Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. The multicultural population (Malays, Chinese and Indians), the delicious food and the various activities make Kuala Lumpur a metropolis. The large and clean malls, colorful temples and the many playgrounds ensure that it is also a child-friendly destination. Sometimes you need a little patience; there are often traffic jams, and the Malaysian population is never in a hurry ;)
Bukit Bintang
5 highlights⚡️
- Food courts: Food courts are almost in all malls. Because there are several restaurants in one place, you have a lot of choices in several dishes. This is very convenient with children because there is always something that the children like.
- KLCC Park: This park is located next to the Petronas Twin Towers and the Suria KLCC mall. The park is big and it has a playground, public swimming pool and a beautiful fountain. This fountain is especially beautiful in the evening, when there is a fountain show with music.
- Sunway Lagoon: This theme park is about a 45-minute drive from Kuala Lumpur. The park contains about 90 attractions, a water park, and a zoo at the same time. Guaranteed fun for any age!
- Rooftop pools: A must when in Kuala Lumpur. The city has so many skyscrapers, which makes great views! Are you booking a hotel with a rooftop pool? Then you have a fantastic view of the city from your lounger. In addition, a refreshing dip in the swimming pool is quite a relief in the hot city. My favorite hotel with a rooftop pool is in the Bukit Bintang district. This hotel provides a view of the Petronas Twin Towers and the KL Tower.
- Batu Caves: Little curious monkeys surround you while climbing 272 steps to reach the top. My daughter dreaded climbing the stairs at first, but because of the many stops to view the monkeys, it was ultimately doable. Once you get to the Batu Caves, you will see a huge statue in honor of the Hindu God Lord Murugan. The temples in the caves are beautiful, just like the colorful stairs.
Petronas Twin Tower
5 lowlights 😔
- Patience, patience, patience. Most people in Malaysia are very sweet and considerate, but they do everything at their own pace. So don't expect to be helped immediately in a store, or that the taxi starts driving when you get in.
- Malaysia has a tropical climate. In summer the average temperature is about 32 degrees. Because Kuala Lumpur is a busy city, it can feel very stuffy. Activities are therefore best done early in the morning, or after 5 p.m. For example, it wasn't very smart to go to the playground in the middle of the day. And parents are also not allowed to paddle in the public swimming pool. Oh well, happy kids = happy parents, right?
- There is always a traffic jam in the center. Do you want to travel from point A to point B with your own transportation? Expect your travel time to be doubled by traffic jams. You can prevent this by walking a lot because everything is within walking distance when you are in the center. More about this in the subject ‘location’!
- Air pollution is a serious problem in Malaysia. Because there are forest fires in Indonesia, there is a lot of smog in Malaysia on some days. Do you want to visit the Petronas Towers to enjoy the amazing view? Check the weather forecast first.
- Loose tiles and narrow paths. Not all streets of Kuala Lumpur are stroller proof. Therefore, if you are traveling with children, make sure you have a stroller that you can easily carry and fold, or bring a baby carrier with you.
Pavilion KL
Batu Caves
Nasi Padang
Location and transportation 🚕
A direct flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur takes about 12 hours. We thought this was too long with our daughter (4) and that is why we made a stopover in Dubai. From Dubai it is about 7 hours flying time to Kuala Lumpur. There are regular offers for a 'free' stopover via Emirates. This way you can also discover Dubai without paying extra for your plane ticket. Once landed in Kuala Lumpur it is easy to book a taxi from the airport. Taxis are everywhere, but I would advise you to download the app ‘Grab’ in advance. With Grab you can easily and safely book a taxi. By the way, WiFi at the airport is free ;-)
Unfortunately, there is almost always a traffic jam in Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, book an accommodation in the center (Kuala Lumpur City Center or KLCC). KLCC is a good place to stay because you can shop, eat and almost everything is on walking distance. The Petronas Twin Towers are also located there and you can also easily take the subway from this point to other parts of the city. The nightlife seems to be great here too. I didn't try it myself because we were on a holiday with our daughter, but normally you can always call me for a drink in a rooftop bar!
The Bukit Bintang district is also recommended. The accommodations in this area are slightly cheaper than in KLCC. For families or large groups you can always find a type of accommodation that suits you. You can also shop, eat and enjoy a nice walk like in KLCC. Bukit Bintang also has the street food market Jalon Alor and there is a long street with access to luxury shops, bars and live music from buskers.
Food = life 🥗
In Kuala Lumpur you can eat some delicious food and it is also cheap. If you're not careful, you'll keep on eating. I felt like I had gained 4 kilos after a week! About 55 percent of the population is Muslim. This means you can eat halal almost everywhere. I had a great meal at Seoul Garden & Seoul Garden Hot Pot and Makan Kitchen. Highly recommended if you are looking for a halal restaurant. In addition to the endless food courts where you can try different cuisines, I also have a number of favorite restaurants. Below my tips.
Vegan & Vegetarian 🥕
Sunway Lagoon
KLCC Park
Playground KLCC Park
Good to know
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As a Dutch tourist you can stay in Malaysia for a maximum of three months without a visa
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The average price for a plane ticket to Malaysia is around €700 in high season. In the low season you can fly for about €500. In terms of accommodations, there is something for every budget. We booked a hotel and apartment and came to about €400 for a week
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Pocket money: (2 adults, 1 child) in one week we spent about €300 on food and beverages (excluding flight and hotel)
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The Malay population speaks English, so communicating goes quite well. And because the people are very friendly, they always try to help you
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Kuala Lumpur is a tropical destination. The best time to travel is all year round, because the temperatures are between 25 and 35 degrees throughout the year. But in Malaysia you have to deal with a dry and wet season. The wet season runs from October to March. This does not mean it rains all day but it depends on monsoons. The dry season is from June to August, which makes the chance of a rain shower smaller
Kuala Lumpur is a real metropolis that is worth visiting. The friendly locals, the delicious food and the large clean malls ensure that I go back one day.
Selamat Tinggal,
Jennifer
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