Kuala Lumpur

The driving culture of Malaysia

Malaysia has a high quality road system with an excellent reputation, especially on the highways between the larger cities of the country. Driving in Malaysia is generally safe and Malaysians love to drive. The country has the third highest rate of car ownership in the world, with 93% of the households owning a car. (This is caused by the fact that many households have multiple cars).

Just like in many countries differs the driving style between drivers within the city borders and out of the city borders. Drivers seem to be more easy-going out of the city borders and at some highways you will even have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the valleys and jungles. It is a different story within the city borders. Drivers are more hasty and you will have to be more alert and aware of the traffic around you. This is probably not different from other major cities and it is also not so strange when you consider that Kuala Lumpur is a densely populated city with about 1.8 million inhabitants.

In general can be said that people from Malaysia are better drivers than other people from Southeast Asia, but they still take the traffic rules with a grain of salt. So always look around your car before making any maneuver. You also have to accept that the traffic lights and the straight white lines on the road are not always honored by all drivers.

Asian cities have more motorcyclists on the road compared to major European and North-American cities, so you must be careful with the blind spots around your car. And always put on your direction signals when you are going to change lanes. But when you stay calm, take your time and have some experience with driving in a major city it is not difficult to drive in Kuala Lumpur.

The chance to end up in a traffic jam in Kuala Lumpur are the highest during the 7-10 AM rush hours when people drive from their homes to their work and at the 4-7 PM rush hours when the same people drive back from their work to their homes. When you are late for an appointment take a deep breath and don’t worry about it too much, because being a little late is widely accepted in Kuala Lumpur.

Car rental in Kuala Lumpur

Although public transport in Kuala Lumpur has improved recent years, it still has its issues. It does not cover every part of the city, it can have its delays and it can be crowded. This is why many people in Kuala Lumpur still prefer to take the car above public transportation. And many travelers to Kuala Lumpur seem to agree with the locals.

At Meet The Cities we tend to make use of the public transport when we stay in the city center of Kuala Lumpur. But we prefer to hire a car when we leave the city center, as a rental car is a comfortable and affordable way to travel around in Kuala Lumpur and to discover other areas of Malaysia. It gives you the freedom to discover different areas and places at your own pace and according to your own program.

Many of the major car rental companies like Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz and Sixt are present in Malaysia. Within Kuala Lumpur you will find most car rental companies at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and several in downtown Kuala Lumpur. A great feature of renting from one of these major car rental brands is that the cars that they offer are often fairly new. And most rental companies offer the possibility to drop the car off at another location than where you’ve picked the car up. This is especially convenient when you travel to different areas in Malaysia.

An advantage of booking your rental car well in advance is that your selected car will be ready for you when you arrive at the car rental location. This will save you time waiting and discussing with an car rental employee about which cars are (only) available today at which tariffs. So by booking in advance you will be sure that you don’t end up with a smaller car while you’re you travel with a large family, or the other way around. Booking a rental car in advance is also often cheaper than at the car rental location, especially when you make your booking before the peak seasons. In general it could be said that the price becomes lower the further you book in advance and that the price per day becomes lower when you rent a car for a longer period.

If you want to find the best deals it’s useful to make use of a website that compares the rates of many car rental companies considering the car and period that you prefer. Probably the most convenient and well-known website that compares the terms of car rental companies for you is rentalcars.com. Such websites often have attractive deals with rental companies so that they can offer you prices with a discount. And if your travel schedule is a little flexible you can compare different dates and different kinds of cars to see how you can get the best deal.

Most popular rental companies in Malaysia offer an unlimited number of kilometers (miles) for free, but it is always wise to check this in advance at the car rental comparison website. Most rental car companies have the policy that you will receive the selected rental car with a full tank and that you also have to return the rental car with a full tank.

Who are allowed to drive in Malaysia

In Malaysia is the minimum legal age to drive a car 17 years and to ride a motorcycle 16 years. Obviously must the person also be in possession of a valid driver’s license. In Malaysia there are five types of driving licenses.

The LDL: A Learner’s Driving License is for the learners that attend a driving school and are only allowed to drive in a car from a driving school that displays the L plate.
The PDL: A Probationary Driving License is for the drivers that have passed all the driving tests and procedures less than two years ago.They also must display the probationary licence plate on their vehicle.
The CDL: A Competent Driving License is for the qualified drivers that are promoted from the PDL.
The VDL: A Vocational Driving License is a special driver’s license for drivers of commercial vehicles like buses, trucks and lorries.
The IDP: An International Driving Permit is an international driver’s license that allows Malaysians to drive in other countries.

Foreign citizens are not required to hold a Malaysian driver’s license for up to three months, if they want to drive in Malaysia. They only need a valid driving license that is accompanied by a translation in English or Malay from the relevant authority of their home country that has issued the driving license (when the driving license is in another language than English or Malay). After these three months a foreign citizen has two options. It will need to be in possession of an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by the relevant authority of its home country, or it will need to obtain a Malaysian driving license. For expats it can be sensible to obtain a Malaysian driving license as the IDP is only valid for one year. The Malaysian driver’s license can be obtained via the Road Transport Department Malaysia (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan Malaysia).

Traffic rules in Malaysia

Malaysia was a British colony in the past, but they still follow the British system of driving on the left-hand side of the road. Taking over occurs on the right-hand side of the road and also the steering wheel is on the right side of the vehicle.

But the Malaysian road signs are pretty easy to understand for most visitors as they follow the standardised international protocol. The Malaysian road signs are comparable with the road signs in Europe and the USA, but of course with some distinctions. And the traffic lights in Malaysia also have the same system as in most other countries where you must stop for a red light, you should stop for an amber light and you’re allowed to drive with a green light. In a major city like Kuala Lumpur are always people on the road that seem to be in a hurry. These kind of people will sometimes ignore the rules of the traffic lights, so you always have to be alert for these types of people when your traffic light becomes green.

The maximum speed limit on the Malaysian highway, which is called the expressway, is 110 km/h (68 mph). On the federal and state roads in mountain areas and near urban areas is the speed limit 90 km/h (56 mph). Within the city borders is the speed limit 60 km/h (37 mph).

Just like in many countries must the driver always have a valid driver’s license with him/her and must all passengers wear seatbelts. Driving and alcohol is a dangerous combination. When a driver has a blood/alcohol level of 0.8 grams per litre (g/l) or higher it is considered as driving under the influence of alcohol and will result in strict penalties. So make sure to avoid this.

The infrastructure of Malaysia

As described earlier has Malaysia a good infrastructure and a well maintained road network, which is often considered as one of the best in Southeast Asia. This especially goes for the highways, but some of the smaller roads can be less well maintained.

The driving distances on peninsular Malaysia, where also Kuala Lumpur is located, are quite manageable. From Kuala Lumpur is it possible to reach the border of Thailand or Singapore by car in about 4 hours.

The Malaysian highways (called expressways) have toll booths where you can conveniently pay with cash, or with a stored-value prepaid card like the Touch ‘n’ Go card or the SmartTag. Purchasing or refilling a Touch ‘n’ Go Card is possible at the local grocery shops or gas stations. On selected highways you also have reload lanes at the toll payment gates and occasionally you will find customer service counters next to the highway.

Right besides the highways you will find emergency phones about every two kilometers, which can be used in case you have car trouble. At these roads you will also frequently find places where you can stop with services like gas stations, toilet facilities, restaurants, food courts, motels, and some small stores. When you stop at a gas station it’s customary to first walk inside to state which pump you are going to use and how much gas you want to fill it up with. After filling your car up you might have to pay some extra if you tanked too much, or get some money back if you didn’t use the requested amount. But it should be the intention that you fill your tank with the requested amount. Sometimes there is an employee that helps you to refuel your car, but this isn’t always the case.

When you are going to park your car in Kuala Lumpur It is advised to park your car in a garage, such as a covered car park or a multi storey car park as it is a very crowded city. Street parking can lead to scratches or bumps on your car when people try to double park due to the lack of parking spaces on the streets.

The airports of Kuala Lumpur

Most international tourists will arrive at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, also known as KLIA. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is the main and largest airport of Kuala Lumpur. It consists of two separated complexes called KLIA1 and KLIA2. KLIA1 is used for international and intercontinental flights, while KLIA2 is used for domestic and regional budget flights.

The second and smaller airport is the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, which is also known as Subang SkyPark. This airport is used for charter and turboprop flights. The Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport is located near Petaling Jaya (which is next to Kuala Lumpur) so traveling this airport and your hotel should be relatively easy.

KLIA is a bit further from Kuala Lumpur than the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport so they do have several good hotels at the airport (when Airport hotels is finished a link has to be made) itself. This is especially convenient when you have some downtime at the airport as you transfer between two flights. Below you will find a description of the airports and how to get from the airport to Kuala Lumpur.

Satay (or sate)

A local speciality and one of the most popular dishes of Malaysia is satay. In Indonesia sate is even considered the national dish. Satay consists of seasoned or marinated meat which is skewered on a bamboo or coconut palm stick. It’s usually eaten with warm peanut sauce, giving it a distinct flavour. Sate makes excellent barbeque food so it’s traditionally grilled on the spot.

In a CNN poll satay was considered one the most delicious dishes of the world. At Meet The Cities we can attest this claim. When you are in Kuala Lumpur and you see a stand with skewered meat then you know it’s time to fill your belly. In Malaysia this dish is often served together with ketupat rice dumplings.

Nasi lemak

Nasi lemak is often considered the national dish of Malaysia, which makes it one of the best foods to eat during your stay in Malaysia. Nasi lemak is white rice which is cooked and steamed in coconut milk. To give it extra flavour it’s often cooked and served in banana leaves. It’s usually eaten as breakfast, but can be eaten with dishes throughout the day. You can find many variations of what it’s served with, but prefered combinations with it are fried chicken, cucumber, anchovies, egg, peanuts and spicy sambal. So if you want to enjoy an exotic breakfast then Kuala Lumpur has got you covered.

Asam Laksa

A lot of Chinese migrants have moved to Malaysia, which has resulted in the mixing of Chinese and Malay cuisine. Laksa is the beautiful result of this mix. Laska is a noodle soup that comes in a couple variations. Asam Laksa is a sour and strongly flavoured version of a noodle with shrimp paste soup with a mix of spices and it can include fish, cucumber, chili pepper, onions, mint, ginger, pineapple and possible other ingredients depending on who’s making it. It’s a nice treat for people who enjoy a tasty fish noodle soup.

Ketupat

Ketupat are rice cakes made in a very distinct fashion. The rice is wrapped into coconut or palm leaves and then boiled for hours. As the rice expands the palm leaves will compress the rice giving the food it’s unique texture. The packed rice looks quite nice and it’s often eaten alongside other dishes like satay. In various regions Ketupat is considered a festive food, although it can be eaten on other occasions as well. Historically carrying rice in these pouches also ensured the food could be kept clean and dry during travels. Variations also exist with banana leaves, which is called Lontong.

Char Kway Teow

Malaysia has a rich cuisine and is a paradise for food lovers. As a multicultural society they combine the best of their own local foods with those of other cultures. Char Kway Teow is a typical Malay dish that is the result of such a cultural mixture. Char kway teow can be translated as “stir-fried rice cake strips” and is an appealing noodle-based dish.

It is prepared with flat rice noodles stir-fried in very high temperatures together with a complex mixture of both different soy sauces, prawns, cockles, belachan, Chinese chives and bean sprouts. In most cases, you will find char kway teow stir-fried along with fish cake, Chinese sausage and eggs, although less traditional versions can include practically anything, from meatballs to vegetables. Pork oil is usually used for stir-frying, and the dish is usually served on a banana leaf with toppings of pork lard croutons. For cultural reasons you will find many locals give the dish a twist by replacing the pork based ingredients with tasty beef and chicken.

Cendol

There are a wide variety of foods that a visitor may try in Malaysia. Adventurous sorts who have a sweet tooth would enjoy the dessert known as Cendol. This is a sweet, coconut milk-based dessert has many different variations; though the most popular version includes a green jelly made of rice flour, shaved ice and sugar. Occasionally, pieces of fruit -usually Jackfruit- are included in the dish; though diners can request variations that include sweet red beans or sweet corn.

Cendol can be served in a bowl or a tall glass and is usually drank through a wide straw. Purchasers can request the addition of other ingredients or variations as well, if they are so inclined. With just enough exotic appeal to make it different than what most tourists are accustomed to and extremely popular in Malaysia, Cendol can be purchased in numerous restaurants or coffee shops and is sold by many roadside vendors.

Tempoyak

Tempoyak is a dish made from the popular Malaysian fruit known as durian, which came about from the need to preserve the durian fruit long after its season. The flesh of the durian fruit is taken and mixed with salt. This combination is allowed to ferment for a couple days. The result is either mixed with coconut curry or a pepper dip.

This interesting dish can be eaten on its own but is more popular as a side dish or as a cooking ingredient which is readily found in shops as well as many rural Malay households as it can be stored for up to six months. Tempoyak can be found in most restaurants throughout the country, but it’s especially considered a local favorite in the Perak and Pahang regions. It adds extra flavour to your dish when used as a paste with chicken, fish or prawns.

As this is such a distinct dish it’s certainly something we at Meet The Cities recommend during your trip to Malaysia. If you wish to try the amazing local cuisine then your trip won’t be complete without having tried Tempoyak. So try it out, you will not be disappointed.

Legoland Malaysia

This is the first Legoland theme park that was founded in Asia and it features many stunning attractions including a Lego themed hotel, a Lego themed water park and various lego themed rides. It also features amazing miniature recreations of world famous landmarks, such as a lego version of the Malaysian Petronas Towers and the Cambodian Angkor Wat. So for anyone with fond memories of Lego the park is well worth visiting.

The park is separated into seven themed areas such as Lego Technic and Lego Kingdom. Each area has it’s own attractions and themed park rides. Legoland was designed as a family themed park, and is ideal for parents with kids between the ages of 3 and 12. Legoland offers kids lots of hands on activities to engage in, as kids can steer, push, pedal, and splash their way through more than 35 of the theme park’s spectacular rides and entertainment centers.

Malacca

Malacca, spelled as ‘Melaka’ locally, is a former Portuguese colonial trading port located between the city of Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Malacca was designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO in the year 2008. It’s steeped in heritage and culture, and is rich with history and incredible tourist attractions.

In Malacca you can find an abundance of historical sites like the Christ Church, the Dutch Fort, Stadthuys, Saint Paul’s Hill, the Portuguese Settlement, Kota A’famosa, among many other monumental locations. With the oldest still functioning mosque, the oldest Catholic church and Buddhist temple in the country, Malacca is a must stop destination for cultural buff who wants to experience more of the history, different religions and cultures in Malaysia.

Putrajaya

Putrajaya is a true designer city and serves as Malaysia’s administrative center. The city is quite nearby Kuala Lumpur as it’s only about 25 kilometers to the south of the city. It’s the greenest city in the whole of Malaysia, and here you can get to see unique modern structures and architecture including a 600 hectare man made lake.

Putrajaya is also home to many of the country’s most impressive monuments. Here, you will find iconic bridges, like the Seri Gemilang Bridge, grand mosques, like the Masjid Putra and Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque, and government buildings surrounded by well manicured parks. When you visit Putrajaya, you can go for a boat cruise, where you can get to see the most amazing landscapes across the blue waters.

Cameron Highlands

The Cameron Highlands is mostly known for it’s beautiful hills, valleys and lovely fresh tea. The highlands are home to lots of tea plantations, and is considered to be the largest tea producing region in Malaysia. It’s also a major supplier of fresh vegetables to Malaysia and Singapore.

Cameron Highlands is a rather popular destination among tourists visiting Malaysia as it has beautiful walking routes, a diverse ecosystem and cozy villages where you can retreat to. Some of the other popular attractions in Cameron Highlands include, but not limited to; Rose gardens, Mossy forest, Cactus valley, Rafflesia tour, Chinese temple, vegetable gardens and a strawberry farm. The Cameron Highlands are about 150 km north of Kuala Lumpur so you have to drive quite a bit to reach it, but it’s well worth it for the view.

Johor Bahru

Johor Bahru is an interesting destination for it’s theme parks, zoo’s and shopping centers. It’s not the most touristic city yet, but the number is steadily increasing. Bordering Singapore it is actually also one of the largest cities in Malaysia as this ever growing city has almost 3 million inhabitants. The city serves best as a shopping destination, with a multitude of shopping centers, with KSL City Mall being the largest with over 500 shops. But if you are traveling with small children you can also check out the Johor Zoo, Puteri Harbour Theme Park or Legoland.

George Town

George Town is the capital city of Penang island. Although it is located on an Island it can still be reached by car simply by taking the bridge. This beautiful city is actually the 2nd largest city in the country. George Town is also was designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 2008 for it’s unique architecture and historic value as one of the oldest cities of Malaysia. Unlike many other cities in the region George Town has kept many of it’s historical buildings making it quite an interesting place to explore. The city thanks it’s name to the British King George III. GeorgeTown is actually a great tourist spot and one of the best places to go shopping, with over 20 major shopping malls and centers. It also has a couple stunning beaches, but they aren’t very suitable for swimming.

Zouk Club

Zouk has established itself as one of the most celebrated nightclubs in the world. It comes as no surprise that many international DJ’s, techno, house and dance acts can be found here, such as Martin Garrix, Markus Schulz and Hardwell. The large complex houses a total of an impressive ten different venues ensuring an unforgettable experience.

Main Room is the chief dance hall where most parties at Zouk are organized, as it can accommodate 1500 people at a time. The dance floors is marked with techno, trance and house music. Another section Phuture sports awesome LED walls and edgy decor, letting you groove to hip hop, R&B and urban tracks. Absolutely exuberant is the third dance floor, Velvet Underground Dance that’s charmed by LED walls and ceiling. If you are looking to relax in a warm ambiance, head to the Velvet Underground Lounge or the Wine Bar to grab some amazing drinks. Mesmerizing lighting, classy crowd and state-of-the-art sound systems are the star elements of the club.

Play Club

Play Club at The Roof is a perfect place to party at and mingle with the locals. This vibrant nightclub is located behind the One Utama shopping mall in Petaling Jaya right next to Kuala Lumpur. The best way to spend your weekend is by going wild to electronic dance music, trance tunes and hip hop from international artists, trendsetters and local celebrities. The industrial-themed decor is characterized by large gears and neon lasers as well as best-in-class stage and music systems. Spacious enough for 700 people at a time and offering great drink promos the club offers one of the best places for a good time in the Malaysian nightlife.

Fuze Club

In the touristic heart of the city among the tall buildings of Kuala Lumpur you will find Fuze Club rocking the party scene. Beginning with an imposing entryway, the place offers the crowd a clear view of the elevated DJ’s on stage. The DJ-centric section of the club accommodates about 1600 people grooving to amazing global acts gracing the stage. What makes the parties even more fun are the laser lights adorning the place with an explosive time. For everyone looking for a buzz the club features an elaborate spirits menu at its three bars. As this club can be found in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur it’s one of the best accessible clubs for party seekers.

Zion Club

For a fun-filled night in Kuala Lumpur’s shopping center Changkat Bukit Bintang you can go to Zion Club. This super spacious two-storey club has three halls where you can party at. A range of music genres predominantly house and hip hop and stylishly sleek interiors make it stand out with utmost charm. The nightclub section has an elevated DJ console, neon floor and an futuristic appearance. Wonderful themed nights from Wednesday to Saturdays are organized at the place. The bar called 808 has an equal amount of futuristic refinement, but tends to play hip hop and R&B. Reggae Café Bar sports an open terrace section where people come to chill while enjoying a nice drink or cocktail and a snack to eat. Zion club offers an all round experience that many partygoers are guaranteed to enjoy.

Prime Touch Luxury

Prime Touch Luxury is an intense and intimate hip hop and R&B oriented boutique nightclub with occasional booming EDM. The club offers a surprisingly energetic atmosphere and sports a great crowd to spend the evening with. Right in the middle of the floor stands the DJ’s table charmed up by a spectrum of international artists. Those groovy beats and gorgeous dancing people make it the place ideal for a great party with friends. Prime can be found in the Kuala Lumpur city center on level 31 of the skyscraper Wisma Goldhill.

National Museum

The National museum features the most important record of Malaysian history and culture in the country. It is three stories high with four galleries and a central hall which is home to temporary exhibitions. It also offers a collection of prehistoric findings, historical artifacts from the Malay Kingdoms, colonial outfits and trinkets, works of historical importance related modern Malaysia and more.

The museum is situated to the south of the beautiful Perdana Lake Gardens and near KL Sentral, so it can be reached quite easily. The entrance fee is a nearly symbolic amount and the museum offers daily free guided tours in multiple languages, so there is no excuse not visit the museum. And after visiting the museum, you can take a leisurely walk into the southern-stretch of the Lake Gardens to ponder of your discoveries while enjoying the fresh air.

Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

The Kuala Lumpur City Gallery is both a tourist information center and yet another interesting and free museum to visit when you come to KL, conveniently located in the cultural heart of the city at Merdeka Square. The gallery tells the story of Kuala Lumpur through miniatures, photos and prints. It gives an impressive insight into the city as you can view the entire city from a bird’s eye view in extraordinary detail. They have even gone out of their way to give their model city it’s own light show detailing the historical development of the city. The show is the biggest and first of such kind in Malaysia so there is doubt you’re bound to be awed by Malaysia’s milestones.

You can also rent bicycles from the gallery and enjoy a ride around the city. And if you want to take home part of KL, you can plow through the gift shop and take home some souvenirs for yourself, friends and family. Sounds cool? It definitely is.

National Textile Museum

Housed in a beautiful Mughal building, this museum is a great place to learn about the rich history of Malaysia and its diverse textiles. It boasts four major galleries with nearly 500 works. From Malaysian fabrics and design, jewellery to traditional machinery and processes used to make the clothing, you will be spoiled for choice. It is free to visit and is open daily for convenience purposes. The museum also houses a great cafe with great delicacies and a museum shop just in case you would like to buy the beautiful batik clothing.

Illusion 3D Art Museum

There are very few 3D museums in Malaysia and the Illusion 3D Art Museum is one of the most famous. It is known for displaying realistic paintings and physical works by a team of very talented artists, where the 2D and 3D world blend into each other. The museum isn’t one of the biggest, as it hosts 36 3D paintings throughout three halls that each have it’s own distinct flavour. But it certainly is one of the guilty pleasures of the crew of Meet The Cities. For children this museum will probably be one of the most memorable ones.

You can have fun with great illusionary art where it’s nearly impossible to tell in which dimension the work resides. This ensures you can take some great pictures of yourself with 3D artwork. With one of the highlight being that you can play around in an augmented reality video with yourself on a big screen where you wander among 3D dinosaurs and animals. And if you enjoyed wandering around in the 3D world with the dinosaurs you can buy videos or photos of it as souvenirs. It’s a pretty unique experience that you will certainly enjoy.

Royal Malaysian Police Museum

Another great museum worth visiting is the Royal Malaysian Police Museum. It features fascinating collection of artefacts as well as exhibits related to the history of law keeping forces from mostly British, but also Portuguese and Dutch, colonial times until to date. Besides the multitude of fancy uniforms, it showcases the police weapons that have been used throughout time and the vehicles used by the forces. To top it all off memorabilia of major emergencies and struggles in Kuala Lumpur are displayed. It is located behind the Islamic Arts Museum and near the Planetarium and Bird Park. It is divided into three galleries and entrance is free.

Due to it’s great location you can take a trip to the museum as part of your Kuala Lumpur Lake Garden trail, by taking the tram to the monumental Kuala Lumpur railway station or, if you prefer the sheer convenience of it, by taxi.

Islamic Arts Museum

Whether you are interested in religious art and culture or not, you will love Islamic Arts Museum. Here you will get to see great examples of Islamic calligraphy and quality exhibits like carpets, textiles and jewellery. The building itself is incredibly beautiful and stunning with glazed tile work and a giant light blue dome. It houses an exceptional library of Islamic art books and 12 main galleries with more than 7000 artifacts.

It is also a great destination especially for those who are curious about Islam as a religion. In addition, it’s located between the Perdana Botanical Gardens and the National Mosque of Malaysia, both of which are great tourist destinations. Which means you can easily combine a trip to this museum with other activities. So rest assured, you will certainly get impressed when you visit this museum.

National Visual Arts Gallery

Do you love paintings and photography? If that’s the case, a walk through the National Visual Arts Gallery is one of the best KL tours available and should not be missed. The museum has the grandest collection of thousands of Malaysian colourful artwork, paintings, multimedia, professional photography and handmade works by locals and foreigners. Both contemporary and traditional art can be found here to cater to a wide range of tastes. A walk through this museum is therefore a recommended experience. The museum is freely accessible so everyone can afford to enjoy the beauty it has to offer. The best way to reach the museum is by taxi.

Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery

A good place to spend an hour or two is at the Bank Negara museum. The museum is making its mark as a popular stop on the tourist map for its distinctive art collection. It gives an insight into the history of trade and commerce as you will find out how and with what people bartered in the earlier days. In total it contains six galleries the Malaysian economic history with a special focus on the bank’s role. There are special need facilities, cafe with several refreshments and light snacks, a shop for souvenirs and the admission is free for all visitors. It is therefore a remarkably interesting place to visit for everyone with an interest in history and commerce.

Petaling Street

Petaling Street is a very popular marketplace located in Kuala Lumpur. The pedestrian only street is in the center of Chinatown and is a must go destination for all tourists. Shopping in this market is a great experience because you will enjoy the sounds, the smells, the energy, the sights and its traditional Chinese atmosphere. It is always full of buyers and sellers getting in and out day and night. The street gets even busier in the evening when the atmosphere is at its best. And safety is always assured for all shoppers as security is always prioritized.

Clothes, shoes, watches, electronic items and souvenirs are among the many products sold in Petaling Street. There are also stalls that sell imitation products from famous (designer) brands. Everything goes at a pocket friendly price. Shopping along the street is open for bargaining and this makes it even more interesting. This also makes Petaling Street market a good place for you to buy gifts for your loved ones.

Petaling Street is an all-weather shopping area as it is covered with green awnings that protect people from rain and sun. Because of this green roof, this street is sometimes referred to as the green dragon. The breathtaking market also has restaurants all along where you can get delicious meals at a cheap price. There are also several places where you can grab an ice cold beer.

The best way to get to Petaling Street via public transport is to take the LRT to Pasar Seni station or Plaza Rakyat station.

Jalan Alor

Jalan Alor is a must-visit for food lovers as it is a unique food street. In the evening Jalan Alor becomes the place to be where you can find a variety of foods and drinks that will expose you to the wonderful world of Asian cuisine. Besides the outdoor restaurants the street will also be filled with Chinese, Thai, Malay and Indian stalls and eateries that have presented their food, drinks and snacks in such an attractive way that it will be hard to choose where you want to eat. It all looks great and smells so delicious.

Ordering from the menu is convenient as most of them contain pictures of the meals, or are translated into English. Another option is to let the vendors and waiters advise you on which snacks or meals you should try and just bring your appetite! Another plus that you will notice is that it is relatively cheap.

The delicious food is the main reason for a visit to Jalan Alor. But it is also very entertaining to experience the atmosphere in this street with its Chinese lanterns and plastic tables and chairs. Jalan Alor is crowded in an charming and enjoyable fashion and you get a taste of the friendly local culture as it is also a popular street among the locals.

Jalan Alor is easy to reach as it is near monorail station Air Asia – Bukit Bintang.