During the three-week long trip I spent in Asia over winter break, my third stop was Malaysia. This time, while the rest of our friends would be staying in Singapore a bit longer and then heading straight to Tokyo, it was just my boyfriend and I vacationing in Kuala Lumpur together. To be honest, I was at first probably most excited for Malaysia, simply because it sounded so exotic. Upon arrival, however, I very quickly discovered that there were many other reasons to fall in love with this country.
A mere 45-minute flight from Singapore, Malaysia struck me as a different world. Walking through the airport, I noticed most women around me wearing traditional Muslim garb, chattering in languages I could not understand or even place, unlike in Singapore, my previous stop, where many people had spoken English. From the airport, we took a taxi to our Airbnb, in which we had booked in advance. On the way our extremely kind and amiable driver stopped on the side of the road to buy us fried bananas and refreshingly cold drinks (some kind of plum juice?), and then made another stop at the school where he worked as head chef to get us more food: chicken soup in a bag, rice, and spicy prawns.
Our Airbnb was one unit in a 52-story complex called The Face Suites. Upon riding up to the 36th floor, we deposited our things in our designated room and goggled at all that was available to us: a private bedroom with a stellar view of the Petronas Towers, a private bathroom, a spacious shared living and dining/kitchen area, and another beautiful view of the city of Kuala Lumpur through a floor-to-ceiling window. Further exploration of the top floor led us to a sizeable air-conditioned gym, several fancy (Western) restaurants, and—the best part—an infinity pool overlooking the city, with impeccable views for miles around.
We spent our days exploring the city mostly on foot, as public transportation seemed to be not as prominent as in the other countries we had visited thus far. When we did take the train, the ride to our destination was usually less than ten minutes. I enjoyed exploring on my own two feet, as I was able to truly drink in the essence of the city around me and appreciate its unique cultural vibe. We spent our days sightseeing, passing through Merdeka Square where Malaysian independence from the British was declared in 1957 with the raising of the Malaysian flag; visiting a textile museum that showcased the history and evolution of Malaysian clothing styles; exploring temples and mosques; and walking through street markets replete with street food, snacks, and drinks, just to name a few things.
It was at one of these street markets that I tried pandan cake, a sticky, sweet dessert made of rice flour, tapioca flour, palm sugar, coconut, and pandan flavor, for the first time. I also tried a warm, flaky durian tart that I was pleasantly surprised by (after many repeated and failed attempts to get myself to stomach fresh durian or other durian-flavored snacks in Singapore).
Our nights were spent exploring night markets and other nearby restaurants. (Apparently, at least from what I’ve seen- nice malls are a thing in Kuala Lumpur. The KLCC Shopping Center, only about a ten-minute walk from our Airbnb, was located right next to the Petronas Twin Towers and had a water fountain light show every night.) We also spent a good amount of time in the infinity pool back at our Airbnb after a long day of walking around and sightseeing. Floating in the illuminated blue water, surrounded by the glowing lights of the city, I found myself thoroughly relaxed.
Out of all the countries I visited during my Asia trip, I can say Malaysia was the ideal blend of relaxing and culturally eye-opening. While I was able to enjoy a luxury Airbnb, good food, air-conditioned malls (refuge from the sweltering heat), and leisurely strolls through peaceful gardens, I also experienced putting on a long skirt for the sake of modesty to hide my bare legs when entering the sacred space of a temple, walking up the incredibly steep, 272-step rainbow staircase at Sri Subramaniar Temple to reach Batu Caves at the top, standing a mere foot away from monkeys looking to steal tourists’ belongings, and generally learning more about Malaysian culture and the ethnic and linguistic diversity of its people.
Looking back at photos from my trip makes me nostalgic, and just like with many of the other countries I have visited before, I promise myself I will be back one day, reminded of the words I saw on a poster in Kuala Lumpur: “Jobs fill your pocket, adventures fill your soul.”