Kuala Lumpur

About

Malaysia’s capital of Kuala Lumpur, or KL as it’s often called, was only founded in the mid 19th century as a small mining settlement. In 1886 a railway line allowed it to rapidly develop, and in 1896, Kuala Lumpur was made the capital of the Federated Malay States. Today, KL is the largest city in Malaysia, where the country’s Malay, Chinese and Indian communities have created a colorful feast for the senses. Glinting skyscrapers and giant shopping malls dwarf the city’s vibrant mosques and colonial manors. While Kuala Lumpur reveres its heritage, it’s also an ambitious modern city, as the riverbank-regeneration project and 1,483 foot tall Exchange 106 tower can attest. The favorite local pastimes are shopping and eating, so to do as the locals do, take to the streets on foot to discover the city’s more village-like aspects, incomparable street food, and friendly traditional coffee shops - you can always pop into a mall to cool off.