Petaling Jaya

Gasing Hill, Kelana Jaya Lake and SS2 in one day

Start early on Gasing Hill, PJ's last forest reserve, where trails climb through about 100 acres of forest to a tower overlooking the Kuala Lumpur skyline. After a mamak breakfast of roti canai, ride the LRT to Kelana Jaya Lake in the late afternoon, then take a Grab to SS2 for hawker stalls and seafood.

Early morning. Start on Gasing Hill, the last forest reserve in PJ, while it is still cool. Trails climb through about 100 acres of forest to a viewing tower over PJ and the Kuala Lumpur skyline, and birdwatchers come for the hundred-odd species recorded here. On the road towards the hill, look into Wat Chetawan, a Thai Buddhist temple with steep, gilded roofs.

Late morning. Have breakfast at a mamak: roti canai with dhal and a glass of teh tarik. Then pick your shade. Shoppers can take the MRT to 1 Utama in Bandar Utama or The Curve at Mutiara Damansara, two of the biggest malls in the Klang Valley.

Late afternoon. Ride the LRT to Kelana Jaya and walk round Kelana Jaya Lake Park, seven lakes set on rehabilitated mining land, as the heat eases and joggers come out.

Evening. Take a short Grab to SS2 for dinner at the hawker stalls and seafood restaurants; in season, the durian stalls there draw crowds late into the night. Move on to Damansara Uptown, where the coffee shops and restaurants stay busy until late, and finish, as PJ does, back at a mamak with football on the big screen.

SS2 hawkers, mamak shops and the weekly pasar malam

PJ's best food is in its residential sections. SS2 has hawker stalls, Chinese seafood restaurants spilling onto the pavement, a weekly night market and durian stalls; mamak restaurants serve roti canai and teh tarik late into the night; and pasar malam night markets move between neighbourhoods. Most of it is a Grab ride from the stations.

SS2 is the long-standing favourite: hawker stalls, Chinese seafood restaurants with tables spilling onto the pavement, a weekly night market, and durian stalls that fill up whenever the fruit is in season. Damansara Uptown, in the north, packs dozens of restaurants, coffee shops and dessert places into a few blocks, and is the spot for nasi lemak with crisp fried chicken at breakfast.

The mamak restaurant is PJ's living room. Run by Indian Muslim families and often open 24 hours, these places serve roti canai, thosai, mee goreng and teh tarik, and on football nights every seat faces the screen. They are where the city goes after midnight.

Night markets, pasar malam, move between neighbourhoods on different evenings, selling grilled meats, apam balik pancakes, fried snacks and fresh fruit from a long line of stalls. Ask at your hotel which one is on that night. For a sit-down treat, the Hilton PJ, opened in 1984, has long been a local favourite for its afternoon buffet.

Almost all of this is a Grab ride from the rail stations. Go after the rush hour, when the roads clear and the stalls are at full swing.

Cheaper rooms than KL and two rail lines into the city

Petaling Jaya hotels often cost less than central Kuala Lumpur, and two rail lines make the commute easy: the LRT Kelana Jaya Line runs straight to KL Sentral and KLCC, and the MRT Kajang Line links Bandar Utama with the city. Highs reach 32 to 34°C year-round, and November is the wettest month.

The LRT Kelana Jaya Line runs from central PJ straight to KL Sentral and KLCC, and the MRT Kajang Line links Bandar Utama and the western malls with Bukit Bintang. Choose a hotel within walking distance of a station: PJ is spread out, the pavements are patchy, and taxis on the Federal Highway crawl at rush hour. Subang airport is close for domestic flights, but KLIA is a long drive south, so leave plenty of time for international departures.

Weather here follows the Klang Valley pattern. Highs sit at 32 to 34C all year. The rain comes in two peaks, March to April, when April averages close to 300 mm, and October to December, with November the wettest month at around 330 mm. June is the driest, at about 130 mm, and June to August generally gives the best run of dry evenings for the night markets. Most storms break in the afternoon and clear by dinner.

Festivals change the city's rhythm. During Ramadan, Ramadan bazaars set up in the late afternoon across PJ, selling food for breaking the fast, and they are worth a visit even if you are not fasting. Chinese New Year and Hari Raya empty the city as residents head home, and some favourite stalls close for a week or more.