Welcome to Kuala Lumpur, a cultural melting pot and the beating heart of Malaysia. Originally a small hamlet founded in 1857 to service the tin mines, this vibrant city is today a stunning blend of modern architecture and historic buildings, reminiscent of its colonial past. Its unique atmosphere is enriched by its diverse population, representing the cultural mosaic of Malaysia.
In this article, updated and enriched since its first version, I invite you to discover Kuala Lumpur. Whether for a quick getaway or an in-depth exploration, this guide will reveal the city's must-sees, from the majestic Batu Caves, a little out of the way, to the unmissable attractions of the urban center.
An urban getaway in a city that attracts more and more visitors every year, even reaching the honorable 6th position in the 2023 ranking of the most visited cities in the world.
Practical Information for Visiting Kuala Lumpur
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, here are some general things to remember:
Local Currency : The Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) is the official currency. Credit cards are widely accepted, but it is advisable to have cash for small shops and markets.
Best Time to Visit : Kuala Lumpur has an equatorial climate with warm temperatures all year round. The months of May to July and December to February are generally drier, but be prepared for occasional showers.
Transport : The city is well-served by public transport, including the light rail transit (LRT), monorail, and buses. Grab (Southeast Asia's equivalent of Uber) is also a convenient option. For travel to and from the airport, the KLIA Ekspres is fast and efficient.
Safety tips : Kuala Lumpur is generally safe, but be vigilant for pickpockets in tourist areas.
Local cuisine : Don’t miss out on sampling the varied local cuisine. From street stalls to fine dining restaurants, you’ll find a fusion of Malay, Chinese and Indian flavours. Dishes to try include Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai and Laksa.
Cultural Advice : Respect local customs, especially in places of worship. Dress modestly when visiting mosques or temples.
Kuala Lumpur highlights on a map
Here is the map showing the centers of interest, with an example of a possible day trip, approximately 8 km of walking if you do it all at once.
To see where the Batu Caves are, just zoom out a bit since the map is centered on the city center by default.
Kuala Lumpur Must-Sees
I'll start with the only outlying site, but easily accessible by train.
Batu caves
After the Petronas Towers, the Batu Caves are certainly the most famous attraction in Kuala Lumpur. This network of cavities is located on the outskirts of the city, about ten kilometers from the center. Nestled in a limestone cliff, the site has been an important place of worship for Hindus for over a century. It is notably dedicated to the divinity called Kârttikeya or Murugan, the god of war, whose imposing 42 m golden statue at the entrance is there to remind us of this.
Monkeys will watch you climb the 272 colorful steps leading up to the main cave. Several buildings are located in this veritable "cathedral" of rock, which stretches over 100 m for an equivalent height. The main temple is located at the end of this gigantic passage, in an area that is more of a chasm than a cave. In addition to monkeys, long-tailed macaques, you can also come across chickens that coexist in this sacred space.
Every year, a pilgrimage takes place, bringing together up to 1,5 million people! They then meet for the Hindu festival of Thaipusam. It is one of the most important places of worship outside India.
Concretely, you have several other caves grouped in this same cliff. At the height of the 204th step, there is a fork leading to the Dark Cave ("dark cave"), which is visited with a guide, because it is not lit and therefore requires torches to travel the 2 kilometers of path through the 6 rooms that make up this cave. On my last visit (2023), the latter was closed to the public, probably under renovation. To visit it, it takes 2 to 3 hours, so you might as well have some time in front of you.
Close to the KTM station, you have another cave on the left, the path to the entrance of which is marked by a large statue of Hanuman and his monkey head. Ramayana Cave, which, as the name suggests, tells the famous Indian epic, also popular in Thailand (called Ramakien here) with flashy paintings and other sculptures. There is an entrance fee.
Finally there is an area called Cave Villa, which offers shows with traditional dance, a mini zoo and also equipped cavities. All of this is paid and rather intended for families. Personally, apart from my limited budget, I did not see the point, so I might as well concentrate on the essentials.
KLCC and Petronas Twin Towers
You may not like cities, but if you like architecture in the broad sense, it is always interesting to take a closer look at this unusual building. If it is above all the headquarters of the Malaysian oil giant, Petronas (hence the name, yes), it is clear that these twin towers have an undeniable appeal.
And we have to admit that they are rather impressive. Let's not forget that at 452 meters, they were the tallest towers in the world for a few years (from its inauguration in 1998 until that of the tower Taipei 101 in 2004). To this day, they remain the tallest twin towers in the world.
Personally, the first time I heard about and saw these towers was while watching the film "Haute Voltige" with the late Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones, far from imagining that I would be at the foot of the latter, a good decade later.
If today they are no longer the largest buildings in the country, replaced by the new Merdeka Tower 118 which reaches a height of 679 m (which has become the 2nd highest in the world after the famous Burj Khalifa), they remain inseparable from the city's landscape and its many skyscrapers.
As an aside, Kuala Lumpur is ranked number 7 in the world in terms of city with the number of towers exceeding 150m (Bangkok is holding its own quite well in 14th place).
While the upper part mainly contains offices, the lower part includes a mall with various entertainment venues and shops. There is also a concert hall, and even a mosque. The upper floors are accessible to tourists, first you have the panoramic walkway (skybridge), visible between the 41st and 42nd floors, at a height of 170 m. There is also an observation deck located at a height of 370 m on the 86th floor.
Note that the primary function of the footbridge is to transfer occupants from one tower to another in the event of a fire, which is still good to know.
Built on the site of a former stadium, the site, which in its entirety is called KLCC for Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, includes behind the towers a large park with pools, one of which serves as a public swimming pool.
Just outside KLCC Park, there is also a somewhat futuristic looking mosque, Asy-Syakirin Mosque KLCCThe latter was, during my last visit, surrounded by major works while a large area to the north of KLCC is being redeveloped, linked to the new yellow metro line, which passes by there.
KL Tower and Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve
Next step, the Kuala Lumpur Tower, soberly called “KL Tower” (or Menara KL in Malay). At 421 meters high, including the antenna, it is a perfect alternative to the Petronas Towers for a superb view of the city, especially since in addition to its height, it is built on top of a small hill. There are actually 3 heights from which to appreciate the surroundings.
The first, called " Tower Walk", allows you to go around the tower (yes, yes...) on a footbridge built just a few steps above the entrance platform. Higher up, you have the classic " Observation Desk", which allows you to admire the city sheltered behind a window and finally at the very top, the " Sky Deck", where you will then be in the open air (therefore, access is prohibited on rainy and stormy days).
There is still a restaurant, Atmosphere 360, the highest restaurant in Malaysia since it is located 282 m above the ground, but the other attractions are renewed and change over time. To this day, you will have near the tower a mini zoo and an "upside down" house (Upside Down House). On the other hand, what does not change and made it for me the main attraction for this area, is the forest reserve of Bukit Nanas (which means pineapple), 9 hectares of tropical forest all around the hill, as the forest was in the region before the establishment of the city of Kuala Lumpur.
Unfortunately, when I first came, it was being redeveloped (mainly adding an aerial walkway) and when I wanted to go back, I forgot that it was a Friday so it was closed...
If you want to know what it looks like you can look at this site (in English) talking about the reserve, renamed to KL Forest Eco-Park : https://www.rainforestjournal.com/a-walk-through-the-bukit-nanas-forest-reserve/.
Masjid Jamek and River of Life
You can't miss it because the mosque is located directly at the metro exit of the station of the same name, Masjid Jamek. This is where you will exit if you plan to go to Merdeka Square located a few steps away.
The mosque was built in 1909, making it one of the oldest in the capital. It is decorated in a Moorish style and was for a long time the main mosque of the city. Its location, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, is not insignificant, as it is here that the first inhabitants of what would become Kuala Lumpur landed. This is also where the name of the city comes from, "Kuala" designates the point where two rivers meet or an estuary, and "Lumpur" can be translated as "mud". Kuala Lumpur therefore means "muddy confluence" in Malay.
You have a pedestrian bridge that allows you to cross the Gombak River and go directly to Merdeka Square. You can also walk along the Klang River on both sides of the banks. In doing so, you can pass behind the Sultan Abdul Samad Palace. This whole area is referred to as the " River of Life"
There is a nice little cafe, although a bit expensive, near the viewpoint of the mosque, at the bridge of Pasar Besar Avenue (the old market). Although the river is now concreted to better channel it, it is nicely laid out, with a lot of greenery and the facades of several old buildings around are decorated with large frescoes. The spot is also known for its installations with a fountain at the end of the triangle of the mosque and a water mist that is projected at regular intervals, giving a special atmosphere to the place.
Independence Square (Merdeka Square)
We arrive in what is a bit like the nerve center, or rather, the historical center of the city. This is especially interesting for all the buildings surrounding it and allows you to have a glimpse of the old Kuala Lumpur. The building that predominates is the old Sultan Abdul Samad Palace, built between 1894 and 1897, which was once a sort of courthouse housing the Federal Court of Malaysia before becoming a building for the government (currently the Ministry of Information, Communication and Culture).
This 160 m long building is recognizable by its tower with a clock in its center and especially by its Mughal architecture (ancient kingdom of India). This contrasts with the one opposite it, the old clubhouse of Selangor (Royal Selangor Club). The Royal Selangor Club was built at the present location in 1890 and served as a meeting place for high-ranking members of British colonial society.
Because yes, let's not forget, Malaysia was part of the British Empire until 1957, the year of its independence. Kuala Lumpur therefore developed mainly under the aegis of the British, hence the presence next to the square of a church (St Mary's Cathedral), built in 1895.
The piece of land that today makes up this square was originally named " Parade Ground", then it became known as " Padang". In 1892, the Acting British Resident Ernest Birch (Resident being a term for an official representative of a colonial power practicing indirect rule, in short, the one who governed the colony), was passionate about cricket. He had the ground smoothed so that it could be used as a cricket ground and for other sports.
The square itself is larger than a football pitch, measuring over 160m long and over 80m wide. At the end of the square is the largest flagpole in the country, where the Malaysian colours have been flying proudly since 1957, on the very spot where the handover ceremony took place, when the British flag was lowered from the same flagpole, which remained there for almost 100 years. However, it was not until October 1989 that the Padang was logically renamed "Dataran Merdeka", Independence Square.
Around this square, besides the buildings already mentioned, you also have other notable constructions. Just before arriving at the square, you have the former headquarters of the Investigation Department of the Federate Malaysian State (FMS, so you will see the term Old FMS Survey Office). Built in 1909 and completed the following year, this elegant building was also designed in Mughal architectural style, also known as Indo-Saracenic architectural style.
It is a hybrid style of neo-Mughal architecture, with a mixture of British neo-classical and neo-renaissance architectural styles. Many public buildings built between the late 19th and early 20th centuries in the British colonies take up this style, primarily in India, but later exported and taken up here in Malaysia, Singapore, but also in Myanmar (Burma).
On the other side, there are two buildings side by side. One is the old building housing the premises of the Chartered Bank of India (a regional branch of the British bank now called Standard Chartered), then the very first bank branch in Kuala Lumpur. Also built in 1909 on the site of an early version of a building that had become too small to handle the many banking operations, the latter is less notable in terms of architecture but was listed as a national heritage building in 2005.
A little anecdote about it, during the major floods of 1926, while the staff continued to work on the floors by being transported there by boat, the safes were under water… Millions of dollars of wet banknotes were then deposited on the Padang (the Merdeka square next door) to dry! It goes without saying that during this process, the square was surrounded by armed guards.
Next to the old bank you have a building open to the public, marked Kuala Lumpur City GalleryNext to it stands a popular structure displaying "I love KL." This building was originally the premises of the old government printing works. Although completed in 1899, it features a Jacobean architectural style typical of the 17th century. Today, it serves as an information center with souvenirs for sale. It also functions as a cultural venue with exhibitions and a craft workshop.
The last notable building in this large area is opposite the former Chartered Bank. What is now a museum on the history of textiles was originally the offices of the Federated Malay States Railway Company (Old FMS Railway Office), with the old Kuala Lumpur main railway station just 700m away.
Again, the building replaced the first version which had become too small and was replaced in 1905. Also of Indo-Saracenic design, a style which was not only fashionable but suited the tropical climate of Malaysia at the time.
National Mosque and Old Railway Station in Kuala Lumpur
Along the Merdeka Square, you can also see some distinguished buildings. As you walk along the Sultan Building to the south, you will pass the Dayabumi Complex, a large building in the shape of an 8-pointed star, a design inspired by Islam.
This imposing tower of 157 m very recognizable, was one of the first skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, appeared at the beginning of the 80s. It is a business center which includes in particular the general post office of Kuala Lumpur and until 2015, included a shopping center today demolished to make way for a new more imposing tower, and yes, Kuala Lumpur is constantly growing!
A stone's throw away is the national mosque of Black Mosque (Masjid which means mosque in Malay). With a capacity of 15 people, it is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. It is rather modern since it dates from 000, so I did not take the time to visit it, prioritizing the older buildings.
My next visit was almost right across the street, where the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station is located. When I say "old", it is mainly because its role is no longer central as it used to be, as the station is still in service. But the new hub of rail transport is now the preserve KL Central, located at the front station.
It is also old, because the building dates back to 1910, and the least we can say is that its architecture is noticeable. When I took the elevated metro and passed by it for the very first time, I thought to myself that I wanted to see this building more closely, without knowing what it was at the time (and for the record, I thought it was a mosque). I was not surprised that the station was 4th on the list of the 26 most beautiful stations in the world, a few years ago.
A first version existed as early as 1885 and therefore lasted only 15 years before being considered obsolete and replaced by the current version. Its character gives the impression of a Neo-Moorish aesthetic, while, here again, we find the characteristics of a Neo-Mughal architecture.
To complete the loop in this area, I joined the front of the station, passing in front of the imposing building which is the KTMB Headquarters (the equivalent of the Malaysian SNCF). If there were already offices for the railway company (which is currently the textile museum mentioned above), its location quickly proved impractical, because it was far from the new station (the one I call above "old station", created in 1911).
It was therefore decided to build new premises just opposite the gleaming Kuala Lumpur station, work on which began in 1914 and was completed in 1917. The 3-storey building, unsurprisingly, adopted the Indo-Saracenic architectural style.
Central Market and Petaling Street (Chinatown)
With its all-blue Art Deco facade, the Central market, known locally as “ Art market", does not go unnoticed. Originally, there was a fresh market a little further north (where the square is located Medan Pass Data). In 1888, it was decided to build a new traditional fresh produce market, ideally located between the station and Merdeka Square, on the other side of the river.
However, the rapid growth of Kuala Lumpur, from 18 inhabitants in the 000s to 1880 by 120, meant that the market had become too small and had to be enlarged. The new Art Deco building was completed in 000 and remained the main source of fresh meat and vegetables for the inhabitants until the end of the 1930s. The development of the city then brought traffic congestion to the area, making the use of the market obsolete, and it was moved to the north of the city (near Batu Caves).
The market then remained vacant for a while and then it was initially considered to demolish it, to make way for a new hotel and office complex, initiated by the same people who would build the Dayabumi Tower. The 80s brought its share of economic problems, and the pressure from the population on the government to preserve the building prevented the Central Market from ending up razed by bulldozers.
It is then converted into a giant art gallery, with a set of shops focused on local crafts and restaurants. It is an ideal place to end the day, you can buy souvenirs, clothes, etc. and above all eat and drink after a day in the humid heat which can be a bit exhausting!
Right next to the parallel market, you have a small covered alley, with an atypically designed roof. This stretch of street of less than 100 m is called Kasturi Walk, and serves as a flea market.
Just 200m from there you will come to the entrance to another covered alley, Petaling Street. This shopping street is longer than Katsuri Walk, as it stretches for almost 300 m. You are then in the heart of Chinatown, because obviously, like any self-respecting big city, there is also a Chinatown there.
In this area, you will find architecture typical of these regions, which can even be found up to Phuket town, a city that also developed thanks to the mining industry and its massive exploitation by Chinese immigrants.
As such, Petaling Street is a shopping mall with a bit of everything but lacking in interest, especially since the street gets busy from 17pm. On the other hand, if you are not familiar with Asia and more particularly with Chinese temples and sanctuaries, this can be an opportunity to see some in this area.
A stone's throw from the entrance, for example, you have the Without Sze Si Ya Temple, and on a street parallel to Petaling, the little tGuan Di sample, where moreover in this same street Jalan Tun HS Lee, you have the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sri Maha Mariamman, dating from the 19th century, recognizable by its large, richly sculpted, colorful tower.
For my part, I extended my walk some 200 m further than Petaling Street and landed in front of the Chan She Shu Yuen Clan Ancestral Hall. While it looks and also acts as a Chinese temple, its primary function is as an associative place. It is a very common meeting place among Chinese migrants, a clan association being a kind of club for people with the same surname which, in this case, is 'Chan' and 'Chen' whose names are written using the same Chinese characters.
The association's main goal is to help new immigrants settle in, find work, etc. This hall was built between 1899 and 1906 in the Cantonese style, where the clan originated from. Since my last visit, its façade has changed from green to gray, and the building now stands practically at the foot of the country's tallest tower (Merdeka 118).
It was in front of this clan house that I came across a group of young schoolchildren and from which I took a portrait of a young girl, which I am quite happy with.
Kampung Baru area and Saloma Bridge
Latest addition and new to Kuala Lumpur. The Kampung Baru district is located somewhere on the other side of the ring road, not far from the twin towers. It is accessible in particular by the new metro, from the Raja Uda station, by which I arrived.
It was by seeing a photo on Instagram (as much as the influence of the app is criticized, and I am quite critical of its excesses, it is sometimes good for discovering new places) that I discovered this working-class neighborhood which has the advantage of offering a very local setting, with traditional wooden houses and a partial view of the city center, offering a very photogenic contrasting setting.
It was more specifically in the small street of Jalan Syed Mahadi and its neighbor, Jalan Salleh, that I went to get the series of photos below. I met a gentleman there who approached me, while the latter was visiting family. A little curious, he asked me the classic questions where I came from and what brought me to this quiet neighborhood.
It was in order to reach the city center that I happened to come across the city's new attraction (at least "sold" as such), the Saloma Bridge (locally Pintasan Saloma). I walked along the ring road for about 700 m and it was the first bridge I crossed to go back to the other side.
It is a pedestrian and cyclist bridge, with elevator access (which I used, because I admit I was lazy at the time…), which spans both the ring road and the Klang River. The entire bridge is not long, only 69 m, but it has an architectural design inspired by betel leaves. It allows you to reach the heart of the city and its Petronas towers, KLCC and therefore proves to be a connection between the old and modern Kuala Lumpur.
The view is indeed nice, as you can see the old quarter behind, and on the other side of the bridge, there is a large Muslim cemetery that spreads over more than 5 hectares, offering a striking contrast with the contemporary buildings just behind.
Getting around Kuala Lumpur
As you will have understood by reading this article, the king of transport in Kuala Lumpur is the metro. With 12 lines to date mixing underground, overhead metro, monorail and suburban train (KTM), you will be able to see all the essentials of the city thanks to the rail network.
Combined with walking, there is little need to take a taxi, which allows for significant savings, as the metro is cheap, with each journey costing on average €0.5 to €1 depending on the distance.
To help you find your way around, here is a map (updated to 2023) with all the metro lines:
To get to your next destination in the peninsula, KL Sentral will again be your point of contact. You will have both trains and long-haul buses.
This is also where you will have to go if you want to take the bus to reach the international airport (for the record, last time, I was unable to find the bus station, because by following the signs I ended up in the neighboring shopping center and then I ran out of time so I had to fall back on the more expensive KLIA Ekspres…)
If you want to book in advance, you can try the search tool below but it seems limited for buses, so the best thing is to go to the website Bus Online Tickets.
Getting to the city centre from the international airport (KLIA)
There are two convenient ways to reach the city centre. The fares below are to reach KL Sentral, the central arrival point, from where you can easily take a metro to your hotel.
- Bus (Express Coach) : departure every 30 minutes, 10 RM per adult (18RM if you take a round trip)
- Train (KLIA Express) : departure every 20 to 30 minutes depending on the schedule, 55 RM per adult (100 RM for round trip)
For the train, even if you have to pay more, make sure it is the express version, which goes to KL Sentral without stops, the version with stops being the KLIA Transit (the cost is the same). By train, the express version allows you to reach the center in just 30 minutes while it takes a good hour by bus.
Where to stay in Kuala Lumpur
An article about visiting Kuala Lumpur would not be complete without offering accommodation options, well, just one option, because it seems more relevant to me to offer my last hotel tested.
For less than €40 (I got a great deal), I had a good standard of accommodation, well located facing the greenery of Bukit Nanas and close to a metro station. I was also looking for a hotel with a nice view and even if the architecture around the pool made it difficult to see straight ahead, there was still a view to the side from the bar.
Santa Grand Signature Kuala Lumpur
Budget: from €45
Very well located not far from a metro station (Dang Wangi), the hotel faces Bukit Nanas and the hill where the tower is located. It is modern, hearty breakfast and turns out to be very good value for money. Bonus, swimming pool and small bar on the roof.
To find many more options, you can give the blog a helping hand by booking your accommodation via the search tool below:
9 Comments
Hello. While in KL for work, the bad news of a one-day delay to my return flight turned into an opportunity to explore the city. I meticulously followed your suggested itinerary, which allowed me to have a fantastic walk and see as much as possible in record time. Thank you! It was truly wonderful.
Hello,
Thank you for this feedback! It's always gratifying to see advice applied and especially appreciated!
Masjid means mosque in Arabic, not Malay. Don't talk nonsense!
Be careful not to confuse the origin of a word with its use. Masjid is indeed the word used in Malay to designate a mosque, and certainly the origin of the word is Arabic. It is like all French words of English origin that we use and vice versa, a word can have a meaning in a language of origin and keep this same meaning in its own language.
great advice thank you very much I'm spending the day tomorrow in KL I'm hesitating now between the center or the beaten cave I'm lost!!!!
Seeing a bit of both during the day remains entirely possible… What was the choice in the end?
I'm going to Kuala Lumpur for a day soon and I loved your article! Thanks for the advice 😉
Thank you! Enjoy your visit to Kuala Lumpur!
I also loved Putrajaya not far from KL, its architecture is worth the detour. 😉