Anyone wandering round Kuala Lumpur could be forgiven for thinking it’s one big construction site. Everywhere you look, a new shopping centre or high-rise building is taking shape. A good deal of this frenetic building activity is understandable, as KL’s growing population needs places to live, work and shop. Unfortunately, much of the city’s remaining … read the full post

Anyone coming to Malaysia after spending time in other parts of Southeast Asia, with the exception of Singapore and Brunei, will be struck by how expensive it is. While it is relatively easy to get by on less than 20 US dollars a day in much of the region, doing so in Malaysia is next … read the full post

Up until very recently, the idea of tourists coming to Kuala Lumpur specifically to see or buy Malaysian contemporary art would have been virtually unheard of. But a thriving independent gallery sector, together with the success of Malaysia’s first two contemporary art auctions, and the growing popularity of the country’s annual International Art Expo, has … read the full post

Some cities in the world are a pleasure to walk in. Others, somewhat less so. Kuala Lumpur, with its energy-sapping climate, would be a tough place to be a pedestrian at the best of times. But combined with inadequate pavements, dangerous road crossings, and drivers who never, ever, stop for you, it can often be … read the full post

Up until two or three years ago, the state of live comedy in Kuala Lumpur was no laughing matter; a doctor would have found virtually no life at all in the city’s collective funny bone. While the local comedy scene is hardly in rude health these days, its condition has at least seen a marked … read the full post

One of the undoubted culinary highlights of Kuala Lumpur is south Indian food, done with a distinctive Malaysian twist. The eateries can be divided into two main categories: those run by Hindus, and those run by Indians who have converted to Islam, known as Mamaks. Although many dishes turn up at both types of establishment, … read the full post

Malaysia is one of the few places I can think of that has a deeply ingrained culture of both tea and coffee drinking. For the most part, coffee (like tea come to think of it) is served up strong, milky and sweet; an anti-skinny decaff latte if you like. The quality is higher at traditional … read the full post

June 30, 2011 marked a sad day for rail travel in Southeast Asia, with the last Malaysian train rolling into Singapore’s historic Tanjong Pagar station. Such is the charm of the art deco station that starting or finishing a journey there was one of the main reasons for travelling by rail. Neither Singapore nor Malaysia … read the full post

Without wishing to offend anyone, Malaysia really sucks at sport. Apart from the odd medal in badminton, this nation of more than 27 million people rarely gets anywhere near the winners’ podium. This is particularly embarrassing with football, where enthusiasm for the game is hardly ever matched by success on the pitch. The Malaysian national … read the full post

A few months ago, I was reading a Tourism Malaysia leaflet and stumbled upon a reference to the Kuala Lumpur Festival. I was somewhat surprised, as despite living here for more than four years, I was completely unaware of the city even having an arts festival. It turns out I was not alone. I asked … read the full post