At the foot of the gigantic Petronas skyscrapers, in the very center of Kuala Lumpur, there is a real Malay village. And this is not some artificially created attraction for tourists, but a real settlement called Kampung Baru (“New Village”).
The British colonial authorities allowed Malays to settle on the outskirts of the city in 1900. But, as it gradually expanded, Kuala Lumpur swallowed up the village, and it ended up right in the center, amid modern neighborhoods.
Over more than a hundred years, the residents of Kampung Baru have managed to preserve their authenticity; their way of life has changed very little, contrasting with the dynamic and rapidly developing Kuala Lumpur. The buildings in the village are still one- and two-story and predominantly wooden. Despite the high cost of land in the city center, the government carefully protects its national treasure from the encroachments of commercial entities.
The Malay village does not need any museums or landmarks to attract tourists, because it is itself already a unique cultural and historical site. After your visit, you can have a pleasant time and grab a bite in cafes offering numerous traditional dishes, desserts, and drinks, unchanged for many years.
