Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
Attractions and distractions
Attractions and distractions
Use the quick links below to jump to a particular section of our sights and activities coverage for Kuala Lumpur.
For many first time visitors, Kuala Lumpur struggles to be a destination in its own right instead it is seen as a way-station on the way to somewhere else. It isn’t till people arrive in KL that they realise there is plenty to keep them busy, but the flights are booked and that clock is ticking—so with 24 hours in KL what should you ... Read more about 24 hours in Kuala Lumpur .
Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown district still retains plenty of historic charm and is none to shabby when it comes to temples—of all three kinds: religion, shopping and eating—and one of the best ways to explore is on a Chinatown walking ... Read more about Walking tour: KL’s Chinatown .
Kuala Lumpur isn’t the most pedestrian friendly city in the region, but that’s not to say you should spend your entire time in taxis, buses and elevated trains and with a bit of effort (and patience ... and sweat) you can cover quite a bit on this historic Kuala Lumpur walking ... Read more about Walking tour: Historic KL .
While there are plenty of options for exploring Kuala Lumpur on a paid walking tour, VisitKL, the city’s tourism bureau, runs a series of free walking tours which are well worth considering—especially at this ... Read more about Tours in KL: VisitKL free walking tours .
Food tours are kind of dime a dozen in Kuala Lumpur, there are plenty on offer, from personalised one-on-one walks through to mass tourism graze-fests, but Elena at aptly named Bike With Elena combines eating with one of her true passions, cycling, to create a memorable experience in the heart of ... Read more about Tours in KL: Bike with Elena .
The KL Food Experience we did with Urban Adventures was a pleasant surprise—an imaginative jaunt by foot and on the train through Kuala Lumpur’s Brickfields and Chinatown, rounded out by an excellent guide, ... Read more about Tours in KL: KL Food Experience .
A traveller we met up with while in Kuala Lumpur recommended we check out the tour-selling platform Withlocals. After a false start, we ended up on an afternoon walking tour through Kampung Baru billed as “the best Asia food tour” with Nadia. The site describes her as being “the charming local”, which she certainly is, though the tour itself did not represent the best value in ... Read more about Tours in KL: Withlocals .
While we try not to be too prone to hyperbole, if you have time for just a single museum in Kuala Lumpur, then the city’s undoubted star of the show, the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, should be it. ... Read more about Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia .
Just a 15 minute walk from one of KL’s glitziest malls you can enjoy a glimpse into Malaysia’s more traditional way of life at the beautiful Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman within the grounds of Badan Warisan Malaysia (The Heritage ... Read more about Heritage Centre .
As Malaysia’s National Museum, the large collection on display manages to be at times fascinating, frustrating and infuriating, but is certainly still worth the visit for those with an interest in the story behind modern-day ... Read more about National Museum .
For the textile and fabric aficionado, the National Textile Museum should be considered a must see, but even for those who can’t tell songket from batik, this museum is worth a wander through—and admission is ... Read more about National Textile Museum .
Walking down Jalan HS Tun Lee from Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, just before you reach Sri Maha Mariamman temple, on your left you’ll spy the deep red facade of Guan Di Temple—one of our favourite temples in Kuala ... Read more about Guan Di Temple .
Set through a fairly low-key temple gateway on Jalan Tun HS Lee, Sin Sze Si Ya Temple is one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest houses of ... Read more about Sin Sze Si Ya Temple .
The largest and oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple is surprisingly located on the western edge of Chinatown rather than say Little India or Brickfields and it is well worth setting aside some time to visit. ... Read more about Sri Maha Mariamman Temple .
In a built up city like Kuala Lumpur you can feel under siege and roped in by the racket and traffic, so it can be pleasant to find a place where you can step into a realm of serenity surrounded by the hubbub of a modern city: Guan Yin temple is such a ... Read more about Guan Yin temple .
Once known as the “Green Temple” thanks to a mint green paint job the temple once had, Chan See Shu Yuen Temple will need to shake that moniker as a recent renovation has tossed all the green charm out the window for a modern grey and black matt ... Read more about Chan See Shu Yuen Temple .
Thean Hou Temple sits atop Robson Hill and just off Jalan Syed Putra in the southern reaches of downtown Kuala Lumpur and commands stunning views of the KL ... Read more about Thean Hou Temple .
Completed in 1996, the Petronas Twin Towers are arguably Kuala Lumpur’s most recognisable landmark and a visit to the viewing deck is a highlight for many first-time visitors to the ... Read more about Petronas Twin Towers .
One of the tallest free-standing towers in the world, KL Tower is one of Kuala Lumpur’s most recognisable landmarks, particularly when it is lit up at night. ... Read more about KL Tower .
Merdeka Square (or, as it is now officially known, Dataran Merdeka) is a breath of fresh air and offers not just the opportunity to lay about in the sunshine but also to observe a bit about the history of ... Read more about Merdeka Square .
History and military buffs, and those who don’t mind a walk in the park shouldn’t miss Malaysia’s National Monument (Tugu Negara) set by Jalan Parlimen, just to the north of the Perdana Botanical ... Read more about National Monument .
Look back a handful of decades and Kuala Lumpur was a predominantly low-rise city, with hardly any buildings more than a few storeys high. Fast forward to today though, and KL is awash with shiny new high-rises—everywhere that is, except for development hold-out Kampung ... Read more about Kampung Baru .
Set at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers, Jamek Mosque is the oldest mosque in Kuala Lumpur and if you have time for just the one mosque during your visit, this should be ... Read more about Jamek Mosque .
While Masjid Jamek is a far more interesting mosque and certainly more pleasing to the eye, Kuala Lumpur’s National Mosque (Masjid Negara), is worth a look if you’re planning on a visit to the nearby Islamic Arts ... Read more about National Mosque .
The epicentre of the annual Thaipusam procession, Batu Caves is famous for the festival, the almost 43-metre tall statue of Lord Murugan and the main cavern behind it—combined they form one of Malaysia’s iconic ... Read more about Batu Caves .
Sitting at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers, KLCC Park is a pleasant airy green resource right in the commercial heart of Kuala Lumpur. ... Read more about KLCC Park .
Previously known as Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, KL Forest Eco Park encompasses a section of a slowly-reducing-in-size patch of rainforest in the centre of Kuala ... Read more about KL Forest Eco Park .
The largest and most pleasant of Kuala Lumpur’s public green spaces, Perdana Botanical Gardens sprawls out behind the National Museum, offering a limited escape from the big ... Read more about Perdana Botanical Gardens .
If you have kids in tow (or are a kid at heart), there are few better ways to lose half a day in Kuala Lumpur than by spending it wandering the sprawling KL Bird Park and the adjoining Perdana Botanical ... Read more about KL Bird Park .
If you’re looking for insight into the local art scene, you could do worse than start your quest at Kuala Lumpur’s National Gallery—and best of all, admission is ... Read more about National Art Gallery .
Central Market (also known as Pasar Seni) has been through a few personality changes over the years but today is one of the best spots in Kuala Lumpur for a heady bout of last-minute souvenir ... Read more about Central Market .
Chow Kit Market is Kuala Lumpur’s largest wet market and while you can see small wet markets scattered across the city, if you want to see the real deal, head straight to Chow Kit. ... Read more about Chow Kit Market .
People still buy fake Rolexes? Who knew?! Petaling Street Market is your classic tourist tat and counterfeit goods market, with stall after stall selling swag and each seemingly with a team of two or three touts to call for your ... Read more about Petaling Street Market .
Roughly a quarter of all the money tourists spend in Malaysia every year goes on shopping—a figure second only to accommodation. Spend some time strolling around KL and it is easy to see how this can ... Read more about Shopping in KL .
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