Kuala Lumpur is a city which boasts of tall skyscrapers, smiling locals and lots of natural attractions apart from providing a splendid shopping experience. We stayed in the main part of the city called Bucket Bintang. It’s close to all the main attractions of the city like the Petronas Towers, China Town & even the KL tower. Moreover, malls like KLCC are just walking distance if you stay in an area like Bukit Bintang. If you’re a first timer in Kuala Lumpur, this is the only guide you will need for KL:
How To Reach
There are direct flights from Delhi with fares starting from Rs 8000, if you book well in advance. We went by Malindo Air, which is Malaysia’s local airline & it was quite comfortable. They had in-flight entertainment and the Economy seats were pretty comfortable.
Travel In KL
When you land at the airport, you will need a taxi till your hotel. The airport is on the outskirts of the city and it takes at least 45 mins to one hour to reach the main city. You can get a Taxi or “Teksi” easily in Kuala Lumpur. Just either stand at the bus stop stands to get a taxi and take the metered cab, it’s not too expensive.
#VagabondTip: The public transport is pretty cheap and comfortable. Try their buses or metro systems to get around the city on a day-to-day basis. Walking can be tough as the city is huge and it can get confusing as well.
How To Use the Phones + Internet
If you’re going from India or from anyplace in the world for that matter, after getting down at the airport just buy a local SIM from there. Ask for a pre-paid SIM with 1-2 GB of data & local minutes to call to India. They have plans for that and it will cost you somewhere from 20 -30 Ringgit.
#VagabondTip: There are also 7Eleven shops all throughout the city where you can get SIM cards as well. These shops are open 24*7 and are a good way to shop for something to eat or buy essentials if you need.
What To Eat- For Vegetarians
Let me come straight to the point, you’re not going to have it easy here. Malaysians mostly eat a lot of seafood and non-veg, that’s their staple food. But, still getting hold of vegetarian options is not impossible.
Since most of the population is Tamilian, you can enjoy a lovely South Indian meal- Dosa, Idli the works at Saravan Bhawan which are there throughout the city.
Know More: https://www.tourism.gov.my/
If you want to eat something else, your best bet is either Subway, which has the usual Veggie Delight or you can also go for McDonalds which serve one Veg burger plus Fries for vegetarians.
#VagabondTip: There might be times when you might not find any vegetarian food at all, at these times just hop in to one of these 7Elevens and grab some chips, cookies and other yummy Malaysian snacks!
Things To See in Kuala Lumpur
1) Soak in the City Atop The Petronas Twin Towers:
This obviously had to top the list! It’s one thing to see images of Petronas Twin Towers, but when you actually see them in real life, it’s mind-blowing! The sheer height of these towers blows you away. I still remember the first time I had a look and the towers touched the sky as far as my eyes could see!
Needless to say, don’t just see the towers from outside. Take tickets for a full tour! Of course entry to the adjoining mall and parks is free. Petronas Twin Towers has a host of other attractions including the Petronas Art Gallery and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. To get tickets, you need to go in Suria KLCC mall and then buy tickets from there. Though it’s a bit expensive, but the view from the above makes it all worth it! You can go till Level 86 where you can go to the Petronas Twin Towers’ observation deck. Here you will get a closeup view of the tower’s spire as well as digital displays and exhibit of the tower’s history.
Opening Hours: 09:00 – 19:00 (closed for Friday prayers 13:00 – 14:30) Location: Near Concorde Hotel Monorail stop, in between Jalan Ampang and Jalan Raja Chulan
2) Indulge in Shopping at China Town:
Kuala Lumpur is known for shopping. From cheap souvenirs to touristy T-shirts, Chinese tech gadgets, pop umbrellas; they have everything & anything! This is one of the most popular markets in the city. Of course when you’re here, don’t forget to bargain! While shopping you can also indulge in some local snacks and coconut water to keep you refuelled!
3) KLCC Aquaria:
Located in the Petronas Tower area itself, Aquaria is an extremely popular and lively place to see the various species of marine life. This is also said to be one of the biggest aquariums in South East Asia.
The star attractions are scary tiger sharks, lethal sea snakes, blue rays, bright coral fish, seahorses and more. Don’t forget to also check out the tunnel at Aquaria KLCC. It’s a 90m walk-through tunnel with a moving travelator in its centre. Inside you’ll be surrounded by sand tiger sharks, huge stingrays and more.
4) KL Tower:
The 421m-high KL Tower is, at present, the world’s fifth tallest structure. And even though it’s nowhere near the height of Petronas, it’s still a city landmark which is well celebrated.
The viewing deck is higher than that of the Petronas. However, don’t go up there on a rainy day, like we did. You won’t be able to see much at all and they close the viewing deck during rains as well.
5) Bird Park:
Definitely one of the highlights of my trip to KL. This is an unbelievable experience if you love birds and nature. The experience of walking around 10-20 pelicans and birds freely is something that I’ll never forget. Most of the birds here fly freely and the bird park is one of the largest free-flying bird park.
The 20.9-ha park was opened in 1991 and is home to more than 3,000 birds from 200 species all over the world. There are bird shows as well where you can interact with birds. Otherwise, there are different parts of the park which you can explore: Brahminy Land, World of Parrots, Flamingo Pond, Hornbill Park and many more, to keep the different species of feathered creatures separate but they are free to fly around their respective enclosures.
Where To Shop
Berjaya Times Square, Suria KLCC, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur are one of the best places to do some great shopping. All the big brands are available here and you can take you pick!
Apart from that if you want to buy some local clothes, then Berjaya Times Square has really good clothes to choose from. The only problem is that the sizes are way too small and mostly they only sell One Sized items. They don’t permit trying the clothes as well. However, the clothes are of great quality mostly and also are dirt cheap!
Hope the guide was helpful and if you have any more questions about Malaysia, do comment below!
