Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The old KL train station and
National Museum
One kilometre southeast of the Islamic
Arts Museum is the 1911 Moorish-style
KL train station (the KTM Komuter
Railway's Kuala Lumpur station), with
its spires, minarets, domes and arches.
Similar in concept to the British-era train
station in Yangon, Kuala Lumpur's old
train station was a successful blend of
European and culturally indigenous
architectural motifs. Of all the European
(and American) colonial-era structures in
Southeast Asia, this is quite possibly the
most memorable, though few trains leave
from here these days.
Ten minutes' walk west along Jalan
Damansara brings you to the extensive
ethnographic and archeological exhibits
of the Muzium Negara (National
Museum; daily 9am-6pm; RM5;
W muziumnegara.gov.my). he museum
traces the country's early history and
displays dioramas of traditional
Malaysian life. he upstairs floor recounts
the history and administration of the
Colonial era and the domination of the
Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese,
and guides visitors through the struggle
for independence and the formation
of Malaysia.
cupolas and squat minarets are inspired
by Moghul architecture.
Chinatown
Bordered by Jalan Tun Perak to the
north and Jalan Petaling to the east,
Chinatown 's narrow lanes are home to
the rowdy hubbub of permanent street
markets, as well as revealing dilapidated
shophouses and Chinese pharmacies. he
area's largest temple, Chan See Shu Yuen ,
stands at the far southern end of Jalan
Petaling, and displays an ornately painted
inner shrine covered in scenes of mythical
creatures battling with warriors.
KL's main Hindu place of worship,
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple , is also
located in the heart of Chinatown, on
Jalan Tun H.S. Lee , between the two main
Buddhist temples. Built in 1873, it was
radically renovated in the 1960s with a
profusion of statues on and around the
five-tiered gate tower. On display inside is
the silver chariot which makes an annual
journey through the street of KL all the
way to the Batu Caves during haipusam,
followed by crowds of the faithful.
One hundred metres west of Jalan Tun
H.S. Lee lies the Central Market (daily
10am-10pm). Over a hundred stalls
here sell everything from textiles to
stationery, fine art to batik clothing and
T-shirts, as well as a large array of food on
the first floor.
6
Lake Gardens
he extensive Lake Gardens stretch
between the National Museum and the
Museum of Islamic Art and are a pleasant
sprawl of green, dotted with small lakes.
he main attraction here is the Bird Park
(daily 9am-6pm; RM48), the largest of
its kind and home to a wealth of tropical
birds. It has a number of walking trails
leading you past the enclosures.
Little India
Just to the north of Chinatown is
compact Little India , the commercial
centre for the city's Indian community.
As you turn into Jalan Masjid India from
Jalan Tun Perak, it's soon clear that you've
entered the Tamil part of the city, with
poori and samosa vendors and cloth
salesmen vying for positions on the
crowded streets.
Masjid Jamek
East of Merdeka Square, on a
promontory at the confluence of the
Klang and Gombak rivers, stands KL's
most attractive devotional building, the
Masjid Jamek (open to visitors outside
prayer time; observe conservative dress
code - wear long trousers and cover your
shoulders and head if female; free). he
mosque was completed in 1909, and its
pink brick walls, arched colonnades, oval
Chow Kit
Two kilometres due north of Central
Market along Jalan TAR lies Chow Kit ,
a daily market that sells anything and
everything. here are excellent hawker
stalls here, a great variety of textiles
and clothes, as well as fish, meat
and vegetables.
 
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