Things to Know Before Visiting Kuala Lumpur 🇲🇾
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when skyscrapers, spicy food, and humid hair days collide — welcome to Kuala Lumpur. It’s chaotic, sweaty, and slightly confusing at times… but you’ll love every second of it.
Where Is It?
Kuala Lumpur (KL, if you want to sound like a local) is Malaysia’s buzzing capital, perched in Southeast Asia between Thailand and Singapore. Think shiny towers, lush jungle just beyond the city, and a skyline that never quite sleeps. It’s the kind of city that gives you both street food on plastic stools and rooftop cocktails 50 floors up — sometimes in the same day.
How to Get There & Get Around
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is one of Asia’s biggest, glossiest transit hubs — which basically means it’s easy to navigate and smells faintly like noodles at all hours. Most major Aussie cities have direct flights, and depending on who you fly with, you’ll either get there feeling civilised or slightly dehydrated and questioning your life choices. We flew direct from Perth to Kuala Lumpur, a super easy 5½-hour hop.
Once you arrive in KL, you’ve got a few options to get around the city:
🚆MRT/LRT train network — clean, efficient, and air-conditioned (you’ll need it!). Just get yourself a Touch ‘n Go card, or buy tokens at the station, and you’re golden.
🚗 Grab (Southeast Asia’s Uber) costs vary depending on time and traffic. Yes, taxis are also available.
🚌 Buses are cheaper, but unless you enjoy humid naps in traffic, probably skip those.
Seasons & Best Time to Go
We visited in January, the middle of KL’s dry season — though “dry” still means you’ll sweat through at least one T-shirt before lunch. Expect 30-something-degree days with humidity that could steam a dumpling.
December–February: dry(ish), warm, and best for sightseeing and rooftop bars.
March–April: hot and sticky. The air feels like soup.
May–August: occasional showers, but still a good time to visit.
September–November: wet season — pack your poncho and a sense of humour.
☀️ Best for weather: January to February.
💸 Best for budget: May or September.
How Long to Stay
We stayed for four weeks to ease into our long-term travels, but 3–5 days is enough to see the city’s highlights without melting into the pavement. KL also makes an excellent start for side trips to Cameron Highlands, Ipoh, or Malacca.
Best Area to Stay
KL is excellent value for accommodation. You can stay in a four-star hotel with rooftop views for what you’d pay for a bunk bed without a curtain in Sydney. Here are some of the more popular areas to stay:
Bukit Bintang: the heart of it all — nightlife, shopping, and hawker food
KLCC: home to the Petronas Towers — slick, modern, and walkable.
Chinatown (Petaling Street): gritty charm and cheap eats. Great for budget travellers.
Bangsar: trendy, local vibe with great cafés and bars — feels less touristy.
We based ourselves in Pudu because we stayed for a month and wanted to avoid the tourist rush on a day-to-day basis. For first-timers, we'd recommend Bukit Bintang, as it's conveniently close to nightlife, shopping, and dining.
What to Do
KL is a mash-up of mosques, malls, and markets — expect a mix of cultural sightseeing, food hunting, and humidity endurance training. Here are some highlights.
Batu Caves: a rainbow staircase leading to limestone caves and temples. Entry is free; simply hop in a Grab or take the train from downtown, and in about 30 minutes, you'll arrive. Caution: Be aware of the monkeys; they will steal your snacks.
KL Tower (Menara Kuala Lumpur): for the best skyline views, head up the Sky Deck. Go late afternoon to catch golden hour and the twinkling city lights.
Petronas Towers: go at night when they sparkle. You can purchase tickets to the observation deck, but the view from below (at the nearby KLCC park) is free and, in our opinion, better.
Jalan Alor: KL’s most famous food street — chaotic, loud, and glorious. Pro tip: bring cash and an appetite.
Central Market & Chinatown: perfect for cheap eats, local souvenirs, and testing your haggling skills.
Useful Tips
💬 Three words to learn: Terima kasih = thank you || Selamat pagi = good morning || Sedap! = delicious
💳 Money: KL is card-friendly, but street vendors and night markets prefer cash (Malaysian Ringgit).
📱 eSIM: Saily offers great eSIM plans, perfect for short-term data needs.
💡 Bonus tip: Grab rides are quick and cheap for short hops, but traffic can be an Olympic event during peak hours. That 10-minute drive might turn into 40 minutes of you rethinking the decision not to walk.
Our Real Costs
($AUD based on two people over 4 weeks — 2025)
✈️ Getting there: $468 (one-way from Perth)
🏠 Accommodation: $68 per night (Airbnb with gym and pool)
🍜 Food: $30 per day
🚇 Transport: $4 per day
🎟️ Activities: $85 total (most sights are free or cheap)
📱 Data: $14 total (eSIM)
Our Thoughts
Kuala Lumpur surprised us. It’s modern, chaotic, and full of grit — the kind of city that reminds you why you travel in the first place. Come curious, come hungry, and be ready for a bit of humidity and a lot of flavour.