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Kuala Lumpur (KL) is a major air travel hub. You can get there from almost anywhere in East Asia, including several cities in Indonesia. There are dozens of flights daily from Jakarta with round trip tickets as low as $86 USD if you fly on budget airlines and choose your dates right. Now that the COVID pandemic isn’t an emergency (at least as of September 2023), entry to Malaysia is relatively easy, with a simple tourist visa available upon arrival with no prior process required for most nations’ citizens.
KL is a great cosmopolitan city that has everything from museums, to nightlife, to fine dining, to multi-cultural sites. I was especially impressed by KL’s comprehensive and reasonably priced mass transit system, which makes traversing the city a breeze. None of the aggravating traffic headaches you might encounter in other large SE Asian cities. It’s a fun place to spend a long weekend.
The Petronas twin towers were the tallest building/s in the world from the time of their completion in 1998 until the Taipei Tower surpassed them in 2004. They remain the tallest “twin towers” on the planet at 451.9 meters each. I find the towers to be almost beautiful, especially when compared to other modernist buildings. In fact, in 2004, The Aga Khan Foundation bestowed its prestigious award for excellence in architecture to the towers.
The view from the top is magnificent and make sure you stop midway on your tour to cross the skybridge which connects the two towers. Book your ticket online in advance of your visit as organized tour groups often snap up all the tickets for the day. You run the risk of tickets being sold out for the day if you just wander up to the ticket booth with the mistaken notion that you can simply buy tickets whenever you arrive. If you screw up and fail to obtain tickets upon arrival, at least you can wander through the opulent and gigantic mall that stretches across the lower levels of one of the towers and enjoy one of the biggest Kinokuniya bookstores on the planet.
There are a few excellent museums in KL, but IAMM is definitely my favorite. It has an extraordinarily comprehensive collection of Islamic arts of every kind and type and it’s all housed in a beautifully-designed space. The IAMM restaurant serves delicious food and the bookstore/souvenir shop is one of the best I’ve ever seen in a museum. Must see.
It is reputed to be the largest butterfly garden in the world at over 80,000 square feet. The lush, tropical garden is covered by netting and is home to over 5000 butterflies and dozens of species. It’s an idyllic urban retreat and a lepidopterist’s dream. Though I didn’t visit it, the KL Bird Park is situated nearby if you want a double dose of nature.
The Batu Caves are both a natural wonder and an important Hindu temple and pilgrimage site. The caves are about a 40-minute train ride from Central KL Station. Greeting the visitor is the world’s tallest (42.7m) statue of Hindu deity, Lord Murugan. To get to the limestone caves, one must scale 272 steps. The Cathedral Cave is the largest of the cave complex and is about 100 meters high. The two major caves house colorful Hindu temples. It’s a highlight of any visit to KL.
If you are looking for souvenirs or handicrafts, the Central Market is my favorite option. The art deco iteration of the market that greets shoppers today was completed in 1937 and houses over 300 shops, kiosks, and food stalls.
Lots of great food options in Kuala Lumpur too numerous to mention, but you probably shouldn’t conclude your Malaysian trip without trying the country’s signature dish, Nasi Lemak, which literally means “rich (or tasty) rice.” Basically, it’s rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf, with the rice placed in the center of a plate surrounded by spiced peanuts, dried anchovies, and various accompaniments such as sambal (fiery spice paste), fried chicken, egg, and/or tofu. It’s a simple dish you can find at almost any restaurant, but it is a fragrant and flavorful dish worth trying. One easy place to get a tasty version is Madam Kwan’s, a medium-priced chain of restaurants that can be found all across KL.
KL has one of the most extensive Chinatowns in Southeast Asia and a vibrant “Little India.” Both neighborhoods are worth visiting and are easily accessible by public transportation.
I’ve visited KL twice and I feel like I haven’t seen nearly everything. It’s one of my favorite places in the region and I would highly recommend the city as a travel destination.