Posted on Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Kuala Lumpur may not be your first choice for a family city break, but as part of a wider South East Asian holiday it offers some remarkable hotel, shopping and dining experiences. Moreover, to visit KL is also to be plunged into the beating heart of South East Asia – as Nigel Hayter and his family discovered.

Having been on business trips to South East Asia many times, for me, the heat and humidity of Kuala Lumpur was not a shock. For my wife and teenage daughter, however, it was a strange and intense experience. They said it was like being in the UK, but the other way round: the air-con buildings and trains were as chilly as the British outdoors, and the heat outside was like a being in an overheated UK living room (with a lot more humidity).

The heat would take some getting used to – but at least our hotel softened the blow. The five-star Sunway Putra was remarkable in many ways: the rooms, the service, the swimming pool, the gym, the free shuttle to the city centre. But our stay was also notable for the fact that it was so inexpensive: Under £40 for each room! Such rates very much depend on when you visit, but it does seem as though KL has a lot of high-end hotel capacity.

Creature comforts

As mentioned, this part of the world is familiar to me – and I like it very much. My wife and daughter, on the other hand, were somewhat overwhelmed by the scale of KL: Vast shopping malls, mighty skyscrapers and bustling low-level street life had quite an impact on them.

Luckily, the creature comforts they love were all around. I'd like to say most of these comforts didn't reside in the shopping malls of the Malaysian capital, but they did: My girls were in their element in these immense "cathedrals of consumerism" – as I liked to call them. Lot 10 and Pavilion were amazing for their sheer scale, while the choice of mobiles, laptops and other electronics was staggering. As much as I'd rather avoid shopping malls, I admit I enjoyed these.

Is KL vegetarian-friendly?

However, I didn't like the shopping as much as the food; KL boasts some truly incredible eats. One snag was my daughter's recently-found commitment to vegetarianism. After doing a little research, though, it soon became clear that there were plenty of options for non-meat-eaters. Better still, my daughter downloaded an app called Happy Cow, which tells you where the nearest vegetarian restaurants are, and how to reach them (by connecting to Google Maps). This amazing little application would prove invaluable in locating places for us to eat.

Happy Cow

We discovered that most of these establishments were actually vegan, and were spread throughout the city. They tend to be buffet affairs – you simply pick up a dish then take scoops of what you want. Someone then inspects your plate and charges you accordingly. Most of ours cost about 7 ringgits each, which is about £1.20. It was so strange to be staying in a five-star hotel yet often paying so little for our meals. And, despite being a dedicated carnivore, I admit the veggie food was often very tasty – and spicier than you would find in a tourist restaurant.

Looking after the omnivores

To balance things, we also tried a number of other eateries – which, I liked to joke with my daughter, were 'real restaurants'. Of these, Kompassion stood out – a Thai fusion place with exceptional double-cooked pork belly, complete with mixed salad and soft shell crab. My daughter went for a vegetable-only Penang curry, while my wife tried the bizarrely named ‘green curry angel hair noodle with grilled fish fillet' – a fragrant dish which she loved.

We all agreed that KL delighted our tummies, but it was time to move on. We were headed for the island of Langkawi, where white sandy beaches, snorkelling and hopefully turtle-spotting awaited us.

Spectacular views over the city

Before we left Malaysia's pulsating, awe-inspiring capital city, however, we decided to visit The HeliLounge. Located on the 34th floor of the Menara KH building, this rather fancy establishment (formerly a helipad, as you might expect) affords views of the science-fiction-esque Petronas Towers, along with KL's many other high-rise buildings. Despite the fact the staff don't let you go too near the edge (health and safety), you can still enjoy remarkable views over this vast metropolis. Be warned – you must dress 'smart causal' in order to get in, and the waiting staff seem keen for you to order more drinks before you've even finished the ones you're on!

But compared to UK prices, The HeliLounge isn't over-priced at all – 20 ringgit for a mojito (£3.60) was low enough for us to order more than one (my daughter stuck to the soft drinks of course – although they weren't any cheaper!). Considering the unforgettable views, our visit was a bargain.

Kuala Lumpur may not seem like an obvious destination for a family break, but as part of a wider trip to Malaysia's national parks and islands (as was our intention), or perhaps en route to a beach holiday in Thailand, it's a lot of fun for a few days. Considering you can bag a five-star hotel room for under £50, and the vast array of shopping and eating experiences on offer, few would come away disappointed.

But more than this, the sights, sounds and smells of KL's thronging streets give you a quintessential taste of South East Asia's soul – at once anciently exotic and wildly futuristic.

Just make sure your download the Happy Cow app if one of your party is of the non-omnivorous variety!

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