Kuala Lumpur is a vibrant, colorful and multiracial Asian city. Because the Malays, Indians and Chinese live and work together closely in this city, visitors are treated to different food and culture in just a block of the city.
But in order to get the most out of Kuala Lumpur, heed these 5 tips.
1. Learn a Few Words of Malay
You could get around the city with English. But in order to get anywhere easier, you should learn a few words of Malay. Make sure you know the word “Terima Kasih” for thank you and “Berapa” for how much. You will use both of these words often.
If you plan to eat around the stalls, keep the word “Kurang Pedas” and “Kurang Manis” in your mind. These two translate into less spicy and less sugar — very important to remember because KLites love chillies and sweet teas.
2. Ask For A Tourist Card
We are proud of our malls. In fact, this city is considered one of the best city to shop in the world — ahead of Hong Kong and Singapore.
There’s almost everything for everyone. If you want to buy Gangnam Style clothing, head on to the Fahrenheit88. If you need accessories for your phone, just walk into the LowYat, a Chinese dominated mall that sells only gadgets and computer related wares. If that is not enough, enter the Berjaya Times Square, the biggest mall in Asia and hop on a ride on the mall’s indoor roller coaster for a quick adrenaline rush. But before you shop, remember to ask for a tourist card. You will normally get 10% to 20% discounts on most items, especially if you use your card in a concentrated commercial area like Bukit Bintang.
3. Wear Loose Clothing
Kuala Lumpur is best described as a tropical city. That means it is mostly humid and hot, but rain could trickle out of the blue. And like Indonesia and Thailand, a flash flood is common.
To combat this problem, wear something loose. If you’re a woman, wear a shirt that covers your shoulder. This is useful not only to combat sweat (yes, you’ll sweat a lot here) but also helpful when you are trying to enter religious places like mosques or temples. If possible, wear long pants or blouse made of cotton. Whatever you wear, never put on anything tight unless you like to be stared at.
4. Enjoy The Fruits
We love our food, and we admit that being in a multicultural society, people of KL are spoilt when it comes to food choices. You will probably think so too. But remember, when it comes to food, man-made cuisines are just one part of the equation. While here, try the tropical fruits too.
Just walk into a wet market like Chinatown or Chow Kit and start browsing. You’ll be amazed at the many exotic fruits that you could find in the city — from red, baseball sized fruits called the Dragon Fruit right to fruits with skin similar to snake scales called the Buah Salak. While there, ask the seller to show you how to remove the skin and enjoy the flesh.
5. Skip the Taxis
Kuala Lumpur has more taxis than New York. But that’s the end of the good news. Here, most taxi drivers will cheat, lie or give a ridiculous excuse in order to swindle you. Meters are seldom used. If used, they are usually rigged. Those with unrigged meters will find ways to drive on routes unrelated to your destination in order to jack up the fares. That’s not all. Despite the fierce competition among themselves, taxi drivers will normally refuse to take you to areas like Bukit Bintang or Petaling Jaya, where the traffic jams are bad. Because of these, some tourists even call Kuala Lumpur taxis as the taxis from hell.
The solution is to use the RapidKL trains. They are far cheaper than taxis, and you don’t have to listen to drivers complaints about the economy and politics. Another alternative is to use the GoKL free buses. These buses will take you to major tourist locations and attractions throughout the city — from posh malls to historical sites that you must see. There’s so much to explore, see and try while in Kuala Lumpur. In order to enjoy more of the city, keep the 5 tips in mind and your vacation will be an experience you will remember for a long time. See you in Kuala Lumpur!
Post Source Here: Taking a Break in Kuala Lumpur – 5 Top Tips from a Local
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