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When in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a young city, one that bustles with economic prosperity and is a shining light in Asia's continued rise to pre-eminence in the business world. Unlike some other Asian boomtowns, however, KL has managed to retain much of its traditional culture, making it an intriguing and exciting place to visit.
Kuala Lumpur has its origins among the Chinese prospectors who came looking for tin in the 1860s. They found masses of the stuff at the "muddy confluence" or "kuala lumpur" that was the meeting point of the Kelang and Gombak rivers. The town grew rapidly up until 1881, when fire and floods completely destroyed it. The rebuilt city came under the rule of the Federated Malay States in 1896 and the beginning of British governance in 1913 saw a huge wave of Chinese and Indian immigrants enter the country.
World War II was not kind to Malaysia or Kuala Lumpur. The Japanese seized control of the country, prompting the torture of many Chinese immigrants. A huge number of Indian descendants were sent to work on the hazardous construction of the Burma Railway. Following the end of the war, British rule temporarily returned until independence was declared in 1957. Kuala Lumpur became an independent federal territory in 1974, since when the city's economy has been on the rise, with only the 1997 Asian economic crisis causing KL's continued climb to prosperity to be put on hold.
The new Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), some 47 miles south of the city, receives all international flights. The wonderfully fast KLIA Ekspres train will have you downtown at KL Sentral station in 28 minutes although there are also a number of slower taxis.
KL Sentral is the hub of the country's railway network and daily services operate to many parts of the country as well as Thailand and Singapore. Buses also run from KL Sentral to various parts of the country although you will probably be better off heading to the city's main Puduraya bus station near Chinatown. From here, services operate to all parts of Malaysia and also to Singapore and Thailand.
Getting around Kuala Lumpur on public transport is fairly straightforward when compared with some other Asian cities. The frequent and uncomplicated Light Rail (LRT) and monorail services are probably the best options for moving around although taxis are cheap and drivers fairly honest ? just make sure he's using the meter.
Malaysia is hot and humid most of the year round, with the majority of days getting above 30°C. The country is also wet, although short downpours are the norm, meaning few days are spoilt outright by inclement weather. June and July tend to offer the driest days, although visitors are still advised to bring their wet weather gear.
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Introduction
