Malaysia Bonus Trip (Part 1): I Saw Michelle Yeoh!! (....And Some Kuala Lumpur Basics!)

- January 3, 2026, Saturday.

- Being back in Southeast Asia after weeks in the frigid cold felt like home - especially if it's a country close in culture (apart from geography) to the Philippines. It's been a decade since the last time (and my first time actually) to Malaysia, and I did not have much time to revisit some of my favorites, or do things I missed out on during my last trip.

- Malaysia was not really part of the plan. But because the flight back to Manila from Tashkent involved an extremely long layover in Kuala Lumpur, my family decide to just spend a night in KL and take the next-day flight back to Manila. The schedule was also in my favor: early morning arrival in KL, evening flight to Manila. This gives me almost two full days to (re-)explore KL.

- After checking in at Holiday Inn Express in the city center, I immediately put on my Baju Melayu and went to the Petronas Towers. Arguably the most recognizable landmark in the whole of Malaysia, the twin towers opened its doors in 1999 has been one of the tallest towers in the world. The towers are owned by the country's national oil company, PETRONAS. Due to time constraints I didn't get to go inside (yet again, as in 2016), but at least I now have my trademark photoshoot with the towers! (Thank you to phones now having the 0.5 zoom function!)

Am I really in Malaysiaaaaa? I AMMMMM.

COME EARLY. It gets crowded really fast!!

It took me so long to take this photo because the crowd just appeared from nowhere. The crowd wasn't even that bad yet, but still annoying. But hey, there's a rainbow!!

Petronas, sun, birds, rainbow. Malaysia tourism should hire me. HAHA.

- For lunch, I had a super last-minute planned meet up with my long-time friend, Kalpana. Despite our short meet-up, she knew how much I loved Indian banana-leaf-style dining and brought me to the perfect place: Bala's Banana Leaf. The restaurant is located in Taman Lucky, just west of Brickfields.

Can we please not wait for another 10 years to meet again????

Their food is IN-CRE-DI-BLE!! 

- Kalpana had to leave after lunch so I did my Amazing-Race across the city center, mostly in Little India (Brickfields), Pasar Seni, and Chinatown. I was supposed to shop for some Indian kurtas in Brickfields, but wasn't able to find anything that really suited me. Still, it was nice to see and hear KL's Little India. It is always such a mood booster to be there!

Brickfields, how long I've wanted to see you again!!

Love the arches (see sidewalks.)

This gate was a gift from India to Malaysia, built in 2015.

- I took a Grab car (faster and with air conditioning) to Masjid Jamek. It was renovating when I last went there, so I wanted to appreciate the mosque a bit more this time around. Actually, even this time, part of the mosque is also having a bit of renovation work, but at least not a significant part of it. Built in 1909, the Sultan Abdul Samad Jamek Mosque ("Jamek Mosque" for short,) it was the city's main mosque until the National Mosque was constructed in the 1960s. It was built in a mix of Islamic architectural styles, typical during the British colonial era in Malaysia.

Jamek Mosque. This was a bad angle because you can see the restorations being done.

Inside the mosque.

A better angle.

Best to take a photo from across the Klang River.

See! Easy peasy.

- One hop away from Jamek Mosque is Pasar Seni. Originally a wet market in the 1800s, it gradually sold dry goods, or these days, souvenirs. The building, Art Deco in style, was built in the 1937. It still is my favorite place to shop for souvenirs as it is convenient, with AC, and has a nice food court.

Old Market Square Clock Tower.

Pasar Seni and its giant kite!!

Pasar Seni main entrance.

Inside Pasar seni.

- My next agenda, within Chinatown, is a place that I just chanced upon while browsing through Google Maps shortly before my family flew to Central Asia. Kwai Chai Hong was opened in 2019 in the backstreets of Chinatown, and is meant to make people relive how Chinatown was like in the 1960s through interactive art. It is open from around 9am to midnight and entrance is free. The area has many businesses like quirky and artsy cafes and restaurants that add life to the surroundings of Kwai Chai Hong.       

On the way to Kwai Chai Hong, with Merdeka 118 at the back. (Merdeka 118 is currently the tallest building in Malaysia, and second tallest building in the world.)

Kwai Chai Hong entrance.

I love how this place looks.

With the red bridge at the entrance, and wooden windows.

Playing with kids.

I sneezed.

Street view.

It's so nice to feel like a kid again.

Care for a chat?

- I later cooled myself at a milk tea place in Chinatown before going back to the hotel for a short pause. Later that night, as I was looking for dinner at the mall near our hotel (Pavilion Kuala Lumpur), and wondered why there were so many people, especially the police. I eventually realized that the mall was the venue for the official launch of the Visit Malaysia 2026 tourism campaign. The current Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, was the main man of the event. However, I'm also sure who else the people wanted to see: Michelle Yeoh. As the face of "Malaysia Truly Asia" since the 2000s, and perhaps the most globally-famous Malaysian through playing prominent roles in major films (e.g. Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Wicked, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Crazy Rich Asians, Memoirs of a Geisha, and more), she was the perfect person to promote Malaysia!      

The other funny thing that happened: so I decided to have a quick dinner before rushing to the event to see Michelle Yeoh. I passed by Gindako, which sells takoyaki with various toppings and sauces. It has been a restaurant I've been wanting to try for a while now but kept forgetting. Manila has only two branches currently (SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA). Well, now it was right in front of me. And yes, it was a fast, filling, and flavorful meal! Just what I needed!

Got to have a nice view (and a nice zoom courtesy of my phone.)

Michelle Yeoh talking with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

We love you toooo Michelle Yeoh!!

VIPs!

Proof that I was really at the event.

- Michelle Yeoh left the event after the countdown to the official launch. I was still in shock that finding dinner led me to finding Michelle Yeoh! A series of performance took place after the countdown; representatives from various cultural groups, government organizations, and some local Malaysian celebrities showed how talented and colorful Malaysia is, and continues to be.

Malaysia Truly Asia.

I love how the Prime Minister is framed by the flag in this photo.

See the twin bear travel mascots?

Firemen doing some stunts.

A late new year celebration I guess. Makes up for not seeing fireworks at all in Tashkent.

- My first day in Malaysia was nothing short of nostalgic and surprising. I was worried that I wouldn't have time to do a lot, but got a lot more than what I had planned. I guess the Lord was giving me a bit of reward for surviving Central Asia (for better or worse) from the planning stage to arriving in Malaysia in one piece! Although my day in KL was a gift that kept on giving, the best part was that it wasn't the end of my adventures in KL just yet! 

** Check out my other adventures in Central Asia and Malaysia here!

KAZAKHSTAN

Part 1: Ascension Cathedral, Shymbulak, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 2: Charyn Canyon, Kaindy Lake, Kolsay Lake - here 

Part 3: First President Park, Kok Tobe, Museum, Metro Stations - here

KYRGYZSTAN

Part 1: Ala-Too Square and Museum, Souvenir Shopping - here 

Part 2: Issyk-Kul, Konorchek Canyon, Burana Tower - here

TAJIKISTAN

Part 1: Iskanderkul Lake, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 2: Hisor Fortress and Dushanbe City Tour - here

UZBEKISTAN

Part 1: Tashkent - Amir Timur Square, Broadway - here

Part 2: Samarkand - Gur-e Amir, Souvenir Shopping - here

Part 3: Samarkand - Registan, Bibi Khanym Mosque, Shah-i-Zinda, Hazrat Khizr Mosque - here

Part 4: Samarkand - Ulugh Beg Observatory, Afrasiyab Archaeological Museum, Ishratxona - here

Part 5: Bukhara - Lyab-i Hauz and Surroundings - here

Part 6: Bukhara - Ark of Bukhara, Bolo Hauz Mosque, Chor Minor, Po-i Kalyan - here

Part 7: Tashkent - Museums, Besh Qozon, Khast Imam Complex, Metro Stations - here

MALAYSIA     

Part 2: Batu Caves, Putrajaya, KL Tower - here      

"Thai" Will Always Love You (Part 4): Bangkok's Chinatown and Other Temples

- July 21, 2024, Monday.

- My Monday was a decompression day after so many things that happened to me in Bangkok since the day I arrived days prior. I had a loose agenda for the day, and it also gave me more time to do some work at the hostel.

- I started my day by visiting Wat Traimit (Hua Lamphong MRT station). Originally built in the 1800s, its current incarnation was built in the 1940s. It is a Chinese-Thai style Buddhist temple, and also regarded as a royal temple. 

Wat Traimit.

So lucky to have this nice photo since the temple was a bit crowded.

With the photo of King Vajiralongkorn (King Rama X).

Golden Buddha inside the temple. The buddha itself is historic and miraculous. It is said to have been created in the 13-14th centuries, and due to many wars and other historical events, the Buddha was placed inside a plaster casing to make it look less valuable. In 1955 when it was about to be placed inside Wat Traimit, the ropes transporting the Buddha broke, dropping the statue and chipping the plaster. It was only then they discovered the real golden Buddha inside. It is also said that this is the largest golden Buddha statue in the world. 

- Across Wait Traimit is the Chinatown arch. I just took photos of it before riding a tuktuk to Wat Mangkon (Wat Mangkon MRT). It is a Chinese temple built in the 1870s, Not only did I appreciate the temple's historical value, but I appreciated it more because it was airconditioned and had clean toilets! (It so happened that I really really had to go potty while I was at the temple.)

Just to let you know that this is Chinatown Bangkok: the Chinese gate with some tuktuks.

Close up of the arch/gate.

Honestly, this is my first officia ltuktuk ride in Thailand - and yes, only during my third visit. I avoided tuktuks like the plague because I didn't want to get ripped off. I think I still got ripped off but it wasn't that bad if ever.

Inside Wat Mangkon. I couldn't take a photo of the temple's facade as there were renovations going on.

Temple guardians. (They were HUGE.)

- I later visited Sampeng Market, which is a narrow street market spanning several blocks in Chinatown. Honestly, I should have known about this market earlier because this is the BEST PLACE TO SHOP in Bangkok. As it is a wholesale market, its prices are a lot cheaper even compared to neighboring Phahurat standards. (Sellers actually come to Sampeng Market to look for things to sell in their own stores.) I did get a few things, but had I known about this market, I would have bought all my necklaces and bracelets here HAHA. However, Thai costumes are still a bit hard to find here, and most of them are in Phahurat (which, again, it just within the area).

Sampeng Market.

- I spent the rest of the morning back at the hostel trying to do some work and fixing some of my things. That afternoon, I finally decided to visit Wat Saket (Golden Mount). In previous trips to Bangkok, I passed on Wat Saket in favor of other "more interesting" places in Bangkok. I think it had its revenge on me because now that I decided to visit it, the main tower was being renovated. (So, maybe, I'll just return next time, if I could.) Wat Saket was a lot more interesting than I thought. The artificial hill was built in the early 1800s during King Rama III's reign (King Nangklao), while the main temple that stands was built decades later by King Rama V (King Chulalongkorn). Today, the temple grounds not only has the temple on the hill, but also some museums. But because the main temple was under renovation, I didn't explore too much since I'd rather pay my entrance ticket when everything's nice and renovated. I had lunch at a food stall in the temple grounds and left not long after.

Giant peacock.

I lost all willpower to explore the area when I saw the renovations. I still looks nice, but it'd be nicer without the scaffolding.

It does look majestic! (I want to see its full glory!)

- Near the Golden Mount is the giant swing, built in the 1700s for a Brahmin ceremony. They halted these ceremonies since the giant swing had signs of use and many fatal accidents happened as well.

Giant Swing with tuktuk.

Giant Swing without tuktuk.

- I later passed by the Dev Mandir Hindu Temple, close to the Giant Swing. The Dev Mandir is one of the oldest Hindu temples in Bangkok (though not the oldest,) as it was inaugurated in 1969. Its roots go decades prior, spearheaded by Pandit Raghunath Sharma, a Sanskrit specialist. The trip to the temple was a nice surprise because it wasn't part of my plan, but I was happy to see at least one contemporary Hindu temple in Bangkok. I was also happy to know that the temple is also supporting a school called "Bharat Vidhalaya", a basic education school located within the temple grounds.

Dev Mandir.

It reminds me of the many Sindhi-Hindu temples I visited, including the one here in Manila. 

Even the way the deities are placed and dressed appear similar.

The Hindu organization governing the temple and school.

- That evening I once again headed to Platinum to eat some nice seafood. I strolled for a bit before toiling the night away back at the hostel. It was a nice "relaxed" day despite balancing my time between sightseeing and touring, as with most days.

I loved the seasnails (middle), and the Thai coconut juice that I had almost daily because I love coconuts so much.

- My trip to Bangkok isn't over yet because I had more to see and do for my last full day in the city! There's just so many nice things to see and to in this city!

- Check out my other adventures for this Thailand trip!

Part 1 (Phahurat and Mahidol University): here

Part 2 (Nakhon Pathom): here

Part 3 (Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Kudeejeen): here

Part 5 (Ancient City, Erawan Museum, Terminal 21): here