Sights in Kuala Lumpur
We love to do things spontaneously, which often means that we don’t even plan how we will spend our time in a new place until we get there. So, when we arrived in Kuala Lumpur, we only had a very rough idea of what we wanted to do for our 3-month stay in Malaysia. All we knew was that we wanted to see the classics, in both Kuala Lumpur itself, as well as in the rest of the country. During our first days, we just relaxed and enjoyed ourselves. Yay! An apartment, in this marvelous city, for 28 days! But the sights in Kuala Lumpur were found quickly.
James was so happy that he could finally hang up his golf shirts. And I was happy to have a bathroom cabinet where I could unpack my lotions and cosmetics.
After selling our stuff, moving out of our flat, and being on the road full-time, we also learned to appreciate some little things that we used to take for granted… like, a washing machine!
All we had to do was to open the balcony door and put our laundry inside the washing machine. No more searching for a laundromat. And, no more waiting in crazy hot weather or walking back and forth because all the machines were already full!
Just step out onto our balcony!
We were enjoying our time and started to make more detailed plans. And, what came out of it?
See for yourself…
Maybe our plans will be of a little help to you if you are planning to visit KL, which would make us very happy. If you would like to add something, please feel free to leave a comment below. After all, we are still here for a few days!
Day 1
Metro Station: KLCC
Aquaria KLCC
Entrance fee: 59 MYR
We spent three hours here and had a lot of fun. The aquarium is full of lovely details. In our opinion: it’s not only good for kids!
KLCC Park
Entrance: free of charge
KLCC Park is a beautiful place located directly in the city, and it really invites you to linger. After stepping out of the door from your visit to the aquarium, you are basically already there. There is even a little pool for kids. And all of this doesn’t cost a dime!
For those of you who want to take some pictures of the Petronas Towers, you will find some beautiful spots in the KLCC Park.
It is also worth coming during the evenings as there is a light and water show that takes place hourly starting at 6 pm. With the Petronas Towers in the background, it is truly wonderful!
Petronas Towers
Entrance fee: 80 MYR
https://www.petronastwintowers.com.my
Most of the tourists go on their first day to the Petronas Towers, which is absolutely understandable. At 452 meters tall, the landmark of the city was once the tallest building in the world, but currently, it sits at 19th. But it is still the tallest twin towers in the world!
We didn’t go up to the viewpoint, but rather admired the Twin Towers from the park.
For those of you who do want to go up to the viewpoint, it is best if you get your tickets online prior to your visit in order to avoid the long waiting hours. Especially if you are only in KL for a short time.
And for all who would like to go shopping: you can also do that here!
Day 2
Metro Station: Batu Caves
Take the blue line until the end station Batu Caves
Batu Caves
Entrance: free of charge
The Batu Caves were found by tradespersons from India and are the most visited Hindu shrine outside of India!
It is best if you come very early in the morning so you can avoid the masses of tourists.
If you take the train, be sure to watch the timetable, because the train only operates hourly at certain times.
We were so excited to go to the Batu Caves because of the amazing colors. But a big surprise that we didn’t expect was all the monkeys who live in the caves. And they really did steal the show…
It was a pleasure just to watch them. We didn’t bring anything to eat and kept a respectful distance, so they didn’t bother us nor come and try to open our bags.
Many religious people pilgrimage to the Batu Caves. For them, the caves are, of course, the main focus.
Near the Batu Caves train station, you can also find the Ramayana Caves, which are also worth a visit.
The entrance fee is 5 MYR, and – compared to the Batu Caves – are virtually empty.
Day 3
Metro Station: Masjid Jamek
Masjid Jamek
When we travel, we really enjoy visiting buildings as well as religious sites. I think it is the history and architecture that attracts us and brings us back over and over again to mosques, churches, and temples.
The Jamek Mosque is not only the oldest mosque in the city but also lies directly where the rivers Gombak and Klang meet. This location is the birthplace of the KL.
Entrance into the mosque is free, but appropriate clothing, as well as a headscarf for women, is a must.
Sultan Abdul Samad Building
For us, the Sultan Abdul Samad Building is one of the most wonderful buildings in KL!
Drafted by architect A.C. Norman, and finished in 1897, the building was used as an administrative building by the British. Today it serves as a justice building. The Sultan Abdul Samad Building is located at the big square (Dataran Merdeka), where in 1957, for the very first time, the flag for an independent Malaysia was flown! Today you can see the flag on a 95-meter-high mast at the same square.
We spent a lot of time here just taking pictures and enjoying the architecture. We traveled in KL during Ramadan, and there were several tents that unfortunately blocked the view of the building.
The brick building, with its white arches, is just so beautiful that we could have stayed longer.
Dataran Merdeka
Situated directly in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building, many festivities take place at the Dataran Merdeka.
Since we were traveling in Kuala Lumpur during Ramadan, we joined in the Iftar festivities on Saturday evening around the square.
The Malaysian flag was raised at this historical square for the first time in August 1957 when the independence of Malaysia was declared.
Kuala Lumpur City Gallery and I love KL Statue
Close to Dataran Merdeka, you will also find the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery with the famous “I Love KL“ statue.
We didn’t have this on our program, but as it often happens, things that you don’t plan end up being lots of fun.
The entrance is free, and you will find information about KL in an informative movie. For example, we learned that the city is planting 30,000 trees each year and will plant begin planting 100,00 trees by 2020. Definitely a step in the right direction!
We realize that many things in KL are not optimal and that there is a lot more that can be done in protecting the environment. Nevertheless, we really liked this point. There are a lot of cities throughout the world that can take this lead as an example.
Colonial Walk
We haven’t seen it all yet, but the Colonial Walk leads you past the architecturally beautiful buildings built during colonial times.
If you enjoy taking pictures or just enjoying a simple stroll, you will certainly find nice spots here.
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If you are like us and are more on the slow travel side, you can also split the sights and do some on the next day as well:
Metro Station: Pasar Seni
Central Market
The Central Market is an art deco building that was once a marketplace for meat, fruits, and vegetables. The light blue building was built in 1888 and is a well-liked tourist destination today. Inside there are many shops where you can find almost everything, from art to souvenirs to food.
It was very interesting to walk through and see everything.
Chinatown – Petaling Street
We had read that Petaling Street in Chinatown is a “Must“, so we went there to have a look around. There are many stalls, from clothing to food, but it all felt too touristy for us.
But there was one attraction that we really loved, and it is absolutely worth seeing: in a clothing store, they made a small museum that documents with pictures of the history of Chinatown. The entrance is free, and they really did a great job! We could have spent hours there. The name is “Lost in Chinatown“, so be sure to watch out for this shop. A good landmark is the life-sized Bruce Lee statue at the entrance.
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple
Near the end of Chinatown, you will find a real jewel! Built back in 1873, the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in the city! Before entering you take your shoes off and leave them left of the entrance. The fee for keeping an eye on them is 0,20 MYR.
Even though we, unfortunately, don’t know much about the Hindu religion, we love to see the gods and goddesses and admire the architecture of the colorful temples. While we were in the temple, locals were inside praying. They brought their offerings to the gods. It was a ceremony and ended with traditional music.
Day 4
Metro Station: Masjid Jamek
KL Eco Park
A rainforest in the middle of a megacity?? Yes! That is possible! In Kuala Lumpur!
We were overwhelmed by just how lush and silent Ecco Park is. So, if you want to take a stroll in a rainforest, but don’t want to leave the city, you can do it here. Kuala Lumpur is the only city that has a rainforest within the city!
The Canopy Trail is an awesome trail made from suspension bridges that takes you high above the treetops and provides you with outstanding views and great photo-taking opportunities. And something that we didn’t know before going there was that you also get rewarded with beautiful views of the KL Menara Tower.
Upside Down House
At the end of the park, you exit almost directly in front of the Upside-Down House. Just walk towards the KL Menara Tower, then you will have a) a fantastic photo opportunity and b) at the same time the right direction to the Upside-Down House, which is probably fun to visit. But we saved our money though for other priorities.
Entrance fee: 25 MYR
KL Tower Sign + KL Menara Tower
Directly in front of the Upside-Down House, you will also find the “I love KL Tower” sign. Note that there are lots and lots of tour buses that stop here. But you can find time in between the crowds to take a picture of yourself with the sign. For those who like things like that…
Bukit Bintang Walk
At the Bukit Bintang Walk is one fancy store after the other. If you like shopping, we are sure you will be in heaven here! Bukit Bintang is not only known for its big shopping possibilities, but also for the enormous number of restaurants, clubs, and bars.
Ain Arabia
The walk from Bukit Bintang will lead you to a gate that again leads you to Arab Street. We were so hungry for a Kebab as we came to this place. But we forgot that it was during Ramadan, and so we were left standing in front of closed restaurants and empty food stalls.
Continuing our enjoyable walk, we found colorful street art, a huge Arabic teapot, and great neighborhoods!
After Ramadan, we went back to enjoy the delicious flavors of KL!
