After two weeks in India Sean and I craved a break from the terrifying traffic, 100+ degree heat and constant crush of peddlers, beggars and people on the streets. We found respite not at an ashram, on the beach or even in the Himalayas. Instead we ended up decompressing in a completely different country, Malaysia.
A brief work assignment had brought us to the ultra modern and immaculate capital Kuala Lumpur. Although I had been skeptical about the destination — I had hoped to make it not to Southeast Asia but to Nepal on this journey — this city of two million won my heart. With its law-abiding drivers, 90-degree weather and subdued pedestrians KL was a godsend.
On our first day we went to the Perdana Lake Garden. Number of Malays who accosted us on our 15-minute walk to the public park? Zero! Number of times that we jumped out of the path of a deranged driver barreling down the wrong side of the road into oncoming traffic? Nil!
Inside the tranquil garden we followed a well-marked, paved path to the KL Bird Park. The world’s largest free flight, walk-in aviary, the KL Bird Park housed over 5,000 birds and 50 different species. Ninety percent were indigenous to Malaysia.
High points of the KL Bird Park? Taking photos of the petite, plump conures and surreal hornbills. Watching Sean feed the lories. Watching a staff person feed fish to the yellow-billed storks. Sitting down at a cafe table and eating ice cream bars in the quiet park. Such a pleasant place!
More bustling but no less fun was the night market on Petaling Street. To reach the open air market, we took the subway to Chinatown and walked one block to the crowded, pedestrian-only area. There we found endless aisles of produce vendors, coffee roasters, clothing salesmen, tchotchke shops and Southeast Asian restaurants. Anything that you could possibly want, including exotic fruits, knock-off Fendi purses and miniature replicas of the Petronas Twin Towers, you could buy at the night market.
We couldn’t visit Kuala Lumpur without seeing the city’s most famous site, the Petronas Twin Towers. Until the Tapei 101 usurped them, the 88-story Petronas Towers were the tallest skyscrapers in the world. Although they’ve lost that title, they still remain the tallest twin towers in existence.
Our first glimpse came courtesy of the KL Tower, the world’s 4th tallest communications tower. From the KL Tower’s observation deck we could take in all of Kuala Lumper, including the nearby Petronas Twin Towers. Our next peek was from a cab during a storm. Tired of all the teasers, we finally took the subway to KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Center) and went into the Towers. As visitors can only travel to the skybridge on the 41st floor and as the Skybridge had reached its limit of visitors for the day, we stuck to the 6-level Suria KLCC shopping mall. Air conditioning, cafes, high-end stores – the Suria KLCC in the Twin Towers had it all.
Other great sites and aspects of KL? The Menara Kuala Lumpur or KL Tower was a neat spot. Situated high on a hill, it appeared taller the the Petronas Towers although, in reality, it’s not. Likewise, we relished the light, delicious cuisine, the iced beverages, clean and efficient railway system and slower pace of Malaysia. Granted, it’s not perfect — take a look at the headlines about the caning of a female, Muslim tourist or the country’s political woes — but for us a few peaceful days in Kuala Lumpur was exactly what we needed.