Ok guys, I am sweating my ass off in Kuala Lumpur right now. It is sure hot and muggy around this time of the year (actually most of the year since the country is located close to the equator). But weather aside, there are many things to like about this capital city of Malaysia. In addition to my family and friends, here are the ten things I like about Kuala Lumpur:



1. MULTI-CULTURAL CUISINE
Malaysian is made up primarily of 3 key ethnic groups (Malays, Chinese and Indians). The local cuisine is therefore reflective of that racial diversity of the country. There are plenty of choices to please even the most fastidious eater. You can enjoy a typical Malay dish like Nasi Lemak, or a Malaysian Chinese dish like Char Kway Teow, or even a Malaysian Indian dish like Chapati. There are also cuisines that are a cross of these ethnic groups. For example, you can enjoy a delicious Nyonya dish like Asam Laksa or a ingenious Mamak beverage creation which is the Teh Tarik. Gosh, my mouth is watering already as I write this!


2. Street Food
More about food. There are many places to get food in Kuala Lumpur, but one common place that everyone loves patronizing is the street vendors or what the locals call “hawkers”. This is where you get some of the most delicious Malaysian food (and for an inexpensive price too!).


3. Shopping Malls
Somehow, the Southeast Asians love to hang out at shopping malls on weekends and Malaysians are of no exception. My theory is that a lot of folks like to enjoy air-conditioning without having to pay for it and where else is a better place to do so than shopping malls. So you can find a lot of shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur. On average, there is one built every 3 months. Pretty soon the developers will run out of space to build shopping malls and they will have to start building a mall within a mall!


4. Petronas Twin Towers
These office towers may have lost its title of “World’s Tallest Building” to the Taipei 101 building, but they are still impressive looking nonetheless. Rumor has it that one tower was built by the Japanese while the other by the Koreans. The Koreans side has tilted a wee bit since.


5. Blind Man Massage
After flying for almost 20 hours from NYC, my first thing to do was to head to my regular massage place to get a massage by one of those skilled visually disabled massage therapists. You can find a lot of these massage centers in an area called ‘Brickfields’. Heck, for USD10 a pop, I bet you can get one everyday. Plus, there is something liberating about being stark naked infront of someone who can’t see you. My massage therapist was so good that during my first visit, he guessed my age, exercise habit, weight and height correctly after massaging me for only 30 minutes!


6. Petaling Street aka Chinatown
Ok, I have to admit this street was set up more as a tourist trap than an actual Chinatown (everywhere in Malaysia is Chinatown since the Chinese make up about 25% of the country’s population). Anyway, this is still a fun place to visit and bargain shop.


7. Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple
I started going to the Buddhist Maha Vihara Temple when I was young (before I became all jaded and bitchy). Located also in Brickfields (close to the blind man massage centers), this Buddhist Temple has been around for over 100 years and was founded by the Sinhalese community which made up of either traders or artisans and skilled workers brought in from Ceylon to work in Malaysia. I always come here to atone for my sins (which I am sure I have a lot of) whenever I make a trip to Kuala Lumpur.


8. Night Markets
Night market or “Pasar Malam” is much like the bazaar in the Middle Eastern countries or the night markets in Taiwan. It brings together a collection of stalls that usually sell goods like fruit, vegetables, snacks, toys, clothes, pirated movie discs and ornaments at super reasonable prices. Like anywhere in Southeast Asia, haggling over prices is a common practice at such markets.


9. State of the Art Workout Facility
I eat like a pig when I am on vacation hence I need to burn my fat ass off at a gym. In Kuala Lumpur, there are health clubs that feature state of the art workout equipments which you can use for only a nominal fee. For example, you can buy a day pass for USD10 or less or even a one-month membership for USD30-40. This way you can binge without any guilt, which is what I am doing right now.


10. Central Market
Yes it’s another market, but this one sells Malaysian handicrafts, art, kebaya, songket and batik. It also features a wide variety of Malaysian cuisine. This place also holds a bunch of cultural festivals throughout the year. It’s a must see spot for tourists.