A Weekend in Kuala Lumpur

Years ago, I don’t remember how many, I saw this ad: Malaysia, Truly Asia. This promotional video, aside from the catchy line, really caught my attention. And I couldn’t help but think then, that I’d really like to visit here someday.

Fortunately, for me, that dream came out to be true.

I’m glad to say that Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, actually exceeded my expectations. It’s a beautiful place to be.

If you plan a weekend away, take a chance and go to Malaysia. 

Selamang Datang!

Here is how you can spend a weekend in Kuala Lumpur, in no particular order.

The King’s Palace gate

Sadly, this is just about as limited as the name get. It is literally the gate of the Palace. You’d think that would make people less interested. No, if anything, people were still taking pictures. 

National Monument

Now, this is something else. A place of historical importance, this space has been utilized beautifully. 

The National Monument is a sculpture that commemorates those who died in Malaysia’s struggle for freedom, principally against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency, which lasted from 1948 to 1960. It is the world’s tallest bronze freestanding sculpture grouping. 

National mosque

The national mosque of Malaysia has been made graciously. It is a wonder to look at with 13 acres of land and the capacity to fit 15000 people. One of its key features is the 240 ft minaret. 

Merdeka Square

The meaning literally transfers to independence square. The building while designed gracefully, also reflects history. The Merdeka square is where the Malaysian flag was held up for the first time after it’s victory. It is usually used as a venue for the national parade day and political rallies. 

The KL Tower

The Kuala Lumpur tower is the 7^th tallest freestanding tower in the world at a height of 335 meters and an antennae that increase its height up to 421 meters. The tower also has a skybox: where you can get an aerial view of the city and as if this were not enough, there is a revolving restaurant at the top.

The Petronas Tower

The Petronas tower also popularly known as Twin Towers stand as a landmark of Malaysia. They were the tallest towers in the world from 1995 to 2004 and remain the tallest twin towers in the world today. 

Don’t forget to take an awesome picture here!

Batu Cave

The Batu cave is a little bit further from the city. There are a number of festivals held here and this cave is dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is considered to be the most popular Tamil shrine outside India.

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park

The theme park could just about take up your whole day. There a number of fun rides to get a hold of. Remember to put sunscreen!

The Kasturi market

The Kasturi market is a popular street shopping destination here in Kuala Lumpur, go nuts!

Chinatown market

You could get really good deals here, just be careful because once you ask about something and then not purchase it, you could piss off the owner.

The Peta Ling market

The Peta Ling market is another popular shopping destination here and even more because it is also referred to as the culture market. 

These would be the main places you could visit over the weekend. Keep a day aside for shopping. You’ll need it.

Here are some other things to keep in mind. 

History: There are train stations from the 1880’s and markets and destinations that have preserved culture over the years; definitely worth a visit. 

Currency: Malaysian Ringgits, also called Ringgits or RM is used in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Right now, the currency exchange rate is 26.93 NRS.

Flight time: If you take a direct flight, it would take about 4.5 hours to reach.

When not to go: Do not visit during the August – September time. Sadly, we happened to go at this time. What happens is farmers in Indonesia burn down forests every year during the same time to make more space for farming. The consequence? There is haze all the way to Malaysia. Hence, there is not clear weather during this time.

Tandas: In case of natural emergencies, just remember the word tandas, it means bathroom in Malay. You might just need it.

What I liked best about Kuala Lumpur: I liked that they have utilized their resources very well. While the lanes on the road are very wide and have crossovers and metros that pass conveniently, they have also not cut down their forest resources. There is so much greenery alongside the highways and roads. 

The Malaysians are not shy to represent their patriotism, there is literally a flag down every block, flags are sold at marts, there is just so much positivity.

And here have a look at the video I was referring to, sure it might be old, but have a look anyway.