After we roughed it in the jungles of Malaysia, Matt and I headed to Kuala Lumpur for three days before our next country, Thailand. We’d heard mixed feedback about Kuala Lumpur, and the two of us tend to prefer tropical beaches to big cities when we vacation. However, since we needed to fly through the Kuala Lumpur airport in order to get to Thailand, we decided to take a pit stop in the city before continuing on. I was also pushing hard for it — I was desperate for city accommodation that wouldn’t have bugs and a shower head next to the toilet.
Kuala Lumpur (KL) is your classic big city with towering skyscrapers and busy streets. The city is home to the seventh-tallest tower in the world, KL Tower, which provides 360-degree views of the area and is definitely worth a visit when in KL. There is also a famous shopping mall, the Suria KLCC, which is situated at the bottom of the Petronas Twin Towers (the tallest in the world.) We found it comparable to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore since both are filled with high-end, luxury brands and stores.
Our accommodation was located in another mall, Berjaya Times Square. This mall, although much less glitzy, is a kid’s dream. It houses a movie theater, bowling alley, laser tag, and three floors of a theme park complete with an indoor roller coaster. Not ones to miss out on a roller coaster, Matt and I rode it twice. It was the second theme park we’d been to in a matter of four weeks. We also went bowling and hit the movie theater to see Barbie (I was very excited we managed to see it before heading to more islands; Matt less so, particularly because I made us wear Barbie-themed outfits to the showing.) Generally, our visit to KL felt like we were closer to our sense of normal. Island life is very different, especially since some of the places we stayed were small enough to walk around in 30 minutes.
What we didn’t expect was how fantastic the food would be. KL is a melting pot of cultures, with a large population of Indian, Chinese, and Malay people. The highlights of our city stopover ended up being the food and drinks. Our first night we had cocktails in Bukit Bintang, which is a popular entertainment hub. Restaurants, bars, and dozens of competing massage spots line the streets.
One of the bars we went to served incredible dumplings and speciality drinks; I got a blackberry flavored cocktail served in a teapot with dry ice. We later ended up at an American-themed bar which I was amused to find had only beer pong and southern food. As a traveler from the avocado toast part of America, I felt hilariously out of place. There is also a street food market in the area, with stalls serving hundreds of food items, including sting ray.
The most iconic part of our visit, and likely at the top of every tourist’s list, were the Batu Caves. This spot is famous for its cave temples, steep rainbow staircase, and the massive Hindu God of War statue.
The Batu Caves boast a spectacular view of the city at the top of the stairs, with macaque monkeys sprinting up and down the steps alongside you, but a fair warning: you will be dripping sweat by the time you get to the top. Many tourists like to take photos on the stairs, so some try to get there early. The day we went it was pouring so we didn’t show up until noon. The stairs by this point were crowded with both people and mischievous monkeys who will jump on you if you give them the opportunity. You must be appropriately dressed for the temples (read: shoulders and knees covered) and shoes are removed before stepping inside. Once you enter the mouth of the cave, you are met with vibrant small statues and shrines that are intricately detailed. It’s quite large inside, and one section has no “ceiling” so we felt raindrops as we explored the cavern. It makes sense why the Batu Caves rank high on the list of attractions in Malaysia.
Overall, our favorite part of Kuala Lumpur ended up being the foodie experiences and the Batu Caves. We also appreciated the chance to relax and take it easy. At this point, we’d been traveling for almost a full month. This was around the time that I started to get drained by the intense style of travel that we’d been adopting up until that point. However, our next stop was Thailand, where we would be spending a full three weeks in the country. The thought of beach naps on Koh Lipe kept me persevering.
Up next: Thailand!
Rianna and Matt’s must-dos in Kuala Lumpur:
- Batu Caves
- Bukit Bintang Food Street
- Kuala Lumpur Tower
- Suria KLCC
- Petronas Twin Towers
- The rollercoaster at Berjaya Times Square
Postcards Home to Mum 
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