Petronas Towers

The King's Palace

The National Monument

Once a tin-mining shantytown, Kuala Lumpur has grown to become a thriving 21st-century metropolis – proud, yet with its feet well and truly planted on the ground.

KL (as it is commonly known) is at once similar and dissimilar to other metropolises in South East Asia. The likenesses are obvious: the warm weather, the gracious hospitality, the exotic aromas, the bargain shopping. The differences, perhaps less so.

However, a quick peek under the veneer of the Malaysian capital soon sheds light on these distinctions. For one thing, KL is much smaller than the megacities of Singapore, Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta, a disparity most noticeable on the city’s relatively calm roads. Another welcome difference is the number, or lack thereof, of tanked-up revellers on its streets, owing mostly to the nation’s Islamic heritage.

Any tour of Kuala Lumpur will take you past the Petronas Towers. A symbol of the city’s burgeoning growth, the twin towers are a beacon of Malaysian ingenuity and determination. If you want free tickets for the 41st floor Skybridge (the highest visitors can go), you’ll need to get there early. But don’t fret if you miss out on tickets to the towers as the nearby 421-metre high Menara KL affords even better views of the city.

Nearby, the King’s Palace is the home of Malaysia’s head of state. Tourists aren’t allowed on to the palace grounds, but the views from the main entrance attract throngs of onlookers each day, especially around noon, when the changing of the guards occurs. When the flag is down, the king’s out of town, visitors are told.

Equally popular with tourists is KL’s Lake Gardens. Home to deer, bird and butterfly parks as well as the city’s Planetarium, this 91.6 hectare green space offers tourists a relaxing escape from downtown KL. Also located within the gardens is the National Monument and Cenotaph. The monument is a massive bronze sculpture commemorating those who died in Malaysia's struggles for freedom, principally against the Japanese occupation during World War II and the Malayan Emergency.

If you want to head to neighbouring Independence Square, home to the world’s tallest flag-pole (100 metres), make sure you don’t go when Malaysia is celebrating Army Day – more like week – in early March, or you won’t get anywhere near it.

To gain an appreciation of the nation’s Islamic heritage, visitors can head to the National Mosque of Malaysia. With a total capacity of 15,000, the mosque is easily recognisable by its ‘umbrella’ shaped roof. Next door is the excellent Islamic Arts Museum.

Food, shopping, sightseeing: whatever your reasons are for coming to KL, you are sure to find new ones to bring you back. Melihat anda ada!