July 4, 2006
Pangkor Island - About 3 hours from KL, this tiny island is one of the few places on the west coast to offer palm fringed beaches. Until tourism arrived, it’s economy depended on the sea and that is still evident in the number of fishing villages which extend on stilts far out over the water. Beach chalets, clear water and warm weather make it an ideal weekend getaway. (more…)
Batu Caves-Just 13km north of the city, the huge Batu Caves are among Malaysia’s best known tourist attractions. Now used for Hindu festivals and pilgrimages, the caves also form an intense backdrop to the spectacularly masochistic feats performed annually by Thaipusam devotees. The main cave, a vast open space known as the Temple Cave - is reached by a 272-step climb. Beyond the stairs is the main temple. There are several other smaller caves in the same formation, including one with elaborately painted Hindu figures.
Triangle. Here you’ll find the steel and chrome Petronas Towers (the tallest building in the world), and the
formerly known as Padang, is the heart of downtown KL. This is the site of the Proclamation of Independence in 1957. It’s still used as a venue for national events, and the National Day Parades start here. Spend some time here, and you’ll soon be taken back to the colonial days of cricket and tea, as this was once the center for the British community. Look around and you’ll see many buildings of historical interest, including the Royal Selangor Club where KL’s elite meet, the Sultan Abdul Samad building which once was the core of colonial KL and now houses the Supreme Court.
(National Mosque) - This is an impressive building, completed in 1965, with a jagged 18-point star roof and 70 meter tall minaret. The points represent the 13 states of Malaysia and the 5 pillars of Islam. It’s one of the largest mosques in the region, with 48 smaller domes, cool marbled halls, long galleries and reflecting pools in the courtyard…all set in 13 acres of gardens.