An essential guide to Kuala Lumpur for first-time travellers

KL has tropical weather with temperatures that vary between 26ºC and 35ºC. While the weather is pretty even all year round, it’s best to visit from December to February and May to July to avoid the worst of the humidity. There’s a good chance you’ll need an umbrella during the day.

Time your visit with local festivals to experience the best of the city’s cultural heritage: Chinese New Year and Thaipusam in January and February, and Hari Raya Aidilfitri, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan in March or April. KL is also a shopping paradise – so plan your trip during the Malaysia Mega Sales (March, July, and December) for great deals that go up to 80 percent off.

The Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the country’s main airport, some 55 kilometres from downtown. The airport consists of KLIA Terminal 1, the primary airport, and KLIA Terminal 2, which serves mainly budget airlines. Options for getting to and from the airport include a 30-minute express train (RM55), an hour-long taxi ride costing about RM75, or the airport bus coach service that runs every 30 minutes for just RM10. Most locals would recommend catching a Grab, the ride-hailing service.

See KL’s best from a double-decked, open-top city tour bus. The hop-on-hop-off buses offer convenient access to over 60 major attractions and landmarks including Little India, Petaling Street, Kampung Baru, and Suria KLCC. Starting at RM30, it’s great value for money.

Navigating KL is easy with its modern LRT and MRT train systems. Buy the MyCity Pass at any train station, starting at RM10 for a one-day tourist. Grab is another popular way to get around.

If you’re keen to clock some steps, you’ll be glad to know that Central KL is relatively compact and easily explored on foot. Walk along the heritage trail from KL’s oldest mosque Masjid Jamek, at the confluence of the Klang and Gombak rivers that gave the city its name (fun fact: Kuala Lumpur means muddy confluence in Malay), to Merdeka Square with its colonial buildings before tackling bustling Chinatown.

Culturally overflowing, KL is home to harmonious Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities – this mix forms the basis of the city’s vibrant lifestyle, cuisine, and culture. From soaring skyscrapers to colourful temples, Kuala Lumpur has plenty to offer.

Attractions: Stand beneath the glow of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers or ascend to its observation deck for spectacular city views; admire the Mogul architecture on the 127-year-old Sultan Abdul Samad Building at Merdeka Square; connect with nature at the KL Bird Park, home to more than 3,000 birds; or take a 20-minute drive to Batu Caves to climb 272 steps into its vast limestone caves and Hindu temples.

Neighbourhoods: Walk the streets of the newly reinvigorated Chinatown with its exquisite temples, markets, street food and art, creative hubs like Rex K, and a slew of cafes, bars and eateries.  Experience Kampung Baru, a traditional Malay enclave right in the heart of KL, for its markets, food stalls, mosques, and ancestral homes on stilts, or ride the train to Brickfields’ Little India for a banana leaf meal and browse its abundant sari and jewellery shops. Be sure to explore some of the city’s best museums, restaurants, and shopping malls too.

Be considerate and conscientious, particularly when visiting places of worship. To enter, you’ll have to observe a dress code—it’s a good idea to pack some long-sleeved shirts and pants, long skirts, and a scarf. Mosques and temples may offer robes and headscarves that add to the cultural experience.