Best things to do at night in KL

Instead of spending money trying to outdrink your friends, outwit them in a board game. And yes, board games do comprise more than just chess, 'Snakes and Ladders', 'Monopoly', or even 'Catan' (although, it still almost always guarantees hours of fun strategising).

They have certainly come a long way since the classics like 'Risk' and 'Battle Shop'. Now, you can find everything from relatively simple games where you build, acquire and defend territory to multi-level adventures with plenty of chance scenarios and elements.       

There are board game cafés scattered across the city, and most offer affordable hourly rates and are stocked with shelves of options from all over the world. So gather a bunch of friends, pick a game and spend the night battling over land, banding together against space creatures or outsmarting and breaking each other's codes. 

For those night-time food and shopping cravings, there’s nothing a vibrant pasar malam can’t satisfy. You’ll find everything from knick-knacks and clothes to household items all at an affordable price. Look for those stalls offering ‘three-for-five’ – three items for just RM5. But we all know what the main draw of a pasar malam is – food. Taman Connaught’s pasar malam spans about 2km with over 700 stalls, and is where you can get your hands on items such as bingsu, stinky tofu, gold leaf-coated soft serve and more.

For PJ folks, you’ll find two pasar malams in SS2, but the one that opens on Monday is the crowd favourite thanks to its extensive offerings.

Over at Mont Kiara, the night market is located within Plaza Mont Kiara’s courtyard. Although not as big as the other two, what you can find here is more upscale in terms of quality. Besides food, expect to find handcrafted accessories, potted plants, books and more.

Taman Connaught, Jalan Cerdas, Taman Connaught, Cheras, KL (fb.com/PmTamanConnaught). Wed, 5pm-1am; SS2, Jalan SS 2/61, PJ. Mon, 5-10pm; Plaza Mont Kiara, 2 Jalan Kiara, Mont Kiara (plazamontkiara.com.my). Thu, 3-10pm.

Check in to the Colle Eastern Hotel, and come face to face with a mystery that's been haunting the hotel for generations.   

Hauntu isn't a haunted house per se, nor is it exactly an escape room. Instead, it's an "immersive horror experience" combining live theatre, role playing and plenty of scares. There are real life actors in full costume (bellboys, witches and more), special effects and elaborate mazes to look forward to.  

When you check in to the hotel, your group will receive a mission and everyone becomes part of the story with a role to play. Make your way through the mazes, speak to the characters who live in the hotel and make decisions that will determine the outcome of the story and your adventure. But, who do you listen to and who should you trust?

Episodes and mysteries are updated every few months.

The LINC KL, Jalan Tun Razak (011 1686 9199/ihauntu.com).

Why go to a freezing and overly loud cinema when you can watch a movie on a helipad? Organised by the people behind Stratosphere at The Roof, the pop-up Rooftop Cinema – sharing the same space as the bar – happens every Wednesday from 7.30pm onwards, and have included movies such as Oscar-winning ‘La La Land’, the hilarious ‘Step Brothers’ and the family-friendly ‘Finding Dory’. Beanbags are scattered about the artificial turf-covered helipad, the huge screen and great sound system ensure a pleasant movie-going experience, and your ticket grants you a bucket of popcorn and drinks from Stratosphere’s bar. You can also opt for the beanie package which will get you a bottle of wine and a picnic food basket.

Stratosphere at The Roof, Sky level, 1 First Avenue, Bandar Utama, PJ (03 8605 3388/fb.com/Stratosphere.TheRoof).

Breezy, spacious and close-to-nature, parks make for some of the best places to cool down after a tough day, literally. And considering our country’s scorching heat, parks are probably best enjoyed during the night anyway. Located in the city centre is the KLCC Park, which fronts the Twin Towers. The huge park houses a children’s playground, a scattering of covered pondoks, a popular water feature (with both kids and adults) and a jogging track that’s always busy. Every night, there’s a water and light show at the aptly-named Lake Symphony fountains that draws hordes of both locals and tourists. If you’re looking to spend time with your pets after work, head over to Desa ParkCity’s pet-friendly The Central Park. The gated residence ensures tight security and there's hardly a scrap of trash found on its grounds. 

KLCC Park, Jalan Ampang, KL (03 2382 2828/suriaklcc.com.my). Daily, 7am-8pm; The Central Park, Desa ParkCity, Kepong, KL (03 6280 8080/desaparkcity.com). Daily, open 24 hours.

After a busy day of working and dealing with all the stress that comes with it, you’ll need a way to blow some steam. Head to VR Lab, a game centre that offers virtual reality (VR) experiences that let you step into a virtual world and do almost anything you like such as kill a horde of zombies, slice virtual fruits with a katana, explore the deep blue sea and more.

Your virtual reality experience will begin in a room that’s fitted with cushioned walls and minimal furnishing (for safety reasons), where there’s be a VR headset that you put on that will transport you into the game; and you’ll also be armed with a controller to move your character and interact with in-game objects. Each room fits a maximum of ten players and a maximum of two VR headsets. There will be experienced instructors on hand to help you gear up, explain the safety rules and keep you from banging into anything throughout your one-hour session.

Various locations including SS15 (017 299 8398/vrlab.my); Bandar Menjalara (018 201 5703) and Publika (017 687 5227). Prices differ per outlet.