Selamat Datang to Kuala Lumpur KL TOURIST GUIDEBOOK Introduction Table of Contents This comprehensive KL Tourist Guidebook enables the pg 1 pg 87 licensed tourist guide, KL Ambassadors and tour operators to ZONE A: CITY CENTRE ZONE D: DAMANSARA - PENCHALA host tourists on a closer Malaysian cultural tour experience. 1. Kuala Lumpur City Centre 1. KL Sentral - Brickfields Recognising that accurate information is essential to 2. Golden Triangle 2. Bangsar - Pantai - Mid Valley delivering a positive visitor experience, Kuala Lumpur City 3. Bukit Bintang 3. Mont’ Kiara - Hartamas Hall has taken the initiative to ensure that tourist-facing personnel are equipped with the right facts and figures to 4. Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park 4. Penchala - Taman Tun Dr. Ismail 5. Dataran Mereka Heritage Area convey to tourists. The KL Tourist Guidebook has thus been pg 109 developed with the objective to enhance overall consistency, 6. Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman & Masjid India depth and experience of tour delivery. 7. Central Market, Chinatown & Pudu ZONE E: BUKIT JALIL - SEPUTEH 8. Jalan Hang Tuah 1. Istana Negara - Robson The KL Tourist Guidebook offers comprehensive facts, 9. Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin 2. Bukit Gasing & Bukit Putra descriptions and anecdotes of tourist spots in Kuala 10. Dang Wangi Lumpur, from museums, cultural enclaves, shopping 3. Bukit Jalil 11. Kampong Bharu malls, neighbourhoods, eateries, and various other tourist 4. Taman Danau Desa offerings. It is designed to be a one-stop guidebook for pg 63 pg 123 licensed tourist guides, tour operators as well as KL Tourism ZONE B: WANGSAMAJU - MALURI Ambassadors. ZONE F: BANDAR TUN RAZAK - SG BESI 1. Titiwangsa The KL Tourist Guidebook has been categorised according to 2. Setapak 1. Cheras the 6 strategic zones in Kuala Lumpur, namely: City Centre, 3. Ampang 2. Sungai Besi Wangsa Maju - Maluri, Sentul - Menjalara, Damansara - pg 77 Penchala, Bukit Jalil - Seputeh and Bandar Tun Razak - Sungai Besi. This is to enable readers to easily explore, discover and ZONE C: SENTUL - MANJALARA learn about the various offerings in each area of the city. 1. Kepong We hope you will put the KL Tourist Guidebook to good use. 2. Sentul Let us tell the world the story of Kuala Lumpur. 3. Desa Park City Mayor of Kuala Lumpur January 2015 KL TOURIST GUIDEBOOK Welcome to Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur, or popularly known as ‘KL’, is Malaysia’s capital city. It is one of Asia’s most vibrant and friendliest cities, and is home to a population of 1.7 million people. This modern metropolis is a melting ZONE C pot of diverse cultures and religions. The multiracial societies consist SENTUL - of Malays, Chinese, Indians and ethnic communities. MANJALARA Undeniably, Kuala Lumpur possesses a distinct and charming character. ZONE B The cityscape is an amazing contrast of the old and new, with Mughal WANGSA MAJU - styled grand buildings standing alongside modern skyscrapers. The MALURI impressive PETRONAS Twin Towers, a world-renowned icon and landmark of the country greet visitors. This not-to-be-missed city has amazing sights and sounds, parks and lush garden, gastronomic and entertainment enclave, exciting places of interest, and well-preserved heritage sites waiting to be explored ZONE D by discerning visitors. The city’s fashion and art scene is simply captivating. DAMANSARA - ZONE A PENCHALA CITY There is year round events and unique festivals, irresistible shopping CENTRE opportunities and year-round sales and delicious food. The city also has world-class accommodation facilities and is the venue for several prestigious international events. ZONE E Recognitions: BUKIT JALIL - • 6th Most Visited City in the world by Euromonitor International (2012) SEPUTEH • 4th Best Shopping City in the World by CNN (2012) ZONE F • 2nd Best Shopping Destination in Asia Pacific by Globe Shopper Index (2012) BANDAR TUN RAZAK - • ‘Asia’s Leading City Break Destination’ by the World Travel SUNGAI BESI Awards (2011) Kuala Lumpur City Hall has initiated several tourism programs to increase the tourist experiences and length of stay, and to further spur its growth in the global tourism sector. KL TOURIST GUIDEBOOK History of Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur or ‘Muddy country, were the first foreigners the merchants of the Straits British Administration from there were thousands of Chinese Estuary’ began as a settlement to tap Malaysia’s tin deposits Settlements, the British Klang to Kuala Lumpur. tin miners in Malaya (old name of tin miners in 1857. A Malay into commercial production. intervened to end the Selangor of the country before the chief, Raja Abdullah Raja Ja’afar Following the widespread Civil War, and on 20 January From the 1880s British formation of Malaysia in 1963). sent a group of 87 Chinese repression of the Manchu rulers 1874 they brokered the Pangkor government offices were built miners upriver from the coastal in China during this period, Engagement that empowered a across the river from the unruly In 1889 Swettenham persuaded town of Klang to open up new thousands of southern Chinese new British supported ruler for Chinese settlement on the east four of the Malay Sultans to and larger tin mines in the workers came to work in these Selangor. bank. unite under the Federated Malay interiors of the state of Selangor newly discovered tin mines of States (FMS). Swetthenham at Ampang, Pudu and Batu. Selangor. The Pangkor Engagement In 1881, a major fire destroyed went on to become Resident introduced the concept of British the makeshift huts of the General and chose Kuala Lumpur These tin miners sailed with It was a violent period of Kuala Residents, which had a profound Chinese settlement. The British as the capital of the newly their heavily laden boats and Lumpur’s history, initially effect on Kuala Lumpur. As who were by then in firm control formed FMS. landed at the muddy estuary among the Malay rulers consultants to the various of the administration insisted of the Gombak and Klang warring for rights to the tin and Sultans around Malaysia, the that areas destroyed by fire as The multiracial community of rivers, the most interior point later involving Chinese secret Residents (British Civil Servants) well as new buildings be built this period settled in various of the waterway where their societies for control of tin-rich advised on all matters except using bricks and tiles, resulting sections of town. Market Square, vessels could reach. The miners districts in Selangor. The most those touching on Malay religion in the Chinatown we see today. east of Klang river became established a small base at this tumultuous incident was in 1867 and customs. the commercial centre of for confluence and soon it became when the Selangor Civil War Sir Frank Swettenham, the the whole town. The chinese an important settlement that erupted and lasted till 1874. In 1875, the colonial rule began British Resident of Selangor congregated around this Square flourished and became known when a British resident was from 1882 to 1884, planned to and south into Chinatown. To as Kuala Lumpur. A year into this civil war, Yap appointed to ‘advise’ the Malay rebuilt Kuala Lumpur to take its the North, across Java Street Ah Loy was declared the third Sultans. In 1880, the British present form. (now Jalan Tun Perak) were the Much of Kuala Lumpur’s growth ‘Kapitan China’, a position he Resident for Selangor, Bloomfield Malays. Nearby, a number of coincided with the industrial assumed during the intense Douglas, relocated the Selangor By the latter half of the century Indian Chettiars (money lenders) revolutions in North America conflict among the Malay and Indian Muslim traders set and the British Empire, which rulers. He is still regarded by up business. West of the Klang significantly increased the many as the founder of Kuala river was the focal point of the world demand for tin. It was Lumpur and the settlement British Administration. the international interest in tin expanded considerably under (especially that of the British), his leadership. However, the civil Malaya obtained independence which expedited the growth war forced Yap Ah Loy to leave in 1957, with Kuala Lumpur as its of this place as an active Kuala Lumpur and by the time capital. Kuala Lumpur remained commercial centre. he returned in 1873, much of the capital through the the small town was in ruins. formation of Malaysia, achieving The Chinese, with considerable city status in 1972, and Federal mining experience in their own Meanwhile, at the request of Territory status in 1974. KL TOURIST GUIDEBOOK Useful Information The Weather changers and some hotels. Most hotels The different ethnic groups also speak embassy before travelling here or visit and large retail outlets accept major their own dialects. Mandarin and www.imi.gov.my. The tropical climate in Kuala Lumpur credit cards and travelers cheques. Cantonese are widely spoken by the makes the weather warm and pleasant Chinese, while the Indians also speak all year round, with temperatures of Tamil. Telecommunications 28°C to 36°C. Generally, rain occurs Business Hours occasionally all year round. Postal and communication services are The official operating hours for most available throughout Kuala Lumpur. Religion retail shops and shopping centres in Mobile networks operate on the Global Money Kuala Lumpur are from 10.00am to Islam is the official religion of Malaysia. System for Mobile Communications 10.00pm. Government offices operate However, other religions such as (GSM) network and roaming services The Malaysian Ringgit, written as RM from 8.00am to 4.30pm on weekdays Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity are readily available. (currency code: MYR), is the main only. Banking hours are from 9.15am are also widely practiced. Most trading currency in Malaysia. Notes If needed, you can purchase prepaid to 4.30pm on Mondays to Fridays religious festivals are national public come in denominations of RM100, telephone cards that are available on and post offices open from 8.30am to holidays.