Pocket City Guide

8/3/2019 Pocket City Guide

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Hostelworld Guide for Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has all the trademarks of a South-East Asian capital. The shopping is cheap, the weather ishot, the traffic is chaotic and the food and drink is plentiful. Commonly abbreviated to KL, it is also the

cultural, political and commercial centre of Malaysia. During a visit one can witness the hectic lives thelocals lead in its distinctive neighbourhoods, see the buildings where the country is run, and marvel at

some of the most famous skyscrapers on the planet.

In this Guide...

Useful InformationAfter Dark

Places to EatTop Attractions

Budget TipsWhere to Shop

The Essentials Climate

Getting There

By plane: Flights from international destinationstouch down in Kuala Lumpur International Airportwhich is 55km from the city. It is connected to thecity centre via the KLIA Ekspres train.

Flights on budget airlines arrive in the nearby LCCT(Low Cost Carrier Terminal) which is connected tothe main terminal via shuttle bus.

By train: KL's modern Kuala Lumpur Sentral is themain train station and opened in 2001. It is locatedjust 1.5km from the city centre.

By bus: Located right beside Chinatown, PudurayaStation is the city's main bus hub.

Getting Around

On foot: While Kuala Lumpur is a big city, you canwalk to and from different parts of the city such asChinatown and the Golden Triangle.

By LRT (Light Rail Transit): The ci ty's LRTnetwork operates three lines. They are an efficientand cheap way of getting around the city.

By monorail: Kuala Lumpur's monorail is like noother type of public transport in South-East Asia.

There's only one line in operation but it's quick andalso cheap. It is particularly convenient for thosestaying in the Golden Triangle.

Kuala Lumpur facts

Name: Kuala Lumpur, which is the capital cityof Malaysia, is also known simply as KL.

Population: Almost 2 million people live in

Kuala Lumpur.

Location: This, the largest city in Malaysia, issituated in the west of Peninsular Malaysia.

Area: The city covers an area of around 245square kilometres.

According to inhabitants of the Malaysian capital,Kuala Lumpur has three climates - hot, hotter andhottest. This city has a year-round tropical climateand it can get extremely humid at times. It also rainsregularly all year round, and the wettest periods arefrom March to April and then again from October toDecember . Dur ing th is t ime i t exper iencesparticularly heavy downpours.

Good to know...

Language: Malay, English widely spokenCurrency: Malaysian Ringgit

Electricity: 240V 50Hz. 2/3-pin plug.Telephone Codes: +60 (Malaysia), 03 (KualaLumpur)Emergency Codes: Police 999 / Ambulance999 / Fire 994Time Zone: Mountain Standard Time, GMT +8Central Post Office: Dayabumi Complex, JalanHishamuddinMain Tourist Office: Kuala Lumpur TouristInformation Centre, Jalan Parlimen

Embassies

USA: +60 (0)3 2168 5000UK: +60 (0)3 2170 2200*Canada: +60 (0)3 2718 3333*Australia: +60 (0)3 2146 5555*South Africa: +60 (0)3 2170 2412*Ireland: +60 (0)3 2161 2963Germany: +60 (0)3 2170 9666Spain: +60 (0)3 2148 4868Italy: +60 (0)3 4256 5122New Zealand: +60 (0)3 2078 2533*France: +60 (0)3 2053 5500

* High Commissions

Hostelworld Guide for Kuala Lumpur www.hostelworld.com


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Cheap Eats After Dark

Meng Kee Grill, 39 Jalan Alor, Golden TriangleIt's hard to walk down Jalan Alor without beingapproached by at least one hawker. If those workinghere coax you inside you won't be disappointed. Thespeciality here is grilled fish, and you can choosefrom swordfish, stingray and others. There are meatand veggie options too. Open Wed-Mon 6pm-3am.

Street eats

Street stalls You'll never starve in South-EastAsian cities due to the amount of food stalls onthe streets. These are usually loaded with

chicken skewers, noodles, pancakes and othersnacks. In KL, the best places to feast on streetsare Jalan Alor in the Golden Triangle, and allover Chinatown and Little India. Food sometimesmay not look the most enticing, but it can bedevilishly tasty sometimes, and frightfully cheap.

Chinatown Pavillion, 25-27 Jalan Hang Lekir,Chinatown This busy restaurant is located at a livelyintersection in Kuala Lumpur's Chinese quarter and,with seating inside and out, is popular with bothlocals and tourists. After you've perused the menuthat's packed with staple dishes like noodles andrice, watch life go by in one of the city's mostexciting areas. Open daily from 6.30am-1am.

ABC Food's Corner, 1009 Jalan Masjid India,Little India Standing for 'Always Best Choice', thename might sound a bit tacky but when you see thenumber of local Indian inhabitants eating here youmight give it a chance. Choose from set menus, orseparate dishes, and don't forget the naan bread towipe up the sauces. Open daily 24 hours.

Estana Curry House, Jalan Nagansari, GoldenTriangle Curries or noodles are what you should tryhere. If you want a typically Malaysian dish opt for'nasi goreng kampung' - fried rice with prawns, eggand chicken. Open daily from 12 noon-midnight.

Luna, Menara PanGlobal, Jalan Punchak,Golden Triangle While this bar is extremely swishand stylish, it boasts one of the most breathtakingviews in Asia thanks to its location on the 34th floorof the Pacific Regency Hotel Apartments. You won'tneed to worry about what to talk about as you gazeat the Petronas Towers lit up in all their glory. Opendaily from 6pm-1am (until 3am at weekends).

The Green Man, 40 Changkat Bukit Bintang,

Golden Triangle Marketing itself as an English bar,yet at the same time emphasizing the fact that youcan buy Guinness and other Irish beers here, TheGreen Man seems a confused man. Nevertheless,this bar is popular with expats and is a good placeto ca tch u p w i th f r i e n d s . O p e n d a i l y f r o m11am-1am.

Gay / Lesbian Kuala Lumpur

KL's gay scene is widespread but still largelyunderground due to British colonial law andMuslim attitudes. Most gay bars and nights arefound in bars and clubs around the GoldenTriangle. The city's (and country's) oldest gayclub is Blue Boy (54 Jalan Sultan Ismail), whilenearby

Frangipani(25 Jalan Changkat Bukit

Bintang) hosts gay nights on Fridays. Liquid(Central Market Annexe) is one of the city'smost popular gay clubs.

Zouk, 113 Jalan Ampang, Golden Triangle 15years after opening its flagship club in Singapore in1991, Zouk moved to Kuala Lumpur. Now f irmlyestablished as the Malaysian capital's number oneclub, it regularly attracts the world's top DJs forone-off events. There is also a separate 'VelvetUnderground' section which isn't so full on. OpenThurs-Sat 9pm-3am; admission charge.

Beach Club Caf, 97 Jalan P Ramlee, GoldenTriangle Located on one of the city's most v ibrantstrips, the Beach Club Caf does everything in itspower to ensure you feel close to the sea and bythe beach. It's an outdoor bar in beach-hut style,there are palm trees galore and lots and lots ofcocktails being sipped. Open daily from 6pm-3am.

Bangsar Avenue, 18 Jalan Liku, BangsarBangsar Avenue is in KL's other part of townpopular after dark - Bangsar, so no prizes forguessing how they came up with the name. Thislarge establishment has something to suit all tastes.There's an outdoor terrace for some al frescosocialising, a pool table for some activity, and a clubfor some dancing. Open daily from 11am-3am.

Don't Miss Mark Your Calendar

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur City Centre,Golden Triangle KL's iconic twin towers aresomething of an emblem for the Malaysian capitaland are remarkably pleasing on the eye. Somewould argue they are the city's most beautifulstructures. Visit them twice - once in the day andagain at night when they are even more spectacular.

Sri Mahamariamman Temple, 163 Jalan Tun HSLee, Chinatown Founded in 1873, this is the oldest

practising Hindu Temple in Malaysia. Its faade isfascinating, as is its main prayer hall, which housesthe famous 'silver chariot' which is marched to theBatu Caves during the Thaipusam festival. Opendaily from 6am-9pm; admission free.

Massage in the Golden Triangle All around theGolden Triangle are places offering all types ofmassages. Head, feet, full...the list goes on. Theyare cheap in comparison to similar massages in thewestern world and are perfect for unwinding.

The climb to the caves

Batu Caves These caves 13km from KL's citycentre shouldn't be missed. Guarded by theworld's largest statue of Hindu god Murugan anda spate of monkeys, they were discovered in1878 by American Naturalist, William Hornaday.To get to the caves you have to climb a grand

272 steps. Once inside, the noise of Hindu musicand dripping water, along with the sight of thenumerous shrines, make this a truly uniqueexperience. Open daily from 7am-9pm; returntaxi from central Kuala Lumpur RM40.

Menara KL, 2 Jalan Punchak, Golden TriangleBetter known as KL Tower, this is Kuala Lumpur'sotherskyscraper. While it isn't as famous as itscounterpart, it boasts the city's highest viewing deckand the views from the top are unrivalled. Open dailyfrom 9am-10pm; admission RM38.

January - Thaipusam Every year, more than amillion devotees gather at the Batu Caves, one ofMalaysia's natural wonders, to celebrate the Hindufestival of Thaipusam. The sheer amount of peopleand the beauty of the landscape means this can'tbe missed.

February - City Day Parades, fireworks displays,cultural shows and a general carnival atmosphere isthe order of the day throughout the city every 1st of

February.

March - Kuala Lumpur International Book FairThe KLIBF is attended by over 1 million peopleeach year. Held at the Putra World Trade Centre,this festival includes book launches, conventionsand plenty more, and is a must for book lovers.

June - Starlight Cinema The annual StarlightCinema festival is the largest outdoor film festival inAsia and is staged in Kuala Lumpur's Bukit KiaraCountry Resort. On the grounds there's also a foodvillage meaning you can really make a night of it.

July - Flora Festival & Parade For this week-longfestival in July flower sales and exhibitions are heldin various locations throughout the city, while the

highlight is the parade at the end of the week.

August - KL International Tower Jump After AzizAhmad asked for permission to jump off KualaLumpur's tallest building in 1999, this festival wasborn, and is now held once a year, usually inAugust.

August - National Day The country celebrates itsindependence on 31st of August with parades andshows, and Kuala Lumpur is the focal point for thecelebrations.

September - Malaysia Fest Also known as'Colours of Malaysia', the two-week long MalaysiaFest is a huge event and is celebrated all over

Malaysia and celebrates the culture, cuisine andhandicrafts of the country's thirteen states.

October - Mega Shopping Carnival Held annuallyin October, there are bargains galore at everyshopping venue in Kuala Lumpur during this annualtwo-week shopping extravaganza.

November - Deepavali Also known as the 'Festivalof Lights', this event is a Hindu celebration. Duringthe festival you can expect to see even more lightsshining across the city.



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Neighbourhood Watch Retail Therapy

Chinatown Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown dates backto the mid-19th century and is best-known for itsshopping along Jalan Petaling. Rather than shop, it'ssometimes better to soak up the atmosphere alongthe less hectic Jalan Tun Hs Lee and Jalan Sultanwhich run parallel to it. It's a good place to eat outand there are lots of temples to visit also.

Kampung Baru Founded in 1899, Kampung Baru isthe oldest Malay residential area of Kuala Lumpur.

Walking around its streets you can still see thewooden houses tha t a re s tand ing s ince theneighbourhood first existed. Its main attractions arethe Kampung Baru Mosque and the 'Sunday Market'which actually begins on Saturday evenings at 6pm.

A piece of India in KL

Little India Kuala Lumpur's Indian quarter is acolourful district, albeit a small one. Centrallylocated, it is just a stone's throw from Chinatown.Its main thoroughfares are Jalan Masjid Indiaand Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Stroll alongthese streets and you will encounter shopspacked with bright saris, others selling traditionalmedicines and herbs, and restaurantsspecialising in cheap, Indian food.

Golden Triangle Home to both of Kuala Lumpur's

celebrated skyscrapers, the Golden Triangle is alsothe city's main shopping and nightlife district. AlongBukit Bintang shops are plentiful, as are the bars asthis was once the most vibrant part of the city. Todaythat accolade belongs to Jalan P Ramlee and JalanSultan Ismail, both in this part of town.

Brickfields Ask a local how to get to Little India andthey may well send you here as Brickfields is alsohome to an extremely large Indian population. It iseasy to get thanks to KL Sentral and a monorailstop. Once there don't miss Sri Kandaswamy HinduTemple on Jalan Thambipillay.

Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, GoldenTriangle Located at the base of the PetronasTowers and covering a staggering 1.5 million squarefeet, this enormous shopping centre is the city'sflagship shopping mall. Here you will come acrossstores belonging to Levi's, Zara, GAP and FCUK toname but a few. If you're not in the position to shopyou may find yourself visiting for the air-conditioningalone. Open daily from 10am-10pm.

Bargains galore

Jalan Petaling, Chinatown Open from early

morning until late at night every day, KualaLumpur's famous Jalan Petaling doesn't comealive until the sun sets. Then the hawkers reallylet loose, telling you of the 'good price' they canoffer you for their leather handbags, counterfeitt-shirts, pirated DVDs, shades and so muchmore. Open daily from 10am-11pm.

Chow Kit Market, Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman,Kampung Baru One of Kuala Lumpur's 'wet' (food)markets, the daily Chow Kit market is a colourfulplace. Just meters from Chow Kit monrail station, onthe stalls are fruit, vegetables, spices, meat, and alltypes of seafood. At night though, clothes and otherproducts can be bought. Open daily from 8am-8pm.

Central Market, Jalan Hang Kasturi, DowntownKL Specialising in local artwork and antiques, thisshopping mall between Chinatown and Little India isa great place to go to see Malaysian art and culture.There are other things avai lable too, such aspleasant-smelling toiletries and souvenirs. Opendaily from 10am-10pm.

Plaza Low Yat, 7, Jalan Bintang, Golden TriangleIf you're a high-tech buff and you're looking to pickup a bargain try this shopping mall off Jalan BukitBintang as its second floor is known as 'ComputerCity'. Open daily from 10am-10pm.

Budget Tips A Day in Kuala Lumpur...

Visit the National History Museum Convenientlylocated on Merdeka Square, this museum is the onlymuseum in Malaysia dedicated to the country'shistory from its early age until today. Some of thegalleries include 'The Advent of Islam', 'MalayStates', 'Japan Occupation' and 'Formation ofMalaysia'. Open daily 9am-6pm; admission free.

Don't get scammed! More a warning than amoney-saving tip, make sure not to get scammed

when in Kuala Lumpur. Taxi men are notorious forovercharging, but the prices they overcharge touristsaren't exactly extortionate. Instead be more wary ofa scam carried out around the Petronas Towers.Tried by over-friendly locals, they will ask you whereyou are from, then tell you their sibling is studyingthere. Once they tell you that, stop talking to them asthey're trying to scam you!

Check out the National Art Gallery Opened 50years ago in 1958, Kuala Lumpur's National ArtGallery on Jalan Temerloh (off Jalan Tun Razak)houses five different galleries and over 2,500separate works of art. Open daily from 10am-6pm,admission free.

Ride the monrail Go on a trip on KL's monorail that

zooms about the city centre and you will be treatedto a bird's-eye view of some of the city's sights aswell as city life below. Each journey is a mereRM2.50 which is less than $1 (US or AUS), 1 or 1.

Different to its counterparts

Visit the Petronas Towers' 'Skybridge' Unlikeother viewing decks around the world, you don'thave to pay for your ticket to the PetronasTowers' 'Skybridge'. Instead 1,400 free ticketsare issued daily which permit you to a 15-minutevisit to the bridge. The ticket desk opens at8.30am and they're given out on a first-comefirst-served basis so get there early.

Begin your day by visiting the 'Skybridge' atthe Petronas Towers. The visit starts with a3D film before stepping inside the elevator togo up 42 flights in 42 seconds!

Go from one skyscraper to another and visitKL Tower. Its viewing deck is higher thanthat of the Skybridge and boasts the bestviews of the Malaysian capital.

Take the short stroll to Chinatown. Thisvibrant neighbourhood is full of temples,restaurants and is great for shopping.

Afterwards visit Little India. Another colourfulneighbourhood, it is full of shops sellingtraditional Indian goods. Grab a bite to eateither here or back in Chinatown.

Jump in a cab bound for the Batu Caves.Just 13km from the city, they aren't to bemissed. Watch out for the monkeys on theway up the 272 steps to the caves.

Upon returning to the city centre, go back toChinatown to the market on Jalan Petaling. Iti s fa r l i ve l ie r a t n igh t and you ' l l f indsomething within your budget.

Situated in the Golden Triangle, Jalan Alor is

peppered with restaurants. After somes h o p p i n g m a k e y o u r w a y h e r e . T r ysomething Malaysian or some seafood.

Return to the Petronas Towers. While theyare truly amazing any time of the day, atnight when they are lit up they will really takeyour breath away.

Finish the perfect day off in the Malaysiancapital partying the night away in one of thebars along Jalan P Ramlee or Jalan SultanIsmail, the liveliest strips in town.


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