Kuala Lumpur/Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is Kuala Lumpur's main shopping and nightlife district. Considered to be the closest thing to a Central Business District (CBD), the Golden Triangle is home to the ever popular shopping area of Bukit Bintang. To the north is KLCC, a multi-purpose development known for its shopping and the Petronas Twin Towers. Whilst KLCC does stand for Kuala Lumpur City Centre, do not mistake this for the actual City Centre. Those looking to party should head towards Changkat Bukit Bintang and dance the night away.

By train
The southern half of the Golden triangle, including Bukit Bintang and its surrounds, is best served by the KL Monorail and the newest MRT Kajang (KGL) Line. The MRT KGL line passes KL Sentral at Muzium Negara and nearby the old monorail station. The monorail passes directly through the district following along Jalan Sultan Ismail, originating from KL Sentral to the South and Titiwangsa in the north. Those heading towards KLCC and Jalan Ampang can take the LRT on the Kelana Jaya line. It is possible to transfer between the LRT and Monorail at Dang Wangi LRT and Bukit Nanas Monorail stations. Take note you must exit the paid fare area and walk along Jalan Ampang and purchase separate fares. Signs are there to guide you.

By bus
Many of the Rapid KL buses go into the Golden Triangle area.

A free bus service, called GO-KL, operates two circular routes that focus on the Golden Triangle and the City Centre. Those who are around Chinatown in the City Centre can catch the Purple Line which runs from Pasar Seni to Bukit Bintang, via Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve and Menara KL. The second route, or Green Line, runs solely within the Golden Triangle. see Get around for more information on this route.

By road
The main roads in the district are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Imbi, Jalan Raja Chulan. All these roads suffer from acute congestion, especially during peak hours. If you are coming from outside KL and want to head directly here, there are a few roads which you can take.


 * From the south if coming from the North-South Expressway, you can enter the Smart Tunnel at Sungai Besi and exit at the Jalan Sultan Ismail exit, which brings you smack in the middle of Bukit Bintang. The Tun Razak exit will bring you onto Jalan Tun Razak where you can then proceed directly into KLCC after the Singapore High Commission. Jalan Tun Razak also intersects with Jalan Ampang.
 * From the north, after exiting the North South Expressway's Jalan Duta exit, proceed along Jalan Duta (towards the south end or "Seremban direction" of this road) and then Jalan Istana, and then Jalan Dewan Bahasa which will bring you to Jalan Hang Tuah and Jalan Imbi to the Bukit Bintang area. To get to KLCC, proceed towards Jalan Duta (south direction), then Lebuhraya Mahameru which links up with Jalan Tun Razak. There is a tunnel linking Jalan Tun Razak directly to the KLCC car park.

By foot
KLCC and Bukit Bintang are linked by the KLCC - Bukit Bintang Walkway, an elevated and air-conditioned pedestrian bridge that links the Pavilion to Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. A further pedestrian tunnel near the convention centre exit will take you to Suria KLCC, the Petronas Towers or KLCC Park. Look for a set of escalators going underground in front of the convention centre. The walkway also links up to Impiana KLCC Hotel and a further exit is a short walk from Raja Chulan Monorail Station. The walkway is open 06:00-23:00.

By bus
There is a free GO-KL bus service. The Green Line operates from Bukit Bintang to KLCC, traveling along Jalan Raja Chulan, Jalan P. Ramlee and Jalan Ampang along the way. The other bus route, or Purple Line, joins up with this and heads towards the City Centre. This line can be handy to reach Menara KL and Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve.

By monorail
The monorail traverses the Golden Triangle and is especially useful, if you want to enter the district from KL Sentral, the main station of the city.

See








Do
After you have done all your shopping and partying in the Golden Triangle, you will probably be exhausted. Perhaps enjoy a spa treatment to relax or, if up for it, go for an adventure in one of the local parks. You'll also find Malaysia's largest indoor theme park here.

Buy
Bukit Bintang is the main shopping area of the Golden Triangle with many of KL's most well-known malls. The main shopping streets are Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail and Jalan Imbi. KLCC has the popular Suria KLCC mall while the adjacent Jalan Ampang also has several shopping complexes.

Bukit Bintang




Jalan Ampang




Eat


Finding a place to eat in the Golden Triangle is hard, simply because you are spoilt for choice. Options range from the cheapest local street food, all the way up to some of the most expensive restaurants within the entire city. Another alternative is to visit one of the many shopping mall food courts, which typically contain both local and international fare.

Budget
Budget restaurants, and "street stalls" are located almost everywhere in town, and these are good places to try the "real" Malaysian food, though hygiene can be sometimes an issue.


 * Signatures Food Court, 2nd Floor, Suria KLCC - Very good selection of Malaysian specialities from throughout the country. During lunchtime very popular with the employees of the Petronas Tower.
 * Signatures Food Court, 2nd Floor, Suria KLCC - Very good selection of Malaysian specialities from throughout the country. During lunchtime very popular with the employees of the Petronas Tower.

Mid-range

 * Asian Flavours Food Court, 4th Floor, Suria KLCC - A collection of restaurants offering both Malaysian and international fare. Among them are:
 * Madam Kwan's, Lot 420/421, Fourth Floor, Suria KLCC - Very popular restaurant with excellent local fare in a pleasant ambience. Try the nasi lemak (RM12.80) or the meltingly smooth beef rendang (RM6.80), and wash it down with a bowl of sweet green chendol (RM5.50). Get there early to beat the queues.

Budget




Mid range

 * Hakka Restaurant, 6 Jalan Kia Peng. Tel: +60 3-21431907 or +60 3-21431908 - In business for more than 40 years. Most dishes, even though listed as small, are quite large with two small main courses being more than enough for two people. Dishes cost RM20 up to RM150.

Mid-range

 * Kim Gary Beyond, B1F, Avenue K (KLCC LRT) - Popular Hong Kong chain serving up very modern Chinese fare. The locals' favorite is the rather non-Chinese baked rice with cheese (from RM11.90), but how about some borsht, a plate of spicy noodles "Typhoon Shelter" style and a cup of boiled Coke with ginger. Set meals for RM10-20.
 * Tarbush, 138 Jln Bukit Bintang, Tel: +60 3-21428558; LG 16, Starhill Gallery, Tel: +60 3-21446393; and Lot 19, 2nd Floor Food Court, Suria KLCC - One of the most popular Lebanese/Middle Eastern restaurant. Good food and beautiful decor.
 * Tarbush, 138 Jln Bukit Bintang, Tel: +60 3-21428558; LG 16, Starhill Gallery, Tel: +60 3-21446393; and Lot 19, 2nd Floor Food Court, Suria KLCC - One of the most popular Lebanese/Middle Eastern restaurant. Good food and beautiful decor.
 * Tarbush, 138 Jln Bukit Bintang, Tel: +60 3-21428558; LG 16, Starhill Gallery, Tel: +60 3-21446393; and Lot 19, 2nd Floor Food Court, Suria KLCC - One of the most popular Lebanese/Middle Eastern restaurant. Good food and beautiful decor.

Drink
The Golden Triangle is the party heart of KL. Here, you'll find many of the city's entertainment spots, whether they're dance clubs, karaoke joints or just watering holes. The main party drag is Changkat Bukit Bintang, whereas the area between Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Imbi are better known for its Chinese-style hostess nightclubs. Most five-star hotels also have clubs and bars.

The area also has its fair share of coffee places, mostly belonging to the usual international or local chains. However, Malaysians usually like to head to "Mamak stalls" to wind down after a night of partying. These can be found almost everywhere, especially where there are many clubs, and you can get teh tarik and other warm beverage and food like rot canai at these stalls.

Jalan P. Ramlee and environs

 * Rum Jungle, 1 Jalan Pinang (corner of Jalan P Ramlee & Jalan Pinang) - One of the newest clubs in KL, features a spectacular outdoor-bar style area, with great music and hot bar maids.
 * Poppy Garden, Jalan P Ramlee (Opposite Rum Jungle) - Poppy Garden plays RnB & Hip Hip on Friday nights. A club reserved for younger Asian tourists and locals.
 * Poppy Garden, Jalan P Ramlee (Opposite Rum Jungle) - Poppy Garden plays RnB & Hip Hip on Friday nights. A club reserved for younger Asian tourists and locals.

Sleep
Take a stroll around the Golden Triangle and you will quickly realise the district is littered with mid-range and high-end hotels. Prices are usually fairly competitive, so be sure to shop around for the best deal. Those on a shoestring budget will find a few budget options available, but are limited to guesthouses and hostels.

Splurge
There are not many places in the world, where 5-star-hotels are so competitively priced. So why not pamper yourself and go for the top while being in this city?





KLCC and Jalan Ampang

Go next
Now you have visited modern Kuala Lumpur, head towards Chinatown in the City Centre to have a glimpse of the city's colonial past. The area is easily reached either by a leisurely walk from Bukit Bintang or even the free GO-KL bus. After you could then cross the Klang River and visit the colonial administrative area. Alternatively, consider heading to Chow Kit and Kampung Baru. Here you can experience a slice of local life, visit markets and sample some traditional Malay food in the last Malay village within Kuala Lumpur.