Malaysia's capital city has been transformed from a small tin-mining community to a major global tourist destination in less than 200 years. Kuala Lumpur attracts around 9 million visitors a year, making it the fifth most visited city in the world, according to statistics compiled by Euromonitor at the start of 2010.
The majority of visitors hail from Asia, and particularly from Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, though arrivals from North America and Europe are on the rise.
The main tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur represent a mixture of the old and the new. Historic highlights of the city include the historic Dataran Medeka (Independence Square), where, in 1957, the Malaysian flag was flown for the first time, as well as the National Mosque and the National Monument, erected to honor those who died in the country's fight for freedom.
Visitors also flock to the Petronas Twin Towers, as of 2010 the tallest twin buildings in the world, as well as the futuristic National Science Center and the city's vibrant shopping malls.
Some entry restrictions are in place in Malaysia, though most nationalities are free to visit Kuala Lumpur without a visa.
Citizens of most Commonwealth nations, the European Union, much of the Middle East and eastern Asia as well as the United States and Canada, do not need a visa for tourist or business travel not exceeding three months.
Information regarding visa requirements beyond this can be obtained on the Tourism Malaysia website (see Resources).
Thanks to its proximity to the equator, Kuala Lumpur, as with the rest of Malaysia, enjoys a tropical rain-forest climate year-round, with temperatures generally ranging from 72 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the months of March, May and December, the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism encourages managers of the city's shopping malls to offer discounts in excess of 25 percent. In addition, Chinese New Year brings a rise in visitor numbers, as does the annual Malaysian Grand Prix and numerous other sporting events.
