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Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the largest city of Malaysia. Being a young city (founded only in 1857) it developed fast into a bustling metropolis of 1.5 million people (6 million including the satellite cities in the Klang Valley). Kuala Lumpur, or simply KL (as it is it called by Malaysians), literally means “muddy estuary” in Bahasa Malaysia. With good and cheap accommodation, great shopping and even better food in this multi-cultural melting pot, increasing numbers of travellers are discovering this little gem of a city.
Having been in the shadow of other big cities in the region like Bangkok and Singapore, KL was put back on the map for good with the opening the Petronas Twin Towers in 1997, until 2004 the highest and still one of the most impressive buildings in the world. Though, the sights are not what makes this city unique, it’s KL itself and it’s mixture of people and visitors.

Cherating

Cherating is the only real backpacker hub at the east coast of the peninsula on the mainland. Offering plenty of affordable chalets and a relaxed atmosphere, it is good place to stop for a night or two on the way up or down the east coast. The beach itself is not that spectacular and misses the palm directly at the beach. But it has a good vibe and few things you can do like taking a tour or renting a kayak up the river into the mangroves. There is also an active surfer scene when the waves are right. Cherating is located about 30km or 1h by local bus north of Kuantan.

Perhentian Islands

The Perhentian Islands (Pulau Perhentian in Bahasa Malaysia) lie approximately 10 nautical miles (19 km) offshore the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu, approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of the Thai border. The two main islands are Perhentian Besar (“Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (“Small Perhentian”). Popular for it’s beaches, snorkeling and driving. Like a real postcard.

Kuala Terengganu

Kuala Terengganu is located at on at the east coast of the peninsula at the mouth of the Sungai Terengganu river. It’s the capital of the state of Terengganu which forms together with Kedah and Kelatan the heartland of malay culture. KT is good stop for one or 2 days before moving on along the eastcoast or towards the National Park / Tasik Kenyir. There are also day trips available to Pulau Rendang (Island) and Tasik Kenyir (Lake)

Kek Lok Si Temple in Penang
Selamat Datang! Welcome to BackpackingMalaysia.com!

   
KL Moments Cat Bike
   
Malaysian Moments shop houses


The Responsible Tourist and Traveller

This is practical 8-step guide based on the "Global Code of Ethics" for Tourism of the World Tourism Organization. It promotes traveling with an open mind and respect for people, culture, animals and environment. ... more

Puduraya Bus Terminal temporarily closed

The Puduraya Bus Terminal was closed on April 13 for at least four months due to renovation works in the terminal. Long-distance buses will meanwhile operate from Bukit Jalil. ... more

Malaysian F1 GP 2010 (Formula 1 in Sepang)

It is time again for the Grand Prix in Malaysia on April 2-4. The Malaysian GP will take place for the 12th time already from at the Sepang track, about 1h south of Kuala Lumpur. It will be the third race of the season after Bahrain and Melbourne.aaa ... more

Hiking at Bukit Tabur

It is hardly noticeable from the city centre - especially on hazy days - but Kuala Lumpur is surrounded by lush hills, rock formations and water reservoirs. Escaping the the huzzle and buzzle of the city is a mere 30min drive away. One the most spectacular hikes is up on Bukit Tabur, part of a quarz ridge in the north-east of the city at Taman Melawati. ... more

Exploring Cameron Highlands

There are 13 different paths to discover the Highlands on your own. To fully experience the nature, culture and economy of the area it is recommended to join one of the various tours. ... more

Buses from and to Cameron Highlands
Dangers and Scams in Kuala Lumpur
(1 comment)
Thaipusam Festival
Malacca: the city that best gives a sense of Malaysia’s past
Famous Jalan Alor
... read more stories

Things to Do & See
Old Railway Station,Kuala Lumpur
Moorish-style structure built in 1910 is no longer the jumping-off point for long-distance destinations, but its charms remain. ... more
Mount Kinabalu,Kota Kinabalu
Gunung Kinabalu is part of the Kinabalu National Park (World Heritage Site) and the tallest mountain in the Malay Archipelago. ... more
Little India,Singapore
center for the large Indian community in Singapore ... more
Lot 10,Kuala Lumpur
Shopping Mall in Bukit Bintang housing mostly fashion stores. ... more
Zoo Negara,Kuala Lumpur
Zoo Negara (National Zoo) is major zoological park in the north-east of Kuala Lumpur. The park is managed by a non-governmental organization known as the Malaysian Zoological Society. Zoo BY Night tours are popular. ... more
Medan Portugis / Portuguese Settlement,Melaka
To the west of downtown Melaka, the portuguese decendants founded their own settlement in the 1930s. Interesting evening trip to Medan Portugis to have a feast in the various portuguese seafood restaurants. Nothing to see, it′s all about the people and goooood food. ... more
Brickfields,Kuala Lumpur
KL′s other Little India. There is a lot of history to Brickfields as it is one of the pioneer settlements in Kuala Lumpur with a large Indian community. Apart from Indian food and culture you can find Hindu and Buddhist temples there. ... more
Chinatown,Singapore
Singapore′s Chinatown is the traditional Chinese quarters of town, and while the entire city is largely Chinese these days the area does retain some of its own charm ... more
The Gardens / Midvalley Megamall,Kuala Lumpur
The new Gardens (opened in 2007) and Midvalley Megamall are shopping Malls under the same management in a mixed development called Midvalley City a few km south of downtown. ... more
LCCT,Kuala Lumpur
Low cost carrier terminal of Kuala Lumpur International Airport serving budget airlines like AirAsia ... more
Bako National Park,Kuching
Small, but diverse, National Park located 37km north-east of Kuching. Bako NP covers an area of about 27sqkm and offers jungle treks, steep cliffs, rocky headlands and stretches of sandy, secluded bays. ... more
Jungle Walks - Trail 9A,Cameron Highlands
There are 13 Trails in and around Tanah Rata and Brinchang, varying from a few hours to full-day, to explore the Cameron Highlands rainforest yourself. Track 9A starts out at the western end of Tanah Rata und passes the Robinson Falls. ... more
Crystal Mosque (Islamic Civilisation Park),Kuala Terengganu
also known as Taman Tamandun Islam. The RM250 Million theme park was opened in february 2008 and houses besides the Crystal Mosque replicas of several world famous mosques. ... more

... view all things to do & see

HOSTELS
Red Palm, Kuala Lumpur
Hostel, Kuala Lumpur
Red Palm was voted the best hostel in Asia in 2006. It′s a small, relaxed and cozy place and this website wouldn′t exist without Red Palm. ... more
Maznah Guest House, Cherating
Chalets, Cherating
chalets/bungalows off the beach ... more
Seri Bungur Beach Chalet (Mokhtar’s Place), Tioman
Chalets, Tioman
accommodation on ABC beach, RM30 - RM100 ... more
Number Eight Guesthouse, Kuala Lumpur
Guesthouse, Kuala Lumpur
Number Eight Guesthouse is located in Bukit Bintang and considered a boutiqe guesthouse, somewhere between a hostel and a hotel. ... more
Kedawang Beach Inn, Langkawi
Chalets, Langkawi
Friendly accommodation with guest kitchen on northern end of Tengah Beach (right south of Cenang Beach), RM70- RM110 ... more
Maya Guesthouse, Perhentian Islands
Guesthouse, Perhentian Islands
chalets on Coral Bay, Pulau Perhentian Kecil with very good value ... more
Langkapuri Beach Resort, Langkawi
Resort, Langkawi
budget resort on Pantai Cenang (RM95 - RM160) ... more
Ella’s Place, Tioman
Chalets, Tioman
accommodation on Salang Beach, RM40 - RM120 ... more

... view all hostels

LINKS

Waterfalls of Malaysia
website is dedicated to the beautiful waterfalls of Malaysia
TrekEarth.com
photo community with stunning images
WikiTravel.org
excellent community edited website based on Wikipedia technology
Asian Images
Interesting Pix and Stories from Malaysia and beyond
Monorails.org
Loving Photo Essay of KL Monorail by The Monorail Society
world66.com: Kuala Lumpur
User administrated travel guide
TheCicak.com/
socio-political youth magazine
taman-negara.com
website run by a tour operator
malaysiamydestination.com
official portal of Tourism Malaysia
TheStar.com.my
biggest malaysian newspaper (english)


see all links



Food & Drinks
Malay Nasi Campur

food style
Nasi Campur, literally Mixed Rice, is a buffet-style arrangement of various Malay dishes
... more
Kopi Tiam

food style
Chinese coffee shops in Malaysia and Singapore
... more

» Food & Drink Database Malaysia & South-East Asia

RANDOM GALLERY PHOTO
Food and Food Stalls
Teh Tarik
PRESS ARTICLES
Twilight streetside action with Borneo rockers (The Cicak)

A cicak story about 2 urban chinese guys deciding to head down to Bukit Binang (Kuala Lumpur) in the middle of the night to play their guitars. Unexpectedly they make friends with a group of guys from Sabah. A fresh story about a night in downtown KL and music as a common language.

BOOK HOSTELS
DID YOU KNOW?
Airport tax

Airport tax is already included in the ticket prices. There is also no fee to pay when leaving the country.

Things to do & see
Penang, Dhammikarama Burmese Buddhist Temple & Wat Chayamangkalaram

Penangs first Buddhist temple. Construction started in 1905. Opposite of it is the Temple of the Reclining Buddha with a 33m-long reclining Buddha ... more
Cameron Highlands, Butterfly Farm

The Butterfly Farm is located around the Kea Farm area north of Brinchang (town north of Tanah Ratah) showing, besides butterflies, a wide variety of plants, flowers, insects and reptiles. Best to to visit with an experienced guide otherwise you miss a lot of interesting things. ... more
STORIES
Malls, Malls, Malls - Shopping in Kuala Lumpur
KL has an incredible density of big shopping centres. It seems like every other year a new mall is opening trying to outdo the others in size or design. Here's a list of the favourites among locals and tourists with more information and pictures of each shopping centre.
RANDOM LINKS
thebookaholic.blogspot.com/
literature blog by a british living in Malaysia for more than 20 years
multimap.com
very good map service
Weather in Malaysia
Weather in Malaysia (Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation)
Malaysia-Islands.com
Photos, Dive&Snorkel Spots of all major Malaysian Islands
malaysiamydestination.com
official portal of Tourism Malaysia

see all links