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Along with its considerable effectiveness as an instrument of communication technology, the Kuala Lumpur Tower (KL Tower) also functions as a platform for religious observance. The observatory deck doubles as tourist destination and the point from which the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan is marked each August when special designees mark the rising of the crescent moon. There is an excellent restaurant that naturally offers astonishing vistas (it’s a revolving venue), and the tower plays host to a series of annual races, such as the KL Tower International Night Towerthon Challenge. It has also made an appearance in the reality television series The Amazing Race Asia.

Considered among the world’s most beautiful train stations, the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station showcases the Moorish style of architecture favored by the British during Malaysia’s colonial era. Built in 1911 and designed by A.B. Hubback, the station is one of the most recognizable (and most photographed) landmarks in the city, thanks to its white arched facade and onion domes on the roof. Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station took over as the city’s major train transport hub in 2001, but the old station still operates on a smaller scale (for commuter trains mostly) and remains a popular sightseeing stop.

The oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Masjid Jamek, is also its most delightful. Large cream onion domes and red-and-white-striped minarets stand among a palm tree grove at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers. This was the site where Kuala Lumpur’s first settlers had their settlement. It was built by the English architect Arthur Bennison Hubbock who was inspired by the Moorish style of Moghul mosques in India. It was opened in 1909. When visiting the mosque it is important to respect the rules of dressing, make sure your limbs are covered and women must wear a headscarf.

Putrajaya Bridge, perhaps the most important bridge in Malaysia, spans Putrajaya Lake at a length of 1,427 feet (435 meters). Inspired by the Khaji Bridge in Iran, the Putrajaya Bridge combines cable backstays and steel tiebacks to create an elegant, sail-like appearance reminiscent of Santiago Calatrava’s sculptural bridges. The lower level of the bridge accommodates motor traffic and a monorail across the lake, connecting the Government Precinct in the North to a Mixed Development Precinct in the South, while the upper level carries a pedestrian path for jogging, walking or cycling. It’s also a popular spot for watching the sun set over Putrajaya Lake in the evening. At night, changing colored lights illuminate the bridge.

Get a taste of the local flora and fauna at Kuala Lumpur’s Forest Reserve Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). At over 3,775 acres, FRIM holds hundreds of plant species and both regenerated and secondary forest. Visitors hike along shady trails past a river and waterfall cutting through the forest, as well as the remains of an old Orang Asli settlement. The Dipterocarp arboretum is a collection of living trees for botanical reference, and the Bambusetum features 30 different species of local bamboo. The more adventurous may want to explore some of the four jungle tracks: Keruing Trail, Rover Track, Engkabang Trail and Salleh Trail, all of which pass through some of most spectacular secondary forests in Malaysia. Also a highlight is the Canopy Walk, allowing up close exploration of the rainforest’s treetops. Canopy Walks are limited to 250 people per day and are closed Monday and Friday.