I only had a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur so I decided to explore the city by riding the Hop On, Hop Off Bus.
Petronas Towers
A visit to Kuala Lumpur would be incomplete without visiting the Petronas Towers. The Petronas Towers was dubbed the world's tallest building not too long ago. The 452-meter high towers are an iconic piece of architecture that looms over Kuala Lumpur.
KL Tower
The KL Tower was built in 1995 and stands tall at the only remaining forest reserve in Kuala Lumpur. At 421 meters tall, this tower is the tallest telecommunications tower in Southeast Asia.
National Palace
The National Palace was one of the stops of the bus tour, too bad I was unable to go inside.
Central Market
Central Market was one of the places where you can buy souvenirs and eat. The prices weren't exactly cheap but still affordable. The prices ranged from as low as MYR5 to highs of more than MYR100.
The Central Market was near Chinatown, Dataran Merdeka, and other old and historical buildings. I really liked walking the streets in this area there were a lot of stories behind those old buildings and streets.
Bintang Walk
Bintang Walk is this long stretch of road where restaurants, shopping centers, and hotels abound. This area is a shoppers' paradise. There are high-end goods and bargain finds for all types of shoppers.
Dataran Merdeka
Merdeka Square is a historic place that also has several old buildings around it. This was where the Malaysian flag was raised when independence was declared in August 31, 1957.
The Victorian Fountain is over 100 years old and was brought to Kuala Lumpur from England.
The Sultan Abdul Samad Building was built in 1894-1897. This building housed the Federated Malay States, High Court, and Supreme Court before, and is now home to the Ministry of Information, Communications, and Culture.
Public Library
There are other noteworthy buildings around this area that have so much history behind them.Sri Mahamariamman Temple
This Hindu Temple was also one of the stops of the bus tour. I'm not really Hindu but I do like quirky looking buildings. The atmosphere surrounding this temple was quite peaceful despite the noise of the city. There are other religious buildings in KL which added to its multiculturalism.
St. Mary's Cathedral
This church was built in 1894 and is the first brick church in Malaysia.
KL City Gallery
The KL City Gallery houses historical buildings and tells the story of Kuala Lumpur during its early years, before it was the city is is now. I didn't know that KL used to be a backward province much like other places in the Philippines. We (Filipinos) could learn a lot from KL and how it turned itself into one of the world's best cities. There are free tours to different parts of Merdeka Square and the City Gallery every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM.
I wanted to visit more places during the bus tour, but time didn't allow it. I'll just come back and spend more time in the places I've been to and haven't been to. KL is a city that has not forgotten its past and does its best to preserve it. The streets and buildings told different stories of the city's past, present, and future.