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Asia, Tens

Twelve things to do in Kuala Lumpur

By Keith Jenkins
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Kuala Lumpur, the vibrant capital of Malaysia, is a must-visit city for anyone exploring Southeast Asia. From its humble beginnings to its rapid growth, Kuala Lumpur (map) has become a captivating destination and ranks among the world’s most visited cities. With a myriad of attractions and activities, there is no shortage of things to do in Kuala Lumpur. While the gleaming skyscrapers and expansive shopping malls catch the eye, a deeper exploration reveals a rich tapestry of cultures, tantalising cuisines, captivating colonial and Art Deco architecture, bustling markets, and pockets of serene greenery. Here are my suggestions for first-time visitors, highlighting the top things to do in Kuala Lumpur, as well as exciting day trip ideas from the city.

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Kuala Lumpur City Centre

Things to do in Kuala Lumpur

1. Admire the spectacular skyline

Kuala Lumpur’s spectacular skyline begs to be seen from a high vantage point, and preferably in the evenings when the city lights are on. Nothing is quite as impressive as the brightly-lit Petronas Twin Towers in the evenings.

The bright lights of the KL skyline seen from the suburbs (image by A.Yap).

There are many places to get an incredible view of Kuala Lumpur such as the KL Tower (a telecommunications tower with an observation deck) and the Petronas Twin Towers. At Banyan Tree Hotel, head to the rooftop Vertigo Bar for unbeatable views of Kuala Lumpur! Head there just before sunset.

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Panoramic view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline at sunset from Vertigo Bar. KL Tower is on the left and the Petronas Twin Towers are on the right.

In the evenings, a colourful light show is projected onto KL Tower.

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The Kuala Lumpur (KL) Tower at night during the daily evening light show. Seen from JANN Bar.

Kuala Lumpur hotels with amazing city views

The Four Points by Sheraton Hotel in Chinatown has a ‘rooftop bar’ with great views. Located on the 7th floor, the JANN Bar, though not the highest, offers beautiful views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline and the Merdeka 118 tower, the world’s second-tallest building.

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The JANN Bar has panoramic views of the Kuala Lumpur skyline.

You can also stay at hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, Traders Hotel, Grand Hyatt (read about my stay at the Grand Hyatt, my personal favourite in KL), EQ Kuala Lumpur and Banyan Tree Hotel which have stunning views of the skyline and the Twin Towers.

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The night view of the Petronas Twin Towers from my room at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

2. Visit the Petronas Towers at KLCC

The Petronas Twin Towers rise majestically in the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC). At 452m, they were the tallest buildings in the world between 1998 and 2004. Nowadays, they still hold the record for being the tallest twin towers in the world. Getting up close to these imposing towers, you begin to understand how they’ve become a Kuala Lumpur icon. The design, by Argentine architect César Pelli, is both awe-inspiring and timeless. Of all the things to do in Kuala Lumpur, seeing the Petronas Twin Towers up close is a must!

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The Petronas Twin Towers up close.
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The towers seen from the KLCC park.
 

You can opt to visit and cross the Skybridge on the 41st floor and continue to the observation deck on the 86th floor but I always prefer a view of the Kuala Lumpur skyline with the twin towers in it. 😉

Saloma Link

Another tip: in the vicinity of KLCC, a five-minute walk from the Twin Towers, you’ll find another KL attraction, which is especially striking in the evenings: the Saloma Link, a futuristic bridge that spans the Klang River and highways.

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The Saloma Link has a brilliant LED light display at night.



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3. Explore Chinatown

Chinatown can be found in the old town of Kuala Lumpur. With its busy streets and colonial/post-war buildings, the old town and Chinatown remain the roots of the city. In this district, you’ll find a myriad of shops selling all sorts of food and merchandise, and beautiful religious and cultural monuments such as the Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall.

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The stunning roof of the Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall.

Petaling Street market

At the Petaling Street Heritage House, you can learn about the history and heritage of the Chinese community in Kuala Lumpur. In the heart of Chinatown is Petaling Street, an atmospheric outdoor market with hundreds of stalls selling merchandise and food. Don’t forget to bargain!

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Petaling Street in the heart of Chinatown

Kwai Chai Hong

Just off Petaling Street is a cluster of historic houses with hidden lanes and courtyards. This area is called Kwai Chai Hong, a popular place packed with restaurants, bars and colourful murals.

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Kwai Chai Hong or ‘Little Demon street’ is a hidden alley packed with beautiful murals and cafés.
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One of the many murals in Kwan Chai Hong.

At the edge of Chinatown, along Jalan Bandar, visit the beautiful Sri Mahamariamman Temple. Completed in 1873, this is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. Read more about my stroll around Chinatown Kuala Lumpur.

4. Browse around Central Market

Close to Petaling Street, you’ll find Central Market, a popular place for local art and handicraft. Browse around this historic market for beautiful souvenirs to take home.

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The Art Deco façade of the Central Market.

5. Visit Kuala Lumpur’s historic landmarks

A stone’s throw from Chinatown are many of Kuala Lumpur’s most famous historic landmarks, such as Merdeka Square (where Malaya’s Independence in 1957 was proclaimed), the Moorish-style Old Railway Station, the National Mosque (with its electric blue dome) and Jamek Mosque at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers (redeveloped as the KL River of Life).

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The old Railway Station with its Moorish arches and minarets.
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The fountain at Merdeka Square. Behind it is the historic clock tower of the Sultan Abdul Samad building (also in Moorish-style), which used to serve as a courthouse.
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Masjid Jamek or Jamek Mosque sits at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers.

The birthplace of Kuala Lumpur

The confluence of the Klang and Gombak Rivers, widely acknowledged as the birthplace of Kuala Lumpur, has been redeveloped as the KL River of Life. The riverfront features promenades along the banks of the rivers. At certain times of the day (I was there at 7:30pm), visitors are treated to a beautiful water and light show, with the Jamek Mosque as the centrepiece.

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The beautiful Masjid Jamek (Jamek Mosque) sits at the confluence of the Klang & Gombak Rivers. This riverfront area has been redeveloped as the ‘River of Life’.

6. EAT!!

This is my favourite thing to do in Kuala Lumpur as the city is a true culinary paradise! From cutting-edge fine-dining to food courts and roadside stalls, Kuala Lumpur offers foodies a dizzying array of cuisines and eateries.

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Malaysian fine-dining at Beta KL (near KLCC).

Ease your way into Malaysian/Asian cuisine at one of the food courts which can be found in the basements of many shopping malls. My favourite food courts can be found in Pavilion mall and Lot 10.

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Lot 10 food court

Try local and other Asian specialties such as assam or curry laksa (spicy noodle soups), fried kuey teow (fried noodles), nasi lemak (rice with a spicy prawn sambal), satay and fried Hokkien mee. Pavilion mall also has more upmarket Asian options on the 6th floor.

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Fried kuey teow.
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Assam laksa – tangy, spicy fish-based rice noodle soup.

Street food in Kuala Lumpur

For a street food dining experience, head to Jalan Alor (Alor Street). Located parallel to Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Alor is often regarded as the heart of KL’s local cuisine. The hundreds of food stalls serve a mind-boggling variety of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Thai and Indonesian specialities. The atmosphere is electric and the many types of food available will leave the first-time visitor in a daze. Try the satay (lamb or chicken skewers served with a spicy peanut sauce) or the grilled stingray.

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Petaling Street is also famous for its street food!

Another popular area for street food is Petaling Street in Chinatown, in the market itself as well as along Jalan Sultan (street). There are countless food stalls to choose from so take your time and follow your nose!

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Petaling Street food stalls

 

 

7. Tantalise your senses in Little India

For a taste of India, head to Brickfields or Little India (the district next to KL Sentral or Central Station). Here, you’ll find ornate Hindu temples and a variety of restaurants which specialise in ‘banana leaf’ (the leaf is your plate, and you choose a variety of curries, fish, meat and vegetables) as well as nasi kandar (white or flavoured rice with a variety of curries and side dishes) and a host of vegetarian options. Many of the temples are found along Jalan Scott. I also suggest strolling around the colourful shops at Jalan Tun Sambanthan.

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Banana leaf at one of my favourite restaurants in Brickfields: Vishal.
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Jalan Sambanthan is full of stores selling saris, jewellery and spices.

Ornate Hindu temples

Jalan Scott (Scott Road) has numerous eye-catching Hindu temples that are more than worth a visit. Admire the intricate carvings and countless statues in vivid colours.

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Ornate Hindu temples can be found along Jalan Scott in Brickfields.
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Sri Kandaswamy temple at Jalan Scott

 

 

8. Shop till you drop

From swanky high-end malls along Bukit Bintang Street and KLCC to roadside stalls in Chinatown, KL is a shoppers’ paradise! There are countless shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysians love their malls!). There’s a stretch of malls along Bukit Bintang Street, with Pavilion and Starhill Gallery as the swankiest malls. Suria, at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, and TRX Exchange are also popular malls.

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Pavilion mall
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The Exchange at TRX

Read about my stay at The Ruma Hotel, a five-star hotel near the major shopping districts of KLCC and Bukit Bintang.

In the suburbs, you’ll find others such as Mid Valley Megamall and the adjacent Gardens Mall, 1 Utama and Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC). There are literally too many to mention.

9. Visit Perdana Botanical Gardens

Formerly known as Lake Gardens, Perdana Botanical Gardens is a green lung near the city centre that’s home to a variety of attractions such as the KL Bird Park (billed as the largest walk-in aviary in the world), Orchid Garden, Hibiscus Garden and Butterfly Park.

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A peek through the waterfall at KL Bird Park.

10. Visit Batu Caves

Located 13 km north of KL, the Batu Caves are an intriguing place. A massive limestone outcrop houses a series of caves, cave temples and numerous shrines. Batu Caves is the focal point for Malaysian Hindus during the Thaipusam festival every year.

Batu Caves and its 272 multi-coloured steps.

Get ready to climb the 272 steps to the main cave temple. To help you along, the steps feature a rainbow of electric colours! Beware of the monkeys – they’re known to snatch belongings. You can easily visit Batu Caves as a half-day trip from Kuala Lumpur.

11. Hike in a tropical forest in the city centre!

Established in 1906, the Bukit Nanas (Pineapple Hill) Forest Reserve is the last remaining virgin tropical forest in the city centre. Now known as the KL Forest Eco Park, there are various trails including a canopy walk. You can easily combine a hike in the park with a visit to the Menara KL (KL Tower) next door. The entrance is at the car park of KL Tower.

KL Forest Eco Park canopy walk. Image courtesy of RivieraBarnes [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons.

12. Go on a day trip

There are many places to visit around Kuala Lumpur. Go on a day trip to the UNESCO Heritage city of Melaka, experience the enchanting fireflies in Kuala Selangor, head up to Genting Highlands (literally a city of entertainment in the sky, at about 1800m!) or visit Putrajaya, the administrative capital of Malaysia. You can visit Genting Highlands and Batu Caves on a full-day tour.

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The 16th century Portuguese A Famosa fort in Melaka.

Read about things to see in Melaka.

Putrajaya is a the administrative capital of Malaysia and boasts stunning architecture, broad boulevards, lakes and parks.

Getting to Kuala Lumpur

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA 1) and the adjacent low-cost terminal (KLIA 2) are the main gateways to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia. KLIA is a major hub for flights to quite literally every corner of Southeast Asia and numerous cities in China and India. KLIA is connected to the city (KL Sentral or Central Station) by the KLIA Express train that takes 30 minutes.

Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa to visit Malaysia. Check the Malaysia visa requirements and apply for an online visa here.

A modern network of highways and bus routes connect Kuala Lumpur with all parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Getting around Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has an extensive network of public transportation ranging from bus services to the LRT/MRT light rail and the KL Monorail. GoKL is a free bus service that runs various routes in and around the Kuala Lumpur city centre. There are also many taxis as well as Grab (the Southeast Asian equivalent of Uber) services.

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The KL MRT connects the suburbs with the city centre.

GoKL City Bus

The GoKL City Bus is a free bus service that plies several routes across Kuala Lumpur. It’s an easy, efficient and eco-friendly way to visit the touristic highlights of the city.

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GoKL City Bus

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur has some of the cheapest five-star accommodations in the world so go ahead and splurge a little! During the off-peak and shoulder seasons, you can book a room at a super luxurious hotel for around USD 200/night (and it can be even cheaper when there are special offers)! My personal favourite hotels in Kuala Lumpur include the Grand Hyatt (my favourite!), Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Ruma and the Shangri-La.

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The lovely pool at the Grand Hyatt.
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The lobby of The Ruma with its copper ceiling and century-tile flooring.

Read other Velvet Escape posts on Malaysia:

 

 

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