Kuala Lumpur
The capital of Malaysia is known for its multicultural community, composed mainly of Malaysians, Indians and Chinese, but also by representatives of all other nationalities. That is why it is one of the most colorful cities in Southeast Asia, where you can enjoy noisy events all year round, in bustling markets and a variety of architectural styles, religious buildings and ways of life. For many people, not yet visited Kuala Lumpur, the first association is with the Petronas Towers - one of the tallest buildings in the world. But if you stay and want to get to know the city, you will find more amazing temples, Moorish and Islamic architecture, parks and botanical gardens with unsuspected attractions. And so, where to start our tour in Kuala Lumpur?
If you like to collect records, then the Petronas Towers are your must stop in Kuala Lumpur. 452-the twin meter towers were the tallest buildings in the world in between 1999 and 2004 r. and to this day remain the tallest twin towers in the world. The towers have two observation decks. One is on 170 m height of the bridge, connecting the two buildings, known as SkyBridge. The next one is on the 86th floor of a tower 2. At the base of the towers there is a large shopping center with shops, restaurants and a variety of entertainment.
The Kuala Lumpur Tower, also known as Menara Kuala Lumpur, rises to 421 meters above the city and gives a slightly different perspective. It is the seventh tallest free-standing tower in the world. Except for an observation deck, the tower also has a revolving restaurant at a height above 330 meters.
Kuala Lumpur is a place of diverse and curious religious sites. They are located at 11 km north of Kuala Lumpur, in a limestone hill of about 400 million years, in which a more than 100-year-old temple is buried. There are a total of three large caves and many small ones in the hill. The temple, located on the territory of the caves and dedicated to the god of war Murugan, is one of the most sacred places of the Hindus in the country. The annual Thaipusam Festival is held here, which attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors. It is usually in late January and begins the evening before the date with a procession from the Sri Mariamman Temple in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Pilgrims walk the distance to the caves and arrive in the early morning hours. The festivities last for hours and are extremely colorful. In previous years, the festival has attracted over 1 million visitors.
You will also notice pilgrims in the Batu caves, offering gifts to their gods - often in ornate wooden milk containers, called kavadi, which they wear on their heads or hung on a rocker, in the likeness of menci. Piercing body and face parts is also a religious ritual, performed during the festivities.
To reach the temple, you have to climb 272 steps. In front of it you will see the tallest statue in the world of the god Murugan - 42,7 meters. They were used to make it 1550 cubic meters of concrete, 250 tons of iron and 300 liters. gold paint.
Chinatown is always a charming place and area, in which you can shop at low prices. This neighborhood is always lively and never sleeps and is one of the favorite places of tourists in Kuala Lumpur.
This is one of the oldest buildings with Moorish architecture in the city, was built in 1897 r. and was named after the then ruling sultan. It was originally the secretariat of the British colonial administration. Today it is again an administrative building and is used by the Ministry of Information, communications and culture of Malaysia. The building is built entirely of bricks, and in its architecture they are seen as Gothic, Western and Moorish influences. One of the most beautiful buildings in the city, which is definitely worth seeing.
Another building with typical Moorish architecture is the Jamek Mosque, built at the beginning of 20 century. It is also one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia. Except for all the worshipers, it is also an attractive place for tourists, who want to see it and enjoy the beautiful views of the Klan and Gombak rivers, which are found right at the temple.
When you get hungry, you should immediately head to the Jalan Alor area - the realm of food in Kuala Lumpur. It is a wide pedestrian street, on which you will find more- Chinese style restaurants with seafood, and stalls for various delicacies, and numerous fast food restaurants with plastic chairs next to them. The variety of foods is huge - barbecue meat, spaghetti, desserts.
If you are curious about natural attractions, in Kuala Lumpur you can find an aquarium, zoo and botanical garden. In the aquarium you can see above 150 species of aquatic inhabitants, and in the zoo the species represented are over 500.
The Perdana Botanical Garden is the place, where you can enjoy a huge variety of flowers. The most attractive part of it is the orchid garden, where you can walk between 800 orchid species. In the hibiscus garden you will enjoy the national flower of Malaysia in all its glory. In the building, which dates back to the colonial era, you will also find a large tea room and gallery, showing the importance of hibiscus in Malaysian history.
The Central Market is an important historical and cultural attraction in Kuala Lumpur. It was built in 1928 r. and in the first decades it was an ordinary market, but in the 80s of last century it became a place for handicrafts. It is the heart of local artists and craftsmen, as you can find different boutiques on the market, artwork, souvenir shops and stalls. There is no lack of a dining area - on the second floor there is a place for restaurants and fast food restaurants..
The climate in Kuala Lumpur is tropical and no matter what time of year you visit the city, your visit is unlikely to be completely dry. Rains are common and can be unpredictable. The driest months are June, July and August, and most rain falls in April, October and November. The weather is usually warm and even hot all year round and your biggest worries may be related to rain and sea waves., if you plan to visit one of the islands of Malaysia.
This article was written with the assistance of BulTravel and Agent Express EOOD.
Author : Ivan Rashkov
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