14/12/2025

ON SUNDAY December 14, 2025 theSunday Special IX

S OMEBODY once said you can not even get to the other side of the city without entering a shopping mall. We have so many of them in Kuala Lumpur that we have to agree with this person. But are malls really the heart of a bustling city like Kuala Lumpur? Where else could we JR RQ RXU GD\V R̆ RU ZKHQHYHU D IULHQG LV visiting from out of town? O I FRXUVH RXU EHORYHG FLW\ R̆ HUV PRUH than just gigantic shopping malls. There are many places one can visit. Go on a gastronomic adventure, pub crawl, heri tage tour or even an art space exploration, depending on what you are into. Would you have to walk through the malls to DFFHVV WKHVH GL̆ HUHQW VSDFHV" ,W LV TXLWH possible. River of Life Light is the recurring theme on this suggested city tour, but these lights FDUU\ GL̆ HUHQW PHVVDJHV 5LYHU RI /LIH LV a City Hall project to transform the pol OXWHG .ODQJ 5LYHU LQWR D WKULYLQJ OLYHO\ waterfront with commercial value. This programme took seven years to complete and cost approximately 50 ELOOLRQ 2QH RI WKH PDLQ DW tractions is the Dancing Symphony fountain, which features a high-tech

KL’s best stories aren’t in the shopping aisles

BY HANNEF ESQUANDER

Saloma Link Bridge S DORPD /LQN %ULGJH KDV EHFRPH TXLWH D hit among tourists, but most locals have been avoiding it because it can get very crowded. However, it has been a while and it is safe to go there now, even if you really dislike overcrowded places. Once you are done taking photos, why not explore the foodie heaven that is Kampung Baru, where the selection of local, Thai and Western food is simply endless? The best time to go is, of course, after dark. How else are you going to bask in the beauty of Saloma Link Bridge’s colourful lights? water system that responds to various musical rhythms. The river looks like a scene from a video game-inspired IDQWDV\ ¿OP ZLWK LWV JORZLQJ VKDGHV RI neon blue and pink.

GMBB Described as a community creative mall, GMBB feels more like an art space where people can flex their creative muscles rather than buy fast fashion or eat fast food. Located not too far from UTC Pudu, you can participate in activities such as perfume-making, zine

workshops and art classes here. There are plenty of art exhibitions to check RXW RQ HYHU\ ÀRRU DQG ZKHQ LW FRPHV WR handmade items and souvenirs, GMBB R̆ HUV TXLWH DQ DUUD\ RI VHOHFWLRQV IURP local creatives. So if there is one mall you should make an exception for, it has to be GMBB.

Kuala Lumpur Bird Park It is the largest bird park in Asia and yet some of us have never even been there. Located in Kuala Lumpur Lake Garden, this bird park is special for its free-flight concept, where birds live and breed freely in an environ

ment that closely resembles their natural habitats. There are some rare bird species here and a special zone is dedicated solely to the majestic hornbills. KL Bird Park is the place to go if you want to be surrounded by nature without leaving the city.

Petaling Street Petaling Street remains one of Kuala Lumpur’s most recognisable spots, R̆ HULQJ D OLYHO\ PL[ RI IRRG FXOWXUH DQG old-city charm. As the stalls open in the ODWH DIWHUQRRQ WKH DUHD ¿OOV ZLWK WKH aroma of claypot chicken rice, char kuey teow and chee cheong fun, alongside

traders selling souvenirs and handmade items. Crowded but full of character, it is ideal for those who enjoy people watching, browsing and experiencing a heritage-rich corner of the city. Looks like Kuala Lumpur proves time and again that its heart beats beyond the walls of its many malls.