Kuala Lumpur Revisited

28 December 2024

It is almost impossible to see all the iconic landmarks and hidden gems in a single visit. This is especially for the Asian megacities, which would require both  time and a sufficient budget for an extended stay. So, it was with much pleasure that we found ourselves again in KL with a to-do list of places that we had missed the first time around.

We were fortunate enough to find a spacious and centrally-located apartment in the Wyndham Suites at a very reasonable rate. It also offered a marvelous view of the Petronas Towers and as this was the festive season, we were treated to a spectacular laser show which lit up the towers each evening; it was quite the spectacle.

To see the Old Town, we took a Guru walking tour, intriguingly called ”Mysteries of religion and culture in Kuala Lumpur Old Town”. It definitely lived up to its name as David, our knowledgeable guide, led us through some of the oldest neighborhood's in KL; starting at the KafeiDian, offering traditional Hainanese coffee in a 110-year-old Post Office building (which counts as historical in these parts); then on down Petaling, the famous Chinatown walking street where we also admired  the murals in a side alley (Kwai Chai Hong), in the shadow of Merdeka 118, the second tallest tower in the world. What an amazing contrast.

We then moved on to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in KL dating from 1873 with its colourful, intricate carvings.

Passing by the Central Market (Pasar Seni) arts and crafts, we found ourselves at the (Klang) River of Life; close by was Merdeka (Independence) Square, ringed by the Clock Tower, St. Mary’s Cathedral, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Royal Selangor Club, relics of Malaysia’s colonial past. This square was where the Malaysian flag  was raised for the first time upon independence in 1957.

This fascinating tour was truly a kaleidoscope of history, culture, religion, people and sites that illustrated beautifully the multi-cultural past of KL as well as relating the lives and times of  those who had contributed to building it - Malays, Chinese, Indians and of course, the British.

Some of the other city’s landmarks were not located within walking distance and so we took a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. To be honest, we spent more time in the bus caught in the heavy city centre traffic than at the sites themselves but we did get to see, amongst others, the Istana Negara (Royal Palace), the KL Tower, the National Mosque and the Islamic Arts Museum.  

We rounded off the cultural side of our visit in the capital by spending a few interesting hours at the National Museum, which was built in the style of a Malay Palace. The museum reveals the human, cultural, political and industrial history of Malaysia through various exhibits and artefacts in a very informative way. Recommended.

After meeting Uncle Roger at his new restaurant in the Pavilion Mall, our final event in KL was to participate in the Christmas Eve Gala Dinner at the JW Marriott Hotel, featuring a delicious buffet of European and Asian dishes and a live band which took us well into the night. A great time was had by one and all.