Visiting Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is the capital of Malaysia, it was founded in 1857 at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers as a settlement for tin miners.

Since tin mining proved to be a profitable activity, the settlement developed over the years into a major city.

Kuala Lumpur became capital of the Selangor state in 1880 eventually becoming the capital of Malaysia after independence. It has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city.

Kuala Lumpur has expanded substantially during the boom years of the 1990s, with many skyscarpers being added, of which the Petronas Towers, until recently the world's tallest buildings, are the most famous.

Despite the frantic growth of the past 20 years Kuala Lumpur is a very nice and livable South East Asian capital.

Kuala Lumpur is a modern Asian city, but it retains much of the local colour that has been wiped out in other Asian boom-cities such as Singapore. It has plenty of colonial buildings in its centre, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets, and a bustling Little India.

Some of its main attractions are :

Petaling Street

The center of Kuala Lumpur's original Chinatown. Petaling Street maintains much of its traditional atmosphere, particularly at night when vendors spread their wares out on the street.

Central Market

The art-deco structure of the Central Market is a centre for the display and development of Malaysian culture, arts and crafts. There are many performances, demonstrations, and activities offered here, including batik painting, fortune telling, shadow puppet plays, glass blowing, dance classes, art classes, and many others. Fifty years ago this site was occupied by a wet market, the building won the Coronation Architecture Design Award in 1953.

Twin Tower

With a height of 1,453 feet, twin tower is one of the world's tallest buildings rise above the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. They are called the Petronas Towers, and, inevitably, they have become the symbols for the astounding growth that has taken place in Malaysia over the last two decades.

National Zoo and Aquarium

Thirteen kilometers north-east of Kuala Lumpur is the National Zoo. It contains hundreds of different species of animals, birds, and reptiles. The aquarium has an extensive collection of marine and freshwater species. Both the Zoo and Aquarium are open daily.