Kuala Lumpur | Meet Malaysia
Meet Malaysia is a blog series that explores the most amazing dive destinations in Malaysia, with insights by the locals who know them best.
Author: Zachary Cabading
Published: July 28, 2023
Jump Ahead:
Culture of Kuala Lumpur
Cuisine of Kuala Lumpur
The Traditional
The Modern
There’s no scuba diving in Kuala Lumpur, but Malaysia’s capital city is worth a visit if you’re diving at the islands in Borneo or West Malaysia.
Kuala Lumpur is commonly (and conveniently) known as KL.
On one hand, KL is a cosmopolitan city that’s gleaming with glitz and glamor. There are modern skyscrapers, huge shopping malls, and all the exquisite boulevards, nightclubs, and shopping districts that you might expect from a city stepped upon the world stage.
However, the culture of the old world is very much alive. You can see it in the family-run establishments, the street food, and the laid-back attitudes of the people who live here.
The joy of coming here for the first time is discovering the city’s graceful blend of the traditional and modern.
Culture of Kuala Lumpur
Cat is a teacher who works with special needs students in KL. She also works as a divemaster on Tioman Island whenever she travels there for a long weekend or holiday; a teacher never stops teaching, as they say.
Cat was born in KL and has witnessed the city’s rapid modernization.
“It has definitely changed,” says Cat. “It’s a lot more developed. A lot more highways, so many more shopping malls now.”
The world’s second-tallest building, Merdeka 118, towers over the city, a fresh symbol of Malaysia’s up-and-coming economy. Skyscrapers are going up everywhere, both office buildings and residential towers.
Most importantly, there are shopping malls.
“We love our malls,” says Cat. “That’s where we hang out because they’re air conditioned and we don’t have to be out in the sun.”
Malaysian malls are big and extravagant, and packed with shoppers almost every day of the week. They’re worth visiting for the food courts, alone. No joke.
Malaysia has a young middle class that’s enthusiastic about wielding its newfound spending power, and the shopping malls provide that outlet. They’ve got online shopping, too, but as Cat says, the shopping malls are popular because they also function as a social space. Think about malls in 1950s or 1980s America and you get the idea.
In-between the skyscrapers and shopping malls, there still exists the older and more traditional part of KL. The city blocks are lined with old shophouses and street markets that harken back to a simpler time.
Cat says there’s a growing interest in preserving these old places.
“The hipster crowd is trying to bring back our heritage and make it trendy. They used to tear down a lot of the old houses and just build modern things. Now they’re taking back all these old places and refurbishing them.”
The result are boutique cafes, restaurants, and hotels that look quite rough on the outside, but which are surprisingly cozy on the inside. You should take the opportunity to explore them because the ways in which they’ve been redesigned are often very creative.
For example, there’s an old building in Chinatown that’s been turned into a multi-level bookstore where you can lose yourself in a maze of bookshelves. There’s even a map provided for guidance. How many bookstores require maps??
Despite the size and density of KL, you might notice that the atmosphere is quite relaxed. People aren’t in much of a rush, except for when they’re driving. The employees at restaurants and businesses do their work at a more leisurely pace, which is just the culture here.
“Compared to other places in Malaysia, KL is definitely more on-the-go,” says Cat. “But if you compare it to other cities in the world, KL is actually pretty laid-back.”
The secret might be in how the city incorporates green space and nature. There are parks and small patches of rainforest scattered throughout the city, and the rooftops and terraces of buildings are often adorned by plants and trees. It certainly has a calming effect.
The locals can also escape to beautiful vacation destinations like Tioman, Langawi, the Cameron Highlands, and the islands in Borneo. All are easy and affordable to reach from KL.
Likewise, Kuala Lumpur is a super convenient stopping point for scuba divers. Even if you’re spending 2 weeks in Borneo, you can easily tack on a couple nights in KL to start or finish your trip without much hassle or expense.
[And what better way to spend your off-gassing than with gastronomy?]
Food Scene in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur’s main attraction is undoubtedly the food.
Hazree is a chef who’s lived in KL since he was 9. He’s crafted menus for a couple different restaurants, so he knows a thing or two about the city’s famous food scene.
“I watched my mom cook,” says Hazree. “She makes a mean ayam masak chili. Also when I was young I watched a lot of travel and cooking shows, like Anthony Bourdain and Anna Olson.”
Hazree is an artistic soul who enjoys both cooking and music. He plays in a rock band when he’s not in the kitchen.
Hazree chose to pursue cooking because he felt it offered him a better chance of success than being a musician. KL is certainly not a bad place to be a chef.
Kuala Lumpur is a highlight reel of the best food in Asia, incorporating dishes and ingredients from India, to China, to traditional Malay.
“If you go to any food stalls in Malaysia, there’s always rice and some kind of spicy dish,” says Hazree. “Those are basically our staples.”
Simple enough, right?
Well, not quite.
In Malaysia, the meat and rice dishes incorporate delicious flavor combos that you won’t find back home.
Asian food can be intimidating for westerners because there’s so many flavors, ingredients, and textures packed into a single dish. Even the sauces are complicated. Take sambal, for instance.
“Sambal is a chili paste,” says Hazree. “You blend it with a lot of fragrance–lemongrass, garlic, red onion, ginger — you cook it for hours and let it fuse together. It becomes a very complicated, intricate flavor.”
Sambal is served with chicken-and-rice dishes, like nasi lemak. Nasi lemak is the national dish of Malaysia and a must-try when you visit KL.
“Nasi lemak translates to fatty rice. It consists of sambal, some fried peanuts, anchovies, cucumber, and then the rice itself — which is very fatty because we cook it in coconut oil.
“To a lot of people, even locals, nasi lemak is very heavy. People would eat it for breakfast back in the day so they could have the energy to work long hours in the sun. You need to sweat it off.”
In other words, you should eat some nasi lemak if you’ve got a long day of exploring ahead of you.
Another must-try is the legendary durian fruit.
Many hotels in KL make it clear that smoking is prohibited in rooms. Also durian.
“There’s a reason they call it the king of fruits, right?” says Hazree. “You can literally smell it a kilometer away when someone opens up a durian.
“You have to try it yourself. It’s indescribable… it’s a love or hate kind of thing.”
Fantastic Flavor Combos in KL
Nasi kerabu. The rice is cooked in flower petal, which gives it the blue color.
Percik chicken covered in a mild spicy sauce.
From left to right: samosas, laksa, and curry puffs.
Iced lemon tea, the staple drink of Malaysia.
Apam balik, a sweet-and-savory pastry treat.
Cendol, a type of ice cream topped with sweetened vegetables.
There are so many good foods in KL that it’s impossible to list everything that needs to be tasted. I’d have to make separate lists for each individual Asian cuisine you can find here, a task better left to the city’s many food bloggers.
Even Hazree has difficulty choosing his favorite dishes because there’s just so many options. However, he’s got some advice for you if you’re visiting KL for the first time.
“I say you go to Jalan Alor. Most of the shops sell seafood. Mostly Chinese-style, but there’s also Thai-style and Malay-style.”
Jalan Alor is a famous night market that opens around 5 PM. It’s a single street lined with all sorts of different food stalls and small eateries. You can walk from one stall to the next, buying large or small helpings of anything that catches your nose.
Hazree has mostly cooked for restaurants, but he acknowledges that the city’s best food is often found on the street.
The Traditional
Like any great city, Kuala Lumpur has a diverse population. The multitude of cultures can be seen, heard, and tasted throughout KL.
Tamil
The Tamil people come from southern India and Sri Lanka. Their most iconic monument in KL is the Batu Caves, which contain gorgeous Hindu shrines that are popular with both worshippers and tourists. The Tamil community celebrates their annual Thaipusam festival at the caves, which is difficult to attend but spectacular to witness.
You’ve got to hike up the long, colorful steps to reach the central caverns, but it’s not such a bad hike. You can stop whenever you like to take in the views or watch the monkeys do their thing.
Chinese
Many Malaysians are of Chinese descent. You can see the Chinese influence everywhere in KL but it’s most vibrant in Chinatown.
You can buy all sorts of accessories and knick-knacks at the Petaling Street Market. It’s a good stop if you’re on the hunt for souvenirs.
It should go without saying that there’s terrific Chinese food in this district, from noodles, to lemon chicken, to all varieties of street food. The neighborhood is also popular for its creative, boutique cocktail bars.
Arab
There are three exciting ways to experience Kuala Lumpur’s middle-eastern influence.
First, you’ve got to try the shawarmas. You’ll find these on every other street corner in Bukit Bintang, the shopping district at the city center. The shawarma is one of the tastiest and most satisfying foods you can buy in this city, which is no small praise.
Second, you might want to visit a shisha joint. Smoking is taboo for most scuba divers… but would there be any divemasters on this earth if not for a little puff-puff? Shisha joints in KL have a great vibe, and if you’re not keen on smoking you can still enjoy their spectacular Mediterranean food.
Third, the city’s Islamic architecture is gorgeous, especially the mosques. The prayer calls that echo from the minarets are hauntingly beautiful.
The Mamak
The mamak is one of the most unique aspects of Malaysian culture.
Mamak stalls cook dishes from several different types of cuisine, especially Indian, Malay, and Chinese.
The attendant will ask you whether or not you want rice. Then you point to the meat and vegetables you want to be scooped onto your plate (don’t be afraid to ask what type of food you’re looking at). Some mamak stalls will also have a menu with other kinds of dishes.
“You take your white rice,” says Hazree, “and you pick whatever meat and veggies you want. If you come at night, they usually serve all the porridge, the Thai food, the tomyam, the nasi lemak.”
Like shopping malls, mamak stalls are important social spaces for Malaysians. They’re usually open 24 hours, and the locals gather to eat and hang out at all hours of the day and night.
Especially night.
People work long hours and typically work 6 days per week, but the locals always find time to be with their friends and loved ones, even if they need to stay up late to do it.
Kuala Lumpur is safer than most American cities, and the locals have few qualms about going out after dark. People look out for each other here, even tourists.
It’s common to see families with young children hanging out at restaurants and mamak stalls well past midnight. Nobody’s in a rush to squeeze everything into the daylight hours, and they’re certainly not rushing to go to bed.
“It’s kind of laid-back, right?” says Hazree.
“People like to sit down, relax, have a talk with friends. That’s why the midnight hanging-out culture is there. Myself? After this I might go hang out with my friends at the mamak until 4 AM and just chill. Play with phones, talk about life, and whatever.”
He’s got work in the morning, so I ask Hazree if he’s concerned about getting rest.
He shrugs.
“Some people will say that’s a part of rest.”
The Modern
Muslims are the majority in KL, making up about 45% of the population.
You’ll meet Muslims who pray 5 times per day and abstain from eating pork or drinking. You’ll also meet Muslims that hit the bars and nightclubs on the weekend.
Technically, it’s illegal for Malaysian Muslims to drink or do things that violate Islamic codes. In KL, though, the breaking of Islamic rules is not only commonplace but generally tolerated by a great many Muslims.
“Nowadays, we don’t judge,” says Hazree, who’s a non-practicing Muslim. “If you’re a Muslim and you want to drink, we don’t judge. We have accepted the fact that it’s very destructive if you try to control other people’s behavior.”
Cat mostly agrees.
“There will always be people who are judgmental. But in general, people are definitely more tolerant in KL.”
Both Cat and Hazree say that Malaysia’s diverse array of cultures and religion have made it more accepting of different kinds of lifestyles. The Islamic laws do exist, but they mostly apply to Muslim citizens and these rules are only selectively and not widely enforced. There are more than a few Malaysians who want these rules to be done away with entirely.
Visiting KL is a fascinating experience for westerners because it reminds us there are many shades of Muslim, just like there are many shades of Christian, Jew, or Buddhist.
It’s no wonder the Petronas Twin Towers are the most iconic landmark in the city. Molding ancient Islamic symbols into looming skyscrapers that shine like diamonds in the night sky, the Petronas Towers are the prefect representation of the city’s bridging of the past and present.
Modernity has brought a good deal of luxury to the city, especially when it comes to the nightlife. There’s a wide assortment of nightclubs, cocktail bars, wine bars, and also rooftop bars that offer unbelievable views of the skyline.
“KL is a little bit of everything,” says Hazree. “You have a little bit of culture, and a little bit of modernity. A little bit of fun, and a little bit of chill.”
Locals eat street food and shop at neighborhood markets, yet they also fill up shopping malls. They work long hours but stay up late to hang out. There are laws that govern Muslim behavior, but rulebreaking is the norm. It’s a big, busy city but it’s also quite relaxed.
I wrote that Kuala Lumpur blends the traditional and modern; more accurately speaking, it’s a city of beautiful and mostly harmonious contradictions that capture, simultaneously, how the world used to be and also what it’s becoming.
Modernity can be frightening for a country steeped in tradition. The locals handle it with a good amount of grace, as Malaysians tend to do.
Hazree, like many young Malaysians, is hopeful about the future and open to all possibilities. Cynicism is a tough food to find in this town.
“I’m focusing more on the chef thing. But if the chance presents itself of being a rock star or whatever, I would take the chance!
“Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith.”
Want to add Kuala Lumpur to your Malaysia dive trip? Contact Scuba Travel Ventures! We’ll hook you up with great rates, amazing hotels, and a custom itinerary.