Kuala Lumpur is paradise for anyone who’s fond of food- whether it’s Chinese, Indian, Malay, Nonya or European cuisine. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants where you can get very good fare, but easily the most delectable is the food sold by the vendors along the roadsides. Chinatown and the backwaters of Jalan Alor is the haunt of hawkers selling Chinese food, while South Indian food is found on Chetty Street. At the northern end of Chow Kit, the city’s largest market where you can pick up the freshest of fruits, vegetables and meats, you can grab a bite at any one of the food stalls selling the famous satays, roti canai (puffed bread with curry) or nasi goreng (fried rice Malay style). For more upmarket dining spots, check out the restaurants around Jalan Ampang, Jalan Kia Peng or Jalan Sultan Ismail. (PS: Jalan means road.)There are good pubs and bars for the thirsty around the suburb of Bangsar, a 20- minute drive from Chinatown. But undoubtedly the best way to savour the true essence of Kuala Lumpur is to sip a cup of tea as you bite into a freshly cooked roti and look upon the hustle and bustle of Masjid India – the city’s Indian quarter.

Watching movies is the most popular past time in Kuala Lumpur, and the choices range from Indian and Malay films, to Cantonese or Mandarin productions from Hong Kong as well as Hollywood blockbusters. Most cinemas start the first show at 1 p.m. and the last at 9.15 pm (check the newspapers for timings and movies showing), with midnight shows of new movies on Saturdays.

Then there are nightclubs, karaoke bars and discos that mostly start filling up late at night after 11 or 11.30 p.m. Another good source of entertainment- especially for a traveller- are the cultural shows in Kuala Lumpur. These include dances, shadow plays and other performances at Central Market, at Karyaneka (between 4 and 6 pm on Saturdays), and at Central Square the main focus of entertainment in the city.