Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Ultimate Guide

Updated 13th April 2022

I’ve always loved Kuala Lumpur. As a naïve 19-year-old leaving Australia for the first time, Kuala Lumpur was my first port of call… a friendly introduction to Asia before hitting the chaos that was Vietnam. In the next few years, I travelled back through KL several times in pursuit of whatever adventure would (hopefully) scratch my travel itch. I never found the cure, but I was afforded many awesome experiences in Malaysia’s largest city.

Kuala Lumpur (KL), the capital city of Malaysia, is a metropolitan melting pot of Malay, Chinese, and Indian influences and a thriving expat population. Markets, shopping centres, skyscrapers, food markets, cultural shows, historical buildings, towers, wildlife, and kid friendly activities make Kuala Lumpur an ideal holiday destination for people of all age groups.

Missing the pre-COVID days? So am I. And as Malaysia reopens to foreign travellers, it’s time for you to plan your trip, pack your bags, and head out for the ultimate Kuala Lumpur adventure!

Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you. Even so, I’ll only recommend experiences I love.

Current COVID situation in Malaysia

As of April 2022, Malaysia has reopened to tourism, with some restrictions.

You’ll need to have travel insurance that covers COVID, and to be tested before and after departure. You’ll also need to quarantine if you haven’t been fully vaccinated.

For all the latest information, see Malaysia’s My Safe Travel site.

How to get to Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia Airlines flies to Kuala Lumpur (its hub city) from many cities all over the world and from other destinations within Malaysia. European, Middle Eastern and North American carriers also have the city well-covered.

From Asia, you can take any of the flagship or budget carriers easily. Alternatively, it’s possible to catch the train from Singapore or Thailand, and there are some bus routes too.

Kuala Lumpur airport (KLIA) is a world-class facility and there is a skytrain that heads directly into the centre of the city, cutting out all the road traffic. If you’re traveling with kids and a lot of luggage, a road transfer is easier – but be warned, it’ll double the journey time from 45 to 90 minutes.

Getting around in Kuala Lumpur

KL is one of the easiest cities I’ve experienced in terms of getting around. There’s a vast network of trains and monorail which makes navigating the city proper a breeze.

From the airport, catch the KLIA Ekspres train and you’ll hit KL Sentral in about 40 minutes, or book a road transfer in advance (as mentioned above, the journey takes about 90 minutes by road).

Grab is the ride-sharing service available in Malaysia. Grab rides are readily available and super affordable and this is an excellent option at night, with kids in tow, or if you’re weighed down with bags from one of KL’s bustling mega-malls.

The hop-on-hop-off bus (also mentioned above) is a fun touristy way to get around. I recommend it just for one day to get the lay of the land and tick off some of those must-see sites.

Things to do in Kuala Lumpur (that are great for kids)

Kuala Lumpur is amazing for big kids (like me) and little kids alike. Below are some of my favourite activities – many of them tried and tested by my own little ones!

Kuala Lumpur Markets: Petaling Street and Central Markets

The air-conditioned Central Markets are great for artisan finds and here you’ll find boutique stalls, souvenirs and handicrafts at a reasonable price. Good food courts are present at the second floor where you can quench the appetite for the delicious Malaysian cuisine. Local artists exhibit their talent on the streets outside the central market – we really loved chilling and and enjoying the performance.

Petaling Street (Jalan Petaling) markets are also great fun, so get haggling! Fake bags? Check. Fake wallets? Check. Fake shirts? Check. Fake watches? Check! I really like the Petaling markets because there are so many options. So if you can’t haggle down as low as you want, you can try the next stall. If you’re new to haggling in an Asian market, Petaling is a really good place to start because it’s reasonably friendly and, while vendors try to lure you into their stall, they’re not as aggressive as in other markets.

This also means it’s great as a first market experience for the little ones. Mister Three loved buying a model plane.

When you’ve finished browsing and buying, head over to the hawker centre. You’ll find well-priced delicious Chinese and Thai cuisine here and – most importantly – cheap beer. If you don’t feel like eating in the hawker centre, there are a whole bunch of restaurants just outside to choose from too.

Menara Skybox Kuala Lumpur

If you don’t mind heights, the Menara KL Skybox is an excellent way to get those picture-perfect city views.

Lots of people love to head to the Skybridge that connects the two Petronas towers, but I’m not so keen. Why? Because to me, the Petronas twin towers are the most recognizable feature of the landscape. What’s the point of looking out over the city and not being able to see them?

Menara KL Tower, however, affords you an uninterrupted view over the whole city, Petronas included.

The best part is the Skybox, a glass box suspended over the side of the tower. Yes, you can see the city right underneath your feet! It’s definitely an experience to make your heart thump a little harder, but it’s so cool.

You can take photos yourself, or have the professional photographer take them for you. If you choose the pro option, you can decide whether or not to purchase them and, if you like them, they’ll put the best three in a gorgeous hardcover souvenir book for you too.

Tickets are RM105 for adults and RM55 for children aged 4-12. Kids under four are free.

Next to the Skybox, there’s a cute little café/bar. If you have time, take a moment to have a drink and enjoy the views.

Hop-on hop-off bus

When you’re desperately trying to see as much as you can, and travelling with small children, it can be a hard juggle. The solution? A hop-on-hop-off bus!

It’s super touristy, sure, but let’s face it: you’re a tourist. I’ll save the rant about how I hate that whole “ugh tourist” thing for another day and just say the bus is really handy.

There’s a few reasons why I love hop-on-hop-off buses. Firstly, the itinerary is set by what the bus company and local tourism authority thinks are the “must-dos”. You can’t get much clearer a recommendation than that! This takes the trouble out of trying to plan a route around the city to see everything: the legwork is already done. All you have to do is get onboard and get off whenever you want to see something. I think, had I just caught a Grab around town, I would have seen less unless I spent hours planning my itinerary. Sure, that can be fun, but the bus gives you a little spontaneity too.

The bus will take you all around the city. Some of the options are Merdeka Square, the Sultan Abdul Samad building, Istana Negara (the National Palace), the bird park/butterfly garden, and Little India.

The second reason I like this option is because there’s usually a guide track that tells you a whole bunch of information on each stop. For me, there’s nothing worse than seeing something, taking a picture, then getting home to realise you have no idea what you’re actually looking at.

What actually ended up happening for us was that the kids fell asleep on the bus, which limited our ability to get off and explore. BUT – and this is the beauty – we still got to actually see each stop and hear about the history. So I still felt like it was a worthwhile thing to do, and I’m so glad I did rather than stay in the apartment while the kids napped.

Brickfields/Little India

Little India is the perfect spot to see a different side of Kuala Lumpur. Just like the rest of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur is very ethnically diverse, with a significant Indian population. Little India is the complete embodiment of this. Colourful, loud, and full of delicious smells, Little India is probably my favourite part of the city.

Of course, the best thing to do in Little India is eat, eat, eat! It’s full of restaurants, but I highly recommend trying Indian street food. In particular, Indian fried snacks such as the donut-shaped Medu vada… and don’t forget masala vada: this one has a rougher texture, and is kind of round and squished. Stock up on a bunch of these for the journey back to the hotel.

Batu Caves

Eating, drinking, and shopping in Kuala Lumpur

If you’re anything like me, you need a coffee to kickstart your day.

You could head to the nearest Starbucks, sure, or you could try one of the many gorgeous little cafes that are popping up all over the city. This TimeOut list has some excellent recommendations.

Last time we visited Kuala Lumpur we stayed at the Vortex Suites in KLCC so Gravy Baby was just on the corner. It became our go-to – my fave was the chilli baked eggs. Pop in later in the day for delicious cocktails as well.

One thing KL does really well, in my opinion, is the food court. Even the high-end malls such as Pavilion or Suri KLCC have affordable options that are surprisingly delicious! So, if you want to squeeze in some shopping, you’ll never be short of food choices.

Jalan Alor “Food Street”

One of Kuala Lumpur’s absolute must-dos is Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang’s famous food street.

Wade into the sea of hungry people, ready to try something new. Chinese-inspired cuisine is the main feature here, with some of the options on the more adventurous side. Frog on a stick anyone? But no word of a lie, anything you eat here will be mind-bogglingly delicious. And, like me, you’ll pretty much have to roll yourself out.

At the end of the street are a bunch of massage parlours, but how anyone could even think of getting a massage after eating at Jalan Alor escapes me. Then again, not everyone stuffs themselves like a squid, like me. Soooo….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hungry? Thirsty? Need to spend some money? Here’s where to eat, drink and shop in Kuala Lumpur

One thing KL does really well, in my opinion, is the food court. Even the high-end malls such as Pavilion or Suri KLCC have affordable options that are surprisingly delicious! So, if you want to squeeze in some shopping, you’ll never be short of food choices.

 

 

On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at the Berjaya Times Square shopping mall. The main reason was to buy beer. Alcohol is (comparatively) expensive in Malaysia as it’s heavily taxed, so buying it at the supermarket/liquor store is more cost-effective than elsewhere.

The shops are open late, though, so if you still feel the need to shop here’s an opportunity. We used this stop to also give in to our sweet tooth with some churros and ice cream. And you know what? I just love malls in Kuala Lumpur. They’re so fun. There’s always something crazy going on and they’re so… extra. They really are their own little destinations.

 

 

 

 

It’s hot: freshen up a bit

I highly recommend freeing up a little bit of time late in the afternoon to head back to the hotel. If you’re like me, booking a hotel with a pool is important to you… so you might as well use it. For us, traveling in July which is pretty much the hottest time, this was a must. So home we went to the pool to enjoy a swim and a quick beer. A quick rinse-off and (for me) a re-do of a little bit of makeup and hey presto! We’re ready for dinner.

 

A quick Grab ride away is Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang’s famous food street. Wade into the sea of hungry people, ready to try something new. Chinese-inspired cuisine is the main feature here, with some of the options on the more adventurous side. Frog on a stick anyone? But no word of a lie, anything you eat here will be mind-bogglingly delicious. And, like me, you’ll pretty much have to roll yourself out. At the end of the street are a bunch of massage parlours, but how anyone could even think of getting a massage after eating at Jalan Alor escapes me. Then again, not everyone stuffs themselves like a squid, like me. Soooo….

Since you’re so fat and stuffed you couldn’t possibly look good in a picture, why not head over to the Petronas Twin Towers for the ultimate night-time photo op?

 

 

 

Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur

Luxury

The usual luxury chains are well-represented in Kuala Lumpur. My favourites are:

St Regis

Ritz-Carlton

Mandarin Oriental

Mid-range

Kuala Lumpur is an amazing destination in terms of affordable places to stay. These options in particular are lovely and, importantly, in a great location.

Mercure Kuala Lumpur Shaw Parade

Somerset Ampang Kuala Lumpur

The Kuala Lumpur Journal Hotel

Apartments/kid friendly

Ascott Kuala Lumpur

Fraser Place Kuala Lumpur

Is Kuala Lumpur Safe?

I have been to Kuala Lumpur four times now, sometimes solo, and have often walked around at night. I have never felt unsafe. The usual caveats apply though – don’t walk alone down unlit alleyways. Don’t flash your cash or valuables. DO NOT take drugs (Southeast Asian drug laws are some of the harshest in the world). Use public transport, metred taxis or Grabs to get around. All in all, use your common sense and you’ll be absolutely fine.

 

So there it is… Kuala Lumpur. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but those people are boring (come at me). I love it, I really do. And I think you will too.

Considering a holiday to Malaysia? Why not add Penang or Langkawi to your itinerary too?

 

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