Growing up, I saw little beauty in Malaysia's capital city. It was a city I tolerated, not loved. But, over the years, KL has blossomed into something special.
Makes me think me and my family should detour to Malaysia on our next trip to China. Living in Europe, it more and more feels that the future is happening elsewhere, that Asia is where change is happening.
European big cities are neglected, with crumbling infrastructure and growing rates of poverty - great to see that other places are going in the opposite direction!
I'm biased but you totally should detour to Malaysia. While it's true that growth is promising in my part of the world, we have a lot of other scary problems lol. What glisters is not always gold as they say ;). But I tend to look at the more positive side to things.
As someone with no personal history in KL, I've always enjoyed my brief visits to the city -- must be 3 or 4 by now? -- and often thought how liveable, and yes, green, it seems.
Hello. I am coming to KL for the first time next week, second time in Malaysia. I am really happy you posted this while I am working out the details of the trip. I am only there for a few days. Do you happen to have any local favorite spots I should check out which would not be obvious from the normal tourist "top ten things to see...." sites?
Definitely wouldn’t call Melbourne pedestrian friendly outside of the inner city, our suburban sprawl is often compared to LA.
I haven’t been to Penang and KL in many years but remember either bussing or being driven everywhere. Would be exciting to see how much it’s changed next time I get the chance to go.
Very true that. KL has that suburban sprawl too as you know, and not all parts of the city is as pedestrian friendly as the CBD, but it's getting there :P
Penang - it'll be about 2030 or so before the LRT is finished, it'll be a good time to visit as I'm pretty sure growth will explode after that.
This is a refreshing read. I only stayed in KL for the first 2 years of my university, though not in the center and I have some similar memory to you, buses running way past their lifetime spewing fumes all the way, and no place for pedestrian to walk. I did a staycation once in a heart of KL years later and did enjoy walking around the old city as a "tourist", but I am still not sure if I would want to live there. But that's also many years ago, I'm intrigued to visit once again to see these new positive changes!
Thanks for that! He'll probably know a lot more about KL since he's scouting around. If he's $$, buying a condo in the middle of the city is no problem, but there are plenty of choices outside.
While it might be an unpopular opinion, I can honestly say that KL is my favorite city in the world. During our sabbatical, my wife and I stayed in KL for months because we loved it so much.
Thank you for making me smile through your writing, as I miss the city so much!
We stayed at the Ascot years ago! Lovely memories there. Agree with you about the changing skyline. Haven't been back to KL but looking forward to visit the new tallest building, Merdeka 118 , next time.
Loved reading this! I was born in KL but we migrated to the States when I was little & I now live in LA. My mother’s side mostly lives in Penang but I have a couple of aunties that live in KL. I can’t remember much because every time I’ve visited all we do is eat or shop 😆 Now that I have a daughter of my own, and my partner has never been, I hope to really show them around! (Also funnily enough I always considered it to be quite green every time I visited but I had a friend from Spain visit me and she thought LA was super green 🌳🌴❣️
I've always wondered if I'll see Manila the same way if, like you, I lived in a different country for a while. I haven't, so this is one shithole I'll have no choice but to deal with.
I also like knowing that me calling it KL aligns nicely with what locals call it and I'm not being like a smartass. Me calling the surroundings PJ though—that's me being a smartass, haha.
Makes me think me and my family should detour to Malaysia on our next trip to China. Living in Europe, it more and more feels that the future is happening elsewhere, that Asia is where change is happening.
European big cities are neglected, with crumbling infrastructure and growing rates of poverty - great to see that other places are going in the opposite direction!
I'm biased but you totally should detour to Malaysia. While it's true that growth is promising in my part of the world, we have a lot of other scary problems lol. What glisters is not always gold as they say ;). But I tend to look at the more positive side to things.
As someone with no personal history in KL, I've always enjoyed my brief visits to the city -- must be 3 or 4 by now? -- and often thought how liveable, and yes, green, it seems.
Hope you can come back again, and I can take you out for a meal!
Hello. I am coming to KL for the first time next week, second time in Malaysia. I am really happy you posted this while I am working out the details of the trip. I am only there for a few days. Do you happen to have any local favorite spots I should check out which would not be obvious from the normal tourist "top ten things to see...." sites?
Heeeey! I'll send you a DM about this! :D
Definitely wouldn’t call Melbourne pedestrian friendly outside of the inner city, our suburban sprawl is often compared to LA.
I haven’t been to Penang and KL in many years but remember either bussing or being driven everywhere. Would be exciting to see how much it’s changed next time I get the chance to go.
Very true that. KL has that suburban sprawl too as you know, and not all parts of the city is as pedestrian friendly as the CBD, but it's getting there :P
Penang - it'll be about 2030 or so before the LRT is finished, it'll be a good time to visit as I'm pretty sure growth will explode after that.
This is a refreshing read. I only stayed in KL for the first 2 years of my university, though not in the center and I have some similar memory to you, buses running way past their lifetime spewing fumes all the way, and no place for pedestrian to walk. I did a staycation once in a heart of KL years later and did enjoy walking around the old city as a "tourist", but I am still not sure if I would want to live there. But that's also many years ago, I'm intrigued to visit once again to see these new positive changes!
You wouldn't even recognise Chow Kit! (I hope to do another article centred there soon.) It's literally a cafe's hub now which is absolutely surreal.
THE Chow Kit?? I'm intrigued, please do write!
That's my next trip then hehe
Copied and forwarded to a Malaysian Chinese friend now in Singapore but thinking of buying a house in KL.
Thanks for that! He'll probably know a lot more about KL since he's scouting around. If he's $$, buying a condo in the middle of the city is no problem, but there are plenty of choices outside.
He’s reposted it on his Facebook page.
What a thoughtful homage to KL, the next time I’m there, am pretty sure I will see it with different eyes,
While it might be an unpopular opinion, I can honestly say that KL is my favorite city in the world. During our sabbatical, my wife and I stayed in KL for months because we loved it so much.
Thank you for making me smile through your writing, as I miss the city so much!
We stayed at the Ascot years ago! Lovely memories there. Agree with you about the changing skyline. Haven't been back to KL but looking forward to visit the new tallest building, Merdeka 118 , next time.
Loved reading this! I was born in KL but we migrated to the States when I was little & I now live in LA. My mother’s side mostly lives in Penang but I have a couple of aunties that live in KL. I can’t remember much because every time I’ve visited all we do is eat or shop 😆 Now that I have a daughter of my own, and my partner has never been, I hope to really show them around! (Also funnily enough I always considered it to be quite green every time I visited but I had a friend from Spain visit me and she thought LA was super green 🌳🌴❣️
On a recent trip to both KL and singapore I personally thought KL was much more interesting
I've always wondered if I'll see Manila the same way if, like you, I lived in a different country for a while. I haven't, so this is one shithole I'll have no choice but to deal with.
I also like knowing that me calling it KL aligns nicely with what locals call it and I'm not being like a smartass. Me calling the surroundings PJ though—that's me being a smartass, haha.
No we call it PJ too! Petaling Jaya is a mouthful 😆
Haha, exactly! I mean, I don't have to call it PJ, and I'm not entitled to call it PJ, but I do. :p