History of Kuala Lumpur City

In the late 1800 Kuala Lumpur was just a landing places where boats coming up the Klang River could bring supplies for and take away tin from the newly opened Ampang mines. Since 1857 Chinese had been coming into Kuala Lumpur and by that time many Malays, mostly from Sumatra had settles in a kampong at the place now known as Jalan Silang. Another kampong, kampong Rawa, was located between Jalan Tun Perak and Jalan Gereja. Their cemetery was located on the present's site of Masjid Jamek, this junction of the Klang and Gombak Rivers - this location originally known as Lumpur (mud) later becoming Kuala Lumpur (muddy estuary).

The small township that had developed from the success of tin mining was badly damages during the Selangor Civil War and was at one time nearly abandoned altogether. The dispute in 1866 between the Sumatran Malays and the Bugis resulted in this civil war between Raja Mahadi and Raja Abdullah, their respective leader. (Raja Mahadi was the rightful ruler of Klang but was dislodged by the sultan in favor of Raja Abdullah, a son of a Raja from Riau. The Chinese, under their Capitan Liu Ngim Kong, sided with the Sultan and Raja Abdullah in this dispute.

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Kuala Lumpur Tours - make the most of your trip

While Kuala Lumpur is a great city that can be explored on your own, some of its attractions are better discovered through guided tours. Joining organized tours or hiring your own personal tour guide can save you valuable time during your visit as he/she will know the best and quickest way to get to your destination. A personal tour guide will also be able share his or her local knowledge about the attractions you’re visiting as well as Kuala Lumpur itself. Regardless of how much time you have, or how little, hiring a private tour guide while in Kuala Lumpur will give you an insider’s perspective on this amazing city, its people and its culture.

With many types of tours available, try to choose a tour based not only on the time you have but also your own interests and comfort level. Some tours are more strenuous and can involve a lot of walking, while others are more relaxing. Most tour guides are helpful and will accommodate your needs, but if you have small children or older family members to take care of, it’s a good idea to check if the tours you’re interested in will be suitable for them.

If you only have several hours to spend in Kuala Lumpur, you might want to consider going on a half day tour. A half day tour will only last 4-5 hours but is extremely flexible as you get to choose from a list of the city’s diverse attractions. And if you’ve discovered a place where you’d like to spend more time at, your private tour guide would also be able to accommodate this easily.

If you have more time, you might consider going on the Fireflies Tour for a unique experience. While this tour starts in Kuala Lumpur, it’ll take you a little further outside of the city over the course of the day. And although it’s called the Fireflies Tour, this is somewhat of a misnomer as you’ll also get a chance to visit two additional attractions—the world famous Batu Caves, where you can gaze at the beautiful limestone caves, and Bukit Melawati in nearby Kuala Selangor city, where you’ll get a chance to feed and interact with the friendly Silvered Leaf Monkeys (Silvery Lutung). After a delicious dinner, you’ll move on to the Kampung Kuantan Fireflies Park, where you’ll be greeted by the flickering glow of fireflies dancing in the dark before heading back to Kuala Lumpur.

Do you have a taste for adventure instead? Then one of the most popular tours might be right up your alley. A day trip to Taman Negara National Park will bring you deep into the tropical rainforest, which bears the distinction of being the world’s oldest. You’ll enjoy an aerial view of the lush greenery and exotic wildlife thanks to a 400-meter long canopy walk. (Note: You might want to skip the canopy walk part of the tour if you have a strong fear of heights!)

While these tours may whet your appetite, sometimes the best thing that can meet your needs is a custom tour. This can be easily accomplished by letting your friendly tour guide know which attractions you’d like to visit. With a custom itinerary, you’ll get to visit all your favorite Kuala Lumpur attractions and end your trip knowing you’ve left no stone unturned.

Kuala Lumpur Attractions - from treks in deep nature to modern retail therapy

Like any major city, Kuala Lumpur has its fair share of attractions. Thanks to its wide variety of tourist attractions—from indoor to outdoor activities, and from modern urban attractions to adventures in deep nature—it’s not difficult to find activities and attractions that personally appeal to you.  

Given the many different attractions in Kuala Lumpur, it’s best to first decide which types of activities you’ll be most interested in, and then try to stick to a list—especially if you have limited time to explore the city.

If you’re a bird lover, you might consider spending a couple of hours at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. Here you can take a walk and view many different and exotic bird species. Marvel at the colorful and majestic peacocks that walk the grounds freely. While you can purchase food and drinks within the park, you can also bring along your own picnic lunch. Just be prepared for some birds to join you!

However, if the weather is too hot for a walk in the park and you’re in the mood for some culture, cool off in the Islamic Arts Museum instead. As the largest museum of Islamic art in Southeast Asia, this attraction houses a wide variety if Islamic artifacts and artwork ranging from jewelry, pottery and textiles to armory. The museum also organizes special events and exhibitions, so be sure to check the official site for the latest updates. Another bonus is that children younger than six years old get in free.

If you’re in the mood for some retail therapy, then Bukit Bintang is a must-see attraction. This busy street is dotted with shopping malls, great restaurants and hotels. This is also a great place to people-watch during the day or night as the street is filled with locals and tourists alike and is buzzing with life.  

If you prefer a more authentic and local flavor to your shopping excursions, visit the flea markets found in Jalan Masjid India (Little India) and Jalan Petaling (Chinatown) instead. In Jalan Masjid India, you’ll find a plethora of Indian goods on sale, such as brightly colored sarees and textiles as well as traditional gold jewelry. 

Meanwhile, Jalan Petaling offers a wider variety of cheap goods and local food. It is better by night when the stall lights are turned on, and is an excellent place to purchase low-priced souvenirs. You’ll also be able to bargain and negotiate with the friendly local sellers. With some luck, you just might find some unique and interesting items you can't find anywhere else.

While Kuala Lumpur has too many attractions to list them all here, no article on this city’s attractions would be complete without mentioning the Kanching Rainforest Waterfall.   Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and escape deep into nature by making your trek up the slopes. The scenic beauty of this nature reserve explains why this spot is a favorite among the locals. On your way up, you can take a refreshing soak in four waterfalls, each one located at a different height.

If you have the stamina, try to make it up to the fourth and largest waterfall as the crowd will have significantly thinned out there—allowing you to truly relax and rejuvenate yourself before continuing on your adventure in discovering more of Kuala Lumpur’s amazing attractions.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - a vibrant and diverse city

In Kuala Lumpur, you’re likely to hear a mix of different Asian languages being spoken, such as Malay (the national language), Chinese and Tamil. This is because the city’s population is made up of several dominant races including Malays, Chinese and Indians. While the local dialects are often used, there’s no need to worry if you need to ask for directions in Kuala Lumpur as most people living there also speaks English well and are very friendly and helpful to tourists. Many public and commercial signs throughout Kuala Lumpur are also written in English.

The Malay population forms the majority race in Malaysia, and it has the strongest influence on the country’s cultural, social and political aspects. The Chinese are the second-largest race, and form the country’s commercial and business backbone. Because of this, many Chinese reside in Kuala Lumpur—as it is Malaysia’s financial and commercial centre. The Indians are the third-largest race and as many are also involved in Malaysia’s business sector, there is a significant Indian population living in Kuala Lumpur. One of the best things about Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia is really something which the local population takes for granted—that it is a melting pot of different races living together in relative peace and religious harmony.

While Islam is Malaysia’s official religion and counts the most number of followers among its population, the country is really a multi-religious one with several other religions being widely practiced. These include Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Chinese religions such as Confucianism and Taoism.

This diverse population that call Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia home also celebrate their own religious and cultural festivals in a big way—and over the years, these colorful and vibrant festivals have grown to become regular tourist attractions on their own.

Among the major festivals celebrated in Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia are Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, Thaipusam, Deepavali, Chinese New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas. Do note that the dates for some religious festivals vary slightly each year, so it’s a good idea to check the latest official information before planning your trip to Kuala Lumpur. Also be sure to pack a good camera as some of the sights you’ll see—such as the vel kavadi during Thaipusam—are so unique you’ll want to capture them forever.