Kaleidoscopic cultural blend

Malaysia is a bit like Malta: it’s hot, humid and everyone has wanted a piece of it throughout its history.

Now the dust has finally settled, Malaysia is a country split by the South China Sea, half on the Malaysian peninsula and half in Malaysian Borneo. The three main ethnicities that make up the country’s vibrant population are Malay, Indian and Chinese.

At one stall there was a very obliging local who was stripping cow heads of every bit of meat to be used for different dishes- Thomas Camilleri

We happened to be there a few days before its Independence Day celebrations and there were posters with a big number one all over the place signifying unity between the three ethnicities. All three get on well but there is inevitably some segregation, leading to Chinatown and Little India areas in central Kuala Lumpur.

You can fly to Kuala Lumpur International Airport from almost anywhere and we found flights with Cathay Pacific from London via Hong Kong for a very reasonable €1,000. But you can also travel Malta–Dubai– Kuala Lumpur with Emirates for around €1,150-plus.

Once there, hop on the KLIA Ekspres to Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station and then either take one of the three main city rail lines or head to the taxi desk where you’ll be taken anywhere in the city for about 25MYR (€5).

A word of caution, taxi drivers will usually refuse to use the meter when they spot tourists and try to quote you exorbitant rates. Stand your ground and you will manage to find a decent cabbie. You might have to let a few taxis pass but after a few trips in the city you’ll be familiar with fares so you’ll be able to tell when you’re being taken for a ride (pun intended).

Tripadvisor.com is a great website for checking the ratings given to hotels and bed-and-breakfasts by fellow travellers. It’s also a goldmine of special offers and it led to us staying at the famous Traders Hotel opposite the Petronas Towers with a 75 per cent discount on the usual price.

There are also a lot of budget hotels around Little India including the Coliseum Hotel, a colonial relic with high ceilings and original features which is popular with shoestring travellers because of its history and price (from €15 for a single room).

The markets are the life and soul of the city. Wake up early and head to Imbi Market (Bukit Bintang Monorail). We got impossibly lost and only found it after almost an hour of searching. Don’t confuse it with Imbi Plaza on the maps like we did. There’s a great selection of fresh fruit, but if you’re squeamish steer clear of the chicken cages as the inhabitants are killed, plucked and gutted.

Before entering the market there’s a mish-mash of tables and umbrellas surrounded by different food stalls and breakfast here is excellent. Try small amounts from all the different stalls as the local street food is delicious.

Besides the crispy rolls from Popiah Sisters that Lonely Planet waxes lyrical over, try to find the Chinese stalls selling cha siu bao. These little white buns are feather light with a heavy barbecued pork filling.

The Chinatown market (Pasar Seni Rapid KL) is spread across the centre of Chinatown over two criss-crossing streets.

The amounts of counterfeit watches, sunglasses, bags and clothes on sale are quite unbelievable. It’s hard not to get sucked into buying some of the merchandise but just walking around sipping fresh coconut or sugarcane juice is an experience in itself.

Central Market is a short walk from Chinatown and apart from a few antique shops it’s quite a let-down. You’ll mostly find tourist trash for sale so I would advise that you skip it altogether and head to Restoran Yusoof for the best curry in the area.

The guy behind the counter will dump a load of sticky white rice on a plate and all you need to do is point at the array of curries you’d like to go with it. Mutton, fish, beef and vegetable were all yummy.

These were washed down with my favourite discovery during the trip, lassi. This is a fermented yoghurt drink that can either be drunk sweet or salty and boy did I drink the sweet ones till the cows came home.

Chow Kit market is another must-see with a local music and clothes market to the right of the centre and a food market dominating the rest. There were all types of fruit, meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and spices on show.

At one stall there was a very obliging local who was stripping cow heads of every bit of meat to be used for different dishes. When my brother asked whether the skin was discarded he got an incredulous look and an explanation of how the local African community uses the skin to make a soup – nothing is wasted.

Another popular food item is salted fish – you’ll see piles of it everywhere. It is often found in sauces and rice dishes and the extreme saltiness really gives the plate a kick.

Many people might be put off visiting the Bird Park (KTM Old Railway Kuala Lumpur Station) as it sounds like a tourist trap (and costs a steep RM48/€12) but we spent a fantastic afternoon there. It’s the world’s largest indoor aviary and havingenormous hornbills running around my feet is something I don’t think I’ll ever experience elsewhere.

Most of the park is open, lush rainforest covered by a net and the birds roam the 20-plus acres of space. The joyous lack of health-and-safety nonsense added an extra thrill to the whole experience as huge storks pecked indignantly at any visitorwho strayed too close to their stomping ground.

There is also a daily bird show with scarlet and golden macaws flying over the heads of the audience and repeating words that the trainers tell them. While I hang my head in shame, I must also admit that I loved having my photo taken with my family and the birds. It’s the most kitsch, touristy part of the park but honestly, where else will I ever have a giant cockatoo on one hand, a golden macaw on the other and a grim-looking palm cockatoo on my shoulder?

Huge storks pecked indignantly at any visitor who strayed too close to their stomping ground- Thomas Camilleri

When walking back to the Old Railway station you’ll pass the enormous National Mosque which we were too scantily dressed to visit but which is impressive nonetheless from the outside.

Have a mosey around the station, which seems to be frozen in colonial Malaysia. It is barely used anymore now that Sentral Station is the main hub, but its derelict silence is truly awesome and it feels like you’re in the twilight zone as you explore its Islamic arches and arcades.

Although the nitty gritty bits of Kuala Lumpur are super, there’s also a very modern, posh side to the city. We were lucky enough to be staying below one of most stunning bars you’ll ever find.

The Sky Bar at the Traders Hotel is on the 33rd floor, directly opposite the Petronas Towers. It serves as the hotel’s swimming pool area by day but by night the lights are dimmed, lanterns are scattered across the water and there are many squashy cushions. You can sit by the pool and take it easy while you get through many cocktails (at Western prices, mind you, but worth every ringgit for the view).

The Fatty Crab is another posh pit-stop where you can feast on as many of the critters as you want for around €15. It’s a 20-minute train ride out of the centre on the Rapid KL line to Taman Bahagia.

If you’re in Kuala Lumpur for more than a few days there is plenty to do outside the city. We jumped in a cab one morning and headed off to the Batu caves. The taxi driver didn’t use his meter and asked for 40RM (€10), which we thought was a fair price.

We drove far out of the centre and pulled up underneath the gigantic golden statue of Murugan of Hindu fame. The whole area is quite touristy but it is a functioning Hindu temple (or series of temples) so while we walked up the many steps to the caves we had a group of sun-blocked, camera-wielding Japanese tourists on one side anda Hindu couple on the othertaking up an offering of food and flowers.

The way up was very interesting because monkeys constantly tried to steal from the unwary that were carrying open bags or food in their hands. I loved them, I know they’re seen like pigeons in Valletta and they’re pretty much rats with better outfits, but I couldn’t resist taking photos of them. Having said that, they’re wild animals which will bite and scratch if you get between them and their young or threaten them in any way, so use your common sense.

Kuala Lumpur deserves a few days at least as every nook and cranny is interesting.

Whether roughing it in a budget room or being pampered in a lavish Petronas-Towers-view suite, this city should be on everybody’s ‘to visit’ list.