The Bazaar Baru Chow Kit is a daily market and opened from 9am till 5 pm. Chow Kit Market is located at the Northern end of Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman The market can be reached by KL Monorail easily. You’ll get off the monorail at the station “Chow Kit” and you walk back for about 100 meters at the left side of the road.

This colourful market is called after the district Chow Kit. It’s the largest “wet market” in Kuala Lumpur.
“Wet Market” is a market, selling fruit, vegetables, tofu, spices, meat and fish, as well as meat, fish, crabs and lobsters. But there are also food stalls and stalls selling clothes, silk, shoes, cassette tapes and fabrics.
Here in Chow Kit most people do their daily shopping.

It’s not so busy, when we arrive at 10.30 am. Narrow walkways lead us through maze off stall laden with fish, fruit, spices, vegetables and meat.

Frequently there’s water on the walkways, because they splash the fish with cold water to keep it fresh. Sometimes they use ice cubes.
Be aware that you put on the right shoes.

A kaleidoscope of colours and fragrances dominates the market. None of the sellers is insisting to sell you anything.
You can walk around freely and everyone wants on the photograph, or wants to make a photograph of you.

Beside the chicken, fish, beef, spices, vegetable and fruit, you can also buy silk and shoes.
There are also hawker stalls with lovely food, like nasi lemak.
At the market of Chow Kit you will meet NO tourists.

This man in the white T-shirt makes santen (photograph left). He takes at his left side a coconut and beats these with a knife very skilled into two equal pieces. He spills the coconut milk simply on the floor.
It has obviously no value. Pity!

When he has opened several coconuts, he holds the half of the coconut note against a type scraper, for which is a type washing-up bowl to prevent the splattering and loss of santen.
The scraper scrapes all flesh from the coconut. The empty coconut will be sold later.
For him counts only the santen. This will soon be sold in small plastic bags.

The scraped santen falls down in another washing-up bowl and he takes another half coconut. The laughing man in the back will soon take his place..
They love to be on the picture, because there is never tourist coming to the Chow Kit Market..

However everyone likes it, when you show interest in their stall. They will offer you all kind of fruits to taste.

At the left: The Santen Man Photo at the right:

There is an open spot on this coloured market. . You will feel the heat immediately on your head.
The narrow walkway between the stalls offer you coolness. The sun can’t reach you here, because the walkways are mostly covered by canvas.
Pay attention to the coloured parasols, which are standing on the market.

KL-monorail runs along this market. Get off at station: Chow kit Photo at the left:

The narrow walkways of Bazaar Baru Chow Kit are mostly covered by canvas to protect you from the sun. At the right they are selling eggs and at the left spices.
The floor is wet!!

Stay duration on the market:
approx. 1 hour

The Central Market is situated at the border of China Town. Therefore why wouldn’t you combine a visit to the Central Market with a visit to China Town? It’s old building (1928), that has won awards for its architectural design
In this air-conditioned market you can find many souvenirs. It’s a haven for tourists, where you can buy arts, handicrafts, batik, traditional wear etc. Everything that your heart desires is available here. All at reasonable prices.
The Central Market used to be an old “wet market” (meaning the market floor is wet from melted ice, water splashes etc) selling meat, vegetable and other local products.
The building has pale blue colour. In front of the Central Market is a square with palm trees. If it’s too hot outside you can cool down inside, because there’s an air-conditioning.

Inside the building there are two levels. On both levels are shops for souvenirs and handicrafts. At the first level are some artists and you can buy T-shirts.
On the second level is even a small hawker center and you can buy antique items.

Amid the stalls selling an array of souvenirs are small outlets where Malaysian artists display their works. Visitors may even have their portrait painted or order custom-made handicrafts.

At the right: the artist is busy making a portrait from a photo.

Those with an eye for the unusual will enjoy buying or browsing through the market’s extensive range of novelty items such as jade trees and blown glass souvenirs.

The hawker center on the second floor is a good place for lunch. There’s a lot of lovely food.
On the left you’ll see the hawker center. This photo was taken at 10.30 am. They had just opened their stalls.

The opening hours of the Central Market: daily 10.00am – 10.00pm. Some shops are are opening at 11.00am.

Be alert to cultural shows and art exhibitions that are held here from time to time. When we visited the Central Market there was an exhibition of products from Russia.

As from second floor you have a beautiful view of what’s happening below.
you takes place.
At the right you see some stalls with food. At the left you have some handicraft shops. There are also plenty of small specialty shops and eclectic gift shops.

The Central Market is at the junction of Jalan Benteng and Lebuh Pasar Besar.
50050 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: (+603) 2272 9966
Fax: (+603) 2274 9906

Stay duration at the Central Market:
approx. 1½ hour

The multi-coloured corals are hand-made. They are fake and I’m happy about that!
In real, the coral is a living environment created with the help of brightly coloured fishes and a variety of carpet anemones.
The climax of the journey is the tunnel of the KL Aquaria. On a moving walkway inside the 90m acrylic tunnel, a view only previously accessible to divers venturing into the depths of the brilliant ocean is presented.
You can stop off at different spots anytime to view animals gliding and swimming.

You will be awed by trained divers and aquarists hand-feeding the fish, including rays and large sharks. A hidden shipwreck (a copy of the Royal Nanhai) is seen slowly being colonized by inquisitive reef inhabitants, gradually becoming part of the coral reef.
The 55mm-thick tunnel is curved, made to withstand an enormous amount of pressure from the 2.7 million litres of water that fills The Living Oceans aquarium. The glass is custom-made in Germany.
It was then shipped to New Zealand and shaped to curve the correct way, then shipped to Malaysia where it was then assembled.

You can see more than 3,000 sea creatures of various shapes and sizes living harmoniously in this simulated natural habitat and they can hide in the hidden shipwreck, colonized by inquisitive reef inhabitants. Don’t miss exhibits like the Sand Tiger Sharks, stingrays, eels and more.

Admission:
Adult Malaysian RM28
Children Malaysia RM22
Adult Non-Malaysia RM38
Children Non-Malaysian RM26
Senior Citizens 60 and above RM18

A child must be accompanied by an adult
Operation hours are from 11 am – 8 pm
Last ticket sales & admission at 7.00 pm

Menara Kuala Lumpur (officially) stands majestically atop Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill) at 421 meters and 94 meters above sea level, is one of the first and perhaps most enduring images a visitor to KL will encounter.

When you’re taking a taxi to go to the
KL-Tower, it’s better that he drops you off up the hill at the entrance.
There’s also a “free shuttle service”.
Please, report this at the gate down the hill (look at the photo)

When you want to walk up the hill, you’ll The verdant green surrounding of the Bukit Nanas Forest – the only oldest gazetted forest reserve in the country. Age-old trees, flora and fauna indigenous to tropical climates.

As a tourist I would advise you to go up the hiil with the “shuttle service” or taxi and to walk down the on your way back!
When you’re down the hill go right and then left and take a nice cold coffee at the Starbuck Coffee. You need that.

The KL-Tower’s architecture reflects the country’s Islamic heritage with the construction detailing Arabic Scripts, Islamic tiles, classic Islamic floral and abstract motifs and soothing colour combinations.

The main public area and entrance is at the upper ground level. At this level there are 9 shops, a fast food restaurant, a mini-theatre , which shows a documentary on the construction of the tower (every 15 minutes) and an open-air amphitheatre (222 seats).
There are also public toilets.

Before going to the “observation deck”, you’ll have to buy a ticket. Price RM8.-
After that you’ll proceed to the fast speed elevator, which will bring you very to the “observation deck”

Downstairs are also several souvenir shops, but it’s better to wait till you’re back again.

At the ‘observation deck” someone will ask you, in what kind of language you want to hear about KL.
“English, please”

Then you’ll a tape recorder and a head set, which will guide you on your tour along the “observation deck”.

You see a yellow flag on the photo with the number “4″.
There you’ll listen to the explanation about your view (number 4). For example: “the green building on your right is the Selangor club”
You can make that tour in your own time. When you want to have a closer look, well, then you stop the tape recorder

Also there is souvenir shop located in the observation deck for people, who to buy commemorative material.

The view is fantastic. You’ll have a much better view than at the Petronas Towers, because you’re much higher now.
You can see clearly now the Genting Highlands, the Klang Valley and other buildings of Kuala Lumpur.

There’s also a restaurant, called:
Berputar Seri Angkasa
It’s a revolving restaurant (capacity = 250) and it’s located at Level Two of the Tower Head (above the “observation deck”). It serves delicious international and local food
‘above the clouds’.

At a height of 282 meters above ground level, you can enjoy a revolving dinner.
The restaurant is open daily from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm for lunch and 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm for dinner. A la carte menus are available for lunch and dinner.
Please make a reservation!

Entrance Fee: Adults RM 15
Child RM 9

Revolving Restaurant
Adults Child

Lunch RM63.25 RM34.50
Dinner RM97.75 RM51.75
Weekend Hi Tea RM40.00 RM20.00

In the months of July, August and September the temperatures rise in the Middle East up to 45 – 47 degrees. That becomes too much for the Arabs. That’s the time they book then a holiday to a cooler country, which is Malaysia. In that period there are also school holidays in the Middle East..
To make these people feel at home, the people of Kuala Lumpur have created an Arab district.
The KL City Hall decided to make the visitors feel at home by recreating a sanctuary of Arabian style. Modelled mainly in the Moroccan architecture, 20% of the manpower engaged was from the Middle East to ensure the authenticity of the design and work.

The literal translation is Eye Arab (the grammatically correct version should read al Ain Arabiya which would translate to “The Eye of Arabia”).
After 30 meters you’ll see at the left side the Fortuna Hotel with it’s famous restaurant “Sahara Tent”. This is the centre of “Ain Arabia”.
Since Ala H. Salih set up the Sahara Tent restaurant at the Fortuna Hotel five years ago, tourists, embassy officials and students have been making a beeline to al Mantaga al Arabiya or “the Arabian area”.
The literal translation is Eye Arab (the grammatically correct version should read al Ain Arabiya which would translate to “The Eye of Arabia”).
The draw of the restaurant may be due to the 20 per cent increase in tourist arrivals from the Middle East between July, August and September.

There’s also an Arab barber to cut hair the way Arab men like it. Not many barbers in Kuala Lumpur are good at trimming beards. Some Arab men need to have their facial hair removed by threading. For some, this has to be done every three days.
Apart from the barbers shop, the other four shops adjacent to the Fortuna Hotel are a mini market, a travel agency, two souvenir shops and the Hay-al Arab Restaurant, which serves Yemeni cuisine.
Naab’s mini market stocks products like canned tomatoes, bottled olives, Lebanese bread, a variety of cheeses and dates.
The Jet Connections travel agency’s clientele is 90 per cent Arab. They opt for local tours to Penang, Langkawi and Genting Highlands.
The al-Khaima souvenir shop stocks Arabic music CDs, VCDs, shisha pipes, tobacco, perfume oils and incense wood chips.

Fronting Hotel Fortuna and Sahara Tent is a small plot of land, dotted with concrete benches, stalls (not yet operational) and monuments, popular in the evenings with Malaysians and people from the Middle East.

Petaling Street is particularly famous for its all-day parade of stalls, that sell imitation goods of all sorts, like: wallets, handbags, t-shirts, watches, shoes and many other things.
You can buy imitation goods of Rolex, Seiko, Cartier, Christian Dior, Adidas, Nike, Calvin Klein, Armani, Gucci, Prada, D&G, Louis Vuitton.
Bargaining here is an absolute must. Bargain hard! It’s the ideal place to test your bargaining skills.

The area attracts many locals and visitors in search of bargain items, including inexpensive dresses, sunglasses, shoes, fabrics and souvenirs.
You can get anything from food to bags and sunglasses to handicrafts all along Petaling Street.

The police is taking action against the illegal cd’s and dvd’s. I think the copying is done in Malaysia.
The selling of these illegal cd’s and dvd’s is also in Petaling Street. I don’t know, how it works, but……………. the salesmen get a phone call, that the police is coming in a quarter of an hour.
In a few minutes they break up and the van is loaded and of they go. Then the police arrives and find no cd or dvd on the market. I think their informant must in or near the police station.

Be warned though that it can get rather crowded sometimes. You should be prepared to sweat it out.
The crowd and the noise are really part of the fun of visiting Petaling Street. Without these, it just wouldn’t be right.

Chinatown is also known for its jewellery shops with their fascinating variety of fine jewellery items beautifully crafted in gold and set with priceless gemstones.

You can also have a look out for Chinese pharmacies, that sell ginseng and all sort of traditional remedies for all sorts of ailments.

There are many restaurants with a lot of delicious choices to choose from. Some of the restaurants here have been operating for generations! We’re sure, your dinner is fantastic.
Look out for Yook Woo Hin restaurant on Petaling Street. It is one the longest surviving family-run food places in KL.
Expect queues, shouting and fantastic food.

Once a year they celebrate the Thaipusam festival in the Batu Caves. It’s a celebration for the son of Shiva (Subramaniam) and the becoming “one” of Pusan and the Brihaspati stars.

The Thaipusam festival.
Every year, on Thaipusam, as many as 800,000 devotees and other visitors may throng the caves. As a form of penance or sacrifice, many of them carry kavadis (literally, “burden,” such as a pitcher or jug). These are large, brightly decorated frameworks, usually combined with various metal hooks and skewers which are used to pierce the skin, cheeks and tongue. (have a look at the picture on the right!!)
By doing this penance they expect some favours from their Gods.
The festival is held in the tenth month of the Hindu calendar (mostly the end of January).
The procession starts on the evening before the Thaipusam festival at the Sri Mariamman Temple in the town centre of Kuala Lumpur.
By doing penance they want to extort some favours from the Gods.
The kavadis is placed on the shoulders of the devotee. The kavadis represents a miniature shrine.
Women carry a silver jug full of milk on their heads, some are pierced through their cheeks and tongues and others not.
Chains are dropped from the central body of the kavadis and hooked onto the flesh of the bearer. The length of the spears had to be limited to a metre in consideration for other devotees. Others hook limes, oranges or coconuts onto their bodies.
They are always accompanied by an entourage of relatives and friends to make them enthusiastic with dance parades, songs, musicians playing the drums and the flutes.
As they arrive at the shrine at the Batu Caves, the Swami removes the hooks, spears etc. The vow is finally fulfilled.

Thaipusam is celebrated at Peninsular of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur and on Penang
The procession on Penang starts on the eve before the Thaipusam festival at the Chettiar Temple in Penang Street.

When you don’t visit the Batu Caves at Thaipusum, they are still very beautiful.

Every day there is a little celebration of a group of Hindus in the Batu Caves. Every time it’s an imposing event, although there’s no self torture.

Temple Cave or Cathedral Cave is he best known and biggest of the caves.
It’s visited by many devotees.
The ceiling is 100 m above the ground and this huge chamber is lighted by daylight from several holes in the ceiling.

At the end of the caves you can see the bright sky, when you look above you.

If you go up the stairs, you can meet a lot of long tailed-macaque monkeys and if you have peanuts with you, they’ll climb to you as I won’t consider recommending. You might fall though.
You can take photo’s of them, carrying their babies for the peanuts. There are locals in the entrance, who will approach you to buy peanuts!

Long tailed-macaque monkeys:
they love peanuts, but they love crisps also !

Bus Nr 70 and 349 are leaving from Lebuh Pudu (in China Town) every 30 minutes. Journey is about 45 min! Open daily from 7 to 21h!

The KL Bird Park was established in 1991 and was officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen of Malaysia, Tunku Bainun. The park is 10 minutes away from the city centre.

The park offers you a great opportunity to see a hornbill in the first days of your stay in Kuala Lumpur.
The Bird Park is “The World’s Largest Covered Bird Park” or “The World’s largest Free Flight Aviary”.
Opposite the Bird Park the Taman Orchid (the Orchid Garden). This is also worth a visit.
A taxi from the city centre to the Bird Park will cost you RM15.- On your way back you have to buy a ticket at a taxi counter.

The Bird Park houses more than 3,000 birds and 200 species from all over the world.
Birds and nature lovers can have a wonderful day watching colourful sights and melodic sound of birds perching and winging about freely while enjoying the natural and beautifully landscaped surroundings.
Sometimes you’ll be surprised to come across miniature gardens, pools and water cascades, bridges, flowering plants …and bird – feeding stations.

The park looks a bit old fashioned, but it’s cosy and the people are very friendly. After you have bought ticket at the main entrance, you’ll get a wristlet. When you go back to town they will take it off. Foreigners pay more for a ticket than Malaysians.

The park is divided in several zones (4) to prevent chasing at each other.
You’ll find in the park, a Flamingo pond, Pelicans, Hornbill Park. World of Parrots, a Waterfall Aviary, Amphitheatre, Children’s playground and Seminar Room.

To prevent that the birds can get together, you have to go through several lock-gates. You can enjoy the natural and the beautifully landscaped surroundings.
One of the KL Bird Park’s extraordinary feature is all birds let free in the aviary which resemble the natural habit. With this type of free flight concept. birds are able to breed naturally in this unique concept bird park.
It’s a lovely to see the hornbills flying so free from tree till tree.

As some bird have sharp bills and claws, they can bite hard without warning. So please do not disturb or frighten the birds.
The hornbills are really photogenic. They are not so frightened and will (mostly) wait till you have taken a picture. This is the highlight of the park.
But remember: these bird are wild birds!

There’s a refreshment kiosk, where you can buy an ice-cream, a drink or food for the goldfish in the pond. Bird’s diets are special. Wrong types of food may cause food poisoning. You may only feed the fish in the pond.
Near the Hornbills is the Hornbill Souvenirs Shop and the Hornbill Restaurant & Café.
It’s located on the top of a hill and you have spectacular view. From the terrace you can see the hornbills flying.

There are photographer, who want to have your picture taken with parrots. in the World of Parrots (zone 4)

Some of the Birds:
Flamingos, Hornbills, Waterhens, Parrots, Cockatoos, Storks, Pheasants, Mynahs Pigeons, Macaws. Ducks.
Coming from:
Malaysia, Australia, Africa, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Indonesia, Tanzania, China, Holland, South America and other countries in South East Asia.

The Activities

11.30 Hornbills Feeding
(Hornbill Park) Zone 3
12.00 Lorries Feeding
(World of Parrots) Zone 4
13.00 Ostrich Feeding
(Flightless Birds) Zone 4
14.30 Eagles Feeding
(Brahminy Land) Zone 1
15.30 Birds Show
(Amphithetre) Zone 4
16.00 Milky Stork Feeding
(Milky Way) Zone 4

All activities are subject to changes and weather conditions.
Opening hours of the park: 9.00 – 19.00 hours.

Transport:
By taxi or by bus 30 from Jalan Sultan Mohamed, or 22 or 38 from Lebuh Pasar Besar;

Duration approx. 2 -3 hours

Address:

KL Bird Park
No. 920 Jalan Lembah Taman Tasik Perdana
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel : 603-2272 1010
Fax : 603-2273 5428
e-mail: klbirdpark@po.jaring.my

Duration time: 1 hour.
Butterfly Park Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Cenderawasih
Kuala Lumpur
50480, MALAYSIA
Telephone : +603 2693 4799

Open: 9am – 6pm (Daily)
Admission Malaysians: RM8 (Adults), RM2 (Children)
Admission non Malaysians: RM18 (Adults)

Named after the first Malaysian Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra the city is situated within the Multimedia Super Corridor, beside the also newly developed Cyberjaya. The development started in 1995 and today major landmarks are completed and the population is expected to grow in the relatively new city.

History and design
The vision to have a new Federal Government Administrative Centre to replace Kuala Lumpur as the administrative capital emerged in the late 1980s, during the tenure of Malaysia’s 4th Prime Minister, Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad. The new city was proposed to be located between Kuala Lumpur and the new KL International Airport (KLIA).

The Federal government negotiated with the state of Selangor on the prospect of another Federal Territory and in the mid-1990s, the Federal government paid a substantial amount of money to Selangor for approximately 11 320 acres (46 km²) of land in Prang Besar, Selangor. As a result of this land purchase, the state of Selangor now completely surrounds two Federal Territories within its borders, namely Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Planned as the garden and intelligent city, 38% of the area is reserved for green areas by emphasizing the enhancement of natural landscape. A network of open spaces and wide boulevards were incorporated to the plan. Construction began in August 1995 and it was Malaysia’s biggest project and one of Southeast Asia’s largest with estimated final cost of US$ 8.1 billion. The entire project was designed and constructed by Malaysian companies with only 10% of the materials imported.

The Asian Financial Crisis of 1997/1998 had somewhat slowed the development of Putrajaya. In 1999, 300 staffs of the Prime Minister’s office were shifted to Putrajaya and the remaining government servants moved in 2005. On February 1, 2001 Tun Dr. Mahathir declared Putrajaya as a Federal Territory with the ceremony of handing over Putrajaya township from the Selangor state authorities.

In 2002, a high speed rail link called KLIA Transit was opened, linking Putrajaya to both Kuala Lumpur and KL International Airport in Sepang. However, construction of the Putrajaya Monorail which was intended to be the city’s metro system, was suspended due to costs. One of the monorail suspension bridges in Putrajaya remains unused.

In 2007, the population of Putrajaya was estimated to be over 30,000, which comprised mainly government servants.