Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Centred on Bukit Bintang (Star Hill), the Golden Triangle is roughly the area bounded by
Jln Raja Chulan, Jln Bukit Bintang and Jln Sultan Ismail. It's home to a cluster of major
shopping malls and many excellent places to eat and drink, not least of which is Jln Alor,
Kuala Lumpur's most famous food street. Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is the vast
development anchored by the Petronas Towers. East of here are places of interest along
Jln Tun Razak and Jln Ampang. South of Bukit Bintang is the distinctly Chinese district
of Pudu, home to the inner city's largest wet market and a giant wholesale clothing mar-
ket.
You don't have to look too hard to find traces of old KL in Chinatown's shophouse-lined
streets, which border the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. This is where the
city was born, reached its teenage years with the development of Chinatown, and celeb-
rated its late 20s with the establishment of the British colonial ensemble around Merdeka
Square. The Malay fort that once topped the jungle-clad hill Bukit Nanas has long gone,
replaced by one of the city's most recognisable landmarks, the Menara KL telecommunic-
ations tower.
Surrounding the mosque of the same name, Masjid India is KL's second Little India area,
teeming with fabric and clothing shops and not to be missed for its Saturday night market.
To the east are the traditional wooden houses of Kampung Baru, a Malay village within
the heart of the modern city. Chow Kit, north along Jln TAR, has an infamous reputation
for drugs and vice, but by day it also hosts a wonderful wet market packed with tempting
hawker stalls. Further north are the leafy surrounds of Lake Titiwangsa and Sentul, both
providing respite from the city with parks and the chance to watch performing arts.
Born of the British desire to conquer the teeming jungle and fashion it into a pleasant
park, the Lake Gardens remains a lush breathing space in the heart of KL. It's mainly
