We had a day layover in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia so we tried to make the most out of it. It ended up being closer to a half day there, but my sister and I still had a blast. Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia, which used to be part of the British Empire. The country achieved independence in 1957, and has a king and a prime minister that run the government. Everyone spoke English in the capital so it was easy to get around for us English speakers. There is freedom of religion, but Islam is recognized as the established religion of the country, which is interesting since my sister and I visited a couple Hindu sites that were amazing. Malaysia has had great economic growth since achieving independence, so the country attracts many workers, as well as students and tourists from around Asia. After Vietnam, it felt nice to be in a modern country with the comforts of home. The best part of our day was that the attractions we visited were free. We just paid for transportation to and from these places, so if you have more time you can even take transit to make it more affordable.
Malaysia was a short 2 hour plane ride away, but our flight was delayed so we got to the city later than expected. The airport is a hike from the hotel so we took the cheapest option which is an app called Grab (like Lyft in the US). Our driver was friendly, and even offered to pick us up in the morning so we set that up with him. We were so hungry when we got to the hotel that we ate at the restaurant there, which was actually good. Eat the delicious local cuisine and drink the lemon iced tea…it’s so good! We didn’t have time for any tours since we arrived later in the afternoon, and had no patience for the tourist traps they take you to shop. We decided to use Grab all day from place to place since the city is quite large, and nothing was within walking distance that we wanted to see. If we were there all day we would have done the Hop On/Hop Off bus tour. Grab was an affordable way to get around, and most of the drivers were nice and friendly.
First stop was the Batu Caves, a hill with a complex of Hindu cave temples. It is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. It is dedicated to Lord Murugan, the god of war and the commander-in-chief of the army of Devas, and he is the son of God Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. His giant sized statue is right outside the caves. An Indian trader dedicated the temple to Murgan in the late 19th century. There beautiful, colorful Hindu temples on the site as well.
There are three main caves and some smaller ones. The 272 steps that take you up to the caves to see Cathedral Cave, named for its lovely high ceiling. There are shrines inside the caves as well. The Batu Caves is the most visited site in the city, and recommended if you are in Kuala Lumpur. We were not disappointed, and glad we had enough time to see it while it was open to the public. The 140 ft statue of Lord Murugan is amazing in itself.
The next stop was at another temple that was founded by the same man that founded Batu Caves, K. Thamboosamy Pillai. He named the temple Shri Mahamariamman. It is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, and was built in a Southern Indian style. It was founded in 1872, but opened to the public in the 1920s. The temple tower, called a gopuram, and the gate with its sculptures of Hindu gods draws you into this amazing place. The temple is dedicated to Mariamman, a manifestation of the goddess Parvati.
The temple is beautiful. I loved all the colors incorporated into the sacred figures and architecture. The main hall has decorated ceilings. Pillaiyer and his brother Lord Muruga adorn the center. The temple is free, you just have to pay to store your shoes since footwear is not allowed. There are many beautiful places of worship in the city, but I was drawn to this temple. The temple is close to Chinatown so we were able to walk through the market after visiting the temple. The market was pretty crazy with various vendors trying to get our attention so we made our way to our next must see place in Kuala Lumpur.
Another must see site in Kuala Lumpur are the Petronas Towers; the world’s largest twin towers. It is the headquarters of the national oil company Petronas. The buildings are a landmark of Kuala Lumpur; like what the Sears Towers is for Chicago. The steel and glass motifs are meant to resemble symbols found in Islamic art. You can buy a lense there that allows you to take a picture with the towers, but I passed on that. We crossed the street for a better picture with the towers in the background. Crowds gather outside at KLCC Park, where you can sit and enjoy the view of the towers. The water fountain is beautiful in the evening. You can purchase a ticket to go up the towers as well. We were happy with walking around the towers and sitting in the park by the fountain, taking in the view.
Our last stop of the evening was Merdeka (Independence) square where the Malaysian flag was raised for the first time. If you cross the street the Natural History Museum is there, along with more paths to take a stroll. There are some other buildings as well, and a beautiful mosque is next door. We arrived later in the evening and walked around exploring what we could since the buildings were closed for the day. There is an “I Love Kuala Lumpur” sculpture you can take pics with as well. The bridge and water are lit up, and music plays at different intervals in the park. Merdeeka Square was the perfect place to end our visit in Kuala Lumpur. I wish we had more time to explore Malaysia since there so many places to see, but it will have to wait until next time.
After a long day we headed back to our hotel for some sleep since we had to be up early for our flight to Bali, Indonesia, the last part of my Asian Adventure! So stay tuned for one of the most beautiful and relaxing places I have visited. If you like my Facebook page, there are videos from the trip posted that you can check out as well. I also update the Instagram WayfaringGal page with new posts. Thank you for reading, and comments and feedback are always welcome since that is how we learn and grow.
