| Top 10 Things to do in Kuala Lumpur | | | | The Butterfly Park is a favorite spot for tourists and |
| Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, is a vibrant, | | | | locals to bring their children. It is located near the Bird |
| dynamic and colorful city. Established by Chinese tin | | | | Park and is as beautifully landscaped with lush, |
| miners in the late 1800s, Kuala Lumpur has had an | | | | jungle-like vegetation, fountains and fish ponds. The |
| eventful, if short, history, going through British rule, | | | | park also has an impressive display of forest bugs. |
| Japanese occupation, independence and | | | | 5. Lunch at the Coliseum |
| industrialization all in the space of a few decades. | | | | The Coliseum is another relic of the colonial era. The |
| While rapid economic growth in recent years has | | | | hotel was built during British rule and was a reputed |
| resulted in a new Kuala Lumpur skyline–dominated | | | | hang out of writer Somerset Maugham. Not much |
| by skyscrapers and construction sites, vestiges of its | | | | has changed over the past 90 years, including the |
| checkered past remain, an interesting mix of history | | | | restaurant menu, and visitors can still tuck into |
| and culture for visitors to explore. Here are some of | | | | steaks, chops and boiled vegetables much as they |
| the must-see and must-do activities that no tourist | | | | did all those years ago. It’s more of a must-feel |
| should leave out on a trip to Kuala Lumpur. Kuala | | | | than a must-see–every inch of the Coliseum |
| Lumpur Rental Car | | | | exudes the ambiance of an era long gone. |
| 1. Historical tour | | | | 6. Chinatown at night |
| At Merdeka (Independence) Square, in the heart of | | | | A trip to Petaling Street, Kuala Lumpur’s |
| old colonial Kuala Lumpur, the country’s first | | | | Chinatown, is a must for every visitor. Here, at the |
| prime minister declared independence from Britain in | | | | night market, you can hone your skills in haggling with |
| 1957. Here, surrounded by elegant Moorish-inspired | | | | vendors who offer everything from dodgy-looking |
| buildings that used to house colonial administrative | | | | knock-off designer watches to equally dubious herbal |
| offices, you can get a good feel of life under British | | | | remedies for impotence. It’s a great place to |
| rule. The largest, the Sultan Abdul Samad building, is | | | | sample local fruits and the food stalls are very |
| now the Malaysian High Court. Across the road from | | | | popular with tourists. |
| the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is the Tudor-style | | | | 7. Shopping |
| Royal Selangor Club, which was set up in the late | | | | Kuala Lumpur is a great place to spend your tourist |
| 1800s for British civil servants to relax and enjoy | | | | dollar because it goes far. The city has a number of |
| cricket matches on the adjacent lawn. | | | | shopping centers all of which seem to have sales |
| A short walk from Merdeka Square takes you to the | | | | most of the time. Good buys are apparel (high-end |
| confluence of two rivers, where Chinese | | | | and moderately priced) cameras and traditional crafts. |
| entrepreneurs first arrived to seek their fortunes in | | | | 8. Craft Center |
| tin mining. Here stands the oldest and most beautiful | | | | The Craft Center in downtown Kuala Lumpur is a |
| mosque in the city, Masjid Jamek. A few blocks | | | | one-stop cultural center where visitors can watch |
| away is the art deco Central Market, once a bustling | | | | artisans at work and buy their crafts. Here, you can |
| vegetable and meat market, now a great stop for | | | | also learn a traditional skill like batik printing from the |
| souvenirs and traditional crafts. | | | | experts themselves. The center also holds special |
| Within walking distance from Central Market, tucked | | | | arts events periodically throughout the year. |
| away in the heart of Chinatown, is the oldest Hindu | | | | 9. Jungle walk |
| temple in the country, the Sri Mahamariaman temple. | | | | Kuala Lumpur may be a bustling metropolis, but you |
| Built in 1873, it is an elaborate construction | | | | don't have to go far to commune with nature. If you |
| embellished with ornate sculptures of Hindu deities. A | | | | want to experience the rainforest, the Forestry |
| few blocks away, also nestled among old Chinese | | | | Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) is less than an |
| shops is the Sze-ya Taoist temple, built about 140 | | | | hour’s drive away. Here, you can take numerous |
| years ago by one of the founding fathers of Kuala | | | | jungle treks of varying levels of difficulty. The |
| Lumpur. | | | | highlight of a visit to FRIM is the forest canopy |
| 2. Petronas Towers | | | | walk–a 20-minute walk on a sturdy rope bridge |
| The Petronas Towers, designed by Cesar Pelli and | | | | skirting over the very tops of the trees. It’s a |
| completed in 1998, was, until recently, the tallest | | | | steep uphill trek to get to the canopy walk but well |
| building in the world and is the country’s pride | | | | worth it. |
| and joy. While you can’t go right to the top of | | | | 10. Batu Caves |
| the towers, you can buy a ticket for the observation | | | | About half an hour’s drive from the city center |
| bridge which connects the towers. Closer to the | | | | are the Batu Caves, a magnificent grouping of |
| ground, one of the towers also houses a a shopping | | | | several caves formed out of limestone 400 million |
| center with designer boutiques, restaurants and a | | | | years ago. The caves were discovered about 100 |
| petroleum museum (with interactive exhibits for | | | | years ago and the largest was made into a Hindu |
| children). Outdoors, in the grounds of what is called | | | | temple. This temple plays a very important role in |
| KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center), are beautifully | | | | Hindu religious ceremonies in Malaysia. It is quite a |
| landscaped gardens complete with a children’s | | | | feat to climb the 272 steps to the temple cave |
| playground, wading pool and fountains. | | | | which has a 300ft high ceiling and is filled with religious |
| 3. Bird Park | | | | sculptures and artifacts. |
| Kuala Lumpur has the largest free flight aviary in the | | | | Before you start off on your Kuala Lumpur visit, |
| world–a massive site spanning 20 acres right in | | | | it’s best to get an up-to-date street map and |
| the middle of the city that takes hours to walk | | | | information brochure. The Malaysian Tourism Board |
| through. It houses an impressive collection of tropical | | | | prints some good ones and you can get these from |
| and temperate-region birds. Especially interesting are | | | | any hotel, tourist booth or at the airport. A good |
| the different varieties of hornbills and other | | | | map is essential to navigating the streets of this |
| indigenous bird species. | | | | ever-growing city! |
| 4. Butterfly Park | | | | |