Top 10 Things To Do In Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and it is increasingly becoming a tourist destination for travellers around South-East Asia and locals from nearby countries. Among the things that you can do in Kuala Lumpur are: visiting the Petronas Towers and the KL Tower, going to the Central Market or going to the National Mosque.

In this article I'll share ten places that you can visit when you are in Kuala Lumpur. It's obvious that any top 10 of things to do in Kuala Lumpur will include the Petronas Towers but there's a lot more to see in this growing city.

If I have left out your favorite place in Kuala Lumpur then please post a comment below and share it with us.

Let's have a look at the top 10!

With sounding cliché, I do think the Petronas Towers are a must when you are visiting Kuala Lumpur. These towers are a symbol of success for the Malaysian people and it's also a national symbol in souvenirs and other works. You can go up to a walkway or skybridge between the towers at the 41st and 42nd floors. You can also go to a viewing deck at the 86th floor.

However, it is not exactly easy to get tickets for these attractions. You must be there early in the morning as tickets are very limited and they sell out quickly. The number of people that are allowed on the skybridge at any time is also limited.

If you want to be sure of visiting the skybridge or viewing deck that day, you must be there early so you can also choose the time that you are allowed to go up. When you have the tickets, you can leave and come back in time later.

The KL Tower is actually a better observation deck if you want to get a view of the whole city of Kuala Lumpur. The observation deck in the Petronas Towers is lower and you can see mostly the business district and a nearby park.

The KL Tower however is located on a hill and you can walk all around the tower to look around. This is similar to all those observation towers in other world cities.

The KL Tower also has a bungee jump from AJ Hackett. You will find their counter near the entrance of the tower for any enquiries or to actually sign up for a jump! However, when I was there in January 2011 it was closed for maintenance and their official website no longer seems to mention it either. So I'm not sure if you can still jump here...

For those of you interested in the culture of Malaysia, have a look at the following article which shows several cultural places that are worth a visit in Kuala Lumpur:

I'm briefly going to mention these three places again in this top 10 of things to do in Kuala Lumpur because I think they should certainly be included in a short or longer holiday to this city.

Malaysia is an islamic country and they have designated this mosque, Masjid Negara, in Kuala Lumpur as their national mosque (which is what the name Masjid Negara means).

Both muslims and non-muslims can visit as there are special opening hours for non-muslims. You will need to cover yourself in purple clothing if you are inappropriately dressed to enter the mosque. Inside you will find wide open spaces and a main prayer hall which only muslims can enter.

Visiting this mosque is certainly recommended as it is a good example of islamic architecture and you can learn more about the culture and religion of Malaysia if you wish.

The Batu caves are well-known in the Hinduistic community in Kuala Lumpur. The Batu caves are a religious location for the Hinduists and it also features the largest statue of Murugan (a deity in Hinduism) in the world.

It is hard to miss the statue because it's located near the stairs that lead to the caves. On the stairs you'll find monkeys just walking around and trying to get some food. Inside the main cave you'll find a temple and various smaller places with statues of deities.

The Batu caves are also the location of the Thaipusam festival that is held annually. This festival - which is also a public holiday - draws large crowds to the caves. The place is becoming more touristy though with stands that try to sell you all kinds of Hindu products.

The Central Market is a nice place to visit when you are about to leave the city: it is a great place to buy some personal souvenirs or gifts for others. In one building you'll find typical Chinese, Indian and Malay cultural items as well as the obvious tourist items, such as small versions of the Petronas Towers.

There is a nice food court where you can try Asian food of various cultures and countries. Lastly, there is also a spa with doctor fish where fish will eat the dead skin away from your feet.

The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is a pretty big aviary near the National Mosque, Kuala Lumpur. You can watch birds in their natural habitat and it houses over 5,000 birds of over 50 species.

The far majority of these birds are local species but there are also some bird species from abroad. The Kuala Lumpur Bird Park is a covered free-flight aviary bird park and it claims to be the largest in the world. I tried to verify this but there are some conflicting numbers as to what the size of the park in hectares is.

The birds can fly freely through the park. Quite a few birds can be seen in their natural habitat but there are also birds in smaller confinements.

KLCC Aquaria is a nice attraction for those interested in water animals and marine wildlife. You'll find sharks, rays and turtles there as well as otters, coatimundi and of course many species of fish!

Some of the things you'll see are a 90-meter long underwater tunnel and a few sand-tiger sharks. You can also feed sharks if you dare!

KLCC Aquaria is located underneath the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center so it's easy to get there by public transport.

The Merdeka Square is the location of the annual National Day Parade. The name of the square means Independence Square which is how the square got its name: the Malaysian flag was hoisted here for the first time.

The square is right in front of the Sultan Abdul Samad Building. Be sure to have a look around because the old court, the old post office and a textile museum are not far with a very impressive architectural building style.

The Merdeka Square and its surrounding buildings together form an important location in the history of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia. That makes it an interesting place and it should not be missed when you are visiting Kuala Lumpur.

For those interested in islamic arts and culture, you should considering visiting the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. The museum displays over 7,000 objects in various categories with permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Walking around in Kuala Lumpur itself is enough to see many examples of islamic architecture - which is on display in the museum as well - but you'll also find clothing, metalwork and ceramics in islamic style.

In addition to the things above, I have looked at some things that are specifically fun to do with kids in Kuala Lumpur. Sure, visiting the walkway at the Petronas Towers can be fun for young children but here's a place that you can visit to entertain the kids.

The Berjaya Times Square shopping center has an amazing indoor theme park, including a roller coaster which travels across various stories! There are attractions for all age groups, including thrilling rides and relaxing attractions for all ages.

You can enter the theme park at the 5th or 7th level. Upon entry you will get a wristband so you can enter the park again if you decide to leave. The Galaxy Station at the 5th level is for teenagers and adults and the Fantasy Garden at the 7th level is for the whole family.

The Galaxy Station is really for those who are looking for some thrills with a roller coaster and other rides that shake you and move you in all directions. The Fantasy Garden has gentle rides such as a train ride or bus ride and let's not forget the bumper karts!

While you are here, go up to the highest level of this shopping center and have a look to see how big this shopping center really is.

I must say I couldn't think of other attractions for kids in Kuala Lumpur, other than taking them to the things already mentioned in this article. If you have visited Kuala Lumpur and you know something fun to do with children in Kuala Lumpur then please post a comment below and share it!

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