After my awe-inspiring day tour at the Batu Caves in Selangor (see Adventures in Kuala Lumpur - a Quick Trip to Malaysia's Amazing Batu Caves in Selangor), my friend Mohd Amin prepped me up for another breathtaking night trip in the south of Kuala Lumpur. It's going to be a long drive, however, so we dropped by at Giant Hypermarket, the largest supermarket chain in Malaysia (thus the name) to grab a quick bite, which is just about 10 minutes drive from the limestone hill. One of the most captivating restaurants among the tons of choices is Secret Recipe, a halal-certified cafe chain in the country known for its cakes and fusion cuisine.
Their food menu is fully loaded with Asian Classics, Western, Starters, Kid's Club, Shinjuku Bake, and lots and lots of mouthwatering cakes. I tried the Curry Seafood Laksa, a noodles-stuffed-with-various-sea-creatures-that-makes-you-burst-into-flames kind of soup that can only be found in this area of the earth. Yes, it's a must-try for virgin tongues and it's a self-reward for spicy food lovers, and that's how perfect this soup is. With just RM21.00, it's all worth the wait (it took about 15 minutes for them to serve it) and you may not even be hungry until the next mealtime as it feels like being stuffed for two meals.
Putrajaya is the federal administrative center and the country's third Federal Territory situated in the south of Kuala Lumpur. The administrative functions of the national capital were taken over by Putrajaya when the seat of the federal government was transferred in 1999 while retaining the commercial and financial center of the country. This ingenious move was an attempt to ease up the overcrowding issue and heavy traffic conditions in Kuala Lumpur. This made Putrajaya a much better tourist destination due to the rise of the intricately designed infrastructure in its 5,000 hectares Instagrammable site.
We started heading south at 5:32 pm as the late evening rush hour crept in the streets. The traffic congestion is not as bad as Manila, which ranked the highest traffic index, being Southeast Asia's worst traffic condition. The major streets have cramped instantly at the strike of 5:00 pm and I noticed how our car is only moving at a maximum speed of 30 km/hr. We have almost shared each other's complete life stories (and someone else's) yet we still haven't reached our destination after an hour.
In normal circumstances, Batu Caves to Putrajaya takes only an hour drive but it's not recommended to traverse Kuala Lumpur during its late evening crawl. It has already been 2 hours but we were still at the Seri Kembangan area which is 20 minutes away from our destination. Just as we got past the last phase of traffic jam, the heavy rains started to pour. We can't speed up the car because of zero visibility and the streets are slippery so we ended up slowing down a little bit more instead. It was a quick one, however, until we reached Putra Bridge that led us to a 300-meter circular city square in Presint 1. Parking spaces are just within the Putra Perdana Park but it was quite challenging to find a slot so we kept on circling the open hard landscape until we found one just near the mosque. We finally reached our destination at 7:33 pm.
PUTRA MOSQUE
Our arrival time at Putra Square is just in time for my friend Mohd Amin's maghrib prayer so we headed straight to our first destination - Putra Mosque. Out of the seven mosques in Putrajaya, the most prominent is the Persian-Islamic-architecture-modeled Putra Mosque which is considered to be the city's most distinctive landmark since its completion in 1999. Facing the man-made Putrajaya Lake, the pink-domed mosque with its 116-meter minaret is a breathtaking luminous sight in the vast expanse of the night skies.
I was under the impression that I will have to wait for my friend just outside the mosque while he is at the complex to pray but I was surprised to know that I can get in. All along, I thought that non-Muslims are restricted in any worshipping area but today proved that I was totally wrong. Putra Mosque is the very first Islamic place of worship that I have set foot in. The moment I stepped into the entrance gate, I was completely in awe. My friend left me at the wide courtyard and he hurried on to the prayer floor while I walked around by the minaret.
I honestly don't know much about the rules in taking pictures inside mosques so I held on to my urge in taking photos. But lo, and behold, I saw two ladies in hijab having selfies by the inner walls so I assumed that photography is not haram. I started to focus my DSLR on the minaret and before I pressed the shutter, I waited for someone to approach me to stop me with what I'm about to do so I would know if I will be permitted or not. I was standing in the middle of the courtyard so I am sure that I am very much visible to everyone but no one called my attention. I went on and took a lot more shots but I vowed not to post all of them online as my respect for the culture and religious practices of Islam. Alas, Mohd Amin emerged from the side of the complex and he saw me taking pictures. He offered to take my picture so I can have a souvenir in their magnificent place of worship.
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
Just as we stepped out of the mosque, my friend directed my attention to my left and a stunning infrastructure that looked like a grand palace is standing at about 450 meters from where I was. The Jabatan Perdana Menteri, or more popularly known to foreign visitors as the Prime Minister Department, is the headquarters of the federal government ministry of Malaysia. It is the main office of the Prime Minister and 50 other departments and agencies. It's definitely a perfect backdrop for an outdoor photoshoot for tourists and those who love Malaysian architecture which shows a fusion of Islamic design and colonial elements. It would only take 2-3 minutes walk from the mosque but at that time, there were barricades at the adjoining streets from the city square so we can't get closer. We decided to walk along Putra Square instead.
DATARAN PUTRA
Putra Square, or the Dataran Putra, is a 300-meter circular ceremonial area that lies at the core of Presint 1 which serves as a city square for various festivals held at Putrajaya. It is the meeting point of four of the most prominent infrastructure in the city --- the Putra Mosque, Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Putra Bridge, and the Promenade Shopping Mall which I wasn't able to visit due to time constraint. It is a favorite family park for the locals who love to spend the night strolling after their obligatory prayer at the mosque. It takes about 5-7 minutes to circle the place on foot and at the entrance area is the big letters signage that spelled P-U-T-R-A-J-A-Y-A which is an irresistible photoshoot spot for foreigners.
I noticed as I was stepping on its pavements that the tiles are shaped like pointed crescents as well as the garden inside the circle where 14 flags can be seen. Historically, these pointed stars --- 11 from the outer circle, 13 at the inner circle, and 14 in the middle, represent the states of Malaysia that first became independent and its new federal territories. The star segments are designed in one circular platform to symbolize the unity of the states. The city square is an amazing 360 degrees of pure beauty and phenomenal charm that leaves everyone mesmerized.
TASIK PUTRAJAYA
After circling Putra Square, we descended to a couple of stairs at the left side of the mosque leading to a river sightseeing view deck of the blue watery expanse overlooking the majestic view of the colorful city. The man-made Putrajaya Lake, known to be the city's centerpiece was not only artificially designed for the city's passive cooling system but also serves to be a source of recreation and a tourist destination to view the city's breathtaking views along its shores. A cruise line company provides a tour of the lake through its numerous passenger cruise boats or perahu payang-designed vessels and other intricately styled watercraft. The spectacular vista of the adjacent precincts viewed from the deck is just so breathtaking that you can't stop clicking on the shutter button.
A food court is available for guests and foreign visitors which offers both local and international cuisine at Selera Putra. There are various food stalls to choose from, among the famous ones are Nando's, Secret Recipe, Hameed Nasi Kandar, Galangal Restaurant, Nurosh, and many others. The indoor restaurant is an air-conditioned space although there is also an option for al fresco if you would like to have a dining experience by the lake. Since it is the only sophisticated dining place in Putrajaya, Selera Putra was designed to accommodate up to 800 customers and it is commonly full house during festivals and public holidays despite the high-priced meals which most guests complain about. Most stalls are generally open from 9am-9pm but during that time, all of them were about to close even though it was only 8:32pm perhaps because there were only a few customers for the day. Luckily, there are food vending machines installed around the place and I was able to buy a bottled juice to quench my thirst. And we both realized we haven't eaten dinner yet and we are already starving.
ISTANA KEHAKIMAN
From Presint 1, we drove for 7 minutes down south for 2.7 km and found our way to Presint 2 and parked at the side streets of Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. We walked our way to a series of food stalls in the famous hang-out place called Putrajaya Food Truck Hotspot and bought skewers and mango slushies for dinner. We drove around while finishing our food and we parked at Persiaran Perdana to take a walk in this street with a string of fabulous buildings that glimmer in the night. We stopped at a classical Islamic building that looked like a grand castle with a fusion of Morrish and Palladian architectures. The 5-floors Istana Kehakiman, or the Palace of Justice, is now the main headquarters of the Federal Court and the Court of Appeals since it was moved from Kuala Lumpur after the building's completion in 2003. The building's impressive facade is accentuated with tall archways that looked like 18 palace guards illuminated to protect the building while its central dome shows the influence of Classical Islamic culture that is most dominant in the country. This is one perfect place for a photo op in its finest neoclassicism!
PERBADANAN PUTRAJAYA
Just across the Palace of Justice is another amazingly-constructed building called the Perbadanan Putrajaya, or the Putrajaya Corporation, a special authority responsible for its local government. They administer the Federal Territory with various departments that are responsible for Audit and Quality Insurance, Corporate Services, Urban Services, Town Planning, Engineering and Maintenance, Landscape and Park, Legal, and Finance. The dome arch at the center of the building is constructed with intricately designed woven steels which makes it a majestic backdrop for a photo op. At the left side of the building is huge letter signage of I ♥ Putrajaya that was set up for guests who love taking pictures for souvenirs and this is something that is hard to miss. In contrast to the huge crowd in Putra Square, the atmosphere in Persiaran Perdana is quite different. It is as serene as the sea that you can almost hear a pin drop!
SERI GEMILANG BRIDGE
From Persiaran Perdana, we drove for 3 minutes southward to see Putrajaya International Conventional Center at Presint 5 but before we reached the other end, we passed through a long bridge connecting Heritage Square to the PICC. In the darkness of the night, I was totally amazed at its glimmering beauty that I had to ask Mohd Amin to stop the vehicle so I can take pictures. Luckily, there is a shoulder right before the arch bridge where vehicles stop for emergency and we parked at the sides. I initially thought that it's a secluded area but I was surprised to see people in their night jog routine, kids racing in their rollerblades, some couple walking their dogs, and so on. What's more surprising is that there is a platform at both ends of the bridge with stairs leading down to the sunset view stand below. It is a perfect place to spend a few chitchats with friends and that's what Mohd Amin and I did while munching snacks that we bought from the food truck.
A lot of people have told me that it's best to visit Putrajaya in the nighttime to appreciate the serenity of the place and its majesty with its glimmering lights and it's what I witnessed today. A jaw-dropping experience, indeed! However, you may need to have a friend, a local more importantly, to drive you around to experience Putrajaya at its best. Some foreign visitors take Grab cars from Kuala Lumpur city center to Putra Square and wander on foot until they reach Presint 5 since it only takes one straight road. I wanted to come back here in the daytime to see its other side of beauty with only the natural light to illuminate the place even though I was warned multiple times that this isn't a tourist spot for foreign visitors who would want to do some activities. Yes, I agree that this isn't a point of interest for people who prefer outdoor recreation and entertainment. No malls, no fancy restaurants, no huge crowd. But if you love amazing architecture, photography, and mesmerizing scenery, Putrajaya can be a second home to you. You'll surely love this place as I did.
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