Day One
7:00: For a taste of a bygone era, check in to the historic Carcosa Seri Negara, set on a hilltop in the heart of the city among 16 hectares of tropical lawns and gardens. The Carcosa mansion part of this plush boutique hotel was built in 1867 as the official residence of the highest British representative to the Malay states; Seri Negara, built around 1904 and originally called the King’s House, was its official guest lodgings. With its lofty ceilings, antique furniture and manicured lawns, the property retains a wonderfully colonial feel – this is the kind of place where a cream tuxedo and a Tom Collins feel almost obligatory.
7.30: For breakfast, hop in a cab to Imbi market (Pasar Besar Bukit Bintang), a local favourite where the food is as authentic as it gets. Beneath colourful umbrellas, cooks prepare everything from oyster-and-peanut
congee to beef-ball noodle soup,
teh tarik (sweet pulled tea), glutinous rice and rich, creamy egg tarts. The smells wafting from the market’s ubiquitous woks are truly mouthwatering; the vibe is friendly; the food’s delicious, fresh and ludicrously cheap.
8.30: A short cab-ride away you’ll find the capital’s star attraction: Petronas Twin Towers. Designed by Argentinean architect César Pelli and Filipino-Malaysian engineer Djay Cerico, the 491-metre-high building is still the tallest twin structure in the world. To access the 170-metre-high skybridge and observation deck – a mid-air walkway connecting the towers – you’ll need to be at the ticket office at 8.30 a.m. sharp, as only a limited number of passes are sold each day. When you’re done taking in the views, browse the towers’ mammoth shopping mall, visual arts gallery, mosque, aquarium and more.
If you’re not fortunate enough to get a ticket (note that the towers are closed on Mondays), head instead to Menara Kuala Lumpur (KL Tower) within Bukit Nanas Forestry Reserve. From its 276-metre-high viewing deck, the vistas actually trump those from Petronas Towers’ skybridge and provide an excellent alternate vantage point.
11.00: Not far from the KL Tower, trendy Jalan Bukit Bintang is a thriving shopping and entertainment area, substantial enough to slake even Paris Hilton’s thirst for consumerism. The strip’s Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is home to about 450 outlets selling big-name brands and is widely regarded as KL’s top shopping hot-spot – a big call in a city this addicted to retail therapy.
13.00: Having melted your credit card and worked up an appetite, you’ll be looking for a budget lunch. Head to nearby Jalan Alor, the city’s best hawker precinct, where cheap definitely does not mean nasty. As you wander along this busy street, you’ll see ritzy shopping malls and gleaming glass facades giving way to the structures of an earlier, simpler time, when old-fashioned cooking techniques were deployed at basic streetside food-stalls and in unpretentious eateries.
The frogs’ legs in chilli with
congee and soy sauce – also referred to as “frogs’ legs porridge” – is a local specialty (and tastes better than it sounds). Adventurous foodies might want to try the crispy fried pig intestines; for the rest of us, there are plenty more conservative options.
14.00: Back on Jalan Bukit Bintang you’ll find a host of massage centres, ranging from the spartan to the upmarket. Take a weight off and indulge yourself in a deep tissue massage – or a session of reflexology to put the spring back in your step before you hit the streets again.
15.30: For architectural beauty and historical significance, head to Independence Square (Dataran Merdeka), a former cricket field that marks the site where Malaysia officially declared its independence from British rule on August 31, 1957.
The Royal Selangor Club, Sultan Abdul Samad Building and National History Museum, flanking the square, are perhaps the most impressive architectural ensemble in KL. Dataran Merdeka is also the gathering place for New Year’s Eve and National Day parades.
16.30: A short stroll southeast is Chinatown, a must on any KL itinerary. For some of the city’s best souvenirs, visit Central Market then move on to Petaling Street, the district’s main artery. From 4 p.m. until midnight each day, this area is pedestrianised to accommodate KL’s best night markets. Here, you’ll find all manner of knick-knacks, clothes and accessories as well as some excellent cheap dining options.
Just strolling this strip is an event in itself – the sights and cooking smells are overwhelming – but it’s also a great spot to take time out with a cold beer and engage in the ancient ritual of people-watching.
19.00: There are countless hawker-food options around Petaling Street but if you’re keen to experience more upmarket dining, book a table at the Old China Café – it offers an interesting pre-World War I ambiance in a stylish setting cluttered with antiques. The food is traditional Nyonya, a Southeast Asian style of cooking with Malay, Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese and English influences.
20.30: Round off the day with a cocktail at the über-slick SkyBar at Traders Hotel. Slouched in one of the sumptuous sofas that you’ll find scattered around its central rooftop pool area, you can enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline and illuminated Petronas Towers, sipping a dry Martini or Selangor Sling while telling yourself you’ve made it.
Day Two
09.00: For a change of scene, check in to the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur hotel: it offers the city’s best views of the Petronas Towers and is a model of five-star elegance and luxury.
10.00: Start your day with a visit to the spectacularly colourful Tian Hou Temple, three kilometres south of the city centre. Dedicated to the Heavenly Mother, the Goddess Tian Hou, and catering to Taoist and Buddhist worshippers, it’s regarded as one of the finest temples in Malaysia. The interior is an eye-catching mix of dragon-inspired columns, elaborate murals, intricate beams and domed ceilings, and the views from its upper levels won’t disappoint.
12.00: Head to the traditional Malay neighbourhood of Kampung Baru for lunch – it’s one of the oldest parts of the city and retains something of a low-key village feel, despite its central location. Peruse the area’s street stalls or check out Ikan Bakar Pintu Gerbang, a covered dining area where you can choose dishes from a vast selection of silver trays filled with everything from fish-head curry to beef rendang and “devil chicken” (a type of spicy curry).
This area is at its liveliest on Saturday nights, when a busy market is held along Jalan Raja Muda Musa; it’s a relatively short walk from there to Chow Kit Market, a huge “wet” market that also brims with bizarre knick-knacks.
14.00: Adjacent to the Jamek (National) Mosque, the Islamic Art Museum Malaysia houses some of the best examples of Islamic arts in the world, with more than 7,000 artefacts on display. Set in the scenic Lake Gardens, the 30,000-square-metre space showcases ornate jewellery as well as textiles, carpets, pottery and weaponry. The emphasis here is as much on the Islamic cultures of China and Southeast Asia as those of the Middle East. It’s well worth visiting, if only to experience the glorious building with its marble floors, intricately decorated domes and colourful mosaic tiles.
16.00: Wind down from your cultural explorations with a stroll around KL’s Lake Gardens. Set over 92 hectares, the gardens were created in the colonial era as a refuge from the city’s hectic downtown for heat-sensitive British administrators. Nowadays, the gardens boast numerous attractions including a remarkable orchid garden, a butterfly enclosure, a lake with rowboats for hire, and the famous KL Bird Park, reputedly the world’s largest walk-through free-flight aviary, housing around 3,000 birds from some 200 species. As well as colourful parrots and hornbills, you’ll see flamingos, rare birds of prey and a feisty ostrich or two – plus some mischievous gibbons.
19.00: For fine dining in KL, look no further than your hotel. The award-winning Lai Po Heen serves contemporary Cantonese cuisine including dim sum, and distinctively local dishes such as durian pancakes and black-pepper beef tenderloin. An open kitchen complements the slick décor and allows diners to watch as skilled chefs whip up culinary masterpieces.
20.30: Finish off with a nightcap at 7atenine or View Rooftop Bar, two of the city’s most stylish late-night watering holes; at either (or hey, both) you can sip perfectly mixed cocktails overlooking the city. •
Photography by Guy Wilkinson and courtesy of Tourism Malaysia.
Malaysia Airlines flies to Kuala Lumpur from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. 132-627;
malaysiaairlines.com
AirAsia X flies from Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast to KL. 1300-760-330;
airasia.com
when to go
KL is pleasantly warm year-round but the period from May to July offers the most comfortable weather conditions, with less rain and lower humidity.
getting around
Creative Holidays offers tour and accommodation options in Kuala Lumpur.
creativeholidays.com
where to stay
• Carcosa Seri Negara. 60-3/2295-0888;
shr.my
• DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2172-7272;
kl.doubletreebyhilton.com
• Grand Millennium, Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2117-4888;
millenniumhotels.com
• InterContinental, Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2161-1111;
ichotelsgroup.com
• Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2179-8818;
mandarinoriental.com
• The Park Royal, Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2147-0088;
parkroyalhotels.com/kualalumpur
• The Ritz-Carlton, Kuala Lumpur. 60-3/2142-6633;
ytl.com.my
• Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur. 1800-222-448;
shangri-la.com
• The Prince Hotel & Residence. 60-3/2170-8888;
princehotelkl.com
where to eat & drink
• 7atenine. Ascott Kuala Lumpur, 9 Jalan Pinang; 60-3/2161-7789;
sevenatenine.com
• Old China Café. 11 Jalan Balai Polis; 60-3/2072-5915;
oldchina.com.my
• SkyBar. Level 33, Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur; 60-3/2332-9888;
skybar.com.my
• View Rooftop Bar. Level 29, G Tower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak; 60-3/2168-1881;
view.com.my
what to do
• Central Market. Jalan Hang Kasturi; 60-3/2031-0399;
centralmarket.com.my
• Imbi market (Pasar Besar Bukit Bintang). Jalan Kampung, off Jalan Bukit Bintang.
• Islamic Art Museum Malaysia (IAMM). Jalan Lembah Perdana; 60-3/2274-2020;
iamm.org.my
• Kuala Lumpur Lake Gardens and KL Bird Park. Jalan Parliament; 60-3/2691-6011 (gardens), 60-3/2272-1010 (bird park);
klbirdpark.com
• Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang; 60-3/2118-8833;
pavilion-kl.com
• Petronas Twin Towers. Jalan Ampang;
petronastwintowers.com.my
• Thean Hou Temple. 65 Persiaran Endah; 60-3/2274-7088;
hainannet.com.my
further information
For details on travelling to Kuala Lumpur, contact Tourism Malaysia. 61-2/9299-4441;
tourismmalaysia.com.au
