My Favorite Spots in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Last summer I spent eight days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The city is huge and very modern, and I enjoyed exploring several different neighborhoods during my stay. Below are some of my favorite places in the city.

Lodging

Penthouse on 34 – This hostel is located a bit away from the city center, and it’s on the 34th floor of a massive building. If you stay here you can access the rooftop infinity pool which is beautiful. You can also see the Petronas Towers from the hostel balconies.

Penthouse on 34, a hostel with a view!

Sunshine Bedz – I stayed at this hostel for two nights to see a different part of the city. While the hostel was just okay, it had an excellent location right in the middle of the busy Bukit Bintang area.

Hotel Avenue J Central Market – I needed a break from hostels and spent four nights here. The room was very small but perfect for one person; I had a nice private bathroom as well. The receptionist was extremely welcoming and they even gave me a welcome note with chocolate. It’s also a few minutes walk away from a metro station. Would highly recommend staying here!

Restaurants

Zhang LaLa Mee Tarik Bukit Bintang – I tried the braised beef noodles here after a friend recommended them to me; they were really good! The dumplings are also supposed to be good, but I was too full to try them.

Feeka Coffee Roasters – This cafe is expensive but very good; I had the eggs royale and a fresh-squeezed apple juice.

LOKL Coffee Co – I had a late lunch here and also tried the “kopi susu,” which means “iced coffee with milk.” It had a slightly chocolatey taste and was delicious.

Loco Mexican Bar and Restaurant – I was pleasantly surprised by this Mexican restaurant; it reminded me of some Tex-Mex places back home. I highly recommend the enchiladas!

Starbucks Reserve (Wolo Hotel)  – I feel a bit silly for putting Starbucks on the list, but I was very impressed by this Reserve location in the Bukit Bintang area. The architecture is gorgeous, and it’s the perfect place to escape the chaos of the streets outside (while staying close to the action).

A very beautiful Starbucks Reserve

Excursions

Petronas Twin Towers – These are probably the most well-known buildings in Kuala Lumpur, and for good reason! The towers are huge, and there’s even a shopping mall inside. They look especially beautiful when they are lit up at nighttime.

The Petronas Towers after dark

Batu Caves – These are known for the colorful staircase that leads up to the Hindu temple. The area was very crowded when I went in the afternoon, so I would recommend going in the early morning instead. Be sure to wear long pants and have your shoulders covered if you plan to enter the caves (or climb the stairs).

Colorful stairs leading to the Batu Caves

KLCC Park – This is a beautiful urban park, and it has views of the famous Petronas Towers throughout.

The Towers from KLCC Park

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur – If you are interested in shopping, this mall has tons of options, ranging from luxury shops to affordable chains. The Pavilion houses many different restaurants as well.

A gorgeous Dior store at the Pavilion

Ilham Gallery – This art gallery was really unique and had several cool exhibitions. My favorite when I visited was Jungle Jungle, a short film made entirely from papier-mâché!

Artwork in the Ilham Gallery

Sambal Street Food Tour – I booked a walking food tour through Get Your Guide (the tour company was A Chef’s Tour) which was incredible! We tried noodles, Malaysian fruits, roti (which we learned how to make ourselves), cendol (a dessert), durian, putu bambu (another dessert), a chicken dish, a fried fish, nasi lemak (a popular Malaysian dish), and finally a mango smoothie. All of the food was delicious, and I enjoyed learning about cuisine that I knew nothing about beforehand.

A noodle dish from the walking food tour

National Art Gallery – This gallery has a bit more traditional artwork than the Ilham Gallery and has a lot of interesting exhibits as well.

Artwork from the National Art Gallery

While I spent a lot of time in Kuala Lumpur, I would recommend at least 3 days to visit the city. Its modernity stands out among many other Southeast Asian cities, and its unique blend of Malay, Indian, Chinese, and many other cultures makes it an interesting place to visit.