Mother's Day Special: 30 Things To Do With The Family!
Haven't made plans for Mother's Day yet? Check out our list of 30 Things To Do In KL With The Family! From having beggar's chicken at 40-over-year-old restaurant to escaping into a tropical forest for cooking classes, we've sourced out something for every mum out there! Happy Mother's Day!
By Melody Oei — 10 May 2013, 12:31 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
30. Have tong sui at this 50-year-old icon on Jalan Ipoh
For RM2, you get a large bowl of tong sui with a generous amount of filling - red bean, sweet potatoes or longan. He parks his cart right in front of the HSBC bank on Jalan Ipoh every afternoon between 1pm and 3pm without fail, unless it rains.
29. Flag down a food bike
Keep an eye out for the roti and ice cream men around Lucky Garden between 5 and 6pm, and the puttu mayam man on Lorong Maarof, Bangsar between 4.30 and 5pm.
Image via timeoutkl.comStaples of the schoolyard but few and far between elsewhere, the ice cream man and roti man are quintessentially Malaysian institutions. As for the puttu mayam man, his trunk holds string hoppers, desiccated coconut and crunchy brown sugar.
28. Travel from one end of KL to another by train
Skip the notorious traffic jam by travelling on the KTM commuter that boasts comfier seats and bigger compartments. Travel from Batu Caves to Klang, going through Padang Jawa, Bank Negara & Sentul.
27. Take a free walking tour of Brickfields
KL City Hall (03 2617 6273), every first and third Saturday of the month, 9.30am.
Image via timeoutkl.comPrewar shophouses, churches, temples, shrines, art gallery and secret dining places that'll take you a week to sample. KL City Hall's two and a half hour Brickfields Guided Walking Tour will expound you on the historical landmarks built between the '20s and '80s.
26. Shoot the difference faces of the Petronas Twin Towers
Ignore the fact that KL's 21st-century icon was designed by an Argentinean architect & built by Japanese & South Korean construction consortiums. The surrounding park is exemplary indicate vantage points for the best photo angles of the twin towers.
25. Escape into the tropical rainforest for a cooking getaway at Bayan Indah
Bayan Indah 3343 Kampung Palimbayan Indah, Sungai Penchala, KL (03 7729 0122).
Image via timeoutkl.comIt's a culinary retreat where owner & chef Rohani Jelani has set up her cooking school amidst a Malay village in Kampung Sungai Penchala next to the rainforest. Classes are held in groups, spending the night is recommended!
24. Dive into a tank full of sharks in Aquaria KLCC
Aquaria KLCC Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Complex (03 2333 1976). From RM199.
Image via timeoutkl.comEven in landlocked KL it's possible to get down and dirty with the sharks (of the sand tiger variety, to be precise). Book yourself in at Aquaria - if you're squeamish, you can face the sharks while safely inside an underwater cage, or you can swim directly alongside them.
23. Walk through the strict corridors of Istana Negara
Istana Negara Lama Jalan Istana Negara, KL. Daily, 9am-6pm; RM5 per local adult.
Image via timeoutkl.comYou can choose to follow a guided tour by walkie-talkie wielding guides, but that's not really important for a complete experience. Ever wondered why the royalty had such excellent teeth? Keep a lookout for the fully equipped dental clinic here, with dental chair and all.
22. Take a period family portrait at the 60-year-old Pak Tai studio
The backdrops may not be your idea of cool, but throw owner Low Kok Kee an assignment like a period family portrait & he'll recreate an artistic photo that looks like it was taken in the '70s without Photoshop.
21. Swim, wushu, or stand on the hilltop at Chin Woo stadium for an unusual KL sunset
Swim with triathletes in the Olympic-sized pool or wushu with veterans who are keeping the sport alive. A secret nook, close to the edge of the carpark on the hill, offers a breathtaking sunset view of KL with KL Tower and green forest as the scenery.
20. Surround yourself with art at gallery and boutique hotel Sekeping Tenggiri
Modernist architect Ng Seksan has left his stamp all over Malaysia, but his hotels rule the cool roost. Bare brick walls and cool cement floors meet interesting art installations and a private gallery, open only to hotel guests. If your street cred needs a boost, this is where you'll get it.
19. SkyTrex like Tarzan
SkyTrex Adventure Park Taman Pertanian Malaysia, Bukit Cahaya Seri Alam, Shah Alam (013 276 9841). Sat, Sun and public holidays from 8.30am.
Image via timeoutkl.comYour physical & mental abilities will be put to the test as you're required to tread from tree to tree through aerial obstacles suspended at 3m to 22m high. You start with the SkyTrex Initiation which will lead to a choice of Little Adventure (RM35), Big Thrill (RM45) or Extreme Challenge (RM55).
18. Seek other forms of joy in Chow Kit at the old Sin Hua Bee bakery
The atmosphere bears no difference to a dusty old Chinese medicinal store, but the happiest sight at Sin Hua Bee is watching devoted chefs make ga lui beng (traditional Chinese wedding biscuits) from scratch, while newlyweds walk in to buy them in bulk.
17. Score dusty first editions at Junk Bookstore
It's one of KL's longest-running secondhand book stores & packed to the brim with literary gems, comics and LPs. You'll have to scrabble a bit, but it's worth putting in the hours as books start from a couple of ringgit each. When you're hungry, nip round the corner for beef noodles at Soong Kee's.
16. Paint your body with art at Little India's Vaani's
Vaani's 233A, First floor, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields (03 2274 4644). Open daily 10am-7.30pm.
Image via timeoutkl.comIf you're going for traditional, get your hands or feet tattooed in Little India. Vaani's beauty salon is famous for a variety of beauty services like eyebrow threading, henna art, facials and more. Taking the creaky lift to get to the sweet-smelling outlet is just part of the experience.
15. Marvel at Masjid Negara's architecture that defies tradition
UK architect Howard Ashley and Malaysians Hisham Albakri and Baharuddin Kassim decided to break away from traditional dome tops and instead give Masjid Negara a 16-pointed star concrete roof resembling an open umbrella - complemented by a 73-metre-high minaret symbolic of a folded umbrella.
14. Go shop and eat at Masjid India
Lorong Tuanku Abdul Rahman 50100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Image via timeoutkl.comMasjid India - named after the iconic mosque - is brimming with life. Here, you'll never be short of distractions; the street's made up of a colourful mix of shops (selling souvenirs, textile & accessories), money changers, goldsmiths.
13. Get your Bangsar on - shopping, eating and people-watching all in one stylish suburb
The neighbourhood everybody hates to love is coming back into its own. Start by browsing the boutiques, then check into Ozmosis for a massage, Hammam for a scrub or Lancôme Institute for a facial.
12. Educate yourself on KL's heritage, food and architecture through Rakan KL Walkabout
The last thing you need when exploring KL is a tour guide reading off a Cuti-Cuti Malaysia brochure. Rakan KL, an independent group of heritage-saving activists led by prominent artist Victor Chin, has proper guides who are actually local residents that will share with you rare stories of KL.
11. Experience the good and ugly side of Changkat Bukit Bintang
Changkat (as it's called) is the default go-to nightlife scene in KL with every type of bar here - Irish, English, Thai, Japanese to German. Have a good time at Time Out's top 3 picks: Palate Palette, twenty.one kitchen+bar and Werner's.
10. Sing-off at KL's best karaoke joints
Neway various outlets (www.newaykb.com.my). Red Box various outlets (www.redbox.com.my). Loud Speaker various outlets (www.loudspeaker.my).
Image via timeoutkl.comYou'll be able to find both KTVs (establishments with private rooms) & 'karaoke jambans' (claustrophobia-inducing cubicles with single karaoke machines) scattered all over KL, but avoid the latter unless you're dead broke. Choose wisely!
9. Join a symphony with Beethoven, Haydn and even ABBA at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas
Dewan Filharmonik Petronas Level 2, Tower 2, Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC (03 2051 7007).
Image via timeoutkl.comFrom Tchaikovsky to 'Final Fantasy', Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP) is the concert hall to be for top-notch classical and popular culture-centric orchestral performances.
8. Ha-ha the start of the month at Time Out Comedy Thursday
Time Out Comedy Thursday STAGE, Avenue K. Check timeoutkl.com for details. One Mic Stand PJ Live Arts, Jaya One (www.pjlivearts.my). Comedy Kao Kao The Bee, Publika (www.facebook.com/ComedyKaoKao).
Image via timeoutkl.comBeer over a barrel of laughs is guaranteed at this monthly regular which continues to bring in the comedy-loving crowd since its inception in 2008, which gave birth to some of today's noted local comedians including Kuah Jenhan, Kavin Jay and Dr Jason Leong.
7. Venture out of the city for some experimental art in the jungle at Rimbun Dahan
This road trip takes you 40 minutes outside the city to the sleepy town of Kuang, where you'll find Rimbun Dahan's circular and clandestine-esque underground gallery. Rimbun Dahan features Hijjas Kasturi-designed buildings and a 19th century traditional Malay house.
6. Discover local art in the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery
Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery Sasana Kijang, Bank Negara Malaysia, 2 Jalan Dato Onn, KL (03 9179 2784). Daily, 10am-6pm.
Image via timeoutkl.comIn this museum lies the famous works by familiar names like Abdullah Ariff, Khalil Ibrahim, Redza Piyadasa and Chang Fee Ming. The bank's art collection, standing at 1,700, is a good summary of local art from the last few decades.
5. Check an impressive collection of Islamic artefacts at Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia Jalan Lembah Perdana, KL (03 2274 2020). Daily, 10am-6pm. Adult, RM12; concession, RM6.
Image via timeoutkl.comAs one of visual art's most captivating subjects, Islamic art covers dynastic periods of the Umayyads to the Ottomans and encompasses mediums ranging from calligraphy to textiles.
4. Check out Ngau Kee, one of KL's maiden beef ball noodles stalls
Ngau Kee has been a KL lunch and supper food fixture for over four decades, making it one of the oldest beef ball noodle shops in town. Ngau Kee's signature thin, springy noodles and tender beef cubes will remain a culinary favourite for years to come.
3. Spend a morning meal together in Imbi Market
The best Hainanese tea is found in the sun-splashed, wet and grimy Pasar Baru Bukit Bintang (also known as Imbi Market). Ah Weng Koh's soft-boiled eggs are perfectly timed to produce bright orange yolks.
2. Enjoy the culinary drama of Beggar's Chicken at New Heong Kee restaurant
New Heong Kee Restaurant 446, Batu 7.5, Jalan Ulu Klang, Selangor (03 4106 8698). Daily, 12noon-10pm.
Image via timeoutkl.comThis restaurant has been around for 40 odd years and chickens have to be pre-ordered! Expect a whole chicken stuffed with Chinese medicinal herbs after it is shoveled out of burning charcoal.
1. Dig into a durian buffet at Donald's
Craving for durian but don't want to smell like durian-breath alone? Bring the whole family to a durian buffet that goes for RM15/person where selected D30s are continuously sent to your plastic table!
TAKE OUR POLL! Vote for who you think is Malaysia's hottest mum!
Which mums out there do you find inspirational? To celebrate Mother's Day and mothers all across the nation who have brought precious life (or lives) into this world, we look at 10 HOT Malaysian Celebrity Mums!
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