
Petronas Twin Tower

KL Tower

Batu Caves
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Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur , or simply KL, is the
capital of Malaysia. Literally meaning "muddy estuary" in Malay, KL has
grown from a small sleepy village to a bustling metropolis (population 4.2
million) in just 50 years. With the world's cheapest five-star hotels,
great shopping and even better food, increasing numbers of travellers are
discovering this little gem of a city.
Place of Interests
You may find that most attractions
are only crowded on weekends/holidays and deserted on weekdays
Petronas Twin
Towers, located at Jalan Ampang. Until recently the tallest structures in the world, they are now
second only to the newly built Taipei 101 building in Taipei (the capital of Taiwan), but are still 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 free but limited to the first 1200 who show up, so get
there early (best ist 7:45 to 8:00 AM)because available tickets are
usually snapped up by 11:30 AM. Open 8:30 AM to 5 PM daily except Monday.
In general you have about 10 minutes at the Skybridge.
KL Tower (Menara KL), located at Jalan Punchak. The
observation deck on the top floor provides great city views, and you'll be
a few meters higher than the Twin Towers since the tower is built on a
hill. Entry to the observation deck costs RM15 and is open from 9 AM to 10
PM daily; 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.
Merdeka Square (Dataran
Merdeka) Merdeka Square has a special place in the hearts of all
Malaysian as it was here that the Union Jack was lowered for last time in
1957 and Malaysia gained her independence. Standing tall here is also the
tallest flag pole in the world which measures in at 100m. Surrounding the
area are host of historical structures like Sultan Abdul Samad building
and Old City Hall. The Royal Selangor Club and St. Mary's Cathedral are
two famous landmarks nearby.
National Museum (Muzium
Negara) located at Jalan Damansara,. Contains exhibits on
traditional life among the various ethnic communities of Malaysia,
numerous well-explained artifacts including fine clothing and shadow
puppets, and a sizeable natural history section showing the range of flora
and fauna native to the country. A visit to this museum can help you to
understand more about Malaysian history, culture, and nature.
Batu Caves, 13 km north of the city.
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 smelly monkeys and bird/bat
droppings in the cave, though. And discarded banana peels on the steps.
The stairs that take you up to the cave is about 273 steps.
Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Association,
located at Jalan Petaling. The clan house (kongsi) of the Yuen
family, this is the largest and oldest in KL, with the present version
completed in 1906. Free admission (but donations welcome), open daily from
8 AM to 5 PM.
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