Wondering what to see in Kuala Lumpur? Where to find the best views or how to get around? Then keep reading because I’ve got you covered. Whether you are spending a few days in Kuala Lumpur or find yourself here on a layover, here’s a quick overview to help you plan your trip!

Petronas Twin Towers

No visit to Kuala Lumpur would be complete without checking out the iconic Petronas Towers. They mean to Kuala Lumpur what the Empire State Building means to NYC, the Eiffel Tower to Paris, the Houses of Parliament to London… you get it.

The towers are the tallest twin towers in the world and you can spot them from almost anywhere in the city. At the base of the towers you’ll find a huge luxury shopping centre. You can also buy tickets for the observation deck and the skybridge (connecting the two towers), but be aware it’s closed on Mondays.

Or you can just chill at the adjacent KLCC park and admire the twins from the ground.

KL Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur)

If you’d prefer to see Kuala Lumpur’s skyline with the Petronas Towers, you can visit the KL Tower. At 421m it’s the tallest freestanding tower in Southeast Asia.

KL Forest Eco Park (Bukit Nanas)

You can find this little rainforest right next to the KL Tower. If you get tired of being in a concrete jungle, pop into this natural jungle for a dose of fresh air (and humidity…) 🙂 You might even spot some wildlife in this forest reserve!

The most fun part of the KL Forest Eco Park is definitely the canopy walk! (And you know it will make for some cool Instagram photos 😀 )

Best part: admission to the forest is completely free!

Sultan Abdul Samad Building

If you prefer chasing some historic buildings on your travels, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building should be number one on your list. It’s simply a government building, but it’s designed in a beautiful Neo-Mughal style (similar style in which the Taj Mahal was built).

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building stands at the Merdeka Square which is a great place for admiring not only this one structure but the skyline of Kuala Lumpur around you.

Jamek Mosque

Almost next to the Sultan Abdul Samad Building you can visit the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur – the Jamek Mosque. Even if you don’t go inside, this white(ish) mosque is quite a sight!

The river surrounding the mosque has recently been transformed into a project called The River of Life so it now features fountains and light shows at night.

Chinatown

While you’re in the area, you can also walk to the nearby Chinatown for some street food and shopping.

Batu Caves

I can’t not mention Batu Caves but I have to say I see it as one of the most overrated tourist attractions I’ve ever been to. Or at least that was my opinion when I visited last August… The place was very crowded, full of monkeys chewing rubbish and when we finally climbed all those stairs leading to the main cave, we found out the huge cave contained… nothing interesting. There were bricks, ladders and buckets everywhere and the place was clearly under construction although there was no warning anywhere.

And then, only two weeks after my visit these stairs had a colourful makeover. It actually looks pretty damn cool now and I’m 100% sure I would have enjoyed Batu Caves way more had they been already painted when I went. 😀 (If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed I have a thing for colourful places…)

Spot the difference between my photo above and what it looks like now…

Luckily, there are more caves at Batu Caves (hence the plural) than just the one with 272 stairs and a giant Hindu statue in front of it. I actually thought the less known Ramayana Cave was a lot more impressive than the Temple Cave. You can basically find a very unique museum inside. Just look at these pictures:

BONUS: Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia

Unfortunately I only found out about this museum after leaving Malaysia. Quite frankly I am not really a museum person, but this place apparently contains a lot of cool miniatures of mosques from all over the world 😉

Where to Stay in Kuala Lumpur

I don’t normally give you tips on where to stay because I think everyone has different preferences and budget, but I just have to make an exception here. The reason is simple: rooftop infinity pools! Kuala Lumpur actually has a lot of hotels with infinity pools.

If you have ever scrolled through your Instagram feed and come across a picture of someone chilling in an infinity pool with a view of Kuala Lumpur, you might have thought to yourself how lucky this person was and that you’d have to be a millionaire to ever be in the same position.

 

Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret: you don’t have to be a millionaire to enjoy the same “luxury”. In fact, you don’t have to be rich at all. You can be a poor backpacker like me and still have this experience.

Of course, there are luxury places like The FACE Suites which might not really be the right choice for us backpackers.

So how to stay at a cheap place with a rooftop infinity pool in Kuala Lumpur, you ask?

Your answer is: the Regalia Suites!

The Regalia Suites is a tall building full of Airbnb apartments. Some are a little bit fancier than others but generally they are really affordable! There are plenty of options on Airbnb so if you are booking in advance, you can even find some super cheap apartments 😉

*If you are not on Airbnb yet, use MY LINK HERE to sign up and get $40 off your first booking!*

 

How to Get Around Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is a very modern city with an extensive train network. I recommend travelling around the city by train, it’s the most convenient and fastest way to get around.

Here’s a map of the KL rail lines (click to enlarge):

Kuala Lumpur International Airport

The airport in Kuala Lumpur is one of the major airports in Asia and possibly even the main transport hub in Southeast Asia. If you are moving around Asia for a longer period of time, you might find yourself here quite a lot (I was here at least four times last year). You can fly to pretty much anywhere in Asia from Kuala Lumpur and it’s also a popular place for a visa run from Bali, which is only three hours away.

I just wanted to mention this awesome airport because it’s by far my favourite airport in Asia (even beating Singapore). It’s huge, super modern, with lots of food options, a shopping centre and plenty of other things such as free cinema. Here are some other ideas if you have a layover in Kuala Lumpur. Honestly, this airport was made for layovers!

I hope you find this little Kuala Lumpur guide useful. You can also check out my posts about Bangkok, Singapore or Hong Kong.

Have you been to Kuala Lumpur? What are your tips? 😉

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