Putrajaya is an oddity. Located a mere 20 miles from Kuala Lumpur, the city is, in many ways, a planned city meant to be an example of the future ambitions of Malaysia. There is little history in this area, and, because everything is laid out according to a blueprint, it seems a bit sterile. No colorful neighborhoods or offbeat experiences are to be found around Putrajaya.

If a tourist wants a sterile, packed vacation, there are Disneylands all over the world, right? Well, if seen mainly as a curiosity and a quiet place of man-made greenery, a day trip to Putrajaya might be worthwhile. People interested in architecture and urban planning will find Putrajaya interesting. The amount of green space in the city makes for some delight, even though most of it is man-made. Taman Putra Perdana is a quiet and beautiful park that offers some good views of the surrounding area.

Nightlife and colorful markets, two of the attractions that make Penang and Kuala Lumpur so fun to visit, are non-existent in Putrajaya, however, building like Perdana Putra (the building which houses important government offices) and Putra Mosque, one of the biggest in the world, are open to the public. As I said above, architecture lovers will appreciate these buildings. The impressive, if sterile, Putrajaya Boulevard is over two miles long, and is the location of some of Putrajaya’s other impressive buildings.

The air-conditioned indoor food hawker center, Selera Putra, is nearby the Putra Mosque. This is the only place of its kind in Putrajaya, and offers some good local fare.

Visitors with an interest in Malaysia might like their insight Putrajaya offers into the state of the country. After the economic crisis of the late 1990s, the plans for the city slowed. There are areas with beautifully maintained gardens, but people are scarce. Eventually, the authorities hope the city’s population will reach 300,000. These days, there is fewer than one-forth that many people living in the area. You have to give Malaysia credit for being one of the most ambitious countries in Asia, even if that ambition includes building a city, which will focus on technology, and calling said city Cyberjaya. Yes, it’s true. Cyberjaya and Purtajaya are supposed are supposed to be twins. The contraction of either is not completed.

Despite that, spending a day wandering through the pleasant parks and gardens before returning to Kuala Lumpur would not be time ill-spent. The city is a tribute to Malaysia’s ambition, if not its culture