Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia, is probably the best known for the Petronas Twin Towers. Two identical buildings that were once the tallest buildings in the world. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any other distinguishable landmark in the city. But does a city even have to have any? After all a city is an ever-changing place that grows, evolves, and most importantly, exists because of its people. So maybe the city lacks of landmarks, but is full of vibe and definitely worth a visit. Saying that, there is one place that you have already seen “somewhere”. It’s called Batu Caves and is indeed a collection of caves guarded by a gigantic Murugan statue. If anything, this would be my solid number two of a must-see places in KL.

Having just 1 day to spare my sightseeing destinations were pretty clear. Kuala Lumpur is a decent size, rapidly growing city and getting around is unfortunately not quick nor easy (or so was my impression). The first destination I decided to see was Batu Caves. Of course there had to be some railway work in progress and rail-replacement buses had been put in place making the journey longer than expected. Finding the right bus in KL Central was not the easiest task either. The station is linked to a massive mall and another bus station. But I did get there in the end!

The view I had from my room:

Roadwork! Little I knew about how disturbing that would be in the evening and at night…

Dragon fruit. Very similar in taste to Kiwi, but it lacks the kick.

The shopping mall adjacent to the train station. Good choice if you have time for shopping.

Funky towers are the sign of the city’s rapid expansion.

Bus replacement was only to a certain point and from then on passengers had to switch to a train.

And my final destination – Batu Caves complex. There is a few temples that you can visit if you wish. Mind the “no shoes” sign.

Fresh coconut water is a very good alternative to fizzy drinks.

And…. the famous stairs leading to the main caves. The whole site was undergoing a mass-renovation project therefore I had limited photo opportunities. The place is going to get very colourful once the work has been completed… and not sure I like it… There is a very thin line between cheerful and kitschy.

One of the main attraction of the caves are the wild inhabitants – long-tailed macaques. These monkey might look friendly but they are anything but. You are just a potential target carrying food and other interesting stuff. Do not get close, do not attempt any selfies with them (unless you want to lose your phone) and in general, stay away. They might attempt to get close to you but just take a step back.

One of them cheeky monkeys rushed towards me and tried to rip a can of coffee out of my hand! This is how brave they are. The can went straight to the bin as you never know what sort of bacteria and viruses the monkeys carry.

You can see the first glimpse of what’s to come. It looks like the rainbow colours were fully utilized!

The below stall made me giggle. What picture does not really fit here? 🙂

Monkeys want to be pretty, too!

A glimpse of the city from the cave entrance up the stairs.

The famous Petronas Towers and a new addition being build in the background.

For more adventurous travelers Batu Caves offer a completely dark cave with amazing nightlife creatures! It is a paid attraction but completely worth it as it’s also a guided tour. A must when you visit the area.

If you are lucky you can meet the below friendly creatures. As friendly as they look you better keep the distance 🙂

Maggi Instant noodles is the basic ingredient of many street food shops…

After some food and a nap I have decided to conquer the KL Tower!

KL is not pedestrian friendly. Unexpected and unguarded holes in the pathways that suddenly finish without a reason make exploring the city this little bit more difficult!

First glimpse of my destination.

The views from the top of the tower were spectacular. You can see how far the city lights spread out. The city is expanding!

On the edge!

And the last point of the visit – a close shot of Petronas Towers.

I got back to the hotel at about 10pm ready for a sleep. Unfortunately there does not seem to be any law in place that forbids noisy construction from running during the night hours and so I did not get much sleep because of…