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What to do in Kuala Lumpur
Things to do
In Kuala Lumpur
Practically everyone traveling to Malaysia will pass through Kuala Lumpur, but not everyone takes the time to discover this large but beautiful city. And that’s a shame. Because as you will discover in this list of what to do in Kuala Lumpur, there is certainly a lot to experience. We recommend that you allow 3 to 4 days to explore this city.
1 Batu Caves
The Batu Caves or Batu Caves are perhaps the most famous place in Kuala Lumpur and by extension Malaysia. And that’s not surprising, because the colorful stairs that lead to the caves are impressive and beautiful. In the caves themselves you will find a Hindu temple, bats flying around and a lot of macaque monkeys. The bonus is that these caves are completely free to visit. Donations are welcome. Try to avoid the weekend to avoid crowds.
2 The Petronas Twin Towers
They were once the two tallest towers in the world. Today, the Petronas Twin Towers especially make the skyline of Kuala Lumpur more beautiful. The best place to view these towers is from the KLCC park, where you can even find a public swimming pool. You can also visit the Twin Towers themselves. For example, for 80 Myr you can enjoy one of the best panoramic views of the city or you can go shopping in the shopping center that is located in one of the two towers.
3 fireflies spotting
In Kuala Selangor, a town located on a river in Kuala Lumpur, you can see a lot of fireflies. At night, these flies light up and provide a unique spectacle. You can also book some tours to Kuala Selangor in Kuala Lumpur. Although you can also travel to Kuala Selangor with your own transport and buy tickets on site, which will cost you about 20 Myr in entrance. Those who want to take a tour by boat will have to pay about the same amount extra.
4 Jamek Mosque
Jamek Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Kuala Lumpur and is located at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers. According to an old legend, the city of Kuala Lumpur was founded here, although there is no clear evidence of this. You can combine this mosque with a visit to Chinatown and it is completely free. Although you will have to wear appropriate clothing and you pay a small amount for that. These clothes are available at the entrance of the mosque.
5 Food in Jalan Alor
You can eat tasty and cheap food in Kuala Lumpur in Jalan Alor in the Bukit Bintang district. In this street you can find both Indian and Thai, but also Chinese restaurants. Although all that delicious food is not the only reason to come down to this street. The atmosphere is unique with stalls, tables and atmospheric lights everywhere. In short, an enormous cozy atmosphere and a thousand different scents. You pay an average of 12 Myr per dish here.
6 Perdana Botanical Gardens
For anyone looking for some relaxation in this busy city, the Perdana Botanical Gardens are the ideal solution. This park, which covers almost 92 hectares, can be found in the heart of the city. In addition to exotic plants and landscape gardens, you also have some attractions here such as the bird and butterfly park. The Perdana Botanical Gardens are completely free to visit. You have to pay for the extra attractions. The price depends on the attraction.
7 Thean Hou Temple
This colorful Buddhist temple has 6 floors and is no less than 6760 m² in size. It is in our opinion the most beautiful place in Kuala Lumpur. And that is mainly due to the beautiful colors, the beautifully painted walls and cozy flags and lanterns. You can visit this temple every day from 8 am to 6 pm and it is completely free. Donations are welcome. The Thean Hou Temple is best reached by taxi, although there is also a bus station a 15-minute walk away. Try to avoid the temple on weekends due to crowds. You can combine a visit with other trips such as the Batu caves.
8 Putra Mosque
The Putra Mosque is a very unique mosque because of its color. It is the first pink mosque in the world. In addition, this mosque is located on a river, which makes for a very photogenic place. The mosque itself is free to visit every day except for prayer times. In addition, your clothing must also be adapted to the values and norms of Islam. You can obtain appropriate clothing at the entrance.
9 Chinatown
Don’t get us wrong, you must have seen Chinatown and it definitely belongs in this list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur, but in our opinion this place is a bit overused and especially very touristy. In addition to the Chinese decoration, you will mainly find stalls here with a lot of counterfeit products and tourist stuff that are certainly “made in China”. We also expected more from this location in terms of dining options. Chinatown is located in the Petaling Street area. You must have seen it, but nothing more.
10 Climb the KL Tower
The KL Tower is another skyscraper that adorns the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. You have a beautiful view of the Twin Towers from the highest television tower in Asia. We advise everyone to go up the KL Tower earlier instead of the Twin Towers. For an entrance ticket to the top of the Kl Tower you pay 40 Myr per person.
11 Eco Forest
At the entrance of the KL Tower is also the entrance to the Eco Forest Park where you can walk over footbridges between the tops of the trees. And although this provides a nice contrast between the nature of the park and the surrounding buildings, this trip is quite expensive. You can no longer visit this park for free and you pay 40 Myr per person, which is quite a lot for a park that you have seen in half an hour. For those, like us, who are looking for great photo spots, this park is highly recommended.
12 Central Market
Those looking for traditional and genuine souvenirs should definitely visit Central Market. And although this hall is located near Chinatown, you can find quality souvenirs here. There are 350 shops here where you can find handmade souvenirs. Central Market is open every day from 10am to 9:30pm.
13 Pavilion Shopping Center
The Pavilion shopping center is perhaps one of the largest shopping centers that we have ever seen. With 7 floors, 532 shops and more than 50 restaurants, it is Kuala Lumpur’s showpiece. In addition, Pavilion is also very stylishly decorated with shops from Louboutin, Gucci, Prada and Balenciaga, among others. A trip to this beautiful shopping center should not be missed when visiting Kuala Lumpur. In addition, this shopping center also has a hotel with an infinity pool and a view of the busy streets of Kuala Lumpur. It is best to book this with Perfect Host . An organization that offers serviced suites in the hotel.
Transportation in Kuala Lumpur
Metro and Bus
Kuala Lumpur has an excellent metro network that is inexpensive. For a short ride you pay barely 2 RM. You can buy a ticket in a machine that you can find at every stop. Make sure you have 1 and 5 RM notes with you, as these are the only ones this machine accepts (bank card is often disabled). We only recommend using the bus if you cannot get there by metro. Because of the busy traffic, a bus ride can sometimes take a very long time. You can pay at the driver, but here too it is best to pay in cash.
Grab and Taxi
While you can easily stop a taxi or have your hotel reception call you for a taxi, the best option for getting around KL today is through the Grab application. This application, which is 33 percent owned by Uber, works exactly the same way. You download the application and enter the destination and then the car picks you up at the agreed place. You can even choose to pay in cash. The disadvantage of this application is that you will have to buy a SIM card with internet (45MYR) because the installation is only via a Malaysian phone number. We highly recommend this as it will make your trip easier. An average (short) ride with Grab is between 10 and 20 Myr. If you decide to take a taxi, it is best to agree on a fixed price in advance and do not drive on the meter.
Rental car
You can also rent a rental car and drive yourself, but in a city like Kuala Lumpur we advise against this. Traffic is hectic, there is little parking and, moreover, people drive on the left in Malaysia. If you want to realize this list of things to do in Kuala Lumpur, it is best to use public transport or Grab.
