Leaps and bounds in Kuala Lumpur

Thursday, March 24, 2011

I HAD often seen the enticing promotional ads, so finally, the decision had come, to make a trip to Kuala Lumpur. Not having seen the city in over a decade, I was curious to discover the changes and developments since my last visit. I was certainly in for a surprise.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia. The Malaysian King’s official residence is in this city and the seat of Parliament is located here as well.

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Kuala Lumpur, also known to many as “KL”, actually means “muddy confluence” because it situated at the confluence of Gombak River, also once known as “Lumpur River” and Klang River. It is a fascinating city that has a mix of the old and the new, and you can witness this as you go around this huge city.

To date, the direct flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur are no longer in operation, so check with your travel agents or on your own, which airline you would prefer to take to get to Kuala Lumpur, based on budget and schedules.

Whether on a business trip or for leisure, I would suggest that you read up on some basic facts about Kuala Lumpur. This is a big city, so study the lay-out and where the major attractions are located. From there, the question of where to stay will be a lot easier to determine. For more information on Kuala Lumpur, try to check www.tourism.gov.my.

If you have limited time on your trip, like I did, you could start with a hop on and hop off tour of Kuala Lumpur. This makes things a lot easier and more convenient.

They even have a website, www.myhoponhopoff.com.

There are a total of 22 stops and the ones that stood out for me were the KL Tower, Bintang Walk, China Town, National Palace, Little India, KL Sentral, National Museum, Lake Garden, Dataran Merdeka and the KLCC. But of course, you will need to check the stops out for yourself and see what other stops may interest you.

Also, check out the cuisine in Kuala Lumpur. There is a huge variety of restaurants and cafes to choose from. Try to visit a kopitiam which is literally a coffee shop and can be found all over the city. For something very local, go to a food court which Malaysians refer to as Medan Selera. You can also check out open air food stalls called mamaks and even a night market, pasar malams for more traditional food sampling.

If shopping is more what you seek, there are so many places that offer good buys and bargains. You can start at Bukit Bintang, where malls like Berjaya Times Square, Pavillion KL, Fahrenheit88 and a lot more are located. At Jalan Ampang, you can find the Suria KLCC, Great Eastern Mall and also Avenue K. If you want more, there are the areas of Bangsar and Midvalley to visit.

I would advise anyone going on a trip, to always note some important facts about your destination, like telephone numbers and hotlines of the police, hospitals, banks, credit card companies, ports, airport, bus stations and the tourist office.

Kuala Lumpur, for me, feels like a destination I never expected to be so fascinating.

The changes and development are extremely impressive. I am very curious to see what the future could be like for this city and I wait in anticipation for what lies ahead for Kuala Lumpur. The advancement of this city has certainly taken place in leaps and bounds, and for sure, I see some more in the years ahead.