This was my first time travelling with friends outside of my
country (Philippines), I was feeling a bit nervous but it was nothing compared
to the excitement I have in seeing what Malaysia has to offer.
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia is a diverse multi-cultural
city in Southeast Asia. The vast mix of people, cultures, religions, traditions
and food makes the city unique and beautiful.
Here are the places we visited.
* Chinatown -
Petaling Street - after checking in at Raizzy's Guesthouse, we went to Petaling street (Malaysia's Chinatown)
which is a 10 minute walk from our
guesthouse. Like most chinatowns, the streets were packed stalls with almost
everything you can imagine. From different street foods lined up to restaurants
serving delicious Malaysian cuisine. You can also buy all sorts of items here -
from keychain to handbags, from watches to shoes and of course Malaysian
souvenirs at a low price. We took the opportunity to buy some souvenirs here.
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| The beautiful Merdaka Square. |
* Merdaka Square – Just 30 minute walk from Petaling Street and you can
find yourselves at the Merdaka Square. Literally meaning “Independence square”,
it was in this place that the Malaysian flag was hoisted for the first time in
1957. You can find lots of locals and tourists in this place, who just want to
take a time off and marvel at the lights at night.
* Petronas Twin Tower - Traveling
to KL won't be complete without visiting one most popular destination in the
city. Majestic by day and dazzling at night, the Petronas twin towers are the
twin skyscraper lighting up the City at night. Soaring at a height of almost
452 meters, the 88-storey skyscraper is indeed Kuala Lumpur’s crown jewel.
* Bukit Bintang - This popular
street is the trendy part of the city, it's considered as the entertainment
district of KL. This place is almost always crawling with tourists, you can
find fancy shopping malls, cozy bars, nice restaurants and almost everything a
tourist needs. And if you’re fond of Arabic delicacies or just wanting to try
it out, this place just fits perfect.
Bukit Bintang has its own
Pedestrian walkway which stretches a full kilometre connecting Bukit Bintang to
the Majestic Petronas Towers. This air-conditioned walkway is perfect for
people who prefer to explore the city by foot on a hot day.
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| Pigeons will welcome you at the entrance of the Gold plated statue |
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| Watch out for the monkeys while going up the stairs. They will tend to go after your food. |
*Batu Caves - about 45mins train
ride to the north of KL, you can find the most popular Hindu shrine outside
India. Standing guard at the entrance of the Cave is the huge gold plated
statue. To get to the main temple you have to go up 272 steps, and if you
really plan on going up be sure to wear clothes that are not “too revealing”,
it is a temple it is how locals and tourist show respect.
*Little India
Brickfields – From the name alone, you get the feeling of being transported to
India. This coupled with some Indian decorations, you get the point. Well I
haven't gone to India so I can't compare it to the real thing, but that place
feels like India to me. Lol! You can find lots of Indian restaurants here and
more hospitable Malaysian-Indian people.
TRANSPORTATION
The train system in Kuala Lumpur
is amazing. It makes the city's transportation an easy and convenient one. Trains
run from am in the morning and around 12 in the midnight and costs only as low
as 1 RM (11PHP). Taking the public transport will save you a lot and you can
mingle with different tourists as well as Malaysian people.
ACCOMODATION
There are lots of cheap hotels and inns in Kuala
Lumpur. We stayed in the dorm-style accommodation good for 6 persons at
Raizzy’s Guesthouse. The
rooms are spacious and clean, hot and cold shower, wifi, and with free breakfast.
It is located in the heart of the city close to Sri Maha Mariamman
Temple, Chinatown, Central Market, KL City Gallery. It is also just a
minutes away from the nearest MRT station.
