We stopped in Kuala Lumpur en route to Manila. I didn’t know what to expect in Malaysia.
All I know is that Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot of ethnicities where mosques, temples and churches sit side by side in harmony.

Before our plane landed, I was pleasantly surprised to see acres of trees and lush greenery. The Government aims to transform Malaysia into a “garden nation” by encouraging the people to plant beautiful trees. Kuala Lumpur’s airport was built around an entire section of rain forest transplanted from the jungle.

We stayed in Kuala Lumpur for 2 nights in the area of Bukit Bintang. Bukit Bintang stylized as Bintang Walk or Starhill, the latter being a translation of the Malay name) is the name of the shopping and entertainment district of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It encompasses Bukit Bintang Road and its immediate surrounding areas. The area has long been Kuala Lumpur’s most prominent retail belt that is home to many landmark shopping centres, al-fresco cafés, swanky bars, night markets, as well as hawker-type eateries. This area is popular among tourists and locals, especially among the youths. We checked in at the Sky Hotel. It is also just a few mintues walk to Jalan Alor.

 

Jalan Alor is a unique food destination in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. They say some of the best culinary delights that Malaysia has to offer are not at the swanky overpriced restaurants but right at the sidewalks, in the rows and rows of hawker stalls. On Jalan Alor, these stalls will take up both sides of the road selling food that best represent Malaysia.

The best chicken wings in Malaysia can be found at one of these foodstalls. Woh Ang Wah (WAW) started off as a humble stall selling barbecued chicken wings for the post clubbing crowd now has grown into a commendable Chinese restaurant. The decor may look drab but the service is fast and efficient and the food is excellent.

We also ordered the Bamboo Clams cooked in a mildly spicy Kam Heong sauce and spicy eggplant with minced pork.

We also went to Lot 10 Hutongs Mall to look for another local dish called popiah. They say Campbell Mini Popiah is one of the best. It consists of a thin pancake wrapped around ribbon noodles, deep-fried shallots, crushed peanuts, beansprouts, lettuce and chopped snake beans. There are over thirty vendors at Lot 10 Hutongs serving a variety of local Malaysian favorites. You could spend days here and still not sample everything.

What would a trip be in Malaysia’s capital city without gawking at its 88-story Twin Towers. The Petronas Towers are Kuala Lumpur’s crown jewel. They are visible from just about everywhere in the city. The weather was a bit overcast as we stepped out but it was okay since we walked from the train station to the towers. Coincidentally, we saw the chocolate place that we were looking for.

Cocoa Boutique and Chocolate Gallery is Malaysia’s largest chocolate paradise. It has created a reputation for its chocolate excellence and innovation worldwide.

 

We ended the trip by having a cup of white coffee at the Old Town Cafe at the airport. Overall, it was a short but fun filled trip. I will definitely go back and explore more of the nearby towns and beaches.