Putrajaya

Putrajaya, an "Intelligent Garden City" and the federal administrative capital of Malaysia, is a showcase city under construction some 30 km south of the capital Kuala Lumpur. Her adjacent sister city, Cyberjaya, is built along the same lines, but is aimed at attracting the IT industry. The area used to be known as Prang Besar.

Putrajaya covers a vast sprawl of 4,931 hectares, which were mostly palm plantations before the federal government purchased the lot from the surrounding state of Selangor. The city's masterplan is designed along an axial tangent which runs from the northeast to southeast, with gently undulating terrain. About 40% of Putrajaya is natural, but the landscape has been extensively reworked by man: lush greenery and botanical gardens are spread across the landscape, crisscrossed by large bodies of water and wetlands. Five confluences meet at the north forming a main waterway, the Putrajaya Lake, which flows across the city area.

The project was started in 1993 and the federal capital officially moved in 1999, although the site is still far from complete. Putrajaya became a self-governing federal territory (wilayah persekutuan) in 2001, the third in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and the little oddball island of Labuan.

The name literally means "princes' (putra) success (jaya)". Officially, the site is named in homage to Malaysia's first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra, but odds are it's also a tip of the hat towards the "princes of the soil" (bumiputra), a euphemism for ethnic Malays (as opposed to the richer Chinese minority) and one of the key concepts of Malaysia's affirmative action program.

Ever since the Asian economic crisis of 1998 development has slowed down markedly, and while there aren't any of the rusting half-built concrete shells that still litter KL and Bangkok, the careful eye will spot more than a couple of once cleared and dug-up but now abandoned fields (often with a crane or two stuck in the mud too). Basically, the infrastructure is largely in place but the buildings and occupants aren't, leading to the impression of a giant swath of hilly jungle crisscrossed by 8-lane highways with no other cars on them, and the occasional beautifully sculpted lake garden with no people in sight.

That said, the area remains under heavy construction and both people and companies are slowly moving in. As of 2009, the population has surpassed 50,000, although there's still a long way to go to the targeted 300,000. Inevitably, development isn't always occurring in expected ways: Cyberjaya has to date mostly succeeded in attracting call centers and data warehouses, not R&D laboratories. The new twin cities may look very different in 5-10 years' time.

Putrajaya's main sights are the colossal showcase buildings put up in this future capital, all in the central Core District.

Note that a dress code applies to Perdana Putra, Seri Perdana and Putra Mosque, meaning no T-shirts, shorts, singlets, sandals, or "indecent" wear for ladies. The mosque lends out shocking pink robes for free, but the rest do not.

• Perdana Putra. Presint 1. The gargantuan complex of the Prime Minister's Office. Open to the public M-F 8AM-12:30PM, 2-4PM, plus every 2nd and 4th Sat in the morning only. Free entry, but ID is required (passport for non-Malaysians).
• Putra Mosque, Presint 1. 9AM-5PM. Pretty in pink, this mosque has a capacity of 15,000 worshippers and its 116-meter minaret is the tallest in Southeast Asia. Non-Muslims may not enter the mosque building itself during prayer hours. Free.
• Putrajaya International Convention Center. Presint 5. At the end of the Putrajaya Boulevard, this showcase squashed UFO of a building, designed to resemble a Malay belt buckle, was built for the Organization of Islamic Countries conference in 2003.
• Seri Perdana. Enormous official residence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Has been open to visitors in the past, but as of 2009 is closed to the public.
• Wisma Putra. Houses the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.
• Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.
• The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions — at least in theory.
• The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.

Perdana Putra. Presint 1. The gargantuan complex of the Prime Minister's Office. Open to the public M-F 8AM-12:30PM, 2-4PM, plus every 2nd and 4th Sat in the morning only. Free entry, but ID is required (passport for non-Malaysians).

Putra Mosque, Presint 1. 9AM-5PM. Pretty in pink, this mosque has a capacity of 15,000 worshippers and its 116-meter minaret is the tallest in Southeast Asia. Non-Muslims may not enter the mosque building itself during prayer hours. Free.

Putrajaya International Convention Center. Presint 5. At the end of the Putrajaya Boulevard, this showcase squashed UFO of a building, designed to resemble a Malay belt buckle, was built for the Organization of Islamic Countries conference in 2003.

Seri Perdana. Enormous official residence of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Has been open to visitors in the past, but as of 2009 is closed to the public.

Wisma Putra. Houses the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Istana Melawati and Istana Darul Ehsan, the official residences of the Paramount Ruler of Malaysia and the Sultan of Selangor respectively. Not open to the public.

The Diplomatic Enclave, housing foreign embassies and missions — at least in theory.

The Perdana Leadership Foundation, holding the offices of previous Prime Ministers.

• Taman Putra Perdana, Presint 1. Pleasantly landscaped (and usually very quiet) hilltop park connecting the Shangri-La towards the Putra Perdana building, with some of the best views in town. At the center of the park is the Putrajaya Landmark (Mercu Tanda), which resembles a wizard's hat rolled from tinfoil.
• Millennium Monument, Presint 2. 68-m pillar in the shape of a hibiscus flower, with a walkway around it documenting the history of Malaysia.
• Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.

Taman Putra Perdana, Presint 1. Pleasantly landscaped (and usually very quiet) hilltop park connecting the Shangri-La towards the Putra Perdana building, with some of the best views in town. At the center of the park is the Putrajaya Landmark (Mercu Tanda), which resembles a wizard's hat rolled from tinfoil.

Millennium Monument, Presint 2. 68-m pillar in the shape of a hibiscus flower, with a walkway around it documenting the history of Malaysia.

Putrajaya Boulevard, a 100-m wide, 4-km long boulevard flanked by government offices and the mainstage for National Day parade.

• Cruise Tasik Putrajaya, Jeti Putra, Jambatan Putra Presint 1, +60 3-8888-5539. Offers cruises around Putrajaya with sightseeing stops (RM 30/person), both in small 4/6-seater gondola-like perahu boats and a large 76-seater air-con boat. On weekends only, dinner cruises depart from Jeti Putra at 8PM and cost RM 120/head (reserve one day in advance).
• Botanical Gardens, Precinct 1. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa Su 10AM-7PM. The Botanical Gardens has been designed as an Arcadia or a national sanctuary for the Malaysian living collection of plant taxonomy as well as a centre for education and research. The garden is divided into 5 different themes. They are the Explorer's Trail, Palm Hill, Floral Gardens, Sun Garden and the Lakeside. RM 5 (RM 3 for students).
• Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya, Precinct 5, +60 3 8888 6080. Tu-Su 7:45AM-11:45AM, 4:15PM-7:15PM. The Sport and Recreational Precinct of Putrajaya, this equestrian centre takes advantage of the 70 acres of lush greenery to provide an attractive location and facilities for riders to experience a new environment and sporting background for equestrian competitions. The Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya has been conceptualised to become a full-pledged equestrian and country club and future development plans have already been set in motion towards enhancing the park’s equine and recreational facilities to include a riding school, family restaurant, swimming pool, tennis courts and a multipurpose hall.

Putrajaya is a well lit city. One of the attractions, the Seri Wawasan Bridge, has a breathtaking view overlooking the Putra Mosque. Park by the roadside and enjoy the night view. Alternatively, drive to Putra Mosque square and go down the escalator to the food court overlooking Putrajaya Lake.

Cruise Tasik Putrajaya, Jeti Putra, Jambatan Putra Presint 1, +60 3-8888-5539. Offers cruises around Putrajaya with sightseeing stops (RM 30/person), both in small 4/6-seater gondola-like perahu boats and a large 76-seater air-con boat. On weekends only, dinner cruises depart from Jeti Putra at 8PM and cost RM 120/head (reserve one day in advance).

Botanical Gardens, Precinct 1. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa Su 10AM-7PM. The Botanical Gardens has been designed as an Arcadia or a national sanctuary for the Malaysian living collection of plant taxonomy as well as a centre for education and research. The garden is divided into 5 different themes. They are the Explorer's Trail, Palm Hill, Floral Gardens, Sun Garden and the Lakeside. RM 5 (RM 3 for students).

Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya, Precinct 5, +60 3 8888 6080. Tu-Su 7:45AM-11:45AM, 4:15PM-7:15PM. The Sport and Recreational Precinct of Putrajaya, this equestrian centre takes advantage of the 70 acres of lush greenery to provide an attractive location and facilities for riders to experience a new environment and sporting background for equestrian competitions. The Taman Ekuestrian Putrajaya has been conceptualised to become a full-pledged equestrian and country club and future development plans have already been set in motion towards enhancing the park’s equine and recreational facilities to include a riding school, family restaurant, swimming pool, tennis courts and a multipurpose hall.

• Alamanda. As indicated by the logo, alamanda is a type of flower commonly found in Malaysia, Putrajaya's premier (and only) shopping center.

Alamanda. As indicated by the logo, alamanda is a type of flower commonly found in Malaysia, Putrajaya's premier (and only) shopping center.

• Medan Selera, Presint 8. An open air and spacious food court catering to the residents of the community and government staff offering mostly local dishes at a fairly cheap price. You can also try the western menu at Harris's Bistro on the upper level of the food court. At RM 9 for a plate of chicken with black pepper or barbecue sauce and served with fries and coleslaw, it is enough to satisfy your hunger pangs. Harris's Bistro is open daily from 12:30PM till 10:30PM.
• Night Market, Persiaran Perdana, Presint 2 (Across from Ministry of Finance. Tu F 6-10PM. Every Tuesday and Friday there is a nice night market with aisles of fresh foods, prepared foods, and household goods. Like Putrajaya itself, it is slightly less multi-cultural than many Malaysian night markets. Prepared food ranges from RM 1 to 10. Fried mushrooms are a must try with many different seasonings available.
• Taman Warisan, an agro-based food stop where you can dine and shop for fresh fruits at the same place.

Medan Selera, Presint 8. An open air and spacious food court catering to the residents of the community and government staff offering mostly local dishes at a fairly cheap price. You can also try the western menu at Harris's Bistro on the upper level of the food court. At RM 9 for a plate of chicken with black pepper or barbecue sauce and served with fries and coleslaw, it is enough to satisfy your hunger pangs. Harris's Bistro is open daily from 12:30PM till 10:30PM.

Night Market, Persiaran Perdana, Presint 2 (Across from Ministry of Finance. Tu F 6-10PM. Every Tuesday and Friday there is a nice night market with aisles of fresh foods, prepared foods, and household goods. Like Putrajaya itself, it is slightly less multi-cultural than many Malaysian night markets. Prepared food ranges from RM 1 to 10. Fried mushrooms are a must try with many different seasonings available.

Taman Warisan, an agro-based food stop where you can dine and shop for fresh fruits at the same place.

• Azur, Shangri-La 2F. Cobalt blue restaurant offering an improbable menu of "Mediterranean-Asian" food from Italy to India. It's surprisingly good stuff though and not too unreasonably priced, with appetizers RM 15-20 and mains RM 30-40.

Azur, Shangri-La 2F. Cobalt blue restaurant offering an improbable menu of "Mediterranean-Asian" food from Italy to India. It's surprisingly good stuff though and not too unreasonably priced, with appetizers RM 15-20 and mains RM 30-40.

Aside from some rather comatose hotel bars, nightlife in Putrajaya is basically non-existent.

• Kuala Lumpur is just down the railway line.
• Sepang's F1 races are quite easily accessed from Putrajaya.
• Quite a few buses to various Malaysian destinations can be boarded at the Putrajaya bus/train station.