The most amazing things to do in Kuala Lumpur

Wondering about the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur? As modern, thriving city, and the hub for budget airline Air Asia, it’s likely any south east Asia itinerary will see you in Kuala Lumpur. In my opinion, there’s not as much to do in Kuala Lumpur as in neighbouring Singapore, but it’s still worth a visit. This guide will talk you through the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur to make the most of a short visit to Malaysia’s capital city.

How long do you need to see all the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur?

However, that’s not all KL has going for it. If you‘re i shopping (or at the end of your trip and looking for souvenirs) Kuala Lumpur is the city for you. Additionally, if you want to spend time hanging out in fabulous restaurants, rooftop pools and rooftop bars, then there’s plenty of opportunity for this in Kuala Lumpur.

.Spending more time in Kuala Lumpur? Consider a day trip to beautiful Malacca, one of the original colonial cities. Check out my guide: Malacca, Malaysia: the most interesting things to do.

How to get to Kuala Lumpur

Air

Most people will arrive in Kuala Lumpur via it’s excellent airport – Kuala Lumpur International Airport, more commonly known as KLIA.

.KLIA has two terminals (1 and 2). KLIA 1 hosts the big name airlines, including long haul flights. In contrast, KLIA 2 focuses on Air Asia and other budget airlines, for example Indonesia’s Citilink.

.Like many airports, KLIA is located away from the main city. The quickest way to get from KLIA to central Kuala Lumpur is via the KLIA Ekspres train. This has two options: KLIA Ekspres, non-stop from KLIA to the city centre, and KLIA Transit, which has stops in between.

For me, the price difference between KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit is negligible, and will be for most western tourists. Just buy the quicker Ekspres ticket. There is a small discount for buying online in advance. ou buy a ticket for the day, not a specific time, so there’s no worry if your flight is late.

.The trains take you into the main station in Kuala Lumpur: KL Sentral. It’s quick and easy to get a Grab (Asia’s version of Uber) to your hotel or wherever you need to go.

There are also buses from KLIA to central Kuala Lumpur. My view is that these are only best if you are a dedicated budget traveller. They take a lot longer, and traffic is so bad in Kuala Lumpur that you’re likely to be sitting miserably at a standstill for most of the journey.

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Train

I arrived into Kuala Lumpur by train from Ipoh. This also arrived into KL Sentral, and I took an easy Grab to my hotel. Trains also arrive in KL from other parts of Malaysia, including Butterworth (for George Town, Penang). .

Heading to George Town, Penang? Check out my guides George Town, Penang: Everything you need to know to visit, and George Town, Penang: Top 10 Amazing things to do. If you’re travelling from George Town to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh is also worth spending a couple of nights. Check out my guide Ipoh: How to have an Amazing 1 Day Stopover  .

Trains in Malaysia are modern and efficient. I would choose them over buses whenever possible (mainly because they have toilets). Get your tickets from the official website, or I used Busonlineticket.

.Top Tip: If you are planning on getting the train, make sure you book your ticket to KL Sentral. The stop before KL Sentral is confusingly named Kuala Lumpur (the old terminal). If you book your ticket to ‘Kuala Lumpur’, you will not be able to pass the barriers at KL Sentral! Luckily, the staff seemed to be used to this happening, and I (and another woman who had made the same mistake) was not fined but taken to pay the difference. But still a risk if you get a staff member who isn’t helpful – make sure you book to KL Sentral!

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Many long distance buses in Kuala Lumpur also arrive into KL Sentral. However, some buses arrive into a different bus terminal, TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan), a bit further out of the city. For example, a popular day trip from KL is Malacca – this is where buses to Malacca depart and arrive. .

Heading to Malacca? Check out my blog Malacca, Malaysia: The most interesting things to do..

The easiest way to get to TBS is again via Grab. You can also take various train routes to the nearby Bandar Tasik Selatan station, and then walk to TBS. This includes KLIA Transit (mentioned above from the airport), the LRT system and the KTM Kommuter trains..

TBS is a modern bus terminal with a few useful convenience stores, aircon and toilets. It operates on a gate system like an airport. If you are leaving KL via TBS and you’ve bought your ticket online, you’ll have to swap it for a boarding pass before you can get your bus.

How to get around in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur has a substantial public transport system you can use to travel around the city and tick off your list of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur. The easiest way to pay for this is to use contactless payment. You can also get a Touch’n’Go card (similar to London’s Oyster cards). This is an excellent guide to using a Touch’n’Go card if that’s your preferred option. .

I found the public transport system most useful for getting out to the Batu caves, discussed below..

Grab is also widely used in Kuala Lumpur, and you’ll probably want to use it at some point. For example, the walk up to the Thean Hou Temple from the nearest metro station is very steep and not super quick – given the heat, I just hopped in a Grab. This makes it easier to ensure you get to see all the things to do in Kuala Lumpur in one day..

Top tip: Both Grab and Google Maps cannot keep up with the intensity of KL’s traffic. I found that arrival times for Grab drivers were regularly longer than stated, and journeys took longer. Allow extra time in all your trips by car!

Now that we’ve covered the practicalities, it’s time to find out the ultimate 1 day itinerary in Kuala Lumpur!

Stop 1: Batu Caves, the top thing to do in Kuala Lumpur.

You’ll want to start as early as possible for Kuala Lumpur’s most famous tourist attraction, the Batu Caves. This fascinating destination is well worth the visit (and the climb) but gets busy later in the day. Add to that the increased heat as you climb those 250 stairs, plus the terrifying monkeys later in the day, and you’ll agree an early start is better!.

Batu became a religious site in 1891, a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Murugan. The giant golden statue of Lord Murugan, one of the largest in the world, was constructed in 2006. The stairs received their rainbow hue in 2018. .

The main cave temple is free to enter, and the caves are easily reachable via Kuala Lumpur’s public transport system. The line out to the caves is the blue KTM Seremban Line. You’ll need to work out which stop on this line is best for you – it stops at KL Sentral, but there might be a better option for you..

Remember that Batu is a religious site. You should dress appropriately, covering your shoulders and knees..

Most people visiting Batu will only visit the main temple cave, which is what I did. This is probably the best option for a 1 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary. Within the main cave, there are a couple of different Hindu temples built into the rock. The biggest is not available to the public to enter, as it is reserved for worship.

.You can also climb more stairs to very top of the cave, which is like a cenote and open to the air. .

Once you’ve visited the main cave temple, its time to move on to your next stop on the list of the most amazing things to do in Kuala Lumpur..

Check out my guide Batu Caves: Everything you need to know for more detailed information on visiting this amazing attraction. .

Stop 2: Thean Hou Temple, one of the most things to do in Kuala Lumpur.

Take the blue KTM Seremban line back to MidValley. Then hop a Grab to Thean Hou Temple, one of the most stunning temples I’ve seen in Asia. At the top of a hill, Thean Hou feels like a retreat from the chaos of Kuala Lumpur. .

Built in the 1980s by the Hainanese population of Kuala Lumpur, the structure is formed of several floors to explore. It’s also a popular wedding site for the Chinese population in Kuala Lumpur, and when you visit you’ll see why: it’s picture perfect.

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When I visited, it was fairly quiet, with only a few tourists around. It provides a beautiful antidote to the chaos of the Batu Caves – not least because there are no terrifying monkeys! However, even without the monkey-contrast, it feels serene – the view of the city from the hill is also amazing. 

Stop 3: Petaling Street, the market hub of Kuala Lumpur

.Once you’ve drunk in the beauty and calm at Thean Hou, it’s time to switch gears. Head to bustling Petaling Street in central Kuala Lumpur. This is one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest and most famous markets, and one of the most vibrant things to do in Kuala Lumpur. .

Either take a Grab directly to Petaling Street (about 10 minutes), or take a Grab/walk down the hill (about 25 minutes walk) to Bangsar to get the KJL Linen to Pasar Seni. .

Petaling Street is going to be busy whatever time of day you visit, so it’s best to just go with the flow. It’s famous for selling clothes, bags, watches and souvenirs, as well as tech gadgets. If you’re planning to shop, be prepared to haggle as the first price will be wildly inflated. .

The shopping area of Petaling Street is also surrounded by food stalls and restaurants, and it’s a great place to try some of the Chinese specialties typical in Malaysia. .

.Stop 4: Sultan Abdul Samad Building, one of the most historic things to do in Kuala Lumpur.

Once you’ve spent all your money at Petaling Street, it’s a good time to do something free. Take a quick 10 minute walk to Independence Square, where you can marvel at the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. If you’re a history buff, or interested in the way that South East Asian countries gained their independence, this is one of the most important things to do..

This spacious square is where the first Malaysian flag was raised at midnight on August 31st 1957, when Malaysia was liberated from British colonisation. Malaysians gather in the square each year to celebrate independence..

The Sultan Abdul Samad Building lines one side of this square. Built in the late 19th century, it was the original British government offices in Malaysia. In 1974, it was renamed after Sultan Abdul Samad, the reigning sultan of Selangor at the time when construction began. It’s a stunning building, well worth a visit. .

.Stop 5: Petronas Towers, one of the most modern things to do in Kuala Lumpur.

Having soaked up so much of Kuala Lumpur’s history, it’s time to move into a more modern era. Time to head over to the Petronas Towers! Take the red KJL Line from Masjid Jamek to KLCC and then walk around or through the shopping mall to get to the front of the towers.

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Built in the 1990s, construction finished in 1996. Between 1998-2004, they were officially the tallest towers in the world, and remain the tallest twin towers. They were built to mark Kuala Lumpur’s place as a major commercial and cultural city, and they are iconic! .

There are a number of ways to see the towers. The easiest is to head to the bottom of them, where there is a plaza to take photos. There are a number of street vendors here who will happily take your photo for a small fee, or you can bring a selfie stick.

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If you’re keen to ascend the towers, this is also possible. Note that they are closed every other Monday, although open the rest of the week. Admission for non-Malaysian adults is 90RM (£18/21e/$22). As this is one of the most popular things to do in Kuala Lumpur, tickets tend to sell out for the day so do book in advance. .

Top Tip: directly next to the Petronas Towers is a huge shopping mall, Suria KLCC. This is a great opportunity to grab any essentials you might need (there’s even a Body Shop as well as the ubiquitous Uniqlo), or to take a shopping break if that’s your thing.

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Stop 6: Take in stunning views of the city from a rooftop bar, the best way to relax after a long day.

After such a busy day, it’s finally time to rest and grab a cocktail! .

Visiting the Petronas Towers will obviously give you an amazing view over Kuala Lumpur, but not a great view of the towers themselves. If you’re keen for an elevated view of the towers, I was recommended EQ. Sky 51 at EQ has a minimum spend of 100RM (so the same cost as a ticket up the towers, or half the cost if you are two people), and this also obviously gets you a couple of drinks/some food/whatever you fancy. However, I didn’t get to do this as I didn’t book ahead! If you’re keen to view the Petronas Towers from EQ, make sure to book in advance, as it’s one of the most popular things to do in Kuala Lumpur..

There are many other rooftop bars to choose from in Kuala Lumpur if you’re not fussed about being able to see the Petronas Towers close up. I didn’t end up visiting any – my friend was in KL, with her 5 year old and 3 year old, and they weren’t bringing a rooftop vibe. But this handy guide will help you to find the right one for you.

Hopefully this guide has helped you plan the perfect day in Kuala Lumpur! As it’s Air Asia’s major hub, I’m sure I’ll be back there in the next few months, so let me know in the comments if you think I’ve missed anything. Or tell me which rooftop bar you absolutely loved, so I can visit it kid-free on my next trip!

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