TOP TIP: As the currency is protected, you can't buy ringgit outside Malaysia. When you arrive at the airport, change only enough for the taxi ride into town. It shouldn't be much more than M$100 (HK$200). Get the rest of your cash at money changers - you should be able to bargain a bit on the rate.
Then when you're leaving the country, make sure you're not carrying more than M$1,000. Checks are carried out and if you're found to have in excess of the allowance, the money can be confiscated.
For scantily clad people-watching, head for the junction of Jalan Sultan Ismail and Lorong P Ramlee, where four bars/nightclubs are located: TwelveSI [
www.twelvesi.com], Emporium Grand Cafe, Beach Club and Modesto's. For a younger, less touristy crowd, head for the Bangsar area [
www.bangsar.com.my]. The heart of the action has recently moved from upper Jalan Telawi Tiga, near the junction with Jalan Telawi Lima, to the area near Bangsar Seafood Village where the hip new bar/restaurant, The Social, is located [57-59 Jalan Telawi 3, 59000. Tel: 603 2282 2260]. But if you want to hang out with the locals, head for the Desa Sri Hartamas area. The Pool Room has a great neighbourhood pub atmosphere with a friendly crowd and decent drink prices [14 Jalan 24/70A, 50480 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 603 430 1813].
Best for one-stop shopping is the Suria Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Mall [
www.suriaklcc.com.my]. There are two department stores (Parkson Grand and Isetan); plenty of brand names (Gucci, Chanel, MaxMara, Escada); local designers (Edmund Ser for suits and Salabianca); lots of ethnic antique and clothes shops (Aseana for modern baju kurung and kebaya, the Malaysian female national dress, and Pucuk Rebung for unique gifts); the biggest bookshop in the city's Golden Triangle area (Kinokuniya); and a cinema, park and the Petronas Science Centre should you tire of shopping.
If you're planning a day's shopping at the KLCC, make sure you visit the Skybridge viewing deck linking the 41st and 42nd floors of the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers, the world's tallest building. Admission is free, but tickets are issued on a first-come-first-served basis, so get there early. Open from 10am to 12.45pm, and 3pm to 4.45pm. Closed on Mondays.
Alternatively, visit the viewing deck at the nearby KL Tower, where you can see practically the whole of the city. It's said that on a clear day you can see the Straits of Malacca on the horizon [Jalan Punchak, Off Jalan P Ramlee, 50250. Tel: 603 2020 5446;
www.menarakl.com.my].
The Lake Gardens (also known as Taman Tasik Perdana) is often overlooked by visitors. This attractive, expansive park, established at the end of the 19th century, has pleasant walks under avenues of mature trees, and is right in the heart of KL. Adjoining the gardens is one of the city's hidden gems, Carcosa Seri Negara, built in the 1890s to house the British high commissioner, and turned into a luxury hotel in the late 1980s. Taking the sumptuous afternoon tea - scones, fruit cake, finger sandwiches, the works - is a delightful way to round off an afternoon stroll [tel: 603 2282 1888;
www.carcosa.com.my].