A centre of creativity.

The new Malaysian Art gallery building combines traditional design with modern lines, the building’s unique structure, combining a blend of slate, tinted glass and a striking metallic roof, houses five galleries including a creative gallery and workshop, a resource centre, an auditorium and the gallery’s administrative centre.

There are a number of galleries housing various permanent and temporary exhibitions. It showcases the works of contemporary artists, a permanent collection of works of local and foreign origin are also displayed rotating exhibitions of Asian and international art, including photography. Its collection now numbers over 2,500 pieces.

Built with aesthetics and functionality in mind, the art gallery creates a space for the preservation, development, exploration and experimentation of the various facets of art in Malaysia. Amenities available include a creative centre, a sculpture garden, a photography and graphics studio, and auditorium, a library, a restoration space, a book shop and a cafe. The National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur was established in the year of 1958. This construction is considered is designated as a historical building by the National Heritage Trust, it was built in the year 1932 and formerly was known as the Majestic building. The art gallery commenced with the donation of only four paintings, but now houses over 2000 works of art.

In very close proximity of the Malaysian Art Gallery is a hotel in Kuala Lumpur known as the Citrus Hotel, it is just 2 km away form the gallery and also offers access to most other sights in Kuala Lumpur.

Short stories: Homecomings

That morning they walked to school, just like every other morning. It is impossible to say a proper goodbye to 56 children you’ve learned to love, and so we just stood there, hugged the ones we could as they walked past, smiled and waved to the others. We had given our, you’re wonderful and we love you speech the day before anyway. My friend who was there with me cried a little, but I didn’t; it wasn’t real to me. I had only been at the children’s home for a little more than a month, a volunteer from half way across the world who barely understood the language, but already the place felt like home

Home. In the usual sense, home was the U.S., the flat-as-a-pancake Midwest, the house I’d grown up in for the past 16 years. The place that I had all but forgotten, and not unwillingly, while I was in this place of overwhelming beauty, so different from anything I had ever known. I had wanted to come to Nepal for years, and now that I was finally there, I didn’t want to leave for anything. It wasn’t an easy place to be, but I loved it, and I didn’t want to go home.

But the day had come, and so we said our surreal goodbyes, and were dropped off at the airport, for the beginning of a strange journey. I knew what it meant, but I couldn’t feel it yet. I just felt like another adventure, another day, another new thing; later we’d be back at the children’s home, welcomed with hugs and smiles. Right? It must be. Kathmandu airport meant denial, firm refusal to believe in what was happening.

By the time we landed at Bangkok airport, I wasn’t in denial any more. Now I was confused. Our layover was nearly 20 hours, and I was in sort of a daze the whole time. I felt unsure of where I was, where I was going, and why. I was young, just a college freshman, and this was the biggest thing I had ever done. I wasn’t ready for the adventure to be over. Every final boarding call sparked desperate possibilities in my mind; couldn’t we just get on that flight to Delhi, or Abu Dhabi, or Kuala Lumpur anywhere?

The next layover was Hong Kong. By then, the daze was lifted, and I was angry. 19 is a prime age for questioning everything, and I was adamantly frustrated with America’s government, culture, and materialism. I was also relatively convinced that there was nothing I could do to fix the situation, and so my answer was just to get out of it. Hong Kong airport was a stark contrast to the streets of Kathmandu; with its shops and fast food restaurants, it looked more like American

Worlds Best Diving Destinations on a Shoestring – Sipadan Borneo

If you like turtles and sharks, great drop offs and reefs to snorkel then you will love Sipadan. This island off the east coast of Malaysian Borneo used to boast the worlds best shore dive. About 10m/30ft from the beach the wall drops to 680m/2200ft. Since 2005 the island is a marine park and is protected from dynamite fishermen and over diving by the Malaysian Navy and Sabah Parks officials. Divers must stay on close by Mabul or take day trips from the coast town of Semporna.

For such a wonderful dive site you would expect premium prices, but Sipadan is surprisingly accessible for those on a shoestring budget. Get yourself to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and follow the tips below for a unforgettable dive holiday without breaking the bank.

Book your international flight to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and then get yourself to Semporna via Tawau.

How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Tawau

Book a flight from KL to Tawau with Air Asia for around RM200 plus taxes.

Air Asia leaves from the Kuala Lumpur LCCT which stands for Low Cost Carrier Terminal. Its about 10km from the main international terminals. Follow the signs from arrivals to the car park and you will find the bus station and a transfer bus for RM1.50. It takes around 15 mins but leave some time to spare.

Air Asia are very strict about excess baggage and its expensive but they are very friendly to scuba divers. Pack your gear separately and identify it when you check in and you will pay maximum of RM30.

How to get from Singapore to Tawau

Book a flight from Johor Bahru to Tawau with Air Asia for around RM200 plus taxes.

Johor Bahru is the Malaysian town across the causeway from Singapore. After you land, take the train into town and then a bus from Queen Street bus station to Malaysia! Total cost less than S$5. You will need to get a taxi to Johor Bahru airport (also called Senai airport) because the buses are difficult to find but this should only cost you RM20 or so.

How to get from Tawau to Semporna

All day boats to Sipadan and transfers to Mabul resorts start in Semporna, a fishing town 100km from Tawau. The diving day and resort transfers start early so it is better to go direct to Semporna when you arrive.

Leaving Tawau airport you have two options. The bus ticket counter will sell you a ticket to Tawau (RM10) and direct you to the bus behind the police station. Tawau town is 30km from the airport south. Semporna is 70km north. If you go to Tawau first you will have to retrace 30km on your second bus before getting closer to your destination.

So before you buy your ticket to Tawau, go and look behind the police station. You will likely find a mini bus going direct to Semporna and they charge only RM20. Save yourself two hours and RM20 and go direct!

If you are tired, late or fancy splashing out, a taxi costs around RM100 and will fit up to 3 tired divers and their gear!

You could save yourself all that hassle by booking diving ahead. Most dive resorts will come and collect you if you book ahead.

So, when you get to Semporna what are your options to dive on Sipadan? Surprisingly you can do day trips from Semporna or stay on an island resort for much the same price so you choose for other reasons.

If you want to enjoy the relative freedom of staying the mainland so you can go shopping and choose your restaurant in the evening then your cost is longer boat times to the days diving. If you want to get away and take advantage of unlimited diving and short boat trips then you must book several consecutive diving days and stay all-in on an island resort.

Staying in Semporna and having day trips

Scuba Junkies are probably the largest day tripper from Semporna (website offline at publication date). For smaller boat groups you might try Blue Sea Divers who opened this summer and are a couple of doors down the road.

Staying on the island resorts

Many of the resorts on Mabul and Kapalai are expensive but there are budget options. The cheapest is definitely Uncle Chang’s Sipadan Mabul Dive Lodge. It’s very basic, mattresses on the floor and shared bathing but you go to the islands for the diving and the resort for rum party evenings not to catch up on your sleep.

For a little more money you could try something totally different and take a room on the converted oil rig called SeaVentures. This offers you the opportunity for unlimited diving under the rig with your buddy which makes it all great value. You also have more chance of getting some sleep on the rig!

Staying in Semporna

Whether its one night before a resort transfer or several days and day trip diving, your best option in Semporna is Scuba Junkies backpackers lodge. They have beds for as little as RM20 per night and that includes breakfast.

You might be tempted to go a little upmarket to City Inn or Dragon Inn hotels where you will an ensuite room but watch out, these do not include breakfast nor offer any refreshment services at all.

Sipadan is not the only diving destination in Sabah. Why not spend a few days in the state capital and discover the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park just half an hour from the town jetty.

Kota Kinabalu is a very easy town to spend a few days in. There are many backpackers but for sure the classiest is Velvet which opened early 2007. The rooms are immaculate and they offer free use of the washing machine! You can go white water rafting, submerge yourself in sulphur baths or for the more adventurous you can climb the mountain.

T.A.R. marine park has a range of diving including several artificial reefs close to the islands which are very successful in attracting a range of fish. You can see some spectacular marine life even when the visibility is low when compared to Sipadan. While several dive centers operate in Kota Kinabalu, we found the customer service of Sabah Divers to be second to none and at a very good price.

You can see my dives in Sipadan and Abdul Rahman Marine park on theDiveBuzz

Melaka – A Life & History Less Hurried

It’s the greenery that tells you are a long way from home. Everywhere tropical vines, banana palms, fruit trees peep over walls or rear overhead providing refreshment of both sight and smell. Clean and green Singapore is the prototype city that Shanghai is modeling itself on – with a long way to go just yet. It was a short ride to the Keong Saik Hotel, a charming old renovated row house, in what we later found out was the former red light district. Though if my memory serves me well there was a lot of old Singapore that was a red light district. Sitting outside a nearby corner café was the wizened ‘Tan’, an octogenarian all too ready to share stories with anyone nearby and willing to listen. Later we sat around laughing and bantering amongst the smoke, noise and steam of the local night food stalls sharing some wonderful laksa and satay for dinner.

“Till tomorrow”, said Tan as he excused himself extending his bony hand, crushing mine with a strength that belied his years. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that we were moving on in the morning. Within hours the sun trickled through the drapes and I set off on a leisurely walk down wide broad clean streets to the train station to book tickets. In hindsight we decided that maybe we shouldn’t have stayed the night in Singapore and caught an overnight train instead. But then we wouldn’t have met Tan. On the way back I dallied at a couple of temples, Hindu and Sikh respectively, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of Singapore society. In a nearby park I watched some tai-chi exponents practicing with swords under the far flung shady canopy of banyan trees. I’m not sure about the concept of finding inner peace while you’re hanging onto a dirty great weapon.

The ‘express’ (sic) train to Kuala Lumpur was not a memorable one. Well, maybe it was, but not for any good reasons. We only managed to travel about ten minutes out of the now aging, but formerly grand, Singapore station before grinding to a halt at a siding, where it remained steadfastly stuck for the next hour or so. The a/c felt like it was turned to about minus 10º. We had to sort through our bags and then it was four t-shirts all round.

Finally and gratefully the train slid into the brand spanking new Kuala Lumpur (KL) Sentral railway station. After a day and a half seeing the sights and a night spent on a friend’s coach in suburban KL we set off back toward Singapore on the long way around via Melaka. Buses leave for Melaka from the Sentral Bus Station in KL regularly. In fact, buses from KL seem to leave regularly for EVERYWHERE – and at an extremely good price. This one cost a mere 8RM for the three-hour trip to the coast. Melaka is famous as an old trading port that first belonged to the Dutch and later the British before they abandoned it for Penang further north. Here the indigenous Malay and immigrant Chinese cultures blended into a unique society known as baba-nonya. Throw in the sprinkling of European influences and you have a wonderful cultural mix unlike anywhere else.

After escaping the harassment of various taxi operators and fellow touts at the bus station, not to mention the occasional giant iguana, we made our way down to the old baba-nonya quarter where one can find a collection of places to stay amongst the fine old family homes. These magnificent two-story wood and stone structures feature a central open courtyard that can be used for several purposes. To me the greatest enjoyment was lying in a comfortable bamboo recliner, a drink in hand, watching as a refreshing tropical deluge came thundering down inches from my bare feet.

That evening we strolled down to ‘Glutton’s Corner’ – a lively food market near the sea for both locals and tourists alike. This is not a place to visit if you are on a diet. Here, amongst other plentiful offerings such as fresh seafood and noodles, we helped ourselves to some of the most delicious satay known to mankind – Kajang satay. Kajang is famous throughout Malaysia for it’s satay, and obviously some of its townsfolk had either moved across the hill to Melaka or sold their secret recipe of herbs and spices to the local Melakans.

After the meal we strolled (as best we could under the weight of what we’d just eaten) through the antiquated narrow streets that are reminiscent of some of the older towns in Guangdong and Fujian where many of the first immigrants originated from. Hokkien dialect appears to predominate as the favored tongue. It was interesting to see how the local Chinese community clubs come alive in the evenings. At one, groups of elderly people were sitting around chatting when suddenly “Achy Breaky Heart” came on over the loudspeakers. In a flash they were off their seats and all up line dancing! I’m sorry Billy-Ray Cyrus – but you have an awful lot to answer for…

Upon the morn we sauntered casually around the local, surprisingly quiet, streets browsing the wonderful old antique, second-hand and curio stores. Life is not lived at a hectic pace here and local store holders seem just as happy to share a chat as conduct business. We were drawn into many of the old temples that litter the old district, especially the ones that seemed to try and appease as many gods as possible. If you want to be prosperous and/or live a long life it seems you’ve got to cover all your bases! On Jalan Tun Tan we visited the somewhat tacky Baba-Nonya Heritage Museum where the tour guide was intent on getting us all through in record time. If we dawdled for too long in one room (viz., more than ten seconds) she just went straight to the next room and started her spiel, regardless of whether we were there or not.

We moved on to the old Standthuys building that was home to Dutch colonial administration and the nearby ruins of St. Pauls. Apparently Francis Xavier, that famous apostle to the Far East, had been buried here briefly before being dug up again and taken somewhere else. Seriously. To Macau I think. Old St. Franky got around a bit in his day – even AFTER he had carked it. Maybe he didn’t really die and he’s sharing a beach resort with Elvis and Lord Lucan somewhere. There are still quite a number of other things to see, but with our limited time, there was nothing left to do except grab our bags and hop on one of the many buses Singapore-bound.

Our time was too short. Allow 2-3 days in both Singapore and Melaka plus a similar time in Kuala Lumpur if you continue heading north. Malaysian Airlines and Singapore Airlines have several daily flights to and from the area. Prices vary according to season. Hotels in Singapore can be reasonably expensive, usually beginning around S$70 per room, per night. In KL and Melaka the rate will be 50-70% of that figure. Melaka can be reached directly from either KL or Singapore and inter-city buses are very affordable. It is a good idea to check out the bus before buying your ticket as standards of comfort can distinctly vary.

Language tips for traveling in Malaysia – Part 1

Most Malaysians speak at least two languages, mainly Bahasa Melayu and their own mother tongue, predominately many dialects of Chinese and Tamil, a south Indian language. But in this multi-cultural tropical country, it would be no surprise to know that several speak all three and of course English.

Although English is spoken widely and remains the language of commerce, banking and international trade, the national language is, however, Bahasa Melayu. It is essential to know some useful yet simple phrases as you navigate away from ultra-modern cities of Kuala Lumpur, Penang to smaller outskirt towns and exotic paradise along its coastline. Locals are more than helpful and accommodating if you speak to them in Bahasa Melayu, no matter how poorly. Your efforts will be much appreciated.

As a fluent speaker of Bahasa Melayu, I have prepared a short list of common phrases and words which I believe will make your travelling easy.

Could you help me?

Bolehkah awak tolong saya?

I come from…

Saya datang dari…

I’m on holiday.

Saya sedang bercuti.

I have no small change.

Saya tidak ada duit kecil.

I want to make a phone call.

Saya mahu membuat panggilan telefon.

Can I have more…

Boleh tambah lagi…

Please show me the way to…

Tolong tunjukkan saya arah ke…

This food is delicious.

Makanan ini lazat.

How much is it?

Berapakah harganya?

Please give me a receipt.

Tolong beri saya resit.

Where is the toilet?

Di mana tandas?

Good morning

Selamat pagi

Good afternoon

Selamat tengahari

Good evening

Selamat petang

Good night

Selamat malam

Thank you

Terima kasih

Money changer

Pengurup wang

At restaurants, ordering of food is not much of a problem as most menus are illustrated. But just to have a feel of local terms used or maybe to impress a business associate, you can use these words below as a guide.

Eat

Makan

Drink

Minum

Rice

Nasi

Bread

Roti

Vegetables

Sayur

Fish

Ikan

Beef

Daging lembu

Chicken

Ayam

Prawn

Udang

Coffee

Kopi

Tea

Teh

Sugar

Gula

I would advise my foreign friends to carry a pocket sized calculator and use it to indicate amount that they are willing to pay at shopping malls. It saves you from unnecessary miscommunication and price haggling. This is one trick I use when travelling to places where language is a huge barrier.

One

Satu

Two

Dua

Three

Tiga

Four

Empat

Five

Lima

Six

Enam

Seven

Tujuh

Eight

Lapan

Nine

Sembilan

Ten

Sepuluh

One Hundred

Seratus

One Thousand

Seribu

There is so much more to the list but for the meantime, it should be able to see you through your holidays in Malaysia. You can also choose to get a handy phrase guide at your local bookstore or online.

What to know about traveling in Malaysia

So you are coming to Malaysia for a business trip or to relax. Which ever it may be, you would like to know what to look forward to and what to bring along.

Firstly, if you are a resident of any of the commonwealth nations then you may enter Malaysia for 90 days without having to get a visitors permit. Arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) might be a confusing experience, because of the language used on most of the directories not being in English. But not to worry, the people in Malaysia are very friendly and eager to help. Getting a taxi at the airport is very easy, or you can use the monorail to get to the city. KLIA is 65 kilometers south of the city, so taking a taxi to your hotel is much easier. Before you board your airplane to Malaysia you should exchange some money for the local currency, which is the Malaysian Ringgit. The currency exchangers at the airport self is a bit more expensive. So be advised.

Now you are here. What is there to do? Kuala Lumpur, or KL like the locals like to call it, has got everything you will need. The main past times in Malaysia is definitely dining and shopping. There is ample shopping malls, many fine restaurants, and if you are the type that is more into finding out what the locals are like then you should really try one of the many street food stalls. The temperatures in KL is hot and humid, so even the Malaysians try to stay out of the sun during the day. Therefore when night time arrives, the city is a buzz with people.

Places to visit in KL is the Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, Batu Caves, Petaling Street and Genting Highlands which is just an hours drive away and many buses travel there from the city each day. Other places to visit in Malaysia is Langkawi, which is situated in the north of the country.

If you are going to hire a car be sure that you have an international driving license together with your own countries driving license. Driving in Malaysia might look scary at first, but it is something to get accustomed to. Watch out for the many motorbikes. They swerve in and between the cars, so you have to keep a look out for them when changing lanes. Always have a map with you and money. Its very easy to get lost on the roads in and around KL and there are many tollgates on the roads. When paying with money at the tollgates, head for the gates to the left. Those that have yellow or blue signs above them is not for cash payment.

Most of the hotels and taxi’s do have air conditioning, but if you are going to be outside please be sure to carry fluids with you and sunblock. The sun is not very forgiving in South East Asia.

The spoken language of Malaysia is Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese, Mandarin and English. Most Malaysians do understand and can speak English, but with a very heavy accent. Be patient and ask again if you didn’t understand anything they say.

Hopefully you will never get sick or injured when traveling through Malaysia, but if the scenario arises you will be in good hands. There are many clinics that are well equipped and inexpensive.

Bistro Tables: Style Icons, Not Just Furniture

Bistro tables and chairs are without a doubt the most popular restaurant dining furniture in the world today. The global accessibility to information provided by the Internet means that people anywhere can tune in and turn onto cultural and design innovations and trends from all over the world.

Like Toadstools

Although bistro tables and dining furniture have been around for well over a hundred years, they are like all evergreen design classics. They find new audiences all over the urbane and not so urbane world. In fact, bistro tables are wherever restaurant dining is to be found – from Paris, France to London, England; from Bangkok, Thailand to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and from Sydney Australia to Auckland, New Zealand. Bistro tables have been popping up for years on sidewalks and street corners everywhere. They pop up so frequently and commonly, in fact, they are like mushrooms in the rain.

The original bistro tables could be folded up and stacked beside each other along a wall. The popularity of the bistro table isn’t only due to its efficient use of space and its portability. The bistro table is highly in demand also because of its versatility and economic good looks. In fact, probably the only countries in the world where you won’t see the coffee hounds strategically sitting by their bistro tables placed on the sidewalks are Japan, Korea, and China. It’s just too damned crowded there, too damned busy, and unless you want a face-full of carbon monoxide with your latte, then it’s not a very good idea.

A Titan of a Table

A bistro table is versatile. Okay, so you’re thinking…versatility? How versatile can a bistro table possibly be? I mean, you use it for putting your food and drink, and then what? Do you use it for a miniature helicopter landing pad? Does it double as a radar dish? Of course not! Bistro tables are versatile in such a way that not only can you use it as a surface to display your steaming cup of java while you try to look intellectual, you can also use it for a score of different – albeit unconventional – purposes. Bistro tables have been habitually used as substitutes for magazine racks and have played hosts to many a poker game. Bistro tables have endured bottles being slammed on its surface in bachelor parties, stilettos scraping its glossy veneer as a woman dances atop it in the same bachelor parties, and the occasional spray of the contents of somebody’s stomach. Bistro tables have played Prometheus countless of times with the world literally on its shoulders – or in this case, table top.

The Princess Diana of Furniture

Bistro tables enjoy longer lives than the average furniture, thanks in part to the fact that owners of bistro tables appreciate what they have. Indeed, they know that they have a gem in their hands, or wherever it is that they keep their bistro table. Bistro tables have been known to undergo drastic changes in their looks, from drab to fab, tacky to classy, and dazzling to nondescript, while still maintaining a quiet elegance and sophistication that only a confident piece of furniture can pull off.

Wouldn’t you love to have one sitting in your kitchen as well?

Language tips for traveling in Malaysia

When traveling around Malaysia, if you stick to the most populated large cities of Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Johor Bahru, you could probably get around speaking only in English (or Mandarin/Cantonese if you only approach Chinese locals) . However, should you wish to venture further afield, or gain the good favor of a local, it is always good to know a few familiar phrases in the national language of Bahasa Malayu (also known as Malay and later referred to as BM in this article).

Usually, when in Malaysia, some shopping is definitely in order. Although bargaining is definitely encouraged (never pay sticker price, always ask the salesperson), I would not advise bargaining for large ticket items or even touristy trinkets in Bahasa Melayu since usually those kind of places have English speaking staff who will whip out a calculator and type in various numbers as the bargaining process ensues.

However, it is useful to know a little BM should you find yourself wanting to get items such as gum or bottled water in small shops or towns where people are less likely to speak English.

A typical exchange may be as follows (BM stands for Bahasa Melayu, E stands for English)

Tourist – pointing at item

BM: Berapa?

E: How much?

Storekeeper

BM: Lima Ringgit

E: Five Ringgit

(Ringgit is the national currency of Malaysia, you may sometimes hear and see it termed as RM which stands for Ringgit Malaysia)

Tourist – After buying item

BM: Terima Kasih

E: Thank you

Of course, the price of an item will not always be 5 RM, so below is how you count in BM

1 Satu

2 Dua

3 Tiga

4 Empat

5 Lima

6 Enam

7 Tujuh

8 Lapan

9 Sembilan

10 Sepuluh

11 Se-belas

12 Dua-belas

For numbers in the teens, just say the -belas (ie: 13 is tiga-belas)

I could give you all the numbers up to 100 but I think the numbers above are sufficient, if in doubt, just look questioningly at the store keeper and give him a pen and paper or calculator.

Incidentally, 0 in BM is Kosong. Kosong also means empty or nothing.

Some other phrases you may also find useful are listed below

Tandas – Toilet

Boleh – Can (as in can do) or Yes/No Problem

Tak Boleh (shortened form of Tidak Boleh) – Cannot do or No

Polis – Police

Kiri – Left

Kanan – Right

Minum – Drinks

When sitting down at a local food store often people will come up to you and say minum, they are NOT telling you there is a minimum amount you have to buy, they are asking you what you want to drink. If you want to order a soft drink, then no translation is needed, just mention the brand such as Coke, Pepsi, etc; however if you wish to be more adventurous and order other beverages please see examples of some common drinks below.

Teh – Tea (Local tea sweetened with condensed milk)

Teh Ais – Tea with Ice

Kopi – Coffee (Local coffee sweetened with condensed milk)

Kopi Ais – Coffee with Ice

Milo – Chocolatey drink common in South East Asia and the Carribean

Milo Ais – Milo with Ice

Teh Cina – Chinese Tea

Another few words which are useful when in a restaurant are the following

Makan – Eat

Lagi – More (Point at something and say “Satu Lagi” which will mean I want one more)

Panas – Hot (Waiters/Waitresses may say this to warn you to get out of the way)

Ayam – Chicken

Ikan – Fish

Kambing – Goat or Mutton

Daging Lembu – Beef

Nasi – Rice

Mee – Noodles

Saya Tidak Makan (Ayam/Ikan/Kambing/Daging Lembu) – I don’t eat (Chicken/Fish/Goat/Beef)

Apa Ini? – What is this?

Of course, there is much more to the Malay language than this article, but it should give you a pretty good start to some common phrases which you are likely to use or hear in Malaysia as a tourist.

The Big Green Lot 10

Lot 10 Shopping Centre is one of the oldest shopping malls in town opened officially in the year 19991. The shopping mall can easily be recognized by its distinctive green and blue striped facade. It has become a landmark that every city dweller is familiar with. The big green building sits nicely at the Sultan Ismail and Bukit Bintang crossroad. Lot 10’s location is in the centre of the hottest new shopping and entertainment district with many other shopping malls, food and beverage outlets as well as entertainment outlets surrounding it.

Lot 10 is slightly more up market compared to its counterpart across the street, Sungei Wang Plaza. Its interior is lavishly styled for a shopping centre that was built in the 1980’s. It possesses a bold modern architectural style. Each floor is spacious and well maintained. It has almost 100 retail stores and boutiques. The outlets are mixtures of high end and middle level products such as Nike, Esprit, G2000, etc. There is also a food court at the basement.

Lot 10 maintains a nice balance, with a handful of international brands amidst a handful of upmarket local boutiques. One of the anchor tenants of Lot 10 is the Japanese departmental store, Isetan. Other outlets include Guess, Body Shop, Calvin Klein, British India and many more. There is an even blend of glamour and groove at Lot 10 to cater to the young and trendy, the working professionals as well as the socialites.

There is also an ample supply of food outlets at Lot 10. Trendy cafés such as Dome Café, Café Societe and the ever popular Delifrance can be found. It is the perfect place to take a break in between floors.

A hotel in Kuala Lumpur that is strategically located in the heart of the shopping almost right next to Lot 10 is The Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur. It is a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur that offers guests many late nights of shopping and partying because of its closeness to the big shopping malls and party districts.

What to know about traveling in Malaysia – Part 1

I am from Malaysia, and I take great pleasure in bringing my friends and family members from abroad around the capital Kuala Lumpur (or KL as the locals call it).

THE TOWERS

Our pride and joy is the 88-storey Petronas Twin Towers (also known as KLCC Kuala Lumpur City Centre), the tallest building in the world (that is until Taipei 101 got built). It is the headquarters for Petronas, a Malaysian petroleum company, which houses the Petronas Arts Gallery and Suria KLCC, a high-end shopping mall. Almost anything and everything can be found here.

Just walk outside Suria KLCC and you can find children’s playground, wading pool, jogging paths and fountains this place will packed on weekends! Also check out the Skybridge that connects Tower 1 and Tower 2. Apart from giving a breathtaking view of the city, it also serves as a safety feature where people from one tower can run to the other tower in case of an emergency.

There’s also KL Tower, the telecommunications tower situated at Bukit Nanas. There’s an observation deck and also a revolving restaurant, where by the time you finish a meal, you would have gotten a 360 degrees view of KL! Of course, come at night and enjoy the lights!

THE SQUARE

Dataran Merdeka (Independence Square) was where the proclamation of independence was done at the stroke of midnight on 31 August, 1957. There’s a 95-metre flagpole at the square and gives a perfect photo opportunity.

SHOPPING

It’s a shopping haven right here and there are huge shopping malls everywhere. There’s Bintang Walk, Berjaya Times Square, Suria KLCC, Mid Valley Megamall, Bangsar Village, The Gardens, Pavillion, 1 Utama, IKANO Power Centre, The Curve, Sunway Pyramid, to name a few. Basically every district has it’s own shopping centres either a huge shopping mall or just a neighborhood mall.

If you want to get ‘Malaysian’ stuff like textiles, handicrafts and souvenirs, do check our Petaling Street (i.e. our very own Chinatown), the Central Market or Jalan Masjid India. Haggle to get good prices and don’t worry, Malaysians generally speak good English or at least understand the language.

BUT if you prefer a getaway outside the city, do go to Malaysia’s lovely islands all across the country. Famous islands are Pulau Perhentian, Pulau Redang, Pulau Tioman, Pulau Sipadan and Pulau Besar. The beaches are lovely white sands and clear-blue waters. It is an amazing experience to snorkel and dive at the islands, admiring the beautiful corals and sea creatures!

This is just but a few things you should do when you travel to Malaysia. As they say, “Malaysia, Truly Asia!”

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