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Destinations > Asia > Malaysia > Best things to do in Kuala Lumpur: Culture, Nature, and Architecture

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia, a country in Southeast Asia.

The word “Kuala” means a confluence while “Lumpur” actually means mud in Malay. It is said that the city was established after the swampy and muddy land near Gombak and the Klang River was cleared, hence the name “Kuala Lumpur.”

Malaysia is famous for its diversity of races, religions, and cultures. In Kuala Lumpur, you will see this amazing diversity scattered throughout the city, with structures inspired from Islamic architecture, busy night markets around Chinatown, and unique Hindu temples built inside caves!

Another perk of a multiracial country is that you get to enjoy foods from a variety of cuisines - such as Chinese, Malay, and Indian - in a single restaurant, and occasionally as unique fusion dishes that you'll only find in Malaysia!

ENHANCE YOUR VISIT: Tour Kuala Lumpur on one of the best Kuala Lumpur Tours, or opt for a "Highlights & Hidden Gems" Kuala Lumpur City Tour by a Local (KL City Tour), to get an expert guide that shares all of the historical and cultural tidbits that you’d miss without!

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Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC)

OUR STORY: Not only is there a great view of the Petronas Towers from the City Park - and perhaps a better view from the sky deck of the Traders Hotel - but there is also a delightful night water show, a decent Aquarium, the Petrosains Science Center, and a 6-story mall that has a large variety of delicious food.

KLCC Park Kuala Lumpur

This 50-acre urban park is located right outside of the Suria KLCC Shopping Mall, the main shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur’s City Center. The park is famous for its man-made lake called Symphony Lake. It has a huge water fountain that shoots water up to 42 meters. No need for a KLCC Park Ticket, as this attraction is absolutely free!

If you are bringing kids, there is a huge playground that they can enjoy, a wading pool nearby, and a few restrooms if you need them. KLCC Park also features a great jogging track for a morning or evening run.

OUR STORY: While we went during a more relaxed period of the coronavirus lockdown in Malaysia, we were still able to keep plenty of distance from other people in the park - however, the playground was closed so our son had to just enjoy the walk with us on the track. The track is very comfortable for walking or running and there are some absolutely gorgeous views of the Twin Towers! We enjoyed the area around the bridge most, as there are even a few banyan trees on one side of it while there is a nice lake on the other side. There is also excellent viewing of the night light show from the bridge as well - which we all really enjoyed!

Be sure to check out the symphonic water shows that usually start at noon and in the evening. If you’re really into seeing the unique ways that Kuala Lumpur lights up in special ways at night, combine this with the River of Life show and other unique places as well - it’s really amazing!

PETRONAS Twin Towers Tickets

A trip to Kuala Lumpur won’t be complete without visiting the Twin Towers. These 88-storey twin towers are 452 meters tall and were declared the tallest buildings back in 1998. Even though Burj Khalifa now holds the record, the Petronas Twin Towers are still considered the tallest twin structures in the world.

Grab a Petronas Towers ticket to gain access to the Sky Bridge - a double-decker bridge connecting the two towers. It’s the only KLCC Tower Ticket that you’ll need.

The Twin Towers also have other attractions that you can visit at its base, such as Suria KLCC (a.k.a. Suria Kuala Lumpur or Suria Mall), a shopping center at the foot of the towers that has over 300 branded stores and two food courts offering local & international cuisine, as well as the Petronas Philharmonic Concert Hall, which was inspired by the 19th-century European classical music halls.

Aquaria KLCC

Located beneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Aquaria is the home of Kuala Lumpur’s state-of-the-art oceanarium. You can also reach it via an underground tunnel from the Twin Towers.

OUR STORY: We checked out Aquaria because our son loves to see fish. Although the organization of the exhibits makes it feel like there were only a few major things to see, when we looked back at the photos that we took we realized that there really was quite a lot going on here. Even though Waltoshi was dressed as Nemo, when he saw the tank with the clown fishes he was more interested in the “Dory” ones. Overall, a very fun experience that we believe he really loved!

Aquaria showcases over 5,000 exhibits in a 60,000 square foot 2-level complex that includes a 90-meter long underwater tunnel. While you will see a few land-bound creatures here, including otters, the majority of the creatures that you’ll see at Aquaria are iconic Malaysian marine species - such as the green sea turtle, giant groupers, and the macropredator – tiger sharks. Kids also have the opportunity to touch catsharks and starfishes at the touch pool.

Aquaria KLCC Ticket Price: Unfortunately, it looks like there isn’t any Aquaria KLCC Ticket Promotion out there, and we weren’t sure about the RM 71 general admission price (adult, RM 49 for mykad holders), but it ended up being quite a treat for our son who loved the wide variety of amazing animals and exhibits. We really enjoyed it, and we’d highly recommend it for families with children!

If you are a certified diver, don’t miss an opportunity to dive in the 2.5 million liter tank and swim with a few sharks. If you’re not a certified diver, you can still dive in an underwater cage and witness the huge sharks up close!

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Petrosains, The Discovery Center

Petrosains, also known as The Discovery Center, is a science and technology museum on level 4 of Suria KLCC. This interactive museum is suitable for both adults and children as it offers a bunch of fun activities - plus, it’s super affordable!

Petrosains KLCC Ticket Price: The Petrosains entrance fee is only $8 for general admission, if you get it online.

It has a total of 11 interactive exhibits where you get to learn fun facts such as the Geotime Diorama, an exhibit for you to learn all about the earth from 200 million years ago, Molecule Nano World, a gallery that shows you the fun in chemistry as well as the iconic ‘Dark Ride’ that lets you explore Malaysia’s rainforests, mountains, and underwater sceneries like never before. You can even experience becoming a Formula 1 racer by trying out the F1 simulator! That’s quite a lot to offer for the extremely low Petrosains ticket price!

Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Traders Hotel is a 4-Star hotel located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's City Center - consistently rated 9 out of 10. Every room offers a spectacular view of the vibrant city and you can even walk to the Petronas Twin Towers in just a few minutes!

It also features an award-winning Sky Bar on the 33rd floor. Relax with a drink while enjoying the view - or even go for a swim in the pool located in the middle of the bar! Plus, this is the absolute best spot to take photos of the Petronas Twin Towers that we could find, looking at it from the right height, without any obstructions, and with KLCC park in the foreground!

Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur Booking: We recommend booking your stay at Traders Kuala Lumpur here!

TIP: If you're a meat eater, don’t forget to try out the hotel restaurant’s Wagyu Rib Eye steak - we heard they serve among the finest ones in Kuala Lumpur!

Kuala Lumpur Highlights

While the Kuala Lumpur City Center (KLCC) has many things to do all by itself, there’s a good number of amazing things to be seen outside of the KLCC area as Kuala Lumpur is quite large. Here are a few of the best places to see!

KL Forest Eco Park - Taman Eko Rimba

One of Malaysia’s oldest permanent forest reserves and the only remaining patch of tropical rainforest in central Kuala Lumpur.

It's a 10.5-hectare forest reserve / Wildlife Reserve / Bird Sanctuary with "a wide range of flora, including creepers, ferns, rare herbs, giant bamboo grasses and climbers. Huge tropical tree species can also be found in this jungle, such as meranti, keruing, chengal and pulai."

OUR STORY: This forest, Canopy Walk, hiking trail filled park isn't just flat land in the middle of Kuala Lumpur next to the KL Tower and near KLCC - it's a fairly steep hill with Long-tailed Macaque and Silvered Langur monkeys, goats (on the other side of a fence), a raccoon enclosure, squirrels, and a number of birds. We were very surprised that there was so much to do here, and that we felt like we were in the middle of a jungle right in the center of this big city. Wow!

KL Bird Park (Kuala Lumpur Bird Park)

This 20.9-acre bird park is located next to the Perdana Botanical Gardens and is considered as the largest free-flight aviary in the world!

KL Bird Park Ticket Price: The KL Bird Park Entrance Fee is R63 per adult and R42 per child (free for those 0-2 years old). Tickets can sell out during the day - but you can secure entry to the Bird Park—even at busy times—by booking tickets in advance. You can also get it with round-trip transportation included if you don’t have your own car.

OUR STORY: We thought it would be fun to bring our son to the Bird Park by taking the train. While the train ride was enjoyable, the Kuala Lumpur Station is NOT as close as it looks on the map and it is not as “mostly flat” as Google says it is to walk from the station to the Bird Park. It is both confusing (getting out of the station and finding the correct paths to turn on) and dangerous (as you have to cross the road twice at a traffic circle) to try to get there by train & walking. Plus, we arrived already sweating as it was mostly uphill and hot outside. We recommend highly to have transportation included!!!

This walk-in aviary is divided into several sections - Brahminy Land which is the home to Brahminy Kites, Malaysia’s most popular bird of prey, World of Parrots, Flamingo Pond, Hornbill Park, and Oriental Birds Aviary. You will even get to see a Rhinoceros Hornbill, the world’s largest hornbill, up close - we did and it’s really quite amazing to see hopping across the sidewalk and flying off to a tree right in front of you!

OUR STORY: Our 2-year old son was very excited to see all of the birds as soon as we arrived. He was pointing out “orange birds” and “big birds” of all types - from lorikeets to ostriches. However, when we made it to the free-flight lorikeet area, his excitement became a little more concerning when a few birds flew onto daddy! Not to worry though, they were just interested in licking the salt on our skin. The waterfall area, as well as the rather large flamingo pond, were really quite amazing too - with all of the free-flying egrets, storks, and peacocks! You can even watch the Brahminy Kites fly around in their own enclosure - although you cannot enter for safety reasons. As an added note, the Hornbill Restaurant is fantastic and far exceeded our expectations - plus it had air conditioning!

You can also watch a few bird shows during your visit or check out the feeding sessions for the eagles, parrots, and ostriches! Before you leave, allow a few species to land on your arms, hands, or even your head for a memorable experience and some amazing photos!

TIP: If you’re a serious bird lover, consider going bird-watching on Fraser's Hill as well!

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Perdana Botanical Garden

Previously known as the Lake Gardens, this 227-acre botanical garden in the middle of a bustling city is definitely a must-visit place in Kuala Lumpur. The park opens every day at 7 am and closes up at 8 pm. Easily reachable via bus, taxi, Grab, MRT, and KTM rail services. Alternatively, get transportation included with a bike tour through the gardens instead.

Perdana Botanical Gardens Entrance Fee: The great news? The Perdana Botanical Garden Entrance Fee is ZERO - That’s right, it’s FREE - except for a couple exhibits (see note below for details).

At the center of this huge park is a unique and modern yellow roof surrounded by majestic trees - Adansonia, aka “Baobab,” and Moringas, aka “Drumbstick.” It is a perfect place for a picnic and gathering.

Before heading back, be sure to walk around the Hibiscus Garden where you can find a 4-meter high man-made waterfall, the Sunken Garden with a parterre garden, the Herbarium, as well as a deer park where you can see Fallow Deer, a breed from Holland!

OUR STORY: Although we were dropped off closer to the Herb & Spice and Conservatory Gardens, they were still closed when we arrived. We did take a break under the shaded walkway around the sunken garden - which was very beautiful - and had some ice cream at the Perdana Eating Corner and boathouse. Waltoshi wanted a chocolate kit-kat cone and learned how to lick ice cream for the first time (he’s eaten it from a spoon many times before but never used his tongue to lick it). He did a great job!
Just nearby is the Oasis Garden Waterfall - which is very picture worthy - and the D’Sun Zone, which is a large artistically covered area surrounded by artistic cut trees and shrubs overlooking a massive bamboo playhouse and goose island. All very picture-worthy as well. After a walk to the end of the lake - which reminded us very much of New York’s Central Park or even Lake Eola Park in Orlando, Florida, USA - we walked back to check out the Deer Park.
The design of the Deer Park is very nice with winding trails, waterfalls, streams, tree coverage, chicken coops, and - yes - plenty of stairs. The deer are much larger than we expected - although we could only see them from the trail above as the main enclosure was closed when we went. Walking back we stopped at the Heliconia and Oasis Gardens - which were small but very relaxing and stunning.
Unfortunately, the Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens were also closed - as we had visited only a day after MCO 2.0 ended on March 5th, 2021. As it was very hot outside, and after visiting the KL Bird Park earlier that morning, we all decided that it was time to get out of the 93 degree (34 Celsius) heat and go home. What a beautiful and enjoyable day it was! and definitely worth it.

NOTE: The Orchid and Hibiscus Gardens have a surcharge of RM1 on weekends. There are additional entry fees for the butterfly and KL Bird Park located on site. If you want to see them all, just get the combo ticket.

For a bit more of authentic Malaysian culture and nature, be sure to check out the Kuala Lumpur Essential : A Day in the Rainforest tour, the Jungle Mountain Waterfall Trek, and the Aborigine Settlement & Elephant Sanctuary adventure!

Batu Caves

Batu Caves is located approximately 11 kilometers to the north of Kuala Lumpur. It is a 100-year-old Hindu temple that contains a number of idols and statues. This limestone hill has three major caves and is guarded by a huge Hindu Deity statue, Lord Murugan. This gold 42.7 metre tall Hindu Deity statue is the third tallest statue in the world.

At the foot of the hill, you can find two small cave temples - Art Gallery cave and a Museum Cave. To get to the largest cavern called the Cathedral Cave, you have to climb up 272 steps of colourful stairs. One of the Top-Rated things to do here is to actually go rock-climbing inside the cave! The cavern has a high ceiling and several beautiful ornate Hindu Shrines can be found here as well.

Be careful of the Long-tailed Macaques as they have been known to try to steal things from inside people’s bags and pockets.

Batu Caves Ticket Price: While you don’t need a Batu Caves Ticket to enter the main cave area, as that part is FREE, it does cost money for the Dark Cave and Adventure Tours. The Educational Tour through the Dark Cave costs RM35 per adult and RM28 per child. The fee includes a guide, helmet, and flashlight. The Batu Caves Adventure Tour costs RM80 – RM100.

Batu Caves Tour Package: While this is slightly outside of Kuala Lumpur, it is one of the top must-see places in Kuala Lumpur - so, while we recommend booking a full day adventure here, you could just grab a quick culture & temple tour to make sure you see it!

OUR STORY: There is a train line that stops just outside of Batu Caves, so - as our son loves trains right now - we took that out there and back. It was SUPER CHEAP. I think, maybe RM 4 per adult, round trip! We did go in the morning to get the photo above, but do note that to get the photo that we took (above) you'll need to find a shady spot. If your camera is in the sun you'll likely end up with big sun spots in the photos. Oh, we'd recommend not buying food for the monkeys… they get close enough as it is and they were basically stealing the food from everyone that we saw who were trying to feeding them. P.S. The steps are steep.

Orang Asli Craft Museum

This museum is located just next to the National Museum of Malaysia.

Is an ethnology museum featuring the heritage of the Orang Asli (Native Malaysian) crafts in Peninsular Malaysia. It features a number of items and details about their culture, beliefs, myths, legends, and other crafts - 156 pieces in all.

It has gained regional recognition from UNESCO for its focus on elaborately carved figurines and masks. It also focuses on the cultural aspects of death, hunting and fishing, music, wardrobes, and weaving.

Our Story: One of our favorite pieces is the Wayang Kulit, which is "a form of traditional theater that applies the principles of light and shadow. The shadow effect is achieved when light is beamed into the figures, carved to represent various imaginary characters, and performed by the 'Tok Dalang' (Puppet Master) in accordance with his narrative against a white piece of cloth - a screen - which has been stretched tout to provide a backdrop for the shadows." Musical instruments would also accompany the performance!

Orang Asli Craft Museum Cost: It's only RM5 ($1.25) per adult and kids 0-5 years old are free!

Kuala Lumpur Tower (Menara KL Tower)

Aside from the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur Tower - or KL Tower - is another one of the unique landmarks in Kuala Lumpur. Located on top of Bukit Nanas, this 421 meters spindle-like communications tower is visible even from 10 kilometers away. In fact, the top of the tower can also be seen from Genting Highland.

KL Tower Entrance Fee: Grab your KL Tower Ticket to gain access to the Observation Deck, which has fantastic views of the entire city. Or, access the Sky Deck, the highest point on the tower, for an amazing 360-degree view of the city skyline - then challenge yourself by stepping into the SkyBox - a totally transparent viewing box that extends over the ledge of the Sky Deck.

You can even have Lunch at Atmosphere 360, a popular restaurant located at the top of the tower.

COUPLES TIP: Even though it’s more expensive, this restaurant is a great place for date nights - but, you’ll have to reserve dinner times in advance - as this elegant atmosphere restaurant books up a few days in advance! Probably because it has a slowly rotating floor that allows you to see a complete 360 degree view while you’re enjoying your meal!

Sunway Lagoon

This 88-acre theme park is situated in Petaling Jaya, 15 kilometers away from the Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

It has over 90 attractions across six different parks. One of them is the water park that is famous for its 11-storey horn-like water slide, Vuvuzela, as well as the surf beach where you can enjoy man-made waves. Another attraction that you should definitely try is the Tomahawk, a pendulum ride that has 360-loops. You can even witness the mighty white tigers at their wildlife park and pet small animals in their pet village.

Sunway Lagoon also has a Nickelodeon themed park that has 14 exciting rides for both adults and children. However, plan your trip properly as this fun theme park closes on Tuesdays!

Sunway Lagoon Entrance Fee: The current rate is R138 per adult and R113 per child, but this can change depending on the season. We recommend getting a Sunway Lagoon Ticket Online, to skip the line: Grab a 1-day ticket or a 2-day ticket before you go - or get it with round-trip transportation and meal vouchers included for only $2.50 more here.

Additionally, the whole city that Sunway Lagoon is built in is like a resort - including the Sunway City Shopping Mall next to Sunway Lagoon. You could stay in Sunway City if you enjoy water-park resort-style living!

Amazingly Diverse Foods of Kuala Lumpur

While it’s possible to get a #1 rated cooking-class in Malaysia or even a highly-rated private guide to walk you around the city to sample Malaysian delicacies – such as Chinese noodles and Indian treats, learn about its culinary heritage while passing through a hawker center in Brickfields, and exploring hidden neighborhoods like Chinatown and Bangsar, it’s not as simple if you’re looking for some great European food.

However, it is still incredible how you can find authentic tasting European foods from the all over across the Americas, and just about every country in Europe, all the way out here in Malaysia - even if it's mostly just abundant in Kuala Lumpur. Here are a couple of our favorites:

German - Bavarian Bierhaus

After returning our rental car, we saw this German specialty restaurant in the same building. Returning a rental car in Malaysia is a different experience entirely, and although everything worked out well, Bradley needed a beer to relax.

However, beyond the great assortment of German beers, it turns out that this restaurant also serves up a wide variety of very authentic tasting German food as well. We were shocked by how much was being offered on the menu despite its location here in Malaysia. Plus, it attracts a good number of actual Germans in the area - so that's testament enough for us!

Irish - Healy Mac's

If you buy a Guinness in Malaysia, it's almost always going to be their Foreign Extra Stout, not their famous creamy Guinness Stout that you're familiar with. However, Healy Mac’s has the original Guinness Stout on draught and it's a happy thing to find when you've been away for awhile!

With a full assortment of Irish whiskey and beer, and a menu full of Irish and English classic meals, this is a fine spot to sit back and relax - I know because I tested it out a few times! My recommendation: try the Fish & Chips with mashed peas.

Spanish - El Toro Loco @ Cormar Suites

Feast on some seriously Spanish tapas and pinchos at El Toro Loco - like Paella, Gambas Al Ajillo, Tortilla di Patatas, Salmon y Tomato Confitado, and Patatas Bravas. These small portioned tapas are perfect for sharing and trying a wide variety of delicious plates.

We opted to sit at the comfortable chairs outside as it was a beautiful afternoon, but there's plenty of cosy seating inside as well. Excellent atmosphere, surprisingly authentic.

They also offer sandwiches, salads, cold cuts, and desserts. Don't forget to have a sangria!

Local Malaysian Food

While we love some international food from time to time, one of the top ways to explore the diversity of Malaysia’s food is with a street food tasting tour through the Chow Kit Market. This is the best way to get a truly Malaysian experience from the markets to the plate.

Or, if you’re trying to get a real feel for Malaysian history, try sampling 10 dishes that feature the Indian, Chinese, and Malay culinary influences of Kuala Lumpur with this group as you walk around the city.

Our Story: We would recommend a group food tour over trying to do it yourself simply because traditional food, like Nasi Lamak for example, can be quite different if you’re trying it from a street cart or a finer dining establishment - and the quality can be strikingly different if you don’t know the best places to get these dishes. Unfortunately, we’ve tried from all ends and learned the hard way - some very unpleasant Nasi Lamak, some very delicious Nasi Lamak, and even some Vegetarian & Vegan Nasi Lamak! Choose a tour, otherwise you might miss out on some otherwise good food!

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Best things to do in Kuala Lumpur

The absolute “can’t miss places” in Kuala Lumpur are easily the Petronas Twin Towers and the Batu Caves - so, if all else fails, make sure you do those 2 at the very least!

Although, if you have some time to spare, we would highly recommend a day out at the KL Bird Park and Botanical Gardens as well.

This multiracial country is filled with endless cultures and super fun attractions. So, what are you waiting for? Pack your bags, book a flight ticket, and travel to Kuala Lumpur now. Don’t forget to bring your best camera too as there are a lot more beautiful sights in this city that you cannot miss!

MORE OF MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur, Penang, The Habitat, Historical Malacca, The Lost World of Ipoh,
Cameron Highlands, Johor Bahru, Delicious Straits Recipes, and Johor Bahru to Singapore

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