Our SE Asia Adventure 2026 - our final stop: a closer peek at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - nature, tea, dim sum, art, and a little jungle trek (and there is still plenty left for ‘next time’)

In 2025, we travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for the first time at the urging of Larry's and Bev's cousin Ron who lived here for some 14 years. As with the first time in any major city, we saw the ‘big sights’ which you can read about (along with my first impressions), if you like, in my blog “Our Asian Adventure - Kuala Lumpur - the weather today (and every day) is hot and humid, and don’t let the monkeys steal your phone”.

Here we are once again, the final stop of our SE Asian adventure 2026, and once again blaming cousin Ron for the diversion. There is much online about what makes Kuala Lumpur a ‘global’ or ‘world class’ city if you’d like to look - it’s all about technology, education, tourism, food, architecture, culture . . .  This time, we ventured a little deeper, but this just made me realize that Kuala Lumpur still has more to offer.

Admittedly, we are a little travel-weary after four full weeks on the road (or is that in the air, in the water, on the train tracks, and on the road?), so we all just parted for our first day and relaxed in our own ways at the Kuala Lumpur Intercontinental Hotel which is certainly a great place to rejuvenate.

As I said in my blog from 2025, it’s hot and humid here, so good practice is to go out and about in the early morning and return to your hotel by noon at the latest. I cannot even explain how hot and humid “hot and humid” is so close to the equator.

One of the worthy sites to visit in KL (as Kuala Lumpur is widely known) is the Perdana  Botanical Garden which we reached by ‘Grab’, SE Asia’s equivalent to Uber.  In the early morning, we pretty much had the 90 hectare ‘garden’ with the flowers and birds to ourselves. We were in awe. The garden dates to 1888 and is divided into sections depending on the type of plant or vegetation, and we happily strolled through several sections and around the lake (the park was once known as Lake Gardens).  You could easily spend a day here  - and many more if you add the adjacent Bird Park with some 3,000 birds and Butterfly Park with some 5,000 butterflies and the Islamic Arts Museum. The garden provides a serene and healthy green space in a busy city and promotes environmental awareness and conservation. A good article describing the park and its history is “Perdana Botanical Garden, KL’s oldest public park” by Theevya  Ragu at freemalaysiatoday.com.

Here's a map of of this magnificent place. We saw only a small section.

Our first stop was the Orchid Gardens - there were so many orchids of all varieties in full bloom (there are over 25,000 species of orchids in the world):

The hibiscus garden was not blooming as fully, but here's a Chinese Hibiscus, native to Asia:

Waterfalls are a feature in the park that add to the ambience but also probably contribute to the welfare of the vegetation.

The sunken garden was formerly a playground. The gardens surround a star-shaped pond. The surrounding pergola is a popular spot for photos.

Perdana Lake is perfect for a stroll or pictures or maybe a bit of shade as the heat of the day hits.

One very fun feature of the Perdana Botanical Garden is the bamboo playground made, fittingly, of bamboo and situated next to the lake. The bamboo playground was inspired by traditional structures found in small Asian villages.

I took a picture of the Perdana Canopy from afar. It was designed to fit in with the natural surroundings by looking like tall trees but also to provde shelter. After reading up, I wish I had taken a closer look. It apparently is one of a kind in the world, being free-standing and free form (Perdana Canopy at gdparchitects.com.

So, you get the picture - there is alot to keep you occupied at the Perdana Botanical Garden, and it's a nice escape on a weekday morning.

A well-known road trip for travellers and locals is the Cameron Highlands, high up (about 5,000 feet up) in the mountains about  200 kilometres north of KL. The Highlands are named after William Cameron, a British surveyor who discovered the area in 1885.  Once it was determined that the terrain (high mountain slopes with tropical humidity) and climate (no higher than 25 degrees Celsius and no lower than 12 degrees Celsius) were perfect for vegetation, tea was planted. Now, the Cameron Highlands are the largest producer of tea in Malaysia and are also a large source of fresh produce for Malaysia and Singapore.

One word of warning, though, if you are heading to the highlands - the first two hours from KL are fast, smooth sailing on a straight beautiful freeway, but you then turn onto a road that can only be described as narrow, mountainous and curvy, extremely curvy, for another one and a half hours.  We went by way of the Jalan Tapah-Cameron Highlands Route, or Federal Route 59,  the older and apparently more challenging route to the  Cameron Highlands. In fact, I have read that some people do not recommend taking a bus (rather hire a private driver, which we did), as the swaying of a bus around all those hair-pin curves could cause you to ‘upchuck’, if you know what I mean. By the way, we found the ‘going down’ worse than the ‘going up’, especially with a driver who, although highly-skilled, maybe thought he was on the rally circuit.

On our way to the Highlands, we stopped at Lata Iskandar, or Iskandar Falls, sitting in the middle of the jungle. Children were loving cooling off in the pool below.

Here's another word of warning. We made the error of visiting the Highlands during a popular holiday which I recommend to avoid, if possible. What should have been a four-hour drive at most turned into five hours as, as soon as we reached the Cameron Highlands, the traffic was gridlocked for one and a half hours around tight curves through little townsites and attractions before we reached our hotel, literally inching along. If you know me, patience is not my virtue.

We stayed at the quaint Hotel De'la Ferns which was a perfect half-hour walk into the town of Tanah Rata and which provided beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and jungle.

There are several ‘things to do’ in the Highlands besides marvel at the unique landscape (mountains mixed with tangled, mossy jungles) - visit one of the enormous tea plantations, pick strawberries, hike in mossy forests, or become adventurous with more arduous eco-adventure trips. And there is only one way to get around - rent a jeep 4x4.  So, we did, through Cameron Secrets Travel and Tours (thankfully our Range Rover came with a delightful driver/guide - trust me, you do not want to battle the narrow, packed mountain roads). And remember what I always say, private guides just know where to go and how to pass lines.

I’m quite sure our driver Jasvin was living his best life driving the Range Rover. Here’s a family photo in that beauty:

Our first stop was the BOH tea plantation where, aside from teaching the history of tea production, the views are National Geographic quality. We were shocked by the beauty of the sun rising on the tea fields, and the tea, scones, cream, and jam in the cafe/viewing area are, of course, up to British standards. The BOH plantation dates to the early 1900's and is the oldest and largest in the area. A good article about the interesting Russel family is 'The 94 Y/O Story of BOH: How A Brit Who Spoke BM & 5 Chinese Dialects Creeated The Tea Brand' by Claudia Khaw at historyofceylontea.com.

Tea plants are planted row on row with narrow aisles in between. Jasvin explained that tea crops are harvested several times per year  by hired workers. We could see them high on the slopes. It is arduous work for which they are paid per kilogram. Besides picking, they have to carry the heavy baskets down the steep slopes. The plantations provide accommodation, a temple, and a school.  Picking practices involve hand-picking or shearing. At the BOH estate, they produce the equivalent of five million cups of tea a day. Tea plants can last 100 years. A good  article explaining the methods and volumes can be found at Tea Making: A Fine Art - Boh Tea   I watched the white specks (workers) high on the slopes, though, and wondered if tea pickers are paid and treated fairly and adequately. Most of them are foreign workers from countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, India, or Sri Lanka. There is much online about this topic.  BOH does state a commitment to equality and fairness. There’s no getting away from the fact, however, that tea picking would be very hard work. The white specks are workers high up on the mountain.

The tea plantation has a museum in which you could have a guided tour of the tea-growing process, but we chose to just read up on line at another time.

Our next stop was a real treat. The tour was to include a boardwalk hike through the Mossy Forest but (thankfully for us) a landslide had closed the access, so we were taken instead to the Coral Hill Mossy Forest which was a much less ‘tame’ and I think way more adventuresome hike through, first, vegetable gardens and then up through a literal jungle where Jasvin pointed out plants foreign to us and told us about animals that ‘usually’ appear only at night such as snakes, monkeys, and wild boars.  We did not see any but kept a close watch that we were grabbing  tree roots and not a snake as we crawled over trees and rocks and moss. 

Applying natural insect repellent:

Travelling companions hiking through the vegetable terraces:

Travelling companions wending their way through the jungle:

In awe . . .

Larry slip-sliding under a branch . . .

Jasvin explained about the particular moss that  grows in the mossy forests of the Cameron Highlands.  The moss can be millions of years old and some believe it is prehistoric. It grows on trees and on the ground, giving the ground a soft, spongy feel. The moss and roots are said to be up to five metres deep. Between the moss and vegetation, you would not be judged if you think you are in a Lord of the Rings sequel. Unfortunately, Yazmin commented that travellers, of course, are not always respectful of the historic moss and vegetation, such as climbing tres or grabbing handfuls of moss.

One of the most intriguing plants was the Nepenthes, or carnivorous Pitcher Plant, which, Jasvin explained, was a unique insect-catcher as it excretes a type of nectar that entices bugs and then traps them deep in the shell or ‘pitcher’. They are specifically found in mossy forests. The largest species might occasionally catch small birds or rodents. They are also quite photogenic.

At the ‘summit’, we posed with the Malaysian flag. Jasvin was such fun as he brought out the ‘youth’ in us with his photo ops. The boardwalk would have been much less enticing.

Our final stop was the Healthy Strawberry Farm where you could pick your own strawberries for a price or simply order a delicious treat and enjoy, which we did. Many of the gardens use covered greenhouses and hydroponics to enhance production year-round. Healthy Strawberry Farm prides itself on natural methods of growing. The Cameron Highlands produces tonnes of strawberries yearly. There are several large-scale growers popular to the public and numerous smaller operations.

One of the many produce farms showing the scale of the greenhouses:

Some of the most memorable times are when something goes a little awry.  It was Larry’s birthday on the day we were in Cameron Highlands, and I tried hard to surprise him with a cake. I had tried to pre-order cake for our dinner meal and was told simply to tell the restaurant when we arrived, which I did.  But the day of dinner, they told me they were out of cake (even though I had told them the day before) but had brownies which I said was fine. We laughed as we watched the young men try to organize the brownies into a birthday celebration. (Do you remember the show Fawlty Towers?) Then they got the ‘old guy’ (who we think is actually the  owner) who carried the brownies, singing Happy Birthday with music blaring over the loudspeakers. But . . . this was repeated  each time as they brought three plates of brownies, each time singing Happy Birthday with the music blaring loudly from the loudspeaker. We laughed so hard as it went on and on.  Cousin Ron snapped a great photo of Larry with me in a state of hysteria in the background. It was a birthday to remember between scones and jam, strawberries and cream, and brownies and ice cream - and riding in the front seat of a Range Rover.

Back in Kuala Lumpur, we decided to get a bit of culture and visited the National Art Gallery and National Museum, close together on the yellow MRT line (Kuala Lumpur has several rail systems which include the Mass Rapid Transit, the Light Rail Transit, and a Monorail). The Art Gallery was one of the best we have seen, simply getting better with each higher floor.  It was creative and interactive, and we could have spent much more time on the detail. The gallery is divided into sections such as a pottery zone, a pop culture section, a special crochet show, a visual cultural exhibit, etc.  It was all delightful, and children would love some of the interactive displays. I liked the fact we learned about Malaysia's history of social change through art.

The special crochet exhibit. The pieces depict the artist's apartment when she was a resident creator at an art show. She wants this work to reflect vulnerability and openness.

These photos come from the ceramic exhibit which is aimed to promote the art of ceramics across Malaysia:

These are from the Visual and Pop Cultures exhibit which honors the "makers and thinkers" of political and social change in Malaysia in the 1980's.

The Cinta Buatan Malaysia gallery is a historical record of the change in art and culture in Malaysia in the 1980's and also conveys a sense of nostalgia for the feelings of the time.

The top floor held a wonderful interactive space that kids would love, but I only snapped a few pictures. The blue door was like walking into a secret room. A school teacher was leading her classroom of 'littles' straight up to the top floor.

Here’s a travel tip we’ve learned. When visiting the capital city of a country, do hunt down the national library.  Often they are works of art in themselves (and often have a great coffee shop). Kuala Lumpur’s National Library building is in the shape of traditional Malay head gear, and tiles on the roof have the pattern of hand-woven cloth to symbolize Malaysian culture. There was no coffee shop this time, though.

Next we were in for an unexpected treat.  We were invited to dim sum by cousin Ron’s friend Carol at the Oriental Landmark restaurant in the mall close to our hotel. We left it up to Chinese-Malay Carol to order and take control.  I can’t really tell you what we ate, a mixture of dumplings, noodles, rice . . . What a meal! It went to the top of the list of best meals on this SE Asia adventure. I still salivate over these pictures.

On our last day in Kuala Lumpur, we rode the red LRT (Light Rail Transit) to the Pasar Seni station, the closest station to Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. (We had hoped to also walk around the Brickfields Little India area but this was too much for one day in KL’s heat.) Here are some colourful scenes from the red LRT Ampang Park station. I love station art.

We were in for a few surprises in Chinatown but with the oppressive heat and humidity encroaching by noon of each day, I must say that we barely touched the surface and could have spent a lot more time visiting this area.

You are in no doubt that you are in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown when you see all the lanterns and shophouses and traditional signs.  Everyone talks about the main shopping street, Petaling Street Market full of trinkets and clothes and food stands, but we were more smitten by the restored Kwai Chai Hong alley with its murals and lanterns.

Kwai Chai Hong means ‘Little Demon Alley”. Some say this refers to children who used to roam the streets - or drunkards or drug addicts or gang members. The alleyway became neglected until a restoration project in 2019 added the murals and lanterns. Today, there’s  no bad photos (or bad actors) here. You access the alley by a humble and iconic little red bridge.

Lovers on the bridge in past times:

Alley scenes from the 1960’s:

We viewed the 19th-century South Indian Sri Mahamariamman Temple from the street and marvelled at the  colour and intricacy of the design. It’s the oldest functioning Hindu temple in the city.  It has a five-layer entrance adorned with some 228 gods and goddesses. Sri Mahamariamman was known for her protective powers.

We also viewed the beautiful, serene, ornate Taoist Guan Di temple from the street. The Guan Di temple dates to the late 1800’s and is one of the oldest in Malaysia. Note that the ‘no photo’ sign refers to inside the temple, not where we were standing.

It’s a small Chinatown but has its share of charm, cafes, signs, murals, and alleys to keep you occupied for a few hours.

Kuala Lumpur’s Central Market borders Chinatown along with the adjacent Katsura Walk, a pleasant strolling street of little cafes and shops (and delicious coffee and tea drinks from cute little stands).

Central Market dates to 1888 when it was a ‘wet market’ which is a market selling fresh produce and meat and seafood. Sometimes the animal and fish products are alive. (The name ‘wet market’ comes from the wet floors which are due to ice melting and floor-washing.) Today, Central Market is an enjoyable (and air-conditioned) space of boutiques, artisan shops, cafes, and art. Again, we could have spent much more time exploring, along with the adjacent art museum, art gallery, and art lane with its 10 studios. It’s a good portrayal of Malaysian culture.

A short and pleasant walk from Chinatown and Central Market is the River of Life with the beautiful mosque at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque.  The mosque is one of the oldest in Kuala Lumpur, dating to 1909.  It makes a beautiful picture and would be gorgeous at night.

Part of the River of Life revitalization is the installation of mural walls overlooking the Klang River.  The murals depict old time life in Kuala Lumpur. I would have loved to go on a hunt for all as street art is one of my favourite things but had to be satisfied to see at least one massive beauty.  As  I say, there’s always something left for ‘next time’. (I have the feeling Kuala Lumpur  has much more street art to discover.)

Just across the bridge and around the corner is Kuala Lumpur’s Independence Square, or Merdeka Square. It was formerly the Selangor Club Padang and cricket green. Here, in 1957, Malaysia raised its own flag of independence from the British. The flagpole is one of the tallest in the world.  Independence Square holds a yearly Independence Day parade but also political rallies (and the site for the start of The Amazing Race Asia 1). As does everything we saw in Kuala Lumpur, this site demands more attention.

Merdeka Square sits across from the Sultan Abdul Samar Building which was built from 1894 to 1897. It first housed government offices, then courts, then communications and culture offices, and after being remodelled (it was under construction when we visited in 2025), now houses galleries, exhibits, and cafes. The building is beautiful with endless photo ops. The original building used up some four million bricks and contains a high clock tower.

The road between Merdeka Square and the Sultan Abdul Samar Building was closed, so we did what we have to do:

After our hot morning of ‘touristing’, we stopped randomly at a little cafe for a cold drink, a vegetable tray, and mushroom chicken soup. As we found throughout SE Asia, it was delicious, especially that passion fruit drink.

So, again coerced by cousin Ron to visit Kuala Lumpur (we blame it all on him), we were able to expand our knowledge about this world-class city by visiting the serene botanical gardens, snap some worthy photos, savour scones and cream and strawberries high in the mountains, hike in a jungle, appreciate some art, enjoy street life, and devour authentic dim sum.  But we realized there is still way more to discover in KL.

On our way back home, we stopped to regroup for two nights at Narita, Japan, at our chosen Narita Tobu Airport  Hotel  which almost feels like home now. There was just enough time for Larry to secure some CD’s and Harv to pick up some hard-copy car brochures. We enjoyed one more tea and coffee at a delightful Narita tea house before we hit the sky.

And one final power walk before our flight:

And that ends our SE Asian adventure 2026. What a time and gift it was! We’ve ridden  airplanes, trains, boats of several kinds, tuk-tuks, cars, jeeps, and rickshaws. We’ve visited temples, sampled all manner of authentic cuisines, petted an elephant, visited remote villages, kayaked in a bay, bumped our heads in caves, learned how to cook Vietnamese food, maneuvered unbelievable traffic, came face to face with a train, hiked in a jungle, discovered new kinds of coffee, admired art, learned about new-to-us old cultures, and met some amazing guides and very gracious and kind people everywhere.

We are full and so, so grateful.

Thanks for reading (and if you’d like to read more about our SE Asia Adventure 2026, you might like to check out my blog posts from Tokyo, Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Hanoi, and Hoi An at https://www.midlifemusings.ca/)

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