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Old Jul 8, 2019, 10:52 pm
  #5  
nov11
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The KUL city
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, TK Elite+
Posts: 2,658
Originally Posted by swiftaw
Hi, I'm going to KL for a conference in a few weeks and I had a few questions about the city:

1. I read that you are supposed to carry your passport at all times. Would there be any issue with leaving it in the hotel safe and carrying a photocopy or picture on my phone?

2. What is credit card acceptance like, I tend to avoid cash unless I have to.

3. If I need cash, is there a suggestion as to which ATMs don't charge fees (I have a Capital One 360 account so there will be no fee on that end).

4. Any suggestions for places to check out for food? I'll be traveling by myself and free most evenings. Staying in the JW Marrott near the convention center.

Thanks.
1. Maybe supposed to but I doubt any tourist carry their passport in KL/Malaysia all the time. I never even carry one when I travel - losing a passport in a foreign country is a bigger nightmare than unable to provide an identity. Malaysians are supposed to carry their ID card with them at all times but I have never been stopped for an ID check.

2.Depends where you go. Most mom/pop/local shops (especially street stuff) don't accept credit cards unless it's a pretty big establishment or in a shopping centre. Some have minimum purchase while others don't.

3. Can't help you with that but if you bring your USD, you can change them at any money changer in town (avoid banks as they have a rather huge spread). ATMs are abundant (plenty of ATMs and banks around).

4.Depends on how adventurous you are Malaysia is famous for its street food. But if you want comfortable street food (i.e. in an air conditioned place), Lot 10 Hutong (basement of Lot 10 shopping complex, further down on the same road as the JW Marriott) and Malaysia Boleh food court at the Four Seasons Shoppes (next to the Petronas Twin Towers) provide pretty authentic local street food.

Chinatown has some good food as well. Plenty of speakeasy bars as well as nice coffeeshops around there and KL. If you want to try nasi lemak (coconut rice with spicy chili paste and fried chicken), Park Village in Damansara Uptown is famous (quite a schlep to get there and very long wait during lunch hour) but I've been told a small chain - Ali, Muthu, and Ah Hock does the same nasi lemak as well (a few around including one in Chinatown). Soong Kee Beef Noodles is great too (close to Chinatown).

If you like Indian, there are quite a few amazing Indian restaurants in Brickfields (near KL Sentral). The best banana leaf rice IMO, is Sri Nirwana Maju in Bangsar (expat area, close-ish to your hotel but avoid rush hours and take Grab there). If you visit on a Sunday late afternoon/early evening, you can even partake in the local night market close by

Originally Posted by salfcl
If you want local street food, Jalan Alor is good.

https://theculturetrip.com/asia/mala...-kuala-lumpur/
A lot of restaurants in Jalan Alor are for tourists But having that said, WAW Restaurant (Wong Ah Wah) at the end of Jalan Alor, furthest away from Lot 10/Starhill area, has great local food
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