Kuala Lumpur, Travel Tips & Advice

15 things to know before visiting Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Posted by Lauren Fowler on

We recently spent five days in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I hadn’t really done too much research on the city so didn’t know quite what to expect. Turns out its a vibrant and exciting city, filled with lots of shopping malls, fantastic restaurants and impressive landmarks. So we’ve put together 15 things to know before visiting Kuala Lumpur.

If you’re planning a visit and want to know a little more about the city, what to see and do, the best places to eat and some top tips, then this blog is for you.

OUR FAVE TRAVEL RESOURCES

1. Currency

The currency for Malaysia is Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) 5.70 = £1.00/$1.30/€1.20

We’d recommend downloading the xe.com app to your phone for quick and easy conversions. You can list multiple currencies so you’ll always know how much you’re spending.

2. Visas

For UK passport holders there is no need to apply for a visa before arriving. You are automatically granted a 90 day visit on arrival. As of 2024 you are now required to complete a Malaysia Digital Arrival Card(MDAC) prior to landing in the country. You can find more information and register here.

For all other passport holders please check your government website to confirm your visa requirements.

3. Culture

There are just over two million people that live in Kuala Lumpur, historically it was predominantly a Chinese city, although more recently the Malay population has grown substantially and they now make up the majority of the cities population (47.7%), closely followed by Chinese (41.6%) and Indian (10%).

The majority of the population are Muslim which is important for you to know and understand before heading to Kuala Lumpur as you will firstly want to consider your clothing, dress modestly, we would recommend covering your knees and shoulders where possible to remain respectful of their culture and religion.

You should also be aware that there will be restrictions on the sale of alcohol and certain food products, especially in the small, local restaurants. But, this blend of cultures does make for an impressive food scene, and we ate some of the best Indian dishes, freshest sushi and finest Spanish tapas we’ve ever tried. Our biggest tip when it comes to food is to head away from the main tourist areas and explore the small family run-restaurants for the tastiest, cheapest and most authentic food.

4. Language

The national language is Malay, however the countries second language is English which is widely spoken in Kuala Lumpur, so communication is very easy.

If you are concerned about communication in relation to dietary requirements or allergies, we would always suggest downloading a Malay translation to your phone to show restaurant staff, to ensure they fully understand.

5. Visiting Temples

When visiting temples, please dress appropriately. For women this should mean covering your knees and shoulders and we’d always recommend packing a sarong in case you need to cover up further (i.e. tie around your waist or shoulders).

We’d highly recommend a visit to the Batu Caves with a series of limestone caves in Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located about 13 km north of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The cave complex contains many Hindu temples, the most popular of which is a shrine dedicated to Hindu god Murugan. 

book your half day tour to batu caves here

6. Electricals

Super easy for us Brits as the plug sockets are the same as the UK (3 prong). But if you’re travelling around Southeast Asia we’d highly recommend getting yourself an international travel adaptor, just like this one from Amazon which can be used in more than 224 countries and is just £23.99.

7. Taxis vs Public Transport

When we first landed at Kuala Lumpur airport we decided to get a train into the city and try and work out how to get to our hotel from there. The train fare was pretty reasonable and was very comfortable, in fact, the trains were super clean and very quiet with some lovely views on the way to the city. However, the taxi we booked from the train station to our hotel was very pricey and we quickly realised that the Grab and InDrive apps not only work in Kuala Lumpur but are a fraction of the cost of an ‘official taxi’.

Our preferred taxi app is InDrive, we find them to be cheaper than Grab and the app is super easy to use. You can find out more here.

8. Traffic

Following on from our transport tips, you should also know that the traffic during rush hour in Kuala Lumpur is insane! You can literally be stuck in traffic for hours, so if you need to be somewhere (like the airport), make sure to leave plenty of time or leave extra early to avoid peak times.

We were staying just outside of the city centre, close to the Sunway Putra Mall and the airport was around an hour’s drive. We arranged to be picked up extra early to make sure we arrived at the airport on time, as after 8.00 AM, the traffic on the motorways starts to really build up. Make sure you factor this in for your onward journey.

9. Navigation

We always recommend downloading large areas on your Google Maps app to ensure you can navigate your way around even when you don’t have access to WiFi.

Alternatively, get yourself an eSIM such as Yesim which allows you to stay connected, it’s a premier Swiss-based eSIM provider, which is renowned for its comprehensive coverage across 150+ countries. Head to their website where you can change the currency to USD, EUR or GBP and check out the costs for different countries, different data options or even pay for a weeks coverage in your selected country. For example, Malaysia costs under £20.00 for seven days of unlimited data, which works perfectly if you’re travelling as a pair as you can just hotspot from your partner/friend/family member and spread the cost.

10. Shopping

Did you know that Kuala Lumpur has three of the world’s ten largest shopping malls? That’s right, they LOVE to shop. Everything from local producers of clothing and homewares to large designer stores, huge food courts, global skincare brands, they have absolutely everything you could ever want… and more! In fact, there are more than 20 shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur with some of the most popular being Pavilion, Suria KLCC, and Sunway Putra.

Make sure you take an afternoon to browse the stores and then sit back and relax in the food court with your favourite cuisine. We opted for Sushi King, where we stuffed ourselves with lots of freshly made sushi and fruit juices for a grand total of £12.00… for both of us!

11. Dining

Talking of food, you want to prepare yourself to eat some seriously good food when in Kuala Lumpur and for such reasonable prices.

We ate some of the best Indian food we’ve ever tried, super flavourful and authentic, so much so that we visited twice during our five day visit. We also indulged in spectacular sushi, and some incredible tapas from Pinchoas Tapas Bar. And don’t forget to try the delicious street food, in fact you can book a street food tour where you’ll try more than 15 local dishes thanks to a brilliant food guide. You can book your tickets here via Get Your Guide.

The prices here are much cheaper than in other big cities but be aware that your final bill will have an additional 6% tax added and (usually) 10% service fee as well. Unlike Thailand, most restaurants and bars we visited did accept card payments and without the additional 3% fee (which is always added on in Thailand).

12. Must Visit Spots & Day Trips

Make sure to pack some comfy shoes for your trip to Kuala Lumpur as you’ll be doing A LOT of walking. The city has so much to explore and you’ll want to visit these three top tourist spots: Petronas Twin Towers (you do have to pay to head to the observation deck), KL Tower (again, you’ll need tickets to head to the highest point, but you can purchase these on arrival) and KLCC Park, which is a beautiful space for relaxing and enjoying a picnic or just enjoying some sunbathing and reading in the big city, just make sure to revisit at night for a spectacular fountain show.

There are also plenty of day trips you can take from Kuala Lumpur we’d highly recommend these five trips from Get Your Guide:

13. See the City with Hop On, Hop Off

The Hop On Hop Off bus tours allows you to see all the major sites for under £10 a person. There are two bus routes; the City Route and the Garden Route, covering over 60 attractions including iconic landmarks like the Petronas Twin Towers, Bukit Bintang, KL Tower, and the National Museum. Both meet at a central point and if you do both (without any stops) it takes approximately 3 hours to see the whole city, with buses running every 20 – 30 minutes.

You can choose for a 24-hour or 48-hour pass, meaning you can enjoy unlimited rides, hopping on and off at any designated stops as often as you like. Each bus is equipped with informative commentary available in multiple languages, providing insights into the history and significance of each attraction as you travel. The air-conditioned buses offer panoramic views from the open-top deck, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable ride.

BOOK YOUR HOP ON, HOP OFF TICKETS HERE

14. Fountain Shows

That’s right, Kuala Lumpur has it’s very own fountain show, in fact, they run three times a night. All you need to do it head down to the beautiful KLCC Park to witness beautiful dancing water fountains and light show. Show times are 8pm, 9pm & 10pm and it’s completely free to watch.

15. Bukit Bintang

We did a lot of exploring during our time in Kuala Lumpur and found that the best place to hang out mid-afternoon into early evening was the bustling street named Bukit Bintang, it is located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur and is lined with tons of shops, bars & restaurants. It’s the perfect place to visit for an ice cold drink, a game of pool or a delicious meal. Our favourite restaurant here was Pinchoas Tapas (which we mentioned earlier… honestly, we think about this restaurant way more than we should!).

And that’s all folks. Have you ever been to Kuala Lumpur? What did you think? Have we missed any top tips or recommendations?

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Until next time…

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