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Street food in Kuala Lumpur

Spicy curries, grilled satay skewers and noodles in all shapes and sizes: the streets of Kuala Lumpur offer a delicious culinary feast. The food on the street is as diverse as the city’s inhabitants. Malay, Chinese and Indian food stalls stand side by side. Their stoves operate night and day so there is plenty of time to explore the diverse cuisine of Malaysia, one food stall at a time.

Culinary

Kuala Lumpur, 馬來西亞

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A city full of spicy delicacies

To fully immerse yourself in the Malay food culture, visit Jalan Alor. The murmur of this long street can be heard from a distance: this is the most popular destination in the Golden Triangle area of Kuala Lumpur. Hungry visitors stroll by food stalls full of spicy delights – pull up a blue and red plastic chair and help yourself. The food stalls serve mostly Chinese food, but there is great deal of variety. Be sure to try the barbecued pork with a sweet-and-sour sauce, which tastes even better with a cold beer. For local delicacies continue to the Kampung Baru district. It is a lot quieter than Jalan Alor and draws mainly locals. This friendly village-like enclave in the middle of the city is home to a large community of Malay senior citizens. Experience the friendly small-town ambiance early in the morning when people flock here to eat some 'nasi lemak', one of the best in Kuala Lumpur. This rice dish with peanuts, cucumber and boiled egg is a typical breakfast dish, but also tastes great any other time of the day.

Curry laksa is the specialty dish at Madras Lane

Culinary masterpieces in Chinatown

Officially named Jalan Sultan, Madras Lane runs right through Kuala Lumpur’s bustling Chinatown. This is the neighbourhood where zealous vendors try to sell fake watches. It can be a challenge to find the best food options amidst the hustle and bustle, but if you know where to look, you can savour some fantastic culinary delights. Specialties include the Chinese soup 'yong tau foo' and 'curry laksa', a rich and spicy stew filled with delicious ingredients. Cooks prepare these dishes in large woks over a high flame in simple food stalls, some of which have been around for more than 60 years. To find the best food, pick the stalls with the longest line-ups.

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Culinary

The Indian enclave in the Brickfields neighbourhood is not only a feast for the eyes but for all the senses. The streets and alleys exude a fragrant aroma of sandalwood, spices, and garlands of jasmine and lotus flowers. Many food stalls serve typical South Indian and Sri Lankan dishes. There are also beautiful temples filled with Hindu gods. Eat, pray, shop in Little India, Kuala Lumpur’s most colourful neighbourhood.

Arts & Culture

Only 15 kilometres north of Kuala Lumpur lies the most popular Hindu sanctuary outside of India: the Batu caves. The series of caves is decorated with a large number of colourful, painted images of Hindu gods. The largest cave can be reached after climbing 272 steps – an enormous steep stairway not only used by pilgrims and tourists, but also by monkeys. Every year, the frenzied Thaipusam festival takes place at these caves.

Nature

Walk through the treetops of the tropical rainforest and come face-to-face with a spider monkey. Cool off in the jungle in a colonial mountain village at an altitude of 1500 metres. Or take a nocturnal boat ride in a sampan surrounded by thousands of flickering fireflies. In addition to cities and beaches, Malaysia boasts a spectacular natural world full of bizarre plants and animals.

Arts & Culture

No other buildings quite define the Kuala Lumpur skyline like the most famous twins in town do: the Petronas Towers. These buildings soar 452 metres into the sky and were once the highest towers in the world. The twin buildings’ record was shattered with the opening of the Taipei 101 in Taiwan 6 years later.

Beach

Though the islands of its northern neighbour Thailand may be more famous, Malaysia’s hundreds of islands are certainly just as pretty. These islands are less busy than those across the border and also easily accessible. Relax on a tropical beach, explore the rainforest, soak up the culture of colonial towns, breathe in clean mountain air and snorkel among beautiful coral: Malaysia’s islands offer all this and more.