Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is an Asian tiger that roars: in almost 150 years, it has grown from nothing to a modern, bustling city. Take in its high-flying triumphs from the viewing deck of one of the world's tallest buildings, then dive down to explore its more traditional culture in the back lanes of Chinatown.

Before the 20th century

Kuala Lumpur came into being in the late 1860s when a band of prospectors in search of tin landed at the meeting point of the Kelang and Gombak rivers and imaginatively named the place Kuala Lumpur - 'Muddy Confluence'. More than half of those first arrivals died of malaria and other tropical diseases, but the tin they discovered in Ampang attracted more miners and KL quickly became a noisy, brawling, violent boom town.

To quell the brewing anarchy, the local sultan overlord appointed a 'Kapitan China' to bring the unruly Chinese fortune-seekers and their secret societies into line - a problem that Kapitan China Yap Ah Loy jumped at with such ruthless relish that he became known as the founder of KL. By the 1880s KL became increasingly upmarket and residential and the general feelings of prosperity and self-satisfaction were rewarded by the transfer of the central government to Kuala Lumpur from Klang. In 1881 the entire town was destroyed by fire and a subsequent flood, but the devastation prompted a building boom and in 1896 the city became the capital of the newly formed Federated Malay States.

Modern history

When the Malaysian peninsula came under British rule in 1913, its economy prospered and its Indian and Chinese immigrant populations increased significantly. However, this boom was drastically reversed by the onset of WWII and the Japanese invasion of British Malaya. Within one month Kuala Lumpur had fallen to the Japanese, who soon defeated the British at Singapore. During its occupation, many of Kuala Lumpur's Chinese population were tortured and killed and many Indians were sent to work on Burma's 'Death Railway'. When the Japanese were finally defeated, the British temporarily returned to Kuala Lumpur, only to be ousted when Malaysia finally declared its independence in 1957 in KL's Dataran Merdeka (Freedom Square). The city officially became the independent Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur when it was ceded by the sultan of Selangor state in 1974.

Malaysia was gripped by the Asian economic crisis that began in Thailand in 1997. This crash was the first significant glitch in the otherwise bullish Malaysian economy since WWII. The staging of the Commonwealth Games in 1998 was seen as a feather in Malaysia's cap, and helped restore some national confidence. Despite the economic downturn of the late 1990s, Kuala Lumpur continued to develop on a monumental scale.

Recent history

In 1996, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed approved the construction of a new political capital 20km south of KL at Putrajaya. Although only 50,000 of the 330,000 residents planned for Putrajaya have moved into their new homes, the budget for the project has already exceeded US$5 billion dollars. Putrajaya was made the official seat of the Malaysian government in 1999. Since the turn of the millennium, Kuala Lumpur has been in the news more for demonstrations than innovation - city police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse anti-discrimination protests by thousands of ethnic Indians in 2007 and 2008, arresting many protesters under Malaysia's draconian security laws.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

Just outside of town you can go swimming in a giant water theme park or explore mammoth cathedral-like limestone caves. KL has golf and tennis facilities, or for something different, you could take a craft class to learn the art of batik or pottery.

Top Attractions

Sam Kow Tong Temple Brickfields 0 ratings 0 reviews	National Art Gallery Titiwangsa 0 ratings 0 reviews
Kampung Baru Mosque Kampung Baru 0 ratings 0 reviews	Buddhist Maha Vihar Brickfields 0 ratings 0 reviews

It's hot and humid throughout Malaysia all year round, with overnight lows rarely sinking below 20°C (70°F) and maximums rising above 30°C (86°F) on most days, so whenever you go, take it easy. Rainfall is variable and falls all year round. It is rare for rain to fall all day; it usually confines itself to short-lived torrential downpours in the afternoons. The driest months tend to be June and July.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting around

The public transport system within KL is speedy, comfortable and uncomplicated. The city has made significant improvements to expressways and the rail network to reduce traffic congestion. While buses and city trains move huge numbers of people, travellers will probably find most joy with the fast and frequent Light Rail (LRT) and monorail.

Getting there and away

Kuala Lumpur International Airport, in all its monolithic glory, will be your welcome to the city if you fly in from overseas. These days Subang, the old airport, is used only for domestic runs. You can get to Singapore, Thailand and to destinations within Malaysia by train and bus.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

KL is arguably one of the safer southeast Asian capitals, and most busy places are reasonably safe even at night. The odd pickpocketer is likely to be among a crowd; just keep your money close and be wary of any potential scams. While credit cards are easily safer than cash, don't readily give out your number to less than established places, as fraud is on the rise. Be wary of demonstrations, particularly over religious or ethnic issues, as these can turn violent.