Like the whole country, the Malaysian capital is a city with many facets. Mosques, representative of the state religion, coexist with Hindu and Chinese temples. The skyscrapers seem to grow like mushrooms in this city in full expansion, but nature also has its place there in parks with the paces of jungle. To help you discover this teeming metropolis, we have listed for you the 5 best things to do in Kuala Lumpur.
When you arrive in the Malaysian capital, you usually think of going to admire the famous Petronas Towers, the twin towers that are one of the city's emblems.
And yet, one of the best ways to get an overview of this metropolis is to go to another tower: the KL Tower or Menara Tower, pictured above. This visit is one of the 5 best things to do in Kuala Lumpur in my opinion.
This tower taller than our famous Eiffel Tower is 421 meters. It offers a breathtaking view of the capital as it houses a panoramic observation deck located at 276 meters from the ground and a panoramic restaurant perched at 282 meters.
This restaurant called Atmosphere 360 offers a buffet and an unforgettable experience! In a spaceship-like setting, you are seated on a slowly rotating platform so you can enjoy the 360-degree view.
Take a cue at the beginning of the meal and you'll find the landscape changes before your eyes, until you return to your starting point!
After admiring the Malaysian capital's skyline and impressive skyscrapers, another of the top 5 things to do in Kuala Lumpur is to visit KL Bird Park for a radical change of scenery.
Although this park is located in the heart of the big city, it offers a haven of calm and greenery and gives you the illusion of entering the Malaysian jungle. This park of over 8 hectares is home to an incredible collection of 3000 birds of about 200 different species.
These birds are, for some, representative of the local fauna and, for others, native to other countries. But above all, they have the particularity of evolving freely in the middle of visitors in some parts of the park.
Walking among the exotic birds is an experience you won't soon forget, especially if you are lucky enough to come across peacocks doing cartwheels and strutting before your amazed eyes... to the point of blocking your way!
Just like many capitals in the world, Kuala Lumpur has its own Chinese Quarter. In this Chinatown, you'll find cheap restaurants and be able to purchase all kinds of made-in-China trinkets at Petaling Street.
Take advantage of your time in this area to discover the murals located in an area called Kwai Chai Hong in Lorong Panggung. To get there, just cross a red wooden bridge where a couple of lovers is depicted on the wall.
In this place a little hidden but very picturesque, the atmosphere is romantic as desired! As a couple or with friends, you can pose next to the trompe l'oeil characters to leave with lots of funny pictures.
Also nearby is Central Market, a large indoor market where you can stock up on souvenirs to bring home to your loved ones.
The Malaysian capital is also one of the best destinations for shopping in giant malls called shopping malls. In the city center, the choice of malls is very wide. Personally, I recommend going to Pavilion for several reasons.
First, this mall is always beautifully decorated for holidays like Deepavali or Christmas. Walking around this huge and beautifully decorated mall is already one of the top 5 things you can do in Kuala Lumpur.
But that's not all! Pavilion also invites you to experience an even bigger change of scenery by shopping at Tokyo Street. This part of the mall, located on the 6th floor, is a paradise for fans of Japanese products.
Between the stores and restaurants of sushi and other Japanese specialties, you could think you've just landed in Tokyo! Take the opportunity to buy Japanese socks and manga t-shirts for your loved ones.
To experience another form of radical change of scenery, you'll need to step outside the confines of Kuala Lumpur and travel 10km further north to a very famous Hindu pilgrimage site called the Batu Caves.
These limestone caves are considered one of Malaysia's natural wonders and are especially the scene of great fervor during religious festivals like Deepavali and Thaipusam.
This site is known for its multi-colored staircases and its impressive golden statue nearly 43 m high representing Lord Murugan, one of the sons of Shiva and Parvati in Hindu mythology.
But it also houses other interesting attractions like:
- the Ramayana Cave, a museum that graphically recounts the epic of Rama
- the temple dedicated to Hanuman preceded by an impressive 15-meter high representation of the god.
Visiting the Batu Caves is definitely one of the top 5 things to do near Kuala Lumpur! It's a powerful experience as it is the largest Hindu shrine outside of India and the crowds are impressive on festival days.
Author Audrey on 12 January 2023
Travel and Tourism : Stay
Author Audrey on 19 April 2023
Travel and Tourism : Stay