

If you do venture on board, it's worth nothing that buses are broadly divided in three categories: Bandar (B) routes are city center shuttles, Utama (U) buses travel to outlying suburbs and Tempatan (T) buses are feeder services for train stations. For all three, you can either buy zone-based single tickets (RM1 for Zone 1, up to RM3 for Zone 4) on board, or use a Touch 'n Go card (not sold on board). In addition, Ekspres (E) services use the highways and cost a flat RM3.80. Buses run from 6AM-11PM or so, with no night services.

By taxi

With RM3 flagfall (2 km) and around RM0.90/km afterward, red and white normal taxis are reasonably priced and probably the best way to get around, at least outside the congested peak hours. Bright blue executive taxis have a RM4 flagfall and also charge a bit more by the kilometre. There are also various small surcharges for radio call (RM2), baggage (RM1 per piece), etc.

While all taxis are supposed to use the meter, drivers may be reluctant to use it and will often demand a fixed price, always higher than the price when using the meter, before commencing travel. This is especially so when demand exceeds supply, such as during the rush hour or when it rains, when the price demanded of tourists can be up to 2-10 times the meter price. This is technically illegal (and reportable) and happens most often with cabbies who lurk outside hotels, stations and major malls, while they wait for unwary tourists to come along. Hail cabs off the street if you can, but if you must, at least negotiate hard: RM5 should cover most cross town trips of 15 min or so, even with traffic. If you are staying in an expensive hotel, give a nearby shopping mall as your destination instead. Generally speaking, Malay taxi drivers will be more willing to use the meter than Chinese and Indian ones.

It is cheaper to use the meter through the day, although the opposite is true late at night, and especially after midnight, when the displayed meter price at the end of the journey is increased by 50% (ie. at 1AM, if the meter shows RM12, then you have to pay RM12+6).

A few popular places (notably both airports, KL Sentral, Menara KL and Sunway Pyramid Megamall) enforce prepaid coupon systems, which generally work out more expensive than using the meter, but cheaper than bargaining. Taxi Services from Pavilion Shopping Mall's taxi counter is using approved taxi meter with only RM2 surcharge.

Combining public transport with taxis can sometime make trips quicker if there are traffic jams.

Some taxi drivers will hang around near hotels offering tours similar to those offered by established companies. Feel free to listen to their offers and bargain with them if you like. Some of these cabbies are quite knowledgeable and you may end up with a specially tailored, private tour for less than the cost of an official tour.

If you get so off the beaten track that you need to call a cab, here are some telephone numbers:

- Comfort Cabs ☎ +60 3 6253 1313

- Sunlight Taxi ☎ +60 3 9057 5757

- Public Cab ☎ +60 3 6259 2020

- Uptown Ace ☎ +60 3 9283 2333

- Unicablink ☎ +1300 88 0303

By car

Kuala Lumpur has good quality roads, but driving in the city can be a nightmare, with massive traffic jams, a convoluted web of expressways and often confusing road signage. If driving, be especially aware of sudden lane changes by cars and reckless motor bike drivers who enjoy weaving in and out of traffic.

Do not park at the road of busy districts such as Bangsar, Bukit Bintang etc. Other cars might lock you in by parking next to you in the 2nd or 3rd lane. Use covered car parks or park a bit off the beaten path and then walk back.

Renting a car is an option for travelling in Kuala Lumpur and other parts of Malaysia. You may rent a car from the provider below:

- Mayflower Car Rental, Mayflower Building, 18 Jalan Segambut Pusat, 51200 Kuala Lumpur, Tel: +603-62531888, [34] / [35]

On foot

Depending on your age, physical fitness and urban inclination (or not), Kuala Lumpur is a fine city for walking and has clear, well-placed signage. Street signs are jumbo sized, blue with white lettering at eye level. Most corners have multi-directional pointers. There are city maps in places. Tiled sidewalks are 5 m in width, on average (a warning: treacherously slippery at sloped curb sides). Main arteries are boulevard broad and tree-lined. Most intersections have bright, yellow striped pedestrian crossings. While traffic can be daunting at times, it rarely moves fast enough to be seriously hazardous. Beware of speeding and criss-crossing motorcyclists, though!

Kuala Lumpur can be very hot and humid. To keep your walks comfortable, avoid walking between 11 am- 3pm, when the sun is at its hottest. Wear comfortable clothing and carry water with you. There are generally many shopping malls in the Golden Triangle area so if your walk is planned around that area, the occasional stop in an air-conditioned mall to cool down will feel very good.

Be careful when jaywalking on major streets, especially near downtown. The police occasionally crack down on jaywalkers in a public awareness campaign. Luckily, the on-the-spot fine is light (RM 20/30 for tourists/locals), and the whole process is over in a few minutes, but they will check your passport for travel documents. If you see large groups of traffic officers on both sides of a road, it's probably a smart idea to use the designated crossing areas.

Here is a walking tour (circle) that encompasses the main centre attractions (2-3 hr): starting at Chinatown (Petaling Street), identify on a map the following landmarks: the Maybank building, the Times Square towers, the Petronas Twin Towers and KL Tower. Once on the street do a visual scan of these buildings. You'll likely not need the map henceforth. Proceed from the Maybank building (vertically striped wedge) up Jalan Pudu, which turns into Jalan Bukit Bintang (Royale Bintang Hotel) at about 1 km. Stop for coffee at Bintang Walk, or check out the electronics mega-mall, Plaza Low Yat. Continue on Jalan Sultan Ismail towards Petronas. Be amazed! Wind your way from Petronas along Jalan P. Ramlee past the KL Tower and down Jalan Raja Chulan back to the Maybank building and Chinatown.

If you're fortunate enough to do this walk on a typical Sunday afternoon you will find a calm and attractive city.

Talk

As with much of the rest of Malaysia, Malay is the main language in Kuala Lumpur, and almost universally spoken by everyone. However, being Malaysia's capital and largest city, Kuala Lumpur is a mosaic of Malaysians of many different cultures and ethnicities, and while Malay is the lingua franca, several other languages are commonly heard as well. Among these languages, the most commonly spoken ones are Tamil, which is the first language of a majority of the Indian community, and Cantonese, which is the lingua franca of the Chinese community when conversing amongst themselves (even though their mother tongues could be other Chinese dialects such as Hokkien, Hakka or Teochew). As most Malaysian Chinese learn Mandarin in school, most of the ethnic Chinese are also able to converse in Mandarin. English is also widely spoken, and tourists should have almost no problems getting by with English.

Urban Malaysians are generally known to be multilingual, with proficiency in Malay, English and their respective mother tongues. Malay and English are taught in all schools from a young age, while most the Chinese and Indians also learn Mandarin and Tamil respectively in school.

See

Despite having many attractions, Kuala Lumpur is one of those cities which is short on must-see attractions: the real joy lies in wandering randomly, seeing, shopping and eating your way through it. It's hot, humid and sometimes crowded though, so schedule some air-conditioned downtime in shopping malls or restaurants into your plan. You may find that most attractions are only crowded on weekends/holidays and deserted on weekdays.

The main attractions are spread throughout the city, although the greatest concentration of places of interest are in the City Centre, where you’ll find Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), where Malaysia would usually celebrate the Malaysian independence day (the exact spot where independence was declared at the start of Aug 31, 1957 is at the Stadium Merdeka); the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and other Colonial-era buildings surrounding the square; the modern and rather unadorned National Mosque; the Moorish-style Kuala Lumpur Railway Station which now houses a mini-museum on Malaysian railway history; many of Kuala Lumpur's other museums including the recently refurbished National Museum (RM5 for foreigners, RM2 for Malaysians) tracing the history of the region through prehistory and the Malaccan empire to Independence, and the extremely well-regarded Islamic Arts Museum (RM12, 10-6PM), and the nearby 'Police Museum; and the pretty Lake Gardens to the west. Within the city centre is also the fascinating narrow streets of Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur's traditional commercial district, with its many Chinese shops and places to eat.

Another area of interest to the traveller is the Golden Triangle. Although predominantly a shopping and night-life district, it is also home to the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) and the Petronas Twin Towers, once the world’s tallest building. In the nearby KL Convention Centre is the Aquaria KLCC which contains some 5,000 varieties of tropical fish. Just south of the Twin Towers is Menara KL Tower, which is situated on top of Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill), a forest reserve right in the heart of the city. PDA-Guided views from Menara Tower (RM38, 9AM-10PM) being at 276 m, are far superior than those from the Petronas Towers (viewing deck at 170 m), and come highly recommended since it allows first time visitors the chance to orient themselves quickly about the layout of the city. It is however, not a particularly easy place to reach by public transport, so use either a taxi or the "hop-on/hop-off" tourist bus that makes a continuous circuit through the city.

There are also several attractions just outside Kuala Lumpur which are worth visiting. The Batu Caves in the Northern suburbs of Kuala Lumpur, are located in a limestone outcrop and are the focal point of the fascinating annual Thaipusam festival, usually held in February. The caves are easily accessible by KTM's kommuter mass transit rail service (Batu Caves stn) or RapidKL bus U6 from Chow Kit area, though ask the driver to let you know the correct stop as the caves are not immediately obvious. Do some light cave exploring in Batu Caves which is really fascinating. The entrance is 50 ft below the main temple cave and on the left as you climb. The event will be memorable and is not risky even for children as young as 3 years. Another option is to catch Metrobus 11 for RM2 at Lorong Bas, near Pasar Seni (Central Market). Malaysia’s National Zoo (Zoo Negara) is also located in the north of the city.

- KL Bird Park (free-flight walk-in aviary), 920, Jalan Cenderawasih, Taman Tasik Perdana (Next to Islamic Art Museum in the City Centre), +60 3 22721010, [36]. 9AM-6PM. Great semi-wild habitat for many different species of mostly Asian birds. The Bird Park allows you to approach quite close to the birds which are skittish but not fearful for some very nice photos. A bit pricey, but makes for a nice long day in a mostly shaded area. Feedings and shows throughout the day give something to see at any time, and the 20+ acres provide plenty of area to walk and explore. The photo booth offers a wide array of tamed birds that will happily sit on you and pose for photos for a small price (RM8 per person: your camera, 2 birds; RM25 per print: glossy printout of your group covered in birds). Concession stands are priced fairly and offer drinks, ice cream, etc. RM45 (adult), RM35 (child).

See the respective district pages for more details.

Do

KL is the type of city where the first things that come to mind when you talking of doing anything is "shopping", both of which are adequately covered by the Eat and Buy sections.

Those activities aside, KL has its fair share of sporting opportunities such as golfing, cycling, running, jogging and even equestrian. If you’re into rock climbing, the Batu Caves in Northern Kuala Lumpur is a popular weekend haunt of those wanting to scale some heights. However, for anything more strenuous and challenging, you’re better of heading to other spots in country.

Malaysia is trying to encourage greater cultural expression, and Kuala Lumpur has several good theatres and places for performances, such as the National Theatre (Istana Budaya) and KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) in the northern part of the city, the KL Philharmonic in KLCC, and the Actors Studio in Bangsar.

You can also get a good dosage of pampering in Kuala Lumpur. For those in search of spas, there are several five-star hotel-connected as well as independent treatment centres in the Golden Triangle. You will also find heaps of reflexology and foot massage places everywhere but especially in Bukit Bintang in the Golden Triangle and Chinatown.

Kuala Lumpur also has many theme parks around the city and in the surrounding cities. The most famous of these parks is Sunway Lagoon in the neighbouring city of Subang Jaya. The theme park has rides, a huge waterpark, an extreme park for adventure junkies, a scream park for those wanting a good scare, and a petting zoo for the kids. Sunway Lagoon is a 40 minute drive from central Kuala Lumpur in good traffic and can be reached by bus or taxi.

Volunteer

If you are taking an extended trip consider spending a week or more volunteering.

- Nur Salam (Chow Kids), No. 24A-B Jalan Chow Kit, +60 3 4045 4021, [37]. Volunteer with the street kids of Chow Kit (KL) to "help improve the quality of life for the children of Chow Kit whose parents are usually former and current drug addicts & sex workers in Kuala Lumpur". Chow Kids offers training for volunteers who wish to spend any amount of time interacting and helping these deserving children.

- Zoo Negara, Hulu Kelang, Ampang, Selangor, +60 3 4108 22219 (education@zoonegaramalaysia.my), [38]. Love animals? Volunteer at the National Zoo - Zoo Negara outside the city. Simply fill out the Volunteer Form on the website and show up for a shift at the zoo in a variety of areas. Check out their volunteer website for more information.

Buy

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur is one of travel's greatest pleasures! Kuala Lumpur alone has 66 shopping malls and it is the retail and fashion hub for Malaysia. Goods are available in every price bracket.

Suria KLCC is one of Malaysia's premier shopping destinations due to its location beneath the Petronas Twin Towers.

Kuala Lumpur's premier shopping district, the Bukit Bintang area in the Golden Triangle, resembles Tokyo's Ginza, New York's Fifth Avenue and Singapore's Orchard Road and has the highest concentration of shopping outlets in Kuala Lumpur, which cater to varying budgets. Bukit Bintang, which is part of the Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle, spans over 3 roads, namely Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Imbi and Jalan Sultan Ismail. It houses various cafes, alfresco (open air) dining outlets and shopping complexes such as Berjaya Plaza, Berjaya Times Square, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Imbi Plaza, Kuala Lumpur Plaza, Lot 10, Low Yat Plaza, Pavilion KL, Starhill Plaza and Sungei Wang Plaza. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is a recent addition to the cluster of shopping malls in this area and houses a wide range of international retail brands in an ultra-modern complex. Fans of electronic gadgets would delight in the multitude of choices at Low Yat Plaza, whilst shoppers hunting for the latest in affordable Asian style should definitely check out Berjaya Times Square and Bukit Bintang / Sungei Wang Plaza. It is also the location of the largest single department store in Malaysia, SOGO Kuala Lumpur which is located at a landmark site on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, one of the best known shopping streets for locals in Kuala Lumpur.

Several popular malls lie outside the Golden Triangle. The Bangsar and Midvalley areas are home to some of the best shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, namely the MidValley Megamall and the adjacent upmarket The Gardens, the more cozy Bangsar Village and Bangsar Shopping Center in Bangsar. The Damansara area north-west of Kuala Lumpur, though not in the city-proper, it is one of the high concentration of shopping outlets in Kuala Lumpur. It houses various shopping malls like The Curve, e@Curve, Ikano Power Centre, IKEA, Cathay Multi Screen Cinemas, Courts Megastore, NiuXehSui Ara Damansara and 1 Utama (one of the top shopping centres in Malaysia).

There are also many shopping malls in the neighbouring towns of Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya. Sunway Pyramid Megamall [39] in Petaling Jaya is very nicely designed, and it is worth making the trip down to have a look even if you don't plan to buy anything.

Despite the onslaught of malls, Kuala Lumpur still offers some Asian tradition with traditional shopping streets and markets. The best area for such shopping is Chinatown in the City Center. This district is also the best place to hunt for souvenirs, especially in Central Market, a former produce market which has been converted into an art and craft market. It is also known as Pasar Seni in Malay.

The Little India near Jalan Masjid India offers various fabric for use. Most of the fabrics are imported from countries like Indonesia, India and China while some are locally produced. Indonesian traditional batik and songket are traditional fabric commonly found in Central Market. For greater satisfaction choose the hand made ones. You may be interested to buy ready made baju kurung or baju kebaya (the traditional Malay blouse). For peace of mind, buy from the bigger stores. Some Thai handicrafts are also sold here, alongside handmade Malaysian wooden souvenirs.

Since 2000, the Ministry of Tourism of Malaysia has kick-started the mega sale event for all shopping in Malaysia. The mega sale event is held thrice in a year—in March, May and December—where all shopping malls are encouraged to participate to boost Kuala Lumpur as a leading shopping destination.

Shopping Malls

Bukit Bintang

- Berjaya Times Square - Its currently the 13th biggest shopping mall in the world boasting 12 levels of retail with a total of 320,000 m² (3,5 million ft²). Although initially aimed at the upper-echelon of society. It is currently positioned as a middle-class shopping mall offering youth fashion targeted at the younger crowds. For entertainment, it has the largest indoor theme park in Malaysia located on the 7th floor of the building, it also offers an exciting cinematic experience with its 3D-Imax theater located on the top floor of the retail podium.

- Starhill Gallery - Starhill Gallery is probably the ritziest and luxurious mall in the whole of Kuala Lumpur alongside KLCC. A Louis Vuitton flagship outlet flank the exterior facade of this grand structure. Renowned fashion houses whether Gucci, Fendi, Valentino you name it, It can all be found here. There is a Food Galore on the Lower Ground floor which renders an excellent culinary experience in a cosy setting that exudes grandeur.

- Pavillion KL [40] - Built in late 2007, it is targeted at the middle-upper segment of society. It offers a diverse tenant mix which makes it one of the most successful malls in Kuala Lumpur. Pavilion Kuala Lumpur contains over 450 retail shops that are spread across seven levels. Parkson, Tangs, Golden Screen Cinemas and Harvey Norman are the anchor tenants of this mammoth 7-storey retail podium. There are a number of double-storey flagship stores, of which some are street-front fashion boutiques which constitute the shopping mall, such as Burberry Prosum, Esprit (occupies four floors), Gucci, Hermès, Hugo Boss, Juicy Couture, Prada, Versace and others. There are several fashion and luxury goods boutiques that encompass a large portion of the mall's retail floor area. Labels such as Paul Frank, Juicy Couture, Kiehl's, Thomas Pink, YSL, Jean Paul Gaultier, Zegna, Dianie Von Furstenburg, Bebe and Shanghai Tang opened their first stores in Malaysia within this shopping mall. Several eateries and cafés also exist in the shopping mall like fast food restaurants, coffeehouse chains and a Food Republic food court. Malaysia's previous prime minister Tun Mahathir bin Mohamad opened his very own bakery here located strategically at the entrance.

- Fahrenheit 88 - Renamed and refurbished, now again open for business but as of October 2010 still many unopened stores, previously the deteriorating KL Plaza. Poised to be the new hub for the hip and trendy of Kuala Lumpur, consisting of 300,000 square feet of lettable space spread over 5 levels of zoned shopping space. There are designated zones for Japanese and Korean fashion consisting of an entire floor each. It is widely speculated that Swedish-fashion chain H&M and Japanese Uniql and Muji will make their Malaysian debut here in the coming Fall.

- Lot 10 - When opened in 1991, it was considered the Harrods-equivalent of Malaysia housing designer outlets like Aigner and Versace. Over the span of 2 decades, time has however taken a toll on this unique landmark mall which boasts a green facade. Nowadays it is widely-reckoned as a middle-class retail destination as most outlets have shifted as a result of competition and degradation. In 2009, Nicholai by Nicky Hilton and William Rast by Justin Timberlake opened their flagship stores to cater to the Malaysian market after widespread refurbishment to the mall at a cost of RM20 million. Debenhams also made a comeback in Bukit Bintang by opening a 3 floor departmental store here for the people living here in early 2010. Its roof boasts a Garden in the City concept featuring concept restaurants and trendy bars, designer clubs and a spanking new California Fitness gym designed none-other than Yuhkichi Kawai of Super Potatoes. If food is your thing, this is heaven. A cornucopia of Malaysia's best food is located on the lower-ground, its food court Hutong is just awesome.

- Low Yat Plaza - Also another veteran on Bintang Walk it remains the ultimate one-stop centre when shopping for electronic gadgets. The ratio between IT outlets and F&B outlets are 70:30. Do not let its fading white-hues fool you as it has a wide range of electronic goods selling at bargain prices considering the ringgit's sub-par value. Do not always be fooled by the pricing as some unscrupulous sellers may have switched original components of devices with fakes. Verify before purchasing.

- Sungei Wang Plaza - Despite being 30 years old, it remains a 100%-occupancy mall with the highest visiting traffic in Malaysia, though visitors more towards the younger crowd. It features trendy fashion at bargain prices. Shirts/tops ranging from RM15 (US$5) and RM50(US15). This is THE place for the stylish and sassy bargain-hunters. The focal point of youthful, to some, outlandish self-expression, this is the place where goths and cross-dressers roam without looking out of place.

Jalan Ampang

- Suria KLCC [41] - Suria KLCC is one of Malaysia's premier shopping destinations due to its location beneath the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur City Centre. It is located on 6 floors, with anchor tenants Isetan, Parkson, Kinokuniya, Tanjong Golden Village, Signatures Food Court, Marks & Spencer, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. Suria is the native Malaysian word for Sunshine. It was opened on August 31, 1999. It houses mostly luxury and fashionable shops, as well as cafes, restaurants, a 12 screen cinema, a concert hall, an art gallery, and a Science Discovery Centre, over 6 floors. It is almost directly underneath the Petronas Twin Towers, the third tallest buildings in the world (and the tallest twin towers). It is one of Malaysia's most popular tourist destinations.

- Great Eastern Mall - Great Eastern Mall is located at Jalan Ampang which adjoined with the Menara Great Eastern. Great Eastern Mall Amidst the embassy community, Great Eastern Mall is primed to be the favourite neighbourhood mall that offers a 'fine lifestyle and relaxation' shopping experience.

- Ampang Park [42] - Ampang Park is recognised as one of Malaysia's first shopping centres and is located located near Suria KLCC, in Kuala Lumpur. The complex is accessible with the Kelana Jaya Line via the Ampang Park station, which is located after the KLCC Station. The train station is located opposite the shopping complex. Ampang Park is on the northern outskirts of the Golden Triangle and has clothes and jewellery shops, and money changers. It is also known as the place to go for top to toe Malay fashion and is usually packed during Hari Raya. It also houses shops dealing in electrical and electronic equipment.

- Avenue K [43] - Avenue K is located on Jalan Ampang, opposite Kuala Lumpur City Centre. With its bold tagline, "style has a new address", the complex is a hip shopping haven complimented by a classy, city-living address, "K Residence". Avenue K aims to create a "shopping culture, where lifestyle, aesthetic and social elements converge." It boasts internationally acclaimed fashion brands.

Bangsar

- Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof - Better known as BSC, this mini shopping centre is a favourite among expats and the locals staying around the Bangsar & Damansara Heights neighbourhood. Plenty of cafes & restaurants - a good spot to meet up with friends. BSC also features speciality stores plus the Cold Storage Supermarket.

- Bangsar Village, Jalan Ara - This is another favourite with those staying around Bangsar & Damansara Heights neighbourhood. Bangsar Village 2 is linked to the original Bangsar Village by a covered pedestrian bridge.

Midvalley

- Mid Valley Megamall [44] - This really is "mega" with over 430 shops crammed into what claims to be one of South-East Asia's largest shopping malls. Anchor tenants include big department stores and hypermarkets such as Malaysian arm of AEON Japan called Jusco, local store Metrojaya and French hypermarket Carrefour. If you need to change money, the lower ground floor has several money changers. The Megamall is connected to the upmarket The Gardens at Mid Valley. (KTM Komuter: Mid-Valley)

- The Gardens at Mid Valley [45] - This mall is anchored by a high-end shopping gallery (anchor tenants include Isetan, Robinson's, Marks & Spencer, GSC Signature and Market Place), two landmark office towers, five-star Gardens Residences and five-star Gardens Hotel. The mall will be linked to the Abdullah Hukum LRT station in 2012 giving additional access option to shoppers. (KTM Komuter: Mid-Valley)

Eat

Malaysians are obsessed with food and it is hardly surprising that as the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur reflects this love affair with eating. You'll be able to find the entire range of Malaysian cuisine (although some, especially those from Penang, argue that what you get Kuala Lumpur is not the best) as well as food from around the world.

As far as the budget is concerned, you can eat fairly well for fairly little in Kuala Lumpur. Just head to the roadside stalls and what Malaysians call coffeeshops (kedai kopi) - a shop which operates like a food court with many stalls selling a variety of food (some of them are halal and some non-halal, Chinese coffee shops usually serve non-halal) . Some coffeeshops offer streetside dining by placing their tables on the sidewalks of roads. Coffeeshops are found on virtually every street in Kuala Lumpur, but Chinatown (especially Jalan Sultan, Jalan Hang Lekir and Jalan Petaling) in the City Center and Jalan Alor in the Golden Triangle have some of the greatest concentration of coffeeshops and stalls. They mostly open only at night.

Rivaling the coffeeshops in terms of numbers, as well as the price of food, are what Malaysians call "Mamak shops" - food outlets run by Indian Muslims. They can also be found at almost every street corner in Kuala Lumpur. The food is of course halal (food permissible by Muslim law, much like kosher for the Jewish tradition). The streetside version, called the "Mamak stall" is also popular. One famous collection of streetside Mamak stalls is at Jalan Doraisamy near the Heritage Row (see Tuanku Abdul Rahman page). The most popular food is the 'roti canai'.

Food courts in shopping malls can also provide you with a good opportunity to sample Malaysian food in more hygienic conditions, although the prices will be a little higher than coffeeshops.

Lot 10 shopping mall in the Golden Triangle has a collection of 20 street vendors who were invited to relocate in the food court. While there are some international choices, the specialty here is Chinese.

Kuala Lumpur has a good number of restaurants, some of them offering better food than others. The Golden Triangle, Bangsar and Midvalley, Heritage Row and some areas in Damansara and Hartamas are the usual places for people looking for a restaurant meal. Beware that most restaurants close by 10 PM, so you will probably need to look for street food if you are hungry at night. the street food stalls are getting better during the late night than before.

In terms of ethnicity, Malay food can be found in Jalan Masjid India, Chow Kit and Kampung Baru areas in the Tuanku Abdul Rahman district.Chinatown is the best place to search for Chinese (especially Cantonese) food, although all kinds of Chinese cuisine, from the simplest to the most sophisticated, can be found all over Kuala Lumpur. Head to Lebuh Ampang in the City Center and Brickfields for Indian food. Bangsar has many high-end restaurants offering Western food. If you are dying for Korean food, head to Ampang Jaya. A lot of Arab and Middle Eastern restaurants have mushroomed in Bukit Bintang, Cyberjaya and Damai.

Drink

Kuala Lumpur has quite a vibrant night-life and the Golden Triangle is the epicentre of most of the partying which goes on in the city. Jalan P. Ramlee, just south of KLCC, is Kuala Lumpur's central clubbing area, while the action also spills onto Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Pinang and Jalan Perak. Nearby Bukit Bintang also throbs with action, and its neon-lit nightclubs, many of them with hostesses, certainly have a more Asian feel to them.

Heritage Row, in the Tuanku Abdul Rahman district, is fast catching up as a popular nightspot. It occupies a row of refurbished colonial-era shop houses and is now home to one of Kuala Lumpur's swankiest clubs and trendy bars. Strictly for well heeled visitors and locals. It is on Jalan Doraisamy just off Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Dang Wangi.

Bangsar has long been one of the busiest places in Kuala Lumpur after the sun goes down. The action is around Jalan Telawi and its side streets, and is definitely the place to go for clubbing and deafening music.

Sri Hartamas and Mont Kiara in the Damansara and Hartamas district have popular pubs and some clubs as well as nice coffee places. You may be able to find live performances in some of the outlets.

After a tiring night out, Malaysians like to head to Mamak stalls - streetside stalls or shops operated by Indian Muslims - which offer a range of non-alcoholic beverages like teh tarik (frothed tea) and light food. In fact, these stalls have also become night hangouts in their own right, and many outlets have installed wide-screen projectors and TV where they screen football matches. Most outlets are open 24 hours. They are found all over the city and are a wonderful part of the Malaysian night scene.

Another trend that has hit Malaysia is the kopitiam fad, a more upmarket version of the traditional Chinese coffeeshop. These mostly open during the day and offer some of the best tea and coffee and light meals and snacks like nasi lemak (coconut flavoured rice with fried anchovies and peanut) and the ever popular toast with kaya (coconut curd, used as a spread). If you prefer Western style coffee, there are many coffee outlets in Kuala Lumpur: most of them are part of international and local chains like Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and San Francisco Coffee. Most of them can be found in shopping malls.

Sleep

Kuala Lumpur's budget accommodation can be found everywhere where a dormitory bed for the night can be as little as RM20 (USD7). Increasingly, newer & better ones are opening in the Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Chow Kit and Jalan Ipoh areas, the so-called growth areas in the city centre. An example is the Tune Hotel on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman (Chow Kit area).

If you are arriving on the overnight buses (arriving at 4:00 a.m.) from the east coast islands, buses will stop at Hentian Putra in the Chow Kit area.

Mid-range hotels are comparatively poor value in Kuala Lumpur, and it is worth it to spend a little extra (or look a little harder) for a true luxury hotel on the cheap. Kuala Lumpur is one of the world's cheapest places to experience 5 star luxury, with rooms available for as little as RM400 (US$130).

Please see the individual Kuala Lumpur district pages of a list of places to stay.

Contact

Internet cafés are quite plentiful in Kuala Lumpur and you can find them in most shopping centres. If you have your own laptop, Maxis' [46] WLAN service is the best deal around, a prepaid RM15 card gets you unlimited use for 2 weeks. Few hotels in Kuala Lumpur offer Internet access in their rooms. However, some hotels around the KL Sentral station have LAN cables with Internet access in the rooms. Furthermore, many hotels offer free wifi access in their lobbies. Free wifi access is also available from many dining establishments and shopping complexes in the city

- Malaysia Tourism Centre (MTC), 109 Jalan Ampang (between KLCC and Dang Wangi), [47]. Formerly MATIC, this tourist information centre has a wealth of information on Malaysia, occasional cultural shows, surly staff and semi-crippled but free PCs for browsing the Net.

- Starbucks Coffee Company: selected outlets in Kuala Lumpur (including KL Sentral) have partnered with the Time telecommunications company to provide free Zone wifi service to customers who have wifi equipped laptops or PDAs. Outlets which do not have free Zone wifi usually have commercial WLAN services such as Maxis' WLAN in its place.

- Coffeebean, free wifi in all Coffeebean outlets, you just ask for the password when you order.

- Air Asia Counter in KL Sentral Several computers with internet access are available for you to check out the Air Asia website (and maybe glance at your e-mail or the news quickly)

Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates

- Argentina Embassy, 3, Jl. Semantan Dua, +60 3 255 0176, +60 3 2552564.

- Australian High Commission, 6 Jl. Yap Kwan Seng, +60 3 21465555, [48].

- Austria Embassy, Wisma Goldhill, Suite 10.10-01, Level 10, 67, Jl. Raja Chulan, +60 3 2057 8969, [49].

- Bangladesh High Commission, Blok 1, Lorong Damai 7, Jl. Damai, +60 3 2148 7940, +60 3 2142 3271, +60 3 2142 2505, [50].

- Belgium High Commission, Suite 10-02, 10th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, Letter Box N 10-02 207, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2162 0025, [51].

- Brazil High Commission, Suite 20-01, 20th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, 207 Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2171 1420, [52].

- Brunei Darussalam High Commission, No. 19-01, Tingkat 19, Menara Tan & Tan, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2161 2800.

- Cambodia Embassy, 83/JKR 2809, Lingkungan U Thant, +60 3 4257 1150.

- Canada High Commission, 17th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, 207 Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 27183333, [53].

- People's Republic of China Embassy, 229, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2163 6815 (extension: 102,103,104,105,106), [54]. Also handles Hong Kong/Macau visas.

- Croatia Embassy, 3, Jalan Mengkuang, Off Jl. Ru, Off Jalan Ampangr, +60 3 42535340.

- Czech Embassy, 32, Jalan Mesra, Off Jl. Damai, +60 3 2142 7185, +60 3 2141 3205, [55].

- Denmark Embassy, Wisma Denmark, Denmark House, 22nd floor, 86 Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2032 2001, [56].

- Finland Embassy, Wisma Chinese Chamber, 5th floor, 258 Jl. Ampang, +60 3 4257 7746, [57].

- French Embassy, 192-196, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2053 5561, [58].

- German Embassy, 26th Floor, Menara Tan & Tan, 207 Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2170 9666, [59].

- Greek Consulate, 33rd Floor 340-33-1, Vista Damai 340, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2775 2388.

- India High Commission, 2, Jl. Taman Duta, Off Jalan Duta, +60 3 2093 3510, [60].

- Indonesian Embassy, 233, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2116 4000, [61].

- Iranian Embassy, No. 1, Lorong U Thant Satu, +60 3 4251 5576.

- Irish Embassy, Ireland House, The Amp Walk, 218 Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2161 2963, [62].

- Italian Embassy, 99, Jl. U Thant, +60 3 4256 5122, +60 3 4256 5228, [63].

- Japanese Embassy, 11, Persiaran Stonor, Off Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 4256 5122, +60 3 2177 2600, [64].

- DPR Korea (North Korea) Embassy, 4, Persiaran Madge, Off Jl. U Thant, +60 3 4256 9913, +60 3 4251 6713.

- Republic of Korea (South Korea) Embassy, No. 9 and 11, Jl. Nipah, Off Jalan Ampang, +60 3 4251 2336, +60 3 4251 5797.

- Kuwait Embassy, 229, Jalan Tun Razak, +60 3 2142 1062.

- Laos Embassy, No. 12 A, Persiaran Madge, Off Ampang Hilir, +60 3 4251 1118.

- Maltese Consulate, No. 51-3, 2nd Floor, Feisco Suite, Kompleks Udarama, Jl. 2/64A, Off Jalan Ipoh, +60 3 4042 3618, [65].

- Mexico Embassy, Menara Tan & Tan, 22nd Floor, 207 Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2164 6362, [66].

- Myanmar Embassy, 8c Jl. Ampang Hilir, +60 3 42516355.

- Nepal Embassy, Suite 13A.01, 13th A Floor, Wisma MCA, 163 Jl. Ampang, +6 03 2164 5934, +60 3 2164 9656, [67].

- Netherlands Embassy, 7th Floor, South Block, The Ampwalk, 218, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2168 6200, [68].

- New Zealand High Commission, Level 21, Menara IMC, 8 Jl. Sultan Ismail, +60 3 2078 2533, [69].

- Royal Norwegian Embassy, 53 Floor, Empire Tower, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2175 0300, [70].

- Pakistan High Commission, 132, v Ampang, +60 3 2161 8877, +60 3 2161 8878, +60 3 2161 8879.

- The Philippines Embassy, 1, Changkat Kia Peng, +60 3 2148 9989, +60 3 2148 4233, +60 3 2148 4682, +60 3 2148 4654, +60 3 2142 1508, [71].

- Embassy of the Republic of Poland (Ambasada RP), No. 9, Lorong Damai 9 ((off Jl. Damai)), +60 3 2161 0780, +60 3 2161 0805.

- Russia Embassy, 263, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 4256 0009, +60 3 4256 7252, [72].

- Royal Saudi Arabia Embassy, 4th Floor, Wisma Chinese Chamber, 258 Jl. Ampang, +60 3 4257 9831, +60 3 4257 9433, +60 3 4257 9825, [73].

- Singapore High Commission, 209, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2161 6277, [74].

- South African High Commission, Suite 22,01 Level 22, Menara HLA, No. 3 Jl. Kia Peng, +60 3 2170 2400, +60 3 2168 8663, +60 3 2161 7629, [75].

- Spanish Embassy, 200, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2148 4868, +60 3 2148 4655, +60 3 2142 8776.

- Sri Lanka High Commission, 12 Jl. Keranji Dua, Off Jalan Kedondong, Ampang Hilir, +60 3 4256 8987, +60 3 4257 1394, [76].

- Sweden Embassy, Wisma Angkasa Raya, 6th floor, 123 Jl. Ampang, +60 3 2052 2550, [77].

- Switzerland Embassy, 16, Pesiaran Madge, +60 3 2148 0622, +60 3 2148 0751, +60 3 2148 0639, +60 3 2142 8766, [78].

- Royal Thai Embassy, 206, Jl. Ampan, +60 3 214 88222, +60 3 2148 8350, +60 3 2148 8420, +60 3 2145 8004, [79].

- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, Level 7, Menara Yayasan Tun Razak, 200 Jl. Bukit Bintang, +60 3 2161 4439, [80].

- Turkey Embassy, 118, Jl. U Thant, +60 3 4257 2225, +60 3 4257 2226.

- United Arab Emirates Embassy, 12, Jl. Kenanji 2, +60 3 4253 5221, +60 3 4253 5420.

- British High Commission, 185, Jl. Ampang, +60 3 21702200, [81].

- United States Embassy, 376, Jl. Tun Razak, +60 3 2168 5000, [82].

- Vietnam Embassy, 4, Persiaran Stonor, +60 3 2148 4036, +60 3 2141 4692, +60 3 2148 4534.

Respect

Kuala Lumpur is ostensibly a liberal city and wearing revealing clothes will rarely cause major problems. However, avoiding overly revealing clothes goes a long way towards blending in.

Many mosques and temples require covering up, and you will get more respect from officialdom if you dress up a little. Many places of worship including all mosques will require you to take your shoes off before entering.

When eating with hands rather than cutlery, do not eat with the left hand in public as it is considered impolite.

If you can speak just a few words of the four main local languages, namely Malay, Chinese (especially Cantonese), Tamil and English. It will ingratiate you a lot with the locals.

Also, while you may drink in pubs, restaurants and bars, public drunkenness is not tolerated. You will be more vulnerable to getting robbed or will find yourself in the back seat of a police car.

Stay healthy

Tap water in Kuala Lumpur is heavily chlorinated and thus safe, but unfortunately the pipes that carry it may not be. Most locals boil or filter it before use; alternatively, bottled water is cheap and ubiquitous.

There is no malaria in the city, but dengue fever can be a problem at times, so take precautions against mosquitoes.

Between May and October, Kuala Lumpur is occasionally shrouded in dense haze from forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo, which can be a health concern for asthmatics and pretty unpleasant for everybody. However, the haze comes and goes, and varies greatly from year to year: it was terrible in 2006, but non-existent in 2007, and had started again in 2008.

Stay safe

Crime is not rampant in Kuala Lumpur. The perception of crime is high, but in recent years the Malaysian police have managed to reduce crime significantly in and around urban Kuala Lumpur. Reports of violent crime against foreigners are uncommon but instances of pickpocketing and bag snatching have risen in recent years. Kuala Lumpur is considered a very safe city for travellers (very often, it is locals who are targets of a crime), but do be wary of over-friendly locals trying to con you. In recent years, City Hall has increased the amount of foot and car patrols by policemen in Kuala Lumpur. It's also common in the daytime to see traffic police on the streets in the city centre. Tourist police have also set up police booths and maintain frequent foot patrol in the tourist areas of the city particularly around the Golden Triangle area with its greater density of hotels, shopping malls, foreign tourists, and locals. There are also scattered regular roadblocks in and around KL at night set up by the police to do checks on illegal racing, drunk driving, and general transport misdemeanors.

Generally, it is safe and rewarding to walk in the city but caution must still be exercised, especially if walking alone or in a small group. Beware of snatch thieves who are known to be rather ruthless. It is not uncommon to hear of women, particularly, being knocked unconscious by bag snatchers on motorbikes. It is probably better to let them have your bag than to be dragged several metres and risk injury. Keep a close eye on your valuables in crowds, especially street markets and public transport (especially during rush hour), and hold your bag on the side away from the street if there are motorbikes around to avoid 'bag snatching'. Try not to wear any flashy jewelry in the first place. If you don't have to wear it, it's best not to. Care must also be taken with any alleyways or parking grounds that appear to be dark and deserted. Petty thieves with knives or sometimes even small firearms might mug you, especially at night.

When it rains the pavements and streets turn into small rivers and crossing a street can be an adventure. Many pavements in Kuala Lumpur become as slippery as ice when wet so it is advisable to wear proper footwear (such as sneakers) if there is a chance of rain.

Be careful of the poker scam run by Filipinos pretending to be locals. They normally target lone tourists around the popular touristic places. It starts with a friendly approach, and you will end up at their homes at the pretext of trying to get firsthand information of your home country. You will then be invited to play poker and will eventually accumulate losses. You will then be made to pay up with cash or jewellery purchases. Never go to someone's house if you meet that person on holiday.

Also, some have been duped through couchsurfing and ended up being similarly scammed.

The bogus cop scam is usually run by Middle-Easterners. You will be stopped by "plain-clothed police officers" on the pretext of checking your travel documents. You will be brought to a secluded area in the process and made to handover your wallet. Should you be stopped, you have the right to insist that you be taken to the nearest police station before saying/showing anything.

Taxis are generally safe, but they often refuse to use the meter and a few cabbies will gouge tourists mercilessly. If they refuse to use the meter, then take another taxi, as by law they are required to use the meter. However, if you are desperate to use that taxi, always agree on the fare in advance, and try to get an estimate of the cost from a local before you climb on board. Many also pretend to not know your hotel and will bring you to their preferred hotels by saying that your hotel is in a bad area, closed or far. A good idea would be to buy a public transport map and get well acquainted with the locations of stations, train times, etc. If you can use a train or bus to get to a place, it would be cheaper and safer to do so.

Also watch out for counterfeit banknotes (such as RM50) given as change by a dishonest taxi-driver: the easiest way to tell being to hold it up to the light to see the continuous silver strip. If in doubt, avoid and refuse RM100 notes.

Malaysian law requires that visitors carry their passport at all times, and both police and "RELA" (civil volunteers) carry out spot checks for illegal immigrants.

Locals are very friendly to the tourists, and many in Kuala Lumpur can speak decent English. Communication with the locals is almost as easy as it is in Singapore and significantly better than that of Bangkok, especially in terms of understanding people's pronunciation. Greet them well with warm smile and they will be happy to show you around. Be friendly: if you are lost, just ask anyone smartly dressed on the street.

Get out

- Genting Highlands, 40 min by road using the East Coast Highway, has cooler weather, theme parks for the kids and a casino for the adults.

- Putrajaya, Malaysia's megalomanic new federal administrative centre is 30 km to the south (20 min by train called KLIA Transit) along the way to the airport.

- Kuala Selangor, 1 hr north-west of Kuala Lumpur, is notable for its fireflies that flash in unison, and seafood restaurants.

- Taman Negara National Park, The largest national park on Peninsular Malaysia, known for its excellent jungle trekking and wide variety of birds and insects.

- Sungai Tekala Recreation Park, located 40 min south of Kuala Lumpur (near Hulu Langat District's Semenyih Dam) is a favourite recreation park with comfortable jungle trekking in concrete steps and natural waterfalls suitable for families.

District Golden Triangle Table of Contents

• Get in

By train

By bus

By road

• See

• Do

Performances

Theme park

Arts and craft

Spa

• Buy

• Eat

Malaysian

Chinese

Indian

Others

• Drink

• Sleep

Budget

Mid range

Splurge

• Contact

Get in
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By train
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You may get some strange looks if you asked someone how to get to the Golden Triangle by train. That's because there are no heavy-rail trains running to the district, but once you say "monorail" or "LRT" (light rail transit), people will become more helpful.

The best ways to reach the Golden Triangle are by monorail and light rail transit, depending on which part of the district you want to get to. Monorail is best for the Bukit Bintang area and environs (including Jalan Imbi, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Raja Chulan) while the LRT is the perfect way to get to the KLCC and Jalan Ampang areas.

The main monorail stations (and the adjacent shopping centres and important landmarks) in the Golden Triangle are Imbi (Berjaya Times Square), Bukit Bintang (Sungei Wang Plaza, Bukit Bintang Plaza, Lot 10, Star Hill Gallery, KL Plaza, Pavillion), Raja Chulan (offices along Jalan Raja Chulan and Jalan Sultan Ismail) and Bukit Nanas (Concorde Hotel, Rennaissance Hotel and Good World Hotel). Bukit Nanas station is also a short walk to the Dang Wangi LRT station.

The main LRT stations serving the district are Dang Wangi (for the area around the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Sultan Ismail intersection), KLCC (KLCC, Petronas Twin Towers, Avenue K) and Ampang Park (for Ampang Park shopping centre and Nikko Hotel).

By bus
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Pretty much every single bus you see in town goes into the Golden Triangle area.

By road
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The main roads in the district are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Imbi, Jalan Raja Chulan. All these roads suffer from acute congestion, especially during peak hours.

If you are coming from outside KL and want to head directly here, there are a few roads which you can take.

- From the South if coming from the North-South Expressway, you can enter the Smart Tunnel at Sungai Besi and exit at the Jalan Sultan Ismail exit, which brings you smack in the middle of Bukit Bintang. The Tun Razak exit will bring you onto Jalan Tun Razak where you can then proceed directly into KLCC after the Singapore High Commission. Jalan Tun Razak also intersects with Jalan Ampang.

- From the North, after exiting the North South Expressway's Jalan Duta exit, proceed along Jalan Duta (towards the South end or "Seremban direction" of this road) and then Jalan Istana, and then Jalan Dewan Bahasa which will bring you to Jalan Hang Tuah and Jalan Imbi to the Bukit Bintang area. To get to KLCC, proceed towards Jalan Duta (south direction), then Lebuhraya Mahameru which links up with Jalan Tun Razak. There is a tunnel linking Jalan Tun Razak directly to the KLCC car park.

See
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- Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC, Jalan Ampang (Kelana Jaya Line: KLCC), [1]. Open 8:30AM-5PM except Monday. Until recently the tallest buildings in the world, they have since been surpassed by other buildings in height but remain among the most spectacular. Visitors may pick up passes to marvel at the view from the Skybridge (level 41-42), one of the highest suspended bridges in the world. Entry is now RM10 and limited to the first 1200 who show up, so get there early (best is 7:45 to 8:00 AM) because available tickets are usually snapped up by 11:00. In general you have about 10 minutes at the Skybridge. The view is not particularly inspiring and note that you are only permitted to spend around ten minutes up there.

- Aquaria KLCC, KLCC Convention Centre Basement Levels 1 and 2 (Kelana Jaya Line: KLCC),[2]. A gigantic aquarium recently opened, housing 5,000 varieties of tropical fish. Has an underwater tunnel, various exhibits of flora and fauna, and multimedia kiosks. Aquaria "offers a unique underwater 'edu-tainment experience", as stated on the KLCC website. Open from 11 AM to 8 PM daily, including school and public holidays; last admission at 7pm. Entrance fee for adults: RM38 (RM28 with the Malaysian ID card - MyKad); Children 3-12 years old: RM26 (RM22 with MyKad); for those below 3 years old, admission free. RM25 for students. Make sure you carry student ID cards. Read more on [3].

- Petrosains, KLCC Level 4 (Kelana Jaya Line: KLCC), [4]. An exhibit of the science and technology behind the petroleum industry and more. A great place to bring kids, but not too high on the agenda for older folks. Adults RM12, teens RM7, children RM4; you must book your tickets at least 30 minutes in advance (expect queues on weekends).

- KL Tower (Menara KL), Jalan Punchak, [5]. The viewing deck at 276m provides great city views, and you'll be a few meters higher than the Twin Towers since the tower is built on a hill (also, the twin towers observation deck is 100m below at 170m). Entry to the viewing deck by express elevator costs RM38 and is open from 9 AM to 10 PM daily; this includes use of a PDA for a multimedia guided tour of the view and use of the binoculars. For a free bonus, check out the wonderfully bombastic free film on the tower's construction, screened in a little cinema on the tower ground floor. It is possible to come up one floor higher to the revolving restaurant but only by dining there (between RM40 to RM140, including the ride up from the base). There is free shuttle bus service from the main gate to the base of the tower, though number of seats in the bus is very limited. There is also a Hackett Bungee ride and flying fox for RM30 which operates at the base of KL Tower.

Do
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Although the main thing to do in the Golden Triangle is shopping and savouring its nightlife, you can also indulge is some cultural activities like watching performances both local and international, and maybe even try your hand at batik painting. Several five-star hotels in this district are starting to offer spa treatments, albeit in urban confines. You'll also find Malaysia's largest indoor theme park here.

Performances
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- Dewan Filharmonik Petronas, [6] Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC - The home of the well-regarded Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra is nestled at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers, offering performances of classical music most Saturdays at 8:30 PM and Sundays at 3:00 PM, with tickets starting at just RM25. Advance bookings are possible online. Note that a strict dress code applies: long sleeve batik or lounge suit for gala and evening performances, "smart casual" (no jeans, shorts, T-shirts, sneakers and slippers) for other performances.

- Saloma Theatre Restaurant, [7] 139, Malaysian Tourism Centre, Jalan Ampang. Tel: +60-3-21610122. Fax: +60-3-21629122 - Yes, its does have a manufactured, dinner-entertainment quality to it but this may be your only opportunity to see the full colour and splendour of Malaysian cultural performances. Shows are held between 20:30 and 21:30.

- Istana Budaya,[8] along Jalan Tun Razak. It's the place where local and international theater and other arts (dance and music) shows being presented.

Theme park
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- Cosmo's World, 4th to 9th Floor, Berjaya Times Square (Monorail Imbi), [9]. Noon-10PM. Malaysia's largest indoor theme park, located on the upper floors of the giant Berjaya Times Square mall and particularly notable for its hair-raising seven-story indoor roller coaster. The park is divided into two sections, one geared for small children, the other for those who want a little more excitement; one ticket gets you into both. Adults(Foreigner;RM38 on weekday, RM43 on weekend and holiday , Children(Foreigner;RM28 on weekday, RM33 on weekend and holiday.

Arts and craft
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- Karyaneka, Jalan Conlay, off Jalan Raja Chulan - A government-set up which showcases Malaysian art and craft. You can get the chance to dabble at batik painting or basket weaving here.

Spa
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- Pamper Zone, [10] Unit 6-8-2 Plaza 393 Queen Park Ave. Starhill Gallery, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Tel. +603 9287-3933 - An impressive cluster of spas whose services offerings range from world class, all day treatments (RM600), to affordable facials and one hour long full body massages (RM100).

Buy
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Bukit Bintang is the main shopping area of the Golden Triangle with many of KL's most well-known malls. The main shopping streets are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Imbi. KLCC has the popular Suria KLCC mall while the adjacent Jalan Ampang also has several shopping complexes.

Bukit Bintang

- Sungei Wang Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang (direct bridge to Monorail Bukit Bintang), Bukit Bintang. A great place to buy cameras and watches (discounts are given for cash payments, although credit cards are accepted). Sungei Wang also hosts a concentration of tailors of men's and women's clothing. This is a maze of a mall, take a compass with you to find your way out!

- Lot 10, [11], Jalan Bukit Bintang, (direct bridge to Monorail Bukit Bintang), Bukit Bintang. A favourite among Malaysians and tourists alike, Lot 10 is Bukit Bintang's very own "Emerald City", housing boutiques that will appeal to shoppers looking for goods in all price brackets. It houses the Isetan department store.

- Starhill Gallery, [12], Jalan Bukit Bintang, Bukit Bintang, adjoining JW Marriott Hotel. The nearest station to this mall is Monorail Bukit Bintang. Starhill is a literally an English translation of “Bukit Bintang”. A shopping centre that rivals Suria KLCC for designer goods. A must-visit for watch aficionados as the ‘Adorn’ floor (1st floor) houses the biggest selection of designer wrist-watch boutiques like, amongst others, Jaeger-Le Coultre, Roger Dubuis, Audemars Piguet, Breguet, Tag Heuer, Omega, Vacheron Constantin, IWC, Patek Philippe and Rolex, of course. Great if you have lots of cash to splurge.

- Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, [13], Jalan Bukit Bintang, opposite the Starhill Gallery. This KL's latest luxury megamall is an anchor piece of the world-class urban development comprising two luxury residential towers, a corporate office. The mall has six distinctive precincts, Couture Pavilion, Bintang Circle, Gourmet_Emporium, Connection, Seventh Heaven and Home that contains approximately 450 stores, providing customers with infinite choices and the latest in fashion, entertainment, health and beauty, electronic, gourmet food and countless others. There is pedestrian bridge that links the mall to KLCC.

- Low Yat Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang (Monorail Imbi, walk past Melia and turn left into an alley before Imbi Plaza or exit from Monorail Bukit Bintang towards Jalan Bukit Bintang south), Bukit Bintang. A good place for computer hardware, game consoles and handphones. A "must visit" for the tech inclined. All IT Hypermart (4th floor) is a good one-stop shop, but there are dozens of specialist computing boutiques for the enthusiast.

- Berjaya Times Square, [14] Jalan Imbi (direct bridge to Monorail Imbi), Bukit Bintang. A gargantuan ten-story shopping mall that houses the Malaysian department store Metrojaya, the Cosmo's World theme park (see Do) plus an IMAX theater. The upper floors are still a bit sparse but it's starting to reach critical mass and can get quite packed on weekends.

- Other shopping malls in the Bukit Bintang area include BB Plaza, KL Plaza, a mini retail annexe known as Piccolo Galeria.

KLCC

- Suria KLCC, [15] - Located beneath the Petronas Twin Towers (LRT Kelana Jaya Line: KLCC). An upscale shopping centre with plenty of designer labels and brands, KLCC has quickly become one of the top hangout-spots in KL. Some very good eating options too. You will see more tourists than locals here though. The LRT stops at another shopping mall called Avenue K. There is a tunnel from the train station which links to Suria KLCC.

Eat
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You'll find any kind of food that you ever wanted to try in the Golden Triangle. For budget streetside food, there is Jalan Alor (although the area is becoming a little too touristy), while expensive restaurants line Changkat Bukit Bintang. Jalan Imbi and the roads running off it have many Chinese restaurants. Jalan Bukit Bintang near the intersection with Jalan Sultan Ismail is becoming the focal point of KL's Middle Eastern restaurants. All the malls in the Golden Triangle have foodcourts where you can try local and international fare in comfortably air-conditioned surroundings.

Malaysian
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Budget

Budget restaurants, and "street stalls" are located almost everywhere in town, and these are good places to try the "real" Malaysian food, though hygiene can be sometimes an issue.

- Lot 10 Food court, Lot 10 Shopping Complex basement - Provides an excellent spread of Malaysian food in hygienic and air-conditioned comfort at prices that are only slightly above those outdoors. The Lot 10 food court is reopened and renamed and 10 Hutong, many famous Chinese style and KL-based foods are served in this food court. Don't miss it!

- Sungai Wang Food court, on top floor of Sungai Wang, one of the cheapest food courts in the area, big selection of Chinese rice dishes, plus other stalls selling Chinese, Indian and vegetarian dishes.

- Signatures Food Court, 2nd Floor, Suria KLCC - Very good selection of Malaysian specialities from throughout the country. During lunchtime very popular with the employees of the Petronas Tower.

- Laksa Shack, [16] Second Floor Suria KLCC - Specializes in nothing but the many forms of the Malaysian laksa noodle (all RM8.60), but the sour Assam Laksa is usually the top seller.

- Nasi Kandar Pelita, [17] 149, Jalan Ampang (opp Corus Hotel) - A huge outlet of Malaysia's largest nasi kandar chain, with long queues snaking out at lunchtime. Ordering is easy, just choose and point, but be sure to ask for their specialty kuah campur (mixed gravy), meaning that you get half a dozen curry sauces splashed on top. Air-con available upstairs. Open 24 hours. By Malaysian Mamak restaurant standards, having a meal at Pelita will be considerably more expensive than having a similar meal elsewhere. Worth it for the wide choices of food, the cleanliness and the quality, however.

Mid range

- Asian Flavours Food Court, 4th Floor, Suria KLCC - A collection of restaurants offering both Malaysian and international fare. Among them are:

- Madam Kwan's, Lot 420/421, Fourth Floor, Suria KLCC - Very popular restaurant with excellent local fare in a pleasant ambience. Try the nasi lemak (RM12.80) or the meltingly smooth beef rendang (RM6.80), and wash it down with a bowl of sweet green chendol (RM5.50). Get there early to beat the queues.

Splurge

- Bijan , [18] 3 Jln Ceylon - Modern-styled décor in a home-like setting with outdoor verandah-garden compliments the well prepared (though perhaps slightly overpriced) Malaysian food. Classy patrons and impeccible service however make it worth a try. Around 60-90RM per adult.

- Seri Angkasa, [19] Atop KL Tower - A revolving restaurant that has a good reputation, but is (inevitably) fairly steeply priced. The RM65++ lunch buffet is comparatively good value. (RM40-45 for afternoon tea, RM140 for dinner accompanied by piano either 6-9pm or 9-11pm slot, reservations almost essential for evenings)

Chinese
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Budget

- Jalan Alor stalls - This is now one of KL's busy food streets and coffeeshops with chairs and tables placed right on the sidewalk line the entire street. You'll be able to find the usual coffeeshop fare like Hokkien fried noodles, wantan mee, char koay teow, bak kut teh, grilled seafood, chicken rice and the works. All places sell bottled or canned beer. The prices may not be the lowest in KL but certainly still affordable.

- Super Noodle House, LG-001, Lower Ground, Sungai Wang Shopping Centre, Jalan Sultan Ismail. Tel: +60-3-21424729. Location: 3°8'41.39"N ; 101°42'41.21"E - One of the best Hong Kong-style restaurants in KL. Menu includes porridge, wantan mee or chicken rice. Good food with reasonable pricing.

Mid range

- Hakka Restaurant, 6 Jalan Kia Peng. Tel: +60-3-21431907 or +60-3-21431908 - There are many restaurants serving Hakka food in KL, but this is the only one named "Hakka restaurant" . Located within a stone’s throw from the newly-opened KL Convention Centre the Hakka Restaurant is now at the junction of Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Bukit Bintang near the Pavilion shopping complex. Hakka Restaurant has been serving up its famous dishes for more than 40 years in KL. Try the chicken, sharksfin and shiitake wrapped in lettuce or the ever-popular stewed pork with steamed mantou dumplings. Patrons may opt for indoor air-conditioned seating or enjoy the breezy night air at the el-fresco section with a cold beer. A definite must-try for the ex-pat, most dishes RM10-20.

- Overseas restaurant, 84-88 Jalan Imbi, Tel+603-21449911

This is one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in Kuala Lumpur attracting a clientele ranging from local billionaires to middle class families. The reason is the food is outstanding and if you care to take a little time and book a day or two earlier you can order any number of special dishes that are typically but not necessarily more expensive. Service is haphazard and as prices are cheap, a discrete tip to one of the Captains and the waitress however, will change everything. Favorite dishes here include the 'Har Lok" which are large river prawns cooked in a thick soya based sauce(order well before you arrive at the restaurant), the suckling pig sandwich, the asam fish (your choice of fish, usually pomfret cooked in tangy sauce, Char siew (honey roasted pork- very popular so order at least before you arrive), Ngow Lum (Beef Brisket in Clay pot-advance order day before), Double boiled chicken soup(advance order), Belly of pork braised with salt fish in a clay pot, steamed fish, Roasted baby Duck.The Beggar duck, sweet and Sour Pork and the double fried rice are also delicious although many of the dishes are meant for plain steamed rice.

Indian
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Budget

- Al-Esfan, Berjaya Plaza, Jalan Imbi (Monorail Imbi) - A 24-hour Mamak joint offering rice, breads, curries, dips, tandoori chicken, noodles and even pizza (at least in name). Order what you will from any stall, they'll tally your purchases on a chit and you pay when you leave. Roti canai 80 sen/piece, a plate of rice with three curries under RM5.

- Passage To India, on Jalan Tun Razak right next to the Indonesian embassy is one of the best Indian Restaurants in Kuala Lumpur offering both Northern and Southern Indian food. Favorites here include the Chicken Beriyani, Chicken Tandoori, Chukka Mutton, Fried Fish, Malabar Avial and the slightly expensive but very tasty PTI Prawn masala.

Others
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Mid-range

- Prego @ The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Ground Floor, 199, Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur, 03 2773 8338 (westindining@westin.com), [20]. Prego serves tasty regional pastas, deliciously oven-baked pizzas and the latest in creative Italian cuisine. Add some Italian fun to your dining experience, whether it is a power lunch, a dinner for two or a family outing with its famed Sunday Bubbly Brunch.

- Kim Gary Beyond, B1F, Avenue K (KLCC LRT) - Popular Hong Kong chain serving up very modern Chinese fare. The locals' favorite is the rather un-Chinese baked rice with cheese (from RM11.90), but how about some borsht, a plate of spicy noodles "Typhoon Shelter" style and a cup of boiled Coke with ginger. Set meals for RM10-20.

- Sahara Tent, 87 Jalan Berangan, off Jalan Bukit Bintang (located on the ground floor of Hotel Fortuna). Tel: +60-3-21448310 - Large, authentic and popular Middle Eastern eatery in Ain Arabia, KL's Little Arabia. The giant mezze platter (RM29) will leave two stuffed and a shisha water pipe at RM10 tops off the meal nicely.

- Tarbush, 138 Jln Bukit Bintang, Tel: +60-3-21428558; LG 16, Starhill Gallery, Tel: +60-3-21446393; and Lot 19, 2nd Floor Food Court, Suria KLCC - One of the most popular Lebanese/Middle Eastern restaurant. Good food and beautiful decor.

- Izzi, [21] Jalan Sultan Ismail (Opposite Sungai Wang Plaza, right under the Monorail's Bukit Bintang stop). Tel: 60-3-21414111 - The four-floor Izzi Restaurant has pizza, pasta, salad, steak, hainan chicken, tom yam. Drink: frozen coffee, spirits, beers, wine. Opening hours: 11.00 AM to 11.00 PM. Upscale atmosphere. Pizza runs about RM20. Almost looks more like a lounge than a restaurant. Free Wi-Fi.

- Twenty One Bar and Kitchen, [22]. Stylish bar and restaurant. Great contemporary food. The bar is very popular at night. Affordable lunch deals at 30rm. Mains 30-60.

Splurge

- EEST @ The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Level 1, 199, Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur, 03 2773 8338 (westindining@westin.com), [23]. EEST is a prominent Asian restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. Savour the blend of authentic flavours specially selected from Asian cultures right here in Kuala Lumpur. Indulge in Asian flavours at EEST with a selection of Asian cuisine to delight your palate.

- Bistro de Paris, 18-1 Jalan P. Ramlee. Tel: +60-3-21418005 - The French dining experience from aperitif to digestif, ranging from steak frites to crême brulée. Open daily from 11 AM until late. Lunch prix fixe at RM15.95, dinner prix fixe at RM69.95.

- El Cerdo, [24] 43-45 Changkat Bukit Bintang, Tel: +60-3-21450511 - German-run eatery with kitschy pig-themed decor specializing in all things pork, particularly Spanish treats like jamón serrano and whole suckling pig, complete with ceremonial plate-breaking. Organic lamb ribs are excellent. Portions are generous and quality is excellent. The place is usually packed and noisy, so book ahead (esp. on weekends).

- Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Restaurant, Level 2, Menara Hap Seng, 1-3, Jalan P Ramlee (across the street from the ShangriLa, behind the Mercedes Benz showroom), 03 2078 9908, [25]. 12-230pm. 5pm-1am. Chic Chinese-themed bar serving an innovative take on reasonably priced Western food This great bar has been getting some very good reviews of late for food, great value and an impressive wine list. Popular dishes include Miso Foie Gras, Foie Gras on Chawan Mushi,Steamed Wagyu beef, Miso Cod and Beef Wellington and some of KL's best Steaks and Burgers. Fridays feature a gourmet 4 course lunch with wines from RM48++.Great LIVE music twice a week including Friday nights ranging from top local musicians to visiting talents.Music is through a collaboration with famed Malaysian percussionist Lewis Pragasam. RM100.

- Neroteca, [26] 8 Lorong Ceylon (at the ground floor of Somerset Apartments). Tel: +60-3-20700530. Email: info@neroteca.com - Italian restaurant and deli, specialized in pork meat. They serve great Italian hearty food with one of the best selection of Italian cured meats and cheeses in South-East Asia, also for take away. Open from 9:30 AM (Tuesdays from 3 PM) until midnight.

- Wasabi Bistro, [27] B1F Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Tel: +60-3-21630968 - Acceptable, Japanese with modern twists, or without, depending on how you navigate the menu. Surprisingly generous portions for a restaurant of this calibre, figure on well over RM100/head for a full meal. Open for lunch and dinner daily.

Drink
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The Golden Triangle is the party heart of KL. Here, you'll find many of the city's entertainment spots, whether they're dance clubs, karaoke joints or just watering holes. The main party drag is Jalan P. Ramlee near the intersection with Jalan Sultan Ismail, whereas the area between Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Imbi are better known for its Chinese-style hostess nightclubs. For something quieter, Changkat Bukit Bintang offers a few pubs. Most five-star hotels also have clubs and bars.

The area also has its fair share of coffee places, mostly belonging to the usual international or local chains. However, Malaysians usually like to head to "Mamak stalls" to wind down after a night of partying. These can be found almost everywhere, especially where there are many clubs, and you can get teh tarik and other warm bevearage and food like rot canai at these stalls.

Jalan P. Ramlee and environs

- Beach Club, 97 Jalan P Ramlee - Open-air club done up to look like a cheap beachside bar, this is the city's most infamous meat market and pickup joint. The club advertises itself as "Voted Best Bar in Asia" and is busy most nights. Popular with tourists and the well-dressed middle-aged crowd. Weekends often have great live bands but there may be DJs. Frequented by many girls of the night that are after money; not a good place for female tourists. RM50 for men, RM40 for women include 2 drinks.

- Luna Bar, Menara PanGlobal 34F, Jalan Punchak (off Jl P. Ramlee). Tel: +60-3-20262211 - Super-chic breezy rooftop bar with a pool in the middle and the best night views in town. Show up early to grab a romantic windowside niche. Drinks RM20 and up, cover charge of RM50 (incl. one drink) may apply on weekends after 9:30 PM.

- Rum Jungle, 1 Jalan Pinang (corner of Jalan P Ramlee & Jalan Pinang) - One of the newest clubs in KL, features a spectacular outdoor-bar style area, with great music and hot bar maids.

- Nouvo, [28] 16 Jalan P Ramlee - Nouvo seems to not be able to attract crowds away from neighbouring clubs, Beach Club (opposite) and the Thai club (next door).

- Poppy Garden, Jalan P Ramlee (Opposite Rum Jungle) - Poppy Garden plays RnB & Hip Hip on Friday nights. A club reserved for younger Asian tourists and locals.

- Zouk, [29] 113 Jalan Ampang - A branch of the famous Singaporean club, opened in 2004. Plays dance/house style music on Friday nights and popular with younger clubbers and rich locals (Ferrari parked outside for show). Dress well and in black. RM40 entry for men, RM30 for women (incl. one drink), and RM25+ per drink. Popular on Wednesday nights for Mambo where they play popular music from the 70s and 80s.

- Sky Bar, Traders Hotel. Incredible bar with great views over the city and the Twin Towers.Located on the top floor of the Traders Hotel, it is built around the Hotel swimming pool. Loud techno music late at night. Best place to be around sunset. be prepared to pay 5 star hotel prices. One of the best places in town before dinner. $$$.

Bukit Bintang

- Qba Latin Bar & Grill, The Westin Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Bukit Bintang - * phone="03 2773 8338" email="westin.dining@westin.com" fax="" url="http://wwww.westindining.com.my" hours="" price="">Qba Latin Bar & Grill the only steak restaurant with Latin American flavours in Kuala Lumpur. It’s where you can tuck into imported beef grilled to perfection, classic tapas, signature Mojitos and classic wines.</drink>

A modern bar with most nights live latin music. Very much upstyle and expensive. Attracts mainly the guests from the 5 star hotels around Bukit Bintang and Imbi

- Finnegan Irish Pub, Jalan Sultan Ismail.

- Twenty One Kitchen and Bar, 20-1 Changkat Bukit Bintang, [30]. Stylish bar and restaurant. Always packed on weekends but also very popular on other nights. Two floors.

- Frangipani, Changkat Bukit Bintang, [31]. Bar and restaurants. Gay nights on Friday. $$.

OTHERS

- Sage, Level 6, The Gardens Residences, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur, 03- 2268 1188. Dinners only. Chef Daniel has now exceeded his master Takashi Kimura and taken Sage to new heights. With a combination of Japanese and Italian flavours, he bring fusion food to a new level of delicateness without compromise. Sage has been attracting hordes of customers from his previous restaurant Cilantro's which is closed for renovation. One of the best restaurants in Kuala Lumpur but expect to spend about RM200-250 per person RM 150-200.

- Palate Palette Restaurant & Bar, 21 Jalan Mesui, off Jalan Nagasari, Bukit Ceylon, KL., +60 3 2142 2148, [32]. 12pm - 12am (wd), 2am (we). CLosed Monday.. This is a gem of a place, hidden in a backstreet in the heart of KL. A favourite amongst artists, musicians, the creative and eclectic, it's the soulful vibe, 10 toilet door locks and free curry popcorn that gets to you. Try the Oh Boi house cocktail, and check out their film and party nights which happen whenever they feel like it.

- Bar Italia, 29 Jalan Berangan (it is the street parallel to Changkat Bukit Bintang), 03 21444499. 7am till late. This wonderfully designed bar is the brainchild of Paulo Guiati who started Nerovivo and Neroteca. Great concept with excellent choice of wines. Food is authentic Italian but can be erratic along with the service. Busy and noisy on weekends when reservationa are essential. Good following among local expats. $$$.

- Hakka Republic Wine Bar & Bistro, 2nd Flr, Menara Hap Seng, 1-3 Jalan P.Ramlee (across the road from the side of the ShangriLa), 03 2078 9908, [33]. 12-2pm; 5-1.30am. Closed Sat lunch and all day Sunday. Chinese themed bar serving great food, an interesting mix of asian and western music and boasting one of KL's best wine lists. Increasingly popular bar because of safe location on 2nd floor with convenient parking in 2 brightly lit basements.Attracts a wide range of customers including local celebrities, tycoons and office workers who come here for the interesting music, reasonable prices and great atmosphere. $.

Sleep
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Although better known for its collection of five-star hotels, the Golden Triangle also has a few budget places offering relatively cheap beds when compared with Chinatown in the City Centre.

Budget
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In general: watch out for those tiny little spots on bedsheets – they are a good indication for bugs providing an unpleasant night. Such have been reported for example at the Green hut lodge (48 Tengkat Tong Shin) in 2008 and Anjung KL (13 Jalan Tong Shin) in 2009.

Tingkat Tong Shin street is full of budget guesthouses, you can more than 10 of them there.

- Pujangga Homestay, 21 Jalan Berangan, off Jalan Nagasari, Bukit Bintang, [34]. Clean and nice place in a very central location. Rates include breakfast and free wi-fi. Dorm a/c 28 rm, single a/c 50 rm, double a/c 70rm.

- Paradiso, 116-B Jalan Bukit Bintang (In the northwest corner of Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail), +603 2144 0888 (paradiso_kl@hotmail.com, fax: +603 2144 7677), [35]. Clean and comfortable, and generally nice (but sometimes moody) staff who all seem to live there as well. Includes breakfast (toast, tea/coffee, juice). Shared, but clean facilities. Dorm RM30 per person, air-con double room RM80.

- Red Palm, [36] 5 Tingkat Tong Shin (no sign outside building so you have to figure it which building is number five). Tel: +60-3-21431279 - A small hostel in a historical 2-storey building. Basic but clean rooms upstairs and offers broadband Internet and a hang-out lounge downstairs. There is a small bbq area in front of the house. RM30-75 (dorm room to twin double). Downside is there is only 1 combo bathroom shared by all hostel occupants, & reportedly with very weak water pressure. Internet chargeable at RM4.00 per hour. Friendly hosts though.

- Bedz KL, Jalan Changkat at Jalan Nagasari. - A brand new hostel with three air-conditioned dorm rooms, RM33 for a bed. Extremely clean. Quality fixtures. Tile floors and natural stone shower stalls with hot water and good water pressure. Free wireless internet. Lounge/bar downstairs with beer cheaper than at 7-11. Friendly and helpful staff. Friends of the owner and the staff come by frequently to hang out. No private rooms.

- The Green Hut, 48 Tengkat Tong Shin, Bukit Bintang, [37]. Funky Communal hangout area with free pool and internet terminals. Free wifi and breakfast. One of the staff at night has many reports of acting crazy and being rude. Very weird layout where you share air-con with the room next door, both of you get a remote control to control it and there is a big hole in the wall in to the other room - no privacy. WARNING: Still bedbugs as of January 2010. Dorm a/c 25 rm, single a/c 50 rm, double a/c 70rm.

Mid range
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- Grand Pacific Hotel, Jln Tun Ismail, 50400, 6 03 4042 2177, [38]. 111 guest rooms, all equipped with air-conditioner, television and IDD telephone. Facilities and services are business center, internet service and conference rooms. From MYR 125.28.

- The 5 Elements Hotel, Lot 243, Jalan Sultan (Chinatown) (walking distance from Chinatown), +603 2031 6888, [39]. checkin: 2PM; checkout: noon. A uniquely themed boutique hotel that offers hotel rooms plus highly personalized service. Inspired by traditional Wu Xing (五行) philosophy. Here, water, wood, fire, earth and metal, the Five Elements essential for universal balance, set the theme for a contemporary, chic ambience and a refreshing service experience.

- Citin Pudu Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 38 Jalan Pudu (Literally opposite the main bus terminal, Pudu Raya), +60 3 2031 7777 (enquiry@citinpudu.com, fax: +60 3 2031 7911), [40]. checkin: 2.00pm; checkout: 12.00nooon. Right opposite the main bus terminal, walking distance to Chinatown and a short walk to Bukit Bintang. Rooms are cozy with all the expected modcons - 32" LCD flat screen TV, air-condition, an in-room safe, key card locking system and an ensuite bathroom. The Cafe has an internet station, dishes up a good buffet breakfast and has a small but good selection of local dishes. Rates are very reasonable from MYR 110 onwards (rates may vary).

- Bintang Garden Hotel, 22 & 24 Jalan Bukit Bintang, +60321431048, [41]. checkin: 1pm; checkout: 12pm. 51 air-con small rooms with free Wi-Fi Internet, hot water, cable TV (very bad signal--don't even bother taking the remote from the lobby). Well situated, but small rooms with bad lighting, a few tiny bed bugs. Don't trust the online reservation system to tell you how many rooms are available. From MYR 161.39.

- Bintang Warisan Hotel, [42] 68 Jalan Bukit Bintang. Tel: +60-3-21488111. Fax: +60-3-21482333 - KL hotel that offers traditional look, feel and service. Rooms from MYR 139.

- Concorde, [43] Jalan Sultan Ismail. Tel: +60-3-21442200 - Three-star hotel getting a little scruffy around the edges, but still pretty good value in the RM150-200 price bracket. Pool and all you'd expect, plus the popular Hard Rock Cafe downstairs. Within easy walking distance of Jalan P Ramlee's nightspots, the Bukit Nanas monorail station and the Petronas Towers/KLCC. The rooms in the Premier wing are a bit more expensive than the regular rooms but they offer services and amenities comparable to hotels of higher category for a remarkably lower price. Be careful and do not confuse this with the Concorde Inn, which is 5 minutes from the airport but far from everywhere else!

- Hotel Orkid Kuala Lumpur, 300 Jalan Pudu. Tel: +60-3-2144 8033, [44]. A great choice if you're looking for clean, basic rooms in a reasonable location. It has a breakfast lounge and a travel desk, and the usual services like room service, wake-up call, and business services. Rates start at RM86. Be Warned: there are two Hotel Orkids on the same street (they are the same company with the same logo). If you make a reservation online, it will not be valid at the 'Hotel Orkid Inn', and the company will charge the full room rate to your credit card. Make sure you find the correct one!

- Prescott Inn Kuala Lumpur, 23 Lorong Medan Tuanku Satu off Jalan Sultan Ismail (2 minutes walk from Medan Tuanku Monorail Station), +60 3 2718 7887 (reservation.pimtkl@vhmis.com, fax: +60 3 2718 7887), [45]. checkin: 2PM; checkout: noon. Rooms come with two big beds, 32" LCD TV and also free Wi-Fi access in all the rooms. From MYR 120 onwards.

- Seasons' View, [46] Jalan Alor - In the middle of the hustle and bustle of hawker street Jalan Alor, offering basic rooms starting at RM75.

- Sungei Wang Hotel, [47] 74-76, Jalan Bukit Bintang. Tel: +60-3-2148 5255 - Offers comfortable rooms, laundry service and free parking; also has a restaurant that serves authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. From RM 103.

- Swiss Hotel, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, +60326925555, [48]. 43 air-conditioned rooms, all of which have a cable TV, private bath with hot & cold water, coffee/ tea maker, a digital safe, and electronic smoke detectors. From RM 99.

- The Malaysia Hotel, 67-69, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 03-2144 7733, [49]. 53 air-conditioned rooms with Internet connection, mini-bar, and shower with bathtub. Some of its amenities include 24 Hour Reception & Customer Service Desk, IDD Telephone, and a foot reflexology center. Rates start at MYR 86.21.

- Tune Hotel Downtown KL, 316 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, [50]. Owned by Air Asia so expect low prices, young smiling staff, clean rooms, great bed and extra charges for even minor luxuries (air-con, thick towel, breakfast). Centrally located next to monorail. Prices, as with low-cost airlines, vary depending on when you book. Can be as low as RM10 but usual price for late bookings is around RM90 for single room.

Splurge
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- The Federal, 35, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100, 60321489166, [51]. Fully air-conditioned rooms, all equipped with cable and satellite television and daily supply of newspaper. Facilities and services are Bintang Revolving Restaurant, The Taj Restaurant and The Verandah. From MYR 250.00.

- Berjaya Times Square Hotel, 1, Jalan Imbi (Monorail: Imbi), +60-3-21178000, [52]. Located within the mammoth Berjaya Times Square shopping mall complex. Has a large conference centre.

- Parkroyal Kuala Lumpur, [53] Jalan Sultan Ismail (, Monorail Bukit Bintang, beside Lot 10), tel 60-3-21470088. Offers daily scheduled shuttle service to Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) and Aquaria KLCC.

- Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur, [54] 160 Jalan Bukit Bintang. Tel: +60-3-21174888. - A haven of warm elegance and gracious hospitality, the Hotel features 468 guestrooms including 30 suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide sweeping views of the city skyline. Hotel facilities include four new and vibrant restaurants and bars, Spa and Fitness Centre, The Executive Club, and 15,000 square feet of function space with the dedicated service of an Events Team. Guests on the Executive Club floor are accorded signature amenities and exclusive privileges that include the service of a Personal Butler. Location is excellent with good access to Sungei Wang Shopping complex, The Pavilion and Starhill. The Grand Millennium has an excellent pork free Chinese restaurant and an excellent Coffee House both of which boast one of the best balanced wine lists in town. Great service!!

- Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur, [55] 73, Jalan Raja Chulan. Tel: +60-3-21419988. (Monorail: Raja Chulan) - The lobby is worth a visit in itself but many feel not good enough to warrant a stay. It has all the facilities you would expect from a luxury hotel but in dire need of a good refurbishment.

- JW Marriott, [56] 183 Jalan Bukit Bintang. Tel: 60-3-27159000 (Monorail: Bukit Bintang) - Marriott's flagship hotel in Kuala Lumpur, decorated in a Malaysian style and conveniently located on Jalan Bukit Bintang near the shopping district. Connected to the posh Starhill Gallery and just directly opposite Pavilion shopping mall. The Marriott has an outstanding Shanghainese restaurant.

- Meliá, [57] 16 Jalan Imbi. Tel: +60-3-21428333 (Monorail: Imbi) - Solid if unremarkable four-star hotel opposite Berjaya Time Square and with a Monorail station next door. "Deluxe" rooms are equipped with not just broadband access, but an entire PC! Regular rates from RM200 for two with breakfast. Book online through there webpage to get the best discounts.

- Westin, [58] Jalan Bukit Bintang (opposite Pavilion Mall). Tel: 60-3-27318333. Extremely modern and well-equipped but quite lacking in identity, with nothing but the view to remind you that you're in Malaysia. Great spacious rooms with large bathrooms. Free Internet (Wi-Fi) available in the lobby and adjoining areas. Excellent gym and staffed Kids Club.

- KL Plaza Suites, [59] Jalan Bukit Bintang. Tel: +60-3-21456988

- Shangri-La, [60] 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail. Tel: +60-3-20322388. (Monorail: Bukit Nanas) - Started in the early 80's, this is Kuala Lumpur's best hotel with excellent service. It has been kept up to date with the owners continually reinvesting in the property. Rooms are wonderful and very comfortable, internet is free in the room and the hotel. The restaurants in this beautiful property are generally good with the Chinese restaurant actually improving over the years and Zipangu setting some new trends for Japanese dining( although service here is not up to the ShangriLa standards).The Lobby lounge which sadly has lost its classic look is still THE lounge in Kuala Lumpur to enjoy an afternoon tea. The Lafite restaurant is now home to Damon Campbell who has a 'technological' take on many classic dishes.To many in KL, Lafite is among the best restaurants but some find this 'molecular' take leaves them a little wanting. The Lemon Garden Cafe has extremely popular Buffets (book in advance). The location along Jalan P Ramlee/Sultan Ismail is popular and many guests make a beeline for the nearby Menara Hap Seng, an office building which also has an brilliant Bar/Bistro in Hakka Republic and a relatively good(but pricey) Cantonese restaurant in Elegant Inn.

- Swiss Garden Hotel,[61] 117, Jalan Pudu. Very classy four-star hotel located at the end of Bukit Bintang near the bus station, China town and independence square. Clean and reasonably priced around RM 250 per night.

- Ritz Carlton [62] 168, Jalan Imbi - This hotel and residence is connected to Starhill Gallery and hosts the Spa Village, one of the best in Malaysia. All rooms have 24h butler service and most of them have access to an executive lounge with free Internet access and drinks/hors d'oeuvres. For a Ritz the rooms are downright frumpy, but service is good and it IS cheap for a Ritz Carlton. Internet rates from RM380++.

- Prince, [63] 4 Jalan Conlay (Monorail: Raja Chulan). Tel: +60-3-21708888 - Large modern hotel and service apartment complex packed with restaurants, convenience store, spa, gym, pool, etc. Internet rates from RM300 with breakfast.

KLCC and Jalan Ampang

- Mandarin Oriental, [64] - Probably with the best location in KL - adjacent to the Twin Towers, a 50 acre park, and the KLCC shopping mall (the largest in central KL and the most fashionable one of the moment). Whilst primarily for business travellers, tourists will be well accommodated for. The restaurants are among the best designed in Kuala Lumpur and include Pacifica a fusion restaurant which gets mixed reviews and the stunning Sultan's lounge which is a very upscale nightspot.There is a nice infinity pool over the park, and to top it all, the rates often undercut some of the other hotels, such as the Westin.

- Traders, [65] Tel: +60-3-23329888 - Sister hotel to the Shangri-La, overlooking KLCC and the Petronas Towers. View from the open air bar and pool/spa complex at the top is stunning. Rooms are very well appointed, and rates among the best of the top flight hotels in KL. In house food also very good. Trader's club upgrade entitles you to free drinks, snacks and Internet broadband.

- Renaissance, [66] Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Ampang. Tel: +60-3-21622233 - Five-star hotel at the edge of the Golden Triangle, accessible by monorail (Monorail: Bukit Nanas) and LRT (Putra Line: Dang Wangi). The East Wing ("Superior" rooms) is newer and more modern, while the West Wing ("Deluxe" rooms) are older. Rates from RM250 and up.

- Maya, [67] Jl. Ampang between Petronas Towers (Putra KLCC) monorail (Bukit Nanas). Stylish hotel with spa and amazing view from the loung on the 14th floor. Just across the street from Zouk

- Sheraton Imperial [68]Jalan Sultan Ismail,Phone: (60)(3) 2717 9900. Situated just beside Asian Heritage Row. Rooms have plasma TV, butler service, walk in closet. Previously a Luxury collection hotel, and the rooms reflect this- nice marble baths with seperate shower, great health club. Restaurants ranging from western to eastern. The hotel also provides shuttle service to KLCC and KL Sentral. May be slightly off the tourist belt but the monorail station is just outside the hotel.

- The Royal Chulan, 60 3 2688 9688, [69]. Brimming with remnants of Malaysia’s storied past and boasting a vivid parade of contemporary treats, The Royale Chulan is truly a place where heritage meets modern, business-friendly luxuries. From the high-pitched tiled roofs to the expansive contoured courtyard, the hotel carries an elegance and ambience one can easily appreciate. It offers a selection of five-star guestrooms that come inclusive with an impressive array of modern amenities and lavish fixtures.

Contact
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District Tuanku Abdul Rahman or Chow Kit Table of Contents

• Understand

• Get in

By train

By Bus

• See

• Do

• Buy

Markets

Stores and malls

• Eat

Budget

Mid range

• Drink

Clubs and bars

• Sleep

Budget

Mid range

• Stay safe

• Contact

Understand
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Besides Jalan TAR, the district also is home to the colorful shopping street of Jalan Masjid India, which is chock-a-block with shops specializing in saris and other Indian apparel. Indeed, the area is sometimes called Little India, although several other parts of KL (notably Brickfields) compete for that title and these days there are at least as many Indonesians around.

The northern part of the district is called Chow Kit, known for bargain shopping and food. The famous Chow Kit Wet Market has never stopped being the favorite wet market of all. You'll also be able to see things which you'll never be able to find elsewhere in KL, like the full array of Malay traditional medicine. The Jalan Haji Hussein street market at night is similar to Chinatown's Petaling street offering fake goods & delicious local food which is located just off the Chow Kit Monorail stop.

The Tuanku Abdul Rahman end of Jalan Sultan Ismail has become KL's new hot nightspot. Nicknamed Heritage Row, restaurants and clubs are now breathing new life into the old dilapidated terrace houses of Jalan Doraisamy and Jalan Yap Ah Shak, just off Jalan Sultan Ismail.

Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Chow Kit area is now The place to find budget accommmodations offering very competitive prices as many have been built here to avoid the congested Chinatwon 1km south. With the Monorail & LRT lines running into this area, travelling to other parts of the city centre & outskirts is easy.

Get in
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By train
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LRT Masjid Jamek Station is at the southern end of Jalan Masjid India, right next to the start of the bazaar.

The Monorail services Chow Kit, linking it directly with Titiwangsa, Bukit Nanas, Hang Tuah and KL Sentral along with other smaller stations. The Chow Kit Station is located at the intersection of Jalan Pahang, Jalan Ipoh, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.

By Bus
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Bus routes B101 and B103 run from Titiwangsa to Chow Kit.

See
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- Istana Budaya (National Theatre), Istana Budaya, Jalan Tun Razak, +603 4026-5555, Box Office: +603 4026-5558, [1]. Istana Budaya (meaning Palace of Culture) is home to the National Theatre and is equipped with cutting edge stage, sound and lighting equipment on par with the top theatres around the world. It host productions of both domestic and international origins. The building itself is a beautiful and a tourist attraction.

- Balai Seni Lukis Negara (National Art Gallery), 2 Jalan Temerloh, off Jalan Tun Razak (just east of the national theater), [2]. 10 AM - 6 PM daily except some holidays (9 AM - 5 PM during Ramadan). Free.

To reach the National Theatre or the National Art Gallery by foot, take the LRT or Monorail to Titiwangsa station. You will see the strange blue roof of the Theatre from the station. You have to walk roughly east for about 10 minutes, including a dodgy underpass (and an overpass later if you don't cross to the north side in the underpass).

Alternatively it's about 5 minutes by car from KLCC.

Do
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So what is there to do in Tuanku Abdul Rahman? Shop till you drop! Escape the heat in air conditioned malls and department stores, dine with people from around the world and haggle for the best deals on the streets.

Buy
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Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman is lined with established department stores, malls and shopping centers haggling is ok in most location but for the best deals find your way down the alleys to find a variety of goods and fantastic clothing.

Markets
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- Masjid India Bazaar, Along Jln Melayu, Jln Masjid India. Daily. A covered bazaar stretching out from LRT Masjid Jamek towards Little India, quite similar in feel to the more famous Jalan Petaling but not as large or crowded -- not necessarily a bad thing.

- Pasar Malam, Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman. 5PM - 10PM Saturday. This Saturday night market is an experience whether you are looking for a bargain, local products, or just an authentic Malaysian market experience.

Stores and malls
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- Campbell Complex. Textiles.

- GS Gills, 9th Floor 106 Jalan Tuanku Adbul Rahman, +603 2698-3477. The top sporting goods distributes in Mayalsia, carrying all sorts of sporting equipment and attire.

- Pertama Complex (Jalan TAR). Opened in 1976 as Kuala Lumpur's very first shopping mall, and still good for cheap shoes, leather ware and other knick-knacks.

- Sogo Shopping Complex, 190 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, +603 2698-2111, [3]. 10AM- 9:30PM Daily. The BIGGEST department store you will ever see, with 10 floors of shopping, dinning and entertainment. If you budget permits, you can shop here for everything from clothing to high-tech toys.

- The Mall, Jalan Raja Laut (parallel to Jalan TAR, opp Putra WTC).

- Maju Junction.

- Wisma Shen.

Eat
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Places to eat are scattered throughout the district, with stalls concentrated along Jalan Doraisamy near the Heritage Row and Jalan Raja Abdullah in Kampung Baru (for Malay food); Chinese coffeeshops along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and lanes off it, and Chow Kit; Indian in the Jalan Masjid India area; and upmarket restaurants on Heritage Row.

Budget
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- Yut Kee, 35, Jalan Dang Wangi. Tel: +60-3-26988108 - A true KL establishment, this Chinese coffeeshop is famous for its Hainanese-style chicken chop and roti babi, pork sandwich.

- Kampung Baru is a Malay food haven at affordable prices. Non-touristy & in traditional kampung setting. Over 100 stalls available. Most are open 24 hours. LRT station : Kampung Baru, or Monorail station : Chow Kit. A popular spot, "La Cuisine" is a 24-hour food court offering a variety of local & western foods.

Mid range
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- Coliseum Cafe and Bar, 98 Jln. Tuanku Abdul Rahman. A KL legend, this colonial-style hangout hasn't changed its appearance or staff in over 80 years. Service is surly and the tablecloths could use a good wash, but their Western food, particularly the "sizzling" steaks on a hot plate (from RM35), is still one of the best deals in town. Also try a freshly mixed shandy (beer and lemonade, RM8) in the adjacent smoky bar.

Drink
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Nightlife in this district is either of the partying variety at Heritage Row, as Jalan Doraisamy is now popularly known as, or the "hanging out at the Mamak stall" kind. As for the latter, Mamak stalls (stalls or food shops run by Indian Muslims) can be found everywhere but the most popular is actually just next to Heritage Row, nearer the intersection between Jalan Doraisamy and Jalan Dang Wangi.

Clubs and bars
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- Bar SaVanh/Cochine, [4] 64, Jalan Doraisamy. Tel: +60-3-26971180.

- The Loft

- Cynna Bar

Sleep
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Budget
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Jalan TAR

- Tune Hotels[5], 316 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. (Monorail: Medan Tuanku) - affiliated with AirAsia and provides cheap rooms from RM9.99 if booked few months ahead, otherwise walk-in rates about RM90. Following the no-frills concept, there are additional charges for air-con, towels and toiletries, and no in-room TVs. A 7-Eleven & the American fast-food restaurant Subway also available inside.

Chow Kit

- City Park Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 46, Lorong Haji Hussein Satu, Off Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz [6] has 128 rooms, some smoking, some non-smoking. Rates from RM110 for standard room.

- First Business Inn, 72 Jalan Dato Haji Eusoff Off Jalan Ipoh, Damai Complex, 603-40433399, [7]. It offers air-conditioned accommodations, all of which have a private toilet and bath, cable TV, and telephone. Some of its amenities are high-speed Internet access, laundry/dry cleaning, and a restaurant that serves local and western dishes. Best rates on official website start at MYR 104.40.

- Hostel Cosmopolitan, No. 73 & 75, Jalan Haji Hussein (50m from Chow Kit monorail station), +60(12)-3915686, +60(3)-26915686 (hostelcosmopolitan@yahoo.com), [8]. It offers free breakfast & free internet with 6 computers & Wi-Fi 24 hours. Excellent security with PIN code for main access, CCTV, & burly security personnel on standby basis 24-hrs. Lockers provided for each guests. Possibly the largest backpackers hostel in Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia as it can accommodate about 70 people. Ample shared bathroom/toilet cubicles, never any need to wait even when it's fully booked. Also sells trips & boat tickets to Perhentian islands. However, it does not accept phone/email bookings without advance deposits. Air-con dorm beds from RM24, fan dorm RM20, single room RM45, basic double/twin room RM60.

- Hotel Putra Muda, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz. Rates from RM80 for double occupancy. Just 1 min walk from Monorail stn.

- Hotel Sahara, just opposite Monorail - Chow Kit stn. Room rates start from RM80.

- Wira Hotel, 123 Jalan Thamboosamy. Tel: +60-3-40423333 [9] Rates from RM110 for a standard room.

- Anum Hotel, Jalan Putra. Opened 2010. Rates from RM100.

Mid range
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- Kuala Lumpur International Hotel, Lorong Haji Hussein, Off Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, +603-26978833, [10]. Spacious accommodation, all equipped with air condition, cable television, phone with voicemail system. Facilities and services are function rooms, business centre and Wi-Fi Internet access From MYR 170.00.

- Citrus Hotel, 51 Jalan Tiong Nam, Off Jalan Raja Laut (Walking distance to Sultain Ismail LRT Station), +60 3 9195 9999 (enquiry@citrushotelkl.com, fax: +60 3 9195 9988), [11]. checkin: 2PM; checkout: noon. Chic, contemporary and with its splashes of greens and oranges, very cheerful. Rooms are comfortable and for those seeking a little more privacy with a few more privileges the Club Floor is a great alternative fitted with a 32" LCD flat screen TV, unlimited free WiFi, use of the Club Lounge and more. Facilities include a cafe, room service, swimming pool, gym and banquet rooms. Rates are from MYR 149 depending on time of year.

- Brisdale Hotel, [12] 65, Jalan Haji Hussein, Off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. Tel: 60-3-26948833 - Three-star hotel in Chow Kit. Rooms from RM120.

- Citin Hotel Masjid Jamek [www.citinmj.com], No. 7, Seksyen 33, corner of Jalan Melayu/Jalan Masjid India (1 min to LRT Masjid Jamek), +60 3 2693 2999 (enquiry@citinmj.com, fax: +60 3 2693 2988). checkin: 2.00pm; checkout: 12.00noon. Opened October 2009 smack dab in the middle of the bazaar, offers small but surprisingly slick, quiet and sparkling clean rooms. Aircon, ensuite bathrooms, free wifi/breakfast. Great little cafe serving local and your usual selection of western/international dishes. From RM115.

- City Villa Hotel, Jalan Haji Hussein, off Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. 3-star hotel in Chow Kit. Close to te nightly food market. Rooms from RM110.

- Grand Seasons Hotel, Jalan Pahang (basically same road as Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman). 4-star hotel with excellent facilities. rates from RM200. 2 minutes walk from Chow Kit monorail station.

- Leo Palace Hotel, Jalan Ramat, off Jalan Ipoh, tel. 60-3 -4043 5555, [13]. Slightly above average budget hotel, 5 min walk to monorail/Putra WTC. Rooms from RM123.

- Quality Hotel City Centre, [14] Jalan Raja Laut. Tel: +60-3-26939233. Fax: +60-3-26939634 - Member of Choice Hotels International, this 250-room hotel is more than decent for its price. Room rates online start at RM168. Attention with online-bookings: At Checkout the Reception easily 'forgets' to deduct the 10% deposit fee !

Stay safe
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Chow Kit used to have a bad reputation among locals. Back in the 80s, prostitution used to plague the area, however, one can hardly see this anymore except for some ladyboys offering themselves on the streets. Chow Kit is no longer the dangerous place it used to be & now set to be the next commercial and shopping area of Kuala Lumpur.

Contact
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District Brickfields Table of Contents

• Get in

By train

By bus

By road

• See

• Do

• Buy

• Eat

Chinese

Indian

Others

• Drink

• Sleep

Budget

Mid range

Splurge

• Contact

Get in
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By train
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Since the opening of the KL Sentral transport hub here, getting to Brickfields could not been easier. KL Sentral is the station for all Keretapi Tanah Melayu intercity and its KTM Komuter trains, the Kelana Jaya light rail transit line, and also the KLIA Ekspress and KLIA Transit fast trains to/from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

While also having the same name, the KL Sentral monorail station is about 200m from the actual KL Sentral complex, and transfering between the two requires you to cross the road and walk around the building site. The other monorail station in this district is Tun Sambanthan station located on the banks of the Klang River behind the shopping area.

By bus
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Many buses go through Brickfields. The ones going into town terminate at Kota Raya or Klang bus stand. Buses heading out of town serve Mid Valley, Pantai Dalam and some PJ areas. All the Rapid buses now pass through KL Sentral.

By road
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See
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- Thean Hou Temple, Persiaran Endah, off Jalan Syed Putra - The Thean Hou temple is one of the largest and most ornate Chinese temples in the region. The six-tiered temple was built by the Hainanese community and is dedicated to Tian Hou, or The Heavenly Mother. But, as an example of the syncreticism of Chinese religion, also houses two other altars, one for Shui Wei Sheng Niang, the Goddess of the Waterfront and another for Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. Its grand architecture and fantastic view of the Valley make it a tourist favourite.

- Buddhist Temple (The Buddhist Maha Vihara), 123 Jalan Berhala, Brickfields (opposite KL Sentral), +603 2274-1141, [1]. Founded in 1894 by the Sinhales to provide a place of worship for their Sri Lankan Theravada tradition, this beautiful temple with eccos of colonialism in the architecture sill supports an active Buddhist community in Kuala Lumpur.

Do
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Buy
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Eat
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Brickfields is famous throughout KL for its Indian, particularly the South Indian, "banana leaf" meal shops, which are cheap and extremely filling. There are also several Chinese coffeeshops offering the usual types of food. At the other end of the budget, KL Sentral's two five-star hotels have international-standard restaurants where you can dine in style. There is only one Western fast food place in Brickfields, KFC.

Chinese
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Budget

- Peking Hotel, Jalan Tun Sambanthan (right at intersection with Jalan Travers) - One of KL's longest standing coffeeshops. Crowds during mealtimes is testimony to food quality. Unique among coffeeshops is that it also has a Indian banana leaf rice stall.

Splurge

- Chynna, [2] 5th Floor, Hilton KL, KL Sentral. ☎+60 3 2264 2264 - Wonderfully over-the-top modern Chinese restaurant that looks like it just stepped out of a kung-fu movie, with waitresses in thigh-slit cheongsams and plaited houseboys serving herbal tea from a pot with a meter-long spout. The menu is equally eclectic: try the pumpkin and shrimp dumplings or the chicken feet in black bean sauce, then finish off with coconut ice cream in avocado sauce. Lunchtime dim sum dishes a reasonable RM8-11 each, but dinner is far more expensive. Open daily 11AM-2:30PM for lunch, 6PM-11PM for dinner.

Indian
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- Vindya Curry House. Authentic Indian curry of every variety. RM4.50-RM8 for lunch or dinner.

Others
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- Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant, Palace Hotel, 40-46 Jalan Masjid India, +60 3 2273 0100. Diverse menu that specializes in Indian, Malay, and Chinese inspired food. Large selection of special beverages and a "sweets corner" with many Indian desserts. The restaurant is located in the Palace Hotel on the ground floor

Splurge

- Al Nafourah, [3] 8th Floor, Le Meridien, KL Sentral. ☎ +60 3 2263 7888. The restaurant decor is Middle Eastern with large brass ornaments adorning the entrance and walls, colorful floor tiles and Moorish architecture. Lebanese cuisine, Middle Eastern belly dancer moves to sultry music. Tagine and kebab dishes, buffet with array of cold presentations, hummus, Middle-Eastern salads, condiments, soups, breads and roast lamb. The main dish comes with a selection of kebabs served with saffron ghee rice or grilled vegetables. The semi buffet is priced at RM108 each inclusive of Arabic coffee and shisha. Open daily 12 noon-2:30PM for lunch, 6:30PM-11PM for dinner.

Drink
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Sleep
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You'll find the two extremes in this district - sleazy hole in the walls which only rent out rooms on an hourly basis (mostly in the old Brickfields area), and the two of KL's newest five-star hotels within KL Sentral.

- PODs The Backpackers Home, 1-6, no 30 Jalan Thambipillay, 50470 Brickfields (From KL Sentral, take the exit to Jalan Tun Sambanthan and locate the KL sentral Monorail. Walk to the back of the monorail, and the place will be on your right), 603-2260 1434, [4]. checkin: 1pm; checkout: 12pm. Opened in April 2011, convenient location, comfortable and clean. Free wheelie tours offered weekly and a very interesting open stage event every first Friday of the month. Comes with a free breakfast, bunk beds, single and double pods. RM35- RM75.

Budget
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- YMCA Hostel, 95 Jalan Padang Bella, +60 3 2274 1439, [5]. Like most YMCA Hostels this one feels sterile, but for RM80 per night you can't ask for more. It is clean and safe. Make sure to check their website for guest restrictions.

Mid range
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- Jeumpa D'Ramo, [6] No. 102, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar. ☎ +60 3 2094 4522. Boutique hotel right after the traffic lights to Jalan Bangkung. From RM170 for standard room, RM220 for deluxe and RM320 for suites. The bungalows resemble a quaint colonial house from outside.

- Ritz Garden Hotel, Lorong Kapar, off Jln Syed Putra (Federal Highway), between Brickfields and Mid Valley. Rates RM100, more at weekends.

Splurge
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- Hilton, [7] 3, Jalan Stesen Sentral. ☎ +60 3 2264 2264. New hotel adjacent to the KL Sentral train station and the Le Meridien. The Hilton has rooms with open bathrooms and plasma TVs. Plenty of restaurants and a executive lounge on the 33rd floor. Gym and spa/pool complex.

- Le Meridien, [8] 2 Jalan Stesen Sentral. ☎ +60 3 2263 7888. Adjacent to the KL Sentral train station. Opened in 2004, has a splendid lobby and modern rooms with views of the nearby gardens (or the roof of KL Sentral if you pick the wrong side). Shares spa and pool facilities with the Hilton next door.

Contact
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District Bangsar and Midvalley Table of Contents

• Get in

By train

By bus

By road

• See

• Do

• Buy

• Eat

Malaysian

Chinese

Indian

Others

• Drink

Bangsar

• Sleep

• Contact

Get in
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By train
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Although there is a Bangsar station on the Kelana Jaya light rail transit line, it is situated along Jalan Bangsar and not near the restaurant and drinking area of Bangsar Baru. From the station, you'll have to catch buses RapidKL No U87 to get you to Bangsar Baru. This bus also goes past MidValley.

The easiest way to get to Midvalley is to catch a KTM Komuter train to Midvalley station. The station is linked to the Mall via a covered walkway with escalators. The other alternative is to catch an LRT to Bangsar station and transfer onto a Midvalley free shuttle bus (which runs every half hour) or RapidKL bus No U87/U85/B105/B110 (which runs every 30-60 minutes during off-peak hours).

By bus
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Buses go from KL to Mid Valley via either Brickfields or Federal Highway.

By road
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See
toc

Do
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People go to Bangsar and Mid Valley to eat, drink and shop. There is not much of historical value to see or do here.

Buy
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Although there are three malls in Bangsar, the area still offers more of a neighbourhood shopping experience. Midvalley, on the other hand, is all about mall shopping and attracts the masses, especially during weekends.

Bangsar

- Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof - Better known as BSC, this mini shopping centre is a favourite among expats and the locals staying around the Bangsar & Damansara Heights neighbourhood. Plenty of cafes & restaurants - a good spot to meet up with friends. BSC also features speciality stores plus the Cold Storage Supermarket.

- Bangsar Village, Jalan Ara - This is another favourite with those staying around Bangsar & Damansara Heights neighbourhood. Bangsar Village 2 is linked to the original Bangsar Village by a covered pedestrian bridge.

- Lee Meng Optical [1] 8, Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar Baru. Phone: +60322825626 An optical retail outlet specializing in high quality eyewear, sunglasses and accessories. Open on Mon - Fri 10.00am-8.00pm, Sat 10.00am - 7.30pm and Sun 11.00am - 5.00pm .

Midvalley

- Mid Valley Megamall [2] - This really is "mega" with over 430 shops crammed into what claims to be one of South-East Asia's largest shopping malls. Anchor tenants include big department stores and hypermarkets such as Malaysian arm of AEON Japan called Jusco, local store Metrojaya and French hypermarket Carrefour. If you need to change money, the lower ground floor has several money changers. The Megamall is connected to the upmarket The Gardens at Mid Valley. (KTM Komuter: Mid-Valley)

- The Gardens at Mid Valley [3] - This mall is anchored by a high-end shopping gallery (anchor tenants include Isetan, Robinson's and Market Place), two landmark office towers, five-star Gardens Residences and five-star Gardens Hotel. The mall will be linked to the Abdullah Hukum LRT station in 2008 giving additional access option to shoppers. (KTM Komuter: Mid-Valley)

Eat
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Bangsar has been a restaurant district for quite some time, thanks to the high expatriate numbers. Midvalley with its malls also offer an amazing array of food choices.

Malaysian
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Chinese
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Mid range

- Ipoh Old Town, [4] 8, Lorong Ara Kiri 2, Lucky Garden, Bangsar. Tel: +60-3-20946818 - Located in the quieter part of Bangsar, Ipoh Old Town offers a good range of Chinese food, especially the old favourites of Ipoh, like Ipoh hor fun and chicken and beansprouts. A variety of dishes are also available. They also have a small branch in the foodcourt of Bangsar Shopping Centre, Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar.

Indian
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Mid range

- Anjappar, 56, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru - Part of a worldwide chain headquartered in Chennai, India, Anjappar offers some of the best Chettinad food. It's generous with spices, which makes the food so tasty.

- Anna Lakshmi, 44-46 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar Baru, Tel: +60-3-2823799, and Ground Floor Boulevard, MidValley, Tel: +60-3-22823799 -Good places for authentic North and South Indian food. It's run by a social service organization and there is no fixed price for food you eat. You can eat as much as you want and pay as much as you want. But definitely the organization expects you to pay a decent amount as donation for charity. RM10 for a full meal per person can be sufficient.

Others
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Mid range

- La Bodega, [5] 18 Jalan Telawi 2; and Ground Floor, Bangsar Shopping Complex, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar - Excellent Spanish tapas at reasonable prices, on average RM18/36 for small/large portions. Indoor and outdoor seating, get in by 8 PM for happy hour pricing on sangria.

Drink
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Bangsar has long been one of the busiest places in KL past midnight and the action is around centred on Jalan Telawi and its side streets. Midvalley has a few pubs and coffee places.

Bangsar
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- RonnieQ's, [6] 32 Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru - A traditional Bangsar establishment, head here if you want to drink in the surroundings of a nice English pub. It also offers pub food and has a big TV projector, not so much for football but rugby.

- Finnegan's [7] 6 Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar Baru - Noisy and fun Irish pub. It also has an outlet at Midvalley at Lot No. G(E)-003, Midvalley Megamall, The Boulevard, Lingkaran Syed Putra.

- Alexis, [8] 29 Jalan Telawi 3 - One of the more laid-back places in Bangsar, furnished in cool white with soft jazz playing in the background. Offer simple but tasty eats (pastas, sandwiches, nasi lemak), a good selection of coffee and a full bar.

Sleep
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- Cititel Mid Valley Hotel, Lingkaran Syed Putra, +603 2296 1188, [9]. checkin: 2PM; checkout: Noon. A beautiful sky-scraper hotel in Mid Valley offering great rooms for business or leisure travelers. The restaurants holds two restaurants; the Citi Cafe is open 24 hour and the Citi Lounge is ideal for business entertaining. starting at RM210.

- Boulevard Hotel, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, [10]. checkin: 2PM; checkout: Noon. Boulevard Hotel offers comfortable rooms with beautiful views right next to the Mega Mall. Easy access to this shopping haven, local bars and restaurants and much more. It holds an in-house spa and a 24 hour restaurant for all your late night cravings while working or playing. starting at RM270.

- Jeumpa D'Ramo, No.102, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, +60320944522, [11]. checkin: 0900; checkout: 1300. A new family-owned boutique hotel with high vacancy. It has no signs outside and resembles a small villa, equipped with a pool. Once inside, one can see distinct Asian touches, whether it's in the handcrafted Indonesian teak furniture or art pieces from budding local artists like Fizjedar. The air-conditioned rooms are very nice and clean and come equipped with TV, very high quality beds and sheets. It's right after the traffic lights to Jalan Bangkung. RM170 to RM320 plus 10% tax. (3 08'18.33'' N,101 40'20.43'')

Contact
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District Damansara and Hartamas Table of Contents

• Get in

By car

• See

• Do

• Buy

• Eat

Budget

Mid-range

• Drink

• Sleep

• Contact

Get in
toc

By car
toc

This is probably the easiest way to get into the Damansara or Hartamas region. Local train (KTMB) or LRT does not run to Hartamas, and local bus run sparingly into this area and are often unreliable.

From the city centre, head on to Jalan Kucing going northward and then connect to Jalan Duta, then get into Lebuhraya Sprint and follow the Sri Hartamas sign. Alternatively, one might also use Jalan Parliamen and it will eventually lead to Jalan Duta and Lebuhraya Sprint.

See
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- The New Palace. Apparently, the previous ruler's of the country (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) has complained that the present palace at Jalan Istana is small and due to that, a large scale project in underway to build a larger Palace for the Ruler. Although not yet completed, the general outline can be seen from the main road at Jalan Sri Hartamas 1. To get there, head on to Jalan Sri Hartamas 1 instead of Sprint Highway and the Palace can be seen from the main road.

- KL Court Complex. It is said that this Court Complex is the second largest in the world behind the one in India. Although not overly touristy, the arial view of the court resembles a Y-Wing Plane from Star Wars. To get there, Head on to Jalan Khidmat Usaha from Jalan Duta and the court can be seen at your right.

Do
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Reflexology

Desa Sri Hartamas most probably have the most number of Reflexology Centre per unit area than any other place in KL.

Buy
toc

Eat
toc

Budget
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- Safiz Corner. Most probably the cheapest dining outlet in Desa Sri Hartamas. Safiz Corner serves a variety of mamak dishes with good taste and quality. Satay is also available here.

Mid-range
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- Carnaval Churrascaria (Carnaval Churascarria), Atria, Damansara jaya, [1]. 1PM-11PM. Just for meat lovers. The name of this game is MEAT! Lots of it! Amazing Brazilian meat serviced until you are too full to walk.

Drink
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Sleep
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- The Royal Bintang Damansara, 6 Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara. Beautiful high-scale hotel 30 min from the airport, with 6 restaurants and a spa. RM 235- 3,000.

- Peninsula Residence All Suite Hotel, 10, Jalan Semantan, 50490, 03 2084 1515, [2]. Studio and peninsula suites, all equipped with air-conditioner, Internet access, cable TV, and mini-bar. Facilities and services are fitness room/gym, sauna and spa, outdoor swimming pool, and car rental. From MYR 167.93.

Contact
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District Ampang Table of Contents

• Get in

• See

• Do

• Buy

• Eat

Chinese

Others

• Drink

• Sleep

Budget

Mid range

• Contact

Get in
toc

The best way to get into Ampang is the Star-LRT which services the Ampang station. Taxis and local buses will also get you into this area but are much slower. Buses are the cheapest but they are very slow and difficult. If you are brave you can try driving using the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), however this road carries a toll.

See
toc

Do
toc

Buy
toc

Eat
toc

Chinese
toc

- Foong Foong Yong Tau Foo, Pekan Ampang (Ampang Line LRT: Ampang, turn right onto main street, turn right at police station and walk for 15 minutes to end of street). Location: 3°8'39.86"N ; 101°45'47.69"E. - One of three adjacent places competing for the title of The Original Ampang yong tau foo, a Hakka Chinese dish consisting of large pieces of tofu and vegetables, stuffed with fish paste, boiled in stock and served dipped into sweet and spicy sauces. 70 sen/piece plus 50 sen for a bowl of rice. Open every day for lunch only.

Others
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- Look Out Point, located at Bukit Tinjau, East most of Ampang district, pass housing estates and onto a hill (Inaccesible with public transport, even taxis are unlikely to travel here. Therefore, private transport is suggested.) Location: 3°7'48.2"N ; 101°47'45.5"E. - There is noting to shout about the food, but the view of entire Kuala Lumpur is simply fabulous. On a cloudless day, one can even see Genting Highlands like a floating city. Main dishes will cost around RM 15.

- Restaurant Nak Won, A11-1-1, Jalan Ampang Utama 2/2, Business Ave, Ampang Jaya. Tel: +60-3-42534249 - One of popular Korean restaurants in Ampang's Little Korea.

- Rama V, 5 Jln. U-Thant. Tel: +60-3-21432428 - Arguably the best Thai food in town. Main dishes are around RM60.

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Budget
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- Hans House, [1] Kampung Warisan Condo, Jln Jelatek. Tel: +60-(0)12-2416280 - Near the Setiawangsa LRT station. European style guesthouse with swimming pool. Free breakfast/ Rooms start at RM60.

Mid range
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- Flamingo hotel, [2] Jalan Hulu Kelang. Tel: +60-3-42563288. Fax: +60-3-42563188 - Rooms from RM158.

- De Palma Hotel (Ampang), [3], Jalan Selaman 1/2, Palm Square Ampang Point, Jalan Ampang, 68000 Ampang, Selangor. Tel: +60-3-42707070. Fax: +60-3-42707080 - 204 rooms. Islamic Floor specially designed to comfort muslim travelers, business rooms on other five floors, and superior rooms on two floors. WiFi, swimming pool, restaurant, musollah and wedding center available. Rate starts from RM155.

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District Northern suburbs Table of Contents

• Get in

• See

• Do

Sport

Cultural

• Buy

• Eat

• Drink

• Sleep

• Contact

Get in
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See
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- Batu Caves, Jalan Batu Caves, Gombak (13km north of the city just off the old trunk road to Rawang and Ipoh. Take the KTM Komuter train (Batu Caves-Pelabuhan Klang or red line) from KL Sentral directly to Batu Caves. The Batu Caves station is just outside the Batu Caves temple compound. Trains run every 15 minutes during peak hours, and 30 minutes off peak. Tickets cost RM1 to Batu caves and RM2 back to KL Sentral [as of December 2010].) - Hindu priests have used these caves as temples since their discovery in 1878 by William Hornaday. Crowds of Hindus visit the caves in January/February for the spectacular Thaipusam festival, when devout Hindus skewer portable shrines to their bodies and carry them all the way from central KL. They contain a large number of beautiful and fascinating statues of the Hindu Gods. Beware of the thieving monkeys (long-tailed macaques), discarded rubbish on the steps, and bat droppings in the cave. 272 stairs lead up to the cave.

- Muzium Orang Asli (Indigenous Peoples Museum), KM24 Gombak - A quaint museum situated on Orang Asli land that showcases the culture of the different indigenous peoples from Peninsular Malaysia. With over 3,000 artifacts that tell the history, practices and lifestyle of the many indigenous tribes who occupied Malaysia before the advent of urban society. Definitely worth the journey, especially for those interested in indigenous cultures. Open: 9.00am to 5.00pm. Closed on Fridays.

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Sport
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- Rock climbing at Batu Caves - This limestone outcrop 13km from the city center offers a great variety of climbing on steep limestone routes. Over one hundred bolted lines contain features similar in nature to those found in Rai Leh, Thailand. Easy access from downtown and a simple street-level approach makes for a convenient and challenging day of climbing.

- Vertical Adventure, Batu Caves, +6016-3320122, [1]. Day trip outdoor rock climbing at Batu Caves suitable for every fitness, age and gender. RM80.

Cultural
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Interestingly, despite its extremely philistine atmosphere, the northern part of Kuala Lumpur is home to some of the city's main cultural establishments. The area just north of Jalan Tun Razak has been designated by the government as KL's performing arts zone while the privately set up KL Performing Arts Centre is seen as the catalyst of the redevelopment of the working-class Sentul area.

- Istana Budaya (National Theatre), [2] Jalan Tun Razak (Monorail" Titiwangsa) - This is where most plays and theatre performances, both local and international, are held. The site covers 5.44 hectares and the auditorium has a seating capacity of 1,421. Tickets are available from the box office or online via Axcess [3].

- The National Art Gallery, Jalan Temerloh, off Jalan Tun Razak (next to Istana Budaya and the National Library) - The unique architecture of the gallery incorporates elements of traditional Malay architecture, which combined with contemporary lines has distinguished the complex as one of the most modern art venues in the region. The National Art Gallery is a centre of excellence and trustee of the national art heritage.

- The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac), [4] Sentul West - KLPac, set up by YTL, one of Malaysia's biggest companies, is a noted centre for performing arts, notably theatre and music (it can also host film screening). It has housed many local productions and has been a supporter of local and regional independent performance artists.

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- Yu Ai Segambut Seafood Noodle, 42, Jalan Segambut Utara. Location: 3°11'5.41"N ; 101°40'33.54"E. Opening hours: 8am-5pm - Truly a local's recommendation. Try your noodles with any of three soup options: their famous curry laksa, tom yam or qingtang (clear soup). Air-cond seating upstairs.

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District Southern suburbs Table of Contents

• Get in

• See

• Do

• Buy

• Eat

Budget

• Drink

• Sleep

• Contact

Get in
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See
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Do
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Buy
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Eat
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Budget
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- Uncle LiongTry some cheap and tasty noodle near Taman OUG Wet Market, Uncle Liong which is located inside Restoran Ong Lay, selling Pork Noodle, Spicy Noodle and their Signature Dish-Fish Paste Bitter Gourd Noodle. Other than that there is also a choice lot of Chinese Restaurant around that area. It was located nearby MCA Seputeh Community Center. To go there simply take taxi from Pearl International Hotel, just a 5 minutes ride or take bus number U73 from KL Sentral and take off at Jalan Hujan Emas Open daily from 7am to 1pm

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Taman Cheras, one of the suburbs south of the Malaysian capital, is a good place to stay if guests want some time off from the hurried pace of the city. The area, however, still offers easy access to the city centre via the major highways of Jalan Cheras-Seremban, Jalan Cheras, and Jalan Cheras-Kajang.

- Hotel Caliber, 45-46, Jalan 5/101C, Off Jalan Kaskas, Cheras Commercial Centre, Taman Cheras, Phone: +60-3-9131 6322, Fax:+60-3-9132 6322. The hotel offers 132 tastefully furnished rooms at reasonable rates. Each accommodation has 24-hour satellite TV, mini-fridge, air-conditioning, among others.

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