48 hours in Kuala Lumpur – Weekend Edition
Kuala Lumpur In Less Than 48 Words
Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, is a testament to the Malay determination and ingenuity– rising up from its roots as a tin-mining shanty town into a 21st century metropolis. Often called simply as KL, it advertises itself as “Truly Asia”, and is a hotspot for culture and cuisine.
Petronas Twin Towers (Photo by Craig Morey)
First 24 Hours
You can fly to the capital of Malaysia via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, which is located in the Sepang district, 50 kilometers from Kuala Lumpur’s city center. From there, you can catch a KLIAekspres train (00 603 2267 8000, www.KLIAekspres.com) from the Central station, which will take you to the heart of the city. The journey lasts around 30 minutes, and will cost you RM35. You can also opt to ride a bus, which will cost you RM25 for a one-way ticket; or a taxi that will charge you upwards of RM70.
Kuala Lumpur is a fairly large metropolis, and is divided into three districts: Little India, Chinatown, and the historic quarter. You can visit its main tourist office (Sentral station, 00 603 2274 3125, website), where you can get valuable tourist information.
CHECK IN: Get your bearings back at Kuala Lumpur’s hotels
You can arrange for a nice place to stay in during your 48 hour visit in Kuala Lumpur at one of its excellent hotels. One of the best in the city is the Mandarin Oriental (Kuala Lumpur City Centre, Kuala Lumpur 50088, 60 (3) 2380 8888, website). It has a convenient location near the Petronas towers, and offers top-class amenities, professional service, and excellent restaurants.
Hilton (Photo by Rob)
A nice alternative is The Ritz-Carlton Hotel (Number 168 Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur 55100, 03-2142-8000, website), which is situated near the city’s central business district, and is a luxury boutique hotel with a health club and an outdoor swimming pool. You can also try out Hilton (3 Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur 50470, Malaysia, 60-3-2264-2264, website). It is a five-star hotel featuring spacious rooms and delicious breakfast buffets serving Indian, Chinese, and Japanese dishes.
PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS: Let’s take a view
Perhaps the most beguiling landmarks in Kuala Lumpur are the Petronas Twin Towers (Jalan Ampang 50088, Kuala Lumpur). At a height of 451.9 meters, they were regarded as the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004, until being dethroned by the Taipei 101. However, they still are the tallest twin buildings.
Below the towers, you’ll find the 17-acre KLCC Park, where you can take a stroll along walking paths, sit by fountains and pools, and watch children have fun in a playground. Near it is one of the largest shopping malls in Malaysia, the Suria KLCC. However, the highlight of a visit to the towers is climbing up to their 41st floors, where you’ll find a skybridge connecting the buildings. Up there, you will be rewarded with sweeping views of the cityscape.
THEAN HOU TEMPLE: Have a religious visit
Thean Hou Temple (Photo by Carolyn)
You can have a religious experience by visiting the Thean Hou Temple (65 Pesiaran Endah 50460), a six-tiered Chinese temple regarded as one of the city’s landmarks. It sits atop Robson Hills, and covers an area of 1.67 acres. The temple is known for its prayer hall containing three altars, as well as a Chinese Medicinal Herbs Garden, a tortoise pond, and a wishing well. You will also see a large stature of the goddess Tian Hou, which is surrounded by sculptures of the twelve animals of Chinese astrology. The site is a center for recreational activities too, and you’ll most probably see Qigong, tai-chi, and wushu classes there.
BATU CAVES: Explore a cave
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Kuala Lumpur is the Batu Caves (Gombak, Kuala Lumpur), which is a limestone hill featuring a series of caves and cave temples. The hill itself is believed to have been formed 400 million years ago, and had served as a home for the indigenous Temuan people. At its entrance, you’ll see a 42.7 meter-tall statue of the Hindu god Murugan, which is the tallest of its kind in the world. Inside the hill, you can find three main cave temples: the Cathedral Cave, Art Gallery Cave, and the Museum Cave. There is also the Ramayana Cave, which features cave wall paintings depicting the story of Rama.
The golden statue of Hindu deity Murugan at the main entrance of Batu Caves (Photo by SK Lim)
The hill is also home to unique cave fauna, especially the macaque monkeys, Rousettus fruit bats, Liphistiidae spiders, and Cynomolgus monkeys. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can arrange for a rock climbing session, wherein you can scale the Batu Caves’ more than 160 climbing routes. The site is known also for hosting the yearly Thaipusam Festival, making it an important pilgrimage site for Hindu devotees.
AQUARIA: Have an underwater adventure
An underwater adventure can be experienced at the Aquaria KLCC (Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre Complex,Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, +603 2333 1888, website). It is an underwater park covering an area of 60,000 square feet. Visitors can walk through its 90-meter long underwater tunnel where you can see its collection of over 20,000 aquatic animals of 250 different species, such as sand-tiger sharks and rainbow-colored fish. The site is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm, and admission will cost you upwards of RM38.
DINNER TIME: Discover Kuala Lumpur’s restaurants
You are guaranteed a delicious dinner at the restaurants available all over the city. One of the best in the city is the Bombay Palace (215 Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 50400, 03-2145-7220, website). It serves an authentic North Indian cuisine, and specializes in dishes such as marinated leg of lamb and tandoori. A nice alternative is the Lafitte Restaurant (11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur 50250, 03-2716-3111, website), which offers a fusion cuisine with influences from Japan, Spain, France, Italy, and the Mediterranean.
Lafitte Restaurant (Photo from Google images)
Have an authentic Malay fine dining experience at Seri Angkasa (Jalan Puncak (Off Jalan P. Ramlee), Menara KL, Kuala Lumpur 50250, 03-2020-5055, website). It serves delicious Malay delicacies, which you can eat while having a rotating view of the city. You can also try out Ciao (20A Jalan Kampung Pandan, off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur 55100, 03-9285-4827, website), which specializes in European classics such as seafood ravioli and beef carpaccio.
Next 24 Hours
You can discover Kuala Lumpur’s other tourist attractions during your next 24 hours in the city. One of the must-sees there is the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Jalan Lembah Perdana, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, +603 2274 2020, website). Covering an area of around 30,000 square meters, it is considered to be the largest Islamic art museums in Southeast Asia. Inside, you’ll find over 7,000 artifacts from jewelry to large-scale models of Islamic mosques. The site is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm, and admission will cost you around RM12.
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (Photo by Pierre-Mary)
BUKIT NANAS: Let’s take a hike
Discover Kuala Lumpur’s natural beauty at the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve (No. 2 Jalan Punchak off Jalan P.Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur), which is considered as one of the very few remaining virgin tropical rainforests in Malaysia. You’ll find various jungle trails at the site, where you can take a stroll to see a variety of fauna such as pythons, squirrels, monitor lizards, monkeys, and so on.
Near the park’s entrance, you’ll find the Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower (No. 2 Jalan Punchak off Jalan P.Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, +603 2020 5444, website), one of the city’s most popular landmarks. It stands at a height of 421 meters, making it the fifth tallest freestanding tower in the world. You can climb up to its observation deck for RM38, where you can enjoy sweeping views of the surroundings. It is open daily from 9 am to 10 pm, and the ticket will also allow you a free guided tour of the forest.
Menara Kuala Lumpur Tower’s observation deck (Photo by Geoff)
Near the park can be found St. John’s Cathedral, which is a church of the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur. Built in 1883, it is considered one of the oldest buildings in the city, and is perhaps best known for its unique Grecian-Spanish style of architecture.
KL BIRD PARK: Visit a bird paradise
Bird lovers will surely enjoy themselves at the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park (920 Jalan Cenderawasih Taman Tasik Perdana 50480 Kuala Lumpur, 03 – 2272 1010, website). It is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions, attracting more than 200,000 visitors every year. The park in also considered as one of the largest walk-in public aviaries in the world, housing more than 5,000 birds of 50 different species. The site is open daily from 9 am to 6 pm, and admission will cost you around RM42.
NIGHTLIFE: Enjoy Kuala Lumpur’s vibrant nightlife scene
At night you may proceed to Kuala Lumpur’s bars and clubs to have a taste of the city’s exciting nightlife. One of the most popular is Modesto’s (924-926 Jalan P Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur 50350, 03-2713-2333, website). It is a trendy and cozy club with a street side restaurant known for its pasta and pizza. A nice alternative is Finnegan’s Irish Pub (6 Jalan Telawi 5, Kuala Lumpur 59100, 03-2284-0476, website), which serves seven types of beers on tap, and is an ideal place to play a game of darts.
You can also try out The Pub (11 Jalan Sultan Ismail, Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur 50250, 03-2032-2388, website). It is a classic English pub with stained glass windows and dark wood panels, featuring live music from a Filipino band most nights.
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