Is Kuala Lumpur Worth Visiting? Guide to Malaysia’s Capital

Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur is one of the world’s major business centers and has seen huge development over recent decades.

With its globalized demographics and mixture of old and new, is Kuala Lumpur worth visiting?

Let’s find out.

Table of Contents

An international melting pot

Many who visit Kuala Lumpur love its eclectic mix of people.

The city has developed massively since the Industrial Revolution, when it was mainly known for tin mining.

Kuala Lumpur at night — The city of Kuala Lumpur

Having been a part of the Commonwealth has also added to the mix, which means this city is home to inhabitants of varying religions and races.

Kuala Lumpur is, therefore, welcoming to everybody and its vibrancy and flair means it’s certainly worth a visit.

Is the food good in Kuala Lumpur?

Due to the mix of cultures in the city, you can find a huge range of international cuisines here.

Not only that, but the local delicacies have diversified and transformed as a result and so you’ll find wonderful things to try here that you can’t find elsewhere in Malaysia.

The museums and history

The city of Kuala Lumpur has worked hard to preserve its diverse and rich history and so there are lots of museums and galleries throughout the city.

The National Islamic Museum is a beautiful place to explore.

The MinNature Malaysia museum depicts all aspects of Malaysian culture and life and is highly recommended.

For children and science buffs, the Petrosains Science Discovery Centre is an interesting place with lots of hands-on exhibits.

There’s also a planetarium in the city too.

Kuala Lumpur City Gallery

This museum will tell you all you need to know about Kuala Lumpur, right from the beginning to the present day.

There is an impressive model of the whole city that measures 40 ft x 50 ft.

This gallery also gives out free maps too. The building itself is a 19^th-century British construction.

Merdeka Square

If you’re into history, Merdeka Square is an interesting place to head to. It encompasses a large field and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.

the Sultan Abdul Samad Building Kuala Lumpur — Merdeka Square Kuala Lumpur

This is the place where independence was declared in 1957 and the British flag was replaced by the flag of Malaysia.

Nowadays – It’s home to the national day parade, which happens in August every year.

The skyline and architecture

With the Petronas Twin Towers and the Kuala Lumpur Tower, you can’t mistake the skyline here.

The city is home to some world-class examples of architecture and these towers are recognizable instantly around the world.

Besides these man-made feats, Kuala Lumpur is home to natural beauty too in the form of the Klang Quartz Ridge and the Batu Caves to the north.

The Petronas Twin Towers

These towers are the tallest twin towers in the world and also feature in the top 20 tallest skyscrapers in the world.

Petronas Twin Towers Kuala Lumpur — Petronas Twin Towers

Head to the 86^th floor of either tower to visit the main observation decks, which boast wonderful views 1,200 ft above Kuala Lumpur.

There’s also the Sky Bridge connecting the towers, which gives you a great view of the KLCC park.

KL for shoppers

If you enjoy a bit of retail therapy, Kuala Lumpur won’t disappoint.

It is home to some of the best shopping malls in Southeast Asia with luxury brands and boutiques as well as local designers too.

And if you like shopping but the kids don’t, there’s always Berjaya Times Square, which has over 1,000 shops as well as a large indoor theme park!

Is there good nightlife in Kuala Lumpur?

If you like to go out in the evening, Kuala Lumpur has an excellent nightlife.

Nightlife Kuala Lumpur tips — Nightlife in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysians are known for their love of late nights and some places are open 24/7.

If you get hungry, the Indian Mamaks serve food and drink all night and also display live football matches too.

Beautiful wildlife

You’d be wrong to think Kuala Lumpur is just buildings and concrete.

Malaysia has some fascinating wildlife.

In Kuala Lumpur, you can visit the:

Aquaria KLCC
National Zoo
KL Bird Park
and KL Butterfly Park

Besides these establishments, you can also enjoy nature in Lake Gardens Park where you’ll see mammals, lizards, birds, and deer.

Kuala Lumpur Zoo animals — Kuala Lumpur Zoo

At the highest point of the gardens, you’ll also see exotic orchids as well as some wild macaque monkeys who live there.

Be warned, though, they’ll steal things from you! The Batu Caves are also home to hundreds of macaques and thousands of bats.

If You Fancy Hiking – You can find jungles and hills less than an hour away. Cheras is a good place to go for an early morning walk and you might see wild boar and lizards as well as monkeys.

If you fancy hiking, you can find jungles and hills less than an hour away.

Cheras is a good place to go for an early morning walk and you might see wild boar and lizards as well as monkeys.

Temples

There are lots of beautiful and interesting temples in Kuala Lumpur and perhaps the most impressive is the Thean Hou Temple.

This combines aspects of Taoism, Mazuism, Confucianism, and Buddhism.

Thean Hou temple in Kuala Lumpur — Thean Hou temple

There are three goddesses worshiped here:

Guan Yin
Shui Wei Sheng Niang
And Tian Hou (the Chinese sea goddess)

There are ornate statues, a multi-arched gateway, an extensive prayer hall, and impressive ceiling art.

What’s more, this temple is up on a hill and gives impressive views of the skyline of Kuala Lumpur.

The Thean Hou Temple was built by the Hainan Association of Kuala Lumpur, which is a group of people of Chinese Hainanese heritage.

Construction began in 1980 and was finished in 1987.

Sri Mahamariamman Temple

Another temple worth visiting is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple.

This is the oldest temple and was constructed in 1873. It is located at the edge of China Town.

The Gopuram Tower contains 228 statues and is 75 feet high.

Guan Di Temple

This was built in 1888 and is Kuala Lumpur’s oldest Chinese Temple.

Guan Di was the Chinese God of War and Literature and a powerful warrior. Many people believe that he protects them from evil and will, therefore, pray to Guan Di.

Final Words on Is Kuala Lumpur worth visiting?

Kuala Lumpur is a fantastic choice for tourists wanting to experience an Asian-world meld.

With its great mix of cultures and unique skyline, Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur have something to offer everyone.

Whether it’s the national dishes, the temples, the history, or its door-step jungles, you won’t be disappointed with what this capital city has to offer.