Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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administrative offices w ere er ected ar ound M erdeka S quare, bounded b y Jalan S ultan
Hishamuddin and Jalan Kuching. The town, and later the city, spread outward from this
center.
Life in 19th-century KL had many difficult starts and stops—tin was subject to price
fluctuations, the Chinese were involved in clan “wars,” but worst of all, malaria was kill-
ing thousands. Still, in the late 1800s, KL o vercame its hurdles to become the capital of
the state, and ev entually of the F ederated Malay States. Its development continued to
accelerate, with a brief setback during the Japanese World War II occupation, until 1957,
when newly independent Malaysia declared Kuala Lumpur its national capital.
Today the original city center at
Merdeka Square
is the core of KL's history. Buildings
like the S ultan A bdul S amad B uilding, the R oyal S elangor Club , and the O ld K uala
Lumpur Railway Station are stunning examples of B ritish style peppered with Moorish
flavor. South of this area is KL's
Chinatown.
Along Jalan Petaling and surrounding areas
are markets, shops, food stalls, and the bustling life of the Chinese community . There's
also a
Little India
in KL, ar ound the ar ea occupied b y Masjid Jame, where you'll find
flower stalls, Indian Muslim and Malay costumes, and traditional items. Across the river
you'll find
Lake Gardens,
a large sanctuar y that houses Kuala Lumpur's bird park, but-
terfly park, and other attractions and gar dens. Modern Kuala Lumpur is r ooted in the
city's
“Golden Triangle,”
bounded by Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak, and Jalan Imbi.
This section is home to most of KL's hotels, office complexes, shopping malls, and sights
like the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest buildings in the world from
1998 to 2004, when Taipei 101 stole the title. They are now officially the world's tallest
twin towers.
ESSENTIALS
Visitor Information
In Kuala Lumpur, Tourism Malaysia has sev eral offices. The largest is at the
MTC,
the
Malaysia Tourist Centre
(see “Attractions,” later in this chapter), located on 109 J alan
Ampang (
&
03/2164-3929
) and open daily fr om 8am to 10:30pm. I n addition to a
tourist information desk, MT C has a money changer; ATM; tourist police post; trav el
agent booking for Taman Negara trips, city tours, and limited hotel bookings; souv enir
shops; an amphitheater; and Transnasional bus ticket bookings.
Vision KL Magazine
is offered for free in many hotel rooms and has listings for events
in KL and Malaysia. At newsstands, it costs RM6.80 ($1.95/£1.25). The monthly
Time
Out
is a more comprehensive alternative.
13
Getting There
BY TRAIN
I love KL's shiny new train station,
KL Sentral.
Not only does it serve as a
clean, safe, and or derly base fr om which to take the train, but it 's also a hub for local
commuter train services around the city; it's got tons of facilities, moneychangers, ATMs,
fast food, and shops; and it's got an easy taxi coupon system (about RM10/$2.90/£1.80
or RM13/$3.75/£2.35 to central parts of the city)—cabs are really easy to find here. For
KL Sentral information, call
&
03/2267-1200.
BY BUS
If you're arriving in KL b y bus, be warned, differ ent bus companies drop off
at different locations around the city. In chapter 11, “Planning Your Trip to Malaysia,” I
recommended
Aeroline
buses fr om S ingapore (
&
65/6723-7222
). These buses will
drop you off at the Cor us Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, which is located in the hear t of the
city. KL has three official bus terminals that handle inter city bus departures and arrivals
