Stories of Southeast Asia: Traveling Kuala Lumpur

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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary. Kuala Lumpur is that kind of place where 3 days makes a sweet itinerary covering the most sought-to places. But more days let you explore the hidden gems of the city. I visited KL for only 2 days and regretfully it wasn’t enough.

Here goes my itinerary along with my Kuala Lumpur travel blog.

Malaysia, as a country, offers several days of exploring like its beaches, offbeat island hopping, the revered Genting Highlands, and even week-long forest excursions. With Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of Malaysia, there are a number of places to experience here!

From Singapore, a cheaper alternative is via road – more or less a 6 hours drive. It typically costs SGD $25 – $35 for a direct bus from Singapore to KL (terminals at Berjaya Times Square, Terminal Bersepadu, and KL Sentral). You can book your preferred bus from sites like Redbus.com.

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

Thank god I didn’t miss the must-visits of Kuala Lumpur like the Petronas Towers and Batu Caves (though outside KL). But over the decade, the city has grown much in terms of tourism.

Batu caves stairs. is batu caves worth visiting
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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary: Batu Caves

In this Kuala Lumpur 3 day itinerary, I’ve squeezed in the unique places to see while considering authentic foodspots for luncheons. Unlike an itinerary to Bali, many attractions are clustered together in a place – only a handful lay far from the rest.

For budget travelers, MRT and bus transits are actually reliable to get around Kuala Lumpur. But don’t hesitate to hail a cab if you’re off the itinerary track! For taxis I recommend the Grab mobile app for the best taxi fares. Afterall, they’re cheaper and safer than local cabs.

Now let’s dive into this Kuala Lumpur travel blog of mine:

Day 1: Land in Kuala Lumpur

The quickest way to Kuala Lumpur is by flight via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) located 45 km south of the city. From Singapore, it’s a 1-hour flight to KUL.

As the airport lies on the outskirts, you can get to Kuala Lumpur by KLIA transit bus which stops at Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, and Selatan. However, the best way to KL is via the KLIA Ekspres Train. This is a non-stop express straight to KL City Air Terminal at Sentral that takes no more than 30 minutes.

It costs RM 55 (around SGD $15) for the train. Book your trip from the airport via Klook.com for discounted rates. Being a partner of Klook, our readers get better deals from here. Check it out below!

Klook.com

Start at Thean Hou Temple

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary. Considering you start early morning after you land in Kuala Lumpur, the first stop is the Thean How Temple. While the Temple of the Chinese Mazu Goddess boasts its night lighting till late 10pm, I suggest the mornings to avoid the crowds.

Located on a hilltop, the 1987 six-levelled striking red contemporary structure gives it an iconic stance. The place gets even more lively on special occasions. Witnss the city skyline from the top levels of the Temple – and it’s free to visit!

Breakfast at Brickfield

The nearest spot to Thean Hou Temple is Brickfield, Little India. You’ll find rows of street stalls and food hawkers selling all kinds of delicacies for cheap. Dosas are a must-have here.

Again, the evenings get crowded here. When you visit in the late morning, it’s great for street photograph with the vibrant hues of old buildings and streets themselves. Brickfield more or less remind me of Little India and Chinatown in Singapore.

Consider this place for your first meal of the day (brunch too perhaps). Expect yourself to spend a couple of hours at this marketplace.

Stroll the Merdeka Square

This is one of my favorite parts of the itinerary, the Merdeka (Independent) Square. Walk the large rectangular lawn area with the stretch of the Sultan Abdul Samad on one side and Plaza Dataran Merdeka adjacent to it.

Fun fact – the Sultan Abdul Samad was used as administrative offices during the British colonization and it housed superior courts. The Jalan Raja road, pavements, the diplomatic structures and the green square make it look something out of a John Wick movie!

Visit the National Mosque of Malaysia (Masjid Negara)

It’s only 15 minutes walk away from Merdeka Square! Also, swap these two spots depending on convenience. If it’s hot over your head, then hit the Masjid Negara first. Merdeka Square is more in the open.

With the National Mosque of Malaysia a popular place among tourists today, they allow non-muslims to walk around parts of the mosque from where you can observe the prayers. The mosque is centered amidst 13 acres of gardens with 73m high minaret.

Not to mention, with its capacity of 15,000 people – it’s quite something to see. People are hospitable here and gladly explain their culture if one doesn’t understand the significance of certain things here. They also provide in case of inappropriate dressing. Please look up the prayer timings as visitors aren’t allowed at the time.

Witness the Petronas Towers!

Getting to the Petronas Towers is only a 10-minutes drive from the Masjid Negara. Taking a Grab taxi shouldn’t cost too much. But taking the bus with some effort of walking is also an option.

Whether you missed out any of the places till now out of any inconvenience, that’s alright – let it pass. But you simply can’t miss the Petronas Towers. It’s the first thing anyone thinks of when it comes to Malaysia!

Though visitors aren’t allowed till the top, the swinging bridge at Level 41 and 42 between the towers is the key attraction here. If lucky, you’ll actually feel the bridge movement due to strong winds! Speaking of visiting, book your tickets with time slots a few days prior. The evening slots get filled out fast and the visiting hours close at 5 pm.

Klook.com

Relax at Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur travel blog. Your last stop is Bukit Bintang – a visible range from the Petronas Twin Towers. This place is known for its touristy evening vibe with range of accommodations. However, I should mention that Bukit Bintang leans towards luxury with its classy bars, live music clubs, and authentic seafood places.

While I wouldn’t touch a luxury spot when traveling to keep my pockets safe, I found Bukit Bintang alluring for their hotels. 4-star hotels like the Mercure KL Shaw Parade with a pool at the rooftop are priced around S$85 per night (280 RM). In Singapore, it’s impossible to find such deals.

Here are some of my favorite picks for luxury yet affordable hotels in Bukit Bintang:

  1. Mercure KL Shaw Parade
  2. Hotel Capitol
  3. CitizenM Kuala Lumpur

Day 2: Walk at the KL Forest Eco Park

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Let the second day begin with the KL Forest Eco Park. The morning is perfect way to begin while you avoid large crowds.

Malaysiaa does have large patches of forests but this – the KL forest eco Park lies at the heart of Kuala Lumpur. The canopy walks, the varieties of flora and fauna, and the city’s skyscapers is something to look forward to. Expect to spend 2-3 hours here in the morning.

Visit the Guan Di Temple

Another most heard of name in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is no doubt the Guan Di Temple. Only 15 minutes away from Forest Eco Park, this is a well-known Taoist temple, especially among Chinese. Guan Di is the name of the Chinese Soldier also referred to as the God of War.

Thus, some things to expect in this unique temple are the artifacts and weapons (though replicas) of Guan Dao spear and Guan Jie sword. If lucky during traditional occassions, visitors will be allowed to touch these relics.

Nevertheless, it’s definitely worth visiting!

Dine at Old Chinatown Street Food

Another happening place like Little India, Brickfield is Old Chinatown. Only a walkable distance from Guan Di Temple (also in Chinatown), it’s a place you shouldn’t miss. Unlike most of Malaysia where you see large commercial estates gobbling on tinier businesses, Chinatown’s maintained its authencity.

Many of the stalls here are run by the same families for generations selling their authentic cultural dishes. That’s what make Brickfield and Chinatown something worth visiting. Unlike Singapore’s Chinatown, you get more varieties of delicacies to try.

Some things to try are Madras Lane’s Song Kee’s Beef Noodles and Yong Tau Foo. Dao Bao (the Dao Bao Restobar) and rice balls at Madam Tang’s Muah Chee.

Check out Masjid Wilayah Mosque

Another fascinating Mosque in Kuala Lumpur is the Masjid Wilayah, also called the Federal Territory Mosque. There’s no upfront ticket price as such – but be sure to visit between to 10 am to 5 pm. Also keep in mind it’s closed on Fridays and the weekend.

The marble walls and the overall structure is something to admire. It’s exactly how it appears in the pictures. Simply photogenic with the Makrana marble carvings on walls, ceiling, and even the floor designs. More or less, it resembles Taj Mahal – one of the 7 wonders in India.

From Chinatown, it’s no more than a 15 minute drive away!

Take a trip to Batu Caves

I put this spot for the end of the day as this is the furthest from other places and yet closest to Masjid Wilayah (9 km away). Furthermore Batu Caves are open till 9 pm which gives you enough time to get around without rushing.

Either way, make sure not to miss the Batu Caves – one of Kuala Lumpur’s treasured attractions. There are quite many Murugan temples in Southeast Asia. But the 43-meter gold-tinted Arul Murugan Statue before the caves is something to remember.

When I visited, the 272 steps up the temple were ash-colored. Today the steps are splashed vibrant hues of many colors making it an Instagrammable spot. If not pictures, hire a guide for the caves to learn the rich history of the caves.

Klook.com

Day 3: Visit the KL Bird Park

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Only visit the KL Bird Park and Zoo Negara if you have the whole third day left for Kuala Lumpur. If you have lesser time, proritize the infamous Kuala Lumpur Tower before all.

Feel free to wake up without hurrying and have a good breakfast before making it to the KL bird park. The park, adjacent to Lake Gardens, opens at 9 am. Expect yourself to tour the 21-acre park by walk till lunchtime. It costs around RM 75 per adult (SGD $15).

The KL bird park boasts to have one of the largest free flight walk-in aviary. The looks of the Bird Park – the zones, open concept, and the structure amidst Perdana Botanical Gardens reminds me of the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, though it isn’t as big.

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary: Then the Zoo Negara!

Have lunch at the KL bird park or Zoo Negara – both have their own themed restaurants. KL bird Park has the Hornbill Restaurant and Cafe. Back on our Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary, Zoo Negara is quite some distance from the Bird Park.

The 20 km takes around 30 minutes based on traffic conditions. Stay on track as the Zoo closes at 5 pm. The Zoo covers over 110 acres that majorly highlights tropical species here. It takes a good 3-4 hours to visit the zoo. Thus the time constraint.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Aquarium here exhibits the first ecological-based freshwater aquarium that sheds light on the Malaysian river and its wetlands. With its varieties of species and ticket price around RM 88 (SGD $22), this attraction is where many locals as well as KL visitors collide.

It’s a sweet getaway spot afterall!

Don’t miss on Kuala Lumpur Tower

Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. The tower, still a vital part of telecommunication stations here, is popular for it being the 2nd tallest tower in Southeast Asia at 421 meters. There’s an observation deck and a sky deck (they’re both different) at the top that allows tourists to experience its edge 360-degree views.

Sky-deck here is something to experience with a clear glass bottom, offering views of the capital’s skyline. Some prefer to visit in the morning while I however believe that the night view is more magical with shimmering lights and cool breeze.

The closing time is 10 p.m. This finishes our Kuala Lumpur 3 Days itinerary. Book your KL tower tickets on Klook below for the best prices:

Klook.com

Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog: My story

After food, the sun seemed to be preparing itself for a set. We had a bus waiting for us. We were going to Genting Highlands directly from the airport. One of the best highlands I’ve visited so far.

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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

Well, at least among the ones that have a huge amusement park on the top. But just between you and me, the highland that I feel is the best is Mount Batur in Bali and its wonderful trek. 

And off we drove up the hill to Genting Highlands. Up we went and up we went – since I’ve named this blog- Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog, I shall stick to what I mentioned. But Genting Highlands is quite something to experience.

Stay in a Hotel

After we came from Genting Highlands back to Kuala Lumpur, our next plan was to visit the Petronas Tower. We came back to KL in the evening and we got a hotel somewhere near to an MRT station deep inside Kuala Lumpur… or at least that’s what it seemed like to me at the time.

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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

To be honest with you, the hotel wasn’t very good. They had breakfast alright, but that was it. Luckily, we just stayed there for one night. The next morning, we had breakfast and checked out straight to visit the Petronas Tower.

I don’t quite remember if we made it there by taxi or train. What I do remember is I couldn’t help looking up every time I faced the Towers.

Petronas Towers

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Kuala Lumpur travel blog

Apart from being the second tallest towers in the world, Petronas Tower has something else very unique. It’s its bridge. It is said to be the world’s tallest sky bridge. Fun fact, it took 3 days just to lift the bridge to its current bridge.

Yep, they lifted the bridge up there. In fact, the bridge hangs from both the ends of the tower with the help of two rod-like structures.

So in reality- if there’s wind over a particular magnitude, the bridge actually sways.

Apart from the bridge, the elevator was quite something too. Its top ascend speed is said to be 7 meters per second. I didn’t know if that was a lot – but I did as soon as it started lifting us up.

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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

Going up – Petronas Tower Sky Bridge

Before we got in, we waited for hours for security check. While on the wait, there were informational boards about how the towers were built. How both the towers competed in who would complete building first. And how the winner would be the one to get a chance to build the bridge across the two.

After the long wait, we finally got onto the lift with other tourists. My parents asked me to hold my ears if I felt them paining. I didn’t understand them.

But when the lift started moving up, I got it. Due to the high speed, my ears started turning numb by the second. I looked at the display. It was moving about one and a half floors per second!

I turned around to look at a lean Caucasian lady whose face had turned pink. She held her ears tight. But it didn’t help anyway, her nose turned red. Luckily, before it got worse for any of us, the lift doors opened. We got onto the bridge.

inside petronas tower bridge
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Kuala Lumpur 3 Days Itinerary

Back and out

When we went up, there wasn’t wind so we didn’t experience the bridge moment which was kind of disappointing.

The view however was spectacular! I looked down at the road from the window on one side and so tiny yellow ant-like-objects moving slowly. They were actually taxis and cars in the traffic. The feeling was pretty exhilarating, I should say.

The visit to the bridge wasn’t very long. We had around 30-45 minutes to stay and then the lift would take us back down. And so we went down after a few great pictures. The taxi was waiting for us for our next stop- the Batu Caves.

Another must visit place in Malaysia is no doubt Batu Caves. Read all about it on my Batu Caves blog here.

Heading back to the Airport

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Kuala Lumpur travel blog

This brings us to the end of this Kuala Lumpur travel blog. After our visit to the Batu Caves, we were completely exhausted. That was all our trip supposed to be and so we headed back. Thus back to the airport did we go to in the same taxi. The taxi driver became well-acquainted with us after a while.

He was originally Indian and turned out to be a pretty good guide as well. He didn’t speak our native of course, but we understood Malay. As it is close to Bahasa Indonesia, we had no trouble communicating.

For some basics of the language, I made a list of phrases that you’d need to keep in mind for it.

He told a lot about the city and his family and lifestyle as well. It was a pretty interesting conversation to listen to on our way back. And then we bid him goodbye and off we flew! Again, I didn’t remember a single thing on our way back. Just before we flew back, I made a very smart move.

I decided to have burnt noodles if that’s even a thing as I was hungry. Bad decision because I was nauseous on our entire travel back to Indonesia. But that’s just typically me, doing wrong shit at the wrong times, so I really can’t say anything about it anymore.

But anyway, that sums up for our trip to Kuala Lumpur. If you just finished reading this Kuala Lumpur Travel Blog, well hooray! Comment below if you’ve got something to add up.

ooty trip itinerary
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Manas Patil

Hi there! I'm a 22-year-old dude all the way from India, I love traveling and building itineraries! Sign up and get your FREE COPY of my travel checklist to get the best of your next vacation!

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