The essence of Asia
I have to admit — it’s been a while since an airport impressed me that much. After touching down in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, I was greeted by a shiny, well-designed terminal. The glorious smell of progress was proof that the government sank money into its national hub and, by extension, the image it wants to show the rest of the world. As a first-time visitor (one who knew all too well that a country’s branding starts at its entry points), I sort of developed an instant crush on Malaysia. It looked like a place that puts its best foot forward.
And I was right. At an enlightening gathering at the Crown Plaza Mutiara Hotel, local tourism representatives and travel industry experts gave the lowdown on Malaysia’s recreational and cultural competencies. Over the last few years, shopping has become an important bullet point on the country’s résumé and this year promises an even more impressive retail extravaganza, the Malaysia Savings Sale 2008 (www.malaysiamegasale.com.my). Get ready for some credit card cardio, people.
Gaining momentum
Speaking at the official launch at the stunning Pavilion mall, tourism minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said addressed the eager crowd of international journalists and travel agents. “Malaysia is gaining momentum on the way to becoming an international shopping destination of distinction,” she said. “Compared to our neighbors such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines, we offer the best prices for branded goods in the region.” Shopping was the second highest contributor to tourism revenue in 2007 so promoting the former British colony as a retail destination makes complete sense.
As a seen-it-all travelista, however, I’m not one to be swayed by big speeches, especially when it comes to the merits of a certain city over another. I had to see things for myself.
Mash-up of cultures
From its humble beginnings as a mining settlement in the 1800s, Kuala Lumpur has been going at it 10 times as hard as the competition to become the well-respected garden city it is today. As a mash-up of several distinct cultures — Malay, Chinese, Indian, and aboriginal — Malaysia, and of course, its capital, highsides a blend of Moorish edifices, charming colonial buildings, and modern skyscrapers.
While the Merdaka Square, in front of the Royal Selangor Club, is a good place to start your exploration of KL, the city is famous for the Petronas Twin Towers. Made of steel and glass, this gleaming, paint-free structure lords over the city at 451.9 meters and is considered the world’s tallest freestanding twin towers. I was fortunate enough to have a view of this Malaysian icon from my hotel room and seeing it day or night was enough to make me sigh and perma-smile.
Speaking of awe-inspiring superstructures, I was also able to have dinner at the Menara Kuala Lumpur. Located atop the hilly Bukit Nanas, this 13-year-old communication tower offers a 360º view of the city at its very own revolving restaurant. Jetsons outside and Jamiroquai (Virtual Insanity, anyone?) inside, the totally trippy KL Tower, as it’s come to be known, offers a buffet that’s hard to beat.
Attention seasoned shoppers
Sprinkled among the hotels in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) are a handful of world-class malls to tire out even the most seasoned shopper. Fact: The largest Club Monaco in Asia can be found at Pavilion Mall, which is also home to Tang’s and Pull & Bear, a street-chic label owned by the Zara group. If you do a little more poking around, you’ll probably find brands you haven’t seen anywhere alongside the more ubiquitous ones: Seed (great shoes and cardigans for men, among others); People of Asia (casual/conceptual clothing designed by a Korean and made in nearby Singapore): and yes, Paris Hilton (a kiosk that sells the alleged heiress’ namesake accessories).
But if you’re looking for cheerful, anonymous clothes to fill the gaps in your wardrobe, run to Sungei Wang Plaza along Jalan Bukit Bintang. I spotted a sea of colorful hoodies, V-neck shirts, and oversize eyewear to make any entry level Alt foam at the mouth. The plus side? Prices are sadistically low.
Self-contained world
An hour’s drive outside Kuala Lumpur, the Genting Highlands Resort was initially conceptualized as a retirement home in the 1960s by the late Tan Sri Goh Tong. These days, however, it’s a self-contained world with a clutch of theme parks, spas, and casinos. The Genting Skyway, the longest cable car in Southeast Asia, stoked my fear of heights, but the front-row view of the rainforest below — said to be populated by Malaysian aborigines — made it all worth it.
Genting is a perfect weekend retreat, judging by the sea of mainland Chinese tourists that have temporarily invaded it. Finding a suitable room isn’t a problem since there are a number of hotels, from the frills-free (First World Hotel) to the tricked-out (Maxim Suites), on tap. High-rollers tired of the gaming tables at Casino de Genting Malaysia can always crawl to M Spa & Fitness (www.mspa.com.my). After all, when the going gets tough, the tough get hot stone massages.
Tax-free island in the sun
An archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, south of Thailand, Langkawi is a tax-free paradise with a population of some 45,000 really friendly people residing on the eponymous Pulau Langkawi, the largest chunk.
The two syllables in the name, Lang and Kawi, are Malay for eagle (helang) and red, respectively. In the past, a lot of these red eagles called Langkawi home. Now, you can still feed a few near Tanjung Rhu and test your camera skills in the process.
Declared a Geopark by UNESCO in 2007, Langkawi is tailor-made for outdoorsy types. On the one hand, you can go up the summit of Gunung Mat Cincang via cable car for an insane 700m-high view of the islands, including neighboring Thailand and Indonesia. On the other hand, you can also hop around the different islands. Kilim Geoforest Park and Pulau Tasik Dayang Bunting (Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake) are musts for their surreal, Jurassic Park-like beauty and outgoing monkeys.
Like Manila’s first cousin
So, after a few days of skipping around this pleasantly dizzying Asian territory, I came to this conclusion: Malaysia is like the Philippines’ slightly more urbane first cousin. While Manila attended senior prom in the States, for instance, Kuala Lumpur completed its O and A levels in the United Kingdom, which explains why cars zoom by on the other side of the road and locals speak a British English-inflected patois.
The fascinating observations don’t end there. Malaysians are mostly Muslim and conservative and, therefore, do not party with alcohol or wolf down pork. In contrast to ours, their government officials have slightly more upmarket sensibilities, electing to beautify surroundings with black signposts and steel fences with gold fleur-de-lis-looking accents instead of confections in hot pink.
Having gained independence from Great Britain only 51 years ago, Malaysia is a thoroughly young nation that’s still building its language and envisioning its future. They actually want more Filipinos to visit and see what they’ve been up to. The least we could do is to accept this generous invitation not only to sample their food or festivals, but to find out how the Philippines could be if we cared a bit more.
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For more information, visit www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my, or www.virtualmalaysia.com.my
Special thanks to Martin Manuson, Bea Totanes, and Azfillah Aziz of Tourism Malaysia.
