Dig in and discover the highlights of this underrated Asian city.
Sections
Why go to Kuala Lumpur?
Kuala Lumpur is a feast for the senses. Think gleaming skyscrapers and steaming street food stalls; serene Taoist temples and rainbow-coloured Hindu shrines; and cavernous mega-malls and hectic night markets.
When it’s safe to travel again, Malaysia’s exciting capital should shoot to the top of your bucket list.
Kuala Lumpur neighbourhoods
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
KLCC is the capital’s glitzy heart. It’s the place to go for a shopping trip with supermalls – such as Pavilion and Suria KLCC – housing brands from Zara and Muji to Armani and Versace.
But it’s not all shopping. Hidden amid the malls and skyscrapers, there’s culture in the mix too. Catch a classical concert at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas and peruse international works at Petronas Art Gallery. KLCC Park, at the centre of it all, has spectacular views of the iconic Petronas Towers from ground level.
Chow Kit
Chow Kit is the anti KLCC. Instead of suited bankers and expats, this largely residential area is home to your average Kuala Lumpur resident. High-end fashion makes way for second-hand clothing stores, and air-conditioned malls for its labyrinthine local market.
Intense, hectic and brilliantly colourful, Bazaar Baru Chow Kit is a must-visit. You’ll find mountains of tropical fruit and gigantic king prawns on ice, plus clothing, electricals and other bric-a-brac. After the market, take a walk through Kampung Baru, a traditional Malay village.
Bukit Bintang
KL’s liveliest spot for a night out, Bukit Bintang is filled with bars, pubs and restaurants offering both casual and super high-end dining.
READ MORE: 5 reasons to visit Yogyakarta, Indonesia's culture capital
Be it cocktails or all-night clubbing, most of the scene is centred around Changkit, a small grid of streets to the south of Bukit Bintang. Try The Rabbit Hole, a fairy-tale-themed bar, and Chinese restaurant Opium for cocktails. For something a little easier on the bank balance, head to Jalan Alor, the city’s famous open-air street food night market.
Bangsar
Bangsar is KL’s answer to London’s Shoreditch and is the place to head for flat whites, wood-fired pizza and independent boutiques. It’s compact, easily walkable and has a laid-back vibe – more boho village than bustling metropolis.
Spend the day hopping between fashion stores and your evening between cocktail bars. Drink at Three X Co (Level 3, Bangsar Shopping Centre), a speakeasy-style bar serving custom cocktails, and eat at Proof Pizza + Wine (29 Jalan Riong), specialising in the aforementioned pizza. Shop at Merchant & Sisters (8A Jalan Batai), a chic thrift-store-style boutique dealing in cool, casual street wear.
Top things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Twin Towers
The spectacular centrepiece of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline, the Petronas Twin Towers are rivalled by few structures when it comes to pure wow factor. Still the tallest twin buildings on the planet – the pair were ousted as the world’s tallest towers in 2004 – they reach a dizzying height of 1,483 feet (452m), which you can appreciate in all its vertigo-inducing glory from the 86th-floor observation deck.
Not got quite such a head for heights? Settle for the Skybridge on the 41st floor instead. A mere 558 feet (170m) above street level, the walkway still offers some incredible views out over the city.
For the best vistas of the towers themselves, head over to SkyBar at the top of Traders Hotel – when the Twin Towers light up for the night, there’s no better spot in KL.
Museum of Islamic Art
This extensive museum touches on art from all corners of the Islamic world, with particular focus on Malaysia’s three most prominent cultures: Malay, Indian and Chinese. It houses a mighty collection of over 10,000 artefacts, spread over two floors of open gallery space, and you’ll find Islam in its myriad beautiful forms. Pore over everything from intricate North African swords and miniature portraits of Mughal emperors to a Quran so small its cover holds a tiny magnifying glass.
As well as the permanent galleries, there are three temporary exhibitions on rotation.
READ MORE: The world's most beautiful museums
Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park
Sprawling over 70 hectares, the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park is Kuala Lumpur’s vast green lung. Take a break from the mega-city madness and stroll around the park’s placid central lake – its shores are dotted with the beautifully landscaped plots of the Perdana Botanical Gardens.
Within the park, you’ll also find the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, an enormous aviary home to some 3,000 hooting, squawking and chirping birds. The park is split into four zones, the most impressive being Zones 1 and 2, a huge walk-through enclosure where birds fly free above your head.
Chinatown
Focused around Petaling Street and its busy open-air market, Chinatown is the chaotic, no-frills ying to KLCC’s hyper-polished, upscale yang. Traditional two-floor shophouses replace skyscrapers, while malls make way for temples, Chinese food halls and all manner of knock-off merchandise.
It’s lively any time of day, but the atmosphere is best as the sun sets pink over KL and the street food vendors of Jalan Sultan and Petaling begin to fire up their grills. For sightseeing, don’t miss Sin Sze Si Ya Temple, the city’s oldest Taoist shrine, and the Central Market, a former wet market turned craft fair.
READ MORE: A complete guide to Singapore
Batu Caves
Clamber up 272 multi-coloured stairs to Batu Caves, a temple built within a towering limestone cavern. The shrine, just north of KL's city centre, is one of the holiest Hindu sites outside of India, and is most remarkable for the gargantuan 141-foot (43m) statue of deity Lord Murugan that stands at its entrance. Loincloth-swaddled sadhus and packs of over-confident monkeys add to the atmosphere which flits between the spiritual and the surreal.
Before you leave, be sure to visit the Ramayana Cave, tucked away next to the train station and guarded by a huge statue of the monkey god Hanuman. Inside, life-sized figurines lit in neon tell the story of Rama and his epic battle with the evil Ravana. While the main cave is free to enter, this one carries a small entrance fee.
The best hotels in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is awash with upscale hotel chains, particularly in KLCC and Bukit Bintang. Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Shangri-La all have properties in the city’s glitzy heart, so if you’re after luxury treatment amid some of KL’s best shopping and nightlife, this is the place to stay. With Kuala Lumpur’s excellent, air-conditioned public transport system, getting around the city is easy, even when the mercury hits the high 30s.
For a more local experience, stay in thriving Chow Kit. Choose The Chow Kit, a boutique hotel known for its affordable luxury. What it lacks in creative naming, it makes up for with its stylish rooms, excellent location and reasonable prices. Meanwhile, MoMos, with simple, minimalist rooms, is ideal for budget travellers looking to socialise.
The KL Journal in Bukit Bintang takes its cues from the city it serves, with thoughtful street scenes adorning its rooms, and bespoke art inspired by everyday Malaysian objects, such as road signage. A retro rooftop swimming pool and beer garden add to the hotel’s slightly off-kilter aesthetic.
READ MORE: The coolest hotels on Earth
Where to eat in Kuala Lumpur
A meeting point of Malay, Indian and Chinese flavours, Kuala Lumpur’s dining scene is what really sets it apart from other world cities. Eating out can be a simple street-side satay grill, or fancy fine dining on the 47th floor of a space-age skyscraper, depending on your tastes.
Make your first stop Jalan Alor, the city’s famous street food hub. It’s a microcosm of Malaysian eating – stall after stall selling aromatic laksa, spicy sambal, chicken satay and grilled seafood – alongside Thai, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian cuisines.
As night falls over the city, plastic tables and chairs spill out along the street forming one enormous open-air food market. Hawkers yell for custom, buskers blare out karaoke; it’s loud, raucous and incredibly fun. Look out for local favourites nasi goreng (fried rice), beef rendang (a spicy meat stew) and nasi lemak (fragrant coconut rice served with dried anchovies).
READ MORE: 48 hours in Jakarta
For something a little more pared back and a lot more avant-garde, make a booking at Dewakan, one of Malaysia’s most celebrated restaurants. A frontrunner in KL’s fine dining scene, chef Darren Teoh uses rare ingredients from across the country to create one-of-a-kind dishes – think slow-cooked fish topped with endemic ginger and sweet sorbets made from fruits you’ve never heard of. Everything here – from the artisan steak knives to the bespoke artwork of the dining room – is a subtle nod to traditional Malaysia.
Down in Chinatown, you’ll find a mix of old and new. Kim Lian Kee (56 Jalan Petaling) has been serving Hokkien mee (a flat noodle dish slathered in soy gravy) since 1927, while modern Chocha Foodstore cooks up contemporary Asian cuisine alongside an extensive collection of Chinese teas.
In the past few years, Chinatown has begun to re-invent itself as KL’s go-to spot for cocktails too. Botakliquor, at the bottom Jalan Petaling, prides itself on its own farm-grown botanicals and original drink creations – try the elderflower, sweet pea and clear whisky. Part speakeasy, part hanging garden, you’ll find it on the top floor of an old Chinese shophouse, above Chocha Foodstore.
READ MORE: Our guide to Hong Kong
Brickfields, meanwhile, is the city’s Little India, where unassuming restaurants dish up coconut-infused curry served on banana leaf, crispy dosa packed with spiced potato, and vadai, a deep-fried savoury doughnut snack food. Drop in at Vishal (22 Jalan Scott) for curry at its simple best.
Getting there
When COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted, Kuala Lumpur is an easy flight from the UK. Malaysia Airlines typically runs a non-stop service from London Heathrow. Always check up-to-date travel advice before you set out.
Lead image: f11/Shutterstock
Map
Use our handy map to navigate around Kuala Lumpur: