First impression: Kuala Lumpur is enormous.
Second impression, after I naively walked a distance that appeared small on a map, yet turned out to be two miles: Kuala Lumpur is enormous!
KL At A Glance
A crowded mosaic of shiny skyscrapers packs KL City Center, encircling the spaceship-looking Petronas Towers. These were the tallest buildings in the world for nearly a decade until 2004, and they remain the world’s tallest twin buildings today.
Nearby, Bukit Bintang neighborhood is a retail-and-foodie scene, spread out in an endless array of alleys that separate huge malls and food courts. Chinatown and the nearby Brickfields, holding Little India, are hubs for food and street shopping — with knock-off replicas of Swiss watches and luxury goods at appealing prices. Brickfields is also home to the busy KL Sentral train station adjacent to NU Sentral, a huge, modern mall, alongside another giant mesh of corporate buildings.
These four areas are just the “downtown” districts — when viewed from above, such as from the top of the KL Tower, more residential areas spread out as far as the eye can see in every direction.
Southeast Asia’s Most Aspirational City
KL’s scale is a testament to its modernity, particularly in regards to the city’s highly-efficient urban planning.
The KL metro area only holds half as many people as Bangkok metro, yet it feels bigger. This is mostly because KL’s giant nests of skyscrapers smoothly transition into its more residential neighborhoods; Bangkok, on the other hand, is extremely spread out. In fact, KL’s population density is around 40% greater than Bangkok’s.
KL has a reputation as being the second-most developed and modern city in Southeast Asia, surpassed only by Singapore. It’s important to remember, though, that Singapore is just a small, pristine, orderly city-state, which almost always places it in a category of its own. I think of Singapore as a global city; the exception rather than the rule to life in this part of the world. KL, on the other hand, feels definitively Southeast Asian.
Unlike Singapore, KL exists in the context of Malaysia’s big, traditional, rugged, chaotic, and complicated melting pot. Against this backdrop, the city stands out as a singular, epic unifying pillar of modernization. It’s the kind of city that all metropolises in SEA could aspire to become more like. It’s clean, comfortable, well-connected, modern, and futuristic, yet it still retains chaotic, fast-paced, and multicultural flavors. It really is a fascinating place.
How Many Days Do I Need In Kuala Lumpur?
I would recommend allocating three or four days in KL. There is plenty to do here, but you may get bored if you stay longer. I enjoyed the attractions, but it’s not an adrenaline-pumping, riveting destination by any definition. Check out my four-day itinerary for ideas below.
That said, KL has a reputation as an excellent city for expats. The city’s modernity certainly presents an appealing mix of comfort and culture, with immense scale and infinite opportunities for exploration. For what it’s worth, I suspect it’s a much better city to live in than it is to visit. KL seems incredibly livable, but I will only comment on its tourism in this article.
My Four-Day Kuala Lumpur Itinerary
In KL, every distance is too far to walk, but a modern and efficient metro system — including a beautiful monorail that weaves through its colossal towers — makes it easy to get around. I arrived by train from the airport and stayed in the Brickfields neighborhood for my first two nights, just a stone’s throw from the transportation hub at KL Sentral and the adjoined NU Sentral Mall.
Thean Hou Temple
I wandered around Brickfields and walked an unexpectedly long distance to Thean Hou Temple. The final uphill stretch to the Taoist complex added a layer of sweat to my already soaked clothes in the high heat and higher humidity. I got some water and wandered the Chinese-influenced temple, marveling at the curved roof tiles, hundreds of lanterns, and the mosaic ceilings that filled the symmetrical interior and courtyard terrace. Despite a bit of frustration at the extraordinary heat, the place was tranquil and restored a balanced feeling of calm.
Brickfields (Little India)
On my way back, I passed through Little India and soaked in the smells of incense and delicious curries, the loud Bollywood music, the colorful buildings, and the swarms of people that would crowd around 1-ringgit (around $0.25 USD) chai tea stands on the side of the road. It was quite charming, and it made me laugh to think that Singapore, Penang, and KL all had very large, and similar, Little India neighborhoods. It’s not a huge surprise — both Singapore and Malaysia have had vast numbers of immigrants, particularly from Southern India.
Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur
I made my way back up to KL Sentral station and took the light rail one stop to Chinatown. I arrived in the late afternoon and the famous, 134-year old Central Market had already closed for the day, but I still marveled at its timeless art deco style. I wandered over to Petaling Street, KL’s renowned Chinatown shopping street, and strolled through a long line of vendors selling all sorts of knock-off luxury goods under a long walkway decorated with more hanging Chinese lanterns.
Jalan Alor
Eventually, I got on another train and headed to Jalan Alor, KL’s most famous food street. Huge, crowded restaurants lined the road, with large billboards showing their menus, along with stands selling desserts and entire durians — Malaysians’ favorite fruit — ready to be cracked open. Interestingly, almost all these restaurants served either Thai, Singaporean, or Vietnamese cuisine, and the street was packed with tourists, which is not usually a good sign. Still, I was hungry, so the abundance of tasty-looking dishes made me quite pleased.
Eventually, I stopped and sat down at a tiny Malay food stand, hidden in plain sight. The cook asked if I could handle spicy; I said yes and proceeded to get my ass kicked by his overwhelmingly hot noodles. I washed it all down with a hot teh tarik — a milk tea that’s Malaysia’s national drink and my new favorite beverage — which helped clear some of the stinging from my mouth.
Fruit In Southeast Asia — Rambutan
It’s fruit season these days in Southeast Asia, so I finally got a chance to try some of the region’s specialties. I stopped at a fruit stand to pick up some rambutan — a large, hairy-skinned sibling of lychee. It was sold by the kilo, and I wasn’t sure how much to buy, so I ended up with nearly a pound of these to take back to my hotel.
Cream, my girlfriend, instructed me via video chat on how to peel the tough skin to get to the sweet interior. It was tasty, although 300 grams was certainly more than I needed. Lychee is both juicier and sweeter, making it the clear winner between the two. Rambutan simply looks more novel, like a weird alien egg.
Central Market
The next day I was determined to experience Chinatown’s attractions while they were actually open, so I made my way back. There wasn’t much, however, that was notable inside Central Market; in fact, most of the shops were still closed, likely due to the pandemic.
Merdeka Square
I walked a bit further up the decorated “River of Life” to Merdeka Square, which marks Malaysia’s independence. A huge, beautiful building with arabesque domes and minarets lined a large grass quad, with the biggest Malaysian flag you’ll ever see dancing in the breeze above. I wandered around the building, marveling at its architecture.
Masjid Jamek Mosque
Behind Merdeka Square, Masjid Jamek mosque — one of KL’s oldest and most iconic — featured more beautiful domes and courtyards. I couldn’t enter because I was wearing shorts, but I still enjoyed some good views by walking around to the other side of the river, which the mosque overlooks. To me, this is the most beautiful style of architecture: the curved domes and arches, plus the open courtyards and narrow minarets are so compelling; simultaneously so exotic, powerful, and delicate.
Malaysia’s National Mosque
After strolling around a bit more, I made my way to the National Mosque. I was disappointed to find it was only open to visitors for a handful of hours throughout the day, which I had narrowly missed. I admired its architecture before walking back and taking the monorail to KLCC, where I met some friends who I had connected with through the Couchsurfing app in a park at the base of the grand Petronas Towers.
Couchsurfing Friends In KL
My new friends — an Iranian expat of 15 years and his KL-native wife — were excited to show me around and introduce me to some unique Malaysian food while giving me recommendations for what to see next. We chatted for a while and got some delicious Malaysian-ized South Indian dosas with tasty curries.
They told me to check out a special bridge that leads to Chow Kit. I shared some tips and suggestions for their upcoming trip to the U.S. as well, and in just a few hours, we had all learned quite a bit while enjoying each other’s company. I’m new to the app, but between Singapore and KL, I’ve enjoyed using Couchsurfing to make some friends and get some valuable local insights.
Chow Kit
The bridge they mentioned was, indeed, quite cool, like a portal from future to past, and I wandered through anachronistic Chow Kit on the other side. This neighborhood is the only skyscraper-less part of central KL — an enclave carved out of the giant buildings filled with little old houses, quiet yards, and stray dogs. Some say it won’t last much longer before it is eventually developed and gentrified, but for now, it holds long stretches of local markets and specialties in a charming Malay village, with unique smells of food and wooden buildings to appreciate.
Putrajaya and The Pink Mosque
The next day, I took the airport train to Putrajaya. Much like the National Mall in the U.S., Putrajaya holds a long boulevard lined with beautiful government buildings. At one end, after crossing a decorated bridge that feels straight out of Dubai or Istanbul, the Pink Mosque sits and towers above a reflective lake.
I researched ahead of time to make sure I would arrive during visiting hours, and properly dressed in pants. Sadly, it didn’t matter — the place was under renovation and I still couldn’t go inside. The enormous dome was covered in scaffolding. Bad luck, I guess.
I was still able to stroll around the mosque’s arched outdoor complex, however, and enjoy the peaceful courtyard while staring up at the huge obelisk. I walked around the impressive boulevards of Putrajaya, which is the federal government’s seat just south of KL, before heading back towards the city.
Batu Caves
I changed trains at KL Sentral and headed to the Batu Caves, where an extremely colorful collection of Hindu temples are carved into the cliffs and hills a few miles north of the city center. Huge crowds of people took photos and worshiped under the statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. Monkeys and pigeons intermingled with the crowd, waiting to be fed. At the back, a large rainbow staircase invited visitors to climb into the caves themselves, which hold more beautifully-colored temples and shrines.
Bukit Bintang Neighborhood
On my last day in KL, I made my way around Bukit Bintang, where I stayed in a different hotel for the last two nights of my trip. I perused the neighborhood’s shopping malls, including Pavilion, the most posh mall in the country, and tried some more Malay dishes: nasi lemak, a multi-flavor adventure of a coconut rice plate served with all assortments of meat, sauces, and nuts; and assam laksa, a hearty variety of laksa, a stewy curry noodle dish.
KL Tower
Just before sunset, I went to the top of Menara KL (KL Tower), which can be seen from almost any point in the city. The observation deck gave fantastic views of the giant city’s expanses in every direction, plus a beautiful sunset. With the free binoculars in each direction, I could spot the Batu Caves far to the north, my hotels, and all the different buildings and places I’d stopped at around town. After sunset, hundreds of buildings came alive with sparkling lights.
I made my way back to the hotel to get some dinner and rest before boarding my flight back to Chiang Mai the next morning.
Comparing Malaysia, Singapore, And Thailand
I’ve been on the road for about three weeks, first with beachcombing and scuba diving in southern Thailand’s islands in Krabi, then touring luxurious Singapore while sampling its various cuisines. Now I am getting some flavors in-between with Malaysia, from traditional, old-fashioned Penang to the country’s ultra-modern capital, Kuala Lumpur. While I traveled with Cream in Thailand, she didn’t have a passport until a few days ago and thus couldn’t join me while I hopped over to the other countries by myself.
Visiting Malaysia and Singapore helped me appreciate something about Thailand that I hadn’t really understood until now — it bears so incredibly little resemblance to the West. On the one hand, the European colonial heritage of Malaysia and Singapore is very apparent — from the streets of Penang to the organized, multicultural modernity and hustle of KL and Singapore. These countries still feel very Western in culture and mindset despite colonialism ending half a century ago.
Thailand, on the other hand, is the only nation in Southeast Asia that was never colonized. It always remained sovereign, even when the British, French, Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish lay claim to nearby territories. With this in mind, Thailand feels perhaps a bit more different, adventurous, and unique to me when compared with its southern neighbors. Visiting Malaysia and Singapore helped me appreciate these similarities and differences, painting a fuller picture of Southeast Asia’s cultures.
Still, my exploration isn’t ending. I’ll only be back in Thailand for two weeks before heading home to the U.S. for some weddings and reunions. Then I’ll be flying to Vietnam and exploring yet another face of Southeast Asia. No plans after that yet, but as always, I’m excited to see where the adventure leads.
Thanks for coming along for the ride, and see you soon! Wherever you’re heading next, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip.
Bon voyage,
Andrew
