King's Palace (Malay for Istana Negara) is the official residence of His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) of Malaysia. It stands on a 28 acre (110,000 m²) site, located at a commanding position on the slope of a hill of Bukit Petaling overlooking the Klang River, along Jalan Syed Putra.The King’s Palace or Istana Negara was built in 1928 and was originally the residence of a Chinese millionaire.

Surrounded by a beautiful park, green lawns and ponds the King´s Palace, Istana Negara, is the official residence of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, a Malay title usually translated as "Supreme Head”. You can watch the Palace from outside the main gate where the Royal Guards, dressed in white Malay as well as red British inspired uniforms, are guarding the main gate on horse and on foot.

The Kingdom of Malaysia consists of 9 sultanates (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Sembilan and Terengganu) and 4 non monarchic states (Malacca, Penang, Sabah and Sarawak).

The “Yang Di-Pertuan Agong” or Paramount Ruler is elected among the sultans every five years, which means that there are 45 years until a sultan can be elected for the second time. The king in Malaysia is the head of the state. Together with the Prime Minister, the King appoints the cabinet from among the members of Parliament, as well as the nominal head of the military and all three branches of government.

Templer's Park was indeed an exciting destination. Situated just after the fringes of Kuala Lumpur town, it was a sanctuary in the tropical jungle. Legends had it that there was a natural swimming pool inside the jungle, where few had ventured. The real Templer's Park that they knew was a small picnic area beside the river where the road passed by.To many local residents borne during the time of the British administration.

There was the state of the art with 7 waterfalls - Kanching Recreational Park. More dramatic and larger space for the adventurous.Nevertheless, this area continued to attract crowds over the weekend. The space on the opposite bank of the river is now Scout Jamboree Camp. Latest - the Jamboree Camp is now the National Service Training Camp.

Where does one waterfall end and the next one start?
This can be a bit confusing here, because there are many falls, covering a total height difference of about 200 meters.
The first fall is a romantic and secluded one.
But not very suitable for bathing.
Near the second fall an attempt has been made to construct a kind of swimming pool.

The next fall, the Kapor Fall, could be appropriately called THE Kanching Fall. There are dressing rooms here, toilets and shelters.
Take care when you leave your belongings here and go for a relaxing swim, because there are many curious monkeys around!

You have to climb up steep slopes, there are trails on both sides of the stream, the left trail is easier but not as interesting as the one on the right side.
The next fall has no swimming pool, but a perfect shower!

The next fall is a big one. Can you still call this a fall or is it just the stream going down steeply for about 60 meters?
Take care, this place is not suitable for swimming anymore, although some trees manage to survive in these adverse conditions.

At the top of waterfall nr 6, the landscape changes suddenly. Climbing out of the valley, for the first time you have a clear view of the opposite site, far away. There is one last waterfall, a jewel, watch the colours of the rocks here!
Rest, enjoy and relax.
If you keep going on(no trail, just follow the river bed) you will find no more falls, but quiet, pristine jungle. Where does it end? Try to find out for yourself!

Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary is a base for the elephant relocation team, which began the translocation program in 1974.The Asian Elephant, Elephus maximus is listed as an endangered species. According to the UNEP there are only about 1,000 wild Asian elephants left on the Malay peninsula.Unused land and forest became a much sought after commodity.

Kuala Gandah Elephant Conservation Centre, or popularly referred to as the Elephant Orphanage Sanctuary, is located within the bio diversified-rich and protected Krau Game Reserve & was set up in 1989 under the DWNP (Department of Wildlife & National Parks, Malaysia), manned by the Elephant Capture  Translocation Unit.

Here you can get close and personal with the elephants. Feeding and riding them which include a dunk into the Teris River. Sanctuary is run by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) or Jabatan PERHILITAN under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) of Malaysia.

Sir David Attenborough said, "If elephants are to survive, human beings will have to be convinced that these magnificent, intelligent creatures are entitled to retain some share of the living space left on earth."

Opening hours:
The Centre is open from 8.00am to 4.30pm daily but activities mostly begin from 12.30pm onwards to 3.45pm.
Entrance is free though donations are most welcome. Advisable to make prior reservations or visit early for elephant rides and bathes activities as quota per day is 120 persons only for these two activities.

Frequently asked questions about visa to Malaysia. Please spend some time to read through all the information below. If you have any useful information that could help travellers in this topic, feel free to add whatever you have, and preferably the source of your information, i.e. where you get it, webpage links, etc.

Sunway Lagoon is strategically located in the township of Bandar Sunway in Petaling Jaya. Spanning 80 acres, the Lagoon draws fun seekers from all over with its reputation as a fascinating land of fun and excitement.

Officially opened on April 29, 1993 by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Sunway Lagoon is Malaysia's Premier Theme Park and has become the most visited tourist destination in the country.

Sunway Lagoon is separated into 3 major themed lands, each boasting their own exciting attractions. Find entertainment, adventure and excitement all in place. A place where you will bring back more than just memories.

Journey into Malaysia's only African-themed Water Park. Outlast and outplay your friends in the Congo Challenge, a six-lane headfirst racer. Brave the heights and speed of the intense Cameroon Climb or spin around in loops before being propelled out of gigantic tubes on the African Pythons!

Surf’s up at the World’s Largest Man-Made Surf Beach, backed by the World’s Largest Wave Churning Machine - Capable to churn out perfectly shaped waves up to the maximum height of 8 feet! Perhaps an afternoon of body boarding may suit others or play a game of beach volleyball and build sandcastles on the tropical oasis in the heart of the city.

There are also a number of accommodations for tourists, guests, and businessmen. These include the Sunway Hotel Resort and Spa, a 5 star hotel with 441 rooms; the 4 star Pyramid Tower Hotel with 764 rooms, and other luxurious individual attached or non attached buildings compromising 36 more rooms. In total, the hotels have 1234 rooms. A Mandara spa is also available to guests, offering a mixture of Balinese and Malay massages and relaxation therapies.

Sunway Pyramid is a distinctive retail landmark located beside Sunway Lagoon. It was opened in July 1997 as Malaysia's first themed shopping and entertainment mall.
One of the mall's most easily recognised designs is the Egyptian-inspired Pyramid with a lion "standing guard" at the entrance. The rest of the building is embellished in the monumental style, complete with pseudo-hieroglyphics decorating facades, along with numerous Pharonic statuaries.

Sunway Pyramid is also one of the only shopping malls in Malaysia to have an indoor ice skating rink.
The new wing of Sunway Pyramid, called the Pyramid 2 (or P-2), was opened in 2007. It is open to newer retailers such as Jusco, Giant, Harvey Norman and so on. There is also a new section in P-2 called Marrakesh, named after the place in Morocco. Expansion of the parking area to nearly 8 floors makes this place popular with tourists, local and foreign alike. It is also plays host to many exclusive boutiques.

Petaling Street is a Chinatown located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is infamous for pirated clothes and accessories along with bootleg DVDs and CDs. Petaling Street however does not exclusively offer pirated products. Haggling is a common sight here and the place is usually crowded with locals as well as tourists.

The area has dozens of restaurants and food stalls, serving local favourites such as Hokkien mee, ikan bakar (barbecued fish), asam laksa and curry noodles. Traders here are mainly Chinese but there are also Indian, Malay, and Bangladeshi traders.

Petaling Street is particularly famous for its all-day parade of stalls, that sell imitation goods of all sorts, like: wallets, handbags, t-shirts, watches, shoes and many other things.
You can buy imitation goods of Rolex, Seiko, Cartier, Christian Dior, Adidas, Nike, Calvin Klein, Armani, Gucci, Prada, D&G, Louis Vuitton.
Bargaining here is an absolute must. Bargain hard! It's the ideal place to test your bargaining skills.

The area attracts many locals and visitors in search of bargain items, including inexpensive dresses, sunglasses, shoes, fabrics and souvenirs.
You can get anything from food to bags and sunglasses to handicrafts all along Petaling Street.

There are many restaurants with a lot of delicious choices to choose from. Some of the restaurants here have been operating for generations! We're sure, your dinner is fantastic.
Look out for Yook Woo Hin restaurant on Petaling Street. It is one the longest surviving family-run food places in KL.
Expect queues, shouting and fantastic food.

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park (Malay: Taman Burung Kuala Lumpur) is a public aviary in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is a popular tourist attraction in the country, receiving an average of 200,000 visitors every year.It is located adjacent to the Perdana Lake Gardens of Kuala Lumpur. This Bird Park houses more than 5000 birds, from more than 50 species, in an enclosed aviary.Out of these 5000 birds, 90% are local birds and 10% were imported from overseas. The size of this bird park is around 7-16 hectares.

While many birds roam freely across the park, certain species such as the hornbills and parrots are confined in separate large sections within the aviary to ensure visitors will not miss the chance to see them.Other main attractions include the Indian Blue Peacocks, Crowned Pigeons, Yellow-billed Storks and flamingos. Time your visit to coincide with the feeding session of the birds.

While the birds are allowed to fly freely, the incompatatible species are confined in Display Aviaries and specially designed open exhibits. Some of these enclosures also house samplings of the other species for those who wish to admire them at close quarters.

Visitors will enjoy strolling through the park along a maze of paved walkways - amidst a profusion of greenery, refreshing air, pleasant trills, coos and whistles of birdsong.

At various points, you'll be delighted to come across miniature gardens, pools and water cascades, bridges, flowering plants, fruit trees...and bird - feeding stations.

At the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, you'll spend engrossing hours spotting and studying the huge and fascinating variety of the feathered beauties found here.

Open Daily : 0900 hour - 18:30 hour

Another place in Kuala Lumpur where you haved a superb view of the city. This is one of the largest Chinese temples in South-East Asia and is located on top of Robson Hill. This temple belongs to the Malaysian Chinese community in Malaysia and public donations made it possible to open the temple in 1989.

The temple has four levels. The lowest level houses the nursery, souvenir shops and food court while the first floor is the main hall where cultural and religious activities are held. On the second level, one can find the marriage registration office and resource centre. The main temple shrine is located on the third floor. Upon reaching the temple shrine, one will be amazed by the dragon-inspired columns and pagoda rooftops. It is also a perfect place to relax and enjoy the panoramic view of the temple set against the Kuala Lumpur skyline.

This is a spectacular place and a first class example of the beauty of Chinese architecture. Before you enter the temple grounds you have the fountain of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy and statues of gods and lions. The main shrine with Thean Hou Goddess, the Goddess of the Sea/Ocean, you find on the third floor of this four levels temple. Even if this is a place for worship there are more than 100 cultural activities annually with the Chinese 15v days New Year celebration, when the temple is decorated with thousands of red lanterns, as the main event.

Since its opening, the temple has been endorsed by the Tourism Development Council as a tourist destination. Thousands of people visit the temple every year to offer prayers to the three deities.

Thean Hou Temple is a perfect place to just sit down and relax and watch the majestic Kuala Lumpur skyline behind the spectacular pagoda roofs of the temple. The temple is very popular among newly married couples to take their wedding photos. On the second level you can find the marriage registration office, a service that more than 5000 couples are using annually.

In addition to her altar in the prayer hall, there is also a smaller statue of Guan Yin to the right of the hall, set amongst rocks and falling water. Here one can kneel and receive a blessing of water from the statue. Outside the temple at the entrance to the grounds, there is a larger statue, similarly set amongst rocks and falling water.

This syncretic temple with elements of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism is a grandiose structure and represents a successful combination of modern architectural techniques and authentic traditional design featuring imposing pillars, spectacular roofs, ornate carvings and intricate embellishments. Its grand architecture has made it a popular tourist destination.