Kuala Lumpur
Currency
MYR
Language
Malay, English
Timezone
Kuala Lumpur
Continent
Asia
Discover Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur means "muddy confluence", and the city began exactly there: at the junction of two rivers, where the Jamek Mosque now stands. The Petronas Towers, the tallest twin towers in the world, can be visited as far as the skybridge that joins them; the Kuala Lumpur Tower, set on a hill, actually gives a higher viewpoint and the advantage of having the Petronas in the picture. Below, the National Mosque, the Islamic Arts Museum — among the best of its kind — and Petaling Street at the heart of Chinatown sit a few metro stops apart.
When to go
The equatorial climate has no seasons: around 32 °C all year, with a shower possible any day, usually late afternoon. Two monsoons bring heavier rain, in March–April and from September to November. Haze from regional fires can degrade the air in late summer. There is no bad time, only humid heat to accept and mornings to favour.
Getting around
The LRT, MRT and monorail cover the centre for almost nothing, and the stations are air-conditioned, which matters. Ride-hailing is everywhere and cheap. Walking is less obvious than it looks: heat, uneven pavements and urban motorways cut the city up, but a network of covered walkways links much of the Bukit Bintang–KLCC triangle.
Where to eat
Three cuisines live side by side without merging, and that is what makes the city: Malay, Chinese and Indian — our data puts all three at the top. Nasi lemak, coconut rice, is the national dish and is eaten at breakfast. Roti canai comes from a mamak, the Indian Muslim places that stay open very late. Sixteen halal addresses are explicitly listed, which badly understates reality: in a Muslim-majority country certification is the norm and the label rarely applied.
Good to know
The ringgit is the currency. Covered clothing is required in mosques, which usually lend a robe at the door. Alcohol is heavily taxed and less present than elsewhere in Southeast Asia. English is widely spoken, a colonial inheritance and the language of business. And plan to go back and change: the humidity makes one outfit hard to wear all day.
Top Activities in Kuala Lumpur
landmarkPetronas Towers
from €27
landmarkKuala Lumpur Tower
from €17
landmarkNational Mosque
from €16
landmarkJamek Mosque
from €15
museumNational Museum
from €18
landmarkDataran Merdeka
from €13
activityKuala Lumpur Bird Park
from €13
museumIslamic Arts Museum Malaysia
from €17
museumNational Planetarium
from €15
landmarkPetaling Street
from €12
landmarkCentral Market
from €11
parkPerdana Botanical Gardens
Free
landmarkFederal Territory Mosque
from €12
museumRoyal Museum
from €14
landmarkNational Palace
from €11
landmarkAs Syakirin Mosque
from €11
landmarkNational Monument
from €11
museumNational Textile Museum
Free
museumNational Visual Arts Gallery
Free
activityKuala Lumpur Butterfly Park
from €6
landmarkBukit Bintang
from €11
parkKLCC Park
Free
Masjid Saidina Abu Bakar As-Siddiq
from €10
landmarkSri Mahamariamman Temple
from €10