Quick Facts

Important facts about the city

Literally meaning 'muddy river confluence' in Malaysian, Kuala Lumpur (KL) has developed from a sleepy village of tin miners into Malaysia's modern and developed city. KL is a melting pot of cultures due to its multi-ethnic and multi-lingual population that mainly consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians and indigenous people. In addition, Arabic, British and Portuguese culture has affected the country. These influences can be seen in Little India or the vibrant Chinatown, which is fondly referred to by the locals as Petaling Street.

 
Sitting within the perimeters of KL's Golden Triangle - the area between Jalan Ampang, Jalan Tun Razak and Jalan Imbi - the hotel is situated close to the offices of international and multinational corporations, shopping malls and famous sights like the Petronas Twin Towers. It is an ideal hotel for conducting business, enjoying a family getaway, taking a honeymoon or celebrating an anniversary.
 
Visit Tourism Malaysia for information on events and promotions in KL. 
Visas

Citizens of the United States, Canada, and majority Arab, Commonwealth and European countries do not need visas for visits of less than three months.

You may view entry requirements by country of origin from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Malaysia.

Currency

The Malaysian currency is the ringgit, divided into 100 sen (cents). It is abbreviated both as RM and MYR.

Credit cards are accepted in hotels and department stores but cash is commonly used in rural areas.

Here are the most recent exchange rates for some common currencies.

MYR 1.00 equals:

Exchange Rates Currency
0.36 Australian Dollar (AUD)
0.22 Euro (EUR)
0.19 British Pound (GBP)
1.91 Hong Kong Dollar (HKD)
3365.27 Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
27.16 Japanese Yen (JPY)
0.37 New Zealand Dollar (NZD)
1.69 Chinese Yuan Renminbi (RMB)
0.33 Singapore Dollar (SGD)
0.25 US Dollar (USD)
Taxes

Hotels and restaurants include a 10% service charge and 6% Sales and Service Tax (SST).

Tipping

Tipping is not customary in Malaysia.

Business Hours

Bank Hours 
9:30am - 4pm, Monday through Friday

Office Hours 
8am - 5:30pm, Monday through Friday (Government)
9am - 5pm, Monday through Friday (Business)

Shop Hours
10am - 10pm

Public Health

Ensure that all food is well cooked and consume only bottled mineral water outside of the hotel.

Dress

Lightweight clothing is ideal and shirts, jackets and ties are normal business attire.

Do note that shorts, miniskirts and sleeveless garments for women are not advisable in Government Offices, places of worship and certain rural areas.

Weather

KL has a tropical climate of warm, sunny weather throughout the year. Rain is frequent from November to January, but can be expected in any month.


Local Climate
Month High Low
Jan 32ºC 22ºC
Feb 32ºC 22ºC
Mar 33ºC 23ºC
Apr 33ºC 23ºC
May 32ºC 23ºC
Jun 32ºC 23ºC
Jul 32ºC 23ºC
Aug 32ºC 23ºC
Sep 32ºC 23ºC
Oct 32ºC 23ºC
Nov 31ºC 23ºC
Dec 31ºC 22ºC
Facts

Population
1.8 million

Language
Bahasa Malaysia, English

Time Zone
GMT + 8 hours

Measures
Metric System

Voltage
220 / 240 volts

Plug Type
 

Mobile Phones
GSM 1800, G3