Kuala Lumpur - Do, Stay, Eat?

Posted by olielle (367 days ago)

For anyone planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur let's suggest some things to do and see as well as places to stay.

(I am based in Hong Kong)

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Posted by Ed (349 days ago)

Kuala Lumpur: Peter Hoe Beyond

Although it's open to the public, Peter Hoe's hidden location near Kuala Lumpur's Central Market makes the store feel like a speakeasy. Fans of his modern block-printed batik place mats, pareos and tops know to ask at his easy-to-find Peter Hoe Evolution crafts shop, on the corner across the street from the Central Market, for written directions to the hipper, unmarked location, a short walk away.

The hand-scrawled directions are like a treasure map. Go down a short street and around the corner onto what used to be colonial Kuala Lumpur's High Street, now named Jalan Tun H. S. Lee. Climb up a stairwell past offices to the second floor of the old Lee Rubber Building.

Once up the stairs, you will detect Mr. Hoe's spirit emerging within the 8,600-square-foot warehouse space. The cement-floored shop strewn with housewares and clothing melds Asian traditions with modern sensibilities. Colorful lanterns hang like mangoes from industrial ceiling tiles; plants soften sharp corners; and sunlight bursts through the vertical windows overlooking one of Kuala Lumpur's busiest shopping streets. The dark wood jewel case in the middle of the room is like a bar, and its offerings are just as intoxicating, with everything from silver baubles (from 59 ringgits, or $17 at 3.57 ringgits to $1) to colorful Indian beaded earrings (29 to 39 ringgits).

In one corner, racks hold surprisingly affordable linen separates for men and women (tops 96 to 129 ringgits). A tiny cafe occupies another.

“Nowhere in this entire city would one come across this combination of history and floor space,” Mr. Hoe said of his loft, which served as headquarters for the Japanese secret police during World War II. Today, after shopping, customers linger against silk pillows on the spare wood furniture, sipping tea and eating sweets.

Mr. Hoe sometimes serves them himself. “As a symbol of appreciation,” he said. “Where else in the world do you find the proprietor waiting at tables?”

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/travel/02foraging.html

(I am based in Hong Kong)

Posted by Ed (349 days ago)

The World's Tallest Buildings and More

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital, where traffic jams are cloaked under a tropical canopy, is a sleepy Muslim city that springs to life at night. The threat of terrorism around Southeast Asia has had little impact here. Of greater concern is how the global slowdown is affecting Malaysia's economy, whether China will lure away more investment and what will happen next year when Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad steps down after two decades of rule.

As he prepares his legacy, the prime minister appears to be trying to reverse Malaysia's reputation for crony capitalism. He and much of the government have moved out of Kuala Lumpur to the new administrative capital of Putrajaya.

The office buildings in Kuala Lumpur, or K.L., are spread out, while the city center is dominated by the twin Petronas Towers, the world's tallest buildings and home to the energy giant Petroliam Nasional.

AIRPORT

Like Putrajaya and the Petronas Towers, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport was one of the megaprojects begun by Dr. Mahathir before the Asian financial crisis of 1997. Completed in 1998 for $3.5 billion, it has fallen short of its ambition to rival Singapore as a regional hub. Locals complain that the airport is too far -- 26 miles -- from the city.

A new high-speed train offers a faster and cheaper way into town, but local executives advise visitors to take a taxi. ''It's the hassle,'' said Ong Li Lee, a senior manager for policy and development at the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. Buy a taxi coupon at the designated kiosk inside the airport terminal.

HOTELS

At the foot of the Petronas Towers is the MANDARIN ORIENTAL (603-2380-8888, $108 to $421). The Mandarin's Cantonese restaurant and its Pacifica Bar and Grill are among the most popular restaurants in town. Its gym and outdoor swimming pool face the 50-acre gardens (with jogging path) of the Kuala Lumpur City Center.

The newly renovated SHANGRI-LA HOTEL (603-2032-2388, $86 to $474) has an excellent breakfast buffet and restaurants. To the south is the HOTEL EQUATORIAL (603-2161-7777, $89 to $395), whose French-style cafe boasts not only delightful pastries but wireless high-speed Internet access. The RITZ-CARLTON (603-2142-8000, $113 to $192) sits near the city's trendiest bar and dining area, Bukit Bintang.

RESTAURANTS

A melting pot of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures, the city offers a huge array of local specialties. Some of the best food is served in open-air food courts for less than $5 a meal. Beverly Yong, managing director at art gallery Valentine Willie Fine Art, recommends the stalls and noodle shops around Bukit Bintang.

Also in Bukit Bintang, the starkly modern FRANGIPANI (603-2144-3001, $102 for dinner for two with wine and tip) is popular for lunch meetings and for its upstairs bar. Across the street, KINGFISHER (603-2141-9266, $97) serves mouth-watering seafood in a casual, al fresco setting.

Back at the Mandarin Oriental, LAI PO HEEN (603-2179-8885, $109) serves Cantonese cuisine prepared in a bustling, open kitchen and has a popular dim sum lunch. For Aziz Othman, a corporate planning manager at Petroliam Nasional, Lai Po Heen is not only conveniently next door, but has private dining rooms that are ideal for business dinners. ''The food is excellent,'' he says.

At SERI MELAYU (603-2145-1833, $25), diners can peruse a buffet of Malay cuisine while watching a show that includes Malay, Chinese and Indian dances. For sheer luxury, try the French cuisine at RESTAURANT LAFITE (603-2074-3900, $376) in the Shangri-la Hotel, which underwent a renovation this year by a Manhattan decorator, Adam D. Tihany.

ENTERTAINMENT

Black-tip sharks circling in a tank above the bar set the mood for the throbbing music at the BEACH CLUB CAFE (603-2166-9919), but the picnic tables outside make it popular for revelers of all ages. For a night cap, take a taxi out of town to BANGSAR, an expatriate-friendly enclave chockablock with bars.

Classical music lovers should visit the DEWAN FILHARMONIK PETRONAS (603-2051-7008), the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra's concert hall between the Petronas Towers.

The PETRONAS TOWERS are, of course, a sight in themselves. While you cannot go to the top, you can visit the Skybridge that connects the towers at the 41st floor. Admission is free, but only 800 tickets are issued daily, so line up early. Or just visit the boutiques and stores in the six-story shopping mall at the bottom.

BUSINESS LORE

Kuala Lumpur's multiethnic heritage has produces multiethnic taboos. Never eat with your left hand, walk into a home with your shoes on or leave chopsticks standing in a bowl of rice. Many Muslim women will not shake hands with men, and Muslim men prefer a gentle handshake to the American grip-and-pump. Most Malaysian names are surname-first, whether Chinese or Malay. Thus Mahathir Mohamad is Dr. Mahathir.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C00E1DE143DF934A25751C1A9649C8B63

(I am based in Hong Kong)