Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is popularly known as KL, and is the capital of Malaysia. Directly translated, Kuala Lumpur means “muddy estuary” without having to put too much thought into how this metropolis now looks.
Kuala Lumpur has grown since the 1850s from being a small sleepy village known for its tin, to becoming a bustling metropolis with about 6.5 million inhabitants when we count on all the suburbs. Nearly 2 million live in the city center without anyone officially guaranteeing the number.
Kuala Lumpur offers some of the world’s cheapest 5-star hotels, and there are plenty of shopping opportunities where quality is offered at a cheap price. Besides, the restaurants are many and good.
Add some amazing sights and temperatures that are almost always between 23 and 32 degrees Celsius, and we all understand that Kuala Lumpur is a favorite place for travelers from all over the world.
Kuala Lumpur is the natural gateway to Malaysia and we strongly recommend that you spend some of your vacation days exploring this fascinating city.
Get to know Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and has undergone a tremendous development in recent years. Where there was a miserable little village 150 years ago, you will now find a state-of-the-art metropolis, perhaps best known for its landmarks, Petronas Towers.
Construction and improvement of road networks, subways and tourist facilities are in full swing, for Malaysia is investing heavily in becoming a hospitable industrialized country that can take up the fight with Thailand and Singapore as tourists’ first choice in Southeast Asia. From Kuala Lumpur you have a short journey to Malaysia’s beach paradises and exotic holiday towns.
Kuala Lumpur is a sprawling city with suburbs that seems to continue indefinitely in all directions. Kuala Lumpur now extends into the former remote towns of Petaling Jaya (originally developed as a drab village), Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, Klang and Port Klang.
Kuala Lumpur can be divided into many ways, here we briefly take the most interesting parts for most tourists.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: KL
- Country: Malaysia
City Center
Kuala Lumpur city center or City Center is the very heart of Kuala Lumpur, dating back to the time when colonial power was ruled by Malaysia. Here you will find the Mercy Chapel (Independence Square), the Sultan Abdul Samad Building and the Selangor Club. This district in the center of Kuala Lumpur also includes the old Chinese center, which everyone calls Chinatown, and which is typically frequented by “all” tourists.
Golden Triangle
The Golden Triangle in Kuala Lumpur is an area north-east of downtown. It’s here to visit the city’s huge shopping malls, the many five-star hotels, and not least to admire Petronas Twin Towers.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman / Chow Kit
Only 500 meters north of Chinatown and bordering Petronas Twin Towers are Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Chow Kit. It is a colorful shopping district in Kuala Lumpur (north of the city center) and is really taking off as the Hari Raya Puasa (Eid ul-Fitr) and Deepavali festivals take place.
The district is also popular with many tourists because of affordable accommodations. The giant Putra World Trade Center and Malaysia enclave Kampung Baru (New Town) with the Sultan Sulemai Club and Kampung Baru Mosque as the main landmarks can be found in these districts.
Brickfields
The Brickfield area is south of the City Center and is Kuala Lumpur’s own Little India. You come here for rice and curry restaurants. Here is also Kuala Lumpur’s central railway station, KL Central. In Little India, there is a vibrant and colorful people life at all times of the day.
Bangsar and Midvalley
South of Kuala Lumpur city center (and west of Brickfields) you will also find a district popular with tourists, especially those who want an active nightlife and many restaurants. This district is called Bangsar. If you are more interested in shopping, take a trip to the neighboring Midvalley district.
Ampang
If you hike east of the center of Kuala Lumpur, the destination is probably the district of Ampang. Ampang is Kuala Lumpur’s Little Korea. Also, this is where you will find most embassies. The address of the Norwegian Embassy is 53F, Empire Tower, Jl. Tun Razak.
Northern and southern suburbs of Kuala Lumpur
North of the city center of Kuala Lumpur you will find some huge suburbs that are home to several tourist attractions such as Batu Caves, National Zoo and the amazing Forest Research Institute of Malaysia.
The suburbs south of Kuala Lumpur city center do not offer much to the tourists, but this is where the big stadium is located. You will also find a larger theme park here.
NB! This area is a sensible choice if you are going to the airport later, since KL International Airport is also south of Kuala Lumpur city center.
List of Kuala Lumpur Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about Kuala Lumpur is KL which stands for Kuala Lumpur. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Kuala Lumpur, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
