When in Malaysia, it’s a must that you go around the country’s capital – Kuala Lumpur. Coming from the Philippines, Kuala Lumpur gave me a very familiar feeling. In more ways than one, it felt a lot like the Philippines. However, just like any other country, Malaysia had its own charm and after just 2 days in and around the city, my husband and I fell in love.
Last April 30, my husband and I flew to Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia. I almost missed my flight due to a delay with the release of my passport in DFA. I was heartbroken! Luckily, the Air Asia flight was also delayed. Moreover, they allowed me to check-in late since the aircraft hasn’t left. I was so thankful! Other airlines would just opt to close the check in counters to avoid any more changes, but not Air Asia. For this, I am truly grateful. We had a smooth flight and landed in Malaysia just in time.
Tour Service via Asian Overland Services
They say it’s fun to get lost in a foreign land and explore the unknown. While this may be true for some, it doesn’t work for everyone. Moreover, it doesn’t really work when you’ve only got 2 days to explore a new place. Thankfully, we had Asian Overland Service (AOS) tour us around Kuala Lumpur. A private van arrived at our hotel on the agreed time, and took us to all our desired spots (and more) within the given time frame. What I especially appreciated was how our tour guide, Mr. Indran did not just stick to the itinerary. Every now and then, he would make small adjustments (with our permission of course) to make sure we really get the best experience in Kuala Lumpur.
Me and Philippe with our driver/tour guide Indran (he’s really NICE, just shy to smile in pictures hehe)
So without further ado, here’s our recommended list of places to visit when in Kuala Lumpur:
1.KLCC building (Petronas Twin Towers)
This is without a doubt one of the higlights of our trip. In every country you visit, there is that one landmark that somehow “proves” you were there. In London, it’s the Big Ben or the London Eye. In Singapore, it’s the Merlion or the Marina Bay Sands building. In Kuala Lumpur, it’s the KLCC Twin Towers!
The KLCC is a huge mall with 6 floors of shopping! My husband Philippe and I explored the entire mall while waiting for the sun to set and the skies to get darker in order to get a nicer photo of the place. If ever your here, a little tip I can give you is to talk far into the gardens behind the building to get the best shot of the Twin Towers. There is also a fountain light show around back that you would surely enjoy if you weren’t in a rush.
2.Bukit Bintang ( The Pavilion, Fahrenheit 88, Lot 10, Sg. Wang Plaza)
Whenever I ask friends what I should do in Kuala Lumpur, they often tell me how KL is just filled with malls..and they weren’t kidding! Much like the Philippines, many of KL’s malls were right beside each other. Each mall however had something different to offer. Along Bukit Bintang, you’d find these 4 malls. Sg. Wang Plaza and Lot 10 were mostly filled with boutiques and more affordable goodies while Fahrenheit 88 and The Pavillion had several important and high end products to choose from.
3. Mitsui Outlet Park
Mitsui is KL’s Outlet mall. If you’re looking for known brands and want to get it at a more affordable rate, then Mitsui is definitely the place to go. Besides marked down prices, Mitsui is also very close to the airport hence making it the perfect place to spend your remaining ringgit before leaving the country. Morever, you can also check in right there.
4. Central Market
The central market is where you’ll find the best kept secrets. Just random trinkets, mostly locally made that you can get at very good rates. Think of it like KL’s version of Divisoria. This is where I’d recommend you guys to buy your “pasalubong” for friends and family. In our case, we bought several bags of Malaysia’s famous Teh Tarik (Pulled Tea)
5.Putrajaya
“Putrajaya is a planned city, 25km south of Kuala Lumpur, that serves as the federal administrative center of Malaysia.” – Wikipedia. In short, in this small city lies all the different government units. Though you might not really be able to enter the buildings themselves, tourists are welcome to take a drive through the city to marvel at its beauty. Majority of the buildings in KL were built with European architecture, hence the similarities with structures in London.
The city of Putrajaya as seen from PICC (Putrajaya International Conventional Center)
Prime Minister’s Office
6. King’s Palace
Though not in our itinerary, our tour guide Indran took us to see the King’s Palace. It was HUGE! I can only imagine what it must feel like to live there. The front of the palace is open for tourists and you make take multiple photos in front of the gates, or even with the “royal guards”
7. KL City Gallery/ Independence Square
The KL City Gallery is a small museum that will give you a little insight on the history of Kuala Lumpur through photos and miniature structures. Before exiting, guests will also get to watch a short show with a miniature model of the city.
This is just a miniature of KL with fireworks in the background
Right outside the museum is Independence Square and Textile Gallery. The architecture is just amazing! The buildings were built a while back when Malaysia was still colonized by Europe, hence following a European architecture. they already look superb in the day time, but visiting this place at night is a whole different story. So make sure you spare a little time to check it out.
8. MUD: The Musical
When traveling to new places for the first time, I always find it interesting to find out a little of it its history. Reading an entire book can be boring, and stories from friends might not always be reliable, luckily, you can always catch KL’s MUD musical. The thought of history being shown in a musical felt a little weird at first but I’m really glad I decided to watch. The musical, besides educating its audience on the history of Kuala Lumpur, was really inspiring.
You can catch MUD at Malaysia 112-year old historic theater, Panggung Bandaraya twice daily. They use a of fun and upbeat music and incorporate a lot of dancing and simple effects. History usually just tells the facts, this musical turned something seemingly boring into something very exciting and entertaining. It allow audience members to imagine all the triumphs and defeats that made Kuala Lumpur what it is today. The people of Kuala Lumpur lost a lot over the years, but they kept pushing on to become a great nation. One line from the play that really struck me was this “If we have nothing left, it means we have nothing to lose”. Oftentimes, we give up because we’ve lost everything. However, we fail to realize that losing everything means we have no where to go but up. So be sure to catch this show and allow KL’s story to touch you.
Me and Philippe with the cast
Kuala Lumpur is just beautiful. These are just some of the favorite spots we visited in just 2 days! More than just adventure, these spots will really give you a feel of the history and culture of KL. Thank you AIR ASIA for the smooth trip to Kuala Lumpur, and to Mr. Indran of Asian Overland Services for taking us around the city! We had so much fun!
Make sure you book your next flight with Air Asia and fly with the world’s best low-cost airline! Not only are their fares very affordable, but their staff is also very nice and accommodating. Hmm… so where shall I go next?
Have you ever been to Kuala Lumpur? What was your favorite place? If not, which place do you think you’d like to check out first?
