Walking
Tours
It is possible to walk the streets in certain regions of Kuala Lumpur, such
as China Town or Little Indiaand Masjid, but a comprehensive
walking tour can be daunting, so this is not recommended. To be safer use a number of available public transport options to travel
between places. Tour
East (telephone: (04) 227 4522; fax: (04) 227 4755) has a three-hour
evening stroll and dinner tour, costing RM220 (including dinner).
It operates daily from January to March. The tours start with a
walk around the Central Market, ending with a trip to the
Menara Tower for dinner at the revolving restaurant. Prices include pick
up and drop off at the city hotels.
Bus Tours
Reliance
Travel (telephone: (03) 2148 6022 for tours, or 2148 6280 for
tickets; fax: (03) 2143 3997) has city tours, with free pick-ups
from hotels throughout Kuala Lumpur. The three-hour tours cost RM30.
The stops include the Golden Triangle, the National Museum,
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Masjid Jamek, the Sultan Abdul
Samad Building, the National Mosque and a handicraft
centre. Reliance Travel also provides airport transport and tours
to Putrajaya and Cyberjaya.
Cacinjo Holidays (telephone:
(03) 2770 1750; fax: (03) 2775 8633) offers a wide choice of tours in
and around the city. The 4-hour ‘Cultural Night Tour’
takes in China Town, Little India, Central Market, Merdeka Square,
the KLCC Twin Towers, the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange
and the Restoran Sri Melayu, where diners can watch a traditional
performance of Malaysian dance. Tours start at 6.45 pm and cost about
RM130 including the buffet meal. A complimentary city tour is included
at 09:30 the following day. Many hotels have details of other city
tours, as well as the tourist information office (see Tourist Information).
Excursions for Half Day
Batu Caves
The limestone Batu Caves (telephone: (03) 6189 6284), the most well-known
tourist excursion in the city, is located
13 kilometres (8 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur. The most visited part of the cave
complex is made up of Hindu temples with a 272-step climb to the
main Temple Cave. The Dark Cave has some impressive
rock formations and the Museum Cave rebuilds scenes from
Indian mythology. Every February, during the holy festival of Thaipusam,
this place attracts as many as 80,000 Hindu devotees and onlookers.
Drive time from
the Central Market to the Batu Caves is about 30 minutes by bus 11D.
Masjid Sultan Salahuddin Abdul
Aziz Shah (Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah State Mosque)
Surrounded by 10
hectares (30 acres) of tropical plantation, this computer-designed Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah State Mosque, 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of Kuala Lumpur in Shah Alam, is the largest mosque in the country and famous in South-East
Asia. It was constructed in 1988, designed with a mixture of traditional
Islamic and ethnic Malay architecture. The sparkling blue aluminium
dome, at a staggering 92 metre (302 feet) high, and its 4 towering minarets
is its most striking feature. Buses to the mosque operate from Klang
bus station. Another option is to take the Port Klang bound Kommuter
train to Shah Alam and then a bus or taxi to the mosque. The mosque
is open Monday to Thursday from 8.00 am - 12.00 pm and 2.00 - 4.00 pm and
Friday from 3.00 - 4.30 pm. Free admission.
Full
Day Excursions
Sunway Lagoon
Themepark
Built on redeveloped mining land, the Sunway Lagoon Themepark (telephone: (03) 5635 8000; fax: (03) 5635 5050) is a 15 minute drive from Kuala Lumpur, in Petaling Jaya. The Waters of Africa claims to own the world’s largest man-made surfing pool and
also has a good selection of African-theme water rides.
Two other parks, World of Adventure and Wild Wild West are
dry parks providing thrill rides with the former staking claim
to the world’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge. The park
is open Monday and Wednesday to Friday from 11.00 am - 6.00 pm while Saturday and Sunday,
public holidays and Malaysia school holidays from 10.00 am - 6.00 pm. Adult
admission is RM39 to all of the parks or RM27 to either the wet
or dry parks. Children’s fee is RM26 to all the parks or RM19
to just the wet park or dry parks.
The Sunway Lagoon Themepark is reached by bus from the Klang
or Puda Raya bus stations, the KMT Kommuter train stops at
Subang Jaya, the Putra LTR stops at Kelana Jaya and then a
feeder bus to the park or by taxi.
Templer’s
Park
Opened by the British during the colonial years, Templer’s
Park is 21 kilometres (13 miles) north of Kuala Lumpur.
It is set in a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) area of Malaysian jungle where
tourists have the opportunity to explore trails, swim in the pools
and relax by waterfalls. Templer’s Park is reached by bus
66 from Puda Raya bus station in the city centre. The park is open
24 hours daily and admission is free. |
