Kuala Lumpur

Zoo Negara Malaysia

The National Zoo of Malaysia, called Zoo Negara in Malay, is an outstanding zoo with almost 500 different kinds of animal species strolling around. As children love animals a zoo is an excellent choice when you’re looking for a family friendly attraction. The zoo prides itself in the fact that the animals are kept in spacious and open grounds.

The most eye catching attraction is the great panda bear conservation center, where you have the rare opportunity to see these cute animals up close. Other animals that can be found here vary from giraffes, to apes, Malaysian elephants, pelicans, tapirs, penguins, kangaroos, several types of bears, zebras, porcupines, tigers, crocodiles and the list goes on.

The zoo also offers an animal show with sea lions and Macaws, which is given at 11.00 am and 15.00 pm. In the distant past the zoo also offered elephant shows and rides, but they have stopped doing so to minimize the stress levels of these animals. Because the animal comes first.

When looking for things to do in Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia then this zoo offers a great opportunity to spend the day with your family. Technically it’s not located within Kuala Lumpur, but it’s not far from it either. It lies about 5 kilometers from the city. So you can easily take a taxi to Zoo Negara.

Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park

The Butterfly Park can be found in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, within the huge Tun Abdul Razak Heritage Park which also contains the Lake Gardens and the Bird Park. When you enter this vibrant butterfly park it feels like you entered a colorful exposition of the warm tropic rainforest. But instead of finding dangerous animals you will only find beautiful butterflies fluttering around, which is quite a soothing experience.

According to discovery channel there is no other butterfly park that can compare, which is an understandable statement knowing that the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park is the largest of it’s kind. It’s home to over 6000 exotic butterflies from over 120 species. You can meet the butterflies up close as they land next to you in a colourful display and flutter to plants around the visitors path.

Besides the butterflies this 80,000 square feet park also exhibits turtles, fountains, exotic plants and insects, which only adds to the enchanting atmosphere of the park. This is an excellent attraction when you wish to take some lovely pictures of yourself with butterflies. And it’s fun to see the kids awe at them. To facilitate the wildlife it can be quite warm in the park, so it’s a good idea to bring a nice bottle of water for yourself.

As the park lies right next to the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park it’s often recommended to combine the two attractions. The quickest and easiest way to reach the park is by taxi. As taxi’s in Kuala Lumpur are quite cheap and available at all times we at Meet The Cities recommend taking the taxi. But you can also walk to the park from the Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, as the park is located behind the Masjid Negara. Alternatively there is a tourist tram service that leaves from Merdeka Square which takes the scenic route through the Heritage Park. This tram service also eventually passes by the butterfly park.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur

The Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur is conveniently located in the most popular shopping district Bukit Bintang area and within walking distance of the Petronas Twin Towers. Important for business travellers is to know that this hotel is in the central business district next to the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC). In this area you can find several attractions like the Aquaria KLCC and excellent shopping malls like Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Ramlee Mall Suria KLCC. Just outside the hotel is an elevated and air conditioned walkway that brings you to these shopping malls. Rail Station KLCC, monorail station Raja Chulan as well as several bus stops are nearby. Also the KL hop-on hop-off bus stops in front of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

This hotel can be considered as one of the best hotels in Kuala Lumpur and has a professional, friendly and helpfull staff. It is possible to park your (rental) car at their on-site secured car park which is free for hotel guests. It also has a nice pool area with views on the surrounding area and the Petronas Twin Towers to relax after a busy day in the city. A fitness centre, a Spa, a business centre and free WiFi are available. There are also other services available like a laundry service and a babysitting service.

The delicious breakfast buffet is served at the 38th floor and also has spectacular panoramic views. If you book a room with Club Access you can visit the more peaceful Grand Club Lounge on the 37th floor with all its advantages like complimentary continental breakfast, all-day beverages and evening cocktails. Because the dining venues in the hotel are great, you do not have to go to the other restaurants in the surroundings of the hotel. They also offer in-room dining service. But if you prefer to eat outside of the hotel there are enough good restaurants nearby.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur offers rooms and suites. The rooms are spacious, modern, well designed, have an in-room safe deposit box suitable for laptops, a stocked minibar and tea/coffee facilities. In the large bathroom is a rainshower and bath and toiletries, bathrobes, slippers are present. The soundproofed rooms as well as the suites have floor-to-ceiling windows which creates stunning views which overlook the greenery of the KLCC Park or the Petronas Twin Towers. In the suites it is even possible to have a romantic view over the city and watch the Petronas Twin Towers from your large circular bathtub. At Meet The Cities we prefer the rooms and suites on the higher floors facing the Petronas Twin Towers. When these are not available anymore we would opt for the rooms on the lower floors facing the swimming pool.

Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa Kuala Lumpur

Located in Petaling Jaya near the city of Kuala Lumpur is the Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa. Convenient is that the hotel is next to the Sunway Lagoon theme park and the large Sunway Pyramid shopping mall which makes this resort ideal for a family getaway.

The Sunway Lagoon theme park consists of a water park, an amusement park, a wildlife park, an extreme park, a scream park and the Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon. Besides the theme park there are also an ice skating rink, many places to eat and some bars near the hotel. The hotel itself has a luxury ambiance, a beautiful lobby, a very relaxing Balinese-inspired spa and an impressive lagoon style outdoor swimming pool area with matching waterfall. There are also a gym and a bowling alley present. So if you don’t want to go from the resort to go to Kuala Lumpur it is not necessary at all.

The staff and their service is prompt and helpful. At the breakfast buffet there is a great of choice from eastern and western food. It is possible to book rooms, suites and even villas. The air conditioned rooms do have a flat-screen television with satellite channels, chinese-tea making facilities, in-room wired internet and WiFi, a minibar and a marble bathroom with toiletries and a bathtub. Bottled water is complementary and daily refilled by the housekeeping. If you book a room with access to the Club Lounge you get extra services like afternoon tea, happy hour and snacks and drinks each night. The hotel also offers services like child care, laundry and dry cleaning services. It is easy to park your (rental) car since there is enough parking space.

JW Marriott Hotel, Kuala Lumpur

The JW Marriott Hotel has an excellent location alongside the Bintang Walk in the middle of the luxury shopping and dining area called the Golden Triangle. The hotel is attached to the luxurious Starhill Gallery shopping mall and across the street of the high end Pavilion Kuala Lumpur shopping mall. But the hotel is not only in a brilliant location for leisure travellers, but it is also perfectly located for the business traveller as it is near the business district and the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC). Monorail station Air Asia – Bukit Bintang and several bus stops like one from the GoKL shuttle bus, or the Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus are around the corner. It is also possible to park your (rental) car at the hotel.

The hotel houses several restaurants and has a great service minded and friendly staff. It has a nice outdoor swimming pool area, a full service spa, an outdoor tennis court, a fitness center, free WiFi, a laundry service and babysitting service. Housekeeping makes the rooms clean and tidy and refills the supplies daily. At the international breakfast you can enjoy a variety of delicious eastern and western foods.

The rooms, but especially the suites are elegant and spacious and do have a flat-screen television with satellite channels, a minibar and coffee/tea making facilities. In the bathroom are lots of toiletries, bathrobes and slippers available. For additional services you can book a room or suite with access to the JW Executive Lounge, which is on the 24th floor with beautiful city view. Also in this hotel do rooms and suites on the higher floors have a nicer view over the city than the ones on the lower floors.

Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral

Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral is a large modern hotel conveniently located next to KL Sentral which is the main transportation hub of Kuala Lumpur. Even better is that the hotel is actually connected to KL Sentral. From here you have access to a direct train connection to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and various public transportation methods like the LRT, the KTM and the monorail which connect you with all suburbs of the city. But within walking distance are for example the famous KL Bird Park and Chinatown. The hotel is also connected to NU Sentral shopping center with many retail, eateries and some pharmacies.

The hotel has facilities like a spectacular rooftop swimming pool, a rooftop bar, a fitness center, a business center and free WiFi. These facilities make the hotel suited for families as well as for business travellers. The rooms are clean and have a modern decoration. It also offers services like laundry-, dry cleaning- and ironing services. In the room are coffee/tea facilities available, some free bottles of water, a private bathroom with custom amenities and a lcd-television. We from Meet The Cities prefer a room on a high floor with view on the Petronas Twin Towers. If you have a (rental) car it is possible to park in public parking garages nearby.

Lanson Place Bukit Ceylon Serviced Residences

The advantages of these serviced residences are many. One of them is the presence of a beautiful pool area with a large swimming pool, a jacuzzi and a children’s pool. There are also other facilities present like meeting rooms, a gym, a children’s playroom, reading rooms and free wireless internet. The breakfast lounge has a stunning view over the skyline of Kuala Lumpur.

Lanson Place Bukit Ceylon Serviced Residences is also very well located within walking distance from the KL city center. Also the main nightlife area called Changkat Bukit Bintang with lots of happy bars, restaurants and clubs is nearby. Public transportation like several bus stops, a LRT station, a monorail station and taxi stands are also nearby.

The air conditioned apartments are specious, very clean and modern decorated. Although there are different types of apartments they almost all have windows with beautiful views, flat-screen televisions, a private bathroom with free toiletries, a fully-equipped kitchen with necessities and appliances like a refrigerator, microwave, oven, dishwasher and coffee/tea facilities, a washing machine and a dryer. There are rooms with pool views and rooms with city views. We from Meet The Cities consider this as one of the best hotels in Kuala Lumpur within the 4-star category and prefer a room on a high level with city views on the KL tower and the Petronas Towers. For guests it is possible to reserve a parking lot for their (rental) car.

Invito Hotel Suites

Invito Hotel Suites is located in the Bukit Bintang area with icons like the Petronas Twin Towers and all its popular shopping malls like Pavilion and Starhill Gallery. In the area are also many restaurants and the eateries in food street Jalan Alor. And around the corner is the vibrant Changkat nightlife area with pubs, chic clubs and bars. Nearby are monorail station Raja Chulan and Air-Asia Bukit Bintang as well as several bus stations.

From the outdoor swimmingpool you have a beautiful view on the city. There is a self service laundry, a gym and free WiFi is available. Different type of air conditioned rooms are offered, but they all have a balcony, are spacious, stylish furnished, have a large flatscreen television, a sofa, nice bathroom with amenities like soap, slippers and a bathrobe, a dining table, a furnished kitchen and some even have a washing machine. If you are a light sleeper you could request a room on a high floor and on the side of the Petronas Twin Towers, because the other side of the hotel is more lively. The Invito Hotel Suites provide complimentary parking on site.

Wolo Bukit Bintang Hotel

This comfortable, attractive designed and clean boutique hotel is centrally located in the Golden Triangle, which is one of the best spots in Kuala Lumpur. Besides the many attractions, and shopping shopping malls in this area is also Changkat Bukit Bintang nearby. This street hosts lots of restaurants, bistros, bars, clubs and other nightlife venues. Public transportation like the monorail station Air Asia -Bukit Bintang and several bus stops are nearby. Across the road is also a stop for the hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus.

The hotel itself has a funky, artsy and modern decor and has a great bakery on the ground floor named Tous Les Jours. It also has facilities like a workout room, a meeting room and a wine and cigar lounge. The rooms have a Japanese styled bed, a private bathroom, large mirrors, air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, minibar and coffee/tea facilities. There are rooms with and without a window available. A room with street view is nice, but if you are a light sleeper a room without a window could be considered. Toiletries like shampoo, lotion and soap are provided, free WiFi is available and breakfast at Tous Les Jours could be included.

Mélange Boutique Hotel

This small boutique hotel is designed by a fashion photographer and is perfectly located for people who love to shop. The location is in the Bukit Bintang area with all its entertainment and shopping malls. Monorail stations Imbi and Air Asia as well as several bus lines from GoKL are nearby.

Mélange Boutique Hotel has a friendly and helpful staff and for the traveller it could be convenient that there is also a dry cleaning/laundry service available. The hotel has a rooftop restaurant where you could have dinner or breakfast, but there are also many restaurants and eateries nearby. Around the corner is Jalan Alor which is a famous food street in Kuala Lumpur and it has a lively night food market.

The rooms and bathroom are modern styled, have air conditioning, a minibar and a flatscreen television. We from Meet The Cities recommend that you should ask for a room with a skyline/tower view. Toiletries, 2 bottles of water daily, coffee/tea facilities and in-room WiFi are included. There are several parkings spots available, but if you have a rental car it is wise to reserve a spot.

Holiday Inn Express Kuala Lumpur City Centre

This large Holiday Inn Express hotel is centrally located in the Golden Triangle of Kuala Lumpur near the shopping malls like Pavilion, Lot 10, Berjaya Times Square and Sungei Wang Plaza and the world famous Petronas Towers. Monorail station Raja Chulan is one street away and several bus lines stop nearby.

This non-smoking hotel itself is clean, comfortable, has all the basic needs and is modern as all the ‘express’ hotels of the Holiday Inn chain are. At the hotel there are also an on-site restaurant, a coin laundry, an ironing service, a dry cleaning service and a gym present. For business travellers there are also a meeting room and a business center available. The rooms have air conditioning, a flat screen television, coffee/tea maker, a minibar and has a private bathroom. There are also connected rooms available which is convenient for families with children. The rooms facing the main road have a nicer view, but can also a bit more noisy. In-room WiFi and breakfast are included. The hotel has a free private parking for guests with a (rental) car.

Hotel A-One

This comfortable no-frills hotel with 32 rooms is centrally located between Little India and Chinatown near Jamek Mosque, Dataran Merdeka, Central Market and Jalan Petaling (flea market). Rail station is Masjid Jamek is only two blocks away, but also rail station Pasar Seni is nearby.

There are different kinds of rooms available with and without a window. All these rooms have air conditioning, a flat screen television and a private bathroom. The hotel has a daily cleaning service, a rooftop terrace and in-room WiFi. In the surroundings of the hotel are many restaurants and eateries. Try the eateries in Little India as well as in Chinatown and enjoy the delicious foods.

Lantern Hotel

Lantern Hotel has a great location in the middle of the famous Petaling Street in vibrant Chinatown and near Central Market. It is easy to reach with public transportation because central bus station Pudu Sentral (Puduraya) and rail station Pasar Seni are nearby.

This budget boutique hotel is modern and clean and has a nice terrace which overlooks Petaling Street. Their interior is also described as industrial-meets-tropical. Free breakfast, some toiletries, two bottles of water daily and free WiFi are included. The rooms are not big but have air conditioning and a private bathroom with a nice rain shower. Some rooms also have television. If you are a light sleeper you could book a room on a higher floor or without a window. There are also dorms available which have a shared bathroom.

1000 Miles Hotel

The 1000 Miles hotel is a small and clean hotel with a modern design interior and a friendly staff. This hotel can be considered as one of the top hotels of Kuala Lumpur in the 2-star category. It is very central located in Kuala Lumpur near St. John’s Cathedral and the lively Chinatown with its Central Market and Petaling Street that never sleeps. Railway station Masjid Jamek and bus station Pudu Sentral are also nearby. In the surroundings of the hotel are many restaurants and good food spots.

Simple breakfast, WiFi, 24/7 coffee and tea are included. The rooms have air conditioning, flat screen television and a private bathroom. Some rooms don’t have a window, which can be a wise option if you are a light sleeper. The hotel also has a rooftop terrace where you could relax after a busy day in vibrant KL.

The Explorers Guesthouse

The Explorers Guesthouse is a cheap and clean hostel with friendly staff. The hostel was originally founded by some global backpackers and they have used their experiences in designing a hostel for backpackers. It is centrally located in Chinatown near Petaling Street, Central Market and Pasar Seni Station and just a five minute walk to Merdeka Square (Independence Square). In the surroundings of the hostel are many good and cheap spots around where you can eat. Several train and bus lines are also nearby.

The Explorers Guesthouse is a nice place to stay, especially if you like to meet other travellers. There are normal 2 person rooms, but also rooms where even up to 10 people can stay. For the women there are also 4, 6 or 10 bed dorms where only women are allowed. The air conditioned rooms have individual lockers and several power points. There are rooms with and without windows, so if you prefer a room with a window you can mention that. Basic breakfast is included and WiFi is available in the lobby. The hostel also has a rooftop where you can relax and enjoy the sunset.

Travel Hub Highstreet

This hostel is very suitable for budget travellers and people who want to meet other travellers. The staff of Travel Hub Highstreet is helpful and friendly. And what separates this hostel from others its decoration in classic Malay style and it has a nice rooftop bar. Different types and sizes of bedrooms are available of which some have a window and others don’t, but all bedrooms do have a fan or air conditioning. The bathroom facilities are shared and clean. Free WiFi, free coffee/tea on demand and a free basic breakfast are included in the already attractive price.

Because of its location in the south of Chinatown are the famous Petaling Street flea market, Central Market and stations like KL Sentral and Pasar Seni nearby. For public transportation you can go to train- and bus station Pasar Seni or monorail station Maharajalela which are both around the corner.

Classic Inn

This small hotel with colonial looks has a polite and helpful staff. It is very well located in the popular Bukit Bintang area next to the Berjaya Times Square shopping mall and its monorail station Imbi. Bintang Walk with its shops, and Changkat Bukit Bintang with its restaurants, bars and nightlife are also within walking distance.

This is a top hotel in the 1-star category and is clean, has free WiFi and simple breakfast is included. A laundry service for a few Ringgit and airport shuttle are available. They offer several types of air conditioned rooms and all have a private bathroom, a window and television. The dormitory rooms have a shared bathroom. If you want to park your rental car at the hotel it is advised so reserve a spot on forehand because they only have several parking lots.

Mid Valley Megamall

One of our favourite shopping centers is the Mid Valley Megamall. The mall has over 500 shopping outlets which means you can spend the entire day here without having seen it all.

As typical for Kuala Lumpur there are an excessive amount of places where you can get something to eat or drink. From ice cream shops to waffles. From noodles to Starbucks to French pastries. And restaurants from cuisines like Japanese, Korean, Thai and American. If you can’t decide what to get then you could go to the Oasis Food Court on the second floor, which offers many little food shops with authentic local dishes and places to sit. A joy for your taste buds.

The mall has five floors filled with shops. The shops are very much aimed at locals, which means you can find almost any facility at the mall and they are offered at fair prices. The shops come in all forms, as you have outlets of international brands, like converse and esprit, and a lot of more general fashion outlet, like Bershka and Zara. There are Jewelry shops like Swarovski and even toy shops for the children like Toys ‘R’ Us. It stood out to us that a lot of electronic brands also have their own stores here, like Sony and Samsung. A lot of Malaysian shopping chains are also represented.

One interesting feature of the mall is that it has it’s own laser tag arena called Galactic Laser. Which can be a pretty fun and family friendly activity to do while you’re there. On the two top floors you will also find a cinema. If you want to reach out to home then you can also find an internet cafe at the mall.

The Mid Valley Megamall is located slightly outside of the city center. Luckily a KTM komuter train and bus station called Mid Valley Station is located right in front of the door. If you take the train from the city center you end up right in front of the door of this shopping center. So it’s easy to reach the mall with public transportation. If you prefer to use your own car then you’ll be glad to know there are two floors that serve as parking garages below the mall.

If you think you’ve seen it all, then you can just cross the street and go to the The Gardens Mall, which is in the building next to it. On the first floor you will find a bridge which connects the Mid Valley Megamall with The Gardens Mall. So you can truly spend the entire day here and be catered to all your shopping needs.

Starhill Gallery

Starhill Gallery is the most beautiful and chic shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. On the outside you can already get a glimpse of the glamour you can expect on the inside. Both on the inside and outside Starhill Gallery is an unique architectural highlight that gives off a peaceful, luscious and stylish ambiance. The mall offers a luxurious shopping experience. It has seven floors with over a hundred luxury stores.

Starhill Gallery is world renowned as it is the biggest watch gallery in the world and offers boutiques from Patek Philippe, Rolex, Hermes, Jaeger-LeCoultre and many more. The mall also has flagship stores of premium clothing brands like Dior, Valentino and Louis Vuitton. Perfumeries, a cigar shop and relaxing health facilities like a wellness center and a foot spa are also there to pamper the visitor with the best life has to offer.

A fine dining experience can be held here as the mall offers a multitude of restaurants including ones with traditional Malay cuisine, Japanese buffet, premium steaks, Spanish tapas and exotic Indian. Delicious food in abundance. At Meet The Cities we find it well worth it to just come here in the evening hours for a lovely and surprisingly cozy dinner.

The mall is connected to two luxury hotels, the JW Marriott hotel and the Ritz-Carlton, so people who stay at those hotels do not have to walk far for their exclusive shopping experience.

Starhill Gallery can be found in the very heart of the city in the shopping and entertainment district called Bukit Bintang. It is located right across the street of the Pavilion Mall, so a visit to both shopping centers can easily be combined.

Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

The Pavilion shopping mall is often considered the trendiest shopping mall. This place also hosts the fashion week in Kuala Lumpur where the latest collections and trends are showcased. Located in the heart of the city it’s also the most popular shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.

On seven floors, layer upon layer, you will find great shops. Popular clothing brands are well represented in the Pavilion. With fashion stores from Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Fendi, Zara, DKNY, Lacoste and lots more your wardrobe will be up to date with the latest trends.

Some areas of the mall have themed shops, such as the Tokyo Street on floor L6, where you can find stores with food and items inspired by Japan. The floors L2 and L3 have the biggest fashion brands that we have all grown to love. On L5 and L6 is the Golden Screen Cinema located for all the movie buffs. And as Asians love karaoke you can find a karaoke bar on floor L5. One of the coolest things in the mall is that you can become a virtual pilot and experience flying a Boeing 737 in the flight simulator on floor L2.

Great food and Kuala Lumpur go hand in hand. As we’ve come to love in Kuala Lumpur you can find many great places to eat in the mall. Restaurants and lunchrooms can be found on almost any floor, as on floor L1, L3, L6 and L7 have some nice food courts where they serve local delicacies and food from across the world. Taiwanese ice cream and desserts, Malaysian pastries, Italian restaurants, it’s all there.

In front of the mall you can often find tourists taking a picture of themselves next to the eye catching crystal fountain, which is the tallest Liuli Crystal Fountain in Malaysia. At night this luck bringing fountain turns into a small light show as this quirky fountain constantly changes colours.

The Pavilion is not the cheapest place to shop, but it is the center of the shopping life so you have to go there at least once. In the same street as the shopping mall the Pavilion, located in the popular shopping district Bukit Bintang, you will also find the luxury shopping mall Starhill Gallery and Fahrenheit88 which you cannot miss. In the near vicinity you have a total of eight shopping malls, including the tech and gadget mall Low Yat Plaza. So even if you just come for a cup of coffee, the lively ambiance and some window shopping you will be engaged for the entire day because there is so much to see and do.

Suria KLCC

Next to the Petronas Towers, the most popular attraction of the city, you will find the shopping mall Suria KLCC. As many expats and tourists walk around in this area many shops in this mall are aimed at international travelers.

On the lowest floor at concourse level you will find banking services, a pharmacy, supermarkets, convenience and takeaway food, perfumeries like Dior, jewelries and mainstream fashion shops like the Zara. All the essentials for the international traveler who are passing through.

As you go up the more interesting shops start appearing. On ground level you will find luxury brand stores such as of Gucci, Versace, Chanel, different jewelry and watch shops, such as Hublot and Tiffany and Co. On the first floor you will find more affordable luxury shops such as United Colors of Benetton, DKNY and a more casual Ralph Lauren shop.

A food court called Signatures can be found on the second floor. This food court is aimed at easy and tasty meals that you can order at the dozens of small and affordable food stalls where you can order noodles, nasi, chicken, thai, sushi, sandwiches, pizza and other dishes and quick bites. There are also tables and chairs where you can just sit down and relax with your meal, as you take a break from your shopping spree.

The offering of stores also becomes more diverse at the second floor, as you have several clothing stores with fashion for children, a boutique where you can order custom fit suits and more sportive fashion.

Technical and gadget shops can be found on the third floor, with shops from Sony, Samsung and there is even a cinema. More casual clothes, which are especially appealing to teenagers, such as converse, Levi’s, bershka and Harley-Davidson retail shops. This floor also has a postal office, which might be interesting for people who wish to send a card home.

The fourth floor is partially dedicated to wellness services, beauty treatments and health products. Skin products, nail parlours, and a hair salon can be found here.

An abundance of restaurants can also be found on the fourth floor. Malaysian, Taiwanese, Japanese, Indian, Chinese and other Asian cuisines are represented here, so this is the place where you come to enjoy a great variety of dim sums and delicious local and Asian dishes. A perfect place to end your day with a lovely meal.

On the fourth floor you can also find Petrosains. Officially it’s an interactive science center where kids can learn and play with oil related science. In reality it’s just a fun little playground for young children. Where kids can play with a wind tunnel, a formula 1 car simulator, see a mini volcano and other fun things.

It should be noted that from the shopping mall Suria KLCC you can walk straight to the Pavilion Mall through a walkway, which offers a nice view over the busy streets below. This can be done as follows. On the lowest floor of the mall there is a tunnel that connects this shopping mall with the KLCC Convention Center. Right outside the Convention Center there is a walkway above street level, which brings you straight to the Pavilion Mall and the shopping district of Bukit Bintang. By following this path you can go from Suria KLCC to the busy shopping center of the city within minutes.

In the abovementioned Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, which is connected to Suria KLCC, you will also find one of our favorite family friendly attractions in Kuala Lumpur. The Aquaria KLCC, which is an extensive oceanarium where you can see rays, sharks, fish and turtles and more in thematic areas. Guaranteed fun with the family.

Another great attraction that’s right next to Suria KLCC is the KLCC Park. Which is a park with wonderful fountains and an impressive view of the Petronas Towers. So after a day of shopping in Suria KLCC you still have plenty of things to do nearby.

Berjaya Times Square

The Berjaya Times Square is the building with the 9th largest floor area in the world, which means a lot of shops can be housed here. Within the building is a large shopping mall covering 13 floors, of which 10 are effectively used for shopping, and over a thousand stores and dozens of food venues. So this is one of the largest malls that can be found Kuala Lumpur.

This mall separates itself from the others by having lots of welcoming local boutique shop with very reasonable prices. You can find both branded and unbranded clothing here. Of course there are also megastores where all brands are represented. So this mall is suitable for any budget.

There are also themed shopping areas. On the third floor for example you can find Tiny Taipei, which is decorated as a Taiwanese night market. In general you will find higher floors will have more specialized shops.

The mall also has plenty of great places to eat. On the lower ground floor for example you will find the food court called Taste of Asia. A great place to sit down for a satisfying meal with local ingredients or get some traditional sushi instead.

On the tenth floor there is a large movie theater called GSC Maxx (Gold Screen Cinema), which is the very first IMAX cinema in Malaysia. A lot of movies are shown in English with Malay subtitles, so if you want to catch a nice 3D movie this is a good place to check out.

On the seventh floor you can play laser tag at Laser Battle. A pretty fun thing to do for everybody and especially appealing to teenagers. If you prefer real projectiles then you can do archery on the fifth floor. If you want to have fun with the entire family you can find one of the largest bowling alleys in town called Ampang Superbowl on the fifth floor.

One of the main attractions of this shopping mall is the largest indoor theme park of Malaysia. On the fifth (and seventh) floor you will find Berjaya Times Square Theme Park. This theme park is divided in two areas. One is aimed at younger kids with fun calm rides like a safari jeep, but also things like bumper cars. The other part is more aimed at teenagers and is aged restricted to 13 years and older. For the thrill seekers it has a roller coaster that goes 80 kilometer per hour. Overall there aren’t that many attractions as it’s still indoors, but in general the attractions remind us of fun and accessible street fair. So it’s still undeniably fun to go.

The easiest way to reach Berjaya Times Square is by taking my personal favorite form of public transportation, the monorail. From KL Sentral you can take the monorail to Imbi Station, which is located right in front of the the mall. From Imbi Station you can also walk straight into the mall by taking the footbridge.But if your hotel is in the shopping area of Bukit Bintang you can also walk the distance.

Sunway Pyramid

The Sunway Pyramid is gigantic shopping mall with a pretty stylish – and ever so cheesy – Egyptian themed architecture. The entrance of the building is a sphinx-like statue that looks like a lion. And through this entrance you enter the shopping pyramid located in the center of the mall.

Inside the building you have four shopping areas that are not really that themed, but do have a themed touch to them. One generic shopping area, which forms the majority of the mall, one area with a Moroccan theme, one with an Egyptian theme and one with an Asian theme. In total this mall has over 900 shops, divided over four floors, making it one of the largest shopping malls of Malaysia.

The types of shops in this mall is very diverse, but it seems they are going for a mainstream audience. With countless fashion stores like Zara, Only, Marks & Spencer and Calvin Klein Jeans. Dozens of shoe stores. Gift shops where you can buy something for the homefront. Anything from hair salons to Chinese medicine shops. Jewellery shops, sunglasses, leather bag shops, book stores and banks where you can exchange currency. Toy shops like the Lego store Box of Bricks, Gamer’s Hideout and Toys R Us. Tech stores like from Samsung, Microsoft and Radioshack. Hundreds of restaurants and food shops, from vegan restaurants to barbeque, Thai and Teppanyaki and from starbucks to confectionary shops. Cosmetic stores like from Dior and Bobbi Brown.

One defining feature of the Sunway Pyramid shopping mall is that it has a professional Ice Skating Rink called Sunway Pyramid Ice on the lowest floor where people from all ages are welcome to practise their skills. Ice skating lessons are also available. Recreational ice skating is a great way to be able to spend some time with your family so at Meet The Cities we certainly recommend this activity. You can’t really miss the ice rink as you can see it from all floors. Afterwards you’ll be happy to know the ice rink is surrounded by restaurants where you sit down and relax and enjoy a nice and fulfilling meal.

Other fun recreational activities you can participate in at the Sunway Pyramid shopping mall are laser tag, karaoke, archery and bowling. There is also an indoor playground for young children with harmless attractions and an IMAX cinema.

Behind the shopping mall you can find the Sunway Lagoon attraction park. This is one of the biggest attraction parks of Malaysia. Sunway Lagoon contains multiple sub-parks that are part of the experience including one of the highest rated water parks in Asia. The water park for example contains the largest water attraction on the planet. It also contains one of the largest artificial surf beaches in the world where beginners and experts can surf its waves. At the moment of writing it’s wild life park contains exotic animals like the white tiger. It’s scream park contains live horror shows. More about this awesome park can be found on the things to do in Malaysia page.

The best way to reach this shopping mall is by taking the taxi. Sunway Pyramid is located in a city right next to Kuala Lumpur called Petaling Jaya. It’s not really far away, so from the Kuala Lumpur Sentral railway station you can also just take a RapidKL bus straight to the shopping mall.

Sungei Wang Plaza

Sungei Wang Plaza is a shopping mall in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It’s located in the shopping district Bukit Bintang between many other shopping centers. Sungei Wang Plaza is very popular among the locals as it is known for it’s affordable boutiques with both branded and unbranded clothes that usually sell at cheaper prices than the other shopping malls.

The mall has eight floors with hundreds of stores. When you look at the vendor composition of the mall it becomes quite clear that the bargain hunters among us can shop to their heart content. If you are looking to treat yourself with new shoes, affordable bags or new clothing then this plaza is where you’ll be. This place is also excellent for gift shopping for the people back at home.

Sungei Wang Plaza is also an excellent place to visit if you are looking for a beauty treatment. But as with many services in Kuala Lumpur it’s always smart to discuss the prices up front. There are countless of hair salons, places for beauty and facial treatments, nail salons and pedicure shops. For the bold ones among us there are also plenty of tattoo and piercing shops.

The mall has plenty of affordable restaurants, which can be found on the concourse floor, where you can also find some mainstream fast food chains, the third floor and on the fourth floor, which almost exclusively has delicious Asian food.

Plaza Low Yat

Low Yat Plaza is the technology and electronics haven of Kuala Lumpur. As locals know well Plaza Low Yat is actually the biggest digital lifestyle mall in Malaysia. In this digital lifestyle shopping mall you can find countless electronics, camera, gaming and IT stores, which makes it an excellent place to get a few vacation items, like a proper camera, a music player or a budget phone.

On the ground floor you can find the large phone brands like Samsung, HTC and Sony. Their prices often aren’t set in stone, so you can often haggle the prices down. Because there are many hundreds of tech stores here it’s also a good idea to compare prices between them. When it comes to phones you cannot always be sure they are real though, so if you buy one it’s better to stick to budget phones for on vacation.

If you are looking for a tablet, or something heavier like a laptop, you will find many computer stores here from ASUS, Lenovo, Acer, Dell, HP and others. As every traveler loves to take pictures you’ll also be happy to know they’ve got a Canon store here.

A food court can be found on the lower ground floor, which is dominated with little Asian flood restaurants. On the ground floor you can find flagship stores of all major brands, while if you go up a couple floors you will find more general stores with better prices. So if you’re looking for a nice gadget feel free to go up a couple floors. In total there are seven floors of tech stores you can explore, so you can compare items at your own leisure.

The mall is located in the busy shopping center of Kuala Lumpur called Bukit Bintang, which means there are plenty of other shopping malls within walking distance. And Low Yat Plaza is right next to the Imbi monorail station, so it’s also easy to reach by public transport.

1 Utama

One Utama, also known as 1 Utama, is the biggest shopping mall of Malaysia. In fact, this mega mall is so big it belongs to the top 10 biggest shopping malls of the world. It has a very diverse array of products, as you can find pretty much everything you can wish for here.

The shopping mall covers an impressive 465.000 square meters, which is 5.000.000 square feet. It has ten floors, including the rooftop, with an impressive array of over 700 shops. The stores are mostly concentrated on five floors, with the other five floors filled to the brim with sport and recreational activities.

The fashion stores in this mall tend to focus on affordable and mainstream fashion, with brands like Calvin Klein, DKNY, Esprit having their own shops here. And classy sportive brands like Fred Perry and Lacoste. And the ever familiar Zara. Shoes from Converse, Pierre Cardin and others can be found in the retail shops here. If you enjoy health and beauty you can find venues from Bobbi Brown, Chanel and dozens of other perfume and makeup brands at the mall.

People who aren’t into fashion can enjoy the many tech stores, like from Garmin and HP, the video game and toy stores for children and specialized stores like for guitars and hobby crafting.

When you’re hungry you can find plenty of good bakeries at the mall, places where you can sit down for a hearty doughnut and a coffee and an abundance of open restaurants where you can get anything from local Malay dishes, Thai, Indian curry, to seafood and burgers. There’s plenty to pick from. And if you can’t decide you can always check out the food court at the second floor for a lovely warm dish.

When it comes to recreation then this mall has some pretty awesome features. One Utama has an impressive indoor rainforest rooftop garden that you can explore, which is often considered the largest of South East Asia. As you might have guessed this Secret Garden is a tourist favorite. The shopping center has the largest indoor rock climbing facility in Asia. It has it’s very own diving academy where you can learn to dive. The mall has a gigantic bowling alley. A large playground for children. Multiple karaoke bars and cinema’s. It has batting cages where you can practise your baseball swing. And much more. So you can be entertained here for days.

One Utama is located in the city right next to Kuala Lumpur called Petaling Jaya. When you are at KL Sentral you can simply take the bus to One Utama. The bus will stop right in front of the building. It’s also possible to take the taxi here.

Public transport payment cards

If you plan to travel a lot within the city of Kuala Lumpur you could make use of a credit card-sized prepaid electronic-cash card (smartcard). Using this electronic payment system is convenient, because you don’t need to buy tickets anymore for every single journey, it is a perfect alternative for cash, and it will get you a discount on travelling compared with buying single journey tickets.

When you use the card reader at the check-in and check-out it will deduct the right amount from the value that is stored on the card. So make sure that you always have sufficient value stored on your card. There are two types of prepaid electronic-cash cards that you could pay with in almost all public transportation modes in Kuala Lumpur.

Touch ‘n go (TnG) card
The Touch ‘n go card is available since 1997 and is probably the most used prepaid electronic-cash card for public transport in Kuala Lumpur. The card can be used for payment in public transport like the LRT, the KL monorail, the KTM and busses. An advantage of this card is that it can be used for more things than public transport. It can also be used for highway toll, parking services, theme parks, movie theaters and even for getting a drink or snack at several places. The card can be bought at almost all train stations in Kuala Lumpur and additional value can also be added at other places like TnG spots, petrol kiosks, convenience stores, ATMs, pharmacies and some convenience stores.

Using the Touch ‘n Go card is just as easy as its name says. You touch the card on the card reader and when you hear a beep, the transaction has succeeded. In the case you used the card for public transport the gate will open and you can go on with your journey. Important is that you don’t forget to check-out when you exit the station.

MyRapid card
The MyRapid card can be used only for payments on the RapidKL transportation methods like the RapidKL LRT, Monorail, BRT, Bus services and the Park & Ride facilities. The payment from your card takes place when you exit the gate at the end of your journey. When you do not travel out of Kuala Lumpur this card is almost just as convenient as the Touch ‘n Go card as most of the lines except for the KTM are from the RapidKL company. This card can be bought at all RapidKL LRT Station counters and value can be added at all ticket vending machines of RapidKL.

Planning your journey

When you stay in the city center of Kuala Lumpur many attractions are within walking distance if you don’t mind taking a stroll. But some attractions are further away and in these cases you might want to make use of the public transport system in Kuala Lumpur. It is important to understand that there are several companies and travel methods which you can use to travel within the city.

The most convenient way of traveling is to make use of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System. It consists of several rail lines, like the light rapid transit lines, commuter rail lines, a monorail line, an airport rail link to KLIA and a bus rapid transit line.

At the website of KLRapid you can use their rail journey planner, where you can plan your travels with their rail lines, bus line and stations.

It is easy to find your way at the stations as most signs at the stations are in the English language as well as the Bahasa Malaysia. When you’re in doubt how the stations are connected and where you should transfer to a different line, then the station of KL Sentral is usually your safest bet. KL Sentral is the main transportation hub of Kuala Lumpur where all the lines, except for the Ampang Line, have a stop.

Taking the bus to and within Kuala Lumpur

The main bus stations of Kuala Lumpur are Pedu Sentral (Peduraya), which is located between Chinatown and Bukit Bintang, and Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), which is located about 10 km (6,4 mi) south of KL city centre. From here many busses depart to their destinations within or outside of Kuala Lumpur.

The largest bus company is RapidKL Bus. Besides cash they also accept the MyRapid card. Their buses have a stop at almost all rail stations in addition to locations where the rail lines don’t go. Other large bus companies are Metrobus and Cityliner.

We from Meet The Cities recommend travellers with a small budget to have a look at the GoKL busses. GoKL is a public bus service that offers free bus rides for the time being, on four lines to more than sixty bus stops. You can find their bus stops at most notable shopping malls and tourist attractions like the Pavilion, KLCC, the KL Tower, Independence Square and more. The busses are modern, have WiFi and you don’t have to book them in advance. You can just stand at one of their bus stops and they regularly come by. You can recognize these free busses by their purple color.

If you prefer an easy and comfortable overview of the main sights in Kuala Lumpur then the Hop-on Hop-off bus is advised. You will be driven to the main tourist attractions of Kuala Lumpur without having to do all the planning and research yourself. At every stop are one or more attractions and you can get on or off the bus. Tickets could be bought in advance online or from one of their employees at most of their stops.

Taking the taxi to and within Kuala Lumpur

The taxi, or teksi in Malay, is in most cases the most convenient way to travel because it brings you directly to your final destination. They are available all over the city, but can mainly be found at the airports, stations, shopping malls and tourist attractions.

Although taxis are quite cheap in Kuala Lumpur they are more costly than the bus and rail transportation methods and you also need to take care that you don’t pay too much. This could happen if:
1. you don’t have a fixed price coupon for the taxi when you take a cab from the airport, KL Sentral, or Menara KL (KL Tower).
2. the taxi driver doesn’t turn on the meter. If on the teksi sign on the roof stands the text ‘bermeter’ it is a metered taxi. But sometimes when it is very busy at a certain spot it could be possible that there aren’t enough taxis at that moment. In that case there are many taxi drivers that refuse to put on the meter and then it is up to you if you want to negotiate a (too high) price or leave that cab.
3. the taxi driver puts on the meter, but takes a longer route than necessary. When you are at your hotel, you could take a map and discuss with a hotel employee what the prices should be for your planned taxi rides. In this way you will get a feeling for which prices are considered normal in Kuala Lumpur.

The budget cabs are red and white colored while the executive cabs are blue and white colored. The budget cabs tend to be cheaper, while the executive cabs tend to be more luxurious cars.

Be aware that from midnight till 06:00 AM there is a surcharge of about 50% on the regular taxi fare. And when the taxi makes use of a toll road on an expressway this will be charged on top of the fare price when you reached your destination.

If you want to call a taxi yourself, then you could consider these companies which are the most popular:
Public Cab Sdn. Bhd., telephone +60 3-6559 2929
Sunlight Radio Taxi Service, telephone +60 3-9057 5757