As someone who calls Kuala Lumpur home, I’ve played tourist in my own city a few times now. While there are moments I genuinely appreciate our popular attractions, there are also times I can’t help but cringe slightly at the tourist traps I’ve stumbled into. KL has plenty to offer, but not every attraction hits the mark for me. If you’re planning a visit and wondering what’s worth your time, here’s my honest take on some of the city’s popular spots.
1. Suria KLCC
I would rate it: 3 out of 5 stars
You’re probably wondering why I’m rating a shopping mall—now, hear me out. KLCC is one of KL’s most popular tourist attractions, so I thought it’d be fitting to start here.
This six-storey shopping mall offers flagship stores that will excite shopaholics and dining options to tingle your tastebuds. The stores here may be slightly upscale in terms of budget, so if you do want perks and discounts, Suria KLCC has a Tourist Privilege Card programme you can check out.
The food court has plenty of cuisines to try out, including Malaysian cuisine, all in a comfortable air-conditioned space. If you’re not keen on dining at the food court, I would suggest trying out Cili Kampung, an establishment well-known among locals serving delicious Malay cuisine.
Last but certainly not least (this is also my favourite part), directly connected to the mall is the KLCC Park—a great place for taking a relaxing stroll, exercising, jogging, or just chilling in general.
Suria KLCC is great if:
- You love shopping and enjoy tourist discounts
- You need a break from the tropical heat in an air-conditioned environment (or shelter from the rain)
- Window shopping is your hobby
Skip it if:
- You’re not going to shop at upscale flagship stores
- You’re not keen on exploring a shopping mall
Address: Lot No. 241, Level 2, Petronas Twin Tower, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
2. Symphony Lake Water Show @ Esplanade, Suria KLCC
I would rate it: 5 out of 5 stars
As you exit Suria KLCC on the Ground Floor’s park entrance, you’ll be greeted by the Esplanade which houses a 10,000 sq ft man-made lake. I’m a sucker for free public spaces and attractions, so this is a nice place to hang around at. Look up from the esplanade and you’ll get a magnificent close-up view of the Petronas Twin Towers—the perfect spot for a touristy selfie.
The lake features two musical fountains with showtimes at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm daily. Personally, I found it a nice place to wind down in the evening after a long day of sightseeing and the Symphony Lake Water Show was mesmerising.
People do tend to crowd around the steps in front of the lake around showtimes, so if you don’t like standing around, I’d suggest getting there a little earlier so you can secure yourself a nice spot.
Symphony Lake Water Show is great if:
- You love free attractions and public spaces
- People-watching is your thing
- You want a relaxing break after a long day of sightseeing
Skip it if:
- You’ll find staring at a water show boring
- You hate the sound of water splashing
- You’re a grump who can’t enjoy free fun things
Address: Simfoni Lake, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
3. Aquaria KLCC
I would rate it: 2.5 out of 5 stars
I would say this is a tourist trap. The big fishes and tanks were pretty cool though, and if you take the time to read the information panels, you’d learn a new thing or two. I personally didn’t think the ticket prices justified my experience, but I can see other visitors enjoying their time here. Tickets are RM52 for MyKad holders and RM75 for non-MyKad holders. Children’s tickets are RM42 and RM65 for respective categories.
There were some non-aquatic wildlife displays as well. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the see the otters (which seems to be one of the main attractions) when I was there. There were a few points of the journey where Aquaria staff kept asking us to take photos or print them out as souvenirs, which was a bit of a turn-off. Printing the photos is expensive and this is on top of your entrance ticket price.
The underwater tunnel was, unfortunately, underwhelming. It wasn’t unimpressive – there were a few sharks that swam above me – but it was a short, small tunnel, and the walkalator/conveyor belt wasn’t working. Some folks were crowding around taking photos too, so I would wager on a weekend (I went on a weekday) it would get crowded and unpleasant to navigate the tunnels and displays.
Overall, if you’re still keen on spending some time here, know that it’s a short experience (about an hour). Kids would probably have a good time though, especially if they get to see the aquatic life being hand-fed during feeding times.
Aquaria KLCC is great if:
- It’s your first aquarium experience
- You have kids who would be entertained and amazed by the sealife
- You have time to spare at KLCC
Skip it if:
- You’ve been to impressive aquariums before
- You’d rather see aquatic life in their natural habitats
- You’re not a fan of ticketed tourist attractions
Address: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Jalan Pinang, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
4. KL Bird Park
I would rate it: 3 out of 5 stars
If you’re a fan of birds, the KL Bird Park is definitely worth a visit. It houses the World’s Largest Free-flight Walk-in Aviary, so you’ll really get up close with peacocks, ducks, storks, and many other species. Do respect their personal space though, as some of them can have an attitude. There are feeding sessions as well as a bird show, which I got to experience. The bird show was pretty entertaining as we saw a few macaws perform cute tricks.
I had the chance to feed some ostriches, which was pretty cool. Overall, it was a fun experience. The park was big and the cloudy weather made exploring easy. I felt like the ticket price justified the experience. (MyKad holders: RM45 for adults, RM20 for children. Non-MyKad holders: RM85 for adults, RM60 for children.)
The Hornbill Restaurant & Cafe has tourist trap (super inflated) prices, but the upside was I got to see a hornbill up close from the balcony seating area of the restaurant. There was also a small stork-like bird (I’m not a bird expert, don’t bash me for not knowing the bird species) trying to get at my food while I was eating, but with a little shoo of the hand, it left me alone. Dishes were a hit and miss—the satay was delicious; you can give the Caesar salad a miss.
KL Bird Park is great if:
- You want to get up close and personal with birds
- You need an easy tourist attraction to entertain the kids for the day (The park is quite stroller-friendly, there are not many stairs and the paths are wide)
- You want a bit of an escape from exploring the concrete jungle
Skip it if:
- You’re not a fan of or are afraid of birds
- You’re not a fan of ticketed tourist attractions
- You would rather spend time exploring other parts of KL and not spend time with birds
Address: 920, Jalan Cenderawasih, Tasik Perdana, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
5. Central Market
I would rate it: 5 out of 5 stars
If you’d like to buy all your souvenirs in one convenient place, this is the place. Besides shopping, there’s also tons of food to savour here, and the air-conditioned environment is a welcomed respite from the heat outside. It was nice to take a walk inside the building after a few hours of exploring the surrounding Pasar Seni area under the hot sun.
I gave Central Market a pretty high score because it’s a well-maintained heritage building, and the shops encompass the vibe of Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia pretty well. A tourist having a short trip in KL would appreciate the ease of buying and experiencing a lot in one place.
Central Market is great if:
- You need a one-stop-shop souvenir spot
- You need a break from the heat for snacks and hydration
- You’re on a day trip to Kuala Lumpur and want a quick, no-fuss stop
Skip it if:
- You’re not keen on shopping for souvenirs
- You don’t like crowded places (It can get a little crowded)
- It’s still worth a stop even if you’re a grump
Address: Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50050 Kuala Lumpur
6. Petaling Street
I would rate it: 4 out of 5 stars
Just a short five-minute walk from Central Market is Petaling Steet. Home to “imitation” goods and food vendors, this market street is a vibrant place to explore, especially for a first-time KL visitor. There are tons of Malaysian heritage food here to try out, and most of them are stores that have been there for generations. Even if you don’t buy anything here, the street itself encapsulates KL Chinatown and is a great cultural experience. Don’t be afraid to venture further from the main Petaling Street market—there’s tons to see nearby.
Petaling Street is great if:
- The idea of exploring KL Chinatown excites you
- You’d like to check out the “imitation” goods
- You want to sample some street food in KL
Skip it if:
- You’re not in the mood to haggle with vendors
- If this is your first time in KL, I would say it’s still worth a quick walk-through for the vibes and experience
Address: Jalan Petaling, City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur
7. Batu Caves
I would rate it: 4 out of 5 stars
If there’s one popular tourist attraction that is a must-see, it would be Batu Caves. It is a well-touristed spot, so there are attractions that are there for tourists apart from the main temple. The two ticketed attractions that I visited were the Cave Villa and the Ramayana Cave.
If you only had time for one, I would say the Ramayana Cave has more to offer. Here, you’ll find statues depicting scenes from the popular epic of King Rama. You’d learn a little bit about Rama, a major deity in Hinduism, as well as explore a few different caverns.
Of course, let’s not forget the main cave temple, the one you’d have to climb its famous 272 colourful steps for. It’s quite a marvel to see and experience. Even if you don’t get tickets for the other attractions, the main temple is worth the climb and should be your main priority when visiting Batu Caves.
If you’re planning to visit Batu Caves during the Thaipusam Festival, be prepared for a bustle of activity and crowds of devotees and visitors.
Batu Caves is great if:
- You have yet to experience a Hindu cave temple
- You are a fan of exploring caves
- You’re keen to visit one of the most popular Hindu temples outside of India and want to see one of the largest Murugan statues in the world.
Skip it if:
- You aren’t able to climb its 272 steps (Although you could still take photos outside with the colourful stairs and the large Lord Murugan statue in the background.)
Address: Gombak, 68100 Batu Caves, Selangor
All images by River Huei unless specified otherwise.
