TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND PLACES
Central Market
Tourism contributes significantly to the capital’s economy. Kuala Lumpur was the 5th most visited city in the world in 2008, with 9 million visitors. The tourism industry requires a very wide range of services and facilities which provides employment to all sectors of the population and has helped to promote and diversify the local economy.
Merdeka Stadium is where the first Prime Minister of Malaya Tunku Abdul Rahman read out the proclamation of Independence.
The iconic building of Parliament House was completed in 1963, the year Malaya expanded to become Malaysia with the addition of the two Bornean states Sabah and Sarawak. Its image can be seen on Malaysian old coins.
Sultan Abdul Samad building which is more than a century old used to house the British colonial government offices and features a Moorish architectural style. Also named for Sultan Abdul Samad is the historical Jamek Mosque.
Another distinctive building design is the National Museum with its outdoor frieze depicting scenes from Malaysian history. A newer tourist attraction is the Islamic Arts Museum.
Modern-day skyscrapers with Islamic and non-Islamic geometric motifs include Telekom Tower, Maybank Tower, Dayabumi Complex, and the Islamic Centre.
A famous KL landmark which visitors flock to is the Petronas Twin Towers that was once the world’s tallest building, holding this distinction from 1998 to 2004.
Another is the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) with its attached 50-acre park.
Nearby the separate Lake Gardens botanical and recreational park is the imposing Carcosa Seri Negara, once the official residence of the foremost colonial British administrators.
- Brickfields, dubbed Little India is home to many local Indians and a growing Indian expatriate community, It is also home to a number of temples, churches and the picturesque Orthodox Syrian Cathedral of St. Mary the Theotokos.
- Merdeka Square
- National Monument
- KL Bird Park. Possibly the best bird park in the region, this gated attraction of 21 acres is a popular tourist attraction receiving an annual average of 200,000 visitors.
- Aquaria KLCC
- National Art Gallery
- Istana Budaya (National Theatre)
Some annual events in KL: The Kuala Lumpur Tower Run, International Gourmet Festival, Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week
KL is World Book Capital city for the year 2020. The year before (2019) World Book Capital was a city in Qatar while next year (2021), it will be hosted by a city in the Republic of Georgia. Described as having a one of a kind book selection and a hidden gem for book lovers, Gerakbudaya in Petaling Jaya is a short hop away from KL.
Petronas Twin
Towers Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2615 8188
Batu Caves
Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor
+603 6189 6284
Menara Kuala Lumpur
No. 2 Jalan Punchak Off, Jalan P Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2020 5444
Bukit Bintang City Centre
2, Jalan Hang Tuah, Pudu, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2117 2255
Petaling Street Market
Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
+603-2032 5988
Central Market Kuala Lumpur
Jalan Hang Kasturi, City Centre, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
+6 1300-22-8688
National Mosque of Malaysia
Jalan Perdana, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
+603 2693 7905
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
Lot No. 241, Level 2, Suria KLCC
+603-23822828
Taman Burung Kuala Lumpur
KL Bird Park, 920, Jalan Cenderawasih, Perdana Botanical Gardens, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
+603-2272 1010
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50050
+603-55447000
