When flying overhead into Kuala Lumpur one will notice endless fields of palm trees, given how Malaysia is the second largest producer (after Indonesia) of palm oil in the world. Great for the economy, but at the expense of natural habitats.

To use my Amex FHR credit, I booked 2 nights at the Mandarin Oriental.

With the oppressive heat in South East Asia, there’s really no way to travel but to take bite sized morsels each time. Unlike in Turkey where we’d be hopping from one mosque to another, here we can only manage one site a day before having to duck into the AC cocoon known as the mall. Like Singapore, the mall culture here is strong.

I used to travel with a Lonely Planet guidebook in hand, but nowadays we just wing it. Check Google Maps, and you’re bound to find something interesting. Our favorite little find in Chinatown was Kwai Chai Hong (鬼仔巷). This little blind alley was so named after the little kids (“鬼仔” in Cantonese) who played in the alley. We had no idea what to expect, but we were pleasantly surprised.

With cute little murals (and 3D props) depicting what life once was in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown.

The murals weren’t just confined to the alley. There were other interesting wall arts scattered about in Chinatown.

Having just visited Singapore, Malaysia feels more authentic, and people are more hospitable in comparison. Another thing that Malaysia does better is their food, even their mall food is tastier. Food here is flavorful and rich, and I fear that I will leave Malaysia several pounds heavier.

• Malaysia
• Travel