Port guide: Port Klang (Kuala Lumpur), Malaysia

Malaysia’s capital doesn’t have the kudos of other Asian cities, but for sheer exuberance and friendliness you might find it hard to beat.

Who goes there

Kuala Lumpur was founded in 1857 and lacks long pedigree, yet makes up for it by being a contemporary boomtown that blends ramshackle and chic and buzzes with multicultural energy. It isn’t the busiest of cruise ports, but you have a wide choice of lines that visit on South-East Asian or wider Asian cruises, including Celebrity, Holland America, Oceania, Princess, Regent Seven Seas and Viking. Many others call in occasionally as part of world cruises.

Sail on in

Ships dock on Palau Indah, a road-linked island some 60 kilometres from downtown Kuala Lumpur. The sail in along a narrow channel between other islands offers modest excitement, but drab industrial wharfs take over. You might as well enjoy your cruise-ship breakfast at leisure.

Berth rites

Port Klang Cruise Terminal is large, efficient and blissfully air-conditioned, down to the walkways that connect it with ships. You’ll find duty-free and other shops. Taxis will connect you to KL in about 90 minutes, but they can’t enter the port area. Otherwise, you can take the bargain-priced KTM Komuter train, which will take almost as long. Given the inconvenience, this is one port where you should invest in a shore excursion or other pre-booked arrangement.

Going ashore

The 452-metre Petronas Twin Towers, once the world’s tallest buildings, are the most recognised contemporary landmark and have an 86th-floor observation deck. Before that, the icon was the glorious Sultan Abdul Samad Building on Merdeka (Independence) Square, one of several fine colonial-era follies. Nearby British-built Jamek Mosque is another pleasing building. Chinatown and Little India have lively markets, shops and temples. You might also want to check out the National Mosque and Badan Warisan, a traditional wooden Malay house from the 1920s.

Don’t miss

Kuala Lumpur is no great shakes on the museum front, but make an exception for the Islamic Arts Museum, the largest of its type in South-East Asia. Its exhibits are well-presented in a light-filled building. Among its 7000 items spread across 12 galleries (of which the China and India galleries are best) are coins, calligraphy, jewellery, ceramics, textiles and hand-written Korans. Its Moza Restaurant is a nice complement, offering pan-Islamic dishes from various nations.

Get active

Kuala Lumpur’s heat and concrete aren’t conducive to exercise, but you can get in some air-conditioned physical action at one of six Camp 5 climbing gyms, whose state-of-the-art climbing walls have more than 400 routes to suit beginners and experts. Malaysia has excellent golf courses: hit the greens at Saujana Golf & Country Club or the East Course of Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. If you want to stroll without stressing over a white ball, Perdana Botanical Garden is a green oasis in the city centre.

Best bites

Hit the hawker stalls and sample Malaysia’s multicultural cuisine, which offers Malay, Indian, Chinese and European food, sometimes combined in novel ways. Imbi Market on Jalan Kampung or the stalls along Madras Lane and Jalan Sayur provide great street eats. If you prefer a restaurant, try Old China Cafe for Nonya (Chinese-Malay fusion) dishes from Melaka and Penang, including a mighty good beef rendang. Dewakan and Beta are upmarket, Michelin-starred restaurants serving contemporary Malaysian cuisine.

Further afield

Most excursions concentrate on the city except for those going to Batu Caves to the north. These limestone caves, reached by 272 sweaty steps, house an important Hindu shrine and decorative frescoes, and are lively during the January-February Thaipusam festival. Beware of pesky monkeys.

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