Kuala Lumpur and Selangor

National Art Gallery
The National Gallery is housed in the building that used to be the Majestic Hotel. The collection features works by Malaysian painters, sculptors, and designers, and there are changing exhibitions of work by international artists.

Muzium Negara (National Museum)
The National Museum is located just outside the entrance to Lake Gardens, a palatial structure built in the old Malay style. Inside are displays on local history and culture, arts and crafts, and natural history. There is also a library. In the grounds outside are reconstructions of Malay palaces from around the country.

Karyaneka Handicrafts - Centre and Museum
The Karyaneka Handicraft Village displays crafts from the 13 states of Malaysia inside traditional buildings. A shop sells handicrafts from around the country. Demonstrations are given daily except Sunday.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, built by the British in 1911, is worth visiting for its architecture. The Moorish-style structure, designed by A. B. Hubbock, features spires, minarets, arches, and cupolas. Inside are air-conditioned waiting halls, snack shops, 24-hour restaurants, souvenir shops, and a visitor information centre.

Masjid Negara (National Mosque)
Masjid Negara is one of the largest mosques in Southeast Asia and is the spiritual centre for Malaysia's Muslims. Built on 5 landscaped hectares (12 acres) behind the railway station, the mosque consists of a grand prayer hall, mausoleum, library, and offices opening onto a courtyard. It has a 75-metre (245-foot) minaret. The roof is an umbrella-shaped dome with 18 points representing the 13 states of Malaysia and the Five Pillars of Islam. Visitors are welcome but must be respectably dressed.

National Monument
The Malaysian National Monument was constructed in 1966 to commemorate Malaysian and Commonwealth soldiers who fought against Communist rebels in the 1950s. Seven bronze figures represent the seven qualities of leadership. Designed by Felix de Weldon, the National Monument is the country's symbol of freedom.

Sultan Abdul Samad Building (Federal and High Courts Building)
This famous structure in the middle of Kuala Lumpur is one of the city's most
distinctive and most photographed landmarks. Named after the Sultan of Selangor of 1896, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building was built to house the Selangor Secretariat. Converted to house the Supreme and High Courts, the building features a 41-metre (135-foot) clock tower and an impressive copper dome.

Butterfly Park
The Butterfly Park houses a collection of 6,000 butterflies of more than 120 species. A rain-forest environment has been created with 15,000 plants from 100 species. The complex also has a separate display of insects.

Deer Park
Deer roam freely in this special park near the lake. They are accustomed to being hand-fed and can be quite insistent. At the edge of the park near the stream you may catch sight of the mouse deer, the world's smallest hoofed animal.

Taman Tasik Perdana (Lake Gardens)
This is the city's most popular park, with undulating lawns adorned with flowering shrubs and shady trees. Facilities in the 65-hectare (160-acre) park include a children's playground, jogging tracks, exercise stations, and rowboats for the artificial lake. Musical and cultural performances are presented at the Panggung Anniversary in the northeast corner. Several smaller parks in the gardens are devoted to different aspects of flora and fauna. The National Monument is across the road.

Batu Caves
The vast Batu Caves, discovered in 1878, are part of a large limestone formation not far from the Ipoh road. Visitors climb 272 steps to reach the largest cavern, which holds a Hindu shrine to Lord Subramaniam. Pilgrims travel to this site during the Thaipusam festival, usually held in February. Visitors walk through the illuminated caverns on a wide path with an iron railing. There are several smaller caves, including one containing sculpted figures of Hindu gods. The cave site is accessible by taxi or bus, and by train during the Thaipusam festival.

Nightlife
Evening entertainment in Kuala Lumpur ranges from "dinner theatres" at the big Western hotels to karaoke pubs and nightclubs playing jazz, rock, country-and-western, and more. Some better known night spots are Copperfields (4th Floor, Pan Pacific Hotel, Jalan Putra), the Federal Club (35 Jalan Bukit Bintang), Legends (No. 1, Jalan Kia Peng), Musictheque Basement (1 & 2, Istana Hotel, 73, Jalan Raja Chulan), Renaissance (Yow Chuan Plaza, Jalan Tun Razak), Saqs (C12 & C13, 1st Floor, Kuala Lumpur Plaza, Jalan Bukit Bintang), Voodoo (76-78, Jalan Ampang),and the Voxz Discotheque (No. 370, Jalan Tun Razak).

Shopping
From handicrafts to high-tech electrical goods, everything is sold in Kuala Lumpur. Prices in the large department stores are fixed, but don't be afraid to haggle at smaller shops and with curbside traders. There are several major shopping areas in Kuala Lumpur.

- Central Market
Once the city's "wet" (produce) markets, selling everything from live chickens to tropical fruits, the Central Market has become a favourite haven for visitors. Built in 1936, Central Market is not merely a collection of shops but an epicentre for culture, arts, and crafts.

- Jalan Bukit Bintang
Jalan Bukit Bintang was once the focus of Kuala Lumpur after dark, a strange mix of cabaret and carnival, with a Ferris wheel and carousels. Then it was replaced by modern shopping centres, banks, and five-star hotels. This is the place to go for air-conditioned shopping.

- Chinatown
Kuala Lumpur's Chinatown is centred around Jalan Petaling. Pre-war shops and roadside stalls sell clothing, jewellery, fresh rambutans, and dried ginseng root. Nepalese traders sit on rugs in the narrow alleys, selling colourful wall hangings, teapots, and ornaments from India, Nepal, and Burma.

- Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
In this district, elegant pre-war façades stand next to modern glass and concrete. This is a good place to look for Asian antiques, ornaments, and carpets. As always, treat the word "antique" with caution. Other things to buy are batik sarongs and imported fabrics, Indian saris, leather goods, and men's suits.

- Pasar Malam
The Pasar Malam, or night markets, are one of Kuala Lumpur's most enjoyable experiences. Open-air stalls sprout in late evening, transforming the street into a noisy, bustling bazaar. Shop for batik and handicrafts, local delicacies, and cakes. The Petaling Street night market comes alive every evening after 6PM, while the night market on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman opens only on Saturday.

- Pasar Tani
The weekly Pasar Tani in Jalan Ipoh is an open-air market for local farm produce. You can buy fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, freshwater fish, prawns, meat, and eggs, as well as numerous local sweets such as tapai (sweet sticky rice) and a variety of cakes.

Golfing
As more and more golf clubs sprout up all over the country today, the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC), the country's second oldest, still holds its own over its younger counterparts. Founded in 1893 by a group of colonial administrators, it survived World War II and the Japanese take-over until its reopening in 1948.
Looking at the lush greenery and picturesque scenery, it is difficult to imagine barracks, tapioca plots and a landing strip right where the fairways and greens are now.
The club offers two challenging and exciting 18-hole championship courses. Extensive changes have been made to the old course to make it more challenging. Trees, ponds, mounds and bunkers serve as hazards whilst adding to the charm of the layout.
The clubhouse has also undergone extensive renovations and now houses a conference room, multi-purpose hall, reading room and sauna in its new wing. Golfers may look forward to having their requirements met at the pro-shop or practise at the driving range. There's also a golfer's terrace in addition to the main lounge and restaurants.
Other facilities include a swimming pool, tennis courts, squash courts and billiards room. When you're in Kuala Lumpur, make a date with the RSGC, the charming golfing haven within the city's midst.