Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, was founded in 1857 at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers as a settlement for tin miners. Since tin mining proved to be a profitable activity, the settlement developed over the years into a major city. Kuala Lumpur became capital of the Selangor state in 1880 eventually becoming the capital of Malaysia after independence.
Kuala Lumpur has expanded substantially during the boom years of the 1990s, with many skyscarpers being added, of which the Petronas Towers, until recently the world's tallest buildings, are the most famous. Despite the frantic growth of the past 20 years Kuala Lumpur is a very nice and livable South East Asian capital. Its main attractions are the historic centre around Chinatown, the Golden Triangle shopping area, the Petronas towers, the lake Gardens park and a number of mosques and temples.