Kuala Lumpur is one of Asia’s fastest growing cities, a place where modernity and an international outlook meet an everyday Muslim modesty. Just a few hours away by plane, the city offers a change of scenery for a long weekend and all the excitement of a world capital.

Knowing Mee, Knowing You

It may sound like an unlikely port of call for the hip, urban traveler, but the Malaysian Tourism Center (109 Jalan Ampang, 03-9235-4848, 03-9235-4840. Open Mon-Fri 7:30am-5:30pm) is a pretty good place to start your weekend. In addition to all the touristy stuff you can do there, like plan trips and get free internet access, the grounds are actually rather stunning. It’s a bastion of colonial architecture among the many high rises, and a nice place for a cocktail. The adjoining dinner theater restaurant, Saloma (Pusat Pelancongan Malaysia [MTC] 139, Jalan Ampang, 03-2161-0122, www.saloma.com.my), offers a nightly buffet of Western and Malaysian dishes accompanied by a traditional dance performance.

Real gourmands, however, will head down to Jalan Alor (right next to Bukit Bintang Rd.), a nightly hawker bazaar, for some honest, down-to-earth Chinese-style Malaysian cuisine. For just a few ringgit, you can get a bowl of frog-leg congee or some flame-grilled seafood.

But the swankier among us can’t survive on mere street food. Later in the evening, try Frangipani (25 Changkat Bukit Bintang, 03-2144-3001). Housed in an elegant colonial building, they serve modern French cuisine in elegant surroundings. It doesn’t come cheap at roughly RM200 per head, but the ambiance and hipster vibe more than justifies the price tag. Another popular dining spot is Cilantro (MiCasa All Suite Hotel, 368B Jalan Tun Razak, 03-2179-8000, www.micasahotel.com), an elegant French-Japanese fusion restaurant, which serves modern cuisine in elegant, unfettered surroundings.

Nightclubbing

Tourists inevitably congregate at the Asian Heritage Row (33 Jalan Yap Ah Shak, 03-2694-6460, www.asianheritagerow.com), a drinking and dining strip located just off Jalan Sultan Ismail, by the Sheraton Hotel. But the local professional set can be found down at Bukit Bintang on any given weekend, where they have dinner and a couple bottles of wine at any number of eateries, including funky bistro and coffee bar Relish (22 Changkat Bukit Bintang, 03-2145-3321, www.relishworld.com) which serves light meals, wines and a damn fine gourmet burger in a relaxed, friendly setting; Baan26 (26 Cangkat Bukit Bintang, 03-2142-8878, www.baan26.com), an intimate, sumptuously furnished Thai restaurant (you don’t have to eat there, just grab a drink), and Twentyone, (20 Bukit Bintang, 03-2142-0021, www.twentyone.com.my), a super-sleek bar-slash-restaurant that’s open till late.

After dinner and drinks, move on to the clubs in the area. The two biggest clubs in the city center are Zouk (113 Jalan Ampang, 03-2171-1997, www.zoukclub.com.my) and The Beach Club (97 Jalan P Ramlee, 03-2166-9919), huge venues where you’ll find most of KL’s hipster youth on any given weekend. The music policy ranges from hip hop to popular house.

Get A Massage

If you’re looking for a 100 percent legitimate massage, with no horseplay whatsoever, you should check out Senjakala Men’s Spa (Scenic Asia Sdn. Bhd., 20 Jalan Pudu Lama, 03-2031-8082, www.senjakala.com). It’s open until midnight, and is considered by locals to be the best bang for your buck, as it were. Women may want to take a look at Liang Xin Massage (1/F, Wisma Bukit Bintang, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 03-2145-2663, www.liangxin.com.my). It’s open until 3am and is one of the few excellent massage parlors among the many terrible ones that try to call you in off the street. It’s definitely popular with those in the know. Expect to pay around RM50 for an hour’s massage.

Oh, to be a Gay Malay!

Fragipani turns into something of a haunt for gay professionals on Friday nights. Other gayfriendly venues include Liquid in Chinatown (Mezz - 2.04, Central Market Annexe, Jalan Hang Kasturi, 03-2078-5909, www.liquidbar.com.my) and La Queen (5, Jalan P Ramlee, 03-2658-6831, www.princeworldkl.com), which come alive on Saturday nights. Blue Boy (54, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 03-2142-1067) has a live drag show on the weekend, and is quite a draw for younger guys.

Escape to the Cameron Highlands

After a hectic few days in busy KL, escape the heat and indulge in some serious downtime. A few hours drive from the capital is the Cameron Highlands (Pahang, 150km north of KL). There’s a dramatically different vibe way up in the Malaysian mountains than there is in Kuala Lumpur, but there’s plenty to keep you occupied. At 5,000 meters above sea level, the weather is remarkably temperate, with temperatures ranging between 12 and 25 degrees Celsius.

Arrange a half-day tour of the highlands through your hotel, which takes you through some of the region’s most scenic and tranquil areas. In addition to checking out nearby rose and cactus gardens, and butterfly, bee, organic vegetable and strawberry farms, you can take a trip up to the highest point of the highlands, which stands an impressive 6,666 feet above sea level. On a clear day, you can climb to the top of the observation tower for a spectacular view of the whole region. Your guide may then take you through the mossy forest. It is stunning, and looks like something straight out of Lord of The Rings. The bold can actually hike right through it, though this takes several hours of trekking over a difficult terrain.

By Sarah Fung, published as "Malay Days"