In the middle of Kuala Lumpur, surrounded on all sides by walls of skyscrapers, sits a little village called Kampung Baru ("New Village"). The land was set aside in colonial times by the British as a Malay reserve, where Chinese and Indians could not own property, and remains the same today.

Just a few hundred meters from the Petronas Towers, you can find grinning barefoot children chasing chickens across gravel alleyways. You'll also find traditional wooden houses on stilts, and the most friendly, laid-back atmosphere of any neighborhood in town.

The main drag is a street called Jalan Raja Muda Musa, the western part of which is lined with restaurants — including some extensive buffets which make an excellent way to sample the rich, spicy Malay cuisine.

Getting there

You can walk from Chow Kit Market (just ask anyone the way), or take the LRT to the Kampung Baru station.