Magnificent Malaysia!!

How did it all begin?

The debate started in early January 2024 for a long summer vacation and multiple iterations between Malaysia and Bali and the mandate for a 10 day vacation finally made me include a 3 day break at Malaysia though I was not too keen to plan this out since a proper tour of both these places would entail a duration of a couple of weeks.

I was more keen to do a full 10 day Bali tour but the ladies impressed upon me that they could not miss the shopping at Kuala Lumpur (KL).

Thus was carved out a 3 day break at KL and 6 days at Bali. Suggestions of including Penang, Langkawi, Genting all got thrown out of the window.

We were to take the 22.15 PM Indigo flight to KL on a Friday evening and after managing to stave off the last of those never ending Teams calls, managed to start for the Chennai Airport by around 17.45 PM.

The customary photo shoots done, the first phase of dinner done at 19.00 hours, we made our way past immigration and the security checks to the waiting lounge.

The flight took off on time and after a boring 4 hour uneventful journey, we touched down at KL International Airport by around 5.00 AM.

The Visas were free thanks to some announcements of a 50 year friendship with India being celebrated while we had to apply for the Malaysian Digital Identity Card which was a mandate to enter the country. There were no charges for this and the online process was pretty simple but one could do it exactly 3 days before the departure date only.

I had booked the cab services for travel around Kuala Lumpur after looking up a few service providers in KL and arbitrarily chose MPV Taxi Services though the rates were above average than various operators while reviews were good.

As we descended into KL International Airport

The immigration formalities were done in a jiffy and we were out of the Airport in 30 minutes time after picking up our luggage.

The Operations Head of MPV Yahya was himself there to receive us at the Airport. The fares for the drive from the Airport to the city was RM (Malaysian Ringgit) 110 which would be equivalent to 2,100/-. They can be reached on +60193508989 and their website address is www.taximpv4u.com.

The Platinum Suites

We had booked our stay at Platinum Suites located very close to the Petronas Towers through www.booking.com. The reviews and ratings were good and the hotel looked pretty impressive.

Though we had booked the suite from the previous day 2 PM onwards so that we do not encounter issues while checking in early, the first of the problems started as soon as we reached.

The caretaker was a non-localite and in his zeal to please people checking in ad-hoc gave our booking the slip and asked us to manage with a room with a single master bedroom while ours was supposed to be a family suite with 2 bedrooms.

After a proper dressing down, he managed to identify a room in an adjacent block and checked us in finally at around 7.00 AM.

The rooms were good with lot of amenities and a nice rooftop swimming pool. We were at the 33rd floor and the room offered a great view of the KL Tower.

Given the fact that all of us were challenged for sleep, we decided to crash for sometime before venturing out. We had planned for a half day tour of Putrajaya city starting at 11.30 AM from the hotel and then getting dropped at one of the malls and being on our own for the evening before embarking for some local sightseeing, planned for the next day.

Breakfast was from amongst the many ready to eat packs we were carrying along, being skeptical of the ingredients and oil which go into the so called vegetarian dishes.

Off to Putrajaya

It was around 12 noon when we reached the outskirts of Putrajaya when we pulled into a 7 Eleven Convenience Store to pick up some juices, chips and coffee. Putrajaya became Malaysia’s third Federal Territory after Kuala Lumpur in 1974 and Labuan in 1984. Located South of Kuala Lumpur, its known for its late 20^th century architecture.

The Seri Wawasan Putra Bridge

By around 12.45 we stopped at the Seri Wawasan Putra Bridge which was our first halt. Inspired by Iranian Architecture, the Putra Bridge has 4 Minaret Type Piers overlooking the man-made Putrajaya Lake.

This cable stayed bridge is built asymmetrically with a forward inclined pylon which makes it look like a sailing ship. The bridge is 240 metres long and has a span of 168 metres and the changeable colour lights towards the twilight hours gives it a beautiful appearance.

The Water Front

The customary photo shoots done, we got dropped near the Putrajaya Lake front while our driver went ahead to search for a parking slot.

The Mosque, the Botanical Garden and the Prime Minister’s office were all in close vicinity and walkable.

Right at the centre of Putrajaya lies the 650 hectare man-made lake (Tasik in Malay) which has been designed to act as a natural cooling system for the city.

It also serves a place for recreation, water sports, fishing and as a means of water transport. The catchment area is around 51 square kms while the average depth of the lake is 6.6 metres.

The Putra Mosque

We moved on from the lake front to the Putra Mosque. Located on Putra Square and adjacent to the Putraja Lake, this place of worship serves as the principal mosque of the city. Built out of Rose colored granite, this pink domed mosque took 2 years to build and got completed in 1999.

While the mosque can accommodate 15,000 worshippers at any point of time, it had three main functional areas – the prayer hall, the courtyard (also known as Sahn) and various learning facilities and function rooms.

The Prime Minister's Office & Around

After spending around 20-25 minutes at the mosque, through the exit gate we reached the circle in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. Against the backdrop of the fluttering flags and the Selfie Point could be seen the Green Domed huge structure housing the Prime Minister’s office. The photos done, we stopped by at an artefacts shop before reaching the Botanical Garden. The shop had a wide variety of Fridge Magnets, T Shirts and dresses, purses and handbags and for the next 45 minutes, the ladies let loose the purse strings. Finally around 2.30 P.M we made our way to the Botanical Garden.

The Botanical Gardens

Sprawling across 92 hectares of land, this Botanical Garden has received international recognition for being one of the 40 most beautiful gardens in Asia.

Right at the entrance to the garden and towards the left lies the Astaja Moroccan Pavilion Islamic Garden which derives inspiration from Moroccan Heritage and Architecture.

13 Theme Gardens featuring plant themes across different continents house over 700 species of plants here. While the Decorative Garden area of the Park houses these Theme gardens such as The Fern Garden, The Sun Garden and Palm Hill, there is also a section for Rehabilitation and a Ethnobotany Park and Research center.

The Garden is otherwise also quite popular amongst joggers and cyclists besides also serving as a picnic spot.

We started our drive back to the city by around 3 PM. A heavy downpour greeted us as we entered the city by around 4 PM and it persisted right till the time we got dropped at Pavillion Mall, a shopping centre in the heart of KL. Parking was a nightmare inspite of the rains and our driver managed to drop us as close as possible to the Mall entrance so that we avoid getting drenched. Bid goodbye to our driver Ahkirem after paying him the fares of MYR 240.

The Pavillion Mall

The first search in the mall was for a food joint. Choices were limited given that most eat outs were either of Malay food origin or continental cuisine and fearing fish oil to be an integral part of that cooking, we finally settled for some Pizzas and Shakes at Pizza Hut followed by Doughnuts and coffee to wash them down.

The next few hours were spent in going around the Mall and indulging in lot of shopping and around 8 PM we came out of the Mall finally. There was a severe traffic jam right in front of the mall and a protest by a group of pro-Palestinians compounded the issue further.

3 Uber bookings and cancellations and finally when we had almost decided to walk back to our hotel, help came in the form of a good Samaritan who offered to drop us back for MYR 25.

Helped ourselves to some ready to cook food at our apartment hotel and tucked in early.

We were done with our breakfast in the hotel by 9.00 AM and got into the Cab for a day’s sightseeing of Batu Caves in Selangor and the city of Kuala Lumpur. The first point of halt was the Batu Caves, one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India and located around 13 kms from our hotel. Broad roads and thankfully being a Sunday, there was less traffic on the road and we reached the Caves by 9.30 AM.

The entrance to the 400 Million year old Caves has a 140+feet tall statue of a Gold Coloured Lord Murugan (also known as the God of War) followed by a series of 272 colorfully painted steps leading to a series of temples dedicated to Hindu shrines. This statue is believed to be the World’s 2^nd tallest statue for Lord Murugan, the first being the Muthumalai Murugan Statue in Salem in India.

The Batu Caves

The cave temple is located amongst a series of Limestone Caves which were believed to have been inhabited by the Temuan people who belonged to the tribe of Orang Asli, the olderst inhabitants of Peninsular Malaysia.

It was in the year 1890 that a Tamil trader by the name K.Thamboosamy Pillai installed a statue of Lord Murugan and dedicated the cave as a place of worship. The Batu Pahat river flows nearby and perhaps being the reason for these caves being called the Batu Caves. Batu incidentally in Malay means Rock.

Stalagmites rising from the floor and Stalactites jutting from the ceiling form intricate patterns of cave curtains within this cave complex which has 20 interconnected caves including 4 large cave systems.

The entrance to the cave structure was believed to be in the shape of a spear (vel) which is the weapon used by Lord Murugan and which probably was what prompted Thamboosamy to install the deity of the Lord here.

The Art Gallery Cave and the Museum Cave are located at the base of the hill and consist of paintings and statues from Hindu Mythology. While some depict the life and stories of Murugan, the Ramayana Cave consists of paintings from the Hindu epic Ramayana.

A 49 feet tall statue of Hanuman and a temple dedicated to him are also available at the entrance. It took us almost 3 hours to complete the ascent and descent. A quick nice South Indian lunch ensued at Rani Vilas and we set off for the city by around 1.15 PM. The Thaipusam Festival is celebrated with lot of fervor in the months of January/February and invites lots of devotees from world over. The entry to the Batu Caves is free.

The King's Palace

Our next stop was at the King’s Palace also known as the Istana Negara meaning the National Palace. This is the official residence of the King of Malaysia and is located towards the North Western side of KL.

The palace is out of bounds for visitors on account of security reasons and one can only take photographs from outside. Spread across an area of over 97 hectares, this sprawling palace complex was opened in 20111 and features 22 domes.

The complex is split into three main portions : The Formal Component, The Royal Component and the Administration Component. 2 of the biggest domes are designed in the shape of neatly layered beetle leaves.

The palace is decorated with lights during the evening hours and the domes get illuminated through this. We got to see the Palace again in the evening hours during our Hop On Hop Off tour.

The Old Railway Station

Before we reached the Merdeka Square we took a small detour to have a look at the Old Railway Station which was still operational in terms of being a secondary stop for a few long distance trains on their way to KL Sentral. The building housing the station stands out in terms of its quaint architecture, topped by structures looking like minarets and incorporates a mix of Asian including European and Asian designs, serving as a testimony to the diverse cultures existent in Malaysia.

Designed by a British architect Arthur Benison Hubback in 1910 and completed in 1917 at a cost of $23,000, this station served as the main gateway to the capital until 2001 after which the KL Sentral became the transit hub.

The Merdeka Square

A light drizzle greeted us as we made our way to the Merdeka Square, also known as the Independence Square. Lots of Malaysians gather here on 31^st August every here to celebrate their Independence Day. The flagpole holding the Malaysian flag is 100 metres tall and is believed to be the highest in the world.

Lining this huge public square are 3 iconic buildings, some of which resonate with the British era – The Sultan Abdul Samad Building, The Royal Selangor Club and the St.Mary’s Anglican Cathedral.

The square used to serve as a cricket field during the pre-independence days while it currently also serves as a great hangout place for locals as well as tourists and houses many rock concerts as well.

The buildings surrounding the square are a sharp contrast of the colonial past to the relentless modernity which typically very city is undergoing.

The National Mosque

A little ahead of the square lay the National Mosque. The rains had intensified a bit and while the family chose to stay put in the car, I got off near the entrance to see this beautiful mosque. Built to hold a capacity of 15,000 people and located across 13 acres of gardens, this mosque was built in 1965. The key features include a 240 feet high minaret and a 16 pointed star concrete roof and throughout the compound, one gets to see reflecting pools and fountains.

Spent around 15 to 20 minutes going around the mosque and post that had to literally make a dash for the cab. We passed by the Central Market, a Heritage Site and more known for its artefacts, traditional Malay clothing items, paintings and souvenirs.

Also known as Pasar Seni, this is one of the main street markets in KL. Built in 1928 as a dry market, it got transformed in the 1980s as a handicrafts market.

A Toss up between Central Market & China Town

Our cab driver suggested dropping us at the China Town Market instead of the Central Market after understanding what we were looking at shopping for.

By 4 PM we reached the Petaling Market, also popularly known as China Town.

One of the most popular street markets in KL, the sellers sell mostly Chinese products including imitation jewellery, lanterns, clothes, bags, watches, perfumes etc.

A place where bargaining is pretty common and products here get sold at throwaway prices. There are stalls also available which serve Chinese food and Seafood.

Driving past the KL Tower

After roaming around the markets for around 20 odd minutes, we drove past the Kuala Lumpur Tower. We had booked ourselves for a visit to the Petronas Towers at 5 PM and hence had to give the KL Tower a skip. This 6 storey, 1381 feet tall tower is the world’s 7^th tallest tower and features an antenna right at the very top.

The tower has a stairwell and an elevator to reach the Upper area and also features a revolving restaurant providing diners with a panoramic view of the city. An interesting feature of this tower is that races are held every year where participants race up the stairs to the top. An observatory at the top acts as the Islamic Falak observatory to observe the crescent moon which marks the beginning of the Muslim month of Ramadhan. The construction of the tower was completed in 3 tranches starting in 1992 and ending in 1996.

The Petronas Towers

We reached the 452 metre tall 88 Storey Petronas Twin Towers by 4.45 PM, right in time for the ride right upto the 86^th floor. We had booked our tickets in advance through their on-line portal and each ticket to reach the sky bridge and observation deck was MYR 98 per head.

The Mall leading to the entrance of the Petronas Towers

The Waiting Lounge

We made our way through a Shopping Mall to the lounge where they were grouping people based on the time slots booked and tying a color band around everyone’s wrists.

The tour started with an interactive display which showcased the journey of the Towers right from conceptualization to execution. This 88 storey twin structure is Kuala Lumpur’s Crown Jewel and is the tallest structure in the world.

The Skybridge on the 41st Floor

High speed elevators took us first to the Skybridge, a connecting structure between the Towers and the World’s highest 2-storey bridge.

A unique feature of the Double-decker Skybridge is that it hangs between the towers at the 41^st and 42^nd Floors without being directly attached on either end. The Towers are so designed to slide in and out in the event of high winds when they sway. The Bridge also helps support the swaying towers.

The Observation Deck on the 86th Floor

We them moved onto the 86^th floor which houses an observation deck. Breathtaking views of the city can be seen from the top. The Towers are equipped with 18 Single Elevators and 58 Double-deck elevators. Panels of Glass and Stainless Steel have been used in cladding the towers and the effect made Architect Cesar Pelli remark about the Towers looking like “Multifaceted Diamonds sparkling in the Sun”.

The construction of the towers was completed in 1996.

We were out of the Towers by around 6 PM and got dropped back at our Hotel. We paid our driver Ramli MYR 400 for the day’s sightseeing.

The Hop On Hop Off Night Tour

We had booked for a Night Hop On Hop Off Tour starting at 8 PM. These tickets were also booked online and costed us MYR 65 each. After relaxing in the hotel room for about an hour, we got ready to leave for the start point of the Bus tour which was pretty close to the Pavillion Mall by around 7.30 PM.

Getting a taxi on a Sunday evening had its own challenges and finally after lot of struggle we got a taxi but thanks to the traffic jams enroute we finally reached the Sungei Wang Plaza from where the tour was to start, by only 8.15 PM

We had almost reconciled ourselves to the fact that we would miss the tour but thankfully we were accommodated in the 3^rd bus which was to leave by 8.30 PM only.

An hour’s drive through the city took us past the KL Tower, the King’s Palace, China Town, Central Market, Merdeka Square, KL Sentral and the Twin Towers and we were back at the Plaza by around 9.30 PM.

Finally some lovely Indian Dinner

Around 250 metres away from the Plaza, we found an Indian restaurant Indian Empire and decided to have our dinner there. Having survived on Ready to Eat foods for most of the time and a little bit of Pizzas the previous day evening, we found the restaurant to be a real god-send. The food was par excellence and we ate to our heart’s content. We were finally out of the restaurant by around midnight and managed to get a taxi to drop us back to our hotel. We paid the cab guy MYR 30 for the drop.

We had nothing planned for the next day as we were done with almost all of the sightseeing. All of us were visibly tired and finally got up only at around 8 am in the morning. A ready to eat breakfast followed after which the family got into packing the suitcases for the evening flight to Bali.

While the packing was on I decided to visit the top most floor where the Infinity Swimming Pool was located. Was lost in the views from the top till I realized that getting back down to the 33rd floor where we were staying became a nightmare. We were to leave at 1 PM for the Airport for which I had booked the cab and it became a real struggle getting a place in the lift. The exit through the staircase was all locked up and after lot of persuasion with some co-passengers in the lift, squeezed myself in.

It was a race against time as I found my way back to the room at around 12.30 PM when the 2^nd episode of the nightmare started. We reached the lift lobby at the 33rd floor only to find it jam packed as it looked as if everyone was checking out of the hotel at the same time.

By the time we got into a lift where we could find space for all the 4 of us with our pieces of luggage, we realized that we were running late. It took us almost 20 minutes to reach the lobby, given that the lift kept stopping at all floors as there appeared to be an exodus of people at each floor.

Quickly completed the check out formalities only to realize that the taxi which had come to pick us up had happily left the hotel, compounding our misery further. It was 1.45 PM and we were to reach the airport located 60 kms away before 2.50 PM which was our reporting time. We started the search on-line for a taxi and finally got a cab at 2.00 PM.

We were fortunate to get a highly skilled driver who literally raced against time to get us to the Airport by 2.45 PM. While we were literally holding our hearts in our hands, our cab driver rolled into the KL Airport safely.

We thanked him profusely and paid him MYR 150 including some tips for the safe journey. The check-in formalities done, we settled in to calm our nerves before heading to a restaurant where there was some semblance of Indian food being served.

We finally boarded our flight at 17.50 PM for Part 2 of our Vacation at Bali. Read on @ https://jewelsofasia.in/bali/