A Second Look at Malaysia – An Eye on Kuala Lumpur

You might have already looked at Southeast Asia, and we’re pretty happy about that. Usually once the weather goes cold and people look at ways to stay warm and cozy, they don’t really think about traveling, let alone traveling that far out of the country. Isn’t this the time where you’re supposed to go on holiday with your family and friends?

Definitely. We are never going to tell you that the classic family vacation or holiday is going to be something that you’re going to want to avoid during the Christmas season. However, you might want to stop and think about everything else that you want to accomplish. The pursuit of travel is not sinful, nor is it something that you really need to ignore at all. It’s better to make sure that you think about the bigger picture. It’s better to really think about everything else going on in the background — like the amazing travel deals to be had for flights to Southeast Asia.

Of course, we’re talking about a whole region. That’s not going to help you really narrow down anything. There’s so much ground to cover that it can be hard to really figure out what more you could possibly want. However, we have a solution for you: Malaysia.

Oops! There we go being nonspecific and vague. Let’s try this again: Kuala Lumpur. We could write ten guides about Malaysia and still not cover everything there is to see and do, but we can start somewhere. You might have already thought about Malaysia, and you might even have already thought about KL, but if you really want somewhere different to check out before Christmas, this is really the place to be. Let’s go into Kuala Lumpur again and by the end of this guide, you’ll see exactly why so many people like visiting this city.

Simply put, KL is the capital of the country of Malaysia. It’s a HUGE city that merges with other cities. There are nearly 6.5 million people in the city, and it’s got plenty of amazing gems just waiting for tourists that are willing to try something different for a change.

There are a few districts that will come up in conversation, just in case you’re thinking about looking on other travel sites for more information. You have of course the City Centre, which is the core of the city. This is where you’ll find the old commercial structures and much of the history of KL.

But if you really want the usual tourists’ comforts, you’re going to need to head to the north-east of the city, where you will find the Golden Triangle. This is where the hotels are going to be, as well as the Petronas Twin Towers. KL is known around the world for having some of the cheapest 5 star hotels in the world — especially when you think about what this type of luxury can cost you in other areas of the world.

There’s Damansara and Hartamas, two areas that have neat restaurants. If you’re not trying to get into chain restaurants and stereotypical tourist food, this would be a great district to explore. There are also wonderful Indian pockets of the city, which as Bangasar and Brickfields.

There are malls, restaurants, zoos, theme parks, and more waiting for you, with things for every budget you might have.

You might have heard that Kuala Lumpur has had a violent past, and that is definitely true. There were some rough times in the past, but the truth is that if you really want to think about it from the right perspective, there is potential for crime everywhere. Tourism is very important to all of Malaysia, and KL is no exception to this rule. As long as you practical common safety and sense, you should be just fine.

You will want to think about getting in by plane, of course — and all flights flow through Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

To get around, we recommend taking the taxis and otherwise using public transportation. The city is modern enough that between taxis, walking, buses, and even limos, you should be just fine. There’s really no need to rent a car unless you utterly want to deal with all of the driving on your own.

So what about the culture of KL? Well, there are a lot of languages bubbling around. Most Malaysians that call KL home will be fluent in Malay, English, and another tongue — usually Cantonese or even Mandarin Chinese. If you only know English though, it’s not the end of the world. You will still be just fine. There is going to be a push to learn a few words from Malay in order to show the locals that you’re a bit more “on the ball” than a usual tourist, but again — it’s not a requirement. Neither is a requirement to stay covered up. However, if you show respect by choosing your clothes carefully, you’ll have a lot more respect paid to you. Traveling in business clothes is always good, and you will also want to make sure that you take off your shoes if you are invited into someone’s home.

When it comes to food, there are plenty of food choices to choose from. You will want to still always make sure that you’re thinking about  what you actually want to sample. There’s going to be food on every budget, and the food reflects all of the different cultures that have come to call KL home.

Malaysians love eating and they love cooking, so expect to find a lot of coffee shops. Since there is a large Muslim population, you will find quite a bit of halal food if that’s something that’s important to you.

Chinese food is also going to be very easy to find, so make sure that you look into that as well. It’s just a matter of really making sure that you bring your appetite — there really are lots of food options!

Just make sure that you don’t plan on getting a late night meal all the time, as the restaurants tend to close very early compared to what it’s like in other countries.

Accommodations are really what brings people into Kuala Lumpur. There are plenty of options for every budget, so you just need to make sure that you look online. If you’re going to fly in from another country, then it’s also smart to look for package deals. That way you can get a luxurious hotel that has a lot of amenities and still not have to worry about where you’re going to stay. The nicer hotels are always going to be located close to places to eat and to shop, so don’t worry about getting lost.

Between sightseeing, eating, and interacting with all of the historical sites in Kuala Lumpur, chances are good that you are definitely going to have a great time! Why not check out this wonderful city for yourself?