Living in Kuala Lumpur
The ISKL campus is located in Ampang Hilir, a leafy neighborhood in the heart of Kuala Lumpur (KL). With a blend of landed homes, condominiums, and high-rise apartment buildings, finding accommodation close to school is an easy task. There are numerous restaurants, cafes, shopping malls and activities for children located close by, as well as easy access to the iconic Petronas Twin Towers and KL’s bustling nightlife.
For those looking to live outside the city center, other popular expat neighborhoods include Mont Kiara, Bangsar, Damansara, and Sri Hartamas. These, and other key residential areas are serviced by ISKL’s dedicated fleet of buses. More information about ISKL bus service can be found here.
24 Hours in Ampang
For an overview of Ampang, check out this video from Danial Marzuki, ISKL Class of 2017.
Time
Malaysia is 8 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and 16 hours ahead of United States Pacific Standard Time (PST).
Local Time (+8 GMT):
Language
Bahasa Malaysia is the national language but English is also widely spoken, and people frequently mix both Bahasa Malaysia and English into their speech. Chinese and Tamil are also commonly spoken in Malaysia.
Electricity
Electricity supply is on a 240-volt, 50-cycle system, and the power sockets that are used are of type G.
Health
Health care in Malaysia is excellent. There are first-class hospitals and medical facilities that are comparable to the best in the world. Medical care is also still relatively inexpensive.
Currency
The national currency is the Ringgit Malaysia (RM). Foreign currencies can be changed at banks or authorized money-changers throughout the country. Most major credit cards are accepted with Visa and MasterCard being the most common, and American Express is accepted in selected places in major tourist areas. Many banks are also linked to international banking networks such as Cirrus, Maestro and Plus, allowing withdrawals from overseas savings or checking accounts.
Transportation
The train system (LRT and MRT) in KL is modern and efficient. Buses are an inexpensive way to travel around Kuala Lumpur and bus routes are everywhere. Taxi services and GrabCar services are readily available. Flights in and out of Malaysia are plentiful, and Kuala Lumpur is home to several regional and global carriers.
