Malaysia

My Malaysia travel summary:

Visited: October 2016

Duration of visit: 4 days

Capital city: Kuala Lumpur

Population: 32.5 million (2016)

Malaysia travel blog reading time: 9 minutes

• Kuala Lumpur – hot pot of cultures, races, food tastes, attractions and lifestyles.
• Impressive Petronas Twin Towers: the icon of Kuala Lumpur, once the world tallest building.
• Batu Caves – an important Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Murugan, the god of war.
• Efficient and inexpensive public transportation system.
• Shopping malls, markets and diverse range of culinary choices.

After several hundred years of European colonialism (Dutch, Portuguese and British), Malaysia finally gained independence in 1957. One of the most developed countries in Southeast Asia is predominantly Muslim. Mosques are found in every city, but there are also Buddhist temples and other religious monuments due to high presence of Buddhists and Hindus.

Malaysia is one of the most multicultural nations in Southeast Asia, with three main ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese, and Indians. It has a constitutional monarchy with a unique system of a unique kings’ election. A food capital of Asia, a gastronomic delight that offers an opportunity to taste a remarkable fusion of different culinary specialties.

My first memories of Malaysia go back to 1989, when watching the movie Dadah Is Death, based on the tragically true story of an English and Australian men, condemned to death for transporting drugs in Malaysia.

The country has some of the strictest drug laws in the world, enforcing the death penalty for those who sell drugs. And they are very serious about that.

Malaysia was one of the few countries in the region that I didn’t visit during my Asian Big Tour in 1999-2000, therefore, I gave it a chance in combination with Singapore in 2016. Both countries united under Malaysia flag from 1963 to 1965, when Malaysia expelled Singapore from the Federation.

I started my Malaysia travel adventure by taking a bus from Singapore over the Johor Causeway into Johor Bahru. Industrial areas full of factories, warehouses, and logistics centers lined along the main highway.

Plastic manufacturing, electronics, and food processing are the main industries, along with tourism and the finance sector. These have turned Johor Bahru into the fastest-growing city in the country. However, it has few exciting places to visit or interesting things for tourists to do.

The capital of Malaysia is a melting pot of Indian, Chinese, Malay, and Western influences. This mix of cultures has created a metropolitan city, where chaos is under control, security at very high level, logistics efficient and inexpensive.

A well-structured and accessible public transportation system of buses, monorail, light rail transit and commuter trains take you anywhere. Extensive shopping malls, street markets and variety of food options are a norm in Asia.

For years, I had read about the world’s tallest building before Malaysia made international news for other reasons. It is remarkable that such a small country built the world’s tallest structure before bigger powers entered the race.

Without a doubt, the highlight of my Malaysia travel adventure was visiting the Petronas Towers.

The Petronas Twin Towers are a major landmark and highlight of Kuala Lumpur. They remain an iconic emblem of the city, even though they are no longer among the world’s tallest buildings.

This huge structure is home to Petronas, Malaysia’s national oil company. In 2016, it still held the record as the tallest twin towers in the world.

The towers were designed by the Argentine-born American architect Cesar Pelli, who put together the concept deriving from Islamic art.

This unique idea is based on the Muslim symbol Rub el Hizb, seen on many Islamic emblems and flags. An eight-lobed circular structure with 88 floors of usable space, topped with a pyramid-like peak and a thin steel spire.

The Twin Towers were built very fast. The construction commenced in 1994. With an average speed of one floor every 4 days, the towers were completed in 1998 as planned.

Both towers rise to a height of 451.9 meters. Each building is supported by 16 large columns around its perimeter, and the exterior is covered with stainless steel and glass. A two-story skybridge connects the two towers between the 41^st and 42^nd floors, spanning 58 meters. I walked across it and enjoyed the view of Kuala Lumpur below, with streets and buildings looking very small.

Between 1998 and 2004, the Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world.

Between 1998 and 2004, the Petronas Twin Towers were the tallest buildings in the world. Taipei 101 overtook them after adding a spire.

The central location of the Petronas Twin Towers made it hard to take a good photo. My camera angle was too narrow to capture the whole megastructure. Street vendors offered wide-angle lenses for phones so I could fit the entire building in one shot. I negotiated with one vendor, paid a fair price, shook hands and took the perfect photo.

I have already visited quite a few tall buildings around the world, but the Petronas Twin Towers completely captivated me. Not only because of its exceptional height, but also because of its outstanding design and materials used in construction.

I dedicated several hours to study the towers from different perspectives.

The National Mosque of Malaysia was built on a former church site between 1963 and 1965 to celebrate independence.

The mosque’s main features are a 73-metre-high minaret and a 16-pointed star-shaped concrete roof.

The umbrella, a symbol of the tropics, features prominently in two ways: the main roof resembles an open umbrella, while the minaret’s cap is a folded one. This bold and modern mosque in reinforced concrete symbolizes the aspirations of a newly independent nation, receiving up to 15,000 believers during prayer time.

The number of visitors during my visit was significantly lower. Peace and tranquility filled me while walking through the mosque interior, enjoying the quiet atmosphere and calm surroundings.

Dressing code is as usual in mosques. Women receive a purple robe and black hijab to cover completely, while my long shorts below the knees were accepted.

A pleasant retreat from the vibrant city.

One of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India is located only a short ride from Kuala Lumpur. Batu Caves are set inside limestone cliffs and filled with Hindu shrines and temples.

The cave complex consists of three main caves and several smaller ones. The largest, known as Temple or Cathedral Cave, has ornate Hindu shrines with scenes from legends and a high ceiling open to the sky.

I started the visit with a climb up 272 steps from the ground to the main cave entrance. If a spiritual walk brought me closer to the gods, it was a real challenge for unfit visitors.

At the bottom of the stairs stands a huge 43-meter golden statue of Murugan, the largest in Malaysia and the third largest in the world. Even though I was not very impressed by the landmark itself, it is still one of the most popular places to visit and tourist attractions.

The Thaipusam Festival in January or February attracts huge crowds honoring Lord Murugan, with over a million people gathering during the full moon. Symbolizing the victory of good over evil, it is celebrated by Tamil communities in several countries. Devotees often perform acts of extreme devotion, such as body piercing and carrying heavy offerings.

This could be a strong reason to return to Batu Caves and attend the festival in the future.

As in some other Asian countries, food in Malaysia plays a very important role in the identity and daily life. Malaysian cuisine reflects the cooking traditions of its multi-ethnic population, especially Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Seasoned by a history of Thai, Portuguese, and British influence, Malaysian food has become a melting pot of flavors.

Nasi lemak is considered the national dish of Malaysia. It consists of glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf. It was commonly found at hawker centers or food stalls – open-air food complexes, where individual food stalls prepare dishes to eat on site.

Moving street vendors to fixed locations in the early 1970s improved hygiene and food quality for customers. Hawkers, however, were less happy about leaving their usual spots and competing directly with others.

Hawkers centers later transferred into food courts in shopping malls that offer similar concepts, but in more organized, sanitized version.

A wide variety of meals is offered at reasonable prices, served quickly and prepared in front of the customers’ eyes.

I love food courts in Malaysia for their wide choice of dishes, quick service, reasonable prices, and lively atmosphere. A quick walk around usually helped me check the options, spot the busiest stall, and decide where to order. Since I do not eat meat and dislike spicy food, the choice was sometimes limited.

Although my Malaysia travel adventure was limited to Kuala Lumpur and its surroundings, the country did not leave a strong impression on me. Exploring places beyond the capital might have changed that. But even Kuala Lumpur was less memorable than nearby Singapore, which I visited on the same trip.

There were some exceptions, though. The Petronas Twin Towers remain one of the most memorable architectural achievements I have seen and will long stay my first association with Malaysia.