First of all, I would like to greet everyone a happy new year! It has been a while since my last entry and I have so many back logs. I hope I can catch up in writing all my recent trips to help everyone in theirs too. Wishing everyone a great year full of travels!
As for my first blog in 2020, I will write about Kuala Lumpur, my second most visited city right after Taipei and same as Shanghai. I visited Malaysia’s capital last August as part of my tri-city trip in ASEAN together with Bangkok and Yangon.
What I love about Kuala Lumpur is that it is very easy to navigate around the city by train. Also, the spots in the city are a mix of cultural spots and modern taste. Thus, you won’t get bored if you stay here for a couple of days. Lastly, Grab is also relatively cheaper compared in the Philippines. It gives another alternative than riding the also affordable metro.
DAY 1
12:45 PM Arrive in Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 2 via Air Asia flight (AK 505) from Yangon, Myanmar
Before immigration, there are several communication networks that sell sim cards for internet already. We opted for the cheapest one which is around RM 25, valid for 7 days with a limit of 1.8 GB. This is enough already because we will just stay in KL for less than two days.
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM Ride the bus from KLIA 2 to KL Sentral then transfer going to the hostel
After you go out, the airport of KLIA 2 looks like a huge mall. However, do not be overwhelmed by it as there are signages that will guide you to the bus or train stations. We opted to go for the bus since it is the cheaper alternative, which is only RM 12 per person. Departures are every 20-30 minutes and the bus ride will take about an hour.
From KL Sentral, we then transferred to their metro going to our hostel – Travel Hub Guesthouse.
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Check-in at Travel Hub Guesthouse and rest
Train Station: Pasar Seni
4:30 PM – 6:00 PM Roam around Petaling Street Market, Sri Mahamariamman Temple, and Central Market
Train Station: Pasar Seni
If you happen to stay at Travel Hub Guesthouse or nearby places, walking distance from it is the Petaling Street Market. This is where we started our tour of Kuala Lumpur. In here, you can buy several items that is typically being sold in a night market such as clothes, bags, electronic items, shoes, and even souvenir items. Of course, do not forget to haggle when buying stuff!
Just in the same compound of the Petaling Street Market is the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, which is the oldest Hindu temple in Kuala Lumpur. There is no fee in going inside, however, make sure that you leave your shoes in the entrance before going in. Also, there is a small booth at the side of the temple where you can leave your shoes for a small fee. Afterwards, you can also walk going to the nearby Central Market where you can see and buy more souvenir items and food products like coffee and chocolates.
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Relax at Merdeka Square and Sultan Abdul Samad Building
Train Station: Masjid Jamek
After roaming around the Central Market, you can then relax at Merdeka Square. This is just a 5 minute walk (around 500 meters) from the market. For easier reference, make sure you go out at the back door of the Central Market. From there, you will see a small plaza with a clock and HSBC building being in front. Once you see this, you are near the Merdeka Square already. Also you can pass by the “River of Life” while walking towards the square.
Walk straight then turn left… 
…then you will see the River of Life.
You know you’ve arrived in Merdeka Square once you see the tall flag pole (with Malaysia’s flag) in a huge park. We’ve stayed there and rested for a bit after a few hours of walking. You can also take a photo with my favorite building in KL – Sultan Abdul Samad Building which is across the street from Merdeka Square.
After, we walk towards Masjid Jamek train station, which is the nearest one from the square.
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Take photos of Petronas at night
Train Station: KLCC
KLCC train station is actually connected with Suria KLCC which is the mall under the Petronas Towers. There is a park beside the mall where you can take good shots of Petronas and also watch the dancing fountain at night. On the other side of the mall, there is also another famous spot for taking photos of the Twin Towers. Should you be lost, you can always go back inside the mall and ask help at the information counters.
There is also a supermarket inside Suria KLCC called Isetan where you can buy food as souvenirs at cheaper prices.
8:30 PM – 10:30 PM Have dinner at Jalan Alor
Train Station: Bukit Bintang
Our last stop for the day is Jalan Alor, which is a famous street with a lot of food stalls and restaurants open at night. To go here, you can either take the train to Bukit Bintang station or ride the bus. Jalan Alor, which has a lively atmosphere at night, is famous for its seafood delicacies which I advise you to try.
After dinner, it was time to call it a day and have some rest. From Bukit Bintang station, the train line is already connected to Pasar Seni where the hostel is located.
DAY 2
9:00 AM Breakfast at Travel Hub Guesthouse
If you happen to stay at Travel Hub Guesthouse, make sure to check out their rooftop as well. It is on the same floor as where the breakfast area is. You will get a nice view of KL from above.
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Visit Thean Hou Temple
No train station nearby. It is advisable to take a taxi or Grab.
The easiest and probably the cheapest way to go to this temple is via Grab. According to several sites, it is one of the oldest temples in South East Asia. Also since it sits on top of a hill, it offers a scenic view of KL’s skyline. Lastly, you can visit this temple from 8AM to 10PM and it is for free!
11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon Check out the National Mosque of Malaysia
It is advisable to take a taxi or Grab.
Commonly known as Masjid Negara, it is considered Malaysia’s symbol of Islam. We took Grab going to this place and similar to Thean Hou Temple, there is no entrance fee. However, just take note that there are specific time schedules when Non Muslims can visit. You may check out the picture below for the schedule. Lastly, when you plan to include this in your itinerary, make sure to be properly dressed as a sign of respect.
12:00 Noon – 2:30 PM Take pictures at Petronas Towers and have lunch at Little Penang Kafe
Train Station: KLCC
After another Grab ride, we arrived at Petronas Twin Towers to have some pictures of this famous landmark during daytime. We went inside Suria KLCC, which is the shopping mall under the Petronas, to have some lunch at Little Penang Kafe.
2:30 PM – 6:00 PM Visit the famous Batu Caves
Train Station: Batu Caves
We then went to the famous Batu Caves after having lunch. There are several trains you can choose from that goes to Batu Caves from KL Sentral. However in our case, we took the train from KLCC to Pasar Seni then transferred from KL Station to Batu Caves. There is a bridge that connects Pasar Seni and KL Station so that you can conveniently transfer. After arriving in Batu Caves, you can climb the hundreds of steps going up the cave.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Watch the sunset at Heli Lounge Bar
Train Station: Raja Chulan
It took us around 40 minutes by Grab from Batu Caves to Heli Lounge Bar since it was already rush hour when we left the caves. However, good thing was that we were still able to see the beautiful sunset above the skyscraper. All you need to do is buy a drink from the Heli Lounge Bar then you can get a seat from the helipad above. Make sure to be early to get a good view of the sunset. We waited until the whole KL was light up at night including the Petronas Towers.
How to go to Heli Lounge Bar and other Important Infomation
• Heli Lounge Bar is located at the 34th floor of Menara KH Building.
• The nearest train station is Raja Chulan which is actually in front of the building already.
• It is actually an office building so when we went there, you will see people in corporate attire even in the elevator.
• The theme of the bar is actually aviation so there are furniture inside the bar that were actually parts of a plane.
• Of course, to get to the inside, you need to buy a drink from the bar. I chose the Fizzy 747 which cost RM 30.
• Afterwards, we brought our drinks to the rooftop where the helipad is located. There were several people already there when we arrived around 7 in the evening. To get a good spot, be sure to be early around 6.
• In terms of dress code, both my friend and I wore shorts and we had no problems coming in. According to several blogs, dress code is lenient up until 9 PM. However afterwards, they’ll be stricter as the party begins.
8:00 PM – 9:30 PM Grab luggages from hostel
9:30 PM – 10:20 PM Eat dinner at KL Sentral
After getting our luggages in our hostel, we then went to KL Sentral since that is where the direct buses are from KL to the airport. We bought bus tickets first then ate dinner in one of the restaurants there. I forgot the name of the restaurant but we opted for the Malaysian cuisine near or in front of Cha Time in KL Sentral.
10:20 PM -11:30 PM Bus ride from KL Sentral to KLIA 2
Aside from the buses, you can also choose the express train or get a taxi going to the airport. Of course, the bus is still the cheapest option. The bus departs every 30 minutes so you can choose from the 8:30 PM, 9 PM, 9:30 PM, 10 PM, 10:30 PM, or 11 PM departure. After 11, the next bus departs at 12 MN which is the last bus before it resumes at 3 in the morning. We departed at 10:30 PM at KL Sentral then arrived in the KLIA 2 after more or less 50 minutes. We then proceeded to the check-in counters, got our boarding passes, passed through immigration and security, and then waited at the boarding gate. Departure time was still at 1:40 AM.
1:40 AM – 6:05 AM Cebu Pacific flight (5J 502) from Kuala Lumpur to Manila
EXPENSES
Below is the summary of expenses I had in my 2 days and 2 nights trip in Kuala Lumpur. Total expenses was MYR 259.50 or roughly PHP 3,300. KL being cheap is one of the reasons why I love this city as well. Also, there are a lot of tourist spots which are actually for free unlike in other cities like Bangkok. Overall, I highly recommend visiting KL especially if you are looking for a budget trip in ASEAN!
PS. If you want to check some more photos and videos, you can visit my Instagram (@travelwithdarel) and look for my highlights!
Please be advised that all details indicated on this blog are subject to change. All information are based on the writer’s own experience and may differ with yours.
Travel with Darel 