MUST VISIT PLACES IN KUALA LUMPUR

Feature Image Credit : Elora Pautrat https://www.elorapautrat.com/

Welcome to the city that never sleeps in Malaysia! The pride and joy of every Malaysians lies here. You are in luck if you’re thinking about where to go, what to do, when is the best time to visit. Especially in a buzzing and famous city like Kuala Lumpur.

Below are the few recommended places should you accept the mission to embark on discovering the beauty of Kuala Lumpur, be it nature or urban areas.

1. Petronas Twin Towers

Most prominent of them all, the one
that comes up in everyone’s mind when mentioned about Malaysia. A must go to
places and of course, the heart of Kuala Lumpur. This elegantly designed skyscraper
indeed lived up to its name as the tallest building in Malaysia (for now). A
building features with beautifully landscaped KLCC Park are accessible for recreational
activities. Not to mention the luxurious high end shopping gallery.

Besides the mall and park, the Petronas Twin Towers has a host of
other attractions including the Petronas Art Gallery and Kuala Lumpur
Convention Centre. Plus the Petrosains Science Centre is here set inside Suria
KLCC: it is an interactive science discovery centre showcasing exhibits related
to the petroleum industry, from petroleum’s origin in the age of the dinosaurs
to its latest oil-based products

Location: Concourse Level, Lower Ground, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur

2. River of Life – Merdeka Square

The
Klang River winds through Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur and flows
through the most densely populated area of the Southeast Asian country.

The River of Life in Kuala Lumpur was once rated as one of the “Top Ten Best River View Districts in the World” and is part of the River of Life project initiated by the Malaysian government. The main purpose of the River of Life project is to purify the Klang River and the Emark River to promote the economic and commercial value, beauty and land development of both banks of the river.

The sites involved in the first phase of the river beautification project include Merdeka Square, Jamek Mosque and Central Art Square. Although this project is the most expensive project ever to purify the river, it will have a huge impact on the progress and development of Kuala Lumpur. Now there are cafes, high-tech fountains, bicycle lanes and night light shows by the river. When the evening came, people flocked here to watch the charm of Kuala Lumpur at night.

The
light show starts at 9:15 pm till 11 pm at an interval of 15 mins.

The
best place to take photos is on the big bridge where you can see the 2 rivers
meet, overlooking Masjid Jamek and the fog/light show.

Location: Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50050 Kuala Lumpur

3. Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

This fun little one-stop tourist center will tell you everything there is to know about KL, from its formation to its current glory. It offers dioramas and free maps, as well as guided bicycle and walking tours if you would like some company around town. Also take note of the re-purposed heritage site in which the gallery is housed; the structure itself dates back to 19th century, when neo-Renaissance architecture was favored by the British administration.

Location: Dataran Merdeka, 27 Jalan
Raja, City Centre Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, 50050,
Malaysia

Contact: +60326983333

4. Thean Hou Temple

One of the oldest and largest Buddhist
temples in Southeast Asia, the Thean Hou Temple dates from 1894, when the
Chinese Hainanese community made KL their home. A shrine to Guan Yin, the
Goddess of Mercy, this temple is still a key place of worship. The large temple
sits on top of a hill, offering a majestic view of the city in addition to its
already breathtaking architecture centering on prosperity and luck.

Location:
65 Persiaran Endah, Taman Persiaran Desa Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan
Kuala Lumpur, 50460, Malaysia

Contact: +60322747088

5. Pavilion KL

Looking for shopping paradise? We’ve found it right here! Pavilion KL is divided into a retail mall, an office complex and two residential areas, all spread wide over 1.37 million sq ft designed in milky white marble. It offers a host of indoor and outdoor shopping options, ranging from cheap to reasonably priced, to luxury brands.

Apart from the 450 stores that you’re sure to fall in love with, there are hip dining options, a Crystal Fountain that works as a wishing well, a karaoke bar and the 13-screen Golden Screen Cinemas where you can catch an enjoyable film with your friends and family.

Location: 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100

Timings: 10:00 am – 22:00 pm

6. Petaling Street Market

Petaling Street is
a very popular landmark market place in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia. It is known
as the local Chinatown and is bustling with various activities that take place
throughout the day and night. Since it is mainly a market place, it is
constantly bustling with people- locals and tourists alike- as well as
shopkeepers and merchants.

Apart from its cultural significance in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Petaling
Street is also known for the numerous sumptuous food stalls that serve
authentic Malaysian dishes like the curry noodles, Asam laksa, barbecued fish
(Ikan Bakar) and Hokkien mee. Perhaps the most striking feature of the street
found here is the fresh seafood.

Location: Jalan Petaling, City Centre, Kuala Lumpur 50000, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Timings: Open 24 hours, all the days of the week

Distance from city centre: 900 metres

7. Sunway Lagoon Theme Park

Sunway Lagoon Theme Park is located in
Petaling Jaya – a thriving satellite town – about 15km southwest of the Kuala
Lumpur city centre. With a variety of watery rides on offer and plenty of
dry-land activities too, there are few more fun ways to spend a day than
cooling down at Sunway.

Water slides that whirl and twirl, a manmade
‘river’ ride, a surf beach, a wave pool, a 360° revolving pirate ship… the list
of fun attractions at the 80-acre park is extensive. Built on the site of a
former tin mine and quarry, when it first opened the highlights of this
multi-zone theme park were its water slides and the world’s largest manmade
surf beach. These days, it has expanded and encompasses a total of five
different zones – the water park, Scream Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park and
Wildlife Park.

Opening Hours: 11:00 – 18:00 Monday & Wednesday – Friday; 10:00
18:00 Saturday & Sunday

Location: Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa

Address: No. 3, Jalan PJS 11/11, 46150

Tel: +603 5635 8000

8. Jalan Alor, Bukit Bintang

Hosting
a lot of hawker stalls and seafood restaurants, Jalan Alor is one of the most
famous roads in Kuala Lumpur for food. Located just behind Jalan Bukit Bintang
and a short walk away from Changkat Bukit Bintang, it is a favourite
after-clubbing dining spot in the Golden Triangle area.

Though
the seafood at the air-conditioned restaurants is really good and inexpensive,
we highly recommend the hawker food. KL being an immigrant city, the variety of
food available is amazing and in Jalan Alor the barbecued meats, noodles and
desserts are some of the best (and cheapest) in the city. Most of these dishes
cannot be found in fashion-conscious restaurants – and even if they are, they
are rarely as tasty, so hawker stalls are a favourite on the city’s foodie
scene.

Location: Jalan Alor, Kuala Lumpur (behind Jalan Bukit Bintang)

9. Perdana Botanical Gardens

The
Perdana Botanical Gardens, set within the Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park,
contain the largest collection of flower gardens and animal parks in Kuala
Lumpur city centre. Also called Lake Gardens, this centrally-located
recreational park is best visited during the weekends, when it’s packed with
locals enjoying various activities on the main square as well as along its many
lakefront trails and landscaped hills.

One of
its standout features is the Orchid Garden, which is a five-minute walk from
the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. This flower garden spans 10,000 square metres,
housing walking paths and manmade fountains, as well as a semi-circle pergola
and rock garden that house 800 species of orchids from both climbing and
terrestrial varieties.

Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 20:00

Location: Jalan Kebun Bunga, Tasik Perdana, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2617 6404

10. KL Forest Eco Park

Smack dab in the
middle of the concrete jungle is an enclosure preserving a part of the oldest
rainforest in the world, the only patch that has been deemed untouchable by
urban development. What separates Kuala Lumpur from even the most progressive
cities in the world is this treasured piece of land. Take some respite from the
city and step into this patch of woods. Be sure to bring bug repellent, as
urban mosquitoes can be quite aggressive.

Location:
Lot 240 Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Kewangan Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan
Kuala Lumpur, 50250, Malaysia

Contact: +60320201606

11. Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

When the name ‘Kuala Lumpur’ is mentioned, one would commonly think of a
modern metropolis where Malaysian city life thrives at its finest. Rarely would
anybody relate KL to tropical rain forests or anything relating to nature in
fact; something Malaysia takes pride in. However, little do many tourists and
even locals know that should they want to catch a glimpse of the country’s
tropical beauty while in KL, one fine example exists not too far away.

The highlight of FRIM that no visitor should miss is its canopy walkway.
It is a 150mtr long walkway that is built 30m above ground level.

Originally built for its researchers and scientists to study
above-ground flora and fauna more effectively, this walkway is opened to public
whereby visitors will literally feel like they are hovering above the forest
grounds, taking in views and landscapes that is unbeknown to the eye at ground
level. You can even see a glimpse of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline if the skies are
clear. The idea of walking at ‘tree level’ may be disorienting to some at first
but it is certainly a spectacle that should not be missed out on.

Joggers Opening Hours:

Kepong Botanic Gardens: 7.30am-7.00 pm

Taman Warisan FRIM: 7.00am-6.00pm

Address : Jalan Frim, Institut Penyelidikan Perhutanan Malaysia, 52109
Kuala Lumpur, Selangor

Contact : 03-6279 7000

Admission Fee :