Travel noTebook

GETTING T h E r E wh E r E TO E aT food destinations and although Kuala Lumpur boasts its share of renowned chefs, a vast array of cuisines – Malay, Chinese and Indian - is found in the upmarket food halls within shopping malls and at open-air hawker centres. For a quick pick me up snack, try roti canai or curry puffs, for lunch a thali, spicy laksa soup or mee goreng, and for a sugar fix try the brightly coloured desserts made from coconut milk. Choose the stall with the longest queue.

Malaysia Airlines flies frequently to Kuala Lumpur from Australia.

The modern high-rise buildings to the north east of the city, especially the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, are well worth a look. The towers light up the night sky, and like twin beacons, allow you to always know where you are. Standing at an awesome 452m with 88 stories, the towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004.

Kuala Lumpur has morphed into a safe, clean city, with excellent shopping, restaurants, fantastic hotels to suit every budget and many attractions to visit. I’ll be back again soon, because each time I visit, there is always something waiting to be discovered.

Tourism Malaysia

Lakshmi Vilas Restaurant

Little India

Fresh food delivery

Exquisite jewelled art

Islamic Arts Museum

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Malaysia Tourism Office

With its modern skyscrapers, diversity of its cuisine and luxurious shopping malls, Kuala Lumpur has emerged as one of Asia’s best stopover destinations well deserving of several days stay wh E r E TO STaY

Old style Kopitiams or coffee houses, once an integral part of Malaysian society, are hard to come by these days. Yut Kee, 35 Jalan Dang Wangi, has been serving coffee since 1928, and is now in its third generation. Restoran Teratai on the ground level of the Dayabumi building by the river has good coffee and Malay food. In Little India, I like Saravanaa Bhavan, 1007, Selangor Mansion, Jalan Masjid India, part of the Indian chain and Lakshmi Vilas Restaurant, 57 Lebuh Ampang. Good places to eat are to be found everywhere.

A favourable exchange rate translates to Kuala Lumpur being a bargain destination. The emergence of clean, comfortable, newly refurbished and centrally located hotels achieves further savings. Recommended budget hotels include the Citin Hotel Masjid Jamek and Tune Hotel, though there are other good budget hotels, many in Little India.

For a splurge, the splendidly deluxe Mandarin Oriental offers city skyline views and rooms that feature king-size beds and marble bathrooms. Just metres from the Petronas Twin Towers, Suria KLCC and a lake and garden ideal for a pleasant early morning or late afternoon stroll, .....

The Club Lounge is extraordinarily good with a welcoming, clubby ambience. The food and refreshments on offer throughout the day make it hard to leave. The pool is lovely, the gym wellequipped with trainers on hand, and the massage from the hotel spa the best I have ever had.

Access from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to downtown takes 28 minutes by train or one hour by taxi or bus. Kuala Lumpur’s public transport system is inexpensive, efficient and frequent, but negotiating three separately run monorail, commuter and light rail systems is challenging for the uninitiated. Taxis are inexpensive and numerous, just be alert as to where you are heading.

TIP

At KLIA, not having access to an airline lounge is no obstacle to boarding your flight feeling buffed, refreshed and ready to go. The Transit Hotel offers a shower, towel and soap for RM20. The Plaza Premium Lounge charges RM25. Both are open 24 hours.

Money-changers give the best rates, higher for larger denominations and prefer notes in pristine condition. While Kuala Lumpur is a relatively safe city, take care with your wallet while on trains and buses, at stations and when walking in Chinatown and Chow Kit. My overall impression is that Kuala Lumpur is becoming more affluent, relaxed and welcoming to visitors.

Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Malaysia for a visit of up to three months, provided their passports are valid for at least six months on arrival and they have a return or onward ticket to another international destination. For citizens of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan, a visa from the High Commission of Malaysia in Canberra is required. Tourism Malaysia has many brochures and is at Level 2, 171 Clarence Street, Sydney Phone: 02-9299 4441 Email: malaysia@malaysiatourism.com.au