Malaysia's capital and largest city have much to offer visitors, regardless of their interests. A cosmopolitan metropolis with a significant religious influence, Kuala Lumpur is filled with high-end shopping opportunities and plenty of exciting things to do and places to explore. For many people, it's a starting point for exploring Malaysia.
The famous Petronas Twin Towers are not the only marvel here, though they are certainly the city's most visited attraction. Kuala Lumpur's cultural diversity means there are also plenty of festivals to enjoy here, including the Thaipusam celebration, which includes a procession that walks all the way to the Batu Caves, another well-known tourist destination. Kuala Lumpur has emerged as a popular tourist destination that should not be missed on your trip to Malaysia.
Here are the Top 16 Places to Visit in Kuala Lumpur, which are worth visiting on a Kuala Lumpur trip:
1. Petronas Tower
World’s once tallest buildings, Petronas Twin Towers now claim the spot of the world’s tallest twin buildings with their towering height of 452 m. This is one of the most famous places in Kuala Lumpur.
Beautifully designed with Islamic-influenced architecture, Petronas Twin Towers primarily hold the headquarters of Petronas Company and corporates like Barclays, Boomerang, IBM, McKinsey & Co., Accenture, and Reuters. The 88-story buildings are connected by a double-decker sky bridge between the 41st and 42nd levels.
There are Science Museum, Petroleum Museum, Petronas Concert Hall, and other attractions that interest global travelers and tourists in Petronas Towers. Also, there are several things to do, and the most amazing one is looking over the whole city from the Petronas Towers’ Observation Deck, which is set on the 86th level. The double-decked sky-bridge offers mesmerizing views, along with the thrill of walking between two towers. The concert hall hosts some of the world’s most respected musical talents and orchestras.
2. KLCC Park
The park was designed to blend with its surroundings by combining man-made structures, such as sculptures and fountains, with over 2,000 different species of palms and indigenous flora. The trees here were selected through a complex system to ensure they attract both local and migratory birds, promote biodiversity, and provide a wide range of stunning colors and shapes to the design of the park.
KLCC's main attraction is Lake Symphony, a massive lake with a 43-meter bridge cutting across it and a number of fountains, including one that can shoot water 180 meters up into the sky and offers light and music shows twice a day. The fountain is particularly impressive at night when you can truly appreciate the changing colors against the background of the illuminated Petronas Towers.
3. Menara KL Tower
Menara KL Tower is a prominent Kuala Lumpur tourist spot in Malaysia. Though just 421 m in height, it houses the highest viewing deck in Malaysia. At 276 m, it is around 100 m above the one in Petronas Twin Towers. The spectacular views and prime location of the Menara KKL Tower see to it that people notice and remember the imposing tower. Erected over the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve, it is surrounded by age-old trees and fauna which are indigenous to Malaysia.
4. Batu Caves
A 272-step long trek leads you to this century-old temple in limestone which is probably one of the most popular tourist spots in Kuala Lumpur. There are three big caves and numerous smaller ones here, with idols and statues erected inside.
Amongst them, the Cathedral Cave is most frequented for its archaic 100m high arched ceiling and several Hindu shrines within. The others are the Art Gallery Cave and Museum Cave, with statues as well as ancient paintings to admire.
5. SuperPark Malaysia
It is one of the best Kuala Lumpur tourist attractions, and people of any age can enjoy it. The SuperPark Malaysia is an indoor theme park with nearly eight adventure areas for children and adults, including a flying fox, a kids gym, a freestyle area, and a kid's adventure city. The interiors are all themed around a wide range of exciting activities to offer strength training for competitive sports activities. Furthermore, the expansive park allows you to race with your friends on the pedal cars and tube slides for an adrenaline rush.
6. Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
A spectacular tropical aviary covering 20.9 acres, the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is not only one of the world's largest covered bird parks, but also an important research center for scientists studying the behavioral patterns of certain species that are difficult to observe in the wild. Most of the over 2,000 birds here are local species, although about 10 percent were imported from as far away as Tanzania and Europe.
The park is divided into four zones, with Zone 4 being one of the most popular because of its walk-in parrot enclosure, its flightless bird exhibit (which includes the deadly Cassowary), a feeding station that allows visitors to come in direct contact with some of the birds, and a 30-foot high waterfall.
7. Sunway Lagoon Theme Park
Located a 45-minute drive outside Kuala Lumpur, this multi-themed amusement park offers almost 100 different rides and attractions spread over 88 acres. While Sunway started as a water park, it now also includes five additional zones: an Amusement Park (with rollercoasters, carousels, and other rides); a Wildlife Park, a Scream Park with a massive haunted house; an Extreme Park (where you'll find ATV rides, bungee jumping, and paintball); and an area is known as Nickelodeon's Lost Lagoon, which is specially designed for the younger visitors.
8. Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Built-in 1897, Sultan Abdul Samad Building is one of the oldest Moorish-style buildings in KL. Today, even though it doesn’t hold any official importance, the building is one of the most visited tourist places in Kuala Lumpur. Its undefinable grandeur and rich heritage make it a historical landmark in the city.
Constructed entirely of bricks, the landmark building features strong, western, and Moorish influences in its architecture. There is a wrap-around imposing porch, complete with a 42 m high clock tower, towering arches, and a curved portico topped with copper domes.
9. Aquaria KLCC
Located in Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Aquaria KLCC is an extensive oceanarium in Malaysia. This is one of the most interesting Kuala Lumpur attractions. Home to more than 150 species of aquatic fauna, this 5,000-square feet aquarium is one of the best places to visit in Kuala Lumpur.
Beyond just big tanks full of water, it houses various landscapes and biospheres which take you through coral reefs, marshlands, jungles, highlands, the Amazon basin, and the open ocean. Cute and deadly marine creatures like piranha, arapaima, grouper, garfish, elephant-nosed fish, electric eel, giant catfish, tiger sharks, seahorses, blue rays, and sea snakes, and others decorate the see-through aquariums of Aquaria KLCC.
10. National Museum
Malaysia's most important cultural and heritage museum, this three-story museum holds collections that include everything from traditional weapons to historical wedding apparel to restored outdoor structures. The museum sits on the space that was once occupied by the Selangor Museum, destroyed by an air bombing during WWII. Some of the museum's most interesting exhibits are located outdoors and include a 19th-century timber palace built using Terengganu Malay architecture and a number of traditional horse-drawn carriages and early motorized vehicles.
11. Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park
The largest butterfly park in the world is home to over 5,000 butterflies and covers an area of 7,500 square meters. The butterflies are free inside a walk-in area covered by a canopy and it requires patience and a keen eye to find them resting on flowers and ferns as you walk through the jungle paths. You can also visit a breeding area to see butterfly larvae and a large live insect exhibit, where you'll find rhinoceros beetles, the largest beetles in the world.
12. Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary
In the small village of Lanchang, you will find an elephant sanctuary named Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary. This place proves to be a great visit for kids and parents too. Many orphaned elephants were raised here and provided with shelter and it is one of the famous attractions in Kulala Lumpur.
For the last 25 years, the staff at the sanctuary is doing their best to relocate wild elephants back into their natural habitat, and they have succeeded in getting 400 elephants back home. This is one of the best places to come face to face with an elephant and also become more aware of animal conservation.
13. Perdana Botanical Gardens
Your trip to Kuala Lumpur is incomplete without visiting this gorgeous destination. The Perdana Botanical Garden is especially famous for the Orchid Gardens which sprawls across 10,000 square meters and houses 800 varieties of orchids, man-made fountains, rock gardens, and rustic walking paths.
The Hibiscus Garden too is frequented, for Malaysia’s national flower that grows in abundance here. The best time to pay this attraction a visit is on the weekends when the area is bustling with tourists, engaging themselves in various activities, which sets the mood for an enjoyable day. You can also enjoy some light snacks at the cafes here.
14. Central Market
While Kuala Lumpur has its share of upscale shopping centers, this traditional market is where you'll find some of the best items in the city. Located inside an Art Deco Heritage Site building dating back to the 19th century, the market is arranged in a stall format, with small open shops offering a mismatched mix of everything from traditional Malaysian handicrafts and batik textiles to pewter and silver items. Malaysia is also well known for ornamental wood carvings and pottery, both of which are well represented at the market.
15. Bukit Bintang Shopping District
Kuala Lumpur's shopping and entertainment district encompasses several streets and a number of shopping centers, street markets, and many upscale cafés and restaurants. This is the area where many major celebrations take place during the year, including the New Year's countdown and the St. Patrick's Day parade and festivities.
One of the main attractions in the area is the Berjaya Times Square shopping mall, which covers 330,000 square meters of retail space and is home to one of the largest indoor amusement parks in Asia, complete with a number of thrill rides and even a looping roller coaster. Starhill Gallery, the city's most posh mall, is also located in this area.
16. Jalan Alor
Jalan Alor is the food mecca of Kuala Lumpur that is lined with seafood restaurants and hawker stalls. It is the favorite spot of food lovers, cultural enthusiasts, and shutterbugs. This is also touted as one of the busiest food streets in the entire world where you can sample a vast range of delicacies at the best price.
The history of the street is interesting in its own ways. What was once declared as a red-light area has now transformed into the most sought-after culinary destination for those who want to experience indigenous food at a cheap cost. The traditional verve that this place offers stands in direct contrast to the well-maintained and modernized tourist spots of Kuala Lumpur.
Besides these, there is much more to explore in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia like China Town, Dataran Merdeka, Petrosains- The Discovery Centre, Taman Burung, National Mosque of Malaysia, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Petaling Street Market, and much more!!!
