BUDGET BUCKET LIST
  • Home
  • About
    • Steph Tracker
    • Media
    • Contact & Contribute
    • Thoughts >
      • Anorexic
      • Camino Goals: In Retrospect
      • Dear Mama
      • Digital Danger
      • Restless
      • The One That Made Me Wonder
  • South America
    • Argentina >
      • Abra Pampa
      • Bariloche & Region
      • Buenos Aires
      • Buenos Aires Museums
      • Cachi
      • Cafayate
      • Cordoba City
      • Cordoba Province
      • El Calafate
      • El Chalten
      • Esquel
      • Humahuaca
      • Iguazu
      • Iruya
      • Jujuy
      • La Plata
      • Los Antiguos
      • Mendoza
      • Puerto Madryn / Peninsula Valdes
      • Purmamarca / Tilcara
      • Rosario
      • Salta
      • San Luis
      • San Miguel de Tucuman
      • Tafi / Amaicha del Valle
      • Ushuaia
      • Villaguay / Colon
      • Free Healthcare In Argentina
    • Bolivia >
      • Copacabana / Isla del Sol
      • La Paz
      • Potosi
      • Salar de Uyuni
      • Sorata
      • Sucre
      • Tarija
    • Brazil >
      • Belo Horizonte
      • Cambara do Sul
      • Florianopolis
      • Foz do Iguacu
      • Gramado / Canela
      • Ilha Grande
      • Itatiaia
      • Ouro Preto
      • Paraty / Angra dos Reis
      • Porto Alegre
      • Resende
      • Rio de Janeiro
      • Sao Paulo
      • Private Healthcare in Brazil
    • Chile >
      • Copiapó
      • Isla de Chiloe
      • Osorno / Puerto Varas
      • Pisco Elqui
      • San Pedro de Atacama
      • Santiago
      • Torres del Paine
      • Valparaiso
    • Colombia >
      • Barranquilla
      • Bogota
      • Cali
      • Cartagena
      • Manizales
      • Medellin Part I / Jardin
      • Medellin Part II / Guatape
      • Minca
      • Palomino
      • Salento
      • Santa Marta / Tayrona NP
    • Ecuador >
      • Banos
      • Cuenca / Cajas NP
      • Guayaquil
      • Quito
    • Paraguay >
      • Asunción
      • Ciudad del Este
      • Encarnación
      • Gran Chaco
      • Filadelfia
    • Peru >
      • Arequipa
      • Cajamarca
      • Cusco / Machu Picchu
      • Huacachina
      • Huaraz / Huascaran NP
      • Lima
      • Puno
      • Valle Sagrado: Ayahuasca
    • Uruguay >
      • Barra de Valizas
      • Cabo Polonio
      • Carmelo
      • Colonia del Sacramento
      • Minas
      • Montevideo
      • Punta del Diablo
  • Central America
    • Belize >
      • Belize City
      • Belmopan
      • Punta Gorda
      • San Ignacio
      • Sarteneja
    • Costa Rica >
      • Monteverde
      • Nicoya & The Coast
      • Paso Ancho
      • San Jose
      • Tortuguero NP
    • El Salvador >
      • San Salvador / El Zonte
      • Santa Ana
      • Suchitoto
    • Guatemala >
      • Antigua
      • Lago de Atitlan
      • Quetzaltenango (Xela)
      • Rio Dulce / Livingston
      • Semuc Champey
      • Tikal / Flores
    • Honduras >
      • Choluteca
      • Copan
      • El Zamorano / Tegucigalpa
      • Roatan
      • Tela
    • Nicaragua >
      • Granada
      • Isla de Ometepe
      • Leon
      • Managua
      • Masaya
      • Matagalpa
      • Mombacho / Laguna Apoyo
      • Playa Gigante
      • Rivas / San Juan del Sur
      • San Sebastian de Yali
      • Somoto
    • Panama >
      • Bocas del Toro
      • Boquete
      • Costa Abajo
      • Panama City / San Blas
      • Santa Catalina
  • North America
    • Mexico >
      • Cancun
      • Ciudad de Mexico
      • Cozumel
      • Merida / Izamal
      • Oaxaca
      • Palenque
      • Puebla
      • Queretaro
      • San Cristobal De Las Casas
      • Tulum
      • Valladolid
  • Oceania
    • Australia
    • Fiji >
      • Viti Levu East
      • Viti Levu West - 11 Tips To Travel Fiji Budget-Style!
    • New Zealand >
      • North Island >
        • Auckland
        • Auckland Islands
        • Matamata / Hobbiton
        • Northland
        • Port Waikato
        • Rotorua
        • Taupo / Tongariro Crossing
        • Waitakere Ranges: Hillary Trail
        • Wellington
      • South Island >
        • Arthur's Pass
        • Christchurch
        • Cromwell
        • NZ Glaciers
        • Kinloch / Glenorchy
        • Nelson / Abel Tasman NP
        • Punakaiki / Hokitika
        • Queenstown
        • South East Coast
        • Stewart Island
        • Te Anau / Milford Sound
        • Wanaka
    • Samoa >
      • Samoa
  • Europe
    • Austria >
      • Austrian Alps: Top Winter Sport Destinations
      • Vienna
    • Belgium >
      • Antwerp
      • Flanders Top-5 Destinations
    • Bulgaria >
      • Plovdiv
      • Sofia
    • Croatia
    • Czech Republic
    • Denmark >
      • Copenhagen
      • Mols Bjerge NP
      • Odense
    • France >
      • Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela)
    • Germany >
      • Aachen
      • Frankfurt am Main & Heidelberg
    • Gibraltar >
      • Gibraltar
    • Greece
    • Hungary
    • Italy
    • Kosovo >
      • Pristina
      • Kosovo: Travel Tips and Stories from a Local
    • Lithuania >
      • Aukstaitija NP
      • Kaunas
      • Vilnius
    • Luxemburg
    • The Netherlands >
      • Den Bosch
      • Haarlem
      • Leeuwarden
      • Nijmegen
      • South Limburg
      • 10 Typical Dutch Celebrations
    • Poland >
      • Krakow
      • Week 1: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
      • Week 2: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
      • Week 3: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
    • Portugal >
      • Algarve Region
      • Lisbon
    • Romania >
      • Brasov & Region
      • Bucharest
      • Cluj Napoca
      • Maramures Region
      • Sibiu & Region
      • Sighisoara
      • Sinaia
      • Romania's Top Ski Resorts
      • Romanian Festivals
    • Serbia >
      • Belgrade
      • Nis
      • Pirot - Stara Planina
    • Slovakia
    • Slovenia
    • Spain >
      • Barcelona
      • Malaga
      • Sevilla
      • Week 1: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 2: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 3: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 4: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 5: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 6: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Camino Goals: In Retrospect
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland >
      • Adelboden & The Alps
      • Budget Travel Guide to Switzerland
      • Swiss Cities
      • Saanen-Gstaad
      • Zurich
    • Turkey
    • United Kingdom >
      • England >
        • Bath
        • Brighton
        • Isle of Wight
        • London
      • Scotland >
        • Easdale
        • Edinburgh
        • Glasgow
        • Glencoe
        • Isle of Skye
      • Wales >
        • Cardiff & Region
  • Asia
    • Brunei >
      • Bandar Seri Begawan
    • Cambodia
    • Indonesia
    • Jordan >
      • Amman
      • Petra
      • Wadi Rum
    • Malaysia >
      • Cameron Highlands
      • Ipoh
      • Kota Kinabalu
      • Kuala Lumpur
      • Kuching
      • Melaka
      • Miri
      • Penang
      • Taman Negara
      • Tioman Island
    • North Korea >
      • DMZ Zone
    • Philippines >
      • Bohol
      • Manila
    • Singapore >
      • Singapore
    • South Korea >
      • Andong / Taebaek
      • Busan
      • Gyeongju
      • Jeju Island
      • Jirisan National Park & Surroundings
      • Seoraksan / Odaesan National Park
      • Seoul
      • 13 Strange Observations of South Korea
    • Thailand
    • Turkey >
      • Edirne
      • Istanbul
    • United Arab Emirates
    • Vietnam
  • Africa
    • Morocco >
      • Marrakech
      • 10 Things You Can't Do in the Non-Touristy Part of Morocco
    • Tunisia
  • Hiking Destinations

Kuala Lumpur


​For budget tips & compact place-specific travel info...  Download my FREE Budget Fact Sheets. You're welcome.​
Download Steph's KUALA LUMPUR Quick Budget Fact Sheet
File Size: 1012 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File


An edited version of this post can be found on STEEMIT: Upvote me to support my travels for free!
Picture
I was there once. I wasn't particularly eager to go back.

When I hear someone say ‘Kuala Lumpur’ I just remember the endless blocks of concrete hidden under a curtain of smog, glorifying abundant consumerism with its endless supply of shopping malls, people crawling around like conflicting ant colonies in their unquenchable thirst to find the ultimate sale. Its damp heat clinging to your skin, making you sweat again the second you step out of the shower, mingling the fresh soapy drops streaming off your freshly-washed body with the salty ones the heat forces out of your pores.

No, I’m certainly not a fan. But love and an unbendable New-Zealand-immigration-policy (another story for another time) demanded my return.
Sadly I had to conclude seven years isn’t enough time to radically change a city. But now I was there I might as well make the most of it. I pained my brain to force out one positive connection with this polluted capital... food, loads of Indian food. Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot of different cultures, the Chinese and Indian being the most prominent ones. Good for me, as I love me a good curry ‘n naan. 
Picture
And they don’t mess around here... this naan is bigger than my upper body.
​


Where KL wipes out most of its authencity with the apotheosis of the modern era, separate cultures are kept alive in distinct areas like China Town and Little India, contrasting with the local way of life shaped by Islam.

Here you can make a wee world trip in one single day, travelling passed mosques, Hindu temples, a mish-mash of cuisines and western shopping-mall-experiences to top it off. 
Picture
​Talking about that (immigration) history, there’s definitely something interesting to it. Did you know that Malaysia as we know it only exists independently since 1957 under the name of ‘Malaya’, the name ‘Malaysia’ being adopted in 1963? Neither did I, until I visited the National Museum, a.k.a. Muzium Negara. 
Picture
In the 1400s Melaka (Malacca) was founded by Prince Parameswara, transforming it into a kingdom. The region grew prosperous very quickly as it formed the epicentre of the East Indian spice trade. That obviously didn’t go unnoticed by the Europeans, who historically have a habit of laying their hands on businesses that are not theirs. First came the Portuguese, who simply claimed Melaka. They had to fight the Dutch 130 years later, who took it away from them in alliance with the Sultan of Johor. Fast-forward another 1,5 century: now the British came to dominate a land they had nothing to do with to begin with. The British not only taxed the locals, they also moved Chinese and Indian immigrants to Malay grounds to work in the mines and on plantations, hence the high current immigration numbers. It was actually only when the Japanese took over during the Second World War (1941-’45) that strong sentiments of nationalism were triggered, caused by their brutal rule and further enforced by the new (by the British initiated) education system that spread these ideas.
​
All of that and more, accompanied by English commentaries  and abundant displays of artefacts, can be found back in this beautifully made museum. Thanks for that, KL.
​But I knew what to do next: Go to Melaka, where it all began. Exchanging the smog and cement for living history, not a bad trade-off.

​
Photos of my first visit in 2011:
In order to support the travelers’ community, I spend many hours per week to adequately document all information and advices for prospective visitors, accompanied by a (hopefully) entertaining insight into my personal observations and experiences. This service is and will remain free. However, if you voluntarily want to make a contribution and support my travels and thus the creation of new stories and information supply, here is the button you’re looking for:
Donate

Related:
- Make it a Malaysia roundtrip: the Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, Taman Negara, Penang, Tioman Island, Kuching, Melaka, Miri, and Sabah!
​​- Visiting the tiny sultanate of Brunei​- Comfortable with the uncomfortable? Bohol & Panglao Island, The Philippines
​
​- A little sneak-peek into North Korea!
​- Citytripping in Auckland CBD
​
​- Sao Paulo's concrete jungle [Brazil]
- Carnaval in an overbuilt city: Barranquilla, Colombia
- Interesting European city trips: Copenhagen [Denmark], Frankfurt [Germany], Vilnius [Lithuania], Haarlem [The Netherlands], Lisbon [Portugal], Edinburgh [Scotland], Sevilla [Spain]
- The most unattractive modern city of Latin America: Guayaquil, Ecuador
- Capital cities in South America: 
Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima, La Paz, Asunción, Montevideo, Bogotá and Quito
- Capital cities 
 in Central/North America: Belmopan, Panama City, San Jose, San Salvador, Managua, Tegucigalpa, Mexico City
- Travel Asia off the grid… discover the magic of South Korea!
​
​- 13 Strange Observations of South Korea
​
- 8 ways to save money in Vienna, Austria
​
- Discover Romania's enjoyable cities: Bucharest, Brasov and Cluj Napoca
​
-
 Jordan, a destination on the rise: Extensive guides to Petra, Amman and Wadi Rum

    Itinerary Builder

    ​* Your personal details remain confidential and won't be used for any other purposes.
    ** Budget Bucket List will only be able to provide advice about the countries personally visited and listed on this website.
Send!
© 2014-2021 Budget Bucket List
stephanie [at] budgetbucketlist.com
​
  • Home
  • About
    • Steph Tracker
    • Media
    • Contact & Contribute
    • Thoughts >
      • Anorexic
      • Camino Goals: In Retrospect
      • Dear Mama
      • Digital Danger
      • Restless
      • The One That Made Me Wonder
  • South America
    • Argentina >
      • Abra Pampa
      • Bariloche & Region
      • Buenos Aires
      • Buenos Aires Museums
      • Cachi
      • Cafayate
      • Cordoba City
      • Cordoba Province
      • El Calafate
      • El Chalten
      • Esquel
      • Humahuaca
      • Iguazu
      • Iruya
      • Jujuy
      • La Plata
      • Los Antiguos
      • Mendoza
      • Puerto Madryn / Peninsula Valdes
      • Purmamarca / Tilcara
      • Rosario
      • Salta
      • San Luis
      • San Miguel de Tucuman
      • Tafi / Amaicha del Valle
      • Ushuaia
      • Villaguay / Colon
      • Free Healthcare In Argentina
    • Bolivia >
      • Copacabana / Isla del Sol
      • La Paz
      • Potosi
      • Salar de Uyuni
      • Sorata
      • Sucre
      • Tarija
    • Brazil >
      • Belo Horizonte
      • Cambara do Sul
      • Florianopolis
      • Foz do Iguacu
      • Gramado / Canela
      • Ilha Grande
      • Itatiaia
      • Ouro Preto
      • Paraty / Angra dos Reis
      • Porto Alegre
      • Resende
      • Rio de Janeiro
      • Sao Paulo
      • Private Healthcare in Brazil
    • Chile >
      • Copiapó
      • Isla de Chiloe
      • Osorno / Puerto Varas
      • Pisco Elqui
      • San Pedro de Atacama
      • Santiago
      • Torres del Paine
      • Valparaiso
    • Colombia >
      • Barranquilla
      • Bogota
      • Cali
      • Cartagena
      • Manizales
      • Medellin Part I / Jardin
      • Medellin Part II / Guatape
      • Minca
      • Palomino
      • Salento
      • Santa Marta / Tayrona NP
    • Ecuador >
      • Banos
      • Cuenca / Cajas NP
      • Guayaquil
      • Quito
    • Paraguay >
      • Asunción
      • Ciudad del Este
      • Encarnación
      • Gran Chaco
      • Filadelfia
    • Peru >
      • Arequipa
      • Cajamarca
      • Cusco / Machu Picchu
      • Huacachina
      • Huaraz / Huascaran NP
      • Lima
      • Puno
      • Valle Sagrado: Ayahuasca
    • Uruguay >
      • Barra de Valizas
      • Cabo Polonio
      • Carmelo
      • Colonia del Sacramento
      • Minas
      • Montevideo
      • Punta del Diablo
  • Central America
    • Belize >
      • Belize City
      • Belmopan
      • Punta Gorda
      • San Ignacio
      • Sarteneja
    • Costa Rica >
      • Monteverde
      • Nicoya & The Coast
      • Paso Ancho
      • San Jose
      • Tortuguero NP
    • El Salvador >
      • San Salvador / El Zonte
      • Santa Ana
      • Suchitoto
    • Guatemala >
      • Antigua
      • Lago de Atitlan
      • Quetzaltenango (Xela)
      • Rio Dulce / Livingston
      • Semuc Champey
      • Tikal / Flores
    • Honduras >
      • Choluteca
      • Copan
      • El Zamorano / Tegucigalpa
      • Roatan
      • Tela
    • Nicaragua >
      • Granada
      • Isla de Ometepe
      • Leon
      • Managua
      • Masaya
      • Matagalpa
      • Mombacho / Laguna Apoyo
      • Playa Gigante
      • Rivas / San Juan del Sur
      • San Sebastian de Yali
      • Somoto
    • Panama >
      • Bocas del Toro
      • Boquete
      • Costa Abajo
      • Panama City / San Blas
      • Santa Catalina
  • North America
    • Mexico >
      • Cancun
      • Ciudad de Mexico
      • Cozumel
      • Merida / Izamal
      • Oaxaca
      • Palenque
      • Puebla
      • Queretaro
      • San Cristobal De Las Casas
      • Tulum
      • Valladolid
  • Oceania
    • Australia
    • Fiji >
      • Viti Levu East
      • Viti Levu West - 11 Tips To Travel Fiji Budget-Style!
    • New Zealand >
      • North Island >
        • Auckland
        • Auckland Islands
        • Matamata / Hobbiton
        • Northland
        • Port Waikato
        • Rotorua
        • Taupo / Tongariro Crossing
        • Waitakere Ranges: Hillary Trail
        • Wellington
      • South Island >
        • Arthur's Pass
        • Christchurch
        • Cromwell
        • NZ Glaciers
        • Kinloch / Glenorchy
        • Nelson / Abel Tasman NP
        • Punakaiki / Hokitika
        • Queenstown
        • South East Coast
        • Stewart Island
        • Te Anau / Milford Sound
        • Wanaka
    • Samoa >
      • Samoa
  • Europe
    • Austria >
      • Austrian Alps: Top Winter Sport Destinations
      • Vienna
    • Belgium >
      • Antwerp
      • Flanders Top-5 Destinations
    • Bulgaria >
      • Plovdiv
      • Sofia
    • Croatia
    • Czech Republic
    • Denmark >
      • Copenhagen
      • Mols Bjerge NP
      • Odense
    • France >
      • Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle (Santiago de Compostela)
    • Germany >
      • Aachen
      • Frankfurt am Main & Heidelberg
    • Gibraltar >
      • Gibraltar
    • Greece
    • Hungary
    • Italy
    • Kosovo >
      • Pristina
      • Kosovo: Travel Tips and Stories from a Local
    • Lithuania >
      • Aukstaitija NP
      • Kaunas
      • Vilnius
    • Luxemburg
    • The Netherlands >
      • Den Bosch
      • Haarlem
      • Leeuwarden
      • Nijmegen
      • South Limburg
      • 10 Typical Dutch Celebrations
    • Poland >
      • Krakow
      • Week 1: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
      • Week 2: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
      • Week 3: Glowny Szlak Beskidzki
    • Portugal >
      • Algarve Region
      • Lisbon
    • Romania >
      • Brasov & Region
      • Bucharest
      • Cluj Napoca
      • Maramures Region
      • Sibiu & Region
      • Sighisoara
      • Sinaia
      • Romania's Top Ski Resorts
      • Romanian Festivals
    • Serbia >
      • Belgrade
      • Nis
      • Pirot - Stara Planina
    • Slovakia
    • Slovenia
    • Spain >
      • Barcelona
      • Malaga
      • Sevilla
      • Week 1: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 2: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 3: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 4: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 5: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Week 6: Camino Santiago de Compostela
      • Camino Goals: In Retrospect
    • Sweden
    • Switzerland >
      • Adelboden & The Alps
      • Budget Travel Guide to Switzerland
      • Swiss Cities
      • Saanen-Gstaad
      • Zurich
    • Turkey
    • United Kingdom >
      • England >
        • Bath
        • Brighton
        • Isle of Wight
        • London
      • Scotland >
        • Easdale
        • Edinburgh
        • Glasgow
        • Glencoe
        • Isle of Skye
      • Wales >
        • Cardiff & Region
  • Asia
    • Brunei >
      • Bandar Seri Begawan
    • Cambodia
    • Indonesia
    • Jordan >
      • Amman
      • Petra
      • Wadi Rum
    • Malaysia >
      • Cameron Highlands
      • Ipoh
      • Kota Kinabalu
      • Kuala Lumpur
      • Kuching
      • Melaka
      • Miri
      • Penang
      • Taman Negara
      • Tioman Island
    • North Korea >
      • DMZ Zone
    • Philippines >
      • Bohol
      • Manila
    • Singapore >
      • Singapore
    • South Korea >
      • Andong / Taebaek
      • Busan
      • Gyeongju
      • Jeju Island
      • Jirisan National Park & Surroundings
      • Seoraksan / Odaesan National Park
      • Seoul
      • 13 Strange Observations of South Korea
    • Thailand
    • Turkey >
      • Edirne
      • Istanbul
    • United Arab Emirates
    • Vietnam
  • Africa
    • Morocco >
      • Marrakech
      • 10 Things You Can't Do in the Non-Touristy Part of Morocco
    • Tunisia
  • Hiking Destinations