How to make the Best of 1 Day in Kuala Lumpur

Heading back from the Cameron Highlands, we had just 1 day in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and we wanted to make the best of it. While our travels thus far in Malaysia had been wonderful, we had taken for granted having plenty of time to experience this great country. Now we were faced with only one day in Kuala Lumpur and luckily I had found plenty of things to do. The only question was what to focus on as you just can’t do it all in a day!

The Petronas Twin Towers

These are obviously the highlight of the entire city and a trip to Kuala Lumpur just wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the Petronas Towers. I’ll spend more time covering these in my next post but for now, just know that this place was truly a unique skyscraper experience like nothing I had been in before. There was a reason they filmed the movie ‘Entrapment’ here! With its 88 floors and an observatory tower bridge connecting the two towers on the 41st/42nd floors, its an amazing way to spend a couple hours and a ‘must do’ with just 1 day in Kuala Lumpur!

The Perdana Botanical Garden

Also known as the ‘Lake Gardens’, this is another great place to spend an afternoon while traveling through Kuala Lumpur, especially if you’d rather take a break from the crowds and traffic. It is easily reached by both bus and taxi and is home to hundreds of different plant species and covers more than 170 acres. Open from 7am-7pm, it’s also a great place to go for the budget traveler as entry is free. For more info, head to their site at the Perdana Botanical Garden

Kuala Lumpur Tower

Also known as the ‘KL Tower’, this is strikingly similar to that of the space needle in Seattle, Washington as well as other satellite towers in cities across the world. However, what many don’t realize is the fact that this tower is the 7th largest tower in the world for telecommunications as well as the highest viewpoint in Kuala Lumpur that is open to the public. It also has a revolving restaurant with some amazing views of the city should you decide to catch dinner here during your 1 day visit…

China Town

Located in the city center, Petaling Street is known as Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. It is made up of mostly Chinese however you can find traders there from India and Bangladesh and collectively, this bunch sells many knock off products and they are doing their best to haggle with buyers. It’s full of excitement with the bargain shopping however, one of the best reasons to come here is the food! The restaurants here abound and there are also plenty of street vendors available. Another great reason to come is the budget accommodations which are also scattered throughout Petaling Street.

Little India

Known as ‘Brickfields’, this area is not far from the center city and is located at KL Sentral, one of Kuala Lumpur’s main train stations. It is another great way to spend some time and the area is full of shops, street vendors and restaurants. It is an amazing place to visit and is full of vibrant colors like nothing else you’ll find in Kuala Lumpur. If you go, don’t pass up the opportunity to eat lunch or dinner on one of their amazing banana leaves that can be found in many restaurants.

The Central Market

Dating back to 1888, the Central Market now serves as Malaysia’s center for culture, arts and handmade crafts. If you have time and want to do some shopping, the Central Market is a great way to spend some hours, especially as it is quick and easy to get to with just 1 day in Kuala Lumpur. They even have outdoor performances from time to time. Since it was so hot during the day, we decided to head here at night, just make sure you make it before the shops close at 10pm. For more information, learn more on their Central Market website

Batu Caves

This was another amazing sight to see in the city and another ‘must do’ that I put on my list for my 1 day in Kuala Lumpur. Less than an hour on the metro will get you there as the Batu Caves are located on the outskirts of the city but the ride was comfortable and a great way to see the city as well on the ride out there. I will cover more about the Batu Caves in another post but if you have the time, you’ll definitely want to put this on your 1 day itinerary while traveling in Kuala Lumpur. It is major religious site for the Hindu’s in the region and just out in front of the Batu Caves is a staggering 140 foot Hindu God statue along with 272 steps to reach its three main caves…

Getting Around Kuala Lumpur

For some quick and reliable transportation around the city, Kuala Lumpur’s metro is inexpensive and a great way to get around this large city. We took it multiple times during our 1 day visit. At the time of writing this, it was only around 1-2 RM for a ticket on the metro so very inexpensive for a ride on the metro in such a bustling metropolis. Also, should you be arriving into town by bus, most places will take you to the Puduraya bus station. At the time, we didn’t have a place pre-booked for our night’s stay however there are plenty of places available in and around the Puduraya station that are within a short walk. And of course, should you take a taxi, make sure you take one that use the meter. If you have a smartphone, you can use apps such as ‘Easy Taxi’, ‘My Teksi’ or even Uber to help find a good taxi service. These will insure you get certified drivers and you can also see your travel cost up front. If instead you’ll be taking a regular taxi, here is a helpful site which will help estimate costs. Just be weary of those that won’t use a meter. If so, negotiate a price up front.