Your Go-To Guide for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Out of my 5 week trip hopping around Asia, I was pleasantly surprised by Kuala Lumpur. It was one of my favorite destinations because it has a (dare I say, perfect) combination of sightseeing, dining, nightlife, efficiency, and affordably. I recommend this city to any and everyone, and I hope to return soon! So read on for all of the information you need to plan for your trip to Kuala Lumpur — a truly underrated city!
Cultural Facts about Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (colloquially referred to as KL), is the capital of Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia that’s located south of Thailand on the Malay peninsula.
Kuala Lumpur is one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia, and its metropolitan area is one of the fastest-growing economical areas in Southeast Asia. This economic growth has paved the way for KL to have the physical and tourist infrastructure that makes it easy to navigate around the city.
Kuala Lumpur is a melting pot of different different ethnicities and cultures. The main ethnic groups are Tamil Indians, Chinese people (typically from the southeastern provinces of China), and ethnic Malaysians.
Malaysia has two official languages: Malay and English. However, Tamil and Mandarin are often spoken.
Islam is the predominate religion practiced across Malaysia. You’ll see many women in hijab and other covering. However, many other religions are present in KL, namely Hindu, Taoism, and Buddhism.
The currency is the Malaysian Ringgit. At the time of this writing, 1 ringgit = 0.21 usd. I found the prices all around KL to be extremely affordable; your dollar goes a long way here! KL still has a large cash economy, so I recommend taking out plenty of cash. There’s no shortage of ATMs around the city.
How to Get Around
Getting around KL is super simple. There’s an extensive public transit system and the fares are super cheap. However, we only took the train a few times because I found the train stations to be far apart from each other and there weren’t many buses in-between. But get this: You won’t necessarily need to use their public transit because their version of Uber/Lyft, Grab, is fantastic! Grab is a convenient and affordable way to get around KL. The price for rides is just slightly more than public transit (which is already dirt cheap). To put it into perspective, a 30-minute ride across the city would run us around $4. We used Grab to get to the airport when we were leaving KL (we took an express train getting in). Grab can also be used for food delivery like Uber Eats (and even more). We used it to deliver breakfast (some yummy Indian food) to our Airbnb during one of our mornings. Grab has the option of paying for services via credit card, but I noticed that when I tried to call a car with this option, no drivers accepted. When I called cars with paying for cash, I was easily able to get a driver; so, something to keep in mind.
“Grab is a convenient and affordable way to get around KL. ”
Other transport we took were:
Metered city taxis (you can also negotiate a flat price with the driver instead of using the meter)
The KLIA Ekspres train (we took this once we landed, but the Grab cars are just as cheap [if not cheaper] than this express train and it’s door-to-door)
The Komuter train to get to the Batu Caves
And plenty of walking! KL is super walkable
Where We Stayed
There’s no shortage of dope hotels and Airbnbs in KL. Since we’re budget travelers, we were looking for a place that would provide the most value but was still comfortable. Well, we got way more than just comfort. The place we stayed in KL was pure luxury. We booked an Airbnb that was a condo in the Ceylonz Suites @ Bukit Ceylon | EXSIM.
The Airbnb link is here.
As an Airbnb guest, we had access to the listing’s clean, modern, and beautifully decorated studio apartment, in addition to the gym, receptionist, outdoor sitting spaces, rooftop bar and restaurant, and last but not least — the rooftop infinity pool. Which was AMAZING. Like, I’m still not over the pool. The pool alone is worth staying here. The photos above do it no justice. From the pool, you have a clearcut 180 degree view of the city, including views of the KL Tower, the Petronas Towers, and the mountains in the far background. The pool was clean and well-secured (though they really had a shortage of lounge chairs). Ceylonz Suites is walking distance from many points of interest in KL, including Chinatown and the Ceylon neighborhood that houses lots of Kuala Lumpur’s nightlife. I highly recommend you stay here!
Food and Dining
Like many modern metropolises, KL has plenty of different restaurants to satisfy any foodie. I didn’t have many memorable eating experiences here, but that’s because my appetite was a bit weak during my trip. However, one memorable dining experience I did have that I want to recommend to everyone visiting KL is the plant-based restaurant The Hungry Tapir. Goodness gracious, I love that restaurant. Like ya’ll, I can’t overstate how much I love that restaurant. We went twice, and I don’t even like going to the same place more than once. And this is the type of vegan/vegetarian restaurant that even my meat-lovers will love. This is why I loved this place:
The menu is large but not too large, and includes Malaysian cuisine as well as more Western favorites
They also have a full bar and a list of cool craft cocktails (I love me some craft cocktails). They offer smoothies, fresh juices, teas, coffee, and kombucha.
The decor is absolute lovely. You’ll have to see it for yourself.
I ordered the truffle chick’n mac n cheese both times, and it was bussin. Abraham had the pink bombshell burger and loved it. I also ordered the nasi lemak (a traditional Malaysian dish) and it was so spicy and delicious.
What We Did
Like everything, there’s definitely not a shortage of things to see and do in KL. Here are the places we visited during our trip — and I recommend them all!
The Batu Caves (a must-see!)
Masjid Jamek (the first masjid [mosque] constructed in KL)
Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (one of the oldest Hindu temples)
Guan Di Temple (oldest Taoist temple)
Visit one of the many large malls. I recommend the Plaza Sungei Wang. There are many other malls located next door as well, and they all offer great dining options.
We both got tattoos at this cool tattoo shop there called ninehearts tattoo.
Jalan Alor (the most popular food hawker street in KL. We went at night and it was a vibe)
Jalan Petaling (The main market street in KL’s Chinatown; you can find everything here so bring your bargaining skills)
