| Kuala Lumpur is the center of attraction in Malaysia as the city
of just under two million doubles as the country’s capital and
largest city. The area also known locally as Klang Valley leads
Malaysia in growth when it comes to both economy and population. For
royal watchers, take note that the Malaysian King’s official
residence, which is known as the Istana Negara, is located in Kuala
Lumpur. Due to its size and commercial value, it’s only natural
that the city is the economic and cultural hub of Malaysia. In fact,
it’s also ranked as an alpha world city, and is generally regarded
as the only global city in the country.
For the last couple of decades, Kuala Lumpur has become one of the
hottest places on the planet when it comes to major international
political, sporting, and cultural events. These include the
Commonwealth Games in 1998 and the annual Formula One race. Another
one of the city’s attractions are the Petronas Twin Towers, which
are tallest twin buildings in the world.
Kuala Lumpur’s history dates back to the 1850s, but it wasn’t
officially named a city until 1972. You’ll notice the city’s
residents come from Chinese, Malaysian, Eurasian, and Indian
backgrounds and the diversity of architecture is proof of this.
English is commonly spoken. However, the national language is known
as Bahasa Melayu. You’ll also hear other languages such as Mandarin,
Tamil, and Cantonese being spoken. Kuala Lumpur is also quite
diverse when it comes to religion as Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism,
Taoism, Confucianism, and Christianity are all practised freely.
The Klang Valley, Titiwangsa Mountains, and Klang and Gonmbak
Rivers give the area some wonderful scenery and also help form the
tropical rainforest climate of the city. The temperature’s pretty
steady all year round and averages about 32 degrees Celsius. There’s
a fair share of rainfall, especially during monsoon season from
October to March. Be prepared for hot sunshine as well as rain and
be aware the city sees some minor flooding after heavy rain falls.
Kuala Lumpur is easily one of the most modern cities in the world
and tourism is becoming a major factor. Some people head there to
enjoy the shopping and the fashion at the assortment of centers and
malls and many businesses have now started holding conferences
there, bringing in more tourists.
If you’re wondering where to visit, some of the most popular
places to go are the Dataran Merdeka, which is known as the
Independence Square, the Istana Budaya, the House of Parliament, the
Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur Tower, the National Museum, Putra World
Trade Centre, and the Tugu Negara national monument. There are many
mosques to visit including the Masjid Jamek, the Federal Territory
Mosque, and the Masjid Negara, which is the National Mosque.
If you’re not really into visiting historical and religious sites
or you need to entertain the kids, there’s plenty more to see such
as the Batu Caves, Aquaria KLCC, Perdana Lake Gardens, the National
Mausoleum, National Science Centre, Petaling Street and National
Zoo. There are also numerous cultural centres and events to take in
as well as city parks.
One of the busiest areas is the Golden Triangle, which is where
most of the action in Kuala Lumpur takes place. This is where the
Petronas Twin Towers are located as well as most of the city’s bars,
lounges, and nightclubs. You should also have no problem finding a
hotel to fit your budget as there’s everything from discount lodging
to five star hotels. Most of these are situated by the city’s
business and entertainment areas.
Kuala Lumpur consists of fine arts, music, exciting cuisine,
annual festivals, and world class sporting events among other
things. It’s not surprising it’s one of the world’s greatest cities.
Bus, train, and taxis are the best ways to get around if you need
transportation, but most locals prefer to drive, so make sure you
look both ways before crossing the streets. |
