Batu Caves

 

These caves 13 km from KL's city center should not be missed. Guarded by the world's largest statue of Hindu God Murugan and a spate of monkeys, they were discovered in 1878 by American Naturalist, William Hornaday. The cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India, dedicated to Lord Murugan. It is the focal point of Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Malaysia.

To reach Batu Caves – you can go by bus or train

1. Catch the bus from Bukit Bintang shop 7-11 (Seven Eleven) to Bangkok Bank in China Town (1RM). From Bangkok Bank there is a bus number 11 which takes you all the way to the main entrance of Batu Caves (3RM)
2. go to KL Sentral and catch the train to Batu Caves (2RM). Batu Caves to KL Sentral (2RM)
3. or you can compbine – go there by bus and come back by train or the other way around. You will see much more.
   

WHAT TO VISIT IN KUALA LUMPUR

KLCC: Kuala Lumpur City Center

Kuala Lumpur City Centre is a multi purpose development area in KL. The area is located around Jalan Ampang, Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Binjai, Jalan Kia Peng and Jalan Pinang.

Designed to be a city with-in a city, the 100 acres site hosts the tallest twin buildings in the world, shopping mall, hotels, office buildings and several hotels. A public park and a mosque is also built on the area and open to everyone. The whole project is cooled via district cooling located on the property.

Suria KLCC is currently the only and main commercial center in the KLCC area. The shopping mall occupies space underneath the Petronas Twin Towers and shares it's parking lot with it. The six story shopping mall has been extended to Menara Carigali since 2011. There are plans to extend the mall to Lot K and Lot D1.

The mall is connected to the KLCC LRT station making it access to public transport easier. It also serve as one of the bus hubs for Bandar Buses of RapidKL. The mall also has a tunnel link to Kuala Lumpur Convention Center which in turn connects to Bukit Bintang shopping district.

Aquarium

Nestled in the heart of the bustling "Golden Triangle" of Kuala Lumpur and within walking distance from the Petronas Twin Towers, Aquaria KLCC is a state-of-the-art oceanarium showcasing over 5,000 different exhibits of aquatic and land-bound creatures over a sprawling 60,000 square-foot space in the Concourse Level of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

- if you have time definitely visit it. During the weekends it can get crowded. The entrance is 45RM (http://www.aquariaklcc.com/) .

Petronas Towers and the Sky Bridge
 

The best way to visit the towers/bridge is to buy a ticket in advance. We bought a ticket for the evening (around 6.15pm) as we wanted to see the sunset. We had really nice views over KL. The ticket cost 50 RM and it allows you to enter one of the Petronas Towers (86^th floor) and also the famous Sky Bridge 41^st and 42^nd floor. One is for the visitors and the other is for the workers in the Petronas Towers.

Sky Bar: Luna Bar 
 

Luna Bar – situated in Pacific Regency Hotel Suites, Jalan Punchak – off Jalan P. Ramlee street. It boasts one of the most breathtaking views in Asia thanks to its location on 34^th floor of the Pacific Regency Hotel Apartments. We visited it during the day while it was almost empty. It has a swimming pool in the middle – only for the hotel guests. I think it is really nice to visit it during the day.
                                                                                    Trader's Hotel Sky Bar                                                                                
 

Traders Hotel – the SkyBas is situated in teh Traders hotel on 33^rd floor. It has been also named 'The Best Malaysian Bar'. The views are spectacular, especially in the evening when the KLCC is lightened up and the Petronas Towers too. It is absolutely worth to visit!

Bukit Bintang 
 

Nestled within KL's Golden Triangle. Bukit Bintang is the name of the shopping and entertainment district of KL. It encompasses Jalan Bukit Bintang and its immediate surrounding areas. The area has long been Kuala Lumpur's most prominent retail belt that is home to many landmark shoppimg centres, al-fresco cafés, swanky bars, night markets, as well as hawker-type eateries. This area is popular among tourists and locals, especially among the youths. A part of Bintang Walk is designated as an "Arab Street".

China Town

At the heart of Kuala Lumpur is an area which never sleeps, and far more colourful and bustling than its bigger and more glamourous neighbours, KLCC & Bukit Bintang. Chinatown, based in Petaling Street, is also known as 'Chee Cheong Kai' (Starch Factory Street), a reference to its roots as a tapioca-producing district. Deeply immersed in Oriental culture, heritage and history, Chinatown is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist spots in Malaysia.

Chinatown is also a well-known bargain hunter’s paradise, a place where you can find all sorts of stuff from Chinese herbs to imitation goods. At night, its main market area, Petaling Street, transforms into a lively and vibrant night market, filled with hundreds of stalls offering all kinds of goods at dirt-cheap prices, and the best thing is, the prices can be brought lower still as haggling is the way of life here

Chinatown’s biggest Attractions is perhaps the rows and rows of stalls selling all types of merchandise from food to clothing at bargainable prices. But look further and you will find that there’s more to Chinatown than fake branded goods. Just around the corner from this paradise of bargains are temples that have been around for more than a century. 

 

Few more notes on China Town from my experience

China Town with its Petaling street is a paradise for bargain shoppers. You will find there anything you look for. If you are there during lunch time, have a lunch in one of the small restaurants. If you would like to see some cultural performances, they usually happen during afternoons by the Central Market (formerly known as KL's Wet Market). Central Market became the largest Malaysia arts and craft centre. 

 

Little India

From the station Masjit Jamek (the opposite direction to China Town) you find a Pasar Malam (Night Market) on Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It is opened from late afternoon till 10pm. It can get really crowded. If you fancy to eat Indian food, then definitely this is the place to visit.

                 
Merdeka Square

Merdeka means that the offices of the Colonial Secretariat on the Selangor Club Padang (field) became the Sultan Abdul Samad Building on Darteran Mereka (Independence Square).

•  it is a nice place with a colonial buildings around but there is not much to do...

Transport in Kuala Lumpur

You can travel by Public transport (buses, MRT and LRT) – the whole KL is very well connected. If you are staying in Bukit Bintang the easiest way to go to China Town is either to take the bus or MRT. If you go to KLCC then you can either walk there (by the walk path through the shopping malls – just ask) – Bukit Bintang is connected by the tunnels with the Convention Center - or follow the MRT train line until you reach Beach Club Cafe and turn right (on Jalan P Ramlee there is a small Tourit Office which can provide you with a KL Map and tell you how to reach KLCC)

Transport in KL is cheap and fast. Walking in KL might cause a bit confusion as it is not the city for walkers.

Sentral Station: one of the main hubs for the trains and buses. You also get to the airport form there – KLIA or LCCT.

Where we stayed in Kuala Lumpur

Our stay was in Bukit Bintang area which was very convenient to get to (even by walk) to KLCC or China Town (by local bus 1RM). There is also Bukit Bintang Monorail Station (just few minutes from the hostels). In the evenings there are lots of places to eat (I would say more Chinese style food) but really delicious. If you want to do shopping, you find around 9 shopping plazas/malls next to each other.

We stayed at Sunshine Bedz KL (enquiry@sunshinebedtz.com.my) – booking through hostelworld.com

- it was a very nice hostel with nice rooms (although it was a bit noisy from the street). Cheap (100MYR per room with private bathroom), clean, convenient and included breakfast.

- the owner Patrick Jones cavemans@rocketmail.com +603 2143 5050

On our way back we stayed at Paradiso Bed and Breakfast (www.paradiso-kl.com) or you can contact on info@paradiso-kl.com, paradiso_kl@hotmail.com – Mr Hazdy Firdaus +6012 341 0853

- just next door to Sunshine Bedz. The room did not have window but had aircon and it was great becasue we could sleep peacefully. The room was decent size. The hostel was cheap (80 MYR per room with shared bathroom), clean, convenient and included breakfast. What I liked the most about this hostel was that they had all infomration for tourists on the walls – how to get where, how much it cost, the tours, absolutely everything (the times, cost etc). Absolutely recommended!

How to get from the airport to Kuala Lumpur (KLIA or LCCT)– Bukit Bintang

1. The cheapest way from KLIA to go to center is to take bus (9RM) to KL Sentral and then the public transport where you need to go (Monorail to Bukit Bintang, 2.10RM). The last MRT is around 11.30pm/ the first MRT is at 6.05am. There is also a bus for 10 RM – Airport Coach www.airportcoach.com.my or you can email airportcoachklia@live.com.my – every hour from 5am.
2. From the KLIA (KL International airport) you can catch the Star Shuttle bus to go directly to your hotel (it is 18 RM)
3. If you are coming to LCCT (KL Low cost terminal) then you can take the bus for 8RM or 9RM to KL Sentral from where you can take the public transport where you need (http://lcct.klia.com.my/) or www.aerobus.my
4. Alternatively you can take KLIA Ekspres train (http://www.kliaekspres.com) - cost around 35RM.
5. Another option is to take Transit Train which is a bit slower than Express Train and it cost 12.50 RM.
6. Taxi from / to the airport is around 80RM – 100RM (depending if it is during the day or night)