Park Paradise

Reached by walkway from KL Tower, Bukit Nanas Forest Recreation Park is a shady retreat in the city’s heart—the perfect place for a picnic or a stop at the children’s playground. Another peaceful haven is Kuala Lumpur’s City Centre Park. Discover 1900 indigenous trees and palms, a kid’s playground, wading pools, artificial lake, sculptures, grass and shade.

Of course the king of parks is the Lake Gardens. For first-timers, head to the Hibiscus Garden to bask in the country’s national flower, then revel in the colours at the nearby Orchid Garden (800 varieties). Besides the entire flora around, there is fauna waiting to be greeted, found at the Deer Park in Lake Gardens. It features the world’s smallest deer, the mouse deer (indigenous to Malaysia), as well as Dutch spotted deer. Meet more indigenous species (including the national bird, the hornbill) at the Kuala Lumpur bird Park, which houses 3,000 birds, including hawk eagles, parrots, toucans and flamingos. The world’s largest butterfly garden, the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park (6,000 fluttering creatures) can also be found at the Lake Gardens.
After drifting away with the birds and butterflies, become a space cadet at the Lake Gardens’ National Planetarium. As well as a great view, there is a 14 inch telescope; a Space Theatre with IMAX movies and a space gyroscope (experience zero gravity).

For park thrills, Desa Water Park is the place to be. It is located on the outskirts of KL that features numerous water rides including the Thunderbolt water coaster. A short drive from the city is Mines Wonderland, housed in what was once the world’s largest open-cast tin mine. Nowadays the ‘mine’ features rides, a night laser show and Snow Town—a winter experience complete with ice-skating. Or, for a taste of Venice, go shopping by boat at the Shopping Fair.

Markets

The lovely art deco Central Market (Pasar Seni) is the place to see Malaysian crafts. Best buys are kites of all decorations that vary from moon, cat and bird kites (kite flying is a national pastime). Besides that, there are shadow puppet plays, batik painting, fortune-telling and art exhibitions. Saturday evenings feature Malay, Indian and Chinese dances. Follow up with a visit to the Craft Centre (Kompleks Kraf Kuala Lumpur) and Royal Selangor Pewter Showroom for more arts and craft.

Chow Kit Market, the historic site of the race riots of 1969, is the place to buy secondhand clothes, Islamic textiles and fabrics, not to mention raw produce such as edible worms! But do be careful after dark.

Petaling Street (Chinatown) barely needs introduction. Almost everything is on sale here, so hone your bargaining skills. For the best buys go mid-morning, for atmosphere and food visit after 6.30pm. For more exotic items (including pashminas, textiles, saris and spices), Little India (Masjid India) makes a great lunch or dinner detour.

Enlighten yourself

The ideal starting point to discover KL and its heritage sites is Merdeka Square. This is the historical place where the Union Jack descended on August 311957, marking Malaysia’s Independence.

The Islamic Arts Museum is worth a visit for the architecture alone, not to mention the extensive collection of Islamic artifacts or the quality Islamic crafts on sale at the museum shop. For glimpses of traditional architecture, take a walk in Kampung Baru, KL’s oldest residential area.

Masjid Jamek may not have the typical Malay architecture but it is one of the city’s most beautiful buildings. The oldest mosque in KL, Masjid Jamek was designed by British architect A.B. Hubback in 1909 and inspired by the Mogul mosques of North India.

Get acquainted with Malay history and culture at the National Museum (Muzium Negara Malaysia). And then get a feel for the art scene at the National Art Gallery, which features both permanent and temporary exhibitions of Malaysian art. The Gallery is flanked by the Lake Titiwangsa Gardens as well as the beautiful National Theatre building.

Seen the Batu Caves? To continue the odyssey into Hindu culture, pay a visit to KL’s principal Hindu Temple; Sri Maha Mariamman. In addition to the hints of jasmine and incense, the ornate decorations are overwhelming—gilt and precious stones abound. During the Thaipusam Festival the Temple’s large silver chariot is taken out and paraded to the Batu Caves. For added atmosphere, go in the evening when devotees are praying.

Add another temple to the itinerary on Seputeh hilltop, which houses the Thean Hou Buddhist Temple. With great views, this is the most popular place in KL for Chinese marriages. Experience the frenetic atmosphere during one of the major Chinese festivals such as Chinese New Year.

The Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is one of a kind. Besides being a base for the translocation team and a home for a number of resident elephants, Kuala Gandah aims to promote public awareness of the elephant’s plight in Malaysian and to support research into elephant’s translocation and conservation. Visitors are welcome throughout the year to join the elephant activities, help wash them in the nearby river and participate in feeding.

A different view…

For a change of perspective, take the lift to the observation platform of Kuala Lumpur Tower for a dizzy gaze or dine at the Seri Angkasa revolving restaurant. For repeat visitors, experience the view at sunset.

At 88 stories the KL icon Petronas Twin Towers was once the tallest building in the world. The incredible glass and steel construction is inspired by the Five Pillars of Islam. Besides their majestic height, the towers also house Malaysia’s own Philharmonic Orchestra (Dewan Filharmonik Petronas) which has been making sweet music since their inaugural performance in 1998. Get up-close and personal with more than 3,000 sea creatures of various shapes and sizes at the Aquaria KLCC.

Genting Highlands about 50km (less than an hour) from Kuala Lumpur is the most developed hill resort in Malaysia. The nightlife in Genting is something not to be missed. The resort includes two theme parks, both with amusement rides and attractions suitable for the entire family. The Awana horse ranch offers equestrian activities, rides for children and lessons for beginners.