I have been exploring South-East Asia for over twenty years and have visited some of the best destinations in the region. Through my blog, I want to share some interesting travel tips, my experience of driving across Asian destinations and some of the best places to explore in this region. I have undertaken hundreds of road trips, across Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia. Most of the information in this blog comes through my own road trips and adventures in the exotic locations I have visited.
I have, in the past followed in Anthony Bourdain's footsteps and visited most of the restaurants his team explored in their shows. Join in on my adventures and follow my trails on Instagram & Facebook Page.
This area is the heart of business and entertainment in Kuala Lumpur. The area is nestled between three main roads:
Some popular most online booked hotels in KLCC Include
This is an award-winning fine-dining bar located on top of the Jalan Mayang office Building. You will find the prices quite reasonable as compared to other similar venues in the city. You can capture a great view of the KL skyline and Petronas tower.
Skybar is a popular bar and cafe located on the top of the Shangrila Hotel by Shangrila. Enjoy live music by the poolside rooftop bar overlooking KLCC Park and Petronas Tower. The atmosphere is very lively and you can spend a memorable night at this amazing location.
Arrived in KL in 2009 and represents a class in style and luxury. The store has a similar interior as off branch in London. You will find rows of cakes, a terracotta facade and dark green awnings.
The Malaysian population is an interesting mix of various religions. Travelling across the country you will come across beautiful architecture in temples & mosques. During my various visit to Malaysian cities, I have explored a number of beautiful mosques. Here are some of my favourite locations I visited during my trips.
Lake Burrill is approximately 300km south of Sydney. August is a great time of the year to explore southern highlands as the weather is quite cold at night and days are warm and sunny at this time of the year. The roads are not very crowded and it is quite easy to find accommodation along the coast. Lake Burrill and surrounding regions are popular for fishing all year round.
The Snowy Mountains Region is home to premier skiing resorts in NSW, Australia. Easily accessible from Canberra (1.5-hour drive) and Sydney (4.5-hour drive), the region attracts large crowds from around the country. The ski season begins around mid-June and lasts till mid-September. Early snow is sure to bring hordes of skiers and tours to this region and accommodation at Thredbo and Persihers is quickly taken up.
Kuala Lumpur is a thriving metropolis offering lots of activities to the single traveller for family travel. This is a very popular destination for couples going for honeymoon. With a beautiful mix of people of various ethnic and religious background, one can immediately see diversity in cultural lifestyles and beautiful blend of traditional and modern. Malaysia has a rich cultural heritage and for a more keen traveller can explore areas like Penang and Malacca.
If you do not like using public transport you can rent a mid-size to economy car for around 50RM per day from KL airport. Make sure you are fully insured when you rent a vehicle. The road conditions are pretty good. However, for newcomer driving without GPS is a practical nightmare. Rent GPS for extra 10RM and you are ready to rock. Some of the hotels in the city do not have parking, therefore, you might have to park in the metered parking outside. Watch out for the timing and always carry change. I stayed at Hotel Sempurana at Bukit Bintang. It was newly opened in 2008. Rooms were rather small but the service was very good and staff very friendly. Around the corner, you can find some other hotels around 80RM.
You will be surprised by the nightlife of the KL city. Most street side restaurants open around 6 pm and stay open till 4 am in the morning. People socialize, chat, watch soccer matches while sipping tea Tarek and enjoying their meals. For a western, this might appear as a shocking experience where shopping centres close around 5 and nothing much happening during the weekdays.
Here is a typical itinerary if your plan to explore KL in three days
Day 1
Stay at Bukit Bintang, visit Shopping centres in the neighbourhood. In the evening visit the bars in KLCC and visit Petronas tower. Later drive back to Bukit Bintang and find a nice restaurant for dinner while enjoying the crowds of fellow travellers in restaurants and bars.
Pavilion Shopping Center in Bukit Bintang
Day 2
Drive down to Putra Jaya and explore the beautiful city, building and take a cruise in the river. Drive back to the city by mid-day and visit Masjid India. Get off at Masjid Jamek Station and walk down to Pasar Seni Station. You can enjoy local food for around 6MG (1.5$). From there you can walk down to Sultan Abdul Samad Building, Merdeka Square, National History Museum.
Kuala Lumpur KTM headquarters
Day 3
Drive up to Batu Caves. Spend an hour and then get on the freeway to Genting Highlands. There is too much to do for a day.
Sukhumvit is the heart of entertainment and night-life and very popular with middle-eastern and businessmen for India-Pakistan. You will find lots of nice bars, restaurants and clubs. Sukhumvit is 10 minutes train ride away from Siam Square. A popular destination for sex tourism with side alleys called soi, popular for bars including (Nana Entertainment Plaza and Soi Cowboy).
Bangsar stands out as one of the most captivating neighbourhoods in Kuala Lumpur, drawing a significant ex-pat following. The neighbouring suburbs of Mount Kiera and Damansara also appeal to a diverse ex-pat population. With a blend of cultures, the area's businesses, from restaurants to fashion outlets, cater to Western preferences. Embrace Bangsar's distinctive lifestyle and add it to your itinerary for an unforgettable exploration of Kuala Lumpur City.
Best way to enjoy KL heritage and culture is to take a historic tour through the old part of the city. You can book your tour with one of the daily tours or explore at your own pace. The street is marked for destination and distance. If you are good with maps and like to explore a bit you might as well do the tour yourself which normally costs around 150RM ( $15).
I decided to take a walk from Masjid Jamek. You can catch the train to the stop near Masjid Jamek. The area offers great shopping options and gives insight into the rich history of the city. Little India, Chinatown and Central Market is walking distance from this place. I walked towards the Central Markets which are quite popular for local artifacts, handicrafts. You can buy a wide range of souvenirs. The markets are a landmark of Kuala Lumpur since the 1940s and are divided into handicrafts of various races that live in Malaysia. Walking through the Markets you can feel the rich cultural heritage and diversity of cultures in the country.
Kuala Lumpur offers a wide range of cheap and affordable accommodation catering to backpackers and budget-minded travellers. Offering over 50,000 rooms, Kuala Lumpur City caters to visitors in all price ranges. With cheap and quality budget hotels available in almost all suburbs in the city, Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia are increasingly becoming the most visited city in the world.
Bijan | Sek Yu-En | Yut Kee | Sri Nirwana Maju | Precious Old China Restaurant | Pelita
Kuala Lumpur is an interesting mix of modern and traditional restaurants catering to international as well as diverse ethnic population. During my various visits to Kuala Lumpur, I have explored some very interesting restaurants at all prices ranges. An interesting fact about Kuala Lumpur is that food is quite cheap as compared to other international cities. Most shopping malls have food courts where you can find local food at very affordable rates. Some of the 5 and 4-star hotels have a variety of restaurants offering international and fusion food. Here is a list of some of my favourites restaurants in Kuala Lumpur.