Kuala Lumpur: Asia's most beautiful capital

Malaysia is a rising star on the tourist scene in Southeast Asia, and rightly so. It has it all: tropical beaches; cool mountain resorts; dense jungles; spectacular scenery; exotic sights, sounds and smells; fine hotels, and top restaurants. English is widely spoken and, best of all, Malaysia is one of the least-expensive countries in Asia.

Kuala Lumpur, the lovely capital, is thought by many to be the most attractive large city in the Far East. It is a fascinating combination of old and new and spans not only the three main ethnic groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) but many smaller groups as well.

It is a city of beautiful buildings. They preserve the old and encourage the construction of new buildings that reflect the old values. In the picture shown, a startling, Moorish-style building dating back to the British occupation stands before a stunning new building that won a prize from the government for its grace, elegance and homage to the past.

K.L., as most refer to the city, also is liberally sprinkled with parks, lakes and green areas, making it quite unlike most cities in the region.

Many of the hotels are grouped in an area called the "Golden Triangle." Those which are not are duly noted. I am going to list a few of my favorites in various price categories.

Accommodations

The Federal Kuala Lumpur is centrally located and moderately priced. Although built in 1957, it has been well maintained and is popular with tour groups. It has a revolving rooftop restaurant with panoramic views of the city.

In the moderately expensive category, the Kuala Lumpur Hilton stands out with an excellent central location, fine rooms and one of the best dining rooms in the city.

The Holiday Inn on the Park is just on the edge of the Golden Triangle in a quieter area. It has lovely views of the race track and park. It's showing its age a bit but is still good value.

Its sister hotel, the Holiday Inn City Centre, is closer to the business district and also moderately expensive.

The Melia Kuala Lumpur rounds out this category. Formerly the Prince Hotel and more recently the Park Avenue, it has been taken over by the Melia Group of Spain. They've done a nice job of it, as they did at their property in Singapore.

In the "expensive" category, the Parkroyal in the Golden Triangle and the Pan Pacific Hotel, adjacent to the Putra World Trade Center (Convention Centre), are the best bets. The Pan Pacific is very popular with convention-goers, of course.

In the "very expensive" category, the Regent Kuala Lumpur is one of the newer links in the Regent International chain. It's flashy and dramatic and seems geared more toward the business traveler than the tourist trade.

Probably best in this category is the Shangri La Hotel. It's part of the prestigious international chain and in an office and apartment complex. Rooms are very luxurious and larger than most. The hotel has some of the finest restaurants in the city.

There is another hotel that is in a class by itself, the Carcosa Seri Negara. It's in a price-is-no-object category, i.e., $400-$1,000 a night for one of 13 incredible suites in two adjacent, beautifully restored colonial mansions.

Each suite is served by two butlers around the clock, one of whom will pick you up at the airport in a Mercedes limo at the airport. You'll be treated like visiting royalty. There's a wonderful, elegant dining room. The hotel is set on top of a hill overlooking the city.

Dining in and out

All of the best hotels have truly excellent dining rooms. The Melaka Grill in the K.L. Hilton and the Lafitte in the Shangri La, in particular, have a great many supporters. The Grill in the Regent has a reputation as the best place for steak, roast beef and grilled seafood.

Outside the hotels, I have enjoyed Le Coq D'or in an old colonial mansion, but I heard rumors of it closing (ask your concierge). Excellent food at moderate prices.

Visitors to the city also like Sri Yazmin, which offers the chance to sample the various local cuisines and an above-average cultural show in the evening.

Nightlife in K.L. encompasses the usual collection of discos, but jazz has become very popular of late. Barn Thai and Riverbank have very credible jazz as does the very pleasant Aviary Bar in the Hilton.

For the young-at-heart (and the near-deaf), there's a Hard Rock Cafe. If you can't sing but don't care and want to do it anyway, the sing-along Karaoke bars are everywhere.

Local sights

I like to visit the crowded, colorful Chinatown area after dusk and bargain for trinkets I don't need but can't resist.

Other worthwhile sights include the exotic Jame Mosque, which is right out of the "Arabian Nights" with its domes and minarets; the 100-year-old Royal Selangor Club, a remnant of British Colonial rule; the National Museum, with its beautiful Malay architecture and interesting exhibits; the National Monument, designed by the artist who did our statue of the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima, and the nearby Parliament Buildings can be seen from the monument.

Many make a pilgrimage to the Selangor Pewter Factory, outside of town, and the famous Hindu Shrine at the Batu Caves. Less well known, but very much to my liking, are the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park (5,000 exotic and colorful birds) and the adjacent Butterfly Farm, with 6,000 butterflies.

I have great affection for the country and the warm, friendly people of Malaysia. You will be reading more about it all in future columns.

COPYRIGHT 1993 Martin Publications, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group