Dec 6, 2015 |
Kuala Lumpur: One of My Favorite City to Visit Again and Again
Kuala Lumpur has a lot of unique districts but I always like to stay in an area called Bukit Bintang. It’s the city’s shopping and entertainment district so like me, many travelers choose to find a hotel in Bukit Bintang.
For a few years Bukit Bintang is undergoing a massive MRT subway construction project. Pavements and roads are being torn up and shredded to make way for progress as KL is growing at a rapid pace. And I believe the new subway line will be completed in a few more years. It’s a city that is fastly expanding and competing against other Southeast Asian nations.
Lots of construction around in Bukit Bintang…
So as of writing, Bukit Bintang’s a central portion of the area is under huge construction. But there are plenty of safety barriers to direct and protect pedestrian walkways.
Plenty of places to eat around Bukit Bintang. One particular restaurant I go to is called Arraaziq. You’ll find it right across the street from Low Yat Plaza. There are many Indian/Arab restaurants located all over KL. Sometimes it can seem intimidating going into one of these restaurants. But people inside can speak English and they are quite friendly and polite in helping customers choose what they want to eat.
After filling up on some hearty food I usually go to the Pavillion Mall for coffee. I always go to a cafe called Coffea Coffee on the 6th floor. Their coffee is quite good and the free Wi-Fi is quite fast and reliable. It’s the perfect place to compose a post for this blog or just chill out for a bit.
Hot Latte at Coffea Coffee
What else do I do in KL? There is Chinatown which is not far from Bukit Bintang via the KL Monorail. It’s a great place to take in some street photos.
But I also head down to KL’s Chinatown because there is a temple or an association rather dedicated to the Chan clan, my family name. Way back when a Chan came over to Malaysia and did super well. Eventually the temple was built to welcome more Chans from China.
It’s called the Green Temple. As you can see on photos below it’s green. Namewise it’s called Chan She Shu Yuen Temple.
I suppose that’s why I drop by the Green Temple every time I’m in the area. Its got my family name and generations of Chans possibly came through those very same doors, eyes wide open in the hopes of a brighter future and a new life in Malaysia.
But Malaysia is not just all about the Chinese. There are local Malays and Indians too of course. And with that comes different religions of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity. In this crazy world where everyone is different in most parts, everyone gets along pretty well in Malaysia. There are flare ups of tensions between ethnicities but tell me which country doesn’t have that problem.
Anyways, this blog isn’t about politics. How about some photos of cute kitties?
On this trip I also had an opportunity to spend a few hours with Robin Wong, a local Malay photo blogger with an encyclopedia wealth of knowledge on Olympus micro 4/3 camera systems.
Robin Wong, one of the coolest guys I’ve ever met…
On a Saturday morning Robin took me to an area I’ve never been to before but heard about. It’s the Chow Kit Market. It’s a dry/wet market that is common in most Asian countries where locals go to buy groceries. With so many local interactions in Chow Kit it was no wonder why it’s one of Robin’s favorite areas to go on one of his shutter therapy sessions.
I have to admit, I haven’t been too adventurous when it comes to exploring more local areas in KL. So I was very appreciative to Robin for showing me around Chow Kit. Now that I know how to get there I can feel comfortable exploring that area alone some time.
But the places that I do discover on my own are usually a real treat. For instance while exploring parts of Little India I came across Sin Sze Ya Temple. It’s a Taoist Temple located in Pudu, which is also just a 3 minute walk from Jalan Petaling Street.
A little history of this charming temple…
After checking out the history of Sin Sze Ya Temple I learned it’s where students go before big exams. Even though there’s a greater history to this temple. That’s what I like about Malaysia, or pretty much wherever I travel to around Asia. Lots and lots of fascinating history.
Inside the temple you can certainly feel like you’ve stepped back in time. It was a Sunday I came to visit Sin Sze Ya Temple so surprisingly it wasn’t very busy and crowded. And I liked it. There are some benches you can sit on and just take in the interior. Up above on the base of the roof are these open windows that really helps circulate the air.
A beautiful shaft of light above temple altar…
I remember going to temples such as this back in NYC with my mom…
Just beautiful natural lighting all around Sin Sze Ya Temple…
Certainly a temple with a lot of character…
But if you’re inside when the sun is high and bright you’ll be treated to a beautiful light show. I’m sure the architect of Sin Sze Ya Temple planned to place a window above the altar so a beautiful stream of light would surround worshippers offering burning incense.
You often hear that many cities in Asia are fastly developing towards the future with many skyscrapers and modern transportation systems being built or at least planned for the near future. So a lot of the older historical buildings get knocked down to make way for progress. This is certainly the case in Thailand.
Looks like a fancy hotel being built across Pavillion Mall…
It’s also happening in Malaysia as well it seems. But progress also benefits the local citizens as well. And shiny new skyscrapers attract foreign investments which in turn spur jobs and growth. There are quite a lot of train systems with new ones being developed. And it’s great for travelers as well too in a way for exploring more of this wonderful country.
The KL monorail is not an extensive line, however there are many train lines in the city…
I’ve been to Malaysia, specifically Kuala Lumpur numerous times. And I can tell you it never gets boring. And I can’t wait to explore more of this wonderful country.
One of the most majestic skyscrapers in the world, the Petronas Towers…
Jun 12, 2015 |
Excellent Location and Not So Expensive…
Whenever I get asked where is a good place to stay in Kuala Lumpur I always suggest an area called Bukit Bintang. I’ve stayed in a couple of hotels in that area but the one I frequently stay at is called the Piccolo Hotel (called ANSA Kuala Lumpur Hotel today).
The Piccolo was built back in 2008. Yeah, it sounds old but it’s remarkably well kept. And although I’m not a 100% sure there must’ve been some renovation done sometime ago to look the way it looks.
ANSA Hotel superior room are about 30 square meters…
I always choose the superior rooms and for some reason on Agoda.com you get two rates, one cheaper and the other more expensive. So of course I book the cheaper ones which cost about $65USD.
I’ve booked at deluxe room a couple of times at the ANSA Hotel but to me there is not much difference in terms of quality between the two room grades. There’s free in room Wi-Fi internet access too.
Last time I went a superior room at Piccolo cost about $65USD per night with taxes included…
The bathrooms layout could be a little bit weird because the toilet and the shower is not in a separate room. There’s just glass separating those two facilities from the rest of the room. I suppose that’s fine if you’re staying with your spouse or close family but if you’re bunking with a friend it might be kinda uncomfortable due to limited privacy. Or maybe that’s just me.
Toilet and shower stalls in room…
So what’s so good about the ANSA Hotel?
It’s one of the hotels closest to the Bukit Bintang KL Monorail station. I always take the buses from KLIA2 because I fly in from Air Asia. I also take the SkyBus which is Air Asia’s official bus to KL Sentral where I take the KL Monorail line to Bukit Bintang. The SkyBus fare is only RM9.50 and the bus trip takes about 1 hour. A single journey fare from KL Sentral to Bukit Bintang cost RM2.10, very cheap.
At KL Sentral you’ll see it’s a major travel hub with trains and buses that go all over Malaysia. There is also a big mall attached to KL Sentral. Follow the signs through the mall and you’ll find the entrance to the KL Monorail. As I recall the station platforms are on the second floor.
And you’ll find a lot of shopping malls adjacent to ANSA KL Hotel:
- Lot 10 Mall – Cool food court in the basement.
- Sungei Wang Shopping Plaza – This place is kind of like the MBK Mall of Kuala Lumpur.
- Farenheit – A mix of luxury shops and local businesses.
- Pavillion Mall – A high end posh mall in the heart of Bukit Bintang.
There are a lot of other malls too just a bit further away like the Berjaya Times Square. You can walk there in about 10 or 15 minutes.
A huge plate of food at Food Republic in Pavillion Mall, with a drink it cost about $5.50USD…
Bukit Bintang is also a gem of an area for food. Indian, Arab, Chinese, you name it you’ll find it or a combination of it. It’s a wonderful food paradise. But because Bukit is a tourist area food prices are higher but still manageable.
I forgot to mention, you can also walk to Kuala Lumpur’s most famous landmark, the Petronas Towers in about 30 minutes. The Piccolo is a good hotel for exploring Kuala Lumpur. There’s a KL Hop on Hop Off tour bus that stops right in front of the hotel sidewalk.
Read guests reviews and find current discounts for ANSA Kuala Lumpur. (Note- On Agoda ANSA is rated as a 4 star hotel. Personally I think it’s a 3 at best, which is still good.)
KL’s magnificent Petronas Towers…
Apr 2, 2013 |
Before my making the decision that Thailand is the place to run out my clock, I seriously considered retiring in Japan or Malaysia instead. Both countries are special to me though I am more than happy to have made the decision to retire in Thailand. Of course I still visit Japan often but I visit Malaysia even more frequently because it borders west of Thailand.
So why do I love Malaysia? To start off I’ve only been to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. I know, it’s a big country. But just those two areas alone has made a huge impact on me. To me KL is like New York City. It’s one big huge melting pot with people of different ethnicity co-mingling, sharing and eating some of the best food on the planet in one spot.
Bukit Bintang – a very popular tourist center in KL…
Also as I’m able to speak Cantonese which is used in Malaysia the country imparts a sense of homey feeling that I am glad to be in touch with. Plus living in Thailand my Cantonese is beginning to get rusty. So it’s good to head out to Malaysia and start conversing in the language of my mother and father.
Safety is a big concern for me while traveling, especially when my wife is beginning to enjoy traveling to different countries. She prefers road trips all over Thailand for holidays at first. If you don’t know many Thais you’d be surprised that many don’t like to leave their own nation. They would rather visit different regions of their country instead of getting out of the country.
I don’t blame them. After all Thailand is a beautiful country with a lot of natural beauty. So after coaxing my wife (more like nagging) for a year or so she decided to join me on my visits abroad. This was the first trip ever for my wife by the way and she was impressed by KL as well.
KL’s tourist centric areas meets my safety criteria for a populous city and I never had any concerns whether walking the streets day or night with my wife. And traveling around KL is easy. We mostly made use of the monorail system and the fares are not expensive. Taxis are not expensive also but since we were staying in the Bukit Bintang area we came across a lot of drivers who quoted us rates instead of using the meter. Those bastards. Though even with the quoted rates we probably paid a little over $1USD extra. Which isn’t much to cry about but it’s the principle right?
And simply walking around to get to the sights and attractions near our hotel is a cinch because there are plenty of signs in English. It’s a totally visitor friendly city with a lot of hotels in the 3 star range with affordable rates. And food in Malaysia is incredible. Indian, Chinese and Malay plus Middle Eastern food all in one corner of Bukit Bintang close to the hotel I always stay at. Man my waistline is in some serious problems if I ever stay in that area for too long.
And my wife was never too keen on trying out different food. Again, Thai food is equated with national pride, so no matter what, Thai food to a Thai is the best. Better than the best dishes a chef from Cordon Bleu can dole out. Anyways there’s a restaurant right near out hotel that sold falafel and I’ve been ordering falafels from there for the longest time. I let her try one and she damn near took the rest off of my hands. She didn’t say nothing as she merrily munched on my lunch but I knew from the twinkle of her eye she liked it but never admits it to this day
Indian buffet galore…
Then there’s this Indian buffet restaurant with so many trays of spiced meats, curries and vegetables with rice. The food so delicious I’d pay to live inside. Hell I’d pay to inhale the aromas coming off the trays of food.
As I mentioned whenever I’m in KL I always stay an area called Bukit Bintang. This place is filled with a lot of hotel choices and shopping centers. The hotel I stay at is called the Piccolo (today it’s called ANSA). It’s a 3 star hotel with no bells and whistles but if you want a clean quiet room with friendly hotel staff plus top location, the Piccolo will not disappoint. But I mainly chose this hotel and location because of the KL monorail is only a 3 minute walk. I use this train to get to Sentral station where I catch the cheap buses to the low cost carrier terminal because I always fly Air Asia.
A nice hotel right in the heart of Bukit Bintang…
Less than a minute walk left of the Piccolo’s doors is a big mall called Lot 10. Make sure you check out the food courts in the basement level called the Malaysia Gourmet Heritage Village. That’s the place to go to find a lot of Chinese/Malay foods to satisfy your cravings. A nice little supermarket is also in the same area if you need to pick up some odds and ends.
Then there are also two other malls which are even bigger nearby if Lot 10 doesn’t satisfy. There’s the Times Square Mall and the luxury shopping center called Pavilion Mall. Now I’ m not a big shopper. But my wife is though we noticed a lot of the items she was interested in she could easily pick up at a mall in Bangkok.
Of course there’s a lot more to KL than simply shopping. The city has plenty of attractions and side trip options like the Batu Caves.
An unmistakable Kuala Lumpur landmark…
So if there’s one place to see in while in KL it’s probably the Petronas. Now I’ve been to KL for many years and I’m sure if a Malaysian heard me say I’ve never been up their Twin Towers before they might say shame on me. And they would be right. In my defense I tried going up last year in 2012 but the visitor sections of the buildings were under renovation. So no visitors were allowed at the time.
However, this year since my wife came accompanied me on this trip it was as good a time as any to go up the mighty Petronas Towers. And I’m glad that we shared our first time together. Because it is a true marvel to be all the way up there on the Sky Bridge and Observation Deck and get a panoramic view of this wonderful city.
Since our time was short in Malaysia due to some business obligations back in Bangkok we couldn’t visit other parts of the city. Batu Caves on the outskirts of KL was a place I wanted to take my wife to but because it was raining a lot we decided to go up to Genting Highlands Casino instead. She really enjoyed the gondola ride up the mountain.
I love KL and Malaysia is truly awesome. I’ll be going back for years to come.
