Malay World Ethnological Museum, Kuala Lumpur

The main entrance of the Malay World Ethnological Museum.

Another museum that is quite interesting for the fans of the cultural history and traditions of the Malay world. This is because the museum is not only dedicated to the Malays in Malaysia alone but also all other Malays communities that covers wider area.

Situated near the building of the National Museum, the Malay World Ethnological Museum is smaller and the front wooden structure built to resemble a traditional Malay house. What interesting here is, this museum also includes exhibits from around other region including Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, South Africa, Madagascar and also of Malay Polenesia. This will open up your knowledge of the Malay world as a whole.

Among the collections exhibited in the museum includes textile goods, weapons, sculptures, metal tools and technology, jewelries, musical instruments and so on. Do not forget also Malays recreation activities such as traditional kite (wau), shadow puppets (wayang kulit) (which include several countries of Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand), the spinning top and many others. Through this exposure, it is quite easy for us to understand the connection between us which is actually inside a huge group of ethnic.

Most of the exhibits here will raise many questions about the real world of Malay people. Perhaps some will be answered and the rest you should work on for the answer. It is like bringing together pieces of the puzzle that is quite interesting to note. But after you figure it out, let it be known by us that we all come from the same family.

"Keris" from many different parts of Malay world.

Kitchen utensils used by the Malays.

Water transport and naval technology.

Wood carvings.

Ticket Malay World Ethnological Museum

Visitor Type

• Nationality: RM 2.00
• Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (PWD): RM 1.00
• Children aged 12 and under (citizen): Free
• Secondary School students dressed in uniforms (citizen): Free
• High School Students not dressed in uniform (citizen): RM 2.00
• Member of International Council of Museums (ICOM): Free
• Non-Citizens: RM 5.00
• Children (6 to 12 years) (non-citizens): RM 2.00
• Children younger than 6 years (non-citizens): Free

Opening Hours

• Open daily from 9.00am - 6.00pm.

* Close the Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Hari Raya Haji.

Transport

By Bus or Taxi and Commuter / Putra LRT off at KL Sentral station, walk 0.5 km to the National Museum, MRT also available when it starts in service soon.

Note: credit picture of hafidzahmad.com

Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur

Front entrance of the Islamic Arts Museum, Kuala Lumpur.

Islamic Arts Museum is located near the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur and is part of the attraction of a variety of attractions available surrounding the area of Taman Tasik Perdana. It’s opened since 12 December 1998 and is the largest museum of Islamic Art in Southeast Asia with a total of more than 7,000 artifacts that come from various corners of the world.

The museum is divided into 12 main galleries are classified according to the type of artifacts displayed through located at different levels; the level-3 and level-4. At Level 3, it houses collection of Al-Quran and manuscript, Construction & Engineering (Islamic architecture), Indian Gallery, Chinese Gallery, the Malay World Gallery of Ancient and also reconstructed room of Ottoman Syria, while at level-4 also featuring collection of textile items, weapons and armors, ceramics and glasses equipment from the Islamic World.

Among the highlights is this dome.

Engineering construction (architecture).

Museum's gift shop.

The museum has been widely recognized from various parties. Among them are as follows:

2014 - Platinum Award-Tourist Attraction (Culture, Arts and Heritage) Category - awarded by Kuala Lumpur Mayor's Tourism Award.

2014 - Top 10 Travelers' Choice Museums (10th in Asia) - awarded by TripAdvisor.

2015 - Top 10 Travelers' Choice Museums (10th in Asia) - awarded by TripAdvisor.

Ticket Museum of Islamic Art

Visitor Type

• Adults: RM 14.00
• Students (with student card): RM 7.00
• Elderly (Malaysians above 55 years and over): RM 7.00
• Children (6 and under): Free
• Ticket prices will be charged at RM 12 and RM 6 when special gallery is not open.

Opening Hours

• Open daily from 10.00 am - 6.00 pm.

Transportation

• You can take any transportation to go to Masjid Negara including, bus, taxi and train.

Unique Group of Plants; Cactus

Cactus has important functions and is a unique plant.

For those of us who live in the tropics cactus may seem unusual because it grows in dry areas. Although some can be grown here, but the cacti are group of plants that so large just as other plants group.

Cactus plants are collection of plants in the family Cactaceae, the group consists of 127 genera and consists of approximately 1,750 species identified. It has varieties in sizes and shapes with a relatively wide distribution, but usually in a dry lying area (with low rainfall levels). However, some families of cactus is very unique and a plant that supplies tasty fruit to be eaten.

Stunning cactus image.

Beautiful flower from Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus.

Cactus is an important source of food in the desert.

Just like any other plants cactus conducting photosynthesis to produce its own food. The different is most cacti equipped with spikes coming out of the trunk through the points known as "areola". The thorns on cactus also vary according to the type (and it is one of the important features to recognize a species of cactus).

Although cacti spines provide protection to the cactus it also has many other purposes. One is to reduce the sunlight directly hit on the stem. Spines also offer little protection from the hot sun. Even for species of cactus "cholla", spines help to spread the seeds that will be attached to the animal and will fall in a new place that might be appropriate for it to grow on more fertile land.

However cacti are also an important plant to animals and humans. For examples animals such as desert tortoises, cactus is a source of food that can provide energy and water, while other animals are also made of cacti as place to build nest and home. At the same time, human take benefit of cacti as a source of water when necessary. While some species of cacti produce edible fruit. Among the most famous cactus fruit is "dragon fruit". Even for "dragon fruit", the entire part of the plant can be used to provide food source for humans.

Cholla cactus has spines that easily attaches.

Flowers from saguaro cactus (Carnegiea gigantea)

Among cacti used as decoration.

Few other species of cacti used as decoration.

Among the interesting things about the cactus is; the largest cactus is from the species of Pachycereus pringlei, ever recorded reached a height of 19.2 m (63 ft), while the smallest species are   Blossfeldia liliputiana, with the diameter size of only 1 cm (0.4 in) when mature. While such a large species of cactus "saguaro" (Carnegiea gigantea) is said to be able to absorb water up to 200 US gallons (760 liters) during the rainy season.

Recognizing the uniqueness of these cacti, many cactus centers been opened to get people attention and educate the important of cacti. It also featured as an ornamental plant, many more potential cacti raised here. Naturally cactus is a plant that is still less explored for its further potentials. Then recognizing these unique plants and learning more about it are very important.

Dragon fruit farm in Vietnam.

Dragon fruit look delicious.

Cactus fruit, known as "Indian Fig" sale at the market.

National Science Centre Kuala Lumpur

National Science Centre, Bukit Kiara in Kuala Lumpur.

National Science Center is another important location for sightseeing in Kuala Lumpur for educational tour. It is built on hilly terrain with a land area about 8 hectares located in Bukit Kiara. National Science Centre was officially opened by former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad on 29 November, 1996.

National Science Center (NSC) has more futuristic architecture than any museums or other exhibition centers in Kuala Lumpur. In addition it has nine galleries featuring various themes related sciences in order to help crating public interest to science.

It is an important venue for students because it is equipped not only with its unique exhibits, but also Taman Pendidikan Sains (Science Educational Park) which houses numbers of animals such as deer, rabbits, chickens, ostriches and others. There is also an aquarium to expose visitors to aquatic life.

The entrance to the National Science Centre.

Among the exhibitions.

Aquarium here different than in Aquaria, KLCC.

Ticket National Science Center

Individual Entry

Adults 18 years and over: RM 6

Children under 12 years: RM 3

Group packages

Groups of Primary School teachers: RM 2

High School Student groups including teachers: RM 3

Adult groups (minimum 10 people): RM 5

Opening hours

It is open daily from 9: 00 - 5: 00.

Layout map of National Science Center, Kuala Lumpur.

The center is temporarily closed for renovation.

For further information, please contact the National Science Centre via tel. + 603-2089 3400

Utilizing Public Transportation System - Integrated Rail Transit

The opening of the new stations provides the user more choices of routes.

The public transport system can help to reduce the rate of traffic in urban areas, at the same time it helps providing good transportation option for local and tourists. Following the opening of new additional stations/routes/trains (national railway system) there are still many users who do not know these new routes already available that can help them for their commute.

In this year 2016, several new routes rapid-KL service was introduced and it connects the two main stations that were previously separate stations namely Kelana Jaya and Sri Petaling Station. Now these routes have been connected through Putra Heights Station. It also opened new routes between the two stations.

To see the full path of the transit system, you can follow this link:

The new route for the rail transport system of the city center.

We can see the available lines of the train routes and even how you can use it more effectively, especially for those who need to use them more often. This is because in addition to being more economical, you may not think you have extra advantages by using the facilities provided by the system.

Besides well known train routes, you also need to know the facilities available at certain stations because it also provides other facilities such as parking and feeder bus service. Exchange stations also allow you to change course to other destinations more easily.

Card (MyRapid Card)

The use of the card is important for those who use train services, especially for frequent use. Even if you do not use the train every day, use of the card has some advantages of its own. In addition to the cards for the average user, there are also other cards for specific usage;

• MyRapid Card & Touch n 'Go - for ordinary consumers, the price is lower.
• Smart MyRapid 7 - the use of the weekly price.
• Smart MyRapid 30 - use the monthly price.
• Seniors (Senior Citizens) - 50% discount for senior citizens.
• Students (Students) - 50% discount for students.
• Handicapped - 50% for the 'Disabled'.

* For children under the age of 7 years, the charge for train and bus is free.

Card and coin used for the transport system rapidKL.

Cards for 'Elderly'.

Cards for 'Students'

Special Discount

Starting from August 24, 2016 discounts also given to people using the train service starts from 6am to 7am. 50% fare will be provided for those who use cards as mentioned above. The discounted fee is intended to reduce congestion at the peak hours. This discount includes the following train lines;

• LRT Kelana Jaya
• Sri Petaling LRT
• Ampang LRT
• KL Monorail
• BRT Sunway

Other advantages MyRapid Card Use

Starting from August 1, 2016 as well, users who use MyRapid cards can also enjoy other benefits in some of the premises that offer discounts to holders of the cards. Although so far the promotional period is until 31 June 2016, expected new merchant may be reintroduced.

Among the participating premises are;

• KL Bird Park
• Waxxzillian
• original Classic
• Puffy Buffy NU Sentral
• MUD The Musical
• Coliseum Café
• Petrosains
• KL Tower
• Metro 360 Hotel
• X1R
• i-Taxi
• Berjaya Times Square Theme Park
• Krispy Kreme
• Crocs
• National Zoo
• Caliburger
• Sunway Lagoon Resort
• Lost World Tambun
• Bukit Gambang Resort City
• MBG FruitShop

* Promotions and discounts offered are varied, so you can see it more through this link:

Transport system easier for residents of the city.

Token purchasing machines and refills for card users.

Through this introduction, it is hoped that we can recognize public transportation (train and so on) much closer and start to get benefit of using it. While all the promotions and discounts could help you save more money to be incurred for those purposes.

Although public transports that available in Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas are getting better. The public transport service not at satisfactory for the areas outside the coverage of such services (the user still needs to use a taxi service). While public transport services outside Kuala Lumpur are dwindling.

*for more transportation option in Kuala Lumpur please check GoKL bus service.