In 1st February 1974, the Federal Territory Day was introduced four days after the Federal Territory Agreement was signed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agung, Tuanku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah of Kedah and the Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah. The Federal Territory Day is celebrated each year in Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya, but as Kuala Lumpur is the city we all associate with Malaysia, we’ve decided to list down the things we love about Kuala Lumpur, including some special feedback from friends from all over the world to share what they especially loved about our city!
1. A Unique 24-Hour Dining Experience
One of the best things we all can’t resist, is getting together with our friends and heading out to the nearest ‘mamak’ for tea, roti canai, and some bonding time. No where else in the world you can sit on plastic stools, eat and drink past 2am without having suffer the symptoms of a hangover. Two thumbs up!
2. It’s A Friendly Place To Be
In case you didn’t know, Malaysia’s actually rated as the 10th most friendliest country in the world, based on HSBC’s Expat Explorer Survey. Kuala Lumpur is just the place for career-driven expats, while offering a great quality of life.
3. A Shopper’s Paradise
We can’t really imagine why shoppers would avoid Kuala Lumpur as a destination since we house three of the world’s largest malls – Midvalley Megamall, Sunway Pyramid and 1 Utama Shopping Centre. If size isn’t what you’re after, Kuala Lumpur also offers fantastic bargains for gadgets at Low Yat Plaza, which is also deemed by the Malaysia Book of Records as “Malaysia’s Largest IT Lifestyle Mall”. If you’re not into shopping malls, the ever popular ‘pasar malam’ or night markets are also there to give the best of both – shopping and hawker food! So get set, ready, swipe!
4. The English Touch
If you paid attention in history class, you’ll recall the British colonization 1800’s, but today, it’s something completely different (and more lighthearted). Just recently, the Harrods Group announced that Kuala Lumpur will house one of the three iconic Harrods Hotel. According to an interview, the Harrods Hotel Kuala Lumpur is said to be the first Harrods Hotel to be completed, which obviously puts Malaysia in the forefront of all South East Asian travel destinations!
5. A Contrast Like No Other
Kuala Lumpur thrives on the rich cultures that define its character. It’s versatile, and only here will you see beautiful sky-scrapers in contrast with rustic kampung houses. Architecture in Malaysia comes with both art and substance, taking inspiration from the most prominent cultures in Asia like China and India. Whether it’s a stroll down Chinatown, Little India or Kampung Baru, your senses are surely in for a treat!
6. Feast Like A King
One thing Malaysians and KL-ites will never deny is the abundance of delicious food in every corner of the city. Want some authentic Indian curries, we’ve got it. Craving for a serving of stir-fried noodles fresh off the wok, it’s most probably a 5-minute walk away! Or if you’re looking for something that unique Malaysia, let the noble hawker introduce something new. You’ll also be surprised that the coffee culture in Kuala Lumpur is also ‘brewing’, and a lot of these cafes offer some delicious food. Check out these eight cafes we recommend.
7. A Kaleidoscope of Colors
Housing people from all over Asia and the world, Malaysia is truly the place to be if you’re looking to experience something that’s uniquely Asian, like the various festivities and parades. Hari Raya, Deepavali, Chinese New Year are the top holidays in Malaysia, and you’ll be thrilled to witness how it’s celebrated in Malaysia. We would also say something about the food, but you probably already knew that! KL-ites are also global citizens, so we don’t miss out on other holidays like Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day!
8. It’s a Growing Entertainment Hub
Kuala Lumpur is turning into the best place to be for all your entertainment needs! In 2012, we celebrated one of the best Urbanscapes festival ever, with Sigur Ros in the line-up. We also some huge electronic acts like Avicii, Above & Beyond, and Justice in Heineken Thirst 2012, and even Swedish House Mafia in January ’13. But if you missed these acts, don’t worry because March 2013 is the best time to be in Kuala Lumpur for Future Music Festival 2013, to catch great acts like Prodigy, Psy, Rita Ora, Bloc Party, Temper Trap, De La Soul, Ladytron and more in this epic, two-day festivity!
Now that we’ve listed why we love Kuala Lumpur, we got some dwellers, KL-ites and visitors to share what they love about Kuala Lumpur:
“I love that Kuala Lumpur has a good mix of first world and third world charms, and I love that KL still has the ability to let people make creative things happen if they’re willing to put in the work”. Sher
“KL is a gritty, raw wonderland of creative people, characters and people who don’t give a f***”. Lucas
“The culture is intriguing. From the people to the food, there’s so much variety and you get a taste of it all”. Simone
“I love it because it’s perfect – you can have everything you need here. It may not be the biggest city within the continent, but it’s just enough for everything”. Sabran
“I love the graffiti along the river that can be seen from Pasar Seni LRT station”. Tammy
“It’s got its charms. There’s always something going on, and there is fantastic nightlife. And I love the warmth that can be offset by the air-conditioning”. Flavia
“I love food. It’s a trait every true Malaysian has. Perhaps it is unsurprising then, that Kuala Lumpur has one of the easiest access to good food at literally any time of the day. When hungry strikes, the city is there for you”. Pang
“KL is nice. I love the tiny stonehenge at the Planetarium and the South Indian neighborhood. Good food and even palm readings”. Tertullian
“The countless opportunities given to anyone to achieve anything and everything if you work hard and smart enough. Paper ‘money’ will be flowing like a river”. Shari
“Love the KTM, especially when it is overcrowded, when you get squashed and stuck between other people who never heard of deodorant”. Rächel
“I love the sights and smell so significant and lovely cultures mixed together. I also love eating, so Malaysia is special”. James
“I love Kuala Lumpur because there’s no other mini metropolis like it. A melting pot of diversity, the three major races and its influences blend so well, it’s become second nature to me. For example, I feast on malay, chinese and indian fare on a daily basis. Nature attractions are just a stone’s throw away and the main area of the city is small enough that you can literally walk everywhere”. Fahazrul
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