Kuala Lumpur is the versatile, multicultural and gigantic capital of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur is known as a city of great cultural and architectural diversity. It’s full of impressive skyscrapers, beautiful temples and mosques. What are the 10 coolest sights in Kuala Lumpur? Read it here!
14 Things to do in Kuala Lumpur
1. Batu Caves
One of the most visited sights in Kuala Lumpur are the Batu Caves. The impressive 42-meter-high golden statue at the entrance and the colorful staircase to the cave can be seen from afar. After no less than 272 steps you finally reach the top and you’ll have a great view. There are colorful Hindu temples in the cave and a lot of curious monkeys around the Batu Caves.
The Batu Caves are free and can be reached by public transport or a taxi. Read all the info and useful tips for the Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur.
2. Petronas Twin Towers
The iconic image of Kuala Lumpur are the Petronas Twin Towers. With a height of 452 meters, these are the tallest identical buildings in the world. From the nearby KLCC park you’ll have a fantastic view both during the day and in the evening. That’s why you can take the most beautiful photos here.
The price for the Petronas Twin Towers is RM80 for adults and RM30 for children. Buy your tickets at least a day in advance to ensure to get in. This can be done online or in the towers themselves.
3. KLCC Park
A beautifully maintained city park in Kuala Lumpur is the KLCC Park. Especially in the evening many people are jogging through the park. The KLCC Park is also great fun for children, because there’s a huge playground and children’s pool.
The park is open every day from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm.
4. Symphony Lake
The Petronas Twin Towers can be perfectly combined with the Symphony lake in the KLCC park. A fountain show takes place in this lake every half an hour from 8:00 PM. In combination with the music and the lights, this is a fun show to watch. The shows last about 10 minutes and can be viewed for free.
5. Petrosains Science Museum
The Petrosains Science Museum is an educational science museum suitable for young and old. There are various types of educational exhibitions, many fun activities, a café and a souvenir shop. You’ll be able to entertain yourself for a few hours!
It’s situated in the KLCC building. Admission to the Petrosains Science Museum is RM28 for adults and RM16.50 for children. It opens Tuesday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm and on weekends from 9:30 am to 6:30 pm.
6. Sky Bar
In Kuala Lumpur it’s full of Skybars where you can have a drink in the evening. The luxurious Sky Bar is located on the 33rd floor of the Traders Hotel next to the KLCC park. From this bar you’ll have a phenomenal view of the famous Petronas Twin Towers. Hotel guests can make free use of the swimming pool located in the bar. During the day it’s often quiet, but in the evening this is the place to be. Wednesday is Ladies Night in the Sky Bar, giving the women a free cocktail.
Entrance is free. On the other hand, you are expected to buy a (pricey) drink.
7. Kuala Lumpur Tower
One of the highest sights in Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Lumpur Tower. This gigantic radio tower is the seventh tallest telecommunications tower in the world and is even the tallest in all of South East Asia! In many places in the city, you can see this tower protruding above the other buildings. The best part is that you can also visit this tower. From the Observation Deck at a height of 276 meters, you have a 360 degree view of the entire city. The Sky Deck is even higher, at a height of no less than 300 meters!
There are large telescopes in various places with which you can see everything up close. With the telescopes you’ll be able to follow the people walking on the street with it. Stalky? Maybe, but great fun!
Admission to the Observation Deck is RM49 for adults and RM29 for children. Access to the Sky Deck costs RM99 for adults and RM52 for children.
8. Heli Lounge Bar
The Heli Lounge Bar is another place to have a fantastic view of the city. And as the name says, you’re actually on a helicopter platform here, without railings! That may sound a bit more dangerous than it actually is, because safety is definitely being taken into account.
The Heli Lounge Bar is open from 6:00 pm so you can watch the sunset from this great spot. However, there is a good chance that it’s quite busy around this time. From 21:00 you’re obliged to pay entrance. The entrance is free before 21:00, but you’re of course expected to buy a (pricey) drink of your choice. Thursday is Ladiesnight, which means that women get a nice discount on cocktails.
9. Thean Hou Temple
This large and richly decorated Chinese temple complex is definitely worth a visit during your visit to Kuala Lumpur. From the outside it already looks incredibly beautiful, but it’s also beautiful on the inside. You can also go to the Thean Hou Temple for divination and marriage registration. Souvenir shops are located at the exit, under the temple. There are no shops here where you can get something to eat.
The Thean Hou Temple is free to visit and is open daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
10. Jalan Alor Nightmarket
Nightmarkets can be found just about everywhere in Southeast Asia. And also in Kuala Lumpur. The Jalan Alor Nightmarket is a long street where you are flooded with different types of street food. You have to be here if you want to eat cheap Asian food. You’ll find all kinds of main courses with fish, meat, and veggies, but also desserts, dumplings and fruit. Buy your food at a stall, or sit on one of the many terraces with plastic garden chairs.
The Jalan Alor Nightmarket is open all day, but is of course the most crowded and the most pleasant in the evening.
11. Central Market
Buying souvenirs? Then visit the covered Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. Here you can find clothes, jewelry, soaps and even paintings. There are many of the same type of stalls, so comparing prices is recommended if you go for the best bargains. On the top floor there is a Food Court where you can have a great lunch.
12. Museum of Illusions Kuala Lumpur
The Museum of Illusions is a super fun interactive museum suitable for young and old. It’s the first Museum of Illusions in Asia and one of the most popular sights in Kuala Lumpur. The museum is not very big, but I was there for about an hour. All the optical illusions provide fun photos!
The Museum of Illusions is located in the Ansa Hotel on the first floor and is open every day from 10am – 10pm. Entrance to the museum is RM45. But have you booked a hotel in Kuala Lumpur through Booking.com? Then you get a discount on the museum. The amount will be debited from your credit card upon arrival.
13. Lot 10 Food court
Looking for cheap Asian street food? Then be sure to walk around the Lot 10 Food Court, which is located in the basement of the Lot 10 Shopping Mall. You can enjoy various dirt cheap Malaysian / Chinese dishes. There are enough seating areas to enjoy your food.
The Lot 10 Food Court is located next to the Museum of Illusions, making these two attractions in Kuala Lumpur easy to combine.
14. Pavilion Shopping Center
You must have visited the popular Pavilion shopping center in Kuala Lumpur. Even if it’s only to admire the gigantic building of 6 floors high that contains no less than 450 shops. You will find expensive designer clothes, electronic shops, bookstores, restaurants and even a cinema where you can go to the movies for a few euros. It’s so big that I could easily enjoy myself for a few hours and got lost in it a few times.
The Pavilion Shopping Center is opens every day from 10:00 am – 10:00 pm.
How many days in Kuala Lumpur?
I advise you to stay 2 – 3 days if you want to see all these sights in Kuala Lumpur. If you have less time, then one and a half days, so two nights is also fine. But it is then necessary to choose from the different sights, because it isn’t possible to see them all. It just depends on what you like! If you have enough time, choose 3 full days.
Best neighborhood to stay in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is gi-gan-tic and therefore consists of many different neighborhoods. The nicest and most convenient area to stay in Kuala Lumpur is without a doubt Bukit Bintang. It is the place to book a ho (s) tel if you want to visit many sights in Kuala Lumpur. This tourist district includes the Jalan Alor Nightmarket, Pavillon Shopping Center, Lot 10 Food Court and the Museum of Illusions. The KLCC park and several well-known Skybars are fairly close by.
