The symbiosis of the past and the present is everywhere in Kuala Lumpur. One moment you are marvelling at dazzling skyscrapers, the next you’ve wandered into a kampung where rickety timber houses still stand in the shade of palm trees. It’s a city where neighbourhood kopitiams serve kopi and kaya toast alongside modern, hipster joints where you can order a matcha latte and a grain bowl; a city where a meal at hawker food stalls is as coveted as those in Michelin-starred restaurants; a city where communities with disparate cultures and traditions and cuisines come together to build a brighter future. Our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary covers the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur.
KUALA LUMPUR / MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur was carved out of dense tropical rainforest by Chinese and Malay tin prospectors. A few decades later, the Europeans began to arrive on the shores and in the late 19th century, the adolescent city was named the capital of Peninsular Malaysia by the British. Independence was declared in 1957 by the country’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, signalling the country’s rise as one of Asia’s economic powerhouses. The Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur are a testament to that. Modern Kuala Lumpur is a lesson in multiculturalism: Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities go about their daily lives, sharing the fabric of their culture with each other, every day in this bustling city of skyscrapers and rolling gardens, malls and night markets, temples and mosques. The best way to explore Kuala Lumpur is through its markets and hawker food joints where you can sample Hokkien Chinese noodles and Indian Muslim curries and Malay Nasi Lemak at adjacent stalls.
How many days should I spend in Kuala Lumpur? If you are visiting Malaysia for one or two weeks, plan to spend at least three days in KL. Our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary covers all the top things to do in Kuala Lumpur and the best activities in KL. We’ve crafted this KL itinerary for those who, like us, have full-time jobs to return to and travel for a limited time. This KL itinerary will show you the best of Kuala Lumpur: its lush gardens and forests, heritage neighbourhoods, hawker stalls and night markets, gorgeous temples and mosques, fascinating museums, offbeat souvenir stores, and bustling markets. So, let’s explore Kuala Lumpur!
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Kuala Lumpur Itinerary Day 1
Menara KL | Chow Kit | Kampung Bharu | Petronas Twin Towers
AM // What better than some fresh air and greenery to kick-start your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur tour? Start your day gazing at Kuala Lumpur from the observation deck (RM 47) of the 421 m tall Menara KL Tower. You can take the shuttle on the way up from the Guard House. Hike through KL Forest Eco Park, a 9.37 hectares dipterocarp forest reserve gazetted in 1906, on your way back. Either explore on your own or join one of the free guided tours. The KL Forest Eco Park is Malaysia’s oldest piece of reserved forest and offers a wonderful insight into the flora and fauna of the tropics.
Next stop? The bustling Chow Kit market, one of Kuala Lumpur’s best attractions. Sandwiched between the two parallel roads of Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Bazar Baru Chow Kit is Malaysia’s largest wet market. We’ll agree it isn’t the most pleasant of sights– butchered meat hanging from hooks, buckets full of fish ready to be filleted, crabs and mussels and squids waiting to be sold– but it’s the best place to learn about local ingredients and food. If the wet market isn’t up your alley, stroll into the produce section where you can sample exotic fruits like longans, rambutans, durians, and mangosteens. And if travel means shopping for edible souvenirs, you’re in the right place! Handmade noodles, spice mixes, dried anchovies and octopi, mushrooms and edible flowers…you can find it all here and when you’re exhausted, head Tian Yake Ban Mian for a bowl of shroomy pan mee or dig into a hearty Nasi Kandar meal at Mohd Yaseen’s Penang Nasi Kandar. Offer your prayers at Tatt Khalsa Diwan Gurdwara and the Masjid Jamek on your way to Kampung Baru where wooden houses on stilts still stand against a backdrop of Malaysia’s richest and shiniest skyscrapers. The Malay government plans to redevelop the area but until then, savour this enclave, with its banana and palm trees and chickens scratching in gardens, as it is. On Saturday nights, the sleepy enclave hosts the Kampung Baru Night Market where you can shop for clothes, jewellery, stationery, etc. and gorge on local Malay dishes like rojak, nasi campur, nasi lemak, putu piring, ikan bakar (fish grilled in banana leaves is a must-eat here), satay, kuih, and more. For lunch, head to Kak Som where you can taste a variety of Malay-style fish preparations with rice. Meat, seafood, and vegetable dishes are also available.
TIP: Kuala Lumpur’s GOKL buses are free for all and they’ll take you to most of the major tourist spots around the city. Check the routes here and find accommodation near one of the bus stops. You’ll save so much on transportation! Plus the buses have free WiFi!
PM // Later in the afternoon, head to KLCC Gardens. Stroll in the garden, laze or read a book, watch the butterflies…but at dusk, be in the Trader’s Hotel to enjoy an extraordinary view of the Petronas Twin Towers. Of course, the top thing to do in Kuala Lumpur is taking a photo of the Petronas Twin Towers! The house cocktails are pretty fun, albeit expensive, but the view is memorable. Wednesday is Women’s Night, if you fancy some free drinks with your gal pals! Once the sun has set, head to the fountains outside Suria KLCC for a brilliant show of musical fountains. Then, if you are bookworms like us, find your way to Kinokuniya. We were there every evening and ended up buying five books (and paying for extra luggage on the way home!). The massive collection includes coffee-table books about Malaysia, Malay cookbooks, Malay fiction, and manga and graphic novels. They also have an extensive stationery collection including washi tapes, writing instruments, stamps, and beautiful notebooks.
The dazzling Petronas Twin Towers are one of the world’s most recognizable landmarks. At 452 m, the towers are the tallest twin towers in the world. From the top, the magnificent towers, designed by César Pelli, resemble an eight-pointed star, which in Islamic culture represents unity, harmony, stability, and rationality, with added semicircles to each of the inner angles. Getting to the observation deck on the 86th floor and the sky bridge of the Petronas Twin Towers is expensive (RM 80 for adults), so we skipped it but should you fancy a bird’s eye view of the city, book in advance for tickets are limited and sell out fast.
If you haven’t already filled yourself with food at KLCC Suria, head to Lot 10 Hutong where you can try Malaysia’s best street food and hawker fare in a comfortable air-conditioned basement. Besides some of Malaysia’s most-loved eateries, Lot 10 also has a supermarket where you can pick up a range of edible souvenirs like kaya, bat kut teh herbs, white coffee, durian-flavoured chocolates, curry noodles, and more. If your Malaysia itinerary is limited to Kuala Lumpur, don’t miss this place where eateries like Pin Qian Klang Bak Kut Teh, Ho Weng Kee Wanton Mee, and Kim Lian Kee Hokkien Mee offer a brief culinary tour of the country. And if you are still hungry, how about some of the irresistible shawarma at Halab Gate?
Also read: Malaysia is an amazing destination for food lovers. Read our Malaysia Food Tour post for a quick introduction to all that you can eat here.
Kuala Lumpur Itinerary Day 2
Batu Caves | Merdeka Square | Chinatown | Masjid India
AM // The second day of our Kuala Lumpur itinerary starts at one of Malaysia’s most well-known attraction: Batu Caves. Chances are that you have seen the rainbow-coloured stairs on Instagram that lead to the Batu Caves a hundred times on social media because Batu Caves is one of the most Instagrammable spots in Kuala Lumpur. Located 15 km from Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves is easily accessible via the KTM KOMUTER or Grab cabs. Of the five caves, the main cave, with the 42.7 m tall statue of Lord Murugan at the entrance, is the most well-known. To reach the shrine of Lord Subramaniam inside the cave, you’ll have to climb the 272 rainbow-coloured steps! Inside the caves, it’s like stepping into a different world: it’s damp and cool despite the blazing heat outside; sunlight streams into the atrium from the collapsed roof; the fragrance of incense adds to the atmosphere. In January, the three-day-long festival of Thaipusam brings hundreds of devotees to the Batu Caves. On the way to the temple is the dark cave, home to bats and a variety of other organisms, which was closed to visitors in 2019. The other three caves include the Ramayana Cave which has figurines depicting the story of the Ramayana and two cave villas.
The temple opens at 6 am but the stairs are open at all hours; come early for that perfect shot. Dress conservatively; wear trousers and cover your shoulders. Sarongs are available for a fee at the temple entrance.
Take the KTM KOMUTER from Batu Caves to Bank Negara and walk to the Merdeka Square. Set in front of the Indo-Saracenic Sultan Abdul Samad Building, the Dataran Merdeka was where Malaysian independence was declared in 1957. Across it, is the Royal Selangor Club and to the north is St. Mary’s Church.
TIP: Download the Grab App before you hit Malaysian shores! Fares are reasonable and the service is excellent but you’ll need a phone number to download the app. We didn’t buy a sim but used public WiFi, which is convenient and fast and available in almost all tourist places in Kuala Lumpur.
PM // Because no Kuala Lumpur itinerary is completed without a visit to KL Chinatown, head there for lunch. At Kedai Kopi Lai Foong, the bestsellers are bowls of la la noodle soup and beef ball soup. Cool down with some iced tea, then head out to explore Chinatown. First stop: Sze Ya Temple, Kuala Lumpur’s oldest Chinese temple. Stop to experience the serenity, offer your prayers, and perhaps strike up a conversation with the joss stick makers who can tell you more about the temple. Then, walk to Central Market (Pasar Seni) where you shop for antique Malay furniture, clothes, organic skincare products, paintings, etc. Exit the market, walk across Jln Tun Tah Cheong Lock and down Jln Tun HS Lee. At Kedai Menjual Makanan Haiwan, you can buy dainty Chinese porcelain crockery. Stock up on exotic ingredients like dried abalone, sea cucumber, scallop, and Japanese white mushroom at the family-run Chai Hua Hin Trading or join a tea ceremony and buy some excellent Puh’er at TaeTea across the street.
TIP: Shopping at the Central Market is one of the best things to do in Kuala Lumpur because it is a great place if you are interested in local fabrics and weaves. Songket and batik are available here and they are one of the best souvenirs you can buy from Malaysia.
Offer your prayers at the bright-red Guandi Temple, then take a right and walk into the wet market and find yourself at Madras Lane Hawker Stalls. Yong Tau Fu in fish broth, Asam Laksa, and Curry Mee are the top picks here. Retrace your steps to the Jln Tun HS Lee and walk down the street to admire the colourful gopuram of the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, and wrap up your evening at Chinatown at the Petaling Street Market.
Next stop? Masjid India. Do not miss this bustling neighbourhood on your Kuala Lumpur trip. Located at the confluence of the Gombak and Klang rivers, the graceful Masjid Jamek built in a blend of Mughal and Moorish styles, was Kuala Lumpur’s centre of Islamic worship until the opening of the National Mosque in 1965. The area is full of shops selling vibrant Indian garments and gold jewellery. For dinner, visit the Masjid India Hawker Court. Or, if it’s a Saturday, the Masjid India Pasar Malam where you can find excellent Malay, Chinese, and Indian fare. If you want to be somewhere quieter, grab a table at Capital Cafe and order some rojak and satay. Sagar is well-known for its India thali meals; for Muslim mamak fare, head to Restoran Buharry.
Also read: Don’t skip the beautiful city of George Town on Penang island on your trip to Malaysia. After spending 3 days in Kuala Lumpur, head to Penang. Check out our 3 Days in George Town, Penang post for an itinerary.
Kuala Lumpur Itinerary Day 3
Lake Gardens | Bukit Bintang | Jalan Alor
AM // Start your day at the beautifully landscaped Tun Abdul Razak Park, formerly known as the Lake Gardens, one of Kuala Lumpur’s best attractions. There are a variety of attractions around the park: the Perdana Botanical Gardens (extraordinary orchids!), the KL Bird Park, the KL Butterfly Park, the National Museum, and the Islamic Arts Museum. Visiting all these KL attractions will need more than half a day; if you have only planned for 3 days in Kuala Lumpur, pick the ones that you’re most drawn to.
The Islamic Arts Museum is a must-visit and one of KL’s prime attractions. The impressive building with its pretty tile-work domes and Arabic calligraphy painted on pillars houses an impressive collection of textiles, jewellery, ceramics, manuscripts, and carpets from the Islamic world. Also, on display are replicas of important Islamic buildings from around the world. Nearby is the National Museum which houses the country’s geological treasures and a replica of the 11,000-year-old Perak Man amongst other galleries. The Orang Asli Craft Museum and the Museum of Malay World Ethnology are worth visiting too.
The architecture of the National Mosque was inspired by Mecca’s Masjid al-Haram. With an umbrella-like blue-tile roof with 18 points symbolising the 13 states of Malaysia and the five pillars of Islam, a 74 m tall minaret, reflecting pools and fountains, the mosque is beautiful. Non-Muslims are welcome outside of prayer times; make sure that you are dressed appropriately.
PM // For lunch, get a table at Blue Boy Vegetarian and treat yourself to delicious vegetarian Nasi Lemak, Char Kuey Teow, and Curry Mee. Cool yourself with sweet iced coffee before hitting the shopping capital of Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Bintang! No KL trip is complete without a stop at Bukit Bintang. On the way, stroll through the mural-lined alleys of Changkat Bukit Bintang. The area has some of the coolest bars and restaurants in town! The Pavilion KL has familiar international luxury brands alongside well-known local retailers. At the Pavilion Mall, stop by the Michelin-starred Din Tai Fung for their famous Xiao Long Bao. Fahrenheit88 with its massive Uniqlo store and Lot 10 are your other options. If you love shopping, consider adding another afternoon to your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary and visit the Berjaya Times Square Mall and Publika as well.
If malls and shopping aren’t up your alley, book a Grab cab and head to the picturesque Thean Hou Temple. The multi-storied Chinese temple with mosaic dragons and phoenixes adorned the bright red eaves is dedicated to Thean Hou, the heavenly queen. In the evening, it is lit up with red and yellow lanterns and makes for a pretty sight.
A visit to the night market at Jalan Alor may be one of KL’s more touristy activities but we thoroughly enjoyed it! Seat down at a rickety red table, order some satay and black pepper crab and steamed snails and bowls of piping hot noodle soups and down it all with some chilled beer. For dessert, there’s fresh fruit and creamy coconut ice cream. You can argue that the food isn’t authentic, and the prices are higher than those at other night markets but the energy in this place is amazing. There’s live music and you get to meet fellow travellers. It’s the perfect way to wrap your 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary!
Also read: With its heritage Chinese shophouses and delicious food, Ipoh is a must-visit on your Malaysia trip. See Top Things To Do In Ipoh for a quick overview.
There’s so much to see and do and eat in Kuala Lumpur that even a month feels less but our 3 days in Kuala Lumpur itinerary will show you the best of KL. On our next visit, we’d like to explore Bangsar and more of Chinatown and visit more night markets. Of course, we’d like to sample more local food and maybe go back to Kinokuniya for another book haul!
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