I thought it’s about time I wrote a post like this, now that I’ve been in Kuala Lumpur for almost a year (on and off).
Over these months, I’ve had some friends visit, which requires me to brainstorm a list of things to do/eat for them. And some people who happen to find my blog also ask for suggestions. I’m by nooooo means an local expert, but so I don’t have to repeat myself over and over, I figured I’d put it all in one post!
For this guide, I’m only focusing on the city center, because I’m guessing this is where most visitors will stay. And most people only pass through KL for a few days, so I’m sure this is way more than enough options to fill your time! I may write something later on other areas outside of the city center.
A bit about my KL experience: I first came as a tourist, and long story short, it resulted in me meeting a local guy, which resulted in me living in KL for most of the year (while that relationship is over now, I stayed). I spent about 2 months living in the city center in Bukit Bintang, and then moved out to live in one of the suburbs. These suggestions are based on what’s popular to do as a tourist and things I learned from locals.
*Note: If this article was useful to you, download this article on GPSMyCity here, for a GPS-guided map that you can use offline.
Where to Stay
Kuala Lumpur is a very large city. There’s the busy city center, which most people will know as where the famous Petronas Twin Towers are located. Then there are dozens of suburban neighborhoods.
Honestly, I enjoy the neighborhoods a lot more. These places are more laid back and bursting with small local businesses, great food, and innovative cafes. And 95% of locals will also say that they NEVER go into the city unless they absolutely have to.
But I still feel like that for your first time in KL, the city center is a good place to be. Just because it’s close to things to do. And it may be easier for you to find food fast too. You can always Uber to visit one of the neighborhoods.
It seems like that the most popular options for staying in the city center are:
- close to KLCC (the twin towers)
- close to Changkat Bukit Bintang (the popular bar street)
- close to Chinatown
I only recommend staying close to Changkat Bukit Bintang. The Chinatown area is sketchy and the KLCC area is rather dead and you won’t find much within walking distance.
There’s a ton going on in Bukit Bintang
Bukit Bintang is Kuala Lumpur’s famed entertainment and shopping district. There’s a ton of stuff to do/eat here. You’ll be walking distance to Changkat Bar Street, Pavilion Shopping Center, Lot 10, and Jalan Alor Food Street (don’t worry, I’ll go over what each is!).
There’s an abundance of hotels, hostels, and airbnbs in the city center. And all for relatively cheap too! Always wanted to stay in a high rise luxury condo with an infinity pool? Yep, experience that in KL for just $35/night.
What to do
Petronas Towers: Okay this one is obvious. The towers are only one of the most recognizable landmarks in the entire world. They are pretty glorious, especially when they’re all lit up at night. Personally, I’ve never been up to the bridge (170m above ground), because just enjoying them from the ground is pretty good already.
In the evenings, the park behind the towers have a dancing water show with lights. I believe it’s every hour on the hour. It’s fun to catch it if you happen to be there (such as doing shopping in KLCC).
My verdict: Yes, see it, but not necessary to go up. Tickets are 85rm (or about US $20) to go up to the pedestrian bridge.
picture taken at night, but obviously go during the day
KL Tower: This is the 4th tallest communications tower in the world! Now if you do want to go up something tall to see a view of the city, I’d recommend going up KL Tower. Because 1) the observation deck is muuuuuch taller at 276m, 2) you see the Petronas Towers from here, and 3) it’s way cheaper.
Tip: If you go really early in the mornings, like 9 am, you’ll have the entire place to yourself (verified by more than a couple of friends).
My verdict: Yes, this is probably really fun to do! I believe tickets are only 38rm (less than US $10).
Confession: I actually haven’t done this yet… though I want to! I’m waiting until my family visits me to take them to do this!
Chinatown (Petaling Street): This is basically a street with a ton of hawkers on each side selling crap cheap stuff. Honestly, nothing too exciting here. But you could make it a worthwhile expedition by checking out the food court or other restaurants here. Or better yet! – go eat at my favorite Indian restaurant nearby (I’ll get to it in a bit).
My verdict: Maybe worth it go check it out once, but meh.
KL Botantical Garden and Bird Park: If you’re in need of a green escape, there is a huge botanical garden in the center of KL. It’s a nice way to get away from the city, but good luck not sweating your head off :P.
Inside the large garden is the KL Bird Park. This is the world’s largest free-flight aviary. You’ll get up and personal to free-roaming storks, crested pigeons, parrots, etc. I’ve been meaning to write a blog post on this!
My verdict: The Bird Park is FUN! If you want to do something different for an afternoon, not a bad way to spend a few hours!
Changkat Bar Street: One of the most notorious bar streets in Kuala Lumpur. This one-block street is lined with bars and restaurants on both sides. It get super rowdy at night, with the restaurants all having happy hour deals and “ladies nights”. It’s not really my scene, but there are some of KL’s famous establishments here, such as Opium and Whiskey Bar. Just be careful, stuff here is expensive!
My verdit: Nope. This isn’t my scene because I don’t really drink or party, but you may have a good time. If you’re more like me, you will enjoy quieter places like Pisco (yes, legit pisco sours) or Taps Beer Bar more. Both of these places are just 1 block away from the rowdy bar street.
Source: Trailing Rachel
Batu Caves: Honestly, this is one of the only “touristy” activities to do in Kuala Lumpur. Every single traveler who comes to KL go to the Batu Caves. And almost every single local has never been there*. Ever. (*Based on every local I’ve talked to at least…)
The Batu Caves is about 40 minutes outside of the city and easily reachable by train. It’s famous for the giant golden statue and the almost 300 steps leading into a limestone cave. Every year, one of Malaysia’s most famous holidays – Thaipusam – is celebrated here, where Hindu devotees walk all night from Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves.
My verdict: Nope, never been and not interested either. It may be interesting to go during Thaipusam, if only it’s not so damn crowded.
Okay maybe I’m being a little harsh. But honestly, it is true that there is just not a whole lot to do in Kuala Lumpur. Maybe just stick to eating instead :P (coming up later!!).
Shopping malls
If you don’t already know, shopping is a huge part of KL. If you ask a local what there is to do in KL, they’ll say “Just eat, drink, and shop.” So this is why I’m breaking out the malls into its own section. If you do happen to need to replenish your wardrobe, then KL is a great place to do it!
Here are some of the more notable malls in the city center, as well as some suggestions of things to do there (not shopping).
I don’t know why I never take pictures of the inside, so here’s a pic of the outside fountain area again.
KLCC: This is the huge mall right under the twin towers. It’s got a lot of designer and mid-level stores. Honestly I don’t really like coming here. It’s super crowded all the time and it doesn’t have the kind of stores I like.
There is a huge aquarium here – called Aquaria. I haven’t been yet, but locals say it’s definitely worth visiting. It’s got a bunch of exhibits featuring marine life from all over the world. This is on my list of things to see here in KL!
Pavilion: This is a huge mall on Bukit Bintang street. It’s got a good mix of high-end and lower-end clothing stores. Mainly I just like that it’s not too crowded ever.
It also has some nice places to eat. The basement food court is huge and you can probably find something to satisfy any craving. Or if you want Malay food, you can try Madame Kwan (a Malay restaurant chain that’s popular with locals). The food mezzanine has some nice restaurants, and there’s even a Din Tai Fung here.
And of course, the malls are always a good place to watch the latest movies! A ticket only costs about US $4.
Starhill Gallery: This shopping center is right across from Pavilion. If you see the futurist-looking Sephora, that’s part of Starhill Gallery. This is probably KL’s most luxurious mall. If you’re in the area, you may want to just walk through it once to see how fancy it is. The basement food level also has some of the fanciest restaurants in the city.
Sungei Wang: I love this shopping center! This is located just behind Lot 10. This is where you want to come if you want to get a cheap haircut and/or mani/pedi. This mall has all local shops, so you can find clothes for super cheap (everything from basics to current street fashion to fancy dresses). It’s even worth ubering from outside the city to come here to shop and get pampered for cheap!
Berjaya Times Square: This mall is just weird, but it has the most character. Every level has a different theme, such as Little Taipei or Central Park. And there’s even an indoor amusement park on the 7th floor (though none of the rides seemed to be open when I went). This mall also has a lot of local clothing stalls so you can find really cheap stuff. Think $5 shirts.
Where to eat
Kuala Lumpur is my favorite city for eating! I curated this list carefully to include all my favorites (as well as a wishlist one!), and to give a balanced list of rec’s for all the different types of dining experiences you can have in KL.
This isn’t a list of what dishes to eat in Kuala Lumpur (that’ll come next). This is just a list of good places to eat at for your first time in the city.
Lot 10 Hutong (best food court): This is one of my favorite recommendations! And thanks to CL for letting me know about it!
This basement food court is in the Lot 10 mall (that ugly old green building down the block from Pavilion). It’s one of the best in the area. When it was built, they asked a lot of the most famous hawker stalls in KL to set up a branch there. As a result, you get a lot of the “best of KL” eats all under one roof (albeit all in a slightly poorer version). But the food is still amazing.
Jalan Alor (for Chinese street food): This is the most popular street food street in Bukit Bintang. In the evenings, this street gets crazy busy when all the streetside restaurants open for business. A good rule of thumb is to just go wherever it’s busy.
And a must try? The grilled stingray. It’s quite good. :)
Betel Leaf (for Indian food): Indian food is amazing in KL. And one of the most popular ones in town is Betel Leaf, located near to Chinatown. A few locals have recommended this to me, so you know it’s popular with them as well. Just one word of caution: this place means business when they say spicy!
Address: 77a, Leboh Ampang, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
Madame Kwan (for normal Malay food): I’ve mentioned this earlier, but I figure I’ll put it here again in case you missed it. Madame Kwan is a very popular Malay food chain restaurant. Locals all agree that the food is very decent. You’ll find your typical Malay foods such as nasi lemak (pictured) and curry laksa.
Where: All malls will usually have a Madame Kwan restaurant. There’s one in the basement food level in Pavilion.
Bijan (for fancy Malay food): This place is fancier (as in, maybe you’ll spend US $25 per person, haha!) but it’s a great way to experience Malay food. The food is all made very delicately with well balanced flavors. I first heard of it from my airbnb host, and I was surprised to discover what a popular place this is. I went here with Upasna and we both really loved it.
Address: 3-5, Seri Bukit Ceylon, 8 Lorong Ceylon Off, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
It’s right off of Changkat Bar Street, so it’s super easy to get to if you’re staying around this area.
here’s when Rachel and I went. I don’t know how I managed to make the food look so unappetizing, but trust me, it’s really good!
NZ Garden Cafe (for mamak food): Mamaks are staples in Malaysia culture. They’re basically 24/7 Indian-Muslim eateries serving quick, freshly cooked meals. They can be a little intimidating to go to because the menus will all be in Malay and you won’t understand. But this one is a “fancier” mamak with menus in English.
This was introduced to me by a local. And yes a ton of locals eat here at all hours of day. The food is fantastic. Come here to get all your local food like roti canai, tandoori chicken, and fried rice.
Address: Jalan Ampang, Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Kitty-corner from KLCC, so this is a great place to visit if you happen to be doing some shopping there.
Village Park (for nasi lemak): You can’t come to Malaysia and NOT eat nasi lemak – the national dish! Now, this is the ONLY place I’m recommending that’s outside of the city center, but it’s soooo worth it to Uber there.
Village Park is the most popular nasi lemak in KL. Almost all locals will bring visitors here to eat. They have a lot of things on the menu, but EVERYONE gets just one dish: the nasi lemak with fried chicken (ayam goreng).
I don’t know how they make it so good. The chicken is fried with some kind of magical spiced crust. It’s nice and crispy on the outside, while being tender inside. Trust me, if you want to eat real nasi lemak, make it this one! This place is usually PACKED on weekends and doesn’t start to empty until 4 pm.
Address: 5, Jalan SS 21/37, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
About 30 minutes from the city center by car.
Troika Tower (for fine dining): If you want a fancy “dining in the sky” experience, one of the best is the view from the restaurants in Troika Tower. You get a direct view of the glittering Petronas Towers. I really wanted to eat here (Fuego is a popular restaurant here), but never managed to. And then I moved away from Bukit Bintang, so now I’m too lazy to go into the city center if I don’t need to :P.
Address: Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
*By the way, all these places are on Google Maps if you just type in the name. And they’re all in Uber too!
Other things to know:
- Currency: The currency here is the ringgit (rm), which as of the time of publishing: 1 US$ = 4.4rm. Most cafes and restaurants will accept credit card. Food courts and hawker stalls are cash only.
- Language: Malay is the official language, but English is the universal language.
- Getting around: Public transportation sucks in Kuala Lumpur. But no worries, because Uber (or Grab Car) is super cheap and convenient.
- Transport from airport: This is super easy. You can either take a bus from the airport to KL Sentral, and then take an Uber to your place, or just Uber from the airport for about US $20. The airport is about 1 hour away.
- Dress: Yes this is a Muslim country, but you can dress however you want and no one will bat an eye. The rules don’t apply if you’re not Malay.
- Weather: It rains a LOT in KL. You’ll be lucky if it doesn’t rain at all on your trip! I can’t figure out what’s the wet season and dry season, so just be prepared for rain and flash thunderstorms at any time of the year! (Actually, I think the dry season may be Jan – April.)
- Tipping: Not a custom. If you’re eating at a proper restaurant, 10% service charge will automatically be added to your bill. And there is no tipping for services like massage, mani/pedi, haircut, etc.
- Safety: I have never ever felt unsafe in KL. Of course just practice common sense (especially in crowded areas), such as wearing your bag across your body, not leaving your phone on the table, etc.
Have you been to Kuala Lumpur? Anything else to add to this list??
Come to think of it, this probably should have been like 3 separate posts….
If you’ve found this article helpful, you can download it on GPSMyCity here. You can get a GPS-guided map that you can use offline (so even if you don’t have a local SIM card, you can still find these places!). This means you can waste less time plotting on a map, and more time exploring and eating!
<3 yayy we're definitely going to the KL tower and shop and eat! and definitely going to go to that futuristic Sephora!!! <3 <3
Hahahah stuff in Sephora in the US is cheaper than here. And yep, we’ll do all this, but you’ll also get my personalized tour of places outside of the city center!
I don’t know if I’ll ever make it here, but it certainly looks beautiful and I would love to see the Batu Caves! Which btw, I think is incredibly strange that none of the locals have ever been to see it! How could they not go? It’s stunning! But I know, that when you live near something like this, you take it for granted and overlook it because its normal. #WanderfulWednesday
Hahah yeah maybe it is just something with living so close and it’s just normal culture to them. But I think people are also too lazy to climb those steps in the heat :P. And they say it’s dirty and smelly there with monkeys, roaches, and bats, haha.
35 Dollars a night to stay a in a hotel like that? I definitely need to head over there asap!!! :)
Oh actually, that picture wasn’t a hotel! It was from my airbnb rental. But there are sooooo many nice high rise condos with infinity pools. And you can rent a room for super cheap!
First thing: damn those buildings are tall in that first photo. Second: that’s an incredible amount of info and I’ll definitely be looking at it if I ever come to KL.
Those are one of the tallest buildings in the world :). Hehe I realized I probably should have put it in multiple posts to be more digestable, but this is basically like an all-in-one guide for anyone coming to KL for the first time!
Yes!! This is a brilliant post and just what I need if/ WHEN I get to visit KL! Love getting insight from someone who lives there. I just hope I can find a veggie option when I go to NZ Garden cafe for nasi lemak!! (?)
I hope you get here someday! I really love it here…. and of course let me know if you do ever come! Most Malay-Indian places will have a ton of veggie options so no worries there! As for nasi lemak – the most basic version is rice, egg, and the spicy paste, which is a shrimp paste, so I think that’s not veggie already?
I’m a bird fanatic – literally typing this with my pet bird on my shoulder – so I’m so excited to hear about the world’s largest free-flight aviary! I’d love to read a post about it and see more photos!! #wanderfulwednesday
Oh you’d love the bird park then! The birds just wander around freely. But the more rare ones like parrots are still in cages. And how cute! Pet bird! I used to have 2 budgies when I was little, and i looooved them!
Lovely guide for the first time visitor to KL, Anna. And, I did stay at a place close to Bukit Bintang on my first visit. I particularly liked KL for its food.
KL is seriously the best for food! I can never get bored of eating here. Bukit Bintang is definitely a good place to stay for a visit, but I got bored of living there after a while! It was just too busy all the time.
Bit disappointing – too many “I’ve never beens” would’ve preferred an Insider guide to your favourite areas
Awww I hope you get to come back someday! If you do, don’t hesitate to let me know, and I’ll give you more tips. :)
Wow, an amazing guide to what really does sound like a fantastic city! So many nice eateries and things to see!
I love having people to visit as it makes you look beyond your eye day spots and find some new ones :)
Me too! I always love getting visitors. That’s another thing I really like about KL. It’s a popular spot on the SEA trail, so lots of people come, and I love when I can meet blog friends in person!
I have been to KL and I went into the Petronas Towers and up the 44 floors, it was good, but when I return I do plan to take your advice and go up the KL Tower! I enjoyed the bird park as well and, at the time when I went to Batu Caves, I don’t recall being bowled over but as it’s a must see, when I return I will do it again in case there was something I had missed (I had just been to Thailand so maybe didn’t have the right “head on”). I also want to check out more of the food areas so you have provided some fantastic options here! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this post together, it really is great advice for the first time visitor (or 2nd time like me!) so I have pinned for future reference #feetdotravel
Please let me know when you guys get here and if you’ll have time to meet up! I am ALWAYS up for eating & exploring together. :) As for Batu Caves.. honestly, I think I’m just lazy. And I trust locals when they say there’s nothing to see, haha .
We’ve never been to KL, but maybe one day we will on a stopover. Thanks for putting together this comprehensive guide, really great tips and ideas, I will certainly pin your post for the future. Oh and grilled stingray?! wow.
Oh the grilled stingray is surprisingly good! Really tender and no fishiness at all. But I did feel a little bit bad that I was eating such a beautiful creature. I hope you guys make it here someday! I really love this city a lot. :)
I’m afraid you missed out on another selling point of KL Tower, Anna. Correct me if I’m wrong – it’s been a while since I was last in the city – but KL Tower has a rotating/revolving restaurant that allows you to have a panoramic view of the entire city centre.
It’s true, though. Us locals rarely venture into the city largely because of the traffic congestion and chaos on the roads, sigh.
Hi Ciana! Thanks so much for stopping by! :) Yes I’ve heard of the rotating restaurant. It sounds like a great dining experience, but yikes, very expensive, I imagine!
Not to worry, Anna! I’m not sure about the pricing, though.
Looks like an interesting place to visit. The food looks amazing! You took some great pics. Would like to visit some of the more off the beaten path places that aren’t so crowded. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lisa :). The food is soooo good in KL. I can’t wait to put together a post of what dishes to eat! A lot of the stuff on this list here is touristy,, but that’s because KL really only has a few things to do. And I tried to think of stuff that would be interesting + easy for people to get to.
Thanks for sharing. This post is useful to me as I will be going to KL for 2 days in a few days. I am still thinking about the Batu Caves but I will try the food for sure.
Haha you know my opinion on Batu Caves! If you’re just here for 2 days, I would probably just spend the time eating :). Have a good time KL, and feel free to message me if you have any questions!
I really enjoyed my time in KL. And I would also recommend Bukit Bintang as a great area to stay in. I will pin this as I think you have covered a lot of good info!
Thanks! KL is a really fun city, isn’t it. :) And it seems like that you guys covered so much more on your visit than I did in almost a year, hahah.
Really useful as hoping to stop off there for a day or so! Pinning!! Thanks
Thanks Tracy! And have fun when you’re here!!
Great post full of useful information. Have pinned for future reference. #feetdotravel
Thanks guys! I appreciate it!
What a comprehensive post! Love how informative it is! Definitely pinned for future reference. Hotel with an infinity pool for $35/night? Yes, please!
To be fair, i think the $35/night is more for a airbnb rental in a luxury high-rise condo. :) It is definitely a GREAT price to experience something you usually wouldn’t get to!
That’s perfectly fine with us! We paid that much for airbnb in some other countries and it was just a regular apartment or room in a house without an infinity pool lol
A very useful and comprehensive guide and just makes me wonder what I’ve been doing in KL on all my previous visits! I’ve been 8 times but still have so much to see and do (and eat!). Thanks very much for sharing!
Oh wow, 8 times!! I think that seriously you can be in KL for a long long time and not experience everything there is to eat, but you’d definitely need some local insider tips.
A really informative post Anna. So many great things to see and do ! I love architecture and the tall buildings, especially at night are very appealing to me. I have pinned for future use :-)
Thanks Sam! KL is such a fun city and there’s so much to discover about it! Only thing is… I can never call it a pretty city. :)
What the f***??!! They’re charging for the Twin Towers bridge now?? I’ve never been up there myself but back then (10 years ago) it was because it was free and they only give out like 100 tickets per day so you’ll have to be super early, like 6am early to get it.
Batu Caves, I’ve been there… 20 years ago. It is a place which I will recommend to tourists, but will refuse to go with them. I’m more crowd intolerant than you, I think…
I’m heat-and-climbing-stairs intolerant, haha. But seriously, I don’t think I’ve spoken to any locals (who aren’t uber drives) who’ve been there. And yeah, I heard that the twin towers bridge used to be free! Not anymore… but also just heard something about they bring you up to the highest viewing point too, so I guess you do get to be higher than the KL Tower.
haha i was like how is that candy floss floating in the air?? Thank you for such a great guide! I’d love to visit Kuala Lumpur one day, it’s on my Asian bucket list :) And also, how amazing that they have Pisco, I’m a huge fan! :)
I hope you make it here someday! And I will totally give you the personalized tour if I happen to be here!
I think KL seriously have everything you can find (weeeell, except for really authentic Mexican food hehe)… it’s so international! That’s why it’s so hard to leave here!
Yay! I pinned this before I even read it ;) thanks for this guide, always good to hear from someone who’s actually lived in a place rather than getting sucked into the touristy stuff (like the caves, which I’m not sure would be up my alley either). All the different food options sound great, other than stuffing my face I’d say either of the tower options and the bird park sound great. Thanks for this! I may well be referring back to it frequently if we do end up stopping by :)
Oh seriously, EVERY single tourist goes to the caves and locals all say they’d never go. I think it’s just because there is really not much to do tourist-wise in KL, so the caves seem like *something* to do. But I’d rather spend my time just eating. I think there will be a LOT of gluten free options here for you too!
Have you been to Bukit Ampang? Nice view of the whole KL at night and there’s a lot of food stall open beside the streets. It is a popular place to hang out for locals.
Hey Anna thanks for the great guide I’ve been looking around the internets for guides like this one :) I’m going to Singapore and KL in a few weeks, and deciding what to do and see while in KL for 3-4days(yeah I know not long enough), so this has helped.
Hi anna, i am Australian and am currently Working here civil and rail designer and trying to give KL an open mind. But my first day was a shocker.
The rain didnt bother me. Used to tropics in Australia and the heat.
Arrived at petaling markets, within 5mins Got hit on by a young korean lady.. Tried to follow me.. I laughed. Then a ghana man wanted to be my friend. Asked me for my number to do business in future. Made me laugh harder. Then every dodgy bugger tried hard to ripp me off.
A young indian fella who i caught in the mirror tried to steal my wallet (laughs on him.. I never carry too much and travel very smart… Now i am a 6ft1and 100kg and look intimidating i have been told. So when i turned when he did the reach well he bolted. So after all that initial fun i went to chowkit markets
So now the place due to the heavy rain well lets just say the smell i wanted to head back to the eastin.
Now i thought i will catch a cab…. Nah not at 50rm the cabbie tried wanted to charge me.
So while i was searching on grab near train station near chowkit i got harrased by the local polisi…. Fully armed police in uniform… They thought i was taking pics of people or building who knows? … Luckily the malay officer i eventually showed him the grab app… I was in the clear…. Got in grab cab. .. 14rm back to eastin.
Oh and nearly fell through dodgy pavement too.
Universe was playing games with me today.
If you ever feel like showing someone around some better places let me know as i wish to have my now negative thougts changed about this city… I loved your comments very similar to how i think.
Cheers
Colin.