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6 Places That Must Be Seen In Kuala Lumpur
January 27th, 2010 by Joseph Archibald, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
If you are thinking about traveling to Malaysia for a holiday or are stopping over in Kuala Lumpur on your way to some place else, perhaps Australia, then you may be wondering what you can do while you are there. Here are a few places of great interest that you can add to your itinerary.
* Petronas Towers
If you are to visit Kuala Lumpur then its very difficult to avoid seeing the Petronas Towers. So the Petronas Towers are a “must-see” purely because you can’t avoid seeing them. Seriously though, its possible to go up to the 41st floor for a look, and it is worth a look because you can see so much of Kuala Lumpur. At a height of 452 meters, the Towers were until fairly recently the tallest buildings in the world, although that accolade has recently gone to Burj Dubai, which is a whopping 828 meters high!
* Kuala Lumpur Tower
Also known as Menara Kuala Lumpur, is situated in the very heart of KL having been constructed in 1995. It is currently on record as being the 5th tallest tower in the world and stands at 421 meters. Within the tower there is a revolving restaurant which offers superb views of the city to diners.
* The National Museum
The Muzium Negara is situated just outside Perdana Lake Gardens and is built in the style of a Rumah Gadang. Situated on top of a hill at Jalan Travers, it serves visitors as an introduction to the culture and history of Malaysia.
* The National Palace
The National Palace or Istana Negara is where the King of Malaysia resides. Between 1945 (after the Japanese occupation of Malaysia ended) and 1957 it was home to the SUltan of Selangor but then the Federal Government acquired it for the King.
* Malaysian National Mosque
The National Mosque is so large that it can easily accommodate up to 15 thousand people at any one time. It is the main feature of 13 acres of lovely gardens and the main features include a 73 meter high minaret and a star design for the main roof area. The gardens are dotted with various water features throughout.
* Central Market
At one time this was the main wet market in Kuala Lumpur which sold mainly fresh fish from the catch of the day. Now however, the market sells arts, crafts, clothes, antiques, paintings, souvenirs and various other artefacts. Its a great place for the tourist to visit and pick up some bargains.
Learn more about Kuching hotels and the beautiful Damai in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Explore the Beautiful Batu Caves of Malaysia
November 15th, 2009 by Joseph Archibald, under Vacation Destinations. No Comments
About seven miles north of Kuala Lumpur is the Gombak district where the very historical Batu Caves can be found. Evidence shows that an ancient Malay tribe, the Temuan people, may have inhabited these caves but this place only gained its prominence when the Indian trader, K.Thamboosamy Pillai, promoted it as a place of worship for the Hindu god, Murugan.
Since then, it has been considered as one of the most important Hindu shrines outside India, as it has become a religious site dedicated to Murugan, their god of war and victory.
Believed to hold a history as old as 400 million years, the Batu Caves tell very significant stories and has now become a famous attraction for tourists. It is located 100 meters above ground level and composed of three main caves with a satellite of smaller ones scattered around it.
The caves were promoted for a place of worship by an Indian trader who was it is said, inspired by the “vel” shaped entrance way to the main cave.
In’91 Pillai, who is known for founding the Sri Mahamariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur, erected a consecrated statue named the murti of Sri Subramania Swamy in the temple cave.
Steps that are made of wood were built in’20 but have since been replaced by 272 concrete steps. The largest and best known temple at Batu is the Temple Cave, also known as the Cathedral Cave. The name comes from the fact that it houses a number of Hindu shrines.
The Thaipusum Festival is an annual event that is observed by all Hindus from all over the globe. During the morning of the Thaipusam, a procession commences at the Mahamariamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur and all devotees proceed to the Batu Caves carrying with them milk, that are to be offered to their god Murugan.
The highest point of the caves stands at almost 100 meters above ground level. At the base of the hill to the main cave there are a further 2 caves – Museum Cave and Art Gallery Cave which are both full of Hindu paintings and statues. Many of the shrines are based upon the victory of Lord Murugan over the demon Soorapadam.
There is also the Ramayana Cave which is dedicated to the story of Rama. On the way to Ramayana Cave is a 15 meter tall Hanuman murti, the monkey who was very much devoted to the Lord Rama.
Click the link for my own experience of Kuching hotels and to learn more about the beautiful Damai.