Weekend Trip to Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia’s multi-faced capital is an underrated gem, alive with sneaky monkeys, temples, street food, glittering towers and some pretty hip watering holes. Kate Springer packs everything she can into a weekend trip.
Just 155 years ago, Kuala Lumpur was a tiny Chinese tin-mining town. At breakneck speed, the city has come to accommodate around 6.5 million people of all different nationalities—the majority consists of Muslim-Malays, Chinese and Indians—and now stretches across dozens of districts and surrounding enclaves, each offering totally diverse experiences should you have the time to explore.
To See
In KL proper, you’ll find the Old City Center, which still has traces of the colonial past—both the Japanese and the British took a run at occupation—in the form of a brilliant mix of mock-Tudor, Neo-Gothic, Moorish and Islamic architecture. There’s the Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square), the colorful pre-war buildings around Market Square (which now leads into a really commercialized Central Market), St. Mary's Cathedral and the striking Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (train enthusiasts will appreciate the mini-museum inside), which is just down the street from the National Mosque.
Tip: If you’re a history buff, look into the Free Heritage Guided Tours of Dataran Merdeka, which are offered three times a week from Kuala Lumpur City Hall.
North of the historic center is the China Town, which starts on Petaling Street just a few blocks from the Central Market. Whether you’re in the mood to snap up some souvenirs or you simply want to taste-test every street food stall, it’s hard not to fall in love with this vibrant corner of the city. The pre-war shop houses have been converted into restaurants serving up bak kut teh (pork ribs soup) and countless copycat fashion outlets. If you’re trying to drop some serious dough, though, you’ll want to head to the Bukit Bintang district, which is the epicenter of swanky shopping.
Shopping in Chinatown