While in Kuala Lumpur, one should not miss the opportunity to take the interesting sights and sounds of the city. The best way to gain an insight into KL's colorful past is to take a walking tour of the city,

Sultan Abdul Samad Building
The KL's signature landmark, overlooking the Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square which is a most popular spot for those who would like to enjoy a panoramic view of the city. Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad was built in 1897 to house the various administrative departments of the British Government at that time. Its Moorish features have attracted the interest of visiting historians and students of architecture. Today, the building houses the Supreme and High Courts and Infokraf, a center for Malaysian handicrafts.

Dataran Merdeka or Merdeka Square
Dataran Merdeka is a significant historic site as it was here that the British Union Jack was lowered for the last time when Malaysia gained its independence on 31st August 1957. A 100 meter-high flagpole, one of the tallest in the world, marks this spot. The square - formerly known as Padang - is the center of National Day celebrations. Surrounding the square are many buildings of historical interest including the Royal Selangor Club, a Tudor-style building built in 1910 which is situated on one corner of the square, where KL's elites meet; the Sultan Abdul Samad building, which is a great example of the Victorian-Moorish architecture common to Malaysian cities; the National History Museum and the Memorial Library, a building dating back to 1909; the St Mary's Cathedral, a Gothic style building which is more than a hundred years old; the impressive modern Dayabumi Complex; and beneath under the Dataran Merdeka is the Plaza Putra, an underground food, leisure and entertainment complex. The square is in the heart of KL downtown, near the convergence of the Klang and Gombak rivers.

Chinatown
KL's Chinatown is a crowded colorful mélange of signs, shops, activity and noise. The central section, Jalan Petaling, is a frantically busy market that is closed to traffic. It is most spectacular at night, when the combination of street stalls, food, haggling and bright lights makes impressions on all five senses. The old buildings - undergoing constant restoration by conservation groups - are interesting in themselves, while bargain-hunters and collectors of kitsch might be in luck as well. Chinatown is about 300m (330 yards) south-east of Merdeka Square.

Kuala Lumpur Memorial Library
A magnificent double-story colonial style building, it serves both as a public library and resource center. It provides reference materials and information on the history of Kuala Lumpur

National Museum of History
The National Museum of History is a former commercial bank dating back to 1910. The National Museum of History enables visitors to discover the wealth of Malaysia's historical heritage through its permanent exhibition of artifacts and materials. The Museum accumulates researches, collection, records and publications in regard to the nation's treasures. Exhibits include the 520 million-year-old metamorphic sandstone, a 4,000-year-old Homo sapiens skull and an eight-sided gold coin dating back to the 15th century.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial
The Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Memorial, located at Jalan Dato' Onn, is dedicated to the memory of Malaysia's first Prime Minister, YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, who is also known as Malaysia's "Father of Independence". The memorial is housed in the grounds of the Tunku's former residence, where he resided first as Chief Minister and then as Prime Minister of the Federation. The exhibition space of the memorial covers 120,000 sq. meters and has massive collection of museum items including the Tunku's archived materials, mementos, books and letters. The memorial provides extensive information about the Tunku and his achievements.

Kuala Lumpur Railway Station
The Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is another Moorish-influenced feature in the city. Built in 1910, it was refurbished in 1986 when its old world grandeur was restored. The building houses the Heritage Hotel which offers a specially created ambience reflecting the pre independence era of old Malaya.

Masjid Jamek
Design by A.B Hubbock, a British architect, Masjid Jamek is evidence of Malaysia's large Indian-Muslim community. Built in 1909, the mosque sits serenely at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang Rivers. It features onion-shaped domes, arched colonnades and shiny, cool, marble floors.

Kuala Lumpur Textile Museum
The Kuala Lumpur Textile Museum showcases the rich heritage of Malaysia's arts and crafts, in particular, the local textile industry. It is located at he junction of Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin and Lebuh Pasar Besar, a short distance from the Dataran Merdeka.

Among the interesting exhibits on display are those on the art of batik making, the weaving of various indigenous materials such as songket, telepuk, kain gerus, pua and a diorama that portrays batik painting using the canting and pua weaving methods.

Fashionable clothes, the latest products and design collections including textiles of historical value are also on display.

National Mosque
This beautiful mosque sits on a 5.2 hectare plot close to the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station. Green lawns, water fountains, pools and a modern design embody a contemporary expression of traditional Islamic art, calligraphy and ornamentation. Its most striking feature is the multi-fold umbrella-like roof and a 245-foot minaret.