Kuala Lumpur: Top 10 Places You Can’t Miss

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and one of the most popular cities in the world to visit. It is home to over 8.2 million people and attracts more than 14 million tourists every year. In fact, in 2019, it was the 10th most visited city in the world. The most famous landmark in this city has to be the Petronas Twin towers. For a time, they were the tallest buildings in the world, constructed in 1993, they remain to this day, as the tallest twin buildings on earth. In this blog, we will be delving into what we believe deserves a spot on our Kuala Lumpur top 10 list. Moreover, let’s see what kind of weather Kuala Lumpur experiences.

Malaysia is located in Southeast Asia and enjoys a pretty hot and humid climate year-round. However, it does experience two monsoon seasons, the Southwest Monsoon which runs from late May through to September and the Northeast Monsoon season which runs from November through to March. In Addition, November is the wettest month seeing the highest amount of rainfall each year. 

Month     High      Low

January   90°F      73°F

April         92°F     75°F

July          90°F     74°F

October    90°F    74°F

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It is hard to believe that this large, metropolitan city was only recognized as a city in 1972, Kuala Lumpur translates to ‘muddy confluence’. It was named so due to its location between the Gombak and Klang rivers. These two rivers flooded often giving the city a muddy coating, today, with improved infrastructure, the city rarely floods. 

This beautiful city is full of culture with stunning temples and delicious cuisine filled with a melting pot of Asian flavors. Not only is it an incredible destination for the history buff and foodie but the adventure seeker too. Explore the Batu caves that are only a short 25 minute drive from downtown Kuala Lumpur. 

A Mountain High Vegas Near Kuala Lumpur

Not to mention, The Genting Highlands, which is only a short one hour journey north of the city. Genting highlands is the ‘Vegas’ of Malaysia filled with theme parks and casinos to keep you occupied for weeks. The best way to get around Kuala Lumpur is by taking advantage of their modern public transport system. The MRT(mass rapid transit) system is a very well connected train line, this along with their buses and monorail make this a very accessible city. If you are looking for something like Uber then download the ‘Grab’ app and that is what operates here in Malaysia. Start planning your vacation to Kuala Lumpur today!

10. Tuck Into Some Street Food In Jalan Alor: Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by Job Savelsberg on Unsplash

Kicking off our custom top 10 list is some authentic Malaysian street food. Jalan Alor is Kuala Lumpur’s street food district. Home to dozens and dozens of stalls lining both sides of the street. Taste the local cuisine from snacks and desserts to full meals with drinks. Try some Nasi Lemak which is the national dish of Malaysia or some chicken satay.

There is live music from local buskers which adds to the experience. This is a great cultural night out where you can experience authentic Malaysian street food. I mean who doesn’t enjoy trying some street food, it is one of my favorite things about traveling. 

9. Atmosphere Revolving Restaurant

Diving in at number 9 is some more food! Atmosphere 360 is the highest revolving restaurant in Southeast Asia sitting nearly 1,000 feet above ground level in the KL Tower. The KL tower is the 7th tallest building in the world (as of 2022). Enjoy panoramic views over the city and get an especially great view of the Petronas towers.

Enjoy an elegant all-you-can-eat buffet while enjoying this spectacular view. Be aware that there is a dress code, shorts and sandals/slippers are not permitted.  The food on the buffet is offered for lunch, hi-tea and dinner. Choose from a delectable range of satay grilled meats, noodles, sushi, seafood, vegetarian options, desserts and much more! 

8. Visit The KL Bird Park

Photo by Aivene Cheong on Unsplash

One of the best things to do in Malaysia is to get up close and personal with their incredible wildlife, in particular, their birds. The KL Bird Park is home to thousands of birds from over 200 different species. Enjoy them in free-roaming areas, walk-through aviaries and of course, through traditional enclosures. There are bird feedings almost every hour and a bird show twice daily that shouldn’t be missed.

There is also an education center, restaurants and gift shops on-site for you to enjoy. This one is especially for the animal lovers, add it to your custom itinerary on the Tripio app right now. Animal lovers, this one is sure to be a favorite on our Kuala Lumpur top 10 list. 

7. Sit On The Glass Floor Of The KL Tower, Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by _itsjustdatu on IG

The Menara Kuala Lumpur known as the KL tower is the 7th tallest building in the world (as of 2022) standing an incredible 1,381  feet high.  This tower features a glass floor viewing platform 1,000 feet off the ground. Are you brave enough to stand in the glass box? It of course is perfectly safe and makes for a pretty amazing photograph.

The building and other viewing decks are wheelchair accessible however, the glass box is not. This tower also features the amazing Atmosphere 360 revolving restaurant which you can find right here on Tripio. This one has to be on our Kuala Lumpur top 10 list. 

6. KLCC Park Light And Sound Fountain Show

Photo by Lu Zee on Unsplash

KLCC Park is a public park spanning 50 acres. It houses beautifully manicured lawns, a kids play area, wading pool and most notably, a beautiful, choreographed light and sound fountain show. The light and sound fountain show is on at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm daily! Do not miss it, it is spectacular and totally free! It is held in a 10,000 square foot man-made lake.

This lake is called Lake Symphony, let the two fountains wow you with their display of over 150 unique programmed animations in a whimsical performance of sound and water. There is also a light only show held in the fountain at 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm daily. Just magical!

Bonus: Get a wonderful photo of the Petronas Towers in the background of the water fountain light and sound show!

5. Sunway Lagoon And Bungee Jump, Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by Billy Wong on Unsplash

Coming in halfway through our custom top 10 list is a super cool place. Sunway Lagoon is an epic theme park that makes for a fantastic, action-packed day!  This isn’t any usual theme park, spread out over 90 acres, it features a large water-park, wildlife park, ziplines, rope suspension bridges, ATVs, surfing, a Nickelodeon Kids zone, go-karts, archery, roller coasters, a horror maze, bungee jumping and so much more! With a selection of restaurants and gift shops on-site, you are bound to spend the entire day here, maybe even two days. There are lockers available to store your belongings safely. 

This massive 90-acre theme park that offers Malaysia’s first bungee jump. Free-fall from a height of 72 feet which is equivalent to jumping off a 9 story building. Are you brave enough? What a great way to get your adrenaline pumping thrills right in the heart of a metropolitan city. They also offer a G-Force X experience where your body will be propelled from 0-75 miles per hour in 2 seconds on Asia’s highest slingshot. Adventure is Here!

4. The Federal Territory Mosque

Photo by Muhammad Faiz Zulkeflee on Unsplash

The Federal Territory Mosque took 4 years to build and was finally completed in 2000. This impressive religious building can accommodate over 17,000 worshipers. It features stunning architecture with 22 blue tiled domes. This is an active place of worship and you must always be respectful at all times. Shoes must be left at the entrance so wear a cheap pair of flip flops otherwise your nice pair might get stolen. If you are wearing shorts, then you will be given clothing to cover up. 

Free guided tours are offered and last 40 minutes. I believe that one of the best things to do in any country you visit is to check out their most notable religious building. This gives you an incredible insight into a country’s culture and identity.

3. Cable Car To Genting Highlands, Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by Aaron Lee on Unsplash

This next entry is very deserving of a spot on our Kuala Lumpur top 10 list. If you have traveled all the way to Kuala Lumpur, what’s another hour? Resorts World Genting is home to a whole world of fun high up in the mountains, just an hour north of Kuala Lumpur. Ride the cable car(Awana Skyway) up more than 6,000 feet to reach this incredible resort town. There is even a glass bottom cable car if you are feeling especially adventurous. Other ways to get to the Genting Highlands are by taking a taxi, a ‘Grab’ which is the Southeast Asian version of an Uber or a bus. 

It is home to a 4-star resort featuring 7 hotels, 5 casinos, 3 theme parks, dozens of restaurants, bars and shops along with dozens of other attractions. You could easily spend a week here in the Genting Highlands. A trip here will make any adventure lover’s vacation. 

*Please note that there is wheelchair access for the regular cable cars but not the glass bottom one.

2. Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by Abdelrahman Ismail on Unsplash

This next one is bound to be on a few bucket lists. The Batu caves are sacred limestone caves located at the top of a set of 272 steep steps. At the base of the staircase stands a huge, 140 foot concrete statue of Murugan (a Tamil deity) that has been painted gold. This makes for a striking entrance to the caves, walk up the very steep 272 steps with caution and be welcomed by Monks. In addition, ensure to be dressed respectfully and covered. Small skirts and shorts are not allowed, legs should be covered. For women, legs and shoulders should be covered.

Inside these sacred caves are Hindu temples and shrines. What an absolutely spectacular place to visit and it is completely free. There are hundreds of wild monkeys around who want to play and steal your belongings so just be mindful of that. The Batu caves are a definite entry on our Kuala Lumpur top 10 list. 

1. Petronas Twin-Towers, Kuala Lumpur Top 10

Photo by Ismael Bashiri on Unsplash

Topping our custom top 10 list is none other than the famous Petronas twin towers. The Petronas twin towers in Kuala Lumpur were once the world’s tallest buildings. Standing at 88-stories high, they house an art gallery, aquarium, science center, restaurants, skybridge and a 6-story mall complete with rides. This one has to be on your bucket list and if it isn’t, add it right now on the Tripio app. Download the Tripio app right now and start creating your custom itinerary for your vacation today.

Bonus:  Nasi Lemak, Malaysia’s National Dish

Photo by vegoutt_gem_winchester on IG

One of the best things to do in Malaysia is to try their national dish. Personally, I love food and I love to travel. I combine these loves by trying out the national dishes of the places I’ve traveled to. Nasi Lemak Angah serves up arguably the best Nasi lemak in Kuala Lumpur! That’s a pretty big deal considering Nasi Lemak is Malaysia’s national dish.

A trip to Malaysia isn’t complete without tasting this tasty dish which consists of grilled chicken/beef or veggies, on a bed of fluffy coconut rice, roasted peanuts, egg, ikan bilis (anchovies),  slices of cucumber and a big dollop of sambal chili sauce served on pandan leaves. It truly is a taste sensation! This deserves an honorable spot in our Kuala Lumpur top 10. 

I hope you have enjoyed our custom top 10 list of places you can’t miss in Kuala Lumpur. Here at Tripio, we have done all the research for you to make planning your next vacation easy and stress-free. Tripio is the ultimate travel guide. Download it now and start building your custom itinerary today. 

Want more of Kuala Lumpur? Check out our blog: 10 Best Adrenaline Pumping Adventures In Kuala Lumpur

or how about Malaysia’s neighbor, my hometown Singapore, check out: The Perfect Weekend In Singapore

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Unraveling the Marvels of Kuala Lumpur: A Dream Vacation Destination

-Gemma Winchester, Tripio Guru

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